freesia39

If you force yourself to be busy - this is the great time to do all those projects you kept putting aside - and keep a schedule, you can keep yourself pretty busy. We are actively using slack as a team communication tool, and we have zoom for video conferencing. We also have a jabber as another chat tool, although I use it more as a softphone - it rings my landline at work on my computer, so I didn't have to forward calls to my cell phone (although I can still set it up.) I have huddles with my team everyday - and what I started as a check in the last couple of days have been full on "this is what we need to do temporarily because of this new directive" so it's keeping them informed and on top of things. Others have done virtual teas/water cooler breaks, virtual lunches - everyone just gets on zoom and chat at set times. One group set up a shared google doc and people are just pasting in photos of their kids, pets, etc - things you'd normally talk about/share in person, just in a digital format. We don't know how long the shelter will last, and California has been the most aggressive (well where I live, we called it first..) so we are doing the best we can.

Let us know if you have Disneyland questions if you've never been!

I didn't frame it as a resolution, just "go do it already" - I'm again running at least 2x a week as long as the weather holds up (i.e. not raining.) It's quick - only 2 miles, and I'll try to vary it with speed one day, distance another (trying to figure out how to extend my route) etc. Just block out the time on your calendar, don't let anyone schedule over it, and it's worked so far. If someone has to talk to me during that time (I run at the end of the workday, before I go home) then I reschedule my run time to the next day.

Change is always hard, but if this is a better opportunity that could lead to future opportunities, think about it. At worst, it's interview practice for when the perfect opportunity comes along. At the middle, it gives you something to think about, and at best, you get an offer and you make a decision that is best for you (and feel super flattered in the process.)

It hasn't rained at ALL here in the month of February. The last time it didn't rain in the city of San Francisco in February, it was 1864.

Did you see the article about the woman who works for Business Insider who was supposed to go to the Philippines for vacation and wound up having to leave and went back to New York? She navigated the globe in about a day, poor her.

I haven't even factored in brands like Lord and Taylor, which don't exist on the West Coast, so I'm not even sure what it compares to here. Macy's constantly has sales. Nordstrom has their semi annual sale, Bloomingdale's... occasionally, and Nieman's... well let's just say I was in Nieman's returning something, and someone was looking at a $7,000 crystal studded t-rex figure they ordered because their adult son has always liked dinosaurs. (this is also the area I live in sooo...)

Disney people: Rise of the Resistance is amazing. It's worth the insanity to get on it.

Macy's is a regular old department store now. Next level is Nordstrom. Then Bloomingdales. Then Nieman Marcus. Then the high end stores I can't even dream of - Barney's, Bergdorf's, etc

GOOO NINERS.

LOVE my new standing desk as well. It really does help break up the day even if my posture (sitting or standing) is still awful.

I use this recipe from America's Test Kitchen for Oatmeal Raisin cookies (just add raisins) https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/classic-chewy-oatmeal-cookies They're AMAZING. So many raves every time I make them. I don't make them as big as the recipe calls for (heavy tablespoon for a cookie) But it's still good.

I can come up with some realistic and some ridiculous ones: 1. When they unboxed it and plugged it in, the image quality was not what they hoped for or expected. 2. Dead pixels 3. Unable to figure out how to use the SmartTV 4. (don't laugh, i've heard/read this reason) - don't have WiFi enabled in the home, can't use the smart TV. 5. (also true) - assumed netflix/hulu came free with the TV/didn't need to pay for the service

Happy Thanksgiving Leftovers Eating, everyone!

This is pretty close to what i've seen the past couple of years, so don't push yourself if it's too nuts - they run 20-30% off clearance periodically throughout the year. Get on their mailing list.

Two more hours until Kohls, everyone.

Nope, but I am a bit concerned about running in them and might just pick up a cheap anker pair for that purpose only.

To Airpod, or not to AirPod... that is the question. Or just buy cheaper Anker ones so that I can go running again without my phone and just my watch.

I've used the EKG function on the series 5 Apple Watch and it both calms and adds to my anxiety, haha. But it's a neat feature.

I hope the adoption process goes smoothly for you! I know it can be difficult.

Dear Nintendo: I want a GameBoy Classic. Can that come out next year?

Mmm that looks great.

Let's chat - what holiday treats are you making this year? What do you need help with? Let the power of the GD Holiday forum help you out! Allow me to start: I would like to find more cookie recipes that do not require eggs - I have someone at work that doesn't eat eggs, and every year I stretch to find some recipe that doesn't have eggs, and it's always some kind of shortbread. Is there anything else out there?

I think my problem is that I just had too much going at one time - multiple browsers and tabs per browser, Outlook, office applications, Slack, etc. (seriously, looking at you, outlook and Chrome. Resource hogs!)

Jim looks like he's been busy, he has his media company, so it looks like life is taking a front seat right now.