So, today I'm at Writers Guild again, babysitting a phone. Which is fine.
Tonight, we're going back to Class 6 of the Birthing Classes - it's the one that speaks to the partner's role in delivery. Ken missed it on our first round. I'm sure he'll take copious notes. :)
Last night, we talked again/more about whether to move before or after Audrey's arrival. Our lease is up simultaneous to her due date, more or less. We'd like another bedroom (we currently have one), and we don't really like living in the area we do -- although it's centrally-located, it's strangely not really convenient to anything.
Plus, Ken's been studying, studying, studying in the dining room/office area of our current apartment, which means he's auditorially accompanied by Loud Neighbor Man's voice pretty much throughout each day. Even though Ken keeps the radio on, as well as our noise machine making wave sounds, AND the windows closed, we're still privy to LNM's grating voice. Ken can't take it anymore. I, happily, have found that if I keep the fan in our bedroom on, I can't hear him so much, if at all. Thank GOD. Though, it's not so productive, really, to stay in our bedroom all day.
So, we're thinking moving before Audrey comes is the winning idea. While I don't relish the idea of packing and moving while being hugely pregnant, I think it'll be better than if we try to do so carting around a tiny infant... The hunt for new digs will commence in earnest, shortly.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Ken's MCSE Update Update
You may recall... I quit my job Jan.2nd so I could study full time to update my MCSE certification from Windows NT 4 to Windows Server 2003.
The first couple of weeks were spent...
...buying and setting up two new, low-end PCs on which I will be doing all the hands-on practices and labs in the six books I'll be studying. Short story: there were many hardware problems with these computers that ate up too much time over many days.
...doing a couple of handyman jobs that ate up several days. New Rule: no more handyman work until I get my MCSE! (except for the stuff I already committed to do at Tracy & Lisa's.)
Well, after I got those distractions out of the way, I focused 100% on studying. So, for the
last two weeks, here's where I've been sitting for 8 to 12 hours a day studying and drinking WAAAAAY too much coffee. See all those pretty colored tabs in that book? Each one of those roughly 45 tabs marks a "lesson." Each lesson includes:
- many pages of material to read and understand.
- one or more "practice exercises" to do on the computers.
- a short quiz.
- a lesson summary.
Four or five lessons comprise a chapter. In addition to the lesson stuff above, each chapter ends with:
- a lengthy "case scenario" exercise including questions.
- a lengthy "troubleshooting lab" with more stuff to do on the computers.
- a chapter summary.
- a brief chapter review focusing on what to expect on the real exam.
- a list of key terms with definitions.
Each lesson is probably taking me about an hour to complete AND I'VE BEEN SKIPPING THE CASE SCENARIOS AND TROUBLESHOOTING LABS! Oh, and every so often these past 4 weeks I've been taking 90 minute practice tests on my laptop.
Well, tonight I reached a sub-milestone which is why I'm writing.
Tonight I finished the last lesson in the last chapter of this first book! Yay!
Starting tomorrow, I'll take another 90 minute practice test on the laptop, then I'll begin the process of going back through the whole book again to do all the case scenarios and troubleshooting labs that I skipped the first time. That should take at least a couple of days, then we'll see if I'm ready to take the real exam.
I'm studying this one book just so I can take one real exam at an official testing center.
There are five more books I need to study for five more real exams!
This is all a pain in the ass, but right now, having made it once through this thickest of books, I'm pretty excited! My life right now has a very focused and clearly defined purpose and I like that.
The first couple of weeks were spent...
...buying and setting up two new, low-end PCs on which I will be doing all the hands-on practices and labs in the six books I'll be studying. Short story: there were many hardware problems with these computers that ate up too much time over many days.
...doing a couple of handyman jobs that ate up several days. New Rule: no more handyman work until I get my MCSE! (except for the stuff I already committed to do at Tracy & Lisa's.)
Well, after I got those distractions out of the way, I focused 100% on studying. So, for the
last two weeks, here's where I've been sitting for 8 to 12 hours a day studying and drinking WAAAAAY too much coffee. See all those pretty colored tabs in that book? Each one of those roughly 45 tabs marks a "lesson." Each lesson includes:
- many pages of material to read and understand.
- one or more "practice exercises" to do on the computers.
- a short quiz.
- a lesson summary.
Four or five lessons comprise a chapter. In addition to the lesson stuff above, each chapter ends with:
- a lengthy "case scenario" exercise including questions.
- a lengthy "troubleshooting lab" with more stuff to do on the computers.
- a chapter summary.
- a brief chapter review focusing on what to expect on the real exam.
- a list of key terms with definitions.
Each lesson is probably taking me about an hour to complete AND I'VE BEEN SKIPPING THE CASE SCENARIOS AND TROUBLESHOOTING LABS! Oh, and every so often these past 4 weeks I've been taking 90 minute practice tests on my laptop.
Well, tonight I reached a sub-milestone which is why I'm writing.
Tonight I finished the last lesson in the last chapter of this first book! Yay!
Starting tomorrow, I'll take another 90 minute practice test on the laptop, then I'll begin the process of going back through the whole book again to do all the case scenarios and troubleshooting labs that I skipped the first time. That should take at least a couple of days, then we'll see if I'm ready to take the real exam.
I'm studying this one book just so I can take one real exam at an official testing center.
There are five more books I need to study for five more real exams!
This is all a pain in the ass, but right now, having made it once through this thickest of books, I'm pretty excited! My life right now has a very focused and clearly defined purpose and I like that.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Gratitude
Things I'm grateful for:
Being so in love with Ken.
Lisa offering to throw a baby shower for me.
It's kind of nutty, but I adore our cats.
My health (breathless episodes aside).
Tall glasses of milk.
The squishy pillow I've been sleeping with.
The "dance parties" Audrey does after I eat.
Being so in love with Ken.
Lisa offering to throw a baby shower for me.
It's kind of nutty, but I adore our cats.
My health (breathless episodes aside).
Tall glasses of milk.
The squishy pillow I've been sleeping with.
The "dance parties" Audrey does after I eat.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Can't breathe today
Boy, between the anemia and the heart murmur (I'm supposing), some days I just can't catch my breath. Today's one of those days. Overall, I'm fine; I just get dizzy really easily, and winded. Oy.
After I get a "second wind" here (ha ha), I'll be off to do LAUNDRY - very exciting.
After I get a "second wind" here (ha ha), I'll be off to do LAUNDRY - very exciting.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Two and a half hours to go...
So, I'm temping again today. This time, I'm at Sony. I'll be here again on Monday, too. Generally, I like the vibe around here -- people have been nice yesterday and today. I still have LOTS of free time to read anything I can get my hands on (trades, consumer gossip rags, newspapers, trailer market testing reports, Google news, friends' blogs...). At least I'm getting paid, which is cool.
Oh, this morning, I got pulled over and written up for not wearing my seat belt - can't wait to see what the fine'll be on that goof. Drat. I know it's a poor excuse, blah blah blah - but, I'd wear my seat belt a lot more readily if they weren't all so uniformly uncomfortable for short people like me, ahem, short people with boobs like me. Either they cut across the boob area in a divide-and-conquer sort of way, or, they threaten to strangle me, or finally, they auto-tighten to straight-jacket confinement. I find myself more distracted pulling and tugging at them while driving, than if I just drive belt-less. Again, poor me, boo hoo hoo. AND, I have gotten MUCH better about wearing them in the last year+ - given the pregnancy, etc. But, STILL, I got caught in a down moment this A.M. during my commute. Agh!
Oh, this morning, I got pulled over and written up for not wearing my seat belt - can't wait to see what the fine'll be on that goof. Drat. I know it's a poor excuse, blah blah blah - but, I'd wear my seat belt a lot more readily if they weren't all so uniformly uncomfortable for short people like me, ahem, short people with boobs like me. Either they cut across the boob area in a divide-and-conquer sort of way, or, they threaten to strangle me, or finally, they auto-tighten to straight-jacket confinement. I find myself more distracted pulling and tugging at them while driving, than if I just drive belt-less. Again, poor me, boo hoo hoo. AND, I have gotten MUCH better about wearing them in the last year+ - given the pregnancy, etc. But, STILL, I got caught in a down moment this A.M. during my commute. Agh!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Extraterrestrial Folk Songs
I met up with my friend, Karen, Friday night. She suggested seeing this performance artist/singer that a friend of hers likes a lot. I don't usually like going to see performance art so much, nor live music by folks I don't know, but something got in me and I thought, 'Oh, be game, Lorie.'
So, this singer performed at this trendy vintage/clothing store on Beverly. Petite, brunette, olive skin, Norma Desmond eyes, 40s, red kimono top that was too big for her. There was a keyboard set up, and a covered table behind a mic stand. There were maybe ten people in the entire space when she and her accompanist began.
She removed the cover on the table, exposing assorted piles of squeeze toys, a Mr. Microphone, plastic whistles, miscellaneous bunches of industrial foils and tin, and some sort of antenna-thing. And, then the music started. And, then she began to sing. In extraterrestrial language.
Oh yeah, just my thing.
Thank God she had a pretty voice at least. And, the accompanist was very good - you could tell they had this sort of jazz improv vibe going between them.
But, when she stepped rhythmically on a whole bag of squeeze toys during one composition, well... Let's just say it didn't speak to me like, say, Mozart.
I was reminded of this theater festival in Austin called Frontera Fest where, years ago, Ken and I saw a performance by naked folks in full body paint setting candles on the floor to some sort of tone poem/music accompaniment. Only, our chick Friday night wasn't naked. And, that's okay by me. She didn't really need to be.
She also reminded me of another Austin musician - Guy Forsyth - because he plays a saw like a fiddle. Kind of like she played the antenna-thing to make these Jetson-esque wiggle, whooping tones.
The final sublime touch for me, for the evening, though, was watching the observant, orthodox Jewish couples with their toddlers in strollers stop in mid-step outside the big picture window of the store. Like I said, some of the actual music was catchy, and I could see them trying to figure out what language she was singing in. Was it Hebrew? Russian? It's not Armenian... Good gracious, she's singing in gibberish! And, they'd scoot past, almost a little huffy.
Ah, Culture LA-style.
So, this singer performed at this trendy vintage/clothing store on Beverly. Petite, brunette, olive skin, Norma Desmond eyes, 40s, red kimono top that was too big for her. There was a keyboard set up, and a covered table behind a mic stand. There were maybe ten people in the entire space when she and her accompanist began.
She removed the cover on the table, exposing assorted piles of squeeze toys, a Mr. Microphone, plastic whistles, miscellaneous bunches of industrial foils and tin, and some sort of antenna-thing. And, then the music started. And, then she began to sing. In extraterrestrial language.
Oh yeah, just my thing.
Thank God she had a pretty voice at least. And, the accompanist was very good - you could tell they had this sort of jazz improv vibe going between them.
But, when she stepped rhythmically on a whole bag of squeeze toys during one composition, well... Let's just say it didn't speak to me like, say, Mozart.
I was reminded of this theater festival in Austin called Frontera Fest where, years ago, Ken and I saw a performance by naked folks in full body paint setting candles on the floor to some sort of tone poem/music accompaniment. Only, our chick Friday night wasn't naked. And, that's okay by me. She didn't really need to be.
She also reminded me of another Austin musician - Guy Forsyth - because he plays a saw like a fiddle. Kind of like she played the antenna-thing to make these Jetson-esque wiggle, whooping tones.
The final sublime touch for me, for the evening, though, was watching the observant, orthodox Jewish couples with their toddlers in strollers stop in mid-step outside the big picture window of the store. Like I said, some of the actual music was catchy, and I could see them trying to figure out what language she was singing in. Was it Hebrew? Russian? It's not Armenian... Good gracious, she's singing in gibberish! And, they'd scoot past, almost a little huffy.
Ah, Culture LA-style.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Free time on the temp gig
HAIKU
Temping on Tuesday
Mush brain, make lists of nothing
Motivation, nil.
Commute to temp job
Buy mocha don't need to drink
Ice melts anyway.
Call husband from work.
Entertain me, please, darling.
Money in, but bored.
Bored, bored. Overwhelmed
By volumes of nothingness.
Can't see vision dreams.
Temping on Tuesday
Mush brain, make lists of nothing
Motivation, nil.
Commute to temp job
Buy mocha don't need to drink
Ice melts anyway.
Call husband from work.
Entertain me, please, darling.
Money in, but bored.
Bored, bored. Overwhelmed
By volumes of nothingness.
Can't see vision dreams.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Arts and Letters
Ken and I met up with Tracy and Lisa yesterday at LACMA (LA Contemporary Museum of Art), which is adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits. Ken had a quick reminiscence about the time he went to the Tar Pits with his Uncle Jim, about a million years ago. We stood there together at the fence, watching the slick, oily surface for bubbles that gurgle up and then disappear. The pits smell like, surprise, tar. I found it an odd juxtaposition - prehistoric pools of goop, smack dab in the middle of hi-rises and traffic.
Tracy and Lisa wanted to see the Magritte exhibit, and Ken and I, well, we just wanted to get out of the apartment. They have season passes, so they let us "borrow" their exhibition tix after they viewed it. Magritte's the artist who painted the Dude in the Bowler Hat, among other things. I'm sure that statement would make arty purists roll their eyes, but hey, that's the work of his that's most iconic to me. I'm glad we didn't spend $15 apiece to get into the exhibit. What's so inspiring about a bronzed inflatable raft in the middle of the floor? Or, three bold lines of color on a huge canvas? I can paint that.
I am glad we went (good people-watching and good company); though, as you probably surmise, most "modern art" does NOT speak to me in any pleasurable or meaningful way. I mean, I can appreciate the bold departure of Picasso, especially within the spectrum of his peers and the artists/trends that preceded him. But, I don't want to spend lots of time with his images - generally, they bum me out. Chagall, on the other hand, at least has a sense of whimsy I can enjoy...
And, that was Art Moment with Lorie.
I'm temping at the Writers Guild for the next few days. The people are nice, but it's vewwy, vewwy quiet (in the words of Elmer Fudd).
My supposed-to-be-comfortable Dansko shoes have given me blisters. That's my excitement for the day.
And, that was Career Moment with Lorie.
Tracy and Lisa wanted to see the Magritte exhibit, and Ken and I, well, we just wanted to get out of the apartment. They have season passes, so they let us "borrow" their exhibition tix after they viewed it. Magritte's the artist who painted the Dude in the Bowler Hat, among other things. I'm sure that statement would make arty purists roll their eyes, but hey, that's the work of his that's most iconic to me. I'm glad we didn't spend $15 apiece to get into the exhibit. What's so inspiring about a bronzed inflatable raft in the middle of the floor? Or, three bold lines of color on a huge canvas? I can paint that.
I am glad we went (good people-watching and good company); though, as you probably surmise, most "modern art" does NOT speak to me in any pleasurable or meaningful way. I mean, I can appreciate the bold departure of Picasso, especially within the spectrum of his peers and the artists/trends that preceded him. But, I don't want to spend lots of time with his images - generally, they bum me out. Chagall, on the other hand, at least has a sense of whimsy I can enjoy...
And, that was Art Moment with Lorie.
I'm temping at the Writers Guild for the next few days. The people are nice, but it's vewwy, vewwy quiet (in the words of Elmer Fudd).
My supposed-to-be-comfortable Dansko shoes have given me blisters. That's my excitement for the day.
And, that was Career Moment with Lorie.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Marshes and Curbs
I'm sore today. Two nights ago, Ken and I went for a walk in the neighborhood, and I stepped funny off a curb. I hung there in suspended animation, lurched forward like one of those ski jumpers in mid-air. I managed to get my arms out in front of me and landed with full force on my hands, make that, wrists. No time to get the knees under me, though. The next thing to hit the street was the baby bump! I lay there, rolled over onto my back, dazed, taking an internal inventory.
Ken didn't know what happened, "Lorie?" He squatted down to my side, and I started crying - more from the surprise of what happened than anything else. Owie, the pads of my hands stung! We got up, dusted me off and kept walking. Although, every time we approached a curb afterward, I'd say, 'curb,' as if to give my feet a "heads up" before taking a potentially perilous step.
Later that night, sitting on the couch, Audrey rolled around under my skin, no worse for wear. :) She's been moving around enough lately that I've been able to grab Ken and put his hand over the bulges and bumps she makes before she "submerges" again. It's pretty cool.
Ken didn't know what happened, "Lorie?" He squatted down to my side, and I started crying - more from the surprise of what happened than anything else. Owie, the pads of my hands stung! We got up, dusted me off and kept walking. Although, every time we approached a curb afterward, I'd say, 'curb,' as if to give my feet a "heads up" before taking a potentially perilous step.
Later that night, sitting on the couch, Audrey rolled around under my skin, no worse for wear. :) She's been moving around enough lately that I've been able to grab Ken and put his hand over the bulges and bumps she makes before she "submerges" again. It's pretty cool.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Ken Begins LA Employment Phase 3a
Once again, Lorie has stolen my blog thunder by spilling the beans about quitting my job, etc! I guess writing about all that movie stuff, and temping stuff, and baby stuff is just not enough for her :-) Oh well, I know she can't help it because she loves me and cares about what I'm doing. But now what am I going to write about?
Perhaps some details about where I'm at now: phase 3a. Phase 1 was doing handyman work while getting settled in the apartment and trying to come to terms with this hellhole of a city. Phase 2 was shifting focus from handyman work back to computer work and getting what I hoped would be long-term employment with a small but growing IT solutions provider, AND trying to come to terms with this hellhole of a city.
Yesterday I entered Phase 3a: Preparation for a New Job. By quitting my job yesterday I've created a roughly 3-month window between today and the day Audrey is born in which I can now focus all of my time on studying for and passing 6 MCSE exams and then getting a great job that pays well and has benefits.
I've already started studying for the hardest exam. The book for this one exam is 1.75 inches thick, and I'm sitting here thinking about what Lorie just wrote: that I'm going to have to pass one exam every 7-10 days so that I still have time left for job hunting before Audrey comes.
Yikes! Gotta get to work, bye!
Perhaps some details about where I'm at now: phase 3a. Phase 1 was doing handyman work while getting settled in the apartment and trying to come to terms with this hellhole of a city. Phase 2 was shifting focus from handyman work back to computer work and getting what I hoped would be long-term employment with a small but growing IT solutions provider, AND trying to come to terms with this hellhole of a city.
Yesterday I entered Phase 3a: Preparation for a New Job. By quitting my job yesterday I've created a roughly 3-month window between today and the day Audrey is born in which I can now focus all of my time on studying for and passing 6 MCSE exams and then getting a great job that pays well and has benefits.
I've already started studying for the hardest exam. The book for this one exam is 1.75 inches thick, and I'm sitting here thinking about what Lorie just wrote: that I'm going to have to pass one exam every 7-10 days so that I still have time left for job hunting before Audrey comes.
Yikes! Gotta get to work, bye!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Sunny New Year
Today is sunny, and so am I. Today, I feel all the possibilities inherent in the beginning of a new year.
It's occurred to me that I arrived out here almost one year ago - January 22nd. On one hand, it feels to me like I haven't made much headway toward my goals. On the other hand, let's review:
Moved out; stayed with Ken's aunt for three months. Got temp gig(s) at Paramount Studios in theatrical premiere publicity (petty, pissy guy) and home entertainment DVD Extras group (cool, nice people).
Found apartment.
Sold house in Austin; packed up; moved out.
Worked for a different petty, pissy guy at Paramount; got booted from that gig. Took freelance/indie production coordinating gig on a film shoot through friend.
Discovered I was pregnant.
Felt sick, tired, lost, and expectant/excited/confused/okay.
Signed up with different temp agency; alas, no gigs for weeks.
Got temp gig at Sony. Glad to experience vibe on a different lot, but gig didn't last. More gigs did not materialize.
"jumping off bridges" screened in Beverly Hills. Former partners in town from Austin. Had good time. Saw Steve Martin while at lunch.
Signed up with fourth temp agency. Got some gigs - not movie-related, but hey, it's money!
Signed up to produce spec tv pilot. Gave it best shot; couldn't pull it off.
Still pregnant. I felt her first kick this past Saturday evening while watching the Redskins game with my sister-in-law, Mary Beth (yeah, I know, who knew I'd be interested in watching an entire televised sporting event?).
Looking forward, I have an idea (long brewing) for a book. That's all I'm going to say about that until I come up with a plan, if I ever do.
Ken quit his job today. It doesn't pay enough, nor offer benefits, so it's a good thing he's moving on. The plan is, he'll study for and pass 6 exams over the next 6-8 weeks to update a big computer-y certification of his. He'll also check out temp agencies. I'm excited for him, b/c I think he's going to find a great job that makes him feel good about his abilities. He's really good with end-users and computer stuff - very patient and thorough. He's a good trouble-shooter.
I don't know what's ahead of me or him, or both of us with Audrey. But, today I feel hopeful, positive. And, that's a good thing.
It's occurred to me that I arrived out here almost one year ago - January 22nd. On one hand, it feels to me like I haven't made much headway toward my goals. On the other hand, let's review:
Moved out; stayed with Ken's aunt for three months. Got temp gig(s) at Paramount Studios in theatrical premiere publicity (petty, pissy guy) and home entertainment DVD Extras group (cool, nice people).
Found apartment.
Sold house in Austin; packed up; moved out.
Worked for a different petty, pissy guy at Paramount; got booted from that gig. Took freelance/indie production coordinating gig on a film shoot through friend.
Discovered I was pregnant.
Felt sick, tired, lost, and expectant/excited/confused/okay.
Signed up with different temp agency; alas, no gigs for weeks.
Got temp gig at Sony. Glad to experience vibe on a different lot, but gig didn't last. More gigs did not materialize.
"jumping off bridges" screened in Beverly Hills. Former partners in town from Austin. Had good time. Saw Steve Martin while at lunch.
Signed up with fourth temp agency. Got some gigs - not movie-related, but hey, it's money!
Signed up to produce spec tv pilot. Gave it best shot; couldn't pull it off.
Still pregnant. I felt her first kick this past Saturday evening while watching the Redskins game with my sister-in-law, Mary Beth (yeah, I know, who knew I'd be interested in watching an entire televised sporting event?).
Looking forward, I have an idea (long brewing) for a book. That's all I'm going to say about that until I come up with a plan, if I ever do.
Ken quit his job today. It doesn't pay enough, nor offer benefits, so it's a good thing he's moving on. The plan is, he'll study for and pass 6 exams over the next 6-8 weeks to update a big computer-y certification of his. He'll also check out temp agencies. I'm excited for him, b/c I think he's going to find a great job that makes him feel good about his abilities. He's really good with end-users and computer stuff - very patient and thorough. He's a good trouble-shooter.
I don't know what's ahead of me or him, or both of us with Audrey. But, today I feel hopeful, positive. And, that's a good thing.
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