Spinning

Well, today just seemed so fortuitous that it has left me reeling a bit. I started the day by finding some money in an old man-purse Scoob had stashed away in a closet, which we ran across in our weekend packing spree. Granted, it was just loose change. But still, finding cash is always fortuitous. (I'm still stunned to discover that Scoob even had a man-purse. That, and it looks well-worn, too.) He wants to keep it as part of our household emergency kit to hold fire flints, a Leatherman, and other small items. I just want to keep it as evidence that he had a man-purse.

So after I got to work, I found more money! Well, remember how I groused a bit about the company calling the 401(k) fund migration "exciting?" Turns out there's more news—beginning in October the company will resume the employer match AND at a more generous rate than before. I know! Free money!

And, I had been asked to take part in a webinar today. It was a demonstration of a product we're considering purchasing to manage our internal workflow and production. This is the second demonstration I've been asked to sit in on, and my supervisor told me later that I'll be on the team officially and permanently. The recognition feels good, and I know I'll be able to contribute and learn a lot in the process.

In other news—I totally dropped the bomb about moving at work today. Not the out-of-state move that we will eventually make someday, but the move that gets us into an apartment so we can sell this place. I probably should have brought it up with my supervisor in our one-on-one meeting today, and I thought about it, but decided since it was a local move it wasn't something we needed to discuss.

Instead, I opened my mouth at a casual departmental outing and I did not miss the look that flashed across his face. (I've totally got to stop watching Lie to Me, I'm getting a little too good at reading body language.) He seemed to relax as I was asking co-workers about the neighborhoods they live in and how we needed to find a place that would take both cats and be closer to the office. He did still seem a bit nervous that we were looking to rent and not buy.

Anyhow, that was my day. Here are a few nuggets I found online so far this week:

Many thanks to Backpacking Dad who tweeted this article about the evolution of technology and its impact on reading.

I totally want to have a summer backyard barbecue so I can get these cool LED-lit balloons. At $13 for 15, they're affordable and I don't care how old you are, unless you're allergic to latex, everybody loves balloons. Too bad they're sold out. And too bad I don't have a backyard.

A link to They Draw & Cook was in a cookbook-specific publishing newsletter I get at work. I would not be surprised if the site owners get a publishing contract soon, if they don't have one already. It's cute, fun to look at, and informative! Anyone can submit a recipe and artwork, though it's up to the site editors to publish it or not. I think a couple of the hand written recipes are unnecessarily difficult to read.

This could totally make a fun family-in-the-kitchen project. The kids can help with meal prep and learn about cooking, then they draw the picture while mom or dad writes out the recipe. Even if you don't submit the recipe to They Draw & Cook, it would make a pretty cool Family Favorites cookbook. And then you could give each kid a copy when they leave for college (or some other momentous I'm-a-grown-up-now occasion). Oh man, I'm getting all weepy just thinkin' about it. And I don't even have kids!

Okay. That's what I got.