house arrest / the blog


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name. liz maryland

age. 36

location. brooklyn, new york city

occupation. graphic & web designer; programming dabbler

beliefs. uncertain at the moment

disposition. depends

humor. sarcastic

attraction. geeks; tattoos; smart motherfuckers

relationship. happily married and raising a menagerie

social. extroverted introvert

status. freaky geek

habits. workaholism, cynicism, self-doubt, self-love, shameless devotion to friends, singlemindedness

Curious? Find out a little more about me.

at my wedding
october 2005 - broolyn, nyc

scrapbook archives

Like me enough to want to buy me something? Well, here are a couple of things I want...

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	12/21/2005 1:04:10 PM the kindness of strangers yesterday, i avoided the transit strike by telecommuting – which the ny times cynically defines as “a technological term referring to watching tv with the computer on.” (seems like sour grapes on that reporter’s part to me…) now, i agree that i was probably not as productive as when i’m sitting at my desk but i was, in fact, actually working. i participated in a few conference calls and since our company has an awesome intranet with remote desktop access, i could actually do more than seem busy and be frustrated. i felt bad, though, because other people managed to make it to work from central brooklyn. one of my co-workers has had the flu for close to a month. although she had every right to stay home, she dragged herself out of bed and onto the cold streets where she found that her area had express buses still in operation. (aside: this morning her commute was much more difficult as everyone had discovered that this particular bus line existed and were trying to use it to get to manhattan.) still, i felt pretty helpless and didn’t have a clue as to how i was going to cope with this emergency. my neighborhood is still largely unknown to me and i don’t know all the ways and means of getting around. i’m not particularly close to any of my neighbors so i felt uncomfortable asking any one for advice. then add mark being away in hamsterdance, and several animals requiring my care and feeding to the stress. i didn’t want to take any chances. instead i spent my time researching my options. i went to the ny times, ny1, cbs, abc… i discovered that there were several commuter van services in operation, but fuckifiknew how to find them. meanwhile, my boss kept asking me what plans i was putting in place to get to work.working with a co-worker that lives two blocks away netted me a ride to work for thursday and friday but i was shit out of luck for wednesday morning. so this morning i woke up with no clear plan and i was dreading trying to find a way into work. i dragged my feet, taking my sweet time getting ready. i toyed with calling in sick, since i actually do have the beginnings of a cold. but i felt guilty and just worked at motivating myself. i had not been able to arrange for a car service nor find out where the commuter vans stopped. my barely formulated plan was to walk along eastern parkway in hopes of finding a cab to share with the worst case scenario being that i had to walk over the brooklyn bridge. i bundled up as warmly as i could, donning thermal underwear, two pairs of socks, leg warmers, a thick sweater and pants and my handknit sweater. i felt like the stay-puft marshmallow man by the time i had put my coat on but i figured that at the very least i would be warm. i didn’t have any cash on me so i decided to walk to the nearest atm in case a taxi ride was in my future. as i trudged along a woman in a car hollered to me “are you going to midtown?” i stopped and walked over, because i couldn’t hear her through my earmuffs. i noticed that there were three people in the car. she was a well-dressed african american woman traveling with a young caucasian man and an older african american man. it took me a minute to realize that she was offering me a free ride to work. she had picked up the young man in the back and needed a fourth in order to get into manhattan. she even picked up a young woman headed towards the williamsburg bridge although she had the required number in her car already. she didn't take any offers of money -- this truly was a mitzvah on her part. sometimes new york really and truly amazes me. link \| comments on "the kindness of strangers "



	12/20/2005 3:47:18 AM transit strike through the miracles and marvels of modern technology, i am working remotely today. the transit strike is on and i have a) no idea how i'd be getting to work and b) no idea how i'd be getting back. add a dog that needs caring for and a husband that is in amsterdam until thursday and you can understand why i'd prefer not to risk being stranded in manhattan. still, it's only my third week on the job and i feel hugely guilty for this. oh, and let's not mention how i feel about the transit workers' union right now. while they may deserve some of what they are asking for, they have none of my sympathy at the moment. link \| comments on "transit strike"



	12/13/2005 2:08:14 AM morning person i am not, nor have i ever been, a morning person. i'm not chipper, cheerful or even remotely friendly upon waking. mark likens the process i go through as evolution. i lie in bed like a slug, turn into a dinosaur and snap at anything near me, fly out of bed, etc. this new job has me pulling some pretty incredible hours, though. it's 5 am and i'm finishing my first cup of coffee and getting ready to leave the house at 5:45. it is deathly cold out and still, i am raring to go. link \| comments on "morning person"



	12/7/2005 3:45:38 AM crazy busy week up at 5:30 am. bed by midnight. i'll have an update later in the week or perhaps this weekend when i've slept. link \| comments on "crazy busy week"



	12/2/2005 4:05:36 AM tgif been a long but good week. i'm starting to get settled but i'm a long way from being in place. still... harcore corporate america is a bit of a change for me. i need to buy at least two more suits and more dressy clothes as i don't have enough. i'm planning to do that this weekend but it seems like mark and i have tons to do. i need to pick up holiday cards, mail out the thank yous from the wedding and we have a party to go to. i can't see ho shopping will fit in. and... for the next two weeks i'll be pulling an 8 am - 9 pm shift. i volunteered for it because i feel that it's my job. i'm just not looking forward to the early part is all. link \| comments on "tgif"



	11/30/2005 3:52:41 AM first couple of days i'm adjusting to the new schedule. getting up early. getting home earlier. but still... old habits die hard, i went to bed well past midnight last night. i was on the phone with sherine, telling her about the new gig. when i realized the time, i was quite chagrinned. i should have been in bed by 11 and it was mark's birthday. i'd basically left him alone most of the night since he wasn't feeling very celebratory. he doesn't make a big fuss about his big day and this year he wanted to keep it remarkably low key. but, i realized, far too late, that he was waiting for me to stop gabbing so that we could go to sleep. old habits. this is all going to take some getting used to. link \| comments on "first couple of days"



	11/29/2005 4:14:48 AM no phones, no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury... working at the new place is like being in a virtual dead zone. im is blocked as is external e-mail. the building must be made of lead or something because i have NO cell phone reception. all the means i have to keep in touch with mark when he is overseas are currently not functional. my co-worker has a t-mobile sidekick which works inside the building so guess what i will be upgrading to as soon as i get a paycheck... link \| comments on "no phones, no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury..."



	11/28/2005 4:24:03 AM first day today is my first day at the new gig. i am equal parts apprehensive and excited. i have heartburn that would beat the band. i have yet to wade through the six tons of paperwork they gave us. i am concerned about money as mark's job owes him 1 1/2 months' pay and i don't know when i will get a check again. i am dreading wearing a suit in winter. i am moving on up, so to speak, and paying the price accordingly. link \| comments on "first day"



	11/22/2005 9:54:19 AM drug test yesterday i went to my new employer to complete some forms. i can't remember the last time i signed so many forms, agreements, disclosures, etc. it felt like i was completing paperwork for a mortgage or something. after a half hour of whirlwind form-filling, i had to go to get a drug test, fingerprinted and have my i.d. photo taken. now i have to wait for my pre-employment checks to clear. i know i have nothing to worry about, but still... i'm a little anxious waiting for the results. i should -- barring something entirely unforseen -- be starting my new job next monday. link \| comments on "drug test"



	11/20/2005 8:08:36 AM tin roof. busted. mark and his friend, one of his groomsmen at our wedding, were in an old, funky bar with a tin roof. tin roof equals no cell phone reception. i know there is always a logical reason but once my anxiety starts, i cannot control it. it spins off out of control all on its own. link \| comments on "tin roof. busted."




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