End of Year MeMe - Courtesy of my SiL

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Started graduate school.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
 The same resolution I make every year Pinky...try to take over the world!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
 work friends
4. Did anyone close to you die?
 My Pawpaw
5. What countries did you visit?
 England
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
 an MBA degree
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
 December 18, the day I got in a car wreck.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
 Getting a new job.
9. What was your biggest failure?
 Not putting myself out there more
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
 Sprained my ankle for the bajillionth time and now more than 8 weeks later, I still don't have full range of motion back. Going to the doc soon.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
 Wii!!!!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
 My niece
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
 Our Congress
14. Where did most of your money go?
 Bills
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
 Playing Wii against my brother!
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
 Gimme More - the tragedy of Brit Brit
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
 Happier, same and poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
 Enjoyed the moment
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
 Traveled
20. How did you spend Christmas?
 In Florida with family
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
 With my cat Beckham who has moved from being called "the Terrorist" to now being called "Little Man"
22. What was your favorite TV program?
 Life
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
 I hate my car insurance company
24. What was the best book you read?
 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
 How much I miss satellite radio
26. What did you want and get?
 To have my mom come for Thanksgiving and get to know my niece
27. What did you want and not get?
 Can't say a single thing
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
 The Bourne Supremacy - the best trilogy ending ever
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
 I had dinner by myself at my favorite Thai restaurant
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
 Spending more time at home
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
 Wear pink or die!
32. What kept you sane?
 Phone calls to mom
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
 Daniel Craig & Jason Statham
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
 Too many to name
35. Who did you miss?
 My mom
36. Who was the best new person you met?
 My new work friends - they are really awesome people
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: The reality of the karmic boomerang and being able to witness its impact on someone else.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. What if I say I'm not like the others? What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays. You're the pretender. What if I say that I'll never surrender?

Wii Wii Wii - all the way home!

Just got back from a fun Christmas with the family in Florida. My adventure started by leaving the lovely Midwest in a snow storm from hell - we weren't sure I was going to make it. I thought for sure I was going to end up spending the holidays at the Econo Lodge next to the airport! But low and behold I made it.

I got to spend some time getting to know my niece again. The last time I saw her was in April. She is now 14 months going on 16. She is hilarious and a bit of a dare devil. No real talking yet, but she sure can give you the "what for" if she doesn't like what you are doing!

I'd been thinking about getting a Wii for a while and haven't been able to find one. I had no idea that my brother and SiL had one. It is AWESOME! My mom played the bowling game and kicked butt! Hilarious! So I found one on eBay, thanks to my SiL and I am in love with the tennis game and the boxing game. Talk about breaking up a sweat! I think my next purchase will be the Dance Dance Revolution game - I'm totally obsessed!

The car drama with Martha hasn't really ended. Thus far the service I have received from my insurance company has been lackluster at best. An independent appraiser who missed the damage to my front end. I've been passed around to three different adjusters who all say something different about my claim. Getting them to authorize and reauthorize my rental car has been the biggest hassle. And now the rental car company, who picks you up, seriously sucks.

Prior to leaving for the holidays, I had a car that they gave me with no air in the tires and a car alarm that kept going off for no reason. Lovely. So when I returned it the kid said we'll upgrade you for free on your next rental. HA! He never put it in my account. So when they came to get me today in the most ghetto hoopdie-mobile you have ever seen (so dirty inside it was disgusting), I said, I'm supposed to be upgraded. They said, no record of that. So I pitched a fit. I am so tired of having to be a bitch to get what I want/need/deserve. But I'm so not going to take it anymore (that's right, I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!). I'm tired of being shit on. So, I got upgraded. Not that I'm in some flipping Caddy mind you, but at least I'm not in a car that looks like it's been through the ringer.

After speaking with the body shop it looks like Martha is ahead of schedule and I may be able to get her back by the end of the week!! Woot Woot! Now I get to move on to the continued hassle of the insurance company, a criminal court date to see if the kid will pay up and then potentially on to a civil case. Happy New Year to me!

Car Talk

I was in an accident on the way home from work this evening. I'm driving southbound on a four-lane interstate in the second to far left lane and some guy cut in front of me from the far left lane and then slammed on his brakes. So I slammed on my brakes and hit him and the kid behind me slammed into my car. Ba bam! Then the guy in front of me took off after I hit him! And joy of all joys, the kid behind me is driving without insurance. My car is not totalled but definitely not drive-able. So my tow truck driver gave me a ride home - actually as he was hitting on me the whole time, I'm sure he would have been happy to really give me a ride home. ;-)

So now I'm car-less. How bizarre is that? I feel trapped. Because I clearly was going to go somewhere tonight, not. But it's the fact that I can't go anywhere if I wanted to now. Also, the rental car companies in town are apparently suffering from a shortage and aren't sure I will be able to rent a car...there are no buses in middle America! And because I'm a flipping GENIUS, this is the first time in months that I didn't bother to bring my laptop home with me.

Sigh...it all could have been much worse. No one was hurt and it was an accident. At least I was not at fault. I'm sure I'll never be able to track the kid down his hit me from behind. Out of state tags and no insurance. Yeah right! Like I'll ever see him again. I have a court date for February - COURT!!! I've never been to court. Never been to jury duty. The policewoman who came to the scene was SO nice. I was so glad to get her and not some jerky hard-ass.

And who knows, maybe I'll get free tows for life now. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay - have to spread the joy of this amazing new game. I was listening to NPR the other morning and this guy came up with this really cool vocabulary game while helping his son study for the SATs. Every time you guess the correct meaning of a word (you get four choices) the website donates 20 grains of rice through the United Nations to countries in need! It is the most addictive game AND you are donating to a worthy cause! In this time of year when we are constantly being asked to give (wish they would spread it out more) this is a really fun way to actually learn something AND give back! www.freerice.com

PS~I got up to level 41 and have donated over 2,000 grains of rice. So far the website has donated over 9 billion grains of rice!

Shovel It!

The first snow of the season, well the first real storm of the season, hit today. While my Mom was here it did snow, but it was hardly any snow at all and none of it stuck. Today, we got 3 inches and it stuck. I was able to leave work a bit early and get home to shovel the drive while it was still daylight.

I was to go to one of those pay parties tonight and needless to say, I'm happy that the weather gave me a good excuse to not go. I like the girl who was throwing it, but I hate the fact that you feel guilted into buying even if they say you don't have to. This time of year is so out of hand with so many people asking for money whether it's the fricking girl scouts, pay parties or the fundraising done for very worthy causes - I'm tapped out! Hell, every time I go to the grocery, I'm hit up to donate there too. I'm going to make a t-shirt that say, I've donated my share!

I was so wishing it was Friday today. I'm sure I'm alone in that wish. I have a new appreciation for my car Martha. I easily forgot how much I dreaded driving my old car Suzy in bad weather. I only remember all the bells and whistles I've given up with Martha. But after today, driving in the snow, Martha wins. I had such trouble with Suzy and her so-called traction control that I felt like never really worked, my tires had trouble getting purchase and I was so afraid I would spin out or roll down a hill as it was a stick shift. While the roads weren't horrid, they were pretty slick and icy and driving Martha home was nice. No issues, no annoying "slip" light yelling at me. So...I'm not saying I've change my mind completely, but she has really come up a few notches in my book today.

I would also like to say how thankful and happy I am that two of my family members who had medical procedures this week, each went well and had good results. A friend of mine lost 3 of her family members in a head on collision the weekend after Thanksgiving. To quote Hill Street Blues, let's be careful out there. Be extra careful, especially in the bad weather.

Holiday Parties

The dreaded company holiday party is tonight and I don't want to go. None of my direct colleagues are going for a variety of reasons, and the other teams going are quite clichy. The party is far from my house and although we didn't really get the bad weather everyone thought we were in for, I still don't want to go. Okay, truthfully, I'm being a baby. I don't want to go by myself. These types of parties are only fun if you have someone to bring with you - it's always Noah's Ark, everyone showing up in two-by-twos.

I really don't feel well either. I've been fighting off a cold for what seems like the last month. I've been Zicam'ing and Benedryling myself to death. Yesterday it seemed like I was having a sneezing fit every 15 minutes. So essentially I've talked myself out of going to the company party. I'm a wuss, that's right.

I also have a ton of schoolwork to catch up on. Also the last thing I want to do on earth.

Just feeling puny and lame. Oh well, back to the grind.

Perpetrated by the man

Okay - seriously, Marie Osmond in the finals for Dancing with the Stars? And what a crap finale it was in general! Her doll routine creeped me out! Goes to show you how the fans can totally change the outcome of any show.

My econ course is kicking my ass. I've bombed 3 out of the first 4 quizzes. But apparently I'm not alone - the rest of my classmates are averaging about the same. My professors advice, you ask? Yes, read the text 3, count 'em - 3, times AND complete the study guide and then you might be ready to take the quiz!!! I am not a full-time student! I have a full-time fricking job! Who the hell has time to read a textbook 3 times?!! THEN do a full-on study guide to take a quiz that's questions aren't remotely similar to the study guide!!! ARE YOU HIGH?! SERIOUSLY?!

Now I'm having connectivity issues and my entire coursework is done ONLINE. I can't have connectivity issues. And they have nothing to do with accessing the internet - I can't access the damn school's webpages. Annoying and it's totally freaking me out if the help desk can't fix it!

So I haven't really gotten into any of the new shows and since the writers are on strike I guess it really doesn't matter now anyway. One shows concept that I really like is Samantha Who. I haven't watched it, but I love the starting over, clean slate concept. That is the only thing I miss about moving almost every year of my life growing up. I could always start over. Although at the rate that I keep changing companies, I suppose it's the same thing.

The only show I'm super excited about is the new tattoo show, London Ink. I keep contemplating getting a third and fourth tattoo...I'm just such a wuss about the pain. It always amazes me, watching the shows and people just lay there and have normal conversations while getting stabbed over and over and over again like it's no big deal. Besides, half of the places I'd like to get one are not possible as I work for the man! It's a conspiracy, C.O.N...spiracy! (Super bonus points if you can remember where that came from!).

The Road Never Traveled

I often ponder about what I would do if I won the lottery. I have all these thoughts of being altrusitic - to a point - and then thinking I would travel. That it would be fun to buy one of those monster RVs and roadtrip. Who am I kidding? My Mom made it safely back home after a long 12 hour drive from my home to hers. I've driven that stretch as well and it is not fun. I remember thinking that roadtrips were fun, but in reality, they aren't. If you drive the "scenic route" you aren't going to get anywhere quickly and if you drive the interstate you aren't going to see anything at all. However, that drive between us is a bit of both the so-called scenic route and interstate and yet you still see nothing. It's a horribly long drive to do by yourself. At least Mom had her dog Coco with her - who too got tired of the road. Doing a trip like that is so not fun if you are by yourself. So, I'm going on record, if I win the lottery, no RV and no road trips. And who am I kidding, I never want to leave my house anyway, why would that change with money? I would become a full-time hermit, surrounded by a TON of stuff.

I don't like my new car Martha. She's perfectly acceptable, but I don't like her. She's boring, hence her name Martha - she's typical, she's usual, she's bland. I know I can be a bit (okay, a lot) snobby about many things, but previously I never really cared what I drove. Sure I envied the really nice cars, but I knew they were out of my league and that was okay. My first new car ever was Suzy and I got just about ever bell and whistle possible with her that goes with all the really fancy cars, yet in my price range. I know I did the right thing for my daily sanity during my commute, but I don't like my car.

Speaking of being snobby, I've decided that I only want to shop at the expensive snotty grocery store. The produce is so much better when compared to other grocerys as well as they have really amazing cheeses and deli products. Sure, I may have to skip a mortgage payment to continue to shop there, but at least I will be well fed when I lose my house and become homeless.

Thankful

I know it's been quite some time since I wrote. I'm not feeling inspired or clever these days. I've been so crazy busy with work and school, I've been coming home and falling on my face into bed. Sometimes not even making it to bed. The other day, I fell asleep on the sofa and could barely wake up enough to crawl into bed.

My Mom has been here for the week and I couldn't really take much time off to be with her. It doesn't even feel like we've had any time together at all. She brought her "grandbaby dog" Coco with her which has been interesting as the boys have never been around a dog before. Coco hasn't exactly endeared herself to my boys either. Her only frame of reference is my Pawpaw's dog, Buddy, who went to my Mom after Pawpaw passed away. Buddy is very aggressive. Coco has therefore become a bit aggressive as well as only really wants to play chase - to chase and to be chased. Cats don't chase. The first couple of days the boys hid out in my room. Schmoopie and Little Man don't really like each other, but I think have bonded in solidarity against Coco. The boys were so scared at first they just hid. Now, they are still hiding out in my room, however, when Coco goes back in there, they hiss and growl back at her - I don't want to think about where things would progress to should Mom stick around much longer.

The video I added is what I imagine my boys doing in my room - discussing ways to enact revenge on Coco.



I just finished my Business Law class last week. I have been disappointed with the courses I've been taking and haven't really felt like I've been learning anything. This last class, law, really epitomized that feeling. I was traveling pretty heavily over the entire course and didn't have a lot of time to invest in the class and so the quality of work I produced was the worst I have done thus far and yet I still got an "A". What does that say to me? That it doesn't matter what I do as long as I do "something" and I will still get an "A". Everyone in my class gets "A"s. It's so ridiculous that we are graded on what seems to be solely on participation and not quality of work. I've started Econ...can't wait until next year, I'm done in October of next year.

How Nerdy Are You?

I'm BAAACK

I'm finally home. My trip was filled with the usual stupid travel woes, however, it all ended on a high note by being upgraded to B-class on the way back from London to D.C. (I had to connect to North Carolina). There is something so civilized about flying business class. It was so pleasant. I was even in a middle seat - but who cares in business class? I actually slept most of the way home. How can you not when you can actually stretch out and prop your legs up? It was lovely.

I'm so happy to be home. There is nothing like it. Of course, I manage to get sick this weekend. I woke up Saturday sneezing my head off and went downhill pretty quickly. Thanks to some mainlining Zicam, Benedryl and Advil PM, I woke up feeling pretty good. Took a nap today - what a treat. There is nothing like getting good sleep. I'm so old. Everyone has said it: you know you are old when all you talk about is how great sleep is compared with how you used to talk about how awesome partying was.

My ankle is getting better slowly but surely. Having to walk so much in London didn't help that much. Couldn't really stay off of it. But Friday afternoon, my friend GJB, came to visit me and we went to see a play, Avenue Q. Of course, as GJB would say, we end up sitting next to the "nutter", who talked and sang the entire play. The play itself was okay. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Frankly it was a bit creepy for someone who grew up on Sesame Street - Avenue Q is muppets and people interacting in "real life". It was the muppet sex that really threw me. Creepy and icky. Scarred for life, first we find out that Snufflelupgus is real and now muppets are having sex? What's next? Bert and Ernie come out of the closet?

After the creepy play, we went and had Korean food, something I can't get in my town. It was yummy and fun. Then we must have walked the entire city. I can't get over the weather we had while I was there. Every time I've been to London it's been grey and rainy. It was beautiful sunshine and about 65 degrees. I was walking around in jeans and a sweater. There was a possibility that I was going to go back at again at the end of this month, but that's not happening. I'm happy on the one hand, on the other, GJB was going to come back down and he was going to take me outside of London for the first time to Hampton Gardens and other places. Oh well, next time.

I'm currently avoiding doing my homework. I'm sick of school. I'm hating my current class - business law - which is over this Friday. Then I get to start the exciting economics class on Saturday - you know you are jealous.

I'm so ready for a holiday. I can't wait for turkey day. My mom is coming up - should be interesting as she's bringing her dog Coco with her. My cats are not going to be happy. Hopefully there won't be any blood drawn on either side.

My techno freak neighbors home is up for sale. They've done a lot of work on it - it looks great. The sign says "coming soon" and the listing is not up on any website yet. I hope they sell it quickly and for a lot of money. I unfortunately, still have the eyesore home next door to me, once owned by the old man hoarder whose family hasn't done a damn thing about it in three years. It is ridiculous to have a home sit empty that long.

Schmoopie has done nothing but sleep since I got home. It's almost as if he didn't sleep the entire time I was away. Little Man, aka the Terrorist, has matured hence his new nickname. He's mellowed out quite a bit - makes me very happy. He still likes to play and use the house as his obstacle course, but he now occasionally joins us in the living room and hangs out and likes to cuddle a lot more. I need to take some photos of them.

So nothing new in my life. Just can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving. A lot has happened in the last couple of years. This January I will have been here 7 years and in my home for 5 years with 3 companies and 4 jobs. I never would have predicted how happy I am to be here and that I would have lived here for this long.

Feeling Puny

I've been feeling sorry for myself since I took my latest tumble. My ankle is healing faster than I thought it would (knock wood) and I hope to be at least to 75 - 80% by the time I have to leave on Sunday. The nurse at my company clinic said it would take 2 weeks to heal. Nothing I don't already know. I cannot count the number of times I've sprained/twisted my ankles. My only consolation this time around was I don't have my stick shift car anymore, which would have been really painful and diffcult, more so had it been my left ankle, but even with it being my right ankle, driving an automatic isn't that comfortable.

Last night was so much fun. My team at work and I participated in "Trunk or Treat". We created a Spongebob theme and decorated a yellow truck to look like Spongebob's Pineapple under the sea. I dressed up as Spongebob and another team member was Patrick. We won for "Coolest Theme". I think we should have won more categories, but I guess they were just trying to be fair - whatever! Fair Schmair! We gave out Krabby Patty candy and our decorations were so real that kids were asking if they could actually go in our cardboard pineapple facade!

The kids were so hilarious and dressed up so cute. I had the best time handing out candy. Much more fun than sitting at home for the 8 or so kids who come by. Last night was essentially anyone who worked for my company to bring kids by to trick or treat. The only bad part was it was a little cold and I stood for 2 hours on my hurt ankle and didn't realize it until the waves of kids died down and then I thought I was going to die. Stupid. Oh well, it was worth it. We won $100 and a huge bucket of candy - and it was a lot fun.

I also got out of the volunteer thing for Saturday night. I just knew after last night there was no way I could stand in black tie and work a registration desk all night. Luckily they were very nice about me bailing at the last minute.

All I really want to do is sleep. I just want to sleep the entire weekend away and do nothing. No such luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six Things About Me (because it's all about me, you know)

1. In spite of the fact that I no longer mow my own lawn due to the amount of travel I do for my job, I actually like mowing the lawn. It's instant gratification. Plus I like to try to make different patterns in the grass. I hate raking leaves and shoveling snow sucks.

2. I love my cats, however, I absolutely despise it when they clean themselves anywhere near my vicinity. The noise and the constant motion drives me crazy.

3. I was a fashion major. Completely obsessed with clothing from the time I could dress. Now it is my goal and objective to wear pink every day as well as to look at cute as possible - I use work as an excuse to put on a fashion show every day. I lay in bed and contemplate what outfit I will wear the next day. I try to see if I can wear a different pair of shoes every day of the week. It's not difficult when you are starting to rival Imelda Marcos.

4. I hate Thursday evenings because Friday is trash day and I hate dealing with the trash. Plus my trash men are bitchy and won't take everything unless it is all bagged properly. They also seem to relish leaving the bin so close to the street that the slightest breeze will throw it into the street to get run over.

5. I am completely obsessed with Spam and spray cheese. I'm becoming white trash. Just call me Britney, y'all.

6. I love ironing. My mother hates it. She hates it so much I don't think she's ever done it. I secretly love it. There is also something quite satifying about it. I am such a domestic goddess. NOT.

No huge revelations, but what can I say, I'm not very exciting lately.

Graceless

Many people name their children after characteristics they want them to epitomize. A guy I worked with named his daughter Grace. My niece's middle name is Grace. I have always wished I was more graceful. I'm a klutz. I fall a lot. So often it was a joke at my old company. I fell down the stairs once in front of my CFO and my friend MM was like, "oh, she does that all the time, no big deal". Which is true.

However, tonight, I fell big time. I have one flipping stair in my house - ONE. I managed to take that step this evening and sprained my ankle the worst I've done in quite some time. For the first few minutes there I thought it was broken. Then I felt like an idiot. A bawling, greatly pained idiot.

I contemplated whether or not to call someone to go to the emergency room, but decided against it. Not that there is a good time for an injury to happen, but this week is particularly bad. I have to participate in Trunk or Treat at work tomorrow night and help build our theme out for the kids. I just realized I signed up to volunteer for my company's huge fundraiser on Saturday night and I fly out to London on Sunday for close to two weeks.

I'm a big honking loser.

Flame Out

Today I went to a work friends house to help her figure out what was wrong with her computer, because clearly I am a computer whiz, not. We met for lunch and then I followed her to her house. As soon as I saw the flags to the entrance of her apartment complex, I knew I had been there before...but I thought, surely she doesn't live in the same complex as one of the last guys I "dated". There are a couple of different complexes you can access via that entrance. Low and behold, we turn the corner and she signals me to park in the only space left on that row which happens to be right next to his truck. Not exactly a person I want to reminisce with over so-called good times. And thankfully I did not have that lovely experience today.

I spent quite a bit of time with work friends this weekend. Friday night I was invited to a bachelorette party by a girl I work with - in honor of someone I don't know. I've been invited to these things before and they are usually pretty sad and pathetic. They are usually for someone new to the city who doesn't know anyone and their finances friends wives / girlfriends end up throwing the party. I thought by the email invite that there were a lot of people invited - like 10 or so...I ended up working late on Friday night and was thinking of bailing but in the end decided to go. Well, it was me, two co-workers and the bachelorette. Four of us! That's it! Had I not shown up it would have been that much more sad and pathetic - well maybe it was more so for my showing up. Anyway, I was only going to stay for dinner, and they convinced me to go to a bar for one drink. So I go, it was still pretty early, so the bars weren't really happening yet. I was practically falling asleep at the table - such a party animal, so I left.

Seriously, if I moved to a city because of my fiance I would not want to have some bachelorette party thrown for me by people I don't know! Then again, if I ever get married - which is highly doubtful, it will be at the JoP or in Vegas by Elvis.

Long Time No Write

I know it's been a while since I've written. I've been on the road traveling quite a bit for work. Between the hours I'm putting in for the job and also school, I don't have much time for anything else. Half the time I feel lucky if I get to eat lunch. I recognize I could probably live off the "fat of the land" without any hardship for quite some time, however, I don't have a minute of downtime.

So my thought-provoking musings are more than likely going to be few and far between over the next 6 weeks or so...go ahead, let it out, you know you can cry in front of me. Actually I'm the one who wants to cry. I just keep thinking if I can make it to the first week in December I'll be okay. It's my light at the end of the tunnel. Then I'm going to sleep forever.

Due to my travel, I haven't been able to play tennis. I really miss it. And the place I play at is outdoor only so I either need to find an indoor place or find a new fun thing to do over the long winter. So, I was thinking I might try ballroom dancing again. Yes, I said again. A few years ago, not long after I moved here, I began taking ballroom dance lessons. It was okay, but if you didn't have a partner it was lame. And of course, I never had a partner. I found a new place that I could take private instructor led lessons...so I may sign up.

I went and got my eyes checked again because I caught myself squinting at the damn laptop at work the other day. Sigh...I am blind as a bat and I can't wear contacts for long periods of time because I have excessively dry eyes - which means I want to claw my eyes out if I have contacts in for longer than 8 hours. So my prescription hasn't changed that much, but just enough that I have to get a new scrip and new glasses.

Because my goal in life is to wear pink every single day of the week and be as cute as humanly possible, I found the funnest pair of new eyeglass frames - check them out! I finally found a place in town that can order them for me - PINK EYEGLASS FRAMES!! Hee! I'm very excited!

4 Tag

I pushed the Easy Button today as I don't have anything to say that is remotely exciting or entertaining.

4 Jobs I Have Had in My Life
1. Gift wrapper
2. Convenience store clerk
3. Showroom manager
4. English as a second language teacher

4 Movies I Can Watch Over and Over
1. Dazed & Confused
2. Love Actually
3. Bell Book & Candle
4. Clueless

4 TV Shows I Like to Watch
1. Survivorman
2. Girls Next Door
3. The Hills
4. Bones

4 Places I Have Been on Vacation
1. China
2. Mexico
3. Canada
4. Thailand

4 Favorite Foods
1. PB&J
2. Chocolate
3. Fried anything
4. Sushi

4 Places I Would Rather Be
1. In bed
2. On holiday any where
3. On sofa
4. Hanging out with my mom

Ramblings...

So the birthday has come and gone, more with a whimper instead of a bang. I celebrated it all week with work friends and personal friends followed by spending the actual day at the spa. Got my hair did and a facial and let me tell you it is tough work getting beautiful. Then went to dinner by myself at my favorite Thai restaurant. Finally passed out on the sofa. I was exhausted.

I love how now that I am 36 and not in a relationship that everyone I know is clearly thinks I am unhappy and must be in a relationsihp. Due to a new job, school and tennis I don't have time to do much else. That is a pretty full schedule and looking for a man / dating is a full time job. I have taken myself off all the online boards because...well...it's all the same people I've seen since I moved here 6 years ago! I'm actually pretty happy. Do I miss having someone to go and do fun activities with - especially certain activities? Sure. But frankly I can't handle anyone for an extended period of time. I need my personal space.

I now have to write yet another term paper. Why is the magic number of pages for a term paper between 8 - 10? Why not 6 - 8? Hell, 2 - 4? Seriously, does my teacher really want to read 15 term papers? I've never understood it. I would rather deal with a group presentation than to have to write yet another term paper.

Perhaps I need a personal assistant to write my term paper for me? Although I've heard what everyone has these days is a "glam squad" which I am clearly in need of...essentially a traveling team of spa people. This is clearly beyond the ubiquitous maid, chef and driver. I seriously do not know how I have been doing it alone for so long now.

My Mawmaw (grandmother to you Yankees) used to say you can have nice things or you can have children and pets. I have pets. Specifically cats. I think Schmoopie has this weird gag reflex that when he gets upset with me he pukes everywhere. I swear it's not due to the occasional hair ball. I woke up this morning to find that of all the places he could hurl all over, he chose my sofa. And of course, by the time I see this, I am running late for work and barely have time to try to clean it up. I have a sofa with slipcovers. Which in theory sounds like a good idea however I will never buy another slipcovered sofa again. The slipcovers are not exactly the easiest things to get on and off as well as you cannot throw them in the dryer as they shrink (learned the hard way)...so I came home tonight to strip the sofa and wash the slipcovers. I'll be lucky if I can get them back on again. And the thing that sucks most of all is the slipcovers cost about 1/2 the cost of the damn sofa if I wanted to replace them! Which I won't be doing...so I'm guessing that side of the sofa will be permanently covered with a throw. Lovely.

Clickity Clock

Commercial of the week, Zycam, it works. So on Saturday I was feeling puny and whiny (I know not much different from most days) and started taking Zycam for my stuffy head and I swear on my cats furry heads that by Sunday morning I was fine! Isn't that crazy?!

So we had our 6 pack weekend and it was a great success. I have to say I particularly enjoyed the process of watching men in little leather underpants with capes run around and kill people - a la The 300. I frankly think that uniform needs to come back into fashion. Women are doing the whole Grecian goddess thing, I think men need to do the Greek god thing. It's only fair.

I had to go to New Orleans on Tuesday for work. I know I've said it before and I'll continue to say it, but I hate flying. I was booked on a new regional jet airline and was a bit trepidatious (is that a word?) about it. I don't like those little regional jets with the one seat on one side and the two seats on the other. However, what this new airline lacked in planes it made up for in service! Service? On an airplane? I know! How revolutionary! Que Surprise! We got FOOD! Not only did we get FOOD, but we got FREE FOOD! It was a morning flight and the flight attendant came around and offered us "breakfast cereal"! "Would you like some breakfast cereal"? "Why yes I would"! I had the nicest, most pleasant breakfast on that flight. I couldn't wait to come back to find out if I would get the same "breakfast cereal". I did not, but instead was offered a yogurt smoothie and a breakfast cereal bar! Seriously, I can put up with a lot if the flight attendant is nice, solicitous and I'm being fed. I will totally fly this airline again.

New Orleans is still quite sad. Two years post Katrina and things are still coming together. It's quite sad. As usual, I was quite lame and didn't want to traipse around by myself, so I took a long bath and passed out on the bed dreaming of staying in a nice hotel with room service - which I was not in. Quite exciting.

So happy to be home. I love being home.

Sniff, Honk Honk!

I'm getting a cold and I'm pissed off about it. I have no idea where this came from and why all of the sudden my entire head is stuffed up, but I'm really ticked off. One of my co-workers was sick this past week and I'm so totally blaming it on her! I hate being sick. Yes, I'm sure the rest of you love it. However, I was the child who got sick all the time. It was during that phase when they wouldn't take your tonsils out even if you were dying, which I was. So I was stuck taking stupid chewable pills because I was too ascared to swallow pills at that time. Lovely memories.

I love it when you tell people you are sick and they ask you what you did. Well...last night, after I took a cold shower, I ran outside naked and rolled in the grass and then went to bed under the fan on high. Gee...I have no idea what I did to deserve a fricking stuffy nose!

I don't have time to be sick and why am I getting a cold just in time for my BIRTHDAY! Annoying!

I was to spend today doing homework...so not motivated. I blame it all on Schmoopie. The minute he lays on me, I have to go to sleep. There is no choice in the matter. Not to mention, he knows I don't feel well, so he's coming over to try to comfort me and because of the nice blankie he makes on me, I immediately fall asleep. So I blame him or I'm simply narcoleptic. I wonder if I could get a job that requires napping. I'm sure my MBA will help me secure that one.

Tomorrow, I'm going to my friend MWs house for our "six pack weekend". We plan on watching a bunch of movies that showcase very fit men in little clothing, such as The 300, Casino Royale (why is it that 007 manages to have his shirt off in just about every scene, yet Mr. Jason Bourne has not done so in the last 2 in the series?!) and Troy with Brad Pitt. I am making my infamous lasagna and we are going to veg out and pig out and ogle men all day. I can't wait.

But now I have to go blow my nose. Honk!

Bears do it in the woods

Please tell me that everyone saw the train wreck that was Britney Spears last night?! OMG! It was like watching a rated R movie with your parents - you want to watch, but you are so embarrassed!




I believe Fall has officially fallen in the Midwest. I walked out of the office this evening at around 6:30pm and it was 61 degree Fahrenheit. Feels really nice. I'm the type of person who likes to sleep when it's cold. I want to sleep in a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up on top of my feather bed cocooned in my down comforter surrounded by at least 6 down pillows. Now it's officially good sleeping weather. What a nice change from the fricking Africa hot triple digit degree temps we had for most of August. Ugh.

My latest reality show that I'm obsessed with is called Survivorman. I know most of you know I'm a complete nerd these days, watching shows like Planet Earth and the Deadliest Catch. The guy who does Survivorman, is thrown into various wilderness conditions for 6 days and 7 nights with no food, water or shelter and has to figure out how to get to civilization. He's like fricking Macgyver for real. He somehow manages to always build a fire. It amazes me, kind of like that movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks. Had that happened to me, I'm so not smart enough to survive. But what I like about the TV show is that this guy is supposed to be some trained professional survivor and yet he constantly makes boneheaded mistakes. I watched one recently where he built his fire too close to his shelter and it caught on fire! He's constantly coming up with creative ways to use trash he's found to make a fishing lure, etc., and he'll forget to bait it. There are some episodes that he doesn't eat for 5 or 6 days. Or he'll eat something truly nasty because it's either that or die. I would throw a massive pity party and lay down and die...or get eaten by a bear. I hope that bear likes Spam, as I have a fondess for it lately.

Spam Musubi

Have you noticed that it's next to impossible to walk into any store like Target, Walmart, or a traditional grocery store without dropping a minimum of $100? And that for some reason the magic price for big ticket items like flat panel televisions or pieces of furniture is a minimum of $1,500? And that's if you are shopping at a discount / off-brand location.

I went to one of the wholesale shopping clubs today. I don't go very often. I'm not really sure I can justifiy the $50 membership for only going once a quarter. I am a single person, do I really need to buy 24 rolls of toilet paper at one time simply to save money?

Speaking of money, recently I decided to invest in one of those robotic kitty litter boxes. I love the fact that I don't have to walk my cats - especially when it's pissing down rain - but I seriously HATE the litter box. Ever since the automatic cleaning boxes came out, I've been skeptical...but I was going to have to buy a new box regardless, and then when the pet store told me I could return it (I know, ew) if the boys didn't like it, I bought it.

Well, who knew the Terrorist was such a baby! He was so scared of the box that I couldn't even get him to go in it! Schmoopie didn't really care one way or the other but the damn thing was a nightmare. Worse than a regular box the mechanism was constantly stopping / starting, not working when it should, getting caught up...I was dealing more with fricking poo with the automatic box than I was before! So this past Saturday, I got rid of the damn thing. What a relief to go back to the regular pooper scooper.

When GJB was visiting, we found a "new" restaurant (I say "new" with quotes as I have no idea how long it's really been there, it's just new to me) called Ohana, Hawaiian BBQ. I've lived in Hawaii. Granted I was 9 and 10 years old, but I have lived there. I wasn't aware Hawaiians had a particular style of BBQ, other than perhaps the big huge pigs they roast during a tourist luau. So clearly we had to try it.

The menu is an odd combination of many Asian dishes, such as your usual Chinese General Tso's, Pad Thai and crab rangoon. Then, comes the weirdness that is Hawaii, the use of Spam. I've never understood Hawaiian's love for the squidgy salty faux meat that is Spam. Everyone used to eat it when we lived there and from what I understand, Hawaiians eat over 60% of the world's Spam. So, in looking at the menu, there is an item called Spam Musubi. Musubi is a type of sushi - usually a large piece of fish is put on top of a bed of rice with seaweed or nori just wrapped in the middle - larger than your average roll or traditional piece of sushi. Clearly, it was a moral imperative that GJB and I try this Spam Musubi (see photo).

Keep in mind, GJB and I lived in Japan for 3 years. We are pretty well traveled and have eaten our fare share of nasty crap. So, we were not expecting to like Spam Musubi, but we wanted the bragging rights to say we ate it. It is now my favorite thing to eat. I LOVE Spam Musubi! Then! I see it on the Today Show on Saturday morning because one of the major cooking magazines is showcasing strange regional dishes such as Kool-pickles (that's right, dill pickles soaked in Kool-aid) and there is Spam Musubi! You can read more about Hawaii's obsession with Spam and Spam Musubi at http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Spam.htm.

Foreigners

My friend, GJB, who I used to teach with in Japan and I haven't seen in 3 years came to visit for the Labor day holiday. He's British and asked me why do we celebrate Labor day...so why do we celebrate Labor day and does anyone really labor on that day? I try to avoid all labor at all times.

We had a fun visit. It's always good to catch up with him and reminisce about our years in Japan. His memory for people and things is so much better than mine! I think because of moving so much while growing up, I tend to wipe the slate clean and start over in each place.

I'm tired though from his visit. We were busy! Thursday night, dinner with friends. Friday night, minor league baseball game (fun!), Saturday the zoo (lame!), Sunday lunch and hung out with more friends (fun!) and Monday shopping and watched DVDs (fun!). I'm not used to having anyone around for that long. He always jokes that I can stand him for more than 4 days, hell, I can't stand anyone for more than 4 days! Clearly the reason I'm still single. Well, that and the chubby factor. Speaking of which, (tangent warning), so idiot fancy pants degree person actually received funding to do a study to find out that gee...men only look for attractive mates and women don't. Didn't know you needed to do some big study to figure that one out! Ridiculous!

Back to GJB - People tend to find him fascinating as he only works enough to save up money to go on holiday. He's been to practically every country in the world and I'm not joking. He's moving back to his parents home to attend an MBA program in their town to then try to get a job as an ex-pat in either Singapore or Korea, just so he can continue to try to save up money to go on holiday.

Here I sit, day in day out, like a hamster on a wheel...work, school. Work, school. Then, when I graduate it will be worse...just work again. I need to win the lottery.

I started tennis lessons again tonight and got moved up to the "advanced beginners". Tonight was lame. We worked on fundamentals - I just want to play! Fundamentals, schmundamentals - boo! I hope Thursday night will be more fun. I'll probably get demoted to the "beginner beginners"...

Who Are These Kids?

I'm sitting here watching the Teen Choice Awards feeling very old. I have no idea who these kids - these new young actors much less the musicians. Crazy that half of them have grown up on TV. Between Disney and Nickelodeon, they are practically starting them from the womb.

I'm going to be 36 next month. I feel old. You know you are sad when you used to brag about how late and often you used to go out, how drunk you got, how many beers you drank and now you brag about how many hours of sleep you get, how awesome your nap was.

All I want to do is lay around on the weekends and do nothing except watch TV, read, play on the computer and sleep. Sleep a lot.

School

I abdicated my throne as team leader for my grad school class. I don't have time to do it anymore. So HW is now the team leader and it will be a rotating team lead position go forward. I'm iritated on a few levels:

1. HW did the schedule of rotating team leads and I have already done it for 5 courses and each of the other team members only have to do 2 classes and they've asked me to do another one. I've done my share, I'm over it.

2. HW sent out the teams assignment matrix and she's proceeded not to read or follow her own damn matrix so I now have to redo my assignment because she did mine by mistake!

3. I'm having a hard time reliquishing control, I know you are all shocked to hear this news.

Okay - enough of my rant.

School Update

In spite of my lack of motivation, I managed to get a 98 in my last course! I've finished my 5th course and am carrying a 4.0. I'm totally psyched about my latest course and hope to continue my streak.

Wish me luck!

Africa Hot

I am now moving into my new class, Managerial Finance. I have had a serious motivation problem with school recently. I'm not even halfway through yet so it seems ridiculous that I feel this way. This time next year I will be in the home stretch. Last night we got our books for the next three classes, which puts us through next year. Scary. The MF class ends in October - October! It's Africa hot here, and I can't even think about October, but it will be here before we know it.

I was in Target today as I had to buy this calculator for my MF class and they already have Halloweenie shirts out! I'm sick of how early the retail industry moves us into the seasons. The fact that Christmas stuff shows up at the end of August is ridiculous! You don't even feel as though you can enjoy the season you are in (although how anyone can enjoy this disgusting heat is beyond me).

For the first time I think I have a normal, realistic professor who isn't going to make me do work for the simple sake of doing it. So ridiculous. We don't even have to attend the last class, when we usually take our final, because he's already posted the finals for us and we can just send it in! I really hope I have this guy for a few other classes as these first few have been so much fricking work - none of which I have felt was valuable.

I have a birthday coming up. I'm usually quite excited about my birthdays. I'm one of those annoying people who has the countdown to my birthday and love being annoying about it. This year I'm going to be 36. I don't feel 36. Not that I know what 36 is supposed to feel like. It's bizarre.

My friend GJB that I used to work with in Japan is coming to visit me over the Labor Day weekend. It should be great fun. I haven't seen him in a few years. He's one of those people who only works enough to go on holiday. I swear, I think he's been to every country in the world - he's even been to both the North and the South pole! In my old job I used to travel globally and could meet him in London which was great fun. The only challenge is my city is very difficult to get around if you don't have a car. GJB hates to drive. He's been in numerous accidents, some while driving and some while riding, and plus he's British so it would all be on the other side of the road. Based upon his last visit here, I know he won't take me up on my offer to take my car. I can't take much time off while he is here because I've used up quite a bit of holiday when my Pawpaw passed away. So there are only a few places I can drop him off to hang out for the day with activities to keep him busy while I have to work.

Last time he was here, he was so funny, we were driving downtown on a Sunday morning and he's like where are all the people. I'm like, in the suburbs. He's like where are the buses, I could just take the bus. I'm like, I've seen them occasionally, but I wouldn't even know where to tell you to wait for a bus much less where that bus would take you.

I hope it doesn't continue to be so fricking Africa hot, especially while he is here...maybe I'll drop him at a movie theater...

Best Television Friends

For a fair portion of my last 6 years I have had jobs where I traveled upwards of 80% throughout the year. Anyone who has never traveled for work has this image that it is SO glamorous. Those of us that have traveled for work realize it's tedious and awful. Throughout my travel, the one constant in my life was CNN, Headline News. No matter where I was around the world, I could still manage to catch Robin Meade and Company on Headline News. They are my best television friends. Robin always makes you feel glad you are watching with her calling card: "morning sunshine".

I have been watching long enough to see friends and foes come and go from the program, however, my friendship with Ms. Meade has been constant. Now, much to my delight, she is sending out a daily newsletter and based upon her writings, I know why we are clearly best television friends! She was a pagent girl who loves peanut butter and wears black on Monday in protest of Mondays! How can you not love her?!

I love waking up to her, Bobby V the weatherman, Jennifer Westhoven the finance girl (who I do like better than the previous chic Carrie Lee who's hair annoyed me), sadly Will Selva my sports guy moved on - yet my previous sports guy Ray D'Alessio is back in his place until they find someone more permanent. Which leads me to my whine: I dislike it when they move my anchors around to other shows or when they leave the show or hell, I can't stand it when Robin is on vacation! Now Christy Paul, her stand-in, is okay, but she's no Robin Meade. I barely made the transition to Will Selva and now he's leaving. One anchor position that I have always hated every permanent anchor has been the entertainment anchor. This has completely bummed me out over the years as it's my favorite type of news. When I first started watching I had to listen to the putz Kendis Gibson who clearly thought he was too good to do entertainment reporting and has since moved on to some host job on a random HGTV show that I think was canceled. Then, I got stuck with the biggest airhead on the planet, Adrianna Costa. She couldn't do her measly 2 minute report without READING from her paperwork and mispronouncing people's names and more! Robin gave her a "Bratz" doll for Christmas this past year claiming it was because it looked just like her - I thought it was a backhanded compliment and that the name of the gift was really indicative of Adrianna's personality. Yet another reason to like Ms. Meade.

These people are my second family. Hell they have been with me longer than most relationships! I have been waking up to Robin and Company for 6 years and I am happy to say to you "morning sunshine".

Term Paper

I have been putting off writing my term paper for school. I don't care. I have the I don't wannas. The paper has to be between 8 - 10 pages. Seriously, that is ridiculously long. Boo!

Anyone want to write it for me?

School should be out for the summer

I'm sick of school. This time next year I'll be in the home stretch of my MBA achievement. Right now, I'm not even seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't like my current instructor. I'm so ready to be done with this crap.

Sigh. Allright, enough. So I'm on a break between tennis lesson sessions. I was hoping to get to play/practice, but lately I've been so busy with school and work evening events, I haven't had time to play. I've been looking for a free court that has a wall so I can practice by myself...haven't found one. I was thinking I could go to the elementary school down the street from me and hit tennis balls off the side of the building...but really I can't wait until lessons start again next week.

When I bought Martha, I gave up my satellite radio. I thought Martha was satellite radio ready, however, I was informed it is satellite "ready". I can the sat radio company and they tell me all I need to do is buy a receiver for $20 and then take the car back to the dealership to install it. So I go to one of the big retailers and talk with the sales kid there and he says, yeah, I can sell you the receiver, but you are going to end up with wires all in your car. You need to get it installed proper from the dealer if you want it done right. I go back to the dealer, and they tell me I need a lot more than just the receiver and it's going to cost me about $1,000. So, now I'm hacked. For $1,000 I can buy a GPS that plays MP3s and gets radio! It just seems like it's always one thing after another that you have to buy piece-meal. Like when I was doing my home renovation, you buy the toilet, yet you have to buy the seat separately. Or, if you buy a stove, you have to buy the electrical cord separately. Seriously!!! Ridiculous!

So television isn't very exciting these days. My current reality fav is So You Think You Can Dance. My Boys just started again and it is my DVR cue. Shark Week is on again - for like year 20. I'm sick of Shark Week. I feel like all they do is focus on perpetuating the fear instead of educating people on why we need sharks. Seriously, do I really need to see the worst shark attack in recorded history re-enacted? NO!

I'm getting old. All I seem to listen to in the car, as I don't have satellite radio anymore, is NPR. I watch the news or the History channel, Discovery or Animal Planet. And the Daily Show is my bedtime story.

Recently on NPR, there was a story that the federal government is going to try to pass a law to ensure that all Americans receive 3 weeks of paid holiday. I don't know how they would enforce this, but I am all for it. Holiday! Holiday! Holiday! I don't even get holiday this year thanks to starting with a new company. Sucks.

I'm Tired

I'm tired of people asking about my love life, as I don't have one. I actually haven't thought about dating for a good 4 or 5 months now. I took myself off all the online boards - it's all the same pathetic losers (myself included). I guarantee if I went back online I would see the same schmucks out there that I have seen for the last 6 years.

I've been so focused on the new job, school and now tennis, that I haven't even had a chance to think about dating. I need to win the lottery, then I would have time to devote to dating - which is the equivalent of a full time job. I think I'm just going to own my singleness for a few more years...besides, I'm tired.

In spite of my being sad about trading Suzy in for Martha, it's been the best decision. This past week (and it's not even over yet) I have spent at least one way of my daily commute to work stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Martha has made my life so much easier.

Tennis Anyone?

I am not athletic. Growing up, I took ballet, tap and jazz or gymnastics or cheerleading. Anything under the guise of the activity being fun and as far from hard work as possible. Not to say that any of those activities weren't hard work, but they never felt like hard work and if they did I quit. That's right, I am a quitter. I have only played sports 3 times in my life. 1. 8 years old, soccer. I played goalie and basically picked flowers in the goal box. 2. 10 years old, softball. I played left field because none of the girls our age could hit that far. 3. 15 years old, soccer yet again, only made the varsity team because they could take all the girls who tried out. I tried out for volleyball and didn't make the cut that same year. I hated every blessed minute of soccer. I hate running - have always hated running.

So it came as a complete surprise to those close to me, much less to me as well, that at the age of 35, I have decided to learn how to play tennis. I asked a couple of friends if they wanted to take lessons with me and one said yes. I missed the first class so I was worried I would be behind. I show up on the courts and my teacher is so nice and has such high energy and low and behold, everyone sucks and I fit right in. But, the best part is the lesson was so much FUN! I sweat my ass off for an hour and a half and all I thought about for that time was smacking that damn yellow ball. She makes us do drills, we play games, and I am actually hitting the ball - well, for the most part.

My lessons are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last Thursday, essentially my third lesson, my instructor tells us about a free tennis clinic being held on Saturday taught by former US Women's professional Tracy Austin. It's a Cardio Tennis clinic. Why is it called a clinic? Anyone? So, my instructor says they need beginners at the clinic. I'm like, do they need beginners or beginner beginners? She said they really wanted people new to the sport...so I signed up.

I get there on Saturday, and of course I get there early. I get put in a beginner group and they've asked me (and others) to wear heart monitors. So we played games and ran drills and it was fun. It was tough, and I was dragging ass at the end, but everyone was really kind and made me feel good. Unfortunately, my heart monitor didn't work properly, so I wasn't able to see how many calories I burned, but I swear it had to have been close to 1,000. Tracy moved from court to court occasionally playing with each group - which was pretty cool to be in a pseudo doubles scenario with a tennis pro. Then we got to watch her play with our instructors and do some Q&A. She is TINY! And looks exactly the same as she did when she first won her grand slam at the age of 16.

More than just cardio tennis was learned by me. I learned that sunscreen and a hat or visor is a must and I need to start carrying that in the car as I am now sunburned. I learned that I need to invest in some tennis apparel as yoga pants and a t-shirt are way too fricking hot to wear in the heat of the day on a tennis court running for an hour.

I am officially hooked. I am going to continue my bi-weekly lessons, the courts I go to are outside and supposedly lessons can go through October - weather permitting. Then, I'll have to figure out indoor opportunities. I went out this weekend and bought a racket and two outfits. I can't wait for Tuesday!

The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

I have received the lovely cryptic message I have in the title of this blog on more than one occasion from my fortune cookie. Sidenote - shouldn't all fortunes be good by default? Seriously, do I really need more bad news in my life? Back to Confucious say, I think we all try. I think very few people are truly evil and operate with malicious intentions. Therefore, if we all just have good intentions are we going to hell? What if you are on your way to hell because of an ignorant mistake? Understanding that ignorance is no excuse, but doesn't it go towards intent? If I am ignorant of a law and I break it, is that really as bad as if I was aware of the law? Breaking the law, breaking the law! Not that I have broken the law lately, simply a philosophical question.

So my new car is named Martha. But you have to say it "Mwaaa-tha". I used to work with a woman named Martha. She was (I guess I should say is but I really don't know for sure) the cutest little woman. She could do the best New Yawker accent and would call herself "Mwaa-tha". Perhaps that is why I decided to name my car that. Ab-so-effing-lutely.

All Growns Up

I have no idea why I was in such a hurry to grow up. Being an adult is no fun. I am tired of being responsible and dealing with issues - I'm especially tired of dealing with everything by myself. Yesterday I made the very adult decision to trade in my car for a smaller, more efficient, cheaper and automatic car. I loved my car. Suzy, a Nissan Altima SE-R in fire engine red was an awesome car. I had planned on keeping that car for quite some time. However, with my current job, I drive through the downtown area and hit traffic twice a day. Driving a stick shift in heavy traffic gets old really quick. Also, Suzy was classified technically as a sports car...therefore, my insurance was pretty high. She barely fit in my garage and the side mirrors were the kind that don't pop in and out, so if you hit one - say trying to get close to the drive-up ATM, you had to replace it for quite a nice sum of money, we're talking a couple hundred dollars. Also, she didn't do so well in winter weather. Last winter, we got a lot of snow. I was able to work from home quite a bit, so it didn't really matter. Except for the time I had to fly out of town and got stuck on my driveway because we got 3 inches of ice on top of snow. I doubt that I will be allowed to work from home this year, so I was a bit nervous thinking about driving in snow in heavy traffic. Those are the reasons I traded in my Suzy. She was my first new car EVER. I went all out, got every bell and whistle I could. I will miss my heated seats and my 6 CD changer. Sniff...

Now I have Martha, a Honda Civic EX also in red (not by design - it was the only EX they had at the dealership and I wasn't being picky on the color). Martha is a fine car. I am happy she is smaller - my garage has a lot more room. I am happy she is an automatic. There are some interesting nit-picks I'm not happy about: I had to pay to upgrade the rearview mirror to the kind that you don't get blinded by the car behind you at night. The drivers side visor doesn't have a built in garage door opener. Which I didn't even think about until I was about to turn into my driveway with Martha and flipped down the visor (out of habit) to open the garage door only to realize, crap, there is no opener and I have no idea where the real garage door opener is...as well as I didn't have my house keys on me (I know, I'm an idiot). Luckily my SiL's parents were home and they had my keys.

So, I did the right thing. It was the decision I needed to make and should have made. But I will miss Suzy. I loved that car. My first new car ever. It's not fun being an adult.

Mawmaw & Pawpaw

I apologize to anyone who actually cares about my blog for being so long between posts. My Pawpaw (grandfather to you Yankees) passed away last week. My poor Mom found him collapsed in his house from a stroke. We were blessed that he went quickly as since this happened, I have heard so many stories from friends whose grandparent had a stroke and they ended up on life support in some nursing home for 10 years or so. Not a way that Pawpaw or frankly anyone I know would want to live out the rest of their life. He was very independent and that is why this was so shocking to everyone. I was there in March to visit and yes he was a bit frailer but still the same old grumpy guy. Still driving (at night even!), full head of hair (silver streaked), and just recently had to get reading glasses at the age of 83! After my Mawmaw (grandmother to you Yankees) passed away, he was at one point dating 3 women at once!!!! Talk about a social life I can only aspire to!

I was very fortunate to have been able to get to know both of them as an adult. When my brother and I were growing up, we were military brats and lived all over the world. We only saw our grandparents every couple of summers for a week or so. After my contract ended in Japan, I moved back to the States and lived with my Mom for about 6 months while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life (still working on it). While with my Mom, I spent a lot of time with Mawmaw and Pawpaw. I cherish that time I had with them and worked hard to maintain a relationship when I moved away. After Mawmaw passed away, we got Pawpaw a computer. And while he mostly just sent out a ton of forwards, we did email pretty regularly. I would call for the important days like his birthday and we always went for at least one meal together when I would go back to visit Mom.

He had some great stories to tell, if you could get him talking and if you could get him to tell a new one. :) But what I loved most about him was the relationship he had with my Mawmaw. 56 years of marriage and they were still very much in love. He couldn't walk past her without touching her in some way: a kiss, a pat. She always acted like she was tolerating his affection, but that was all for show. I envied their relationship and understood how lucky they were to have it. Not only did they have each other for so many years, but they had friends for more. I met a man who went to Kindergarten with my Pawpaw at his memorial service! They had been friends since they were 6 years old! I can't remember where we lived when I was 6 much less what the name of my so-called best friend was at the time.

I feel the most sorry for my Mom. As she says, she is not ready to be an orphan yet. But we all take heart that Mawmaw and Pawpaw are together again, more than likely square dancing and going rodeoing with their best friends. I miss them both very much.

"A" is for Accounting!

I GOT AN "A"!!!! I managed to pull off an "A" in accounting!!! Woot Woot! I'm so excited! I was only slightly below the class average on the final exam but still managed to get a 94 in the class! Yay me! I don't think you can achieve any type of honor as an MBA graduate such as magna cum laude or summa cum laude, etc., however, I am determined to graduate with a 4.0. I mean, I know I'm not attending Duke or Harvard, but still a 4.0 MBA degree would be pretty awesome.

I really wish it was a three day weekend. It's so weird with the 4th falling on a Wednesday. I had planned on taking this coming Friday off had my mom come to visit, but now, I'm not. My only goal this week is to get through the first two modules of my HR class...I like to work ahead. I think it ticks off some of my classmates, but I don't care. I have no idea when I became so competitive...especially about grades. But I want this so bad.

Random updates

It's been a while since I've posted and I have a lot to talk about. First and foremost, my trip to L.A....on my previous posting my title is "L.A., we LOVE it". Well, after my experience there, I will be changing it to "L.A., we HATE it"! It was a crazy weekend with my friend SW. First, I get to the airport in KC and I'm in the "A" group on Southwest. I hate Southwest, but they are cheap. There are these two incredibly creepy women in line in front of me in the cattle call. They are clearly twins. They are also in their mid 40's. However, I really knew they were twins because they were dressed exactly alike!!!! EW! Who does that besides 5 year olds?!!! They had on the same outfit, the same hair and the same so-called accessories. They proceeded to take turns screaming into what appeared to be a shared cell phone...and I couldn't seem to get away from the creepy twins the entire ride out there. They somehow ended up next to me every time I turned around - especially in baggage claim. Again, EW!

I finally get there, no issues. End up having to rent a car as the resort SW was staying at turned out to be in Laguna Beach which is a fair distance from L.A. So I drive down there and made pretty good time for L.A. traffic. We are staying at the amazing resort - see picture in posting below. However the service was AWFUL. It was absolutely unreal.

Then, there were just some crazy experiences - for example: we go to dinner at this restaurant that is also a beach club for Laguna Beach residents only - however hotel guests can eat there. You have to take a little shuttle from the hotel down to the restaurant as it's right on the beach. Dinner was great, we had a table outside - lovely. Our shuttle was a multi-passenger golf cart. On our way back to the hotel, we had to go through the golf course path to get to the hotel. The sprinklers were on and one of them was turned so it was pointed directly at the path. Our cart passes right through it! We all get SOAKED! Which was funny, except not. Our poor little driver guy managed to turn his head right as we were going past the sprinkler and got shot right in the eye! Poor kid!

We finally get back to the hotel and there are a ton of people there for two very bizarre reasons: 1. the president of Vietnam was there for a big event and there were tons of protesters across the street with bullhorns, screaming and yelling. There were also Secret Service guys, snipers on the roof and helicopters swarming around...I kept thinking, am I really in Laguna or in Compton? 2. Chris Isaak was there performing on the main lawn for a benefit concert. As it was right outside our room, free concert for us!

The next day we leave the resort and drive back to L.A. via the Pacific Coast Highway, which is beautiful, provided you are not stuck in traffic, which we were. We finally get back up to L.A. and we are staying at the Biltmore. When I think of the Biltmore, I think of very fancy hotels, old money and a lot of history. This place was a dump. It was awful. Might have been a step up from a Motel 6. Not what I was expecting from a Biltmore. Now my friend SW works in the travel industry and she was NOT having it. So we ended up getting upgraded - I took serious notes while she was working the front desk manager! We are now on the "club floor" yet we really can't tell a difference. Whatever, for me it's only for a night - for her, it was 5 nights. Ugh.

That night we go to Santa Monica to walk around and we have a lovely time. The next day I have to leave. I leave for the airport a little over 2 hours early. Note to anyone flying in/out of L.A.X. - first of all, DON'T DO IT! Avoid it like the plague! If you can't, my advice is to get there EARLY - and I mean EARLY. I am taking the rental car back and there are not any gas stations near the airport or return area...so by the time I get to the terminal it's an hour and a 1/2 prior to my flight. I'm on the dreaded Southwest airlines and I've already checked in to the "A" group (thanks Mom) for a straight shot home...or so I think.

The terminal is backed up with lines snaking down and outside of the terminal. I don't have my boarding pass and had planned on checking my bag, so I try to find the right line - I end up deciding to use one of the kiosks and consolidate my bags down to carry-on, which means I have to throw out my toiletries (not happy). Then I have to get in the security line...the end of which is OUTSIDE AND HALFWAY TO THE OTHER TERMINAL! I kid you not. Then, all of the sudden, 8 fire trucks and other emergencies vehicles show up, bomb dogs and police everywhere. The terminal gets shut down because supposedly some lovely person decided to jump security and then the sprinkler system went off and no one could figure out of the two incidences were related. So, needless to say it was BEDLAM! I'm on the phone with Southwest telling them the terminal is closed and what is going to happen with me trying to make my flight. They claim they have no information that says the terminal is closed and my flight is still on time. Well, needless to say, by the time I could fight my way through the crowds, I missed my flight. Everyone missed flights so now we are all back in more lines fighting to get on rerouted flights. I call Southwest again and finally get on another flight but because they don't have kiosks in the terminal, I have to wait in yet another huge line to get my new "C" group boarding passes. Have I mentioned I hate Southwest. THEN, my new flight has a connection in Phoenix. By the time we get to Phoenix, we line up again and it turns out they have two flights arriving at the same time at the same gate and those going to KC will get the new gate. Then they won't tell us the new gate and our incoming plane gets delayed! Then finally tell us the new gate and it's the 500 yard dash to get back in a line again!!! By this point, I'm dead. I've been standing outside in the heat and the sun of L.A. for 3 hours - I'm sunburned, I'm exhausted, I've had nothing to eat since breakfast and I'm sweating my ass off. We finally leave for KC and I don't get home until 1am on a Sunday!!! Completely and totally shattered. I HATE L.A.

So I get to work on Monday late and I return to my desk after some meetings to see that I have a voice message on my cell phone...from my mom's cell phone. My mom doesn't use her cell phone, ever. I'm not really sure why she has one, until Monday. Turns out my Pawpaw has had a stroke and my poor mom found him. She called me from her cell phone on the way to the hospital. It's been a difficult week as he's still in ICU and we really don't know what is going to happen. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

The icing on the cake for me was Friday I had my accounting final. Yes, I know, you are all probably glad the 6 week accounting course is over too, just so I will stop complaining about it. Well, the final was HARD. I really hope that I scored well enough to keep my "A". I started my human resources class today, which I'm actually excited about.

My grad school team, if you remember, was sort of forced in to taking an additional member, one we definitely didn't want. Well, basically he did nothing for our accounting class. What he produced for our team case study and presentation was not only late, but was not quality MBA level. I ended up having to write his entire part over the night before and THEN he proceeded to READ my entire paper in the presentation instead of taking a few bullets and extrapolating. All I ever heard from him throughout the entire course was that he didn't have time, didn't have our phone numbers or emails, excuses, excuses. So, the entire team, including him, had agreed to stay late after our class on Saturday afternoon to determine the assignments, etc. The professor let the class go 20 minutes prior to the end and new team member comes up and says he's got a family thing and he's leaving. What the hell am I supposed to say? So the rest of the team and I basically decide we are cutting him off and out. If he wants to contribute then we will let him in, but we aren't giving him any help what-so-ever. I'm just so frustrated. It's clear this guy is not engaged and seemed content to ride our coattails. He turned in crappy late work! And we are all just waiting for a class that has more teamwork - the HR class is 90% individual - to tell him that we don't want him in our group anymore. We are all hoping that he will simply quit. This was the guy that the very first class I got paired up with him and he couldn't figure out how to use the search function in acrobat. I was annoyed with him from the get-go. Now I'm just pissed off. If he feels a "B" is acceptable for him great - but don't be screwing my "A". So there!

I am happy to be home and back in the swing of things at work. No plans for the 4th...especially as it falls on a Wednesday this year. I will more than likely spend it studying. You know you're jealous.

L.A.! We LOVE it!

For those of you that might remember the obscure 80s movie - Gotcha! my title: L.A.! We LOVE it is from a scene in that movie. If you haven't seen it or don't remember it, Anthony Edwards (aka Goose from Top Gun) stars in this movie right after he did The Sure Thing (another greatest 80s movie of all time) with John Cusak. I loved Gotcha! - it was a fun movie.

My point in referencing that - other than the trip down memory lane - is I am headed to L.A. this weekend. I'm meeting up with a former vendor/now friend of mine who I just love, SW. She's a blast so I know this weekend will be nothing but fast talking gossip and fun. Because she is out there on business, I get to reap the benefits as well. I am staying at the St. Regis in Dana Point, right on the beach. It's times like these that I miss my old job...staying in 5 star hotels, going to amazing resorts and locations. Sigh...

On the plane ride out there, I am going to be studying lovely accounting. I've resigned myself to getting a "B", which sucks as my company will only reimburse 100% if you get an "A". Way to reinforce the "loser" feelings guys.

My latest attempt in the weight loss arena is...da da dahhhhhh...I've signed up for tennis lessons. I know - for those of you that know me, I'm not exactly athletic. There are days I'm surprised I can drive a stick shift for all the hand/eye coordination I have. So this ought to be either a lot of fun or a great big giant laugh at my expense. I'm taking lessons with my friend JS. She's going to be all decked out in her tiny little tennis skirts looking cute. I, on the other hand, refuse to allow these thunder thighs to see the light of day and they will be ensconced like the fat sausages they are in appropriate work-out wear for the chubby. I don't want to scare my new teachers or tennis-mates, as, I'm sure they will be scared enough by my lack of skill! Wish me luck!