Frustration

This week I am not liking my job.
I have too much work for an 8 hour day and I just can't seem to get anything completed.
It's summer and I don't want to work overtime that I don't get paid for.
Everything that I pick up seems to have a snag in it.
I have to wait for a co-worker to get me information to complete the task.
I have to wait for a customer or vendor to get me information to complete the task.
There's a glitch in our software and a report that I use on a daily basis will not populate and that is holding up things that I could finish.
ARGH!!!!!!
I HATE this waiting game!
So, as the piles on my desk continue to grow I become more frustrated and bummed out.
I sooooooo much wanted to just roll over and go back to sleep this morning when the alarm went off.
I should have been a teacher, then I would have had the summer off and probably wouldn't be so upset about work.

I know, I know, I should take my own advise.

I'm closing my eyes (whoops, not yet or I can't finish this post) taking a deep breath and going to my happy place before I let this day get the better of me.

Hope you have a good day!!!

Weekend

Well, the couch was delivered on Saturday morning and the redecoration is almost complete.
I made a new swap for above the archway by the stairs and the only thing left is to put up the pictures above the couch. I wanted to wait until it was actually in the house and in place before hanging anything above it. Once that is done then the project will be finished and I can tackle the bathroom.

This weekend was a nice one. Friday night I spent it by my good friend Bubbles. We hung out in her backyard having a few cocktails and shooting the breeze. Rhonda another one of my good friends was there too. Bobbi stopped by later in the evening and it was wonderful to sit by the fire pit and just talk about what's been going on in each of our lives. Bobbi has one more class to finish her degree and then on to her Master's she goes. Bubs is out of school for the summer but still going into the office for some last minute work. Rhonda is always busy and it was good to see her sit and relax for a bit before running off to pick up her kids from all the different places they were that night. I was disappointed that Mary Anne didn't show up. I really was hoping to sit and talk with her.

Saturday was couch day and cleaning. I purged another 4 bags of stuff for the Salvation Army. My sister Cindy would be so proud.

Sunday was my niece Tricia's graduation from college party. It was nice to see all of the aunts and to spend time just chillin'. I had a few cocktails at the party and it was very relaxing. Tricia and her fiance Matt have set the date for their wedding in 2008. Between looking for a job and planning the wedding she will be a very busy girl.

So, that was my semi-eventful weekend. I hope you had a nice one.

Vacation

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
I've got the Go-Go's song ringing in my head!!!

I just made my airline reservation to go out to California to visit my sister in December.
I'm am so excited.
I haven't seen her in almost two years (it will be over 2 years by the time I actually get there in December).

So it will be super-duper to be in a warm place in December and get to see my sister and brother-in-law and their 4 dogs. I of course will HAVE TO visit the beach and I have asked if we could go to the San Diego zoo, other than that I am open to whatever California has to offer.

The other great part, I am flying United, non-stop out of O'Hare and it is only costing me $5.00.

That's right, FIVE DOLLARS!!!!!

I had miles that had to be redeemed before 12/31 and a $5.00 round-trip to CA just couldn't be passed up.

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO, I'm goin' on vacation.

Cubs Fan

I just heard and read that they traded Michael Barrett to the San Diego Padres for a DORK!

Ah, what is my Cubbies management thinking?

The Craft Cellar

Well, I may have mentioned this in a previous post or perhaps I didn't (the perils of growing old). The company that I work for is moving our corporate headquarters (where I must report to work) from Morton Grove to Bensenville. I'm not that happy about the move because it adds 5 more miles onto my compute. I know that 5 miles is not very much, but when you factor in the area, I must go around O'Hare airport to get from my house to work. There are only two ways around the airport for me and both of them are bad. I know this first hand because I have travelled these routes before. My previous job was in Bensenville so I speak from experience.

But alas, I digress, this post is about the craft cellar, not about the move.

Since our move will require a reduction in our office space, we have been selling desks, chairs...
We had a storage unit that I was eyeing because it would work wonderfully for my craft cellar. It had a mail slot upper and a cabinet bottom. I got it for FREE, YIPPEE SKIPPEE!!!!!
I met my brother at the office on Saturday morning and we loaded up the three piece unit and he drove it home and I went across the street to work out.

When I got home the three pieces were in the basement. I assembled them and began the task of filling it up. I started by taking all of the 8-1/2" x 11" paper that I had up in my bedroom and putting it into the mail slots. One side for Stampin Up paper and the other for the stuff that I get from the craft stores.

The middle counter area I have all of the loose 12" x 12" paper that was laying around in bags in my room from my most recent shopping excursions. I also started bringing down the shoe boxes that have the embellishments and stacking them near the "unit".

The bottom storage cabinet will be used to store my rubber stamps.
YES, I already have a cabinet that is full of stamps and I have enough new ones to need a second cabinet. I have already addressed my addictions in a previous post so please do not make any comments about the quantity of stamps that I possess. :-)

Things are beginning to take shape, I am getting myself organized and getting inspiration when I see all of the cool stuff that I have purchased and haven't used yet. Now I just have to get some crafting time, but first I have to do the purge/organization thing and then I can play.

The Purge Continues

Apparently my brother has not gotten the memo about the purge currently going on at the house.

We have a small Weber grill, a Smokey Joe to be exact.
This works very well for the grilling needs of just him and I.
We also have a large Weber grill for when we have people over and need to grill alot of food so that everyone can eat at the same time.

Yesterday he found a Weber grill at the forest and brought it home.
It is the size between the Smokey Joe and the large one we have at home.

We don't need another grill!!!!!

Why does he feel the need to bring discarded stuff home?
Better question, why did someone leave the Weber grill at the forest?

On a better note, I have purged 105 sewing patterns and over 75 pairs of earrings. More earrings will be purged tonight.

So, despite the fact that as I get rid of things and my brother brings them home I am making progress in seeing a clean clutter free home.

Wish me luck!

Anyone need a grill?

I'm In Love

I am in L - O - V - E

I have always said that if I could exercise and have a fan blowing to quickly dry the sweat (oh wait women don't sweat, we perspire) that I would probably work out longer.

I know that I am not the only one that feels this way.
There is a metro-sexual at the gym that always chooses one particular elliptical machine.
Goes and gets a chair so that he can adjust the fan so that it blows down on his machine.
Then hops on board and does his workout looking all studly (in his mind) as he works out but doesn't get all sweaty.

Before you lose your lunch or dinner or any recent meal, he is NOT the reason that I am in love.

Nope.

The object of my affection is the new treadmill at the gym (there are currently four of them) that have large consoles with small 3 inch diameter fans on each side that blow a breeze while you are working out. They are not as powerful as I would like them to be, but something is better than nothing. I have taken to doing 30 minutes on my new friendly treadmill in lieu of the bike.

So, like I said I am in L - O - V - E



P.S. Just as an after-thought, I currently am up to one hour fifteen minutes of cardio each time I am at the gym (see the post about the gauntlet being thrown down). Keeping with that motivation, I have a 57% average of getting my fluffy arse to the gym.

Scenes of Summer

Summer is here and that means white.

White shoes.
White pants.
White shorts.
White skirts and dresses.

Some recent observations made me think:

"Am I just getting old"

Or do white shoes with dark hose look stupid?

"Am I just getting old"

Or should it be against the law to wear patterned underwear under white shorts/pants/skirts/dresses?

"Am I just getting old"

Or should men not be allowed to wear white sandals?


Let me know your thoughts.

I Am NOT A Traitor

I was invited to go to Saturday's baseball game on Friday.

I am a Cubs fan.
I bleed Cubbie blue.
I will die a Cubs fan.

I say this because the game that I attended on Saturday was a Chicago White Sox game.
Yup, I went to the "cell" (U.S. Cellular Field) and experienced the South side brand of baseball.

I don't consider myself a traitor because the Sox were playing an inter-league series against the Houston Astros.

The Cubs and the Astros are in the same division in the National League.
I cheered on the Sox because a Sox win would mean that it helped the Cubs.

It was a nice experience.
I went with my co-worker Kerrie, her husband Gerry and his father.
Kerrie and Gerry are partial season ticket holders.
Since Gerry's father is in a wheel chair they have handicapped seating and it was great.
The handicapped area is roped off from the regular seats.
Our seats were folding chairs and it was great because you could move the chair to your seating pleasure.
The seats are right at a railing and if you wanted to move the seat back and stretch out your legs and prop them up on the railing you could.
If you wanted to lean against the railing you could.
It was excellent.
The stadium is very nice.
I had been to the old stadium 20 or so years ago and this new stadium is much much better.

It's no Wrigley Field.
It's not the loveable Cubbies.
It doesn't have the neighborhood fun that the Wrigleyville area has but it was a good time.

I had a hot dog (who doesn't have a hot dog at the game?)
I had two margaritas (had to go with the margarita over a beer)
I would have had some Cracker Jack but:
a. I had TWO margaritas.
b. I had a hot dog.
c. I had my personal challenge to rid my body of fluff (see previous post).

Afterwards on the way home we stopped for Italian ice on Taylor Street. (so much for the fluff removal). I had blue raspberry and it was wonderful, so sinfully delicious. But when did raspberries become blue? Regardless it was good. I have to admit that I was stuffed when I got home in time to watch my Cubbies play the Atlanta Braves.

I would like to say that all my cheering for the Sox paid off and they won, but Houston broke the tie in the 8th and the Sox just couldn't get it done.

I did buy a scorecard and a fan photo and will use those items along with my ticket stub to do a scrapbook layout to prove that I was at the game.

It's My Own Damn Fault

Vaseline Intensive Care body lotion has come out with a self-tanning lotion this year.
I saw a co-worker who normally does not sport a tan healthy glow come to the office with a bronzed aura about her and asked if she had been "tanning" (in a tanning bed).
She turned me on to the lotion and I bought some last week.

On Saturday morning after my shower I put some on my legs.
I choose only my legs because I never seem to be able to hold color on them now that I work for a living and don't spend much of my waking summer hours in the sun.

To me nothing looked any different so I just chucked it up to you probably have to use the whole bottle of lotion before anything happens.

Saturday night I was up in the middle of the night not feeling well and decided to apply more lotion.

It's my own damn fault:

a. That I didn't read the directions on the bottle.

b. That I should not apply this type of lotion in the dark while lying down in the bed.

c. That I should have felt that one leg had more lotion than the other.

d. That I should have kept rubbing the lotion in evenly and not just let it air dry in some places.

e. I should have gotten out of bed to wash my hands.

It's a good thing that:

a. I didn't apply the lotion to the bottoms of my feet.

b. Most people have a funky tan line on the tops of their feet.

c. The "tan" that I have on the palms of my hands is almost faded to a normal non freaky tone.

(Freaky, like "lady why are the palms of your hands darker than the top of your hands?")

All in all, if you read the directions, take care in applying equal amounts of lotion to both legs, completely rub in the lotion evenly on the leg and wash your hands after application you too can have nice sun kissed legs without the hassle of laying in the sun.

The List

So, I am having a discussion with a friend of mine about "the list".

You know, the list of people that "do it for you".

The list that you make that would be a "freebie" in a relationship.

People on your list wouldn't count as infidelity because you and your partner each have a list and have given your consent that this would not be adultery.

Most of the people on anyone's list are famous and we would never even have a chance at ever having a night of romance with them but never the less we dream.

So, I have compiled my list and let me say it was a bit difficult. Mostly because more than just a pretty face and six pack abs would "do it" for me. I think the man has to have a personality and sense of humor. So without futher ado, here is my list.

1. Howie Long
2. Tom Selleck
3. D.B. Sweeney
4. Mike Holmes (Discovery Channel Home: Holmes on Homes)
5. Hugh Jackman
6. Terry Bradshaw
7. Bill Cowher (Former coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers)
8. John Cusack
9. Jim Belushi
10. Bob Brenly (Former baseball catcher, now does the tv commentary for Cubs games)

I would like to know.
Who would be on your list?

Pornography

Well, if that title didn't catch your attention to read this post, I guess nothing will.

I don't recall how the topic came about but last week, but the conversation in the accounting office (there are 3 of us women in the same room) turned to porno. I believe it started because I didn't know who Ron Jeremy was/is. Now since none of us wanted to surf the net and leave porn cookies in our work computers I had to get my information from my co-workers. Apparently Mr. Jeremy is well endowed and quite the "star" back in the day. So from there we went to the topic of porno movies and the appeal to men of the girl on girl scenes.

I am convinced by the answers that I have received from the men that I have asked that sometime in the growing up of a male child the "guy code" standard answers are given to the new man and they become the "stock" answer for the rest of his life.

The standardized answer that I received from all of the men to whom I asked this question was:

"What is the appeal to the girl on girl scenes in porno movies?"

The appeal of the girl on girl scenes is that it is something that men want to stumble into and either watch or be the lone man with the responsibility of pleasuring two women.

And

The female body is so beautiful compared to a male body that it is a pleasure to watch two women's bodies pleasing each other.

Yup, those were the "stock" answers that I got from all of the men that I asked. Either they gave one of the answers or in most cases both of the answers.

So ladies, the guy code is in operation full force and they teach them young.

Take a moment and ask the man in your life and see if you get the same response. I would welcome any other answers or just confirmation that other men out there respond the same way.