updates...

Cookies: Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Trefoils. One box of each.

Divorce: Friend and Assface went to marriage counseling yesterday. They are so getting a divorce. He is cheating and doesn't think their marriage can be saved and is a total ass. I offered up Bryan's services for computer hacking and spyware if she needs it.

Oscar party: I made these appetizers that are crunchy breadsticks wrapped in bacon, baked, then rolled in parmesan cheese and garlic. They are heavenly!

OMG

I think I see the rain of fire and pigs flying through it! Michelle agrees with my mother? Yikes.

I just picked up all the girl scout cookies and we distributed them to some of the parents, who showed up (ok 2 who showed up not counting the 1 who is the cookie mom). I don't know why I was all anxious about how I was going to get the cookies from my house to my work. Sometimes I can be so dumb. I just took the cookies directly to the office. DUH. I only sold 5 boxes to people who were not from work. And Michelle, I didn't forget yours, I'll get them on Sat when we do site sales. Remind me again what you wanted?

Yes, probably I have been a little duped on this whole encampment director training (see that whichever annoying one from the Apprentice last week, Katrina I think... I WAS DUPED. I can admit it. Life goes on...)

Is it slightly wrong (OMG I think it is so wrong) that I like that new Jessica Simpson song, I think it is called With you. About how she can let her hair down blah blah blah. I just saw it on Best Week Ever... which is a pretty damn funny show.

Ok lunch then housecleaning so that I can actually have Michelle visit.

Less than 2 weeks until 30!!! I can't cope.

Listen to your mother...

Ok, for once I agree with your mother. Does that mean that armegeddon is near? I think it does sound like a thankless and job and somehow they pulled one over on the new girl by sticking you with it. However, that is why you are a volunteer and I am a capitalist. Speaking of capitalism, we went to the tax guy yesterday (if that doesn't make me feel old...) and Homestore has apparently found a new way to screw me. Those retention bonuses I received last year were just enough to push us into the next tax bracket, so we will be receiving about 1/10 the refund I thought we would. We were just lucky we didn't have to pay anything. I think it will be just enough for me to get the new computer I want.

Anyway, I am off to lunch soon where I will be a supportive friend to a friend whose husband recently asked for a divorce. What is with all the grown up shit going on this weekend? At least I have an Oscar party to look forward to tonight. I hope I win the pool, I could use the cash.

Training and tigers and bears oh my

Today I attended Encampment director training. The biggest thing I learned, I am screwed! :D OK not screwed exactly but this is going to be a shitload of work.... (commentary from my ever supportive mother to follow). I also learned that almost all the things we did in Alaska for our regular camp were wrong, but whatever... none of the girls died. While I was sitting there being bored, I started wondering what was happening at camp now adays... Camp is the whole basis for my dragonfly tattoo... (One of the best quotes ever from camp... "What are those dragonflys doing?" "They're Dancing...")Interestingly enough, the camp that our encampment will be at has no canoing or swimming. I have no idea what we are going to do there. I haven't had a huge amount of guidance about this either from my service unit. Ugh. They've only really succeeded in confusing me. Whatever. I'll muddle through. Any whoo... so this is my mom's comment when I mention that I was at encampment director training "sounds like a huge amount of work for a thankless job and a bunch of criticism from people who didn't want to do it but could've done it better." UGH... is it any wonder I'm the way I am sometimes. Good god, how could anyone end up 'normal' with that woman for a mother?

I watched queer eye for the straight guy today. It was last Tuesday's episode. I didn't think the guy's hair was a huge improvement, BUT I totally teared up when he proposed to the girlfriend and she cried. What a wimp I can be.

The drunkenness, birthday, red hair post

OK so it has to happen sometimes... I drink and blog. Friends don't let friends drink and blog I think.

I went out to play tonight and hung out as long as I could because I wanted to see Dana. Luckily I hung around as long as I thought I could and Dana came in and I got to see him! So I got to see ALL My boys last night. I love it when that happens! I got to see Will & Sean, lovely couple. I adore them. I saw Bryan, Tall Todd and Keri and the other Brian. Bryan has let his hair grow out pretty long. (long being relative since he usually kept it almost shaved) Saw little Jimmy and Chris from work, Richard & Wade. For a change Wade didn't make my head hurt, of course it helps I only spoke to him for like 2 minutes and I was way tipsy... Wade is much easier to understand when you're drunk. He's better than a breathalyzer for that kind of thing. The more Wade makes sense, the more drunk you are. :) All in all it was a lot of fun. Had too much to drink, but that's okay. I haven't had much in a long time. Between dating a teetotaler and poverty, alcohol hasn't played a big part of my life. I intend to rectify that. ;) The only person I didn't see that I wanted to see was Casey... but sooner or later.

Hee... Joan was all bitchy to the little girlfriend of her boy Adam. That was funny. OMG I'm suddenly so damn cold again.

Birthday... I'm turning 30 soon, which was initially the whole point of this whole blog... the anxiety of turning 30. Why would anyone voluntarily do this? So the latest dilemma is "what do I want for my birthday?" I never know how to answer that. Really, the last thing I need is more crap around my life. I just don't know...

Red hair. I love my new hair! There's nothing really more to say on the subject. It is cute and everybody loves it. All my boys thought it was great! That's very satisfying. Of course it would've meant more if they had been straight but... :) Still, it is fun and that makes me happy. I've consumed 3 bottles of water since I was in the bar. (2 there and one now at home). Yawn I'm tired... time to go to sleep I think.

You're
the United Nations!

Most people think you're ineffective, but you are trying to
completely save the world from itself, so there's always going to be a long
way to go.  You're always the one trying to get friends to talk to each
other, enemies to talk to each other, anyone who can to just talk instead of
beating each other about the head and torso.  Sometimes it works and sometimes
it doesn't, and you get very schizophrenic as a result.  But your heart
is in the right place, and sometimes also in New York.
face="Times New Roman">Take the Country
Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

You're Siddhartha!

by Hermann Hesse

You simply don't know what to believe, but you're willing to try
anything once. Western values, Eastern values, hedonism and minimalism, you've spent
some time in every camp. But you still don't have any idea what camp you belong in.
This makes you an individualist of the highest order, but also really lonely. It's
time to chill out under a tree. And realize that at least you believe in
ferries.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Buffy again

Ok, so I missed the final episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Since the series is in syndication, it just starts all over again. I'm now watching the very first episode. Wow!

Meh

Orange was only meh... in general and in comparison to the deliciousness of bacon it was bad. :( Not at all a good trade off!

Blah blah blah fishcakes...

I think that is from TWOP. (Actually I know it is from TWOP but it is funny)

So I went to the Thinking Day event last night. It was as I should've expected, not as I was being nervous nelly expected... Some of the leaders went all out and had huge displays and others were halfassed like me and had a map and the flag and a few other things... We were also not the only ones not to perform. I felt it was a tad disorganized and I am now understanding how they keep telling me that organizing the encampment is no big deal if this was an example of how things are run!

I went to get bacon just a few minutes ago and was very sad to discover that the student center stops serving breakfast at 9:30. What kind of students are these that can get breakfast between the hours of 7 and 9:30??!! They have 'continental breakfast' from 9:30 until 11ish then lunch is served. I remember our commons. Wasn't it like open from o dark o'clock until like 9 or 10 at night? Probably I'm just remembering the way I want to but I think that's mostly because I am so disappointed. I so wanted bacon. I guess this is a sign I should be eating the orange I have on my desk instead. On that note, the plan is humming along accordingly. Except Sat & Sun I have been able to drink 64oz of water a day. I find it much harder on the weekend (even now that I have a filter) because I don't start consuming ANYTHING until like 1:00 in the afternoon. (I don't know why, that's the first time I feel HUNGRY I guess). I'm getting 3 - 4 fruits and veggies a day... mostly fruits tho. Still working out. Next week we start going to the gym earlier so we can shower after the workout to gear up for the next time level. I so don't want to shower in front of 20somethings... Maybe if I'm lucky most of them aren't up at that hour... (or they're getting breakfast!) I've found that I burn as many calories and sweat just as much if i do a steadier pace than if I go all out and slow down and go all out and slow down so now I'm hovering around 142 - 146 strides/min. I was up doing over 150 but then i would have to stop and slow down and and and... slower but steadier is better I think. Eventually I'll be able to maintain higher strides/min for longer time, but I'm building up to that and that's okay.

Whee! Roughly 2 weeks until Michelle comes... oh damn now I have to CLEAN!!

Training and stuff

So I went to this training last night. As much as I didn't want to go, I'm glad I went. I'm also glad I flex car'd it instead of taking the bus. As I drove past the bus stops on the 520 freeway, one of which I would've had to stand at to catch a transfer, at 10:15 at night, I was really really glad I didn't have to wait there. I know the odds are good that nothing would happen blah blah blah, but still... standing by the freeway in the middle of the night at a bus stop?! No thanks! Then on top of that I wouldn't get into downtown Seattle until after 11:00 then have to walk home after that! I got home at a nice hour of like 10:15. Watched 15 min of Real World/Road Rules Inferno and gathered up all the crap I need for today's Brownie Event, Thinking Day. I still feel like I should be bringing more and making more of an effort, but whatever. Too late now! :D Sometimes I am a crappyass brownie leader... but my girls don't know any better so that's fine.

The Best Week Ever

Have you watched that show on VH1? In case you missed the title of this post, it is called "The Best Week Ever". It is freaking hilarious. They recap the events of the week with commentary. If I wasn't such a brainless slacker these days, I might be able to actually recall of few things said so that I could share them here with you. Alas, I am at work and all life, will, motivation and color has been sapped from my being.

Nineteen days until I leave for Seattle.

Darts Mojo

So when I went out on Sat night I played darts for like an hour and a half. Mostly I played eagle eye (for those of you unaware of dart games this is where you only want to hit bulls eyes). I managed to score 200 like once. Mostly I averaged 100 or 125. That's only 5 bulls eyes in 8 rounds. :( It was fun though.

Interesting your comment on Charmed BEFORE you started watching this racial show on VH1. I did notice that though.

The season finale of The Surreal Life was hysterical. Why yes stupid Trashelle, when we see you drinking excessively all the time and kissing anybody with a penis... that is alcoholic and slutty. AND you admit that people will see you that way in your little intro interview. Stupid twit. Somehow this show makes women look bad. There's Tammy Faye, who I respect, but cries at the drop of a hat and is all puritanical. There's Trashelle who is just TRASHY and Traci Bingham who is both trashy and stupid.

Quiznos Subs Mascot

What the fuck is that thing that is singing their song in the commercials!!!??? It's creepy!

Ok, so I'm watching Charmed and the first black guy I've seen since Daryl the cop...was a fucking janitor. A jive talking, older black man full of "down-home" wisdom. His name was Clarence. They redeemed themselves, however, when the guy playing the doctor was black.

Well, I spent most of the weekend with Matthew. We have fun at his place, but when he comes to my place, he just annoys the heck out of me. He's always underfoot here. I turn and he's behind me. I go to reach for something and he reaches for my hand to kiss it, thus knocking my hand off its original path and usually spilling the juice/cereal/noodles/etc out of my hand and all over me or the floor. We're still gearing up for Spring Break in Montreal. Some woman said it was like 10 below there last week.

Wow! Mindy Cohn (aka Natalie from the Facts of Life) is on that show The Help! I can't wait to see it! And I'm axiously awaiting the season finale of the Surreal Life. Boy, my life is boring. I need to get my darts mojo back.

Today

Today was a pretty good day. Of course, I spent most of it in my jammies. :D I went up to Fred Meyer's today to buy my new Brita water filter thingie to work on one of my self improvement prongs. The water in downtown Seattle is not great. Somehow I managed to spend almost 100.00 at Freddies. Of course a bunch of that was on GF foods. (almost 1/2 to be exact) Recently there has been some discussion on my Celiac Listserv about whether or not we can take a tax deduction on our special food that we have to buy. The answer is, sort of. Typically if we have a medical note documenting the condition, we can take the difference in costs between the average price of like a box of crackers and the 3.59 I pay for 18 of them. This discussion has prompted the rock and twig Celiac people to go off on their rock and twig tangent about how we shouldn't get a deduction on food we shouldn't eat anyway, blah blah blah. They go on and on about natural food and how all this processed crap is bad for us blah blah blah. I get rather sick of that whole school of thought. The raw and natural foodies go on and on about this every couple of months. If that's what they like to eat, more power to them, but don't try to convince me that I need to eat that way. Ok I'm done with that gripe. :D I'm very pleased. I managed to crochet my first hat. It is very cute. While at Freddies I bought some new yarn to make another hat or two. I bought this white microfiber yarn that is beautiful, and black furry yarn. We'll see how this goes. :D I still haven't figured out where my field trip tomorrow is going to take me. I need to come up with somewhere to go. I also need to do some stuff around the house, but golly... I DON'T WANT TO! :D

balloons

I walked to the store a little while ago (in the middle of work... ha!) to get some juice. As I was approaching the store, a woman and small girl came out of the store. The girl was holding the strings of two enormous mylar balloons. A 3 and a 2. 32. When I turn any number that starts with a 3 or higher, no one better buy my fucking enormous balloons that advertise the fact. And if the balloons were for a 23 year old, that is even worse.

Ack! How'd this happen?

I'm becoming one of those gym goers. I got to the gym this morning at quarter to 7 like I always do and all the elliptical trainers were full. I couldn't help but think who are these people? And WHY are they here this morning? They aren't usually here in the morning! So instead of using the trainer, I lifted weights. The whole time, though, I was thinking mean thoughts about the people on the elliptical trainers. Like this one little girl who kept getting off of it and wandering around and talking to her friends then she'd get back on. Just stay on and finish up your set! Jessica, my workout buddy, got annoyed with smug girl because Jess was on a trainer (by the time some opened up I was already doing my weights and figured I'd just do that today) and smug girl like stalks the trainers and waits staring at people until she gets one. It is weird and kind of annoying.

30 Angst

I realized today that I haven't been angsting as much about turning 30 as I did before. So that got me thinking, why the sudden change of heart. Nothing has changed in my life, except crap has gotten worse.. ;) I'm still in a job that although I love certain aspects of it, I hate other aspects (mostly the mind numbing boredom). I'm in a job where I am not quite making enough money to survive. I'm still single, and technically when I first began freaking out about turning 30, I was seeing someone so this is technically a step backwards. (Completely random sidenote, I hope that if Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson have kids the kids don't get his nose... AND eeeww... I'm watching Jessica Simpson Driven and they're talking about Jessica's 1st time... eeewww! oh damn... her mom just totally insulted her... she said "I know she sounds dumb, but this is who she is" back to the post:) I think perhaps, though, that a large part of my 30 angst die down is because so much else has gone on lately. I've had other things on my mind... And now, what am I going to do... I think acceptance has happened. What're the 5 stages of grieving... I think this is the wrong order but: sadness, anger, denial, bargaining and acceptance. Ok OK turning 30 is not necessarily something to grieve over. It happens to almost everyone eventually. I think my plan has helped a lot. It is like I'm taking some control over my life which lately has seemed so out of control. I have something else to obsess on instead of turning 30. Michelle claims that perhaps 2004 is not the year of Joanne, but the 30th year is the year of Joanne. I hope she's right. I need something good lately.

Er Prongs not Phases

So when discussing the great personal improvement plan with Michelle today, I realized that actually each thing that I have labelled 'phase' should be more like prong or something similar. Phase implies I'll end one task and begin the next which since all 4 changes are occuring concurrently, there hypothetically is no end. (being a plan for life or whatever we'll see) I shall continue to use prong from now on because, well, Michelle and I like that word. :D

This morning I discovered that even though I really really want to, I cannot read and work out on the elliptical trainer at the same time. There is just too much bouncing going on (which I really should've known given the whole boob issue).

Phew. 35 min on elliptical trainer. 600 calories burned. For breakfast I have a banana, some apple sauce and bacon (I know I know I was doing well until the bacon part. :) ) Carrots for a mid morning snack and an orange with my lunch of chicken in garlic sauce and rice. Pretty good I think.

I've almost made it!

Phew... There are only 3.5 hrs left of today and so far I haven't cried. Nothing bad has happened. I may have made it through ONE day this weekend... (Ok I didn't cry yesterday when I fell down the steps but I wanted to.) I have discovered that Water Chestnuts have zero nutritional value. They have practically no calories either so really they are like ice berg lettuce. Just company for your mouth. I guess it makes sense since they seem to have no taste of their own either, just absorb the taste of whatever accompanying sauce you put with them. I like them though. :) I made another of my famous batches of Chicken in Garlic Sauce. Less salty this time so I must be doing SOMETHING right. Thus far, I have doubled the sauce recipe because I like a lot of sauce but I decreased the soy sauce and added water, rather than fully doubling the soy sauce. Last time I just did a plain double of every ingredient and it was too salty. I will continue questing for the perfect Chicken in Garlic Sauce recipe.

Ahhh thus far today has been a GOOD day. Of course it is 11:00 and I'm still in my jammies and I just finished reading a pretty funny book. I do have a bigass bruise on my elbow where I fell down the steps yesterday, and despite my desire not to I have to leave the house eventually to go to the grocery store. I'm sure a helicopter will fall out of the sky and crush me or something equally disgusting, but why worry? Just accept the inevitable. ;) I have gotten to watch all sorts of crap TV... Ricki Lake was devoted to lie detector tests to prove that the new spouse was cheating on the person. Gotta love it!

On a random positive note, I did get some Coldstone ice cream again so that does make me happy!

I think craptastic is my new favorite word... although asstastic is pretty damn good too.

Craptasticness continued

Apparently the whole weekend is just craptasticness defined. I went to Fremont to buy a cute hat, but the hat lady wasn't there so that's not really huge drama. Headache continued... I'm getting sick of them. Took a 3 hr nap (that's ALWAYS lovely!) Then V and I were set to go to the bar for darts etc... As I'm walking down the stairs to meet him on the first floor, I fall down the stairs. Just slipped down about 3 steps and fell back on a wrist and banged into the railing with my other arm. Just sat on the bottom step for a minute thinking Fucking A... Obviously this is a sign just to stay in my apartment and never leave! Then we go and get some lunch meat for dinner and as always with craptastic stomach, it upset my tummy. :( Really... this is getting ridiculous!

The fucking craptasticness of this fucking day

OH MY GOD!! You know when you think that a day can't possibly get any worse and something else happens and you think ok won't get worse... and it fucking does?! I'm actually going to be working backwards because this most recent episode is fresh and just happened and I'm fucking freaking out...

You've got to be fucking kidding me: As I am walking down the road on my way to QFC to get cash and soda pop and maybe something yummy because up to that point it had been a fairly sucky day, I come to a cross walk. I have the fucking little man walking. There is this black SUV stopped at the light waiting to turn right. I enter the intersection. FUCKING BLACK SUV DRIVES INTO ME!! Now as fucking black suv begins to enter the intersection I keep jumping aside until I realize he is not stopping and I slam my hand down on the hood of his car. There are 2 of them in the car... HOW did neither of them fucking see me?! OR alternately, how is it that they thought it was appropriate to keep going? So I have slammed my hand on the hood and shout I'm fucking walking here! And he is glaring at me and pointing to his light which is RED and I say I have the fucking walking man. As I walk through QFC, it dawns on me, the fucker could've killed me. He was not stopping... so of course I'm all shakey and as I walk home, I'm crying... I'm sick of crying when I walk lately.

Vagina Monologues: I was walking home from the Vagina Monologues which were interesting. A lot of the ones done were the ones I had seen on the HBO special. It was really good and riveting. Some of it is just so sad. The performers did an excellent job.

Flexcar Drama: So I made a reservation for my Flexcar at 9:30 so I could take Minka's body to the vet for disposal. I had put Minka into a box and was carrying it up to the car I was signed up to take. I hold my keycard up to the window and it doesn't open the doors. I try again and again. I wiped the card and the window in case the rain is interfering. Still nothing. No little red light on the box where the card opens the doors. Hmm... I walk home and call Flexcar's 24 hour hotline. I go through this whole rigamarole with the on call person... Then I get a call back from the Flexcar people. Given my description, the battery is probably dead. Bleh... Now I will say that Flexcar was extremely nice and helpful. They got another car reserved for me, and are taking 10 bucks off my next bill for my inconvienence, but at the time I was not in a good mood. The vet's office is on Aurora (which means nothing to those who are not from this area) BUT this stupidass road has a divider along the entire thing so that you have to overshoot your destination then exit and go under the road and back the other direction. What jackass designed this?

I am feeling calmer now... typing fuck a lot is helpful. :)

Damn IRS

Where's my refund bitches?! Of course it has only been 1 week so what can I expect?? But I wants my money and I wants it now!

2004 recap thus far

Lets see... Thus far 2004 has SUCKED big fat donkey balls.

January: I started the new year happy with a nice boy who made me happy... Then Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and we are no longer seeing each other and so then i was sad...

February: Feeling much better... I have a plan... life is looking not heinous and i'm sorta back to being happy... Then President's day weekend in conjunction with Valentine's day and my favorite ferret dies and so now I'm sad...

What the fuck do I have to look forward to in March?? Both my parents going in a fiery car crash?? OR worse... just my dad?! Dammit, this was supposed to be a good year. I'll be better in a couple of days, so pardon the sad and bumming rants for a little while.

Apparently she needed to be seen by a vet sooner than today at 9. She died while I was sleeping. I am very sad right now.

Pets & Money

I swear to fuckin god pets and cars have some psychic link between my potential money and their systems. I remember when I had the beloved bronco, Ben just managed to break down right around tax return time... Minka has joined that rank... If my research is correct, she has a gastrointestinal ulcer. Luckily, my research indicates she just has to have an antibiotic and some pepto, but I need to take her to the vet tomorrow. Blech. :(

Accomplishment

Ahh... What a good day today was. I have a plan. That's good. Plans are good. I feel very optimistic about all this. Change is good (I change my underwear Hanes cotton... Hanes cool comfort). I think in doing it the way I am, I am bringing about change in a slow manner to build up. I don't believe in elimination of anything else from my diet (you know the whole wheat thing being hard enough). Plus I feel like when a person eliminates a food they like that causes them to want to eat more of the food (Michelle understands this given her present obsession... ;) ).

I'm watching the Apprentice and as I watch this boardroom and all I can think of is that Heidi needs a hair cut. NEEDS a hair cut. Her ends are so frayed and just crappy. Jessie's speaking style annoys the crap out of me and she should be slapped. She talks like she is talking to a 5 year old. Holy shit... he is getting rid of Jessie who is totally not the one I thought would go. And god she needs to stop whining to Mr. Trump. Interesting... I thought the great romance the show kept hyping was kinda lukewarm at best... Add the pathetic smackdown of a couple of weeks ago and i just want to say, the show is compelling enough they don't have to hype something like that and then let us down.

Oh so back to accomplishment... I spent about 2 hours this afternoon designing a webpage for my boss. Y'all will never be able to see it or anything (since it is on our intranet) and I didn't do much on layout but used a template, but it was a challenge and I totally enjoyed it. I NEED more challenges like this at work. I would love my job even more if I had more challenges like this. Luckily when I get more experience working with Dreamweaver, I'll get to do all the benefits updates and any other benefits stuff she wants to add (ok basically I can do all that now but on today's build, I have to get help on merging my stuff with the template that will make the page look right and how to get my page attached to the site but that's no big deal. :) PLUS I get more training in Dreamweaver in like 2 weeks so that I can know how to do a lot of different things. I'm excited about this aspect of my job. I think once I'm comfy V has offered to let me have space on his site and I'll work on building my own. I started one a long time ago in front page, but I don't have a photo editor program so I gave up. Hmm... maybe that's what I need to ask my parents for for my birthday! :D

Maybe part of my improvement plan should be to go to bed earlier. I'm now getting up at 5:30 to get to work by six:45 to work out for 35 min... I think to get to the 45 min goal I'm going to have to prolly get to work by six:30. Ugh... once I'm at the 45 min goal, I'm going to have to shower at the gym (I know gross but right now I shower before I go to work so I'm mostly clean for the day but the amount I sweat... gross!) The gym showers are yucky and not at all private. One of the nice aspects of 24 hr fitness was that in the locker room, the showers were in their own individual cubbys. These are more like the ones we had at Patty Center at the U. I SO don't want to share my nakedness with those little 20 something college girls... Now that I work out regularly in the morning I have started to see some of the other regulars and Jess and I have made up names for them. Like there's anorexic girl (who is like a size zero or maybe negative 2 and gets on the trainer and just GOES) and smug girl who like prances on it... I think because her legs are short.

Final thought, it is nice to be flirted with, even if it is jut the QFC checker guy who flirts with everyone and is like 25 at the oldest. God when did I become THAT old lady? ;)

One more addition

Phase 4 - Field trip outside the safe neighborhood of Capitol Hill/1st Hill area at least once a month. Use that damn bus pass I pay so much for. :)

Joanne's Improvement Plan Phases...

Phase 1 - Go to gym - Done began in December
Will steadily increase gym time until 45 minutes on elliptical trainer 4 days a week.
Phase 2 - Decrease Soda consumption by 1/3 - Begin 3/1
This is a reasonable and attainable goal. I will eliminate either my lunch or dinner coke. Morning one necessary to avoid caffeine headache. Will not eliminate entirely because I LOVE it... and eliminations never work.
Phase 3 - Increase consumption of fruits and veggies to 5 a day... Begin soon at 5 a day by June 1
Also fairly reasonable although requires more work for me and is probably most difficult because I HATE veggies. In conjunction, I will attempt to force myself to try new veggies... yick... A whole lot harder but hey...personal improvement is hard.

So this is my plan, let's see how it goes. :)

Morning's Gym

I have started setting my alarm 15 min earlier than I usually do. This afforded me an extra 5 min of workout... an actual 5 min of cool down and some time to stretch. Yippee! I did 35 min this morning on the elliptical trainer... 600 calories burned (and YES I do realize that this is not an exact number but still it makes me happy and totally motivates me.)

I probably would have said, incredulously, "You leave them home alone?! You should bring them with you!" I guess it is a bit late for that sort of reaction, though. If you can get him on the topic again, I would suggest that he walk all the kids down there.

little o' this & little o' that

Here's why I LOVE the elliptical trainer... 500 calories on hill climb in 30 min. Man... the damage I could do if I could actually sustain an hour without dying... Someday I'll get my caffeine addiction under control and cut down on that too... but not yet. :)

I was having a dream last night that I didn't want to be having. Not a nightmare exactly but something I could tell I didn't want to be dreaming about and I kept waking up. Now normally when I'm having an awesome dream and I wake up I want the dream to start up again but it never does... well last night every time I woke up, the dream just picked up where it left off. It makes me feel a bit out of sorts today...

Conflicted

I'm feeling a bit grownuppy conflictedness. (although when I use a phrase like 'grownuppy conflictedness obviously I am NOT a grown up) One of my Brownie parents mentioned tonight that he leaves his two younger (younger than his 3rd grade Brownie daughter) sons at home while he walks down to pick her up. Now I'm assuming we aren't talking about more than 15 minutes, BUT let's realize that these kids are younger than 8. On the one hand, it is only 15 minutes... what could happen. On the other hand... it is 15 minutes and they are young kids! So here's my conflictedness... what do I do, if anything? Maybe nothing... I don't know but I don't like feeling worried...

Just have them lip sync "Walk Like an Egyptian."

I can't believe I forgot!

Yesterday while walking to work it was still dark outside. (On gym mornings I leave the house at 6:30) As I was walking past this one apartment building, out of the corner of my eye I saw this dark blur heading straight for me. All I could think was that I was being attacked by a rat or a squirrel... then I realized it was neither rat nor squirrel, but this teeny tiny chocolate chihuahua that I've actually seen before. Apparently the owner has his own door outside and just opens the door for the little ratdog in the morning. He came out to get the dog and tragedy was averted.

What was I thinking letting my Brownies choose Egypt for Thinking Day??!! Now I have to come up with all this info and some skit/play/song thing. I am such a half assed leader. :|

I have been meaning to mention, the fat chick store is not the best place for a sports bra. You would be better off trying a department store. I think I found my best one ever at JC Penney's. They have all sizes there. Look for one that is structured and has hooks in the back. The stretchy ones don't give enough support to chicks with giant hooters. If I get a chance today (as much as I hate my job, I am actually sort of busy these days), I will look online for some examples.

Tax Refund

So we all know I'm a little neurotic, and there's this teeny part of me that fears I'm not going to get my tax refund... like the IRS is going to be like, nope, not giving her the money... I don't know why. It is weird, I admit that. :) BUT here's my favorite thought... what am I going to do with the money... I know I should be all responsible and use it towards my burgeoning credit card debt, but let's be real... it has been SOO long since I've had any money to play with and honestly, when your debt is where mine is right now, what is a couple hundred bucks?? a drop in the bucket... that said here's my list of what I'm going to do with the money...

1 - Tattoo (we knew this would be here)
2 - Hair dyed
3 - I do have 2 bills that I'm going to pay off... my deductible to my lab and one other one for like 100 bucks.
4 - new sports bra. (anything past here is more wish list than anything)
5 - new (ok actually pre-owned) coffee table (?)
6 - new tennis shoes for the gym. Although I don't think there's an outlet mall around here so that one probably won't happen because damn shoes are expensive.
7 - new other shoes that are cute because i want new shoes. :)

Lime Jello Legs

So I did 30 min on the elliptical trainer on hill climb and now my legs feel like lime jello. All Twitchy and crap. I had a whole bunch of thoughts for this morning but I can't remember any of them right now...

So Evanesence just won a Grammy for best new artist (Go them!) and it got me wondering... Since they won based on a disk made when their guitarist was still with them, does he get one too? Or is he SOL because he is no longer with the band. Not really fair if he doesn't, but then again he DID leave... this is ponderous man... real ponderous. Another random question for the moment, is Vanessa Williams pregnant again? She looked it in this Radio Shack commercial that was just on.

Hardwood Floor + Clean Socks =

Joanne falling down and going boom. I totally biffed it this evening. I got up to go to the kitchen and stepped over this box of yarn in the middle of my floor and brought my foot down and as I kept trying to keep from falling... (kinda like those cartoons where you just keep moving) bam... down i went on my hip and elbow. Mostly sat there for a min kinda surprised I fell. Didn't do any damage or anything. :) It was like an old woman or something... I've fallen and I can't get up.

I've added to the commercials I hate... ALL Jack in the Box commercials. The new pepsi and itunes commercial. Almost all the wireless commercials. The Vehix ones, make me want to punch someone hard. I can think of 2 I only actually like. :) For some odd reason, I love the one with the man and the baby who is crying and he can't figure out how to make him stop. He goes to the web and the lullaby doesn't help... and the train video doesn't help and so then he goes to supermodels.com or something and Claudia Schiffer pops up on the screen and the baby stops crying and you're thinking perv... until Claudia Schiffer walks in the door. That one cracks my doody up. (and strangely I can't think of the 2nd one I like... :)

Sleepy...

So I went to Fremont today. I like Fremont! I could totally see myself living there. It is very cute and arty. I wandered through (ooh random because it just came on but Monster House is doing a Monster House revisited to show what it is like to live in the Monster House... I may have to watch that.) the Sunday market. I saw these cute cute hats that I wanted to get. I didn't have enough cash with me so I'll have to try next week. I think I'm becoming a hat girl. I don't know why. These were really cute knitted hats, which sadly, I SHOULD be able to make myself. Eeew. Cememt being poured looks like poop. I had a great lunch at Baja Fresh. Wandered around these cute little Fremont shops. I paid my respects to the Troll under the Bridge. Now that I know where he is, I'll be able to find it when my little sister comes to visit again. :) Went into a cute used bookstore and a couple of other shops. I didn't buy anything, but I'm definitely going back. The best thing I found in Fremont (besides Baja Fresh)... Coldstone Creamery! :) :) :) I bought a pint to bring home. It was too cold to want to eat it while wandering around. I have something to look forward to after my dinner of baked chicken and a baked potato which is what I totally wanted before I went out with V last night. On that random note, V is working for a tattoo artist in Pikes Market. I don't know what I thought of her. I got a weird vibe off of her and although she is highly recommended, I don't know if I want to have her do my dragonfly. I'll have to think about it further...

Commercials

While I'm tirading about commercials I HATE, I am so incredibly sick of this one wireless commercial where this guy drops a phone bill on the table and it is huge and it breaks the table. Then the next scene is of this s/he (?) who looks at it and screams and on and on.

Admittedly I am not that happy about being up at 7:30 in the morning, but there IS something innately satisfying about being up and having all the laundry done by 9:30. Plus it means (if V ever wakes up) I can get going to Fremont at like 10 or 10:30ish. :)

Scariest fucking commercial ever...

Is this new Quiznos commercial. I've seen it twice and it freaks me out. It is these two creepyass fuzzy things with legs but faces on their sides and they sing some weird song. It is just innately wrong and creepy and scary and wrong. Not that I can eat Quiznos, but if I could it would totally turn me off eating them.

They're actually gluten, egg, soy, and dairy FREE so I can have them. They are pretty good.

laziness

A few things...
1- I only just now got out of my pyjamas so that I can go downstairs and exercise.
2- I was going to get you a gnome for your birthday, but now that is out, so all you get is what I already bought and nothing else.
3- If your crackers have gluten in them, how can you eat them?
4- I heard that the book, Under the Tuscan Sun, was bad, so it is a good thing the movie is not like the book.
5- Dreamt
6- Did I mention that I have to go exercise now? I hate it.

Random thoughts in the middle of the night (is 11:30 the middle of the night?)

Well, damn. I had started a funny post but Baxter walked across the keyboard and SOMEHOW deleted everything I had written. Darn that Baxter, now I have to start over...

Hello, my name is Joanne and I'm addicted to peanutbutter crackers. I mean it. I LOVE them. They're all I can think about lately for some reason. I know I know I know they are bad for me... full of fat and preservatives and sugar, but c'mon that's exactly why I love peanut butter. The crackers are apparently air or maybe reconstituted newspaper, but since they are gluten, soy, egg, dairy and something else free really all they do is provide me with a way to eat the peanut butter without just eating a spoonful. (Although I've done that too... ;) I, apparently, am not the only one addicted to peanutbutter crackers. The reason Baxter kept walking across the keyboard is because she wanted them too. Brat.

I just finished watching Under the Tuscan Sun. It was a good movie. I enjoyed it. It wasn't too lovey dovey. Apparently it is completely different than the book, so if you've read the book don't see the movie unless you can accept the fact that they are completely different. Now I'm watching X2. I don't know why I'm not tired. I should be. I've seen X2 already but am enjoying watching it again. I think I just like watching things blow up. :)

Last night, I dreampt that I was (is dreampt the past tense of dream... or is it dreamed?) throwing up. According to the dreamer's dictionary this represents throwing out all the negative energy and negative thoughts. It could... I don't know yet.

So my mother got me a gnome for my birthday. I am finding myself talking to him periodically. This could become a problem in the future I'm sure. But until the future, Gabriel and I will just hang just fine thank you. I figure he is wise, he has a beard, he is carrying figs in a haversack. Maybe he can guide my life better than I can.

I always forget to check the DVD when I pick one out to see if it is widescreen or full screen edition. I prefer full screen. And both DVDs I have tonight are wide screen. :( I am not sure why I rent DVDs to begin with. I don't really love all that extra crap they put in DVDs. Deleted scenes are usually deleted for a reason... they are crap. Ok that's about it for tonight. Time to focus on things that are being blown up. :)

Bras and today

Today is frickin Friday and that's just the doody! This felt like such a LONG week. Next week is that Holiday I hate so crabbiness will be building from now until then... just fair warning. I got a lot of work done and that's good. I did my taxes... refund hello! Somehow I was supposed to incorporate the amount of the difference between the price I paid for the ESPP stocks and the fair market value on the day they sold into my salary, but since Homestore isn't issuing me a W2 for the money and since I have no way of reporting that without some sort of more info to put into the system I was using so oh well. Not much I can do about it... the system wouldn't take it. :)

At the gym this morning on the ellipitical trainer I've discovered I actually rather like the hill climb... much better than when it is really flat, it feels easier. BUT I've noticed that I go faster and when that happens, much more boob jiggilage happens. That is NOT fun. It kinda hurts a little... especially the right one. Now that means I have to buy a better sports bra. I haven't bought one in years. How the heck should I know if it is good or not?! I may have to ask at the fat chick store.

Shorties

I know that "shorties" usually refers to women, but I just walked into the building behind two men and I was towering over them. Granted, I am wearing big shoes today that put me at about 5'8" or 5'9", but I mean I felt like a supermodel walking behind two midgets. It is a testament to my true personality that I felt instantly superior over them.

Fucking Taxes

I am so going to cry. I just did a guesstimate and it looks like I might actually have to pay fucking taxes for the first time ever. I was counting on money coming back. I fucking hate money.

Observations of this morning...

So went to the gym this morning and was dying. It has finally dawned on me the cause... I wear a bandana to keep my hair out of my face while I'm on the machine thing. If I wear it folded up like a headband my hair does a weird little donna reed thing curling around it. BUT if I wear it back like an east german pesant woman I over heat and want to die much sooner than I should. Rats. I am actually very proud of myself for even gonig to the gym this morning. My gym partner had to take a friend to the airport so she wasn't going to be there and I went anyway! AND I'm down a pound, however hugeass haircut did not seem to make a significant dent in poundage. :(

Ugh... OK so now I just realized that in order to even respond to one of these yahoo ones, I have to pay! Bastards...

ok I'm a dumbass... I just realized I was at the end of the 'matches' list which is where they have fewer qualities I'm looking for... :P

Personals...

So I'm reading personal ads on Yahoo this evening, just out of idle curiosity. I don't know that I could ever answer one. Especially since the ones that keep catching my eye (picture wise and little story wise) tend to be Christians, conservative, and attend religious services regularly. Eeek! I don't know if I have enough... hmmm... faith to actually reply to any of these.

How did random little red head boy make it to this round just before final 32? He forgot his words. He did badly on that other assignment...

Inside Michelle's Studio

Here are my answers:
1 - What is your favorite word?
Paid (As in Paid Holiday, Paid Time Off, etc.)
2 - What is your least favorite word?
Status (As in Status Report, Status Meeting, etc.)
3 - What turns you on?
Right now? Food. More specifically, cheese.
4 - What turns you off?
Vegetable Broth and liquid vitamins.
5 - What sound do you love?
I still love the sound of the recess bell. I wish we had one here at work.
6 - What sound do you hate?
The beeping on a Nextel phone that lets you know you have a message waiting.
7 - What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I count writing as a profession that I am already attempting, albeit not quite successfully, so I will say Summer Camp Director. It just seems like it would be a lot of fun.
8 - What profession would you not like to participate in?
Anything that involves me taking off my clothes in front of other people.

Inside the Actor's Studio

Vladdy and I were talking about this the other night while we were out. I've never actually seen the show but he was aghast that the guy actually asks the asanine questions (I think I just spelled that incorrectly... asanine asnine?? who knows) So I found the questions and will share MY answers with you... because after all aren't I just as good as Sharon Stone or Melanie Griffith?? ;) Apparently according to the quiz I'm like Julia Roberts... who knew?

1 - What is your favorite word?
2 - What is your least favorite word?
3 - What turns you on?
4 - What turns you off?
5 - What sound do you love?
6 - What sound do you hate?
7 - What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
8 - What profession would you not like to participate?
I think there may be more but.. I'm just going to go with these. :)
Please feel free to post your own answers...

1 - At this moment? Peanut butter... that's fun to say? spackle (c'mon just say it aloud like 4 times fast it is hysterical)... when blogging? So... I don't know that I could pick only one favorite word!
2 - Cum (HATE IT)
3 - Men? Oh more specific probably... seeing a guy who is great with kids... I don't know what it is but suddenly he is like a million percent hotter.
4 - Smoking
5 - all the cliche's... laughter, the ocean blah blah blah. :)
6 - Anything that beeps repeatedly... alarm clocks, back up sounds on trucks, etc.
7 - I would love to be a painter... even though I have NO artitistic skill ever!! (Why does it have to be anything? Why can't it just be art?
8 - Anything that involved me having to hold or carry or shoot a gun.

Ugh! 30 min on elliptical trainer this morning on up hill down hill and my legs are still twitching! It is a good twitch and I LOVE the elliptical trainer because of how many calories it burns, but now I'm all tired and my hair is doing weird things. :) So I managed to add all the links I needed to in order to make my new bracelet fit on my fat wrists and it looks just fine... not weird or anything but I left it at home this morning. :( Despite going to bed at a 'reasonable' time, I found myself completely unable to get up this morning. The cd played like the first three songs before I realized it was going off and at least one of those songs was incorporated into the dream I was having... weird.

Next Top Model

You should have watched that instead. Very bitchy and entertaining.

American Idol

A. I can't believe I'm watching this.
B. It is making me so sad right now watching these little kids freeze up (ok they aren't little but mostly they are) on stage with their original songs. It makes me want to cry for them.
C. WTF is Paula wearing? I never think sleeves by themselves are appropriate. It is just weird to me.
D. The girl who spent the whole time in the hottub did very badly. Is it wrong of me to be pleased?
E. I never like it when they show those little teasers before the commercial break. I like it even less when they show a teaser but don't show the scene they teased about... I want to know what Paula was so pissy about! :D (So FINALLY after the 2nd commercial group now I get when Paula is pissy) :)
F. Hmm... So I'm sitting here wondering if you get to Hollywood and fail I'm sure you can try out again the next year but what're your odds of going to Hollywood again. Like that little sixteen year old red headed boy who they said was good but just not ready. In two years would he be ready? Would they then let him go to Hollywood? Interesting...
G. Only 30 of the 117 are cut this time? Interesting. I can't remember this Kira girl but I think she was not great.

Other random things:
Brownies was very messy tonight. BUT the girls had fun and really that's what it is all about.
While fat for tattoos is good (Michelle's and my previous discussion) fat is not good for my bracelet that I just bought. I am going to have to add some links.

Stupid freakin temp agency!! Could they have waited any longer to mail W-2's??!! Seriously. They mailed them Friday.

Stupid People

I HATE STUPID PEOPLE!!! Dammit! So I actually have a copy of the email that I sent to the treasurer for our service unit about the deposit... and she says she knew nothing about it! Hence, our deposit didn't get dropped off when it should've. Luckily the outdoor people are being all nice about it, but still. I look the fool and for a change it wasn't my fault! >:@

Not at 70 bucks for 3 months! I'm trying to break OUT of my financial pit of despair... not bury myself further in.

Maybe you should give in and rejoin. A sassy haircut goes a long way.

Seriously... Eharmony will never give up! I keep getting emails about how for just a limited time I can get fancy ass offer... and then another.. for a limited time... and another... I'm starting to doubt their seriousness about the limited time offer. :)

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!

Never again will I volunteer to do something like this again! So I am responsible for planning the SU 540 encampment for the spring. (Keep in mind that when I volunteered my interest was more in just 'helping' whoever was the director but apparently that didn't happen since NO ONE else wanted to do it... now I know why!) No problem everyone says. Just like last year everyone says. Of course not having been here last year, I don't know what last year was like. I get this email on Friday that they haven't received our money or our registration form. What registration form I ask? The one in the packet. There wasn't one in the packet. :( Finally I find one, since I had one in my outdoor training packet and fax that in. New problem. They don't have our deposit. WHAT?! Dammit! The deposit that our treasurer dropped off well in advance of the original deposit deadline. They can't find it. So now they're trying to track that down... and I'm trying to find the SU treasurer to find out the check number and what day she dropped it off. never a freaking again....

Women and gay boys notice new hair cuts... Straight boys (men) do not... I walked past one of the security guys who I know and have spent 2 days in training with and who broke my glasses... didn't notice.

Yawn...

I have no idea why, but I am really tired this morning. Part of it I'm sure was that I was up until midnight, but that's not THAT unusual. I also had a hard time staying asleep which kinda sucked too.

The gym today was really rough and I don't know why. That bothers me a little, but I could barely keep going. I think it may have had something to do with the rain and the fact that my pants were wet although I don't really know... All I DO know is that after like 20 min I was going to die... I let up early.

Crackers and peanut butter are the food of the gods... let me just say that. :) Breakfast is making me very very happy. OOh... and I have to go to the mailroom today so maybe I'll catch a glimpse of hottie mailroom guy (who is hopefully an employee and NOT a student... ;) since that apparently is more than 'frowned upon.')

Random Thoughts of the Moment

So here are a handful of things going through my mind right now...

1) The 'minus sign' also doesn't work on my keyboard...
2) I'm watching Knotting Hill which may or may not be a mistake. And I'm struck by my desire to live in a movie life. Not that I want to be an actress, more like I want some of these characters' lives. Like how does Hugh Grant live in such a cute flat (I know he has a roommate, but still) when he owns a travel bookshop. C'mon how fun would it be to own a bookshop... even one as weird as concept as a travel bookshop. Secretly I think I would love it... So how is it he can afford a life?? There are others that I think of... not off the top of my head, but... Or like any of the Friends... they barely worried about money. Sometimes I think that kind of life would be nice.
3) Thanks to Noel, I have realized I'm completely over and done with any sadness or anger or pining or anything with Ray. That makes me happy... like (I know it is a cliche) a weight has been lifted. Because face it, I am fun, and cute (with great hair), I would make an awesome girlfriend and I'm probably one of the few people he will ever meet who would accept his mascotting thing with no question... His loss, not mine. :)
4) Is all of this chutzpah coming from cute hair?? ;)
5) So how is this revelation thanks to Noel? He has broken up with his girlfriend yet again. This apparently is the 5th time and his reason is just as lame as Ray's although quite possibly more valid... He doesn't love her, won't love her, can't love her and she deserves someone who would, can, and does.
Six) (six key still doesn't work) I really like the name Anna for a baby (If I were ever to have one) but I think it would seem too much like I'm naming the baby partially after myself... Joanne and her daughter Anna... I used to like the name Emma before it became THE name for the year... damn Friends. I can never use it. Jacob is a good one too. Never ever would I name a child Alundra... ;)

Locks of Love

I just measured the two braids I'm sending to Locks of Love. The one from about 3 years ago is exactly 1 foot long. The one I just had taken off is 13 1/2 inches. The most fascinating part (at least to me probably not so much to y'all) is that the one he just took off is like twice as thick and fabulous as the one from a couple of years ago.

Eek on AbFab Saffy is about to have a baby! Although I have to say as I watch this show Saffy looks weirder and weirder pregnant... You can totally tell it is a fake.