Self-Indulgent Ramblings

The more I learn about life, the clearer it becomes that school didn’t teach me anything remotely useful. It’s almost as if they deliberately leave out the most practical, applicable information.

I don’t know exactly why, but I am so amused by the concept of Jimmy Hoffa. I always have been. Wouldn’t it be great to be the guy who finds him? I mean, you’re just rooting around in your garden or something and… oops! There’s Jimmy Hoffa!

No? Well… I do. It turns out I’ve got a pretty healthy crop of it growing up the wall behind my couch. Now, since my walls are made of concrete, it seems like an odd thing. Oh… not that odd. Apparently, that kind of thing can happen here in humid SC. But worse… it’s more likely that it’s coming from under the carpet. Yup.

Now, I’ve been sick for almost 6 months now. Even my cat has been doing more than her fair furry share of coughing and sneezing. So now I have to let my landlady look into this. But if it looks like the mold is under the carpet, I may just have to move. Because, hell, I’ll have to move out for a week while they replace the carpet… so why not just move out entirely. Since, having made this fabulous horticultural discovery, I’ll probably move in August when my lease is up… so I may as well just move now.

But I hate moving. And I’m in the process of helping my {gulp} boyfriend move too. Ugh.

Oh… side note: My mom was in town this weekend and got to meet my {gulp} boyfriend. That was an interesting experience. I can’t tell what she thought of him. {shrug} Oh well. She doesn’t have to date him.

My world is full of typos. Now, I can forgive them on blogs… it’s not as if the object of of blogs is to be perfectly proofed, polished works of literature. But I get sick of reading websites, newspapers, magazines and books with typos. And I can’t just filter them out. I can’t just read past them. Oh no. My OCD requires that I read and re-read them. I mark them, I correct them. I just can’t stand that someone would put something out into the world expecting people to pay for it and leave typos. Missed words, missed letters, misspellings…

Ooh… and on resumes and work samples… are you kidding?!?! I’m in the process of trying to hire an assistant of sorts. And I got some pretty interesting work from a young woman who I really liked on the phone. But some of the work she sent me had typos! ACK! Now, I really did like her, and I wouldn’t NOT hire her because of that… but what an impression to give!

{shrug}

I’m trying to lose a couple of pounds before I go to my brother’s wedding in August and submit myself to the judgement of my aunts. So I’m trying to start the ever-famous Weight Watchers Points program. It seems pretty reasonable so far. However… here’s my latest problem. Every day around 2:00, I have a Coke. This 20 oz. shot of sugar and caffeine serves to keep me awake for the remaining 3 1/2 hours of the day. Of course… a 20 oz. Coke is about 9 points. And since I only get 20 a day… that adds up pretty quickly. So today I’m trying Coke Zero. Now, if you’ve never tried Coke Zero, let me save you the trouble.

It’s crap.

It’s this awful, syrupy, tasteless concoction that I can’t help but suck down if I want to keep my eyes open and still have points left for dinner.

Blech.

This is awesome. I love YouTube.

Uh oh… I’m getting grouchy again. I just got an email confirming that my admission to an upcoming ad club event has been paid. That’s nice. It’s particularly nice that my boss asked me first if I could/wanted to attend.

Oh… no she didn’t.

ARGH!

AND… this weekend I did a reading for this possible new project that might be happening in town. I know of at least one person who’s been contacted already… and it sure isn’t me. That makes me grouchy.

So… I sit here looking at zillions of websites for investment banking firms… and I grumble.

Okay… today is Cinco de Mayo. And my company is all about Cinco de Mayo. We love tequila, beer, pinatas, funny hats… the list goes on and on. But most of all, this year, Cinco seems to be about food. We came in this morning and found bags of candy on each of our chairs. For lunch we had a gigantic chili lunch (meat and vegetarian… yay!) complete with Mexican wedding cookies, chips & salsa, funky Mexican fruity sodas, little mini wraps, these AWESOME raspberry/strawberry/oatmeal bars… and tonight we’re having a massive fiesta.

If I survive, I’ll post more later.

Okay… I had a doctor’s appointment today. Nothing serious. Just my 30,000 mile check up. Anyway, I observed a few interesting doctor tidbits today:

• Doctors’ offices always have diagrams of horrible diseases all over the place. Eye doctors, dentists, OBGYN… they all have them. And, as if the less-than-pleasant visuals weren’t enough, they invariably leave you sitting in there forever, with nothing to read except the various symptoms of said horrible illnesses, so by the time the doctor meanders into the examination room, you’re convinced that you are suffering from nodes of the something or advanced disintegration of the whatnot.

• In the interest of looking efficient, doctors LOVE to move you around. You can’t just sit in the comfy (albeit gaudy) waiting room until they are finally ready to poke and prod you. No. First you’re in the cozy waiting room. Then you move to the place where they weigh you and prick your finger (I don’t like that place). Then you move to the urination station (fill this please). Then you sit in the hall (where the magazine selection is not nearly as complete as it was in the lobby) waiting for someone to call your name. Your name is finally called and you are led to an examination room. You are instructed to undress and put on paper garments to take the edge off of being naked. Then, you sit. You sit forever (let’s face it, time drags when you’re naked and wrapped in paper).

I’m sure I noticed other annoying things… but those really topped the list o’ absurdity today.

Almost two years ago, I decided to try out this book called The Artist’s Way. It’s an interesting book. It’s a sort of twelve week artist recovery program. It’s twelve weeks of exercises and meditations meant to help unblock your inner artist. The problem is, it’s very involved and it takes a great deal of commitment. So last time I only made it to week ten. This weekend, I happened to be chatting with my aunt, and I mentioned the book. She immediately gushed that she loved it and was considering starting it up again May 1. So we made the decision to start it together - her in Toronto, me in Greenville. We’ll be each other’s support group. I reread the first chapter last night - all about the blocks we throw up for ourselves, the negative things we allow ourselves to say… and I started to cry. It should be a very interesting process.

On a completely different track… I’ve gotten really into Lost recently… and I just have to tell you… I think these guys are brilliant. A while back, one of the characters found an un-published manuscript among the wreckage… and yesterday the book was released. The author is said to have died in the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 (the flight in the show). BRILLIANT! I pre-ordered my copy and expect to receive it early next week. In true geek fashion, I can’t WAIT to see what happens!