Playing Tag

I was tagged by Lioux Zhurr to list 5 things you don’t know about me. I am in turn tagging Jennifer Shell, Whiskersh55, Bubbles, Ash Mahoney and Q. This was actually kind of tough for me. I blog about almost everything so it was difficult for me to think of 5 things that you probably don’t already know. So here goes…

1. I have several phobias, some of which I think are odd:
   
   
1. Water. Not swimming pools but of lakes and oceans. If I can’t see the bottom, I am terrified.
   
   
2. Small Spaces. This extends beyond traditional claustrophobia. I am afraid to put things over my head/face such as masks, goggles, hats, helmets, etc. I have always wanted to go for a ride on a motorcycle, but can’t conquer the fear of putting on a helmet.
   
   
3. Crowd Anxiety. Wal-Mart is the devil and often gives me panic attacks. I even have prescribed medication to deal with it.
   
   
4. Losing teeth. I have a re-occurring nightmare about losing my teeth. It began when I first got braces in the 6^th grade and I dreamed that I got hit in the face with a ball, and since my teeth were wired together, they all came out at once. But what was really odd, was they looked like those chattering teeth toys with gums and all.
   
   
2. In many ways, I can be anal retentive and/or OCD about certain things:
   
   
1. When I chew food, I do one of two things. Either I evenly divide the food in my mouth and chew equal parts on both sides. Or of it is something small, like candy or popcorn, I eat one on one side, then the other, alternating. I have no idea why I do this? I guess I subconsciously feel that all of my teeth deserve equal cavity opportunity?
   
   
2. The toilet paper MUST be placed on the holder in the correct direction. The loose end should come over the top and hang down. I have even changed the direction of the TP at someone else’s house.
   
   
3. When eating candy such as skittles or gummy bears, I eat them in color order from the ones I like the least to the ones I like the most. This does not apply to M&Ms because they don’t have individual flavors. (Yet, if I have a handful of M&Ms, I will pair them up by color and chew one of each color on each side of my mouth).
   
   
4. I hate grammatical errors and misspellings. (Yes, C-W D, I do too). I also hate to correct people so I try to use the word correctly in my response in order to show them the proper spelling. I don’t think anybody ever really notices this.
   
   
5. I won't eat chicken off a bone nor will I eat shrimp with tails. I guess I don't want my food to resemble the animal that it used to be?
   
   
3. I cannot stop myself from laughing every time someone uses the word “duty.” I know it is childish, but sometimes I even giggle and say “He/she said duty.” There is a commercial on the radio for the National Guard that begins with a deep voiced male saying “Duty… Honor…” and I laugh every time.
   
   
4. While I am anal about some things, I am completely incapable of being organized about certain other things. I misplace my keys almost everyday. I have also locked my keys in my car more times than anyone I have ever met (two times with the car running and once with my dog inside).
   
   
5. Contrary to popular belief my screen name is not "Oh-My-Sue" but "Omy-Sue." My best friend growing up often called me Amy Sue (even though Sue is not my middle name - it's Elizabeth). Her baby sister said "Ah-mee" rather than Amy. So, Omy Sue kind of stuck.
   

Celeb Look Alikes... not really

I don't think I look like any of these people, but its still pretty funny:

http://www.myheritage.com

Back to Work

I think I am actually glad to be back at work today. It at least feels normal. My weekend was a little bit crazy... well, even crazy in Amy standards. Yes, Friday was bad but on Saturday and Sunday some really great things happened. I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks and seeing how things go. I don't want to talk too much because I don't want to jinx anything, but let's just say life is getting better. What more could a person ask for than a best friend, right?

The Movie That Is My Life

So, I'll start at the beginning... what other place, right? Bear with me, it's a long one... but well worth the read!

I left work at noon and Friday and did the last bit of running around I needed to do in town before head to Nashville. I had taken my car on Thursday night to get the oil changed at Wal-Mart and after 3 hours they called and told me they wouldn't be able to do it because my car rides too low and they couldn't get it up the ramp. So, I had to take it to an express oil on Friday and pay nearly twice as much BUT I only had to wait 10 minutes.

So I get on the road about 2:30 and the drive up was pretty nice. I did realize that maybe I should have brought some warmer clothes when I saw icicles hanging out of the rocks along the side of the road. I made it to Nashville right around rush time... good timing, right? Got to my friends and we headed out for dinner and drinks. I met several people and had a great time socializing at the restaurant. But we both had more than we should have since once of us needed to drive home. A stranger in the parking lot even told us that we should flip a coin to decide who should drive. But being unfamiliar with where I was, I obviously was not driving.

So, we make it back to his place and he passes out almost right away. For those of you who don't know me, I suffer from insomnia. I have trouble sleeping in my own room and in my own bed much less somewhere that I am unfamiliar with and where there is a cat that I am allergic to. And I also suffer from anxiety attacks. After sitting up for a while and not being able to fall asleep I start to break out in hives and I'm still not sure if it was from the cat or just anxiety. So, what do I do? I get my bags and tiptoe out to my car and leave at one o'clock in the morning. I figured if I was going to not be able to sleep all night I may as well be on the road headed home.

So, I get about 10 miles outside of Nashville and I'm just driving along going with the flow of traffic when I see blue lights in the rearview. I look down and realize I'm going more than 10 over the speed limit and yes, he is coming for me. So, in my pajamas I got a speeding ticket in Tennessee.

I drove much slower the rest of the way and was almost to Birmingham when my car started to choke and I suddenly realized... it was 4am, below freezing outside, I'm in my PJ's and I am out of gas. I was so busy focusing on staying awake that I wasn't paying attention to the gas gauge. So, I thought I was lucky because I was close to an exit ramp and was able to coast down to the bottom of it... only to find there were no gas stations in sight at this exit. There is only a sign that says "Hwy 31 Left." Almost in tears, I call that highway patrol only to be told that they don't respond to distress calls after 10pm on Friday until 6am on Monday. Which is funny... since they don't seem to mind being out writing tickets during those hours. So, they transfer me to the Warrior Police Department (which is a very small town just north of BHM for those who didn't already know). I tell the woman dispatcher where I am and she says she will send an officer to help me. She also told me not to worry that I was in a safe part of town, to which I replied that I wasn't worried because there was obviously NOBODY where I was.

After a few minutes in the cold, Officer Steve Keitges pulls up and asks "Are you the lady that doesn't know how to read a gas gauge?" I explain that my gas gauge is broken, as well as my hazard light switch. Afraid that someone might not see my car and plow into it, he requests another office come sit with my car with the lights on until we get back with a gas can. As I climb into the car with him, I assure him that I have never ridden in a police car before... to which he replied, "It could be worse, you could be riding in the back." As we ride, he jokes on me and I explain how I ended up on my way home to Montgomery at this hour which he, of course, finds hysterical. He says, "Well, your night didn't turn out all that bad. You ended up here with a good looking man like me." I laughed and he told me I wasn't supposed to laugh at that. It really was nice to have someone with a sense of humor at this point and time!

We get the gas can and get back to my car to find the other officer out of his car and shining his flashlight into the bushes. Officer Leitges hops out and asks if there is someone in the bushes. And there was... a huge coyote! So, at this point I am thinking about just how glad I am that I didn't get out of my car and try to walk to a gas station and possibly risk being eaten by a coyote!

I mean...seriously people? How does this stuff always happen to me? I have talked to several people on the phone today and told this story. For some strange reason, most of them have said "This could only happen to you." I think they are right. And somehow, I think it is all karma.

So now I am home and trying to relax and recover from my eventful Friday night. At least I am off all weekend and have time to recoup. Please, by all means... comment on this one. I have to know what you all have to say!

Road Trip!

I actually have the weekend off from AE! So, what am I going to do? Your first guess would have likely been work on the bathroom or some other home improvement project. But nope! I need a mini-vacation! So I am packing up and going to Nashville for at least part of the weekend. I've already nominated someone as my official tour guide... but something tells me we will likely only make it to see a couple restaurants and then mostly inside of some local bars. Otherwise, what kind of vacation would it be??

Anyway... so now I am really looking forward to Friday getting here. I am taking a half day Friday from the Bar to go get my oil changed and maybe even have an estimate done on the damage to my car from the wreck. Who has time to drop off their car at the few approved places my insurance will pay to fix it?? AND who has a $500 deductible to dish out in order to fix it. NOT ME!

Hurry up Friday! I'm ready to get out of town!

Aww, how sweet!

I got flowers. No, not for Valentine's Day. Just for no reason at all. Aren't they pretty??

Ok, so here's the whole truth. They were having some sort of meeting upstairs and had leftover flowers. They know I like flowers so they gave them to me, LOL. But flowers are flowers, right? And they look nice right on top of my "to do" pile!

Product Marketing

Also while I was venturing through Wal-mart, I decided to look for some chapstick since I seem to have lost my strawberry flavored kind. Right next to the chapstick was this and I couldn't resist taking a picture of it to post:

I mean, seriously? Couldn't they have come up with a better name for this product and more conspicuous packaging? For the poor people who need it, couldn't we have come up with something other than a bright red box with HERPLEX printed on it to scream out "I have a cold sore!" Come on package design people... think again!

Dirty Baby in the Dirty, Dirty

Since my hair dryer had a blow out, I ventured to Wal-Mart last night at 9:30pm. Bad idea. I pick up my few items and head to the checkout where I discover that the only lanes that are open are the self checkout lines. This is not a problem for me and I usually use them myself. But, this leaves no other option for the white trash idiots who do not know how to operate the machines. I got stuck in line behind a couple with the dirtiest baby I have ever seen in my life. I do underatand that babies are messy and a little bit of dirt and drool is to be expected. But this kid was absolutely filthy. So filthy that I could not resisit sneaking a picture with my camera phone with the sole intention of posting it on my blog today. So, here it is for your enjoyment... chocolate covered white trash Alabama baby:

And yes, the WOMAN pushing the cart is wearing a plaid lumberjack-looking jacket over her nightgown style dress. I thought for a moment that maybe I shouldn't post this for fear that these people might actually see it, but no chance that they could A) afford a computer and internet access and B) grasp technology to the point where they could use a computer or get on the internet.

Update: I debating about just deleting the comment I received on this post. But instead I decided to elaborate a bit more. I focused my picture on the dirtiness of the baby. What you could not see in the photo was the older son (maybe 9 or 10 years) dressed in more expensive name brand shoes and clothes, carrying some sort of handheld video game. Inside the shopping cart were some necessities (no wipes or soap) but potato chips, candy, snacks and most importantly a large case of beer (and not the cheap kind either). I do not believe that these people were hurting for money, but rather have a disregard for public hygiene. I "judged" their level of intelligence based on their choice to appear in public in that state and their failure to be able to operate the very simple checkout line.

And lastly, this is my blog and my outlet for my thoughts and opinions. I always appreciate comments and feedback on what I write, positive or negative. But if I write something that offends you, feel free not to read my blog anymore.

Duh!

Yesterday was certainly a Monday. I was attempting to take a picture of myself to send to a certain someone. I kept mashing the button and no flash. So, I kept turning the camera around looking trying to figure out why, before I realized... it was taking video instead of stills. Here is the product of that escapade: DUH!

Monday, Monday...

So, this morning my blow dryer had a blow out and wouldn't work. For those of you who didn't already know, I have naturally curly hair that I usually blw dry and straighten everyday. So, today I am nappy headed! Then on the way to work, my oil light came on. What a way to start a Monday!

So here is something that made me laugh this morning. It's one of the funniest "Whose Line Is It Anyway" clips I have ever seen:

This is how you do it!

I often browse through real estate around Montgomery. Fixing up older houses has always been a fascination of mine, so I watch which ones are bought and sold and how much the prices increase after rennovation.

I have a feeling this house in particular might have a little trouble getting sold based on their advertising campaign. Here is a photo of the front of the house. They could have rolled the garbage can in from the curb, but overall, not so bad:

But here is the kicker... is that a body wrapped in that blanket??

I can see it now... the realtor showing the house. "...and this house is very reasonably priced. The previous owner, Earl, died... yes, that is him wrapped in the blanket. We'll have him removed if you make an offer on the house."

Seriously... who thought this was a good picture to showcase the bedroom?

Animator vs. Animation

As a designer, I have a great ppareciation for the amount of time this probably took to create. And its pretty darn creative.

New Line!

We were sooooo busy tonight at AE. So, busy that we made paper airplanes and paper hats. It was an exciting evening. Here is Calvin modeling the AE Paper Hat line by Amy Shell:

Help! Let me out!

Ok, some of you may think that I am evil for laughing at this. But if all parties involved laughed, its ok to laugh with them, right? So, the following conversation occurred between a friend and I recently through IM's. But before you read it... here are a couple of definitions for those 'challenged" people who don't know online abbreviations or terms:

LMAO = laughing my ass off
OMG = Oh my God!
piss giggles = Hang on, I have to run to the bathroom before I pee in my pants!

Friend: my boss telling me about his trip to mobile to bury his wife’s father

Friend: about her mom
Friend: who has Alzheimer’s
Friend: she pooped her pants
Friend: and it got on her pants
Friend: no spare pants
Amy: OMG!
Friend: so there in the rest area
Friend: and her mother is trying to walk out of the restroom with no pants on
Friend: his wife had to hold her mother in the stall
Friend: and a smell to high heavens he said
Amy: oh my
Friend: he went on an adventure to find sweat pants for her all over town
Amy: lol
Friend: he said then when he turned on the heater in the car you could smell it
Amy: ooooh no!
Friend: so if he turned on the heater which it was freezing yesterday you smell poo!
Friend: too funny
Friend: i was laughing
Friend: he said yeah it is funny and we laughed about it all the way home in the car
Friend: cause his wife was telling everything her mother said and did while he was gone to get the pants
Friend: she was yelling HELP HELP HELP
Friend: let me out
Friend: im ready to go
Friend: HELP HELP
Friend: GET ME OUT
Friend: HELP
Amy: lol
Amy: OMG, i just snorted I laughed so hard
Friend: piss giggles
Friend: can you imagine some 80-90 year old in the rest area with poop pants yelling
Friend: HELP let me out
Friend: lmao
Friend: too funny

I can't help it! It's hysterical and I had to share!

Free Day!

I actually didn't have to work today at Amercian Eagle so I had the whole day to work on my bathroom! Dad came over this morning and helped me get the toilet re-installed. It was a little tricky because part of the flange broke off when we were getting the toilet out. Once we got it back in there, I decided to go buy a new seat and lid with brushed nickel hinges and a brush nickel flusher handle to match the faucet on the new sink. With those put on it, it looks like a whole brand new toilet.

I also got a toilet paper holder stand (since the old holder is now behind the beadboard) and a glass shelf to go in the shower that I can put shampoo, conditioner, etc. on. I got it installed just a few minutes ago and I have to say I am pretty happy with the way it looks. I drug the new sink upstairs and just set it in there so that I can get a better idea of what the finished product is going to look like. So here are a few pics:

Kick Butt Workout!

So, I finally bought myself one of those exercise balls today. I also got a video to go with it. I figured the stretching might make my back feel better. WRONG! That video is only 10 minutes long and it KICKED MY ASS! I am sore in so many places. But I guess that is a good sign that it will actually work! So, to anybody looking for a good ab workout, I recommend you get yourself an exercise ball. But be prepared, it takes some good balance... I almost busted my tail a couple of times. I'm sure it will get a little easier with some practice.

Still Sore

I'm pretty sore this morning so I'm not going in to work. I just figured I'd give my back a rest since I have to work all weekend at AE and I didn't think sitting upright at the computer all day would help it any. So, I'll be home resting if anyone needs me!

Uggghhhh!

Yes, I had a fender bender on the way to work tonight. Tore up my car and I've got some pretty nasty whiplash. The car is still driveable it just looks banged up. Since my Camaro has such a pointed nose it just wedged right under the other car. Yes, I rear-ended him. And guess what... he just happened to be an auto insurance agent. Oh, the irony! So we stood on the side of the interstate for about 30 minutes freezing our tails off waiting for a cop to come do the police report. It was just a lovely evening. But just for the record... no, I was not on the phone and no I was not speeding. Traffic just came to a very sudden stop and I couldn't swerve off because there were guard rails beside me.

So me and my sore back are getting in bed and I just hope I feel better tomorrow!

Karma Strikes Again!

I got called in to work tonight. I wasn't there 5 minutes before a co-worker farted on me. No kidding. She didn't realize I was in the stock room with her and just totally farted. She was completely embarrassed. A few minutes later, someone else is standing next to her and I say to them, "You'd better not stand too close to ______, bad things are happening." And at that exact moment, a box fell on my head. What else could it be but KARMA! Later, a customer hit his head on a sign and I laughed at him. And then I lost one of my favorite earrings and never found it. So, I am going to bed. G'night everyone!

Boy, it smells good in here!

I bought myself some perfume a couple weeks ago. It was a little box set that came with a big bottle, a small travel bottle and a bottle of lotion. I put the small bottle in my purse but haven't used it yet until today. Sitting at my desk, I remembered I didn't put any on this morning and thought... "Oh yeah, I have that little bottle in my purse." It's that new Be Delicious by DKNY and the bottles look like little green apples. The lid was on pretty good and when I yanked it off, I discovered that the little bottle is not in fact a spray bottle... as it poured on my desk. Great... Well, I smell good and so does my desk.

But here is something that doesn't smell good and made me smile today:

Skanky Thieves

Friday night, I was asked to work at AE even though I wasn’t scheduled. We were putting up the new floor set so I agreed to come in. (Secretly, I was wanting to try on the new dresses that came in our spring collection – sooo cute!) But I am so glad I came in. We had some suspicious looking people in the store, huddling in the corner near the women’s undergarments. The manager went to the back and called security. Four guards promptly showed up and planted themselves around the store. The intimidation factor must have worked because they six people quickly left. After they were gone, we walked around the store picking up garments that had the sensors removed. I have no idea how they get them off but they were ready to head out the door with them. We thought we had successfully thwarted their plans.

A little while later, I was out on the floor refolding some clothes, when one of my co-workers, T, comes up laughing and says “Come here, girl, I got something to show you.” She leads me over to the dressing room and says, “Tonight is the night!” As she starts to open one of the doors, I am expecting to see a massive pile of clothes that we have to return to the proper places on the floor. Not at all… this is what I saw:

Yes, it’s a pair of hot pink thongs! No, we don’t have any of those in the store right now. Apparently, someone tried some on, decided to keep them and was kind enough to leave their dirty pair behind. And I mean D-I-R-T-Y! The picture does not do it justice because there was a skid mark. I mean… seriously? First, if you have that sort of problem, don’t wear a thong. Second, if you have to steal some clean panties, be kind enough to take the dirty pair with you as well.

My manager came in with a big pair of rubber gloves up to her elbows and scooped them up with a swiffer pad. T got a good picture of her picking it up. Wish I had it to post. So, to say the least… Friday night was an interesting night at American Eagle!

More Progress

Tiling inside the shower is finished, including some new decorative edges that I picked out yesterday. I got it cleaned up in there and all the molding is cut and ready to be installed. I even got the mirror hung! I also took the sink out of the box and it looks so good. I can't wait to get it in there! More to come, but here are a few pics of the progress.




I know the lighting is bad, but I'll take better ones soon.

Random & Useless Trivia for the Day

A large sweet tea from McDonald’s looks like a lot more when poured in the floor board of a Camaro.

Pigeon feathers can unknowingly make their way into your living room and onto your furniture.

Splinters and saw dust are hard to remove from socks and even harder to remove from the insides of your shoes.

Space heaters will blow circuits in old houses, especially when it is raining and your breaker box is outside.

Do not playful hit someone on the backside with a piece of tile while they are tiling your shower (especially while they are holding a pocket knife) because they may panic and think the tiles they just installed are falling off the wall.

Note to Self:

Always check the direction of the showerhead before turning it on. Hosing a freshly painted ceiling is probably not the greatest of ideas. Also, be sure to make sure the shower curtain that you just hung back up... that you put the liner INSIDE the tub. Otherwise, why did you really hang it?

Woo hoo!

Tiles are going up pretty quickly on the wall inside the shower. I am getting so excited! It's all really starting to come together and I can really see what it is going to look like in the end.

Blue Da-ba-dee!

The walls and ceiling are now blue. I love it. It's a little dark in there right now, but nothing a new light won't fix... right, Brian??

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Accomplishments

So, renovating really is a learning process. Despite the setbacks, miscalculations and other things, we did manage to get a lot accomplished this weekend.

When I thought my arms were going to fall off and I couldn’t hammer any longer, my dad and brother came over to rescue me. We managed to demolish and remove all of the concrete in the walls down to the studs inside the shower. I was able to get concrete backer board (yes, in my Camaro) to put up. Luckily for me, the backer boards are waterproof so I can shower in there once again. I picked out the paint color and I have put a test spot up on the wall and think I am going to love it. It is starting to look more like a bathroom and less like a cave, so that has got to be a good thing! Here are a few pictures of the progress of the weekend:

My brother, Jonathan looking, oh-so-happy to be helping!

The test spot of paint (the blue, not the poopy brown)

The new tiles on the floor (no more pink!)

The shower with the backer boards up... soon to be covered with the same tiles as the floor.

On the agenda tonight is to paint the walls above the beadboard and the ceiling in the blue. I alos would like to put a final coat of white paint on the beadboard, but we'lll see just how much my arms can handle. Then, tomorrow night I plan to start tiling inside the shower. I've never tiled a wall before so this should be interesting. I'll be sure to keep posting pictures. I am getting so much response to the "30 Things I Learned" that I may post a blog of all the comments I have gotten.

It's great to know so many people read this stuff and actually enjoy it! Thanks everyone!

30 Things I Learned This Weekend

1. Concrete is heavy, even if broken into small pieces.
2. Just because you have a masonry bit for your drill that says “for concrete” does not mean it will drill through it easily or even at all.
3. When using tools in a two story house, what you need will always be downstairs when you are upstairs and vice versa.
4. Flying busted concrete is unpredictable and painful, especially when it is unexpected. I highly recommend eye protection.
5. There is a maximum number of times one can swing a sledgehammer in one day.
6. Montgomery City Waste Management cans have a maximum weight. Wheels and the can will bend if this weight is exceeded, possibly turning over and spilling heavy concrete in your front yard.
7. Concrete is not flexible and this is not negotiable.
8. Large chunks of concrete in your front yard serve as not only lawn decoration, but a new perch for pigeons and other birds.
9. It will rain as soon as you put wood in the back of a pick-up to bring it home.
10. Sheets of concrete backer board will fit in a convertible if you just put the top down. (Note: they will also scratch the paint if you slide them across the car as you put them in/out)
11. You should always be friendly to your neighbors. You never know when you might need them to help you carry something heavy from your car into the house (See 10)
12. When cutting pieces of wood, you should mark which piece you intend to use and make sure you have the right one before you pound nails into it and carry it upstairs to put in place.
13. People who say, “measure twice, cut once” know what they are talking about.
14. When you call someone and ask them to bring you a tool, you will most likely find another way to accomplish your mission before that person arrives with said tool.
15. What you planned to accomplish today almost never translates into what you did accomplish today.
16. Don’t laugh at someone when they hammer their own finger. Remember karma. If you laugh, it will happen to you moments later.
17. Sometimes spare parts can be found in a wall. Don’t panic if you unexpectedly remove a piece of pipe, as it may not have been connected to anything in the first place.
18. If you are sitting in a tub pounding on the wall and you feel something wet on your head, don’t accuse the person behind you of spitting on you. Consider first that they showerhead may be dripping.
19. When using a sledgehammer on one side of a wall, don’t be oblivious the fact that you are affecting the next room. You should check the status of the other side of the wall at random intervals. The wall may crack and chunks of plaster may fall out in the next room.
20. If you are a good climber, you do not necessarily need a ladder to get into an attic.
21. Make sure an ice pack, tourniquet, large bandages, and a crow bar are at least close by as they may be necessary at some point in the process.
22. Color is subjective to its environment. Just because golden brown looked good in the downstairs bathroom, doesn’t mean it won’t look like poop smeared on the wall in the upstairs bathroom.
23. Demolition dust can travel much farther than you think it can.
24. A loyal dog will follow you up and down the stairs as many times as you go, even if you tell her you will be back in one minute.
25. You can’t convince a barking dog that the knocking she just heard was your hammer, and not someone at the door.
26. A dad who's back hurts too bad to push out the garbage can at home can still use a sledgehammer on his daughter's bathroom wall.
27. Do not say "I told you so" to someone with a sledgehammer in their hand.
28. Do not say "Measure twice, cut once" to someone still holding a power tool.
29. Allowing someone to break for dinner, usually translates into letting them quit for the night.
30. The most necessary tool to survive a renovation project is a good sense of humor.

ouch...

My whole body hurts... but its off to the races again. Hopefully soon the labor intensive parts will be over and I won't hurt so much. Making progress... slower than I had hoped, but certainly progress. Will post more when I have time for a longer break.

oh my...

What a mess... This was earlier tonight and we got almost all the tile off. We duct taped some plastic sheeting up there so I can take a shower. Sigh... I am so ready for this to be finished.

Good news, bad news...

The good news (well, GREAT actually) is that my little (well, younger actually) brother got offered a state job yesterday! Not only is it an increase in pay and better benefits, but he also gets a state car (well, van actually). He announced this to me last night while we were eating dinner together at Panera Bread.

The bad news is... I am still a moron. For those of you who aren't familiar with Panera... they have trays and real silverware that you empty and return to a designated area. I walk up beside my brother dump my trash and set down my tray. He looks over at me with his mouth hanging open and a "What did you do?" look on his face. I look down to see that I just dumped my trash in the designated bin for the silverware... not for the trash. We both begin laughing so hard that I have to walk away from him to attempt to regain my composure. I laughed so hard I cried... and even snorted... earning a disgusted look from another Panera patron.

Yep... that's me.

I want a guy...

Just a little something sweet I picked up somewhere...

Can you really call this progress?

This is a picture that was taken of my icky pink bathroom before the rennovation process began. The walls werepink... the floor was pink... Can you say "YUCK!"?

This is the current condition of the bathroom...

I got the beadboard on the walls last night, but they were pretty warped. So it required wedging 2x4s in there to hold them flat to the wall while the liquid nails dried. My bathroom looks like a jungle gym!! But the tiles are looking great and I am really happy with the color I chose.

I also went to home depot last night just to pick a some 2x4s and a few other small supplies. I ended up leaving with a new bathroom sink. I had a pedestal sink picked out that was going to be rather expensive. Last night, they had some new shaker style cabinet sinks in stock and more importantly... ON SALE. I love it! In a moment, I had a guy with a forklift getting it down for me and I was headed out the door with it. This is what it looks like:
I'm getting really excited. I think I have at least reached the halfway point on this project. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that I will be able to get a lot done this weekend since it is a 3-day weekend. I'm so glad it is Friday and I can work on it late tonight and not have to get up early in the morning.

Gambling vs. Relationships

In many ways, the dating game is much like gambling. You scout it out and pick the table where you think you stand the best chance. You sit down knowing that the odds are that the house will win, but the excitement of the chance to win big draws you in. You know what you stand to lose, but the butterflies of hope that this could be “that time” make you play the game.

You are dealt your hand and can change a card or two, but ultimately must work with what you are given. If you think it’s a bad deal, you can fold and walk away, losing only what it cost to get in the game. But if you choose to fold, you’ll never know what you might have won and you don’t get to see the opponent’s cards. So, most often we choose to bet, either bluffing or honestly believing that you can win this hand. You can only win big if you bet big. I am an “all-in and lay your cards on the table” kind of girl. The stakes are high... risking your feelings, your pride, and sometimes even your heart. But the winnings could be so much more... companionship, trust, loyalty and best of all, love.

Sometimes you bet big and lose it all. You can then choose to gather what you have left, move on to the next table and hope for another chance... or you can choose to pack up, go home and give up. So you must choose for yourself whether you can handle losing over and over in the search for the time that you will win big. With practice, you can learn better ways to play your cards and also learn when to just walk away. How many times can you lose to the same opponent before you give up on playing with them? I’m still deciding myself. I’ve shown all my cards and for now, it wasn’t enough. But I know that I am happy knowing that I played the game, even if I lost in the end. Playing fair is all you can really ask for and I got that.

After the last big game I played, I chose to pack it up and go home. I felt like I had lost so much that I would never be able to play the game again. This round proved me wrong. I was afraid that I would never feel that “spark” again... but now I know I can. And one day, that spark will be mutual and I will win. Someday... someday.

The Importance of Spelling

The importance of correct spelling has been an ongoing joke amongst some of my fellow bloggers... but this article sums up just how important it can be. A simple misspelling can really "land" you in a terribly embarrassing predicament.

So much to do!

I am at work but I can't seem to focus. I keep running through my mental "to do" list for projects at home. I've got to go pick out the grout color and buy it so I can complete the floors. Then, I am ready to install the beadboard on the walls. And those of you who really know me, know how big of a clutz I am. I am scared of power saws... for me, thats just asking to lose a finger! I want to get the walls and floor all done during the week so I can begin demolition of the tiles inside the shower. Monday is one of those state holidays in Alabama and I will be staying home to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert E. Lee's brithdays... and of course, to work on my bathroom. Since I only have one shower in the house, I needed to wait until I have a couple days off work to devote to finish it. So, don't be too surprised if I show up at someone else's house with a bar of soap and a towel this weekend.

Also this weekend, I am going to see James and the Giant Peach at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. I read the book when I was in the 3rd grade and remember loving it! I'm really looking forward to seing how they pull it off and I know the company will be good. It'll be a nice break from the rennovation projects. I know its only Monday... but I am already looking forward to the weekend!

Do I HAVE to go back to work tomorrow?

It's Sunday. It's raining and thundering... and I love it! I am taking a break for a moment from working on my bathroom. I took a break all day yesterday, since I worked at AE most of the day and then went to a bonfire. It gave the tiles plenty of time to dry. So, today I went and got the beadboard and quarter-round for the walls (in between the bouts of rain). So, I am all set and ready for this next week!

This weekend has been really good. I bought myself some new clothes and some new perfume. I saw some friends I haven't seen in quite a while... and I must say, I am really happy to have certain people back in my life. Good friends are hard to come by these days.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too!

Woot Woooooot!

Ok... please note the name of the person they interviewed... Bubb Rub and Little Sis! And his "Wooot woot" is priceless!

Bathroom Update

I am officially a moron. My dad came by on my lunch break and looked at the damage and helped me figure out how to cut the bolts of the toilet bowl to get it out. I had the toilet tubing running into long tray catching the water which drained down into a large tupperware container so that it wouldn't overflow by the time I got home from work. Dad said it looked like a rube goldberg contraption.

His question, which never once crossed my mind... or Q's either apparently... was why we didn't just to do THIS:

Allow Me to Recap

Tuesday night I began to work on my upstairs bathroom. I was working by myself, so I opted not to remove the toilet yet, but to begin tiling the floor and put all the solid pieces down that wouldn’t need to be cut. I also left the sink in place sink it is fixed to the wall and doesn’t actually touch the floor. I can’t even begin to tell you what a big mistake that was. The removal of the sink and toilet in the downstairs bathroom was so easy that I had a very skewed idea of how easy removing these should be. Those do-it-yourslef shows that tell you to do all demo first… weren’t kidding.

Last night, I lured my good friend, Q, over with pizza for dinner in exchange for his help. While I had somebody to help, I figured the first thing we should do is remove the toilet since I didn’t think I could carry them out of there by myself. I had no idea what I was getting us into. The tank came off the toilet with minimal water on the floor, but the bowl was a different ballgame. For whatever reason, the bolt that hold the toilet down will not come out, so I am going to have to get a metal saw or something and just cut them off. So, we moved to the sink next. Very quickly, he realized that I didn’t have a pipe wrench or any sort of tool to disconnect the pipes in order to get the sink out. Before leaving to fetch the tools from my brother’s house, we notice that the water supply for the toilet is dripping on the floor, so we put it in a bucket to keep the water from getting on my freshly laid tiles.

We trek across town (in a small Honda with a large daisy painted on the hood I might add) to get the tools and end up running a friend of Q’s to get his truck and taking a little longer to get back then we expected. We get back with the tool and go upstairs. Q sits on the floor under the sink to disconnect the sink and suddenly his butt is completely soaked. Apparently that little drip had overflowed the bucket and had made its way over most of the bathroom floor. There was water everywhere! We dried up what we could but I knew that getting all the adhesive wet meant that I was going to have to take up all those tiles and start all over again.

The sink came out without too much work but the mounting plate that was screwed into the wall was a different story. I get out the power screw driver and Q starts to take the plate off. On the first try, the screwdriver spins out of his hand whirling to the ground, bouncing off his foot and then breaking one of the tiles. (And, yes I laughed at him). After what seemed like an hour of drilling and wrenching the stupid plate, we finally got it off.

Next project was to knock off the tile toothbrush holder, soap dish and towel racks which are mounted into the wall. After the other frustrations, we were both ready to swing the sledgehammer a little bit. I knock them all off, managing to break yet another new floor tile. Then, trying to make the leftover broken pieces smooth, Q uses a coal chisel and the sledgehammer. His hand slips off scraping against the broken tile and suddenly, there is blood. And do I have band-aids in my house?? Of course, not! So, what do we use? That’s right… duck tape!

So, after we get him all patched up, we start removing the newly laid tile from the floor. Might I remind you, that I had decided to tile over the existing tile on the floor rather than demo it up. Yet, another bad idea. The old tile was coming up with the new tile. Now, I have to demo up all that tile before I can begin laying the new tile. So, basically… last night we undid any progress that I had made. And yes, the drip is still going. I managed to rig up some larger buckets to catch the water and I only hope its large enough to hold it all until I get home for lunch today to empty it.

Luckily for me, Q has agreed to come back tonight for round two. I’m surprised since every time he comes over he seems to get hurt. This past summer, he worked in my yard and got stung by wasps. I think he even tripped on my stairs once. My house is a Q-danger zone. Maybe I should buy him something better than pizza? So, wish us luck that tonight goes a little better… or at least that there is no blood involved this time!

Q's pimp-mobile!

It's Quiz Time Again!

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And on to the next project

So, aside from some minor paint touch ups and hanging a new matching curtain, my downstairs bathroom is finally complete. I just finished up a freelance job and will be using that money I made from that to remodel the upstairs bathroom next. Since there is pink tile on the floor and up the walls around the whole room, I am REALLY excited about the change! I'll be tiling myself and installing a new pedestal sink. Instead of retiling the walls, I have opted to use a nice white wainscotting instead.

But tonight, what am I doing? I have big plans for this Friday night! I am helping my brother and sister-in-law install hardwood flooring in their living and dining rooms. We actually started on it on Wednesday night and my brother worked on it by himself yesterday since he was off work. We are hoping that we can get the rest of it laid tonight.

Here are a few pics that show our progress. These floors look great and they are a vast improvement from the previous carpet. The previous owner's had a pit bull... enough said.

I'm sure my sister-in-law, Jennifer is really going to appreciate this one.
But look how hard she is working!


Good view of the floors in the dining room


My brother, jonathan, carefully calculating how the cut that piece around
the door frame. We won't say how it turned out, LOL.

Slap Happy Drunk

I just read an article about a man who was arrested on a flight for slapping another passenger who turned out to be an undercover federal air martial. Apparently the flight attendants decided he had enough to drink and refused to serve him more alcohol. While I do find it funny and ironic, I have to wonder what would have happened if the other passenger had NOT in fact been an air martial? Is it okay to slap another random passenger? He was not charged with assault but "interfering with a flight crew." It makes you wonder? I will have to remember next time I fly to test my theory. So, if you get on a plane and see that you have been seated next to me... good luck :)

Karma

So, have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy watching people hurt themselves? Falling down, hitting your head... all the funniest stuff in the world! (Just ask my friend how much I laughed at him last night when he hit his head on the chandelier). I watch Amercia's Funniest Home Videos religiously. I have seen all of the old Bob Sagget episodes at least twice. I'm sure my cruel laughter is the sole reason for some of the odd things that happen to me on a daily basis, because karma is most certainly real.

But nonetheless, I cannot help myself. Maybe its because I don't have children, or maybe its because I am just a mean mean person... but I laugh EVERY time I see this video. I even have it on my iPod to whip it out at any given time.

Shedding some laughter on this crappy Thursday

This is one of my favorite SNL skits. It is from Justin Timberlake's first show several years ago. Then, the second one is from a new show he did I few weeks ago. I unfortunatley missed it but caught this clip anyway! Love this stuff!

The Next Round of Madness...

I feel like I really didn't have a break. I worked both Saturday and Sunday at American Eagle and we were unbelievably busy both days. Nothing like procrastination! Then yesterday, I had Christmas morning at my parents and then lunch at my grandmothers. I woke up feeling terribly congested on Christmas morning so I took some cold medicine and felt like a zombie the rest of the day. After filling myself full of turkey, dressing, my favorite casseroles and desserts, I made it home and napped in my favorite chair under a new fuzzy blanket I got for Christmas. And luckily for me a MythBusters marathon was on the Discovery Channel.

So today, its back to work... both jobs. I don't know how to do returns on the register yet, so I am certain I will be the person putting all of the clothes away as people return them today. I am certainly not looking forward to that. I was also told by one of my managers this weekend that I could continue to work after the holiday season is over. After New Year's, I'm sure that hours will be cut back and I will only work a day or two a week which will be perfectly fine with me! I generally find that I have a good time at work and (for the most part) like the people that I work with... which brings me to a funny story from this weekend.

On Saturday, a customer asked me to check to see if we had a size she needed in the back. I went into the back and was down between two rows of clothing digging for a size. When I came out, another employee was standing in the middle of the stockroom with his pants around his ankles (and yes, he was still wearing his boxers). Startled, I covered my eyes and said "Oh, I'm sorry." To which he replies, "Oh, don't worry about it... I was just checking to see what size my pants are."

First, why not go into the dressing room to check, since you would be guaranteed privacy there. No risk of other employees barging in on you and no possibility of a customer seeing you through the OPEN DOOR.

Second, was it really necessary to drop your pants completely to the floor in order to see the tag that can be found in the waistband? Couldn't you just have loosened your belt and flipped the tag out? He didn't seem to be embarrassed but I was. I guess I am just more modest than most people? But it was funny nevertheless.

I hope everyone else had a good holiday break and actually got some rest!

Dirty Santa is right!

Just wanted to share a better picture of the masterpiece that I created for Dirty Santa last week. This is one of my co-workers and she was the 2nd person to actually steal the "Throne Fit for a King."

Jumping on the bandwagon!

Since some of my fellow bloggers are doing it, I thought I would jump in...

Before:


After:

Wait... wait! Aren't the after's supposed to be better than the befores?? My bad...

Moron-shooting

I am the web admin here. I often get phone calls from people asking where to locate certain things on our website. I do my best to make things as logically located as possible. But sometimes, logic just doesn’t help someone who lacks common sense.

OmySue: Alabama State Bar, this is [OmySue]... how may I help you?
User: I want to place an ad on your site. Where do I do that?
OmySue: Are you on [ourwebsite.org] homepage?
User: Yes, I am.
OmySue: In the green navigation bar running down the left hand side of the page, there is a link that says "The Classifieds."
User: No, there isn't.
OmySue: It's about the 10th link down and there is a white star beside it.
User: No, I'm sorry, there isn't.
OmySue: Are you sure you are on the homepage and not a sub-page?
User: Yes, I am.
OmySue: Click on the building in the upper-lefthand corner of the page that says "Home." Did it take you to a different page?
User: Yes.
OmySue: Now, is there a link that says "The Classifieds" with a star beside it?
Moron: Yes.
OmySue: Click on it and on THAT page there is a link that says "Submit Your Advertisement." Click on it to submit your ad. Thank you, have a nice day...

[Hangs up phone.]

Omysue: Moron.

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Afermath

The Christmas party was great! My gift got a really good laugh. It was even stolen the max amount of times and retired. I spray painted a toilet seat gold and decorated it with rhonestones and gems. Then I labeled it a "Throne Fit For a King." This is the best picture I could take with my crappy camera phone. I think someone got a good pic of it at the party so I'll try to get that and post it later.

Happy happy, joy joy!

I am having too much fun today! We are having our office Christmas party this afternoon. Everybody around here is in the spirit. I made... yes, MADE my Dirty Santa present last night and I cannot wait for someone to open it. This is my first Christmas working for the State Bar so I wanted to start off with a bang. I am not going to say what it is right now since a couple of my co-workers do read this blog. I'll post a photo and what lucky person gets it after the party today.

I also found out who my Secret Santa has been. She has been giving me some goodies the past couple weeks, inlcuding the cleansing wipes which helped remove the paint from my hands!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend as well. My good friend Brian's birthday is coming up so we are going to celebrate on Saturday. My neighborhood which is a historic district does a candlelight walking tour each year. You get to go inside and tour some of the houses that have been rennovated and meet some of your neighbors. Some of them also have cookies and hot cider and things to share... which is really nice because it is usually pretty cold. Brian and I are doing that on Saturday night and I can't wait.

I am also doggie sitting this weekend for my friend, Kelly. Her and her husband have two of the cutest (and most hyper) schnauzers. So, it should be an exciting weekend. She did warn me, though, to pick up all dirty underwear and socks because they would play with them. I can just see the dog delivering a pair of my panties to a guest. So, I was thankful for the warning! So, tonight I will probably stay in and watch some Christmas movies or something. But I am looking forward to having the company around the house. Sounds good to me...

Hope everyone else has a great weekend!

Oh wait, it's just chocolate!

I just got home for lunch. I swung by subway since I have almost nothing edible in my house right now. The girl in front of me got a big stack of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. I resisted the urge to get some for myself, but little did I know... I would be taking some of the chocolate home with me anyway.

I got back in my car, put my bag in my lap and drove the less than quarter mile from Subway to my house. I got out and noticed a huge glob of something on my pants. At first, I was sure it was dog poop and was mortified at the thought of how it managed to get on my sandwich bag... thus onto my pants. But a quick whiff of chocolate reassured me that it was not indeed, dog poo.

So I have changed pants... luckily I was on my way home and not back to the office!!

Note to Self:

Last night, I helped someone paint the panelling in their kitchen with Kilz primer. I was painting with a roller, and as usual a good bit of paint spattered my hands.

Note to self: Always wear gloves when painting with primer!

The following picture is my hand AFTER scrubbing with just soap and water.


I continued to scrub, using acetone nail polish remover. Some of it did come off, but certainly not all of it. So, I am still speckled today. I have a meeting at lunch today for one of the State Bar's publications. I know someone who will be keeping her hands under the table, LOL.

Funny addition: We are doing secret santa at work. I just got a delivery from my secret santa and it is "Merry Cranberry Cleansing Wipes." I don't know who my secret person is but there is no way they could have known how ironicly funny that gift would be this morning. I can't wait to find out who it is so I can tell them!

Another Update

My mom came to my office this morning with two 2-3 gallon pitchers of water to put in my car so she could follow me to the shop earlier. I used one and then we dropped off the car. She dropped me back off at the office and went to Christmas shop nearby for an hour or so and then get me for my lunch break. When she picked me up for lunch, we turned the first corner and I hear a splashing sound. I turned to look behind the seat of her van and see the second pitcher turned over, lid off, and the 2-3 gallons of water flowing all over the carpeted floor. What a wonderful addition to this story!

Car Update

I dropped my car off at a radiator shop down the street from work. After I described the problem, and that this is a repeat of a problem he corrected 7 or 8 months ago, he offered a diagnosis. He told me I could take it to a general mechanic and they could take things apart and charge me a couple hundred to search for a leak. Or he could flush the radiator again and put in some "stop leak" tabs and hope that it would keep this from happening again for about $50. While he said he could not guarantee that this would correct the problem, he did assure me that this (and I quote) "ain't no jack-leg joe-bob-earl truck stop fixer upper" but actually something that GM uses in their new vehicles. So, considering the cost... I am going to try his solution first. I should have the car back later today and let's cross our fingers that it works out ok. That guy may have "talked funny" but he seemed to know what he was doing.

Off to a good start...

Yes, it's Friday morning and I am off to a good start. Last week my car ran hot. I checked the coolant, it was low, I added some and it has been fine ever since... until this morning. For those of you who don't know me, it only takes me less than 5 minutes to get from my house to work. In those few minutes, my temperature gauge shot up to almost the red. I pulled into my parking space at work and quickly shut off the engine. I heard a popping sound then saw steam rolling out from under the hood. I get out of the car and see a river running from beneath the car. And might I mention, this morning it is 8 degrees with the wind factor says the DJ on the radio just before I get out of my car.

So, now I am waiting... hoping that I merely have a blown hose and not something more serious (and expensive). Especially right before Christmas. I'm waiting for it to cool down, put at least some water in it and get it to a shop that is close by. Wish me luck.

Happy Friday, everyone. Hope yours started off better than mine. Arrghhh!

Just my luck...

I left work early for a dentist appointment yesterday. I usually don’t mid going to dentist for my regular six month appointments. Actually, I kind of look forward to it. My dentist is a woman and so are all of her hygienists. So, it’s kind of like going to the beauty shop and gossiping with the ladies.

Yesterday was only supposed to be a cleaning. But x-rays revealed that I had a cavity and a broken filling. The dentist wanted to fix the broken filling right away, and when they couldn’t get me an appointment in the next couple weeks, they insisted I stay and do it right then. One cavity was on the top jaw and the broken cavity was on the lower. She gives me shots for each one. Then when she goes to start drilling she says, “Oops. They hygienist wrote it down wrong. It’s on the other side. I’ll have to give you one more shot.” Just what I wanted to hear, right? So, now both the left and right side of my upper lips are numb.

On a side note, I had minor surgery on my throat/neck over two years ago that caused some nerve damage. I have regained most of the feeling on that side but some of the nerves have been “rerouted” so to speak. So, the tooth on the lower jaw that was supposed to get numb... didn’t. She kept giving me more and more Novocain, which was causing other parts of my face and my tongue to get numb... just not the tooth that needed to be drilled. So, I felt most of the drilling and did lots of squirming. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant experience.

Then, I had to be at my second job at American Eagle at 6. Did I mention that I couldn’t feel my whole face? So, I couldn’t smile, could barely talk and did everything I could not to drool on the clothes. Customers who asked me questions probably thougt I was either drunk or handicapped since my speech was slurred and my face didn't appear to be functioning properly. Plus, I was nice and grumpy because I was hungry but couldn’t eat dinner until I could feel my tongue and lips again.

So, today my jaw is sore from the many shots and my tooth is sensitive from the drilling. But at least it is all over with and I don’t have to go back for another six months.

A sure sign...

It's cold outside. Freezing. So, I brought some hot chocolate mix to work with me. I decided to make myself a cup of it in my trusty travel mug that I usually get my coffee in. It is very similar to the one pictured below. I caught myself as I was just about to put the mug in the microwave! Does anyone see a problem with this? Maybe all that metal on the mug? Hmm. Maybe it would have short-curcuited something and cause the building to lose power and we could have all gone home? I doubt it. Most likely I would have just blown up the microwave and gotten in trouble. I think this is a sure sign that I need to go home and go back to bed.

Happy Birthday, C-W Dan!

I made a cake and this piece is ESPECIALLY for you. No, I didn't do anything to it. No, seriously... I didn't lick it or sneeze on it or anything gross like that. I even washed my hands before I cut it for you. So, just eat it already!

Belated Birthday Things

Last Saturday was my 25th birthday. It was Thanksgiving weekend and a lot people were out of town. So, I had some girlfriend over. We played board games, had martinis and ordered pizza. It was really nice! And I managed to get all of my Christmas decorating done before everyone came so the house felt nice and cozy. Thanks all of you that came and those of you that called. I love you guys!

And a special thanks to Lioux and Dan who made a special belated birthday surprise for me today. It was sweet, even if they were guilted into it. ;) You guys rock!

And how did I manage to do that?

Another Amy antic for you...

I worked again tonight at American Eagle. I actually think I am going to like it? I got off and called my brother. He and his wife are not going to be at the family deal tomorrow for Thanksgiving so I decided to go visit them tonight. They are going to be with her family instead, since her brother Jeremy is home visiting from Iraq.

So, I'm sitting on the couch drinking a coke and talking, when suddenly and unexpectedly (even to me), a huge burp erupts from my mouth. I scramble to cover my mouth quickly. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but in my swift motion to cover my mouth, I managed to pour coke in my face and hair. I sat there stunned for a few moments not wiping it off my face while they both stared at me in confusion. Jennifer even paused the show to laugh and ask me, "What happened?"

Yep. That's me. Typical Amy. What can I say?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

First Day

So, I started my new second job at American Eagle tonight. I had this bad feeling that it was going to be terribly boring and I was going to end up just standing around a lot. Well, not today. Today we redressed all of the manequins. Something I have certainly never done before. At one point I found myself crouched on the floor asking someone "How do I get his pants off?" Of course everyone laughed at me. Understandably. I certainly have a new respect for retail workers. But I was far from bored. I was busy the whole time I was there and the time went by faster than I thought it would. Not to mention everyone was very nice. I really think this will be a good way for me to branch out and meet some new people. Not to mention make at least a little Christmas money and enjoy the 40% discount. I know what I am getting everyone for Christmas, LOL.

So, now that you know where to find me... pop in to visit at the AE in EastChase! Hope everyone had a great one!

Thanks man... really!

So, on Friday night Kelly and I went to the Highlands to see StrongFold play. We are sitting at the bar and this guy stands way too close to me and keeps looking down my shirt. He's not bothering to start a conversation with me, just looking at my boobs. I am getting pretty aggravated, when I smell an awful smell. I turn to Kelly and say, "Kelly, did you fart? I think this guy just farted on me!" To which he makes his exit. Kelly even took his pic with her camera phone and sent it to a few people with a note saying "This guy just farted on Amy."

I haven't thought about again until this morning when I see the pictures from Friday night on StrongFold's website. So here is my re-enactment:

May as well be another Monday...

I'm off to a good start this morning. On the way to work, I hit a bump and spilled tea down the front of my pants. Even after it dried there was a distinct spot. Afraid that the tea might stain my new pants, I go to the bathroom, wet some paper towels and attempt to wash out the spot. I only manage to create an even larger more noticeable spot on the front of one leg. But at least I can look on the bright side of this? If it had been farther toward my inner leg, people would think I had peed my pants. At least this spot is very obviously a spill. So, hopefully... surely... the day can oly get better from here on out.

Wasted Day

For once, I had planned to do some constructive things today. I brought some of my "junk" out of my parents storage to my house. I was going to sort through it and throw out the junk and organize the things I wanted to keep. It's everything from Christmas decorations to art supplies to old keepsakes I tucked away. I also planned to measure out the front of my house and make sure I have enough Christmas lights. This is my first year in this house and I am so excited about decorating it!

So, what really happened today? I slept in pretty late. I got up and took my dog out and played with her for a while. I got dressed and ready to run a couple of errands, and WHAM! My eyes start acting crazy which is a sure sign that I am about to have a monster migraine. So back to bed I go. But after sleeping in so late and having such a relaxing evening home alone last night, I'm not tired and can't fall asleep. I am out of my migraine medicine so I call and ask my mom to bring me some of hers. It was the worst migraine I've had in a long time. So I have spent the whole day in bed.

Now, I am awake but completely unmotivated to do anything constructive. I don't even want to cook myself dinner. I think a trip to Arby's is in store. And then maybe a movie on the couch. Sounds good to me. I hope everyone else had a better day then I did.

Critters...

This morning I woke up early enough to make a little breakfast... which is unusual for me. I have trouble getting to sleep so the later I can sleep, the better. As I was standing in the kitchen watching my breakfast cook in the toaster (no, I don't know why I was watching it?), I see something moving out of the corner of my eye. There are two plates standing upright in the dish drainer, and crawling between them is a bright green lizard! Thanks, Mr. Lizard... just crawl all over my clean plates. Now I will have to wash them again. But I guess now that its getting cold outside, I can expect all of the little critters outside to be trying to make their way inside where its warm. It's going to be an interesting winter.

I did manage to snap a pic of the lizard with my crappy camera phone... so here he is:

TGIF

Yes, it is Friday. And I am so glad! No, I am not headed to Panama City tonight. We will be leaving in the morning/afternoon tomorrow. So, now I am not sure what I’ll be doing tonight. Ugli Stick is playing at Off the Wagon tonight and I know I would have fun there… but maybe I should save my energy for all the fun I plan to have tomorrow night watching StrongFold at La Vela. I’ve never been to La Vela and I didn’t realize just how big the place is. I cannot wait to get down there! I keep wondering if there will be enough time to go to Salty’s to get one of those watermelon drinks (which can be seen in my photos) before we head to La Vela?

What is everybody else doing tonight? I had been hoping that I would have some sort of date with someone in particular one night this weekend… but that person has seemed to disappear from the face of the Earth, so a date is not likely. So, friends… if someone is interested in going to a movie, going to dinner or going to see Ugli Stick play… gimmee a call! Otherwise, I will end up staying home, getting stuff ready for the trip, doing laundry, reading a book and watching silly things on tv… which no sane person should be doing on a Friday night.

Anyway… I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I know I will! ;)

Silence

Silence sucks. I know that sometimes the truth hurts... but I'd rather know the truth than know nothing. I'm not really sure what happened, what changed? But something did... just when I thought I figured out what I wanted, now I don't know anymore. What a mess... I just really thought that we were good enough friends to just be honest with each other. So, I guess now the only thing to do is just pretend nothing ever happened and forget about it. Life rolls on, right?

Little Change in Plan...

So, I am still going to PC but it looks like I will be going down on Friday night and coming back on Saturday, instead of going down on Saturday night like originally planned. I'm really looking forward to getting out of town for a day or so. The drive will be nice and getting to see Dave and Nikki and the rest of the StrongFold boys. It's been a rough week and I am looking forward to it being over. Stress at work, stress in my personal life... I really need a breather. But I will be back in town for Saturday night so if anyone knows of anything exciting going on, give me a buzz!

And while I am at it... I'd like to mention that I bought the Smile Empty Soul album when I saw them at Off the Wagon last Thursday night. The whole album is great and I just can't stop listening to it. I just wanted to pass the word along that is is very worth the purchase!! So check it out!

Ahhhh...

That is the sound of me breathing again. For two days now, I have been struggling with a project at work. We were having trouble printing a brochure that I designed… and to spare you the boring technical details… it boils down to the lady who runs the printer blaming the problem on how I set up my document when I knew the problem was a mechanical problem with the printer. We went back and forth trying to prove to each other why it was the other person’s “fault.” But finally, VICTORY IS MINE!

The printer guy came in today and was shown what I had printed which clearly showed that the registration is off. Although yesterday, he told us the printer was just fine… today he says, “Oh, look at that. You’re right. The registration is off.”

No? REALLY?? That’s what I have been trying to tell you for two days! Maybe next time there is a problem like this, my opinion will get a little more credit. Just because I am much younger doesn’t mean I don’t have some experience and know what I am talking about. I did go to school for 5 years to learn about print/design and I did work in a publishing company for two years where I worked with printers and their crazy problems on a daily basis. Sigh… I’m just glad the problem is being solved and I can get back to working on other things now.

My baby girl...

I don't think I have ever posted any pictures of my dog, Pookie before... so here are some.


My baby girl, Pookie

Pookie & my brother, Jonathan