In Memorium

Coretta Scott King died last night at the age of 78. May she rest in peace.

Monday Monday

This is how I feel today. The weekend was okay. I studied some, helped MM move and went to the Carlyle Grand for brunch on Saturday morning. Nothing says lovin' like their chocolate waffle! I got in my bed last night to watch Law & Order when my phone rings and the Sensation tells me to look through the keyhole. Of course, he was standing on my doorstep. I love unexpected surprises. This pic is actually a good representation of us. He is a bit taller than I am and I have a bit more hair than he does. Happy Monday!

The bar makes me

The funny thing is that I actually own this stuff. I bought it last year for relief at work. I will have to break it out again.

Classical Music?

These are Australian Merino Sheep. Apparently they grow better wool if they listen to opera. I listen to classical music while I study. Hopefully, like the sheep, I'll grow better FL bar skills.

Home Training Pet Peeves, NPR and Four Things Meme

Can I first just say that I love my people! Only Africans would think to put a goat in a basket. What I don't like are people with no home training. Earlier this week, I posted about my campaign to eradicate the world of rudeness. The movement continues. Two more things I realized today are that people don't say "thank you" when you hold a door for them anymore. I hate that!! I am not Kizzy, I don't have to hold the door for you. If I go out of my way to hold the door for you please acknowledge my efforts by a "thank you." I'll even take a head nod, just do something to show that your mother raised you right. Another thing I have noticed is that when paying for things at stores and restaurants people don't hand their money to the cashier! As one who worked as a cashier through high school and college, I find that this is one of my pet peeves! I'm sorry but if handing the money to the cashier is too taxing for you, maybe you should use the self check-out lane. This morning I watched a woman count out 95 cents and plunk it on the counter on top of her twenty dollar bill. I was so annoyed by that and the barrista looked like she wanted to spit in the woman's coffee. Please, if you are reading this and have ever put change on the counter FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY PLEASE STOP!!

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, let's talk about NPR again. SM's friend, EN, was on NPR last night!! He is arguing a case in front of the Board of Immigration Appeals today. First of all, I am excited that someone I have met before was on NPR. Second of all, I think that it is very cool and inspiring that someone our age is moving and shaking like that. It gives me hope that someday I will break free of temp world and do big things too. To find the story on NPR, click here.

Glib Gurl has tagged me for the Four Things Meme game so here goes:

Four Jobs I've Had:

1. Cashier for Publix Supermarkets (you learn how to smile even though your feet hurt, someone has plunked 2 bucks in change on your register, and your bag boy is trying to push up on you)
2. Customer Service Rep for UPS ( I was the one who had to deal with the fact that your package is 3 days late and you have called to cuss me out about it. Sorry pookie, UPS lied.)
3. Law Clerk for the AARP- I think this has been my favorite job so far. They were wonderful.
4. "Special" Project Attorney- I will refrain from commentary.

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:

1. Coming To America- What are you talking about? I am the Queen of Zamunda!
2. Say Anything- LOVE John Cusack. Quickest way to my heart is with a boombox and some Peter Gabriel
3. The Godfather- maybe I should become a consilieri. I have the degree and the license.
4. Shrek- love it, 'nuff said

Four TV Shows I Love to Watch

1. Law & Order SVU
2. The Boondocks
3. Law & Order- the original with Jerry Orbach (shown on TNT and USA a million times a day)
4. Anything on Nickelodeon on a Saturday morning.

Four Places I've Been on Vacation:

1. Ghana- that is a given.
2. Hawaii- went with my best friend from high school, I must go back soon
3. Bahamas- went in college, another place I must go back
4. Paris- not really on vacation, it was an exchange program. I need to brush up on my French, then go back.

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:

1. On vacation with the Sensation
2. On the couch at my parents' house
3. In my sister's new apartment. This is her first time living alone. I worry.
4. In the library ( not really, but I need to study)

Four Sites I Visit Daily:

1. www.gmail.com
2. www.weightwatchers.com
3. www.yahoo.com
4. www.gofugyourself.com

I'm not going to tag anyone because I know folks are busy, but if you want to play the game, go for it! Also, if there are any spelling errors. I apologize. This is a long post and I don't have time to proofread.

Meltdown

Last night I had a mini-freak out. It was bar-related and totally my fault. I let someone get in my head who shouldn't have. I knew what I signed up for when I decided to take the bar and I knew I was working and I knew that it would be rough. Some days are rougher than others and yesterday was probably the roughest. The realization that I had a month left hit hard and having someone asking me how much time am I taking off from work (none) and then giving me that look like, "ooh, you aren't taking off from work, good luck in July when you take it over again" did not help my constitution at all. This morning after the tears have been shed and sleep has been had, I can see clearly now and really I've failed a bar before and rose up and crushed it on round 2. While I don't want to fail this exam, if I do I know it won't break me.

I'm Locked Up

I am a prisoner in my apartment. I woke up this morning feeling good, I worked out, showered, dressed and was on my way out the door when disaster struck. I went to turn the knob of the top lock on my door AND THE KNOB CAME OFF IN MY HAND! This is not supposed to happen. Like any other new age girl, I went to my tool box, grabbed a screwdriver and started poking around. No help. I called the emergency maintenance line, yes I know that this might not warrant the emergency maintenance line but I am trying to get to work as soon as possible so I can leave as soon as possible. I just got a call-back from the maintenance man. He is getting dressed and will come over in 10 minutes. Maybe my parents are right, if I don't move to the land of palm trees and alligators, I might have to change apartments. This is just a bit too bootleg.

Whatever happened to home training?

Whatever happened to home training? Apparently the people of D.C. have never heard of the words "excuse me" and instances of spitting on the street are at an all time high. You would think that lawyers would be more refined but NO, I've realized that lawyers are some of the rudest people on the planet. I have often said that I am going to start an etiquette class for lawyers. It will be kind of like Barbri or PMBR. It will be mandatory and it will make me lots and lots of money so I don't have to be a lawyer. I will start the class by telling people that they MUST discipline their children. I think that people have lost their home training because people don't beat their kids. Not beat them like call Child Services, but a swat on the tush. A little pat on the behind never hurt anyone. We all know that children with no home training grow up to be adults with no home training and there are already too many of those in the world. Everyone should join the campain to eradicate rudness. Spank your children when they act up and don't spit. Thank you, that is all.

Friday

It is 8:38 pm. I am on my couch with my cat. My Vineyard candles are burning, Law & Order is on and I have my comfy sweats on. The water in the kettle is boiling and I have a new Sex and the City DVD. In a former life, I would think I was acting like a 75 year old. Now I know that I'm just acting like a grown-up. Good weekend wishes to all. Ciao!

Better Day

Today was a much better day then yesterday. I woke up with a headache so I stayed home from work. After taking some Alleve and staying in the dark for a bit, the headache subsided so I went to take my car in. I was all set to have to rumble with the mechanic but he checked the car, said everything should be okay and sent me on my way. While I was waiting I managed to get some studying done. When I got home I got a phone call that I won 200 dollars in a survey that I took for my credit union. $200 bucks!! I never win anything and today random money. Yay! I'm a big fan. Well, today was better and that is good.

Sigh

This week started off very well. I was on track at the gym and with studying and all things were good. I took my car in the mechanic to get the lights fixed. I paid them a whole bunch of money (about one day's worth of clicking documents) and thought all was well. I get in my car to go to the library tonight to get my study on and my car alarm goes off and keeps going off until I park the car. Apparently, when they fixed my lights, they messed up my car alarm. This wouldn't be a big deal except for I paid them way too much money and they are a dealership. Aren't they supposed to know what they are doing? I also am pissed off at the people who live in my building. Here in the barrio, they apparently don't like signs because they took down the sign on the dryer that said, "out of order." I spent my last $1.25 in a dryer that didn't work. I now have wet clothes hanging all over my apartment. I am feeling rundown and frustrated. I'm not quite sure why. My patience is very short and different people, places and things are getting on my nerves and apparently I am mean. I'm just through. I think I need a vacation.

NPR

I love NPR. I know it puts me into the category of #1 dorkus, but I love it. My friend SM says that NPR is something that you only learn to love if you grow up in a foreign family. I think I have to agree. None of my friends whose parents are from the States love NPR like I love NPR. I guess when your immigrant parents come to the country they get the paperwork from the INS and a radio. They proceed to find the first public radio station in the area and for the next 18 years, they subject their children to NPR. Growing up, I hated NPR. My parents took me to school in the morning and brought me home afterwards. In the morning it was Morning Edition and in the afternoon it was All Things Considered. If we happened to get a late start, we had a radio in the kitchen. For a long time, the NPR music was the signal for my dad telling me that I had a choice between Cream of Wheat, Quaker Oats, eggs, or cereal. I hated it. All of my friends were listening to the cool stuff, but my parents were listening ot the news. EWWW. When I finally got a car, I was freed from the clutches of NPR. I listened to whatever mindless drivel that was on the radio. This continued into college. It wasn't until I got to law school that a curious thing happened. I started to listen to NPR! At first it was just a couple times a week when I had morning classes, then I started listening while I ate breakfast. I think it was 3 years ago that it just happened. I found myself looking for the public radio station and actually set it as a preset on my car radio! Now I'm an addict. I have my alarm clock, shower radio, work walkman and car radio set for NPR. I get cranky if I don't hear it and I find myself calling home and asking my parents if they heard such-and-such on NPR yesterday. I think that my parents are secretly rubbing their hands together and laughing that they have succeeded in converting another brown child to loving NPR.

Three Snaps in a Z formation

When I was 3 years old my parents and I lived in a little apartment. There were two men who lived upstairs from us. I don't know if I realized that they were a couple or not, but I think that is where I get my soft spot for gay men. Gay men are fabulous. You can sleep in their beds and not worry about getting felt up, they tell you when you match and when you don't and they can be just as catty as women so when you call one and tell them a story, they will make you feel better by saying something your girls would say, but with some added panache. "That bitch is not as fierce as you are so don't even worry about it boo." My mom used to joke that I could walk into a room, find the one gay man there and make a friend. What can I say, I like fabulous.

Today in my exploits I saw the most fabulous gay man. Here in DC you see fire everywhere and sometimes someone is so hot your eyebrows get singed, but those are the extra folks. The ones with the bad weaves and the razor bumps under caked on foundation. NOT FABULOUS. The man I saw today was class. Pink shirt and matching tie, great Italian leather shoes and nice pants. Hands manicured and hair cut looking like he just got his edges lined up, just fabulous. He kind of looked like the African guy in Barbershop (I love that man, he just looks so happy all the time). What I most liked about the man I saw today was that he handled his business. He was a customer service rep for Delta and he was very professional and nice. I was very impressed because the man behind me was all riled up. Apparently he missed his flight because he wasn't paying attention when his flight was called...but he was sitting right in front of the gate (so he claimed). DUMBASS, but that is for another post. He was getting all heated and had the nerve to curse at the Delta man!! Oh I was ready, I was waiting for the Delta man to shoot fire out of his eyes and bring the gay man smack down on him. I wanted neck-rolling and finger snapping and cutting of eyes. He even handled the rude angry man with class. He basically said that the man should calm down because he was doing everything in his power to help and anger wasn't going to solve anything. CLASSY! It was wonderful. I definitely have to give him the famous 3 snaps in a Z formation.

Ouch

As part of my campaign to get my life together this year, I am making myself work out more. I figure if I'm paying off my credit cards, taking the FL bar, and have cut my hair in order to get myself a real job, I should also get myself in shape physically as well. We live in a world where people judge us at first glance and I have seen too many Dateline and 20/20 specials about how overweight people are treated when they are looking for jobs. I have paid too much for my education to get turned down for a job because of my weight. If my grades aren't right or I don't have enough experience, I can accept that, BUT to be turned down for a job because I'm heavy? I refuse to let that happen. I also think that working out will help me to get my mind right for all of this studying I'm supposed to be doing. Plus, I finally want to wear my favorite pair of khaki pants that have been in the back of my closet for four years.

This week I told myself that I would work out every morning before work. Monday and Tuesday I did Tae Bo, Wednesday I did Power yoga and this morning I did Step Aerobics. Can I just say OUCH! My body is very mad at me. I have spiraled downwards since my days of dance and track and I am ashamed at how out of shape I am. The Sensation claims that my pain will go away soon and that he supports my workout efforts 100% but it took all of my strength to drag my aching bones out of bed this morning and set up the step. Even though it sucks, I am determined to keep this up. It takes 21 days to create a habit and I have to keep going. I have promised myself I am going to lose weight so many times and I have always been on plan for a couple of weeks and then fallen off. I have to stop these fits and starts. I guess I'll do the same thing I did with Discover. Just keep putting in a little work at a time and in time the aches will go away and so will the weight. In the meantime, does anyone know where I can get a good massage?

Blackberries are of the devil!

Before I start my rant, I would just like to say that it is Restaurant Week in DC and anyone who lives here should check it out! All of the swanky restaurants bring down their prices and you can feast for a few dollars.

Rant Begins Now

I love Restaurant Week. I revel in it, I cherish it and today my happy lunch was ruined by a blackberry. ST and I went to a restaurant to have a nice lunch and enjoy the day. The blackberry ruined it all. You would have thought that the man at the table next to us was a) the President of the United States (it wasn't I looked), b) the lawyer for the Bush twins (he might have been), c) the lawyer for the Enron crooks, or d)just another annoying older, lawyer (he definitely was). Don't get me wrong, I realize that people have to be connected, I have gone to meals with friends who are tethered by the crackberries, but they do what they have to do, check it once in the middle of dinner and put it away. In the course of our lunch this man's blackberry must have gone off about 15 times and even though he was at lunch with other people he answered. My mom taught me that this was rude, then again I'm realizing everyone didn't have the home training that my mom beat..uh, I mean instilled in me. Now, even if he is that important, does the whole restaurant need to know that people are looking for him? PUT THAT SHIT ON VIBRATE! Now that D.C. is banning smoking in restaurants I think that they should have a blackberry section. All of the people who can't sit down and have a meal without being attached to the blackberry can sit in that section. Maybe they might realize how fucking annoying they are.

WHEEEEE!!

No reason for the wheeeee! Just happy in general today. The weather is nice, I had a good weekend and one of the members of the Axis of Evil (the crew at work who I can't stand) has gotten a new job and is gone. PLUS it is Restaurant Week and I've made all of my reservations. Studied a bit, went to church, made lasagne this weekend. Just nice. Feeling good today.


Later in the day:

Okay, this morning I was feeling fine but this afternoon I am downright giddy. I am trying very hard not to revel in anyone's misfortune because karma is a bitch, but ANOTHER member of the Axis of Evil (see above) was packing up her desk today. I don't know if she is really leaving or not. She packed up her stuff but left all of the boxes here, as if she was coming to get them under cover of darkness. All I know is today has been a very good day.

Would it be wrong?

Would it be wrong to work really hard for six months, save some money and then quit my job and go to Europe for a month and travel then come back and look for a "real" job? I realize that I am a bit old for finding myself, but something has got to give.

Dilemma

It is 8:42 am and I am in my pjs. I am trying to decide whether to go to work or stay home in my bed. Going to work would be the responsible "big girl" thing to do, but I'm not feeling it. I could stay home and study and watch tv and stay in my pjs. This is what I really want to do. It would make me happy. Of course, in the past year I have learned that being a grown up is not about what makes you happy. I guess I'll go. I will get in the shower, eat some cereal, get dressed and go. Even though I hate it and I want to stay in the warm safety of my house I will go. I don't want to start the new year off taking sick days that I don't really need. I will save those days when I am on the verge of snapping, today I'm just semi-cranky. Oh well, at least my new silverware is being delivered today and I can eat with Oneida instead of the Target silverware that I've had since college. My dilemma is over. Off I go.

Rosie is keeping me strong

My life right now consists of work, studying for the bar and doing weight watchers. It all sucks, but I suppose it is a means to an end. Hopefully, by the end of the year I'll be where I want to be in work life and health. We shall see. I didn't make any resolutions so there is nothing to break, but I told myself I would make a conscious effort. Back to work!