My Update

This week has been another long one. I keep praying it will eventually calm down and I can enjoy work instead of running around like a chicken. It seems to be getting easier with experience, but now I have to deal with a client who thinks pantyhose = professional dress. Oh, I won't get started on this, but really, it is 104 freaking degrees outside. Again, since we are their vendor on site, we have to adhere to the pantyhose rule. Don't mind them in the winter, but really, not too comfortable now.

My heart is breaking for those poor people in N.O. and along Katrina's path. I can't even imagine what they are going through. No food, no clean water, no sanitation system. I hope they can get everybody out that they can. The mom of one of my co-workers lives in Mississippi and she was a little freaked out because she hadn't heard from her. Her mom is fine, just missing a fence or two. And some of her trees are gone. But everything else is good.

Well, really, the main goal is to get through the week and enjoy the long weekend. I don't plan on going anywhere. Michelle and I had toyed with the idea of going to N.O. a few months back for this weekend. Luckily, that idea feel to the wayside.

Happy Wednesday everybody!!!

This is just silly

I read an article today about how the CA Attorney General has filed a lawsuit to force warning labels on French fries and potato chips. You know I eat Wendy's fries because they are going to make me healthy...... No, I eat them because they are actually vegetarian (not cooked in animal fat). Nobody ever said they were the healthiest thing. Apparently now, they claim there is a cancer causing chemical produced when cooked at the high temperatures. This may or may not be true. I don't pretend to know chemistry. But, really personal responsibility should count for something in this world. I eat Wendy's fries every once in a while as a treat. I know they contain trans fat -- that is enough to limit my consumption. To me, this whole thing is the same as when people were suing McDonald's for making them fat and unhealthy. Um, I am not a big fan of Mickey D's but they never do claim they are healthy. It is fast food people. I haven't had a McDonald's hamburger in a year, but I do remember it not tasting like the best grade meat ever. Nobody is forcing the hamburgers down your throat.......... Okay, so healthy choices are a tad more expensive. I have no solution for that, but don't blame someone else. It is like if I ran my car off the road and then blamed the car manufacturing company. I knew I was running the car off the road, my own freakin fault!!! (Now, I will never do that because not only do I love life, I really love that car!!!).

Okay, off the rant for the day. I just couldn't keep it in. The cats don't care and I had to share my opinion with someone!!!

A very long engagement

Don't worry, I haven't gone off and gotten engaged without anyone knowing I am dating. The title is in reference to a movie I watched on Thursday night. It is a French movie (drama) about a girl who looks for her long lost love lost in the war. She believes he is alive and this is all about her finding out what happened. It stars Audrey Tautou (Amelie) and she is great in it. I really liked the twist and turns -- it kept my attention. Plus, it had some great shots of old Paris -- so cool to see it! Yes, I am still obsessed with Paris :-). I was surprised in the middle of the movie, because Jodie Foster appears in it. I saw the character and was like "that looks like Jodie". Well, it was her! She played a great French woman. I highly recommend this movie, especially if you like foreign movies.

Tonight is my AOED class --chair dancing. I am looking forward to it. I didn't go to the AOED social on Thursday night, but that was because I had to make a budget choice on what I wanted to do the most. I'll give a full report tomorrow on whether it was worth it!

Last night, I went to Greenville Bar and Grille with Jen and her friend Kim. We saw Elvis T. Busboy. It was so much fun. The band was great. I had a blast and glad I went. I needed a nice release after the week I had. It was a long week. Luckily, being a small company, you definitely feel like my contribution is worth something. And even the CEO appreciates all you do. That is what keeps me going,not the fact that my client is very disorganized. I have a boss as frustrated with them as I am!!! I even got stock options this week -- very cool. With the growth we are having, I am looking forward to the future. It will all even out in the future.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I don't know how I did it!

I received my grades today and ended up with an A. Not sure how I pulled that off, but I am very happy. Now I can relax until Sept 10 when I start school again. Then everyone gets to hear all about it :-)

Tonight is going to be serious cleaning and relaxing. Today has been a very hectic and tiring day. Maybe if I get some stuff done here at home, I will feel productive. I also have to decide whether I want to go to the AOED (Art of Exotic Dancing) social tomorrow night. I want to eventually be a teacher so I might need to go! I also want to take another class this weekend. I don't want to do to much this weekend, but I don't want to miss out on any fun!

Nothing to interesting has been happening. Work has taken up most of my time. When I get home I am too exhausted to do anything! I even think I am going to type my counseling notes from work, and I just crash and don't get it done. Maybe tonight!

later

Movie Time

I have 2 Netflix movies I haven't watched yet, so tonight is movie night. I am so tired that I really can't do much else. De-lovely is on right now. We'll see how it goes.

Later!

Okay, it is over

Class is over. You don't have to hear about school for a few more weeks. :-) Now I feel kind of lost.... time to clean, re-energize and catch up on my sleep (and plot my vacation for next year. Jen and I think we can put some away for a trip to Paris! I would love to go again as you all know). And play with my new computer. Tee hee.

I am not sure how I did on the test. Man, it was a killer. I looked at the multiple choice and almost died. I think I got a few of them. We had to do 4 essay questions -- think I aced those. But without the computer, I am sure there were several spelling and grammatical errors. Luckily, the professor's overlook that. She did get to see the smart a** side of me in my last answer. I am sure she has a sense of humor.:-)

I found out some good news today at work. My boss, Mary, told me that she is grooming me to be the on-site person for our client and she will eventually move to CA. Kind of cool. It would be more of an Account Manager role -- HR, Operations, all sorts of fun stuff. She wants me involved in everything she is involved in. I find that very nice since I have only been there for a month and a half. And I am up for the challenge. I laughed today because she really is like old boss Kelly. They have some of the same quirky habits. Love it! And she is very open to me telling her what I want to do. If there is anything I want to get involved in, she will make it happen. Kelly was like that too. It is nice to go to a boss whose style I am used to. Not some crabby, horrible person.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get out and have a beer with Michelle. Need to celebrate the completion of school. I am not even waiting until I get my grades! I paid for next sessions tuition tonight, so I am all set. Just need to buy the books. That can wait.

Well, that is all I have to say tonight! I can finally get thoughts together and things in order. I always feel out of sorts at the end of a session. I feel a bit lost......... I think that is normal after a school session though.

Later!

Ah, the days of Paris

For some reason, I am so in the mood to go back to Paris. I just found out a friend of mine is going to Paris for 5 days. I think I need to save up and head back over there. I would get to go the places I couldn't with the bum foot :-). Oh well. In the meantime, I will continue to look at my pics of Paris and London and post them ad nauseum :-).

I haven't seen this friend in forever (almost a year) and so it is time we get together anyway. Hopefully I can catch up with her before she leaves. That way I can figure a plan to stowe away in her luggage...........

I really like this picture. It was taken on the Red Bus tour. It was Monday -- the only cloudy, rainy day while we were in Paris. The Eiffel Tower looks so cool in the background!

Later! I have to get back to my project!

Photo of the Parliament Building in London. Taken June 8, 2005 during my trip to Europe with Jen.

It's Monday

As if you couldn't have figured that out already!!! It has definitely felt like a Monday. It is after lunch and I am finally feeling alert enough to do my job. Not sure what advice I have given so far today. Hopefully I wasn't too mean....... :-).

Since it is pretty much the same stuff from last week -- school, work -- I will make this short and sweet. I know once Wednesday night rolls around I will be breathing a sigh of relief. And will have more to talk about. I haven't even had a chance to keep up with what is going on in the news these days. Sad for me, a true CNN junkie........

Oh the excitement

Okay, not really. The most excitement I had today was taking my car to get its 10,000 mile service done. I did get some studying done while waiting, but really, I just wanted it to be quick so I could go home. I am having a hive breakout and really didn't feel well! Now I get to write a paper. What a grand Saturday night :-). I really don't feel too bad about staying in tonight though. I am going to see the "March of the Penguins" tomorrow with Mom. And I plan to go to church with my friend Natalie. So, I will have most of tomorrow to do other things and need to get this paper written. I know, I have been saying that for 9 weeks now :-). It might actually help that I have a new computer to perform all this magical writing on.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I got my computer :-)

I ordered a new Dell computer and it finally got here yesterday. Yippee!!! I stayed up a little to play with it, but had to actually go to sleep. I will have to figure out the best way to set everything up. I think it will take a while to get my files from my old computer to my new just because I need to focus on school work. I have a test and a paper due next week. Fun, fun. So, the next week might be a tad chaotic.

It is the end of the day and I need to prepare for class tonight. All the consists of is packing up and leaving, but it sounds impressive when I say I need to "prepare". Work is fun. College football season is right around the corner. With an Aggie, a t-sip, a Red Raider and a Sooner in the mix, it will be fun!!!! I expect some serious rivalry :-). The guys have already started in on it, so I have to step up and defend my team. Can't cower to the male members of the staff. Then they'd walk all over me!

Flight of the Chihuahua

On Friday night, I met Michelle and her friend Beth for drinks at Jack Astors. I was on my way to Mia's and it was on the way. After leaving them, I went to Mia's for a relaxing girl's night in with her and Jen. Jen looks great. You can really tell she is loosing weight -- it is great! Mia and I had pizza -- yummy, from Parma! And then we settled in to watch Sex and the City. No matter how many times we see it, we can't get enough! I still pick up on things in that show. Anyway, we talked, ate, watched tv and then it was time to go home. I thought about meeting Michelle and Beth out again, but I had a slight headache that felt like it had the chance to become a migraine. I wanted to avoid that at all costs!

Just as Jen and I were about to leave, Paco, Mia's chihuahua, ran out the door. Oh crap, we all yell as we go chasing after this little puppy. Mia grabs treats and Jen and I take off down the road to find him. Every once and a while we would hear his collar. So we would chase off that way. Mia finally got her other dog, Monty, on a lease. jealous Paco decided to go to mommy. So all worked out well. We just got a great work out chasing the dog :-).

It is a normal Monday. My brother survived the China typhoon. That is good news -- he said it was boring. Only Jon would think a major storm was boring :-). But, yes mom, I have heard from him!

The Dentist is no longer my friend

Today, after many years of having the dentist tell me I need to get a crown for a tooth, I finally succumbed. It was an old filing that just kept holding on. Every once in awhile it would remind me it was there, but until now, I felt no need to get it fixed. Well, today was the day. Canon benefits end soon and my new dental has a waiting period for major dental, so I figured I'd better do it now or risk a root canal.

I would rather have kept the tooth the way it was!!!!

They get me in the chair at 7:30 this morning. I am thinking "Not afraid of the dentist, this will be a snap". They numb me, let it set and go to work. That drill starts and darn it if I can feel the thing touch my tooth. I jump, the dentist jumps, he apologizes for hurting me and I am in shock for a few minutes. Oh goodness, that hurt!!!! They put MORE numbing good stuff in me and then let it set again. Once again, he tries for the drill. The drill DOES NOT TOUCH MY TOOTH and I jump. Again, more numbing goodness. And then I am told that if it doesn't work this time, there is nothing else they can do and I would have to reschedule. Yeah, um, no............... So, that sets in, I get even more numb and he goes to drill the old filing out. I don't jump and he gets what he needs done. After that, it is a snap. No more drills hitting nerves.

After an hour and a half of this, I am set on my way. With my temporary crown. Crap, have to come back (yes, I did know this when I went in!!). So, off I go to work with a numb mouth and the inability to drink water without dribbling on myself. And it made for great phone conversations. "I realize I sound funny -- dental work". They numbness has gone down, but I have a huge headache/toothache. I am currently eating a banana on the other side of my mouth. It is lovely.

Well that was my morning. While sitting in the chair, I was thinking that the day really can't get any worse. And it really can't. And I don't harbor any ill feelings towards my dentist. I will still trust him to do more dental work. Let's just pray it does not happen for a LONG TIME.

Happy Tuesday everybody!!!

My Lunch Adventure

Since I am able to easily get in and out of the building without having to beg someone to open the door for me, I made a trip to Target at lunch. Not just any Target. Super Target......... ah, the happy place. Found a cute pair of heels at 1/2 off. Of course I had to buy them. I also scoped out what was around there. There is a happy land of shops that I could easily get in trouble with -- ULTA, Old Navy, World Market, Bath and Body Works. You name it, it is probably over here. I did show restraint at lunch, but I don't know how long that will last.

Our weight loss challenge here at work is trucking along. I need to step it up though. I haven't lost as much as I would want. We got our weekly results and there really hasn't been much change. I have until Sept. 12 so there is time. I am so proud of myself -- two days, and no sodas. Okay, there was a beer or two, but baby steps people!!!! I plan to do yoga tonight at a studio near work. It is too convenient -- I can't not go. I can't work out outside since the air is evil and will make it very difficult to breathe if I try to exert myself.

Well, back to work. I am sure somewhere an employee will be trying to get into trouble and I will need to stop them........

Magic Fingers

I went to get a massage this morning. The lady I go to has absolute magic fingers. And now that I am a regular, I get that extra attention to the areas that really need it. I also broke my "No talking during the massage" rule today. My mention that my legs hurt because of dancing lead to a pretty interesting discussion, so I got to know her better as well. Really, insurance companies should cover massages in their policies. The amount of stress related illness would surely go down. And that would reduce the costs. I am sure a $65 massage will cost lest to the insurance company than thousands and thousands in medical costs that could have been prevented. In any case, this will have to be a regular thing for me. I would be more than happy to sacrifice something like cable to make it fit in my budget!!!

This afternoon, I am trying to do research on marketing in the UK but I can't focus. I think I will just read Harry Potter and then come back to the computer later. A nap might also help. I did do some dancing last night -- still kind of tired. Did get some research done -- so it isn't a total loss!

have a great weekend!!!

FINALLY

I finally got my badge today. I don't feel like an orphan anymore. I don't have to call people to come get me at the door. And I can go through the campus gates without having to stop by the bank teller looking things and begging for entrance. May not seem like that big of deal to the rest of the world, but I am so happy right now. :-)

However, in light of that happiness, I still feel very incompetent today. We all have those days when we really just need to crawl back to bed and try again in the morning. And, when emailing Michelle with my "I feel incompetetant and fat", she sweetly replies, "Your not fat"........... Gotta love friends. :-).

Okay, think it is time to go find something small to eat.

Still Surviving

It has been one month since I started with my new company. No, I still don't have a badge...... However all has come back clear and we are just waiting for the security department at EDS to call and say I can get the picture done. I can't wait. I will feel finally official...... And I can get into the gate without having to go through the visitor area. Let's pray it is tomorrow.

I finally bit the bullet and bought a new laptop. I don't have it yet -- ordered it and it is being built for me. Tee, hee. It is time to move from the desktop. I like the idea of taking my laptop (a Dell, btw) to Starbucks and writing my papers there. All will know when I get it and do my first blog :-).

Tonight is the most intersting of the week... laundry and research for school. Laundry is important since I need something cute to wear dancing tomorrow night. And my cute top was dirty.......

Doing the Doggy Paddle

All new jobs require an amount of adjustment. Usually you aren't thrown into them feet first and asked to doggy paddle your first couple of weeks out. This job, while very challenging, is making me very tired. I go home at the end of the day just exhausted! I need to work out after work, but usually I just want to lay on the couch and watch whatever is on. I can't do that too much more since I have to kick into gear for the last few weeks of class. I will eventually get over it and back in the routine. But for now, if I am asleep when my friends call, they will know why :-). It is going well though. I don't want anyone to think it isn't! Now if I can only get the darn access badge!!!!! (just a couple of more days, I am told...... I am clear so that is no issue.)

So, I need to stop break time and get back to work. Actually, since I had a conference call through lunch, I might just take a stroll outside in the sun. And then come back in quickly because my makeup will have streaked.........

Simon and the Vet

Today was Simon's annual visit to the vet. Nothing is funnier than my fur babies trying to run when I am trying to get them in the carrier. I have gotten craftier in my old age and lock them in a room to ambush them. I feel so mean. He was actually good today. No scratching the vet, no scratching mommy. He even had the receptionist fawning over him. Afterwards, we made a trip to the Starbucks drive thru. And he got fawned over when I got to the window. So, all in all, lots of love for Simon. I think it was worth a few shots for him :-). And you know Sierra was back home just laughing (in the way kitties laugh.......).

Really nothing too fascinating today. It has been cleaning day. Watching movies too. I bought "Garden State" yesterday. It is a great movie! If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. I love listening to the commentary on DVDs.

Oh, and in wonderful family news, we found out my cousin Katie and her hubby Kenneth are expecting! (I have full permission to reveal this bit of info!!!). It really seems like they have been married forever. I am so happy for them. They will make great parents. And Gail, what is your Grandma name gonna be :-) (nana, granny, etc :-)).

One Thing to Report

The only thing that I have happily to report today is that I ended up with an A on the mid term. Oh so happy. There was a collective sigh of relief in the class, because we all thought we did horrible! So, that is a relief off my shoulders. :-)