New desk!

In preparation for becoming Head of Cataloging (that is, Head of Myself) in April, I now have a new cubicle/desk area, twice as big as my old one. It only took me a couple of hours to trash the place up with all my cluttery stuff, which I'm sure you're dying to see. First, a view of my area as you enter from the Tech Services front door:

A closer view:

One of the things I'm happiest about: room for a DVD movie-rating sticker dispenser, so I don't have to keep the sticker rolls in a messy drawer anymore. Also note the 4-Way nasal spray (at bottom left), to which I am addicted. Luckily, it is my only current substance abuse problem:

Pictures of friends, family, our late kitty Dodger, my new flourescent light, and a window view for a change:

Top shelf: what I cataloged this morning; bottom shelf: what I'll catalog this afternoon:

Finally, my computer screen, with Harpo Bear peeking around at upper left:

Snow day

Here in Central Ohio, we've had a yucky but not especially bad winter so far. There's been measurable snow every day from Dec 27th to Jan 11th, and the highs didn't break freezing from Jan 1st to the 13th. This past week has been cloudy but more seasonally temperate with temps in the 30's (around 40 the last few days). No "official" snow days (no work due to snow) have been called yet, but I had a personal snow day on Thursday, Jan 7th; I took the day off in order to take the Christmas tree down--yes, I leave the tree up until Epiphany in honor of the Magi--and that happened to be the day when we got over 3 inches of snow, which began falling around noon and snarled afternoon and rush hour traffic. Luckily, my only errand for the day, once the tree was down, was to walk to Kroger's to get supper fixings. Here's the front of the Yarman-Ritchie residence about an hour after the snow started falling:

Next, the road in front of our place, with tire tracks, and the view of the other side of the street:

The huge tree that stands in our back yard (that is, the little fenced-in"cubicle" of nature outside of our sliding-glass doors); it was lovely with snow draped on it, but in the picture, it looks more like it's been toilet-papered. It was really snow, I assure you:

Finally, the Moonshadow Mikemobile (my Toyota Corolloa, factory color: Moonshadow) under a light blanket of snow:

10 days later, most of the snow is gone, and it would be nice to think that winter's had its say for the year, but I suspect that's wishful thinking.

Goodbye, Christmas!

The official end of the holiday season came today with the dismantling of the Christmas tree. I used to follow my mother's lead and decorate all over the house for Christmas, but in the past several years, I've just gotten lazy; this year, we didn't put up our crazy nativity, with the Baby Jesus being watched over by Spider-Man and Wonder Woman while Queen Amidala accompanies the Wise Men (Hallmark ornaments, all), just the tree.

Early his morning, the tree was still whole...

... with presents still beneath:

After breakfast, the tree was denuded; the lights were taken down and the ornaments came off and were packed back into their boxes:

The last ornament standing, so to speak, was Don's tree-topper family heirloom:

Here's the tree with the top piece gone:

Me with my branch-removing-gloved jazz hands, taking a break:

Finally, by noon, the tree was down... long live the papasan chair!!