The One with the Apple Core(s)

I took an apple to work today so I could leave the core for the ground squirrel that lives under the Culver's fence. 

During my lunch walk, I left the core next to one of the critter's entrance holes.

During my late afternoon walk, I spotted my core untouched (phooey), but a little farther on, next to the other critter entrance hole, was a second apple core 😲

There's someone else on staff who loves the wildlife, too! 😍😇

It Was a Very Good Morning

This morning I met with two folks from a small local company to present my SEO findings with them. They were attentive, accepting, and grateful. They also handed me a check for my time before I even thought to ask.

It was a very, very good morning. It was the kind of experience that makes you think you're smart and can do amazing things that help people. 

The Little Things

There's a delightful walking track on the grounds where I work. Meadering for a half mile, it takes its travelers past lush lawns, mature trees, and a chain link fence overlooking a Culver's parking lot.

While passing the fence last week, I heard a tiny critter barking. Had he been silent, I'd have never noticed him peaking out of his ground squirrel hole. I made mental note of its location, and I check for him now whenever I walk by.

Earlier this summer, some of my coworkers had commandeered a couple of landscaping pots on the company terrace and had planted cherry tomatoes and peppers.

It's late in the season, and their mini garden has been mostly forgotten,  but some of their tomatoes are still holding on.

This week, I started collecting a tomato or three from the terrace before taking my walk breaks. And I drop them at the entrance of the ground squirrel's home. The tomatoes are always gone the next day, and I drop a few more.

Today, I discovered a second hole and dropped my offerings there on my first lap. On my second pass, I was rewarded with the sight of the little guy enjoying a fresh 'mater.

Made it worth going into work today 😍🐿

Just 1 Thing 10/15/2026

Something that went well 

I went to bed at 9pm last night and slept till 5am. After I visited the bathroom, the cat followed me back to bed where he curled up on my chest until my alarm went off 90 minutes later.

That is all. No other things needed.

3 Things 10/23/2026

Something that went well 

A weekly work task that had been mine for the past five years is finally off my plate. It was a simple task to do but a stressful thing to be responsible for. Today I showed someone else how to do it because it was exactly like another task he was already doing. It made no sense for two different people to do these two very similar things. He was happy to take it over, especially after he saw how easy it was. "I'm already doing this anyway," he said.

Oh, and I got a side gig doing an SEO consult for a friend with a small online business. Just need to write up my findings and present it.

Something to look forward to 

I didn't have an appointment with my therapist this week like I thought. Wrong week. It's not next week either. It's two more weeks away. Geez. How could I have gotten the dates so wrong?

I applied to be a regular volunteer at my local library. That makes it official: I'm becoming a bona fide old person.

What's the best that could happen?

I could keep finding enough small SEO gigs to keep me pleasantly busy in retirement.

3 Things 10/7/2026

Something that went well 

- Found and fixed a bunch of search terms that had been producing poor results on my employer's website. 

- Had a training session with a vendor and my skip level boss. Afterwards, the SK boss asked if I'd gotten anything useful from the session. I told her I'd already been doing all the things they showed us, so that must mean I'm on track, right? And she agreed. Which was nice.

- Something had changed on my phone last week that prevented it from automatically connecting with my car's Bluetooth. I figured it out today all on my own. Stupid technology.  Smart me.

Something to look forward to 

- Chiropractor appointment on Friday! My shoulder has been off for weeks, worse than its ever been. Really need this.

- Got a coffee date with a friend after the chiropractor 

- Have a session with my therapist next week for the first time since June. Might be the last one. We'll see how it goes.

What's the best that could happen?

If I lose my job, I will have an extra 45 hours a week to do whatever I want to. 

My Two Sons

Elder Son, who has gone back to college to learn computer programming, passes his laptop around the room so family members can play a game he created just for fun using the knowledge he acquired this semester.

Younger Son, who builds software for a living, uses his turn with Elder Son's laptop to modify the game program to include a cheat code.

Like a Boss

I do not wish you to dance like no one's watching.

I do not wish you to sing like no one's listening.

I wish you to live your life with the bold confidence of the coworker in the bathroom stall next to me who sat down and immediately dropped a loud, unapologetic deuce like someone wearing shoes no one else would recognize. 

Take Your Germs to Work Day

Tuesday: Attend a 3-hour-long meeting with ten people in a small room.

Wednesday: Announce to your staff to keep their distance from you because you are experiencing mild flu symptoms", and you don't want to get anyone sick.

Thursday: One of your staff chooses to work from home because he doesn't feel well.

Also Thursday: Keep working at the office while feeling flu-like for no decernable reason even though you are welcomed and encouraged to work from home any time you like.

Why?

Why do people insist on hauling their germs to the office when they are allowed to work from home where the soup, hot tea, and cough drops are?

Why?

Voice From The Past

About a quarter of a century ago, when I was a stay at home mom, a salesman at the station where The Husband works asked me to lend one of my character voice to a client's radio commercials. In exchange, the client would provide free home services to The Husband and me. When I hired on at the station, I recorded and produced these ads myself.

This went on for several years. It was a fun arrangement and a good deal for all parties involved. Eventually the sales man retired and I left the station, and that was the end of that.

Today, 14 years later, The Husband and I needed the client to do some stuff around the house, and the owner himself came over. We had a lovely conversation during which he reminisced about how well those radio ads had worked for his company. "Any chance I could convince you to bring that character back for me?" he asked.

Oh, you know he could.

Holy crap, you guys.

I haven't worked in radio since 2015. The people I currently work with don't know about my broadcasting history. It sure seems like no one remembers or cares that I used to be locally famous.

Then this client pops up and not only does he remember, but he also wants me to come back.

What a huge compliment!