That being said, one of these cartoons is more logical than funny.
E-collars show up a lot in dog strips. If I was more organised I could probably find a dozen or two, heavily relying on Mother Goose and Grimm, and The Duplex.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Collar Variations
That collar that dogs wear to keep them from biting injuries is called an Elizabethan collar (or an e-collar).
That being said, one of these cartoons is more logical than funny.
E-collars show up a lot in dog strips. If I was more organised I could probably find a dozen or two, heavily relying on Mother Goose and Grimm, and The Duplex.
That being said, one of these cartoons is more logical than funny.
E-collars show up a lot in dog strips. If I was more organised I could probably find a dozen or two, heavily relying on Mother Goose and Grimm, and The Duplex.
Friday, February 27, 2015
It's Not All Roses: Burlington
Burlington Coat Factory is basically across the street from my new office. It's been cold so I haven't taken that walk yet, but last week I had an eye appointment and had arrived early enough so I stopped on my way home. I allowed about an hour of shopping time; there are other stores like TJ Maxx very close by, if I had enough time to shop.
I was still looking for passable women's shirts. I found one that was perfect ~ only in an S. I'm several letters away from that. I also found a really pretty dress; they had a lot of similar dresses but this was the only one I really coveted. It was available in M, which was still the wrong letter (but only off by one).
I looked at pants and found two dress pants, one black, one grey. Both were passable but in addition to what you can see there's a couple of intangibles: crotch room and hip shape. There has to be enough of the former and not too much of the latter.
It was try-on time.
Women's is downstairs; men's is upstairs so I had to go up to try on the slacks. I found the dressing rooms. I also found the dressing rooms lacking. There was no place to sit, and no hooks on the wall. They had saloon-style doors (which means someone can easily look over while I'm in my undies). I tried a few different rooms. How can you have a dressing room with no place to put down your clothes?
The only variation was, one door didn't even latch. I gave up and figured returns are an option. I still had over a half-hour before I had to leave.
I continued shopping.
I had those new breast forms that were smaller than my usual ones ~ probably a 38B instead of a C. I went to the intimates department where I found the area flooded with 38C's (which I have enough of) but only one or two 38B's (which I didn't like).
I did find an article of shapewear I wanted to try and I picked that up too.
Checkout lines weren't very long but they were very disorganised and it seemed shoppers were incapable of buying just a few items. Carts were full, and after several minutes of not moving, I had an idea: upstairs, when I (almost) tried on my clothes, there were more registers.
I headed up.
One register was open. One person was in front of me and they just had a jacket.
But at the register was a woman buying men's sneakers for feet bigger than mine. It seemed for each pair the customer had to pull out her drivers license which the clerk had trouble scanning or checking (even though she just did it). Then she'd struggle to get the shoes in a bag. Then she'd do the next pair. There were still several pairs and I headed back down.
Now, lines were almost gone. One woman seemed to be finishing up and I would be next.
Except there was a man standing near the register who had a couple of suits that looked as if they came out of the cleaners (bagged). The clerk took him.
I figured he was waiting and I hadn't noticed him. I was at my self-imposed leave time, but one person, two suits....
It took several minutes to check him out. But I'm next!
A woman was standing behind the guy with the suits. She had a cart full of who knows what. It looked like she was stocking a garage sale.
I dropped the slacks and left.
In spite of finding exactly the hard-to-locate items I wanted, Burlington is off my list.
I was still looking for passable women's shirts. I found one that was perfect ~ only in an S. I'm several letters away from that. I also found a really pretty dress; they had a lot of similar dresses but this was the only one I really coveted. It was available in M, which was still the wrong letter (but only off by one).
I looked at pants and found two dress pants, one black, one grey. Both were passable but in addition to what you can see there's a couple of intangibles: crotch room and hip shape. There has to be enough of the former and not too much of the latter.
It was try-on time.
Women's is downstairs; men's is upstairs so I had to go up to try on the slacks. I found the dressing rooms. I also found the dressing rooms lacking. There was no place to sit, and no hooks on the wall. They had saloon-style doors (which means someone can easily look over while I'm in my undies). I tried a few different rooms. How can you have a dressing room with no place to put down your clothes?
The only variation was, one door didn't even latch. I gave up and figured returns are an option. I still had over a half-hour before I had to leave.
I continued shopping.
I had those new breast forms that were smaller than my usual ones ~ probably a 38B instead of a C. I went to the intimates department where I found the area flooded with 38C's (which I have enough of) but only one or two 38B's (which I didn't like).
I did find an article of shapewear I wanted to try and I picked that up too.
Checkout lines weren't very long but they were very disorganised and it seemed shoppers were incapable of buying just a few items. Carts were full, and after several minutes of not moving, I had an idea: upstairs, when I (almost) tried on my clothes, there were more registers.
I headed up.
One register was open. One person was in front of me and they just had a jacket.
But at the register was a woman buying men's sneakers for feet bigger than mine. It seemed for each pair the customer had to pull out her drivers license which the clerk had trouble scanning or checking (even though she just did it). Then she'd struggle to get the shoes in a bag. Then she'd do the next pair. There were still several pairs and I headed back down.
Now, lines were almost gone. One woman seemed to be finishing up and I would be next.
Except there was a man standing near the register who had a couple of suits that looked as if they came out of the cleaners (bagged). The clerk took him.
I figured he was waiting and I hadn't noticed him. I was at my self-imposed leave time, but one person, two suits....
It took several minutes to check him out. But I'm next!
A woman was standing behind the guy with the suits. She had a cart full of who knows what. It looked like she was stocking a garage sale.
I dropped the slacks and left.
In spite of finding exactly the hard-to-locate items I wanted, Burlington is off my list.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Valentine's Day Experience: After the Show
After not too long, we arrived at the restaurant where we first met, little place called Annie's Paramount Steak & Seafood House. I think we agreed this would make for a nice Valentine's Day.
The restaurant was in Dupont Circle, and was occupied by around twenty men. All men. Some were in pairs, some were in groups.
All ignored us. Dupont Circle is known as a gay neighbourhood, but I never think about that when I'm there. I forget which is the "gay" part of town, or if there are several. I also forget which is the preppy part, the hipster part, and so on.
It's not really important.
We were seated by the window. We were both smitten by the aroma of a particular dish at another table and ordered the same. As we sat, we saw some guys hugging outside, some girls and guys holding hands....
I've offered this before:
Q: why do gays publicly show affection in Dupont Circle?
A: because they can.
Because it has a wide reputation as a gay neighbourhood and people who are there (or in
Provincetown, MA or Fire Island, NY or the Castro District of San Francisco or...) know that's normal behaviour and ignore it or partake in it or enjoy the freedom others have. I'm in the latter group, but I also feel freer to get involved in PDAs in those areas. I know, it's just for shock value when I do it. :)
While we ate, a few mixed couples came in, and I could see a woman or two at the bar. But the diners were overwhelmingly male.
We had a male waiter who kept addressing us as individually as "honey". At one point, after dinner, I walked over to the restroom. There were, not surprisingly, two. But one for men and one was unisex/family. I smiled and understood the reasoning (know your clientèle). I could hear someone in the unisex so I waited. Someone came out of the men's and told me there was a ladies' room upstairs. So I went upstairs and there was another bar and seating area and restrooms for each gender. I chose the appropriate one. There was no-one upstairs so I took my time and touched up my powder (my nose was a bit drippy from the cold) and redid my lips before going back down. The waiter asked if we were getting separate cheques and I told him I would pay. He made a comment like "good for you" or something but I forget what.
Leaving, the weather was still nice: cold but not too cold and the wind was calm, as opposed to the 40+ mile per hour winds the previous night and earlier today, and we didn't even consider a cab back to the hotel (my plan B) where we left the car.
The drive back was uneventful. I stayed in my dress for a while and then heard what sounded like heavy rain on the window. The weather had become what I was afraid of from the start: heavy, blinding snow, high winds, with some ice mixed in so we'd know it was out there.
But I was home and relatively warm and I thanked Thalia for getting us home before the nasty stuff began.
The restaurant was in Dupont Circle, and was occupied by around twenty men. All men. Some were in pairs, some were in groups.
All ignored us. Dupont Circle is known as a gay neighbourhood, but I never think about that when I'm there. I forget which is the "gay" part of town, or if there are several. I also forget which is the preppy part, the hipster part, and so on.
It's not really important.
We were seated by the window. We were both smitten by the aroma of a particular dish at another table and ordered the same. As we sat, we saw some guys hugging outside, some girls and guys holding hands....
I've offered this before:
Q: why do gays publicly show affection in Dupont Circle?
A: because they can.
Because it has a wide reputation as a gay neighbourhood and people who are there (or in
While we ate, a few mixed couples came in, and I could see a woman or two at the bar. But the diners were overwhelmingly male.
We had a male waiter who kept addressing us as individually as "honey". At one point, after dinner, I walked over to the restroom. There were, not surprisingly, two. But one for men and one was unisex/family. I smiled and understood the reasoning (know your clientèle). I could hear someone in the unisex so I waited. Someone came out of the men's and told me there was a ladies' room upstairs. So I went upstairs and there was another bar and seating area and restrooms for each gender. I chose the appropriate one. There was no-one upstairs so I took my time and touched up my powder (my nose was a bit drippy from the cold) and redid my lips before going back down. The waiter asked if we were getting separate cheques and I told him I would pay. He made a comment like "good for you" or something but I forget what.
Leaving, the weather was still nice: cold but not too cold and the wind was calm, as opposed to the 40+ mile per hour winds the previous night and earlier today, and we didn't even consider a cab back to the hotel (my plan B) where we left the car.
The drive back was uneventful. I stayed in my dress for a while and then heard what sounded like heavy rain on the window. The weather had become what I was afraid of from the start: heavy, blinding snow, high winds, with some ice mixed in so we'd know it was out there.
But I was home and relatively warm and I thanked Thalia for getting us home before the nasty stuff began.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Collect Them All!
In the most common sizing, my go-to forms are a size 4. Taking advantage of the Glamour Boutique sale, I recently purchased size 1 and size 2, to see if I can wear a bra and form when in drab. (I can; more next Wednesday.)
And now I gave in and picked up a size 3 as well. I'm thinking maybe Meg needs to be a bit less "chesty." I don't know, but without trying I can't know. And the price was definitely right.
They make much larger forms than the size 4 (or equivalent) that I wear; I have no reason to go there.
But I'll let you know if a future Meg picture is "Minimal Meg" in other ways than wearing minimal makeup.
And now I gave in and picked up a size 3 as well. I'm thinking maybe Meg needs to be a bit less "chesty." I don't know, but without trying I can't know. And the price was definitely right.
They make much larger forms than the size 4 (or equivalent) that I wear; I have no reason to go there.
But I'll let you know if a future Meg picture is "Minimal Meg" in other ways than wearing minimal makeup.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Valentine's Day Experience: The Theatre
The "girly store" I mentioned yesterday was called "Miss Pixies." The come-on was more feminine
than the actual store.
It had all sorts of stuff ~ it looked like a thrift or antique store but it had a huge variety of cute things. There was a small amount of uninteresting clothing, but books, vinyl records, collectables, antiques (like an old automatic record player and a manual typewriter), many celebrity paintings (Elvis, Marilyn, more ~ not my style), and a lot of posters with a "real" heart on them and the label "El Corazon."
We looked around a bit and then headed to the theatre.
I went to the box office and told them I had two tickets for "Meg Winters," which he found and handed to me. I then asked where I get the parking pass. That was at the concession stand, so I went there to pay for and pick up my pass.
We still had a bit of time and we hung out in the lobby where we were pretty much ignored by everyone.
When the door finally opened, we followed the crowd to the main entrance. The man said we should go to the other entrance, which was closer to the seats we were assigned. We
did and the woman taking tickets said "did he send you here?" I said "yes, he said you needed the business." She laughed and gave us our programmes and told us someone would show us our seats. Inside, another woman pointed Charity toward her seat. She then asked if we were together. I said "always" and I followed her in.
The show was sold out.
I don't think the show lived up to it's reviews. It was billed as a very funny show. I didn't find it so, but it was worth attending. I thought the scope was limited, too many people were giving long monologues where in real life they would have been interrupted repeatedly and the soliloquy would have degenerated into an argument. The ending was very poignant and unexpected.
After the show, the weather was still nice. It was cold but not horribly so, and the wind was calm which helped a lot. We had considered driving to the restaurant but walked ~ probably a good thing. Parking was almost non-existent there.
 |
| Gift shop in an unused elevator! |
It had all sorts of stuff ~ it looked like a thrift or antique store but it had a huge variety of cute things. There was a small amount of uninteresting clothing, but books, vinyl records, collectables, antiques (like an old automatic record player and a manual typewriter), many celebrity paintings (Elvis, Marilyn, more ~ not my style), and a lot of posters with a "real" heart on them and the label "El Corazon."
We looked around a bit and then headed to the theatre.
I went to the box office and told them I had two tickets for "Meg Winters," which he found and handed to me. I then asked where I get the parking pass. That was at the concession stand, so I went there to pay for and pick up my pass.
We still had a bit of time and we hung out in the lobby where we were pretty much ignored by everyone.
When the door finally opened, we followed the crowd to the main entrance. The man said we should go to the other entrance, which was closer to the seats we were assigned. We
 |
| Two for "Bad Jews," please |
The show was sold out.
I don't think the show lived up to it's reviews. It was billed as a very funny show. I didn't find it so, but it was worth attending. I thought the scope was limited, too many people were giving long monologues where in real life they would have been interrupted repeatedly and the soliloquy would have degenerated into an argument. The ending was very poignant and unexpected.
After the show, the weather was still nice. It was cold but not horribly so, and the wind was calm which helped a lot. We had considered driving to the restaurant but walked ~ probably a good thing. Parking was almost non-existent there.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Valentine's Day Experience
I haven't forgotten.
Once I decided it was full Meg ahead, I pulled out a teal dress I had worn before but I didn't seem to fit quite right. It seemed a bit low cut for what I was wearing underneath.
So I switched to one of my go-to dresses: my red cowlneck knit dress. I like it. It's feminine with a
loose collar and swingy skirt. It's cut loose enough that I can skip my padded panty and it still looks like I have some shape, and it's _warm_.
We decided to drive in instead of take the metro. I like being Meg On The Train ~ it's a good people watching opportunity, but the long walk from the station, even in my fairly comfortable high-heel boots, was not something I wanted to do.
Charity drove and we went to the hotel that was not too far away and had a deal with the theatre. We asked a doorman where to park and he pointed us in the right direction. When we came out of the hotel lobby, I asked him where the theatre was. He pointed to 14th street and said we can go up that street about three blocks.
I pretty much knew which way to go but I needed to talk to the guy for a second. For some unknown reason, that day I was anxious about going out. I just had a vague feeling that something was going to go wrong. I needed to get that out of the way as soon as possible.
We walked to the theatre. I knew we were plenty early, and I was looking for maybe a clothing store we could windowshop in. We walked past the theatre, considered lunch and decided to skip it, and went into a "girly" store.
Once I decided it was full Meg ahead, I pulled out a teal dress I had worn before but I didn't seem to fit quite right. It seemed a bit low cut for what I was wearing underneath.
So I switched to one of my go-to dresses: my red cowlneck knit dress. I like it. It's feminine with a
 |
| Bundled Meg |
We decided to drive in instead of take the metro. I like being Meg On The Train ~ it's a good people watching opportunity, but the long walk from the station, even in my fairly comfortable high-heel boots, was not something I wanted to do.
Charity drove and we went to the hotel that was not too far away and had a deal with the theatre. We asked a doorman where to park and he pointed us in the right direction. When we came out of the hotel lobby, I asked him where the theatre was. He pointed to 14th street and said we can go up that street about three blocks.
I pretty much knew which way to go but I needed to talk to the guy for a second. For some unknown reason, that day I was anxious about going out. I just had a vague feeling that something was going to go wrong. I needed to get that out of the way as soon as possible.
We walked to the theatre. I knew we were plenty early, and I was looking for maybe a clothing store we could windowshop in. We walked past the theatre, considered lunch and decided to skip it, and went into a "girly" store.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Sunday Funnies: Time to Groan
My favourite pun of 2015 (so far) in the form of a new tv show:
By day, she's a district attorney putting bad guys in jail.
But at night, she's the queen of the music halls.
Coming this fall: the new hit drama, "Tara Raboom, D.A."!
You may have to read it out loud.
For more mainstream punning, see below. Click or zoom to enjoy.
By day, she's a district attorney putting bad guys in jail.
But at night, she's the queen of the music halls.
Coming this fall: the new hit drama, "Tara Raboom, D.A."!
You may have to read it out loud.
For more mainstream punning, see below. Click or zoom to enjoy.
 |
| Love this one |
 |
| Sadly, Foxtrot is Sunday only now. |
 |
| The punmaster and proud of it |
Saturday, February 21, 2015
The Breast Cartoons of the Week
Horrible pun, huh? I got worse. Check out tomorrow!
Zoom or click to enlarge.
Zoom or click to enlarge.
 |
| I still don't know why I read this strip (C'est La Vie) |
 |
| I can hold a pencil if I lie on my back and use crazy glue |
 |
| I'll meet you there! |
 |
| Work with what ya got |
 |
| Introducing... MOOBS! |
 |
| More of the same |
Friday, February 20, 2015
We Want A Winner!
I couldn't find a link on the front page of the Glamour Boutique site, but they're having a contest:
GLAMOUR GIRL PICTURE CONTEST - OVER $2000 WORTH OF PRIZES !!
It's that time of year again girls - our biggest contest of the year. So, dust off those heels, press your finest frock, apply your finest makeup and lets get snapping with those phones, tablets and cameras. We know you are chomping at the bit to get your entries in so please start emailing in your entries as soon as possible now we are open. Remember 3 pics maximum and at least one should be full length. Remember no naughty nudes and don't put it off until it's too late - April will be here before you know it and then we are announcing the winners!
Many of you are knockouts ~ this is your chance for fame and a bit of wealth. I've received e-mails about this contest for the past few years but never entered. Maybe this time I will!
Go directly to the contest.
My Valentine's Day story will commence Monday.
GLAMOUR GIRL PICTURE CONTEST - OVER $2000 WORTH OF PRIZES !!
It's that time of year again girls - our biggest contest of the year. So, dust off those heels, press your finest frock, apply your finest makeup and lets get snapping with those phones, tablets and cameras. We know you are chomping at the bit to get your entries in so please start emailing in your entries as soon as possible now we are open. Remember 3 pics maximum and at least one should be full length. Remember no naughty nudes and don't put it off until it's too late - April will be here before you know it and then we are announcing the winners!
Many of you are knockouts ~ this is your chance for fame and a bit of wealth. I've received e-mails about this contest for the past few years but never entered. Maybe this time I will!
Go directly to the contest.
My Valentine's Day story will commence Monday.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
New Clothes But Not Quite What I Wanted
Prior to my new job, I went shopping for drab clothes. I don't do this often so clothes wear out and need replacing sometimes.
Mostly I was looking for shirts. I feel I can change my style a bit since I'm in a new group with people who really know nothing about me.
I bought a shirt in a bolder stripe than I normally wear (wide lavender). I also purchased a pale pink with a blue crosshatch shirt. Both are men's shirts, alas. I also found a women's shirt in a fairly bold stripe ~ I think it's the type of thing that might be on men's shelves next year but who knows.
I've mentioned before, it's often difficult to find passable women's shirts. Darts besides the bust are a no-no. There's a lot of leeway in cuffs; I have a couple that are... different. For instance, one has a tab with the buttonhole on it instead of the stock male cuff. I'm OK with that.
Rounded collars are a showstopper. I'd be OK with a "missing" top button because I don't do ties anyway. It would look "off" to a casual observer but I think it would provoke a "that looks off" thought that is dismissed.
Vertical darts are iffy. I was always thin (and I miss that!) and used to wear "European cut" or fitted shirts which had vertical darts (in the back only).
Sleeve length is also a consideration: no three-quarter or cap; even short sleeves are not often seen in the office although I may see if I can blaze a trail when the weather gets warm (as I write this, it's 8F here so today's a tights day, not a short-sleeve day). But women's sleeves are generally a bit shorter than men's, and a bit tighter, even on long-sleeve tops. That's something that requires a try-on every time.
Oh... one breast pocket on the left side is normal male design; women's shirts may have two or no pockets. I'm fine with no pockets; I need to think hard about two pockets.
And of course, the fabric needs to be heavy enough. Guys have a problem with sheer shirts. Silk shirts are lovely but not that passable.
So finding one or two might require a long day of shopping but the more I can transition my wardrobe to the misses' department, the better I feel when I'm at work.
Mostly I was looking for shirts. I feel I can change my style a bit since I'm in a new group with people who really know nothing about me.
I bought a shirt in a bolder stripe than I normally wear (wide lavender). I also purchased a pale pink with a blue crosshatch shirt. Both are men's shirts, alas. I also found a women's shirt in a fairly bold stripe ~ I think it's the type of thing that might be on men's shelves next year but who knows.
I've mentioned before, it's often difficult to find passable women's shirts. Darts besides the bust are a no-no. There's a lot of leeway in cuffs; I have a couple that are... different. For instance, one has a tab with the buttonhole on it instead of the stock male cuff. I'm OK with that.
Rounded collars are a showstopper. I'd be OK with a "missing" top button because I don't do ties anyway. It would look "off" to a casual observer but I think it would provoke a "that looks off" thought that is dismissed.
Vertical darts are iffy. I was always thin (and I miss that!) and used to wear "European cut" or fitted shirts which had vertical darts (in the back only).
Sleeve length is also a consideration: no three-quarter or cap; even short sleeves are not often seen in the office although I may see if I can blaze a trail when the weather gets warm (as I write this, it's 8F here so today's a tights day, not a short-sleeve day). But women's sleeves are generally a bit shorter than men's, and a bit tighter, even on long-sleeve tops. That's something that requires a try-on every time.
Oh... one breast pocket on the left side is normal male design; women's shirts may have two or no pockets. I'm fine with no pockets; I need to think hard about two pockets.
And of course, the fabric needs to be heavy enough. Guys have a problem with sheer shirts. Silk shirts are lovely but not that passable.
So finding one or two might require a long day of shopping but the more I can transition my wardrobe to the misses' department, the better I feel when I'm at work.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Kathe Perez! You're On Notice
Last week, I wrote about my to-date failed attempts to improve Meg's voice. I got some good advice in comments (thank you, Annie and Diana). And Chris wrote:
I have found only Kathe Perez's voice training program to be useful, as she is a speech therapist.
And she's not the first one.
As soon as I have a bit of time, which may not be until I finish my taxes, I'm going to order Kathy Perez' voice program. I'm going to do my best to follow the regimen and give it the best chance I can.
And I'm going to log progress here. I haven't decided if it'll be in full-post updates or notes when progress is made (or walls are encountered).
I'm pretty excited about this.
I have found only Kathe Perez's voice training program to be useful, as she is a speech therapist.
And she's not the first one.
As soon as I have a bit of time, which may not be until I finish my taxes, I'm going to order Kathy Perez' voice program. I'm going to do my best to follow the regimen and give it the best chance I can.
And I'm going to log progress here. I haven't decided if it'll be in full-post updates or notes when progress is made (or walls are encountered).
I'm pretty excited about this.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Sloppy Editing
Before I get to Valentine's Day, I need to neaten up what happened in my (non-T) world.
As my contract was ending, I spoke to several people about future job opportunities. One sounded very good: I could keep my clearance and make quite a bit more money but it would have required a somewhat longer commute and may end in six months.
Another opportunity showed up about the same five miles from my apartment where I was working, at the same company where I (until recently) worked. It used the skillset I had the most experience with. It did not require my clearance which was a big minus.
A few days after interviewing I received an e-mail from the program manager asking me to call. He wanted to know what day I "could start."
We hadn't discussed salary (except for him to say I may be out of range) or responsibilities or myriad other things. And he asked me what day I could start, which to me says they're trying to decide if my timing fits in with theirs.
I told him. He suggested a week sooner. That was the whole conversation.
A couple of days later, I was added to an e-mail thread. Someone on the team wanted to know what day I was going to start; he thought it was that day.
Then I was added to e-mail streams discussing my phone setup, voice mail setup, and computer.
We still hadn't discussed salary or responsibilities.
But here I am at my exciting new desk (in an office, not a cube! with free coffee!), doing exciting new work. I hope they plan to pay me an exciting new salary.
When it comes right down to it though, it's not that important.
As my contract was ending, I spoke to several people about future job opportunities. One sounded very good: I could keep my clearance and make quite a bit more money but it would have required a somewhat longer commute and may end in six months.
Another opportunity showed up about the same five miles from my apartment where I was working, at the same company where I (until recently) worked. It used the skillset I had the most experience with. It did not require my clearance which was a big minus.
A few days after interviewing I received an e-mail from the program manager asking me to call. He wanted to know what day I "could start."
We hadn't discussed salary (except for him to say I may be out of range) or responsibilities or myriad other things. And he asked me what day I could start, which to me says they're trying to decide if my timing fits in with theirs.
I told him. He suggested a week sooner. That was the whole conversation.
A couple of days later, I was added to an e-mail thread. Someone on the team wanted to know what day I was going to start; he thought it was that day.
Then I was added to e-mail streams discussing my phone setup, voice mail setup, and computer.
We still hadn't discussed salary or responsibilities.
But here I am at my exciting new desk (in an office, not a cube! with free coffee!), doing exciting new work. I hope they plan to pay me an exciting new salary.
When it comes right down to it though, it's not that important.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Valentine's Day
Plans, plans, plans.
For Valentine's Day, I bought tickets to see a play called Bad Jews. It was playing in a small theatre called The Studio in Northwest DC. It received good reviews and the last show would be the following day. Fortunately, there were still some good seats available. In truth, The Studio is small enough that the only bad seats are the ones that are partially behind pillars.
I checked and the theater was a short walk from the restaurant where I first Charity a little over three years ago. And it's Valentine's Day. And the day after our second mensiversary.
I thought this would be the perfect day to end the "Meg drought" that had gone on for two months now.
Except....
I was feeling a bit odd the night before and that morning, like I was possibly coming down with something. My throat was a bit sore and I just felt... off.
Plus it was going to be cold (but not horribly so) and the prediction was for high winds and the theatre was not the most accessible. We'd have to walk about three quarters of a mile if we took the train and parking was uncertain, although there's a hotel less than half a mile away that accommodated theatregoers.
I can dress warmer as a male than as a female, although Meg wears more layers.
And the walk from parking to the theatre to the restaurant to parking (under two miles total) is longer when the temperature is 35 and winds are 35 as well. The prediction was for 30-40 mile an hour winds, with gusts over 60. And the night would go down to single digits, and there might be an inch or two of snow.
So I was uncertain, but leaning towards drab.
But I started getting ready, thinking that there's a "fail safe" point.... I can shower, shave my closest, put on toner and moisturiser and even makeup primer and still go either way. Even face makeup can stay on if I'm going out in male mode.
But once I got started, I thought it wouldn't be bad and I really wanted to go out.
So Meg did.
I'll have some photos and details during the week. I did want to include a picture of some random person's front yard. This was between the restaurant and theatre. It's not t, but definitely girl-oriented and worth clicking on to enjoy the details.
For Valentine's Day, I bought tickets to see a play called Bad Jews. It was playing in a small theatre called The Studio in Northwest DC. It received good reviews and the last show would be the following day. Fortunately, there were still some good seats available. In truth, The Studio is small enough that the only bad seats are the ones that are partially behind pillars.
I checked and the theater was a short walk from the restaurant where I first Charity a little over three years ago. And it's Valentine's Day. And the day after our second mensiversary.
I thought this would be the perfect day to end the "Meg drought" that had gone on for two months now.
Except....
I was feeling a bit odd the night before and that morning, like I was possibly coming down with something. My throat was a bit sore and I just felt... off.
Plus it was going to be cold (but not horribly so) and the prediction was for high winds and the theatre was not the most accessible. We'd have to walk about three quarters of a mile if we took the train and parking was uncertain, although there's a hotel less than half a mile away that accommodated theatregoers.
I can dress warmer as a male than as a female, although Meg wears more layers.
And the walk from parking to the theatre to the restaurant to parking (under two miles total) is longer when the temperature is 35 and winds are 35 as well. The prediction was for 30-40 mile an hour winds, with gusts over 60. And the night would go down to single digits, and there might be an inch or two of snow.
So I was uncertain, but leaning towards drab.
But I started getting ready, thinking that there's a "fail safe" point.... I can shower, shave my closest, put on toner and moisturiser and even makeup primer and still go either way. Even face makeup can stay on if I'm going out in male mode.
But once I got started, I thought it wouldn't be bad and I really wanted to go out.
So Meg did.
I'll have some photos and details during the week. I did want to include a picture of some random person's front yard. This was between the restaurant and theatre. It's not t, but definitely girl-oriented and worth clicking on to enjoy the details.
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| Have a Barbie Valentine's Day! |
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Man Up, Man!
It's a purse. I carry one. Some of my readers do too.
Just admit it.
Just admit it.
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| Interesting that the "all boy" boy is carrying it in! |
Friday, February 13, 2015
Drought Over. Almost.
Alert! Friday the 13th falls on a Friday this month. I wonder when the next one is. This is also Charity and my two month mensiversary. And we're still going strong!
Speaking of Charity....
We spent a couple of hours with our gaming friends the other night. I had a plan.
Plan: work, see a client, grab a quick dinner, change into "minimal Meg" and go. They're safe for any variation on Meg, and I wouldn't be out a lot if my presentation was less than perfect.
Reality: work, see a client who had a bunch of questions/extra tasks, dinner wasn't quite quick enough (but pretty good), and when we finished we would be late even if we left RIGHT NOW.
And to top it all off, I got beaten by the cat in Cards Against Humanity.
Ah well. Tomorrow's another day.
Speaking of Charity....
We spent a couple of hours with our gaming friends the other night. I had a plan.
Plan: work, see a client, grab a quick dinner, change into "minimal Meg" and go. They're safe for any variation on Meg, and I wouldn't be out a lot if my presentation was less than perfect.
Reality: work, see a client who had a bunch of questions/extra tasks, dinner wasn't quite quick enough (but pretty good), and when we finished we would be late even if we left RIGHT NOW.
And to top it all off, I got beaten by the cat in Cards Against Humanity.
Ah well. Tomorrow's another day.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Voice
I've tried on a few occasions to change the pitch of my voice, to sound more femme.
I know there's more to girl voice than pitch, but that's definitely the place to start. I've watched videos, I've purchased courses, but I can't seem to get
it. I think I need to do some one-on-one with a voice coach, but I
haven't ~ probably because I'm convinced I just
can't do it.
Most of my attempts result in a strained voice or a sore throat. Or both.
Now, with a new job, I wish I had my Meg voice
down pat! If I can't start a new job with a totally new look, next best
would be to start a new job with a new voice.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
If You Can't Say Something Nice....
If you follow this link, it will take you to ModCloth and the dress I wore when I got married. Scroll down and you'll also find my review of the dress. If you click on the picture, you can actually see more of me. At first I thought they chopped off my face so as not to scare away the other customers.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Casual Outing
There was one woman at my old job who I dealt with fairly regularly. In the course of kidding around, I had shown her a couple of Meg pictures, starting with a Renaissance Faire picture which can be taken as a costume or not: your choice.
I also showed her my office Halloween costume ~ same deal, right?
I might have shown her one other; I can't recall.
But I never confirmed nor denied nor was asked about whether this was a lark or otherwise.
I mentioned my upcoming wedding. She asked something about whether I was going to wear a wedding dress.
I was surprised and asked why she would say that. She seemed flustered and changed the subject.
I guess I was less oblique than I thought. No matter. I wouldn't do the kidding if I wasn't prepared to step all the way out of the closet, at least with her. I mean, if you just come partially out, you're liable to get hit in the head with the closet door.
After the wedding, I showed her some pictures and said it's something I do, sometimes, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She was good with that. I put no conditions on it, no "don't tell anyone" or anything like that. As I said, I wouldn't say anything if I wasn't ready to face the consequences.
And now I work elsewhere.
The old gang are planning "alumni" get-togethers, kind of networking events, at someone's house. I'm considering letting Meg go to the first one. It's not really a serious thought, but neither was flying pretty when I first thought about it.
I also showed her my office Halloween costume ~ same deal, right?
I might have shown her one other; I can't recall.
But I never confirmed nor denied nor was asked about whether this was a lark or otherwise.
I mentioned my upcoming wedding. She asked something about whether I was going to wear a wedding dress.
I was surprised and asked why she would say that. She seemed flustered and changed the subject.
I guess I was less oblique than I thought. No matter. I wouldn't do the kidding if I wasn't prepared to step all the way out of the closet, at least with her. I mean, if you just come partially out, you're liable to get hit in the head with the closet door.
After the wedding, I showed her some pictures and said it's something I do, sometimes, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She was good with that. I put no conditions on it, no "don't tell anyone" or anything like that. As I said, I wouldn't say anything if I wasn't ready to face the consequences.
And now I work elsewhere.
The old gang are planning "alumni" get-togethers, kind of networking events, at someone's house. I'm considering letting Meg go to the first one. It's not really a serious thought, but neither was flying pretty when I first thought about it.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Coincidence?
Today, I will have been married for 58 days.
It's been 58 days since Meg was out.
There have been a few reasons. First, I was up in New York visiting the aged relative. Then I came down with a cold.
Then I hurt my back and that makes it uncomfortable to wear heels, which are essential for me. It also makes it painful to wear a cinch, which I often need.
Because I knew I wasn't planning on going out, I've been lax on arm/leg shaving, which in turn makes it a longer procedure to go out.
The temperature in the apartment seems to be out of sorts, but nothing I can pin down. Part of the apartment is hot, some cold and that means it's hard to even find something to wear around the house.
And it is winter: I'd rather hibernate than go out in the cold weather. And ice + heels = disaster waiting to happen.
I've also been a bit busy with job hunting, and the associated anxiety poses a catch-22: going out as Meg is good for relieving anxiety but being anxious makes me less inclined to get dressed up, even though experience tells me if I could Just Get Started I'd be dressed and relaxed within an hour.
Also, Meg events I wanted to attend were inconvenient for other reasons.
So 58 days without Meg... and it'll probably go for another week at least... does that mean Meg is out of circulation?
No, it's the result of coincidences.
It's been 58 days since Meg was out.
There have been a few reasons. First, I was up in New York visiting the aged relative. Then I came down with a cold.
Then I hurt my back and that makes it uncomfortable to wear heels, which are essential for me. It also makes it painful to wear a cinch, which I often need.
Because I knew I wasn't planning on going out, I've been lax on arm/leg shaving, which in turn makes it a longer procedure to go out.
The temperature in the apartment seems to be out of sorts, but nothing I can pin down. Part of the apartment is hot, some cold and that means it's hard to even find something to wear around the house.
And it is winter: I'd rather hibernate than go out in the cold weather. And ice + heels = disaster waiting to happen.
I've also been a bit busy with job hunting, and the associated anxiety poses a catch-22: going out as Meg is good for relieving anxiety but being anxious makes me less inclined to get dressed up, even though experience tells me if I could Just Get Started I'd be dressed and relaxed within an hour.
Also, Meg events I wanted to attend were inconvenient for other reasons.
So 58 days without Meg... and it'll probably go for another week at least... does that mean Meg is out of circulation?
No, it's the result of coincidences.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Sunday Funnies: Keef (fin, for now)
A little more Keith Knight, in another sequence.
He's done other cartoons on "what hell is like."
He's done other cartoons on "what hell is like."
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Basic Genetics
Not T but... Notice it IS the X.
Good news on the job front! More coming soon....
Good news on the job front! More coming soon....
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| Why isn't the other one called "submissive?" |
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Contractions
Hi Ladies!
From my comments, I can see that I'm being dumb, assuming everyone knows what "inside-the-beltway" contracting means.
Once upon a time, the federal workforce was huge. People stayed forever and knew their job because you could move up, retire young, and be happy or find another job, knowing you'll have health care and a pension for life.
Then President Ronnie came in and said "the federal government is too big" and started the get rid of the hated fed movement. So he axed a lot of government workers.
Except the work remained. So they ramped up the number of private contractors needed to do the work. Typical contracts were five years, and workers had to be hired by the contractors to do the work. And they didn't have the corporate experience that the fed workers had, so they had to learn.
And now the government needed more people to write, review, process contracts. And now the contractors needed more teams to respond and bid to contracts ~ which was added to the price of the contract. And contractors usually made more than government workers so they charged more, plus, of course, a profit for the contracting agency.
So instead of hiring a team of, say, 20 people to man a project, the government had to hire a company to supply 20 workers. And a program manager, to interface with the workers. And a couple of govvies to oversee the project. And they had to pay a premium for the 20 people, who had to learn the system they were upgrading/running/producing.
Not bad for us contractors; not great for the rest of the taxpayers.
But recently, contracts are "three years" which means one year, plus two "option" years. So the contracting company may only be there a year before it's rebid. What it practically means is, there's no stability and no product knowledge.
Our contract was up last week. The government chose to not rebid it, which is strange because the product is congressionally mandated.
So I (and 30+ officemates) need to look. My company helps, some.
Life is always interesting, isn't it?
From my comments, I can see that I'm being dumb, assuming everyone knows what "inside-the-beltway" contracting means.
Once upon a time, the federal workforce was huge. People stayed forever and knew their job because you could move up, retire young, and be happy or find another job, knowing you'll have health care and a pension for life.
Then President Ronnie came in and said "the federal government is too big" and started the get rid of the hated fed movement. So he axed a lot of government workers.
Except the work remained. So they ramped up the number of private contractors needed to do the work. Typical contracts were five years, and workers had to be hired by the contractors to do the work. And they didn't have the corporate experience that the fed workers had, so they had to learn.
And now the government needed more people to write, review, process contracts. And now the contractors needed more teams to respond and bid to contracts ~ which was added to the price of the contract. And contractors usually made more than government workers so they charged more, plus, of course, a profit for the contracting agency.
So instead of hiring a team of, say, 20 people to man a project, the government had to hire a company to supply 20 workers. And a program manager, to interface with the workers. And a couple of govvies to oversee the project. And they had to pay a premium for the 20 people, who had to learn the system they were upgrading/running/producing.
Not bad for us contractors; not great for the rest of the taxpayers.
But recently, contracts are "three years" which means one year, plus two "option" years. So the contracting company may only be there a year before it's rebid. What it practically means is, there's no stability and no product knowledge.
Our contract was up last week. The government chose to not rebid it, which is strange because the product is congressionally mandated.
So I (and 30+ officemates) need to look. My company helps, some.
Life is always interesting, isn't it?
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Working Hard or Hardly Working?
My last contract ended somewhat unexpectedly last Wednesday which means it's time to scramble to look for something new to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.
Alas, the blog shall suffer. I'll be back before the weekend, I'm sure.
Alas, the blog shall suffer. I'll be back before the weekend, I'm sure.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Virginia Is For Lovers
But it's run by hateful, disgusting morons.
From a recent Washington Post article:
Bill in Va. gets quick surgery to recast anti-discrimination clause
Lawmakers hadn’t noticed language barring bias against gays
Deep inside complex legislation to legalize phone-based car services such as Uber and Lyft sat language meant to prohibit drivers from discriminating against gay or transgender riders.
The wording, picked up from legislation proposed in states where gay rights are enshrined in state code, went unnoticed until the bill made it to the Senate floor. Once the passage was discovered, the bill was abruptly sent back to committee for what was described as a “technical” fix, stripped of that language and returned to the chamber, where it passed this week.
I am appalled and disgusted.
But it is Groundhog Day.
From a recent Washington Post article:
Bill in Va. gets quick surgery to recast anti-discrimination clause
Lawmakers hadn’t noticed language barring bias against gays
Deep inside complex legislation to legalize phone-based car services such as Uber and Lyft sat language meant to prohibit drivers from discriminating against gay or transgender riders.
The wording, picked up from legislation proposed in states where gay rights are enshrined in state code, went unnoticed until the bill made it to the Senate floor. Once the passage was discovered, the bill was abruptly sent back to committee for what was described as a “technical” fix, stripped of that language and returned to the chamber, where it passed this week.
I am appalled and disgusted.
But it is Groundhog Day.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sunday Funnies: Keef (continued)
Last week, I had a few Keith Knight cartoons. This Sunday (and next) I have a couple of rare Knight sequences. Enjoy, and maybe join his Patreon page.
Click or scroll to enlarge.
Click or scroll to enlarge.
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| I'm gonna use that |
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