Totally random. No pictures. So sorry....
#1 - If a medication warns "may cause drowsiness" or *insert side-effect here*, my body is all up on it. In other words, I'm the worst kind of mcwimpy.
#2 - I have never ever never in my entire life pressed the infamous "snooze" button on any alarm. I just flat out reset it for another time if it is inconvenient for me to wake up at the time of the unwelcomed interruption of my sleep.
#3 - I REFUSE to eat clam chowder. No, I've never tried it...or even clams all by their lonesome...but the very idea grosses me out.
#4 - With the exception of Target, Z-Gallerie, and Hobby Lobby, I prefer to avoid stores and shop on-line.
#5 - I appear to be a Groupon junkie. In under 2 weeks, I have purchased 6 Groupons. Um...all purchases were made with the intention of pampering myself or providing me with entertainment. I'm selfish like that...
#6 - I have an obsession with the show Gossip Girl. I feel like a cougar for being ridiculously intrigued by one of the actors who is *only* 10 years my junior. In 3 weeks time, I have watched all 4 1/2 seasons. Don't judge...
Okay, that's all I can come up with.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
M.I.A.
Apparently I went missing again. Not from the real world, but I've been relatively quiet on the social media front. I think, as a whole, I'm not very happy with this year. That makes me sound like a spoiled brat when you read what I've been up to in my absence, but doing things and feeling things are sometimes two VERY different things. Does that make sense?
October 18th was the last time I blogged. 6 weeks ago. Bad Blogger. Here are the highlights of things that happened during my disappearing act...
Painting Class
I bought a Groupon for one of those painting classes at Merlot to Masterpiece a while ago. It took a bit of coordination to get some friends and fellow bloggers (Kim, Amanda, Marg, and Britt) together, but we finally managed to swing it. Here is what the "goal" was supposed to look like:
Here was my finished (and framed) product:
The group shot:
Vacation
I headed to Chicago at the end of October to hang with family and participate in The Monster Dash. My cousin Courtney and I walked 13.1 decked out in Angry Birds gear. It was Courtney's first (and I'm told last) half and I promised her we would stay together. I never left her side and we finished it.
While in Chicago, I made sure to eat all my favorite foods. I hit up Portillo's twice - the first time for Italian beef and the second time for hot dogs. We may or may not have managed to get the car towed while on our hot dog run during rush hour traffic downtown. =/
I managed to pick-up some of my favorite candies from Fannie May - most notably Trinidads.
Of course, the best breakfast in the world can be found at Walker Bros. Pancake House. Carbo-loading at its finest.
Post race, Courtney and I indulged on the BEST Chicago-style pizza EVER - Lou Malnati's.
Although it's hard to beat the BBQ of the South, Famous Dave's is quite delicious especially when hanging out with some wonderful cousins!
While downtown, I got to experience Chicago from the tourist perspective instead of my usual in and out of our designated commitments routine. It was a nice change of pace. I saw the famous Forever Marilyn statue (26 feet tall) and the Cloud Gate.
Management Meetings
Not even 2 weeks after my Chicago vacation, I set-off for Chicago again for my company's annual Management Meetings and Award Banquet. Every year a book serves as the theme for the meetings and the upcoming year. This year, Ubuntu! was the chosen one. The basic concept is that "I am because we are" and that "we are all in this together". In short...teamwork. I have to say that some of my disgruntlement regarding work this past year has been as a result of a lack of teamwork, so this book and theme were much needed and appreciated (and will hopefully pay off).
After arriving in Chicago on Thursday, 11/10, all the managers (traveling from 12 Service Centers located nationwide) were whisked away to check into our hotel and then managed a caravan downtown to meet up with all the management of our headquarters to the Signature Lounge at the 96th Floor of the John Hancock building for a marvelous dinner (and an open bar).
Friday was filled with various meetings and followed-up with our Award Banquet. Upper management has been really great about giving us monthly and quarterly statistics so most of us had a basic idea of our rankings in each category, but there is always one award whose recipient is always a mystery - the Service Center (SC) of the year award. This award originated 8 years ago. My SC won it for the first time in 2008. We won it for the second time in 2009 becoming the 2nd SC to manage a repeat. Then came 2010...we had dreamed of a 3-peat just to end up in 6th place (boo!). I had a plan to win it back. I can honestly say I worked the hardest I ever have in all my 12 1/2 years with this same company. It paid off! Now the only problem with being #1 is that there is a large target on your back! =)
On Saturday we spent half a day finishing up our meetings and then it was off to my aunt and uncle's house to hang with family for the evening. Wouldn't you know we managed to get our happy Lou Malnati's pizza for dinner!
Thanksgiving
Apparently I like to fly every 2 weeks. =/ I only get sick EVERY time, but no big deal. So we decided to resume our annual Thanksgiving trip to Vegas despite the fact that younger sister Linda and brother-in-law Craig were not going to be able to join us because of the upcoming arrival of their first child. Older sister Cathy figured out that this was our 15th Thanksgiving in Vegas. We spent 14 of them in a row, but detoured to Orlando last year for a fun-filled week in Disney and Universal Studios.
My parents stayed at the Venetian while the "kids" resided in my grandmother's condo located a couple of miles from The Strip. This year was a bit different, though. Normally we manage a movie or two walking from The Venetian all the way down to the Showcase movie theater by the MGM. This year, we didn't see a single flick. I also normally hang out at Casino Royale, but...not this time. I mostly gambled away at The Venetian, the Palazzo, and the Las Vegas Hilton (because it was located across the street from our condo).
We did swing a show - taking in Sting at Caesar's Palace. It was in the Celine Dion theater, so a more intimate setting. I loved listening to the background story of how his songs were conceived and I have mad appreciation for his violinist who made amazing music!
The ladies swung a spa day! My mom treated older sister Cathy, sister-in-law April, and me to a spa treatment at the Canyon Ranch Spa located in The Venetian. I chose a European facial and experienced rejuvenation in my skin! I literally felt my skin glowing the rest of the day. Upon completion of our respective services, we spent over 2 hours in the wonderment that is the spa-experience...the Hot Tub, Steam Room, Sauna, Herbal Laconium, the Igloo (yes, as cold as it sounds) Salt Grotto, and Wave Room while sipping on orange-infused water and delicious herbal teas.
Though I pretty much came home a big loser, I had some really nice hits throughout my gaming that kept the days fun and entertaining. My favorite slot machines this year were Quick Hits and Hot Shots. I will definitely be revisiting them next year!
And that's about it in a nutshell. Hopefully I will be posting more frequently since it is now "the most wonderful time of the year!" I leave you with this pretty dress displayed at The Venetian:
October 18th was the last time I blogged. 6 weeks ago. Bad Blogger. Here are the highlights of things that happened during my disappearing act...
Painting Class
I bought a Groupon for one of those painting classes at Merlot to Masterpiece a while ago. It took a bit of coordination to get some friends and fellow bloggers (Kim, Amanda, Marg, and Britt) together, but we finally managed to swing it. Here is what the "goal" was supposed to look like:
Here was my finished (and framed) product:
The group shot:
 |
| Top Row - Amanda, Me, Kim Bottom Row - Marg, Britt |
Vacation
I headed to Chicago at the end of October to hang with family and participate in The Monster Dash. My cousin Courtney and I walked 13.1 decked out in Angry Birds gear. It was Courtney's first (and I'm told last) half and I promised her we would stay together. I never left her side and we finished it.
While in Chicago, I made sure to eat all my favorite foods. I hit up Portillo's twice - the first time for Italian beef and the second time for hot dogs. We may or may not have managed to get the car towed while on our hot dog run during rush hour traffic downtown. =/
I managed to pick-up some of my favorite candies from Fannie May - most notably Trinidads.
 |
| The beauty of a Trinidad lies in its decadent layers of rich, creamy real dark chocolate, covered in a golden toasted coconut shell. |
Of course, the best breakfast in the world can be found at Walker Bros. Pancake House. Carbo-loading at its finest.
Post race, Courtney and I indulged on the BEST Chicago-style pizza EVER - Lou Malnati's.
Although it's hard to beat the BBQ of the South, Famous Dave's is quite delicious especially when hanging out with some wonderful cousins!
While downtown, I got to experience Chicago from the tourist perspective instead of my usual in and out of our designated commitments routine. It was a nice change of pace. I saw the famous Forever Marilyn statue (26 feet tall) and the Cloud Gate.
Management Meetings
Not even 2 weeks after my Chicago vacation, I set-off for Chicago again for my company's annual Management Meetings and Award Banquet. Every year a book serves as the theme for the meetings and the upcoming year. This year, Ubuntu! was the chosen one. The basic concept is that "I am because we are" and that "we are all in this together". In short...teamwork. I have to say that some of my disgruntlement regarding work this past year has been as a result of a lack of teamwork, so this book and theme were much needed and appreciated (and will hopefully pay off).
After arriving in Chicago on Thursday, 11/10, all the managers (traveling from 12 Service Centers located nationwide) were whisked away to check into our hotel and then managed a caravan downtown to meet up with all the management of our headquarters to the Signature Lounge at the 96th Floor of the John Hancock building for a marvelous dinner (and an open bar).
Friday was filled with various meetings and followed-up with our Award Banquet. Upper management has been really great about giving us monthly and quarterly statistics so most of us had a basic idea of our rankings in each category, but there is always one award whose recipient is always a mystery - the Service Center (SC) of the year award. This award originated 8 years ago. My SC won it for the first time in 2008. We won it for the second time in 2009 becoming the 2nd SC to manage a repeat. Then came 2010...we had dreamed of a 3-peat just to end up in 6th place (boo!). I had a plan to win it back. I can honestly say I worked the hardest I ever have in all my 12 1/2 years with this same company. It paid off! Now the only problem with being #1 is that there is a large target on your back! =)
On Saturday we spent half a day finishing up our meetings and then it was off to my aunt and uncle's house to hang with family for the evening. Wouldn't you know we managed to get our happy Lou Malnati's pizza for dinner!
Thanksgiving
Apparently I like to fly every 2 weeks. =/ I only get sick EVERY time, but no big deal. So we decided to resume our annual Thanksgiving trip to Vegas despite the fact that younger sister Linda and brother-in-law Craig were not going to be able to join us because of the upcoming arrival of their first child. Older sister Cathy figured out that this was our 15th Thanksgiving in Vegas. We spent 14 of them in a row, but detoured to Orlando last year for a fun-filled week in Disney and Universal Studios.
My parents stayed at the Venetian while the "kids" resided in my grandmother's condo located a couple of miles from The Strip. This year was a bit different, though. Normally we manage a movie or two walking from The Venetian all the way down to the Showcase movie theater by the MGM. This year, we didn't see a single flick. I also normally hang out at Casino Royale, but...not this time. I mostly gambled away at The Venetian, the Palazzo, and the Las Vegas Hilton (because it was located across the street from our condo).
We did swing a show - taking in Sting at Caesar's Palace. It was in the Celine Dion theater, so a more intimate setting. I loved listening to the background story of how his songs were conceived and I have mad appreciation for his violinist who made amazing music!
The ladies swung a spa day! My mom treated older sister Cathy, sister-in-law April, and me to a spa treatment at the Canyon Ranch Spa located in The Venetian. I chose a European facial and experienced rejuvenation in my skin! I literally felt my skin glowing the rest of the day. Upon completion of our respective services, we spent over 2 hours in the wonderment that is the spa-experience...the Hot Tub, Steam Room, Sauna, Herbal Laconium, the Igloo (yes, as cold as it sounds) Salt Grotto, and Wave Room while sipping on orange-infused water and delicious herbal teas.
Though I pretty much came home a big loser, I had some really nice hits throughout my gaming that kept the days fun and entertaining. My favorite slot machines this year were Quick Hits and Hot Shots. I will definitely be revisiting them next year!
And that's about it in a nutshell. Hopefully I will be posting more frequently since it is now "the most wonderful time of the year!" I leave you with this pretty dress displayed at The Venetian:
 |
| display dress made entirely of paper and ribbons |
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Losing someone...
Someone near and dear to me passed away today. Had I known death was on the table, I would have done things differently. I would have called him. I would have visited him. I would have made sure he knew how much I cared.
Death really puts things in perspective. It's sad that it comes down to that, though. It really is.
I woke up this morning and thought I better call this person.
I grew more and more frustrated as the day progressed and I kept coming up empty-eared as I tried to contact him. At first, I called his hospital room directly just for another man to answer the phone telling me he must have been moved. Then I called the hospital to reach him, growing more anxious as the seconds ticked by before my call was transferred. I was then told his line was busy and asked if I wanted to speak to the nurse's station or if I wanted to call back. I opted to call back. This was the routine for 3 additional calls placed today. I finally gave up at the end of my work day, vowing to reach him tomorrow.
Only problem is that there is no tomorrow. As soon as I drove into my garage this evening, I received a phone call that he had passed away this afternoon.
Had I known? Maybe, in the back of my mind. Was it still shocking to me? Yes, yes it was.
Who was this man? He was one of my employees, a team member. He always managed to put a smile on my face. I knew him long before I became his "boss lady" (as he liked to call me) because my father hired him about 8 years before I joined that very same team. He helped move me into my dorm room in college. Then he helped move me out. He always asked me how my monsters were doing and how my training and races were going. He came to me when I was doing well with my weight loss so that I could help him do the same. He called me while on the road just to check in and see how everything was going. Many a tall tales this man spun, much to my delight. He had a booming voice that would announce his presence long before he was seen. He had a way with words that was both funny and endearing. He had great respect for my family and a genuine love for our company, always taking pride in his work.
We may not like all of our employees or co-workers, in fact we probably just tolerate the vast majority of them. That was not the case for me with this guy. I loved him and will miss him terribly. He may no longer be on this earth, but he will never be forgotten. RIP Big Papa.
Death really puts things in perspective. It's sad that it comes down to that, though. It really is.
I woke up this morning and thought I better call this person.
I grew more and more frustrated as the day progressed and I kept coming up empty-eared as I tried to contact him. At first, I called his hospital room directly just for another man to answer the phone telling me he must have been moved. Then I called the hospital to reach him, growing more anxious as the seconds ticked by before my call was transferred. I was then told his line was busy and asked if I wanted to speak to the nurse's station or if I wanted to call back. I opted to call back. This was the routine for 3 additional calls placed today. I finally gave up at the end of my work day, vowing to reach him tomorrow.
Only problem is that there is no tomorrow. As soon as I drove into my garage this evening, I received a phone call that he had passed away this afternoon.
Had I known? Maybe, in the back of my mind. Was it still shocking to me? Yes, yes it was.
Who was this man? He was one of my employees, a team member. He always managed to put a smile on my face. I knew him long before I became his "boss lady" (as he liked to call me) because my father hired him about 8 years before I joined that very same team. He helped move me into my dorm room in college. Then he helped move me out. He always asked me how my monsters were doing and how my training and races were going. He came to me when I was doing well with my weight loss so that I could help him do the same. He called me while on the road just to check in and see how everything was going. Many a tall tales this man spun, much to my delight. He had a booming voice that would announce his presence long before he was seen. He had a way with words that was both funny and endearing. He had great respect for my family and a genuine love for our company, always taking pride in his work.
We may not like all of our employees or co-workers, in fact we probably just tolerate the vast majority of them. That was not the case for me with this guy. I loved him and will miss him terribly. He may no longer be on this earth, but he will never be forgotten. RIP Big Papa.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Baby Shower!!!
Saturday evening was the baby shower for Linda and Craig! Isn't Linda a cute preggo?
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| Linda at almost 30 weeks |
Our mom put a lot of thought into the decorations. Here are just some of them:
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| front view of the "diaper cake" motorcyle my mom made |
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| side view |
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| rear view |
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other side view |
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| Baby Craig - couldn't get the pic to rotate. =/ |
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| Baby Linda |
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| pouting Linda? nah...it's a pouting Kimpossible that was put up on the board in error. no worries, it was later removed. |
Games were played, but not your typical baby shower fare. Ever seen the show Minute to Win it? 5 games were chosen from the tv show, but instead of having 1 minute to complete the task, the guests were competing against each other.
We played "Hanky Panky" which had the players empting Kleenex boxes one tissue at a time as fast as they could go.
We played "Baby Blockin'" which had the players stacking 5 baby blocks on top of each other upon a paper plate placed on their respective heads.
We played "Baby Bottles" which had the players drinking 4 oz. of beer or soda (their choice) out of a baby bottle.
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| Hey lookie there...it's Melissa from beerrunner - she represented the girls! |
We played "Separation Anxiety" which had the players sorting M&Ms by color in a specific order one by one.
And...last, but not least, we played "Jingle in the Trunk" which had the players wiggling their bodies to displace 5 jingle bells from inside a Kleenex box tied to their wastes.
It was fun to see so much participation - from both the guys and the girls!!!
We had appetizers of jalapeno poppers, taquitos, fruit salsa with pita chips, chips & queso, and of course a fruit salad.
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| carved with love by Kimpossible! |
Of course it wouldn't be a party without cake. We had a caramel tres leches cake and a chocolate tres leches cake courtesy of Rao's Bakery.
And...let us not forget the party favors:
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| candy "bar" party favors |
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Here is what they received courtesy of me, Cathy, Jay, Eddie and April:
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Beaba Babycook  |
All and all, it was a wonderful baby shower! Congrats to Linda and Craig on the upcoming arrival of their baby boy!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Seven Random Things
I received a nomination for a blogger award! This makes me happy! =)
Heidi from The Sweet Life was so thoughtful to include me in her post. Thanks, Heidi!!!
Here's how it works...in order to "claim" the award, I have to handle some business.
The rules of this nomination are:
I get to tell you seven random things about myself as well as pass on the award to seven other great bloggers (see below).
Nominees, in order to accept this award you must:
-Thank and link back to the person who awarded you
-Write seven random things about yourself.
-Award seven other awesome and inspiring bloggers.
My Random Facts:
1. More often than not, while watching a television program I recorded on my DVR I don't actually forward through the commercials. I use that time to do "other things".
2. I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse twice a day, every day. The neti pot scares me.
3. While at a movie with younger sister Linda, I constantly turn to look at her reaction to whatever is going on. I know this seems weird, but weirder still is her lack of reaction to things. She doesn't laugh at hilarious happenings. She doesn't jump at the sight of spooky stuff. She doesn't cry during catastrophic events. She has forbidden me from sitting next to her, but sometimes I plot to make it happen anyway.
4. I get really annoyed when anyoneinterrupts calls me while I'm driving in my car listening to an audio book.
5. I am a "crack" addict. Not in the way you are thinking. I just like to crack things on my body - my knuckles, my back, my neck, my feet, my toes, etc. Yes, I am aware this is not a good thing.
6. I never reapply my make-up during the day UNLESS I have some specific event I'm going to that evening - a date (haha...rarely that happens), a celebration of sorts, a business thingy, etc...
7. Who rides on her exercise bike without wearing shoes? This girl.
And the Nominees are (In no particular order):
1. That Pink Girl
2. Click. The Good News
3. (Just) Trying is for Little Girls
4. Everyday Ramblings from an Everyday Girl
5. Ginger's Junket
6. See Anna Run
7. Tales From the Back of the Pack
Heidi from The Sweet Life was so thoughtful to include me in her post. Thanks, Heidi!!!
Here's how it works...in order to "claim" the award, I have to handle some business.
The rules of this nomination are:
I get to tell you seven random things about myself as well as pass on the award to seven other great bloggers (see below).
Nominees, in order to accept this award you must:
-Thank and link back to the person who awarded you
-Write seven random things about yourself.
-Award seven other awesome and inspiring bloggers.
My Random Facts:
1. More often than not, while watching a television program I recorded on my DVR I don't actually forward through the commercials. I use that time to do "other things".
2. I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse twice a day, every day. The neti pot scares me.
3. While at a movie with younger sister Linda, I constantly turn to look at her reaction to whatever is going on. I know this seems weird, but weirder still is her lack of reaction to things. She doesn't laugh at hilarious happenings. She doesn't jump at the sight of spooky stuff. She doesn't cry during catastrophic events. She has forbidden me from sitting next to her, but sometimes I plot to make it happen anyway.
4. I get really annoyed when anyone
5. I am a "crack" addict. Not in the way you are thinking. I just like to crack things on my body - my knuckles, my back, my neck, my feet, my toes, etc. Yes, I am aware this is not a good thing.
6. I never reapply my make-up during the day UNLESS I have some specific event I'm going to that evening - a date (haha...rarely that happens), a celebration of sorts, a business thingy, etc...
7. Who rides on her exercise bike without wearing shoes? This girl.
And the Nominees are (In no particular order):
1. That Pink Girl
2. Click. The Good News
3. (Just) Trying is for Little Girls
4. Everyday Ramblings from an Everyday Girl
5. Ginger's Junket
6. See Anna Run
7. Tales From the Back of the Pack
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Venting...
My sister's baby shower is this weekend. It's gonna be so fun (even though it's a couples shower and I'm not part of a couple). I had to throw that in there - ha!
My siblings and I like to group our money together to buy presents for whatever gift bearing occassion is coming our way - it's just how we roll. The baby shower is no different. We decided how much we were wanting to spend so that I could pick out the gifts accordingly.
Strategically I stalked the registry to determine the best use of our combined money. I settled on 3 things, but I can't tell you which 3 things in the off-chance younger sister Linda is reading this (sometimes she gets bored, you see).
I headed on over to BabiesRUs during my lunch break to purchase the items. Well, wouldn't you know that first and foremost the store didn't even have one of the items despite the registry claiming it did. Second hit was that if they did have it, they were selling it for $23 (plus tax) more in-store than on-line. WHAT?! WHY?! Obnoxious. I then went to the second item I planned on purchasing and discovered it, too, was more expensive in-store than on-line - by $14 (plus tax) this time. I asked an employee what the deal was and she said that sometimes there are sales on-line. Oh, okay. Obnoxious.
My strategerie was for the purchase of those three items because of their combined cost. I like to maximize the funds. So, I felt compelled to stick with those items in lieu of switching up the gifts to meet the money-goal, if that makes sense. I have no doubt I would have encountered similar issues with other products anyway.
I then went back to my office...and purchased those 2 items on-line for a savings of $40 (this time including tax). One of them I can even pick up at the very same store I visited during lunch. What's the point of any of this other than just to annoy your customers?
Oh and in case you are so very worried about the 3rd item, I bought that through other means altogether. Don't ask. Just trust me...it was the right way to go. And...no, there is no danger of someone buying it off the registry, so we are cool. Promise.
UGH...and now they sent me an automatic email with the shipping address for the one item directly to my sister. I don't want it sent to her house - I specified my work address for shipping. I've had it with BabiesRUs!!!
I will post pics and all that jazz from the baby shower on Monday!
My siblings and I like to group our money together to buy presents for whatever gift bearing occassion is coming our way - it's just how we roll. The baby shower is no different. We decided how much we were wanting to spend so that I could pick out the gifts accordingly.
Strategically I stalked the registry to determine the best use of our combined money. I settled on 3 things, but I can't tell you which 3 things in the off-chance younger sister Linda is reading this (sometimes she gets bored, you see).
I headed on over to BabiesRUs during my lunch break to purchase the items. Well, wouldn't you know that first and foremost the store didn't even have one of the items despite the registry claiming it did. Second hit was that if they did have it, they were selling it for $23 (plus tax) more in-store than on-line. WHAT?! WHY?! Obnoxious. I then went to the second item I planned on purchasing and discovered it, too, was more expensive in-store than on-line - by $14 (plus tax) this time. I asked an employee what the deal was and she said that sometimes there are sales on-line. Oh, okay. Obnoxious.
My strategerie was for the purchase of those three items because of their combined cost. I like to maximize the funds. So, I felt compelled to stick with those items in lieu of switching up the gifts to meet the money-goal, if that makes sense. I have no doubt I would have encountered similar issues with other products anyway.
I then went back to my office...and purchased those 2 items on-line for a savings of $40 (this time including tax). One of them I can even pick up at the very same store I visited during lunch. What's the point of any of this other than just to annoy your customers?
Oh and in case you are so very worried about the 3rd item, I bought that through other means altogether. Don't ask. Just trust me...it was the right way to go. And...no, there is no danger of someone buying it off the registry, so we are cool. Promise.
UGH...and now they sent me an automatic email with the shipping address for the one item directly to my sister. I don't want it sent to her house - I specified my work address for shipping. I've had it with BabiesRUs!!!
I will post pics and all that jazz from the baby shower on Monday!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Kim versus The Race That Wasn't
A long time ago I signed up for See Jane Run. It would be my first all women's half and it would be in Austin. I honestly can't recall the last time I was in Austin. It was quite possibly my freshman year in college...uh...a long long time ago.
I decided to make a whole weekend of it, though probably I should have dropped the race all together given my ridiculous lack of training. Someone asked me why I was even going through with it. I said that dropping from it gave me a license to continue along on the bad path I've been traveling. Facing what would no doubt be yet another humbling/painful experience (see Kim versus The Half Marathon - Hottest Half) would hopefully be just what I need to once and for all get back on the right track.
I booked myself a room on Hotwire conveniently located a half a mile away from the "recommended hotel" (for significantly cheaper) and planned to leave after work on Friday. I was really looking forward to the escape.
As I drove into Austin on the same street as my hotel, dread began building in my very being for the road leading to my hotel was extremely hilly. I'm not dumb...I know Austin and the surrounding cities are called "the hill country", but seeing it was another story. My only race with true hills to date was the Orange County half I did back in May and those hills were brutal. Something told me this was going to be even worse!
I valet parked my car, lugged all my belongings to the lobby, and checked in. My room was lovely, really. A very comfy bed, a nice tv, and a strong cold blowing A/C. I didn't have any real set-in-stone plans other than hitting up the Expo the next morning and visiting with a friend from college who I had not seen since those good ol' days.
I woke up on Saturday morning and read a bit, played my FB games, showered, dressed, went down to the lame continental breakfast, back up to my room to do my hair, and headed out to the hotel the Expo was being held at - just a half mile away.
I got there early, so stopped at Starbucks for my non-fat lite salted caramel mocha frappacino (no whip) and played around on my phone until it was time.
I always find it awkward to do a race alone...especially out of town. I felt...lonely. I got my bib (no pins - rar), my t-shirt, and my goodie bag. I perused the vendors and got myself a free sample of Pinot Grigio courtesy of Barefoot and my free Luna bar sample, and then headed back to my hotel to examine my swag.
I read some more of my book and decided I should go find food. The night before, That Pink Girl recommended I go to Kirbey Lane for a meal. They are several around town, so I decided upon the original.
What a lovely atmosphere, a delicious menu, a nice waitstaff, and next to me sat a friendly woman who chatted with me throughout our respective meals. I ordered the Kirbey chicken which was a marinated grilled chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese mixed with kalamata olives and mushrooms. It was served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. I also had a mimosa and loads of iced tea. Seriously delicious meal! Seriously.
After lunch, I left out to go find my friend who lives in Round Rock. She hadn't changed a bit in appearance and we chatted and caught up while her nearly 2 year old napped. Right before he woke up, her parents arrived in town - visiting from Houston, as well. We had the most wonderful visit and they even took me to dinner at Fuddruckers that evening. After dinner, Monica took me to Academy so I could buy a hand-held for my race. I didn't want to bring my Camelbak - thinking it wasn't as hot as The Hottest Half and therefore a bit overkill for the race, but I also didn't want to only rely on the hydration stations as that as lead me to dehydration (cramping) in the past.
We said our goodbyes and I headed back to my hotel - hoping for a good night's rest. I never really sleep well before a race, by the way. Before I went to bed, I discovered an email from See Jane Run letting us know the medals had been lost by Fed-Ex, so that we would not be receiving one upon completion of the race, but once they were found they would mail them to us. This saddened me. It's nice to have that medal once you cross the finish line. Ah well...
I knew the forecast screamed rain, but that was the way the cookie crumbled, I supposed. I worried a bit about that and went to sleep waking up twice in the night. I never really sleep well before a race.
I woke up on Sunday morning, hopped in the shower, got dressed, geared up, threw back breakfast, and headed out in the rain. I was very confused while trying to park. There were no signs...just a bunch of fellow confused participants. I ended up riding around in circles for a half hour and then rolled down my window and asked someone once I noticed cars leaving. Turns out the race was canceled - no reschedule, no refunds. I felt somewhat relieved - again...wasn't prepared...wasn't happy about walking in the rain, but then I felt somewhat sad. I mean wasn't this the reason why I left town - spent money?! Didn't I want that pain and suffering to get me on task?! Wouldn't it have been awesome to start off my week with a 2,000 calorie burn?! What about my chocolate and champagne?!
These were posters at the Expo - there were more, but here are my faves:
I returned back to my hotel, crawled back into bed and read for a bit before dozing back to sleep for a bit. I then collected all my belongings and checked out - riding back home to Houston in a whole bunch of much needed rain.
It was a nice get-away in that I was able to visit with an old friend, but really...the whole trip just left me feeling lonely. It could be that it's "that time of year" or the rain. It could be many things. Maybe I was just missing the camaraderie I would have felt on that race course.
So, I have no race to report, no finishing song...BUT, I do have a next stop! It's the Monster Dash in Chicago on October 29th. Costumes are encouraged and I'm working on mine. Right now I feel motivated to battle the bulge and train for the race, so cheers to a fresh start and 3 weeks to get ready!
I decided to make a whole weekend of it, though probably I should have dropped the race all together given my ridiculous lack of training. Someone asked me why I was even going through with it. I said that dropping from it gave me a license to continue along on the bad path I've been traveling. Facing what would no doubt be yet another humbling/painful experience (see Kim versus The Half Marathon - Hottest Half) would hopefully be just what I need to once and for all get back on the right track.
I booked myself a room on Hotwire conveniently located a half a mile away from the "recommended hotel" (for significantly cheaper) and planned to leave after work on Friday. I was really looking forward to the escape.
As I drove into Austin on the same street as my hotel, dread began building in my very being for the road leading to my hotel was extremely hilly. I'm not dumb...I know Austin and the surrounding cities are called "the hill country", but seeing it was another story. My only race with true hills to date was the Orange County half I did back in May and those hills were brutal. Something told me this was going to be even worse!
I valet parked my car, lugged all my belongings to the lobby, and checked in. My room was lovely, really. A very comfy bed, a nice tv, and a strong cold blowing A/C. I didn't have any real set-in-stone plans other than hitting up the Expo the next morning and visiting with a friend from college who I had not seen since those good ol' days.
I woke up on Saturday morning and read a bit, played my FB games, showered, dressed, went down to the lame continental breakfast, back up to my room to do my hair, and headed out to the hotel the Expo was being held at - just a half mile away.
 |
| sCaRy pic of me - hahaha! |
I always find it awkward to do a race alone...especially out of town. I felt...lonely. I got my bib (no pins - rar), my t-shirt, and my goodie bag. I perused the vendors and got myself a free sample of Pinot Grigio courtesy of Barefoot and my free Luna bar sample, and then headed back to my hotel to examine my swag.
I read some more of my book and decided I should go find food. The night before, That Pink Girl recommended I go to Kirbey Lane for a meal. They are several around town, so I decided upon the original.
What a lovely atmosphere, a delicious menu, a nice waitstaff, and next to me sat a friendly woman who chatted with me throughout our respective meals. I ordered the Kirbey chicken which was a marinated grilled chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese mixed with kalamata olives and mushrooms. It was served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. I also had a mimosa and loads of iced tea. Seriously delicious meal! Seriously.
After lunch, I left out to go find my friend who lives in Round Rock. She hadn't changed a bit in appearance and we chatted and caught up while her nearly 2 year old napped. Right before he woke up, her parents arrived in town - visiting from Houston, as well. We had the most wonderful visit and they even took me to dinner at Fuddruckers that evening. After dinner, Monica took me to Academy so I could buy a hand-held for my race. I didn't want to bring my Camelbak - thinking it wasn't as hot as The Hottest Half and therefore a bit overkill for the race, but I also didn't want to only rely on the hydration stations as that as lead me to dehydration (cramping) in the past.
We said our goodbyes and I headed back to my hotel - hoping for a good night's rest. I never really sleep well before a race, by the way. Before I went to bed, I discovered an email from See Jane Run letting us know the medals had been lost by Fed-Ex, so that we would not be receiving one upon completion of the race, but once they were found they would mail them to us. This saddened me. It's nice to have that medal once you cross the finish line. Ah well...
I knew the forecast screamed rain, but that was the way the cookie crumbled, I supposed. I worried a bit about that and went to sleep waking up twice in the night. I never really sleep well before a race.
I woke up on Sunday morning, hopped in the shower, got dressed, geared up, threw back breakfast, and headed out in the rain. I was very confused while trying to park. There were no signs...just a bunch of fellow confused participants. I ended up riding around in circles for a half hour and then rolled down my window and asked someone once I noticed cars leaving. Turns out the race was canceled - no reschedule, no refunds. I felt somewhat relieved - again...wasn't prepared...wasn't happy about walking in the rain, but then I felt somewhat sad. I mean wasn't this the reason why I left town - spent money?! Didn't I want that pain and suffering to get me on task?! Wouldn't it have been awesome to start off my week with a 2,000 calorie burn?! What about my chocolate and champagne?!
These were posters at the Expo - there were more, but here are my faves:
I returned back to my hotel, crawled back into bed and read for a bit before dozing back to sleep for a bit. I then collected all my belongings and checked out - riding back home to Houston in a whole bunch of much needed rain.
It was a nice get-away in that I was able to visit with an old friend, but really...the whole trip just left me feeling lonely. It could be that it's "that time of year" or the rain. It could be many things. Maybe I was just missing the camaraderie I would have felt on that race course.
So, I have no race to report, no finishing song...BUT, I do have a next stop! It's the Monster Dash in Chicago on October 29th. Costumes are encouraged and I'm working on mine. Right now I feel motivated to battle the bulge and train for the race, so cheers to a fresh start and 3 weeks to get ready!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Spoiled
I am spoiled rotten. The good news is that I'm the one doing the spoiling. The bad news is that 2 out of 3 people agree I don't deserve it (and I'm one of the peeps).
I decided I needed a pedicure...and a manicure BADLY. I really can't even say for sure when my last pedi was. All I know is that my toes (pre-pedi) look like this:
UGH!
My nails...well that's another horror story. I decided to stop getting refills a long time ago...I took the acrylic off myself. Awful! They went through their ridiculously flimsy/splitting cycle...and now they are stronger, but still ugly. I knew that I should totally get a mani so that other people wouldn't have to suffer at the sight of them, BUT...that would mean one of two things. Either I would have to let one ladybug work on my toes while another worked on my nails leaving me no hands to read a book OR I would have to be at the salon twice as long. No thanks to either...or um that was my thought process when I walked into the establishment. Upon completion of my pedi, I just knew I couldn't leave the premises until my nails looked presentable.
Onto the massage. I just develop such tension in my body - primarily my upper back, shoulders, and neck. I have a membership at Massage Envy - one that provides me with a massage a month for a very reasonable cost. More often than not, I go twice a month. I wonder how people go without...are they secretly suffering and don't know it? Do they have someone to provide this service free of charge (husband, boyfriend, etc)? Are they stress/tension free? Do tell! I decided I should get one before I go embarrass myself at yet another race ... you know ... to relaxi taxi my body before it goes through (deserved) hell.
I also stalk Groupon and Living Social deals for spa-type services in the Houston area on a daily basis. So far, I've purchased a hot stone massage (haven't used YET) and a facial.
So, yes...I'm spoiled and yes, I don't deserve it, but that's how my cookie crumbles.
Oh and here are my toes post-pedi:
MUCH better, eh?! =)
I decided I needed a pedicure...and a manicure BADLY. I really can't even say for sure when my last pedi was. All I know is that my toes (pre-pedi) look like this:
UGH!
My nails...well that's another horror story. I decided to stop getting refills a long time ago...I took the acrylic off myself. Awful! They went through their ridiculously flimsy/splitting cycle...and now they are stronger, but still ugly. I knew that I should totally get a mani so that other people wouldn't have to suffer at the sight of them, BUT...that would mean one of two things. Either I would have to let one ladybug work on my toes while another worked on my nails leaving me no hands to read a book OR I would have to be at the salon twice as long. No thanks to either...or um that was my thought process when I walked into the establishment. Upon completion of my pedi, I just knew I couldn't leave the premises until my nails looked presentable.
Onto the massage. I just develop such tension in my body - primarily my upper back, shoulders, and neck. I have a membership at Massage Envy - one that provides me with a massage a month for a very reasonable cost. More often than not, I go twice a month. I wonder how people go without...are they secretly suffering and don't know it? Do they have someone to provide this service free of charge (husband, boyfriend, etc)? Are they stress/tension free? Do tell! I decided I should get one before I go embarrass myself at yet another race ... you know ... to relaxi taxi my body before it goes through (deserved) hell.
I also stalk Groupon and Living Social deals for spa-type services in the Houston area on a daily basis. So far, I've purchased a hot stone massage (haven't used YET) and a facial.
So, yes...I'm spoiled and yes, I don't deserve it, but that's how my cookie crumbles.
Oh and here are my toes post-pedi:
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
*sigh* ... another "Kim"
I pulled another "Kim" today. What is a "Kim"? Well...usually it's when I do dumb things seemingly for other people's amusement, an Aggie moment kinda thing. In this case, my "Kim" made my dudes at work sad. I feel a little guilty about that, I really do.
Work decided this year that they wanted all of our service centers to provide a breakfast or lunch or ice-cream kinda shindig once a month or so in appreciation of our employees. This is relatively easy for most of our service centers as their head counts are significantly lower than mine. So, I am faced with the challenge of coming up with a shindig that will benefit as many of my dudes as possible without being too pricey.
My father and I decided to do a lunch this go-around. At first I thought about ordering a honey baked ham and then making baked beans, buying some potato salad, bread, and condiments. Then I saw the cost of a 1 1/2 hams and freaked out! For the same amount of money, I could go to Rudy's BBQ and get 15 lbs of meat, potato salad, beans, bread, pickles, onions, jalapenos, and iced tea. Oh...and the best part - no work on my behalf.
I ordered up the goods on Monday for pick-up today. My father and one of my dudes went to get the grub. I decided to serve it since the dudes have little to no control when it comes to food and I needed to make sure there were enough leftovers for those out on jobs today. They asked about the onions and jalapenos and I looked at everything we had and surmised Rudy's forgot to send it. Silly Rudy's. The guys were sooo disappointed. Poor dudes!
After everyone ate, I went to put away the leftovers and couldn't believe I had a whole pan left of potato salad. Those on jobs will be so excited. I decided to put the little bit of remnants from the other pan of potato salad into the full one to consolidate and imagine my shock when this:
turned out to be this:
Instead of more of this:
My "Kim" was that I assumed POJ was really POT and meant "potato salad" instead of "pickles, onions, jalapenos".
Poor dudes indeed.
The ones out on jobs will have a plethora of POJ, but hardly any POT. =/
*sigh* I need to keep my "Kims" in check.
Work decided this year that they wanted all of our service centers to provide a breakfast or lunch or ice-cream kinda shindig once a month or so in appreciation of our employees. This is relatively easy for most of our service centers as their head counts are significantly lower than mine. So, I am faced with the challenge of coming up with a shindig that will benefit as many of my dudes as possible without being too pricey.
My father and I decided to do a lunch this go-around. At first I thought about ordering a honey baked ham and then making baked beans, buying some potato salad, bread, and condiments. Then I saw the cost of a 1 1/2 hams and freaked out! For the same amount of money, I could go to Rudy's BBQ and get 15 lbs of meat, potato salad, beans, bread, pickles, onions, jalapenos, and iced tea. Oh...and the best part - no work on my behalf.
I ordered up the goods on Monday for pick-up today. My father and one of my dudes went to get the grub. I decided to serve it since the dudes have little to no control when it comes to food and I needed to make sure there were enough leftovers for those out on jobs today. They asked about the onions and jalapenos and I looked at everything we had and surmised Rudy's forgot to send it. Silly Rudy's. The guys were sooo disappointed. Poor dudes!
After everyone ate, I went to put away the leftovers and couldn't believe I had a whole pan left of potato salad. Those on jobs will be so excited. I decided to put the little bit of remnants from the other pan of potato salad into the full one to consolidate and imagine my shock when this:
turned out to be this:
My "Kim" was that I assumed POJ was really POT and meant "potato salad" instead of "pickles, onions, jalapenos".
Poor dudes indeed.
The ones out on jobs will have a plethora of POJ, but hardly any POT. =/
*sigh* I need to keep my "Kims" in check.
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