Movies I've Seen in 2008: February

Step Up (DVD) - What is it about dance movies that make them so great? I love movies like Dirty Dancing, Havana Nights, Save The Last Dance... And I liked Step Up just as equally! Hello! Tatum Channing is H-O-T!!! And a good dancer.

Good Luck Chuck (DVD) - This movie is not what I expected! Yea, it's funny and all, but there is a lot of booby. Think Wedding Crasher meets Along Came Polly. Still a funny movie. But note to self, do not watch with parents.

No Reservations (DVD) - A little slow. More depressing than I thought it was going to be based on what I remember previews to be. Who doesn't like a movie involving food and good looking chefs?

Juno (theater) - I really didn't know what to think going into this movie. I had mixed feelings about the story line, but went to see it anyway. The movie was good. Funny. Thought provoking. Ellen Paige was great! Very funny with all of the Junoisms. I recommend seeing this movie at some point.

Hairspray (DVD) - Can't see how this movie got such raving reviews. Yea, it was good and all, but not as good as I thought it was going to be. John Travolta = not a very good actor playing a woman.

27 Dresses (theater) - Love, love, LOVED this movie! So the story of my life. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Doesn't know how to say no. Super cute, funny, entertaining, captivating, etc. Great movie. Can't wait until it's out on DVD.

Table for One

The fact of life is that as you grow older you grow up. Growing older is inevitable, it’s gonna happen. But is growing up inevitable? Of course it is. And at some point being single becomes overwhelmingly obvious.

Maybe it's the fact that all your friends start getting married, and then they start a family. And then, all of your once single friends start doing "coupley things" with other coupley friends. Dinner, movies, outings. I admit, there were times in college that I would go to the movies by myself, mainly because I was generally the only one that wanted to see a certain movie or because I was bored and needed to get out. But as I get older going out and doing things by myself becomes painful. I feel like I have a giant arrow above my head, pointing down at me saying "She's single".

It's especially hard and, well, embarrassing when your own family starts to get on your case about being single, not dating, etc. What can I say? The "right one" just hasn't come around yet. But for crying out loud, back off! What happened to waiting on God's timing? Grandkids will come, I just can't promise that I'll be the first one in the family to have them. And what about when your friends offer to help set you up, but they never do. Good intentions I suppose.

But you know it's bad when your own mother's hairdresser even wants to set you up with someone. What's up with that? And you know it's really bad when people within your place of employment want to set you up with another employee. And since the "setter-upper" doesn't know you that well, he talks to your father about it one weekend when both are working. WOW! But since someone else had mentioned that same person to me, I told her. She's gonna see what she can do. ;)

Don't get me wrong. Set me up all you want. But don't expect "magic" to happen unless it's in God's plan for my life. I'll go on dates. I'll enjoy the company of someone of the opposite sex. And I'll go in with an open mind. There's not harm in that.

But for now, I'm happy. I'm happy with myself and who I am. I'm content. And that someone special in my life not being around isn't going to hinder my happiness. Sure, I get sad about it every now and then; but then I snap out of it, realize things in my life are as they should, and am back to happy. But don't get me wrong, I will be estatic when I someday have my soul mate in my life. Until then, I'll continue to be happy.

And feel free to continue setting me up. I'll consider it weeding and practice.

I love it!

I just heard this quote, and it's fantastic! Now, I know I'm going to butcher it, so don't quote me on it. HA!

"Spas are open because of the customers. So I just volunteered for the job."
Kate on "Jon and Kate Plus 8"

Do you get it?!? Customers keep a business (spa, pedicure place, etc.) open. So as a customer I'm just doing my duty to help keep them open!

Ok, so I wish my memory was better. But my short term is shot. Actually, so is my medium and long term. I need more Ginkgo Biloba!

Only a Mother Could Love...

...A face like this
No fingers were harmed in the shooting of this shot. Izzie actually just woke up and had dry teeth syndrome.

Wasn't yesterday Monday?

or maybe, Why did I get up this morning?

or, Could my day get any worse?

I should have never gotten up this morning. From the moment I found out my toothpaste made it to Fresno in my sister's boyfriend's travel bag by accident after their visit, I knew it was going to be a rotten day. And so far, it has been. Let's see, after I find out I'm toothpasteless and scrounge to find some for the morning, I started to put on my shoes to have my dog projectile vomit all over my clothes. Great! I had to go change, in which I need to do laundry, so I had to scrounge to find clothes to wear to work. Off to an excellent start!

My 9am meeting that was only supposed to be 30 minutes turned into an hour and 30 minutes. During this extra 60 minutes the visitor that the meeting was with decided it would be a great idea to add about 2 weeks of solid work onto my already full plate. Towards the end of the meeting, I had to hold back tears. Overwhelmed much?

It's 2pm now, the day has leveled out. But now, before going to a friends house for dinner, time that I was going to utilize to work on a project now must be spend buying toothpaste. I'm afraid the sky is going to fall on my head if I'm out too for too long.

Or maybe I'll end up spilling something all over myself. Oh, wait, I already do that all the time.

Feed the Poor

and maybe make your way down to a shelter and adopt one too. Visit The Animal Rescue Site, and click the "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" link to donate a dish of food to an animal in a shelter.

You know I like animals, at least dogs, so make sure to feed to poor animals too.

But I guess...

my mom would be my Valentine if I had to choose someone. Only because she loves me, she gave birth to me, she (and my dad) has allowed me to continue living with them, and well, she gave me my most favorite See's chocolate ever... A half pound of milk chocolate bordeaux. So I brought them to work, cause, well, they're safer here than than are at home. So just a bit ago, I cracked open the box to have a little treat.

12, that's right, 12 pieces of heaven. That's one a month for a year. Or one a week until May 1st. Or one a day until February 29th (they're at work remember, so weekends aren't included). Or...one every other hour! (Ok, so you're only seeing 11 chocolates. I was in the process of eatting it before I took the picture.)

I love these chocolates!

And for those of you non-chocolate fans, enjoy the box of Corazones Dulces (conversation hearts).

I Loathe February!

Since today is the day that causes the whole month to be poopy, today is the day that I'll let y'all know why I loathe it so much.

I loathe February...
...because I don't have a Valentine. There I said it, I'm Valentine less. I don't have that special someone to share the day with, or the month with. That said...

I loathe February...
...because it's a poor excuse for boyfriends/fiances/husbands to feel the need to treat their lady to a romantic evening. Why? Why should February 14th be so special? Why not September 17? Why did "society" (aka Hallmark) dub the 14th as the day of romance? I'm sure it goes back to some Greek mythical character. But what's wrong with flowers and a dinner out any other day of the year? Darn commercialism! I bet that Valentine's Day was to help fight the post Christmas woo's with shops having bad sales the first couple months of the year. Yea, that's what it is!

I loathe February...
...and all of the romantic-sappy-made-for-TV-movies that it brings with it. Of course, on a typical Friday evening in February, you'll find me plopped on the couch watching those darn addicting movies. Who doesn't love a cute love story?

I loathe February...
...and all of those red roses that come with it. I just not a red rose kinda gal. I want flowers on my birthday, anniversary, and every other day of the year, just because.

I loathe February...
...because I feel like it's rubbed in that I have no one but myself.

But...
...I do like February because it's my month my sister Kaitlin celebrates her birth.

And...
...I do like February and all the chocolate brings with it. The 14th is the day of calorie free chocolate, right? Now if only the scale would get that memo.

My New Neighbor

That's right. I have a new neighbor. Not sure if it's a whole family, or just a couple. But they're super cute. And they chatter up a storm, especially in the morning. And they're just little things. I took some pictures for you.

My sister and I have named them the Flitterbees. I decided this morning to dub them male Hummer Flitterbee. Because when he flies past you his wings make a humming sound.

Such pretty pink iridescent colors. The male is out most frequently. And he's a bully. He loves to hang out at the top of the almond tree and kick all other birds out.

This is where the hummingbirds are living. Where exactly in there, I don't know. But it's my goal to find out where. But seriously, who wouldn't want to live in the neighborhood? Two feeders and a big bushy lemon tree... The tree really needs to be thinned out though, but we don't want to disturb their nest.

Here Hummer is more from my viewing range.

Anybody need some lemons?

2 weeks down!

It has been 2 complete weeks of working on the house with the professionals. Since I last updated you: all of the new walls are framed in, dry rot above the fireplace is fixed, entrance to the front bedroom from the front room is closed off, new electrical in the back of the house where the major renovations are happening, we've gotten lumber to build a fence around the house. Plumbing starts this week. That's about it for now. I don't have any pictures right now. I'll take some for you later.

Flip this way or that

Today I woke up a little late for work. Not really for work, I made it there on time just fine. But normally in the morning I'll get up at about 6:15am, hop in the shower, then climb back in bed where it is warm and so my hair can air dry some. Well, my first alarm clock, the 6:15 wake up call, didn't go off. In fact, the whole thing lost power. But luckily my second alarm clock, the cell phone set for 7:20, did go off. Drat, I still have to shower, but can't crawl back in bed for a few extra minutes of shut eye. Which also didn't allow for the full amount of time I need to blow dry and straighten my hair. Fortunately, unfortunately, I have naturally wavy hair. So, mousse and gel it is! It's a curly hair day! It's not like I've never done the curly hair look for work. But apparently a gal who works in the same area as my has never see, or noticed, the craziness of it. And she told me the new perm looks good. Blah! Perms are yucky! I would know, I actually (many, many years ago) had my hair permed, numerous times. That's beside the point.

Later in the day I visited the little ladies room and I made an observation. My hair, which when straightened will end up flipping out on the right and under on the left, but when curly apparently flips out on the left and under on the right. What's up with that?

Sorry, I have no photos as an example. You'll just have to visualize.

Less Overwhelmed

Maybe by listing off what I've completed each day I'll feel less overwhelmed and more caught up. Well, it's at least worth a shot... So here's what I've done so far today.

Personal:
Faxed off proof of Izzie getting rabies shot to Merced Animal Control.
Filled out passport application.
Update weight tracker on blog.
Installed Turbo Tax 2007 on computer. (ok, I really did that last night, but it's done none the less.)
Call Pier 1 about rug I saw in shop yesterday. Drat, not on clearance like I hoped and prayed, $399...
Wrote down (actually typed) all of the cool "National Day of..." for January before throwing that sheet of my desk calendar away.
Read through a month of my new favorite blogger.
Voted.
Imported 2 CDs onto my computer.
Got my taxes done.

Work:
P5 Capability
Leakers
Closed IP Files for P1, P2, P4, P5
Scanned over 100 documents.
Worked on updating the vendor assurance requirements.

Quote of the Day

I honestly don't know who said it, but I stole it from my new favorite blog to read The Pioneer Woman.

"I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
Anonymous

HAHA! Love it!

Cross that off!

Yesterday, instead of solely focusing on the Superbowl (I know, how un-American of me!), I did something that I've needed to do for awhile. That's right, I balanced 10 months of banking and credit card statements. I skipped the traditional lunch with friends after church and came home, put my sweats on, and got to work sorting and organizing before I could actually get down to business. By 1am, I was done. And it feels good to check that to-do off of my list!

Now if only I could check the rest off quicker than I'm putting them on the list...

Help Yourself!

For everyone who is always in need of some self help advice, you need to visit Dalebert Sephelp's Help Yourself - A Self-Help Program youtube channel. Dalebert is a great guys and has been a true inspiration in my life. Please take the time to visit his page.

Here's a good idea...

(Don't know who wrote it, but I might just have to agree.)

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their butt, doing drugs, while I work... Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

RIP Little Guy

Yesterday we lost a member of our family. After making the hard decision, it was decided that it was time to put Oscar our dachshund to sleep. He was a good pet, more or less, for the past 16 years. Just within the last year things got rough for him as his eye sight and hearing started to fail him. The decision was hard for some. But his quality of life was just not there anymore. Poor little stinky Oscar. May you run free in doggy heaven.