I got the problem with the PowerPoint presentation resolved first thing this morning and then my boss was in a meeting from 8:30am – 11:30am. I didn’t have a thing to do, so I started my newest Dick Francis mystery – COMEBACK – and I’m enjoying it very much!
When my boss returned from his meeting he asked me to do a few small things and then he asked me to come into his office. He showed me two beautiful frame black-and-white photos (taken in Hong Kong) that he wanted to hang and asked my advice. I told him where and how I’d hang them, and he agreed. He called facilities and arranged for someone to hang them.
Then, we started talking about picture framing and how expensive it is. His son-in-law has a framing shop, so he gets things done really cheap. I told him that when I had my shop in NY I was next door to a picture framer and he would get so much business from me. Many times, people would buy a print, poster, or painting and hate the frame. I’d tell them to just go next door, tell Joe that “Peppy sent you” and he’d give you a great price. I must have sent him 100 customers over 5 years and he was very appreciative. He always framed things for me at cost and would repair things free all the time. It was a great relationship which benefited us both.
Then, my boss started telling me about his collection of panoramic photos and photos of men in uniform, which he has framed in the same black wood frame and hung in an arrangement. I told him it sounded fabulous! We went from one subject to another and then someone came to see him, so I left.
When the person was done talking to him, he asked me to come back in, and I brought my little notebook, thinking he had something for me to do. Nope! He just wanted to continue our conversation! I thought it was really cute and realize that, although he sometimes has a very abrupt, and testy manner, he really is a very nice guy.
It’s flattering that he enjoys talking to me, and we DO have a lot in common, because he just moved to San Diego from NYC a few years ago. He lived in NYC and on Long Island for many years, so we can talk about so much. He’s also a big theatre buff and we enjoy the same types of music. It took me a long time to get to know him, but now I really like him. I still wouldn’t necessarily want to work for him permanently, but I do like him!
Tomorrow is my decoupage class at work. I’m going to just explain the techniques of cutting – which papers work and which don’t, how size matters, and where to find inspiration. I am bringing three examples of my work and also have a 2-page speech about the history of decoupage, which I will explain while they’re busy cutting. I'm bringing lots of pages from magazines and catalogs, to give them something to cut, and ideas on what works. I’m really looking forward to it. The girls are very enthusiastic and are looking forward to it as much as me!
There’s a group at work that are very interested in AMERICAN IDOL (as am I!). We discuss it every week and pick who we think will go home and who will win. I think it’s a pretty easy guess this year (I’ve never been so sure in all the seasons)!
When I got home, Eric and I had a snack of edamame (which he made for me). Then, at 7:30pm I made a salad for Eric, which he had with a NUTRISYSTEM entrée, and I had the rest of my vegetable soup (which is really filling).
I was finally able to put something up for sale on ETSY.COM. I had a problem and was emailing back and forth with their support group, but they weren’t able to help me. Finally, I wrote to our friend, Andrew, who is a computer genius. He wrote back with very simple instructions and, in five minutes, I was in! Unbelievable! The support people couldn’t help me, but he could.
I told him he should be in the computer support and set-up business, because he’s so sweet, so friendly, and so smart. I think he could really help people, and give them the confidence to work on the computer, even if they’re not computer-savvy. He’s helped me so many times over the past few years, when I got new software, or when my computer crashed, or any time I had a particular problem. Andrew always comes through!
I watched the season finale of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL and, I am happy to report, for the first time in 10 seasons a full-figure girl won! Yahoozie! I loved Whitney from the very beginning and really wanted her to win. She was nice, she was gorgeous, and she represented more of America than the twigs that usually walk the runway. A very satisfying finale – I must say!
Next, I watched AMERICAN IDOL to see who the top two would be in the finale next week. No big surprise – Syesha goes home; David and David battle it out to the end! My prediction: Syesha will be on Broadway before fall; David Archuleta will win American Idol; David Cook will be a huge success!
DANCING WITH THE STARS will also be over soon. What will I do when three of my favorite reality shows are done? I guess there’s always another new show right behind it, right?
Tomorrow, May 15th, is an anniversary for me and Eric. It’s 26 years since our first date (1982) and 25 years since we got engaged (1983). The 15th is almost more important than our wedding anniversary, because it represents TWO wonderful days in our lives. We were only dating for 6 weeks when we spoke about getting married, but Eric waited until October to ask my parents for my hand in marriage. Then, we decided to wait until our one-year anniversary to officially get engaged, and then we waited another year to get married (on June 16th, 1984).
I meant to get a card for him, but I forgot. Imagine my surprise when he gave ME one tonight! It was sweet and beautiful. He said he knows it hasn’t been much fun for us, because he has been so unhappy here, but he feels like things will get much better – and more fun! It was just what I needed to hear. I know he is feeling much better, and that he sees the light at the end of the tunnel. He knows we are going to leave here, as soon as we can. Now, we just have to figure out where to go!