The third and final ten of 2023.

Day 21: Thankful that not only do I have enough food, but that I have enough to share, whether a cake for an event tonight or donating to the local food pantry so others can have Thanksgiving meals.

Day 22: Thankful that I had my grandmother for as many years as I did. My Facebook memories popped up a few photos I'd posted on a post-turkey walk five years ago, and I realized it was the last holiday we all had together (the following year my father was ill - not horribly, but too much to travel, and my mother stayed home with him, then pandemic), and I started missing her terribly.

One of my favourite photos of the two of us,
when we visited the Morikami Gardens.

Day 23: Same as every year, thankful for this guy:

My baby brother, as a toddler.
He's older now and has much less hair.

Day 24: Thankful that I didn't need to go out into the Black Friday crowds, and that I could shop online for the things that others (Toys for Tots, Durham Rescue Mission Angel Tree) need. And my brother loved that this year his birthday gift was that 42 people had Thanksgiving supper plus extras at the Durham Rescue Mission last night.

Day 25: Thankful for all the people who run a small business. I know how hard it can be, and try to shop at as many of them as I can. Just a few of my favourites:

• Kettlepot Soap
• Hartford Prints
• BiCi Co. (technically a community non-profit, but great for bike stuff)
• Hein Farm (in addition to produce and eggs they sell gift items, most produced locally)
• Clatter Ridge Farm (not just for produce and meat - they sell yarn and woolen goods, cards, photos, and a great calendar)
• The Produce Box
• Buttercream Duo
• Misericordia's Hearts & Flour Bakery

And more independent hand-dyers (also called 'indie dyers') and local yarn (and other craft supplies) shops than I can list!

Day 26: How can I not be thankful for museums on Museum Store Sunday? I've been going to museums since I was carried in my mother's arms (and probably when I was carried in her tummy), and they are one of the places I seek out wherever I travel. I've lived as close as across the street and definitely took advantage of that on some lonely and weather-dismal weekends when I first lived in that town. I've met interesting people at museums and made a number of friends from those contacts. Plus ALL THE STUFF I'VE LEARNED!!!!!

As a note:  Museums are not just stuff in buildings.  Some are open-air spaces that teach about how people lived during a time, or in an area.  Some are just a room in a larger building.  Keep your eyes open and look for all kinds, as sometimes the less-standard-looking ones are most interesting.

Day 27: Thankful for technology. Not just because it is Cyber Monday, but all the technologies that help people I know (pacemakers, cochlear implants, motorized wheelchairs), medical technology for surgeries and treatments of all kinds, technology for transportation and communication, and so many more things that we take for granted. Every day there's something new and different - I applaud the breakthroughs and encourage everybody to use technology for good.

Day 28: Thankful for my family, and since it's Giving Tuesday the lesson about giving to others. From a young age I was taught that I should share what I have and help people who need helping. It has stuck with me, and is why I donate items to thrift stores, or Habitat for Humanity and shelters and other places that can use things. I knit and crochet items to donate, and I contribute to food pantries and community gardens. Even when I didn't have money, I could give time by helping to make sandwiches, build a house, or sit with somebody in hospital. Giving doesn't always mean money.

Day 29: Thankful for all the first responders: Police, EMTs, Firefighters, and others who keep us safe and help when needed. I know that this can be controversial, given the last few years. I have friends who are in these roles, and others such as firejumpers, and I know what they commit to the job and the community. Not all people who wear a uniform or a badge are bad people, but of course those are the ones who get the most publicity. Two of my close friends lost their fathers in the line of duty, and in Chicago I supported a group that fundraised to provide for police officers who were disabled from injuries received on the job, and their families, and the families of officers who died on the job. More than once I've needed help from somebody in one of these roles, and I am glad that I can call upon them when I do.

Day 30:  Last, but never least, I am thankful for my FRIENDS. I don't have hundreds on Facebook, and except for a small percentage (usually friend-of-friend with whom I have strong common interests) they are all people I've met and often with whom I have spent time in the past. I also have friends who aren't part of my Facebook circle; we do it the old-fashioned way! Some people I call "friend" I have not seen in person in many years, but I know if I turn up on their doorstep, I'll be invited in and we'll catch up for hours. If they turn up on mine, I'll probably invite them in for tea and cookies. I've gone out of my way for some, and am always surprised and touched when they do the same for me.

So the month ends - different every year. It's an effort to remember to post on Facebook every day, and sometimes to find something new to say, but it's a good reminder every year of all the things for which I can be thankful.

Still working on leftovers.

We had a fairly traditional American Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, allowing for it being from a grocery store instead of home-cooked.  Because of the serving sizes, and my mother buying several extra side dishes so we'd have plenty of options, we have a LOT of leftovers.  I've done several different meals and plan to simmer the remaining bits (sans skin) into soup tomorrow.

Not today - I was enjoying being somewhat lazy, and getting a long walk before the weather turns very cold over the next few days.  I did bake bread, trying a new recipe, which didn't look promising but came out fairly well.  Since I used a frozen-and-thawed banana, it probably had more liquid than the one used by the recipe developer, and so I had a very wet dough.  It didn't rise during proofing, but rose fairly well when baked.  Since I still had a lot of guava nectar from the cake I baked last weekend, I used that instead of the milk called for in the recipe, and it was a good but noticeable substitute.  This won't be great for turkey sandwiches, but I can see it with cream cheese for breakfast, or almond butter for lunch.

I had to work on Friday, but Thursday and the weekend were quiet except for errands, family, and football.  I finished a scarf for charity, and sent a package of hats to an online friend who has been making items for the Blue Elves:

Tagged with washing instructions.

She sent some baby bibs to me, the kind with a band you can embroider, at no cost because she wanted to clear them out of her stash.  I wanted to do something in return, so this was it.  The brown-and-orange hat and the black-and-yellow reflective yarn hat were left over from the arts & crafts sale earlier this month.  I had the mittens done and finished the matching hat (you can just see a bit of it peeking underneath, and I have enough remaining of that yarn for another hat!), then wanted a fourth one since she sent four bibs.  I made the purple-pink one overnight, out of an odd skein of bulky yarn I'd gotten from an indie dyer as part of her mystery skeins oddballs cleanout earlier this year.

I expect that tomorrow will be very busy as people come back from a long weekend or a whole week away, and start responding to things.  Just as long as I can watch the Bears v. Vikings football game!

Added later:  The recipient of the hats emailed that she received the hats in time, as they arrived on Monday and she was scheduled to deliver items on the Friday.  And she was thankful for the contribution.

The second ten of 2023

Continuing the gratitude list for this year:

Day 11:  Thankful to our veterans, as on any Armistice/Veterans Day.  On the fourth I went to the memorials in DC for those who died in service, today is for those who returned.  Not all of them are whole, and not all treated well, but as the saying goes:

So many who returned from overseas did not return whole, either in mind or body or both.  It's startling to me to hear about how they were treated, and are treated to this day - not with honor, but with disdain.

Day 12:  Thankful for people who do art, and crafters, and those who support them.  I participated in a local arts & crafts show, and while I didn't sell much, I did sell a few things.  People were very kind in their comments and suggestions, so I may try again next year.  I participated several years in Open Studios Hartford through MakeHartford and it was discouraging, so this was a change - not a huge one, I didn't sell out, but I received good feedback, so I'll see how next year goes.

Day 13: It was World Kindness Day on November 13th, so I am Thankful for those who remember that kindness is important, and even more for those who express it.

Day 14: Thankful for musicians, and all musical performers. I grew up surrounded by them, and have gotten to know many more as my life progressed. I spent part of the evening listening to one of my friends perform as the musical guest on this podcast tonight. It was a special treat during the pandemic for my grandmother and me to listen to his weekly mini-concerts, and when she died I received the CDs he'd sent her, which she enjoyed listening to on the CD player I sent to her so she could have music between the concerts.

Day 15: Thankful for heat, a warm house, and people keeping the heating system running. Not that it needed anything special, but it was the yearly check of the system and I know there are many people without a warm home, so it makes me thankful that I have one.

Day 16: continuing the theme: Thankful for clean water and indoor plumbing. Again, many people do not have these modern advantages. (Also thankful that I can do minor plumbing work myself, and know people to call upon when it's beyond my skillset.)

Day 17:  Thankful for the U.S. Postal Service, and the postal systems in other countries.  Yes, there are other delivery services, some of which are more or less reliable, but in the beginning was postal systems.  I prefer them, for the pretty stamps, with holiday and birthday and congratulatory options, and commemoratives, and so on.  Plus there is something very nice about writing by hand, or even typing and adding pictures, and putting it in an envelope, and sending.  These days when so much happens electronically, a paper letter or card really seems a treat.

Day 18:  Thankful for symphony orchestras and smaller orchestras and wind bands, and conductors who really connect to the audiences.  I went to hear the North Carolina Symphony tonight and during the Leonard Bernstein piece, the conductor encouraged the audience to add appropriately, which we did with enthusiasm.  My snapping may not be great anymore, but I can shout "Mambo!" on cue.

Day 19:  Thankful for the interwebs and social media and all the ways to stay connected, from the friend on the other side of the world whose post inspired the previous blog post about six-word bios, to the online programs I attend from organizations all over the world (and kudos to those that didn't stop when the pandemic eased and most returned to in-person events), to the groups that meet online for an hour or so of chat and community.  Plus all the places I have visited that I wouldn't have seen otherwise, and the people who show me new foods and methods of travel and places to explore and buy books or museums that aren't in the usual guidebooks.  And people who do cooking and crafting and have intrigued and inspired me.  It may not be what the founders thought of when they set DARPANET loose, but as with any such thing, there are many good things among the dross and I love finding them.

Day 20:  Thankful that I can cook.  I am always surprised to learn that not everybody can.  My mother made sure we kids knew early how to take care of ourselves, including cooking.  When I haven't had much money, I still could eat, and fairly well.  I can cook and bake for others, too.  Many people think it takes too much time to cook, but I find that going out and sitting in a restaurant and then getting home again takes more time than I need to cook many of my meals - and I can cook in my pyjamas.  Restaurants tend to frown on people in pyjamas.  And I feel less wasteful because I don't mind eating leftovers (sometimes using them as starter parts of a different meal) and I compost the bits that cannot be eaten.

Guava Cake (Queque de Guyaba) that I baked for an event
tomorrow.  The glaze is pink from the guava nectar.

Just six words. What say you?

A friend posted this challenge:  "If you had to write a bio in 6 words, what would yours be?" In one sense, this is an epitaph - you can put more on a tombstone, or other grave marker, but what if it's a small plaque on a columbarium?  When I helped with the One Day Only events, we limited the bios to ten words, or 50 characters, and sometimes had to edit when a person exceeded the allowance.  It can be difficult to sum up your life in six words.  Many people rose to the challenge, and I've added some of their offerings posted in response to the question:

• This bloke is not good at counting.
• Curious mind seeking endless learning adventures.
• Means well, tries hard. Rough edges.
• Does not play well with adults.
• An experienced, self-driven information manager.
• Curious mum of boys, permanently exhausted.
• Stay at home mom, send help.
• Former gifted child full of anxiety.
• Started strong. Made mistakes. Living life.
• Once discussed theology, now feeds goats.
• Ordinary moments don't exist. Pay attention!
• Chances taken lead to memories made!
• I did it my way, apparently!
• At least it was never boring.
• Is the loudest voice in the room.
• A hot mess, but lotsa fun.
• I laugh and then fall down.

A number of those appear to be closer to 'words of wisdom' than biography, but it could be that it is how their life has led them.  One person posted both work and personal biographies.

I thought about this for a while.  It can be difficult to boil yourself into one minute of time, or thirty seconds, which is what people are supposed to time for an "elevator speech".  I had to do one on Friday that was 45 seconds, and it's not just having a short speech but knowing the audience and getting the pitch correct.  In this case, it was in a breakout session for a group attending a "Your Next Chapter Matters" series from The Leadership & Society Initiative.  I quickly realized that these are people who are hitting retirement and looking at what to do in the next step of their life, and not the average person but CEOs and similar who have much to bring to another organization.

I am definitely not at retirement age and I don't think I'm near enough to contemplate it seriously, but that doesn't mean I couldn't have a "next chapter" if something approaches.  In a way my current job is a 'next chapter' as I'd been safely and lazily (in terms of not pushing my career forward strongly) ensconced in a company since 2008 and while there had been some changes to my job, the role was essentially the same.  All of the real differences were in the specific team I was supporting, or in the side work such as mentoring junior people and working on special projects.  I was highly valued by the business, but less so by the department management, other than my immediate supervisors.  It became clear that I needed to either accept the inertia or make a leap - I gathered my courage and did.  Including, which many women know is a tricky bit, to negotiate an improvement in the salary they proposed, and benefits.

So now I am in a role that more closely fits not only what I think of myself professionally, but which more closely reflects how persons outside my company perceived me.  I still have a bit of wonder at how these are matching up more closely, and I still am amazed at being officially considered the SME and Key Person in my role.  In many ways, it's a role I should have been in more than a decade ago, but there's no winding back time.  And it's not a role I want to leave soon, hence not being ready to retire.

Thus, I had a quick challenge for the introduction to the LSI breakout group.  I began by acknowledging I am in a different place in my career and life, but saying that I wanted to prepare for that next step, and wanted to find out how to integrate my "off-resume" work in a way that would show the value to others.  "People see me as a cybersecurity and intellectual property attorney, and don't notice how I have been on the board of several nonprofits, or founded what became one of the largest events of its type in the country.  I want to figure out how to bring those additional skills forward."  I thought that this would provide a good view of my experience and skills, as well as the dichotomy.

Thankfully, I have a number of years to work on it.  So for now, my six-word bio reads:

Technology and creativity, ever curious explorer.

Check back with me in a year or three, and it might change.

The first ten of 2023

I was traveling and hadn't thought of such things, but seeing a friend's post reminded me that many people take the month of November to list things for which they are thankful. These are my first ten for this year:

Day 1 - Thankful to be able to take vacation. Technically I've had jobs that allow for it, but pre-pandemic I mostly used the time to visit family and occasionally for a fiber conference or SCA event. This was a real type of vacation, just me, off on an adventure - well, an educational program about Spies & Espionage.

Day 2 - Thankful that the Plague Mask Players allow me to participate in their shows, and that I remembered to get to the event page in time, so that I was able to be cast in Love's Labours Lost. I was given the role of Holofernes.

Day 3 - Thankful to see live theater. At the suggestion of another person at the program I was taking for my vacation, I went to see POTUS at Arena Stage, which was walking distance from our hotel. Excellent show, lots of twists, fun and sometimes poignant performances. Highly recommend if you can see it.

Day 4 - Thankful to the many who have served in the Armed Forces, as we spent part of our day attending memorials for those who gave "the last full measure of devotion." Our guides timed things so we were at the World War I ("The War to End All Wars", until another one came along) memorial at 5:00pm to hear the doughboy's daily playing of "Taps".

     

Day 5 - Thankful for fiber-friends I have made over the years, as I was able to spend time today with one in-person and others virtually.


Day 6 - Thankful to NASA and other space-exploring organizations, and for the many inventions that stem from their work.


Day 7 - It's Election Day, so I am thankful to be living in a country where we can vote our conscience, and privately. Also thankful to all who came before who fought for the right to vote.

Day 8 - Thankful for farmers, who grow our food.

Day 9 - Thankful to be able to take a walk outside today: Weather is good, neighborhood is safe, body is working, time permits. A few photos taken this week, showing the brilliance of autumn:

    

    

Day 10 - Thankful for eyesight. I said on Facebook that it's something I do NOT take lightly, but I didn't want to present an essay there, so just included a song link.  I was born to two very myopic (near-sighted) parents, so no surprise when at age six I first needed glasses.  At the time I was not happy as no other children in my class wore them, and my mother said it was my decision to wear them or not, but she was required, as a parent, to buy them for me.

My displeasure lasted until the ride home, when my mother heard a wondering chirp from the back seat that "trees got leaves!"  And ever since, that has been one of my tests to figure out if I need new lenses: Can I see the leaves?  I also have astigmatism (not as bad as my brother's) which means seeing things that should be straight as slightly bent is another of our signals.

Through my life, my nearsightedness worsened, as it does, until I could no longer focus both eyes without wearing glasses.  I was one-eyed to thread needles, and to read without glasses.  I often had dents in the side of my nose for falling asleep reading in bed with my glasses in place.  I think I was in late grammar school or middle school when I was first told that I was legally blind without corrective lenses.  By the end, my correction was around 14.5-15 diopters in each eye, and there's no "20/####" comparison.  I wore fairly sturdy, usually depressingly plain, and very expenses glasses.

In my 20s I developed cataracts.  This is fairly normal in my family, from speaking to others, and it means we get ours removed at a comparatively early age.  [Yes, not everybody is ancient when they have cataracts removed - when I expressed surprise my ophthalmologist informed me that babies can have them, so there!]  While my great-grandmother had hers removed when she was in her 70s or so, by my generation we were decades younger.  And I learned that nowadays, when they put in the new lenses, they can correct your nearsightedness or farsightedness - to a point.  In my case, they could correct only about 12 diopters of my myopia, leaving me with a slight nearsightedness.  Or they could change my vision to farsighted.  (My grandfather went with one eye each direction, but his correction was much lighter than mine.)  To my surgeon's surprise, I chose to be nearsighted, reasoning that I'd been such all my life and adjusting to farsightedness would be more of a challenge - plus I wanted to be able to read in bed without glasses.

So far, so good.  I can buy reasonably normal-priced glasses, so for the first time in my life instead of two pairs (main and backup), I have a small wardrobe of glasses in different shapes and colours of frames.  I have prescription sunglasses.  I read in bed - a LOT - and generally remove my glasses to read onscreen or anything written.  This occasionally means I have to track down a pair that I set down in an unaccustomed spot, but I haven't found glasses chains that work comfortably.

It also means that I donate to organizations such as Lions Club and Seva Foundation that help people to see.  And I don't take for granted when I go on one of my walks, being able to see that "trees got leaves!"

I, Spy

Work had a virtual Hallowe'en party hosted by the security team, so I dressed as Defender Of The Cyber-Systems, complete with broom to clean up after evicting the Evil Hackers and Infiltraitors:

I forgot to upload the photo to the competition
page, oh, well, but I got kudos in the 'party'!

I took a vacation (the first proper one since 2019, thanks to the pandemic and my overwrought work ethic, and using any PTO days to visit family and move and wrap up a couple estates) last week, five days in Washington, D.C., on a Spies & Espionage programme.  It was fun.

Of course we did the expected National Cryptologic Museum and International Spy Museum, the former small and the latter so large I ended up skipping a few things and not doing "the assignment" because it was also the only day we had free time and I wanted to get to Ford's Theater to see it since it was renovated (yes, a long time ago) and the Petersen House.  That evening, another woman on the tour and I went to Arena Stage to see "POTUS" which was rather enjoyable.  Lots of crazy twists.

   

Photo op at "POTUS" - trying to look serious.

Aside from the field trips (also to Lafayette Square, to learn about espionage that happened around it, and elsewhere in the city) we had lectures from current and former employees of three-letter organizations.  We saw most of the major war memorials and got to hear a doughboy play Taps at the WWI memorial, as happens every evening:

    

On Wednesday I got there early enough to participate in a couple of meetings of my own, and then spent about 90 minutes going through part of the National Gallery of Art, which was walking distance from our hotel.  I took a LOT of photos, am sharing just a few:

On Sunday, I went up to Maryland to visit a friend who lives there, somebody I met through an online knitting/crochet/whatever group to which we both belong.  Well, I founded it, and she's helped on and off over time.  Home this morning.

Because there was lots of sitting time, I finished some knitted and crocheted things.  This week I need to organize what I plan to sell next Sunday at the local Arts & Crafts Collective sale.  I don't have great hopes of selling things, but I guess it will be a learning experience.