It's a joy to see wonderful things happen in the lives of fine people whom one admires.
Thud and his lovely family had a baby boy yesterday, and Vinogirl became an auntie again. Congratulations to their wonderful family, and may they all be blessed with health, happiness, and prosperity. :)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
There is no abiding yearning in my heart for tidiness and order...
...and yet I can appreciate and see the beauty of Things Organized Neatly.
I'm good with clean clutter. Where the dust buffalo roam, and whatnot. Do put your feet up on the table. Don't leave shit molding in the sink. That sort of thing.
Besides, this is a house of puppies, and there's only so much order I can truly stand.
Have a beautiful Saturday.
I'm good with clean clutter. Where the dust buffalo roam, and whatnot. Do put your feet up on the table. Don't leave shit molding in the sink. That sort of thing.
Besides, this is a house of puppies, and there's only so much order I can truly stand.
Have a beautiful Saturday.
Friday, April 29, 2011
On what inspires customer service.
I recently had the misfortune of having a crap customer reassigned to me from another representative at my company. I've learned firsthand why the customer was unsatisfied with the previous rep: this customer's a nasty piece of work and certainly would not inspire someone to go above and beyond, and perceives every unexpected turn as a slight against him by the service rep.
When I have courteous and polite people to deal with, I'll exhaust all resources to engineer a good outcome for them. I'll do my best at every turn, but when I'm badly treated, I'm certainly not going to open myself up to further opportunities to enjoy more abuse.
I really wonder what people think they are accomplishing when they threaten, bark orders and serve up heaping helpings of withering contempt to the people who assist them in service positions? Such people think they can intimidate other folks into doing a better job. Not so, I say.
These are precisely the same people who probably routinely send food back to the kitchens of restaurants they frequent. I am sure they are in part frustrated by the generally poor quality of service they encounter, because they merit no better. I guarantee you they have ingested more than a bit of someone else's bodily fluids. I mentioned this to one such person once, citing the likelihood there'd be extra additives in their replacement plate of hash, and they said, aghast, "they wouldn't dare." Guess what, sweetie? They totally dare. They were probably hugging themselves with glee as they peeked from the kitchen and watched you nom up their spittle. Or worse.
Bon appetit.
When I have courteous and polite people to deal with, I'll exhaust all resources to engineer a good outcome for them. I'll do my best at every turn, but when I'm badly treated, I'm certainly not going to open myself up to further opportunities to enjoy more abuse.
I really wonder what people think they are accomplishing when they threaten, bark orders and serve up heaping helpings of withering contempt to the people who assist them in service positions? Such people think they can intimidate other folks into doing a better job. Not so, I say.
These are precisely the same people who probably routinely send food back to the kitchens of restaurants they frequent. I am sure they are in part frustrated by the generally poor quality of service they encounter, because they merit no better. I guarantee you they have ingested more than a bit of someone else's bodily fluids. I mentioned this to one such person once, citing the likelihood there'd be extra additives in their replacement plate of hash, and they said, aghast, "they wouldn't dare." Guess what, sweetie? They totally dare. They were probably hugging themselves with glee as they peeked from the kitchen and watched you nom up their spittle. Or worse.
Bon appetit.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
cookie fortune.
I couldn't resist. I snapped this photo and sent it off to my friend Lin. She fired back "especially if you stay in a motel off I-40."
Hyuk!
**********************
My throat is scratchy. Smoke in the air most days lately, with a wildfire just a couple miles away last week. Disturbing, because it's been so eerily dry already. So much of Texas is a tinderbox right now. Meanwhile, I'm seeing that the folks in Missouri have been getting rain that I think was meant for us. Heard a news story a couple days ago that a town in Arkansas was wiped off the map by a tornado, with most homes there destroyed. I later learned that a cousin of mine lives in that town, but he and family are all safe.
Amazing, weather and environment, and how quickly things can change dramatically. Working from home now, when the siren goes off calling the volunteer fire department, it gives me serious pause.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
By popular demand...
The brand is Orly and the color is Royal Velvet, 40743. You can't
see the full effect, but the lacquer must have a violet mica therein, because there's a corona of purple around the downward edges of the nail surface with this one. Reminds me of the blue-violet iridescence of Swallowtail butterfly wings. Gardener nails!
That reminds me-- must get some monarda (bee balm-- also known as bergamot) for the flying jewels-- the love to eat the plAnt and will make their cocoons on same. *joy!*
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see the full effect, but the lacquer must have a violet mica therein, because there's a corona of purple around the downward edges of the nail surface with this one. Reminds me of the blue-violet iridescence of Swallowtail butterfly wings. Gardener nails!
That reminds me-- must get some monarda (bee balm-- also known as bergamot) for the flying jewels-- the love to eat the plAnt and will make their cocoons on same. *joy!*
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faux'n paws
I really hate when I have to deal with someone on the phone whose voice dramatically skews from the gender their name would indicate, and unfortunately, I usually find out their name after we've been talking for a while.
When I'm talking to that lady in one vendor's office (usually after I've said "yes sir" or "no sir" at least once), having taken their name at the end of the call to find I was speaking with Belinda, well, I remember that when I call that particular office these days, but will I ever learn, generally?
I have one customer now who makes Dr. Girlfriend sound absolutely powder-puff. This customer was offended by their previous represenative to the point that they asked for their account to be reassigned to me.
Goody.
I'm kind of wondering if the previous rep was just taken aback, having called her "sir." Still, I vow to not make assumptions, and to do better. I really don't want to offend.
When I'm talking to that lady in one vendor's office (usually after I've said "yes sir" or "no sir" at least once), having taken their name at the end of the call to find I was speaking with Belinda, well, I remember that when I call that particular office these days, but will I ever learn, generally?
I have one customer now who makes Dr. Girlfriend sound absolutely powder-puff. This customer was offended by their previous represenative to the point that they asked for their account to be reassigned to me.
Goody.
I'm kind of wondering if the previous rep was just taken aback, having called her "sir." Still, I vow to not make assumptions, and to do better. I really don't want to offend.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
knackered.
So, last week our teacher said he is not introducing any new concepts for the waning days of the semester. Class on Monday? New stuff.
Trigonometry.
I can't wrap my brain around it.
I'm wrung out on this stuff.
What's going to suck most monumentally is that I'm worried now that this trigonometry is going to scuttle my very high A. :(
Okay, maybe I'm whining just a little. I'll be so glad when this semester is over in a couple of weeks.
Trigonometry.
I can't wrap my brain around it.
I'm wrung out on this stuff.
What's going to suck most monumentally is that I'm worried now that this trigonometry is going to scuttle my very high A. :(
Okay, maybe I'm whining just a little. I'll be so glad when this semester is over in a couple of weeks.
I found the most lovely little garden center...
This place is at the back of an 1860 Victorian house at the edge of a town. The area with the vines over it is where the herbs and flowers for sale are displayed. The rock-edged planting beds are where she has her kitchen garden. The place is just wonderful and it was so inspiring. It's incredible what you can accomplish with a garden if you just start doing a good job clearing away the weeds and invasive plants, amending the soil properly and taking time to establish good perennials for the area.
I hope you like garden posts, because there will be a bunch to follow. When I got home from Dallas Sunday afternoon, several things I'd planted last year had bloomed to welcome me home. I felt rewarded. Gardening makes me so happy, and it feels good to have my own little plot of earth again. :)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Gardening bliss
I had SUCH a lovely visit this Easter weekend with my folks, my sister and her sweet chilluns. As ever, there was much talk and laughter, and we had a grand time. Mom showed me a blanket Dad bought for me when they brought me home from the hospital, and soon I'll be bringing that home, along with (surprise!) my first pair of shoes in a very stylish, buttery-soft white leather, of course.
Then there was this wonderful fuzzy plant called Bunny Ears. FURRY! Very cute.
I did acquire several other plants, but I must show this impossibly lovely old-fashioned varietal geranium. The blossoms are impossibly magenta-- almost a red-black. Thought you might be able to get a sense of them, but the photo does not do them justice-- they fairly glow with a dark wine colour. Beautiful. Incredibly fragrant, too. I often wonder how such grand flora could ever have fallen out of fashion. More garden pics to come.
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Then there was this wonderful fuzzy plant called Bunny Ears. FURRY! Very cute.
I did acquire several other plants, but I must show this impossibly lovely old-fashioned varietal geranium. The blossoms are impossibly magenta-- almost a red-black. Thought you might be able to get a sense of them, but the photo does not do them justice-- they fairly glow with a dark wine colour. Beautiful. Incredibly fragrant, too. I often wonder how such grand flora could ever have fallen out of fashion. More garden pics to come.
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Sunday, April 24, 2011
Om nom nom
Friday when I got to Dallas, I went for a manicure/pedicure, and the tv was running Food Network, and I saw a couple recipes that sounded intriguing. They were on 2 separate shows, but I thought they seemed like a match. Sunday night, I finished up my homework that will be due Wednesday, and I think quite possibly that will be all the homework required of me. This seemed a good reason to grab my bonnet and trot into town for the ingredients to a lovely (but healthy) meal.
One recipe was for Sole Meuniere and this couldn't be more quick or simple, with very good results. I made mine with an inexpensive tilapia,but I'm sure this would work well with several varieties of white fish. The fish only takes a few minutes to prepare, so go ahead and spend the 20 minutes preparing the salad first. I made this quinoa salad. Delicious. Quinoa is a sprout, though it's often referred to as a grain. It's a metabolism-boosting food, and it gives some of the effect of eating a starch (a little like tabloueh) but to much better effect, food value-wise. Due to the processing, there is usually a film left on the sprouts, so you'll want to make sure that is off. I bought pre-washed quinoa because that was all they had at WalMart, but if you buy the other variety, be sure to plan for enough time to soak it for 10 or 15 minutes and rinse prior to beginning the cooking process.
By the way, a friend adds quinoa to her chili, and it's a marvelous addition to the dish. :)
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One recipe was for Sole Meuniere and this couldn't be more quick or simple, with very good results. I made mine with an inexpensive tilapia,but I'm sure this would work well with several varieties of white fish. The fish only takes a few minutes to prepare, so go ahead and spend the 20 minutes preparing the salad first. I made this quinoa salad. Delicious. Quinoa is a sprout, though it's often referred to as a grain. It's a metabolism-boosting food, and it gives some of the effect of eating a starch (a little like tabloueh) but to much better effect, food value-wise. Due to the processing, there is usually a film left on the sprouts, so you'll want to make sure that is off. I bought pre-washed quinoa because that was all they had at WalMart, but if you buy the other variety, be sure to plan for enough time to soak it for 10 or 15 minutes and rinse prior to beginning the cooking process.
By the way, a friend adds quinoa to her chili, and it's a marvelous addition to the dish. :)
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It's so fluffy I think I'll die!!!
Came home from Dallas to find a package awaiting me. I couldn't remember what I'd ordered. Himself blinked innocently.
OMG OMG OMG it's SO cute. Thank you!!!
Who is my anonymous benefactor?*thrills*
Look at that adorable tail, those unblinking eyes (clearly bent on mischief) and those mad Ninja Bunny skills!
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Saturday, April 23, 2011
Fancy ladies stepping out in their hairy-legged grandeur
I adore Iceland poppies. Their buds look like little Seymours, likely to demand feeding at any moment. Then from that hirsute casing burst forth the most unlikely blossoms.
This orange is so intense and the petals seem impossibly thin and fragile, yet they push skyward despite the wind.
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This orange is so intense and the petals seem impossibly thin and fragile, yet they push skyward despite the wind.
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Friday, April 22, 2011
Goodness gracious me!
In Dallas this weekend. Lookie what I saw at Oak Lawn and Maple today. What is up with people wearing britches with stuff written across the ass these days? Male or female, I'd urge against the practice. This guy was jogging and I felt kind of seasick trying to read his butt.
Not pretty.
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Not pretty.
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