Grounded

Yeah.

I would post a picture of my current dilemma, but I cannot.

I'm pinned to the bed. And it's not what you think. Remember, ThatManILove is in North Dakota.

Zanna the Wonderpup is crashed across one leg, all 35 spotted pounds of her. And Zack, the big 75 lb. lug, is snoring across my other leg. I say, "Kennel". They shift a hair or two, you know, like they are in full obedience, and keep on snoring.

Will someone please bring me a bottle of water and a blankie? The rest of me is freezing.

Community of Bloggerly Love

It’s been a week since I posted. The week has blown by.

When I was laid off, though I had some warning of the possibility, I was in shock. And then I guess I went through maybe a period of anger. I’m a producer - a rainmaker; to think that I would ever make anyone’s RIF list was devastating to me.

I don’t yet have a job, but companies have started contacting me and negotiations are beginning. That’s exciting, and I’m so blessed. It seems that in this market, none of the jobs possibilities have come through recruiters...they have come through connections. None are posted on a job board, and it seems that a couple have even been custom fit for me. Is that crazy? Nah. That, my friends, would be God.

By my side remains ThatManILove. And from him, and other people who speak into our lives, came wisdom.

“We need to be quiet,” he said. After consulting with our friends, we decided on a period of two weeks. And then he said, “We need to get out of here for a bit.” And as you know, we did such. And it was the very best thing.

The talk concerning my layoff was rampant within my industry. The fact that I got laid off actually scared some of my peers - if it could happen to me, it could happen to them. I pray that is not the case. Anyway, I kept away from industry events, fundraisers, etc., in order to stay quiet.

While we were gone to Ruidoso, ThatManILove said, “Don’t be surprised if it takes 3-4 weeks for the right opportunity to rise up around us - let’s just wait and see.” He is so wise. Because that is exactly what is happening.

And you all - you have been so supporting. E-mailing and calling me, checking up on me, being faithful to comment, making me laugh and letting me cry. Also, you've reminded me that this is no big deal and that there are certainly worse things that this storm! I'm blessed with and without a "job", and that I am NOT a "job". Thank you so much - you continue to be my friends throughout.

I will not forget.

What Is This? I Need Help!!

This was my grandmother's. I can always remember it sitting on her hutch, full of apricot fried pies. We always called it a pie safe, it has little breathing holes on the side to let air in - and good smells out! Mamaw died when I was 13, and she was in her 70's, I think (Scott, correct me if I'm wrong)...sooo that was 40 years ago??? Arrrrrgh. Anyway.

I rescued it out of storage this weekend, and found it was broken. Now I am broken-hearted. Snooty told me I could google it, but all I found was that it was made at the Dresden Factory from 1874-1909. She said most of this stuff can be fixed. It's about 12 inches in diameter, and has a hinged lid and you can see the clasp.

I'm going to have to do some heavy research. I've googled and e-bay'd it to death, and I can't find what it's called.

I just want to get it fixed!

Don't forget - James Taylor freebie tickets coming up Monday!

Photo Uploading Woes

Do y'all ever utilize Snapfish, Kodak Gallery, any of those photo services? As you know, I'm a photo geek. I find those services a good venue for sharing photos, i.e., wedding photos, or group event photos - as opposed to sending someone a million photos online, only to have your e-mail rejected because the photos were too big, or their server only accepts one at a time, whatever.

Tonight, I tried to load 79 photos to Snapfish, and it's taking forever! Takes the "easy" right out of it. I have business high speed dsl, so that's not the problem.

Anybody have any other venues to recommend? I'm open to suggestions.

Blogger Help

I know I've been pretty needy this week.

It is my current quest in life to become a better blogger. To respond. To read. To comment. To devote my whole day to blogging. Well, at least what's left of it after working all the day long in my oilpatch, and doing hunting dog things, and shooting, and taking care of my family. (Notice the ranking of that...I may already be in trouble and needing intervention.)

Thusly, I have questions for you bloggers. Wanna play?

(1) Do you post, or try to post, on a daily basis?

(2) Do you respond back to commenters within your comments section? Or do you email each and every one of them?

(3) How many blogs do you visit a day?

(I may be working too closely with our engineers. I'm getting way deep into collecting data. )

Becoming One With the Mac - by Captain Smack

Oh, yeah, I can hear the crowd roaring now: Be the Mac! Be the Mac! Be the Mac!

Holly, The Blue Ridge Gal and My friend JP of The Big Red Lunchbox and the photoblog Bleu Chocolate (go check him out!) all left Mac tips for which I’m very grateful. I will be trying them out. Brother Scott told me to call upon my nephews, which is a dang good idea, if I can possibly coordinate my calendar with their calendar. Lots of people told me to just go ahead and load my shotgun.

Captain Smack from the blog “This Is Your Captain Speaking” left a comment concerning my Mac I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up MacRant yesterday.

With his permission, I’m going to share it with you.

"If you're having trouble with The Mac, it is a spiritual problem, not a technical one. The Mac is not a brand, dear, it is a religion. Obviously, you are not believing in The Mac hard enough. To become one with The Macness, say this prayer:

Dear Steve Jobs

Who art in iHeaven

Hallowed be thy apps

I giveth unto you

Thy heart Thy soul

And thy credit card information

In hopes that you will show me

The error of my PC ways

And leadeth me from temptation

The temptation of using a much cheaper

And much more user-friendly product

For you are The One

And The Zero

And all the ones and zeros

The Alpha and Omega

Not to mention that iPhone thingy

Which really kicks ass

Though it is a bit pricey

But I digress

Anyway

Please give your commercially hip guidance

To me, my mouse, and my wallet

And show me

The Way

The Way to copy a simple file from one folder to another, which really shouldn't be that hard, but for some reason is, like, a total freaking pain in the ass, what the hell???

*ahem*

I shall fear not

As I walk through the shadow of the valley

Of bad customer service

And confusing help menus

And toolbars placed in odd locations

For no apparent reason

For I know that at the end

Of this struggle

I will learn how to copy/paste jpegs

And even install some freeware

And then it will all make sense

For I can brag that I have a Mac

I am one of The Chosen Ones

And all those PC users

Can kiss my ass.

Whatever and ever

Amen"

Oops! I Did It Again!

I’m a weenie. I took down the prior post, you know, the one about…never mind. Yes, that one. I called one of my friend/customers today in Dallas to make an appointment for tomorrow. This is how it went down.

Janie: Hey, David! This is Janie!

David: Hi, Janie, did you get home from the King Ranch? Did you enjoy it?

Janie: Yes, I’m home, and I had a good time. Did you talk to Rocky? No? How did you know?

David: I read your blog. You almost made me blush!

Janie: What? The hog story?

Oh, Lord, help me, no. Please no. Oh, yeah, baby. It hit me. He read the post inbetween the fish and the hog posts. My mind is racing (not a far walk!) and I’m thinking, “How does David know about my blog?” and quietly freaking out, trying to finish the conversation without losing my presence of mind.

I ease out of that conversation, and it hits me. I told his wife Susan about my blog, and gave her the address. She's really neat, and I though she might enjoy it. (So, hello, Susan and David! Thanks for reading my blog! I’ll try to not make you blush more than 1-2 times a week! But let’s keep it between us, huh? (wink, wink.))

Needless to say, the blog post has gone the way all impulsive blog posts should go…back to draft heaven. Say goodbye to that one! (As the rest of you breathe a sigh of relief!)

Next up? I'll give you a report of a fun meeting with JillJillBoBill, and when I get home from the Metroplex, continued stories and pix from the King Ranch Trip.

Happy trails ‘til then, loyal readers. I’ll do my best to not to embarrass you (or me!) anymore...but no promises!

I Want A New Blog (Design)

I want to redesign my blog.  New colors.  Some kind of cool design. I like looking at all your cool blogs.  They ROCK.  And though if I did research, and read up on it, and played around, I could probably do it myself, I really don’t have time to do it myself (I know, I should quit my freaking whining, right?  Maybe get a life or something?).  

Yeah, well, follow me, bloggers.  Walk a mile in my shoes.   Or, better yet, just enjoy it vicariously...you’ll sleep better and have a lot less stress in your life, I promise!

So...ideas?  Referrals?  I’ll pay.  Hell, why not?  We pay for everything!  Our lives are so non-stop right now it’s the only way we can function with any sanity. Want to walk my dogs? Train my dogs? Take my dogs hunting while I take customers somewhere else, hunting? (Yeah - this is how crazy it gets sometimes! ) House sit? Do laundry? Run errands? Clean the house? Wash the vehicles? Mow the lawn? Today, I could have paid someone to talk for me, because.my.voice.is.gone. Gone.  History.

I could go on.  Bottom line, I need to clone myself so I can get everything done!  

I’m open to blog design ideas.  My perfect world would be a design was simple, beautiful, that incorporated mi vida loca, oilpatch, hunting and included ThatManILove, our sons and the wonderdogs, but, yeah...someday I’ll walk on the moon.  I said simple, didn’t I?  Oh, yeah.

Show me what ya got. Or tell me where to go.  

I walked right into that one, didn’t I?