Woot!

*happy dance*

I didn't expect Kris to win and from the looks of it, neither did he. My DD voted for him 60 times last night though, so... *YAY*!

I think both he and Adam will do well. And while I was rooting for Kris, there is no denying that Adam is a phenomenal singer, eh?

Checkin' in...

I'll be honest, the longer I go without updating, the harder it is to come back. It seems like there is either too much to update about or not enough, kwim? At any rate, here I am. :)

*Work has been busy. I finally got someone to fix my internet so I can check in on OT every once in a while but I'm skeptical of looking at the blogs because I don't want to stress about clearing the history and I can't have people at work finding my blog, lol. Kelly and I are doing *so* much better now. I vaguely remember the days when I would come to work with a pit in my stomach because she bothered me so much, but now we really seem like coworkers as opposed to her being another "boss". Still loving the job, in general.

*My kids will be graduating from 8th grade next month and then I suppose they will be "high schoolers", right? Ugh. I have no idea what to get them as a present. They already have phones and I'm not getting them their own computers or TVs, so I don't know. I was thinking maybe a trip with some of their friends to Six Flags or something.

*I've done a little kayaking but not as much as I would like. I was just thinking about Carey today and how I'm looking forward to getting her to come out with me.

*I noticed there are a lot of names I don't recognize on OT now and it makes me sad. I miss the old days. I miss the old blog days too, when more of us were updating regularly. Such is life, I guess.

*So, in the spirit of the 'old days'... let's talk about panty-sniffers. My friend went out with a guy and when they finally slept together she realized he likes to sniff panties...*during sex* and after. Umm. I think that's weird. Anyone else? Oh, and I do mean her panties, of course. It sounded like an episode of Sex and the City to me, lol. She wants to know if that's normal and I just don't know what to say. /smut topic

*Lastly, I would like to thank those who are still blogging. I'm grateful because I like to know that you are all still out there, doing well (or not, just knowing you're there is nice). I'm sorry I've been inactive here. I was relieved to see that MTW updated as well, so thank you, Mark!

Back from the Beach

Not that you knew I was gone, lol. Anyways, it was the annual trip to Cayucos. It was a bit colder than the other times but I still managed to get some sun on my legs. The rest of me was covered up the whole time. :( Still, we had a great time, as usual. We saw tons of sea lions and dolphins this time, so that was cool. I stayed at the beach house almost the whole time instead of shopping and sight-seeing because I really just wanted the down time.


Here are some of my favorite pics (in no particular order):







me and the kids.


My son, towering over me :(

swinging on the beach (ooh, sounds like a good drink, no?)

DD swinging beside me

Me, from my Shark Watch Post (great view from my lounge chair!)

My little brother and his son (Morro Bay in the background)

DS, jumping the waves

So now I'm back and trying to catch up on things at work, at home, and online. Amazing how taking just a few days off can put one so far behind. I'm still loving work and there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about how much I love my boss. He makes my job *fun* and my kids are telling me I've become goofier since working there. I can't complain about that. :)

I'm LOVING the time change and the fact that it's light enough to walk on the nature trail when I get home.

That's all I got for now. Miss you all as usual... *smooches*

Ice cream, not diets

Since we are not talking about diets, (right???) I guess we can talk about ice cream. So tonight I was at my parents house and my son was getting me some Tin Roof Sundae ice cream. He asked if I wanted some chocolate syrup on it and I said no. When he brought my bowl to me, it had caramel sauce on it. I was surprised and asked him why he added the sauce and he said I told him to. WTF? No I didn't. I laughed and said I didn't even know there *was* any at the house and even if I had, I would not have wanted it. Everyone looked at me and said, "yes, you DID ask for it". I insisted I wouldn't have said that. Why would I, if I didn't want it, and on top of that, how would I not know I said it? Still, four people in the room are promising me that I asked for it. I'm feeling baffled. But the ice cream was pretty good.

Am I the only one this has happened to?

The good, the bad and the so-so

The Good

Hmm, well for starters, my boss informed me that he wants me to go back to school and get a degree. I can major in anything I want. He'll pay for everything, including books. Wow. What a gift. I met with a counselor today and am just going to start on my general education courses before choosing, but I'm leaning toward Legal Assisting. He's pretty damn awesome, no? I don't think one day goes by at work when I don't literally say to myself that "I love him". And on top of being a good man, he keeps things light and fun around the office on a daily basis. :)

My cousin Chris has lived in my town for a while now but I *never* saw him. Finally, I decided to stop by his work to say hi and we ended up going back to his apartment (overlooking the Capital) where his GF and him made me dinner. He has invited me back a couple times to hang out and they have great friends who are much more suited for me than the kids I've been hanging out with lately. They play the piano, play board games and just *talk*, as opposed to blaring music and just drinking.

The Bad

This one has the potential to get long so I'll just start with Sunday and give you a small idea of how my last few days have been. On Sunday I took the kids roller skating again. I wanted to maximize the time I spent on the rink so I never went to our table once. As a result, I did not know my purse, and my wallet, were left sitting out in the open, begging for attention. Wasn't until I got all the way home and was going to get gas that I realized my wallet was not in my purse. Credit cards, photos, my $200 Macy's gift card, everything, gone. Not to mention my driver's license. :(

On Monday at work I dropped a huge file into the filing cabinet and it landed on my arm, pinching me and leaving a bruise and a welt. On my way out the door that night, I stepped onto uneven pavement and twisted my ankle, falling all the way to the ground.

On Tuesday I was probably the busiest I've been at work in as long as I can remember and I so badly wanted to hang out with a friend that night and have a drink. DH informed me that night that he was leaving on a nighttime fishing trip. He never does that so it was a total fluke and completely ruined any plans I had. We had a fight, the kids were fighting...it was just plain sucky all around.

The So-So

Hmm, this one is tough, but I liked how it sounded in the title, lol.

I'm sorry I've not been around at all lately. Days go by before I even get a chance to log on and check in. Add to that some computer issues at home and it's just been really hard getting on. I do think of you all daily and miss the old days. Hope you are all doing well!

*smooches*

Brag post

Well, maybe not a "brag" but a "damn, I'm proud of myself" anyways. :) I? Have been roller skating. A lot. And I'm *loving* it. It's something I had not dared to do since I was probably 15, maybe younger. I don't know why I stopped doing it really...I loved it so much as a kid. But then I had my kids, gained all that weight and well, you know. When I sprained my ankle a few years ago (gosh, I guess it was 7 or 8 years ago) I figured I'd never dare skate again because I was so afraid of re-injuring myself. My kids even had roller skating lessons a few years ago and I never once considered trying. Well recently I got in touch with an old friend and she wanted to take the kids roller skating. I've been so active lately (walking/jogging the nature trail and playing catch, including a lot of running) that I decided it was time to try. I have to say, it was just like riding a bike. Once I was out there, it was the most natural thing in the world. I even skated circles around my friend Anna. *grin* It's been nice having something like this to take the place of kayaking, which I miss so much. I'm still afraid of falling *knock on wood* but I'm sure once I get that out of the way, I won't stress about it anymore. I'll try to get some pics next time we go.

So, that's my brag.

I see that Bob has hers in her blog, and I'm astounded it took me this long to see it. Congrats, Bob! She's gorgeous!

What about anyone else? Give me something you're proud of.

Good lord

I think I may never eat again after today. I hate the holidays, lol. Tomorrow I'm getting back on track and am going to lose at least 5 pounds by my birthday. I'm hoping I didn't gain five pounds in the last few days! Anyhow, I had a pretty good week. I got an unexpected Christmas card from Daryl, the attorney I've blogged about who is a pilot and does karaoke. He included a $100 bill in the card. :o I was pretty shocked and very grateful. My boss gave me a $200 Macy's gift card. Not bad, eh? Can't wait to spend it but I can't decide whether to get one big thing (like the Uggs I've been wanting) or stretch it out into a few smaller items. Guess I'll just have to go figure it out in the store. *hop*

My family went to the 49er game today and my daughter won a signed helmet (autographed by Nate Clements)! Pretty cool! I was bummed for DS as he is a Redskins fan (oh, sorry for you too, Boo!) but it was a really fun game to watch.

My kids spent a few days last week in Quincy with my relatives there. The highlights were my son flipping the quad (got scraped up) ; building an 8 foot high snowman (pics to follow later) ; and my daughter getting a black eye after getting kicked in the face by a horse! Thank goodness they are home now.

So, what did you guys get for the holidays? Did we all gain weight or just me?

Jeez, time sure does fly by when you're busy, lol. Let's see, what have I been up to...

Huh. Can't think of much. On Thursday I went to a potluck lunch at the courthouse with my boss and Kelly. He was so cute showing me all around the place. Like a kid at Open House. I got to meet a bunch of the clerks and judges that we deal with, so that was neat. This Friday they're having an office lunch at some restaurant but I don't know where yet. Ack, I hope it's not Chinese or a buffet.

I've been walking almost every night with my friend Kristi. She's 24 and as much as I like her, she sure adds some drama in my life. I'm so glad I'm past that age, lol. Her boyfriend and his friends provide entertainment though because I had *no idea* how kids are these days. I'm so glad mine are still relatively young. I feel old when I'm over at her house, but at the same time, it's refreshing to be able to kick back and relax somewhere where I don't feel any judgment. I'm thought of as "the good one" over there. *grin* It's also close enough to my house that I can have a drink or two if I want because I usually walk over as opposed to driving.

It makes me curious though; do you usually hang with people your own age, older, or younger? Is there ever a point where you really feel the age difference? I think for me, I kinda like being with these kids because I never had friends like them when I was that age.

In holiday news, I guess I won't be going to Palm Springs to see my grandmother like I did last year. It just won't work out right now for her so I'm hoping to have my kids go to my aunt and uncle's house in Quincy so I can have a break. ;-)

Who here is staying home and who is traveling for the holiday?

Drive by post...

Hey guys! Been insanely busy with things around here and I have barely had time to get online at all anymore. I still don't have access to most internet sites at work but my boss just realized that today and made a comment about changing that. Hopefully when we do get it fixed I'll be around more.

Work is going well - my boss has made comments to my dad that indicate he is really happy with me. In fact, his words were "she's the best hire I've ever made"...*blush*. He also said his wife feels the same way. Today he made comments to another lawyer that was there that he was "grooming me" and that I would be the last of his staff he would ever let go! I try hard to make him happy so it's these little comments that keep me focused. :)

I haven't been kayaking in weeks and I'm thinking maybe this weekend sometime if it's really "sunny" as the forecast says it will be. I think it said a high of 63. *crosses fingers*

I went to see Australia and Changeling recently...anyone seen those? Changeling was a rough one to watch and Australia was just ok, IMO. Would love some other opinions. Jess saw Twilight with my dad and wants me to go with her so she can see it again, so I might do that soon.

I'm hoping on Friday I'll be able to make the rounds and catch up with everyone here. I've been reading, just not logging in and commenting. Oh, and for the first time in ages I wandered into OT. Rather wish I hadn't. *sigh*

Ummm

Good lord, I just can't really think of anything interesting to blog about. I guess I'll just recap my last few days and go from there...

Friday, DD stayed home because her eye was hurting. I took her to the Dr. even though I was pretty sure she had just scratched it somehow, but it turned out she has an ulcer on her eye. Poor little thing. So unusual in the first place to even have happen, and then she went and got it on her "good eye" (other eye has hideous vision). She has been putting in drops every single hour since then and finally today is feeling better and the doc said she looks a lot better. It should heal completely, eventually. *whew*

On Saturday I had planned on taking the kids kayaking but DD could not go so I just took DS. He was a PITA and complained that his arms were tired the whole time, lol.

On Sunday I took my friend Kristi and we had a blast. The water was high enough that we were able to explore the swampy areas. It was really warm and the sun was out so we floated across the lake while tanning our legs for the last 45 minutes or so. Pure heaven. :) And Carey, anytime you wanna go with me, let me know. I'm thinking spring would be a good time because I have a feeling we're out of nice weather weekends.

I have not been sleeping well for the last week and it is affecting my work quality. I caught myself in the middle of making several pretty big mistakes today. Hope there were none that I missed. It also makes me very cranky and anti-social. :(

I don't know why but this is the longest I've gone without posting on OT and I'm almost concerned at the fact that I don't miss it. Not sure what happened there... weird.

Oh! I need to download a new ring-tone and I need suggestions. I want a good song that most people recognize *and* like. A classic that's still cool, lol. Any suggestions?

Is it just me...

Or is OT down? I went to check in there the other day and got the "this page cannot be found" screen. I didn't really think twice about it but then I just tried again today and got the same thing. Is anyone else getting in? Also, realitytvworld loads fine, just not the message boards.

Kelly came out

Kelly called me on Friday to let me know she officially came out at work. She's been so active with the Prop 8 stuff that in a small way, I think she felt she was coming out slowly, but wanted to just make it official. She sounded wonderful and was so relieved by everyone's reaction. She basically just told them that when she started there (two years ago) she kept it to herself because she didn't want to make a big deal out of it but at this point, she felt she was being dishonest by not just getting it out. Either way, I'm relieved for her and I'm glad I'm no longer the only one who knows there. She got the reaction she needed and I think she feels a lot better now. :)



So, on Saturday, I took my SIL kayaking. She had never been before and was so cute and fun to go with. Here are some pics I took. The first one is her getting into the kayak. It's easier getting in than out, in my opinion.



I was so excited that we were able to make it to this structure. Last time I was blocked from it by the rowing races.

This is inside the structure. We ate lunch in here because there was no current and it was relaxing.

This is how we got in and out. Thank goodness the water didn't rise while we were inside, lol!


Heading back out onto the lake. Kayaking is addicting. I could easily go every weekend.





This is probably my one update for the week. I'm finding less and less time to blog and have spent practically zero time on OT. Hope everyone is well.

Tabitha the witch...

Since I've been working for the last 6 months, my name has become something I use on a daily basis. It's really made me *think* about whether I like my name. The thing is, I never have. I always wished my parents had gone with Rachael (my dad's choice) or something else. Something more "normal" or cutesy. I just don't like Tabitha. Anyways, not surprisingly, I get a lot of comments on my "unusual/unique/different" name. I still don't *like* it, but I'm beginning to hate it a little less.

A lot of people still associate my name with the show Bewitched. *points to title* I get asked if I can wiggle my nose sometimes. I also used to have people call me Samantha because they would mix up the characters. Annoying.

Now I'm wondering how common this is. Do you like your name? What do you wish your name was if you could have chosen it? Do people ever accidentally call you something else?

I like old names like Sarah and Laura. I would love a sexy name like Candy, too, lol. When I was a teenager I sometimes went by Roxanne. I'm a dork. *grin*

So spill it. Give me two names you might have liked to have had.

Little stuff

Who here pays for internet service on their cell phones? I don't, and am not planning on it anytime soon. If you do, is it worth it to you?

This is random, but it occurred to me today that we have a really good bathroom setup at work. There are two bathrooms; a men's and women's. The women's room is decorated nicely and never smells. The men's room? Ick. And? They have a big ol' picture of John Wayne looking down on them as they pee. Weirdos. Even though I can't imagine "going" at work, I've noticed that when others do, it never smells. We have windows and a loud fan. Good to know, lol.

I told DD and DS that I would take them separately this weekend to go kayaking but it looks like we'll have rain all weekend. *pout* I would do it in the rain but haven't figured out how to keep our feet warm and dry without having to go out and buy what? Rain boots?

I can't believe how many signs I've seen for Prop 8 around here. More than I've seen for anything else, including Obama or McCain. Kelly, at my work, is strongly campaigning (in favor of voting No) and has volunteered every night this week. Despite my issues with her, I respect her fervor.

In other small news, I *heart* my boss more and more. He is really one of the nicest men I've ever known. Just genuinely good. Oh, today he told me he wants me to become a Notary Public. I've been waiting for that but dreading it because I know Kelly will get her panties in a bunch. Oh well. Now that he's asked, I'm going to do it. He pays for it and I pay him back over time, as I get paid for doing it.

So that's about it. I can't wait for Fridays. Working 4 days a week hasn't been hard exactly, but I do miss the old days, lol.

Great day

Saturday was a good day. My BFF and I met at Starbucks for coffee and then set out for a local lake. I'd only been there once so for me, it was a slight adventure just to drive there on my own, lol. When we got there, we were shocked at the huge crowd that was there. Apparently there were some big rowing races of some sort going on. The main parking lot was jam packed and we were directed to another lot that was almost a mile away. We seriously reconsidered going kayaking because the thought of kayaking in front of hundreds of people and also having to be mindful of staying out the way was a little unnerving. Still, we did not want to give up so we decided to walk over and at least take a look at the situation. When we got there, my BFF (Brianne) started to get nervous because it does look kinda scary getting into the kayaks. She's such a baby, lol. *waves to BFF* At any rate, we decided to go for it. We are SO glad we did. It was awesome (other than getting blisters. Next time; gloves).

*pats self on back*

I? Tried two new things recently. That is not really like me, since I'm a creature of habit. One thing was some "jasmine pearls" tea. There is this man at work that comes in every now and then and I have to admit, at first I was all nervous around him because he was this big bankruptcy trustee that I knew all about years ago when I did BKs for the office. Now, he is retired and consults with our BK department. Anyways, he is a rather odd, but friendly guy. One day we were making small talk and he asked what I drink every morning. I showed him my mug with the Lipton tea bag in it and he insisted that his tea was superb and I needed to try it. A couple days later he brought it in. I must say, I was surprised. They looked like marijuana balls (pea sized). I literally would not leave them in plain sight because of how they looked, lol. At any rate, I made tea with them the next day and OMG, pure heaven!!! It was like I was drinking sweetened perfume! I know, it sounds gross, but it really wasn't!


The other new thing I tried was kale. My boss' wife gets it at Whole Foods and it's tossed with olive oil and lemon juice (I think) and I really liked it! *shocker* I can't wait to go buy me some.

In other food news, pomegranates are back in season! *waves to Carey* I got some at Costco and they are so big that I actually have to split it and only eat half at a time.

Oh, and another thing! I *finally* got my new phone!!! Pics:

I'm hoping to see my BFF this Saturday to go kayaking... I'm waiting for confirmation from her (she reads this so maybe she'll hurry up and call me, lol).

I also went to our annual family trip to the local apple farm and I have pics from that, too, but will update with those later. I have so many blogs to catch up on now...

*smooches*

Lame Update

1. Found my camera. :)

2. Had "tankful" day today. *yay*

3. Having some horrendous days at work, but Boss makes up for it.

4. Oh! Saw a pic of some boobs at work and had to fax them to the client who was unaware that we had them. *awkward*

5. Finally went into a bar *and* ordered a drink. I'm all grown up (though the group I was with did mention that I seemed very uptight, lol).

6. Thought The Office sucked tonight. Barely even laughed. :(

7. Pomegranates are ridiculously expensive. *pout*

8. I miss everyone here *so* much.

9. Going out with some girlfriends tonight. I'm very excited.

10. *smooches all around*

The Niner Game

It all started when my brother or father mentioned it to my DD. When I found out that Steve Young was going to retire his jersey, I really wanted to go, too. I figured we were definitely going to go since we are all usually swayed by my older brother and he's the one who was all intent on going. I even bought DD a Steve Young jersey to wear. Well on Saturday, my DB changed his mind. Him and my father (and younger bro) decided to drive to Manteca to some Bass fishing place (or something). DD was crushed. I found her later in her room crying, though she tried to deny it and then later confessed that she was really bummed, but said she "didn't want to seem selfish". I told my brother about it and suggested we all watch the game together at the house and try to make it fun (more so than when we typically get together to watch a game) and instead he got all fired up and decided we'd go after all. I argued a bit because the tickets were pretty expensive at $100 per person. But he insisted and said he was going to pay. In the end, we found someone selling 6 tickets and a parking pass. The seats were pretty good. I have to say, it was *nothing* like I remember from years past. The parking lot was JAMMED with tail-gaters. It was insane how many people there were. It really gets you hyped up!

Anyways, the game itself started out good and then ended badly. I kinda knew they'd be losing, but we got to see Steve Young, Jerry Rice and and Brent Jones. I got a little teary eyed when they mentioned Bill Walsh and the old days. I'm glad we went.


Here's our group: (my younger brother on the left bought a niner hat right after this pic was taken)

Oh and Look! A new shoes picture! *grin* These shoes have the potential to be my favorites. The one and only downside to them is that after wearing them for a few hours at work, they started to squeak when I walk. I seem to have that problem a lot. All my shoes with platforms squeak! Does anyone else have this problem??? I'm beside myself with frustration. My office is carpeted and too quiet to walk around in squeaky shoes. I can't tell if it's the platform or my feet inside the shoe. Help!

nothing much

I am going to update with some pictures I took at the 49er game this past Sunday but I don't have them uploaded yet, so it'll have to wait.

Instead of calling these "randoms" though, I'll call them "nothings" because that's mostly what they are...mindless, little nothing thoughts I have to share.

1. Ever read the personal ads on Craigs List? I dare you. If you do, I dare you to post one of the captions here. They are hilarious. I'm in shock that these people are real. Umm, but skip the ones with pics, lol!

2. I went to my doctor this morning and even though it's been like a year since I've seen him, he instantly commented that it looked like I'd lost weight and darkened my hair! I was stunned. How can he possibly have that kind of memory?? I love him though. He takes everything seriously, doesn't rush me and gives me pretty much whatever I want (in terms of drugs or tests, within reason).

3. Someone broke into the air conditioner unit at work to steal all the copper tubing. I'm just shocked. They had to jump a spike fence to do it. They also took a potted plant we have had sitting out front for the last few years. Unbelievable.

4. I have a giant list of items to pick up at Costco. I don't feel like shopping at Costco. :( Why don't they have high heels there? *pout* I also saw a sign or commercial (can't remember) for a club and it said, "No Membership Necessary and No Fees". Is that really even a club, then? *head tilt*

5. I had a dream the other night that I had gotten a tattoo. I got home and the bandage was on my ass. I had no idea what it was so I went to the bathroom to see it and when I removed the bandage, to my surprise, it was an elephant. The trunk made it's way all the way in towards my...well, it just went in between the cheeks quite a bit. What a disturbing dream, lol! All I can say for sure is that if I *ever* get a tattoo, the LAST thing I'd want is an elephant on my ASS!

Yep, like I said, a bunch of nothing, lol. But hey, I updated. :)

a typical day...

So, here is how a typical day at work goes for me:

1. Walk into the break room (backdoor) and get my breakfast from the fridge. It's been a fruit parfait from McDonald's every. single day. and I love it. I usually scoop the top inch of yogurt out to make room for the granola and to cut a few calories. Heh.

2. Eat it at my desk while looking over the "To Do" pile that Boss usually leaves for me on my chair.

3. Start making copies of everything in said "To Do" list while being interrupted by the phone numerous times.

4. Make envelopes (printing addresses on them) and then add postage (thank god for the postage machine!).

5. Check my copy of Boss's Planner to see what he has going on for the day and decide what files to pull and start working on. I am smart and photo copy his calendar every few days so I can have it at my desk.

6. Get interrupted by various clients coming in, and more phone calls.

7. Check voice mail.

8. See Kelly. Force self to smile. Listen to Kelly talk about Kelly. Act interested/concerned/sympathetic.

9. Boss gets back from court. Always smiles and makes a joke. Then grumbles about the messages I have taken as he walks back to his office.

10. Go to lunch, usually with my father. Hey! Free food!

11. Greet the Runner, and the FedEx guy, followed by the mail man.

12. Make small talk with old guy who works there and comes out to get candy from the candy bowl at least 8 times a day.

13. Sneak into Boss's office while he's not in there to see what changes/additions he has made in his calendar. *Always* get caught in the act and have to act guilty for being in there because he likes that, lol.

14. Check clock. Oh god, it's only 2:45.....

15. Get really busy again when everyone starts calling at once. This always happens when Boss starts returning calls all at once, leaving messages for those who don't answer but who call back within minutes of *his* call. They always sound suspicious when I tell them he's on the phone and insist that he *JUST* called. Yeah, but you didn't answer so he moved on to the next message...

16. Notice that it's all of a sudden 4:25 and Kelly is leaving (because hello, she's off at 4:30). How does she leave early every freaking day? I don't get it.

17. Make note to self that I will leave on time today (right at 5:30) and figure out what I need to finish up.

18. Boss comes out with last minute things to do, usually preparing documents to go with the runner to courthouse. This involves copies, typing up a Proof of Service and mailing the PoS to whoever is being served. And the phone keeps ringing.

19. Race against clock to finish up the work because I'll be damned if I stay late today...

20. Notice that it's 5:35 *sigh* Make coffee for next day, straighten desk, make sure Boss has file for tomorrow's court in his briefcase, turn off radio and do a once over of the office.

21. 5:50. Swear to self that *tomorrow* I will leave on time. Say goodbye to everyone in office and leave.

So, that is an average day for me. Some days I could add that my boss breaks into song, usually stuff I've never heard before. I also mildly flirt with Bridgette because Kelly hates it. I know. That is wrong. I just like her a lot. I still can't stand Kelly. She was a bitch to me yesterday. I kinda wondered if it was just my imagination, but then today she actually asked how I was! And then she *apologized* for how she acted yesterday!!! And then! She asked me if I would be willing to work on a Friday that she wants off. *rolls eyes* Of course.

What I would really like is to know what *your* day consists of. Some of you have expressed what you do in general terms, but I am really curious. Do you have to dress up? Do you see clients? Do you answer phones? I want to know what YOUR typical day is like. Does your day fly by or drag on?

:: rant :: Ugh

I knew treading into the political threads was a bad idea. There is so much I want to learn, and would love to discuss, but certain posters, no actually, I'll name her, Singer, makes it impossible for me to go in there. Her ridiculous habit of starting every sentence in the subject line is obnoxious and I find her insufferable. I always have to go back up and read the subject line so her posts make sense (and that's still a stretch). Congratulations Geg, I now have someone I avoid more than you. Does anyone remember when Singer was new? I thought her posting habit was similar to mattben in that it was just plain weird. She kept starting political threads and there were so many that a few would just fall off the first page. Yet she kept coming back... I'm actually shocked she's still there.


Ugh. /rant

P.S. Thank cod for you guys who are trying to keep it fun over there. I know there is a place for politics there, but I'm starting to think it's not for me.

So...

Busy times here, as usual. Working 4 days a week is going ok, but I have to admit, it's still not easy for me. I've had to buy clothes, too. And new shoes, of course. *grin*

Kelly and I are getting along ok but I swear to god she is the biggest, whiny, crybaby I've ever known. Every. Freaking. Day, I have to hear about a kink in her neck, a weird bruise that came out of nowhere, a stomach-ache, a headache, a younameit...always something. And always *so* much worse than anything you might have. *rolls eyes*



On the bright side, I still adore my boss. Despite the crappiest of conditions, he is always nice to me. Except today when he said I looked like Johnny Cash, lol. Then he changed it to someone in the Osbourne family. I was wearing all black. *snort* He's a dork.



I've also become pretty good friends with another guy at the office named Dave. He recommended a foreign film to me and I rented it this weekend. He later apologized to me because when he really thought about it, he remembered how risque it was, lol. And I have to admit, *lots* of frontal male nudity! But it was a really good movie. If you're interested, it is called Y Tu Mama Tambien. Highly sexual, and a very good movie. He said he watched it with english voice-overs as opposed to english subtitles (which is how I watched it). It was an easy movie to watch compared to some of the darker ones I've seen. I love the main actor...here's his pic: (and he was in another one of my favorite films called 'Amores Perros')

Today he made me a list of Classic movies I should rent.

So that's about it for now. I've got a full week and a busy weekend planned. Oh! And I saw the movie Ghost Town. It was *REALLY* good, IMO. I would recommend it to anyone. I'll probably see it again.

Randoms

• Back to School night was tonight. Jess has 4 male teachers. The art teacher was *very* young and kinda cute. I can't imagine having him when I was that age.

• I ran into some very old friends while there and it was really odd. Actually, the man was my old boss from when I worked at Circuit City, but we all became friends back then when I lived with my brother and his wife. I recognized them immediately, though neither of them could place *me* right away. The only thing I can think of is that the last time I saw them, they were already adults whereas I was only 18 or so, so maybe I've changed a lot? They remembered exactly who I was once I told them my name, they just didn't recognize me. They looked exactly the same, lol. Though they are now divorced, I was glad to see them united as a family for the child's sake.

• In other odd news, as I was driving down the boulevard tonight, my DH mentioned that power must me out at the Taco Bell. As we got closer.... nope. Taco Bell was GONE. There *was* a pile of rubble, but it was shocking to see. Where did the taco bell go and why? I'm so puzzled over this. I'm hoping MTW will come along and shed some light on it.

• Last thing, has anyone here ever driven past the work place of a friend who you have no current relationship with because you were accused of being obsessed with them? Is there a reason you would ever track down someone's work if you are not going to be making contact? I'm just a little rattled after finding out my friend Jenn drove past my brother's workplace today. He had to distance himself from her last year because her behavior toward him seemed really unhealthy. She's married, pregnant and on the verge of divorce. I think she has *serious* mental problems and I'm alarmed. When is it normal to drive past someone's work like that? Have you ever done that to a "platonic" friend whom you supposedly have no interest in?

Karaoke?

I found out tonight that one of the attorneys at the office goes to bars and sings karaoke on a regular basis. I was floored. This guy is almost 60 (and looks older), and is a majorly conservative single guy who seems to have issues with being shy. At least that was *my* take on him. He just seems...awkward. He flies (and owns a plane), he sits in as a pro tem judge all the time and is a criminal law attorney. I don't know why, but he just doesn't seem like the bar-hopping, karaoke singing kind of guy to me, lol. My boss had told me about it months ago and I accused him of lying, lol. Today at the office (I went in with my mom to help her get some stuff done) , Russ asked me into the break room with Daryl and asked him to tell me about his night life. Daryl started talking about all kinds of clubs, bars and places he goes. He said sometimes after leaving court he'll just stop in and sing a song somewhere. *snort* I'm not sure why I find this so amusing, maybe you'd have to know him to get it, but I'm just enormously intrigued by it.

Which leads me to, do YOU karaoke? Daryl told me about his first time and how it all happened, and I told him that I did it once in a group on a cruise ship. I would *never* sing alone though. It's just not me. I admire those that do. Daryl acknowledged that he thinks he "is making a fool of himself", but for whatever reason, he still does it. Have you done it? If not, what would it take for you to do it?

Personally, I want to make plans to go somewhere sometime and watch it. That's what I'm better at. :)

Another Picture Update

Because they are so much easier. :D


Ok, so this pic was taken in August when the kids and I went to the local creek (while in Quincy). It looks so pretty, but in reality, there are little bugs everywhere and even little things swimming around in the water. *yuck*


This was taken about halfway up the mountain during our hike. This is called "sled hill" because it's the hill we used for sledding in the winter when I was a kid. It doesn't look as steep as it really is. You can see my car at the bottom (if it enlarges when you click on it).



I love this one of the twins. We were at the river and they actually look like they get along, here. lol.

My nephew with his first doll. I just thought it was cute. :)

And now for Donner pics; me and the kids (Jess had awful allergies and was all puffed out. She'd kill me for posting this). Look how my boy towers over me. :o Also, it looks like I have tiny feet here, lol!

My friend Jenn. She is 5 months pregnant but looks more like 7 or 8. Can't wait to see how she looks in a couple months.

Just because we look hung over doesn't mean we were! (ok, maybe we were, lol) Sunglasses hide so much...



Me and the girls.


And last but not least, a not so great picture of my boss. We were in my brother's room here and he was getting flack from my brother for using his favorite coffee cup, lol. The reason I posted this pic was because I wanted to share (yet again) how awesome my boss is. When he was over that night (pictured) he told me that he was going to have a "Tankful Day" each month. He said one day a month, I get to ask him to fill my car with gas. Today, I filled it up. $57! He makes it hard to want to ever leave his office!

Too tired...

to really update. I have some pics I want to share from the weekend, and I will, but not tonight.

I almost fell asleep on the way to work this morning. The traffic was so bad that a 20 minute drive took me 50 minutes and I was 5 minutes late to work. :( When I walked in, my boss saw me and tapped on his watch. I apologized and explained how long it had taken and his response was amazing. He was absolutely disgusted and he felt awful for me. He genuinely wasn't the least bit concerned about my being late. He said something about either moving the office closer to me or moving my start time. We were kinda joking and that was the end of it for the day. But when I went to leave, it came up again and he asked me if it would be easier on me if I just left at 9 every morning. I told him it would be awesome and he said that was my new start time. :) I told him I would stay until 5:30 and he agreed (which is easy because I stay late almost every day anyways, lol). He asked if it would work out with my kids because he knows that my main concern is being home for them. I was just so surprised at how he didn't hesitate to change things for *my* comfort. I had just assumed I would have to start leaving earlier every day and deal with the drive (it's worse because all the schools are in session now, I guess).

I no longer dread going to work because of Kelly, either. We seem to be in a good place. So that's one update about *one* area of my life. About 4 million to go...lol.

Quick side note~ I'm enjoying Big Brother a lot this season. In the past, I hated people so much it made me sick to see them advance. It's been nice to see people that I actually kinda like, getting so far. At this point, while I definitely have a favorite (Dan), I really won't mind who wins either way. People complain about it being a "boring cast" but c'mon, we can't have *everything*. At least we have some decent people in there at this stage in the game.

Busy week ahead

Looks like I'll be going to Donner Lake again this weekend, like I did last year at around the same time. I'm working this week and then leaving on Friday. Did I mention that my boss asked me to work another day each week? I was really hesitant but could also use the money, so I agreed to work flexible hours each Wednesday (up to around 5 hours unless he specifically asks me for more). I guess I'm ok with this development. I feel like I'm slowly being introduced to the "real world", lol. But anyways, Donner will be nice, I think. It's a much smaller group going this time. I still don't know where my camera is, darnit.

In other, frustrating news, I still need a new cell phone. Mine is not wanting to charge anymore. I fell in love with this one (make sure you see the backside!). I am curious though, do you think it looks too young for me? My boss' daughter has one and I thought it was adorable. Does it look like a kid phone?

Better late than never

Things that make me happy...

• ~new shoes
• ~new purses
• ~finding the above mentioned in perfect condition at a thrift store. :)
• ~chocolate
• ~hard grapes
• ~bloggy friends
• ~mysteries
• ~travel
• ~my children
• ~my brother who just might be my (other) best friend
• ~music that moves me
• ~warm laundry
• ~the big "O" (c'mon, I used to be the "smut queen" so I think this is allowed)
• ~going to lunch with my dad
• ~unexpected time alone
• ~stargazing, especially with a friend (better seeing shooting stars with someone, than alone)
• ~going to the movies
• ~talking on the phone with a good friend

Alrighty, this was late in coming but the time was right, I think. I hope everyone has a great and safe holiday weekend. Have a good one!

rambling...

I have nothing in particular to say so I'm not sure why I am compelled to update but here goes;

One, Seana, you are one of the least whiny people I know. I miss being able to comment on your blog. That is all. :)

Two, I have some serious issues with OT right now but don't know how to express them. I *will* say (possibly to the disdain of some of my bloggy friends) that the women's worth thread is irritating the hell out of me. I'm certainly not going to argue that sexism does not exist and that some have been personally effected by it, but I will say that in that thread, some women are really looking for an argument. When someone comes in and says they haven't seen it (sexism), or that their spouse is paid equally, they are prodded to explain themselves as if they are somehow in disagreement with it. I guess that I either live in a bubble, or that some women are *looking* for the inequality. I think this spans across issues besides this one, as well. I can't say I have ever felt unfairly treated nor do I know anyone who has. *shrug* YMMV

Three, I am sick and tired of the hateful posts made on OT. I don't know if I am biased for some reason or what, but I feel that some of the more "open-minded liberals" are far more bigoted towards conservatives than the other way around. I can't tell you how often I agree with what a liberal leaning peep is saying, but am so turned off by their holier than thou tone, I end up walking away seething. /rant

Guess I did have something to say after all. I'm in a mood, so I apologize for unloading like this here, but where better to do it than your own blog?

See Seana? You? Are not whiny at all. :)

More pics??

Sorry, I couldn't help it. My aunt sent these to us tonight. We took them last weekend at the river. They look blurry to me, but apparently she is going to fix them before printing them. I might be tempted to share a couple more when we get them (these are just a preview). Thanks for indulging me, guys.





My nephew Ryan. He was the most cooperative for the pics, lol.

My DD. :)

My DS. :)

All the cousins.