Thursday, February 24, 2011

Am I On Candid Camera?

My gas tank was getting close to empty and since the gas station closest to me tends to be more expenisve than other local gas stations, I decided I'd go to the one near the gym Wednesday morning. So I got ready to go to the gym and tried to go to the gas station on the way. Unfortunately, there was a truck there filling the pumps so I couldn't get my gas. Not a big deal, there's another station at the end of the street. I figured I could just go there. That's the same company as the first one so I figured it'd be the same price. So I drove past the gym to the next gas station and guess what? I couldn't get gas there either! They had the pumps blocked off because they were waiting for a truck. I was slightly annoyed, but someone had told me the gas station near where I get my oil changed has more affordable gas so I figured I'd go there. Too bad I didn't think of that two days ago when I got my oil changed, but fair enough, I'd go there and then I could run one errand. Actually, there were a few errands I could have run, but I was in my gym clothes and there are few places I like to go when I'm in my gym clothes besides the gym. So I drove ten minutes down the road to the gas station that was supposed to be even cheaper than the ones near the gym and I kid you not, ALL the pumps had out of order signs on them. I guess they were waiting for a truck to come with gas too. At this point I started looking for the "Punked" camera. Had I reached some new celeberity status (um, yeah, that's it) that Ashton had decided to punk me? Then I thought perhaps "Candid Camera" was coming back on tv and maybe I was on that because seriously, who goes to three gas stations and can't get gas at ANY of them? I ran my one errand and then went back to the gym--btw I still couldn't get gas at the station as the truck was still there. So I did my workout and then figured I'd just pay the extra money at the station near me. The few cents I was going to save were now probably wasted driving all over the city looking for a gas station that actually had gas. However, as I was passing by the gas station to get on the highway, the truck was gone and I was finally able to get my gas for less than the station closest to me. The moral of the story: Well, I'm not sure there is one, perhaps sometimes it's better to just pay more money and get the gas right away and other times it's better to just be patient or perhaps you should go to the gym then try to get gas. Let's hope next week I can get my gas on the first attempt, not the fourth. :)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

(Not) Prepping for Vegan Week

So vegan week (MAYBE vegan fortnight) is under two weeks away. You think I'd be prepping for it by slowly adding vegan-friendly food to my diet, right? Oh, no! The way I've been eating lately you'd think I was becoming a vegan forever not for one week, MAYBE (big MAYBE) two weeks. I'm also contemplating going full out vegan for a week as planned, but then week two going vegan except for my skim milk, but we'll see about that when the time gets closer. So getting back to my point, instead of introducing more vegan-friendly foods to my diet the past few days, I've been trying to finish all the non-vegan foods that might tempt me. I've add shrimp three nights this week. Usually I have it one night a week. I bought sushi again. I've also been drinking tons of milk, okay, I do that anyway, but if I drink lots of milk this week will it be okay to lack calcium next week? What do vegans do? Take calcium pills? And let's not reflect on the cucpakes. I had two cupcakes in a six hour period, not healthy and instead of just having a bagel with creem cheese once a week, I've had it like every day this week so I can finish up the cream cheese. And I felt the need to unfreeze my apple bread and eat that this week too.



I did start thinking about vegan foods I could eat. I haven't made baked/stuffed zucchini in a while so I thought I could make that for vegan week and just not put cheese on it. Well, then I went and looked at the ingredients in breadcrumbs (which I need to make the meal) and guess what? On one of the last lines it says: contains less than 2% of the following and what's on there? Eggs! I didn't know there were eggs in breadcrumbs. Did you? Maybe it's common knowledge and I'm just dumb. So even though it's such a small amount if I'm going to do this for real I'm guessing that means I can't have breadcrumbs either? So I guess may baked stuffed zucchini should really just be called zucchini as there won't be much left to stuff it with if I can't use the cheese or the breadcrumbs. I think I'll be eating a lot of salad and fruit salad soon. If anyone has any good suggestions for vegan foods for me to try, send them my way. And if any of them do not contain tofu that would be great. :)

Random Thoughts from the Gym

So today's comments are rather random and not necessarily related to each other in any way except that I thought of them while at the gym this week. Here we go...

Does it bother anyone else when people come out of a bathroom stall and don't wash their hands? I'm not a germ phobe or anything, but I was raised that after you go the bathroom you wash your hands. The other day someone went the bathroom, came out, and walked right past the sink. I'm not talking people under the age of six who really might need a reminder, but does anyone else find this weird or am I just crazy? Okay, I know I'm crazy, but you know what I mean, I hope.

Why don't aerobics instructors get thirsty and why don't they sweat? So I've been taking aerobics classes at the gym for at least four years, maybe five, I forget when exactly I started. We'll call it 4ish. A few I've tried here and there, but there is one class I've regularly attended for the past 4ish years. The instructors of this class have changed a few times. They're all different from each other, though they are nice and good instructors, but you know what else they have in common? They never seem to need water. I sneak over to my water bottle at least three or four times in an hour class and snag a few sips. I don't full out stop working out, I just dash over in between songs and march in place while I sip. These instructors never seem to drink water and sometimes they don't even sweat. They seem like they're working hard, but shouldn't they be thirsty? I realize they are in MUCH better shape than I am, but still, how do they do it? I don't think I could work out for a full hour without water.

Monday, February 21, 2011

No, I Don't Want to Go There

So I am due for an oil change soon, which means another dreaded trip to the mechanic. I think in a previous post I told you that I do not enjoy going to the mechanic. I swear they can tell I know nothing about cars and enjoy tormenting me. Here's an example:

Me: Can I get an oil change/inspection/tire rotation/other simple inexpensive task please?

Person at car place politley takes my information and directs me waiting room, telling me it should be ready in about an hour

I go to waiting room and continue reading a book I started ages ago, but haven't finished yet because I've been busy.

Car person comes over to me: They found a crack in your adkjdokajdokj.

What I think: What the heck is an adkjdokajdokj? I will have to google it or ask Rich or Tony, two friends of mine who know infinitely more about cars than me. How much is this going to cost? There goes that summer vacation.

What I Say: Oh, dear, can you fix it?

Car person: Yes, we can do it today, but it will take about 3 hours and cost you $800,888.99.

What I Think: HOW MUCH?! For What?! I want to move back to the city and take the subway everywhere. Is my car even worth that much money?

What I Say: So what caused this problem?

Car Person: A little unicorn tap-dancing in your adkakdjkjdr and it ruined your adkjodokajdokj.

What I think: Was that even in English?

What I Say: Oh, okay, thanks.



See, they could be talking in Greek and telling me a mythical animal and I wouldn't know the difference. I also love how whenever they fix something the part is about $30, but the labor is $300. Do you know how many hours I'd have to work to pay for one hour of mechanical work? UGH!



Although the mechanic is one of my least favorite places to go, there are a few other places that I find "challenging."



Lab work--I HATE having blood drawn and I have to have that done soon too.



A friend of mine recently wrote that she dislikes grocery shopping so I started thinking about that. I actually don't mind grocery shopping, but you know what I dislike? The carriage. I have been known to overfill a baket and carry it in one hand and then carry the gallon of milk in my other hand since it won't fit in a basket instead of getting a carriage. When the bagger politely offers me a carriage, I decline and struggle to carry the bags out because I've convinced myself it's easier than dealing with a carriage. I just don't like pushing them around the store. Instead I'll cram stuff into the basket and pray the eggs don't break.



One of the two banks I go to: One bank that I go to is lovely, truly, the people are nice, friendly, etc, but the other one, omg, they're always trying to sell me something or get me to apply for something. I don't want it! I just want you to take care of the one little thing I came in for, hence why I rarely go.



The gas station, but only because lately whenever I go the price keeps getting higher and it depresses me.



One particular store, which will remain nameless, but let's just say sometimes when people reach a certain point in their life they ask for things from this particular store and I can never find anything. I'm so tempted to just get them a gift card, but instead I wander around like a lost little girl hoping to find something on their list.



And then there are four stores I really like (Kohls, Target, JC Penney, and Barnes and Noble), but I really should be kept away from them because I tend to spend money whenever I go there. I have at least 30 books that I haven't read, there is no need for me to buy another one because it looks good. And don't get me started on clothes, accessories, cute thing s for the condo, or all things Target. I go there for one thing and come home with ten, how does that happen? It's not just me. I went there with the MC the other night because he wanted one thing and he did the same thing and he doesn't even like shopping.



Craft stores--same as the previous stores. I am not crafty, but sometimes going to these stores inspires me and I think I will become crafty, that or they have cute holiday decorations that I want to buy for my new home. And then I get home and get mad at myself for spending money when I still need to pay the ridiculously expensive heating bill.

I think I will be spending my day off at home, avoiding all aforementioned good and bad places.

Happy Presidents' Day!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Sunday Snippets a.k.a. Letters Part 2

Dear Mother Nature,
I quite enjoyed Thursday and especially Friday, but the problem is now I want more nice weather (what's that expression? You give an 'em an inch and they want a mile?). I kept expecting yesterday to be nice too, but instead I had to bundle up and try not to get blown away.



Dear Wind,
What is the deal? It was nice of you to blow ice chunks off my roof and not hit the car, but seriously, can you please calm down? Have we done something to upset you? Now instead of complaining about the snow, I'm going to complain about the branches that are everywhere.



Dear Heat,
Considering how much my last bill was, it should feel like a sauna in here 24/7 not just warm enough to keep the pipes from freezing while I'm at work and quite chilly at sleepy time in all but the bedroom. What's the deal?



Dear Plow Man,
I truly appreciate you plowing my complex, but if you wake me up screaming the f word at 4:00 tomorrow morning like you did for a previous storm, I am NOT going to be happy. If you must curse at that hour, which is not very professional of you, do it in a whisper or wait and do it when you're off the clock.



Dear Banana Grams,
You are awesome! You brought much fun to four of my friends and me on Friday evening. Must play you again soon.



Dear Apples to Apples,
Even though a few people did not like that I won you (I lost big time the time before), I found you to be a hilarious enjoyment. I want to do another game night.



Dear Airlines that Charge for Luggage,
Seriously?! Okay, I get that you have rising costs too, but how can something that has been free as long as you've been around suddenly cost a tank of gas? And what is this about some airlines now charging for carry-ons?!?!?! Are people going to start sneaking on books, necessary, medication, ipods, passports and wallets? We'll all be walking around with those crazy big pants that people often associate with teenagers just so we can fit books, ipods, and wallets into our pockets so we dont' have to pay for them. Or we'll be wearing coats to fly to Hawaii in July so we have extra pocket space to put a book to read on the flight.

Plane Person: Ma'm we need to see your ID

Customer: Okay, here it is

Plane Person: Thank you and now you owe us $40 for carrying on your ID

Customer: Yes, but I need to carry that on so I can board the plane, you require an ID.

Plane Person: Sorry ma'am, we charge for carry-ons now because the $400 you spent for your ticket and the $50 you paid for your luggage wasn't enough so we need to get more money out of you. Oh, and if you want to bring that book too, that's another $20.



Okay, I'm exaggerating a little bit, but seriously, it's getting expensive to fly!



Dear Spring,
I know you're coming next month, but the groundhog said you're supposed to come early, so any time now, come on, you can do it.



Dear Ridiculous Planet Fitness Commercial,
You are just that, ridiculous, but I laugh out loud every time I see you, which I guess makes me ridiculous. Do you know the one I mean, the one where the guy keeps saying "I lift things up and put them down." It's kind of dumb (which I guess is the point), but I still laugh every time I see it (I need help, I know).



Dear Hallmark Hall of Fame,
Okay, usually I shed a tear during your movies, but what was up with this last one with Betty White and Jennifer Love-Hewitt. I bawled several times during that movie. The MC thought I was nuts--as in more nuts than usual. I think he was ready to call the men in the white coats, but I tell you if you see that movie, bring a big ol' box of tissues (or maybe you're normal and not so sappy like me). BTW Betty White still rocks! You go girl. 88 years young.



Dear Ellen,
Excited that I can see your show Monday. Hope it's a good one as you crack me up.



Dear Sunday Night,
You are not usually my favorite night of the week because you know Monday follows you (though you're not as bad as Monday night as you do at least come with a day off ahead of you), but since Monday's a holiday I quite like you.



Dear This Monday Only,
Since you are a holiday this week Monday, I will not complain about you. Don't get used to it, I'll likely be complaining about you again next week.





Dear Recent Restaurant I Visited,
Why do you insist on calling mozzarella sticks, fried cheese? I was expecting something delicious like at Maggiannos, they're fried cheese is just that, deliciousness, not a mozzarella stick. Yours is simply mozzarella sticks so just call it what it is, don't get me all excited about a new twist on the mozzarella stick only to serve plain ol' not that warm mozzarella sticks.



Dear Maggianos,
Now that I've just mentioned you, I kind of want to visit you, but not 'til after vegan week.



Dear You You Restaurant,
You had delcious beginnger sushi. How have I never eaten at you before?



Dear Blinds,
Why must you be such a pain to dust?




Dear Hot Water Heater,

Why do you have to leak? Not going to be cheap to fix you, but it's gotta get done.

Dear Gym,
What is the deal with this increased attendance? Some days lately you have to all but beg, borrow, and steal to get a decent machine. I thought that only happened in January. It's nearly the end of February, aren't things supposed to slow down? And is it just me, or is the gym busier on Mondays than Fridays?

Dear Megan's Leftover Cookie Dough Balls,
You were delightful to eat this past week, but I think you've caused me to gain weight!

Dear Blog Readers,
Have a great day/night! Thanks for reading!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

To Meat or Not to Meat

How's that for a cheesy title, huh? So a couple of weeks ago during one of the many snowstorms we've had I did the unusual and left work on time and got home in the daylight hours. The ride home was a little nerve-wracking, but not as bad as it would have been if I'd been the one driving because the roads were not pretty--that's an understatement. I don't blame the plows, they were doing the best they could, but it was during working hours so with the cars and how fast the snow came, there was only so much they could do by the time I left work.

Anyway, when I got home I plopped on the couch to relax for a few and put on the tv. Oprah happened to be on. I rarely watch her as I'm not usually home at 4:00. I'm often at job #1, job #2, or the gym. Unlike several of my friends I have no real strong feelings toward Oprah one way or the other. (In other words I have friends that LOVE her and friends that absolutely cannot stand her.) But anyway, that day's episode was about going vegan. She and her staff ate vegan for one week. Apparently, quite a few of them felt physically well from doing that. I guess it's good to clean out the system shall we say. Anyway, I am easily intrigued (well, sometimes anyway) and kind of wanted to try it. However, I have my limits.

I don't eat red meat. I don't like steak and I am allergic to hamburger. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous and you think I'm making it up, but I'm not. Actually, technically, I'm not allergic to it, I'm "intolerant" to it. Regardless of what you call it, if you and I go out for a burger you're not going to want to be around me later that night/the next day. I discovered this when I was 11. I had eaten cheeseburgers many times prior and had no problems, and the first time it happened I thought it was just bad fast food, but it kept happening every time I had hamburger so my mom checked with the doctor and no more burgers for me. So really, giving up red meat wouldn't be a big deal for me.

I like seafood and chicken, but I could probably go without them for a week. I usually have chicken once a week or once every other week. Same with seafood. I do shrimp at home every so often and when I go out to eat, I like to order fish. And about once a month I eat sushi--the beginnger stuff, not the fancy true raw fish.

As you know I have a sweet tooth, so you think that would be the hardest thing, right? After all, most of the baked goodies I enjoy have eggs in them and if you're a true vegan=no eggs. And though that would cause insane amounts of fighting between Sweet Tooth and me, that's not my biggest worry. You know what is? Go ahead and laugh, but it's the milk. I like milk. I drink it every day. I used to get made fun of when I was in high school because I even drank it if I went out to dinner. I don't like drink gallons a day or anything, but I have a glass with my after-work snack and I usually have two glasses of milk at dinner. On weekends, I'll have it with lunch too. (When I'm at work, it's water all day long.) Ironically, I don't put milk on my Cheerios. What can I say, I'm weird! I pour the Cheerios into a bowl and eat them with a spoon, but mine are milkless.

Anyway, getting back to Oprah...so I decided I want to try this vegan business. I think I can do it for a week, it might even be good for me, less junk food and all and if I don't buy milk that week I can probably deal, but I couldn't do the vegan thing forever. So here's where the "troubles" come in and why I'm not doing it 'til March. I hate wasting food so I didn't want to do it right away when I had non-vegan food around that would go bad. So I thought about delaying it a week, by then I'd have drank the milk and eaten the other foods, but I was having a party that following week and I knew if I made baked goodies and offered them to everyone else, I'd want some too. (And it was for the best as at the last minute I ended up going out for sushi with a co-worker that same week.) Next week I'm supposed to go out for seafood, which I am excited about so vegan week has been delayed 'til March, but now that I've told you about it, I have to at least give it a try, right? I hope I can do it. I'm sure you'll hear about it in future blogs. Bring on those fruits and veggies!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Letters from a (Semi)Thief

So my friend/friend's cousin/blog-friend said I could steal her idea and do my random letters so here it goes...




Dear Mother Nature,
We can be friends again, at least until this weekend, when I think you might piss me off again.



Dear Rising Gas Prices,
Seriously, what is the deal? If the price is going up like it has been around here this week then the gas should be getting better, perhaps good enough for the car to drive itself and I can just nap on the way to work.



Dear Three Snowbanks that Surround my Driveway,

At least one of you needs to melt. My car seems to be magnetically attracted to you and I am now waging a competition between you and the car. Score one for the car today and one for you yesterday.

Dear People Who Hate Teachers?
Seriously, what's the deal? I get that there are some bad teachers out there and I get that teachers complain a lot--but some of those complaints are legit. But come one, do you have to hate a whole population? If you have one bad waiter are you going to say you hate all waiters and never go out to eat again? Or if one doctor is a quack, are you going to badmouth all doctors? If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Show some respect people.

Dear Liver,
Can you please fix yourself? Apparently, not drinking is taboo unless you are pregnant or a recovering alcoholic. Since I am neither, people think I am a freak.

Dear Sweet Tooth,
Go away. I am eating too much junk food.

Dear Valentine's Day Haters,
Okay, I know V-Day can be annoying if you're single (depressing) and it can be annoying if you're not single (expensive). But if you want to enjoy V-Day, come spend the day where I work. It's adorable!

Dear Roof Rake,
Thank you for working to get snow off my roof. And dear roof, thank you for handling all that snow.

Dear Ice in the Driveway and on the Roof,
Would you please melt? I'm sick of slipping on you (driveway) and roof ice you just make me nervous.

Dear Candles,
I didn't used to be a big fan, but now that I'm a home-owner, I quite enjoy you. You make my home smell nice. :)

Dear Leaky Faucet,
Stop leaking.

Dear Word Games,
I am addicted! And to make it worse, I just discovered Banana grams and have now invited people over to play. I am an even bigger dork than I originally thought.

Dear Jess,
Thanks for letting me steal your idea, though I have to say your letters were much funnier. :)

Dear Self,
Stop procrastinating and go read your book for Book Club.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

I'm Not Going to Complain About the Snow

A friend/blog friend/friend's cousin (which one is pc?)--recently wrote a blog in letter form discussing various things (by letters I don't mean a b c, I mean Dear X--you know like we used to do in the days before text messages, e-mail, etc, I love e-mail, etc, but secretly, I kind of miss getting real letters). I loved it! I kind of wanted to steal her idea, but I don't want to be a thief or plagarize--I know that's not spelled correctly, but I'm too lazy to look it up. Over the past few days I haven't had anything big to blog about, just random little things. Okay, let's face it, I don't usually have anything big to blog about, but you know what I mean. That and work was busy and consumed much of my life even when I wasn't actually at work. So if I were the stealing type, I would steal her idea, but since I'm not, I'm just going to whine for a few minutes...
Now I know you're probably all sick of people complaining about the snow so I'm not going to complain about the snow. Nope, instead I'm just going to say that the news has turned me into a crazy person. Every time I put it on there seems to be another roof collapse. Fortunately, I "never" worry (and by never I mean I think I have an undiagnosed anxiety disorder b/c no normal person should worry this much, and I don't just mean the roof, I worry about the stranged things way too often), so the other night after watching the news right before bed (bad idea) I didn't spend any time wondering if my roof could handle all the snow. Nor did any time I heard a noise (which was 99% of the time the heat) did I think is that my roof? And I most certainly did not ask MC to go to Home Depot or Lowes to buy a roof rake. And when he called to tell me they were sold out, I didn't call various hardware stores to ask if they had any only to be told by one store that the closet one was a four hour drive from me. And after hearing that I definitely didn't go on-line and check a few places to find out that those sites were sold out too. And when I've been driving to work/the gym/the grocery store, I certainly haven't been staring at anyone's roof trying to compare their roof snow to mine. And this morning I wasn't outside at 9am with MC raking my roof with a roof rake we borrowed from someone. I've never used a roof rake before today. It is kind of cool. It's also hard work, I mean it just gets heavy. Couldn't reach all the snow, but MC got a lot of it off the roof and then I got to shovel it up the all ready too tall to see around snowbanks. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the ice off, but the news claims some of it'll melt tomorrow--after tonight's snowstorm that is. Here's hoping...
And don't worry I won't complain about the fact that thanks to all the snow banks it's hard to see when you're trying to turn from one street to another--I find myself praying a lot and thanking God the brakes work. And I won't whine because the snow banks took up my usual parking spot at my tutoring job--or the spots next to me. And of course they didn't take away a row and then some of parking spaces at the gym.
Aren't you glad I didn't complain about the snow?
While, I'm "not complaining" about things, would now be a good time to mention that I looked up some symptoms on WebMD the other night--bad idea. I mean the site is great in that it gives lots of information, but for a worrywart like me, it was a bad idea, but that's a story for another time...Enjoy the weekend!