Wednesday, August 27, 2014

A Working Hodgepodge

The Hodgepodge is back, just in time to kiss August goodbye. Thanks for joining in today...be sure to add your link at the end of my post before running off to see what your fellow 'laborers' had to say.  Here we go-


1. As August draws to a close, share what's been your favorite weekend of the entire summer.

Tough question. We've had a lot of really wonderful weekends this summer. I guess my favorite was probably Portugal. I loved the scenery, the food, the history, and most especially the company.  I miss traveling abroad. 

2. Labor Day is marked in the US of A on Monday, September 1st.  What paying job have you held that you've loved the most? Liked the least?

Another toughie. I've had many jobs I've truly loved and none I've truly disliked. I loved teaching kindergarten. In my mind 5 is the perfect age. As for what job I liked the least? Maybe working in the dining room of a local nursing home my senior year of high school. I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't something I loved either.  

3. Does the new school year start before or after Labor Day where you live? When do you think it should begin? There is much discussion now about older students having later start times to their school day...your thoughts?

The school year begins after Labor Day here. Students don't get out for the year until June, and I guess May-August or June-September is all apples. 

Except in my head May is spring and June is summer. 

And August is most definitely summer and September is back-to-school.  

Regarding the later start times...the studies are pretty persuasive. Just sayin'. My girls went to high school in the UK and didn't leave the house until after 8 am.  The year before we moved though, my oldest attended grade 9 in Maryland. Her bus came in the literal dark of morning at 6:21 a.m., which I thought was positively absurd.   

4. What's something you've worked at recently that could be deemed a 'labor of love'?

Wedding planning. Definitely a labor of love! My girl and I make a good team and while there are many decisions to made on what feels like a weekly basis, we're having fun with it all.  Can't wait to see the 'fruits of our labor' in just a few months.  

5. Which of the following work idioms can you most relate to right now...'A woman's work is never done.', 'All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.', or 'Many hands make light work.'

Hmmm...well I've been catching up on housework a little bit this week, so maybe the first one. There are not many jobs within a household that only need doing once. In fact I can't think of any...a woman's work is never done. 

6. Crab or lobster or thanks, but no thanks? Favorite way to have your choice prepared?

I love them both, but if you make me choose I'd opt for crab over lobster.  Favorite way to have them prepared? Steamed, seasoned with Old Bay, and picked while sitting at a wooden picnic table beside the river.  

7. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, 'Three rules of work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Which of the three do you think is most important? Share one of your own 'rules of work'.

I'm going to say c is most important-in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Opportunity to learn, grow, develop a new skill, a little humility, or a heaping helping of patience. Sometimes I feel like the message today is along the lines of- if you don't absolutely love everything about your job, then you should quit and find one that makes you 'happy'.  

I have a saying I'm not sure my girls particularly love, but it's this-If it were all fun and games they wouldn't call it work. They'd call it leisure.'  I do think it's nice if you can love everything about your job, but let's face it, that's rare.  Most jobs are a mixed bag.  If you can't find personal satisfaction in the actual work you're doing, then take satisfaction in knowing you're supporting yourself and are growing in some way. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

My husband got a new personal phone and it's not able to locate our home wifi. Or something? He was on the phone with Apple for over an hour, has made three trips to the Apple Store in the past two days, in addition to a lengthy call with our Internet provider.  And for some reason he wants me to be in on it all, even though he knows if we were ranking technology know-how in our family of four I would land in the number 4 spot. 

It's possible I will not have Internet access today because Apple wants to look at our airport. 

Or something.  

Anyhoo, I'm only in the middle of filling out umpteen pieces of paper needed to move some investments around, am completing and signing four different vendor contracts related to the wedding, and it's Hodgepodge Day.  I'll do my best to visit, but it may be Thursday. That's the day I'll be without a car because, again with the no air conditioning. 

It's been a week. 
Half a week? 

Happy Wednesday Everyone! 

*postscript-we turned off wifi on all our devices, shut down the AirpPort and modem, then restarted and whoohoo! Success! His phone is now magically working.  Because that's how the Internet works. By magic. 





31 comments:

  1. #7--"If it were all fun and games they wouldn't call it work. "--My father often says something similar to me. :-)

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  2. I was gonna tell you how to get connected with wi-fi but y'all figured it out already. High 5.

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    1. We'd tried the disconnect/reconnect earlier and it didn't take. That last time was the charm!

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  3. No way to convince the nearly-newlyweds to stay on the east coast? I think of this wedding and how tough it is to see a daughter move away. On the other hand, we did raise them with the goal of independence and self-sufficiency, and that's what we got. :-) Have a wonderful time with 'your girl' in the next few months leading up to the wedding, Joyce.

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    1. You know, I'm actually really excited for them. I know I'll miss having her somewhat nearby (she's over four hours away now), but I really am excited for the adventure she is about to embark upon. Plus it's the Army, so we know it's not forever : )

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  4. Joyce: Every time I see your picture here - you in a winter coat standing in the snow - I cringe. But, now that we are getting into September you might as well just leave it. Yes: wedding planning - definitely a labor of love!!

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    1. ha-I like winter. I'm not ready for it yet, but I do like it. And I definitely don't want it sweeping in with a vengance until after the wedding!!

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  5. Wedding planning...definitely a labor of love!
    I hope you have some time to kick of your heels and relax over the long holiday weekend :)
    Glad y'all got the phone issue resolved! At least that's another thing you can cross off your list!

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  6. I have been enjoying reading about your wedding planning and cannot wait until the big event (big duh, eh?)!!! I love how much you and your daughter seem to be getting along despite so many details to nail down. You're a wonderful mama!

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  7. I enjoyed your answers! I'll take crab over lobster, too. Yum. Thank you for the Hodgepodge, Joyce! I look forward to it. Good luck with the phone and internet problems today! Hope things start working for hubs!

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  8. Technology: can't live with it, can't live without it. ;-) Glad it's all working properly now.

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  9. Oh, the internet, I have always had a "love hate" relationship with it. :o) I so agree, a woman's work is absolutely never done. So glad you are enjoying all the wedding details. Bridget and I had such fun planning hers. Hoping you have a productive day and that your car's a/c is fixed very soon. Happy day!

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  10. Really enjoyed your answers today Joyce! Love to see how you answer your questions. That is crazy about the new phone and your house WiFi, glad to hear it's working now! I love reading about the wedding plans and it sounds like it is going to be amazing.

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  11. Putting together a wedding is indeed a work of love. You do have a lot going on in your world right now. Thank you for keeping up with the Hodgepodge questions for us!

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  12. Sounds like your plate is full with the wedding planning, Hodgepodge stuff, technical stuff, etc. Glad you're back!

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  13. Give me some crab anyday! I tell my colleagues if you don't want to come to school, then stay home!
    Daughter and I have begun some wedding planning-set a date I mean!

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  14. Great answer on #7. I think I'd rate about equal with you on the understanding of technology. And to think I'm one of the ones that helps maintain our software at work. haha

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  15. I too miss traveling abroad (my husband's former military career had allowed it but now we are "stuck" stateside) ... Portugal is on my list of "wanna see" places. :)

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  16. We were just talking about wedding stuff the other day - and here's my question for you - is the groom having much say in the wedding plans? Does he care? How about his parents? Just curious...

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    1. We are trying to consider his feelings as we make decisions. He is on the opposite side of the country so on aspects of the planning my daughter thinks he cares a lot about she runs those things by him. We've got his favorite flavor in the cake for exampel, and there is one song he definitely wants played, but mostly he's happy if we're happy.

      His parents are organizing a fabulous rehearsal dinner and his mom is making the cake stand and also something that is part of our favors so she's definitely contributing. She went with us to a cake tasting a couple of weeks ago, and she'll go with my daughter to the dinner tasting as well. Mostly though, we're making the day to day decisions on vendors, decor, timing, etc.

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    2. *example...I cannot spell today

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  17. I love about any kind of seafood or wild game. I don't get enough of either one.

    What is it with these A/C's? Hubby's doesn't work in his car and our home A/C was out. They had to put in a whole new unit.

    Thank you for hosting again this week. Blessings

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  18. Hi there! Honestly i am not all that technical either. I would have to have a man come and get a wifi set up, luckly my dad knew how to do the job. I agree with the start times, i had a college class starting at 7:00 it was the only one i can choose. What a nightmare.

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  19. Yep, the internet is magic. hehehe Hope you have a great day.

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  20. There is nothing that makes my head spin more than dealing with the Internet or my cell phone. I am so far away from being tech savvy, it isn't funny!

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  21. Oh, how I hate the "joys" of getting a new phone up and running. I'm having flashbacks to hours-long visits to the Verizon store. *shudder*

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  22. Great q's and a's. I'm going to link it now, it won't be up until tomorrow. Blessings

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  23. I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of the wedding! I know it's going to be just beautiful! I agree that the studies are persuasive about the late start times. Oh, and #8? That's one of the many reasons I am not an Apple fan. Nothing should be that much trouble.

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  24. "If it were all fun and games they wouldn't call it work. They'd call it leisure." I have heard that come out of Honey's mouth a time or twelve :)
    Technology, the bane of my existance!

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  25. Enjoying these questions and answers.

    I will comment on a few.

    School has started in my home district, but the district where I taught for 34 years is starting after Labor Day for the first time.

    I am glad I have my son and a lot of nieces and nephews to help with technology.

    ENJOY your weekend.

    Fun answers and questions.

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