OKPsycho

I've rejoined OKCupid, and have gone on a few dates. One guy was very nice but the conversation didn't flow at all. Another guy was interesting, but had no sense of humor and had lied about his age on the site, which I think, though not a deal-breaker, is a bit silly. None leading anywhere. No biggie.

Work is slow as the holiday approaches, and in a very unusual move, I messaged back and forth a lot with this one guy, Jason (that's his real name because I don't care about anonymity) yesterday. This is unusual because I think people can be on way online, and different in person. So, messaging a lot before meeting them is silly since you may have a nice online banter, but know within 30 seconds of meeting them for a drink that there is zero chemistry.

That's a lot of wasted time messaging a complete stranger.

Still, I wasted a lot of time with this guy just yesterday because the banter was fun.  I asked him out for coffee, and a few hours later, in the evening, I got this psycho message...

I did respond, saying I wasn't even on the site last year, and his nasty email makes it clear he's saved me some time. And good luck with your nice lady.

I have disabled my account. Not for good, but holy crap, I need a break from this ridiculousness. D-bags abound and sadly, it's not always obvious. To spend the day chatting with Jekyl to suddenly get Hyde (or is it the other way around?) doesn't instill much confidence in others.

Decorating the Tree

I went to Avon Street last night to help decorate the the massive tree Dad and I picked-up a few weeks ago. Here are two little interactions that made me laugh.

Mom was out so Dad and I got started by hauling up the labeled boxes from the basement. Ornaments and lights. Ornaments did in fact exist in the box labeled "tree" but alas, the lights were not in the box labeled "lights". Go figure.

We did find some other lights and Dad sat in a chair next to the tree regarding the box, considering whether he wanted to open it or not. I commented that they weren't the right lights - the bulbs were too big and I recommended we keep looking for the little twinkie lights. Dad considered this for a moment, and then read the fine print "But it says right here that this is the brand I trust!"

When Mom came home later, she decorated the mantle with cuttings from the tree while Dad navigated the lights onto the tree. The two went back and forth a bit about the extension cord being used. Mom was sure it had more than one outlet in it, and Dad thought that maybe it only had one. When he pulled it up from the floor to take a closer look, he realized that Mom had been right. He admitted as much and like a proper hip 74 year old, added "My bad"

To which my Mom replied, "Yes you are"

MacGyvering

Last night I covered an event for BU. It was basically a professorship reception. Young professors were granted professorships and this was their holiday gathering. Since it was set-up through the president's office, it was a big deal, the kind where I have to dress extra-presentable for.

I went to The Castle, which is on campus, for the event. I arrived early to set up lights for the group photo I knew would be shot. I started to unpack my lighting gear when I spotted someone who looked like an event planner. She was, and as I talked with her about lighting, it became very clear from her confused expression that I was at the wrong event. And that's when I realized I do not remember when I actually LOOKED at the paperwork regarding this assignment and as such, I'm not sure I actually ever knew where it was taking place.

Don't panic.

I pulled the assignment up in my phone and after much waiting and then searching through assignments in our online scheduling app, I found that the event I was supposed to be covering was two blocks away in the building which houses the office of the President of the university.

I called the organizer of THAT event and let her know what happened, and that I was on my way.

I arrived in plenty of time, and after seeing the space, knew I wouldn't be needing to set-up lights anyway.  The gajillionaire who funded the professorships was already there, but the event itself didn't start for another 15 minutes or so. I organized my gear to start photographing the set-up (food, flowers, etc).

Giant coat tucked away and now-unneeded lighting equipment in a closet, I pulled out my flash to attach it to the top of my camera. It would not fit. IT WOULD NOT FIT!  My brain went a million miles a minute - could I shoot this event with the available light in here? No, not really. Am I using a Nikon camera body and a Canon flash somehow? Is that why they don't fit? No. I don't have any back-up gear in my car and my car is three blocks away anyway. Is the lock on the flash locked down? No.

IT WILL NOT GO ON THE CAMERA! WHAT IS CAUSING THIS?!

And that when I looked closely and found that the track on top of the camera which the flash slides into before locking into place had been bent in somehow, preventing the flash from fitting in there.

Oh god, Oh god OH GOD!  Then again my brain starts going.
I have to MacGyver it. I have to MacGyver it!  How do I MacGyver it?!

I need a screwdriver. I don't have a screwdriver. I'm not gonna find one here either. I need something metal to bend the piece back again. I looked at the buffet table and spotted only sterling silver tongs. Those won't do. I went over to the bar which was run by two doe-eyed students. "Do you know where I can find a utensil?" I asked, likely a bit wild-eyed.

They said they had none, but the buffet table had forks. And so they did!

I grabbed one and discretely as possible, used it's tine to bend the part back. Then I said a little prayer as I reattached the flash.

PLEASE WORK
PLEASE WORK
PLEASE WORK

And it worked.   Evening saved!  Phew!

Stealing from Meg

This is a FB post from Meg. Since I love her and her kids and they bring me joy, I'm sharing it here.

The elf was found this morning slow dancing with the angel on top of the tree (I'd include a pic, but I'm not that fancy). Here's the convo that ensued:
S: "Are they gonna marry?"
E:" No! He is a magical elf who lives at the North Pole (said with wonder in her voice) and she is just a plastic angel-doll that lives on our Christmas tree for 2 months (said with disgust). "
According to her, they are from totally different worlds. It would never work. Obviously.

Super Bionic Woman Now

No, I am not sharing a photo of my belly for attention. That's silly.  I'm sharing it because technology is amazing and I am grateful for it.

The device on the right is my pump. I've had it for many years now. I draw blood from my hand (I use the heal of my palm but some people use their fingers - because they are masochists) and my glucometer tells the pump where my sugars are. So, basically every time I want to eat something, I'm supposed to check my sugars using the glucometer. I average 4 to 8 checks a day.

This device on the left now does this for me. In the morning and at night, I calibrate it by hcecking my sugars with a blood draw and the glucometer, but other than that, it checks my sugars through my skin, and sends that number to an app on my phone, every five minutes. Pretty amazing.

Now I don't have to guess where I am if I don't have my glucometer on me, and I can see how certain food effect my levels, because I can watch my sugars go up or down.  It alerts me if my sugars are too low or too high - it woke me this morning around 4 actually when I dipped too low.

I would have woken up eventually, but the dexcom did so before I felt completely miserable.

What's one more object hanging off me anyway?  

Dress 'em Up

Since I'm a titch mopey these days I'll share a story I got from Meg this morning. I often call Meg on my way into work between 8 and 9. She has usually dropped all the kids off at school and is free for a chat.

She told me that last week she sent Miles upstairs with a collection of clean laundry to put in Stella's room for her. Later on, Stella came home and hollered from her room "Mamaaaaa!"

Miles had taken all of the clean clothes and dressed each and every one of Stella's stuffed animals with them!

I asked her why he may have done it and she wasn't sure. I joked, "Do you think he got upstairs and forgot what the task was, and saw the clothes in his arms and figured he'd dress the stuffed animals?"

I love that kid.