Supa Star

Wow, I should join the pro tour! I'm talking about the WBAA... Women's Bowling Association of America... ok, I'm not sure if that's what it's called... but I had a good night last night.

My average last week, as you may remember was a lowly 114. At the start of last night, it had jumped to a MONSTER (ha) 120. I beat my average in all 3 games last night. Which is odd for me, I usually tank at least one, but then again, it's not like 120 is this huge insurmountable task, either.

Got a 123, a 132 and A BIG OL' 153!! It's always a good night if I can beat 150. That's usually my goal. I get in the 140's often enough that it's not a big deal anymore, so I shoot for 150.

But we still lost all 3 games, we are in dead last. If we could just get rid of Liz and Cheryl, the two dead lumps on our team, we might have a chance. No shit, these two women have averages UNDER 100!! A team cannot be competitive if 2/5 of the team sucks ass.

Now, as for work, and my schedule, it's being good now. I'm working the late shift, so I don't go in until 9, so I can get up and go to the gym, come home and herd the kids out the door (JP gets them up and going, leaves the house about 10 to 7, I get home about 10 after 7) then I can relax for a bit (pay bills, blog, whatever) until 8 when I have to start getting ready for work. Peace and quiet, THAT makes it all worth it.

I have upped the intensity at the gym. Can't seem to get past this 155 plateau. Some days I'll dip down to 153 or 152, and I don't go over 155, but holy crap, I just want to see 149, and see it consistently! It's all a mind thing, 149 is still in the 140's, and that's good enough for me! Just another five to ten pounds, that's all I'm asking! I can't really spend any more time at the gym than I already do (when I go, I'm there for an hour) so I am upping the levels on the elliptical and the bike, and slowly increasing the time, used to be 20 minutes on each, then I just went up to 22, and starting next week, it'll be 25, just a slow increase, but hopefully I will see a result.

Well, it's my payday, so I have to get over to that site and get some money moved around, see if I can't stretch things a bit... *sigh*

another paycheck and a look of disapproval

I just got a phone call.
I was offered a job. It's part time, working the pull tabs at the bar my mom manages. It's only weekends, so it won't interfere with my bank job.
It doesn't pay a ton, and with just the few hours per week, it won't be much, but every little bit helps.

I have felt for some time that I (or someone around here) needed to create some extra income, but it's hard to find one that fits around my current schedule.
The job itself is pretty easy, selling pull tabs to drunks, and giving them cash when they get a winner. The bar I'm doing this in, Mom's bar, is nice, it's small, and the people are nice, and it's not a super busy, bodies-packed-in-like-sardines, loud obnoxious drunks kind of bar. It's a nice place for locals to go and have a few drinks.

Best thing about it could be this: When I'm not busy selling/redeeming pull tabs, I have "free time" so maybe I can take a book and actually do some recreational reading. The last book I read was titled "Intermediate Accounting II"... NOT for recreation! I just haven't had time to do any reading for fun.

Anyway, I start "training" on the 8th, 9th & 10th, which are weekdays, so I will go over after I get off work those 3 nights. I am on the schedule by myself on the 11th, and will work both Saturday and Sunday of every other weekend. The shifts are between 4 and 6 hours each, and that will often depend on how busy I am. If drunks aren't buying, I can close up early, but if I'm selling alot, I'd stay open longer...

It won't be HUGE paychecks, I won't be scheduled for a ton of hours. Unless I can pick up a few more shifts, but I'll wait and see how tired this makes me, I guess.

I'm happy, but at the same time, I'm unhappy that I NEED to do this.

And here's the "look of disapproval" part: When I got off the phone, I told JP about it. I had mentioned it to him a month ago, when I was considering it. He didn't look happy. I asked him about it, and he just shrugged. Piss me off, buddy. SPEAK! If you don't like something SPEAK UP! He could have said something a month ago, and I would not have pursued this any further.
Too late now, I'm doing it.

Homeopathic and homophobic

wow, these girls. Yeah, I'm doing a post from work.

Babbling about the healing power of prayer and positive thinking. One of the actually said "If you WANT to feel better, just FEEL BETTER, its that simple"

Really? Gee, I'm sure that would have helped my aunt who died of emphysema... how silly of her not to think of JUST FEEL BETTER... stupid women.
Of course they went on to discuss the herbs and acupuncture type things, some of the girls were poo-poo'ing them, silly remedies, others were certain of their healing powers.

Then they get on the subject of Prop 8 out in California, and Ellen DeGeneres and how all "those people" are going to have to answer for their sins in the end...

IF you believe in Heaven, then you'd think the bible bangers would keep quiet, and let all the sinning homos GO TO HELL, so they (the "good people") wouldn't have to share eternity with them!
And the benefit, for those of us who do not adhere to those archaic beliefs, is that they would KEEP QUIET, aka SHUT UP, or maybe Live and Let Live, at the very least.

I always thought that being a Christian meant being tolerant, and the whole 'judge not lest ye be judged' crap... I have never seen such a big group of haters... not just here at work, I'm talking about anyone who feels the need to spew poison regarding this issue.

(That's the end of the phoned-in portion of this post)

Survivor started tonight, interesting, as always. That is something that I think I would like to do. And I think I could be good at it. I wonder about applying... probably another one of those things that I'll never do, so nevermind.

The Twins are playing game 3 vs the White Sox right now. They've won the first 2, but are losing right now. I am flipping back and forth between the game and the season premiere of CSI. I lead such an exciting life.

The last day

This is the last day of my big vaca... and my back is still killing me. I slept in today, can't go to the gym if it hurts to bend. Then I vegged til 2pm with mom, it's her day off, too.

Now I am in the middle of the only thing on my list that I can physically do today: I am smelly and my hair is in a matted mash of wet goo on top of my head.

I'm concerned when it comes time to rinse it out, bending over the sink. Could be a big outch! I've got a heating pad (thanks Mom) and an ice pack for alternating afterwards, so maybe I can do my job tomorrow without wincing in pain every time I nod my head down to see the computer screen or get money out of my drawer.

Well, it's getting close to time to rinse, and I still have to clean up the kitchen sink and get a towel ready.

should have taken my own advice

I'm a dumbass

I should have stuck to coloring my hair today and called it good. I did not. I decided that I could clean up the porch, which included the dry sink cabinet that I fixed yesterday. It belongs in the house, in the living room. I decided that I could move it into the house by myself.

I was wrong.

Well, I wasn't wrong in that I COULD move it into the house by myself. But when thinking I could, I made the assumption that I could do so without causing injury to myself.

So here I lie in bed, alternating heat and ice on the pulled muscle in my back.

I'm a dumbass.

and I STILL didn't get my hair colored.

EDIT: Spellcheck says that "dumbass" is two words... dumb ass. I prefer dumbass, but I could be wrong... any opinions on that?

What a good night at the alley

A couple of reasons I had a good night bowling last night.

First off, Cow Catcher wasn't there. We put her as blind, and didn't have to listen to her or her kids all night... nice.

Secondly, other than the first game (106) I bowled great. My 2nd two games were a 143 and a 148. Since my average before was a 114, I'm sure it will make a jump next week.

We still lost all 3 games, all the other girls were having off nights. Nobody made their average in the first game, and I was the only one to get hers in the 2nd or 3rd games. Good thing we aren't in it for the trophy!

Today is day two (or should I say Day Two) in the great cross off crap... well, I said to hell with it this morning, went back to bed. Did not go to the gym, woke up enough to get the kids off to school and went back to sleep...until 11:30!!

I still have stuff I can get done this afternoon, besides I think I kind of burned myself out yesterday. Coloring my hair is on the list, I will do that today. I've got a couple of pictures to hang, maybe I will do that, too. Nothing strenuous today.

There's always tomorrow... famous last words, right?

Day One of Three AKA "The Big Cross Off"

I had a big list (yes, I finally got it down on paper, I just couldn't stand not having it written out! I do so love to cross things off, you know!) and at the top of the list was this:

GYM- Monday Tuesday Wednesday

I got to cross something off (the "Monday") before 7 am!
I got bills ready to go (crossed off)
I went to my Ortho appointment (crossed off) and I don't have another one until May! And that's the final visit! Yippee!
I took my Kia for an oil change (crossed that off)
When I got back into the driveway, I grabbed the all purpose cleaner and a roll of paper towels and wiped her out really good (crossed that off) They vacuum it at the oil change place, but it needed to be cleaned more.
I packed up all the camping gear from the summer (getting redundant in the parenthesis, huh?)
I grabbed some wood glue and fixed the door on my dry sink cabinet (yeah, you guessed it!) and now it's ready to go back in the house, just need a hubby or a son home to help me lug it in.
I organized the front closet (yup)
I cleaned my bedroom and vacuumed it (Yup and Yup)
I doused the shower and tub with Tilex stuff, and left it to 'soak' while I put away the summer pool toys and chemicals and filters (my wrist was getting sore at this point! teehee)
I went back after about half an hour and used a TOOTH BRUSH (don't worry, it was an old one!) to scrub the tub.
And now I am taking a break, it's 2pm, I've got about an hour and 45 minutes before THEY start showing up. I haven't decided if I'll do any more today or not. There's still plenty to do on the list, but there is still tomorrow and the next day. I also have bowling tonight, maybe I should relax and rest up... HAHAHAHA...

Time to get off my ass, there's more to be done!

No title

I can't really give a snappy title to this one, at least not yet... I have stuff I want to talk about, but it's all pretty random and unrelated.

Last night JP and I went out on the town with Gina and Mike for my birthday. We did dinner and drinks, and it was sort of a bummer. We cut the night short because of Gina and Mike. Mike got all quiet, and Gina got all paranoid, and I feel for them, a new relationship and all, but please.
It was all about money. Now, if anyone understands problems with money in a relationship, new or old, it's me... Someone in the couple makes more money than the other, but the lower wage earner is able to save more money each month for the eventual move-in together step. The higher paid one is certain that the other is dragging feet on the move-in, and therefor feels that their money that should be saved could be better served paying bills.

They need to talk to each other, and be completely open and honest about everything.

JP and I talked about it when we got home, and I know I felt it, and I think he did too, that feeling of serenity and happiness because we do not have those issues anymore. We still have disagreements over money, of course, but we TALK to each other. The different levels of maturity that our two relationships are at is interesting. I try to talk to Gina, and I hope she doesn't think that I'm a know-it-all telling her how to live her life. It's just that I've been there, done that, and I would never dream of telling her "the way" to get through this, I can only tell her how JP and I got through things like that.

Today we got up and went to pick up the truck; did not drink and drive last night, Gina's mom came and got us, we left JP's truck in the parking lot of the last bar we went to. Then I got started on my mental list (I cannot believe I haven't written it out, I'm such a slacker!) I have a five day weekend here, I don't have to go to work again until Thursday. I'm going to clean the back porch, and the closet and the laundry room, and I really need to clean my room.

But now I am going to go reheat a pork chop from supper, because JP just came in with some and it smells so good!
Oh, and I have to go to the gym each day that I'm off, so I can get my $20 off my membership, really slacking in September so far.

Happy Bir... yeah, whatever

So far so good, but it's only 8 am!

I finally got back to the gym, haven't gone all week because of working the early shift. Today I don't have to be in until 9, then tomorrow it's back to 7am, so I thought I better get my behind in and try to get some fat off of it!

I don't know that this will even post, blogger is being a pain, so I'm going to stop now, don't want to write anything spectacular and then have it gone into the blogosphere forever!

Later...

Chunky layers aren't just for hair in Nordic Minnesota

fat blond women with the exact same haircut.
Some days at the bank are full of the same things, for example, yesterday I was drowning in $100 bills, everyone wanted to give them to me (for deposits, ya goof) Some days we have a run on money orders, darn near every other customer wants one... 3 days later it will be cash advances... whatever it is, seems to come in streaks!

Today is the day for fat blond ( real blond or no, I cannot tell) women with the same haircut... short blunt cut framing their chubby cheeks. The one thing that has differed in these women is the size of the chunks of hair that's colored. Some have damn near stripes of brown in the "blond", in some it's more subtle, blended. Ugly, either way.

My husband is so good to me, last night he bought me a rake... not just any rake, an ergonomic, anti-clogging, wet or dry rake. He's such a romantic, he bought himself one, too! MATCHING RAKES! The couple that rakes together, stays together, like the old saying goes! (Pure sarcasm here, you realize that, right?)

So guess what I'm doing tonight!?

been caught stealin' once... when I was 5

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* If you grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, you're a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack, you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* If you name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* If you graduate from Harvard law School, you are unstable.
* If you attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system, while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

Yeah, I stole this from Minivan Mom, she's got it on her blog, I read it and laughed (and cried) so I told her I was stealing it, and BAM, here it is... and now I have to go back to work, got a meeting tonight.

Just another night with my big purple ball

hehehe.

Week 2 of the bowling season.
I didn't do TOO bad, just bad.
Got a 121, a 120 and a 124.

We have a couple of different team mates this year. Dar and Jen are both out, and Michele and Liz are in. Michele was my advisor and main instructor in college. She's a real hoot. Liz is someone that I don't really care for. I met her at the bank a couple of weeks ago, didn't like her then. She is so not pretty. Her arse is about 2 ax handles wide, and she's got these two front teeth that look like a cow catcher on a train.

And, she home schools her 3 kids and they come with her (and her husband) to the bowling alley. These kids are obnoxious, very home school, no social skills type geeks.

Now, one of the main reasons I love bowling in this league is the whole night away from the family deal. Nobody brings their kids, and of all the women, probably 50 or so, there's like 2 husbands that come on a biweekly basis. AND NO KIDS. I am considering having the president of the league mention to her that the bringing of children is discouraged.

I'm blogging tonight because JP is downstairs in the family room watching TV and when I got home from the alley, it was all quiet upstairs, and I'm taking advantage!

I'm working the early shift at work this week, so it's in at 7 and done by 3:45 or so. Very different, and pretty nice, except the mornings here at the house. It's tough when everyone has to be ready at the same time, and everyone wants to shower. There are 2 bathrooms in this house, but as of right now, only one shower. Sucks!

Thursday is my birthday... not too much going on for that. I think Friday night we will go out for dinner and drinks with Gina and Mike, but that's about it. It's not like a big one, like 21 or 30 or that sort of crap, it's just 36... but just between you and me, ya wanna know what I really want? I want JP to send me flowers at work. But I know if I tell him that I want that, and he does it, it will only be because I "told him to"... I want him to want to do it, get it?

Well, that's it for tonight... I also came up with a plan for blogging at work! When it slows down, and I have time at work, I can email blog posts to my home email addy... kind of like phoning it in, but hell, whatever works, right?

ALL my children have met the cops now

Last night the trifecta was completed.
An officer visited us last night. He came calling on the parents of Eric.

We have these neighbors, well, they live on the same block, and we can see the back of their house from our driveway, but we do not share a property line... they're kitty-corner to the north and east. They have children, in fact, their 3 kids are very close in ages to my 3 kids. Emma has a Cow in her class and Eric has a Cow in his class. (I changed their last name to Cow in honor of their mom, and to make typing easier.)

Eric was riding his bike last night, not quite dark, and apparently he and Joe Cow, the one in his class came upon each other. Now, I love my son, and I will defend him until the day I die, but I am not stupid either. The story I heard (after the cop left) and the story that Joe Cow told him mommy, and the cop (after Ulga Cow called him, of course) are not very similar. Ask each boy, and you will get the basic 'it was all him, he did it, I was innocent' story.

My favorite part of the whole thing: the cop mentioned that Joe Cow DID have a little cut on his lip. Eric admitted to the cop that he hit the Cow boy. So after the officer left, JP and I are sitting there with Eric, trying to get the whole story.

me: how did you come to hit him?
eric: after he knocked me off my bike I got up
me: and?
eric: I self-defended myself!


um.ok.
(secret nikky voice in my head: ATTA BOY!!!)

the new plan

I figured out why I haven't been blogging lately.
I thought it was all about having NO free time, but that's not really it.
I have free time, but I really prefer to blog by myself... as in when I have ALONE time.

And I don't really have any of that.
Except during my lunch hours home from work.
I get an hour for lunch every day and I come home, it's only 4 minutes away. Now that the kids are in school, it's peaceful and quiet here during the day.

So from now on, that is what I will try to do.

Oh, and right now? No, I am not alone. JP is in bed next to me, sleeping, and I am trying to type quietly. It's alot like trying to type drunk, alot of backspacing and retyping.

So I will see you Monday, and maybe then I will also have time to check YOUR blogs, my favorite people I've never met that I love to read, and have neglected for too long. I am sorry, and I miss ya!

My apologies

Holy crap, I have really been a slack ass.

Things have gotten busy in Nik's house, the kids are back to school, Eric is top dog of the elementary school, Emma is pond scum in middle school, and Alex is a peon in the high school.

After 3 days of classes, they're all doing alright, not much to complain about from any of them... yet. Alex is being loaded with homework already, Algebra, writing essays and Spanish homework. I'm sitting at the dining room table next to Eric right now, he's working on his spelling packet and I'm available to help, if need be. He seems to really like his teacher this year. He got the same teacher that Emma had last year. She didn't really like him, he was too strict on her (no, she was a wiggle worm who would not shut up!) Eric does not have that problem, he gets along great with Mr. H.

We also (since my last post) had to say goodbye to our summer interns, Mike, Matt and Jena. But we did get Anne. She got the same position I had last fall, student hours, working 3:30 to close Monday through Friday and every Saturday. Can I just say I LOVE HER!! We have so much in common, from a love of office supplies and storage containers to a quiet anguish over the overwhelming number of Republicans that surround us.

Starting in October, I 'volunteered' to close every night, like I used to. Not just so I can hang out with Anne, that's a perk! The main reason is the mornings around here. Mom showers, JP showers, at least one kid showers. I haven't gone to the gym since school started, they cannot be trusted to get ready in the morning and NOT hurt each other.

If I work later, I can get a decent shower before I go to work, not the 4th or 5th (read:cold) shower of the morning. It gives the water heater time to catch up. So I will go in at 9 or 9:30 most days, and work until 5:45.

And the main reason I have been slacking on my blogging: MAH JONG.
Yeah, my brother showed it to my mom on her new laptop, she showed it to me, and now I am addicted. I almost never go to Pogo.com either. I do my online banking, I read my emails and I play Mah Jong.

That's it... I am a slack ass. sorry.