Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in rosie's LiveJournal:

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Friday, November 6th, 2009
9:11 pm	~in memory~ November 6, 2009 (4 roses |bloom)
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
11:09 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 34th book read in 2009 : The Art Thief by Noah Charney, 290 pgs Well-written/Synopsis? Ah. While I didn't see the various whodunits coming in this one, I still don't think I managed to piece it all together and figure out what all really happened. This book tells the tale of several famous paintings that go missing around Europe all around the same time. The thefts are all related and interwoven, though they don't all appear to be in the beginning. What follows are ransoms, false paintings, and several people trying to uncover what is really going on and who is responsible. This book suffered from several problems, in my opinion. First of all, way too many characters. I couldn't really keep them all straight, especially in the beginning when he was flipping around a lot. Next, I hate when characters talk in other languages. While I can usually figure out Spanish or Italian, I have no knowledge or understanding of French, so to have characters exchange several sentences at a time in French is completely lost on me, and pisses me off, even if it is only pleasantries or curses (Which it wasn't always)and the characters are, you know, French. I felt that some loose ends were not tied up, and in the end I was terribly confused about which painting(s) were really stolen, when, why and in what way, and where they really ended up. The author does an amazing job detailing the history and symbolism of many famous paintings, which I found enjoyable, if at some times patronizing, but that may just be me, because I am so familiar with the paintings in question. Would I read it again? Probably not, though I was confused enough by the end to want to in order to figure it out better. Keep or give away? passing this one along, I think Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? maybe Overall recommendation: read for the art information, not the compelling story. This is no Thomas Crown Affair. (bloom)
10:59 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 33rd book read in 2009 : In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, Alexander McCall Smith Well-written/Synopsis? The next book in the No1 Ladies Detective agency. I found that much like the last book, this one focuses more on the characters of the books than on the cases involved. Again, these characters are so beloved that it is a good focus. One is interested in their lives and growth. The main plot of this book involves the return of Precious' x-husband and her struggle with how to handle him and the secret he unveils. But each of the other characters has their own difficulties as well. Told with the same darling rhythms of the old Botswana ways, these stay my favorite beach reads. Would I read it again? yes Keep or give away? library Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? yes Overall recommendation: keep the books coming (bloom)
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
9:07 pm	I may have said this before, but it bears repeating I am exhausted. What is wrong with me. I am getting up later. Generally going to bed earlier. My job is less physically and emotionally draining. My classes are cut in half. But I am still just as tired. I was thinking about this the other day. It is insane to realize I will have spent a year and a half in classes from 6-10 every night. 10?!?!? that's a bedtime! Not time to be out in classes trying to concentrate and learn. What crazy person thought this was a good idea? And I signed up for it. I don't even have kids. I don't know how anyone else here is doing it either. I will be so glad when this is over. It doesn't help that my days are longer or that my classes are less than compelling this quarter. I don't know how I thought this was a good idea. I mean, I set a goal and accomplished it. I achieved the end that this was meant to give me. But damn, I don't know how I did it. I will chart this up to another thing I have put myself through that I don't know how I lived through it. I hope that this is just my body saying "hey - we got the job. no worries. now I have a year of rest to catch up on." I have always had a big crash after finals. Maybe this is like the same thing. I hope so. In which case, I just need to remind it we have to push through a couple more months. I hope I am not permanently lacking in any energy or ability to live through a normal day. As it is, when I can go home, I either sleep or sit like a vegetable. No energy to do anything else-clean or fun. I haven't even played sims in weeks. (bloom)
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
1:52 am	And another thing... I am finding it a lot harder to be motivated for classes. I only have two this quarter - both on T/Th. Part of it may be the classes I have. I am not thrilled by them and they aren't going particularly well. Part of it may be that I have a job now, so I am not as motivated in school. Part of it may be what I had to deal with last quarter and that it has soured me on the whole school. Mostly, I don't know how I was doing it last year. I was up even earlier, had longer days, and classes four days a week. Plus my horrible stressful constantly-on job. I don't know how I was doing it. It is amazing what I can make myself live through sometimes. I guess that's what motivation does for you. I am beat on two classes a week now :( I will be really really really glad when these classes are over. I won't know what to do with my evenings! And as long is it is the middle of the night, and I am exhaustedly babbling probably incoherently - I really enjoy working. It was never about that. There are reasons why I say that I couldn't be a stay-at-home. I know my personality. I get a real pleasure and sense of pride and accomplishment from working. I like feeling like I am doing something important for somebody. I guess I was just in the wrong situation. I am sorry it didn't work out. I think I could have loved teaching under other circumstances. But I have really enjoyed working this week - not just because of all the perks, but because of what I am doing. And that it is important to people. And it gives my time and my life meaning and structure. And I actually am enjoying it. Who knew that could be possible. I have always liked working. But now I actually like my job and the time I spend there. (bloom)
12:57 am	I feel like I need to start watching the office now Oh my god. I love office life. It is an entirely different world. I wish I had known this/done this years ago. It is so much more relaxed. You can have adult conversations with other people about things unrelated to your job. It is quiet for the most part. I don't stand all day. I can pee when I want to. I am not rushing, and even when I am multitasking, it is just a whole different experience from school. Most of all, I don't have that panic and anxiety feeling. (Well, I do sometimes on the road, but that's a different issue.) The best part is, I am waking up at around the time I had to be at school and still have loads of extra time in the morning to get ready and make lunch and watch traffic. I have an office to myself. It isn't huge, but it is servicable - especially once we took out the stacks of files in there. It has 4 walls that go all the way to the ceiling, but just a door way. I am limited in the decorating I can do. I have my own printer, and I am right next to the copy room which has the copier, a dorm fridge and the check printer. The office supply/mail room is like kinkos. They even have two plotters in there. They are happy to give me whatever I need (one thing I learned in school was make friends with the custodians. That seems to map over to make friends with the mail dudes in office life). I can even send ups packages there, and they will deduct it from my pay. Note: Netflix mailing takes longer than from mailing it at home. The break room is like a cafe. There are booths, and a bar with stools and tv. There's a fridge and a freezer, sink and dishwasher. They have fountain sodas and water. Free! There's a vending machine. There's a really cool machine that I have gotten very friendly with that will make coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. You just insert the packet without even opening it! I can go get something to drink whenever I feel like it. The building has a restaurant, a diner type lunch place, a convenience store, a dry cleaner, a gym, and a car wash. And I am right across the street from the two swankiest malls in Atlanta. Not that I can afford to shop there :) OH! And the dress code is totally casual. No jeans and no spaghetti straps, but pretty much anything else seems cool. I have felt over dressed in my clearance Coldwater Creek splurges. I am considering returning the suit jackets I bought. The main part of my job is to issue the checks to people. I am not AP necessarily - we have an AP girl who handles the bills and invoices and stuff. I run the more immediate checks needed - generally to go to the courthouse for filings and stuff. I am also funding accounts that are short in order to balance for an audit coming up next month, but I gather that is grunt work they passed onto me and not a regular part of my job. I do end of month reports for some accounts. I do journal entries. I do bank reconciliations. Overall, I am kept very busy and the time goes very fast. I can see how some of this might get monotonous, but for now I am really enjoying it. I get anxious when I finish my work. I am scared to get "caught" not being busy. But other people kibbutz in the halls and stuff, and its cool. I am not babied at all. I am treated like an adult, and expected to handle my business. I expected a lot more hand holding. I thought I would have someone over my shoulder this whole week. But no, they show me how to do what they want, I do it once or twice, and they leave. There are people I can ask if I have questions. The two people I have been working for seem really happy with my work so far - especially the speed with which I complete tasks. I have three big complaints so far. First of all, I am freezing to death. That is why the hot drinks machine has my attention more than the (free!) diet coke machine right now. I am going to break out the sweaters this weekend. Luckily, wraps are real in right now, and I bought a bunch of them on clearance. I am still thinking about bringing in a throw or a blanket though. Second, they block worse than the schools do. I can't even get to my personal email on their machines. And the computer is so old it doesn't even have a usb port. I am very far behind on email, facebook, and anything else I look at online. Last, the traffic. It is not good. And worse, it is not predictable. There was no traffic this morning, and I got there super early. Two days ago, we were barely moving. Last night, I was super late to class, and was crawling the whole way. Today, the one mile on 400 took half an hour, but the rest of it was speedy. This will annoy me. I am officially an Atlanta commuter. Again. I am also bothered by the lack of recycling. Tons and tons of paper, but just trash cans. I am wondering if I can do some sort of program or get the building to. They are promoting using real mugs rather than plastic cups, and with a fountain, cans aren't as much of an issue. Mostly the paper. The other big problem has been the girl who had the job before me. Apparenly, she just left Friday without any goodbyes or anything. I heard many times from people I was meeting, "Oh, I didn't even know she was gone, I thought she was staying til end of month." She left the office a mess. Full of files and just stacks of stuff (not even stacks - spread out all over the place) that I don't even know what it is or what to do with it. I found open checks that I learned later (by emailing the recipients) that people were waiting for. I found a stack of void checks. No idea if they had been taken care of or not. No indication. Had to sort that out. Then we found out today that she hadn't run some critical reports for the last couple months, nor filed the paperwork. So I am going to spend a good part of next week catching that up. I feel like this is play. No one really has a job where they aren't micromanaged, can pee or drink when they want, leave their room when they want, don't have constant noise and headaches and fear. It's an entirely different world and it is mostly amazing. (bloom)
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
8:30 pm	Test Posted via LiveJournal.app. (1 rose |bloom)
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
10:50 pm	First, the suris ( The absolute last thing I needed to happen my first day of work. ) (2 roses |bloom)
Friday, October 9th, 2009
6:15 pm	Betty Breakfast Boarder Challenge - week one So. I needed a change of pace from my Legacy challenge. I am getting a little bogged down in constant skill building, and never getting around to actually posting updates. I am well into gen 5, but I feel like it is just the same thing over and over. So I went hunting for new challenges. I am still playing the legacy challenge and hope to catch up my updates. SO. I thought I would try out the boarder challenge. It is a good base idea, but may need some tweaking. Rules here: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?p=2884478#post2884478 Basically, you run a boarding house. Sims move in for a week, and you mooch money off them. You cannot make money any other way. You must cook three meals a day and do cleaning and maintenance as well as keep your house full. Play ends when you die. ( let's open a bed and breakfast ) Scoring week 1: Unique guests: 3*100=300 Household funds (I rounded): 7000/10000 * 10=7 Lot value (rounded): 37,000/10000 * 10= 37 Fire: -0 Burglary: -10 Repo: -0 Guest death: -0 Total: 334 (1 rose |bloom)
Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
11:55 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 32nd book read in 2009 : Uncubicled, by JOSH MCMAINS Well-written/Synopsis? I got this some months back for my iphone. I picked away at chapters between classes, but didn't really get into it until the drive down here - when it was too dark to read a real book (another point for kindle?). Then I couldn't put it down. It was not at all what I was expecting - which, granted, for .82 c I was happy to download a book with a cool title and a vague idea of what it was about without really reading the description. I guess I was expecting some sort of "Office Space". What I got was a meandering, at times convoluted, sometimes funny, tale of underground terrorist agencies, and the average joes (heh) who try to fight back. It follows several of the people involved-both the good guys and the bad guys (who, sometimes you don't know which is which) - through a two-three day time period as they try to understand and dismantle the forces they are dealing with. I think if you like suspense thrillers, or programming, or Dr. Pepper, or live in a cubicle, you should give this book a shot, especially for the less than $2 price. I will say that it is clear that this is a first novel, and I think McMains is self-publishing, which, it probably could have done with some editing. (what is with this "needs editing" trend? This is like the third book I have said that about now.) Though, if at times confusing (is it confusing because you are SUPPOSED to be confused?), it is gripping and hard to put down. I wish it had kept up the level of humor, which seems to drop off as the book gets more serious. It has a "Law and Order" ending, which, I guess, leaves it open for a possible sequel. McMains claims he will write one if this takes off. So, download it, and see what the guy can do with a second book. This basically would sum up the plot of (one of) the characters in the book: http://uncubicled.com/video.html And, if you go to the main site, you can read the first chapter, read about the author, play some games. Would I read it again? I might. Keep or give away? This is on my iphone. Still not sold on the digital book thing though. Might get it in print anyway, just so if I do reread, I can feel the pages and flip back to other scenes. Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? yes Overall recommendation: Its worth the <$2. Get it. (2 roses |bloom)
Monday, September 28th, 2009
1:02 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 31st book read in 2009 : The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 274 pgs. Well-written/Synopsis? This is YET ANOTHER WW2 book club pick for October. Seriously, can we read about other time periods, please?? That said, overall this was a very enjoyable book. It actually takes place in the aftermath of the war, though you learn the war stories of all the characters in the book. The book is a series of letters, which for some reason I am finding really grabs my attention and draws me into the book. I really couldn't put it down, especially though the first part. A writer in London is unexpectedly solicited by a man in Guernsey (Channel Islands) because he happened to come into possession of one of her books (That she had owned - not written). Thus starts a penpal relationship with not only him, but people throughout Guernsey. First she highlights their book club for an article, then she decides to eventually travel there and write a book about the island during the occupation. I felt the change in voice at the end of the book didn't fit and was a device to end the book quickly, which was disappointing. However, I also learned that the writer of the book became ill before it was completed and died before it was done with the editing stages, and that may have something to do with it. The characters are endearing and the story is a good and fast, if at times grisly, read. Would I read it again? Probably not Keep or give away? not sure Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? yes Overall recommendation: Read it. (bloom)
12:53 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 30th book read in 2009 : Julie & Julia by Julie Powell 359 pgs Well-written/Synopsis? Another in my "read it before you see it" series. (So, no, I haven't seen the movie yet, but I heard very good things.) Julie has a very sarcastic sense of humor, which sometimes is hysterical, and sometimes is annoying. This book, obviously, chronicles a year in her life after getting some crazy notion that she will have figured out all things by cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Honestly, some of the most hysterical entries are her commentary on how Julia Child phrases entries in her cookbook. She covers everything from massive amounts of butter, to killing lobsters, to cooking (and eating) offal. She covers successes and failures, stardom and fame, as well as the goings on of the people around her. It's a fun read. Would I read it again? no Keep or give away? not sure yet... may keep for a bit, pass around, or drop off at the beachhouse. Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? yes. Overall recommendation: cute. (bloom)
Sunday, September 27th, 2009
2:19 pm	Read a book! Read a book! 29th book read in 2009 : Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, 500+ pages. Well-written/Synopsis? My biggest complaint about this book was that it really could have done with some good editing. It was loooong. And it did drag in areas. After having read it all, though, I am not sure where the cuts would have been made. But then, I am not an editor. I did enjoy the story overall, especially as it unfolded, though some of the scenes are terribly uncomfortable. I guess I also felt it took a long time to get to the real plot (distracted by romance again) where more time could have been spent developing the uncle/painting story and the end just seemed rushed compared to the length and detail of everything else in the book. Would I read it again? Maybe Keep or give away? Gave it to my sister to read. Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? yes. Overall recommendation: Long, but worth reading (bloom)
2:03 pm	Read a book! Ok. It's definately not that I haven't been reading... It's that I haven't been writing. I have been meaning to do this every weekend for months now, so I am going to start to make a dent in my book report backlog. I am having the same problem with my sims that I am having with my books... I'd rather be playing/reading than writing about it. Oh, and these are totally going to be out of reading order too... because I don't remember what order I read them in. Read a book! 28th book read in 2009 : My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, 500 pgs. Well-written/Synopsis? This is hard to answer. It took me a long time to get into this book because it is told from a different character's point of view in each chapter. The timeline jumps around a bit, too as people tell backstory. I REALLY believe it could have done without the romance aspect, especially in the interest of cutting some of the rediculous length of this book. I didn't feel that added anything. I also felt the writing was very choppy. The ending was completely unnecesary, and I am not just saying that for sentimental reasons. I have real convictions about why it was the wrong way to go, which I am happy to discuss if you have read the book and care to, but I am not here to spoil any endings for anyone. It was definately not a happy book, though, from page 1. (btw- I have not seen the movie, cannot comment on how it aligns with the book, and don't know that I plan to.) All that said, this book has prompted more heated discussion on ethics and "what would you do" between me and the people around me. My mom and I spent a good four of the six hours of the drive to the beach debating the different issues in the book. And that is in addition to the times before and after that we have talked about it. The book really does make you examine how you feel about issues like genetic engineering, cloning, donation, favoring of children, and child neglect. I am not a mother, but I am a sister, and I really had to think about the choices I would have made as a mother or sister in reading this book and criticizing the choices the characters made. It's not a happy book. Overall I didn't like it. But it does make you think. Would I read it again? no Keep or give away? It is going to the beach house "take one leave one" library next week. Would I read a sequel/further adventures/etc? no Overall recommendation: Thought provoking, but I didn't love it. (bloom)
Monday, September 21st, 2009
4:15 pm	The Legacy Legacy: 2.2 ( From the Floods of North Metro Atlanta ) (bloom)
Friday, September 18th, 2009
3:33 pm	The Legacy Legacy 2.1 ( hauntings and deviant behavior ) Points this round: 3 Total Points: 15 (2 roses |bloom)
Monday, September 14th, 2009
10:38 pm	The Legacy Legacy 2.0 ( disasters await ) Points this round: 3 Total points: 12 (1 rose |bloom)
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
1:08 am	The Legacy Legacy 1.4 Back from the holiday weekend... ( I took a lot of pictures I don't remember why. ) Points this round: 4 Total Points: 9 (bloom)
Monday, September 7th, 2009
9:40 pm	Dragoncon 09 Pictures! If you play KOL, look. Those are the best pictures. (bloom)
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
8:43 pm	This is why I let people walk on me. I hate dealing with the confrontation and power struggle. After not sleeping at all last night, I sent what I feel was a very diplomatic and professional and polite email to the teacher asking why she needed the information: You obviously have an urgent need for the information regarding my employment. May I ask why? As you have asked me repeatedly for the information, I have begun to feel uncomfortable with the idea of you contacting them due to the fact that I was just offered this position and I want to remain in good standing. Perhaps I will feel more comfortable sharing more information when I have established myself in my position and feel more secure about my placement. Thank you for your understanding, (aside...) again, if she had asked just once, I would have handed it over and not thought twice. It was the fact that she asked four separate times in 24 hours that sent up the warning flags and made me nervous. This was her response: Laurel my dear I am really disappointed to read your email. You actually think I am going to call you employer and jeopardize your hard work. Why was it ok for me to assist you with looking for a job even when you were not looking. How do I account for my time that I spend trying to place my students? Its from the feedback that I get from them. How many interviews they went for? For whom am I seeking placement etc? That’s how I am to be accountable for my job ! And you doubted me L (aside...) Let's start with the fact that she has a masters in english and this is practically unintelligible. Next, what's she accounting for? She didnt have to waste any time on me. I got my job all on my own. She didnt have to do a damn thing. So I didn't respond to that. I had other things to do today. I figured she would address it with me tonight, and boy did she. First, when I was in the room before class started, I was talking with a classmate. The conversation came around to my scheduling problem. We had a "visitor" setting up a presentation in the classroom, and the teacher got on me about talking "like that" in front of a visitor. So, I knew how my night was going to go. We watched the presentation and had our break. Then she announced that she needed to talk about "accountability". I knew this was going to be about my situation. She went on and on about how people need to be accountable to their bosses, and different jobs have different ways and how in her position, the way she is accountable is by showing documentation about where people get jobs and whether she helped them get the job or not, she still needs that information and shes not going to call them! Shes not even going to call them to thank them for hiring us! And she is shocked people would think that! shes not trying to jeapordize jobs. on and on. And I was uncomfortable enough with this lecture, but then she looks dead at me and says, "Do you get that now, Laurel?" Right in front of the whole class. And (I sit in the back row) everyone's eyebrows went up. I am very proud of myself. Even a year ago, I would have been shamefaced and said "yes maam" and rushed to get her what she wanted. Nor did I go off on her and the way she is handling this. I looked dead at her and said "I would have preferred you addressed this privately." She looked knocked down a peg - she kind of jerked her head and said "well", and turned her paper over and started to get back to the reading we had. I struggled not to throw up or cry. That was a witchhunt. She set me up and called me out specifically to humiliate me and single me out as someone who didn't do the right thing. The thing is, I felt a lot of things, but I did not feel humiliated. Because I think every other person in that room was just as appalled as I was at what just happened. After a few more minutes, she got a frog in her throat and excused herself to get some water. Any other day, we all would have started chatting with each other. But there was complete dead silence the whole time she was gone and every person turned to look at me. The ones who knew what was going on were making faces, and the ones who didnt just looked confused. She came back and continued class. I feel what she did was completely inappropriate. I feel like I have been nothing but polite and professional, and she has been completely pushy and defensive and unacceptable. I don't want to go back. I don't want to have to deal with this anymore. This will certainly be reflected in her evaluation, and I am considering going to the president. If she calls me out one more time, I am. I am pissed. I could end it all by handing her what she wants, but that is not what it is about for me anymore. It was about how pushy she was initially, how defensive she was in her email, and how she has treated me infront of the class. There was no reason she couldn't pull me aside before class or during break and address it with me. (5 roses |bloom)