2003-12-27 - 8:53 p.m.

This is just too cool for words!

I'm typing this entry sitting on the couch, while watching Trading Spaces, on my brand new Toshiba Satellite Laptop, using a wireless internet connection via a router I installed all by myself!!!

here's the scoop. I haven't been keeping up with the accounting at work, because I can't do it at the store, the customers are too frequent to get anything done. I don't like doing it at home because the pc is in my husband's office, which is packed with books and no room to spread out invoices on.

So my dear hubby decided to get me a laptop, so I can work at home, in any room I please, and have plenty of peace and quiet, and lots of room to boot! So I went with my dad, a computer genius, to pick out a laptop, along with two wireless routers so I could easily connect to the net and share files either at home or the store.

He set up the first router at the store, but I took home the 2nd one and tried to do it myself. Except the compter at home runs on Windows ME, which turns out to be impossible to set up.... After an hour on my own, I spent 2 hours on the phone with my dad, troubleshooting the setup. We finally got it done, and then, I tried for over 2 hours to get the laptop to connect. No go. He tried and tried to talk me through it, but he was loosing his patience and my head was about to explode. Finally, I had a stroke of genius. I unhooked the LAN wire from the back of the home pc, hooked it up to the laptop, went online to get the Toshiba helpline number and called.

It took 5 seconds. Turns out, there's a little switch in the front of the computer that turns the connection on and off. It's not written anywhere in the manual, it doesn,t show up in any of the FAQ & Troubleshootings, I couldn't believe it when the guy told me!!! Turns out, they meant to send out an extra paper in the manual.... Wish I'd know that 4 hours and 3 extra-strenght Tylenols ago!!!!

Meanwhile, next time I get totally engrossed in some seedy reality TV show, I will no longer have to wait til the morning to post to TWoP. That's right folks! I will now be able to simultaneously watch tv and post at the same time.... ain't technology grand!?!?!?

Anything to add? 1

2003-12-24 - 11:14 a.m.

Ahhhh! the smell of desperate last minute shoppers.... It's enough to make a retailer tingly all over!

It's Christmas Eve Day, the last chance to buy your presents, unless you shop at your local Texaco station! Yesterday, the shoppers came in droves and we had the single best day in the history of the store. The past two seasons, December 24th was also a killer day, but it's pouring rain outside, so I don't know how well we'll do today.

This little girl, maybe 10, just came in to buy to little critter magnets. A total sale of 12$. Not the type of sale worthy of extravagant wrapping, 'cause it eats up the whole profit margin. But she's a cute kid who comes in all the time and spends her hard-earned allowance on little trinkets. Plus, it's pretty quiet right now, so I had time. I wrapped each of the gifts in a big candy-like tissue-paper shape, tied them with 2 colors of ribbon, giving a candy-cane effect, and then threw in little wood ornaments normally reserved for big-ticket items. To make her day, I took my shiny silver pen and wrote the names of the recipients on the ornaments for her. I swear, she was smiling from ear to ear! I made her day and that's enough for me. I won't let any cranky shoppers make me mad today, I'll just think of her face as she skipped (she did!) out of the store and know I made one little girl happy today.

Last night, we attented the annual Hanukah dinner for people who converted through the Orthodox program. At first, we weren't too excited to go. Nobody from our group was there, but I have to admit, hearing the stories of the most recent "graduates", it sort of made me remember why I did it myself. And even though I've been pretty mad at G-d lately, last night, I felt better about Him than I have in a long time.

Gotta go serve those shoppers!

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2003-12-23 - 12:20 p.m.

NEED GREEN RECIPES!!!

I need some vegetarian recipe ideas with the theme *green*, as in, the food should match the decor, which is seafoam green. I'll give you more details later, but if you can add to the menu so far (guacamole, spinach lasagna, snap peas and snow peas salad, and cupcakes with green icing), I'd be ever so grateful. What about green drinks? Any ideas???

OK, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

I have weird childhood memories stuck in my head. I don't remember birthdays or first day of schools, but I remember the day my mom's car broke down in the shopping center and a coworker of my dad's had to come and pick us up and drive us home. In the back of his hatch-back (circa 1975), he had French Cream cookies, which he let us eat on the way home. I remember it was cold and icy that day and my brother was really grumpy.

I rmember driving up north to our country house without my dad one time, and my mom was really scared. The weater was horrible and the cops would make cars pull over the side of the road and only let a couple of cars go at a time. A drive that normally took one hour took about 4 that night and my mom was totally exhausted by the time we got there.

It seems all my weird memories involve cars and my dad being absent! I have a vivid recollection of a trip to France when I was 14. For some reason, my parents were really mad at each other, and my dad pulled over the side of the road and got out of the car and walked away! He just left us there, in the car, with my mom. I guess he came back, 'cause the trip went on and my parents are still happily married!

My dad is actaully a great guy, so I'm perplexed by these bizzar memories I have. I guess bacause those events were so out of caracter for him, they stuck in my mind.

I went to see *Something's Gotta Give* last night by myself. First of all, it was a very funny movie. I didn't even mind having to look at Jack Nickelson's butt (kinda old and wrinkly....), Diane KEaton is a gem in this movie. I used to go to movies by myself almost every Sunday afternoon when I was single. Something about a dark theater and the escape of a movie, I would see all kinds of stuff, great movies and things I would never admit to having seen (especially some of the teeny-bopper stuff). Butthen, I got a husband and dogs, and it seemed self-indulgent to ask for time by myself to see movies, plus, there are so many movies we both wanted to see.... But in light of the recent events in my life, I think I will re-institute this habit. Maybe not on Sundays. I could go during the week, when I'm usually off in the afternoon anyway. But I will take time for myself and make a point of having some fun all by my lonesome!

Anything to add? 7

2003-12-22 - 4:54 p.m.

last week, when I was down in the dumps, some cyber buddies offered to go cyber shoe-shopping with me, and to have cyber-coffee together. (thanks girls! Roni, Reese, Jennye and the others I'm forgetting!)

The weekend was a bit too ectic to do it, but I indulged myself today. I went to the GAP and bought a bunch of stuff that was marked down for the holidays. Then, I had this little gap discount card that was supposed to entitle me to 10% off anything regular price, but because of this crazy lady who nearly ran over my foot in the parking lot (after hitting a parked car), the nice girl at the GAP gave me an additional 15% off everything I bought (the nutty driver had just been shopping there, so they knew who I was talking about).

So, to my cyber shopping pals, here's what I got: red cargo pants with funky buttons and drawstrings, classic black tuxedo trousers with satin ribbon bow instead of a belt, a dark heater gray long sleeve tee and a pink (what else) cami with lace straps. Nothing Tzinius here....

Thanks for shopping with me. virtually.

Anything to add? 1

2003-12-22 - 2:50 p.m.

Somebody did the sweetest thing today.... The lovely nurse from the fertility clinic, the one nurse that saw me all three cycles, called me at home from her home during her vacation to see how I was doing! Soooooo sweet!

Well, the store is buzzing with holiday shoppers.... We're usually closed on Mondays in the winter, but with the big day coming up this week, we decided to cash in and open up. Smart, very smart. Even without advertising, lots of people are walking in and buying! Ah, the power of merchandising!

My x-mas presents are all wrapped and ready to go. Yes, you read that right. 'Cause even though we're in the middle of Hanukah, my parents celebrate Christmas, so we celebrate with them. There is no religious anything attached to this celebration. My mom just loves the whole gift exchange part. Hubby and I made a deal long ago on what we would and wouldn't participate in, and this gift thing is on the yes list. I must admit, I don't miss much about life before being jewish (pork, cheeseburgers, no big deal, really) but I'm glad we still do this gift thing. I'm a big presents person. I would give gifts just because: "You passed your drivers Ed, here's a gift!" "Your dentist said you had no cavities, gift!" "You've been regular for a month..." OK, maybe I wouldn't celebrate that last one, but in general, I'm a big gift person.

In a way, that's why I love our store so much. I love helping people come up with the most clever, funny, or perfect gift. I like wrapping them all pretty, making an effort to curl the ribbon just right, tying the card to the bag... My Inner Martha just takes over!

And speaking of gifts, a stocking stuffer requires my attention.... Edited to add: If you have ever considred international adoption, you simply MUST read the FAQ of dumb questions regarding international adoption. Precious Gem!

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