It was fun to see the aunts last night: Sharon and Dottie. Plus, my mother knows I'm eating well when she feeds me. 3.31.2009
Dinner at the 'rents house with aunts.
It was fun to see the aunts last night: Sharon and Dottie. Plus, my mother knows I'm eating well when she feeds me. 
3.30.2009
2 Days.
Pure bliss: Over the weekend, I did not go in to the office or think (too much) about work. It was not the warmest weekend ever, but it was sunny, and my days were brightened by the short break from budget and policy talks. First policy deadline: done. Second policy deadline, fast approaching...
So, to celebrate not working on Saturday, I put some time in at the tanks. Always a good time, but after rowing on real water last weekend, the tanks are not nearly as much fun as previously. (Although there were no ice bergs in the tanks, which is a good thing, and I did get to see a bunch of friends, which is always a good thing.)
Also managed to make it to a new restaurant over the weekend: Rinata. Pretty good atmosphere, fabulous antipasti. The rest of it was decent fare, but nothing I can rave about. But back to the antipasti...it's really all about cheese. I love cheese. I could just eat it all day long, especially when it's warm and served with olives and sweet peppers and bread.
Had a boat club annual meeting on Sunday night. After sitting through so many committee and floor votes, it's very strange to actually be able to vote on something (like board members) myself. I'm not used to saying "aye" - I wasn't sure if it made me feel better to finally get to vote on something - anything! - or if it just gave me flashbacks to last week when I thought committees would. never. ever. end. But now that's done, we have all the board members in place, I signed my waiver and paid my dues, and now I can go out on the water once the Ol' Miss recedes. (I love how its currently at the "action stage," which is just below the flood stage.)
So, to celebrate not working on Saturday, I put some time in at the tanks. Always a good time, but after rowing on real water last weekend, the tanks are not nearly as much fun as previously. (Although there were no ice bergs in the tanks, which is a good thing, and I did get to see a bunch of friends, which is always a good thing.)
Also managed to make it to a new restaurant over the weekend: Rinata. Pretty good atmosphere, fabulous antipasti. The rest of it was decent fare, but nothing I can rave about. But back to the antipasti...it's really all about cheese. I love cheese. I could just eat it all day long, especially when it's warm and served with olives and sweet peppers and bread.
Had a boat club annual meeting on Sunday night. After sitting through so many committee and floor votes, it's very strange to actually be able to vote on something (like board members) myself. I'm not used to saying "aye" - I wasn't sure if it made me feel better to finally get to vote on something - anything! - or if it just gave me flashbacks to last week when I thought committees would. never. ever. end. But now that's done, we have all the board members in place, I signed my waiver and paid my dues, and now I can go out on the water once the Ol' Miss recedes. (I love how its currently at the "action stage," which is just below the flood stage.)
3.25.2009
When did...
...the word "else" become optional?
As my 6th grade grammar book says (which I still use on occasion), "When comparing a person with a group of which that person is a member, use other or else with the comparative." For example, "Jan types faster than any student in her class." Incorrect - Jan is a member of her class. She cannot type faster than herself. Please stop annoying me by correctly using the words "else" and "other," please.
...the word "less" become an acceptable substitution for the word "fewer"? Back to the grammar book: "Use fewer with items that can be counted; use less with a quantity of substance."
It drives me crazy to see a professional ad campaign using the word "less" when "fewer" is the grammatically correct word. (P.S. Gatorade Ad People, if you are reading this, it should be "fewer calories" 'cause you can count them. You don't have to count calories, but you can. I will probably be drinking less G2 until you make fewer mistakes with your grammar...and even then, I don't drink low-calorie products anyway.)
(Also, Gatorade Ad People, I understand that not everyone is going to use correct grammar all the time - including me. However, I would like to think that when use of words is a major part of your job, and your work product will be seen by millions, you would consult someone who can speak English properly or maybe a 6th grade grammar book.)
As my 6th grade grammar book says (which I still use on occasion), "When comparing a person with a group of which that person is a member, use other or else with the comparative." For example, "Jan types faster than any student in her class." Incorrect - Jan is a member of her class. She cannot type faster than herself. Please stop annoying me by correctly using the words "else" and "other," please.
...the word "less" become an acceptable substitution for the word "fewer"? Back to the grammar book: "Use fewer with items that can be counted; use less with a quantity of substance."
It drives me crazy to see a professional ad campaign using the word "less" when "fewer" is the grammatically correct word. (P.S. Gatorade Ad People, if you are reading this, it should be "fewer calories" 'cause you can count them. You don't have to count calories, but you can. I will probably be drinking less G2 until you make fewer mistakes with your grammar...and even then, I don't drink low-calorie products anyway.)
(Also, Gatorade Ad People, I understand that not everyone is going to use correct grammar all the time - including me. However, I would like to think that when use of words is a major part of your job, and your work product will be seen by millions, you would consult someone who can speak English properly or maybe a 6th grade grammar book.)
3.23.2009
And so the season begins. (Kinda.)
After months of torture, battling an erg in a stuffy weight room...After having to sit through a miserable committee hearing on a beautiful, sunny, 60-degree Saturday for more than 7 hours...I went out on the water for the first time this season late on Saturday afternoon. Just a short 2-mile jaunt - up to about the high bridge and back. But it was sheer bliss rowing on real water again. Even the whole trees (roots, trunks, branches - whole trees) and four-foot square chunks of ice floating by didn't bother me too much (well, maybe one kinda did when I tapped an ice chunk with my oar blade and realized they were really mini icebergs; but even then, Titanic-like visions were not exactly going through my head). It was a pleasant way to end a Saturday and put me in a much better mood for the rest of the weekend.
3.19.2009
3.17.2009
3.16.2009
Things I ____ Today
Love:
1. 60+ degree days
2. Sunshine
3. Freshly washed car that's still fairly shiny, even after lots of snow melt and icky roads
4. Coffee
5. The Gophers making it into the tournament
6. Poring over NCAA March Madness brackets, trying to make selections
Could do without, but will probably (or have) experience(d) anyway:
1. Bananas
2. Mentally getting ready for an erg test tomorrow morning
3. Having no time to actually pore over NCAA March Madness brackets
Am unsure of:
1. Grapple (it's an apple somehow infused with grape flavor; I love how they smell like grape pop; I am really unsure if I actually like the taste...)
1. 60+ degree days
2. Sunshine
3. Freshly washed car that's still fairly shiny, even after lots of snow melt and icky roads
4. Coffee
5. The Gophers making it into the tournament
6. Poring over NCAA March Madness brackets, trying to make selections
Could do without, but will probably (or have) experience(d) anyway:
1. Bananas
2. Mentally getting ready for an erg test tomorrow morning
3. Having no time to actually pore over NCAA March Madness brackets
Am unsure of:
1. Grapple (it's an apple somehow infused with grape flavor; I love how they smell like grape pop; I am really unsure if I actually like the taste...)
3.15.2009
3.11.2009
The Everlasting Story of Winter and Work, continued
-I am tired of winter. This below-zero temps stuff has got to go. Also. No more snow, please. I'm so over it.
-Today was the first day I did not get up well before the crack of dawn to go work out, so I had the misfortune of driving to work during rush hour the first time since the daylight savings switch. Let me tell you, People of I-94-headed-east: you can miraculously see more if you 1) wear sunglasses, 2) put your visor down, and 3) use your windshield wipers and a bit of fluid to clean your windshield. All of this would allow you to drive more than 20 m.p.h. on the freeway when the sun is rising directly at you. I can understand if you're a bit cautious when the sun is at such an angle that none of these tricks listed above works, but if they worked for me today, they should conceivably also work for you.
-Over the weekend, I borrowed my roommate's Netflixed copy of The Cat in the Hat (still not totally sure why she even netflixed it). I absolutely do not know why I bothered to watch it. Despite my great love of Dr. Seuss, I despise that book (always have despised it, and for reasons I won't go into here). The movie was even worse, to the point where I abhored every moment I actually spent watching it before turning to other, better things to do. I mean, seriously! I could've spent my time much more wisely, for instance, by watching the drips of water from the dishes drying in the dish rack evaporate.
-On another note of entertainment-I-catch-in-spare-moments, I am thoroughly enjoying The Everlasting Story of Nory by Nicholson Baker. Unfortunately, I don't have lots of moments to put together to make it very far in any book these days. But in the ones I do have, I really like this extremely random book, which has to involve the most rabbit trail-y "plot" ever, and it is the sheer randomness that makes me laugh. After listening to and reading bills all day long, I need some random hilarity. (Especially after the data practices bills - those are the bills heard in the subcommittee that surely must be the seventh ring of purgatory in the third dimension of hell, or some such place. It is with great, uh, anticipation that that particular subcommittee is meeting for the first time tonight. I will desperately need a page or two of Nory before bedtime so I won't have nightmares.)
-Today was the first day I did not get up well before the crack of dawn to go work out, so I had the misfortune of driving to work during rush hour the first time since the daylight savings switch. Let me tell you, People of I-94-headed-east: you can miraculously see more if you 1) wear sunglasses, 2) put your visor down, and 3) use your windshield wipers and a bit of fluid to clean your windshield. All of this would allow you to drive more than 20 m.p.h. on the freeway when the sun is rising directly at you. I can understand if you're a bit cautious when the sun is at such an angle that none of these tricks listed above works, but if they worked for me today, they should conceivably also work for you.
-Over the weekend, I borrowed my roommate's Netflixed copy of The Cat in the Hat (still not totally sure why she even netflixed it). I absolutely do not know why I bothered to watch it. Despite my great love of Dr. Seuss, I despise that book (always have despised it, and for reasons I won't go into here). The movie was even worse, to the point where I abhored every moment I actually spent watching it before turning to other, better things to do. I mean, seriously! I could've spent my time much more wisely, for instance, by watching the drips of water from the dishes drying in the dish rack evaporate.
-On another note of entertainment-I-catch-in-spare-moments, I am thoroughly enjoying The Everlasting Story of Nory by Nicholson Baker. Unfortunately, I don't have lots of moments to put together to make it very far in any book these days. But in the ones I do have, I really like this extremely random book, which has to involve the most rabbit trail-y "plot" ever, and it is the sheer randomness that makes me laugh. After listening to and reading bills all day long, I need some random hilarity. (Especially after the data practices bills - those are the bills heard in the subcommittee that surely must be the seventh ring of purgatory in the third dimension of hell, or some such place. It is with great, uh, anticipation that that particular subcommittee is meeting for the first time tonight. I will desperately need a page or two of Nory before bedtime so I won't have nightmares.)
3.03.2009
Be careful what you [auto]text
Word to the wise: beware what you text people. That auto-fill can be a real pain...especially when you try to send a message to someone about your "stuffed nose" and instead it comes out "studded nose." No, I have not recently gotten my nose pierced, thank you very much.
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