Technology Paralysis

This is what is currently happening at my desk RIGHT NOW:

• An attempt to connect to Word Press through the new iPad app. Stuck on the RPC updates, need to fix on server with the laptop before I can finish.
• Gmail not loading completely. What is up with the VPN???
• Downloading a file from Survey Monkey but the file is empty? What the...
• Trying to find the SwiftKey Update app on the Android Market for my HTC Hero. Why is China not letting me see that? Grrr....
• My website is syndicating my Blogger updates multiple times. Looking at the WordPress admin function not helping. Need to search for help.
• Trying to remember what software I was using to convert from MOV to MP4. What that before the Windows 7 upgrade?
• Why is my Zune not syncing this music?
• Out of INK? How can this printer be out of INK?
• Why does Quicken open a Qui*.tmp directory EVERY time I open the app? And why does each directory contain a minimum of 39Meg?? Why does the Intuit help site not help me with this??? Hello???

I'm going on vacation...

Daily Picture Project - Day 165

So sad. Natalie is feeling the weight of the world the last few days. She's tired, she misses Aerin, other good friends are leaving Shanghai, her classmate's drama is getting to her, and she's starting on the short path to puberty (yes, it is coming). To emotions seem to be right at the surface. This morning's crying ranged from not being able to find a container of food in the pantry bigger than a QUART to measure for her math homework (liter no problem, US Quarts? Nada) to not being able to stand on her head (our 2nd option for picture as the 1st was Mr. Green with a Gun but no Gun!).

"In 6 1/2 Days I get to Relax!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 164

I'm a little under the weather today (Girl Scout camp did me in this weekend!) so we had to resort to the white board.

"Tick... Tock..."

Daily Picture Project - Day 163

Ok, yet another day of reprieve from the Clue theme! Too busy this morning. But Natalie came up with a nice metaphor!

"Her eyes were glued to the screen"

Daily Picture Project - Day 162

WE INTERRUPT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM FOR SOCCER DAY
Natalie is headed off to SAS for Soccer Day. Not her favorite day of the year! And most of the pictures today resulted in a shot of her ducking away from the ball, so I see how the day will go. Mr. Mustard must wait to be revealed until tomorrow. Off to find a toy gun...

"I hope it doesn't hit me in the head!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 161

Realizing I have very items in the house that can be used as a weapon. Please don't look too closely at today's murder weapon!

"Ms. Scarlet in the Kitchen with the Lead Pipe"

Daily Picture Project - Day 160

"Mrs. White in the Library with the Rope"

Daily Picture Project - Day 159

She wanted to continue the Clue theme she started last week. I have to find rope, a lead pipe, and a gun before we can finish!

"Mrs. Peacock in the Lounge with the Wrench"

Daily Picture Project - Day 158

Pajama day. Natalie chose her Skyline Tshirt. She "earned it" when she was four! It is one if her last real linkages back to her previous life in Dayton. So, instead of using the "Future so Bright I have to Wear Shades" line, I went with her real quote. Not much effort on the picture this morning as she was too busy observing the kittens that are now living in a flower box on our garage wall. More pics of that later! Oh, and the sunglasses are mine. (Julie and Kim, these are the Washington DC too cool shades! Yes, I still have them and even wear them sometimes!)

"I miss Skyline"

Daily Picture Project - Day 157

These are Tom's glasses. And it is the Dining room, though it also seems to be my "junk I bought to decorate the house but don't know what to do with it" room. Might have to make this is a Saturday morning project.

"Professor Plum in The Dining Room with the Knife"

Daily Picture Project - Day 156

Today Natalie will "bridge" from Brownies to Juniors at the Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony (You are here in spirit Chris!). Natalie is a third year brownie as they changed the ages AFTER her first year. (Now you are a Daisy for two years) There is NO ROOM on this uniform now! We actually had to remove and replace several to find room. So that would have been a good theme for the day. BUT... She really wanted to use these glasses. These are pretty much the ugliest pair in the cabinet, but she thinks they indicate a certain level of sophistication. My attempt to explain that standing on the table negated that bit of sophistication seemed to go unheeded! Oh, and I should mention that Natalie really does admire Audrey Hepburn. She loves Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady.

"Audrey Hepburn?"

Daily Picture Project - Day 155

"The world through orange-colored glasses made me sleepy"

Daily Picture Project - Day 154

New week, and weaning off the reflection theme! This week is glasses.

"Original, copy, shadow"

Daily Picture Project - Day 153

Delay due to Blogger outage. We enjoyed our Reflection theme this week. Only 22 days of pictures left1

"True Reflections"

Daily Picture Project - Day 152

"Channeling the Inner Beethoven"

Daily Picture Project - Day 151

This week's theme is turning into reflections. I don't really get her quote, but maybe my inner child is blocking it.

"My Villain is trapped inside the TV and can only come out if the Wii allows it!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 150

Yes, those are clouds in the sky! Shanghai might have a good weather day!

"Me and my shadow"

Daily Picture Project - Day 149

Utilized the balloon bow and arrow Natalie had from yesterday's Mother's Day Brunch. Who would have known there would come a day that she would request a weapon from the Balloon Clown? BTW, Zinc is a Percy Jackson series character. She is the daughter of Artemis. (This is what Natalie told me so I am assuming she is correct!)

"Zink takes aim and shoots!"

Mother's Day

This morning is Mother's Day. A holiday that for many years meant remembering to send/buy a card for all the mother's in my life. I never really thought it would be my turn to wait for some little recognition of the things you do as a mother. I've had 8 years of  motherhood and every years brings new highs and lows. 

This year brought new challenges. Glasses. First lie. Contrariness just because. Greek mythology. Chasing boys on the playground. And new discoveries. Overcoming fear to watch Harry Potter. Superheroes. Caring about hair. Participating in Character Day. Chasing boys on the playground. 

I love being a mother. That alone is a huge surprise for me. I'd like to believe that this has made me a better person, but frankly, that was never the objective. I do know that we are lucky enough to have a beautiful, healthy daughter. She is the love of  our life. And that also reminds me that it takes two to make the world go around. So Mother's Day also makes me appreciate how much easier it is with Tom here. Not just because he is Natalie's father, but because he is a wonderful, loving husband. What helps make me a good mom is to have someone to hand off to when the heat is too much for me. And that works as long as it does not happen when he is on a business trip!!!

Natalie gave me her Mother's day card this morning. Please note that this was not an "original". Though I do know she had to add a few flourishes of her own near the end. She took the poem from a Calvin and Hobbes book. But even though the effort was not original, she was up after bed time last night pouring through her three HUGE Calvin and Hobbes books looking for the poem! She was so tired, but begged to stay up a little longer to finish her card. So my real gift was my daughter laying on the floor surrounded by her open books creating something for me that she felt would express her love. Another year accomplished.

Without further ado, below is her Mother's day card to me. 

I was going to buy you a card 

with hearts of pink and red, 

but then I thought I'd rather 

spend the money on me instead. 

It's awfully hard to buy things 

when one's allowance is so small, 

so, I guess you're pretty lucky I got you 

anything at all.

 Happy Mother's Day to you. 

There I said it. Now, I'm done.

 So, how 'bout getting out of bed, 

and cooking breakfast for

your favorite child (well, only one).

Just joking,

Love,

Natalie

the pretty, smart, popular mature, 8 year old girl.

Daily Picture Project - Day 148

Let her ride her new bike to the bus stop for the first time today.

"I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 147

Showered this morning. Braided hair. Dried with blow dryer. Cheaper and better than a perm! (going through a "I want curly hair" stage).

"Curls Please!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 146

The picture today is NOT the original theme we came up. I snapped some other pictures once we were finished and Natalie had started her self proclaimed "down time" before school. (What 8 year old needs down time after spending only 45 minutes awake?) She has been creating Super Heroes and Villains and writing stories about them. Yesterday she started this particular story and the result was that homework didn't get finished until 7:30 pm last night! And she had the story journal in her hand from the time she got up. She is up to Chapter 6.

"I think in Chapter 6 Firebird will have to blow up the plane!" 

Daily Picture Project - Day 145

Wow, not into the swing of things. Too much vacation!

"BACK TO SCHOOL"