It's been so great having my old friend Debi sitting right next to me, at work! Must resist urge to chat and gossip 8 hours a day. Someone might have to come separate us!

I spent the last 2 work-days in an orientation class where 3 representatives of the new company that just bought us showed us lots of power point slides about how great their building is in Kansas City, where I have no intention to visit; lists of euphemisms they insist one use , such as "partner" instead of "vendor", and "solution" instead of "product," ; and a diversity training class. At one point they pointed out how great it is that their founder arranged funding of a special playground ... at a Boy Scout camp, as a recruitment tool for the Boy Scouts of America, as he was concerned about their decline in enrollment. I filled out the seminar evaluation form and pointed out the irony of making people taking a diversity class, while contributing to the Boy Scouts of America, known for their discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation! I also had to point out how one of the presenters kept standing directly between the Sign interpereter, and the deaf employees. He would step between them, and the interpereter would move so she could be seen. Then he would move again and stand in front of her again. Ironically, of the 3 presenters, he was the one who did the presentation, later, about valuing diversity in the work place.

Both kids had a cold last week. First my son, then my daughter, so my husband was home with one, the other or both, every day but Friday. It was frustrating to him, because it prevented him from being able to put more time in to a job search.

For the first time in 3 years, I was willing to attend our company holiday party, held last night. They like to hold it in January, so people have time to go to it. Anyway, our good friends Dave and Tammy agreed to watch our kids so we could go to it. But both kids RELAPSED in their colds that same evening, and our friends ended up tending to two caughing sneezing kids, possibly exposed to the cold themselves, I just couldn't believe it! I can't believe I did that to my friends. The party itself was held in the basement of a German restaurant in Minneapolis, it was a modest buffet, and afterwards they had a live band that played traditional polkas and old standards like Help Me Make it Through the Night, and I Saw Her Standing There. Mostly it was just good to see everyone outside work. For once I am actually glad to see them! I didn't feel that way a year ago, or the year before that!