More on shoes

I got a bonus from my spiffy new job. So I went searching for boots that I like and are comfortable. Sadly, it is not boot season.

In searching shoe departments, I did find a pair of shoes I like. Merrell's barefoot line. Kinda strange. Very thin soles. Intended to be worn without socks. They are intended for much the same purposes as the Vibram five fingers. They should change the way I walk, change the impact on my knees and hips. I am kinda looking forward to the change.

I think these are my new summer sneakers.

Jobs

I have been talking to several of my friends about their jobs. How do their interactions with their boss go? Is there a yearly or quarterly review? Commute to work? How many hours do they really spend AT work each day?

These conversations make me love my job. My boss is really nice. Clear on priorities, but not naggy. No reviews at all. Nonexistent commute. I spend a day every other week with my college roomie (with the 4 hour drive). I work too many hours, but... Really, i LOVE my job.

This week I did two extremely fun things. They would sound geeky if I tried to describe them. But fun things rock!

The rest of my August is going to be crazy. Travel and teaching.

Life tool for cats and marriage

Sometimes we learn useful things in the oddest places.  Twenty-something years ago I was trapped in an RV with my parents making our way across... Well, who knows.  It was one of many long drives in those years.  My father liked to listen to radios or tapes, and on this particular trip was listening to a (now familiar-sounding) taped male voice give life advice.  The speaker had clear opinions about women.  He felt that women belonged in the home, taking care of the children while the menfolk went out and earned the money.  I managed not to grind my teeth at the time.  Prejudiced pig. 

Still, he said something that I still remember.  He told wives that when they knew their husband was coming home to freshen up.  A little makeup, something like that.  Clean, freshen up the children.  Greet the husband at the door. Don't start with problems.  Don't start with complaints, don't list the things the children need to be punished for.  Give him a chance to come in, be greeted, relax, take off his tie.

Ok, putting aside the gender roles, he did have a point.  It was a point I forgot for years as I was not in a relationship, but still... 
A year or so ago I spent an hour or more almost every day visiting with my neighbor's cat.  A while back my neighbor and I were discussing why his shy cat seems to respond to me better than other visitors my neighbor sends her way.  He hypothesized that I come through a different door, make different noises.  I told him, "Oh, no! I greet her when I walk through the door!  I talk to her as I walk around the house.  She just recognizes my voice."  Hmmm... "So, kinda like I greet her when I walk in the house?", he asked.  "It seems to make her happy."  Yep. I totally agree.

For most of the sixteen years of my marriage, if I am home before my husband and he comes home, I run to greet him at the door. I do this even if he left only 10 minutes before.  I married a chameleon, so he does it to me, too.  It feels nice when I come home, though I sometimes have mixed feelings about the Hobbes-style to his greetings.

But for a lasting positive relationship, with cats or significant others... A solid and consistently positive greeting is a step in the right direction.   Good relationship advice?  That was it from me.