Doin' it for the Books

Oh look, fan art.

I never know what to tell people when, after hearing I work at the CDC, they gush: "Oh my gosh, I am sooo jealous! You guys do such great wooork!" Usually it's a pathetic half-smile and a "yeah..." Working at the CDC WAS great. But it's been the 1770s every day for the past three years--the same patterns, the same instructions, the same petty dramas, pathetic inside jokes...

So what keeps me going? Well, the paycheck, the awesome benefits, and the fact that I can listen to my iPod all day long. I have a subscription to audible.com, and I've been downloading the Aubrey/Maturin books one per month. It takes about two and a half days to listen to each book, and I usually listen to them several times (eighteenth century dialogue + wicked awesome literary talents make them a joy to listen to) before it's time to listen to the next one. Also, I check out audio books from the library. So, although I lament the lack of time I have to crack an actual paper book, I'm getting my literary fix quite nicely.

Books, once again, come to my rescue.


Oh, remember the bear that I dressed for the Salvation Army Christmas bear drive? One of the women who is on the Army's board called me up last night and wants me to make one for her son...who's graduating from the Fife and Drum Corps this July. Huzzay!

Be of Good Cheer

I am trying to remain upbeat, but the fact is that I am incredibly hot, uncomfortable and tired after sitting all day in a non-ergonomic if personally historically chair, and in ten minutes I will have to leave for Job B.

The girls downstairs have chosen to get out some of their after-school energy by running around and screaming at the top of their lungs.

My roommate, who is using up all his sick leave before he is laid off in March has spent all day sleeping, watching movies and now playing guitar, seemingly unaware that the garbage needs to go out, the kitchen floor needs to be mopped, the bathroom could use a scrub and the fridge is downright scary.

And I'm fairly certain that, queen of the footwear that I am, I have no clean socks to wear to work tonight, which means only one thing: laundry on Saturday.

On the plus side I caught a glimpse of our neighbor's golden lab Henry as the pooch went charging up the stairs of the condo next to us. And President Bush signed the bill that will enable us to borrow $150 billion from China so I can get an extra $300 bucks next May. And Barack Obama is leading in delegates, and, were I half as lazy as my roommate, I would have taken yesterday off and gone to hear him speak in Madison. Also I'm healthy and working, so it's not all bad.

Today's word is Palafox, courtesy of "The Golden Ocean" which I finished with breathless delight today. Not strictly a nautical tern, but on the list of dog names nonetheless.