things are really not so good at work (major communications craziness here) and i am doing very little about it. i can’t quite motivate myself to get the stuff done i need to for the contract ratification vote on monday, nor can i get an answer from my boss about leave requests for union business – i’m in that sorta underwhelmed state – have a lot to do, have given up caring for the moment.
this morning i have:
altered and printed up images to use for cards made a new desktop image ended up in a back and forth email conversation with someone who also lives on the sunshine coast and who also blogs talked to my friend aaron who has now moved to la (he called me on his way back to dc)
and a few other small work-related things. it is now noon and i have a lot of work to get done but still i am not moving very fast to do them. and – i need to leave early to get books that i ordered from the library (for a paper i am writing).
in defense of my lack of motivation i will say that i am feeling quite ill today, and the last couple of days have been pretty low (monthly cycle – no clinical issues) to the degree that i want to cancel my trip to victoria this weekend….. but….. i think going over to the island for the night will be good – a chance to see some old friends including anna who may be going away again for a long time. am not visiting family on this trip as it will be for one night only…..
am also trying to figure out whether to visit aaron in january, meet him in the bay area in february (and visit other friends), or get him to come here for a long weekend…. between work, union, and getting my wisdom teeth removed in january – the new year is already shaping up busy…..
a request from delire to use a photo from my blog inspired me to re-vamp the photograph in photoshop for use on holiday cards this year.
in that process i decided to turn that photo into another in the forest desktops series. for those of you who haven’t been reading my blog for all that long (and who like purty desktop pictures of trees) – i am reposting all four from the series here for your use. if you do end up using them – tell me! i like to hear about stuff like that.
new Forest Sentry – Photo taken in the Gifford Pinchot Forest on a research plot – Predominantly Fir & Hemlock, August 2004 Cedar & Creek -Photo taken in Cliff Gilker Park, Roberts Creek BC, October 2004 Turning Alder – Photo taken in the Loomis National Forest, Washington State, September 2004 Douglas Fir – Photo taken at Lynn Headwaters in North Vancouver BC, September 2003 – this one looks way better on an apple…. the colors are too dark on the windows box….
this weekend when i was in vancouver i ran into my friend joey only who gave me a copy of his cd that i recorded on in the summer. i include here a link to the mp3 of fire on anarchist mountain for your listening pleasure (my contribution is the fiddle part and a little singing)….
after an exciting morning writing and formatting two communications fact sheets (ten things you must know before publishing to the pacific region internet and copyright and you) i have decided to take a brief post-lunch break for a media scan and an update.
i am reading online that “domestic terrorism” has struck both in the us and canada in the last couple of days – a powerline sabotage in quebec and <a href="a housing development (built in a sensitive wetland) torched in maryland. in the first case a statement of claim has been issued, touching on a range of issues that include the sale of raw resources to the united states, the war in iraq and the struggle of the palestinians. in the housing development fire, there has been no claim of responsibility though it is quite clearly arson – well-timed to evade the security guards hired to guard the development.
a terrible insomnia last night lead me to call into work this morning pleading to work from home (well not exactly pleading – i phoned in at 8 and said “i’m working from home today”). on my morning coffee break i went outside and split a bunch of firewood. at lunch i walked to the post office to get the mail. in between such excitement i’ve answered a bunch of emails, talked on the phone a lot (union-related) and otherwise done what i would be doing in the office if i were there (working some and slacking off some….)
i am thinking to ask my boss if i can regularly work from home – once a week or something like that. it’s much more productive for me without a constant stream of people coming by – and when it comes to writing, nothing beats a quiet space. she indicated before this would likely be okay but i haven’t really gone back to formalize the process because of strike business and other events. maybe for the new year.
spent saturday night in the city at a party – was reminded how quickly things become not-home – after only a few months. i was very glad to come home to the coast on sunday, very glad that every night i come home here where it is quiet and i am relatively anonymous and there is no scene to fit into (well, there is one, but i don’t feel drawn to it). despite that feeling, i was happy to hang out with some friends i haven’t seen for awhile, and it seems that there will be at least a handful of people here for new year’s eve.
the fire is inducing a torpor in me – it is very warm in my living room at the moment – i must finish my job-work for the day…..