The move is over

In the past week I have painted, cleaned, climbed ladders, hauled boxes, moved furniture alone, cursed, cried, laughed and ate my weight in pizza but it's official, we are home owners. Now if someone would just unpack all these boxes.

There are deer in the yard. And it takes me 45 minutes to get home from work but only 30 minutes to get there (why is that?).

We have no cable or internet (Hi new neighbors - you should secure your internet connection).

Bean scratched her nails to bloody lil pulps in the carrier on the way up here - she's fine now, and the plus is that she and Beej are best buddies now.

It's snowed everyday since we got here (not a lot mind you, but still SNOW!).

I don't know my new phone number.

When I drive home from work, I usually slam on the brakes when I get here because I'm always about to drive past it.

I have done no Christmas shopping and am starting to freak out.

I don't like being here alone at night with no curtains on the windows (and O&A talking about home invasions yesterday has just made me more uncomfortable).

California Tortilla is kinda gross.

I'm exhausted. So I'm off to bed - but we're here (and we're queer! We don't want anymore bears!) (which has also the ep we've been quoting since settlement -"let the bears pay the bear tax - I pay the Homer tax!" "that's the home owner tax, dad")

Night!

Who goes shopping at 4 AM?

So I'm sitting here all snuggly on the couch, catching up on DOOL, warm and happy under my heated throw, perusing the ads for "Black Friday" when I noticed that Kohls opens at 4 AM.

That's crazy talk!

Who is getting up that early to shop? What could you possibly need that would propel you out of your safe, warm bed to a store with a bunch of other lunatics? There is no deal in the universe that would get me out of bed that early.

I don't even like to get up to pee at 3 AM.

Giving the bird the bird

For as long as we've lived here (10 years!) Mr. Pants and I have spent Thanksgiving here in our PJs eating a humongous amount of food. No relatives, no arguments, no football. Just us, our cats, the parade (and me singing "I love a parade" repeatedly), the dog show and some Buffy episodes. We eat, go to bed and sleep Friday away.

TYPICALLY.

This year because we are moving on Monday the 26th - and because new job is making me work Wednesday (ALL DAY) and Friday (ALL DAY), we are cutting corners right and left.

The Turkey I lovingly brine? Is going to be a simple maple glazed turkey.

The stuffing that I bake my own bread for, cube and let get stale? Then cook up the aromatic veggies to make an awesome, delectable stuffing (I love stuffing -it's my favorite part of the meal) is being replaced by Stove Top.

The mashed sweet potato casserole with tiny lil' marshmallows on top? Is being replaced with some frozen candied sweet potatoes. (This side dish is my specialty - I used to work in a restaurant and when I first came up with it I presented it the head chef as "goo". Which stuck in the kitchen - and still to this day I call it goo.)

The pies (usually two or three) that I would labor over on Wednesday afternoon when I came home early from my old job have been replaced by a Sara Lee frozen job that was only $1.88 at the Wegmans! My dad would be so proud.

The veggies that I would marinate and roast on Thursday are off the menu too - replaced with a frozen veggie combo.

The shrimp I would normally steam in beer and old bay are gone too. Along with the Chutney spread and the beer cheese dip. Instead it'll probably be easy cheese on crackers (not really - I may throw together some apps on Wednesday night if Mr. Pants goes out drinking - maybe a fig goat cheese phyllo concoction.)

The only thing I'm keeping is the mandarin salad I would normally make.

I know I'll miss my typically Thanksgiving. Ever since my family became spread so far I've come to look forward to this easy day of great food and no stress. Even though the food won't be as good - Mr. Pants and I will still watch the parade, dog show and I didn't pack Buffy Season 2 for that reason - we'll still sit at the table and say what we're thankful for. We still feed the cats wet food and all fall into a weird slumber by 7 p.m. It stinks I'll have to get up early on Friday to go to work, but whatever... I'm off Monday and Thursday and Friday of the follow week - and by December 1st - we'll be set into our new home - I hope!

Of course last week I was bitching about XBoyfriend - he called the other day and I answered (Damn you long commute!) and he asked if he could come to our thanksgiving dinner. We had a screaming match about his drinking and then he hung up. I haven't heard from him since, but I can only imagine that he's going to show up here like nothing ever happened.

Of course I could use the help packing.

Leave me alone!

I dated a guy from the time I was 14 until 21. Not all 7 years straight through, but off and on. I can divide it up into a couple of set times - the catholic school years which involved a lot of sneaking out of the house at 3 AM, plotting how we would run off together while listening to the Cure and talking about how no one understood us. The drop out years - he dropped out of high school and my parents moved far enough away that it was hard for us to see each other. This consisted of me taking the train a lot and us fighting. The post high school years- I was half heartedly going to college, but mostly majoring in drinking - he was was well on his way to becoming a full fledged alcoholic. We split up with a whimper. One morning after a particularly booze filled evening we were sitting in Denny's, trying to decide when we would move to Vegas. He looked over at me and said "you know I'll always take care of you". Coming from a guy that I spent the better part of every night picking up after when he got bombed - I knew it wasn't true. He had cheated on me numerous times in the past and I was just so fucking sick of it and him. I told him I was going home to pack and I just never spoke to him again. To be fair he didn't really chase me down - by then we both kind of knew that it was the end of us.

We didn't talk for a long time. The internet is a dangerous thing sometimes. You can find just about anyone - even when it's not such a good idea. I sent a Christmas card. He called. We struck up an uneasy friendship.

He would call erratically, late at night - drunk and argumentative. Then the calls started coming from jail. Then rehab. Then jail. Then home. Where he'd be drunk and argumentative. Then jail. Then rehab. About 11 months ago they just stopped coming. He was in jail at the time - but he just stopped calling and writing. I didn't really mind.

Over the weekend I was talking to Violet about how I was going to purge all the letters he had ever sent me over the last 18 years. I didn't want to take that baggage with me to a new home - although I did debate (actually still going on) transcribing some of those letters on to here.

So imagine by surpise yesterday when I was getting out of the shower and I heard this on the machine I kinda freaked:
"I know you don't want to talk to me." [Correctamundo]. "I have to apologize to you for how I treated you in the past." [No you don't]. "I can't believe how I let myself get wrapped up with her [his crazy baby mama] again". See up until that sentence I thought maybe he was working his way up the steps and felt like he needed to actually apologize... Not that he wanted to bitch about his girlfriend. So I went back in to dry my hair. And in the 15 minutes it took me to do that he called 4 times and left more rambling messages including an odd "I'm coming to visit you in 2 weeks [no you're not].

I drove up to deliver my nephew's birthday gift and came home to a bunch of hang ups on the machine from his number.

So now I question - do I engage or not? I'm thinking he's drinking again - and I really don't have anything to say to him. Everything has been going so well - the job, the house, etc... I just don't want to deal with craziness right now.

Harry the Happy Homeowner

Mr. Pants and I found a house that we liked. We put in a bid. Someone else put in a bid. We raised our bid. We got the house. We make settlement either Nov 19th or 26th - we'll find out this week. Now comes the hard part.

Convincing our friends and family to help us paint and move.

The rich are different

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last entry. I was having a hard time deciding between my dream job and a job. It ended up that I didn't have to chose, as dream job claims they won't have the funding to create this position until the new fiscal year (in January). So with no choice left I went with a job.

A job involves me providing administrative support to the VP of sales. We sit approx. 2 feet from each other in room the size of a bathroom. He ignores me. The president of the company hates me. Everyone else seems rather nice, but the customers? They're different. The other day a man called up, rather frantic.

"I have a problem in my conservatory," he said.

Is it Colonel Mustard with the candle stick? Should I send Professor Plum?

I don't even know what a conservatory is.

I'm out of my league here.

What I'm addicted to

Lately I've been addicted to these things:

Reese's Elvis Cups - OMG! Super Yummy. Have been driving out to Walgreens daily to pick some up. If only I could find the bag of miniatures.

Guitar Hero - I am the epitome of unemployed. I spend my day in my underpants playing video games. I suck at this worst than any game I've every played, but I adore it. So far I can only get 5 stars on 1 song on easy, but I play it every day for hours.

I love these cats: Icanhascheezburger.com - even the odd writing doesn't bother me.

Simpsons stuff - I can not stop buying this crap. It doesn't help that Mr. Pants brought home a six pack of buzz cola, 2 character straws and an Apu Pen. I know the movie is going to suck diddly uck but I'm excited nonetheless.

2 more weeks of loafing

So that interview I posted about? I got the job. I start the 9th. I'm super nervous and excited and worried. I hope I'll like it. I have a pro & con list that's like a mile long and full of silly little things, but I am going to push a head and accept that I am rejoining the full time work world.

No more reading comic books in the afternoon. Or having a Gilmore Girls a thon. Or going to the movies while everyone is at work. No more long lunches with my folks or breakfasts alone at the diner with a good book. No more staying up till midnight. No more Wii bowling at noon.

Buy YAY! To the return of a weekly paycheck.

And it has prompted Mr. Pants and I to think about buying our first home. So double YAY!

Today we saw Shrek the Third. It stunk. It was by far the worst of the Shrek movies, and not worth the $19.50 it cost for the 2 of us to go the theater. Plus I got KitKats instead of Sour Patch Kids and regretted it immediately as the movie started. It's not a movie without SPK.

So I have 2 weeks to do whatever my little heart desires. I am trying to put together a list, but so far eating junk food and watching DVDs seems to be at the top. And sleeping till noon. Perhaps I'll go to the shore on Tuesday.... or maybe I'll burn off my last unemployment check at the Track!

Is $25 too much to spend on 16 peanut butter cups?

Somehow I don't think so.

I NEED these. NEED. If you spot them anywhere, drop me a line... I'm hearing will be shipping around July 7th and I'd rather not buy 16 of them.

Jack this

So, last Thursday I noticed that the pallet jack was missing at work.

I wandered out to reception and asked Dana if she'd seen it. She said no and then got up to help me look. (Pictured above is the jack). She asked me if Boss #1 could have taken in with him in his mini van.
Perhaps it was upstairs?
Maybe it was in the coat closet?

I felt like I was on an episode of Sesame Street. Where would a pallet jack fit? I kept explaining it's size and she kept looking in smaller and smaller places.

When I called Boss #1 and left him a message that the jack was missing, I never thought Friday would turn out like it did.

I showed up at 7:30 to find Boss there and furious. He yelled at me for a good ten minutes about the cost of the jack, how it could have gotten lost and how I was to call the trucking company and demand that they bring it back. If they told me they didn't have it, they were fucking LYING and I should accuse them of such.

Uh-huh.

I called the trucking company and they found the driver for me. The driver said boss #2 was there when he picked up (I was not) and told him to use the jack, but to leave it outside, which he did. I report this to Boss #1 whose new plan is for me to go door to door in the business park and ask if anyone has seen the jack.

I walked out and hid in the bushes and smoked for an half an hour. Returned and said no one had it.

I've decided to talk about them as much as possible in hopes I'll get dooced.

I HATE this job.

But this time I'm nervous

So I have an interview tomorrow. Again. Or another one. But this is for a REAL job, with a REAL company, not some weird back-asswards freakazoid suck-a-polozza like my current job. I can not get over how shitty my current job turned out to be. This weekend Violet & I were on the boards in OC and we saw a kid wearing a tee shirt from my current employer and Violet wanted me to run over and scream "Stupid Fucktards is a Sweatshop". Which it actually is, as I am not allowed to have air conditioning in the back room. If I get hot I can use a fan or open the receiving door. Which I did the last time and a bird flew in. When I explained that I have an irrational fear of birds, I was told to "suck it up and get back in there". Whatever, douches. There's a reason this position has turned over 3 times this year - and it's soon to be 4!

So today I came home and got out one of my suits to wear tomorrow. I can not get over how excited I am to wear a suit again. One of my requirements was that I wanted to be able to dress down. After 3 months of dressing like a kid going to camp (for example today I wore overall shorts, sneaks & had my hair in pigtails) I long for my heels, my skirts, my dress slacks. Hell, I'm even going to wear panty hose tomorrow (if I have any).

And this job has a title! And it's not Slave Girl. Woo-hoo! Of course I am probably counting my chickens way before they've hatched, but if this doesn't pan out, I'm going to start temping.

I took the sweatshop job, and turned down all of my other interviews because I thought I had found the job that would at least get me through the summer. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that I would be sweating to the oldies in a warehouse all summer. Perhaps I should have thought things out better. Now I am kicking myself for turning down job offers. Maybe I would have like working with Foster kids, or selling mystery shop services to Companies.

Oh well, wish me luck!

15 years after High School

15 years ago this week I graduated from high school.

And I was certain Super Ex and I would work out things and get married.

And I debated moving downtown but instead went to college.

14 years ago I met Super Ex for breakfast and he proposed we move to Vegas.

Instead I rented an apartment with 2 girls I don't talk to at all anymore.

And then moved to the Mountains to ski with 3 guys I don't talk to anymore.

Then went back to Super Ex agreeing to move to Vegas.

13 years ago I bailed on the day of the move.

And didn't talk to Super Ex for 9 years

So I changed my major.

And took a job with Staples. A job I would have until this past February.

12 years ago I transferred schools.

And changed my major again.

And drank a lot.

And made a lot of bad choices for the next two years.

Mostly because I was sad about my Dad's cancer.

And Super Ex.

10 years ago Mr. Pants & I ran into each other at a bar.

And went out on a date.

And fell in love.

I finished going to school - 8 credits short of my degree.

9 years ago Mr. Pants presented me with a gorgeous diamond.

I said "yes".

We moved in here.

And adopted Al & Bean.

8 years ago we got married.

7 years ago we almost got divorced.

Instead we adopted Boo.

6 years ago we went to Mexico.

5 years ago my mom started to get sick.

4 years ago I debated moving to Florida.

Instead I stayed.

3 years ago I spent most of my time on the internet trading old O&A bits.

2 years ago I again debated running away from my life.

But I stayed.

Last year I laughed more than I thought possible.

Was happier than I though I could ever be.

Today I am no where near where I thought I'd be 15 years ago (Dead). I am not married to the man I thought I'd be (even though I love him more than I tell him and he's the best guy ever). I'm fatter than I've ever been. Less healthy than I should be. Older, grayer and wrinklier than you should be at 33. My parents are old. And sick. My brothers and I aren't as close as we should be. I've weeded out the drama queens, the drunkards and sponges from my life, to a core group of friends I love. I don't worry as much about money and career stuff.

I'm older.

But happier.

And luckier.

And well loved.

This isn't the life I would have picked for me. It's mediocre, suburban, and boring. But I love it.

Picture Pages

Al likes to go out and lay in the (neighbor's) garden:
While Boo watches from inside:


And Bean looks annoyed:

If you believe in freedom of speech

I doubt I have any readers here that aren't related to me or former roommates...but if you aren't a member of my family or someone who has seen me in my underpants, welcome!

I don't want to get into a political debate here. I don't really give a shit what political party you are or aren't and why you hate or love about the current government. But I need to discuss something that is very near and dear to my heart right now.

Freedom of Speech.

I'm sure every single reader here heard what happened to Don Imus. Imus (who had a fucking comedy show!) was fired for calling the Rutger's Female Basketball Team "Nappy Headed Hos". Was it funny? Not really. Racist? Yes. Imus is an old out of touch fool. Did he deserve to be fired for it. NO.

JV and Elvis (a radio duo heard on Free FM in NYC) were "suspended indefinitely " from the station for making a prank phone call to a Chinese restaurant. Again, not really funny, and kinda racist, but did not deserve the firing they received.

On May 9th, the Opie and Anthony show heard on XM SATELLITE RADIO broadcast comments made by a homeless man that included the rape of Condoleeza Rice. XM is an uncensored pay service, and the Opie and Anthony show is broadcast with warnings that it is an EXTREME LANGUAGE channel and the radio display notes that the channel is "XL". This morning Opie and Anthony apologized for the comments made. As of right now they have not been fired from Free FM or XM, but that could change at any moment.

In all three cases I do not support the statements made by these shows. They are crude, tasteless comments. BUT... this is a freedom of speech issue, and as an American I support freedom of speech. If special interest groups continue to dictate what can be played on radio, they will eventually come after other talk shows like Hannity or Rush, Or Colmes or whatever local talk show you like. Then they'll start going after music. We've already seen this with the fallout from Imus' firing, as Rev. Sharpton made comments that Rap & Hip Hop should be monitored and held to some kind of standards. Then it'll be TV, and if the fallout from the Opie and Anthony debacle is any indication, not even HBO would be safe. Then it's the Internet and maybe YOUR blog or favorite site.

I know it may seem that I'm being alarmist here, but if you believe in free speech I urge you to join:

People Against Censorship

And if you can make it, please come to the rally tomorrow in Union Square NYC tomorrow at Noon.

DEMONSTRATION TO FIGHT CENSORSHIP, THIS SATURDAY IN NYC

Please Join us this Saturday, 12 NOON in UNION SQUARE, NYC This Saturday May 12, 2007 we will be demonstrating against censorship, against special interest groups who attempt to censor, and to support free speech on commercial radio, Imus, and JV & Elvis. 12 NOON IN UNION SQUARE 14th and Broadway Please bring signs if you can. THIS DEMONSTRATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT! PLEASE TAKE TWO HOURS OUT OF YOUR LIFE TO SUPPORT SOMETHING YOU BELIEVE IN.

Hey Stranger

The excitement on Days of Our Lives is so great, I can hardly stand it as I watch Kate & Will play scrabble. Why do I watch this shit?

I am starting to hate my new job (hey it's almost been a month). I was hired as an Admin / bookkeeper, but have spent every day in the warehouse packing boxes for shipping. Luckily I have an interview next Friday, so perhaps I won't be there long. Although I do like the people very much at NEW company. I just hate the work.

My pop starts chemo on Monday. I'm freaking out worried about him and where we're headed now. I have a very bad feeling about this, but hopefully things will work out for the best.

We got a new sofa this weekend. It's super comfortable, but it means that we had to toss out the old sofa. I cried. I'm not normally a sentimental fool, but that sofa was a huge part of my life. I sat on that sofa at least once a day for the last 33 years. Really! It was the sofa I grew up with. My mom had it reupholstered at least 3 times, it's probably close to 45 years old. When Mom & Dad moved into their smaller house, Mr. Pants & I took it in. It held so many memories. I remember when I had to be hospitalized as a kid, and when I came home I spent most of my time laying on the couch. I remember laying on it with my mom as she would read to me. I remember kissing my first boyfriend while we were sitting on it watching "Heathers". I remember sitting on it with Mr. Pants watching "Higher Learning" during our first couple of dates. I remember sitting on it with my dolls in Jersey as Mean Brother threatened to use me as payment for the dryer repair man. Ahhh... gross, cat fur ridden, lumpy and uncomfortable brown burlap sofa; you will be missed.





It looks kinda of pathetic sitting on the curb waiting for the trash men to take it away.

Hey Twitchy!

The underneath of my left eye has been visibly twitching since yesterday morning. I am getting plenty of sleep, am not stressed out at all, take a daily vitamin (all common fixed for the "twitch I've read on line) and and in general good health. EXCEPT - that last May the left side of my face went numb for an extended period of time ( about a week). My Doctor was on vacation at the time and his partner was so worried about my face that he called the hospital and a Neurologist in front of me and in a rather panic-y Pete way described my symptoms. No one was particularly worried because I'm fairly young, don't have a history of stroke in my family and seemed fine except for the numbness and a slight droop to the left side of my mouth that only the Doctor could see (and this Doctor had never seen me before - I have an overbite and I think that's what he was noticing). Eventually it stopped and I never bothered on the follow up.

But yesterday I woke up with a twitchy eye and today the area around my nose on the left side of my face has a pins and needle feeling. I'm having family in from out of town tonight, but I am rather convinced that I may need to go to the emergency room. I'm sure it's nothing.

I think I'll nap for awhile and see if that doesn't help.

My mom loves cookies

My mom has Alzheimer's. Which has been weird and very fucking stressful. Last year I made her lace cookies, and she kept talking about how good they were. At really odd times. Since she's been home I've made them for her 3 times. I wonder if she really likes them, or if it's just one of those things stuck in her head?

Plant killer buys a Killer plant

So yesterday I bought a Pothos plant at the Acme. We had a Pothos in my old office, and I loved it. I would often spend an hour a week, pruning, watering and talking to it (hey, I couldn't spend 8 hours at TWOP a day) and I sort of missed it. I haven't bought a plant since we moved in here 9 years ago. I killed the ones outside & the spider plant inside within days. Plus Al thinks plants are his personal salad bar.

But yesterday I was feeling springy and happy and decided to buy a Pathos. I brought it home, set it down and Al headed over for a delicious treat. As I stood there watching him snack on it, I thought I better check if this is poisonous to cats.

It is.

Al's fine. But I can't wait for this plant to die so I can throw it out. Right now it's perched on top of the water cooler. And it's looking a little sickly.

Well, at least I'm not dependent or borderline

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid Disorder:	Moderate
Schizoid Disorder:	High
Schizotypal Disorder:	High
Antisocial Disorder:	Moderate
Borderline Disorder:	Low
Histrionic Disorder:	Moderate
Narcissistic Disorder:	High
Avoidant Disorder:	High
Dependent Disorder:	Low
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:	High
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! -- -- Personality Disorders --

But I am apparently crazy. Between this and the 37 I received on the Autism test I'm starting to think I may need therapy.

Wii & Comic Books

For my birthday back in January Mr. Pants bought me a Wii. I've picked up a couple of games for it, but have not really found anything I enjoyed more than the Sports game that game with the game. When I left my last Company, one of the groups I supported chipped in and gave me a $300 gift card to Best Buy. I've been using that for mostly DS games, but this week I decided to treat myself to Cooking Mama & The Godfather backhand edition. I've been dying for Mario Party because Mr. Pants and I are very competitive but it was moved to June or something, so I thought Cooking Mama would be a cool substitute. It's not.

Basically you use the Wii -mote to chop, stir, crack eggs, etc. while following on screen instructions.

Yeah.

I'm 33.

And I'm playing some shitty, geared at kids game.

And losing at it.

I think I'll resell that one.

But the Godfather game kind of kicks ass. I am having so much fun playing it. If you have a Wii, I highly recommend it.

So today after work (yes, I'm working part time now). I stopped at the comic book store to get the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic book.

Now, I'm a die hard Buffy fan. I know a lot of people will tell you season 5, 6 & 7 were lame, but I still watched them from start to finish. In fact I've even re watched the DVDs a couple of times (even season 7).

I've never read a comic book before today so my review is based entirely on how I think this translates to previous tv seasons. And maybe it's just because I've missed these characters, but I really enjoyed the comic. I'm strangely excited for the April 4th issue. I even got a little choked up when Buffy said she misses her mom & her old life. It made me wish this wasn't just in comic book form, but on my tv.

But maybe that's because I hate every fucking show that's on this season.

Except Prison Break. And that's only because it's full of hot, hot men.

Maybe I should pick up Season 1 of Supernatural?

Never say I don't share my knowledge

So Wednesday I went to interviewing skills class.

And I learned:
1. Never take your pet on an interview.
2. Don't wear a ball gown to the interview.
3. They may ask you 5 people you would like to have dinner with. Oprah is the #1 answer.

No wonder I can't find a job, I've been wearing my wedding dress, carrying Bean with me and bad mouthing Oprah the entire time.

I have class

Monday's interview went exceptionally poorly. It maybe the worst interview I've ever been on. It started innocently enough, I told the gentleman that I was just getting over a cold and he probably didn't want to shake hands, to which he began to treat me like a leper. He babbled at me for 35 minutes, never once stopping to breathe, or ask me anything about myself. Everything he said seemed to run together in a long boring sentence. The cold medicine kicked in enough that I was just kind of mellowing out listening to his flow of words "My mother likes to shop at Sam's by my wife thinks tennis is a better activity and when we lived in Florida for seven years I danced the hula on American Idol". Ooookkkkkaaaay.
Then BLAM - "Wishy, tell me something about yourself I wouldn't know by looking at you."

Uhhhhh....

Quickly my brain weeded through interesting Wishy facts:

I'm a rabid Ron and Fez fan, who spends 6 hours a day listening to the radio?
2 of my ex boyfriends are in jail?
I have 3 cats and like to make up elaborate stories about them to my husband to make him laugh?
I once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die?
I don't really drink, but once in a blue moon I feel the need to act like a frat boy on the night finals are over and drink myself to the point of puking?
I have tattoos! Here, here, here oh, and well I guess I shouldn't show you that one?
I watch hours and hours of mind numbing television?
I craft?

Yes! I craft! So I went into a long elaborate story of my love of all things crafty which I am terrible at, but really enjoy doing. I babbled on about the pillow I sewed last week for the cats to sleep on and the paint by numbers that occupy so much of my time now. He seemed okay with that answer and ran off to get me the next dude I was to interview with.

This guy greeted me with a curt hello and took me down to his office which gives new meaning to dank pit of despair. Every free surface was covered in papers, cds, and plans. There was no lights on and the window was blocked by a stack of binders easily 3 feet high. The first thing he said as we sat down was "I wish you had stayed home with your germs instead of bringing them to us." I resisted the urge to lean over, pick up his stapler and lick it. I apologized. He babbled at me for a few minutes and then sent me to the next gentleman.

He glanced over my resume, asked me if I had billing experience, I said no, he said they needed someone with billing experience and thanked me for coming in.

I told the first guy they were looking for someone with billing experience and he seemed shocked. So that was the end of that. 1st guy made some lame "well, we'll probably call you in for a second interview at the end of the week" talk, but I don't think I would go in anyway. The whole place had a vibe of despair to it.

But luckily Unemployment was actually kind of helpful yesterday and I am going back today to take an interviewing skills class. That should come in hand so I don't end up telling the women I'm interviewing with on Friday how many men I've slept with.

Vab O Rub and Interviews

I have an interview in 2 hours. Which I'm kind of nervous about because the recruiter and I have been playing phone tag for about 3 weeks now. I feel like this guy is my new best friend because we speak on the phone just about every day. On top of all of that I'm sick. I developed a bad cold last Thursday (you know, when it was 70 degrees in Philly) which I suffered through the weekend with. Today I'm left with a hoarse voice, snot running from my nose, a hacking cough and I stink like a combination of Vic's Vab-O-Rub and Halls Cough Drops. I'm sure I'm going to nail this interview.

Actually I better. I have officially been unemployed for 7 weeks. I am so fucking bored during the day I can not stand it. I've started to paint by numbers. I know! At least they're not the Jesus paint by numbers (yet).

I've been reading like a maniac though, which is good. Last week I read Rockville Pike by Susan Coll, Stiff by Mary Roach, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and I started Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Actually I started Heart Shaped Box like 2 weeks ago, I just can't seem to catch the groove on it. I picked it up because of the Stephen King connection (Hill is King's son), but I am just not feeling it. I'm about 100 pages in. I read that it picks up at about page 150, so hopefully I'll finish this week. I've been trying to limit my spending on books and I actually bought this one in hard back so I better like it enough to warrant a re-read, or else I guess I'll donate it to the local library.

I really hope I'm going to be able to back my car over the pile of snow behind it. I guess I should try that now, so I'm out there shoveling in my suit.

Fine. I'm off.

Being unemployed kinda sucks

It's 4:18 p.m. and I've just spent the last hour meandering around Craig's list.org looking for nothing. I'm wearing green sweatpants and a purple shirt because the only people who see me have fur and 4 legs. I'm debating taking a nap. Everyone I know has a job and therefore is unavailable to hang during the day. Damn it! I'm bored.

I used to think being unemployed would be a dream. I would sleep late, wake up, watch a DVD, do some shopping, read; you know all the stuff you wish you could do when you have to work. Instead? I get up at 6 a.m. every morning and spend the rest of my day fielding calls from recruiters that never seem to go anywhere.

And Monster? I don't have a job, so the chances of me buying a Harley are slim to none. Perhaps I could get a different pop up ad?

Tomorrow I have a try out day at a Company. I went on the interview on Friday, and the guy asked me to come back tomorrow to spend the morning with the woman I'd be replacing. I know it makes no sense to me either. They haven't talked money or anything with me, but I guess he's interested in hiring me? Or maybe not... maybe he's just trying everyone out instead of interviewing them? The actual sit down interview lasted about 8 minutes. And I actually said one of my strengths was that I am funny. Ummm, if you have to say it, you're not. And When it's number 2 on your list of strengths, you're probably going to be unemployed for awhile. But I'm kind of looking forward to talking to another human being for a couple of hours. And then I think I'll stop by Best Buy and use one of my gift cards on Guitar Hero II & the Sims Seasons.

I'm really bored.

I'm going to watch some of the DVDs I got for Christmas but was too busy to watch when I had a job....

To the Vet

Last Friday I took Aloysius to the vet. We had a terrible time. He was sleeping when I swept him up and into his carrier. Then I hoisted all 17 pounds of him outside and into the snow. Since I was too lazy to shovel around my car, I had to slip and slide my way to the backseat. Once he was in and situated, I started the car, put on Ron and Fez and attempted to listen over his screeching meows. Once I got to the vet, he wouldn't come out of the carrier. I unhooked the lid and removed it, and he launched himself onto my chest. The Vet Tech managed to wrangle him onto the table to take his temp and weigh him, and the actual face to face time with the Doctor was very easy. The ride home, not so much. But we lived to tell the tale. So tonight when Brownie & Beejay had their visits, I some home managed to get Mr. Pants to take them both! Hee. And since Brownie pees in the carrier every time I can only imagine how much fun they're having.

While I'm waiting for their return, I'm browsing the want ads (still no job and it's getting to the point where unemployment is not that much fun) and eating cake. I took a 20oz can of crushed pineapple and a box of Angel Food Cake, and a teaspoon of coconut extract and mixed them all together: baked it in the oven at 350 for like a half hour in a 9x13 pan. It's delicious! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a lowfat treat.

I saw The Queen over the weekend. It was awesome. I really enjoyed it. The acting was superb, and the plot was very interesting. Helen Mirren really deserves the oscar for her performance.

They're back from the vet and Beejay has to go back in 2 weeks for dental surgery. I'm freaking out because I read it's bad to put a cat under. Off to research.

Same thing different place

Today is my first day of unemployment! Things are different, yet the same, starting with the super bowl last night. I was excited because I could have a couple of beers. I had 1, opened a second, lost interest in it and moved on to hot tea. I was up until midnight which is a first for me on a Sunday night, and I didn't take a sleeping pill. Which means I slept like crap. I woke up at 6:30 like it was a normal Monday. I got up, went to the bathroom, woke up Mr. Pants and listened to O&A until Mr. Pants left. I did some laundry and started packing for my trip to Florida tomorrow.

I've spent the time in between packing doing exactly what I did at work: Listening to Ron & Fez, reading the Days Of Our Lives Early Edition, perusing the boards at TWOP and generally goofing off. Around 11:30 I had to leave my house to go to the bank.

FUCK! It's cold here! I think the high is supposed to be 15 today. I stopped at the drug store and wandered around buying crap I don't need. So way to manage the money situation, loser!

I have 2 giant suitcases packed for an 8 day trip, which seems a little nuts. So I'm back to packing again - but YAY! It's going to be in the 70's all week! Woo-Hoo.

Famous Final Scene

So this has been running through my head all weekend as I think of my last week of work.

Words and music by bob seger

Think in terms of bridges burned
Think of seasons that must end
See the rivers rise and fall
They will rise and fall again
Everything must have an end
Like an ocean to a shore
Like a river to a stream
Like a river to a stream
Its the famous final scene
And how you tried to make it work
Did you really think it could
How you tried to make it last
Did you really think it would
Like a guest who stayed too long
Now its finally time to leave
Yes, its finally time to leave
Take it calmly and serene
Its the famous final scene
Its been coming on so long
You were just the last to know
Its been a long time since youve smiled
Seems like oh so long ago
Now the stage has all been set
And the nights are growing cold
Soon the winter will be here
And theres no one warm to hold
Now the lines have all been read
And you knew them all by heart
Now you move toward the door
Here it comes the hardest part
Try the handle of the road
Feeling different feeling strange
This can never be arranged
As the light fades from the screen
From the famous final scene

Creepy, huh? But I kinda look at this job like a bad relationship that's finally ending. I've had it for over 9 years... and the last 2 years have been torture. I think next Monday is going to be weird, but then I leave for Florida on Tuesday. So really when I return on 2/14, things will be really strange. To be home for 2 weeks? Hasn't happened since I was 15.

Stay tuned for the list of things I hope to accomplish on my work hiatus...

So what is my plan? I don't really have one. I don't want to work in an office, or in retail. I have an idea for a small business that I hope I can pull off. But if I can't? I guess I'll figure something out. But after Friday... I'M UNEMPLOYED! scary!

I'm procrastinating

I have to clean the bathroom. I meant to do it Friday, but then I started watching TV. I thought I'd do it Saturday, but then Mr. Pants and I caught up on the TiVo. Then yesterday I spent way too long searching the stores for a Wii. So today I left work with the plan to come home and clean the bathroom.

Instead I came home, dug through my closet looking for things to space bag.

Then I had some lime chili almonds.

Then I watched about 12 minutes of Studio 60 (why is it on Bravo all day?)

Then I came out here, turned on the computer and decided to bore ya'll with a blow by blow description of the last 45 minutes of my life.

Minus the part where I stood in the foyer speaking French to the cats. And when they ignored me, I tried Spanish.

Gives new meaning to the term Crazy Cat Lady.

9 p.m.- on a Friday night

And I'm in my pjs, watching Harry Potter 3 and trying to stay awake until Mr. Pant's plane lands.

I used to just being getting ready to go out at 9 on a Friday night.

I hate being old.

But a good cure for feeling like you're well past your prime? Going to see Bob Seger.

Now it wasn't Bob's timeless tunes that helped to realize that age ain't nothing but a number.

It wasn't the fact that Bob himself is only 8 years younger than my dad and still kicks ass in concert.

It was being the second youngest person in the Spectrum last night. (I say second youngest because Violet is about 6 weeks younger than me.

Seriously. The crowd was OLD. But they danced like fools, sang along with Bob and generally seemed to have a good time.

Except for the grandpa in front of me, who had to be about 65 and smoked pot through the entire show. I don't smoke pot or cigarettes anymore (there was a time that I did smoke pot-(high school) and I stopped smoking cigs last year) so I was unaware of how much the pot smell was going to bother me. I kept coughing from it and it was making me rather grouchy. I think the fact that I hate people so much and have such minimal interactions with the outside world is making me socially awful.

Suck it NBC!!

"Daytime soap Passions has been canceled after an eight-year run to make room for a fourth hour of Today, which will air on all network affiliates, though only about half will initially air all of Today in a continuous block, says NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker. The worsening economics of daytime soaps led NBC to choose expanding Today. Passions will likely finish its run in August, but NBC is discussing continuing the soap on a cable network (such as SoapNet) or online. Zucker suggested that NBC's only other soap, Days of Our Lives, is unlikely to continue past 2009."

That's from USA Today.

While I'm ecstatic to see Passions get the boot and JERk end up unemployed (thanks for ruining Days, douchebag), I am really sad NBC is dumping Days of Our Lives come 2009. NBC daytime is a part of my history. It was Christmas break 1986 when I stumbled across Days of Our Lives. Emma was murdered and Kimberly looked very guilty. I watched every day while I was on vacation and made my dad tape (with an audio tape because we didn't have a VCR) the show daily. I picked up watching Another World and Santa Barbara too, but only during summer breaks. I grew out of Days when Steve died... And really stopped watching when Kayla took up with Shane. I wandered back in around the time Sami was trying to get Austin (the first time) and followed through the delicious Vivian buries Carly alive plot (aaahhhh... Louise Sorel's Viv was awesome!). I headed back out when Marlena was possessed and John Black was a priest(?) or some shit like that. I kept and eye on what was going on on Days through the years, but I came back full time this spring when Steve returned. And now Zucker is saying they probably won't renew it after 2009. I get why... Soaps have big casts and are expensive to run, and don't bring in much revenue or key demos... But Days! I love it. Awww...I'm all sad now. Don't kill Days, NBC!!!

Mr. Pants is in AZ this week. I've been amusing myself with Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 7 DVDs in anticipation of the comic book form of season 8. So much suck, so little time. I found a lot of fault when this season aired, but watching it all condensed like this (4 or 5 eps a night) is totally bringing the suck to the forefront. Army of Slayers? Super Vamp? The First? Potentially dead Giles? Magic isn't crack anymore Willow? Buffy loves Spike but not really? Caleb? Yuck! It's like the writers decided to toss out all of the mythology that got the series to season 7. And not just the Vampire myths, but the slayer myth, the scoobies history, and Spike's backstory. I've always maintained that when Buffy died in Season 5 the show died. I liked maybe 2 eps of season 6 and 1 of season 7. I kinda feel like I'm torturing myself, but I want to get through it. It has given me a greater appreciation of Anya...she's been the best part of these eps.

Tomorrow night Violet & I are going to be rocking out at Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. I can't wait. So I'm off to actually listen to the new album (which I bought when it came out, but haven't listened to since) but I'm hoping Bob plays a lot of the oldies!

I'm out... I'm having Top Ramen for dinner. Does anyone else remember it being called Oodles of Noodles or Ramen Pride when we were kids?