Life or Something Like It

Reruns = Bored = Blog

2010-04-15T18:42:00.001-07:00

I love the smell of Island Fresh Gain. Just thought I'd put that out there.

Facebook sucks at importing stuff. Like blogs. And Goodreads.

I hate that everything is in reruns tonight. They should not be allowed on regular programming. I want all new all the time. Except for reruns of Seinfeld and The Golden Girls and Roseanne and Everybody Loves Raymond and Sex and the City (which comes on nowhere anymore!!!) >:- (

Ohhh!! Look!!! Another iPhone commercial. I'll never get tired of them. :) I just discovered that my upgrade is September 26, not December!!! That's 3 months sooner than I thought!!!!! As of this moment I have 163 days, 3 hours and 21 minutes until my upgrade. That's way better than 254 days!

Therefore I Wait

2010-04-13T17:01:00.001-07:00

I feel like I should have something good to say as it's been so long since I've written a blog. There's been drama, but none of mine. Which is a good thing!

Went to Dallas to attend a seminar for work and stayed at The Westin Hotel at the Galleria. You'd think it'd be fancy. It SHOULD be fancy for the price. But it was just a normal hotel room with 2 queen-sized beds. It was nice and everything, no Motel 6, but only worth about 1/3 of the price. Isn't that the way everything is these days? Overbilled and overpriced. It was kind of fun though. I felt important, anyway. I enjoyed the seminar. I know, only a nerd would enjoy a seminar over Medicare billing. But we all know I'm a nerd.

This last weekend Tina and I went to Texarkana for a little shopping. I actually went that direction because there was a shop in Dekalb that sells scrubs. A shop that closes at 5 p.m. everyday. Except for the Friday I decided to go. That Friday they closed at 4. Well, of course they did. Anyway. Ate at Carino's (btw where has this place been all my life) and YUM! Went to a couple stores and hit up the AT&T store. I've been drooling for an iPhone for a while (nerd, remember) but my contract is not up until December so I haven't even really looked at them yet. Until Friday. We went in there because Tina's contract is up in May and she wanted to look around. She doesn't get my obsession with the iPhone. Which has exponentially grown since I got to play with one Friday. I've seen them. I've looked at them before. But I hadn't really gotten to get my grubby little paws on one yet. OMG I've really got the fever now. They're so fast. It's an iPod. It's got Google Maps. And all the cool apps. And the flicking of the pages. And the interface. Ohhh, here's a commercial now! It's so much better than my stupid little Palm Centro!!! SCREW AT&T for making me wait!!! They've put out an updated one every summer since it came out in '07, the 3GS being the one that came out last summer, so I wonder if there will be an updated one this summer. Anybody know? Maybe it will be worth waiting until December but I've always been a fan of instant gratification. I'll have to wait in any case because there are no used ones on eBay because NOBODY gets rid of them! And I don't have $300 to buy one outright. So! December it is.

American Idol. Does anyone else think that stupid show was rigged last week? I mean Tim Urban was safe and Michael was voted off, really? I don't buy it for one second. They saw it as an opportunity to create drama and keep the person on that they wanted. I'm so done with that show. Blah.

Well, people. I'm off to "virtually" covet the iPhone. Have a lovely evening!

Happy Endings...

2009-12-01T23:42:00.001-08:00

It's nearly one o'clock in the morning. I finished reading Forrest Gump about an hour ago. I've been in my dark, quiet bedroom with my eyes shut trying to get some sleep ever since. So, now I'm here to write myself to sleep. Maybe it will work.

In case you live under a rock and haven't seen/read them, there are movie and book spoilers for Forrest Gump, Angels and Demons, and Harry Potter, all of which are fairly inconsequential but I am warning you none the less. Forrest Gump the movie and Forrest Gump the book are similar in two ways. They both have a character named Forrest Gump and he "ain't led no hum drum life." I liked the movie better than the book and that doesn't usually happen for me. I don't know if it's because I saw the movie first and it was so popular or if I truly just didn't like the way things happened in the book. Forrest gets his happy ending in the movie. I know it doesn't seem like it since Jenny dies in the end, but he got to be with Jenny and she chose to be with him. It didn't happen that way in the book. Jenny leaves him and marries someone else and lives out her peaceful suburban existence with this man until she's old and gray I assume. Forrest lived an exciting life but he's still left with unfulfilled dreams. So, this brings my to my point. Why does Hollywood think we have to have happy endings in the movies when it doesn't really happen that way? The way the movie was written was good, I did like it. I just hate that it was so different from the book. The book and movie Angels and Demons was the same way. I love the book, I really enjoyed it. And then I saw the movie. The movie deviated from the book in ways that were completely unnecessary. I was so excited to see the movie and was so looking forward to it. It was a huge disappointment. I bitched and moaned about it the entire time I watched it, much to the annoyance of my friends. I know things have to be edited and changed around to make a movie happen but if the guy dies in the book, he should freaking die in the movie! I can't save Dumbledore in the Harry Potter game for the Wii dammit, so why should the guy in the movie live when he dies in the book?! I know these movies, books and characters are fiction and may not have what you would call typical happy endings but in comparison they tried to nice things up and some of it worked and some of it didn't. I guess I think that the movies' should match the book, at least in general details. That would be nice. I think I'm starting to ramble again. It IS about 1:15 in the morning, folks.

Aside from tearing up and scattering a trash bag full of feminine hygiene products all across my front yard, I don't have any dog stories to tell. Piper is just biding her time looking sweet and innocent until she thinks up her next big murder plot. Dottie might be trying to talk her out of it. Or, she may be planning and plotting right along with her. Never can tell about those two.

I'm getting sleepy now so I'm going to try to get my own happy ending, at least for tonight. (That would be SLEEP you dirty-minded freaks!)

Nighty night. :)

Another Overheard QOTD -

Trainee: This customer is mad because we won't cover an accident that happened before he was insured with us. He won't stop yelling!
Trainer: Ha! He's gonna have to suck eggs on that one! Sucks for him. But seriously, go through the facts and dates with him and explain why we won't cover it. Stay calm and apologize. You can do this!
Trainee, to customer: Thank you for holding. This... uh... Okay. My manager says you have to suck eggs, I'm sorry.
Riverview Parkway, San Diego

Lu

2009-11-04T15:38:00.001-08:00

Numb. As I sit here, that's all I feel. The world has lost a beautiful young woman. Leslie Reynolds Adamek had a rare form of cancer I couldn't possibly pronounce, let alone spell. She passed away today. I was privileged to know LuLu. I got to help her with homework. I attended her wedding. I painted her toes. She was a remarkable young lady who handled her illness with a strength and class few would be able to match. I feel so much sadness for her family, but I thank God LuLu is no longer suffering and in pain. Keep her family in your prayers. They are going to need them.

Dogs, Weather and Football

2009-11-02T16:25:00.001-08:00

What a beautiful day outside today! I had almost forgotten what they look like. I should take a walk or something. Right now I'm washing sheets and cleaning bathrooms during commercial breaks for the Dallas game. Look at me being all industrious. Really, I'm just tired of catching poison ivy from the dog. Piper's going to be relegated to the bathroom at night again. At least until I can kill the shit. Or try to kill it. They say the more often you're exposed to it, the LESS tolerant you are. I believe it. I can just look at the stuff and I get it. So, I've foiled Piper's evil plan to off me. For now. I have no doubt she'll come up with another scheme soon. That was written yesterday afternoon.

I'm headed to bed last night, and I call Piper in to get in her new bed. She comes wagging her butt in the room like she's actually going to listen to me for a change but then ducks her head and runs full tilt in the opposite direction. She ended up at the other side of the bed where she promptly disappeared underneath the dust ruffle. I heaved a big sigh, shook my head and just went to bed. I wasn't going to fall into her little trap. As my feet hit the floor this morning, there she was, wagging her tail and jumping around like she was a perfect little angel. I smiled back at her. I had devised a little scheme of my own. I have a big black suitcase, the perfect suitcase in fact to wedge in between the bed and the wall. As I called her in again, she heads into my dark bedroom full speed and runs smack dab into said suitcase. She retreated, our eyes met, and I swear she gave me a "Go to Hell" look, but she ended up in the bathroom. I have a sneaking suspicion that although I may have won the battle, this war is not over.

Wow, no rain in sight for the seven-day forecast. I don't think I've seen that since last year. And I don't like this getting dark before 6:30 crap.

BTW, yay Cowboys! Wasn't much of a game but I'm glad they won. And shame on Wisconsin fans for boo'ing Brett Favre as he returned to Lambeau. Your team didn't want to play him, so he went somewhere that did. GET OVER IT! You people get on my nerves.

Goodbye October

2009-10-31T11:17:00.001-07:00

October has sucked big, purple donkey balls. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I have to say that I will not be sorry to see this month pass. I am usually excited to dress up, or dress someone else up, or at the very least scare a few folks. I did Terror Trails, jumped out the shadows to scare a friend, watched the scary movies. I guess my heart just wasn't that into it. This time of year brings bittersweet nostalgia for me anyway. The month started off horribly with the death of my dachsund baby, Captain, and it just never recovered.

Captain Bo Jangles almost made it to his 14th birthday. When I met him in 2001 he was five years old, still a spunky and spry little fellow. I remember seeing him come trotting out of the animal shelter with a big doggy grin on his face. It was love at first sight. I have to admit that I fall for pretty much ANY weenie dog, but there was something special about Captain. He was a stud dog whose curiosity took him out on the town, where he was picked up by the MP Animal Shelter. His previous 'owners' were contacted but decided he had outlived his usefulness to them and they did not want to pay the fee to release him. I was working at the newspaper at the time and the reporter who covered the adoptions for the shelter showed me his picture. Thank you, Casey. We were meant to find each other, I think. He always knew the right time to snuggle, or waddle over and give me that precious doggy grin before he buried himself back in his blanket. Over the years, time took it's toll and Captain's once pristine coat began to tarnish with specks of gray until his face was a completely different color. Captain didn't let his old age stop him, might've slowed him down a bit, but it didn't stop him. He loved his toys and he loved his rawhide and he LOVED his blanket. He would bark when his food bowl was empty, he would bark when his water bowl was empy, he would bark for his toys to be thrown, he would bark to be let back in the house. When he wanted my attention he would bark until he got it! For an eternity, he would bark until I thought he couldn't possibly have any bark left. Then he would bark some more! Until I would FINALLY get up off my lazy bum and get him whatever it was that he wanted. I used to curse that bark. Now, the silence is deafening. The hole Captain left in my heart is slowly being refilled by the countless memories of the love he shared. Goodbye, my Captain.

Goodbye October.

Normal Activity

2009-10-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Went to see Paranormal Activity tonight. I really have NO idea what all the fuss is about. I could guess the ending about 15 minutes in. And, OMG, I am watching a commercial advertising Snuggies for your dog now. Anyway, got distracted there for a second. The camera WAS shaky all throughout the movie, contrary to what you've heard, and the most exciting thing about the movie was the predictable last 5 minutes of the show. Very disappointed. I knew it wouldn't live up to the hype, I just didn't imagine it would be that bad. And I have reputable friends who liked it! Don't worry, I won't rat you out.

BTW, I know I haven't posted in a while and I know I say this every time. But I will try to get better at that. I know you are just dying for my witty repertoire.

Dogs gone wild...

2009-01-13T07:31:00.001-08:00

I had a little meltdown last night. I'm not quite sure why, other than my emotional status seems to rev up another notch every year I get older. I cry at the On Star commercials on the radio for goodness sake! Let me tell you what happened.

I'm dogsitting. That means I have 5 dachsunds (plus my big mutt) in my tiny little house, all vying for my attention or my lap or the weenie I happen to have in my hand. My two are used to all of the attention. Captain seems to go with the flow, although even he has wanted in my lap this week. Piper, on the other hand, hates it. She is used to being my baby and getting most of the attention. She mostly tolerates everyone but every once in a while she'll throw out a growl or snap her teeth at her temporary roomies. She's got a bit of an allergy problem so I give her a Benedryl in a weenie every night before bed. As I was handing her weenie to her last night, someone else showed a little bit of interest in it and she snatched that sucker out of my hand and clamped down on my thumb in the process. It didn't draw blood but it hurt like hell, and it hurt my feelings. In my head, I know she didn't mean to do it and I know she's a freaking dog and I KNOW I'm being completely irrational. But I couldn't help it. I burst into tears, the whole time mad at myself and knowing that I was being stupid which made me cry harder. I went on with my bedtime routine, bawling the whole time, for 15 minutes I was blubbering and sniffling. And then I had the thought that out of the 6 dogs I had in the house not one cared a single iota that I was losing it, hence another fit of hysteria.

There could be a myriad of reasons for my little crying jag; the status of my love life, loneliness, the conflicting feelings I have with my so-called "family" or maybe I was just hormonal. I don't know, maybe I just needed it.

It took a little while and a few distractions but I finally stopped the waterworks. When all was said and done I just tucked Piper's little head under my chin, told her I loved her and clicked off the light. All was right with the world again.

Ode to Dottie...II

2008-12-11T12:47:00.001-08:00

My dear little Dottie
Whilst I love you so
Your antics are much too naughty,
You're causing me great woe.

I know you just want some booty,
But you're interrupting my slumber.
You must stop it, my beauty,
Cause I've got your number.

You can moan and groan
You can snort and stomp,
But your wilds oats are long sown,
There will be no romp.

God must have a sense of humor...

2008-12-10T09:10:00.001-08:00

Look around. I know He's up there, enjoying the scene before him in glorious amusement. What else could explain the things going on in the world today.

Don't you think it would be something God would do to allow O.J. Simpson to walk free, thinking he'd gotten away with murder. The cocky bastard walking around and making a mockery of the whole thing, so sure of his invincibility he didn't even try to hide what he was doing in Vegas. So, instead of murder he gets nailed for kidnapping and armed robbery. Justice? Or vengeance? I think God got a good laugh over that one for sure.

We've got paparazzi being punched in the face, government bailouts, 5 o'clock traffic, separation of church and state, Britney Spears as hard news, and global warming (aka weather, aka another commercial and politicized money making opportunity). Sounds like one big cosmic joke to me.

This is my entry for a little MySpace group called Blog Pick. Follow the link below to check out differing, but fascinating introspectives on a single topic.

Chicken, bite or not to bite...

2008-11-07T10:06:00.001-08:00

OK folks, I just write 'em as I see 'em.

Soooo...question. Have
you ever been so hungry that you had to dig in to the rotisserie
chicken while you were still shopping? Yeah, me neither. This is what I
saw, however, yesterday while cruising the aisles for Lean Cuisines at
my local Brookshire's.

Strage lady thinking to herself, 'Yes, that looks like a good cut of pork. I think I'll take a bite of this chicken leg to celebrate.'

I could only shake my head and try to quell the laughter as I quickly
ducked down the soda aisle where I was quickly distracted by chocolate
chip cookies. Maybe I should have asked the lady for a bite of chicken
to celebrate...

Rock the vote...

2008-11-04T06:33:00.001-08:00

In the 1800s, women in the United States had few legal rights and did not have the right to vote. After her arrest for casting an illegal vote in the presidential election of 1872, Susan B. Anthony was tried and fined $100. She refused to pay.

It was not until after her death in 1906, after five decades of tireless work, the Democratic and Republican parties both endorsed women's right to vote. In August of 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was finally ratified, allowing women to vote.

In theory, the 19th Amendment extended voting rights to all women. However, the vast majority of African Americans—men and women—continued to face restrictions on voting, such as literacy tests and other measures that discouraged them from registering to vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally banned such restrictions.

Look at the years of struggle it took to bring us to this point. No matter your feelings, this is an historic election. It is our civic duty; exercise your right and your privilege to vote, for it is a privilege.

Get involved...

2008-11-03T07:18:00.001-08:00

My back hurts.

The 2008 Start! Heart Walk for the American Heart Association on Saturday was a success! I don't think a final tally is in, well I know it's not because I'm a slacker and haven't put all mine in yet, but I believe we raised close to $30,000. That's the current number on the website, anyway. **Singing: Awwwwwesome!!**

It was something I was proud to be a part of and I am also proud to say that although they didn't make everyone walk the entire 5k (What??!?!) that Tina and I did. It was important to me to complete the commitment I'd made, and we did it! Thank you, Tina, for realizing how important it was to me to do this. You rock! You're the bestest friend in the world and I was honored to have you next to me. Next year will be even better...

Have I mentioned my back hurts?

Happy Halloween...

2008-10-31T11:14:00.001-07:00

Meanderings...

2008-10-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

I couldn't sleep last night. I started to get up and write a blog then, but I couldn't bring myself to put forth the effort. My mind was meandering all over the place, touching on many different subjects. It kept coming back to the men I have been attracted to, gone out with and married. I seem to gravitate toward the wrong kind of men. I made a comment to T-Lo that men suck, and that kind of scared me that I actually do feel that way; it's not just something I say. She said something that resonated with me, "Well, of course. You haven't had one prove you wrong." She's right, I haven't. But should the thought of going out on a date terrify me to the point of nausea? Not the good kind caused from butterflies, either. I sort of feel like I'm broken and I'm not quite sure how to fix myself. It's been 3 years since the demise of my marriage, well it was really over before it began considering. I'm not stuck in that relationship, but I can't seem to more forward to a new one. I've had more than one opportunity, but it's like I'm paralyzed. My emotional limbs stiffen up and freeze, effectively putting a halt to movement in that direction. I thought back to my first "serious" relationship in middle school. I 'went' with a boy a little younger than me and I really liked him, he was well mannered and polite and he really liked me back. We went out for almost the entire school year and right before summer I broke up with him. I'm not sure why, exactly, except for the fact that I wanted more emotion. I wanted him to fight to keep me. He didn't. I've been trying to find someone that wants me and would fight for me ever since, I think. The next week I called to try to set him up with my best friend at the time. He politely declined and I don't remember ever hearing much out of him again. Maybe my dating history is relationship karma for the way I treated him? The next guy I 'went' with broke my heart. I didn't know him nearly as well or go out with him nearly as long but I was so infatuated with him that I thought I'd die when it was over. I cried all evening the day he broke up with me and it's one thing I haven't blocked out of that time in my life that I wish I had. I had a few other dates between then and my marriage but nothing spectacular. The guy I eventually married pursued me, at least in the beginning. That was nice, it's what I needed and wanted, but it was a lie. It was all a fantasy, I look back at that time and see it in the pinks and purples of a dream world complete with sparkly stars. Is it any wonder I'm messed up? Why I'm putting this out in the blogosphere, I don't know. Maybe it will be therapeutic, maybe I'll get some helpful advice. It was on my mind. Why not?

P.S. Don't forget about the Heart Walk this Saturday. I need your money!!! To donate online, go to http://www.heartwalk.kintera.org/longviewtx and click on "Donate Here" or send me an email to tanyamoniq@yahoo.com and I will contact you with the information you need. Thank you for your support!

Viagra and porn...

2008-10-24T12:49:00.001-07:00

The junk mail folder in my AT&Y Yahoo! Mail is supposed to be for the Viagra, XXX Porn and Penis Enlargment ads and Russian Barons offering money if only I'd give them my account number for the transfer. There is no need to visit the folder. However, I feel compelled to go through it and keep mine empty. It disturbs me to see any mail in this folder. Is anyone else so anal that they need to empty their junk mail folder 15 times a day? Just wondering.

Birds and rabbits and deer, oh my...

2008-10-01T12:44:00.001-07:00

This morning, as I opened the front door and headed out to my car, I noticed several black crows in the road in front of my house. I thought to myself, "Now, that can't be a good sign," in my usual pessimistic mood. I traveled the black top roads on my way to work this morning, late as usual, and pretty much oblivious to the beauty of nature around me. I'm not sure what, exactly, roused me from autopilot. I began to notice the green pastures sparkling with dew, I spied a doe and her fawn calmly munching on breakfast, two rabbits played chase along the side of the road. It made me realize what I take for granted every day, even grumble about a lot of the time. Living in a small town, there's just not a lot around. We don't have a Starbucks, we don't have a Wal Mart, we don't even have a movie theater. Those things aren't that far away but it's an inconvenience we abide to live in a rural community. We forget sometimes about the pressures and traffic and insanity a big city emanates and long for the perfect lives we see portrayed on television; where friends share a cool apartment on the fringe of Central Park, where people walk to work from their apartment around the corner, where WiFi is common and not a freak accident. We begrudge the cities their cost effective public transportation, the trendy little clubs downtown, heck the fact that there IS a downtown. I imagine some of the people that live in the big cities long for some of the peace and solitude we enjoy in my little square of the earth. So, my point for this piece is for you to notice and enjoy one thing every day that you take for granted. Appreciate it, hold on to and savor one thing every day. We all need a little reminder sometimes to remember that we are blessed.

Ike and the bathroom story...

2008-09-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

Obviously I was wrong about Ike, at least for the Pittsburg area. It
hit pretty hard on the coast, people are still without power. In fact,
I believe some people in the Tyler area are still without power. I have
taken a hiatus from news and most especially weather so I'm really not
sure about that. I do know that the beach house we stayed in on Crystal
Beach is now no more than driftwood. It saddens me. We had such a
lovely time there. So, while I was wrong, I unfortunately was still
right. Just thought you'd want to know that Ike didn't whisk me away.
I'm still around. Mostly.

I was taking a shower yesterday, it was one of those leisurely showers
where I wasn't showering because I had to rush out of the house to
somewhere but just because it's the "non white trash thing to do."
(Thank you, T). I stood there and let the water pulse down on my neck
and my back, enjoying the warmth and calm in the dim light of my
bathroom. Suddenly, gurgle.. gurgle.. gurgle. It seemed the warmth and
calm had done its job and relaxed my tensed muscles. A little too much.
My once relaxing shower had come to an end and it was time to get out.
Now! I reach down to turn the water off, holding my stomach and
grimacing in discomfort. I turn around and reach blindly for my towel,
my towel that I'd left sitting on the bed. Rolling my eyes at my
forgetfulness, I brace myself for the rush of cool air that I know is
coming once I push back the shower curtain. I carefully step out of the
shower onto the cold floor, slipping and sliding to the bathroom door
and throwing water everywhere. I eyed the 3 feet of carpet between my
bathroom and my towel with trepidation and decided to go for it,
forgetting the box fan I have running full blast right outside the
bathroom door. I step out into the jet stream of cold air and let out a
squeal as I turn to ice. Piper lopes in to see what all the commotion
is about as I grasp my towel as if it were a life preserver. Satisfied
that I'm not being murdered, she gracefully turns around (if dogs could
roll their eyes I assume she would have done so) and resumes her snooze on the couch while I quickly remove the frigid droplets of water that didn't splash all over the floor already and don my pajamas (yes, I
traded one pair of pajamas for another... what's it to ya). I went from
tense to relaxed and back to tense in a span of about 30 minutes. And
of course after all that, I realized I didn't have to go any more.
Isn't that the way life goes? When you're finally ready for it, it
switches direction.

Ike the spike...

2008-09-11T09:14:00.001-07:00

We're well into September now. Can you believe that mess? It's craziness to me.

Speaking of craziness...
OK, I've been watching Hurricane Ike since everybody was still talking about Hanna. Now, living in East Texas I usually don't worry about hurricanes. However, there is something about this storm that unnerves me. It's a huge storm, no doubt, but we've had other huge storms. They had first predicted it to hit Cuba, then curve up toward the Mississippi/Florida coastlines. Way before it hit Cuba, I knew they were wrong and it was going to hit Texas and hit close to home. So far, Ike has done pretty much nothing they predicted it was going to do. When they realized it was going to hit Texas after all, they forecast it to go further south toward Corpus Christi and Brownsville, possibly even Mexico. Now they believe it will hit somewhere around the Galveston area. I just have this weird feeling that I can't shake that it's going to do some major damage here in East Texas. You guys down on the coast stay safe and hopefully all my visions of future disaster will prove the silly musings of someone who watched too much of The Weather Channel.

I just wanted to post this in case Ike decides to whisk me away to
foreign lands. Then you'll all know that I AM always right. Told you!!

No sleep = Senseless rambling

2008-08-22T12:49:00.001-07:00

Sleep deprivation does not agree with me. When I am without sleep I
tend to get ill-tempered, edgy, impatient, etc. With that said, I still
have more patience than the two people with whom I am currently
residing. Henceforth, the Xanax is dispensed to my two patients quite
regularly. Which I find strangely ironic (those of you who know the
situation should understand what I mean). But I suppose NEEDING it and
abusing it are two different animals.

Did you know exhaustion causes one to stare blankly into space, sort of like sleeping with your eyes open?

Did you know that the sound of a rattle being shaken can send a person in search of the nearest psychiatric ward to fend of insanity? I hear that
stupid rattle in my ears everywhere I go.

Did you know that flaming bacon grease coupled with human skin causes blisters?

Did you know that computer software was invented to promote the liquor industry? It's a well-kept secret. But, I'm on to them.

Did you know that several cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other are much heavier than they look?

Just a day in the life...

Stochastic...

2008-08-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

stochastic - sto·chas·tic

adjective

being or having a random variable; "a stochastic variable"; "stochastic processes"

Is it weird to like old popcorn? Like I popped it yesterday and ate the
rest of it today, old. That's okay if it is. I'm, well let's say
different. For instance, I just poured water all down my shirt because
I missed my mouth. Sigh. Sometimes I don't even have the patience to
stand myself.

Have I mentioned today that calories suck!? 930 for a freaking sandwich. Ok, I'm done now.

Haven't posted an Overheard in a while, I think it's time for one.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day

(Asian guy cuts in front of black guy in suit and starts peeing into toilet)
Black guy in suit: I was here first.

Asian guy: I have to go more.

Black guy in suit: Move or I am going to piss on your back, motherfucker.

(Black
guy now stands side by side with Asian guy at toilet, both actually
peeing into same toilet while trying to push each other away)

--W 4th Pizza Place, New York City

Scarlett be gone...

2008-08-13T09:41:00.001-07:00

So, I named my weight today. Scarlett, after the scarlet letter. Scarlett, Queen of thy yonder Fast Food better look out because I'm going to shove that bitch over and steal her crown. I got this silly idea from a post on Calorie Count if anyone is interested in visiting the site. The name is self explanatory, but it's got numerous tools to help you out if you're into that sort of thing; and being a geek, dorkwad and general nerd, I am.

This losing weight thing is hard, dude. It's really hard. Most people think, 'just stop eating so much you lazy slob.' "Eat less, move more," says Dr. Laura. It's just not that simple, at least not for me. Some days are easy, 'nah, I don't need that cookie,' 'no pizza for me, I brought my lunch but thanks,' 'nope I don't want a blizzard today.' Some days are a little more difficult. I'm an emotional eater, so if something terrible happens or I've had a stressful day or somebody cuts me off in traffic or my earrings hang wrong or George Bush fumbles over a speech I tend to say fuck it and head to the nearest million calorie restaurant. And most of them have many more calories in their dishes than you would like to think, not to mention portion sizes. Unless you eat a salad (minus any sort of creamy dressing) it's hard to eat out when you're trying to lose weight. I usually order a la carte, that way I'm not even tempted to eat the things that come with the entree. I like to cook, I just HATE cleaning up the mess in the kitchen afterward. Don't worry, I usually do it before things start to grow arms and legs. Probably the hardest thing for me to cut out is soft drinks. Just two 20 ounce bottles of Coke total nearly 500 calories, that's like a third of the calories you are supposed to consume in an entire day.

Sorry, I didn't really mean to make this into a weight loss post but that's what kind of poured out today. Guess it's on my mind. I usually never know what I'm going to write until my fingers move. Anyway, if anyone cares I'm still at a 35 lb loss. It should start moving down again soon, I've done pretty good this week. I just need to keep a close eye on Miss Scarlett and her sneaky ways.

The blues, but yet funny...

2008-08-11T11:48:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling rather melancholy today. I'm not quite sure why. It could be the gray of the day, although the clouds are a welcome relief from the 100+ temps we've been suffering through lately. It could be that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets or that the Cowboys lost their preseason opener. It could be that I'm poor and have no hope of ever being not poor (cause those rich guys just aren't materializing). It could be that I'm having trouble getting back into the weight loss game. It could be that I haven't been sleeping very well. It could be that NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE HEART WALK!!! Aren't I just a great big ball of unfiltered sunshine? I don't want to be a bitchy blogger. I want to be witty and funny and inspiring. How's that working so far today?

I just put an entire row of staples, intact, into my stapler. Do you know how rare it is for an entire row to remain intact?

In an effort to remain slightly humorous I am going to post something I've had hanging on my bulletin board at work. It's not my work, but I'm at least passing it along. This describes my mood for the past several weeks.

"The Lost Dr. Seuss Poem"

I love my job, I love the pay!
I love it more and more each day.
I love my boss, he is the best!
I love his boss and all the rest.

I love my office and its location,
I hate to have to go on vacation.
I love my furniture, drab and grey,
and piles of paper that grow each day!
I think my job is really swell,
there's nothing else I love so well.
I love to work among my peers,
I love their leers, and jeers, and sneers.

I love my computer and its software;
I hug it often though it won't care.
I love each program and every file,
I'd love them more if they worked a while.

I'm happy to be here. I am. I am!
I'm the happiest slave of the firm, I am.
I love this work, I love these chores.
I love the meetings with deadly bores.
I love my job - I'll say it again!
I even love those friendly men.
Those friendly men who've come today,
In clean white coats to take me away!!!

Ode to Dottie...

2008-06-12T07:24:00.001-07:00

Tis the time of year

That I've come to fear.

When Dotties offers her siren call,

And all the hounddogs start to fall.

Arriving from places far and wide,

Dottie whines, longing to run to their side.

I stand amused, watching her flirt.

I must stay vigilant, ever alert!

One little slip could cause a snafu,

Nine weeks from now I'd be cleaning up poo!

Twelve little small, little cute, little muts

Will send me over the edge, just plain nuts.

I love you dear heart, my dear little Dottie,

However your fertility record is quite spotty.

No more nookie for you, I'm sorry it's over.

It's time to say your goodbyes to Rover.

Rant...

2008-06-07T17:30:00.001-07:00

I don't really know what to say right now. I'm flabbergasted. How can someone show such flagrant disregard, DISRESPECT, to someone who's given so much to them. I know that life isn't always rosy and I know how it is to feel regret. I also know that using the past as an excuse for your behavior in the present is a cop out. Grow the fuck up. Be a man. Quit taking and taking and taking. The well is nearly dry, can't you see that? Open your eyes! Show some respect for the woman who raised you and not the current pussy of the month. You've always said you hated liars and manipulators. What is it that you think you've become? Using words, hateful, knowingly life destroying words, to bend someone to your will is pure manipulation. Man up, deal with the shit, then get your life in order. And take care of someone else, think about someone other than yourself for once in your life.

To the pussy of the month: You can go straight to hell. You are owed nothing. You've taken enough.

Lobsterfied...

2008-06-06T10:34:00.001-07:00

I am looking less and less like a lobster every day. I almost want to go to the lake this weekend. My still sensitive flesh is telling me to stay in the dark, however. I've even avoided walking this week because I couldn't stand to be in the heat. I'll start back tomorrow, I may have to dress like the Amish but it's something I must do. It's all coming to a close now and I have the itching and peeling to look forward to. Yay.

Have I mentioned how much I love weenie dogs lately? They're the sweetest creatures, a little hyper and annoying at times, yes. But when they snuggle in your lap and give you hugs, it's the best. All they need is food, a pat on the head and sleep. They don't ask for much, they don't talk back and they treat you with absolute adoration. Why can't people be like that?! Ha!

This weekend should be an interesting one, in more ways than one. I plan on mostly hanging at home and living vicariously through those around me. I might wash a dish or I might fold a towel or, if I'm feeling really industrious, I might mow the driveway. Right now, I need to get my shit together so I can go home. What are y'all planning for the weekend?

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Hot nerd on cell: I mean seriously, what's the point of having friends if you can't occasionally accuse them of sexual deviance?
--40th & 3rd, New York City

The story of PASA...

2008-06-05T12:28:00.001-07:00

You know what I've learned in the past few years? I've learned that some people are just asses. Plain and simple asses, or PASA.

Most of the PASA are excellent actors and are able to create these huge extravagant productions. The whirlwind that surrounds PASA can suck you in to what I like to call the Big Fat Lie production company. They lure you in and make you trust them, cast you as the star and even make you somewhat dependent on that paycheck. Then these PASA decide they've tired of playing their part and switch production companies on you. You're left holding the tattered script of your life, wondering how the hell you've become the extra in someone else's play. It takes hours and hours of tedious work to tape your life script back together (Can't you fix anything with duct tape?). As you meticulously place that last piece of adhesive, you realize that although your script was irreversibly changed there are no limits to the pages you can add. It just takes a little chutzpa and courage to pick up the pen.

Oh, and Mr. PASA, why don't you pick up your pen you coward and write the rest of your life, the REAL story.

BlogPick: Next stop, dreamland...

2008-06-04T08:28:00.001-07:00

I've been watching this show on A&E or Biography or some channel along those lines called 'I Survived'. The premise of the show is basically ordinary people surviving extraordinary situations. There are no props, no re-enactments... just a single person talking into the camera and telling his or her story.

This show has really screwed up my dreams of rainbows and lollipops. Now my dreams are filled with home invaders, rapists and serial killers or I'm stranded in the middle of an ocean surrounded by sharks and no fresh water. The logical thing to do would be to, hmm, stop watching, right? I can't, though! I'm fascinated by this sort of thing.

My subconscious may twist things around in the vast, dark space that is my brain but when I take a broom to some of the cobwebs I find these stories inspire me. They stimulate those few brain cells and I begin to imagine what I would do in different situations. How would I react? How would you react?

This is my entry for a little MySpace group called Blog Pick. Follow the link below to check out differing, but fascinating introspectives on a single topic.

Perfect...

2008-06-02T08:33:00.001-07:00

This weekend was pretty great, the kind you never really want to end.

Friday I went to see Sex and the City with my BFF (it was pretty great,
but I'm left with the feeling of 'I can't wait to see the next
episode.' Guess that's the downside of turning a TV series into a
movie! Also, I had to pee starting about 30 minutes in and I lost my
focus. I'd like to see it again sans full bladder).

Saturday I was SUPPOSED to go to the lake with T-Lo. She wanted to trap
poor unsuspecting aquatic life, I wanted to soak up some sun and maybe
float in the water. Instead, I watched a lot of TV (at least I'm caught
up on GH now) and did some dishes. I won't name names as to why we
didn't make it. We
did eventually go riding around, scouting out where some of the best
locations might be, and topped it off with Papa Nachos (mmmm, chips and
hot sauce sound pretty good right about now).

Sunday I traveled the few miles down the road to Jennifer's house for a
day of food, friends, sun and swimming. I love hanging out with these
folks, they are just fun to be around. We always laugh, even through
the mini-crises. "My skin is meeeelting!!" We talked and swam and ate
and swam and talked some more. It was good to catch up. And Jennifer
made a chocolate cake that was pretty much to die for (mmmmmm
chocolate). I stayed and made a nuisance of myself until almost 9
o'clock. The first one to arrive and the last one to leave, yep you
can't get rid of me. I'll be coming to see YOU next!!

I'm pretty much a crispy, red mess after yesterday. But it's all good
in the hood. Some things are just worth a little pain. I hope the rest
of the summer yields more weekends like this one. Peace out, yo!

My new favorite saying...

Famous people walk on red carpets because they are famous...I myself walk on toilet paper because I am the shit! - Thanks Sam!!

My fortune cookie...

2008-05-29T10:57:00.001-07:00

... said I was all these wonderful things. "You are kind, smart, etc...." Then it said, "Prove it."

Why are the fortune cookies being so mean to me? The last one I got said, "Come back later... I am sleeping."

I knew cookies were bad for me. I proved THAT! HA!

Stupid cookies.

If you're a dork...

2008-05-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

... like me, you might be interested to know that New Kids on the Block
is coming to a city near you!!! Yes, folks, NKOTB will be in Dallas on
October 19 at the American Airlines Center. They're also going to be in
Houston and San Antonio around that time as well.

I'll be loving you foreeeeeeeeeeeevveeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr....

Suckage...

2008-05-29T08:14:00.001-07:00

The last two blogs on my MySpace blog subscription page are, "Who sucks?" followed
by "Wheat sucks". Ha! My blog subscriptions are talking to each other...

Yes, I know it takes little to amuse me. And I'm okay with that.

The story of how we found out that Mr. Gimmme was not gay....

2008-05-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

I rarely use email for anything other than communicating with friends and relatives. I'm not all about forwarding everything that finds its way to my inbox. However! Once in a while I find something that strikes my fancy and turns me into a giggling lunatic so I pass that along to others hoping they might experience the overwhelming joy I latched onto, if only for a moment. The following is something that I not only have mass emailed but feel the need to create a blog post for. If I sent you the email, you may skip this one. BUT ONLY THIS ONE!

The following is an excerpt from a blogger, Miss Doxie.

The story of how we found out that Mr. Gimmme was not gay....
I know I have referenced, but never actually told, the story of How We Found Out That Mister Gimmme Was Not Gay. Here is the conclusion part of that story: Mister Gimmme (a sweet dapple dachsund) is not gay. We learned this back when this painfully (painfully) beautiful man was living with me a few days a week. (Score!) This guy was a good friend of ours who was going to school in Athens; during his last summer there, he landed journalism internships at both Southern Voice and Creative Loafing. Each job only required him to work in Atlanta one day a week, which was good; what was bad, however, was that they didn't really pay, so he also had to keep working in Athens. He couldn't afford to rent a place in Atlanta in addition to his place in Athens, so he was going to have to drive back and forth. So, I declared that to be ridiculous and told him to shut the hell up and live in one of my guest rooms already. And that is how I ended up with a Gay House Boy. And how he ended up with that nickname is because that is how he answered the phone.

So, [Gorgeous] Gay House Boy spent the summer with me, during which he and I had more fun than is even reasonable. He was the one who came up with the Swan Drinking Game, you guys! Where we had to drink to "journey", "transformation", and "princess"! That pretty much started the movement, right there. He was a pioneer! A very gorgeous pioneer.

But, anyway. So, GHB loved the dogs, but he was particularly fond of Mister Gimmme. He carried Gimmme everywhere. Like, Gimmme does possess legs, but when GHB was there, Gimmme did not have to use them, ever, because GHB would walk in, pick Mister Gimmme up, and the two of them would cuddle together on the sofa all night long. Gimmme loved GHB, and would start hopping in little circles every time the door opened and GHB emerged. It was GHB and Mister Gimmme, all the time, and their love was pure and true.

On GHB's last night with me, we threw him a huge going-away thing. As I was gathering all the dogs to go upstairs to bed, he asked me, very shyly, if it would be okay if he slept with Gimmme that night. And of course, I was like, "Oh, please, PLEASE, FEEL FREE."

So GHB carried Gimmme upstairs, and Gimmme was wagging and filled with great happiness, just apoplectic with ecstasy. GHB and Gimmme disappeared into his guest room, I hopped into bed with my crew, and off we all went to sleep.

Less than six minutes later, I was startled to hear an enormous crash, as something smacked hard into my bedroom door. It flew open, and I jerked upright to see Mister Gimmme -- who had apparently headbutted his way into the room -- scramble across the floor, bounce off the back wall, and ricochet in the direction of the closet, all at maximum Gimmme speed.

While I was trying to make sense of this utterly ridiculous spectacle, GHB appeared in the doorway, soaking wet and looking frazzled.

"?" I said to GHB, as crashing sounds emenated from the closet, where Gimmme had apparently knocked over an entire hamper of coat hangers.

"Gimmme," GHB panted, "is NOT GAY."

Turns out, he was right. Oh, sure, Mister Gimmme was just fiiiiiine with the cuddling, kisses, and snuggly. But as soon as GHB climbed into bed with him, shirtless, and curled up next to Mister Gimmme, the two brain cells that live in Gimmme's head collided, and it occurred to him that maybe he had been giving off the wrong signals, because GIMMME DO NOT LIKE GHB THAT WAY. And so, in total heterosexual fashion, he COMPLETELY freaked out, peed all over GHB, and made a break for it, tearing blindly down the hallway before slamming headfirst into the safety of THE ROOM WHERE THE STRAIGHT PEOPLE ARE.

"I think he committed a hate crime on you!" I told GHB, as a still-reeling Gimmme knocked over the trash can in the bathroom. "I think he committed a hate crime on the sheets," GHB responded.

And, that is how we found out that Mister Gimmme was not gay. He was just experimenting! It was an experimental time! Everyone does that in college!

Married wieners...

2008-05-21T11:04:00.001-07:00

I just saw THE cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!! Dachsunds getting married?! WTH!! Check out the wedding photos.

Blog Pick: It's Not Me, It's You...

2008-03-11T07:42:00.001-07:00

It's Not Me, It's You...BlogPick

I was going to write about my marriage to the ex-butnottechnicallyex-husband, and even though that statement applies, I decided not to waste my finger strength on something that really doesn't matter any longer. Instead I'm going to do a day in the life of Tanya and the random people I come into contact with.

It's not me, it's you when... I get cranky with the checkout lady at Walmart for adding the weight of her huge boobs to my vegetables.

It's not me, it's you when... I no longer have patience after showing you what and how to do something more than three times.

It's not me, it's you when... You get the finger after speeding up to pass me and then slowing down once you're in front of me.

It's not me, it's you when... After forwarding me 20 meaningless emails in a day, you get a reply that says I'm going to cut off your index finger if you use it to send me one more thing. Ever!

It's not me, it's you when... I am roused from my Sex and the City marathon to answer the phone only to hear... "Hi, I'm calling from ABC Baptist Church. Do you have a church in the area?" "Yes." "Well, we're not trying to pull anyone from their church, but..." "Click."

It's not me, it's you when... When I see you, I smile and wave like a fool even though you swept me out of your life like dirt on the kitchen floor. I will not stoop to your level.

It's not me, it's you when... You don't like me because you are jealous of my computer skills.

It's not me, it's you when... I'm sad because you're stupid.

These all actually mean something specific to me, and in all actuality some of them may BE me but I choose to believe... It's not me, it's you.

Random thought...

2008-03-10T07:34:00.001-07:00

I discovered something about myself today. I do not like room temperature chocolate pudding snacks. They must be refrigerated. Or if it's cook and serve pudding, I like it still warm off the stove.

Try, try again...

2008-02-27T08:15:00.001-08:00

I haven't blogged about this before because I didn't want to put it out there and look like an asshole when I failed at it like I have so many times in the past. I still haven't achieved 100% success but I'd consider the progress I've made so far a triumph.

I have lost 30 pounds (pausing for the applause). That's a 10% loss of weight so far and 19% of my goal weight reached, I am 1/5 of the way there. It has been (is going to be) a long process, full of ups and downs. As much as I want there to be, there is no instant gratification, no quick fix. I've fallen off the wagon, in fact the wagon has run me over a couple of times, but I've managed to somehow drag myself back up there each time. And that's the key isn't it? We've heard it since grade school, "Try, try again."

So here are my words of wisdom for the day. DO NOT GIVE UP! If it seems hopeless, keep pushing forward. If you make a mistake today, turn it around tomorrow. Be patient with yourself and accept the fact that you will falter. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and "Try, try again." Absolutely nothing will be accomplished if you give up.

Beautiful randomness...

2008-02-25T09:35:00.001-08:00

Someone left a comment and asked what this blog was... The simple answer is beautiful randomness. Things that pop into my head and get stuck there are usually what ends up here.

Something that's not random... My heart is hurting today. Over the weekend, my ex-but not really-brother and sister-in-law / friends and my niece (aka The Darling Angel) moved from right around the corner to about an hour away. I'm happy for OleAnner, that she got the house she wanted in the place she wanted, and I'm glad she's excited to start a new chapter. But selfishly, I'm sad. Sure Rylie can come and visit or stay the weekend or I can go up there. But it's not the same as being involved in day to day life. She can't just hop on her bike to come see me anymore. I can't walk around the corner to have dinner or watch Big Brother. Things can't stay the same forever, I know that. Life is change. Today, life sucks.

Big Brother returns...

2008-02-13T11:47:00.001-08:00

Finally, something I can watch on Primetime. The one they call the cougar? How big of a bitch was she?!

It remains elusive...

2008-01-30T11:22:00.001-08:00

Just FYI, the search words most used for this blog are "beautiful penis." Even the people at Rutgers are trying to find this elusive phenomenon.

Change...

2008-01-23T08:38:00.001-08:00

Crazy...

2008-01-10T10:59:00.001-08:00

Something society needs...

2008-01-09T10:50:00.001-08:00

A Touch of Class...

2008-01-07T09:19:00.001-08:00

Ok.. I have to tell this little story. It hasn't translated to words as well as it happened in my head, but I found it highly amusing and will tell you anyway.

I was at a convenience store a few days ago getting raped by big oil yet again. While I'm leaning against my car, reminiscing of the good old days when gas was .89 cents a gallon I notice the car on the other side of my pump. The older model car had a logo that said "A Touch of Class" Cleaning and Janitorial Services. Okay, whatever, right? Then the driver of the car walks out of the store..... with no shoes on. I had to laugh. Right there in front of everybody. I couldn't help myself, it just came bubbling out. I'm sure I got some strange looks. But none stranger than the look on my face when I saw the janitor with no shoes. Classy, right?

Happy Birthday...

2008-01-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

Today is my darling's birthday. Mr. Captain Bo Jangles is 12 years old, 84 in dog years.

I remember the first time I saw him. He was up for adoption at the animal shelter and they put his photo in the newspaper. I had just lost my previous weenie dog Milo and had a disastrous bout with a cat named Bailey (aka Devil Cat Numero Uno). Y'all know I love me some dachsund and he had my heart at first sight. He was about six years old when he came to live with me, was young and thin and spry. And now he's, well, he's not those things anymore. He stills speaks and still loves to eat and sleep. And, really, what else is there?

Then

And Now

It's how I feel sometimes...

2007-12-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

Poor Snoopy... He's so misunderstood!!

Happy Merry Jingle Bombs...

2007-12-20T11:47:00.000-08:00

Jeff Dunham; Achmed's "Jingle Bombs"

Add to My Profile | More Videos

It's all about the money...

2007-12-06T08:59:00.001-08:00

We had our Christmas party last Saturday. It sucked. That's all I have to say about that.

To the Redskins...

2007-11-27T12:42:00.001-08:00

... and the Taylor family. I am sorry for your loss.

For those of you that haven't heard, Sean Taylor, a safety for the Washington Redskins, died this morning after being shot in his home by an intruder. In his own home. I just can't imagine. I wake up terrified from a dream, I don't even want to know what it would be like to wake up and actually find someone in your home. Scary.

Turkey day...

2007-11-21T12:40:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Achmed the dead terrorist.... A MUST SEE!!!

2007-11-15T11:51:00.002-08:00

http://view.break.com/384315 - Watch more free videos

Here kitty, kitty...

2007-11-15T09:40:00.001-08:00

Had to post this one, it made me grin!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
White mom: Which kitty is your favorite?
Little girl holding book of baby animals: The black one!
Mom: The black one? He sure is a cute kitty.
Little girl, loudly: Once you go black, you never go back!
Passing thug, flashing her a thumbs-up: Word!
White mom: I don't care what your father says, we are so moving to Westchester.
--Commodore Barry Park, Brooklyn, NY

Who will you pick...

2007-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

We've had quite the williwaw over the past 12 hours in east Texas. Cold and blustery winds blew in last night making it feel like fall, again, but alas this IS Texas so we'll be back up in the 80's in less than a week. It's supposed to be cool and rainy on Thanksgiving which will help get the holiday feelings started. Yay!

I'd like to hear from you all. Some of these candidates are so low in the polls, they're in a serious state of denegation and should just cut their losses and save everyone a bunch of time and money. Tell me who stands out in your mind for the 2008 Presidential Election. Will expound more of my thoughts on this later.

Here's a list of some of the candidates:
John Edwards
Hillary Clinton
Barack Obama
Joe Biden
Dennis Kucinich
Mike Huckabee
Rudy Giuliani
John McCain
Fred Thompson
Mitt Romney

The holiday of the pumpkin pie...

2007-11-13T07:49:00.001-08:00

It's Thanksgiving next week. There's something about the holiday that makes me a little sad that I don't have "a family" per say to share it with. I'll miss most of the traditional homemade holiday foods that I grew up with because I can't afford to buy the crap to make it all (or I would)(I don't care if there'd only be one person eating it), namely the dressing (stupid Stove-Top has stolen my nostalgic moments!!!!). There is one old-school dish that I will make (fruit salad which I will probably make and eat this weekend because Anne's making her own kind of fruit salad) and a new one I've developed over the past few years (yeast rolls which I first learned to make from my ex-mother-in-law and have tweaked the recipe), and will actually spend the holiday with the family I've created and managed to kidnap as my own. They're all a little nuts, so you know I fit right in. Last year I got to make my dressing, and it was damn good if I do say so myself, and yeast rolls. Our little family had a good Thanksgiving last year and I'll miss those that can't be there this year. Sniff, Sniff!! I'm going to offer my cooking expertise to my hostess and hopefully she'll take me up on it since I know she's going to be dead on her ass when she finally gets home. I'm sort of rambling in this post so I'm going to end it now because I'm not sure where I'm trying to go. Happy Tuesday, peeps!

That's how I want to grow old...

2007-11-12T12:28:00.001-08:00

I've come across several blogs whilst mindlessly surfing the internet, some are in my blogroll, some are not. Some of the authors I consider friends, some I've never met. Some I read for comedic benefit, some are for their informative aspect, some even include both. Pretty much all of them infuse some of their daily lives into their writing. It's fascinating to me how involved I become in these stories. I feel genuine emotion for their accomplishments, failures, blessings and tragedies. I'm a sap, I guess. But I'd rather be a sap than an emotionless, unfeeling robot. Those people are scary. Anyway... I'd like to say a big thank you to all you bloggers for inviting us into your lives. It's a fun way to avoid work!

I got a flu shot last week from a nursing student. I've heard horror stories all my life about how you'll actually get a mild case of the flu. Well, I don't want the flu, even a mild case of it, so I've never gotten it. Nobody could convince me. Until I saw Regis and Kelly get one on their show. The doctor giving the shot informed the viewers that the rumor of getting the flu was just that, a rumor. So, because I believe everything I see on TV, I changed my mind and decided to just go ahead and get the shot. Sarah's been wanting guinea pigs to practice on, so why not! Sarah was wonderful, didn't hurt me at all. Even the medication they said would eventually cause some discomfort never came. Ya just learn something new every day dontcha.

Overheard in New York Quote of the Day
Old woman #1: How many times have you beaten the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas?
Old woman #2: I'm not sure. Maybe three or four times...
--A train, New York City

It's not only in Arkansas anymore...

2007-11-08T09:12:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine gave me an old recliner she had used before she got new furniture. Anybody that is familiar with the state of the recliners I previously owned knows what a blessing that was. One of them was so broken down you could no longer sit it in without something poking you in the ass. The other one, not only overtaken by the brown furry things that run my life, was coming apart at the arms. Neither had rocked or reclined in quite some time. I was finally able to boot them out the door and rearrange my living room in the process. So now that the chair that Captain and Piper used as their bed is history, I made them a little place in the floor complete with pillow and blanket. They slept on it one day before Dottie took it over. Now they've taken over the couch. Something is going to have to give here. I have long since become accustomed to the fact that I am just a human living in their house, but come ON!!! I buy the food. Can't they give me some credit for that?

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Chick: I think if you're considering dating your cousin, which one you pick is the least of your problems.
--8th & Broadway, New York City

Those WERE the days...

2007-11-06T14:03:00.001-08:00

It hasn't been quite a month since I've blogged. I've kind of been on a blogging strike, of sorts. Well, maybe I've just been trying to spend not quite so much time in front of the computer and TV which has led to blog lagging and me being 2 weeks behind on General Hospital. But don't worry, I'm not blogstipated.

I need to go to the dentist. I have wisdom teeth (yeah, ironic, I know) on the right side that have yet to be removed and are protesting much more frequently these days. Why are dentists SO damn expensive? Especially when they are the spawn of satan? They should be paying US for subjecting our innocent teeth and gums to the hands of the devil!! Can you tell I had a bad experience at the dentist? Dr. O'Neveragain did a number on my psyche and my mouth.

So, I've been doing a little walking lately. Did you know that knees have mouths? Yeah, mine scream after about a mile. I just scream back and tell them to shut up. Mind over matter, right?

I was sick Sunday night. I was in so much pain I was nauseas and ended up throwing up which finally allowed me to get a couple of hours of sleep. Now I'm sore from the puking and while I feel better mostly, my torso feels like I was beaten with a wooden baseball bat.

Tina and I went to Oklahoma City last weekend. That's pretty country going up through there, although there's pretty much NOTHING for miles and miles. I drove downtown while Tina was in class and saw the memorial for the bombing of the federal building. It was a unique place. People had placed flowers and personal mementos along the fence. It was neat to see. OKC is a nice city, big but not so big that you can't navigate it. AND they have a Taco Bueno! I wouldn't mind living there.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Seven-year-old kid #1: [playing with spirit stick] Man I feel like I'm five years old again!
Seven-year-old kid #2: Those were the days!
--Exiting Madison Square Garden, New York City

I heart Jason Witten...

2007-10-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Holy Shitaki people!!! Did you see that freaking game???? Six interceptions and a fumble from Romo and we STILL won that game!!

Take THAT you low-down, wannabe sneaky Bills bastards!!!!!!!

Booo...

2007-09-06T20:24:00.001-07:00

Brees got smacked down by Manning. Booo. (Not a surprise, really).

In his defense, he didn't have the protection to get it done. They were on his ass like white on rice.

My kicker Vinatieri rocked, though. He had plenty of field goal opportunities fo' sho'.

It's not over yet, though. I still have Sunday to rack up the points. Right?

Final score, Saints 10 - Colts 41.

P.S. They didn't get spanked like a local team did, Tatum lost to Gilmer 28-71... yes, SEVENTY ONE.

Fantasies...

2007-09-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

NFL regular season opener tonight, Saints vs Colts. I've put all my fantasy faith into Drew Brees. He'd better not let me down.

I love football!!

(And yes, I'm on a blog roll today!)

I got it from McDonald's...

2007-09-06T09:38:00.001-07:00

Have any of you heard that stupid new song by will.i.am (whatever dude, on the name), "I Got it From My Mama"? It makes me want to fill my ears with hot, molten lava to escape the onslaught of ridiculous lyrics.

Love Snoopy...

2007-09-06T08:26:00.001-07:00

I love Snoopy. I want you to love him too.

Firefox rocks...

2007-08-31T10:05:00.001-07:00

Internet browsers. I used to think that the only thing out there was Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. Ahhh, the days of naivete. A few years ago I heard about the wonder that is Firefox, Mozilla Firefox to be exact. I've used IE, Netscape, the ATT Yahoo browser (which is a lot like IE), and AOL. Firefox outperforms every single one. While in and of itself it is outstanding with tabbed browsing, auto spell-check, session restore, pop-up blocker and spyware protection, the add-ons and plug-ins available for download make it truly unique. There are hundreds of things to choose from, but I'll give you an example of what I have. Adblocker Plus is an integrated application that allows you to subscribe to automatic filters and/or right click on individual ads to block them from loading (especially helpful to those of us still on a dial-up connection). I also have Twitbid which integrates Twitter directly into the browser, the Weather.com applications that gives me weather and one click access to doppler radar directly on the satus bar, Colt which allows you to copy the text of a link instead of just the link location. That brings me to my favorite, ScribeFire. A fully integrated application, ScribeFire allows you to post to and manage your favorite blog (except myspace at the moment) without having to directly go to and log in at the site, (also wonderful for those slow-ass dial up connections). I just love it. It's so worth the download time (yes, even on dial-up). I don't see myself ever using anything but Firefox again and I don't see why anybody would want to use anything else. It's fan-freaking-tastic.

"Overheard in the Office" Quote of the Day
Teen girl: If I don't get an A on this English test I'm going to be even screwed-er.
--A High School, Sterling, Virginia

Appreciate photo mutt...

2007-08-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

Gosh time flies when you're trying to exist. I could have sworn I just posted something last week. There's nothing like living life from paycheck to paycheck to make you appreciate being a teenager. One of these days it's going to get better. I have to keep telling myself that.

I did get my new cell phone, it's a Motorola Krzr (I know, I know), but it was on sale and it was what I wanted. Yay for Walmart (in Sulphur Springs, Mt. Pleasant sucked). My bank stuff STILL isn't completely straightened out, however it should be settled by the end of the week. We'll see.

I'm a member of this photo group on Flickr called Doxie See Doxie Doo. They're going to have photo contests every couple of weeks, each with a different theme. This month was "Doxies Cooling Off." You should check out some of the finalists. If they do nothing else, weenie dogs make you smile. If I'm down, all I have to do is snuggle with mine, or click over to Flickr. They never fail to lift my spirits.

It's getting later so I suppose I should start rounding up the mutts for bedtime. I'm in the middle of a good book so I kind of want to get started on that too.

TTFN and LYLAS! (Remember those!!)

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Girl: What do you mean you don't know?! Look in your underwear!
(I know that's where I always look when I lose something. :| )
--12th & 1st, New York City

Cheery Friday...

2007-08-17T12:10:00.001-07:00

Well, it's Friday. They'll hopefully have my banking stuff straightened out soon. We got a bonus. I'm gonna buy a new cell phone with my bonus. It's a good day. Just thought I'd share my giddiness!

"Overheard in the Office" Quote of the Day
Assistant: Are you leaving early?
Attorney: Yep.
Assistant: Why? It's only 3:30.
Attorney: 'Cause I like to drink.
--1900 Pearl Street, Austin, Texas

Technorati Tags: cheer, money, cell phone, drinks

Dottie, the hot potato...

2007-08-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

I guess it's time for me to fill you in on Dottie and her ex-boyfriend. Sigh. Well it's like it is with most guys, you don't put out and you get dropped like a hot potato. Poor Dottie. NOT. When she's "in season" she trots her hot little ass around the yard stopping to pee a little here and a little there. Like I don't know that she's leaving her little calling cards for the neighborhood hound. In honor of her latest episode, I've kept her inside when I'm not home to be able keep a VERY close eye on her. And when Mr. Hounddog comes calling around, as we all knew he would, he is greeted with a very mean looking BB gun and a loud pop. Now, don't worry I never point the thing directly at him. He's in no danger. Haven't seen Mr. Hounddog in quite a while now. Dottie sits forlornly at the glass door hoping to catch a glimpse of her former suitor at least making an attempt to pay her a visit. Sorry darling, you're not on his agenda, at least not this month. I just find it amusing to watch her "covert" missions in the yard and how sneaky she tries to be, and WOULD be if I didn't watch her like a hawk. So, there you have the infinitely amusing story of Dottie.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Man with hands down pants: I'm sorry... My penis is too long for these pants.
--62nd & Columbus, New York City

Genius or Cheater - YOU decide...

2007-08-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

Today I shall tell you about the little cheater, I mean genius, that is Rylie. There for a couple of weeks she was calling me just about everyday to come and play Monopoly. When we'd play, she'd always win, of course. But she'd REALLY win. I wasn't letting her win. Now she may have made up a rule or two of her own but she really grasps the concept of the game. Buy up as much property as you can and rape the tenants that come through. The last game that was played, I was actually winning. I mean, I was "in the money." I got Free Parking a couple of times and I had Boardwalk and Parkplace, or whatever they're called in Spongebob Monopoly. Guess who lost interest in playing after that? Mmmhmm.... It wasn't me. And she had the NERVE to accuse ME of cheating! If she'd paid attention to the game, she would have known how many times I rolled. We get in to this Monopoly game, I tell you. It's fun though. Gosh, I love that little turd!

"Celebrity Wit" Quote of the Day
Elizabeth Taylor: When the sun comes up, I have morals again.

Dignity stolen...

2007-08-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Life strips you of all dignity.

I just filled out yet another MySpace survey and it asked for an opinion on life. That was my answer. It's true, isn't it? The older you get, the less you have. Or that's the way I feel, anway.

My wallet was stolen out of my car about three weeks ago. The thief left my purse, so I didn't even realize anything was amiss until the police called me. Fortunately, someone found my wallet where the thief carelessly tossed it away...in a trash can...at some random car wash. I can't tell you what a nightmare it's been. I didn't have any cash in there, thank God, but my debit cards were taken, my social security card, my LIBRARY cards. Come ON, people. Library cards? The thief managed to charge over $200 on my card before I canceled it. Living paycheck to paycheck as I, and most people I know, do, this has seriously been a pain in the ass to get straightened out. I thought it was over. I find out today, I have to start all over again. I would rather poke hot needles in my eyes.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but as you can see I've been rather preoccupied. I get in slumps where I don't feel like doing much of anything and I suppose that's what's happened here. I hope to write about a trip to Gulport/Biloxi, MS in the next few days, and of course to continue from my previous posts about Rylie the Monopoly genius and Dottie and her boyfriend, or rather, EX-boyfriend. Muahahahah!!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Chick: I'm kinda concerned about this lotion I started using. It contains semen.
Dude: Ew... But so what?
Chick: Well, I think that it could make me pregnant. Like, the sperm could seep through my pores and then swim through my blood...
Dude: But your pores don't have fallopian tubes...
Chick: But what if? I bet if I got pregnant, it would be, like, the devil's baby.
Dude: Yeah, and you probably can't abort the devil's baby.
--116th & Broadway, New York City
(The sad thing is there are really people out there like this. Sigh.)

Rice Crispie treats...

2007-07-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

WTF is up with my phone line? I can sign on to the net, but then get kicked off like a minute later, my phone snaps, crackles and pops like Rice Crispies and apparently I'm missing half my calls. Is rain SUPPOSED to have that much of an effect on line quality? I don't think so. I was going to post about my harrowing past couple of days, but now I don't feel like it. Hope you have a better week than I've had!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
20-ish girl #1: Ugh! I feel like total crap right now.
20-ish girl #2: Is it your time of the month?
20-ish girl #1: Yeah. I have to pay the rent. (Always makes me sick to my stomach, too).
--Grand Central Station, New York

Ginormous weeds and grasshopper revenge...

2007-07-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I promised an exciting tale of towering weeds, ant skyscrapers and giant grasshoppers. I worked my little fingers to the bone, trying to plow through the green stuff in my front yard. I'm only half done and it's raining AGAIN today so the other half will have to wait. At this rate I'll be mowing forever because by the time I finish the second half it will be time to mow the first half again. I probably should have waited until it dried out a little more, but umm, well, who the hell knows when that will be. There were several spots that were still quite squishy when stepped upon. Not only was I battling the ginormous 4 foot weeds and thick grass, but I was walking rather funnily trying to avoid the mounds of dirt with those nasty little red insects in them. Those bastards hurt! So, I'm highstepping and stomping my feet to get rid of the ants and constantly brushing at my arms and face to slap away the grasshoppers. I must have looked like a raving lunatic. My arms are sore from pushing the stupid thing and my hands are achy from holding onto the bar and I have the beginnings of a blister on my thumb. Oh well. It's good exercise. I definitely need the exercise. I hope the ants don't get pissed off and invade my house. I was getting worried about an uprising from the grasshoppers because they were covering the screen door last night but it looks like I don't have to worry about grasshopper revenge just yet. At least until I plow through the last remaining vestiges of their home. More adventures from The Young and the Boring coming up.

And this is only the front yard. I haven't attempted the back jungle yet.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Little boy hopping off bike: I've got to rest my penis, Daddy.
Mom: Shhh!
Dad: Good man.
Biking passerby: Whoa.
--Prospect Park, New York

Die hard genius...

2007-07-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

I went to see Live Free or Die Hard this weekend. I have to confess that I'm not a die hard Die Hard fan, but I really enjoyed the movie. For one, Bruce Willis is hot for an older guy. Two, there's that cute little Justin Long who's hot for a young guy. (I think that Adam Brody would've been a good cast for that part, too, by the way. A little nerdy, a little cute). Anyhow, it was suspenseful and keeping with the times and all that could happen in the "everything computer" age. It was interesting. I have to say, though, poor Bruce took a beating in this movie. I don't think he had to act very much to portray the pain his character felt. And having a "fail safe" for financial records downloaded to one gigantic server seems like something our government would do. Can you say FEMA? I'm pretty computer smart, but it always amazes me how these people, and I know there are really people out there that can do these things, just start typing on a black screen and manage to make the American economy come to a screeching halt. I love the witty banter in the movie, McClain's a bad ass with a sense of humor AND a daughter just like him. I know I'm bouncing all over the place and if you haven't seen the movie you have no idea what I'm talking about. So, go watch the movie.

I actually have more to write about, so stay tuned to find out about the jungle that is my lawn, Dottie and her boyfriend, and Rylie the little Monopoly genius.

I saw the following quote on my friend, Nick's, MySpace page. It made me laugh out loud. Ahh, the things that amuse me!
"I saw this wino, he was eating grapes. I was like, 'Dude, you have to wait.' " -- Comedian Mitch Hedberg

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Conductor on PA: Excuse me, ma'am, maybe it would work better if you went to the next door -- it's less crowded. [Lady walks to next door, but before she gets there the conductor closes them.] Haha, bitch! Toot, toot!
--Crowded 2 train, New York City

Picture interface...

2007-07-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

So, Yahoo! Photos is closing down. I liked Yahoo! Photos, Yahoo! Photos made me feel safe. Now they've made me move my pictures. We are given a choice between Flickr (which is actually Yahoo's new photo sharing site), Shutterfly, Snapfish and Photobucket. I researched and studied and played around and had just about decided on Shutterfly. I already have an account with Photobucket because of the ability to link to the photos on their site and the fact that they generate html codes to post into a blog and stuff. So anything I want to independently post into a blog is loaded on Photobucket, but they're not really user friendly as far as organization and visibility. At the last minute, I decided to just go ahead and switch to Flickr since it was affiliated with Yahoo. I'm really glad that I did. It has an amazing organizing tool where you can add, edit, move several photos at once. There is a handy download for a multiple upload interface. You have to play with it before you get down all its capabilities. I didn't think I liked it at all at first, but the more I use and play around with it the more I love it. Not only does it have nice applications and tools but it's an online community as well. It's easy to browse and share photos, join or create a specific group, I just can't say enough. If you've got photos to move before the official shutdown in September, I most strongly recommend Flickr. It's way cool. The only improvement I could think of would be to include linking and html generation like Photobucket. All those handy tools in one site, I might become verklempt!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Little boy: Look, Mommy, Shrek has titties!
--AMC, Bay Plaza

Yay, great, good times rant...

2007-07-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

I just want to rant a little bit at first. A person that has children they haven't seen in two years is NOT fucking awesome. It's awfully funny how you have money to do the things you want to do but when it comes to family, your REAL family, you know the one you'd like to forget about, there is none to be found. Guess it's a little too inconvenient. Grow up and get your head out of the cloud [of smoke] already. I could go on, but I won't.

Now that that's out of the way. My former editor at the paper has called it quits and is going into teaching at my high school. He's going to be their new journalism teacher and I think it's great! Congrats Whit! They're losing a good thing, but yay for Pittsburg!

I went to see the fireworks last night in town. They were alright, I guess. I always enjoy them. It just seemed like things were a little off this year. First, they didn't shoot them off from the normal location. People were having to hoof it in all directions in order to be able to see them. Then the "finale" was sadly disappointing and left most with the words, "Was that it?" Maybe it was too wet everywhere and that just threw the whole thing off. It was still worth a trip into town in any case.

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July this year. Here's to more "good times, good times."

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Crazy lady waving cane at laughing skateboarder: That's right! Run for your life, motherfucker! I'm on a hunt! And you're the prey!
--Outside Barnes & Noble, Astor Pl

Broken...

2007-05-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

I really don't have anything today. I'm tired. My air conditioner's broke and so am I.

"Celebrety Wit: The Voice of Fame" Quote of the Day
Paris Hilton: What's Wal-Mart? Do they sell, like, wall stuff?
--vh1.com

High school musical...

2007-05-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

Ok... What the hell happened to my high school?! I graduate, and a couple years later they build a new band hall. I learn they've added piano classes and a new synergy program that combines drama and music. A few years after that I see a notice for a production of Grease, the musical. They had pretty decent props and costumes, wireless mics. This year they have a production of Beauty and the Beast, complete with elaborate costumes and really nice stage props. I ask you, where was all this 12-14 years ago?! Yeah, I was a band and drama geek. I'll admit it. I may not have been very good, but I'm mad that I didn't get to play Mrs. Potts! They all did a great job, though.

Spiderman 3. Good movie, long, pee first, get there early, don't sit close to the screen.

Desperate Housewives. If some stupid little rent-a-cop called me a spoiled bitch (even if I was) I'd kick him in the shin, too.

Brothers & Sisters. Boy, that family can drink.

Happy Bunny says.... I had a dream, and in it, something eats you.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Meathead #1: Yeah, I definitely think I should go to the interview hung over.
Meathead #2: Why's that?
Meathead #1: You know, so I'm more charming and likable.
Both meatheads: Definitely!
--6th St & Ave A

Imaginary panic...

2007-05-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Some storm last night, huh. Actually, it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was. Let me tell you my little story.

I had to take the darling angel to cheer last night at 6:30. Anne ordered pizza, so I just stayed there to watch American Idol and eat pizza. After Idol, I drove around the corner to my house and got there a couple minutes after nine. As SOON as i stepped out of my car, the wind started howling and the rain started. As if that weren't eerie enough, I could hear something that sounded like a police radio or something down the road. I didn't really think anything about it, so I went on inside and turned on the TV for the weather. The first thing I hear is for people in Camp, Titus and Morris counties to take cover and you don't want to be in a trailer house right now. (Uh, Ok, I'm screwed). I'm really starting to kind of freak out at this point. So I run to the back door and let the dogs in real quick. While the door is open, I hear that radio again, real loud like they're right in front of my house. I still couldn't understand what they were saying. Captain is taking his sweet time loping up the steps, with me yelling at him, "Come on, Captain!" like fifty times and me freaking out thinking they're driving through the neighborhood with a loud speaker telling us to take cover. It was crazy. Tina called as I had just gotten everybody inside. I was in the middle of a frenetic conversation with her when the power blew. Luckily, I have a regular phone and was able to call her back. She talked me down and I was able to breath for a second and realized it was just another storm. There was lightning and thunder and it sounded like it was a bad ass storm, but the wind blew pretty hard for about 10 minutes and then it rained. That was it. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that it was not as bad as I blew it up to be in my mind. But all that panic and hoopla for nothing.

I was able to get a couple of shots of the lightning the storm created. Pretty funny for me to be taking pictures of lightning after being freaked out 20 minutes before, you're thinking. But that's me. I'm not right.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Dude: I don't think I'll do too well on The Price Is Right. I'm too used to Manhattan. I'd say 35 dollars for a box of Bounce. Then I'd be like, 'Holy shit, five bucks? Goddamn, Bob, where the fuck do you shop?!'
--Times Square
(So glad I don't live in Manhatten if they think $5 for a box of Bounce is cheap!!!)

Flutterbyes and flowers...

2007-04-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

The weekend was way too short. I should have taken the day off today. So, Saturday was the big birthday celebration. We had fun. Mexican food and the tattoo shop. What could be better?

Here's my damage. Cute, huh?

I said I wasn't going to get another one. I meant it at the time. But, I'm glad I did it. I want to get the one on my leg transformed into something else now. I'm going to have to figure out what I want. The difference between the quality of the two of mine is amazing. I was happy with the one on my leg before, but now that I've got this gorgeous one on my wrist, I want the one on my leg to look just as good.

T-Lo and OleAnner got one too. Tina got a huge, gorgeous semi-abstract butterfly in the middle of her neck/shoulder blade area and Anne got a tropical flower on her shoulder. We had a lot of fun. Fuji was a blast! Have we started a tradition? Who knows. We'll have to wait and see! We'll all be tattooed white trash before too long, if we don't watch out. * Wink Wink *

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
How to Die Alone and a Virgin
College guy #1: I really regret not having sex with a friend's mom in high school. Remember Mike's* mom?
College guy #2: She was so hot. Dude, I beat her in Monopoly... which, in my book, is far better than sex.
--14th & 7th

Ceeeeelebration time, come on...

2007-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

It's a nice, peaceful, calm day at work today. I hope that didn't jinx it. I knocked on wood just in case.

We're going out for my birthday tomorrow. Yay! I'd better charge up my camera batteries. You know I have to document the event. I was looking at some pictures of myself the other day and realized that if they aren't waxed, my eyebrows are NOT pretty. I look like a female version of Peter Gallagher, you know, the dad from The OC. Definitely going to have to keep those bad boys taken care of.

Anyway, got a little side-tracked. We're going to Longview to the mall and to eat at Papacita's. Who knows where else we'll end up. Should be fun!

Damn, I broke a nail.

Yay, it's Friday! I love Friday. I'm gonna go enjoy it.

"Overheard in the Office" Quote of the Day
Receptionist on phone: Yeah, but at this point I'd really rather have waffles than lesbians.
--Office building,
--Downtown CrossingBoston, Massachusetts

Top 10 Rant...

2007-04-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to rant a little, and it's still early in the day. If you don't like catty bitchiness, stop reading now.

Top 10 People That Get on My Nerves
10. People that "have" copycat illnesses. (You do not have a heart condition).
9. MARRIED men who still think they can act like the perpetual bachelor. (I'm desperate, but not that desperate).
8. People who smudge my glass window with greasy fingerprints. (There ARE little handles on the window, you know).
7. People who try to act like they know, when they don't know. (And are serious about it).
6. People that say one thing, do another, and when telling the story of what they did, embellish to the point of complete fiction. (Write a book if you want to tell a story).
5. People who invade my personal workspace. (I WILL roll you out of the office in my own desk chair, if I have to).
4. People who move things on my desk and don't put them back the way they were. (Just leave things alone!)
3. People who read my screen over my shoulder while trying to act like they're not. (Just look, you might learn somthing).
2. People who say, "I know, I know you're right" and continue on with the same behavior. (If you know, then what are we talking about?)

And the NUMBER ONE type of person that gets on my nerves...

1. Thirty-something-year-old women who think they're still a high school cheerleader. (Quit being fake. It'll work better for you, I promise).

"Overhead in New York" Quote of the Day
10-year-old: At my age it's just best to cuddle.
--Shakespeare & Co.

Daddy's girl...

2007-04-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting here, taking my medication for high blood pressure with my caffeine-laden coffee, it occured to me that maybe I should be drinking water. I'm usually not a coffee drinker. In order to function lately, I've needed that little boost of caffeine in the mornings. Maybe because I'm getting older, maybe because I don't sleep as well because of afore-mentioned medication.

I'd prefer an ice cold Coca Cola, but coffee's much cheaper. That's my Daddy's fault, I think. He loved his Coca Cola, and not any of that "new Coke" crap either, a good ole classic Coca Cola. As a diabetic, cokes and the like were a no-no and forbidden to him, which made his yen for the bubbly drink even stronger. As his disease progressed, so did the cravings for his Coca Cola. I miss my Daddy.

It's weird. I've always thought of myself as a Mama's girl, but I guess I'm really a Daddy's girl. When my mom died, I was only 10 years old. It's hard to believe it's been so long ago. And while I miss her everyday, more of my life is enmeshed with my Daddy because I was an only child, for the most part, and fortunate enough to grow up with a loving and generous man. He didn't always make the right decisions, but he did his best by me and I've never in my life had to doubt his love.

Today, on my birthday, I am honored to thank my Mom and Dad, for making me into the person I am today.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Drunk bum: I'm not a bum -- I'm an international bill inspector. My boss sent me here to inspect your bills. Who wants to give me a hundred dollars?
--Crowded 6 train

Goodbye to yesteryear and the penis...

2007-04-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

One more day of being 28. Makes me sort of introspective. What will my 29th year bring to life? Will I continue as I have been? Will I find love? Will I win the lottery? The love and lottery are equally as likely.

Inevitably life will not be quite the same in my last year as a twenty-something. One thing I have learned is that things never stay the same. People grow and change and adapt each day, some evolve slowly and quietly while others seem to snap from one personality to another. I think I'm probably somewhere in the middle. If I'm PMS'y, then Bitchanya rears her ugly head. Most of the time, however, I try to be level-headed. Hey, I said try.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Student #1: I was riding the six train home and I felt something on my arm. I looked over and this guy was rubbing his penis on my arm! [Class gasps in horror.]
Student #2: Well, was he cute?
--Fordham University

Tragedy calls...

2007-04-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

From my little niche in cyber space, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the Virginia Tech tragedy of a week ago. My heart goes out to each and everyone affected.

Bacon, the greatest smell ever...

2007-04-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have the greatest job ever. Let's just get a little background here. In Tanya world, food = love. We've had food at the office everyday this week. And I don't mean like snacks, I mean like full-on meals. Today we had breakfast; bacon, eggs, biscuits, french toast..... mmmmmmmmm.

The smell of breakfast is like wrapping me in a warm, fragrant envelope and sending me back in time to Grandma's house. Now, Grandma wasn't the best of cooks. Most of the cooking was actually done by my aunts, uncles and cousins, but Grandma could cook some bacon and eggs. If the bacon was a little burnt, that was okay by me, that's how I like it. Come to think of it, maybe that's WHY I like it that way. In any case, I'm back in that tiny kitchen when I catch a whiff of that aromatic wonder that is bacon.

What memories do you associate a particular smell with? Leave me a comment and let me know!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Dude #1: Is cable a need or a necessity?
Dude #2: What?!
Dude #1: I mean, clothes are a need -- you need to wear clothes -- so cable's a necessity, not a need.
--F train

We say goodbye to a cultural icon...

2007-04-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

At long last, after weeks of yelling at the TV and screaming I did NOT vote for him, Sanjaya has been banished from American Idol. I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him tonight, however. Can you imagine standing in the middle of a huge stage, hoping to hear that people like you and hearing instead to pack your bags and head home while a theatre full of people cheer that fact? I have to admit I did a little cheering of my own from my recliner, but quickly cut it short upon seeing his stricken expression. It's good he is gone but the poor kid should never have made it into the Top 24, much less the Top 12. I blame Paula and Randy for that one. With all that being said..... "Yay!!!!!!! Sanjaya's gone!"

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Chick on cell: The only thing getting me through this day is the liquor at the end of the tunnel.
--Columbia University

Dull wazoo review...

2007-04-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

So, one of the drawbacks of small town living is that NOTHING ever happens, as evidenced by the lack of posts over the past couple of months. Life has been pretty dull, really.

The beginning of March brought a visit to the doctor's office for a cold and high blood pressure (made even higher because of the cold meds I'd taken). I guess it was too much to ask that once I got rid of the pain in my ass, I would go back to normal. So, it's high and they're all freaking out and making me lay down on the little exam table, yeah the table barely big enough for my weenie dog to stretch out on, much less me. Anyway, it comes down, a little, and they finally send me on my way with prescriptions coming out the wazoo. Now, skip ahead to the present. The meds pretty much keep me familiar with the landscape of the two bathrooms here at the office. I'm headed that direction so often that I'm paranoid people are starting to suspect me of clandestine activities.

Puppies, puppies, puppies. They're 8 weeks old now. They're still in my backyard. Need I say more?

My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. One more year closer to the big 3-0. This is my last year as a twenty-something. Kind of brings a little tear to the eye, doesn't it?

There might be a trip planned to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas for next month. Depends on if the hospital will step up and pay for a registry review course for T-Lo. Those cheap bastards owe that to her. Each employee is supposed to be allowed $250 per year for continuing education. And guess who hasn't utilized that money? And they want to give her grief over this? That's bullshit. Pure and simple. So, we'll see.

I guess that's it. Don't miss me too much!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Mommy's Not Done Tucking, Honey
Little girl singing in stall: It's okay that Mommy is a man, Mommy is a man, Mommy is a man! It's okay that...
Mom: Brooke! Jesus Christ!
Little girl: Oh, Mommy is a man la la la la la! Can we get tacos?
-bathroom stall somwhere in New York City

Zookeeper admission broke...

2007-02-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

All the animals in the zoo are fine, although I'm not too sure about the zookeeper. I should really think about charging admission, maybe open a concession stand. Of course, then I'd have to do the dishes. I'll have to rethink that one.

So I've pretty much got nothing tonight. I've been sleepy all day so I think I'm gonna go crawl in the bed and snuggle down for the night.

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Hot 20-something redhead: So that's why you barely said hello when I got back from Mexico?!
Hot 20-something blonde: Uh-huh.
Hot 20-something redhead: You were in a bad mood because your vibrator broke?! (Would put me in a bad mood too!)
--West Village

Baby daddy, simple...

2007-02-22T19:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of Dottie's "baby daddy."

Pretty cute, there isn't he. Yeah, I guess for a whore, she can pick a nice fellow. She has pretty babies, too.

See? Not bad, I guess.

Piper's not the sharpest tool in the shed, folks. You'd think after being growled at, she'd back off. NOT the case. She inches closer and closer and closer, until finally "RrrrrRRRRrrrooorrr!!!!!!" She backed off for the moment. But I guarantee you it's only temporary.

I'm listening to the new Daughtry CD. He's so hot. I loved Taylor, but Chris so should have won that thing.

Did y'all know Little House on the Prarie was a good show?! I had forgotten it was so good! Speaking of which, I think I'm gonna go watch me some more TV about when life was simple, sort of.

And then, there were 11...

2007-02-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

Well... the title says it all... The poor dear was in labor for 12 hours before she even STARTED having the little darlings and she wasn't through until well after 10 o'clock last night. She was pretty exhausted. Gee, I wonder why. Hell, I was exhausted myself after being up since 4 o'clock with her. Well, I promised a pic, which is the main reason for this post, so I'll get to it.

Flowers dread time...

2007-02-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

It's the day after that day with all the flowers, hearts and candy (not going mention specific "holidays" here). You know, when I was dating/married I loved that day. But, it really sucks when you're single. Oh well, like my well wishes to others on myspace, I'll pretend there were hearts and flowers. It really didn't bother me all that much this year to be honest. I didn't dwell on it. I was busy all day, so I'm sure that helped.

The Dottster is having puppies soon. I'm sort of like "Come on, already!" But then again, they're so much work and I'm dreading it. I'll post a pic when they arrive.

Y'all have a great day!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Riders scurry away as crazy woman yells at them and pokes them with her cane for sitting on one of her seats. Young woman boards train and sits.
Crazy woman: Wooo! Go! Go! Go! Wooo!
Young woman: Hey, you have three seats, and I'm just sitting on the edge of this one so you can have half. I am not getting up.
Crazy woman: Wooo!
Young woman: See all those people standing? It's not fair for you to have four seats.
[Crazy woman pulls down pants and starts peeing.]
Young woman getting up: Okay, you win.
--Manhattan-bound D train, Brooklyn

Football and Christmas...

2007-02-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

It's the most important football day of the year. And I'm going on record to say that the Colts are gonna win. I'm at least gonna get some yummy munchies out of the day. Actually, I'd better call OleAnner to make sure! :)

There are more Christmas pics up on Yahoo.

Overheard in the Office "Quote of the Day"
Teacher on phone with parent: Mrs. Jones*, I'm not saying Billy* cheated. All I'm saying is he had a sheet of paper with the answers to the test on the floor under his desk, and every few minutes he leaned over and looked at it. And I don't allow that kind of studying.
Bayport, New York
(Much more diplomatic than, "Your kids a fuckin' cheater!" huh?)

Trumpets sing, yell...

2007-02-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Break out the trumpets and the rest of the brass band. I've done it, or I'm doing it. That's right. (Takes a deep breath). I'm going back to school!

I'm putting this in writing, because then I have to do it, right?

I need to do something with my life. This barely scraping by is just not what I want the rest of my life to be like. I enjoy my job, I like the company, I like the people I work with. It's just not a life-long career.

So, what is? How about the under-paid profession of teaching. It's a little on the low-end of the pay scale. But hell, it's twice what I make right now! I don't need to be rich (even though it would be nice to be independently wealthy), I just want to live without feeling like I'm drowning in a sea of bills. I like kids. I have patience (most of the time). I enjoy passing on what knowledge I have managed to acquire throughout the years. And I can sing my ABC's. What else do I need?

This past school-year, I've helped the darling angel off and on with her school work. And I've really, really enjoyed it. It's so fun to watch her read something or work a math problem after she says, "I can't." Because she can! It's also fun to yell at her to make her do her work. But I probably shouldn't list that on a resume anywhere, huh.

It's gonna take a while, going to night classes and summer classes and intersession classes. It'll be a long row to hoe, but I think it will be worth it in the end. I'm excited to get started. And I'm pretty sure I've got Tina talked in to going with me!

We've got to take the THEA test before we can start classes, so keep your fingers crossed for that. We're studying the Algebra. I never knew I could forget so much. Also keep your fingers crossed and pray to the financial-aid gods. Gonna need a little help in that department.

So! That's that. If anybody has any motivational advice, feel free to share. I'll need it in the months and years ahead! I'm gonna go look at more math now, (my eyes are already starting to cross)!

Bad Santa...

2007-01-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

Okay... Bad blogger, BAD!!! It's been a busy month or so with Christmas and work being all screwed up. But that's no excuse. I'm very sorry. I will iron my hand just the way Dobby taught me to do.

Christmas was good. Santa brought the darling angel pretty much everything she wanted. And I got everything I wanted too. Except, you know, for that handsome millionaire I wrote to Santa about. I guess that letter got lost in the mail. :( Pictures are posted on yahoo. Well, at least some of them are. I'll get around to the rest sometime.

The thing that's hardest to me about Christmas is putting all the decorations away. I find it extremely hard to motivate myself to get up off my ass to rip apart the tree, branch by never-ending branch. I need to do it soon though, or January will turn into April before I know it. And by that time, I figure... I might as well leave it up until December! Hell, it's taken me until the middle of January to even write about it!

Work has been absolutely nuts lately. We've lost half our staff and nobody is there that I started out working with, nursing-wise that is. I have a stack of work to do and it never seems to go away, no matter how much or how fast I type. I guess that's job security. I hope. SOMEbody has to keep a job 'round here.

Cats suck. That's all I have to say about that.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I'll try to keep you better informed of my fascinating journey through life.

"Overheard in New York" Quotes of the Day
White girl: Excuse me, excuse me! God, you have a great skin. Do you tan?
Latina chick: Do I what? It's December...
White girl: No, [sighs], I mean, do you use a spray-on or do you go to a salon? You know, a salon where you lay in a booth...
Latina chick: No. This is my skin color.
White girl: I can see that, but how did you get it that color?
Latina chick: This is the color I was born with.
White girl: Okay, but how is it so brown when you have green eyes?
Latina chick: Did you just smoke crack?
White girl: Look, it was just an innocent question. I don't see why you have to get so personal...
Latina chick, turning on iPod: I hate everybody.
--New York Subway System, #3 train

Aspiring hipster: All I need now is a tattoo and a MySpace and I'll be set! (I guess I'm ALREADY a hipster!)
--Oustide Around the Clock, 9th St & 3rd Ave

Take that you yankee...

2006-12-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day (And they say WE'RE the rednecks!)
Girl: Hew-ston, we have a problem.
Mom: How-ston, honey. Houston, we have a problem.
--NY Animal Control Center

Bull shocked...

2006-12-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

Every morning "The Devil Cat" pounces on Piper. She can't take two steps out of the bathroom before Jazzy is riding her back like a bull. Piper doesn't particularly mind, but she's usually pretty ready to go outside. She'll always play with him for a few minutes, but this morning I guess she was ready to pee all over the place and needed to go outside quick. She laid the cat OUT! She shook him off her back and he landed hard. I think it shocked her because she sat there for a second, like 'Oh shit! What did I do.' But then she got over it and ran on over to the back door. It amused me though. I always enjoy a laugh at 7 in the morning.

"Overheard in New York" Quotes of the Day
Crazy crackhead: I am not your average crackhead -- I will kill you! (This one should have been posted yesterday so I could have added it to the "Crackhead Couple" post.)
--Lenox & 118th

Professor: If you put a frog in a beaker of water and gradually heat it, at about 160 degrees or so the frog will look around and say, 'Oh, shit! I'm dead!'
--NYU

Old and sad...

2006-12-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

The trip to Dallas was pretty uneventful if you call driving around the countryside and almost taking someones passenger-side door off uneventful.

I'll start with the "Crackhead Couple" story. Now, I don't really know if these people were on crack. But, if they weren't they should tell everybody they were. We're driving down the road (I've taken over the driving at this point because Tina had had all the stress she could take for one evening) and this car flies up past us on the left side. Didn't really pay much attention to it because most people fly in the metroplex. Most people, however, don't stop in the middle of a busy street, fling open their door and proceed to try to exit the vehicle. "Crackhead Couple" win the prize of the evening - "One leg crushed and a missing passenger-side door gets you a six-week hospital stay. The good news is your remaining leg is fully functional!" Thank goodness they were driving next to the conservative driver from 'da backwoods' who successfully managed to navigate around them without incident. We see a man yelling and screaming at the woman trying to flee with his arm around her neck. Crackheads, if you're gonna fight... do it in the privacy of your own home where you can break and endanger your own shit.

Now, we set out Sunday afternoon to search for the testing site. Let me just say MAPQUEST SUCKS and so does the testing center for not providing accurate directions or a sign on the damn building. We drove 20 miles out of the way to find out we were where we needed to be in the first place. I guess my Bat(man) eyes were supposed to pick out the 9101 on the side of the building at 70 miles per hour. Anyways, we find the building finally and figure out how to pull into the stupid ass parking lot with only one damn entrance. We pull back into the hotel parking lot and Tina says, "I think I want to go back and make sure we can find it again." I say, "I got this, don't worry about it!" We end up going back. But I nailed it on the first go-round on trip number 2! Yay me! I-Hop is next on our hit list. Dallas is a big city, right? The Richardson area has a bunch of shit, right? Where in the hell is an I-Hop?? Where in the hell is Prestonwood mall? It used to be right here! Driving all over Coit Rd, Arapaho, Belt Line, Preston Rd, no I-Hop and no Prestonwood. I pull into a convenience store to ask for directions. Uhhhhh... duhhh... durrr... I don't know... I'm not from here. Dumb ass. We drive a little further and I pull into a Blockbuster, maybe we'll have better luck here. Bingo! We are directed right to an I-Hop not 2 minutes away. And Prestonwood? Prestonwood Mall is no more, I learn. I couldn't believe it! I didn't believe it. I drove the directions she gave me to where it USED to be and couldn't find it. While Tina was taking her test I tried again in the daylight to find it. All I found was a big Super Walmart. Still not believing, I had to do some internet research. The once prestigous and elaborate mall with an ice skating rink and a million memories was gone. It's a sad, sad day folks. It was built a year AFTER I was born. I shopped there. And ate giant cookies there. And took ice skating lessons there. How can something so huge and massive just disappear? Here's some of what I found out.

In 1982, Galleria Dallas opened with Macy's, a beautiful Marshall Field's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The next year, Bloomingdale's opened at Valley View. The expansion and opening soon began to take its toll on what was the prestigious Prestonwood.

Additionally, by 1994, the mall was a notorious hangout for teens, drawn by the large food court and the skating rink. It became extremely difficult for customers and mall managers alike.

A renovation announced in 1996 never materializes, and many stores have the original interiors of their openings. In September 1997, JCPenney closes its anchor; Mervyn's closes as well. When a new mall in Plano is announced, Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor announce they will relocate. By 1999, they are the only two stores left in the center.

The year 2000 brings a new owner to Prestonwood: Goldman Sachs' Archon Group, for whom I worked while this deal was closed. Despite the bloodbath in the telecom industry, an ever-confident Archon announces it will make Prestonwood into a telecom center called Genisus Dallas North. The plans never fully come to fruition, as half of the center is complete, half is not. By October 2003, Archon announces that it will no longer pursue Genisus Dallas North and Prestonwood will be replaced by an open air center that has still yet to be built.

Neiman's and Lord & Taylor soldiered on-- but the nail in the coffin was the hit and run death of an elderly woman shopping at Neiman's in 2001. No one else wanted to go there afterward. By summer 2004, Prestonwood Town Center was completely gone.

What happened? Well, the usual traffic snarls around one of the deadliest intersections in Dallas wasn't helping. The teens didn't help. The downsizing of stores, of which JCPenney was first, was the beginning of the end. It appears to be a number of things, but it was a sad sight to see.

So, there you go. A little bad press, some bad ass kids and a deadly accident can kill a business. Even one as big as Prestonwood. I feel old... and sad...

Mucho crack...

2006-12-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

This is a busy weekend. Last night, the Christmas party. (Mucho fun, by the way! Pics are posted.) Today through Monday, it's the big, bad city. Tina's taking her Polysomnography test and I'm going along to help her study and to feed her cigarettes. Good luck to you, honey! But, I really don't think you'll need it.

Gosh... What am I going to do without a computer for 2 whole days?! That's like telling an addict... Nope, no more crack for you! So, y'all do enough computer crack for me, okay? Have a great weekend!

"Overheard in the Office" Quote of the Day
Skank: Can I use your bathroom?
Clerk: Only if you promise not to pee on the floor.
Skank: Okay.

---7-Eleven, Westmoreland Street and Broad Street
---Richmond, Virginia

Party magic today...

2006-12-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

It's par-tay time folks! Tonight is the Annual CHC Christmas Party and I'm gonna win some money. It's the power of positive thinking! I'm definitely going to have a good time fo' sho'.

So, I locked my keys in my car last night. Both sets. And it's the cat's fault. It's his fault because he's decided the Christmas tree is his own personal fun center. I get home last night to lights pulled off and unplugged, the ribbon unraveled and balls on the floor. I repair the tree, turn the tree and outside lights on, and go to Anne's for dinner. I come back to no tree lights. So, I've got the door open and am ready to beat the hell out of the cat before the car even comes to a complete stop. I jump out, hit the lock button and slam the door shut. I walk about two steps and freeze. Although it was cold enough outside, I didn't freeze because of the weather. "Shit," I said. "Shit, shit, shit!!!" They're still in there. Staring out at me through the frosty glass, unattainable. OleAnner was kind enough to let me borrow her Durango this morning to get to work and Kim's gonna come over and see if she can work her criminal magic. So keep your fingers crossed!!!

A big blog shout out to my friend Kevin. It's his birthday today!! Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuu, Happy Birrrrrrrrthdaaaaaaaaay toooooooo yoooooooouuuuuuuuu, Haaaappppyyyy Biiirrrttthhhdaaaayyyy deeaarrr Keevvviiiinnnnn, Haaaappyyyyy Biiirrrrrthdaaaaaay tooooooooooooo yoooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuu!!! It's also my friend Reba's birthday, so Happy Birthday to Reba as well!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Black customer: Give me a yellow cash card, my brother.
Middle Eastern owner: What'd you call me?
Black customer: I said 'my brother.'
Middle Eastern owner: No, no, no. We are different.
Black customer: No, we're not -- we all come from the same place. We have the same blood.
Middle Eastern owner: No, your blood is black -- your blood is shit.
Black customer: No man, my blood is blue just like yours. Besides, if I don't come here to your store to spend money, how are you going to afford the bombs to blow up buildings?
--488 Madison Ave

Cold cigarettes...

2006-11-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Don't really have much to say other than it's freakin' cold. And it's gonna get colder. And I'm hungry. Just threw that one in there.

Today's quote made me laugh out loud! I hope you find some humour in it as well!!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day

Bum, after lady hands him a pack of cigarettes: The whole pack?
Lady: Yeah, take them, you can have 'em.
Bum: That is so kind of you! I can't believe it! How can I repay you?
Lady: No, no, just take them.
Bum: I know what I will do! I will make love to your dog.

--Ave A & 7th St

Nappy cat, nappy cat...

2006-11-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

Okay... I have a window in my office that slides open. I don't really know the reason this window exists, other than to annoy the piss out of me. Now, I don't mind people sliding the glass open to chat, or people being able to see in, or anything like that. What annoys the piss out of me is the fact that when SOME people, not all, DO slide the glass open they leave their greasy, nasty paw prints behind. So, I either have to sit here and look at a glass that is streaked with nappy juice or constantly clean the window. Do see why it annoys the piss out of me?

So, let's see. Do I have any interesting pet stories for you today? Well, the cat, he he he. I put a collar on him. It has a bell. The cat toys have bells in them. He went nuts. It was HIGH-larious. He started this spastic jumping, jumped from the couch to the coffee table to the floor and back to the couch. And of course the little bell is ringing constantly and he couldn't figure it out! I finally felt sorry for him and took it off. I wish I'd had a video of it, though. It amused me. With the Christmas tree up, the fly-swatter has come in quite handy. Damn cat. He's already pulled the ribbon half off and broken one of my bulbs. I usually come home to at least one off the tree and swatted into a corner somewhere. He's scared of that fly-swatter though. I don't even have to touch him with it for him to take off running. Now, if only that worked on the dogs. They just look at me like, "Bitch, please."

I got the Christmas lights up yesterday! Yay me. Well, they're mostly up. I need a ladder to get on the ends past the porch. But that'll have to wait until sometime next week. At least these all come on. It's not a patch here and a patch there. And I put up more clippy thingys so they don't droop. You know if you want it done right, you gotta do it yourself. And don't rely on a stupid man to do it either. I'll put pictures up when I have them finished and my porch is cleaned off. I just love Christmas. Everything looks cleaner, prettier at Christmas time.

Alright, I'm gonna get back to work now. Feliz Navidad!!

I'm starting a new practice of posting actual quotes overheard by poor, unfortunate souls. Living in Pittsburg, it's hard to imagine being in a crowd where people speak so, hmm, freely. Enjoy!

"Overheard in New York" Quote of the Day
Chick: So then he slammed my infected eyebrow right into his crotch. It was terrific!
--Theater, 1st Ave & 9th St

Busy budgeting party...

2006-11-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, for me, NaNo Wrimo is over. I have been defeated. I think I wrote like 300 words. Not even a dent in the 50,000 needed. But, I've been busy darn it!

Works been crazy. End-of-year budgeting makes people go a little nuts. It's settling back down now for the most part. And our Christmas party is Friday!! Woo hoo! Yay. Show me the money!!!

And then there was Thanksgiving. I was disappointed in my rolls this year. I don't make them very often, so I tend to forget the little things that can make them turn out wrong. Like, let the milk cool ALL the way down. I think I should use less flour, maybe about 6 cups instead of 8. I need to write these things down. I'm gonna try again. Yeast rolls are soooo good if they're made right. I'm gonna get it down, folks. The Soapapilla Cheesecake was a big hit, though. So, I guess that's something.

Yesterday, Rylie and I put up my Christmas tree. I baked chocolate chip cookies and we listened to Christmas music and just made a day of it. It was nice. And it turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I've got to revamp the outside lights. Half of them are out. I have some more, but the wires are green instead of white. So, since I can't afford to buy more white ones, I'll have to scrap all the ones that are up and put up the ones with green wires. Maybe it won't look too ghetto. I also have to get a 9volt battery for the little clicker thingy. Those damn things are expensive. What's up with the 9 volts being so damn high? Huh? Huh? Answer me!

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and that y'all have a wonderful Holiday Season.

Anyways, if you want to see pictures of the tree, click on the Christmas 2006 album on my Yahoo! Photos page. I'll post other holiday pictures there as well, so keep checking back. They really need to get some links set up like Photobucket has. Sigh.