A Good Day

Yes, my friends, it has stopped raining, it is Friday, and I am in possession of the most beautiful Marc Jacobs shoes ever, and they were half price. Does it get any better than this?

A Little Bit Bitter. Is that so wrong?

So, much drama and craziness has been going on at Office (not to be confused with The Office, because, damn, my job just isn't that funny), so please do excuse me for the lengthy hiatus. It seems that my department just isn't showing enough intensity for my immediate manager's taste, even though I've been working my fingers to the bone and staying late and waking up at 3am and needing to make fucking to-do lists because I am so overwhelmed. Essentially, she feels that while said department is producing what we need to be producing, we're just not showing the intensity she wants to see. I guess I need to be shuffling more papers around and running, not walking, to the fax room, and perhaps I should cry in a meeting or two? Perhaps then I'll be showing the intensity she is requiring.

Um, do I sound bitter? Cause I am. For real, tho.

In any case, I'm just trying to stay away from the manager for a while, tuck in and do my job. I'm good at my job, dammit, and I don't like it when it is implied that I am not. Not that she would ever say that I'm not good at my job, but the fucking implication is there, you know? What is so ironic is that she is not so hot at her job. She has definite strongpoints, and she tries very hard, but the fact is, she has had no management experience heretofore. I have far more management experience than she (not that I'm going to point that out or anything but you know, she's seen my CV), so sometimes it pains me to see the mistakes she is making. Bah.

Let's talk about something good, shall we? For those of you in the Santa Barbara area, you'll be pleased to hear that Blue Bee is having one of their fabulous sales this weekend, and I plan on snagging a pair of Marc Jacobs shoes (or two. or three.) for 50% off, cause damn, that's cheap. If you wait until Sunday, they'll up the discount to 70%, but the lines can be out the door. It's a tiny store, after all. There also might be a pair of Pucci sandals in the future for me, because nothing says springtime like Pucci, no? The Peanut's best friend from San Diego is coming up this weekend, so perhaps there will be lots of girl time for me. When he and Rob get together, all they want to do is blab about cameras and computers, and take pictures and play with the pictures on the computer and you know? I'm just not super interested. I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy seeing the result, and I like seeing how the pictures start and how they end up, but the actual process? Eh. So I will grab JR and make her shop with me. There is also the Santa Barbara Film Festival this weekend, so I anticipate a movie or two in my future. The bachelorette party planning is going well. The Evite has been sent, the restaurant has been reserved. I've even bought my tickets and made a reservation at the hotel (here, which I'm excited about). One of my best friends from college and I are going to share a room, so we're going to pretend we're living in the dorms again (shout out, Mitchell Hall!). Good times.

TGIF, Bitches

I am so very, very glad that it is Friday. The past two weeks have been insane at work, and I have a fear that this is setting the tone for the rest of the year. The piles of work on my desk keep growing, and every time I start to work on a project, something else comes up. I've resorted to writing to-do lists, so that I have some sense of accomplishment each day when I can scratch off one of the eleventy million things I have written down. It's not pretty. And does no one in upper management see the irony in having two meetings this week that were essentially about time management? Don't they see that the fact that they force me to attend multiple meetings every day cuts into my, you know, work time? On Wednesday I spent six out of the nine hours at work in a meeting. It's so very, very stupid.
But alas, it is Friday, and it's finally stopped raining here, and the weather is beautiful. Last weekend I barely left the house because I didn't feel like trudging through six inches of water to get to my car, but this weekend...WOO! I mean, I'm not going to like, freak out, and drink tequila and snort coke off a stripper's ass, but I am going to happy hour tonight with some friends, and then wine tasting tomorrow. Maybe dinner and a movie tomorrow night, and Sunday JR and I are going shopping. So you know, that kind of WOO!.
I've also gone back to the gym in the last few weeks, and I've apparently done something really, really bad to my knee. In Spinning last night I had a little twinge in my left knee at the beginning of class, but it went away by the time I had finished. This morning, though, I feel like my knee might just break right off and crawl away and die. It really hurts. I've never had any sports-related injuries before, so I'm unclear what to do. Ice? Heat? Stop wearing four inch heels everyday? Liquor? If any of you have some idea, do so let me know. Otherwise, I may just hobble around forever.

Totally not dead or anything like that

Hey kids. Just a verrryyyy short note to say that I'm not dead or anything like that. Work is just consuming every moment of my time, and I'm planning a bacherlorette party in DC for thirty people, and well, I have a lot going on. We've had floods and mudslides and all sorts of gnarly weather going on, which isn't helping. It's finally clearing up and I'm no longer afraid to drive for fear of being swept away. Good times. In any case, I promise to write a little something more interesting soon. Ciao.

Listmania

I'm sort of a little bit dumbfounded that the new year is actually here, that it is happening as I write. The past month has been the proverbial blur, and I've been something of a slacker keeping up the writing in this little space. In a nutshell, there have been some holiday parties, a trip back East, the worst storm Santa Barbara has seen, well, since I've lived here, and two whole days without electricity, hot water and heat. There was yet another bout of lost luggage, one that resulted in a bunch of my stuff being damaged, including my favorite Coach bag, my second favorite pair of pointy toed boots, and most of the books I got for Christmas. There was a kick ass New Year's karaoke party, that ended with my friend C and I doing "Angel of the Morning" (yes, Juice Newton) as a duet, and it was awesome. Umm, what have I forgotten? Let's just wrap up the year in one of those snazzy little lists that all the cool kids are doing this year, shall we? I'm stealing mine from Sundry.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you haven't done before? Hmm. Rented a house for a week in another country. Sang karaoke.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I'll get back to you next year on this one.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die? My uncle, suddenly and quietly.
5. What countries did you visit? Mexico. But not like, Tiajuana. San Miguel de Allende.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you didn't get in 2004? An engagement ring.
7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? No specific dates, but the weekend spent in San Francisco with K and J was pretty awesome. Also? Halloween in Vegas.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Making it though one more year at my job.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting entirely out of debt. Yet.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Um, two abscesses resulting in two root canals. That sucked.
11. What was the best thing you bought?My brown suede Coach bag, because I love it.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Jon Stewart (ripping off Sundry a little, but it's true!)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The entire Bush administration.
14. Where did most of your money go? Rent. Car. Stuff that I don't need but am compelled to buy.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Our Mexico trip. Actually, most of our trips, because I live for that sort of thing.
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? The Garden State soundtrack, because I played it in my car for no less than three months straight.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? I'd like to think a little happier, but I'm not sure how to gage that sort of thing. b) thinner or fatter? I think about the same, though if you asked me that questions three months ago I would have answered thinner, by all means. c) richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Spent time with my friends. Gone to the gym and ate healthier, consistently. Read more. Been more cautious with my money.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Dwelling on the negative. Hating my job. Worrying about what I don't have instead of what I do.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? I guess I'm a bit late. I spent it with my parents, eating, drinking, napping and watching movies. It was awesome.
21. Did you fall in love in 2004? Hmm. Does more in love count?
22. How many one-night stands? Not a one.
23. What was your favorite TV program?Lost, Lost and Lost. Ooh, and Law and Order (rip Lenny!)
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No. Well, I dislike someone greatly, but I don't hate.
25. What was the best book you read? Middlesex. A Handmaid's Tale (re-read). The Namesake. Umm, I can't possibly pick just one.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?I dunno. Dangermouse I like. I've been boring this year with music, listening to a lot of old stuff. I rediscovered Liz Phair, and that was fun (old Liz, NOT the new crap).
27. What did you want and get? A few Coach bags. A few good vacations.
28. What did you want and not get?An engagement ring.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? Garden State.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?I turned 31 in October, and spent my birthday proper having dinner with the Peanut here, and then spent the next two weeks doing birthday related things, like going to Vegas, having a spa day, and eating the best cake in the world with my homegirl J.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?Eh, I'm not down with regret.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Concept, huh? Well, I try to look really good all the time. Is that a concept? I stayed away from those poncho things and Uggs, and continued spending too much money on shoes and bags. The rest is just filler anyway, no?
33. What kept you sane? The Peanut. My friends. Sephora.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Um, Viggo Mortenson. Johnny Depp. I also have a non-sexual yet raging crush on Morimoto. Who knew?
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Christ. Well, how much time do you have? The war. Abortion. The environment. Education. That dumb fucking look on W's face all the time.
36. Who did you miss? All my girls from back East that I will finally get to see, all together, in March when my best friend gets married. My sister, who moved to New Jersey in August. The Peanut, when he was in Oaxaca.
37. Who was the best new person you met? Hmm. I have no idea. Wait, I know. My new officemate. She's pretty neat.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.That I'm never going to be 100% satisfied with my life, and that I need to learn to be happy with all of the good things that I do have.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I am drawing a complete and utter blank. I'll think on it and get back to you.