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Sunday, September 30, 2012

So disappointed

Well, the last blog entry wasn't very exciting... I planned on elaborating on what each job was like with funny details and stuff, but I think I was tired and never really finished the blog before publishing... so I'm just going to drop the whole thing.

I'm kind of tired tonight, again, surprise, surprise.  So, I'm just going to tell you how disappointed I am in my dog, and more in myself.

My sis and my bro- in -law came for a visit this weekend.

And Rudy barked at them the whole time.  If they moved, he charged them.

He's an unsocialized asshole not used to visitors in the house.  It's all our fault.  He is very territorial, and we've been trying to curb it, but it's not working.  Well, he's gotten better on walks, but, not in the house, and slightly better in the car.

I mean, he met my sis before when he was a puppy, and he had seemingly no recollection of that time.  He was just a scary big asshole dog.  So bad.  So nasty.

Finally, the one thing that curbed the barking... the spray bottle of mouthwash that was meant to curb his barking at the cats whenever they wanted to come visit us on the couch.  That wasn't what I wanted to resort to, but it was at least a temporary fix.  I know the solution has to be that he becomes accepting of visitors, not that he is suppresses the barks only because he doesn't want to get sprayed.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

I didn't win the lottery :(

I was really banking on that one.  $200 million.  Someone from Iowa or somewhere won it.  I even quit my job already thinking I would win.

Ok, I didn't quit my job.  But I fantasize about quitting.  All the time.  Why?  Why am I like that?  I used to have friends who would say I'm never happy with any of my jobs.  But in retrospect, there's always got to be something good in a job to stay for more than a day, right?

Would you like me to list the positives about jobs I've had?  That should be a short list for sure.  I'm not going to include working for my parents... because it's working for my parents and it doesn't count.  But I will start after that in chronological order.

The beach toys kiosk in the mall.
1. It was my first job.
2. I got to get out of the house in the summer.
3. I met interesting people.
4. I got an interesting glimpse into the mall employee culture.

The internship at a literary journal when I was at FSU. 
1.  It was my first and last job pertaining to writing.
2.  The people were nice.
3.  I got some experience seeing how a literary journal was run, and it was cool.
4.  I got my name in the credits.

The work study in the curriculum counseling office at Emerson College.
1.  It gave me a stipend.
2.  I had the chance to experience an office job where I had a desk.
3.  The people were nice.
4.  I met some interesting students and I like to think I helped them.
5.  I felt useful.
6.  It helped with the loneliness.
7.  Our end of semester work party was at a place called Brew Moon, which was my first experience with a nice brewpub and "gourmet" food.

Ben & Jerry's 
1.  It was the first job that I ever applied to and really wanted to get.
2. I got to eat all the ice cream I wanted.
3. I worked with a lot of cool people.
4. I learned how to work a register and handle money and close out the deposit at night.
5. I had responsibility.
6. I started writing the schedule.
7. When closing on a Friday or Saturday night, sometimes we would make mixed drinks with ice cream or sorbet to take and drink on the way to the club.
8.  I made good money during the summer.
9.  I learned that I had led a sheltered life.

Sam Adams Brewery
1. I got to tell people I worked at Sam Adams!
2. I got to drink beer!
3. I got to try new beers before they came out.
4. I liked all the people there.
5. It was the most I had ever made hourly, even though it was only a few hours a week.
6. I got merchandise at a discount.
7. I got 2 free cases a month, and I also got to take extra expired beer too.
8. They let me invite my friends and hang out after hours and drink from the open taps!
9. I think if we hadn't left Boston I would have wanted to stay with the company for long term.

Coffee Cottage
1. I got hired right away after moving, so I felt secure about that.
2. I liked some of the people I worked with.

Spice Inc
1. I loved that store.
2.  I like most of the people I worked with.
3. I admire the owner.
4. I met interesting people.
5. I learned a lot about food.
6. I learned a lot about work politics.
7. I liked working somewhere that was ahead of it's time.



Man... this is going to be at least a 2 parter... I've worked a lot of places!
g'night!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

record?

I think the last time I posted was Saturday.  Is this a record for the longest I went without posting?  Probably not.  Not much to say.

On Sunday, we went to the Irish bar downtown to watch the Steelers game, which wasn't on TV.  The problem was, that the game was supposed to run until around 7:30, and daycare last pick up without a late fee was 7.  So, I picked up Rudy at 6:45 and then we drove around downtown looking for a parking space.  We finally found one, and of course it was raining.  So we walked through the rain, which Rudy loves, to the bar.  He was quiet yet curious when we got to the bar.  He only barked a couple times... which for Rudy is great!  I just kept patting him and scratching and telling him he was a good boy (sometimes you have to lie) whenever anyone walked by.  There were just a couple guys who he barked at.  The people inside the bar looked out at us every time he barked, but they didn't kick us out.  So, this time was way better than our trial at Jimbo's.

So, there's hope.

Guess what?  I'm tired.  And the FP is working.  And Rudy is going to need some exercise in a little while.

I've gotten to the point where I need more coffee.  I'm thinking about making more... but I shouldn't.  But I'm so tired!

Oh, and how about that football game last night?!

But coffee is bad.  Although there's the rest of the laundry to do...

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Wasted day

I feel like I should have taken some uppers. I woke up too early. Then I fucked around on the computer. Next thing I knew, it was raining. Hard.

After a while Rudy was getting too antsy. But he likes the rain, so I put on my slicker and galoshes and took him to the dog park, where the park ranger (?) told me we had to leave because of lightning- which I saw none.

So we went to the beach and walked. Not really anyone was there, except for some guys in cars doing a drug deal or something, and hard core exercisers biking or running. At the end of our walk we tried to go on the beach. I thought there would' be no lifeguard, but there was, and he told us to get off the beach. When we got back in the car, Rudy seemed rambunctious still, so I took him downtown for a walk. Finally he got tired when we got home, but so did I. So I watched the season finale of Awkward. And the after show, and then some more TV . Besides putting laundry in the wash, no chores. Nada.

Here's the laundry monster I should have tackled today. All clean, but not folded or put away.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Noises

that I hear...

the typing on the keypad, of course.
the FP breathing next to me (thankfully he's not snoring)
the rattle (?) of the air conditioner
the shutters lightly smacking the wall in the wind
the moving truck parking noisily in front of our driveway
the moving men talking loudly in the street
(did I mention there's a moving truck blocking our driveway?  I feel trapped)
the car parking in front of our yard also blocking the house
the pad of my feet as I go to the bedroom window, and then the living room window to look out at the fuss that they are making outside
the snorts and sighs and rustling of the dog
the "ding" of the water bowl as a cat hits the water bowl, trying to get to the food
the crunch of a cat's teeth on kibble
(why didn't the truck park in front of the apartment they are loading in next door, rather than in front of us?  They can't have much stuff anyway, it's a small space, I think.  I just hope they hurry up.  What if there is an emergency and we have to leave immediately, but the truck is blocking our way?  And we can't drive over the grass because the car is parked in front of that?  And what if there are shady people moving in next door - I mean from the outside it looks like a dreary apartment.  I should think of getting that bamboo that I wanted to put against the fence that borders our property with the apartment buildling so we aren't staring into eachother's kitchens when the blinds are open)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

blog break

Sorry, my posts may be random for a while... I've gotten the FP to watch Breaking Bad, starting with season 1.  He's hooked.  If you're a fan, then you will understand why I might not have time to blog, as the time when I'm usually blogging, I'm watching Breaking Bad instead.

Oh, and we have an unruly 8 month old puppy.  He takes a lot of time too....

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Handyman FP

So, the air conditioner started leaking again.  Last time, it started leaking, and then we turned it off overnight, and it stopped.  I figured I wouldn't worry until it started leaking again.

So, today was the time to worry.  So, I got out the husky multi-tool kit.  I unscrewed the screws, which was actually easy.  The fact that it wasn't difficult made me wonder how many times the screws had been unscrewed.

We saw the water in the pan, and could feel the water in the pipe.  There was the cap on the other end, that the FP suggested we take off, to see if the line was clogged, which we were sure it was.  So, he took it off, and it was clogged.  He asked me if we had a skinny snake.  And I remembered, I had just bought a thin plastic barbed type of snake.  So, he broke it out.  And he stuck it down the drain.  And right away, we heard the glurg of the pipe unclog, and the water cleared out.

And that was it.

I never knew the FP was such an AC/plumber.....

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Time For Change

So, it's like I've been hibernating.  No playing music, no listening to music, no seeing live shows.  Not really any "painting", no writing besides blogging.  No cooking for fun at home.  No friends.

That all needs to stop.

Now.

I know.  I think I've whinged to you about this.  I know I have.  So, how to change?  What I see is everyone else around me changing, and I'm... changing maybe, but not in the way I had hoped.

I suppose, if you keep uprooting a plant and moving it from location to location, it might not take root and grow as rapidly as if you just kept it in one place.  But the hope is, that one of the times you move it, it's for the best.  It might have to struggle to survive, but hopefully it will be hardy enough to survive and flourish.

Change.  I feel like I've heard that slogan before.... somewhere......

Monday, September 17, 2012

Acts of Somebody, part 2

So, you have to read Acts of Somebody.... the first part, if you haven't read it.  Because I'm not going to start this second part of the series with a summary introduction for you to catch up.  Besides, I kind of enjoyed writing last night's blog, and I would like for you to read it.





So, I felt dirty today.  I didn't go in the pool after work.  Usually, the night before my day off, I don't shower.

Yes.  I'm admitting it.  Get off your high horse and climb onto my miniature pony.

Anyhoo, I know that I am going to take Rudy for exercise the next morning, and I'm going to sweat anyway, so why bother to waste the water.

Well, I felt especially dirty today.  So, I took a shower.  I was thinking how maybe I might come up with a blog topic while in the shower.  And I sure did.

I have sad news to report.  When I got into the shower, I saw the corpse of my new spider friend on the tile.  She was all moving a little with the water flow, so I splashed her a little to see if she had any life left in her.  She was gone, though.  So, I directed her lifeless corpse to the drain, where she got entwined with my hair, and may or may not have gone down the drain.

I guess, while her life was short, I'm glad to have met her.  Hopefully someone will say that about me one day... after I'm 65 or so...

But, I guess, the bright side is, she left a legacy.  Right in the corner where she was hanging out last night, was a baby.  She was hugging the corner wall.  But as I stared at her, she started to climb the invisible web, and she was even climbing upside down.  And then she started venturing away from the corner.

I wondered, did she want to see companionship?  Should I move her to the corner condo with a view, so she could meet her next of kin?  Or should I ease her into it, maybe move her to the corner by the sink where all the dead ants are?  Or maybe she doesn't want to leave the shower.  I mean, after all, her mother just passed away.  I guess the rules of observing nature say that you are not supposed to interfere, right?  And why am I always trying to control others decisions anyway?

All the same, I want this little spider girl to survive and thrive, and catch as many ants as she can.  I feel like I should read and watch Charlotte's Web now.  I haven't seen that movie or read the book since I was a kid.  But I remember it having a strong impact on me.  I've always loved pigs, and I wonder if that inspired my love for pigs or fostered my previous love for pigs?  Which is weird, because I don't really remember having very much contact with pigs, but they are so cute and tasty too.

Anyway, I hope all the best for little spider girl.  I hope she gets out and sees the world and has adventures galore, so that her mom didn't die in vain.


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Acts of somebody...

I was going to curl up in bed and write this blog.  I had the topic all in my head, and I got into bed, and something stuck me in the foot.  It was a sharp pain, so I felt my foot.  Nothing in it, so I felt around the bed for the culprit.  I didn't want to get stuck again...

I found the culprit.  (All of this, btw, was taking place in the relative dark.  The FP was already snoozing in bed, and my only light was the computer screen.)  I brought it into the studio to have a look.  It looked like a shard of beer glass, with a teeny wee bit of the label.

Nice.  How did that get in the bed on my side?  And how did my foot come in contact with it in just the right way that it stabbed me.  And how many other shards of beer glass are in the bed.  I did take the flashlight and look, but I didn't see any more.

Anyway, here I am in the studio instead of comfortably lounging in bed.  Which this is weird, because I really only use this room to get the cat food, to charge the computer, to see if the cats are in here, and to chase Rudy out, because he's not really allowed in this room.

But, I will forge on....

My original topic was animals and real estate.  Although we have a small plot of land, it is heavily populated.  You've got the ants that are everywhere.  A lot in the backyard, especially between the pavers by the pool.  The ants clog up the pool filter so that I have to clean it often for the pump to run nicely.  You've got the pigeons in the trees and on the electric wires.  There used to be the grackles in the oak, but since the babies were born and learned to fly, they seemed to have moved on.  There are the big green lizard(s) in the oak, the knight anole, that may or may not still be there.  We don't have too many curly tailed lizards, but I'm sure we have some.  We do have a lot of geckos though.  The babies for some reason, always seem to have a death with, because they try to get into the house, where they get played with and eaten by the cats or dog.

Then there's the ticks in the yard that love Rudy's blood.  And there's the beetles, bees and weird looking grasshopper things that love to swim in the pool.

And then the house spiders.  There is a huge high rise condo of them on the lanai in the corner by the back door.  They have been allowed to thrive there ever since we moved in.  They have a huge hammock of webs, that has the cadavers of thousands of carpenter ants.  Ironically, when we moved from San Diego, I thought we would get away from the carpenter ants, but, no, here they are again.  The spiders have thrived and gotten very huge feeding off all these ants and whatever else they catch.  And so, the spider population in that one corner begins to grow in size and number.  Some branch out behind the storage shed, but a lot like to stay close to home.

When I was taking a shower, I watched this one lone spider in the corner, all by itself, hanging out in the shower, seemingly suspended in air.  It didn't have one ant visible in it's invisible web.  I wondered, why did it choose to set up camp in this shower?  I've never seen an ant there.  If you look in the corner next to the sink, there are a lot of dead ants there.  But none in the shower?  It puzzled me, until I thought of my own preferences.  I like to live in or near big cities, but at the same time, I like lots of space.  I can be a loner.  Maybe I could relate more to this spider than I realized.

Maybe she grew up and felt suffocated by life in the spider condo, with Big Mama and brothers and sisters and cousins and every other relative all up in her business.  Maybe all she wanted to do was to start her own web, go out on her own in a different room of the house, be independent with no safety web.  Maybe she wanted to spread out, and design a new type of web on more tricky surfaces.  Maybe she wanted to look out on her space with her multiple eyes, and not see one other spider around.  And maybe she didn't want all the ants at her disposal for the taking, whenever she wanted, day or night.  Maybe she wanted to work for her supper, to really savor every meal she had, like at any minute, someone might come in and wipe her off the wall and down the drain.

But sometimes, she must get lonely.  Her only visitors being ants, who, after she meets them, they die, or me, who she might just consider a predator, waiting to get her....

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Effin Bitch

So, I was turning from one fairly traveled road in a residential area onto a more heavy traffic road.   The light turned green, and a man with what may (or may not) have been a service dog was slowly crossing the street.  They were not on my side of the road, but I waited for them because that's what you should do.  This lady honked at me.  I motioned at the man and the dog, as if, do you see this man and dog crossing the street, possibly a service dog?  The woman honked several more times, and I flailed my arm more.  Then she went around me and man and go be damned, drove around them.  I was scared she was going to hit them.  Luckily she didn't.  She swerved around them.

What was so important that you can't take time to wait for a (possibly) physically or emotionally challenged citizen or veteran and his faithful helper companion?  If it's such an emergency, maybe you should put your hazards on or something.  Maybe you shouldn't be driving because you are mentally unstable.

Fuckin Bitch.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Pet Peeves

I have pets.  And I have peeves.  Here's another list.

1. I hate when I try to kiss or pet The Fuzz, and she backs away with this disgusted face.

2. I hate when I try to hug or pet Rudy, and he growls at me.

3.  I hate when I walk by Stinksy, and he swipes at me.

4. I hate when The Fuzz takes a shit and doesn't bury it - it's such a terrible smell.

5. I hate when Stinksy and Rudy both try to get our food when we are eating.

6.  I hate when Rudy tries to get at the cat food on the shelf.

7.  I hate when Stinksy tries to run out of the door and tries to get away when I try to wrangle him in.

8.  I hate when Rudy barks at everyone.

9.  I hate when Rudy bites me.

10.  I hate when I feel like I'm neglecting my pets.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Embarrassed Mom

So, we were running late for leaving the house this morning by 5 minutes.  Then there was all this brake light traffic on the 95.  So, we took a detour.

By the time we got to doggie daycare, it was 7:45, which is late for us.  There were several other dog parents dropping off their dogs.  And of course, Rudy had to bark at every dog and every person when we were walking in.  Even after I handed his leash over to the daycare counselor, he still kept barking.  The counselor was surprised at this.

When I was walking out, I noticed that someone had peed on the floor.  I'm pretty sure that Rudy made the other little dog do it....

For shame.  I walked out of there, hangdog expression on my face.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

This day

What a sad anniversary this day is.  Sad doesn't describe it - woeful, sorrowful, horrible, tragic, ugly.  I don't like to post serious, depressing blogs on this blog, because it's supposed to be... not uplifting, maybe not lighthearted, but humorous in a black comedy making fun of myself and others kind of way.  But, how can one post a blog today and not talk about 9/11?

It's horrible to watch those documentaries that are on all day long.  Especially the ones that put together first person videos from bystanders.  I don't cry as much as I used to before Katrina, but stuff like this.  How can one watch it and not, at some point, be brought to tears?

What's interesting, is that I realized today, that my cousin-in-law and my uncle-in-law have the same birthday as the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  My other cousin-in-law (the sister and daughter of the previous two) has the same birthday, has her birthday on 9/11.  Very interesting.  Such nice people though.  Sucks to have that tragic reminder every year.

In light of the anniversary that is today, it seems petty and frivolous to recite the little things that happened to me today.  I mean, do you really care?  Oh, wait, you don't really care on an ordinary day with no significant anniversary, either!

So, let me just plow right through this blog so I can get some sleep...

Rudy has become more whiney when in the crate at night.  It's annoying.  If he ever needs something for real, how am I supposed to know?  It's the puppy who cried wolf!  (Do you know people who pronounce wolf "woof" for real, without trying to be funny?  I don't know what accent it is, but I vaguely recall one of my elementary school teachers did that.  I think it was the 4th grade teacher.)

 Rudy also barked at these old ladies hobbling with canes at the park.  For shame!  He discriminates against the physically challenged.

Which leads me to my mother-in-law.  She had a hip replacement surgery today.  I am not up on advances in medicine, that's for sure.  Because I never would have believed that hours after her surgery, they would be trying to get her to stand and walk on her replacement hip!  Crazy!  And her alleged recovery time is 3 weeks.  Insane!

And then the big news is that I finally got the FP to watch Breaking Bad.  I told him that he could watch the first episode - season 1, episode 1.  Then he could decide from there if he wanted to watch the whole series and catch up before... July (boo!!!).  I warned him, it probably, being the beginning, wasn't nearly as great as some of the later seasons.  Boy was I wrong.  I hadn't seen episode 1 in a long time.  It was really good.  And since I didn't remember it all, it was even better to watch it the second time!  The FP loved it, of course.  He said that I said it might not be that good, but it was one of the best first episodes he had ever seen.  I can't believe I have to wait until July for new episodes, AND that it's the last season!!!  At least I have 4 1/2 seasons to watch until then, I guess.

My other thing I need to tell you about is that I have to deal with my air conditioner.  I've been dreading the day that something would go wrong with it - as I've already heard others complain about not having working air conditioning and having to go days without it.  All of a sudden, I walked to the hallway, and there was water on the floor.  I changed the filter, but water still ran out.  So, I had to do what I really didn't want to do.  I had to take out the filter and look up at the grills while the FP held the flashlight for me.  If it weren't so low to the ground, I probably would have made him do it.  Of course, water started dripping down my back while I was trying to scrape gunk off with a paper towel, because of course we don't have a wire brush.  We should have taken the panel off and looked inside the unit, but it was dinner time and the spaghetti and italian sausage was calling.  So, we turned the AC off, turned the fan on, put towels under the AC and ate dinner.  From a short google search, and from what I've seen, it's probably a gross algae clog in the line that we will have to try to take care of tomorrow.  I sure hope it's an easy DIY fix!  Although, I see getting a shop vac in our future...

So, yeah, this was 9/11/12.


Monday, September 10, 2012

Off!

Yay!  Is it wrong that having a day off is so damn exciting to me?!  It is though.  It's like the last day of school before summer!

Ok, maybe that was hyperbole.  But I am always excited to have a day off.  Even if the pressure of having a day off and trying to live the day off to the fullest sometimes almost ruins the day off!

I don't know why.  I think that at my last job, there was always a threat of someone needing to take off, meaning that I would have to go in to work.  So, I think that it became an innate fear that my day off could at any moment be taken away from me.

Luckily, with this job, they wouldn't really call me in.  I would be like the last person they would call in.  Of course, that is not necessarily a good thing.  I think I'm older and I don't work all the stations, and I possibly make more than the younger kids, so I'm the last choice for being called in to work.  Anyway, it's the slow time right now, so the more hours that are cut the better.

Anyhoo, my goals for tomorrow - washing the car, and washing the dog, and picking up my contacts.  That's all I'm going to shoot for.  Hopefully I can do more!

I love days off!!!!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

*sigh*

One day I want to be able to choose whether or not I work on Sundays!




Fin

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Breaking Bad

If you don't know what it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_Bad

I don't know how that is possible, though.  Unless you don't watch TV, or leave the house.

Anyway.  I don't know what to do with my life.  How am I supposed to wait until next summer????!!!!!!???????

Is AMC insane????

Insanely brilliant.  To have the confidence to hold the american public captive for this long, it's admirable.

Or maybe that's just how the schedule and budget worked out.  Maybe they knew with football and the school year and everything else, it was better to wait and stagger the last season.  But how the hell can it be the last season.  There are so many more directions that this could go.  It's unlimited, just like the way drugs will never be all legalized or eradicated.

All I know, is I'm glowing from the last episode, but at the same time, I'm empty and starving for more.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Professionalism

Now, if you read this blog regularly (he he) at all, then you know I'm not one to tout professionalism (Read the entry, "My biggest fear."  But, when I am consuming mass media from supposed mass media giants, I expect professionalism!

So, the other day at work, my chef boss shows me a recipe from "Food & Wine" on the internet.  You know, a very respectable publication, right?  Well, the recipe was kind of stupid.  It was like a no bake frozen zebra cheesecake.  You know, it sounded good, but it's not exactly French Laundry type of pastry making.  Anyway, my chef gets the ingredients for it - mainly cream cheese, chocolate wafers and Hershey's syrup.  So, then I have to read the recipe from his smartphone.  It says to crush some of the wafers, and then to line a cake pan with plastic wrap and layer the cake.  I never saw any mention of the crumbs.  I was so annoyed.  Where were the cookie crumbs in the recipe? So, we put some crumbs on the bottom, and then we also used some for garnish.

Now, I go home and search for the recipe, and I find, I didn't read past step #3.  Ah... that's where the cookie crumbs go...

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/icebox-chocolate-cheesecake

Guess I was the one not being professional.  I just hate reading recipes on smartphones!  I'm getting too old, and it's difficult to read on those little screens!  Oopsie!!!


Now, my other gripe is with the Nat Geo channel.  The FP and I are addicted to Locked Up Abroad.  Although Rudy has kind of made me dread watching the show, because he always does annoying things while we watch it, like scavenge the kitchen for food, or chew on something he shouldn't chew on.

Anyhoo, we were watching one episode tonight, about a guy who escaped from a gulag during the cold war.  It was a pretty good story.  But there were about 4 times when the voice was cut off.  The first time I thought it was the recording.  But it happened a few times, and it seemed to be when they were filming him during his interview when he is on screen, not during narration.  It was really fucking annoying.  I just don't understand why that happened.  I mean maybe it was a glitch with our recording, but why would it happen only during a certain time, and it wasn't like the music stopped playing?

I just want to know, if Nat Geo can't get a handle on their editing and production, then who can?

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Reality

You know how everyone always says, "they should film our workplace!  We are so interesting and hilarious, it would be good!"

Yeah, we don't care to watch you and your place of work.  It's probably not as funny to outsiders as it is to you.

I don't think my place of work is exciting enough to film.  Maybe if you followed the owners through all three restaurants, it might be interesting.

But anyway, I think I'm going stir crazy being cooped up in that teeny kitchen with the same people all the time!!!  I'm beginning to snap.

So, here's the players.  There's me.  I'm quiet.  I keep in my corner and do my job.  Every once in a while I say something.  As far as anyone knows, I could be a serial killer who listens to country music and lives with her mother.

There's the calming 29 year old stoner who is nice and sometimes is a shoemaker.

There's his roommate, a younger, yet big huge 23 year old kid who started as very aggressive and angry and demanding.  A month or so ago, something happened, and he's much more pleasant to be around, although I'm still getting used to being able to have a conversation with him.

There's the Haitian brother dishwashers.  One is skinnier and fast and always working and cleaning.  The other is a little chubby and slow and lazy and always on the phone and riding the clock.  They don't speak much english and they try to eat as much as possible while at work.

There's the older cook, who has another full time job at night.  He works hard, but he's slow at prep work and he always thinks his way of doing things is the best.  And he's a born again catholic.

Then there's the chef.  He's a big nervous Dane who smokes lots of cigarettes, goes to the store multiple times in one day, and cracks dirty jokes.

There's our cult leader, the owner.  He's charismatic and calm and demanding in an unassuming way.

And then there's the cult leader's partner.  He's a stylish sarcastic hardworking Filipino gay.

Those are the people who I will bother to tell you about for now.

Anyway, I think I need a break from these people.  I'm starting to get mouthy.  The one older cook really crossed the line with me today.  He thinks I'm a nice quiet lady.  He started in on the religious talk.  He does that a lot.  He's born again catholic = he's preachy + judgey.  He started with the economy getting worse and how when the lady of Fatima appeared to those kids, she predicted this, along with world war II.  Basically, some vague reference to people being sinful bringing bad times to the world means that she predicted this 2008 economic decline and further decline in 2012?

So, you know, when this guy says shit like this, I just look at him.  Sometimes I say things like, Oh yeah?  or Interesting?  or Oh, yes, I've heard that before.

Then later on, he said how did I know that Barack Obama used to be Muslim?  I said, are you sure you got that information from a reliable source?  He said, oh yes, I know it's true.  I read all about his biography when he was young.  His parents gave him up when he was two and he was raised Muslim.

This is highly offensive to me.  Being preachy about misinformation.  Oh, and obviously having something against being Muslim.  I must have had an awful look on my face, because, then he said, "It doesn't matter.  But do you know he's pro choice?"

We were standing at the stove.  I was on the end.  The big 23 year old kid was in the middle, cooking something.  The preachy guy was on the other side.

I slammed on the brakes.  Whoa!!!!! Buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I said, "No, we are not going to discuss this.  This is something you do not get into at work.  And I don't think you want to get into it with me, because you're not going to like what I have to say."  That might not be verbatim, but you get my POV....

Then big 23 year old kid, said, "Religion and politics, you don't talk about those things at work."

Then the older cook fell silent.  He didn't talk to me for the rest of the shift.  He didn't even say goodbye to me, or not that I heard.  I'm the second person in a couple weeks who has told him to basically shut up.  About a week ago, the bread lady came in, and when she saw him, she said, "No, you don't talk to me."  Then she had a heated conversation with the chef.  He told the older cook he wasn't allowed to talk to her anymore.  I think she got sick of him picking about the bread orders.  In all fairness, if there is a problem with quality, he should address it to the chef.

Anyway, it kind of felt good to finally, in my own way, tell him to shut the fuck up!  I know that it was partially because I'm all hormonal.  I have been off the birth control for about a month now, due to my procrastination and not scheduling a "lady's exam".  So, I can tell the difference with not taking the stuff....

I'm so interested to see how he acts towards me tomorrow....

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

My Biggest Fear

was damn near close to being realized today!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how awful it was.

Oh, wait, yes I can.  But I'm warning you, if you are squeamish, you better leave this blog and go to the cute overload blog or something else nicer....

So, let me give you some back story.  A while ago, I was constipated.  I mean, I hadn't gone poo poo for a week or so.  Ok, I might have pushed out a couple miniscule little tootsie midgees that stank really bad, but nothing substantial enough to write home about, "Dear Papa, I finally had a big humongous poo!"

Anyway, I started making sure I was taking my probiotics every single night.  After a few days, I started waking up and having to #2 before the coffee was even finished brewing.  So that was good.

But maybe I need to curb it on the probiotics now.  Sometimes my stomach burns, and I feel like I have to poo but I don't.

So, anyway, on to today.  I am pretty much usually the first one at work every day.  Sometimes the dishwasher is on the patio, talking on his phone, waiting for me.  But lately, I seem to be the first.  As I was today.  So, I keep my key in my wallet.  We take a different keychain depending on which car we are taking, so I don't like to keep the key on a chain in case I forget to transfer it to another chain.

So, I took out the key.  And I tried it in the back door.  (LOL)  It didn't work.  I did have trouble the other day too, so I wasn't too surprised.  I tried some more, and the key would turn, but it wouldn't click the lock open.

So, even though the key doesn't usually work as well for the kitchen door, I tried it anyway.  It didn't work.  I tried the other door again.  No go.  I never even thought to try the front door.  I don't know if that's the same key or not.

I took out my work shirt from my bag, and used it to help turn the key, as the key was starting to cut into my finger because I was trying to turn it so hard.

This went on for a long time.  Then my stomach started to burn.  Then my.... pooper started to burn too.  This was not right, because I had already dropped the kids off at the pool first thing in the morning.  No one else had showed up, so I couldn't even get someone else to try the key.  I didn't know if anyone else would even have their own key.

And boy did my pooper start sending out the red flag!!!  I guess the coffee had just raced through my digestive tract, and it wanted out.  Now!!!

I was thinking about whether or not I would have to call one of my bosses and tell them I couldn't open the door.

But I needed to get to the bathroom soon!  I thought that I might have to go to McDonald's and use their disgusting facilities - even though Burger King would be more appropriate because that's where the FP always used to go drop logs.

I was seriously worried.  And I chided myself for not always packing extra underwear and pants.  But I couldn't let it get that far!

I had to open the door!!!

Finally, somehow, the key turned in the kitchen door lock.

Oh Joy!!!  I had to bumble my way through the restaurant, turning on the lights to get all the way to the ladies powder room.

I made it.  And let me tell you, that wasn't a lady's poo.  And neither was the smell.

And I was so glad that no one got there for another ten minutes, time for the smell to disperse.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Put Your Best Paw Forward

In the life of Rudy and the FP and me, today was a good day.  Rudy enjoys it best when both the FP and I are off and we spend quality time together.

This morning we had a very nice and invigorating (even with the heat and humidity) walk on the beach.  He was attentive and not too jerky on the leash.  He didn't bark once during the walk.  He did however bark when he was back in the car.  This nice old lady who was parked next to us saw him and came over to say hi.  At first he didn't notice her.  She was telling me how her neighbor and her were taking care of a lab that they had found - and how sweet he was - and then cue Rudy's barking.

So rude.  Just like a kid to cut your conversation with strangers short when they get bored and cranky.

Later in the afternoon, we took a walk around downtown Hollywood.  He was still fairly attentive and well behaved.  He didn't bark at anyone, although he took interest in the few indigent people we saw.  But we kept him moving and didn't give him enough time to really smell or scrutinize them, so even if he was going to bark at them, he didn't have a chance.

After our second walkies, we stopped by Publix on the way home.  The FP went in to make groceries for dinner, and I stayed in the Element with Rudy.  He seemed antsy, so I decided to walk him around the parking lot and get more training.  Mostly, he just wanted to sniff the grass and try to eat palm nuts and stuff.  He did notice some people, but he didn't bark at anyone.

Then, this young couple with a baby seat on their cart were headed in our direction.  I couldn't tell what car they were going to, but I thought we should move away from them, as they looked wary, and so did Rudy.  I think the big rattling cart and the height the baby seat made Rudy uneasy.  So we headed a little down the aisle back to our car.  But then, this old lady was right behind them.  She headed toward us, as her car was right next to ours.  She said, oh what I nice doggie.  And then he started barking at her.  I told her that he still had to work on his training and his manners.  And she replied, oh, don't we all.


He did so well today (overall, for being Rudy, even with a few barking incidents at home), except for the two incidents with the old ladies.

Strike two for Rudy and nice old ladies.  What does he have against them?  They are so nice and understanding!

Monday, September 3, 2012

PITA!!!

This guy is one of the reasons I didn't sleep well last night:


I know, you can hardly focus on the mischievous cat because you are busy counting cups and bottles.  From where I am, I see 4 bottles and 4 cups.  And this fella has drank out of every cup, and he probably tried to drink out of the bottles that don't have caps on them.

He usually hangs out in the living room/dining room.  But the past week or so, he has decided to spend the nights in the bedroom with us.  When he walks in, Rudy barks or whines.  He doesn't like Stinky in here with us, especially because he feels helpless to control it, because he is in his crate while Stinky can roam freely.

That's annoying.

And then Stinky has to lie down right on top of the covers on top of and right next to me.  He essentially traps me so I cannot move.  I hate that.  Just ask the FP about how I hate being trapped in the blankets.  That and having itches I can't scratch and being so thirsty that I feel like I'm going to hurl will probably be aspects of my own personal hell when I die.  That just sounds terrible.

Getting back to Stinky.  When he gets bored lying on top of me, he will go to the windows and part the blinds, making an obnoxious... blinds hitting each other noise.  Then he will either whine or climb the window screen.  Then he will go to the other window and do the same routine.  Then he will try to drink water and knock a glass off.  Then he will come back and lay down on top of me, purring really loud and trying to get my attention.  At some point in the night, he will move to the foot of the bed, by my feet.  If I accidentally kick him in my sleep, he will bite and scratch and latch onto my feet until he full well knows I'm remorseful.  Then he will go back to sleep.

I sure hope he gets tired of this routine very soon.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Neverending Laundry Pile

So, I'm a grown up.

Ok, I play one or try to simulate one as best as I know how.  Which is just a lot of speculation and googling stuff.  Sometimes I ask people for advice too if the question is not too silly.

Anyway, I have this one juvenile habit, or lack of habit that I have - I hate folding laundry and putting it away.  I hate that task way worse than I hate putting away the clean dishes.  I don't know why I hate these tasks.

Well, another reason I hate putting away the laundry is because the closet organization is a mess.  The shelves that the previous owners left are all kind of fucked up.  We just tried to half assed reattach the shelves so they wouldn't fall.  What we really need to do is spend like probably $150 and buy some proper shelves.  Or just get more milk crates...

Anyway, I find my clean clothes that I am going to wear mostly from the laundry basket.

Not that I really have many clothes that I actually wear on a regular basis, but, I pretty much just a small  fraction of my clothing that I pretty much wear on rotation.  Of course, a huge portion of the time, I'm wearing work clothes.  Then there are the sleeping, lounging clothes - a couple choices of shorts and soft tshirts.  Then there are the whatever clothes for multipurpose - going for a walk, going to the store, running errands.  Then, there are few newerish items that I might wear if I have to say, go to a doctor or vet, or maybe we go out to eat or for a drink.

So, here's the vicious cycle.  I wash colors.  The only whites I really use are my socks and maybe one or two ponty (panty in Philippine accent) or bra.  These often end up in the colors wash, and they are fine.  So, I just wash colors.  Unless the only dirty laundry left is whites.  So, there is a dirty laundry basket in the back bathroom.  I just pick through and load the washing machine from there, or I find dirty clothes on the floor, usually, it's clothes that belong to the... man of the house.

So, after I wash and dry, then I put the clothes in the clean laundry basket.  If that is overly full, then I put the clothes in the back bathroom sink.  We don't really use that sink, so it's fine.

But, what do we do if we go #1 or #2 in that bathroom?  We warsh our hands in the kitchen.  The thing is, we painstakingly replaced the pvc for that sink and it leaked so many times.  We finally used this sealing putty that seems to work, but why take chances.  If we don't use the sink, it should last for if any visitors ever come.

So, then, when I take a shower, I look for clean clothes to put on from either the clean laundry basket or the clean laundry sink.  And then when they are dirty, I throw them in the dirty laundry basket and perpetuate the cycle.

Seriously, I don't recall the last time I did all the laundry and then folded and put it all away.

It's like I'm a college kid enjoying not having anyone telling me to put away my laundry.

So sad, really.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Overdid it today.

I'm exhausted.  Maybe more tired than if I worked...

That's always bad, because that means that I will get rundown and feel like I'm getting sick in the next few days.  If I overdo it, then I definitely will get sick.

But I can't just hang out around the couch and not TCB!!! I mean, we don't really clean the house much or maintain the yard much during work days.  So, I try to do as much as possible whenever I have the energy on my day off.

I had a lot of energy today.  But now I'm tired and kind of sore from not hydrating enough and mowing the all the lawn around 11:30 am - 1 pm.

Anyway, I have to cut this short... I have to watch the Dog Whisperer and figure how to break this dog's barking problem!