New Years resolutions...

New Years resolutions, always something I think about this time of year. For years I told myself that I wouldn't make any resolutions, primarily since I was never able to keep them. But this year I have many that I'd like to make, if I could keep them great, if not oh well. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
So this year I have put a lot of thought into my resolutions...I am making a few. Some may be easy to attain, others not so much but we'll see.
First, I'm going to make it a priority to be on time, mostly to work but in general. I am perpetually late...but I really need to put an end to the tardiness. I'd like to make sure not to pass my tardy tendencies on to Natalie.
Second, I'm going to try to stay on top of housework, primarily laundry. I don't want to put laundry off for days and then end up spending my entire Sunday doing laundry anymore. As for the rest of the housework, I will try to stay on top of that so I don't have to spend my weekends cleaning. If I just do a bit each day, I can have free weekends to spend with Natalie...oh and Dan too.
Third, do away with clutter. My house isn't ever dirty, but I do have my fair share of clutter, and then my clutter collects clutter, and before I know it I can't walk through the garage and the storage is overflowing (which ties into resolution 4). So my third resolution is to clear out the clutter, if I haven't used it, worn it or otherwise needed it in 3 months, than to goodwill it goes! I'm trying to take a minimalist approach to life...we'll see how that goes.
Fourth, is to stop buying so much. Three and four go hand in hand. I buy things at Target (it's the biggest culprit) or other places that I don't need, and don't use and these things end up cluttering up my house. With Natalie becoming more mobile I need to make sure that there aren't things lying around for her to get into. So if I don't buy it, than it won't be cluttering my house.
And last but not least, my fifth resolution this year is to be healthier. Of course that entails losing weight, but more importantly I'd like to live a healthier live, so exercising and eating better, and getting more rest, and all that good stuff. It wouldn't be New Years with out a weight loss resolution.....so I got to keep it consistent.

That's it. I think I can stick to some of my resolutions (I'd say all of them, but let's be realistic), we'll see. But just like in years past, if I don't stick to them, there's always next year.

Tis the season....

...for being a biotch. Oh yeah, all that peace and joy and good will to men....um where did that go. Everywhere I go, I see no good will to men, what I see is angry people who feel entitled and are not afraid to be an out right first class A-hole.
From the people running into others with their carts at Target, to the crazy parking spot thief's, the holiday spirit is out in full force.
So Merry Frickin Christmas.

cubicle woes

Life in cubicles is hard enough, I mean they're small and you don't have any privacy, and those foam walls don't help at all with noise control. But everyone knows that cubicles are small and they try to make things more comfortable for everyone by staying within their cube limits. In our office we have "mods" which are like two cubicles that are shared. I have two walls, and I use the term walls loosely, and then a filing cabinet to separate my cube from my mod mates cube. There is a small walkway between our cubes, but no one uses it. We all use the larger walk way that is between the two mods. In the little walk way is an alcove for trash and recycle cans and the mail bins and stuff like that. Well my new "mod mate" feels the need to walk through the tiny walk way rather than he large one. So he has to walk through my cube to get to the outside hallway. He could easily walk on the larger walkway to get to the hallway...actually this would probably be easier for him, but he insists on walking through my cube. This drives me crazy. So I put some boxes there, I told him I would be taking them home to pack with, but I never did. They have been a great barrier to keep him in his own cube. But now he has started asking about how long the boxes will stay (since I've already moved) and the safety committee is concerned about the boxes being in the walkway. So I have to move them. I know once I move them he'll start walking through my cube again. I don't know what else to do, I already tried leaving all the drawers open on that side of my desk to impede his path but he just squeezed around them. WTF, why must he walk through my cube, why must he invade my personal space.
Any suggestions?

It's done....well mostly done

We did it, finally we moved. It only took forever to actually happen but it's done. Thanks to the help of family and friends over the weekend we were finally able to move all of our stuff.
Thanks again to everyone for their help. And a big thanks to Jenn for the Kahlua and Cocoa...it was not only yummy but motivating.
Now we just have to go back over to the old house to move all the stuff that we really don't want anymore but can't just leave there...oh yeah and the cat too.
I anticipate that some time in 2009 we'll actually be settled into the new house....any bets as to when it will be...March, maybe April.

Have I mentioned how much packing sucks!!!

Umm cause it does, it sucks a fatty. I am shocked at how much useless crap I have accumulated over the past 3 years. And when I say useless crap I mean it. I have also come to realize that I am the worlds worst impulse buyer. I mean really who needs 4 bottles of nail polish remover, and 5 different types of hairspray. Um I don't wear nail polish or use hairspray....WTF. And don't get me started on clothing or the kitchen. I'm like a modern day bag lady, I just collect crap!
I think I need an intervention.....and what's the worst part you ask....
I'm packing it all and taking it with me to the new house, cause if I didn't need 4 bottles of nail polish remover in the old house I'm sure I really need to pack it and take it with me. Lord Help Me!!!

Unexpectedly emotional

As I pack up our house I find myself getting emotional. I didn't anticipate these emotions. I'm sad, really sad.
This was our first house, this was our first home, this is where we came home to after getting married, this is where Natalie came home to from the hospital. This is where she lived for the first almost 8 months of her life.....this is my house.

Don't get me wrong, I am really looking forward to the new house, it's bigger, in a better neighborhood and all that, but I never expected to be moving so soon. I never expected a lot of the things that happened in the last 7 months. Things did not go as we had planned when we bought this house, we anticipated living here until Natalie was at least 3 or 4, we thought we'd sell it and move on up...but that isn't what happened. We never thought we'd be tenants again.
I'm sad and angry, I thought I was past the feelings of anger and inadequacy with regard to the move but apparently I'm not.
I know we'll make memories in our new house, and soon this home will be a distant memory, but right now it hurts. I just hope that the next family who lives here has the same great experiences in this house as we did.
Sometimes life throws you an unexpected curve ball and sometimes emotions get the best of you, today my emotions have gotten the best of me.
CRAP!

Holiday party shenanigans

First off I LOVE the word Shenanigans....it always reminds me of Super Troopers, a wonderful cinematic classic...but I digress.
Today is our office holiday party, and we've been asked to dress in our "holiday best" umm yeah right. I wear jeans to work everyday, there is no chance you're gonna get me in a dress or some other crazy outfit for an office holiday party at which there will be no booze...had they offered booze I may have entertained the idea of dressing up.
Anyhow, to rub it in even a bit more our party this year is a "cocktail party...with out the cocktails" WTF, I mean really WTF does that mean. I'll tell you, it means they were too cheap to provide lunch too the office so we get finger foods and punch.
So just to recap, they wanted us to get dressed up for punch and finger foods in the conference room....don't you want to come, it's gonna be a blast!

Natalie's Santa Picture

I couldn't wait for Wordless Wednesday for this ridiculous cuteness...so here you go!

Hmmm....is it a good deal now or were we just getting ripped off before

I went to costco on my lunch break to get gas. I filled up my empty gas tank for $25.96...and thought wow what a deal! But that got me thinking, when I was 16 gas was 0.99 a gallon, and over the past *cough* 11 *ahem* years it went to almost $5 a gallon and now back down to $1.63. So what's the deal, are we getting an amazing deal on gasoline now or were we just getting ripped off for the past few years?
I think I know the answer but I'd prefer to believe that I'm getting a screaming deal right now.

Craptastic Saturday...the Finale

So I go home and eat the crappy sandwich and continue painting, I finished all the closet doors and moved on to lining shelves and some spackling. After about an hour of crawling on my hands and knees spackling, I decided to put up the new towel bar and toilet paper ring in the hall bathroom.
So, I'm working away, and get the ring up no problem....I am quite handy with the power tools, when Dan lets me use them. So on to the Toilet paper holder. This was tricky due to the angle but I got the brackets on there. So I am putting the fixture on the brackets and I was having a little trouble tightening the tiny screw that holds it in place...mostly due to the angle.
So I bend over a little more and twist to be able to see the screw and *POP* oh crap, my back pops.
Uh oh, I slowly get up from where I was working and stand there for a minute...I think I'm okay. I can move and I'm only a little sore...phew back spasm averted....I turn to go to the master bedroom and *BAM* there goes my back.
Now I'm stuck in the hallway, standing there and I can't move, I can't get down on the floor, I can't do anything. Luckily Dan was right there and helped me get on the floor....and so I 'm laying there unable to move pondering my awful day. The horrible borders manager who did me a favor, the inept sandwich maker, and the toilet paper holder that was my demise.
Ahhh...if ever there were a day that I should have stayed in bed....I think Saturday was it.

Craptastic Saturday part 2

So after my wonderful trip to Borders, I took Natalie to Dan's parent's house so that we might actually be able to get some things done on the house. Dan was finishing the closet organizers (a one day project that turned into 3 days...but what else is new)
So it was my job to paint the Closet doors and then Spackle the baseboards and do anything else that was needed so that we might actually be able to move in this coming weekend.
Paint, have I mentioned how much I hate paint, I hate paining, I hate the set up, the clean up and all the crap in between. I hate it! But I did it, and they turned out really well.
So at about 1:30 I went to the local sandwich shop for some lunch.

I order our sandwiches and pay and go home to eat. I get home and open my sandwich and low and behold there is no meat in it. Dan's sandwich is exactly as I ordered but mine is just veggies and some cheese...LAME.

So I decide that since the shop is close to the house I'll run back there and get some meat for my sandwich....so off I go.

I go into the store and tell the gal, that my sandwich has no meat on it. She looks at me funny and says "did you order meat"

Me: "um yeah, it says the kind of meat it should have on the outside of the wrapper but there is no meat inside"

Her: " but did you order it with no meat?"

Me: "yeah, if I ordered no meat, I wouldn't have come back"

Her: " Let me check the order..... okay it says meat right here"

Me: "Yup"

Her: "so do you want meat"

Me: "Yeah, please add the meat"

Her: "but you ordered meat"

Me: "Yeah, I did"

Her: "so do you want me to add meat"

Me: "*wondering if I'm in the twilight zone* yeah, please just add the meat"

Her: "okay you order meat, I give you meat"

Me: "thanks"

Craptastic Saturday part one

So Saturday I was quite ambitious. I had some returns to make and was going to be taking Natalie to Dan's parents house. So off we went to Target, then to Baby News, then to Borders and Petco.
Everything was going fabulously until I got to Borders. Ahh Borders, a place I do enjoy, or should I say, I used to enjoy. So I needed to return a book on Sleep Habits for babies, I bought it when we decided to move Natalie into a crib and ended up not needing it as she transitioned perfectly.
So I go to the counter to return the book, the gal looks at my receipt and says "this isn't a receipt" and so ensues my craptastic borders journey...here goes:
Borders: "This isn't a receipt"
Me: "that's the receipt I was given with my purchase"
Borders: "well it isn't a receipt, it's the coupons that print after the receipt"
Me: "well that was all I was given, can I return the book?"
Borders: "Um I can only give you store credit."
Me: " I really don't want store credit, can you just credit back my card"
Borders: "Um no, this is a no receipt return"
Me: "But that's the only receipt I was given"
Borders "Well this isn't a receipt"
ME: *getting a little frustrated* "well that was the only receipt I was given, so can you please credit my card"
Borders: "Nope, I can only give you store credit"
Me: " can we ask a manager if there is anything else that could be done"
Borders "sure...*rolls eyes*"
Manager: "how can I help you"
Me: tells same story about this being only receipt I was given blah blah blah.
Manager "Well I don't think that's possible, we always give receipts"
Me: *now even more frustrated for being called a liar* "This is the only receipt I was given, I put it in the book and walked out the door, I'd really like to just return it"
Manager: " We can only give you store credit"
Me: " That's what she said, but I was hoping that you could credit back my card"
Manager : "Um no, all we can give you is store credit, and actually I'm doing you a favor by giving you store credit"
Me: "oh a favor I see....I'll take the store credit *now my blood is boiling*"

A FAVOR, seriously the manager said he's doing me a FAVOR, nice customer service Douche!!
And that was just the beginning of Saturday.

Thursday Thirteen

A bit late but here it is:
Thirteen reasons why I feel like I'm living in the movie Office Space

1. I have actually been asked if I'm having a case of the "Mondays"
2. My boss somewhat resembles Lumbergh.
3. I would love to take a baseball bat to the ever broken fax machine
4. Um...did you see my clean hands week post.
5. I tend to just "space out" at my desk, you know just looking at the computer screen.
6. We've really had a Hawaiian shirt day
7. We have reports for everything and the reports have cover sheets a la a TPS report
8. We used to have swingline staplers but recently switched...I kept my stapler.
9. The fire department was once called due to burned pop corn in the break room.
10. We got about 10 memo's on how to cook popcorn as a result of number 9.
11. When I worked at a chain restaurant I got "talked to" about my Flair.
12. I have like 3 bosses...really
13. And Finally....The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.

It's been a long time coming...but here's the story or Natalie's birth...don't worry it's not graphic

Natalie was due on May 4th 2008. On April 23 I had an appointment with a midwife at Kaiser, since my OB was on vacation for like the 10th time in the 9.5 months that I had been pregnant.
The Midwife checked my progress and determined that I was 3 cm and about 75% effaced. She declared that I could “go at any time” which was exciting news for me as I was really really ready to meet this little one….and growing increasingly more uncomfortable with each day.
For the rest of the day I continued to have pretty good contractions but every time we’d start timing them they’d stop or stall so we knew it wasn’t time yet.
April 24, I had been scheduled to visit the State Prison for work but I backed out since I didn’t really feel like having this baby in the prison hospital. Thursday was work as usual, but with contractions on and off all day….and through the night. I had already called L&D a few times asking if they thought I should come in and every time they told me, that I could if I wanted to but they didn’t think I was in labor yet.
So Friday morning I woke up, still pregnant and really uncomfortable. I got up and decided to get ready for work, but my stomach was really bothering me so I called in and told my boss I’d be in later. He believed me, but none of my co-workers did. They all knew I wouldn’t come in…and had placed bets on my having the baby that day.
So I hung out at home with Dan, since he had the day off, and I decided I’d meet my mom for lunch and then go to work after lunch. I knew I’d be having this baby soon so I wanted to go to work to at least clear out my inbox and do a couple things.
Well at lunch the contractions really picked up and I decided I’d better head to the hospital; I called Dan and let him know to be ready when I got home.
We left for the hospital at about 2:30 and were in a room by about 3. The nurse and the midwife checked me out and determined that I was about 3 cm and 85% effaced, so those contractions were doing something.
We walked around the hospital trying to get me to make some progress. They came back and checked me at 5:30 and I was 4 cm and 95% effaced and they decided to admit me. The Midwife then tried to talk me into a c-section since I was going to have a “really large baby”…not a nice thing to tell a lady who is in labor.
I declined the c-section and the midwife finished checking me in and our family began arriving…although I had told them to stay home until I called and let them know it was time…but no one listens to me.
At 7:30 a new and much nicer midwife came in and checked me, not much progress but I was about 4.5 cm and 99% effaced…why they wouldn’t just call it 100 I don’t know.
So she asked if I’d like my water broken….um okay why not.
So my water was broken at 7:35 and then the contractions came like a freight train…one right after the next and super strong. I asked for meds and they gave me a shot of fentnyl as they were waiting for me to be ready for the epidural ( I needed to drain the IV fluids)….but the fentnyl made me sick. Throwing up with intense contractions was pretty crappy, until my knight in shining armor came in. Dr. Ng….oh how I loved Dr. Ng. He gave me an epidural and I was in heaven.
By the time he was done with the epi, my midwife was back, she checked me and I was 10 cm…YAY! It was about 9 pm at this point and they told me to take a rest. So I hung out feeling great and somewhat numb, watching a rerun of CSI.
At 10:15 pm I was ready to push, the nurse came in and I began pushing. At first it was tough getting into a rhythm for pushing but after a few pushes I was ready.
By 11pm my nurse called for the Midwife and all sorts of people came in a prepped my room for the baby. At 11:15pm Natalie was born.

It really was an amazing experience, I loved all of it…even when the epi wore off and I was pushing her out with no drugs. It was all worth it and I would do it again tomorrow in a heartbeat.

Craigslist conundrum

I love craigslist, I have found some amazing deals there and have sold a lot of things that I would have otherwise thrown away. I think it is a great site that has the potential to help a lot of people, but that said...I think craigslist has made people really greedy.
I am currently looking for a computer desk, nothing fancy just a wooden desk to put a computer on and maybe a drawer for some of my junk. So I thought craigslist would be a wonderful place to look. I went to craigslist and searched my area for computer desks up to $250. I thought that by putting a reasonable price in there of $250 that I would get a good mix of nice stuff and some cheap stuff too and be able to find the perfect desk.
Well to my surprise there were tons and tons of desks, but as I started sorting through them I was appalled. People were selling the ugliest shit and calling it "mid-century".....mid century is just old, it's not antique so stop trying to pass it off as such. Then you have the Ikea specials, yeah I love Ikea, but if you only paid $200 for it new at Ikea, and you used the holy hell out of it....it is not worth $175, not even $150. I mean if you aren't making it at least half priced, then why wouldn't I just drive to Ikea and get a new one.
Alas I am met with the beat up shit, that's right, stuff that has been "used" or my personal favorite "well loved"...why don't you just say "we beat the shit out of this desk, it served it's purpose for us and now I'm trying to make a buck off of it." At least be honest. Don't try to sell the desk your kid colored on with a sharpie for $200, cause it ain't worth it.
And don't even get me started on the couches....yuck!

Maybe I've outgrown craigslist...or as I lovingly call it CL. Am I too old for it, or too snobby for it? Who knows. But please people, if your selling crap, price it cheap cause if you don't want it anymore there is a high probability that no one else wants it either.

Wordless Wednesday

It's an oldie but a goodie.

Americans, are we stupid or just lazy?

I went to linens and things at lunch today, since I am still in search of some valances for my kitchen windows. So I thought that LNT might be a good choice as they are going out of business and I might get a good deal.
First off, 30% off of the original price is not a going out of business price cut...but I digress. And they didn't have any valances.
Anyhow, in a bunch of departments the stuff was 50% off, and there were signs everywhere telling you what 50% off would be. I noticed the same thing at Mervyns, signs telling you what 50% of the original price would be.
So here's my thought, WTH is wrong with Americans that we can't figure out what half of a number is. It isn't as though the starting price was some obscure amount or a ridiculously large amount. The sign literally had prices like $10, $20 etc. And then next to that the new price of $5 or $10. I mean really who can't figure out what half of 10 is.
Is it the education system or are we just that lazy that we can't even turn our brains on for one second.
Anyhow, that's my flame worthy vent today....well maybe one of many flame worthy vents today...stay tuned.

I'm pretty sure a guy in my office is wearing a womens jacket

I was just walking behind him and he is wearing a beige micro suede jacket, not like a coat but more like an casual jacket. It has a very tailored back with curved seams from the under arms to the waist and it has a sort of decorative zipper pull.
Now I can't stop laughing, and I don't what to say anything to anyone, just in case it is a mans jacket....and all I can think of is that episode of the office where Michael wears the women's suit with the hot pink satin lining, and no buttons on the jacket.

Black Friday re-cap

After two Thanksgiving dinners I was in need of some fresh air and some shopping. So my mom, my sister, my brother, my brother's girlfriend and I all went shopping. We began the trip at the Petaluma Outlet Mall at midnight.
We had a game plan, Off 5th, Carters, Gymboree, Gap, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, etc etc, and then ending at Coach. Last year we made the mistake of starting at Coach and the line was an hour and a half long just to get into the store. So this year we saved Coach for last and there was no line.
We did well at the outlets, Natalie got some new clothes (while she slept in her warm crib) including her 1st Birthday outfit...which Dan calls a costume. (I'll post some pics later).
Everyone got what they went for and then some. By the time we were done at the outlets it was 4:30...only an hour and a half until Target opened.
So we grabbed some breakfast at the only place open....Denny's. And let me tell you, the folks in Denny's at 4:30 in the morning are a bit odd...but then again we were there too.
We finished up breakfast, and 3 cups of coffee, just in time to hit Target exactly at opening. There Shawn got the door buster TV, which was a 26 inch LCD for $299. I got some DVDs and we call it a day....or so I thought.
Everyone was pretty tired, since we hadn't pulled an all nighter in years. So we went home to nap.
Three hours later, mom and I were at it again. This time to the Malls. We hit JC Penny, Macys, Gottschalks, Mervyns, Aeropostal, and the other Gymboree store ( I know, I have a problem).
All in all we had a great time. We got lots of Christmas shopping done and I officially stayed up later than my 21 year old brother.

Great Blog...Great Give away

Shoppings my Cardio is giving away a custom clutch...follow the link.

http://www.shoppingsmycardio.com/2008/12/02/smc-giveaway-custom-clutch-from-beegee-bags/


It would make a great gift for someone...or yourself of course