black

Yesterday started off great, and ended well...needing advise. I came to work wearing a black dress that is very comfortable. I was in the mood for comfort seeing that work is getting to that super stressful stage before a show. I walked to my desk and shortly after Chrystal came to see me. Chrystal is our receptionist and one of my friends here - she cracks me up! Anywho, she told me that she liked my underwear. I was a bit confused, as she proceeded to tell me that she could see my black underwear through my black dress. GREAT! Thank goodness I have a fleese at my desk that covers my ass when I wear it. At lunch time, I made a pit stop home and put a slip on. I hate slips - but hey, my ass was no longer visable!

As the day proceeded, I needed a bit of good advice, and my father is good, especially when it comes to work. I felt a bit screwed over and dad talked me through it. Thanks dad! After that, the parents and I hit up Hard Times Cafe for some wings and chili (i got the usual three way and they like the four way). Good way to end a Wednesday!

Well, I am off to my bosses office - once again. Now I just need to put the smile on my face and be that cheery person he likes and proceed with my day!

Have a good one all. But I am going to leave you with something I read by Einstein that I liked:
"The tragedy of this world is that no one is happy, whether stuck in a time of pain or of joy. The tragedy of this world is that everyone is alone. For a life in the past connot be shared with the present. Each person who gets stuck in time gets stuck alone." - Einstein's Dreams

Happy Hump Day!

This week is going slow, but at the same time it is going fast. Every morning I have been waking up thinking it is Thursday or Friday, then come to the realization it is Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. I am looking forward to the weekend.

Last night I spend a couple hours working out the details for the show directory and the press room for next months show. Getting those details working out made me feel a bit better coming into work. However, I still have a long list of things to do. It keeps me busy that is for sure.

On my drive to work, I caught up with my mom for coffee talk. It is our thing we do on our drives to the office. She was telling me that a mutual friend was asking how I was doing. Mom informed her I was stressed, since I have our largest show in a month. Then our friend replied back - at least she has a job that is keeping her busy and she isn't doing the same thing day after day after day. This got me thinking. Yes, I do have a job that keeps me on my toes, and I don't have much down time. And yes the other woman's daughter has a job that is very redundant. When I get home from work - I am ready to crash and go to bed because I am exhausted from my day. My friend, she has the opportunity to go out with friends. She may be envious of my job, but in the same field, I am envious of her because she is living the social life that I miss more than anything. My social life is going home to Bart and working while he sleeps next to me. We are given an option, I went for the job that keeps me very busy; my friend went for the job where she can still have then busy life outside of work. We all have to do what is right for us, and in the middle, if we are not happy - we have the opportunity to still switch it up!

Alright - off to the day of work.

Chin-up, keep smiling, and remember - people make the job, the job doesn't make the job.

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My

Work is beginning to get burry. I have so many projects sitting on my desk. Our Maritime show is quickly approaching, and I feel like I am lost on the madness. Between making sure all the exhibitors, barters, and speakers have all the correct information and then making sure I have everything in order that I need and my boss needs – I am just lost in it all. The hours I am putting in is killing me. In the beginning I thought I was doing so good, my organization was perfect, and I had everything under control. Now I have deadlines to meet, the show directory to design and everything needs to be done asap. Anywho, I am tired.

My plans:
Get as much done until 6:00
6:00 – go home and eat dinner
7:00 - ?? work from home
?? – 6am sleep
repeat

This will be my routine until show time. Hopefully my 3 pages of things to do will be better by Monday. I would love to feel like I am on top of it again. Either that or not be tired. You pick.

Oh – and this that when you ask a guy to do something, he automatically thinks you are interested in him? Why can't he think it is a friend thing? I never did get that.

Yet another Sunday

This past week was a long one. It is not fun going back to work after a week off. I am in above my head with things to do. It is that time again, about a month before the show - and everything is due.

Friday night was the Dixie Chicks concert - lets just say, I am glad I didn't pay for the tickets. But I had fun non the less. The opening band only had one good song - My name in Batman, but you can call me Bob. That was great. There other songs, not so much. The group that was in the suite made the entire evening a blast. We had to turn the event into something fun - and we did it!

Yesterday I slept till 1. I haven't done that, in I don't know the last time I slept that late. I needed it - I was exhausted from the week. But that meant that I got nothing done yesterday. Today, however, I was up nice a early, as usual, and I am putting my rooms back together - finally. My spare bedroom is a pig pen right now. I can't stand it anymore. I went to Target to get the felt pads for under my furniture, so my newly refinished floor doesn't get scrached and I have my work cut out for me. It will look good when it is done - so that is well worth it.

I will post a pic later so you may see my finished floors! Very exciting - i know. (it is to me though!)

Family Vacation 2006

It is safe to say, while on vacation, we ate extremely well. Tyipically, at Lake George, we have dinner competitions - see who can make the best dinner. This year, we changed things up a bit. We had teams of two, each person having two nights, and the nights were theme nights.

Nights as followed:
Monday - Italian - Kyle and Mom (Salmon Pasta)
Tuesday - Adirondack - Dad and myself (Oscar's Port Roast topped on a veggie filled salad)
Wednesday - Rochester - Mom and myself (Garbage Plates)
Saturday - Southern - Kyle and Dad (Oscar's ribs, chicken - both topped with Crazy Jerry's hot sauce - roasted corn, and garlic smashed taters)

In the above picture, for the Rochester meal, Mom and I made the infamous garbage plate with Bill Gray's hot sauce. Kyle brought the hot sauce, since we all know Maryland doesn't have Bill Grays! (Thanks Kyle)

Crazy Jerry's hot sauce - this is a must have. Six of us tried and and six of us absolutly loved it!!



This is the family, plus Aunt Mary and Uncle Steve enjoying our last dinner in the Adirondacks, which happened to be Southern night. I don't think we had any food left over!



For Adirondack night, dad and I decided to make seafood stuffed mushrooms as the appetizer. These will definatly be created again! We used ritz crackers, green onions, shrimp, and chopped stems of the mushrooms on top for decoration.

It was a fabulous week, and I am sorry it is over. Now I am back to work wishing I was back on the beach starring off into the mountains thinking about nothing! Sunday began the count down for next year. Time to start the planning of the meals, will it be themes and teams again? Or will it go back to the competition where everyone is on their own?? All I can say, thanks to that hat from which we drew the names for teams this year - for it didn't put Kyle and I together!

two days and counting!

Yesterday, a co-worked gave me tickets to attend a function at the Kennedy Center. It is actually a fundraiser, and the seats are $150 per seat or sold through sponsorships. However, his wife's company is the organizer, so he was given some tickets to give out. He gave me two tickets, so me and a date could attend. That is great, it should be a great night, and I am thrilled my co-worker asked me to go. The major question - who will go with me? I would ask Tim, but he just attended a concert with me, and it will give him the wrong idea if I ask him to attend this with me. Mike is having back surgery two weeks before, so he is out. Ryan, he wouldn't act appropriatly, so he is out. Ted is never in town. I don't have anyone to go. Any suggestions? I have until August 8th to come up with someone, but they at least need to have manners, since this is a function that we need to act our age, but it should be fun!

On the other hand, things are good. Two and half more days until VACATION!! Not that I'm counting down or anything! Last night was nice, my parents got me a TV stand for my birthday and we put that together as we put my furniture back in the living and dining rooms. My place looks beautiful with the hardwood floors. It is cozy and amazing. I would like to get some area rugs, but right now, I don't want to cover up the hardwoods. Sooo pretty!!

Well I am off to finish my wonderful lunch. Have a good wednesday!

digging my way out

This week is crazy busy. The week before vacation. I can't wait to be sitting on a beach and swimming all next week, but the week before and the week after vacation always seems to suck. Any time you leave the office for a bit and return sucks. This is when I truely miss my old job. All well.

Tonight Bart and I get to move back home. Over the weekend, we finished the living and dining room floors. They are stained and polyed, and they look beautiful!! So tonight is the fun part, putting the rooms together and sleeping in my bed! I will post pics tonight if I am not too tired.

Okay, sorry for the short post - work to be done.

Actions and Consequences

It's funny. Life is odd. Why do people do certain things? What puts the ideas in their heads? The past few days, I have been wondering this. I have always taken pride in where I work, and what I have done for those companies. Recently, it was brought to my attention that a place I worked is in trouble on the charges of payola. This saddened me. I just hope the person/people that were part of this are accepting the responsibilties that go along with an offense like that. Also a fellow co-worker just came back from a work trip and he actually told me that he didn't tell anyone what company he was with, and told people he forgot his business cards at home. To make it worse, when he was asked what he did, he used his past job. Why was he so ashamed to say who he was with? It will be funny to see the outcome of this, especially with the position he holds here.

We all make mistakes, and big ones sometimes, it's life. However, it is all about how we handle our mistakes. When we make mistakes, the only right thing to do is live up to it. The outcome is much easier if you live up to it rather than hiding it until found. This i have learned. Sadly, I tell my boss when I make mistakes before he finds them (if I catch it first) just because I feel so bad. I would rather turn myself in than someone else do it for me. If you need help, ask for it. If you are not able to be honest with who you are, you might want to think twice. Are you becoming the person you want to be? If not - take charge. We all have been granted to opportunity to be who we want. Make you the person you are proud of. I may not have lead the best life, but I am getting there. I just hope to keep following my goals and plans, and let them change in ways they should.

SOCCER HELP NEEDED

I have played co-ed soccer before, but not co-ed indoor soccer and I haven't played for 5-6 years. Any assistance one can give me would be greatly appreciated. I need help and reading the instructions - yea not helpful.

Tired Monday

My weekend didn't exactly go as planned. I was out late with a friend catching up and slept till 9:30 Saturday morning. Since I had so much to do, I was hoping to be on the metro by this time. My fun excursion to view the monuments from the Old Post Office and go to the newly renovated American Art Museum is on a rain delay. Instead, my Saturday was spent finishing moving the furniture that didn't absolutely require two people into the spare bedroom or my bedroom and finishing the prep work for sanding. That took me most of the day. I got all the staples out and scrubbed the floor real good a couple times. Now that I am typing this out, it doesn't sound like I did all that much. However, I ended my day with a hot dog cook out and my favorite Grandma Brown's baked beans! This reminds me, I need to hit up Wegmans, and re-stock up on some of that good Rochester food!

Saturday night I called my dad in hope that he would be up for helping me sand the living room and dining room floors. Slowly, I moved in for the kill, did the "what are you having for dinner?", "How was your day..." and then he said it! "Want to sand tomorrow?" I about jumped for joy, but I calmly said, "yea, we could, you want to?" I was thrilled - I was staying on schedule!

Sunday I was up and ready to be at the store by 9. Called dad and he was still eating breakfast. HELLO! WHO HAS TIME FOR BREAKFAST WHEN WE HAVE FLOORS TO SAND? Okay, my dumb ass should have eaten something, I was starving come 10:30 and he was not. We headed off to Lowe’s to rent the sander and pick up the supplies. Now, this is when my great mood when down the drain. Lowe’s employees are morons. I am sorry. I was a newby working in a hardware store once - but you know what, I asked questions and learned so I would have the knowledgeable answers. Apparently, that is overrated now-a-days. I was looking for a ½ gallon of wood filler – since we are doing basically all the rooms in my place. All I could find was the $8 pint of Minwax wood fill. Zar makes a ½ gallon tub for that amount. So I ask the associate where there wood filler is located – since the store is a complete, disorganized mess. My little lazy associate had NO CLUE what I was talking about. I asked if there was anyone that would know – he didn’t know, nor did he care to ask. It just went down hill from there.

Any who, we get back to my place, move the couch and the TV – the two things I could not do by myself, and the day began. It took five hours to sand, but we did it. We took turns sitting on the sander, while the other sanded. The extra weight was needed. Yes, it did make it more difficult for the person sanding, especially with the strong right pull the sander had…but it is now down, and my body is a weeee bit sore. Good hard work, on a good day, can’t beat that!

Now, I am back to work…stain tonight? We shall see if I am in shape for it. I might have to take a night off.

Weekend Plans

I am beginning to make my weekend plans. Who am I kidding, I have been thinking about weekend since Monday! Every day this week, it has felt like Friday. And today, it is actually Friday, finally.

This weekend I would like to have a bit of fun. As suggested by Dan, a fellow blogger, I am going to hit up the Old Post Office to get a good view of the monuments, and on my out grab some ice cream on the 1st floor at Ben & Jerry's! That will make my walk more enjoyable as I head over to the American Art Museum. I haven't gone on lineto the American Art Museum web site; I don't want to spoil my fun. There is something about walking in and see everything for the first time. You just can't pass that moment up! After the art museum I am considering taking in an Einstein planetarium visit. It's been over a year since I have gone to see the stars. Either that or I can find a nice park at night and lay on the grass until I am happy with how many constellations I have found. Either way, I am happy.

Other than my DC fix, I am working on my floors. They are coming along nice. Last night I was a bit lazy, I only took the staples out of the dining room floor. So I have yet to do the living room, and then disinfect the floor. That will probably be in store for tonight. I could go out and try to meet people, but you know that won't happen.

I am off to continue with my daily fun at work. Have a good weekend!

Did someone say carpet?

The carpet is almost all out - just need to move the TV. I wanted to get some pictures though.


All the nasty carpet and padding is piled on my patio. Once again, I was looking white trash!


Carpet is out! Moving the tv was easier than I though, I was able to slide it. To lift that stupid tv you need two strong people, me alone, I would kill myself. (Kyle, no, I am going to see if the tv would kill me. You would miss you little sister!)


DONE! I just finished taking all that gross carpet to the dumpster. I no longer look like white trash. Although, no one was here to offer me a beer when I needed one. YES NEEDED!! And yes, I took a shower! It wasn't my shower month, but I figured I could break my shower schedule just once. After shower - beer!

All I have to do is finish getting the staples out. I did the hallway last night, so I have the living room and dining room left. I have to say it has been a fun project. I have to figure out what to do with all my furniture while the floor gets sanded, stained, and sealed. But I can think about that later! I will just be glad when I have the staples out and the floor disinfected. It is moving along very well.

Well I best go get ready for work.

subfloor check

I get home last night a little after 7 and this is when my butt decides to finally rip up a piece of carpet in a corner to check out the subfloor. At 7:30 I was calling my father to tell him there is the old school 8” block hardwood flooring under the horribly stained carpet! I was thrilled. Had I known this, the carpet would have been ripped up before I moved all my crap in last year. Dad brought over a wheel barrel as I began to rip that carpet up. Last night we got the dining room, entrance to my place (which I part of the living room), and the hallway ripped up. That means tack stripping too. I have stepped on my fair share of tack stripping – and didn’t feel like repeating that or getting a tetanus shot (which I am over due for – funny how these projects make you remember those things!!). Tonight, I am going to move all my furniture in my living room and get the rest of the carpet up. Then I will only have carpet in the two bedrooms.

The floor is in good shape. I will have to rent an orbital sander and re-stain/seal it. So tonight – finish ripping up carpet, get all the staples out of the floor, and then clean it with ammonia (a couple times!). As to why they used so many staples with the padding, I don’t know – nor do I care, because, I am making it look pretty again!! I was thrilled to see the flooring. Some spots will need repair, and since they don’t make the floor anymore, I might carpet one or both bedrooms to use some of the flooring to repair the hallway. I will take pictures and post tonight. Got to have the before and after shots!!!

My goal is to have it ready to sand by Sunday. Do repairs on Saturday – sand Sunday. Then stain a couple nights next week, and keep Bart at the parent’s house. I don’t want paw prints on my floor like I have them on my window sills. Cute cat.

Okay – work here I come. I hope everyone has a good day. Oh, and if you feel like lifting furniture or being a staple taker outer with me, I will buy the beer and food!

Happy 4th of July!!

Today is a great day, and I hope everyone enjoys it!

Yesterday at work I think I did a total of 15 minutes worth of work. No offices were open, at least not the places I interact with. I was okay with this though. It gave me time to catch up with people were at work. I talked to Adam for a while. Adam is a Michigan fan, and I had sent him a bunch of Purdue pictures! We bantered for a bit, then I went back to the paperclip war I am having with Matthew. It has been going on now for about three weeks, and it is just beginning. It makes the day fun. At noon, our COO came around informing us all that our CEO was letting us out at 2:30. I was in shock. We never get out that early.

At 2:30 I was out the door! I came home and went to the pool, it was very hot. Since I am not a huge pool fan, I lasted maybe, maybe 40 minutes. After that I came home to do what I had planned on doing, bake, toilet, floor. Okay, so I did one of those. I baked the zucchini bread. Then I got on the computer and didn't get off until 8:30. By that point I was starving and wanted dinner. After dinner I wasn't in the mood to really do anything - I ate too much, so I watched Top Gun. Jessica called and invited me to a gathering a someones house, but I didn't feel like getting all "cute" to have a couple beers. So that was that.

This morning I was going to go running or find where the O&D trail is in MD or another trail and blade for a while. I haven't bladed in over a year. :( After that, I need to hit the toilet and the floor. Then get ready to food!!! Very important that i prep myself for eating! Steak, hot dogs (Zweigles of course!), deviled eggs, taters, veggies on the grill, and ice cream sundae's! I best go have some food now to get me started for the day!

Have a great 4th! Be safe!

Pool

My weekend was a good one. Saturday I took Bart over to my parents so he could play, and also because I told my Dad I would help him put up a ceiling fan and a rail on their neighbor’s patio. Their neighbor, Bernice, is the sweetest lady. She could be my grandmother. She tries to keep on top of the times, and she always has a good understanding of what is happening on their street. I love her to pieces!! Anywho, so dad and I were did some work on her place – which involved going to Lowes, and that is always a good time!

Sunday I went to Little Havana’s in Baltimore for brunch. My cheesy-burger was most excellent!! And the mamosa’s, very good! While were eating, we decided it was a must to go to the pool. I have never been to the pool, and I have lived where I live for a little over a year. I am not a big pool person. Since I grew up on a boat I prefer a lake. There is nothing better then jumping off a sailboat in the summer. However, that is not possible, so pool it is. It was very refreshing on a hot day. We were only by the pool for an hour since it a thunderstorm came. We all got changed and got food (Cheesecake factory!) then hit up a movie. We went to go see “The Devil Wears Prada” and it was cute. I thought it would be more of a comedy, it had some funny lines, but it was more of a cute drama (if there is such a thing as a cute drama). It was a long day, and we were all exhausted, but all in all, we didn’t do anything but eat and sit on our butts.

Tonight, I am making zucchini bread, and fixing the leak in the tank of my toilet. Hopefully I just have to tighten the bolt that attaches the tank to the bowl, but I’ll find out later. After that, I need to take a look at the sub floor in my living room. I want to tear up all the carpet…but I need to see what the base looks like. I am praying the sub floor is in good shape, unlike the bathroom. Tomorrow, relax and eat! I would like to go to Annapolis, but I have a picnic to be at. This weekend I will either go downtown to the mall and walk around or go to Annapolis. I would still like to go to the top of the Washington Monument.

Well I am off like a prom dress, as Matty says. Have a good day, and eat lots!

Happy Friday!

Good Morning! Happy Friday! What are everyone's plans for the weekend? I think I might do some work around my place, then maybe hit the pool. I keep saying, or thinking I am going to go to the pool, but then I never do. One, I feel bad leaving Bart, what can I say, I'm a sucker. He was along all last weekend, so maybe I will just hang out on the patio. Then maybe meet up with some friends for a beer somewhere in Arlington or out in Centreville. It will be a relazing weekend! And a great weekend for grilling!!

I can't believe tomorrow is July. Where has this year gone to? However, July is the one month I look forward to every year. The last week of July, my family goes to Lake George every year. Mom and Dad always ask my brother and I if we want to go somewhere else, but there is something about knowing that you are going to a beach that is usually quiet to read, swim, at at 2:00 start happy hour. You just know you will be relaxed when you are there...why change that. Yes, it would be neat to see a new place, don't get me wrong. I just like knowing that I will be relaxed! And this year, my brother will be there the whole week, and I haven't seen him since, what Thanksgiving?!? Dang, that is a long time!

Well I best go get ready for work, I am slacking today! Have a wonderful weekend and a great Friday all!

Steve Azar

STEVE AZAR IS AT NED DEVINES TONIGHT - AND I AM NOT GOING!! HE IS ONLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS. My girl friend from work and I were supposed to go, we forgot - and now I am completely bummed. Now, I really want to go and have no one to go with. When I worked in radio, I enjoyed every time he was in town playing our concerts, he kept a smile on my face. Well he, his bongo player, and his brother. Maybe I will go by myself.

Food, Food and Food

The past couple days have been very productive, although if you look at my list of things to do at work, you wouldn’t think so. About two items come off, five go on! My three day weekend did the trick, well for the time being!!

Today at work they did the drawing of who gets the privilege of attending the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert, and sadly I did not win that drawing. I am getting over it though. I have seen Tim 5 times, and would have loved to see him one more time, but I understand that I can’t go every time he is in our area. However, I can dislike the person that won! Tim: I am sorry I can’t see your concert, but sing Don’t Take the Girl for me!

I think I might rent a movie tonight. I am in the mood to have a beer, which I have to stop and get, and relax for the evening. The weather doesn’t really make you want to go anywhere, not even a beer run! Oh! I could splurge – beer/pizza/movie. Man, that just sounds too good to be true! Although I did spend a lot of money this past weekend, all on food! Maybe I will just hit the store and see what looks good for cooking, that way I have leftovers for work.

Well I am off to the store – my belly is hungry!

Charlotte, NC

I am back, and wish I was still with Dawn. I got there Friday when she got out work. We hit up Old Navy – I lost my brown flip flops and had to get a new pair. It was just Dawn and I for the weekend, her fiancé, Jim, was out of town. I have to say I really missed him being there. After Old Navy, we found a place to eat dinner. It was the two of us and a bunch of people in their 50’s or 60’s. This made for an interesting night. Dawn and I were catching up and laughing at points….by the looks we were getting, you would have thought we were two 16 year old loud gitty girls. One, we were not loud; two, we were not gitty. We had fun, and Dawn almost tripped the waitress when she had her hands full of food!! I almost died of laughter – and yes, at that point we were obnoxious, she apologizing, and me still laughing. After her extra large margarita and my beer we headed back to her place to chat some more. She is a wine person, and I can deal every now and then…so wine it was. We had one and a half bottles of wine! It was a great night of laughter. She had a rough morning; however, I think I ate enough for the army the night before, so I was fine!!

Saturday we just bummed around running errands and eating what ever I could get my hands on. That afternoon, while were getting ready to meet this guy Jessy for dinner, we watch The Family Stone. Very funny movie, some sad points, but humorous as well. After the movie, Dawn and I did something we don’t do that often, we got all dolled up to go to dinner. It was fun! We went to this amazing restaurant and I had a delicious Italian meat sandwich on fococcia with an olive spread. After dinner we went to the Mellow Mushroom, for one more drink. They had Labbatts Blue, and that I had to have!! Man was it tasty. Gotta love Labbatts!

Sunday we woke up and went to Brueggar’s for breakfast – only my favorite bagel place. After that, I hit the road for home. Although, I did find a need to stop at Steak’n’Shake for a large milk shake. I would be in heaven if the DC area had Steak’n’Shake and a Brueggar’s.

I get home, and an hour later I lost power – and still don’t have it! Bart was going crazy, but at least we had each other. That is one reason I would like a roommie, for when the power goes out, and you are in the dark during a thunderstorm. Not my most favorite thing. I was good though, usually I call my friends, but I didn’t do it this time. I just hope I go home to power. Cross your fingers!

NC here I come!!

Today is my day off, and what do I want to do? Go to work and make sure everything is as it should before I head off. Yes, I did that last night before I left. I still want to go it and give verbal reminders to my boss of what needs to go out/be done kinda things. I sent an email, but those always get lost in the shuffle. So now I am fighting the urge to NOT think about work. Bart is doing a good job helping me, he wants to play. We played a bit, and I kicked his little butt! Yea, I am not that nice, I don't let him win.

Anywho, I hope everyone has a joyous weekend. One that is full of lots of laughter, food, and good company.

I wanted to get some good books on tape for the drive, but my dumb butt spent too much time prepping work for my day off, I didn't get any. Luckely I have great taste in music, I have that to sing along to and bother all other drivers with my horrible singing voice.

Well I best go pack, and get my butt in gear.