Winter Dance

The sun sets quietly giving way to night and a canopy of stars. The tired Earth rests beneath a blanket of white and the snow glows brightly in the moonlight. The cold wind swirls, stirring the snow and shaking the naked limbs of the trees as they stretch their thin arms toward the heavens. They comfort us, protect us, as the evening snow begins to fall. We stand together, somehow warm in this crisp air, our breath hot against cheeks and necks and lips. And we move together on a cold winter night as we slow dance in the snow.

I Love My View

The nice thing about my little office at work is that one of my "walls" is actually a huge window. The window extends from wall to wall and from ceiling to practically the floor. Right now, as I look to the left I can see the moon. When I look to the right, I see the sun setting behind the mountains. It is gorgeous! If I wasn't afraid of setting off the sprinkler above my head, why, I would light some candles and get cozy.

Why I Need a See-Through Pantry

I don't know how it happened, but somehow my "pantry" is stocked with about 10 little cans of tomato paste, about 8 cans of either diced or crushed tomatoes, and about 15 pounds of pasta. I suppose I buy things when I don't necessarily need it. But if you go to the store and they have a sale where you can buy one box of pasta and get one box free, then you buy two boxes. I guess I also don't always check my cupboards and "pantry" before I go shopping. If I took a quick look, I would probably know that I don't need another box of bow tie pasta. And to make matters worse, if it is on the top shelf, then forget about it. I'm on the not-so-tall side (okay, I am kind of short), so I can't always see what is on the top shelf if it is tucked away in the back. I suppose this isn't all that bad considering pasta and canned tomatoes can last for a few years. Plus, when you live in Colorado, you never know when a blizzard will hit. With this amount of pasta, I suppose I could be snowed in for a month or more and still have enough to eat.

Current drink: root beer
Current music: Holly Brook Like Blood Like Honey

Early Bird

As much as I love to sleep in, sometimes it pays off to wake up early on the weekends. It seems as if people in Boulder don't wake up before noon on Sundays. Or maybe they are awake, but they are just "conquering" some kind of mountain or river or something. In any event, if you wake up early, you can shop early. And shopping early in Boulder means that you can pretty much have the store all to yourself. That is something that I often like, because when I shop I would rather not be suffocated or crowded by the plebs. I want to just get in a store, get my stuff, and get out. But I finished my shopping early, I just started a load of laundry, and I'm about ready to tidy up my apartment. If only I woke up a tad earlier, it wouldn't be too late to get a sausage and egg McMuffin at McDonald's. I tend to crave the not-so-healthy foods when I'm PMSing.

Current music: John Mayer Continuum

Mission Accomplished

Well, I can finally relax! I finished my big project this afternoon, and I'm glad it is done. For all of the stress I went through, I think all of my efforts are appreciated. That makes me feel better. But, just because I'm finished with this book, that doesn't mean that I can sit idle for the next few weeks. I have nearly 20 other books that need my attention.

Still, I do think I need some kind of reward for doing two months of work in ten days. Hmm, what will it be? A nice dinner? A shopping trip at Old Navy? Maybe Victoria's Secret? A bottle of wine? A bottle of cognac? All of them???

current mood: I rock!
current music: random songs. Currently "Crying" by Roy Orbison and k.d. lang.
current drink: Orange Juice...with a shot of Ketel One vodka...I need my vitamin C after working so hard...and I need to support a Dutch distillery...

"Blizzard"

Well, they said that we were going to have a blizzard. Some parts of the state were hit harder than others. For us, it wasn't that bad. The snow in the morning was wet and heavy which made for a slushy drive. I still took it slow, because you can still slide out of control on slushy roads. Once you make it safely to your destination, though, things look much prettier. I love the snow if I don't have to drive in it. Here is the view outside the window of my office. As you can see, with a view like this, it is sometimes difficult to work. I wish the picture was a little clearer, but this is the best I picture I could take with a camera phone while looking through a window during a snow storm!

Complications

Difficult deadlines...PMS...Now the weather people are predicting a blizzard tomorrow. Can it get any more stressful??

Almost There

Having just inhaled my dinner, I thought I would write a quick post before getting back to work. Things are still ever so busy at work and the next two days in the office are going to be crazy. The big board of directors meeting will be held over the next few days. Fortunately I don't have to do anything special and I don't have to attend any of these meetings. There will just be a lot of people wandering around the office, and many of them will be stopping in everyone's office to try to get to know us and find out what we do. I suppose I'm fortunate to be an editor in the company because the editors are always the odd ones in the office. We're not odd per say, but people think of us as odd because they don't really understand what we really do. Usually when we have visitors to our office, they say "oh, you edit the books? Well it was nice meeting you..." I'm especially fortunate because in addition to being an editor, I am also a Classicist. When I tell people that I edit books for a living and read Greek and Latin for fun, they usually look at me with a somewhat stunned and perplexed look on their face. Ahh, like the Medusa, I can freeze (or turn to stone) a person in an instant.

I'm very close to finishing my big project. It has been difficult and often frustrating, and I will be happy when it is finished. I've decided to pick and choose my battles. The errors that I haven't fixed yet are things that will have to stand until the next edition. I've caught all of the gross errors, so that makes me feel better. Letting go is hard for me because I've been trained by the best (and you know who you are!), and I truly care about the quality of my books. As much as I want to be a perfectionist, I have to let go this time. That is simply for my own peace of mind. The project will end, and at least I find some comfort in knowing that I'm producing something that is better than what I started with.

One Step at a Time

Slowly, ever so slowly, this big project of mine is coming together. Granted, the more I look at it, the more errors I see in the previous edition. I'm cleaning up as much as I possibly can in the time I'm allowed, but unfortunately I don't think I will be able to catch everything. Still, I think that the final book will be a tad better than what I started with.

Needless to say, I'm exhausted. I'm somewhat exhausted emotionally and mentally. Mostly I'm just exhausted physically. My back, my shoulders, my neck are all aching. My back hurts more than anything. You can sit in front of a computer for only so long. Maybe I'm just getting old.

Quick break

You know things are busy when I get up at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday to work. As much as I wanted to roll out of bed at 10:00 or 11:00 I just have too much to do. Yes, I'll be working all weekend, and most likely I will be working 12-hour days until Friday. As a friend said, when you are competent and experienced you unfortunately get loaded down with the impossible tasks. The other people in my department are certainly competent enough to handle this project. The only difference is that I can do things quicker because I have more experience. Such is life. To add to my workload this weekend, I also took on a small freelance project. This might sound like a dumb move, but I think it might actually be good for me. Working on a different project for a different publisher will be a nice break from what I normally do. Plus, this freelance project is for a good friend who I just can't say "no" to because she is just too darn cute. Yes, I'm whipped, but I can admit it.

Current mood: stressed and overwhelmed
Current drink: coffee, Seattle's Best House Blend (both organic and fair trade!!)
Current music: more songs from my iTunes library. Currently Anna Nalick's "Breathe"

Pretty, but Dangerous

The snow on the trees is absolutely beautiful. But when too much snow falls too fast on trees that are still full of leaves, you have to watch your head. A huge limb from a tree across the street from my apartment just crashed to the street. And did I say that it is HUGE?! It makes me a little nervous considering there is a similar tree right in front of my apartment. I hope a tree limb doesn't come crashing through my roof!

It's Snowing!!!

SNOW! Big fat snowflakes!

I'm looking out my window here in the office and we are having a good snowfall right now. It's not quite sticking to the grass or pavement yet, but it is starting to stick to the windshields of the cars. This storm was supposed to hit later in the day, but it came in early. If it gets really bad, maybe we'll have a snow day!!

Dream of Me...

Dark skies
White moon, waning slowly
Stars that wink and smile
Late nights
Sleepless, restless
Close your eyes
See me
Imagine me
Feel me
Holding you in my arms
Kissing you softly, gently
Rest quietly
Dream of me tonight...

Under the Gun

So the question of the day is, can I copyedit, typeset, and proofread a 400 page book in about ten days? And when I say "I," I mean I. No freelance copy editor. No freelance typesetter. No freelance proofreader. Just me. Should be great fun.

Hopeful Nights

In an earlier post, I said that I was going to save my $30 bottle of Merlot for a night when it was cold and when it started to snow. I couldn't wait. I decided to open it tonight. I tried a hot shower, and that couldn't relax my muscles. So I thought that maybe a nice glass (or two) of Merlot would do the trick. My body still feels tight for some reason. I think I just need to make an appointment with someone to get a massage. I think I need a professional (or a good friend) to work out some of the tension. The one good thing I can say right now is that my head feels at ease. Hopefully my mind will not race tonight. Hopefully I will be able to get a decent night of sleep. Hopefully my dreams will be better tonight.

To my faithful readers, I hope that your dreams are sweet tonight...

Current drink: Swanson 2002 Oakville Merlot
Current mood: tired

Restless Nights

Today my body has been tense and achy. For once, this has nothing to do with working too long, hunched over a computer. I didn't sleep so well last night because I kept having strange nightmares. The bad dreams seemed to last all night, but there is really only one that I can remember. In this particular dream I was fighting a wizard of some kind. We were in a dark room and with the dark grey stone walls, it seemed like we were in a dungeon. There was a small fire pit, but the flames were starting to die out, so the room kept getting darker and darker. It seems as if I was also a magic user or witch or something, or at least I thought I was. As often as I tried to extend my arms toward the other wizard and as much as I was hoping I could throw lightning bolts, nothing happened. Naturally the panic started to set in. The wizard didn't seem to have a problem casting his spells. He cast a spell which seemed like a laser. I couldn't cast spells, but I suppose I was able to block his laser spell with my hand. My hand wasn't destroyed but it hurt. It both burned and felt like someone was driving a drill through my hand. Then the mage charged me, and that is when things got scary. He was tall and slender, yet still muscular, although his hands and fingers were long and thin, almost skeletal. His skin was both ashen gray and yellow, and his eyes were black. When he charged me, it was quick and sudden, threatening and aggressive. Things went blank at that point, and I think I was starting to wake up. I suddenly became aware of and conscious of my breathing because it was so short and deep. Then I noticed that my shoulders were tensed up to my ears and my hands were locked in a fist. The pain I felt from blocking the laser with my hands was probably the pain I was feeling from my fingernails digging into my palms.

I have no idea what brought on this dream. I have recurring Civil War dreams that are scary and violent. Since those dreams happens so often, I think it is likely that I'm dreaming about a past life. But last night's dream was altogether new and different. I'm somewhat curious about what it all means. The only thing I do know is that I'm certainly feeling the physical effects of it today.

Grocery Shopping Guilt

Have you ever had those days when you just need to do some grocery shopping. You are armed with a list and you are on a mission. I was in this mood today, and today happened to be the day when there seemed to be a lot of activity at the grocery store. As I walked into the door the guilt immediately set in when I had to turn down a group of boy scouts who were selling popcorn. Sorry, kids, I already have popcorn at home. This also happened to be a day when they were giving out a lot of free samples. Normally, I love free samples, but today I was on a mission. I just wanted to get my stuff and go. I didn't want to be lured into the temptation of buying things I didn't have on my list. No, thank you, I don't want to try the low fat yogurt. No, thank you, I'm not interested in the cereal. No, thank you, I don't want a cookie. Okay, okay, I'll try a sample of the grilled steak. I want to be healthier and eat more salads. Bagged salads are easy and convenient, but the thought of getting e-coli or any other sickness made me think twice about it. I don't want to buy all of the "fresh" fixings for a salad, because I'm just one person and don't want to buy too much of something that might go bad before I eat half of it. So, feeling guilty, I gave up the idea of eating fresh salads. Although, I suppose I can say that I'm proud of myself for resisting the temptation to buy a box of Creamsicles or Drumsticks. I've been having unnatural cravings for ice cream these days. Although, I did buy a bag of Doritos. So much for healthy.

The grocery store was also unusually crowded today, too. Most of the people were walking around as if they were in a daze. One very unfriendly and not-so-happy lady happened to be everywhere I needed to go. When I politely said "excuse me" as I tried to squeeze by her and her cart which was conveniently parked in the middle of the aisle, she gave me a rude and dirty look. I was half-tempted to say, "you know, you look a little unhappy and uptight, in fact you look constipated, I'm sure if you go to the pharmacy, they can provide you with some much needed laxatives, have a nice day." However, with the exception of the constipated lady, the majority of the people in the store were quite nice and friendly. Oddly enough, I received a lot of very friendly smiles from several of the young college guys. That just makes a girl happy, even me. And the fact that I'm probably at least ten years older than most of these guys makes me smile even more.

I've been finishing up some of my household chores. My apartment still isn't as clean as I wanted it to be. Oh well. What I really want right now is a glass of wine. The only problem is that the only red wine I have right now is my "special occasion" wine, and it isn't one of my cheaper wines. I don't think I'm quite ready to open my $30 bottle of Merlot tonight. Maybe I'll save it for later this week when we have our first snowfall. Maybe I'll just make a B-52 later in the evening.

Current drink: Barq's Root Beer
Current music: More songs from my iTunes library. Currently "Alibi" by the David Gray

Domestic Duties

It has been another busy week at work. Whenever things get busy at work and when I come home tired and exhausted, I seem to let my apartment go. This weekend has been somewhat quiet in the sense that I'm not doing anything big or exciting. But, on the other hand, it has been busy in the sense that I'm trying to clean up my little place. I just put a load of laundry in the dryer, and thought I would blog before I move on to the next household chore. Is "blog" a verb?

Since I've been working so hard, I decided to give myself another reward. Yesterday I had a little salon visit to have my hair done. I got a cute cut and some color. My stylist is cool and loves to experiment on me with different colors. Today my hair is various shades of blonde, bronze, red, and black. I love it! To add to the excitement of getting my hair done, when I came home and opened my mailbox I found a package from Victoria's Secret. Although I was a little disappointed that this package was listed as "delivery 2 of 2." I don't remember getting package "1 of 2," so I have to wait patiently and if it doesn't come soon, I'll have to find out what happened to a missing bra and pair of panties.

The weather is starting to change with the change of seasons. Things have been beautiful and fairly warm this past week. Today it is much colder. I like it. I like the fresh and crisp air, and you can't help but feel all warm and cozy in a warm sweatshirt or a sweater. It certainly feels like winter is right around the corner. I'm not a huge fan of driving on snow and ice, but I love the winter for its beauty. There is nothing better than drinking a good glass of red wine while wrapped in a warm blanket and surrounded by dozens of candles. If only I had a fireplace in my apartment...

Current mood: relatively relaxed
Current drink: coffee
Current music: various songs from iTunes. Currently "Mountain Spring" by Barrage

What is Wrong With the World?

While taking a short break from work, I decided to check some of the latest headlines on the news. There has been another killing in a school. Why does this keep happening? What is possessing people to do things like this? We make so much of terrorists abroad, but we seem to have quite a few in our own country. For a few weeks you couldn't bring shampoo on the airplane, but somehow guns are getting into our schools. Why? Are we at such a sad and frightening time in our society where we need to put metal detectors and armed guards at the doors of our schools just to keep our kids safe?

Sometimes when I tell people that I studied Classics, a few people turn up their noses and complain that the ancient Greek and Roman societies were too violent and immoral. Take a look at our society! When you look at it, are we really all that different? We still have violence in our streets, and we are still fighting wars. One huge difference between now and then is that in ancient times, the political leaders who voted to go to war would actually go to war with the troops. The were not preaching while they sat in big leather chairs. Instead, many of them were fighting. But that is another story.

Either way, what is the world coming to?

The Evolution of Language

After looking at my last post, I'm struck by something entirely different. I am amused (and often annoyed) by the fact that there is a trend to use the letter "z" rather than an "s" to form the plural of words. This makes me think of language in general. Being a Classicist and having studied Latin and ancient Greek, languages that are over 2000 years old, I can't help but wonder what people are going to uncover about the English language 2000 years from now. Imagine some future archaeologist digging in the dirt of a collapsed U.S. empire. Imagine if he or she were to uncover some of the things we have around us right now--newspapers, magazines, e-mail, instant messages, and, yes, even blogs. What will they think of the evolution of the spelling of boys to boyz or cool to kewl? And what of the severely shortened forms of are to just r and you to just u? Will things like "lol," "lmao," and "imho" look like strange hieroglyphics to them? Will they think those strange Bratz dollz (with a "z") are some kind of strange fertility relic? Was this woman, Paris Hilton, who appears everywhere, this society's goddess? The surviving literature of the future might not be anything like Homer's Odyssey and uncovering strange toys and cell phones might not be like uncovering Agamemnon's Mask, and Paris Hilton is no Athena, but it will all be interesting and fascinating nonetheless. I can only imagine what future generations will think of the society we live in today. Will things get better in the future? Will things spiral downhill? One can only wonder...