Entertain Me

Yesterday I was looking at my reading list and thinking, "Wow, I've read 17 books this year! That seems like so many!" Really, it's not. It's not even half of what I had planned to read this year. But it's probably more than I read in all 4 years of college combined (not counting books for classes). So it feels like something to me. :)

Instead of going to bed Saturday night, I stayed up and finished reading the last half of Joy in the Morning. It was such a good book, I wish it had never ended. It reminded me a lot of the J.D. Salinger books I loved so much in high school. Not in subject matter, really, but in tone. And the characters. I miss the Glass family...I should re-read his books sometime. I'm not sure exactly where they are, though.

Yesterday I bought the original Nancy Drew movies on DVD. There are 4 (it was a set), but I've only watched one so far. Well, I've seen most of one of the others, but that was on TV. They're really good! And Bonita Granville makes me laugh.

I really want to go to Starbucks and get a peppermint white mocha frappuccino, but I'm debating whether or not to also go to Dillons while I'm out. I can't wait to get my new debit card because writing checks is irritating.

Random Thoughts at Work

Tonight I work I had a shocking revelation: I actually like my job! I've gotten past the bullshit, have actually come to accept it. Of course there are times when I don't want to be there, but the pay is nice, and the work isn't really difficult. Plus I get to do three of my favorite things: listen to music, read (during my breaks), and think. Here are some of the thoughts I had tonight at work:

• The beginning of "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service feels like an epic game of ping pong between my ears.
• I'll never understand why Sondre Lerche isn't popular.
• I'll never understand why half the music I listen to isn't popular.
• I really love Joy in the Morning. It reminds me of the books I loved to read in high school.
• I should read an Agatha Christie book soon, mostly because I miss the phrase pukka sahib.
• Cheerios are the best food ever.
• I love my car.
• I'm having a crisis of conscience over a piece of mail I keyed. The zip code was written 72304, and it was addressed to Conway, AZ. The street was Dave Ward. I know in my heart that the zip code should've been 72034 and the state should've been Arkansas, so I keyed it that way. Is it more right to follow the rules or key a piece of mail to the correct destination?
• If I saw a piece of mail on my screen that was addressed to me, would it be like in the movies when someone visits themself in the future? Would my screen explode?
• It's taken me 6 years, but I finally really love the shoes I wore today.
• When I walked outside after work, it had rained and it felt exactly like an early spring morning in Arkansas. It even smelled the same.

Happy Halloween (I'm not dead)!!!

I guess this will be my only post for the month of October. Oops. :) I haven't been doing much, other than working. Last week I had my 90-day review, so my probation period is over now. It's weird to think that I've been working there for 3 months. Well, that includes training and everything, but still...three whole months, and I haven't made a single friend. That's weird, right?

Tomorrow night I start my cake decorating class at Cake Stuff. I'm mucho excited!

I need to get my oil changed soon-ish.

Brunch

This morning I had brunch with my mom, her bff Debbie, and Debbie's daughter Sara. We went to Eggs Cetera in Oldtown. I'd heard good things, but I'd never been there before. It was pretty good! No Something Brewing, of course, but really...what is? God I miss that place! Anyway, Eggs Cetera was nice (previously we'd done the brunch thing at The Good Egg, which is in Bradley Fair on the east side...a pretty good restaurant, although I can't remember what I had...quiche, maybe?). This morning I had a breakfast sandwich on a bagel with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, and cream cheese. Yum!! It came with a Waldorf salad, which was alright, and I also got a side of their house potatoes, which were NOT a good contrast to the salad. Bad move on my part. After brunch, we all sat around outside next to the parking garage across the street (where this picture was taken) and talked. Looking at this picture makes me wonder what a purse says about a woman...if anything. I asked my mom that question, and she looked at mine and said, "Uptight." Hmph. From left to right: Debbie, Sara, me, Mom.

Empowerment Day

I decided to spend today reminding myself that my personal happiness lies in my own hands. I got pretty for myself (straightening my hair for the first time in about a month!), and then I treated myself to coffee and beautiful California sunflowers and a long drive in my car. I spent the afternoon shopping with my mom at two of my favorite stores (Hallmark & Target). I almost got the sweetest freaking camera ever for my birthday, but it was sold out. Bitches. But a purple argyle sweater and a caramel frappuccino helped me bounce back in a snap.

After shopping, my mom & I met up with Tyler at Johnny Carino's, one of my favorite restaurants. I got pleasantly buzzed after a glass of my favorite wine, feasted on a honey-pecan salmon salad, and indulged in the dreamiest tiramisu I've ever had in my life. Talk about a fantastic birthday dinner! I even made it home in time to catch the season premiere of Ugly Betty, although I ended up sleeping through about it half of it.

Anyway, this has been one of the happiest & most satisfying birthdays of my life. I'm glad I took control of the situation and did what I wanted to do today, instead of sitting around and expecting everyone to read my mind. I know today wasn't really my birthday, but it was the perfect day to celebrate it.

I think I found my happy. Again.

Lemon Polka-Dot Birthday Cupcakes!

What the hell, Mother Nature?

So in my last post, I sing your praises for bringing autumn early. And in return, you bring us a week of 90-degree weather. This is unacceptable.

A Cure For Loneliness?

Not much has happened since the last time I posted. I'm still horribly lonely, but I'm trying to get over it.

Right now I'm in the process of autumn-izing my world. Luckily for me, the weather is cooperating! I figure autumn-ification is pretty darn difficult when you want to wear a sweater, but it's 100 degrees in the shade. For once, Mother Nature seems to agree. Anyway, my world smells like pumpkin & cinnamon, sounds like sweet slow jazz, and feels as warm and cozy as yo mama's womb. Translation: I've got pumpkin cupcakes in the oven, Madeleine Peyroux in the CD player, and socks on my feet.

I've decided to take a stained glass class and make my own damn mirror, because it's nicer than wanting my mom to die. Because I don't. That would be horrible!

Mum's Chubby Pumpkin!

END TOUR--GO HOME!

Since I've started this job (which, granted, was only a week ago), there have only been 2 whole nights when I didn't have to stay late. I guess maybe I shouldn't complain because I had originally been planning to sign up for a 7 and a half hour shift anyway. But at least that would've included a lunch break. I've been taking a snack with me to eat during my 10 minute break at the 4-hour mark, and usually that gives me enough energy to power through the last two or three hours, but man...not tonight! I'm exhausted and very hungry.

But tomorrow's my day off! And yesterday I found out that I'm not being mandated to work on Labor Day, so I actually get a full 2 days off this weekend.

I'm tired.

"The Minnow & The Trout"--A Fine Frenzy

Help me out,
Said the minnow to the trout
I was lost and found
Myself swimming in your mouth

Oh, help me chief,
I've got plans for you and me
I swear upon this riverbed,
I'll help you feel young again

Oh, not your everyday circumstance
The hummingbird
Taking coffee with the ants,
And I said

Please, I know that we're different
But we were one cell in the sea
In the beginning
And what we're made of
Was all the same once
We're not that different after all

Help me out,
Said the eagle to the dove
I've fallen from
My nest so high above

Oh, help me fly
I am too afraid to try
Now saddled with a fear of heights
I'm praying you can set me right

Oh, not your everyday circumstance
The elephant
Sharing peanuts with the rats
And I said

Please, I know that we're different
But we were one cell in the sea
In the beginning
And what we're made of
Was all the same once
We're not that different after all

We are tied in history,
Wide-connected like a family, a family
We are tied in history,
Wide-connected like a family, a family...

Bad Day

I've had a pretty rotten day. Actually, my day wasn't that bad. I made a giant little cake. And I got a great picture of Max being a total badass. Plus, my hair is freaking awesome. Isn't it amazing what a haircut, a little bit (or a lot) of dye, and an eyebrow wax can do? Yeah.

BUT it was all flushed down the toilet when I hit my brother's car when I was backing out of the driveway tonight. THEN, when I tried to move my car a bit so I could back out without hitting his car again, I hit the basketball goal. None of the damage to either car was that bad (mostly scraped paint), and Tyler's not cursing my very existence. And he's only squeezing 20 bucks out of me for his "grief."

Ugh...hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Gotta Get Up!

Whyyyyyyy did I volunteer to train on a Saturday? Soooo sleepy... At least the time goes by pretty quickly when you're on the computers, and there won't be traffic at 9am on a Saturday.

I didn't think training was going very well after the first day, when I only passed 4 tests and failed 3, but yesterday was a lot better. I passed 9 tests and only failed 2. A-Coding is soooo much easier than N-Coding, but I'm not really sure why.

I'm really ready for fall. I keep seeing school buses driving around town, and I've even seen the occasional leaf falling. Now I'm ready for the air to turn crisp and cool!

Post #275

Anger has (mostly) subsided. I'm done with Dillon's...I don't need to think about it anymore, right? And why should I be so shocked that people would be rude, thoughtless, or unapologetic? If that job taught me anything, it's that people are horrible.

Anyway, today's been a pretty good day. I'm tired, though...but that's probably a good thing, because I shouldn't have too much trouble going to bed at a decent time tonight. Tomorrow's my first day at the post office, and I've gotta get up at 7. I'm excited to finally be starting this job, although I've been warned that the first three days--which all take place in the conference room--are excruciatingly dull.

Right now I'm in the middle of packing up all of the stuff I've been accumulating lately...mainly housewares and Christmas ornaments.

If I Hadn't Quit Already, This Would've Made Me Do It...

I think, as a special goodbye tribute to me on my last night at the store, every fucking moron on the east side of Wichita decided to come through UScan tonight. I mean I had everything...people who don't understand the concept of tax, people who don't know how to follow directions, people who are just fucking stupid. And, the cherry on top of the entire night came at 11 o'clock, when the store was technically closed. That's when a group of three assholes with two carts full of stuff AND a WIC order decided they were ready to check out. While Nick processed the WIC order, Jarion checked out the rest of their stuff and I bagged. Once Nick and I were almost done bagging everything--including a LOT of meat, frozen, and dairy items--Jarion discovered that their fucking Vision card wouldn't work. So then Nick and I had to go through the whole cart and sort out all of the perishables to take back to the cooler. And were the assholes apologetic? Well, in true asshole fashion, of course not! They were just pissed that they couldn't get their stuff.

I'm so angry at this point, I'm not even happy that I never have to go back. I just want to smash something.

Quatre-Quarts au Chocolat

Nothing of Consequence

A couple days ago I found my pearl ring. I hadn't ever unpacked it after coming home, and I wasn't really sure where it was. Anyway, I found it. Happiness and joy.

I'm so frustrated with my job at Dillons. I've only got 2 days left, but it's hell. I don't even want to think about it anymore.

I've been baking and shopping. Shopping and baking. Happy to be baking, but need to stop shopping. ASAP.

Gateau Breton

I just made gateau Breton (a French butter cake). It's the best thing I've ever made! Okay, so it's a little burnt around the edges, and the bottom is a little brown too, but it's delicious! Definitely something I can see myself making all the time. I didn't take a picture because it's not perfect, plus I couldn't wait to eat it.

One thing, though...this is the 2nd thing I've made from How to be a Domestic Goddess, and while I love both things I've made, I'm not so crazy about the recipes. The cheesecake was a little bitter, and the gateau Breton...well, I took it out of the oven a full 10 minutes before I was supposed to, and it had still burned around the edges.

Everything Falls Apart

Well, maybe I'm not that emo yet. But my life is certainly not "Everything Magically Comes Together All At Once!" You would think I'd know this by now and therefore wouldn't get my hopes up so high when exciting things appear to be in the works for me. And yet...

Okay kids, story time! Once upon a time there was this beautiful princess. Er, no, not really. She was really just average. But from an early age, she displayed loads of promise and potential, particularly in such academic novelties as the three R's. Disappointingly, although perhaps not surprisingly, this wunderkind peaked in high school. Her post-secondary "education" existed primarily in the realms of sex, drugs (of the fermented persuasion), and knitting circles, with occasional forays into the classroom. Perhaps with an eye to the future, though perhaps only with an eye to placating her disapproving father, she managed to scrape by with a degree in the most pragmatic (and, incidentally, the most boring) subject she could find: accounting. After graduation (which she did not attend, under the guise of disliking ceremonies...though the truth is something closer to a desire not to see exactly how far she'd fallen in four short years), she balked at the idea of becoming an accountant. Her? A princess? Crunching numbers all day? Pshaw! So she did what any princess faced with reality would do: delayed it a little while by finding a Small Pond where she could still be a Big Fish. She returned to her horrible job as a punching bag for grumpy people, where she was paid in beans and disapproving glares. She prayed for a prince or a miracle to come and rescue her from this horrible hell she had made for herself. Then one day--one beautiful, miraculous day--her prayers were answered! She got an interview for a job she desperately wanted, one for which they only required an ordinary dutchess. And she...she was a princess...a very special princess! She felt sure they would hire her, especially after the interview went so well. And she would finally be able to move into her own castle! Compounding her good fortune and sense of impending glory, the princess met a wonderful prince who could see how truly beautiful she was. However, our princess must have been born under a very unlucky star indeed, for only a few short days later it was all ripped away. The job was given to an ordinary dutchess, and her beautiful prince, upon receiving her kisses, turned into a frog. (For the record, our princess would like to point out that it is much more likely for princes to turn into frogs upon being kissed than the way it goes down in the traditional tale.)

So there you have it. A fairytale in reverse.

Chocolate Cheesecake (With Raspberry & Mint Leaf Garnish)