I Am NOT A Happy Camper!

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.

Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001), "Mostly Harmless"

Yes, something has gone horribly, terribly wrong. I am not happy. In fact, I am quite definitely pissed!

The computer guy at work has been switching over to a new server and upgrading some of our programs and network. Occasionally the Parish Manager will mention to me that he will be coming in after I leave for the day to do some work on the office computer system. Monday as I was getting ready to leave, she mentioned to me that he would be coming in to work on the system that evening. No big deal, right? I wish that was true.

I had no idea that he would be transferring all of my Excell and Word files over to the newer Microsoft Office program and the new server. EVERY one of my files were messed up! I have literally hundreds and hundreds of hours put into those files... especially the Excell spreadsheets for the financial reports and budget. In fact, I had already put numerous hours into the upcoming budget for this coming fiscal year. Half of my files have totally disappeared. Most of the other half are either so corrupted as to be unrepairable and useless, or have reverted to whatever they looked like in 2003! Computer guy cannot figure out what happened nor can he find my files. NONE of those files were backed up on the old server. Luckily, I have back up copies for the General ledger and Payroll programs on CDs. The settings for my reports were messed up, but I can deal with that easily.

I have older copies of a few of the files on my computer at home. But most of the bigger files I am having to redo from scratch. Had I known that he was transferring files, I would have backed up the important ones to a CD before he tried to transfer them. Some of the other staff members had no idea that he was coming and arrived at work today to find that they could not use their computers... they were told by the Parish Manager that it may be 2 to 3 weeks! I find that hard to believe. I would think that computer guy could get them access in a day or so. Since they didn't know what was being done, they did not back up their files to a CD or disk.

So, many of my upcoming nights at home will be spent rebuilding those Excell files. I don't have time to do my regular work and rebuild the files during my regular workday. Tonight I started working on the quarterly financial report which is 4 legal pages long. I am sooooooooooo delighted.

I Am Working On A New Template...

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope!

It's Valentine's Day

Sweethearts all over the country will be gifting each other with cards, flowers, and candy. Good for them. I think I will spend my day contemplating other ways of celebrating...

Meme Bisque

I got this meme from Frustrated Writer. He had deleted a couple of levels, so I have added a couple back in to the list. I've Done 109 out of 158 random things.

Random Things I Have Done:
Level 1
(x) Smoked A Cigarette
( ) Smoked A Cigar
(x) Smoked Weed (it was one time a VERY long time ago and I think I did inhale!)
(x) Kissed A Member Of The Same Sex (family members)
(x) Drank Alcohol

Level 2
(x) Are / Have Been In Love
(x) Been Dumped
( ) Shoplifted
(x) Been Fired (assuming "layed off" counts)
( ) Been In A Fist Fight

Level 3
( ) Snuck Out Of A Parent's House
(x) Had Feelings For Someone Who Didn't Have Them Back
( ) Been Arrested
(x) Made Out With A Stranger
(x) Gone Out On A Blind Date

Level 4
(x) Had A Crush On An Older Person (4 years older than me)
( ) Skipped School
(x) Slept With A Fellow Student (I married a fellow student!)
(x) Seen Someone / Something Die
(x) Said a bad word

Level 5
( ) Had / Have A Crush On One Of Your Facebook Friends (Don't use Facebook)
( ) Been To Paris
( ) Been To Spain
(x) Been On A Plane
(x) Thrown Up From Drinking

Level 6
(x) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been Snowboarding
( ) Met Someone BECAUSE Of Facebook (Again, don't use facebook)
( ) Been in a Mosh Pit
(x) Been on a road trip

Level 7
(x) Been In An Abusive Relationship
(x) Taken Pain Killers
(x) Love/Like Loved/Liked Someone Who You Cant Have
(x) Laid On Your Back And Watched Cloud Shapes Go By
(x) Made A Snow Angel

Level 8
(x) Had A Tea Party
(x) Flown A Kite
(x) Built A Sand Castle
( ) Gone Mudding/Offroading
(x) Played Dress Up

Level 9
(x) Jumped Into A Pile Of Leaves
(x) Gone Sledding
(x) Cheated While Playing A Game
(x) Been Lonely
( ) Fallen Asleep At Work / School

Level 10
(x) Watched The Sun Set
( ) Felt An Earthquake
(x) Killed A Snake
( ) Been in a fire
( ) Been in a hurricane

Level 11
(x) Been Tickled
(x) Been Robbed / Vandalized
(x) Stolen something
(x) Been Misunderstood
( ) Been in a Tornado

Level 12
(x) Won A Contest
( ) Been Suspended From School
( ) Had Detention
(x) Been In A Car / Motorcycle Accident
(x) Watched fireworks on the water

Level 13
(x) Had / Have Braces
(x) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(x) Danced in the moonlight
(x) Ran in the rain
(x) Screamed at the top of your lungs

Level 14
(x) Hated The Way You Looked
(x) Witnessed A Crime
( ) Pole Danced
(x) Questioned Your Heart
( ) Been obsessed with post-it-notes

Level 15
(x) Squished Barefoot Through The Mud
(x) Been Lost
(x) Been To The Opposite Side Of The World (Is Yugoslavia far enough?)
(x) Swam In The Ocean
(x) Felt Like You Were Dying

Level 16
(x) Cried Yourself To Sleep
( ) Played Cops And Robbers
(x) Recently Colored With Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
( ) Sang Karaoke
(x) Paid For A Meal With Only Coins

Level 17
(x) Done Something You Told Yourself You Wouldn't
( ) Made Prank Phone Calls
(x) Laughed Until Some Kind Of Beverage Came Out Of Your Nose
(x) Kissed In The Rain
(x) Played Ping-pong

Level 18
( ) Written A Letter To Santa Claus
(x) Been Kissed Under A Mistletoe
(x) Watched The Sun Set/ sun rise With Someone You Care / Cared About
(x) Blown Bubbles
(x) Made A Bonfire On The Beach or Anywhere

Level 19
( ) Crashed A Party
(x) Have Traveled More Than 5 Days With A Car Full Of People
(x) Gone Rollerskating / Blading
(x) Had A Wish Come True
( ) Been Humped By A Monkey (WHAT?)

Level 20
(x) Worn Pearls
(x) Jumped Off A Bridge
( ) Swam With Dolphins
( ) Rode a Camel

Level 21
(x) Eaten a dog biscuit
(x) Paddled in a Kayak
(x) Tubed on a river
(x) Stayed up all night watching TV
(x) Touched a Stingray

Level 22
(x) Got Your Tongue Stuck To A Pole/Freezer/Ice Cube
( ) Kissed A Fish
(x) Worn The Opposite Sex's Clothes
(x) Sat On A Roof Top
( ) Kissed A Worm

Level 23
(x) Done / Attempted A One-Handed Cartwheel
( ) Talked On The Phone For More Than 6 Hours
( ) Recently Pulled An All-Nighter
(x) Ridden a Ferriswheel

Level 24
(x) Picked And Ate An Apple Right Off The Tree
(x) Climbed A Tree
(x) Had / Been In A Tree House
( ) Been scared To Watch Scary Movies Alone
(x) Peed in your pants

Level 25
( ) Believed In Ghosts
(x) Have had More Than 30 Pairs Of Shoes
( ) Gone Streaking
(x) Visited Jail
(x) Scared of the dark

Level 26
( ) Played Chicken
(x) Been Pushed into a pool with all your clothes on
(x) Been Told You're Hot By A Complete Stranger
(x) Broken A Bone
(x) Been Easily Amused

Level 27
(x) Caught A Fish Then Ate It Later
( ) Made A Porn Video/Got Asked To Make One
(x) Caught A Butterfly
(x) Laughed So Hard You Cried
(x) Cried So Hard You Laughed

Level 28
( ) Mooned / Flashed Someone
(x) Had Someone Moon / Flash You
(x) Forgotten Someone's Name
(x) French Braided Someones Hair
( ) Been Kicked Out Of Your House

Level 29
(x) Rode A Roller Coaster
(x) Went Scuba-Diving / Snorkeling
(x) Had A Cavity
( ) Black-Mailed Someone
( ) Been Black Mailed

Level 30
(x) Been cheated on in a relationship
( ) Cheated in a relationship
(x) Camped in a tent in below freezing weather
(x) Seen a flash flood
( ) Eaten an insect

Level 31
(x) Been Used
(x) Fell Going Up The Stairs
( ) Licked A Cat
(x) Bitten Someone
(x) Licked Someone

Level 32
( ) Been Shot At/Held At Gunpoint
( ) Had Sex In The Rain
( ) Flattened Someone's Tires
(x) Rode your car/truck until the gas light came on
(x) Got five dollars or less worth of gas

Cream Of Meme Soup

I am working on answering the questions to a couple of different memes. Tonight I will post the first of the two which is the one that I "borrowed" from The Rat Squeaks. When I finish the other one I will post it as well. Sometimes they are interesting, sometimes they are not.

1. FIRST NAME?
Margaret (nick name - Peggy)
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yes, there were Margarets on my dad's side of the tree, and my middle name comes from my mother's sister.
3. BETTER TALKER OR LISTENER?
Listener
4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
About 2 weeks ago
5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
When I am not writing in a hurry, yes
6. WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT?
Ham
7. KIDS?
4 - 2 boys, 2 girls
8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Yes
9. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
Yes
10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
I try to avoid it
11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes
12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Nope
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Honey Nut Cheerioes
14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Yes, but I tend to avoid shoes that tie.
15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Mentally yes, physically no
16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Peppermint
17. SHOE SIZE?
9 1/2
18. RED OR PINK?
Pink
19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My abdomen
20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My dad
21. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
It would be interesting
22. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING?
Blue jeans and bare feet
23. LAST THING YOU ATE?
Tuna and noodles
24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
TV
25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Pink
26. FAVORITE SMELL?
Roses
27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My Sister-in-Law, Laura
28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?
Their eyes
29. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
No one sent this to me. I "borrowed" from The Rat Squeaks and made a few changes.
30. FAVORITE DRINK?
Mamosa
31. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH?
Football
32. HAIR COLOR?
Brown
33. EYE COLOR?
Brown
34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No
35. FAVORITE FOOD?
Porterhouse steak, rare to medium rare
37. FAVORITE HYMN?
Breathe
38. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Blue
39. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
Yes
40. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs
41. FAVORITE MOVIE?
Pride and Prejudice
42. WINTER OR SUMMER OLYMPICS?
Winter
43. SUMMER OR WINTER WEATHER?
Winter
44. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
From Maintenance to Mission
45. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
A picture of my cat and stuffed mouse... and my mouse, of course!
46. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
Heroes
47. FAVORITE HOBBY?
Basket weaving or Potter's wheel... not currently doing either, but still enjoy looking. I hope to get back to one of them in the future.
48. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles
49. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME?
Yugoslavia
50. FAVORITE STORE?
Macys
51. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
December 26th in Newark, NJ (I apologize for the location, but I had no say in the matter... I did most of my growing up in St. Petersburg, FL)
52. SIBLINGS?
1 sister
53. HEELS OR FLATS?
flip flops
54. SWEET OR UNSWEET TEA?
Usually unsweetened, but I also like sweet tea.
55. SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE?
Un poco

Slip Slidin Away

Yup, that was this years theme for the Superbowl. The field was a giant Slip 'n Slide. The ball was a greased pig. But it was a great game and the Colts won! Favorite commercial??? Why the Blockbuster commercial with the rodents, of course!

It's That Time Again!

Later today I will be camped out in front of the TV with millions of other Americans to watch the Superbowl being played in Miami. Some years I really don't care who wins. This year however, I am rooting for the Colts. Below is a picture of the two main reasons that the Colts are my choice.

Tony Dungy is still a favorite in the Tampa Bay area from his years of coaching the Bucs. He really is a class act. He and Peyton Manning deserve this. I'm sorry if you are pulling for the Bears... I hope they play well but lose!

Saved By A Hop, Skip, And A Jump

You have probably seen on the news that the weather has not been good to Central Florida the past few days. The night before the worst of the early morning tornadoes hit and devastated numerous central communities, I heard on the weather that there was a tornado in Crystal River making a beeline for Dunnellon where my mother lives. It was after 11:15 pm so I chose not to call and frighten her and continued to keep up on the weather data. Luckily for the residents of Dunnellon the tornadoes either dissipated or skipped over their small town only to reemerge on the ground and create havoc in other communities. My mom slept through the whole thing! She didn't even know about it until she watched the news the next morning!

At least with this go-round the local and state authorities, as well as FEMA, seem to have their act together. So many of the people hit were retirees who will have a difficult time adjusting to the adversity of their current situation. Also, I don't think that we have the final death toll. There is still much sifting through of houses and many mobile homes to be done. For some reason tornadoes seem to be attracted to mobile home communities. Weather people say that is not true. Maybe it is because there are so many of them? No, I think tornadoes are attracted to them for some reason!

Since my mom is fairly remote, I have asked her to get a weather emergency radio that will wake her up in a weather emergency. She used to keep one at the lake in Minnesota, but has not had one for her place in Dunnellon. Thankfully, that will now change. I can't control the weather, but at least I can reduce my worry-level knowing that she will at least have ample warning if we have any more nasty spring storms. Central Florida is know as the lightning capitol of the world for good reason. Our storms can get pretty ferocious, even though our tornadoes are usually short lived and usually only F-1. This event was obviously an anomaly!

We will continue to have cruddy weather this weekend. This coming week will be cooler, but hopefully the sun will shine and we will get a break from the gloomy clouds. Not that I want to encourage hot weather... I would just prefer cool and sunny! I think the people with no roofs or roof damage and no electrcity would prefer that as well.

Poem

I came across this poem today while looking for something else on the internet. It was a favorite of mine as a child. I used to have a book of poems that I avidly read in elementary school (and after) that it was in along with a few other favorites.

Mice
by Rose Fyleman

I think mice are nice.

Their tails are long
Their faces small,
They haven't any
Chins at all.
Their ears are pink,
Their teeth are white,
They run about
The house at night.
They nibble things
They shouldn't touch
And no one seems
To like them much.

But I think mice
Are nice

February 2nd

Yes, Groundhog Day is here again. I think I know what the little fellow will decide tomorrow...

Since the weather here has been a little less than desirable this week, and we are expecting another few days of yucky weather, perhaps Phil should consider Hawaii. However, we are still better off than poor Ralph and his never-ending snow shoveling!