Friday, March 30, 2007

Gratitude

Some things I have to be grateful for:

My stepmom is quitting smoking! After 30 years, its about dang time.

I got to spend two nights IN A ROW hanging out with my husband. On a school night.

It's officially my last day working as a secretary.

I get free lunch today. And Red Lobster Cheesy Biscuits.

My friends didn't get tricked into taking a crappy job thanks to my mad googling skills.

I ran yesterday. Almost a whole mile. And I could have ran more if my ankle wasn't all jacked up. I'm a little sore- and that is the best part of working out. It's like a little peice of accomplishment.

Friday, March 23, 2007

6 working days left...and counting

So from time to time my boss will pop some popcorn and sit it on my desk for everyone to enjoy. Usually I eat a lot of it, but it happened to get a little burned, and so I have been able to control myself well.

When my coworker (the one who likes tuna and mayo) saw the popcorn, she said "I hate when she brings that stuff in." She proceeds to walk to my desk and grab a little.

Then she sits down, eats it, and comes back for a little more.

This repeats until she finally gives in and gets a bowl so she can save herself a trip or two.

She has refilled this bowl 4 times now.

"See.." she says between crunches and wheezes. "I told you I was going to end up eating it all. That's why I hate when she makes it."

It takes all that I am to not say "Then stop coming back to my desk."

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Social Experimentation


David's friend Prachi is coming to visit this weekend. I like Prachi. He's a good friend to Dave. He's talented, and smart. He's as chatty as any of one of my friends. He's bizarre. But there's another quality that both makes the pit of my stomach go hollow and at the same time gives me the giddy anticipation of a child at Christmas.


You see, introducing other people to Prachi is kindof like bringing a puppy to dinner party. People will love him for his charm, or hate him because he messes on the carpet. Well, Prachi is housebroken, but just as unpredictable.
See...This Picture is of David getting away from Prachi because he was trying to kiss David for the New Year.

He was a groomsman at our wedding, and he made my aunt cry. Okay, most of that was because she was catering the reception and was extremely stressed out, and almost all of the rest of it was because my mother's whole side of the family (myself included) has a tendency to overreact and take things the wrong way. But there was a significant portion that was entirely due to the fact that you never know what words are going to be coming out of Prachi's mouth. He's random. He reminds me of the function on wikipedia that generates a random article for you. You're talking about a concert you've just seen, and he brings up...oh....let's say...the Byzantine Empire. Oh, in some vague way it will be related. But just barely.


Another thing that makes me slightly nervous is that we have the pleasure of having him for three days. I've only been around Prachi for a maximum of three hours at a time. During that time, I have to fade in and out of conversation because it will drift between topics that I know and understand to topics that I would never bring up in a social situation. I remember one conversation where his girlfriend at the time explained how tampons worked. His response was "Oh...like a harpoon!" Other conversations revolve around computers and codes and video games and guitars and physics...these conversations make my brain go numb. Luckily, on day two I have a bachelorette party to attend, and so I'm praying this is when most of the brain-numbing conversations will take place.


But mostly, I'm excited. I'm excited to see the faces of the other people we encounter while Prachi is here. I'm excited to see what random nuggets he sneaks into the conversations. And I'm excited to see whether people love him for his charm or if he messes on their carpets.

Friday, March 16, 2007

A very tall 5 year old

Last night David helped to host some recruits for the Chemical Engineering program here. We attended this last year and it was so much fun that I was really supportive of him participating this year.

Until I realized that meant I would spend the weekend by myself a lot. I'm a huge baby, and I don't like to be home by myself at night. It freaks me out. Every noise is amplified and I remember all of the scary movies I've ever watched and wait for them to come to life in my very own living room. It's rediculous, but I can't help it.

Last night all the recruits went out for dinner. I decided to use the time be by myself and watch some tv. I was relaxing, about halfway through the Office, when Jack started growling at the front door.

I looked at him to see why he was making such a weird noise (since Jack rarely makes any sound at all) and then he started barking. So I hyperventilated and covered my head with the blanket I was using.

After I realized this wouldn't really help me all that much if someone were hiding in my bushes, I went to make sure the front door was locked. Then I looked out the window and saw that no one was there, and continued to freak out. I was too scared to go near the back door, so instead of checking to see if it was locked, I hid under the blanket somemore. Eventually, The Office ended and I had to force myself to go to the bathroom. So I ran full speed up the stairs (tripping in the process) and turned on every light on the way. I got ready for bed, turned on all the lights in my bed room and did some light reading until David got home.

He finally arrived at 10:15. He thought I was asleep, but I told him my eyes were just tired from reading.

David: "Oh really? What are you reading?"
Me: "The Bible."
David: "Hmmm."
Me: "I got scared and figured if someone was going to break in and kill me, at least they might feel bad about it if I was reading the Bible."

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Another reason why David is crazy to have married me

Sometimes I have dreams that make me spend the rest of the morning convincing myself that the events that went on in the dream were not real. The first one I can remember having was when I was a little kid.

My dad had just dropped me off at my mom's house, and as he was leaving he managed to get hit by a car. In fact, he some how ran over himself, but the details didn't really matter. I woke up devastated and bawling, and my mom had to remind me that my dad was fine, that you couldn't run over yourself with your own car, and that I had made up that horrible scenario in my head.

I had one 4 years ago. I had just gotten back from visiting David at A&M, and he called me to let me know that him and my friend Julia (who I hadn't seen in 2 years at the time) were together. He also insulted me and then I broke up with him. I woke up convinced of two things. David was the biggest jerk alive, and I was no longer dating him. Still groggy, once I figured out that the cheating on me part was a dream, I still had to work through the fact that we weren't broken up. I think I called him to apologize and make sure we were okay and to let him know that I wasn't mad about the dream, and then logic kicked in and I figured out that he had no idea what I was rambling on about.

This morning I woke up livid. I woke up and rolled over to avoid touching him. He got up and walked to the alarm clock to turn it off and I covered my head to avoid looking at him. Then I went to the bathroom and the fog slowly lifted. He had not, in fact, just taken off in a car with another girl. He had been sleeping 6 inches from me, clueless that I was ready to lob my pillow at his sweet, pillow-matted head.

This process of waking up and separating fact from dream takes ENTIRELY too long. I have the most rediculous dreams ever. In fact, I am really afraid of the day that I become pregnant, because I know that my dreams will become even more psychotic. I don't know if that's even possible. They are already completely impossibly insane. You would think that after waking up from a dream where my boyfriend is cheating on me in Texas with a girl who lives in Washington D.C, or one where my dad gets hit by the car that he is driving, I should be able to laugh.

But I don't. I freak out.

I get my feelings hurt. I start rehearsing what I am going to say. I scramble to see if I can mend our broken relationship. I call the person I just dreamed about.

And on the other end of the phone is usually stunned silence, followed by "Now wait...WHAT?"

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Love...In an elevator

Yesterday I got a call from one of the professors that I work for asking me to call the maintenance people and tell them that one of our employees, a 6-months-pregnant Asian lady, was stuck in one of the elevators. The elevator wasn't in my building, and they asked all kinds of questions I didn't know how to answer, like what floor she was stuck on and what the elevator number is. Eventually they gave me a work order number and said they had someone on the way.

Fast forward to 10:00 am today, almost 20 hours later. The elevator is apparently broken again, because I just heard another maintenance call take place 30 minutes ago. My phone rings, and its the plant ops (maintenance) customer service rep. She wants to know how satisfied we were with their work.

"Well, from what I understand it is still broken," I say.

"Yes, but I wanted to make sure the pregnant lady got out okay."

I haven't seen her today at all. For all I know she's still in the elevator. Wouldn't you expect the people who fix broken things to go back and check the "broken elevator with pregnant lady inside" off of some master problem list? And if not, wouldn't you hope that they would check on the pregnant lady's safety sometime sooner than 19 hours later?

Friday, March 9, 2007

Do not be anxious for anything...

For those who have ever had the pleasure of helping me make any kind of decision whatsoever, you may know that patience is not exactly my strong point. When I decide I need something or want something, I want to snap my fingers and be there.

There have been times where I contemplated setting off smoke bombs in the bathrooms of some of my friends who spend what seems like hours longer than I do to get ready to go somewhere. You are all beautiful to start with. But mention brunch at Mi Cosina and Meg has to start from scratch. Go out with some friends and Lizzy decides to learn to sew her own custom clothing. Visit Ray and Tiffany for New Year's and I realize why all of my friends have better hair than I do.

It takes time. It takes practice. It takes PATIENCE.

Anyway, right now I am in the process of interviewing for another job. The job I currently have hired me the way I like to be hired. I interviewed, they called later that afternoon, I started two days later. This job actually cares about making sure that I am the right person for the job, and whether I will be a good fit for the long haul.

I know I will not have anything remotely in the form of an offer until sometime in the middle of next week.

This makes me a little crazy.

Every car I've ever bought I bought the day I went to look at it. That's probably the reason I have owned a car that blew up, a car that proceeded to slowly fall apart the day I brought it home, and a car that didn't have an ounce of oil in it every time I went to get my oil changed (on time, too, thankyouverymuch).

I'm thankful for the opportunity to become less impulsive. But I also have had the feeling that I was leaning a little too far over the edge of a lion's cage at the zoo ALL DAY LONG. Some call it butterflies. I call it "where on earth did my internal organs go?". Patience is hard.

On another note, here are a few additional things I am grateful for:

David. He's super. Stop gagging.

Lizzy and Tiff. Both gave me tons of advice regarding the interviews.

I found two long lost friends from elementary school on Facebook. They're both mommies now. That's insane to me.

My interviews have been going really well so far.

My doggie. Even though he won't stop licking certain areas of his body because his loving owner isn't so handy with the trimming shears. Sorry puppy!

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Cue Lou Reed song....

I have had the most perfect day today. The sun was out and shining for my morning commute. I went for an interview that went smashingly, if I do say so...I made it on time, did well, was invited back to shadow someone in that position, and wore a new black suit! I came home and had the best lunch (bbq chicken pizza that I made last night and a chocolate and peanut butter chip cookie). Then I went to the lady doctor and although that wasn't the best experience, all is well in the reproductive department. I went home and took a little nap with Jack, and I'm on my way to hang out with some people from my church. Its still sunny, the snow is starting to melt again, and next week it is going to be in the 50's one day. That's really warm to me now. (Kinda sad)

It has definitely been a day with a thousand little tiny things that add up to a great day...but I knew today would be good before I left the house. You want to know why?

I used the last of my toothpaste, the last Crest White Strips, and emptied the bag of cotton swabs into the clear container and threw away the bag.

Nothing brings me more satisfaction than using the rest of a product, and I mean all of it, and then throwing away the empty container. It is a small sense of accomplishment. AND, I then get to go out and buy a new product. New shampoo? Different brand of Mascara? Another toothpaste flavor?

Well, lets not get crazy or anything. If our toothpaste doesn't taste minty, we have to buy new toothpaste.

Dave thinks cinnamon flavor is actually red-hot flavor, and the two are not synonyms. It makes him gag and yell about things.

I think Orange and Vanilla and Tutti Frutti and Bubble Gum flavored things taste wrong. Unholy. Immoral. It makes me chuck them in the garbage unused. And that makes me feel wasteful.

There has only been one time where I smelled a non-mint flavor on someone else's breath and thought YUMMY!

She was eating starbursts. I can't do that every morning. I am prone to cavities. It'd be unwise.

Anyway, I am about to go hang out with people and hopefully run this perfect day right on into a perfect night. I hope you are all having perfect days of your own, filled with the little things (like sonic cherry vanilla cokes and clean sheets and whatever it is that makes you shine) that make you sing Lou Reed. If you haven't heard his version of "Perfect Day", you should. Unless your depressed. Because for some reason if I hear it happy I become happier, but if I hear it sad, It can make you depressed. Way, way depressed.

Friday, March 2, 2007

Jethro

For those of you who know my dad or have at least seen a picture of him...

I can't get the Beverly Hillbillies themesong out of my head, and because of this I have an overwhelming urge to call my dad. I just sang the whole first half to David via instant messenger. HA.

TGIF

Since marrying David I have listened to National Public Radio at least 5 mornings a week. A lot of times I totally zone out (their voices are so soothing, even talking about tragedy in the middle east) but sometimes I listen and am enlightened. But David is absolutely hooked. He knows the shows, can tell you about the hosts and which ones are crappy...it's really funny. I feel older and way nerdy when I listen to NPR, but I've grown to like some of the shows and segments, especially the stories about other peoples lives. Hearing NPR makes life seem calm and uncomplicated.

NPR has also brought out a quality in my husband that is the nerdiest thing to date that I know about him and at the same time is absolutely precious to me. We'll be driving along on the last work day of the week, about to pull up to the building I work in and I'll see him get all excited...

"YESSS! It's Science Friday!"

BWAHAHAHAHA

The statement alone is hilarious, but wait. It's better. Science Friday is his FAVORITE segment on NPR. It only comes on Friday, and they talk about new technology, scientific findings, and...um...Science stuff. How nerdy/adorable is that? Can't you just see a skinny 10 year old genious child who rebuilds all the electrical appiances in his room for fun with messed up hair and big glasses run up to you and say

"YESSS! It's Science Friday!"

Because I'm pretty sure that will be our son. And my contribution to this child? He will talk incessantly about why Science Friday is so cool, and then change his mind and tell you why, instead, Technology Tuesday is better or Medicine Monday or some other made up segment that he could CHANGE THE FACE OF NPR with....and then he'll change his mind again and start talking about polishing rocks or building volcanoes or programming robots. David's brains and my incessant and random chattering.

I'll never find childcare. Oh well. It's SCIENCE FRIDAY!

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Trimming the Fat...

So like most people that I know, I gave up on making new years resolutions when I was 10. I can't ever stick to them, or I forget that I even resolved to do whatever, and it ends up being completely disappointing.

But each year when lent rolls around I admire people cutting small things that they enjoy out of their lives for 40 days. Lizzy is giving up the f-word, Dave's friend Neil is giving up alcohol...but I feel weird adopting a little peice of someone else's church life and so I always just admire their sacrifices from afar. I told David about how I felt guilty wanting to steal this one little piece of Catholicism every year and he suggested that I just give something up for March. It's the same sentiment, but not like I'm totally ripping off Lent. Just borrowing little details.

So I thought about the areas of my life that I should tidy up. I've got several little attitude and lifestyle alterations going right now and so that ruled out a lot of the options.

I'm eating differently to try to curb my semi-obsession with eating, so I'm not going to cut out any particular food item or group because I am already being disciplined, and frankly that is hard enough right now.

I'm trying to work really hard at my job so that I can forget how disappointing it can be, so I'm going to just leave it how it is.

I'm going to church or church related functions about twice a week, so I'm not going to completely forsake hanging out with our normal friends at bars, because I think that they are all amazing people that I enjoy being around.

Finally I came to the stuff I do while I'm at home. It usually boils down to watching 2-4 episodes of Friends a night and doing whatever absolutely has to be done. Like laundry, dinner, and dishes. That's all I get accomplished. And the really sad thing is I'm pretty sure that there isn't a single friends episode that I haven't seen at least twice before. I don't want to give up tv altogether, because lets face it, I like my tv. Especially the Office, but I've also become really interested in Oprah and this show on TLC where they give little kids a camera and let them document their lives. I love it because children are so pure and honest, and they break my heart and challenge me to be a better person in really surprising ways. So I'm not going to turn off the DVR subscription and pawn my tv set or anything. I am just not going to indulge myself with hours of tv that I've already seen anymore.

For the month of March, I am giving up watching Friends reruns. This may sound small, but like I said in an earlier post, I like small things, and I think this one will give me more time to get things done that really need doing, and ultimately give me more time to hang out with David.