Tech writer's rant

1. Spellcheck. It's not an option.
2. No, you cannot use the return key (creating new paragraphs) to create double-spaced documents. There are several much easier ways to do this in Word or any other reputable word processing software (Google Docs, Lotus Notes, anything). This not only make the document necessarily longer, using more paper when printed and irritating any discerning reader, it also creates headaches when converting to Adobe pdf and trying to make it 508-compliant, accessible to screen-readers everywhere.
3. Not everything is "Body Text." Styles were created for a reason. Use them.
4. If you are going to deviate from the set MS standard styles, please use your own new style consistently. If you start one section on a new page, start the next section on a new page too. If you number using a "A-1" style in the footer, don't use a "A.1" in the document.
5. When creating numbered lists, do not include use punctuation at the end item UNLESS every item in the list is a complete, COMPLETE sentence. For those unfamiliar with complete sentences, let me refresh your memory: a complete sentence includes a noun, a subject and a verb.
6. Please, please use underlining and bold and italics judiciously. These are for infrequent use. If more than 1/8 (13%) of your document (excluding headings) is underlined, italicized or in bold it's time to rewrite. All 66 pages cannot be the most important thing in the document. I agree, there are excellent reasons for using emphasis. But a reader starts feeling irritated when everything in the document is emphasized.
7. Please do not use tabs or spaces to center text on the page.
8. If you have to hand create a table of contents in MS Word 2003 or later, then you are not creating documents correctly. There is an automated function to make the whole thing easier for everyone, especially me.
9. Just because something looks nifty doesn't make it easy to read.
10. Just because something needs to hold water legally doesn't mean it needs to be incomprehensible to anyone except a lawyer.
11. If it doesn't sound like it makes sense, it probably doesn't make sense.

Book Hill Park Garden

Georgetown, Washington, DC

The White House Garden Tour

I was THAT close to the White House. Thanks to a friend of Mari's (thanks Mashari!) there were two tickets to the White House garden's annual viewing. Merissa and Samantha both had to work today at 3pm. Merissa drove downtown with me but then felt the pressure to get to work and completely missed the tour (the line was ridiculously long!). Luckily I met up with Mashari and Jesse and I didn't have to be completely alone.

The play toy looked kinda fun.

Aren't we completely darling? Janet, Me and Mashari. I just wish Merissa could have been there. It would have been the complete Bible study crew.
Mashari came up with the fantastic pose. It really was amazing to see something to iconic to the US and be so completely closeup.
Wisteria is in bloom.
The view on the South lawn. I don't think I would like being so penned in as President of the US, and be followed everywhere. But I would totally take the house.

The azaleas are definitely in bloom all over DC right now.
Mari wanted a picture with the guys and the big guns. They were not kidding around.
The tree the Eisenhower planted. Some president's definitely got a kick out of planting lots of new trees.

Update on the move to a more healthy Malia

So I am not sure there has been any substantive weight change since I started last Tuesday night. I have until Wednesday morning before I start demanding a refund. But I have noticed that the focus on portion controls, and not really having much option but to eat less food as well as just having a more defined meal (its all there, I don't need to/get to add anything) have helped me a lot. I am still adding a few extras (double-bubble anyone?) mostly drinks. This weekend I ate a 2nd "dinner" of a salad (blue cheese and dressing and apples, mmm good). Saturday I ate well until I substituted dinner I didn't want for a large piece of pizza. And Sunday I ate brunch with Merissa and Samantha and had pancakes for lunch and then steak dinner with Rebecca and Steve.
So I am not totally with the Diet-To-Go program . . . But I added plenty of exercise yesterday when Merissa's dog, Clyde, decided "off-lead" meant "totally gone." Roughly an hour and a half later (my phone was dying and I was too stressed to pay attention to the time) a lovely couple who had grabbed the triumphant hunter/hound dog who was barking and circling a dead deer carcass. Clearly it was the biggest animal Clyde had ever seen. I think he was rather proud of himself for finding it. He was not at all repentant for the stress. My cute little black flats will never be the same. Kelly and I circled the nature reserve several times trying to find Clyde. Ironically the dog who really needed the long walk was Clyde, but Kelly and I sure were the ones to get it!

Sweet potato

Apparently sweet potato fries mean different things to different people

Today is pink dress day

I have so far seen 5 girls on the bus today wearing pink dresses
including myself. All patterned and interesting. But still same shade
if pepto-bismal pink that I am wearing. I should have worn a black
dress. Then I could fit in with the super old ladies on the bus, three
of whom are wearing black dresses too.

Taking radical action on health

I am giving up food choice and eating out, for week at least. I officially order this thing called Diet-To-Go. Pre-made meals, fresh ingredients, limited calorie intake. Its an effort to be as healthy (and happy) as I possibly can. There is no reason for me to have a slightly elevated cholesterol or to feel less that happy with my current shape. Especially when it is essentially just a choice to over indulge in food that is getting me in trouble. Plus, this has the added advantage of being cheaper than my current eating out habit (thanks Merissa and Mashari).

So keep me in your prayers and thoughts. I pick up the meals tomorrow afternoon and start with dinner. Should be interesting. And hopefully fun!