Just my two cents...

Hell yeah!

2008-10-27T20:37:00.001-06:00

To Karl

2008-08-25T02:56:00.003-05:00

Hello, my friend. It's 3 in the morning and I can't sleep, so I thought I'd write you a letter like so many of us have been doing these past couple of days. You'll be happy to know that I'm staying with Vanessa and Brad right now so I don't have to drive back and forth to and from the county, so I'm actually writing this on Vanessa's computer. Jen and Dereck are here too but will be heading back to the 'Ville later this morning to take care of business.

Oh my, where to begin. I was in the beer garden with my parents at my town fair when Brad called me with the news. I think I screamed a little and freaked him out more than he already was - sorry about that. After we left the fair and I made a bunch of phone calls, it was good talk about you with my folks. I realized that you never did get up to stay in the cabin at my parents' farm or see one of my dad's auctions. I know they would have loved to have you.

I can't begin to tell you what you mean to me, and I hope you know that. I realized long ago that the people that I am friends with today are all my friends because they were friends of yours first or an extension of those friends. BJ said the same thing at our roast Saturday night that Jen mentioned we had in your honor, and I think most of the other people there that evening were nodding their heads in agreement.

Do you know that I truly think you saved my life? I know we've shared the story of how we became friends with so many people, but I really hope you understand how profound that act of kindness you bestowed upon me was. I was in such a bad place after my divorce the October before you started working at the hotel. We became quick friends once you started working there - it was easy, you were such a likeable guy. When you asked me to go with you and some other friends to the drive-in at Macon (Out to Sea and George of the Jungle were playing) I must admit I was kind of taken aback at first - was this guy on the up-and-up? But by some miracle you had decided that I was worthy of a place in that big heart of yours. And then you kept asking me to join you and your friends for nights out on the town and I soon discovered a world that had previously been unknown to me in that small college town.

And then we became roommates with some other roommates thrown in for fun. I was finally at a place where I could make some decent decisions for myself and I decided to go back to school. I mentioned to my mom on Friday how much you got a kick out of the fact that she gave you a bottle of Jack as a thank you for taking such good care of her little girl. You had become the big brother I never had - I guess three years of living together will do that. I remember when I was moving down to STL after graduation (in that pouring rain, oh!) and how hard it was to leave you, even though I knew you would be close behind. I'm so happy we lived in the same town all of these years.

I never saw you so happy as you have been these past three years though, and for that I will always, always be grateful to Jes. She was the piece that you needed to complete you and I'm so happy you didn't mess it up. I remember you asking me about a month after dating her if I thought it was too soon for you to propose, and I think I told you that if you felt that it was the right time then it was the right time. What I didn't tell you was I knew she was the one for you pretty much from the start because I'd never seen you that smitten before.

And then you became a father, which you had always wanted to be so badly. I saw how that little boy made you a better man with each and every day. I only hope that I can remember every single story about you to tell him, but I guarantee you that he will know how wonderful his father was.

I can't believe that you had to leave us so soon! We are all so devastated by your loss and we don't understand it, but we will get through this somehow. I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you but I'm so glad I did it. I love you and miss you more than words can say. There will never be another like you.

Love Song for Obama

2008-08-21T21:04:00.002-05:00

Since he still hasn't announced his VP choice, how about this?

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

The Brits Have It!

2008-08-01T20:18:00.001-05:00

Here's my new favorite song!

Oooohhh yeah!

2008-07-29T20:54:00.000-05:00

For fans of Joss Whedon

2008-07-15T22:13:00.002-05:00

If you haven't heard about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, where have you been? Act I is up here though the site's been so busy I haven't been able to get the page to load. So, I downloaded it on iTunes! High-freakin-larious! Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion are superb - highly recommended!

And for those of you fans of NPH (and of Les Miz) who want a taste of what to expect, check out this clip of the cast of How I Met Your Mother on The Megan Mullally Show.

Duck!

2008-07-08T21:26:00.000-05:00

And not just any duck, but a snoring duck!

In lieu of a card

2008-06-15T19:05:00.007-05:00

Happy Fathers' Day, Karl!

(And thanks to Jes for the picture!)

All the news that's fit to print!

2008-03-04T23:07:00.005-06:00

I'm totally and completely in love with this song.

In other news, I'm completely healed with three small scars as the only evidence of my surgery. Saw Madelaine Albright speak. The Giants won the Super Bowl and Obama won Missouri. Erica's back in town - yea! The godson is as cute as ever. Brother and SIL are moving to Colorado soon and may now get to start that family they want. "O" at the Bellagio is absolutely amazing - see Cirque du Soleil if you get the chance. Jet lag is a bitch but traveling is fun. And all hell is breaking loose at work - since the first of the year I somehow acquired two new bosses and the work of another entire person. Been working many, many hours as a result. Good thing I still love my job.

More later when I have time to breathe.

Starting the year with a bang

2008-01-07T19:04:00.000-06:00

So yes, I'm aware that I haven't posted in a long while. It seems so silly for me to be posting anything when there's nothing really going on in my life. Most of my excitement seems to stem from my enjoyment of my loved ones' life events, such as spending time with my Godson and hearing tales of the goings-on of my friends. And now that something has happened to me I feel a need to post about it, but I'd almost rather have a series of little events happen than something as major as this.

The holidays were good. Mizzou played some good football. Parties were attended. And then, 2008 came in with a wallop. I was all set to go back to work on the 2nd when I woke up that morning to some stomach cramps. I figured it had something to do with the pizza I ate the day before while watching bowl games even though I wasn't feeling nauseous or dehydrated. So I called in sick and fully intended on going in on Thursday.

Thursday morning came and I still was feeling crummy. By this point I figured if I had food poisoning that the cramps should have been gone, but I figured I'd give them a little more time to clear out. I went back to bed hoping when I woke that they'd have passed, but when I woke at around 2:30 p.m. I still had them. By this point I decided that if the cramps hadn't let up by Friday morning then I'd go see my doctor. Maybe I had something a little more serious like E.Coli or something.

That evening I was laying in bed and poking around on my stomach and noticed one little place on my right side that was causing some sharp pain when I pressed on it. Yep, I figured I definitely needed to see the doctor now to rule out appendicitis, but I was sure I didn't have it. All of the people I knew who had ever had it had experienced horrible pain in their sides, pain so bad that they couldn't walk. I could walk fine and wasn't even in any serious pain, so I figured I was getting a bit paranoid about it, but I'd find out for sure the next day.

Friday morning came and I called the doctor's office to set up an appointment to come in and see my primary care physician. They didn't have an opening until 11:45, but I went in early to see if they could squeeze me in. Yeah, what a waste of time that was. Anyway, my doc saw me around noon and did some poking and prodding, and she said that I exhibited symptoms of appendicitis but before I went for a CT scan and was exposed to all of that radiation, she wanted to get a urine sample. So I peed in a cup and waited for those results, and, sure enough, the doc said I needed to get a CT scan. I was to go over to the lab right away because it was going to take at least two hours to prep my body for the scan.

The CT lab techs made me drink this vile beverage (that they tried to pass off as Crystal Light lemonade) so my insides would glow on the CT image. I had 16 ounces when I got there, 16 ounces an hour later, and another 8 ounces an hour after that right before I got the scan. I got done with the scan about 4:00 and was forced to stay in the lab until the radiologist read the results and consulted with my PCP. About half an hour later the receptionist in the lab received a phone call and told me that I needed to go to the emergency room. I told her, "Well, I guess I have appendicitis then, huh?" At least she thought I was funny.

The only other time I've seen anyone get into the ER so quickly was when they complained of chest pains. I barely had time to call friends and family with my quickly dying phone before they took me back into the ER. I had to take some blood tests and another urine test before I got a bed. Then my surgeon introduced himself and finally gave me some test results and some answers to my questions. He said that the CT scan indicated that my appendix was inflammed but it was still technically within the normal range. He felt confident enough, though, that waiting would just delay the inevitable and that we should remove the appendix now before it got worse. I agreed, signed the forms, and headed for surgery around 7pm.

I asked Vanessa to get some things from my place for me, because I was not prepared to have surgery when I left the house Friday morning. She was waiting for me when I got out of recovery and spent a little bit of time with me even though visiting hours were over. I tried to sleep the best I could that night but I had to get up every couple of hours to go to the bathroom because I was madly munching on ice chips to get rid of the dry mouth caused by my medication. At around 3 in the morning I woke up to what I thought was me sweating through the sheets, but it turned out there was a leak in one of the connections of my IV. Since I had another IV port in which they could give me pain meds, they decided that I didn't need the saline anymore so they removed it.

Saturday morning my surgeon checked me out and said that I could leave the hospital as soon as I successfully ate lunch. He said that they were able to complete the entire surgery laproscopically and didn't need to open me up, which would significantly help my recovery time. They were able to remove the appendix and he said that "it looked bad," so I guess I made the right decision in going ahead with the surgery. My parents drove down Saturday morning and arrived as Karl, Jes, Elliot and Vanessa were all visiting and I was working on my lunch. They stayed with me until this morning, and I swear my mom made me enough food this weekend to last me a month.

I'm feeling really good considering. I'm really only in pain when I have to flex my stomach muscles to stand up, sit down, cough, blow my nose, etc. Before my parents left we went into my office so I could get my laptop and do some work from home this week. The surgeon said that was fine as long as I didn't drive while on my pain meds, didn't lift anything too heavy, and was able to get plenty of rest.

I really appreciate the well-wishes and those offering to help me out this week, and I'm probably going to take some of you up on the offer. Otherwise I'm planning on taking it easy and getting plenty of sleep. I'm sure I'll be itching to get out of the house when all of this is said and done!

Support the WGA

2007-11-08T19:22:00.001-06:00

Click the banner!

2007-10-29T18:41:00.001-06:00

Every click helps my team, the Dunder Mifflin - Independence branch, win. Do your part - click on the banner in the sidebar!

It's almost over

2007-10-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad this case is nearly over. The family are good people and deserve some peace finally.

In a related story, wouldn't you just love to grow up in this place? I was just there a few weeks ago, and I must say that I really felt a change in the atmosphere there from when I was a kid. When I tell people stories from home I sometimes feel like others think I'm telling tall tales, but unfortunately they're very true.

More pictures...

2007-10-14T21:12:00.000-05:00

...of Elliot are here.

Introducing Elliot Karlson

2007-10-14T02:24:00.001-05:00

He's here! He arrived at 12:46 a.m. and weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces. I don't have a length yet as they're cleaning him up and measuring him right now. It looks like he's going to have red curly hair like his daddy. Both mother and baby are doing excellent.

Edited to add: Length is 20-1/4 inches. His hair now appears to be a wavy strawberry blond.

It's time!

2007-10-14T00:20:00.000-05:00

We're at the pushing stage now - and just a few minutes after midnight. Karl came out to inform everyone, and he said he'd seen the head but yet couldn't tell if Elliot had any hair or not. So exciting!

Zero station

2007-10-13T23:45:00.000-05:00

We're starting to get into the final stages now and Jes is doing great. I told Karl that 1:33 in the morning is a wonderful time to be born, not that I'm biased or anything. Looks like we'll have an October 14 baby!

7 cm

2007-10-13T23:16:00.001-05:00

We're on our way! Apparently the relaxation she's feeling from the Epidural has helped to move things along. I still don't think it will happen before midnight, which is probably a good thing at this point because if she delivers after midnight she'll get to stay an extra day in the hospital. More later.

The calm before the storm

2007-10-13T22:38:00.000-05:00

Jes is resting and has decided to try and get some sleep now that her Epidural has kicked in. I don't know if she'll be able to get any shut-eye, but we've all moved to the waiting room so she can get as much rest as she's able to. At last update she was fully effaced and four centimeters dilated. I'll let you know when there's more news.

Closer

2007-10-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

They're giving Jes an Epidural right now - maybe we'll have a baby before midnight after all!

Waiting...

2007-10-13T19:17:00.000-05:00

Jes is in labor and we are all patiently awaiting the arrival of little Elliot. Her water broke at 10:30 this morning and she's hoping to go before midnight, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen until tomorrow. But for now, everything is going well and Jes is doing great! I'll try and post some updates as time permits.

Busy

2007-09-09T15:01:00.000-05:00

My delay in posting is not entirely my fault, I swear. I had no Internet service for over a week (stupid Charter) and finally got it back on Friday. I've been super busy though with work, social and networking functions, being out of town and planning a baby shower. I'm finally able to breathe a little today though and it's a good thing since NFL Football is starting this week (unfortunately, my Chiefs lost).

The new job is going very well and I'm really liking it so far. For the first time in a long time I feel like I'm using my abilities to their full potential, and that's a great feeling. I need to do a little work today to try and get caught up a bit from being sick for a day and a half at the end of August, but I really don't mind so much because I like the work. Am I losing my mind?

I went home a few weeks ago for an informal 15-year high school reunion at my town fair. It's always nice to go home and see some old friends, but it's always nice to remember why I left and realize how much happier I am in my life here in StL.

Over Labor Day weekend, a group of us had a girls' weekend in Memphis. Bethany drove over from K.C. Friday night and Saturday morning she, Vanessa, Melissa and I caravanned down I-55. We met Erica at the hotel since we were late picking her up at the airport where she flew in from Atlanta. We had such a great time catching up with one another that I think we would have had fun if we had just stayed at the hotel the entire weekend. But we did find time to visit Beale Street, the National Civil Rights museum, the Peabody Hotel to watch the ducks make their daily march back to their room, the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, and of course Graceland. Pictures are here.

I was specifically told to blog about a couple of things that happened during the trip - the fabulous mullet sightings, Dr. Bob from the Ninth Ward in NOLA, the "weddings" and "annulments" that occurred on Sunday night with the hoosiers from the Bootheel, the amazingly kitschy memorial wreaths marking the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death - but my favorite story still has to be the one Melissa's "husband" told me about working for the DEA. Apparently as part of his job he has to work undercover and take meth in an effort to bust some labs, but it's okay because the DEA has a special solution that he drinks right after he takes the meth that allows him to remove the drug from his system with one visit to the restroom. Then he told me that they know of a similar solution that can cure AIDS, but it's only found in outer space (I can't make this stuff up!). For someone who's "undercover" job is driving a combine, he sure had some WILD stories! If I've forgotten some stories I'm sure someone (Vanessa) will remind me in the comments.

The rest of my free time the past month has been spent planning for a baby shower/BBQ for Jes and Karl. Jes' mom, Karl's sister, S, and I decided on a monkey theme for the shower, and S and I spent a good amount of time making 60 invitations. I think they were worth the effort and turned out really well though, and we received a lot of compliments on them.

I think the baby shower was a success - I know I had a good time. Jes and Karl got a lot of great presents, and they seemed very touched by the outpouring of support and love from friends and family. I took a few pictures, and they are here.

Next weekend is another busy one, and the two weekends after that have the potential to be as well. One of these days I might have time to clean my house. I'll blog again eventually, I promise!

Your Loss, My Gain

2007-07-31T22:28:00.000-05:00

I went to a "get-together" for my new job tonight. There are six other people starting the same time as me because the company is beginning to consolidate all of its accounting work in StL. We were all invited by our manager to get some drinks and take a tour of the office.

I was the only one out of all of the new people who is going to be a senior accountant. The way I understand it, some of the people I hung out with this evening will eventually be reporting to me. When the manager announced this I could feel about 12 eyes looking at me and thinking, "She might end up being my boss." I've been in positions above others and helped with performance reviews, but I've never had official authority over employment decisions before. While I know I can handle being someone's supervisor I must admit it's a bit daunting.

Something I'll need to find out when I start this job is who MY boss is going to be. When I got the letter officially offering me the job, it said my supervisor was going to be the current senior accountant, who interviewed me along with the manager. But tonight the manager said that I would be senior accountant along with the current senior accountant, which makes me think we are going to be on the same level. I'm sure it will all be clearer on Monday.

The reason we got together for a tour of the office after regular working hours is because the company hasn't yet announced that they are moving this accounting work to StL. So when we go in for our first day on Monday morning, no one but a few select people in the company will really know who we are. They are supposed to announce the changes Monday afternoon, and on Tuesday morning we will be trained by a person whose job we will be taking and who was just notified of that fact less than 24 hours earlier. If that isn't awkward I don't know what is.

I'm really excited about this job though, and the people I met this evening all seem pretty nice. I must say that the company is doing everything they can to make it as painless on the other office as possible by announcing the change a few years before the transfer will be completed. But it's still weird knowing that this job is available to me because someone else will be losing theirs.

Best. Lyrics. Ever.

2007-07-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

Why? Because they were written as a poem by my great-grandmother! You can even see a picture of her as a young woman in the video. This song is written and performed by my first cousin once removed. Enjoy!

If I called Springfield home

2007-07-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

This is me.

Make your own Simpsons avatar here.

BTW, HP and the Deathly Hallows did not disappoint. However, I stupidly stood in line from 11:45 Friday night until I could get my hands on the book at 2:15 Saturday morning. I finally finished at 6:00 Sunday night because I actually stopped to sleep before finishing it this time. Please, no spoilers in the comments for those who haven't yet finished it!

Get a Job

2007-07-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

I did it - I found a job (finally)! Of all the jobs I interviewed for, this one was my favorite. Starting August 6 I will be working in the corporate world as a senior accountant. I will have four or five people who report to me and I will get to review financial statements prepared by them. In addition, about once a month I'll get to travel to various franchise locations around the country to train people on how to properly account for their finances and how they are to submit their information to the corporate office. This is pretty much what I wanted in a job - I get to work with numbers again and I get to do some traveling without traveling all of the time. And, I'm going to be able to help small business owners which makes me feel like I'm doing some good in the world.

This week I'm cleaning out closets and sorting through all of my stuff for the garage/moving sale a bunch of us are having this weekend. It's amazing how much crap I've accumulated over the years, and it feels good to be getting rid of it all (ah, feng shui). Of course the last Harry Potter book is released at Midnight Friday night, so I don't know how much help I'm going to be at the sale with my head planted in a book all day.

Once I get through everything and sell what I can, next week I can finally finish decorating my condo. Although now I have to add "fixing my hall ceiling" to my list of things to do because it fell in due to some water damage from either my upstairs neighbor's A/C unit or mine. Every time I've gone upstairs to talk to my neighbors they haven't been home. At this point I just want to know whose unit is causing the problem so I can take appropriate action on my end to fix the problem.

Sometime in the next two and a half weeks I'd like to actually use my pool, too. And I need to make invitations for Jes and Karl's baby shower. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't taken some time off to get things done around the house. Isn't it amazing how work can get in the way of living?

The Ultimate Harry Potter Personality Quiz

2007-07-15T16:26:00.001-05:00

Find out your Harry Potter personality at LiquidGeneration!

Vacation

2007-07-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like some time off to clear the head and relax a person. That's what I did this past week in what ended up being the world's cheapest vacation.

I went home to visit my parents and to enjoy the 4th of July with my family. I pushed for us all to have our annual celebration last Saturday since it worked best for my schedule, so I really had to be there. Only two of the nine cousins weren't there (my brother being one of them) so I was able to see most of my extended family. Our fireworks shows have really become impressive now that my generation is old enough to contribute financially, and this year we even drew the interest of some of my grandma's neighbors. And I had a great time hanging out with all of my little cousins who are all starting to become smart, fascinating individuals.

Sunday my parents and I went fishing at my uncle's pond. I forgot to put on any sunscreen and my parents, who spend more time outside than they do inside, didn't have any in the truck. Needless to say, we spent about an hour at the pond and I burnt my shoulders to a crisp. Maybe I should have just risked the farmer's tan, but I didn't and I regretted it later that evening.

Tuesday I drove down to the Lake but along the way, since I had the time, I made a stop at a Civil War battle site I'd been wanting to visit for several years. I enjoy visiting historical sites and learning something new, and this place was no exception. I know at some point in my schooling I had learned about Missouri's place in the battle between the states, but I guess I had forgotten a lot of it. I ended up spending about three hours there on my own, just learning and taking pictures. It was pretty cool.

The Lake was a blast as always. We went out on the boat on the 4th and found a quiet cove in which to go swimming. I LOVE to water ski but I didn't even try it this year since I didn't have the strength to pull my fat butt out of the water last year and I knew this year I'd have the same problem (goal for the next year - lose enough weight so I can water ski again). On the 5th we all kind of did our own things, and I ended up spending most of the day in the pool. Needless to say, when we got back from putt-putt golfing that evening my shoulders had started to blister from spending three out of past five days in the sun. No amount of burning could ever ruin the Lake for me though, as nothing relaxes me more than spending some time on and in the water.

What a fabulous week this has been, and all it cost me was gas and some food. Next week it's back to work on the cleaning and sorting and finding a job.

Working Man's Blues

2007-06-24T19:43:00.000-05:00

Apparently it's time for another general update.

See this? I made it at Karl's birthday party - me! Well, I made it with a bit of help from Jes, but I did the color and the twisting and the shaping of the glass. Such a cool experience!

Big news from StL - I quit my job. You would think that I would have a new job that I could tell you about, but you would be wrong. I don't know if that was the smartest move on my part - quitting my old job before I had a new one lined up - but I had a little bit of money in the bank and I just couldn't take it anymore. The work wasn't satisfying, and my boss was completely unreasonable. Friday was my last official day, but being the nice person that I am I agreed to go back in tomorrow to help wrap up what I was working on. The rest of this week will be spent cleaning out closets, packing up for a garage sale, putting pictures and shelves up, going through files of papers, and hopefully interviewing for some more jobs (I had an interview on Friday that went pretty well).

In other news, I have my final dentist appointment tomorrow to get my permanent crown put on. I'll be so happy to finally get it done. Erica came up from Atlanta last weekend - much food and celebration was had by all. Wii is very addictive and more fun than civilized human beings should be allowed to have. This morning a bunch of us had brunch at Bevo, then Brad, Vanessa and I went to the Pride Parade where we got completely drenched.

Life is good!

Visited States

2007-05-31T09:55:00.000-05:00

Stolen from Karl:

create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out our California travel guide

The states I've visited are in red. I did not count states in which I've only been in the airport (i.e. Colorado), as I don't consider that visiting the state, but I did include states that I've only driven through (i.e. West Virginia) because I was actually able to see parts of the state. I haven't visited as many states as I would like, but I've actually been to more than I thought I had!

How We Operate

2007-05-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

Just a general update post since I've been so bad about posting lately...

A few weeks ago I turned 33. Normally I don't mind getting older, but this birthday is different. You see, my mother informed me when my grandpa passed away a few years ago that deaths always seem to happen to her around the number 33. Her mother passed away when she was 33. Her father-in-law passed away when she had been married to my dad for 33 years. Well, with me turning 33 she has now been a mother for 33 years as I am the oldest. And of course, being a superstitious person, I'm concerned what will happen this year. I'm just hoping to make it through the year okay, and if we have any deaths in the family then we'll just have to get by.

The root canal wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and the pain - oh, the horrible pain - is completely gone now. I feel 1,000 times better now and wish I would have had it done a long time ago to save myself the agony. I would gladly have paid twice as much to get rid of that horrible, terrible, dreadful pain.

I guess I never mentioned what happened with my jury duty. Well, I did get selected for a jury, but I suppose if I was going to get selected this was the way to do it. Two juries were selected first thing on that Monday and I was on one of them. We started the civil trial after lunch on Monday, had closing arguments after lunch on Tuesday, and we were done with deliberations Tuesday afternoon. So we spent the same amount of time at the courthouse as we were originally told we were going to - not too shabby. It was very a interesting case, and I was proud to have served.

Last weekend I went to see Erica in Atlanta. We had a great time - I only wish I could have stayed longer. The weekend before last (Mother's Day weekend) I went home to help celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday. I saw lots of family I hadn't seen in a long time and some step-family members I had never met before. This holiday weekend has been filled with friends, food and fun. I think I'm going to relax and take it easy today - I deserve a break.

"To the death." "No, to the pain."

2007-05-01T19:24:00.000-05:00

I went to my dentist, who happens to be a friend from college, a couple of weeks ago for my regular check-up, and I mentioned that I thought I had another cavity. I had been noticing some sensitivity to cold foods for a few months and I wanted her to check it out. It turned out that an old cavity that had been filled about 20 years ago was the culprit, so we scheduled an appointment to remove the old filling and replace it with a new one.

So, a couple of weeks ago I went and had the filling replaced. When she removed the old filling she noticed some additional decay that had formed behind the old filling, so she did some drilling and cleaned it out before adding the new filling. She told me to stay away from crunchy foods for a couple of days, and being the good patient I am I did as I was told.

Last Tuesday we began a little weight loss challenge at work, so I decided to have a salad for lunch. I figured it had been a week since the filling had been replaced and I should be fine. Big mistake. I was in such agony that afternoon I thought I was going to break down in tears during a team meeting I was attending. Not good. So I called up my dentist and she wanted to see me right away. I went back and had an X-ray done. Apparently the new decay under the old filling was just enough that it was border-line for a root canal, and after trying the filling it was obvious that I needed to have one done instead.

So, after staying home from work yesterday because I was in such pain that I went back for prescription drugs that totally knocked me out, I am going in tomorrow to have the root canal done. I have never in my life looked forward to having a dental procedure performed more than I am this one. A couple of weeks later, after we make sure the root canal works, I'll have a crown put on. It could be worse - I could be doing this without any dental insurance.

No Depression

2007-04-08T21:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. Suffice it to say that there's been a lot of stuff going on, good and bad, both in my life and my friends' lives, but most of it I just don't feel comfortable posting on a blog. Besides, most of the stories are other people's to tell.

As for my story, I guess I can say that I've been battling a case of the Mean Reds (bonus points if you can name the movie that comes from). I kind of had to cut myself off from the outside world for a while but I've been consulting with multiple professionals and I think I have it under control for the time being. I'm feeling like myself again which is always a good sign. Getting out of the winter months is a good thing as well, although it's been damn cold here the past few days.

This spring is shaping up to be a busy one already as I have something going on every weekend until Memorial Day. And I'm sure June and July will fill up fast as they get closer and closer. I report for jury duty tomorrow and Tuesday and I'm hoping that I don't get selected for a trial as I already have enough on my plate. Wish me luck!

Me and my big mouth

2007-03-12T18:46:00.000-06:00

I was just telling someone (I can't remember who - the memory, she ain't what she used to be) recently how I've managed to luck out of jury duty. I've received two summons and for both I managed to receive them right around the time I was moving out of that particular jurisdiction, allowing me to be excused from serving.

Wouldn't you know it, today I got a jury summons in the mail. Well, maybe I'll get a book read this year after all.

Which Heroes character are you most like?

2007-03-05T20:37:00.000-06:00

You're a Nissan Versa.
Superpower: Product Placement
You exist in a highly visible fashion. People feel the need to speak your name for no discernable reason. Your comrades will appreciate your above average gas mileage in the second and third seasons, when they battle Dick Cheney and the threat of high energy prices.

I don't quite know what I think about that.

Take the quiz here.

Alphabet Soup meme

2007-02-10T21:56:00.000-06:00

I was tagged by Trixie to do this one - enjoy!

A- Available or Single? Very single and very available.
B- Best Friend? I have so many good friends, but if I had to narrow it down I'd have to say Karl, Erica and Vanessa, in no particular order, and all for different reasons.
C- Cake or Pie? Yes, please.
D- Drink of Choice? Vodka, in pretty much any shape or form, Diet Coke and Starbucks non-fat no-whip White Chocolate Mocha.
E- Essential Item? Lately it's been my iPod.
F- Favorite Color? Blue.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Worms. Bite their heads off, suck their guts out.
H- Hometown? A very, very small farming community in NW Missouri.
I- Indulgence? Pretty much anything I buy from Sephora.
J- January or February? February - it's shorter, the days are longer, and many family members have birthdays.
K- Kids and names? None. Does my cat count?
L- Life is incomplete without…? Music.
M- Marriage Date? September 24. Divorce Date was October 25.
N- Number of Siblings? One younger brother.
O- Oranges or Apples? Apples. Oranges are too messy.
P- Phobias/Fears? I'm not fond of snakes, but I wouldn't say I'm deathly afraid of them like some people I know.
Q- Favorite Quote? From the wise Master Yoda, "Do or do not...there is no try."
R- Reasons to smile? My friends.
S- Season? Spring.
T- Tag 3 people? Karl, Vanessa, and Kat.
U- Unknown Fact About Me? I was prom queen my senior year of high school.
V- Vegetable You Hate? Brussel sprouts - yuck.
W- Worst Habit? One of these days I'll quit smoking for good.
X- Xrays You’ve Had? I sprained my wrist badly playing tackle football with the boys when I was a kid. We found out that while I didn't break my wrist I had broken a pinky finger playing volleyball a few years earlier that my mother was convinced at the time I had only sprained. I was a bit of a tomboy, which makes the prom queen bit even more unbelievable.
Y- Your Favorite Foods? Anything chocolate.
Z- Zodiac? Taurus - yep, I'm stubborn as a bull.

Lucky Girl

2007-02-01T20:59:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to say that I have the most amazing friends in the whole wide world. That is all.

Changes

2007-01-29T17:30:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about changing my blog template for a while, and since I don't know html code that well I had to find a free template that I liked. Anyway, I finally found one that I can live with. It's not perfect and I may have to tweak it a bit here and there, but I like the change. Let me know what you think and/or if you have any problems with the new layout. Thanks!

Give Blood

2007-01-15T11:52:00.000-06:00

Did you know that January was National Blood Donor Month? Me either! I actually gave blood on Wednesday for the first time since 1999. The length of time between donations was not entirely my fault though - I tried to give several times from 1999 until right after September 11, but my blood's iron levels weren't high enough. So I gave up trying to donate for a while, but this summer my doctor said that the multivitamins I've been taking must be working and I decided to try again. Giving blood is very important, so I wanted to encourage you all to give this month as well.

Click on the logo to find where you can donate!

Ice, Ice Baby

2007-01-14T12:53:00.000-06:00

As I heard from my friends this weekend, it seems that Kat and I were the hardest hit in the most recent ice storm (which I guess is not quite over - they say we're supposed to get more tonight). I was without power from 5:30 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, and the power has been cutting in and out every time we get a gust of wind. Anyway, I went and took some pictures around my condo complex yesterday morning and thought I'd post them while I have power.

This poor tree had the top snapped off of it.

This one is right outside my front door. Apparently one of the top branches snapped off and it took every one under it with it.

This is the source of my misery. Notice the power lines going through the trees and at the very top left there is a branch sitting on one of the lines.

These poor trees could go at any time.

Here are some other general ice pictures.

Hope you all are staying warm and dry today!

Unbelievable

2007-01-12T17:57:00.000-06:00

Two major stories this evening coming out of StL. First, it looks like we're in for another major ice storm. Great, it seems like they just got everyone's power on from the last storm.

Second, we've had an Amber Alert all week about a 13-year-old boy who was abducted in a rural area about 65 miles outside of StL. Today they found him alive in an apartment in the Metro area, but they also found in the same apartment a boy who's been missing for 4-1/2 years! I think many of us believed that the boy who's been missing since 2002 was long gone at this point - thank goodness we were wrong. I'm sure he will need all kinds of therapy, but he's alive!

Despite the crappy weather, I'd say it's been a pretty good day!

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

2007-01-06T16:32:00.000-06:00

Stolen from Jenorama and Vanessa

Your Career Personality: Organized, Responsible, and Future-Oriented

Your Ideal Careers:

Biomedical engineer

Business executive

College professor

District attorney

Hedge fund manager

Investment banker

Judge

Military leader

Political strategist

Surgeon

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

Hurt

2006-12-30T09:50:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, I know I did. And somehow everyone I know who was traveling to or through Denver has made it so far - we'll see if my co-worker who went skiing out there makes it back in one piece. My brother and sister-in-law wisely decided to not stay with their friends in Colorado Springs and instead drove through Texas on their way back home from Arizona. It was great to see them again.

I have some sad news to report. Yesterday I finally put Fat Cat to sleep. It was something that should have probably been done a long time ago, but I selfishly kept her around because she was such a fun cat and I didn't want to have to deal with the pain of losing a pet. She had some problems metabolizing her food properly and despite the fact she was on prescription food for pretty much the entire time I had her she wouldn't use the litter box. I tried everything the vet recommended and more to get her to do her business in the proper place, but ultimately I think the crystals in her urine made it burn every time she went potty so she never used the box. So for more than four years I lived with her peeing on carpets and ruining hard wood floors hoping she would come around, but after talking with Bro and SIL about the situation this week I finally realized that there wasn't anything that could be done. Not only was her health in danger but mine was as well from the urine stench in my condo. I bawled and bawled when it finally hit me but I knew it was the only solution.

Yesterday I called the vet and they said they could get her in that evening so I took the appointment for fear of not going through with it. I asked Vanessa and Erica to come with me so I could have some moral support, but I think I ended up having to comfort them since I had pretty much already done my grieving the night before and it was just hitting them. We all were in the mood for alcohol and cigarettes afterwards so we went out and tried to forget about the reason we were there in the first place.

I took Fat Cat as a favor to a former college roommate who had just had to put our joint cat to sleep and didn't feel like she could deal with Fat Cat after losing the other one and having a new baby at the same time. Part of the reason I held onto the cat for so long was that I half expected my friend to take her back one day, but of course she never did. I called her a while back and she gave me permission to put Fat Cat to sleep but it's taken me until now to finally do it.

Fat Cat was very friendly and quite comical at times. She was always in a good mood and loved to be the center of attention. Last night Black Cat, who really prefers to be by herself, kept looking over her shoulder towards the door while I was petting her. She kept waiting for Fat Cat to jump up and butt her out of the way so she could be petted instead. This morning Black Cat was meowing to get Fat Cat to come out from where ever she was hiding. But I think Black Cat is finally starting to understand the Fat Cat isn't here any more. I only hope I can adjust as quickly - it's awfully quiet around here without her.

Here's some Johnny Cash.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

2006-12-16T16:30:00.000-06:00

You Are Blitzen

Always in good spirits, you're the reindeer who loves to party down with Santa.

Why You're Naughty: You're always blitzed on Christmas Eve, while flying!

Why You're Nice: You mix up a mean eggnog martini.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2006-12-12T00:26:00.000-06:00

I saw this last year and fell in love with it. I really think the Peace sign makes the entire display.

Here's another one on the same house. I swear some people have too much time on their hands. Enjoy!

Deck The Halls

2006-12-05T22:39:00.000-06:00

I knew I soon as I started reading it that Jenorama was going to tag me for this one!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? For the Holidays I'd have to say Egg Nog, without rum oddly enough, and with a little nutmeg sprinkled on top. Hot Chocolate is more of a cold weather drink, but we always break out the Egg Nog on Christmas Eve.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa still to this day wraps presents, and I'm in my thirties.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? My parents have the colored lights. I have the white lights but I'm thinking of switching to colored lights next time.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I don't but my parents do. It's plastic and attached to some garland that is strung over the entry way to their kitchen.

5. When do you put your decorations up? I'll be lucky to put any up this year at all. My condo is still in disarray as the painting still isn't done (I know, I know). I've never really had a set time to put the decorations up though.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My mom always makes a big brunch on Christmas morning, and I can't pick just one thing from it because it all goes together and is just too good.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I don't know if I have one specific holiday memory, I just remember enjoying spending time with my family.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't know exactly how old I was, maybe 10 or so, but I remember saying to my mom one day, "Santa isn't real, is he?" She knew she couldn't hide the truth from me any more.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, no, absolutely no. All gifts must be opened on Christmas day. Only if one side of the family has its Christmas on that day are any presents opened then.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Wrap the lights around, then the garland. Hang the ornaments and be sure to fill in any holes in the tree with the bigger ones. If any tinsel is used (such as on my parents tree) place it on the tree being careful not to clump it up. Place the angel (parents) or star (me) on top last.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I don't mind the snow, especially if I don't have to drive in it, but it's the ice I can't stand.

12. Can you ice skate? Nope, can't snow ski either. I learned on roller skates and water skis and they are both completely different.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Two years ago my mom had teddy bears made for my brother and me out of my great grandmother's old mink fur coat. As a child though, my favorite gift was probably a keyboard from my grandparents.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Oh, do I have to pick just one? Alright, I guess I'll say fudge although I really enjoy those Christmas cookies as well.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? It used to be that we would go into town to see the huge display of lights that took up an entire block that a married couple would put up every year. Unfortunately they stopped putting it up around five years ago when they fell into some bad health, and this year the husband passed away. Now, I'd have to say how we take our time on Christmas morning and open our presents one at a time so we can see what everyone got and we can enjoy the giving portion of the holiday.

17. What tops your tree? Only a star will ever top my tree. My mom has to have an angel on her tree even though she collects old-fashioned Santas and has one that's a tree topper.

18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving? I'd have to say giving, though the receiving is nice. There's just something about searching for that perfect gift for someone special.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Wow, that's a tough one. I have favorite versions of Christmas songs that I prefer, but for my all-time favorite song I guess I'd pick "Twelve Days of Christmas."

That was a fun meme. Feel free to complete it on your own!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2006-12-01T20:53:00.000-06:00

Well, so much for posting every day in November. I got super-busy finishing up my audit and making up work after I got sick, then I got super-busy learning and singing songs for my chorus as we prepare for our holiday concert. Oh yeah, and then there was the five days I spent at my parents' house over Thanksgiving. Last night was the first night in quite some time when I was actually able to sit down and just relax. Part of that was because we got off of work early in anticipation of our first big winter storm, and even though it took me two hours to drive home last night when it normally takes 15 minutes, I still got home at a decent time.

We've been busy doing our big annual planning meeting at work for the past two days, so working from home was not an option. Yesterday we got freezing rain and sleet all day long after it rained all night the night before. When all of that water freezes it can make for some slippery roads, hence the two hour drive home last night. I knew I was going to have to get up early this morning to scrape off my car and get to work on time. What I didn't know was all of the other problems I was going to have.

Problem No. 1 - This morning, I woke up with a start because my alarm didn't go off. I looked over at the clock and there was no time showing because the power had gone off in the middle of the night. Luckily it was only 6:30 and I still had an hour and a half before I had to be at work. I skipped the shower due to lack of time and lack of electricity and I was out the door by 7:00 with my snow boots on because it had snowed about four inches overnight on top of the sleet.

Problem No. 2 - Unfortunately I couldn't get my stupid car door to open because it was frozen shut. I pounded on the car for about 15 minutes and ultimately gave up and used some hot water to open the door (I know, you're not supposed to do that, but what else was I going to do?). I started the car and the process of scraping the layers of ice and snow. At this point the guys from the electric company showed up and asked me if my building was without power. They said there was a limb down on the lines behind my building and while they hoped they could fix it there may be another problem keeping the power off somewhere else. I thanked them for their hard work and finished scraping off my car.

Problem No. 3 - I started backing the car out of my parking spot but I wasn't moving. My tires were spinning on the thick layer of ice that I parked on last night after the freezing rain and sleet. I did every trick I could think of to get out of that spot but I wasn't budging. Plus, I was hesitant to do anything too crazy because I had another car parked right next to me. The guys from the electrical company we coming back to their truck from behind my building so I flagged them down. "Do you think you guys could give me a push?" I asked in my best damsel-in-distress voice. Luckily the guys were nice enough to give me a hand and after quite a bit of pushing I was out of my spot and on my way. The side streets were still pretty slick so I drove very carefully.

Problem No. 4 - Damn the stoplights though, because as I was getting ready to turn onto the main road I started spinning my tires again. The one car in front of me made it through the light without much of a problem but I was just barely moving. Luckily I was not rolling backwards as there was a car right behind me. The light turned yellow and then red but I wasn't about to stop as I actually had some momentum going in my favor. It took me another light cycle to get through the intersection but I finally made it through without hitting anyone and without anyone hitting me. Once I got on the highway I was fine and I only ended up being a few minutes late to work (and wasn't the last one there by a long shot). It stopped snowing around 10:00 and I could see the roads were being cleared nicely. I made it home in really good time.

Problem No. 5 - Wouldn't you freaking know it, though, that no one had come to plow the condo's parking lot? I had no choice but to park in the same slick spot I got stuck in this morning. I nearly got stuck halfway in to the spot, but I was able to back up and pull in again. So unless it melts tomorrow there's a good chance I won't be going anywhere this weekend.

Don't you just love winter weather?

Beautiful Day (Part 2)

2006-11-09T21:19:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness! We won the Senate too!!! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined we'd get BOTH houses!

Of course, my pessimistic side now comes out. I wonder, what ridiculous laws will the lame duck Republicans pass between now and January 3 when the Democrats take over? I guess we'll just have to wait and see - and keep our fingers crossed.

Beautiful Day

2006-11-08T17:25:00.000-06:00

Am I dreaming? Did we just have the elections? With the results that we just had?

I'd forgotten what it was like to win an election. I'm still in a bit of disbelief and want to wait until the final, final numbers are in before celebrating too much. But I guess we can safely say that the good guys have regained control of the House. We're still waiting on the end result for Senate control though - I wonder if we'll have to wait for the recount before the winner gets projected?

Missouri had one of the most watched Senate races in the country, and I was happy to see that we held up our end of the deal this year. I've lived in Missouri all of my life and except for Jean Carnahan's two year term in place of her late husband from 2001-2002, I can't remember a time when we ever had a Democratic senator.** It should be an interesting couple of years until the presidential elections in 2008.

**I was curious to see who the Missouri senators were during my lifetime, so I decided to look it up. According to this page on the Missouri Secretary of State website, Thomas Eagleton was senator from 1969-1987 and a guy I've never heard of named Stuart Symington (which, after reading a bit of his bio I'm ashamed I've never heard of him) was senator from 1953-1976. I don't think I had any idea who our senators were until probably around the presidential election in 1988. That was when I remember taking my first real interest in politics.

This Woman's Work

2006-11-04T18:05:00.000-06:00

Because I've missed so much work by being sick the past two weeks, my boss helpfully suggested yesterday that I could come in to work today. She would be able to help me with some questions because she had to be at work to oversee an inventory count. So I couldn't exactly say that I didn't want to work on a Saturday since she was working a Saturday. Needless to say I worked at the office today from about 8 until 2. I even got to bring work home with me to do tomorrow - fun.

I've got to admit that I'm not really sure I like my new job, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I have to work this weekend - honest. I love the company I work for and I really enjoy the people I work with, but I'm not sure I enjoy auditing that much. When I was originally looking for a job I ideally was hoping for something involving preparing financial statements or controlling the books. I really wasn't interesting in auditing again until this job was offered to me.

The main reason I took the auditing job was because I wanted to get my foot in the door with this company, and it was understood from the beginning that this position was a job that I would eventually rotate out of. Upon my hiring my boss asked that I give two to three years to the auditing department. Needless to say, I'm thinking about talking to her about rotating out sooner rather than later. Unfortunately it is company policy to inform your supervisor if you are applying for another job within the company. And wouldn't you know, there is currently an opening for a senior accountant position that I think I would really enjoy.

Hopefully I haven't lost all of my readers due to my failure to post on a regular basis. If there are any of you left out there, what do you think I should do? Should I talk to my boss about rotating out or should I just grin and bear it for another year and a half?

Speak

2006-11-03T19:46:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it? It's November 3rd and this is my third post in November! A post a day - what a freakin' concept!

Well folks, you've probably noticed that the elections are upon us. If you haven't, where the hell have you been? Everywhere you turn there's a political ad - on TV, on the radio, in the newspaper, on the Internet. It's usually this time of year that I'm so sick of it all that I could just shoot myself. But it's also around this time of year that I try to encourage you all to do your civic duty and cast your ballot.

The most common excuse I've heard for not voting is not that the person forgot to vote, but that the person didn't feel like they knew enough about the issues to vote for one person over another. I've got to tell you, if you're telling yourself that you don't know enough about the issues then you already know more than a lot of people who refuse to hear both sides of the issue. Trust your gut and go vote, dammit! Or, take a few minutes and do a little research online. Go to sites that you trust or agree with and find out who they support. The right to vote is so important and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

This Tuesday, November 7, make your voice heard. I don't care who you vote for, just vote!

Talk

2006-11-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am home sick again today. I just can't seem to shake this cold and cough! Oh well, I'll have all the time in the world to recover when I get fired from my job for taking too much time off.

Thanks to Jenorama for today's post. I've actually posted two days in a row!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
The South
The Inland North
The Northeast
Philadelphia
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

2006-11-01T19:24:00.000-06:00

Apparently there's a big push in the blogging world to publish a post a day in November. Jenorama is officially participating in NaBloPoMo but I think I'll just try and unofficially participate. I don't need to win anything, I just need a bit of motivation to get posting again. So I'll do my best to post something every day for the next month, but don't be surprised if this post is at the top of this website for the next week.

My dear friend Erica, who turned another year older on Sunday despite the fact that I forgot her birthday (sorry girl!), procured several free tickets to the opening night of Monty Python's Spamalot at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. I was excited to go and thrilled to get out of the house as I've been sick with a terrible sinus infection for the past week. Several of us went even though it was Halloween, and we had a great time.

I've never been a huge Monty Python fan, and I have only seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, on which the musical is based, once before. I tell you though, I don't think it matters if you are a fan of Monty Python or not because this musical was hilarious. There were parts where I was practically crying because I was laughing so hard. If you get the chance, go see a production of this show. You'll be glad you did. And if you can go for free, even better!

We Are The Champions!

2006-10-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

The St. Louis Cardinals are the World Champions!!! I think I'm still in a state of disbelief. We surprised and shocked everyone by just making it to the post-season, let alone winning the whole thing. I didn't want to blog anything about it for fear of jinxing it or making it real or something. But it doesn't matter now - we're number one! I've been sick for the past three days but I'm really hoping to at least make it to the champions' parade. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I plan on enjoying it!

In the famous words of the late, great Jack Buck, "That's a winner! A World Series winner for the Cardinals!"

Please Please Please

2006-10-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Do me a favor? Go visit Ms. Q's blog and send her some good wishes. She got word yesterday that her son is now stationed in Baghdad. She's obviously very proud but very worried. Tell her I sent you.

The Name Game

2006-10-17T14:32:00.000-05:00

Stolen from Ms. Q:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Apparently, I do not live in the U.S. This is news to me!

Sing A Song

2006-10-04T23:54:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in my last post that I was trying out for a women's chorus on Tuesday. Well, yesterday I tried out and I passed the audition. It was any wonder I made it considering the listening CD they provided me to prepare for the audition was in the wrong key. But I had the part down and was able to adjust to the correct key just fine once I found my pitch. So yea me! If nothing else I really enjoy getting out of the house and just doing something, which is made that much easier because the women are all so incredibly nice. It should be a lot of fun, and I'm really excited to sing again!

The Good Life

2006-10-01T15:23:00.000-05:00

Boy, two whole posts during the month of September. I guess that's what happens when you're super busy but there's nothing substantial going on. I'm going to blame my new TiVo as well since I can now watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report again.

The wedding last Saturday was fabulous. I saw many friends that I hadn't seen in a long time, I only wish I had had more time to talk with all of them. By some miracle I didn't cry at the wedding. I think it was because I see Karl and Jes all of the time and I see how happy they are together each time, so seeing their joy at the wedding was nothing new to me.

Two new pieces of information in my life, neither of which is too terribly exciting. One is that I'm joining a women's chorus. It's nice to have a musical outlet again. I try out on Tuesday - hopefully I won't completely blow it. The second is that I got new glasses. They're much different than my old glasses. I'd post a picture but I haven't showered today and I look like crap - maybe when I have some makeup on and my hair done.

I'm still painting my condo. The kitchen, living room, hallway and master bedroom are done. I have yet to start on the guest bedroom and the two bathrooms though. I'm hoping that I can get them all primed next weekend and painted the weekend after. In addition, the electrical receptacles will be replaced sometime in the next couple of weeks I hope (it depends on when I can get my electrician over to work on them).

Congrats to the Cards for pulling out the win of the NL Central. I honestly thought they were going to blow it but thankfully Houston lost.

Chapel of Love

2006-09-22T23:47:00.000-05:00

In approximately twelve hours one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world will be getting married to one of my favoritest people in the whole wide world. Needless to say, this union makes me very happy. And since I won't be able to give a toast to the happy couple because I will break down in tears (I'm even crying as I type this), I thought I'd share my toast with you all.

Jes: Because you have made my friend so utterly happy I will forever be grateful to you. You have brought a light to his life that I have never seen in him before. You make me believe that my perfect someone is out there somewhere because I truly think you and Karl are soulmates, and boy is that nice to see. I'm so happy that you've not only become a part of Karl's life but a part of mine as well. Welcome to the "family."

Karl: You know how I feel about you. You are not just a friend to me, you are my brother in spirit. In the nine-plus years since you first asked if I'd like to tag along with you and a group of your friends for a trip to the drive-in theater, you have been there for me. I have always been able to count on you, whether it be for one of my yearly moves or for a shoulder to cry on. I am thrilled that you have found your true love and I am excited about the journey through life you two are getting ready to take together. It's really nice to see you so completely happy, and I know I have Jes to thank for that.

Congratulations to you two. I love you both.

Death Is Not The End

2006-09-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

I just read here that Ann Richards passed away at the age of 73 from esophageal cancer. I met her briefly at our hotel during the March for Women's Lives in D.C. a couple of years ago. I always admired how she got straight to the point and didn't ever mince words. The Democratic Party has lost a true champion.

That's Life

2006-08-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been over two weeks since my last post. A lot's been going on, so let's get to it!

- Jes, Vanessa and I painted two-thirds of my condo. It's already looking 100 times better. I should be able to finish it all up this weekend and post some before and after pictures (just for you, Michelle).

- Last weekend I went home for my town fair. Most of the weekend was spent in the beer garden with old friends and family. It was a lot of fun.

- Except for when I first got there, the first thing my mom said to me was, "Honey, I've got some bad news," which is never a good way to start things. My cousin and his seven-months'-pregnant wife lost their baby boy. They were so excited for this baby and it's just so sad that this happened to them.

- Then, my best friend from high school informed me that her 13-year-old niece had to have a 4-centimeter tumor removed from her brain the day before. She's doing okay considering, and they're hopeful that she'll have a full recovery.

- On the way back from home I nearly crashed my car on a busy Interstate. It was pouring rain and despite the fact that I was only going 45 mph I hit a slick spot and lost control. I nearly hit a wall and then I crossed over four lanes of traffic before doing a complete 360 and ending up back in my original lane. By some complete miracle I didn't hit anyone and no one hit me. I was really shaken up and pulled off the road for about 30 minutes so the rain would let up and I could recover a bit.

- Five minutes after recovering and getting back on the Interstate the rain completely stopped and I nearly saw a tornado drop from the sky. The black clouds were swirling and a funnel was forming but it dissipated as quickly as it formed. It was weird and I just wanted to get out of their as quickly (and as safely) as I could.

- Last night my department at work had the company suite at Busch Stadium and I took Erica with me. We lost miserably, but the great seats and the free food and booze made up for it. We had a great time.

Needless to say, my emotions have been all over the place lately. Sorry I haven't posted in a while - I'll try to do better.

Head Games

2006-08-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

This morning I had to be at work at 6:30 a.m. Isn't that crazy? I mean, I'm a professional! I earn a salary! I shouldn't have to be at work any earlier than 8:00 if I don't want to! Unfortunately I'm auditing a process where a lot of the data entry has to be done at that hour, and I had to be there to observe it. Lucky me.

I went to eat Chinese with a girl I met in training who works in a different department but in the same building as me. She's pretty cool and from conversations I've had with her it sounds like she's a liberal. And she's a big Nickel Creek fan. I may actually have to stay in touch with this one. Anyway we went to this Chinese restaurant I've been to before and I've always liked but today I wasn't impressed at all. I ordered Kung Pao Chicken and it tasted really salty and overcooked to me. And the peanuts were burnt - not cool.

Around 2:30 I was dragging. I had a headache that was weighing me down and I was really tired from getting up earlier than usual. I've recently made some changes to my diet and I'm trying to give up caffeine, but I thought it was weird that I was having a caffeine headache in the afternoon since I typically get them in the morning. Anyway, at 3:15 I emailed my boss and asked if I could leave at 3:30 since I had put in my 8 hours for the day and I wasn't feeling well. She walked by my cube and said "Go home! Get some rest!" So I did.

I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some bananas and was on my way home when it hit me. The Kung Pao was really salty. My headache hit me after lunch. Oh man, I bet there was MSG in the Chinese food! I couldn't believe it because I didn't think anyone used MSG any more. And it's been so long that I had forgotten how sensitive I was to it. Needless to say I won't be going back to that restaurant again. It's over six hours later and I still have a headache.

The Long Way Around

2006-08-09T20:59:00.000-05:00

It's official. The Dixie Chicks won't be coming to St. Louis. They won't be coming to Kansas City either. If I want to see them I'll have to go to Chicago next Tuesday or Nashville on Friday, December 1. So sad.

Don't Fear The Reaper

2006-08-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

The reason I was out in the sun all day on Saturday was because I went home to help my parents with an auction. My dad is an auctioneer. He's a good auctioneer. My mom clerks the auctions and my uncle and cousin are the ring men. My aunt typically is the cashier but two weeks ago she had to have a kidney removed, so I offered to help out in her absence. It was hot but there was a decent breeze that made being in the shade kind of nice actually.

My aunt is doing remarkably well and her doctor is calling her his miracle patient. She had a tumor completely encapsulated in her kidney so they just removed it. Apparently it didn't really matter if it was cancerous or not because they were so certain they removed it all. No radiation or chemotherapy required. She's very lucky.

My aunt's illness has kind of gotten me to think about my parents' mortality. Her kidney condition came out of nowhere. She has always been very good about going to the doctor for regular checkups because she used to work in a doctor's office but her sister, my mother, practically refuses to go to doctors. I worry about my mom because she smokes and her mother died of breast cancer. I harp on her to get her mammograms done but there is always some excuse not to.

My dad is at the doctor quite a bit actually. He has Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol, and he chews tobacco. He's been on some form of medication for as long as I can remember. At 18 he flunked his physical after he was drafted for Vietnam because he had ulcers. He told me when he turned 50 that he never thought he'd see that age because of his poor health. And even though Dad is very active on the farm and with archery he's always had a bit of a gut on him.

I've discussed with my mom what I should do if something should happen to them both. I've known for years which funeral home they want to use and where they want to be buried. My parents are only 56 years old but as the oldest child I felt that it was somehow my responsibility to know, just in case. And I pretty much know that someday I'm going to have to move back home should they need me to. I hope that I won't have to think about things like this for at least another 20 years, but you never know.

Hot In Herre

2006-08-02T19:49:00.000-05:00

So, um, it's hot. Freaking hot. Triple digit before heat index hot. I'm really hoping it cools off by this weekend because I'm going to be working outside all day on Saturday. And I will melt if I get too hot because I'm just too sweet.

My power flickered off for a little bit last night and it's threatening to do the same tonight. There are no storms in the area and no wind to speak of. Nope, just the heat causing people to use too much power.

That's it. I got nothing - the heat has drained it all away.

The Way You Look Tonight

2006-07-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

On Monday I started back on Weight Watchers. Yeah, it was time. I gained back all 55 pounds and then some that I had lost before when I was on the program. This time I'm doing a different version of WW called the Core Plan which has less counting points and more recognizing your body's signals. And I'm doing the online version which will work better with my schedule and my pocketbook.

Anyway, in my efforts to keep this blog from turning into a weight loss journal, I started another blog that I'm hesitant to give the address for because it has my weight and measurements on it. Chris, I wanted to let you know though that I had to steal some pictures from you that you took at the lake (that I cropped so no one else is pictured) because those were the most recent ones of me I had for the "before" pics. I won't bore you all with any more details - I just wanted to give you all a heads-up so you're not wondering why I'm not eating your fabulous homemade cheesecake.

E-leccc-tri-ci-ty, eeeeeee-leccc-tri-ci-ty

2006-07-25T21:20:00.000-05:00

I've had that School House Rock on electricity in my head since this whole mess with the power outages started. Things are finally starting to get back to normal here but at last count there are still over 100,000 people in the Metro area without power. And it's getting hot again - the temperature is supposed to be in the mid-90s all week with high humidity. Luckily most of the people I know have had their power restored.

So much for disaster preparedness, huh? It makes you wonder what would happen if something truly disastrous happened. I mean storms come through St. Louis all of the time, this one just happened to be a bit windier than normal. The electric company should have had more of a plan in place for a scenario like this. Hopefully they will get their acts together and get some terrestrial lines laid.

Ain't That A Kick In The Head

2006-07-21T17:50:00.000-05:00

No thunderstorms last night - not even a drop of rain - yet there were some today. Can I become a meteorologist so I can make money just guessing at the weather? That seems to be what the meteorologists here do. Unreal.

So the thunderstorms brought 70 mph winds today which wasn't quite as bad as the 80+ mph winds from Wednesday evening but still enough to do some more damage. But just as the electrical company lowered the number of those without power from 450,000 to 320,000, 200,000 more people lost theirs either for the first time or again bringing the total without power to 570,000 (I don't know what kind of crazy math the electrical company is doing but 320 + 200 does not equal 570). It is much cooler now though and temps should only be in the 80s all weekend.

By some miracle I was once again spared. It doesn't even appear that my lights at home flickered. I swear I'm going to run out of luck one of these days.

Stormy Weather

2006-07-20T18:16:00.000-05:00

Wow! Boy do I feel fortunate. Apparently I got off extremely easy when it came to the storm. I have power. That's more than I can say for about 400,000 of my fellow St. Louisans. Go here to read Karl's account of the storm - it sounds like he and Jes won't have power for at least three days. If Erica's power is still out when she gets home tonight I'll be housing her for the unforeseeable future. Hurricane-force winds topping 80 mph will do that. And guess what? More thunderstorms this evening! So fun!

Missouri Governor Baby Blunt mobilized the National Guard and declared a state of emergency due to the destruction and the heat. The temperature only got up to about 97 at the airport with heat index of about 113, but I still wouldn't have wanted to be without air conditioning today. I've only heard of two deaths so far today, I really hope I don't hear about any more.

Super Freak

2006-07-20T06:48:00.000-05:00

We just had a freak thunderstorm move through StL and its 60+ mph winds knocked out my power about an hour ago (it’s Wednesday evening at around 8:15 as I type this). So since I can’t watch T.V. or surf the Internet with my computer, and I’ve done all of the Sudoku I can do right now, I thought I’d write a blog and post it when the power comes back on. Ah, the beauty of laptops – I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a desktop.

I say that this was a freak storm because sometimes in the Midwest storms just pop out of the sky and often times the meteorologists can’t predict them. I don’t think this storm was in the forecast but this time of year you just learn to go with the flow where the weather is concerned. I’m hoping that the rain will maybe cut some of this heat we are having and that the temperature will be cooler than the 103 degrees they are predicting for tomorrow, which will feel like 115-120 with the humidity (and I wish I was kidding on those numbers).

The sky is an eerie red color right now since we are getting close to dusk and the clouds can’t decide if they want to clear. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a storm like this with a huge squall line of wind coming through prior to the actual storm itself, and I’m sure that the oddness of the storm was due to the extreme heat we had today (which is a result of global warming – go see An Inconvenient Truth if you haven’t already). The tornado sirens went off right before the rain started but the wind never even got close to being as bad as it was with the first wave.* Other areas of town may not have been so lucky though and I’m sure everyone will have a story tomorrow at work.

Speaking of work, I finished one segment of my training today. We sped through the materials and finished around 2:15 or so. A few of the new employees that I met in my training class and I decided that we’d go get a couple of drinks since we were not expecting to be done until around 4:00 or so.** It was nice to get to know some people who’ve shared a similar work experience to me. We all work in different departments and different buildings but we agreed that we’d try to get together for happy hour in the future.

*Yes, I was watching the storm out my window even after the tornado sirens went off. The sirens have almost become a “boy who cried wolf” type thing in that they sound them every time the county comes under a tornado warning, which in this part of the country is quite a bit. It doesn’t matter how big the county you live in is, they sound it throughout. Needless to say, I take the unsafe stance of watching the storm to see what develops instead of taking shelter immediately.

**Yes, I went for drinks at 2:15 this afternoon. And I got paid for it. I considered it to be a continuation of training and an exercise to become better acquainted with my fellow co-workers. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

UPDATE: The power here came back on sometime over night. Apparently there are lots of debris and power outages throughout town and a building downtown collapsed as a result of the storm. According to the electrical company this is the worst storm in its 120 year history and thousands of people are still without power. The weather forecast for today hasn’t changed unfortunately. Stay cool, people.

Soaring randomly

2006-07-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

Anyone else about ready to melt? Just me? Wow, I knew I was sweet but I had no idea! It only (only!) got up to 98 degrees today here in StL, which actually wasn't even close to the record of 112 set back in 1954. But here in this town that is nestled between the two largest rivers in the country we have this little thing called humidity, which leads to a thing called the heat index. So it actually felt like it was about 105 degrees outside today. Tomorrow is supposed to be like today but on Thursday the actual temp is supposed to be 103 BEFORE the humidity is factored in, and you know it's going to be humid since it's supposed to storm that night. Ick!

Here's another random item. Gas prices are INSANE! Yesterday I reluctantly filled up my car at $2.959, which I thought was rather expensive. But boy I'm glad I did because today at the same station the price was $3.079. That's a $0.12 jump in just one day! I know that we here in StL are supposed to have some of the lowest gas prices in the country, and for the most part we've had our gas stay under $3 a gallon. I guess there's just something about seeing it go over $3 that is rather frightening. But do you think that maybe we could have some more gradual raising of the prices and not such a drastic increase? Unreal.

Week One

2006-07-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

I must say "So far, so good" with the new job. I think I'll be in training with the new company until Christmas but that's sometimes a good thing. The atmosphere is a complete 180 from the one at my old job and they really want me to learn about the company as opposed to keeping me in the dark about everything that's going on. I did actually get to do some audit work today - nothing too difficult but it will take me a little time to get used to the new way of doing things.

I really haven't been sleeping very well this week. I think I've been too nervous and too excited to be well rested. When I did sleep I had some really funky dreams, none of which I can remember unfortunately.

I'm also back at my heaviest weight ever which I'm sure can't help the sleep situation either. Once things settle down a bit and I get a paycheck I'm going to get back on Weight Watchers. I had lost 55 pounds with them before so I know it will work if I just stick with it. I know I can do it if I would just put my mind to it. It's hard for me because I use my excess weight as an excuse for so many things in my life that are difficult for me to own up to. I'm holding myself back - I know this. But as odd as it my sound I wear my weight like armor and I'm afraid of getting hurt if I lose it.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty happy in most areas of my life right now (save one I guess). With the job situation going well I guess it's time to tackle some other areas of my life that may not be to my liking. Boy did this post turned into something that I wasn't expecting!

Day Two

2006-07-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

Today was filled with exciting administrative stuff such as setting up my folders on the network, configuring my calendar and figuring out the new systems. I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the new stuff but I know that I'll catch on to it all eventually. I received my calendar of projects today for the next month and I will start my first audit on my own in less than four weeks. Eek!

Everyone I met today was super nice. I got to go out to lunch with most of the people in my department and I believe I could get along with all of them. One of my coworkers took me on a tour of the buildings and I saw the two women from my old firm that now work for my new company. They were both very excited I was joining them. I heard nothing but complete praise for the company and I can already tell that I'm going to love it.

And the best part? I can go through the supply catalog and order anything I want! I don't know what I did to deserve such grandeur. I kid you not, at my old firm the pencils were kept under lock and key. This level of trust with supplies is amazing!

First day

2006-07-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

Today was my first day at my new job. I can tell you this from today - I'm going to like working for this company. I already feel like I am an important part of the company and I can't remember feeling like more than the hired help at my old job. Actually I take that back - the only reason I was valued at my old job was because of the knowledge I obtained while working there, but as a person they couldn't have cared less about me.

Today basically consisted of filling out paperwork, getting an overview of the company, and learning how the company does things on their computer network. They took our fingerprints so we could get our background checked (I hope that there aren't any skeletons in my closet!) and we had to take our pictures for our security badges.

Tomorrow I will actually get to go to my department and receive additional training as well as finish signing up for my benefits and such. Then next Tuesday and Wednesday I will complete my training with seminars concentrating on making our customers happy.

It's weird going from such a small company to a large one that knows what they are doing and knows how to treat their employees and their customers. Yeah, I think I'm going to like it here.

Relaxing? Yeah right.

2006-07-09T14:02:00.000-05:00

My dad and my sister-in-law both called last night to let me know they got home okay. I am spending today recovering from the craziness that was this week. You know how when you live in a town you never do the touristy things in that town? Not so this week. I did many things here that I'd never done before.

On Sunday my SIL's mom got tickets for herself, Bro, SIL and me to go to the Cardinals game on Sunday. Bro and SIL were so excited to see the new ballpark. It helped our enjoyment factor that we won the game and that Pujols, Rolen and Edmonds all hit homeruns. After the game we got frozen custard at another fine St. Louis institution.

My mom and dad came in on Tuesday and we grilled steaks at SIL's mom's house (yes, I had a steak and am no longer a vegetarian - to be honest six months without meat was longer than I thought I'd go). We decided to stay in and watch the fireworks from the house instead of going where there would be huge crowds, and I think we had a better time staying in.

On Wednesday morning Mom, Dad and I went to buy them a new computer since theirs died right before they came to visit. That afternoon Mom, Dad, Bro, SIL and I took a tour of The Brewery. Neither my brother nor I had been before and my parents hadn't been in 35 years. My dad was asking all kinds of questions of the tour guide. I think he may be considering doing a little home brew, but that would mean that Mom and Dad would have to drink something other than Busch Light. We ordered St. Louis-style pizza at my condo and sat outside and talked for the rest of the evening.

Thursday morning I made brunch and then Mom, Dad and I went to find them some shoes they could wear at archery tournaments. We met Bro, SIL and SIL's mom at a restaurant on The Hill for some good Italian. After dinner we met up with Karl at the Missouri Botanical Garden to see the glass art exhibit showing there.

On Friday Mom, Dad, Bro, SIL and I went to the St. Louis Zoo, also something I've never done before which is very strange because it has free admission. Karl and Jes met us there and we walked around all afternoon. It really is a nice zoo and I should have gone long ago - I won't wait so long for the next time. We took the evening off since Bro and SIL went to see some friends so I helped Dad set up his new computer.

Yesterday we all met for lunch and then they were all on their way. I'm so glad we all were able to get together as it's so rare that it happens any more. I had a great time and the week went by much too quickly.

Happy 4th!

2006-07-04T09:20:00.000-05:00

It's quite amazing to me that this is my sixth Independence Day since I've lived in St. Louis but this is the first one I am spending here in town. My parents are driving in today and we will join my brother, sister-in-law and her mother for some Fourth of July festivities this evening. Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Executive decision

2006-07-01T21:05:00.000-05:00

I've decided that no paint or primer (which has finally been purchased by the way) will go on the walls before or during the time when my parents stay with me. Dad had mentioned that he didn't want to have to smell paint fumes while he was here, and I just don't have time to get it done before then. I will do as much prep work as I can and have blue tape everywhere when they arrive, but I want to have a good time while my family is in town, and more importantly I want them to have a good time. I'll send them some "after" pictures when it's done.

I still have lots to do before they get here. I didn't realize how much time it would take to tape off the trim and fixtures. My goal now is to get as much taping done as I can and when they leave I'll take off the switch plates and the existing blinds. Then hopefully I can convince some friends to help me bang it out in one weekend - prime one day, paint the next. Maybe I should have taken two weeks off in between jobs...nah, I don't think I could have afforded to do that.

Freedom

2006-06-30T15:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm officially unemployed for a week. I had two (two!) boxes of stuff to take home from the office, not to mention my frames with my diploma and my certificates.

I pissed off the manager on the tax season job one last time before I left because I sent an email to people at the client telling them that it was my last day and if they had any questions to contact the manager. I went in to say goodbye to him and he spouted, "I really wish you hadn't done that. I've been getting all kinds of phone calls."

I told him that I was sorry but I had asked the HR partner (who is also the partner on that client) and he said it would be okay to let them know, to which the manager said, "Oh."

I know the manager was not happy I was leaving but I did nothing wrong, and I've even offered to help them if they need it. I've been more than nice to them about my leaving and for him to react that way was uncalled for. I later found out from the receptionist that only one phone call from the client had been transferred, and since there are no direct lines I'm pretty sure that's the only call he received. Oh well, he was going to have to deal with it sooner or later.

So now that I am officially in between jobs I need to concentrate on having a good time this week. My brother and sister-in-law are coming to StL this week to visit her mom, and then my parents are driving down on the 4th and are staying with me until Sunday. I'm looking forward to having the whole family together again, and spending time with them is exactly what the doctor ordered for me.

Speaking of independence, I found this fun little quiz to see if you have what it takes to pass the U.S. citizenship test. In case you are wondering I got a 95% on it but I consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the subject of Civics. Enjoy!

Loose ends

2006-06-29T21:20:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my last day at the firm. All I have left to do is the review of the junior on my jobs, finish my time sheet, pack and turn in my keys. I think it will start to hit me when I take my stuff to my car. I really hope I can make it through the day without crying.

We had a happy hour tonight to send me off and tomorrow morning there will be Rice Krispie Treats in my honor. Many people are going to take vacation tomorrow so I've already said some goodbyes. The managing partner called me into his office earlier this week to reiterate what the HR partner told me. He said that if the new job didn't work out that they'd love to have me back. Everyone has been great and I'm very appreciative of that.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the second junior on my tax season job quit this week as well. He was leaving to go to another firm so they let him go immediately. The first junior was freaking before but now he's REALLY freaking.

No regrets

2006-06-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

I got to work a little early this morning hoping to catch the partner in charge of HR before everyone else got to work. Unfortunately the managing partner was in talking to him until right at 8:00. So at 8, with letter in hand, I asked the partner if he had a second to talk. I handed him the letter and he asked what it was knowing full well what it was. I said that I was resigning, then I burst into tears.

I am notorious around the office for crying. I'll admit it, I'm a big baby. Last year was the first year that I didn't cry during our annual performance review but boy it was close. My work performance is something I take very seriously. Talking about it makes me anxious and I tend to cry when I get anxious. I know it's going to happen so I prepare for it, but I just can't stop the waterworks.

The partner was very gracious and asked me a few questions that I answered for him. He asked me not to tell anyone in the office until he had a chance to talk with the other partners and the managers. I agreed and waited for about an hour and a half when one of the other partners walked into my office and was asking me about my new job. My office mate, who had no idea that I was quitting, was hearing this for the first time second hand from the partner. So when he left she turned to me and I said, "So, I guess you know now that I'm quitting." She said, "Yeah, I wasn't sure I was hearing the partner right at first but it was kind of obvious." She was sad to see me leave but very excited for me, especially since she knew that I wasn't planning on being in public accounting forever.

The HR partner called me back into his office and said that they didn't want me to leave and asked what it would take to get me to stay. I said that my leaving had nothing to do with money and that it was going to have to be one HELL of an offer. He asked why I wanted to leave and I told him that I didn't want to be in public accounting any more. I told him that I couldn't handle the long hours and that I had no idea how they did it with spouses and kids. He even asked if they pushed my tax season hours back to 40 a week if I'd stay. I told him as firmly as I could that I wanted to move on to a company that I could see myself advancing in. He knew that there was no way I was going to be convinced to stay, but that didn't stop him from half-jokingly asking a few more times later on that day.

I talked to the manager on my tax season job next. I sat down in his office and I told him pretty much the same thing I told the partner. He said that he was disappointed that I was leaving to which I said that it was nothing personal and that they would be fine without me. I wanted him to know that if they had any questions they could call me and I'd gladly help. I told him I'd get as much done as I could before I left which I think he really appreciated.

Next I went to talk to the guy who was the junior on both of my big jobs. Luckily I found him alone in an empty office so I broke the news to him. He looked like a deer in headlights when I said I was quitting. I told him that he had come a long way in the past year and that he'd do a fine job but that didn't stop him from freaking out a little bit. I said that I knew exactly how he felt but he'd be fine.

By this point the HR partner had sent an email to everyone saying that I had accepted a position with a private company and to join the partners in congratulating me. Everyone was very nice and excited for me, but to say they were surprised was an understatement. I did my best to hide the fact that I was looking for a new job but I was sure that some people suspected it if for nothing else but the fact that I'd been there for five years. I told everyone that I was sad to be leaving such great people and that I'd be in to see them sometime. They were all really supportive and seemed genuinely excited for me.

So that's it. I'm sure the HR partner will ask me if I've changed my mind a few more times before I leave. I put in two weeks but we agreed that it would be easier for everyone if my last day was June 30 since it's the end of a pay period and the end of the firm's fiscal year. We'll have a happy hour sometime to celebrate my new job and to honor the time I've put into the firm. I really did learn a lot during my time with these people and despite my political differences with most of them I really enjoyed working at the firm. It's hard to leave but I'm so excited about what lies ahead.

New beginnings

2006-06-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

OK, so now I feel pretty comfortable telling you all about my big newsie-news. For the past few weeks I've been interviewing for a new job. Today I was offered a position and I have accepted it. Barring a clean background check and a negative drug test, I will be working in the internal audit department for a large, growing company here in St. Louis. I am VERY excited about the opportunities available to me at my new company and I am really looking forward to my new job.

I am not, however, looking forward to handing in my resignation tomorrow morning. There will be many conferences among the partners, many closed door meetings and much whispering from my co-workers. I am very nervous about it and just want things to go smoothly. There's a chance they'll send me home tomorrow with a quick "See ya!" but I'm hoping they'll let me finish out my two weeks, or at least let me work until the end of the month, so I can get a few more things done before I leave and so my co-workers don't have to pick up my slack too much.

So yeah, good news for me. I've been pretty confident but nervous since my second interview with them last Tuesday because I really wanted this job, and I'm completely thrilled to have gotten the offer. And I'm completely thrilled that I will no longer have to work 75-hour weeks for the first three and a half months of the year any more.

Good news

2006-06-21T14:33:00.000-05:00

I just got the good news I've been waiting for. I'll fill you all in on it later.

Still nuttin'

2006-06-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm still waiting to hear about my newsie-news. I was informed that I would find out about the stuff today so I'm a bit upset and concerned that I haven't heard about it yet. If I don't hear tomorrow I may go a bit crazy.

On top of not hearing about my stuff today, I was supposed to go buy paint tonight with the help of my interior decorator. However when I got home I found blood on the living room carpet and my (somewhat) new futon cover. I examined the cats and sure enough Black Cat was bleeding from her back end. I cleaned the carpet the best I could and threw the futon cover in the washing machine, bid adieu to my interior decorator (who I had forgotten to call in my panic) and took the cat to the emergency vet.

I was surprised how quickly I got in to see the vet. The tech told me that her vitals were good, which made me feel a little better because my baby turned 10 this year and I'm concerned about her getting old. She told me she suspected that it was an abscessed anal gland from the look of her back side. The vet came in, took one glance, and confirmed the tech's suspicions. Apparently this is a pretty common condition in dogs but not so much in cats.

They cleaned up Black Cat and gave me some antibiotics for her. I'm supposed to give her a pill every morning and every night for a week. One problem - I'm supposed to go out of town this weekend. I don't know what I'm going to do but I'll figure it out. I'm just glad it wasn't anything more serious.

Nothing yet

2006-06-19T17:58:00.000-05:00

I'm nearly certain I'll know tomorrow. Continue keeping those fingers crossed for me - I'd appreciate all of the help I can get on this one.

Abracadabra

2006-06-18T15:46:00.000-05:00

I tend to not function very well when I feel like I'm in over my head. I pretty much just shut down and hope that I'll wake up one day and the project will magically be done. This is especially true when I have never done the project before and I have no idea what I'm doing. It's one of those things that you'd happily pay to have done for you if you had the money.

My latest project that I'm putting off is painting my condo. I've been trying to get the painting done since I moved in but I inevitably put it off for one reason or another (Bro's wedding, holidays, tax season, out of town, etc.). I've done the prep work for the painting and it's ready to go, I just need to go to the store, buy my supplies, and get it started.

For some stupid reason I can't bring myself to go to the store. I don't know what I'm afraid of. I don't know if it's the financial commitment involved in buying all of the paint and supplies. I don't know if it's the inconvenience involved while the painting is being completed. It may just be simple procrastination or the fact that I'm a slacker. It doesn't matter what the reason is, what matters is that I've had all weekend to work on this place but I found excuses to do other things instead.

My brother and sister-in-law are coming to town to visit her mother the first week of July. My parents are going to come down on the 4th and stay with me at my place for the rest of that week so they can see them as well. I really need to get everything done before my parents get here even though they've have offered to help with the painting.

Does anyone know of a good magician that works for cheap?

Which of the X-Men are you?

2006-06-15T16:27:00.000-05:00

You Are Jean Grey

Although your fate is often unknown, you always seem to survive (even after death).

Your mind is your greatest weapon, literally!

Powers: telepathy and telekinesis, the ability to project thoughts into the mind of others, communication with animals

Which of the X-Men Are You?

Waiting...

2006-06-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

I'm still waiting to hear on the stuff I can't talk about but I mentioned in the last post. I've received some positive feedback so far but I probably won't know the outcome until early next week or, if I'm lucky, later this week. I sure hope that the outcome is the one I want!

In case you were wondering the Race For The Cure went very well. It was a beautiful day and SOOO many people participated. For now St. Louis has the record for the largest race in the country, which isn't bad considering we're something like the 49th largest city in the U.S. (of course that doesn't factor in the entire Metro St. Louis - we do have some major urban sprawl here). I warned Vanessa that I probably wouldn't make it through the day without crying and sure enough as I crossed the finish line I shed a few tears. It was definitely worth all of the soreness that followed. Anyone up for it next year?

Oh yeah, hi!

2006-06-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't really posted this week. Once I got back to work on Tuesday (I called in sick on Monday) things just started getting crazy. I've got some stuff going on that I'm hesitant to blog about for fear of who might know about this blog and for fear of jinxing it, but I can tell you that things are going rather well with the stuff. I'll fill you all in on it later I'm sure.

Last night some of us went to see Phantom of the Opera at The Fabulous Fox. I crossed two things off of my life list last night: I had never seen Phantom performed live (I've known the music and the story for a long time and have seen the movie) and I had never been to the Fox. If you are ever in St. Louis and want something to do, go the Fox if you can - the theater is absolutely gorgeous and pictures do not do it justice.

Tomorrow Vanessa and I are ~~running~~ walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I will be participating in memory of my maternal grandmother who died in 1983 from breast cancer at the young age of 62. I was really close to my grandma and took her death really hard. I was just a few weeks shy of nine years old when she passed and she was the first person in my life who I was close to who had died. I remember my mom wouldn't let me go to the hospital to see her despite my arguments because she didn't want me to see her sick (I'm now so grateful that Mom refused). This is something I've wanted to do for a really long time - and some day I will actually run the 5K - if nothing else than to show that I remember Grandma fondly and still miss her to this day. Wish us luck!

I was afraid of that

2006-06-09T10:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems that the Dixie Chicks are having a bit of trouble selling concert tickets in the red states. However they are still having a show in StL but it's been pushed back to fall "due to overwhelming demand for the Dixie Chicks in Canada, England and Australia," which is cool if that is in fact the reason.

Would anyone be willing to go to the concert with me whenever they reschedule it?

Born and raised

2006-06-05T14:49:00.000-05:00

I know that many of you that read this blog know me personally but for those that don't you may not know that I am a hick. I grew up on a farm outside a town of 200 people. My high school graduating class had 38 people and I took classes in agriculture in high school. Our farm has been in the family for four generations and my father has (and his father before him had) a deep love of the earth, which I think is a must to be a farmer these days. As kids we would play in the dirt and run around in the fields and hide among the haystacks. We didn't have cable TV and satellites were unheard of until I was in high school so there wasn't much else to do but be outdoors.

I couldn't wait to get away from home when I was in high school. I was valedictorian of my senior class and was always seen as the smart one who was going to break free and make something of herself. I have such different views of the world than many of those at home that I never thought I would miss being away from there. But there are times when I find myself appreciating that simple way of life. As I get older I find myself enjoying my trips home more and understanding why my parents decided to stay on the farm when they had many opportunities to leave. Don't get me wrong though - I'm glad I left home to find myself and I don't plan on moving back any time soon. I just think I enjoy home more because I don't live there.

This past weekend my youngest cousin R got married. R is country through and through. He works full time at a plant but my dad hires him to help on the farm as well. R's new bride is also as country as they come. So their perfect wedding was a low key affair on a hill top overlooking the farm land that R played on and worked on as a child. The guys were in tuxes and cowboy hats while the bridemaids wore matching halter top gowns. They had a tent and chairs set up for guests and were married under a flower-filled archway trellis.

The reception was immediately following the ceremony and pictures. For dinner we were treated to barbecued pork sandwiches, baked beans, pasta salad, potato salad and cole slaw. Dessert was chocolate or vanilla wedding cake with mixed nuts and mints on the side. There was plenty of water and soda for the kids and our selection of alcoholic beverages consisted of Miller Lite, Bud Light, Busch Light, what we call "spolie" or you could BYOB. They had a DJ set up in the garage so people could dance and even sing a little karaoke. They also had set up one of those Moon Tents to keep the kids entertained.

I think when I was in high school I would have turned my nose down at the wedding and reception for not being fancy enough, but now I appreciate it for what it was. R and his wife love the country way of life and this was the ideal wedding and reception for them. It was very much like what I would assume a wedding would be like out west in the late 1800's, a cowboy wedding if you will. It was a beautiful day and I had an absolute blast drinking and hanging out with my family. But I think what I enjoyed more than anything was that I could be who I sometimes forget I am - a country girl who left home for a better life but still appreciates her roots.

Freaking out a little

2006-06-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

I was just about home after spending the evening having dinner with friends when I saw out of the corner of my eye a white blur. I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could and came to a complete stop, put the car in park and got out of my car to see if I could find the animal. I looked under the car but couldn't see anything when I remembered I had a flashlight in the glove box. I went around to the passenger side and that's when I saw it.

I got back in the driver's side and backed the car up but it was too late. The pretty white and black kitty had been smushed by my tire. I started freaking out thinking of my own kitties and how I wouldn't want to see them dead on the road like that. I didn't know what to do so I called Karl - no answer. So I tried Vanessa - again, no answer. I called Karl one more time and still nothing.

Karl called me back just as I got inside my door and asked what was up and I told him I killed a cat. I've hit animals with my car before (mainly squirrels but I did hit a fawn one time) but never someone's pet. I decided to call the non-emergency number of the local police and the nice lady on the phone said she would have someone from the street department come out in the morning to collect the dead animal.

This happened about 20 minutes ago and I'm still shaking. I hope that the street department gets to the cat before the owners do. I know there was nothing I could do but oh I feel absolutely sick.

Update: It's the next morning and on my way to work I noticed the kitty was still in the road. It sure was a pretty kitty. I hope the street department gets to it before the owners do.

Ha!

2006-05-31T13:55:00.000-05:00

Take that, country radio - love it!

Enron sidenote

2006-05-27T10:09:00.000-05:00

It seems that back in 1998, three years before the Enron collapse, the University of Missouri--Columbia (Hooray, hoorah, Mizzou, Mizzou!) received $1.1 million in Enron stock from one of their most noted graduates, Mr. Ken Lay (article here). The stocks, which Mizzou sold immediately upon receipt, were to be used to establish the Kenneth L. Lay Chair of Economics.

Now that Ken Lay has been found guilty of conspiracy and fraud Mizzou would like to find an alternative use for the funds, which now consist of $1.8 million due to interest and matches. The kicker is that upon the original conditions of the donation Lay must approve any change in the use of the gift.

Ideally I would like to see Mizzou give the money to the former Enron employees who lost everything upon Enron's collapse. But since Mizzou is not going to give up the money (Lay at one point asked that the money be donated to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston to which Mizzou refused claiming the money was their property - read a statement from Mizzou here) I tend to agree with sociology professor Clarence Lo who suggested that the university establish a scholarship fund to "waive all educational fees for former Enron employees and their family members." Do you think Lay will agree to that?

Just in time for Memorial Day

2006-05-26T15:20:00.000-05:00

I just found out from the local paper that the National Guard from my home county will be deployed in the fall, according to the release, "to serve on a mission in support of the Global War on Terrorism." There are a lot of people I know in the Guard up there, and a lot of them just got back from helping in the Gulf region after Hurricane Katrina. Yee-freakin'-haw.

My take on Enron

2006-05-26T11:31:00.000-05:00

Since I am a CPA and I see the effects of Enron every day, I thought I would post my somewhat unique thoughts on the scandal and the sentences handed down yesterday to Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling. Fair warning though - this is my take on what happened so some of my facts may be a bit off. Also, this could take a while so you may want to brace yourself.

I graduated college with my degree in Accounting right before Enron fell. While I was in school we studied Enron as an ideal business model and an example of a company that was a huge success. Right around the time I started my job as an auditor for a public accounting firm, Enron decided that they would need to restate their financial statements. Once word of this leaked, the true state of the company’s financial situation came to light and the stock price tanked leaving Enron’s employees’ retirement plans in the dust, and my chosen profession would change forever.

I guess I should explain the reason why Enron needed to restate their statements in case some of you are unsure. If you’ve been following the trials you’ve probably heard of the phrase “off-balance sheet partnerships.” If a partnership meets certain requirements, only the company’s income or loss is presented on the statements at the company’s percentage of ownership. One of those requirements is whether or not the company essentially has control over the partnership. Enron did not have a majority ownership and claimed they had no control over the partnerships, therefore they did not show any of the partnerships’ assets or liabilities on their balance sheet.

The problem with this was that the majority owners of the partnerships were officers and employees of Enron, including Andrew Fastow, the CFO of the company. In actuality, Enron didn’t meet the requirement that they did not have control of the partnership and Arthur Andersen failed to recognize that.

This brings up another issue – auditor independence. Our code of ethics tells us that auditors are to remain completely independent of those companies we audit. We cannot and close family members cannot be employed by the company or invest in the company. We must maintain a sense of professional and personal separation from the company. Arthur Andersen maintained a full-time office at Enron headquarters. The partner assigned to Enron had been the partner on that client for many years and was personal friends with many of Enron’s upper managers. It’s difficult to maintain independence when you basically work with and play with the employees of the company you are auditing. You also hate to lose a client that you make millions of dollars on. AA was asked to look past the partnerships and they did.

Here is my understanding of how Enron misstated their financial statements. While off-balance sheet partnerships can be a good thing if used properly, Enron used these partnerships in an unethical way. The partnerships would obtain bank loans with Enron as a guarantor of the loan. Enron would then sell some of its assets to the partnerships and record the gain on the sales as income. The partnerships would then depreciate the assets over its determined life instead of recording the money they spent on the assets as an expense. So what would happen is all of this income would hit Enron’s books boosting their bottom line while the only expense flowing through from the partnerships would be a fractional depreciation expense. The capital assets and the liabilities for the bank loans would be sitting on the partnerships’ books and wouldn’t be shown on Enron at all. If the auditors at AA would have looked closer at these partnerships they would have seen what was going on, and since Enron had control over the partnerships the balance sheet activity should have been shown on the statements. AA was negligent in their fiduciary duty to the stockholders of the company and eventually the firm collapsed.

Now, here’s where the fraud comes in. Upper management knew what was going on with the sales of the assets to the partnerships. They were manufacturing income and intentionally boosting their bottom line so the stock price would go up. Then they were lying to their employees and shareholders about the true status of the company. Fraud, fraud, fraud.

The insider trading charges stem from the fact that upper management dumped their stocks at a high price because they knew word would leak of what was really going on. Then instead of informing their shareholders of what they knew, they froze sales of the stock so the employees’ investments in their companies couldn’t be sold until after the stock price plunged. Entire retirement plans of employees who had devoted years of their lives to a company they believed in were gone in a matter of days because the employees failed to diversify their portfolios and invested entirely in their company’s stock.

So what do I think of the sentences handed down to Lay and Skilling? I think the jury definitely got it right. I hope when they are sentenced that they get the maximum allowed by law. I think that it’s despicable that they were more concerned about padding their pockets than the employees who gave their blood, sweat and tears to that company. But I really think that every penny that these people have should be divided up between the employees who lost their jobs and their futures.

The whole thing is just so sad.

Chicks rule!

2006-05-21T15:23:00.000-05:00

This Tuesday the new Dixie Chicks album, Taking the Long Way, is released. There was a great article on NYTimes.com today with their story of making the record and how they've dealt with the backlash from what they call, "The Incident."

I like every kind of music but my absolute favorite is that which can incorporate many different genres into a song but its roots are in bluegrass. So I pretty much loved the Chicks' music from the first song of theirs I heard. But I don't think I truly loved the band until "The Incident" - not only because of what Natalie Maines said but also the Chicks' reaction to it. From what I've heard of the new album it's pretty much a big "Fuck You" to the country music fans and the country radio stations that turned their backs on them so quickly.

I am buying the new album because I am a fan of the Dixie Chicks' music. I am buying the album on Tuesday because I am a fan of the Dixie Chicks.

My kind of town

2006-05-19T07:10:00.000-05:00

I'm off to Chicago today with Vanessa for a bit of a shopping spree at IKEA. I'm also hoping to hear some more about a potential job later this morning. Talk to you all later!

Whoops, spoke too soon

2006-05-17T11:15:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like I spoke too soon on the whole city of Black Jack saga. According to this report, the city rejected changing the law to allow three or more unmarried persons or persons related by blood to live together. Unreal.

Ah, if only

2006-05-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

From SNL: If Al Gore were President

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

2006-05-13T18:59:00.000-05:00

Stolen from Kazoofus, though in all fairness I saw it somewhere else first I just can't remember where.

You Are a Soy Latte

At your best, you are: free spirited, down to earth, and relaxed

At your worst, you are: dogmatic and picky

You drink coffee when: you need a pick me up, and green tea isn't cutting it

Your caffeine addiction level: medium

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

I'm not sure about this one - my caffeine addiction is a pretty strong one in my opinion.