LeClipse

OK, so I know all my friends believe me when I say I hate my car, but I've found a sort of support group out there that proves I'm not the only one. This website made me feel so much better about hating my car, not to mention that it's hilarious (maybe just to me), and hopefully it will keep unsuspecting idiots like myself from buying an eclipse. My car has fading paint (it's a 2002), the cruise control only works right if you fidget with the wires in the back, and the sunroof doesn't always like to work. I'd really like to drive it off a cliff. And I used to date someone with the exact same car and they had more problems than me. That picture isn't my car, although if the paint keeps fading it might look like that color! Needless to say, don't get an eclipse! EVER!!! Look at the website though, it's funny.

Why I heart my Stephie

Though I can name many, many more than 2 reasons, here are 2 wonderful reasons why I would slit my throat at work if it weren't for Stephanie. 1. After searching far and wide, she found me the best office accessory EVER- a monitor mirror. For those of you who don't live in cubedoms- they are perfect for looking busy while keeping on eye on those lerking behind you (and so that I can carefully track when Elvis has left the building.) Before, I relied simply on the reflection in my monitor, but now you might as well slap eyes on the back of my head because I can see EVERYTHING. 2. When I arrived today she had a choclate pumpkin muffin waiting for me, and it was yummy.

Now Hiring: Bums

ok, so obviously Stephanie has a bigger heart than I because I see those bums we drive by and think, "get a job!" but then I think, wait, he has a job- begging for money, and there's plenty of reasons for him to be content with his "job." Plenty of respected folks beg for money for a living- non-profits, politicians, churches. I mean he doesn't have a bad deal going on there. He probably makes as much money as I do or more an hour, yeah he has to stand out in the heat, but he can wear whatever he wants to work. Like me he doesn't get paid vacation or sick days, but he gets to take breaks or vacation whenever he pleases. He's what most people call "self-employed," but he doesn't have to answer to the man, no W-2s or taxes. It's really not a bad deal, but I'm still not giving him any money. I did want to offer that bushy haired guy we saw a smile though when I saw his other sign that read, "Family killed by ninjas, saving for kung-fu lessons." ha. gotta love a funny bum.

Bums

So, anyone who knows me well knows that I have an odd fascination with homeless people. I've lived in this area of town for about 3 years, and I've always noticed the same couple of guys. One of them is even "my" homeless guy. He sometimes that has a sign that says "I just want to celebrate Bobs birthday" which cracks me up. He has long hair, a cowboy hat, and a long duster jacket. He's completely unique. One of the things that I often think about is this: if they've been there for 3 years does that mean they're doing well or horribly? They look the same, so I feel like they must be doing ok. Actually, I only worry about them when they aren't there. Like today, I felt bad because my guy wasn't out there in the 102 degree heat. I wonder where he was, and if he had enough water. I'm sure he was fine, he probably has a house somewhere, but it's oddly comforting to see him there every day. It's like we have the routine down. He holds up the sign and walks down until the light turns green, we all look away, and then drive off. Sometimes I give my guy money. If for no other reason than that I like the guy. Anyhow, this other guy that's chubby with wild hair had a funny sign today. It said "Road Rage: yell at a homeless guy for 50 cents or best offer" What ingenuity right? He had about 4 other signs under his arm, and as Melissa said "he probably stayed up all night trying to think of the funniest things to write."

Boys don't cry

OK, so tonight I went to the gym and decided that I was going to run until I had burnt 500 calories. That apparently takes me over an hour, mostly because I started to get a cramp at the end. Oh, and I didn't run the whole time. Maybe half of it, which is still an accomplishment. Go me. Anyhow, I was watching the Little League World Series. These little boys are pretty good (the Braves game was on the next tv over and the kids were more entertaining). They have down the smug looks, the cute looks at the camera, the happy "I just hit a home run" looks, and all that. But then, their little boy sides come out when they strike out, or lose. You can see the tears welling up in their eyes and it totally makes you remember that these are just kids. And it makes me mad that the cameras show them crying, because it's hard to be tough when you go back to school and everyone saw you crying on tv. Sure it's for a good cause, but film the happy kids please!

Reasons to love Melissa

OK, so today I came up with a few reasons to name why I love Melissa. 1) She laughs at my dumb jokes and 2) she sends me hilarious pictures of the pope that still are making me crack up.

all up in Uranus

ha. Did anyone notice I said "butting" in my last blog? I guess Stephanie had my mind on Uranus.

here I blog again

ok, so far I suck at this blogging thing. When I came back from vacation I felt I lot of pressure to write one damn good blog. While I had a lot of notable memories driving through the good ol south of the U.S.A., I had trouble expressing them all in one good blog. So, after butting it off long enough- here I blog again, or at least attempt. Then maybe Stephanie can stop saying I abandoned her.

Planet funnies

So today it was our task to replace a picture of the solar system because it wasn't large enough for the layout. We (i.e. Melissa) found pictures of all the individual planets, and they were picked, approved, and sent to the design vendor. I however had to write this one little email to the design vendor that I think you should read out loud to truly appreciate, "Alexandra noted that Uranus should be rotated, so you may want to ask her about that." Ha ha ha...I'm still laughing.

WTF Taco Cabana?!

So, I'm working on finals and papers and I decided to go to Taco Cabana to grab a quesadilla for lunch. My one bad eating for the weekend. Well, I order the cheese quesadillas, no pico and when I get home what did I have? STEAK FAJITA! Ick. Didn't they know I'm vegetarian?! I sort of shredded off a few not meaty parts, but really....what a let down! Since when does cheese sound like steak? NEVER!

The Dirty Dirty

So, good news - I've returned from New Orleans, aka The Dirty Dirty, in one piece. Except the skin on my elbow that I left after I fell in a sidewalk pothole. Ebony's blog tells the weekend best (unfortunately I can't get the pictures off the website she sent me so I only have a few from Barbara so far). Friday we started out drinking a little bit too early (4ish?) and ended our night at about 11:30 after hurricanes at Pat O'Briens and who knows what else. I apparently screamed obsenities at boys on a balcony for hitting me in the head with beads. Saturday we ate lunch at Emeril's NOLA and it was really good. Usually I don't think vegetarian food is really worth eating fancy, but it was. When we went back out Saturday night it was raining so we huddled in a bus stop with some locals while drinking our to-go beverages. We rode a mechanical bull - see the pic of me after falling off said bull, yes, in a skirt (this bar was classy - we had a bottle of Boones there), had some absynth, and then hit Bourbon. There's funny stories and details that would take too long to write, but it was a blast. I can't wait until next year!

A Toilet Story

OK, so I have to share that I really really hate toilets that flush on their own. I consider it an insult. I mean, i know there's dirty people out there that don't flush, but I'm not one of them. I hate that if you make a sudden wrong move the thing goes off. And most of the time they're super powered and they spray water everywhere. Gross! I just wish everyone could get the rules of society together 1)flush 2)wash your hands. If people could understand those two simple things then things wouldn't be so icky germy.

I wrote this before I left for New Orleans, but now that I'm back - a detailed recap will be on it's way!

I'm leavin'

On a jet plane... don't know when I'll be back again. OK, I'm not leaving on a jet plane, and I'll be back Sunday night. But, the real excitement is that I get to go to the Big Easy to celebrate Ebony's 25th birthday in style. I can't wait! It's Melissa's turn to write some blogs anyway.

The LEclipse is Dirty!

OK, so my car is super dirty and I blame the oil change men. See, this is what happened - I was driving to the heb at lunch today and realized I was 3,000 miles overdue on an oilchange. I call the place and ask how long it would take to get one and they say 20 minutes so I head on over. Well, after the oil change and the fuel injection service they've been pestering me about since 20,000 miles it had been an hour. Then I had to go pick up some lunch. So, when I get back to work there's no spots left in the good parking lot and I have to park in the back where dirt from the construction behind my building blows onto the cars. So now, my ugly car is dirty, and it really is the oilchange mans fault!