Oscars and the writing business

I did not watch the Oscars. I wish I could see just the musical performances. Those I would have liked to have seen. And heard. How about the rest of you. Did you watch? Was there anything you really enjoyed? I remember a few years back watching some of the music performances and I saw Alison Krauss with Sting and by herself. It was pretty cool.

In other news, it was a very lazy day. I need to learn to meditate. De-stress. Or get my ass on to the elliptical with more frequency. I cooked with the boy and he had a good time. Trying to teach both kids how to cook and why to fix things certain ways (i.e. browning meat before roasting, sauteeing onions, etc.). He had a good time.

Watched a McDonald’s commercial for these new fish bites. Even taking into account that all fish makes me instantly want to throw up, they look really really really really disgusting. Blecho.

Still have not baked bread. I don’t know why. Tomorrow I have a department meeting and am taking the dogs to get washed. I could do it at home, but right now, everything that doesn’t add to my stress is good, and this would. Mostly because there’s still snow outside and no way to really dry them and if I put them out I’d panic that they were going to get sick. So. Dog spa for them.

I need to learn excel. I don’t know how. After my previous post, I think it’s likely to be the best choice I have for now. If it was cheaper, I’d be tempted by the whole neatdesk thing, but really, my receipts and etc., aren’t that voluminous (I’m not sure that works at all in this context–actually, yes it can. So I’m keeping it) and it isn’t worth the expense. I don’t know what it would have to cost to make it worthwhile, actually. I wish I had someone here to give me Excel lessons though. I’m using the 2008 version of office. Wonder if I can get a book on it? Or maybe just look up tutorials (I have a mac, btw). I wish I had a quick and dirty 1 or 2 page how to guide of how to set up Excel and use it for simple stuff. Mostly I want something for income, outflows with specific categories, and then something to keep track of contracts. The fabulous Mindy Klasky has been posting some information on spreadsheets on Magical Words, so I’m hoping with those as a guide, I can make this work. It’s either that or creating a table in word with different categories and using the sum above formula. I think that would be less workable. I have a feeling Excel is probably more flexible and more capable.

Oh, I’m going to be at Norwescon at the end of March. Anybody else going to be there?

2 Comments

  • Leslie

    I confess that I’ve never actually watched the Oscars, but I love to look at the best and worst dressed pictures afterward.

    I took a meditation class a little while ago. It was great, but figuring out how to fit it into my life without that scheduled class time is something of a challenge for me. I really need to do that.

    There’s lots of great help for Excel out there – if I can find my notes from the class I took, I’ll post the website links. Googling “Excel 2008” and whatever you’re trying to do should also turn up some good stuff.

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