How about some cheese to go with that whine?

Whine whine whine whine whine - yep that is my motto today. Pray-tell what has me in such a wonderful mood? Allergies my dear friends - allergies. I have my yearly allergy testing on Thursday so I can't take any allergy medicine for the next several days so needless to say I'm not a happy camper right now. I am pretty much allergic to the state of Virginia according to my doctor (dust mites, ragweed, pollen, dust, trees, grass, mold, dogs (slightly), cats (slightly) . . . and a partridge in a pear tree.

Ah yes my wonderful yearly testing where they create 2 rows of big red itchy welts on my back, leave the room for 30 minutes and tell me not to scratch. OMG - it takes all my will power not to scratch my back. Thankfully I have prior training on how to resist the urge to scratch. How does one get training for that you make ask, well it is easy - break a bone and get a cast. You can't scratch so you have to learn how to ignore that urge to scratch. Not easy but doable. I have had extra credit courses over the years since I have had at least 3 casts (1 on the right ankle and two on the right arm) over the years as well as braces on my knees post surgery.

So you might think my whining has come to an end but oh no silly - I've got more to whine about. My TMJ is really acting up so I have a headache. My neck, back and shoulders really are tight so I need a massage. I'm well I'm tired. I know you are shocked!

Enjoy the day peeps - I'm going to try and get into a better mood or I'll just have some wine when I get home tonight.

Location Location Location!

Apparently it is all about location location location. . .

After many years of working in Washington DC I had my share of run ins with homeless people. The most memorable events were of the woman who was pregnant for 3 years (she must be having a herd of elephants); the guy who in the middle of the afternoon stripped down to his birthday suit in the park and just sat down on the bench (I guess he got hot huh?); and the constant people who yelled at trees, walls and people who just weren't there.

After my office moved to Alexandria I noticed I hadn't come across a homeless person since we left DC. I guessed that the location of my office was not one that really supported a homeless community.Well I have to say I was wrong. In the last 2 weeks I've come across 2 homeless gentlemen and I've noticed that with location comes a different breed of homeless individuals.This morning I saw that one of these individuals was listening to an ipod (or the like) and had a pipe (like one that Sherlock Holmes would use). Wow - you change location you get a more sophisticated version of the homeless. I wonder what Beverly Hills homeless people look like, my guess is they drive a Toyota instead of a Lexus!

Rabies = Zombies

Zombies! I dream about them sometimes for weeks at a time. I watch zombie movies when I come across them, yet they freak me out all at the same time (Night of the Living Dead was my first experience with Zs). I read zombie books like Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide (Three Rivers Press, 2003) and World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Crown, 2006). I haven't gotten to The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks (Random House, 2008) although I skimmed it in Borders (oh Borders how I miss you). I even was given a Pat the Zombie: A Cruel (Adult) Spoof (Ten Speed Press, 2011) for my baby shower (thanks V). I also thought Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Quirk Books, 2009) and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls (Quirk Books, 2010) were really good too.

 

So why do you ask that I bring the subject of Zombies up? Well in the matter of 2 days I've have Zombie pop up around me at work. No not literally (do you think I would be on here typing if the living dead was hanging around the office and me without my Louisville slugger?) but physically in a way. Most people know that I work as a copyright analyst for a big time company and my job had me dealing with entertainment industry works. Well yesterday afternoon I was assigned a search for a zombie movie that will be coming out in 2013. Then today as I was heating up my lunch I was just skimming through the newspapers left out by people and low and behold I come across an article in The Wall Street Journal (I know - who's a thunk it that I would be reading The Wall Street Journal) about Zombie and Vampires and how they can be linked back to rabies. It was a short I page article that was very interesting to see how you can link becoming/being a zombie and a vampire back to rabies. The authors have valid points. And as I recall there is a link to rabies in World War Z.

Well now I can pretty much guess that within a very short period of time I'll be having one of my zombie dreams and I'll come across a zombie movie on T.V. and won't be able to change the channel.

My Hair!

Since having Smiley I've been letting my hair grow out. It is just easier sometimes to pull it back into a messy blob on the top of my head or into a pony tail (yep sporting one of those today) but seriously I'm 36 years old - when does look say professional I ask you. But anywhoos. I need to get it trimmed and figure out something to do with it. I don't want to go short short but I'm not looking to go long again (think high school peeps). I have figured one thing out that I think I am going to do. I want to add some color to my hair.

Ohhh what color should I do? Now don't get me wrong I love being a brunette (you will never ever ever see me go blond - if you do I swear it is a wig and there must be alcohol involved) but sometimes my dark hair goes flat or the greys pop out way too much (btw - thanks Grandma for that DNA strand of going grey early in life) for my taste. When this happens I break out the temporary tinted color (not ready to go full head dye job) and since my hair is well my hair I can get away with the tinted temporary color for a lot longer than most people. I am feeling daring and I am ready to make a change and add some real color to my hair . . . Dark Blue Highlights. Yep not red, not light brown but BLUE!!!

The host of TLC's "How Do I Look" Jeannie Mai has blue highlights in her hair and I love it. They are well placed in her hair and I really think she wears it well. She is classy but edgy at the same time. So I don't think I'll look like at 14 year old trying to get attention from mom and dad if I do this.

Either way, I need to get my hair cut and who knows maybe Robin will think my idea is good and poof I'll have the blue highlights. Only time will tell.

Bakersfield, California

"I wish they all could be California girls" or so says the Beach Boys (ohh ohh and David Lee Roth too). . . 

In the mornings on my way to work I like to listen to the local radio station and my favorite morning show is the Jack Diamond Morning Show on Mix 107.3 FM here in the DC area. I have listened to his show for years and I have to say I love the chemistry of Jack and Jimmy. Over the years there have been a number of other individuals who have rotated in and out of this show but Jack is the constant (hence the reason it is called the Jack Diamond Morning Show instead of Some Peeps On The Radio This Morning Show). I like his voice and his overall personality on the radio so I stay. I do get a bit annoyed that every morning I hear pretty much the same songs at the same time every day (is it just me or do you notice that too) but that is the radio station's lineup for that time slot so I just have to suck it up if I choose to listen to Jack. Right? Right!

Not too long ago the show got a new member. Her name is Brooke. She was certainly made to be on radio. Why do you ask, well it is because she has one of those Kathleen Turner type voices (you know that husty/raspy deep woman voice) that really makes you notice. Well I guess being new to the show she wants to make herself known in this area and much like all people on the radio she tell stories about her past and growing up. At first I found myself excited to get to know her because she said one word that really got my attention. That word was: BAKERSFIELD. As in Bakersfield, CA. I though hey cool  I have family out in Bakersfield . Shout out to the Rodman clan - what what (bet you didn't think I'd get all gangsta on ya - ha ha ha just kidding). Well the more I listen to her stories of back home in Bakersfield, the more annoyed I get.

Why do I get annoyed you may ask? Well when she talks about Bakersfield it comes across like a Mayberry small town kind of place when I know in fact it is not. Oh sure Bakersfield is small compared to Washington DC and NYC but come on, it isn't a small po-dunct (I guess that is how you spell it) kind of place. Now I know what your are thinking, not a big deal, but for some reason it just makes my skin crawl when she does that. It has been a number of years since I've physically been to Bakersfield, but even my memory recalls it not being a small town. I always thought Taft, CA was a smaller town than Bakersfield.


According to the visitors guide for Bakersfield, in the 2010 census they had over 338,000 residents and it is the 11th largest city in California. Not too shabby considering how large a state California is. Like I said, Bakersfield isn't Washington DC (population in 2011 of over 617,000) or NYC (population of over 8, 200,000) but hey it isn't Tazwell, VA (population of just over 4,000) or even Trinidad, CA (population of just over 300). Oh and speaking of Mayberry, apparently Mayberry was loosely based on Andy Griffith's home town of Mount Airy, NC which had in the 2010 census a population of over 10,000 people.

I thought about sending an email to Brooke but figured I not worth my time, instead I am voicing my annoyance here for all you lovely people to see. What you don't like what I have to say? Well go get your own blog then! (raspberries to you) No no no, you don't have to thank me. It has been my pleasure to share this very important piece of news. Now I return you to your regularly scheduled program. . . "Up next is California Girls by Katy Perry".

Understanding dreams

Most people know I have an interesting and colorful imagination, especially when I sleep (zombies are a favorite topic of my dreams) so several years ago I bought a book about interpreting dreams. I find it interesting that I'm able to understand the underlying reason for why I am dreaming. But what really gets me is with some dreams I am able to figure out right away the logic and reasoning behind them, but what I can't come to terms with is the emotions that some dreams stir up. 3 years ago I lost my mother and not a day goes by that I don't miss her and wish she was back here again with us. I spent my time trying to focus on the positive things that she taught me and the amazing experiences we shared over the years. Yet every time I have a dream about her I find the dream is more about emotions that I haven't been able to deal/cope with yet. Where is the book about that?

One ticket, one seat . . . or so I thought

This afternoon I had the pleasure of taking the Amtrak train instead of my usual commuter train and I was so happy to get out of the oppressive heat and humidity for the air conditioning and comfy seats. Well seats were hard to find because passengers were scattered all over the train. I had to go almost into the next car before finding a seat alone. I was in the row right behind the 4 seaters. You know the seats that have 2 facing in and 2 facing out. These are perfect for a part of 3 or 4 and really great for people traveling with kids. Well the seats in front of me and across from me (yes all 4 - well 8 in this case) were taken up by 2 young ladies who were obviously traveling with each other because they were texting and talking to each other at the same time.

They were stretched out all over these 4 seats (I mean 8) that they couldn't possibly move for other passengers. So when did it become acceptable to pay for 1 seat and get 3 extra. When did we become so entitled as a society that this was acceptable behavior. Oh and the icing to the cake, I had to squeeze into my seat because the girl in front of me had her seat reclined all the way back. When I was trying to get out I hit the seat with my knee (ouch) and the girl turned and gave me a nasty look. What the heck!

Accents

I love to listen to foreign accents. They always make everything sound better in my book. We have clients in my company all over the world (I've spoken with people from Australia, Germany, France and England over the years) and I just love to listen to them talk - heck they could just say the alphabet and I'd be good. Well since my company is a global organization we get people from Europe in our office all the time. Today I got to chat in the break room with a nice gentleman who has a wonderful English accent. We were discussing how to use our very challenging coffee machine (believe me it is - too many buttons and I just wanted tea!) but it was much more entertaining to hear him discuss things like the coffee machine. Sigh - love me some accents. Oooohhhh now I'm dreaming of Hugh Jackman and his wonderful accent!

This morning brought to you by . . . Oatmeal (bleck!)

This morning at work I made myself some Kellogg's Instant Oatmeal for breakfast. I know I know - not my style but I'm trying to lose some weight since having Smiley and well everyone else in the office just loves it (sure sure I know, "if everyone else jumps off a bridge would you" blah blah blah), and goes on and on about how it is a healthy choice so I thought ok oatmeal it is. I have on many occasions tried to eat oatmeal (stop shaking your heads - yes I have), all kinds to be exact. I've tried a variety of the instant oatmeal packets as well as the good Irish stuff that was given to me (it was promised the good stuff would taste better than instant). I have to tell you all . . . it is just simply nasty. Bleck! Every time (I can't kid myself anymore into trying it - I dislike it. Ugh the texture is just well oatmeal textury (yes that is a word in my book). The flavor isn't all that great. You have to mix it really really well and doctor it up so you are adding more and more to it and well there goes all the reason for having oatmeal - right? Yep - nasty. Bleck! Had to toss it out after making it through only half of my bowl. I couldn't do it anymore (and too boot it was now room temperature instead of warm out of the microwave). Ah ha, so maybe that is how they get you to eat oatmeal and lose weight, you just stop eating half way through the bowl.

Password Annoyance

I am annoyed right now and it relates to passwords. For a few weeks now I have been trying to get the IT guy here at work to change/rest my password so I can log into my voicemail and it has not been done. I come in this morning to a bright red light on my phone which means I have a voicemail and I can't access it. WONDERFUL! Adding fuel to the fire is this: I have an email account with a separate non work related entity and I can't get that password reset either (and I've requested that months ago). Hopefully since I sent both IT peeps a note this morning reminding them that it has been some time since my request and still no results that they both might come through for me. Crossing my fingers, toes, eyes and anything else. Ugh - so annoyed. Happy Bleeping Monday everyone.

Olympics 2012

I am so excited for the 2012 Olympics in London to start in just a matter of 11 days. Eee! I love to watch diving, swimming, and gymnastics. Probably because I wouldn't qualify in any of these items. But of all things I love to watch the most it would be the opening ceremonies (fallowed closely by the closing ceremonies). I can't wait to see all the pomp and circumstance that happens, not to mention the big names who perform and appear in a special format from that country. So exciting.

What I am bummed about, the USA team uniforms were made in China. Seriously, you couldn't arrange to make sure the uniforms were made in the USA? Forget saving a buck or two by outsourcing, this is the Olympics and the USA team. Sheesh. Who picked Ralph Lauren again knowing he did this last time? Oh sure he is a great designer but seriously, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

Ugh - I still will be watching and I want to get Smiley something as a special memento from this Olympics and ever one as she grows up. How cool would that be as a keepsake. Any suggestions?

Here is a link to the Olympics website - it you want to browse and make a suggestion I would love it. http://www.london2012.com

GO TEAM USA!!!!

Why me?

There I am minding my own business on my way into work and a gentleman feels the need to sit down next to me because the seat next to me was open (as as the one next to it). Not a big deal until you factor in that he bathed in his cologne and he reeked of cigarette smoke. You couldn't pick the seat one over instead?

Priceless!

So we have all seen those "Priceless" Commercials from MasterCard, well I have my own version of one to share with you today. . .

Cost of an iPhone: $150.00
Cost of a Big Mac Meal at McDonalds: $6.00
Cost of not being run over because your big butt in not paying attention as you walk out into the street without looking because you are probably updating your Facebook status or saying "LOL" to someone, but thankfully the driver of the car saw you and stopped within inches of running you over but OH NO you are too damn busy and important to look up and do what you mother said, remember that old saying, look both ways before you cross the street you dumb person. . . Oh yea I forgot to say "priceless".

So as you can imagine this is what I came across today. Seriously this chick was walking out of McDonald as I was getting ready to walk to the doors (What? Hey don't judge me, I didn't get lunch today and was starving so a diet coke and fries were calling my name) and I watched her walk out the doors playing with her pink iPhone (ok more like waddle - again don't judge, I know I need to loose weight but she should skip McDonalds more often, just sayin) and just out into the road. Thankfully the guy who was backing up saw her and stopped. She was completely oblivious to him and just kept walking right on past. He just shook his head (as did I) when he drove past her.

Seriously, we have become a bunch of techno morons. When the power went out last week due to the recent storms, I was annoyed that we had no power because the AC was out. I know people who had power but were upset because the TV was out or heavens forbid they had no phone and internet service. Gasp. Hey anyone remember the days when we didn't have cell phones and there was no such thing as the Internet or the World Wide Web? Most youth these days have no idea what life was like without the Internet or cell phones (gasp - man we must have been neanderthals for all those hundreds of years). Sad.

Annoyed!

I am annoyed today. My day started out pretty good, minus the lack of sleep (which is the norm by now - I have a 6 month old who is teething) and the headache I had yesterday (which is just a dull ache so I can manage), but has rapidly turned and put me into a constant state of annoyance.

I missed my first train to work today due to the teether (not a big deal) but what started everything was that the AC was out again at the train station. Yuck - I hate to be hot and sticky. I would like to rephrase that, I loathe being hot and sticky. Sure my discomfort is nothing compared to Mary (the employee who works at said train station manning the coffee station and all things train related), who to my surprise was remaining positive despite being slightly annoyed at the situation herself. Way to go Mary!

Once on the train thing were pretty normal, that was until we got to the stop just before mine. Since I was beginning to pack up my stuff, I began to look around and I noticed that despite the fact that we had not even left the station people began queuing for my stop. Hello we have at least a 5 minute ride (maybe even a 10 minute ride, it all depends on the heat restrictions placed by CSX), so why don't you make yourselves comfortable in those seats that you fought so hard to get on the train first to get. Oh noooooooooo they might miss something if they wait a moment or two more, or heaven's forbid, he/she might get off the train before them and I'll (gasp) they will be a failure. Ah yes I see the commuter attitude is not limited to the interstate and my fellow drivers, or even my dear friends on Metro (ahh how I don't miss you all).

We have begun to pull into the station and the next thing I hear is a snapping sound, someone is snapping their gum. Ahhhhhh this sound to me is what nails raking down a chalkboard is to others. Arrrgggh! So annoying. What on God's green earth makes a person think that is not annoying and rude? Ok breathe! Now fast-forward a few moments to me getting off the train (from one queue to another) and now you get to choose which side of the stairs you want to walk down on. Since I fall into the crappy knees category I choose the right hand side (hello - slow traffic in the right lane - I get it). Next thing I know I have some chick practically crawling up my butt to get around me (on the right) and some other person on the left. In essence she was a middle lane merging into 2 flowing lanes. I know I don't do stairs fast (reason mentioned above) but it's not like I take a step and do a sudoku puzzle or something. Geesh.

Crowd free I start walking the short distance to my office. As I approach a light with a cross walk I notice that someone is feeling froggy and well is jumping (i.e. crossing against the light). Normally this wouldn't annoy (heck some mornings I am froggy some days a - what? You know you do it too!) but what got me was the dude who was crossing against the light and had the nerve to give the city bus, who I remind you had the light and the right of way, a nasty look (I was waiting for the universal "you are #1" sign but it didn't come, much to my surprise). Huh? I just don't get people and their self righteousness sometimes.

A few other small annoyances at work followed and all before 10 am too. Normally I would just let it roll off my back, but since I was already annoyed, lets just add that to the pile shall we? Spanks! You know I am thinking it is rapidly become one of those days when I say that "I woke up on the wrong side of the coffin". Fangs and talons will start to show soon. Enjoy the show - ooh I hope I don't "scare anyone this time." Blah ha ha ha.

OK so back to the ole grind. Hopefully this afternoon will bring a more positive spin on my day and "no more negative vibes negative vibes Moriarty" (5 points to the person who knows where this quote comes from).

Andrew Zimmern doesn't like what?

Over the years I have watched Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and have seen him eat some strange stuff (and like it), but last night I saw an episode where he finally found something that I would consider "pretty normal" that he didn"t like. And that fateful food was . . . SPAM! Spam? I have never had it but I would be much more inclined to try Spam over other things Andrew Zimmern has tried.

People of Walmart

"When your down and troubled,
And you need a helping hand,
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me,
And soon I will be there,
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know where ever I am,
I'll come running, oh yeah baby,
To see you again."

. . . go to PEOPLEOFWALMART.COM

106°F

For anyone who knows me, they know I don't like to be hot. . . and I don't really like to be hot and sticky. Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year. Oh sure they can get really cold sometimes like 2 years ago when we had "Snowmagetton" but I would really prefer that over today's weather. This is what weather.com noted for today's weather in our local area: Today's High was 106^°F at 5:45pm when conditions were Mostly Cloudy. Yuck is all I have to say. Come on fall and winter.

"I'm a nice person"

This morning on the commuter train I overheard a woman talking (and talking and talking and talking) and I was a bit annoyed at her comment of "I'm a nice person". If I was describing myself, I would probably say "I like to think I'm a nice person" or "I try to be a nice person" but noooooo she was pretty damn sure that she is a nice person. As "Nice Person" continued to talk I overheard how she is willing to judge others based on their income and how they can't afford to buy a house alone because said person just got out of school and said the mother doesn't make much money, has a jerk of a souse and a 14 year old kid. "Nice person" also feels the need to taunt her seat mate for not knowing how to work the alarm function on his phone and it isn't like seatmate just bought this phone, jezsh he's had it as long as "nice person" has had theirs. Wow - good thing she is a nice person or else the car ride would not have been as exciting or full of wonderful stories that you couldn't help but overhear.

If this wasn't enough I had one more fun event this morning. The woman who feels the need to bathe in her perfume made the decision to sit right next to me. Never mind all the open seats (with no-one else near you) were open, but oh nooooooo, come sit by me and drive my nose crazy the whole ride.

Another commute train rant, on the platform where you buy/validate your ticket it reminds you to have your ticket out for the conductor at all times, VRE has meet the management days where they give away free ticket holders and clips so you can clip them onto the seat's drink holder or your bag, your jacket, your shirt and/or your pants, an announcement happens to be played over the audio system on the train reminding you to have your tickets out at all times, so why, why oh why, do you always act surprised and annoyed when the conductor comes in and says "tickets please" and then go rummaging for your ticket. Come on people, its not like you didn't know this was going to happen and he even says please people!

I really need to go into marketing!

While out running errands today I heard an ad on the local radio station that they would be doing a call in give away for those parents that need an adult night out. What a great idea, with a 6 month old I know that the hubby and I need to spend more quality time together alone, but I think I am gonna have to pass on this call in. The deal, dinner for 2 at some local restaurant (I'm not familiar with that restaurant but it wasn't McDonalds or IHOP so it must have some allure to it) and 2 tickets to see a movie. Sounds great right? Well it was until it got to the movie part, the tickets are for Madagascar 3.

Hellooooooooooo, that is a kids movie. Oh sure I'm guessing there are adult innuendos or jokes in there but what about tickets to Ted, The Amazing Spider-Man, Magic Mike, (pause for drooling) Savages, People Like Us, or even Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? Sure the commercials for Madagascar 3 look funny (Afro Circus, Afro Circus) but if you are going to advertise for a "date night" how about picking an adult movie?

Oh and while watching dumb TV today I saw an ad for Brett Michaels Rock 'N Pet stuff being sold at Petsmart. I had to check it out and some things are cute like this:

 

I need to change my career and go into marketing!