Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Mr. Big Update

Well Mr. Big has agreed to help me with my term paper and the entire thing will be done via either e-mail, fax or overnight mail. Speaking to him about the project I was very impressed with the source documents that he will be able to add to the paper. We also had a long talk about my feelings and morals and he respects my feelings. We both decided that our new re-kindled friendship will be just that, a friendship. He and I both know that he has a lot of things that he must think about and do before anything more can happen between the two of us. The fact that we share a history makes it possible for us to respect each other and our feelings.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

A Successful Saturday

Yesterday was a good successful day.

The test in International Accounting that I took last week was weighing heavy on my mind when I woke up. In my opinion it was difficult and hard to judge how well I may or may not have done. I momentarily freaked out when I received my graded test because up at the top was a 46!!!! Only after I realized that it was based on a total score of 50 did I begin to breathe normally again. WHEW!!!! So factored on a scale of 100 it was a 92. I like to start the class with a good first test score because as I begin to lose interest as the term progresses I have a fudge factor that I can play with when it comes to the remaining tests.

The day continued to get better as after school I went and did my first demonstration as a Stampin Up demonstrator. My friend Sandy was the hostess and she invited 5 other people and we had fun making a card and a small gift box that we filled with the candy kisses that I brought. I will need boo-ko help from my upline Simone in completing the order entry and such but so far I think any error that I may have made is acceptable. Also, Sandy's sister booked a party to be held in 3 weeks so I have some work cut out for me in preparing new projects for her guests to do at the workshop.

On to the current status of Mr. Big. I have continued to hear from him and as stated in my previous post my head is back in the game. In fact I intend to pick his brain for my upcoming term paper which involves the analysis of the financial statements for PepsiCo. I just can't turn down the potential critique that he can provide before I turn in the paper. This is what he does on a daily basis so why not tap into some free advice. My intention is to carry out this entire process via e-mail. He can download and print the PepsiCo statement online and my paper as I write it will be sent via e-mail. He continues to flirt and talk about a future meeting between the two of us but I keep stating "after he is free".

I look forward to the continued support of my family and friends and hope that they will make sure that my feet remain planted firmly on the ground and that my head remains in control of the game.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Riding a Roller Coaster

Wow, the last 36 hours have been one giant roller coaster ride. Since receiving that first e-mail from Mr. Big (I am going to use this pseudonym from Sex & The City)we have exchanged a total of 43 e-mails and had a 1-1/2 hour phone conversation. I am happy to say that my friend Bubbles has managed to get my head back into the game and I am back to thinking like an adult and not the 17 year old teenager that I was yesterday. The thrill of this whole thing has been wonderful and I haven't felt giddy and carefree in so many years. I thank my heart for taking me back there but I know that for the time being until many things are resolved that my head needs to be the one calling the shots.

To recap: I did ask the dreaded are you married question. The response I got danced around the question and I full out accused him of tap dancing and was persistent until I got a truthful answer.

He is MARRIED!

According to him things are not going well and in a short while he will be leaving.

Like I said, yesterday the teenager with the heart was all giddy and jumpy inside thinking that could my first true love soon be available? Well the head has taken control and there are many issues that need to be resolved before I will allow my heart into this game again. So, I just wanted to update that the saga is not done and perhaps the heart once more will be allowed to jump freely with excitement but right now with no divorce paper in hand and children involved I have come to my senses and hope to keep my perspective.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

A Blast From the Past

I had a most freaky thing happen to me today.
I received an e-mail from my childhood sweatheart.
We dated from the time I was in 8th grade through most of high school.
The last that I had heard he was married with two kids living out in the suburbs.
During the few e-mails that we exchanged today there was mention of the kids but nothing about the wife.
I am too surprised, shocked, freaked out... and a bit scared to ask the question, "Are you still married?".
Maybe part of me doesn't want to know because I am enjoying the banter that we seem to have fallen into and knowing that he is still married would make me withdraw because my Catholic guilt would make me feel like I was doing something wrong having e-mail conversations with someone whom belongs to someone else.

So cyber buddies, should I suck it up and ask or wait for him to divulge the data himself?

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Restrooms

I hate the ladies room in our building. We have to share it with all the other offices here on the second floor.
I just recently made a trip to the ladies room here in the building where I work.
Just a few mindless observations.

a. Why do they call it a restroom? I know that when I go there it's hardly a rest period and I usually want to get in and out as soon as I can.

b. Why do people, and in this case I only have data from women's rooms, walk out of a stall before making sure that everything has cleared the bowl? How hard is this? If I had a dollar for every time that I have walked into a stall here at work and had to flush before I could use it I would be rich.

c. Why is it so hard to wash your hands after using the facilities? Numerous times I have seen or heard people use a stall and walk right back out the door, never stopping to wash their hands. MAJOR YUCK!!!

d. For those that do wash, why is it so difficult to wipe up the splashes from around the sink after you have dried your hands? I hope that the sinks of the culprits don't look like this at their homes.

e. I can see going to the ladies room for a little privacy during a cell phone conversation that you may not want your co-workers to hear but actually going into a stall and using it during the call, how important must that call be? I know I'm probably freakishly prudish on this one, but I am what I am and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing my business while on the phone with someone.

Sorry for the venting but these are questions that I have often wished I could post on the mirror in the ladies room here at our office building.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Weekend

We had our first test in class on Saturday and mother that puppy was hard. Even with the ability to bring a note card in with some help it sucked. I just hope that everyone else had as hard a time as I did and maybe he will curve the sucker.

I was a good girl and went home after school and did a bit of crafting (crocheting a large afghan for my craft stash) and some pleasure reading (I was able to read a bit of the book I started about a month ago and haven't picked it up since).

I also watched some DIY tv and my particular favorite was the Mission Organization show that ran two episodes back to back. They always come into a place that looks cluttered like mine and make it wonderful. Most of the time they make the owner get rid of a ton of stuff so: family, DO NOT try and get me on that show cuz I ain't parting with my craft and sewing supplies.

I did learn something very valuable. I stopped receiving the paper at my house. In fact I rarely buy a paper because I never have the time to read it and it just ends up in the recycle bin. My co-worker Sharon does get the paper and she brings me the craft coupon from Michael's and Jo Ann Fabrics every week. Well this past week she either forgot or didn't get a paper. Either way, she didn't bring me a coupon and I didn't feel an obligation to go shopping to use that coupon, hence the reason that I went home after school. I realized that if I had the coupons I probably would have gone shopping. How sick is that? I need to curb my coupon/shopping addiction, I feel the need to use the coupon because, well, I'm getting money off of the price. I am going to make a concentrated effort to not bring anything new into the house until I get rid of something else. That goes for food too, I won't bring groceries into the house until I clean out the refrigerator first. We may never eat again, LOL, just kidding!

Speaking of cleaning out the refrigerator, how many of you have husbands, kids, brothers (as is my case) that will open a new jar (peanut butter, jelly, mayo) and not throw out the old one cuz there is a bit left but they don't want to be bothered with the whole scraping the bottom and the sides? This is one of Rick's bad habits and sometimes it drives me crazy. It would be interesting it see if it is a guy trait or just a let someone else do the scraping of the bottom trait.

Oh, I have been making great progress on the organization of the craft space but the black hole returned this weekend when I couldn't find my paper crimper. I know I own one, in fact I own a couple of different designed ones and they are together but they have all fallen into the black hole. I know this black hole syndrome is the reason that I have multiples of the same supply. Man, will I be happy when everything is organized. I know that I will be spending more time tonight searching the black hole for the paper crimpers. Wish me luck!

Friday, February 16, 2007

Poor Puppy

As I was driving to work this morning I caught the tail end of a story and just found it on the web.

In Washington state a woman took her small dog to the groomer.
Weeks later as she was giving her dog a bath because she said there was dirt on her ear, the EAR FELL OFF!!!! Yep, the groomer had cut off a part of the dog's ear and SUPER-GLUED it back on. OMG!!! The ear had gotten infected and that is what was giving the "dirty" appearance. The authorities are trying to find the groomer who has fled the area.

What type of person glues an ear back on when a simple call to the vet and restitution to the owner probably would have resolved the whole thing and the poor dog would not have had to suffer.

Thursday night TV

So, last night, my favorite night for tv had many interesting things going on.
I watch CSI and tape Grey's Anatomy and watch it Friday mornings before I go to work.

First, on CSI the miniature killer is back and let me tell you that the storyline is quite creepy. The fact that someone in the props department of that show has to make those mini crime scenes is in my opinion a super talent because I have tried sewing Barbie clothes and the small scale drove me NUTS!!

On Grey's Anatomy the storyline with Merideth is odd. Is she going to have conversations with Denny and the Bomb Guy to get the meaning of life. Is Denny going to give her a message to take back to Izzy that he is okay and she should go on with her life? Does the actress have a movie deal and they need to keep her out of the scenes recuperating in a coma? I'm not sure but hope that they don't kill her off because that would just SUCK!

Now, Men in Trees. The best line from Marin to Jack and I have to paraphrase because I don't have the exact words. How is it that you can open your heart to the person who broke it into pieces but couldn't open your heart to the one that only wanted to heal it? Will the cliffhanger be at the wedding where Jack and Lynn are about to get married but Marin stands up and professes her love and tells Jack that he can't marry Lynn? Or will the father of Lynn's baby walk back into her life?

Man, I need to get a life!!!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Recipe Swaps

I got my recipe swaps from Simone on Sunday and put them in a small scrapbook.
Since I wasn't feeling well that day, just reading the pages was making my stomach flip flop.
I brought them to work today to show everyone the great pages and started reading them again, now that my stomach is back to normal.
They all sound just scrumptious and I can't wait to try them all out.
Greta, you amaze me with the caloric details for each serving.
Katie, thanks for the dry ingredients for the sweet corn cakes.
I'm torn between making a dessert first or a meal.
Knowing my hips, the dessert will probably be one of the first made, as I have no will power when it comes to sweets.
Thanks to all that participated and when I make a recipe I will surely post the rave about it.

Heatwave

We're having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave.
It is 82 degrees in my office right now.
The heat is not even on and I am sitting in a tank top and have a fan blowing.
This building is wacky.
We used to have our offices on the first floor and had this temp regulation problem back then.
We are now upstairs on the second floor and it is just as bad.
The tenant next to our office is always complaining that the temp in their office is too cold.
This wouldn't be such a bad thing if I was able to sip tropical drinks at my desk during the day but I am afraid that the books would not balance if that was the case. So, I guess I'll just layer my clothes and remove the ones I don't need when it gets warm like today and dream of a margarita and a nice cabana boy to put lotion on my back.

When I grow up I want to be a patio princess!!!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Packages

Well, my packages from Stampin Up arrived yesterday and it was like Christmas morning.
Even though I have a TON of stamping supplies getting new ones is always a thrill.
I love the new crisp catalogs and mini catalogs.
Going through each of the new treasures was such a good time as I pictured projects in my mind.
I had to be good though and stop before I got too caught up in it as I had to read my textbook for a test on Saturday. But tonight, I plan to mount some of the new stamp sets so that I can begin to experiment with them.
I'll be sending one out to CA for my sister Cindy as she has some people that crop during their lunch break at her vet clinic.
Simone my upline gave me a great tip the last time I saw her.
After the stamps are mounted, lightly sand the rubber with sandpaper to remove the non stick coating that is applied when the rubber is poured in the mold. Very good tip and one that I will pass on to all of the people who place orders with me.

V.D.

Well it's V.D. and the weather is icky.
Last night after coming home from work Rick and I shoveled the front walkway and a parking place for my car. This morning when I left for work it was as if we hadn't done a thing. There was a 2.5 foot drift in the walkway that I trudged through to get to me car. My car was just laden with snow in the front and not a bit on the rear.
If you are here in the Midwest well try and stay warm on this V.D.
If you are somewhere warm then think "loving" thoughts of us here in the cold.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Sick

Bummer, I am under the weather and feeling funky.
Sunday morning I woke up feeling fine but after eating breakfast (made up of the leftovers from the previous night) I began to feel sick.
I had plans to meet Simone at Archiver's and was popping antacids in the hopes that I would feel better.
I met Simone (and I hope that I did not pass any germs to her or Max) and after a few hours of Simone being productive and me just sitting like a blob we left for home.
When I got home I got a migraine and the stomach funk came back even worse.
I ended up with the stomach flu and was home yesterday.
I still don't feel great but I am here at work and plugging along and know that I will get back in my jammies when I get home this evening.
Of all the flu illnesses I hate the stomach more than the upper respiratory.
Hope everyone else is taking care of themselves and staying healthy.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Sweet Time at the Tomato

Yesterday I had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes near Woodfield Mall. I had never been to the restaurant and since I did make a resolution to get out and try new things this was keeping in with that resolution. The restaurant is very nice with a huge two sided salad bar, a large area of soups, chili, homemade bread, pizza, fresh pastas and of course desserts. The best part of my lunch however was not the delicious food but the GREAT company. I had lunch with my friends of more than 25+ years (I decided not to calculate the true length that I have known them as it will only make me realize how old I am). So 25+ years will just have to be enough. I had not seen Bubbles in over a year. Numerous opportunities were there throughout the year but there was always some sort of reason that we missed each other. Mostly it was my too much work and school schedule that made it difficult to get together. Karen I had not seen it at least 5 years and it was so much fun to see both of them and catch up on what was going on in each others lives, families and work lives. Bubbles is sporting a new strawberry blond color in her blond hair and I must say that I LOVE IT!!!. Karen as usual does not look like she had three children and looks the same as she did 5 years ago. I love when time goes by and the people you see still look and act the same way. I had a GREAT time and cannot wait until we do this again at of course, a NEW restaurant.

Really Strange

I am a big fan of Grey's Anatomy and look forward to Thursday nights for a new episode. This Thursday was no exception. There was a part of the episode that bothered me greatly. I found the small lost girl that was hanging around with Merideth to be odd. Yes, she had probably suffered a major tragic event and she couldn't find the adult that she was supposedly with but:

Did anyone find it strange that when Merideth fell over the sea wall and into the water that the girl did not rush to the edge and look down?

Did anyone find it odd that if she didn't go look that she should have run back to the area where other medical, fire or police people were to tell them what she just saw?

Maybe I'm overly weirded out about the girl but if it were me I would have freaked out.

Just something to put out there for any Grey's fans to ponder.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Dreaming

Ah, it is that time of year when I begin to think of my tax return and what will I do with my refund.
I usually take a trip to help in the "see and do something in all 50 states" quest that I started when I turned 40.
I have been to 18 so far plus Washington D.C. (20 if I were to count CA when I was 10 and Virginia when I visited Arlington National cemetery).
I have decided that both California and Virginia have areas that I would like to see so I am keeping my count at 18.
So yesterday I was toying with the idea of Charleston, South Carolina or Providence, Rhode Island. It was during that ponder that I realized that all of my future trips are going to be expensive. Expensive in either dollars or time. I have completed all of the nearby states and will now either have to drive further (time expense) or fly (dollar expense) in order to continue this quest. So I was checking the drive time to Providence and it's about 17-18 hours. If I do it alone that's an overnight stay and a loss of a day. If I fly then that's airfare dollars. My other choice was Charleston, South Carolina and this girl is a spoiled brat because I don't want to stay in some economy hotel when I go there. Nope, this girl wants to stay at the quaint 4 star hotel in the historic district. Either way, I don't think that Uncle Sam has been holding that much of my money that either one of these trips seem feasible this year. Maybe I'll just scrap my photos from last year's Savannah, GA trip and relive the beauty as I scrimp this summer for the kind of trip that I want to take next year.
Maybe I can afford a trip up to Mackinaw Island.
Hmmmm, I'll have to go check that one out.

Stay warm everyone and remember to daydream of the warmer climates.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

My New Sideline

I have just received my e-mails confirming that I have been accepted as a Stampin Up demonstrator.

I am doing this mostly for the discount.
If in the process I can make other people happy with crafting and good supplies then all the better.

Muchos Gracias to Simone for letting me in on the opportunity and as my upline for all the help that you have given me so far. I know that I will be tapping in our your creativity in the future so please be patient with me.

So, if you want good craft supplies I am the new kid on the block.

Done!!!!

I finally finished my first scrapbook!!!
I did the title page this morning and once I take pictures of it I will be packing it up for it's trek to California.
I need to get it out of my house because if it stays any longer I will begin to obsess over the layouts and what I coulda, shoulda, woulda done differently.
So a big WOOOO HOOOO!!!

When I get the pictures developed I'll try my hand at posting them.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Almost complete

Well this morning I added the last bit of journaling to my first scrapbook.
I do however have a situation that I am not sure on how to handle.
The entire book was done as two page spreads.
I used the co-ordinating papers and placed my pictures so that the flowed across the two pages.
Well now that the book is almost complete there is the problem with the first page.
"What do I do with the first page that you see when you open the book?"
I was thinking of just putting a title page there, is that what most of you scrappers do?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

No Joy In Muddville

There is no joy in Chicago, the mighty Bears have struck out.

Last night's game started out very well and hopeful. The defense played great in my opinion. Perhaps if they had some time off of the field that would have performed even better in the second half. I will not put the blame on one person but it was clear that the "good" Rex did not show up to last night's game. Because of that many other areas were under the pressure to pick up the slack and as a result the whole thing faltered. Kudos for the accomplishment of making it to the Big Game and making the season exciting. Speaking like a true Cubs fan, remember, "There's always next year".

Congratulations to all of the Indy fans, your team did play better and deserved to win the game.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Brrrrrr!!!!

Chatter, chatter, chatter.
That's the sound of my teeth this morning as I forced myself out into the deep freeze.
I had to start my car so that it wouldn't freeze, I needed to get gas as I was in the "E" zone and didn't want the gas line to freeze and I wanted to pick up some film from Christmas day to put in a book for my sister Cindy. While I was out and about I drove over to Simone's house to drop off my recipe cards that were 3 days late. I am taking some pics of the page and will post when I finish the roll and get the CD to download the images to the computer. Now that I am back at home, warm and cozy I will not be going out again. With an expected high of ZERO I don't feel a need to be out for any reason. I will even be skipping the 20 mile trip to my sister Jenny's house for SuperBowl!!! I will instead stay home, order pizza and watch the game with Rick and the dogs all from the warm comfort of my lazy-z-boy. So if you have to go out today and live in this area, please bundle up, and get back indoors as soon as possible.

GO BEARS !!!!!!!!!

Friday, February 02, 2007

Ground Dog Day

No Ground Hog Day at my house. Instead it's Ground Dog Day and Gidget my chihuahua puppy has decided that winter SUCKS and does not want to spend anymore time outdoors than is absolutely necessary. Shadow or not, her motto: Run out, do your thing and get back inside where it is warm. When spring rolls around that will be the time to take your time and smell the roses or in Gidget's case the grass, bushes or fire hydrants.

Stay warm!!!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

It's All In A Name

One of the ways that I get through winter and looking out at my barren planting beds is to go through the garden catalogs. I get many of these and even receive e-mails from many telling me of the super special and the coupon that is ready for me to use.

This morning I opened one of those e-mails and found a very cool looking flower. It looks very much like a petunia (which is a staple in my garden every year for their easy maintenance). So I was a bit perplexed why this online catalog would be selling petunia via mail order since they are so readily available during the planting season. Well I soon discovered that the flowers that I was liking were really not petunias. Instead they were "Lungworts".

I really like the look of this flower but I am having a hard time getting beyond the name.
L-U-N-G-W-O-R-T. It just sounds icky and gross.

I can just see me sharing with my neighbor what I've planted and cringing when I have to say "And over here I've planted my lungwort".

Just a random thing that trampled through my brain this morning.