I Can See Clearly Now (Sort Of)

Last night I was over at Kristi's house, and one of my contacts was bothering me. I went into the bathroom, took some contact solution off the shelf, and took my contact out. After rinsing it thoroughly, I went to put it back in. As soon as the contact barely touched my eye, I almost had a heart attack. It was burning SOOOO much. Honestly it felt like I had poured rubbing alcohol in my eye. From like, one drop of the liquid. It just kept burning and burning and burning. I cannot put into words how much it hurt. But it hurt...A LOT.

Turns out, that instead of saline solution, I had cleaned my contact off with this:
Looks like contact solution, right? Well…I failed to notice this warning on the side of the bottle:

This solution needs at least six hours to neutralize. Do not rinse lenses with Clear Care® prior to inserting lenses into your eyes. If you want to rinse lenses, use a sterile saline like Softwear® Saline. Do not squirt Clear Care® directly into your eyes.

So…yeah…basically it is solution for overnight cleaning. And I put the unneutralized solution in my eyes. Which makes me think of perm solution. Which, honestly, I think if I’d put perm solution in my eye…it wouldn’t have hurt any more than this did.

So…I rinsed the contact with water, and with regular saline and then put it in my eye. And it STILL felt just as bad. Burn burn burn. You see, because it still hadn’t been six hours. My eye was watering like crazy, and the left side of my face was covered in smeared mascara. I looked like Alice Cooper. I’m so freaking stupid. Finally I just threw the contact out…and got a spare one out of my purse and put it in. And it felt fine...(as fine as it could feel, under the circumstances)…but my eye still hurts. This morning it’s still bright red.

So...as a public service announcement...don't put non-saline solution in your eyes. Now you know. And now I know. And thankfully I got the glam rock makeup off my face. You have to count the little blessings, after all.

What's In A Name?

My name is Janine. I don't feel like it's THAT hard of a name to say or to understand. Juh-neen. Pretty simple. That being said, here is a list of names that I have been called while in my current job...many of them more than once:

Jamie

Jeanette

Shirley

Daneen

Jolene

Susan

Janie

Jan

Doreen

AND...the name that I was JUST called...which prompted this impromptu post:

Jermaine.


Seriously?

Come ON.

Football Mania

So...I feel bad when I stop by the blog and see that anyone has visited that day...only to find that my most recent post is over a month old. Sorry about that...I'll try to do better. Which, of course, I say all the time...and don't always follow through with...but...take it or leave it.

Lately, I've been kind of engrossed in Football...more so than usual. So...to get back in the blogging swing of things...I thought I'd list some awesome football related facts and musings:

**FIRST AND FOREMOST: With a win over our "Border War" rivals, CSU, the Wyoming Cowboys are Bowl Eligible for the first time...well, in a long time. Woohoo!! We've had a couple of really frustrating games this season, but I'm so so happy to see it end on a happy note...and if we get a Bowl Game, that will be the icing on the cake. Most signs point to us heading to the New Mexico Bowl and playing Fresno State. Kristi and I discussed the possibility of jetting down to Albuquerque to watch the game. This might depend on if I spend ALL of the money in my bank account on Christmas presents in the next day or so. Which is a real possibility. Seriously.

**I have found myself engrossed in the NFL season this year more than I've ever been in the past. Traditionally, I've been more of a College football fan...but this year, the NFL has got me excited. And excited in more ways than the usual "Holy Crap, Peyton Manning is SO HOT" ways. I am really getting wrapped up in the games every week. This may be due to the fact that I've been included in the office pool this year, and don't want to make a fool of myself...but who's to say? You never know when a bug is going to bite you, right?

**In the aforementioned office pool, I won this past week's grand prize of $7.00. That's right...there IS a decimal after that first digit. I didn't win 70 dollars. I didn't win 700 dollars. I won 7 dollars. Is there any wonder why the stakes of this pool have motivated me to be so NFL-savvy all of the sudden? Yeah...it's pretty obvious.

**Over Thanksgiving my family decided to play flag football for the first time. Well...it was the first time I've been involved anyway. I think I only touched the ball one time, and I never tackled anyone...but I'm pretty sure that I am going to get called up to the FFML (flag football major league) any time now. I mean...I only threw one interception in the whole game. I think that's better than Tom Brady can say about HIS performance this week.

**Is it just me, or does Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints, look JUST like Kenny Chesney? I mean...it's uncanny. No...I don't know how many yards anyone rushed for in their game against the Patriots...but the Payton/Chesney connection haunted me all night.

**Bill Belichick might want to re-think his sweatshirts with the sleeves cut off for next week. When you're playing an undefeated season, you can make all the horrible fashion decisions you want...but when you're falling apart like nobody's business, you should at least try to LOOK good on the sidelines...since your coaching decisions are looking HORRIBLE in the game. Just a thought.

That might be it. I could go on and on about my love for the game, I'm sure...but I've got $7.00 burning a hole in my pocket, and I might just have to jet to Vegas instead of Albuquerque to spend it...I'm feeling lucky!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

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Help Me Out...

If anyone asks you about an apparent smudge in the freshly painted door frame in Student Services across the hall from my office...I've prepared a response for you:

“A smudge in the freshly painted door frame? Huh? That’s so weird. Well…if I know one thing, I know that it couldn’t have possibly been Janine. If it HAD been Janine, that would have meant that she stood there, watching the painter paint that door frame maroon, and then, 8 seconds after he walked away, she would have grabbed onto said frame to brace herself while she leaned over to look at the pictures in the switchboard operator’s biography about Bette Davis. Like Janine, of ALL people, would do that. A classy, smart, and totally together broad like her? Please…”

Well...

...it was bound to happen sooner or later. I do live in Wyoming, after all.

I woke up to the first snowfall of the fall. Or, as I like to call it, the first of many times that I have to clean my freaking car off when I'm already running 10 minutes late.

I always cross my fingers for later...rather than sooner. I wouldn't mind if it snowed on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve alone. But...nothing ever turns out how I want it to.

My Current Battle

So in case you've been checking my blog daily and then cursing to yourself at the sight of the angry tooth pirate guy...again...then you should know that when a girl is in the midst of an epic battle, against ruthless and terrifying foes, in defense of her territory, she cannot be bothered to blog.

Translation: I've got mice. Effing mice. Oh, how I hate them. And I know it's all Fall's fault...stupid cooler weather...but I hate seeing them...they make my skin crawl. It might be even worse when I don't see them...but I HEAR them...ugh...not knowing where they are...expecting them to swarm out of the walls and crawl up my leg and kill me. Or...at least poop on my floor. Not sure which is worse. But I'm living a nightmare right now. In case you care.

Mice, of course, do not prevent me from blogging at all. I'm just lazy, I think...but, also, other than the screams and squeals that I emit when I see the little buggers, I've got nothing of real entertainment value to report. So why report the mice? Well...basically,I saw another one last night and felt like whining about it. And, if you don't like listening to me whine...or reading my whiney words, I guess...you probably wouldn't EVER read my blog in the first place. :)

I've attached a video of a casualty from my first battle of the week:



At the time, I was hoping he was a loan scout, and that when he didn't return, the other mice would realize that I was a foe that was not to be tested...and clear off. Instead, I think he was kamikazi-esque soldier sent as a sacrifice to distract me while the others set up camp.

Don't worry...I've got my game face on...I'm sure that I'll be victorious in the end. If you don't hear from me for a while...at least you'll know I'm bravely caught up in a valiant cause...even if I'm squirming and screaming the whole time.

My Greatest Fear

So...by reading my blog, one might think that my greatest fear is a bad hair day. Or perhaps, getting stuck inside a tanning bed. While those both rank in the top five, I have to admit that even higher on my list of greatest fears is going to the Dentist. I won't get into my long LONG story...because I'm sure you don't care...but the bottom line is that I've been to the dentist several times and not been numb when they've worked on me. I'm hard to numb. Which REALLY sucks.

But...after bouncing around, always afraid, and not really trusting anyone not to torture me for a while, I found a dentist who I really loved. He helped me get past my fear and always took care of me and got me numb and really got me to a good "I'm not terrified of the Dentist anymore" place.

And then...he retired.

And now...I have a toothache.

So...I have to go to someone new, and I HATE the thought of going to someone new. This is the worst day ever. Okay...not EVER. But this week...for sure. But...it's not to be avoided...as ending up with a toothless smile is the GREATEST fear of any self-respecting vain girl like myself.

Cross your fingers that I'll survive.

The Real Me

Just the other day I was sitting at work, and I was giving myself a mental pat on the back as I realized it had been quite a while since I’d spilled my drink across my desk. I’m not especially known for my grace…and spilling things is just one of those things that I do. But I sat there thinking that I’d turned over a new leaf…and let me tell you, it was gratifying.

So of course I totally spilled my water all over my desk this afternoon. I can’t be proud of myself for long before sabotaging it. It’s a subconscious desire to keep myself humble, I think.

After cleaning up the wet paper and setting my mouse pad out to dry, I realized my mouse wasn’t working as well as I wanted it to…you know…without a mouse pad. So I asked the gal I work with if we had any spare mouse pads in the storage closet. After telling me that we didn’t, and asking if I needed one permanently or temporarily, she pulled this out of her purse and gave it to me to use until mine dries out:


Um…

First off…do people do this? Carry spare mouse pads in their purses? I mean…if they DO…how did I miss out on this trend? I always thought that if I got caught with my Vin Diesel mouse pad in my purse I’d get laughed at. If only I had known…

Secondly…I feel a little weird showcasing a mouse pad featuring a deployed soldier and twin boys on my desk. You know? Not many people have such a mouse pad…unless they have even a remote connection to said soldier and said twins. Having it on my desk kind of feels like it would if I were caught buying a frame and just displaying the picture that it came with, and passing that happy looking couple off as my friends and/or family. I mean, how pathetic would that be?

All I’m saying is that I prefer that the pictures on my desk…including those featured on my mouse pad represent who I really am…nothing more...nothing less. Kind of like this one, that hangs on my office wall:


Misrepresenting yourself is so lame.

Pig-anoia

The girls in the office just heard that CU just sent home 60 students due to the Swine Flu. KU sent some home, too. Some other school, too. The bottom line is that they are freaking out. Freaking out and wearing masks.

I don’t want to take the subject lightly…I certainly don’t want to get the Swine Flu. But if there is one way to define me…(other than the tanning bed’s eternal lover/mortal enemy)…it is vain. In spite of the slight appeal of being able to make unseen faces at dumb or stinky people standing in front of me, I can’t get myself to wear the mask. How dorky would I look? There is no way my hair wouldn’t get messed up. Please. Not to mention the fact that I don’t carry 18 different lip glosses in my purse just to hide their fruit-i-licious shine behind a mask.

If I’m the first to go, so be it…but I’ll go down with my cute nose showing and my face free of mask induced welts. It’s called standing up for what you believe.

Back To School

Well, after a summer that I really don’t think was NEARLY long enough, school is set to start again tomorrow. Yes…on a Wednesday. We go against the grain. Deal with it. Anyway…as we’ve been gearing up for the new semester, I’ve gotten a plethora of confused folks who’ve turned to me for guidance. While most of them ask understandable questions…I thought I’d pay homage to the “special” ones...

A list of my favorite pre-semester questions/comments:

***Hey, I know that classes start on Wednesday this week. When will my Thursday class revert to meeting on Thursdays?

***Hey, I’m trying to log in to register, and my user name and password aren’t working. I got them from the last school I attended, but for some reason I’m not in the system.

***Does this campus have bathrooms?

***Student: Hey, I’d like to pay for my classes.

Me: (after looking up their account) I’m not showing that you owe anything.
(after looking up their registration) I'm actually not showing that you're
registered for classes. When did you register?

Student: Oh…I haven’t done that yet.

***Hi, I was looking at my account, and it’s higher than I thought it was going to be, so I need you to go in and remove those “mandatory student fees,” because I don’t want to pay for them.

I could go on. I could really do a weekly installment of stupid questions…I just need to keep track of them all. On second thought…it might have to be a daily installment.

Evolution

Kristi came over for dinner last night and we went through some old school pictures of mine. In case you were wondering what the process of becoming the coolest chick on the block looks like...feast your eyes on THESE beauties...




You have to know that the last picture was my FAVORITE school picture ever, when it was taken. I'm not sure how I got my hair to be that big...(I think I just wanted to make sure it was bigger than my glasses)...but I remember thinking it was the best day of my life.

Camping With The Girls...With Minimal Photographic Evidence

On Friday, Kristi had an amazing idea that we should go camping with some of our BFFs who no longer live in Laramie...and because they are totally awesome, they were up for it right away. Val drove from Salt Lake, while Kristi and I drove from Laramie, and we all met in Baggs, where Lacy lives now. As soon as we got to the campsite I took my camera out to find that it was dead. =( So...I had to take pictures with my phone. Which was also dying...so I couldn't take many. Talk about LAME. But Wyoming is freaking beautiful, even in only 2.0 megapixels.





We all had a blast and I was reminded how much fun it is having girlfriends around. Don't get me wrong...boys have their perks...but nothing beats a good old fashioned girls weekend. Even if you don't get pictures of the girls.

P.S. I took my camera out this afternoon to see if I could get some pictures off of it...and then remembered that it was dead. Upon opening the battery slot, I figured out what my problem really was:

Yep. I am THAT smart.

And Then I Went to San Diego

So…I realize I go to California a lot, so I thought I’d share a dozen things that I learned and/or were unique about this most recent trip.

1. If you are a Disneyland fanatic and think you can resist going there on a trip to California, it’s not going to work. You’re going to go to Disneyland whether you like it or not. Luckily you like it.

2. Security on Amtrak is WAY more lax than security on planes. And by “more lax,” I mean that there is no apparent security on Amtrak.

3. Even if you’ve worn the same shoes to Disneyland 4 times previously without incident, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to get a blister the size of Space Mountain on the ball of your foot. Or, the size of a quarter. One of the two.

4. Coronado Ferry Landing would have you believe that they have a Cupcakery. Even the thought of a cupcakery is a delight! If you go in the next couple of days though, it won’t be open, so get ready for some heartache.

5. When your sister tells you the tram at Balboa Park stops at every museum, this translates into “There are 25 museums here, spread over about 15 blocks, and this tram has a total of 3 stops. Get ready to walk, Gimpy Blistered Foot Girl.”

6. The “Body Worlds” exhibit at the Museum of Natural History (I think) is 80% amazing, 10% interesting, 7% creepy, and 3% anatomically correct at unnecessary times.

7. If you have to wait a while to get into Pizza Nova…don’t you worry…it’s worth it.

8. The sand on the beach at the Coronado Naval Base is hot enough to make your already blister riddled feet cry.

9. Just because the sand is hot and your skin is boiling, doesn’t mean that the ocean water isn’t going to be so cold that your feet will ache like you’re standing in a snow drift.

10. There is a restaurant called Islands that has the best burgers ever. Right up there with Five Guys. I lasted until minute 58 of an hour long dinner before I dribbled down my shirt.

11. There is a place called Yogurt World in the street racing district. If you can get over the feeling that you’re an extra in the next The Fast and The Furious movie, it’s a dream. They charge by weight, though…so even if you think you’re just going to try “a little” of each kind, get ready to pay 12 dollars for your bucket of yogurt. 12 dollars well spent, mind you.

12. My sister is pretty long suffering. Driving me and my friends all over town at all hours of the day and night…she never complained once. At least not out loud.

I did take some pictures out there…but not as many as I thought I would…and mostly just of scenery. Images of me with a humidity induced sweat-bomb face and stupid curly hair should never be captured on film. Or memory card. Here are some images, though, of the pretty things in San Diego:

This is my SAN DIEGO, HERE I COME face! Woohoo! Leaving in like two minutes!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. My mom is the best example of unconditional love that I could have ever gotten in my life. There is nothing that she wouldn't do, if it's within her power, for the people that she loves. And she loves a lot of people. And they love her back! She practices selfless service every day, and nothing makes her happier than doing things for other people. I've learned so much from her...(though I've yet to master her kindness and generosity, I fear!)...and I'm grateful to have such an amazing mom to take care of me. Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Is It Worse To Be A Dork...Or An Idiot?

You know…because I’m generally a mean spirited person, I’ve always inwardly chuckled when I’ve seen folks riding their bikes with one of those cuffs their pant leg…or even worse…a rubber band. I mean…fashion first, right? Nothing cool about pegged pants, right?

I guess, though, that riding along with one pegged pant leg is preferable to riding along, innocently, and then realizing that your pants are being pulled down, because as you were riding, you didn’t realize that your baggy, too long for bike riding, loosey goosey exercise pants were getting wrapped around your pedal with every turn all the way down the road from your house. And then you realize that when you want to stop, and take your foot off the pedal, you won’t be able to…because your foot is wrapped up inside the pants that are wrapped repeatedly around the pedal. So…you screech to a stop and kind of topple your bike to the ground, and hop around on one foot, while you try to disentangle your pant leg. And it’s not working. And you come to a realization that you are either going to have to cut your pants off...or take your pants off…in the middle of the street…because you cannot get that freaking leg untangled from the pedal. And let’s face it…you’re not taking your pants off. You might swear a little bit. You might break into a cold sweat. You might call your friend who lives around the corner, to see if she can come with some sharp scissors and a non-judgmental smile. But she won’t have her phone with her. So…you’ll stand there. Hunched over, on one leg, while the other juts out in front of you…attached to a pedal. While people drive by and pretend not to notice that you’re the biggest idiot on the block. Or maybe they’re just used to you being the biggest idiot on the block.

Finally…a surge of adrenaline born from not-so-quiet desperation will allow you to rip your pants free…but not before you make a mental note that pegged pants aren’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl. Logically, you’ll realize that public humiliation will trump them every time.

Not that I’ll ever wear one of those dorky cuffs. I mean…seriously.

All Grown Up

So...I realized, while looking at the calendar, that this week marks my fifth anniversary at my current job. In other words, I have been at my current job longer than I have ever been at a job in my entire life. And...I still enjoy my job, and unless that long-shot application for the position of "The Girl Who Hangs Out With Johnny Depp, Not To Steal Him From His Common Law Wife, But Rather To Try To Revel In His Absolute Coolness" pans out, I have no reason to change jobs in the near future. I'm a little freaked out. It almost sounds like I have a career. Isn't this what adults do?

Hmph...

And Then I Bought A Bike

Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling. ~James E. Starrs

I honestly don't even know who James E. Starrs is...but man...he really knew his stuff.

Last week I bought a bike...(that's the one, up there!)...and I'm telling you what...it has been the GREATEST investment ever! I just love it. Like the quote implies...it just makes me happy! I feel like it totally takes me back to being a kid again, and it never stops being fun. I've gone on rides almost every day/evening since I bought it...(some days, over the weekend, I went on several, with Kristi and Tyler. So much fun!!)...including one where we got stuck riding in the rain. My hair didn't enjoy that ride too much......but the rest of me LOVED it!

If you've forgotten the joys of riding a bike...I strongly recommend picking it up again! If you can manage to stay out of the rain, though...it might be a good thing...if only for your vanity. :)

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is my dad’s birthday! I know that I might get accused of being a bit biased, but I have to say that he really is the best dad ever. Some of my best times growing up were when my dad would take us fishing, or hunting, or sing crazy songs with us on long road trips in the car. And, even though I’m not “growing up” anymore…he still takes good care of me. He has taught me so much in my life…especially how to be a good person…I am lucky to have him. In short, I love him, and hope he has the best birthday ever!

Buckle Up!

So I could probably do weekly blog installments that showcase bad habits that I possess, but a girl can only self-depreciate so much, right? Right? Hmmm…

Well…for today, anyway, I’ll talk about my bad seatbelt habit. I don’t know why, but I almost never put my seatbelt on before I start driving. Instead, in the morning, for example, I back out of my driveway, put it into drive, and then put my seatbelt on as I am driving up the street. Don’t ask me why. It’s just how I roll.

So…today, as I was leaving for lunch, I backed out of my parking spot, and out of the College parking lot, and then reached to put my seatbelt on. Well…it wasn’t cooperating, and did not want to be put on. I’m sure we all have shut our seatbelt in the door before…so you know how that feels. So…sometimes, if your seatbelt isn’t TOTALLY slammed in the door, you can yank it out, right? Right. So I yanked. And I yanked and yanked…and turned onto Garfield…and yanked some more.

FINALLY…it gave up the fight. But, as it turns out, it wasn’t slammed in the door. Instead, it was wrapped around the recliner handle on the seat. So…you know what happens when you pull on the seatbelt that is wrapped around the recliner handle on your seat? You recline. While driving down Garfield.

So…I’m sure it was just a second or two before I pulled myself back up…but it felt like I was driving blind, in the snooze position, for like a year. I couldn’t see to pull over. I couldn’t see to avoid any oncoming traffic that I might ram into after possibly swerving into the other lane while laying down. SHEESH. When I finally DID get myself back up, my seat remained down…and I quickly pulled over (with no traffic around me, thank goodness) and remedied the whole situation…feeling like the total idiot that I apparently am.

The moral of the story? Put your seat belt on before you pull out of your parking spot. Or…don’t put it on at all. Safety first.

Busted!

So…I realize you can’t read what that pretty little pink piece of paper says, so I’ll fill you in.

On or about the 10th day of June, 2009, at 7:34 am, at the 3200nd Block of East Grand, a wild and reckless driver…(aka ME)…did unlawfully commit the following offense against the peace and dignity of the State of Wyoming:

“Speeding—subject drove 47 mph in a posted 30 mph zone confirmed by radar.”

So…there you have it. I’ve assaulted the peace and dignity of the great state of Wyoming. In my defense, the speed limit changes to 45 on that road, about 3 inches past where I was pulled over. I know that’s a weak excuse. I’m pretty much a menace to society. If you don’t want to associate with such a hooligan anymore…I’ll understand.

It's A Good Thing It's Friday...

...because this is about where I am right now...

Oh How I Miss Chris Farley

I stumbled upon this little gem today and just couldn't stop laughing. I LOVED that guy!

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Vacation...Alienators Style

Guess who's going to San Diego in July! The Alienators! That's right...Kristi, William, and I are flying out for some FUN IN THE SUN! San Diego doesn't know what it's in for!

Caos en la Línea del Supermercado

You know, I love the self-checkout lane at Walmart. I use it pretty much every time I got shopping…and feel like the whole checking out experience goes ten times faster. I’ve got it down to a well honed craft, too. I whiz right through that line and I’m pushing buttons before the little computerized voice is even telling me to, and I’m all done in a freaking flash! Such a flash, in fact, that I tend to get a little impatient with obvious self-checkout first timers. I just want to run up and do it for them, as they stare at the screen and wonder what to do next.

That being said, I got hit with the humble stick today when I was rushing to check out so that I wouldn’t be late getting back from my lunch hour. Racing up to the only checkout that wasn’t occupied, I started scanning my stuff immediately, barely paying attention to the screen. I’m all about speed, you know. Well, in case you aren’t familiar with the glory of self-checkouts, there ARE some things you can’t scan in. Produce for example. Bakery items. With these, you just touch the on screen button that says “look up item” and find whatever you’re buying on the screen. Again, I’m a total whiz with this. At least, I usually am, until I look up and notice that the screen, and all of its buttons, are in Spanish.

Um…

It’s not like the buttons were in different places. It’s not like the screen didn’t look exactly like it does when it’s in English…but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember WHICH button to push to look up the item. Like…where it was on the screen. And there are, obviously, several buttons to choose from. I swear I can usually do this in my sleep! But not in Spanish. Ugh. So…I took a gamble. And totally pushed the wrong button. A button that took me into some weird screen I’ve never seen. I tried really hard to push some other buttons to back out of there, but to no avail. And of course, two seconds hadn’t passed before the kindly old Walmart worker, who stands at the top of the self-checkout area to oversee them, came over to solve my problem. I think the position could be eliminated by a simple “back” button on the screen. But no…that would be too easy. Instead, when people mess up, something goes off on their terminal that says, “Great…the idiot at register #2 has screwed up royally. Go swipe the card hanging from your lanyard, push random buttons on the screen for a while, and make sure they feel good and stupid before you leave.”

So…smug “I’ll fix your issue” lady comes over. And I say to her as she’s walking toward me, “Hey, I just pushed the wrong button…I didn’t realize this was a Spanish terminal.” She looked at me like I was a crazy person. She came around to face the screen, and then looked up, totally dumbfounded. “I don’t speak Spanish,” she said. Well…super. So…instead of me pushing random buttons trying to get out of there, SHE was doing it. And I swear…she had no idea what she was doing. You could just tell. All the while, I was turning into that self-checker-outer that I hate…who holds everyone else in the store up. Ugh! FINALLY she swiped her little card, and it went back to the right screen. I KNEW it. All that random button pushing is just for show.

Anyway…once she had it fixed, she just stood there, watching me. Like I would want HER help ever again. Sheesh. After assuring her that I could muddle through without her, she finally went away. I chose the right button…I found my item…and finally checked out…promising myself that, in the future, I will never start scanning again until I’m SURE that the machine is speaking my language.

An Open Letter to All You "Scooters"

Hello, Mister Scooter Driver. I get the fact that you think you’re pretty cool on that scooter. Maybe you drive it because you’re trying to get good gas mileage. Maybe you’re driving it because you can’t afford a car. Maybe you think it’ll do until you can get the dough together to get a real motorcycle. As judgmental as I usually am, I have never had a problem with scooters…really. While it has never been a mode of transport I’ve been drawn to, I say live and let live. To those who choose to drive them, I’ve always said, "Scooter Drivers of the World…Scoot On!"

If, however, you are going to ride that scooter…and you can’t get the little bugger going above 19.5 miles per hour…while going down-freaking-hill…on a major, well traveled, road…then I’m going to start having a problem with the scooter. There are side streets for a reason, Bub.

Um...

...in the name of my constant need for self promotion, I thought I'd put a little deal on the side of this blog to show when I've updated my movie blog. Which I updated today. And yet...it's showing my most recent update as the one from the other day. Actually, if you click on the title, "Janine At The Movies," it'll take you to the new post. But it doesn't show the post as the newest post. :( Which I don't get. And I thought I'd share. But also...I updated my movie blog. Again. Maybe by the time anyone reads this, it will have fixed itself...but I don't know. We'll see.

And...in case you haven't noticed...I really love links lately. But one Link/Linc in particular will always be my favorite. Hee hee.

****UPDATE****

Looks like it finally fixed itself. Although there is supposed to be a picture there. There was a picture when it was highlighting the wrong post. Ugh. Oh well...maybe the picture will show up eventually.

A Little FYI...

Just in case anyone was wondering...I DO still watch movies. I even blogged about one of them...which I thought I might have forgotten how to do...but it turned out to be just like riding a bike. I hope to do better in keeping that thing up to date...if only because it kills time on a boring afternoon. ; )

Summer...Is That You?

So...we're supposed to get up to around 80 degrees in Laramie today...or, depending on which weatherman you listen to, even above 80.

I'm trying to keep a straight face and just look natural...because if Summer really IS here...I don't want to scare it away.

****UPDATE****

This was the thermometer when I went home at lunch...

And this was my face when I was forced to remember what it feels like when I first get into my car in the summer...

Yes, Sharon, I'm glad I don't have to deal with the Houston heat...and I AM happy for the summer...but thank goodness for air conditioning in the Grand Am!

Just Call Me Marshall Mathers

Last night, anyway, I could have easily gone by the name Eminem...'cause I was cleanin' out my closet.

My original intent was to clean out some dresser drawers full of clothes that I NEVER wear to make room for clothes that I do wear, but that I didn't have room for in my closet. So...I emptied the drawers...and then kind of just went bananas, hitting the closet, too...and getting rid of stuff that I don't use/wear/like anymore.

Here is the pile of hangers after I'd taken everything out of the closet that didn't belong in there. Some of it was junk, but some was just stuff for the dresser that didn't need to hang.

This is one of the piles of clothes that I had to sort through...there was another one on my bed...

These are the FOUR bags of clothes that I took out of my room once I was done...reminding me that I REALLY need to do this more often. I am horrible at keeping clothes that I don't need anymore.

Finally...my closet never knew, before last night, that there was such a thing as these wide open spaces...it was a miracle!

I'd love to take a picture of my whole bedroom and show you all how beautifully organized it is...but THAT...is a work in progress. The closet being done is a big enough success for today!