beenie

Okay, here goes...

I've been growing my hair out, and a few people have asked for a picture. It's not the best picture, but it definitely shows the long hair:

It is as I suspected

The computer here (at my parents' house) is absolute crap - spyware and adware most likely abounds. If the hubby and I are able to try and fix it up a bit, I may be posting this week. But don't be surprised if you don't hear from me until the 30th or 31st.

Happy/Merry {{{insert holiday of your choice here}}}

Leavin' on a jet plane...

Depending on how much computer access I have in NY, this may be my last post for a week or so. The 'puter is in my sister's room, and she's ALWAYS on it. I'll probably only be able to get on while she's at her boyfriend's house. Not that I plan on spending every minute at the house anyway - places to visit, people to see, that sort of thing...

Merry Holidays!!

As promised

The view from our balcony. We have some festive faux evergreen garland with blue lights running around the top of the balcony for the season. Again, it's a lot nicer in the spring/summer and into fall, when the trees aren't so... naked.

I swear, this complex is going to turn into Melrose Place sooner or later. Since we moved in, three other apartments have become occupied by friends of ours.

On-the-computer view

This is what I see in front of me (other than the computer) when I'm sitting in my computer chair. The tree coming in from the right of the picture is absolutely gorgeous in spring and summer. It even flowers for a few days. Sometimes, birds sit for a while and seem like they're so close I could just stick my hand out the window and have one come perch on my finger. I'm glad that while we're in an apartment complex, we still have nice views out the windows. View from the balcony to come.

So what's your view look like?

My Christmas Tree

Courtesy of my new Christmas present from my awesome husband, who must have spent all year scrimping and saving to be able to give me an awesome gift!!!!!

Separate wishes...

I was going to put this in my previous post, but I wanted to separate it. I REALLY hope the pictures I took last night come out. There were no less than 25 presents under my tree, the most there will ever be again, until DH and I spawn (or at least until we host another Secret Santa exchange). I think my tree is especially gorgeous this year. The only pics we have of last year's tree were taken before we were finished decorating it, and have about half the ornaments and none of the tinsel of our finished product).

If the pictures turn out, there will also be one of me showing off my very first cheesecake (the first one I've ever made). I'm really proud of it. Now, I love to cook, and I'm an especially good baker (if I do say so myself), but for some reason, cheesecake has ALWAYS intimidated me. I'm not much of a cheesecake person myself, but this one was really good. Even Val liked absolutely loved it, and she told me that she is incredibly picky about cheesecake.

I wonder if I can substitute Splenda for the sugar, so I can make one for my mom and sister (both diabetic). Maybe I'll bring my springform pan to NY and have my mom pick up some cream cheese...

I'm a jerk

We had a Secret Santa exchange last night amongst quite a few Friday night regulars (dinner's at our house every Friday night). We all opened our gifts one at a time. When one person was done opening, we all ooohed and aaahed and moved on to the next person. When it was my turn, I received... a pen. A very nice Cross pen, actually. We're talking like a $30 pen with 23K gold accents (which I may exchange for the one with chrome accents since I don't particularly care for yellow gold). Not quite what I was expecting from that person (I knew ahead of time who it was), but nevertheless a very nice gift. I'm not quite sure what I expected to come from him anyway, but it was more along the lines of foo-foo lotions or candles or something... well, girly.

Anyway, one of our friends said to me later "you know, everyone could totally see you were disappointed." I said it wasn't necessarily that I was disappointed, but it totally threw me (well, I *was* a little disappointed that it wasn't something more girly, but that definitely NOT the bulk of the emotion I felt when I opened it - I was more like "huh?"). She went on to tell me that he had actually put some thought into it. People had suggested that he get me foo-foo lotions or candles, but he thought they were too cliche. And then he remembered me saying one time that I really like nice pens. Now, I don't remember saying this at all, but if there was a time that I actually said that, I have to give him kudos for remembering and putting that much thought into it.

And I feel like a heel for making everyone think I was disappointed. I hope he's not upset.

Quote of the Day

"We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box." ~ Robert Fulghum, Author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

received in my inbox from Chris.

Yes or no...

Would you call your cable company and ask them for a credit if you hadn't watched TV in a month?

The reason I ask...

I CONSTNTLY have people calling to say "oh, well I haven't used the service in a month. I want a credit." Uhhh, sorry, it doesn't work that way. If we are providing the service to you, you have to pay for it whether or not it's been accessed. It's not a "pay as you use" plan, it's a monthly service. If you called your cable company or satellite provider and told them you hadn't watched TV in a month, they wouldn't give you a credit. If you subscribe to a magazine and you call them and say you haven't read it in 3 months, they wouldn't give you a credit. And most people wouldn't even think to ask in that type of situation. So what is it about internet service that makes it any different?

Is it time to go home yet?

I have WAY too much to do tonight. Work is very slow today. I want to go home. BUT... that will count against my department's "attendance guidelines," and it would eat away at the time I saved for my vacation. So I guess I'm stuck here.

Retail un-therapy

I went to Borders last night to pick up something I had ordered. I went to the online order pick-up counter (which is along the same "stretch of wood" as the registers) to get it. One of the cashiers called someone over to help me. An associate came over and I gave him all of my info, etc. About halfway through our transaction, the guy at the register closest to the pickup counter gave me a dirty look and said in a very snotty tone "um, ma'am, the line is ACTUALLY allllll the way down there," drawing every word out like he thought I was a child, and pointing to the end of the line. And this was while he was in the middle of his own transaction with another customer!

The guy who was helping me told him that I didn't have to wait on line since I was picking up a pre-paid order and all he said was "oh, I didn't know that," in that same snotty tone. No apology, nothing.

I was pissed. Am I being overly sensitive?

And also, I realize that Borders has a relaxed dress code, but when did it become appropriate for a retail associate to wear a BASEBALL CAP at work?

I'm tired just looking at this list...

This is what I need to do in the next 26.5 hours:

• Buy Secret Santa gifts for two three people {{UPDATE!! Finished!}}
• Wrap said gifts {{UPDATE!! Finished!}}
• Get to the PO to mail one of said gifts {{UPDATE!! I'll be doing that on Monday, and it will be going either UPS, FedEx or USPS Priority Mail}}
• Write out and mail Christmas cards {{UPDATE!! Finished, except for one card which will go in the mail today}}
• Pick up something that I ordered for DH {{UPDATE!! Finished!}}
• Bake the following goodies:
  • -- one cheesecake {{UPDATE!! Finished!}}
  • -- PB cup brownies {{UPDATE!! Finished!}}
  • -- Sherri's chocolate chip cookies {{UPDATE!! Cancelled due to time constraints}}

Oh, and we're packing Saturday and shopping some more on Sunday. By the time I actually GET to NY, I'm going to be so tired, all I'm going to want to do is sleep for a week.

Another quizzie

you are mediumpurple #9370D8

Your dominant hues are blue and magenta. You're the one who goes to all the parties but doesn't quite fit in at every one... you know what you want, but are afraid of what the world might think of it. You're a little different and that's okay with them, and if you're smart it's okay with you too. Your saturation level is lower than average - You don't stress out over things and don't understand people who do. Finishing projects may sometimes be a challenge, but you schedule time as you see fit and the important things all happen in the end, even if not everyone sees your grand master plan. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

I think it's fairly accurate.

SPd from Mel

This gave me a much-needed chuckle today...

What a nice thing to find just 8 days before heading back to The Island to spend Christmas with my extended family. :) I may not live there anymore, and I may never live there again, but there will always be a little piece of me that calls Long Island "home."

Readers sum it up in a phrase: You Know You're From LI If...

Beth DeCarbo, LI Life editor

December 14, 2003

We're a unique breed, those of us who call Long Island home. Just ask the 200 or so readers who responded to finish the phrase: "You know you're from Long Island if..."

Cited were things like the food we eat, the way we talk, sentimental destinations and the high cost of living. Thanks to everyone who wrote in - the letters were a hoot. Maybe someday we'll hook up at the mawl for a cupluv slices.

- Beth DeCarbo, LI Life editor

You know you're from Long Island

if ...

... you say you live on Long Island instead of in Long Island.

- Lainie Bloom, Bayville

... you've lived in Brooklyn all of your life.

- John H. Curd, Commack (formerly

of Brooklyn)

... your property taxes equal the cost of a new, midsized automobile.

- Ellen Rothman, Woodbury

... you know how great a double-double burger from All American tastes after a full day at the beach.

- Vincent Austin, Massapequa

... you know that the Nathan's in Oceanside used to be called the Roadside Rest.

- Audrey Kurtin, Bay Shore

... you know what OBI and CMI stand for.

- Arlene Caselli, Port Jefferson

... you know that Glen Cove Road is in Mineola and Mineola Avenue is in Roslyn and Roslyn Road is in Westbury and Westbury Avenue is in Carle Place.

- Elaine Anderson, East Meadow

... you pronounce it Com-mack and not Co-mack.

- Robert Blake, East Northport

... you know someone who has seen Billy Joel in Oyster Bay.

- Donna Ruiz, Glen Head

... you recognize the places Nelson DeMille writes about in "The Gold Coast."

- Roberta Furman, Old Bethpage

... you went to Jahn's (ice cream parlor) on Hempstead Turnpike after a session at the "rolla" rink.

- Maria DiBenedetto, Wantagh

... when directions to your house begin with, "Exit ... "

- Ellen Nardozza, Medford

... you remember Old Country Road when it was an old country road.

- Ruthann De Stefano, Fort Salonga

... you know that Field Six is not a field but a place to park and enjoy beautiful Jones Beach.

- Jackie Priestley, Wantagh

... you still love the Good Rats-rats-rats-rats.

- Lisa Kristel, Valley Stream-Syosset

... you have to get a permit to have a yard sale.

- Unsigned

... election signs go up on your neighbors' lawns telling you to vote Republican. (What your neighbor doesn't tell you is that if he doesn't post the sign, he's probably out of a job.)

- Allen Ambrose, Westbury

... if you say Wantagh as Wantaw, not Wantog.

- Scott Lownie, Levittown

... you love the Island for its proximity to Manhattan, but you rarely cross any bridges, so your E-ZPass has a permanent $25 balance.

- Patricia Riew, Wantagh

... your childhood memories include eating Zorn's chicken out of the blue bucket.

- Andrea Miller, East Meadow

... you mail this letter to Newsday, then drive to Melville on the LIE and the letter gets there first.

- Tony Raiona, Mastic

... when worse comes to worst, there's always a diner open.

- Unsigned

... someone asks you, "How far is ... ," and you answer in time rather than in distance.

- Angela Einsel, Huntington Station

... you have the choice of dozens of beautiful beaches and you still own a swimming pool.

- Jeff Mark, Smithtown

... you go for a cuplov slices, you gotta get da bagels 'n' cream cheese, and you axed, "Did ja eet jet?"

- Patrice Stango, Lindenhurst

... every rational voice inside you that talks about rent, phone bills, taxes, electricity, mortgages, politicians, health care, traffic or sun tells you to leave ... and you still can't go.

- Gene Caiola, Bay Shore

... you remember going to Jolly Rogers at the corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Hicksville Road.

- Timothy L. Busam, Levittown

... you still look for the toll booth on the Southern State Parkway in Valley Stream.

- Liz Podgorsky, Lynbrook

... you know your distant future might involve the state of Florida.

- Laurie Chester, North Bellmore

... you refer to Westchester County as upstate.

- Judith Ehrbar, Northport

... you know where "The End" is.

- Judy Mohrmann, Massapequa Park

And If That's Not Enough

Just type "you know you're from Long Island" into an Internet search engine (like Google), and you'll unearth a number of hometown gems. Here's a sampling:

You know you're from Long Island if ...

... you feel like you know Howard Stern.

... when you're away from Long Island, you love it and when you're there, you don't.

... you know the exact point at which Queens turns into Nassau simply on intuition.

... you're still waiting for a bridge to Connecticut.

... you've tried to use your father's monthly ticket to ride the LIRR. And it worked.

... you've never really fully evaluated the meaning of the name Hicksville.

... you know where the Commack Motor Inn is but you "have never been there."

... you've never been to Times Square on New Year's Eve.

... no, you don't want mustard on that burger!

... the most exciting day of summer is when all tickets to every Jones Beach show go on sale.

... you want the Yankees to stay in the Bronx, but would probably go to more games if they moved to Manhattan.

... you can order a pizza pie and a soda and people will understand.

... you've never taken an MTA bus.

... you felt slighted when Snapple sold out.

... you don't associate Fire Island with gay men.

... when you hear Billy Joel's "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" you try to figure out where it is. It's Christiano's in Syosset.

... you know which parts of "The Godfather" were filmed on LI.

... you've said stupid things like, "Strong Island."

... you always liked Billy Joel, but as soon as you leave, you love Billy Joel.

... you don't see the big deal about the Hamptons.

... you think if you're not from Long Island or NYC, you're not really from New York.

... you don't go to Manhattan, you go to "The City."

... you never realize you have an accent until you leave.

... at some point in your life, you've gone clamming.

... you curse. A lot.

... if your parents didn't, your grandparents lived in the city.

... you or someone you know has gotten an animal from North Shore Animal League.

... you never want to "change at Jamaica."

... your parents took you to Nathan's or Carvel (on the way home from the beach).

... you can name at least three players on the Islanders' Stanley Cup teams.

... you cope with the fact that the Islanders have completely tanked since LaFontaine left.

... you remember the exact day you stopped going to Jones Beach and started going to Robert Moses.

... you've had a seagull poop on your car.

... even the concept of the Islanders ever leaving is unrealistic.

... you've cruised on the "turnpike."

... you know someone with a cabana.

... you've played golf at Eisenhower Park (legally or otherwise).

... you hate paying tolls.

... you don't have to go far to see your family.

... you know the difference between WLIR and WDRE, even though they played the same music.

... you were an Islander/Met/Jet fan or a Ranger/Yankee/Giant fan. There was no crossover.

... you can correctly pronounce Hauppauge, Commack, Islip, Islandia and Massapequa.

... there are no real bagels or pizza anywhere else (except The City).
Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.

Guess not...

Apparently my car is only safe to drive at or below residential speed. It's fine in town, but when I got on the highway this morning, my front passenger-side tire started wobbling. Considering I'm on the highway for a solid 45 minutes, that wasn't too kosher with me. So rather than working during the day and trying to get things resolved while I'm at work, I'll be trying to get things resolved this morning. I'm hoping to drop off my car and get a rental in time to make it in to work today, but I'm not optimistic.

Weird...

I wonder if the acident had anything to do with this...

I had a dream last night that our friend Chris handed me $50,000 in cash and asked "can you please run out and buy me a new car while we're gaming next week?" He wanted a brand new Ford Taurus in a color called California Green (which shocked me, because much like me, he prefers his cars black). I don't know if that's an actual Ford shade, but in my dream it was a light bluey-green. Tauruses (Taurii?) are nowhere near $50K, but I have no idea what he wanted me to do with the change.

Weekend was nice... for the most part

The not-so-nice part of today came with a bang, right around 12:30 PM. Or would that be a crash?

Don'tcha just love car accidents?

I was driving on a straight road, minding my own business, when a guy came out of a side street on my right (his vision was blocked by a large van, but he pulled out into the middle of the intersection anyway - grrr). I swerved to try to avoid him (and would have T-boned him had I not, and thank god nobody was coming in the other direction, otherwise I would have hit them head-on), but I wasn't able to get quite far enough out of the way. My passenger side headlight is smashed, there's a pretty sizeable dent in my right front quarter panel, and a small dent in the seam of the passenger side door and the right front quarter panel (which is currently preventing my front passenger door from opening).

I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant on that corner, as did he. He got out, profusely apologized, fully admitted it was his fault. He offered to write me a check, but I wanted to go through the insurance company. We exchanged information and went on our ways. His vehicle has virtually no damage (GMC Sierra, which is a pretty sizeable pickup). When we were exchanging information, he also told me that my insurance agent could call him and he'd write the insurance a check. I think he may be looking to throw money at the problem in the hope that it will go away.

I stopped at the police station on the way home, just to see if it needed to be reported. The officer I spoke with who came out to look at my car said it was probably borderline reportable (meaning probably right around $1,000 in damage), but that if we kept it within the insurance companies (or company, since we both use the same one), it wouldn't go on our records like it would if we did a police report.

The guy seems like he's going to be pretty cool about it. Either that, or totally paranoid and willing to do what it takes to avoid whatever would come with anything court-related. When I got home, DH said the guy had already called to make sure I have his phone number, and DH said one of the first questions out of his mouth was to ask whether I knew if it was going to be over $1,000 in damage. DH also said the guy sounded really nervous. I don't know whether he actually mentioned a lawsuit, but he specifically said that the guy sounded nervous about being sued. I don't know what the deal is with being so paranoid though - I checked him out on the court website and there's only one thing under his name, and I'm not even 100% sure it was him (at another address, in another county (albeit not too far from here), 15 years ago.

Anyway...

Aside from the light, I think it might just need body work, but you never know. I'm certainly not a mechanic. I made it home okay, and the car seemed to run okay, but like I said, I'm not a mechanic.

My deductible for comprehension is $50 and my collision is $250. I get $30 a day toward a rental, but I'll need something bigger than a $30 a day rental car (my fat ass is NOT fitting in a tiny little car). I may ask him to cover my out-of-pocket costs. If he's not as agreeable to whipping out the checkbook then as he was this afternoon, my mom suggested taking him to small claims court.

But WAAAAAH!!!!! My baby is all dent-y! It could have been a LOT worse though, but it wasn't. And for that, I'm definitely thankful.

Ooooooh, I LOVED this quiz!

Kyan: Grooming Guru

Which Member from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is your type?
brought to you by Quizilla

Can I just say how much I LOVE this show? Love it love it love it.

2004 Presidential Candidate Selector

Take the quiz here. SPd from Mel, Erica and Dee

Your Results (edited - I took the test again and gave it a little more thought this time...):

1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Dean, Gov. Howard, VT - Democrat (67%) Click here for info
3. Kucinich, Rep. Dennis, OH - Democrat (67%) Click here for info
4. Clark, Retired General Wesley K., AR - Democrat (64%) Click here for info
5. Gephardt, Rep. Dick, MO - Democrat (59%) Click here for info
6. Edwards, Senator John, NC - Democrat (58%) Click here for info
7. Socialist Candidate (54%) Click here for info
8. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (53%) Click here for info
9. Sharpton, Reverend Al - Democrat (52%) Click here for info
10. Green Party Candidate (51%) Click here for info
11. Libertarian Candidate (45%) Click here for info
12. Lieberman, Senator Joe, CT - Democrat (43%) Click here for info
13. Moseley-Braun, Former Senator Carol, IL - Democrat (28%) Click here for info
14. LaRouche, Lyndon H. Jr. - Democrat (18%) Click here for info
15. Bush, President George W. - Republican (13%) Click here for info
16. Phillips, Howard - Constitution (9%) Click here for info
17. Hagelin, Dr. John - Natural Law (8%) Click here for info

And here's the funky little graphic you get...

************** According to the SelectSmart.com 2004 AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SELECTOR, Howard Dean best matches my political views. Who gets your vote? ************** SelectSmart.com/president

Medical stuff...

Okay, so I went to the doctor. See my previous medical rant. BP was a little high, and judging from what else I told him regarding symptoms, he sent me for an EKG and bloodwork (glucose, thyroid and lipids). Pretty much everything on the bloodwork came back normal. I'm sure he has the results of the EKG, and I'm guessing that was okay since he hasn't called me.

He wants to send me for a cardiac stress test, so we can figure out how much I can safely exercise, but I found out that I may not qualify for a stress test on just his recommendation. There are certain criteria my "stats" have to meet, and if I don't meet them I have to go get the prescription from a cardiologist. I'm sitting here thinking "why go through all that when I can just walk 20 or 30 minutes a day and I already know that?"

I dunno. I should probably call the office and see what the deal is.

By the way, I went to Dr. K, and yes, he tried to sell me something. And yes, his office manager is still a bitch.

I used to be so happy here

There was a time where I could not say enough good things about my company. I LOVED working here. Now, don't get me wrong. I still love what I do. I still love the people that I work with. It's the management/HR juggernaut and their ridiculous policies I have a problem with.

What do people do?

I tried to make a doctor's appointment today. I called Office A. No new patients, but you can try Office B. Called office B. Well, we have one doctor accepting new patients, but she's on maternity leave until February. Try the hospital, they should have a list of doctors taking new patients. Called the hospital, they gave me the names of four doctors accepting new patients - the one on maternity leave, and three others I've been to and don't care for. I asked her what people do when they're new in town or have problems with the available doctors. She said "oh, well we have the emergency room and urgent care." Sorry lady, last time I went to urgent care, I was grossly misdiagnosed by a physician's assistant who took one look at me when she walked in the room and told me that X,Y and Z were wrong with me because I was fat (I was later properly diagnosed by a regular doctor), refused to pay the bill, and while I was working with the hospital regarding the error, they sent me to collection for $300.00. No thanks.

I even explained my situation to the two clinics I called, as well as the hospital. I'm 27. I'm severely overweight. It hasn't been much of a hindrance as far as my health in the past, but it's starting to catch up with me. In the last month or so, I can feel my heart beating, sometimes it feels like it's skipping beats every now and then. I'm always tired, sometimes I have random shortness of breath - not after any sort of exertion, just sitting around. I know this means there could be a very serious problem. But nobody cares. They're not taking new patients. I can go to one of the doctors I don't like, or I can go out of town. But sorry, we can't help you.

Here's the three doctors I don't like:

Dr. C is also an obstetrician in addition to taking GP patients, and treats you like you're a waste of his time if you're not pregnant. He's also tried very hard to convince me to take weight-loss pills, even after I've expressed my desire to have him work with me to develop a plan to lose weight while avoiding pills. He keeps going back to the damn pills. I DON'T WANT PILLS!!!

Dr. Kh barely listens to a word you say and diagnoses everything as something that requires a big honkin' bottle of cough syrup with codeine. I have never had a visit with him where I didn't get a prescription for cough syrup with codeine.

Dr. K, while taking a lot of time to talk to his patients - though not necessarily about anything remotely medically-related - is also a district sales rep for a company that manufactures medical supplies and a line of weight-loss/healthy-eating bars/shakes/etc. I have never been in his office without getting some sort of sales pitch. Not to mention that since he yammers on and on about nothing important to his patients, I've never sat in his waiting room for less than 90 minutes. I've even called to see how late he's running - 10 minutes before my appointment - and been told there was only one person ahead of me. And I STILL sat for 90 minutes. And his office manager is very rude, like how dare I ask something that might remotely be construed as criticism.

Is it understandable that I don't like any of these folks? Am I just that picky?

WTF?!?!?!

I wonder what to call this

I stayed home today. I've had a VERY stressful week at work, so stressful that my acid reflux was acting up and I didn't get much sleep last night. I stayed home because I didn't feel I could go to work, work the full day and make it home fully awake behind the wheel (well, and I still feel kinda shitty). With an hour drive each way, that's a very real concern when you're dead tired. So would this count as a sick day or a brain day? Or did me being sick force me into a brain day? I'm not sure.

Maybe I'll go take a nap and sleep on it.

Maybe I'll give that a whirl

Received from a coworker

If you had bought $1000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00. With Enron, you would have $16.50 of the original $1000. With Worldcom you would have less than $5.00 left. If you had bought $1,000 worth of Budweiser (the beer, not the stock) one year ago, drunk all the beer, then turned in the cans for the 10 cent deposit, you would have $214.00. Based on this information, the best investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle. This is a new retirement program called the 401Keg.

Nevermind

I posted and it gave me an error message, so I thought my post didn't go through. I did it again and now I have duplicates. Oh well.

I'm tired... sooo tired

If I needed retail therapy before last night, I need it no longer. Piggly Wiggly for groceries, Wal-Mart and Shopko for other stuff that we needed (this was not a pleasure trip, though the act of filling the cart in itself was pleasurable). Two and a half hours. And then I came home, tidied up the bedroom and helped the hub with our outside Christmas lights. Didn't get to bed until almost midnight.

Lemme tell you, 5:00 AM comes WAY too quickly after not having gone to sleep until midnight.

Oh, and please don't get on my case for shopping at Wal-Mart. I do honestly believe that it's at least semi-responsible for the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, but... for how much I bought it probably saved me at least $20.00, which is desperately needed right now. It's only a maybe twice-a-year thing - I can't bear to drag myself in there much more often than that. Oh, and we still had a gift card that we got for our wedding that we hadn't used yet.

This post is not suitable for children

I love the word FUCK. It's just so...satisfying. And fun to say, too! Say it with me!!!

FUCK!!!

Not a moment too soon...

I realized that in the two work weeks that contain Christmas and New Year's
Day, when I scheduled my vacation, it left me working on Monday 12/22 and
Friday 1/2 - I thought that was silly, so I updated my vacation request to
include the entire two weeks - it was approved!!! My last day at work
before Christmas is December 19th, and my first day back is January 5th.

16 glorious days in a row with no work!!! And I get vacation preparation
and recovery time as well - we're leaving for NY the 23rd and coming back
the 30th. So I'll have 4 days to prepare before we leave, and once we get
back, I'll have 5 days before I have to go back to work!

Where's Mel's "hyper" icon when I need it???