thoughts arrive like butterflies

My Wish for You in 2008

2008-01-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

My Wish for You in 2008

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words ............

May 2008 be the best year of your life!!!

Love, Bethie

P.S. I'll be back to post regularly soon! :)

Not about me today

2007-12-20T08:19:00.000-06:00

Guys, one of my friends, someone I care about deeply, has had a tragedy in her family. Don't know how many of you read Carrie's blog, but please do and help out if you can. I can't imagine this happening to me, especially right before Christmas. So if you are able to help, in any way, shape or form...please do. I know it would be appreciated and with this time of year, those little kids need some Christmas cheer. :(

Love you Carrie and I'm thinking about you.

The Christmas Letter

2007-12-19T09:29:00.000-06:00

Did you think I was going to type up some sappy letter about how this is a wonderful time of year and we should all rejoice in blah blah BARF?!?! NOT! :)

Do you guys have people in your lives that send out "THE LETTER?" You know the one...the letter recapping all that they've done this year, all of their accomplishments and banter about the mundane bull shit that not a lot of people care about?

I call it the bragging letter because that's all it is. Why do people feel the need to do this? If you are my friend, you already know about all that I've accomplished this year so to write up a letter to send to everyone is redundant. Not only is it redundant but its a screaming cry for "I need a pat on the back" and I don't understand why. Why do people do this?

I actually don't have anyone (yet) in my life who sends those letters to me. What I did get this year was a picture Christmas card with a sticker on the back, saying something to the effect of, "We've had a busy year...here are all the places we traveled."

Sorry but brag much? Why is this on your Christmas card? Seriously. Are you hoping to get calls from all of the recipients of your brag sticker with congratulations on being worldly travelers? I find it vain and annoying.

If someone else knows of a GOOD reason people do these letters, please share! Me, I send out my Christmas cards so that the people in my life know I care about them and I'm thinking about them.

Let's hibernate!

2007-12-17T07:13:00.001-06:00

I would love love love to bundle up into my bed for a good 3-4 months. :) Bears have it made!

I can finally say that I am almost done Christmas shopping. I have ONE thing left to buy and I might just have Matt take care of that since he is on the opposite end of the Christmas spectrum...he has barely started. This is what he does and I don't care anymore...its his problem.

Friday night I worked at Chili's and then went out with some friends. Just had some drinks and danced. It was fun but I didn't stay out late because I had to work the next morning. I had plans to finish up my shopping after my shift on Saturday, but we got a ton of snow dumped on us so I just went home and hung out. Nothing too exciting. And Sunday we slept in, took a walk (I hated every second of that) and then finished shopping. We watched Flags of our Fathers. Pretty good movie.

I whined a lot on Sunday about how it's not fair that I'm supposed to be thinking about losing weight while the holidays are going on. It's so not fair that I can't eat what I want and Matt challenges me and asks what is there to eat that isn't normally around? We have vendors sending us cookies and other treats...that's what! And I'm sorry but when it is this cold out, I have some deep, inner-calling to eat. I hate it!

So anyway, this week should be pretty busy with last minute preparations for Christmas. I actually cannot believe it is already December 17. And I can't believe New Years is upon us and I can't believe I'm going to be 32 in two months! AYE!! :)

Have a good week everyone!

Tired = Fat

2007-12-14T07:21:00.000-06:00

I need more sleep. I simply do not get enough. The average time I go to bed is 12:30am. But there's always at least once a week where I'm not going nigh-night til 2:30am. And I have to be up at the latest by 6am to be at work by 7am.

There are tons of studies out now about how lack of sleep can inhibit your efforts at weight loss. Well it must be true because I'm tired and still fat. I wonder if I have a hard time resisting bad food because I don't have the energy for that will power because I'm tired. Or maybe there's some insulin/energy imbalance because I'm staying up so GD late!

I'm annoyed by this. I'm especially annoyed because late at night is when Matt and I hang out. Matt is a big time night owl and his hours sometimes don't permit us to see each other until after 9pm some nights. Between that and being at Chili's til sometimes 10pm, our time together runs into early morning sometimes. Now I know there are some couples out there who probably would find this odd but we love spending time together. This is part of why we are so close and so in love...we are best friends and hanging out is what we do.

Well guess what? I do NOT like getting home from a movie (last night), getting in bed and being half asleep to have my best friend come and tap me on the shoulder and whine, "Are you going to bed?" Well Larry, your powers of deduction fascinate and amaze me. And the sucker that I am, I got played into getting up and watching TV with him. He also had been hinting all night at getting naked later and I got the "I'm gonna f--- you good" eyebrow wiggle when I got out of the warm bed to hang out.

Did I get laid? No! Would I be this revved up this early if I had? So not only did I not get the hours I needed/wanted/deserved last night (remember, its Friday and I have to work both jobs today) in sleepy land, but I was promised sex (and I quote, "I've been thinking about fucking you all day" he says) and didn't get it! RAAAAAAAAARRRR! I'm in my prime people! You don't tease a bitch with this.

Granted I didn't get sex because I fell asleep. And before you say OHHHHHH, he should have woken me up. Yes, I have bitched about his before but I was already woken up once earlier to get out of bed to watch TV and since I wasn't fully asleep, no big deal. But we turned off the lights and I went into the bedroom and while he took his sweet-ass time getting ready for bed, I conked out waiting to be seduced.

So what did I do this morning? I flipped on the lights and got in his sleeping face and told him he's a bad man to which he sputtered awake and asked why. I told him why and he said, "Well, you were asleep. And I wasn't horny."

Okay, we're over. Mother f-ing, sleep depriving, teasing dirty whore! LMAO! It fucking figures!

I'm not really that mad, just tired. But he's so not getting ladi for as long as I can hold out.

Snarky

2007-12-11T08:25:00.000-06:00

It is a word, look it up.

So I'm cranky today. I'm cranky because I'm still sick and I'm surrounded by constant incompetency and that makes for a bitchy Beth.

Here are things that piss me off:

Idiots that work here that can't seem to park within the two yellow lines that define a parking space. I'm assuming these assholes had to pass a driver's test in order to operate the vehicle they have so retardly parked incorrectly so did that test not cover staying in the lines? I don't give a fuck. I parked within my lines and didn't bat an eye when I opened my door and it hit the jerk's car next to me. I could have gone further too, like my middle sister whose temper is worse than anyone I know, and slam my door into theirs over and over and over til I feel better.

People that can't seem to do their job, even the littlest of tasks. How hard is it empty a garbage can from under a desk and then put it back where it was originally picked up from? Clearly this is an impossible feat because our cleaning crew fucks that up every night.

People that tell me to calm down. Don't tell me what to do, first of all. I do NOT like being controlled. But when people tell me to relax, settle down, simmer down, calm down, take it easy...all of that translates in my brain to these four words:

Shut the fuck up. That's what I want to say to these people. First of all, I'm most likely not upset, I'm just dramatic and emoting my feelings. It doesn't mean I need to calm down. Just because I'm passionate about what I'm talking about doesn't mean I need to settle down. I'll cutjew! I hate that! I hate being told to calm down or relax! I will do what I want, when I want! RAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!

I hate children at restaurants that can't behave themselves. Seriously, last night I was carrying two kid cups (little plastic cups with lids that we stack on top of one another for easy carrying) in one hand and about 4 mugs in my other hand and this little bitch ass crib lizard yanks the bottom kid cup out of my hand and guess what? Everything else came crashing down. THANK GOD his mom yelled at HIM and not me because I would have lost it if I got scolded. Little fucker. Who DOES that?

Anyway, I'm finally feeling better. I went to the doctor yesterday and tested negative for Strep A but she gave me a Z pack anyway and its already working. THANK YOU! I haven't kissed my boyfriend on the mouth in over a week and its really starting to piss me off. Sex on Sunday was a little too Pretty Woman for me. LOL!

Smooches!

Sick

2007-12-07T09:02:00.000-06:00

Hey guys, I got hit with some sickness this week and I haven't been at work the past two days. I shouldn't even be here now but I have a sick guilty feeling that dragged me here. My throat hurts, my head is constantly bombarded with headaches and I'm all kinds of congested. Bah!

Matt said he hasn't ever seen me this sick so you know we've been together almost 9 years so its been a while. I don't understand how I get such a sore throat when my tonsils were taken out 9 years ago? Ah well.

Latest news on the Re-re front: I was told to be nicer to him. I was called into my boss' office on Tuesday afternoon and he said he had a meeting with re-re. Said that Re-re feels I do not respect him and he doesn't understand why. My exact words, and I screamed this, were, "I don't fucking respect any idiot who can't do their job right after being here a year." And my boss just smiled. He knows. And basically I've been told to just be a little more courteous to him (which I can do) and Re-re will hang himself with all his fuck-ups eventually. Yeah right. I've been hearing that for months.

Anyway, so I'm sick, I'm being told to be nice, and I have to work almost all weekend so it should be a lovely day in my neighborhood. :)

I hope you all have a great weekend!
xoxoox

Hey guys!

2007-12-04T07:41:00.001-06:00

How are you all doing? I hope this holiday season finds you all well and great and happy.

I've been really busy, naturally. Since my last post, in which I talked about sacrifice, I have been doing just that. I've been working 4 shifts a week at Chili's and the full time job too. It's kept me SO busy that I feel like I have to schedule time to breathe! :) I guess I like being busy but that lazy person in me longs for sitting on the couch with kitties in my lap and a rita in my hand. :)

Work has been crazy. We recently had an outing that I coordinated and that was a lot of work but SO fun. We played whirlyball and I have the bruises to prove it! :) It was a ton of fun and even though my group is thoughtless and unappreciative, I know they had a good time.

Matt and I are getting our tree on Thursday. I have no desire to get a real tree this year. Too much work. Not enough time for extra tree work! I hate cleaning all the needles and carrying it and dealing with sap and watching more needles fall as we string the lights and watch for that kitty going up the tree! No thanks. Give me a pre-lit tree that goes in my garage when Christmas is over and mama's happy.

I'm dreading the fact that I don't have a lot of money to spend this year but I have 1/4 of my shopping done so that's good. I can't believe its already December 4th! New Year's Eve is here soon and I don't know what we're doing for that either! AYE! :)

Time flies so quickly don't you think? I remember high school like it was yesterday.

Anyway, sorry I haven't been around much but I blog when I can! xoxoxox

Sacrifice

2007-11-20T07:53:00.000-06:00

That word makes me cringe!

Okay so since turning 30 I feel that I have been on this quest to be a better Beth. The small changes I have made in my life have helped me significantly already but I am still learning all the time.

Going off of my post yesterday, I've realized I need to make some sacrifices in order to get what I want out of my life. And the two most important things to me, the two things that I want and need, are to lose weight and get out of debt.

I have been struggling with these two for years. I know that neither will happen overnight and I also know that I have to work hard for both. It took me a while to realize that last sentence. I have been a lazy, lazy sailor. Laziness has lead me down the path of chubbiness. Laziness has lead me down the path of non-motivation. And I have, for years, been waiting for someone to take care of these problems for me...doesn't anyone have a quick fix?

No, the answer is no. The answer is, do it your GOT damn self! And as much as I hate that (because I love to be lazy), I refuse to sit back and let life happen around me. One of my favorite bands, John Butler Trio, says it perfectly in Good Excuse, "Go take a step outside see what's shaking in the real world." I was only taking steps toward the fridge and TV.

I have realized that I am not doing ALL I can to better myself. Specifically, I am not doing all I can to help achieve my two goals. I was trying, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't trying enough. And the lazy person in me was sitting back saying, "You haven't bought yourself anything in SO long! You haven't fucked up with money in SO long! You have been eating pretty good for a couple weeks now!" And I remained satisfied with that.

NO MORE! It's not enough. I am adding another shift into my Chili's rotation so I will work 4 shifts per week. The only way I will NOT work 4 shifts a week is if Matt and I have tickets to a concert or an event. No more giving away my shifts because I don't feel like working or to see friends. So now I will be working Monday nights, Tuesday nights, Friday nights, and Saturday lunches. I was going to add Wednesday nights too but honestly, that will break me. I can't work 45 hours a week at the full time job and then work 5 days a week at Chili's. It's unrealistic.

This will help me with my debt, obviously, but it will also help with my weight. There are many a night that I go home and get lazy, shmoke a little prize and then sit. And then eat. Oh the munchies!! Curses! It's my own fault so in order to combat that, I need to be busy. Chili's keeps me busy. Being out of the house, period, keeps me busy.

I have also canceled future lunches with my girls here at work. I can't afford to go out to eat 2-3, sometimes 4 times a week. My wallet can't afford it nor can my hips. I will be working out in the little gym we have here on Tuesdays and Thursdays, during my lunch hour.

Hopefully, with these changes, I can be a better Beth. :)

VIVA CC!!!

2007-11-19T08:03:00.001-06:00

What does CC stand for? Cancel Christmas! I do NOT want to celebrate this year.

I am normally all about the holidays. I really do enjoy seeing family I don't get to see very often and I adore making people happy with the gifts I buy them but guess what? I don't want any of it this year. I have no money to spare and I hate that and it is eating away at me.

I don't want to buy presents for anyone this year because I have so many bills to pay its ridiculous. There's the every day bills that I deal with once a month but let's now throw in a ton of dental bills, the speeding ticket from last week, and the bunion surgery I'm supposed to prepare for for next year.

Christmas isn't just Christmas all by itself either. My sister Laura's birthday is December 9, Matt's birthday is January 4, and my baby sister Mary's birthday is January 10. I'm gonna puke. I can't handle all of this!

So I have four family members, two friends I buy for, my ho's (thank GOD we do an exchange because as much as I want to, if I had to buy for each of them individually, mama would be in trouble), and Matt. And I refuse to spend a penny on Matt's family. That's on him. He has to do it alone because I simply can't. I refuse to buy for his worthless brothers and I'm not a big fan of his mom so that leaves his dad, step-mom and step-dad with and sorry, but you people are stuck with Matt shopping for you too.

And I say stuck because Matt, as most of you know, is Mr. Last Minute. I can't deal with that. I can't celebrate like that. I will not pick out gifts the day before we go see someone. It shows, in my opinion. So Matt can shop for them and I'm sorry.

It really sucks that I have to equate money with how I feel about the holidays. Why can't I just enjoy them and "deal" with the lack in funds? Probably because I know that if I were to EVER say to my family or anyone else, "This year, can we just be with each other so we can both save money?" I would be talked about behind my back and then everything I bought, from there to the next holiday, would be scrutinized and picked apart.

No thanks.

So I'd like to cancel Christmas please. :) Viva CC!

Are you for real?

2007-11-14T07:34:00.000-06:00

Seriously, if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

Yesterday the following happened:

I was trying to pick up a half full paper box and it slid out of my hand and gave me a huge cardboard paper cut right across two of my fingers.

My temporary tooth, that has fallen out or broken at least 4 different times, broke again and now I have a lovely, gaping hole in my mouth.

I got pulled over for speeding on the way to meeting up with Matt to go downtown for date night. Not only did the cop bust my balls about my car being dirty ("What color is this thing? Black? Blue?" and I said dark green and he laughs and says "Oh!") but as he's walking away he says, "Your bumper sticker says you brake for animals. If you don't slow down you won't be able to brake for anything!" Hardee-fucking-har.

At dinner, a tooth on the other side of my mouth, lost its filling or crown or something because while biting into my steak, I thought I was crunching on some of the bullet they used to kill the cow.

And did I mention that three of my nails broke? Sorry but this is quite tragic seeing as how I pay more than I should for these suckers and the gel that's over them is supposed to be like concrete so how do THREE break in a matter of days?

What's next? A broken bone? Severe burns to my face?

Okay, that's a little dramatic. But I'd like a break please. :)

Television

2007-11-12T07:25:00.000-06:00

Matt and I got in a fight yesterday and no worries, everything is perfectly fine but the topic we fought about is eating at me and I want to see if I can see it from his point of view.

Matt thinks I watch too much TV. He gets very upset when he sees the DVR filled with too many of "my shows." He gets even more upset when I take on new shows. The reason he gets mad is he says that there are so many other things I could be doing with my time. He brought up the phrase "couch potato" and I could have punched him. He says that our house needs more attention and I give too much attention to my shows.

My argument back is that TV is my escape from reality. I work two jobs and this is how I unwind. I don't watch my shows when he is around so I'm not bothering him. He should help with the house too and I don't give him shit for all the magazines he's constantly reading. And most of the shows on the DVR are shows that we watch together, hardly any are "my shows."

My mother was a chores nazi when I was growing up so every time Matt tries to push me into doing more around the house, I fight it. I cannot STAND being controlled and I really lost it yesterday when he started giving me shit for watching a new show. What does it matter? If I find enjoyment in it and our house looks decent, what the fuck? I totally admit that my house could be cleaner but you know what? I fucking hate cleaning. Yes I take pride in my home and yes I like how it looks after I have cleaned but do I want to be that woman who spends 4 hours every Saturday morning doing this major cleaning like my mother did when I was little?

The answer is no. I have two jobs that have me exhausted every weekend, I have a social life that has me all over the place (and I'm not even talking about the stuff I do with my girlfriends, I'm talking about all the shit Matt and I cram into our time), and frankly, I'm getting old. Okay, maybe it's too early to play that card but seriously, I don't want to take hours to clean my damn house.

I want a cleaning lady. I want someone to come in and make my place look as great as it deserves to be. I seriously can't keep up with all the day-to-day bull shit that needs to be done there. The bathrooms, the garbage, the floors, the vacuuming, the dishes, the dusting...Jesus Christ! The list is endless. I'd rather pay someone to come in every two weeks and do this shit for me.

And no, it's not so I can watch more TV, okay well maybe a little bit, but seriously, even if I didn't watch TV, my house still wouldn't be that clean because I HATE CLEANING!!!!

10 Things You Don't Know about Matt

2007-11-09T10:54:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a page from my ho Cece and writing about ten things you might not know about my honey. :)

1. He has two half brothers from his mother's 2nd husband.

2. He has had grey hair since he was 10, including a patch of grey that he claims is from a spider bite.

3. He's allergic to apple skin (his throat starts to close up).

4. He once worked on a fishing boat in Alaska (like those Most Dangerous Job shows).

5. He's got a gay uncle who's loaded and whom I'm pissed at right now. lol

6. He's a mush for our cats and any other animal (just like me!).

7. He has no tattoos and no piercings.

8. He has to be tickled in order to smile right for a posed picture.

9. He was on the exact same boat in downtown Chicago on the exact same night I was in 1994 for our proms, but of course, we never knew it.

10. He's got the best ass I've ever seen. LOL! I know my male readers looooved that. :)

I couldn't stay away!

2007-11-08T12:20:00.000-06:00

You guys, I feel incredible today! This move has made a big difference in my working environment and I am so happy!!! I have my own cube, its new (I love new stuff), I have a window to look out of, I have lots of privacy and a bigger desk so I have room for everything! I LOVE IT!

I have been a major bitch to deal with here and I apologized to some of my key friends here because I know I probably projected on them and they were great. :) I just feel so relieved and happy and UP and just yeah! :)

I hope everyone is having a great week!

MIA

2007-11-07T08:55:00.000-06:00

Hi friends!

I'm going to missing the rest of this week because my department is moving internally and I'm the move coordinator (read, move ho).

I hope you all have a fantastic week and I expect when I return, life will be grand because I will no longer be sitting next to Re-re! :)

xoxoxoxo
Beth

Life Changing!

2007-11-06T07:38:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure how many people I know can say they have had a life changing experience but I have had one so I thought I would share it with you.

The year 2004 was a real bad one for this ho. My relationship problems with Matt had come to a head and in May he and I moved apart. I had miscarried the baby that was never supposed to be. I had lost my job of the past 7 years. And I was at my all-time heaviest weight of 293 lbs; and truly feeling the physical effects from it.

I was in a low place. I still felt Matt was the one I was meant to spend the rest of my life with but I knew that until I got my shit together, I wouldn't be the partner I wanted to be or that he wanted. I was eating out of comfort and out of spite and it was tearing us apart. The heavier I got, the more insecure I got and the more insecure I got, the more I projected that onto Matt and you can imagine how it went from there. I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything because I was humiliated by what I looked like.

For months my feet had been swelling...so much so that some shoes wouldn't fit. I remember taking pictures of my feet and being in awe of what they looked like. I knew it had to do with my weight but honestly, it didn't concern me enough to see a doctor. I had started exercising at home and was attempting to eat better and I felt that would help take care of the issue.

One morning in September I woke up with a shooting pain in one of my legs. It worried me enough to take myself to the emergency room. They did an ultrasound on my leg, actually on both legs, and found nothing (they were looking for blood clots). Sent me home. A month later, I experience the same kind of pain and while at my doctor, they told me to go to the hospital because they think I have a blood clot. My mom picked me up and took me back to the hospital I was at just a month ago and still nothing. Nothing showed up in the ultrasound.

The pain subsided and I continued to work out a little more, I think I lost about 10 lbs. in a few months (which is never quick enough for me). I decided to try out for The Biggest Loser and left work early on December 8, 2004 to go downtown. I stood in a line, outside, in 20 degree weather for 8 hours, only to get the front of the line, the very next one in line, and be told they weren't letting anymore people in. Devastated. I still think I would be perfect on that show and would have loved to give it a try.

The next day I had a podiatrist appointment and ironically, when I went in, I wasn't able to put a shoe on my left foot because the pain was so intense. I remember being at work and not being able to walk from my desk to my boss' office without being totally winded and my heart racing. And as I thought of that, I remembered that doing little things at home was having the same affect. I would flip over in bed in the middle of the night and would be totally out of breath. Putting on clothes was exhausting. I thought the reason my heart was racing like this was because I drank a lot of Diet Mt. Dew and surely the caffeine was accelerating my heart.

I called my dad and asked his advice since he has heart problems. He said not to fuck around and get to the doctor. :) Spoken like a true K.... I almost said my last name! LOL!

Anyway, I went to the podiatrist and not only was my foot hurting but behind my left knee was also untouchable. I knew it was something serious when my doctor brought in two other doctors to confirm his beliefs. I was told, once again, to get to the emergency room ASAP. I literally huffed in their faces because I had been through this shit, twice! But the pain was intense enough that I figured they'd find SOMETHING and at least give a sister some pain meds.

Anyone ever had a CAT scan done? I had one done on almost my entire body. Very strange process. They inject you with something that literally makes you feel like you are peeing yourself. And you have to hold your breath a lot. I was in the emergency room for hours, got to know the nurses very well. I will never forget the look on my mother's face when the doctor came back and said that I had blood clots in my lungs. Not one blood clot (which is more common than you think) but multiple blood clots in both lungs. And then, right in front of my poor mother, he said I could have died. He said if I had waited another day, I could have died. Get the crash cart for Sharon because she almost went down!

I was in the hospital for four days. I was catheterized because I wasn't allowed to move for any reason at all for fear of jostling the blood clots. If one moved, it could travel to my heart or brain and kill me with an aneurysm. Catheters are torture...omg, I was begging them to take it out. Even more fun, I started my period immediately in the hospital because I was taken off of birth control pills right away. Oh yeah, the cause of the blood clots? Birth control pills and smoking.

So I was on blood thinners for a year, can't take any form of birth control with estrogen in it, and had to go to the hematologist every week for months...but I lived. The emergency room doctor wasn't the only one who said I could have died. You know how when you are in the hospital for more than a day and the rotation of nurses and doctors seems to change every hour? Just about every person I saw during those 4 days told me I was extremely close to dying.

It didn't hit me for a while what all of this meant. I didn't have an epiphany or anything but I slowly realized and started to appreciate my life more. I started to realize how I have been abusing my body with food and lack of exercise. I started to change. Since then I've lost 60 lbs. and have been able to keep it off. I'm currently trying to lose the rest of the weight I have and while it's always a slow process, I think back to 2004 and that alone keeps me from going back to the way I once was. The blood clots saved my life.

Monday Meh

2007-11-05T09:40:00.000-06:00

I'm not really meh today but I felt like saying it. :)

This weekend was pretty good, felt nice and long (and that's how mama likes it! hee hee). Friday night I worked at Chili's and it was pretty slow (got stiffed, hooray) and went home to poor Honey and his swollen arm. It's not broken, but he has a deep contusion (fancy word for bruise) but even this morning, that arm is still swollen. He goes back on Thursday for a re-check and a physical so I'm sure they'll learn more.

Saturday I was at Chili's at 6am (as promised) and naturally, I was the only one there until about 8:30am. I got almost every shift I wanted. Instead of working a double on the 21st like I wanted (the lunch shift was full), I have to work lunch on New Year's Eve. Not too bad. I still think it is so lame we had to sign up for 7 GOT damn shifts. Whatever, moving on!

Saturday night we just hung out at home, watched TV and chilled. Sunday we went for a walk, watched some football with his mom and step-dad, and watched Blood Diamond. Has anyone seen this movie? Aye. Sad but real good. Leonardo Dicaprio is so grown up and still a cutie. Such a good actor.

We followed up our night with an attempt at sex while he has this hurt arm. I gotta say that I truly miss being on the pill. I am so sick of using condoms and this is what always happens: we're doing it, its great, I start to have my "o" and he basically throws me off of him because he almost does too and doesn't have the condom on yet. And last night was no different and I complained and he said, "What's the problem? I thought you got off?" Um, no Larry, I was right in the MIDDLE of it and you made me stop!! AYE! All I have to say about that is he's lucky I am the proud owner of battery-operated items that won't quit in the middle of my orgasm. LOL I know, I sound awful and its partly my fault that I don't make him put the condom on right when we start but you just don't know how often this happens! LOL!

I'm going to be in and out of here all week because we're moving within the office so...see/talk/write soon guys! :) xoxoxox

So happy the weekend is here!

2007-11-02T08:17:00.000-05:00

Seriously, the planets aligned this week to make it a hugely busy week and coupled it with PMS. It's been rough but I'm celebrating the fact that it's over. Almost.

So last night, actually yesterday afternoon, I had had it with this place (job #1) and left early. I went home and napped with the kitties for a couple hours and finally Matt came home. He had been out bike riding with his buddy Zack and they were gone for a while. Matt walks in, holding his arm, and grimacing. Oh boy. Apparantly he fell off his mountain bike. While standing. LMAO! I'm sorry but I have to laugh. He bought these special shoes and these special clips to clip his shoes to the pedals of his bike (isn't that for Tour de France type racing? mountain biking?) and he had been getting not gay and forgot he clipped into one of the pedals; went to turn around to talk to Zack and fell. LARRY!!!!!!

He fell on hand/wrist and his elbow area is what hurts. He said he feels like it's majorly bruised. The worst part...he fell 2 minutes after they got there and then rode around, injured, for over 2 hours. So he didn't start icing his elbow until he got home. Well he woke up this morning and said it doesn't feel any better so he's calling the doctor. He also said he can get himself to the doctor. I can't wait to hear how he's going to drive stick shift since it is his right arm. He can't straighten it all the way and it hurts to the touch and was definitely swollen last night.

So that was our night. I went to bed early because I'm just beat this week plus I have to work the two jobs tonight and then be up SUPER early to be back at Chili's tomorrow morning. Yeah get this, the managers are not scheduling anyone for the holiday season, they are forcing us to choose what we want to work. And the choosing process is really jacked up.

Basically the top 8 servers that have been there the longest get first crack at the list. There are a list of 7 dates and yesterday, these top 8 people had to sign up for 5 shifts each. Tomorrow morning at 9am, the managers will open the doors to the rest of us non-top 8ers and we have pick 7 shifts to work.

Why is this jacked up? Because if I don't get to Chili's SUPER early tomorrow, I risk having to work days/nights I don't want to. All of the dates that we are being forced to choose from are all dates I have off from my other job. So I'm going to work some doubles and even Christmas Eve to NOT have to work at all on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Gay.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend!! xoxoxoox

Final Destination

2007-11-01T07:33:00.001-05:00

Matt and I were supposed to see Saw IV last night (yes, he's one of those people that loves to see creepy movies on Halloween) but he ended up working late so we watched Final Destination.

I had heard of these movies (aren't there like four of them?) but always assumed it was one of those movies where there's some bad guy...like Mike Myers or Freddie or that needle face guy (who thinks up this stuff?) but not true with FD. I'd like to put it out here right now that I'm a scairdy cat and scary movies (even low grade ones) do scare me. I've been known to squeeze hands too hard and hide behind my fingers when something bad is about to happen.

So this movie, for those that haven't seen it, is about this group of teenagers about to go on a trip to Paris. One of the kids, while waiting in the plane while it taxied, has a dream/vision about the plane exploding right after take off. He makes a big scene and is taken off the plane, along with about 6 others. Plane explodes...everyone dramatically looks at crazy vision teen.

The kid goes on to discover that death has a pre-set pattern and if he can constantly break that pattern, he can cheat it. I'll admit to you that this movie was scary to me (scary to Beth = me jumping at any point because something shocked/surprised me and/or bloody stuff) and I hid behind my fingers a lot and Matt moved to the other couch because he I put marks on his arm. :)

Like most movies, this one got me thinking...do we all really have a pre-set time and way to go? Do the littlest of things change all that? What do you believe?

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T10:44:00.001-05:00

I am actually in a rotten mood today (work and PMS) but just wanted to wish everyone a safe, wonderful, candy-filled Halloween. :)

Terrible

2007-10-30T08:13:00.000-05:00

Okay you guys, seriously, how do you think of things to blog about? It's like I want to be entertaining but honestly, my life doesn't afford me the luxury of sitting around and thinking of something fun to blog about. So I tell you guys about my life. Sorry! LOL!

We are moving next week. We, my department at work, are moving into the old executive area and we have new everything! It's like a wet dream for this girl because I LOVE new! I love change and I love new and I'm so excited we're moving. I am even more excited because I won't have to look at Re-re's ugly, stupid face anymore.

Yesterday's "Re-re Moment" is brought to you by the makers of Guns. Guns...if you don't have one, you probably want to use it on someone.

So yesterday Re-re asks me a question about where to assign a ticket. To me, it was an obvious answer but apparantly to Wonder Fuck, this was a hard one. I told him the answer and went about my business. Hour and a half later, our Desktop supervisor is talking to us, and Re-re asks him the SAME exact question. He gives him the answer (same as my answer) and I casually tilt my head into Re-re's line of vision and say, "Did you not believe me when you asked me earlier?"

This bitch get this smug, smarmy smirk on his face and says, "Nothing wrong with getting a 2nd opinion." Um, yes there is you fucking waste of space. You waste MY time when you insist on making sure my answers are right. I wish his mother would have aborted him. Yeah, I said it. I have never hated someone like I hate this guy.

But all of this will get better once we move. No longer will he be in my line of vision. No longer will I have to listen him loudly slurp his water bottle or look at his butt-ugly wife on his desk. I wish I could enforce the rule that he can only talk to me via IM but that's not going to happen. I'm not bringing my visitor's chair with me to my new cube when we move. I don't want Re-re to have any excuse to sit next to me and talk.

Happy Tuesday Ho's!!!!

Random Monday

2007-10-29T08:48:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to say hi and bye because it is a Monday and as always, I am swamped. Mondays are always the busiest here so I'll make this short and sweet.

Got new pillows yesterday, who knew I was an extra firm kind of girl? :) Okay, I did. :)

We also got a new shower head that is not installed yet but I'm very excited about it. It's got the permanent over-your-heard rain shower kind of thingy and then a detachable fun kind of thingy. :)

We saw 3:10 to Yuma yesterday. Christian Bale? Hello! I'd like to be roughed up a bit by that man. He's hot! The movie was pretty good...I liked the ending. Russell Crowe does nothing for me but there was good acting in this.

Does anyone love How I Met Your Mother as much as I do? If you've never seen it, watch one episode and tell me how great it is. I would never have though Neil Patrick Harris was gay, especially watching this show. What a great actor.

Anyway, have a great week everyone!!! :)

SO busy!!

2007-10-26T09:11:00.000-05:00

Guys, this week has been INSANE! Full moon today...did you know? You know what that means...my emotions are all messed up and everything that can go wrong has.

But I shall not dwell because that's not learning from my challenges. MEH!!! :)

I had my first weigh in last night (first weigh in at home, since re-starting WW) and I've lost 7.6 lbs. Matt was pretty blown away and I had to laugh and tell him not to expect that every week because this is the first week back and that always happens. If I can just lose about 2 lbs. a week from here on out, I'll be a happy sailor. :)

My question for you today is do any of you have alarm clock recommendations? Mine is not loud enough anymore (that or I need to have my ears candled) and I have been late to work almost every day this week because of it. Time for a new one. Any recommendations? :)

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!!!

Hump Day!

2007-10-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the middle of the week and can I just say that I am exhausted? Too much drama going on at work and working a full week after getting back from vacation is always rough.

Is it true that President Bush passed some law or "made it so" so that Daylight Savings Time has been changed? I'm outta the loop, what the heck?

Yesterday's Re-re Stupid Question of the Day was: "Hey Beth, did you see that email in the inbox?"

We both look at the same help desk inbox ALL day long and considering the email he was talking about was one that *I* replied to...my head hurts from shaking it. I am a dumber person because of my exposure to him.

I have my first weigh-in tomorrow since rejoining WW online. I feel I have done VERY well this week and it has SO improved my mood. I just feel so good about myself when I do something like this for myself. I realize I don't take enough time to care about ME as much as I do others but...baby steps. :)

So it's a happy day my friends. I hope you all have a good one! xoxox

It's that time again!

2007-10-23T07:48:00.001-05:00

It is time, once again, for me to remind my small group of blogging friends (and anyone else that might stumble upon this post) what life is like as a server. Not just a reminder but also I'm hoping that some of you learn a thing or two of what it's like to serve in a restaurant and how you can make your dining out experience more pleasurable.

Who has kids? Raise your hand. Actually, raise your right hand. And repeat after me:

I, Mommy/Daddy of this small being, do hereby promise to flip my server a few extra bucks to clean up after the ginormous mess my small being made at your table. I solemnly understand that although my server may not have to clean up after my child (but most of the time does) the busboys here will have to and my server has to give them part of her tips anyway.

That was a big one for me last night. I had a table last night with two kids, both under the age of 5, and I knew, from the moment I walked up, they were going to be an issue. How did I know? The first thing I do when I greet a table is set down napkins and silverware. The minute I put the napkin in front of the daughter, she grabbed at it and started doing with it whatever little kids do with those fascinating napkins.

When her mother ordered their drinks for them, she whispered to get the girl water and get the boy lemonade. I carried the drinks out, one on top of the other (kids cups come with lids, easy to carry) and set them on the table. Daughter grabs the top cup (with the lemonade for her brother) and since I'm not easily intimidated by small nose-pickers, I grabbed it right back from her. You should have seen the look on her face.

I also had the pleasure of serving three princesses last night. What? You didn't know there are princes and princesses right here in the United States? Well! Come to Chili's. Because obviously that's where they all go. They all come to Chili's, with The Ritz on their mind. Friends, please do not come into a chain restaurant, such as Chili's, TGIFridays, Denny's, Perkins, whatever, and expect table cloths and herbal teas. We are a bar and grill. We have some signature dishes that we are famous for, but we do not have 10 different kinds of iced tea, doilies, or bathroom attendants.

I swear to you this happened. These three princesses first requested classic margaritas (which are $3, so go low people, this is house tequila), but they insisted on having them in stemmed glasses. They refused to drink them out of our glass mugs and had to have a glass with a stem.

Next, the head princess ordered soup and salad (who knew there were so many ways to modify that meal) and told me FOUR times that she wants her salad out first and not to bring out the soup until she signals. She kept saying that, "until I signal you," like I'm some deaf person you have to wave your hands in front of to get my attention.

The princesses went to the bathroom during their meal and complained that the "bathroom attendant" needs to do a better job.

Finally, my favorite, the coffee. We don't get a lot of coffee drinkers at Chili's. Why? The coffee blows. In this day and age of Starbucks, why drink some generic brew out of a tinfoil bag? So the princesses want two decafs and one regular and I swear to you, on my kitties' lives, the coffee came out of the carafe, steaming. STEAMING! I drop it off at their table, attend to other less needy beings and when I stop back, they have full cups, complain the coffee is cold, I explain the steam I saw, they insist I brew new coffee.

We have ONE coffee maker in the restaurant so in order to make fresh decaf and regular, I have to do it one at a time. I explained this to them and they say, "That's okay, we'll be here a while."

Which makes me cringe. Why? Because now they are Camping Princesses. No one I know, unless they are servers or have been servers, EVER tips enough when they camp. And by camping I mean if you are going to sit at the table after you are done eating, you are now camping. This includes slowly finishing your drink, ordering coffee with many refills, or just sitting there talking. I could be turning over this table if you would just get out. I could be making more money at this table if I turned it over so again, get out. If you still are going to stay, you should give me a bigger tip to make up for the money that you are taking away from me by sitting there for HOURS!

I left and those women were still there.

Discrimination

2007-10-22T11:05:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been the victim of discrimination? Not just race discrimination either...other kinds. Age discrimination? Weight discrimination? Sex discrimination?

I have worked for some offices that were true boys' clubs and little snip its of discrimination have invaded the day-to-day but nothing to offend a true naughty girl like me. :)

But recently, I've experienced more and more weight discrimination and being the Queen of Fair, it has me enraged.

While in the Smokys, I was unable to ride horses because of a weight restriction at the corral. I understand certain horses probably can't carry a certain weight but that didn't help my embarrassment or devastation. I looked forward to this so much and to be denied because of my size (which I do NOT let control how I live my outdoor life)...it was rough.

I have also experienced this when hanging out with friends. It's HIGHLY apparent that guys take issue with my weight when everyone of my girlfriends that is skinnier than me is lavished certain attentions.

I have always been a flirt and flirt a lot with the guys I work with at Chili's. Certain guys flirt right back, just as much (if not more) than I do and it does this old girl's heart well. But it is SO OBVIOUS that certain guys have issues with my weight when they make the rounds of giving shoulder massages and they skip me and this other girl who is heavier than me. It hurts my feelings.

So have you ever experienced something like this? Care to share?

Friday Smoky Post

2007-10-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share some more pictures!!! I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!!

This is part of the problem with not owning a tri-pod. We have to rely on strange Larrys to take our picture. Now how the hell am I supposed to use this as a Christmas card picture when you can barely tell its US???

Isn't this totally Blair Witch Projecty? This area of Cades Cove once had settlers and they turned the area into a paved path and there are two fireplaces and a stone wall and I love seeing old shit like this! OMG! Just to know that 200 years ago, someone from back then was standing in front of what I'm standing in front of now...I love stuff like that.

When my sister and I were looking at the pics last night, she said in this pic, it looks like the cross on the ground is floating. What do you think?

Do you see this precious muffin? Do you see how he's holding his back paw? He's posing...because he's waiting for us to throw food down to him. In Cherokee, NC, they have two of these places where they have captured bears, keep too many in too small of enclosures, and people pay to see them and feed them. I loved it and hated it. I hate that these bears can now, never be released into the wild. They are fully dependent on people. But they were SOOOOOOO cute!! I mean look at him!! I wanna kiss his nose.

Mama's Back!

2007-10-18T09:53:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! We are back! Okay so we've been back since early Tuesday morning but you know how it is...gotta get back to work and deal with all the fucktards that didn't get to go on vacation, gotta get the pets to remember that they love us and yes, we do feed you! Gotta remember what its like to wake up in a bed under a solid roof instead of in a sleeping bag, under some canvas. :)

The Smoky Mountains were gorgeous. We hiked and camped and biked and rafted and saw lots of animals and it was a great trip. I'm truly glad to be home though because now I don't have another vacation until March of next year (VEGAS BABY!) and I can breathe some. I hate the nervous anxiety I get before a vacation...I always feel like I've forgotten to do something.

Here are some pics I thought you all might enjoy. If the spacing gets all messed up, sorry but I don't have time to fix it. I hate this part of blogger.

Did everyone have a good week? I will visit your blogs soon! xoxoxoxo Beth

On the road again!

2007-10-06T14:23:00.001-05:00

Matt and I leave in 2 1/2 hours for the Smokey Mountains so I just wanted to say bye and I hope you all have a great week! We'll be gone until Monday the 15th and I'll be back at work on the 16th but probably won't blog til the 17th so I can catch up.

Love to all!!!!

This ho is on vacation!

Fantasies

2007-10-04T10:23:00.000-05:00

My blog sure has been depressing lately huh? :) Well, instead of another life update, here's something light and fun.

How dangerous are sexual fantasies? Let's say you have a person in your life, of the opposite sex, and you get along real well and suddenly, you are fantasizing about what it would be like to do it with them. Is it wrong? I once had a shrink tell me that it's healthy to fantasize. If you aren't ever going to act on it, is it okay?

Basically the reason I'm asking is because I, being a healthy, almost 32 year old female, am at my sexual peak. Or so I'm told. And mama needs action. And Mr. Matt works a LOT of hours and is frequently tired. So I have my little dreams. :) I have some cute boys that are friends at my 2nd job and let me tell you...they frequently make it well known that if I were single, they'd be...let's use the word interested. We flirt and have fun and they know Matt and have been over so it is definitely innocent...but I can't help but have little dirty thoughts about these guys!

Am I bad? I won't touch them, I promise. But I want to think about it. LOL!!!

Too funny to not post

2007-10-03T13:17:00.000-05:00

I work in the IT department and our securities manager passed this on to me. Too funny to not do a second post today! :) Enjoy!

To all Internet users...

Big companies don't do business via chain letters and there are no computer programs that track how many times an e-mail is forwarded, let alone by whom. Bill Gates is not giving you $1000, and Disney is not giving you a free vacation. There is no baby food company issuing class action checks.

Proctor and Gamble is not part of a satanic cult or scheme, and its logo is not satanic.

MTV will not give you backstage passes if you forward something to the most people.

The Gap is not giving away free clothes. You can relax; there is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true."

There is no kidney theft ring in New Orleans. No one is waking up in a bathtub full of ice, even if a friend of a friend swears it happened to their cousin. If you are hell bent on believing the kidney theft ring stories, see: www.snopes.com/horrors/robbery/kidney.htm

And I quote: "The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests for actual victims of organ thieves to come forward and tell their stories." None have. That's "none" as in "zero." Not even your friend's cousin.

Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. And even if they do, we all have it. And even if you don't, you can get a copy at: www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html. Then, if you make the recipe, decide the cookies are that awesome, feel free to pass the recipe on.

If the latest NASA rocket disasters DID contain plutonium that went to particulate over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information would reach the public via an AOL chain letter?

There is no "Good Times" virus. In fact, you should never, ever, ever forward any email containing any virus warning unless you first confirm that an actual site of an actual company that actually deals with viruses. Try: Symantec. And even then, don't forward it. We don't care. And you cannot get a virus from a flashing IM or email, you have to download it...ya know, like, a FILE!

There is no gang initiation plot to murder any motorist who flashes headlights at another car driving at night without lights.

If you're using Outlook, IE, or Netscape to write email, turn off the "HTML encoding." Those of us on Unix shells can't read it, and don't care enough to save the attachment and then view it with a web browser since you're probably forwarding us a copy of the Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe anyway.

If you still absolutely MUST forward that 10th-generation message from a friend, at least have the decency to trim the eight miles of headers showing everyone else who's received it over the last 6 months. (Think Cut and Paste) It sure wouldn't hurt to get rid of all the "" that begin each line either. Besides, if it has gone around that many times we've probably already seen it.

Craig Shergold (or Sherwood, or Sherman, etc.) in England is not dying of cancer or anything else at this time and would like everyone to stop sending him their business cards. He apparently is no longer a "little boy" either.

The "Make a Wish" foundation is a real organization doing fine work, but they have had to establish a special toll free hot line in response to the large number of Internet hoaxes using their good name and reputation. It is distracting them from the important work they do. Also, the American Cancer Society does not give 3 cents for each person you forward e-mail to. They ask for you to donate money, money, they don't give it, as if they could know how many e-mails you sent out...sheesh.

If you are one of those insufferable idiots who forwards anything that "promises" something bad will happen if you "don't" - then something bad will happen to you if I ever meet you in a dark alley.

Women really are suffering in Afghanistan, but forwarding an e-mail won't help their cause in the least. If you want to help, contact your local legislative representative, or get in touch with Amnesty International or the Red Cross.

As a general rule, e-mail "signatures" are easily faked and mean nothing to anyone with any power to do anything about whatever the competition is complaining about.

KFC really does use real chickens with feathers and beaks and feet. No, they really do. Why did they change their name? In this health conscious world, what was KFC's name? Kentucky FRIED Chicken. FRIED is not healthy. So with the help of a focus group, they changed the name to KFC. It's short, doesn't offend dieters and it's easy to remember.

Another thing, just because someone said in a message, four generations back, that "we checked it out and it's legit," does not actually make it true.

PS: There is no bill pending before Congress that will allow long distance companies to charge you for using the Internet.

Bottom Line... composing e-mail or posting something on the Net is as easy as writing on the walls of a public rest room. Don't automatically believe it until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's true.

Author Unknown

Too bad they didn't add #19 - Always include the name of the person who writes the good stuff that you copy and circulate on the Internet so the authors are given proper credit!

Better

2007-10-03T07:52:00.000-05:00

My dad is doing better you guys, he's out of the hospital and in the rehab "home" that he stayed at last year when he had his knee replacement. He can't wait to come home but first little Larry needs to be able to walk on his own and get out of bed by himself. He told me I am not to cancel my vacation to be with him.

Things at work are really hectic. Re-re the wonder tard is out this week and then I leave on Saturday for our final 2007 vacation. We are headed to the Smokey Mountains for some camping, hiking, alone time. It is well deserved and so needed. I am beat! This year kicked my ass.

So basically I'm not going to be around for another two weeks or so. I hope you all don't forget about me because I WILL be back. Its just been a rough few weeks and after I'm back from vacation, all will be right again. xoxoxoxoxo

Dad update

2007-10-01T07:55:00.000-05:00

My dad's been in the hospital since Tuesday and it's been quite the week. Originally the doctors thought that he had a spinal fluid leak in his back but it turns out, after testing and waiting and more waiting, the determined he has spinal meningitis. He had a lot of nausea (that hasn't fully gone away) and more headaches and they tested some of his spinal fluid and found a blood infection which turned into spinal meningitis.

He's doing well now, as well as can be expected. I saw him most of the day on Friday when he wasn't so good and then Sunday he looked so much better. He's lost weight and can't get up and down without assistance so that's very hard to swallow. My dad has always been the big, strong tough guy and to see him like this was a kick in the gut. Today he will get more physical therapy and he will have a pik line put in. This pik line is a catheter that will go in through his arm and go directly into his heart. They will have to suture it in and he will have to have it for probably 6 weeks. It will pump serious antibiotics into him to kill the meningitis.

We are hopeful he'll get to come home this week. We don't want him leaving the hospital TOO soon (like we have a say in that) because obviously that was detrimental to him last time. I really appreciate all the love and support I've already received. My dad does too. :)

xoxoxoox

Unfortunately...

2007-09-26T11:41:00.000-05:00

my week has gone from crappy to craptacular.

My boss is being a prick and I'm sick of trying to be assertive and stand up for myself and then get shot down with "you are overreacting and you assume too much." I hate my job today.

Matt's uncle is being a prick and I stand up for myself and now he's mad at me.

And my father was rushed back to the hospital today because he can't walk. He has an infection where the disc was removed and has to be in for 3 days.

And then, when I vent to people that I thought I could trust here, I find out, from my boss, that they went straight to him and he confronted me with "you were bitching behind my back."

I need alcohol and some time off.

Sorry guys. This isn't normally who I am and I just want this week to be over.

Down

2007-09-25T07:17:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, my mood did not improve from yesterday. In fact, the day kind of took a turn and the result is my eyes are really swollen from crying last night. I literally felt like I couldn't control my emotions yesterday. I feel a bit better today but honestly, I just need for this week and this cycle to end and I'll be my same old self. It's times like these that I miss Prozac.

I hope you are all having a better week than I am and I'll write something worth while when I feel more like myself. Thanks for understanding.

Meh

2007-09-24T07:58:00.000-05:00

That's how I feel today...meh. Full moon is on Wednesday. Oh joy. Can't wait for this entire week to be fraught with bull shit. On top of that, and how I got on THIS schedule I do not know, I'll have my period any day now. So today is just meh.

I really hate this one week out of the month. And FYI, I'm not looking for sympathy here. I'm just bitching. I don't need any hugs or any I'm sorrys, because honestly, that might annoy me. LOL! Picky bitch aren't I? I just truly don't want to be at work. I want to be alone. That's what I need right now...solitude. I don't want my co-workers bothering me, I don't want my family calling me, I don't even want Matt around right now...I just want to be by myself. It almost feels like that SADD thing...Seasonal Affective something Disorder? But I don't know. It's nice out so I can't blame that. So I blame the full moon and my PMS.

My weekend was pretty uneventful. The Bears got beaten badly last night (WHEN WHEN WHEN will Rex Grossman be removed?) but LSU won on Saturday so that was great. It's at least nice to watch ONE winning team. I visited my dad on Saturday and he hates being stuck on his back but hopefully, today, he'll find out if his leak has stopped. And Matt wasn't feeling good most of the weekend and so he was a crab.

I hope everyone has a great week! I'll be hiding as much as possible from mine! LOL

Miscellaneous Stuff

2007-09-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

I miss these ho's something awful!

Update on Larry, his surgery was almost 100% successful. The herniated disc had exploded in his back and they got as much of the "pieces and crusties" (his words, not mine) out of the column that holds all the nerves for his leg (which is what the disc had been pressing against and causing agonizing pain). He's experienced major insomnia because he's withdrawing from the heavy painkillers he was taking before the surgery, but that has subsided. Then, he was getting excruciating headaches (which I can't even explain how that made our family feel after losing Mike to a brain tumor and his first symptoms were bad headaches) but those have also subsided. The latest with him is he went to the doctor earlier this week and found out his back is leaking spinal fluid. If it hasn't stopped by today, his doctor is going to admit him for more surgery, which will keep him in the hospital for another three days. The poor guy! You guys, seriously, my dad's an active dude. This is really rough on him so I'm hoping no surgery!

Matt and I will spend most of this weekend finalizing our plans for our next vacation...the Smokey Mountains! We leave on October 6 and I am BEYOND excited. As much fun as NY was, some of the best trips of my life is when we're alone; especially when we go camping and it's just us and nature. We'll be horseback riding, white water rafting, hiking and anything else we can squeeze in. I can't wait!

Something big is about to happen at work...I can feel it. A very reliable source in my department tells me that my boss is going to quit. Naturally I'll believe it when I see it but I'm in shock. It's one of those situations where we got a new CIO (my old boss that never managed me) about a year ago and since he started, he has created a new position for a woman he used to work with, and then created another one for another woman. They all used to work together, tight unit at the old job, and my boss is nervous he's got one of those ladies after his job. I don't want him to leave but I do find fault in his work ethic. The other thing my insider told me is that there will be a new hierarchy soon and I just might be Re-re's boss soon. I have never managed/supervised before and I'm so nervous. Honestly, I don't have time to be nervous because the ONLY thing I can think of is, will I get a new job title? And if so, how much more money will I get? I desperately want to be able to quit Chili's and just work this job full time. I want it so bad I can taste it. Or at least, I could make enough to not rely on the Chili's money so much. Cross your fingers for me!

And finally, I got laid last night and it was FANTASTIC. :)

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Blast to the past

2007-09-20T07:15:00.000-05:00

I have ulterior motives for my blog post today so I hope you'll bare with me. Bear with me? No, bare with me. Okay. I have a friend who is going through a hard time right now. She is in a relationship that needs to end and although it is easy for me to say it needs to end now and if I were her, I would not waste another day...it's easier said than done. I want to share part of my past with you all in hopes that my friend (who may or may not read this) understands that not only have I been where she is, but that she has support. I hope this post gives her strength and makes her realize that continuing to live how she lives is killing the spirit and wonderful person she is inside, slowly and painfully. And finally, I hope she realizes how much I love her and care about her and how I will do anything I can to help her get through this hard time.

I went away to college for one year. My memories of that one year are strong and important to me and I often regret not finishing school. The reason I didn't go back the second year was NOT because my parents wouldn't let me (I was on academic probation both semesters) and it was NOT because I was homesick...it was because of a guy.

I met Brian at the job I got the summer after my year away at school. I was a receptionist for a waste management firm and I fell for one of the service techs that I used to have to serve tea to every day (company was British-owned and 3pm sharp every day, Beth had to make tea and deliver it around the office...don't even get me started about how that made me feel).

Brian was no looker but something about him, his smile maybe, or the sweet way he talked to me, had me hooked. I fell hard and fast and he did too. We spent every day together. I spent the night at his house constantly. He was the first guy I had an orgasm with...true love right? LOL! And we talked about getting married. And so I didn't go back to college. One of my biggest regrets in life (not that I'd change the person or way my life is now for anything, but you know what I mean).

Things started to change after about a year together. He changed. Or perhaps I did. Suddenly I started to realize how imperfect this love we had was. We started fighting and my self esteem started to suffer. Brian hated everything. I have never met a more negative person. If I told him about a new album coming out from one of my favorite bands, his response was always, "I hate new music. I hate them." Everything was "I hate."

"I hate your friends, I hate how you drive, I hate when you wear too much makeup, I hate that you're gaining weight, I hate your parents. I hate your religion." Gives a girl a lot to look forward to in life huh? He moved in with his best friend and that's when things really got worse. My self esteem started to suffer in unbelievable ways. I got possessive and jealous and I felt out of control. I would freak out if I found a porn magazine in his possession. I even remember a fight about the group En Vogue...he had their CD and pointed out his "favorite" and I forever compared myself to that girl and hated him for liking anyone other than me.

Brian loved his friends, first and foremost. He made no beans about telling me how important they are and often our plans revolved around hanging out with them. He put me second (or third, behind himself) always. I felt mistreated and he felt smothered. And because of my self esteem issues (which I feel he had a large part in creating), he had control over me. My life revolved around this man. If he was happy, I was happy...and with all the hate in his heart, how often was that? I ostracized my friends and family. I was miserable.

We broke up after 2 years together. He ended it with me. I found out he had bought an engagement ring for me, had showed it to one of our mutual girlfriends, but then returned it and because he couldn't get a refund, exchanged it for a diamond tennis bracelet. I was devastated. Devastated to lose him and devastated to lose out on marriage. I thought he was the one! And my world was crumbling around me. The month after he broke up with me, I lost 30 lbs. and made sure he saw that change. And like I wanted, he came crawling back. He would page me (remember pagers? lol) or call my private line in the middle of the night, begging me to come over...crying, telling me how much he missed me and loved me. I fell for it every time.

See Brian had this power. He controlled me by how he treat me. And the minute he would notice that I might slip through his fingers forever, THAT is when he turned on the charm. I did not get flowers or romance or love throughout most of our relationship...it was only when he knew he pissed me off or he knew I was ready to leave, that he would shape up. And it was ALWAYS short-term. He didn't want to change but he sure as hell knew the moves to keep me stringing along. I was his puppet. He said jump, I asked how high.

I lost friends over him. I lost the respect of a lot of people. But I didn't care because I was fully and truly manipulated. We got back together after that breakup and I dumped him three months later. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. He had downright started insulting me. Calling me a prude because I gave him shit about his affinity for porn, telling me if I loved him I wouldn't be like this. I had had it. I was sick of crying all the time. And my beautiful father told me something that sticks with me to this day. Larry said, "Relationships, ESPECIALLY new relationships, in the first 1 to 3 years, should be the happiest of your life. You should be smiling and laughing more than crying. And then, as you get into the later years, you should be growing and understanding and become more of the best friends you should have become at first."

And I did not have that. Brian tried to lure me back but I moved away. I moved away to get out of the toxic situation I was in. I had already lost my best friend. She stopped talking to me for three years because of Brian. Turns out he hit on her. He lured her to his basement bedroom, with the guise of showing her the engagement ring he bought me, and he threw her on his bed and tried to kiss her. And because of how warped I was, because of how controlled and manipulated I was by this guy, she knew she couldn't tell me. She knew that I would not believe her and that it would ruin the years of friendship we had together. Some tell me if she was a true friend she would have told me right when it happened...I don't think so. I know in my heart I would have never believed her. I would have blamed her and I might have even stayed with Brian longer than I had. I had to learn on my own. She told me, after we reunited, that when she was screaming at him, telling him to get off her and that she's going to tell me, he said, "She won't believe you. She believes everything I tell her. I control how Beth feels. If I want her to feel good, she does. If I want her to feel miserable she does." He knew. And when she stopped talking to me, and I was miserable and heart-broken and crying, Brian did everything in his power to try to make me think I was better off without her.

And so I moved away. It only took 6 months and one visit home (yes, to see him) to get over him. The last time we hooked up I walked away feeling like an idiot. I had no love left in my heart for him. Maybe someone else will make him happy is what I thought. Aint my job anymore.

And when I returned to Illinois, that's when my world changed. I no longer had to worry about him and his feelings. I didn't have this monkey on my back making me feel restricted and terrible about myself. I went back to work (where I had left 6 months earlier to get away from Brian) and not even looking, found Matt. Other than the one hook up, I had sworn off men for a year and then my angel fell into my lap. Okay, that is beyond cheesy but it's true. I won the lottery with Matt. I knew, from the moment I saw him he was the one and told anyone that would listen (except him of course. HELLO? Mama's gotta play a little hard to get! lol).

Brian changed my life, for the worst. He beat me down with words and emotions and he took a piece of me with him. I don't know if my self esteem will ever recover fully. I morphed into a person I never wanted to be and no one could help me but myself. And trust me, breaking up with him was not easy but I did it. I stopped making excuses (oh I'll miss his family, oh but MAYBE he'll marry me some day, maybe I can change him) and started taking care of me and only me. Another favorite quote from Larry: "In the end, you are only left with #1." I'm #1. And Dad taught me to look out for #1.

My life is incredible now. I learned a great many things from my Brian days. My friend and I are closer than ever now (we still have issues but they have nothing to do with Brian) and I feel I am a better person every day. I have learned from my experiences and my sadness. I have learned how I want to be loved and deserve to be loved.

I want my friend, the one I'm writing this for, to know she's not alone. She CAN get out of the situation she's in and she doesn't have to wait. She doesn't have to listen to anyone but herself and her heart is telling her what's right and wrong. She must know that I support her 150% and I love her like she is my sister and when I see her in pain like she is, it rips my heart apart. You don't have to wait girl. You can talk about leaving all you want but until you rip that band aid off and do it...you will be miserable and the soul that is you, will suffer. I hate seeing you suffer. I hate hearing you make excuses. I want you to be free. I want you to experience real love. And I will do whatever I can to help you get there. I love you.

Thankful

2007-09-19T07:45:00.001-05:00

I'm taking a cue from one of my best girls, Cece, and I'd like to share some things that I'm thankful for.

I'm grateful for my health. It wasn't too long ago that I was laid up in a hospital bed with multiple blood clots in my lungs, catheter in me, being told by every doctor and nurse that saw me that I came close to dying. I am so thankful that I have learned how to concentrate on my health and I pay more attention to all the signals my body gives me when it doesn't feel good. And I'm thankful I have good doctors who seem available to see me at the drop of a hat.

I'm grateful for my family and their health. My father has had more surgeries in the past few years than anyone I know. Rotator cuff surgery, knee replacement, and most recently, a lumbar discectomy. But he's doing great. And my mother is healthy and my sisters, for now, are healthy. I hope this health continues but I am grateful for what is now. I am so thankful to have parents and sisters that love me and support me.

I am beyond grateful and thankful for my friends. My friends are healthy. My friends are my sisters. I would be nothing without my girls. My friends have seen me through my good and bad...and they still love me. They love me unconditionally and even when I'm a neurotic basket case with emotional issues and sensitivity problems...they love me. They are generous, kind, fun, beautiful, and in one word...AMAZING.

I am thankful for Matt. He is my best friend, my travel buddy, my love, my partner, my everything. He supports me, he teaches me, he loves me, and he is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I'm grateful to have found him and to still love him more and more as the years pass.

I am grateful to have a job and roof over my head and a car to drive. There are many people, in our own country, that don't have any of this and I am so thankful I do. I may bitch about all of them but I am truly thankful to have them.

And finally, last but not least, I'm grateful for my kitties. :) Always. :)

Happy Hump Day!!

Some New York/Hamptons Pictures

2007-09-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

We had such a fantastic time you guys. Matt's family is beyond generous and loving and I miss them all already. I have a big day today. I have the first of a few vendors coming in to demo some new help desk software and I set the whole thing up and I'm rather nervous. Our CIO will be there, along with my boss, Director of IT, and I just want to make sure all the right questions are asked.

Enjoy the pics!!! :)

Washington Square Park (about two blocks from Uncle R's apartment in the Village)

I think we all know who this pretty lady is. Did you know it took 33 years for her to turn green?

This is JD, Uncle R and G's 5 month old bull dog puppy. His daddy won some Westminster something or other. Aint he cute? He chews shoes and farts a lot but he's a sweet guy.

Me and honey, on G's boat. I always have to tickle him to get a good smile out of him. :)

Oh who's a big Lambie? I think this one's name is Fiona. Love them!!

And this horsie's name is...Broadway, I think. All I know is he bit my finger. And so I gave him a smooch to tell him it's okay. :)

The lobster/clam bake on the beach. Yummy corn.

See, your ass is always the last one to be eating because you screw around with your food. ALWAYS last. LMAO!!!

And this is George, our host puppy. He's 130lbs. of sweet love and he let us stay at his house in the Hamptons. He needs kisses on his head.

I'm back!

2007-09-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

Hello blogging friend and loved ones! I am back!

New York was fantastic! We had such a good time and whether you want to or not, you'll hear about it right now! :)

Wednesday we flew into LaGuardia (that flight is so short that Matt and I had to order two drinks at once!) and got our rental car and headed to Matt's uncle's apartment in Greenwich Village. Now this was not our first time in New York (or "the city" as everyone calls it) but we hadn't been there in 6 years so its been quite some time. And my first time there was kind of overshadowed by the fact that I was meeting all of Matt's family for the first time so my memory of what I saw is fuzzy. :)

We met up with Matt's cousin and girlfriend and had dinner at Garage and got a little tipsy. We made our way over to The Duplex, a so-much-fun gay bar that Uncle R had taken us to before. We sang along with the piano player and Matt and his cousin got hit on and then we got lost going home. Uncle R's apartment is 3 blocks from this place, 3 blocks! It took us an hour because we were drunk. LMAO!!

The next day we had a late breakfast and then headed to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Did you know that since 9/11 they haven't allowed anyone in the Statue? We got to walk around her and the day was just SO perfect. Blue skies, warm breezes, just perfect. We didn't get to spend enough time at Ellis Island so I definitely want to go back there. After all that, Matt and I headed to Ground Zero. What an experience. We took pictures of the all the flowers and the messages and you just can't quite wrap your brain around the whole thing. I can't believe it has been 5 years since it happened and there is STILL wreckage to be cleaned up. We ate at an Irish pub that was right next door and they have a photo album of before and after pictures. Surreal.

Then it was off to the Hamptons! We got there late, naturally, and everyone had already been drinking for a while, waiting for us. I hate being so late! Freakin' Matt! AYE! His Aunt G was so drunk she greeted me three separate times! LMAO! But it was fun and SO great to see everyone.

It is literally impossible for all of Matt's dad's family to spend an entire reunion with each other. There are just too many of us. So Friday we took two shifts that went out on Uncle R's husband's boat. Matt and I naturally got on the later outing. :) What a perfect day! We spent time drinking and sunning and chatting and it was just fantastic. I swear I have pictures! :)

Friday night we headed to Uncle's R's friend's house and this guy's family has been in the Hamptons since the Hamptons were created. Him and his boyfriend have a big ass farm and OMG! I was in animal lover heaven. :) They have puppies and kitties and chickens and roosters and peacocks and 4 lambs!!! And I got to see all the horses they board and two of them bit me but I'm fine. I got to kiss them and they were great. Then it was off to our lobster/clam bake on the beach. Uncle R had this thing catered and it was fantastic! We had a fire going and great food (I don't think I'm a seafood lover anymore though, ah well) and got our toes into the ocean. We were going to go to some bar afterwards but because of having so many people there, we all got separated and Matt and I just ended up back at the house. I fell asleep for a few hours while Matt searched for me, telling everyone I'm definitely NOT in the house! LMAO!! Oh Larry!

Saturday it was raining when we woke up so we had a late breakfast in Southhampton. I saw two celebrities! Everyone remember Patricia Wettig? She was there and looked older than I remember. Also this designer...what's his name again...Isaac Mizrahi. I felt really cool being at the same restaurant as these people but then I realized, or actually Matt's Uncle T pointed out, they put their panties on the same as I do. LMAO! I would never run over and interrupt them and ask for an autograph so I admired from afar.

Matt and I headed to Fire Island and just missed being able to get into the National Seashore. So we drove to where all the ferries are and we hopped on one and just rode the ferry to different stops it makes on the island (Kismet and so forth). Kind of dorky but it was fun and we got to see a gorgeous sunset.

That night was back at Uncle R's, the last dinner. We had gumbo and bread and salad and it was fantastic. I really thought this would be the night everyone really partied it up but it just didn't happen. We were all very low key (probably tired from the whole weekend) and most people went to bed early (after Alabama beat Arkansas...oh that set a bad mood).

We played some spades but went to bed ourselves and then it was time to leave the next day. Matt and my's plane didn't leave until 5:25pm so we went to a Mets game at 1pm. It was awesome! I love baseball! We got ripped off by some guy who was supposedly a cab but was actually a limo. He tried to charge us $25 to get from Shea to LaGuardia when it cost us $10 to do the reverse. We both knew something wasn't right but we were desperate for a cab after the game (running late, AGAIN) so we hopped in and got ripped off. Matt threw him a $20 and that was that.

So we're finally home and I missed my friends and kitties so much! We leave in less than 3 weeks for the Smokies!!! I can't wait. I missed you guys!!!

Don't read this til Thursday! :)

2007-09-12T12:59:00.001-05:00

Hee hee, y'all thought I was gone didn't you? Well don't read this post until tomorrow, k? :)

This is an important one because I'm having such difficulty at home with this, it has me thinking at work, in my car, while I'm talking to friends...it's consuming my mind.

Matt and I have an ongoing battle. It rears its ugly head about once a month and ever since Mike died, I have been really trying to not nag or fight about petty bull shit. It's not worth it. People say things they don't mean and you can't take back hurtful words. And what if I was to say to Matt, "You little bitch, I hope your hairy ass gets deported back to the Asshole Planet you came from" and then he gets hit by a bus? It would devastate me.

The battle is about chores. We have a lovely home that houses the two of us and our two kitties and we have lots of space and therefore, lots of things to do to keep the space clean. I am by no means a neat freak and neither is he, but we both love the cleaned up, put away look...okay who doesn't?

But this little bitch (and for those of you that don't know me well, that's a term of endearment, I don't really call him a bitch nor is he a bitch, but he is surely is my little bitch) acts like because he works more than I do (I know, I know, yes, I work two jobs but to be honest, I can't remember the last time I worked 3 full shifts in one week) I should be doing the housework. Let me break this down.

Matt sells cars for a living. This means he works a bunch of different hours and doesn't have Saturdays off. So he has every Thursday off (he sometimes works the last Thursday of the month) and then Sundays. I work every weekday, 7am to 4pm, and usually work at Chili's on Tuesday and Friday nights, SOMETIMES Monday nights. He is definitely known to have some late nights selling cars but hey, you picked this shit buddy, not I.

I don't need to list out the chores that our house requires so let me just list out what I do on a regular basis: dishes, vacuuming, daily kitty box clean, monthly full kitty box clean, making the bed (this only happens like twice a week but STILL), brush the kitties, clean the bathrooms (not as often as I'd like but still, he's never done it), and general straightening of the house. What does Matt do? Well he makes sure he jerks off every Thursday! Isn't that a chore?

I'm so annoyed. Okay so basically we get into an argument about chores and he always uses the same excuse...he works more than I do. Yes he does but why must my work be discounted? And why, WHY MOTHER FUCKER WHY, do you come home every Saturday night, after I've been home all day on my day off, and ask me what have I done all day. I have told him, repeatedly, that this bugs the shit out of me. I have told him that I do not need him to parent me and I certainly don't come home every Thursday and ask him what he's done.

I want to know how chores are split up in your household. Or if you have kids (you lucky bastards, aren't they like live in slaves? LMAO!) pretend you don't and tell me what it would be like if it were just two of you. Or if you have no SO, refer back to when you had one living with you.

I feel like it is not fair. I feel that we both work hard for a living and we both want to enjoy our house so we should both be doing chores. When I used to ask him what he does on Thursdays, he would answer with stuff. And turns out, stuff means, fantasy football (he's on THREE teams this year, for fuck's sake!), jerking off, and reading. I'm serious you guys, he probably gets up at about, 10am, sometimes 11am and then he does his wake up process. Make coffee, read while drinking coffee, take long shit and read while drinking coffee, and by this time, it's about 2pm. I am lucky if he's showered by the time I get home but I certainly don't REQUIRE he shower.

Okay, enough venting...I could go on for days. Let me know your thoughts!

Today is my Friday

2007-09-12T09:25:00.000-05:00

I know, you dirty whore. Yes I am! And this dirty whore is headed to New York City!

I can't wait. This will be my...third trip there? No wait...OMG, my memory is failing me! Anyway, Matt and I are flying tonight to New York for his annual family reunion. His father has five brothers and sisters and since their parents passed away, they promised to keep the family together and they each host a reunion once a year, usually in late summer.

This year, Matt's rich uncle is having us to his home in the Hamptons. There is always a promise of MUCHO partying, maybe some drama (although this family is really good for staying drama-free...maybe I'll make some up just to keep it interesting!), and plenty of fun. I'm not like the chicks in his family...all these ladies want to do is shop. Mama can only handle so much shopping, especially when I don't have money!

We will visit the Statue of Liberty tomorrow and ride bikes in Central Park. We're also going to try to see Ground Zero but we'll see how we're doing on time. That night we head out to the Hamptons for a few days and then Sunday we need to get back to the city for a Mets game. I can't wait!!

I promise to have pictures (der!) and I will miss you all!

I hope you all have a great week!!!

Love,

Beth

Familia

2007-09-11T08:38:00.000-05:00

My family, in a word, is nuts!! Now I know where I get it. Yesterday I got an instant message from my baby sister asking me if I'm mad at my father. Um, no. Why would I be? And she said she doesn't know but that he's crying over it.

Okay, first of all, I've seen my dad cry all of 3 times in my life so it is NOT a common occurance. Second of all, why is he crying over ME? The guilt was immediate. And third, why is he not calling me about it and just assuming I'm upset?

We have communication problems in my family, obviously. No one tells each other how they truly feel because we are all afraid of hurting people's feelings or causing confrontation. At least that's MY problem. My mother and middle sister are very similar in that they are stubborn, they tell it like it is (a little too harshly sometimes) and they carry themselves with a pretty unemotional exterior. My father, myself and my baby sister are opposite. We are emotional, wear our hearts on our sleeves kind of people. Actually, Mary is in the middle. She's strong and emotional! LOL!

Anyway, she's bawling on the phone with me that Dad attacked her about not having a job and then she confessed to him that she's been depressed and then he said he gets depressed and he started crying...JESUS!! He told her he thought I was mad at him because I didn't come visit him this weekend. Oh the Catholic guilt!

So I went and saw him and we talked for 2 hours. This is probably the longest conversation I've had with my father in a long time. Not because we don't want to talk but because we just don't have time. We are both so busy and that's a poor excuse but it's true. That and my parents and I have always had a typical parent/child relationship whereas I am thinking I'd prefer a more adult/friend type relationship. And I told him this.

Anyway, my question for all of you is, how close are you with your families? Tell me about your relationship with your parents (and if they are no longer with us, I'm sorry), your siblings, even your cousins. Are you close to them? Do you hang out with them? Are they friends AND family?

Happy Tuesday!

HILARIOUS

2007-09-10T08:51:00.000-05:00

I won't be around much this week. We're leaving for NYC on Wednesday and will be gone until Sunday night. I'm so sorry I haven't had time to check in on all of your wonderful blogs. I promise to when I get back. :)

But I aint gone yet!

I leave you now, with this hilarious photo that caught my eye while watching a show about the Incas and new discoveries on how their civilization disappeared.

The archaeologist that discovered a new site in Lima where bodies were buried, has the BEST name.

I present to you:

Yes! He is Dr. Cock! I LOVE IT! Even better, he doesn't go by Guillermo, he goes by Willy.

His name is Willy Cock.

You best be laughing loud! Happy Monday!!!!

TGIF! Finally Friday!

2007-09-07T08:24:00.000-05:00

I am exhausted today you guys. We didn't even go to bed at a terribly late hour (1am) but I'm just beat. The concert last night was phenomenal (Ben Harper) and it was just a great date night.
I can't even think today so I'm going to ask you to answer this fun poll. Yeah, I went there. Lazy Friday Post. Terrible!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!! xoxoxoxoxo

Oh wait! I forgot to tell you guys about Dad! He's fine, home and his leg is totally without pain. It was instant he said and he sounded good. They weren't able to get all of the disc out because it had exploded! Dude, you guys, I never want ANYTHING in my body exploding. Scary. So he said he's sore where they went in but that he looks forward to his first beer since he's been without for almost a month. :) Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. xoxoxoox

1. What is your best friend's Dad's name?
2. What body part do you hate on everybody?
3. Who was the hottest teacher you ever had?
4. Have you ever made out in a basement?
5. What body part do you wash first in the shower?
6. Do you have any piercings?
7. Do you have any tattoos?
8. Is your driveway steep?
9. What's your favorite flavored Pringles?
10. Have you ever been tied up?
11. What was the worst thing you ever got grounded for?
12. Have you ever had two dates in one day?
13. How many times have you been cursed at?
14. Which shoe do you put on first?
15. How old are you?
16. Have you ever been to a gay bar?
17. Have you ever had any friends with benefits?
18. What's one thing you and your mother have in common?
19. Did you french kiss before you were 16?
20. Have you ever been cow-tipping or snipe-hunting?
21. Who is the last person you usually think about before you fall asleep?
22. Have you ever had a song written about you?
23. If you had to choose to not ever wash your bed sheets or your towel ever again, which would you choose?
24. Have you ever found anything in your parents' bedroom that was questionable?
25. What was/is your favorite childhood memory?
26. When is the last time you played the air guitar?
27. Have you ever peeked in the opposite sex's locker room?
28. What's the weirdest thing you have done while driving?
29. Have you ever bitten your toenails?
30. How do you normally eat your Oreo cookies?
31. Name something you do when your same sex friends aren't around.
32. How many drinks does it take before you get drunk?
33. Why are you doing this survey?
34. What was the best year of your life?
35. Any strange phobias?
36. Have you ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?
37. When's the last time you threw up?
38. Have you ever called your love interest by another girl/guys name?
39. Have you ever gotten caught sleeping while on a date?
40. Have you ever played naked Twister?
41. Have you ever been drunk at work/school?
42. How many Ellie's do you know?

Dad

2007-09-06T07:53:00.000-05:00

I just want to dedicate my post today to my daddy. Mr. Larry. heeeeee He hates that we use Larry as our derogatory word for dumb asses. But he's not the inspiration behind it so it's all good.

Dad is having surgery today. I'm nervous but as always, believe he will be just fine. He has a herniated disc and is having a lumbar discectomy. I'm really hoping that he takes it easy after today. My father is famous for treating his 60 year old body like that of a 20 year old. He thinks he can still do the same stuff from 4 decades ago and often his body suffers. A 20 year old would have no problem picking up a dresser and helping move it up two flights of stairs...60 years old? With two angio-plasties, a replaced knee and rotator cuff surgery under his belt..not so much. Aye.

So this one goes out to my own little Larry. I love my father to pieces and just want today to go smoothly. :)

Happy Thursday my friends!

Ch ch changes!

2007-09-05T09:56:00.000-05:00

I am an Aquarius, therefore, I am constantly changing and I enjoy change. Many people I know resist change (cough Leos! cough cough) but I love it. If I could move my desk here at work every month, I would. I love change of scenery, change of pace, change of underwear...well, I hope I'm not the only one that loves that one!

I have truly been working on changing myself for the better since I turned 30. I felt, and still feel, that when I turned 30, my outlook on life changed. I have a new-found sense of clarity and understanding and almost a calm that's weird but I like it. And now that I'm closing in on 32, I feel these past 1 1/2 years have brought a lot of good changes for me. And I'm working hard for these changes.

One of the biggest ones is trying to realize and correct my reactions and assumptions about people. I react very quickly to what people say or do to me and it has often gotten me in trouble. It gets me in trouble with my own self...I worry and worry and I get myself all worked up, usually over nothing. So I'm trying to change that.

Life, after all, is 5% action, 95% reaction. :)

Have a great day friends!!!

Back to the grind

2007-09-04T07:57:00.000-05:00

Why do Tuesday mornings after a holiday weekend seem more painful than regular Monday mornings? Maybe because in some deep part of my brain, I had started to fool myself into thinking I never had to return to work again. :) Or maybe that's just my flaky, Aquarian way of coping with constant, boring routines.

I hope everyone had a good, safe weekend. I spent mine eating too much (the scale shows it, boo) and relaxing mostly. I got a sinus infection on Friday (which made Chili's awful that night) and have been battling that for the past three days. Saturday I laid around and Sunday we went downtown to the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. That night we went to a joint 40th birthday party. And yesterday was chores and more relaxing. Nothing too exciting.

I'm in just sort of a blah mood. My weight controls a lot of how I feel so knowing I over-indulged this weekend and seeing it on the scale this morning sucks. But I did it to myself. Knowing I have to work two jobs today sucks. My father is having surgery on his back on Thursday, and that sucks.

But I have things to look forward to, too. I'm finally getting my hair cut on Wednesday night (haven't had it cut since March). We have another fun concert to go to on Thursday night (Ben Harper). I have a work outing on Friday night that will hopefully be fun (at least I won't be at Chili's). And I'm getting a pedicure/fill on Saturday in preparation for our trip to NYC next week.

So I'm just kind of blah today. Not sad, not mad, just meh. And that's okay. :) I'm actually in one of those moods to change my life. HA! I really want to take a month to do everything I've wanted to do for a while. I want to start going to bed at 9pm, not drinking or smoking, and getting up early to go to the gym each morning. Just for a month...to see how it is. But I don't know how feasible that is.

Anyway, happy Monday B (aka, Tuesday)! :)

MIA for two days

2007-08-29T08:21:00.000-05:00

I won't be here for two days guys, I have all day training and I actually have to pay attention and learn while I'm there. :)

Have a good hump day and Thursday and I'll catch you guys on Friday!

Smooches!!!

Re-re, the biggest moron in the world

2007-08-28T07:43:00.000-05:00

Honestly you guys, I can't make this shit up. I work with a man (it's really hard for me to be able to call him that because I have no respect for him) who has basically ruined my full time job for me. When I started with this company back in March 2006, I was extremely spirited and happy and ready for the challenge. I established myself here in the IT department, made a lot of friends, and discovered the ins and outs of how to work here, full time and still be happy. It was working!

And then in January of this year, we hired re-re. I shouldn't even say we because I did not want him. This person, who was to work closest with me, was forced upon me. Some of the higher ups wanted a body in here right away to help me with the help desk so they looked beyond his obvious quirks and the bad feeling I kept telling them I had about him. At first, I was worried that this guy would try to take my job. I had a lot of mixed feelings about bringing him on in that regard because he was coming to us with 7 years of help desk experience.

HA!

HA! I say!

Where do I begin on the horror that has become my existence here now? When he first started, my manager at the time told me I would be his supervisor (even though I made it clear I had never done that before). So I spent the first 6 months that he was here watching his every move. I wasn't told to do anything differently. I would critique answers he gave users. I would look at his responses to all emails that came in. And I found mistake after mistake after mistake. I was dumbfounded by his ineptitude. I still am to this day. And I don't know or understand how he still has a job here.

For months I corrected re-re on his mistakes. He has been known to make the SAME, exact mistake...ready? FIVE times in a span of two days. Are you kidding me? How hard is it? If you guys don't know, I'm not college-educated. I am a diligent worker who takes good notes and learns fast but there's nothing special about my skills here. Okay, so maybe I rock at customer service but that has nothing to do with my learning. And seriously, this piece of crap can't remember something I've corrected him on the first FOUR times? OMG, cut me now.

I complained to my manager about him and he told me to document all that was going on. I still have all this documentation. Did anything come out of the documentation? NO. Supposedly re-re got a bad review but the bitch is still here. Speaking of documentation, I made sure that re-re was taking notes on tasks that concern his job. There are a lot of little policies and procedures that make up what we do and do you know that I constantly have had to remind him to take notes? Why do I have to remind him to write down how to do his job? OMG!

I will never forget this...a few months ago I corrected him on something he had fucked up many-a-time and I lost my cool a bit and I blurted out, "Why am I having to teach you the same thing over and over?" And he got snarky at me and says, "If I'm making the mistake over and over, why don't you have me write it down?" (my heart rate is accelerating just reliving this retardation) I said, "You DID write it down! You even documented it as a procedure yet you STILL get it wrong!!!" Chest pains!

Forget the growing pains that most people experience their first month or three at a new company...this waste of space has been here 8, almost 9 months and I am STILL correcting him on a DAILY basis. And I don't even check up on him anymore! We got a new manager, about a month or so ago, and he told us both that it's a new day and a clean slate. Which means all that documenting I did was for nothing. I really had hoped that if I just bit my tongue and documented like a good little girl, someone would rescue me from this hell that I had bad vibes about from the beginning. No. Clean slate. Wow. Slap in the face. And I said in that meeting, a meeting between new boss, re-re and myself, I don't want to babysit him anymore. And I was told I don't have to. I was told it's not my problem, it's boss man's problem. So I washed my hands of it.

I no longer check all his email responses (the few that I have have blatant errors and I just bite my tongue). I don't say anything to the boss about re-re because he doesn't want to hear me whining and clearly they aren't going to get rid of him. I have my key friends in my department that find re-re just as annoying and awful as I do so we vent together. But that's all I have. I sit 3 feet away from this troll and I haven't even told you guys about his quirks. Never mind that he's a moron, his personality is...omg, its indescribable. I'll save that for another post.

Are you ready?

2007-08-27T08:20:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is another full moon.

Do you know what that means?

Some people believe that a full moon has a direct correlation to the following:

-the homicide rate
-traffic accidents
-crisis calls to police or fire stations
-domestic violence
-births of babies
-suicide
-major disasters
-casino payout rates
-assassinations
-kidnappings
-aggression by professional hockey players
-violence in prisons
-psychiatric admissions
-agitated behavior by nursing home residents
-assaults
-gunshot wounds
-stabbings
-emergency room admissions
-alcoholism
-sleep walking
-epilepsy

I don't know how much I believe in all of the above, but I have witnessed my own life go topsy-turvey at times and if I remember to look at a calendar during these struggles, sure enough, the full moon is either that day or a couple days before or after.

I loathe the full moon. I feel my emotions go haywire (and couple that with the PMS, do NOT let me near a gun) and the weirdest of the weird starts happening. The last full moon, which was July 30, don't even get me started. Work was a nightmare (anything and everything that could break, did). I fought with Matt (and we rarely fight). I was fighting with Chili's co-workers (which rarely happens as well). Nuts I tell you!!

But I really want to have a good week. I'm going to pretend like I know nothing about the moon and what chaos it brings because this week is BUSY. Tonight I am working out and going to my parent's house to visit (I don't do that enough). Tomorrow night is Chili's. Wednesday night is the Allman Brothers concert. Thursday night is the Bears game (pre-season but still fun!). And Friday night I'm sure I'm working at Chili's again. Then Saturday night we're seeing our friend and his band. Sunday we're going to the Museum of Science and Industry and Field Museum. And then Monday is Labor Day and sweet baby Jesus of the little cloth diaper, please let me be doing NOTHING!

Hope you all have a FANTASTIC Monday.

Friday! Hooray!

2007-08-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or did it take like 2 years for Friday to get here? Sheesh! What a week!

Who has seen Transformers? We saw it last night and all I can say is WOW! I thought it was a great movie. And seriously, they made that shit look so real I was afraid of our car when we got out of the theater. Seriously! How do they DO that? OMG, the movie scared me and entertained me at the same time. :) Loved it! And that little Megan Fox girl is beautiful! I want to look like her. :)

I started this post so happy but honestly you guys, I am just going to leave it at this. My job is seriously affecting the happy person I am and I need to go cry in the bathroom for a bit. I have never seen such hypocrisy and double-standards in all my life. I almost feel tortured.

Hey but at least I got laid last night right? :

It's only 9:20am but damn what a day

2007-08-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday after work, when I got out to my car, I noticed I had left my back window behind me all the way down. I cursed myself out because I don't trust anyone and anyone could have walked by and stolen my CDs or my stereo. And I said to myself, "I swear to God I rolled that bitch up!" WTF?

Turns out my window is broken. It won't roll up at all and it doesn't even do that trick where you can help it up again by pushing. Matt told me to bring my car in tomorrow morning (this morning) and they'd take care of me (at the dealership where he works). Well I go home, about 7pm I hear major thunder. Now it's been raining for about a month here but for some reason, I thought it wouldn't last night. Doesn't matter...I ran outside with Press N Seal and a flattened cardboard box and tried to jimmy rig something. So ghetto. But I had a tarp and put it over the car, securing it in the doors of the car and it stayed down all night. Great.

I wake up early this morning and it is still POURING outside. How on Earth am I going to get this bitch into the dealership? I can't drive with a tarp over my car. The ghetto rigging I did is NOT going to hold. So I decided to wait out the storm.

In the meantime, I went to the computer to email a few co-workers about my lateness. Ask me how tempted I was to just blow off this entire day? So I'm at the computer and there is evidence that Matt had some "Matt time" at the computer last night after I went to bed, and I was pissed.

I have told Matt, for 8 years, that if I am asleep and he wants sex, wake me up. I want it just as much as he does and I like being wanted, needed. Those are my own issues. LOL And last night before I went to bed, I reminded him that its been a while since we had sex. I told him that I know he's tired and it's late but still...and all he said was yeah. So I said goodnight and went to bed.

To wake up and find that he'd gone and taken care of himself, after I put myself out there pisses me off SO much. After I emailed work, I went back to lay down and I started crying. I didn't mean to but it hurt so bad and I didn't think he'd wake up but he did. He immediately threw his body over mine to comfort me and I told him to get off me. That woke him up. He asked me what's wrong, I told him he hurt my feelings, he asked what he did, and I told him thanks a lot for choosing his hand over me. He knew exactly what I meant and I further explained that it makes me feel rejected when I specifically brought this up last night, he agreed he was tired and it was late, and yet he took care of himself behind my back. He said that it was too late and I was asleep and he was NOT going to wake me up.

After 8 years of me telling him TO wake me up, he still won't. He said he's doing the "right thing" and letting me sleep because he knows I need it. And yeah, he's right, I do need sleep but you know what else I need? To get laid by my man! Christ! How do I argue with his logic and rational ways?

So here I am, at work 1 1/2 hours late, my car is in the shop, I ate out of stress and anger and ended up scarfing a 16 point breakfast sandwich, and I still haven't gotten laid. Happy frickin Thursday! Ba-low me.

Picture Pages!

2007-08-22T10:32:00.001-05:00

Picture Pages, Picture Pages, time to get your Picture Pages, time to get your crayons and your pencils...You can play with Picture Pages, fill your day with Picture Pages, 'till Bill Cosby does another Picture Page with you!

I just feel like sharing pictures of things that are important to me. I hope y'all don't mind. I'm not writing about anything interesting today (or what I think is interesting lol) because I am SO tired (two days in a row of working 7am to 11pm) and I can barely keep my eyes open. And I just NOW have been able to get on blogger...server issues. Bah!!

So enjoy my pictures, I love seeing all of yours. :) And Happy Hump Day!!

Where's Shoo Shoo? If you didn't know, I actually do have kids. My two furry daughters. So I didn't birth them, so what? I love them as if they truly came out of my chottie.

OH BIDDLES!!! My little Starla, Daisy's sister, she is just so beautiful! We tell her all the time how pretty she is and she bats her eyes at us. I love them so much!!!

Me and Honey, yay! Is it wrong that I put pics of my cats up first? LOL! I love this man more than I can express and I miss him when we're not together. Some day, I hope he is my husband.

If you don't know who these ho's are, then you don't know me! This is my crew, this is how I roll...I roll ho tight! LMAO!! Seriously, best friends are few and far between and it is a bitch that I live so far from those that make me happiest. I LOVE YOU GIRLS!!!

I adore my parents. Yes, they piss me off sometimes (whose parents don't?) but Sharon and Larry rock. They are fun and caring and have given me every opportunity they never had. They are unbelievably unselfish. I love you guys! Get that baby out of your lap Dad, no crib lizards for me!

I love the environment. And glaciers like this one are melting, fast. Please don't have kids just because you CAN. Think about the impact every one of us has on our planet. We are losing and killing every day because of our behaviors but little things like recycling and not littering help in the smallest ways. :)

Another wedding dream

2007-08-21T12:16:00.001-05:00

Sigh. I promised myself, about a month ago, that I won't mention marriage or weddings to Matt for a while. I'm not gonna never mention them again, but I'm cooling it because God-forbid he pull off the surprise of my lifetime and propose, I want it to be a surprise.

Last night's dream was really detailed. I remember my dress. I remember feeling gorgeous in my dress. I had my hair half up and half down and in loose curls. The dress was strapless and naturally, I was at the weight I want to be. Sigh. I remember being photographed and I distinctly remember the feeling of posing with my mom. I was crouching down next to her and at first we were going to make it a funny picture, her giving me my last spanking (I know that sounds weird but she spanked us a lot so it would be funny in our family) but it turned into us just smiling so wide next to each other. I'm teary. I can't wait for this day in my life.

I remember our kitties being there. I woke up wondering if I'd really have Daisy and Starla there but I think not. I don't want to be THAT girl and I'd only end up worrying about them the entire time. But in my dream we had a bunch of kitty guests LOL and Biddles and Shoo Shoo were running in together, kind of staying close to each other for comfort.

I do NOT remember Matt in the dream at all. This dream was all about me. I want to get married. I want to marry my best friend. If I could have designed the perfect man for me, there's not much Matt is lacking. We have so much in common and I am frequently overwhelmed by my adoration for him. He's not perfect (and starting to realize it, LMAO!) and I wouldn't want him any other way. And I want to be his wife. I want to take his name and be an official part of his family. And yes, I vainly want the party. I want to bring both our crazy families together with all of our phenomenal friends and celebrate what a lot of people have been waiting for for a long time.

But for now, only in my dreams. :)

Part-time job woes

2007-08-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

I desperately want a new part-time job. For those that don't know, I am a waitress in addition to my office job and honestly, I am so sick of it. I'm sick of not knowing how much money I'll make a night, I'm sick of working with idiots and drama, and I'm frankly just sick of having to work two jobs! LMAO!

My ideal part-time job would be something I could do at home. I would love to do something computer-related, from home, and make like $300 a week doing it. I know that sounds like a fantasy but I bet there's crap like that out there. You see ads for doing certain things at home like medical transcriptions or stuffing envelopes or something but I don't trust them. Usually you have to pay something to do those and what is the point of that?

I'm not loving my full-time job either so maybe the solution is to find a new full time job, one that pays enough to make up for the part time job funds, and be merry and happy? I don't know.

Anyway, how was everyone's weekend? We mostly just lounged around and shopped for groceries and house stuff. Nothing spectacular. :)

Yes, I am weak

2007-08-17T08:45:00.000-05:00

I stayed home from work yesterday because Wednesday night, we were partying a little too hard and late. And honestly, I didn't stay home because I had a hangover, because one normally needs to go to sleep to even see if one has a hangover. No no, I called in before I even got to bed, which was 5:30am. I was SO close to going to work on no sleep. I was just going to get in the shower after my friends left and go in. But almost the minute after they walked out the front door, my exhaustion hit and it was Good Night Larry! Okay that was a lie. I was exhausted before they left, then I got some lovin', and THEN it was good night larry. :)

So I called in and stayed home with Matt all day. We slept til about 12-12:30pm, did a few chores, watched TV, watched a movie, ordered food, more sex, and this time we went to bed at 1am. I'm only slightly more rested today.

What's the worst excuse you've ever used to call in to work? I have to say, mine yesterday was pretty pathetic but it was completely bought, hook, line and sinker. My baby sister happened to visit me at Chili's on Wednesday night and mentioned how yesterday she was going to have to take our dad to get an MRI while Mom was at work. So I used that excuse. Had to take Dad to get an MRI. Why this takes all day and why I called at 5am about it...well I'll just let them use their imagination. :)

Wednesday's night of partying was quite drama-filled. I got yelled at by one of our drunk regulars. My friend Lisa almost kicked the ass of our friend's ex-boyfriend. She then punched my mailbox at my house out of anger. Ummm, I got confronted for calling someone annoying behind their back (if they had been there I would have said it to her face! ppssshh!). And out of three girls at my house Wed. night (me included), I was the only one NOT crying. Shocker! LMAO!!

I just can't wait to go to Chili's tonight and start all over again. These people party too hard and too late and I don't know if I can keep up! LOL!

Have a great weekend everybody!! xoxoxo

A big ol meme

2007-08-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

Stuff About Meeeeeeeee
fyi, I wrote this post out yesterday, while bored at work. Today I'm at home, with a hangover, didn't go to bed until 5:30am. :) laters

1. YOUR FULL NAME:

Beth "Roadie" I don't think so

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Not that I've been told

3. DO YOU WISH ON A STAR?

Yep, sure do

4. WHICH FINGER IS YOUR FAVORITE?

I'm gonna have to say the middle one. I sure would like to use it at work.

5. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?

Hmmm, I usually cry all the time but I think last Friday when I came home from the debil dog house. :) So it was a good cry!

6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

I love roast beef and turkey, together, with mustard, little mayo, and swiss. But usually I just get turkey with mustard and lettuce because it's good for me. BAH!

7. ANY BAD HABITS?

I smoke more than I would like (but I'm still not a typical, core smoker) and I definitely eat more than I should.

8. WHAT'S IN YOUR CD PLAYER RIGHT NOW?

My boyfriend, Chris Cornell :)

9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SOUL MATES?

I believe in them and have multiple ones. My best friends are my soul mates!

10. ARE YOU A DAREDEVIL?

It really depends on what it is and who it involves.

11. DO LOOKS MATTER?

To whom? About what? Mama needs details! If you're talking in an attraction sense like in my relationship, I'd say yeah, initally, how would I know if I'm interested in someone if I didn't like their looks and they didn't matter to me? But as far as if they equate to love, not at all.

12. HAVE YOU EVER MISUSED A WORD AND IT SOUNDED STUPID?

Probably but I can't remember one right now

13. DO YOU THINK THERE IS A POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?

Okay, you know these questions are g2m

14. DO FISH HAVE FEELINGS?

As an animal lover I'd have to say yes. I think that all animals, all living creatures have feelings of some sort.

16. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?

I bitch to my friends, I cry, I sing in the car

17. WHERE ARE YOUR SECOND HOMES?

Okay first of all, if I had multiple homes, as in more than one, I wouldn't have second homeS, I'd have a second and third home. Second of all, my second home is my car. And my third home is a tent. :)

18. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY?

Unfortunately, yes. It has screwed me many a time too but I'm learning.

19. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?

My dogs. Although close second would have to be my Fisher Price record player. LOVED it!

20. WHAT CLASS IN SCHOOL DO YOU THINK IS TOTALLY USELESS?

Trig I hate math and I found nothing useful about Trig.

21. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?

I've had them off and on most of my life but I'm famous for starting one and not using it after a few entries. Currently my blog is my journal.

22. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

You could call me Sister Sarcasm :D

23. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT?

Unfortunately, yes. And I'm claustrophobic and it was not cool

24. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MAN OR WOMAN?

Kindness, understanding, honesty, loyalty, sense of humor, and some great arms!

25. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?

Bethie, Roadie, Ho, Your Honess, Girl, Honey, Baby, and my mom calls me Bethers

26. WOULD YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMP?

Me thinks not...unless...I don't know. My gut reaction is no

27. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Chocolate with chunks of peanut butter. Oh I'm hungry!

28. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Purple (I used to have a purple car! loved it!)

29. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE FOOD?

ONIONS! Barf!

30. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE?

Three

31. WHO DO YOU MISS MOST RIGHT NOW?

My dirty whores!!!!!

32. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE YOU SENT THIS TO, TO SEND IT BACK?

Do what you want ho's, but I will be checking

33. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

Jeans, red top, black hoodie, gym shoes

34. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

The fuckwad I work with talking to customers

35. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

Baked BBQ chips

36. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Purple

37. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW?

I think its low 80's right now, raining, yucky, hate the humidity

38. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

Jorge, my co-worker

39. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX?

Teeth (I have issues with jacked up teeth) And no, if you are a friend of mine, I don't judge you based on your teeth, I just won't make out with you.

40. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

Good, PAID, hungry

41. FAVORITE DRINK?

Dasani lemon water

42. FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK?

Marga-frickin-ritas!! GIMMIE!

43. FAVORITE SPORT?

Football, sorry Cece. I understand the game almost 100%, I don't get watch NASCAR enough (thank you oh NASCAR gods for Jeff Gordon's failure last weekend!!!) and I like baseball but hate some of it's rules (like why can you get a strike when you foul tip the first two times but the last time you get a freebie? LAME!!)

44. EYE COLOR?

Blue

45. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

No

46. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MONTH?

February, I love my birfday

47. FAVORITE FOOD?

Mexican!! Oh wait, did you say favorite people or favorite food? Either way. LMAO!! :)

48. SIBLINGS?

I have a sister who is 5 years younger than me and another sister that is 9 years younger than me.

49. LAST MOVIES YOU WATCHED?

The Simpsons! Spider pig, spider pig...

50. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Winter. I love to ski, I love snuggling, I love fires, I LOVE blankets. I hate sweating and I hate that I don't look good in trampy clothes that appear during that time of year.

51. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?

February 11 baby, see question 46

52. HUGS OR KISSES?

Both! SAMOOCH!

53. RELATIONSHIP OR ONE NIGHT STAND?

Relationship

54. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK?

Well I didn't do this shit for my health! Hoppy uppy people and get to postin!

55. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Your mom

56. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Your mom

57. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?

End of the Cubs game (unreal), half of BB and this awesome show about adventure lodges in the USA (see yesterday's post)

59. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?

How many PTO days do I have left and can I call in??

60. WHAT ORIGINAL FLAVOR STARBURST IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Whatever the pink one is, strawberry? If only there was pineapple *sigh*

Success! Happy Hump Day!

2007-08-15T08:22:00.000-05:00

Oh it is a GOOD day my friends. That's right! I got my money! It was mildly painless and I'm SO glad its all over.

She emailed me to meet her down by her office and naturally, that made me nervous as all get out but I went and she walked up with her checkbook so I knew that was a good sign. I don't know if I believe her or not but she claims that she has been just as sick with worry as I have been because she thought I was mad at her. She said she's lost sleep because she thought I thought she short-changed me...um, I was!!

She also asked, twice, if I was sure we agreed on $350 and I said, "Honestly, you are my friend and if you were anyone else and if I truly knew what I was getting into, I would have charged you double." She was shocked by that. I explained to her that she has raised her dogs to be how they are and that's fine, for her, but she has to realize it's not typical and it's a lot of work catering to them. When I said, "Not to mention the house-sitting part of it all," THAT is when she went, "oh okay." But really, I didn't have the balls to tell her how horrific the experience was. :) So it's all good in my hood and I have my money and I'm so relieved!

Last night we watched a show about adventure lodges in the United States. HELLO! My kinda show. Vacation + adventure = GOOD TIMES!! Naturally, there were a few we wrote down for future vacation ideas.

Camelot - Their website isn't working right now but here's a little blurb on them. What this doesn't tell you is that they have hiking to go see petroglyphs and the pictures just don't do it justice. I totally want to stay there for a few nights!

Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge - Oh I am SOOO doing this!! First of all... PUPPIES!! OMG, I want to kiss them all. And I want them drag me through the snow. And I want to bundle up and be on vacation and yeah! I love this. They have all levels of training and different kinds of trips...BRING IT! Winter camping...always wanted to try it!

What odd, fun, adventurous trips do YOU want to take?

The saga continues

2007-08-14T07:19:00.001-05:00

This whole house/pet sitting thing has gotten out of hand. I have STILL not been paid. She came to my desk yesterday and when I saw her, I immediately reached for the garage door opener and her keys to give back to her. She saw this and said, "Oh I'm not here for that, I just came to see you and talk." Oooookay.

So we talked...for an HOUR! Sorry but I don't usually have time like that to bull shit, especially in front of Re-Re the Wondertard who listens to my every conversation. But I wasn't about to shoo her away when there was still a chance she had another check in her pocket for me. She told me all about her trip and how great it was and we talked about the damn dogs. Naturally I could not go into any detail about how truly horrific her pets were for me to watch because like her animals, my friend is high maintenance. She kept saying, "Don't they just have the best little personalities? Aren't they so similar to humans?" Yeah yeah, they sure are. You keep on telling yourself that. Ow! I just pulled a muscle rolling my eyes too hard.

After an hour, she was scooching away and I tried to hand her the keys and opener again. Again she waves them off. WTF? And she says, "I really didn't come by here for that, I was on my way to do something else. Will you just hang on to them until I pass by again?" Uh, sure, no problem. As long as you pass by and a check passes with you. She leaves and says NOTHING about the money.

And you might be wondering why I didn't bring it up. I am a chicken. I can talk a hell of a game and I get real surface angry, but underneath, I'm a nice person. I'm accommodating and non-confrontational and I have chest pains over the idea of having to stand up for myself in person.

The end of the day comes and I'm high-tailing it out of there to get home and change and go to job #2 when the receptionist stops me and says, "Oh Beth, Sharon told me that you have something of hers that I'm supposed to stop you and get from you before you leave." Oh HELL fucking no you didn't. First of all, I've already got all my shit with me, packed up, I'm literally half out the door. Second of all, you did NOT just have your employee (she is the receptionist's manager) do your dirty work and get your keys and opener from me so you don't have to deal with me? Third of all, why the fuck didn't you take your shit when I was going to hand it to you?

And I feel like the answer is because she knows. She knows she shorted me and she doesn't want to pay so her way of dealing with it is avoiding me. Yet how is she so confident to think that after talking with me for an hour, I wouldn't bring it up? I mean, I didn't, but how can she bank on that?

I'm furious. I had to go all the way back upstairs to my desk, unlock my desk, get the keys and opener and put them in an inner-office envelope, but not before writing a quick note telling her I hope she got my last email and that I need another check from her. And I do not know what to do if she completely ignores this note. I just don't know what to do. How dare this woman think that $250 is enough for everything I did? How dare she treat me, her friend, like this?

Terrible.

Why are the weeks slow but the weekends fly by?

2007-08-13T08:01:00.000-05:00

So unfair. But what a great weekend it was! Many fun things happened this weekend and I feel pretty good so that's something to smile about, right? :) (can you tell I'm trying to convince myself? hee hee)

Saturday I got to sleep in and get over my traumatic house/pet sitting experience. I told you guys how she shorted me $100 right? I had to bring it up to her and she hasn't spoken to me since that. :( I still have her keys and garage door opener so she will have to speak to me eventually but I have this strange feeling I'm going to get a request to put it in the inner-office mail. Fine by me but there better be another check on its way to me. This is all so stupid and childish. Did she really think I was going to forget the amount she agreed to pay me?

Anyway, I got to sleep in and just BE in my house and kiss the kitties lots. They missed me, I can tell. Both of them are right back to sleeping on top of me every night so I'm sure Daddy couldn't have been that comfy. :) He just doesn't have the squishy hips like Mommy. :)

Saturday night we went to the drive-in! I LOVE IT!! We saw The Simpsons movie and it was hilarious. Who else has seen it? Spider pig! Spider pig! OMG, so funny. We parked Matt's truck backwards and had a blanket and a cooler and it was so great! Loved our date!

Sunday was "house" day and we are about to buy the furniture for our "bar." I put this in quotes because we are turning our dining room into a bar so we'll see how this turns out. We are buying a bar from Pottery Barn:

So this is the "lawyer's bar" we are getting. I'll get more pics but this is going to go on the right side of the window in our dining room.

On the other side of the window, we're putting this:

This is one section of what could be a huge bar:

Make sense? We have this huge ass window that doesn't allow us to put up a nice, big bar, like the one above so we are kind of customizing it for ourselves. :)

So both those pieces of lots of storage which is what we desperately need. Under the window, we're going to put this seat:

It's got storage (I love storage!) and it'll be this color, Moroccan Brown with the black legs/feet on it. I love it!

So okay, all this is on one wall (yes, I'll take pictures of before and after) and so across from all this is our living room with no wall...its just one big open room. Our couches, obviously, face the TV and we are going to put a table against the back of the one couch to complete the room.

This is the table we want for behind the couch:

I really hate how they have picture-inserting set up in blogger. So anyway, yeah, that's the plan. I'll have to get some pics of how the room looks before and after...I still need to set up a photo album of what the house looked like before we painted it.

It was a good weekend and I really hope this week flies by too. :)

FREEDOM!!!

2007-08-10T07:51:00.000-05:00

I just want to take this opportunity right now to thank all of my wonderful friends for putting up with me bitching and moaning for the past 10 days about these dogs. I am free. I walked out of that house at 6:05am this morning and smiled as I drove away, turning around only once to flip the house off. I did my best to eliminate all traces of myself from the house (out of courtesy) but I didn't replace the margarita mix I drank the first week I was there. Honestly, they told me to help myself to everything in their house and I barely touched their food (hard core vegetarians, no tanks) so I drank some of their liquor! It was NEEDED!

So I am celebrating all day today, the return of my life. I can't wait to go home and kiss my kitties, lay in my bed, lounge on my couch, sex up my man, watch my TV, smoke up in my own house...ah freedom! HOORAY!!

This weekend is going to be luxurious. I am off today at 2pm (thank you summer hours!) and I will head home (HOME!) and laze around. I need to wrap some birthday presents for my bf here, and then I'm headed to her house around 4:30pm to do a belated celebration with her.

Saturday I'm going to the gym with my baby sister and then we'll eat out somewhere healthy. I need to tan too. :) I've actually been considering not doing the UV tanning anymore and trying and sticking with sunless tanning. Although I've worked at a tanning salon before and know how it all works, I'm still very wary of how the Mystic tan will look on my bod. We'll see. And then Matt is taking me to a drive-in! I can't wait! I haven't been to a drive-in movie since high school and before that, only one time. I can't wait!!

Sunday is sit on my ass and do not a GOT damn thing day. I can't wait. Do you know I'm actually happy to go home and do some chores? I bet Matt hasn't touched the dishes since I left and I will be HAPPY to do them. I will never take my home or my life for granted again. I don't usually but wow, I sure do appreciate everything a lot more. What's that lame song that I now can't get out of my head? "I'm free! To do what I want! Any old time..." Friday theme song baby!!

And on top of all this excitement, planning our March Vegas trip has me SO beyond excited. I miss my girls SO much. It is so unfair we live so far away from each other but the best part is that when we do get together, we have the best time. And FYI, no boys allowed on this trip. The only penises allowed are the ones that'll be shakin' at Thunder Down Under! Bowchickabowwow!

There is nothing that is going to bring this good mood down today...okay, well, Re-Re isn't here yet but...I'm gonna try not to let his dumb ass hurt my mood. I will laugh in the face of his stupidity! ha HA!

Have a great weekend friends!!!!

FINAL DAY!!

2007-08-09T07:36:00.000-05:00

It's time to celebrate, okay wait, not time yet because I have one more night but my life is almost mine again! One last night with the debil dogs. Or as Christina says, dogs you can kick! LMAO! I never thought I would laugh at that kind of statement, being the animal lover I am, but she's right...I want to put my purple Croc right up their asses. Can't stand them. Do you know that one of them actually bit me last night for scolding it? Um, it jumped up ON TOP OF the coffee table, I said no and get down and it snapped at me and caught my finger. Unreal. I now know that my friends don't discipline these animals at all.

So! I won't be around much today because I have to cover the Help Desk all day. Normally this would have me a little upset because our users are idiots (I'm an idiot magnet) and they are bitchy idiots at that, but after yesterday with Re-Re, I will take bitchy idiots over that moron. He's in training and lord how he needs it! I've never met a bigger retard. And don't give me shit for using the un-PC word retard. I happen to have a mentally retarded cousin and while that doesn't give me permission to use the word, it allows me to use it and know I'm not using it as an insult to her. I have bras with higher IQ's than this idiot.

I leave you with this question: Do you wash your hair first and then your body? Or do you wash your body and then your hair? And do you have a method to this madness or is this just what it is, no reason attached? :)

Have a great day friends!!!

Randomocity

2007-08-08T07:43:00.000-05:00

I have a need to babble and you, my sweet friends, are the lucky recipients of my verbal diarrhea.

Two more nights in the Debil Dog house. I am BEYOND excited. Matt is coming over tonight to see me and I cannot wait to go back to my phenomenal home and precious, sweet, LOW MAINTENANCE kitties.

Our cafeteria here at work is closing for three months while they expand upon it. Don't get me started on how much the heifers that work here do NOT need a "fry bar" or an ice cream bar, but the positive is that I won't be subjected to the tasty breakfast treats I have a hard time resisting and this will help me with my weight loss efforts.

My girls and I are planning a trip to Vegas in March and I am BEYOND excited. I'm a Vegas Virgin and that combined with how much I miss my friends (SOOOOOOO much)...March cannot come soon enough!! Look out Vegas!!

I have had more dental work done this year than ever in my life. It's a good, long story (not fit for Randomocity) but I just want to throw in there that I had to visit the dentist yet AGAIN last night and I'm really sick of going there.

Matt and I have two great vacations coming up in the fall so I am quite eager to have summer be over and done with. Not to mention this oven-like humidity is doing nothing for my demeanor. We are headed to New York (the city and the Hamptons) in September and in October we are going to the Smokies for a week. I can't wait!!

Speaking of the weather, or maybe I can blame this on the debil dogs...I have two very ouchie-like clogged pores (okay, they are pimples but I hate that word and don't like any other alternative word either) and they are right next to each other and dammit if I don't feel like putting a pillow over my head til they are gone!

If you had to guess, what percentage of people in just this country would you say truly LOVE their job? I mean, they are doing what they want and they are happy?

I hope you all have a great Wednesday. Does anyone still do Thursday Thirteen in blog world anymore? :)

Uncle Mike

2007-08-07T08:07:00.000-05:00

On Mother's Day, my baby sister graduated from the University of Illinois and we celebrated with our family, the Dills, down in Champaign, Illinois. Mike and Sharon have lived in Champaign for a long, long time and sort of "took care" of Mary while she was down there at school. Sharon is my dad's first cousin and they have two sons, Adam and Vince. So we all celebrated Mary's great accomplishment and Mike gave a great speech about how he appreciates never having to bail Mary out of jail and other cute stuff like that. It was the last time I got to see Mike alive.

One month later, on June 14, my father called me and gave me the devestating news that Mike had been having terrible migraines and had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. He was given 3-4 months to live. How could this be happening? I had just seen the man on Mother's Day! One month ago! Matt and I sat in tears in the car after we hung up with my dad. We held each other's hand and vowed to never take each other for granted. To not fight about the stupid stuff anymore because life can turn on a dime.

Mike and his family headed up to Mayo Clinic and they weren't there long when Mike started to deteriorate, rapidly. The tumor was very aggressive and they brought him home where he passed away on Monday, July 23, 2007.

To lose someone so young (he was only 57) was very hard. But imagine how his wife feels. Their 35 year anniversary was to be this past Saturday. She lost her twin sister less than 5 years ago. It's not fair. That's all we kept saying at the wake and funeral. It is so not fair. Mike's mother has lost her husband, her twin brother, and now her oldest son...all within 2 years. How do you not curl up in a ball and beg for mercy? I have learned strength from these women.

Adam, Mike's oldest, gave a wonderful eulogy and it's something I'll never forget. I'll also never forget the sight of my father, lingering at the cemetary after the priest was done talking, silently weeping over the loss of his best friend. I truly don't know what I will do when my parents go. I hope to have just as many amazing people around me as Sharon and Adam and Vince did during this hard time.

We miss you Mike. We miss you every day and wish you hadn't been taken from us so soon.

Kiss your family as often as possible. Tell them you love them and mean it. Don't leave the house or go to bed angry. You just never know what tomorrow brings.

(from upper left, my dad, Jerry, Mike, Sharon, Donna, my mom)

4 more days

2007-08-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

4 more days until I don't have to house/pet sit anymore. Y'all know I am the BIGGEST animal lover. I love them all. Yet I don't think I'll be watching any one's pets any time soon. I am so exhausted from the past 7 days of pet/house sitting...I'm actually blown away by how tired I am. In the past, when I have watched people's animals, I have never had issues. Maybe little behavioral issues where the pet thinks its owner has abandoned it and so it mildly acts out, but I've never dealt with dogs that need so much, on a constant basis.

My friend is on an Alaskan cruise. She is gone for 10 days and the left last Tuesday. I thought staying with her two Jack Russells and one Chihuahua would be an easy thing. I knew they were a little high maintenance and I met them before and they seemed like sweet dogs. Well those sweet dogs turned into the debil once their mom and dad were gone.

These dogs run this house. S and D, their parents, cater to their every whim and I am not like that. I am all about treating your pets like they are members of the family. I love my girls more than anything and would do just about anything for them, and trust me, they are spoiled, but not like this. Nothing like this.

The JR's have their own bedroom. And each night, I have to tuck them into bed, give them their treats, and turn on the TV (to Animal Planet, always) and put the sleep timer on so they can fall asleep to it. One of the JR's will not eat unless Animal Planet is on. She literally won't eat. I have never seen anything like this. And she's non-stop once she sees animals on the TV. She bounces all over the furniture, barks, freaks out, throws herself at the dresser the TV sits on...it's insane. Sunday morning, the Jack Russells both shit all over the upstairs carpet because they are pissed about something. I'm figuring they just miss their mom and dad. They knew they were in trouble but the spazzy one actually growled at me when I yelled to get downstairs. I burst into tears because I am so exhausted by these animals. They are too high maintenance.

I appreciate my cats SO much more now. OMG, I will never have a terrier. I will never have any kind of animal who thinks its a human. I feel overwhelmed and exhausted and I will have to go to the store tonight to buy a replacement bottle of tequila and margarita mix because my friend's dogs drove me to drink.

A jacked up fairy tale

2007-08-03T06:59:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, in the Land of Fucking Morons, there lived a HUGE moron, named Re-Re. And Re-Re was the biggest of all morons and all the morons who lived in the Land of Fucking Morons looked up to him.

One day, Re-Re decided to venture out of the Land of Fucking Morons and get a job! He, being the fucking moron that he is, forgot that the lands surrounding the Land of Fucking Morons, didn't like his kind, nor did those lands want anyone from the Land of Fucking Morons to work with them. But being the fucking moron that he is, he forgot and went anyway.

He ventured into northeastern Illinois, to a company that needed a help desk analyst. He thought to himself, "I wonder if I could do this job! I know! I'll tell the people that interview me that I have SEVEN years of help desk experience! That'll work for sure!"

So off he went and miraculously, the King of IT bought Re-Re's story! But someone else did not buy this story. Princess Pout Face was on to Re-Re. She did NOT like him. She thought the IT group should keep looking for a more suitable moron to fill the help desk analyst position. But the King of IT and his court jester decided they didn't want to help with the HELP desk anymore and they needed a body and so Re-Re was hired.

Obviously Princess Pout Face had no say in the matter and decided to be a team player and train Re-Re and make the most out of the situation she was given. She welcomed Re-Re into the IT department and taught him everything she knew. She had built this IT Help Desk from rubble and was so proud of her accomplishments...and then came Re-Re.

Princess Pout Face had never dealt with anyone from the Land of Fucking Morons. She did not know what to expect. But it didn't take long for Re-Re to get comfortable at his new job, and start showing his true colors. And those colors are MORON COLORS!! He is a fucking moron!

Re-Re was taught many things that pertained to his job at the help desk. He took notes and even documented the procedures that he learned. Yet he constantly made mistakes. He would make the same mistakes five times in one week! He is a moron. And this weighed on Princess Pout Face's mind. She was proud of her help desk and didn't want this fucking moron screwing up all the hard work she put in or the reputation she built with her users.

So Princess Pout Face started double checking all of Re-Re's work. And oh my! did she find many mistakes. And she would email Re-Re to point out these mistakes. And Re-Re got mad. He was belligerent. He would say moronic things like, "If I'm making these mistakes, why don't you have me document them so I learn from them?" BECAUSE YOU ALREADY FUCKING DID DOCUMENT THEM!!! See, Re-Re is SUCH a moron, that he already documented these mistakes, yet he didn't use his own documentation.

And Princess Pout Face grew crow's feet and stress lines and she started smoking again and drinking more margaritas than her wide hips would allow.

BLAHDOW!!

2007-08-02T11:12:00.000-05:00

Here I am! Back into Blog land! How did I get sucked back in? Oh, it's definitely all Cece's fault! LMAO!! I love bloggin but have a hard time finding time for it.

SO much has happened since I have last been around...so much that I'm not telling you any of it. LMAO!! I love how I assume ANYONE still checks in to see this blog. :) It's okay, I like just typing out my random thoughts. :)

Upcoming topics:

The dumb fucker I work with
My weight loss journey
My closest friends and the one that's pissing me off
My pets and animals in general (DER!)
My house/pet sitting experience
My family (we've had a death in our family and I'd like to discuss)
My waitressing job

But right now, I must leave you with these teasers and go back to some work.

2007-01-25T07:32:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Animals That I Want as Pets

Did y'all know I love animals? Seriously! :)

Here's 13 of my favorites that I would like to have in my menagerie. I don't truly know what a menagerie is but it sounded prettier than farm. LOL!

1. Oh he's hedgehogalicious! I want one so bad!! SO cute!! Mama needs a hedgehog. Pink spaghetti tongue!

2. Mousies!! I love little mousies! I want to kiss his sweet head. And call him Mr. Jingles.

3. Is it wrong that I want a big ass elk so that the mouse and hedgehog can ride him? I just want to kiss him. And pet his antlers. He's so cute!! Who wants a treat?

4. Oh look at him with his little snack? He's so preshie!! Sweet little chipmunk. I want him to sit on my shoulder and be my little friend all day. He's SO cute!

5. These are Kangal puppies. We saw a documentary on cheetahs and that farmers around Africa keep these dogs to protect from the cheetahs. Who cares? They are SOOOOO cute! PUPPIES!! And I only want them to stay puppies. I don't have cheetahs here to worry about so sign me up for permanent puppies!

6. Speaking of dogs, mama needs a Great Dane. We saw one at Buckingham Fountain on NYE and he was so sweet and he let me kiss his head so I need one. Gotta have a back up ride for the hedgehog and mousie. :)

7. Oh look at the emperor penguin! I want one! I wanna watch them waddle along. I want to carry them around like little babies. Penguinlicious!

8. Ohhhh look at him! He wants a treat! Give the muffin a treat! I want to kiss him!! I want him to be best friends with my kitties. I want a little raccoon muffin!

9. Oh mama lion. I decided on a female lion instead of the scary looking daddy lions because I don't want my elk and penguins to get scared by the mane. We need harmony in our animal family and I'll let her be the alpha female as long as she snuggles me in bed. :)

10. Black panthers are one of my top 5 favorite felines and I want him to mate with the mama lion and have cute babies.

11. Oh my God, look how cute he is!!! I can't tell you how many times I almost grabbed one and stuffed him in my baeg when we were out West. I need one of these guys desperately. Seriously, I want him on my desk, standing on his back legs, and chirping at me with love.

12. Snow leopards....another favorite. So fluffy. So pretty. So kissable. Need it, want it.

13. Oh he's so cute!!! Look at his coat?!!?!? I wanna dress up my animals!! OMG, I must have one!!

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I'm here, I'm here, sorry sorry

2007-01-24T07:42:00.000-06:00

You guys, for the first time in my life I have a job that isn't just a bunch of busywork. I have real planning and coordination and a project to manage and DAMN! I'm tired! It's a lot of work and you throw in Chili's (which rocked last night, yeah baby), I rarely have time for this anymore and I hate that. But I will promise to try as hard as I can to blog as much as possible.

So we were at the Bears/Saints game on Sunday! Yes, it's true. Oh my God...best game of my life. Matt got tickets on ebay and surprised me on Friday night. He paid a buttload ($600 a piece) but you know what? It was so worth it.

This game was just...oh so GREAT!! We never sat down. We made friends with everyone around us (pretty easy to do with alkeehall and a winning team) and I have big, black bruises all over my legs from jumping up and down and partying. What a game!!

Matt wore both his Bears, Walter Payton jersey and his Ricky Williams, Saints jersey and when the score got to be 16/14, he took of the Bears jersey and everyone around us booed him. It was HILARIOUS! We had such a good time.

Here's some pictures for you to enjoy my friends. Love to all!

WE'RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL BABY!! LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;

Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!

We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.

Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown.

You're the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down!!!

Finally Friday!

2007-01-19T08:07:00.000-06:00

Well my dear friends, it is the end of this work week and I am thrilled! I am still recovering from the sinus infection (there's nothing sexier than a snuffly nose) and I am working all 4 of my Chili's shifts (did I mention that I'm having our scheduler drop me from Saturday lunches? Yeah, mama can't work that much. Me likey free time) so I'm pretty beat. Matt is headed to a Bulls game with his buddy on Saturday night so I get the whole day to myself! Wahoo!

But more importantly, my Chicago Bears are playing their NFC Championship game this weekend against the New Orleans Saints! WOO HOO!! GO BEARS!! I worry about Reggie Bush but other than that, I am fully confident that my boys won't let me down.

Matt is trying to get us tickets for Sunday's game so I wish him luck with that. He was born and raised (for his first 13 years) in Louisiana so he's both a Saints fan and a Bears fan. He said yesterday that either way, he wins. One of his favorites teams is going to the Super Bowl so he can't lose! And that has him WAY excited!!

I leave you with this:

A Prayer For the Bears

Our Papa

Who art a bear,

Hallowed be thy fame,

Thy championship come,

Thy play be run,

At home as it is away,

Give us this day our Sunday win,

And forgive us our turnovers,

Though we pounce on those who turnover against us,

And lead us not into fourth and long,

But deliver us from Krenzel.

In the name of Ditka

Butkus,

And the Holy Payton

As it was in 1985,

So shall it be in 2007, reign without end.

DA-men!!!

GO BEARS!!!

2007-01-18T07:28:00.000-06:00

Thirteen People That Mean A Lot to Me
I'd like to preface this saying that if you aren't on this list, it does NOT mean you aren't loved or cared about. It probably means I don't have a picture of you. ;) But seriously, I get 13 here and y'all know that more than 13 people mean a lot to me. So no pouting! :)

1. Oh honey! Yes ladies, this goofy white boy is all mine. :) He is the love of my life, my travel buddy, my everything. MY Ho!

2. Dawn (on right) has been my best friend since we were sophomores in high school. We have been through a lot of bull shit and our friendship is stronger than ever. She's been there for me through a LOT and still likes me. :) Love you girl!

3. My daddy! Oh Larry! I admire the crap out of my dad. He came from a semi-poor family in Chicago, never went to college, and had to take care of his family when his dad died. He joined the Army to gain discipline in his life and he only went up from there. He has incredible work ethic, is ALWAYS on the go, has the best sense of humor and is always quick with the hugs. Love you Daddy! GO BEARS!!

4. My Sharona! My mother, my mom, my ma...she is great. Our relationship hasn't always been one filled with hugs and laughter, but as we've both aged, our communication is 10 times better now. Mom has always wanted what's best for her kids. She always wanted us to do more and be more than her and Dad. She has an incredibly strong personality and opinion and I admire her for that. Love you Mom!

5. & 6. Hee hee, I cheated! Mary and Laura are my younger sisters and I don't know what I'd do without them. Laura and I haven't always been close but our relationship has strengthened in the past few years and I am eternally grateful for that. She is the giver of all givers and her heart is huge. I love you Lalo!

Mary, as we know, is 9 years younger than me and reminds me so much of myself that it is truly frightening. Luckily, she has me to help steer her away from making stupid mistakes...sometimes. She's talented, beautiful, and fun and I love her to pieces. Love you Mare Bares!

7. 8. 9. & 10. Note to self, must get EXCELLENT picture of all my ho's for a certain frame. Seriously, these girls are some of my best friends. I can't express in words how much their friendship means to me because I'd have to create a whole other blog for that and that might border on obsessive. I had these dirty whores in Chicago last year for our annual trip and it's one of the best times I've ever had. We're going to Mexico in March and I'm counting down the days til I see them again.

Do you guys really know what best friends are? They are sisters that God forgot to give you. And these four truly are my sisters. Love my Ho's!! Ida-Ho! Ho-Baeg! Mexi-Ho! and My Sexy Ho! xoxoxoxo

11. Jen (on left, duh) is one of those friends (again, a sister to me) who is like...what do you call it? She's like cement. She holds me together. Seriously. If I am a building then she is my foundation. She helps me through so many of my "moments" and there truly aren't words to describe what that means to me. Always there, always caring, and always supportive. Love you Princess Di! :)

12. Okay, so they aren't people but I'll at least not cheat and call them 12 and 13. :) My kitties mean the world to me! If you know me, you know that they are like my children, I just didn't birth them. They are my sweet, sweet muffins and I can't live without them. They are never allowed to die. They also drive me crazy, like kids, but they just have to crawl up on my hip and give me a kiss and we're friends again.

I love my sweet kittlelielittlelies.

13. Finally, Lisa. This picture was taken at my 30th birthday party last year and she was pregnant with her third baby, Josie and I am looking fluffy with extra poundage on me. Wait, what was this post about? :) Lisa has been my friend for 5 years now and we worked together at the first Chili's I worked at and now we are together again at our current Chili's. I couldn't work without this girl. We have the BEST time together. I love her kids as if they were my own and was there for the birth of Josie. She's one of my best friends and I love her to pieces!!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Cheater

2007-01-17T07:54:00.000-06:00

Hello friends! I have been sick with a killer sinus infection so I haven't been at work (which is where most of my blogging pleasure occurs) which means I haven't posted in a while which means you have been sad which makes me sad which brings us to...I'm back! :)

I wish I could say I can post every day but I just can't. I'm really going to try to be better about being on here but no promises! I have missed you all though.

Okay, back to business. Cheating. How do you define cheating? Is it cheating if someone has an emotional affair? What about phone sex? Is just kissing someone else cheating? Or is it only if full on, bumping uglies occurs?

Discuss.

And no, this hasn't been brought on by anything that's happened to me. There's a guy at Chili's whom I just adore and he just got married, has a baby coming in May, yet less than a year ago he was cheating on his wife.

Discuss.

Smooches!!

You Don't Know Me-Post #2 Today!

2007-01-11T08:44:00.000-06:00

I have been tagged by my dear, sweet friend, Cece. A lot of you know a lot about me (so I'm not shy, so sue me) so this might be hard.

1. When I was 4 or 5 years old, I wanted red eyes so I painted my eyeballs red with my mother's nail polish. I be smart!

2. I've never worn a thong in my life. And maybe I never will.

3. Senior year of high school I was in a car accident that was my fault and only one other person knows it was my fault and he doesn't speak to me anymore. It's not an important secret anymore but at the time, it devastated me that we were in the accident because my boyfriend's car was destroyed and my friend broke her pelvis in two places. :(

4. I will NOT walk on grates or sewer covers or anything else with slats on a street or sidewalk. Hello? Mama doesn't wanna fall in!

5. I desperately want a baby hedgehog. Their tongues look like pink spaghetti!

I don't know who to tag!! Forget it! I'm boycotting tagging... :)

Happy Birthday Mary!

2007-01-10T07:48:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Mary!!!

Today is my baby sister's 22nd birthday. Mary Katherine was born on a cold January night back in 1985. The Bears were on their way to the Super Bowl and my poor mother pops out this 10 lb. 11oz. child with curly black hair. Possibly the UPS man's baby? hee hee

Who's lookin' snarky? :)

Mary was my doll. Because she's 9 years younger than me, I helped raise her. I babysat her from day one and I dressed her up and fawned over her like she came out of me. The black curly hair fell out and in grew this beautiful, straight, strawberry blonde mane that my mom let her grow down past her waist when she was only 3.

Mary's high school graduation

Mary used to wink as a baby. We have video footage of this little muffin laying on her back on my parent's bed, winking away. She also was possibly the cutest child of all time. Move over Jon Benet...EVERYONE told Mary how cute she was. She has the deepest dimples and a smile that cheers you up instantly.

Mary as Homecoming Queen

Mary has also been the golden child in our family. She'll graduate college this year whereas Laura and I never finished. She was first chair flute since 7th grade and has countless awards and CDs and solos to her name. But she's also an artist. She's well known in our town for her art and I proudly own a few pieces myself. This girl's got talent! :)

Mary, far left, as Carmen Sandiego for Halloween a couple years ago.

Mary is like my mini-me. We are so alike (not just looks) and I consider her one of my best friends. We can talk about anything (like her losing her virginity Monday night...holy shit!) and I would be lost without her.

Mary and I at my 30th b-day party last year

Fun Mary Fact: Mary once drank half a bottle of lighter fluid for the grill when we lived in San Diego. They almost life-flighted her to the hospital and when she finally got there, they had to pump her stomach three times. Meanwhile, my father was directed to the wrong hospital by the EMT's, got pulled over on the way to the incorrect hospital, and was almost thrown in jail when he told the cop about Mary, only to show up at incorrect hospital and she wasn't there. Mary's stomach has never been the same. She often drinks A LOT at meals (not alcohol, well, sometimes...) and she has a puking tendency.

Happy Birthday Mare Bares!!! I love you to pieces!!!!

Sorry I've Been MIA

2007-01-09T07:43:00.000-06:00

Hi friends and sailors!

I'm going to be mostly MIA this week because of work. Everyone is back from any kind of holiday vacation they took and I have been nuts since 7am yesterday.

I leave you with this: Remember this Thursday 13?

Check out the last comment, left quite recently, by someone I don't know. I call your attention to it because if I have time, I'd really like to discuss what some of your pet peeves are when it comes to what servers do to/for you. I had a killer shift at Chili's last Friday but walked away with more money than I've made there. I'd like you to tell me what servers do that upset/piss you off?

If you have time, go check out this person's blogs. There's like 5 dedicated to hating servers. LOL Okay, not hating but damn, this lady is NOT popular with the serving community after all her commentary. I have yet to form an opinion because I have not read as many posts as I want.

Love and miss you all!

Happy Birthday to my Honey!

2007-01-04T08:56:00.000-06:00

Happy 31st Birthday Matt!

Today is my sweet baby's birthday and for the occasion, I'm taking a half day and we'll head downtown (Chicago, in case you Larrys haven't figured out where I'm from) to Buddy Guy's Legends to see the man himself!

There are many reasons why I love this man. His kindness, his sense of humor, his great ass...but really, he is my one. He is my soul mate. Yes, I believe in it. And it was love at first sight.

We met in February of 1999 at our workplace and he worked in Receiving and I was an administrative assistant on the 3rd floor. I was introduced to that smile and was instantly smitten. I remember going back to my desk and telling my new co-worker, Stefanie, "He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be my boyfriend." I named him Yummy Boy behind his back and told all my friends about him and how I MUST make him mine! :) I would hide our boxes of copier paper and call him so he'd bring more up, just as an excuse to see him. ;)

We flirted and talked a lot but I was the one who finally got up the guts to ask him to lunch. I truly felt like he would never be attracted to me but I liked him so much that I at least wanted to be his friend. Who knew that HE would be nervous at our lunch? He forgot utensils and his drink and a napkin...it was adorable. We've been together ever since.

We've been through a lot...a miscarriage, moved apart for a year and a half, my weight issues, financial issues...but we are stronger than ever and more in love than ever before. He is my cheerleader, my support, my travel buddy, my partner in crime (or almost crime, oh Yellowstone), my lover, my best friend...he truly is my everything. I don't know what I would do without him in my life.

I admire this man. I love this man. He is an adventurer, he is practical, he is patient, he is down to earth. He will do anything to make me smile. We never go to bed angry. Our life together is amazing. Some day I hope to call him my husband.

Happy Birthday Baby! I love you forever and the mostest!

Happy 2007 Everyone!

2007-01-03T10:37:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to put a cute picture of a little friend from Yellowstone. Oh furry friends, I love you guys!

Here's to a happy and healthy new year, friends. I hope you all had a fun New Years Eve! We did! So the Bears lost to the Packers...I'm not bitter.

Wait, yes I am. Fucking Bears! Dude! I finally make it to ONE game this season! ONE game of this GREAT season and those assholes lose to the Packers!?!? Ugh! I HATE the Packers. Sorry Angie! But seriously, I couldn't even allow my jacket to touch the jacket of the Packer fan next to me.

The game was fun though. My best friend got wasted and was talking to EVERYONE that would listen and I had a blast watching that. The weather was nice (I can't believe we're having 40 and 50 degree weather in January!!) and we tailgated and drank and then afterwards, we all headed to Buckingham Fountain to watch the fireworks. Very fun, very pretty, and I got to kiss a sweet Great Dane on his head. Oh puppies!!!

Monday we watched the Fiesta Bowl and if you didn't see it, you missed the best college bowl game of all time. I have never seen anything so exciting and I wish we had recorded it because I would so watch it again.

Now it's back to the daily grind. Working two jobs, trying to keep my cats out of trouble (those dirty whores broke my butter dish last night. My butter dish from the china set my mother gave me that used to be my grandmother's!) and back to losing weight. I've lost 3 lbs. so far! HOORAY!! Just gotta resist the Chili's food, the nummy food here at my other job (I should be working right now, shouldn't I? Nahhhh) and eating out (since we STILL haven't shopped for groceries since moving in!).

This year is going to be a good one you guys, I just know it. I've got three fabulous vacations, one of my great friends is getting married, I'm going to get further out of debt, and maybe there's a wedding in MY future...who knows? :)

Love you all! Gotta go think of a great Thursday Thirteen! :)

Happy Friday Muffins!

2006-12-29T11:26:00.000-06:00

This is going to be a short one because I am at home today! Yay for me! My full-time job gave us today off as New Year's Eve observed and then we get Monday off (natch). So I'm doing a bunch of things today to get ready for this weekend.

Last night was incredible you guys. Matt bought us tickets to see the King Tut exhibit at The Field Museum and it was awesome! My head is just swimming with all the things I learned (like I had no idea that he was only 19 when he died) and to see all of the precious artifacts that were found in his tomb? Holy shit! I must say I was disappointed when we got to the end and King Tut wasn't even there. I was like, "Um, where's the star of the show?" :) Apparently there's some law about moving bodies and it's sacrilegious and shit.

Equally as fun (okay really, totally more fun) was Matt made reservations for us at Geja's Cafe! You guys, he NEVER does anything like this. He doesn't surprise me, it's just not him. I love romantic stuff so it's taken me a while to get used to this man who isn't romantic but last night was so awesome. He told me, before we got downtown, that he was going to take me out for a big dinner afterwards. Ooookaayyy? And then later, when I asked where we're going, he said that I'll see and that we have 9pm reservations! FUN!! I love surprises!!! And then we showed up at Geja's, which my best friend had JUST told us about last weekend, and I was just so excited!

Talk about a ton of food. We had bread and grapes and apples in a cheese fondue first. Then tons of meats and fish and dipping sauces. Then, oh baby, the dessert. Pound cake and pineapple and apples and marshmallows (there was melon and bananas but I don't eat that) and the chocolate was phenomenal. I had way too much Riesling and it was perfect. They really cram people in there so I recommend if you are ever going to go, get reservations and ask for one of the special booths. They are tucked back so you have this whole space to yourself and it's almost like you could draw curtains to close yourself off from the rest of the restaurant.

I passed out on the way home, we slept in this morning, and now we're desperately trying to find Bears tickets so we can watch them beat the Packers' asses. The game on Sunday used to be at 12 but they changed it to a night game and can you imagine how many people out there are being forced to choose between this game and New Year's Eve plans? Luckily, our plans were to hang with my best friend and her husband and they are too excited about the game!

Happy New Year everyone! Love and happiness and kitties to you all! :)

Beth

Thursday 13

2006-12-28T07:35:00.001-06:00

Thirteen Things I Got For Christmas

1…. Let's just start with the best thing I got, and I posted it yesterday but it deserves another viewing because it IS that beautiful. Oh Coach purse, you are so pretty and expensive looking and although I've never been a name brand whore, I would gladly become one if it meant having more of you in my life.

2. My purse's baby sister, the wristlet! Now, I didn't ask for this. And I'm not sad I have it because duh! It's Coach, it's cute, it matches and it was thoughtful of him to include this. But I'd like to throw in that I don't need it and my gym shoes have holes in them and I really need new ones. There, that's it, no complaining.

3. No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs. I can't WAIT to read this. I'm currently obsessed with Mt. Everest (it's a killa!) and have been reading and watching all I can on it. Ed's quest is to be come the first American to climb the 14 tallest peaks in the world. Does he do it? I don't know sailors! I have to read the book! :)

4. Kid if you will but I grew up with this show and I still love it! And I will faithfully watch every season as they release them. And they better do that faster than it took them to release this one! OY!

5. Bad Cat tear off calendar. I love it!! Oh I love the kitties and the bad kitties (as long as they aren't mine). Kittlelielittlelies!! YAY!

6. PostSecret Book (2nd one). I own the first one and asked for the second but now I kind of wish I hadn't. I went through the whole book with my friend (who got it for me) and we were so disappointed. These secrets were repetitive and boring. I'm sorry but this is supposed to be entertainment and I saw, over and over, cards saying shit like, "I finally know who I am" "I am happy for the first time" "I am special." You know what? Gimmie the dirty stuff. I want to hear from the people the poked holes in their condoms or what you did with your babysitter when you were 12. This might be a return.

7. I got my Clinique facial wash and another item from there. Love me some Clinique.

8. KT Tunstall CD...didn't ask for it but mentioned I'd like to hear the entire thing. Larry, I mean Matt sometimes does his own thang when it comes to buying gifts.

9. My overly-generous parents got me a $100 gift card to Mario's. I have never been but brought the menu with me to work today so see if I can schedule a little sompin sompin. :)

10. Again, the parentals gave too much and they also gave me 100 one dollar bills. My dad loves doing that. One year, he got $100 in one's, taped them end to end and rolled them up and put them in an empty Kleenex box so that when I pulled the first one, the rest came streaming out and it was FUN!!

11. I'm bringing sexy baaaack. This is my perfume and I love it. I got the body wash too. Thanks Honey!

12. This WW scale has been on my Amazon wish list foreva! My bf finally bought it for me because #1, she knows how much I wanted it, #2, she said she was sick of looking at it on my wish list (hee hee) and #3, she knows that once January 1 hits, I'm back to getting in shape. Very important, necessary gift!

13. I don't have pictures of this but the purse my parents got me for Christmas? You guys...oh brother. I am NOT ungrateful, I swear to God. But they KNOW I've been creaming for a Coach purse and they know that Matt was going to get me the one I wanted so why did they buy me possible the ugliest, most hooker looking, black purse? Seriously, I'll get pictures. It's just G0d-awful and then my sisters tell me that my DAD picked it out and he spent a lot of money on it. DAMMIT!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR my friends! I love you all and I hope you are all safe and I can't wait to see what 2007 brings us all!

And because I'm mean AND fun, here's a picture of my man and his nakedness. This was taken on our canoe trip in the Boundary Waters back in September. He skinny dipped, I did not. He's got the cuter butt. Not that you can see it. That's why I don't mind sharing this...it's not too crazy naked! :)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments

Hello Sailors! It's Wednesday!

2006-12-27T10:44:00.000-06:00

And you know what that means? Tomorrow is my Friday! Hooray for company holidays!! Boo that I have to work at Chili's that night. Hopefully there will be some generous-still-filled-with-the-holiday-spirit type peeps out and they will generously tip me.

Speaking of Chili's, last night I had a table of 2 couples, their bill was $70 and they left me a $3 tip. Nice huh? Don't mind me guys, I'm just the Larry out there, busting her ass to make sure that you get your drinks, salads, entrees, napkins, and anything else your ugly ass desires. I don't need the money...I work for fun! :P Jerks. I wanted to run after them and tell them I'll give them back their $3 if they promise not to come in again. I even took their f-ing picture! Ruuuuuude!

How was everyone's gift-giving celebratory day(s)? :) That's my way of recognizing both Christmas and Hannukah. Or as I like to call it, Hannumas. Hope it was great for everyone. For me, not so much. Some of you know that my dad had knee replacement surgery on the 18th. He was in the hospital for 4 days and then was transferred to a rehab home (his choosing). So he's still in "the home" and will get out this Friday but Christmas is not Christmas without my Daddy. My sisters, Mom and I all decided there was no way we were going to open presents and do the whole Christmas morning rituals unless he was home so not having all that made this holiday feel all detached and ucky.

Matt and I fought on Christmas Eve which was highly unpleasant but not totally unexpected. He's a major Type A personality and I am Miss Relaxed Type B and we argued about the house. He wants everything done and perfect RIGHT NOW! Right now! I want it done now, raaaaaaaarrrr!! (that was him by the way, my imitation of him)

I am so much more laid back. Pardon me for enjoying the art of sitting on my ass. :) I work two jobs, one of which is stressful, the other is physically draining, and I am tired, dammit! He either doesn't care about that fact or simply doesn't think that should matter when it comes to this house. The house is painted. We are totally done painting (with the exception of the master bath which won't get done til we pick a color and change out the sink and cabinetry) and that is a huge accomplishment. You'd think that would satisfy Señor Psycho. Nope.

So we fought and brought the tension to his mother's house on Christmas Eve but after a few drinks, we were over it. Nobody wants to fight on a holiday right? It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. His mother and step-father got us two candles and some miniature gold ornaments and a king size down comforter. No, we don't need any of this but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth (I really hate that saying and want to know what Larry made it up? What the hell is a gift horse? And why is it bad to look at his mouth? G2M).

Christmas morning Matt and I exchanged pressies and I got my purse. Yes friends, the purse that I could have humped on sight and have dreamt about since our first meeting.

Yeah baby!! Oh how I love this purse. It is so me. I am normally a basic black, no frills but classy purse lover. And never have I been one to be a name brand snob. But my GM at Chili's has this exact purse and like I said, I almost stole it the first time I saw it. The purple alone makes it very Beth. The fun patchwork is...FUN!! And that's me, fun times baby! :) Raaaar! I love it!

My best friend shopped directly off of my Amazon wish list and I got many wonderful things from her and her husband including the first season of Beverly Hills 90210! Yes friends, I LOVE that show. As in present tense...love it. It only took them years to put this first season out for all us fans.

My parents win for most generous. Seriously, their hearts are always so huge and I love them for it. I don't need everything they give me but they are just so giving. In addition to the painting they paid for which was $300, they gave me $100 in cash and a $100 gift card to Mario Tric...you know, the salon that I've never been to. Way too generous those two.

Anyway, it was just a really weird Christmas. Matt's birthday is next week already and then mine is in February so hopefully those will go more smoothly and fun-filled. :)

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!! xoxooxoxx

Thursday Thirteen!

2006-12-21T10:03:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I Want to do Before I Die

1. Climb a mountain. Not a biggun, like Everest (it's a killer!) but I would love to tackle Ranier.

2. Get married. This one is more likely to happen sooner than the mountain but it's still something I've always wanted to do. I believe in the institution of marriage and I can't wait to be Matt's wife someday. :)

3. Travel to every continent. Yes, even Antarctica. They have penguins! Yay!

4. Bungee jump and/or sky dive. I put these together because both require you putting your life into the "hands" of a small, inanimate object (cord and parachute, respectively). Just wanna try it once, not make a hobby out of risking my life. :)

5. Re-learn playing the piano. I once was pretty good, took lessons from age 3 to age 10...and now almost all of that learning has exited my brain to make room for other important things (like what time The Biggest Loser is on at or how much it costs to add a salad to your meal at Chili's).

6. Be thin. I know that's really vague and generic but it's been a dream of mine for years. Over a decade at least. And I'm working on it, but I still long for it every day.

7. Go back to college and graduate. I don't know if my life will feel truly successful unless I'm a college grad. That's just me, personally. I have always wanted this and have regreted leaving school all those years ago.

8. Work, in some way, every day, with animals. I've thought about zoology for a long time but I think I might even be better at running a rescue shelter or at least working for one. I just need to be with animals!

9. Give my parents everything they've always wanted. Sounds weird but you guys, my parents provided a great life for me with what they knew. It was by no means perfect but I love and respect them and owe them a lot of money (even though if you asked them about it they'd say they don't know what I'm talking about...all the more reason to give them stuff).

10. Take singing lessons. I really love to sing and it's hard for me to admit but I don't think I'm so bad. I would love to take lessons and see if I have any real talent and then I'm going to American Idol! :) Okay, maybe not.

11. Work for myself. I hate being bossed around. I find myself thinking or saying, "You can't tell me what to do!" just about every day. I think I need to own my own company or something like that because being controlled is so not my bag, baby.

12. Own a farm. Kind of goes along with working with animals but Matt's and my dream is to own a farm, out West, and have lots of animals on this farm. I want to kiss them all every day and love them and yeah!

13. Love myself. Awwww, isn't that preshie? Seriously, I need to love myself as much as I love others. I'm working on it!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments)

Look out! Here comes Crankahonis!

2006-12-20T11:59:00.000-06:00

Yeah, that's my Beth-way of changing Pocahonnas into cranky...oh whatever! I'm bitchy! Get it?

I was at Chili's til 12am last night. I woke up an hour late this morning. There is nothing I despise more than being late. Don't get me wrong, I don't get in trouble or anything...it just throws off my day. And Matt is annoying me. And the people I support at work are annoying me. And I'm not in the mood or ready for Christmas. And I've got a mortgage payment due soon yet I still have a few more Christmas presents to buy.

And And And

Seriously, if I had any more PTO left, I'd have stayed home today. Why am I the only one that cares about certain things at work? I run two different help desks and no one seems to care that our customers get taken care of but me. Frustrating.

I am just rambling like an idiot here but my head is full of so many to-do's, just bear with me. Let me tell you what annoys me...people at Chili's, as in co-workers, that don't do their share of the work. Lazy co-workers...and then they just run out of the restaurant when they are cut and don't do their side work. Seriously, if I wouldn't get thrown in jail for battery, I'd be beating multiple asses.

I am also beyond crabby because I am fat. I am fat and miserable and please don't give me sympathy because I don't deserve it. I need to do something about it and have been trying for over a decade to have the body I want. It's so hard and nothing ruins my day more than having clothes fit snuggly or just feeling like a hippo in general.

Okay, I must stop or you guys will never read my blog again because you'll think the devil took over.

Sorry for being like this! :( WAH!

Dedicated to Dan and Dad

2006-12-19T12:16:00.000-06:00

Today's post is dedicated to my blog buddy Dan.

Dan's father suddenly passed away and with my own father in the hospital (he's fine), I just want Dan to know that I'm thinking about him, praying for him, and loving him from the Midwest.

If everyone can say a little prayer (or just a shout out if you aren't religious) for Dan and his family during this difficult time, I know he'd appreciate it.

Dan, I know I've told you but I'm so sorry for your loss. If you need a shoulder, I am here for you.

xoxoxoxxo
Beth

The Biggest Loser

2006-12-18T07:33:00.000-06:00

Look at this man. Yes, this is the SAME man. Erik started at 408 lbs. and in total, he lost 214 lbs! Absolutely incredible!

I am obsessed with this show. I have watched every season of The Biggest Loser and I have even tried out. Okay, I didn't really try out...here's my story.

In November 2004, I got a bug up my ass about The Biggest Loser and how I wanted to try out. Without going into all of my painful weight history, let's just say that I was at my heaviest in September of 2004, lost 20 lbs. on my own, but knew I really really wanted to be a part of The Biggest Loser. I just could really see myself on that show. Going away, making those lifelong changes...it's so me!!

So I filled out the long-ass application and went downtown to stand outside in the freezing cold on December 8, 2004. I ran out of time to do a video audition so I thought I would win them over in person.

I made some friends in line. We all shared our stories and laughed. We screamed together when we saw video cameras come out to do promo shots for the show. I was actually on the show! They came right up to me and asked me why I want to be on The Biggest Loser and my answer (and it's still true to this day), "I am a thin person trapped in a fat body and I WILL be the Biggest Loser!" :) Wishful thinking.

7 hours.

7 hours is how long I stood outside, in line, to talk to someone. And I made it to the very front of the line. And they shut the doors. I was the NEXT PERSON to go in and they shut the door. The producers had to get back to L.A. they said, and they weren't going to see anyone else.

I was devestated.

I shoved my application into the hands of one of the cameramen in hopes that just my personality on paper was enough for a phone call but of course, that never happened.

And the next day I was in the hospital with multiple blood clots in my lungs. It wasn't meant to be.

But now they are auditioning again. I have lost even more weight since that fateful night two years ago but I am nowhere near what I want to be as far as ideal weight goes. And I STILL feel like The Biggest Loser is a show meant for me. I cry with the contestants, I cheer them on and I can always picture myself there, changing my life right along with them.

This past season was especially wonderful. The transformation that these people went through...I am so stunned and so proud (weird).

I want this so badly for myself and anyone who knows me real well knows I have been battling my weight for years. I still think I should try out. I still just might!

Tag, I'm it!

2006-12-15T07:14:00.000-06:00

Thanks for tagging me Cece!

Ok you know the rules: List your 5 favorite Christmas songs. Then choose five people to tag and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments!

1. Away in the Manger - I'm really a sucker for songs that are beautiful, with flowy melodies and that I can sing without sounding like a cat that got it's tail stepped on.

2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - See explanation from #1

3. Oh Holy Night! - Seriously, get a big ass choir together singing this and I bawl.

4. Up On The House Top - I like this song just for the ho, ho, ho line. :)

5. What Child Is This? - Again, get a choir to sing this...ah tearylicious.

I gotta tag some peeps now huh? Okay, The Mind, KaraMia, Ali, Jen, and Angie. And, go!

Thursday Thirteen, y'all!

2006-12-14T07:54:00.001-06:00

Thirteen Things I Want You to Know About Waitressing

1. We don't make minimum wage. Common mistake made by cheap-ass people...we don't make a great, hourly wage. Our pay is your tips and during this holiday time, you would think people would be a teeny bit more generous. Ah, no.

2. It's not cool to take stuff off our trays while we're holding them. Nothing off-sets the balance of a serving tray like the grabby hands of "helpful" customers. And I put helpful in quotes because most of the time it's starving customers who are too impatient to let us pass the food out. Let me do my job, ho!

3. Your children make our job 10 times harder than it needs to be. When you're at home, do you let your kids take food out of your pantry and dump it all over the floor? No? Then why do you let them do it in a restaurant? It is SO much fun having to reorganize an entire sugar/sweetner caddy, let me tell you. I love it when kids not only dump them all out but dump them all over the floor. Kids are messy, I get that, but don't let them trash the restaurant because they are bored. Teach your children how to behave in public and maybe I'll tip YOU.

4. I do not cook the food. Your food is too hot? Your food is too cold? Your food tastes funny? Yeah, not my fault. We have these guys in the back, maybe you've heard of them, they are called cooks. They create those edible sensations sitting in front of you. Don't take money out of my tip for bad food. Tell the manager. Maybe you'll get some free shit. But don't leave me hanging as if I somehow found the time to slap on an apron and play Emeril to your Hungry Hungry Hippo.

5. Tipping 10% is not acceptable. Do you know that your tip doesn't all go home with me? I have people that I have to tip too. So not only do I make a mere $3.90 and hour, but when you tip me, I have to give part of that to a bus boy and the bartender...even if you don't order anything from the bar. And let's not forget the expo person that I have to tip out if my food gets run out for me.

6. Sitting at the table for 3+ hours is not cool. Actually, I take that back. It's fine...as long as you tip accordingly. I have a small section of tables that is given to me when I start my shift and these are my tables for the night. My goal is not to rush you out so I can fill the table again, but how do you think I feel when you sit at my table for an entire shift and then leave me $3? I could have turned that table over at least two more times but you are sitting there, chatting it up with an old friend, and I'm making no money. At least consider tipping me more for the time you are taking up. I could have made more tips if you weren't monopolizing that one table.

7. Ask me for what you need all at once. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to a table to check on them, asked if they need anything, get what they tell me, and then when I come back with the requested item, someone else needs something. You are not my only table. I like to multi-task and if you need another drink AND more napkins, ask for them both at the same time.

8. If you are nice, I'm even nicer. I have had all kinds of customers. Crabby, happy, horny, drunk, sick, ugly, mean, nice...all kinds. Why would you come in to a public place, where you have another human being serving you, and treat them like shit? Did you have a bad experience at another restaurant? Well that's not my fault, is it? I am infinitely more happy when my table is happy. I like to see smiles and nodding and if I heard a thank you, I might do a jig. Treating me like yesterday's garbage only ensures you will have a less than stellar dining experience. Moods rub off on people. So cheer up! Bitch.

9. Stiffing me makes me cry. I'm talking about leaving NO tip whatsoever. I know this kind of goes along with #5 but seriously, why would you leave NO money? I had a table of three adult women and two children on Tuesday night. They rang up a $70 bill. They were offenders for almost EVERYthing I have listed here, especially #'s 3 and 7. They left me NOTHING. You run me ragged, work me harder than toy salesman at Christmas, and you leave me nothing? SO insulting and disrespectful. I am not here for fun. No one dreams of being a waitress when they grow up so keep that in mind when you decide to walk out on the gratuity.

10. It's okay to give a small tip for bad service. Contrary to my other rants, there ARE bad servers out there and if they suck, by all means, let the tip reflect.

11. Other servers have other customers. Do you need your Diet Coke refilled? Ask your server! Unless you are being ignored or haven't seen your waitress in 10 minutes or more, don't just grab any server that walks by and ask for shit you need. That is why you have a server...to serve you. We can't all take care of you because frankly, we don't all get the tip you leave.

12. If I do a great job, please tell my boss. My manager wants to hear about the good servers and if I work my ass off for you, go above and beyond and you are really happy with the service, please tell my manager. I get reviewed just like you do at your job so it is a really great thing for a manager to get pulled aside and hear the praises of a good server.

13. Being miserly makes me miserable. If you complain and huff when I tell you that it costs $.99 for a ramekin of guacamole or there's an extra $1 charge for certain steaks, I can only assume I'm screwed with my tip. If you are nickel and diming me about little bull shit like that, I know you aren't going to be generous with a tip. What did you expect when you decided to go out to eat? A free for all for every little extra? The grocery store doesn't give shit away for free so why would we? Eat at home if you are going to be a Scrooge because again...I need to be tipped! Larrys.

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Dedicated the Ones I Love

2006-12-13T08:46:00.000-06:00

I would like to dedicate this post to my wonderful parents, Sharon and Larry. Yes, Larry. My daddy's name is Larry and he hates that Larry is the name we use as a substitution for dumbass. :) Sorry Daddy but I didn't choose the name.

My parents are a rare breed. Married for 38 years, my mom and dad didn't have me, their oldest, until they had been together for 7 years. As my mom puts it, "I had to make sure I still liked your father enough to have a kid with him." That worked out pretty well.

They have three daughters and brought us up the best they knew how. It wasn't always pleasant (I will never forget the wooden paddle, owie!) and it wasn't always fun but it was always with best intentions.

My parents have been there for me through it all. Through every boyfriend break-up, fights with friends, report cards, crushes, boy bands...all! And I never took their advice and they were almost always right!

Recently, my parents have offered to have the rest of our new house painted for us. They have listened to me complain about how much I work and how tired I am and I wah-wah'd to my mom on Monday about the little tiff Matt and I had while painting at 2am and she told me to have the painter come out and my dad and her will pay for it. I can't thank them enough for their generosity. They give too much!

So thank you Mom and Daddy! I love you guys more than you know and appreciate the crap out of you! MUAH!

I've been tagged!

2006-12-12T10:28:00.000-06:00

According to the rules… Each player of this game starts with the “6 weird things about you”. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says “you are tagged” in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

I was tagged by Cece! Thanks, girl, here's mine:

1. I cannot and will not sleep with any apendage hanging off the edge of my bed. If I do, I know that the clown from Poltergeist will pull me off and under the bed and I'll die.

2. I am a slight germaphobe. Maybe this isn't weird but in any and all public bathrooms I wipe the seat before I sit and after I wash my hands I open the door with a sleeve over my hand.

3. I love animals more than people.

4. I have my own language. Okay, not an entire language but I make up words and it's fun.

5. I giggle after everything I say. It's more of a laughing grunt...I don't know how to describe it because I never noticed it but I've had several people point it out. I've tried to catch myself doing it but can't.

6. I'm fascinated by death and how people die. I know, weird. Maybe I'm just nosey but when I read obituaries, I really wish they all said how people died! That's why I loved the show Six Feet Under.

I would love to tag someone else but almost everyone else has done this so I just wanted to get my weirdness out there. :)

Have you seen this movie?

2006-12-11T12:33:00.000-06:00

Oh
My
God

My eyes were swollen shut this morning from crying. This is a Disney movie and yes, there are many cheesey parts that I could have done without but the animals alone attracted Matt and I to this picture. I honestly wish I hadn't watched it. I bawled for an hour straight.

I don't want to give it away but clearly there is animal death in this movie and that is something I don't deal with well. People ask me all the time why I don't want to be a vet...animal death. I don't want to put one down, see one die, witness an injury...no. I can not handle seeing an animal in pain. Shit, I'm welling up just typing this.

Matt and I go to the Field Museum (in downtown Chicago) about once a month to see speakers that are from National Geographic. These are photographers, explorers, scientists, and journalists that come to speak about a topic they are passionate about and Matt and I make a date night of it all and it's great. Nevermind that I almost always leave these lectures in tears. Every, single presenter has a common theme...we are killing the Earth. We, as humans, are destroying our beautiful Earth and it's also up to us to save it. So they suggest things and hopefully every person there that night walks away with some knowledge and goes and spreads it to their friends.

Back to my animal stuff...the speaker last week was Maria Stenzel and she spoke of Antarctica and her journies and findings there. She showed pictures of penguins and the ice and it was all fine and dandy until she showed a video of an injured penguin (complete with a full chest of red feathers from blood) shaking violently and then being attacked by a leopard seal. I couldn't watch. And now I can't see the screen because of the tears. Animals and pain...I can't do it. I don't care if it's the circle of life...I don't like the circle!

So if you are an animal lover and it pains you to see or even think of a precious, fluffy friend dying, don't see Eight Below. The dogs are gorgeous and I love them but it was too painful.

Hi Sailors and Friends!

2006-12-08T11:10:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry I've been MIA you guys but I've been in a two-day strategy session for work and before that I was sick. I promise to be back to my usual Larry-ness on Monday!

Miss you, love you, happy weekend!

Let It Snow! Not THAT much!

2006-12-01T10:57:00.000-06:00

We have been bombarded with whiteness! Major snowage my friends and the roads here are abominable.

Lots of this.

My windshield looked like this

It is insane out! Or was, it's now 11:15am so the roads are better but it's taking people hours to get to work.

Speaking of work, those of us that made it in (the real workers, the true blue great ones hee hee) found out that our CEO is NOT charging a day off to people that didn't come in because of the weather. Everyone that showed up was in a major uproar. But luckily, our boss just told us that we're being given a comp. day to use whenever and I like that A LOT! I have no more days off so I'm all about getting a free one!!

If you are out there in this, be careful! If you are like Cece and in LA, I don't wanna hear about it. LOL

TT baby!

2006-11-30T07:18:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Men I Wouldn't Kick Out of Bed for Eating Crackers

1. Matthew McCoughnahey-Always and forever at the top of my list. This is one fine man. Muscular, Southern, and he would look so great between my sheets. My Matt (the real one I live with) knows that if this man showed up at the front door, then I'd be pushing him out the back door. :)

2. Ryan Reynolds-Oh hello body! Oh mama! He gets me way hottie in the chottie. Basically I was appalled that him and Alanis Barfasette were engaged because I thought her way beneath his gorgeousness but now that they are broken up, it's all good. :)

3. Chris Cornell-Seriously, I shouldn't be doing this list at work because I'm having way too much fun. The eyes, the voice...good God just one night with this man, please! Before I die, I really want him to serenade me and perhaps rub my shoulders. :) Love him!

4. Brad Pitt-Even though I can't stand him and Angelina together (and where is their baby?) he's still really hot. And yes I did look at those naked pictures of him on the Internet. Mmmhmm!!

5. Jeremy Irons-Not necessarily for the hotness factor (but he is a good looking older guy) but that voice...shit yes! I would watch Lion King over and over just to listen to him be mean, old Scar! Love that voice! Read the dictionary to me, just speak!

6. Antonio Sabato Jr.-The body my friends, look at the body. Damn, I'm superficial! MY LIST!! My ho's! :)

7. Trent Reznor-Yep, lead singer of Nine Inch Nails. He's not that scary, goth-like freak anymore. He is muscular, shaved headeded and HOT! And he can sing so that's a winner all around for me.

8. David Beckham-Fuck me! No seriously, fuck me. Ditch that too-skinny-to-be-pretty wife of yours and come see what a real woman feels like! Ahem. Oh we're back on? Sorry, I forgot where I was.

9. Hugh Laurie-Oh House! God I love that show and I love this man! His "real" voice, with accent, is too sexy and I love his ways on the show. Saw him on SNL too and he's hilarious in real life. Love him!

10. Justin Timberlake-I'd like him to bring Sexy right Back to my bedroom. I would be his booty call indefinitely. Who's your sexy ho?

11. Johnny Depp-I love this pic of him! He's had some looks I don't agree with but those eyes and that smile do me in everytime. Do me? What? This list is getting me worked up!

12. Orlando Bloom-Mmmmm Legolasicious. He's just yummy, plain and simple. Skinny yes, but yummy.

13. John Travlota-This list would not be complete without the man I thought I would one day marry. I fell in love with him the first time Grease was on TV and he is just too adorable to me. Those eyes and that smile and the dancing! Come on! Who doesn't love John Travolta? (rhetorical question, Larrys, I don't really want to hear from you haters) :)

And I just want to say that for YEARS, I have been in love with Tom Cruise. The minute I saw him on Oprah, the love died. I've met him in real life (short but so sweet) and just think he is so handsome and I lusted after him. But ever since Oprah...ugh, he's ruined himself for me.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
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Totally Terrific Tuesday!

2006-11-28T10:15:00.000-06:00

NOT! Okay, I refuse to just constantly bitch in this blog because I really want it to be more of an outlet for my creativity and fun ways and all that but let's suffice to say that I am going through a really tough time and I may delve into the dark side occasionally and I hope y'all will bear with me.

But for now, let's talk about TV! I am so happy to have DVR back in my life (the apartment that Matt and I were living in wasn't wired for cable and for aesthetic reasons, forced us to use their satellite provider, who didn't have DVR) that I could sing a song about it! Being able to record shows while I'm working or out is such a fantastical thing! Do you know that whenever there was a favorite show of mine that I would miss, I had to have my sister record it at my parent's house, then I would have to find hours of time in a block to go over and watch said shows with her, AND try to battle my mom and dad for TV time and it's their TV!?! Funness!

So I'd like to know what your favorite TV shows are and why? Here's just a few of mine:

Grey's Anatomy--I honestly watched the first half of the first episode ever and said to myself, "I can NOT take on another show and this one doesn't look that good." Who knew? My sister forced me watch the first two seasons (so we could talk about it) and I am hooked. I love this show! The drama! The characters! The hot men! It's got it all and I love their story lines.

Six Feet Under--Okay, I didn't say that your favorites had to be current shows. :) I am still sad that this fabulous show was cancelled. I cried SO hard at the last three episodes and would even talk to the TV (why are you sleeping with her Nate??!). The very last episode was done so well, I had my friend rip me that one episode. Phenomenal. Why do the good shows get cancelled?

Gilmore Girls--I have my best friend to thank for this obsession. She would constantly rave about this show and I pashawed it (is that even close to a word?) and finally gave in. I rented the first disc from Netflix and after that, that was the ONLY thing in my queue. I power watched the first 5 seasons in a matter of months and am fully hooked. I love their fast talking ways and I love all the characters and story lines...it makes me want to live in Stars Hollow.

Reality TV--I admit it, I am a reality TV junky. I freakin' LOVE Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Real World, Amazing Race, The Bachelor (yes, I love the drama) Extreme Makeover of ANY kind...all of them! Bring it on! Okay, I will say that I won't watch those stupid celebrity reality TV shows...Flavor of Love, House of Carters, Tarapalooza or whatever...ugh! Lame lame lame!

Moving and working and eating...OH MY!

2006-11-27T11:57:00.000-06:00

Oh sailors, I am beat! I would seriously like to lay down on my new mattress (when it gets here) and sleep for at least a week. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

My weekend started at work, 2nd work, Chili's work. Not a problem. We were very busy but early on, and I got home at a decent time. FYI, we have THREE pregnant servers working there and it's only a matter of time before those bellies get so large that they'll have to shout "corner!" way before they truly turn that corner. :)

Thursday we had my parent's house at 1pm and then Matt's dad's later on (in other words, whenever we get there). Nothing eventful at my parent's house other than my cousin who has the hots for Matt. She's 36 and has a mental handicap so she has the mentality of a 13 year old. She LOVES her some Matt! hee hee She hugged him goodbye and wouldn't let go and then she came up to me and said, "If you don't bring him to Christmas (as if I don't every year for the past 7 years), I'll kill you!" So I jokingly say, "I don't see no rings on these fingers!" and she comes right back with, "Well if you don't have any rings on YOUR fingers, maybe they'll be on MINE!" I about pissed myself.

Matt's dad's house was a treat because we had his relatives from KC in town whom we usually only see once a year at the reunions. Only odd thing noticed was his cousin's wife, who is due with their first child in 2 month, drinking about 4 glasses of red wine in about 3 hours. Is that normal? I have asked lots of other friends with kids and they've all told me that one glass, every so often is okay but not that much. Ah well, not my baby, not my body. I just worry.

Friday was incredibly busy with movers and Comcast (hooray for DVR!!!) and was capped off with a truly shitty shift at Chili's. My first two tables were real asses, just totally crabby, and it set the tone for the night. I felt so off and I really didn't want to be there. Neither did anyone else. One of the managers finally realized, at about 6:30pm, that we had way too many servers and asked everyone "who would like to go home?" Where was Beth? Oh yes, I would be out on the floor WORKING and doing my JOB!! So needless to say, I wasn't there to raise my hand and didn't get picked and I ended up being stuck there until 11pm. Not happy. I actually got so frustrated, I was near tears. In my opinion, that manager should have taken into consideration what is going on in people's lives and choosen someone instead of putting it up for grabs. For example, she knows that I have two jobs, that I'm moving that weekend, that she scheduled me for too many shifts that week AND I have family in town. Whatever. It's history now but RAAAAAAARRRR!! :)

The rest of the weekend was spent painting, packing, moving, and working one more Chili's shift. I found out this morning that the guy that hired me at Chili's got fired this weekend. I'm dying to know why. :( So sad. He was so nice.

We have to finish moving this week and ask me how much I'm looking forward to it? BLAH!

Happy Monday! :)

My dogs are barking!

2006-11-22T08:28:00.000-06:00

My feet are killing me!! This part of waitressing...I so didn't miss it. I worked last night and it was my first "bad" night. What constitutes a bad night at Chili's? Well, let me just tell you a story.

We had no bus boy last night so on top of regular serving duties, everyone had to bus their own tables. On top of no bus boy, we had no expo. I don't know if everyone knows what an expo is but let me clarify for those that aren't familiar with the restaurant world. An expo is the person that stands in the back, on the "line," and makes sure that all the food gets out to the right table. Not only that, they make sure that the meals are exactly as people ordered them, presented nicely, hot, on time, and they make sure that the food is run out to the table as soon as it's ready.

So we had no bus boy, no expo and the person that "closed" the lunch shift, didn't stock the line for us. We had no chips in the entire restaurant half way through the night. No chips at Chili's? Are you kidding me? And for a while we had no ranch, no silverware, no Sprite, no creamers, no broccoli cheese soup...seriously, this was most wonderful.

Because of the lack in all these necessities, it was difficult to do my job to the best of my abilities. I really have no problem telling you guys that I'm a good server. I like doing it and I like it even more because I'm good at it and with those people missing, my job was tripled and I couldn't do it well and guess what the end result was? Bad tips. Not every table was upset because obviously I didn't have an issue with every table but there was about an hour there where I was getting more and more people (and the wonderful hostess just sat people at my DIRTY tables! AHHH!) and the food for the existing tables isn't out...not happy.

It makes it very hard to go back there tonight. Can't have a repeat of last night or I WILL go off. I'm hoping that we have a different manager tonight (did I mention that the manager last night spent half the night in her office when she should have been helping us bus tables and run food?) and I'm hoping the lunch person doesn't leave the place in shambles. I have NO problem vocalizing my dissatisfaction.

Can anyone work my dinner shift on Friday? :)

Crazy crazy weekend

2006-11-20T13:56:00.000-06:00

I think my new blog friend Carrie might be right...maybe I need an Anger Management class. I woke up this morning banging my fist on the alarm clock until it stopped ringing. Isn't it odd how I know exactly where the snooze button is but when I am mostly asleep (mostly) I can't find it for the life of me? :)

Friday night we went to the Primus concert at the Aragon and we had a great time. Saturday I went to the Rosemont Convention Center to get the autograph of Orlando Hernandez a.k.a. El Duke for Matt. He has almost all of the Chicago White Sox autographs on a picture taken at the winning World Series game and he had to work so I went in his place. Can I say that El Duke is El Yummy!? Hello! And that Cuban accent? Hottie in the chottie!

Saturday night I worked at Chili's and I watched a server literally fly into the air, complete with a full, large tray of HUGE dishes, and crash everywhere. One very large dinner plate crashed down on the servers fingers and she had to go to the emergency room. A glass from the bar crashed right in the middle of a table that four people were at and they were very gracious and just wanted to make sure the server was okay. Talk about workplace excitement! She didn't break anything, just contusions, and she'll be back at work soon. And she cried because she was more worried that she hurt a customer than she cared about her own pain. Just a little FYI next time you have a great server...we really do care!!

Sunday was the Bears game. HELLO! Bears win...AGAIN!! And then it was off to the new house to paint more. Wait til I show you guys the before and after! My house is going to be so pretty! I'm so proud. I'm really extra proud of Matt because he has really been doing so much of the painting and grunt work. He's really stepped up with everything since I took on this second job. He's a great partner!! :) That's so cheesey and I don't care!!!

TT

2006-11-16T11:34:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things that Give Me Road Rage

1…. People that merge at the last minute. Seriously people, you and I both know that they do not put the lane merge signs up RIGHT where you have to merge...they put it well in advance up the road. So why, tell me why, some of you jerkies think the lane merge sign is a green light to speed up the exact point of merging and force yourself in? Guess what? I don't let people like you in. I'd rather run you off the road (not that I'd do that).

2 . People that leave about an inch between my fender and their front bumper at a stop light. Hello Larrys. What is the point of sitting on my ass while I'm STOPPED? The red light means no go...so just because you are trying to hump my car...I no go.

3 . People that tailgate when I CLEARLY have another car in front of me. Seriously fuckers, there's another car in front of me!!! *I* cannot go any faster!! *I* am already tailgating this asshole in front of me! Back off!

4 . People that don't use their turn signals! You dirty whores! If you are turning, I, as the Larry behind you, needs to know you are turning. I hate you!

5 . School buses and landscaping trucks. One word...slow. Two words...slow ass! Three words...slower than necessary.

6 . Cops that pull over cars in a lane on a busy street. Seriously, why would you not go to a parking lot or driveway or somewhere where you won't cause a traffic jam? Cars back up, gapers block occurs, and all for a speeding ticket? Ppssshh!</P>

7 . Bad cell phone users. I have no problem with people being on cell phones while they drive. BUT only if they don't slow down to 10 miles under the speed limit while talking!

8 . People that drive in the fast lane but don't go fast. Self explanatory. And I am not shy. I will ride your ass until you get out of the fast lane. Come on! People from Indiana seem to have perfected this skill. LolP>

9 . People that are going slow, you go to pass them, and THEN they speed up. If you don't want someone passing you, go faster dumb ass.

10. People that speed up when they see a squirrel or other creature in the road. Seriously, it happens around here. I've seen it and I almost lose my mind when I see it. Who truly WANTS to hurt animals? Assholes.

11. Old people that have NO business driving. Yes, I will one day be old but I'm not now and I can't stand it when the elderly drive. Most are so slow that they will cause an accident because of all the road ragers behind them. Once you turn 70, I think people should get retested on driving every 2 years.

12. People that don't scoot up in a lighted turn lane. You know what I mean...you are behind someone in a turn lane at a light and "normal" people will scoot past the line so that if you don't get to go during the green light, you can go during the yellow light. I hate it when people sit behind the line and don't even try to turn when the light turns yellow.

13. Finally, I hate litter bugs. Come on people. Our Earth is dying because of us. I long for the day I witness a cop busting a litter bug and scratch off a $500 littering ticket. :)

Happy Weekend!!!

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Tales from an Old Waitress

2006-11-15T08:14:00.000-06:00

If any of you call me old, I'll dump a skillet of queso in your lap!

Seriously, I just got back into waitressing for obvious reasons...money. Our mortgage payment, that starts in January, is a good $300 more than our monthly rent so in order to make that, plus pay down my debt, it's off to the land of cranky customers and bad tippers I go.

It's really not that bad. I used to waitress in high school at Shoney's (they don't even have those in Northern Illinois anymore) and throughout my 20's at local places. In 2004, my two-year stint at Chili's came to end when our restaurant was infected with salmonella. Employees and customers alike got sick and the store eventually closed. I hung up my apron and non-skid shoes because #1, I HATE working two jobs (free time? Whassat?) and #2, I gained a lot of weight eating yummy Chili's food. A lot of weight. A lot. For real, a lot. :)

Now it's the end of 2006 and once again, I am part of the server world. I got a job at the Chili's close to our new home and started this past weekend. Because I have two years of experience with Chili's under my apron, I didn't need to go through the vigorous training they have all newbies go through. I followed a trainer on the floor during lunch on Saturday and someone asked me to work Saturday night so I picked that up and was on my own.

One conclusion: I am old. Seriously, I had to ice my knee when I got home Saturday night. Ice my knee! Who does that? Athletes (I don't consider serving tables worthy of that title) and old people! Wah!! My hips hurt (I exercise but not like this!), my legs hurt, my shoulders hurt, but most of all...oh my God, my poor feet. We're talking blisters on the back of both ankles, a blister/callous on one tippie on my left foot, and all of my tippies, mostly my big toes, feel like they got slammed into a steel wall over and over again. I am SO not used to this kind of work.

Even more exciting (she says with dripping sarcasm) is that I get to meet a whole bunch of new people that I will work with and get used to a whole new set of managers. I love people, that's why I like this job, but it is REALLY hard to be the new girl at a place like this. Basically I'm the oldest (besides the managers) and I'm competition. We're all each other's competition. And get this...90% of the staff is female. Holy PMS/ragging at the same time/bitches on paradeness!!!

Wait til I tell you stories about the people we serve!