TGIT

Ok all I have to say is thank goodness it's Thursday (Thursday is the new Friday for those of us on the ol' 9-80 schedule). Today was ok but one thing is evident... I need to learn to be patient. I try to move on things when people ask me to... this is not always a pro move. Being "right on it boss!" sometimes means that I am doing things...and then re-doing them when they give you new directions to go with the old ones or they correct the old ones... God bless America and huge companies that are lumbering beasts who have trouble getting everyone in sync and on the same page. Don't worry, I got ice cream on the way home to comfort myself.

Kickball got cancelled because of the weather (rain and more importantly some aggressive lightning)...sad story. Don't worry I got a calzone on the way home to comfort myself.  Tomorrow I have to be up and ready to meet the windshield people by 8 (or anytime until 12...gotta love a specific window). I have plans to go shopping tomorrow afternoon to comfort myself. (Clearly there is a theme developing in my life...)

TGIT...

Why you gotta hate?!

Ugh today was largely fine after I got over the bump in the road this morning--Crabby McGrouchyPants (they guy who gives me fits at one of my suppliers) sent me a cranky and evasive e-mail. Let's imagine that I am a teacher and this particular pupil rebels when I announce a pop quiz:

Mr. Bitchy: WHAT?! But that's gonna take time and I don't WANNA...
Me: Yes I know but that's part of being in the class... you don't have to like it just do it.
Mr. Bitchy (today): Seriously? Get real. You keep testing me and I hate it and you're planning to do it again in a few weeks... You've never told me that I DON'T know this material...isn't that enough? Just give me an A on this quiz.
Me (In my head this morning at my desk): I'M NOT GOING TO STOP DOING MY JOB BECAUSE IT'S INCONVENIENT TO YOU, YOU WHINEY ASSPIMPLE!
Me (later in an e-mail): Ok sonny. One way or another I'm going to verify that you know this material. Either you cooperate and take the quiz or I will ask you questions from it every day before you are allowed to leave my classroom.

I'm waiting to hear back... whatever I'm over his attitude problem. I was mostly distracted by doing my job for the remainder of the day in near silence because I forgot my ear buds and my phone only does radio when you have something plugged into it as an antennae. I know, my life is rough. It would have been fine if I had reliable internet but instead the internet at one of my locations (where I spent my day) is super sketch and I could only listen to about 30 seconds of a YouTube video at a time... I know, I know, Don't cry for me...Argentina. This makes me think I really need a tiny radio... Like a weather radio! Emily has one and that would be PERFECT (Yea this has just turned into a "Hey mom... I thought of something I want for my birthday... even though it's not until September). I grew up in a house with four other people (two LOUD sisters) and several pets (often large LOUD dogs) so I am not a person who functions well in silence... I just need the background noise to keep me company. This is a must... and I may not wait until the next gift receiving occasion to fill this void in my life...

In better news: Run today went well, I got a haircut scheduled (NEED VERY MUCH) I had leftover AMAZING CHICKEN and then made Eggplant Salad Toasts to go with it (I may eat this ALL THE TIME), I finished my night with Nutella Mug Cake (Yea... just soak that up for a second. It was every bit as fantastic as it sounds). So really I turned the day around. Go me!

As a side note I realized that I used a lot of caps in this post. My apologies for being virtually loud, Dear Reader (Mom).

Couple of random thoughts...

Today I had a couple of random thoughts while talking to Gabe on communicator (he went to my high school and now works for my company but in Florida). He was asking me how I was liking my job and being on the front range and what what exactly I do in my day-to-day job... so I was trying to describe it. First random thought while trying to explain myself: My job is like those commercials you hear on the radio for Netflix: "If Jack and Jill went up the hill, where is Fred?" "Milwaukee?" "Correct" ... basically I feel like I just take a stab and what I'm doing (there are a lot of phone calls to my lifelines...sorry to mix metaphors here), and then wait to see if I'm right...or just wait until one day someone will ask me "What the heck have you been doing up there?" This is my life. (I'm being a little dramatic but it's pretty much like that)

Then Gabe posed a really fantastic question: "How do you think Mr. Wiley would do your job?" Only Gabe would think of such a brilliant question to ponder. I should talk to him more often. For reference (in case someone besides my mom is reading this...unlikely but just in case) Mr. Wiley is my high school drivers ed, life skills, shop, and Ag teacher (not that I was in shop or Ag anything but those where his classes). He was as folksy and country as a man ever was and he just said great things every day. He called the girls sweetheart (not in a creepy way but in an endearing way when he would get fired up about something: "THANK. YOU. SWEETHEART.") and excused himself for saying stupid in front of us ladies (even though everyone knew his language in the shop with the guys could have made a sailor blush). He knew more about cattle and soil than anyone else I've ever met. This man scared the socks off of me before I had him as a teacher (gruff voice and sort of frown-y neutral face and often didn't speak to kids unless he was scolding them for some misbehavior) but once I was in class with him I loved him about as much as a kid can love a teacher. He taught me that you never want to buy hamburger with two low a percentage of fat because it will cook down and taste like a hockey puck. Same with steak--gotta have some good marbling or you'll need to cut it with a chain saw. (if you knew him you would have known how he would say that and you'd have giggled...trust) I think of Mr. Wiley frequently while driving--his voice guides me into my parallel park jobs...not that their lack of quality is his fault... So many funny stories include him and I'm sure new ones are born in his class every day.

How this man would do my job, I have no idea but it's really fun to imagine and that alone will buoy my spirits and entertain my downtime for weeks to come. I have a hunch that no one from my high school reads this (pretty much a sure thing) so there are no people cracking up with me over this... but that's fine with me because it tickles me pink and that's all that matters.

So no matter how the rest of my week goes I'll at least be as happy as I am when I think about these rando thoughts. Let's do this.

Detox weekend...

Ok so to bring the world (my mom) up to speed, Kickball on Thursday was great--we lost but as always it was fun and the beer afterward is what it's all about anyway--Friday was long and semi-unpleasant but it paled in comparison to the preceding four days, and Friday night... I did nothing. Well I took a huge nap, made eggplant salad toasts and ate them, and then watched TV. I was really going to work out before the nap happened (I figured I should "neutral" the butt-end of that chocolate bunny I ate on the way to work that morning) but after this week I had basically zero give-a-damn left for anything that required more energy and attention span then bonding with the couch. Didn't even change out of my work clothes...judge if you want, I still have very little give-a-damn left right now. 

Which brings me to questions I have today. During this morning's pathetic run I wondered... #1: Do people who love and crave running have this desire at birth or can it be acquired? #2: Do people who crave running as a stress relief ("I had a rough day... I really need to hit the gym...I feel like I could use at least a couple of miles today if not more!") also bear this from day one or can THIS be learned? I would like to know if I'm wasting my time trying to learn to like running--perhaps you can learn to love it or maybe you can only force yourself to like it a little--I need to know where this is going! I had a week that was about as rough as most of us pampered, pansy Americans ever experience (ok maybe not but it was NO FUN WHATSOEVER...except for Kickball), and I had no time for running, this lead to my deep desire to never do anything healthful, either in the fitness department or diet world. All of my cravings were greasy, salty, or chocolaty in nature. Never did it cross my mind to sacrifice something else and go run. Not once. Who DOES that? And do you really MEAN it when you say you crave it? And has it ALWAYS been that way? I call shenanigans. 

Today I'm not really all the way back on the have-your-life-together horse, I ran and I MAY paint my nails... I'm getting the oil changed in the car but I plan to spend that time reading magazines. I plan to come into the next week completely detoxed from this past one. That's my only major goal for the weekend... get over last week. And if that means the only activities I engage in today are selfish and a little bit pointless... so be it.

Another Crap Sandwich

Today was another super fab day. Long staff meeting, a new fun surveillance activity with Grumpy McCrabber Pants INC during which an engineer lost it on me and used the F*ck word, and finally traffic on the way home (don't worry I smartly dodged it but still I don't care for that business). I got up and put on make-up today! What a waste!

Not really... I guess make-up is as much for me as for anyone b*tching at my face... Mary Kay would approve. I went to a Marry Kay event last night and was told that women that wear make-up make more money. I'm wondering what study showed this. I'd like to see it. I have doubts about their sampling methods and quite possibly their statistical analysis. But it can't hurt so this morning I got up and put on make-up. I tried to embrace that "I'm a put-together, powerful, lady" mindset and really command respect... then someone hurled the F dash dash dash word in my general direction (not applied to me specifically so not that devastating but still...).

And now to the sports desk for some good news: Kickball tonight! :) No matter what happened today I will play kickball and have beers with my fun teammates. That will bandage most of the damage done by this week I think. I'll let you know how that goes. :)

My life is hard, feel sorry for me.*

Ok so the past two days have been nothing short of a crap sandwich. Monday I got to mix up my plan for the day by dropping everything to handle something that needed done yesterday. It was super fun. In the midst of a travel hangover, rushing off to do something that you know little to nothing about and having everyone subtly (or not so) tell you to please take haste! I didn't even want to leave the confines of my apartment yesterday so naturally I would be driving to Ft. Collins and then back to Denver while everyone's hair is on fire for me to shake a leg. When the day finally ended (an hour after I would have put in my full day) I come home to my not yet unpacked bags, an empty fridge, and laundry a plenty. Needless to say I did not run. Another strike for the day!

Which brings us to today. I had hope last night that today I would do better--be less travel worn, less burdened by my somewhat shortened to-do list, be less bothered by urgent new task, more planned and put together. Nay nay dear reader, it was not as I had hoped. I woke up this morning refreshed...because I overslept (forgot to set an alarm...who DOES that?). I ate my breakfast in the car...before I even made it to the interstate (a wreck I didn't hear about on the traffic report until it was in my rear-view mirror). I surveilled all day...with a supplier that sounded like a 10 year old you are forcing to take piano lessons ("I don't WANNA..." Ok it was more "You are only 3% of our business and this is taking a LOT of MY precious time...I don't even know why we put up with this."). I ate lunch...after going to lunch twice...once to go to lunch...and again to go to lunch with my wallet. I drove home to finish my work day...through lovely traffic again (not as bad but after the day just unpleasant). Needless to say folks, I ate cheesecake and made myself a vodka sprite while I worked out the bundle of things I hadn't gotten to since last week. Anything less would have been cruel and unusual punishment (of MYSELF! That would be crazy).

Tonight I did go for a run. A "real life" one too! I ran a mile NOT on a treadmill... after having not run for 4 days. It was at least as difficult as my 28 min treadmill run. This was sobering. I have to do three of those with obstacles and ZOMBIES in July. Gonna have to do some serious work.

I also went to the grocery store. Piece of advice: do not go to the grocery store when you have had a bad couple of days and haven't eaten dinner yet. I was reasonably well behaved but I didn't bat an eye and buying bags of chips because those suckers were on sale and I wanted them (all the justification you need after a rough couple of days--I want it=I DESERVE it). But hey, I have food and there WILL be eggplant salad toasts in my near future and that is enough to give me the hope I need to drag my sorry hind-end into Wednesday. Let's do this.

*I am being sarcastic, I promise...mostly. 

Just a couple thoughts

Just a couple quick thoughts before I go back to the humid, pollen-y wonderland that is Atlanta:

Nothing is more humbling than having to dump your cereal and start over because your milk has done a phase shift and is no longer 100% liquid. Thanks, properties of materials class for teaching me to appreciate the phase shift that was my chunky milk this morning. (Don't worry I had some Almond milk so I didn't have to eat Ramen for breakfast...c'mon, I'm a grown-up!)

No element of traveling gives me more anxiety than the packing that happens the morning of the trip--hair products, contact case, glasses... WHAT AM I FORGETTING?! You would think being late for my flight would worry me more...but no. I am a punctual Polly-Anna (when traveling by myself anyway...I can't control my sisters so that's a separate issue) but I am also a Forgetful Francine and I hate having to buy or improvise items I left behind. Worse is when you can't (glasses!). Anyway I think I have it all but I'll let you know what kind of crap I left at home once I figure it out (ie after it's too late).

Monday can suck my big toe

I hate to be a whiner when I have it so good... clean water, a place to live, hot showers in the morning, food when I want it, family and friends who love me... but sometimes you just need to express a little frustration.

I was dragging @$$ all day today and it was one of those days where I could tell there wouldn't be enough to organically keep me busy...this leads to a lot of messing around on the internet and doing my picture shuffle puzzle on my laptop. Also copious amounts of yawning. By the end of the day I was doing whatever I could to keep busy and taking my time so I wouldn't have to make up more stuff to do. I answered an e-mail asking my opinion on one of the suppliers I work with in respect to letting them bid on new stuff and I got a response that basically told me "Thanks for playing but you're WRONG but keep at it kiddo!" I laid it out in the e-mail that I had little history and couldn't really speak to the issue with any depth. I shouldn't be annoyed by this--it's not news--but here's what gets me...WHY ARE YOU ASKING IF YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER? And I know there's no tone of voice in e-mail but I could swear there was a condescending twang on that one. Maybe I'm in some kind of hormonal swing or something because that shouldn't have ruffled my feathers but consider me sufficiently ruffled.

Which brings us to my post-work jog. I have been so proud of my feet for being such troopers and not killing me with their complete lack of anything resembling an arch. Until today. I guess days off over the weekend coupled with the extra three minutes was more than my spatulas could handle. I hope this week will go like last week and get better each time I run... but I'm afraid I'll just have it worse next week because I'll be on the road on Friday and I won't likely get a chance to run. Dang it! How am I supposed to convince my soft self that I really CAN run if I don't keep forcing myself to prove it?

Ok now let's take another moment to be grateful.
1) I am eating MEAT again! I had a burger for lunch and oh how I have missed burgers. Bacon and I need to reunite ASAP also...  Happy Easter season everyone!
2) The weather was AMAZING today. Ok it's Colorado and most days come with AMAZING weather but some days it just REALLY hits the spot.
3) I'm going to eat a chocolate bunny for desert. Is there a happier desert? I think not. Ok I probalby won't eat the whole thing but that means I'll have 1/2 a chocolate bunny to eat later. So much happiness you gotta spread it out.

In conclusion, Mondays can go fly a kite for all I care (Mom I'm trying to keep things PG here and I hope you appreciate that)... except if the weather is this good...then I'll suck it up.

I Suck at Yoga

Sunday is now Leslie and I do Yoga day. I'm a member of a gym that caters to all types...meaning there are plenty of people there who could be my grandparents. When we started yoga we thought "oh good, we won't be the worst ones in here... surely one of these sweet white haired ladies and gentlemen will be worse than us." False. They are all WAY more flexible and tenacious about their poses and it makes me look like a toddler rolling around in the back of the room. But fortunately yoga is all about the journey and they don't judge us (at least not out loud). Since I'm trying to learn to like running (by July 14th when I shall flee from Zombies!) I figure it's probably a good idea to do yoga now and then to stretch myself out each week so I don't wind up with massive ridiculous knots everywhere. And now I have the additional goal to get good enough at yoga to blend in with the retirees that kick my butt every Sunday...at least before I start to look too much like them...

Here's to you white haired lady who bends like Stretch Armstrong. Perhaps one day I will be on your level... perhaps one day.