and she was floating

2003-01-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

um, yeah.

Sometimes life can suck.

2002-07-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

my phantom of the opera

My friend and I decided long ago that we should see operas together. We talked about it in the way people talk about the things they really do want to do but are not willing to do now. After years of this conversation, we finally decided on a date on which to purchase said tickets and precisely which tickets we would buy. I found myself really looking forward to ticket-buying-day. When ticket-buying-day came, I called my friend to finalize our purchase. We agreed that I would mail him a check for my ticket, and he would take care of the actual purchase.

My friend e-mail me a copy of the ticket purchase documentation along with a quick note indicating he "upgraded" our seats as a birthday/new job congrats present. I am thrilled! Not only do I have an opera companion (no easy feat in Phoenix), but I have a thoughtful one!

2002-07-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ms. Gee

When I finally decided to end the cycle of abuse at the monster bank, I decided to Lester Burham (American Beauty) it and get a job with the least amount of responsibility responsible. This decision led to a range of interesting experiences at other financial service companies, non-profit organizations, lawyers, corporate realtors, and healthcare providers and insurers. Having purposely selected positions requiring much less pain and suffering in the mental health department, I found I had a great deal of free time to contemplate what I wanted to do if I were to grow up. Ultimately I decided that free time, contributing to society, and being in control of my immediate environment would be necessary for me to find workplace happiness. After some thought, I decided that I could achieve this in one of two career paths (both requiring more training) – contract database work or teacher. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that teaching would be most suitable.

I immediately began researching certification requirements and programs. I finally settled on one and began taking classes last fall. I found that the subjects were extremely interesting to read and even more fun to see in action in the classroom. During some observations in public school, I found myself surrounded by a predominately Hispanic student body in a less than desirable neighborhood. I surprised myself by enjoying the atmosphere and the extremely important job of teaching these kids.

Due to talk of a teacher shortage, I thought I would apply for some positions and see what happened. My goal was to be teaching by next fall, but why not try now? As it turns out, I got called in to a few schools (charter only, due to my lack of certification). Two of them were clearly not what I was looking for. One seemed like a great fit – lots of curricular freedom, structured school environment with competent and experienced administration, and a paycheck that wasn’t completely ridiculous. To my supreme happiness, that school liked me too and offered me a position teaching 10th and 12th grade English.

As a result, my 14 month flirtation with limited responsibility will come to screeching halt as I assume the Herculean task of teaching teenagers in a west Phoenix neighborhood how to think and communicate effectively.

2002-06-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

My fantasy is to have two men at once....
one cooking and one cleaning.

2002-05-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

crystal blue persuasion

I am a lover of photos. I like taking them. I like planning them. I like colors. I like the feeling of capturing a moment or two and freezing them forever.

Like most people, I began my amateur photography days by dropping my film off in the most convenient and inexpensive location possible. Since I was in Oklahoma at the time, there was only one logical choice – the Evil Empire (dba Wal-Mart). That worked for awhile. It had to work. I am not sure I even had choices.

When I moved to Phoenix, I noticed that the Evil Empire outlets here had even worse processing than the ones in Oklahoma. There would be fiber imprints on my photos, color issues, and more. It looked like they changed the developing solution about once a year. Around this same time, I started scrapbooking. Photos took on a whole new meaning. They weren’t just pictures; they were artistic elements of my scrapbook creations.

I decided to try something new. I dropped some film off at Safeway (convenient and cheap). They did a much better job than the Evil Empire, and they were more convenient as I had stopped shopping at the Evil Empire. I liked Safeway. My pictures were good. They are a friendly lot of people willing to help me find things as they stock shelves smiling. My only issue with photo processing there (and most places) is that double prints of APS film are expensive.

Someone suggested to me that I try Kit’s Cameras. They said their quality was superior and that they had a frequent shopper card you can buy and get free doubles for a year. That sold me. Yesterday, I dropped off some film and joined the frequent shopper club. I came back a few hours later to pick up my photos. They were spectacular. Vivid colors with a very arty looking white border around each print. Free doubles. Crystal clear pictures. Helpful tips regarding APS film. I love this place. They cost $3 more per roll than Safeway, but the QUALITY! The DOUBLES! I’m in love.

2002-04-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

the dancing queen

A few weeks ago, I went to see the luscious and utterly loveable Candye Kane perform at the Rhythm Room. Brian and I got there as they opened and found a perfect table made for three right up front to the right of the stage. We were so naive then - wind flowing through our hair as we marveled at how well we would be able to see the show and how we were convinced we had the best seats in the house. Just prior to the start of the show, which started late due to technical difficulties, Karla arrived. She coasted in with tendrils of her flaming hair fluttering behind her as she complimented us on our choice seats.

When they resolved the sound problem, Candye opened with a signature song epitomizing the power a big woman to "show you how to love." (If I were a songwriter, THAT's the kind of song I'd write, too.) Candye carried us into her world with that song, and we were poised for an evening of up close entertainment. At that moment, a combination of brown and gray and red and purple swished behind Karla and directly in the way of what had been my perfect view of the stage. It moved on and I resumed my Candye watching.

After the second song, the woman was swishing behind Karla again with her flutter of grayredpurple rayon dress and Crystal Gayle hair and walking back to join her friends. Not ten seconds later, when the third song began, swish, again. When the third song ended, back to her table. Fourth song, swishing back to the dance floor. That swishy-assed Crytal Gayle wannabe was putting on an extremely annoying show of her own. She would pretend to be headed for the bar, would look at some middle aged man, ask him to dance and then proceed to do a combination of swing dancing and Madonna's strike a pose Vogue. She'd perform (and I do mean perform) a series of steps followed some half assed attempt to look coyly away and down her side. It went on ALL NIGHT LONG.

It was like a combination of The Twilight Zone and a Crystal Gayle video. Maybe I should consider myself lucky for having been able to see two shows for the price of one.

Or maybe I shoulda just tripped her.

2002-04-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

el bano

The ladies room (not "bathroom" as no bathing occurs there) located closest to my office is a strange place. First of all, half of the room is a void of wasted space. Nothing....it's not a large walkway, seating area, nothing....just empty space where something probably used to be.

The other half of this large cube of a room has a sink, one large trash receptacle, and three doors leading to the toilets. The one on the left is for the handicapped. It is a room within the ladies room. It is completely closed off - much like the bathroom at home. The other two doors lead to, well, I hesitate to use the word "stalls" because they are not traditional stalls with openings at the bottom and top. The traditional stall is sort of open in that sense. These two doors are doors with handles that, when closed, seal off the area. Mostly. There is a tall wall dividing the two toilets in this little room. When one person opens their door, the air pressure in the room changes and pulls on your door and creates a brief rush of air. It is a strange feeling being in an enclosed small room doing that with another person separated only by a partial wall.

Ew.

2002-02-25T17:49:00.000-08:00

I feel like I should post something, but I really have nothing of note to say.

2002-02-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

The heart is the temple wherein all truth resides.

2002-02-14T10:15:00.000-08:00

I think there's a reason why men stopped wearing heels about 150 years ago...

2002-01-29T11:50:00.000-08:00

Thought this up all by myself (don't tell me you can tell!):

Whenever you measure yourself using someone else's ruler, you always come up short.

2002-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

Why I'm Thankful: As a secretary, I have far less responsibility and stress and make 13.4% more than I did at Bank of America. Less work, more money - life is beautiful. It helps that there are no people here like that uptight old lady from Atlanta who used to be my boss. Her name was Elaine (pronounced Eee-Line if you're from Georgia, as she was). Makes me a little naseous just thinking about it. I've thought of sending her a letter on the one-year anniversary of my dramatic exit. I would thank her for being the worst manager ever and forcing me (through her beaurocratic, red-tape, old fashioned, backwoods, lame-ass ways) to free myself from that corporate hell.

2002-01-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

On a sign in a co-worker's office:

I leave my problems at home.
I have another complete set at work.

2002-01-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

Not to sound like a Twin Peaks psycho, but…Agent Dale Cooper explained to Sheriff Truman that he gives himself a present every day. He doesn’t know when or where – he waits for an opportunity to present itself. Today, I gave myself the gift of taking it REALLY easy at work. I should thank myself.

2002-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

I love K-Mart. I attribute much of this to my ice-cold feelings toward the Evil Empire (dba Wal-Mart). I am so sad about this.

2002-01-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that Bank of America's online banking sucks and that NetBank is much easier to navigate?

2002-01-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

Something in the water?

A woman knows when a man is just being friendly and when he is being friendly. Today , I have had not one, not two, but three such encounters. Hmmm....

2002-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

The hospital does not observe the plethora of holidays I was accustomed to as a long-time bank employee. Imagine my surprise this morning when I learned that we will observe MLK Day on Monday.

Aaaaahhhhh.

2002-01-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

blah.

2002-01-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

Oh, for the touch of a vanished hand
And the sound of a voice that is still.

I don't remember who said it, but I love those haunting lines.

2002-01-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

I am somewhat ashamed to admit how much of a sap I can really be. Take, for example, this new song by Enrique Iglesias. I don't really care much for him, but I was absolutely entranced when I heard "Hero" for the first time. A really good love song has the power to make you question yourself. Are these kinds of feelings sustainable? Songs. Movies too. When I was on my deathbed last week (may as well lay it on thick), I watched "The End of the Affair" with Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes. That movie makes a profound statement about the nature of love. I highly encourage you to watch it. (Brian, add Julianne Moore and Elizabeth Hurley to that list of women we discussed the other day.)

Here is part of the song...

Oh, I just want to hold you.
I just want to hold you.
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don't care...
You're here tonight.

If you asked him, Brian would tell you I have highly questionable taste in music, so don't feel bad for not sharing my sentiments. I suspect, however, that he would tell you I have excellent taste in art and film, so maybe (?) that makes up for it.

2002-01-16T20:13:00.000-08:00

And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls

-Counting Crows

2002-01-16T15:54:00.000-08:00

even better:
White Lodge Traits: Generous and warmhearted, creative and enthusiastic, broad-minded and expansive, faithful and loving.
Black Lodge Traits: Pompous and patronizing, bossy and interfering, dogmatic and intolerant.

2002-01-16T15:51:00.000-08:00

This is too much. I am a Twin Peaks fan, but a Twin Peaks horoscope:

This Month's Horoscope:
The challenge for you Leo, is to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and feelings to your coworkers and the people you deal with on a daily basis. You may find yourself suffering from stress or work-related ailments, and will need some extra rest and relaxation time to get through the Fall. At the same time, you may find yourself with many new financial opportunities, a chance to build a better future or better working conditions, and any health issues you can face will likely be healed and ultimately bring you into a healthier state.

Hmmm.....

2002-01-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

what it says:

Erik,
The Office of Philanthropy has recently received some donated items which may be appropriate for sale in the gift shop. We have two hand stitched plastic mesh tissue box covers and a stack of 5X8 (or so) BNI themed prints which may be sold as postcards. If you can sell them in the gift shop, that would be great. If not, do you have any ideas what we could do with these things?

Thanks,

what it means:
Erik,
The buck was passed to me by someone else; now I am attempting to pass it to you.

Thanks,

2002-01-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

So Brian asked me to help write complaint letter to his (would-be) dentist:

Dear Doctor Lameton and Staff,
As a long-time human being with teeth, I have had much experience with dental professionals. In all of these years, I have never experienced the level of apathy and inefficiency that I have with your office. I expect normal delays in returning phone calls and availability of appointments; however, I am not (nor are most people) accustomed to having to make four calls to schedule one appointment. Your office staff lacks even the most basic customer service skills required when returning phone calls. Their behavior coupled with the voice mail maze one must traverse in efforts to buy services from you was the last straw.
I can not fathom how you manage to stay in business with this type of office protocol. Are there that many people out there who refuse to assert their power to choose in our capitalistic society? Perhaps not. I can assure you; however, that I have chosen. As a customer, I do not shop in stores that can not service me, nor will I patronize the office of supposed medical professionals with no visible concern for the patient experience.
I would have called you directly, but...

2002-01-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

Brian says he doesn't answer when I call him "Brain."

2002-01-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

Today, I am typing up a contract (which is exactly the mundane secretarial type thing I prefer to do at work) regarding a live webcast of a neurological procedure. Every time I try to type the word “brain,” I end up typing “brian.” All this due to Wanda Kuykendal from Weatherford, Oklahoma. When Brian and I were in college schlepping away our nights and weekends at the Evil Empire (dba Wal-Mart), our half-wit personnel director, Wanda “Bad Karma” Kuykendal consistently misspelled Brian’s name (“Brain”) on the weekly work schedule. To this day, I call him Brain to which he answers.

In a Seinfeld-esque way, Wanda “Bad Karma” Kuykendal is decreasing my productivity at work some seven years later.

2002-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Mysterious Beyond!

Last week, I was SO sick. Aside from fun things like childbirth and wisdom tooth extractions, I have never been so sick. Doc said if I didn't feel better quickly, I needed to go check myself into the hospital. Fun. Needless to say, I pulled through.

My mom is dating again. It's so, um EW to see your mother act like a flirty teenager. My sister told me my mom and her boyfriend were indirectly referring to how much "fun" Monsters Inc. ice cream is. That's just wrong. 1) I don't want to hear about my mother and her boyfriend frolicking with ice cream and 2) It's named after a children's movie and 3) It's named after a children's movie she took her grand children to see.

Got invited to Hawaii this summer. I think Hawaii and similar locales are more appealing to the more physically fit. How come they make t-shirts and lame ass pins that say things like "age is a frame of mind" but they don't make them that say "physical fitness is an illusion". Like my mom and the ice cream, it's just not right.

I just finished a scrapbook of my college trip to Mexico. All those photos of Mexico City....I need to go back. I was SO unable to appreciate it when I was 19. Back then, I wasn't as interested in Mexican art as I am now, so I know I'd enjoy myself more this time around. My Spanish is also much better than it used to be. That's a plus. Maybe I'll take Brian. His Spanish is so...well, so very Brian.

2002-01-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

Looks like I am as lax in keeping up with this blog as I am in maintaining communications in my journal.

2001-12-18T09:38:00.000-08:00

My grandparents have been married 50 years today.

2001-12-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

2,239 babies.....done.

2001-11-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

I am going to see Robert Cray tonight!
WOOOO-HOOOOO!!

2001-11-30T12:49:00.000-08:00

Another good one:
Raven

There are actually babies in here named Hiram and Gladys...

2001-11-30T08:42:00.000-08:00

Marquise?

2001-11-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

ugh...Regelyn?

2001-11-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

One I like:
Iris

2001-11-30T07:54:00.000-08:00

So I typed in 1100 babies, and I thought, "Wow. That was a project. What a relief to be finished."

Yeah...then I came to work today only to find ANOTHER box of index cards on my desk. Here we go again...

2001-11-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Um, is it Friday yet?

2001-11-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Here's one I like:
Garnet

2001-11-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Milka
Yomara
Isaac (for a girl)

2001-11-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

Zaqari

2001-11-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hearen (for a girl)...hmm...

2001-11-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a name: Tal (that's it, not a typo). Just Tal.

2001-11-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

So I am at work creating a database of newborns who were in the newborn ICU here, and I am noticing a trend: the uniqueness of the name is directly related to the age of the mother. The younger the mom, the more interesting the name. I feel a little sad for some of these children. What kind of work does someone named Tiffinique get? What about Romel? Briannica? As long as we're on this subject, I can tell you that Hunter, Skyler, and Destiny are extremely popular names these days.

2001-11-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Spent most of yesterday shopping with my mom and my six year old...it was, um, fun.

I also did several homework assignments. I have to take three tests in the next couple of weeks..Happy Holidays to me, I guess!

2001-11-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

Like many others, I have been operating under the four day weekend psychology that lets you tell yourself that you have FOUR days to get things done so there's no need to do it all now. Yeah, well now it's Sunday, and it's still all un-done. Should make for a fun-filled Sunday (or a very long week wading through the laundry piles and stumbling over half-full (half-empty?) boxes of Christmas decorations).

Off to see the wizard!

2001-11-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

"...neither of us is going to get out of this alive. That's the only thing a man [sic] knows about life."
-Louis L'amour