First date with Mr. Maybe

I got off work and changed clothes, touch up my make up, fluff hair in the airport bathroom. Drove over to the restraunt a half hour early. When making the reservation I gave myself time in case I had to wait for a delayed flight. I worked on crossword puzzles making myself more nervous by the minute. I even thought of running out of the place and going home, but I decided that would be rude and faced my fears. He is more handsome in person than his pictures he emailed. We talked about his dog and my sister's cats, our schools, our jobs, and I showed the pictures in my wallet. We ate next. It was a buffet style for a flat fee. I had pork, bun, and some cookies and candies on top. He had a salad plate, then meat, rice, bun meal. I know women often eat salads on dates and nothing else, but I don't care for rabbit food. They had a chocolate fountain we thought was fascinating. I noticed they had a big screen TV playing a football game in the lounge, he is a ice hockey fan. Then we departed after the he paid the check. I don't know how much it was. We walked out and he opened the door, such a gentleman. That was about all. I enjoyed myself. Now I'm ready for bed after washing off my make up. Happy New Year to all. Post later. Bye!

Income tax form

I got my state income tax form today. Oh joy. It is a shame the income tax people always find your correct address even when you move and neglect to forward your mail. Nobody cheats the government out of money. I was always curious why Prez Bush demands we have Nationalized Identification Cards and every citizen an ID # separate from a driver's license when we all have Social Security numbers we receive at birth. Is a Social Security # your government ordain ID #?

Anyway I made the same amount of money as last year, even with my 45 cent per hour raise. Next year I put money into my 401k plan to get the match from the company. I hope I don't bankrupt myself now from stashing money for my retirement 35 years from now. Health Insurance will just have to wait another year until I can afford it.

My brother does my taxes for me, numbers and I do not mesh well. I always try to do them myself to always do them wrong. Post later. Bye!

Excitement of the day

We had excitement tonight and everyone was gossiping around the counters getting the scoop of the event that took place today. The weirdo at car rental A sent an email from his office computer to the corporate office of car rental B complaining on how their employee on Christmas Day was not wearing his uniform, got a water bottle from the stash in car rental C's fridge (weirdo also gets water bottles from this stash), and had singing sheep bleat to the tune of Jingle Bells over the airport intercom (baa, baa, baa). Weirdo actually typed his name on the email when he sent it. Today Car rental B guy was fired for his unprofessional behavior on Christmas Day and was informed who sent this complaint.

The poor fired guy is about to be a father on top of his stress of looking for a new job. If weirdo wishes for everyone at the car rentals to hate him, his wish has been granted. Everyone knows what he did and plotting revenge when he works tomorrow. We had to gossip the nasty things we could say to him. I said if he tries to talk to me I will tell him: I don't want to talk to you, you might get me fired. A coworker is buddies with fired guy and said he was surprised I didn't like weirdo cause I like everybody. Nobody likes a tattle tale. Post later. Baa, Baa, Baa, Bye!

Update: Weirdo is on vacation until next week. How convenient.

Poor coworker

My poor coworker. I got a message on my answering machine from a coworker asking me to come in early tomorrow. I usually get these calls from my manager with changes in schedule. I emailed her asking about the issue tomorrow, out of curiosity. She emailed back that a coworker will be absent tomorrow because she is placing her mother in a hospice. My poor coworker.

A hospice is a place you take people to die in a comfortable way. My great-aunt was put in one when she was hit with cancer suddenly. Hospitals have nurses rushing around taking care of sick people and helping people get well, in addition to giving medicines to dying people. Not exactly serene places to be in. From what I know, hospices have rooms for whole families to visit a dying loved one and make the patient comfortable as possible. I think counselors are available for the family and priests too. Post later. Bye!

Shopping with sister

I went shopping with my sister and baby niece today so she can shop for our other nieces' Christmas gifts to be opened New Year's Day. My brother-in-law was in bed sick as a dog and skipped work today. My niece was let out a few times to walk down the mall. She stopped to dance in front of a store playing a Stevie Nicks song my sister recognized. She shook her booty a few seconds with the baby. A couple times we had to chase the baby when she wanted to go another direction. She was kept in the stroller visiting the stores, she has to grab everything in reach. At a bookstore, I entertained the baby while sister shopped with some of the baby books on a display.

My sister talked about her visit to the in-laws for Christmas yesterday. Stepmom objected to the idea of them adopting because you can get unhealthy or behavior problems with the adopted child. Yeah well, I said, you can get those things with a child you give birth to, like my cousin with ADD before it was given a name and my sister and niece with diabetes. I have 3 cousins who were adopted so I fail to see the problem with it.

After the shopping trip we changed the baby's diaper twice and tried to get her to take a nap. I finally said my farewell and see you tomorrow for laundry. I went to see The Family Stone at the movie theater. It was very good, though I didn't like the ending. I was expecting a wedding at the end since the plot is a man introducing his girlfriend to his family he plans to propose to. No, the mother has breast cancer, but has yet to tell her children. But it was a happy and sad ending with the family gathering around the Christmas a year later.

Sometimes I hate plots surrounding cancer (or other disease) and knowing the character will die before the end of the movie because my grandma died from cancer, well offically from pnemonia she could not recover from because of the cancer eating her body into a skeleton. Some think I'm strange for blubbering like a baby when a character dies since it is only a movie. Yes I know it is only a movie, but the pain and trauma I felt attending my first funeral on my 9th birthday, then being yelled at because I couldn't smile for the camera while holding my birthday cake was very real. Things like that just take me back to that painful time in my life. After 21 years, I still miss my grandma and think of her nearly every day. Needless to say I was mess leaving the theater wiping my nose on my gloves and coat sleeve. Post later. Bye!

Christmas booty

After Christmas is over, everyone I know wants to know what I got for Christmas. So here is my Christmas booty this year minus one sister's gift.

From:
Secret santa Betsy: minature cookie cutters and sprinkle set, crossword puszzle book, cranberry-peppermint candle, gift bag to use next year.

Pen pal Pam: snowflake ornament, xmas ball magnet, angel mug, fudge bear, shortbread cookie, peanut caramel clusters, and chocolate stars.

Pen pal Laura: $5 of McDonald's gift certificate.

Mom (and Dad): calendar of cats, fog mitt for car windshields, teflon food liner, and handmixer.

Brother Ronnie: 4 pots and pans set and outdoor thermometer with suction cup.

Sister Sylvia (and family): $25 donated to an animal shelter to protest exchanging gifts between family memembers.

One more present to unwrap whenever I see my sister Diane New Year's Day.

Today I went after Christmas shopping getting cards, gift tags, and wrapping paper. I always put on some weight so I also looked for new jeans. Those were on sale too. The toughtest part is finding jeans that are not paper thin in regular style grown ups wear. Then it is hard to find my size in the style I want. I found plenty in my old size, how ironic that when I wore my old size it was difficult to find too. There must be a lot of short women below a size 10, 10 or higher is easy to find.
Post later. Bye!

Merry Christmas

I sent my Christmas greetings to my email pals of my version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas. I will be home for Christmas Day. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all who read this entry.

My version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas...

We wish you a Merry Christmas.
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year.
Good tidings to you and all of your kin.
Good tidings for Christmas and Happy New Year.

Now send me some figgy pudding.
Now send me some figgy pudding.
Now send me some figgy pudding and send it right now.

I won't stop emailing til I get some.
I won't stop emailing til I get some.
I won't stop emailing til I get some,
So send it right now.
Post later. Bye!

More rules

New management has decided to cut down on cars parked on the grounds that are not suppose to be here. So they announced the parking permit stickers have arrived. Oh joy!, another sticker to agonize to remove from my window when I move away. The announcement the stickers are suppose to easily come off and will not destroy of paint finishes. Yeah, I have heard that one before. I hope they accept a sticker placed in the back window with paper back intact. I could use scotch tape too. Post later. Bye!

Merry Christmas to me

I picked up a package from one of my pen pals who lives in Florida. She is spoiling me today. I got a snowflake ornament, xmas ball magnet, candies and cookies, and a cocoa mug with an angel on it. She is so sweet to me.

Yesterday I figured out I work with interesting people. One coworker was encouraging another coworker to buy his girlfriend an engagement or promise ring for Christmas. He said he had no intention of buying her anything for Christmas and is not buying any engagement ring because he don't want to get stuck with her. He said he didn't even like her all that much. This is how he describes the woman pregnant with his child?

People think I'm crazy or weird because I do not sleep with every tall dark stranger I meet. Guys like THAT is why. I have no desire to be a single mother or have a boyfriend I'm in love with stick his tail between his legs and run away. Lecture over. Merry Christmas. Post later. Bye!

Secret santa

We exchanged secret santa gifts today. Since nobody could make a decison as to where to have a party, we didn't have one. I came to work, handed my secret santa gift to my person, and picked up mine. The boss's sister drew my name. I drew hers last year. This year I drew the idiot nobody likes. He liked his DVD of Seinfeld season 6 and Santa decoration. I liked my cookie making kit, crossword puzzle book, and cranbery peppermint candle. I briefly spoke on my New Year's date. Everybody wants to know how it is going with my man.

Sense of Humor

God must have a sense of humor. I finally give up on finding Mr. Right on my dating service website, letting my subscription expire. Then the day after it expires, I get sent Mr. Perfect. Now I get to pay for another subscription month to communicate to the guy. I just hope he answers back. I keep finding Mr. Perfects, but I'm not perfect for them.

If he don't answer there is always Mr. Maybe whose relationship is going nowhere very fast. Our schedules don't mesh and we live 2 hours from each other so it is very hard to get to know each other. But at least it is nice to email a man. We had a change of plans on meeting on New Year's Eve. He is coming to my city instead and now I have to reserve a place to eat for us. Post later. Bye!

Bush's Patroit Act renewal

President Bush has greatly encouraged illegal wiretaps and eavesdropping to move faster to conquer terroism and is pushing the renewal of the Patroit Act taking away the rights of innocent people in order to win a war.

How do us little people who aren't as familiar with the political arena, yet vote in elections, know that Bush and his aides are not bugging and eavesadropping on the Democrat Headquarters or newspaper offices who have spoken out against President Bush to get rid of his political enemies? How do I know I won't get a wiretap on my phone or computer from writing this entry?

I think people who enforce the law should also obey it themselves. A judge can and do release criminals because of a technicality when the arresting officer did not follow the rules. Post later. Bye!

Out of state visit

Home againn, home again, jiggety jog. This weekend I went into the state next door to visit my nieces. We saw their Nutcracker ballet, school concert, and church program. We were hopping place to place without much time to glance at my Mom's vacation postcards she brought from last summer. After the church program, my oldest niece and I walked to the movie theater to see "Rent". It was ok, not something I desperately wish to view again but I enjoyed myself at the theater.

Monday we came back via my Mom's hometown where we met a couple of her former classmates from high school. Mom says hardly looks familiar anymore. Dad says nobody looks like they did in high school anymore. One gal thought I was my Mom's granddaughter. I didn't think I looked that young.

At my apartment, my Dad replaced my windshield wipers with difficulty. He is 10 times stronger than me and he had trouble unsnapping the old ones out. I grabbed my tool kit for pliers to help Dad unsnap the wipers. The new wipers slid right in. Post later. Bye!

Flowers for me

Today I received flowers, from a man. A janitor friend is home sick and received a poinsetta from his boss at the airport. He said to give it to me. Ah, isn't that sweet of him? A janitor came by with it in a plastic bag. I had to show everybody my flowers. I have them in front of my balcony door and gave them some water.

On the flip side, the hottie at the car rental next door has a delayed flight to wait for and he has to report to his military base early in the morning. He will get about 4 to 5 hours sleep tonight. Then on top of that, somebody's car broke down and he did not have a car to swap it. A customer service agent ordered him to produce a car for the customer. He explained that he spoke to his boss, who spoke to her boss, and they don't have a car to produce for the customer. Poor guy. Post later. Bye!

The Joker Strikes

A coworker splashed ketchup on himself and laid in a car trunk pretending to be a dead person. The guy who found him was said to screamed like a girl and jumped in a frenzy, a charge the guy fully denies. The joker said he added the jumping part to make a better story. I work with weirdos. Post later. Bye!

New boots

I went into a store because I had a $10 off regular price coupon and needed some boots to go with a velvet dress for New Year's Eve. I found the perfect pair, and in the right size too. The signs around the section said "All boots on sale" and another sign said "50% off display table". The boots had a red sale tag on them. Naturally I think they half the sticker price, even though the new sale price is not on them.

Sales girl rings them up and they are regular price. She asks if I still want them. I know I am a pussy and should have put up a fight and walked away from the deceptive advertising. But I worked in a shoe store once where the signs say "up to" in smaller letters after the prominent "50% off" part of the signs. That means regular price through 50% off. I should have looked at the signs a little closer, but used my coupon instead. I really wanted the boots. Holiday sales are not always as great as customers think they are. I hope the boots are worth the $95 I paid for them. Post later. Bye!

Cookies are finish

I finished baking and frosting the last of my cookies. I have gingersnaps, sugar cookies with frosting, and Hershey kiss peanut butter cookies. I have some in a box to take to my sister's house. Her daughters are in the Nutcracker ballet, high school program, and a church program. I am sure my other sister will want a sample too when I visit her this week. I have 4 boxes of cookies so I could use the help eating them. I sent an email to my sister telling her the girls are free to pig out on the cookies when I come. Sometimes it is considered rude to eat all the cookies and leave none for anyone else. I am so excited. I also wrapped up all my presents for my family and secret santa, then realized I forgot to get my sister's cats something. More shopping to do.

My coworkers were a little confused when I said my nieces were in the Nutcracker, since my toddler niece is too young to perform. I explained I have 4 nieces from ages 18 to 2. The older nieces are in the ballet. The older 3 live 4 hours away so I only see them 5 times a year. The youngest niece I see every week, therefore having more to say about her. I know it's hard to keep track of other people's families. I can't wait for this weekend. Post later. Bye!

Busy day

Today we were so busy I barely read anything. The main problem was lack of car washers. One is on vacation. One called in sick. Another was sent home sick after washing a car window twice. Then the day washers left leaving the owner and his brother left to bring us cars during the night. Soon it was only the brother left to give us cars. Poor, poor guy. He said he put in a 14 hours today. He looked like it. I thought he was going fall apart when he was taking stuff out of his pockets. I told him he will get a good night's sleep from the exhaustion.

I get next weekend off to attend my niece's Christmas programs. She has a Nutcracker ballet, church program, and school program in a 3 days timespan. She is a busy bee. I have to get baking on my cookies. I bought some cookies tins to deliver cookies to my family functions this month. Post later. Bye!

European tourist

I was closing up for the day when the car rental gal next door asked if I could cash a traveler's check. Sure, how much? He asks for $50 or $70, at the $70 mark I said he was pushing it. So he gave me a $50 traveler's check and his ID I didn't even ask for. I check the signature, but wasn't sure which country he is from. I hand over the bills and he asks for change for the vending machines. I make change. He next asks for hostels. I have no idea if Des Moines has those so I give him a phone book. We have plenty of hotels across the airport and handed him a map with hotels on it, but he thought they were too expensive. He asks about cab fares and the Greyhound bus station. It took me a couple minutes to locate the street on the map. I knew the general area, but not which street for the station. He asks about cab fares and again I have no idea. I say I drive a car so I never ride in cabs, except in England. I put the phone book away and ask if he needs anymore help before I leave. I was getting rather hot in my winter coat, headband, and gloves. He said no and thank you. I pointed out where the cabs are located and end with "Have a good day". I clocked out 15 minutes later than I was suppose to, but I have a good excuse. Post later. Bye!

New guy

We have a new guy at work. He is the son of a rental clerk next door. This gal next door is giving me a kitten next spring. I asked her today if my precious has been born yet. Not yet, she said. Now she is wondering if the cat is pregnant at all. I told her that she needs to take the cat to a vet for a sonogram. She said if she is not pregnant then she will give me a kitten born in the last litter, Tozy (toe-zee). I guess that is how it is spelled. I am so excited. Post later. Bye!