Project Updates:

I actually did some posting this past week so there isn't much to say.

What did I learn?

• There seems to be nothing I can do to bring the wireless router back to life. I will have to replace it. If anyone has any suggestions on a wireless router/wireless card combo that won't freak out when used with Windows XP please say so now.
• I was once again reminded of the importance of reading the instructions BEFORE you start a project. I was working on a pair of shorts and luckily caught my error before I had to rip out a ton of stitches.

Projects!

• Yard: I braved the yard once again (even though I was feeling crappy Friday night and most of Saturday). It felt good to get a little sun. I am getting used to the electric lawn mower and having to watch out for the cord (I bought a bright orange cords to help with this problem). I am thinking about adding headlights to the mower so I can mow later in the evening.
• Sewing: I finished a pair of shorts and cut out two more pairs of capris pants. Not sure when the official fashion show will happen.
• Websites: I figured out the RSS thing. This will be helpful when I launch my sister's web site (It will happen eventually). She can do all of her typing from Blogger and not have to deal with coding (unless she really wants to).
• Job #12: Still not there yet. I am not going to make my June 1 deadline unless some sort of miracle happens later today. Or I quit and go to bartering full-time.
  

A gift for those of you who were complaining about the fact that you can't tell if I updated my blog (because you choose to enter via the front page).

I did it without php or fancy pants scripting. Since the internet knows everything I figured that there had to be some existing code that someone way dorkier than I sat down and wrote. Google found me RSS Digest.

What is RSS Digest?
Place items and headlines from any RSS or Atom enabled site (such as del.icio.us or Flickr) onto your site, no programming required. It can use JavaScript, PHP, or an IFRAME as the inclusion method, so anyone can use it. Get no ugly ads, and use ANY valid feed!

Eventually I will be moving away from blogger (one of these days Jeremy will get everything working on the server). Until then I don't think I will be putting much more effort in tricking out my blog.

Ok, so my inner Veruca Salt has taken over once again.

Its Friday. Good things are supposed to happen on Friday. Like getting a new job or having my lingering cough go away. BUT NO!

The cough is still here. I feel like ass (a common phrase uttered from my mouth way too often these days). Nurse Megan informed me that the cough will be around for awhile. GRRRR!

I got the rejection email from Apple. It was the standard boiler plate email.

I wanted to take this opportunity to follow-up with you on your interview (blah, blah, blah). After careful evaluation, we have selected a candidate that best fit the position. We will hang on to your resume should other opportunities open that meet your skill set. Again, thank you for your interest (blah, blah, blah)

good luck in your job search.

So, its Friday. A very sucky Friday. Couch bound without wireless internet.

I call my mom to whine about the cough and job rejection. She reminds me that I should stop and think of what I have. I told her I already did that. I want MORE!!!! I realize that yes, I do have a job and a roof over my head and I am not starving and I have health insurance to pay for my antibiotics for my evil sinus infection. Is it wrong to want more??

Now I realize that Veruca Salt's wanting more landed her in a little bit of trouble (something about a waste shoot). I haven't gotten to the point where I don't care how I find success. If I had I would be working at Sugars and I would have a hot tub and a cabana boy. If I go the turning pink into green success route I would definitely choose the internet porn route. I could work from home.

I guess since I am still sick I should get some reading done. I want to read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" before the movie comes out in July.

I finally got around to posting some of my latest in spring fashion. Some of it is in the laundry basket so you will have to wait to see that stuff. I should host a fashion show or something one of these days.

I have a few more pairs of capris/cropped pants left to work on and that should be it until fall.

If only I could make shoes. Then all of my problems would be solved (well not all of my problems).

Ok, this past week has consisted of me couching and having many electronics die. My precious dvd player decided to kick it on Tuesday (causing me to curse at it and get off the couch to tear it apart). I couldn't bring it back to life so I started using my computer until the dvd player would cooperate. Next the wireless internet went away. Netgear has been having problems with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and I am assuming that this is the cause of the wireless crapping out. I tried to find a solution this weekend and failed. Where is Chris Clark? Come back and fix my electronics!

What did I learn this past week?

• I did a lot of tv watching. I even watched some daytime stuff. I caught up on the massive amount of advertisements that I tend to block on the computer. Some of it came in handy later though.
• I studied about Apple computers (mainly the iTunes division). Come on Job #12
• The ladies of Climbinginskirts.com have been investigating online dating and the suckiness of it all. I think that we may have an easier time developing a product idea that fell by the wayside. Boy in a box (add water and stir).

Projects!

• Websites: Steph has less complaints about the site I am building for her. Either she likes it or she was humoring me in my drug induced state.
• Sewing: I finished the skirt and moved on to a sundress (to wear when I am feeling girlie).
• Yard: I had to mow. I realize that the outdoors is the enemy right now but I put on my dust mask and managed to get through it.
• Job #12: I am not saying anything until I know more.

National Effectiveness Week (third full week of May)

Many neat, tidy people are not effective! What matters is that you get the important things done. You can appear organized and be unable to get things done. You can have a messy desk but still be effective. The purpose of National Effectiveness Week is to promote tolerance of people's different styles of getting things done.- Jan Jasper

What did I learn last week?

• I scored a B on the logic test at UT. This means that I am inelligible for the systems administrator position they were offering (you need an A on the test). This also knocks the systems administrator job off the list of potenital job # 12's. I won't be able to take the test for 2 more years (and in 2 more years I hope to be doing beyond entry level work).
• If you are sick you should avoid self-medicating beyond the recommended dosage. It usually means that something is wrong and you should see a doctor. I was having allergy/sinus issues last week. When this happens I usually stop taking Allegra and move on to the 12 hour Sudafed and take Robitussin DM at night for my cough. After a few days I noticed that not only was this not helping but I was running a slight fever (I also noticed that chocolate no longer tasted good which clued me in to the severity of my illness). The doctor said that it was bacterial (sinus infection) and that he was going to perscribe antibiotics. He also gave me the good cough syrup with codine so I could get some sleep (Note: this stuff is more dangerous than Nyquil. You need to be really close to wherever you plan on sleeping).
• There is a reality tv show on PBS. Its called Colonial House. Of all the stations, I never expected PBS to sink so low. I may have been desperate to find something to watch last night but I refused to watch.

Projects!

• My current focus right now is getting off of the couch. I haven't left the house since Friday afternoon. I have been sleeping and couching. I watched many bad movies (not really bad, just movies that had little content). Clueless, Bring it On, and Charlie's Angels I&II were on the list. I slept through most of them. I have also been taking advantage of my wireless internet connection. I have caught up on most of my music video watching and rediscovered a website in my search to get more info on the new Gorillaz album. (this site provided atleast an hour of entertainment. I would have stayed longer but I was running low on battery power).
  
• Website: Steph's website is behind schedule. I fixed some more problems.
• Sewing: I worked on a skirt. I need to hem it and put some sort of closure on it.
• Yard: the yard and general outdoors is the enemy right now.
• Job 12: During the few hours when I was not hopped up on drugs I did fill out a few applications. I had an interview last week as well. It was totally last minute and I felt like crap (maybe I should bring them my doctor's note).
  

I had the opportunity to go on not one but two dates with Megan last week. For those of you who don't know. My friend Megan is a nurse with an extremely wacky schedule. We have been having date night (almost once a month) for the past year or so to make sure that we don't lose touch.

What did I learn last week?

• I learned alot about the system administrator program at UT.
• The people at the Black and Decker outlet store in San Marcos won't ask questions about returns (Yes, I was able to get a replacement Lawn Hog).
• My vet issues replacement rabies tags for $1.35. This is great because my cat frequently loses his collar.

Projects!

• Website: I am learning more about image compression. I want to make my logo transparent to cut down on download time. I did some more work on my sister's website. It will be launched one of these days.
• Sewing: I made a pair of capri pants last week. I hope to finish a pair of shorts and a sundress this week. Not sure if it will happen. The weather has been uninspiring.
• Yard: No progress other than replacing the Lawn Hog.

In my lunchtime blog/websurfing I discovered that I knew two people who should meet.
I sent out a simple email to both of them.

A meet B. B likes music and writing.

B meet A. A likes music and is the editor of an online magazine.

Pretty simple.

Its a networking tactic I stole from Tim Sanders' book "Love is the Killer App"

Anyways, they have since then emailled each other and hopefully something will come of it. If anything I was a little more proactive during my lunchtime activities.

Check out that logo. Sure it still has the "BETA" on it but I decided to add the signature line from my emails as well.

I read a really great article in Worthwhile Magazine the other day.

Its the story of Christine Clifford, a cancer survivor that made a pretty extreme career turnaround.
Here are some tips she offered that got her through it.

• Start as soon as you can.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help.
• Talk about your fears.
• Do a reality check on your fears. Ask, "What’s the worst that can happen?"
• Motivate yourself with reachable goals.
• Don't underestimate the need for hard work.
• Don't forget to laugh.

Now is the perfect time to examine what risks you've taken and the results you achieved. More important, use this time to determine how you can improve your ability to take risks that have the best chance of success.


That being said I will give you one of my all time favorite movie quotes.
"a life lived in fear is a life half lived" - Strictly Ballroom

So, what did I learn this week?

• OK, so I broke the lawn hog last week. Since it hasn't been 30 days since I purchased it, I will have to drive it back to the outlet mall to have it replaced. I don't know exactly how I broke it or if it was me that broke it. All I know if that a piece broke off of the mulching apparatus.
• It is really important to check up on your friends. Sometimes they get stuck in a rut and end up going into hiding.
• SquirrelMail has a lot of cool plug ins.

Projects!

• Website: I am still working on the redesign. Every few pages in "Zen and the Art of CSS Design" I make yet another discovery of how to make my site and others I have created stronger. I am also in the process of researching the webmaster certification process. Is it necessary? How much will it cost? How much of my time will it suck away?
• Sewing: I haven't really done much this week. I think that I sewed a button on a shirt.
• Job#12: Back on the search. I have a few good leads. I overhauled the resume this weekend. I went with the "functional" resume vs chronological. I have had a lot of jobs and the chronological resume made it look like I am some sort of job hopping freak. The functional resume focuses on the fact that while I have had 11 jobs, they are all focusing on the same few skills.
• Yard: I remembered to go out and water my new plants and the grass experiment every day. Things are looking good.