Seas

While at Epcot last week, we actually did do things other than eat. We rode Soarin' and Spaceship Earth, and hung out in the Living Seas where there were FOUR dolphins in the tank at once. Sadly, my camera just isn't that into taking pictures through 6" glass, and my dolphin pictures all sucked.

I had much better luck taking pictures of things in the smaller aquariums. Here's my rockin' cuttlefish photo and a giant clam (about to suck up that poor clown fish!):

Shiny Happy Kitten

It's been a while since I overwhelmed y'all with the absolute cuteness that is Miss Elphaba. So here's two pictures for you. The first, with the disdained "I am allowing you to sit under me" look reminds me so much of Mr. French it's creepy. The second is what I see all the time - Elphie attacking something.

But really, have you ever seen a shinier cat? She's so sleek I sometimes think she's part otter!

"Awesome" Notes

"Use your words, Jamie!"

Somehow, the word "awesome" has sneaked back into my vocabulary in a big ugly way. Today, I was writing a note to our Operations Manager (henceforth known as "guy who didn't hire me") on a post-it:

Guy who didn't hire me,
Here's an awesome guest compliment letter that The Boss thought you'd enjoy.
JM

And then right before I left for the night, I left a stack of brand new cocktail menus (transcribed from the lounge menus with big tacky photos that The Boss doesn't feel has any place in his stuffy uptight dining room) on The Boss's desk with the following note:

You're welcome!
Yes, I am awesome! :-)
J-Mo

I don't know what's come over me! Really though, it's got to stop.

I've heard it said that using profanity is a sign of unintelligence. I guess the theory is that someone more articulate could express the same feeling without resorting to vulgarity. Frankly, sometimes I think a good "fuck" is an excellent way to get your point across. And if you can use the same word 20+ times in one post and not come off looking like a ghetto superstar, more power to you.

But awesome?!?! That just makes you sound like you're trapped in the 80's. And that's not good for anyone! Tsk tsk.

Caught Blue-Handed

(nope, not the post where I confess a Smurf fetish)

(also not the post where I talk about massive bruising caused by slamming my hand in a car door)

Apparently yet another of the blue gel ice packs for my lunch has sprung a leak. I didn't notice a puddle in the lunch box like last time though, so I'm not 100% sure. All I know is that I looked down and my finger was blue! And another finger was blue! And one knuckle on my other hand: also blue!

Tampons

Yes, I'm writing an entire entry about feminine hygiene products. Not just feminine hygiene products, but the ones that go inside the body.

**gasp!**

Why? Because it's my blog and I'll do weird stuff if I want to. Besides, recently it feels like I'm the only one reading what I'm writing anyway. "Hello, Internet, are you there? It's me, Jamie."

The entry is about tampons, not their use, or their effectiveness. There is a photo, but only the applicators are showing. And they were in mint condition until I placed them out on my bathroom floor. Yes, I wasted three tampons for this photo. But trust me, photo evidence was necessary.

So I assume by now I've scared off anyone not interested in reading about tampons. I guess it's safe to continue. So here's my story:

Up until now, I have been exposed to two types of Playtex tampons (yes, plastic applicators will some day block out the sun, but I like the Playtex product so much more than their cardboard brethren I'm willing to sacrifice the planet): the yellow (regular) packaging and the pink (super) packaging. I'm a yellow kind of gal, but always seem to have pinks around because half the time the store is out of yellow, and I'd rather go pink than go to another brand.

Well, this week apparently I wasn't paying attention and I bought a box of purple tampons. I noticed the purple stripe on the box, but since it wasn't pink, I thought that meant that they changed the yellow to purple.

WRONG!

Purple, it turns out, is ULTRA. And so a few days later, I found myself telling Scott about my mistake. "I've seen smaller things shot out of submarines." Even the applicator is reinforced. Really! Look!

Yellow on the left, followed by pink, and then purple.

The very bottom of the purple applicator has an extra ridge on it, as if the makers of the product are aware that without that little ridge, you would likely cut a circle in the tip of your finger during insertion!

And so the jokes kept rolling with me and Scott. He asked if there was any heavy equipment involved, and I said yes, that the box comes with a grenade launcher... but make sure you hold on tight to that string or Look Out!

With its one gallon absorption ability, you could wear just one tampon through an entire cycle. You know, theoretically, if you weren't worried about TSS or the fact that you would definitely feel "not so fresh" by the end.

Also, I'm not taking a picture of this, but if you were to insert an ULTRA into a glass of water, it would plump up to the diameter of an apple. Seriously - it's scary!

I think that just about covers it. But maybe one more time, just for S&G's, and since I probably won't have this opportunity again: Tampon!

Food & Wine Part Three

Don't skip ahead! Start with part one and part two!

Louisiana

Seafood Gumbo

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 1 - *gag* tasted like rotten fish to me!

Crawfish Etouffée

Scott: 4

Jamie: 4 - I thought it would be too spicy, but I found it delightful.

Abita "Purple Haze" Beer

Scott: 3 - It was good, but no Sam Adams

Praline Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Scott: 2.5 - cloyingly sweet

Jamie: 2.5 - what he said...and way too many pecans

Free Mini Tabasco Bottles: Priceless!

Turkey

Manti with Yogurt Sauce

(Note: manti is a spicy beef ravioli)

Scott: 4 - sour to the point of being sweet

Jamie: 4 - would've been a 5 if it didn't look like a pile of vomit! I really enjoyed it!

Canada

Chateau des Charmes Riesling

Jamie: 4 - I got carded when I ordered this! The first wine I had at the Festival, I can't tell you a thing about it, but I remember that I liked it!

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Scott: 4.5

Jamie: 5 - A festival favorite every year, though the predominant flavor in the soup is bacon, not cheese!

Vidal Icewine

Jamie: 5

Scott: 5 - Thick, sweet, with a honey after-taste. "Scotty like dee expensive wine!"

And Last But Not Least...

Puerto Rico

(left) Mofongo

(beef with green plantains, pork cracklings, shrimp and something like salsa)

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 2 - the salsa was a redeeming feature. Both of us could see how this could be tasty if made well and served fresh, but this wasn't.

(right) "Gypsy's Arm" Guava Jelly Roll

Scott: 5 - tasty! I don't usually like guava, and this was very sweet, but sweet in a good way.

Jamie: 5 - first thing I had on day #1, last thing I had on day #2.

Plantain and Beef Casserole

Scott: 4.5 (once we scraped some of the diced red peppers off the top)

Jamie: 5 - Scott wants to learn how to make this, and I'm going to let him!

Frozen Mojito

Scott: 5 - Even though it was a "slushie" it was very well balanced. They used Bacardi Limon, which I usually don't like, but in this case it worked!

Jamie: 4.5 - I was shocked that you could still taste the mint so well without any actual pieces of mint in the drink!

So that's our culinary world tour. We hope you are drooling on your keyboard right now.

...and I would like to leave you with two photos of Scott - a study of mojitos - taken at the start of day #1, and the end of day #2. That's how you know we were on vacation!!

Food & Wine Part Two

Have you read Part One? If not, start there!

Ireland

(left) Frozen Irish Coffee

Jamie: 5 - Yum! It's an alcoholic Frappuccino!

(middle) Boxty with Bacon Chips and Kerrygold Garlic & Fresh Herb Butter

Scott: 4

Jamie: 4.5 - picture corned beef and cabbage wrapped in a potato pancake with herb butter on top. Only, you know, there wasn't actually any corned beef.

(right) Guinness Draught

Scott: 4

Irish Cheese Selection: Cheddar, Dubliner, Ivernia with apple chutney and brown bread

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 3 - There was nothing wrong with the
cheeses, but they all tasted the same and were served cold. The cheese booth put this plate to shame. And that bread... doesn't look brown to me!

Potato Leek Soup with Dubliner Cheese Stick

Scott: 4 - Very creamy, light with a leeky undertone. The cheese stick was light in texture but intense in flavor.

Jamie: 3 - I didn't find it nearly creamy enough.

Time for a photographic interlude from the "Pearville Fair" section. Nothing to eat here but whole pairs, but still a fun photo op!

Hops and Barley

a.k.a. "The Beer Booth"

a.k.a. The booth with the mile-long line

Sam Adams Cherry Wheat

Jamie: 3 - which for a beer is pretty darn good!

Scott: 5 - It's his favorite beer, and can currently be found in our fridge

Sam Adams 13th Annual Festival Lager

Jamie: 2.5 - I didn't like it, but the flavor was layered and complex

Scott: 3.5

San Francisco, USA

Seared Beef Medallion with Cheddar Cheese Polenta

Scott: 4 - The polenta was very creamy. Beef had a little too much rosemary on it.

New Zealand

Lamb Slider on a Brioche Roll

Scott: 3 -Liked the roll, meat cooked well, the gravy was "eh."

Jamie: 3.5 - Tasted like pot roast on bread. I wouldn't have known it was lamb.

Bay Scallops with Baby Greens and Cranberry Vinaigrette

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Jamie: 4 - this was the first red I tasted on night #1, and I don't remember anything specific about the flavor, but I remember that it was delicious and really enhanced the mini pot roast sandwich!

Morocco

Grilled Beef and Hummus in a Pita Pocket

(note: that's the description in the festival guide, but there was definitely no hummus on there. instead, there was a salsa-like garnish)

Scott: 1 - It had been sitting at least an hour. The pita was soggy, hummus was missing, and the "hamburger" didn't have any flavor.

Mint Iced Tea

Scott: 4

Jamie: 5 - I love mint tea, and at this point of day #2, I needed something cold and refreshing. Hooray for countries without alcohol!

We're still not done! Part three will be here before you know it!

Food & Wine Part One

WARNING: This entry is *way* photo-heavy. But we all like pictures, right?

Scott and I spent this weekend working our way through the World Showcase like grazing livestock, eating all sorts of interesting foods - most really good, some colossally terrible. Here's our full Food & Wine Festival experience, in the order of the Festival Guide:

(and before you judge too harshly, please remember these pictures were taken over the span of two days and 3-4 meal periods and fed both of us)

With each photo is a description of the food/beverage and a rating on a scale of 1-5 from Scott and/or I.

(top left) From the Chile booth: Dulce de Leche (we also had the Empanada, which was delicious, but ate it before I could take the picture!)

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

(middle) From the "Mouse Catch" booth: Trio of cheeses - Dorothea, Manchego, Asiago

Scott: 5

Jamie: 5 (none were too stinky for us, and the man at the booth gave a great spiel for each and told me what order to eat them in)

(top right) Marqués de Caceres Rioja.

Jamie: 4. Awesome pairing, and even Scott appreciated it, but we both agree that a port would've been better.

Argentina:

(left) Beef with Chimichurri Sauce

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3 - tastes like pesto to me!

(right) Beef and Corn Pie

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

Spain:

Seared Tuna Loin with Spicy Red Pepper Coulis and Garlic-Herb Ciabatta

Scott: 2.5 - Tuna was good, not good enough to cover the red peppers

Jamie: 3

Bodegas...Rosé

Jamie: fruity, worked well with the red peppers. It's nothing I'd seek out again

Austria:

(left) Tafelspitz - beef brisket with horseradish sauce and red-skin potato

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 4 - I had a bite of this on night #1 when I was super-full and went back of day #2 to try it again!

(below) Goulash with Bacon Dumpling

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3 - tasty beef stew, neither of us really cared for the texture of the dumpling

China:

(left) Pork Pot Stickers

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 3.5 - Just like what you'd find at the local Chinese take-out

(right) Chicken Sha Cha

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 1.5 - Something about this one made me gag. Didn't like the sauce, and didn't like the chicken. ick!

India:

Samosa with Tamarind Sauce

Scott: -1

Jamie: 1

Had I known it would be this awful, I would have taken a picture of Scott tasting it. The filling was too spicy, the curry was too overwhelming, and even the tamarind sauce (we have enjoyed tamarind in the past) tasted like it was laced with habanero peppers!

Australia

(next two photos)

Pepperberry Prawns on the Barbie with Sweet Potato Hash

Scott: 3.5 - Slightly peppery with a nice sweetness. The hash was good but peppery.

Yewllowglen "Pink" Sparkling Wine

Jamie: 3.5 - I liked it, even though it wasn't as pink as I thought it would be. This wine is sold in our local Publix, and was tasty enough that next time I'm in the mood for something sparkling I'll consider it.

Wattleseed Mousse

Jamie: 3 - The description included "coffee soaked lady fingers," so I was expecting something like tiramisu. It was good, but not as good as that. At least the seeds didn't get stuck in my teeth!

Chilled Barramundi Fish with a Fennel Slaw

Scott: 2

Jamie: 1 - Cold fish? None for me unless it's sushi!

Germany

Regensburger Sausage with Sauerkraut in a Pretzel Roll

Scott: 4 - Only complaint was the seasoning of the brat (too mild). The pretzel roll was moist and the sauerkraut was good too.

This brings us to the end of Part One. Stay tuned for beer, mojitos, "lamb sliders" and more!

Bite-Size Portions

Scott and have decided to have a weekend-o-gluttony at the Food & Wine Festival.

The good news? The portions are bite-sized. That's probably best for both of us!

More details, including photos more recent than 2005, on Wednesday. In the meantime, leave a message at the beep.

***BEEP***

SNL

SNL hasn't been "must see TV" for me in over 10 years. It kept getting un-funnier and un-funnier. But now all of a sudden, I find myself waking up on Sunday morning to find out I'm missing killer political comedy!

Thank God for the Internet, eh?

Yearbooked

There's lots of serious stuff going on right now: the country on the verge of depression (take 700 billion Prozac and call me in the morning), Survivor (on the bright side, I was able to get to sleep at a decent hour), the will-they-or-won't-they presidential debate...

But rather than acknowledge any of that, I'm having fun on my new favorite website, YearbookYourself.com. Why? See below. I feel no further explanation is needed.

C'mon...you know you want to try it out... styles from a 50 year span... how can you resist?!?

Politics & Photoshop

Ok, you know what? I think these are funny. Yeah - I know the one involves Code Pink - but it's still funny.

...and I want a king crab for my desk, too!

(both photos via YA for Obama, with today's post by Judy Blume)

Incredible Stories

Yesterday, a horrible thing happened here in Central Florida. The skies darkened, and a horrific image appeared.

Giant bugs the size of cars descended from above and overtook our apartment complex. They tried to enslave me, but I got away. I fled toward the one place I thought would be safe... the "Happiest Place on Earth."

But it was too late. The giant prehistoric insect monsters were landing there, too. In just a few short hours, all human life here in Central Florida was exterminated.

* * * * * * * * * *

So what is more frightening? The fictional story above, or the fact that this nasty prehistoric insect was on my windshield for more than 10 miles - some at highway speeds.

I'm glad the bug's sticky foot pads didn't last much longer. I was starting to panic about having to get out of my car at work, knowing that the bug would be traumatized and possibly angry!

What a nightmare!

Thank You, Scott!

A Haiku:

Yep, they are roses.

Yep, and they are orange too.

Yep, he does love me!

(and I love him too)

Chinese Chicken

Scott and I made an experimental dinner last night: 4 boneless chicken breasts, marinated in 1 bottle of sesame-ginger salad dressing (not the kind we usually buy - one that was on the shelf in the produce section) for umm... 30-60 minutes, baked on a rack at whatever temperature one usually bakes chicken.

Wow!

I bet the flavor would get old pretty quickly, but it was tasty! We served it with broccoli and jasmine rice to go along with our pseudo-Asian theme. And the marinade made the chicken so juicy! Would also taste great on a salad (cue the can-o-mandarin oranges and the chow mein noodles).

Scott took his leftovers to work for dinner tonight. I'm saving mine for dinner tomorrow. Tonight? Pasta salad.

Like Choosing Between Your Kids

I couldn't decide which Comedy Central political commentary from last night was more worthwhile to post here, so I'm posting two. No, I won't make a habit of posting multiple videos per day. I promise.


Why post this one? Oh, I think you'll figure it out around minute 2:20. (sure, no coverage on the "big 3" network news, but Jon Stewart is on the ball!)

The second is from the Colbert Report. It's so true I can't even laugh...

Family News

So this is the coolest thing I've heard in a little while: My wittle cousin Michelle is on the new season of Survivor! I guess that means she's not to wittle anymore!

...and I guess I'm going to have to add one more show to the DVR this season!


Watch CBS Videos Online

(and because I'm a nice cousin, I'm also not going to post the toothless toddler photo of her that I found this afternoon)

I've been racking my brains, and I honestly don't think I've seen Michelle in almost 15 years. However, she is the original owner of my car. I was a little sad that she didn't mention Frances in this video clip. Oh well...maybe in another episode! ;-)

Two Headed Monster?

That's no monster! That's two cats who love each other!

Yes, the photo is small and blurry. Sorry. I took it with my camera phone because that's all that I could reach and I couldn't get up. They were on my lap!

No. It's Not OK.

I once heard a statistic that 1 in 4 college aged women is raped. I believe that to be true.

Imagine that you are a college aged woman. You have just been violated in the most disgusting, humiliating manner possible. You are ashamed. And you are scared.

In order to pursue a criminal investigation, you have to submit voluntarily to being violated again. If you are college age, more than likely you have either never had a gyno exam or you have had a single practitioner examine you. Now you are going to trust your body to some medical examiner. Samples are going to be removed from your body. You are going to answer questions about your sexual history - probably more than once. You are probably going to end up humiliated and scared all over again.

It's no wonder that so many sexual assaults go unreported.

Now imagine yourself in the same position again. This time, imagine knowing that you are going to be charged a fee of $300 to $1,200 for the cost of the "rape kit" and examination. As a woman of that age, if you have a job, you are probably not making much more than minimum wage. If you have graduated, you probably have student loans. If you didn't go to college and have been working for 3 years, you might have a rent payment. Are you still going to pursue a criminal case? Or is the emotional and financial toll just too great?

In 2000, Alaska lawmakers learned that rural police agencies had been billing rape victims or their insurance companies $500 to $1,200 for the costs of the forensic medical examinations used to gather evidence. They quickly passed a law
prohibiting the practice.

According to the sponsor, Democrat Eric Croft, the law was aimed in part at Wasilla, where now-Gov. Sarah Palin was mayor. When it was signed, Wasilla's police chief expressed displeasure. (USA Today)

No, there's no quote out there from Sarah Palin. Right now, no one seems to know when Wasilla started charging. It's possible she didn't know that her town was charging rape victims for evidence gathering. But really, how much could have been going on in that town? And besides, the Police Chief that "expressed displeasure" was appointed by her. It's pretty unlikely the issue was never discussed between the two.

I'm wondering if the reporters at USA Today were kind when they said "rural police agencies." According to the then-governor (yes - Democrat; yes - incumbent defeated by Palin), Wasilla was the only town charging victims.

In the best possible scenario, Sarah Palin's ignorance in this matter was negligent to the needs of some of her constituents. At the worst, she made a conscious decision to penalize the victims of crime.

How could any mother, daughter, father or brother turn a blind eye to this? How could anyone who has ever filed a police report as the victim of any crime, from assault to theft, who hasn't had to PAY to get justice for someone else's crime ignore this? How could any woman who calls herself a feminist, and is willing to put aside all of her other beliefs just to vote for a presidential ticket that includes a woman, say this is inconsequential? (That last group, by the way, is confusing feminism with sexism. But that's an issue for someone else to tackle.)

Please, does anyone out there have an answer? I'm having trouble understanding why the rest of the country isn't as shocked about this as I am. And unlike teen pregnancy, crazy pastors, POW status, or any other "personal" crap that has been brought up in this election cycle, I believe this IS an issue. I believe this DOES reflect on Palin's leadership philosophy, and possibly her stance on violent crime. And I, for one, do not want this woman one heartbeat away from leading my country.

I Remembered

So... I did something moderately stupid last night. I was on the couch dozing to an 11:30 pm re-run of That 70's Show and decided to move to the bedroom. I was super-tired yesterday (stress and lack of desire to be at work may have contributed) and thought perhaps I could fall asleep before Scott got home.

Once I was in bed, I turned on the TV and somehow ended up watching MSNBC's "9/11 as it Happened," which was basically a mildly edited replay of The Today Show from that morning. I don't watch stuff like this - mostly because Scott won't watch it again, but partly because it just takes you instantly to a very dark place. But for some reason, there I was, unable to change the channel or even think about falling asleep.

In 2001, my Dad was glued to ABC, and the only TV voice I remember from that day was Diane Sawyer. I actually think the coverage would've been harder for me to watch last night if it had been ABC's coverage instead of NBC's. But I'm a little bit glad that I watched it. There was some really great journalism going on that day. Matt Lauer and Katie Couric ended up looking like interns in the shadow of Tom Brokaw. HE got it. He grasped that they were reporting on a world-changing event long before the other two. But what impressed me the most was their Pentagon reporter, whose phone-ins started with "there was an explosion - it might have been a construction accident" to "bomb in the heli-port" to the conclusion of "another airplane."

I don't think I'm likely to watch anything like that again. Now, remembering the event just makes me sad. But last night, I remembered just how scary that day and the next few were. The day after, every time one of those damn tourist helicopters flew over, we all looked up and wondered what we were hearing and whether it was about to come crashing down. I hadn't thought about that in 5 or more years. And I don't want to remember the fear. It just doesn't seem necessary.

So from now on, I'll watch the current news coverage. I'll see the memorials. I'll remember the past, but I won't immerse myself in it again. It's just too much.

Harumph

Some truths about me:

1. I really only have the capacity to be actively angry at one person at a time.
2. My threshold for b.s. tolerance is inversely related to my stress level.
3. Single-issue (or single party) voters piss me the hell off.

It is for these reasons (mostly #2) that I am cutting WAY back on my political intake. I will get my political news from The Daily Show. I will watch the debates. And I will continue to fill my Facebook Flair Board with political buttons. No more cnn.com. No more stopping on the 24/7 news channels while looking for something to watch. Just. No. More.

I need to stop watching now before I rage at the TV. I need to take a deep breath and realize that my personal frustration is never going to turn Lipstick-gate back into a rational discussion about things that matter. Just because I think that the economy, education and the environment (just to pick one letter of the alphabet) are more important than the bridge to nowhere, teen pregnancy, and hockey moms (just to pick one VP candidate), that doesn't mean the rest of the country agrees with me.

I'll be watching, but not quite as closely as before. After all, someone has to brief the rest of you on the latest genius television:

What's YOUR Confederate Opinion?

Scott says that Jefferson Davis is rolling over in his grave.

I think it's wonderful that, in this day and age, this cat and this man can sit side-by-side on a bookshelf, acting as inspiration for other cats around the country.

Mental Exercise

Step 1: Kill the mouse attached to your computer
Step 2: Complete every function of your job without using the mouse
Step 3: Repeat step 2 without talking out loud to yourself
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 without using swear words
Step 5: Go 5 minutes without reaching for the mouse

My brain actually hurts right now! That's a good thing, right? Dr.
BrainAge would be so proud!

So Sad...So Tired...

Today is the last day of my seemingly never-ending work week. This is no "light at the end of the tunnel" moment though, because today is the 10-hour day.

I'm having some difficulty at work that is making it very difficult to get out of bed in the morning. I feel like I'm knee-deep in quickshit (it's like quicksand, only much much worse) and the only way I can see to resolve the issue is to leave. Quickly. To any department who will have me.

(please hold your advice until the end of the entry)

To make a long and not interesting story shorter and less involved, I'm having problems with Girl Chef. Two weeks in a row, she has busted into my office and not bothered to look to see that I was elbow deep in work (this week, with 6 wine changes, 50 menus, and 25 vegetarian menus) and started barking at me about something that she perceived needed to be done right this second because it's a matter of life and death. I was busy and told her so. I also pointed out that the person sitting directly behind me was not dealing with time-sensitive issues and perhaps she could assist. She didn't appreciate that.

Well both times, the manager in the office (two different managers) saw the situation, heard what was said, and felt the need to defend me. The first time, she told me later in the night that she was trying to make a point to my co-worker. I'm not quite sure how yelling at me was supposed to accomplish that, but I was letting it slide. This Thursday when it happened again, she sniped at me about my attitude in front of my co-worker, my boss, and a manager who was shadowing my boss.

So I reflected on the situation. I bounced ideas off of Scott. And what I came to was to discuss the issue with my boss and see what he said. What I told him was that she is NOT my manager, and in the future, I would like any feedback she has about my performance/attitude to be given to my manager instead of at me, in front of other people. He said that he would talk to her.

A few hours later, he came back in the office, said he had spoken to her, and actually used the words "she's like that" and "this will probably happen again." He also told me a quaint little anecdote about how she once went almost a year not speaking to him because he insulted her boyfriend before he knew they were dating. And yet, for some reason, no one sees a PROBLEM with this!

She's absolutely not speaking to me now. Before, I think she was just keeping her distance. But the last time I saw her last night, she didn't even look in my direction while she was handing me a stack of paper!

So, through tears, I explained to my boss that most of the other locations I left were because I was having personality conflicts with other people. The only reason I've stayed in this job, which is really no longer challenging for me, is because of the people. I reminded him that I had no intention of staying through next summer, and I told him point-blank that I will not be her whipping boy. That he can say "she's just like that" until he's blue in the face, but that it is not acceptable to behave the way she did, that there is a pattern here, and that if it happens again I will immediately start applying for other jobs. I won't work in a location where I go home once a week physically ill and crying because of someone else who works there isn't going to be held accountable for her temper.

After work, I met Scott for ice cream and cried a lot more. Over a chocolate peanut butter sundae from Ghirardelli (I got the cherry, he got the chocolate square), we hashed everything out and came up with a game plan. Sit still for now. Give the dust a week to settle. And then reevaluate.

There's a lot more to the story than that, so if it sounds like I'm just whining about something minor, I guess you'll just have to take my word. At least tonight the Chef is working, so I won't have to deal a whole lot with Girl Chef. Then I have three days off. I'm really looking forward to that! And hopefully this too shall pass. **fingers crossed**

Cat Toys

If you don't give your kitten enough toys to play with, you may end up surprised at what they choose to play with:

Your kitten might try to replace her broken dangling rat-on-a-string with a roll of tinfoil. She's probably fascinated by the crackling, slightly deformed kitten staring back at her from below!

(nope...no clue how the roll of foil ended up on the floor in the first place)

Of course, she might get depressed and attempt to drown her sorrows in frosting. This could lead to a lifetime of table scraps, and therefore should be avoided at all costs.

(WARNING: this will cause your photographer to laugh so hard he is unable to focus the camera)

As a last resort, the kitten might try to run away from home. If dashing through an open door doesn't work (because - just like the last 100 times - it's the bedroom door, which doesn't lead outside), she may attempt to stow away in the garbage. This is very similar to Little Orphan Annie's attempt to escape the orphanage in a laundry bin.

If You're Looking for Me This Week...

I'm not here.

I'm working Monday through Saturday this week. Fifty hours. On the bright side, for most of the week, I'm only working 8 hour shifts. This means I can sleep in a little and come home not completely exhausted.

Since today was my one day off, I filled it with important business:

* Went shopping (had a "spend $50, get $25 back coupon) for clothes, bought 2 shirts and 3 pairs of pants. Yeah, spent more than $50. Also, I was supposed to be getting work clothes. At least I got 1 sweater and 1 pair of pants.

* Had lunch at Chipoltle. I'm still trying to find a meat filling that isn't too spicy for me. So far we've ruled out the shredded beef and the chicken. And I think the pork tastes like wet dog. Maybe vegetarian is the way to go?

* Saw Dave's new house. I'm jealous!

* Cleaned out the old clothes that were in the broken/un-openable drawers of the old dresser.

* Cleaned out the closet. (hey Mom - I have a ton of stuff for you to go through if you're interested)

* Washed clothes. The second load of laundry is in the washer, with maybe one more to go. Priority? Work clothes. I don't have 6 pairs of pants that are presentable, so Scott will be washing some more on his days off.

* Also, 5,132. And that's all I have to say about that!

Not getting done today:

* Haircut. We're getting to the critical level here, so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go before work one day this week.

* Moving the new dresser in and the old dresser out. I'm not strong enough to move either on my own. (yes, even cheap particle board is heavy!) That's also on the "some day before work" agenda.

Scott's Birthday Weekend-o-Fun

Scott's birthday weekend-o-fun '08 wasn't really jam-packed with activities. Well, not with planned activities. But we had fun.

Monday: This wasn't actually part of the weekend, because Scott had to work. We went to lunch at our favorite Japanese place, courtesy of some unexpected cash I received at work. After Scott left for work, I went shopping, made the cupcakes, and wrapped his one small present.

Tuesday (post midnight): I was on the phone with Scott while he was driving home from work, so I knew when he was close enough for me to light the candles. When he walked in the door, I yelled HAPPY BIRTHDAY and he blew out the candles and we had cupcakes. And he opened the present - the second CD soundtrack to Moulin Rouge. (by the way, home made frosting rocks my socks off)

Tuesday (morning): I made cinnamon pancakes (with cream cheese frosting, which also works as a dip for apple slices) and "bellinis" for breakfast. And then, after all that sugar and booze, we took a nap.

Tuesday (afternoon): We Voted! Then, dinner at Bonefish Grill, followed by shopping at World Market and Barnes & Noble. Oh, and grocery shopping.

Wednesday: Trip to IKEA. Scott finally got the pot he's been coveting, and I got the cheapest dresser they have (and let me tell you - you get what you pay for!) and 2 night stands. We also got some random odds & ends.

After IKEA, we headed over to Universal CityWalk. We had some time to kill before the show, so we had margaritas outside of Margaritaville, and then had dinner at PastaMore. Yum - I love this place. I'd go all the time if it didn't involve paying Universal's ridiculous $12 parking fee! And after dinner, it was time for...

Blue Man Group!

I'm not even going to try to explain the show. The best I can come up with is this: complete sensory overload. It was crazy in the best possible sense. I really thought this was one of those "you should see it once" shows, but it turns out it's an "I want to go back tomorrow" show. We both loved it.

And thus concluded Scott's birthday weekend-o-fun. After the show, we went home and put together the dresser (it's still in the living room, along with the boxes for the other two pieces). Of course, we haven't finished the cupcakes. And there's still a tub of frosting in the fridge. I guess the weekend will live on a little while longer after all...

Hey Scott?

The cupcakes are devil's food (Duncan Hines) with cream cheese frosting (2 bricks of cream cheese, 2 sticks of butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla beaten until my elbow went numb from my lack of stand mixer. that's right baby... from-scratch frosting!).

The cookies solved two problems for me: my inability to properly ice cupcakes and the fact that the only icing (the kind to write with) in the house was white and wouldn't show up against my white frosting.

Did you know a box of cake mix makes two dozen cupcakes? Well I actually exercised a little sense and only frosted the ones I needed for presentation. The rest of the cupcakes are in a freezer bag on the counter, and the remaining 2 cups of frosting (did I mention the 4 cups of powdered sugar???) are back in the fridge.

Tomorrow, we may be having cinnamon pancakes with frosting for breakfast. Anyway...

Happy Birthday Scott!

I hope you have a fabulous birthday weekend-o-fun. And I hope you like the cupcakes!

(and I'm sorry for wasting 13 of your Oreos!)