Klondike Logic

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Most days after working both jobs I get home and am hungry but don't really want much to eat. Plus, most of the time my fridge hasn't magically filled with food while I was away. I keep opening the door about 6 times to confirm this though. If I have yogurt or milk I'm excited. The milk is the most important food item. More often than not, I eat cereal for dinner.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE cereal. If I ever had a dog or more preferably, 3, I would name them General Mills, Post and Kellogg's. If I had a cat I'd name it Quaker. 

The other week I was having a rough day and trying to figure out if I wanted beer or something sweet.

I went with something sweet. I was torn between Ben and Jerry's as a nice late night splurge, or maybe something like oh... I don't know, a Klondike bar. After texting a friend and flipping a coin, the answer was a Klondike bar.

However, I didn't want just one, I wanted a pack. 

Have you seen how many different kinds they now have? I had no idea I was going to have the option of Recess, Mint, Dark Chocolate, Original, Crunch Shell, or Heath Bar Shell. Where is a variety pack when you need one? I looked, they didn't have one.

So, after opening the door and shutting it about 3 times and having two different people pass me and give me a weird look because my worried face was on, I went with Original. I knew it would be amazing and I couldn't risk, on that day, to be disappointed.

Multi-tasking Time With People



Photo by kkDonut

With the year winding down, and the holidays soon to be behind us and forgotten, I have come to a new goal for the rest of this year and every year after that.

I am going to stop multi-tasking my attention while around friends.

I am the queen of packing stuff into a day. I usually over book or sometimes hang out with one friend and make plans to go out with another shortly after. I usually have more then one activity, or job, planned per day, and I shall and will continue to do that.

What I am going to change is my attention, well as best as my gnats attention span will allow me, to be in the moment and place with my friends and family. Or whomever I'm currently spending time with.

In the new connected world we live in work and home  life doesn't always have a barrier. Your phone number is no longer attached to a location but your person. People can call or text you about anything, anywhere, any time of the day. They usually expect an immediate response. With sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and other I have yet to figure out what or where they are, people are constantly in contact with other people. 

All day every day, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Yet, people are just as much disconnected to each other as they are connected.

Rainbows!

While at a stop light, I tried capture the awesomness of the rainbow. This picture does it little justice but the base was blazing bright.

I am a huge fan of pondering things. Earlier this week while driving to work I saw some amazing rainbows. Not just one, but when I got to work there were two full complete DOUBLE rainbows. I tried to take a picture but my phone crapped out on me. It didn’t have enough memory and it was starting to really rain. I always have a slight fear that I'm going start melting like the wicked witch of the west so went inside. So  I just have these two pictures to share.

At work I was trying to take a picture of the double rainbows but my little phone could not get the whole rainbow or the awesomness of both. Plus I coudln't even take a follow up picture to try and then splce together later because my memory was full. Picture fail.

Rainbows, little pots of gold, and leperchans and their awesomeness has crossed my mind before. Actually, back in June 2010. So I searched through my e-mails and found the messages I sent and received from our local weather men. Just about the rainbows though, I have to wait until I make it to Ireland to find out about the rest.

As a general rule whenever sending out e-mails like this, I like to do it groups of three. I feel like if the general consensus is about the same then we’re on the right  track.  This is what they had to say about rainbows.

 

Wrong E-mail Address

 

Yesterday I was checking my e-mail like normal when I see an e-mail form an unknown person. I was like I do know a Nikki, but how would she get my e-mail address? So I open up the e-mail (I think is actually a big no-no in e-mail safety, but I don't click on links so... I think I'm okay?) and this is what I find.

 

(I know the formating isn't the best. I'm still learning this system and had to make sure the e-mails were readable. Thanks!)

 



 

Not wanting to let her nice message and note of encouragement go to the wayside I kindly respond back.

 

 

She sounded appreciative.

 



 I sometimes do like to have the last word.

 

Over the last few months I've had a few people accidently send me an e-mail that is looking for someone else. I always let them know that they have the wrong person. I think it's fair right?

Have you ever had an e-mail sent to you when they were clearly trying to reach someone else? Let me know about it by leaving a comment below!

Um.. Do You Know the Address?

Image courtesy of "Stuart Miles" - view portfolio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last night I was actually off from work. I had a spent a good portion of my day just hanging out with my friend and her little baby. However, like most days, I have plans to see a few different people. After helping remake a soup that kind of went astray, I had to clean up and head out of a company Christmas Party.

This party was being held at the bosses house. I had never been to his house before. 

So before running out the door, I did the smart thing and pulled up the e-mail with the address, carefully put it in my GPS and headed out. 

So far so good. Point for me!

I arrived in the neighborhood started to try and find the house. The GPS put me in front one of one house, and with her computer voice said, "Arriving At Destination."

Problem. I don't know any of these cars. I don't see anything familiar at all. However, this isn't too worrisome only because  this party was going to have a bunch of our board members. I don't even know the names or how many people are on the board, so not knowing most the people was expected.

Looking into the house, from sitting in my car like a creeper, it looks like it is ready for a party. It has tables with cups and glasses. But I don't really see that many people. At this point, I personally, am about an hour late instead of my indented 30 minutes, so I feel like MORE people should be there.

A gentleman who had parked at about the same time as me, had gone into this house in question. He was returning to his car for unknown reasons so I took my chance. 

I got out and walked over and and something cleaver like, "Excuse me sir, do you know the house number for this house?" 

He looked at his paper and was like 4877, the Smith residence. I was like oh. Do you by any chance know the James Bond residence is. (I actually said the correct last name but that is what he heard.) Which of course made him laugh and say no. I thanked him once again and headed out.

I was looking for 4677 so I needed to circle the neighborhood once more. My second pass, going up a little further than the first house I tried to stop in, I saw some cars I knew.

The house address was only on the mail box and in gold letters, so I backed up and made sure to shine my car lights on them to double check it was the right house before continuing. 

It was the correct house. So, putting on my smile again, I walked to the door and decided to ring the door bell just in case.

An unknown person answered the door, but after a quick glance around, I saw someone I new and came in.

The good news, it is a great way to start a conversation of why you're late. Just try and go to the wrong party.

Has this ever happened to you? If so leave a comment below!

What Is That?!?!?!

"Image courtesy of "Stuart Miles" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

What is that!?!?  

Poke.

Poke.

Poke. Taking hand and covering it up.

Side boob? Are my armpits fat? Kind of? Can I cut it off? How much would that hurt? Are the knives in housewares that far off? Can if fix that? Is that side bigger than the other side?

Yesterday's lunch hour was spent at my least favorite task, bra shopping.

Now, I know these are necessary evil. One, no one likes THO, (Titty Hard On) except maybe guys. Two, the right bra not only makes you look good, but also feel good as well.

This, however, was not the case yesterday.

My trip wasn't for pleasure. It was out of desperate need. All of my bras at home were either falling apart, had bent wires, kept poking in the side boob, were falling off, or just plain ugly. I had to go shopping.

Now, most guys, will never experience the horror that is bra shopping.

I hate it so much I would rather go swimsuit shopping.

Yes, I did just say that. Swim. Suit. Shopping. Would be better than bra shopping.

Hot Now = Stop

There are some reasons that no matter what you’re doing or where you’re going you must stop. Krispy Kreme Hot Now Sign being on is one of those reasons.

I was not a Krispy Kreme fan when I was younger.  I think it was because these were always in our church after mass. Cold, sweet, and not filling. Everything changed the day I was introduced to the Kirspy Kreme Hot Now Sign. This large florescent orange/red sign burning itself into my soul.

Okay, that was a little dramatic, but have you ever had one of these fresh off of the belt? Watching them take their ride on the conveyor belt, into the hot oil, through a waterfall of icing? No other doughnut can beat a hot fresh Krispy Kreme doughnut. Unless it has the word Amish or Grandma’s in front of it, at least.

So driving to meet a friend for dinner I was passing by the store. The light is on.

Like a moth to a bug zapper I instantly turn in. I walk through the doors, a few people are chatting while enjoying coffee and doughnuts, it smells like how I would like heaven to smell. I order my two doughnuts.

Over the years I’ve learned this is the best number for me. The first one you eat so fast you barely taste it. The second one satisfies the craving. The third, can be done, but is getting very close to the sugar coma line. By 4, yes I’ve eaten 4 in one sitting before,  there is the instant shakes and sugar overload. You go from feeling good and just a little guilty to your entire organs are now vibrating.  You can almost feel the release of insulin that is needed to process these fried treats. In other words you feel like crap. So my limit is two.

I as one lady brings me out my two little fried puffs of heaven, one lady is ringing me up.  The angel with the fresh doughnuts starts to fumble with a bag. I kindly tell her, no need for the bag. I’m about to eat these now right now. They give me a puzzled look. This is confusing; because you’d think that because of the seats in the place they would have had that answer before.

I sit at my little white table with two chairs. After sending a boasting picture to a friend, I dig in. Only about 3 minutes later these morsels have been devoured, the fingers have been licked clean, and the trash thrown away. With another thank you so much to the employee at the cash register, I head out to dinner.

Go Fish

I had some girl friends over the other night. The topic wound its way around from dinner, to Thanksgiving, to puzzles, to random things, and of course to boys.  This topic comes up frequently but we discussed something I hadn’t really pondered on in a long time.  

Everyone knows the classic stand by line for people who have just broken up with someone, or something didn’t work out, they say “There are always more fish in the sea,” which I followed up with, “but if you keep using the same bait you’ll keep catching the same thing.”

Conversation ended for a moment as they both pondered this. I don’t always listen to myself when I talk so I actually pondered this with them. I’m like Alice from Alice in Wonderland, “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.” Or in my case listen to it.

If this saying is broken down, there are always fish in the sea, this is correct. The sea or any big body of water is teeming with life. There can be hundreds of species in the a very small area. Check out anything on the Discovery channel or Nature show. However, if fishing on a lake or a river or in the ocean and the only bait being used is worms, there are only so many fish that will want to eat the worm. Sharks cannot be caught with a worm.  

Stop and take a moment and think about how this has been played out before. The beautiful sweet girl that keeps dating jerks that treat her like crap. The nice guy who keeps dating controlling bitches. The guy who keeps dating drama queens,  just to name a few.

Now, part of the dating is just exposure to the different kinds of people. If the area being fished is a river and the hopes are for a shark and not a bass, this is not going to happen.  

But what I’m pondering is the best most controllable issue here, the bait. Or in this case me. How, if I am tired to dating and hanging out with the jerks and the assholes, can I attack something else? How does one change from a worm to something the shark would eat, like a croaker or eel?

Two Pennies Please

A few months ago I had a friend turning a quarter of a century, which is kind of a big deal. That person is also a big deal.
In an attempt to not only show my friend how much I care, love and appreciate them, I also wanted to do something different.

On a random bolt of inspiration I came up with two projects. A box of 25 items and a penny heart.

This box was filled with 25 things, each thing being in groups of 25. For example, she had 25 cans of beer, 25 fake tattoos, 25 packs of ramen noodles, 25 pens, 25 sticks of gum, 25 sweet treats, 25 pixie sticks, 25 tampons, 25 condoms, 25 hair ties, 25 band-aids and a whole bunch of other stuff I have currently forgotten.

This box was over flowing with items. During my quest to fill this box I also realized it might have been a better idea for someone turning 24. A lot more items come in multiples of 4 and 6 a lot easier than multiples of 5. Beer for example comes in groups of 6.

What seemed to really take the cake though was the penny heart. I found a penny for each year my friend has been alive. Starting at her birth year of 1987 and going all the way up until 2012. I was lucky enough to almost all the pennies either at work or in my piggy bank except for two pennies. I could not find 2005 and 2008. My friend was coming back into town soon and I was running out of time, so I decided to call the bank. They seemed like the most logical place to have vast amounts of pennies. It would be my best chance at finding those two pennies.

I knew my request was a little off the wall so I called them early in the morning, explained my project, explained the years I was looking for, and wanted to see if I could pick them up at noon. They said sure.

During my lunch break I head over to the bank.

I was not exactly sure who I had talked to in the morning so I got in line to talk to a teller. I explained to her that I’m trying to find two pennies and was wondering if it would be possible for her to look through her drawers. After a few blinks of utter confusion she called her supervisor over. The story is explained again and the supervisor started to check with some of the teller and their drawers looking for my pennies.

I had a seat to allow the teller to help other customers while the search for 2008 and 2005 commence. I feel bad that I came in at noon but I thought they would have explained this odd request sooner rather than later to the other people.

After about 15 minutes of searching, the supervisor called me over and I exchanged two pennies for my two missing dates.  I thanked them profusely and headed back to work.

Once I’m done with work I stopped by the craft store, picked up a frame, some foam backing, and a marker. I had to actually put everything in the box and make sure I had 25 items of everything while I soaked my pennies in vinegar and salt.  

The pennies went from dirty brown to shiny new copper color in a matter of minutes. A good rinse and dry, I assembled the project.

First making sure the pennies looked like a heart, then making sure they were all facing the right direction, and then gluing them down. Once everything was dry, in the frame it went, and walla, all done!

Family Figures

While driving to work today I was behind a SUV that has the little happy family cling on things on the back of the car. I’ve often pondered about these little guys.

First, what happens if someone dies? Do you have to take Fluffy off the back window?

What happens in divorce? I would think about the same thing?

Are you promoting the last child syndrome by keeping them on the back window as a baby?

Why do the baby things never seem to be boys or girls always the bald unisex creatures?

When said baby turns a certain age do they get promoted to a real person figure? Like blow out the candles for your 5th birthday, now everyone come outside and we'll change the sticker?

Today’s little family had a Dad, a Mom, two boys a girl and a baby. After going wow that is a lot of kids I noticed that Mom was a bit higher than dad. Actually, she was the highest in the line of people. Was that intentional, unintentional, or someone’s subconscious coming out?

Do these little family characters ever get stolen?

Are these always put on by wives or do some husbands walking through a store go “OOOOHH, honey we have got to put these on the back of MY car!”

If you are a crazy cat person, advertising it on the car…is that a good idea?

Do you have any issues with these little characters on the back of the cars? If so let me know! Leave a comment below or on the facebook page.

They call me Snow 5th Street

Isn’t that how that game is played? To find your stripper name it is your first pet’s name with the first street you lived on? No? It sounded like a good.

Always with my eye out for something new and exciting to try, I went to my first pole dancing class the other day.

Yes, I’ll say that again. I went to my first pole dancing class.

According to the lingo they were using, working out on poles or pole dancing is called Poling. Also, there are apparently different thickness of the poles. I did not lose the irony on that conversation.

I had no real expectations for this class. I asked them first what I should wear. They said a tang top and some shorts. They said socks if you’d like because the floor is cold. I wore socks. I am so tired of cold feet and winter hasn’t even started.

After checking out the map and wishing I had remembered to bring my GPS, I headed out to this location.

It took me about 10 minutes to drive to the area but another 10 minutes to find the actual place. I kept taking the wrong turns. Also, this studio being so new, they were still working on getting a sign and some more lights.   

I find the place, get signed in, I get my little punch card so it shows that I have 4 classes left. I giggle because it seems like all the new things I try usually involve release forms saying if we accidentally die, no one can be sued. That and helmets seem to be my new norm. I take off my layers of sweats and jacket to get to the tiny little shorts and tang top. Then I stand around with a few other people waiting for class to start.

The instructor is like don’t be shy go grab a pole. I go stand by a pole but don’t do anything. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m trying to resist the three year old Shannon just taking one hand and walking around in a circle until she get dizzy and has to stop.

After the poles are check to make sure they are tight. Then it is time to stretch.

I consider myself a pretty athletic person. I run, play soccer, I can do decent in most classes at a gym. This was some of the strangest stretches I have done. I also learned that my hamstrings are SUPER tight! Ouch!

Unplanned Adventure

***Warning, this blog post gets a little graphic***

Oh, where to begin. The other night I had an adventure and I didn’t even know it was coming.

I completed my day job and headed over to work a shift in the restaurant. I was excited because I wasn’t closing. I had plenty of errands to run with the holiday season and this was going to give me some free time.

The shift started off like normal, doing side work, saying hi to fellow co-workers, trying to stay busy. I had a total of 3 tables all night so I wasn’t that busy. It was actually a good thing because I started to have some discomfort in my lower abdomen. The urge to pee increased and when I did go it kind of felt like I was peeing fire. Not good. These symptoms are classic signs of a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) on the way.

I’ve had UTI’s before, and they go from minor annoyance to full blown blood in my pee within just a few hours. If you have never experienced the joys of a UTI here’s some fun facts. Like once you have peed, you hold your breath for a few seconds after you’ve finished trying to feel some relief and get the pain under control. The urge to pee hits with the desire of chugging a gallon of water. The amount actually peed is like a table spoon. Suffice to say, the first time I had one of these I thought I was dying.

It kind of makes me stop and wonder how people dealt with them in the past before taking a pill for a few days would make you feel better. Most of the time taking the pills makes things better within the first few hours.  

Anyway, I see the signs, I know I’m in trouble and I have to get out of the restaurant go to a urgent care places so I don’t have to go to the ER. Being around 7:30pm when I cannot deny what was going on, the doctor’s office is clearly closed. I know I couldn’t wait for the morning and I wouldn’t get any sleep or be able to make it through a night without help.

I cleaned my tables, turn in my money and paperwork for the evening and headed over to the urgent care office.

When I went through the door, I’m the only one there. The lady at the front desk say, “Hello! How are you doing?”

I tell her, “Fine. Wait, no I’m not. If I was fine, I wouldn’t be here. So I’m lying. I’m a liar. How are you?”

She was laughing at this point and she’s like “I’m doing fine and I’m not lying.”

“Glad to hear. Plus you’re not a liar, or I don’t think you are so that is good. So, I would say that I’ve seen better days.”

We go through some paper work. I have to wait for another lady to call me over and talk to talk about paying. While I wait, I watch Cartoon Network. They have a show on called “The Annoying Orange.” What have you done Cartoon Network? I felt so old at that moment. Grant it, I don’t have cable, but what is this crap? How can people watch this show? Am I turning, gulp, into an adult? Is this what my parents thought when they have to watch our cartoons? No wonder they wanted the news, this stuff sucked.

After being told about HIPPA and signing some things and paying a co-pay, I sat down to watch some more bad cartoons.  

I got called back to review my medical information and have my vitals taken. They start off with, “Hello, how are you doing today?”

Again, I start off with “Fine, wait, no, I’m here, so I’m not fine, I’ve been better.”

They giggle. I’m pretty sure they heard my little rant earlier. Again, not many people were in the office and my voices carries.

Happy Halloween!

This blog is a little late, but like all my blogs it is a story that can be told. I don’t know if it needs to be told, but it can be told.

I have a hard time getting up in the morning. Unless something super awesome or exciting is going to happen like Christmas, new jobs, going for a hike, or someone is making pancakes, mmmmm pancakes, I hit my alarm. I hit snooze, not once but multiple times. I have been known to hit it for hour. I am a bit more respectful when other people are around, but for the most part lots of alarm hitting.

October 31^st was no different than any other normal day. I hit the alarm one too many times. I am allowed to dress up for work but have no real plan. I try and think what to wear when I go back to a costume I did a few years ago. It is a simple comfortable costume. I wear jeans, a pair of Converse low top sneakers, add a bowling shirt I own, some trophies my sister won for bowling when we were young and I’m now a bowler! Go me!

I am a big fan of bringing food to work. It gives me snacks all day long. It is cheaper then eating out for every meal, sometimes it’s better for you. Also, I feel like if I have my cereal at work it might motivate me to get there on time so I can eat it. That part hasn’t really worked out 100% of the time, but eating breakfast is still a good motivation for getting to work. Part of bringing cereal to work is the need for milk. I don’t want to bring a whole gallon to work, it think it is both too big and worry about finishing it. So I keep bringing half gallons of milk. However, when you buy two half gallons of milk you’re paying more money for something that actually comes in gallon size.

As a ways to change this waste of money I bought half a gallon of really good milk in a glass container. I figured drink this half gallon, bring the bottle home, wash it and fill it back up from MY gallon of milk at home. I’m saving money, I’m recycling, I’m going to get colder milk. Go me!

In my scramble that morning I’m throwing milk, trophies, cereal box, snacks, and other items in a reusable bag, throw it over my arm with my other work clothes, purse and jacket and head out the door.

Things Have Changed.

When I ripped out the neck of my zebra cake for my 26^th birthday, I didn’t realize the consequences of that action. First, it was super cool and fun. Second, it was like the third thing I ate that day after being stupid hung over. It was an amazing cake and I was able to cross, eat zebra off my bucket list. Third, things changed.

Something happened that day, I didn’t know it then, but I know it now, but officially things had changed. By just adding 365 days to my 25^th birthday and things evolved.

Since that day the zebra cake slowly bled upon my table. No seriously it did. My friend filled it with cherry filling so it oozed out. Awesome right? I began to not only understand things but accept them.

One of the most powerful things I’ve learned is to be happy with the skin you’re in. I’ve been saying this since high school. I believed it most of the time too. However, as I look into the mirror at my 5’2” height that I was hoping for bigger boobs, about 3 inches taller, I realized, yup, this is it. This is all I have. So I have two options, hate it or love it. I find loving it to be a lot easier.

I think the show “What Not To Wear” is a great example of how to embrace your body. At this point in the game it is all about comfort and what makes you look good. Red is a great color for me. Yellow is not. Wide leg pants are not flattering while slightly flared ones are. Short skirts look better then long ones and A frame dresses work better then tube dresses. Sure I’d like to walk around looking like one of Victoria Secrete Angels with their long thin bodies and big boobs, but I’m not shaped like that. I’m not willing to go through surgeries to look like that, so why keep fretting over something I cannot have. Accent the eye, show off the curves I do have, and let the curls fly and be done with it. All the worry about something you “don’t have” is useless. Why worry every single day about what you don’t have when you can just learn to accept what you do have?

I also have come to a lot of new realizations about dating.

Dating is different now. If games that were used in High School or the first two years of college are still normal for you, grow up. There is no point to them. The requirements are different now than they were back then. Don’t run from it, embrace it and keep on going. When people are in their teens and even early 20s just having a cute face, decent body, being a good kisser, and fun to hang out with were all that was required. That is not the case anymore, or at least not for me, and that is okay.

Don’t get me wrong, those things are still somewhat important, if you don’t want to make out with the person then any relationship is doomed. But other things are now more important like the ability to have a keep a job, being able to take care of things without Mummy or Daddy stepping in ALL the time. You still need Mummy and Daddy sometimes, but not every decision. Making mistakes are fine as long as you’re learning from them. Having a concept of a budget and money is a requirement. Common sense and knowing when to ask for help. Having hobbies and ways to de-stress.  How to interact appropriately with people is important. No one wants someone who says the wrong thing every time they open their mouths.

When dating the person shouldn’t just make you happy, they should bring out the best person you can be. You should also bring out the best person they can be. They have to accept the good and the bad but mostly bring out the good. No one wants to be criticized or criticize all the time. If they do find someone else. I don’t want to do that to someone and they shouldn’t want to do that to me.  

I also realized that when you start to date someone, you aren’t just bringing them into your life and vice a versa, you’re bring in their friends, their family, their problems, their drama. If it is super scary to start out with run while you still can. Dating someone is different from your family in the fact you can CHOOSE who you end up with. Your family is what it is, for better or worse there are no trades in or upgrades.

What to blog about?

I have been a slacker the last few weeks. I am barely getting one post up a week. I am sorry for that. Most of the time it isn't due to lack of stories, I have lots of those, mostly it is because I'm conflicted on what to write.

It is kind of like the ponderings of Facebook. Certain adventures like going camping, cutting grapes, and things like that, it is totally fine to post about. It was all in good fun and entertainment.

However, life is not always fun and adventureous. Sometimes the days are long and sad because things need to be done like have "that coversation" with someone. Weather it be a wake up life conversation, or dating conversation, or wow you really hurt my feelings an we'er at a this needs to be fixed or I'm walking away type thing.

Or the day might not be fun, yet still intersting because of the lengths one must go to in the hopes of removing something as fun as a planters wart. I'm just going to say I'm on Plan B, and hoping there is no need for Plan C.

If I've written one blog about running tips is it okay to write about running failures? Like the last 10k I did I puked, not like a little, but like just all over the place like 30 feet from the finish yard? The people were nice about it. It's a great way to impress the family members that come out ot support you. It's like a violent suprise! I am still looking forward to those pictures.

I am currently in a limbo about what I want and where I want to be. Everyone feels this, does anyone really want to hear about it again? Then I ponder about musicians and the songs they write. Artists have these hard life issues, that everyone has, they sing about it and people are like you touched my soul. You konw exactly what I was feeling like and that helped me. Is a blog the same way?

Facebook Ponderings

Like most people, I own a Facebook page. I also like to check out the status of people, find out what is going on while I was working, or doing some random adventures. I sit and scroll through status, see people's pictures and often I wonder, will I post the same things at some point in my life?

Currently being single, I never post things about how my husband is amazing, or my boyfriend is the best in the world. I have personal issues with those statements anyways, but will I be one day posting those things as well?

If I don't, would said future boyfriend be hurt because I don't put his great deeds on Facebook for all of the world to see? Will his friends be like dude, your super romantic weekend must not have been so awesome if your woman didn't brag about it on Facebook. Is Facebook just the new beauty shop in a way? The place where you spill all of your moments both big and small to your friends. But instead of just a few 10-15 it moves up to the hundreds?

If I have kids, will they be my profile picture? Or will I be in the picture with the kid? Would, if pregnant, I post the ultra sound? Will I also say they are the best, smartest, cutest kids in the entire world?

When natural disasters strike am I going to tell everyone how pissed I'll be if my internet goes away for a few days?

When sending requests for games, I never respond, is that offensive? Do people even notice if you don't play their games?
 

Alphabet Game

While driving from Virginia to Pennsylvania, Amanda and I had about 5 hours to kill. After talking about some random things, doing a mental check that we didn’t need anything else, and listening to music, she mentioned she didn’t know any car games.

“Well, what did you do when you were younger?”

“We talked. There were 5 of us, so mostly we talked.”

There were five us as well, but we did not talk the whole time. Don’t get me wrong, if you keep silent, even as a child I would keep talking and talking until you begged for mercy, or more often than not, just walked away.

However, in a car, there are no places to walk away too. Plus, every once in a while, a very far while, I have nothing to say.

Seeing as a lot of our car travel happened when we were younger, and it was just at the start of when TVs started to appear in vehicles, we did not have any. This was also around the same time that Game Boys were starting to come out, which means they were super expensive and we, like the TV did not have one of those either.

Some of the younger generation might have started to hyperventilate at that last paragraph. What in the world did we do then?

We had a few options actually. Sometimes my mom would make little kits, with games, coloring books, a photo copied map of where we were going so we could follow along, snacks, and travel games like magnetized chess or Trouble. We also had the option to read or sleep. I often choose sleep.

We also played games. Sometimes we just counted the different state license plates, or travel games like magnetized chess or Trouble, but we also played the Alphabet Game. This was done in teams, pairs, and singular. It is just something we always did on road trips. Amanda had never played this game before. I taught her and so now I shall pass this game on to the rest of the world. A google search might have it as well, but these our “house” rules version of it.

Thursday's Wins Vs Losses

Last Thursday was a little rough. It got better but here were some of the wins and losses for the day.

Win – getting up when the alarm clock went off

Win – going over to friends house for a run and being there basically on time

Win – completing said run

Win – remember to get gas on the way home so there isn’t a will I have enough gas to make it to work game.

Loss – not being able to find anything to wear

Loss – running behind even though I’d been up for an hour and half

Loss – walking out the door without soccer ball

Loss – putting lunch on top of car and driving away

Win – remembering  about said lunch. Stopping and being able to at least have soup. Yogurt and   cheese stick are MIA

Loss – it not being jean day at work like previously thought

Loss – locking myself out of a system I need to get into

Loss – forgetting to take daily pill

Loss – Sending out e-mail that normally goes out about 10:30 at 11:15 with no subject

Win – lunch outside in the sunshine

Loss -  No one showing up to soccer practice

Win - Soccer pratice cut short

Win - Getting most the luandry done for camping adventure.

Trips for Runners

Sexiness

Over the last about three to four years I have become a runner. I say become, because I am by no means a good runner, a fast runner, or really even gone that far as a runner.

I run because ever race or even run is a small goal accomplished. I always feel better after the run. It is great for stress relief. I like to think that every breath out is more negative feelings, thoughts and emotions leaving my body. It usually works and gives me the freedom to smile again. Plus, why not run while I still can?

Now, whenever getting ready for a race you have to make sure you look as sexy as you can. My normal set up are my sexy knee braces, long shorts, t-shirt, visor (usually), now that the weather is getting colder I sometimes run with a bandanna around my face like a bank robber. I am all kinds of sexy.

Tomorrow I have another 5k race. I never try to actually win these races as much as make it across the finish line, don’t puke, and try to beat the last time I had.

Today’s blog is about a few Do’s and Don’ts that I have learned while running. Enjoy!

I like your shoes.

Image from http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=red+chuck+taylor+shoes&view=detail&id=2DBAD7112594C69CADE65F1492D599E67B8C99FE&first=1

“I like your shoes,” these four little words were the end of a peaceful night for a few days ago.

I was out at Buffalo Wild Wings having a good bye drink with a friend that would no longer be working with me. There was a group of us all hanging out, laughing, talking, having a good time. I was starving so I was eating some food, I had just one beer and some food so I could be the DD if people needed it.

One part of being both a DD and being a good girlfriend is to go with your girlfriends when they have to go to the bathroom, regardless of you need to pee. It doesn’t happen every time, and it doesn’t happen with every set of girlfriends, but when they say let’s go to the bathroom, you go. You can fight and protest, but in the end they will win. The problem with this is that the more they keep drinking the more times they have to pee and you have the option of taking notes on what not to wear in the restroom. Maybe some phone numbers if you’re really bored. Or trying to figure out what the names scratched in the bathroom door are actually trying to say. Is that a person or a pet name? Hmmm……

On one such trip to the bathroom I noticed a guy by us wearing some sweet red and white classic Chuck Taylor All Star low top sneakers. I love Chuck Taylors. Not like but LOVE these shoes. I hope to own the rainbow in the low top classic style one day. So I said, “I like your shoes,” and continued walking to the bathroom.

As I walked away I hear, “I like you.”

I rolled my eyes and in my head was like alright? My friend I was going to the bathroom with was like dude, you NEVER tell a guy you don’t know you like his shoes? I was like what? Why? She’s like you just don’t.

I quickly learned why.

Sky Diving is a fancy way of falling

Today's adventure is  simple, sky diving.  This was my second time. It was Judy's first time and her friend Shamala's 3rd.

A few things about this trip. 

1. No fancy suites

2. Training lasted 5 minutes

3. Plane sat 10 people.

4. It was really cold.

5. It was cold and I had nothing intresting to say the whole video that I had. I shall try and post later. 

Here are some pictures enjoy!

Simple enough

Getting all strapped in.

Judy and Shamla my sky diving buddies

Judy, me, Shamla

Origami Lucky Star

First Star

A few weeks ago, I was falling asleep at my desk. I was bored out of my mind. I don't want to read the books I brought because they are making me sleepy. The coffee I've drank had not hit my system yet. I kept looking at my jacket longingly to ball it up and use it as my pillow. I forgot my phone at home, so I don't even have the option of texting random people to keep me company. I had just moved locations so don't know anyone in the new building. Clicking on the random article so much I think I was burning a hole in the screen. So instead of having my head slam down on the desk like I was was about too, I found this website http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-lucky-star.html. There I learned to make a lucky paper star. The first one didn't work out so well because I was trying to push on the points on in the center. The second star worked a lot better. These are very easy to make! I had seen people make them out of straw wrappers at Outback before and was always amazed. Now I can amaze people! If you click on the link then you can too!  

Second Star

Grapes of Wine

As part of my personal quest to find new adventures, this adventures actually started a few months ago. I had decided back in like July that if it is was possible, I would like to help harvest some wine grapes. It is my goal to get re-connected to how things are made, created, and the effort it takes to make them happen.

So many times I walk into the grocery store and grab whatever I need, but more often than not, I have no idea how much time or effort it takes to make those things. Like so many people and the giant “They” of the world says, we are getting more and more disconnected from our food. To try and stop the cycle I am reaching out, give my time and energy, to help people and learn something new.

My adventure started with an unknown number come up on my cell phone? I didn’t recognize the number so waited until it reached voice mail and checked it out durning lunch. It was a guy name Dave, from Virginia Mountain Vineyards. They had started to harvest their Chardonnay grapes had seen that I was interested in helping and wanted to let me know. I told him I couldn’t make it during the week, but if they were still picking this weekend I’d love to help.

I waited until Friday, called back and confirmed that they were still harvesting, he said yes. So I told my friend Judy about this adventures, she agreed, and we headed out early Saturday morning to pick some grapes.

We were there for about two hours and learned a lot of useful information. Here are just some of the fun facts that we learned:

Chardonnay Grapes

Gapes get harvested at different times of the year. Until then, I assumed that they all were picked at the same time. We only picked the Chardonnay grapes. I am waiting for a call to help with the merlot graps.

All grapes are currently hand picked.

Walk in fridge.

As soon as you pick these grapes they are to ferment. To slow down the process these grapes are put in a very large walk in refidgerator.

One way they can tell the grapes are ready is when the birds start to eat the grapes. They then pick some, do some testing, and can even send grapes off to other locations to analznie if they are ready.

If you go to a wine festival, even though you probably bout a ticket, the local vineyards are kind of expecting you to buy a bottle of wine. Not maybe for each vendor, but at least one, especially if there are samples. Think of it as going out to eat, you pay for your dinner, and then you give your waiter/waitress a tip (If you don’t you suck as a person and need to rethink how the food industry works)

The blended wines does not get mixed until AFTER they have been made.

Most grape vines don’t start making grapes until they are about 5 years old.

Birds do not eat all the grapes on a cluster. They poke there beaks in one or two and move on. Bees like the sugars and hang around these broken grapes to get the juice.

Wearing a hat covered in bug spray is a good idea.

Your hands will be very sticky.

The tools are very sharp.

Eleanor Goes to the Doctor.

Image courtesy of anankkml /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The other day, my beautiful baby was not doing so well. I was cutting through a very hilly neighborhood to get from one job to the next when I thought I was going to have to get out and push. She had been having some issues over the last about two or three weeks. I kept trying to pretend that it was nothing, but when the check engine light goes on, you start going up at hill at like 25 mph and are barely moving up it at 5mph….. well you have suck up the fact that unlike people, car will not heal. Things actually don’t get better.
If you take your fist, which I hope you don’t, and punch me hard enough in the arm, I’ll probably burse. However, if I wait long enough, that burse will go away. Unlike a car, if you take a hammer to the door and bag in some dents, they will be there and never get better.

When trying to accelerate I would get a very high pitched sound,  Eleanor wasn’t transitioning from gear to gear very well, and was just over all a lot slower, I thought I had some transmission issues. I really hopped  it was not transmission issues because those are usually really expensive. My car being as sexy as she is, if the amount to repair Eleanor hit a certain level I would be pulling out the old school compare and contract bubble chart to see what I should do. Fix the car or get a new one.

When you think transmission normally you think Aamco. Why? One reason is because they are a big chain repair shop. I’ve used them before in Florida on my 1981 Diesel Mercedes. I also have their little slogan embedded in my head. Double A beep beep M C O. 

I called up the local shop on Tuesday and asked if I wanted to drop my car off tomorrow morning(Wednesday),  would they have time to look at it? Yes, they told me, they would be able to look at it. I asked what time they open, they said 7:30am. I was like cool I’ll see you bright and early. I made arrangement with a friend so she could meet me at Aamco, at 7:30am, I’d be able to drop my keys off, give them any information they need, and she’d drop me off from work.