Saturday was my fitting / audition at Six Flags Great America. The appointment was for Wonder Woman, but I also asked when I called to make the appointment if I could be fit in fur as well. You know, cuz I have a history. =)
They wanted me to go out there with dramatic make-up and my hair as big as possible. I let them know that my hair is pretty short, but I would do my best. I got up earlier than normal for me on a Saturday, and started getting ready. I actually put on a pair of hose, cuz I knew I would have to be fit in the costume, but that they were not going to give me tights, so I would wear my own! Did up the eyes, dug out the smallest pair of big lashes I had from my Disney Villain days, made my hair as big as possible and dug in my closet for something to wear. Now, I know they told me that I was going to have a fitting, but....I prepared like it was a Disney look-see. So, I wore a dress that showed my figure to its advantage and my knee-high brown boots.
50 minutes later, I am in Gurnee, stop by a Walgreens to buy some mascara (which I forgot to put on) and some loose powder (cuz I am not a fan of the pressed I have). Then down the street to the employee entrance to the park, and into the trailers. By this point, all the water I have been drinking needed to be let out, so when I got to the HR desk, I asked if they had a bathroom I could use. One of the supervisors who was escorting people around, takes me through a maze of portable trailers to one with a bathroom in it, then the lady, who through our conversation knew I was going to entertainment, took me to the wardrobe building, where I was told to go back to the beginning and go through the whole process. Ok, no big whoop.
So, I start at the beginning, go up, tell them I am there for entertainment, put on a name tag with my name on it and the time I arrived...go to the next station where they print up the on-line application I filled out on Friday...go to another room and answer the same questions they asked when I called to make the appointment...go to another room to wait to get called to go with the entertainment people. In the room RIGHT NEXT DOOR, they are playing The Incredibles and I cannot watch it cuz I am not in that room! BOO! Then they come in and grab me and back to the wardrobe building. On the way there, they are asking me about Disney and if I know 3 managers who have come to Disney from SFGA...and I knew for sure one of them, the other two I told them I might,but I would need to see a face.
I get in and meet more entertainment managers and am told that they had a wig for me to wear since my hair is so short, and that I had to wait on the costume. No big whoop. I ask about the other female roles and am told that I am too tall (no big surprise there) and that they really just wanted to see me in Wonder Woman. Ok. Get the costume and look at the bottoms. It is a small....and I have junk in my trunk! I ask them if they possibly have a larger size, and they send someone to go get a larger size. That person also has to go get another pair of boots as they hold up the pair they have and it is 3/4 of the size of my foot! Yeah, not gonna work....but I was laughing about it, cuz I was so excited and just wanted to put a positive face forward. Sadly, they only had one bodice.
So, I go in and look at all the different pieces. The first thing I see is this padded white underpiece. Being trained the way I was, if it comes with the costume, it goes on (with the exception of papa bears arm pads cuz they just added too much heat and were not needed). I have to grab Doreen (one of the supervisors there), to hook me in and also to help hook the bodice piece. Note to SFGA...make it a corset so the damn thing would stay in place please! Anyway, just like the shorts (now in a medium), it was built for someone smaller than me. Doreen asks if she can touch me to pin me. I tell her "honey, you do what you need to do to get me in. I've done theater, if you don't mind touching, I don't mind you touching." The girl who was fit in it before me comes in to change out of Hawkgirl, and we had to make sure we were around the corner cuz she did not want anyone seeing her. Doreen and I are around the corner, laughing and pinning it shut in the back and then trying to pin the red to the white so the red would stay up. While this is going on, Doreen is telling me how, since I walked in the door, they REALLY REALLY want me for this role and how they think I am perfect, both with my height and my build. Uhm. Ok. At this point the costuming manager comes in...(oh, we also tried holding it up by putting my bra on underneath and that didn't work)...looks at the bodice and comments on how the red is sooo far away from my chest and how bad it looks. We tell her that there is a padded piece on underneath that came with the costume and she asks if we could do it with my bra. OF COURSE! Whatever it takes to get a picture or 5. Doreen asks if it is OK if she pins to my bra..DUH! Of course! We get the white piece off, the bra on, the bodice back on and we start pinning and trying to figure out how to close it without the white thing to pin it too. I am standing there, bent over at the waist, trying to fit the girls in cups and a gold eagle that is too small for my girls as Doreen is trying to close it. I am sucking in my breath and D keeps telling me that when I get the role they would add a piece to the bodice to make it fit. Great...they should make the whole thing a corset type top to make it stay in place better...but that is just mho.
We get it closed, we get it pinned up along the side, I put the bottoms on and magically fit into a medium without fat rolls sticking out, the belt is on the last inch of velcro and helping to hide the gap between the bottoms and the top since I am so freaking long-waisted and helping me to keep my gut sucked in. Doreen helps me switch into the size 10 boots they find for me, I grab the ratty pochahontas type wig with a bald spot and put it on and then the crown. The crown is suppossed to be 1/2 on top of the hair and 1/2 underneath. So I TRY to grab some of the hair and put it on top, but it is knotted, so I have to grab all of the wig hair in the back and pull it over the top of the crown. OY! I head out of the closet they have us change in and show them the goods. I am then informed that I have to go OUTSIDE in the 10 degree weather in this itty bitty costume for pictures to be sent to DC Comics. Ok...positive mental attitude. Keep moving and do not think about the cold! They get me in the first location, take the first picture and move me cuz of the glare. Move to the next spot...it is in too much shadow. The supervisor comes driving around in her car and has us move again! OMG! Doreen gives me a coat to drape over my shoulders and we go to a third location for the pictures.
I get posed in WW pose one (hands in fists on hips, feet hip width apart) and Doreen checks to make sure everything is in the correct place. Turn to the side for a profile...Doreen checks....look at the camera for the side shot. Then back to the front...pose 2 (hands in fists, parallel and vertical to the ground..still smiling, cuz it is a theme park)...doreen once over. Repeat the drill for the side shot on the other side. Finally, last pose. I go down into a forward lunge (they were NOT expecting that) and cross my wrists at chest level...and smile for the camera cuz it is a theme park once again! Then I am told to go inside and I start RUNNING for the door, in boots that are too small and scraping my ankle raw! =) I am going down the hallway and managers are coming out and saying things like "oh good, we are going to have a WW this year." (they didn't last year) Doreen comes into the backroom to help me out of the costume and was telling me how much I impressed everyone and how much they want me, yadda yadda yadda. I get out, just my waist measured (random), and then wait for the interview. I answer the questions as best as I can and am offered a job as a Streetmo performer..without doing a monologue, just from what I had been saying throughout the day and my attitude! uhm...OK! But I was also told NOT to get TOO comfortable in that role cuz I would not be there very long...from MULTIPLE people.
So, I was out there for about 2.5 hours. I have a part-time job for the summer, right now probably hosting Karaoke, but possibly something else. I will be working 7 days a week, 2 doing something I love. And now, the pictures have to be sent to DC Comics for approval and I am nervous as all get out, but hopeful at the same time.
So...I am going to kick up my time in the gym, fix the little things I eat that are not so healthy and keep my fingers crossed!!
25 January 2009
My week (until Saturday...)
Thought I would just take a minute to talk about MOST of my week here...and then Saturday will be a post all by itself cuz it was so crazy cool.
Monday, I honestly do not remember much. Know I went to the gym after work and took my first ever yoga class. That was pretty cool and it might become a monday tradition. The only reason it might not is that there is a pole dancing class offered at the same time...and that is a lot of fun and a great workout .. and it wouldn't hurt for me to learn how to be a bit sexier, right?
Tuesday -- Inauguration Day! I joined several of my co-workers in the cafeteria to watch the ceremony, which was inspiring and beautiful and everything that I hoped for. I did have to swallow some snarky comments when Aretha sang, and none of them had to do with her hat....they had more to do with how it seems that her phrasing was a bit off cuz she seemed to run out of air...and if that would change if she lost weight. Evil....probably. Around 2 I wandered by First Business and saw that they had inauguration cupcakes...and there was a chocolate one with red sugary frosting on it calling my name, and I answered it. Around 2:30 my gut started making noise, hurting, and I could feel the stoopid cupcake moving through my system. It caused all sorts of fun problems, none of them very pretty to describe. I was very happy when 10p came along and my body started to feel normal.
Wednesday...I don't really remember much about wednesday, except I went to the gym and did 45 minutes on the bike, 45 minutes on the elliptical, some arm exercises and one of the trainers gave me a killer leg routine.
Thursday found me finally doing something I had been talking about. I got off of my duff and called Six Flags to find out about their face and animated auditions and set up a time to go in. Yeah, I was a little excited about it! I do not remember going to the gym, but I think I did cuz I do not remember the beginning of Grey's....which means I got home right after it started.
And Friday was Friday. The last day of the week and when I told my bosses that I was applying for a part-time job and that they might get a call asking how good of an employee I was. And then more gym time (35 on Expresso bike which kicks my bum, leg routine, 15 on the stair thingie before it hurt my knees too much and then arms and stretching). I will admit that on Thursday I bought a diuretic to help me clean my colon and lose a little weight, and I took a dose early in the morning and at night...which was one more dose than recommended, but it was a one time only thing.
Monday, I honestly do not remember much. Know I went to the gym after work and took my first ever yoga class. That was pretty cool and it might become a monday tradition. The only reason it might not is that there is a pole dancing class offered at the same time...and that is a lot of fun and a great workout .. and it wouldn't hurt for me to learn how to be a bit sexier, right?
Tuesday -- Inauguration Day! I joined several of my co-workers in the cafeteria to watch the ceremony, which was inspiring and beautiful and everything that I hoped for. I did have to swallow some snarky comments when Aretha sang, and none of them had to do with her hat....they had more to do with how it seems that her phrasing was a bit off cuz she seemed to run out of air...and if that would change if she lost weight. Evil....probably. Around 2 I wandered by First Business and saw that they had inauguration cupcakes...and there was a chocolate one with red sugary frosting on it calling my name, and I answered it. Around 2:30 my gut started making noise, hurting, and I could feel the stoopid cupcake moving through my system. It caused all sorts of fun problems, none of them very pretty to describe. I was very happy when 10p came along and my body started to feel normal.
Wednesday...I don't really remember much about wednesday, except I went to the gym and did 45 minutes on the bike, 45 minutes on the elliptical, some arm exercises and one of the trainers gave me a killer leg routine.
Thursday found me finally doing something I had been talking about. I got off of my duff and called Six Flags to find out about their face and animated auditions and set up a time to go in. Yeah, I was a little excited about it! I do not remember going to the gym, but I think I did cuz I do not remember the beginning of Grey's....which means I got home right after it started.
And Friday was Friday. The last day of the week and when I told my bosses that I was applying for a part-time job and that they might get a call asking how good of an employee I was. And then more gym time (35 on Expresso bike which kicks my bum, leg routine, 15 on the stair thingie before it hurt my knees too much and then arms and stretching). I will admit that on Thursday I bought a diuretic to help me clean my colon and lose a little weight, and I took a dose early in the morning and at night...which was one more dose than recommended, but it was a one time only thing.
20 January 2009
From the Benediction at the Inaugaration
From USA Today.com's Lifeline Live Blog:
Did you catch civil rights icon Joseph Lowery's benediction at the inauguration? One part of it brought a smile to our new president's face. Lowery spoke of a "new beginning" ...
"when black will not be asked to get back,
when brown can stick around,
when yellow will be mellow,
when the red man can get ahead, man,
And when white will embrace what is right."
I really liked this and all I can say is AMEN!
19 January 2009
I Carried a Watermelon
One of my all-time favorite movies is Dirty Dancing. Love it love it love it! It was the first PG-13 movie I saw and I saw it on my 13th birthday. I remember rewinding and freeze framing over and over again the scene of Patrick Swayze getting out of bed and the flash frame of his nekkid bottom. You know...I still pause that frame to look at that nice bottom!
I do not know why this film has such a hold on me. I LOVE it and about 2 times a year I will pull it out and just veg. It is not my all-time fave (SoM holds that honor) but, damn! Maybe because I am one of many girls who see some part of themselves in Baby. Nah. I never was that much of a bleeding heart. Actually, I think it had EVERYTHING to do with Johnny Castle! Wait, no thinking involved in that -- it had EVERYTHING to do with Johnny!
How many girls want a guy like Johnny? A bad boy, from the wrong side of the tracks with a heart of gold and gentle with his girl? He takes care of his dance partner, who is NOT his girlfriend when she gets into trouble, he falls for a girl out of his league even when other women are throwing themselves at him because they are bored -- and then leaves them when he falls in love. There are so many things that make him great!!
And the lines...I have used "I carried a watermelon", who doesn't want a guy to say "nobody puts baby in a corner." Even the bad lines like "My God, it's Cleopatra. I feel like such an asp." Ok, I did not get that one until a few years later...
Or maybe my love affair comes from the dancing!! I still want to dance like that, both the good and the dirty. When Baby finally hits that lift, my heart still soars. Love the dancing in that movie!!
But....Dirty Dancing came to Chicago as a stage version and camped out here for the better part of 3 months. And I REFUSED to go see it! Maybe it is because it is the movie on stage with no changes. Maybe it was because the guy playing Johnny was not Patrick Swayze but an Aussie who could not hide his accent that well from all that I have heard. Either way, I just could not bring myself to do it.
Either way, I want a guy in my life who wants to help me to shine. And maybe I just need to drool over Patrick Swayze's dancer body and HOT ASSET!!!
I do not know why this film has such a hold on me. I LOVE it and about 2 times a year I will pull it out and just veg. It is not my all-time fave (SoM holds that honor) but, damn! Maybe because I am one of many girls who see some part of themselves in Baby. Nah. I never was that much of a bleeding heart. Actually, I think it had EVERYTHING to do with Johnny Castle! Wait, no thinking involved in that -- it had EVERYTHING to do with Johnny!
How many girls want a guy like Johnny? A bad boy, from the wrong side of the tracks with a heart of gold and gentle with his girl? He takes care of his dance partner, who is NOT his girlfriend when she gets into trouble, he falls for a girl out of his league even when other women are throwing themselves at him because they are bored -- and then leaves them when he falls in love. There are so many things that make him great!!
And the lines...I have used "I carried a watermelon", who doesn't want a guy to say "nobody puts baby in a corner." Even the bad lines like "My God, it's Cleopatra. I feel like such an asp." Ok, I did not get that one until a few years later...
Or maybe my love affair comes from the dancing!! I still want to dance like that, both the good and the dirty. When Baby finally hits that lift, my heart still soars. Love the dancing in that movie!!
But....Dirty Dancing came to Chicago as a stage version and camped out here for the better part of 3 months. And I REFUSED to go see it! Maybe it is because it is the movie on stage with no changes. Maybe it was because the guy playing Johnny was not Patrick Swayze but an Aussie who could not hide his accent that well from all that I have heard. Either way, I just could not bring myself to do it.
Either way, I want a guy in my life who wants to help me to shine. And maybe I just need to drool over Patrick Swayze's dancer body and HOT ASSET!!!
18 January 2009
25 (actually 26) Things About Me
A friend tagged me with this on Facebook, I filled it out, and thought I would share it here. Why not? It is already all over Facebook, so what is one more place, right?
Rules: If you've received notice about this blog entry in Myspace or been tagged (for the Facebook readers), please write a blog or journal or note entry with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. For Facebook readers only, choose 25 people to be tagged. If you are tagged in this article, it's because I want to know more about you.
To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.
1. Starbucks coffee makes me physically sick. However, I love their Spiced Caramel Apple Cider, just go easy on the caramel!
2. I have never had to wear a cast. I have cracked my tailbone and broken my big toe, but neither of them require a cast.
3. I am not a big drinker. It is not because I do not enjoy drinking, it is because I do not see the point of spending a lot of money on alcoholic beverages. I would rather do something else with the money. That being said, every once in a while, I do go out for a couple of drinks!
4. My very first role on stage was in a West YMCA production of "The Night Before Christmas." I played Santa Claus.
5. It took 33 years, but I have finally learned that when I get really upset at someone the smartest thing for me to do is to walk away until I can speak without losing my temper. Losing my temper has gotten me in a lot of trouble in the past, so this seems like a step in the right direction.
6. There is nothing better than a hug. No matter what is going on, if you get a hug from someone, it is instant stress relief and joy.
7. I do not let people get close to me. I am still trying to figure out why, but I think it is because I have a bad track record with friends...but that might be because I do not let people get too close to me
8. That being said, I am not afraid to talk about what is going on in my life. Sometimes too much. But, that is who I am....someone who says what is on her mind.
9. I love to learn. I will watch something or read something and it will spark my interest and then I will try to learn as much as possible about it.
10. It is next to impossible for me to do the same thing every day. I am interested in so many different things that doing the same thing day after day is almost a form of torture and the longer I am at a job, the harder it is for me to go in. Except Disney....but that was probably because I did something different every day.
11. I left my first college because of an emotional breakdown. I did not feel good enough, smart enough or confident enough to continue. I also did not know what I wanted to study, which was hard when everyone I knew knew exactly what they wanted to do and/or study.
12. I have had one good friend since I was in the fifth grade. She has been with me through thick and thin...even when I am awful about keeping in touch. When we get together it feels like almost no time has passed.
13. You know how a rolling stone gathers no moss?? Well, I must be that rolling stone because, except for my current lease, I have never lived in an apartment more than one lease.
14. Other than Canada, I have only been out of the U.S. one time, and that was a 1994 trip to the Netherlands. The person I met is still a friend, but I am sad that I have not been able to leave these borders more. I am still waiting to go to the UK, which has been my dream since I was a kid.
15. I am not a terribly inventive cook. In fact, I try to avoid it whenever possible. I just do not see the point of going to all of that trouble for just myself. That being said, I need to start cooking so that my diet stops being so boring....
16. My favorite city in the US is New Orleans. Sadly, I have only been there for Mardi Gras, but I tend to stay with natives who show me the real city during the day and in between parades. There is such a sense of history there and a visible dicotomy between the poor and everyone else. It really is an amazing city to look at with a spirit unlike anyplace else.
17. I love music and I love to move my body! It has been said that if it has a beat, I will find a way to move to it. And it improves my mood, so I tend to always be listening to something.
18. Of all the things I have done in my life, I am proudest of these 3. 1) being the first female to be approved in Track 8. 2) Being the second female to be approved in track 2. 3) Being told by Keisha Knight Pulliam and the cast of Tyler Perry's House of Payne that I was poppin and workin it on the parade route.
19. To all of my friends who have pets -- I am sorry, but I will never know how it feels to lose one that is that close to you. I have had 2 dogs in my life. One we got rid of when it was about a year old because it did not take to its training and kept knocking my grandfather over. The other was more my grandparents dog than mine and I did not even know she had died until after the fact. And now, with my allergies so bad, I cannot have a pet. All I will be ever to do is know what it feels like to lose someone close to you and share that.
20. One of the best things about Facebook, to me, is the fact that it has put me back into contact with family and friends who I had lost contact with. I have had more contact with an aunt and a cousin this past year than in the past 8 combined and it has been WONDERFUL!
21. I value my family above everything else. One of the main reasons I left Orlando is because I did not want to be far away from my family if something were to happen to my grandparents. They are a second set of parents to me, as they helped to raise me for 10 years.
22. There are decisions I have made in my life that sometimes I will wonder.. "what if...", but in the end, the decisions I have made have made my life what it is and put me in the position to have the experiences I have had and in the end, that is what really matters.
23. My track record with guys is lousy at best. But I still hope that I will find the right person some day.
24. Organized religion and I do not get along. I think it is because I have my own feelings on issues and most churches I have found are vehemently against some of them, and I do not want to be a part of something that condones something I feel strongly about (ie gay marriage). I have tried Lutheran--Missouri Synod, Episcopalian, Catholiscim, LDS, Independent, Wiccan.....none have been a good fit.
25. I do not like calling people and asking them to do things. It is a fear of rejection thing and also a fear that I am interrupting something that they are doing. I do not know where it came from, but it has become a part of who I am. A good part? Not so much, but one that I cannot seem to shake.
26. (a bonus) Those people that I consider my friends are so very important to me. I do not open up to everyone the way I do to you and your unconditional love, support and acceptance of who I am is irreplaceable and so are you.
Rules: If you've received notice about this blog entry in Myspace or been tagged (for the Facebook readers), please write a blog or journal or note entry with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. For Facebook readers only, choose 25 people to be tagged. If you are tagged in this article, it's because I want to know more about you.
To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.
1. Starbucks coffee makes me physically sick. However, I love their Spiced Caramel Apple Cider, just go easy on the caramel!
2. I have never had to wear a cast. I have cracked my tailbone and broken my big toe, but neither of them require a cast.
3. I am not a big drinker. It is not because I do not enjoy drinking, it is because I do not see the point of spending a lot of money on alcoholic beverages. I would rather do something else with the money. That being said, every once in a while, I do go out for a couple of drinks!
4. My very first role on stage was in a West YMCA production of "The Night Before Christmas." I played Santa Claus.
5. It took 33 years, but I have finally learned that when I get really upset at someone the smartest thing for me to do is to walk away until I can speak without losing my temper. Losing my temper has gotten me in a lot of trouble in the past, so this seems like a step in the right direction.
6. There is nothing better than a hug. No matter what is going on, if you get a hug from someone, it is instant stress relief and joy.
7. I do not let people get close to me. I am still trying to figure out why, but I think it is because I have a bad track record with friends...but that might be because I do not let people get too close to me
8. That being said, I am not afraid to talk about what is going on in my life. Sometimes too much. But, that is who I am....someone who says what is on her mind.
9. I love to learn. I will watch something or read something and it will spark my interest and then I will try to learn as much as possible about it.
10. It is next to impossible for me to do the same thing every day. I am interested in so many different things that doing the same thing day after day is almost a form of torture and the longer I am at a job, the harder it is for me to go in. Except Disney....but that was probably because I did something different every day.
11. I left my first college because of an emotional breakdown. I did not feel good enough, smart enough or confident enough to continue. I also did not know what I wanted to study, which was hard when everyone I knew knew exactly what they wanted to do and/or study.
12. I have had one good friend since I was in the fifth grade. She has been with me through thick and thin...even when I am awful about keeping in touch. When we get together it feels like almost no time has passed.
13. You know how a rolling stone gathers no moss?? Well, I must be that rolling stone because, except for my current lease, I have never lived in an apartment more than one lease.
14. Other than Canada, I have only been out of the U.S. one time, and that was a 1994 trip to the Netherlands. The person I met is still a friend, but I am sad that I have not been able to leave these borders more. I am still waiting to go to the UK, which has been my dream since I was a kid.
15. I am not a terribly inventive cook. In fact, I try to avoid it whenever possible. I just do not see the point of going to all of that trouble for just myself. That being said, I need to start cooking so that my diet stops being so boring....
16. My favorite city in the US is New Orleans. Sadly, I have only been there for Mardi Gras, but I tend to stay with natives who show me the real city during the day and in between parades. There is such a sense of history there and a visible dicotomy between the poor and everyone else. It really is an amazing city to look at with a spirit unlike anyplace else.
17. I love music and I love to move my body! It has been said that if it has a beat, I will find a way to move to it. And it improves my mood, so I tend to always be listening to something.
18. Of all the things I have done in my life, I am proudest of these 3. 1) being the first female to be approved in Track 8. 2) Being the second female to be approved in track 2. 3) Being told by Keisha Knight Pulliam and the cast of Tyler Perry's House of Payne that I was poppin and workin it on the parade route.
19. To all of my friends who have pets -- I am sorry, but I will never know how it feels to lose one that is that close to you. I have had 2 dogs in my life. One we got rid of when it was about a year old because it did not take to its training and kept knocking my grandfather over. The other was more my grandparents dog than mine and I did not even know she had died until after the fact. And now, with my allergies so bad, I cannot have a pet. All I will be ever to do is know what it feels like to lose someone close to you and share that.
20. One of the best things about Facebook, to me, is the fact that it has put me back into contact with family and friends who I had lost contact with. I have had more contact with an aunt and a cousin this past year than in the past 8 combined and it has been WONDERFUL!
21. I value my family above everything else. One of the main reasons I left Orlando is because I did not want to be far away from my family if something were to happen to my grandparents. They are a second set of parents to me, as they helped to raise me for 10 years.
22. There are decisions I have made in my life that sometimes I will wonder.. "what if...", but in the end, the decisions I have made have made my life what it is and put me in the position to have the experiences I have had and in the end, that is what really matters.
23. My track record with guys is lousy at best. But I still hope that I will find the right person some day.
24. Organized religion and I do not get along. I think it is because I have my own feelings on issues and most churches I have found are vehemently against some of them, and I do not want to be a part of something that condones something I feel strongly about (ie gay marriage). I have tried Lutheran--Missouri Synod, Episcopalian, Catholiscim, LDS, Independent, Wiccan.....none have been a good fit.
25. I do not like calling people and asking them to do things. It is a fear of rejection thing and also a fear that I am interrupting something that they are doing. I do not know where it came from, but it has become a part of who I am. A good part? Not so much, but one that I cannot seem to shake.
26. (a bonus) Those people that I consider my friends are so very important to me. I do not open up to everyone the way I do to you and your unconditional love, support and acceptance of who I am is irreplaceable and so are you.
15 January 2009
Reflection....
So, whenever I start to get down on myself because I am not where I once THOUGHT I should be by this point in my life (I am 3 and 3), I stop and try to think of all the things I have done that have made me into the person I am today. And I thought I would share them with you.....
I went to the Netherlands to meet a friend in the early days of the internet. It was the one and only spring break I had and it was a blast. We are still friends today.
I nursed myself through knee surgery and mono with no one around. That takes a lot out of you, but it proved that I can take care of myself.
I moved down to Florida on a whim and turned it into 8 years of fun. I moved to Chicago on a little more than a whim and it has been an interesting almost 2 years.
I held one of my dream jobs and got to be friends with some of my favorite characters. While the pay was lousy and I had to work like a freak, it was the best time of my life.
I finished my bachelors degree in 9.5 years, beating my 10 year H.S. reunion. I finished a M.A. in B.S. in 2. I started a degree in History.....
I joined a sorority. At 24. It was fun.
I have worked as a PA on 2 All-America team broadcasts and a BCS championship game. I interned 2x at a TV Station, and floor directed through 2 hurricanes (or was it 3...???). I was the teleprompter operator for rocket launches and worked the talent camera for a LPGA qualifying tournament.
Work wise, I have worked in a factory, data entry, wine store, music/video/book store, performed at Universal and Disney, ice rink, video rental, sales, and the list goes on.
So....while I am just starting out (ok, 2 years into) a non-performance based career, and I am not doing what I thought I would be doing at this point in my life (although, I don't think I ever really knew what that was), my life has not been bad...in fact it has been pretty good.
Thanks for reading.
I went to the Netherlands to meet a friend in the early days of the internet. It was the one and only spring break I had and it was a blast. We are still friends today.
I nursed myself through knee surgery and mono with no one around. That takes a lot out of you, but it proved that I can take care of myself.
I moved down to Florida on a whim and turned it into 8 years of fun. I moved to Chicago on a little more than a whim and it has been an interesting almost 2 years.
I held one of my dream jobs and got to be friends with some of my favorite characters. While the pay was lousy and I had to work like a freak, it was the best time of my life.
I finished my bachelors degree in 9.5 years, beating my 10 year H.S. reunion. I finished a M.A. in B.S. in 2. I started a degree in History.....
I joined a sorority. At 24. It was fun.
I have worked as a PA on 2 All-America team broadcasts and a BCS championship game. I interned 2x at a TV Station, and floor directed through 2 hurricanes (or was it 3...???). I was the teleprompter operator for rocket launches and worked the talent camera for a LPGA qualifying tournament.
Work wise, I have worked in a factory, data entry, wine store, music/video/book store, performed at Universal and Disney, ice rink, video rental, sales, and the list goes on.
So....while I am just starting out (ok, 2 years into) a non-performance based career, and I am not doing what I thought I would be doing at this point in my life (although, I don't think I ever really knew what that was), my life has not been bad...in fact it has been pretty good.
Thanks for reading.
13 January 2009
Michigan or Florida
It is not much of a secret that I am not happy in Chicago. Not a fan of most parts of my job, although happy to have one. Lonely more often than not. In more debt than when I arrived.... and this has been going on for quite a while, to the point that my BOSS commented that I was happier when I came back from Orlando.
So, I am trying to decide where I want to look for a job. First of all, I know I either want to find a way to perform (but make a steady paycheck) or work in the production of Sporting Events and/or Sports Broadcasts. Those are the 2 things I have done that bring me the most joy and make it possible for me to get up in the morning.
MICHIGAN:
Pro -- Family is in Grand Rapids. It was hard being away from them for 8 years and now I am home once a month
Pro -- My Health. My knees aren't worse, the tendonitis has healed up and when I got REALLY sick, my family was around to take me to the hospital and help me with my first trip to the grocery store after the implementation of my new diet. They also provided me with names and brands and SAMPLES of lots of good stuff that I could eat
Pro -- Cheaper than Chicago. Nuff said
Pro -- Friends. Through the wonder of the interweb and social networking sites, I have gotten back in touch with people I started my college journey with and they still like me and want me around. Do you have any idea how good that feels???
Con -- Weather. I hate being cold. And I have a history of S.A.D.
Pro -- Weather. There are seasons here! Yes my nose runs, but I like watching the leaves change color, the first snowfall and topography!
ORLANDO
Pro -- Weather. It is always beautiful in Florida, even in a Hurricane. and I have survived 4 of them, so ...srsly??
Pro -- Disney. I loved working at Disney. The 2nd time around did not feel like work at all, it felt like I was living my passion. But...they are on a hiring freeze and I cannot afford to live on $8.50 hour and work 8 days a week to make ends meet.
Con -- Family. I only got to see them once a year when I came home. Sometimes twice if they came down for bike week, but not nearly enough.
Con -- Health. 2 knee surgeries in 8 years with a 3rd probably needed. Not fun. Especially when you have to take care of yourself when you should be off the knee. And the tendonitis.
Pro -- Friends. i don't have a lot of them there, some have moved away, but the ones I have are good friends and good people.
Yeah, and that is just the start of my list, so you can see why I am so freaking torn.....
I'm going to bed.
So, I am trying to decide where I want to look for a job. First of all, I know I either want to find a way to perform (but make a steady paycheck) or work in the production of Sporting Events and/or Sports Broadcasts. Those are the 2 things I have done that bring me the most joy and make it possible for me to get up in the morning.
MICHIGAN:
Pro -- Family is in Grand Rapids. It was hard being away from them for 8 years and now I am home once a month
Pro -- My Health. My knees aren't worse, the tendonitis has healed up and when I got REALLY sick, my family was around to take me to the hospital and help me with my first trip to the grocery store after the implementation of my new diet. They also provided me with names and brands and SAMPLES of lots of good stuff that I could eat
Pro -- Cheaper than Chicago. Nuff said
Pro -- Friends. Through the wonder of the interweb and social networking sites, I have gotten back in touch with people I started my college journey with and they still like me and want me around. Do you have any idea how good that feels???
Con -- Weather. I hate being cold. And I have a history of S.A.D.
Pro -- Weather. There are seasons here! Yes my nose runs, but I like watching the leaves change color, the first snowfall and topography!
ORLANDO
Pro -- Weather. It is always beautiful in Florida, even in a Hurricane. and I have survived 4 of them, so ...srsly??
Pro -- Disney. I loved working at Disney. The 2nd time around did not feel like work at all, it felt like I was living my passion. But...they are on a hiring freeze and I cannot afford to live on $8.50 hour and work 8 days a week to make ends meet.
Con -- Family. I only got to see them once a year when I came home. Sometimes twice if they came down for bike week, but not nearly enough.
Con -- Health. 2 knee surgeries in 8 years with a 3rd probably needed. Not fun. Especially when you have to take care of yourself when you should be off the knee. And the tendonitis.
Pro -- Friends. i don't have a lot of them there, some have moved away, but the ones I have are good friends and good people.
Yeah, and that is just the start of my list, so you can see why I am so freaking torn.....
I'm going to bed.
11 January 2009
Pinch Me
Yes, the song is about depression, but there is also a little bit of hope in there, which is how I am feeling.
This weekend.....was. It started with me not waking up on Saturday until after noon. OOPS! So much for getting out and getting my tire fixed early! I think I finally left my apartment around 4 after watching WGN's broadcast of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. *shudder* Uhm...I had watched the original Friday night, and all I am going to say is "WHY DID YOU COME BACK PATRICK!?!?!?!?" It was bad. Painfully bad. Ran to the library, grabbed a CD to add to my iTunes (Absolute Garbage --that is the name of the album, not my opinion of iTunes) and a trashy romance. Sad thing is, I have a HUGE stack of books on my floor to get through that were loaned to me by a friend, plus the stack of books on my bookcase that I have purchased or been given that I have not read. OOPS.
Get to my car, to go run errands, and I have a $100 parking ticket for suppossedly being too close to the fire hydrant. Now, when I parked, there was no snow on the ground and I checked the line and I was even with it. When the ticket was written, you could not see the curb or the yellow line, so where is this coming from??? On the bright side, my next door neighbor, Emma Frost, saw me scraping off my car and heard me muttering and invited me out to drinks with them later at Fat Cat to celebrate her birthday with her friends. Then I took off. Went to Target where I used some of my Christmas money to purchase The Dark Knight, Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda. Still need to get Iron Man and season 3 of The Muppet Show. Granted, the list of movies I want is really long...but that is a good start and I am trying to just get the movies I really love. Then Trader Joe's for some groceries, Whole Foods for some more, then back home where I curled up with some chinese take-out (garlic sauce, not a brown sauce) to watch The Longshots. (not great, but good and enjoyable). finished dinner when Emma knocked on my door (I had thought they were already out) and went out for drinks. OMG!!! What a great group of people!! Emma is an X-man costumer, her guy is a member of the 501st and 2 of her other friends do fantasy costumes! A bunch of them go to conventions every year. I was a bit jealous and wondered why I had never met these people before!! I missed SNL with NPH, and they have only posted 9 clips from the show online, but I think it was worth it.
Today was kinda chill. Overslept again (it is the weekend), watched a bit of football, then went to get my car out and get my front tire looked at and replaced. Went to Firestone near Crunch and they wanted over $400 to replace my tires!! EEP! Throw in the 10.25% sales tax in Chicago and I am going to do some more hunting!! Went to the gas station near me to try to get it repaired, but the tire had 3 holes grouped together that were too big to replace, so I am basically stuck purchasing 4 new tires....although I might do 2 and 2.
Came back home cuz I did not want to spend any more money, and finally got to watch The Longshots and I cleaned the main room of my apartment. Not the most thrilling of weekends, but it is what it is.
On the bright side, I am working on getting out of my funk, and that is ALWAYS a good thing!
This weekend.....was. It started with me not waking up on Saturday until after noon. OOPS! So much for getting out and getting my tire fixed early! I think I finally left my apartment around 4 after watching WGN's broadcast of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. *shudder* Uhm...I had watched the original Friday night, and all I am going to say is "WHY DID YOU COME BACK PATRICK!?!?!?!?" It was bad. Painfully bad. Ran to the library, grabbed a CD to add to my iTunes (Absolute Garbage --that is the name of the album, not my opinion of iTunes) and a trashy romance. Sad thing is, I have a HUGE stack of books on my floor to get through that were loaned to me by a friend, plus the stack of books on my bookcase that I have purchased or been given that I have not read. OOPS.
Get to my car, to go run errands, and I have a $100 parking ticket for suppossedly being too close to the fire hydrant. Now, when I parked, there was no snow on the ground and I checked the line and I was even with it. When the ticket was written, you could not see the curb or the yellow line, so where is this coming from??? On the bright side, my next door neighbor, Emma Frost, saw me scraping off my car and heard me muttering and invited me out to drinks with them later at Fat Cat to celebrate her birthday with her friends. Then I took off. Went to Target where I used some of my Christmas money to purchase The Dark Knight, Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda. Still need to get Iron Man and season 3 of The Muppet Show. Granted, the list of movies I want is really long...but that is a good start and I am trying to just get the movies I really love. Then Trader Joe's for some groceries, Whole Foods for some more, then back home where I curled up with some chinese take-out (garlic sauce, not a brown sauce) to watch The Longshots. (not great, but good and enjoyable). finished dinner when Emma knocked on my door (I had thought they were already out) and went out for drinks. OMG!!! What a great group of people!! Emma is an X-man costumer, her guy is a member of the 501st and 2 of her other friends do fantasy costumes! A bunch of them go to conventions every year. I was a bit jealous and wondered why I had never met these people before!! I missed SNL with NPH, and they have only posted 9 clips from the show online, but I think it was worth it.
Today was kinda chill. Overslept again (it is the weekend), watched a bit of football, then went to get my car out and get my front tire looked at and replaced. Went to Firestone near Crunch and they wanted over $400 to replace my tires!! EEP! Throw in the 10.25% sales tax in Chicago and I am going to do some more hunting!! Went to the gas station near me to try to get it repaired, but the tire had 3 holes grouped together that were too big to replace, so I am basically stuck purchasing 4 new tires....although I might do 2 and 2.
Came back home cuz I did not want to spend any more money, and finally got to watch The Longshots and I cleaned the main room of my apartment. Not the most thrilling of weekends, but it is what it is.
On the bright side, I am working on getting out of my funk, and that is ALWAYS a good thing!
09 January 2009
Slippery Slope
I realize that my last post had a lot to do with me being down and down on myself. Ever since my really FANTASTIC NYE, I seem to be falling down into the well of depression. While it is difficult not to fall into the whole "woe is me" thing (which I have not done yet), it is also hard to keep a smile on and pretend that I am happy. I just feel so....alone. It sucks.
For whatever reason, I cannot seem to make friends. At least, not the type of friendship where the friends actually want to spend time with me. I am good with the casual acquaintances who talk at work and go out to lunch once in a while, but the ones where you get together outside of work and do something?? Yeah, not so much. I do not know what it is about me, but......I am not going to change the core of who I am to fit some mold that others want me to fit in.
I know I am never going to be buddy buddy with my boss....not going to happen because I really have nothing to say to him. And if he wants to be an ass because I tell someone on my team that I am buried and cannot even begin to think about their presentation on a given day because I got a presentation at 9am, due in final form by 5pm, it is 3 and the text has been approved and I am trying to figure out pictures and some sort of design...well...tough! He did not want to hear my side of the story and just give me grief because I told someone I was a bit overwhelmed and could not think about his presentation at that point in time! Whatever. Just one more door shutting behind me as I am mentally getting ready to leave this job. Course, you need another one lined up, but still....
Ok, rehab via GH Aerosmith. I beat it on Hard last night, but when I hit expert on this and 80's, I get to the last song on the 2nd set and I cannot get past it...but can beat the songs after it when I play quick play mode. Hmmmmm.....
For whatever reason, I cannot seem to make friends. At least, not the type of friendship where the friends actually want to spend time with me. I am good with the casual acquaintances who talk at work and go out to lunch once in a while, but the ones where you get together outside of work and do something?? Yeah, not so much. I do not know what it is about me, but......I am not going to change the core of who I am to fit some mold that others want me to fit in.
I know I am never going to be buddy buddy with my boss....not going to happen because I really have nothing to say to him. And if he wants to be an ass because I tell someone on my team that I am buried and cannot even begin to think about their presentation on a given day because I got a presentation at 9am, due in final form by 5pm, it is 3 and the text has been approved and I am trying to figure out pictures and some sort of design...well...tough! He did not want to hear my side of the story and just give me grief because I told someone I was a bit overwhelmed and could not think about his presentation at that point in time! Whatever. Just one more door shutting behind me as I am mentally getting ready to leave this job. Course, you need another one lined up, but still....
Ok, rehab via GH Aerosmith. I beat it on Hard last night, but when I hit expert on this and 80's, I get to the last song on the 2nd set and I cannot get past it...but can beat the songs after it when I play quick play mode. Hmmmmm.....
07 January 2009
Alone Again.....Naturally.
Ok, yes, I am quoting Hugh Grant in "Love....Actually", but that is how I feel. And I hate feeling like I am alone.
But, that is how I feel. I work in an office and I have been sick from work and people working near me have not even known that I was out. There are 12 people in the sales office, so......
I had a great New Years visit with someone I had not seen in a long time. I witnessed firsthand how a group of friends I had once been a part of had grown and evolved over the years and was still strong. I have seen how friends in college have stayed strong through the year, and I remain on the outside of it all.
Sure I have a community of friends online, who comment on my facebook status and every once in a while send me a note. But how many return my calls or call me? No matter how many activities I try to take part in, I still spend most nights alone in my apartment. Am I really that hideous??
I was alone in Orlando, but it never felt like this. Maybe it was because I was doing a job I loved while now I do a job that I tolerate and would skip out on if the chance presented itself. I left the job I loved because I felt like I needed to grow up and take control of my bills. But my bills are only less out of control and I have more credit card debt then when I left.
Well, I am rambling on, and boring even myself in the process, so with that I bid you goodnight.
But, that is how I feel. I work in an office and I have been sick from work and people working near me have not even known that I was out. There are 12 people in the sales office, so......
I had a great New Years visit with someone I had not seen in a long time. I witnessed firsthand how a group of friends I had once been a part of had grown and evolved over the years and was still strong. I have seen how friends in college have stayed strong through the year, and I remain on the outside of it all.
Sure I have a community of friends online, who comment on my facebook status and every once in a while send me a note. But how many return my calls or call me? No matter how many activities I try to take part in, I still spend most nights alone in my apartment. Am I really that hideous??
I was alone in Orlando, but it never felt like this. Maybe it was because I was doing a job I loved while now I do a job that I tolerate and would skip out on if the chance presented itself. I left the job I loved because I felt like I needed to grow up and take control of my bills. But my bills are only less out of control and I have more credit card debt then when I left.
Well, I am rambling on, and boring even myself in the process, so with that I bid you goodnight.
04 January 2009
And I Run....
Today we broadcast the CPS Holiday Tournament championship game. I LOVE working games!!! They are one of the few things that actually keep me in my job. Truthfully, I have always enjoyed working behind the scenes at sporting events, and I would love to find out how I can do it full time.
Anyway.....I wish I could say that I accomplished all I wanted to before going in, but it did not happen thanks to mr. migraine. So, sleep was my friend until I HAD to get up. Get to DePaul at 3 and stopped running when I got done at 9:30. Here is a rundown of me on game day.
Got in at 3, met up with the Producer and the Assistant Director and got the keys to the company van. Grabbed puppy the utility boy (I got his name, but he reminded me so much of a puppy dog that it is how I thought of him and forgot the real name), and went and unloaded the van. Brought everything into the arena, dropped off the banners under the bleachers and took everything else upstairs to the production room. Grabbed the duct tape and the credentials and headed out.
Most of the credentials had been handed out by the AD, so I did not have to keep track of who had what (but I am hoping that I got them all at the end), saw where we were going to put the 2 clients who came out, met up with a third who was their on their own (did not come through GotW, but through CPS), and found out from the Producer where he wanted the banners hung. Then back inside to pull out the banners and sort them into sides to be hung.
Break between games and I am hanging up banners. Get a couple hung, do a couple during time outs and then off to deal with other things (move to a different production room, find someone to see about internet access), halftime I hung more banners. I wish I could say what I did from the end of halftime through the break between games, but I honestly cannot remember, other than I was doing something!!! (I think one of the clients arrived and I helped them) Break between games, hung the banners on the broadcast table and got the final two banners up. Told puppy to distribute water to everyone in the truck while I talked with the clients and met the second one who was there. At this point, they are getting ready for the pregame show, I get the laptop computer from the Producer, grab puppy to get more water and run to Dominicks for my quick meal break. Grab a premade sushi, paid for it with the gift card the crew received, took 2 bites and threw it out cuz it was disgusting. So glad I brought some GF snacks with me, to keep the edge off!!
Puppy distributes the rest of the water, I give some to the clients who are out and then....time to get a couple of pictures of the clients and the stuff they brought to distribute. And start handing out the text message forms in the hopes that SOMEONE will text things in. Get the laptop out, meet someone from DePaul and get onto their wireless system. Take the laptop to the production room, call our tech guy and get the live internet streaming going. Back down 3 flights of stairs, and finish distributing the text forms between games. Game start..check on clients, check that broadcast table is good, do something, go upstairs and check internet streaming to make sure right commercials are on, back down for the 2nd quarter and talk to the clients as they are packing up. Talk to them about gameplan for the next time they come out, get pictures of the game and the clients banners for documentation reasons. Back upstairs for halftime...no signal...run around with the laptop..text tech guy for the text messages when producer asks for them...end of halftime, get the messages, read through, pick out the best and copy them down....take that list out to the truck for the producer to pick his favorites..back inside to the production table to give them to the table producer...2 minutes to breathe. End of game tear down all the banners, seperate out the ones that need to be given to someone else, load up the van, get my jacket, make sure all is good and go home.
Busy day, hectic but oh so much fun!! The games I got to see part of were good and close which I enjoy more than a blowout. And, you know, I really like doing this, no matter how much I run, because it makes me happy. That is the most important thing. =)
Anyway.....I wish I could say that I accomplished all I wanted to before going in, but it did not happen thanks to mr. migraine. So, sleep was my friend until I HAD to get up. Get to DePaul at 3 and stopped running when I got done at 9:30. Here is a rundown of me on game day.
Got in at 3, met up with the Producer and the Assistant Director and got the keys to the company van. Grabbed puppy the utility boy (I got his name, but he reminded me so much of a puppy dog that it is how I thought of him and forgot the real name), and went and unloaded the van. Brought everything into the arena, dropped off the banners under the bleachers and took everything else upstairs to the production room. Grabbed the duct tape and the credentials and headed out.
Most of the credentials had been handed out by the AD, so I did not have to keep track of who had what (but I am hoping that I got them all at the end), saw where we were going to put the 2 clients who came out, met up with a third who was their on their own (did not come through GotW, but through CPS), and found out from the Producer where he wanted the banners hung. Then back inside to pull out the banners and sort them into sides to be hung.
Break between games and I am hanging up banners. Get a couple hung, do a couple during time outs and then off to deal with other things (move to a different production room, find someone to see about internet access), halftime I hung more banners. I wish I could say what I did from the end of halftime through the break between games, but I honestly cannot remember, other than I was doing something!!! (I think one of the clients arrived and I helped them) Break between games, hung the banners on the broadcast table and got the final two banners up. Told puppy to distribute water to everyone in the truck while I talked with the clients and met the second one who was there. At this point, they are getting ready for the pregame show, I get the laptop computer from the Producer, grab puppy to get more water and run to Dominicks for my quick meal break. Grab a premade sushi, paid for it with the gift card the crew received, took 2 bites and threw it out cuz it was disgusting. So glad I brought some GF snacks with me, to keep the edge off!!
Puppy distributes the rest of the water, I give some to the clients who are out and then....time to get a couple of pictures of the clients and the stuff they brought to distribute. And start handing out the text message forms in the hopes that SOMEONE will text things in. Get the laptop out, meet someone from DePaul and get onto their wireless system. Take the laptop to the production room, call our tech guy and get the live internet streaming going. Back down 3 flights of stairs, and finish distributing the text forms between games. Game start..check on clients, check that broadcast table is good, do something, go upstairs and check internet streaming to make sure right commercials are on, back down for the 2nd quarter and talk to the clients as they are packing up. Talk to them about gameplan for the next time they come out, get pictures of the game and the clients banners for documentation reasons. Back upstairs for halftime...no signal...run around with the laptop..text tech guy for the text messages when producer asks for them...end of halftime, get the messages, read through, pick out the best and copy them down....take that list out to the truck for the producer to pick his favorites..back inside to the production table to give them to the table producer...2 minutes to breathe. End of game tear down all the banners, seperate out the ones that need to be given to someone else, load up the van, get my jacket, make sure all is good and go home.
Busy day, hectic but oh so much fun!! The games I got to see part of were good and close which I enjoy more than a blowout. And, you know, I really like doing this, no matter how much I run, because it makes me happy. That is the most important thing. =)
03 January 2009
You Take the Good, You Take the Bad
Today was another one of those days where you just have to throw your hands up in the air and go ..... eeeeeeffffffffffff!! (say it slow and drag those two letters out). I took my time before getting going today, cuz I could, and then finally got out and to the library around 1. I love the fact that the library is less than 100 yards from my buildings front door. And I actually did not check anything out. Not because I did not want to browse through the racks, smelling that old book smell and finding titles that I would never even think of that turn into favorites.....but because I have 2 stacks of books on my floor. One is from the library and needs to be finished and the other came from my New Years adventure and are on loan from a friend. So, with the minor exception of ordering books to finish series I am currently reading, I am not checking any books out of the library for a bit. Cd's and dvd's on the other hand.... =)
On my way out the door, I call D and tell her I am on my way to do a couple of hours of work for APM. I get in the car and start driving down the street, noticing that my car is vibrating weirdly and pulling to the right. Concerned, I pull into the random parking lot at the end of my block and discover that the vulcanized rubber has decided that it did not like where it was supposed to sit and had decided to jump off the rim. *sigh* I pop the trunk and pull out the doughnut and the jack. But I cannot find what I need to pop the lugnuts. So into my phone to dial Ford Roadside. For those without, Ford Roadside is Ford's answer to AAA and I decided to use it since it comes with my car payments. They tell me that someone will be there in about an hour.
So, I pull out my trusty book (Marley and Me) and start reading it. I have to admit that I am not much of a pet person and I had moments where I was gasping for breath from laughing so hard. An hour passes with no tow truck to help out, so I call and am told that they are on their way and should be there in about 10 minutes. 20 minutes later, no arrival and I call again. Remember--Chicago in the winter and I do not have a lot of gas so I do not have the car running. They say, once again, that it will be any minute. So I give them another 30 minutes before calling and letting them know that this is ridiculous!! They give me the number of the company they set up the dispatch with and I give them a call and am told that it will be about 15 minutes. If they are not there, I am about ready to call Ford and telling them to open another ticket with another company cuz this is ridiculous!! At 14 minutes, the driver pulls in and we get the doughnut on.
It probably would have been wiser to get my tire taken care of, since D had told me not to bother cuz she had been invited out to dinner, but I went out to IKEA instead and bought a new table with shelves to put my TV on....and then I went and saw "Slumdog Millionaire". GREAT movie!!!! MUST GO SEE!!!! But $10 for a movie???!!!?? Yesh!
Tomorrow I think I will vacuum and do some cleaning before work...maybe.
Currently Reading: Marley and Me by John Grogan
Just Watched and Loved: Slumdog Millionaire
Listening To: Whatever the show is on NPR where they read a script. This week is 6 Degrees of Separation.
On my way out the door, I call D and tell her I am on my way to do a couple of hours of work for APM. I get in the car and start driving down the street, noticing that my car is vibrating weirdly and pulling to the right. Concerned, I pull into the random parking lot at the end of my block and discover that the vulcanized rubber has decided that it did not like where it was supposed to sit and had decided to jump off the rim. *sigh* I pop the trunk and pull out the doughnut and the jack. But I cannot find what I need to pop the lugnuts. So into my phone to dial Ford Roadside. For those without, Ford Roadside is Ford's answer to AAA and I decided to use it since it comes with my car payments. They tell me that someone will be there in about an hour.
So, I pull out my trusty book (Marley and Me) and start reading it. I have to admit that I am not much of a pet person and I had moments where I was gasping for breath from laughing so hard. An hour passes with no tow truck to help out, so I call and am told that they are on their way and should be there in about 10 minutes. 20 minutes later, no arrival and I call again. Remember--Chicago in the winter and I do not have a lot of gas so I do not have the car running. They say, once again, that it will be any minute. So I give them another 30 minutes before calling and letting them know that this is ridiculous!! They give me the number of the company they set up the dispatch with and I give them a call and am told that it will be about 15 minutes. If they are not there, I am about ready to call Ford and telling them to open another ticket with another company cuz this is ridiculous!! At 14 minutes, the driver pulls in and we get the doughnut on.
It probably would have been wiser to get my tire taken care of, since D had told me not to bother cuz she had been invited out to dinner, but I went out to IKEA instead and bought a new table with shelves to put my TV on....and then I went and saw "Slumdog Millionaire". GREAT movie!!!! MUST GO SEE!!!! But $10 for a movie???!!!?? Yesh!
Tomorrow I think I will vacuum and do some cleaning before work...maybe.
Currently Reading: Marley and Me by John Grogan
Just Watched and Loved: Slumdog Millionaire
Listening To: Whatever the show is on NPR where they read a script. This week is 6 Degrees of Separation.
02 January 2009
Welcome to Me and my thoughts.
I thought about starting this off with a recap of the past year and the many ways in that it was awful and how thankful I was that it was over. And then I realized that I do not want to dwell on the past -- what has happened has happened and it is time to move on. So while the year was one of the roughest I have been though, it is time to turn the corner and put it where it belongs. In the compost pile.
Instead, let me introduce myself. I have many names, all depending on when you met me or where you know me from. All of which I answer to, which makes documenting them difficult. Just...don't call me Missy. But I will answer to Mo, Mel, Tower, Phoenix, and even Melsie which is about as cutsie as I get. Some people even call me by my full name, but yeah.
I am a pop culture junkie. I love the stuff and I have used it as a spring board for many different things. ex --"Braveheart" led to a study in the life of william Wallace and the numerous historical liberties the film took. "Ray" led me down the path of r&b and the civil rights movement. I read comic books but only buy them when they are in trade paperback. I watch TV, but it is not always my thing. More into movies and music....but music is something that I have been slacking on lately and not exploring.
One of my big regrets is that I am not good at keeping in touch with people. I joined Facebook and MySpace to do so, but have also discovered that, once again, for the most part, that if they do not contact me, I do not contact them. But, recently I have been connecting with some old friends an dit has brought me more joy than I have had in a very very long time.
I will probably talk about my recent (less than one year old) diagnosis of celiac disease and how I am trying to cope and adjust to that diet...and figure it out. All while being, very much so, not much of a cook.
And life. I am trying to figure it out and where I belong and what I should be doing.
So, welcome to my aimless ramblings, they are bound to grow and expand and you never know if A will lead to B. But the side trip should be very entertaining!
Instead, let me introduce myself. I have many names, all depending on when you met me or where you know me from. All of which I answer to, which makes documenting them difficult. Just...don't call me Missy. But I will answer to Mo, Mel, Tower, Phoenix, and even Melsie which is about as cutsie as I get. Some people even call me by my full name, but yeah.
I am a pop culture junkie. I love the stuff and I have used it as a spring board for many different things. ex --"Braveheart" led to a study in the life of william Wallace and the numerous historical liberties the film took. "Ray" led me down the path of r&b and the civil rights movement. I read comic books but only buy them when they are in trade paperback. I watch TV, but it is not always my thing. More into movies and music....but music is something that I have been slacking on lately and not exploring.
One of my big regrets is that I am not good at keeping in touch with people. I joined Facebook and MySpace to do so, but have also discovered that, once again, for the most part, that if they do not contact me, I do not contact them. But, recently I have been connecting with some old friends an dit has brought me more joy than I have had in a very very long time.
I will probably talk about my recent (less than one year old) diagnosis of celiac disease and how I am trying to cope and adjust to that diet...and figure it out. All while being, very much so, not much of a cook.
And life. I am trying to figure it out and where I belong and what I should be doing.
So, welcome to my aimless ramblings, they are bound to grow and expand and you never know if A will lead to B. But the side trip should be very entertaining!
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