The first half of this weekend royally sucked, but I think the second half made up for it.

Friday night I hung out with my Mom and ate Mexican food. That didn’t suck, but I was still pretty miserable with a cold/allergies or whatever was tormenting me. Saturday night I had high hopes of doing something fun. Hopes=smashed. Sean went to watch ultimate fighting. I spent the night watching random crap on television, including an odd documentary on Vh1 about bi-curious house wives? Exactly.

With nothing else to do, watch, or look up on the internets, I put myself to sleep at 12:30 and put the night out of its misery. Or so I thought. 2 hours later I was awake…wide awake. In the mean time I watched a bad teeny bopper movie and a lot of music videos, none of which put me to sleep. I finally fell asleep at 6 and slept for about 4 hours, which wasn’t so bad.

Sunday and Monday were much better. Sunday I bought/planted 6 containers worth of flowers and then went to a bbq and added one more thing to my list of “things I’m no good at”: serving in badminton. I haven’t played since my sophomore year in high school and it showed as Sean and I did not place so well in the back yard badminton tournament. But alas, it didn’t matter, I still had fun watching other people play, smoking a lot of cigarettes (yeah that still happens every once in a while) and drinking lots of wine. I don’t have any pictures to post as I don’t think there are any pictures that are worth posting (in other words, I’m not in any of them. Ha.)

Yesterday I wanted to get a pedicure. Who would have thought that nail salons wouldn’t be open on Memorial day? Me, that’s who. I guess I should have figured. So instead, Sean and I met up with some friends at the so called “rib fest” in Elgin. It was the most busted rib fest I’ve ever seen. I guess it was the first year they've held it, but still! There were only two food vendors at the whole thing and only one had ribs! I don’t even like ribs and I was disappointed. But I did get a funnel cake and some lemonade, so it turned out okay.

Much like the ribfest, the weekend redeemed itself in the end. Thank goodness I have stuff planned in advance for the next couple weekends. At least I won’t end up sitting on my couch, hating life and wanting to drink alone…in the dark.

I wish I knew what to do about moving or not moving to the city. Seems like we talk about it once a week, but it never goes any further. I wish I had a crystal ball…or at least a magic 8 ball.

Thank mother nature for the fact that there aren't any cicadas where I live. I don't think I could have made it.

Moral of the story: life is pretty boring right now. Frealzies.

I feel like shit. I can't figure out if I'm sick (have cold, etc) or if my allergies have arrived a month late due to the odd weather we've had. Either way it sucks, yet I did call in sick to work today for the first time in 2007...watched "She's the Man" and a lot of reality television...

Something else that doesn't suck, via Sean, via Viceland.com: tour diary of Against Me! It's good stuff:

"I feel bodies pressed against me. An arm is thrown around my shoulder. A girl grabs me and plants a kiss on my cheek and tells me she loves me. There is no greater high than this. There is nothing more addictive.

Afterward, we take some photos, sign some autographs. The club clears out. The gear gets packed and loaded. I change clothes, grab my bag. Everybody piles into the van to leave for the hotel. Tomorrow we will wake up and do it all again."

I slurp on this band so much, but they are so good...I can't help it.

I made this list of things I wanted to write about on Monday while I was at work. I always do that and then by the time I sit down here I look over it and they are all irrelevant or I find myself saying "that really isn't interesting to anyone but you."

this time, the list said:

-Arcade Fire Show ( i kind of accomplished that in my last post, but I had this whole "Von Trap Family" comparison thing all worked out that I've since realized has probably been done before.)
-Television (no clue...I watch a shit load of it...next)
-Places I want to go on vacation (this is still relevant, but time consuming...another night)
-Seattle (I was supposed to go for work, but have since been told otherwise, so scrap that)
-Post-it note mystery(I found out who it was, so it's not funny anymore)
and lastly....
-tanning stup. (I imagine I meant to write "tanning stuff" and got interrupted by actual work.) Besides the fact that I'm a retard for writing "stup," I can expand on that one.

This is me, in the summer (also in fall, winter and spring):


Now, I don't mean to imply that at any time of the year I can be found lounging poolside at a Wisconsin water park reading a fashion rag while my boyfriend goes down the lazy river for the thirtieth time. Although I wish that was a fact, I'm specifically referencing the ghostly shade of my skin in the picture, which was taken in July.

Some people, mainly my mother, would describe me as having "porcelain" skin. I prefer to label myself as having "pale" skin. Some people, again...mainly those with the first name Mary Lou, say I'm lucky because "my skin looks great all year round!" Such is not the truth. Although I think my pale yet porcelain skin doesn't look bad in the winter months, and I can wear almost any shade or color...the summer is when I get the blues about being so...well...white. For example:

This is what happens when I get a "tan":

See that slight change in color on me? That's called a sunburn, and it's not terribly red because I probably had sunblock on in order to keep my sensative skin from frying. At least I'll never get cancer right? Not the point. Point is, I'm constantly trying to find a way to add some color to my skin in the summer. I've tried lots of self tanners, lotions with tanner in them, etc. They don't really ever seem to do anything. But recently I tried the L'oreal brand. I tried it on my legs first, just to avoid embarrassment and it's a good thing I did.

The directions on the package tell me to apply the tanner every day for a week, then after that, once a week. I did it for two days. On the second day, while at work, I pulled up my pant leg and was horrified to see that under the fluorescent lights of my cubicle, my leg seemed to resemble something like Lindsay Lohan at her orangest. Not really what I was going for. Needless to say, I stopped applying it daily. I think if I do it once a week or so, I might be OK.

Long story short, I'd take my pale, non-tanning skin any day over looking like La Lohan or anyone else who seems like they've been eating too many carrots. Looking like you have jaundice is just about as attractive as being able to see the blood pumping through the veins in your translucent legs. So, I'll try this for a while, I'm sure in the end it will be more trouble than it's actually worth and by July I'll be blinding people with my whiteness again.

Side note: I was looking for orange pictures of Lindsay and I found this one. Even though in the picture below she is not too orange, she does bare a strong resemblance to all the white girls i went to middle school with that so desperately wanted to be Hispanic and/or date someone in a gang. For the life of me, I cannot understand why someone with millions of dollars insists on dressing like a preteen hoodrat.

What, you think I'm loco? Yes. Yes, I do.



This post brought to you by me, thinking I have anything of interest to say.

goodnight.

People pleasers...

...are butt kissers.

Weekender.

Saturday: Poker. More importantly babiez.

A foldable baby: Alayna.

A baby deep in thought: Campbell.

A baby whisperer: Sean.

Sunday night I went to Church with the Arcade Fire.

Nosebleed: Me and Sean, who was still able to take lots of photos that I'm too lazy to look through in order to find a good one. Location was irrelevant though. They closed the show with my very most favorite song, Tunnels. It was religious and shit.

Cat Blog: Mile-oh.

Whack.

The best Google "Did you mean..." I've ever gotten appeared before my eyes on Friday at work.



I wish Google...I wish.

Not so day of awesome.

Today was sort of an awful day. I'm trying to be positive about where my life/career is going, or not going to be honest. I'm down in the dumpers for sure. My mom took me to Panera even thought she already ate dinner because I wanted a crispiani pizza. It made me feel a littler better. Now I'm watching the series finale of my all time favs, Gilmore Girls...eating strewberries...and feeling sorry for myself...and kind of half crying because I just realized that I started watching this show at age 18...that was along time ago.

Today at work I think I pretty much walked into someone talking about me and it sucked because I wasn't sure what was going on and I felt stupid. Blarg.

Sean played a song for me today by the Descendents called "this place sucks," and it explained everything I think the two of us are feeling about where we are at in our lives right now. I just want to be happy.

I bought the book "1,000 place to see before you die," at the book fair in my building yesterday. I'm going to highlight the places I want to go.

I need a vacation.

Day of Awesome

Against Me! Day arrived on Saturday.

12 noon: I had a meeting in a small room with 20 people in it that permeated with what can only be described as "man musk" of the band, Against Me!, who happened to show up and play like 9 songs. No big deal, really. I only got to see my favs, up close and personal. I was as giddy as the 23 year old girl with braces in front of me who guessed Warren's name correctly on the radio the day before in order to win a coveted spot in this room. What did I have to do? Oh nothing really...just happen to have a total Bestie who even though I harbor feelings of jealousy and rage towards him when he has chilli for lunch and I'm stuck eating lettuce, bestows life altering experiences upon me like these....Oh look-there he is now.



Andrew, Tom, and Warren...my p.o.v. Not bad if I say so myself...and I do.

The house boy's p.o.v. and James across the way.



Just before this, Warren screwed up a song...and Tom sort of scolded him...joke? We aren't sure. Sean compared it to when your parents fight...except when your fav band fights, you can't turn their music up really loud to drown it out.* But...bonus...they get over it in like 2 seconds and continue to rock your world with like 4 more tunes.

Pretty much some of the best 30 mins of my entire life. Thanks to my road dawg, for like the zillionth time. I held my composure and didn't fan out, but as a result kicked myself when I saw stupid Gordon's picture in the W.C. with the entire band...including Warren with a wet crotch.

Now, I didn't just call it Against Me! Day for nothin'. We also were going to be attending the show that night...but we'll get to that later. What do you do when you have 5 hours to kill in the city and you've never been to Millenium Park? Well, yeah...you would obviously go to Millenium Park.

So did we.

Bean.

Me-"Take our picture"
Sean Baker-"It's just a big fucking mirror"
Me-Blarg. No fun.


There is a garden. It was pretty. I think I would have enjoyed this all a bit more if
A) It had been more than 55 degrees out
B) There wasn't a wind chill factor
Or
C) I was wearing a winter jacket and some socks

Never the less...one thumb up and a clenched teeth smile for insanely green grass.


Afterwards, we did some shopping around and then headed over by the venue for some eats.

We ended up at a gay sports bar. Yes I hate sports, I think they are gay...but frealz this was a gay bar that had a sports theme to it. It was like any other sports bar, except when there is a rain delay apparently they fill time singing Cher tunes and making out. It's pretty funny story, but too long to type it all at 12:20 am and I'm pretty sure the only people who read this already know. If not, ask and you shall receive.

We finally made it to the show by 6 pm. I was exhausted, so we sat up in the balcony. I've never seen AM! as close as I have in the morning or as far away as I did in the evening....I just couldn't stand up anymore.

tiny.

I can also say, I've never seen them so "pumped" before. It's like they won a sporting event...or did a shit load of blow before taking the stage. Either way...quite a performance. Warren played the same song he fucked up in the morning, only this time, we let out a sigh of relief as he proudly executed his part. Thank God, if they were really on coke, they might have killed him and he's the smelliest...how would they get their musk? Let us not think of such tragedies.

Instead, check out the sweet panther back drop, which also makes a sweet t-shirt which i purchased.

Which also makes a sweet forearm tattoo for Tom Gabel.


In closing, I wish everyday was Against Me! day...but I'd like to request the temperature be a balmy 80 degrees and that I would allot some time for a nap.

Sunday was Mother's Day...which although a tad less fun, did involve angel food cake with strawberry marshmallow frosting.

I'm effing tired. Goodnight.



*For the record, I've only heard that is what the teens do to drown out yelling matches between ma and pa and am in no way, shape or form insinuating that I have a less than perfect family unit.

El Presidente...

+Culver's and American Idol with my Mom.
+Gilmore Girl's was interrupted by a phone call from some ol' boys.
+A strawberry margarita with a little nostalgia mixed in.
+Dice of Life Tour '03
+Genuine happiness
+Possible trip to NOLA
+Rory Gilmore graduates


-It's only Tuesday?
-Rory Gilmore breaks up with Logan.
-No smokes

Saturday is Against Me! day.

It's no Boston Legal, that's fo' sho'

There were no beautiful people...no quick quipping counsel...no brightly lit court rooms filled with mahogany desks and modern comfortable chairs. That isn't how court rooms look in Cook County District 3. Much to my chagrin, that is.

What they do look like are basement rooms filled with lacquered desks covered in other peoples sticky finger prints, as if they haven't been cleaned in years, and chairs that have permanent butt indentations and mystery stains. They have florescent lighting...no windows...and 30 degree temperatures.

More importantly though, they also contain me, my boyfriend, my insurance company's lawyer, the dude who doesn't speak enough English to answer the lawyers' questions...yet miraculously obtained a driver's license, his insurance company's lawyer, three arbitrators to hear the case...oh and that's right, a big fucking waste of time.

If you haven't guessed already, I had to throw 2 and a half hours of my life away today in the basement of the Rolling Meadows Courthouse. Just stepping into the place makes you automatically feel like a criminal. Why in our dear Lord's name would I, a law abiding citizen, possibly be sitting in a court room today? I will tell you why.

Just a little over a year ago, Sean happened to be driving my car to pick something up from his Mom's. On his way home, while he was at a complete stop in a line of cars at a red light, some assbag was "distracted" and slammed into the back of my car. There was damage to the back end of my car and it got repaired, but ol' dude's insurance is fighting the claim and won't pay my insurance company for the damages. Sean is still out the deductible he paid and in total there are about 2000 bucks floating around out in insurance land that need to be paid by Ramos Insurance, the defendant's insurer to State Farm, my insurer. Basically they are trying to say that the damages didn't occur from the accident. The dude admits to fault and to propelling his GMC pick up truck into my vehicle, but he says there wasn't any damage to my car and that it must have either already been there or it happened after the accident. He's a douche bag. Insurance companies like this fight every claim so they don't have to pay them. In return, I have to take hours out of my personal time at work to sit in an effing court room for basically nothing. I will tell you why it is pointless.

Because even if the arbitrators decide to award us the damages, the other company has a right to reject the decision in 30 days and then it goes to TRIAL. WITH A JURY. No you didn't read that wrong...I said a trial. With a mother effin' Jury. Because they won't pay $2000.00. So basically whatever happened today, means nothing. it was like a "practice round."

In a way it really pissed me off that this guy's insurance won't pay the $2,000.00 and shut the fuck up about it. Then I got pissed when I thought of how much money my insurance company, State Farm, has and they are spending time and money going to an arbitration that means nothing and then a TRIAL by JURY for $2,000.00 in damages!!! How about eating it and saving yourself court and legal costs? I almost wanted to ask the lawyer how much money they were going to end up spending to prove a point...then we got into the room and the defendant attempted to say that there couldn't possibly have been any damages to my vehicle after he failed to stop while driving 30-40 miles/hr into the back of it and his truck was not drivable from the scene because the whole front end was smashed in and it was leaking various fluids. He admits to it being a very heavy impact, yet still held strong to the fact that nothing was wrong with my car. If that was the case, I'm pretty sure everyone would be driving a car with a spare tire attached to the back. Because they'd magically be invincible, you fucking genius.

By the time I got out of the court house I thought my head was going to explode. Frealz. Then I went back to work, did 2 and a half hours of nothing...told the same story 3 times...and went home. Today pretty much sucked and I felt like I was in bizarro world.

Moral of the story. People suck, too many things in life are a waste of time and eventually, I'll be attending my first trial by jury. At least I'm the plaintiff, right?

And there's our silver lining for the day.

....annnnnnnnnnd scene.

I guess you had to be there...

Today I set a goal for myself of doing minimal labor. I succeeded. In the midst. I had some pretty entertaining e-mail exchanges.

#1. My Mom and I pretty much e-mail back and forth ALL day. I won't post what started this conversation, because it's mean and about people who I share some DNA with...but this is where it progressed to, and I think it's funny. You probably don't. I don't give a crap. it's Thorsday and i hate my daily grind.

Me to my Mom:

Frealz.

I can't stop thinking about our dinner at Culver's next week. I am looking forward to it...obviously. I want a butter burger, fries, cheese curds and some sort of custard. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM mm!


Mom to me:

FREAKZ is right! ....I want a butter burger! I smell food in the hallway!
tormenting!

Me to my Mom:

Okay I said, FREALZ, as in For Realz. But...FREAKZ as in Freak Shows is also appropriate.

Mom to me:

Ohhhhhh! I get it! ha!

#2. My brother e-mailed me this list...and only this list at 9:06 am:

1 worked
2 Clipped one toenail under my desk without being noticed ( as I am undervalued and unappreciated )
3 drew a picture of a cat
4 fantasized about falling down a well

Three hours later he e-mailed me this:

i sent you a list of things ive done today, thats what it should have said. i am so bored.

Obviously he got more accomplished than I did. and within about an hour of getting to work.

#3. Mr. Gordon to me:

I'd like to go to the flea market sometime soon, I'd like to get a big old ass mirror for my room.

Me to Mr. Gordon:

"a big old ass mirror for my room." I'm assuming you meant a big ass old mirror. But, either way...I guess you could probably find that at a flea market.

Mr. Gordon to Me:

bahahahahahahahaha!

Somewhere in between all that I did about 25 minutes of work. Mission accomplished.

Black Market Memories...

The Chinese Government has recently opened a theme park that appears to have "fallen off the back of a truck."

Piracy at it's finest

Because once in a while isn't enough...

You can see what happens periodically during my day.

http://twitter.com/itsmekw

I may use this for like 2 days.

we'll see.