I got to do work today!
Ok, so most people wouldn't be quite that happy about actually doing their job, but it's about the first time that I've gotten to do something epi related. Mostly I've been learning my way around the software and routine procedures or I've been out of town doing one training course or another. Today I got to send a fax to another state's health dept regarding a patient who resides there but was hospitalized here with what turned out to be a reportable disease. But first I had to find out where and to whom to fax the rather lengthy report. What makes this all entertaining is that the patient lives about an hour from where I used to live in IL. Small world.
Anyway, I actually got to do some real public health work and it was fun, even if it did keep me at work a half hour past when I was supposed to leave. Better that than to have let it go over a long holiday weekend.
Speaking of the holiday weekend....
I have decided that I will sit down and straighten out my desk this weekend and get back on track with regards to a regular system for paying bills, etc. Right now I haven't got an organized system for doing that. I also need to mail cookies to Mitch, return stuff to Lowe's, mow the lawn, pay bills and do some laundry. Since I have an extra day this weekend, I will also wash and vacuum the car, make a dent in putting away stuff in my office and start re-arranging the garage. I do believe that I might fire up the grill as well. Haven't done that yet.
Poison Ivy Update:
The rash is mostly gone. I've got some scabs but those are from itching. The skin on my arms is very dry and, thus, very itchy. I've been slathering on the lotion, but it's not eliminating the itchies. The healing lesions are even brighter red and look more icky than when the rash was fresh. Go figure. But at least I'm not oozing and my arms aren't hot to the touch anymore. I also don't wake up in the middle of the night scratching.
As far as the plants which caused such discomfort are concerned....I may have a go at removing the ivy from the other two trees this weekend, just to get it done. The trees just look a mess and I don't like it. If I just leave it, the ivy will just continue to take over and that's definitely not going to be acceptable.
Reading:
I have decided that I like the book I've been reading--The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. At first I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it's growing on me. I'm now trying to figure out who killed the milk delivery guy right along with Hannah Swensen, the town cookie baker. I may even try some of the recipes that are published in the book. The characters are fairly well-developed and have distinct personalities. I think the writing could be a bit smoother and more elegant, but it's certainly engaging and is absolutely not the worst thing I've ever read.
On the subject of books, I asked my boss several levels up the food chain what he was reading at lunchtime on Wednesday. Turns out he's reading Arrowsmith. He was surprised I'd heard of it. Heck, I've even read a couple of chapters. I sort of lost interest in it and never finished it. It just doesn't make for good bedtime reading. My boss is reading The Red Tent.
Knitting:
Bought some more sock yarn and picked up a vest pattern when I was out of town. I probably ought to try sorting out the knitting room soon. Right now everything is just piled up in the corner in boxes. That room is probably the last priority for unpacking.
Football!
I wore my bright orange UI polo shirt to work today. I think UI has a game tomorrow. I'll have to look it up. If we're playing a NCAA Division I school, I don't have much hope that we'll win (based on past performance in recent years), but usually the first home game is against a small IL school, like Illinois State University. I think the logic is that we'll at least have one win in the season that way.
New DL!
I am presently in possession of a brand new driver's license. The whole process was fairly painless, although I learned that I paid the DL fee for each of the license classes I got (passenger vehicle and motorcycle). Even so, it wasn't much more expensive than getting my IL license renewed. Surprisingly, my license doesn't expire for 8 years! I was guessing 4 or 5 years. Now I have a new DL number to memorize. I haven't a clue what the "code" is that's in the license number or even if there *is* a code in the number. Illinois DLs have your birthday (based on the number of the day of the year) and birthyear, plus gender and some part of the last name. I never did quite learn what all it was. I figured it was good enough that I knew my own number and would let someone else worry about what it meant.
Next "task" in finishing up the moving administrativa: getting license plates. I might even apply for personalized plates for both my car and my motorcycle. CH1X0R and PHDTOY respectively. After that, I think I'll have everything switched over to the new state. W00t!
Anyway, I actually got to do some real public health work and it was fun, even if it did keep me at work a half hour past when I was supposed to leave. Better that than to have let it go over a long holiday weekend.
Speaking of the holiday weekend....
I have decided that I will sit down and straighten out my desk this weekend and get back on track with regards to a regular system for paying bills, etc. Right now I haven't got an organized system for doing that. I also need to mail cookies to Mitch, return stuff to Lowe's, mow the lawn, pay bills and do some laundry. Since I have an extra day this weekend, I will also wash and vacuum the car, make a dent in putting away stuff in my office and start re-arranging the garage. I do believe that I might fire up the grill as well. Haven't done that yet.
Poison Ivy Update:
The rash is mostly gone. I've got some scabs but those are from itching. The skin on my arms is very dry and, thus, very itchy. I've been slathering on the lotion, but it's not eliminating the itchies. The healing lesions are even brighter red and look more icky than when the rash was fresh. Go figure. But at least I'm not oozing and my arms aren't hot to the touch anymore. I also don't wake up in the middle of the night scratching.
As far as the plants which caused such discomfort are concerned....I may have a go at removing the ivy from the other two trees this weekend, just to get it done. The trees just look a mess and I don't like it. If I just leave it, the ivy will just continue to take over and that's definitely not going to be acceptable.
Reading:
I have decided that I like the book I've been reading--The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. At first I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it's growing on me. I'm now trying to figure out who killed the milk delivery guy right along with Hannah Swensen, the town cookie baker. I may even try some of the recipes that are published in the book. The characters are fairly well-developed and have distinct personalities. I think the writing could be a bit smoother and more elegant, but it's certainly engaging and is absolutely not the worst thing I've ever read.
On the subject of books, I asked my boss several levels up the food chain what he was reading at lunchtime on Wednesday. Turns out he's reading Arrowsmith. He was surprised I'd heard of it. Heck, I've even read a couple of chapters. I sort of lost interest in it and never finished it. It just doesn't make for good bedtime reading. My boss is reading The Red Tent.
Knitting:
Bought some more sock yarn and picked up a vest pattern when I was out of town. I probably ought to try sorting out the knitting room soon. Right now everything is just piled up in the corner in boxes. That room is probably the last priority for unpacking.
Football!
I wore my bright orange UI polo shirt to work today. I think UI has a game tomorrow. I'll have to look it up. If we're playing a NCAA Division I school, I don't have much hope that we'll win (based on past performance in recent years), but usually the first home game is against a small IL school, like Illinois State University. I think the logic is that we'll at least have one win in the season that way.
New DL!
I am presently in possession of a brand new driver's license. The whole process was fairly painless, although I learned that I paid the DL fee for each of the license classes I got (passenger vehicle and motorcycle). Even so, it wasn't much more expensive than getting my IL license renewed. Surprisingly, my license doesn't expire for 8 years! I was guessing 4 or 5 years. Now I have a new DL number to memorize. I haven't a clue what the "code" is that's in the license number or even if there *is* a code in the number. Illinois DLs have your birthday (based on the number of the day of the year) and birthyear, plus gender and some part of the last name. I never did quite learn what all it was. I figured it was good enough that I knew my own number and would let someone else worry about what it meant.
Next "task" in finishing up the moving administrativa: getting license plates. I might even apply for personalized plates for both my car and my motorcycle. CH1X0R and PHDTOY respectively. After that, I think I'll have everything switched over to the new state. W00t!
Comments
:o)!