Duece!

After almost 3 months of being laid off, I now have TWO, count 'em TWO, job offers!!! I am still waiting on some details from one of the companies, but I can't believe I actually have a choice! This last year with the latest company has been a big blow to my ego. My self confidence has been at an all-time low. I feel like they broke me down and then laid me off with no regard whatsoever.


Now I am seriously freaked out about going back to work. I have spent every day for at least 6 hours a day looking for a job, parked on my sofa in front of the TV. Now I'm going to have to interact with people and execute. Scary.


I know writing this blog is risking a jinx, but I am so excited and happy. I was starting to allow myself to get into a funk and lay in bed all day and do nothing but obsess about money, mortgages, car payments and where I was going to go should it all fall apart. I realize there are worse things in life, but these last few months have been so difficult.


This was my third layoff in my life. I'm praying it's my last.

Chung Chung

As I am unemployed and spend my days parked on my sofa in front of the television with my laptop looking for a job, I watch a lot of programs. I've become addicted to programs that I would never have watched previously such as Homocide. Homocide was the gritty Baltimore cop drama that I feel was the precursor to Law & Order (L&O). These programs are pretty incestuous with the character Detective Munch on Homocide moving to L&O SVU. There are some other crossovers as well. Daily I see my various L&O gang on Homocide. I watch all the L&Os, but am over SVU. Although Christopher Meloni is some good eye candy, I really can't stomach hearing about sex crimes anymore. I've started to get into Criminal Intent because of Mr. Big's character Logan. He at least has a sense of humor. And it seems to focus more on the Order side of the L&O. I'm not as interested in the Law part - the court cases are only the last 20 minutes of the show and half the time the baddie gets away with it.

Last night I'm watching an old Criminal Intent with D'Onofrio and the story goes the wife tried to blow herself and her 4 kids in her car with a pipe bomb because the husband was abusive. Long story short, they determine they can't charge the husband with any wrong doing. I'm laying there going, nu uh. If they had paid attention to the original L&O, Sam Waterson would have charged the husband with Depraved Indifference as he knew his wife was diagnosed with postpartum depression and was suicidal therefore she might cause harm to their children and did nothing about it which could potentially get him 7 - 15 at Rikers. Needless to say, when I protested with my clear legal solution, the TV did not answer me back. But how pathetic is it that I think I know this stuff? Between all the L&Os, Homocide and CSIs I feel like I could solve any crime. I have even started watching Cold Case - but I hate that main girls hair - and Without A Trace.

I don't get Without A Trace because I am clearly now a law enforcement and legal expert, I know you normally cannot report a missing person for a minimum of 24 hours, yet according to Without A Trace there is an FBI department that gets involved from the get go? It doesn't make sense. I mainly watch it because my friend GJBs sister is in it.

Anyway, it is clear I need to get a life or I need to go back to school to get my JD and become a criminal attorney. I'm barely hanging in there on my MBA. So I think I will stick to being an armchair criminal expert. Chung Chung.

Tivo is NOT my friend!

Okay, I should clarify, I have a DVR, not a Tivo per se. I subscribe to a smaller cable company because I hate the big guy in town and the smaller company enabled me to bundle my service a lot earlier than Mr. Costly Big Guy. Therefore, I have Ghetto DVR. I don't have all the bells and whistles of other fake Tivo's like the people who have a dish or big guy cable. I only recently got the ability to record first run only's.

Tonight we had a huge storm. HUGE. I get it, the possibility of losing power is there. Why is it that I can DVR a program with the cable box off, yet if I'm watching it and lose power in the middle of watching said program, it doesn't continue to record?! I feel like I'm in that conversation with Billy Crystal and pal on that stupid New Yorkers go on a trail ride movie...what was it? Billy was trying to explain to his friend how it is possible to record a program on a VCR without the TV being on....anyway, so of course tonight is the season premiere of the show My Boys on TBS. I am ticked off that 1. it stopped recording the show in the middle and 2. it cut off at the end. Seriously!!! What is up?!! I thought DVR was supposed to be smarter than that. I am sick of DVR cutting off shows before they end.

THEN! I went to the My Boys website, thinking, I'll just watch the show online. HA! It's not up yet!!! I can only watch a so-called "sneak peek" which is moot as it premiered this evening!!! There is no sneak peeking as it's already peeked!

I get really freaked out in this weather because I think I'm the only person in the entire midwest that does not have a basement. I realize in hind sight this was not smart and is potentially the reason that my house isn't selling due to the worst tornado season in a decade, but wouldn't you think it would be a building requirement for all homes in this area to have a basement? It is not, therefore, I thought, no worries. I'll be fine. Yes, indeedy. Me and the cats sitting in the bathtub as the sirens go off only to find there is nothing, nothing coming at us for which I am eternally grateful.

I only had one non-negotiable when I was looking for a home previously, it was a garage. Now that I have my first home that list has gone up to a garage, a basement and a fireplace when I lose power/heat in the winter. I figure I'll just migrate from the top level to the basement depending upon the season.

Back to DVR/Tivo: why can you only record two programs at one time? It's really annoying.

No Cats Allowed?

After spending the last 3 months without a job, I'm not sure how I will do if I actually get a job. The blow to my self confidence has been considerable. All the jobs I'm interviewing for are out of the state I'm currently located in...what if it doesn't work out and I get laid off again? New city, no support system? It's worrying.

I interviewed yesterday for a role in the UK. It would be quite the change obviously. Then I started to freak out about bringing my cats over. Previously the UK had a 6 month quarantine period. I think things have changed with that, but the possibility of not being able to have my boys with me in a new location is distressing. They are my safety blankets. Not having children with this whole process of being laid off allows you to live life without schedules. You can flounder around. But with the boys I do have to stick to somewhat of a schedule and they are quite demanding about their care. There are so many days when all I want to do is crawl into bed and not come out. The boys come and "check on me" aka annoy me and make me get up. I'm not sure how I would do without them.

Bleat

In spite of my loving SILs suggestion that I stick an icepick in my eye to solve my headache issue, it has finally gone away only to be replaced by a serious stomach ache, which I recognize both are due to stress.

I just finished my marketing class and made an "A"!! Woot Woot! After all of this turmoil, school is still the constant pain in my ass and I am still carrying a 4.0!

The job hunt is going slowly and the house sale is not going at all. However, I was at the book store today hunting for a school book and found the most entertaining book I've read in a long while: Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. Originally published in German, it has recently been translated into English and it is a quirky, hilairous delight to read.

Review from Amazon: "In this refreshingly original detective story from debut German author Swann, a flock of sheep investigates the murder of their beloved shepherd, George Glenn. Leading the effort is Miss Maple, considered the cleverest sheep in the Irish seaside village of Glennkill. She slyly "pretends" to graze while eavesdropping on suspects who come to search George's caravan for something he may have died for. When a long-lost ram recounts an incident that occurred upon his departure years earlier, Miss Maple uncovers the catalyst for George's death. The wooly troupe reveals the crime's solution in a near-Shakespearean mime at the annual "Smartest Sheep in Glennkill" contest. The author's sheep's-eye view and the animals' literal translation of the strange words and deeds of the human species not only create laugh-out-loud humor but also allow the animals occasional flashes of accidental brilliance".

If you can put away your sense of reality and go along for the ride, it's a fantastic read.

The Daily Grind

So I've been waiting and waiting to hear back from a company as to whether or not they wanted to make me an offer...it's been almost a month since I flew out there and today I found out in the most round-about ridiculous way. Completely unprofessional and frankly I'm really more pissed off than upset. Fine that they don't want me, but so not fine that no one has bothered to be in touch with me and then casually mentions after multiple emails oh...I think they offered that to another candidate. Gee...you think? Could someone have let me know?!!!!

I was supposed to hear from another company on Friday, they said Monday latest...this morning I receive an email saying I'm still in the running but no word as to when they will make a decision. ARGH! I hate waiting!!!

I had an interview with a very small local company this afternoon and I find it hilarious that I did a ton of research on what little I could find on a small privately held company and the guy that I spoke with at length on the phone thought my name was LeeAnn. I asked about the small team and he said, well, it's me and "another LeeAnn", pause for effect. He stares at me...I'm like, that's great, glad you have LeeAnn, but that's NOT my name!

I've had a headache since Friday. I can't seem to shake it. Any suggestions, other than the obvious?

The Stuffie Massacre

I was in Minneapolis yesterday interviewing for a job. Please keep your fingers crossed!

I was driving back to the airport when all of the sudden, scattered across the highway was a zoo of tiny tiny stuffed animals. I have no idea how they got there. I have this vision of a child in the back of a minivan throwing them out one by one angry at all of his/her stuffie's for some transgression or another. "Take that Mr. Lion"!

I was actually trying to swerve to avoid running them over...even running over a stuffed bunny felt icky and wrong.

Busted House

I had yet another open house that was a complete bust. Not a single person showed up AGAIN! Sigh. I'm so tired of killing myself to keep the house in great "show" shape at all times only to have no one show up. Now my realtor is talking with me about lowering the price! I haven't even had it on the market a full month AND I can't get anyone to come look at it! So I'm not convinced that lowering the price is the right thing to do.

In spite of the stupid lack of open house, I had a very lovely day. I splurged and went to the downtown shopping area and had brunch at a great seafood restaurant. I had crab cake eggs benedict with a bloody mary. So nice. I sat at the bar and eavesdropped on the conversation next to me. This couple was arguing about Anthony Scalia...ugh.

Then, I went to the museum. One of the exhibits had the most amazing piece by an artist El Anatsui. He is from Africa and makes huge sculptural pieces out of liquor bottle tops that have been flattened and linked together with copper wire.


Saw some fun new exhibits, but of course, I enjoyed the museum gift shop the most of all. So typical of me. If I had a job I would have bought a ton of things to clutter up my house. :)

It's hot and muggy here today. I hope it rains soon. Since I've worked so hard today, I'm off to take a nap.

Home for Sale

I finally had another showing last night. The realtor was really pushy and quite rude. Usually you give the realtor and potential buyer an hour window. They asked for a two hour window from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Seriously?!! Where was I going to watch the finale of Dancing with the Stars?!!! And what kind of person doesn't watch DWTS or Idol?! Do I really want this person to buy my home?!

Needless to say, I haven't heard a peep from them and I doubt I will. I'm doing another open house this weekend Sunday. I think I'm going to our local museum to kill the day. I haven't been in years and they've done a ton of work on it. Plus I think it may rain...

Still no luck on the job hunting. Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait.

Cookie Dough Cookies

I'm very strange when it comes to desserts at times. I love chocolate, but for some reason have never really liked chocolate chip cookies (with the exception of my friend MWs whose cookies I affectionately refer to as "crack" they are so good). I love the cookies, but I just like the cookie part the best, not the chocolate chip part. I know, weird. So I started baking cookies recently - what else have I got to do? My recipe is quite different from MWs. I made some chocolate chip cookies for my family when they were in town and they turned out pretty damn good if I do say so myself. They are crispy on the edges and chewy in the center. But I kept trying to get the ones with only a few chocolate chips or popping the chocolate chips out. So recently I decided to make the recipe sans chocolate chips. I need a name for these cookies - the recipe is from The Joy of Cooking:

Heat oven to 375 - grease cookie sheets
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk together
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Beat until fluffy
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Add and beat with other wet ingredients until well combined
Then, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until smooth.

This is where you are supposed to add chocolate chips and/or nuts. I have chosen not to.

Then, you just drop the dough on the sheets and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes.

I LOVE these things but need a better name for them than cookie dough cookies, although I guess that's okay. Any ideas?

Reprogram

I got my new DVR box today. But of course I now have to remember everything I watch, which channel it comes on, what time...all the things I never have to remember because I have DVR!!!! What if I forget something major?! I suppose I can watch it online. There are all these cool gadgets now, sling boxes where you can watch your DVR programs on your computer. Now I hear you can have them sent to your handheld device too. I wish I had that when I used to travel all the time for work. I wish I had work. I'm so bored and feel so boring. The drudgery of looking for a job, the stress of keeping my house spotless for any random showing is killing me. I don't want to go out because I don't want to spend money. So I'm sort of stuck and the only thing I've achieved these days is managing to get carpel tunnel in my right arm.

DVR is now dead

My DVR has died. The funeral is on Monday when the repairman comes to bring me a new one. I'm devastated. I was stacking up all the episodes of CSI to have a marathon this weekend. Anything I try to DVR shows up in pixalated format. At first I thought it was just that day/time period, but no, it's dying. I suppose it's past time. The menu doesn't really work. Sure I can see what is on, but I can't see anything more than that. Plus the remote-y has been dropped so many times that it now makes noise when you pick it up. I should have replaced it long ago.

I feel like I've gone back to the dark ages. I may as well just watch network tv. Seriously, I don't recall a time I didn't watch tv in DVR. What do you mean I can't fast forward? I'm so bored. It's a beautiful day. I should be outside, doing what I don't know. I mowed the lawn last night and had my first serious asthma attack. It sucked - literally. I couldn't catch my breathe, had to use my inhaler like 4 times. I have no idea what triggered it. It's not the first time I've mowed the lawn, but it was the first time I had to stop over and over again.

Picture me, sucking wind.

Dryer Tubes

I hate showering. Why does it take forever to get in, wet yourself down, lather up, rinse off, shave, wash hair, cream rinse hair? And why do I have to do it everyday? Well, actually I don't do it everyday, much to most people's dismay. I should clarify, I really just hate washing my hair. I do try to shower daily (emphasis on try), I just don't wash my hair daily...maybe every 3 or 4 days. I have two old lady shower caps that I rotate. Very sexy. See, I have long hair, but I have a lot of hair. It's very fine textured, but there is a ton of it. It takes FOREVER to dry. I don't like blowing my hair out everyday because I color my hair and the constant blowing makes it brittle and dry. But it's been so flipping cold here for so long, I can't just wait around and air dry my hair. Back when I had a job that would have been unprofessional to show up with a wet head. I'm too chubby to cut it short. I love short hair, but right now that's not a possibility.

I just hate dealing with all the grooming. I can't stand it. After I shower, I have to lube up with lotions and deodorant. I hate the taste of toothpaste, I can't stand brushing my teeth because I swear at least once a week (because I'm a clumsy loser) the brush slips and I stab myself in the little piece of skin under my tongue that connects it to my jaw. Thereby rendering me speechless with a burning mouth full of toothpaste. I hate flossing. But after years of living in Japan where they let their children's teeth rot out of their heads, I'm quite obsessed with keeping my teeth healthy - in spite of hating what I have to do to keep them that way.

My entire of goal of every weekend, which is now essentially endless as I'm unemployed, was to stay in my pajamas and not bathe. I wake up whenever I want to, watch TV in bed until I must get up to go potty, then shuffle to the sofa to watch more TV and look for a job on the Internet. There I sit until I shuffle back to bed to take a nap, then shuffle back to the sofa to catch late afternoon/evening programs.

I'm so lazy. I love clutter. I love being sloppy. I love to wallow. So I hate having to keep my house in "show-mode". No dishes "soaking" in the sink. No clothes strewn all over my guest bed. No mail and paperwork stacked on the kitchen counters. No food set out on the counter tops or on top of the fridge. But the one thing I especially hate is making my bed. Seriously, of all the stupid things. I'm just going to climb back into it either for a nap or for the night.

Remember on Seinfeld when he and George talked about wanting to know where are the flying cars? I don't want to know where the flying cars are, I want to know where my instant drying tube is after I shower. I want to know where my Rosie the Robot is to clean my house. I have a Roomba, but she can't be out these days due to show mode, so what is the point? Where is my automatic food maker? Where is my automatic laundry folder and put-er away-er? Who cares about flying cars. Just means gas prices will go up even more. I want my dryer tube.

Slow Down

Things have really slowed down for me with the job search. I'm in the waiting game. I hate waiting. I feel like it's all hurry-up and wait. I'm so ready (finally) just to move on. I have been trying to psych myself up about moving by looking at houses in potential new locations on realtor.com. I love to look at the photos and try to figure out what I would do with the various homes. My plan (when/if I ever sell my current home) would be to do something similar, buy a starter home and do some renovations to turn it into what I want. I would love to build, but who can afford it? I can't.

I'm really hoping things pick up for me in the near future as one of the largest employers in my city is about to do another round of layoffs, which means more competition for jobs as well as more homes going on the market. Meanwhile I keep hoping I'll win the lotto.

TV Madness

I watch a lot of television. A lot. I think I've seen almost everything on TV. I have now watched so much tv that I have started to notice a few interesting things about some of the reality TV shows - and not just your Survivor type reality TV shows, but shows on HGTV and Bravo.

Recently since I've been laid off I started watching Clean House on Style. Love that Niecy Nash. They did an episode with a couple named Dave and Miriam. Miriam was not a nice woman on the show. I didn't like her. Turns out not only were they on Clean House to get rid of their clutter and to score free stuff, they also had their wedding done by Design on a Dime! Talk about pimping yourself out!

THEN! I was watching an episode of HGTV's Designed to Sell the other day and a random carpenter named Greg showed up who looked an awful like the new trainer on Bravo's WorkOut - IT IS!




Are there seriously not enough people in the world who want to be on TV that we are now recycling our so called reality TV stars?

I Quit

That's right, I quit my retail job. After 3 days of killing myself and doing some higher math, I realized that I make more money by sitting at home collecting unemployment than I do by hobbling around fitting women for bras.

Had two great interviews today. One company wants to fly me out to interview in person. I've had a few home showings recently and have a broker showing tomorrow.

I'm hoping things are looking up for me. Fingers crossed!

My Dogs Are Barking

Retail is a young girls game. My feet hurt so bad. I'm so NOT used to standing and running around for hours on end. My first day and I only worked 4 hours and I'm exhausted! Tomorrow I have to work for 6 hours and seriously after the first 3 today I was counting the minutes.

I find women hilarious. I had women ask me to help them with fit their bras. Now I have been measured for my fit before and I have no problem with that. But no, she wanted me to come in the dressing room and check the fit after she had it on. I mean, we all have the same parts, two eggs sunny side up, but I just felt a bit uncomfortable. I was like, how does it feel and she was like fine. I said, well, it looks good...was she expecting me to feel her up? I have no idea.

Then, I love it when people come in with something specific in mind. Do you have an avocado colored shirt made of lace? Are you HIGH?! No, I'm sorry we don't. Do you have a men's style button down shirt? No, but I'm sure the men's department in the big store on the end of the mall does. If you want a man's shirt, go buy one, we only sell women's clothes.

My favorite phrase working retail is when a customer says to you, "I'll let you...". OOooohh, you'll let me fit your bra for you? You'll let me hang up all the clothes you left on the floor? I feel so priviledged.

Anyway, in spite of my whining, I really enjoyed it. The ladies are nice and it's really just like shopping. I also get a SWEET discount right now, so even if I don't work there very long, I get like 55% off!! I'm SO taking advantage of that even if I am laid off and broke. I will get a job and I will need fun new clothes, so there!

Highs and Lows

This posting is going to be a bit disjointed as my thoughts are pretty scattered...please bear with me.

Tomorrow I fly out to interview at another company. Last time I did that I flew in and out in the same day and that's what I'm doing again tomorrow. Ugh. I'm hoping I don't get home at 2am again. I still haven't received my ticket information from the company...I guess if worst comes to worse, I'll show up at the counter tomorrow an hour before the flight (they at least told me the times) and see what happens. Last time I went up and back in one day I only brought a change of shoes and I was miserable going home because the flight was so delayed, etc. I'm trying to decide if I should bring sweats or something.

I start my new job on Friday. I'm pretty excited. I'm sure I'll be exhausted. I haven't worked retail since college.

5 months after my car wreck, in which the kid rear-ended me and did not have car insurance, after a court date and months of waiting, I just got my reimbursement from the kid for my deductible!!! Woo hoo!!! Couldn't have come at a better time!

I had my first home show yesterday. I wish I knew what the person and the realtor thought of my home. It's my baby. I obviously think it's a fantastic home, but no idea what others may think of it.

Did I mention that throughout all my craziness of being unemployed and putting my house on the market, I managed to still pull an "A" in statistics?!!! Statistics!!! I know! Insane! Perhaps it goes to show what a crappy program I'm in but I'm still so proud! I, solely, wrote our teams final stats paper! Now I'm marketing and after marketing I only have 3 more classes to go! They are all mostly BS type classes, I can't believe I made it through accounting, econ, finance AND stats!!! I'm so happy I'm almost done! All my remaining classes are 6 week classes and they are hopefully just going to fly by! My last class ends on October 3 and I will seriously be partying that weekend!

It's been a tumultuous two years of change. I'm tired of change and ready to move on.

Win free stuff!

That's right! I'm pimping the following blog: Chop. Stir. Mix.

Go here and win free stuff!

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On another note, I'm very excited to say that I was just hired on the SPOT for a retail job at the mall! I wasn't even planning to speak with the manager. I look like complete ass: no makeup, casual clothes, hair up in a clip...I was just going to drop off the application. The manager came up, we chatted and she said, "when can you start?". If only every other job I've applied for these days ended the same way!

So I have some interviews this week and I'm starting a job on Friday! I have something to do! Somewhere to go! Some worth! Some value! AND - A DISCOUNT!!!! :)

It's the Plumber, I've come to fix the sink

I had to have a plumber come out today to fix my kitchen sink. I have done some minor repairs on my home myself. I was so proud, I even re-grouted tile! But I was too intimidated by the sink - and good thing I didn't do anything as he had to practically take the entire thing apart and put it back together.

So I've started applying for retail jobs to see if I can get a part time job. It's odd. I feel like I'm in the perpetual "weekend" state of mind. I feel like every morning I'm going to wake up and this will be a dream and I'll have a job to go to. It's hard to say I'm unemployed. It's hard to say I've been laid off. I know I wasn't fired, but it really doesn't feel like it. I've lost so much self-confidence and self-worth. I know it's not smart to have my entire identity wrapped around a job, but it is so much of who I am.

I keep thinking about what someone said, that maybe corporate america isn't the place for me...but where is the place for me? I keep trying to figure out if money was no object and I could do and be anything I wanted to in the world, what would it be...I have no idea. I thought I had a plan, getting my MBA, going back into HR. Now I just don't know.

It's easier to know what I don't want. I know I don't want to own my own business. I know I don't want to work retail, I know I don't want to be teacher again (at least right now)...obviously I could go on...I really just don't know what to do anymore. I'm open to suggestions.

Close House

I had my first open house on Sunday. I'm not a believer in open houses when selling. When I was looking to buy a home, I never went to open houses. I didn't want to look at homes with other people fighting to get into rooms, etc. So low and behold not a single damn person showed up at my open house. I killed myself to get everything ready for the showing - mowing the lawn, etc, only to have no one show. Not even a flipping nosy neighbor?!! When I drove home one of my neighbors had taken a flyer and then she and a few other neighbors stood outside pointing at my house gossiping. Lovely.

THEN! To top it all off! My realtor set her purse down on my baker's rack and a bottle of wine fell off due to her setting her purse down and the bottle broke a clay pot of mine! This pot is called a nabe pot and I shelped that thing back from Japan. A friend of mine in Japan gave it to me for my birthday and I use it ALL THE TIME!!! I'm so upset. Seriously! What the hell! Keep your damn purse in your car! What do you need at an open house, your flipping cell phone and your keys, that's it! She writes me a note and says she'll replace it...I don't even know if I can replace it! Is she goign to fly one over from Japan?!

So I'm totally stressed out and freaked out. The companies that I speak with love me, but then they tell me they can no longer hire externally. The economy sucks. Now I won't be able to sell my house. All I want to do is lay in bed all day long and I can't do that on the off chance someone wants to see my house. WHATEVER. I'm so depressed.

Procrastination

One of my many talents is procrastinating. I am supposed to be "decluttering" my house to put it on the market and I don't want to. It's not like I have to pack the entire place up yet, but I just really don't want to do it. I guess it is the reality of decluttering that makes me realize I have to sell my house and start over somewhere.

I hate moving. Growing up we moved almost every year. I am a complete and total clutter bug. I LOVE my stuff and I like to have my stuff around me at all times. I don't like having to start over. I put my heart and soul into my home, from decorating, to renovating and more. It's my sanctuary - probably too much of one at times, but I love it.

I'm really scared about the future and the unknown. This latest experience of being laid off has completely sucked. I feel so helpless and out of control of my own life. There are days I just want to lay in bed and pull the covers over my head. I feel like people think I'm a big slacker and that I am not trying to find a job. It's frustrating when I talk with some people, especially old colleagues who say things like, oh I would love to have the time off - as if I'm on holiday. Clearly I'm out shopping all day long.

I've been lucky not to have to really worry about bills when I have a job. I'm not used to clipping coupons and having to make life decisions at the gas pump. With prices going up all over, it's scary to try to figure out how I'm going to make ends meet. I'm completely depressed. It's hard to keep my spirits up.

I think it's just really difficult as I'm doing all of this on my own. I don't mean to say that I'm alone, as I have my family and friends, but the decisions I make, right or wrong, are mine and mine alone to live with. This time last year, I thought I was making the right decision to take a new job...less than a year later, I'm unemployed. I still think it was the right decision at the time, but with hindsight being 20/20, it's hard not to second guess yourself.

You always hope you are making the right decisions. But what is right at the time may not end up being right in the future. I hate the uncertainty and the unknown. So I'm procrastinating so as to put off reality. Everything is changing and I don't know if those changes are for the better.

Clean Sheets

I've been working pretty hard to get my house in shape to sell. Since I'm exercising my inner domestic goddess I put clean sheets on the bed last night. The rule in my house is if you have clean sheets, you must have a clean body. What is it about clean sheets? I guess it's similar to pulling on jeans straight from the dryer in winter.

Update on my job search: well as I'm about to sell my home, it's not looking good. I am waiting to hear back from a company that flew me out to interview a little over 2 weeks ago. I hate waiting. The pickings are slim out there. More and more companies are laying people off. The economy seems like it's on a continuous downward spiral. The only bonus in my being laid off is not having to make the awful commute that I had as the price of gas is ridiculous as well as the bridge I used to cross the river is now under construction for the next 3 years.

Well, I'm off to watch the Price is Right.

Here Kitty Kitty

I love cats. I didn't grow up with cats, but I always wanted one. When I lived in Japan there was a stray that hung out at my friend's apartment. We named him Fat Paul. For a while we didn't see Fat Paul and were worried something had happened to him...he showed up a few months later looking worse for the wear and had become known as Skinny Paul.

When I moved to the heartland, I got two cats. One passed away and about 18 months later I decided Schmoopie needed a playmate, so I got Little Man. It is now almost 18 months since Little Man joined the family and he and Schmoopie are finally getting along...for the most part.

I have contemplated getting a third cat, however, I feel that would make me the scary crazy cat lady and have resisted. I have also resisted as it was so difficult getting Schmoopie and Little Man to like each other, I can't go through that again.

I saw this video and thought it was pretty hilarious as I too use the corporal cuddling method of punishing my cats - they hate it when I smoosh them and kiss them...yet they always seem to come back for more.

For Sale

As things are not going well with my job hunt, I've decided to move forward and put my house on the market. I'm totally bummed out as I L.O.V.E. my house. I have had a TON of work done on it and it is my cocoon. My realtor claims it will sell quickly even in this tragic of a market. I'm not sure what his definition of quickly is...most of my friends who've sold their homes (similar price ranges) have taken 5 - 6 months. I could probably stick it out for another few months...I don't know. I'm starting to FREAK out. The job market sucks and the housing market is worse. So please send positive thoughts my way.

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Okay, on another note, I'm a bit outraged by the Pope's comments regarding those molested by priests basically blaming it on US society's character! AND he "laments" US injustices against Black people and Indian people. Yes, I lament that as well, however does the Pope lament the Catholic Church's role in the Spanish Inquisition?! I'm positive we are not the only country to have priests taking advantage of boys and girls! At least today he finally met with the victims of abuse - which was not supposed to happen.

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So on a more positive note, I have managed to sell a few things lately. It makes me feel good to get rid of stuff, but also to potentially make a little money. I've never done a garage/tag/yard sale (whatever you call it in your world). I'm not sure if I like the idea of doing one. It seems like a ton of work for little profit, unless Niecy Nash from Clean House was running it! I'll probably just give more stuff to Goodwill.

Obsessions

I'm spending a considerable amount of time watching television these days. I know you are thinking how is that different from before? Well, let me explain, now I get to watch daytime TV because I have wireless and I can look for jobs while sitting in front of the TV. I definintely have a routine now.

I have to watch GMA in the morning. Followed by Regis & Kelly only because my other options suck. I can't stand Racheal Ray and I hate the Today show. I watch Regis & Kelly to fill the hour until my favorite daytime show, the Price is Right, comes on. I am so in love with Drew Carey. I think whoever cast him as Barker's replacement was a fricking genius! He is the anti-Barker. He wants everyone to win and is so funny. Sometimes I think he still can't believe he has this gig. So, I am officially a Carey's Cutie. I love that the audience has embraced him too and everyone wears t-shirts for him now saying things like: Bob who? We've got Drew! I especially love the prime-time Price Is Right on Friday evenings. While the show frustrates me because people rely way too much on the audience and they can't make a decision on their own, it's so cool to watch people win things and hilarious to watch them win things like snow mobiles. They smile because they have won something but they have that fake smile, like, I live in Florida - what am I going to do with a damn snow mobile. Cracks me up. After I bought my new car, I would run around saying "A NEW CAR" just like they do on the show. I liked his sitcom and I liked his version of Who's Line is it Anyway?

I'm also obsessed with the show Clean House. I have no idea why I like it other than I'm fascinated by what color flower the host Niecy Nash is going to match with her outfit that day. Besides filling the hours between the morning shows and then the afternoon talk shows is difficult. I don't watch soaps, although it is becoming tempting. I used to watch Days in college. And before that it was GH. Who didn't love GH when it was Luke and Laura and Scorpio? But I don't know if I want to make the committment to a soap as I feel once I cross that line I will never get a job. I'll be living with my mom, collecting unemployment watching soaps.

Anyway, the job hunt is not going well. Everything is taking forever and the odds of my being able to stay in my house, in my town are quite slim. So I've been selling some stuff on Craig's list - which is a bit scary as it can bring out the crazies. And doing some minor repairs to get it ready to sell.

So I'm off to watch my obsession, the Price is Right.

Shattered

I had a series of interviews on Thursday with a very large company in New Yersey. What seemed like a great idea at the time, of flying up and back for the interviews in one day, has turned into the most wrecked I've felt since the last time I was seriously wasted. I don't know why doing essentially nothing but sitting in a tin can for hours on end makes you so flipping tired, but it does. My flight up to New Yersey was actually early! Seriously! When is the last time you flew in to Newark and arrived 30 minutes early AND they had a gate for you?!!! NEVER! So I knew I was totally hosed for the flight home. After 4 back-to-back hour long interviews of having to be "on" for the day, I sat on the runway with a dog barking in the row behind me before we could take off. The fight, was of course delayed prior to the sitting on the runway part, so I didn't arrive home until like 1:30am. Bizarrely enough, as I was leaving my parking lot, the woman who was working the kiosk was the same lady that gave me my ticket that morning at the crack-o-flipping-dawn. I was like, we've both had long damn days.

I usually know how I've done, whether it's tests, interviews, you name it. I know in my gut if I've killed it or bombed it. But this time, I feel great about 2 of the interviews, good about 1 and decent about the last. So it could go either way which totally sucks. The are supposed to get back to me quickly, so at least I won't be on pins and needles forever.

Have two interivews on Monday, one with a big-wig of a company out California. The role would mean I would have to relo to L.A., not really ever a place I wanted to live. Seriously, how can anyone afford to live there? New Yersey is just as bad. It just sucks there aren't jobs in locations out in the middle of the country.

Since I've been spending all my time at home these days constantly looking for a job, I've been doing more "kravitzing" aka spying on my neighbors than usual. Today, I actually saw the bitchy neighbor catty-corner to me play with her kid for the first time in like 5 years! I was blown away. Usually she's screaming and yelling at them. She has a new boyfriend who now apparently has a key to the house - big doings. So I'm wondering when he will be moving in for good or she will sell and move with him.

I went to visit my mother recently and in her little podunk airport, I'm sitting waiting for my flight and guess who walks by? You won't guess, so I will tell you...Oliver flipping Stone! I know! WTF? Apparently he's filming there. Who knew?

You know how people say they've reached the end of the internet? I've reached the end of television. I've seen every show that is on TV. My only excitment is my tennis lessons are starting again next week. I had been working out since the new year. I gave up drinking the evil elixer of life called Diet Coke and was exercising every day - not so's you'd know it. But since the day I got word I was being "eliminated" I've been on a food and bev pity party from hell. No working out, guzzling DC like mad and eating whatever the hell I want. So, going back to tennis next week is going to suck because I'm a complete fat-ass and will probably hurl afterwards. Blech.

Long time no post

Hi there...so I'm officially unemployed, again. Laid off as of yesterday. I feel like I'm in a constant state of deja vu. For the last three years I have either been laid off or felt under the threat of a lay off. At this point, I can see the warning signs from miles away, but it doesn't make it any easier. To say I am disappointed is an understatement as I had such high hopes and aspirations for my latest role with my latest company. While this isn't my first time at the "dance" - looking for a job, it is, if it's at all possible, a worse market this year than the last two. And my town doesn't have a helluva lot to offer, so it seems I may be moving. Yes, in an even more awful real estate market.

So with that, I am frantically looking for a new job. My severance, such as it is, leaves a lot to be desired. I have to make some hard decisions and even when/if I make them, it doesn't mean they will go as planned.

For the new year I gave up drinking soda, I quickly fell off that bandwagon once I got word of my job being eliminated. That's right, I was whole hog crazy on the juice again. You can't stop me. I'm a soda loving queen! I needs me some D.C. and I needs it now. I had been working out again - not that you could tell but still - that too quickly fell by the wayside. Now that I've had my pity party, I will start working out again.

I have two solid leads on new opportunities. One that requires me to relocate and one that may not. So please send good thoughts my way.

For you Idol fantatics who saw the most recent performance of David Cook singing the Chris Cornell version of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, thought you might be interested in hearing the real thing. Very reminiscent of the Foo Fighters covering Prince's Darling Nikki.

People

The End

I'm thinking about closing down my blog for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one being that I have nothing to say these days. I have a gag order on work related issues, my friends and family read this blog (not that I would EVER say anything bad about any of you!) and really I'm just lazy.

School is stupid. I have my Econ final on Friday night and then I start Innovative Business Thinking on Saturday. I have to read this stupid book called How to Think Like Da Vinci...well, it put me to sleep. I'm thinking like him alright - he's dead and has no thoughts and now I don't either!

One of my new colleagues is trying to get me to get back into the dating scene...if only I could meet someone while playing Wii at home...oh well. We'll see.

So...you may not hear from me for a while, but that's not really new either. Basically I'm feeling boring and redundant.

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. :)

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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.

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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!