Reports of my death...

...et cetera, and so forth...

Well, maybe not as much of an exaggeration as you may think. I just feel like I'm dead. So, a bits and pieces post.

Lots going on at work. In addition to the promotion (why no, they haven't yet reassigned my former duties, thanks for asking), we are at the beginning of an 18 month upgrade process on our financial software systems. A number of key people will have a great deal of their time consumed with the process, and there is (naturally) no back filling of their day to day responsibilities planned, nor is there money in the project budget to do anything about it. Can we say "less than happy working environment"?

Found out last week that my best friend is indeed moving out of state, most likely at the end of the summer. Long story short, this is a temporary move to help out her son and his wife with child care (four kids under age 5) while he goes to seminary. It may be only a year; it may be three and a half depending on whether their house here sells. At least it's a warmer place to visit (although it might be a bit too hot; the one other time I went to Kansas City, the temperature averaged 98 degrees over the three days I was there).

I'm consoling myself with electronics (though truthfully, this was planned), with the first step the purchase of an ipod touch. It replaces both the old, dead ipod (don't ask) and the Palm Pilot. Financially, I come out considerably ahead over two years by using the touch for calendar, contacts, mobile e-mail and web surfing than I would by upgrading my phone to a Blackberry or Palm Pre, even after I factor in a new, basic phone package. Every year after two, the savings increase. At any rate, it's a lot of fun. Free wi-fi at Starbucks and Panera, as well as all over campus - though I'm not sure I really like the idea of being able to access work e-mail from almost anywhere.

And it rocks as a music/video player as well.

Thinking about going on a quilt retreat in September. In 2003, I went to Toronto to meet a bunch of quilters I'd only "met" on-line on a quilting bulletin board. Joleen and I met in the airport, then waited to be picked up by two other quilters...there were twenty some of us altogether. The weekend was a blast. The same board group has arranged retreats pretty much annually; this next one is about eight hours' drive from here, in a little town in Minnesota. The brewery in town (coincidentally) is celebrating 150 years in business over the weekend we will be there. Frankly, given the town's German heritage, I have a feeling it will seem a lot like Milwaukee.

Craft day this coming Saturday, at my place. The plan is to have lunch, then craft like crazy people, possibly ordering pizza around dinner time, assuming we are still at it. Pam wants to accomplish a certain amount on a quilt project she is starting; I, on the other hand, will be doing mechanical crafts, taking apart, oiling and reassembling one of her old sewing machines. If I get on a roll, I may try to install the drive belt on the treadle sewing machine. I bought the thing well over a year ago, and simply haven't taken the time to mess with it. Some day, I plan to at least piece a quilt on that machine.

It's past my bedtime. That's some of the stuff keeping me off the computer lately. Updates when I can about my experience in the land of Apple, a few Quiet Time files posts and a few other things rattling around loose in my brain.