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Showing posts from January, 2024

Day 30: the state of the family

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 Today is the 3rd day of the 5th week, the 30th day of the 1st month, the 30th day of 2024, and: AFRMA Fancy Rat & Mouse Day Independence Day - the Hanthawaddy Kingdom from the Pagan Kingdom in 1287 Martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi - and start of the Season for Nonviolence, which supposedly lasts through April 4th  National Croissant Day National Escape Day National Inane Answering Machine Day - I rather miss those days when a taped message from Boris Karloff, Alfred Hitchcock, John Wayne, or others greeted my callers!    National Plan for a Vacation Day School Day of Non-violence and Peace Yodel for Your Neighbors Day World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 43s of light travel time from Earth, or 24,368,000,000 km / 15,142,000,000 miles / 162.89 AU  Quote of the day: " If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately go out. " ~  William Blake - English poet, painter, and printmaker  It's been a tough month for my family, setting asi

Day 29: Gen Z and work

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 Today is the 2nd day of the 5th week [ and the 5th Monday I might add ], the 29th day of the 1st month, the 29th day of 2024 [ only 330 shopping days left before Christmas ], and: Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Curmudgeons Day Freethinkers Day Gnocchi Day Kansas Day National Carnation Day National Corn Chip Day National Puzzle Day Seeing Eye Dog Day Thomas Paine Day in the US, the IRS is now accepting tax returns  -  just remember it was Trump in 2017 that changed the tax brackets and made sure it would be effective in an election year  the earliest day Fat Thursday can fall and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 44s of light travel time from Earth  Quote of the day: " It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are ."  ~  ee cummings - American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright I started off this work week with a piece of good news - bossman declared it another 100% remote work week, cautioning us this would be the last [ unless another one of our small office comes

Day 27: this can never happen again anywhere

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Day 25 - time to howl

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 Today is the 5th day of the 4th week, the 25th day of the 1st month, the 25th day of 2024, and: A Room of One's Own Day Burns Supper or Robert Burns Day or Burns Night Clashing Clothes Day Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity) Fluoride Day NASA's Day of remembrance   National Fish Taco Day National Florida Day National Irish Coffee Day National Opposite Day Women's Healthy Weight Day the full Wolf Moon at 12:54 PM EST and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 46s of light travel time from Earth  Quote of the day: " Armageddon is not around the corner.  This is only what the people of violence want us to believe.  The complexity and diversity of the world is the hope for the future ." ~   Michael Palin, English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter  On this day in 1995, the world almost came to an end.   In what is known as the

Day 24 - a Wednesday not in the office

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 Today is the 4th day of the 4th week, the 24th day of the 1st month, the 24th day of 2024 [with only 335 shopping days until Christmas], and: Beer Can Appreciation Day Belly Laugh Day Feast of Our Lady of Peace International Day of Education International Mobile Phone Recycling Day Library Shelfie Day Macintosh Computer Day  - hard to believe it's been 40 years National "Just Do It" Day - to this day, 36 years later, Nike gets credit for one of the most successful and enduring advertising campaigns ever run on TV  National Compliment Day National Edy's Pie Patent Day - patented back in 1922.  If you don't recognize the name of the ice cream treat, the "pie" was formerly known as Eskimo Pie  National Lobster Thermidor Day National Peanut Butter Day Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day - on this day in 1848, James Marshall discovered gold in California.  I guess you could try sounding like Lee Marvin ? Tu B'Shavat - occurs on the 15th day of the Shev

Day 22 - another Monday

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 Today is the 2nd day of the 4th week, the 22nd day of the 1st month, the 22nd day of 2024, and: Answer Your Cat's Questions Day Better Business Communication Day Celebration of Life Day Come in From the Cold Day Community Manager Appreciation Day Dance of the Seven Veils Day International Sweatpants Day National Blonde Brownie Day National Hot Sauce Day National Polka Dot Day National Southern Food Day Roe VS Wade Day Sanctity of Human Life Day World Scotch Pie Day Quote of the day: " Holding on always comes at a cost: primarily disappointment, and peripherally, exhaustion, because things are neither lasting nor dependable. Getting what we want is hard enough, but to keep what we have is impossible ." ~  Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, “ We Can’t Always Get What We Want (And That’s All Right) ” Staring a new year off with a month of five Mondays and only four Fridays just doesn't seem to be a good idea to me.  Then again, those who know me know I have never particularly been

Day 20 - The Year of the Wooden Dragon

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 Beladona and Van celebrated in world Apparently this is to be a year of creative problem solving, something 2024 could definitely use!

Say 19 - another snowstorm

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 Today is the 6th day of the 3rd week, the 19th day of the 1st month, the 19th day of 2024, and: Artist as Outlaw Day Bald Eagle Appreciation Day Brew a Potion Day Good Memory Day Gun Appreciation Day Hat Day International Fetish Day National Popcorn Day New Friends Day Tenderness Toward Existence Day Theophany / Epiphany - Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy Tin Can Day World Day of Migrants and Refugees  World Quark Day - founded in 2019  and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 47s of light travel time from Earth Quote of the day: " A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants ." ~  Joseph Addison [1672-1719], English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician  Being a Trekkie of long standing, my first thought was, of course, of Deep Space 9 and one of the main characters on the show     Amused, I shook my head and realized that if a day had been devoted to this character, my various fan feeds would've lit up. So, then quite logically,  I made the assumption the day was

Day 17 - trying to bounce back

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 Today is the 4th day of the 3rd week, the 17th day of the 1st month, the 17th day of 2024, and: Ben Franklin Day Cable Car Day Customer Service Day Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day International Mentoring Day Judgement Day Kid Inventor's Day Museum Selfie Day National Bootlegger's Day National Classy Day National Hot Buttered Rum Day National Hot Heads Chill Day National Rye Whiskey Day Popeye The Sailor Man Day the first quarter of the moon at 10:53PM EST Quote of the day : " My life needs editing ." ~  Mort Sahi, Canadian-born American comedian, actor, and social satirist Last Wednesday I went to work as usual.  Everyone but one was in the office and he had called in because his wife was suddenly taken ill with COVID.  I was dragging a bit, as usual when I have to get myself up and out on Wednesday, but otherwise I was fine.  As the day progressed, I started sniffling and then coughing.  "Great," I thought.  I must've caught a cold from my younges

Day 10 - thoughts on the future

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 Today is the 4th day of the 2nd week, the 10th day of the 1st month, the 10th day of the new year [ with only 349 shopping days until Christmas ], and: Houseplant Appreciation Day League of Nations Day -  103 years ago today, the League of Nations Covenant automatically came into force after the Treaty of Versailles was ratified by Germany, officially ending WWI. It lasted 26 years until replaced by the United Nations after WWII National Bittersweet Chocolate Day National Cut Your Energy Costs Day National Oysters Rockefeller Day Peculiar People Day Save the Eagles Day - the bird not the team   in case you were wondering and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 42s of light travel time from Earth, or 24,368,000,000 km / 15,141,000,000 miles / 162.89 AU Quote of the day: " If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded . " ~  Maya Angelou, an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. The one thing that I have always said was my goal in life was

Day 9 - second Monday of the second week

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 Today is the 3rd day of the 2nd week [ it really is Tuesday on the calendar at least ], the 9th day of the 1st month, the 9th day of 2024, and: Balloon Ascension Day International Choreographers Day National Apricot Day National Cassoulet Day National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day National Poetry at Work Day National Shop for Travel Day National Static Electricity Day National Word Nerd Day Panama's Martyr Day Play God Day [ do something nice for someone ] the Start of Hōonkō (Nishi Honganji) and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 41s of light travel time from Earth Quote of the day: " Adding sound to movies would be like putting lipstick on the Venus de Milo. " ~  Mary Pickford ,  As amusing as the quote for today is, it does make me wonder how many of the things I learned in school well over a half century ago, or believe without thinking about them twice, will be equally amusing to my granddaughters.... It is a sobering thought and makes me feel rather old.  I try very hard to s

Day 8 - the second Monday of the new year

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 Today is the 2nd day of the 2nd week, the 8th day of the 1st month, the 8th day of 2024 [ at what point do we stop calling it a new year? ], and: Argyle Day Bubble Bath Day Earth's Rotation Day - proven in 1851 by Foucault's pendulum  [ unless you insist the earth is flat ] Midwife's Day National Career Coach Day National Clean Off Your Desk Day National English Toffee Day National Gluten-Free Day National JoyGerm Day National Man Watcher's Day National Winter Skin Relief Day Plough Monday  - interesting that they blackened their faces with soot to make themselves unrecognizable, I'm guessing in this day and age that would not be considered appropriate  Show and Tell Day at Work Snuggle a Chicken Day  - yes there are folks who consider their chickens pets War on Poverty Day World Typing Day Quote of the day: " The universe seems neither benign nor hostile,merely indifferent ." ~  Carl Sagan  Well the good news is that we [ despite the teachings of variou

Day 7 - #SilentSunday

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  #theviewfromthebalcony has become a regular feature of my life

Day 6 - the first Saturday of the new year

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 Today is the 7th day of the 1st week, the 6th day of the 1st month, the 6th day of 2024, and: Apple Tree Day Armenian Christmas Cuddle Up Day Epiphany Fruitcake Toss Day I Am a Mentor Day National Bean Day National King Cake Day National Shortbread Day National Smith Day National Take a Poet to Lunch Day National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day National Technology Day Three Kings Day Theophany Day World Day for War Orphans and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 37s of light travel time from Earth Today I undecorated. I had saved the huge plastic bag the wreath came in so that I could do exactly what I did this morning.  I wrestled the wreath back into that bag, swept or picked up the needles shed in the hallway, and carried it down to the trash dumpster as it was too large to go down the chute.  Got that done before the wintry mix settled in. Throughout the afternoon, I put away the presents I had under the tree, then I packed up the Christmas decorations I had put out and put them away for anoth

Day 5 - the first Friday of the new year

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 Today is the 6th day of the 1st week, the 5th day of the 1st month, the 5th day of 2024, and: George Washington Carver Day Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival Joma Shinji  Kappa Alpha Psi Day Monopoly Game Day National Bird Day National Keto Day National Screenwriters Day National Whipped Cream Day Twelfth Night the twelfth day of the Twelve Days of Christmas  and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 36s of light travel time from Earth Quote of the day: " Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't. " ~  Margaret Thatcher  Today I was reminded that 16 years ago, my life was in chaos.  My mother had been put in assisted living due to her advanced dementia, and she insisted stridently that everything that was her's be removed from the apartment we both were living in and placed into storage.  I boxed it all up for her and arranged it.  Five moving men were all over the place, taking things away, as I showed them what had to go to stora

day 4

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 Today is the 5th day of the 1st week, the 4th day of the 1st month, the 4th day of 2024, and: Congress Assembles  Dimpled Chad Day - when Florida decided the results of the 2000 presidential election by throwing out paper ballots   Free Flower Basket Day Independence Day - Myanmar from the UK in 1948 National Spaghetti Day National Trivia Day Ogoni Day  - this people reside in the Niger Delta, Nigeria  Pop Music Chart Day Tom Thumb Day World Braille Day World Hypnotism Day The first school shooting of 2024 on the first day of school  - altho schools have been open here since the 2nd , it was their first day back from the holidays the eleventh day of the Twelve Days of Christmas and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 34s of light travel time from Earth Quote of the day : " We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution ." ~  Abraham Lincoln 11 pipers piping The news today is j

Day 3 - back in the office again

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 Today is the 4th day of the 1st week, the 3rd day of the 1st month, the 3rd day of the New Year [with only 356 shopping days until Christmas], and: Festival of Sleep DAy Humiliation Day JRR Tolkien Day Memento Mori [ or Remember You Die Day ] National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day National Drinking Straw Day National Write to Congress Day Tamaseseri Festival  Women Rock! Day the last quarter of the moon at 10:32 PM EST   the tenth day of the Twelve Days of Christmas - 10 lords aleaping.... and Voyager 1 is 22h 34m 32s of light travel time from Earth Quote of the day : " The best way to enjoy your job is to imagine yourself without one. " ~  Oscar Wilde The morning commute was actually pretty easy, altho I did grumble about the waste of time and energy. Being in the office?  Between interruptions, a printer that just simply refused to print [that took about two hours for the IT and printer support person to figure out why the network stopped recognizing our device and entailed

Day 2 - back to work

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 Today is the 3rd day of the 1st week, the 2nd day of the 1st month, the 2nd day of 2024 [ no I haven't quite decided whether this is a 366 day blogging experiment this year or not ], and:   55 MPH Speed Limit Day Happy Mew Year for Cats Day National Buffet Day National Cream Puff Day National Motivation and Inspiration Day National Personal Trainer Awareness Day National Run It Up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes It Day National Science Fiction Day National Weigh-In Day Pet Travel and Safety Day ST Basil's Day -  an important Greek holiday that celebrates the patron saint of reformers and hospital administrators when Vasilopita is served Stop Spam Day Swiss Cheese Day World Introvert Day the Earth is at Perihelion at 7:30 PM EST  the 9th day of the Twelve Days of Christmas - nine ladies dancing Quote of the day: " I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's. " ~ Henry Moore, an English artist  The past couple of years, we were able to hav

Day 1 - Happy New Year

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