things I've learned from my current job

(No, my boss isn't that mean, or blunt; I just think this strip is hilarious.)

1. Things not to do to be a successful boss.

a. Micro-manage

b. poke my employees in the stomach

c. consistently give my opinion, even when not asked

d. talk more than I listen

e. whistle or make any other loud repetitive noises that might disturb other workers

f. make assumptions without first talking to everyone involved

g. leave long vaguely insulting letters for my employees to find when they come to work the next morning

h. remind people that "I am the boss"

2. Carefully make sure that I don't have anything my employer can use against me.

3. I'm not made for secretarial work, no matter what my Meyers Brigg profile says.

17 days left and counting!

Dilbertization of the workplace

http://www3.baylor.edu/christianethics/VocationarticleHsu.pdf

As you know I hate my job, partly because of micro-managers and partly because I feel like my work is meaningless. I could, therefore, relate to the article that the link takes you to. I bet you'll enjoy it also.

If you do read it, let me know what you think you're "wired" to do. I enjoy myself the most when I am (in this order) singing, reading, and cooking. I'm not sure that I was made to be a chef, but I believe that I was made to love others through cooking for them. I still get too nervous when I sing in front of crowds. So I picked English because I get sucked into novels and I consistently read until I can't stay awake. Hopefully I can have a "career" job soon that has something to do with novels -- interesting novels.

Thanksgiving

We're going to Tulsa for Thanksgiving this year and (yay!) I was asked to bring a dish or two. I decided on a fudge chocolate cake (b/c I don't like pumpkin pie and my sister-in-law won't eat any type of pie) and the sweet potato casserole (b/c Andy and I love it and I refuse to let people destroy it by using canned yams).

Well, I decided to make the cake today in order to save time. The cake layers rose to a lovely high level and the icing is deliciously chocolaty and rich without being very sweet. Then, to my despair, I dropped the top layer of the cake, which squashed the air out of the layer and make half of the layer break off. I decided not to panic; I've patched cakes with icing before, but when I went to pick the layer up one of the halves broke into pieces (which I was in a way proud of because the crumb was perfect and the layer soft and fudgey as it should've been). So I'm taking a much less impressive cake to the festivities, and I realized that the kids probably won't like it because it isn't overly sweet. Then I decided not to worry about it, because at least I will enjoy it tomorrow. I'm sure my casserole will be the hit anyway. My in-laws are freaks about pumpkin pie and probably wouldn't notice the delicacy and the perfection of flavors of my cake.

The hit of the holiday, though, is the turkey. I love to eat deep fried turkey -- it's the best way to go. But, if I have to have it made another way I happily eat it with the congealed type of cranberry sauce. This does have a point: I saw a white turkey the other day in someone's yard and Andy told me that it was a domesticated turkey -- the kind farmers raise for us to eat. I didn't know that they looked so different, so I decided to post pics of the wild and domesticated turkeys for your viewing pleasure. Have a great holiday and remember to be thankful! My next post will tell you for what I'm most thankful.

I'm so excited!

One of my top five novels is being made into a movie! I'm so excited! They had better get it right!

trip time

We're leaving for Dallas today to make our way to Austin for my brother's wedding on Saturday. I'm looking forward to the time with Andy and we tend to enjoy road trips. We haven't had much time together -- this semester has been tough -- so we're excited. I'm also excited about seeing my family. The only problem with going on a trip is getting ready to leave. We never have enough time in the day to finish everything that needs to be done and we are therefore constantly late. I think we just have too much to do for a couple of youngsters. But there is no fixing that right now, I suppose.

from Webb's myspace page

Derek Webb - lyrics from the new album "Mockingbird"

"There are two great lies that I've heard: the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him." -from A King & A Kingdom

"Peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication it's like telling someone murder is wrong and then showing them by way of execution." -from My Enemies Are Men Like Me

"Are we defending life when we just pick and choose lives acceptable to lose and which ones to defend." -from Love Is Not Against The Law

"I don't want to know if the answers aren't easy. . . Don't teach me about moderation and liberty, i prefer a shot of grape juice." -from A New Law

"My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man, my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood it's to a king and a kingdom." -from A King & A Kingdom

"Come on and follow Me, but sell your house, sell your SUV, sell your stocks, sell your security and give it to the poor." -From Rich Young Ruler


He'll perform in Lubbock Feb. 3rd and in Waco April 16th.

whine

I’m feeling a little prideful and frustrated. I’ve been searching for jobs in Stillwater and it seems that I’m either going to have to be a secretary or a fry cook. If I want a position that I’m actually trained for, such as an English adjunct professor, I’d have to drive to Oklahoma City Community College. I don’t think the process for my alternative teaching certificate will be complete before the spring semester starts, so I’m out of luck there. I don’t want to have to work at Old Navy with a bunch of seventeen year olds!

By the way, Andy said that the bat is eating again and doing well.

about Andy and animals

I don't really have anything to say so I thought I'd tell you a little about Andy's job feeding the animals in McEver. Every day he waters all of the reptiles and feeds the lizards and geckos. He feeds the snakes (by thawing mice and rats under a heat lamp -- but not too long or they pop when the constrictors squeeze them) every Saturday. I try to help once a week by feeding the reptiles that eat crickets because I refuse to thaw the mice (I have tried to feed a snake a mouse once) and I refuse to touch the roaches, which are the other food source for the reptiles. Grabbing handfuls of crickets are bad enough because they are slightly squishy and sometimes they crawl up my arm. I have to check myself to keep from being grossed out. Also, I have to hold my breath whenever I grab them because a bucket FULL of crickets is one of the worst stenches I have smelled.

This week there was a pleasant surprise. Other students that Andy knows caught an Eastern Red Bat and a Least Shrew. The shrew is adorable and is smaller than a silver dollar. Andy fed it a roach twice its size -- that was a little disgusting, but it is still cute. The cutest, though, was the bat. I couldn't imagine a more amazing creature. I cannot describe it with justice and I know that the pictures I post will not inspire in you the wonder and caring that I had for this creature. The poor thing is dying, I think, and she has escape at least twice from her cage. I hope she makes it. The students aren't harming her, though, so don't worry. (If you click on the images you can see the bat at full size.)

today's tidbit

I was officially told that I passed my examinations. woohoo!

I've been having many more conversations with my younger sister Audrey lately than I have had since we graduated high school. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and I'm thankful for it. One neat thing about being an adult is being friends with your adult siblings. It's a more conscious and thoughtful relationship than when you just act and react with each other as people tend to do when they are children.

Speaking of the word children, did you know that it is pluralized twice? In Old English the plural for child is childre and in Middle English the plural (in the Southern dialect) was made by adding an "n." Interesting, huh?

I'm having a hoot packing my things in my office. I can't wait to leave this job! And I'm looking forward to playing with Barbies with the Hendren's granddaughter, Grace. She's an interesting young lady (she's 10, I think) -- I really like her so I'll tell you how that goes.

Which reminds me that I'd like to apologize to Audrey for always taking the prettier Barbies and for always making my Hot Looks Doll be the lead singer in the band. That wasn't fair, Audi, and I'm sorry for controlling you like that when we were kids. Thank you for being my favorite playmate. You still are, you know.

not too shabby

I'm still fatigued. I had a hard time getting out of bed today even though I was fully awake. I finally found the will power at 7:45 and began making a cake for one of my coworkers. This one is good -- it's a pineapple white chocolate upside down cake. I had forgotten how much I love baking! I can't start back up yet though, because I know I'll be doing a lot of that for the holiday season and because I think I've gained the weight back that I lost. I'm not sure b/c our scale is packed, but I don't feel the same. I stopped working out while we were moving and I only started back last week by walking with a few ladies at church. For some reason I'm loath to go to the gym after such a long absence, but I suppose I'll force myself tonight. I don't know why I'm so self-conscious there.
Andy and I are going to eat at the Hendren's on Friday, which is very exciting because they are neat people and Dottie is an excellent cook. Much much better than I am, but then she has thirty or so years on me.
I can't believe that Lady in the Water is still not out on video. I'm really anxious about it. It's like waiting for the next installment in your favorite series -- book or TV show. I can't stand the waiting.
Check out the new recipe. It's a good one, in fact, we're having it tonight.

unpause

Hello everyone. I think I did well on my exam. Thank you for thinking of me. I'll know by the end of this week if I passed. I'm sorry that I still don't have much to say. Andy and I have been sick with colds and I have several papers due. Soon the craziness will end and you'll blissfully be given nonsensical blogs.