I did it!

I FIXED THE SOUND ON THE LAPTOP!!!!  Now it's perfect!  I have no idea what setting was wrong...I must have messed with 20 different settings, to no avail.  Then I found IBM's troubleshooting site, and in the process of using the troubleshooting application, it gave the keyboard shortcut for volume control, and when I hit it I got a loud beep!  Now it works great.

One curious thing, though, if I use a slider bar of any program (Windows Media Player, for instance) the sound is muted again.  It only wants me to use it's own volume control.  It's fine, as long as you know that, but I wonder where the conflict is?  Actually, I don't care.  I'm just so happy that I have fixed so many technical issues lately.

Lots of nothing

Well, I've been on the diet for 7 days, and haven't cheated ONE TIME!  WoooHooo for me.  I have lost 9 lbs, and am about where I was before my holiday eating binge.  Maybe my jeans fit again?  I may not know for a while.  I won't wear anything but sweats when it's cold out.  I'm a cold-weather wimp.

I'm still not used to having a whole weekend off.  Not sure what we'll do.  I think I'll get my hair all cut off tomorrow.  We're talking about renting movies...we hardly ever do that any more.  Sunday, we'll probably head to mom and dad's.  A weekend doesn't feel right if we don't go there.  I do the same thing there as I do here, sit around and watch TV, but I love it there.

That's actually quite interesting.  I started thinking of a way to escape that place (the town AND my parent's house) soon after becoming employed at 16.  When I was 18, I found my escape...jumped right into a marriage I wasn't prepared for.  That showed 'em, huh?  The older I get, though, the more that place pulls me back.  I want that place.  I wanna live in that town and in THAT house.  I'd have to make a lot of money, since I'd need to install central heat! :)  I can picture how I'd have it set up and everything.  I guess I just hate living in town that badly.

For a quick subject hop:  Why do people feel OBLIGATED to make small talk?  I mean, at least 4 people a day will say "having fun?" to me at work.  OH MY GOSH, YOU ARE SO CLEVER!  There are also a few who will say, "Hey, how ya doin'?" every time they pass me in the hall at work.  Even if they pass me 3 times in one day, they say "Hey, how ya' doin'?"  I just wanna say, "Ummm, listen idiot, I'm doin' the same as I was 5 minutes ago when you asked me!"  But I don't. 

Well, I've rambled enough.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Mine's gonna be filled with a whole lot of laziness!

Isolated

Kevin went to work this morning, after clearing off vehicles and warming them up, and gave me strict instructions not to leave until I heard from him.  He made it to work, but it was getting slicker by the minute the closer he got to work.  Since I have three times the distance to go, he called home and said "Don't leave.  Period."  Dang.  Stupid ice storm is gonna cost me a lot of catching up at work.

"Oh well," I thought, "I can play on the computer and chat with mom."  WRONG.  Mom has no power.  I surf for a while, then get bored because my nearby buddies can't get online.  My out of town buddies are all at work.  WAAAAAA!  (Pity party anyone?)

I did call mom and dad on his cell.  If the roads aren't too bad, they might get out a bit to warm up and have something to do.  I told him to head this way if safely possible.  At least we have power.  Part of me hopes they come over.  Maybe they can even stay for dinner!  The other part of me wants them to stay put.  Dad is the safest driver I've ever met, but still....I'm getting older, so I worry.  I know he won't chance it if it's not safe, though.

I guess I'll peruse the internet some more. :(

My new toy!

I have been wanting a laptop for quite some time.  I couldn't justify the $1000 that it would take to buy a base model, since we HAVE computers, and I only *need* it 4-5 times per year.  Yeah, I'll use it more than that, but I really wanted it for my business trips, and times like this February when we go on vacation to Texas.

I had casually watched ebay, but the thought scared me to death.  There's a big difference between a $10 movie, and a laptop costing hundreds. If I got duped I would be SO depressed.  With my final OT check, I was looking online and Kevin said "buy it" when he saw the one I was looking at.  It was under $300 and the seller had 100% positive feedback.  It has Win2000, which I'm comfortable with, and the battery isn't garaunteed, but comes with AC adapter.

We ordered it, but agreed to not say anything to anyone until we had it and knew the condition.  Well, I'm tellin' ya ain't I?!  It's great.  Had some networking issues at first (big suprise, huh?) but it's all good now.  The even BETTER thing?  The battery works!  I'm running on it now to test duration, but so far so good!

Mom can take it if SHE goes anywhere, too!  I'm so happy.  I'm not allowed to ask for anything for a year, but I'm OK with that.  heh heh

Rainy days and Mondays

This morning, as I was taking the girls to day care, Monica said "I hate rainy days AND Mondays."  I started singing that song, and she was unimpressed.  I understand the feeling sis, I really do.

Kevin had an epidural in his upper back today.  He's supposed to get three over the course of 3 months.  I had to go with him, to drive him home, just in case.  Some people experience numbness sometimes.  He didn't.  It's a 60-75% chance at a fix (not really permanent, but some folks get several years relief from it) and it's a starting point in "pain management".  I nagged him forever to go to the doctor and *really* tell him everything, and he finally did.  There is no reason to spend your whole life in pain.

I have stuck to the diet for 3 days, no slips.  No workout yet...still plotting and planning (sounds like excuses from a fat chick, huh?)

Rainy Days and Mondays The Carpenters

"Talking to myself and feeling old
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

What I've got they used to call the blues
Nothing is really wrong
Feeling like I don't belong
Walking around some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny but it seems I always wind up here with you
It's nice to know somebody loves me
Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do

To run and find the one who loves me

(*) What I feel is come and gone before
No need to talk it out
We know what it's all about
Hanging around, nothing to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves me

Repeat (*)

Hangin around, nothing do to but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down"

Sunday happenings

I couldn't sleep worth a darn last night.  Not sure why, but I woke up later than usual, so I probably made up for it.  Monica woke up crying a few minutes later. She had a dream that Green Day sang for her school every afternoon, then woke up to realize it was a dream.  She was sobbing, asking why that kind of dream never comes true.  Sheesh!  She is too young to be that hung up on a band.

Kevin and I found out that there is a COPS marathon on today, on FX.  What a treat!  The kids kinda want to go to grandma's house, but it's a grey yucky day outside, and perfect for vegging out all day.  Plus, the diet's kind of new to be tempting it that way.

The kids and I just finished a wild game of hide-and-seek.  This townhouse has 3 floors of hiding places, and we all had to take a turn seeking.  The cats tend to give us away, if you're not careful.  They stand in the middle of the room looking toward you like "why are you cowering there?"  It's a lot of fun, and we haven't played for a while.

All the time that Kevin's had his computer, the email has been set up wrong.  Oooops.  My bad.  I put the mail. where the smtp. should be, and the pop. where the mail. should be.  DUH!  He kept getting email bounced back, but heck, he only sends about one a month, so I kept forgetting to fix it.  Sorry Honey!

All of that excitement before noon!  What will the rest of the day bring?

I want to be a loser!

Well, it's 01/01 again, and I'm dieting again.  Last year I lost a little over 20 lbs, but almost 10 has come back over the past few months.  I went to the store and spent too much money, but if I have a lot of choices around, I'm less likely to cheat.

I'm doing the low-carb thing.  It seems to work really well for me.  Please don't lecture me about the health risks.  There are health risks associated with the "Beer and Pringles" diet, too!  Just think of the money I'll save by not buying beer!  I will probably allow myself a couple of Michelob Ultras every couple of weeks, but that's it.  I'm not gonna bust my but to lose weight, then turn around and partake of liquid carbs!

I need to excersise, too.  The problem is, I'm a cold-weather wuss.  I often think I'd use a treadmill if I had one.  It can be done inside and while watching TV.  The problem is, I fear I'm wrong and it would end up as a clothes rack like in so many other homes.  It's just too big of an expense to take the chance. I have also done workout videos with some success in the past, but our living room set-up isn't ideal for this...not a lot of room to move around.

I like to walk, but the first time it's rainy or cold, I skip it, then it seems I never get back out there.  I've never been able to jog, either.  I think I'm too uncoordinated or something.  It just doesn't feel comfortable or natural to me.  I guess I'll do some hand-weight work and situps and the like, until I figure something out.  I'm very dedicated to the diet, so I hope I find an excersise solution!