Scarf/Sheets

While at the show in NYC, I was given a beautiful silk scarf from one of our China companies for assisting with Visa's and the Chinese Embassy information. Today I am wearing the scarf, it is beautiful, how could I not wear it. Anywho, now the office is wondering who I got a hickie from. Apparently, another co-worker only wears a scarf when her boyfriend gives her hickies. FUNNY PEOPLE!

On a great side note, I was at Target the other week and I came accross sock puppet monkey jersey sheets. Oh yea, my new fav sheet!! Very comfortable. But you all wouldn't know, and won't know - cos I am not sharing my bed with anyone!!! Yea! How do you like me now?

Okay, I am off to get ready to get out of here. I work with a bunch of two year olds and it is getting tiring.

Wegmans

I went to PA this past weekend to hang out with a Wegmans friend. I don't have the opportunity to see him that often since, he lives a drive away and with our different schedules, it is difficult. But it was time for my DJ fix. He was one of the first people I met when I started at Wegmans in Dulles, and he was the first person I supposedly slept with. Gotta love the rumors! Man, you talk to one person in that place, and every one has you sleeping with that person. The only time that really bothered me is when stuff when around about my married friends and my boss. Other than that, it's just pillow talk talkin!

Any who, DJ and I went to a couple different places and ended up at a bar with an upstairs karaoke bar! That is where we stayed. We had a blast making fun of people singing and singing along. Although, it didn't take much to get us laughing, we were both tired. However, this was the same night the Michigan State vs. Notre Dame Game was on and if you know me, you know I had a blast causing trouble with all the Notre Dame people in the bar!! After all, it isn't my fault that they had to hear the truth about Notre Dame sucking from me. :) I am an angel! DJ is great; he just lets me have my fun, sits back and laughs. I let Dj do the drinking; he needed a good night out. At about 1:30 I took him home and tucked him into bed, and then I hit the couch. Oh, and while he is a little inebriated, I got him to agree to be my new back up date. This way, when I need a date for a function, and I don't have one, he will go with me. Since I lost my back up to a new "girlfriend", I needed to find a new one.

Any who, I best get to work. Accounting issues just arose, and I need to start looking into how to fix it! The week I need to make Cini Chili!! I am craving it.

Oh, the good food i had

Today I am a bit more awake, so I have been catching up on my blog reading. Sounds like everyone is doing well. I am trying to get back into the slower work pace, and I just have to say, I am liking it. Although this morning, my alarm was blaring, tv was on - but what woke me up was a text message coming from Steph asking me if she could wear kakhi's to work today. This text came at 8:20. I am supposed to be at work by 9. So today, sorry - shower will come later!!

I am sitting here, reflecting on the food I ate while in NYC. Saturday night I arrived at the hotel around 9, due to missing my flight for being at the wrong airport. That called for room service, french onion soup and a side of sauteed mushrooms! Yummy! Sunday I hit up Starbucks for coffee, man that place is expensive. For lunch I had a medium pizza - can't beat the NYC pizza. Dinner, five of us went to Little Italy for the festival and ate at Novella. That was delicious! Monday, the guys from the night before brought me breakfast, which was extremely nice of them. They know at the shows I don't really get to eat - so they bring me bananas and muffins that I can shove in my mouth here and there. Dinner about 20 of us went to Cafe Un, Dux, Tous - FANTASTIC FOOD. As an appetizer I ordered onion soup, entree - filet with peppercorn sause, desert - doubledecker chocolate cake. I left a happy camper. Tuesday I didn't eat that well - no time. Wednesday the guys brought me food in the morning again, since they didn't see me eat the day before, which was nice of them. Then before we all got on the plane to head home, there is a great pizza place at LGA - we hit that up and I scarfed since I had barely eaten for two days. Ahh, the good times.

Okay, I think I have put off listening to my voicemail long enough. I best get my butt in gear before our debriefing of the show.

NEXT

I am back in the office today, the show is over. Last night and today we, those who were at the show, are a bit gitty. However, I am glad it is over. Show went well. We had about 70 cadets there to help, which is always a plus. Who doesn't enjoy men in uniform! Steph and I were trying to hook each other up - granted I am way to old for any of them. But we both got stuck going to dinner with two of them. Steph and I had a blast feeding off eachother, the two guys, I don't think they has as much fun!

Today, I have done NOTHING! I arrived to work around noon and I opened my email. Oh, wait, i did check one of them. But that is about it.

Alright - off to get ready to leave. Though day - but tomorrow starts prep for the next show.

two down - two to go!

Even though this week is a 5 day work week, for me it is really four. By the time I leave work on Thursday, I have to have everything prepared for the show. Friday morning I will do box inventory and all boxes are getting picked up for shipment at noon. That makes noon on Friday party time for me! In the meantime, it is 14 hour work days, at least. It is safe to say, I am ready for Friday. Although, if you saw my desk, you wouldn't think a show is coming up! Now that makes me happy! If you saw me, oh you would know! I look like crap.

Kyle - Congrats!! I am very happy for you. Wish I was there to buy you a beer or two. :) You will have to tell me how today went for ya, and I can’t wait to hear how Monday goes!!!

Sean & Christine - I hope you are doing well! Send more pictures of your place. I am trying to get my boss to do a show in CA, but i don't think that will fly any time soon. All his "buddies" are in NYC. How does P-Nut like being back in CA?

Dan - I like you blog, you have done a nice job. Thank you for your advice, I truly appreciate it. Sounds like you are still plugging on your house. And the duct tape wallet?! Gotta love duct tape. Sometime we will have to have a chili cook-off; fall is the perfect season for good Cini chili!

Okay, back to work. I am hoping to head home soon! My bed is calling, I can hear it.

Another weekend!

The Finished picture from last weekend of opening up and painting the kitchen. I never posted a final picture. It made for a very busy weekend, but I am glad that I pushed hard to get it done.

The larger opening is so nice. Now, when I am making dinner, I can still see the TV or watch the kids playing out side and scaring Bart! (that is actually the most fun!)

This weekend I am trying to be as productive, however, it isn't working as well. Yesterday I slept most of the day to get ride of a headache. It didn't go away until about 9 last night. I did hit up Barnes and Nobles and got five books. Yes, five. If you know me well, that is odd! Three books on work (How to Balance Work and Life, 135 Tips on Writing Successfully, and The Idiot's Guide to Meeting & Event Planning) I began reading the The Idiot's Guide to Meeting & Event Planning, it gives many good tips which some I do and some I don't. It also gives plenty of good websites to visit.

While I was in the management sections, I saw a book How to work for an Idiot which I thought was pretty funny. I began to read it, and found it wasn't the right book for me. Is there a book about how to work for a guy who thinks it is his way or the highway, he is always right, and doesn't listen to a word/suggestion you say? If there is, please let me know. I refuse to read the books about climbing the corporate ladder in heels. That did make me realize that every person, that I know of, that held my position in the past has been a female. I would like to see my boss work with a guy in my position, and I would like to see how a man handles my boss. My boss seems to be the person who thinks he can win you over by sweet talking you. "Oh, everyone loves you, loves the job you do..." bla bla bla. I don't think he has learned that I know that is all crap! Yes, I am liked at work, but don't give me that crap. Any who, I am trying to keep learning about my position - since I am not learning at work. I don't want what I have learned in the past to be lost. There will be a day when I want to start interviewing again, and I need to be on top of my game. As you can see above, Bart works hard with me!

Well I am off to head back to Barnes and Nobles, grab a coffee, the Sunday paper, and a resume and cover letter book and keep my information up to date. Any suggestions would be of great help. I am not one that likes to write about myself in that manner.

Body - Owies!

Yesterday, when I woke up I had a decision to make...work on actual work. Or take my work frustrations out while working on my place. Since Jessy comes in about a month and I have a show in between that, which causes me to lost about 2-3 weekends to work on my place I decided to hit my place and hit it hard. Today - OWIES!

I tore up the carpet, pulled staples and strubbed the floor (on my hands and knees) with pine sol. I would rather have wooden floors that are clean - that don't look so purtty, than that nasty carpet!

Did the same in my bed room!

Oh, and Dad and I cut the whole for a new, larger window leading to the kitchen. Today we are framing it and the base will be a bar area. Then tomorrow or tonight, I am going to paint the kitchen a daker shade of blue than what you see in the living and dining rooms! Oh - all the dumpster runs are done as well. So I only looked white trash for a couple hours. Very disappointing I know!!


Bart, he was beat after a long day of work. We started at 7:30 and ended at 7 last night. Good thing he had his blankie to cuddle with!

Today - hit up home depot and keep going. Any one up to giving me a message? Man, I could really go for one!

She's so Vain!

She is coming! My friend from ROCHESTER is comeing to see ME. Okay, so you might be thinking I am sounding a little vain right now. However, let me explain. I have not had a friend from Rochester come to see me since I have moved here two and a half years ago. I was shopping with my friend yesterday when Jessy called to tell me that I better get my ass out of bed to pick her up at 8:30 in the morning! Let me tell you a little about,my girl, Jessy:

I have know Jessy since I can remember. Did I mention we are cousins?! We have done the girlie sleep overs watching "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" and had a cocktail while having our venting chats. When it comes to Jessy, she won't judge me, nor I her. We have mad plenty of mistakes in our life - and we still love eachother (sucks being family doesn't it jess!!). When it comes to dating - I have to say we run a similar path. Mr. Right is still in no sight - either that or God just hasn't decided he should smack us in the face to say Mr. Right has been standing in front of us all our lives. However, we have fun laughing over our horrible dates and the "good" decisions we made back then! There is one story that is my favorite. If our entire fam didn't already know - I wouldn't share - sorry Jess:

Jessy and I were in jr. high when we where at a family gathering that was being held at her place. After dinner, it was jess and my job to serve the sherbert. We are preparing all the dishing when she informed me she had to pee. Convenient timing, don't ya think?! Well I thought she didn't have to go all that bad, so I started saying "think waterfalls, think watersfalls" and i proceeded to turn the water on. We got laughing soooooo hard, and that didn't help her situation. Well, one thing lead to another and next thing you know we are having to explain why jessy changed her paints. That darn sherbert! All over her pants! (haha)

Well anywho, Jess and I go way back, and she is coming to see ME! She is coming to see where I live, meet my friends (wait, I gotta find some!) and see ME! Thanks jess. I will be happy to pick you up at the airport with a nice hot cup of java for ya, a smile and a hug. So no, I am not vain - just extremely happy that my friend is coming.

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.