Because it’s Friday AGAIN. And because traditions are important. In which I cover the good stuff and the hard stuff in my week, trying for the non-preachy, non-annoying side of self-reflection.
And you get to join in if you feel like it.
Voice-to-text software is my salvation. It wrote 95% of yesterday’s extremely long post. Plus, talking to myself is fun.
Anyway, I’ll probably be giving an update at some point in the future about the best and worst of it. From the trials and tribulations to the yay, this has forever changed my life for the better bits.
In the meantime, it kind of features big this week. But yeah, some other stuff happened too. I think.
The hard stuff
Voice to text!
Seriously. There are so many commands to remember. Gah! And I’m still ridiculously inefficient at the editing part.
And it keeps writing acetyl when I want to say “asshat”.
Acetyl!
Also, it thinks my name is Heidi.
Anyway, I still love it. It’s just that I also have some new grey hairs. Just saying.
Meetings.
Oh boy. There were a lot of them this week.
And while each one was valuable and productive and good for the soul, I am kind of done with meetings for a while.
Information overload.
So I’m taking Jen’s class and Cairene’s class and I’m teaching at the Kitchen Table.
And my brain is just processing stuff like crazy. Which is fantastic, and it’s also kind of exhausting.
Which is why as soon I put this up I’m going to go get massage for my arms and then go back to bed. Yay, bed. I guess that brings us straight to the good stuff.
The good stuff
Voice-to-text software.
I’d been kind of worried that talking blog posts into a microphone would be way harder than writing them.
I mean, yes, I write how I talk. So theoretically I should be able to talk the way I write.
But it took some weird brain shifting there. Now it’s working. And I’m loving it. So so much.
Friends!
So Chris Guillebeau and his wife Jolie invited us (me and my gentleman friend and my brother and Selma) over for dinner this week.
They’ve just moved to Portland, which we’re ecstatic about. And it was wonderful.
Selma didn’t come because she’s been kind of overwhelmed by meeting lots of people lately and is already anxious about all the socializing she’s going to have to do at SXSW.
But Jolie, who is a painter, wants Selma to sit for her. How flattering is that?
Anyway, it was great fun. They’re both such lovely people, and I’m so happy that we’re going to be hanging out with them more. Not just as far-off internet friends but in real life too. Real life!
And then I also got to spend an hour drinking tea with one of my former clients, who just happened to be visiting from Turkey. What a beautiful surprise.
Inspired Organizing!
As I mentioned the other day, I’m taking Jen Hofmann’s Inspired Organizing course for the second time.
Because I hate organizing and am not inspired. Which is basically perfect for the kind of work that she does. Because she’s all about alternative techniques. Like, very alternative.
And man, it is so, so great.
She just knocks me over with her unexpected ideas and the way she can love me completely with all of my flaws and challenges. She’s a great friend and a great teacher, and I just feel really lucky that she’s in my life in all these different ways.
Feeling peaceful.
Last week, you may recall, was pretty tumultuous. I was moody and cranky and there was lots of hard.
This week was much more peaceful. Lots of sleeping in (okay, I call 6:30 sleeping in) and long meditations and bouncing ecstatically.
Not being in excruciating pain seems to be helping my mood significantly.
Ez lives here! Yes, he’s still here.
I love him. Also, did I mention that he cooks?
Because he does.
And … the award for the most bizarre thing to show up in my mailbox this week goes to …
Our very own Wormy aka Secret Wormy.
Really, you haven’t lived until you receive a package from Wales addressed to The Bootilicious Selma with an accompanying letter about how the sender is really not a stalker, despite all apparent evidence to the contrary.
Also in the package was a keychain that bears a remarkable resemblance to Selma, except with a button on it When you press the button, the duck flashes and quacks.
It’s like … a noisy flashlight. That’s also a keychain!
Wow. Thanks, Wormy! I adore you!
That’s it for me …
And yes yes yes, of course you can join in my Friday ritual right here in the comments bit if you feel like it.
Yeah? Anything hard and/or good happen in your week?
And, as always, have a glorrrrrrrrrrrrious weekend. And a happy week to come.
Follow
First off, let me say what the heck are you doing up at this hour writing blog posts? Portland is in the same time zone as Seattle, and your post popped up in my reader at like 5:15, which means you had to start writing it before that . . . unless you’re using that timed-posting-in-WordPress thing and wrote it way-back-when.
Anyway, I think one of the real highlights of this week for me was when you talked about my blog on your blog. I guess that tells you how really cool I think your blog is, either that or I really don’t have a life. Or both, which is probably the case.
And not to take anything from your glorious voice-to-text software, but have you ever thought about doing podcasts? That wouldn’t take typing either.
Wow, I never use this many hyphens!
Terry Heaths last blog post..Rampant Creativity and Capitalistic Tinkering
The hard:
It’s still. Winter. In Boston.
Putting out some feelers about my website and the patron “figure” on it, and getting lots of silence. For a while. Like eternity. OK, one day.
The good:
If I ever needed your voice-to-text software it will get my name right! One would hope. Or maybe you’d have trained it so well on Havi by then that… hey, but then I’d get to try on Havi!
There are little itty bitty wee buds on said winter trees! Seriously. I stopped in my tracks the other day and it was all I could do not to dance in the street and get run over. For tree buds. Yay!
Putting out some feelers about my website and the patron “figure” on it, and getting lots of silence. And then asking for what I wanted. And then getting heart-felt honest feedback which is making me look at what I’m all about, how I’ve changed, and what is needed/wanted now.
Thank you dear havi. Especially for this: “But Jolie, who is a painter, wants Selma to sit for her. How flattering is that?” LOL doesn’t often, actually, mean what it says, but right there I truly was LOL! And that’s always fun.
Heidi Fischbachs last blog post..Of cake and lovers
The hard …
Despite a shining and blushingly positive review of my work over the past year, I will actually make LESS money in 2009 than in 2008. Damn. I need to move elsewhere!
Writing my yesterday’s blog post was exhausting. More for the brain than the soul, but when my brain is fried I become slightly incoherent which amuses my SBH to no end.
Because commentluv seems to hate me, it won’t post my actual newest post below this comment. grrrrrr….
The good …
Thanks to a kind and generous email from Miss Naomi a couple of weeks ago, I am working hard to live into a massive hot buttered revelation for which Miss Naomi was the messenger. (who knew Naomi was a messenger for the Powers That Be in the universe?!)
Because of the hot buttered revelation, I’m starting to make some changes. Significant changes. Big hairy changes. Good and necessary changes. But scary.
And, Miss Havi, thank you for allowing this Friday tradition on your blog. I don’t always contribute, but I know it’s here. And that matters. A lot. Thanks.
christys last blog post..Rumi and President Obama
@Christy: Have you registered your site with CommentLuv? That helps it find your last post, and may be the only way it will.
@Havi: I guess I didn’t see how the format works, being new to your blog and all that. What a great idea a check-in is. I saw it last week and thought it said “Friday Chicken” and I spent some time pondering that, deciding finally that you’re just really creative.
Terry Heaths last blog post..Stream-of-Consciousness Shamrocks
I’m relieved, really relieved, that you’re finally getting the speech software to work!
The Hard:
– a huge amount of emotional upheaval after having an intense healing session with Meredith. Hurt! Heart hurt!
– getting used to totally new ways of thinking and being in a very short space of time.
– totally blocked over writing and sending out my summary – recognising this part of myself is still to be done.
The Thoroughly Wonderful:
– reappearance of my best friend in my life.
– the result of the healing and emotional upheaval has completely changed my life.
– more help, more support for my cause.
– wonderful conversations with Pace and Sarah on Skype.
– states of peace I’ve never experienced before.
– rediscovering my genius, my core, and a whole bunch of other stuff.
The Strange:
– My laptop suddenly talked to me. And I looked behind me and went “What? Who said that?”
Joely Blacks last blog post..TGIAD: The cat dreams variation
@Joely – yeah, it’s one of the side effects of the whole wacky self-work process thing. Plus you’ve been doing Dance of Shiva, right? So things can definitely talk to you. I mean, you’re more likely to hear it. Tell them you aren’t willing to hear anything that isn’t kind and helpful.
@Terry – Oh, don’t worry about it. Nobody gets my chicken joke. And the ones that do don’t like it. I pretty much just entertain myself. But hey, happy Friday!
@Christy & Heidi – glad there was also a lot of good to balance out the hard. Yay.
The hard:
– Spent Valentine’s Day with my sweetie, but it totally sucked.
– Headache all day Thursday.
– Got stumped by some difficult algebra problems while tutoring. Had to admit I didn’t know the answer. I hate having to do that. I’m supposed to be the math expert here!
The good:
– Ran 3.5 miles, a personal best.
– Finished some art.
– Blogged about my art and got some great comments.
– Had fun with my new Twitter account! (@barbarajcarter)
Barbara J Carters last blog post..New Painting: “Dots 1″
@Havi – I have to confess to total guilt that I only got the DVD and not the whole starter kit because that was all I could afford and I really wanted to do it!
But it’s amazing, really amazing! The poings and twangs that have been happening have absolutely blown my mind.
J xx
Joely Blacks last blog post..A thing about need, the hurt of the body and finding myself
Glad you are having a better week and that your new voice to text software is of help. I’m thinking it may have some advantage to typing in that it might make writing more spontaneous? I’m guessing it might not work as well for a ruminator like myself who is always backspacing and hesitating, but it would be fun to try 😀
carma
also wanted to add that I have the same problem with comment luv coming up with an ancient post on your site (the same problem as Christy above) and it happens to be my OCD’er Feeds the Fish post — not one of my best!- I registered with comment luv and can’t figure out what is causing this to happen….in the meantime I’ll just not show any posts 😀
What program are you using for speech-to-text? I tried Dragon years ago and the results were very poor. When I got my iPhone I tried Jott, since it’s really humans doing the work, but the results weren’t good. I spent as much time editing as it would have taken to type it the first time.
Joe Schmitts last blog post..joeschmitt: Venerable @ColonelTribune lists me among his friends: http://tr.im/coltribfriends He now introduces me as "the 2nd funniest man on Twitter"
Just wanted to shout out a happy friday and congrats on getting through the week to Selma and her sidekick “Heidi”. Raise your glass to “ass hats” all around!
ddss last blog post..2/7: Quien es mas macho? Battle of the “perfect” French meals.
I too am immensely relieved your software is working for you. My week? Well, perhaps if you can imagine a needle on a seismograph when there’s a big quake, that about sums up my ups and downs.
Downs: Being emotionally engulfed by big nasty envy-beastie-thing from hell, that started to get all self-destructive and grim.
Colleague being made redundant – there are only 5 people in the company so it feels huge – and he is hurting a lot, and I can’t help.
Ups: Some totally ace blog posts from amazing people who I have fallen in love with – but in a non-scary way. I am seeing a community of artists drawing close to each other for support and am feeling immensely lucky to be part of it.
Breaking through some big blocks caused by fear after reading about your conversations with blocks. I am so filled with respect that you wrote that all and posted it up.
Last and best ‘Up’ – as a result of the above, finding the inner something or other to pick myself up, dust off, and go hunting for that dream again. Thanks oodles – I couldn’t have done it without you!
Emma Newmans last blog post..Havi, hope and an unexpected hero
So glad to hear the software is working. That must be a huge relief. (And, as a fan of the word “asshat,” I love the “acetyl” reference in the title.)
The hard:
– This endless cold and crappy weather is really getting me down. I *need* it to be May.
– I still have an epic to-do list after a solid week off and pecking away at it.
– I’m incredibly frustrated looking for a particular web application that should be out there but isn’t (at least not at a reasonable price). It makes me want to learn to program, but I don’t have time for that, and I don’t have the budget to hire someone to write what needs to be written.
The good:
– On Wednesday I took some new necklaces to one of the shops I sell at and got some *really great* feedback on some of the new stuff I’m working on that happened to be in the same carrying case (but wasn’t ready to put out yet). What a boost.
– I finally had time to make some long-awaited changes to http://clevelandhandmade.com — and I think it looks great.
– My husband and I had a lovely Valentine’s Day at home.
Lori Paximadiss last blog post..Cleveland Handmade Featured Artist: Susan Hale
Was so consumed with the comment luv dilemma that I didn’t comment on your awesome “acetyl” joke 😀
And I just noticed comment luv is now fixed!!!!!!!
carma
carmas last blog post..Feeling Parched
Excellent that the speech to text is working–have been sending warm healing energy your way, so glad it’s working 🙂
The hard:
-a divorce in the family. Son-in-law (who I love) is being an asshat around it; I’m sad.
-rapidly approaching trip out of the country, which always makes me freaky.
-work is very slack
-rain on the Tour of Calif. Sun-Mon-Tues
The good:
-we had 2 of the grandchildren Fri-Mon–amazing energy, exhausting and fulfilling.
-going to Jamaica next week, it will be warm, exotic, and exciting
-I’ve had time to develop a Twitter feed about sustainable urban planning issues and learn more about networking and RSS.
-Tuesday the Amgen Tour of Calif. was in town, got to view from the finish line and met Tyler Hamilton in the evening–and the rain let up as the riders entered Modesto.
-after days of rain, the sun is out and the trees are starting to bloom. The daffodils are in full bloom, also the flowering plum, almonds are on the way.
-my lifepartner is doing amazing work in her homeopathy practice.
The hard: saying goodbye to my DH as he flew out for another three months in the Middle East on deployment.
Dealing with our 11yo DD who is a real Daddy’s girl.
Trying to fit waaaay too much into my days and feeling a failure because I didn’t get it all done.
Realising how much I don’t get done that I want to, and how much I don’t finish and follow through with.
Some work stuff that I’m not going to put here in public, but that is kind of freaking me out and tossing me waaay out of my comfort zone.
Dealing with friends who lost their houses in the Victorian Bushfires (Australia)
The Good: Stepping successfully out of my comfort zone (yeah, it’s hard, and it’s good too)
Having some positive feedback from people I respect.
Having my DH back home for 12 days and realising that our relationship isn’t damaged by the distance. Huge relief.
Other: I’ve got voice to text software too and I can train it for certain words, such as names. Are you able to do that Havi?
I’ve never tried writing blog posts with it, but that sounds like a good idea! 🙂
Melindas last blog post..Free Teleseminar – Marketing Biz Brainstorm
P.S. I got the Chicken/Check-in joke ages ago and I love it! Wacky humour is great!
Melindas last blog post..Free Teleseminar – Marketing Biz Brainstorm
Acetyl! Heidi, you crack me up.
Hard: tired, tired, tired. Which means I should be in bed but I’m also wired from being at this conference, so I’m not being very smart about getting sleep. Also, I have a little mountain of things I truly need to do, and it’s kind of overwhelming.
Good: So fun hanging out with these wacky internet marketing people! None of them has two heads or shoots flames from his ears or anything. Actually they’re extremely nice and thoughtful. They think I am rather peculiar but they’re still very sweet to me.
Sonia Simones last blog post..What’s Going On?
Just about the time I finally got my boss to cover the price of SXSWi, I tripped into your blog, along with some other very neat, funny blogettes. Then–how’s this for karma?–I read that you and many of the other VNFBs will be coming to Austin in March. Big yay for that.
I’ll be the gray-haired, plump old lady dragging a blue backpack on wheels looking slightly harried. My team will be live-blogging for our division, and I’m planning to include some quickie interviews with attendees and presenters. Look for me if you’re interested in plugging your blog to UT-Austin educators and new media types.
Specially looking for folks who have successfully used new/rich media in teaching and learning.
Rest up!
Claudia
Yay! You got it. 🙂
Wormys last blog post..Taking Centre Stage
First of all, I have to say that I’m overjoyed that Barbara is on Twitter. Hi, Barbara!
@Joe Schmitt (I mean @joeschmitt) – I’m using MacSpeech Dictate. I believe it’s Dragon-related, but not sure to what extent. Loving the hell out of it, except for the fact that I have to keep looking up the different commands.
Thinking it will be easier when I’ve gotten a hang of that. Love Jott too. But I talk sloooooooooow (which is why I miss typing). Sigh.
@Claudia – find me and introduce yourself! I’ll be the one with the duck and we’ll probably be hiding in the bathroom because we hate crowds. It will be charming!