Knitting Cybrarian

Today's Bushism...

Heard during President Bush's last press conference:

"...and you sometimes misunderestimated me..."

another personality test

Do you agree? I think most of this is spot on, except for the introverted bit!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Grace!

You are a Grace -- "I need to understand the world."

Graces have a need for knowledge and are introverted, curious, analytical, and insightful.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Be independent, not clingy
• * Speak in a straightforward and brief manner
• * I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts
• * Remember that If I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it may be that I am feeling uncomfortable
• * Make me feel welcome, but not too intensely, or I might doubt your sincerity
• * If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place
• * don't come on like a bulldozer
• * Help me to avoid my pet peeves: big parties, other people's loud music, overdone emotions, and intrusions on my privacy

What I Like About Being a Grace * standing back and viewing life objectively * coming to a thorough understanding; perceiving causes and effects * my sense of integrity: doing what I think is right and not being influenced by social pressure * not being caught up in material possessions and status * being calm in a crisis

What's Hard About Being a Grace

• * being slow to put my knowledge and insights out in the world
• * feeling bad when I act defensive or like a know-it-all
• * being pressured to be with people when I don't want to be
• * watching others with better social skills, but less intelligence or technical skill, do better professionally

Graces as Children Often

• * spend a lot of time alone reading, making collections, and so on
• * have a few special friends rather than many
• * are very bright and curious and do well in school
• * have independent minds and often question their parents and teachers
• * watch events from a detached point of view, gathering information
• * assume a poker face in order not to look afraid
• * are sensitive; avoid interpersonal conflict
• * feel intruded upon and controlled and/or ignored and neglected

Graces as Parents

• * are often kind, perceptive, and devoted
• * are sometimes authoritarian and demanding
• * may expect more intellectual achievement than is developmentally appropriate
• * may be intolerant of their children expressing strong emotions

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

random observations

• Open message to the person who gave me this cold on Christmas Eve:  I understand why you wanted to come to services.  But why oh why did you have to sing?  And sing beside me?  You gave me this cold, and my respiratory system is an embattled one anyway.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize I had this cold until after I was contagious, which means some of my friends have now caught it.  If you are sick and are still within the period of being contagious, please either stay home or tell me.  And I'll stay home.  Now I'll be lucky to get over this by 15 January, because that's just how these things go for me.
• Because I figured I was past the contagious time, I went to Sip and Knit yesterday.  I enjoyed being one of the knitters and not having to answer the yarn shop phone or wait on customers.  I did help other knitters with their questions, but it was fun.  Afterwards a couple of us went to our favorite Vietnamese buffet.  I couldn't taste things as much as I would have liked, so I didn't go nuts.  It's okay, I could still taste peanut sauce.
• Joel got me the Tom Bihn Swift Knitting Bag for Christmas/Hanukah/our anniversary.  I love it.  Yes, I probably told you before.  I still love it.
• Portia has taken over my lap for most of this vacation.  I've not gotten enough knitting done (or movie watching done), but she and I've bonded, which has been wonderful.
• The weather in KC has been crazy.  Snow, ice, rain, almost 70 one day, down to -2 a few days before or later.  I follow a friend's advice to wear layers, and carry sunglasses and an umbrella.
• Ah.  Verizon.  I've used Verizon Wireless for mobile service for a long time.  They were Cellular One (I think) when I signed up in 1994 or so.  I also pay for my mom's cell phone through Verizon.  So when I got a flyer in the mail saying I was eligible for early upgrade, I thought I'd check it out.  I've been interested in a Blackberry for a while, but I've also been drooling over the iPhone (and AT&T is the only provider in the US for the iPhone).
• The vacuous young thing in high heels at my local Verizon store wasn't interested in my business.  She wasn't willing to go beyond quoting how much the service cost would change or anything.  And the phone prices she quoted me were not the same as I saw on Verizon's website.  I told her so.  Sigh.  My contract is up in April and I'm wondering if this relationship should be severed and if I could spring for an iPhone.  I don't have a Mac laptop yet, but boy... I'm hearing sweet things about the iPhone. 

What I hate about having a cold:

• Not being able to swallow -- you think you're going to swallow and yuck, there's this gunk... oh, you're grossed out already.
• Not being able to breathe through the nose.  Especially at night.  Ick.  I wind up sleeping with a cough drop in my mouth to try to avoid coughing in my sleep.  Bad for the teeth, good for the relationship (so Joel can sleep).
• Tissues, tissues, everywhere.  I stand up, walk into the kitchen, and when I come back I find wadded-up tissues on the floor.  I had no idea those were on my lap.  How did that happen?  And in the bed -- wadded-up tissues in the bed.  How weird!
• Deadened sense of smell and taste.  Popcorn tastes good because all you can taste is the salt.  Coffee is drunk because of habit, not because you can taste it.  The shower gel just smells weird -- hope I don't smell weird.
• Speaking is just too weird for words.  Making phone calls to check on things is worrisome -- I don't know if I can be understood.  Using the voice commands on my cell phone is difficult enough (there's not a Southern region or Appalachian region setting for voice recognition) normally, but with a cold it's even worse. 
• Zits and redspots.  Yeah, one's face looks so lovely during a cold.  I get zits and red skin from the tissues rubbing on my face (and I use Puffs with lotion), and it's just so lovely.  NOT.
  
  

And if you've read this far, I wish you a happy new year! I hope 2009 is kinder to us all!!!

Musings during the commute home

Kansas City experienced snow today.  A fine, driving snow.  All of maybe 2" accumulation.  This would not be a big deal, except:

• As a friend noted Kansas City doesn't have a great record with snow removal or laying down salt, even when the mayor isn't suing the city.
• Local SUV drivers believe their vehicles are invincible, can manage curves and turns on slippery streets at 40mph, and that 4 wheel drive means 4 wheel stop even on ice.
  • Exhibit A: a smaller SUV didn't take the Rockhill curve at Stowers, and instead took the stone wall and streetlight around noon.  Same thing happened first snow last year, and just about the same make of SUV was involved.
• Drivers do not realize what those D2 and D1 indicators mean on the gearshift of automatic transmission vehicles.  Yeah, get out your manual and read it.  Putting your vehicle in D2 or D1 can a-save your brakes when going downhill whether on a steep incline or slick street, and b-can keep you from spinning out going uphill on a slick street.
• Drivers also like to tailgate around here, and tend to ignore the implications in wet, snowy, icy weather.  I just don't get it.  A friend drives for UPS and gave me a useful tip.  When you stop in traffic, be sure you can see the tires of the vehicle in front of you touching the pavement.  If you can see the bottom of the rear tires, then you have enough room to pull out from behind that vehicle if you have to.  Great tip.  And in wet, snowy, icy weather, leave even more room than that. 
• Because drivers tend to tailgate, other drivers sense pressure to go faster (sometimes unnecessarily so).  Which causes even more accidents...

My commute home was 105 minutes long.  So I pondered topics other than safe driving.  Among them:

• Proper nail care.  As a pianist, I've kept my nails short practically all of my life.  I used to clip them, but I don't like the ragged edges.  I file them, but wintertime poses some issues because of dry, fragile skin.  The emory board I was using yesterday slipped a fraction of a millimeter and I sliced open the skin just under the nail (yes, you can say OUCH!!!) on 3 fingers and my right thumb.  You would think once was enough, but oh no.  It happened so quickly.  And is still sore.  I'd love to hear how other pianists (and string players) deal with this.  I don't think wind players are quite as picky about nail length (or the lack thereof). 
• Right now, living in Florida or Arizona sounds good (this meandered through my brain as I scraped snow and ice off of my vehicle for the 2nd time today).
• What if I had a job requiring a shorter commute.  Like say, raising alpacas or llamas or sheep?  But then I would be out in all types of weather, making sure all the critters were safe and accounted for. 
  
  • Further along this line, imagined how the hubster would deal with using a wood stove for heat and chopping wood.
    • What if I wound up having the wood chopping responsibilities.  And if I thought those slices under the nail hurt, that's nothing compared to getting in wood without gloves as I remember from childhood.
• Perhaps a job in a city/area where public transit is more prevalent or housing closer to my job was more affordable...

Time to go.  Must get to bed soon and be ready for meetings bright and early in the morning.

Things I don't understand

For example, this product:

Please tell me why you would want to set a glass of beer (or soda or whatever) on your loved one's face.  Yes, it's not REALLY their face, but still.  I just don't get it.

Discuss, please.

Interesting (?!) personality test

A friend posted the results of this personality test (Motivational DNA) to her blog. Curious, I had to follow suit. Why are these tests so fascinating? I guess one wants a surprise, or some reassurance that one is normal, or perhaps above-average!

laura gayle’s Motivational DNA Type is PVI (Production-Variety-Internal): The Visionary

Visionaries are persistent, energetic and confident. They are able to organize people and projects. Visionaries exhibit strong leadership potential and react quickly to crisis. Creative thinkers, Visionaries have the ability to craft a vision and get others excited about it. They enjoy working on multiple projects at the same time and like to be involved in exploring alternative concepts. Farsighted and imaginative, Visionaries are good at finding original solutions to difficult problems. Visionaries enjoy change and thrive under pressure. They have the ability to shift gears and turn on a dime. They are confident in their ability to master new skills. Visionaries enjoy challenge and desire personal growth. Visionaries want to know that their work matters and desire to “go where no man has gone before.”

PVI Motivators: Inspiring work environment, opportunity to originate and initiate ideas, peer respect, credit for work accomplished and a strong sense of mission.

PVI De-Motivators: Rigid structure, routine, delays, time-consuming details and bureaucracy.

Quick-Start Tips for Goal Achievement:

1. Options are vital for your motivational style. Make a list of a dozen ways to accomplish your goal. Then mix it up. Do a little of everything on the list. PVI Visionaries get bored with the same old, same old.

2. Create a customized plan for achieving your objectives. If something doesn’t work for you, don’t force yourself to do it—eliminate it. Find a better way—something enjoyable that works.

3. Make a detailed record of why your goal is important to you. How will you (and others) benefit if you achieve the goal and what are the consequences if you don’t?

and if the previous one wasn't enough

Your Ideal Careers:

Archeologist
Astronomer
Book editor
Business manager
Civil engineer
Designer
Economist
Inventor
Judge
Scientist

Your Career Personality: Brainy, Logical, and Efficient

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

and NONE of these are close to what I actually DO!

oh good grief

You Should Be a Manager

You're very organized, motivated, and methodical.
Fair and objective, you can see all sides of a conflict. You are a good mediator.
You are task oriented. You do well with deadlines and schedules.
And while you can be a task master at times, you're good at managing people and listening to their input.

You do best when you:

- Must have attention to detail
- Are in charge of people

You would also be a good accountant or personal assistant. (NOT)

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

What a week

I stayed home this morning.  Just exhausted.  Let me give you a few highlights and lowlights of this week:

• There are mice in the house.  Portia killed one early Wednesday morning, but one skittered from underneath the stove yesterday morning.  Preheating the oven to 400 drove it out from its hiding place.  Portia was licking herself and didn't see the little thing dart out.  However, she's spent the better part of every night on Mouse Patrol. 
• And we've found mouse droppings in several places in the kitchen.  Which means that we've been cleaning everything in the kitchen.  My dear student assistants, please don't worry.  I washed all the kitchen bowls, utensils, and baking pans before and after I made things for you.  Using very hot water, strong, antibacterial detergent, etc.  And we're using bleach to soak any number of things.  Ugh.
• I work at the Local Yarn Store (LYS) most Saturdays.  Yesterday morning I got a tearful phone call from my Saturday co-worker.  One of her closest friends had been killed a few hours before in a botched robbery attempt.  There are not enough words or hugs to give comfort. 
• Even sadder is that this is the second friend to be killed in less than a year, and a third friend (one that we both knew) died in a car wreck a few months ago.
• Another dear friend came to the LYS asking me to finish seaming a knitted jacket and block it so she could wear it to her mother's memorial service.  I'm honored that she asked me.  I'll also try to keep from crying when I do it, as I knew her mother too.

Back to cleaning.  Joel's done much of the vacuuming and pulling things out, and it's time to put order to the current chaos, now that various things have dried. 

Did I mention the snake in the library?

Guess it's a good thing I'm not a 1930's wife

My friend PlazaJen did COMPARATIVELY well on this test... My results:

-1 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!