things i really do adore

1. My boss (Kindness personified!).

2. Warm sunny days in October...IN PORTLAND (I can feel the air and it feels great!)!

3. Potato soup (which is really more like a stew because it's soooooo goo-y and thick).

4. Knowing that tonight, I learn how to knit (yes, Jen, I will report back...maybe with pics, I'm still not sure if I will take the camera or not tonight).

5. People who are secure in their own skin (something I've recently discovered in myself).

6. Husbands who come in looking for shoes for their wives (even if it's not something I have...a high heeled clog?) with the hopes that they will find THE PAIR.

7. When customers are absolutely fun and laugh with me (when they laugh at my jokes, I'm in heaven!!).

8. When people come in whom I've not seen for a really long time and it freaks them out when I remember certain details from the last time they were in (which was about a year ago).

things i adore*

1. when people pace outside of my store while chatting loudly on their cell phones.

2. when customers try to one up me with their knowledge on how the shoes I sell should feel/fit/etc.

3. bad radio that plagues me (yes, I know...cds, but I've already explained why I don't like those too).

4. the fact that when I try to text message Kevin he doesn't receive them (same goes when he's trying to text me).

5. when people ask me what styles other stores carry (and I'm not talking about OUR other stores).

*in case you didn't catch it...I'm being sarcastic. :)

damn you continental airlines!!

I logged into my yahoo account. I got excited, I had mail. Somebody heard my plea for a "hello" and responded...

Continental Airlines OnePass Miles...just wanting to let me know I have accrued no more miles and those pitiful ones I have aren't enough to even go from here to Seattle. Gee, thanks.

it's saturday...

How can I tell, you ask? Well. You see dear reader it is like this... My little corner of the internet gets really quiet. My animal list members all have things they are doing and don't post near as much (remember, I have told you before, NO LAUGHING AT ME!). My friends and family (except for Dad this morning...I mean Captain Dude, or do you prefer your other alter ego, Thunder Man these day?) anyway, afore mentioned friends and family all have lives therefore do NOT get online. Well, I should say if they do get online it's not to write to me and tell me how fabulous I am. And quite honestly, I would even just take a "hey, what-cha doin'?" email on Saturdays...so. damn. boring.

Work is going to prove to be an ass kicker today, I have a feeling. It's going to be a beautiful day, first off, and I'm tired. Two things that always = busy ass day!!

I'm still at home anticipating this day. Drinking my first latte of the day.

I had a dream last night of my tattoo. It is going to be beautiful! Although in the dream it covered almost my entire right leg (don't worry parents, won't happen that big). I also dreamed that my dear friend Jill started working for my boss at the shop I used to work at (not related to Clogs-N-More at all) in the NW 23rd area. It was all very weird and surreal...

So here I am, waiting to go catch the bus (yeah, I know I still have Ahmed's car and I'd drive it into work, BUT he's taking his van in and so there would be no way for him to drive it home tonight. AND we have the agreement that I'll take it to him on Monday). I've thought about it people, it's the only logical way to do it...I. Love. My. Boss. (and his fan-freaking-tastic car!). Plus, if I drove, I'd have to pay for parking. Not a pretty thing at all...and we don't validate.

who are you?

Thanks Jen and Carrie... GO HERE (to see why I thank them)!

My Superhero Identity is:

Name: Madame Woman (that's right, but you can just call me Madame)
Special Power: Psionic Blast (beware, it's powerful stuff)
Transportaion: Nuclear Tricycle (I tried a bike, but the trike...much easier)Weapon: Ion Cannon (I was called Shannon the Cannon at one point, shit, they were onto me!!!)
Costume: Fibersteel Skin (I am soooo glad I laid off the ice cream, it's a bitch to get the damn suit on after a binge!)
Sidekick: Squeaky Sally (yeah, I'm shopping for a new one though, she's annoying as all get out!!! She lets them all know we are on our way, no surprise entrances for me)
Nemesis: Nancy the Mad (Let me tell you about her...she's no good, all kinds of evil that Nancy is...and she's CRAZY!!!)
Tragic Flaw: Addicted to solitaire (just one more round, no...one more, wait, one more after this one...)
Favorite Food: Strawberries (if you could dip those suckers in chocoate, I'd be one happy gal!!! Oh wait, the damn suit shows EVERYTHING, nevermind!)

yeah, update on the update

I have to say I have the kindest, most generous boss EVER!!! He is lending me a car this weekend so that I can do all the things I would like to do. His daughter sadly did not pass her driving test (which is a weird thing for me to handle...her driving...since she was only 13 when I started working here) and so they have an extra car. At first he was going to figure out how to get me their minivan. I was touched. The mere thought of his generosity is enough to bring me to tears. Next, he decided instead of trying to find someone to go to his house to get the van he'd just leave me with his car...his 2005 Honda Accord...the car I drooled on when he got it at the end of last year...SPEACH!LESS!

weekend update (or run down)

Another one. This is right when I turned on the camera. I kept telling him he was going to ruin his eyes, Dad, but he doesn't/didn't listen (just like us kids probably never listened).

It's a cool morning here in Portland. Kev's sleeping in (damn him and his Friday morning sleep ins!), I'm drinking my latte feeling rather sluggish (although not near as sluggish as I was yesterday), I'm wondering how my weekend will unfold (I have a few ideas of how I'd like it to unfold).

My weekend will hopefully include the following (and knowing me, it will!):

Tonight- I'd really enjoy going to a party one of my reps/friends is having. She even helped me figure out which bus to take right after work, but since Kev is going out with Chuck tonight I have no ride home (bus service is wonky and I really don't like the idea of transferring late at night in a dark, scary part of town...something I'm sure most would understand). So, if I can come up with some crazy alternative plan B I will still go.

Saturday- My dear friend Jenn and I are going to get together and we will do the following: eat dinner, I will learn how to knit (or try to, she assures me it is very easy), and then she will take her deep cleaner home when she heads that way.

Sunday- Meet with Naomi the tattoo artist (can hear the "damn, thought she was over that idea" now) at 10:30. Chat with her and share ideas. Probably around Noon meet Red Shoe Jen (still have to actually have a conversation with her instead of her voice mail...got two minutes into an actual conversation with her and then customers walked in...later left a voice mail, I hope she doesn't think I'm nuts) anyway, we are meeting and introducing her dog (I think she said his name was Buckley) and Josie. She suggested a dog park we've been to before, but it's kind of small so I might suggest a different one where Josie actually runs, like a real dog, with other dogs! After we hang out for a while and say our goodbyes Jill and I will run around a little on the quest for the perfect brown knee high boot (me) and anything she feels she can't live without.

Monday- Hike, somewhere high so I can take the camera if'n it's not raining...yes, laugh because it is almost always raining now...it IS October in Portland afterall. I'm thinking Angels Rest again. Haven't done that one in a while. It's hard, but the pay off makes it worth it!!!

H-EYE

Kevin got me a webcam. Simon, he adores it. He's such a cutie and I just love the fact that he's all kinds of curious about it. Then again, he IS a cat...

wow, three in one day!!! can you handle it reggie?!?!

I just sold a pair of shoes to a woman. She's been in before and I remembered her, although the name had escaped me. Last time she'd come in she was alone. Tonight, she had her husband (?) with her. He looked vaguely familiar. As she was paying he was standing next to her and looked at me with an odd look on his face. He said, "Did you work somewhere over on 23rd before? You look familiar." I explained that I had worked over on 23rd about a million years ago (okay, more like four and a half) and that he had a great memory. He said he thought I seemed familiar.

I had another person do this to me and what really surprised me is she remembered my name! I used to get coffee from her at what used to be called Aphrodite. It is no longer that, I'm not really sure what it's called anymore and now that Coffee Plant is in my world I honestly don't care anymore. :) That one, freaked me out a bit. Cool, but odd since I'm always the one with the crazy memory. I have frightened a customer or two by remembering slight details about conversations we'd had or what not when they'd been in... two years prior...

wow, really?

I am amazed by my fellow human beings at times.

Fiction, kids, fiction.

my own personal hell

Back when Kevin was moving in with me, prior to getting married (don't judge!) I spent an evening with a good friend who was visiting from Tennessee writing a decree. This decree stated that he was never to play any Bob Dylan while I was in the apartment, in the car, etc. He was, and still is, very aware of my dislike of dear old Bob. He understands and therefore does not play any of his music (which is what I hear most people call the sounds Bob produces) when I am around. WHY does the local radio station I listen to at work NOT understand this decree? I mean, COME ON!!! His voice to me is like the sound metal makes when it rubs against another metal object, or when you scrape your teeth on the tines of the fork....gagghghh! Can not stand that sound, I can not stand the sound that Bob emits and you can't make me!

I just got done trying to ignore "Like a Rolling Stone" by dear old Bob. I couldn't tune it out, I couldn't turn it off, I just had to suffer. I have a hard time changing the station when I have customers in the store. And when said customers are HUMMING ALONG it makes it worse. I imagine myself having a royal freak out and screaming at them wildly while doing everything in my power to get to the radio or remote control so I may in fact change the station. But I don't ever do it. One of these days Alice...

When I was visiting my sister in LA I got a taste of XM radio. Man, I want! We saw the little do-dad you use to transmit it to your car, body, house at Target. Only $50...not bad. Then Kev said, "you do know you have to subscribe to it, don't you?" Yes, dear, I do know. I've not looked into how much it costs, but boy I can only imagine radio at work with NO commercials, NO repeats...sigh.

according to reggie

My blog has gotten stale. I don't know if he feels this will all of a sudden wipe away all and any block I have for coming up with fantastic and new things or if he thinks that I'm holding all the "good" stuff back and not sharing...it boggles my mind really.

I yelled to Reggie as Kev was talking with him yesterday to start his own damn blog so I can bitch and moan about him. I don't think he's going to. Kev's suggestion was a word of the day blog. Who knows, maybe Kev will start that one.

My Dad told me to tell Reggie to look at my sidebar to check out blogs I find entertaining. I told him I thought he didn't want to get sucked into blogs of those he doesn't actually know. Little does he know, he's missing out on some hysterical people!

do this!!!

My friend Kerri sent me this:

1. in the google search bar type the word: failure
2. click the "i'm feeling lucky" button...
3. report back

what a weekend

It was a great weekend. We shared time with many friends, we ate much food, I yacked a bit....

Kev got me a snazzy new web cam for my birthday. I've learned how to use it with Yahoo IM but am a bit confused how to make AOL IM realize it is connected.

I went and got the damn upholstery hose for the steam cleaner. Although honestly I refuse to call it a steam cleaner since the flipping thing doesn't produce heat and actual steam. You mix the solution with "VERY HOT TAP WATER". How in the hell does that make it a steam cleaner?!?!? Oh well, spot cleaned the carpet again where Josie had been going. Got her a new bed at Target to put at the spot when it's all dry so she doesn't continue using it for a potty. Kev just ran the regular vacuum and is unloading the dishwasher. I've got a bit of laundry to do before tomorrow (mostly, what I'm wearing now...this will get interesting since we are going out to eat BBQ tonight). I suppose I should go change and start a load so I can have things hanging to dry by tomorrow.

Joy, aren't you glad you popped in to see what was happening in our world today? Thrilling...no?

note to self

Always take the day after your birthday off if it is flowing right into your weekend...

I woke feeling rather groggy this morning. Nothing like a horrible hangover, but just out of it and sad I was having to go into work. I'll deal, I always deal. It's funny because when I drink wine I tend to wake in the middle of the night with a headache and cotton mouth. I drink almost an entire small bottle of water and by morning I'm just groggy and wishing I could stay in bed (why I don't drink wine on "school" nights often).

Kev has told me that tonight, we go to El Tapatio with various friends at 7:30. I'm happy!!!

i love you all!

Oh my girlies...

I am so honored that the six of you could come out and join me in celebration (and was thoughtful of all those who couldn't be there at Southpark with us...).

Jill, Chaz, Jenn, Amanda, Shannon, Yoon...wow, what amazing women I know! Thank you all for making my birthday that much brighter. I can't wait to see what Kev has in store for me tomorrow.

My friend Yoon popped into the store this afternoon, right around 4:30. I'd not seen her for some time. She's a customer turned friend (I seem to pick up many of my friends at the store). I instantly asked her what she was doing tonight to which she replied, "nothing, what's up?" I asked her to join us for my birthday celebration and she happily did so. It was a night full of annoying men (we will forever call that portion of the bar the "axis of evil" and when going to the restroom it's "just left past the axis of evil"), fabulous wine and other libations, amazing conversation, and beautiful friends. I've had such a wonderful day and am thankful for each of my friends, those who could be there with me physically and those who were there with me in spirit (you all know who you were...try all of you!!!).

Okay, I'm off to consume bottles of water (I only had three glasses of wine so not too bad) and find a silly book to read.

'night!

in love

...with mozilla firefox!!! No, the comment a few posts ago did NOT have any influence what-so-ever over my choice to download it at work. The memory of opening my faves in tabs was the reason.

I suggest you all try it today...purrrrrr.

cold pad thai with scallops...

Last night after an incredible yoga practice Diana, Jill and I went out for dinner. Pad Thai Kitchen...drooooool. The best Thai in town! I ordered my favorite, pad thai, scallops, medium heat. PER!FECT!

So, today's birthday lunch (ahem, ahem, nudge, nudge...) will be cold pad thai with scallops, medium heat. Nothing makes me happier than that. The simple things.

remember to breath

when stressed, try this:

take a nice deep breath in, count to three or four, let it out slowly, counting to the same number. keep breathing with inhale matching exhale in length. see how it makes you feel. do this for five breaths. feel better?

i do.

list time once again...

1. Finish paying bills (home and work).

2.Get Judy's email address so I can pass along all the information for her reps so she can email her own orders in for the kids store.

3. Put together fill in orders for a couple companies.

4. Break down some recycling.

5. Call the OR Dept of Revenue and ask them where the hell our tax money is!!!

6. Call Stark Vacuum repair and arrange to have a hose held for the steam vac I borrowed (which broke while I was using it...grumble).

7. Deal with customers as they come in (ongoing event).

8. Send my dear Tanya her birthday gift.

9. continue tagging things onto this list as the day allows...

italics=done...couldn't find the strike through

Thanks Bekah!