Red bull

We got a new Brinx guy at work. That is what we call him when we aren't saying "the money man is here." This is the guy that comes to pick up the deposit every day. Which means I get to see him most every day. And this new guy is WIRED. He apparently is either a very happy guy or my guess is, he likes the energy drinks. He reminds me of this scene in Yes Man with Jim Carey.

Red Bull Scene

Which is SO COOL for me because it is one of my favorite scenes to reenact and at work, it is so classic. My people seriously wonder about me when I get to deal with the Brinx guy. It takes me at least a half hour to work him and the red bull thing out of my system. Though in the right mood, I can make that last all day.

In a side note, did anyone watch Regis and Kelly when Jerry O'Connell was on? He really does a number on Kelly because she is so animated and SERIOUSLY funny when she hosts with him.

Seriously I can have a 10 minute conversation in about 2 minutes with the Brinx guy and he does most of the talking. Every time I get close to asking a question, he answers me. So either I am very predictable or he just runs with his own commentary.

Saint is a big fan of the energy drinks. I can immediately tell when he has not only started his morning with a few AMP energy drinks, but added a few mountain dews to the equation as well. He is happy and for Saint, who is pretty low key, this is very happy. He also tends to talk really fast which I imagine is what he sees when I talk normal. Last night, he actually texted me that he would stay up for another hour, since we only had a few minutes to talk, so he could talk to me because he just can't sleep when he doesn't get to talk to me. Uhm, I beg your pardon? Does that really mean that I help put him to sleep by talking to him? Funny thing is, I really enjoyed that he stayed up so I could ramble to him about work after I ate dinner.

My mother did say I could put someone in a coma just by talking to them.

Wordless Wednesday - deer

I was sitting there brushing my teeth watching my cat, watch outside. She was all peaceful with her eyes all closed as she breaths deeply when all of a sudden she stands straight up and is on edge like she wants to leap out the window. I get up and slowly come around only to see this -



a family of deer walking outside my window. There is three of them on the opposite side of the road and the one in the middle of the road. They are casually getting ready to cross the road and then the cars come around and the one gets spooked and runs. I couldn't get a picture fast enough, but I couldn't believe how big they are. I didn't realize. And oh so beautiful.



I saw this family earlier in the week, but they were across the lake and I could barely make them out with my camera lens, so I am excited to know that this will be an occurrence I need to keep an eye out for. I am still getting used to the new camera lens (canon 55-250mm zoom) that I got for Christmas. The focus is interesting and I may have to read the instructions. (lol)

And then of course, whatever bird this is was taking a breather on the iced over lake.



Wordless Wednesday

PINT - The close

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Public restrooms

When you go out shopping or wandering around town and realize you have to use the restroom, yet none of the places offer a public restroom. They have one, but you cannot use it. Ever wonder why?

Let me explain.

This past weekend, I cleaned our public restrooms constantly. I don't mean I ran through and picked up toilet paper off the floor - which I do all day long. I mean, I flushed pounds of large, massive feces, I scrubbed (with elbow grease) large, massive poop off the TOPS and the SIDES of the toilets.

TWICE

And this was only in women's restroom. In the men's, someone took a ginormous dump in the urinal. Guess what, that doesn't flush. It has to be scooped out.

Nice. Real nice.

Do the people who do not flush, who pee on the toilet seat and don't wipe it down (it's your pee people) or the people who poop ON the toilet, who leave the toilet seat cover on top of the seat after flushing -- do these people ever wonder WHO cleans this up? Or do they even care?

Well, that my folks are the little people who work there. Those people who make minimum wage. And when those people refuse to clean the bathrooms, then the managers who make management minimum wage and work six days a week - then they clean it.

Every time you use a public restroom keep in mind it is a courtesy and not a necessity. Stores do not have to let the public use their bathrooms. And because of that, in our morning meeting, I have resolutely voted to lock our restrooms. I hate to do it because I was that kid (and still am) that get out in public and have to use the bathroom, but at least I clean up after myself. I check the toilet before I leave the bathroom - did it flush, is the seat cover flushed, do I need to take a piece of toilet paper and wipe down the toilet. Yes, I do this. I also wash my hands and use the paper towel to open the door because ONE in SIX people do not wash their hands. Ew.

Another quick note on this nasty subject, if you see someone defacing the bathrooms, please bring it to someone's attention because that may very well be the last time you ever get to use that particular restroom.

eReader review

I have borrowed an eReader to play with and see if I like it. Well, I know I like it, but do I really like it enough to BUY one?

I am around it all day at work. I sell it like it is candy, but for myself - the girl who is secretly sniffing books because the smell of print and paper is fantabulous - can I convert to a machine in order to read my books???

In really spending time playing with it, I have come to find out is that it can be distracting. I don't have time to read because I am too busy doing other things on it, like checking my email and reading blogs. I love the color magazines on it. I would love to have a bunch of magazines, but when I have had the subscriptions, I don't make time to read them. They just end up piled up in some corner, never read. But on the eReader, they seem so much more manageable.

The consistent time I read is before bed. About an hour or two before I go to sleep, I crawl into bed and grab a book. It is there that my body learns to rest and get tired. My mind is also occupied, which usually (crossing my fingers here) tires out the final bits of my awake brain. I like this routine. It really helps when I close at work and don't get home til late and need to get up early the next day. I, then am not up forever. I am able to actually go to bed and routinely, get tired.

Last night, I downloaded Fallen by Lauren Kate.


I just finished reading Falling Home by Karen White and was in between books. I started to read Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand, but I hate to say it - it is out of my normal reading genre so I am struggling to stay focused. I know that while reading, by just pushing a button, I can switch over and read a blog or check the internet. I really want to read Unbroken, but feel I may need the book to really stay focused on this - I mean it is a HISTORY book. It will take all of my focus. I was never really adept at retaining history information and I am sorry now, especially now, because there are so many things I would like to know that I know I should know because I vaguely remember being taught in school. I think I may need to start my eReader experience with a lighter, easier to read book.

I am lucky too because by borrowing the eReader, I can buy anything on work's dime. I can download a million magazines or newspapers or books - whatever I want and I don't have to pay for it. When the time comes, if it does, that I buy an eReader, I will then be responsible for paying for my content. I am also, on the side, busily adding free content to my online eReader account so that, if and when I buy, my eReader will have lots of things in the library to begin with.

Ahem, I completely digress.

So far here is what I have come up with -

PROS -

• the prices of books are drastically less, even with coupons
  
• I won't have to carry around 15 pound books depending on what I am reading
• I can carry as many books as I want and it is still the same size and weight in my bag
  
• I won't have books hidden in the closet, resting on my nightstand, bleeding out into the family room and every other room (including my car)
• I can keep all my books on my eReader and since I rarely reread a book, I can delete any time I want to
• I can lend a book to anyone who has the application (whether they have an eReader or not)
• I can be a total tech snob and I can check my email, read blogs, etc on the eReader
• I can highlight, check the dictionary and bookmark any passage or page I want
• I can read with Saint sleeping next to me and not have a friggin spotlight on the book in order to see clearly
• There isn't a messed up dark crease in the book that I continually can't read due to reading at night, with only a booklight
• I can prop the eReader up by sheets and blankets and not have to hold it open
• I can see all of the page at once and turn with the flick of my finger
• if I lose or break my eReader every book I have ever bought is on the internet account, so my replacement eReader will automatically upload my library
  

Cons -

• I won't feel the weight of a book, the smell of the paper and ink
• I can't resell my books back to the used bookstore
  

So the verdict?

I love the eReader. It did make my eyes feel a little strained and I did develop a slight throb of a headache last night. I am not sure if this is because I am SO TIRED (it's been weeks that I have really had a good sleep) that my body was begging to fall asleep, meanwhile my brain was getting addicted to Fallen and wanted to stay up and read. I am thinking I would like to borrow the original eReader and see if the e-ink screen makes a difference, but I have let my boss know that I would like to keep the eReader for at least a few more days, hopefully giving myself enough time to contemplate the eye strain, if there is any because I woke up this morning having slept a very nice six hours, which as of late, is very good.

********************

Upon searching for covers, I am a BIG fan of the skins that are so incredibly artistic like this one by DecalGirl and I can't believe they sell covers that stand up like a frame. LOVE IT!!

an eyebrow raising event

For many years now I have been fascinated with getting an eyebrow ring. Yes, you read that right. I have wanted an eyebrow ring. The other day on my way out of town, after the holiday, I convinced Saint to go run a quick errand with me. We made a stop at my favorite tattoo parlor and had them insert an eyebrow barbell. It is a slightly curved half ring that basically only the top silver bulb and the bottom bulb show. One is above the eyebrow and the other is below.

YES, I GOT ONE!



I knew when I was considering this that I work in retail and may get to work only to have my boss tell me to take it out. I was prepared for this. I was ok with this. But this is the first time I have worked somewhere where it is such a casual environment. I am surrounded by tattoo'd, pierced and very different types of people. I felt like this was a good time as any to give it a try.

Honestly, I am not even sure it will stay. I like it. I am having fun with it and would like to replace the simple silver bar with a bar with small diamonds on each side, once the swelling goes down. The guy who did the piercing obviously did such a good job because there has been no bleeding, no puss and no discoloration. It is simply swollen. I guess it would help if I slowed down and remembered that I did this and not catch it on my shirts or hit it when brushing the hair out of my eyes.

But it is on my face and I hate when people make comments and it is impossible for people to NOT make comments. That is just the way it is, especially when working in retail. Everyone has an opinion. Go figure.

I also wonder if I am too old to pull it off. I have know people who maybe need to grow up and look a bit more adult like, but that is just culture talking. I hate that whole assumption that we need to look or be like something in order to be considered accepted.

I broke down and told my father over the phone because I was worried about the next time I saw him. He was disappointed and a bit pissed. Not surprising, I had a feeling. Saint thinks he may just be concerned with the impression on my 14 year old niece. Yes she does like tattoos and piercings, not that she has any and I do know I have made an impression on her. Haven't figured out how to talk to her about it. It is hard when, even at my age, I want my parents to support me and approve of me, so I am bummed about my dad. I figured my dad would tell my mom, but maybe not. I appreciate that Saint said he loves it and says it's sexy - now that is shocking because I never, not once, mentioned that I wanted one to him.

So far the people at work have had nice things to say about it and my boss is totally fine with it, though he has said if our district manager says no, I will have to take it out. One guy at work actually said, "I never noticed your piercing." This isn't like a new wave of craziness. It is just something I have wanted to do and now seemed like a good time. I am not going to run out and get a bunch of tattoos or other piercings. Especially when every time I barely touch it, it pings with small pain. This is just a simple and small thing I did for myself. Cool thing is, I can totally cover it up with my bangs.

snow day

Yesterday, I woke up to it billowing snow all around me. It wasn't sticking to the ground when I left for work, but it was enough to let me know it was going to be a good storm.

For my lunch hour I walked outside to get a feel of the weather. On the way, I stopped to take a picture of a cluster of people who had found a good, small hill to sled down.


Later that day, our district manager called to find out what was going on with the weather and to let me know to keep an eye on things and if necessary call the closing team and tell them not to come in due to weather hazards. I then called our general manager to let him know. Continuously throughout the day I felt like the middle man. Our DM would call inform me of things, then I would call our GM and tell him. It was a bit frustrating even though I know the DM is the bigger boss, I wish she would have gone through out GM. Each time I talked to our DM I got the feeling she really wanted us to close the store. About midway through the day, I pulled a meeting and we started to treat the day as if we were closing - all projects stopped and we just started to clean up. About an hour later, we got the call to officially close.

I had to kick out a huge family who had decided to camp in our cafe. We make closing announcements for the last 15 minutes we are open to let people know they need to get their stuff and get ready to head out, so I was a bit pissed when AFTER our announcement that we were now closed, I hear the mom ask if any of her twenty kids needed to go to the bathroom. I mean come on, do you have no consideration for my people? The whole reason we were closing early was for THEIR safety so they could get home before the roads got really bad. How rude! And just to make it worse, I made the announcement one hour before we closed and on the half hour.

In the end, we closed early, but ironically, I stayed an hour later than scheduled to help us get a good close.

Everyone was praying for a snow day today. Me? I already had the day off, so in my head, I officially called a snow day just for fun.

Driving home yesterday was scary, the roads were so icy that every couple of feet my tires would slide and the light on my dashboard would blink indicating ice. I stopped at Target to get cat food (I was running low and was worried if I got snowed in), wood, soup and milk. I drove extremely slow and just let those who needed to drive fast go around me. After a drive home that took twice as long, I dug in and shoveled my driveway. It was quite a bit of work due to the fact that it had all day to develop.



I have zero plans today. Okay, so I need to do a load of laundry, but other than that absolutely nothing needs to get done. I'd like to clean out my fireplace and just empty the leftover ash into the trash. I do have enough to make another batch of PB Kisses Cookies which I think would be nice to have and share. I'd like to play a couple of movies that I got for Christmas and I borrowed an eReader from work thinking about downloading that new book, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand that we are literally selling by the loads. (excerpt below)

The Story of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Growing up in California in the 1920s, Louie was a hellraiser, stealing everything edible that he could carry, staging elaborate pranks, getting in fistfights, and bedeviling the local police. But as a teenager, he emerged as one of the greatest runners America had ever seen, competing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he put on a sensational performance, crossed paths with Hitler, and stole a German flag right off the Reich Chancellery. He was preparing for the 1940 Olympics, and closing in on the fabled four-minute mile, when World War II began. Louie joined the Army Air Corps, becoming a bombardier. Stationed on Oahu, he survived harrowing combat, including an epic air battle that ended when his plane crash-landed, some six hundred holes in its fuselage and half the crew seriously wounded.

On a May afternoon in 1943, Louie took off on a search mission for a lost plane. Somewhere over the Pacific, the engines on his bomber failed. The plane plummeted into the sea, leaving Louie and two other men stranded on a tiny raft. Drifting for weeks and thousands of miles, they endured starvation and desperate thirst, sharks that leapt aboard the raft, trying to drag them off, a machine-gun attack from a Japanese bomber, and a typhoon with waves some forty feet high. At last, they spotted an island. As they rowed toward it, unbeknownst to them, a Japanese military boat was lurking nearby. Louie’s journey had only just begun.

That first conversation with Louie was a pivot point in my life. Fascinated by his experiences, and the mystery of how a man could overcome so much, I began a seven-year journey through his story. I found it in diaries, letters and unpublished memoirs; in the memories of his family and friends, fellow Olympians, former American airmen and Japanese veterans; in forgotten papers in archives as far-flung as Oslo and Canberra. Along the way, there were staggering surprises, and Louie’s unlikely, inspiring story came alive for me. It is a tale of daring, defiance, persistence, ingenuity, and the ferocious will of a man who refused to be broken.
The culmination of my journey is my new book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I hope you are as spellbound by Louie’s life as I am.


Currently I am sitting in my PJs drinking coffee curled up in a blanket playing on my laptop with the tv in the background. Saved by the Bell just ended and I switched back to the news. Every once in awhile a good gust of wind blows a bunch of snow off the roof and into the air. It is really cool looking. It is still snowing, lightly, but I imagine it will continue most of the day. I need to get up and go shovel the driveway from what collected overnight, but I am not ready to actually move anywhere other than from the coffee machine to the couch.

Tuesday enjoying the fire