Month of August, 2001

Too Tired to Go Out

My girlfriend from work called a little while ago to get me to go out. A friend ended up picking her up and was willing to pick me up as well. Who am I to turn down a free ride to and from Dallas? Yet I turned them down. The idea of finding enough energy to socialize with strangers in a loud club until very late at night was completely draining. Besides, I have Grandma Lucci's 90th birthday party tomorrow. I want to be able to enjoy myself as this is the first (and probably the last) 90th birthday party I have ever attended. So I'm off to bed which Tiger has already beaten me to.

Sarcastic People

Karen e-mailed, "What exactly is wrong with sarcastic people??? Most of the time I prefer them, because they know how to look at life (sideways)."

Nothing is wrong with sarcastic people, it's just that they're not my favorite to be around. And it feels like I've been around more than my fair share of sarcastic friends recently. Maybe it's a sign that I'm not comfortable with myself; therefore, I'm not comfortable with people joking all the time. I think it has more to do with my personality and what I'm drawn to. We tend to like people who are like us. I'm serious and I like serious people. But, yeah, maybe I should try to look at life sideways a little more often.

Lay Down

So I got home from work and decided to lay down before going out. Needed to catch up on some sleep. Should have known better. Now I have about as much energy as a wet noodle. My girlfriend from work called to say her car isn't functioning thus won't be going out. My car is working fine so I could pick her up but I just don't want to. Leaving the house doesn't seem like a good idea tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

You know what I want to do?

I want to go to New Braunfels and kayak or canoe down the Guadalupe River since they've gotten a ton of rain this week. Anyone game?

Spontaneous Socialization

I spontaneously went out for drinks last night. I know, on a work night! The first time I met Mark was at the DFWblogs happy hour a couple weeks ago though we didn't talk much at the time. We ended up emailing yesterday evening and just went out.

So tonight, I met Mark at the Elbow Room which ends up being this delicious little out of the way pub. It was his choice and a mighty fine one! I arrived late which is no surprise to me but quite possibly an annoyance to him. We didn't talk formally about my tardiness so I'm not sure how he feels. Some people don't mind, whereas others get completely infuriated. It's not something that bothers me personally, but I'm always at least 10-15 minutes late when going to social functions. (Work is a different story so I always arrive on time.) I guess I was a bit concerned on the drive over that Mark would be yet another person that I sortof enjoyed (I guess "sortof enjoyed" should be defined someday) but didn't really connect with on anything. Yeah, he's got a blog...yeah, he does computer work...blah, blah...but that's not enough for me to really like someone and want to spend time with them again. Maybe I'm too picky. But Mark ended up being on a level much higher than "sortof enjoyed."

We talked about life histories and jobs and family and art. Mark is thoughtful. Mark is able to have a serious conversation. (Which is such a relief after hanging out with so many constantly sarcastic folks.) Mark is honest. We talked about growing up and college and relationships and travel. We talked a lot about travel. It was so enjoyable a conversation that I ignored my watch and ended up staying an hour later than intended. Which is going to make today a long day.

I wish I could have written down the way Mark talked about his experience at an art Museum yesterday. He was so passionate about what he saw and what he felt and what he thought. It's been way too long since I've interacted with someone who is thoughtful and can vocalize it. Our conversation about St. Peter's and the Vatican was much the same way. Especially when talking about our experiences in those places. It was really a surprisingly fulfilling conversation...with a perfect stranger. The whole evening was perfect for my mood - the bar, the conversation, the drinks, the music - right down to the rain that urged us quickly into our cars.

Long

Work was long today. I'm still in training class and today was a bit tough. We've moved on to the more complex parts of the software. My brain is tired. Hell, I'm tired. Been staying up too late the past few nights video chatting. Tim was giving me shit about needing to get out more often. He's right. But I enjoy sitting at home yet still talking to friends. So if you ever want to chat, let me know, I'll probably be up for it!

It rained and rained today. It's such a nice relief from hot weather. I was actually thinking today that summer is almost over and autumn is on its way. My how time flies. I know I'll be pulling out jackets and long sleeves before I know it. Seasons change so fast in Texas!

A coworker invited me out dancing and drinking tomorrow night. She said she wanted to meet one of her friends...his name is John. That should be enough for me. I'm not much for getting set up. AND his name is John. Definitely a sign. But I'm going to go because I need to get out more often. Plus she seems like a really cool girl and I want to get to know her better. Maybe if I try, I'll even get excited about it.

Drempt about teaching last night. The weirdest thing since I'm so far removed from teaching. I guess being in class brought on the teacher nightmares. I'm so glad I'm not doing that anymore. That was one tough year.

So Burning Man is happening this week. I wish I was there. But I'm thankful I have a job since so many people do not.

Check out Mena's silent films!

Small World

Driving through West Texas this past weekend, I stopped to buy gas and started contemplating the world. The thing I don't understand is how a middle eastern guy can end up working in a gas station outside a town with a population of 333. How in the world did he end up there?

Comments

I learn something new every day.

I just learned that bread companies change the color of the twist ties in relation to the date the product was made.

Training

I'm in training all day today and tomorrow. It's a nice change to get some formal training in a classroom setting after I've been teaching most of it to myself for the past two weeks. Gosh, I can't believe I've only been here 2.5 weeks. Where does the time go?! Well, I know where it goes...staying up too late video chatting. Of course I was going to get in bed early last night but got sucked in. If it's any consolation, I had a blast talking with complete strangers and some friends last night. When the DSL burped at midnight, I figured it was a sign for me to go to sleep. The alarm went off too early this morning.

There are 10 men in my training class. The instructor and I are the only women. It's weird. Where are all the women in the business world? I know they're out there. All the women I know work for a living. So they've got to be out there somewhere. Right?

Quote of the Day

"Like a thermos - how does it know whether it's hot or cold?"

Karen & Sophie

Karen and I hung out yesterday after work. She looked so cute wrapped up in a blanket, expressing her point that I had to take a picture. That's Sophie, her dog, on the couch "watching TV." (Which is what we call it when the dogs sit and look out the window at all the goings on in the street.)

Windows Parody

This is a parody of Windows OS. Please keep in mind that I love Windows and Microsoft. But even to me, this is really funny...especially the dll errors.
- Link via Groundscape

Sentimental

I'm feeling so sentimental today. It's amazing how a little cloud cover and a few slow songs can make me feel like this. I'd better get away from the computer before I start telling some really intense stories.

Back from Amarillo

I feel like I was on another planet all weekend. Coming back to Dallas from Amarillo is culture shock to say the least. It was so good for me to get out of the big city, see the country, spend hours in the car thinking, and be in Amarillo with a good friend.

There's just something about West Texas that makes me sentimental. Bobby and I were discussing it on Saturday as a beautiful storm rolled into town. The storms in West Texas are the best because the ground is so flat you can see them coming forever. Despite seeing it coming, it always feels very sudden and violent. Saturday's was mild in comparison to most though I did get a night film of grit from the sand blowing. Then the rain came and brought instant temperature relief. Rain in the desert is so magical. The clouds were completely mesmerizing during the drive back yesterday. There is such little land once you get far enough west and everything flattens out. The sky seems to triple in size and you can see forever.

Friday night the drive was calming after a long day at the office. One-on-one classroom training was scheduled for me Friday but I got very little due to outside circumstances. I was going to leave the office feeling slightly frustrated, but my boss caught me just in time. He made me look at the bigger picture and left me with a good feeling. Traffic was surprisingly light on the way out of town and before I knew it I was one of only a few on the road. Little towns flew by and all ran together. I listened to the audio version “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” rather than listening to music. When I did finally stop for dinner three hours into my drive, I actually had to ask the Dairy Queen clerk what town I was in. I knew I was far away from home when I couldn’t understand the town’s name due to his think accent. After it got dark and back in the car, I watched a lightening show for the better part of an hour. There was something strangely satisfying about being one of only a few cars on the road as it got later and later. Just outside of Amarillo, six hours after I started, I listened to No Doubt’s “Simple Kind of Life” half a dozen times. The lines that I can’t get out of my head are “For a long time I was in love
Not only in love, I was obsessed” and “The longer that I wait the more selfish that I get.” It was 11 o’clock by the time I got to Bobby’s.

Spending the weekend with Bobby was great. We’re comfortable. I think that’s one of the best benefits of knowing someone for a long time. Bobby and I just hung out, getting to know each other better. And we ate tons of great food! (Sushi was awesome.) The highlight of the weekend was seeing ART by Yasmina Reza, the play Bobby co-starred in. It was in a new theater in Amarillo, which is just fabulous. I really enjoyed seeing Bobby’s acting abilities which I had always heard about but never seen. And ART, which was on Broadway not long ago, is a very interesting play.

Saturday and Sunday flew by. It was suddenly time for the drive back. Bobby will probably be performing in another play in a month or so which means I’ll probably make another trip out west. I’ve got to get my fill of the land and the sky. Plus seeing a good friend never hurts. There’s just something about West Texas that makes me feel more connected. More connected to the earth and more connected to people. It’s unexplainable but it’s been like that ever since I set foot in West Texas. Someday I’ll move out there again. But until that happens I’ll just remain wonderfully sentimental.

Quote of the Day

"prepare a bunch of questions...i need prodding....i'm like a cow"
- Adam

Armpit

I stand corrected. Gianni says the armpit of Texas is Beaumont. I once knew a guy from there so I'm going to agree.

PC

The IT guy walked by this morning and said, "Hi, Beautiful." Is that politically correct office behavior?

Amarillo Bound

Supposed to be training one on one with a trainer today. He's already an hour and a half late. So I'm screwing around. Trying to get Jabber working on my machine...without luck. Guess I'll screw around some more at home. However, I won't be doing any of it this weekend because I'll be computerless. *gasp* Yep, I'm going to Amarillo, Texas, this weekend. (And as one might guess they don't have computers there. Plenty of cowboys but no computers.) Going to the panhandle to visit Bobby. Believe it or not but I'm really looking forward to the 6 hour drive tonight. Just as long as I don't run into any livestock on the highway.

The map is to help out those Texas-illiterate out there. Look for Amarillo on the top left side of the state...that's the "panhandle." Otherwise referred to as the "armpit." Any questions?

McDonald's Monopoly

No wonder I never got a winning game piece. Did you hear about the McDonald's monopoly scam?
- Link via NextDraft

Cooking Dinner

Cooking dinner and boy am I hungry! Being ridiculously impatient at the moment. Maybe I should go outside and smoke...yeah, smoking always curbs the appetite.

Adam's Desk

Check out this amazing desk Adam designed.

Women's Language

"OH. This word followed by any statement is trouble. For example - "Oh, let me get that",which actually means you are obviously incapable and incompetent and cannot possibly complete the task to her particular standard."

Quote of the Day

"I wouldn't recommend learning machine language programming for the Timex Sinclair computer. (If there are any of those left, they aren't good for much more than a door stop.)"
- Thank you, Philip, for this enlightening piece of information.

DFW Blogs Happy Hour!

So I went to DFW Blogger happy hour last night. It was definitely strange driving over there, wondering what everyone was going to be like. It's been so long since I've gone to hang out with a whole group of strangers. I felt like I was going on a blind date. I had sent email to Leia a couple times, Matt and I IMed, but no real conversation. Ends up everyone was very nice and all had personalities! I know people who aren't in all the internet stuff worry that those of us who are have lost all social skills. Well, this group definitely hasn't! Conversation flowed all evening.

Leia is a web designer who works with Denise. Apparently they work as a team for a small company. Denise does the designing and Leia does the coding. I didn't get to talk to Denise as we were too far apart at the table. But next time. I got the feeling that Denise and Charles are a couple but I didn't get details. Leia struck me as being tall when she got up from the table, but I couldn't tell you how tall. She also seemed a little uncomfortable with the hostess position though she's very friendly. I enjoyed talking with her. Hopefully we'll get to spend more time together in the future. I are always need more women in my life.

It appears that Cheri will be taking over Leia's hostess role. She's extremely outgoing which will serve us well. Cheri is also a web designer but from hearing her talk, I'd say she's done everything else under the sun as well. Cheri is married to Trent aka. Gianni. Don't worry, I'm not just assuming this one - I actually asked. They are a great couple. Both are outgoing but neither dominates the conversation. It seems like they really have a fun, fun time together. I was thinking on the drive home that they are also people I could hang out with again. Being married without children isn't as bad as I think it is. (Being married with children is.)

Amanda is my fellow "young and single" blogger. Actually, I don't know if she's single or not but she didn't bring a husband, girlfriend, or significant other. Amanda just moved to Denton to attend UNT. Exciting stuff...I remember how incredible my first couple of years in college were. You know the cool thing? It only got better...and continues to get better! Amanda is active in organizing Fray Day in Austin.

Pat made it clear in the beginning that he doesn't have a blog. But what he failed to mention is that he does have a site. Kinda made me laugh. Pat came with Lyn (who does have a blog). I didn't talk with Lyn much - again poor table placement. (And I purposely sat in the middle of the table!) Pat is a photographer which was very exciting for me to hear. I saw his page briefly last night but can't seem to open it at work today. But our IT guy came over and confirmed my suspicion that the firewall is being more protective than it should. Hopefully he'll get that fixed soon so I can access the normal things. Pat and Lyn seem to be a couple as well. Didn't ask but am pretty sure they were holding hands.

(God, don't I sound awful with all this couple stuff?! I'm just hyper-aware of it ever since Summer's wedding...I'm tired of being the only single person. Yet not tired enough to settle on some schmuck.)

Mark and Josh came in together and seem to know each other. All I caught was they found out about happy hour last minute and decided to come.

Jason works at Yahoo and reminds me a bit of John (the ex). He was discussing DFW Blogs ideas with Leia from which makes me think he's quite smart. This is simply because he started talking about rather complex ways to do things. Trent popped in with a simpler idea but Jason wouldn't have any of it - something about doing it the hard way. It impressed me that Jason got up from the table to answer his cell phone. Nice to see someone with some manners. I gathered that he's married since he left to go work out with his wife. Looking forward to meeting her one of these days.

Matt brought his girlfriend, Elizabeth? We didn't have a chance to talk but maybe next time. Matt had an interesting story about showing up to work and not being able to get in the building. It's funny how locks get changed when your company doesn't pay rent. Also working there is Chad. Caught the tail end of a hilarious discussion about getting things they needed before the company went under. Something about hard drives... Chad also brought his wife but for the life of me, I can't remember her name. I just remember thinking I wouldn't have guessed them to be a couple. But there's so much in this world that surprises me - I should quit being surprised.

Interesting, interesting. There was already talk of another get together. Hopefully I have enough time before next time to delve a little deeper into people's blogs. That's the fun part about blogs to me, I get to know all sorts of personal information about someone without having to really know them. Maybe the next time we get together we'll all be feeling like old friends.

When I got home last night, Dave gave me shit about actually meeting bloggers in my area. Apparently he had a weird experience with meeting someone in his area. But what he doesn't realize is that he lives in California - there's way more weird, creepy, messed up people there than there are here. I think he's also jealous that my experience turned out better than his. AND that I'm more social than he is. But, he'll be the first to point out my site isn't as popular as his. Oh the blurred lines between reality and internet.

DFW Bloggers

Went out with DFW Bloggers tonight. Met the following interesting people.
Leia
Amanda
Cheri
Trent
Lyn
Pat
Mark
Jason
Josh
Denise
Charles
Matt
Chad
Guess I've got a lot of reading to do. Will write more about what I think tomorrow. Too tired at the moment...relaxing.

Interesting Email

"i saw/heard dieselboy spin here in houston a year ago at the hangar. it was some bad ass jungle. i bought some totally bunk vitamins, though. but that didn't lessen the experience of one badass dj."
- interesting email

Pretty

mecawilson.com

Matt Wilson is one of the best writers I've read in awhile. I really enjoyed this analogy.
- Link via RedCricket

Rockin

Work is going really well right now. I think I wow-ed my boss yesterday with a little bit of critical thinking. He took me over to QA to show me off. I'm feeling totally flattered. It's so nice to feel successful at something. I just can't quit thinking back to my previous jobs where too often my shortcomings were the focus. Here, already, the focus is on my strengths.

Drinkin
Leia from DFW Blogs has arranged a happy hour tonight. This is for some bloggers in the area to meet each other. I'm pretty sure I'll go though I'm quite tired at the moment. Woke up this morning at 5am with stomach cramps. (Stomach cramps?! I know, I'm scared something is seriously wrong with my insides right now.) But I'm looking forward to meeting with a group of strangers. Geeky people are always a great excuse for drinks. And if things are really bad, I can just sit back and watch. I'm sure at least one person will have some personality. If I'm really lucky we won't have that one person who has to have all the attention all the time.

Definition of the Day

Optimistically Realistic - "the type that hopes for the best but isn’t overly disappointed when the best doesn’t happen"

GrooveRadio

Techno music is good. I'm listening to GrooveRadio, drinking coffee, and teaching myself work software. What an excellent morning.

Harry Potter Characters

Bill Weasley?! I'm most like Bill Weasley?! But I want to be like Hermione Granger!

What Harry Potter character are you most like?

Are You Drunk Qualifications

Check out this list. I think I was just saying something about number one today.

What a Day.

What a day, what a day. I'm exhausted. This morning was pretty normal. Just solving some problems that co-workers had given me to see how well I know the software. Fun, fun stuff. Kinda like the brain teasers I used to do in 6th grade math. Had lunch with Tim. Had a fabulous salad at California Pizza Kitchen. I will say that's one good thing that came out of California!

I spent the afternoon helping a salesperson and a marketing analyst prepare a presentation for a company. It was fascinating even though we didn't get all the necessary data. I also got to sit in on a meeting where the company told them what they want from our software and how to present it to the check-writers. It was very, very interesting. I was fascinated by the IT guy at the other company who was a complete ass. He was not helpful in anyway when the data he gave us wasn't matching the product. He was purposefully combative for little or no reason. I think he enjoyed playing the devil's advocate to some extent. Why do people have to be like that? Let us do what we have to do, help us as much as you can, then decide whether or not our software is what you want. That's all. You don't have to be a jackass about it. People who enjoy conflict never cease to amaze me. I guess it's the middle child syndrome.

Anyhow, it was a long but interesting afternoon. I had no idea I'd be doing this sort of thing when I got a customer support job. But I guess this is one of the many perks of working for a smaller company. Super cool stuff. It's such a change from my last job where I surfed all day. Thank goodness for change.

Friday night went out with

Friday night went out with Scotty. Just one on one which is how I enjoy the world best. It was a very laid back evening which fit my mood perfectly. Though Scotty and I have known each other since high school, we realized there's a lot we don't know about each other. I learned that he went to Burning Man a couple years ago. I also learned his favorite color but forgot.

Saturday saw Shrek with Karen and Phil (otherwise refered to as "beautiful boy.") Shrek is a great movie - the best I've seen in a long, long time. I think Karen said that as soon as the movie was over and I totally agreed. Phil couldn't quit laughing over the part where the princess accidentally blows up a bird and then cooks its eggs. There's something not quite right about that.

Spent a greater part of Saturday sitting around talking with Phil. Really enjoyed his company. It's such a shame I can't make new friends in my own city.

Saturday night Phil and I went to Zen. Karen stayed home since she's been sick since Thursday and really needed to sleep. We saw the whole College Station crew, heard some good music, and had a few drinks. I got to see Adam, who was in town for the weekend. It was really nice to sit back and talk. Overall, it was an extremely pleasant evening.

Today I slept in late, took a nap, and hung out at the house. It was a perfect Sunday for sure.

The most beautiful boy is

The most beautiful boy is in our house. One of Karen's friends from college who lives in Houston. He's cute and funny yet seems to have a serious side. He's definitely clever. AND he's a programmer. Damn. I've got to get out of here.

Off to Dallas for drinks with Scotty, an old friend from high school.

Yeah, I was talking about

Yeah, I was talking about you...

My ears are burning...

My ears are burning...

It's Friday. It's rainy. You

It's Friday. It's rainy. You should have heard the thunder and lightning this morning. It was a much needed break in the sunshine. Hopefully all weekend will be rainy as well. I just want to lay around and listen to the rain. Though somehow I doubt I'll be able to do that. There's lots going on this weekend and I think Karen's going to drag me out. (Not like I'll really mind.) It's good that it's Friday and I leave in 15 minutes.

The only thing that's on my mind...I miss Lion-O.

Went out with new co-workers

Went out with new co-workers after work. Wow, it was a new and very cool experience. I actually enjoyed myself. When I was a teacher I would occasionally go out with other teachers but inevitably conversation always went back to school and students. When I was waiting tables, I didn't really fit in with all the 19 year olds though I tried. When I was at IBM, I didn't socialize with anyone outside of work since they were all my parents age. It's such a relief to work with young people who are interesting and have personalities. I don't think there is anyone that I even feel the slightest big uncomfortable with. THAT's amazing. But it also hasn't been a week yet...in time I'm sure I'll have preferences. Right now I'm just going to enjoy it. I'm so happy.

In the kitchen here at

In the kitchen here at the office, there is a box of Sweet Dreams tea. It struck me as the wrong tea for an office. But nobody asked me.

It's a quiet morning in

It's a quiet morning in the office. I'm about to do more self-training on the first of three (maybe more) programs I need to learn. Slow going as it always is at the beginning. I have a tendancy not to be as patient with myself as I should. Luckily my manager is very patient with me and tells me to take my time. I'm going to try to enjoy this training time because it'll be the only time I have it for a long, long time.

I can't believe I just

I can't believe I just read this whole article.

From Stuff and Stuff "When

From Stuff and Stuff
"When guys in the mens' restroom wash their hands, they get water everywhere. It doesn't matter if you find yourself in the Ritz Carlton, or in some roadside gas station, you are guaranteed to find water around the sink, on the counter, on the floor, on the mirror, on the bowl...everywhere.

When you're 6' tall the edge of the counter hits you about a half-a-dozen inches below the waist.

When you lean in towards the mirror to take a closer look at that zit on your nose, you get the most interesting spots on your pants that are even more interesting to try to explain."

I'm afraid women aren't any better about water on the counter. It's just not something you have to explain when you're only 4'11".

Red Square Show A nice

Red Square Show
A nice flash intro.

Comments

Brains Blown Out / Make Out Club

Brains Blown Out
Make Out Club

New Job The long and

New Job
The long and short of it is my new job rocks. The people I work with are incredible! Everyone is super nice, relaxed, funny, comfortable, and intelligent. There really doesn't appear to be that one person who everyone dislikes. WOW. My manager is AMAZING! He was so complimentary of me yesterday and really honest with me. I think the thing that made me feel the best was him saying that when I interviewed I had zero chance of getting the job. They had already chose someone who spoke 4 languages. But once they met me (what did I say about getting a job if I can get an interview?) he changed his mind. That was the best compliment I've gotten in a long time. And you know what else? My manager actually said that he wants me to be happy in my job. WOW. I don't think anyone has ever said that to me in the workplace. I'm so overwhelmed by my good fortune. I don't care what anyone says, coworkers can make or break a job. And I think these are going to make this one.

LAN Update: It's UP!!!!
Jason came over last night to supply the networking support that I so desperately needed. Turns out I wasn't doing quite as badly as I had thought. There were some problems configuring the hub with the DSL modem. DirectTV has been an excellent DSL provider for me thus far and I have to say I was mighty impressed with their tech support last night. David, who supports DirectTV DSL our of Portland, Oregon, was not only helpful but also hilarious. With both Jason and I talking/flirting with him, he could have easily been overwhelmed. Luckily he was a good sport and we got the problem solved. (Really, the boys got the problem solved, I was just flirting.) Jason and I laughed later about what he could have been thinking about two wackos from Texas. I'm going to have to visit David someday...nah, not really...now it would be a different story if he had given us the admin password. Bottom line, the LAN is set up and Karen is back in her room giggling at how fast the DSL is compared to dial-up. And I'm in the office giggling because I don't have to ask Karen to get off the phone. Now I just have to get Kristen to turn on her computer more often.

Off to another day at the office I'm actually looking forward to going to!

LAN & New Job

I'm frustrated. I've been working on setting up our LAN and I just can't get everything working. It's annoying to not know everything about something. I have a vague understanding of all parts of a network but not detailed enough understanding to do this easily. My brain is fried. I'm frustrated so I'm quitting for tonight. Tomorrow is a new day. And my network guru, Jason, has agreed to come over and help me. My goal is to have both of my sister's computers connected to the internet by Friday. That way I have a big time window to screw up in.

Going to Amarillo this weekend to visit Bobby. He's in a play so I'll be seeing his acting abilities for the first time on Saturday. Exciting.

Start my new job tomorrow. I'm SO excited. Kinda like the first day of school...remember how that felt? Only I'm not laying my color-coordinated outfit out the night before. I'll just wear whatever I'm in the mood for when I wake up. Oooo, I'm excited!

Went to an Arlington party

Went to an Arlington party tonight. Saw a few people from high school. Not my friends really but friends of my older sister. Wasn't there long and didn't really start any conversations. Just wasn't in the mood, I suppose. Plus I wasn't drinking. Alcohol always makes it easier for me to be social. It was nice though to get out and be at a house party. It's only 10pm so I'm not really ready for bed. Don't guess there's a whole lot more for me to do tonight so I'll just go surf. Too bad there's not as much blogging going on during the weekend as there is during the week.

I'm feeling devious today. Too

I'm feeling devious today. Too bad I'm only going out to lunch with my family and some "cousins." (I use quotes because they aren't blood cousins, but I grew up seeing them more often than my real cousins.)

I would be horrible on

I would be horrible on Real World because I don't like drama. If I want drama I'll go to the movies.

Check out the music on

Check out the music on this site. Cracks me up!
- Thanks to God Made Fried Chicken for the link

Searches

Google is crazy. Someone just found my site while searching "salary comparison tits." Guess they were a bit disappointed in what they found.

Bachelorette party, the happy

Bachelorette party, the happy couple, the bride's party

Friday

This has been a great week. Since I got back from Seattle (which cleared my head and really set me straight) I've been so productive.

• I've more or less gotten my office straightened. I think it's really meant to be a perpetual mess so I'm content when you can actually get in the door.
• I've gotten the yard in good shape.
• I've gotten the pantry set up. We finally got shelves and now how food in an easily accessible location. I'm actually cooking now! Made spagetti and meatballs a couple nights ago. Tonight I made stir-fry and rice.
• I patched and painted my old bedroom at my parents' house. Then I cleaned the carpets. *CarpetAngel*
• The real accomplishment is getting ethernet wires run through the attic. What a lot of work! Our attic is HUGE and of course HOT (like anyone's attic in Texas in the summer). The frustrating part was that I was doing it by myself and when I forgot something or didn't have enough hands/pockets to carry something, I had to walk/stoop/balance/stumble all the way back around. By the time it was all said and done, sweat was dripping in my eyes and I was filthy. But I feel like a badass now so it was all worth it. Tonight I went and bought a hub as well as wall jacks. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get everything set up so Karen and Kristen can finally have DSL in their rooms. Dave was teasing me that we'll be able to IM each other instead of going to each others' rooms.
• Tomorrow Dad and I are working on moving the sprinkler heads from behind the fence. YUCK. Digging holes sucks.

It seems like the week has just flown but in a good way. I start the new job on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it.

Wednesday night Dustin and I saw Bully at the new Angelika Theater. WOW. Talk about a heavy movie. I was thinking about it again today. It just leaves you with a bad taste. But I think maybe that's what makes it good. The fact that you can't just forget. Of course it helps to know its based on a true story...amazes me. I would say go check it out but I'm not sure if this is the kind of movie you recommend.

Listening to Samiam. Haven't heard this in awhile and it fits my mood perfectly.

Can people really cause an

Can people really cause an earthquake?
In this cool science experienment, students in Britain are going to jump simultaneously to see what kind of reading this makes on the earthquake detectors. How come we never did anything this cool in school?

I went out tonight. Yet

I went out tonight. Yet I felt so out of place. I'm not beautiful. I'm not fun. All I kept thinking is how I'd rather be at home having a real conversation with a stranger on my computer. Or better yet having a real conversation with a friend who lives far away. As it seems all my friends live far away. It angers me and annoys me. Why did I even bother going out? I'm going to stay home more. Even if it means being by myself.

Bet you didn't know 'cause

Bet you didn't know 'cause I sure didn't!

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight."

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month or what we know today as the honeymoon.

In ancient England a person could not have sex unless you had consent of the King (unless you were in the Royal Family). When anyone wanted to have a baby, they got consent of the King, the King gave them a placard that they hung on their door while they were having sex. The placard had F.*.*.*. (Fornication Under Consent of the King) on it. Now you knowwhere it came from.

Pregnant but didn't know?! This

Pregnant but didn't know?!
This story of a French woman who didn't know she was pregnant seems difficult to believe. How can you NOT know?!

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Seattle Trip Wednesday morning caught

Seattle Trip
Wednesday morning caught a plane to Seattle. Since I bought a cheap ticket, I had to fly through the Twin Cities (Minneaoplis/St. Paul...why did they ever call it that?) So by the time I got to Seattle it had been a long day. But it was SO good to see Summer and we all had a lovely dinner. Thursday was running errands and bachelorette party that night. The party wasn't raunchy or anything. A group of girls in a mini-van out for dinner and drinks. The funniest was the police officer at one of the bars asking Summer for her ID. Then asking if she had paid all her parking tickets. Summer doesn't even own a car! Of course he was set up to do it and just wished her a wonderful wedding.

We stayed up late, late Thursday night so getting up Friday was tough. We had to load the cars with all the wedding stuff since we were going up the mountains to the resort. Here's what I wrote on the drive up.

"8/3 Friday
Day before the wedding. We are leaving Summer's house and driving towards the mountains. Things were a little stressful. But it's going to be alright. We've got all the major things so if we've forgotten anything we don't need it. My stomach is a little upset. I don't know if it's from all the alcohol last night, the coffee this morning, or the stress. Rachel, Summer, and I are going to pick up the flowers, the cakes, and a few last minute things before going to the resort. I've got a dull ache in my lower back that I've had for the past couple weeks. It's not exactly my back - it feels more like internal organs. What's back there? Kidneys? Liver? I need to get that cked as soon as my insurance kicks in. I forgot to cancel my dentist appointment...crap! Washington is so beautiful - even with it being so cloudy. Gorgeous. Everything is so green. Time crunch is hitting. We left the house way too late this morning and now we have an hour to pick up flowers and cakes. Not enough time. We're going to be late for the rehersal dinner. But it could be worse. It could be the actual ceremony. It's cool to listen toRachel and Summer talk. They have a neat relationship. I like Rachel a lot already. I should quit being so introspective and interact with them."

It ends up that everything worked out just fine. We had plenty of time for all the errands and made it to the reherasal dinner in plenty of time. Friday night we had a wonderful time eating and drinking together with Greg and Summer's families. From the way the rehersal went, it looked like the ceremony might be a bit rough but it wasn't.

Wedding Day
Saturday finally arrived and we had all day to get things ready since Summer and Greg scheduled the ceremony at 5pm. It was a great day. Everything had pretty much been done already. And the few things we had to do were fun. I think for me, getting ready for the ceremony was the most fun. Summer, Rachel, and I were all locked up in the cabin being fru-fru. It was GREAT. The ceremony was beautiful. Greg and Summer wrote their own vows which was really special. Everything was exactly the way they wanted it and it made it very obvious what special people they are. I think my favorite part of the vows was "I will go wherever you go."

After the ceremony we had an awesome party! The food was incredible! The social interaction was wonderful. I love both Summer and Greg's families so it was lots of fun for me. Everyone was relaxed and happy. My parents and Kristen made it up for the wedding which was really nice. I got to dance with my father which is always special. After the ceremony was when I was the busiest since Summer and Greg were socializing. I actually had a fun time working with the caterer and photographer and dj to make sure everyone knew what was going on. Everything went so smoothly all night. I am still in shock there wasn't at least one major problem. Actually, there weren't even any minor ones!

Some more thoughts (in a shortened format):
• I can't wait to see how the photos turned out!! The colors were so great and with the mountains as a backdrop they are going to be amazing!
• I learned that keg stands are pretty much a Texas thing when Summer did one in her wedding dress. Her new father-in-law yelled, "That's a woman!" or something along those lines. It was hilarious! Greg had one leg and Scott, Summer's dad, had the other! It was a memorable moment. I can't wait to someday tell their kids about it!
• Summer's dad had her play David Grey's song, Please Forgive Me, for their dance. It will always, always make me think of them.
• Summer's mom looked absolutely goregous. As did her little sister who was the flower girl.
• The best moment for me was during the ceremony when Greg stumbled just a little bit during his vows because he was emotional. It struck a heart string in me. He and Summer really, really love each other.

Overall it was excellent and practically perfect. A day for two people who love each other a lot and have been through a lot together to make a commitment for the rest of their lives. It was a beautiful thing to be a part of. I consider myself so lucky to be a part of something so special.

I found the comic I

I found the comic I was talking about.

Vacation I'm enjoying my vacation

Vacation
I'm enjoying my vacation to the fullest this week. Well, I'm not really on vacation just between jobs. While I was out running errands this afternoon, I treated myself to a Starbucks Frappaccino. You know, for them being the epitome of corporate evil, their coffee is pretty good.

I've gotten a lot done around the house yesterday and today. The office is actually looking approachable. I just need a few more things up on the walls. And the stack of papers needs to be diminished. I really should get all my bills sent to me electronically. Maybe that will be next week's project.

Here are some pictures from around the house.
Backyard

The freshly cut backyard. If it weren't so hot, it'd be really inviting. Picnic anyone?

Tiger

So that's what he does when I'm not here.

Picture Frames

Yesterday I found a bunch of pictures in frames that haven't been displayed in years. I decided that despite some of them being of ex-boyfriends, they should go out. It's all due to a comic strip I saw a few weeks ago. The jist of the strip was that life is too short for one man. Well, my life hasn't been particularly long just yet but I certainly have never been with just one man. So why not celebrate the fact that I've had some awesome, awesome men in my life throughout the years.

Speaking of men, my "first kiss" emailed while I was out of town. (Yes, many of my boyfriends have titles like that.) Guess I should write him back. You know, my very first kiss was with a guy who lived across the nation. I wonder if that was foreshadowing.

Formal dress: $120.00 Dinner and

Formal dress: $120.00
Dinner and drinks before formal: $80.00
Having a picture passed around on the internet that shows you duct taped your boobs together: PRICELESS

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Finally...men in lingerie! The selling

Finally...men in lingerie!
The selling point - "If women can wear trousers, why can't men wear lace?"
Hidden Vestments.
- Thanks Mena for this eyecandy.

Home Sweet Home I'm home

Home Sweet Home
I'm home from the tremendous wedding weekend, which went off PERFECTLY! At the moment I'm exhausted and am not in any mood to elaborate on my experiences. But I assure you there are lots and lots of things to come. It was an incredible weekend. It's good to be alive.

Since I don't start my new job until next Monday I have all this week off. I'm going to tackle a billion projects around the house. I started this morning by mowing the lawn. Now I think I'm going to attack the office. This is what I consider a working vacation.

Seattle!! I'm in Seattle at

Seattle!!
I'm in Seattle at Summer and Greg's house. Thank goodness for my friends who are connected. We had a lovely evening last night as we went to Salty's an incredible seafood place with an incredible view of downtown Seattle. We got to watch the sun setting on downtown Seattle from across the bay. It was incredible. And the food!!! I had the best Alaskan Halibut ever! Then we went to Tini Bigs for a martini which was a perfect place for all fo us. We hung out at the house until we just couldn't keep our eyes open. I slept like a baby. I think the best part about the Northwest is not having to sleep with the airconditioner on. We had windows open and it's perfect...and quiet. I totally understand why Greg and Summer like it up here so much.

Disaster that didn't happen
Tuesday afternoon I was supposed to pick up my skirt for the wedding from the alterers. Since I'm the maid of honor, having my outfit together is a pretty big deal. Well, I took a nap Tuesday afternoon and totally forgot to pick up my skirt. When I woke up, I went into a frenzy since I was leaving early Wednesday morning. I couldn't believe that something so important could just slip my mind. I was horrified at myself. How could I forget the skirt?! Luckily my mother came to my rescue along with FedEx to get the skirt here before the wedding. It arrived this morning and all is good. I finally told Summer this morning after the skirt arrived. Why freak the bride out when I didn't have to? I'm SO relieved I didn't ruin the wedding.

Well, we're off to get last minute wedding things taken care of. It's a beautiful day here and I'm with my best friend celebrating a life-changing moment in her life. Things couldn't be better! I wish I could take a picture and show you how happy I am. I'm am such a lucky person.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Leaving on a Jet Plane
Hmm, now why did that title pop in my head? Last time I thought about that song was one of the times I was leaving Milwaukee for Houston. Sad, sad times. Thank goodness nothing is that hard anymore.

So, I'm off to Seattle for Summer and Greg's wedding. It's going to be a crazy but fun week! They don't get married until Saturday so we've got some time to take care of the loose ends. And to have a bachelorette party...really just girls night...a good excuse to feel like crap the next day. Everything is packed and I'm just waiting for Kristen to take me to the airport. The toughest decision right now is to take the CD player or not. Hmmm, not really that tough of a decision...I'll go crazy without it. Better grab that and a few other things before I'm off.