Is That So?

My mom visited last week, and we were in the car and she was telling me a story about a boy I used to babysit. It went sort of like this:

Baba (what my kids call my mom): So, Boy-I-Used-To-Babysit was a staffer for such and such politician.
Me: Wow.
Baba: But he left there and became a staffer for Mike Huckabee....
Me: Interesting...
Baba: So, I really think he's going to... *pause looking for right word*
Bubba (7 year old son): Jail?
*we all crack up to tears*
Baba: Ummmm, I was going to say, "work at the white house at some point."

Oh, the wise wise 7 year old brain...

Pool Update - Days 0 - 11

Here is the long awaited pool update. It's been more than 11 days, but not all days are work days. It took them awhile to get the pool dry enough to gunite it. Also, DirecTV update? We're getting a new HD Satellite - no charge. We didn't get it installed when we got our HD DVR, we're getting it now. We just have to wait for 3 weeks. What's 3 weeks without TV?

Anyway, without further ado - here are our chronological pool pictures.

Day 0: Before



Day 1: Trees cut


Day 2: Trees removed


Day 3: Digging #1


Day 4: Digging #2


Day 5: Plumbing


Day 6: Electrical


Day 7: Rebar


Day 8: Gunite


Day 9: Tile #1


Day 10: Tile #2 and Coping #1


Day 11: Tile #3 and coping #2

DirecTV? What happened to you?

We've had direcTV for years. We've always loved it. Hubby gets the super awesome HD football channels in the fall. They have always been super great. Not a single complaint. Until today.

Our satellite went out last night. Both TVs are hosed. I called in today and spent an hour on the line troubleshooting ("did you reboot?" "yes, it can't find the satellites." "Is your system plugged into the wall instead of a powerstrip?" "Yes, but that shouldn't matter, because BOTH systems stopped working, not just one." On and on and on and on...) So, finally they determined that they need to send out a technician - Duh... And want to charge me $80 for it. EIGHTY DOLLARS??!!!! I've freaking paid my bill on time and been completely loyal for years and years and years and years. I've been a great customer. And they make me pay to get my service to actually work? Is that really fair?

So, I told them I would go with another company (Dish or Cable) and they said that they would charge me $160 to disconnect my service? WTF? I talked to 3 different people, for over an hour and they still wouldn't budge. Can they actually still charge me for service that they are not providing? Although, they did offer to give me the service for $20 and then a monthly fee of $6 a month for the next year (which is more than the $80 - great deal assholes.)

ARGH! I was so angry with them. My poor mom had to listen to me get all biatchy. I was not proud of that. But, I guess she needs to see my work (true? mean? rude?) Cindy sometime. :)

Kidnapping at the Birthday Party

Today, we got to sleep in a bit. Went and picked up the cupcake cake. It was in the shape of a pool. (pictures soon, I promise.) The party was a huge success (except for the kidnapping.) We had just the right number of kids. The weather was beautiful (if not a little hot). The kids had a good time. I have great video and pictures which will maybe be posted sometime if I'm not so freaking lazy.

One parent decided to drop their kid off (not terribly cool with a party of 18 kids in a place that is super crowded and the kids being 6 and 7 years old.) Anyway, one of the other parents kept an eye on the little abandoned girl (LAG) (I was having a hard time just getting the kids corralled to eat pizza, then singing for the cake, then down to get their golf clubs and to the course, then to the arcade. The abandoning parent said he'd come back two hours after the party started. We were running a bit early and the parent that was helping left after an hour and a half so I started watching the LAG for the 30 extra minutes while Bubba and Prissy were playing arcade games. She was with us and Bubba won some tickets and we were all standing at the "prize counter" so Bubba could get his prize. One of the other parents came up and said thank you and happy birfday to Bubba and blah blah blah... I turned around and this little girl was gone. GONE. She was no where. No.Where... I started running around the place. I got other people to start looking for her. Hubby was looking, I was looking, Baba, Prissy and Bubba were looking. We looked upstairs, outside, in the parking lot, in the bathrooms - she wasn't anywhere. I was two seconds from calling the police. Absolute panic - I swear to gawd I thought I was going to throw up. I saw one of the other parents and asked if they had seen this little girl and the dad said he had seen her sister. Oh shit. I called my friend that was watching the little girl for most of the party and asked her if she knew the dad's cell phone number. She did not, but she said she saw him walking in as they were walking out.

So, the dad picked up the girl, and didn't say goodbye, didn't say that he had her, didn't say thank you - nothing, nada, zilch. I thought the girl was kidnapped because I turned away for literally 10 seconds. It actually pissed me off much much more than anything has pissed me off in a long long time. *sigh* He was the only one that dropped off - he shouldn't have dropped off (his daughter was really good at the party - but she's usually completely and totally out of control.)

Anyway - the party was a success except for the kidnapping.

One more major thing on the horizon

Alright!

So, we did the baseball and softball games at the same times yesterday. We ate dinner and booked it to the bay area. We got to the hotel around 10pm last night. Got the kids showered and to bed by 10:30 (they were asleep by 10:31.)

We woke up about 6am this morning, got everyone dressed and breakfasted and to the baton competition. The competition was great (after they got the school opened almost an hour and a half after it was supposed to open) - I have some cute pictures and other stuff that I will post soon. Just not tonight. The competition lasted forever. Prissy did fantastic and we came home with 4 trophies, 2 ribbons and a medal. (meaning four 1st places, 2 second places and 1 third place. ) We didn't get out of there until about 7:15 - and then we went and ate a quick dinner at Arby's. And then made the long drive home. Made it back home by about 9:30. Kids are just getting into bed now.

Anyway, we're all completely exhausted. Completely.And.Totally.Exhausted....

Tomorrow, we're going to sleep in. But, Bubba has his birthday party at a local miniature golf place. It should be a lot of fun (but, I was still getting RSVPs as late as today - I called in the numbers on Friday. So, I'm hoping that I have enough pizza and golf for everyone.) Anyway, that's our last big thing for the week.

Oh and dudes - the pool. We've got concrete. We've got stairs. We're going to have tile really soon. It is amazingly cool. We don't have a mud pit anymore. We have something actually resembling a pool at this point.

Ok - I'm off to scream at the kids and tell them to stop talking, fighting, picking, moving or breathing.

Whirlwind day

You'd think that since I'm on vacation that I would have had a
relaxing day. No. You would be wrong. It has been so busy. But
productive.

Kids had both a baseball and softball games at the same time - I
shuttled baba between both games so she could see both kids play.
Then, we went to dinner and then drove to Newark for a baton
competition tomorrow. We arrived about 10pm. The kids quickly took
their showers and went to bed. I'd love to tell you about the guy who
checked us in - but my iPhone, while awesome, is not the easiest to
type on for a huge entry so it will just have to wait.

Anyway, I'm going to finish my glass of wine and then I'm crashing.

So - g'nite.

Sent from my iPhone

Procrastinating

Baba (my mom) got into town and we got home about midnight last night. Apparently the flight was brutal and running extremely late. (she was supposed to be in by 9pm). Anyway, there was a guy at the airport in Sacramento who works in my company (yes, my new one.) And for whatever reason - I'm always in airports with this guy. I know him by looks, but I don't know his name. I've bumped into him at the airport in Linate, Italy (close to Milan). I've bumped into him at the San Francisco Airport. I've bumped into him at the Los Angeles airport. And I've freaking bumped into the fucker at the Frankfort, Germany airport. Dudes... What the hell? I sort of feel stalked. I'm not even sure what he was doing at the airport yesterday. He was just sitting. At least I was picking someone up. (as a side note - this dude is a rather high up guy in the new company. I talked to him while in Frankfort - about what the hell he was doing there. He was leaving Italy, just like me.) Anyway - it's just freaking weird. I nodded to him last night and he just stared at me - it was freaking bizarre.

Anyway... I'm procrastinating. My mom just went to bed, and I have a hundredteen things to do tonight. Like pack for tomorrows trip, pay bills, figure out where the hotel we are staying at is located, figure out where the competition is being held, print out some directions and/or a map. And I don't really feel like it.

I'd have posted pool photos tonight - but, I'm procrastinating and I don't feel like it. They put in rebar and it looks cool. They put in some more electrically stuff. They'll be pouring gunnite pretty soon. So, that's the update.

I'm actually going to bed now. I'm freaking exhausted.

Late Night

Tonight will be a long night. My poor mom's flight has been delayed by almost two hours.

But, I'm officially on vacation for the next few days so I can sleep in tomorrow. Well, actually not, because my kids still have to go to school and are doing their standardized tests this week - so I should probably get them to school at least.

Anyway - least I don't have to work the rest of the day.

Sent from my iPhone

Bart and Lisa

Tomorrow my vacation starts - I'm hoping that I can keep up with Blog 365 - but I'm feeling rather confident that I can.

I just got a new business idea today. I'm starting to feel the creative juices coming on back.

I had a parent teacher conference with my daughter's homeroom and math teacher today. She said many nice things about Prissy. I have my parent-teacher conference with Bubba's teacher on Thursday - she doesn't usually say anything nice about Bubba. I was explaining this to a friend today and he said, "You're raising Bart and Lisa Simpson." OMG! He's right. I am raising Bart and Lisa. Maybe I should totally change their names in this blog. I have watched a LOT of simpsons in my life. Shoot - Bubba even sort of looks like Bart:

I'm just glad that Prissy doesn't have pointy hair.

Monday Blues?

Oh -

I so hate Monday's. And today wasn't even a bad Monday. But, seriously - they suck don't they?

I slept terribly last night. I kept waking up. Panicking about things I didn't get done over the weekend. Stressed out about whatever happened to be crossing my mind. It's a big week for us. My mom is coming to visit (which isn't stressful - it's actually really exciting) but the kids get out at noon all week with no after school care, hubby is traveling, I've got parent teacher conferences, we have lots of baseball and softball games and practices, haircuts, taekwondo, baton competition this weekend and then Bubba's birthday party to finish off our Sunday. I have to get baton registration forms in for states, regionals and nationals, and my house is a total disaster (which I do want to clean before Baba (my mom) comes.) Topping off the list is that my backyard is a mudpit and right now a complete disaster. I haven't even mentioned work - which is about two levels beyond stressful in its own right. I'm so looking forward to my vacation this week.

Speaking (ranting?) about the pool, they put in electricity today - which is exciting - but we got home too late for pictures. It's not much to photograph anyway. Just a big grey cable.

I started my day with physical therapy. They have started two new things. One is something called McConnell taping - they basically tape my kneecap so it's sitting correctly on my leg. When they put the tape on - it almost instantly relieves me of all pain. I can do all sorts of exercises. This is a wonderful thing and it makes me happy. The second thing is a cortisone ion something or other. It's a topical cortisone treatment that is hooked to some weird contraption and it basically puts some sort of charge on the electrodes on my knee to pull in the cortisone. It's a little painful (feels like pins and needles that mean business) and hasn't been at all helpful so far. I have to do this now 3 times a week. Ugh. I'm sort of getting tired of PT. I'm ready for my knee to be better.

I suppose that's all the updates for me tonight. The kids are finally quiet upstairs, I'm finishing up my glass of wine, and I'm thinking I'll head upstairs and read my book (I'm reading "The Girls" by Lori Lansens about conjoined twins. Awesome awesome book. And I'm also reading "Certain Girls" by Jennifer Weiner. I love Jennifer Weiner - this book is one of her best.) If you have any other books with the word Girls in the title - please feel free to pass that along.

Overheard At the Dinner Table

Hubby and I made Bubba birthday cake for his birthday last week. On it, I creatively wrote, "Happy Birthday." After dinner tonight the kids got a piece of birthday cake and here was the conversation."

Bubba: "Cool, I got B I R on my piece of cake."
Prissy: "I got A P P."
Bubba: "Ohhhh, you said a potty word!"

I guess "a peepee" is a potty word to a seven year old.

Long Day

It's been a long day of baseball, softball, baton and dinner out with friends. It was a long long day. Hubby took a notary public class and took the test - he'll find out if he passes in about three weeks. So, if you need a notary - just call hubby.

so - it's a short update today - I'd like to hit the sack early.

Tongue Bite

No update on the pool today, nothing happened. I think that either electrical or rebar is next. I assume that they will start that on Monday.

We had gotten Bubba a Zoingo Boingo for his birthday. He tried to use this and got a couple of bounces. Then, tried again and fell off and smacked his face on it. He stood up and his mouth was full of blood. AHHH!!!!! AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He had bitten his tongue, pretty severely, and it was bleeding profusely. He had scraped the outside of his mouth and bitten his tongue. After looking at several internet sites, we decided that he didn't need to go to the ER as it had stopped bleeding, but it was still somewhat "gapey" but not horribly so.

"My mommy gave me a present that made me bite me tongue off!" (at least I could live down the year I brought store brought cupcakes to school with coconut on them!)

My Birthday Boy

My baby turns seven today. SEVEN!!! That seems really old. When they are six, they are still little. They are in between the toddler and kid. But, seven is a full fledged kid. I can't believe that I have two kids. Am I really old enough to have my youngest child be seven? Yikes!

So, I will show you a few more pictures. Bubba has his birthday party a week from Sunday. We are having it at a local mini-golf place. There will be pizza and sodas and mini-golf with a bunch of other 7 year olds. I honestly don't know what I was thinking - handing all of those KIDS golf clubs after I fill them with pizza, soda and birthday cake? Stupid, stupid, stupid. Hopefully no one will need stitches.

My son makes me laugh like no one else. But, he is the type of kid that I can't let see that I'm laughing because he is probably being onery and I just don't want to encourage him. :D He is such a sweet and cuddly and generous soul. He likes to make gifts and write love notes for his girlfriend of the day (usually he makes them some sort of jewelry.) He is always bargaining and always trying to get a better deal. He is also the most strong willed child I have ever met. When he thinks he is right - there just is no convincing him. He is the epitomy of an Aries. He is also gorgeous with his very-blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and beautiful dimpled smile. (Although, I'm really looking forward to his teeth being completely grown in.) I love him with my whole heart.

Here are some pictures from tonight, we went to Chili's at his request and then we came home and he opened presents. He's been spiking his hair up for the last couple of weeks - totally on his own - he's asking me for gel and hairspray now. Sure, Mr. Casanova.






Just because I can, here are some pool updates. One of our windows got broken from a flying rock. The owner called me at 6am this morning and said that he would pay for the repair - VERY DECENT! I didn't even know it was broken at that point - but it is very broken. The pictures are from back to front this time. Starting at day 5 (plumbing), Day 4 to 3 (digging) Day 2 to 1 (removing trees) Day 0 (before). Then, I threw in a picture of my FRONT yard where they are driving the bobcat - shoot, I seriously hope they clean that up some!!!













Front Yard:

Another Week in Pictures

I haven't done a week in pictures in a while. I'm waiting on the mini-cupcakes to cool so I can frost them so Bubba can take them to school tomorrow for his birthday. Yay to 7th birthdays!!!

Anyway, here is Bubba and I chillin' with Oreo.



Here is a picture of Prissy after she won the Patsy Hamiliton Juvenile Solo (OMG! Could you just die because her costume is so pretty?)



Last night, I found the cats, sitting close to each other. Just sitting. Not hissing. Not fighting. Sitting. I was so shocked I took a picture:



Here are the shots of the pool (day 0 - day 3) We didn't get home until after dark tonight, so I won't have pictures of today's progress until tomorrow:









It's pretty much just a mud pit right now. They will start the plumbing tomorrow.

Off to frost some mini-cupcakes

It Has Begun

Our pool that's what!

They started digging today! It's going to be wonderful! However, currently the backyard is one massive slick disgusting mud pit.

The guys worked from 7am this morning to 8pm tonight. They did so much. I don't think they are entirely done yet. I don't have pictures tonight because it was dark when they left. I will try to go out tomorrow am before they get here. Yeeehaw!!!! We're going to be swimming this summer! Can I tell you how EXCITED I AM ABOUT IT??!!!! I can TOTALLY picture me on the floaty chair with my wine glass reading a book just chilling. 'Scuse me, I think I just threw up in my mouth from excitement a little bit.

Also, we had taekwondo testing tonight - hubby and I are officially recommended brown belts and Bubba is a decided red belt. Very cool. I don't have any pictures because I forgot the camera. DOH! Bubba has about 4 months until he is a Black Belt and Hubby and I have about 10 months. Yay! Then, I can cross another lifetime goal off of my list of things to do before I die.

Ohhh - I should start a 100 things to do before I die list on this blog (I can start with the ones I already have and add to them. Hmmm...)

Over Confidence

I'd like to send this to my New Italian Boss (NIB), but I don't actually have the balls to do it. (or my confidence is at the appropriate level?) NIB scheduled a meeting today with me at 4am in the morning. I dutifully set my fucking alarm clock for 3:50am, it went off and I rolled out of bed and came downstairs to see if he sent me the audio bridge that I had requested. He had not. There was a message from him saying that he couldn't meet with me sent about 2am and rescheduled it for 4am next Monday. GRRRR.....

He then scheduled a meeting on both Wednesday and Thursday from 1am to 3am. Ummmm - NO. NO! FUCKING NO WAY!!!! The biggest issue I have with this is that I still have to work from 8am to 5pm at my US job, then I log in when I get home at night to deal with any issues I've got from Asia (because that is their work day.)

This global thing is totally stupid. Stupid I tell you. I think NIB is being a bit overconfident if he thinks he can just demand that I literally work 24x7. That is just not going to happen. ARGH!

PS - My other stuff updates.

I'm testing for my brown belt tomorrow. Yay! Go Me! I broke TWO boards today (my arm is totally bruised - but it sort of makes me feel like a tough bitch. I was totally thinking of NIB's face when I smashed those two boards.)

I went back to the sports medicine doctor and she basically said my knee is totally fucked up. She was showing me the MRI and yes, there is a minor tear in the medial meniscus - but that is the least of my problems. The underside of my knee cap is totally ripped up. This is due to my biologically messed up knees and previous knee surgeries. The cartilege is completely rough. These two things are actually causing strain on the tendons - which in turn is causing pain. And they do not know if surgery will fix the pain issue - because the pain is a side effect of the other things, and those things can't really be "repaired" just removed which may not make the tendon strain go away. So, more physical therapy for me - at least for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Bleh... It's so time consuming.

Plan - Schman

I was going upload videos tonight and even do some editing to make them super awesome. But, I didn't. The day sort of got away from me. I still have to write up invitations to Bubba's birthday party this evening, so I guess I'll just try to get it done another time.

Disgustingly, I have a work meeting at 4am tomorrow morning. It's with the folks in Italy (I see this becoming more and more common) - I think I'm just going to roll out of bed at 3:50 and dial in from home. What makes this so gross is that I still have late meetings with the folks in China. I think I really dislike this global stuff.

Prissy isn't going to be able to go to her baton lesson tomorrow because she has GATE testing in the afternoon close to our home. Then, I have to get to a Taekwondo class, I've missed the last several classes because of the baton competition and testing is this week.

Also this week is Bubba's birthday - his party isn't until next week, but we are excited about him turning the big 7. It's just amazing to me.

Sorry to be so quick tonight - but I have to finish up the invitations and a bizillion other things, so I can go to bed and then get up in 3 hours. :D

Made it Home

Hello -

We made it home. Prissy did great. I'll post her stats tomorrow. We were both still sick, but better than yesterday. The only bad part was that the gym was easily 90 degrees. It was so hot. The one thing I really like about baton is that it's an indoor sport. But, it seems that the gyms are either too hot or too cold and almost always miserable. Just doesn't make much sense to me.

Anyway, I'm not posting anything of importance - I'm going to go eat dinner and veg out on the couch.

Ugh!!!

Ugh!!! I've been battling a cold all week. This morning it decided to
smack me upside the head. Unfortunately, Prissy also got this cold. No
major fever, just a general yuckiness. And a runny nose that is
comparable to a faucet.

If you remember my post yesterday - it mentioned that we are traveling
today. Blech. We went ahead and drove down to the bay area. If prissy
is way sick she won't compete tomorrow. But, we are just relaxing in
the hotel room tonight watching tv. Hopefully we will both be better
tomorrow.

Damnit!! Did it have to be today?

Sent from my iPhone

Competition Bound

Tomorrow, Prissy and I head to the Bay Area after she gets out of
school for a baton contest. Competitions are always fun - even if they
are very tiring and long. We should be home late on Saturday night -
hubby and bubba are doing their own day of baseball and taekwondo.

My favorite part of the competition is the raffle - we almost always
win something.

Anyway - hubby is on the computer so I'm iphoning it tonight. Yeehaw!!

Sent from my iPhone

Survival

I was going to wait to post this particular nugget. But, for months I've been struggling and fighting and arguing for what I believe is "right." And it has been completely useless - because clearly no one is listening. Now, the shit is starting to hit the fan a little bit (and of course, it ends up that maybe, just maybe I was right. Asshats* should have listened.) But, I don't really want to be associated with the shit or the fan so I'm just trying to survive. I'm actually quietly turning the fan up and giving the shitter some extra fiber for pure enjoyment (the way this is occurring is with statements like, "you know how I mentioned this issue in December? Well, you might want to talk to such and such because they are acting like I told you they would.") If just one person would have listened - much of Flying Crap Fest wouldn't be happening.

It actually makes me a little giddy. But, I'll just try to blend in and do my job and keep my mouth shut like I have been directed and put my raincoat on to avoid the poo flying around. Teehee...

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

I spent "four years prostrate to the higher mind"* at the University of Kansas. Actually, I spent five years - with a short interlude for an internship at Intel - which landed me a nice job upon graduation.

I slept in a tent outside of Allen Fieldhouse to make sure I got good seats at the basketball games. I screamed my heart out at the games and cheered "The ROOF! The ROOF! The ROOF is on FIRE!!! We don't need no water let the mother fucker BURN!!!"*



So - this - this is awesome. And it makes me happy I'm a jayhawk. There are several jayhawks out here in Sacramento California. And several jayhawks that I work with - which is sort of weird that there are so many of us. But anyway - we all wore our KU apparel today.

And I just have to say - GO KU!!!!!

* If you know where these lyrics came from you get bonus points for the day.

Pretty Much Sums up my Recent Life

When it was new, the clown train seemed like it would be a fun, happy and exciting time. Then, it fell off the rails, the expectations it had were not met, and the rust set in. Now, it's just a scary scary thing to look at that isn't going anywhere.

Taekwondo Video

I put this little video together tonight - it's a little bit long - but still sort of cute. This is Bubba (you'll learn his real name in the video) in his tournament yesterday with a few other pictures thrown in.



Let me know what you think.

Sports Day - Take Two

Wow - what a whirlwind day!

Bubba had a Taekwondo tournament this morning (hubby and I choose not to participate this time.) Bubba did well - I have some awesome video, but I want to edit it all together and that is going to take some time.

Then, Bubba had a baseball game. He didn't hit the ball - but he got an amazing out while playing third base. So, he was really excited. THEN, Prissy had a softball game (which we sort of had to race to because the baseball game ran long.) Prissy had an awesome game and pitched incredibly well (75% of her pitches were over the plate and she struck out 5 of the 6 people she faced) and then had an amazing assist to a first base out. She also got on base both times she was up to bat.

THEN, we had to watch the KU game tonight. Hubby and I both went to KU. That's actually where we met. My parents are still in Kansas so it's near and dear to our hearts. HOW AWESOME THAT THEY BEAT THE SNOT OUT NORTH CAROLINA?? RIGHT??!!!! RIGHT!!!! So, on to the championship game. GO KU!!!!

Just a side note - my physical therapist is a huge Duke fan - he got his degree there and has signed Duke basketball shirts hanging all over the therapy room. I made fun of him a little bit when Duke got ousted so quickly from the NCAA Tournament. Note: Don't make fun of someone that has the capability of causing pain.

Pool Update - Day 0, 1, 2

Progress so far on the pool. They are pulling the permits, but they have started by taking out the trees in the backyard and breaking up the concrete. Here are pictures from Day 0 (before), Day 1 and Day 2:

This is where the pool is going
Day 0


Day 1


Day 2


Here is a look in the other direction

Day 0


Day 1


Day 2


Here is a side shot
Day 0


Day 1


Day 2


And finally, here is one of the porch, it doesn't look any different from Day 1 to Day 2.
Day 0


Day 1 and 2


Anyway, we're making progress. We might actually have a pool in a month or two. :D

Yay!

No Internet tonight

they have started work on our backyard for the pool. I totally have
pictures I was planning to post tonight, but hubby got to the computer
first. And you know that whoever gets there first wins.

I'm a loser tonight. I'll post some pictures tomorrow. They ripped
out the tree and tore up the concrete. We are actually getting a
pool. Yay!!!

Sent from my iPhone

Depressing Day

I went to a funeral today of a really amazing man. It was extremely sad. The death was completely unexpected. I saw a lot of people at the funeral that I didn't want to see. What was the most irritating was that people didn't turn their cell phones off at the funeral. At least 4 cell phones rang during the memorial service.

Why can't people put their phones on vibrate? And after the first one went off, why didn't others think about it and turn their phones off then. I can't tell you how incredibly tasteless it was that during someone eulogizing this really special man - Cunty McCunterson's* phone starts playing Copacabana at full blast. And then silenced and then goes off again a minute later.

Damn I hate people. The only thing that made it a little bit better was seeing the Super-Whore-Ex-Friend-Who-Completely-Fucked-Me-Over with a gigantic fat ass. She was always stick thin and so proud of herself for being so thin. So, sometimes bad deeds come back in the form of what you are. (A gigantic ass in her case.)

* Name completely stolen from Suzanne over at Cuss - it's just totally appropriate for this post.

Unique

A dear friend of mine sent me a whole bunch of these pictures today in an email and I laughed so hard I almost blew yogurt out of my nose.

I love this one because I have tried many times in my life to be unique. I know, I'll spell my name Cyndi instead of Cindy - wait - that is the stripper spelling. Oh, I know - I'll go by Thea instead of Cynthia.

Every time I try to be "unique" I end up the same. Dude - I'm a soccer mom living in the suburbs. How much less unique can a human being get? The closest I come to being unique is that I'm a woman in a technical field. There aren't actually very many women in my field of employment. And even fewer soccer-mom technical women - so I'm unique in that way. There are a couple of soccer dads.

Oddly - I relate much more with my male techno-geeky co-workers than I do with the other suburban soccer moms outside of my chosen profession. Actually, the people that I get along with most are people at work that are male-super-techy-geeky childless or techy-fashionista or home improvement gurus or comic book enjoying gay men and woman (and if you are reading this blog you totally know who you are - and I love you for just continuing to read this trash). Actually, I get along with those that are the most "different" from my suburban soccer mom self.

Wait - I get along with the more cool-unique people in my field.

I have met the few incredibly weird ones that are unique and not so useful. For a while, I had a guy working for me that absolutely could not show up to work on time. He would come up with the most creative excuses. Here is just a sample:

• It was raining and I was afraid my car would hydroplane.
• I couldn't find my toothbrush.
• My friend needs to be tested for hepetitis and I need to take him to the doctor.
• I fell asleep on my keyboard and when I woke up I had weird key impressions on my face.
• I was at my parents house and I got confused about where I was when I woke up.
• My girlfriend broke up with me.

I SWEAR that these were real excuses that this guy made. He had one for almost every day, but these were some of his best.

How sad - what do you think? Is unique a good thing or a bad thing?