i know i've been too lazy lately to post anything, but ... some things are worth making the effort. and this sandwich is.
tomato, avocado, green onion, garlic powder, black pepper, basil, and cheese. eden's copyright.
i'd eat it everyday.
if she'd make it for me everyday.
this is what i have been doing:
and this:
at 3:30 this morning, i became a free woman.
... for the time being, anyway.
today:
i got to work before 9am.
i wore a skirt *and* did my hair.
i bought a gym membership from costco.
i branched out and bought a chocolate chip frappuccino with peppermint for happy hour half-price frappuccinos week -- not as good as my regular mocha non-coffee frap.
i tried bayer (aka "the wonder drug") for my back pain -- verdict: works better than tylenol (and since i'm not donating blood until saturday, i'm okay to take it).
my co-worker got called "laura webb-ensen" for not taking a lunch break.
i learned how to fed-ex at work.
i hand wrote out 42 percentage calculations on one sheet of paper.
i locked myself out of my office after everyone had already gone home, and then spent an hour and a half chilling with the security team waiting for the admin to come back and let me in, rather than pay a $300-fee to have them open the door for me.
big day.
for those of you that don't want to read a bra story ... stop reading. for everyone else ... i can only say that it has been a long day / week / month / year ... [sigh]
about 2 hours ago, i took a break at work to run to the restroom. as i dried my hands, i did the once over in the mirror and realized that i could read the size and fabric composition print on my bra through the back of my shirt. heh. funny i never noticed that about this shirt before.
i got back to my desk and commented to my co-worker that it's a good thing i was wearing my sweater most of the day.
when i got home a half hour ago, i changed into pajamas and realized what was wrong: my bra was inside out.
[shakes head]
i wasn't going to make resolutions this year.
but i found a bit of hope in a rather commonplace text received shortly after midnight, on new years day: "happy 2010! make it a great year."
at first i didn't think much of it -- i'm sure i have received a similar text or email or something every year since bread was first introduced to peanut butter -- but, i read it a second time and it hit me that *i* can make it a great year. immediately, the cynic on my shoulder chimed in with a "well, you can try ...", followed by a "but you can't control most things anyway."
i decided i am tired of that faithless argument. and i'd like to ride the wave of hope a little longer.
so, here we go:
de-stress. i intend to keep a longer-range perspective on time and other commitments. i know that because i am who i am, i need to keep my calendar full; however, i can't keep over-filling it. i will make conscious effort to more realistically fill my calendar, allowing time for the unforeseens. additionally, if i think i've mis-estimated, i'll adjust.
exercise. as is the case every year, with busy season looming, i hesitate to set a specific goal for this, but if i don't do it now, i never will. i'd like to get out and jog or run twice a week: monday and tuesday. pronto.
scripture reading. i've been out of this habit for far too long. i'll work my way through the Doctrine & Covenants, one verse at a time until i can pick up more momentum.
my stress level just increased, so i better stop. if any of y'all have suggestions, i'll take 'em. thanks!
these are quotes i have been collecting this year ... some i've seen on friends' blogs (thanks); others i've just run into. enjoy! if you have one to add, let me know.
"as an individual undertakes to live by borrowing, soon finds his original means devoured by interest and, next, no one left to borrow from; so must it be with government." -- abraham lincoln
"we can aspire to anything, but we don't get it just because we want it. i would rather spend my life close to the birds than waste it wishing i had wings." -- patient, on episode of house
"a friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." -- donna roberts
"to many people, free will is a license to rebel not against what is unjust or hard in life but against what is best for them and true." -- dean koontz, in the darkest evening of the year
"going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car." -- unknown
"some people are like slinkies. they don't really have a purpose but it still brings a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs." -- unknown
i told my manager mark that he was now my #4 favourite, according to google. one month ago, he was #6.
he is now determined to become #3.
he'll have to beat out my mother for that spot.
pretty sure i'd have to seriously evaluate my life if that happened. maybe quit my job.
i had a meeting in l.a. about fas 157, fair value measurements (or whatever the new codification number is -- why do they have to renumber stuff??). my manager mark was the instructor, so i was particularly concerned with arriving on time.
training started at 8. i got there at 755. perfect.
after 2 hours of stimulating discussion about all things fair value, mark and i drove back up to the client's office. we drove separately.
the first half of my drive deserves no commentary herein. shortly after i passed white oak on the 101, though, things got interesting.
i had been driving in the next-to-fastest lane, singing along to the radio and enjoying a mid-morning drive. i came up behind a blue suv and because i don't like to be behind anyone, i flipped my left blinker and changed lanes. as i got settled into the fast lane, i saw a car in my rear-view mirror that looked like he had wanted to be right where i was, but he changed his mind and merged the other direction.
i watched as this white car with beige hood and faded black bumper went around a couple cars, crossed in front of the blue suv, and merged into the fast lane right in front of me ... aaaand ... slammed on his brakes.
so i slammed on my brakes.
then he sped up again. dummy.
so, i accelerated again. he was still in front of me. he slammed on his brakes again.
really?
i gave him the universal shoulder-shrug, palms upturned and a mouthed "what?", to which he responded with several arm motions out his window that looked like he was telling a story about a snake and a bunny to 4-year-old. except for that last part -- that last hand gesture was not intended for a 4-year-old.
[eye roll.]
so i signaled to merge to my right. if he wants to be in front, let him. but ... he changed lanes right along with me, slamming the brakes again. so i changed lanes back. again, he was right there with me.
i fell behind a little, trying to get some space between me and the psycho. then i hit my right blinker and gunned it. he mimicked, cutting me off again. and again. at this point i was in the almost far-right lane, and he was in the lane to my left, a little ahead of me. so i let off the gas entirely, slowing to about 40 mph and got behind a big rig. he kept a close distance, to my left and one car length ahead of me.
we drove like that for a few minutes. i tried slowing even more, thinking he might get bored and leave me alone. no luck.
his driver-side window was rolled down and he started waving his phone out the window.
what?? what does that mean?
is he trying to get my number??
this is the *worst* pickup line e-v-e-r.
once again, he waved his phone out the window. i tried to look like i wasn't paying attention.
he slowed down to get right beside me. i didn't look over. in my periphery, i could see that he was trying to get my attention. i didn't give it to him.
he slowed down more and got behind me. he was on his phone now (illegal in california as of 1/1/2009).
we came up next to another big rig, i saw my chance. as soon as i was able, i quickly changed lanes in front of the 52-footer. unfortunately, mr. ugly car also snuck past him.
very annoyed at this point, i couldn't even enjoy the music coming from my radio. my exit was coming up. certainly this dude wouldn't follow me off the freeway, right?
right?
wrong. we reached the bottom of the off-ramp; i turned right. he turned right. he pulled up next to me on the shoulder of the road. he was talking at me and still on his phone. figuring he wouldn't leave me alone until he got whatever it was off his chest, i rolled down my window.
"hello? hi. i just wanted to let you know that i called the police and gave them your license plate number. you were speeding and driving recklessly," he announced. he seemed a little too pleased with himself.
i replied with a simple, "umm, thank you." what else was i supposed to say?
his retort? "you're welcome." and, as i rolled up my window, "you're welcome for a ruined day!!" an inkling of exasperation in his voice.
oh, my heavens. the light turned green, so i hit the gas. he cut off a few people to get right behind me again, still on the phone.
we approached the road to my client's office. i turned right. he followed. there was no way i was going to show him where my car would be all day. so i passed the entrance to my client's parking garage, and pulled up to a red light. great. he pulled up beside me again, yelling again.
"i called the police and you are going to get a ticket for reckless driving and for speeding. you cut me off and then you were driving recklessly!"
because i don't take accusations as well as i could, i replied, "i didn't see you. you were blocking me in the lane and i was trying to get away from you --"
"you didn't see me because you are a woman!! and women never see men, they just run all over them!" he cut me off.
oh. my. goodness.
*what* is this about??
the light turned green, so i put the car in first and pulled forward, he paralleled me. while leaning out the window, one hand on his phone, one on the steering wheel and neither eye on the road, he yelled at me about my reckless driving.
looking for somewhere to shake this guy, i saw another parking garage coming up on the left. with him on my right, i waited almost too long before making a sharp left into the parking garage entrance: no way this guy would pay for parking just to continue harassing me.
when i got to the gate, i quickly pulled a ticket from the machine and the mechanical arm raised. i turned to my right as i put the parking ticket in my purse, put the car in first and looked ahead to pull forward. suddenly mr. ugly car was standing right next to me, leaning into the car, his arm blocking my window from rolling up.
"i just want you to say you were wrong and that you're sorry. say that you're sorry!"
i could have peed my pants right then.
i didn't.
"admit you were wrong! just admit it," he insisted.
... uhhh ... "if you think i did something wrong, then okay, i'll admit it." pretty sure i was shaking. still didn't pee my pants.
he straightened up, held out his hand for a handshake and said, "thank you." he walked back to his car.
too shaken to think clearly, i slowly eased into the parking garage. the mechanical arm of the gate lowered behind me. i didn't even see the guy pull away.
i sat in the parking garage for a few minutes, then proceeded to the exit and drove over to my client's office.
as i entered my client's office, my manager mark lifted his head and commented, "boy, you drive slowly."
uhhh ...
if it's in the bathroom at a t.g.i. fridays, though, is it good luck or bad luck?
(p.s. -- i washed it. don't worry.)
i'm sorry, but i cannot deny that i like this song:
when it comes on the radio, i actually turn the volume up. obviously, this is serious.
can we still be friends?
so, my google phone flags my contacts as favourites based on frequency and length of phone calls. i'm sure there's some fancy algorithm behind the calculations here so, i mean, this must be scientifically accurate information.
here are my top ten "favourites," according to google:
cute guy
my mom
my manager john
college boy
my manager mark
eerch!
hold on. what? what did that say? really?
yes, friends, you read that right: two of my managers in my list of favourites.
in the top ten, no less!
my managers are my favourites?! does that mean work is my favourite?!?
i can't go on with the list. this is just too sad.
...
...
i think i am going to go eat some ice cream ...
it's a sad, sad life i lead ...
my boy jerry takes care of me. when i visited the woodworths this summer, mike made fun of me for how in love i am with my jerry jetta. but i cannot deny it: he is amazing. pretty, fuel efficient, powerful, acclaimed, sporty ... without belaboring all the features that i have already mentioned, i must tell you about some that i have grown to love over the past 3 months:
sunroof. pretty sure i have already mentioned it, but i had to say that i *love*, love, love my sunroof. there is never a time when i drive without it open. man, that was a great choice, christianna. really. good job.
courtesy blinkers. they blink, blink, blink and then turn off when you change lanes. talk about awesome. i will no longer ever be one of "those" people, driving down the highway unaware that my blinkers are confusing drivers on all sides.
heated seats. now, i admit that living in sunny socal really limits the need for heated seats ... but ... i have horrible back trouble most of the days, and these heated seats provide the right amount of relaxing warmth for my whining muscles. ahhh. not the manufacturer's intended purpose, i know, but perhaps all the more valuable for it.
okay, ryan, i'll stop rubbing it in now. hope you get yours soon.
