Things I've learned since last week...

1. Sarah rocks my world. Why? B/c she told me about the "freezone" on Cox In Demand. As she said (and I agreed), it's the button on your remote that you accidentally push and think "shit! Am I paying for something?" and quickly exit out. Welp, there's a free zone within that button o fun! ANnnnnnnd... it has an exercise channel.. a really good one! So, thanks to Sarah, I did a 15 minute abs workout with some cute little blonde chick on tv. It's great! I mean.. you can pause, ff, etc! They have ALL kinds of workouts-short, long, abs, cardio, etc. (There are also other channels.. like a sundance channel, etc) :)

2. Audrina dates narsty guys. Last week, I thought Lauren might be a little single white female, but this week.. I think Aud is just crazy if she dates that burping moron. Ew. Annnnd... hooray for Heidi! hahah! I loved that painting thing.. "It's a surprise!" hahahaha! Outstanding! I think Spencer is trying to look less like a tool this season. Must suck to see MTV portray you as a player wannabe with a Chuckie doll face.

3. There is apparently a case out there called "Williams" or "Williamson" or something that is very popular with the PD. (sarcasm noted) If you question a (likely illegal) search of your friend's car saying "What is your probable cause, officer?", he will likely say "Um.. havent you heard of the Williams case?" I guess that wasnt on the bar exam. Right. But, my bet is that you'll likely just agree with him if you've had a glass of wine or two b/c a public intox doesnt sound fun in your head. Yeah. This was just a hypothetical. Uh huh.

4. Sushi. is. good. Sarah, Kari and I grabbed some raw fish last night. Hooray for girls! Brooke, Jenny and Kristen need to get un-busy and come play next week! :)

5. Chicago is THE city of summer..as written up in a local mag and straight from the boyf's mouth! :) He's having a blast and doesnt even really know many people yet. I cant wait to go when it's still warm here in a month!!

6. MADD is having it's anniversary this month.. and they plan on nailing a zillion DUIs before Labor Day. While this is a GREAT campaign, be careful. I've never seen so many police pulling people over the second they get in their cars on Brookside. Personally, I like the campaign...but two beers or a single glass of wine could fail a breath test. So, since they're being EXTRA crazy, just be careful... Also, quick friendly advice: If you're with someone that get's pulled over and you have also been drinking, do NOT say you'll move, park, whatever the car even if asked. You're a passenger. Stay that way. This can be a trick...if you even OPERATE the vehicle, you can be subject to a DUI.

*** Finally, THANK YOU to Maureen for watching Gracie while I'm gone at AR sales rally for work!! :)) Gracie just went over there the other day with me so she was extra tail waggy when I took her there this morning. :) ****

Like a Prostitute...

I'm slammed today preparing for this week's sales rally in AR. So, all I've got for ya is a fwd that Mary sent me that makes me crack up every time I read it:

Working in the legal field:
1. We work in weird shifts ... Like prostitutes.
2. They pay you to make the client happy ... Like prostitutes.
3. The client pays a lot of money, but your employer keeps almost every Ipenny ... Like prostitutes.
4. You are rewarded for fulfilling the client's dreams ... Likeprostitutes.
5. Your friends fall apart and you end up hanging out with people in thesame profession as you ... Like prostitutes.
6. When you have to meet the client you always have to be perfectly groomed ... Like prostitutes.
7. But when you go back home it seems like you are coming back from hell... Like prostitutes.
8. The client always wants to pay less but expects incredible things from you ... Like prostitutes.
9. When people ask you about your job, you have difficulties to explain it... Like prostitutes.
10. Everyday when you wake up, you say: I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND THE REST OFMY LIFE DOING THIS SHIT"..... Like prostitutes.

"Those are the keys to my corvette"

So...long story short, some people went out for Laura's bday at Prive. There was a twister game. We politely bent in our dresses and posed..of course...multiple times... They dont have but one girls' bathroom. So, Sara and Laura opted to take over the guys room...with guy leaving it.. They werent exactly being patient while this guy fixed his hair and it was hilarious!!!
Girls. Dancing. Photos. :)
There are stories from Sat that are inappropriate to type on my blog, but let's just say I thankfully stuck to my "I'm not driving when I drink anything" mentality. Unfortunately, not everyone did the same thing. Made for a long night.

Side note: Did you know that.. as an atty...I can have a "get out of jail free card" that I buy...and if a friend gets arrested, I can use it to get them out of jail under my custody?! Crazy! Just learned about this....

I hope you all had a great weekend!

WHY...

1.. am I still up? I'm so tired!!
2. am I retarded?! I have a long story, but I'll try to make it short. I started my job in June. I was told "paydays" were the 6th and 22nd. I got paid on the 22nd in June. So, okay.. in July, the 6th was a Friday (I got paid) and the 22nd was a Sunday (so I got paid on a Friday). I got a pay notification today (aka the 16th) saying I was getting paid tomorrow. This is when I realized (after I asked) we get paid every other Friday, NOT the 6th and 22nd. I'm retarded. The July dates just happened to follow the June ones. Wow. Everyone laugh now. *sigh* At least my budgeting isnt as FAR OFF as I though though. I still wont be featured on Cribs any time soon, but hey.. I feel better.
3. ...did Maureen and I guess that Sabra was going to win tonight and she DID!?! WOO HOO!
4. ...did Daniele win HOH again? Whatever.
5. ...did I put Shoop as my new myspace song? (Easy answer..I rock)
6. ...am I SO happy it's FINALLY FRIDAY?! I feel like this week has been FOREVER long.
7....was there only one female smurf? Dirty.
8....do I have to end on an even number? Hell.

"You might have just wasted your $$ on a traffic ticket, Jax...."

"....but guess who's having the Best Week EVER?!" SOMEECARDS! Thanks, A love for the awesome-fabulo-tastic funny ecards on your blog!

Everyone knows I have a weird sense of humor, but I chose to post some rather tame ones.. Go read them and send to people.. They're funny as hell!

I'm in the dark....

Literally. To conserve energy with this heat, our company turns down the lights in the hallways. I mean.. you can still see, but it's pretty dark. It looks like we're closed until you head into a dept and it's like "ahhhhhh" (insert Jesus-chorus-music). Strange.

In other news, I paid my damn traffic ticket today. Bastards. Can a girl save some money? For real. I am not going to whine and bitch (too much) b/c we're all twenty-something...and we're all trying to save....and we're all seeming to come up short from time to time when it comes to what we'd LIKE to have in our accounts versus what we DO have. *sigh* I rather drained my rainy-day savings when I was out of work and cant seem to get back up there when I have stupid superfluous failure to use my blinker tickets ($120), misread gas meters from winter ($262), etc. etc. etc. Can a girl get a damn break? Sheez. If I could do it all over, I think I might have just paid off my car.. since I have so little left on it. It's a pain to think about per month but I cant really AFFORD to pay it off now *Insert frustrated face* I have even organized my financial stuff on http://www.wesabe.com/ (it's awesome just FYI) and I dont think Im really doing anything wrong. Just seems that the past few months excess bills are raping me. Annoyed.

(However, I will say that I figured out the mistake Sprint made in my CRAZY bill I referenced last month and they not only credited my acct for that amount, but also credited the amount I had spent the past couple months due to their mistake.. HOORAY SPRINT) :)

ALSO, why does it seem that there could be a gang war at any time outside the courthouse and/or municipal courthouse. For serious. I felt like Elle Woods walking into South Central LA to pay my speeding ticket to the oh-so-friendly desk worker.

That is all. Oh, and I woke up and thought it was Thursday. That sucks.

Lightbulb as I was writing this: Maybe I could pick up some contract legal work a few hours a month to earn a little extra cash and keep my legal skills honed. Hmmmm...opinions? Recommendations?

DING! DING! DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright, before I get to the cuteness that my dog is... I am going to vent about DING! by Southwest. Let me preface.. I am not a moron. I have downloaded this program on other computers, just never on my personal one. Well, I cant do it at work b/c we have a blocker. So, I tried to do it at home..and the damn thing downloaded...and lets me know when there are updates...but wont. let. me. get them! It's like "Ding!" all pleasant and as if it was smiling really big like "Look! Good Airfare!" I try to open it and IT WONT CONNECT!

I called Southwest.. to no avail. I called Cox (thinking there was a weird firewall). Again, nothing. I even downloaded it and deleted it like 5 times. NADA. It still taunts me. The cox guy said it might be my router. What?! He said routers can block some stuff. Well, f that. Until I figure it out, I will continue to hear the "ding ding dinging" in my little annoyed ears. That is all. Now for Gracie.

Bathtime pre-Aaron's visit. One unhappy pup! LOL!
"What the hell? Now you want to BLOW DRY me?!"
"Damn, I'm hot." ;)

10.13.07.

Hello, my fellow TU lovers! Homecoming is going to be CRAZY this year!! Plus, are you going to the OU/TU game? Someone..aka me.. is ready for some football! I dont know what got into me today... but I'm ready for.. cold weather-blanket over the legs-hot chocolate-penant waving-jumping in the stands-FOOTBALL! Doesn't that sound good?!

Hey, seriously.. I know people are coming to Homecoming, but those of us that are close.. whatcha think about the OU game, too? Maureen and I are definitely in, but you guys should join the cool kids and come watch us get creamed! lol!

CHIPS AND SAL.SA.

Scary people.

I have come to find out that a large number of people in my office are terrified of my VP. When I say terrified, I mean, would run around fanning her all day if they think it would make her happier or make her like them more. I've got news for these people, someone who actually gives you POSITIVE feedback, is extremely energetic, albeit demanding and driven, is not. that. scary. Have these people never worked with REALLY short-tempered people or am I just missing something?

I mean.. although I have great respect for this person as a lawyer and would definitely assert that her intelligence rivals most execs I've met, I almost peed my pants when, at my old job, this woman yelled...slammed things...and exclaimed "G** DAMMIT!" from the kitchen. Why, you ask.. Well, duh.. we were out of water. I mean that's enough to make anyone curse and scream, right? Uh huh. Coping skills, people... Coping skills.

I think I just came from a high-stress environment where the job in itself is adversarial. Leaving that behind with daily personal things is often not so easy in an office full of lawyers. So, in comparison... this really isn't anything. One person that's demanding and intense? Not so bad. Plus, I rather LIKE stress. I mean.. I DID go to law school after all. There's a part of me that gets a rush from it.

This is in NO WAY to discount the fact that my VP commands attention and expects perfection. But, to me, I dont think that's asking too much. There are often things out of one's control that make things imperfect. I will likely do something at some point that royally pisses her off. That's life. I still try my hardest. But, do I live in fear like a couple other people up here that her mere gaze will turn me to stone? Um. No. I have better things to do...like work.

I think my favorite was when, there was a problem with a powerpoint slide and I just went straight to her to resolve it. A couple other people were shocked that I seemed to be that brave. What?! Newsflash...if I try my best and she hates it, that's her problem, not mine.

Gah.. I've learned so much in my short little career out of school... lol!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAUREEN!!

A quick shout out to my favorite reality show addicted friend! :) She's in Baltimore for the week, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, chica!!!! She turns 25 in about 15 minutes (on Monday) :)

This photo is from her bday LAST year after BONSAI birthday at Osaka! haha! :)) Hooray, Maureen!!! See you soon!!

COMH...and Gracie :)

Hello people! I'm back from the big D! So.. in a nutshell....

I was taking COMH pics and this is what Gracie was doing. She seriously looks like it's PAINFUL for her to stay awake when I keep her up past her bedtime. It's quite cute.. b/c if I pick her up, she just goes limp like "Ugh.. I am sleeeeeeeeping...Stupid human."

On the way back from Dallas, I stopped at my first IKEA store!! :) I wanted Brooke to come shopping with me, but IKEA got me first.. lol! I got some awesome stuff and then came home adn went to Pier1 with my bday gift cards the next day to find other stuff to match...like these awesome candle holders....

My whole thing was that I have SO much orange/red stuff...and I'm tired of that. I wanted more blue/green, but didnt want to spend a lot of money re-do-ing everything.. then this PILLOW appeared.. It has BLUE and GREEN and RED and ORANGE! I can incorporate!! HOORAY!! (note the red/orange candles in the bkgnd that I DONT have to get rid of now!) HOORAY AGAIN!
Whew.. okay.. so I also got a kick ass floor lamp for about 10 bucks, an area rug for 14 and a cool shelf for 9. I cant put up the shelf...but as soon as I get help.. brace yourself for the fun.

My first sales rally was a true learning experience..

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1. When I'm told "Oh, you dont have to be at breakfast until 7:45 or so" that actually means 7:15. Thank God I'm a control freak and was early.

2. When told "fill up the rental on the way back," that means "There's a gas card in the folder to use" (I used my own credit card. Jackass)

3. When dancing commences after the dinner, apparently I must dance in order to prompt others to dance. I also must participate in the CONGA line with some of the older (and drunk) agents.. haha.. It was hilarious! Thank God for me having little inhibitions....(there are photos on my work computer that I'll get off and post. .Trust me..they're a laugh)

4. When told NOT to prepare message points for a breakfast meeting, prepare them anyway. *sigh*(source of major stress)

5. Don't leave your work cell in the rental car when you return it (oops)

6. Dont park on the opposide side of the rental return thereby making me have to walk around the perimeter of the building...

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All in all, it was stressful, but an excellent learning experience..and there was nothing like looking out on that meeting and realizing I had really orchestrated it. I mean.. we have an event planner (she's the one whose job I took actually) but as for the speeches, agendas, scripts, powerpoints, cueing the mics, the slides, the videos, etc.. that's all me. I sit in the back with the audio guys and basically loudly whisper things like "cue X's mic..." and "freeze this slide.." and "cue video in 5"...It feels very "producer" LOL! :)

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I think the hardest thing is coming into a job where nearly everyone knows everyone else...and everyone who works closely with my VP knows her a zillion times better than I do...and apparently she's a bit hard to impress...I know it will come with time.. but for my first meeting, I did a good job.. but will do some things differently for the meeting at the end of the month. The stress was crazy..but it was "good" stress as opposed to some I had dealt with in recent times elsewhere. Let's just hope I get positive feedback...I still really like my job... but IKEA was an awesome stress reliever after the rally...

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Hope everyone had a great weekend! :) Blogger spacing is being a bitch. Sorry about the weird plus signs.

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Confetti Guns are dangerous?

1. Apparently the hotel for our rally wont allow the use of confetti guns. Damn. (I love my job!!)
2. Heard on the news this morning that a new study on the human brain reveals that a brain "in love" looks similar to a brain that's on drugs. Um. That explains a lot. I shall research this more.
3. It's a good thing I'm a control freak. Our MC for the meeting told me he really didnt need a speech/message points. I went ahead and wrote them anyway. Good thing. He can't MC the meeting (which I leave for tomorrow). YIKES! So, (happy sigh) we already have stuff to transfer over to someone else. :)
4. Nicole confirmed. She is preggers. Shocker.
5. I've been looking at flights lately and lemme just say.. Southwest is NOT the cheapest anymore. Ghetto.
6. Did I mention that my VP loved the speech and powerpoint I did for her? Yeah. Well. Not to toot my own horn.. but TOOT!
7. Aaron's officially somewhere on his way to China. :) He gets around the globe more than anyone I know. Be safe if you can read this, A! :)
8. HAPPY AUGUST!!! Where did the time go!!??!! Can you believe I started at my job almost 2 months ago?! Whoa.