I've recently been obsessed with a local duo called The Bergamot. I first heard them--and heard of them--when they played in my store for the Starbucks 40th Anniversary Celebration. They are the son and future-daughter-in-law of Tracy, a very sweet regular who reminds me a lot of Auntie M. I kept listening to a song or two on their Facebook page, then finally took some tip money and waited for them to come in, and asked for a CD. I've been listening to it just about nonstop ever since.
They call themselves organic pop, and the sound fits this spring/summer weather absolutely perfectly, and I just adore it. My favorites are The Traveler, Haven, Rush and Skyscrapers. Oh, and Highway 17, which is hard to listen to without tearing up a bit, especially if I'm driving with the windows down on a gorgeous sunny day with the breeze blowing through my hair...Driving down the 17/All the faces we have seen/In a place that we have grown to love/Grown to love indeed...
I think I'm also a little obsessed with them because I (sort of) know them personally, because I absolutely made their day when I asked to buy their CD, because I've been listening to them and reading over their Facebook and website, reading about how they're doing what they love and are working hard to do it for a living...all while I've opened up my little digital storefront and am trying to promote and pretty up and cross my fingers that this will only be the beginning, just like this has been their beginning...
Also, they're 23 and 24, respectively, and I've been a little obsessed with age lately and all these artists and singers who are kicking ass in the world and they're all younger than me!
I know. Twenty-six is so old. I'm ancient. I should just give up ever accomplishing anything now KIDDING PLEASE DON'T HIT ME.
On a vaguely related side note, my mother will be happy, Ryan randomly pointed out not one, not two, but THREE silver hairs on my head today. The brat.
Off to read the night away...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Yatta!
Awesome way to start the day: get up, jump on computer to throw something on my thumb drive and post my daily picture to my Facebook page, drive to 933, get online, find this same picture REBLOGGED TWICE.
LESS THAN AN HOUR. REBLOGGED TWICE.
\^.^/
For those who don't speak Tumblr, that's pretty awesome, especially since I don't have a gajillion followers yet. I have, in fact, FIVE, and one of them is a friend and another is a weird broken Tumblr bot...don't ask. The point is, on Tumblr, reblogging is almost the best form of flattery, and I get more and more every week, and...eee. :)
I love that today, Memorial Day, really feels like the first day of summer. It's not the first day of the year that the temp is over 80, and it's certainly not the first really humid day of the year. It is, however, to me, the first day it hasn't felt unseasonal. And it's Memorial Day. Awesome.
Of course, I'll think it's less awesome whenI go to work and have to make a million frappucinnos for eight hours, but whatever, time and a half DUDE!
The work situation seems to be improving. I don't know if something changed so That One is being less of an ass, or if I've hit the wall of Going To Ignore As Much As Possible, or some combination of both, but he's been liveable. Mostly.
Meanwhile, That One Shift's girlfriend is pregnant, making THREE people at this store having kids. When I transfered, there was someone pregnant at every store; now it's just mine! I think my favorite part is that, last year, almost twenty people I knew got engaged or married. A few of them also got pregnant, and two even managed to do three out of the four, but the focus was definitely on engagement and marriage. This year, everyone's getting knocked up. This year, I got engaged. THERE HAD BETTER NOT BE A PATTERN HERE.
...Then a past co-worker sat down to catch up and I lost my train of thought. I think I'll get down to what I came here for: working on the Ruthenium Photography empire!
...NO I AM NOT GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.
LESS THAN AN HOUR. REBLOGGED TWICE.
\^.^/
For those who don't speak Tumblr, that's pretty awesome, especially since I don't have a gajillion followers yet. I have, in fact, FIVE, and one of them is a friend and another is a weird broken Tumblr bot...don't ask. The point is, on Tumblr, reblogging is almost the best form of flattery, and I get more and more every week, and...eee. :)
I love that today, Memorial Day, really feels like the first day of summer. It's not the first day of the year that the temp is over 80, and it's certainly not the first really humid day of the year. It is, however, to me, the first day it hasn't felt unseasonal. And it's Memorial Day. Awesome.
Of course, I'll think it's less awesome whenI go to work and have to make a million frappucinnos for eight hours, but whatever, time and a half DUDE!
The work situation seems to be improving. I don't know if something changed so That One is being less of an ass, or if I've hit the wall of Going To Ignore As Much As Possible, or some combination of both, but he's been liveable. Mostly.
Meanwhile, That One Shift's girlfriend is pregnant, making THREE people at this store having kids. When I transfered, there was someone pregnant at every store; now it's just mine! I think my favorite part is that, last year, almost twenty people I knew got engaged or married. A few of them also got pregnant, and two even managed to do three out of the four, but the focus was definitely on engagement and marriage. This year, everyone's getting knocked up. This year, I got engaged. THERE HAD BETTER NOT BE A PATTERN HERE.
...Then a past co-worker sat down to catch up and I lost my train of thought. I think I'll get down to what I came here for: working on the Ruthenium Photography empire!
...NO I AM NOT GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Access! Sweet Access!
Finally! I'm in! For the past four days I haven't been able to access the log-in page for Blogspot but today it worked and I'M IN!
...of course I have to start getting ready for work in 10 minutes and am currently still working on my bowl of cereal, but still!
To catch up:
Tuesday night was a mini party! Some people from 933 came over, we all hung out and watched Rocky Horror and talked and laughed and generally had a good time. :)
Wednesday was a fairly boring day, which was actually a nice change from the incredibly stressful and busy past few weeks.
Thursday ended up being Ryan & Ruth day, which was really lovely. We leveled, we did some errands, we watched some stuff...we had normal Us time. He's been working a lot of morning shifts over the past two or three weeks, so we haven't had a whole lot of quality time. Hopefully that will change!
Friday, yesterday, was Aurelie & Ruth day, and was also very nice. I spent the morning and early afternoon getting a LOT of photo editing done, then Aurelie and I met at a local placed called Quincy's Cafe, hung out there and talked and internetted and snacked for a while. Dropped my car off at the apartment, headed over to Target to do some shopping (which ended up being a lot of ogling pretty pretty things and realizing we didn't NEED anything), then attempted to donate blood. Aurelie had asked me the night before if I'd be up for going with her/donating myself, and I'd been iffy on the second part until I got there. Then I was pumped and ready to go and excited and realized that I needed a tissue and oh yeah I've been kinda sick for almost a week now crap. I asked, they said I can't donate until I've been symptom-free for 72 hours. :( Aurelie got rejected because it hasn't been a full year since she got her ears pierced at a tattoo shop. Foiled!
From there we went to the Main St Starbucks, and continued the talking there for a good while before she took me home and called it a night.
All in all, both my days off were pretty fantastic, and very rejuvenating. Hoping it lasts!
Today is back to work, which won't be SO bad since Aurelie is actually subbing today! I'll have three and a half hours with her :)
Meanwhile, I'm up to 23 Facebook fans, and am slowly spreading the word about my shop. No sales yet, but I'm really enjoying getting my head back into thinking creatively around marketing! Whee!
Right, time to get dressed and dive back into the trenches!
...of course I have to start getting ready for work in 10 minutes and am currently still working on my bowl of cereal, but still!
To catch up:
Tuesday night was a mini party! Some people from 933 came over, we all hung out and watched Rocky Horror and talked and laughed and generally had a good time. :)
Wednesday was a fairly boring day, which was actually a nice change from the incredibly stressful and busy past few weeks.
Thursday ended up being Ryan & Ruth day, which was really lovely. We leveled, we did some errands, we watched some stuff...we had normal Us time. He's been working a lot of morning shifts over the past two or three weeks, so we haven't had a whole lot of quality time. Hopefully that will change!
Friday, yesterday, was Aurelie & Ruth day, and was also very nice. I spent the morning and early afternoon getting a LOT of photo editing done, then Aurelie and I met at a local placed called Quincy's Cafe, hung out there and talked and internetted and snacked for a while. Dropped my car off at the apartment, headed over to Target to do some shopping (which ended up being a lot of ogling pretty pretty things and realizing we didn't NEED anything), then attempted to donate blood. Aurelie had asked me the night before if I'd be up for going with her/donating myself, and I'd been iffy on the second part until I got there. Then I was pumped and ready to go and excited and realized that I needed a tissue and oh yeah I've been kinda sick for almost a week now crap. I asked, they said I can't donate until I've been symptom-free for 72 hours. :( Aurelie got rejected because it hasn't been a full year since she got her ears pierced at a tattoo shop. Foiled!
From there we went to the Main St Starbucks, and continued the talking there for a good while before she took me home and called it a night.
All in all, both my days off were pretty fantastic, and very rejuvenating. Hoping it lasts!
Today is back to work, which won't be SO bad since Aurelie is actually subbing today! I'll have three and a half hours with her :)
Meanwhile, I'm up to 23 Facebook fans, and am slowly spreading the word about my shop. No sales yet, but I'm really enjoying getting my head back into thinking creatively around marketing! Whee!
Right, time to get dressed and dive back into the trenches!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Arting and Gaga and Chores, Oh My!
Geez, not that I'm bad at updating or anything...
Birthday was great, work on Sunday was fine.
Yesterday was combinations of fantastic and awful. I woke up around 10, and had decided by 10:30 that I wasn't going to sit around until I had to go to work. Hell with that. I got dressed, packed up my camera and a PB&J, and hit a park five minutes away.
It's called Kate's Park, dedicated to a community leader, and it's filled with flowers and little paths and a sculpture called Educators, and it's connected to Riverwalk, a series of paths and parks stretching down the St. Joseph River through South Bend and MIshawaka. I enjoyed my breakfast sandwich on a bench by some lilac and peonies and thought of home for a bit before picking up the camera and having at.
The weather fought back a bit--very windy, sunny but enough clouds that I had to keep switching settings between full light and full shade--but it was warm, the tone of the light was gorgeous, and I had a garden full of beautiful flowers! I spent at least five minutes trying to capture dew on some tall grass (hi Dad!), and another five minutes getting shots with a very photogenic bumblebee. Overall, it felt like some of the most productive shooting I've ever had.
So I went to work with that feeling, and it stuck pretty well--I cleaned the cafe and helped customers and brewed coffee with a smile and some sunshine.
Then Good Shift put on the Lady Gaga promotion soundtrack, since we started selling her CD yesterday. And That One spent the next two. hours. bitching nonstop about how much she sucks, how she's terrible and weird and annoying, how she needs to jut die already, on and on and on and HOLY CRAP SHUT UP. I didn't even care that he didn't like an artist that I do, he could have been complaining about someone I don't like, but it was nonstop and childish and ugggh.
My mood went up again when he left, and Ryan visited me just in time for my second ten, and I bought a CD from a regular couple, a local duo called The Bergamot that played at my store for the 40th Anniversary Celebration, and they were just overjoyed and appreciative and thanked me again and again! Made me feel nice...plus I love their stuff!
Then right before I left I got the most hostile customer I've ever dealt with. He started off the entire transaction feeling affronted, as if he'd been ignored for a long time (except having just walked in), and mocked me as I tried to serve him. He ended up laughing as I made his coffee (for reasons none of his could comprehend), then apologizing repeatedly as he left. It was surreal and mildly traumatizing.
Anyway...that-all was yesterday. Oy. Oh, and I'm mildly sick, with sniffles and pressure and grossness, and I've managed to pass it on to Ryan. Woo! Don't worry, parents, I'm downing plenty of tea and water at work, taking vitamin C and echinacea at home, getting plenty of rest, and making sure Ryan is, too.
Today I woke to find a text message from Da Boss saying I don't need to go in until 3:30 (two extra hours of free time and only ONE hour of That One? ka-ching!), so I have to finish up this entry and get on with my list:
[o] shower & dress
[o] bank
[o] take more pictures?
[o] upload (and edit?) yesterday's pictures
[o] dishes
[o] laundry
[o] maybe even some dedicated reading time!
I am really enjoying Game of Thrones! It's a great story, and a great read--it's hard to describe exactly why the act of reading it is more enjoyable than with other books, but I'm sure the avid readers out there will understand what I mean. It's also helped me with the TV series, which had me a little confused. I'm actually just about caught up to the show, will start hitting spoilers soon...
Right, off I go!
PS--I have 14 fans on my Facebook Page! They're all people I know, but still!!
PPS--I'm thinking of trying this out, except with photography instead of drawing. Thinking it could be fun and challenging, and maybe could work as promotion for the shop and such? Still contemplating.
Okay, going now!
Birthday was great, work on Sunday was fine.
Yesterday was combinations of fantastic and awful. I woke up around 10, and had decided by 10:30 that I wasn't going to sit around until I had to go to work. Hell with that. I got dressed, packed up my camera and a PB&J, and hit a park five minutes away.
It's called Kate's Park, dedicated to a community leader, and it's filled with flowers and little paths and a sculpture called Educators, and it's connected to Riverwalk, a series of paths and parks stretching down the St. Joseph River through South Bend and MIshawaka. I enjoyed my breakfast sandwich on a bench by some lilac and peonies and thought of home for a bit before picking up the camera and having at.
The weather fought back a bit--very windy, sunny but enough clouds that I had to keep switching settings between full light and full shade--but it was warm, the tone of the light was gorgeous, and I had a garden full of beautiful flowers! I spent at least five minutes trying to capture dew on some tall grass (hi Dad!), and another five minutes getting shots with a very photogenic bumblebee. Overall, it felt like some of the most productive shooting I've ever had.
So I went to work with that feeling, and it stuck pretty well--I cleaned the cafe and helped customers and brewed coffee with a smile and some sunshine.
Then Good Shift put on the Lady Gaga promotion soundtrack, since we started selling her CD yesterday. And That One spent the next two. hours. bitching nonstop about how much she sucks, how she's terrible and weird and annoying, how she needs to jut die already, on and on and on and HOLY CRAP SHUT UP. I didn't even care that he didn't like an artist that I do, he could have been complaining about someone I don't like, but it was nonstop and childish and ugggh.
My mood went up again when he left, and Ryan visited me just in time for my second ten, and I bought a CD from a regular couple, a local duo called The Bergamot that played at my store for the 40th Anniversary Celebration, and they were just overjoyed and appreciative and thanked me again and again! Made me feel nice...plus I love their stuff!
Then right before I left I got the most hostile customer I've ever dealt with. He started off the entire transaction feeling affronted, as if he'd been ignored for a long time (except having just walked in), and mocked me as I tried to serve him. He ended up laughing as I made his coffee (for reasons none of his could comprehend), then apologizing repeatedly as he left. It was surreal and mildly traumatizing.
Anyway...that-all was yesterday. Oy. Oh, and I'm mildly sick, with sniffles and pressure and grossness, and I've managed to pass it on to Ryan. Woo! Don't worry, parents, I'm downing plenty of tea and water at work, taking vitamin C and echinacea at home, getting plenty of rest, and making sure Ryan is, too.
Today I woke to find a text message from Da Boss saying I don't need to go in until 3:30 (two extra hours of free time and only ONE hour of That One? ka-ching!), so I have to finish up this entry and get on with my list:
[o] shower & dress
[o] bank
[o] take more pictures?
[o] upload (and edit?) yesterday's pictures
[o] dishes
[o] laundry
[o] maybe even some dedicated reading time!
I am really enjoying Game of Thrones! It's a great story, and a great read--it's hard to describe exactly why the act of reading it is more enjoyable than with other books, but I'm sure the avid readers out there will understand what I mean. It's also helped me with the TV series, which had me a little confused. I'm actually just about caught up to the show, will start hitting spoilers soon...
Right, off I go!
PS--I have 14 fans on my Facebook Page! They're all people I know, but still!!
PPS--I'm thinking of trying this out, except with photography instead of drawing. Thinking it could be fun and challenging, and maybe could work as promotion for the shop and such? Still contemplating.
Okay, going now!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Happy Birthday To Me, Happy Birthday To Me...
My day:
[o] wake up very slowly, feeling slightly...off from the birthday dinner turned bar crawl that had me home at 3 AM :D
[o] head to Starbucks with Ryan, to get hugs and birthday wishes from lovely friends :D
[o] Aurelie gave me a mirror from Ten Thousand Villages, a small chain featuring art and jewelry and wonders from all over the world. The mirror is from Bangladesh, made from recycled chip and snack bags. Even better than the mirror (which is really cool and colorful) was the card, telling me that she's glad I moved to Indiana and she met me and we can be awesomely awkward together. :D
[o] Ben stopped by to show off one of his kittens, who looked like a ball of lint with the teeniest eyes and teeniest mouth and even teenier little mew. I got to hold him, he was ADORABLE.
[o] Wanted to go to pet store, Ryan said no. I've no idea why...
[o] Got shoes for Kitty and Alex's wedding (two weeks!!)
[o] Came home, checked mail to find card and present--rainbow piano key socks!!!--from Mom. :D Forgot to call and thank her because I'm a bad kid.
[o] Puttered around online while Ryan made a cake in the kitchen.
[o] While cake cooled, went out to get photo paper and dinner. Came back home with dinner, watched Goldmember while eating (sometimes, you just need a big dose of silly), then I read a bit while Ryan decorated aforementioned cake.
[o] Was presented with cake, complete with 26 lit candles and Ryan singing Happy Birthday. He had even spent a good amount of time trying to tint the cake frosting just the right shade of purple. <3
[o] Ate cake, then went to our computers, where I finally what I've been plotting and working on for three months, speeding up this past week...
I present to you...Ruthenium Photography, on Etsy!
:D
I feel extremely nervous and a little anxious and I can't shake that old feeling from school where I'm SURE that everyone can see all the mistakes I'm making even if I fix them...but THERE! I'm out there! I'm doing it! SCARED BUT DOING IT ANYWAY! WOO!
I also have a Facebook Page and Twitter for it, for the purposes of spreading the word (and business!) as much as possible. Whee!
Tomorrow is back to work, but I'm NOT going to think about that right now. Right now, I'm going to get all comfy and watch some Bones with Ryan and then read some Game of Thrones and then go to bed.
It was a good birthday. I think I'll do it again next year! :)
[o] wake up very slowly, feeling slightly...off from the birthday dinner turned bar crawl that had me home at 3 AM :D
[o] head to Starbucks with Ryan, to get hugs and birthday wishes from lovely friends :D
[o] Aurelie gave me a mirror from Ten Thousand Villages, a small chain featuring art and jewelry and wonders from all over the world. The mirror is from Bangladesh, made from recycled chip and snack bags. Even better than the mirror (which is really cool and colorful) was the card, telling me that she's glad I moved to Indiana and she met me and we can be awesomely awkward together. :D
[o] Ben stopped by to show off one of his kittens, who looked like a ball of lint with the teeniest eyes and teeniest mouth and even teenier little mew. I got to hold him, he was ADORABLE.
[o] Wanted to go to pet store, Ryan said no. I've no idea why...
[o] Got shoes for Kitty and Alex's wedding (two weeks!!)
[o] Came home, checked mail to find card and present--rainbow piano key socks!!!--from Mom. :D Forgot to call and thank her because I'm a bad kid.
[o] Puttered around online while Ryan made a cake in the kitchen.
[o] While cake cooled, went out to get photo paper and dinner. Came back home with dinner, watched Goldmember while eating (sometimes, you just need a big dose of silly), then I read a bit while Ryan decorated aforementioned cake.
[o] Was presented with cake, complete with 26 lit candles and Ryan singing Happy Birthday. He had even spent a good amount of time trying to tint the cake frosting just the right shade of purple. <3
[o] Ate cake, then went to our computers, where I finally what I've been plotting and working on for three months, speeding up this past week...
I present to you...Ruthenium Photography, on Etsy!
:D
I feel extremely nervous and a little anxious and I can't shake that old feeling from school where I'm SURE that everyone can see all the mistakes I'm making even if I fix them...but THERE! I'm out there! I'm doing it! SCARED BUT DOING IT ANYWAY! WOO!
I also have a Facebook Page and Twitter for it, for the purposes of spreading the word (and business!) as much as possible. Whee!
Tomorrow is back to work, but I'm NOT going to think about that right now. Right now, I'm going to get all comfy and watch some Bones with Ryan and then read some Game of Thrones and then go to bed.
It was a good birthday. I think I'll do it again next year! :)
Friday, May 20, 2011
Mwehehe!
Yesterday was much better than I had expected, despite both closing with That One and having customer after customer after plague of customers come in while Good Shift and I were trying to get closing things done. Ergh.
Today has been good! Got some photography done (not entirely pleased with the results based on my mission, but might be some gems in there), did some prep work while visiting friends at 933 (including Holly, who I haven't seen in over a month!), and got LOTS of prep work done this afternoon while watching more Glee on Netflix.
Prep work for what you say? You'll just have to wait!
I have about an hour to kill before I head out again, meeting Ben and friends at Hacienda to celebrate our birthdays tomorrow :) Since I've used up almost every shred of free time today on other stuff, I'm going to spend that hour reading. Ciao!
Today has been good! Got some photography done (not entirely pleased with the results based on my mission, but might be some gems in there), did some prep work while visiting friends at 933 (including Holly, who I haven't seen in over a month!), and got LOTS of prep work done this afternoon while watching more Glee on Netflix.
Prep work for what you say? You'll just have to wait!
I have about an hour to kill before I head out again, meeting Ben and friends at Hacienda to celebrate our birthdays tomorrow :) Since I've used up almost every shred of free time today on other stuff, I'm going to spend that hour reading. Ciao!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Ssssstuff.
So. This has been my past couple of days:
[o] Monday, almost got sideswiped by a panel van. Sideswiped isn't quite the right word, since he wasn't looking to swap paint, but be in the space I was currently occupying. Apparently signaling and/or looking when changing lanes is for suckers.
[o] Yesterday, through a conversation with Current Boss Lady that actually came up naturally, I found out that the district's official policy involving roommates and working together is: Nope. There's fear about illness leading to half a store calling out, what if someone gets terminated or promoted, etc etc. I can't transfer to 922 or Ironwood without BJ or Sam having to leave, and Main St would be a worse environment for me. It's Ireland until we move.
[o] I've decided that I can stand A or B alone, but together just...I hate it. Worse, I hate myself when it's just the three of us. I shut down completely. I give up. Coming to Indiana helped me grow out of my shell, I became ME, and I never realized how much I liked to joke and relate and just TALK until I found myself keeping my eyes down and my mouth shut for hours at a time just to avoid the chances of snapping. Short of changing shifts or one of them leaving, there ain't shit I can do about it.
[o] Today I did, sorta-kinda, talk to B about how his and A's hostile complains about customers make me uncomfortable. He didn't really listen and turned it into a story about his brother...but it's actually a good thing. I can honestly say I tried to talk to him about it, if it ever comes to talking to someone else about these things.
[o] Friday begins birthday celebrations for myself and Ben, a shift at 933 who shares my birthday, which falls on Saturday. Why do the celebrations start Friday night? Because this year is his 21st birthday. The plans are for a bunch of people to meet up at an all-ages joint to have dinner and hang out. At midnight, we hit up a real bar (a nice place, I promise, not just a joint) and buy Ben his first legal drink. The whole night promises to be fun!
[o] I have no idea what I'm doing on my actual birthday. I have two actual plans: one is going to 933, partly because I want to and partly because Aurelie made me promise since she works all day and she wants to give me my present. The other plan is remaining under wraps for now. One word: muahaha.
[o] I've started Game of Thrones, the first of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm really enjoying it! It's a good story, told well, and written in a way that's enthralling without being too thick. It's...nice to chew on, I guess is the way to describe it. I think avid readers will understand what I mean.
Speaking of which, I interrupted this entry an hour ago to watch the latest episode of the Game of Thrones HBO series, and it's put me in the mood for reading it. Soooo...kbye.
[o] Monday, almost got sideswiped by a panel van. Sideswiped isn't quite the right word, since he wasn't looking to swap paint, but be in the space I was currently occupying. Apparently signaling and/or looking when changing lanes is for suckers.
[o] Yesterday, through a conversation with Current Boss Lady that actually came up naturally, I found out that the district's official policy involving roommates and working together is: Nope. There's fear about illness leading to half a store calling out, what if someone gets terminated or promoted, etc etc. I can't transfer to 922 or Ironwood without BJ or Sam having to leave, and Main St would be a worse environment for me. It's Ireland until we move.
[o] I've decided that I can stand A or B alone, but together just...I hate it. Worse, I hate myself when it's just the three of us. I shut down completely. I give up. Coming to Indiana helped me grow out of my shell, I became ME, and I never realized how much I liked to joke and relate and just TALK until I found myself keeping my eyes down and my mouth shut for hours at a time just to avoid the chances of snapping. Short of changing shifts or one of them leaving, there ain't shit I can do about it.
[o] Today I did, sorta-kinda, talk to B about how his and A's hostile complains about customers make me uncomfortable. He didn't really listen and turned it into a story about his brother...but it's actually a good thing. I can honestly say I tried to talk to him about it, if it ever comes to talking to someone else about these things.
[o] Friday begins birthday celebrations for myself and Ben, a shift at 933 who shares my birthday, which falls on Saturday. Why do the celebrations start Friday night? Because this year is his 21st birthday. The plans are for a bunch of people to meet up at an all-ages joint to have dinner and hang out. At midnight, we hit up a real bar (a nice place, I promise, not just a joint) and buy Ben his first legal drink. The whole night promises to be fun!
[o] I have no idea what I'm doing on my actual birthday. I have two actual plans: one is going to 933, partly because I want to and partly because Aurelie made me promise since she works all day and she wants to give me my present. The other plan is remaining under wraps for now. One word: muahaha.
[o] I've started Game of Thrones, the first of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm really enjoying it! It's a good story, told well, and written in a way that's enthralling without being too thick. It's...nice to chew on, I guess is the way to describe it. I think avid readers will understand what I mean.
Speaking of which, I interrupted this entry an hour ago to watch the latest episode of the Game of Thrones HBO series, and it's put me in the mood for reading it. Soooo...kbye.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
I Survived Happy Hour 2011.
I made it through the day. And I didn't even punch anyone in the face. Or even really want to!
However, I did learn that I work with That One every single day this week. UGH.
BUT! less than a week until my birthday! Which promises to be fun, especially since Ben, a shift who went from Ireland to 933 a couple months before I got transferred, turns 21 the same day I turn 26! There's not a party planned, per se, more like a meet-up at some place or another that is as yet undecided. The only decision is, it has to happen around midnight, and it has to have booze, so Ben can get his first legal drink.
Also, Kitty and Alex get married in 20 days! And Ryan and I go to visit Connecticut in 26 days! Whee!
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...
However, I did learn that I work with That One every single day this week. UGH.
BUT! less than a week until my birthday! Which promises to be fun, especially since Ben, a shift who went from Ireland to 933 a couple months before I got transferred, turns 21 the same day I turn 26! There's not a party planned, per se, more like a meet-up at some place or another that is as yet undecided. The only decision is, it has to happen around midnight, and it has to have booze, so Ben can get his first legal drink.
Also, Kitty and Alex get married in 20 days! And Ryan and I go to visit Connecticut in 26 days! Whee!
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Pray, Cross Fingers, Put Out Candy, All That Good Stuff...
Today was a long one, although it helped me realize something: I don't necessarily want to leave where I am. I might have to, it might come down to I Go Or He Goes, but I do like it there, for the most part, and I can stand the things I don't like.
Of course, there's still Him to worry about. Trying to get my little ducks in little rows...and hoping he helps me without realizing it...
Tomorrow is the last Happy Hour, which promises to be horrendous. It's also my day pre-closing for That One, and although the closing shift is one of my favorite people to work with, he's also one to bury himself in the paperwork and pasty case and what not, so it'll mostly be just the two of us...pray for me?
At the moment, I'm listening to music and eating corned beef and potatoes and sipping at a White Russian. It's an interesting combination, but it seems to be doing the trick of keeping my mood up, despite the starches and alcohol. Just waiting for Ryan to get off of work at 11 and come on home, and then we can unwind and sleep. Ah, sleep...
Of course, there's still Him to worry about. Trying to get my little ducks in little rows...and hoping he helps me without realizing it...
Tomorrow is the last Happy Hour, which promises to be horrendous. It's also my day pre-closing for That One, and although the closing shift is one of my favorite people to work with, he's also one to bury himself in the paperwork and pasty case and what not, so it'll mostly be just the two of us...pray for me?
At the moment, I'm listening to music and eating corned beef and potatoes and sipping at a White Russian. It's an interesting combination, but it seems to be doing the trick of keeping my mood up, despite the starches and alcohol. Just waiting for Ryan to get off of work at 11 and come on home, and then we can unwind and sleep. Ah, sleep...
Monday, May 9, 2011
It's Time To Start A Countdown...
I had a longer post made up relating a song that I'm really enjoying currently to my current work situation, but it was long and rambling, and I realized that it only made sense to me...and maybe Ryan and BJ. Suffice to say, the three of us caught most of a concert on TV last night, and Ryan bought me the concert CD for me today as an early birthday present (such a love), and one song in particular is matching up with realizations about stuff at work. This used to be a funhouse/But now it's full of evil clowns...
Anyway.
Yesterday and today were crazy at work, and I have no doubt that it will continue on through to Sunday. It might die down a bit after that...but only a bit. Summer has arrived at Starbucks, and its name this year is Mocha Coconut Frappucinno. Ugh.
Tomorrow will really be the hill to get over, as I have to work with the two people that make work a struggle. Wednesday, however...Wednesday is looking to be the perfect end of a long and difficult work week. Then I'll have my weekend, and I'm not going to think about how it'll start over again, I'm going to think about getting a hair cut and spending time with Ryan and with friends and RELAXING.
For now: dinner.
Anyway.
Yesterday and today were crazy at work, and I have no doubt that it will continue on through to Sunday. It might die down a bit after that...but only a bit. Summer has arrived at Starbucks, and its name this year is Mocha Coconut Frappucinno. Ugh.
Tomorrow will really be the hill to get over, as I have to work with the two people that make work a struggle. Wednesday, however...Wednesday is looking to be the perfect end of a long and difficult work week. Then I'll have my weekend, and I'm not going to think about how it'll start over again, I'm going to think about getting a hair cut and spending time with Ryan and with friends and RELAXING.
For now: dinner.
Friday, May 6, 2011
G'Duh?
Today was Errand and Chore Day. Most people hate this day of the week, I usually find it to be the best and most rewarding. What this says about my personality vs what this says about the other days in my week...hmmm...
Anyway: grocery store, bank, cleaning, laundry, blah blah blah. It's been nice. It's also been warm and sunny and just plain GORGEOUS, which always helps.
I've developed a new habit lately of taking a part of myself, a habit or a quirk or an instinctive reaction, and turning it over in my head and inspecting it and asking myself why do I do that? Through this, I've made two realizations the past week:
First, the backwards bullshit that is the fact that I've let the people who messed me up so badly back in middle school stay in my head and tell me lies...that I've given them power for the past, oh, 12 years. They hated me, laughed at me, mocked me, bullied me relentlessly...and I've given them power? When they're not even there anymore? THIS IS WRONG. Must fix.
Second, I'm allowed to be good at shit. A light bulb clicked on that I've always been afraid to acknowledge or act on the fact that, hey, I can take really good photographs. They're really good, and people really like them. Same with my writing. Putting it out there isn't stupid or naive, I'm not lying to myself when I think about trying to actually build my life around it. I'm allowed to be good at things.
The second is probably related to the first--one of the lies that got stuck in the gears was that I'm just another stupid worker ant, I can't be good at things--but they felt like two different light bulbs. Whatever. Good things to realize! Now to act on them...
Anyway: grocery store, bank, cleaning, laundry, blah blah blah. It's been nice. It's also been warm and sunny and just plain GORGEOUS, which always helps.
I've developed a new habit lately of taking a part of myself, a habit or a quirk or an instinctive reaction, and turning it over in my head and inspecting it and asking myself why do I do that? Through this, I've made two realizations the past week:
First, the backwards bullshit that is the fact that I've let the people who messed me up so badly back in middle school stay in my head and tell me lies...that I've given them power for the past, oh, 12 years. They hated me, laughed at me, mocked me, bullied me relentlessly...and I've given them power? When they're not even there anymore? THIS IS WRONG. Must fix.
Second, I'm allowed to be good at shit. A light bulb clicked on that I've always been afraid to acknowledge or act on the fact that, hey, I can take really good photographs. They're really good, and people really like them. Same with my writing. Putting it out there isn't stupid or naive, I'm not lying to myself when I think about trying to actually build my life around it. I'm allowed to be good at things.
The second is probably related to the first--one of the lies that got stuck in the gears was that I'm just another stupid worker ant, I can't be good at things--but they felt like two different light bulbs. Whatever. Good things to realize! Now to act on them...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sometimes, A Girl Just Needs Some Girl Time.
I started off the day getting frustrated with various things, mostly looking into moving my iTunes library from one computer to another and Etsy shop stuff. I was pretty disgusted with life by the time Ryan got home around 1. He calmed me down and made me feel a lot better, then we leveled on WoW for a bit. It was my first time playing since Christmas, and it was good fun :)
The rest of the day was spent in Goshen with Aurelie, venting and eating and shopping and watching Whip It and just having a bit of a girl day. It was great. :)
Tomorrow might be a Ryan day, with small errands like grocery shopping and laundry and getting hair cuts, possibly ending with more friend time in the evening, depending on how stuff goes.
For now, I have a hunger headache, so I'm going to go feed myself. Night!
The rest of the day was spent in Goshen with Aurelie, venting and eating and shopping and watching Whip It and just having a bit of a girl day. It was great. :)
Tomorrow might be a Ryan day, with small errands like grocery shopping and laundry and getting hair cuts, possibly ending with more friend time in the evening, depending on how stuff goes.
For now, I have a hunger headache, so I'm going to go feed myself. Night!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
One Foot In Front Of The Other.
I did not post yesterday because I didn't know what to say. The day sucked for a number of reasons, but it left me truly speechless when I got the news that Zach was gone.
...
I will forever be awed by my family, and their capacity for strength and grace. From beginning to end, my cousins and aunt and uncle--the wife and in-laws of this man--have been stubbornly hopeful and optimistic without denying the truth of what was going on. They are amazing and incredible, and I love them very much.
Anything else I would try to say would just be stumblingly awkward and wallow-y, so I'm not going to try. All I'll say is that I'm sad, but I'm glad he's at peace, and my heart is with his family.
Life goes on.
I have the next two days off, and I need them. Leaving all personal things aside, work has been kinda awful. I'm not going to get into it, but just...ugh.
Life kinda sucks right now. But it goes on.
This too shall pass.
...
I will forever be awed by my family, and their capacity for strength and grace. From beginning to end, my cousins and aunt and uncle--the wife and in-laws of this man--have been stubbornly hopeful and optimistic without denying the truth of what was going on. They are amazing and incredible, and I love them very much.
Anything else I would try to say would just be stumblingly awkward and wallow-y, so I'm not going to try. All I'll say is that I'm sad, but I'm glad he's at peace, and my heart is with his family.
Life goes on.
I have the next two days off, and I need them. Leaving all personal things aside, work has been kinda awful. I'm not going to get into it, but just...ugh.
Life kinda sucks right now. But it goes on.
This too shall pass.
Monday, May 2, 2011
One Step At A Time...
Blargh. Tired.
Managed to get up today and work out a little bit! Set my alarm for ten, finally got up at five after...shower's on. Crawl back into bed for half an hour, then tried again. Ate some breakfast, then turned on the Wii Fit for the first time since last summer (200-something days, to be inexact). My weight has barely changed since then (it went up or down by 1.1 lbs, I forget which), but doing the "body check" tests and some of my old favorite activities showed me what has changed. Doing the soccer game (leaning back and forth to head-butt soccer balls and avoid cleats), my balance has improved (if only slightly). I've improved a surprising amount at the snowball fight game, which involves judgement and hand-eye coordination, the latter of which I more or less fail at in real life.
I did barely more than 10 minutes, but I felt the impact, then and all day. My first reaction was "I should start doing this every day!" The last time I tried jumping back into it, I ended up overdoing it, or something...I just remember feeling weak the last time I tried to do a full work out. So I'm going to keep doing a mild bit of exercise every other day all this week, and I'll see if I want to keep doing it every day next week.
Tomorrow is the Get Up Early and Art day. Current plan is to get up and haul the laptop to either 933 or Ireland and poke at things a bit. Hope it goes well!
Managed to get up today and work out a little bit! Set my alarm for ten, finally got up at five after...shower's on. Crawl back into bed for half an hour, then tried again. Ate some breakfast, then turned on the Wii Fit for the first time since last summer (200-something days, to be inexact). My weight has barely changed since then (it went up or down by 1.1 lbs, I forget which), but doing the "body check" tests and some of my old favorite activities showed me what has changed. Doing the soccer game (leaning back and forth to head-butt soccer balls and avoid cleats), my balance has improved (if only slightly). I've improved a surprising amount at the snowball fight game, which involves judgement and hand-eye coordination, the latter of which I more or less fail at in real life.
I did barely more than 10 minutes, but I felt the impact, then and all day. My first reaction was "I should start doing this every day!" The last time I tried jumping back into it, I ended up overdoing it, or something...I just remember feeling weak the last time I tried to do a full work out. So I'm going to keep doing a mild bit of exercise every other day all this week, and I'll see if I want to keep doing it every day next week.
Tomorrow is the Get Up Early and Art day. Current plan is to get up and haul the laptop to either 933 or Ireland and poke at things a bit. Hope it goes well!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Bits Of The Day.
[o] I subbed over at Ironwood today, and it was fantastic! Like a mini-vacation. I worked with Jen, a shift who was at 933 over the summer before getting transferred, one of my favorite people to work with EVER. I also worked with SAMEH, my awesome roommate, and it was inside jokes and nerdery all day! WHEE! I liked my job for the first time in at least a month!
[o] Tomorrow I start what will hopefully become a regular schedule of getting up early and alternatively working out or arting around before work. Tomorrow is a work out day. Wish me luck!
[o] Zach is still in hospice, and the doctors have given him only a day or two. I keep waiting for that awful phone call, and trying not to think about it. It sucks, it sucks, it sucks.
[o] Dinner time!
[o] Tomorrow I start what will hopefully become a regular schedule of getting up early and alternatively working out or arting around before work. Tomorrow is a work out day. Wish me luck!
[o] Zach is still in hospice, and the doctors have given him only a day or two. I keep waiting for that awful phone call, and trying not to think about it. It sucks, it sucks, it sucks.
[o] Dinner time!
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