Jane's Thotful Spot

Good grief!

Very philosophical, this week.

1. What do you most want to be remembered for?
My loving heart. And my cleverness. My sense of humour. Just that I'm really a goddess, you see?

2. What quotation best fits your outlook on life?
If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger.

3. What single achievement are you most proud of in the past year?
Landing a project at work, at performing well with it, while doing it my way.

4. What about the past ten years?
Graduating university.

5. If you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say?
Don't try to run before you can walk, just take babysteps.

Whoo-ha!

Man, I'm good!

Summer?

The Netherlands are heading towards a sub-tropical climate, me thinks. I was out and about today with no coat on at 7am, and last night we were sitting in the garden chatting and having fun until 11pm, while all I was wearing was this thin sleeveless dress.

Anyway

Spinning my thoughts in a completely different direction. Drew Barimore in E.T. Wasn't she cute?

Quiz of the day: spot the connection between the word and the thought.

Mimble wimble

Quote from tech support: Give the girl a typewriter.

Yes, that was about me having some small (cough! choke!) problems with systems and passwords.

Crawling back into my corner now, muttering to myself while chewing the corner of my towel and plucking lint off the shoulder of my imaginary friend.
Oh God, it would be funny if it wasn't happening to me!

I love

my shirt. It's easy: no ironing, no buttons. It's cool: stripes. And it's businesslike enough to wear at work. Yee-ha!
Not to mention it's hot, oh yeah!

Steps

A big step for man, small step for mankind

That's right. Yesterday K gave birth to K2. Mother and child are doing well.

Serious

In other news, the hotel and catering industry are concerned that an overall ban on smoking in the workplace will cost 25% of employment in their branche, based on similar experiments in other countries.

Those boys and girls haven't been doing their homework properly. Yes, (chain) smokers may go out less. But, as evident from real life US of A (California, e.g.): there are plenty of people who are able to go out and have a good time without smoking in the restaurant/bar/whatever. Including those people who now are staying home because they can't stand the smoke.

You'd almost think the people shouting about job losses have a (financial) interest in the tobacco industry.

W-w-w-w

Why oh why do we wear strings? Why would anyone choose to walk around with a wedgy all day long?

Oh yeah, it makes your legs look longer. Well, wouldn't one have to see my legs then (long skirt not helping there).

New toys

I've got a Nikon camera
Wanna take your photograph
Mama don't you take my Kodachrome away...

Music in my head: Paul Simon (who else)

Miao! Ahem, I mean prrrr, er, grrrr.

You're Hobbes. First of all, the makers of this quiz would like to congratulate you. You have our seal of approval. You are kind, intelligent, loving, and good-humoredly practical. You're proud of who you are. At the same time, you're tolerant of those who lack your clearsightedness. You're always playful, but never annoying. For these traits, you are well-loved, and with good cause.


Which famous feline are you?
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Purrrrr!

You are a goddess!


Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
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Freitag

I saw somebody carrying a bag which said Freitag. Would he carry one that says Donnerstag on Thursday etc. I wonder? Today seems to be all about brands and images.

1. What brand of toothpaste do you use?
Paradontax. Other toothpastes make me puke. No, really, they do.

2. What brand of toilet paper do you prefer?
Anything soft and strong. Page and Lotus, usually.

3. What brand(s) of shoes do you wear?
Shoes come in brands? Normal shoes, not just sports shoes? I have Nike Pegasus running shoes, Asics indoor sports shoes, Elesse hiking shoes, but my office shoes? No idea. Don't know don't care, how'bout that.

4. What brand of soda do you drink?
Pepsi Max, or, em. Tea. I drink tea. Celestial Seasonings, or PG, or Pickwick, or Zonnatura. Depending heavily on flavour and where I am.

5. What brand of gum do you chew?
Anything 'white'. As in whitening. Or minty. No fruity flavours.

Toys

This year's holiday might turn out more expensive than we thought.

Meanwhile, I'm playing with my next toy in my head. No, not the book, the subject, silly. Still very reassuring that the book starts with telling me I'm not a dummy. I've also been thinking of bigger, more useful toys.

TTFD

(Tawni's Thought for the day)

"You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence is not an event - it is a habit."
-------Aristotle

New (for me) game

We're on a painful mission

1. This seems to be the year for movie sequels (Terminator 3, Matrix Reloaded, 2 Fast 2 Furious, LOTR: The Return of the King, etc.). Is there a movie you would like to see Hollywood make a sequel to?

Only the ones we've been promised already: LOTR, HP, SW.

2. What movie sequel do you think should never have been made?

The Never Ending Story. Then again, they never should have made the original.

3. Are there any books (comic, novel, etc.) that you would like to see made into a movie? Who should star in it?

No. Although there are definitely movies based on books which I enjoy, I much prefer the book. Then again, they shouldn't dare NOT releasing The Return of the King, and I'm looking forward to X-men 2, although I'm definitely waiting for the dvd release. There's only so many movies worth the noise and the price and the general inconvenience of not being able to control showing time.

4. When was the last time the you got a shot at the Doctor's office? Do you prefer them in the arm or your backside? Or would you rather just take a
prescription?

My shots for China, in 2001. Backside? I've never had shots in my backside. The China shots were in my arm, the year before that I opted for legs, since I still needed the use of my arms for finishing my final thesis.

5. Do you make friends easier in "Real Life" or online or is it about the same? Do you have closer friendships in "Real Life" or online? Why do you think that is? Are you ok with that or would you like to make a change?

Easier online, closer in real life. Interesting enough, I first met one of my closest friends online, though she didn't become my closest friend until we met in real life. ;-)

6. When you first got your drivers license how did you feel ? Did you get it on the first try, second, third, more than that ? Do you have a license ? If
no, do you plan to get one ? Why or why not ?
-byRebecca

Third try, not counting the two times I tried when still in university (overhere you can't start learning before you're 18, and lessons don't come cheap neither). And YES, I like having the license. It makes me more independant, and more in control. Now if only I had a car, I'd truely be independant and in control.

7. Have you ever had your tonsils removed? Did you ever come close? Tell me about that.

No, no, no.

BONUS: Who's that girl?

She can break her own heart. Not the answer you're looking for, just a line from a song which was written especially for me. Having songs written especially for you makes you feel really special, trust me.

Today's comment question: How do you prefer to have your Ice Cream served? Cone (sugar, cake, waffle), cup, or something else?

Waffle cone. Or cup. Depends very much on the ice cream, really. Australian has very nice ice cream in very nice cones, Ben & Jerry's has very nice ice cream in pints :-P

Bwahahaha!

Ooh, yeah! I'm a genius, too! Not as genius as Robin, but still, HA!

What you think about

you bring about

"Appetite, with an opinion of attaining, is called hope; the same, without such opinion, despair."
-----Thomas Hobbes

Hopeful people have an appetite for success. Their motivation and control come from within, so they believe they can succeed at whatever they attempt, including weight loss. They have a positive outlook about their future and can visualize their goals. They are optimists.
Pessimists lack faith in themselves. They don't usually see themselves in successful situations and find it difficult to visualize changes.
They may overeat to allay anxieties or fears. They set rigid eating standards, then abandon their weight-loss plans because they see any falter as the inevitable failure of their efforts.
Optimists turn to friends for advice. They retain hope that things will improve even when conditions look bleak. They tackle large tasks by breaking them into small steps. Optimists believe they can succeed, so they allow flexibility in how they attain their goals.
Optimists who go off their weight loss plans rebound successfully.
Because they see the relapse as an isolated episode, they are able to devise a new strategy to avoid the same situation in the future.
If you're not optimistic by nature, you can still learn the skills.
Anticipate problems and have alternative solutions prepared.
To shore up your resolve, give yourself time to relax and unwind.
Surround yourself with other upbeat people. If you develop an optimistic outlook, you'll be well on your way to achieving all of your goals!

Remember, whatever you think about, you bring about, so think about GREAT THINGS!

Perfect

Could I possibly carry around more bags? Sheesh!
I guess I'm still looking for the perfect bag. I thought I had found it: this nifty shoulder bag which can also be used as a back pack, and is big enough to carry H2G2 or The Hobbit, plus my organiser, phone, wallet, and a small water bottle. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? But perfect, no. It does not accomodate for sporting goods, fruit snacks, magazines, or bigger books, like The Fellowship.
So, what I'm looking for is a bag which will allow me to bring all those things along, grant me easy access to them, and doesn't look huge or weigh a ton when carrying slightly less (or more) than the things mentioned above. Some room for a camera would come in handy, too, although I might not be carrying the camera and the books and all of the above on the same trip. Then again, I might. Does such a bag exist, I wonder? Special reward for the one who can provide me such a bag.

Gulp

Fight cellulite, drink less coffee. Yikes. Also: drink more water, eat more pine apple, less fat, and move more. That, I can do. Less coffee? Well, if it'll help me optain the perfect thighs (cough)...

Feeding time already?

1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
Tap, if it's drinkable, but only for convenience. I prefer Evian.

2. What are your favourite flavor of chips?
Black pepper.

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
Pies, cakes, that sort of thing. Real food? Lasagna, definitely.

4. How do you have your eggs?
In the cake batter, so raw, duh! Or in pancake batter, although I wouldn't eat that until after the pancakes are done, while with cake, well, you have to test it to know if it wants more sugar or cocoa powder or whatever the flavour of the day is, don't you? Ahem. I like eggs most ways, as long as they're warm when I eat them. Cold eggs taste like plastic.

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
K. The meal was fine, really, just lacking vegetables, a bit. Hardly anybody prepares the amounts of vegetables I like to see, so I tend to have to watch myself not to eat all the vegetables for the whole company. Come on! Meals, especially dinner, consist of a big plate of vegetables for each, topped with some pasta and meat. Most people get that the wrong way around. Pfffft.

Learning

I learned a new word last night: conjagulated. And bile. As in: a crust of bile, with a sauce of conjagulated blood, rotting cheese, and a topping of red worms, fish eyes, or both. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's the pizza with a difference, it's the Fear Factor pizza. Maybe I should learn not to watch the second round of FF. Ewwwww.

Huh?

You should be a Leo, Outgoing, warm, friendly,
generous, loyal, likable, entertaining, likes
attention, confident, cherrful, creative,
strong-willed, charismatic, proud, extrovert,
but can be demanding, dogmatic, controlling,
afraid of rejection


~*What is your TRUE Zodica sign?*~
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Life isn't fair

It was never meant to be. So deal with it!
Rise to the occasion that is life itself, overcome obstacles, and all that that implies.

(just to remind myself of Tawni's Thought for the Day)
SURRENDER TO THE FACT THAT LIFE ISN'T FAIR
"A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, "Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was a good one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: Life isn't fair. It's a bummer, but it's absolutely true. Ironically, recognizing this sobering fact can be a very liberating insight.
One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life "should" be fair, or that someday it will be. it's not and it won't. When we make this mistake we tend to spend a lot of time wallowing and/or complaining about what's wrong with life. We commiserate with others, discussing the injustices of life. "It's not fair," we complain, not realizing that,
perhaps, it was never intended to be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not "life's job" to make everything perfect, it's our own challenge.
Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand, and everyone has unique strengths and challenges.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, or course, is a self defeating emotion
that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we DO recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. You may be surprised that it can nudge you out of self pity and into helpful action."
----Richard Carlson, PH.D.

Organised Friday

1. Would you consider yourself an organized person? Why or why not?
Hell no. I try to be, oh how I try. The thing is, my brain is like this totally organised library, only it continually suffers from earth quakes. I work on building and maintaining routines to keep my days running more or less smoothly. Some routines are easier to uphold than others. And I'm totally guilty of bringing all sorts of reading material along, carrying it around for days, and not look at it once. I'm working on that, too.

2. Do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?
Oh yes. I do. I have a paper agenda which I carry with me almost always, and that's fairly up to date. Of course, in order to remember to keep the appointments or carry out the errands in there, I have to look in it regularly. Which I tend to forget. Thing is, I don't have enough appointments to look in it every day, I mean, when you look in it a couple of days in a row only to find blank pages, you drop the habit. At least I do. All the time. Then there's the electronic calendar at work, which I have set up to remind me of all appointments I have at work, well in advance. Of course, I have to be at my desk to get the reminder. Then there are also to do lists in that one, which, obviously, I check so sporadically that by the time I do check it, I don't understand the task description any more. Occasionally, I will be sufficiantly aware of the risk of not being at my desk when the reminder comes, and the given fact that I will forget to check my paper calendar at the crucial time (where was I going with this?), anyhoot, on those occasions that I'm sufficiantly aware of these risks, I will program the appointment in my mobile phone. Fot this to work, I just have to make sure the phone is charged and I have it with me at all times. Oh, and not set to silent profile, that sort of defeats the purpose, unless I'm carrying it real close, in which case I get that nice buzz.

3. Would you say that your desk is organized right now?
Almost. I can still parts of it, and the outgoing and incoming mail are not in the same pile. That's as far as I'll go, though.

4. Do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?
Yes and no. CDs, DVDs, definitely, and I even have a few categories for those. Books, depends on where they are, and what kind of books. Errr, actually, they're just sorted (more or less) according to category and size.

5. What's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?
My sock drawer. It's a continuing project.

Bag of bones

It's just depressing, that's what it is.

Music in my head: I still believe/My all - Mariah Carey, mixed with I want to thank you for the best day of my live, by whatserface. That's probably not the title either. So what.

Time for a song

It's almost weekend, hurrah! One-day week or not (as in my case: two-day-week), that's cause for celebration.

1. Name one song you hate to admit you like.
Tell Laura I Love Her, by whatsisface. Oh, wait, I don't hate to admit I like that.

2. Name two songs that always make you cry.
Hero and When You Believe, both by Mariah Carey (WYB in duet with Whitney Houston). Ooh, and Everybody Hurts. Well, not always, I guess.

3. Name three songs that turn you on.
Turn me on? Onto what? Onto the dance floor doing freaky things: YMCA, Blame it on the Boogie, and, well, anything disco-ish. No hip-hop/house/etc.

4. Name four songs that always make you feel good.
When You Believe- Mariah Carey
Your Ghost - Kristin Hersh
Eathling - David Bowie. The whole album, really.
The Bear Necessities - Jungle Book.

5. Name five songs you couldn't ever do without.
Goodnight Saigon - Billy Joel
Bohemian Rapsody - Queen (all of their hits, really)
De Waarheid - Marco Borsato
Baby Can I Hold You - Tracy Chapman (whole album, really)
Hero - Mariah Carey (duh!)

Drug me

Oh God, I miss the endorphines!

Crap

You see, the problem is, I get all these great ideas for entries in this blog, only there's never a computer arround (or even a notepad; yes, the paper ones) when that happens, so it's all waisted. My brain is extremely Swiss cheezy.

Hmm, I wonder when they'll start showing reruns of Quantum Leap. Or even better, sell it in a box set for a decent price.

Hip break

You are the Low-Fidelity All-Star. You were born
with your cool, and it's totally natural. You
run the gamut from Hipster Supreme (only they
can ingest as much coffee as you) to the geeky
hipster (Mario Kart, anyone?).


What Kind of Hipster Are You?
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Yeah, right. I guess this could be right, except for the part where I smoke and drink less than Sandra Dee, and fret more about my look than is good for me. very natural, yeah.

Light bulb

This is my chance to rise to the occasion. Finally. Now quit whining and show some back bone! Show some spirit!

Issue

The problem isn't the getting up so early, it's the getting to bed too late for getting up so early.

You might also say:
The problem isn't the getting to bed so late, it's the getting up too early for getting to bed so late.

And I don't go to bed that late, either. Many people would even say it's rather early. Maybe it is. It's not when you're getting up at the time I do. Sigh. When will my employer wise up and install some power-nap-sofas in my building?

Shoot

Today I saw somebody on the train who works in my building, but I've only ever spoken to him during this squash (racket ball) tournament a year ago. That got me thinking about squash, and in my mind I was playing, sprinting for the ball, jumping this way and that, and loving it. I almost started feeling sorry for myself. Boo-hoo, I can't play squash or run or swim or do any of my favourite sports these days. Boo-hoo-hoo, it's been half a year already. Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo, I don't know if I ever will be able to ever again! Going into: I'm an athlete, if I can't exercise I might as well die. Then I stopped myself, and told myself to think and live like an athlete, exercise or no exercise. Good plan.