Can I get a round of applause?

This toast goes out to my amazing husband (still feels weird to call him that!) on getting the news that he will be shipping to AF BMT on Febuary 21st.

Life Update

Even though I quit the crappy job I'm still crazy busy with wedding plans and school plans and my relationship with James.

Thankfully, so far all of those things are going really well!

The wedding invitations are sent and my father and I finally agree on what we are doing for the reception. Everything is booked all deposits are down! I'm starting to get really excited about everything.

And nervous...

Kind of nervous.

Our roommate and I have been looking for apartments near the school we are going to in fall. The idea of finding a place within the next two or three weeks and moving in over the week of the wedding is seriously daunting! But, it's really nice to be doing something concrete about my future education-wise. I'm really excited to go back to school. :)

Things with James are excellent right now. We finally stopped butting heads and started supporting each other. He still drives me crazy because everything is so hectic and I feel like I have to remind him a dozen and a half times about anything... but it's still really great. It feels good to know that things can work out!

Wordless Wednesday

Monster was two months old on Monday!

Rage Quit FTW!

The title says it all!

I rage quit my job at the mill. I don't think my father will ever forgive me, but he's up north right now... so he doesn't know yet.

I couldn't handle the stress anymore and dammit the money just wasn't worth it!

Besides I have a fiancee who's leaving for AF BMT at some point in the near future and I plan on spending as much time with him as possible until then.

Also, a wedding to plan! It's starting to creep up on me now that I have time to think about it!! Not long now! :)

Bridal Shower

Today was my bridal shower. I had a really amazing time. My bridal party did a great job of setting everything up and making it nice especially since I haven't had any time for anything (as I'm sure you can all tell) with this stupid job!

In fact, I couldn't even get off for today I'm just *lucky* enough to be on third shift this week, so I worked from 11:00 -7:00 this morning and now I have to go back at 11:00.

I've worked swing shift for 26 days straight without a single day off... and I have 35 more days to go until the next down (which *lucky* me happens to be the day of my bachelorette party).

My girls and I  :)

KILL

I moved back in with James last week.

We are going to make this work or, so help me God, I will kill something.

My father got in a HUGE blow up argument about the wedding venue and I had to get out of there.

So, James and I will just have to work out our issues. Things have been a little bit better since I came back home. There really is something about sleeping next to one another that really helps breed closeness.

I know, I know...

I've been a little absent lately because I've been so busy with work.

Today for your entertainment I provide one of my favorite bands covering one of my favorite songs right now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHtwZ07N1ic&feature=fvwrel

Watch it. You'll like it. I promise.

It's been a hard day's night -take 2

So, I've been working at my father's mill for 16 days straight and they are saying it's going to be another 45 before we have a day off. fml.

I've been neglecting this blog horribly, and right after I promised not to leave!

I hate this job. Don't get me wrong it's great money and it'll really help pay for the wedding, however I feel that it simply isn't worth the sacrifice. I never see my fiance, I'm completely burned out, I'm angry and snappy because of it... I would give anything to be monetarily motivated, but I'm just plain not. I don't know how much longer this can last.

Odds & Ends

• My bridal shower is in a month and I'm not ready... I don't even know if I'll be able to get off work. :(
• I finally finished my application for the new college I want to transfer too.
• Monster is doing great! He has sooooo much hair! It makes him look older than he is already. 

Wordless Wednesday

Our Engagement Photo

Quick rant about life...

In the past couple of weeks I've been struggling. A lot.

When I first took this job at the mill I moved in with my parents to be closer to the job because James and I only have one car + the scooter. So, we haven't been seeing each other much and things are not well.

We've been fighting a ton lately. I'm getting my ass handed to me with this job, he's working his butt off in his job. We see each other rarely and when we do see each other all we do is scream.

Things aren't going any better on the "home" front.

 I want to have a very small wedding. Like 50 people. My father thinks I should invite everyone I've ever met and their parents (CAUTION: interpret exaggeration at your own risk).

I want to have the reception for my very small wedding in my parents large backyard, under a tent. My father would prefer to pay for a venue.

Needless to say, IT'S MY FUCKING WEDDING (CAUTION: call me bridezilla at your own risk).

So, all we do is scream at each other.

I want this marriage to work so much because I love him more than anything and he's my best friend, but how will we get through this life together if we can't even make it through this summer?

Wordless Wednesday

On Being Thankful 

P.S. -I do not own, nor claim any writes to this image. All credit to: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2coVrf/fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/076/6/0/605b7d3c66c2dc9470fd939b2011ac0e.png

Haiku Mondays

First day in new job.

I'm too nervous to think straight.

I hope it goes well!

Deep Breath In

So, I've been all over the place lately and I totally need some sort of outlet for life!

Hey look!

A blog....

I managed to score a job in my father's paper mill for the summer. It's full time kick ass work that will *hopefully* get me in tip-top shape for the wedding.

Oh yeah... the wedding. Crap. Now how am I going to plan?

I'm probably not going to be posting much very often because I'll be working a lot.

And when I'm not working I'll be wedding planning!

Maybe all this will help get our dreams back on track.

:)

Odds & Ends

• I think we finally settled out some details for the wedding venue. It's this beautiful little chapel with an out door court yard that is completely picturesque. When James and I toured it I even teared up!
• The baby is SOOOOOO cute. For those of you keeping score at home he's got our side's ugly feet!

Wordless Wednesday

I JUST WANT TO DANCE!!! +Haiku Mondays

I'm so excited.

Wait until you hear the news.

My life is changing.

So, we heard back from the Air Force regarding James' enlistment.....

and (drum roll please...)

HE'S IN!!!!!

That's two good things in a row this week! :)

Now we just anxiously wait to here WHEN he leave for BMT.

So there's this baby...

The count down began 9 months ago, and we've all been anxiously awaiting the birth of my nephew. Between talks of whose ugly feet he'll get and whether he'll have the maternal family double chin or not everyone was very excited. He would be the first Grand-baby in our family. It was a particularly rough pregnancy for the first time parents. Both of them told us for years they never wanted to have kids, then that suddenly changed. They did try to get pregnant but I imagine both of them had a few second thoughts along the way. Nicole had morning sickness throughout, ended up in the ER twice because of dehydration, and towards the end developed toxicity. Between the worry about the baby's health and Nicole's health my brother, Matthew, was a wreck.

Monday was the due date. Tuesday they went in for a check up and discovered something funky with the babies heart beat. Not the good king of funky either. The doctors decided to induce labor Wednesday morning. After 16 hours in the hospital, Monster was born at 10:38pm, June 1st, 2001.

7lbs 2oz, 21.5 inches

Wordless Wednesday

Haiku Mondays...

It feels superb to be back.

I missed you all lots.

I'll never leave you again. 

Memorial Day Rejuvenation.

First things first.

Thank you.

Thank you for sticking around and still being here to read this. It means a great deal to me.

Now, why? Why haven't I been here!?

I haven't written in over a month. Although I have read. A lot. I think I started this Blog feeling like I would be brilliant at it and then once I started reading more and more I realized I've nothing to say worth reading. I've never had this feeling before. I've always just kind of done things. But now I have this creeping sensation... 'what if they don't like me?'

I rant a lot.

And I enjoy ellipses...  :)

I like to cook, in fact I've prepared three separate recipies for this blog.

I've also been creating! Making multiple tutorials along the way.

Only to get to the site and find that I have very little ambition to actually post.

Then I did what any good chicken would do, I turned tail and fled. Retreated back into the safety of ranting and ellipse-ing to people who I know will at least pretend to like me. Well, NO MORE!

I think it would be best if I started a schedule. I kind of half heartedly tried with Haiku Mondays, which I liked btw and plan to continue. I was thinking of maybe adding Wordless Wednesday becuase I have always loved those, especially when they are personal pics. I've also been collecting and saving a number of sites that I stumble on and completely love that I want to post in a Favorite Things entry. On top of that I want to start adding an "Odds and Ends" feature at the conclusion of each full post just to jot down a few things floating threw my brain. Kind of like the website MMT (Makes Me Think).

So, for my Memorial Day Rejuvenation I'm going to start out with something fairly simple. I want to dedicate a few words to all of our nations fallen veterans.

I want to start out by saying, I don't agree with war. Personally I feel that war is just a widely accepted excuse to murder people who have something we want, or who we don't like for various reasons. I feel that almost any conflict can be resolved without resorting to violence.

But there is so much good our military does as well. Including providing aid and relief on behalf of the United States government and protecting the freedom and liberties of the citizens of this country in nonviolent ways. They are also responsible for a number of medical and technical advancements due to government funding.

Obviously, just like anything else, there are good things and bad things that can be argued about almost any point I've made here today. I really don't feel like hashing it out with any of you today over a military post, so if you've got an argument save it for the opinion pages of your local newspaper.

What I'm trying to get at here is that, whether I agree with a lot of what the military does on a regular basis or not, millions of soldiers put their butts on the line to give me the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms I have been  awarded as my birth right and they receive very little gratitude when the day is done.

Today I honor the 4,454 American soldiers that have been killed in Iraq and the 1,595 American soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan since the War on Terror began in March of 2003.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.

-Elmer Davis

I'm coming back full force, and I promise to post at regular intervals. Hopefully they will be at least half as interesting to read as they are to write.

Thanks again,
Rache

Odds & Ends

• Two weeks ago a 22 year old hung himself a couple of houses down from where my parents live. We had been neighbors for almost ten years, he was a grade behind me in school. I didn't even know his name.
• Yesterday my dog Harvey was mauled by a Great Dane at the area dog park. The Dane's owner just stood there and watched without even attempting to control his animal. Aside from now being terrified of other dogs, Harvey is expected to make a full recovery.
• My pregnant sister-in-law is due today. I will be a first time aunt. The doctor is expecting an 8lb baby. They will name him Nathan, if by mistake it should be a girl she will be Annabell.
• Planning a wedding is a huge headache. Especially when your fiancés mother hates you. 

Haiku Mondays... and a post from last week that I "forgot" about because it's depressing.

Working third shift sucks.

It makes my sleep time lonely.

But, no snores wake me.

:)

Speaking of work... I lost my second job. Like... six weeks ago. I haven't said anything about it because it sucks. And thinking about it makes my heart hurt a lot a little bit. 

So that house we were going to buy that I referenced in this post? Yeah, never mind about that.  No way that'll happen on one part-time income. I was crushed. 

I used the down payment money in my savings account to buy ice cream... and a scooter since gas is projected to soar over $5 a gallon this summer.

I mention it now because I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the future of our little family lately. 

James is |--this--| close to being locked in with the Air Force, we are having a wedding in September,  I have yet to finish my degree, and now we are one income down from where we are supposed to be. 

Random (but totally relevant) thing you probably don't know about me: I'm a super anxious, cynical, hyper-planner freak. I literally sit down and budget out my funds month by month for YEARS in advance. I know it makes very little sense. I rarely manage to stick to the budget for more than two months at a time because things come up. But it makes me feel better. Like I have a little more control over the direction of my life. 

I probably engage in this obsessive behavior 2 or 3 times a month. 

And right now I can't. 

Everything is too up in the air. I don't know what our financial situation will be next week, much less in three months. Now, I feel like I'm paddling my way through one of the biggest decisions of my life (marriage), completely blind. 

I second guess myself six times a day and it's getting to me. 

2nd Random (but totally relevant) thing you probably don't know about me: I'm an impulse shopper. If I have too much time to think about something I will, inevitably talk myself out of it. I have been known to go to three different tattoo shops to get my tattoo right now, this minute because if I have to make an appointment, I'll bail. 

Not to mention the fact that now I am only working part time so I have WAY too much time on my hands to spend thinking. 

I maintain that I don't need a full time job right now because I'm so busy planning for the wedding but... I'm really starting to think I'm just scared of putting myself into another job and getting fired.

I've never been fired before this, and let me just say something... I never, ever thought it would suck this bad. I can honestly say that even after a super rocky adolescence of depression and suicide attempts, I never felt this worthless.

It's kind of like the feeling of believing you're completely worthless and then finding out your belief was entirely justified. 

I'm over my angst-y, teenage, depression and I would never even dream of attempting suicide again, but I'm not going to lie... I spent three days straight in bed, crying and making James get me McDonalds and ice cream.

Now, six weeks after the fact,  I'm not feeling so worthless anymore. I'm kind of over it, I try to be all Christian and accept it as 'it wasn't meant to be' even though I don't believe in that... 

But, all of the sudden it's like I'm gun-shy. I find myself looking at job listings with leftover feelings of inadequacy. I don't even bother applying because I tell myself it's not worth getting my hopes up.  

And with so much else going on? It's easy to just add it to the list of things in my pot of worry-stew. 

Marriage?

Air Force?

Job?

Degree?

Chuck in some low self-esteem.

fat.

annoying.

lazy.

stupid.

And a dash of every day concerns.

Did the rent check go out?

Who fed the dogs?

Eye doctor appointment Thursday at 8:45

Where the heck is my cell phone!?

Viola! 

"I'll have another Kessler's and Coke please?"

Haiku Mondays...

I've woken up an hour late.

Five more minutes? Nope.

A hungry dog licks my face. 

If I won the lottery...

Top ten things I would do with the money in order:

l) Hire a really good financial planner.
2) Do whatever he tells me to do.
3) Pay off all of my debt.
3) Get health insurance.
4) Give a substantial amount to my immediate family members and charity
5) Buy a new car... a sensible one, that runs well and gets good gas mileage.
6) Buy a sports car... you know, for fun.
7) Buy a condo, with cash. (No more rent or mortgage!? Yes!)
8) Finish my degree
9) Move to Germany
10) Take lots of vacations with my family.

oh boy...

Creeping up from behind... sneek, sneek, sneek... SLAM!

Yup, I can't help it. I'm a total cynic. It's like I'm fine one moment and then, all of the sudden, I've screwed myself into a corner.

With my cynicism... screwdriver? ahem

 They say, "You are your own toughest critic". Now, I'd say that's pretty accurate.

So, taking that in to consideration... I'd say I have myself defeated before I even step out the door most days.

...

Sorry, no moral to this story yet. I guess it's a work in progress.

James goes to the Air Force today to determine the direction our life is going to take now.

It's been a hard days night...

I do believe I am the worlds worst paid babysitter...

No, really. I get paid minimum wage to babysit fully grown drunk people. All night long. I work the grave yard shift at a fairly popular "Family" hotel chain. Well, when you live in Wisconsin, "Family" means -Lets all get drunk and watch our kids try to drown each other in the pool! And amazingly the unsupervised children are far better behaved than their inebriated parents. Or at least they have a little respect.

Now, I've been working in the hotel industry since I graduated from high school... so, going on five years now. This is my fourth hotel. I can guarantee you I'm used to being treated like a hologram. Like some sort of automated ticket machine at the airport. I never hear the word "please" from adults and very rarely do I hear "Thank you".

"But, Rachael!" -you say, "You're being paid to do it, it's your job!"

You're right it is my job. I get paid a pittance, not even enough to pay my monthly bills, to be a servant to the whims of hotel patrons with 3,875,610,984,592 membership points. Although, I don't quite understand how getting paid to do your bidding equates to you also having the right to treat me like a sub-class of human being.

I see this more and more often.

For whatever reason, people who don't work in service jobs feel some sort of entitlement to treat those in the field of service like dirt.

This drives me crazy.

 Like for whatever reason the fact that I'm out here, working my ass off, through a college degree, below the poverty line, refusing to accept food stamps, in a menial service position makes it okay for you to grind me down even further because of your own personal success. Do you spit on the homeless and laugh at the handicapped too? Or is it just those of us in the service industry you target for your own selfish pat-on-the-back displays?

Normally, I can handle that. I'm pretty well used to it by now. Fine so you think you're better than me. You  had a crappy service job 10,000 years ago and everyone treated you like shit too. BUT you've risen above it! Now, you have earned the right to treat me like crap as well.

I get it.

Whatever.

My biggest problem is being an adult babysitter. You know what I'm talking about. Like, when you and your friends think it'd be funny to race up and down the hall ways? At three o'clock in the morning?  And you're 32? And you're on the second floor? And you each way over 150lbs? And I have to ask you 2+ times to knock it off?

You know how when your kids do something naughty they might get three strikes?

Well, guess what!? YOU'RE ADULTS Learn how to behave like it. I am not your mother. I am not nearly as nice as she was. If you continue to act like children I will have to deal with you in a way you will not like. I might even have to ask you to leave. Yes, I have the authority to do that. No, I'm not afraid to use that authority. And if you choose to argue with me, I will call the police. And you can tell your sorry little excuses to the nice officer who is here to escort you out of the building. No, you will not receive a refund. DO NOT EXPECT ONE. Naughty children do not get a replacement toy for the one they just foolishly broke.

I haven't got nearly the patience for it, and I am sorely underpaid to put up with your crap. There are probably 100 other guests in this hotel (who are capable of behaving themselves I might add) and you happen to be negatively effecting their stay. It is my job to correct that. I have no pity for you. I don't care who hit who first. All I care about is that it stops right now. And does not start again. If that can be achieved in one "talking-to" then we wont have a problem. No hard feelings, I'm not going to hold a grudge. We can move past it. However, if I have to ask you yet again to act like an adult you will not like the consequences.

Which brings us to tonight, and let me tell you, it's shaping up to be a real winner...

6 room noise complaints - for the same room...
5 drunken assholes throwing beer cans from their pool view balconies down into the pool area...
4 drunk women swimming after hours in their clothing...
3 complaints from the bar about guests behaving badly...
2 drunk idiots fighting in the parking lot...
and 1 old women who has requested I bring something to her room 4 separate times with never once a please or thank you.

So, please dear friends. I beg of you. Next time you're out and about and you happen to come in contact with someone in the service industry, think about this post.

Think about how they have families at home too .

Think about how they are just people, deserving of respect and understanding.

Think about how they probably put up with pretentious jerks all day, everyday and you being nice to them might just make their whole week a little bit brighter.

Think about the golden rule.

Think about Barney for all I care.

But please treat them with respect, and thank them honestly for the job they do.

 because we're all just doing the best we can

*Let me add that when asking guests to play nice the situation rarely escalates to the point where I have to call the police. *

Hey hey ho ho Scott Walker has got to go!

Okay, so this post does not actually have anything to do with the politics in Wisconsin (even though things are crazy right now). That's just stuck in my head so now it's my title...

This post actually has a lot more to do with how much of a slacker I am. Because I have only posted like once in the past two months. I have been super busy with life but that's really no excuse what so ever. This is such a fantastic outlet, I have to do it more or I'll explode. In fact I did... this morning... at my roommate, and then apparently at my fiancé.

So, here we go kids...

About two weeks ago James and I made the decision to actually have a wedding! Originally we were planning on getting married in Germany in about six years because that's where we are planning on living eventually. BUT this summer James is joining the Air Force. So, we talked about just having a court house ceremony and still having our wedding in Germany later. However, I truly believe that most of my family would feel like, "Well, you guys have been married for like five years already, why would we want to waste our money to come to Germany to see you get married again?" After thinking about it for a while I decided I don't want my wedding day to be about me feeling like crap because my family didn't feel the need to come to my wedding. So... we decided two weeks ago to have a wedding this summer before he leaves for basic. Wow, it sure does take a lot of planning to get a wedding up and running in less than six months! Venues, caterers, photographers? They're all booked like a year in advance... so I ended up asking all three what days they have available and we'll just have to move the wedding to that day! Turns out no one gets married on Labor Day weekend. So I apologize in advance if most of my posts from now until September 3rd and beyond are wedding related.

Stylish!? Who me?

Why yes, in fact I've been nominated for the Stylish Blogger Award not once, but twice!  It is very, very awesome, and I am very, very honored. Since it's been like 43,874,308 years since I was actually nominated I absolutely must, must accept now that I feel I can fulfill the conditions of my acceptance.... kinda.

Now, on with the conditions!

1) Nominee is required to thank and acknowledge the blogger who nominated them. I personally don't believe a condition should be required since what kind of a person wouldn't thank and acknowledge someone who gives them a shiny award?!

Like I said I was nominated twice so a great big huge Thank you goes out to Sunny from Sunny Sings the Blues who was my first ever follower (excluding my Fiancé and my mother).

Umseti over at Stupid America also deserves a big thanks for nominating me and kicking my butt in to gear!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Condition # 2

Make a list of Seven things your readers may not know about you.

1. I'm terrible with money. It's really tragic. For some reason I feel like money is just dirty pieces of paper until you spend it on something. Money has no real value to me. This becomes kind of a problem with James because he likes to have a cushion of money, just in case. I feel like it's a total waste just sitting there not being used for anything. Don't get me wrong I'm super good a saving FOR something. As long as that goal is there... if it's just for the heck of it I can't do it.

2. Speaking of saving FOR something. James and I are maybe, hopefully, might be, if we can, buying a house in a few months. Maybe. So there is more money in my savings account right now than I have ever seen in their before. Ever. I'm also working two jobs so that money grows even more.

3. We have two smelly, drooly, droopy, hairy, loud Bassett Hounds named Walter and Harvey. They are amazing and fantastic and wonderful and totally and completely gross. If you don't completely love animals with all your heart and have the capacity to put up with lots of cleaning don't get Bassett Hounds. They are amazing with children, loyal to a fault, and very smart (as long as you have food).

4. I wish I were really good at something. I mean other than giving blow jobs. That really doesn't count now that I'm engaged. :/  No, I mean like painting, or drawing, or singing, or photography, or sports, or... something. I'm just not. My talent is being average at pretty much everything and being down right bad at everything else.

5. I love Audry Hepburn and if I could look like any other person in the whole world it would either be her or Rachel McAdams who is unbelievably gorgeous, cute, and beautiful all at the same time. I also love, Marlon Brando, Billy Joel, Amy Grant, George Carlin, and Rob Thomas. Love. Love. Love.

6. Someday I will have a 1968 Stingray Corvette that is T-top, candy apple red, and with white leather interior. Someday....

7. I also hope to someday move to Germany and teach English. I love it over there. That is where my family came from and I really adore the language and the people.

Alright! Now the third condition of accepting the award is to share it with  other bloggers. Technically you are supposed to share it with 15 bloggers who are just starting out. Well, I believe I follow 15 bloggers but only about four of them are just starting out... Two of those already nominated me... hrmm. I think I'm just going to have to improvise a little bit.

Here are a few blogs I read that are newer to blogging:
I found Amanda of Fond of the Silliness over at Curvy Girl Guide a couple of days ago.
I actually found The View From Macy when she was also nominated by Sunny.

Now I feel so totally undeserving of this award because I can't name more than two 'new' blogs BUT I swear I'm going to update and post when I find more.

And here are a few blogs you may not be familiar with but they are hilarious, inspirational, and required reading for anyone who blogs.
Curvy Girl Guide is fantastic for us bigger girls who need a little advice or a pick me up every once in a while!
#FreeAnissa is hosted by an amazingly strong woman who is an inspiration to everyone who reads her.
Barefoot Foodie is unbelievable hilarious I almost pee my pants every time I read her writing.
I've been following the Parsley Thief for years for fantastic recipes.
I've been following Nobel Pig even longer for fantastic recipes.

Whew... Okay.

So after pretty much the busiest February ever. I'm posting a blog again. First it was the snowstorm of the century that shut half the nation down for like three days, then it was training in Madison for my new job, then it was snowpocolypse (thanks for that Dan!) take two, now I have a stomach virus...... 

BUT all of that pales in comparison to what our ass-hat, tea party, douche bag Governor (whom I did not vote for thankyouverymuch) is trying to do to the middle class people in this state. 

Now I know the few of you who do come here to read my blog probably aren't interested in my personal political beliefs. However, I can think of no reason to support this bill in any way, shape, or form. From what the bill stands for to how it's been introduced it's wrong. 

I'm sure I don't have to go into great detail about it since it's been getting national news coverage for over a week now. There are a few things I would like to point out though.

Governor Walkers Budget Repair Bill is total fucking bullshit.

1) State workers will be required to pay 50% to they're pension and a minimum of 12.6% to their health care... So like campaign workers and judges? AND teachers, police officers, firefighters, etc. Okay fine, that sounds fair right?

2) Unions will no longer have the ability to freely negotiate wages... So, they can't ask for raises anymore? Hmm that's kind of crappy.

3) Unions will no longer be allowed to collect dues, they will also require a annual vote to stay unionized... Hey, how will they be able to even stay a union that way?

4) All of the money being saved by ensuring the unions have no voice and state workers pay their own benefits is being directly assigned to pay down the state deficit.

              -Which is projected not current, instead of creating a budget repair bill to make up for it how about you just learn to spend less than we have instead of more Mr. College-Drop-Out-With-No-Political-Experience? 

               -ALSO: we wouldn't have a deficit this year at all it if Scott Walker hadn't given "Monetary Gifts" to his campaign supporters totaling upwards of  $130,000,000.00 

5) On top of that there are these little cherries slipped in to the bill:

               - Page 18, Line 8 Contractors for the State of Wisconsin will no longer be required to ensure a harassment free work place in regards to sexual orientation. 

               -Page 24, Line 1 The State of Wisconsin can now sell or contract state owned heating, cooling, and power plants without taking bids and for any amount the state deems to be "in the best interest". 

AND JUST IMAGINE THERE ARE 144 PAGES OF THIS SHIT.

So, if you have the time and can make sense of the policital mumbo jumbo I high recommend that you read it, the bill can be found in it's original PDF form here. 

The other sources that I used (in case you think I'm some liberal abortionist who lies for a living) can be found here, here, and here.

Also: If you in any way want to support the protesters please consider the following:

To supply protesters with WATER contact (Capitol Center Foods at 608-255-2616).

To supply protesters with FOOD contact (Silver Mine Subs at 608-286-1000, Ian's Pizza at 608-257-9248, Pizza Di Roma at 608-268-0900, or Asian Kitchen at 608-255-0571).

       - Personally recommend Ian Pizza they're the best. 

To supply protesters with LAUNDRY SERVICES contact (Lazy Bones Laundry and Storage at 1.877.215.2105).

These businesses have been taking calls from all over the country and even countries outside of the USA delivering food and water to the 70,000+ protesters who are at the capital day and night standing up for those of us who can't be there. 

One word of warning to those readers who are not from Wisconsin and don't feel the need to care. This will not STOP here. Your state will be next. Six months ago I was proud to be from Wisconsin, now I am disgusted.

*I have tried my best to ensure this post is accurate. Any incorrect statements are purely accidental and not tailored to meet my political agenda. I have listed my sources including a link to the bill in it's entirety. Please do not just spout that I am wrong because you don't agree. If something in my post is incorrect, please site your sources*

"FREE" and why we don't complain about it.

I think I'm pretty good at compromise. There are a lot of things that we have each wanted that neither of us has gotten because we compromised. He wanted a new camera. I wanted to go on a cruise. Instead we got a new TV. It worked. And it continues to work. We both look at our list of wants and if our first priority isn't the same we move on down the list until we find something we both want. It's perfect. Most of the time. 

Just recently the aunt of the neighbor of my mother (got that?) was moved into a nursing home. My mother's neighbor, Mary, has been very busy cleaning out the house and getting it ready for her son-in-law to move in (still following?). About two weeks ago my mother brought over a few of the pieces from the house. 

For free. 

Now I'm not sure if you've heard but I work third shift at a hotel front desk. My Fiancé doesn't work at the moment as he is a full time student. He does get some money for living expenses from the government, but it's really nothing to sneeze at. I make the big money in our family... If you can call $1000 a month big money. Now, don't get feeling sorry for us just yet, we do manage to keep the wolf from the door somehow and there are plenty of people in the world far less fortunate than we are. 

However, just because we are scraping by and making ends meet does not mean we are above taking the occasional 'free' this-or-that-or-the-other-thing. Of course in this case, by we I mean I. James hates accepting 'charity' from anyone. Especially my mother. I can't quite figure out why. 

So, she brought over this chair...

Wait, let me go back a bit. So my family was over for Christmas to see our tree. We have one reclining chair, and one large sofa in our living room. That's it. There are eight of us. I think that makes my point. Back to this chair...

Looks pretty classy next to the record player huh?

James hates this chair. He mentions every day how ugly it is. Now, I know it's not the prettiest chair in the world. In fact it's positivity hideous. But it was free.

...

Somehow in my world 'free' is like the ultimate trump card.
 I don't care if you don't like it. It was free.
We can't afford furniture.
My mother's neighbor was kind enough to offer us this chair.
For free.

*blink, blink*

How is this decision complicated? It's a free chair. Now one less person has to sit on the floor when company is over. It was free.

...

Nope. Don't care. The chair is staying. It was free.

Twitter: America's only culturally accepted strip club.

You know how when you're in a strip club for the first time? And you get that voi-
What do you mean some of  you've never been in a strip club?
Yeah, I was there with Tyler once.
Yes, he's gay.... Why? Is that weird?
ANYWAY, so you're there, right? And this is what's going on in your head

You're here to look, that's the point of a strip club.  
You're supposed to look,  why did you come here if you're not going to look?
Just look. People are going to think you're weird if you keep staring at the ceiling. JUST LOOK!
Okay! Okay I'm gonna look. 

Two second glance then your eyes focus anywhere but on the flappy hoo-ha directly in front of your face.

This is what I feel like every time I look at a celebrity's twitter page.  It makes me really uncomfortable. Like I'm staring a a giant, foldy, hoo-ha.

Last night while I was bored at work I went through and picked a couple of celebrities to follow, because ah...  EVERYONE is doing it you know! I did already have some people on my list. No HUGE names or anything, just a few famous people. If I named them here I'm sure some of you would still be like, "Um... who the heck is that?"  But last night when I started following NPH, Pink, Lady Gaga, etc.... Things got strange.

NPH is gushing about fatherhood
Pink is trying to assemble a crib for the baby
Tom Felton has odd food cravings.

I can't do this. This is weird. 
It's fine, people do this all the time. 
This feels really, really wrong... Like I'm a stalker or something.
Quit being such a baby! It's just a little hoo-ha.

And that's when it hit me.

I don't know these people. I have no right to be looking at their hoo-has! Twitter is like a giant strip club of one sided relationships with people who will never return the affection/attraction you feel for them. Five years ago the only way I would know Rob Thomas is watching "It's a Wonderful Life" is if I were peaking in his living room window. Now it's automatically sent to my cell phone. Why do we feel like it's okay be be privy to this (sometimes really private) information?

* No offense is intended by this post *

I'm channeling my inner George Carlin today...

So this is just a short list of things that are pissing me off:


1) People with faux-hawks.
-PLEASE STOP DOING THIS. This is not New Jersey. You do not look cool. You look like a douche. This fad was over two years ago. David Beckham doesn't even look good like this anymore (and that's saying something because it takes a lot for me to not think David Beckham looks good). Next time I see one of you douchers out with your hair all gel-ed up like an ass hat I'm going to tar and feather you. Enough is enough.


2) The neighbor who gives me dirty looks when I run out to get the mail at three in the afternoon in my pajama pants and tank top.
-Don't judge me. You don't know me. I don't judge you when your wife sunbathes topless on the deck in your backyard or when your children (who are only outside twice a year btw) eat sand out of your sandbox. I work a third shift job. There is absolutely nothing wrong with me being in my pajamas at 3:00pm. Maybe I'll start going out in just a thong and then you'll be thankful when I'm in my pajama pants!


3) People who live in the United States and can't speak English (and don't try to either)
-Don't get me wrong on this one. I know it's a super controversial issue. However, I know I would NEVER dream of permanently (or even long term temp) moving to a country where they speak a foreign language without beforehand making a serious effort to speak their language. I don't even expect people to speak English when I travel to foreign countries for vacation (even though most do). I always ensure that I have a dictionary in the language and some important phrases memorized. AND I'M JUST VISITING.  I don't care what you speak at home, I don't care what you speak at the grocery store but you should be capable of communicating with the majority of the population in the country where you are living.  I think it's wrong that people come here and expect to be accommodated when they make no effort to learn our language.


4) Motion Sensor Hand Soap Dispenser for you home
-This is a big one. I could write an entire post on this subject alone. As most of my IRL friends know I'm pretty disgusted by the American Germ Freak stigma. I don't wash my hands anytime I touch anything, I eat food that falls on the floor, and I don't get a clean towel every time I take a shower. In fact I don't even shower every day (I know some of you are cringing right now). So every time I see the commercial for this stupid pointless object (that I'm sure flies off the shelves at Wal-marts nation wide because it feeds some kind of cultural fear that if you aren't completely protected from all germs everywhere you WILL GET SICK AND DIE) I want to scream and tear my hair out.  There is no excuse to ever own one of these. EVER. And do you want to know why? Because you will never, ever, for any reason, what so ever, be touching the pump on your soap dispenser unless you are doing so to get soap on your hands to WASH THEM there by removing any germs you may have contracted when touching the pump. Get it? Good. stupid pointless grumble grumble...


Don't even get me started on that stupid backwards housecoat they are calling a 'Snuggie'. Seriously, go in the closet and get your robe and put in on backwards. There! You have a Snuggie.


5) Reality TV
- I can't even begin to explain how annoyed I am by reality TV. I miss sitcoms. Seriously, what happened to shows like Seinfeld and Friends? Did we really all get sick of that kind of television and make a collective decision that we would rather watch guidos flex and dry hump? I, for one, get way to much 'reality' at work. I would rather settle down on the couch with a soda and some chips and watch something that doesn't cause me to loose even more faith in humanity.


There. Rant officially over. Those are just my opinions about a few things that grind my gears. What are a few things that piss you guys off?

Can I trade my degree in for something cool? Like a dart gun?

Hi there how are you doing this evening?
     -Mehhh
...Is there something I can help you with?
     -Yeah, um... how much are your rooms for a night?
Well, since it's three o'clock in the morning I could probably give you a discount. How does $59.00 plus tax marked down from $89.00 sound?
     -Well, we um... only really need it for an hour or so... do you think you could go any cheaper than that?
*Internal Shudder* No, I'm sorry sir I'm not authorized to go any lower than $59.00 a night, but if you'd like I think the Super 8 across the street might have lower rates available.


So, apparently I have an associates degree in "Useless" because after four months of looking for a job I've finally landed one... where I do nothing for 5+ hours every night. I work third shift front desk at a Best Western. I literally come into work click about 10 buttons on the computer put all the shit that prints in an envelope and write the date on it. Then I put the envelope in a drawer and if no one calls down to complain or comes in with a hooker looking for a cheap bed for an hour I do nothing for the remainder of my shift. If it weren't for StumbleUpon I think I would go bezerk.
     Actually, I am going bezerk. I've already been offered and taken a different position... working at Avis DOING THE SAME THING for a dollar more an hour. So, I put my two-weeks notice in last week and the manager (who specifically told me he's not looking for an employee who's going to get hired and then leave in 15 days) has been nonstop giving me these super dirty looks, and I'm like, "Hey man, you should have told me before I signed the paperwork that you offer no benefits... Not even holiday pay. I mean what's up with that anyway? Who doesn't offer holiday pay for their employees? Even when I was in high school working part time I got time and a half when I physically worked a holiday."  But he doesn't really speak English very well so I didn't feel like repeating myself.
     Anyway, now I'm sitting here... at work... wondering why I even bothered to go to school and get myself $20,000 in debt if I'm just getting the same old positions I was getting before I even got my degree. This is the fourth hotel I've worked in since I started working in high school. Now, in less than two weeks I'll be training for a job that's basically the same thing only instead of checking people in and out of rooms I'll be checking cars out and in to the airport. The real kicker? I'll still be making barely enough to pay for that college degree that I was so consistently encouraged to get when I got out of high school.
     I think it's less a degree in "Useless" and more a useless degree and it's really sad because there are more and more people who are graduating from college tens of thousands of dollars in debt and struggling to find work at McDonald's. I can't tell you how many times I've seen resumes come in for a hotel job like housekeeping from people with full bachelors degrees. Meanwhile another company just reported a huge profit increase in the fourth quarter last year, but are they hiring this year because of it? No sir, they've learned the hard way not to spread themselves too thin by paying 5 people to do a job that they found out during the recession can actually be accomplished by 2 highly motivated people. And what's a better motivator than, "Do all this extra work as well as your existing work or I'll fire you and hire someone who will"?    
     Boy oh boy, I suppose I shouldn't be complaining about my shit job when there are so many people out of work, but what can I say? I'm a little bitter about the whole thing.


But this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, so I guess I'll do my best to work my hardest and maybe when I die and they dish out my money amongst my remaining relatives there will be slightly more than I have now. Old habits die hard after all.


I wonder what classes they're offering at Oshkosh this next year...

On a much happier note...

So, Christmas is over and it's officially the new year. Welcome to 2011. Woot.


As an annual requirement of existence I will now share my list of resolutions in order of their likelihood of surviving the month:
1) Stop laughing obscenely loudly at inappropriate times/ things.
     -Replace behavior with: quiet snickering that can be transformed into a cough if necessary
2) Learn how to recognize inappropriate times/ things, I will accomplish this by studying the speeches of Sarah Palin as everything she says is inappropriate.
     -She has that new show right? On TLC? This should be easy...
3) Stop referencing my pet fiddler crabs in Wal-mart as 'our crabs' just to see the reaction from the old bag wearing the leopard print behind us in line. (Honey did we pick up stuff for our crabs this month?)
4) Read more. The TV Guide menu doesn't count... Neither does the scrolling sign that is visible from the McDonald's drive thru.
5) Only spend money on things we need. Condoms, milk duds, and the fourth season of Big Love. No more spending money on non-essentials like gym memberships, hair cuts, and foods that give me gas.


Ah I feel better already. This is going to be a great year!