Happy Fucking New Year

If I haven't said this before, let me say this: I do not like New Year's Eve/Day. I've had some crummy New Year's experiences, so I decided a long time back not to bother with any sort of enforced merriment. I'm perfectly OK with chilling at home, maybe having a drink, and forgetting what day it is. Last year, I got so wrapped up in my book that midnight passed me right by - and good riddance. And it would seem that this year is no exception.


I woke up this morning and looked out the window. It had snowed some, but it didn't look too bad. I figured it would be slow going, but nothing I couldn't handle. As I crept out of my parking lot, I noticed the roads were a little slicker than I first thought, but still not too bad. I made the right onto Red Lion and immediately noticed an accident on the other side of the road. Then, as I crested the hill, the car slightly ahead and to the right of me skidded, pulled a 270 degree spin, and ended up sideways across his lane. Bummer.

Things weren't so bad until I crossed over Pine and headed down towards the train tracks and Philmont. The cops had blocked off the road and all traffic was being routed into a neighborhood. Unfortunately, I had no idea if there was a way through back to Pine, or if I was going to have to turn around and backtrack. A shit-ton of people had already entered the neighborhood and it was a bit of a mess. The road went down a hill and I had the thought: I sure don't want to go down that hill just to find out that it dead-ends and I have to turn around and try to back UP the hill. Yeah, I should have listened to the little voice and turned. the fuck. around.


I made my slow way down the hill and the road comes up on the train tracks. At this point, I figure that the road dead-ends and decide to turn around - along with half a dozen other people. As luck would have it, there is a jam of crooked cars and a Pepsi truck blocking the way out. It would seem that I was well and truly fucked. Then I have the brilliant idea to check the GPS and see if turning around (again) would help at all. Indeed it would. So with the Pepsi truck creeping up on me, I turn BACK around and coast down the hill and around the curve. Then, as if this hadn't been a big enough pain in my ass, the road promptly went uphill again. Still, I was doing all right...until a lady at the top of the hill got stuck and I had to stop. Not a happy development. I tried to bang it out, but it got slippery and I started to skid. I ended up slanted across the road. Not quite blocking it, but definitely not pointed in the right direction. So fuck it. I took the car out of gear, set the parking brake, took off my seatbelt. I sent a text message to a coworker to give an update on my situation. Then I notice that the oil delivery truck that had been parked across the street was attempting to leave. I had high hopes for him, but almost immediately his wheels started spinning. I kept my eyes on him, hoping that he wasn't going to slide across the road and blow up me and my little Rabbit. He stopped before that happened (obvs).

I decide it's time for a cigarette. I get out of the car, and lo! the salt truck was coming through! He made a pass and I figured I'd give it a few minutes and then try to extricate myself. I step around to the passenger side of my car, which I had managed to at least straighten out, and notice a GIANT FUCKING DENT behind the passenger side door. What the bloody fuck? When had that happened? I sure hadn't hit anything. I think back and maybe remember hearing a bang last night, but memory is a fickle thing and who actually knows what may have happened. 'Sides, I don't investigate every random noise I hear outside my apartment. Might have to change that policy. Now I have calls to the insurance company to make, a body shop to find, blahblahblah. The damage isn't awful, but I'm still mega pissed.

I finished my cigarette and got back into the (wounded) car. A cop comes over to me and asked if I could make it out. Dunno officer, but I'm sure as shit going to try. Not only am I angry about my poor car, but I had to pee. I put the car into gear, slip the clutch and my wheels spin. I tried again while the cop yelled helpful things like: Cut left! LEFT! You got it! LEFT! I did have it and I crawled out of that fucking neighborhood. If the universe has a twisted sense of humor, and I believe it does, I'm going to end up living there one day.

Things were measurably better out on the main roads and I made it to work, no problem. The parking lot was a bit shit, but I was expecting that. I think the name of the company they use to clear the snow is "Half-assed Plowing". Or, "You Give Us Money, We Do Nothing". I smoked another cigarette and then go inside to find out that my project coordinator has been telling people all kinds of wrong stuff about what happened to my car and where I got stuck. My coworker and I decided to run with it and started telling people that I also gave birth to twins while stuck and had to leave them in a dumpster. Just to see how far we could take it.

Anyway, that's my day so far. One bit of good news: I get to leave at 4 and JR said she would come over to cheer me up and we can play really old Trivial Pursuit. That's my idea of a new year's celebration.

Thoughts as the Holidays Draw to a Close

This post doesn't really have anything specifically to do with the holidays, but I figured I had enough posts that are titled "Something Randomness". Just trying to mix it up a bit.

Let's get the holiday bit out of the way. I noticed a bunch of people/articles in the paper about how the true meaning of Christmas has been lost. In my opinion, this is only an issue if you believe in the whole sweet baby Jesus thing. Otherwise, it can really be about whatever you want it to be. If getting massively expensive presents is important to you, then that's what Christmas is about. If the food is the thing, the Happy Gorging. There is never going to be an event/holiday that means the same thing to all people. In gift-getting news, my dad got me a Kindle 2. Talk about shoving the needle in. Now I can get a book whenever, where ever - as long as I get a wireless signal. And have some $$ in the bank. Thinking about it too long makes me all fluttery.

Huh, when I started writing this, I could have sworn that I had more to talk about. Hate when that happens.

Balance?

I didn't get the position I tried for. Some bullshit about not seeming as if I felt like I was the right person for the job. Dudes, I thought I was the only person for the job. It would seem that my cocky is another person's nervous or uncertain. I'm gonna have to go into my next interview with a sign over my head flashing "She's the shit! Hire her!" and a one-man band following behind. Throw some baton twirlers into the mix and I just can't lose. Maybe then I will ooze confidence.

Anyway, you already know this. What I wanted to say is: I think, occasionally there is, not fairness, but balance. For the past couple of days, voicemail retrieval has been way less annoying than usual. The volume is down, the messages are mostly to the point - these are all good things. I don't have the nearly uncontrollable urges to smash my keyboard against my desk and kick trash cans. Perhaps this is the universe's way of making it up to me. Because the universe is super concerned about little ole me. Really.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

The streak is over. I am sick for the first time in about 3 years. I tried to convince myself I was just a little runny because I forgot my allergy meds. Sadly, my repeated denials cannot change reality. I have a cold. And it's all LaLa's fault for coming over when he was sick and boogering near me.

I've been getting progressively loopier as the day goes on, but I'm trying to tough it out. Not because I don't have sick time (that was already factored into tomorrow's paycheck so it would be unpaid). Not because I have any real sense of responsibility to my program. I stopped caring about coverage when they (mgmt) stopped caring about it. No, I want to stick it out because I am hoping that I will be getting some good news about the position I interviewed for last Friday. Getting that news today would make up, very slightly, for having to cancel plans to see my friend tonight.

I'll see how long I can make it. If I get the news soon, I'm going to leave after. Otherwise I'm going to have to hope that I sweat it out tonight so I can still make it into work tomorrow. Blergh.

Letter

To the Goody hair people:

I think having a rubberized headband is a great idea. Adding "33%" more hold? Also a fine idea...in theory. More hold is only a good thing if the stinking headband actually makes contact with my head. In order for the headband to effectively restrain my mane, I have to clip it and resize it. And trust me, I do not have an abnormally small head. Maybe your next marketing gimmick could be "33% smaller"?

Thanks!

Still Pretty Happy, but Holy Shit...

So, ah, yeah...I managed to blow through $600 right quick. I'm sort of appalled, but at the same time, I don't really care because I didn't blow it on frivolity (entirely) and I love to buy people presents, so I can't feel bad about that. I was somewhat responsible and paid bills too, but things are still going to be the same kind of tight they would have been if I hadn't gotten the extra dough and didn't pay bills. Oh well.

In different kind of "holy shit" news; things are not going well in a friends' household. Her dirtbag husband needs to be dragged behind a semi for a couple miles. I hope his dick rots off.

It's The Little (and slightly bigger) Things

December is normally a pretty good month for me. I've always been a sucker for Christmas (minus all the crappy Christmas music), it's my birthday, it's finally getting that chill in the air (I like the first frost but that's about it)...all good stuff. This December is shaping up pretty darn good so far.

1) I got that gov't stimulus check that I was supposed to get last year. $600 in my pocket! Presents for everyone! Which leads me to...

2) I came up with (after some help from jr) some pretty good gift ideas this year.

3) Money again. I get my leftover sick time paid out next paycheck. As I have 4 sick days, that's a reasonable
chunk o' change.

4) Sephora send me a $20 gift card so I finally got the vanilla grapefruit perfume I have been salivating over for the last year. Plus I get samples and a birthday gift. I chose their Vanilla Cupcake shower gel - it smell scrumptious. Try it.

5) This is only potentially good; but I applied for a new position at work. If I get it, I will be in a different department and no longer under Stoneface's thumb. There's a (probably) small pay increase, but I'm so desperate to be off the call floor that I'd probably take the job without more money.

6) I have a yummy dinner tonight with my dad and one of my friends. Then after, I get another kind of treat from a different friend.

7) Might not seem like a big deal to most, but I finally made an ob/gyn appointment. It's a good thing.

8) Sent out my holiday card to a random soldier stuck in Afghanistan. Maybe a new penpal!

Anyway, that is the stuff that's making me happy right now. It may not last, but I'm going to enjoy it while I have it.