5th Time's a Charm

I'm not allowed to tell you why - but it is! I really need a life outside of work.

Today flew by pretty quickly. Fun times with work friends then came home to watch the championship. Go Ducks! It was funny, I've been texting back and forth with my brother and he predicted this high scoring game - and he's like the sports fanatic in the family - no one scored in the entire first quarter so he texts back "okay, maybe 3-0." "you sure?" "in overtime."
So, I'm freaking out about grad school. I start this weekend and I don't feel prepared. Wednesday is my day for everything. I'm still in contact with the office about paperwork issues but Wednesday is my day for doing all the homework and prep stuff. Writing out directions on how to get there - thanks to my aunt and our roadtrip - and listing out everything I'm going to need to do for the class itself.
I'm just nervous. Maybe it will be fine. But I'm still nervous. The homework actually matters now. I'll have to actually apply myself! - that makes college sound really bad - things are actually important and will impact my career - not like the college classes that were like a prep on all topics I might need. Not that college didn't prepare me, without some of the classes I took - especially my senior year - I would not be working the jobs I'm working. I learned a lot and my professors really inspired me. And I love my jobs so it turned out okay. I just have this weird feeling that I'm going to fail. Even Superwoman says it was the hardest thing she's ever done. That's saying something. Oh well, I'm all signed up and people are counting on me to do this so I will have to step up.
I'm a big kid now. When did that happen?
But, today, my boss told me she was proud of me. That's really the only words of encouragement I need.
I'm out. Go Ducks!

Lazy day with the Warehouse gang, Hey Monday and Stacy Clark

Hooray for a day off! I debated calling for pizza but I thought it would be mean to make them drive all the way out here on the icy roads. Plus I don't have cash. Maybe they would let me pay in fruit rollups. I have plenty of those. I would cook but while the flames that would shoot out from my kitchen would temporarily keep me warm with all this snow it probably would be bad in the long-run. Whatever, more microwave lasagne for me.
Me and my big fat cat had a lazy day. Slept in til noon - don't tell mom - mostly because I looked outside and was like whoa! k, not driving on that. There's like a foot of snow all over our parking lot at my complex.
So, I finished Warehouse 13 season one - um whoa, cliffhanger! and debated watching the other things I have out - The Runaways, Blazing Saddles, The Nanny, Murder She Wrote - yes I'm a complex woman - but nothing sounded good. So I'm just listening to music instead. And on Facebook. Which I haven't been. In forever. Good to have it updated.
So, instead of rambling about things I haven't done today I'll hit you with another music rec and get back to my laziness. Lately I've been feeling artsy - most of the recs have been pretty artsy, but I listen to a lot of top 40 stuff too. This one is a little artsy I guess as well. Itunes freebies are always fun and lead to other good stuff which is how I found Stacy Clark and also Hey Monday. Both great bands. I love the entire "Connect the Dots" CD by Stacy Clark but my favorite is probably Touch and Go or White Lies. I highly recommend you check them out.
Hey Monday is quickly rising to the top of my list of favorite underrated bands. I hope they hit it big time soon. Catchy melodies and lyrics. And a lot of angry chick stuff too, haha.

Here's I Don't Wanna Dance.
Again, not a spectacular video but really, I don't know what would be one nowadays. I just flashback to the early days of TRL when they were good. Once upon a time. But this one isn't awful so I'm embedding it.
Another good song by them is How You Love Me Now. Here's their channel if you're interested. http://www.youtube.com/user/heymondayVEVO

And I'm off. Hope you have a great night.

"To call hell say dial."

Sometimes Jarvis scares the crap out of me. I was pulling into the parking lot at work and while trying to avoid being schmeered I hit the sync button accidentally and he started talking to me. "Please say a command." I totally freaked and was like "What the hell?!" It replied with the title of this post. I told that to my boss and he was like, did a creepy guy with a deep voice answer? I totally turned off the car and started freaking out. Oh man. But that was last week. Then, a few days ago, the gear shift changed BY ITSELF from automatic to manual - cause it has both options - while I was mid-traffic on the way to work. And I didn't know it even happened until the engine started revving and I was like not moving. I pulled into a driveway and figured it out. I don't know if I like didn't lock it into place or if it was between gears and it slipped or what but it scared the crap out of me. Needless to say I was awake for the rest of the day - both of those days. I really need to read the manual about that whole sync system. I could totally make that work! I'm loving the self-start in the winter. So nice.
Today I went to my grad school with my aunt - she gave me a tour of the building and where to park and stuff. Where the cheapest gas is, where the best pop and coffee selection is on the way there, etc. And we stopped for Mexican food as well, it was good. But no margaritas, we were focused! She thought that that Jarvis line was hilarious so I figured I'd share it with you as well. It was the quote of the day. Aside from "TMI" which she says a lot. It's rather amusing actually. And she talks to herself. Glad to know it runs in the family. My neighbors probably think I have a roommate. Or I'm crazy. Either way, just me and my big fat cat. Who I could talk to but he would just stare at me until I fed him. Like he is now.
After the tour I came back to the apartment for a movie marathon. Scale of Awesome time.
Clash of the Titans 7/10 I was pretty entertained but it wasn't spectacular.
The Other Guys 0/10 Almost as bad as Rushmore but not quite - not sure that's possible. I didn't even finish it, I couldn't finish it. Awful. I really don't like Will Ferrell movies. I loved him on SNL but in movies, they're just dumb. And not dumb funny. Just dumb. But I like Mark Wahlberg so I figured I'd give it a chance. Bad choice.
Kick-Ass 8/10 Dude...Hit Girl is totally my hero. She took down so many people!! Crazy! Not sure I liked Nicolaus Cage in it as much, I like him as an actor but I didn't really see him in that role, but the other actors fit their characters pretty well. And it was funny. Totally 8/10.
Tomorrow is a pajama day. Sleeping in - we're supposed to get a lot lot lot of snow so I don't plan on going anywhere. Just gonna lay around and watch the rest of my library dvd's. There are plenty. And they're all like due next week so perfect timing.
Right now I'm gonna watch the rest of Warehouse 13 Season one and konk out in the process. It's excellent a 9/10 on my scale of awesome. I really like the actors they work well together and Claudia's lines are hilarious. Rad. Sick. Ganza! I'm having flashbacks to high school catch phrases. I still say gnarley quite often. Especially during church softball.
I feel so much better after today though because I know where I'm going and when to leave and where to park and all that jazz. Weight off my mind. Now all I have to do is do the homework and email the office about some paperwork. I'd say I'll do it tomorrow but I know that won't happen on my day off. I'll save it for the week when I'm super stressed. I work better that way anyway.

Library + Science experiments = Hootie Hoo

Remember how much I love my job? Well, today, I got overtime. My boss called in sick so, instead of staying until 12, I got to stay until 6. But I love it so it's not a problem. I really need a life outside of work. But it was a good day. Got to finish the lost in transit list which I still think would be an awesome band name. "Please welcome to the stage Lost in Transit!" and the crowd goes wild. Maybe I'll use that one in the future. Oh, maybe with someone from work. I've already got Delayed...Reaction and The Teacher and the Part-time Librarian. Hmmm... oh the places we could go.
Anyway, today was fun. I joke around a lot with my boss boss aka Superwoman. I have a 116 on her grading system so my coworker - aka Space Cadet oh yeah, her and me all day again - says that I deserve some kind of award for having over 100 percent. She says I should get a sticker. Or a gold star. Or a pizza. So I wrote that to Superwoman who replied, "Oh good grief, she would say pizza." Space Cadet and I are really debating on ordering pizzas every Tuesday night. We think it would be fun. Anyway, Space Cadet found me a gold star and I put it on my nametag. Superwoman says my prize is a snowflake sticker "compliments" of her, aka the ones on the desk we give out to kids that she didn't even know existed until she showed up this morning and said, "wow, cool snowflake stickers!" Compliments, HA!
In other news, I learned a little about science today as I had my own personal science experiment. Unknowingly of course. Those are always the best kind. And I think you learn the most from them. Like oh, maybe I shouldn't have my phone in my pocket when I'm about to get pushed into the pool. Or, Yes, books on CD do actually fall over like dominos if you run into the shelf they're on. "Oh gravity, thou art a heartless bitch" (Sheldon, Big Bang Theory). And you will have to pick each individual one up and arrange them all over again. Or how about, Wow, having an office chair at the base of your bed is probably a bad idea if you're prone to sleep-walking. Learned that one the hard way. We'll get there, I promise. If you have any sleep-walking stories bring them on. I'll tear them all to the ground with mine.
Today was just kind of a rude awakening. I put pop in my coffee thermos (after my coffee was gone and I still needed caffeine) and closed the lid. Then, later on, tried to push the button down to open the thing and it wouldn't budge. Since that didn't work I twisted the cap and got sprayed - SPRAYED - with Dr. Pepper. Carbination 101: Never underestimate the effect it will have on your clothing when you're sprayed with it. Then, THEN, later, I pushed the button again because apparently once wasn't enough and got sprayed in the face. Like literally in the face. It was like a rush of water directed at my eyes. Fantastic. But, it did the trick. I was awake for the rest of the day.
I've never worked there after school is released on a Friday. Like I've been at the bigger branch but not this one. We got overloaded with kids and people wanting to get on the internet. This little girl told me "see ya later alligator" so of course I gave the standard crocodile reply. Which I don't think I've said in like years. Years. And all the teenagers smiled at me. Well looked up from their ipods and notebooks long enough for me to notice anyway. And some really cute little kid made me origami frogs. His brother comes in once every couple weeks and we talk Hunger Games, Manga, school stuff, he's a good kid. But I've never met the little brother. He made me and Space Cadet frogs that actually hop. They're cute.
After drinking the rest of my coffee-flavored Dr. Pepper - it was disgusting but caffeinated - we closed up shop. The last patron who came in's last words were "hootie hoo" and they just kind of stuck with me. Another phrase I haven't heard in a while.
And with that I'm out. Exhausted. Tomorrow is work plus a tour of the grad school building - how to get there, where to park, etc. - with my cool aunt. There will be much rejoicing. And it will please my mother. So that's that. Then I might go to the farmhouse for my nephew's birthday party Sunday, depending on the weather. If not, I'll just spend the rest of the weekend holed up watching Warehouse 13, Murder She Wrote and the Nanny. Gotta get through them so I can get them back. Or at least that's my excuse.
Have a good weekend.

"Yo, little red riding hood!"

Today was interesting. Have you ever gotten dressed one morning and wondered, is this the direction I always put my belt on? It was one of those mornings. A definite "omg where is my coffee" morning.
Morning was slow. Boss called in sick so fellow sleep-deprived space cadet and myself opened. Then was the big branch where I got "shortie-d". again. At least this one was cute. And clever. He called me "little red riding hood" and asked for help with a computer. Then asked if I'd be in tomorrow. He just moved here and is "freaking bored out of [his] mind." I'm supposed to look up sites about nearby "dry camping" - What is dry camping? Because apparently he finds that entertaining. Along with water sports. Which, in the winter? in Nebraska? Madness. He said something about being from the desert. And that Lincoln is a small town. Hmm... Anyway, my work-friend thinks this is funny. "Love at the library" she says. Ha! The last guy that called me shortie slipped me a note with his name - illegible by the way - along with the message "likes ass or jazz." I died on the spot. As did my work-friend. And my favorite college professor. Seriously, it was awful. So funny.

Meanwhile, I'm loving Warehouse 13. Thinking about ordering it on Amazon. I'm starting to like Amazon. Fast shipping. Cheaper than Ebay. But it's good. Funny and entertaining - keeps you guessing. I'm loving Mrs. Frederic. She's so mysterious.

1-5-11

The problem with putting your ipod on shuffle is that the worst songs start to play when your hands are full and you can't do anything about it. Like the songs that you forgot are even on there because there are like a thousand on the thing in the first place. Then, they get stuck in your head. So you drown them out with others but that doesn't work. Today I got hit with one of the worst. Hanson's Mmmbop. Yes I am from that generation. I forgot it was on there. And it hit me mid-parking lot when I was carrying food and mail and dvd's and everything else that's accumulated during the day. Ridiculous. So I tried to reach for my pocket but I couldn't without dropping something. I attempted to walk faster but there's ice everywhere and that would be just what I needed. My neighbors to see me fall like faceplant on the ice. It's happened. Just not here. At college. In the parking lot. In front of the cafeteria. Awful. People used to go to breakfast and sit by the windows just so they could count how many people fell on the ice on their way to class.

Quote of the day comes from one of my favorite coworkers. "You bring out the worst in me. I mean that in the best possible way." Made my day. Especially because ten minutes later she called me a genius. Haha. "I hate naps almost as much as I hate musicals," came in close second. Also from the same person. We talked blogs. I love blogging. It's healthy.

Music rec of the day:
"A little opera goes a long way" by Sky Sailing. Their lead singer is the same guy from Owl City who I didn't really like at first but now I love. Not so much for Fireflies, mostly Vanilla Twilight. Video isn't a video but it's the song that counts. Very artsy. But catchy.


I was going to write more but now I'm distracted by Warehouse 13. Fun library dvd's. Interlibrary loan. Speaking of interlibrary loan, I got a new watch for christmas. I'm so used to - when I check out interlibrary loans - hitting the button on the side of my watch to tell me what the date is. Can't do that anymore. Drives me nuts. Have to physically look at the calendar. Even though I know what the date is. Will have to work on that.

Out for the night.

"Screw the fan, You want an E-Reader!"

I loved today. I'm enthusiastic and thankful! - We'll get there.

This morning was work as usual. No real changes, shelving, straightening, joking with coworkers, checking in, more shelving, etc. Then, suddenly, Mom shows up! All nonchalant, walks straight up to the counter and says she wants to return some DVDs. Hands them to my boss. I look up and am like, wait, what?! So I introduced her to my boss. They had some laughs. I knew she was coming to see Grams and that we might at some point meet up for food, but I didn't expect to see her at work. I think she likes to do that. She showed up mysteriously twice at the other library as well. Haha, it was funny. My coworker tried to help her and she was like, no, I'll wait for her to be free. He was like, well, I can help you too. And she said something to the effect of Yes, but you're not my daughter.
We went to Culvers for lunch. I'm beginning to think Mom has a thing for Culvers. We go there everytime she comes to town for lunch. Then Target for groceries which she paid for. I tried, I really did, but trying to pay for something in this family is like armegeddon or bedlam - choose your reference. My aunt and Grams were the worst. So funny, they would like fight for the check when I was living with Grams. Sometimes my aunt would let Grams win then substitute the money with hers. Sneaky.

Okay, really sensing a pattern here when I say this but I love my coworkers. Tuesday nights are usually the funniest just because we really just wanna get out of there or we're so burnt out that trying to function is hysterical. Since our schedule switches nights every three months I get a new coworker for Tuesday nights until March. And I love this one. She's hilarious, I've worked with her a few nights before as well but usually just in the mornings. When we're sleep-deprived space cadets. That's her. We also have this joke between us that we're going to start ordering pizzas from all different places every Tuesday night and then debate which is the best. The only condition is that it must come with breadsticks. We're both big fans of breadsticks. My best friend calls me the 'breadstick queen' but I may have some competition.
We usually talk a lot about food. Tonight was just funny. We're ENTHUSIASTIC and THANKFUL! We're enthusiastic about e-readers and thankful we have jobs. The second part is self-explanatory with the economy but the e-readers need further explanation. Basically, since Christmas, no since they started selling them we've been getting calls and people who show up who want to know how to read library books on them. Which they can. If they have the right device. Kindle doesn't work because it's proprietory to Amazon. Which ticks some people off but hey, they'll get over it. So we teach them how to use them. I taught my bosses. That was funny. The enthusiasm comes in because neither of us really have the desire to own them. We think they're a good idea, just for someone else. She likes to hold the physical book in her hand whereas me, I haven't read a book all the way through since I started working in the library system! Irony. Maybe if I did own one I would have more motivation.
Anyway, with call after call we still have to remain enthusiastic about them. Yay e-readers! Which is where the title comes in. We kept throwing out "yay e-readers!" and "we're enthusiastic about e-readers!" throughout the night. Meanwhile, we started talking about simple pleasures like how my shower drain works now - more on that later - and how her husband is very handyman-like and fixes things around the house. One thing he's fixing is the ceiling fan. Apparently the lights flicker - which he fixed - now the fan won't stop running, even when you pull the string. I was like, "well maybe you should get a new fan", and she was like "it is new!" So I yelled "Well then screw the fan! You want an e-reader!" She died. Hilarious. I think you had to be there.
Then there was the conversation about how I'm gonna get a master's in library science and I'll always be enthusiastic. "You'll be like shame Vicki shame!" I said I'd probably be more likely to say, "Why am I doing this again?" I mean, I just got away from doing homework!! Now I'm going back? Voluntarily?!
"Shamey, Shamey." Her words not mine. Although it's catchy.

Okay, so while paying rent I talked to the manager in the office and mentioned that my bathtub had stopped draining. She said she'd send someone over tomorrow. Like fifteen minutes later maintenance shows up. Luckily I was already cleaning my apartment so it wasn't a total mess. But I love it here. People are friendly and things get done quickly. He was cool and fixed it right away while talking about my awesomely fat cat. Apparently he has a fat cat as well.

So, simple pleasures. Fun coworkers. A shower that drains. A mother who buys me groceries. A fat cat who falls asleep in my lap but bites everyone else. Life is good.




Watching her write with a pen bent in half. "Did you do that?" "Yes, I took out my rage against e-readers on this pen!"

And to all a good-night.

IDK My BFF Katniss?

So, my first question is that if you break one of your resolutions during the first week do you have to keep it for the rest of the year? Or does it just fade away like all the other resolutions from past years? And should I feel guilty? Cause I don't.

Yesterday was interesting - add Dave Matthews Band to the list my cat hates to hear. Now he's whining. I think he's mad at me. He likes the farmhouse and I drug him back to the apartment where he just gets to lay around. No outdoor cats to tease through the window bragging that he's in the warm indoors and they're outside in the snow. No big house to roam and knock things off the counters - well, okay he still does that. Speaking of, he's on the counter now, staring at me. Great.

Work was fun today. It's interesting because whenever anybody asks for book recommendations I automatically start talking about the Hunger Games and everyone I've rec'd it to reads the whole series through to the end. I love the series, I couldn't put the first book down, and even though I own the last two I still haven't read a single word. I know I should and that I'd enjoy it but ever since I started at the library I have yet to finish a book. Which is funny. But it's like I'm surrounded by books all day so the last thing I want to do when I get home is read. So I told this to my sister the pharmacist and she said, "well, yeah, I don't go home and do drugs." So she gets it. Still a funny line though.

I got to call over to one of the other branches today so they could pull something for me and I got to talk to someone I didn't even know existed until today - which isn't a foreign concept as I'm new and have only been to 3 branches out of the how many are in our system. But I called and was like Hi, this is ____ from _____ and she was like "hi ____ from _____. I'm ____ from ______." Immediately I'm thinking, okay she's bored or weird. I asked her if she was free and could grab a book and she was like "well, right now I'm chained to a post surrounded by angry natives but I'll try to get away." So strange, but it totally made my day. I look forward to meeting her one day. Everyone else that I mentioned it to say she's very witty and clever.

Random I know. But that's pretty much my day. Aside from coming home to watch The Closer season finale and Castle. Woohoo for Lauren Prepon as Nikki Heat. Very cool. and funny. I love Beckett's change throughout the episode. But I won't give too much away. I just think it's funny. The Closer I wasn't too impressed with for a season finale. I thought there would be more of a cliff hanger. And the episode wasn't all that great writing-wise. But Riley Smith is always intriguing. Even though I originally saw him in Motocrossed he'll always be Jamie Galvin to me. "Worst. Liar. Ever." Aka one of my favorite episodes. Yes I'm referencing Women's Murder Club. Get over it. "That's not coffee, that's diabetes on ice..." Claire's words of wisdom. Still, all work and no coffee makes CK a..something, something something...

Therefore, I am out for the night. Tomorrow means a split shift, grocery shopping and possible dinner with mother. When she will see my fridge has nothing but alcohol in it. Which is what happened last time. I'm sensing a pattern. It was funny though, she immediately turns around and says, "let's go grocery shopping!" I don't actually drink very often. Which is why it remains in the fridge. The food I buy I actually eat. And since I haven't been here because of the holiday I didn't have anything stocked. Aka Runza for dinner - they have the best southwest chicken salads. Mmm, k, can't break another resolution. I'm out. Happy trails to you.

Happy , Happy New Year!

Every time I heard the words 'happy new year' I could hear Captain Raydor's voice in my head and then Tao's follow-up, "I really hate her! Did I say that out loud?" Gotta love the Closer. I'm beginning to really like Mary McDonnell. Excellent addition to the cast, even if it is only a recurring guest spot.

And Wow, 1-1-11, that's new.

Today was our family xmas, so right now I'm exhausted and it's only 9:55. Sad day. Two nights of staying up late will do that to a girl I guess. First, two nights ago, I got to watch us get our butts wooped by Washington. That was just pitiful and sucks because now I gotta put up with my coworker who said we were gonna lose. There was no motivation from us at all. It's like our whole team is depressed or something. Bo needs to turn that around.
Then, last night was filled with playstation - aka SSX Tricky, Simpson's Road Rage and Dance Dance Revolution - drinking lots of sparkling cider even though we're both of age, flipping between Carson and Ryan and their crews (um, did Dick Clark look really at retiring age to anyone else or is that just me? and c'mon MTV step it up! Jersey Shore? Seriously?!) and falling asleep watching Boy Meets World. Same thing every year, but the Boy Meets World is new. We usually watch Pirates or Jason Bourne. Also, we didn't run around the house at midnight, sad day. Usually we bring a bottle of sparkling cider with us, shake it and then pop the cork spraying it everywhere in the process of awesomeness. (I say that word a lot, Awesomeness. I've noticed that my aunt has started saying it as well. It's catchy. Say it with me: Awesomeness.) Anyway, we took this year off of running as it was freaking freezing out there. And we're old. We figured that out while playing DDR and almost dying out after the first round. But it was fun. Same thing every year. Nothing really planned - it was funny. She texted and was like "you have plans for new years" and I was like "yeah with you!" and that was as far as the planning process went. We go with the flow.
And what was up with the countdown acts this year? I really need to listen to the radio more or something because the only people I recognized were MCR and Avril (hooray for a comeback from her btw).
Interesting fact about CK #-whatever-we're-up-to: I don't listen to the radio. I listen to my ipod. Constantly. And have a hookup for my car so it plays through the speakers.
So, because of this interesting fact, I had to text my best friend - "okay, i'm lame. who is that?" But she didn't know either so that was helpful.
Good times.

Today was awesome but exhausting as well. Big dinner with the family, excellent food as always, then opening presents which always turns into some kind of a disaster area with all the wrapping paper everywhere. Our family splurges. After the disaster area was cleared we played - you guessed it - some Apples to Apples which is fastly becoming a family favorite. This time, Sarah and Mark got hosed, ha! And Cindy and Teina dominated. We didn't play it for four hours, but it was around 2. Times flies. And again with the good one-liners: "Okay, who put 'labor unions' as irresistable?" "Steakspeare" "Toasters? Someone got tired of looking at that one in their hand. I got discarded." "Hmmm, amputations or Sunday drivers for horrifying?"
After that was pitch - 2 tables so the losers walked a whole 2 feet to the other one. No real walk of shame like at my aunt's when you had to go all the way downstairs. Cindy and I partnered up and did pretty well. I shot the moon with a AKQJ2 and drew the 3. Awesome.
Then more good food, meanwhile kids running all over the place. But they're between the ages of 1 and 6, what else are they supposed to be doing? While Mandy and Joe hung with the adults. Some crazy grandma gave two 4-year-old-boys fake shotguns that make noise when you pull the trigger. I'm sure their parents are loving that right about now. Don't look at me. I didn't pick them out. Geez mom. And my oldest sister got them fake chainsaws. It's hilarious. One year, like years ago, my second sister Sarah gave our only nephew at the time a drum set. He loved it, his parents didn't. Ever since, it's like they've been trying to one up each other for loudness just for payback. It's become kind of a running joke.

So, I guess it's time for the official list. The dreaded one. Which I've cut down to hopefully things that might actually last for longer than this week.
1. Write more, read more, eat less.
The first two are healthy and entertaining and will keep me out of trouble. The third is basically just going to become no food after 10PM. And more eating healthy during the day instead of being lazy and picking up Arby's just because it's on my way home. The drivethru guy knows me. It's funny and pathetic all in one. We always end with , "see you around."
Which leads me to number
2. Learn how to cook. At some point this year. Doesn't have to be right away. Just more than mac-and-cheese and microwave meals. I'm putting it off because I like my apartment and don't want to watch as it goes up in flames. Read Sketch and Edit Make Grilled Cheese if you get a chance. Based on a true story.

3. I'm not putting exercise more. Because I know it won't happen. I'm on my feet all day, and I'm not going to wake up early or have any energy by the end of the day to go to the rec center. What I am putting is keeping my mind open to taking self-defense classes this summer with my favorite patron.
4. Is to work on time management. Grad school starts on the 15th. I already have homework for it I haven't started. That all starts Monday. Ordering the textbook, visiting all the websites, finding out what I need to have done by the first class. My aunt is awesome because she teaches on that campus so she's going to show me where I'm going and where to park. Gotta love family connections.

Those are all I'm ready to fully put in writing. I'm sure more will develop throughout the month.

In other news, Congrats go out to the TCU Hornfrogs! Woohoo! I routed for them in baseball in Omaha so I felt I should again today. We got to watch parts of the games between family stuff.
Also, I'm thinking Oregon as the champion over Auburn. I've always liked them. Maybe that's because we never play them but still...

Music Rec: Two musical groups I'm commending just for the heck of it are Ashlyne Huff - check out her single "Heart of Gold" and Theory of a Dead Man's "Since You've Been Gone". Both very good emotional-from-the-heart songs, one more upbeat than the other.

It's a decent video since there is actual music and dancing, that's new for MTV nowadays, sadly.


Now that's depressing.

Neither video is spectacular but you get the point. The music is good, and underrated. So I'm recommending it. Spread the word.

Hope your New Years was merry and bright. Or wait, was that Christmas? Whatever. Hope you all had fun and made it home safely.


"Since you've been gone, I need to hear youuuuuuuu SAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY......"

"Her nickname is Alice."

Said Jeb about me at work today. Apparently it's my new nickname. No idea where it originated.

Only in Nebraska can it jump from 60 degrees to 30 within minutes. Ridiculous. At noon everyone was walking in in shorts. Then suddenly it's dark and windy. Yikes.

Today was another great day. My boss - the one that called me capable yay! - called in sick today so Girlscout from the other branch came over and helped me open. We call ourselves "Team Awesome" which Superwoman thinks is funny, as do we. But we are awesome.
And since Superwoman grades me - it's part of my training that's kind of stuck around, I think she enjoys it - I asked what my current score was. 95 is passing so it's hardcore. I currently have a 115 out of 100. Mostly because I've covered for everyone and their mother since a plague of disease wiped out everyone the smaller branch. Crazy hours. But still fun. Also because I sent the email commending my coworker and for testing my supervisor aka Girlscout which apparently was a secret test for me. Hmmm... my boss is too smart for me.
After small branch was larger branch, more fun, and driving home to the farmhouse. Carter was so excited to see me.
The quote of the day besides Girlscout's "We are Team Awesome," which also made me feel special, comes from my mother who let my cat out accidently. "I don't know that I can catch him. He's so stupid." Ouch. He may be stupid but he's still super cute. And fat. But cute.

Okay, so we're watching the Husker game and the weirdest thing just happened. Martinez our star quarterback just threw the ball straight to the defender, it bounces off the defender straight back to Martinez who grabs it and runs out of bounce. Weirdness. "Are you gonna watch or are you gonna talk?" My dad to my mom. BRING OUT THE WILDCAT! Go with Burkhead!
Hahahahahaha, my sister-in-law just texted me that my brother is cussing up a storm, "can you hear him over there?" As we live only a few miles apart. Hilarious.

Okay, so injuries and penalties are killing us but we will pull it off. I'm still sticking with my prediction. 40-10 us. Mom says 28-14 us. Kathy says 34-17. Sheri says 49-10. All for us.

And yikes for the UConn girls loss. 90 game win-streak is impressive. Wait, was that Condi Rice?!

Stop, Stop, Stop all the dancing give me time to breeeeeathe....

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing or I'll have to leeeeeeave..... stuck in my head.

Today was actually pretty great. This morning I got to open with one of my favorite coworkers. We got everything done way early. She's always efficient and fun. So I e-mailed my boss and said that, among other things. My boss e-mails back and says she showed the e-mail to the coworker, that they both enjoy working with me and get this, my boss's exact words: "I don't think we've ever had an aide who was so capable."
Awwww. I feel special.

After the opening of awesomeness I head to the other branch to eat lunch with other fun coworkers. I share some of my awesome Scooby Doo crazy bands with coworkers and security guard - I love our security guards - eat my chili and cheetos, then go to work. Got off at 4 because yesterday I went in three times, hooray for a quick day.

Meanwhile, get call from sister saying she and her husband brought me an extra tv and entertainment unit for my apartment. Yay for spare keys.

After work was supper with sister and family while we watched Dr. Who and the end of Pirates 3. It was so funny, we both stood up from the table at the same time to move where we could actually see the tv. It was, after all, the best part of the movie where *spoiler alert* Will and his ship basically rise from the dead, join up with the Black Pearl and take down Beckett and his ship. More awesomeness. Then we both sat back down like whatever. Haha. I took my drain cleaner and left. Which leads to the next exciting event.

My bathtub has stopped draining. Like for a while it just took forever but now it just stopped. So got some drain unclogging stuff from oldest sister. That didn't work. Went to target to go get more. Poured into tub, now am waiting for it to sit then I will drown it in hot water and see what happens. If nothing I get to call maintenance tomorrow, hooray?

My only real frustration of the day didn't happen until tonight. 8:30ish. Guy in target ticked me off. So here's your shoutout.
Dear Target dude. I'm not some teenager you can boss around. I'm an adult working two jobs in grad school to get my masters. You're a jerk. Thank your coworker for taking over so I didn't have to yell at you.

And that's my day. Excitement. I'd give it a 8/10 on my scale of awesome.
Now I'm out and looking forward to the Husker game tomorrow night!
My pick Huskers 40 - Washington 10

Things that make you go hmmm....

Thing 1 - (yes I'm going Dr. Seuss on you)
Come out to car for lunch break and find mysterious envelope on windshield. A little creepy. Upon opening text possible person of origin and get it confirmed. Not a stalker. Yay for small victories.

Thing 2 - Almost got shmeered *smeared? **shmeared?? ***schmeared??? on route back to work. Truck pulled out in front of me, I slammed on my breaks (yay for new tires on a new car) as did the car immediately behind me. Both thankfully on time. Incident shook me up but Jarvis and I are okay. Yes I've settled on a name. He's Jarvis and he's still shiny. Sort of.

Thing 3 - Cousin whom I haven't seen in ages - like, literally ages cause she's freaky smart and goes to Yale - shows up mysteriously at library with my aunt! Total awesomeness! We talked school, roller derby - of course - family, future plans, dance dance revolution and the like. Was nice to see her again. Now flashing back to family roadtrips to Florida and California... writing songs about bears and listening to Shania Twain's "That don't impress me much" on repeat. I love both sides of my family but on that side I actually have cousins my own age so that's kind of nice. We do family reunions and weddings are a big deal and all that. It's fun.

Thing 4 - I'm debating New Year's Resolutions. I'm down to a few that are doable. I feel like I should make an official list. And like plan for that list. Because every year I say I'm going to do something and never even attempt to do it. I'm sure that's true for many people but I think now is the time I should change things in my life aka health and routine stuff.

Thing 5 - Missouri is playing Iowa. Since I'm technically going to grad school through the Univerisity of Missouri I feel obligated to cheer for them. Not that I'm a big fan of Iowa anyway. I will probably fall asleep by halftime anyway. Maybe I should add in a social life change to that resolution list as well.

Anybody out there have any good resolutions?
Out for the night.

Work rocks, I know

You know your work is exciting when you get to see someone being led out in handcuffs. I love my job. It's never boring. Ever. Like, it'll be slow one second and then the next you'll be surrounded by crazies asking if you keep track of what books they check out, or a patron pukes in the back stairwell then barricades themself inside the men's restroom, or another patron walks up and says "someone tried to flush a copy of the economist down the toilet" (then yourself and your supervisor laugh hysterically at the irony), or you get hit on repeatedly by the little shelver boy. There's never a dull moment.

Text if you make it to your apartment, call if you go to the hospital

My mother said to me so lovingly as I left tonight. She's going to bed early understandably. Long day tomorrow, taking her mom to her sister's funeral. Alzheimer's is not a fun disease. They've told her twice and she's forgotten both times. I can only imagine how hard tomorrow will be. Grams is one of my favorite people. She's the nicest lady, so patient - although I guess you'd have to be if you had eight kids, madness - and really funny. I think I talked about her comments about 'old people' at her 'apartment.'

I'm being spontaneous. I'm typing this on the floor while listening to Weird Al on cassette tape. Found my Doris Day!!

Today was awesome. I laid around in my pajamas and watched a marathon of World's Dumbest. I used to watch (fall asleep) to that show practically every night of my senior year of college. When it was on at least. It was either that or Pastor Melissa Scott. Gotta love televangelists. Even though it's where celebrities' careers go to die I think it's hilarious. Judy Gold, Danny Bonaduce, Leif Garrett, Tonya Harding, Daniel Baldwin, although Brad Loekle is the best. Today's were World's Dumbest Performers 3, Drivers 11 and 15, and Brawlers like 2 and 3 I think. I love that show, and I'm not ashamed. Even though it's awful. But today's were grand, mostly because I missed it so much. One of the performers was this lady who had a show about the importance of cat massaging.
"And the mountain gods said we will spare your life!!!....but we're taking your jeep!" - Jaime Andrews she's one of the good ones.
Here's an example of the stupid/funny
Carter is staying with mom and dad this week since I'm going back out there for New Years. It's so weird, I can actually stretch out my legs without him at the bottom of the couch and I won't wake up to him laying on my stomach or have to barricade the door every time I leave so he doesn't pounce on it and make noise.
Okay, back on the couch watching The Nanny and eating goldfish. My spontaneity can only last so long. Tomorrow is full day of work then the Closer then Castle. Hopefully. Plus have to go get food, and the only liquid in my fridge is alcoholic. Which is why right now I'm drinking a strawberry margarita out of a bottle - thanks to the grab bag and Teina.

Alright, I'm out. Hope you all had a fun and safe holiday.