Gus, Gus, Gus

At work the other day, I was in mid-conversation with Madge and noticed a shadow in the fluorescent light over my right shoulder. At first glance, I thought it was a moth that got trapped and was fluttering around. At second glance and the bewilderment of my co-workers, we saw it in all of its glory. What you ask? It was a mouse doing the spread eagle high above my head. It was trying to scurry back up to its homemade nest, but couldn’t because it was slipping on its own poop droppings.

We all did the “girl” scream and then watched it jump back up what only I can imagine is a massive entrance to a mice infested ceiling. So, we have logged this incident with the other eventful happenings that prove yet again that we should move our office to another part of town. For those keeping count, there was bum poo-dried underwear, a knife with what looked like dried blood, a hold-up at the Dollar General at gunpoint, a frequent parking lot prostitute, multiple drug deals going on down the street, a non-existent landlord who thought we were griping when we didn’t have air conditioning during the heat wave for a month, the vortex of smells that we have become accustomed to every other month, and now our new office mascot. The saga continues… 

D2

Kris officially signed his offer letter with Square D. He will be starting his new career on December 17th. We are both so excited! He went through 7 interviews in one day and a business lunch. I have never heard of that type of interviewing and I am a recruiter. After his interviews, we both had a great feeling but didn't want to celebrate too early. However a week later, he received a very professional package by DHL. He is looking forward to his last day at Nissan and beginning his new sales support position with Square D, a division of Schneider Electric.

Hold-up on Aisle 7

So...there was a robbery at gunpoint five doors down from my work. The funny thing is that I probably saw the gunmen and didn't realize what was going on. I left my work at 5:45 on Friday night and drove by the Dollar General Store on the way out. At 5:50, the Dollar General was robbed again... at gunpoint. Needless to say, we hope we all hope to move out of hole known as Jackson Heights Plaza soon. I feel weird about it. We joke about how bad the "neighborhood" is, but really... what's wrong with this world. Robbing the Dollar General store, seriously?

When Can We Going Bowling?

I've Just Seen a Face!

I have found my Paul McCartney substitute in Jim Sturgess, Jude in the film. Kris and I finally got to see Across the Universe, which is amazing if you love the Beatles and are open to interpretation. There are so many amazing talents in this movie. Jim is cut from the same cloth that made Paul McCartney a legend and has the voice to match. Oh, that English accent... so dreamy!

 

Sidenote: He is playing opposite another fave actor of mine, Kevin Spacey, in the upcoming film "21," which I have been looking forward to since I read the book, "Bringing Down the House."

Another unexpected talent is Dana Fuchs, who plays Sadie in the film. Wow! She has chops! I'm so impressed with her that I can't wait until I get her album.

The movie is a visual masterpiece and the song sequences are indescribable. I got chills during a lot of the scenes. Kris said I was laughing a lot, which I can only account for all the Beatles references. They were unassuming and surprised even me the Beatle fanatic. If you see it, look for Joe Cocker, Bono, and Salma Hayek.

Synopsis: A dock worker Jude (Jim Sturgess) travels to America in the 1960s to find his estranged father. There he falls in love with sheltered American teenager Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). When her brother Max (Joe Anderson) is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, they become involved in peace activism. The film title and main characters are named after various songs by The Beatles.

If I Can Dream

If I Can Dream

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can`t my dream come true
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
All the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why won`t that sun appear
We`re lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We`re trapped in a world
That`s troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly
Deep in my heart there`s a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there`s a beckoning candle
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah
If I Can Dream

Everyone is Going to Dance...

This clip is dedicated to the veterans of DJC. Everyone is going to dance tonight, the reign of terror is over.

There are Places...

New Site Fun!

TuneFind

Eat Your Vegetables!

As soon as I saw my TiVo-ed Oprah with Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife), I realized why I am a picky eater. My taste buds haven't matured because I was never exposed to bitter vegetables when I was little bit. Of course, I enjoyed my peas, lettuce, and okra but the vegetables were limited. This new cookbook is genius. My future children stand a chance to make it to the other side of childhood's common food dislikes unlike their stunted mother. I am considered a "white" child (not talking about my skin color, but my food taste). Dr. Oz categorizes any child who limits their food palette to only white foods as a "white child."

  
 

It was neat to hear that it isn't my fault that I hate veggies, but biologically we are trained to stay away from vegetables because of the bitter taste. Bitter taste = poison in the olden days. So, children stayed away from bitter and were attracted to the sweet tasting foods. Check out oprah.com and the cookbook. She purees everything and hides it in the "good" foods that her children will eat. BRILLIANT!! I'm so doing this when we have children. So sneaky, I like it!

Soccer Sushi

If Kris was a chef, this would be his invention.

Soccer Sushi

Rent It: Reign Over Me

Reign Over Me is coming out on 10/09/07. Please rent it! You will love it! Greatest movie of the 2007.

Idina Menzel and Josh Groban

Colby's MTSU Summer Graduation

Dad and Mom waiting for Colby to appear

  

Colby appears and has "checked in"

Candace immediatedly starts texting Colby about how boring this is.

Finally, Colby makes it to the stage. Don't have actual pictures of him receiving his diploma because of blurry pictures.

Mom gets bored after Colby receives diploma and texts the new MTSU graduate. Candace and Paris leave their seats, of course!

  

Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Duh

 

Colby and his girlfriend Molli

 

Nana and Pepper celebrating with Colby

 

Candace giving us a preview of what's to come...sometime this decade. JK, Candace!

Marimba Office Theme

My Childhood Inspiration: Pistol Pete

Anniversary Gifts

Kris planned a NYC themed anniversary with gifts. He sent these flowers (they were in full bloom, but the time I got around to take a picture - the flowers was almost dead.) He thinks the flowers are NYC inspired. Also, he sent me a cheesecake from NYC to my place of work (yeah, he knows me too well.) Then, he gave me a Wicked snow globe to remind me of our Broadway fun.

We bucked the tradition of the traditional anniversary gifts. We skipped the "paper" which is the 1st year gift I believe. I gave him a Timex watch that he has been eyeing for awhile. I wanted to post how sweet Kris was and give him credit for thinking outside of the usual anniversary box. I’m blessed to have him as my partner and soul mate.

1 Down, a Lifetime to Go

Wow, busy is not the word. We celebrated our first anniversary twice. We went to Kathy Griffin the weekend before and on the actual day (yesterday) we went to a movie...of course! We spent the entire day together. We took time to renew our promise to each other and truly feel blessed to have had a great first year together. We are looking forward to many more. We ate our cake and lived. It tasted just as I had remembered a year ago. We did throw it out after a quick bite, but we did eat a piece and really that is what counts. However, I did break a mirror on our anniversary in doors so I don't know if that negates the cake or if I need to feed a black cat salt under a ladder on Friday the 13th to reverse the curse. Just kidding!

Kris has been busy with extra hours at work and weekend work. Yea for the extra cash, boo for the hours! Plus, he is playing soccer and coaching a team. I am still going strong with my 3 graduate classes and work craziness. Since the Feds cut the interest rate, jobs are flowing out of every company. I'm not complaining but there is a shortage of people lately. We are both looking forward to end of October when we finally can slow down again and rest.

We're on the D List!

Ok, we admit we watch the D List with Kathy Griffin. We don't agree with a lot of her antics, but man she is funny. So Kris surprised me with tickets to celebrate our 1st anniversary. We couldn't make it to NYC, so Kathy brought a real show to us in Nashville. First of all, it was funny to watch the crowd maneuver through a maze of overly dressed individuals who were trying to impress everyone with how much cologne they were wearing. Just picture her type of audience. Needless to say Kris was out of his element among the men. It was really funny!

She gave me a year's worth of celebrity gossip. It fulfilled my guilty pleasure quota for this year. She dished on everyone from Britney to Paris to Dr. Phil. Kris didn't get a lot of jokes, but he faked his laugh with the best of them. We had a great time and it was fun to laugh out loud for awhile.

"I don't speak your language"
(referencing straight married men)

Kathy Griffin

Recent Happenings

I have officially kept a plant alive for more than a year, which means I'm ready for motherhood, right? I have been super busy. My Saturday class has become more intense than anyone has let on. I hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel on 10/07, the day after my class is done. I am working on 10 page research paper, which I haven't done in years. Life as we know it is being put on pause. The only delight I have had while home working away is my new marathon obsession of past television shows in sequence. I have completed all seasons of Saved by the Bell (Junior High, Senior High, and College Years – including the Hawaiian trip and Wedding… yes I’m that deprived for entertainment) and finished Season 1 of Everwood while waiting on Party of Five to arrive in the mail. I know it sounds crazy and expensive, but it actually structures my homework time. I know to take a break after every 2 episodes. I know it is silly, but it is my sanity plea for the month of September.

Update: My car radio has decided to show the love this past week. Only thing is that the Hairspray Broadway Musical CD is stuck in it and all I can listen to is "Hairspray!" It won't eject and I can't flip over to the radio. So needless to say, even though I am grateful for this gift after so many silent hours in my car...I'm about tapped out on the Hairspray musical numbers.

Gimme More

What A Wonderful World

Ouch!

I cracked a molar. That's right a molar! Who knows how it happened, but while traveling to Jackson I popped out a piece of tooth. We had much discussion on if it was a tooth. I couldn’t see a hole anywhere. I even asked all of my family at the hospital. Some thought it was a tooth and others thought it was gristle. Nasty!

After a whirlwind of scheduling a dentist's appointment, I was a little relieved that one could get me in this week. Fast forward to today, I went in and had all the x-rays done. My teeth were cleaned and I was ready to go. Literally, they said I was ready to go. Not what I had called about and scheduled. There was a mix-up with the schedule. They had neglected to put down that I was an EMERGENCY CASE!! So there I was, my jaw throbbing with pain and being told that I will have to wait until next week. {cue dramatic orchestra music} I was thinking of all the pain I had been feeling and now all of the extra pain for fun because of my deep cleaning.

I think they actually saw the red in my eyes and quickly rescheduled another patient so I could have a time slot for later that afternoon. So I went back to work and a few hours later went back to the dentist office for the second time. They started to numb my cheek and then injected me two times with the “I-hope-you-can’t-feel-what-I’m-about-to-do-medicine!” The dentist said that it was going to be a simple crown. That’s right after all these years reigning Tennessee, I get my crown. But not so fast, the dentist stopped and I tasted something metallic and strange. I looked over to see what the dentist was doing. He was grabbing another tool that I truly believe was only created to strike fear in anyone who heard it in earshot. He said the two words that in all of my years of listening about your teeth and how important they are and how you should keep them clean because you want to avoid a ROOT CANAL. I was having an emergency root canal. It hurt so bad that they had to give me THREE more shots of that happy juice so I couldn’t feel the sucking out of the root. Oh, I can still feel that sensation.

Pop quiz time! What’s worse than a root canal? Having one stopped in the middle of it being completed because infection has set in and they can’t finish. I know what you are thinking, “She must never brush her teeth.” Ha, Ha! Same line that was going through my head, but in reality he said that since I waited to have it fixed bacteria has already attacked the root. Right, I waited. Who handles the schedules again?

So, I am gauzed up and have three perfect holes in my molar which is filled with medicine and a temporary wax that is to hold me over until the antibiotics have killed the infection and until they see me again on the 17th. Sidenote: half the wax has already come undone. So I’m really looking forward to the next 11 days. On the upside, I was given a month’s supply of hydrocodone which will make my Friday super duper!

A Month of Tuesdays

So…where to begin, my life has been off kilter for the last month and a half. I have been living a perpetual month of Tuesdays. That’s right a month of Tuesdays. Mondays, you know to expect the unexpected. They are full of surprises and of course all those items from last week’s to do list that were conveniently shifted to this week’s must do list. They are a disruption from your restful weekend. You dread Mondays.

Wednesdays are the pivotal points in the work week where you are halfway through the week and are already daydreaming about the upcoming weekend’s possibilities. If you are having a bad week, then the week is almost over. If you are having an okay week so far, then you are hoping all goes the same for the next two days. Thursdays are nonchalant you can always downplay your slowness because it’s the end of the week, who can blame you for not being at full speed. Also, silently you are thinking “Thank goodness that tomorrow is Friday.” I think Fridays speak for themselves and have their own slogan (TGIF.) However, Tuesdays are the worse. You have just had a Monday and you have to follow-up with everything that went wrong the day before and on top of all of that you are now fully realizing how long your work week will be. You have to work at full potential because you have no excuse for being tired. Tuesdays are the new Mondays.

I have had a month of Tuesdays. I finished summer session with a bang! I made an A in my Quantitative Statistics course. I actually made a 100 on the last exam, which was the hardest exam of all. I have become the adult learner that we all hated in undergrad. Well…without all the hand raising. I love ruining the curve. I have started the Fall Semester with a bang too. I am taking 3 courses, which means that I am a full time student now. I know I’m overloaded, but I’m a nerd again. I love learning and being around like minds.

Also, Kris has started another soccer season. He is playing on a team and coaching a high school boy’s team. We are passing each other throughout the week. He goes to the fields and I go to school. Our weekends are cluttered as well with games and my one class that has turned into an overloading of the brain. Too much to explain there. I wanted to give everyone an update and try to explain where we are in our lives.

We went home last weekend to visit my grandfather. He had hip replacement surgery. I had a great moment with him in his hospital room. He was asking me about my classes and my future. I actually felt like he was really proud of me. Of course this moment was being had with the usual family backdrop of my crazy family. I think I should really try to pitch a reality show about my family’s craziness. It needs to be documented. We are not right in the head. We laugh at any occasion. It was a great shot of family that I needed. It looks like September is going to be another doozy, but I’m looking forward to some milestones. My mother’s 50th birthday is this month and our first anniversary is coming up. Time really flies. I can’t believe a year has gone by so quickly. So, here’s looking forward to a month of Fridays!

Carmen Sandiego

I will be back to blogging this week. My world is starting to settle down.

Silly Puns

How do crazy people go through the forest?
They take the psycho path

How do you get holy water?
Boil the hell out of it

What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?
"Dam!"

What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long?
Polaroids

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back?
A stick

What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho Cheese

What do you call Santa's helpers?
Subordinate Clauses

What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand?
Quatro sinko

What do you get from a pampered cow?
Spoiled milk

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite

What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?
A nervous wreck

What's the difference between roast beef and peasoup?
Anyone can roast beef

Where do you find a dog with no legs?
Right where you left him

Why do gorillas have big nostrils?
Because they have big fingers

Why don't blind people like to sky dive?
Because it scares the dog

What kind of coffee was served on the Titanic?
Sanka

Why does a pilgrim's pants always fall down?
Because they wear their belt buckle on their hat

What goes clop, clop, clop, bang, bang, clop, clop clop?
An Amish drive-by shooting

How are a Texas tornado and a Tennessee divorce the same?
Somebody's gonna lose a trailer

Matrix Ping Pong

This makes me smile too! If you have seen the Matrix, you will appreciate the humor.

My life...needs laughs (and Mario)

I'm so busy right now with the last 2 weeks of summer session. I'll be back as soon as I can. Enjoy this video. I laughed so hard! A child of the 80's would understand.

The Inevitable Laws of Work

Funny List...

If you can't get your work done in the first 24 hours, work nights.
Don't be irreplaceable, if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters what you say you've done and what you're going to do.
After any salary raise, you will have less money at the end of the month than you did before.
The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going to get.
You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.
Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
When the bosses talk about improving productivity, they are never talking about themselves.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a fool about it.
Keep your boss's boss off your boss's back.
Everything can be filed under "miscellaneous."
Never delay the ending of a meeting.
To err is human, to forgive is not our policy.
Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he/she is supposed to be doing.
Important letters that contain no errors will develop errors in the mail.
If you are good, you will be assigned all the work. If you are really good, you will get out of it.
You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your desk.
People who go to conferences are the ones who shouldn't.
If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
At work, the authority of a person is inversely proportional to the number of pens that person is carrying.
When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
Following the rules will not get the job done.
Getting the job done is no excuse for not following the rules.
When confronted by a difficult problem you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
No matter how much you do, you never do enough.
The last person that quit or was fired will be held responsible for everything that goes wrong.

Beautiful Mind

So, I went to class tonight and received my first exam back. I made the second highest grade in the class. I made an A in Quantitative Statistical Methods. What? You read correctly! I made an A!. I can't believe it either. I have warped into a super geek. I understand all of this now. I don't know if I will remember it after my class is over, but right now I get enough for an A and to understand the writing on the window (see picture). Watch out Einstein, Jenny is moving on up an IQ level. Okay, back to studying for Thursday's exam. No, one more moment to gloat..............................okay now back to studying!

And the Official Score is...

I received my OFFICIAL GMAT SCORES! I passed and even made a 5.5 out 6 on my writing portion. BIG HIGH FIVE for me!!!

.

Time after Time

I talk to people daily. My job consists of talking, talking, and more talking. Whether I am selling or interviewing, I'm talking. Minute after minute. I sometimes find myself rephrasing a conversation in my head. Thinking could I have said that better? Do they think I'm an idiot? It amazes me how much dialogue goes on my head on a day to day basis. I am constantly thinking about my next move, my next project, my next to do list item that I can check off, and ultimately how I can get back into bed and relax. My relaxing time now consists of lying in bed with a book and the TV on a news channel or HGTV. I know, I have turned into a middle-aged woman over the past month.

Graduate school is throwing kinks into my time managed schedule. I'm studying, sitting in class, or taking a test in the scheduling office. I forgot how involved you are with school. Undergraduate was a dream compared to graduate school. I think - scratch that - I know that I goofed off during undergraduate. Now, I am in "big girl" school. I see the value in my Master's and I am trying to keep positive, but it is draining the time out of me. I spoke to a candidate the other day on the phone and he said that it had been a "minute" since he applied with us. I laughed naturally and said, "That's funny, I don't remember you being here a minute ago." He said, "No, no, like a month or two ago." I said, "I'm glad you cleared that up because I was beginning to think I was living in slow motion."

Time is relevant. I am finding that out the hard way. Time is the value you put on an event. The time you allow for things to happen. Time is moving fast for me these days. I'm just rambling because my imposed study break is up. I'm out of time in so many ways. I will have to think about that later when I have time.

Seriously...

Why didn't they have these when I was little? I remember a little training potty and reading for hours. Yeah, I thought it was an event. I should have thought of this product. Another missed opportunity!
ThePottyStool.com

Zillow.com

So I have come across this great real estate resource site, Zillow.com. It combines the Google Maps and the real estate information available. Such as the houses for sale, the houses where buyers would sale if you quoted the price listed, or just estimates of the houses in a neighborhood. Kris and I are in the house buying/building mode, so it has been helpful in researching the various neighborhoods in Murfreesboro. Check it out, you will be surprised at what you find.

Home Sweet Home

For those who know me well, know that this is my idea of what a house should be. Martha and I see eye to eye on style, though not on stock trading (just decorating and organizing.) So when I saw the pictures of her Martha Stewart Homes by KB, you can imagine how wide my eyes got. Now, if she would just build her houses in Murfreesboro. Check it out at kbhome.com/martha