14 posts from 2008

I'm trying to streamline my online presence, and I just don't use Vox*. I've reluctantly moved to Twitter because the handful of people I really, really missed communicating with when Pownce dissolved moved (or remained on?) primarily to Twitter.

Topixz isn't flushed out enough for me yet (not to mention the lack of the awesome Pownce UI), there's a weird, creepy option called Schmownce that I'm not going to sign up for because it just seems too creepy and obtuse, Soup.io is not quite right, the Ning site is just too much to follow and Plurk just doesn't have anybody on it.  I doubt I'm going to find another place that fits me as well as Pownce.

QOTD doesn't work on my personal blog and my Facebook is not for "social networking" - thus leaving Twitter.  The beauty of the QOTD when I decided to do it was to have it be something quick a person could answer, yet giving everyone a bit of insight into that person.  I hope to return to that quick format in this move to Twitter. Believe me, I didn't want to go on Twitter - but that's where the people moved to.

I'm sorry if you don't like my decision.  :-(

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* - I used to use something exactly like Vox: LiveJournal. I stopped using it when I started my own blog because I grew tired of it. I don't need another one, sadly.

I'm going to try an experiment. Until further notice, I'm going to be doing my QOTD on Twitter. I'm going to try the short-format question/answer thing on there.

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/blogkitten

I may not follow you in return (I'm adding people very very very slowly at this point), but I'll still see your responses.

Thanks!
~C

Now that I'm gearing up to cook Christmas Day dinner, the subject of pie came up and brings me today's QOTD:

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  When faced with a special occasion (let's just say Christmas for today's question) and you need to bring dessert, what do you bring? Include a recipe, if you have it!

My standbys for desserts are no-bake cheesecake and pumpkin pie (with whipped cream!).  Pretty basic, but delicious.  I don't have any spectacular desserts because most family events/dinners I'm the one that brings the crudites and dip. 

So, what about you?

You know, I'm at a loss for a question today, so now's your chance to be nosy!

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  What have you always wanted to know about me? 

Since I know everything about me, I can't answer that question.

100 Things In Life

Blogging for the lazy blogger....Just the thing when I'm too busy to think! Just copy the list and highlight bold the things you've done. Give your readers MUCH more than they ever wanted to know about you.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class. (if kickboxing counts!)
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day 

Since I'm overloaded at work due to one of my 4-person department being out on maternity leave, I've discovered the joy (or pain?) of delegation.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  If you delegate something to someone, do you think you should have to recheck the work or should you be able to have confidence in the fact that they can't screw up even the easiest task?

I thought that I should be able to hand it off and forget about it because the things I hand off are the simple tasks:  sorting, making changes to a document, basic data entry, etc. 

One of the two people I'm delegating to is pretty good and does great work with little direction and the other can't do the simplest task without coming back to me to tell me that I should make sure they did it right.  It's just changing words - how difficult can that be?

It's frustrating to say the least.

So, how do you handle delegation?

I am ignoring the "other" QOTD and bringing you a fresh one from my cerebellum:

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  Candy canes: yes or no?

I saw a package of the Trader Joe's brand of Oreos...but with candy cane pieces in them and I thought to myself, "self, should I buy these?" 

Now I'm a big mint fan, but I've never really liked candy canes in candy cane form.  Too messy and the hook part always messes me up.  If I were a "chewer" of such candy-type products, I suppose it wouldn't frustrate me so - but I'm not, so candy canes have always been a problem.

However, sitting on my desk are a candy cane nugget and a candy cane Tootsie Pop.  Both easy to eat, no awkward hooks, just delicious mint I can savor.  And the one nugget I already had, was delicious.

Thus, I do like candy canes - just not in the candy cane shape.

I think I need those cookies now.

So, what about you?

I bought the three gifts I needed to buy this weekend and now I'm done - thus prompting today's QOTD:

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  Are you done holiday shopping?  How many people did you have to buy for? Did you do what many shoppers did this year: drastically reduce the number of gifts bought or eliminate gifts altogether? 

Originally, I was going to not buy any gifts this year, but since I know the two people I work for will give me something very nice, I bought some nice organic, free trade chocolate bars at REI and for Tim, got him the GPS he's been wanting/needing* (gotta love a sale).  Otherwise I'm done.

So, what about you?

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* - he's got the navigational sense of a day-old donut.  Meaning: none.

I've been trying to get on Pownce all afternoon and nothing.

I thought it was the 15th that it wouldn't work anymore.... :-(

Sadcat

I've given Vox a try....and I don't like it. 

*shrug*

I'll find a place to land...somewhere...