I eat with the “boys” at lunch each day. But tonight, I went out with the “girls” for a pre-Christmas shopping spree. Last week, the Special Ed teacher invited all the ladies out for a day of shopping and fine dining. And I can’t pass up either of those, or a chance to hang out with my co-workers (I have a lot of cool co-workers). Turns out five of us were able to go tonight and at 3:15pm we left the school and met at the Little Professor Book Store.

I got a peppermint steamer at the Winan’s coffee shop which is attached to the bookstore, then perused the books. I found some possible gift ideas for folks on my list and even found one for me. But I was a good girl and didn’t buy anything (yet). Next was the Hallmark store, where I purchased two CDs of Christmas music, an ornament (Santa & Rudolph from the Rankin/Bass production), and some candles and a holder. We then headed off to a little gift shop in Troy, which turns out isn’t open on Mondays. No matter, we had plenty of shops to check out in Tipp City.

The first stop in Tipp City was fun to look at, but I didn’t buy anything. I bought some Hot Pepper Peach Preserves from the next place. (Both places were several shops all in one store – rather cool.) One of our party had to go off to feed her little one, but the rest of us headed to the toy store in Tipp and I FINALLY found a proper dark_pheonix proxy! It’s a little penguin (that moves, even). She’s got a hat & scarf (so a bit warm for an Aussie at this time of year) but is perfect for travel. She’s got a yellow bill and feet, too. (I’ll get a photo later.) We then checked out a clothing store that was going out of business. (It had some interesting clothes selections – though none of us fancied buying the leather pants that were on sale.)

We moved on back to Troy to La Piazza, an Italian restaurant, where the fifth member of our party caught up with us after feeding her son. There was a wait for our table, so I bought everyone a round of drinks. Amaretto sour for me, wines for the other girls. They were eventually ready for us, so we got to our table and eventually got our food. (I ordered manicotti stuffed with cheese – yum!) We talked and talked and talked and by 9:30pm, we were ready to leave. I was really impressed because we didn’t talk about school until we were walking across the street towards the restaurant. That’s very impressive for a group of teachers!

We really enjoyed the evening out and have decided we’ll need to do this from time to time. A little retail therapy between co-workers is a good thing. 🙂

Picked this one up from kkglinka:

1. My Journal is Called trinalin thinks things through. I like aliteration. I couldn’t think of a better name for my journal than that. And I haven’t come up with a better title for it.

2. My Subtitle is an emoticon :-). It’s ONLY purpose is because my journal title has letters that go below the main line (descenders, I believe they’re called) and get cut off by my Component theme. (It doesn’t show up on my friends page, but as you’ll see, it doesn’t need to.)

3. My Friends Page is Called trinalinks, which has no descenders in it. I use “trinalinks” on my website too, to link to my friends websites (and it’s sorely out of date). I thought it was rather a clever name and guess I can’t give it up.

4. My Username is trinalin. This is the handle I’ve used online since I started in 1995. But I had the nickname even before then. My senior year in HS I got a REALLY bad ear ache. And one of the medications that the doctor put me on was “Trinalin.” Wow, I thought, a medication named after me! (My full name is Trina Lynn Short.) So since 1989, I’ve used “trinalin” as a nickname or handle. (And to distinguish me from the medicine, I ALWAYS write it lowercase.)

5. My Default Userpic is Sylvester McCoy, of course. Heck, one of the things that kept me playing with LiveJournal was the fact that I could make Sylv icons. I haven’t filled up all 50 userpix spots, though I’m getting closer all the time. *sniff*

I love a good lazy Saturday and today was one of those. After a nice, slow morning, I headed to Troy to wander around the downtown area. I got a vanilla steamer from Winan’s Chocolates (& coffee) at my first stop. Then lunch at the Bakehouse (a wonderful bakery) which consisted of a grilled ham sandwich on sour dough and some broccoli cheddar soup. I ended my trip in downtown Troy at the Night Sky cafe where I had to get an egg nog steamer. (Hey, I had to see who had the better steamers. It was 25cents more at Night Sky, but damn, that egg nog syrup they use is PERFECT.)

I slowly drank the second steamer as I made my way back “uptown” to Staples and then Walmart. Haircut at Famous Hair and finally a stop at the Little Professor Book Store which was having a 20% off sale for the holidays. I got myself 3 books, but didn’t know what anyone else wanted, so it was a missed opportunity for getting some Christmas presents. The books were the latest Murder, She Wrote novel and The Princess Bride and my “traditional” Christmas book. I started a tradition a few years ago where I would buy one children’s Christmas book each season. I never know going in what I’ll get. But there’s always one that will catch my fancy. Some of my previous picks have been Olive, the Other Reindeer, Auntie Claus, If You Take A Mouse to the Movies, and last year, How Santa Really Works by Alan Snow. Looks like a fun read to me!

I returned home, triumphant, and then goofed off the rest of the day. Thanks to akadriver‘s suggestion, I’ve been reading the classic webcomic Sluggy Freelance the past few days. I started with the first comic and am now in February of 1999. So I have a ways to go before I’m caught up, but I’ve been enjoying the comic. When I’ve mentioned the comic to friends of mine on IRC, they’re usual response is “You’ve only just discovered Sluggy???” The answer is, yes. I’ve found a few other comics to read regularly thanks to my earlier post on webcomics and the folks who responded with suggestions. Thanks, friends! I knew I could count on you!

So now I’m listening to Christmas music on Rhapsody and reading webcomics and generally goofing off. (My brain suffered a Blue Screen of Death on Friday and hasn’t recovered yet, so webcomics & Christmas music are just the thing for it.)

This story was posted to one of my physics teacher mailing lists. Oddly enough, it’s not a physics joke. But it’s still funny. (You’ve probably read it before, but no matter…)

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird’s mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity.

John tried and tried to change the bird’s attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to “clean up” the bird’s vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he’d hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John’s outstretched arms and said “I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I’m sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior.”

John was stunned at the change in the bird’s attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, “May I ask what the turkey did?”

Back in September, I wrote about joining the Scientific American Book Club. I got my introductory package and paid for it (cancelled check and all) and have even started reading the books (well, one of the five at least). And I waited for the other order that I placed that day to be shipped. It never was.

So I e-mail the company asking about it. And they tell me that maybe my account information wasn’t pushed to their website. Um, well then PUSH it there, morons, I think. But no, they can’t seem to do this. Instead, they want me to e-mail them my e-mail address and password AND the answer to my “hint” question. WHAT? Nearly every online company that one deals with says NEVER send your password through e-mail. And that they’ll NEVER ask for it by mail. Boy that gives ME a lot of confidence in this company.

Oh yeah, and if I’m interested in receiving that order, I need to e-mail them all of the relevant info- including my address. Sheesh! Talk about an incompetent company. I would think that, before you become an online business, you figure out how to make all this shit work before you go live. I’m really rather peeved with them. Perhaps it would be best if they just cancelled my club membership. (Not that they will – I mean, they’ll want my money, no question about that.)

The good news is that they do NOT have my credit card number. And you know, I’m certainly never gonna trust them with it!

One of the perks of being a tech is getting to go to vendor conventions and get lots of little free pens & things. Sure, you learn stuff and do some networking, but the REAL reason to go to places like ITEC is for the swag. Let’s see what all Trina got from her trip today…

• An Emergency Action Wheel (card “dial an emergency” thingy that says what to do for a number of eventualities.)
• Business Lollypop (like a business card, only it’s really a lollypop! Way cool. And cherry flavored!)
• CD business to business phone directory.
• Mouse-shaped highlighters (the two highlighers, yellow & pink, are the “buttons” on the mouse)
• Pad o’ post-it notes w/ “Excellence in Computing” on ’em
• Salary Guide from one company so we can prove to the administrators that they’re getting us CHEAP
• Cute mini-mousepad
• Pad o’ paper from RoadRunner Business Class
• 1 pencil, 3 pens, and a yellow highlighter
• A gel pad thingy for keeping stuff on your dashboard (like cell phones)
• A “Magic Eight Ball” water bottle (with answers like “operator error” and “ask your server”)
  
• Business card magnet
• And best of all – the prize of the day, a little stuffed white tiger – yay!

When dad and I go to the SOITA Conference in December, we’ll only get an hour in the vendor hall (they don’t have vendors on the day the tech coordinators are present – very dumb idea, IOHO – but this year we get an hour, at least), so it was nice to get to an ITEC to chat with vendors. We got some ideas and some contacts and if we get some money, we may yet contact some of these vendors. But in the meantime, I can enjoy my SWAG!

Gakked from carmen_lj.

Ten years ago, I: (age 23)
1. Was in my second year of teaching.
2. Was *not* a computer geek.
3. Had yet to get onto the Internet (apart from a little dabbling at uni).

Five years ago, I: (age 28)
1. Had been to England – more than once!
2. Owned my own home. 🙂
3. Didn’t have a cat, yet. *sniff*

One year ago, I: (age 32)
1. Went to MN for Thanksgiving with my folks (to hang with Amy & Rachel)
2. Started my LiveJournal.
3. Had recently seen Sylv in Noises Off.

So far this year, I: (age 33)
1. Was the toast-giver at my sister’s wedding.
2. Saw Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann at the same con.
3. Celebrated my birthday and the New Year at Disney World.

Yesterday, I:
1. Ordered a Chipotle burrito from the band director (for supper tonight).
2. Fixed the CCC lab simply by going to the third floor.
3. Played some Diablo II.

Today, I:
1. Forgot to bring home my Chipotle burrito for supper tonight (will try again tomorrow).
2. Went to the staff meeting.
3. Played some Diablo II.

Tomorrow, I will:
1. Hopefully have a Chipotle burrito for supper.
2. Go to ITEC with dad in the afternoon.
3. Apologize to some students who wanted to film in the lab tomorrow after school, but can’t because I’m going to ITEC in the afternoon.

In one year, I will: (age 34)
1. Be a licensed Ohio teacher, instead of a certificated Ohio teacher. (Doncha hate it when they change the rules of the game during play?)
2. Possibly have seen Sylv on stage in Arsenic & Old Lace.
3. Have been to Tuscany. 🙂

In five years, I will: (age 38)
1. Be teaching and teching still.
2. Have a cool finished basement with pool table and everything! (Yeah, dream on!)
3. Have a new car that’s better than today’s hybrids.

I think for us older fogies doing the meme, they should have a “Twenty years ago, I:” section. I was 13 at the time and hadn’t even seen this Sylvester McCoy dude. I was a big-time Tomorrow People fan who was missing the show terribly. And I lived at home with my folks & sister. Exciting, eh? 🙂

Happy Birthday, sumik!

Happy Birthday tomorrow, swiftangel!

May you have wonderful joy-filled days! (And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Or should that be don’t do anything I *would* do?)

Thanks to all the comments for yesterday’s post, I’ve been given a number of suggestions for a second Protest CD. Thankfully Rhapsody has all but the Timbuk3 songs, so I can give ’em a listen. (There is a Timbuk3 CD on Rhapsody – if I find the music works for me, I’ll seek out the CDs with the relevant songs.)

elsaf corrected me on my comments regarding the song “I Ain’t Afraid.” The song was written prior to the events of 9/11 but was later dedicated to it. Both Elsa and judiang created their own protest song lists here and here respectively. Check ’em out, then go and write your own. 🙂

Mom was pleased with having her own “Anti-Bush CD” as I called it. She says she will be able to play it for some of her co-workers, but alas, not all of them. 🙂 She hasn’t gotten to listen to it yet – we went off to renew our Sam’s Club membership and waste some money on 24-packs of toilet paper. (Actually, mom did buy the 24 pack. I stuck with just getting some DVD cases and some Fox River sox – yay! Oh yeah, and a huge bag of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips – perfect for making my bittersweet chocolate ice cream!)

Even before the election was over and done with, I had in my brain the idea to make a CD for mom which includes some of my favorite irreligious, pro-LGBT, anti-war music. Today I think I’ve finally gotten it sorted out. It’s a bit of a progression. It starts out with a beautiful Christian song “Down to the River to Pray” from O Brother Where Art Thou. It’s mom’s favorite, and mine, from that movie. The second song, however, REALLY illustrates what the remainder of the CD will be like. Here’s the song list and my reasons for their existance on the CD.

1. “Down to the River to Pray” by Allison Krauss [I remember church as a kid – wonderful music, plenty of reverence, and not nearly the doubt that was to come.]
2. “Mississippi Squirrel Revival” by Ray Stevens [I’ve been to churches like the one in this song. Thankfully they were only for a visit or two.]
3. “Look! No Strings” by Chumbawamba [“Have your fun whilst you’re alive. You won’t get nothin’ when you die. Have a good time all the time, because you won’t get nothing when you die.” My current philosophy.]
4. “Imortal Invisible” by Neil Innes [A message from God about our behavior here on Earth? Perhaps…]
5. “All Things Dull and Ugly” by Monty Python [Just for a good chuckle.]
6. “It’s a Sin” by The Pet Shop Boys [Of course, as doubt expands in your mind, you’re reminded by others that it’s a sin to doubt!]
7. “Hell” by The Squirrel Nut Zippers [And we all know where sin leads…]
8. “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. [So why not go that last step?]
9. “Johnny and Betty” by Meryn Cadell [Switching gears for a bit, here’s a tale of a young couple. Who have just come out of the closet.]
10. “In Denial” by The Pet Shop Boys [For many people coming out, there is a time when they’re in denial. But you can get over that denial…]
11. “Homophobia” by Chumbawamba [Coming out, however, has its consequences, and homophobia is one of the worst to deal with.]
12. “What About Love” by Heart [So yeah, what about love? Isn’t that the important thing? Is that what Christianity is supposed to teach us about?]
13. “We Are Not Going Away” by Kindling [“God blesses His children who stand up and say, ‘We are not going away!'” The Mennonite LGBT version of “We Shall Overcome”? Could be…]
14. “No Matter Who You Vote For, the Government Always Gets In” by The Bonzo Dog Band [Election time has come and gone, but once again, we’ve got politicians in office. *sigh*]
15. “Mommy and Daddy” by The Monkees [And one thing that politicians are good at is lying to us.]
16. “Jacob’s Ladder (Not in my Name)” by Chumbawamba [Bush Jr. and co. managed to turn 9/11 into a rallying cry for war – against another country entirely… “In the name of the Father, maybe,/but not in my name!” Download this free song for your own collection.]
17. “I Ain’t Afraid (English Edit)” by The Klezmatics [Written as a response to 9/11: “I ain’t afraid of your Yahweh/I ain’t afraid of your Allah/I ain’t afraid of your Jesus/I’m afraid of what you do/In the name of your god.”]
18. “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Peter, Paul, and Mary [Every war protest CD needs this song. Well, maybe not, but this one has it!]
19. “Games without Frontiers” by Peter Gabriel [“If looks could kill, they probably will/In games without frontiers-war without tears”]
20. “Zor and Zam” by The Monkees [“They gave a war and nobody came.” If only, if only…]
21. “Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire” by Chumbawamba [A tribute to the poor soldiers who have to fight in the war – this is a protest song from WWI.]
22. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin [Well, we’ve got four more years (at least) to deal with this. Livin’ the crazy life. At least we’ve still got our music!]

In other news, capriuni has written a quiz/meme.