I cannot believe my ineptness sometimes. I forgot to call the library and renew my books because I have been on the computer a lot today. I am glad there is a grace day, but I think it will mean I have to take all of them into the library to renew. That will be a hassle because that many books are heavy. I keep a substantial amount of the library’s supply at home…

That does not even begin to describe my personal library of which I have not read too many books. See I have this thing where I figure I can read the books I own any time, but I borrow library books so those have to be returned and I read them instead. It is nutty, but I have been doing it a while now. One day I might not have access to a good library with lots of new books, so I have all these books I can read in that event. Yeah, I’m eccentric, that is okay… I think I am afraid of shortages and I do not really know why, but it seems to drive some bizarre hording habits I engage in.

I had gumbo for supper, it was tasty. Even though it was just canned gumbo that was alright. Homemade gumbo would be better. You cannot complain about canned when you don’t cook though, and everybody knows I do not cook. I think about that sometimes, but I am an avowed non-cooker. I did make sweet potato soufflé for Christmas, but that was an aberration.

I have to get new plug wires for my car because the "mechanic" who tuned up my car did not secure the plug wires. One of the casings is cracked because of arcing voltage as I drove home. I hope I can wait until next month to buy those… this month is running short, very short on cash. Would you call a guy who did not test drive your car a mechanic, I doubt it, so I use the word loosely. 

Groceries are not a luxury, but I hope I can limit the amount I spend on them this week. It is hard to do so at Wal-Mart. Funny the things that can creep into a grocery cart and you know they deliberately set you up to spend more than you intend when you go there. You go in to spend $25.00 and come out with $150.00 and they take your money happily to the bank. I am thankful that America has stores like Wal-Mart though, we are very blessed as a nation.

I wonder if anyone is reading this… I guess it is okay either way.

Enough for now.

Always,
Jo Ann

I again went to bed at 8:00AM, but this time I rose at noon. Much better than yesterday.

I managed to troubleshoot my problems with Corel Graphics Suite 12 and install the service pack which previously would not install.

Alex went off to school and Mom went out with a friend so I had the house to myself for quite a while. I started the lessons for FrontPage 2003 offered free by HP. I figure if I learn the program that it can help me with a web-site when and if I finally set a .com up. Someone offered me free space on a web server, so maybe I will do it, eventually.

I added some books to the list of what I read last year posted on here. It will take awhile to list all 129 books. Funny trying to remember all of them enough to make a comment on each one. Some are still in my memory, but a few have slipped completely out. This year I should write a little about the book when I note the pages in my reading journal. That is if I read this year, so far I am getting very little of it done. Having a well functioning computer keeps me busy and I do not read books so much. Having DSL makes surfing more enjoyable too.

If I get the sleeping thing under control I will probably volunteer at the library. That will keep me busy too. I already stay busy, but it will get me out of the house more.

Sometimes I wish human beings did not require sleep. I would accomplish so much more if I could just skip that part of life. The dreaming is nice though when it is not nightmares.

I really like the idea of this space on the web… The only complaint I have with MSN about it is the fact you cannot easily copy and paste text into the blog. I hate writing without a spellchecker. I mean is that not the main point of using a computer for text, so that you minimize your errors. I just discovered you can ctrl+v to paste here. That will make future entries better. I would like to be able to just right click copy and paste, but ctrl+v will work. Sometimes keystroke shortcuts are not obvious to me. I guess that comes with having mostly learned computers after the advent of Windows.

Well, I’m off…

Always,
Jo Ann

I did not go to bed until about 8:00AM so there was not much to the day. I slept most of the light away. Goes that way sometimes. I am really trying to get on a schedule where I sleep at night, but it is not working well. I hate the havoc reversing day and night plays with my life. However, I managed to get quite a few things into this space during the early morning hours.

Alex, my sixteen year old son, has to go back to school tomorrow after the long weekend. I always feel a little sad sending him off to school. I like for him to be at home. I can imagine how I will feel if he goes in the Marines as he plans. I don’t like to think about it too much. No need to worry before it happens… I do though, I worry about his going to Iraq and the damage combat would do to his psyche. He is a sensitive person and a caring person, could he handle all that?

Both our computers are working well now. No thanks to HP, MSN, and Microsoft tech support. I had to figure out the problems on my own. I am becoming pretty good at solving issues. I never thought I would be working with hardware and setting up wireless networks, but I have done both. Software problems are the ones that cause the most hassle, but I have learned to troubleshoot most issues and I know where to obtain information to help me fix things. Wish I was as good at handling life… still have a long way to go in that category.

I think things would be easier if there were not so many stesses. My mother with her Parkinson’s, frequent mini-strokes, and other illnesses is not doing well at all. I have most of the responsibiility for her and sometimes it is trying, and I worry… what if something happens that I cannot handle, will I know what to do? I love her dearly and want to do what is right.

Money is the other big stress. I just do not have enough. Alex wants and I buy, then I look at the debt mounting and I wonder… If I worry too much about it I will go berserk and nobody needs that. Even though I am weak I hold things together and make sure everything gets done. It is a lot of responsibility.

I do not know if this is the kind of writing that goes in blogs, but it is my truth, and sometimes just telling it helps keep me going. I guess that is the best something like this could do.

Guess that is all for now…

Always,
Jo Ann

 

This is something new for me. Blogging on the internet. I think I might like it.

I spent a lot of time today transferring bookmarks from the MSN browser to Internet Explorer. This was a manual process and very tedious. Why couldn’t MSN have an export ability? Too simple a thing I guess.

I have not been reading much because I have been working with computers a lot. I started The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty and am enjoying it quite a lot.

I read 129 books in 2004. I think I am falling out of pace so far this year.

Maybe this will help me write more this year. I seem to have gotten out of practice. I need to write more.

Well, guess that is all for right now.

Always,
Jo Ann