10 Little Things I'm Grateful For:

I know I gripe alot on this blog and it occurred to me that I should also throw in some positive stuff so here it is.

Ten Little Things I'm Grateful For

10. How good the "cool side" of the pillow feels when you turn it over while you are trying to fall asleep.
9. When someone says "I love you" first because then it feels like they really do.
8. When Teddy sits in my lap and stares adoringly at his favorite person (me).
7. Making other people laugh.
6. Getting an unexpected email or letter in the mail (which is quite rare in this day and age).
5. Having a random customer at work tell me they think I do a good job.
4. Finding a movie on television that I haven't seen in a while and wanted to see.
3. Feeling needed and necessary by my friends and family.
2. When little kids say they think I'm nice, cool, or pretty.
1. Having a great family, great friends, and a warm, safe home, particularly when so many people don't. (I know this isn't "little" but it still needed to be acknowledged.)

That's it. Hope you have 10 little things you're grateful for.

This is my 100th Post

Luckily, I was tagged by Baby Makes Three so I'll fill this post with a list of "4 things..."

4 Jobs I've had:
- A job at the Y (a.k.a. towel bitch)
- Graduate Teaching Assistant (a.k.a. grading bitch)
- Card Store
- Waitress in a retirement center

4 Movies I watch over and over:
- Harold and Kumar go to White Castle
- Garden State
- Gidget (and the sequels)
- The Notebook

4 t.v. Shows I love to watch:
- Grey's Anatomy
- Medium
- Lost
- House Hunters

4 Places I've lived
- Nashville
- Birmingham
- Tuscaloosa
- Little Rock (briefly)

4 Places I've been on vacation:
- Cancun
- London
- Amsterdam
- Key West

4 Places I'd rather be:
- on my couch in front of my t.v.
- Hawaii
- on a massage table
- drinking a beer, hanging with friends, anywhere

4 of my favorite foods:
- french fries
- cookies
- Bud Light (trust me, it counts as a food)
- cheese

4 websites I visit daily:
- www.nascar.com
- www.dooce.com
- all my friend's and extended friend's blogs
- www.people.com

4 People I'm passing this on to:
- Peyton
- Wendy
- Susie
- Lyda

boo-hoo. Oh, just shut up!

Extreme Intoxication+Desperation for Hot Pockets to finish cooking in microwave

=Self-loathing post that should be ignored

Things always look better in the light of day and when you are almost sober.

Odd Man Out

First, to Baby Makes Three - I am going to answer the questions from being "tagged", but I am a little too intoxicated to do that so...

I kind of felt like the ugly stepsister tonight. Sadly enough, I don't actually have sisters, step or not, but I still felt it.

We were at a club and I felt like the ugly friend that people kept shoving off to other people. It was a great feeling.

I am pretty sure this is what rock bottom may feel like. J/k. kinda

I love Rules

It's true. I love rules, I think most rules serve important purposes and I try to follow most of them. This is particularly true for my job. There are a billion rules and standards that they try to enforce and I mostly follow them with the exception of two: you can only wear two earrings (I have seven) and tuck your shirt in (dream on). I used to like to think I was someone who liked to throw caution to the wind, but let's face it: I throw no caution at no wind. One of the reasons why I like rules is that they generally make your life easier and somewhat safer. People who don't follow the rules at work, employees and customers alike, drive me insane. I have the fact that my fellow employees don't follow the rules thrown in my face everyday by customers and my only response is something along the lines of "Sorry, I guess I'm the only observant one around here - pay up." I fear authority - the police in particular. I'm such a wimp, but I don't care. So that's my dirty little secret.

Working on Saturday mornings should be illegal

I am currently at work and miserable. I have received this brief respite and decided to post about the torture. I slept really badly last night and got up around 7 this morning to shower and get ready for work. No more of this. I am putting my foot down about having to work on Saturday mornings. It is cruel and unusual punishment. Luckily, I am applying for a job on Monday morning so wish me good luck. I need it. Must leave this job. Must escape.

Finally.

The people who make my favorite beverage (Bud Light) have decided to appeal to the more cultered beer drinkers (me). These people don't need to pay high priced advertising firms for this information, they just need to consult experienced beer drinkers such as myself. I have to admit that my brand loyalty stems from my love of Dale Jr., but that is for another time (only 30 days until the Daytona 500 - get excited!). Beer drinkers unite!

I'm pretty sure if I got a face transplant the last thing I would be doing is

lighting up a burning stick near the new goods. I have read on cnn.com and yahoo.com that the French lady that got the first face transplant has taken up smoking again. After surviving an attack by her own dog, this lady seems bent on shortening her life in other ways. I realize I am a confirmed non-smoker, but it seems to me if I happened to be the person who got my face transplanted on, I would be taking care of it. That would include bans on skydiving, skateboarding, firefighting, dog-catching, and smoking. Nothing that has the potential to melt off my new mug is going anywhere near me. Oh well, call me crazy.

I'm off to work, but I figured I could squeeze in a post...

Honestly, I don't have much to say aside from the fact that I love long weekends, but they certainly make going back to work extremely hard. My weekend was pretty low key except for a trip to T-town with Jenny to see an old friend of hers. I had a good time, but it ocurred to me about half way through the evening that I am over the whole college scene. We went to a bar where the crowd was probably 95% undergrad and I was reminded of my years in college. Unfortunately, I don't really have any desire to go back to college so the experience was a bit "trying." I had a good time with Jenny and her friend, but I would have enjoyed it more had the crowd been a bit older. I am not too keen on hanging out with 19 and 20 year olds in a bar. The only thing I kept thinking was "umm, is it just me, or are they not old enough to be here?" Yep, that's right people, I've turned into a curmudgeon in my old age. Great. What's next? Drinking Ensure to get all of my daily nutrients and watching The Weather Channel because I think it's entertainment?

happiness

In a previous post I mentioned my latest concentration on my childhood and some of my favorite memories. With this in mind, I have read about several scientific articles that discuss the importance of writing down favorite memories and the link to happiness. I have decided to share one of my favorite stories from when I was a kid.

I was in Louisiana visiting some of my cousins when I was probably about four or five. I only have vague memories of this incident, but the following event has been rehashed and laughed about for years (as have many of my exploits when I was a kid). My cousin T. was about three years older than me and quite wise. We were about to leave after our visit and T. told me to "give her a smack." I looked at her strangely and asked her to repeat her request. Once again, she said "give me a smack." Although I thought this was a strange request, I decided to comply. I pulled my hand back and slapped her upside the head. This was a classic case of miscommunication and T. was quite unhappy with me. My father and mother were also horrified because they did not hear the exchange between T. and I and they just assumed that I had developed some sort of anger management problem and taken to domestic violence. I was later informed that "a smack" could be interpreted as a kiss. Not my problem, but I will admit that things have never really been the same between T. and I. From that day forward every time I visit this side of the family they always discuss my abusive side and my willingness to follow directions regardless of the level of inappropriateness. Next week I shall share my love of the family toilet and my interest in seeing what would and would not flush (we had a plumber on retainer)...

Another observation

You know those people that they film from the neck down during news stories about obesity? I cannot imagine turning on the television and watching a show and realize that my fat ass is plastered across the screen. With as many stories as they do about overweight people you have got to figure this has happened to someone. I'm sorry, I really don't care how thin you are - when you're schlepping around a bunch of packages from shopping or just bumming around people can look pretty bad. Filming someone from behind while they trundle down the street just isn't fair. I officially offer my sympathy and outrage for anyone who has been filmed anonymously because they're fat.

Can't sleep

It takes the average human seven minutes to fall alseep. It takes the average me about 10 times that long. I was in bed just moments ago letting various thoughts and worries run through my head and create a knot in my stomach. I think another part of my sleep problem is my lack of patience just to lay around waiting to fall asleep. I know that Jenny actually likes to lay around and wait to fall alseep. This is also the girl, that if she sits too still after 9 p.m., is off to dreamland in a minute and thirty seconds flat (and those dreams of hers, don't get me started). I find that I like to review the events of the day or the things I need to accomplish in the coming days while waiting for sleepiness to come. All I end up doing is getting myself stirred up and worried about a bunch of stuff I can't control. Call it the legacy of Dorothy G. (my mom) - a professional worrier if there ever was one. She loved to wring her hands (literally) and plan for the worst. If it was raining and anyone in my family went out in it, pneumonia was sure to follow. Try on a hat in a department store - you might as well invite lice to take up residence in your hair. Out after nine? Only rapists and murderers are out after this time (Is that you, Peyton?). Eating oysters during months with no "R" in the name (May, June, July, August) was just asking for some sort of debilitating neuro-muscular disease to come upon you. And on, and on, and on. The way the rest of the family dealt with this was to ridicule her (not in a mean way, more like a "she's just the crazy lady who lives in the attic" way) and flaunt our risk-filled lives. My mom always said that Lee's family (I have mentioned Lee several times in this blog) could eat poisonous mushrooms and play in the middle of the street and never get hurt, but my family could be extremely careful and risk life and limb by walking out of our front door. Sadly, D.G. had a point. I, as many of you know, am pretty accident prone (umm, two knee surgeries, hit by a car, numerous trips to the emergency room, etc) and Lee has been to the doctor about twice in her entire life. She's too damn healthy. I guess I come from weak stock and her lineage is more sturdy, oxen-like (not that she or anyone else in her family resembles an ox or any other sort of draft animal). I guess I digressed a bit in this post, but hopefully my mind is a little more clear and I can head to bed with little trouble.

Here's my gripe.

Answer the g.d. phone. Or just call back. I am just about at the end of my rope when it comes to phone calls and some of my friends. Hey, I understand when you are busy with work, school, other pressing business, but if you can't manage to call me back within a month (not an exaggeration) of my calling you - then that's a problem. I'm not sure if I'm the only person that this happens to, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not alone in this irritation. My new remedy for this is erasing the number in my cell phone. Considering I don't remember most of the numbers in my contacts list, this is a pretty effective method.

And that is all I have to say on this subject. Oh yeah, and I just took two numbers out of my contacts list.

Looking back...

I know that I have previously revealed my love for cheesy television, but I did not reveal one of the reasons why I love such programming. I like watching these shows partly because they remind of when I was younger. It's not that I would like to go back in time and be a little kid anymore, but I think I would like to live a couple of days like a kid with the knowledge I have today. Think about it, you could be a senior in high school, have all of the knowledge you have right now and approach things differently. I would not be as stressed out as I was when I was 17 or 18. I could use my experience as an adult and just enjoy life. One of my secrets is to be able to go back to a time when I lived at home with my mom and dad and just went to school and hung out with my friends. Don't worry, I haven't regressed to childhood, I'm just curious about how life would be. I think some of these feelings may stem from the fact that my mom was around when I was younger and I miss her. I wouldn't change the freedom I have today for the kind of control that was wielded over my life when I was at home. I guess I just feel a little intimidated by the responsibility of my present life.

Dear Lord, imagine if I was married and had kids? Someone asked me if I had "any of my own" (kids that is) and I had to repress a shudder. It's not because I don't want kids, I do, but it is more like I can't imagine being able to raise another human being. With that being said(or written) I am sending extremely positive thoughts to BabyMakesThree (her link is found to your left). Hope this wasn't too depressing and I hope that I'm not alone in my thoughts.

Diet update and general audience poll:

As of today I have lost a total of five pounds. I may have lost a little more than that, but five is all I am claiming as of right now. The week wasn't too hard. I remember why I like eating healthy and generally being better to myself: I am in a good mood and I feel physically better. I hope everyone else is accomplishing this year's goal and this get's me to another thing I wanted to discuss.

I am looking to spice up my life and try new things. I like going to see movies, but I would like to get out of my apartment to do something other than going to work, a movie, or dinner. Any suggestions? Maybe a hike would be in order? I am not too outdoor-sy. I find bugs repulsive and nature in general to be of a questionable value. I used to enjoy camping when I was a kid, but I am just not that interested since I became a snake and other vicious creatures fearing adult. What other activities do you engage in aside from the usual work (or school), dinner, movie routine? I am determined to start 2006 out fresh and this takes dedication and imagination.

Be careful who you piss off

I was reading a story on CNN and it made me laugh so hard I cried.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/08/mouse.fire.ap/index.html

Heath and Jake make a good couple

I saw Brokeback Mountain last night and it was excellent. The only thing I didn't enjoy about it was the front row seats we were forced to sit in because the movie was sold out. It was a packed house and the audience was really well-behaved - which is a rarity these days. I suggest everyone go see this movie if they love a heartfelt, romantic story. I know this movie is supposed to be controversial, but after a while in the movie you just tend to see it as a love story between two conflicted people. The gay thing is kind of an afterthought. If you would like to see a gay romantic comedy you should see All Over the Guy. It's a cute movie and I have a crush on one of the guys in the movie. Plus, there's a really hot love scene. Anyway, I digress and my mind is quickly heading for the gutter.

A Million Little Pieces...of candy?

I just finished reading James Frey's A Million Little Pieces and I am struck by the similarities between drug addiction and food addiction. Although I have never passed out in a plate of french fries or a bowl of ice cream, Frey's descriptions of his thoughts and cravings are familiar. Food is so much more to me than just nurishment. It always has been. I know everyone has different challenges that they face, but this is by far my most daunting. I'm feeling good right now. I have been following a healthy eating plan and that takes a lot of (no pun intended) weight off my mind. I'm going to work out tonight after work and have a healthy dinner. Hope everyone else is doing well. I will be sure to think of other things besides this diet to talk about in the next few posts. Just bear with me :)

Day Two

Just an update on my resolution. I am still sore from my workout yesterday. I find it so frustrating that I let myself get into such bad shape again. I didn't work out today partly because I was too sore and I had to get up at 3:45 a.m. to get to work at 4:30 and was pretty beat by the time I got off from my second shift. Anyhoo, the eating has been going well. I am very full after my dinner of steamed cabbage, cous cous, and a Lean Cuisine. Just a note, Lean Cuisine has come out with a new line of panini's and they are delicious! Mmmm-mmm. Well, I am off to bed and hope everyone is doing well in the new year.