Everything I know about hiking...I learned wearing flip flops

AAACK!

Sorry gang, but I have no real entry for today.  I haven't had two seconds to sit down and actually think, let alone type, today.  Plus, I'm not at my computer and the keys are sticking, and omg. space. bar. stop. it.

okay, I'm done.

So, the highlight of the day was a funny thought.  I had gotten a couple tacos and a quesadilla from del taco...well, I changed my mind and wanted a taco and a cookie dough milkshake (I know, no lectures...we'll never lose 500 pounds by July this way).  So, I ended up with a lemonade, a milkshake, two tacos and a quesadilla.  So I'm leaving thinking, omg that doesn't even sound good - all that cheese.  And there is this guy standing with his cardboard sign that says something about traveling home and being hungry and needing gas money or something.  So, I think, I could keep the milkshake and a taco and give him the rest.  But what if he doesn't like cheese?  Or lemonade.  and he was just sitting there - so it wasn't like he was going to get up and come over and get it before the light turns and, dude(!) I can't reward that kind of laziness. I know, I'm completely insane.

In other news, I also stopped at Bath and Body Works because I wanted to find a new lotion that will rehydrate my poor tanned skin. (yeah tan!)  So I bought some Cherry Blossom lotion and used that.  So I come back to work and this old guy says, "you smell good, what is it?" which then makes me wonder if I just stumbled upon the world's oldest, most rugged, gay man.  No, he wanted to know so he could buy it for his wife.  Good thing I had just bought it because if he had said something like that any other day, I would have told him it was cheese or cookie dough milkshake.  I'm classy like that.

Have a great weekend guys.  Think of me at work tomorrow (lame!)  But, I will be heading to Apple Hill on Sunday and with all that plus the season premier of Degrassi - well, I'm sure I'll do something stupid I can write about later.

Who Knew? Also: How I Spent My Afternoon

So, I just spent the last 30 minutes or so cleaning out one of my desk drawers because a little mousie had taken refuge (read: a dump) in that particular drawer.  Did you know mice like ketchup packets? 

He did make it easier for me to clean out my desk.  Anything a mouse might have touched got thrown away.  So, that's less stuff to take to my new job.

Reason 8987 for being happy about my new job: The 6th (8th?) floor of a high rise building has no mice.  Woot!

Because Today is Shitty - And I Don't Feel Like Talking About It

Because of this, you get a meme, stolen (borrowed nicely?) from Jen.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

One of the credit card ones - they don't do online payments, so I tend to forget about them. Oops.

2. What's the best place to eat a romantic dinner?

Hmmm...romantic?  The Swiss Hotel in Sonoma.

3. Last time you puked from drinking?

I sooo rock.  I've never thrown up.  Made an ass of myself? Yes.  Cried?  Yes.  Puked? No.

4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar?

Never.  I've gotten drunk and fallen asleep on a bar table.  Does that count?

5.Name of your first grade teacher?

Mrs. Durst.  She had a big red afro and was MEAN.   She was the only teacher who sent home a bad note - I think I contemplated putting it in my grandma's trash compactor.

6. What do you really want to be doing right now?

Sleeping or having someone else wash my hair while I relax.  :)

7. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A librarian or a Secretary!  Hee!  Now all you hear me say is, "I'm not your damn secretary!"

8. How many colleges did you attend?

A bazillion.  3 community colleges, 1 University, and 2 different Master's programs that I never finished

9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now?

It's long sleeved and I was cold this morning.

10. GAS PRICES! First thought?

Who cares?! You gotta drive, suck it up.

11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you....

I'd totally move and possibly leave them there, depending on who it was.  Jen's right.  This is a weird question.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?

I'm totally going to get up and get out of here and not wait for the second alarm.

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?

No one wants to know this one, really.  Trust me.

14. Favorite style of underwear?

Thong - haven't you all heard my thong theory?  No?  Okay, so underwear always ends up riding up your ass anyway - why not have something with the least amount of fabric, um, invading your "territory"

15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex?

Don't care.

16. What errand/chore do you despise?

Vacuuming.  It's a hassle - pull the vacuum out, unravel the cord, plug it in...move it around.  Change to another plug so you can move it somewhere else, rewrap the cord, put it away. No thanks.

17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery?

Art Gallery? No.

18. Get up early or sleep in?

Yes.

19. What is your favorite cartoon character?

I don't have one.  That's kind of sad.

20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy?

watch TV and eat popcorn or play Yahtzee.

21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?

I don't have any secrets.  I'm too boring.

22. How many joints pop when you get out of bed in the morning?

Uh, none thanks.

23. What is the biggest amount of $$ you have made from a yard sale?

I don't remember - and really, where are these questions coming from??

24. Your favorite lunch meat?

Chicken

25. What do you get every time you go into a WAWA?

WAWA?  Huh?  Should I know what that is?

26. Beach or lake?

Beach.

27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented?

Maybe, considering only people who shouldn't be married seem to be married.  But then, that's just my humble opinion.

28. Who do you stalk on MySpace?

I am not on myspace.  I can't handle the drama.

29. Favorite guilty pleasure?

Reading teenie-bopper books.

30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?

Drop Dead Gorgeous.  OMG it's great.  Watch it.  Okay, so I want you to know.  I want you to know about it and LOVE it like I DO.

31. What's your drink?

Iced tea.

32. Cowboys or Indians?

Indians.  I've had my share of run-ins with cowboys and they are to be avoided at all cost.

33. Cops or Robbers?

Cops because I like my stuff and I don't want any of your grubby little sticky fingers on it.

34. Do you cheer for the bad guy?

Not usually.

35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best?

I don't want to say because today the answer would be so sad. 

37. What do you want when you are sick?

To sleep.

38. Who from high school would you like to run into?

Laurel.

39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?

107.9 The End.

42. Norm or Cliff?

Huh?  Am I too young for this survey?  Can't I pick Woody. (Everyone likes a woody...er)

43. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons?

Sadly, the Cosbys.

44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?

Nothing I'd take back.  Everything got me to where I'm at, which, with the exception of a few days here or there, isn't a bad place to be overall.

45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
Yes, she's fun.  I'm gonna miss her and find a job in my new office so I can keep her.

46. If you could get away with it, who would you kill?

No one, it would be too icky. Though, I if I could HAVE THEM KILLED, well, I'd hand that guy a list.

47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?

Maggie Gylenhaal or Jennifer Goodwin.

49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?

Nope.

50. Last book you read for real?

20 Times a Lady.  But you knew that.

51. Do you have a teddy bear?

Yeah - his name is Rascal and he's kinda creepy. Like, he's watching me.  ::shudder::

52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?

Um...in front of the TV?

53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?

San Diego to see the Manatees.

54. Number of texts in a day?

One-ish

56. Do you go to church?

Dah, nope.

57. Pencil or pen?

No thank you.

58. Bueller??? Bueller??? Bueller???

WTF?!

59. How many jobs have you had?

10ish.  Flower shop, department store, restaurant, hallmark store, financial planner office, student assistant, several clerical jobs and 2 professional ones. woot!

BlogHer - Not Another AOL Meeting

Nicole mentioned BlogHer 2007 yesterday and now I'm seriously contemplating going.  I've never been anywhere(!) (Really!)  So venturing out that direction (Chicago) would be fun! 

I have had other encounters with meeting people from the internet.  One-on-one as well as big group events.  My mom used to chat all the time on AOL - and I went with her to one event where some of the people were getting together.  We created a new description from that experience, namely, "she/he looked like an AOLer" Read: she/he was wearing a Garfield T-shirt and a fanny pack.

I'm thinking BlogHer will be a lot more fashionable.  And a totally good reason to shop!! Sign me up.

YEAH!!

Today has been a very interesting (AND FABULOUS!) day.  What with the early morning Starbuck's run and the TV crew.  And then I got to pick up my car (Hi Opie!)  She looks so pretty.  So white and shiny.  And so not like a Taurus.

You know, it's been a little more difficult to write entries lately because my mind has been elsewhere.  And well, I didn't want to jinx anything so I didn't mention anything and OMG now I can tell you!  I GOT A NEW JOB!! 

See, when I got the job I'm at, I thought the position would be a bit more inventive.  And it hasn't been.  So, I'll be working with a new group - with a newly established program.  And I will be working DOWNTOWN!  Most people would say, oh, downtown there are parking issues and transportation issues (to take lightrail or pay for a parking space) but as Mark says, I am "so downtown." 

The building is beautiful.  It's near our Capitol building and everyone seemed really nice. Plus, I'll be like creating processes and refining processes and traveling some!  It will be the grown-up, professional job that I was looking for.

PLUS, as an ADDED BONUS...remember all that college I went to?  The degree that took many years?  In Sociology?  I'll actually be working in a profession that has something to do with that!  And I'll be helping people! 

I couldn't be happier.

Plus(!) I'm off to Michael's craft store after work to get some beads and ribbon to work on a pretty pompander flower ball thingy that I've been wanting to make. :)  I figure I have to have something to work on while I'm watching those ANTM girls cry over having to cut their hair.

AND - I'm finally going to get that garlic chicken pizza I've been wanting for a week.  Gee!  I should buy a lottery ticket!!

A Quickie

Things are a little crazy today.  We've got a TV crew coming out to where I work and everyone is basically MIA.

I got to work today before 7 a.m.!  That's like crazy!  I'm scheduled for 7:30, which means I'm usually here at like 7:40.  AND I had time to 1) check the phone book to find a donut shop, 2) stop at said donut shop (YUM!!) 3) stop at Starbucks.  Woot!

Last night we all bowled pretty darn good.  My average is 117 - which is like higher than my ending average last season and WAY higher than my beginning average last season (like 97 or something).  hee! 

You know, I was checking my stats on typepad and I keep seeing all these hits at odd hours (well, odd Pacific time hours).  I finally realized that some of you are not in the U.S. (duh!) and hopefully that means that you all are reading at (my) odd hours, and you are all really at work (like I am now!)

Back to the grind!  More later!

Look What I found!!

I didn't take a picture of "my" mouse, but I have a picture of someone similar. 

I was walking through the warehouse and saw a little brown mouse in a glue trap - he was laying halfway out and looked like he was sleeping.  And I was so sad for him - I didn't want to look, because, I don't do dead things.  So I sent one of the guys (A) out to get him.  And it turns out, he was alive (and really, just tired).  So A pulled him off the trap (nicely) and put him on a napkin and brought him to me to see.  He was seriously cute.  Then A gave him a wheat thin and took him outside to let him go.  As soon as A put the mouse down, he started munching on the cracker.

:)  Yeah!!  We saved a critter today...and hopefully he will get his tail unglued from his back leg. :(  Poor guy!

Team Work

It's just one project after another.  On Sunday Mark got up and started draining the swimming pool.  It got down as low as it would go later that night (maybe 3 inches of water left?)  Tonight (after Mark made yummie(!) fajitas) we went out in the backyard and finished taking the pool down (summer is officially over people).

What better way to commemorate the end of summer, than a picture entry! Yeah!

Mark workin' hard. 

But where am I(?) you ask?? 

I got to stand on the edge while Mark pushed the water out.  hee!  You think I got off easy, too, don'tcha? 

Well, after we emptied out the pool - Mark hung it up. And then he sprayed it out.  And when the water pooled on top and almost knocked the chairs down...I had to GET UNDER IT. And water ran down my back and it was cold. and wet. 

Oh, and I don't wear those pants in public, for the record. ha!

See how Salem helps?

This is Why I Have a Desk Job

We (read: Mark) wanted to reorganize the grage this weekend.  You know, just another fun thing we do when we run out of REALLY fun things to do, like clean the toilet.

The idea (Mark's) was to take down the GIANT pallet rack from the one side of the garage and put up smaller shelves in its place.  Most of my things are on the opposite side of the garage though.  I ended up bringing in all my clothes (no more "skinny" or "winter" clothes in the garage).  And I went through one box.  Then I proceeded to move everything from the one side onto the driveway.

From there - I swept the floor, and promptly got a sliver of wood in my finger from that old broom. (on list: new push broom, plastic handle).  Then we brought in the shelves and started putting them up, only because of the way the garge is, Mark had to fasten wood to the wall - to make the wall stick out far enough to make the shelves level when we fastened them to the wall/wood.  While doing so, a shelf moved, the wood moved, and my thumb, unfortunately did not move.  It still hurts.

While adjusting the shelves, I tried to get out of the way of the offending shelf and scratched my leg on a pile of roof tiles (scratchy!!)  By then, I was bleeding.  Time for a break.  And tears.  And OMG WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS?! 

At least the garage is pretty.

*****

Yesterday, Mark and I had that conversation that EVERY couple can relate to.  The "what do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do you want?" conversation.  My least favorite of all the conversations, really.  I answered that question with "there are those bbq chicken chunk things we could eat with beans" (sounds appetizing doesn't it?)  Mark replied with something like, "what do we do with them?"  (meaning (apparently) what do we cook with them?).  My reply was something like, "uh, eat them" or something else helpful (I mean, you can't blame me, I was trying to watch Princess Diaries for like the 107th time).

Mark put the chicken chunks back in the freezer.  Then he offered to take me to dinner.  Yeah!!  We spent the rest of the evening watching the final DVDs of the second season of LOST.  Do any of you watch it?  Mark and I sit around discussing our theories and trying to tie information together.  It's kind of cool that we like the same show for once.  The new season starts on October 4th and I'm not sure we'll be able to handle watching it like normal people.  You know, one episode a week.  It will be very strange. 

Oh and similar to the fact that every time I like a product it is discontinued, every time I like a character she's killed.  Good times. (For the record I hated Ana Lucia and was NOT SAD AT ALL that she was a gonner - but considering Michelle Rodriguez had some jail time to serve, I was not surprised by her demise.)

Apparently I Don't Get Out Enough

I'll take "Reasons Aimee is a Dumbass for $200, Alex"

Answer:  Because she would have to look beyond the obvious

Question:  Why would she think there were no cupholders in her rental car?

ARGH!

Okay, so here is physical proof that there are, indeed, cupholders in the rental car.

I guess the BIG CUSHY armrest thingy between the front seats can be flipped over and inside is, tada TWO cupholders. And lots of other storagy space.  I would like to thank my peeps for having my back about these damn cupholders.  My lack of cupholder inspired several comments.

While I appreciate having a cupholder, I will have to say, I almost like not having one because it gives me enough space to put Trinity on the little hump on the floor between the floorboards of the passenger and driver's sides...so she doesn't get dirty.  This may be more important than cupholders. See!