093008

Work: Busy all day with the invitations mailing - the master mailing list, the envelopes, the insert regarding the food sponsorship. Sandi has been very pleasant the past couple days. I wonder if it has anything to do with JodyB out of the office. I can't last. For some reason I was just brain dead by the end of the day

TV: I have to remember to watch Fringe tonight. Last night I hadn't realized the season premiere of Chuck was starting. What a great, hip show. I love the in jokes that aren't explained; either you know the reference to Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome or you just don't. Love it. The Steelers squeaked a win so their was peace in the house for the most part last night.

Reading: Well now I'm in a dilemna of sorts: I've started a couple books -- I'm not counting the audio I'm listening to -- but I had to pick up a couple holds from the library. These are of course 14-day books therefore have to become the priority. Good thing, yes, but also a not so good thing. The library books are THE WHISKEY REBELS by David Liss who is always good for deep historical crime fiction and COMPANY OF LIARS by Karen Maitland about the plague years. I'll do the blurbs on them tomorrow. I also have the audio newly acquired from the library of THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, nonfiction and very popular. So much that has to jump forward in the queu. And watch, everything will actually be good so that I can't just move on. Grrr.

The little dilemna I have is that I received an email from the ED of one of the jobs I sent in a resume for. She said they'll be doing interviews next week and btw did I realize the job was only 3/4 time and not full? I replied I didn't but I said that I would be brazen and ask how much the salary was. She replied that it was only $2000 less than what I'm making now and could be negotiable with the right person. So my dilemna is should I try for this job and maybe get it to be the equal of what I'm making now and only work, say, Monday through Thursday and make use of the extra day to work on home projects like the workbook which would be handy for the class in July or just to be published and the website? But can I leave the Symphony like this? What if everything aligned with the planets and I could convince both places that I could do both jobs part time and be a bit ahead in the salary department with tough economic times a-comin' but not have that extra day and just do that stuff in the evenings and weekends? I'm not opposed to doing the Symphony part time and I wonder if Sandi would be open -- my predecessor was only part time and did Development and Marketing in that time. I don't think Sandi knows exactly what to do with a fulltime Development Director so maybe this would relieve some pressure on her for that as well as me. I wish I had a crystal ball for not only the future but to be able to play out the possible alternative scenarios to see which is the best one. Some heavy duty thinking.

Steve is out at the range tonight helping them clean up the clubhouse for some kind of major work being done on it this weekend. Tomorrow night and possible the next he will be helping coach the shooting class and he will be helping again on Saturday.

Tug is at my feet breathing on my toes. We had a good walk until our driveway when he saw a rabbit and took off. I had to let go the leash or suffer the consequences. Steve got him back from across the street a ways. Silly dog. I'm sure right now he's thinking to himself: Damn, I thought I got her away from staring at a stupid screen but here she is doing it upstairs too.

So for the rest of the evening, I've got tv and book auditions to hold. Glad I was able to get this entry in before the day was done. End of September. On to October -- isn't that just weird how fast the year is going? It's going to Thanksgiving and Christmas before we know it. Dang.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092908

Work: working on master mailing list spreadsheet.

Reading: Ellen Crosby's THE CHARDONNAY CHARADE.

TV: the Steelers play tonight.

Listening to the radio about the bailout not passing and the Dow falling. Wouldn't it be great if our government could work together and not get into parties and politics? I don't think I support the bailout. Why should they get rescued when they had bad business practices and then wouldn't learn anything by a bailout. As much as it will hurt -- it's going to hurt anyway and soon -- the market needs to balance itself out. Isn't it amazing in an awful way that the acts of a few will affect so many.

I've been in contact with Gary, the head of the MNM department at Regis University. Long story short, they're going to do my class as a Summer Intensive next summer. A week in July. I'll be teaching it though I don't have details and it won't be online but in person. I had to get them a course description faster than ASAP and STAT today in education speak but under 30 words. I don't know anything about pay or anything and he wants me to come down to Denver sometime in October I guess to go over some things. Lots of work ahead.

Walk Tug, fix dinner, etc., etc.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092808

Doing a lot of web surfing this morning. It's always fun to see where clicks will take you. Sarah Weinman hasn't put up her Sunday roundup yet so I'm exploring.

TV: Cowboys play this afternoon. I don't think there is anything too pressing this evening.

Reading: Finished the Susanna Gregory. I've started two right now: ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor and THE CHARDONNEY CHARADE by Ellen Crosby. Here's the blurb for the Crosby:

A bizarre May frost threatens Lucie Montgomery's Virginia winery operation in this highly enjoyable sequel. After spending the night keeping her vines from freezing, the easily peeved Lucie is less than thrilled to find the pesticide-contaminated body of Georgia Greenwood, a local politician, at the edge of her fields. Lucie leaves the investigating to the police, but is dismayed when her close friend Ross, Georgia's husband, becomes a suspect. What's more, the EPA disapproves of her cavalier handling of pesticides, and her younger sister is on the brink of alcoholism. Crosby illustrates the tension between Virginia old money tradition and the less prosperous newcomers to one of the nation's fastest growing areas.

This is the second of three in series. And here is the first paragraph:

Some days I wish my life ran backward, because then I'd be ready for the catastrophes. Or at least I'd know whether there was a happy ending. I own a small vineyard at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Atoka, Virginia, where our winters are cold, our summers hot, and spring is the blissful season of growth and renewal. But not this year.

It was published in 2007 and has 256 pages.

The Saylor is a histmyst series set in ancient Rome featuring Gordianus the Finder. Here's the blurb:

From the arrival of an articulate slave on the doorstep of sleuth Gordianus to the riveting re-creation of an actual oration by Cicero, Saylor's remarkable first novel takes the reader deep into the political, legal and family arenas of ancient Rome, providing a stirring blend of history and mystery, well seasoned with conspiracy, passion and intrigue. In the steamy spring of 80 B.C. fledgling orator Cicero is preparing the legal defense of Sextus Roscius, a wealthy farmer accused of the murder of his father. Things look grim for Sextus; it is well-known that his father had threatened to disinherit him in favor of his younger half-brother. Cicero engages Gordianus to get at the truth of the matter, and while the orator practices powerful speech-making the investigator proves the aptness of his sobriquet, "the finder." Gordianus soon discovers that truth and mortal danger walk hand-in-hand through the twisting streets and the great forum of Rome. But he is unflinching in his quest for veritas in a story greatly enhanced by its vivid characters, including Cicero's clever slave Tiro; a mute street urchin and his widowed mother; a beautiful, enigmatic whore; Gordianus's spirited slave and lover, Bethesda; the aging dictator Sulla; and a dyspeptic but brilliant Cicero.

It is the first in a series of 12. The first paragraph reads:

The slave who came to fetch me on that unseasonably warm spring morning was a young man, hardly more than twenty.

It was published in 1991 and has 401 pages.

Last night we wound up eating at Cactus Creek because the Chop House was too busy. Then we got some ice cream at Cold Stone. Let me just mention that for some reason Steve always seems to get angry on events like this, I don't know why. And I gave him a card and The Wire DVD and I haven't even received a card. Why do I even bother. I've got to finish laundry and vacuum downstairs today. I need a nap very soon.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092708

It's Saturday!!

So I took Tug for his morning inspection of the neighborhood and then I jumped on the downstairs computer. I was expecting it sometime, but Paul Newman has died. What a great. I've been reading some emails, surfing around the Net.

I think today I may go to the library. The SQL programming book I was going to buy is actually there so I don't have to spend the money. I know I know, fun reading, yeah? There's method to my madness -- I would like to be a little more prepared if a job I'm going after calls me (fingers crossed because it would pay well and be very stable). It would be nice to stop by the used book store but I'll have to play that one by ear. I know there's a nap in my future because I don't think I slept very well; it felt like I was waking up frequently.

TV: The debate went well last night. On to the VPs on Thursday. Tonight, I don't think anything is pressing; Steve will want to watch the new Cops episode. I have some online tv watching to do. I completely spaced but couldn't have watched it anyway on Tuesday night the show Fringe. But the Fox website has full episodes posted so I can catch up on that episode as well as the pilot that I missed. There are other shows I'd like to catch up on through the Internet that are available for free on www.fancast.com. But maybe I should just limit myself to trying to complete the Fringe shows.

Reading: Oh so close to finishing the Susanna Gregory. It will be today for sure. By the way, I haven't posted yet the first paragraph:

Cambridge, Pentecost 1355
Dawn was not far off. The half-dark of an early-June night was already fading to the silver greys of morning, and the Fen-edge town was beginning to wake. Low voices could be heard along some of the streets as scholars and friars left their hostels to attend prime, and an eager cockerel crowed its warning of impending day. Matthew Bartholomew, Master of Medicine and Fellow of Michaelhouse, knew he had lingered too long in Matilde's house and that he needed to be careful if he did not want to be seen. He opened her door and looked cautiously in both directions, before slipping out and closing it softly behind him. Then he stroke briskly, aiming to put as much distance between him and his friend as possible. He knew exactly what people would say if they saw him leaving the home of an unmarried woman -- some would say a courtesan -- at such an unseemly time.

This histmyst has 464 pages. Next up is THE CHARDONNEY CHARADE by Ellen Crosby. Oh and the Learn SQL in 10 Minutes book.

I came across the job description of one of the jobs I'm trying for quite by accident on Thursday. I went to the RMC website to look up who to contact about potential interns for the Symphony. The description was there and involves grants so I though, what the heck, couldn't hurt. But it is a plus if one can offer SQL programming so I can at least get familiar with the basics to be a better candidate. I'm trying to send positive messages to the universe about this one. The job would be a closer commute, a place that I love and graduated from, very stable in environment and probably much better pay in these tough economic times no matter gets into office in November. The biggest mark against me though is my short employment in recent years with places. But no one as asked me yet what would make me stay and I would gladly and honestly answer: no one has offered me enough of a salary that would make it impossible for me to leave and I'm not asking for the moon. So anyway, we'll see about this one.

I should get some laundry going. On with the day.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092608

Work: Drafted annual fund letter. I think it turned out very well. We'll see if it survives. Spent several hours with Sandi going over the contribution lists for last season and this one so far to put together a master mailing list.

TV: Last night I hadn't realized that Survivor was starting again so I was stuck watching the two hour premiere. Tonight I'm watching the Presidential debate. I can't be political here.

Reading: Hopefully I can make big progress in the Gregory. Unfortunately, as much as I love her books, she does tend to go around and around the conflict so much that it is rather redundant. 100 pages could be cut and still have a great book.

I found out when the Library sale is: October 16, 17, and 18. YAYYYY!! Even though the books are recycled from the previous year after year, I still look forward to it.

Tomorrow, I hope to get to B&N for the SQL book. It would be nice to drop off a couple things at the library or maybe stop by the used bookstore. Cleaning, yes. We haven't decided yet what to do for the anniversary thing.

I found out the college class didn't pick my nonprofit idea to do a business plan. The instructor said maybe next semester. I don't think I'm in any rush. I have also put in resumes to two places so we'll see if anything happens there.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092508

Thursday

Work: Well isn't it nice to start the day off with a three hour meeting with the boss who I just found out this morning cut the annual fund mailing I was going to do and had Jody working on in order to do what they've always done, letters. WAIDH?

Reading: Still reading the Susanna Gregory; haven't really been able to make much progress the last two or three days. Maybe tonight. I did finish one of the audiobooks I took with on the trip, NIGHTS IN RODANTHE by Nicholas Sparks read by JoBeth Williams. Mushy, fluffy, sad and okay to listen to on the drive. Now I'm listening to a Ruth Rendell.

TV: I don't think there is anything on for me.

This Saturday is our anniversary. I don't know yet if we'll be going out for dinner or bringing something in. Nothing fancy, of course, because of expense and not a landmark year (our 11th) or anything. I think we both just want a quiet weekend all together. I did get him the 5th season of The Wire which he will really like.

Tonight, I'll get home, walk Tug, cook dinner (chicken something) and then maybe settle down with my book. Sounds lovely.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

092408

It's over it's over it's over!! More people showed up for my seminar than I though -- about 30 or so. I used the whole 90 minutes which I didn't think I would. The topic is just too big. I wished I could have done better but I did have people come up to say they liked it and if I did consulting. And a gentleman I had met yesterday and talked a little and then sat next to at lunch today ... long story short he asked if I would be interested in teaching online. I said YES!! That would be sweet! We'll see what this convention has wrought for me. Cool.

Got home at 7, Tug was so-so happy. Going to go to bed early.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster