In Denial

I do not want to talk about the Wisconsin - Michigan game. Please do not ask me about it. If you do, I may either:

a. weep bitterly
b. stomp my feet and walk away
c. fume, with optional steam escaping from my ears
d. all of the above

So, let me stay in denial for a bit longer, k?

In the meantime, let me introduce you to the wee beasties that run Chez Dickens. Here are Washington and Madison:












They came to us almost a year ago...quite unexpectedly. Last July, we had to say a very bitter farewell to little Elmo.

He was only 7, a true spitfire, and most dear to my husband. Elmo burned very brightly and my DH always feared that Elmo would burn out quickly. Unfortunately that came true last summer when Elmo contracted an acute kidney infection. During the course of the initial treatment at the Emergency Animal Hospital, we learned that Elmo's other kidney never developed properly and was completely unable to handle the overload. Within a few days, he was gone and our hearts were quite broken.

This is a picture of him about 2 weeks before he died, doing one of the things he loved best - cuddling in a cardboard box.

Just a few months later, our best pals who live in Chicago were sent to Seattle in conjunction with their jobs. They had been extremely active in providing foster homes to cats while living in Chicago and during the course of this very laudable activity, had permanently adopted four of them...Washington and Madison were two of them. Their new home in Seattle only allowed for 2 cats and so our friends asked us to watch Washie and Maddie for a year. Having this request fall so shortly after we lost Elmo, we just couldn't see getting attached...which was an absolutely guarantee...and then having to say good-bye, again (even though we knew that the beasties would be back home safely). We hated having to disappoint our friends, but we were still mourning the loss of one very special feline.

After a week, our friends came back with another option: keep 'em for a year. If you love them, keep 'em for good. That way, they could start fostering again. How could we say no? Everyone wins...including some cats who will be in need sometime in the future.

Suffice it to say, we adore these two - brother and sister they are. Part of a litter found in a dumpster behind a restaurant somewhere in downtown Chicago in the dead of winter three years ago. All named after presidents (must be hard coming up with names when you foster so many animals) and these two are the only ones who survived that very harsh welcome to the world.

Within a few weeks, Washington and Madison had enriched our lives so much and it's hard to imagine each day without them!

Compliant?

Within the last few weeks, a number of you with long hair have shorn their locks! First there was Harmony, then Ana and most recently Miles! You all look great...but did some of us not get the memo? Watch out Megan, Sarah, Kerrie and even Nic - there's a definite trend starting here. If there was a memo, did you make it ISO compliant? Do I need to initiate a CPAR?

:-)

music

Just wanted to let you know about www.pandora.com, a cool music site that Aurora introduced me to. You can type in a name of a musician or song and they create a song list. You can mark which songs you like, and they'll suggest other things that you might like as well.

I have a cool Spanish rock station that I've made- if you want, let me know and I'll share it. Julieta Venegas, Aterciopelados, Soda Stereo, Cafe Tacuba, etc.

Also- if anyone has recommendations for interesting indy rock in other languages, let me know. Oddly enough, although I really dislike pop music in English, I'll listen to pop music in other languages- like Juanes, Alizee, etc.

Bemused and bewildered

Let's face it, we are all - to some extent - language nerds. True? Well, I know I am and I'm a rather prescriptive one at that! (next time you're in, stop by and read the comic I have on the outside of my cube. My DH clipped it for me...he knows me so well!)

So, being an avid football fan I do watch ahem...some football television over the weekend (heck, it really is the only TV I do watch so cut me some slack! :-) It never ceases to perturb/amaze me what comes from commentators' mouths. Troy Aikmam should be the posterchild. Other than doing his best to make elliding the "g" a national pasttime (e.g. goin', runnin', tryin'), he comes up with some real lu-lus! But, last weekend, whilst taking in the Notre Dame rout of Michigan, I heard this:

"It seems like déjà vu all over again."

CLASSIC!

Late night ramblings of a Quality Reviewer

My name is Kelly and I'm an Iverson Quality reviewer. Is there a 12 step program for that? I used to work in the office a lot but lately it's more at home. This is a good way to connect.

I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I'm too busy to have a real hobby. Between 2 part-time jobs, 2 kids, a husband, a sick cat and a Sister-in-Law who's in the hospital since April, I really don't have a lot of free time.
My husband has a hobby though: he built a Hydrogen generator. He's trying to power the lawn mower with it.

I do have diverse interests though. Currently the things I'm involved in are:
-sharing books on tape with my kids (latest "read" was "Because of Winn-Dixie")
-walking: we discovered the "Monarch trail" in Wauwatosa. Located on 97th and Watertown Plank, Monarch butterflies stop there in the last weeks of Sept on their migratory path to Mexico. We wanted to see it before Scott Walker decides to develop the County grounds!!!
-volunteering at church: I'm a member of the Missions Committee. If you ever want to feed the hungery, I can hook you up. I'll keep you posted about the Fair Trade Expo at the Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church in November.

-volunteering for the PTSA at Bruno's school. I'm chairperson for the Reflections Program (statewide art competition) and Spirit Wear.

On the horizon:

- Bruno and I are going to Daytona Beach in October for his birthday. I plan on taking up watercolors again while there.
- I'm having fantasies about getting a moped. If you know someone selling one cheap, I may be interested!

Well, that's probably more than you wanted to know. I'll stop now.

Hola

Hola to all!

My name is Aurora Sambolín and I work remotely from the beautiful beaches of Puerto Rico. I wish...;-) . As some of you may know I use to be a PM at Iverson until I recently moved back to PR . Right now I'm just enjoying my family and friends and getting ready to start my PhD in Translation Studies in September 2009. In the meantime I am teaching a translation class at the Universidad de Puerto Rico and working as a Quality Reviewer at Iverson as well.

Nice to meet you all!

Aurora

What Saturdays were made for...

Hi all,

Let me just start off saying how much I enjoyed meeting so many of you at our QR meetings this past week. I hope you found the meeting helpful and fun...I know I did. Your feedback and ideas are so important. Btw: there haven't been any new volunteers to be the QR rep at our group meetings. Can I bribe you with coffee and treats?

Ok, enough work talk!

When I was first hired, you may have read that I am a knitter and an avid one at that. In fact, I worked and taught at a yarn store before coming to Iverson. In addition to cycling (the manual kind...no Harleys for me, right Miles?! :-) and music, knitting is my prime passion. As we approach sweater weather, be sure to stop by...chances are I'll be wearing some Anne Creation or another.

I just wanted to share with you my latest completed project. Behold, knitted socks!

If anyone is interested in learning to knit, I'm more than happy to get you started and to share my yarnie love.

Do any of you have hobbies that you'd like to mention?

Well, my friends, back to what Saturdays are made for: knitting and watching college football. I LOVE college football, especially Big 10. I went to school at Wisconsin (B.A.) and Michigan for my graduate degrees (Historical Germanic Linguistics, of all things). Since I have to wait 'til tonight to watch my beloved Badgers and the big Ohio State/USC game, I'm going to settle in shortly with my new knitting project and watch the Notre Dame/Michigan game. Go Irish! Being a Badger fan since childhood and an alumna, I must always root for the Wolverine's opposing team. Let me tell you, I wasn't always the most popular person in Ann Arbor on Saturdays!

Party time!

Today is Megan's birthday!!