I worked from home today.
I attended an interesting—albeit not too applicable to the work I do—education session today on Search Engine Optimization techniques with regards to PDF files, Flash files, RSS feeds, Podcasts, and Blogs.
Following that, I attended another hour-long conference call, this one an Information Development & Design team meeting of one of the products I edit.
Someone in a discussion forum I follow pointed out that in the process of the consolidation of our benefits web sties in IBM on 01/01/08, it’s possible that our beneficiaries for our 401-K Plan and Pension Plan were cleared. I checked mine, and they were, so I re-designated them to the proper heirs.
While I was in the tool, I thought I’d check my investment allocations as well. When we had two systems, I had to check the balance of one fund that I designated as my “holding fund,” and whenever it reached a balance of $1,000 or more, initiate a transfer from the holding fund to my five actual destination funds, which resided on the other system. With everything being on the same system now, I was able to change my allocations to go directly into the five destination funds.
That’s one small technical advancement for a computer; one giant reduction in hassle for this kind man.
I wanted to grocery shop after I walked tonight, so I drove over to the Food Lion, parked, and walked for an hour starting from there.
Being the creature of habit, routine, ESFJ person that I am, I had intended to walk my usual route, only starting it, basically, from the halfway point. However, just up Avent Ferry, where I normally would have turned right to follow my regular path, I turned left instead—into an apartment complex called The Summit.
Fifteen minutes later, I saw ahead what I thought was the Lake Dam Road entrance to Lake Johnson, and sure enough, it was. Voila! A new shortcut to the lake! Serendipity.
I listened to the following podcasts while walking for an hour today—all Slate Explainer podcasts:
|
My Officemate is Crazy! |
|
Flaxseed or Steroids? |
|
A Sex Toy a Day Keeps the Doctor Away |
|
Venomous Snakes for Sale |
|
Strangled by Handcuffs? |
|
What’s Wrong With British Cattle? |
|
Is Mad Cow an STD? |
|
Lunar Parking Permits |
|
Can You Legally Steal Your Own Property? |
|
Scent of a Dead Woman |
|
Is O.J. Memorabilia Still Valuable? |
|
How Hot is Iraq? |
|
Tomb of the Unknown Aircraft |
|
Are Muslims Allowed to Dye Their Facial Hair? |
|
Do We Need the Original Lucy Fossil? |
Without fail, in each of these explainer podcasts, I learned something I didn’t know. Now whether it’s important, or whether I’ll remember any of it, say in two days, that’s another matter entirely.
I bought some most delicious “Picante Olives” at the grocery store. They’re hot. They’re pretty big, so I sliced a couple of them into three slices, and I put a slice on a sesame cracker along with a thick slab of Swiss cheese. Yum. Yum. Yum.
I finally finished up the very tasty pineapple a colleague of Robert’s gave me tonight. I got a lot of good mileage out of that thing: with cottage cheese, in omelets, and on pizzas. It’s all about the food.
I met Joe at Flex at 9:30, where we played pool and were entertained (and I use the term loosely) by karaoke. I left there right at midnight, as I have an 8:40 dentist appointment in the morning.