Before - Bed Ramblings

Work flew by tonight, primarily because I was spending most of the time in the office trying to learn everything that's being thrown at me. I'm trying my best to keep from feeling overwhelmed, but it's inevitable when you take on a management job in my line of work. The routines, responsibilities, and skills as a whole are being crammed into my brain faster than I can really register them all, and thus I find myself asking the same questions a few times. I've been ensured that I'm doing fine, and that this is typical of a new supervisor. I expect to have it all licked soon enough though, though not by my choice. I've yet to get enough training, and already I'm expected to pull registers, and do checkout tomorrow. (Pulling registers is easy...and I have SOME of checkout down, but there's so much to remember that I have a lifeline already preparing for my half-dozen phone calls.)

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So, it's been a few days since I wrapped my arms around Coffee Guru, and it must be said that I'm going through withdrawal symptoms. Between his schedule and mine, and the additional barrier of me not having a car, it's hard for us to find time to spend together. Particularly this week. The future is looking bright though, as I have some time off coming up soon. (FINALLY! I say this because I've been busting my bottom at work a LOT these past two weeks.)

Anyway, I'm hoping for at least dinner with him soon. I miss his puppy eyes, and 'disco pout' lips.

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I can't believe how the leaves are changing, and how crisp and cool the air has become here in the keystone state. I absolutely adore autumn, and I really haven't had a lot of time to absorb it other than a few brief hikes.

Speaking of hiking, that leads me to my next thought -> camera battery. Ha! The battery for my Sony Mavica digital camera has finally bitten the dust totally, and I got a generic version on eBay for like 12 bucks (including shipping). What a buy! It hasn't arrived yet, but I hope it works out well, because the brand name version would cost nearly a hundred dollars! That's a hundred dollars I don't have right now. Another thing to think about is future availability of floppy discs. They seem to be a dying breed, but my camera is awesome, and uses these stoneage image savers, so "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!".

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I've made some changes to the blog, as you can probably tell. I'm thinking of reinstalling haloscan, but I keep forgetting to do so. OMG! I just thought of something..........I have to approve comments! OK, all better. Jude and Rhonda, your comments have been approved. Hahaha!

In any case...what was I saying? Oh YEAH - the new blog design! It's basically the same design, but I added an autumnal/earthy touch to the color scheme, and added a photo of the month week section.

About this week's photo:

Dont worry -- it won't always be mushrooms! I promise you! (Somehow I get the sense that nobody reading this has the same mycophagist infatuation with fungi as I do!) In any case, this first week's photo is that of the Golden Scruffy Collybia mushroom Cyptotrama asprata.

Golden Scruffies are among my favorite mushrooms for a few reasons. To begin with, who can resist looking at a beautiful golden mushroom, especially one that grows on the color contrasting dark, wet, decaying wood. Secondly, the gills are pretty unique to most other "gilled" mushrooms as they are loose and wide-gapped. (Wide gapped...kind of like my teeth in the front!) Also, it's found from southern Canada to Florida -- only as far west as the Midwest, and can be found sprouting from May to October. (Some mushrooms have an extremely small "season".)

The photo at hand was taken in the small wooded ridge behind my house a couple weeks ago. At the time there were just a few colored leaves beginning to fall, so I grabbed one, plucked the collybia from their home (leaving others to leave their spore) and placed them on the leaf for added interest. I think it turned out well!

Take care, and wish me luck...tomorrow's the first NIGHT I'm being left ALONE as a shift supervisor, and this entails a lot of responsbility. I just know checkout is going to be a problem, but there's no using in standing back and fearing it. I'm going to dive right on in and amble through as best I can for now.

Later gatorz,

Love, hugs, and happiness to all.
xxx