Giggling at Work; Men and Their Little Brains

My bosses, Donna and Nancy (and quite a few of the uniformed guys), at the PD think I'm just a little bit wacky, but they're enjoying the fun, nevertheless. And I've been having such fun the past few days, I've been walking around giggling in the halls.

We're finally moving a whole lot of people off of the first floor in the station so we can complete reconstruction of our building. MEN. Of course, they never asked us WOMEN -- who know how to be organized, and know what needs to be done -- how to do anything. We just have to clean up the mess they make. It wasn't too much problem moving people, desks, computers. But it's been a nightmare trying to move 30 years of case-related property that is evidence: it must be controlled tightly for chain-of-custody in court purposes. filing cabinets, boxes, bags, bikes, computers, tools, miscellaneous "stuff"; and then, of course, Valuables: drugs, money, jewelry.

There we were today, moving property in the rain and humidity: filing cabinets, boxes, bags, bikes, computers, tools, miscellaneous "stuff". And then, of course, Valuables: drugs, money, jewelry. Now June is the start of the rain and hurricane season in Florida; you think the guys would have thought about that first when asking us to move now! And we were trying to fit all this evidence into railroad cargo containers -- and coming up short because the MEN had not ordered enough of them (even though we had asked them to); and onto shelves that were being built by the MEN as we moved the evidence (because they wouldn't believe us when we told them several times in the last few months that we would need more shelves). Sheesh.

Anyway. I was trying to help this endeavor and designed a spreadsheet containing all our evidence (26,000 lines that I cleaned up to 856!) and several maps for our Property ladies to use in locating evidence while they are living in/working out of these lovely railroad cars for the next year. The map is so cool! I drew all these shelves, numbered all the evidence boxes, inserted drawings for all the bikes, computers, bags, and other stuff -- and then, tonight, inserted little pictures of women inside the railroad cars.

Silly stuff. Giggling at work. Got to do something when the men drive you crazy with their testosterone! But my bosses, Donna and Nancy, love it. And I know, one day, these same guys will be looking at my spreadsheet and map, saying, "We could have done it better." Because they're always thinking with their little brains.

Indulging Other Addictions

It's always good to have more than one passion. Or addiction, as the case may be.

First, I've become semi-obsessed with learning everything there is to know about blogging these days - an extension of my nerdy computer addiction. Hence, the photos, links, videos and continual re-editing of colors and stuff on this blog page. Second, my sidebar statistics and obsessive ruminations in various posts are evidence of another of my passions: running.

Third, I was out all afternoon yesterday in the yard with my trees and plant, listening to the birds chirping as they build their nests. This is a close-up photo of a nest built by our Florida mockingbirds in "Claudia," the Sabinea Carinalis, Carib Wood shrub (a native Dominican tree) in our back yard. (Yes, we named this very pretty, showy tree after our daughter! In fact, all of our trees have family member names. That will be a future Blog subject.) It's time to start "hurricane proofing" for the season, and I love getting sweaty and dirty when I pull weeds and dig in the mud.

And Fourth. Well, it's pretty obvious from my banner headline that scuba diving is one of my most serious passions. It has been, for 21 years now. So, today, while I'm packing for my liveaboard dive trip next week on Peter Hughes Sun Dancer II - to Belize - I thought I'd show you my dive gear and how I try to pack a whole lot of dive toys into a lot of little space.

This is all (well most, anyway) of my stuff. Clockwise, from upper left: a purple shorty surfer's suit (for warm water diving); buoyancy compensator (vest to hold my dive tanks, with pockets for tank banger, flashlites, dive sausage, REEF fish ID book, magnifiying glass); pink diver's tool box (see detailed info, below); bright yellow/green fins (with neat orange lycra fish sox!); blue 3 millimeter wetsuit (for repetitive dives, cooler water); regulator and dive computer (with hoses); black-skirted dive mask (black is better for looking cool in underwater dive photos, and my old-age eyes see better with black); 2 underwater writing slates (one for logging dive info; one for counting fish!); and 2 underwater dive lites ("two is one, one is none" - an old Marine/SWAT motto.)

My gear weighs about 20 pounds. Which makes it tough flying these days, because my wheeled dive bag weighs 23 pounds. With weight limits of 50 pounds, that means I have only 7 pounds for clothes, bathing suits, sundries, books, and other "stuff." So, I have to pack VERY lightly. To be honest, I take along a mesh carry-on dive bag for most of my land stuff and my regulator/computer. I don't mind having to rent dive equipment if my bags are lost somewhere, but I really want my own regulator (the breathing thing that goes in your mouth) and Suunto dive computer when I'm diving. You'll note that, even underwater, I'm still doing nerdy computer techy things. Besides, these two pieces of equipment cost about $1500.

My dive computer is hard to see in this photo - but it is waaaay cool. It has a compass attachment: not that I ever use it; I'm pretty good at "just knowing" where I'm at. And it is also air-integrated, keeping track of how much air I've used, how fast I'm using air, and how much air I have left until I suck my tank dry -- which has never happened, by the way. For every dive, the computer also keeps track of time underwater, depth of dive, oxygen and nitrogen used and warning limits, times between dives, planning info for next dive, and a symbol about when I'm allowed to fly again. That comes in handy when you're on a liveaboard boat, like I will be next week, diving 5 times a day. Serious, addictive diving.

Oh. Before I go pack, I really must explain my pink dive tool box. I've had it for the entire 21 years I've been diving. It's waterproof and has really neat stuff inside it that every diver needs. On the cover is my DAN sticker. I've been a member of DAN for 21 years, ever since I started diving. Best darned resource and insurance to have. It's comforting to know DAN personnel can make arrangements for you to fly to the nearest recompression chamber if you get "bent," and they can also get you (and your significant other) home if there is a dive "accident." DAN doctors gave me great advice on combining my running training with diving, too.

On the inside (left) of my dive tool box we have: a laminated card with dive computer info (I can never remember exactly which button to push for everything); blue tube of spray-on stuff for cleaning masks and glasses; a REEF creature id book; and a back-up regulator cover (with black masking tape because it cracked in the heat while in Curacao).

On the inside (right), we have: a large-toothed purple comb (untangling curly hair after diving 5 times a day is tough); black film container with extra O-rings (for air tanks), cotton balls, rubber bands, and regulator port covers; "all-in-one" dive tool (with various sized Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, and other tools); yellow wrist strap with clip buckle for dive lites; blue skinny tube with back-up reading glasses; SPIT (mask defogger); large orange carpenter pencil sharpener (for fish counting pencils); white bottle with Soft Scrub (to clean dive slates); roll of black electrical tape (good for everything!); pair of pliers; ten extra orange tie-wraps (for temporary attachment of night lites and other gear to vest); large yellow pencil sharpener (a backup since blades always get rusty); round blue pot of silicone (for O-rings); blue night dive stick (hangs on tank as a marker for finding buddies); spare carpenter pencil (gotta be able to count those fish!); Swimmer's Ear (for immediate, after-dive water blockages); and tube of toothpaste and toothbrush.

As for the toothbrush - here's an homage to my best dive friend and buddy, Tracey. This is Tracey looking mighty fine in her super duper dry "wetsuit" on the deck of our room in Utila last October. (Note the fashionable purple dive socks.) I was having major problems with my dive mask during this REEF dive trip. It kept fogging up all week long, and nothing seemed to work to clear it for more than 2-3 minutes. A real pain when you're trying to identify fish as part of a group of professional fish counters. I was getting really good at improvising new mask clearing skills when one of the ladies reminded me of the old toothbrush/toothpaste trick. (You need to "clean" new masks with toothpaste to get all the pre-manufactured glass sheen off of it.)

Sure enough, late during the week, I grabbed my toothpaste and the nearest toothbrush (which just happened to be Tracey's) without even thinking and started scrubbing away. It worked great on my mask, too. No more fogging up. Fortunately, adhering to that old Marine/SWAT rule (see above), I had packed an extra toothbrush and gave it to Tracey for the rest of the week. She was so gracious about the whole thing. And we laughed and laughed.

With that thought, and knowing I really have to PACK NOW -- I'll sign off with a big THANKS to Tracey for the toothbrush (and being a great dive, fish-counting buddy); to Gianni (for letting me go off and indulge my addiction diving next week); and to Alex/Andrew - who will be joining Tracey and me next week on the boat and taking fantastic photos. I already know it.

Pretty Important Personal Things

I cannot believe it's been a week since I've posted anything. And what a week it has been! New computers, more training runs, trip planning, a dead fish and serious vet visits for Pooper cat (telling time later; still too tough to deal with), and more.

Started out last week with helping dad pick out and buy a new PC. (Isn't it always more fun to spend someone else's money?) His new HP system is really slick (especially the monitor), even if the O/S is Windows Vista. I swear I'm gonna upgrade and buy a new laptop someday soon (this one is 5 year ancient!). When I do, I'm seriously considering a MAC! Of course, with dad's new system, I had to try and learn all the nuances of Vista so I could configure it to be "user friendly." That took 4 hours on Saturday, another 2 hours of training today, and we're still not done! But it's a lot of fun, and I really enjoy the quality time with dad.

In between computer stuff, I have been maintaining my training runs. I have another 5K race in 11 days! For anyone reading this who is even remotely interested, my running stats on the left sidebar tell only part of the story (albeit they do show consistency and increased mileage). I'm now trying to run 5 days/week, 15-20 miles total. I still want to run Disney Half Marathon in January 2009.

But today I saw a sign in Starbucks (while buying my triple grande coffee latte) about an ultra marathon, a 100 mile race from Key Largo to Key West, including running the Seven Mile Brige. Now doesn't this look like a lot of fun? Talk about a beautiful course. Why not? Who says I have to run the whole thing? The Inaugural Race is May 18, this year. Well, that's not gonna happen. Who knows about next year? A girl has to have goals, right?

Busy planning two business trips to Tallahassee and Las Vegas (with an Albuquerque side trip to visit Linda). I really want to see the homage to the Beatles, as performed by Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage, but I have to convince Gianni the $150 tickets are worth it (guess I'll be playing those "Slots for Dummies" machines again) and that he can see the show and still have enough sleep time before his meetings.

Coolest thing, though, is my new personalized license plate for the Audi. It came today. Guess you would have to know Gianni and I to understand our nicknames for each other. But this one says it all about me: a diver, a queen angelfish, a dive flag, REEF endorsement, and my nickname.

Game On, Sista!

As if I don't have enough to do -- now I am in this competition with my sister, Linda. Again! It seems like we were always competing with each other for something or other while we were growing up in Brooklyn, Ohio. Boys. Interesting things to do and/or get into trouble doing. Dad's attention (here in about 1958).

It's probably because we were (and are still?) so different than each other. I mean, really. There I was: Miss Prim and Proper, mathematical, logical, future wannabe Astronaut, eventual Fed. There was Linda: hippie, extremely creative, wildly anti-establishment. I still marvel that I managed to pass security clearances to get into the Bureau. I was certain some of Linda's liberal notions and activities would lead to my rejection.

Anyway. I thought we had stopped competing long ago. In fact, I very distinctly remember a long walk in Alexandria, Virginia -- back about 1990 -- when we decided to stop competing. And when Linda finally visited the Villa here for dad's surprise 80th birthday, about the only thing we competed for were tequila shots for our margaritas. Gotta hand it to Linda: her creativity extends not only to photography, animal herding, Web design (and just about anything else), but to making horses douvers and "Margaritas to Die For." Of course, the honky tonk bartending she did out there in Albuquerque probably didn't hurt none.

But this one is just too fun to pass up. So I accept the challenge.

Linda tagged me today with a game called “MEME.” Here's the rules:

• Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Post seven random or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
• Tag seven people and link to them.
• Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
  

SEVEN RANDOM / WEIRD THINGS ABOUT ME

1. I love to stand on my head. It's my favorite yoga pose - Shirsashana.
2. I do math problems in my head when I'm running: always working the numbers for pace, distance, time until I drop into exhaustion.
   
3. I've been counting fish for REEF since 2001: I am a Level 3 Fish counter, have conducted 74 fish surveys in 4 Caribbean regions, spent 63 hours underwater, and identified 185 different types of fishes -- the most common: Bluehead Wrasse and Stoplight Parrotfish.
4. My favorite food is sushi. (I know. I know. Kind of a conflict with #3.) If I don't eat raw fish at least once a week, I go into withdrawal.
   
5. My husband tells me I should be a "Beta Tester." I break things: stuff around the house, mechanical objects, and (this is really bad) computers.
6. I'm a "Sex and the City" addict: I TiVo the girls and watch reruns over and over - especially Carrie and Alexsander Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov).
7. I sometimes regret "retiring." I loved every minute (well, almost) of my 21 years with the Bu. There's a lot of things I could still do.

Well, like Linda, I don't know a whole lot of people who blog - so tagging seven others may be tough. But here's a start:

• The 7MSN Ranch --- Linda's Ranch: 7 Miles South of Nowhere Place
• TraSea Dives --- Tracey's Place: My Best Dive Buddy
  
• Alexander's Addictions --- Tracey's Hubby (and My Other Best Dive Buddy) Alex's Hangouts (or Hang Ins)
  
• The Infinite Knot --- Jeremy's Family: Cousin of Claudia (my stepdaughter) and Gianni's niece
  

I also have a secret game plan I'm implementing. We'll just see who gets the most hits/responses! Game On Sista'!