What do you think?

When something is not someone's business but they ask a question ... is it OK to lie?

For example, like my friend's ex-boyfriend ... if his girlfriend WERE to tell me something big (and she hasn't and I don't expect her to so we're talking complete hypotheticals here)... should I say to him if he asks:

1. I don't know.
2. I can't tell you.
3. Its none of your business.
4. Flat out make something up.

#2 and #3 I think are honest answers and honest answers are good but sometimes they open up a whole other can of worms.

Would it really be wrong to lie?

What if someone was asking a question about me that I didn't care to discuss? While I can see that little white lies may not be a big deal, "Oh, Melissa, have you lost weight?" "Yes, a few pounds" - when the answer is no, I just look good in these jeans... may not be a big deal... but... Lets say they're asking about some serious aspect of my life or something that I don't want to discuss... then is it OK to lie?

Do you see the predicament here... and its not really a predicament I have right now, I'm just talking in hypotheticals because I'm just thinking about some stuff but... I hate the "Its none of your business answer" cause to me that would really answer a question that someone is asking which then makes it their business and ...

BLAH... I could go on and on.

I read Dear Abbey every day and she would say, I think, that its OK to tell someone its none of their business and just leave it at that. Maybe I should write her and ask - LOL!

Personally, I think if its something that is only your business and something that you don't want to share with someone in particular and its not going to effect the state of the planet, it IS OK to lie.

The person who is asking you about the personal information REALLY SHOULD NOT BE ASKING YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Am I right?

Junk going on...

1. I still have this cold. I cannot stop sneezing. I have never sneezed so much in my entire life - not even with the allergies. That is when I sneeze. I do not sneeze with colds but this just continues. It sucks.

2. A friend of mine and her boyfriend have broken up for the second time. And, as before, her ex is calling me and bugging the crap out of me. He wants to know more; he thinks I know more than he does - when I don't and I have told him everything she told me (which, by the way, she had already told him... there is no new news for him); he calls and calls and emails me and on and on and on. Sorry dude, I just can't help you anymore. If I had anymore ideas I would let you know.

3. Finally went to unpack my carry-on bag this morning (cause I'm a lazy butt) when I realized that I had an entire bottle of shampoo explode in it and it is all over my clothes that were packed on the bottom layer. So I'm bumming about this. The bag is a mess and I think I'm just going to have to throw it out - it wasn't expensive anyway. Problem is that I had some jeans in there that were clean that I want to wear tomorrow and now I'm going to have to do laundry when I get home tonight. Siigghh.... And I don't dry my jeans so who knows if they will be dry in time tomorrow. Oh well... I guess I don't have to wear them home, I can just put them on later or something.

4. Boring boring day at work. I literally have nothing to do. I should not complain but its going to be a long day. I'm certain I'm going to bail early.

May be back with more later!

Some news of the not so happy kind...

This isn't really anything that I've shared with anyone really - except for family and a few close friends, but here is the story....

In recent months, my grandfather has developed a very serious case of Alzheimer's. Its sort of been coming on for maybe the past three years. I can remember when I first noticed ... like where I was or whatever ... but I can't remember exactly when that was. Anyway, it started with just like forgetting names or having to have information repeated. It has now evolved to him not knowing where he is from minute to minute - even in his own house. He still knows my grandmother, he still knows my mom, he knows my dad maybe 75% of the time (all of them still in my hometown of course) ... As far as the rest of us ... I think he still knows his two sons... the grandkids, the inlaws ... he knows we're supposed to be there but I don't think he could any longer put a name with my face or tell me how I'm related to him. But he knows I'm supposed to be there - its not like we're strangers yet. Maybe we will be someday, probably; I just don't know.

I'm trying to think when the last time the "new normal" was over with him. It wasn't over Corn Fest because Corn Fest was pretty much the same as Thanksgiving although Thanksgiving was well... the same but worse. It must have been maybe over Memorial Day weekend or that April weekend I came home for a visit. Then he still knew my name and knew what my job was - he always asked me about my job. Corn Fest he didn't ask me about my job and Thanksgiving, he really didn't even talk to me much.

Its very very sad. My grandfather was one of the most intelligent people I have ever known - he was CEO of one company and vice president of another company - a pretty famous company at the time. He was one of those people who was always up on politics and the stock market. He traveled the world - crossed the equator more times than you can imagine, made 26 trips to Australia. When I was a little girl I think I was convinced that someday he would be like President of the United States or something - LOL! People in my hometown think he was like a diplomat or something which I think is kind of funny. He could have been though... he probably could have been either!

But now its reduced to asking every three to five minutes where we are, what we are doing and how did we get there when we're at my uncle's house for Thanksgiving. Yet, the next moment he can tell you exactly what he was doing on August 21, 1942 in Burma during the war or mention the name of someone we haven't seen in years. Those things are still there. Its so odd.

My grandmother is a great woman but I can't say she's dealing with this all that well - but who can blame her. Still, I think it may be a little more difficult for her than a lot of people. My grandmother doesn't have a lot of patience with people regardless of the situation so you can imagine what this is like for her. She tries and tries but when she literally has to repeat herself like 100 times over on the same thing... I mean, it would drive anyone nuts. She told me that she cries everyday. And thats not good. Its not good for her health. The woman already has a pacemaker and today she had a spell - she hadn't had one in a long time. Mom took her to the hospital and she is staying overnight. She did not have a heart attack but they are doing more tests. I would be surprised if they find anything though. I think they're going to tell her its stress. The doctor has put them in contact with a social worker and I guess certain decisions are going to have to be made. Sadly, its time. Its time or its going to end up killing her... and my grandmother isn't some little old lady grandmother. We're talking about a strong woman here who was upset when my mom and her brothers recommended when she was 76 and my grandfather was 80 that it might be time to stop skiing in Breckenridge. So these are the type of people that they are. Know what I mean?

I think its a fact of everyone's life and everyone is going to have to make a decision like this about a loved one at some point. I mean... geez... this seems to run in the family on that side... But there is something to be said about 'quality of life' for the person this is happening to and the people who care about them. Whatever they decide I am certain the decision is going to be a difficult one but I'm sure it will be a reasonable decision and the right one and I will stand behind whatever they decide.

If I live to be an older person, I just hope the old body decides to go before the mind because this is a horrible horrible way to have to live.

I still can't breathe!

And I have an awful headache so I opted to treat the headache with some Aleve instead of taking some cold medicine so now I just have to wait on my stuffy nose. It sucks...

My mind is so not here at the moment... Keep thinking about the holiday and how nice it will be to go home and just hang out and do nothing. Wonderful! I wish I could leave tomorrow but I have to work so.... hopefully I'm feeling better for the big drive home. My sis is actually leaving tomorrow cause her vacation is very very short with her just starting a new job so she wants to get down there as soon as possible.

Trying to think of any other interesting details to tell you and there really are none. Went to dinner with sis last night which was really good and tonight I'm going out with one of my friends!

Later!

The good thing about being sick is...

You aren't hungry when you're sick... You can barely breathe, you can't smell anything ... not hungry. So... it helps with the diet - LOL!

What won't help with the diet is Mexican food and margaritas with the sis tonight!! : )

The cold continues...

I've got both coughing and sneezing and that sucks cause it just kills my throat! I'm not the type that usually gets sneezing during a cold (just allergies) and if I do it usually means that its towards the end of it so I'm HOPING!

Department Christmas party was fun last night. Out with my sis tonight. Out with one of my friends tomorrow. This is all good cause I'm so lonely at home lately!

Gotta remember to clean out the cat box when I get home tonight! Ewwww....

I am digerati

digerati: persons knowledgeable about computers.

First cold of the season...

I would say "first cold of the year" but thats not true. I had a doozy back in February. I hope this is not a repeat of that. Anyway ... I also hope this is not more than a cold cause I'm really sort of feeling achey all over. My throat hurts, I have a headache and my eyes hurt. Ick! Couldn't sleep really at all last night. I just feel like I have been beat up - not fun. I'm supposed to do some readings in church on Saturday so hopefully I will not lose my voice! Not really sure why I'm here today except that today is my department Christmas party and I didn't want to miss it! Anything for a party!!

Back from Vegas!

Yes, I went... I really really did... All of that talk about extra money for my Ipod and just being darn cold here and wanting to go to the desert... So you know, I just HAD to go! LOL!

Won me a jackpot at the Paris casino too!

You thinking I'm kidding, dontcha?

Help!

If my Weather Pixie gets buried in the blizzard, please someone help dig her out!!

Thanks a bunch!

What I wouldn't give to be sitting in the desert right now!

; )

Case and point

WGN Weather Blog

Weather

The weather here just absolutely BLOWS (pun intended)! I can't get over it! I don't remember a December this bad in recent years. It has snowed twice a pretty good amount and because it is so cold, the snow has stayed. Now we are expecting another 3+ inches tomorrow - so more snow, more cold. Its going to end up looking like northern Michigan or New York around here where you know, it snows and snows throughout the winter and its so cold that it never melts and just keeps piling up into a big disgusting mess and then come spring, its gonna flood. So anyway, I'm so not looking forward to this next blast we're supposed to get. Hopefully it will pass us by!!

Why oh why oh why?

Fun stuff about software sales reps in the eyes of a support rep:

1. Sales reps who promise too much and expect the support rep to make it happen for the customer.

2. Sales reps who say that a product will do something in particular when, in fact, it does not.

3. Sales reps who sell a product that they know absolutely nothing about.

4. Sales reps who do not know how to admit when they are wrong.

5. Sales reps who have no problem passing the buck by either ... 1) emailing everyone else in hopes that someone else will take over the issue or 2) by hoping it will magically disappear (well you might get that working with some support reps but not me; I'll hound you until I get my answer).

6. Sales reps who don't understand the big picture and actually make decisions which will, in the long run, cost them income. That doesn't make any sense to me!


Regardless of which ever one may be happening at the moment and believe me, it could be and probably is a combination of all six; I have a major headache right now because of it.

Thank you for listening.

Quote of the Day

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." - George Bernard Shaw

And in "other weird things that happen at work" ...

Apparently our Mexico office sent us some chocolate in appreciation for the help we provide them. So, I go over there to grab one and there is this huge box of chocolate and (ahem!) what it is are those chocolate shaped alcohol bottles that actually have the alcohol in them! So I'm sitting here doing like my half a shot of Malibu Rum and half a shot of Kalhua! Hey, you can't beat that for an afternoon pick-me-up! We need presents from Mexico more often!

; )

Well now, this is interesting...

I had absolutely no interest in watching this but now I do!!

Wow!

This is what my sister will get to see when she lands at Midway today ...

Disgusting things seen today:

1. This guy sitting across from me on the train this morning was totally obsessed with his hair. He kept combing his fingers thru it over and over and over and like trying this feather-like thing with the sides. He had hair over pretty much his entire head but it was seriously thinning - I think he may have had more hair on his neck though. I mean, watching this, I was just grossed out. He did it the whole train ride in. It was to the point that I like bolted off the train just to get away from him when we made it to the terminal. Maybe I'm just weird but ewww... it was sick.

2. My co-worker has just poured an entire bag of Cheetos out at his desk and appears to be eating them ALL with his sandwich for lunch. I'm not talking the snack size bag of Cheetos or even the larger smallish Cheetos bag. Nope - FULL SIZED BAG. Gag! I wanna get sick just thinking about eating that many Cheetos!

Word of the Day... "Voluptuary"

For someone I "know" who reads this blog. She knows who she is ; )

voluptuary: a person devoted to luxury and the gratification of sensual appetites.

The great Ipod debate of 05 (pronounced "ought-5)!

OK ... so here is the thing... I have a long storied history of being an MP3 player owner. I would - in some ways - consider myself an early adopter. (Is that spelled right?) Anyway, I've had various MP3 players since the ancient days of 1999. Anyway... I currently own the 1GB Ipod Shuffle and the thing rocks! It is especially super convenient for working out (which I need to do more of, I try to stay away from New Years resolutions but the diet/exercise thing HAS to be one this year!). So anyway, the thing is great for working out - very small, just hangs around my neck or whatever; the bad things (if you wanna call them bad) are that it does not hold many songs and you can't load playlists or pre-select what you wanna hear, hence the name - SHUFFLE!

OK so lately I have sort of been pondering getting a bigger and better Ipod. The first one that comes to mind is the new Nano mostly because it looks so cool. I would definitely go for the 4GB as opposed to the 2GB. But then I start looking at prices. The full-fledged newest Ipods are considered Generation 5. However, you can buy a full-fledged 20GB Generation 4 for around $230 which is less money than the dinky 4GB Nano. So, you see the dilemma. I mean, what would be wrong with buying a Generation 4 as opposed to a Generation 5. As far as I know, most of the kinks have been worked out in the recent releases anyway.

BUT THEN... I am posed with the question... Melissa, you love all of that techie stuff, why don't you just shell out the big bucks and get the biggest and the best - the latest one with all of the space which holds all of the music plus all of the videos and pictures. Yeah well, I don't know. Thats a lot of dough although I know I would love it. My grandparents in recent years have been giving a significant amount of money to us for Christmas gifts and so I would be able to afford it but it seems kind of petty to take that money and spend it on something like that. Maybe I should just take a trip to Vegas and if I win around $300 on the Blackjack tables, take that money and buy my Ipod. Sound like a plan, I think so ; ) Except, of course, I would have to pay probably more than $300 in airfare, hotel, food, etc. so on second thought... Hmmm... maybe not.

But anyway, what do you think? Here are my options:

1. Stick with what I have - will not spend anymore $$, its super convenient, and just spend more time updating it with new songs which doesn't take much time to begin with
2. Buy the Nano cause its cute and convenient and ever so hip - 4GB is probably more than enough for me. I had a 6GB MP3 player before that I never came close to filling up
3. Buy the Generation 4 full Ipod cause its discounted - I will get 20GB of music, spend less than on a Nano or a Generation 5 - this does appear to be the budget option
4. Buy the Generation 5 full Ipod cause its the most updated.
5. Buy the newest, best, all bells and whistles Ipod cause its got a bunch of great options and new things and services are coming out every day which will make it super great to have, even if it costs a huge amount of money.
6. (I bet you thought there wasn't another option) Buy the portable DVR from Archos which contains all of this plus the ability to record TV shows like your own portable Tivo and spend a serious amount of dough doing so! ; )

Opinions welcome!!!

Are you kidding me?

Glad I didn't watch it!

After complaining yesterday...

See... sometimes I AM appreciated. A customer filled out this comment about me on a survey...

Comment: The technical support person I spoke to was EXCELLENT. She was very knowledgeable and took different approaches to help me resolve my problem. Above I answered that I was satisfied with the length of time required to solve the problem. I rated it this way only because I really feel bad about the amount of time I tied up the technician. It felt like at least an hour, but I'm not sure. She was very patient and worked with me until the problem was fixed. I would not have been able to do my work had she not help me with this problem. I have called xxxx before and I always receive excellent and very professional response. I think xxxx does a wonderful job. Thanks again for the help.

Auugghh!!!

Bored out of my mind and about 25 minutes to go!!!!!

Rules when calling tech support

If you have to call tech support, please please use the following rules when calling. It will save both of us pain, suffering, etc.

1. If you are going to call on a cell phone, please make sure you are in a good calling area and have a nice clear line. When in doubt, call on a landline, I do not want to have to yell my answer over your static.

2. If you absolutely must call on a cell phone, have patience with me. I can't understand you and you yelling into the phone is not going to help with your crappy service. Its like speaking louder to someone who doesn't understand English. That isn't going to help them learn, its just going to scare them.

3. If I tell you something is against our policy, you are not entitled to it or have not purchased it from us, don't expect me to *be nice* and help you out of the kindness of my heart. While I am wasting time with you, I could be helping paying customers.

4. If you are denied support, don't be a dick.

Yummy dinner last night!

Simple but good - got preformed hamburger from the store known as "pub burger" (super huge!) grilled on the George Foreman grill - put on super huge fluffy Turano bread bun - loaded with ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, mini-gerkins on the side. Seasoned fries on the side - it was super yum!

I've been trying to cook more lately. Baked some pork chops the other night which turned out really well - I have a few ideas on how to change them a bit though. My next project is finding a good potato soup recipe so if you know of one online ...

Where art thou?

You have been elfed!

Life is all about asses
you're either covering it,
laughing it off,
kicking it,
kissing it,
busting it,
trying to get a piece of it,
or behaving like one ....

That's right, you've been " elfed " !

He who elfs last, elfs the loudest !!!!

Interesting

White Sox poll

Last night = not fun

OK so I'm sitting there minding my own damn business last night when someone decides to drag me into a conversation that I did not want to have. So we had it and ... I don't know ... I was like 50-50 on whether it went well or not ... it went better than I expected *I guess* but that was probably because I sort of ... I don't know ... I don't want to say LIED about my feelings but I guess I also didn't voice them as strongly as I probably feel them. I was just trying to smooth things over I guess. I suppose I should have just been 100% honest from the start cause then that sort of led from one thing to another to a full-fledged falling out which was so not cool - I hate that! This went on and on and on from one thing to another and it just was not good. So... I went to sleep not too happy last night and I wake up not too happy this morning. I don't know, I think it will pass but man ... On one hand I feel like it was my fault and on the other, I feel sort of blindsided.

But the one thing I am absolutely SURE of today and not that it will matter but it may make me feel slightly better by saying it ... Nicole, you are a f*&$-ing bitch! You don't know me, and I don't know you so shut the hell up and stay out of my business!

Thank you for your time.

Why??

Why do I keep looking ... ugghh... I can STILL feel the vomit rising in my throat. What a freaking train wreck!

Hoosiers!

Yeah so my Hoosiers lost last night ... to Duke ... but I can't really complain. They gave the #1 team in the nation a great run!

In honor of the end of this month... (and the beginning of the next)

The bad sex in fiction awards are out!

These are almost too embarrassing to read!

Paul-ee Paul-ee!!

Whoo-hoo!!!

CHICAGO (AP) -- Paul
Konerko decided to stay with the World Series champion Chicago White Sox, agreeing
Wednesday to a $60 million, five-year contract.

The first baseman led the White Sox with 40 homers and 100 RBIs last
season, hitting .283. He was MVP of the AL championship series win over the Los Angeles Angels after
hitting two homers and seven RBIs. He had a go-ahead grand slam in Game 2 of the
World Series sweep over Houston, the first Series title for the White Sox since
1917.

A two-time All-Star, Konerko had an $8.75 million base salary last
season, then became a free agent after the Series. Last offseason, Chicago
decided not to discuss an extension.

His new deal calls for him to
receive $12 million annually. Chicago agreed to a limited no-trade clause that
states he can't be dealt to six specified teams without his permission.
Konerko also was courted by the Angels and the Baltimore Orioles.

He ad five homers and 15 RBIs in the postseason as the White Sox swept
Boston in the opening round, closed out the Angels in five games as he hit
first-inning homers in Games 3 and 4 and then beat the Astros.

Konerko was acquired by the White Sox from Cincinnati in a 1998 trade
for Mike Cameron. In
seven seasons with the White Sox, Konerko has averaged .283 with 29 home runs
and 95 RBI.
Konerko returned just a week after the White Sox acquired Jim Thome from Philadelphia
for Aaron Rowand.

Now the White Sox project to have a strong middle of the order, with
the right-handed Konerko batting cleanup ahead of the left-handed-swinging
Thome. Also a first baseman, Thome is coming off an injury-filled shortened
season with the Phillies and figures to be the designated hitter.

Konerko said before the team's World Series victory parade that his
preference was to stay in Chicago but that he would make a thorough search of
the market.

Can't beat it!

Peppermint mocha from Starbucks...

YUM!!!!!

Back to work...

Had the most wonderful beautiful weekend in Peoria with lots of friends and family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Something special for today...

My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather George Soule came over on the Mayflower. And, that is the correct number of greats because I've done the research!

A weird anniversary of sorts...

I seem to have many of those life's crossroadish events - not sure why this is the case. Actually, last year was full of them. Last year I believe was the crossroads of my whole entire life. I'm so not kidding about that. Anyway ... one year ago today ... this will just be a brief synopsis - it was actually quite a horrible day...

I had been dating this guy for actually like around 3 months - I had met his entire family, I had even gone to Florida with him and stayed at his uncle's and met his grandmother from Lithuania. So at that point I'm thinking so far so good. Looking back on it now I have no idea what I was thinking cause the boy really was sort of a piece of work. Who knows. Like I've said many many times in this blog, I was a little crazy last year and had some fun so maybe it was just part of that whole mess.

So anyway... dating this guy and I'd say maybe a around hmmm... like a year from last week things started getting weird. He seemed to be avoiding me or ignoring me or whatever. Looking at it now I think he just thought I was along for the ride and he didn't have to try or whatever with me anymore - yeah, right. So we had ... shall we say ... one rather "eventful" night out where we ended up having a huge fight (lets just say in these fights that we had, a huge amount of alcohol was involved which was also part of his problem) and I was thinking it was like over but I wanted to give it a little more time and see what evolved.

So a week later a whole group of us goes out - you know, the big night before Thanksgiving drinkfest! I can't even begin to tell you how horrible it was. It started out as a great night - a whole group of us just having fun and going from place to place... but then ... UGH! I'm not sure I have ever embarrassed myself more in public than I did that night and it was in this total WT bar which made it all the worse. I cringe thinking about it now. He was treating me like crap and I let him have it. Lets just say... lots of yelling, lots of cursing... on and on and on... I even tried to pitch a beer in his face but a dear friend stopped me from doing so and the dear friend got soaked. It was SO NOT ME! I was all upset and crying and the dear friend dragged my butt out of there and drove me home. What was I thinking?

(I kind of laugh at the "What was I thinking?" statement cause another dear friend makes fun of me and the way I was during this time and he will imitate me over and over in the same manner and always says "What was I thinking?" LOL!)

So anyway ... in the next few days this guy I was dating made several desperate pleas to get me back and it was really rather sad how he was about it but ... there was no way.

I think of myself in that moment and how horrible it was and how upset I was and how I had just made the biggest idiot of myself quite possibly in my whole entire life... but then ... in almost the next moment... my life totally changed... but thats a whole other story.

The word of the day today, children, is "crossroads".

Love to all!

- Melissa

Whaaaa!!!!

I just spilled peppermint mocha all over my front! I look like a dufus!

Go Hoosiers!

We have officially reached the point in the year where this blog ceases from being a Chicago White Sox baseball blog to being an Indiana Hoosiers basketball blog.

All I'm going to say about 'em now is ... Yikes ... I didn't even know they were RANKED?! I never even expected them to be ranked - never crossed my mind! So... 2-0 in pre-season. We'll see where it goes from here. Dad has to be a wee bit happier at the moment than he was last year!

The weirdness continues

So yeah its one of those days, you know ... sort of good and sort of bad...

I think it must be cause I'm so looking forward to my two days off this week. My mind is completely elsewhere at the moment. Around 3-ish I just sort of declared the day off and just started emailing back and forth with various people. Also came down with my afternoon blahness or sickness or whatever the heck it is that sometimes hits me after lunch - not fun.

Got momentarily PO'd by a coworker but then decided I didn't give a crap cause I've been here five more years than him and I've only been here five years so you can figure that one out.

And other than that, nothing...

So I'm just hanging here deciding on whether I will duck out of here a half hour early tonight or not. I'm guessing no but you never know. No idea what is up for dinner tonight. Guess I'll play that one by ear!

Life is really weird right now...

And I mean everything... Sigh... I don't know I just feel all nervous and shaky and stuff. I don't like it. Doesn't help that its that time of the month and that makes me think and re-think about stuff so much more than normal. Blah... The joys of being a girl. What I need is a nice strong drink of something and to just chill out!!!!!

Things that are bothering me today

1) Unreturned phone calls and text messages

2) My mom and uncle forwarding emails about how Bill Gates is giving his fortune away - forward this to as many people as you can and the check is in the mail. How many years has that one been going around? Check out snopes.com people!

3) The weather in the Chicago area is utter hell. I can't even begin to tell you. You know, its not all that cold but the wind is just nuts. It all started back on Sunday (if you saw the Bears game on TV, you'd know about it) and has just continued. This morning I was running late so I fortunately had time to grab my winter coat - brand new, first day I'm wearing it - but not enough time to grab (search for) my gloves, etc. So I get out to the car and this is when I first realize that it has snowed/sleeted a bit over night and there is a ton of frozen ice on my windshield. Normally I don't drive to the train but its starting to get cold so that may happen more and more. So anyway, I finally got most of the ice melted - had the defroster going in overdrive and kept spraying my windshield. I still have the windshield stuff from my original purchase of the car and I'm thinking it does not have the ice melting stuff in it. Then I drive to my friend's and basically sprint to the train. I was one of the last two people on before the conductor hopped back on to go. So sitting there on the train sweating my butt off, heart pounding, take off my coat and try and relax. So then we get downtown and if it was bad in the burbs it was 100 times worse downtown. I think the temp was showing 32 but the wind was horrible! It was almost to that point where its blowing so hard that you can't take a step. The woman walking in front of me was holding onto this chain rope out in front of the building to help herself walk. I mean, its bad! It gets like that in Chicago a lot. I remember one time it being so windy that I actually had to stop and hold on to a fence cause if I didn't, I was going to blow down the street - not kidding. So finally get to work and the thought that crosses my mind is that I can totally see myself moving away - I mean away away someday! LOL! (Do any of my Alabama readers know of any jobs down there?)

So anyway, I sit here eating my lunch today (its snowing pretty hard right now) and am like 3 times more starved than normal. Didn't know a 5 minute run could do that to ya!

I keep thinking there was something else that I wanted to write about but can't think now of what it would be...

Oh... tornado in my home county in Indiana yesterday. I'm not sure if it touched down but no real damage but pretty scary. All kinds of scary weather in southern Indiana lately!!

Errr...

I just want to lose 5 pounds so I'm trying really hard to not have an afternoon snack and just not eat anything extra during the day. Also trying to get some more activity in. Have been working out, walking and trying to go bowling one night a week. And its working, you know? But the thing is, its driving me crazy right at this moment. I so want to go downstairs and get something yummy from Starbucks but I'm stopping myself right now!! Auugghh!!! I hate dieting. I'm planning on trying to go back hard core after the holidays too. I used to be a South Beach Diet junkie. It works, it works, it works! But I've been off of it the last year and have gained some back. I just need to get back in the groove!

What? There are only three coins the fountain?!

I don't believe this is the first time this has happened.

Ewww...

I don't know what is up with my skin - it must be the weather or something cause it isn't even all that close to it being that time of the month - it is just gross. I'm not usually like this - I have great skin! Blah ... I need a facial or something but I don't even want to go in there when I look how I look now - LOL! Maybe before Thanksgiving or something (which I cannot believe is next week!). I need to get my eyebrows done too so perhaps I could do it all at once. Hmmm...

The happy camper!

Great weekend...

Great day... (except for the cold!)

No complaints!!

: )

LOL! Awesome!!

http://cheetarah1980.blogspot.com/2005/10/house-of-representatives.html

Very interesting ...

http://www.ginnyfanclub.com/index.php

Blah...

Absolutely nothing interesting to write about ... I mean I can't think of anything. I was looking at that post from yesterday and YIKES! Why did it take me til Wednesday to write about Saturday. That makes no sense. On the other hand, this week has gone super fast even if this day has gone slow. So thats always a good thing! : )

Saturday night's Karaoke song list

Karaoke:
1. Crazy - Patsy Cline
2. Walkin' After Midnight - Patsy Cline
3. Let's Go To Vegas - Faith Hill
4. Life #9 - Martina McBride

My life quiz...

Yeah, I did pretty well... I think I scored low on the Friends/Family section because I do only have 1-2 people that I would consider "close" friends. When they asked about "close", I meant "close" and there are very few people - friends that is - that I truly feel I can say I am "close" to today. Not that that is a bad thing. I actually think its a good thing. I value friendship and for me to consider you a true friend well, then you must be!

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8.2
Mind:	7.9
Body:	8.2
Spirit:	7.9
Friends/Family:	6
Love:	7.7
Finance:	8.1
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Headache...

I swear, it was one thing after another today and I ended up today with a gushing headache! Well, whatcha gonna do, right??

Only about 50 minutes left in the day and believe me, I'm looking forward to getting out of here. Spaghetti for dinner tonight you know cause ... I think spaghetti is ALWAYS a great choice for dinner!!

; )

Ughhh!!!

Don't lie to your boss like that! That is so not good!!!!

Bad bad bad bad bad...

Someone I know went out drinking with some friends last night AND

Someone I know drank a wee bit too much and ended up not making it to work today!!

NOPE- Not talking about me since I sit here typing this from work.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!!

LOL!!

I issued my warning last night too - I think I had a feeling it was going to happen. I showed up there myself between 7:30-9:00 and drank one beer and kicked some ASS playing Texas Hold 'Em. I told those guys they really didn't want me to learn how to play. I'm the type of person that once I get the hang of something, I'm fairly awesome at it - ha ha! I'm not saying I'm awesome at Hold 'Em yet but I'm getting better and I've definitely at least become part of the competition!

So yeah ... I knew I had to work today so I was Little Miss Responsible. Really though, I don't drink that much at all anymore. I go thru phases on the whole drinking thing. Before, my "don't drink that much" phase was that I may still have 3-4 drinks - ha ha! Now, my "don't drink that much" phase is one or no drinks. Its not unheard of that I will go out and be out for hours and only drink Diet Coke. Its like I'm bored with booze or something or maybe its just that I've finally grown up and no I hate to wake up feeling like crap the next day. It sucks!

But yeah, so I guess someone was throwing down something called "Woofy Shots" around midnight last night and didn't think they would "live to see the 'morrow." Of course, I guess that technically was "the 'morrow" by then, but you know what I mean.

I find the whole thing sort of funny but I have been instructed that I cannot laugh about it today - but am allowed to laugh about it tomorrow. Thats too funny and believe me, it is also on the list of things to do tomorrow! ; )

Seems ages since my party days ... And let me tell you, last summer I was hitting it probably just as hard or harder than I was when I was in college - last summer and last fall that is. But during that time, I just didn't care, I just wanted to have fun and not think things thru and just be crazy and make friends and stuff like that. Great times, but definitely just a phase!

Mushy love songs for your afternoon enjoyment ... ; )

Songs:
1. Somewhere In The Vicinity Of The Heart - Shenandoah
2. Angel - Aerosmith
3. Heaven - Bryan Adams
4. Straight From The Heart - Bryan Adams
5. Anymore - Travis Tritt
6. I Cross My Heart - George Strait
7. Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts

Charles and Camilla

What is the big deal about them coming here and why do I care if she brought 50 dresses with her?? The thing is, regardless of whatever she wears, it ain't going to make a bit of difference for her!

Anyway, I shouldn't be so mean ... And you know I've actually thought about the whole Charles and Camilla thing. I mean ... 30 year affair? What is that all about? Why didn't he just marry her in the first place? Even if she was already married or whatever you would think - hey, heir to the throne, although I'm not the cutest, I could pretty much get any chick that I want! The thing is, I do think its true love with the two of them. 30 years?? Wouldn't it have been so much easier to end of up with the love of your life the first time around? Wouldn't it have made everything just a wee bit more simple?

The thing is, I know about three real-life Charles/Camilla couples (several couples in their 50s) - not that they had 30 year affairs - but they went their separate ways, ended up with others and now ... somehow made it back to eachother. Maybe some things really are just meant to be - fate, destiny, "the one", "love of your life" and all of that crap ...

When does the last chapter of that book really get written?

I don't know ... just something to think about. Actually I have some real thoughts on the whole concept of "the one" but we'll leave that conversation for another day!

Beautiful fall picture ...

Taken near Lexington, KY.

Yawwwwwn....

Pretty boring day today compared to the excitement of the White Sox Victory Parade on Friday. Went down there with my friend Steve from work. It rocked!! I got some awesome pictures!!! I may post a few of them later!

Enjoy!

This is great!

During the White Sox's championship party in Houston late Wednesday night, Frank Thomas said there's really no reason to debate whether Chicago will evolve from a Cubs Town to a Sox Town.

"Who cares?" Thomas said. "It's a Sox World now."

Interesting ....

Looks like some big fun at Illinois State last night!! ...

I will add more later!!

I still have work I need to do today! LOL!!!

And still MORE!!

And more!!!

Lots and lots and lots and lots of White Sox pictures from around the web!!!

Here is a picture I took during the ALDS!!

Is this heaven?

I found this article quite touching ... especially this part:

If you throw a parade, they will come.

Thousands of them. Or millions maybe. White Sox fans. Cubs fans. (OK, some,
not all.) Chicago fans. South Siders. North Siders. (OK, some, not all.) West
Siders. East Siders. (In other words, from Indiana.) White Sox fans from the
suburbs. Downstate fans. Baseball fans.

Ghosts out of Iowa cornfields. Shoeless Joe. Buck Weaver. Kid Gleason, the
1919 White Sox manager, who was born on an Oct. 26—it was on his 139th birthday
Wednesday that the Sox played for the championship. Maybe he will come.

And how about Charles Comiskey, the original owner, who died on an Oct. 26?
Maybe he could come too.

And how about your late dad, to have a game of catch?

Maybe they all could come.

A few thoughts...

Just a few quick thoughts on last night's World Series victory by the Chicago White Sox ... Just pasting in an email I wrote to a friend this morning describing how I felt ... You know, I'm not sure I know how I feel... or, I DO know how I feel but I'm not sure its possible to put it into words. I'll attempt something later but it definitely will not be a Pulitizer prize winning entry... but anyway... here is what I wrote (the part about me having been a reporter is true even though you might not see such 'quality' here in the blog; this is a way more casual way for me to write):

I AM COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY. I'm not sure I even slept last night!!!! Still it didn't hit me until I read it in the paper this morning. I'm so weird, I think its that teeny tiny little bit of a reporter thats still hanging out in me - don't believe it until you read it! LOL!!! Anyway, so I'm like sitting on the train this morning, both papers with me, going over it word for word. I'm not sure there are many good writers in Chicago - probably not - but I SWEAR every story I read this morning read like it was the best damn story ever written - lump in throat, all teary and shit. I'm so not kidding. I am certain that I looked like an absolute freak! LOL!!

Speaking of "priceless" !!

; )

priceless
Originally uploaded by el moco

Sigh...

I need to feel better so how about a nice love poem?

the great advantage of being alive

the great advantage of being alive
(instead of undying) is not so much
that mind no more can disprove than prove
what heart may feel and soul may touch
--the great(my darling)happens to be
that love are in we,that love are in we

and here is a secret they never will share
for whom create is less than have
or one times one than when times where--
that we are in love,that we are in love:
with us they've nothing times nothing to do
(for love are in we am in i are in you)

this world(as timorous itsters all
to call their cowardice quite agree)
shall never discover our touch and feel
--for love are in we are in love are in we;
for you are and i am and we are(above
and under all possible worlds)in love

a billion brains may coax undeath
from fancied fact and spaceful time--
no heart can leap,no soul can breathe
but by the sizeless truth of a dream
whose sleep is the sky and the earth and the sea.
For love are in you am in i are in we

e. e. cummings

Priceless!

Awesome story!

South Side pride hits West, Texas

Something to make you smile : )

A rainbow forms over the United terminal at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Monday, Oct. 24, 2005. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

IT WAS ALL A LIE!!!

I mean ... EWWWW...

There is me and well then ... there is .... EWWWWW....

I'm in the throws of absolute vomit at the moment.

Know how something hits you and leaves just a bad taste in your mouth? Ewww... That is me...

GAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if I can even control myself.

I can't help it!!!

I mean ...

SHUDDER...

ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite poems...

I have strange taste I poetry I believe... Anyway, here is another new fave ... Speaking of fate ...

You who never arrived
by: Rainer Maria Rilke

You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start,
I don't even know what songs
would please you. I have given up trying
to recognize you in the surging wave of the next
moment. All the immense
images in me- the far-off, deeply-felt landscape,
cities, towers, and bridges, and unsuspected
turns in the path,
and those powerful lands that were once
pulsing with the life of the gods-
all rise within me to mean
you, who forever elude me.

You, Beloved, who are all
the gardens I have ever gazed at,
longing. An open window
in a country house-, and you almost
stepped out, pensive, to meet me.
Streets that I chanced upon,-
you had just walked down them and vanished.
And sometimes, in a shop, the mirrors
were still dizzy with your presence and, startled,
gave back my too-sudden image. Who knows?
perhaps the same bird echoed through both of us
yesterday, seperate, in the evening...

I believe in fate ... big time ...

Go Sox!!

Not much more I can say other than that. The whole thing still feels surreal ... I'm not sure I can actually believe it. Guess I'll believe it tomorrow when I'm watching the game - unfortunately - at home.

My parents are in town this weekend. Dinner tonight with my sis and her roomie and her roomie's parents. My parents are pretty good friends with them. Then dinner at my place tomorrow and I'm not exactly sure what we're doing during the day. The most important thing will definitely be watching the game!

And, oh yeah, my sis is re-introducing her boyfriend to my parents this weekend. They were just friends when they met him before. It'll be interesting ...

Jennifer and Vince

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/story_pages/showbiz/showbiz2.shtml

See the story and pictures above. You know... I think they make a great couple and I'm not even a Jennifer Anistan fan. Yeah, I like Friends, but I always thought she was just annoying. Anyway, good couple, but of course the last time I said someone was a good couple, it ended in disaster - ie, Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney. Hmm... Perhaps anyone I want to end in disaster I should just mention that they are a good couple. Something to ponder perhaps... Anyway, all pettiness and silliness aside, I do think Jenn and Vince are a good couple. I like him... he could seriously make my "list" too. (Think there was a Friends episode around that idea too.) I'm sort of weird; I think I have strange taste in guys ... Like... I either like them really skinny or a little on the tubby side. How weird is that? Its like that thing I have for Tony Stewart... Know what I mean? Vince definitely fits in with him I would say.

And while we're on that subject ... I think Angelina and Brad are a good couple. Now, the homewrecker thing isn't too cool (but why should I care, she got what she wanted - you go girl!), but whatever... I'm sure the world will eventually forget that angle of it. Hey, its not like ANY of these people are in 'til death do us part' situations. I wonder how many people actually are... You know?

Let this be a tocsin to you!

tocsin: a warning.

I need some more pelf!

pelf: money; riches.

Oh HA HA HA HA HA!!!

I wonder why I get such a HUGE kick out of this??

LOL!!

Fun stuff!

Cute idea passed along by Kelwhy:

Go to Google and click on the images link.

Type in the following and post the first (or your favorite) picture the search engine finds.

- The name of the town where you grew up
- The name of the town where you live now
- Your name
- Your Grandmother’s name (pick one)
- Your favorite food
- Your favorite drink
- Your favorite song
- Your favorite smell

Where I grew up - Sullivan, Indiana. This is a picture of the old elementary school where I went. It is no longer is use. When I was a student there, this part of the school was used mostly for the fifth and sixth grade classes (it was a huge deal to be "upstairs"), the cafeteria and other classrooms like music and art. When my mom went there (yep!), I believe this was pretty much the whole school!








Name of the town I live now - Chicago, Illinois.









My name - Melissa When I type my name in what actually comes up is a picture that I took of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans:













My Grandmother's name - Mary Reiss I have no idea what this picture is but OK ...
















My favorite food - Pizza
















My favorite drink -Margarita
















My favorite song -"With or Without You" by U2 This is interesting:
















My favorite smell -Pumpkin pie

Something to remember

I don't know what to say...

White Sox win! We're going to the freaking WORLD

SERIES!!! Who woulda thunk it??

Think I'll get tickets? I'd say my chances for this one are slim to none, but we shall see. I wonder what my options would be in Houston? Hmmm....

Jenga anyone?

http://faculty.nmu.edu/ims/sears1.htm

Dream job ...

sinecure: an office or position that involves little work or responsibility.

I don't even want to talk about it!!

If you don't know what "it" is, apparently you didn't watch the game last night ...

You know ...

I don't know what it is with me today. Maybe it was the early start and the bad night and all of that but I lack motivation today to do ANYTHING!

1. I am in serious need of a manicure ... did I go get it at lunch? No... I just grabbed some food and hung out here. Tomorrow it has to happen. Actually, part of me is thinking that I'll get my nails yanked and just take a break from that for a while. I have tried that twice and end up going back the next week to get them put back on. The thing is, I really need a full new set and I just don't want to do that right now. I want to try and drag these out til November or even December and then start fresh. Err... what to do and why do I bitch so much about something so pointless and of no consequence?

2. One thing I AM going to go do today - although I don't want the trek out there - is get my eyebrows waxed. Why oh why do I go halfway across town to do this when 1) I could get it done super quick at the same place that does my nails right down the street or 2) I could get it done at one of the salons in the town I actually live in now. But no... I paid to park my car (only $2) out in the burbs today so I could get the early train in this morning for my early shift and then take a later train out (thats why I couldn't park at my friend's place, don't want to block her in) and then I will take a bus all the way down Michigan Ave (and I forgot my bus pass so I'll have to pay cash for that), go thru a 15 minute (if that) procedure... pay more than I probably should... and then have to either 1) get back on the bus 2) catch a cab or 3) walk back to the train station to take my later train home. Siiiigghhh...

3. My parents are coming for a visit next weekend. Now ... do you think I am actually even close to being unpacked from my move that was now like 2 months ago now? Ummm... no. Well, I overstate that. The whole place is fine except for the second bedroom which is either going to serve as either a 1) computer room 2) storage room or 3) combination of both... Its in complete disarry. I just keep moving things from box to box and getting nowhere. Can I just tell you how much of a pack rat I am? Before I moved to Lincoln Park from my old place downtown, I got rid of 9 trash bags of clothes. Before I moved to the burbs, I got rid of another 5-6 bags. Now I say "trash bags" but all of these were like kitchen-sized trash bags. I still have too much stuff. So as I was working on this room last week, I decided to go thru my clothes yet again and this time I filled another huge black trash (actaully the largest bag that Hefty makes) and filled it full. So that helped some. Moving sucks so much and you would think that moving actually helps you weed thru things and get rid of junk but in my experience, it doesn't. I got rid of so much stuff before I moved this time but now I'm of the opinion that I need to actually go back thru every single thing that I own and get rid of a ton more stuff. BLAH!! I know that little project definitely will not happen before my parents' visit but I needs to happen sometime, at least before I move again which I'm guessing won't be for another couple of years!!

Gewgaws are cool!

gewgaw: a trinket; a bauble.

One thing I have learned...

Do what you want, say what you want ... no matter how embarrassing it might be to you. SO WHAT! You know ... if its something that you want to be said, there is a reason so just DO IT! No regrets ... its definitely not worth it.

Another soldier from my home county killed in war on terror

PAXTON, Ind. -- A soldier from southwestern Indiana died during an attack in Iraq, his father said.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Kimmell, 30, was killed when on a military vehicle he was riding in came under attack, said Larry Kimmell of Paxton, the soldier's father. Paxton said Army personnel told him Tuesday of his son's death.

He said he was told two soldiers who were with his son were injured in the attack.
Kimmell was a career soldier and had been serving in Iraq since June, his father said.
The Pentagon's media office said today that it could not immediately confirm any information about Kimmell's death.

Kimmell's hometown of Paxton in Sullivan County is about 25 miles south of Terre Haute.
Kimmel is the 46th person from Indiana to have died after being sent to the Mideast since the buildup for the invasion of Iraq began in 2003.

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson...

I have a million awful things I could say about this, but I will refrain...

Today...

Mourning the White Sox' loss last night. A real bummer! I can't get over the missed opportunities, bad base running, stupid hitting calls (all of those bad bunts!) and just general poor execution. I had been saying all week that we had a chance against the Yankees but perhaps not against the Angels. I may be right. I guess we'll see... Six more games to go so its hardly time to give up yet but I don't think I'm going to be as glued to it as I had planned to. I have tickets for Game 7 - if there is a Game 7. If it comes down to it, not sure what I will do with those. My friends are going gaa-gaa over the amount of money I could potentially make if I sold them. Not the best of seats, but not bad either - upper deck, row 15 which is still the lower section of the upper deck so...

Today is a unique anniversary for me. Today is the 10-year (TEN YEARS?! I AM SOOO OLD!) of when I first started dating the guy I guess I would technically call my ex-ex boyfriend. Hmm... There were a few randoms in that timeframe but, you know what I mean ... my second to last serious boyfriend. Anyway, I was a junior in college at the time and we ended up dating for 2 1/2 years. So... we had this pact... you know ... the "backup plan"... that if neither of us was married by TODAY ... that we would get married. HA HA HA! How funny is that? So as you can guess, I'm letting him off the hook for this one. I do think we need to mark this occasion somehow though. He's actually still a fairly good friend of mine NOW... although he wasn't in the initial time period after we broke up, but I guess that is to be expected. I've heard so much more from him in the last year than I had heard in probably the previous 5-6 years.

So anyway, thats where I am today. Other than that, trying to avoid doing as much work as possible. I'm also seriously putting off getting this manicure I desperately need. I'm just not in the mood to go over there. I guess it can wait til tomorrow!

Later!

More classic customer feedback...

This time from one of our foreign users - LOL!

"tahks alot melissa i love you"

Love it!

America should rally around the White Sox

Good story...

White Sox look to end the 'other' drought

Coolest thing on the net today!

http://www.pimpampum.net/memry/enter.php

I said it before, and I'll say it again...

GO WHITE SOX!!

GO WHITE SOX!!!

Nope... I was wrong!!!

LAST NIGHT was the best game of my life!

What I still need to learn...

How to make a tough decision and stick to it!!

Are you kidding me?

http://people.aol.com/people/articles/0,19736,1114381,00.html

How old do I look?

Not that I'll post a picture but ...

The last few years I have been getting the strangest reaction from female bartenders. And I guess I should be grateful but when I look at myself in the mirror, its difficult to believe...

I am 31 years old ... I get carded all the time...

Three notable times - 2 in the last year, all at different places:

Bartender #1 cards me, reaction: "OH MY GOD!"
Bartender #2 cards me, reaction: "I need to retire!!"
Bartender #3 cards me, reaction: "WOW!"

So I contemplate this... could I potentially look like I'm carrying around a fake ID? I mean seriously ... I had less of a problem getting into bars between ages 20-23 than I do now.

So I guess I'll just be thankful and chock it up to good genes. My mom doesn't look anywhere near 58 years old (that freaks him out actually) and I would say my grandmother doesn't look anywhere near 84.

Still, its weird to me... I mean, I may not look 31 but I know I don't look 20 either!

Best game of my life!!

There is really nothing more I can say about last night's White Sox game. It simply rocked! I have never been there and seen people more excited. It was even fun being there "alone" cause you know ... I wasn't really alone... I was there with 40,000 of my closest friends. LOL! Alone didn't matter... I would do it again and plan to tonight actually!! I don't know what will happen the rest of the way but it was great to be there and witness all of that. There is really nothing more I can say about it.

Linking to a few good stories in the press this morning...

White Sox `clout' brings antagonists together for day

Pierzynski has fun under gun

Outstanding—any way you say it

Iguchi's gutsy toss to 3rd stuns Millar

Sporting a red 'C' at Sox park? Good grief

Time to Jump on the White Sox Wagon

Video I took of the opening! : )

And speaking of drug addicts ...

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2681360?htv=12&htv=12

Daily Leo Forecast

Quickie: A friendship is fading -- share your feelings. Whatever happens is for the best.

Ummm... yeah...

So I am minding my own damn business and walk into a local fastfood establishment here in Chicago for lunch. I had my hand on the door when this person leaving the restaurants, slams the door open, pushing me back and bending my hand back hard. He says "Have a nice day, bitch," and practically runs me over to get out of the place.

So I'm like ... what the hell... and my hand was sort of hurting. Its OK now, I don't think its really "injured", my wrist and top of my hand may be slightly sore but I don't think its worth a court case. So I go in and the first guy sitting there says "What did he say to you?" And I'm like "Well, he called me a really nice name." So I guess this UTTER LOSER was some sort of homeless person or whatever - although he didn't look too homeless in those pretty nice clothes he was wearing - and was in the restaurant begging and got kicked out. So I guess he decided to take it out on someone and that lucky person happened to be me. Yeah, well, sorry if I'm making a generalization here... perhaps he wasn't a homeless person, maybe he was just a DRUG ADDICT!

Thats life in the big city I suppose...

And speaking of life in the big city, how about life in the suburbs?? You know you read all of those news stories - horrific stuff that happens in the burbs? And you think, but why? this is the suburbs? how could it happen? Well, let me tell you, the burbs are full of creepy dudes and don't I seem to run into this on morning walks (runs) to the train station. Last week I parked at my friend's place to take the 10 minute (or less) walk to the train. On the way there is a house whose occupants have decided to make the whole yard and even the grass out by the curb into this massive garden. Back home I would say it was just someone who doesn't mow their lawn and therefore its all overgrown with weeds, but no, this is actual flowers and plants and stuff (some of it taller than me) but the place is a freaking jungle! So at 5:45am on this corner, its super dark and freaky so I usually try to pass by there quickly. Of course last week as I'm walking past this truck with two guys in it stops and asks me if I want a ride. Umm.... NOOOOO?????!!!! They drove on and I sort of hightailed it out of there. Of all places... And then this morning when I walked from my place, I was standing at a long stoplight and this guy in his car was sitting there with the window open LEERING at me. Thats the only way I can describe it. So yes, freaky people in the suburbs. I know there has to be tons more freaky people in the city but I think I got so used to it, it seemed the norm. I used to say that I could not walk down Chicago Avenue to the red line subway stop without running into at least one crazy person. I'm not even kidding about that.

The wrist seems OK, but it also seems sort of popp-ish too. Its definitely some kind of strain.

Happy thoughts...

Chicago just ran their monthly air raid sirens test... of course I have to find irony in this today... Today is the start of the playoffs - go WHITE Sox - whoo-hoo! Last time Chicago blasted the air raid sirens in a non-test situation was when the White Sox won the pennant back in the 50s. So... foreshadowing of things to come?

Saturday night's karaoke song list!

My song list:
1. Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter
2. I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline
3. Life #9 - Martina McBride
4. I May Hate Myself In The Morning - Lee Ann Womack

It's official - I now have FANS!!

LOL!!!

Quote of the day...

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction." - Blaise Pascal

HA!

Did I call it or what?!

Agreed...

http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html

Don't you have to question their "balance" in the first place? ; )

Q: If a Cubs fan living in Chicago pulls against the White Sox, does it indicate he or she might be mentally unbalanced?

A: "If the teams are not directly competing against each other, the idea of a Cubs fan rooting against the White Sox becomes a little pathological," says Dr. Robert Burton, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Northwestern University. "Technically, it probably stems from some unresolved sibling rivalry kind of thing. Otherwise, you have to wonder what a Cubs fan has to gain by pulling against the White Sox. Not too much, really, unless it's to feel better about himself. If the White Sox lose, then they're both in the doghouse.

"A resolved sibling rivalry would let you enjoy the success of your neighbor, or whomever, and root against each other only when you're going head-to-head. Any kind of sibling rivalry is commonly referred to as arrested development. Then, you get history and other issues layered on top of everything, and it can compound things. I personally pay more attention to whichever team is succeeding."
-- Mike Conklin

Guess who's AL Central champs??

THESE GUYS!! WHOO-HOO!!

What do you think?

Do bad things happen for a reason or do they just happen?

My cyborg name!

19 year old Iraq war widow ...

Maddison Campbell, 19, right, wife of Sgt. Jeremy M. Campbell, of Middlebury, Pa., is presented the U.S. flag by Maj. Gen. Howard Bromberg, left, during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005. Campbell died on Sept. 11, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq, where an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol operations. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Negativity...

U-G-L-Y ... she ain't got no alibi!!!

Blah...

Why oh why do random guys seem to come out of the woodwork and haunt me? Well... this one isn't so random... this guy I dated for a few months last year... anyway, he's a big Cleveland Indians fan and decided I was due some torment ...

Whatever, dude!

You know...

I think its just one of those unhappy days and man do I hate those??

I actually had a pretty good weekend, lowkey, but good. Sang karaoke Saturday night. The place was dead so I sang like 7 songs. It was like "Me... in Concert"... I was good too. I'm getting better. If I took voice lessons again I know it wouldn't take long to get back to how good I was ... Blah ... something to consider I suppose.

So yeah I was in a pretty good mood all weekend and even this morning coming to work, although I didn't want to come to work...

Then its just like CRASH DOWN! Why do people - friends, coworkers, etc. always seem to insist on bringing you down with them? And why the hell do I allow it?? I've just been in knots all day long today and I'm sure it would not have happened if I hadn't been treated like crap almost as soon as I walked in and if I could just learn to assert myself better.

I talk about not being friends with people... You know, it isn't that. I don't want to lose friends but I just don't want to deal with the personal drama of other people. I hate how some people just seem to always bring you in. I mean, come on!! I try not to do that. I guess I'm the opposite of that and perhaps I should try and bring others in but you know what I mean, right??

I guess I'm just venting today and that makes me sad cause I really have nothing bad going on to vent about... I'm just so tired of some of this ongoing crap. You know, sometimes I would just love to run away, to make a total change in my life, to get the heck out of here - my job, this town, etc. etc. and really just start over new. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know ...

More about Yaga's...

The side of a three-story building on the Strand collapsed, exposing Yaga's Café and upstairs offices to the elements. An elaborate cornice of the building had been destroyed in the famous hurricane that killed 8,000 here in 1900. The fourth story was removed after damage from Hurricane Carla in 1961. Until Rita hit, the restaurant had served a cocktail called the "1900 Hurricane."

Oh no!!

Exterior wall of Yaga's Cafe in Galveston collapsed! I loved that place!!

White Sox

pathetic... PATHETIC... PATHETIC!!!!!!

At the very least I'll get a nice chunk of change back.

Just goes to show you ... stick with your teams, never "adopt-a-team"... See.. if I just would have stayed a Cardinals fan like I was when I was a kid, we wouldn't have problems now.

Its seriously something to reconsider!

No... This isn't Texas, is it?

Prepared in his own way

I got about 40 lbs of rock salt, two bags of charcoal, two cans of ligther
fluid, 14 gallons of whiskey, and put my socks and clothes in garbage bags. I
got my waders and about 35 lbs of meat that'll keep with the whiskey and salt.
Other than that, you don't need electricity to bar-b-q and the rock salt is
non-lethal in the shotgun, and good as a preservative and for seasoning. Whiskey
is an old friend -- the best thing for cuts, snake bites, meat, and rainy
days.

--Tony Fairbanks, Houston, Texas

Wow!

http://www.sturtle.com/2005_09_01_archive.html#112705482213271419

A few thoughts...

Seeing that JetBlue plane land at LAX safely last night was one of the most exciting things I have ever seen on television. Was watching the news on the Rita coverage yesterday and they broke in with the story so saw it from the beginning to end... Crazy stuff!!

And speaking of Rita ... Oh man... this is gonna be a bad one!! Looks like its heading straight to Galveston - another one of my favorite places! Looks like that place is gonna get pummeled. My cousin goes to grad school at Texas A&M at Galveston and the school has closed and all of the students have evacuated so she is now home in Houston but who knows if that will even be any safer. My uncle owns a condo on Galveston where Ellie and I guess some roomies live but I'm not sure where it is located. He used to have a house right on the beach there (may post some pictures at some point) but he sold that a few years ago. Its wood, its up on stilts, its maybe 50 yards from the ocean. My guess at this time is in a direct hit, that place won't make it. Chatting with my other cousin Mandy yesterday, I guess they're staying - not sure, she said she and her roommate went looking for batteries and they were out of batteries everywhere. She also said places were running out of gasoline which I saw reported today. So... Its going to be bad.

Horrible storms in the Chicago-area last night. Really bad lightening and thunder - scared the crap out of me - totally jarred awake!! I hate storms, I mean really really hate them! I think it has something to do with growing up in the country and having a huge backyard and fields around which look something like Dorothy's farm in The Wizard of Oz - ha ha! So I told him this morning that as I was lying there shaking about the storm I thought that at least I didn't have a Category 5 hurricane barreling towards me (you know, I'm all about putting things into perspective these days). He says I have to stop watching the news!! : )

Crappy night/crappy day...

I have been experiencing some sleeping issues recently that are sort of freaking me out. It can happen any time but I think it typically occurs around the time of my monthly visitor. Anyway, basically the problem is that I am burning up hot ... like I'm running a fever or something (and I think I am) and am to the point of delirium where I do not know where I am, what I am saying or what I am doing. This has happened two times recently, once being last night. Its scaring the crap out of me. On top of that, I can never remember what happened. I don't know what to do about it either. So I'm in a horrible awful mood this morning because of this. Actually, last night I was quite sick - stomach issues, fever, headache. Took some aspirin, tums, and went to bed an hour and a half earlier than normal. So I guess the explanation behind all of it then was that I actually was sick. Still sort of sick today and wish I wasn't at work. I don't know, thinking about going home early today but I think it will just put me in a bad mood for the afternoon. Perhaps its better to be at work and be distracted. I guess we will see what happens ... : (

Holy crap!

-- Hurricane Rita expected to reach category 4 in the Gulf of Mexico by 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, forecasters say.

Boredom...

The last two days at work...

BLAH!!!!

Cool...

Originally uploaded by -w7ĐãღMNღêŁღN@ss-.

I don't care...

I love how customers write to complain about stuff you have no control over. Guess what guys ... I DON'T CARE!!! Stop wasting words and emails by going to the trouble!

Agreed...

"When the hurricane struck, it did not turn the region into a Third World country ... it revealed one" -- actor and activist Danny Glover.

Interesting...

The pictures from Hurricane Ophelia make it look a lot worse than I thought it would be. Hatteras Island - another one of my favorite places on the planet! I once spent a week there camped on the backside of a sand dune. Climb the dune, there's the ocean!!

Random thoughts...

Several things I need to do when I get home, specifically cleaning up the apartment, getting gas for my car, etc. etc. Also need to find something to eat! I think I'm officially out of food.

My cousin is crashing at the apartment tonight cause we're all driving down for Corn Fest bright and early tomorrow morning. He gets the couch - he can sleep with the cat! I hope to be out of there by 7:30am at the latest, hopefully earlier.

Keep asking Mom when the damn parade starts and she thinks its 1 but my cousin Lisa said something about it being 11. So I don't know. Anyway, I think we're going to head uptown immediately without stopping by my parents. I'm sure we'll find them easily. I told her I was just going to go up to people and ask "Have you seen my mom?" Easy enough to do in my small hometown, especially when EVERYBODY knows my mom.

Not sure what the plan for the weekend is though especially since we'll only be around one night. My dad has his class reunion so they will be gone to that for several hours. I think we should just go drinking with my cousins. We sort of did that last year and it was fun. Sound good? The bar we would go to is within walking distance of my parents' place. You can't beat that! Other than that we'll probably just hang around the carnival or whatever. Maybe we'll try out the new Mexican restaurant in town. Yes, Sullivan officially has a real Mexican restaurant and my parents say its good. My sister tried it and she said it was good so... I'm going to have to believe her since she loves Mexican food too. Plus, they actually serve ALCOHOL! I'm really impressed they got that liquor license. There aren't many places in town that serve alcohol. I guess its mostly margaritas and Coronas but hey, thats pretty cultured for Sullivan!!

Will have to spend some time with my grandparents which reminds me that I need to go get a birthday card for my grandfather on my lunch break!!

Ummm... other than that, my cousin Lisa and her family are down so we'll probably at least bump into eachother. I don't think I have seen her in like 8 years. Haven't seen her much in the last 25 years or so anyway. Her daughter recently had a baby which makes my parents great-great uncle/aunt. I think thats kind of funny.

And, other than that I'm guessing church and a nice meal on Sunday and then back home.

President Bush in front of one of my favorite Democrats...

Whoo-hoo!!

Just picked up tickets to Games 1 & 2 for the American League Division playoff which will *hopefully* be hosted at US Cellular Field - assuming the White Sox don't blow it and believe me, they could still seriously blow it. If so, I'll get a nice refund. Anyway since they will most likely be day games (at least they were in 2000 when I went) I will be attending unaccompanied. Just me, myself and I going to the game which will be kind of weird because I've never really done that before. Oh well... regardless it will be a good time and if they turn out to be night games, I suppose I will be crashing on my sister's couch for those evenings. Hope it all works out!!

Perturbed...

Yeah so I go to Dunkin Donuts and get a bagel for lunch - I'm not very hungry but just looking for a little snack. So I get back to my desk, take it out of the sack and THEY FORGOT THE CREAM CHEESE. OK so there is no way I can eat this now. Took a look at the work refrig and there is nothing in there I can put on it. Darn it! Guess I'll take it home and have it for breakfast or something tomorrow!

Quote of the day...

"To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is, a dissatisfaction with self"
-- Joan Didion (American Journalist and Novelist, b.1934)

Once again...

Its cute kitty day!!!