And a box full of Ripley
And that's all you get because I'm a boring person.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Containers of Ripley
Look, it's a pot full of Ripley
And a box full of Ripley
And that's all you get because I'm a boring person.
And a box full of Ripley
And that's all you get because I'm a boring person.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Well, at least I got one thing done
It's April, which means it's time for Camp NaNoWriMo, and so far I've been slacking. The weather has been nice, work has been really busy, and I just haven't been feeling motivated. But someone has finally been kidnapped (fictionally, of course), so maybe things will start going faster.
Here is the view from the outdoor writing area:
And the other direction:
The only drawback is bugs. How can the world support so many insects? It's crazy.
Anyhow, knowing that I'll be tired and writing until all hours of the night all week, I did my taxes today. That's three days early! They've only been kicked back to me once so far. And if anyone ever complains that my error messages are hard to understand, this was in the email I got from the IRS the first time through:
Luckily I write software for a living and thus could extract the important information -- I needed to check the field on the form that had something to do with self-employment. (There was a field, I put a zero in it, and apparently it was supposed to be blank. Totally not obvious.)
Anyhow, I have finished my taxes, and that's the important thing.
Here is the view from the outdoor writing area:
And the other direction:
The only drawback is bugs. How can the world support so many insects? It's crazy.
Anyhow, knowing that I'll be tired and writing until all hours of the night all week, I did my taxes today. That's three days early! They've only been kicked back to me once so far. And if anyone ever complains that my error messages are hard to understand, this was in the email I got from the IRS the first time through:
Here's the reason for the rejection:
Issue : Business Rule X0000-005 - The XML data has failed schema validation. cvc-enumeration-valid. Value '0' is not facet-valid with respect to enumeration '[F4029, F4361, EXEMPT-NOTARY, EXEMPT COMMUNITY INCOME]'. It must be a value from the enumeration.
The following information may help you determine the form at issue:
Field/Xpath: /efile:Return[1]/efile:
ReturnData[1]/efile:IRS1040[1] /efile:SelfEmploymentTaxAmt[1]
If you are unable to fix the issue, you will have to print the return and file by mail.
Luckily I write software for a living and thus could extract the important information -- I needed to check the field on the form that had something to do with self-employment. (There was a field, I put a zero in it, and apparently it was supposed to be blank. Totally not obvious.)
Anyhow, I have finished my taxes, and that's the important thing.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
When You Have Nothing To Say... Add Pictures
Just in time for Easter, my tulips bloomed!
Of course, a few days after those pictures were taken we had a windy night and now all of the flowers are just bare stalks. I don't think they're coming back after three days, either. Oh well. They were pretty while they lasted.
Ripley says hello. Yes, there are no less than seven actual pet beds in the house and yet everyone must fight over the box. I'm sure there's a reason. Eventually Scooter will put an end to the strife by peeing on it, allowing me to get rid of the box with a clear conscience.
I'd have more to talk about, but it turns out that I missed all the excitement of the meth-head son of the people who live two doors down getting arrested at gunpoint last week. For the record, these are the people that complained to the city about my next door neighbors (legally) having chickens in their yard. I think perhaps they've been focusing on the wrong problems...
Of course, a few days after those pictures were taken we had a windy night and now all of the flowers are just bare stalks. I don't think they're coming back after three days, either. Oh well. They were pretty while they lasted.
Ripley says hello. Yes, there are no less than seven actual pet beds in the house and yet everyone must fight over the box. I'm sure there's a reason. Eventually Scooter will put an end to the strife by peeing on it, allowing me to get rid of the box with a clear conscience.
I'd have more to talk about, but it turns out that I missed all the excitement of the meth-head son of the people who live two doors down getting arrested at gunpoint last week. For the record, these are the people that complained to the city about my next door neighbors (legally) having chickens in their yard. I think perhaps they've been focusing on the wrong problems...
Sunday, March 8, 2015
This Blog Is Making Me Rich!
Because I was bored deeply care about my blog, I googled "nebulopathy" today. Shockingly, the first thing returned was my actual blog. And then I found a bunch of sites that analyze blogs, which is where it got a little funny.
The first one said the blog had an estimated worth of $64,942.00. Let that sink in a minute. I mean, sure I started out updating this thing twice a week, but lately I've been lucky to write something once every couple of weeks. And let's face it, it's usually crap. But apparently it's still worth enough to keep me in cider and cat food for quite a while.
So I wrote my resignation letter ("Dear boss, I quit! Good luck with that Super Bowl stuff!"), but before I hit send, I looked at the next link:
Hm. $640.42. That's quite a bit different. Also, there are over twelve million blogs in the US that are better than mine. Unfortunately, that last detail convinces me that these people are probably not taking the same drugs as the first group.
Then I looked at the next link:
I mean, I live fairly frugally, but I can't survive on sixteen cents per month. Even Sally Struthers wouldn't be happy about that sort of help.
So, enjoy your week. I have to go to bed now so I can get up early and go to work tomorrow.
Damn you, Super Bowl!
The first one said the blog had an estimated worth of $64,942.00. Let that sink in a minute. I mean, sure I started out updating this thing twice a week, but lately I've been lucky to write something once every couple of weeks. And let's face it, it's usually crap. But apparently it's still worth enough to keep me in cider and cat food for quite a while.
Then I looked at the next link:
I mean, I live fairly frugally, but I can't survive on sixteen cents per month. Even Sally Struthers wouldn't be happy about that sort of help.
So, enjoy your week. I have to go to bed now so I can get up early and go to work tomorrow.
Damn you, Super Bowl!
Sunday, February 22, 2015
But It's Instant!
It's time for me to rant about one of my pet peeves. I realize that those of you who know me are probably trying to figure out which of my many pet peeves I could be talking about. It's true. I have more than a couple. But I also have more than a couple pets, so I figure if I can feed and house multiple real pets, I ought to be able to hang on to more than a couple of pet peeves as well.
Anyhow, the one that has been bugging me most lately (other than the whole "ask as a noun" nonsense, as in "the current ask is...") is people who abuse instant messaging.
I don't work in the office with everyone else 80% of the time, so I admit it's normally a little difficult to just walk over to my desk and ask me a question or request something. So I understand that instant messaging might possibly have a place in the workplace. But given that we also have email and software for meetings, here is what it is good for:
Here's what it isn't good for:
I type reasonably quickly. The people who interrupt me with this sort of message inevitably don't. Before they interrupted me, it was very possible that I was trying to figure out how to join five database tables together to get the results that I need. I was concentrating. I concentrate a lot when I'm working. I can't concentrate when I have to pay attention to IM. So now I'm just sitting around thinking about how irritated I am that this person is IMing me. Seriously, these people are lucky if they ever get anything from me ever again.
So, yeah, that's the rant of the week. Next week I may cover companies that are convinced that the way to prove they are a technology company is to get rid of the white boards and paint the walls with special paint so that all of the walls can be used as whiteboards... except the ink doesn't actually come off so it just looks like a bunch of graffiti inside the building and there's no space left to discuss anything new. Also, white boards are white, and orange walls are not. But I guess that can wait for next time...
Anyhow, the one that has been bugging me most lately (other than the whole "ask as a noun" nonsense, as in "the current ask is...") is people who abuse instant messaging.
I don't work in the office with everyone else 80% of the time, so I admit it's normally a little difficult to just walk over to my desk and ask me a question or request something. So I understand that instant messaging might possibly have a place in the workplace. But given that we also have email and software for meetings, here is what it is good for:
- Those times when you have a quick question or request that requires an immediate response
Here's what it isn't good for:
- A request to start a major project that will require (at the very least) actual requirements
- A random question about a report that was sent out four hours ago
- A question about something that you could figure out on your own
"Hi Theresa"and then they wait for me to respond. Let me tell you... If I have to write back "What do you want?" and then sit around five minutes for you to type a sentence that says "I was wondering whether that four in the second column of the report should be in a different font", your chances of me doing anything for you drop down to almost zero.
I type reasonably quickly. The people who interrupt me with this sort of message inevitably don't. Before they interrupted me, it was very possible that I was trying to figure out how to join five database tables together to get the results that I need. I was concentrating. I concentrate a lot when I'm working. I can't concentrate when I have to pay attention to IM. So now I'm just sitting around thinking about how irritated I am that this person is IMing me. Seriously, these people are lucky if they ever get anything from me ever again.
So, yeah, that's the rant of the week. Next week I may cover companies that are convinced that the way to prove they are a technology company is to get rid of the white boards and paint the walls with special paint so that all of the walls can be used as whiteboards... except the ink doesn't actually come off so it just looks like a bunch of graffiti inside the building and there's no space left to discuss anything new. Also, white boards are white, and orange walls are not. But I guess that can wait for next time...
Sunday, February 8, 2015
All the Latest News
I finally managed to turn in (and discuss) all three writing prompts in my writing group, which means that now I am eligible to have them critique something I care about. However, since we have discussed my work, and only my work, for the last three meetings, I think I'll try to give everyone a one-meeting break. Frankly I'm sick of me. I can't even imagine how everyone else feels.
(We did have The Great Semicolon Debate of 2015 at one meeting, though. I think it's fairly awesome that I know people that will argue about stuff like this. Weird, but awesome.)
Anyhow, the only other thing I really have to say is that there needs to be a better rating system for television shows. Forget the sex, violence, and swearing. Who really cares about that? No, I just want to know how depressing the show is going to be so I know whether I should watch it right before going to bed.
Here is my proposed rating system:
C - Cheerful. (C+ indicates that there is a smile and wink by the main character toward the camera in the last scene.)
D - Depressing. The show kills off a major (well-liked) character during the episode, or a minor (well-liked) character in the last scene.
DD - The dog dies. (I'm not the only one who feels the need to know this -- there's actually a web site that rates movies based solely on this criterion.)
Between Elementary and A Touch of Frost, I feel this rating system should be implemented immediately. I realize that there might be some pushback on these categories mostly because it will sound like people are talking about bra sizes, but people just need to get over it.
(We did have The Great Semicolon Debate of 2015 at one meeting, though. I think it's fairly awesome that I know people that will argue about stuff like this. Weird, but awesome.)
Anyhow, the only other thing I really have to say is that there needs to be a better rating system for television shows. Forget the sex, violence, and swearing. Who really cares about that? No, I just want to know how depressing the show is going to be so I know whether I should watch it right before going to bed.
Here is my proposed rating system:
C - Cheerful. (C+ indicates that there is a smile and wink by the main character toward the camera in the last scene.)
D - Depressing. The show kills off a major (well-liked) character during the episode, or a minor (well-liked) character in the last scene.
DD - The dog dies. (I'm not the only one who feels the need to know this -- there's actually a web site that rates movies based solely on this criterion.)
Between Elementary and A Touch of Frost, I feel this rating system should be implemented immediately. I realize that there might be some pushback on these categories mostly because it will sound like people are talking about bra sizes, but people just need to get over it.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
It's My Party, I'll Revise If I Want To
Last weekend I went to a "Revision Party" held at the house of one of the guys in my writing group. Before I explain, I'd just like everyone to take a moment to marvel at the fact that I willingly went to something sort of social. It's truly amazing.
A revision party is just what it sounds like -- everyone sits around and revises something they've been working on. In practice, that means a group of people sitting around a table, each with their own laptop, ignoring everyone else and typing. While some people might describe this atmosphere as anti-social, in reality it's perfect for people like me. There's no awkward small talk because there's not really any talk at all.
My friend J.J. called it "a rave for introverts".
Anyhow, I went, I revised, I ate snacks, and I left and now I have officially submitted the second of three writing prompts I have to complete for my writing group. One more and I'm in the clear.
Who says I don't have a social life?
A revision party is just what it sounds like -- everyone sits around and revises something they've been working on. In practice, that means a group of people sitting around a table, each with their own laptop, ignoring everyone else and typing. While some people might describe this atmosphere as anti-social, in reality it's perfect for people like me. There's no awkward small talk because there's not really any talk at all.
My friend J.J. called it "a rave for introverts".
Anyhow, I went, I revised, I ate snacks, and I left and now I have officially submitted the second of three writing prompts I have to complete for my writing group. One more and I'm in the clear.
Who says I don't have a social life?
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