Update.....

Dentist - not so hot. Damn. Not to mention, I have five cavities. Double damn

All offers on table for move were taken away. Ask me for deets for I care not to share no more via the internets.


Let's just say, a bit of sadness and in hellish "gotta get outta here" mood.

Flip-side: I have my Christmas DRESS!!!

Dentist

I'm going to the dentist in t-minus 15 minutes. I'm nervous. This will be my 3rd dentist......ever. I've DATED more guys than that. So, obviously, this is gonna be hard. It's not that I'm really picky, it's more like I have really awful teeth (genetics stink) therefore I'm going for more than just a check-up. These visits actually determine when/where I need caps/crowns/root canals and so on. This is serious teeth business.

Wish me luck! Cause this is a bigger than going on a first date.

(oh and I have high standards now...last dentist was a total hottie!)

Overheard

There are so many things you should never talk about in the locker room....or in public...or ever. Here is an example:

Women's Lockeroom:

Woman #1: "well she went over to his mothers house to clean and it was a mess."
Woman #2: "Why did she do that?!"
Woman #1: "I don't know, but guess what she found in the kitchen?"
Woman #2: "What?"
Woman #1: "A fetus. And I guess she freaked a little...and he told her that it wasn't his or his mom's." "Oh, maybe I shouldn't talk so loud."

The worst part was that neither one was too 'shocked' by what they were saying. I'm sorry...but you just said the word fetus - that is not a normal word in a daily conversation. Unless you're a baby doctor.

After hearing that bit of the conversation I made sure to get the heck out of there and start my workout. But luck be it, they decided to set-up shop on the machines right next to mine and continue rambling on about odd/gross subjects.

Luckily their workout was only 20 mins long. Phew.

Complex of Work

Let me say this ........

On Friday I flew PHL to MSP for a weekend of family/Gopher fun....and a Monday of interviews with an ad company. After interviews I hop on train from interview with possible future company to go to airport to fly from MSP to DCA. Get into DCA, hop on Metro to Pentagon City for the Ritz to attend BOD meeting hosted by previous employer as current employee of member company to previous employer. Spend two days rallying with DC friends and dodging questions by previous boss on future moves for current company.

Headache? Yeah - I've got one.

What's on the table:

I have 2 companies interested (and interviewed), current company offered to move me & another company wanting to interview me but I not wanting to interview with them.

Not sure what's going to happen, but I should soon cause my car registration is due and I'm just that cheap.

Today at work and server is down. Product delayed to Chile. Barely breaking even on China shipment. Ship delayed to Guyana. Jealous?

Want to learn

Want to learn who are your real friends???

Move away.


You learn quickly who are people that you value and value your friendship back.

Game Day

This morning I happily waved my roommate away and got settled down with my laptop....today is GAME DAY.

The Gopher football team plays Ohio State at noon and the Twins are playing KC at 3:44 pm. All I needed was my laptop, my credit card and I was set.

(yes, it is sad...I can't watch Big Ten football because Comcast is dumb and doesn't allow the Big Ten Network and baseball - well that's the joy of living 1,000 miles away from your home team.)

Anynow after setting up for football I had the game listening abilities and suffered through a loss. It hurt. Our offense must have thought the trip to Columbus was too far cause they certainly didn't show up for the game. But I'm still proud of my Gophs - the defensive did an exceptional job for what they were given to clean-up.

Then the Twins game time rolled around. I was ready. I purchased my MLB weekend package for $7.95 and was ready to go, and boom. Nothing. All Saturday games before 7:05 pm are considered blackout. Jerks! After an attempt to call the MLB.tv office to 'discuss' this issue and finding out that they do not have office hours during 80% of game time I finally settled down with listening to the radio broadcast. It's okay. Though, it keeps cutting out every 5-10 mins making it impossible to leave my laptop. So here I am, being a huge bum and listening the the Twins tug at my heartstrings with their lead in the first two innings and then falling behind in the 7th. It's killing me.

And now I'm back to listening to the game and PRAYING FOR A WIN.......

I to We

You know when someone is an a relationship when they start replacing all of their, "I"s with "We"s. Maybe I'll understand that some day. But until then, no, I'll just laugh and shake my head at you.

Kudos to the Senate boys running for POTUS. Way to stir-up the election by attempting to do the actual job you are currently being paid for. Crazy MAVERICK moves!

I managed to replace my headlight this afternoon. Yes, I went to NAPA, purchased the bulb and threw open the hood and BAM! Done. Never shall I be considered a Padiddle.


****PAUSE****

Word just in...current job has now offered for me to work from home. And by home, I mean MN.

Case of the ..... Wednesdays?

I thought I had a "case of the Monday's" on Monday but then it came back on Tuesday and now it's back again....Wednesday. It could be allergies, anxiety, nervousness, boredom, anxiousness and/or disbelief. Yup. Feeling all of those things. Weird and annoying, I know. But I have good reasoning for each of those feelings (by the way, be happy that I HAVE 'feelings')

Allergies - never had them till I moved east. Damn!
Anxiety - over possible job (waiting for 'yay' or 'nay')
Nervousness - cause I have no clue what I want to do next
Boredom - current state has become quite mundane
Anxiousness - all above & the Twins
Disbelief - over all of the crazy poli pundits & int'l buyers who I am working with

Plus the news is even boring or sad right now. Between tainted Chinese milk, Wall Street bailout & the election nothing is that exciting.

I am excited the the Twins are only a game and a half behind the White Sox for the AL Central Division title.

Though...one major thing to look forward to - CURLING season. Yes, people it's just around the corner and you will find me chillin' (literally) on the ice throwin' some stones and rocking it out. (Oh yes, all puns totally intended!!)

Before I shut-up....

PETA ohhhh....how I love you and your inability to make cause for sensible issues. Asking Ben & Jerry's to replace all cow milk with human breast milk in their products is beyond ridiculous. Even I as a major dairy promoter would suggest for them to go the soy route to be considered 'more humane'. Sad.

Waiting.....

I'm waiting to hear news back on the next potential move in my life. It sucks. I am beyond impatient. If you know me, you know that I'm basically sitting there...rambling....thinking of the next possible move and trying NOT to call them and demand why they haven't called me yet.

So I wait.

And I wait.

I hate waiting.

So if this doesn't pan out......anyone in need of a live-in maid? In the Mpls/Stpl area?

Vacation - Questionable

I was on vacation. Or at least that is what my timesheet at work claims. No, I was on a week long networking/meeting filled/poli agenda adventure. I spent a total of 12 hrs with family "relaxing".... 4 of them being at the lake, 2 of them with nieces and nephew, 2 with grandma and the rest with parents and extended family.

This vacation was great because I was able to fit in a million things that I love..

i.e.

MN State Fair

RNC Convention 2008!

Seeing friends

Job interviews (well don't totally love but I enjoy meetings)

RNC CONVENTION!

Meetings (for work - yes - I worked on vacay)

Seeing a great friend get married

Attending a jazz festival (I've been WAITING all year)

RNC CONVENTION!

Driving through farm country while listening to country music

and... yes.... of course...family

oh - and the RNC CONVENTION!

It was exhausting and only one night did I manage to get to bed before midnight.

Though, as fun as it was there are a few things I could've forgone:
- Sleeping on floors (ouch!)
- The'greehouse'
- 30 min. accident with dad's pick-up
- $100 spent on cabs
- $550 spent on rental car
- "Planet of the Apes" cops freaking my cabbie out
- Getting lost in the NE
- My phone dying
- Too many Marshmallow Mateys

Great moment of inspriation...

Teaching the newbie at Sterbs how to make a "Skip & Go Naked" (gin, beer, sour & grenedine)

Don't Stop!

I was attempting during the past two hours to put together the most awesome portfolio for my upcoming job interview. But somewhere in the midst of Googling "MN Stockpot" and finding pics of foodshow displays I ran across my video archives from college.

Time Froze.

I was back in a crazy period of my life called 2004-2006.

Some people look back at the crazy, emotional times of high school and love it. Not me. No, I look back at those two years in college where everything and anything that happened was beyond incredible. Whether it was as simple as making a new friend to a (then) 'devestating' break-up(s). Sure at that time my emotions (and yes, friends will totally agree I was a nutcase. A lot.) were beyond anything but the feeling of 'fondness' at which I now have.

The best part is that it's only 2008 - not too long ago were these significant events, but thankfully they seem like ages ago. I say thankfully because it means that I'm cool with all that was past. Sure I made mistakes, people were dumb .... but overlook some of that silly stuff and there was real STUFF happening that has made me (and my friends) who they are today.

Watching these videos from my drive-thru experience with PopPop on our way to West Regionals, to The Boys being dumb at Music City Bowl to sledding avdentures with one of my best friends - I was in hysterics of laughter. I laughed so hard that at one point I about fell off of my bed. With all of this nostalgia I now find myself listening to Journey (shut-up....Sterbs Jukebox MEMORY!) and looking at pics. I don't think I'll calculate what was spent at the bar during those years (that would just make me cry) but I certainly wouldn't have changed that for the world.

There are some moments that will always be remembered.....

- Begging for $1s to put in the Jukebox at Sterbs
- The corner booth on Wednesday nights
- Water nights with Adj
- Thursday night rallys with the girls at Bullies
- The GREAT SmokeOUT!
- Music Mayhem
- Trudging through snow for Jimmy Johns
- Tour de Seven Corners
- Walks to the Dome
- etc.

And yes...I have now discovered about 1/2 doz pics of Ty in his underwear - BOOYA BUDDY!!

Payback is a __________ - well you get the picture!

So um, now I'm turning up the tunes for a little...."Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world....took the midnight train going ANYWHERE......"

From the Porch

It's a Sunday afternoon. I'm sitting on the porch watching & listening to the sounds of my neighborhood. There are teens on the baskball court shouting whatnots to each other, the buzz of Ridge Ave one block down, the neighbors TV and a few dogs barking in the back of our row. This is certainly not the sounds I grew-up with. I grew-up with cows mooing, the milkhuse pumps humming, a random tractor pull through the north part of the farm and ...... silence. Silence where, at times, all you could 'hear' was the breeze.

Not only has the sounds been bugging me lately, but also the sights, mostly, the stars. While driving to Atlantic City last night I saw stars for the first time in two weeks. We threw the moonroof open and zipped through the night with a ceiling of stars. It was amazing.

So two-and-a-half years later, I find myself wondering if I could take the new version of sound and sight any longer? Perhaps, but it's not cutting it for me right now.

Yeah, I'll miss the little neighbor kids peering out their mail slot at me whenever I come home and asking me where I've been. And that dog that wakes me up every morning howling/crying cause its owner left it for the day in a small, cramped house. And yes, I'll miss the neighbors friends who find our front lawn to be the perfect ashtray. Oh and lest we not forget the guy three houses down who thinks he's beyond awesome and showing it by revving his motorcycleat 11:30 pm. Yes, so much I'll miss.

Itch.

There was a moment when I wanted to just swing my car around, fill it with clothes and leave while on my way to work this morning.

I think I'm done.

End of a Chapter?

I have been around. Not around a lot of places, but have moved and a decent amount of times since my first move at the age of three....across the drive-way.

The last move was from DC to Philly. I didn't think too much about moving to Philly, just ticked it off as "another place to live when I'm young and unattached." I didn't think of a few key things because they were never a worry of mine previously - the number one being - the ability to make new friends. All I have to say, is when you live in a city that hosts a lot of people who were born/grew-up/gonna die here there is little room for a newbie. And I don't blame them. Why let in a new person who probably won't stay around too long? Anyhow, I have found around a handful of people I can call my friends in this current city. Ironically, they are all from somewhere else. But a handful just doesn't cut it in world of being me. I'm just a bit too much of an extrovert who ends up running the handful a bit tired of the needs for activity and time.

So beyond the 'Woo is Me' bit.......

I've decided to get over this place. I, for once, do not have a timeline but certainly am willing to take a looksy-loo around for future opportunities. I'm gonna be somewhat picky but certainly look at all options.

Ideas?

Options?

Networking will be taking place in the Midwest 'hood within a few weeks. Yes, I'm spending my vacation networking. I'm sad or awesome - you choose.

******

The Twins are killing me. In and out of 1st for the AL Central? Killin' ME!

******

Since when has board games at bars become so darn trendy?! Can't people sit around and have great watering-hole debates and conversations?

Breathe........or Stop?

I'm at the gym. I'm stoked about gettin' in a good workout but my regular machines are all taken (yes, I have no clue what they are called...just a mix between an eliptical & stairmaster). Anyhow, seeing that they are full I decide to cruise on the eliptical machine and there happened to be one that was open under the fan (SCORE!!). I hop on and tune up the Ipod.

Then I heard it. "GAHG!! GAHG!! AHHHH ARGHHHH!!"

The guy next to me. Not panting. No. He is literally gasping for life and grunting like a dog. I can't even fully describe how gross I felt being next to him. I've put up wiht bad BO, heavy breathing and the lady who moaned but never a grunting dog noise. There was a point when I wanted to turn to him and say, "Sir, really, if you are having this much difficulty on that easy of a level...you ought to go and visit a Dr. or just sit this one out." But I didn't and instead I just hit the volume button on my Ipod and rocked out to Jock Jams.

Though, speaking of hardcore gym moments (not mine, others) the following day I was there and back on my Eliptimaster and looked over to see my neighbor going to town on a level much harder than myself. As I was putting in only a 30 min. stint he was working toward an hour. After 30 mins he was on one of highest levels and had 5 mins to go..........his "Calorie Count" read 1185. YES! ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE!! I about died - but then I saw that he was about to die and then I was perfectly fine with my measily 450 calories.

Dance Party

It is currently 11:05 AM EST right now. I just sent a message to a friend down in DC saying, "I'm not gonna lie. I'm kinda in the mood for a dance party right now."

That translates to, "I've had too much freakin' coffee and the music from 89.3 is rockin' it right now, thus I must get up and dance the morning away!!"

I blame it also on being Wednesday. I find that Wednesday is best known not as Hump Day but more as Nutty Day. Really, you're over the the first part of the week and pumping out plans for the weekend while staring out the window, wishing you could just jump and run to the nearest Happy Hour spot.

Can you tell I have SCOF?? (Summer Corporate Office Fever)

I haven't traveled in ages. I'm behind a computer all day with a window view of a luscious wooded area. How does a beautiful warm, sunny day not make you want to take a walk and never come back to the office?

So, to get my fix of anxiousness throughout the day I mentally plan my walks at night, I workout during the morning and drink a vat of coffee.

.......and perhaps peruse the www.philacanoe.org website and figure out what lessons and trips I will be taking this summer/fall. Yes, I can't wait. I've taken up canoeing/kayaking. I'm taking my first lesson this weekend and have found myself to be a tad nervous/excited. Scoff at my 'lesson' taking but I assure you, there is a lot to learn and I'm pro limiting my death/drowning potential on the Schuylkill River.

Annoyed.

At people who lack normal correspondence beyond childish social-networking sites.

At people think that they only way to learn is just by calling (speaking) and not hands on experience.

At things that break down.

At month-long vacations that interrupt work.

Straight to Your Hips

Oh....I love honest people.......

So this older gentleman was packing up my groceries the other day at the Acme by work.

I had bought ice cream and fresh strawberries for dessert for the cookout my roommate and I were going to have that night.

As the gentleman handed me the bag [with ice cream] he said, "this is going to go straight to your hips!"

My response, "Thanks. Luckily I'm sharing, hunh?" and then I think I may have mumbled - "It's Ice Cream month get over it....."

As a female I can take this in two different ways. A subtle way of saying, "Hey! You're a fattie!!" OR a bit of small talk in means of, "Oh, ice cream is yummy but unfortunately, high in fat."

And that there, is the difference between men and women. Lie to us! (to spare our feelings on weight and ice cream.)

Mile Walk

Last Thursday night (7/10/08) I may or may not have walked a mile to go buy a 24 pk of PBR.

There may or may not have been snickers by some men who were at one of the bustops on the way back.

And.....it may or may not have been considered my workout for that day.

Born a Little Late

Today is the 2nd day of "The 12 Days of Me." I'm excited but at a different level of excitement this year. Not sure why but I did let on to my DC friends that this years goal was to ....

"...make it past the 10 p.m. mark and to wake up with little dirt and leaves in my hair but a lot of memories re-told by ya'll."

I have no clue if it will happen but I was informed by a special someone that on my actual birthday, we're gonna go all out. Now that, I'm cool with.

All the other days are filled with fun little activities including dessert night, mini golf, karaoke, the 4th and so on.... I'm pretty sure by the time my week(s) end and we start the 12 days for my roommate July will begin to be one big blur.

I am thankful for this month of birthday's though, cause work is a killer. A S-L-O-W killer with clients on month-long holiday, email crashing and my first load docking on the 21st in S. America. I'm basically 'waiting' out the month, and it's only the 2nd....

****

Best Quote from the Weekend:

Scene - stuck in traffic with boy after going and seeing Footloose in Norristown. I put a CD in and the Glenn Miller Band pours out of the speakers and I start to 'dance.'

Boy, "Yeah, your mother was right. You were just a few decades too late."