Something awesome happened today: I spent $30 on gas for that Olympia trip, thinking I would be reimbursed $30. Apparently my company values the "wear and tear" inflicted on my car from the 260 round trip miles. As a result, today I was comped $128 for my mileage. It's basically like $100 free dollars! That's enough to make me excited for the work day! Especially since I was trying to figure out how to justify the cost of mystic tanning and waxing pre-hawaii. Good job corporate office for over-estimating my mileage costs!! (Technically it's good job IRS... but whatever) Did I mention I also am being comped a work day since I spent 12 hours on the job yesterday? One more paid day of vacation. This job may be boring, but some days it really has its perks.
I got into a tiff with the boy yesterday - I don't really feel like rehashing it right now suffice to say that I learned a few things from it. 1. Communication is really really important, as is acknowledgment of the other person's feelings (okay so I already knew that, I was a COMM major). 2. I don't really need to freak out or be a bitch to get attention from the boy, he is good about trying to get things resolved. 3. Actions speak louder than words 4. I have some really great friends, like Walden, who sent me an encouraging message this morning.
Tom and I are both bored in the office today, I can tell. I am not restless bored, just patiently bored, if that's possible. It's a nice change. I never realized that there were so many different types of boredom hahaha.
Off to the gym after work per usual. I have been trying to kick my butt into gear lately so that I can be toned for the beaches in April. It has caused an interesting development. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon: I feel like the more intensely I commit to working out, the more critical I am of my performance and my body. I feel lots of guilt if I do less than 45 minutes of cardio every day. I feel extra embarrassed that my shoulders and back are STILL sore from doing lateral pull downs three days ago. This seems really vain and stupid, but it is a weird sensation to be so critical of myself, especially when I am working harder than normal.
Maybe that's why there are so many gym addicts out there - the need to achieve "the perfect body" (if there were such a thing) drives people to dissatisfaction even when they already are (relatively) fit. I am beginning to identify with "The Machine" - a workout fiend at my gym who could kick everyone's ass in that room. She seems like she is always pushing it farther and farther, she's in there every single time I visit the gym, maybe she lives there part-time, I'm not sure. Before I just thought she was crazy. Now I find myself thinking, "okay machine, okay, I understand your freakish gym fetish a bit."
It doesn't really follow that a person who never works out would be completely satisfied with themselves either. That would be a rare thing to witness. Maybe everyone is just dissatisfied and overly self-critical. I still blame (as you probably could've guessed) the media for forcing ridiculous and impossible beauty standards on us.
So in the spirit of shoving those ideals, I am going to say, everyone should love love love their bodies as they are. All bodies fit or flab are amazing. Here's why:
- Every fiber, muscle and organ in our bodies work together intricately to keep us alive
- Our bodies store up food for us automatically to help us survive on a barren desert island
- Little microscopic bugs live on the surface of our skin to clean for us. Like little miniature Merry Maids. And we don't even have to pay them.
- The brain sends messages at the rate of 240 mph
- The heart beats about 100,000 times a day
- Most people shed 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime
- The four taste zones on your tongue are bitter (back), sour (back sides), salty (front sides), and sweet (front) - imagine if we couldn't enjoy what we ate!
- The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.
- The fastest growing nail is on your middle finger
- The acid in our stomachs is strong enough to dissolve a razor blade
- Our livers have more than 500 functions
- A fetus acquires fingerprints at 3 months
Crazy. Crazy awesome.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Highs and Lows of Downtime
Tomorrow I will be spending the day in Olympia, as the entourage/chaperon of our two fifth grade event winners. I am really excited to go down with them, however it is pure luck that I even found out I was supposed to go to Olympia on Thursday because my boss never told me. I found out from the director of the event who called to confirm that I had received my itinerary. "What itinerary?" I said. "Oh, didn't Tom tell you that you are supposed to go down to Olympia tomorrow? I talked to him about it last week!" Umm, no. No I didn't know anything about this. hmm.
I'm just going to say that Tom is in his office right now listening to the Dixie Chicks on high volume.
Now that that's off my chest...
Thanks to Lynn's blog I have spent a lot of time playing on FreeRice.com. It is addictive!! If you haven't tried it, you must. Since I have a lot of down time, I have also gotten to donate a LOT of rice! Here are some other things I appreciate about my down time:
1. I read the NY Times and the Skagit Herald every day and then usually the Seattle P-I too.
2. I get to leave fun comments on everyone's blogs
3. I have plenty of time to google/wikipedia my every passing whim
4. I get to read my book club book
5. Online shopping (not buying, just browsing)
6. Playing with Grouch
7. Studying all the scars on my body and reminiscing about childhood
8. Fiddling with the radio
9. Obsessively check email
10. Scrabbulous
I'm just going to say that Tom is in his office right now listening to the Dixie Chicks on high volume.
Now that that's off my chest...
Thanks to Lynn's blog I have spent a lot of time playing on FreeRice.com. It is addictive!! If you haven't tried it, you must. Since I have a lot of down time, I have also gotten to donate a LOT of rice! Here are some other things I appreciate about my down time:
1. I read the NY Times and the Skagit Herald every day and then usually the Seattle P-I too.
2. I get to leave fun comments on everyone's blogs
3. I have plenty of time to google/wikipedia my every passing whim
4. I get to read my book club book
5. Online shopping (not buying, just browsing)
6. Playing with Grouch
7. Studying all the scars on my body and reminiscing about childhood
8. Fiddling with the radio
9. Obsessively check email
10. Scrabbulous
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
and then...
Near my work there is a teriyaki place I love called Apple Teriyaki. I only get to go once every other week (self imposed restriction). The interesting thing is that my $6.00 gets me something different every time. I always order a teriyaki chicken bowl. Some days, I get teriyaki chicken and rice only. Some days the lady brings me the chicken bowl and a really good salad. On very special days I get teriyaki, salad and egg drop soup. Now the question is: are these things special extras and some days she feels generous, or, are they supposed to come with my meal and some days she feels lazy? I'm going to go with generous just because I feel good about getting things free, however, I won't check the menu to find out for certain...
I am beginning to feel nervous about my WWU application. It has been two weeks and I still haven't heard anything. This wouldn't make me nervous if someone else I know hadn't already heard back... That's what I get for getting a 590 on my GMATs and for only getting a 3.1 cumulative GPA. Nothing will make you question your intelligence like a standardized test. (If only they put more weight on my writing score) The thing is, during school I was fine with being a B student, I mean, I think I could've gotten A's, but I was too busy skipping class and having fun. I was too busy hanging out in the front yard with KJW at noon, drinking beer and eating pizza! Hahaha, let's hope I am just wait listed and not rejected.
When I was in high school I turned 18 my senior year, early in the year. I wrote myself notes to get out of school all the time. Since I worked at a radiology center, I often wrote notes that included some complicated sounding ailment I had heard about at work. I found that the more complicated the word, the less questions got asked by the office staff. Here is an example:
"Lindsay will be absent from fifth and sixth periods today because she is experiencing severe right lower quadrant pain associated with ongoing lumbo-sacral sciatica."
This seems a little out-there, now that I look back on it, but at the time it seemed perfectly logical. I can't say that my habit of skipping out on classes (which followed me through college) has gotten me anywhere, but at the same time, if all goes well with grad school apps, I wouldn't regret it at all.
On a different and less worrisome note, I am so excited for Hawaii I am counting down days on my work calender. Lynn and I are going to get mystic tanned and waxed before we leave. I hope I don't end up orange. I am excited to look truly tanned for once though, and bonus, mystic tanning comes without cancer causing UVB rays.
I am beginning to feel nervous about my WWU application. It has been two weeks and I still haven't heard anything. This wouldn't make me nervous if someone else I know hadn't already heard back... That's what I get for getting a 590 on my GMATs and for only getting a 3.1 cumulative GPA. Nothing will make you question your intelligence like a standardized test. (If only they put more weight on my writing score) The thing is, during school I was fine with being a B student, I mean, I think I could've gotten A's, but I was too busy skipping class and having fun. I was too busy hanging out in the front yard with KJW at noon, drinking beer and eating pizza! Hahaha, let's hope I am just wait listed and not rejected.
When I was in high school I turned 18 my senior year, early in the year. I wrote myself notes to get out of school all the time. Since I worked at a radiology center, I often wrote notes that included some complicated sounding ailment I had heard about at work. I found that the more complicated the word, the less questions got asked by the office staff. Here is an example:
"Lindsay will be absent from fifth and sixth periods today because she is experiencing severe right lower quadrant pain associated with ongoing lumbo-sacral sciatica."
This seems a little out-there, now that I look back on it, but at the time it seemed perfectly logical. I can't say that my habit of skipping out on classes (which followed me through college) has gotten me anywhere, but at the same time, if all goes well with grad school apps, I wouldn't regret it at all.
On a different and less worrisome note, I am so excited for Hawaii I am counting down days on my work calender. Lynn and I are going to get mystic tanned and waxed before we leave. I hope I don't end up orange. I am excited to look truly tanned for once though, and bonus, mystic tanning comes without cancer causing UVB rays.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Spring-ish
I like writing blogs. I like reading blogs, which is why I think some other people should start writing them *ahem*
Last night was the Tulip event that my work hosted. It was pretty fun because I got to interview a bunch of fifth graders. I'm not sure what they are learning right now in school, but if I had to guess I'd say either a section on MLK Jr. or George Washington because, barring a few creative kids, almost every kid answered the question "If you could meet anyone, who would you meet and why?" with one of those two people. Although one girl said she'd like to meet the Jonas Brothers because "she likes the middle one." My favorite answer by far was from one little boy. (It is important to note here that the kids already know that winners get to go to Olympia to meet Governor Gregoire) He said he would like to meet the governor "because he seems like a great guy who is doing a lot of really great things." Good answer to win, if only he know that the governor is a she...
Kids are cute and after that night and the many comment-retellings I've gotten to hear from my teacher friends, I think maybe pre-teens aren't as annoying as I used to think.
Plus I got to keep some very pretty tulips from the event, which are my favorite flowers:
I am very excited for Mt. Baker Baseball games to start. I'm not sure exactly why I enjoy them so much. Obviously it is fun to see the boy out there coaching and doing really well at something he loves, he is pretty freaking adorable out on the field. Actually he doesn't really like feminine adjectives being applied to him, so I'll say he is a strong and impressive MANLY coach ;). But aside from that, there is also just something about going to the game. I think maybe I like getting the chance to go and focus on something else for a while. I sit on the wooden bleachers and cheer and squint at the scoreboard. I love listening to the little boy who announces the game. It is just a really relaxing and fun way to spend the afternoon. It makes me feel really carefree. Last spring it was one of my favorite things to do; grab a coffee head out along Mt. Baker Highway and spend an hour watching these 10th graders play ball.
First game is March 11, so if anyone wants to play hooky with me for the afternoon you are welcome to come along.
One last thing:
Check out this interesting marketing tactic by our presidential candidate Clinton:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/
2008/02/29/clintons-national-security-ad/index.html?hp
.
Last night was the Tulip event that my work hosted. It was pretty fun because I got to interview a bunch of fifth graders. I'm not sure what they are learning right now in school, but if I had to guess I'd say either a section on MLK Jr. or George Washington because, barring a few creative kids, almost every kid answered the question "If you could meet anyone, who would you meet and why?" with one of those two people. Although one girl said she'd like to meet the Jonas Brothers because "she likes the middle one." My favorite answer by far was from one little boy. (It is important to note here that the kids already know that winners get to go to Olympia to meet Governor Gregoire) He said he would like to meet the governor "because he seems like a great guy who is doing a lot of really great things." Good answer to win, if only he know that the governor is a she...
Kids are cute and after that night and the many comment-retellings I've gotten to hear from my teacher friends, I think maybe pre-teens aren't as annoying as I used to think.
Plus I got to keep some very pretty tulips from the event, which are my favorite flowers:
I am very excited for Mt. Baker Baseball games to start. I'm not sure exactly why I enjoy them so much. Obviously it is fun to see the boy out there coaching and doing really well at something he loves, he is pretty freaking adorable out on the field. Actually he doesn't really like feminine adjectives being applied to him, so I'll say he is a strong and impressive MANLY coach ;). But aside from that, there is also just something about going to the game. I think maybe I like getting the chance to go and focus on something else for a while. I sit on the wooden bleachers and cheer and squint at the scoreboard. I love listening to the little boy who announces the game. It is just a really relaxing and fun way to spend the afternoon. It makes me feel really carefree. Last spring it was one of my favorite things to do; grab a coffee head out along Mt. Baker Highway and spend an hour watching these 10th graders play ball.
First game is March 11, so if anyone wants to play hooky with me for the afternoon you are welcome to come along.
One last thing:
Check out this interesting marketing tactic by our presidential candidate Clinton:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/
2008/02/29/clintons-national-security-ad/index.html?hp
.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Me!
Hey, it's me, the administrative assistant! What can I do for you today? Would you like me to copy those three pages for you... s'cuse me I need to get to the copier right behind you.
Whew. Now that's done. What now? Filing! You mean you trust me to file those two papers atop the file cabinet?! Sure, I think I can manage, it's pretty tough because they are all filed behind weird letters, but that's what I went to college for!
Now you want me to type something? Great! You are right, I am a fast typer, and I love the challenge of deciphering your scribbled handwriting, I love it! Guess all those journalism classes really paid off. God I'm a fast typer.
Holy shit! It's already 9:00, I only have seven and a half hours of my day left! There is so much to get done. I haven't even gotten in my hour of early morning staring-into-space done. Wait, I have to get in the zone! See that vacant look in my eyes like my brain is actually dying?! That's hard to pull off, it takes weeks of practice! I think I can actually feel my muscles atrophy!!!
Okay, that's over. Now what? Oh yeah, I haven't caught up on every mundane detail of every college acquaintance's life!! Facebook!! Facebook!! Stat!
Now that I know that that one guy I had a group project with freshman year is doing okay over in Arkansas, I guess I can go on with my day. Close call. Whew! This job is STRESSFUL!
Oh my boss is back. How can I help you?! You want me to research Christmas decorations for next year! Good idea, you can't get started too early on Christmas, my God, its already been two months since last Christmas! I will get started on that right now, but I am feeling pretty overworked...
Now, I insist you let me map every phone tree in the whole company, it will take hours of listening to an automated phone system, I freaking LOVE that! Oh, they can't use that information after all? You should have asked corporate if they needed if first? Darn. Oh well, at least I got some great work experience out of that. Not everyone can navigate those phone systems, what about all those geriatrics out there!
Geez, 2:30, this day is flying by!! Time for my afternoon vacant-stare time! And holy crap! I almost forgot to read the blog of every person I know for the second time today!! This job is turning me into a bad friend, but I'll do anything for the company!
Oh good, a memo for me to write and distribute! Thank God because the store managers have only seen me four times this week with those other memos, they are feeling neglected I know it! I don't even mind that it's raining, have you seen these cute open toed flats I've got on? Perfect for a rainy day! Plus, they are looking too shiny anyway. Man, I hate that. Thanks for the chance to break them in!
Hey, sorry that took so long! I had to stop and make sure every merchant on property knew that there are NO NEW CHANGES to announce. They freaking love that!
Hurrah it's five! It's been a long day! Oh, you have something urgent for me to do before I head home? Love to!
Whew. Now that's done. What now? Filing! You mean you trust me to file those two papers atop the file cabinet?! Sure, I think I can manage, it's pretty tough because they are all filed behind weird letters, but that's what I went to college for!
Now you want me to type something? Great! You are right, I am a fast typer, and I love the challenge of deciphering your scribbled handwriting, I love it! Guess all those journalism classes really paid off. God I'm a fast typer.
Holy shit! It's already 9:00, I only have seven and a half hours of my day left! There is so much to get done. I haven't even gotten in my hour of early morning staring-into-space done. Wait, I have to get in the zone! See that vacant look in my eyes like my brain is actually dying?! That's hard to pull off, it takes weeks of practice! I think I can actually feel my muscles atrophy!!!
Okay, that's over. Now what? Oh yeah, I haven't caught up on every mundane detail of every college acquaintance's life!! Facebook!! Facebook!! Stat!
Now that I know that that one guy I had a group project with freshman year is doing okay over in Arkansas, I guess I can go on with my day. Close call. Whew! This job is STRESSFUL!
Oh my boss is back. How can I help you?! You want me to research Christmas decorations for next year! Good idea, you can't get started too early on Christmas, my God, its already been two months since last Christmas! I will get started on that right now, but I am feeling pretty overworked...
Now, I insist you let me map every phone tree in the whole company, it will take hours of listening to an automated phone system, I freaking LOVE that! Oh, they can't use that information after all? You should have asked corporate if they needed if first? Darn. Oh well, at least I got some great work experience out of that. Not everyone can navigate those phone systems, what about all those geriatrics out there!
Geez, 2:30, this day is flying by!! Time for my afternoon vacant-stare time! And holy crap! I almost forgot to read the blog of every person I know for the second time today!! This job is turning me into a bad friend, but I'll do anything for the company!
Oh good, a memo for me to write and distribute! Thank God because the store managers have only seen me four times this week with those other memos, they are feeling neglected I know it! I don't even mind that it's raining, have you seen these cute open toed flats I've got on? Perfect for a rainy day! Plus, they are looking too shiny anyway. Man, I hate that. Thanks for the chance to break them in!
Hey, sorry that took so long! I had to stop and make sure every merchant on property knew that there are NO NEW CHANGES to announce. They freaking love that!
Hurrah it's five! It's been a long day! Oh, you have something urgent for me to do before I head home? Love to!
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