Oh please shut up, you're wounding my soul.*

Let's talk about the time when I realized that I may or may not watch too many Tim Burton movies. I was in a meeting last week with my boss when she decided that we would get the answer to a question that we had right then. So she called up the individual to ask the quick question and then ended up on the phone for the next fifteen or so minutes. It's not that I minded sitting there not having to do anything, but at the same time...I don't like to just sit there. I have a lot of things I can do so I don't like watching other people work or sitting there trying not to listen to their conversation.

But at the same time, I couldn't leave. So I started to doodle on my paper. The first drawing really creeped me out. The second made me think that maybe I could write a very interesting children's story. I mean, I can't hack it as a "real" writer...not that people who write children's books aren't real writers, in fact I think it is harder then writing a novel or anything so really I feel like I put my foot in my mouth and I've written too much to delete it all and start over so I'll just deal with that. Writer's of the world, you amaze me whether you write children's books, chapter books, novels, non fiction, and the list goes on and on. Anyway. Whatever. All I wanted to do was to show you my doodles because they are interesting to me and they made me think that Tim Burton would use characters like them in one of his movies. Tim - if you happen to read my blog, we should talk. Just leave your contact info in the comments section.

I've named them too. Snifflesworth and Buckmeyer. The original had a name when I drew her, but I have forgotten. She would likely be the leader. Don't let them fool you, they aren't as stupid as they look, in fact they are relatively intelligent, though their boss lady is the brains of the operation and she's the one with the conniving gene.

Maybe I will work on the story or at least just think about it a little more.





P.S. I got my wish and I was snowed in yesterday and today.

You'll get some road work done while you wait.*

It's basketball season again. Here come the bruises, scrapes and blood. For anyone who has ever played church ball there are some rules and guidelines. No bobby pins, no rings, no bracelets or hairbands around your wrist. The most important one to me at this moment is cut your nails!

Tonight's game went alright, I could have done better but the team did pretty good. I got this pretty little number with 45 seconds left in the game. There was a slight scare that the ref would take me out for hemorrhaging, but I concealed it and kept playing. We ended up going into overtime, which is always exciting. In the end though, we won, which is the way it should be, especially since they drew blood. They owed me.
It's funny, we are four games into the season, I get injured but find myself feeling pretty excited for the rest of the season. I'm weird like that.

Photos taken by Isaac.

They blend into the pavement.*

It's a pant swoosh day. I'm just saying.

Today marks the end of the longest week of my life. I can't tell you how much I've wished for Friday to come, but in all reality I am wishing for some other Friday. Some Friday where it actually marks the end of the "busy season". I don't know when this happened, when all of a sudden every night I had something I have to do. I've been trying to think where I can "cut back" but in all honesty, I don't see where that is. This coming Monday starts my PHR class (Professional in Human Resources), that will go from 6-9...bye bye Mondays. Tuesday nights I have Institute, which I thoroughly enjoy and honestly need in my life. Wednesday nights I'll be doing visits for my calling which take up a good hour to two hours sometimes. Thursday nights are either basketball games or basketball practice, Friday nights are usually games - but hopefully soon they will translate into a night I can spend at home (yes, a single girl wishing for a Friday night home alone...that's how bad it is right now). Saturdays are always full, even when I think I've got them open I suddenly find myself Saturday evening not having gotten a thing done that I needed to...not because I sit around on my duff either, because trust me, I've written that on the "to do" list.

I guess I'm just stressed. I like to spend time alone, at home, and wasn't able to do it this week so it gets to me. I haven't even been able to fold my laundry and put it away. My room is a mess, and that kind of makes me a mess. And I ran over a cat the other day too! This would be the first animal that I've run over...oh wait...just to clear it up, I had no part in the death, the thing was already dead, but hadn't been for long. It was just as bad as if I had been the first to hit it. That kind of stuff can stay with a person. It's supposed to snow here...a lot, and I have to be honest, I almost hope that it does because then I will be able to stay at home and get some stuff done! When it snows like that in Virginia it's like the whole state shuts down, any and all plans you had are canceled, and I'm okay with that.

In other news, I just faxed in my employment verification from the mortgage company. Ah the joys of HR, I get that incredibly awkward moment where they sent the verification for me. I fill these things out for people all the time - this time it was for me. I'm sure they frown upon me doing my own request so I had Wanda fill it out. However, she made me call and ask them to send it again because we messed up on the form. So I called and was about to say who I was and then thought how odd it would be for me to state my name, then tell her I needed her to send the verification request for me again. So instead she picks up the phone, states her name and I say, "Hello, hey, um (the 'um' is for when in my mind I say, "This is Jessica"), yeah, let me start over." So I was completely rude in that I never said who I was just whose verification I needed them to fax to me again (which, in case you didn't follow, was my own). I tried to make up for it with a cheerful "Thank you" but who knows if it worked. All I can say is that was interesting.

Also, the appraiser has gone to the house and said that there wouldn't be a problem appraising it for the contract amount (which I was worried about). It doesn't mean it is all in the clear, but it's definitely good. I'm inching closer and closer everyday.

I'm sorry, the wind caught it*

Friday when I went home for lunch I stopped the car just as I was pulling into the driveway because I saw this beast! Notice the proportions! Don't try to fool yourself into thinking, "Oh, they've just got one of those midget light posts, like in Santa's little winter wonderland. The kind that are short enough for the elves to perform maintenance on."

No folks, that light post is standard make and model, several feet taller and bigger than the elves' post. I mean, this bird could swoop in and pluck Chubbers right out of the yard.

I had mixed emotions as I looked at this bird of prey. The first of course being that it couldn't be real, my roommate just put a rather large decoration on the light post, you know, because Halloween is only ten months away.

The next feeling was a slight uneasiness. Like standing at the edge of a cliff and looking down into the endless depths below. It's pretty darn cool to see a bird of this size! I thought the black birds in this neighborhood were rather large, but this guy makes them look like mice...tiny ones. Then there was the uneasiness of seeing a creature look ALL THE WAY around itself without moving it's body. Notice here in this photo, his head is on backwards! I may be naive, I have never claimed otherwise, but I honestly never thought I would see this type of bird in front of my house, or ever in my life unless I paid money. I tried to roll down the window to take a better picture, but it finally sensed my presence and flew off.

That brought on the next feeling, fear. This bird was somewhere nearby, any moment he could swoop down, unprovoked, and attack. I'm no coward, my main problem comes from not wanting to look like one. You know, like when you think a bug is crawling up your arm so you slap your arm only to find a piece of hair sitting there. How does one handle the prospect of a face off with this beast with any amount of dignity?? No, it's best to avoid it. So I went quickly inside, let Chubbs outside to fend for himself and made my lunch.

I am, however, happy to report that both Chubbers and I are safe and sound.

Ew, Dandelion, must be the last one of the season.*

It's casual Friday here at work. I decided today I would go classy. Some casual Fridays I wear a hoodie, jeans and sneakers. The hoodie is pushing the limits, as would be T-shirts in the summer, according to the dress code. Today I have a black sweater and my red flats (sock-less on a cold, rainy day - le sigh). Anyway, not my point. My point is, when I wear pants, jeans in particular, I create an undesirable swooshing sound when I walk. After much study and observation I have concluded that the swooshing is originating at my inner thighs as the two pants legs rub together. To me, this can only mean one thing, I have rather...hmmm...healthy thighs, curvaceous, big boned, bordering on obesity thighs.

As I was walking the green mile of the office, I tried my darnedest to avoid making this socially noxious noise. It inadvertently led to the sucking in of my stomach. This got my mind wondering why if it is possible to suck in my stomach why can't I suck in my thighs?? And as I thought about this the swooshing seemed to fade away and for a moment I foolishly believed that it was possible to suck my thighs in. When what really happened was that the intensity of thought caused me to decrease my speed to that of a tortoise. With the decreased speed came decreased friction, and the false sense of a fading swoosh. Sadly, I am left to roam the halls wishing I was bowlegged.

I'd better not hear of anyone touching your squeakers.*

First off...let me say 'Happy Birthday' to my sister, Martha, and my nephew, Jacob. Yes, they share a birthday. Since they are in two states it's probably the best that either of them have ever done with sharing...kidding...kind of.

Yesterday I had the home inspection done...on my house. My house. So close I almost feel the urge to pack all my stuff up. This time next month I will be only a few days away from closing and getting the key. Yesterday when we went to the house for the inspection Realtor Carol handed me the keys so I could go ahead and get in and show my dad around (he had yet to see it). It's funny, because a key is a key is a key right? But these keys felt different, I coveted these keys. I wanted to go get a box of my stuff and put it in one of the rooms...like licking your food to claim it. The box seemed more sane then licking the keys.

Good news, my dad approves of the house. After a little kicking and pushing on things he decided that it was good. It's a good feeling to have Dad approve of my decision, especially since we were already moving forward with things. The inspection went well, nothing too major, just basic stuff that I would want my house to have anyway and Dad says that we can do it all pretty inexpensively. After the inspection I followed Realtor Carol back to her office, because upstairs is where my loan guy is. So I went up there, he explained all this math information to me and I actually understood it! I suppose I might be a little brighter then I give myself credit for. Then I proceeded to sign my life away.

I love this house. Look at that counter space! I tell you, two years with hardly any counter space and no garbage disposal can make you go crazy. I have to buy this house, for my mental state of being.

Other then that I have nothing interesting to say. But considering that I am buying my first home, I think that's okay. I don't need to worry that I am uninteresting because I am busy worrying about other things...like avoiding any snags in the final stretch.

A brief shining moment, and then that mouth.*

Yesterday I had a second birthday celebratory dinner at my parent's house. I'm not sure why we've done it twice, other than the fact that Thursday was rushed and my brother and sister couldn't be there. I'm not complaining, birthday cake is no enemy of mine. Along with dinner and cake we had the Missionaries over, and my friend Natalie. After cake the missionaries did a spiritual thought, as they usually do, and the junior companion said, "What is prayer?" we were all quiet for a moment (this is how my family is, we talk and talk and talk until someone asks a serious question and then we all look at each other before we dare answer). In this slight gap of sound the other Elder said, "Baby don't hurt me." Which got us all laughing (my thought process is it came to his mind because of the song where the lyrics are, "What is love? Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more." exchange 'love' for 'prayer'). When they were getting ready to leave I leaned over to Kathryn to confirm what he had said (it's unusual coming from a missionary) and she said that he said, "Maybe you didn't hear me." So then that got us all debating. Joanna and Mom are with me and we were sitting closest, Kathryn and Natalie are against me. It's the great debate. I'd ask him next time I see him, but chances are, I won't see him for a long time and by then he won't remember. We'll have to forever wonder.

Other things this weekend: I made an offer on a house (duh, it was the last post). They made a counter offer, we made some ratifications to their counter offer, and right now, we all agree. The home inspection will be done tomorrow as well as a visit to the loan guy.


My mom's fish died. Well, we're not exactly sure when it could have been yesterday, it could have been weeks ago. Whenever we think he is dead he moves. Joanna said we probably just saw him moving in the current and assumed he was alive. I always thought he was dead, at one time I thought they had flushed him but left an empty tank, until my sister pointed out that he was still in there. Yesterday he looked a little like a color drained Chester Cheetah (sunglasses mostly). As pictured below.



















Uncanny. And yes, I took a picture of a dead fish, and when my brother gave me grief about it I told him that I am a famous blogger now, I have 32 followers and they probably want to know my adventures with dead fish. Right?
My roommate threw me a surprise party on Saturday night. She got Elaina to 'distract' me, so we went to look at the house and then drive all over town. Elaina even got her GPS to say it was taking us to a nearby Wendy's, when really it was leading us further and further away from home. I don't know how she did it, but she did. We didn't actually follow the GPS once it made us pass Broad street (the main drag), and then it said we were at Wendy's but there wasn't one in sight. I already picked up by this point that something was going on. I picked up on it when I got home and let my dog out and saw Double Stuffed Golden Oreos, a pack of candles, and a bag of balloons. But I played as though I hadn't seen them. I didn't give Elaina as much slack. We pulled into the driveway and I asked her if she had been paid to distract me, she laughed nervously and said, "What? Never?" She's not a good liar, but I've never called her on a lie before so I couldn't call her on it with any degree of certainty, that is until we got out of the car and she started for the front door (the back one goes right into my room). I said, "See you later", she sounded dejected and I said, "Oh, were you supposed to try to get me to go through the front door?" I got the same laugh and I'm pretty certain a "What? Never" again. We got in and I looked up into the kitchen and Jim was watching us from behind the fridge (creepy), but that didn't give anything away, I had invited people to come over and watch movies (I had no idea I was playing right into Anne's hands). So he came down and said something about the movie. Then Anne called me upstairs for something (that's unusual). So I finally went upstairs and everyone yelled "Surprise!" And it was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from my birthday celebrations throughout the week.

You one celled paramecium brain*

We have a new guy at work, he's a contractor so I didn't know he was coming. It apparently also means he needs a trashcan. It's amazing to me how many workstations don't have trashcans in this place. Anyway, I went down and gave him a trash can and as I was leaving I said, "Nice to meet you," and then realized we hadn't really met. I knew his name, but he didn't know mine, I hadn't introduced myself. So I jumped back towards his workstation and introduced myself. As I was leaving he calls out, "The Mouseketeer Roll Call is complete" or something like that. I laughed, for his sake...I had no clue what he was talking about. I assume it has to do with the Mickey Mouse Club, but I never watched that as a kid. You see, Disney used to be a separate channel, one you had to pay more money for even though you had cable. It also didn't have commercials (I know from the week or two sample they would give us every so often in hopes of hooking us in, but really we'd pull out the recordable VHS(s) and start recording movies we didn't want to buy). Either way...even though I don't think I presented more than one way (if that), he strikes me as weird. I don't appreciate when people whip out the Disney references in a work place environment, I mean, a movie quote from Disney - not a problem...something from a television show from back when it was a special channel...not cool, not cool at all.

I've made an offer....on this house.

Prayer for me.

Women my age are doing geritol and fixodent commercials.*

House number 3...I think a bust, though it's not completely off of the list. The first problem is that it is currently occupied, not really a problem except we take into account they are renters who don't care if the house sells. The layout was nice though, there probably is or probably was a leak in the roof judging by two separate spots in the ceiling. The washer and dryer were in a shed connected to the house (to which my dad immediately started making plans to correct), there was no dishwasher...I'm a snob, I need a dishwasher. Heating was good, the house wasn't freezing, the yard was fenced in with two little friendly fellows (dogs) sunbathing on the back porch to prove that the fence went all the way around...I mean, they were still there. Chubbs would have four instant friends to run the fence with. The renters used the stove as an ashtray and have an obsession with everything M&Ms and Native American (I think there is a blatantly obvious connection between the two, don't you?) But I had to close my eyes and look past their decorations, laundry covered couches, nicotine stench, mud based yard, and see what I could do with the place. There are possibilities. There are always possibilities...except with that first house and it's makeshift indoor swimming pool.

Okay folks, I need prayers, crossed fingers...money. Tomorrow we are going to try and see a house on...wait for it...Pennsylvania Avenue. The Obama's could totally be my neighbors...but...I wouldn't actually want that, so it's a good thing it's a different PA Ave. This house puts the other super cute house to shame, especially because it's cute all the way around without a steep stairwell and has a separate room for the washer and dryer. But I will not get my hopes up, I just know what I will be wishing for tonight when I blow the candles out.

"N.Y." "What's that mean?" "No Way".*

Dear Super Cute House,

We really could have had something. I was blinded by your adorableness and ignored the small closets, but I could not ignore the mounting list of expenses that all seemed to turn into things that I would need to do immediately. Don't get me wrong, I had a fine time ignoring them, that is until your realtor tried to trick me into purchasing you quicker then I would like. It's only been two weeks that we have been together, I will not be pressured into anything, I'm sorry. The so called "contract" that you are under, if your realtor wants to play games and suddenly say that someone else wants to buy you when there wasn't any competition less then a week ago, that's fine. Tell him I don't play these games and while I'm competitive, I am not competitive with two things - boys and houses. If someone else stakes a claim, I usually back down. Suddenly I realized that I am not in love, your stairwell is too narrow, your rooms are far too small and your dishwasher is fugly.

Sincerely,

Lil D

Well folks. As you have probably guessed, super cute yellow house is out. When I think about it now there was really too much work, especially considering the asking price. Both times I walked through I was making a mental list of things that needed to be done or things I wanted to do, and tried to order them from "Must be done" to "Can wait until I make more money." I was still in love with the house, but on Sunday I got a call from Realtor Carol saying she got the estimate for the heating work but now the other realtor was saying he had two offers on the table so I should send him mine. Excuse you? I will not be rushed into this. She had her suspicions and I had mine and suddenly that list of expenses seemed ridiculous. I needed to fence in the backyard, change out the dishwasher before it released some kind of dangerous spore into the air, build a deck with a wide staircase just to get furniture to the "third bedroom", that's not including getting the new heating system installed. Plus, there really were no closets, and no storage space...so I would have to buy some sort of storage unit for the backyard to store all of our usual "attic" things. Having "two offers" on the table cleared my mind. Yesterday I started to look at other houses and found another one that might be better, it has three bedrooms but still has it's attic. Already I'm coming ahead in the storage department. It also already has a fenced in yard. Anyway, we're going to go see that one on Thursday and I'll fill you in then. I won't even post a picture because that gets me too attached...plus, I'm sure it's got a sweeter spirit then the above mentioned house...translation, it's just not as cute. I'm hoping it's like that one house I saw at Christmas time with the big sign on the outside, "I'm beautiful inside!" But if not, we keep looking. I'll let you know.

Why would I joke about hemophilia?*

This weekend was pretty busy for me. I'm glad it's over and done with...but I wish it were still the weekend, make sense? Friday night we had our first basketball game. I'm not going to lie, I was nervous, but we won! We really won! I felt pretty good afterwards. It's different playing against girls then playing against guys. I play against the guys and leave thinking, "Well, at least I got a workout." I play against girls and leave thinking, "Well, at least I didn't send any of them to the hospital." I love basketball.

Saturday morning I had my fourth round of Driving Improvement School...never been? You should do all in your power to correct that. You can volunteer for the course, if you have any negative points on your driver's license this can help that, or if you want to bring your insurance down, you can check with your agent about that. But really, if you aren't ordered to by the court, DMV, or your insurance agent then don't bother. I was originally signed up to take the course on December 19th, but we had that snow and the whole state shut down. When I called to reschedule, the 9th was the only day available on this side of town. That resulted in two classes being rolled into one...very cramped. However, one good thing came out of that, it meant that we didn't have to take the test, there just wasn't enough time for him to get through all the material, we take the test, he grade them, write up our certificates, and get out by 5 o'clock. Fine by me, I hate tests and I could hardly understand him when he was talking, he said something about the dentist and judging by the tissue he clung to the entire day I am guessing he had a cold too. After lunch he was more stuffy then before and I lost all hope of knowing most of what he said. We spent the first hour and half paying and getting to know each other, then it was like a driving Q&A session until lunch, he gave us a little longer on lunch then usual and when we got back we were right back into the Q&A. We watched some videos (one being a Disney cartoon about driving), then we spent the last hour of class discussing drinking and driving. Finally he let us go. Luckily for me my class was at the hotel right behind the place we were having our work party. I got out of the class around 4:50 and I needed to be at the place at 5:30. So I just went right over and changed in the bathroom, put on my face, tried to straighten my hair (but that was a no go) and met up with my sister, Kathryn, for the party.

I have to say, I really liked having my sister there, I was immediately more comfortable then the year before. It also helped that we were at The Place, rather than the Jefferson, because I actually know most of the people working at The Place (that's what it is called - The Place). Kathryn and I had a lot of fun playing blackjack and craps, we made a new best friend who told us what to do at the craps table and helped us to "win big" (pretty much, we won a lot of little chips, never got a big one). People kept thinking we were getting pictures together so we got plenty of the two of us. Since my brother-in-law was one of the chefs working the event, but no one else knew it, we told two of the ladies from my work that my sister thought he was cute but was too nervous to talk to him. They both volunteered to go get his number. The first one we ended up telling her right away that Kathryn and him were married. The other one we let it go for our own personal amusement. We finally told her by the end of the night, mostly when she said that she had talked to him and found out he was a Cowboys fan...that's when we knew she hadn't talked to Mike...she had the wrong chef, she was talking to Nick. So now Kathryn and I joke that I have a new brother-in-law, Nick. Farewell Mike, you were a good brother-in-law. Anyway, long post short, below are pictures from the evening. I only picked out a few (we took over 100) and I put them in a slide show so that this wouldn't be an even longer post. Enjoy.

Fingerpainting?*

Today I woke up at 5:25. I just woke up and again, like yesterday morning, I just sat there. I did the math in my head, I shouldn't have woken up because I hadn't had 8 hours of sleep. I tried to remember if I had a nightmare and maybe that's why I was awake, but nothing. The only thing I can really remember is that it was cold, but I was too cold to even roll over and turn the space heater back on.

Today I didn't even try to think of things I could do to work out so early in the morning and so cold that I felt certain that even inside I would be able to see my breath. Today I tried to go back to sleep. I told myself that playing basketball tonight counts as working out, so there's no need to do it twice in one day. I eventually got myself back to sleep, but when I woke up again I wished I had the gusto to do more.

It's like, a week ago, I was hanging out with my friend, Mike. I told him that one of my New Year's resolutions was to be less lazy (note: not more productive, just less lazy than I am). He smiled and said, "No one keeps New Years resolutions." I smiled back, and then stopped smiling because there were a couple meanings there. I could twist his words in so many directions that I didn't even know where to start. First reaction - "You calling me lazy?!" Second - did he just not believe that I could do it? Am I lazy passed the point of no return? And he, a friend of not even a year has already noticed it? I don't know how he meant it, because it's not like I needed the comfort of knowing that no one keeps their resolutions, it was the beginning of the year. Even a sarcastic, "good luck with that" would have been better. Then we get to mornings like yesterday and today where I get up early, like I wanted, but stay in bed and I think, "He's right, we're 7 days in to 2010 and he's already right." My only comfort is that by waking up at these forsaken hours is less lazy then I was in 2009...so - in your face!

Maybe this week will be waking up early, and next week will be getting out of bed early...because I have learned that there is a difference.

In other news, my dad got back to me with some estimates and I think I am ready to talk offers with Realtor Carol. I called her on my lunch break but she was with clients...other clients? It's like finding out you aren't the only girl in some guy's life. Hit to the stomach. She said she would call me later today to discuss. And that's your daily update on that.

Addendum: I just looked over to the side and realized I have 30 followers. Hallelujah!

Alright, one more kiss you maniac.*

I woke up at 6:30 this morning. Okay, okay, I woke up at 5:55 and then at 6:30. Part of my New Year's Jazz involved getting up early. This whole week I have gone to bed really early in hopes of waking up when my alarm went off. Monday I didn't hear a thing and woke up on my own at 7:30. Tuesday I heard it alright, but having woken up at midnight feeling as though I had slept a whole night (but not in a good way, like a whole night in a fitful rest, the kind you want to wake up from and escape) I let myself sleep until as late as possible. This morning, (pretend you hear that noise of heavenly choirs singing...I can't come up with a word to use to give you that impression so I must be blunt in what I want you to hear) I woke up close enough to the desired time. The only problem is, I didn't know what to do with myself. The point of waking up early was to work out...here are the problems, I didn't want to disturb my roommates (one who is a light sleeper and doesn't get enough sleep as it is) so the elliptical was out, it was wayyyyyy too cold to go running and still dark, and it was way too cold period. The house is an icebox. Tell me, where's my motivation? Oh and another thing, any source of artificial light was too far away for me to turn on so I sat there in the dark for a long time. Finally I got up and turned on my lamp and that got me going. I mean, I ate breakfast this morning! That never gets to happen.

With the other goals I am doing much better. I read a news article this morning...on CNN.com (so grown up). 14 terror suspects accidentally kill themselves. Sure, they were suicide bombers, but I think to handle explosives you should take a little more care, no matter what your end is. It made me think of Achmed the dead terrorist.

Unfortunately it is that article added to yesterday when I read about a 14-year old girl in the Maryland area who got hit by an Amtrak train and died. Maybe you seasoned current events people can tell me, if I am going to start reading up on current events, is there anything positive or upbeat to read?

P.S. today is the second day in a row that I'm grateful I keep a stick of D.O. at my workstation...disaster avoided.

I had to conduct an interview yesterday. This would be my second time. Boss Lady was sick and e-mailed me saying that she would be out of the office and I needed to do the interview...no thank you. So for the whole morning I spent my time developing an ulcer, waiting for the 1 o'clock interview. I wrote up the questions that I asked in the last interview and went in with that, not foreseeing one little problem. The last time I did an interview I only had to last 15-20 minutes, this time I had to last 45. I lasted about as long as the first interview (15-20 minutes - in case you forgot already), and then he told me about his skiing trip this weekend with his brother. I need to come up with more questions to ask. It's difficult when the person has no experience for the position they are applying for (because it's an entry level position), their experience doesn't relate to what they are interviewing for and even if it did it's not really stuff I understand. So...new work related goal, learn more about underwriting.

After the interview I finally took "lunch" (I didn't get to eat lunch though). I met my Dad and Realtor Carol at the house again...this house.

It's smaller then I remember, I think the reason I noticed it this time is because I was thinking about the girls who said that they would live with me. So when I noticed barely any closet space I wondered if they would be okay with that. Will the promise of being able to paint their room be enough for them to still want to live with me? I hope so. I mean, I've lived without a closet for four years - I've made it work. Anyway, Dad brought the HVAC guy to quote the heating system, there's some work to be done yet, and I'm wondering how I will be able to afford it all, but I'll find a way I suppose, if it's meant to be. Realtor Carol is going to check on a few items with the other realtor and Dad is going to get the quotes and then we'll move from there. I still like this house, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

You remind me of someone, it's probably you.*

It's strange the things that we remember and the things that we don't remember. I can remember random things said in a conversation (verbatim and it bugs me when other people twist the words or don't recall it the same way - but I let it bug me inside my head and don't tell people, I know I'm crazy), but I can't remember about 90% of my classmates in high school. Worse, if I do remember them (only after seeing their face and knowing their name) I will wonder if we were friends or acquaintances (I well remember if we are enemies).

You're probably wondering where all of this is coming from. I am deep cleaning my room, and yes, I've taken a break to blog about it. I found my lock from grades 6-12, I don't know why I kept it, but I did. So I picked it up, said the combination in my head and then tested it out and walla, it opened. I remember my locker combination, but not all of my friends. Obviously we weren't close, and even more obviously my lock and I were. I mean, seven years together is quite the commitment...but eight years apart and still remember the combination is very impressive.

On that train of thought, I also found some old scrapbooks (yeah, I used to scrapbook and I probably still should, but I think having a digital camera pretty much cut off the desire to scrapbook (and let's add Facebook to that mix...and a blog, and shutterfly). Anyway, my first scrapbooks were mostly just letters and cards from friends and a few pictures scattered here and there. I'm looking for one picture in particular for Amber because she didn't know that I had gotten second degree burns on my feet. So I was looking for the picture from the physical therapy room in the hospital. The room that a few of my friends probably remember too as they went with me to the hospital and kept me company while my feet soaked (thank you again all of you fantastic friends).

I forgot where I was going with this and I really should get back to cleaning. But boy am I glad for those scrapbooks because I would have forgotten a lot of that stuff (like the letter Mur wrote me when I graduated college, what my niece looked like before she finally got some hair, and how much fun I actually had over the past couple of years).

P.S. you can bet I'll still be keeping that lock, I mean, if I remember the combo that's impressive, and a sign that we belong together.

Is There A Problem Officer?*

Okay. Oh wait. Happy New Year! Okay, now that the formalities are over and done with.

I brought in the New Year with the church choir. A group of us went to Dave and Buster's for New Year's Eve dinner. Elaina works at Dave and Buster's and I don't know if we got any special treatment due to this, other than the entire staff stopping in to harass Elaina and mess up her order for kicks and giggles. At one point one of them asked Elaina if this was the youth group from church and as I recall her response was that it was the choir. So, I didn't actually go out with the choir, but I did.

After dinner we all went to Brianna's house. Elaina and Jim rode with me and Ronnie followed...unfortunately I still haven't gotten that tire fixed, so with the doughnut on the car I didn't take the interstate, rather we cruised the main drag (Broad) all the way to Brianna's house. It only took three times the amount of time it would have taken if we had taken 64. And if we had taken 64 then Jim wouldn't have been able to yell to the locals that he wasn't wearing pants (which he did yell, and he was wearing pants). That changed their yells of "Happy New Year" to "F-you" with the finger in the air. I kept trying to roll his window back up but he held his finger on the button so it stayed open. I thought, this is it, this is the moment I get shot at downtown.

We finally get to Brianna's and we pull out the game Balderdash, which was lying on the floor. The main reason - karaoke. I don't do karaoke, nor do I enjoy others taking a shot at it. Unless they are amazingly good at it or drunk there is no enjoyment in the activity (for me). It's more like watching tryouts for American Idol (another thing I can't do), painful in every way. Everyone else in the room was preparing to sing their hearts out with the karaoke machine. No thanks. So a group of 5 of us played the game instead.

We turned on the television a few minutes to midnight and I swear it's the fastest midnight has ever come. I can't recall three minutes counting down so quickly in all my life. We hung out for a little longer and then headed home. I got home and crashed, I was exhausted. When I woke up on Friday morning I was sick as a dawg (ha! I was rereading this and realized that I put "dawg" when I should have put "dog" but I love the mistake so much I'm leaving it). I took some medicine and went back to bed, I woke up every couple of hours to get some fluids in me and take more medicine. I slept all the way until 3:30 in the afternoon and then I lay there in bed for a few hours more. Turns out I had the New Year's Flu (I don't know what it is, but I feel better if it has a name). I went until 9:30 when I realized I was hungry, so I ordered a pizza (big mistake by the way, don't eat pizza when you don't feel well). The pizza guy came as quickly as midnight did the night before. I went to the door, he gave me the pizza and dropped a broken dog biscuit on the box and said, "That's for your dog." He gave a little smile and left while I sat there with a slightly mumbled 'thank you' escaping my lips. It completely threw me, but not for long. I tossed the biscuit to Chubbs who decided to hold out and see if he could get any pizza, then gave up and ate the bone.