Analytics, of the Google kind.

Yes, I have Google Analytics installed.

I don't have a ton of readers, but I am thrilled to see where the few are visiting from! I've seen a few pop up from other countries, but I think those may be a fluke when someone is browsing through different Blogger blogs, and end up on mine on accident. Who knows!

I'm having a conundrum.

I don't know if I want to continue hosting my blog through Blogger or if I want to switch to WordPress.

I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons, and I'm just not good at this stuff! I want to be able to have something like sub-pages (profile/about me) and not have everything on one page. At the same time, I like how easy everything is to use on Blogger (although I've had quite a time changing my template).

What do you use?

T.M.I...

Aunt Flow went missing for two months.

Nope, wasn't pregnant. I know that for sure.

I can say that wasn't going on, but I can't tell you what was.

Aunt Flow hid December and January. I thought the first month it was because G's sister K moved in with us and my cycle was "syncing" with hers.

That was a big NO last month.

Lately, I've had a ton of zits too. This is coming from a person of clear skin her whole life, thus far.

I just don't get it. The only thing I can hope is that everything is back to normal and that my body and face has it's act back together.

Gah!

Ex-nay on Valentine's Day

G and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th.

Why?

Because every day is special to us and we don't feel the need to support a "corporate holiday," on behalf of Hallmark.

We understand that there is history behind Valentine's Day, but to us, today, it just means there's another reason to waste money on needless things.

The holiday probably derives from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalis (February 15), also called the Lupercalia. In an annual rite of fertility, eligible young men and women would be paired as couples through a town lottery. Briefly clad or naked men would then run through the town carrying the skins of newly sacrificed goats dipped in blood. The women of the town would present themselves to be gently slapped by the strips and marked by the blood to improve their chances of conceiving in the coming year.

As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, pagan holidays such as Lupercalia were frequently renamed for early Christian martyrs. In 496 Pope Gelasius officially declared February 14 to be the feast day of two Roman martyrs, both named Saint Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century. Neither Saint Valentine seems to have an obvious connection to courtship or lovers.

Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14, and the image of birds as the symbol of lovers began to appear in poems dedicated to the day. By the 18th century it was common for friends and lovers to exchange handwritten notes on Valentine’s Day. Printed cards had largely replaced written sentiments by the 19th century. In 1840 Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, created the first line of mass-produced Valentines for sale. Today, Valentine’s Day is second only to Christmas as the most popular card-sending holiday.

I'm proud to be a woman that doesn't feel the need to be doted upon on a corporate holiday. I am always more pleasantly surprised on any given day to receive flowers, than I would be if I received them on Valentine's Day. I don't even like roses that much! I like Lilys and Alstroemerias! I like to be doted upon on our anniversary and on my birthday. Even my birthday isn't a big deal to me, but it's still "my day."

Last year, G spent Valentine's Day in Seattle visiting E. I was okay with that and still am.

Don't get me wrong. I think Valentine's Day is great fun for kids in elementary school. My problem arises when junior high and high school rolls around. This "holiday" becomes a time for girls to put pressure on guys to dote on them, and for those girls to expect to have a freakin' Valentine! It's stupid. I just don't get the "holiday." Would anyone like to shed some light on this? Do you feel differently?

Have you been to the Denver International Airport?

If you have, within the last year, you've probably seen this guy.

How horrendous is he? It's a blue mustang with glowing red eyes. I know it's hard to tell in this picture, but at night, there's no mistaking those devilish eyes.

If you click on the picture it's linked to the story regarding the issue surrounding this ugly thing.

That ugly statue has only been there since February of 2008, and I haven't come across one person that likes that thing. I personally hate it and don't want to look at it when I drive by. Those driving to and leaving the airport are forced to see this thing. It's like the devil wishing you safe and happy travels. It just doesn't work.

The bummer of it all is:

Trapp said any petition to move the sculpture would not be considered until 2013, a city policy designed to give people a chance to get used to new public art. "People's relationships with art change over time. It's something you have to live with before you really appreciate it," Trapp said.

Public art, my ass. I mean, this devilish thing with glowing red eyes, even killed it's artist!
In 2006, Jimenez was killed when a section of the unfinished horse fell from a hoist at his Hondo, New Mexico, studio. Jimenez's sons, Adan and Orion, completed the sculpture, which was installed Feb. 11, 2008.
You have my vote to get rid of it. If that can't be done, just move it to where those who don't want to look at it, don't have to.

Keepin' busy.

For the past couple weekends, we've been heading up to Keystone to snowboard on Saturdays.

Yesterday wasn't an exception. We got up, like usual, around 5:45 to leave the house by 6:15. We lost E after our first run and didn't find him until we were heading home!!! Homeboy left his cellphone in the car. Dee-dee-dee.

Today has been spent cleaning the house, doing laundry, and other than that, being lazy. G will be home in about an hour and twenty-five minutes and then we're headed to the gym. Blech.

I can't believe tomorrow is Monday already. I'm never ready for it, but these past two weeks have been even worse with everyone asking where their damn tax forms are, among other things. To top it off, we're still understaffed and it sucks!

Oh well, I'll just have to look forward to next weekend. I'll possibly be heading up to the mountains with K-Dodd and Lu for the long weekend and hopefully meeting up with Grace, since she'll be here from Charleston!

Until then, I'll think about these times!









G's plans for our winter weekends.

G has been wanting to head up to Georgetown for some time now for ice racing. Ufortunately, last time he was planning to go, it was cancelled because it was too warm out. Hopefully he'll get to go next time they're having races. I think he'll do well. He'd be part of the Subaru group!

25 Random Things... Imported from facebook.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs (or the + sign) on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I have a lot of "birthmarks." (Since I don't have "freckles," I count the random ones as birthmarks too.)

I'll go from head to toe.

The first one I have is on my left cheek, by the corner of my mouth. It's very, very light brown and has a little freckle in it.

The second one I have is on my "chest," right in the middle, between my clavicle and boobs. I call it my 'coffee stain' because I looks as if I dripped coffee on myself.

The third birthmark I have is on my left tricep. It's another 'coffee stain.'

The fourth birthmark I have is on my left forearm. It's a mini 'coffee stain.'

My fifth birthmark is a freckle I have between my index and middle finger on my right hand.

My sixth birthmark is on my right side, on my back/love handle. It looks like a comet and this one is white!

My seventh birthmark is on my left butt cheek. It peeks out from under my bathing suit. It's another 'coffee stain,' but it's round, and it has a freckle in it!

My eighth birthmark in on the back of my left leg, on my hamstring. It's another 'coffee stain.'

My ninth birthmark is on my left foot, it's a freckle, between my big toe and my second toe.

Oh, and I guess I have ten, because I forgot about my "beauty mark" (very distinguishable large freckle) on the left side of my face in the "beauty mark" spot.

I have 10!

2. OCD? Some may call it that. I call it being overly organized and neat. Everything has it's place. If I put it there, I remember where it is, forever. If you move something, I will know. I count steps and like ending on the right foot, literally. If there's an even number of steps, I start with my left foot. If there's an even number of steps, I start with the right foot. I do things in the same order every day in the shower. I like to vacuum and when I do that, I like to vacuum lines into the carpet. The list goes on...

3. My voicemail message is a lie. I probably will not call you back. I HATE the phone. I hate talking on it. I'm okay talking to my mom, dad, and G. Everyone else... well... Who knew I'd take a job where I'm on the phone ALL DAY. Any day, send me a text message and I'll respond.

4. I can't wait to have children. I'm not referring just to being a mom, but I want to be pregnant and get to experience that AND being a mother. If G gave me the go ahead, we'd be trying ALL the time.

5. I used to think California was the greatest state ever! I guess that comes with growing up there and spending 23 years living there. Then I moved to South Carolina and have never experienced less hospitality. People here are incredibly kind. Now I live in Colorado and can't imagine ever living anywhere else... okay, maybe on the island of Kauai on a farm near the beach.

6. I'm shy. Most people would mistake my shyness for me being a bitch, a snob, or stuck up, but I'm really not. If you give me time, I will open up to you.

7. My parents liked to keep me "involved" when I was younger. I competed in gymnastics, diving, and swimming. I took lessons in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, horse back riding, drawing, painting (water color), and piano. I played soccer, basketball, and softball. I meddled in cheer leading, but that didn't last long.

8. I skipped the second grade, was in GATE, and competed for my elementary school in these math things... yeah, I was one of THOSE kids.

9. I've had two tumors removed from my body. One on my left pinky finger and one in my left knee. Fun stuff! I just hope they're not anywhere else!

10. Guinness is my favorite beer and I get extremely annoyed when people say it's like "chewing beer," or "drinking bread," and that it's got a "ton of calories." Please keep your uneducated banter to yourself. It's got the same calories as your Water Lite and isn't any thicker just because it's a nitrogen beer.

11. If I could have any profession, it would be a hair designer. I say hair designer, because I don't want to work at Super Cuts. That's all I've ever wanted to do since I was little and if I'm lucky, G is going to let me go to the Aveda institute full time for a year and a half. I will be super lucky if this happens, because hair is ALL I want to do!

12. I make friends with guys easier than I do with girls. This could be due to #6. Guys don't have so-called "bitch radar" and are easier to get along with.

13. I love bathroom humor. Bathroom humor is my humor. Give me a fart joke or just a fart, and you'll have me laughing. Shoot, I have iToot and Easy Fart on my iPod touch and think it's funny to play them through the speakers in the car. I'm also not afraid to burp or fart around you, unless you happen to be a girl that's going to go "ewwwwwwwwwww." Let's review #12 again...

14. I'm half Japanese and proud. I've never been to Japan, but I really want to go.

15. I love crazy weather. G has taught me a lot (he's very smart and very educated when it comes to the weather). When we were in Charleston, I hoped for a hurricane. Now that we're here, I'm hoping for a blizzard at some point this winter. And during the Spring, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE lightning and thunder storms. It's probably the only thing I miss from South Carolina!

16. I tell my mom everything... everything.

17. I want to get paid to blog... like Dooce.

18. I love HGTV and want to decorate my house SO badly. Too bad my budget doesn't allow for all the things I want and want to make!

19. I've held a couple jobs, none too odd. Cashier at Target, ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins, teller at Wells Fargo, administrative assistant for a car dealership, sales associate and cash wrap specialist for The Gap, CSR for another bank, cashier at a car wash, and now a shareholder services rep for a mutual fund transfer agency.

20. I would love to be a SAHM, but I'll probably continue to just be a Shit Ass Ho Mother Fucker (dooce), instead of the real meaning of a SAHM. I guess first, I need to become a mom.

21. For the most part, all of my friends are married, and most have had their first child. I don't like being jealous, but I am. I want to be part of the inner circle of being married and having a baby... not just to be a part of that, but to understand everything they get to experience, enjoy, and share.

22. I am a sucker for gossip websites like Perez Hilton, The Superficial, Socialite's Life, and Hollywood Tuna. I don't read the stories, I just look at the pictures.

23. I hate money. It's a negative thing if you have too much and if you have too little. All it does is cause problems for the most part.

24. I can hit, field, and throw a baseball (and a softball). I do not swing the bat "like a girl" and cringe when other girls swing "like a girl," and squeal when the ball comes towards them. It makes the rest of us normal women look like bimbos.

25. My parents are divorced (14 years or so now) and due to this, it's not an option to me. I saw both of my parents grow as individuals through the years and I think that if you love someone, you will do everything you can to give and bend and get back to that special place. I think the only exception is if someone cheats, physically or emotionally. Then there's cause for divorce. G knows that if we get married, it's for good. Then again, I don't think he'd think any other way, but I am making it known!

I don't want tomorrow to come...



As I've always posted, tomorrow is a bad day. If I could sleep through it, and skip it, I would.

Not only is it a day that holds more regret than my conscience or heart is willing to handle, it's the day that my former boss, Tim, took his own life.

My former co-worker T-Bird e-mailed the former employees that used to work with Tim:
I wanted to try to get everyone together for dinner and drinks next Thursday. I was thinking we could all meet at California Dreaming after work around 6pm. It will be so much fun to catch up with everyone and share some of our favorite memories of Tim! Just let me know if you will be able to make it. Can't wait to see everyone!
I wish I could be there to go. After Tim died, everyone at the our branch went elsewhere (with the exception of other managers, and I still don't doubt that part of the reason Tim killed himself was due to something that was going on at the bank. Upper management were a**holes.) T-Bird went to work a bank downtown; Steph went to a bank on John's Island. I moved to Colorado.

Tim was such a great person. He was always happy, cheerful, boisterous, and loud. I guess that's what took so many friends and family by surprise. A man like him, ending his own life... from the outside, there was nothing wrong. He had an infectious laugh that carried through the building. And you could always count on Tim to be late. He was always late and we were always giving him a hard time for it. He was motivational. Whenever we had a blitz for pushing a product, he would bring his wife's, Lynn's, rooster figurines to work and wear a Foghorn Leghorn rooster hat.
He was encouraging. He would bring me into his office and tell me how important school was and how he would help me with whatever I needed help with, even if it mean a good word into the College of Charleston. He was a family man. He had a wonderful wife and two awesome children that were a freshman and sophomore at this time last year. He'd have us over to his house for our annual Christmas party, his family would be there, and it was an overall great time. He had a great sense of humor. He found a dead Anole lizard, that had dried out between his desk and window. He thought it was hilarious to place that in places that us girls wouldn't expect, only to laugh so hard when we found it and screamed.

It looked like this, but ours wasn't twisted or bent, just lying flat. Yuck, right?




There was also the time he got a good laugh at my expense. Tim was a huntin' man. We were working on promoting the bank and going on cold calls. Tim was driving that day and I got in his car. "Wheeeeeeew," he said as we got in. I looked at him with my nose scrunched up and said "what is that?!" He told me he had gone huntin' over the weekend and thought he had lost his vial of fox urine. Yes, you read right, fox urine. It's suppose to cover up your scent from the deer that you're hunting. He thought it was on his boots in the back of the car, only to find out later, the whole damn leaking vial was back there! "Whoops," Tim told me later. He thought it was hilarious and I can't even tell you how bad that stuff smells!!!

I'll never forget when I was still working at my previous job (another bank) and Tim was a customer there. One of my tellers was working the drive-thru window and Tim drove through. For some reason, when she was talking, she thought his voice somehow sounded like a dog, and passed him dog cookies throught he service window. Tim didn't have his dogs in the car at the time, laughed pretty hard, and thanked her for the dog cookies. He was such a good sport, which is why there was no question in my mind when he recruited me to come and work for the bank he was the new branch manager and loan assistant for.

I just wont forget Tim and I can only hope, a year later that his family is moving forward positively in life.

You can read about what happened last year here and read all the wonderful things people have to say about him here.

The way things should be...

Obama imposes limits on executive pay
$500,000 cap would apply to those getting ‘exceptional’ bailout assistance

“This is America. We don’t disparage wealth. We don’t begrudge anybody for achieving success,” Obama said. “But what gets people upset — and rightfully so — are executives being rewarded for failure. Especially when those rewards are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers.”

Obama said that massive severance packages for executives who leave failing firms are also going to be eliminated.
“We’re taking the air out of golden parachutes,” he said.

Belated b-day gifts...

from my co-worker Sarah.

I can't wait to use them. They both smell so yummy!