Domestic Geek

Yep, that's me...a glutton. I've put in a lot of extra work this week and I'm going in tomorrow, as well (I haven't had time this week to perform much of my archiving duties). Depending on how much of a tax hit I take, I'm hoping the extra in this check I get next Friday will cover most (if not all) of my holiday shopping. I'm really wanting to get all my shopping done online and finished the first week of December. Last year I was one of the fools out shopping on Christmas Eve. I hated it. There was even point where I started bawling in a store because last year's money situation sucked so bad.

I'm really starting to get the hang of being a prepress operator. Fortunately, there are plenty of people with whom I work that are willing to share their knowledge if I ask the right questions. My supervisor today told me he is thrilled at how quickly I'm picking this up and proud and appreciative of the work I'm doing. It's really nice when a supervisor will take the time to praise someone he feels is doing a good job.

My knee popped today when I walking to my car after work. Joy. I sure hope it feels better in the morning. Unfortunately, I need to stand and walk around when I work in the archive room — there's not much I can do back there sitting on my butt.

Note to self: Something is up with my moblogging module. Must look into it.

D'oh! It's helpful when you make a post to show up on Halloween that you actually make it public.

Halloween was uneventful here. I thought about getting candy to pass out, but $2.79 for a bag with about 12 fun-size candy bars in it? No freaking way. Remember when bags of candy were actually full? I've only given out candy once since we lived in this park (the first year we moved in), and I think I only got 5 Trick or Treaters. Good thing I decided against the candy, because not one single person knocked on my door this year. The last thing I need to waste my money on is a bunch of candy that I don't need sitting around going stale, or worse, being eaten by me.

I carved my pumpkins and only cut myself once. Nothing to match my cool Jobs-O-Lantern from last year, but hey, I wasn't working full time last year, either. I made a Linux Tux one that unfortunately won't last long due to some wrong cuts I made and an extremely stringy pumpkin. I'll post a link to pictures later this evening. Here's a link to photos of this year's Jack-O-Lanterns.


I never got my cookies made. The milk for the frosting was bad and I didn't feel like going back out to get some. I might make them this evening, though, and take them in for a Friday treat at work. I'm roasting my seeds tonight, too.

Hope everyone out there reading had a fun and safe Halloween!

OK, I can understand someone's enthusiasm about the upcoming Christmas holiday, but seriously...who the hell puts their outdoor decorations up the day before Halloween? My neighbor, that's who. Snowmen, reindeer and fake trees is what greeted me when I turned off the main street into our park today. Not cool, people.

I did go to the U-Pick-Um pumpkin farm yesterday after work at Rock Creek Farm. It's up at Hwy 287 and the Northwest Parkway up in Brighton. It was quite the drive up there during rush hour, but I really enjoyed the drive to the field once on the property and roaming through the fields. I took Northwest Parkway/E-470 home, so it actually wasn't too bad on the trek home. There is another one close to that same spot that I'd like to check out next year called Pumpkins and More Farms. Marcus promised me that next year we could go through a corn maze or something. I've always wanted to do that. In addition to some pumpkins that I got to make Jack-o-lanterns out of, I got three small pie pumpkins to make fresh pies for Thanksgiving. They even threw in a spice pack and a recipe.

For future reference, there is a great site I came across called Pumpkin Patches and More! that listed pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other Halloween-related activities by state. There is also information about finding produce, Christmas trees and all sorts of stuff. That's a great resource (it's where I found the two places I mentioned above, plus a tutorial on making fresh pumpkin pies)! Wish I had thought if it.

OK, I'm off the make some pumpkin cookies to take to work tomorrow. I found the recipe online and if they come out yummy, I'll post a link to it. Otherwise, I'm going to forget they exist! I also am going to clean out my pumpkins so they'll be ready to carve after work tomorrow and get the seeds soaking so I can roast them. Roasted pumpkin seeds is my most favorite fall food. Mmmmm...yummy!

Even though Marcus and I are not "officially" married, we celebrate the anniversary of when we became a committed couple every 28th of October.

Today marked 15 years of togetherness.

I can honestly say I love him more today that I did 15 years ago. I'm the most blessed person in the entire world that I found him. I truly believe we are soul mates.

We celebrated this evening by consuming our traditional meal of Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster (the promotion always seems to be going on at the end of October). The cool thing about this year is we paid via gift cards that I got at work. I was just doing something that I felt was part of my job, but the CSR really appreciated my work and felt that I went above and beyond, so he requested to the powers that be that I was given this extra compensation. Yay!!! Works for me and the timing couldn't have been better.

There was a cute elderly couple sitting across the aisle from us. I was "enamored" with them (as Marcus called it). I so want to be like that couple when we're old. You could just tell that they enjoyed each other's company.

Anyway...

Hey Friends and Family!

I have a request for my birthday this year which, I just noticed today, happens to be in two weeks (gasp!).

I don't need things. Gosh knows I'm trying to purge my life and my house of unnecessary and unwanted stuff. What I would like, if you are so inclined, is iTunes gift certificates or donations to my Vegas fund. See, in addition to the price of the actual trip, there are things I need to get before I go, such as a new laptop battery, headphones for my iPod, a new camera, some nicer clothes. That is the kind of "stuff" I do need now.

Thanks!