There are a lot of things wrong with the world today, this is just one of them

I hate outsourcing. That is, if I have the correct term. I hate it almost as much as I hate having to call and cancel something. I think that my hesitance to call and cancel something comes from an experience that I had the first time I ever tried to call and cancel something, I imagine most of America has had this same experience…I needed to cancel my AOL account. If you’ve ever tried to do this you know that it is an almost futile task. Not only can you never understand the person on the other line but the words you can understand are ones that are making it impossible to cancel your account. I’ve told them everything from my having free internet where I was living to my computer blowing up and nothing got the ‘okay’ to cancel the account, rather they tried new ways to keep me onboard, I think it took about 13 months for me to finally get it all over with. Needless to say calling today to cancel these two accounts I have was something I had been putting off for a while. I finally called to cancel some things that I have but never use and now they aren’t even on my computer anymore so what’s the point in getting them back anyway? Turns out they are linked in some way and if they aren’t these two companies both use the same recorded customer service guy, “Thank you for calling, “indiscernible company name here” I’m not even trying to protect the companies identity, it really was indiscernible. I couldn’t understand what he was saying and maybe my hearing is going or something but all I heard was “Whanc, Whanc, Whanc,” Like the way the teacher on Peanuts talks. Then I stay on the line for some assistance. First guy I talk to is definitely from India, no doubt about it. I needed to tell him my e-mail address in order to pull up my account, I spell it slowly and clearly for him, then he repeats it back, first letter was wrong so I correct him, not V as in Victor but D as in David (why David got to be the choice name for identifying the letter ‘D’ in clarifications I’ll never know). So then he starts over okay on the first letter, okay on the second letter (by the way he used Ostrich for ‘O’). We get to the fourth letter and I tell him it’s wrong, wouldn’t you know, it’s a ‘D’ so David was thrown into the conversation once more. Finally he must have gotten it right because he didn’t start to go through the spelling process again. He asks me why I’m canceling and I tell him that my computer broke and I just don’t know when I will get around to adding the program again. He’s sorry to hear that. Then he tells me how my account is good until March, and that they’ll hold my username for an additional 30 days after the account closes in case I change my mind. While he is talking I wonder if somehow it’s actually just a recording, it would make sense, it’s trying to find my account by spelling so it’s programmed to spell it back to me with the ‘L is for Lolita’ jargon and then it can correct itself, once finished it goes through this statement. Hey they can do a lot with computers these days; I wouldn’t be surprised if a company spent a lot of money at first to never have to hire a person to answer phones. Then he asks if there is anything else that he can do for me. No thanks! Have a great day. Hang up.
At this point I was proud of myself for canceling one useless account that I thought maybe I could take a break and call the other one tomorrow. But I know myself; therefore I made myself call the other number a couple of minutes later. After going through the “Thank you for calling, ‘indiscernible company name here’” message again Dagma picks up. Now, even though I had to press a ‘2’ to reach Dagma and by pressing the ‘2’ I was announcing that I wanted to cancel my account Dagma asks what she can do for me, “Oh,” I’m caught off guard thinking that she should already know, “Um, I’d like to cancel my account.” She’s sorry to hear that but willing to help me. That is quite possibly the last discernable sentence from this conversation. Dagma goes on about something but luckily I went through this before with the other program and while that guy and I had our communication problems at least I was able to catch most of what he said, we just weren’t on the same page as far as spelling goes. So I’m sitting there wondering what the heck Dagma is talking about and then there is a break in her talking, I took a stab at it and assumed that she also wanted my e-mail address. I begin to spell it, slowly and clearly. Dagma begins to spell it back, she’s got the wrong letter right near the end so I ask her what she had for the third to last letter, there was a long pause as though I just asked a command that she (as a computer we all know it’s true) was not programmed to perform. Finally she says something, I don’t know if it’s ‘D’ as in David, ‘V’ as in Viola, ‘C’ as in clearly (an adjective that is not helpful in describing our dialogue). I ask her to repeat it, same thing, just a mush of words. “B?” I ask her, mush of words in return. “B as in Brother?” I ask. A slow, “Okay” in return, “Ok now all I need you to do, blah, blah, blah.” Was it ‘B’ that she had or was it some other letter!? It will be one of those mysteries of life that I will never be able to discover the answer to. Then Dagma asks me why I’m canceling my account, “I never use it,” I tell her honestly. She can understand that. Are there any other reasons? Nope, it works fine I think, but again, I never use it. She can still understand that. So she asks for the name on the account to cancel it and sees that I have earned some rewards. Then she goes a mile a minute maybe in English and I’m not sure what I am hearing something about March and then for no charge April. I say, “Okay” when I should have learned a long time ago to stop using that word. Then she says some more things. I hear the words “sending” and “e-mail” and hope that everything will be explained in that. Anything else? Nope, no thank you Dagma. Except with Dagma I say, “no,” and she seems to not be able to get rid of me soon enough. I go to my computer and wait for the e-mail from Dagma. Turns out that my membership will be active through mid-April and if I want to continue at that time I don’t have to do anything more but if I want to cancel I have to call back to do so. Isn’t that just what I did? So now I have until April to procrastinate calling and canceling. I bet they are hoping that I forget so come mid-April they can keep taking money from me. I swear that Dagma used to work at AOL and she just can’t shake her previous training. Why couldn’t it be easy like the first one? Maybe I should have told her that my computer had blown up, maybe then I wouldn’t be sitting here with two free months to an application I never use.
And people wonder why I hate making phone calls.

If you could be any animal what would you be and why?(responses welcomed)

So I was thinking last night, how nice it would be to be a dog. I know they don’t have much going for them, if they don’t live on a farm they are usually in a kennel 63% of the time or tied up in the backyard. The kids like you when you’re a puppy but after that you’ve become a poop machine that has turned their once playful backyard into a veritable mine field. You have to beg for something decent to eat, you only get to bathe when your owner has time to give you a bath, you’ve got to wear an itchy collar all the time, etc., etc., etc. But the cool thing about being a dog is you get to speak your mind and no one thinks anything of it. If a dog doesn’t like someone they can growl, bark, show their lovely sharp teeth to demonstrate that if you come any closer you’re not likely to survive. Does anyone say anything mean in return? When I say anyone we are leaving out people who abuse animals, shoot animals, or are in any other way humanly impaired. No, people don’t say, “Well that dog must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed” or, “What a horrible dog for saying such things!” No, in fact in some small way they respect that dog, at least enough to avoid running into it. But if I were to openly express how I felt about someone there would be talk behind my back, people would wonder if I was on some mood altering medication, and not to mention there would also be some demeaning names attached. Being a person who desperately wants to speak (here I am referring to the verbal ability, writing I can usually get it out, but verbally I’m trapped in a prison of my own impulsiveness and stupidity) my mind but is typically unable to do so I envy the dogs around the world who can easily get the point across that they don’t like you, and nobody asks them to explain why. It could be the way they smell, the way they look, it really could just be a bad doggy day, regardless the reasoning, dogs have that aspect of life a whole lot easier.

The only thing better is to be a cat with claws where you could randomly throw out a few quick swats at someone, forever altering their paradigm of kitty safety and closeness. And if you get away fast enough nobody will put you down at the vet’s office and you can live off the mice of the land.

I never did post a picture of my final box for the Chili Cook-Off did I? Well, here it is. Despite the dire circumstances of the men’s bathroom because the Chili Cook-off began I think that the whole thing went rather well. Everyone seemed to have a good time, they ate more chili than they expected, they ravaged the dessert table and kept me busy filling cups with ice for their drinks. I’ve posted some more pictures of it because even though it wore me out I thought it was fun, and I’d much rather be working it then trying to find someone to hang out with during it.
In current events, yesterday we received an e-mail informing us that today would be a casual day because of the impending inclement weather. We were also cautioned to drive safely. Being a woman who does not watch the news or the weather channel I just had to take their word for it, it was the first I had heard of any storm coming our way. Either way I welcomed the opportunity to dress casually today. So when I woke up this morning I expected more, for those of you in Virginia with me you understand, those of you not in Virginia let’s just say there was no need to drive slowly today. First thing I did though was turn on the television and go to NBC and read the school closings. I’ve been out of high school for quite some time now so I’m not sure why that was my initial reaction unless it was more just to see what kind of damage was done. If the school’s were closed then it was pretty bad, a two-hour delay meant that they were just playing on the side of caution. On the side of caution it was, Henrico County Schools had a two hour delay. So I got ready for the day and then went out to my car a little earlier than usual to try and warm it up so the ice would just fall off rather than scraping it off because I wasn’t sure if I had a scraper in the car. Since this “hands free” approach didn’t work I went to the trunk to see what goodies I would find there. Turns out I do have a scraper, a really nice one, and I’m not sure if I stole it from my parent’s or if my dad slipped one in. It’s like the other day a friend needed a wrench or a pair of pliers, thinking I had my little tool kit in the car I went perusing in the trunk and found a nice wrench, I didn’t know I had a wrench much less a nice one I would find in my dad’s tool box, I thought pliers maybe, but not a wrench. I don’t recall putting that in the trunk either. Maybe I’m one of those kleptomaniacs who apparently don’t even remember taking the item. Since these are things that I need and I have used them I won’t be trying to find the proper owners.

Maybe I'm stressed or maybe I've watched too many scary movies...

I had the creepiest dream last night. I would feel comfortable classifying this one as a nightmare. So in my dream, first off, it’s a more futuristic setting, but that doesn’t mean that I saw flying cars or anything, but mode of transportation did seem a little different. These two boys, brothers, get into this contraption, I can’t tell if it floats or what, I can’t remember, but as they are trying to get from Point A to Point B something happens and they are lucky to end up on top of a building that is obviously separated from the city they live in. I can’t quite tell but it looks like nothing connects these out lying buildings to the city…nothing, no ground or anything. So they are stuck on this building and there are two girls (sisters) stuck on the building as well. One boy and one girl are teenagers and the other boy and girl are younger. One of the boys gets on this floating device and tries to get from one rooftop to the other, but then it messes up and he almost falls to his death (or just constant falling since I still don’t see any ground) but his brother gets a hold of him and pulls him back. They are okay on the building until it starts to get dark and the little ones begin to get nervous because of stories they have heard about these creatures that inhabit the buildings outside of the city. In the city the people are getting nervous too because they know that there are people stuck in these buildings all around the outskirts of the city and they are trying to devise ways to get them safely home. The mayor happens to be the mother of the two boys and she wants to just send help to them right away but doesn’t want to abuse her authority in that way. So they do what they normally do when this happens and that is to draw a lottery. They have everyone’s names in a big round ball and it spins and the mayor reaches in and calls a name. That person is then the one that the helicopter will go and rescue, and if they can they will rescue whoever is with them. So they are calling names but they are all people that are safe in the town. One girl whose name gets called gets upset and says that she’s fine they should concentrate on getting the people stuck in the buildings. The mom really just wants to go get her boys but she keeps doing what they’ve always done. Meanwhile the teenagers stuck on the building start to get nervous too but are trying to be brave for the kids. They all arm themselves with random things they found on the building and set themselves up so that their backs face each other rather than the vast darkness surrounding them, that way they can protect each other. They (including me who doesn’t seem to be in this dream, only watching it) can hear this scampering noise coming from random places in the building.
Then I’m on the other side, I’m with the mayor, this big black guy and some weird guy as they prepare to enter into an abandoned building. They want to try to help these kids and for some reason going to this building is going to help. The weird guy has brought along a bunch of crutches to fight off whatever it is they are afraid of. They enter into one room and it is completely dark, the mayor and the black dude walk into the room while the weird guy holds the door open for them so light can come in, the light switches don’t work. Then the weird guy starts swinging the crutches and yelling, he keeps trying to hit behind the door since he can see most of the rest of the room he figures the creatures are behind the door (my heart is racing just recalling this part of the dream). He keeps doing this for a while, certain that creatures will reach out and grab the one crutch and then he and the others can attack him with the crutches that they will still have. At one point he opens his mouth to scream and this incredibly high pitched noise comes out instead. But it’s not just high pitched, underneath there is a lower pitch, I don’t know how to explain that. Maybe you’ve heard something similar to it in Jurassic Park when the T-rex gets ticked off. That’s when I brake into a cold sweat. The kids on the other building hear the noise too and I remember one of them looking down off the side of the building and just getting dizzy as I see that there is nothing nearby, that it’s too dark to tell what’s down below, that they don’t know if something is coming for them. Suddenly I woke up, I was awake but I was too afraid to open my eyes. Finally I decided that I had to because I couldn’t fall back asleep. I had my eyes open for a few seconds and then I turned on the TV because I could do that without moving and it would give me some light. Then I jumped up and turned on the light quickly. I was thirsty and hot so I turned on the fan and then went to the bathroom to fill up a cup with water, but I wouldn’t go into the kitchen at first because I was still too shaken up. Then Chubbers decided that he had to go to the bathroom so I turned on the bathroom light, then the laundry room light and I let Chubbers walk in front of me the whole way. Then I turned on the kitchen light, the dining room light, the Florida room light, and then finally the outside light. I was hesitant to turn off the lights on our walk back to the room. I put the sleeper on the TV and fell asleep with it playing. It was one of the creepiest dreams that I have ever had.

Birthday Celebrations

Wednesday was Chubbers first birthday! He was officially three-hundred and sixty-five days old and to celebrate you know what he did? He ate 7 cupcakes that my roommate, Emily, had sitting on the counter. Not only did he eat the cupcakes but he ate the wrappers as well! Since he already had eaten seven cupcakes I thought that I would let him lick the spoon from the second cake batter used to replace the original cupcakes. I know, I’m a bad mom, not only am I spoiling him but I’m giving him an opportunity to contract salmonella. Don’t worry folks if that’s not enough punishment for him he did spend a good amount of time in time out, but it was his birthday, that only comes once a year and in doggy years who knows if it will come 10 times total, he only has one life he’s going to live it on the edge! I will not let my human children do that though, don’t worry, strict rules to become productive members of society and they won’t lick spoons from cake batter, no way, nothing but beaters for my human kids.
Needless to say Chubbers had quite the sugar rush and he was completely annoying! He was jumping on everything, running around with his little paws making that annoying tapping sound, he kept getting in my face and Emily’s face, he attacked Claire when she came home and tried to follow her into her room on more than one occasion. I wanted nothing more than for him to calm down and lay on the floor while we were watching a movie, but his crash came after we were back in my room. I was working on the computer, turned around, and there he was, lying on the floor. He had a puppy sugar hang over and I like any good mom, took a picture. I think it’s safe to say that he thoroughly enjoyed his birthday.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!! ...Or Else!

I love the color red! I don’t so much love Valentine’s Day but I love that Valentine’s Day loves the color red, so therefore I am instantly keener about the whole “holiday”. This morning my boss brought in heart shaped doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, and seeing as how my friend Gretel apparently didn’t believe me I took pictures. I think they taste better being heart shaped, kind of like the Reese’s cups tasting better when they are shaped like eggs or Christmas trees. It could, in all honesty, have something to do with the ratio of ingredients, like with the Reese’s eggs having a higher peanut butter to chocolate ratio. Kind of glad Easter candy is already out there on the shelves.
I have to say though, I think Valentine’s Day is losing its flare, only two women at work received flowers, 1 got a balloon, and I only got two text messages commanding me to have a happy Valentine’s Day. Last week my mom and I went to the store, she wanted to purchase some Valentine’s greeting cards and there was only a small section devoted to the holiday. What? Could Hallmark not come up with enough cheesy things to say? Actually, I’ve noticed a lot of internet cards being passed around, maybe Valentine’s Day is becoming an internet holiday, like an internet business. Sure conversation hearts went on the shelf December 26th, but where was the marketing for this holiday? Where were the perfunctory Jared’s and ‘Every Kiss Begins with K’ commercials? Honestly, I expected more. But then again, maybe it’s because I haven’t been watching much TV due to the writer’s strike. When all else fails I can take comfort in the fact that at least Krispy Kreme was putting in the extra effort this year to make Valentine’s something special.

Well, to sum this whole thing up and for the record, I find nothing wrong with Valentine's Day. I enjoy that it enjoys the color red and I'm worried about what path it has decided to go down, but that is none of my business. Hope you all have a good Valentine's day no matter where you are and who you're with (or not with).

Happy Birthday Little Man

He's the one with the purple string

A little birthday tribute to my dog Chubbers. Born this day one year ago



Life as a Yuppy-Puppy Chubbers and his Mama, he gets his looks from her but also half of her brain too :(

Look how little he used to be


There is a slight gap in growing up pictures because his main growth spurt occurred while he was King Omega down south by Iron Bridge Road.


Here's what he looked like when we finally got him back, definitely the same dog.

One of his favorite activities...sleeping.

Writers and long-distance runners have much in common—discipline, competition, a long haul, delayed gratification, and loneliness.

I'm bored; I know that probably came as a surprise to you. In a way I can't complain, it was kind of what I wished for, I just wanted to be able to do whatever today and that's exactly what I got to do.
Having a lot of spare time makes me think of Castaway. Tom Hanks had all the time in the world and he created Wilson and from there developed some strange friendship with him. It's not that bad for me...yet. I do have a funny looking pen with a face and hair on "standing" on my desk, but he came that way, so no crazy pills for me just yet. However, I go through a lot of things, I reread blog entries, I look through my flash drive at old stuff I have (i.e. the comic is from 2000 and don't ask why I still have it on a disk, but for some reason or another I did...oh yeah, because I thought it was hilarious). I write e-mails, I work on my budget, I found the Book of Mormon online and have been reading that, I try to plan out my schedule so that I don't double book.
I had to set up interviews today and usually when I call people I try to sound enthusiastic, I mean, they were chosen over tons of applicants, it should be like delivering the Publisher's Clearing House, but today I wasn't feeling it, I worked through the scheduling efficiently but I didn't have the flare. The funny part was I could tell as I was saying things that I was treating it very business like and I knew I should try some more pep in the tone, but it wasn't coming to me today, I don't know if that is due to the weather or because I'm super tired. But hey, I scheduled 4 interviews in 1.5 hours which apparently is really impressive, but I can't take all the credit, most of the credit goes to the interviewees themselves, I mean, if they weren't unemployed I would have never reached them at 10 o'clock in the morning. Look at me, sounding like an acceptance speech.

Plates on Display in Bulgaria

An interesting e-mail that Rub sent to me today, thought I would post it for everyone. Pretty cool huh?

Plates on Display in Bulgaria The world's oldest multiple-page book - in the lost Etruscan language - has gone on display in Bulgaria's National History Museum in Sofia. And something about that book has particular interest for Latter-day Saints. As is evident from the photograph, this book was created on metal plates that are bound together with metal rings similar to the original source documents that became the Book of Mormon. The book dates back to 600 BC, which is roughly the time that Lehi and his family left Jerusalem . The small manuscript, which is more than two and a half millennia old, was discovered 60 years ago in a tomb uncovered during digging for a canal along the Strouma River in southwestern Bulgaria . It has now been donated to the museum by its finder, on condition of anonymity. Reports say the unidentified donor is now 87 years old and lives in Macedonia.The authenticity of the book has been confirmed by two experts in Sofia and London , museum director Bojidar Dimitrov said quoted by AFP. The six sheets are believed to be the oldest comprehensive work involving multiple pages, said Elka Penkova, who heads the museum's archaeological department. There are around 30 similar pages known in the world, Ms Penkova said, "but they are not linked together in a book". The Etruscans - one of Europe's most mysterious ancient peoples - are believed to have migrated from Lydia , in modern western Turkey , settling in northern and central Italy nearly 3,000 years ago. They were wiped out by the conquering Romans in the fourth century BC, leaving few written records. The long debated question about bound metal records existing in the Middle East 2500 years ago as claimed by the Book of Mormon can now be put to rest. Critics should take note and check that item off their list of objections to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Chicken! September 22nd would be a good day for chicken!

So Rub asked her uncle about my computer because he's a Dell Service Center Manager. How fortuitous that I own a Dell with a blue screen and her uncle is a manager for Dell at the Service Center? So he gave her his work number so I can call him on my lunch break. I'm really hoping that since I'll be going straight to the source of Dell knowledge that my computer will be up and running sometime this week, because deep within my bosom a desire to toss it out the car window while driving 65 mph is growing rapidly. I just want to be able to give you guys some new pictures, to budget my money on Microsoft Money, to download some new music because I’m sick and tired of all the music I currently have, and to watch movies instantly on Netflix. Am I asking too much?
You know what else I’d like to ask for? Panty hose that don’t get embarrassing runs in them before 10 AM. I went to get my morning cup of H2O and as I’m filling the cup I look down and wonder for a quick second what is wrong with my leg, and then I realize nothing, it’s the hose, they are ruined beyond repair, but when I put them on this morning they were fine. Why can’t I hang on to a pair of panty hose? Why must they all get runs in them? Why do I go through them so quickly? These are important life questions that I need answers to! I think I’m going to prepare a kit for myself to have with me at work. All the essentials; deodorant, a spare pair of hose, pony tail holders, bobby pins, a pair of earrings (because let’s face it I feel naked without earrings but some mornings I forget to put them on), maybe a little bag of candy for when my blood sugar gets to low. Travel sized toothpaste and toothbrush, floss, some breakfast bars; you know the essentials just in case for some reason I either forget to do these things at home or I get stuck at work due to inclement weather.
Just so you know, I changed my picture yet again. Now it’s the anatomy of a leader, my final project for my leadership class and the one college project I am most proud of…no one else made their final project out of food. Ugh, 45 minutes until lunch time!

My picture

So out of boredom I changed my picture. Seriously, I have nothing better to do.I thought I would pick the one where I put black liquid eye liner on my lips and went for the Goth look. What do you think? It's the artist trapped deep within my soul screaming to get out. There are other options we could go with until I can finally upload pictures from my camera again. In the meantime you can choose which picture you would like (like how I make this seem like an honor for you? I have others, these all happen to be from my last year in college...hopefully not the most recent I have, but I didn't feel like going on shutterfly to find the others, which I will since I actually look sickly in all of these. Anyway, let me know.

Speaking of computers, I worked maybe a total of 3 hours yesterday going through the step by step process on the Dell website to fix my computer. Each time I got to hit the "Next" button a little sliver of hope died. I felt certain once I found the link that said, "I have a blue screen" that I had found all the answers to my problems. As it turns out there could be a myriad of reasons why you would get the dreaded blue screen, and apparently mine is a special, unknown reason. I have to download a program somehow on to a floppy disk, which luckily I already own a bunch from back in the days before CDs and flash drives. Unfortunately finding someone who still has a drive for floppy disks will be difficult. I'm hoping that the geniuses who said that I need to download this program do remember that my need for it is because windows won't boot due to a blue screen, but part of me wonders and dreads that maybe they forgot and expect that I can get online and download this program directly to my computer. Who knows what to expect at this point. I mean what if I get the program, go through the instructions, and finally get to the last page on the Dell website and they say, "You may just want to buy a new hard drive, here are some of the ones we have on sale." I may be in the market for a new computer, we'll see.

Hundreds of pages, pages, pages for words

I've been really excited about learning new words lately. The first would be this past Saturday I learned that those little things that they put honey mustard in at restaurants are called ramekins. I really like that word, just the way that it comes out of my mouth. Ramekin. I've recently come to realize though that apparently most people already knew about the ramekins, I'm trying to figure out why it took 25 years for someone to tell me. If so many people knew that they were called ramekins why did they let me go around for so long calling them the little things that they put honey mustard in at restaurants? In the meantime I thought a ramekin was a cross between a ram and a munchkin (featured here). Fierce little creatures that wear bow ties and attack kangaroos on sight. Silly me, it's just a small piece of pottery that I have always found fascinating.

It's kind of like last year when I learned that those things at the library that create their queue lines are called stanchions. I was really excited when I was able to ask my mom if she knew that they were called stanchions, and the only thing I got was the fact that she already knew what they were called, and then of course that I was saying it wrong. I can't help it that I only heard the word twice in my lifetime when I should have been hearing the word all along. Don't even get me started on queue, why did I learn that word while playing Rollercoaster Tycoon and upped the usage of it only after joining Netflix? Why didn't people call lines queues all along. I've been deprived; ramekin, queue, and stanchion are words that I should have known before I went to college! Maybe if these three words were more widely used I would have done better on the SATs.Another word that I learned this week would be epistaxis. Thanks to my friend Mary repeating it and forcing me to use it in sentences (i.e. working on a beautiful day like today is like suffering from a spontaneous epistaxis while blowing out the candles on your birthday cake.) I have finally got it down. Epistaxis is a fancy word for a nose bleed by the way. That would have come in handy during the CSI Chili Cook-off when someone apparently had an epistaxis in the men's bathroom.

Would anyone like to add to my vocabulary? Anyone learn any new words this week?

C.S.I. Chili Cook-Off

Today work has been interesting to say the least. I get to the office, not too thrilled about being here as I am completely self doubting and paranoid lately. I have to ask the marketing assistant for the camera and she wasn’t here on time, she’s always on time if not early and I was worried that she wouldn’t be here at all, not too worried since I brought my own camera, but I didn’t want to have one other thing I was asked to do not done correctly. Then someone stops by my desk and asks me to call the maintenance crew because there is blood all over the men’s bathroom. So immediately I call maintenance to come by because, well, that’s disgusting. I investigated by asking questions because part of me wanted to see it for myself and part of me knew I would gag. Even now my wrist hurt and I want to abort writing this. I even got an e-mail later informing me yet again about the blood spatter on the mirror. After that was taken care of I had to begin to help set up for our Chili cook-off (pictures coming later). My boss was dragged off to “emergency meetings” which I didn’t realize at the time were in any way connected to the bathroom incident, but later found out that they were. From snippets of what I heard between 9 AM and 1 PM I gathered that someone from the one of the departments was not here today, whether he quit or was fired I’m not certain, and through more snippets I have connected that it is believed that he is the one responsible for the bloody bathroom. It is all really creepy. Now its 1:30, I’m exhausted and sleepy and just want to take a nap! Not only am I tired from setting up the Chili Cook-off and lunch and working through it but it’s also rainy outside, and I’m always sleepy when it’s rainy.