Tied to Technology

Today was quite an interesting day in the office! We arrived this morning to find that our computer system had been "upgraded" to Windows 7. If you were a fly on the wall in my office today, here are a few of the comments you would have heard:

"Ok B, so HOW do I log on??"
"Where did all my icons go?"
"(Gasp!) B, all my favorites are gone!"
"What happened to the communicator?"
"WHAT HAPPENED TO OUTLOOK?"
"WHAT HAPPENED TO WORD?"
"I have to do WHAT to get my printers back?"
"I have to do THAT to get Sharepoint to work?"
"What do you mean, I have to configure spell check?"
"WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR DATABASE??"
"What are printer drivers and where do I get them?"
"If you can't make this work, can I go home?"

You get the idea. Our Department has been tied to technology for about 13 years now, but every time a change is made, you would think we'd never turned on a computer before in our lives! If it weren't so aggravating, it would be funny! If you are at all tech savvy, I'm sure you're laughing as you read this, or, if you are a computer tech, you are no doubt rolling your eyes! I think I can sum up the feelings in our office today with one sentence:

"I'M A P.C.....AND WINDOWS 7 WAS NOT MY IDEA!!"

Regional Ties

Today I traveled up to Sandpoint to give a presentation. I hadn't spoken to this group since 2007 and it was so nice to again see several of the ladies I communicate with on a fairly regular basis by email and telephone!
In my job, we each have a "territory" to cover. My area consists of Idaho's 10 northern counties. It covers quite a wide geographical area - about 300 miles from the Canadian border to the southern-most tip of my area, and border-to-border, west to east. The terrain varies, from significant mountain ranges in the north to prairie land as you travel south. Industries also vary within the region, and employers encounter problems specific to their industry. In my 20-plus years with the Department, I've gained positive, professional relationships with many of these employers. In all those years, I've learned one very important thing. Whether logging contractors or farmers, they all take great pride in living and working in our beautiful North/North Central Idaho. It's the regional tie that binds us all together.

Organizational Ties

My brother, my husband and I are hosting a family reunion this summer. It will be the first family reunion we've had in almost 16 years. I have all these ideas for our get together jumbled in my mind and I need to get moving on them or the date will be here and I will not be ready! Time to get out pen and paper and start making a plan. It's the only way I can organize myself and begin. I am definitely tied to organization!

All Tied Up

My, my! This writing about 'ties' every day for a month is getting to be quite a challenge! I only have a few more ideas up my sleeve and they are weak, to boot! My mind is all tied up trying to figure out what to do! Come back tomorrow and see what I've thought up!

Tied to the Holidays

I love Monday holidays because it means I get an extra day off work. That sounds selfish, I know, but since I've been pretty much working since I was 16 years old, it's nice to get an extra day off once in awhile. I always try to observe the holiday in one way or another. For instance, today I watched a series of documentaries on the Presidents. It only went up to Lincoln, but then I appreciated that because I know very little about the first 16 presidents. It was interesting, and I enjoyed it. I think I even learned a bit about our first leaders; things I wasn't aware of prior to watching the show. It was interesting. I am thankful for Monday holidays, and I will continue to look forward to them and the fact that my extra days off are tied to these holidays!

Tied to a Sweetheart

I have the best Valentine anyone ever had. His name is Kelly. We've known each other now for 25 years, and it seems like each day is better than the last. He came into my life at a very painful time for me, and I'm certain that without him, I would have never made it through. He was there for me when there was no one else. We always got along very well and I've shared countless laughs with him. Kelly is an extremely special person. He would (and has) given his last dollar to anyone he believes needs it. He constantly finds ways to do kind things - not just for me, but for people he meets every day.

Kelly has run pro shops in bowling centers all his life and is a crack mechanic on the machines as well. When he worked at the Cove Bowl, people from all over the Northwest would come in to have him drill their bowling ball, because no one can give you a better fit. And I can't begin to tell you the number of folks who've brought in their balls for him to plug and re-drill because they made the mistake of having someone else drill it!

Kelly became very, very ill in 2001 and almost died. He has never fully recovered and has never been able to return to work. So he spends his days doing things for other people. In the winter, he snow blows the entire block before anyone steps out the door for work. Once he came to pick me up from work. It was snowing quite steadily and had been for some time. He got out of the car into the driving snow and proceeded to clear all of the snow from the ladies windshields just before they left for the day. Whenever it was particularly cold outside, he would stop by my office shortly before the end of the day, start my car and let it warm up, so that when I came out, my car was toasty warm for the trip home.

Since he can't work anymore, he's spent countless days studying computers, and he's become an expert in that field. He's put together slide shows for my girlfriends whenever they've needed them, come to several of my co-workers' rescue when their computer has "gone down", and took pictures and put together a wonderful video of my 30th high school reunion, all musically choreographed.

I haven't touched the tip of the iceberg regarding the things this man has done for me and countless others. He never asks for anything in return and actually acts a little offended on occasion if you try to reimburse him in some way for his trouble. I am absolutely convinced that he's an angel on earth. How I ever got lucky enough to have him for a husband is beyond me. I cannot ever begin to give him everything he's given me. He has been a savior to me and will forever be my knight in shining armour. I love him more than words can say and I always will. He is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me. I will never be able to adequately express my love and gratitude for him. I am truly tied to a sweetheart! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, MY DARLING MAN!!

Friendly Ties

Today I spent a very pleasant day with my friend Jeri. Jeri and I have known each other for years. Jeri worked with my husband back in the good ol' Cove Bowl days. In 1994, she came to work as our office secretary and she's been there ever since.

Jeri and I always have a great time together. We absolutely crack each other up! I have great regard for Jeri. She and her husband Gerry have been there for Kelly and I during each and every rough patch. We've celebrated good times with them on numerous occasions. We've encouraged each other through the thrills and spills of raising children to adulthood and shared each other's joy at becoming a grandparent. I love Jeri. She's an absolute treasure. I hope our ties of friendship remain strong through the rest of of our lives.

Tied to a Tragedy?

I love the Olympic games. I don't care whether it's summer or winter, the Olympic games are always a grand spectacle. I've been looking forward to these particular winter games because they are happening very near to where I live.

The Vancouver Olympics, however, seem to be getting off to a rough start. With the El Nino weather we've experienced in the region this year, Vancouver has had to truck in snow for several of the Olympic events. The rain is putting a damper on the festivities, but today, a real tragedy occurred. A young athlete from Soviet Georgia was killed while making a training run on the luge.

They say Vancouver's luge run is the most dangerous ever, and Vancouver is now being criticized for the way the track was constructed. The world drew a collective gasp at the news of the 21 year old's death, and of course our hearts go out to the young man's family, his teammates, and his country. I do hope, however, that this tragedy does not mar these Olympic games.

They say it was the dream of the young man to participate in the Olympic games. The heart of a true Olympic athlete would never want to be responsible for dampening the spirit of the games. For 17 days, we come together, from all over the world, to engage in friendly, spirited competition. For this brief period of time, we can almost believe we are all one people, connected to each other and living in peace.

Canada has done a fantastic job of preparing for these games. The opening ceremony was absolutely beautiful. Vancouver is a wonderful city. Please don't allow these Olympic games to go into the history books tied to a tragedy.

Creative Ties

The last weekend of this month, I am attending something called Creative University. It is a scrapbooking retreat of sorts, and I am very much anticipating the experience.

I've never considered myself a very creative person, but I've always enjoyed the arts, and I very much enjoy crocheting, cross-stitching, and making Ukranian Easter eggs. Many years ago, I took classes to learn to make stained glass, and I loved it!! But, it's only been in the last 5 years that I've experimented with paper crafting, and I find that I absolutely love it!

Anyway, a close friend and I signed up for Creative University, thinking we would experience a wonderful, educational weekend of scrapbooking techniques, card making and other paper-related crafts. What it has become is much, much more than that! The facilitator of C.U. put up a web page so all of us attendees could become "acquainted" prior to the actual weekend. We've discovered that these are a group in incredibly talented ladies, and in addition to the paper crafting, they are also quite the jewelry makers!

Being the adventurers that we are, my friend and I signed up for every little contest and side-shop being held. One of these is a charm swap. Everyone makes a charm for a bracelet, and when we get to C.U., the bracelets will be assembled. When I realized what I'd gotten myself into, I panicked, but J. talked me off the ceiling and assured me that I would be able to do it and she would be there to help. And so here I sit, nearly midnight, about 2 weeks before C.U., baking my "charms" for the charm swap. My creations leave a lot to be desired, but I'm oddly proud of them and if nothing else, they'll provide comic relief for the bracelets. And, while they bake, I can get my blog posting done for the day! I'll sleep tonight with a feeling of accomplishment, and 15 of the most "unique" charms any of the women will ever wear! Let the creativity begin!

Tied to the Hope of Spring

Considering that we live in the Inland Northwest, I must say we have had an exceptionally good winter. However, my heart is tied to the hope of spring. When I was in the 6th grade, our teacher selected this poem for us to memorize. I've always loved it, just as I love knowing that spring is around the corner, and daffodils will soon be in bloom!

"Daffodils" (1804)
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;Beside the lake, beneath the trees,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Brain-Tied

Again with the exhaustion..I am soo tired, and my brain has tied itself in knots. No alternative but to head to bed and hope for better tomorrow!

Improbable Ties

I officially became part of a research study today. Of all the things I've experienced in my life, I never dreamed I'd be tied to a research study! But, the "opportunity" presented itself and I couldn't resist.

I've had lung problems all my life. I was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 4, and it dogged me right through my teen years. It wasn't until after I'd had my 1st son that it seemed to improve. Eventually, I'd thought I'd outgrown it. However, as I've aged, it seems to have returned and it's getting progressively worse, to the point that I've now been diagnosed with moderate COPD. Not that 27 years of smoking (yes, smoking) helped it at all...Anyway, when I heard they were looking for people over the age of 40 with COPD, I decided to volunteer.

I left work at 11:00 a.m. today and drove over to Spokane to see if I was the type of person that would meet the criteria for the study. As it turns out, I am exactly the type they are looking for! (Oh, joy!) As I drove over, I asked myself why I would want to participate in such a study. I immediately thought of the reason I SHOULD want to be involved - to hopefully help provide future COPD patients with the opportunity for more effective treatment. But I must tell you, that is NOT the first thing that popped into my head! Ashamedly, I must confess that my first reason was CURIOSITY. I'd heard of these studies all my life, and had even known a few people who'd participated. I always wanted to know details; what was involved, what happened during the studies? If the medications provided dramatic improvement to the individual(s) participating, do they just let them keep taking the experimental drug?

An even less altruistic reason for taking part is that you are PAID to be part of the study. Mind you, you won't make enough to take a year long sabbatical from your day job, but it IS about equal to the cost I would have to pay for an office visit, which tickled me in a way. Who'd have thought I'd find a way to get the doctors to pay ME to go see them? I was feeling quite smug as I walked through the doors of the 5th and Browne Medical Building. In my own little way, I was beating the system!

However, upon finding out I'd been accepted into the double-blind study and being briefed on the particulars, I walked out of the building feeling more like an alcoholic who'd just sold a pint of blood than any kind of hero. Are my morals not what I'd always thought they were? Was money the REAL reason I was taking part in the study? PERISH THE THOUGHT! Of course not! The money is a small stipend to help pay the mileage back and forth to the research facility. A gratuity for my agreeing to participate in a study that could possibly (not PROBABLY, but POSSIBLY) kill me. What lame, selfish reasons to be taking part in this study! I don't feel comfortable even considering such things and I refuse to believe I could seriously consider participating in any kind of study unless I knew that it would somehow ultimately benefit those suffering, now or in the future, from lung disease. But I still can't help feeling curious....Who indeed would have thought that I'd ever be tied to such a thing?

I've always thought about donating my body to science after I die. Who knew I'd be doing it BEFORE?

She's Tied to ME!

We're babysitting for the weekend - The sweetest little 12 week old you ever saw. Most babies don't take to me right away, and I must admit, she was no different. She was slow to warm up, but I took her to bed with me. Now, I know the experts don't advocate taking babies to bed - especially babies this young. But she was a little uneasy the first night away from home, so I thought she'd feel more secure with me, and into the bed we went. When we woke up this morning, she was ALL MINE. She's been glued to me all day, and I'm LOVIN' it!! I named this precious little girl, and even if we can't keep her, she'll always be my baby. Let me show you a few pictures of this precious little girl who is TIED TO ME!!



I named her Elsie. Can you guess why?

Tied to My Animals

I am totally and completely tied to my animals. I am madly in love with dogs - all dogs, any dogs. I believe it's because I've never been without one. A dog has been a member of our family since I can remember, and I have loved every single one. The first dog I ever remember having was a cocker spaniel named Clancey. He had very strawberry blond hair, and he LOVED to be with us kids. He would follow my brother all over town, whether my brother wanted him to or not. He would come happily trotting home on a Sunday morning after romping around the hills above our house with a mouth full of porcupine quills, and would sit perfectly still while my grandmother sat and patiently removed every one. As soon as she finished, he was ready to chase me around the house again, or do whatever I wanted to do.

Birds have not been a staple in my life, at least, not until about 2003. I'm guessing at that, because I don't quite remember what year I drug Elvis home. The lady that did my nails at the time had Elvis. She was completely terrified of him. She got him from another nail lady who couldn't keep him anymore. Tamberly had him in a room by himself, and it was clear that he hated every minute of it! You could hear him chirping at the top of his lungs...Whistling his heart out for attention. I'd really never had an affinity for birds, but I felt sorry for this one. It was clear he wanted to be part of the action! One day out of the blue, she asked me if I wanted to take him home with me. I immediately told her I did. My husband was incredulous, but being an animal lover himself, didn't say too much as I approached the car with a big cage, a stand, and all of Elvis' paraphanalia. We drove him home, made a place for him in the corner of our living room, and he became a part of the family.
He was the most talented little cockatiel I'd ever seen (not having seen too many). We taught him the wolf whistle in no time at all, and he never let me down. At a time in my life when I failed to garner a lot of wolf whistles, Elvis was there for me, first thing every morning. He always started my day off right. He also loved music. Rockin' Robin would send him to another planet!! He danced so hard, back and forth across that cage of his, the whole thing would rock! And for a deep bow, all you had to say was "Where's my pretty boy?"

I came home from work one night a few weeks ago to find poor little Elvis huddled up against the side of his cage. His feathers were ruffled and he was leaning his little head against the sides in an effort to hold himself up. Kelly and I could see he was not feeling well, but not having had birds before, we didn't really know what to do. We watched him as his breathing became more labored and he finally fell to the bottom of his cage. We lifted him out and held him until we were sure he'd made his way to birdie heaven, then Kelly went and found a box that he lined with papers. We carefully laid him in the box, along with his favorite bell. We both cried. Kelly took him up the river and found a place to bury him. It was one of the saddest nights of my life. I still very much feel the loss of that little pied cockatiel. I never realized how tied to the bird I'd become. Rest in peace, Elvis...I brought you home to provide you some company. I never realized how much company you'd provide me. I love you Elvis Pretzel!

FIT TO BE TIED!!

No, I don't have a Wikipedian explanation for this phrase (though I will probably search its origins at some point because I enjoy doing that). It's been a VERY busy week for me, I'm simply exhausted, and fit to be tied....To my bed! :) Best wishes for a very good night!

Another Workshop All Tied Up!

The first Thursday of each month, I host a scrapbooking workshop. We're getting an excellent group of ladies, each very creative in their own right. I present one technique and set them free. This month I thought it would be fun to do a variation on the standard mat we use to frame our pictures. The gals really went to town, and in no time at all, another workshop was in full swing!! I really love doing these workshops. I've met a lot of lovely ladies, and the time spent together ties us ever closer.

One Bag, Endless Possibilities...

Tonight I attended a Miche Bag party. Have you heard of Miche bags? They are AWESOME. You buy a base, and then wrap a shell around the base! This means you NEVER have to change out purses! When you want a different look, simply change the SHELL around the base, and WA-LAHHH!! New purse!!

The concept is relatively new, I think. Invented by a girl named Michelle. I wish I'd thought of it! She somehow determined that it would be easier to change the OUTSIDE of your purse than it is to have to remove the entire contents of one purse and place it into the guts of another! INGENIOUS!! I LOVE the concept! Here are a few examples:

This is the "Lexi" shell;

This is totally awesome. Called "Hope", it is the bag they designed to raise cancer awareness. It is printed with actual phrases from cancer patients and survivors. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this bag goes to cancer research. What better reason to purchase a PURSE??

I am totally in love with these purses!! I received 3 shells and a base for Christmas. I'm building on my collection now. It's an inexpensive way to build a great variety of purses WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO EMPTY THE CONTENTS OF ONE BAG TO PLACE INTO ANOTHER!!

So, I hope you'll excuse me if I'm posting a little later than usual...You might say I was a little "tied up"....

Speechless, Or....

When Carson, my grandson, came to visit a few years ago, he and my husband, his poppy, quickly became the best of friends. Each day, they would go out for a little adventure. Some days, it would be a trip around town so Carson could inspect all of the fire hydrants, expertly painted to look like little nutcrackers. Sometimes, they just took the dog for a walk (which was quite a feat for a 4 year old when the dog weighed about 80 pounds!), and some days, they went fishing down at the slough.

One particular Saturday, about noon, Carson and Poppy decided it was time to go out again and see what they could find. Carson's mom and I had been lazily watching movies all morning and still had our pajamas on. As they started out the door, Poppy told Carson to "ask Gamma why she doesn't get dressed and go outside with you". Without hesitation, Carson whirled around on one foot, pointed a little finger my way and said "YES, GAMMA, GET DWESSED! Because NO ONE wikes to see you naked!"

Need I say it? I was absolutely TONGUE-TIED!

Tie One On!!

Since NaBloPoMo's theme for this month is "ties", and since I decided to try and write something each and every day this month, I immediately began thinking of all the ways you could use "ties" in a blog post. Today, my brilliant mind came up with "Tie One On", and I immediately began to wonder about the origins of that phrase. Google sent me straigt to the Maven's Word of the Day, and sure enough, I found what I needed. I thought you might also enjoy what "the Maven" had to say about the matter:

There are two explanations for tie one on. The first answers the obvious question: "Tie one what on?" The missing piece is a bun. It seems that the expression we all know, tie one on, may actually bean abbreviated version of some older expressions that I had never heard, like get a bun on, have a bun on, or tie a bun on.

So, what do buns have to do with getting drunk? Excellent question. For the past hundred years or so, a bun has been slang for 'a state of drunkenness': "Can you recall those days? The Naughty Nineties? The days when a bender was called a bun; when a man who was frequently intoxicated was an old toper and not a souse?" (Shay, Pious Friends, 1927).

And that's where the trail goes cold. Why the word bun was ever related to drunkeness is a mystery. In all of the expressions, the operative preposition is "on." Whether there was actually a fraternity or some other happy group of people that at one time literally tied buns on, or whether it was an ancient, long-forgotten sobriety test (-"Walk with this bun on your head if you are sober" -"Boy, Fred is so drunk he's tied one on to pass the test!") we will never know.

The bun citations become more scarce in the 1970s and fade away altogether in the 1980s. Today, tie one on is much more frequently found than any of the older expressions about the bun.

The second explanation for tie one on avoids mentioning the bun altogether. Instead, it points to the sister phrase hang one on. Both hang one on and the bun-less tie one on first appeared in the 1930s. The evidence does not clearly show which expression came first, and arguments that hang one on is related to hangover are pure speculation.

So it seems that we have an entire cluster of expressions with lost, blank, and forgotten origins. How appropriate that tie one on and the other drinking-buddy expressions have a common morning-after problem like forgetting where they have been.

Heather

Perhaps I don't know any more about "tying one on" than I did before, but it was a good way to accomplish another day's posting about "ties"!