Tuesday, February 27, 2007

I Wasn't Special I Guess

"We need to stop endlessly repeating 'You're special' and having children repeat that back."

This bit of wisdom comes the way of Yahoo and is an exert about college students becoming more self centered, more indulged and thus more spoiled. I tend to agree to a certain extent. My college experience was one of hard work, plenty of drinking, two or sometimes three jobs, and learning all kinds of things that couldn't be taught in any classroom.

1. Living with a slutty girl who would sneak off in the night to sleep with random men, not my cup of tea.

2. Having a single dollar for three weeks, because as soon as I broke it, I'd be left with a pile of change, which was somehow worse.

3. Working late nights in the computer lab, because no one really had their own computers back then.

4. Wasn't allowed to have a car as a freshman on campus. Which actually turned out to be a good thing. It forced me to stay up in Big Rapids, and get to know people.
5. Forced to eat in the cafeteria, which meant on Sundays, the hall was closed at 2pm. Most Sunday nights, I ate microwave popcorn for dinner.

6. My parents did what they could to send me money, but they sort of spend it all sending me to college. Extra spending money was up to me. Over the course of four plus years in college, I worked at the cafeteria as a dish-washer, In the Hockey Rink as a concession stand worker, at a Hot and Now, that I had to stalk till they gave me a job, and my reward was a bright purple T-Shirt that said, Hot and Now on it with a lightning bolt in bold yellow, and my final job, which I held for a few years was the carry out window of a certain dining hall. I worked back there pretty much on my own, took phone orders and handed food out the window. This was mostly fine, until the word got out, that apparently I had a "sexy phone voice", and men would call and order pizza like they'd just dialed a 900 number.

7. Having $8 dollars in my bank account, so I had to go to the bank drive-thru and ask for my money.

8. Living on rasin bran for several weeks at a time, as it was filling and cheap.

9. Going to Casey McNab's on Tuesdays for Quarter taco night, and having just enough left over for one beer.

10. Riding around town on the Dial a Ride, which was this big bus that would take you anywhere for a dollar. Not that great of a treat when the only places you could go were K-Mart, and the Dairy Queen, but only in the summer.

If I ever have kids, I'll make sure they have jobs so they appreciate things more and don't expect things to be handed to them, but hopefully they won't have to hold three jobs, plus school.

I'm not complaining, but I sure didn't whine about my lack of computer or much else. I was and still am grateful that my parents could send me to college. That was my gift. And I never forgot how hard they both worked to give me an education. It wasn't their job. If they chose too, after high school they could've just told me, that's it. You're on your own. But they didn't.

In case either of you are reading this, thanks mom and dad.

Monday, February 26, 2007

I dressed for Comfort

If anyone in cyber space is paying attention, I mentioned in my last blog that I may dress up for the Academy Awards. I didn't though. Opted instead for fleece pajamas.

I was still feeling a bit under the weather and had little energy for pomp and circumstance. I ate what I can only assume was a tainted frozen meal Saturday afternoon, and got pretty sick within two hours after consuming it.

Graphic details aren't needed. Suffice it to say, I'm going to write a letter to my friends at Smart Ones, whose parent company is Heinz to share my joy with them. If anyone deserves to hear about how their frozen goodness made me sick, it's them.

Friday night though, I did go to a trendy eatery, The Clarkston Union, which is renowned for their Macaroni and cheese. I tasted it. Yes, it was good, but I'm not sure it lived up to all the hype. The salad I ate before it was better.

And that's all I've got for this Monday Morning.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Not the Hulk

I'm not an angry person. I think I'm fairly even tempered, and am not prone to emotional bursts of anger. I've worked in close proximiety to co-workers and despite stress, frustration and angst, I'm pretty good about staying level-headed.

There are a few people in my life that can make me angry in 3 seconds flat, but those are exceptions, not the norm. I don't tend to operate out of that mode. Often people mistake that for being a push-over.

That is not true.

Lately, I get angry every morning when my alarm goes off at 6 a.m.ish, telling me it's time to go to the gym. And once I rouse myself out of bed, stumble around, dress myself and brush my teeth and get in the car, when I finally get to the gym, I just want to do what I want.

But lately, it's been crowded. New people standing on my treadmill, crowding their way on to my bike and all I want to do is yell for them to get the hell out of my way.

I don't of course, because truth be told, they aren't doing anything wrong. It just pisses me off. That's part of the reason, I drag myself out of bed at that ungodly hour. Because after 5 pm, it's even worse with gym whores.

I'll continue to endure this torture for a while. I'm a mission, but I just don't play well with others at 6 a.m.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Chocolate Covered

The red cellophane hearts are being sold off today like blankets on the side of the road.

Yes, the holiday aftermath. That sad day when a once festive holiday is turned into a ravaged rack of broken cupids, smashed candy and broken conversation hearts, all things pink, and boxes of leftover kiddie Valentines.

Let's make room for the Easter themed junk. I'm just thankful I don't work in a retail setting because shoving the holidays down people's throats would depress me. And how did I spend Valentine's Day?

Had dinner and went to Walmart to get a birthday gift for Karlene's daughter Gwynn. I thought the store would be pretty empty and thankfully it was. I selected a Hokey Pokey Elmo Doll that dances.

Seemed pretty cute for a 2 year old. Her party is on Saturday and since I don't have kids, I'm enjoying playing with my friend's children. Then I can leave.

My dad did call me last night, which was nice and we had a good conversation. I'm not sure if I was alarmed to find out we share some similar political views.

He asked if I was lonely since it was Valentine's Day?

"Not anymore lonely than I was on Tuesday."

I'm lucky that so many people care about me. I appreciate the cards and the well wishes.

Nothing compares to last V-Day, when Becky and I went to Taco Bell.

Now that's romantic.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Bring in the Stupid

Short entry today as I've got to leave early for an appointment.

Anyway, between the long boring meeting to nowhere this morning, the random construction noises and my Microsoft Word defaulting to German, I haven't gotten a whole lot done.

Which is not that surprising considering I wasn't given any clear direction, just " make it new."

Ok. Check.

In other news, my mom is in town and she is coming over to spend the evening with me on Friday. Should be fun. Yes, I get along with my mom and yes I think she's fun but no, we're not the Gilmore Girls.

Fuck them. :)

Lunchtime and then appointment in Ann Arbor.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

And the Oscar Goes Too

The Oscars are just around the corner. Who will win Best Picture, Who is that? and Really? That Movie was nominated?

All kinds of questions surround Oscar Night. This year's question I am wrestling with, is Will I dress up again?

Several years ago, My friend and I got all dressed up for the Oscars and watched them at home. You've got to get some use out of those old bridesmaid dresses. I found a glittery top heavy with Jewel crusted stones and a long black skirt. I did my hair like I was going to the prom, and Karlene dressed in similar attire.

We served snacks on silver platters, had drinks out of champagne flutes, and making a grand entrance by waltzing down the stair case.

I haven't done my Oscar ritual since, but my family still talks about it. I think they think that I'm insane. And maybe I am. But I sure had fun. The problem was that it was just the two of us there.

Now that I live alone, I'm not sure I'll bother to get all dressed up. Because really being all dressed up in full evening gown attire, at home alone, at some point is a little too reminiscent of Mrs. Habbersham in Great Expectations.

Either way, I've got a few weeks to decide what I'm wearing.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Comfortably Numb

How's everything going with you? Tell me a story.

nik



There once was a girl who was sad with the state of
her life. Her friends were moving away, having babies,
getting engaged, or planning weddings.
She did not wish to become a bridesmaid.
Again.

She works in advertising doing ads for one of the BiG 3,
and last week when she saw smoke across the street, she prayed that X
was burning down its Headquarters for the insurance
money.

She doesn't have any matches and is not a suspect.

As her saddness comes and goes, she wallows a bit, but
true to her Irish nature, decides it isn't time to
lay down.

She forged again into her gym foray of late, enlisting
the help of an older brother, who tutored her on the
weight machines, to supplement her early morning
cardio routine. She's been exercising and trying to
eat healthfully for a few months now.

Feeling optimistic, she hopped on her bathroom scale
even as she cringed inwardly with such an unhelpful
tool.

But she is her father's daughther, and got on anyway.
She learned then why she HATED an unliving thing.
How could the weight be exactly one pound heavier than
when she started, yet her clothes were getting looser
and her face was thinning out?

It was then she decided it was all bullshit.

She knew she was working hard and knew she's going to
be a lot happier when she loses this weight. She
joined Weight Watchers online for some added
structure, opting this time to skip the in person
meetings. She realized she's not that nice, and
doesn't care to waste time listening to other ladies
talk about fiber and filling salad toppings.

She knows she can do this on her own, and is finding
WW online a good alternative. She likes any reason to
play with her new MacBook laptop that she bought herself.

She hired someone to do a web site for
her, to put up her portfolio. She was just contacted by a new
recruiter yesterday, and is optimistic about finding a
new job. Hopefully, in a few months.

She read on Yahoo, an article about the top 5 jobs for
2007, copywriter is one of those jobs. And in even
higher demand are CW's who are skilled in both
Interactive and Print. This makes her smile.

This weekend, she's going to hang out with a friend
and spend the rest of it, organizing her job
search materials, watch a documentary from Netflix,and
try not to freeze to death in Michigan's record low
cold tempertures.

She wonders if a new city and a new shape will shake
up the men. She listens to Hot Child every morning on
the treadmill, and knows, "She can be a hot child in
the city, where all the boys all stop and stare."

She doesn't want that attention from men on looks
alone, but is tired of getting used for her brain. She
is boycotting any more male friendships. If the men
don't wish to sleep with her, she doesn't wish to make
them laugh or engage in conversation. Previous male
friends will be grandfathered in, and should not
become alarmed that she will randomly attack them.

Married men friends are not targets either.

She is happy that a renegade cowboy, Nik is her friend
and is planning to run into him sometime again in this
lifetime.

She wants to buy him a beer, and talk about Redford
and Newman, and Mr. Cash.

He never expected such a long story, but he knows how
she can ramble.

Phone Home





this was your baby, and now i got 'em send me a birthday card or the little fucker gets it.....................

The note above followed the picture in an email from my brother Shane. When we we're kids, he really loved the movie ET. I guess things have changed.
He used to wear a necklace with ET's head on it. In his defense, he was probably 8 or 9. But we grew up seeing ET in the theater and we were young enough to think it was a pretty cool movie. It came out when movies were an Event, and stayed in the theaters for months.

So, back to the hanging of ET.

A few summers ago, Connie and I were up in Lake Leelanau visiting my mom for the weekend. C. wanted to go see some shops, and we came upon a thrift store, that I swear was a storage bin for old shit from Sanford and Son.

And there on a table piled with misc. crap sat ET.
I bought him for Shane for his birthday as a joke.

Fast forward a few weeks. Shane called to invite me out on the lake with him and Jeff for the day. Boating is always preferable to sweating, so I took him up on the offer. I packed up ET and brought him along. When I got to Jeff's house, I pulled ET out of my bag and handed him to Shane.

Since S. is no longer 8, but closer to 35, he looked at me, and said,"

"What the hell is this?"

Me: "It's ET."

"I can see that, but why did you buy me a doll?"

Me: "It's ET."

Shane was not impressed, and I was sick of driving around with him in my car.
His head had already fallen off on me, and I'd performed emergency surgery in the car.

But even ailens need a little sun, so I brought him on the boat.

And then forgot him. I'd planned to take him and find him a good home. I felt it was my duty after I'd paid a whole quarter.

A few days later, the ransom letter arrived in my Inbox.

Next year, Shane got a card.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Dragon Slayer

Some days I wake up ready to tackle the world. Other days, I just feel run over and want to take a nap.

This morning was somewhere in the middle. I slayed virtual Dragons this morning. To borrow a phrase from Elvis, I TCB. (Took Care of Business). Hopped on Netflix to report my missing movie that supposedly arrived two days ago and didn't.

Then emailed Communication Arts to inform them that my subscription was running out two months early for no apparent reason, they agreed and promised to correct the problem.

I then tackled Sallie Mae. Actually that student loan has been off my back, but I had to print a summary of interest paid for tax purposes.

So, really not that exciting. No fire, no swords or threats of sudden death. I found it liberating just the same. Tonight, I will take on the mammoth check book and my pile of bills.

Whoo-HOO