Because I'm five years old and I think it's funny.
Bruce Almighty's Dog
It's not goodbye '08. It's hello '09!
Wow, it's hard for me to believe that 2008 is over already.
So much has happened in the course of a year.
January brought new friends from the San Diego area that ended up being a wife with "fibromyalgia" and a husband that decided that it was okay to steal narcotics off of a patient he was transporting (click for news story).
February was the first time I hadn't spent Valentine's Day with G. He spent it in Washington state with his best friend, E. It was also the month that my boss commited suicide (click here for new story). It still makes me incredibly sad to even think about it. I still have his family's Christmas picture from last year. I can't help but with the best for his wife and two children. Tim was a fatherly figure to me. Always pulling me into his office for a pep-talk. Advising me on life, school, and G. He was a motivator and appeared to be such a jolly, loving person.
March was spent preparing for our Kauai vacation with my dad, younger brother, his girlfriend, and G.
April 12 through the 19th was spent in Kauai, in the city of Poipu. I have never been on a more enjoyable, relaxing, and overall spectacular vacation. It wasn't amazing just because of the sand and the sun, it was the whole experience. Kauai is beautiful, un-touristy, and natural! I loved that there weren't jet-ski rentals or parasailing off of the beach front. It made it that more enjoyable. We were able to go on a helicoptor tour of the island, in which both my brother and I got motion sickness! Luckily that came at the end of the tour. Everyone got along. No one bickered about anything. Everyone was really easy going and I'll attribute that to the nature of the island. Nothing was planned and everyday we all went with the flow of things. Deciding each morning what the day would hold for all of us, together. It is easily my favorite vacation I've ever been on, and I can't wait to go back to that island!
May. This month was spent with friends and family due to our upcoming move to Denver. It was a sad month because I didn't want to leave our friends or family, especially B&S, and their baby A. They helped us pack, those last days in May, and on the 29th, we said our tearful goodbyes to those in Charleston. We arrived in Denver on the 31st, in the late afternoon.
JUNE! The first of June, a Sunday, was spent moving into our apartment in Broomfield. And the next day, I started work at my new job, which I actually enjoy. K and C, who drove out to Colorado with us, stayed for another week after we arrived. They spent time with G, going up to K's cabin in Estes Park, hiking and exploring.
July, E and E from Washington state came to visit for the 4th of July. It was great having more friends in town.
August, G's old baseball buddy D. Bergman came to visit for a couple days.
September, I flew home to California for a couple days for my little brother's 18th birthday. I also got to meet T&C's new arrival, baby B!
October, my mom came to visit for a couple days and it was so comforting to have here nearby. I miss my family too much! G's sister K moved in with us mid-month. And we spent Halloween downtown as "white trash," and I peed my pants, a little!
November was spent crossing our fingers that the people selling our now home would accept our offer and that everything would continue to go slowly. We spent Thanksgiving together eating untraditional food, but it was delicious.
December we spent couting down the days until G and I would become homeowners together! On the 10th it finally happened! From previous posts, I'm sure you can read what the rest of the month held for us! Packing and moving and getting a tree and decorating and Christmas.
Here we are at the end of the year and I'm not the least bit disappointed with the year I've had. I'm actually extremely satisfied. I'm in love. I'm a homeowner. I have family. I like my job. And next week, a week from today actually, B&S and their little girl A (from Charleston) will be coming to visit us for a week. G and I are so excited. They are such wonderful people and we can't wait to get to spend time with them.
So to whoever reads, or doesn't read this, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ASL
I'm am fascinated by sign language.
My dream job would be a Labor and Delivery Nurse that was "fluent" in sign language. I don't think it's so weird, but most do. What's wrong with wanting to be albe to coach the deaf or hard of hearing. They have babies too.
My interest in sign language started when I worked at the Gap, with a guy named Victor, who happened to be deaf. He was part of the stock team, but he throughly enjoyed teaching me and others sign language. I actually learned a lot in the time I worked with him.
I've become even more fascinated with it, due to the fact that an infant can learn sign language well before they can even mumble a word! I really can't wait to have the opportunity to teach my child sign language. Can you even imagine what it's like for an infant to be able to communicate what they want without talking?!
So, I found this intersting site today (it was actually mentioned on Lifehacker). It's called lifeprint and it teaches basic sign language.
Check it out!
Breckenridge.
Where we'll be snowboarding on New Years day!
(Refresh the page and it will refresh the web cam picture!)
The holiday season has come and gone...
and I am stuffed and tired!
You would think that having four days off, including the weekend, there would be some sleeping in involved, but no.
Wednesday after work, the bf and I went over to our friend's K&J's house for Christmas Eve dinner. J's mom, step-dad, and sister were in town, and J's mom made an amazing dinner. We stayed late, drank wine, and played Rock Band.
Thursday morning we got up early to head back to ver to K&J's house. That day, J's dad and step-mom were in town, and we had an early, amazing, Christmas day breakfast. We opened presents and stayed from about 8am to 12:30 or so, and then headed home (about a minute away) to shower. Later that day we headed back over to K&J's house to make Christmas dinner!
Speaking of gifts, due to the purchase of our home this month, of course, funds were tight. We agreed that we wouldn't be exchanging gifts, but of course, K&J ended up getting us something. We had three presents under the tree. The first was a set of candles from Yankee Candle Co; one of my favorite stores!
Work.
Sent e-mail read:
So and so,
Do you know anything about this?
So and so's response:
"That ish aint my areia of expertisition."
Merry Christmas Eve Beer Wednesday
It's Christmas Eve!
Today the NYSE closes early at 1pm EST/11am MST. You would think that we would get to leave when the stock exchanged closed, but nah. We get to leave a 2pm MST, which is fine with me. Early is early, right? Most mistletoe species make their own nutrients via photosynthesis, but grow on trees where they suck out water and minerals essential to their hosts' long-term survival. And once infected, a tree is stuck with mistletoe until death. The plant itself is spread by birds, which eat the seeds and poop them out on other tree limbs.
After work, we're headed over to our friend K&J's house. J's family is in town and tonight will be spent with his mom and step-dad. J's mom is an amazing cook and I'm looking forward to an amazing dinner! Plus, I've been watching what I've been eating lately, so I won't feel too guilty indulging in her cooking!
On an unrelated note, is it weird that I am annoyed when I read about oil prices and it's always called "light, sweet crude"? It's so annoying and I don't know why! Oil is not sweet. It's a pain in my ass.
Did you know that mistletoe is a parasite?
Suspended sprigs of mistletoe have kindled and rekindled many a holiday romance over the years, but the parasitic plant can be the kiss of death for trees.
Santa Craws
While you're at it, you might want to check out Engrish.com too. I can recommend this site, I'm Asian, I get it.
My pet peeves as a SSR.
1.) Interrupting me while I'm answering the phone. What you have to say is NOT so damn important that you need to be rude.
2.) Talking over me or interrupting me. If you don't take the time to shut-the-hell-up, I can't help you, or won't try very hard.
3.) "Oh," is a letter. Zero is a number. Get it right, there is a difference.
4.) AR-TI-CU-LATE. I'll take a chance and bet a million dollars that your mouth is neither filled with marbles or marshmallows, stop mumbling you babbling idiot.
5.) Leaving off plurals. I know you may have grown up in the south, but $5.42 is said "five dollars and forty two cents," and not, "five dollar forty two cent." I bet you also thought 40 was spelled f-o-u-r-t-y.
6.) Thinking that I remember you. Just because I took your call last week and you had some all-life-ending problem, doesn't mean I remember you or want to remember you. I take 50 calls a day. Multiply that by the five days that have passed since I talked to you. Do you think I remember you and your problem 250 calls later? I. DON'T. THINK. SO!
7.) Blaming me for: the U.S. Postal Service losing your mail en route to us, you sending your paperwork to the wrong address, your redemption being delayed because you forgot to sign the signature authorization page and send it in, because anything is delayed because you did something wrong and didn't return my phone call to you to correct it, your automatic investment plan being closed down because you didn't have enough money in your checking account, the fact that you need a Medallion Signature Guarantee on your paperwork (I don't make the rules!), pretty much blaming me for anything stupid you may have done and don't want to accept responsibility for.
8.) Calling and placing me on hold. It is not my job to sit around and wait for you to 1.) talk to your dog, 2.) answer your cell phone, 3.) take another call at work, 4.) yell at your children etc.
9.) Investing your money in something you can lose principle on and you don't even know what you're invested in. Seriously, just give me your money. You're clearly better off giving it to me or throwing it away. You'd make more money playing the lottery at the rate you're going. "What do you mean my account is not F.D.I.C. insured?" **rolls eyes**
10.) Talking... talking... talking... and continuing to tell me your loooong, drawn out story about how you can't figure out how to sign up for online account access etc. First off, I already know what you're doing wrong. And two, if you read and followed the instructions and looked at the picture (yes, a picture) you wouldn't have to call me.
It's official.
I will be the last to be married out of all of my friends. No joke. No exaggeration.
Seriously, two of my friends got engaged yesterday in San Francisco.
Although, one has been with her boyfriend for maybe a year now, the other friend has been with her man since we were in high school!!! (It was definitely her day!)
I know my boyfriend wouldn't have bought a house with me unless he intended in spending many years with me, but that still doesn't mean he wants to marry me.
Maybe he wants to forever be "girlfriend and boyfriend."
Sometimes I just don't think men understand how important the commitment of marriage is to women. And it's not just "being engaged" to be engaged, or "being married" to be married. It's so much more than that.
But I won't elaborate, I'll just end my sob story now.
Lazy blogger...
I've been lazy about blogging lately.
Reason being, I'm damn tired.
Getting up everyday at 5am, to leave the house by 5:45am, to catch the bus at 6:02am, that drops off at 6:42am, that gives me 18 minutes to get by 15 blocks, two and a half of them walking, and get to the cube farm by 7am is exhausting.
Then reverse that in the afternoon, although it requires me running two blocks in heels on icy sidewalks to get to the bus by 3:45, which doesn't get me home until 4:30-40.
To top it all off, not only have we taken on yet another new mutual fund, but we're still short a person on our call team, which makes things very hectic and very tiring. I know, you wouldn't think that sitting in a cube farm all day taking phone calls would be tiring, but it is. It is not in the sense of physically tiring, but rather, emotionally tiring. Being on the customer service end, you get yelled at whether or not anything is your fault. Even if you're not the person they spoke to earlier, you are now at the shit end of the stick and it is your fault. It's quite lovely if you ask me.
At least this Friday (12/19) through Friday 1/2/09! we get to wear jeans! That makes me incredibly happy AND comfortable. Not to mention, if it snows some more, it will make it that much more bearable to walk around in the snow/slush/ice! I opt for my Uggs, don't judge, they're comfortable and warm!
I've also been very addicted to watching the Shiba Inu "Puppy Cam." If you haven't watched it, you might be a little late. Basically a couple in San Francisco who have to Shiba Inu dogs and their female had puppies. To keep an eye on them throughout the day, they set up a streaming, live feed of the puppies. It's been many weeks now and this past weekend, three of the six actually went to their new homes. It's always fun to watch puppies play, so it can be a great break throughout a monotonous day!
Okay - it's taken me forever to get this far. It's ridiculous, but I promise I will try to be more active in my blogging and not post videos and news articles as a replacement!
Happy Holidays!
Blergh.
We're almost completely moved in.
There are a couple of things we left at the apartment that we need to grab, one being my fish!
Here's the living room so far:
Moving... Gah!
On Wednesday we closed on our first home! It is so exciting and a very hard concept to accept... or believe. We own our own home. We don't rent from anyone anymore!
Today is the day...
we become homeowners.
1pm won't come fast enough...
and moving won't come slow enough. I keep telling myself that this is the last time, for a long time.
What we got...
So Saturday we went and bought our living room furniture.
We still need to get stuff for our bedroom and stuff for MFG's sister's room. We also need to get a washer and dryer. Those are really important and we kind of forgot about them this weekend. Whoops.
I think I'm going to get MK a day bed for her room. The room is on the smaller side and if I eliminate the idea of getting a trundel to go underneath, she'll have some storage space, and by going with the daybed, we will have room for a dresser, night stand etc. Although I'd like to get a nice daybed, I'm a little weary of her dog chewing on it (he's managed to chew on one of our dining room chairs, our papasan chair, and her very expensive, super cute purse), so I think I might opt for a nice metal frame that he can't chew. We'll see.
For now, since this has taken me hours to get this far, which is so little, I'll leave you with some pictures of what we got! We also got an end table, but I couldn't find a picture of it. And yes, the couches are brown and the rest of the stuff if black. The bf picked out the couch and insisted it will be okay. Yeah, we'll see!
Packing.
I am starting to pack up our apartment.
This will be move number three in under a year, technically.
Last year at this time, well December 15th, we were moving into our third apartment in the same apartment complex we'd been in for close to four years. Last year, we were lame-o's and didn't get a Christmas tree. How lame is that? Actually, it was more sad than lame, but now I can't wait for this year!
Move number two was here to Colorado, May 29th - June 1st.
Now, here we are, the beginning of December and we're closing on our house on Wednesday! So, technically move number three in under a year. Ugh.
Luckily, this will be our last move for a long time.
While I'm trying to get this done, I'm watching P.S. I Love You, which is probably one of my most favorite movies up there with Beaches, partly because Gerard Butler is hot! But anyway, why is it that two of the saddest movies, are two of my favorites, and most people dislike both.
Okay, enough dawdling, back to packing. Gah!
Today's random post.
Last month I was the employee (out of five of us total) took the most phone calls last month. I took 1025 calls in the month of November. C.O., who is on the other call team (and they think they're super busy because of a certain fund they have) had a little over 500. It's no wonder I feel like I'm going crazy! C.O. made the point that he was gone four days, to which I replied, so you would have had to answer 125 more calls per day you were gone to catch up to me. He didn't have anything to say. HA, in your face B Team! Well, not really, because I don't want so many calls.
Tomorrow MFG and I are going furniture shopping in the morning! So far, I've found a new kitchen table that I want. Unfortunately, while we have a formal living room, we do not have a formal dining room. Also, our table, which I love, only seats four. So here's my non-formal solution:
We are having our LCD (a whole 52") mounted and having the wiring run for our new surrond sound system that MFG dropped a pretty penny on. So, we're looking for a console to go under the TV to "ground" it. Here's what I've found so far:
$399
(Just the console) $399 as well!
(Just the console) $399 as well!
In our family room we have a "cubby" next to the fireplace where the TV is "supposed" to go. We don't like that set up, and it won't work with our TV. See said cubby below in green:
So this is what I was thinkign we could put there, since our TV will be on the wall to the right of that.
The one on the left is $77 on the right is $59. Not bad huh? I can't choose. Suggestions?
This is what I'd like to put above the fire place:
We are also getting a new couch, preferably a sectional and leather, but we'll see. I'm a little weary of what the dogs claws can do to that! I am opting for a red couch, to give our family room a burst of color since the rest of the room will be very neutral.
What do you think of the items I have picked out?
Snow!
It's been snowing non-stop since yesterday afternoon.
I'm not sure where the accumulation measurement lies at this point, but I learned this morning that I DO NOT like driving in the snow on unplowed roads.
This morning I decided to take my boyfriend's car. He was going to be home all day, and since it was suppose to continue snowing all day and I didn't want him to be stuck at the house because he doesn't have snow tires on his car, I took his car and left him mine.
Do you see where this is going? This was a "terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad" idea.
This morning I got ready as usual, but due to the snow, I gave myself an extra five minutes to drive to the bus stop that's less than two miles away. I was driving in 1st gear and I pulled up to a stop sign in our apartment complex. (I might add that there was about four inches of accumulation and they do not salt, plow, shovel or do anything in our complex. To top it off, it's at a slight decline. ) So I slowed down to look both ways, accelerated so slowly, and instead of turning right, the car went straight and slid to the left due to the slight slope (or so I think). I let off of the gas and attempted to turn away from the approaching curb straight ahead and tapped lightly on the breaks. I didn't have any luck on my side this morning, because that car kept going and I ran my boyfriend's poor wheel into the friggen curb. I heard a bad noise and my heart started pounding, my hands got sweaty and shaky and I felt that nasty rush of adrenaline that makes you feel sick to your stomach. I was so freaked out at the fact I was going so slow and was being so careful, because that car is my boyfriend's baby (it's an '08 STi with the gold wheels), and something so shitty happened.
I reversed and continued on my way. I think I maintained about 4-5 miles per hour the whole way to the bus stop. Even still, I slid through a freakin' red light! Oh, Colorado, how I love thee, but I don't like your hills. I started to approach a red light and so I let off the gas and tried the use the breaks lightly. It looked like they had tried to plow parts of the street, but there was still a ton of accumuation, which doesn't work well with non-snow tires. But again, luck wasn't on my side this morning and I slid half way into the intersection. I guess it was a good thing that it was 5:55 in the morning and there weren't any other cars out!
I finally made it to the Park-n-Ride and parked the car in the boonies as to not let another car slide into coming into the, again unplowed, parking lot.
I got out of the car thinking "please let it have sounded worse than it is, please." Unfortunately, it was bad and I just felt the worst sinking feeling in your stomach. I didn't want to call my boyfriend, one because it was 6am, two because I didn't want him to yell at me and ruin his day, and three, because I didn't want to cry before I went to work. Yes, I'm a cryer when I'm mad/frustraded or sad. Despite my reasoning, I called him to tell him. I would have made myself throw up telling him when I got home this afternoon. Of course he was upset. I have effed up his car! I told him that I will take care of it and I will get a new wheel for him.
I called the Subaru dealership in Boulder and placed an order for one. $889 my friends is the price you pay for a gold, stock wheel. Rediculous, but I ordered it anyway! I texted MFG to let him know that it was taken care of. He called me back to let me know that he doesn't want me to spend that much on one wheel and that instead, I can buy him a "Spring set" of wheels and the gold ones will become his "Winter" wheels. His justification is that a whole set (non stock), with tires, costs about $1,200.
I don't think he knows how horrible I feel. I followed his instructions. Went really slowly. Didn't slam on my breaks. Turned really slowly. And I gave myself more than ample time to get to where I was going.
Long story short, I love the snow, but I already HATE driving in it! And I feel horrible, so horrible that it gave me an upset stomache this morning. Ugh.
Weather cam pictures:
Happy Hump Day
G (my boyfriend) and I got into it last night because I stopped taking my Lexapro. I was taking it for general anxiety and to help stabalize my mood/chemicals. I thought I had "learned" how to cope and react correctly to certain situations... WRONG. And so the last few weeks I have been flying off the handle with the mouth of a trucker. So, despite falling asleep with ice on my eyes, and then rolling over onto my stomach and keeping my head facing straight, I woke up looking like someone had sprayed me in the face with a fire extinguisher (if you're cool, you've watched CKY, and have seen what Raab Himself looked like after he was sprayed in the face with a fire extinguisher while camping).
Luckily, but unluckily, I get up at 5am every morning to be on the bus by 6am. When I got in the shower I didn't think there was any hope! They were a little better by the time I got out, and before I got ready I decided to place a frozen bag of brussel spouts on my face, because we didn't have peas.
They're okay now, but I still look super tired. Agh, I hate having puffy, "I've been crying eyes!"
The bus ride was alright. I sat next to a guy who was sleeping, but didn't realize that he was going to flare his freaking elbows out towards my seat. Grr. I hate riding the bus. While it's a nice bus, my anxiety gets me flustered and makes me so nauseous. It's rediculous, I know. I need to go to the doctor and get a new prescription for my Lexapro.
I thought it was going to be freezing this morning (around 20 degrees), but instead it was 30, which I'm oddly getting used to. My mom got me a fantastic Tahari pea coat (I love everything Tahari), that's been keeping me warm on the few chilly mornings/days we've had. Tonight it's "supposed" to get down to around 18 degrees, and if it does, it will be the coldest temperature I've ever experienced. From what I'm told though, there will be much colder nights, as in single digit temperatures. Oh. Joy.
Speaking of cold weather, the dry air and wind here is wreaking havok on my poor skin. The skin on my face is in freak-out mode and the rest of my skin is looking alligatorish. I think the face skin problem is realted to me abandoning the only thing that's ever worked wonders on my face. It's made by Desert Essence and the product is Throughly Clean Face Wash. It's such a simple face wash and it's the only thing that keeps my skin clear. It's Tea tree oil based with glycerine soap (and while I hated the smell at first, over five years ago, I love the scent now!) The bottle is average size, but because it's glycerine, it lathers really well and you only need a single pump to wash your face. I personally use it everywhere, pits and all, since Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic! Even better, it's only $4.99 at Whole Foods, although, when I lived in California I bought it at Trader Joe's (where I discovered this gem!)
Here's their description:
Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash and all Desert Essence formulas are animal and eco-friendly. The formulas are pH balanced and are gentle on your skin. They contain essential oils as well as pure plant and botanical extracts with natural fragrances to provide you with consistent performance.
Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash is a gentle cleansing solution that leaves your skin feeling clean and silky. This unique face wash contains natural Organic Tea Tree Oil, an inherent antiseptic. Also included are extracts of Goldenseal, Hawaiian White Ginger (Awapuhi), and essential oil of Chamomile. Mineral-rich Bladderwrack, harvested from the sea, nourishes the skin to leave it looking vibrantly healthy. Thoroughly Clean Face Wash ever so gently helps improve the texture, clarity, and radiance of your skin.
The other product that's getting me through winter thus far was a gift from MFG's sister, who's currently residing with us. It's from The Body Shop and it's the Moringa Body Butter. I'm sure any of their body butters work amazingly, but I am partial to floral (not including rose) scents.Well the computer at work is taking a No. 2, so I will try and save and continue at a later time!
So here we go again, try numero dos.
Here's The Body Shop, Body Butter:
Best if you want to: Soften and condition your skin with a rich floral-scented moisturizing cream that lasts up to 24 hours.
Best for: normal to dry skin
How it works:- Moringa seed oil with natural oleic acid moisturizes and protects skin.
- Community Trade shea butter moisturizes and softens skin.
- Community Trade cocoa butter is an excellent moisturizer that melts at body temperature.
Numero Uno
So here I am... Ms. Anonymous blogger, for now, and I'm going to try and keep it that way.
Let's just say, blogging about who you work for and about a person that screwed up royally, doesn't go over well with H.R. or with management or the person that you were talking about. I mean, how could I not rant over a girl that I worked with that happened to be a single, 23 year old, with a two year-old and a four year-old, that did a fraudulent cash advance for over the non-customer cash advance limit and didn't even get written up, but was defended because she popped a kid out of her cooch at the age of 18? To top it off, the bitch got a raise! The other girls that I worked with and I busted our asses more than she ever did and she was the one that got the raise. Yes, I'm going to blog about it. To top it off, my blog was private and open to "friends only." None of those friends were people I worked with. So, how did HR and management find out about this? Is your company allowed to "steal" your passwords and use them to read something that is "private." I wouldn't think so, but I was in South Carolina, so I hope that explains a lot.
Anyways - so here's my new blog with a domain name that is a nickname my boyfriend of over four years calls me. Mush, mushmush, and musheroo. He may have chosen that because I fight the bulge and I am a chubber... or more "thick." It sucks because he's tall (6'6") and has an athletic physique AND loses weight if he doesn't eat large amounts of food. It's not fair I tell ya.
This is a place where people I know and have stories about will have nicknames, but remain faceless (no pictures)... where I can post what I find interesting... pictures of projects that I complete (since I will be a homeowner shortly). While I will try and remain anonymous to the public, I'm not positive that mean I wont share this blog with friends. There just won't be anything IE) names or pictures of me or my friends that would indicate to the public who I am.
This is quite a lame first post, but I had to start somewhere.
Hopefully I won't be judged on my misspellings, bad grammar, and run on sentences! They happen and they will happen a lot.
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