Friday, July 27, 2007

Dude! I've been tagged again...

Career Meme...

Here is how to play:
If you had the opportunity to do a 1-year internship in a company or field completely unrelated to your current career or specialty, what would be your top 5 choices? (In no particular order)

1. Any major publishing house
2. A newspaper, but doesn't have to be a major one
3. Assistant to one of my favortie authors, like Laurell K. Hamilton
4. A science-fiction magazine or e-zine
5. Google or another major online company

And now I have to tag five people to do this meme. So, I'm tagging anyone that wants to do it.


Saturday, July 14, 2007

That Just Ain't Right......

There have been a few things this week that have bothered me or just downright scared me. So I thought I would share.


I saw a woman going down the freeway. She was talking on her cell phone and putting on mascara. She had one hand on the phone and one hand on the mascara. I don't even want to know what she was driving with.

Before you guys start getting all mouthy about how much better drivers you are, I have a scary guy moment to share too. Again going down the freeway at speeds greater than 60 MPH, I saw a man drinking an energy drink of some sort. Apparently the can was nearly empty because he had his head tipped all the way back. After a 15 second count, I lost my nerve and put another lane between my car and his. I wouldn't have been too worried except that Mr. More-money-than-brains was driving a Hummer. Now I don't mean a sissified or citified H2 or H3. I mean the original, gas-guzzling, takes-as-much-room-as-a-semi-to-stop, hole-in-the-ozone-layer-causing penis extension Hummer. Less than a minute after I pulled away from him I heard the screeching of large tires. All I could do was say a prayer for the tiny compact car that was in front of him.

BTW, both the woman and the man were on the same freeway, but on different days. I've definitely got to think about moving.

I am too nice sometimes. I went to close down my old bank account today. I switched banks because I was no longer happy with the old one. But of course when she asked me why today I said, "There is no branch close to my home or office." When I really wanted to say, "Because your bank sucks and your customer service line is answered by crackheads. And not even smart crackheads." *sigh* Sometimes it just sucks being a nice person.

My acid reflux medication is expensive. I have insurance, but I have to pay for my prescriptions and they reimburse me 80% about 6 weeks later. I usually can't wait that long for that amount of money. I'm not rich. Luckily I have some very nice people in my life. My ex-boss gets me samples of other acid reflux medications from her father-in-law who is a doctor. It's not my regular medication and it doesn't work quite as well, but I am VERY grateful. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing when you have acid reflux so bad that you can scorch the ceiling at night. I haven't felt as grateful as I usually do over the last two weeks. The samples he got me were for a pill that dissolves in your mouth. It wouldn't have been so bad, but they are strawberry flavored (see previous post). So every night when I'd take one, I'd have to sit very still for about 10 minutes and fight the urge to throw up. I finally went and bought my regular medication today. I'll figure out a way to manage without that $130 until they reimburse me.



I guess that's enough for now. Thanks for letting me share. :P


Saturday, July 07, 2007

The Straight Eight...

I was tagged by Kwizgiver so here are 8 random things about me and/or my life......


1. My Grammy was so militant about ironing that I swore I'd never iron. I don't even own an iron and I'm glad.

2. I have a completely irrational fear of mannequins, wax figures, and statues. There is a statue of Sam Houston in Huntsville that nearly makes me hyperventilate. http://www.samhoustonstatue.org/


3. I make up my own filing system for books, movies, & DVD's so everyone won't notice how OCD I am.


4. At the age of 11, I had a bad experience with an upper GI and ever since then the smell of strawberries makes me very nauseous. This sucks because it’s one of my favorite fruits.


5. I visit my neighborhood library so often (usually once a week) that they know me by name.


6. I have recently discovered and begun using the Wash & Fold service at my local laundromat, but it took me over a month to convince myself that using it didn't mean I was lazy. They know me by name too. :)


7. I want more than anything in the world to be a writer, but am all but paralyzed by a fear of rejection.


8. I think the sexiest and most intimate act between lovers is a long, slow kiss that lasts until you both are breathless.




Participants:
1. Make a list of 8 random things about yourself and/or your life on your own blog.
2. Tag 8 other bloggers leaving a comment on their blog with a link to your post.

Tagging: Sweetest T, BigRedOne, smashingly, The Wonder, Violet Mistress and whoever feels like doing it. Just leave me a comment letting me know you did it so I can read it.


Sunday, July 01, 2007

Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty......

I wonder what Robert Frost would have said about a woman of thirty-nine. Hopefully something equally as kind.

Last week I turned thirty-nine and I was astounded by the fact that it feels absolutely no different than thirty-eight. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. However, I was quite grateful that this year's birthday found me in much better health and far less pain that last year's birthday.

It's been a rather crazy week at work. I got a new boss on Monday. She seems very nice, but after having the same boss for nearly three years it feels very strange. We have a big event coming up in less than two weeks and one of our team members is leaving after the event is over. It's a lot all at once.

On Friday the new boss decided that she would take us all out to lunch to celebrate my birthday, her new job, our team member leaving to go back to school, and the fourth member of our team surviving all the change. :) Our event coming up will be held at the new and fabulous Hotel ZaZa. So that is where we went to lunch.

The food was wonderful and the darling man that manages the place treated us to Strawberries Romanov and Champagne for dessert. Thanks again, Kleibert! Then we took a tour of the hotel. And I was taking pictures like a tourist. Keep in mind these are taken with my camera phone. It makes a MUCH better phone than it does a camera. :P






In the back of the very funky lobby, there is a fountain. On one side is the wooden sculpture on the left complete with stuffed peacocks.










On the other side is the woman on the right. The fountain itself is full of blue lights, river rocks in blues and grays, and white pillar candles that seem to just float on the water. The only movement of in the water is a constant rippling effect. It's strange, but quite interesting.











The
entire hotel is decorated in an almost surrealist style. Most of the furniture is over-sized and just downright funky. These two pictures are the front and back of the same chair. Most of the art in place has a similar theme.












A human's body with an animal's head. There was a very lar
ge painting of a little girl with a lamb's head walking a lion on a leash. Very odd, but also beautiful.














In the basement there is a room call the Conspiracy Room. It's decorated in a cross between The Sopranos & Goth. The coffin on the left was actually the coffee table in front of the biggest red, tufted Victorian sofa I have ever seen.











The sign on the right hangs nearby. Sometimes the rules are just no f
un at all. Do you think there was a lot of coffin dancing before they hung this sign?






It was definitely the most interesting lunch I've ever been treated to. I can't wait to go back. Although next time I'm there I'll be working. But I do hope to get better pictures. :)

If you'd like a better look at the pictures I did take they are posted on My Flickr Page.

And if you're ever in town, be sure to check out the Hotel Zaza. It's definitely worth a look around.