2008 in a Nutshell

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

            Got a job that I might actually have a FUTURE with, as in a CAREER.  Also rented a car and drove in a major metropolitan area without getting lost (Denver) and also nearly going the wrong way on a one way street (Chicago).  I am not a fan of driving in big cities and avoid it at all costs.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

            No I did not.  I think I went to the gym a total of 5 times this year.  I will try again this year though, considering my contract at said gym is still in place.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

            My niece Jessi had her second baby, my girlfriend Jolene had her third child, her first boy, and my other friend Megan had her little man too.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

            My uncle, but we weren’t that close.

5. What countries did you visit?

            Didn’t visit any new countries, but did go to some new cities in the U.S.: Chicago (multiple times), Boston, Raleigh, L.A., Boulder.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

            A car that doesn’t stress me out!  Also more motivation regarding the gym.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

            I’m not good with dates but whatever day it was in February when I found out I got the new job, and whatever day it was in May that I gave my first big presentation for it, those were both pretty exciting.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

            Getting the aforementioned job and earning our first certification as a company because of it.

9. What was your biggest failure?

            The Mitsubishi.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

            Nothing major.  Just the usual colds.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

            All the plants that went into my garden, it was so much fun & very therapeutic too.  I would say my Subaru, but considering I'm getting it back from the shop tomorrow... hmph.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

            My hubby’s!  He’s really stepped up to the plate regarding school, taking better care of himself, and being a good husband.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

            The Army, the Bursar’s Office at the university, and some of B’s stupid professors.  Also on occasion, the dog (aka "The Crockpot Incident").

14. Where did most of your money go?

            Rent, and car repairs.  (Boooo)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

            The job, traveling for the job, and getting a new car.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

            Martin Sexton, “Diner”

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
b) thinner or fatter?
c) richer or poorer?

            Happier, thinner (I think... at least, some of my pants fit better), and poorer (despite the raise!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

            Working out & walking the dog

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

            Waiting for car repairs to be done!

20. How did you spend Christmas?

            We celebrated at our house for the first time, with the in-law’s & my mom over for dinner.  It was stressful, but a good time!

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

            Yes, all over again (cheeeeeeesey!)

22. What was your favorite TV program?

            Heroes, CSI: NY

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

            Hate is a strong word, but I do think it adequately describes how I feel towards any and all used car dealerships that I’ve ever done business with.

24. What was the best book you read?

            “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, “Forever” by Pete Hamill… I read a lot, but these are what pop into my mind right now.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

            Atreyu.  They’re not new really, but they’re new to me.  And they ROOOOOCK.

26. What did you want and get?

            A Subaru.

27. What did you want and not get?

            A Subaru with no mechanical problems.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

            The Dark Knight and Wall-E

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

            B & I went shopping and to a nice dinner.  I was and from now on will be 29.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

            My job.  It’s interesting to me, keeps me engaged, makes me feel like I’m doing something that might actually make a difference, and pays a helluva lot better!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

            “Adult.”  I’m trying to get away from the "perpetual college student" look.

32. What kept you sane?

            My home and garden.  I love having projects to work on, or just a place to relax, where I feel comfortable and cozy.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

            Milo Ventimiglia, aka Peter Petrelli.  Yummo.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

            The environment of course.  When people fail to recognize the effect that their “standard of living” has on the world around them, or brush off anyone who actually DOES care as a “tree-hugger” without stopping to listen to any reason whatsoever, I get pretty heated.  How can you just ignore it?  IT'S NOT THAT HARD PEOPLE.

35. Who did you miss?

            My dad.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

            Ian, Mark, Kim, Nikki… I didn’t really MEET them this year, but I really got to know some of the people I work with this year which was great. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

            Don’t take the time you have with your family for granted.  Work belongs at work, not at home.  If a job stresses you out THAT much, it’s not worth it!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

            I suck at remembering lyrics, sorry.  

Um, Hi Mom!

My nephew is setting up my mother with a Facebook page.

I've been linking my posts here to Facebook. (So much for not telling anybody about this site.)

Hi Mom! I don't swear this much usually! Only when the dog craps on the floor or eats my Tupperware, I promise! Or when my finances go down the toilet (notice I refrained from saying "shitter" there! See, I'm doing better already!), or when people at work are dumb.

Also, I'm not sure why but Facebook only links my posts back to August.

Time to make some edits I guess. (Sorry again about the swearing Mom.)

Pass the Rogaine, and bring me my back pill!

I'm 29. I'll be 30 in April. Yet I am apparently an old fogey.

The company Christmas party was Friday night.

First off, we got there after the "social hour" and most everyone was already half in the bag. Now understand that B & I are not really drinkers. I've never enjoyed getting drunk, ever, mainly because (a) it makes me really tired and I wind up sitting there staring off into space, and (b) I say and do the stupidest shit after 3 or 4 drinks. So while we enjoy being social, we don't find it necessary to get wasted and make fools of ourselves. Because oh, the foolishness that would ensue!

We ate, had some fun conversation over dinner with our friends, and then the DJ kicked into gear. About an hour later, after "Electric Slide" and every other line dance known to man, after Boyz II Men (I shit you not) and Celine Dion, we had gotten our fill of bad wedding reception/high school dance music. That, combined with ill-advised shoe choices, made the decision for us... we bailed out. It was about 9:30 pm.

And seriously, how could anybody endure that much bad music? Not to sound snobby, but I think we would have enjoyed hanging out with people for a bit longer if our ears weren't bleeding.

"Bring some sunshine home with you!"

Observation #1: LAX is not half as big as I thought it was. Or at least this particular terminal sure isn't. It's definitely as crowded as I thought it would be, and twice as loud. I need some industrial strength ear protection in here.
Observation #2: I have seen more service dogs flying with their people in this trip alone than I have ever before. The most beautiful German Shepherd just went past, and I'm a little jealous.
Observation #3: The whole "get to the airport 2 hours early" bit is overkill. Maybe not at Christmas, but any other time.
Observation #4: You would think that LAX would have free hi-speed internet that was actually hi-speed. Instead it's a T-mobile "hotspot" that's definitely spotty and not hot whatsoever.
Observation #5: Cars, in general, have it in for me. Although this time I think it may be manageable without dropping 2 g's in repair costs.
Observation #6: I need to get the hell home, like, NOW.

Ain't no potty like a West Coast potty... er...

I love the west coast. I can't stand L.A. Sorry folks, I know there are some out there that have a deep abiding love for the City of Angels, but I can't deal with the congestion of most big cities. I dig Chicago & Boston's downtown areas, and I HEART Seattle 4-evah, but I would never want to live in any major metropolitan area. Give me the 'burbs, or better yet, the good ol' R.R. (rural routes for you city folk) any day. Too many people, not enough wide open spaces, too much traffic... just kinda gives me the heebie jeebies. I'll visit, sure, but I couldn't call it home and be comfortable for a long period of time.
***
Today we took the PCH to Santa Barbara which was absolutely GORGEOUS. But oh my GOD people that road is so friggin bumpy, and my sales rep's truck was so friggin monstrous (a Dodge diesel supercab that put you at eye-level with the semis, that's how big this bastard was), and she kinda drove like a madwoman (a 4'11" madwoman who needed a stepladder to get in the damn truck), and by the time we made it back to the hotel this evening I was a nervous wreck. I've hardly eaten anything today but I really don't think I could eat anything now after that hair-raising ride.
I'm pretty glad to be flying home tomorrow. I know, I know, Toledo vs. Los Angeles should be no contest, right? I hate to say it folks, but I'm ready to get back to my little armpit of Ohio.

Hey Ma, I wanna go home...

Traveling is taking over my schedule lately & I'm getting burnt out. After Boston came Chicago for 3 days last week (Good & Green Marketing Conference hosted by Discovery Channel's Planet Green... lots of great free swag!) and tomorrow I'm heading to L.A. for 3 days. This one is different though, for two reasons: (a) I'm traveling with a co-worker, who is a great, funny guy but who is also mildly irritating in his lack of organization, and (b) I'm the one giving the presentations this time. I'm not a big fan of speaking in front of people, although I'm getting more used to it. I would much rather stay home & enjoy my Christmas decorations.

The new car is pretty cool, although I'm glad it came with a limited after-market warranty. When we test drove it, we weren't anywhere near a freeway so we didn't really get a chance to gun it & get up to a high speed. So of course, what with my glorious luck, it does something crazy-wrong when it tries to downshift at higher speeds. There's this massive scary *CLUNK* and lurching and not good. So I'm leaving it at the shop while I'm gone this week to get it fixed. Did I mention YAY warranty?

Habits are both hard to break and hard to form

Still haven't gotten the hang of posting on a regular basis, but I doubt anyone is concerned about that. Regardless, I'll sum up the last few weeks in bullet-point fashion.

• Was in Boston all of last week, attending Greenbuild. Huge, massive convention for the tree-hugging hippie types such as myself. Some great speakers & presentations, however my hotel wasn't really comfortable (avoid the Hilton Financial District) and the weather was frigid.
• Week before was in Raleigh for AASHE. Really not relevant to me, but then this was just a scouting mission to see if we would want to exhibit there next year. Conclusion: nah.
• Re-decorated the basement at home, converting it from the cat-pee-palace to potential guest suite. Got the carpet 99.9% pee-free thanks to a carpet shampooer and multiple enzyme products, and now am working on the bathroom down there.
• Mom is coming out here for Christmas, hence the guest suite in the basement. We're having Christmas at our house which will be interesting, but since there's only 6 of us I think it'll be good. Salmon & lobster chowder for dinner!
• Service guys at the house today checking out our furnace... just got a call from B that there's a massive crack in it, and since it's 20 years old it'll have to be replaced. GAH! Landlord will not be happy I'm sure, but considering the thing hasn't been functioning properly since last winter it's probably a good thing we found the problem at all.
• Jake ate an entire crock pot of homemade beef stew. The mound of shit in the yard was atrocious.
• Off to Cleveland tomorrow for the holiday... may take time to look at a new car while we're there. The Mitsi is just not cutting it & I'm afraid of something happening in the middle of a snowstorm this winter.

Now that THAT'S over with...

All I have to say is, time will tell. Considering that he & his staff are already backpedaling & trying to convince people that "this will take time" is kind of indicative of the type of president he'll probably be... the type that talks a lot of smack but won't be able to back it up. He'll get the liberals' hopes up about "CHANGE" and all this unicorns-and-rainbows bullshit, but I think there'll be a pretty strong backlash when the country is still in the shitter in 4 years.

I won't go so far as to side with the conspiracy-theorists who think that he's a terrorist in disguise with a horrible hidden agenda, but I do think that we're in for some unpleasant surprises.

***

Back to my own personal ranting, we seem to be having some "communication" issues with our web designers. We don't have in-house designers, so it seems to be kind of hit-or-miss when if comes to them understanding what exactly we want. We can break it down into short, simple, single-syllable descriptions in a bullet-point list, and they still manage to either screw up or just not do half of it. Even when that list is only 2 points long! I have a massive data entry project that I can't start yet because the "It's ready to go" email I received yesterday afternoon was completely not true, as both of the problems we'd discussed yesterday morning were still in blatant evidence this morning, and all 3 of my emails to them today have not been answered. Heads shall roll, very soon.

***

In more pleasant news, I will be getting my own work laptop so that I no longer have to haul my 40-lb brick of a slow-as-shit personal laptop along with me on work trips. This also opens up the possibility of working from home on the aforementioned massive data entry project! Copy-pasting text and entering recycled content data would be made all the more exciting if I could do it in my jammies with a cat sitting on my keyboard.

Eighteen pounds of pure lovin', plopped right in the middle of whatever you're doing.

You'd think they'd want the process to be easier

I got up a little early this morning so I could vote before going to work. My polling place was in my neighborhood, only a couple blocks away, so it was easy to get to... but that was all that was easy about it! B's registration apparently got lost or mis-processed at the BMV (he had some issues with his driver's license being renewed this year too so we think it got screwed up then), so he had to file a provisional ballot. I was sent to the wrong district table at first, then had to switch lines, and then didn't get any direction whatsoever after that so I had to go back to get my access card for the touch screen, then the stupid screen rejected my card. When I finally got into the ballot screen, I couldn't advance to the next page because the active part of the screen was about 1 centimeter square, so I had to keeping hitting the "Next" button over & over until I found the sweet spot that actually worked. On top of all that, the room at the steelworker's union was about the size of our conference room at work, and hotter than hell, and loud as hell too. All in all it was just not a fun experience. But at least it's done.

Among Other Things...

I haven't been sleeping well lately. I blamed my pillow at first, that it was too thick & gave me a kink in my neck. So I switched to a flat cotton pillow, but I still am having a hard time. I never seem to hit the REM-stage of sleep, I wake up a lot during the night with a sore shoulder or my arms have fallen asleep, and I feel addled & lethargic all day long. Even on the weekends, I can't seem to sleep enough, and I'm horribly unmotivated to do anything at all. Is it all related somehow? Would a good massage or the use of my "white noise" player solve it? Is it a mental thing? Or am I just lazy & unmotivated, and looking for an excuse?

This weekend, I had intended to clean out the gardens and flowerpots of the frost-shriveled veggie plants & annuals, but this stupid lethargy made me waste the decent weather. I like taking time just to sit & not do anything but rest & relax, but there's a point where it feels like laziness to me. I've definitely hit that point and moseyed right on past it too.
***
There's a management shift happening at work, and a good one too I think. The president (whom I've mentioned before) is passing the torch to my current boss (the GM), and I'm being moved to the Marketing Department (if you can call it a department; there's 3 of us in it). So the current prez will still be considered "CEO" but won't really have much to do with the operation of the company anymore beyond some "market opportunity" stuff, and my current boss will finally be in charge where he truly belongs since he does it all already anyway & is much better at it, and my new boss is still cool and much more accessible, and will be easy to work with. Plus there is a distinct chance that I'll get to move to a REAL office, instead of the Pit of Despair! I think that's the most important thing out of all of this, of course.

Poster Boy for I'm Not Sure What

B cleaned the kitchen AND the bathroom this weekend. And I sat on my ass like the lazy bitch I am.

It wasn't until last night that I realized that he was totally using cleaning as a procrastination tool, to avoid working on the 10-page paper that was due on Friday, that he told his prof he would have done today, that still wasn't done as of this morning.

But would I have yelled at him, told him to put down the sponge and go do his homework, if I had realized his ploy sooner?

That, my friends, is a difficult question.

I don't think our kitchen has been this clean since before we moved in.

Relations & Relationships

I got a new friend request on myspace this morning, from one of my cousins that I've never really kept in touch with. Her dad (my uncle John) passed away on Monday.
First, this is sad of course. I know he was a good man, and he looked a lot like my dad. Second, it's strange, in a few different ways. This past weekend I was thinking about him, and considering writing a letter to him to see if he'd be willing to tell me more about my dad and their family to help my attempts at geneaology. But now that he's gone, I don't think there's anyone that would really know much about their parents & their story. On top of that, when I read John's obituary I learned that he had a few more children than I knew about, and a total of 20 grandchildren! So now the whole "let's learn more about my extended family" idea just got a whole lot more daunting.
I admit a little bit of jealousy towards B's family, in that they are all so close. His cousins are good friends of ours, and we keep in close contact with them. Granted, there aren't very many of them (B's mom has one brother, and his dad has one sister, so not a whole lot of branches on the family tree), but I still wish I had that with my own family.
My mom has 3 sisters, only one of whom I've actually met (and only once!). My dad had a brother and a sister, and we kept in touch with them when I was young and their mom was still alive, but we lost touch soon after she passed away. Of all of these aunts & uncles and all their kids, I only know a fraction of them. I may still try to get in contact with a lot more of them, just to see if I can at least develop a correspondence.

If I was on a diet, I totally would have blown it today

I discovered today that while red velvet cake is not my favorite, cream cheese frosting is and always will be. Also Butterfinger ice cream = DA BOMB.
(Yes, today was a co-worker's birthday. No, this is not my everyday lunch fare.)
***
The job, when related to a rollercoaster, is currently on the sloooow upward climb before all the dizzying loop-de-loops and nasty drops where your stomach relocates to your throat. In other words, I don't have much going on right now but it looks like next month will be a nightmare. Three major trips in three weeks: Washington DC, Raleigh, and Boston. Time to vacuum the sawdust out of my suitcase I guess.
***
I think I'm going to try to have my mom visit for Christmas. Last time, she not only got stuck in O'Hare overnight, but also caught a disgusting plague. Good times were not had by all, to say the least. This time, perhaps a non-stop flight from Phoenix to Detroit will solve the one problem, and a pre-trip care package of Airborne tablets might help solve the other?
***
In regards to the craziness that is my home, B's den is done, the back door is nearly done, the basement carpet is as clean as it's gonna get, and things are starting to come back together. The added bonus of having Mom to visit is her inherent desire to decorate will come in handy!

How WEIRD. And no, I'm not a stalker.

I've mentioned before that my favorite online writer is Linda at All & Sundry. She never fails to either inspire me, or make me laugh so hard that I snort. So in the spirit of "looking busy on the computer at work" I like to read her archives, for entertainment purposes, but also to see how she dealt with certain things that happened before I started reading her that I might be able to pull advice from. I stumbled on this entry today, and yes it's dated correctly! (I like to start a story at the beginning, okay?) But what struck me the most, is how she was able to articulate so many things that I'm the same way about, but I probably wouldn't have thought to write them down. So here's my version of "100 Ubiquitous Things About Me", and yeah there are a few that I didn't change from Sundry's version. (PS: I hate how Blogger doesn't keep the list formatting!)
The ubiquitous "100 things" entry!
1. I have 1 half-sister and 3 half-brothers, and all of them are much older than me.
2. Therefore, it makes sense that my mom has been mistaken for my grandmother many times. But I think she's incredibly beautiful (for an old biddie!)
3. I don't have a favorite color, but I tend to wear more blue & green.
4. I'm not afraid of snakes or spiders, but moths freak me the hell out.
5. I didn't break 100 pounds until my freshman year of college.
6. Someday I want to own a gift shop in the touristy section of a coastal town, and sell things that I made, photos I've taken, artwork I've framed.
7. I obsessively watch Dirty Dancing and Top Gun when I was a kid, but didn't "get it" until I watched them again in college.
8. I hate drinking alcohol at home. I might finish half a beer, but I only really like hot apple cider & rum when I'm at home.
9. The only organized sport I've ever tried was basketball, and I quit after a week & started keeping stats for the team instead.
10. I have a piss-poor memory, which I think must be genetic.
11. The only grandparent I remember is my father's mother. The rest died either when I was a baby or before I was born.
12. I don't know how to drive a stick.
13. I used to love archery, and I would still like to own a compound bow, but I don't know if I could hunt with it.
14. I took a gymnastics class in middle school.
15. I can't sing, but I have a good ear for tone & pitch and can help B tune his guitar by ear.
16. I don't believe that a campground with paved roads and electricity is really camping.
17. I'm more of a cat person than a dog person.
18. I didn't know the difference between a Republican and a Democrat until the last election.
19. My hands are always cold.
20. I spent a month in Hawaii while I was in college, but would never want to live there.
21. I am apt to well up with tears over the most embarrassing things, like Gary Sinise doing the voiceover for Army commercials.
22. Until a year ago, I hadn't thrown up since I was 12. Now, any licorice flavored alcohol is bad news.
23. I pick my nose sometimes, and so do you! You do too!
24. I don't like flying, and can't sleep on a plane.
25. I'm an insomniac. It usually takes me at least an hour, sometimes more, to fall asleep at night.
26. I never really cooked until this past year, and I'm discovering that I kind of like it.
27. I'm a sucker for an accent of any kind.
28. I've thrown my back out while scrubbing the bathtub.
29. When I walk up stairs barefoot, my left foot stays flat but I always walk on my toes with my right foot.
30.I carry my stress in my shoulders and neck, and no amount of Tiger Balm or massage will help it.
31. I hate folding laundry.
32. I daydream all the time, but have learned to multi-task.
33. I hate having my feet touched, unless B is giving me a serious foot rub with no tickling involved, with my socks on.
34. The dentist totally doesn't bother me.
35. I really enjoy sci-fi and fantasy type books & TV shows.
36. The only kind of music that I really hate is gangsta rap.
37. I hate driving in strange cities, especially in congested areas.
38. I would eat some form of potato with every meal if I could.
39. I love to decorate.
40. I absolutely cannot justify spending large amounts of money on clothing, but would gladly spend hundreds on artwork.
41. I'm a pretty courteous driver, unless you're an asshole.
42. My parents owned their own business.
43. I had my own computer when I was a kid, one of the first "portable computers" that was the size of a suitcase with a handle on one end. I liked playing "Baghdad" and Pacman.
44. I played the xylaphone/marimba in high school, and the marching rig for it weighed more than I did.
45. I hate having my picture taken.
46. I used to collect keychains.
47. I have never used a push-lawnmower. Riding, yes. Push, no.
48. I have phobias about electricity, firecrackers, and storms.
49. I still remember a dream that I had when I was little about my mom turning into a vampire.
50. My dad surprised my mom with a '67 Mustang when they were first married. She still has it.
51. I was in "advanced classes" all through school, until college when I stopped trying to do well.
52. I hate when people drink out of milk jugs. The goop that collects around the mouth of the jug just grosses me out.
53. I never wear lip color. My lips are naturally bright.
54. I hate extremely hot weather and high humidity.
55. I love carousels, and have two porcelain musicbox horses.
56. I have never ridden a rollercoaster, and never will.
57. I have never taken any illegal drugs.
58. In regards to 57, I was a DARE Role Model in high school and damn proud of it!
59. I would love to take horseback riding lessons.
60. I don't know my bloodtype.
61. I used to like going to my best friends house just so we could play with her little brother's toys.
62. I have never watched a porno.
63. When my blood pressure goes up, all the veins in my forehead stick out. My friends in high school called me a klingon.
64. When out with a group of people, I usually prefer to quietly observe rather than be a part of the happenings.
65. I hate to be told what to do.
66. I went through a phase in college where I put sour cream on pretty much everything.
67. My favorite job was at Barnes & Noble, and I would totally work there again.
68. My high school only had about 700 students, and my college only had about 2000.
69. I almost always show up at appointments way too early.
70. I have a funny dimple birthmark on my belly, right next to my bellybutton.
71. I'm kind of a picky eater.
72. I don't really like going to concerts because I feel the crowd often detracts from the music.
73. I take things very personally and I'm easily wounded.
74. I have a hard time getting comfortable in bed. I almost always wake up in the middle of the night with one of my arms all tingly.
75. My 17th birthday was, in retrospect, the worst birthday ever.
76. I coughed so hard when I was sick in college that I cracked a rib.
77. I lost a spelling bee in middle school on the word "wrought."
78. My face turns bright red & tingles when I get nervous or embarrassed.
79. I was on the flag team in middle school.
80. I taught myself how to drive because my mother was terrified of riding with me.
81. I developed an allergy to wool after working in a store that sold wool rugs.
82. I took ballroom dancing to cover my P.E. requirements in college.
83. Every time I get a fever, I hallucinate that the walls are closing in on me.
84. The only type of facial cleansing product I use is makeup remover wipes and sometimes witch hazel.
85. I've never been in the hospital.
86. I would love to run an animal rescue.
87. I love folk music, thanks to my dad. He used to sing to me in the car.
88. I hate talking on the phone. I tend to use email or text more often.
89. Tailgaters piss me off more than anything.
90. It seems to me that I am always the person to move aside, on sidewalks etc, instead of someone else getting out of my way.
91. I always get flustered when someone holds the door for me.
92. I have an oral fixation. I'm either biting my nails or chewing my pens all the time.
93. I like watching dog shows, and as a result I can identify almost any breed.
94. I probably cuss too goddamn much.
95. I've wanted a horse since I was a child, and I would still love to have one.
96. I can only crack the knuckles on my ring fingers.
97. I can't go underwater without holding my nose.
98. I'm a beer snob.
99. Even in the worst level of drunkeness ever, I would never do karaoke. But I will laugh at you when you do.
100. I'm a master at procrastination, but when it's actually something important I'll do it right away.

OMFG it's too damn early for this bullshit

AT&T Universal Credit Card = biggest pain in my ass EVER. Don't ever do business with them or Citi Bank if you can help it.
***
I am not a financially minded person, so this morning's 401K enrollment meeting gave me a headache. Talk of stocks & bonds makes me all stop-the-room-I'd-like-to-get-off feeling.
***
I need to move to a different cubicle or something, because my existence is forgotten on a regular basis. Today, I was added to a meeting agenda and not told about it. Yesterday, my marketing documents were edited without my knowing about it. HELLOOOO I'M STILL HERE PEOPLE...
***
I do NOT want to hear anything more about politics. Period. I hate all the name-calling and back-stabbing and nasty bullshit associated with the presidential race. Just because you've made your decision about who you're voting for (a) doesn't mean you have to try to force me to change my mind, (b) doesn't give you the right to call me and people who believe the same as me nasty names, and (c) also doesn't make you right. So just effing drop it, ok? (Becky, I'm not directing this at you, just liberals in general who seem to think campaigning = destroying all Republicans.)
***
Home schedule = chaos. Multiple to-do's on my list that just can't seem to get done... there are still boxes in my dining room from our yard sale TWO WEEKS AGO that need to be donated to charity, the upstairs bedroom (aka B's "man loft") still needs a lot of work, our landlord is coming by with a carpet shampooer this weekend so we can do the basement and upstairs hallway, B's dad is coming by with furniture and stuff tonight, B is totally overwhelmed by school, my car is still not completely fixed, B has to go back to Michigan for Army BS this weekend, the back door trim hasn't been started, the backyard is full of moles and my gardens are being neglected, the garage is not my area but even B admits it's a mess. I think that covers it. So we have to prioritize and schedule and then find time to breathe and relax and keep my head from imploding too.

Inspirations

I've mentioned these two writers before, but I need to mention them again today because they've both just written blog entries that were really touching to me.

On All & Sundry, Linda wrote this yesterday. Several of the things on her list totally hit home for me, especially because (a) I'm horribly impatient and (b) I'm a horrible procrastinator. So to get smacked in the face with "Transforming your body and mind takes time. If you try to rush the process, you’re doing it wrong." and "There is no such thing as not having enough time to exercise. If you can’t find the time, MAKE the time. This is entirely within your control, and telling yourself otherwise is simply an excuse. " ... Pretty much exactly what I need to hear (and be told over and over and over).
I have a gym membership. Do I use it? Not so much. I've convinced myself that every time I go to the gym, I get sick afterwards. And it's partly true. Last winter when I started my trial membership, I went two or three times before I got nailed by the flu. I lost my motivation and didn't go back, and my trial membership expired. This summer, I took advantage of a special they were having and signed a 2 year contract. I went to a spinning class and it totally killed me deader than a doornail. I went once after that & wound up with a summer cold for 2 weeks after that... so my excuse is somewhat viable. Still lame though, and now I'm stuck in a contract that I can't cancel and can't find anyone to transfer it to. So I've got to use it, or feel guilty for two years. And if I lose my extra chins and my muffin top while I'm at it, all the better!

Amy, aka Amalah, wrote this today at AlphaMom/Advice Smackdown. Now, I'm a Republican. Just a bit right of center, really. But I am pro-life, and have been for a long time. I was a bit of a Bible-thumper when I was in high school, and one thing that has remained of that is the belief that a child's soul is imparted at conception, and therefore abortion = infanticide regardless of how you look at it, and abortion = cop-out for irresponsible people who either are plain stupid or who just don't think about the consequences of their actions.
I still believe both of these are true, however Amy's writing today was so well-thought-out, kind, and touching that my concrete stance is crumbling a bit. I guess I never thought about the people who actually wanted a child, but for one reason or another could not actually have a child. There is a difference between those who fucked up and don't want a child for stupid selfish reasons, and those who are at odds between preserving themselves and protecting the child. How anyone could possibly make that kind of choice is beyond me, but at the same time there is no wrong choice in situations like those. I just hope and pray I never have to do it.

Pet Parenting 101

Things I have learned during my time as a fur-baby's momma:

• Cat health and carpet quality relies heavily upon clean kitty litter. If necessary, set an alarm on your cellphone/computer/both to remind you to clean the catboxes on a more regular basis.
• Dogs like squeaky toys because they imitate the sound of a dying animal. (Maybe it was a bad idea to get Jake that "Naughty Kitty" stuffed toy and encourage him to "get the kitty!")
• Dogs do not care what other things may be in the water they drink. Like toilet paper that didn't make it all the way down on the last flush, or B's "compost tea" mixture of rotting plant bits and rainwater in a tub on the patio that smells like methane.
• Cats, however, require pure, fresh drinking water, straight from the tap, in a fine little trickle. Sink or bathtub, either is fine, as long as it is turned on at their demand.
• Cats see things.
• Dogs are just neurotic.
• Both dogs and cats, when peeing/pooping/vomiting/harcking up hairballs in a place they shouldn't, will always choose a carpeted area to do so, rather than a tiled/hardwood area that would be ten times easier to clean after the fact.
• Cats are allowed to beg at the table (short of jumping up on the table) because it's cute when they meow/purr/butz your legs with their heads.
• Dogs are not allowed to beg at the table, because they stare/drool/whine/are annoying as hell.

I'm sure I will continue to add to this list as time goes on.

I WIN!!

I finally returned the crappy non-functioning Lexmark printer to the hell from whence it came (aka Walmart), and went to BestBuy and got an HP model instead. Fifteen minutes. That's all it took to set the thing up and get it working... wirelessly! HALLELUIA!! So now I can work upstairs and print downstairs, and B can work in the dining room and print in the living room. Plus scan AND copy.

God, why am I so excited about a damn printer?

B comes home tomorrow, thank god. Not because I missed him or anything (ok, I did, a LOT, and yes it was only a week but STILL) but because the damn dog had been completely neurotic the whole time. Every damn day I'd come home from work and there'd be something. A dish out of the sink, the entire jar of cat treats annihilated, my new box of pantyhose chewed, the corner of my scrapbook gnawed... and today, the climax: a nice steaming pile of shit in the basement. I was gone for THREE HOURS DOG, FUCK.

IsthatdaddyscarIthoughtIhearddaddyscarwheresdaddyImissdaddyIsthatdaddyscar?!?!@!*&$#!!!

*Sigh*
So hopefully tomorrow night he'll be back to normal, which means only destroying one item of Tupperware a month instead of one a day.

PS: my new haircut is perfect! Very Natalie Portman/Katie Holmes but without the bangs and the weirdness. I'll have to take a good pic & add it later.

I should make a habit of this.

I haven't been writing much, which is stupid. Not because anybody cares & wants to hear what's going on in my head, but because it's such a great outlet for me and it's not like I don't have the time. I don't really have any major projects at work right now, so it's a little slow & boring around here. On the other hand, I have a lot to do at home that I've been procrastinating on. I'm not very motivated at work, so I get home at night and I'm still not motivated... it's a nasty cycle of slumpiness!

So, what's been going on, that I haven't been writing about?

The whole money makeover thing is moving kind of slow. Every part of the bank switching process is slow... changing my direct deposit took 3 weeks to go through, changing our automatic payments for utilities takes 4-6 weeks, waiting for my landlord to deposit our last rent check is taking a couple of weeks, and since the bank we're switching doesn't have branches (it's a military bank, so everything is done online which is nice but makes some things take a little longer) we have to scan & email in any paper checks that we get.

The scan & email thing wouldn't be so bad IF we had a functioning scanner right now. We just bought a wireless printer/scanner/copier, and all the reviews I read said set-up was a breeze. Har de har har! I've tried everything I could think of, I got some ideas from the office IT guys, and nothing worked. So last night I got online & used the printer company's "chat assistance" program and the guy set up a remote link to my system so he could mess with it, and even he couldn't figure out what was wrong. He worked on it until closing time last night, and then gave up & said he would pass it on to a supervisor today to see if they had any other ideas. I am not hanging my hopes on this, and will probably return this particular model & look for a different brand this weekend. Wireless printing will totally be worth it, but this is getting a little ridiculous!

We had a yard sale last weekend. Or at least, half the weekend, it rained Sunday morning so we skipped that day. We made a little over $100 which was cool, but we really didn't sell much! If I had readers, I'd try to hock some stuff on here. It's all in the middle of my living room right now.

B is off doing Army stuff this week, so it's been me & the critters hangin out, watching TV and putting off chores. Which is bad, because me putting off the catbox cleaning has caused them to seek recepticles elsewhere, namely my pretty-if-cheap living room rug. Crap. (Not literally, just pee so far, but pee is worse because the smell lingers. I'd rather they crapped on it.)

Tomorrow, running some errands & chopping off my hair!

Touchy-feely to a whole new level

I met B's lesbian girlfriend last night. He talks about her a lot and I'm glad he has a good friend at school, except that they have serious conversations about him being her baby-daddy-sperm-donor (ew). So we met up with her and a bunch of her friends last night, and I didn't really get a chance to talk to her until we were out in the parking lot. When she tackled me. Seriously. I'm like, ok, I'm glad we finally get to meet, too, but that doesn't mean I want to be groped. And when I told her I was so full from dinner, she grabbed my little buddha gut and starting shaking it. I wanted to barf. She's like a Jack Russell puppy on meth! Yapyapyapyap jumpspinpounce alloverthefuckingplacehyper. I told B this morning that I'll only be able to handle her in small doses, and that's only if she refrains from manhandling me.

Random Observation For Today

It’s so much easier to diet when you’re completely broke! BGSU has once again screwed up our finances and we are THIS CLOSE ---> <--- to overdrawing on our checking account, and I spent my last 5 quarters, 2 dimes and nickel on a bagel w/cream cheese this morning. But we have groceries at home, so I’ve been packing my lunch for the past couple of weeks and have been doing so much better at eating healthy stuff than when I had money!
I made a little change-jar out of a melted Tupperware bowl that I found in the breakroom, with the intention of dumping my change in it then donating it to charity (the National Multiple Sclerosis Society… my sister has MS). But now, all that’s left in it is pennies because I kept mining the quarters and dimes out of it to buy Rice Krispies Treats out of the vending machine.
Pathetic.
But, dinner tonight is on the company! Sweeeet.

Money is truly EVIL

I spoke too soon apparently.

All my enthusiasm and excitement about getting our finances in order totally jinxed me or something. I went online just a minute ago (and now I don't even remember what for) and was shocked by our checking account balance. WTF?! Wha happnd?

Fuck.

Looks like the check I wrote to the university finally cleared, and in between writing and clearing, we went grocery shopping and bought gas and drove to fucking Cleveland a bazillion times. Which totally screwed everything up.

So right now, money is not just the root of all evil, money itself is evil incarnate.

Alterations

I made some changes to my page today. First, it seems my old template was the most popular one out there, so can't have that now, can we? Second, my title was rather blah, and can't have that either.

One of my favorite bloggers is Linda on All & Sundry, she absolutely never fails to crack me up. And today she ranted about her husband who tends to disappear & leave her with their two kids and a crap-ton of housework to do. But the real eye-opener for me was scrolling through the comments... apparently this is not an uncommon practice. Since I don't have kids yet (notice I did say yet... I have consented to consider the option of children once we are out of debt... more on that in a minute) I really didn't realize that it was normal for guys to be, well, flat-out lazy. But at the same time, I'm still in that "oh it won't be like that for us" mindset due to the fact that the whole kid thing is B's idea entirely and if it were up to me I'd be a crazy cat-lady.

But I will admit that every now and then I think it might not be so bad, especially when I see this. Friggin cute.

I have laid down two stipulations on it though. One, we have to be financially stable, and two, B has to be done with school and have a real job so I can drop to part-time or work from home or something. Both are in the works... B should be done with his undergrad in 2-3 years tops, and we're starting a Total Money Makeover this weekend. Dave Ramsey is awesome! His writing is engaging and funny, and he doesn't make the process so intellectually challenging that it feels like a chore. We're already through "Baby Step 1" which is establishing an emergency fund, and we're going to write out a budget (gasp!) for September and start "Baby Step 2" of snowballing our debt payoffs in the next couple of weeks. I've even created Excel spreadsheets that we can fill in & print out to track our progress. The whole philosophy behind the program is "If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else," which basically means that we need to cut back on our frivolous lifestyles now so we can do whatever we want a little further down the road. The concept is to pay cash for everything and not use credit or loans for anything at all (although he does make an exception when buying a home). We're also having to make an exception for B's school... we had to take out a loan to cover the money the school is demanding before the GI Bill pays out. (Which is a rant for a separate post.) So I'm feeling very optimistic about it, and I'm looking forward to cutting ties with the credit card companies!