Just a day off...

I almost forgot to do this tonight. Happy Halloween. I don't know what was going on in our neighborhood, but last year we had over 30 at least but tonight I only had 8 trick or treaters and only three were little kids. Those little kids came to the door at quarter to 8 -- at 20 after 8 I turned off the light. Ten minutes later I was looking out the window and a trailer decorated with orange lights went down our street loaded with kids. They probably would have come to the door if the light had been on but I think 8:30 is too late to be out trick or treating so I'm not feeling too badly about missing them.

I've been watching the live tv of Ghost Hunters. There was early on a very distinctive voice saying "You're not supposed to be here." Twice. Unexplainable as of yet. And just now they caught on thermal Grant's collar being pulled and you could see it -- not heat but the pulling.

I didn't have a very productive day, however I did pay some bills and emailed someone regarding a job application (not available anymore, unfortunately). I did watch a movie -- that sounds like such a waste of time but I decided to let myself off the guilt hook and do something fun because I was feeling down again. I'm going to have to muscle through that emotional stuff.

I watched Nim's Island -- very family oriented. Jodie Foster, Abigail whosywhatsit, and Gerard Butler (hoo boy, I love that man). It was silly and squeaky clean and I did enjoy it. I've always admired Jody Foster and I think Gerard Butler is just a fine man.

Then I took Tug for a walk. After that, I went to M&Ds to visit with them and Lisa and Scott. So not a bad day really all around. I finished the Alys Clare last night so I'm ready for something new. Somehow the Clare series just doesn't have the histmyst heft I like best but I will probably still continue with reading it.

Tomorrow I'm going to go to the library to pick up a couple holds: TRIGGER CITY by Sean Chercover (2nd in a good series) and the newest CS Harris histmyst which ended on a cliff hanger so I'm definitely looking forward to those. After that I'll be heading back to M&D's.

Maybe I'll get a chance to post tomorrow but I'll have to play it by ear.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Didn't get as much done today as I would have liked. I did get the student loan application filled out so that will help eventually. I received the unemployment paperwork in the mail to sign and return. I had lunch with Woody which took a big chunk of time.

We had lunch at a restaurant on the 20th floor of the Crowne Plaza called Montana Sky. I don't think many people know about it because it was sparsely populated with diners. I had the reuben sandwich (of course) but it was made with turkey ... not bad but not the same. I got there at 11:30 like he suggested but Woody didn't get there until almost 12 which kind of put me in a anxious mood. He did say that unless something changes, he's going to have to let someone go, too, by the end of the year. This early in the economic downtown, nonprofits are feeling the crunch so much they're laying off personnel. This put me in a down mood. Also, I ran the film society by him and while he didn't exactly shoot it down he did say that he had been looking to show movies at the ABT himself (he had told me that previously). Now, I don't know what to do about my idea. It seems to be an almost impossible idea and too big and with tough times coming it would be even harder to get going. And he wasn't too positive about my website (again he didn't shoot it down) but I don't think he sees the value of it, plus he said economically he's telling all his staff they can't renew mags or anything perhaps suggesting that it may be a difficult sell. Maybe I was just seeing the down side of things. I mean he didn't mean to put me in a down mood it just sort of happened; it's just me.

So I got home with a big bit of the afternoon gone and feeling a bit low. I'm going to have to get used to good days and bad days and learn how to work past the low ones. So I walked Tug because I couldn't get the energy to tackle any projects and he was LOOKING at me the way dogs do when they want to go for a walk and nothing else will do until that happens. It's a beautiful day out. Tug got to do some fence racing with the three chocolate labs.

Survivor is on tv tonight. I'm making taco salad for something fun to eat and Steve likes it. I think I'm just going to do some reading tonight after that. Tomorrow will be better emotionally I think.

Tomorrow is Halloween and Lisa and Scott will be arriving in the afternoon. Will have to get any work done and walking of Tug before then.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

A new day....

I've been busy today. Actually I haven't had time to get everything done yet that I wanted to. First, I went to Walmart to get Steve's prescription and some dog food and stuff. Then I dropped said prescription to Steve at work. Upon coming home, I jumped on the computer and have pretty much spent the day here.

The largest chunk of time has been spent working on my website. I am determined to make this a go and a viable business because now I have a focus and a purpose behind it. It just took me a while to get back in the swing of things again on html stuff. I'm going to need help from my webhosting company to do some things but hopefully I can be running soon.

If I would be able to really indulge in what I wanted to do with myself as a next step in my career? I'd like to do this website, teach online, and be executive director of a film society nonprofit here in Billings. Period.

I also did homework due today from the class I have to take. And I walked Tug this afternoon, a nice Fall day. We came across a house that had a sprinkler going (why?) and oh how he loved that. Not many of those anymore but he still gets hot and needs a drink and the pump he gets a drink from is toward the end of the walk.

Tonight is somewhat of a tv night. No, I'm NOT watch the Obama infomercial - pathetic. Not that what I'm going to watch is ground breaking or even educational. No, I'm spending two hours this evening watching America's Next Top Model and Stylista, both on the CW who won't be interrupted by wanna-bes. And then maybe the repeat of the Ghost Hunters on SCIFI channel. Pure, little-grey-cell killing entertainment. Steve is shooting tonight so I have a bone for Tug to chew on while his mama stares at another screen for hours on end, the poor dog.

Then maybe I'll read some more Alys Clare. Haven't been doing much of that.

I'm having lunch tomorrow with Woody to gather some info for the film society. And then some more computer work. Gotta fill out student aid for this class I'm taking, el quicko. And I have to work on the syllabus for the class I'm teaching next summer - Gary wants it by November 17th. Work work work. :)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Won a book

Forgot to mention that I won a book from the Baltimore Sun. It's ANGEL'S TIP by Alafair Burke. I won it by participating in a comments section of the online paper so not bad at all, eh? It's a book I had wanted to get to eventually.

Happy reading,
PK the Bookeemonster

Second day of the new world

Steve and I had an appointment with an RN in association with Steve's diabetic doctor. He got a new blood sugar tester and Steve said he's going to do the checking 3 or 4 times a day. He goes back in three weeks. I'm very proud of him.

I got signed up for unemployment benefits. I just hate that I'm adding to the statistics for the week of jobless claims. I had to give a statement of the facts from my side. Benefits won't kick in for a couple weeks and they have to investigate the claim now with the dumper. I've got a line on another job so I'll be sending a resume. So day two is winding up.

Still a lot of things to do and I think tomorrow will be a better day to do so.

Right now I'm outside on the deck and Tug is lying here and keeping on eye on the backyard neighborhood, occasionally barking or aroo-ing. Tonight I'm making scallops for dinner. I don't think there's anything on TV so I can get my homework reading done (fingers crossed). Otherwise, I will continue reading the histmyst by Clare.

Tomorrow, I've got a lot to cross off my list of things to do. Not working, but I'm busy busy busy!

Happy reading,
PK the Bookeemonster

Getting a lot of things accomplished, won't go into detail much. I did get into the one last class I need to complete before they'll let me teach. It started today and so I'll be a busy girl for the next eight weeks. Plus I need to rewrite one paper; I want to get that out of the way quickly. And I need to apply for student loan one more time. Thought I could have been done, but oh well.

Currently reading ASHES OF THE ELEMENTS by Alys Clare, second in a series of eleven featuring Abbess Helewise and Sir Josse d’Acquin, a French knight, at the Hawkenly Abbey in England during the 12th century. It was published in 2000 and has 416 pages. Here's a description from Publisher's Weekly:

One summer night in the Wealden Forest, an expertly thrown spear with a well-chiseled flint point pierces the heart of a poacher. Abbess Helewise of neighboring Hawkenlye Abbey sends for the sheriff, who dismisses the murder as the work of the "Wild People," a strange band of wanderers who come to the forest every June, according to local lore. The abbess thinks the sheriff a fool, but until the arrival of her friend, enlightened knight Sir Josse d'Acquin, she must remain content with the official version of events. Determined to discover what really happened that night, Sir Josse finds evidence that the murdered man and his cohorts had more to poach than small game, and that life in the forest and life in the abbey are not as separate as they may seem. A missing novice and a second body deepen the mystery. Sir Josse's respect for the abbess's intelligence and integrity is just one of his charms, while the struggle both characters go through to reconcile their religious convictions with the superstitions surrounding the night forest adds more than usual interest.

It is suiting my histmyst mood right now.

Television tonight should bring Chuck and Paranormal State.

Happy reading,
PK the Bookeemonster

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday...

I almost forgot to do this today. I have a running dialogue with myself all the time so that I guess I thought I had already done this. Not much to report; it's been a nice Sunday. I got up at 7:30, got my egg boiling, took Tug for a ride while we got the local newspaper and toured the neighborhood. Was on the computer for a couple hours while Steve slept. Did another load of laundry. The Cowboys won in a game they could have lost easily. Steve went to help a couple guys sight in their guns for hunting season while I went to Albertsons for some groceries. I jumped back online to check out availability of the last class I need to take and if I can make it work (though financing isn't there yet) I could maybe start the class tomorrow and get it all over with before the end of the year. I then took Tug for a walk while Steve worked out and then screamed at his Steelers for losing their game. We had chinese food from Jade Palace for dinner and watched the end of a silly sappy movie called August Rush that could have had potential because of so many good actors in it. And then found some good scenes from Casino Royale to watch to make up for it.

Now it's 8:30, Steve is on the computer downstairs and I'm upstairs with Tug sleeping at my feet after whining at me because I was staring at a screen again. He is definitely my furry baby.

I don't want to go to work tomorrow, only because of Sandi. I wish I could do something to fix that. There is a large part of me that is a fixer - i.e, there is a problem and it must be confronted and a solution found.

(sigh) I just need to focus on everything that I need to accomplish and keep my eyes open.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster