So, I was all set to post more travel-y goodness, but the gods have conspired against me. I have (just under) thirteen minutes to post, and really, that’s not enough to write about any of our super fantastic travel adventures.
So, it will wait for another day…or two, because I am going out on a limb and guessing that I will not get up early enough to do any real blogging tomorrow, so Monday will have to suffice.
In the meantime, I just have to say that people suck. These two ladies wrote a two page complaint letter about me and sent it to the store manager. The said that I refused to help them (which is not true). They wanted some plants down from a shelf, and I told them we had the same varieties down on a lower shelf (most people don’t bother to check first, so I wanted to make sure they didn’t see what they wanted there). They started telling me about how plants are like people, blah, blah, blah. And they were sure they saw this variety that they were looking for up on the shelf. Fine. It sounded like they were looking at specific plants. So, I told them if they could just tell me which ones they wanted, I would be happy to grab the ladder and get them down. So, the one lady starts to tell me which ones. The other one grabs her and says, “Never mind, she obviously does not want to help us. We’ll go somewhere else.” The friends voice trails off confusedly, as she is being grabbed and dragged out of the deparment. I continue to work on hauling rugs, as I had been doing. They come back with a coworker of mine, who is a good six or eight inches taller than me, and can reach the top shelf without a ladder. He pulls down every single plant for them, which is apparently what they were after. Then, yesterday, my manager pulls me aside to show me the two page letter, in which they say i tried to dissuade them from wanting help, and refused to help them when they persisted. I told the manager my side of it, and she said that she would pass that along to the manager. She said that sometimes people are just assholes, which if you’ve ever worked customer service you already know. So, we will see what happens there. My manager also asked what the ladies were like, since they mentioned my hair color and said that I looked ill, and maybe that was the problem. Perhaps they had a problem with me, or rather the one had a problem with me.
Well, there’s my vent. Now, I get to go, and do it all again!!! Yay! Here’s hoping that people are in warm, fuzzy moods today.
Archive for November, 2006
augh!
Saturday, November 18th, 2006a day late
Friday, November 17th, 2006So, the Gilmore Girls episode this week found Chris and Lorelai in Paris. Outside of their annoying habit of not speaking French, and complaining about how rude French people are (general aside…when in a foreign land, if you make no attempt to learn the language, you absolutely deserve any rudeness you get), it made me long for Europe. The crazy lights on Tour Eiffel, L’arc de triomphe, the ready availability of bread and wine…*le sigh*
Our first day in Paris was a bust, as I so very briefly mentioned earlier. First of all, Charles de Galles is HUGE. So very, very HUGE. Pack some snacks for the trek it takes to get to your luggage. Pack additional snacks to get out of the airport. It felt like we were walking for at least a decade before we got to the RER. It may have been longer, I lost track with the sherpas and all. We made it to the RER, got our tickets, and plopped down on a train. There was a group of mildly amusing teens at one end of our car. The obligatory deaf man with trinkets made his way through. (If you make it through a trip to Paris, using the metro/RER system, without encountering one of these it is not a real trip to Paris.) We wound our way to transfer to the Metro. We found ourselves in what appeared to be an underground mega-mall. We needed tickets, and silly us thought this would be an easy affair. As if. Dragging our heavier-by-the-minute luggage, we eventually found the entrance to the metro itself. Just inside were ticket machines–hurrah! Except that it appeared only one of them worked and had a line. Bleck. So I sat with the luggage while G attempted to find a counter staffed by a human. i sat long enough for everything I’d packed to go out of style, come back in style, and then go out again. Just as I wondered if I needed to send a Saint Bernard out for him, he returned. Sans tickets. Apparently after finding the counter, there was a five year wait to get to the window, so he decided to try his luck with the machine. He waited. He arrived in front of the machine. He inserted a credit card. The machine wouldn’t recognize it. The machine didn’t take cash. It was back to the five-year-line. I decided to go along htis time, as I didn’t want to grow old without my sweetie. G leading the way, we headed to the world’s tiniest elevator. We managed to cram in with our luggage and got to the right floor. We got in line. We were two people behind a woman who I am hoping, for the sake of the Franch people, was not French. She was obliviously gnawing on what appeared to be Maize on a stick. (Wonder if that will be at the MN state fair next year?) Chewing with her mouth open, and making a godawful smacking noise as she went. My sking is crawling just thinking about it. We inch forward. We get to the window and procure metro passes. Hurrah! Woever, we still need to get to the train itself. We drag our luggage back to the miniscule elevator, a few more miles and we are finally on a train to our hotel. A very crowded train. We make it to our stop, ease our way off, up too many stairs and eventually encounter daylight. According to our map, we aren’t far from our hotel. So, we begin walking. And walking. We get stuck when a mass of people are blocking the road. We aren’t sure what is going on. There is food, music, and people in what appear to be large vats of grapes, stomping away. We consider our options.
a) Push through the dense crowd of people, towing cinder block-laden luggage behind, keeping our eyes on the hotel looming on the other side.
b) Follow the alley to the left, dodging puddles and a small white dog, all the while hoping that subsequent streets will take us to the hotel.
c) follow the street to our right, dodging cars and scooters, all the while hoping the subsequent streets lead us to our hotel.
We chose option A, flipped to page 54, and mentally crossed our fingers. We made it to our hotel. After turning down the 10 Euros/person charge for breakfast, I crammed into the world’s smalles elevator (for real this time) with my suitcase. The elevator claimed a 4 person capacity, but I couldn’t figure out how that was possible. I got off into the world’s narrowest hallway (single file only) and wedged myself near the door to awai G and the room key.
Success! We were in our room! We still had our luggage and carried only the slightest odor of locker room. My head was killing me, and I was all congested. I needed to lie down. The rest was a blur, but G managed to get me some French cold medicine and cough syrup, which I took despite not being to figure out what was in it. The next thing I knew it was the middle of the night. The streets were mostly quiet. We didn’t get to go clubbing. We didn’t do any exploring. We just slept. We figured this would mean we would be totally refreshed on Sunday for lots of fun Paris action.
I promise to write more soon. I just dropped G off at the airport for a short trip to Florida, and I am a free woman this weekend…so, in between learning lines, I shall get to more details of the trip, all of which promise to be far more interesting than our first day!
i suck
Thursday, November 16th, 2006So, I actually wrote a post yesterday at work. I handwrote it, and figured I would type it when I got home. Instead, I took an unintentional nap, and barely woke up in time to go to rehearsal. Boo. Then, I started thinking about it today, and realized I may have already posted about what I wrote, so I shall do some investigation and go from there.
I can’t believe next week is already Thanksgiving! Fortunately, we have some really great plans. We are spending the day with good friends. I get to make my famous cranberry sauce, and I will make my vanilla and maple sweet potatoes. The last time I made them, I wound up eating most of them, because there weren’t many sweet potato fans in attendance. However, at least one other person seems excited about them this year…so at worst, we shall split them. I am going to have to make my shopping list, and get the oven and stove in order so I can do all the advance work here, and just will have to bake the sweet potatoes there.
With next week being Thanksgiving, it also means I should have my lines down by Monday. It’s been harder to learn them, since my sweetie’s schedule means no running lines with him before bed. Bah. I will just have to study them on my own. We had pictures tonight. No one knew until we got there. At least I thought to put a couple of barettes in my hair, even if I didn’t have any make-up, and my eyes were all puffy. Not crazy about the pictures…but there isn’t much to be done about that.
So, I shall look at my previous posts, and either post what I wrote yesterday tomorrow, or I will start from scratch.
mergh
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006I thought about posting this
 | You Are Edward From "Edward Scissorhands." You are very shy and often misunderstood. Innocent, sweet, and artistic, you like to pass your days by daydreaming and expressing yourself through the arts. You are a truly unique individual. Unfortunately, you are quite lonely, and few people truly understand you. |
Take The Johnny Depp Quiz!
and leaving it at that…but that would be lazy.
So, sleepy. I would just crawl into bed right now, but I am waiting for a call from my mom. I talked to my dad earlier for a bit, since it sounded important, and it is…but he wanted me to talk to mom to, which I understand, and I do want to chat with her…I’m just sleepy…and my eyes and head have been grouchy today. I think it has something to do with the amount of time I spent working around scented candles and potpourri today. Some scents I’m fine with, but most just don’t get along with me. I guess I should be thankful I didn’t spend long enough in that section to get a migraine. Small favors and all.
Rehearsal was okay. A little chaotic with all the kids, but fine. I keep trying to remind myself this is just a show I’m doing for fun. It’s a kids show. It’s not gonna be award-winning, thought-provoking theatre. I am really trying to be okay with that. I think I really need to do something that is really a challenge. I keep winding up in shows where I’m the experienced one. I’m the one mentioned as an example. I’m teaching those who haven’t done a show before, or haven’t done many. I’m fine with that, but I really want to be challenged. I want to be the student. I want to feel like I’m in over my head, and to work my ass off. There’s sort of an opportunity right now (the odds are slim, really). However, I put off looking at the ads for a day, and when I did, I failed to realize that we are halfway through November, and the dates are/were today and tomorrow. It’s Shakespeare, and a director I really respect, and would like to work with. However, I feel like I would be scrambling to get an audition. I also am concerned that it may be a bad time to commit myself to something so daunting, should I be asked. Either way, I need to get involved with some scarier projects. On the bright side…I get to wear my eight-inch platform boots, and am having a costume built just for me. A costume which includes a corset. And, I get to get my hair bleached out mroe, and have blue streaks added. So, that’s all good. What I really need to do is sit down and think a bit about what I want from the next six months to a year in terms of my career. Where I want to be in terms of Minnesota theater and film, and where I want to be before I leave for LaLa land. The theater is one of the places I enjoy research and studying and working ridiculously hard…I just need to seek out the opportunities to do so.
Ugh. this blogging every day thing is harder than I thought it would be. I knew that I would write mostly poorly constructed rants and whinings. I just thought that I would catch up more on stuff that I’ve been procrastinating posting. Instead, I feel so worn out by lif ein general, that instead I find new things to whine about. Maybe in my down time at work tomorrow, I will work on some of what I’ve been putting off. And lines. I have some lines I should learn…since the children are showing me up a bit in that arena.
for lack of a better post…
Monday, November 13th, 2006Ugh, so very tired. It’s 9:30, and I’m thinking I should go to bed. When did I get so old?
G and I were on our way home from rehearsal, and we were stopped at the light in front of Sears by our house. He says to me, “Since Sears and K-Mart are the same company now, they should just combine, and call all their stores S-Mart.”
“Shop smart, shop S-Mart, ” I reply.
“I wonder why it’s called K-Mart.”
Without really even thinking, I start talking about how it was Kresge Company, and they changed their name. Though it was unecessary, really, I continued with a bit about how Kresge’s used to be like a dime store, and so on. (Yes, I know I am a huge nerd!) I then ask, “bet you didn’t think I knew that.”
“I didn’t know,” he replies.
“Right, but I bet you thought I didn’t know either.”
“You know lots of strange and useless facts.”
I then pressed him to cite examples, but all he had was my knowledge of obscure Pulp Fiction trivia, I told him that doesn’t count, because there are lots of people with knowledge of obscure Pulp Fiction trivia.
At least there have to be.
Right?
Secret Squirrel
Sunday, November 12th, 2006no time… must post picture….
Who pulled the plug?
Saturday, November 11th, 2006So, I was going to be all badass today, and (finally) get started on the trip recap. However, something was going on with our pages, and that sort of screwed me up. I even had a title and everything. Bah. Now it will have to wait until tomorrow…assuming I can get my ass out of bed before noon.
In other news, I feel better. I don’t know what the heck was wrong with me, but I was back to my (below) normal temperature. I had forgotten my usual temp is lower than “normal” so that also means my fever was a little worse than I thought. My fever went away yesterday, and while I didn’t ache, I was sore and a little weak. I went into work though, because I didn’t want to have to use sick time if I didn’t have to. I could have gotten a flu shot, but declined. After talking it over with my good friend, LaLa, I decided I shouldn’t tempt fate and get a vaccine, considering my tumultuous history with them.
I even managed to get in some DDR today. It’s pretty sad that that is the first “workout” I’ve gotten in since we’ve come back from Europe *cough*six*cough* weeks ago. And I wonder why I have such a fat ass. I was looking at an agency page the other day. At first I was happy because the women listed in my age range look older than I. I never would have pegged them in my age range (or playable age range). However, when I looked at their info, they were definitely in far better shape. If I really want to have a go at this LA thing, I really need to get serious. I’m thinking of looking into a temporary gym membership. Right now, with our house torn apart for the kitchen project, I don’t have room to do a lot of the workouts I would like to. Once the kitchen is done, I will be fine. However, that’s probably close to a month, maybe two that I won’t be able to do a full workout. I hate to put myself that behind. Especially since the kitchen situation also is affecting my diet, as I am limited by what I can prepare. I would love to arrive in LA in fighting form. Not to mention that I don’t enjoy going out dancing nearly as much when I feel like a fat ass. Also not to mention that the images of thin European women are still burned into my retinas, and while I could start the coffee and cigarette diet, I think I will pass. Wow, how did I get here…roundabout way of saying I feel better. Or do I?
Either way, I am definitely going out tonight. I need some good music and dancing to improve my mood. Maybe a Jameson on the rocks as well. Hopefully I can get my tail out of work early enough to get in for free. That would all definitely boost my mood. Maybe I will see some of you out tonight *cough*Kelli and Joel*cough.*
a little too ironic
Thursday, November 9th, 2006So, tomorrow is flu shot day at work. I didn’t sign up in time to get one (there were a limited number). I thought perhaps I should get one at my doctor, despite never having had a flu shot before as innoculations and I generally do not get along, because I didn’t want to be on my ass with the flu.
I am pretty sure I have the flu. I ache so badly that every dream I have had since I came home early from work and went to bed has been about me in a situation where great pain is caused to me (terrible car accident, getting the crap beat out of me, having some horrible disease that required bandages and braces on my legs, etc.) Plus, I am going from being burning up to freezing, without any comfortable middle ground. Suck.
On a side note, because it is something on my mind (and apart of these f-ed up dreams)…think long and hard about who your in-laws will be. Seriously.
you could say i’m lazy
Wednesday, November 8th, 2006Since I am cutting and pasting what I just wrote on a message board. I was going to blog about this anyway, and was trying to decide when my blood pressure would be low enough to do so…however after reading once whiney and apathetic statement after another, I think I nearly had an aneurism. So, here is what I said there…my apologies in advance, as it is not as well constructed as I would like, due to the aneurism and all.
“First off…yes I voted.
Second off, I was going to quote some people, but after reading so many of the same apathetic statements, I gave up. Yes, everyone should vote. However, if so many of you actually care about actually changing anything, get off your asses and got to the caucuses. There you can *gasp* [i]actually tell the party what is imprtant to you and get it on the platform[/i]. You can make resolutions. You can vote on what candidate gets the party nomination.
Go to meet and greets with candidates and tell them what direction you would like them to go in, what issues are important.
Write letters to the candiates and those already in office and tell them what you want, as they are respresenting you.
All this bullshit about how the parties “don’t represent me” is bullshit! If you look at the fundamentals of the green “party” and the independent “party” alongside those of the DFL…you will find they are pretty much the same. If there are things within the party that you disagree with, then do something about it. Want a lefter leaning candidate? Go and get one the nom at the convention.
In the election of 2004, I went as far as I was able to go in terms of conventions. I did not run to go to the state convention for our subcaucus, as it was already a large pool, and there were many who had been much more involved in our candidate’s campaign. My candidate did not get the nom in the end. I expected that, but I supported him as long as he was in the race because he brought valuable insight to the other candidates, challenged them, and made people aware of a lot of things that I feel matter. As much as I would have loved to see him be president, I knew it was more valuable for me to support the better candidate of the two. However, I kept active, and I still make sure that the people that represent me know where I stand. My candidate through the caucus and convention process was so left that he could have easily taken the easy way out to get on the ballot and take his toys to the green party. He did not. He instead chose to make the most difference he could as far as he could into the race and make his voice heard. If Hutchinson or Pentel would have the balls to do that, then maybe they would have my vote. Instead I went with the candidate who was the most qualified of those who went through the more difficult process (not that it matters, but Hatch did have my support from the beginning. He was the most qualified of those who sought the nom, again had either of the other two gone through the process I might speak differently). I hardly call that voting for the “lesser of two evils.” I call that getting involved in the whole process, and not bitching because I couldn’t be bothered, and saying that none of the candidates were appealing because I couldn’t be bothered to tell the party what I wanted. Government is about compromise, and doing the best for the most people.
IRV has the potential to help, as we wouldn’t be stuck with someone who the majority didn’t vote for.
And this is coming from someone who voted for Perot in ’96 (to answer Mr. Grimes question). I was fresh out of high school, where nobody told me you could do anything other than vote for the third party. I don’t regret voting for him, because I learned something from it. It made me get more involved, and get the people and the issues that were important to me on the ballot.
In short, elections are few and far between. Yes, voting is important, but nothing will change if that is the only time you expect to change things. Try changing your sheets or your clothes or your oil once every two or four (or eight) years and tell me how that goes for you.
Sorry, but this issue is truly a burr in my saddle.”
Don’t forget to vote
Tuesday, November 7th, 2006I’ll save my diatribe about how people need to get more involved, and should caucus, and get involved in campaigns and such for another day.
For now, vote. It only takes a few minutes, and every vote counts. We are in a scary place right now, and you have the power to make change.