5:50 AM, alarm goes off. I hit snooze and lay there for a bit. When the snooze alarm went off, I groaned & rolled out of bed. Had to turn a light on (ugh! so bright!!) because I didn't pull out my walking stuff last night. duh! Drank a protein shake & let myself out the door. It was 6:10 AM and brighter than it had seemed from inside.
It was probably in the upper 50s. And damp, because it rained overnight. Everything smelled fresh. And a bit like Seattle in some spots. I guess damp pavement & damp trees smell the same wherever you are? Not sure about that, tho, because as I walked on, it smelled more like Vestal. I think the whole Seattle thing was just because it was early morning & damp & I was out walking. But then, as I walked on, I realized that I never would have walked to work at that time of morning and I certainly would not have been wearing Adidas capris, an In-and-Out tee & sneakers!
It was interesting to see my neighborhood waking up. One couple was out running with their dogs. The shrill yapping of those little dogs seemed loud in the still morning. At a couple of houses, a smoker was sitting out on the front step. One appeared to be checking his email. At one house, as I approached, I could see the man in the kitchen. As I walked past, I could hear him running water in the sink. The only person who spoke was a maintenance man as I passed my old elementary school. As I walked past the playground, I could smell the wet wood chips and the freshly cut grass. All new, for the first day of school.
It got me thinking about my first days of school. I know I started school - every year from kindergarten through college (all of them!). My memories are quite vague. I know that early in my kindergarten years, I walked up the street and Betty put me on the bus. She was a neighbor, my mom claims to have no recollection of this. I only rode the bus in kindergarten, so it must have been then, but the time frame is vague. In grades 1 thru 6, I walked to school. I'm sure Mom must have walked me there in the beginning, but I can't be sure. I had a baby sister at home in those early years. Once she started school, did Mom make us walk together? I really don't remember...
Middle school, I walked up the block to catch the bus. I hated the middle school bus. Come to think of it, I remember hating walking to school in 4th grade. I did NOT like my teacher. When it came time for high school, it was back to walking. In those days, you could park on the streets near the high school. When I was in Grade 9, there were all those cute seniors to see on the way to school. I'm not sure why or how, but we (as in my Freshman friends & I) were friends with those cute guys. I don't remember much about walking to school in grades 10 & 11. When I started Grade 12, my sister started Grade 9, so we walked together. Lots of friends to walk with, so that was always fun.
Now, today, the middle school kids just got picked up across the street. The kids are the reason I decided to walk early. If I had waited until now, there would be buses and middle school kids and high school kids and traffic... I'd rather walk early and have the streets to myself.
Which I did. And I enjoyed it. And I will keep walking early. I'll just try to remember to leave my clothes out the night before. :)
xo
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
proofreading: a dying art
I just got this as a forward from my cousin Dave. I love this stuff & so decided to share with you. :)
Proofreading is a dying art
Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No crap, really? Ya think?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
--------------------------------------------------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
--------------------------------------------------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
--------------------------------------------------------------
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
--------------------------------------------------------------
And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread the stupidity and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to (maybe even a chuckle). We all need a good laugh, at least once a day!
Proofreading is a dying art
Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No crap, really? Ya think?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
--------------------------------------------------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
--------------------------------------------------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
--------------------------------------------------------------
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
--------------------------------------------------------------
And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread the stupidity and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to (maybe even a chuckle). We all need a good laugh, at least once a day!
Monday, June 28, 2010
other career paths
Hung out with DJ MJ Duke Friday night. He was spinning at Antonio's in Endicott. He was discussing going on tour with a live vocalist - another girl that was there. I immediately volunteered to be the girl hanging out in the dj booth. Duke & the another dj who was there, were like, you could totally do that. (other dj was really cute, but so was his girlfriend...) So I was thinking about it, and, yeah, it would be really fun to just hang out in there. But how much cooler would it be to actually know how to spin? Like, could I be a dj? Seems like a lot of techy stuff to learn... Idk. It was just a thought.
I would also like to learn to play bass guitar.
I'll keep you posted..... But for the time being, I'll stick with being that girl in the dj booth. :)
xo
I would also like to learn to play bass guitar.
I'll keep you posted..... But for the time being, I'll stick with being that girl in the dj booth. :)
xo
Friday, June 11, 2010
why is vacation so exhausting??? (part 4)
So I slogged my way thru my post-Seattle trip - working every day, planning my next weekend's trip.
I was planning on being gone for our tea meeting. So Thursday night, I stayed up WAY too late making "Cheesecake Truffle Bombs". It was fairly simple & straight forward. I always forget, tho, and let the chocolate get too hot. And then you can't work with it. Boo. But this recipe has potenital and I'll probably try again & perhaps experiment with different flavors. Friday night was Vestal Festival Parade and Bed & Bathtub Races. It's a great place to catch up with friends & neighbors. Then I got home and had to make a casserole. It wasn't that late when I went to bed, but it should have been earlier.
I woke up somewhere between 4:30 & 5 Saturday morning. Showered & packed up my stuff. Didn't leave the house until close to 6:30. Then stopped at Starbucks and never got on the road until 7. It was a beautiful sunny morning and getting to the exit for my friend's house in Maryland was easy. It was just that my directions and what it said at the junction did not match. So I did a bit of driving around before I actually got to her house.
It was wonderful to see M again. We couldn't remember the last time we had seen each other. She drove to the Metro station & we headed into DC. We arrived above ground on The Mall. I said I needed to eat, so we headed for the Old Post Office. I had a quesadilla, she had a gyro. It was different than I remember it being, but it's been years since I've been there. After lunch, we headed for the National Museum of American History. I wanted to see Julia Childs' kitchen. I was somewhat disappointed because of the lighting and the crowd, but it was still very very neat! We looked at a couple other exhibits, but it was so crowded (Saturdays at museums generally are...) that we headed back outside.
Decided to walk up to the Washington Monument. We didn't go inside. Just sat outside in the sun & the breeze - the weather was lovely. We couldn't decide what to do, so M called her sister and we decided to meet for dinner in Fredrick. We met at an Irish pub. It was neat because it was Fredrick's 3rd Saturday (or whatever they call it) and all the shops & galleries were open late and there was lots of live music on the sidewalks. It was very neat, but we didn't have a chance to wander because we sat in the restaurant until 10. It was So good to catch up with those girls. Our moms grew up together so we've known each other for our whole lives, but have just grown apart. It was neat to reconnect!
Sunday dawned sunny, so we didn't bother taking our umbrellas when we left M's house. After morning meeting - which had about 4 times as many people as they usually have! - most of us went to Bertucci's for salad & pizza. YUM! Then, after much discussion, M lead the way to The White House. From there, we headed to the monuments: Washington, WWII & Lincoln. We just wandered & visited & took pictures. Many phone calls were made as we tried to figure out where everyone was because it was time to head back to the cars. It was very muggy and there was no breeze so no one wanted to walk any farther than was necessary.
We walked past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on our way back to the cars. We got back to the park near the restaurant. The sun came out and a breeze came up and suddenly, it was really nice out! :) We all hung out there til everyone was back and then sat and visited some more. Finally around 6:30, everyone went their separate ways. It was such a fun day and such a great group of OYP! :)
M & I made our way back to Maryland. We stopped for "dinner" - Baja Fresh for me, Popeyes for her - and went back to her place to eat. I finally left there at 8:15. YIKES! It was good in the sense that there was very little traffic, but bad in that it was 1:10 when I got home. I stopped twice - once for gas and once for a potty break. And still made it to work at 8. The afternoon was rough. I was like totally falling asleep while I was waiting for people to answer their phones. Kinda scary, actually!
But now I'm home for a while. :)
xo
I was planning on being gone for our tea meeting. So Thursday night, I stayed up WAY too late making "Cheesecake Truffle Bombs". It was fairly simple & straight forward. I always forget, tho, and let the chocolate get too hot. And then you can't work with it. Boo. But this recipe has potenital and I'll probably try again & perhaps experiment with different flavors. Friday night was Vestal Festival Parade and Bed & Bathtub Races. It's a great place to catch up with friends & neighbors. Then I got home and had to make a casserole. It wasn't that late when I went to bed, but it should have been earlier.
I woke up somewhere between 4:30 & 5 Saturday morning. Showered & packed up my stuff. Didn't leave the house until close to 6:30. Then stopped at Starbucks and never got on the road until 7. It was a beautiful sunny morning and getting to the exit for my friend's house in Maryland was easy. It was just that my directions and what it said at the junction did not match. So I did a bit of driving around before I actually got to her house.
It was wonderful to see M again. We couldn't remember the last time we had seen each other. She drove to the Metro station & we headed into DC. We arrived above ground on The Mall. I said I needed to eat, so we headed for the Old Post Office. I had a quesadilla, she had a gyro. It was different than I remember it being, but it's been years since I've been there. After lunch, we headed for the National Museum of American History. I wanted to see Julia Childs' kitchen. I was somewhat disappointed because of the lighting and the crowd, but it was still very very neat! We looked at a couple other exhibits, but it was so crowded (Saturdays at museums generally are...) that we headed back outside.
Decided to walk up to the Washington Monument. We didn't go inside. Just sat outside in the sun & the breeze - the weather was lovely. We couldn't decide what to do, so M called her sister and we decided to meet for dinner in Fredrick. We met at an Irish pub. It was neat because it was Fredrick's 3rd Saturday (or whatever they call it) and all the shops & galleries were open late and there was lots of live music on the sidewalks. It was very neat, but we didn't have a chance to wander because we sat in the restaurant until 10. It was So good to catch up with those girls. Our moms grew up together so we've known each other for our whole lives, but have just grown apart. It was neat to reconnect!
Sunday dawned sunny, so we didn't bother taking our umbrellas when we left M's house. After morning meeting - which had about 4 times as many people as they usually have! - most of us went to Bertucci's for salad & pizza. YUM! Then, after much discussion, M lead the way to The White House. From there, we headed to the monuments: Washington, WWII & Lincoln. We just wandered & visited & took pictures. Many phone calls were made as we tried to figure out where everyone was because it was time to head back to the cars. It was very muggy and there was no breeze so no one wanted to walk any farther than was necessary.
We walked past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on our way back to the cars. We got back to the park near the restaurant. The sun came out and a breeze came up and suddenly, it was really nice out! :) We all hung out there til everyone was back and then sat and visited some more. Finally around 6:30, everyone went their separate ways. It was such a fun day and such a great group of OYP! :)
M & I made our way back to Maryland. We stopped for "dinner" - Baja Fresh for me, Popeyes for her - and went back to her place to eat. I finally left there at 8:15. YIKES! It was good in the sense that there was very little traffic, but bad in that it was 1:10 when I got home. I stopped twice - once for gas and once for a potty break. And still made it to work at 8. The afternoon was rough. I was like totally falling asleep while I was waiting for people to answer their phones. Kinda scary, actually!
But now I'm home for a while. :)
xo
why is vacation so exhausting??? (part 3)
B was organizing Monday's outing. It was predicted to be rather rainy, so many people opted to hang out in Seattle rather than go on the bike ride. BT & I decided that since I was going to have so little time in Seattle, we would go in early. Turns out that was a good decision.
We drove in & found parking on 6th, directly behind Top Pot Donuts. Didn't even go around & go in. :( We went straight to Pike Place Market. Had a nice walk thru. I got Gala Apples from Simply the Best and a ring from the same place as I had my green one made. We were walking back towards downtown when the word came thru that the kids weren't making it downtown before I left. I left BT on the corner of 4th & Pine and made my way to the Transit Tunnel. It was practically perfect - I had time to buy my ticket and get to the platform.
The Metro Transit Light Rail is very clean, very smooth & gives great views of areas I was un-accustomed to seeing while I lived out there. (Maybe I should have taken that apartment down off MLK Way? Rent probably went up since the light rail is up and running!) I need to make you aware of something about the Light Rail tho. And that is this: the Airport Station is a L..O..N..G ways from the "S" Terminal! I walked (& walked & walked), finally got to S, went to the bathroom, bought a bottle of water & they were already boarding my flight. Yikes!
I had a middle seat between 2 guys. The guy on the window was pretty laid back. The guy on the aisle, however, was a different story. I sat down & Larry (the guy on the aisle) says, "I hate to fly." He was very chatty & totally freaked out. He's a bass player in a band who's name I can't remember right now, but they are legit, I checked. He's written some stuff for Anita Baker. And he hates to fly. Hates having gigs on the other side of the country. At one point, I did put my iPod in and took a little nap. There was really bad turbulance landing in Detroit. It was scary and I felt really bad for the guy. He held onto my arm & I just let him. Seemed easier that way.
In DTW, I requested a flight change. I was scheduled to fly into ELM, which is about an hour's drive from home. I asked if there was any way I could get on the flight to BGM. They originally said "No, the flight is already overbooked." About 20 minutes later, they found me and said "A bunch of flights in were cancelled and there's space on the flight. Do you want to go?" Of course I said yes! So I was home by 11:30. Nice! :)
And it was back to work at 8 on Tuesday morning. The weekend happened so quickly that it almost feels like I wasn't there. It's a weird feeling...
Love you girls!
xo
We drove in & found parking on 6th, directly behind Top Pot Donuts. Didn't even go around & go in. :( We went straight to Pike Place Market. Had a nice walk thru. I got Gala Apples from Simply the Best
The Metro Transit Light Rail is very clean, very smooth & gives great views of areas I was un-accustomed to seeing while I lived out there. (Maybe I should have taken that apartment down off MLK Way? Rent probably went up since the light rail is up and running!) I need to make you aware of something about the Light Rail tho. And that is this: the Airport Station is a L..O..N..G ways from the "S" Terminal! I walked (& walked & walked), finally got to S, went to the bathroom, bought a bottle of water & they were already boarding my flight. Yikes!
I had a middle seat between 2 guys. The guy on the window was pretty laid back. The guy on the aisle, however, was a different story. I sat down & Larry (the guy on the aisle) says, "I hate to fly." He was very chatty & totally freaked out. He's a bass player in a band who's name I can't remember right now, but they are legit, I checked. He's written some stuff for Anita Baker. And he hates to fly. Hates having gigs on the other side of the country. At one point, I did put my iPod in and took a little nap. There was really bad turbulance landing in Detroit. It was scary and I felt really bad for the guy. He held onto my arm & I just let him. Seemed easier that way.
In DTW, I requested a flight change. I was scheduled to fly into ELM, which is about an hour's drive from home. I asked if there was any way I could get on the flight to BGM. They originally said "No, the flight is already overbooked." About 20 minutes later, they found me and said "A bunch of flights in were cancelled and there's space on the flight. Do you want to go?" Of course I said yes! So I was home by 11:30. Nice! :)
And it was back to work at 8 on Tuesday morning. The weekend happened so quickly that it almost feels like I wasn't there. It's a weird feeling...
Love you girls!
xo
why is vacation so exhausting??? (part 2)
What with jet lag & time zones & whatever, I only slept about 4 1/2 hours. Got up, showered, and went with B to pick up J on our way to Breakfast. J's reaction was priceless. She about went into shock, as did her brother & sister-in-law. SO fun to see them! Walked into breakfast and surprised everyone there. It was fun. No one was expecting to see me. And the little kids didn't know who I was so didn't care that I was there. lol
Breakfast was yummy, then BA had an short meeting. After that, they made teams for the afternoon activities & packed up lunches and left for the park. B, BT, CJ & I did not go. Instead we went to Trader Joe's - the new one in Redmond!, a chocolatier called Brugge Chocolate - YUM!!!, grabbed lunch at Chipotle & coffee at Peets. Back to MR to eat lunch. Then B & BT got busy working on Luau supper. C, CJ & I decorated. And by decorating, I mean, using everything BT had brought & making the kitchen area as tacky as we could make it. (There's pictures on FB.)
The dinner was fantastic! Pork smoked in banana leaves - I have no idea what they did to it, but it was amazing! Served with rice and lots of salads. After main course, BA had a second short meeting. DJ administered a "long, hard" Bible quiz while we older girls got dessert ready. There was pinapple upside down cake & lots of pies. M&B decided it was too late to start the skits, so we just played games. I learned how to play Bananagrams - FUN!!! LA is such a cheater! But we laughed. A lot.
Sunday dawned brighter than Saturday did. I made myself eggs, B made smoothies for the rest of the girls staying at her place. Went to Sunday School. By the time we sat down for morning meeting, the room was packed. A lot of people came just for the day. It was awesome catching up with BG, but it was much to brief. That Nora is SUCH a cutie! :) It was potluck, so there was lots of yummy food for lunch. There was a Bible reading after, followed by a brief gospel message.
Then "what to do???" for the afternoon. There were too many to take on a ferry ride. They decided to go to downtown Kirkland for frozen yogurt & a walk on the waterfront. B, C & I went to Capitol Hill. We got coffee at 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea (yum!), cupcakes at Cupcake Royale (not impressd w/salted caramel) & had a wander at Elliott Bay Books - recently moved from Pioneer Square (i didn't buy anything!).
For some reason, my browser is not letting me link this morning, but you can visit these:
http://www.streetlevelcoffee.com/
http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/
http://elliottbaybook.com/
Then we headed back to Kirkland for a make-your-own-burrito supper. Fortunately, there was a vegetarian options, tho D&L said they hadn't planned that and to thank someone else (PJ?) for the refried beans. Got cleaned up from supper. BA had his final meeting. Then on to skits.
I wasn't sure about our team to start with cuz I didn't really know any of the boys. But we pulled together a skit of The Stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) that included using Jenga blocks as the rocks we threw at him. Later, in about 5 minutes, we pulled together a skit for Ninevah. EK was a fantastic "Lot's Wife", but Constantin's team "stole the show". It was a very fun evening. Then we went outside (in the drizzly rain) and roasted marshmallows over one of those dish fires. Btw, PF made me awesome, perfectly roasted marshmallows. I don't generally eat them, but that night I ate 3! (So need to get back on track with my eating!!!) Also fun that night? KJ, PF, me & RB giving the Rockettes a run for their money with our kickline... :)
I went to BT's that night. It was like going home - I miss living there!!!
xo
Breakfast was yummy, then BA had an short meeting. After that, they made teams for the afternoon activities & packed up lunches and left for the park. B, BT, CJ & I did not go. Instead we went to Trader Joe's - the new one in Redmond!, a chocolatier called Brugge Chocolate - YUM!!!, grabbed lunch at Chipotle & coffee at Peets. Back to MR to eat lunch. Then B & BT got busy working on Luau supper. C, CJ & I decorated. And by decorating, I mean, using everything BT had brought & making the kitchen area as tacky as we could make it. (There's pictures on FB.)
The dinner was fantastic! Pork smoked in banana leaves - I have no idea what they did to it, but it was amazing! Served with rice and lots of salads. After main course, BA had a second short meeting. DJ administered a "long, hard" Bible quiz while we older girls got dessert ready. There was pinapple upside down cake & lots of pies. M&B decided it was too late to start the skits, so we just played games. I learned how to play Bananagrams - FUN!!! LA is such a cheater! But we laughed. A lot.
Sunday dawned brighter than Saturday did. I made myself eggs, B made smoothies for the rest of the girls staying at her place. Went to Sunday School. By the time we sat down for morning meeting, the room was packed. A lot of people came just for the day. It was awesome catching up with BG, but it was much to brief. That Nora is SUCH a cutie! :) It was potluck, so there was lots of yummy food for lunch. There was a Bible reading after, followed by a brief gospel message.
Then "what to do???" for the afternoon. There were too many to take on a ferry ride. They decided to go to downtown Kirkland for frozen yogurt & a walk on the waterfront. B, C & I went to Capitol Hill. We got coffee at 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea (yum!), cupcakes at Cupcake Royale (not impressd w/salted caramel) & had a wander at Elliott Bay Books - recently moved from Pioneer Square (i didn't buy anything!).
For some reason, my browser is not letting me link this morning, but you can visit these:
http://www.streetlevelcoffee.com/
http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/
http://elliottbaybook.com/
Then we headed back to Kirkland for a make-your-own-burrito supper. Fortunately, there was a vegetarian options, tho D&L said they hadn't planned that and to thank someone else (PJ?) for the refried beans. Got cleaned up from supper. BA had his final meeting. Then on to skits.
I wasn't sure about our team to start with cuz I didn't really know any of the boys. But we pulled together a skit of The Stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) that included using Jenga blocks as the rocks we threw at him. Later, in about 5 minutes, we pulled together a skit for Ninevah. EK was a fantastic "Lot's Wife", but Constantin's team "stole the show". It was a very fun evening. Then we went outside (in the drizzly rain) and roasted marshmallows over one of those dish fires. Btw, PF made me awesome, perfectly roasted marshmallows. I don't generally eat them, but that night I ate 3! (So need to get back on track with my eating!!!) Also fun that night? KJ, PF, me & RB giving the Rockettes a run for their money with our kickline... :)
I went to BT's that night. It was like going home - I miss living there!!!
xo
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
why is vacation so exhausting??? (part 1)
On the morning of May 17th, I was planning on staying on the East Coast for the summer. I had every intention of going to the Mt. Tabor conference for one day. Then everything changed.
It was a typical day of telemarketing. I was poking around online. All of the sudden, I was like, "I wonder if there's anything out there that I could make work to go to Seattle for Memorial Day weekend." See, there's been lots of talk in the Kirkland area about getting me back there. I have been resisting because plane tickets cost SO much and there's the whole job issue, so I just put it out of my brain.
Well, as it turns out, a search on Orbitz.com revealed that tickets had come down. I could spend as little as $300 and not have to miss work. Hmmm, I thought. I could do that. But I was at work, and without a credit card. So I said "Lord, if I'm supposed to go to Seattle, there will be something available when I get home." and left it at that. I got home that night, checked my finances & logged on. There was a ticket! I was thrilled & promptly bought it!
But here's the thing. I wanted to surprise everyone in Kirkland - well 2 people specifically: PF because he's been all over my case about coming back, and C because I thought it would be a fun surprise for her. So I texted B & BT and said "I'm coming, but I don't want anyone to know." They promised to keep it a secret. And then I didn't tell any of the kids here because I didn't want it showing up on Facebook and spoiling the surprise.
It was a fun secret to keep, but I was so worried that someone was going to ask me a direct question. And then, a week later, I woke up with an allregy or cold or something. It totally wiped me out. I didn't miss work cuz I wasn't really sick, but I was exhausted. Finally made it to the Thursday before my trip. By the time I went to bed, I was almost completely packed. I woke up early on Friday morning. Before my alarm, apparently too excited to sleep. I made my lunch and finished packing and was early for work. What's up with that? I am never totally & completely packed so far in advance of my trip. It actually freaked me out a good deal!
Work was fairly quiet. Everyone else, i.e. the people I was calling, had already started their weekends. Finally at 3, they let us go because nothing was happening. I went home, ran some errands, checked-in online, ate dinner. I was really antsy to get to the airport because, well, because I was really excited that I was going to Seattle and I didn't want tto be late. Or something. I can't really remember what it was all about, but finally we were on our way. M&D dropped me off at SYR around 6:45 for my 8:30 flight.
An earlier flight to PHL had been delayed, but my flight was supposed to be on time. I'm not sure how it all shook down, but the announced that everyone who was in the waiting area was to board this completely different flight to PHL, which ended up leaving right around 8:30 anyway. Had 2 seats to myself. I read Vogue & chewed gum and about an hour later, we were in PHL. While there, I finished reading Vogue, had some water, and texted B.
After a gate change, we finally boarded. I was in the back row with 2 guys, but the guy across the aisle had 2 empty seats. I ended up moving over there. Hey, a cute guy should not have to sit by himself. And it was either me or the mother with a 2-year-old. All 3 guys thanked me. :) Other than the fact that we were late leaving, the flight was very uneventful. I slept off and on, as did the cute guy. He let me have the window seat for the descent into Seattle. All I saw were clouds. :(
Not sure how this happened, but we left PHL late and landed in SEA early. Early, as in 1:30 a.m. instead of 2. I also landed the phone number of the cute guy from the plane. B picked me up outside. We got back to her place and snuck in through the garage. All 3 girls in the den stayed asleep and so did C. Of course, sneaking up 3 flights of stairs in the dark does not give one the opportunity to reach a conclusion about the asthetics of the brand new house of ones best friend. :)
xo
It was a typical day of telemarketing. I was poking around online. All of the sudden, I was like, "I wonder if there's anything out there that I could make work to go to Seattle for Memorial Day weekend." See, there's been lots of talk in the Kirkland area about getting me back there. I have been resisting because plane tickets cost SO much and there's the whole job issue, so I just put it out of my brain.
Well, as it turns out, a search on Orbitz.com revealed that tickets had come down. I could spend as little as $300 and not have to miss work. Hmmm, I thought. I could do that. But I was at work, and without a credit card. So I said "Lord, if I'm supposed to go to Seattle, there will be something available when I get home." and left it at that. I got home that night, checked my finances & logged on. There was a ticket! I was thrilled & promptly bought it!
But here's the thing. I wanted to surprise everyone in Kirkland - well 2 people specifically: PF because he's been all over my case about coming back, and C because I thought it would be a fun surprise for her. So I texted B & BT and said "I'm coming, but I don't want anyone to know." They promised to keep it a secret. And then I didn't tell any of the kids here because I didn't want it showing up on Facebook and spoiling the surprise.
It was a fun secret to keep, but I was so worried that someone was going to ask me a direct question. And then, a week later, I woke up with an allregy or cold or something. It totally wiped me out. I didn't miss work cuz I wasn't really sick, but I was exhausted. Finally made it to the Thursday before my trip. By the time I went to bed, I was almost completely packed. I woke up early on Friday morning. Before my alarm, apparently too excited to sleep. I made my lunch and finished packing and was early for work. What's up with that? I am never totally & completely packed so far in advance of my trip. It actually freaked me out a good deal!
Work was fairly quiet. Everyone else, i.e. the people I was calling, had already started their weekends. Finally at 3, they let us go because nothing was happening. I went home, ran some errands, checked-in online, ate dinner. I was really antsy to get to the airport because, well, because I was really excited that I was going to Seattle and I didn't want tto be late. Or something. I can't really remember what it was all about, but finally we were on our way. M&D dropped me off at SYR around 6:45 for my 8:30 flight.
An earlier flight to PHL had been delayed, but my flight was supposed to be on time. I'm not sure how it all shook down, but the announced that everyone who was in the waiting area was to board this completely different flight to PHL, which ended up leaving right around 8:30 anyway. Had 2 seats to myself. I read Vogue & chewed gum and about an hour later, we were in PHL. While there, I finished reading Vogue, had some water, and texted B.
After a gate change, we finally boarded. I was in the back row with 2 guys, but the guy across the aisle had 2 empty seats. I ended up moving over there. Hey, a cute guy should not have to sit by himself. And it was either me or the mother with a 2-year-old. All 3 guys thanked me. :) Other than the fact that we were late leaving, the flight was very uneventful. I slept off and on, as did the cute guy. He let me have the window seat for the descent into Seattle. All I saw were clouds. :(
Not sure how this happened, but we left PHL late and landed in SEA early. Early, as in 1:30 a.m. instead of 2. I also landed the phone number of the cute guy from the plane. B picked me up outside. We got back to her place and snuck in through the garage. All 3 girls in the den stayed asleep and so did C. Of course, sneaking up 3 flights of stairs in the dark does not give one the opportunity to reach a conclusion about the asthetics of the brand new house of ones best friend. :)
xo
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
you should be a ...
nutritionist, apparently.
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal today. Fascinating. Do you think they do that often?!! ;) Anyways, its headline was something along the lines of "Food Companies Cut Calories to Fight Obesity." Of course, I took issue with this - and without actually reading the article - vented. "Hmph!" I snorted. "Cutting calories? They're just gonna load stuff up with aspartame and all that other junk that *lowers calories* (imagine my air quotes...) and makes food worse for you than it was when it just had calories. What people really need to do," I continued, "is to just eat real food and prepare it for themselves."
My co-worker looked at me and said, "I think you should be a nutritionist." and walked out of the lunch room.
But it might have triggered something... See, I was really looking forward to being a weight-loss counselor and teaching people to do what I've done. But that all fell through when the girl who was doing it went on maternity leave 1 1/2 months early. Nothing more was said. I had a job that I loved. (And we all know what happened with that!)
So here I sit. Telemarketing roofing systems to businesses. What I say does not change. So it gives me time to think. And I do think about things like what I need to do when I get home or what I can blog about. But to this point, I was not thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up.
But that innocuous comment by my coworker has changed that. It's now sitting in my head, or, actually, it's running around in there, making it difficult to blog and telemarket. Some days I'm better at multi-tasking... So anyways, that's where I am in the whole "one of these days I AM going to go back to school" dialogue.
Just thought I'd keep you posted.
In other news, it's a rainy day here in Binghamton, NY.
xo
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal today. Fascinating. Do you think they do that often?!! ;) Anyways, its headline was something along the lines of "Food Companies Cut Calories to Fight Obesity." Of course, I took issue with this - and without actually reading the article - vented. "Hmph!" I snorted. "Cutting calories? They're just gonna load stuff up with aspartame and all that other junk that *lowers calories* (imagine my air quotes...) and makes food worse for you than it was when it just had calories. What people really need to do," I continued, "is to just eat real food and prepare it for themselves."
My co-worker looked at me and said, "I think you should be a nutritionist." and walked out of the lunch room.
But it might have triggered something... See, I was really looking forward to being a weight-loss counselor and teaching people to do what I've done. But that all fell through when the girl who was doing it went on maternity leave 1 1/2 months early. Nothing more was said. I had a job that I loved. (And we all know what happened with that!)
So here I sit. Telemarketing roofing systems to businesses. What I say does not change. So it gives me time to think. And I do think about things like what I need to do when I get home or what I can blog about. But to this point, I was not thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up.
But that innocuous comment by my coworker has changed that. It's now sitting in my head, or, actually, it's running around in there, making it difficult to blog and telemarket. Some days I'm better at multi-tasking... So anyways, that's where I am in the whole "one of these days I AM going to go back to school" dialogue.
Just thought I'd keep you posted.
In other news, it's a rainy day here in Binghamton, NY.
xo
Friday, May 14, 2010
i'm a telemarketer
Weird!
But it's really easy. I just say the same thing over and over. And over. And over. And over... (Are you getting the idea??)
I work in the marketing office of a roof sealing company. I basically call people and ask if they are having problems with their roof and if I can send them some information. I like hitting voice mail. Then I read from a script. When I actually talk to a person, I get to more or less wing it, depending on how the person reacts.
And it pays well. And it's a job. 2 things that I am very thankful for.
Well, I'm supposed to be on the phone right now, so I'll sign off.
xo
But it's really easy. I just say the same thing over and over. And over. And over. And over... (Are you getting the idea??)
I work in the marketing office of a roof sealing company. I basically call people and ask if they are having problems with their roof and if I can send them some information. I like hitting voice mail. Then I read from a script. When I actually talk to a person, I get to more or less wing it, depending on how the person reacts.
And it pays well. And it's a job. 2 things that I am very thankful for.
Well, I'm supposed to be on the phone right now, so I'll sign off.
xo
Monday, April 26, 2010
crushed
Ok, so, I had a wonderful birthday. I looked fabulous at work. I got presents at work. They took me out to lunch. Mom made tiramisu for my birthday dessert. Mrs. Stewart made cupcakes for after Bible study. It was a good day!
That was Thursday. Friday saw me up early to pack to go to Lisa's after work. I can't remember all the details, but work felt weird. All day. But I left just before 4:30, got a bite to eat and got on the road. I had just gotten back on the road after a stop in Watertown, when I got a call from the temp agency I'm working through. She said, I don't know why, but your position has been terminated. But this company does this and then keeps people on, so just show up Monday and see what's going on.
I sobbed. Now, mind you, I do NOT recommend doing this, as it makes it hard to see the road! And it took me several miles to stop, but I realized that it just would not do to be crying at the border. I gave myself a good shake and started praying. (eyes open!!) I calmed down and managed to have a really great weekend with Lisa (& Bob & Chris & Jon & Jo & Meredith & everyone else that was involved) :) Mind you, I did not sleep well all weekend, but whenever anyone asked my job, I smiled brightly and said it seemed to be going well, but that they were re-organizing my department and I was hoping for the best.
Needless to say, I woke up feeling not quite confident that I still had a job. But I made my breakfast & lunch and packed up my snacks. I even stopped for a DD decaf on my way to work. Walked in. Stopped in the HR office. Started to explain what I had been told. She barely looked up from her desk and snarled (?) "you're terminated. You can get your things. then leave." Which is what I did. D, one of the CSRs I was assisting, hugged me, and I lost it. This was supposed to be a long-term, permanent thing! I loved my job! and the people I worked with! But pack up my desk and leave is what I did. I didn't even get to say bye to the people in shipping. I just left.
Sat in my car, cried my eyes out, called the temp agency. My girl wasn't there, but the guy said he would make sure she called me. I love the agency! Managed to make it home. Thought about crying my eyes out, thought about going back to bed, but instead I changed and started a bit of spring cleaning. And looked for a job. Nothing. And the owner company in Wisconsin has not yet called my temp agency back. I don't know what to do. I had just gotten to the point where I could pay some bills and put gas in my car, and now, I don't have any jobs or any prospects. It's scary.
That's all for now.
rj
That was Thursday. Friday saw me up early to pack to go to Lisa's after work. I can't remember all the details, but work felt weird. All day. But I left just before 4:30, got a bite to eat and got on the road. I had just gotten back on the road after a stop in Watertown, when I got a call from the temp agency I'm working through. She said, I don't know why, but your position has been terminated. But this company does this and then keeps people on, so just show up Monday and see what's going on.
I sobbed. Now, mind you, I do NOT recommend doing this, as it makes it hard to see the road! And it took me several miles to stop, but I realized that it just would not do to be crying at the border. I gave myself a good shake and started praying. (eyes open!!) I calmed down and managed to have a really great weekend with Lisa (& Bob & Chris & Jon & Jo & Meredith & everyone else that was involved) :) Mind you, I did not sleep well all weekend, but whenever anyone asked my job, I smiled brightly and said it seemed to be going well, but that they were re-organizing my department and I was hoping for the best.
Needless to say, I woke up feeling not quite confident that I still had a job. But I made my breakfast & lunch and packed up my snacks. I even stopped for a DD decaf on my way to work. Walked in. Stopped in the HR office. Started to explain what I had been told. She barely looked up from her desk and snarled (?) "you're terminated. You can get your things. then leave." Which is what I did. D, one of the CSRs I was assisting, hugged me, and I lost it. This was supposed to be a long-term, permanent thing! I loved my job! and the people I worked with! But pack up my desk and leave is what I did. I didn't even get to say bye to the people in shipping. I just left.
Sat in my car, cried my eyes out, called the temp agency. My girl wasn't there, but the guy said he would make sure she called me. I love the agency! Managed to make it home. Thought about crying my eyes out, thought about going back to bed, but instead I changed and started a bit of spring cleaning. And looked for a job. Nothing. And the owner company in Wisconsin has not yet called my temp agency back. I don't know what to do. I had just gotten to the point where I could pay some bills and put gas in my car, and now, I don't have any jobs or any prospects. It's scary.
That's all for now.
rj
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