Ode to Jessica

I'm sitting here typing thinking back to middle school and my then best friend Jessica. She had figured out a way to outsmart the system and get out of gym class without drawing any suspicion to herself or needing a note from her parents. I was certainly envious.

It was actually brilliant, if you sit and think about it. All morning before gym class she would quite literally just let her arm hang at the side of her body. Not moving it a bit. By the time gym class rolled around, she had a viable and visible excuse not to participate. She would simply state that her arm hurt, pull the sleeve up on the arm that had hung listless all day (which, by now, was purple and cold to the touch from lack of blood circulation), and she was scott free.

Funny how things just pop into your head like that. I woke up from a nap and my right arm was numb from sleeping on my right side. So, there I sat, on the edge of the bed, tingles moving up and down my arm, laughing about how Jessica used to fake the gym teacher out of having to participate on class.

An Onion Bin, a Fruit Fly, and a 2 Year Old

While standing in the kitchen this morning, I was almost carried away by a swarm of fruit flies. Swatting my arms and whipping around in disbelief, I see my 2 year old next to the potato/onion bin, lid lifted. The source of the fly swarm. I almost died. Upon closer inspection, I see the remains of what used to be a brand new bag of yellow onions. The scary part is, I can't even remember buying a bag of onions anytime recently. The last memory I have of buying any type of onion was last winter.

Needless to say, the bin and decomposed onions have been removed from my house. I'm still trying to decide if I love the bin enough to not just burn it right to the ground, fruit flies and all.

Drop kick the Lexmark

I am about ready to do just that. I'm so frustrated with this printer right now I could scream. I am unable to print anything with it. I have a brand new color cartridge in it. I've tried to align the thing 5 times now. I'm perplexed, to say the least. It pretends it's printing. It starts up, I hear the print head moving back and forth at varying speeds, then the blank paper comes out. And, I just want to scream!!

Got my package :)

Last Sunday, while I was totally bored, I ordered a pair of jeans and a polo shirt from Old Navy.

Got it today. Very cute!

An Explanation for Dave

Since I have been asked, I will explain who Dave is.

Dave is the SQE where I work. He is my coworker who should be my right hand person, the person I should be able to go to for help on supplier quality issues. He has made it impossible for me to think of him in this way.

I'll start with yesterday as an example. To qualify a new supplier, the inspection area is responsible for processing a first article, which means, whatever it is we are trying to qualify, we inspect right down to the process in which it was assembled. I went to Dave yesterday because I needed clarification on which print I was to use for the FAR. We had a customer supplied print, and we had a deviated print which we had been told to use for a previous supplier. Our customer and the supplier had worked out a documented deviation that allowed that supplier to build the displays slightly different. I went to Dave, explained the issue, and was blown off. He and one of the purchasers were talking about their home computers. A totally non-work related issue. So, I stated "You don't have time right now? I see. So, am I to believe that non-work related issues now take precidence over this FAR? There's just something wrong with this picture." I turned and headed back to my desk. I called up the manufacturing engineer who clarified the situation for me. During the phone conversation, Dave had appeared at my desk, he had heard me page Scott for help. He listened in to the entire conversation. Suddenly, he had the time to busy himself with an actual work related issue.

Then, there is his belittling demeanor. He places himself on a pedistal above everyone else. He is too good to be seen with the likes of an average hourly employee. Which is just plain wrong. I may be salary, and a manager, but those hourly people are no different then I am when I leave that building. We all have kids and families and pay bills and are a part of this society.

But the one thing, the single most irritating thing, the part about him that just kills me most, he is forever lurking in the background. When the production control manager came back yesterday to ask a favor of me, he popped out of nowhere and was at my side. Literally, I had no clue Dave was even in the vicinity. He just appeared. So, the production control manager says to Dave that he was here to speak with me, and he pulled me to the side. Or, like when the last customer visit happened. He appeared out of thin air that time too. (These instances documented in previous posts.) What bothers me most, I believe, is that he wants to be my boss. He wants to look like he is in charge, and calls all the shots. Well, it's just not going to happen. I already have a boss, and, sorry to say, he has only been with the company for 4 weeks. He is absolutely clueless.

So, there is a brief explanation of Dave, the reasons why I can't stand him, and my own secret confession about how I don't like the fact that he tries to look like he's in charge.

So much stuff, so little time

It's been a hectic past couple of days to say the least. First, I'll start with the fact that I've been without a phone. For 2 days I've been without a phone. Which really sucked, not blogging once I got home, and so much stuff happened!!

I'll start with the missing 82 year old man. That happened last night. Zach calls me up at work yesterday to let me know there are cops everywhere. Driving up and down the road and parked in the field next to our house. I was freaked out. The first thing I thought was an escaped convict was on the loose. So, I ask Zach if he had spoken with any of them. Of course, Zach isn't the least bit shy, he went right out there and asked what was going on. Apparently an 82 year old man with alzheimers had wandered off from his home, on Alba Road, and had been missing for 2 days. The police apparently believe with high probability that he was going to turn up in the woods behind my house. So, they camped out right there. When I got home, there were 5 police vehicles and a port-a-john on the edge of the road about 100ft from the house. On the trail that borders our property there were 3 more police vehicles, 4 cops on horses, and 2 k9's walking. I couldn't believe it. Every 10 minutes a cop car was circling the neighborhood. Finally, after I'd been home about 2 hours, someone had found the man. 4 miles from my house! They were totally in the wrong spot. I did thank God they found the guy alive though.

I also picked my jeep up yesterday. I'm so heartbroken over the whole ordeal. It will never be the same again, ever. I notice every single flaw now. The back gate don't shut right anymore. Neither does my door. I don't know how many people told me that it would never be the same again, now I know exactly what they were talking about. My beloved jeep, I now hate, and that stupid Nathan K. for smashing into me.

Last but not least, an update on Rocky. I am now hearing the rumor that blood was found all over the headboard of his bed and the floor. I still think this to be a lie. I have yet to hear what actually killed him from what I would call a reliable source (newspaper/funeral home). I have also heard heart attack. Everyone keeps talking about how he was found totally naked and what a scandal it was, foul play certainly had to have happened. But, here's the thing, he slept naked. There, I've said it, if he died in his sleep, he would absolutely be found naked. No scandal, no weird twisted sex trist gone wrong. Weird how when someone dies everyone immediately pops out of the woodwork with all this 'knowledge' about the deceased that nobody knew about.

Dave gets Burned!

The moment I have been anticipating has arrived. If I didn't have a bum knee I would do cartwheels across the inspection area.

Dave has accepted over 4000 cables made with the wrong wire. Cables which I have rejected each and every time they were received. Cables that he has given me email authorization to use.

He is now sweating it big time. I heard him chanting by the customer file "I am in so much trouble". All I can say is, I had better not feel any heat from this fiasco!!

"Jeeps are made to be tight like that"

Contrary to popular belief, not all women were born yesterday. Some men need to be just shot and left by the roadside.

'Smitty' at Gaylord Collision was explaining to me, this afternoon, how jeeps have such tight doors. "That is just the way they are made." Now, looking at the passenger side front and rear door, it is impossible for me to believe that they are supposed to touch each other when they are closed. So, I tell him once again that I am unhappy with the fact that they are too close together. He then tries to explain to me about the lines of the vehicle and how they match up. So, I wait for the end of his explanation. I look at him, and state "I find it awfully hard to believe that the drivers side doors do not touch, and that the lines and hinges align perfectly then. I mean, if what your stating is correct, they should also be in the same conditions as these, am I correct??"

He immediately tells me that he wants to pull it in and tweak the door to see if he could adjust the door. I was appalled at the fact that he was intending on just giving me a line about how "jeeps are made like that". Does he think that I have such little intelligence that I could not see that this was indeed a 'line'??

Hopefully I have taken a stride for women everywhere by standing my ground and not letting him 'feed me a line' and accept it willingly.

The Original - The Bad Leader

Since I posted my great leader, I have decided to post my bad leader as well, the presentation that set my precedence.

Louis XVI
1774-1792

When I think of a bad leader, Louis XVI immediately pops into mind. He, like all of the other aristocratic leaders, who had led before him, was isolated from the non-aristocratic population, making him totally unaware of the unrest and poverty that had befallen his empire. When the French Revolution occurred, he was totally taken by surprise.
When Louis first ascended the throne, his chief financial officer instantly set about trying to reform the countries financial situation by instituting a series reforms that would allow a tax on land owners, industrial manufacturing to increase, and sharply cut the monarchial expenses, expenses that were not necessary and mainly considered luxury. Because parliament, the checks and balances of the French Monarchy, consisted primarily of the recipients of the proposed taxes and reforms, all reforms were failed, and Louis dismissed the chief financial officer. From that point on, the country fell into ruin and financial crisis.
Louis was clueless, unintelligent on issues of the monarchy, and incapable of maintaining the centralized power of the Estates General. Revolutionaries seized the Bastille, and it is report that on that day, Louis wrote in his diary "nothing happened".
Louis XVI made the biggest mistake a leader can make, he had the opportunity and the forthwith to change the course of actions and chose not to do so.

I've Aced Him Again

It's official. I've aced Rick again. He was not able to come up with an opposing argument for my presentation. (See below)

Martin Luther King Jr.
A great leader is someone who has significantly influenced a population’s destiny and shaped the future for generations to come. Martin Luther King Jr. was instrumental in helping Americans to realize the unspeakable actions which were taking place all across America, actions that resulted in discrimination, cruelty, and death in many cases.
Martin Luther King Jr. became widely known when he came to the assistance of Rosa Parks, the black seamstress who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. In those days black Americans were confined to the status of ‘Second Class Citizen’. King provided a hope for black Americans through his non-violent passive resistance to racial injustice. He also provided America with a road map so that everyone could share in his vision. Millions of Americans now saw King as the shining light at the end of the tunnel, an end to the oppression they had felt their entire lifetime.
Because of King’s perseverance, and the strength of his following, the tides had shifted. Black Americans were getting more and more support for equality. Brown vs. The Board of Education ruled it unconstitutional for segregation in the public schools. District Courts declared it unconstitutional for the city bus lines to enforce racial segregation. All culminating with President Dwight D. Eisenhower signing the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
Martin Luther King’s contributions to our history place him, in my opinion, in the position of one of our nations great leaders.

Secret Confession

Rick came into the production managers meeting yesterday to talk about the corporate shake up that is going down. He talked for about an hour and a half. The entire time he was talking, I was wondering what he acted like when he was in the throws of intercourse.

Rocky

It was brought up in the production managers meeting this afternoon about Rocky and his mom. Apparently someone on the floor was related to them in some way, and the story was out. The whole time I sat there and listened to everyone talking about it, I kept thinking, I knew this guy better then anyone in this room. And, they are all sitting there talking about it. I didn't say anything until at the very end. They were talking about the smell that had to have permeated from the house. That's when I spoke up and said that I knew him. I didn't say how I knew him, I didn't really want anyone in that room to know that I lost my virginity to the guy and that he pretty much hung out for years, stalking in the background, waiting for a chance to get back together with me. Or that I had had an affair with him once, while I was living with Charlie on Zachary's second birthday. I just said I knew him, and requested to change the subject.

Chinese Electronics Conspiracy

I have recently come to the conclusion that there is a conspiracy in the midst. While inspecting some cables that came in from Taiwan, I thought to myself, good grief, these look like crap. I can't believe they sent us this stuff!! That's when it hit me. They are in cahoots with China. We all know China is in the midst of an industrial revolution of sorts. So, Taiwan sends us lazy Americans junk product to build with, we in turn are forced to supply our customers with poor quality products. They get fed up, and source to China. China then, in turn, gives Taiwan a kick back.

Public Restrooms - To Use or Not to Use

Top ten reasons why I won't use a public restroom unless it's an emergency

10. It never fails, the person in the stall next to you will undoubtedly take a dump.

9. There is never any toilet paper in the dispensers.

8. Pubic hair on the toilet seat!! Ugh!!

7. It's a 50/50 chance whether or not the toilet is going to flush.

6. Walking into a stall that does not have the toilet flushed.

5. The smell of a public restroom.

4. The thought of who may have used the toilet last. (Like, the gross woman you passed as you entered, the one who looks like she hasn't showered in a month.)

3. Door locks that don't work.

2. Mineral deposits on the sink and toilet bowls.

1. Overflowing disposal canisters for the feminine hygiene products. Oh, yuck, yuck, yuck.

'Do Not Eat'

It must be possible, I just can't believe it's true. Somewhere out there, there was an individual who tried to eat the contents of a desiccate packet.

So, here I sit, a relatively intelligent individual, staring down at a desiccate pack telling me not to eat it. I don't actually desire to eat a desiccate pack, nor have I ever had the craving to munch away on one.

I ask myself, "self, why in the heck would someone put something that stupid on a desiccate pack?"

Now, this is the scary part, I answer "because somewhere out there, someone did eat one, became injured or ill, and sued the company for millions."

Sex on the Beach

That is the name for the scent of the candles I just bought!!

Coincidentally, I've had the drink before, and it is really good. If you have the nerve to order one, you really should. :)

New Developments

Heard third hand:

Rocky's daughter Lyndsey is friends with Jeff's girlfriend's daughter. She was at their house at some point yesterday. Lyndsey stated that she stopped at her dad's house on Friday. Nobody answered the door, so she let herself in. She went to her dad's bedroom, and opened the door to peek in and see if he was sleeping. He was laying totally naked on his bed, so she shut the door and went to visit with her grandmother. At that point, Isabel was still alive. They were of the belief that Rocky was sleeping. (At that particular moment in time, he was most likely deceased already.)

It is also believed that Isabel was found on the floor. She may have tried to get help.

Green Dot Process

Ok. It has been 3 years since this 'temporary' solution was put in place. I'm still required to green dot the Stryker BOM/AML comparison components!

I just had a funny conversation with Rick H. about this very topic in the front office. We passed in the hallway, he said Hi, how are you doing............etc. Then I peeked into Julie's office and asked for green dots. That's when I heard him laughing in the front office. So I yelled in, "Remember that temporary process we had in place Rick?" He started to laugh even harder.

"Yah, I remember that process. You mean, we're still doing that?" he says? Mock surprise on his grinning face. I had to laugh. I hate to admit it, but I do miss working for him.

Dilbert

If I could, I would post this on my message board. :)

I have come to the conclusion..............

I have discovered 3 very important things today.

1. I am not a terrorist. As part of a new Homeland Security measure, we were all required to provide evidence to our HR department as to our citizenship. Drivers license and social security card in my case. I have been deemed a low level threat to the United States Government.
2. The Spice Girl can be counted on. On my way back from finding out that I am not considered a national threat, she stopped me to let me know that she had received my email and has spoken to Mark about the pressures of revenue vs. quality. I was very happy to hear that.
3. I am a lot more powerful then I had believed previously. Ed had requested that I let him borrow one of the receiving girls for a while to do some testing on the proposed aml changes. I told him it would take an act of God for me to release the only one that showed up for work today. He back right off immediately, so I questioned him. He said "You have more pull around this place with the right individuals. I don't need you on my bad side."
   

The Crazy Woman with the Unruly Kids

Yep. That's me. Or so, after last nights display, that's what the neighbors think. Zach had taken off with Thomas on the dirtbike with Josh. I was yelling for them only to discover they were across the street at that job site!! Thomas screaming and crying. So, there I stand across the street yelling at them to get there butts back to our house. I Yell at Josh to go home. I yell at Zach to park his bikes, there will be no more riding. That's when I see it. About 5 people standing at the end of the neighbors driving watching the whole spectacle.

I have reduced myself to the level of white trash. Ugh!

"The Lovely Bones"

I can't help but think about that book. Now I'm seriously wondering if Rocky isn't out there watching everyone here on earth. I'm freaking myself out again. I have to stop thinking about that kind of stuff.

I am afraid of death. I am afraid of a lot of things, but, death scares me the most. I've given myself panic attacks thinking about it before.

Secret Confession

I emailed Sandy behind Dave's back and told her I didn't agree with his decision to accept the cables in, and that they didn't meet IPC standards. I feel kind of dirty and backstabbing now.

Mortality

I am so shocked right now, I don't really know how to express myself. I just found out that Rocky was found dead this morning. I don't know many of the details, what I do know I learned from Kathy. Nobody knows exactly how long he had been dead, just that he was found dead this morning in his bed, his mother found dead in her bed. Apparently she had dehydrated to death, probably in the time after he had passed away. (Rocky was taking care of Isabel because he didn't want her to spend her remaining days in a home.) I am totally freaked out by this all. I will have to wait to get further details of how he died, etc.

This was they guy who I lost my virginity to. The very first guy I ever had sex with is now dead. It's the most unreal thing. I just don't know how else to express it. Just shock.

What a Moron!!

OMG!!!!!!!! I could just scream. Dave is going on about how this cable assembly I'm rejecting is tinned all the way through the wire, under the insulation. What a complete jackass!! I had to literally explain point by point each reason why they ARE NOT tinned all the way through. Dumb ass! First of all, the blunt ends wouldn't be tinned! There would be exposed copper. Second of all, you would not see any fanning of the wire strands. Third of all the insulation would not be charred. So, finally I strip the remaining insulation back, and, sure enough, after you get past the portion where the solder had wicked up under the insulation, it was bare copper. What a fucking asshole!! I can't believe I've just said that. That is exactly how angry I am currently!

He's at it again!

Dave was rifling through my desk while I was at the production managers meeting!! What an asshole!! The contents of my desk do not concern him in the slightest.

I guess I'll just have to return the favor, and rifle through his for a while. Asshole!!

My Boss was a Spice Girl...............

At least, that is what you would think if you had seen her today. Yikes!! She is wearing a powder pink biker style hat with all of her hair pulled up in it, a matching pink blazer/shirt type thing with black buttons down the front, and a black mini skirt. Mind you, this is our company's Quality Manager, one of our direct representatives to the world. The outfit could possibly work, if she were like 20 years younger and didn't have the grey strip through the side of her hair. Oh my!

Seeing as how I've already started the day on a mean footing.............I have to mention that she has got to have the absolute worst taste in everything. When you see those pictures in the magazines with the black bar's across the people's eyes...........that could be her.

Joe Kucharek

For some reason I started thinking about Joe. He was Charlie's best friend through high school, and the reason why he did so much traveling after high school. It has been several years since they (Joe and Marjory) sent that book to Zachary, 'Zach's Alligator'. In fact, it's probably been years since I've even thought about him. But, like I said, today I started thinking about him, and wondering what he had been up to.

I couldn't help but do an inmate search. I had heard from his Dad a few years ago that he believed that Joe was in prison, but nobody ever heard from him, so they weren't for sure. Today, I know for sure. I'm saddened for him, to tell the truth. I feel that he has wasted his life with the booze and drugs. I can't even imagine what he looks like now. It's been probably 15 years since the last time I seen him. At that time, he was pretty much a big oaf who drank too much and had kind of a bad temper. We (my family) had hung out at their house quite a bit, Jessica and I actually toilet papered their house. Chowski barked the entire time. Which is what I remember first, when I think of Joe.

Jessica and I had come up with the brilliant idea to toilet paper and fork their yard. On the way to her house, her car begins to smoke. I remember vividly the conversation we were having. I asked her if she had checked the oil lately, and she had told me that she had never checked the oil. So, of course, the car needed like 2 quarts of oil. Which we put in after it got dark. We had drove down the road a ways and parked by the side so her dad wouldn't see. I stood in the front of the car with my jacket open to reflect light in so she could see.

We parked the car at the cull de sac and walked in the remainder of the way to their house. It was pitch black outside. The only thing we could actually see was the toilet paper floating around in the air. We toilet papered the inside of their car, and the outside. We wrapped toilet paper around the fence that bordered the hill to their house. We even rolled toilet paper down the stairs. Jessica had tripped and stumbled over some cans, and I had partially fallen down the steps at one point. It wasn't until we rolled the toilet paper down the steps that Chowski began to bark. We seen the light flick on and booked for the car. I'm pretty sure he never did find out who it was that TP'd his house.

Bored....................

I am so bored!!

Thunder and Lightning

It is storming out right now, and Thomas is totally afraid of thunder and lightning. I woke up to find the cutest thing. I hear a noise coming from the side of my bed, and open my eyes. There he stands, bunny and dog in one arm, blanket in the other, with his pointer fingers jammed into both ears. My heart just melted. So, I said "aw, come here Thomas. You don't need to be afraid of thunder, it won't hurt you." Then I snuggled him next to me. So cute!!

It's moments like that that make being a parent the most wonderful thing in the world. You forget about the purple crayon scribble on the wall in the living room, and the wonder ball that plugged the toilet when he decided to flush it down.

Birthday Extraordinaire

Zach is having his birthday fun stuff today. He is absolutely having a blast. Tony came to stay the night, and the two of them have been riding dirt bikes all day. Zach on his new bike, Tony on Zach's old bike, and Josh has been over all day too on his bike. I'm just so glad that he is having the best birthday. It means a lot to me that I can give him good memories to look back on when he grows up.

Zach on his new bike! Thomas on his bike too!

Zach, Josh, and Tony eating pizza at the picnic table.

Ok, so, I went

I ended up going to the company picnic/open house today. I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got to walk around, and show my kids where I sit, and the kinds of stuff that we do. I got to see Dave's 'special friend'. He kind of looked like that red haired guy from CSI. Yikes!

Ruthie and her husband and son sat and ate lunch with us. That was a riot. We all got to hear (including her husband for the first time) how she had driven into the wall in the garage and made a big dent in it. Thomas had an absolute blast in the moon bounce thing.

Rick H. was feeling like king of the world, you could tell. I introduced him to my family, and then he followed us over to hand us our tickets for the games and things. He tries very hard to be quite the showman.

Secret Confession

I dropped a jar of Miracle Whip at Wal Mart yesterday. I left the isle to look for someone to clean it up, and, when I didn't find anyone, I just left it there and continued on with my shopping.

Yamaha 125

I bought Zach a new (used) bike today. He was so excited. I was too, good price, only $1550 and only 12 hours riding time on it. The guy who owned it bought it for his daughter, and she never rode it.

Speaking of the guy. He lives downstate, so the house he has here in Gaylord is just his 'second home'. I went inside to write out my check, and, it was a gorgeous house! Hardwood flooring and everything. I was definitely envious. :(

Things I would rather be doing..................

Things I would rather be doing instead of sitting through the Doc Control Database Overview:

1. Have each and every body hair pulled out, one at a time, with a pair of tweezers.
2. Argue with my husband about which side of the bed is wrinklier in the morning. (Believe it or not, that is exactly the argument we got into at lunch today.)
3. Walk around with stones in my shoes until I can't feel my feet anymore.
4. Work as a chicken inseminator.
5. Go on a hunt with Ted Nugent. (Ugh!)

Company Open House

The company open house is tomorrow, and, I don't want to go. The last thing I want to do on my day off is come back here and hang out. Ugh! I know that, being management and everything, I should feel obligated to be here. I don't. The thing is, why should I put so much into something that does not do anything for me in return.

• How do they reward their good employees with great attendance? Hmmm.......let's start by taking away paid sick days and dumping the current insurance program for something that costs 3 times as much and covers 1/3 as much.
• How do they acknowledge a job well done? Hmmmm......another good one. Let's start by keeping you on a pay freeze for 5 years and telling you 'as soon as the corporation makes money, you will see raises.' incidentally, my plant is the only plant in the 'corporation' who has continually made money for the past 5 years.
• When was the last time I felt good about my job? It's been over 3 years since I really felt good about what I do for a living. All I see now is a bureaucratic tangle of lies and hypocrisy.

Secret Confession

I'm secretly attracted to Vince Vaughn in 'Starsky and Hutch'. :0

Skeletons in the closet

I have just been reminded by Mary about Sean M. I had all but forgotten that he even existed!

A little background for you. Sean was a Howdy Doody look-a-like. He worked for the engineering department, but he spent his days following me around the plant. It is because of him that I was given the nick name 'lipgloss'. (To this day, there are still employees who call me 'Lipgloss'.)

Societal Misfit

I have come to the realization that in order to become an engineer, you must first give up anything and everything about yourself that would be considered normal.

Prerequisite for engineering positions:

• Prescription glasses reclaimed from he 50's.
• A total lack of common sense. (The light bulb burns out, replace it. It is completely unnecessary to create a database to calculate the exact moment in time the light bulb will burn out next. Nor is it necessary to create a fish bone analysis to quantify the need for a new light bulb.)
• Tube socks with dress pants. (What the hell??)
• maniacal laughter over electronics puns and euphemisms.
• Plaid dress shirts.
• Bundles of pens, pencils, and highlighters of varying colors.

Bad Mood

I'm in a bad mood today. Every little thing is just absolutely driving me insane! For instance, I can see Elizabeth cleaning off her phone with a paintbrush right now, and it's just irritating the hell out of me. Why? Beats me!

I started off the day by having a tempter tantrum. I went to get in my vehicle, and my coat and purse were thrown onto the floor in the back seat. The drivers seat was moved way forward, and the mirrors were all messed up. I get everything adjusted back to where it should be, and the key is missing when I go to start. So, I lost it, and screamed "Where in the hell is the key!"

I get to work and Elizabeth starts right in on me, talking about stupid crap that we have no control over. Why get yourself worked up about nonsense?? I just don't understand. So, there I am, trying to behave myself while she goes on about a packing slip that has the wrong name on it, and about how expensive gas is, and how there has been overtime for months on the other end of the building. By the end of the conversation, I had lost my patience and I just said "I don't know what to tell you. That's just the way things are, and we have no control over it."

Greg M. pulled me out of the production managers meeting this morning for first article parts. I had everything I could do done on the FAR, I was waiting on Dave. He was freaking out. I can tell he's new to being a business manager. He still gets freaked out. So, for the next 20 minutes after that, he's on the phone with Dave, and standing at my desk talking to me at the same time. What a nut. Of course, Mary and Audrey see that I'm at my desk, so they come stand in line to bog me down with their issues as well.

I hate days like this!!

It's official. My once tiny little baby turned 11 today. He is, as we speak, hanging out in his fort with Tony and Josh. He has already become too cool to be hanging out with his parents. At least I've got Thomas, he still wants to hang out with mom. :) (Of course, he is only 2.)

Yikes!

I'm trapped between being scared and freaked out! The bearded woman just yelled in "you're still my favorite Sherri!" and laughed all the way past my area. I don't even want to know what's behind that!

'Sherri's Gang of Thugs'

Joe had some very nice things to say about 'my gang of thugs' today in the production managers meeting. I was happy to hear someone stick up for us for a change. The production managers are just too willing to make the receiving and inspection areas the root of all evil. I can't help it if the suppliers send us junk and I have to place it in NCM.

Side Note:
Jessica had a dream last night that I was a prostitute! OMG!! LOL!

-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 9:06 AM
To: 'Sherri Sanders'
Subject: RE: truck

:)

You were a prostitute. Not a hooker on the street, mind you. Men came to
your house. Fat, hairy, old men. You ran a regular service right out of your
home. And you hired me to clean. (Personally, I think you probably had the
better job. I was cleaning your room afterward, for god's sake!)

-----Original Message-----
From: Sherri Sanders
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 8:58 AM
To: Jessica'
Subject: RE: truck


Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell me about the
dream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wango Tango Durango

Well, it's official, I finally dropped my jeep off today. I can't wait to get it back. I was a bit peeved yesterday when the guy from the rental place was not able to fulfill his obligation of getting me a vehicle. I used my 'sufficiently rude' voice on him, and asked him if he expected me to walk. So, today, he sets me up with a fully loaded 2005 Dodge Durango, only 14,000 miles on it. It's huge!!

Sufficiently Rude

My position at work has definitely affected my personality. I realized this morning while telling a coworker that I had been "sufficiently rude enough" to get my point across. I had never really thought about it before, but, I have varying levels of rudeness for varying people.

• Raised eyebrows and look of annoyance - one of the engineers has blown me off, and I've hunted them down to let them know either they take care of the issue, or I will go to their boss.
• Irritated look off to one side - I don't agree with what is happening, but I'll let it go because it's not worth arguing over. This situation, however, will be brought up again in future conversations.
• Loud exclamation of 'Are you on crack?' - The Director of Operations has just asked me to do the impossible, and will be back in 20 minutes to check on my progress.
• Sarcasm wrapped in a smile and a laugh. (My favorite! Like, today, Dave comment on how the Stryker cables were still in FAR Pending, and I replied "not all of us have the luxury or sitting around trying to find things to keep ourselves busy, like you Dave.", after which, I smiled big and laughed a bit.)
• Emotional outburst to boss. - (I really can't help but be emotional.) Something needs to be done this instant!!!
• Over the top nice voice, speaking slowly - You complete moron. What were you thinking! I need to speak to you like a child or else you will not understand how much of an idiot you are.

Top 10 Reasons I don't want to be at work today....

10. I arrived at work today to find the entire contents of my desk taped right down to my desk.
9. I was unable to work the key pad on the entry door coming in. I ended up "ringing the bell for service"
8. The pop machine was once again out of Mt. Dew.
7. I've already gotten 2 comments on my blood shot eyes. (not enough sleep last night)
6. The first person I seen today when I stepped through the door was DAVE.
5. The inspection area has been overtaken by ants. (I personally believe they are coming from Joe's area.)
4. I heard the song 'Take This Job And Shove It' on the way to work today.
3. The little voices are telling me to go to the beach.
2. I used the last of my lip gloss.

And, the number one reason why I don't want to be at work today...........................

1. I just don't want to.

Out Numbered

Standing on my front porch this evening I realized one very important thing. I am totally out numbered by boys. Zach had 2 friends over, Tony and Josh. Tony's mother had pulled into the drive, and she and her daughter had gotten out of the car to chit chat for a few until the boys got back from the field. (All afternoon they have been working on the 'totally awesome' dirt bike path.) That's when it hit me. There the 2 of them stood, talking about how they had found the cutest outfit today while shopping. I was envious. Because, here I stood, watching as my 10 year old and Josh pull into the driveway, Zach facing backwards with 2 lawn mowers, one in each hand, dragging behind the dirtbike. Clouds of dust trailing directly behind. Tony on the other side of the dust cloud, gas can and wagon trailing behind him. The 3 of them, acting all adult and cool, casually hop off the bikes and make their way up to us.

Speaking of which, Zach is going to be 11 on Wednesday!! Oh, I absolutely can't believe I'm the mother of an 11 year old. It just doesn't seem possible. I sometimes forget I'm 31 already. Where has the time gone!

The Bearded Woman

The bearded woman has cut her hair all off! It's short, like, buzz cut short. I almost died when I seen her this morning. In fact, I exclaimed "Oh My God, you cut your hair all off!" She smiled, ran her hand back and forth across the top of her head, and says 'ain't she a beauty'.

Although at first I was creaped out by Becky, she has grown on me. Very hard working, very considerate, and very nice. Just really, really rough around the edges. I got probably one of my best management compliments ever from her last Friday. She said "Sherri, you're probably the only manager I've worked for that I have had any respect for." For me, it meant a lot.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I arrived at work today to find my desk completely covered with foam peanuts!!!!!!!! How in the heck did Joe get here before Elizabeth! He had to have shown up on Saturday after I left!

My Trip into Town

Here's my house, and the start of my journey. (Yes, I've sunk to new lows of boredom. I have pictorially documented my trip into town to run a few errands.)

Feeling faint..............chest pains taking over my body................Heart attack?? Nope, just glanced at the price of gas.

Stopped at Wal Mart to pick up a few things. I was nearly run over by an old woman on a motorized cart while I was standing in line at the check out. Then she got mad at me because she had to stop and go around. Sheesh!

Cleaning out my jeep so it's not a sty when I drop it off at the collision place tomorrow. Yea!! I still hate the guy who rear ended me. I love this jeep.

I think this sign speaks for itself. :)

Ok. So, this is the guy who cut me off on my way into town. Figures, a tourist from New Jersey. (Nothing against New Jersey. Tourists just drive me insane.)

I am so Bored!

It's Sunday, and I am so bored. My only day off this week, and I'm sitting here in front of this stupid computer bored out of my mind!

When I'm bored, I inevitably begin to think about stupid crap.

Like, the cover of this months 'Glamour' magazine. Good grief. Nicole Kidman's hand looks gigantic next to her hip. And, they did a really bad job photo shopping her other hand. It's supposed to be in her back pocket, but it totally looks like its coming out of her side. I am embarrassed for whoever it was that decided to put this on the cover. The sad part is, I never notice this kind of stuff, so, if I do notice it, it must absolutely terrible!

Something else I do when I bored, that I really really shouldn't be doing, is on line shopping! Ugh! My worst vice! I just can't help myself sometimes when I see that absolutely adorable top or the cutest shoes. Like, right now, I'm looking though my 'Glamour' magazine, and I've found a cute pair of ballet flats, and, I'm thinking to myself, I need a pair of those!

The Huge Spider is Missing!!

I can't believe I'm about to say what I'm about to say! But, the huge spider is missing off my deck, and I'm angry about it! It has somehow become a part of my family, and now it's gone! Jessica stopped in last night, we went out and looked at it just before she had to leave, and it was still there. Around 10:00 when I went out to check on the progress of it's web, it was gone!! I don't have a clue where it went to.

I can't believe I'm rambling on about a humongous spider that had made a home on my deck. I hate bugs and spiders. Somehow, this 8 legged spider on steroids had grown on me.

Does this look like the face of someone who would sabotage your desk? (Mary and I shrink wrapped Joe's desk today!)

Picture it.............

I'm staring in disbelief at Dave S's legs, he clearly SHAVES them. Off into the background, I see Keith K. grab his crotch and adjust his goodies. I am amazed that I can see both of these sights in one eyeful.

Note to self: Do not look when Dave S. wears shorts. Yikes!

Reigning Ms. Saturday

Well, here I am again. At work before the crack of dawn, loyally partaking in my royal duties. I must be absolutely insane!!!!!!!

5:00 came early this morning!

One plus, the donut order was to everyone's satisfaction. I am loved. :) Apparently, last weeks manager on duty (Tammy N) brought in stale, squished, and totally inedible donuts. Too funny!! She's a lazy slob, I'm sure she bought them days in advance so she wouldn't have to do it Saturday morning. Yuck!

Free to Good Home

Free to Good Home:

47 year old male, mostly house broken
no manners, swills beer, rough around all edges
currently receiving silent treatmen from wife (me)
MUST TAKE FRIENDS WITH HUSBAND
If interested, leave a post.

7 Wonders of My World

1. Why is it always old people driving cool cars?

2. Why do bald people even bother with a comb over?? They're not fooling anybody!

3. Just what, exactly, are under the beards of ZZ Top?

4. Why is it that very large people are always nicknamed 'Tiny'?

5. Thin people with cellulite?

6. Why isn't the guy who wakes up to find the 'King' in his bed (in the BK commercial) not freaked out?

7. Has anyone ever really fallen and couldn't get up?

Rusty Sparks

Connie was talking about how finicky Rusty was in the walk through yesterday. I smiled inwardly thinking how good my presentation went. I just said "really? I didn't have any problems."

Last night I totally aced Rick in the Path to Leadership class. We had to talk about our bad leaders, and convince the class why he was bad. Rick had to take the opposite stance, and convince the class that they were good/great. He conceded after my 2 minutes. Didn't have a thing to say. I have been the 'talk of the day'. Everyone wants to hear about how Rick conceded.

Big O is on his way up today. I hate that man! If it wouldn't do even more damage to my jeep then I already have, I would run him over and hide the body!

Pat on the Back

Rick literally patted me on the back just now. Dave (what an asshole) went and got Rusty to review the foam I was inspecting. I had mentioned to Dave that I was going to have to reject the whole shipment, and he had that brilliant idea that we must get Rusty. The need to be acknowledged for his superior abilities shining right through. (Asshole)

Anyway, Rick walked up behind me while I was in the process of explaining the criteria that had been laid out before at the previous visit, and Rusty was explaining to me about the process that actually molded the part. Rusty leaned down in the opposite direction to view a part, and Rick smiled and patted my back. I sure hope Dave witnessed it, asshole! (I'm getting really good at saying that.) I can tell that Rick is absolutely ecstatic at how well the areas showed today, he is literally beaming with pride. I'm sure he feels absolutely responsible for the good review. Shame on me, but, I want him to hate Dave too.

Yea Me!

I had the customer visit of all time today. Rusty from Invivo was in house today, to do a walk through of the facility. Naturally, because he is the Quality director for Invivo, he wanted to tour the inspection and receiving areas. It went so well! I was so pleased. I did very well too. The presentation went smoothly. At the end, he asked me how long I had been with the company. When I said 9 years, he said it showed. I did very well, and knew my areas. Major plus for me, it happened right in front of my boss. I thanked him and made sure I mentioned that it was nice meeting him. :) It was very cool!!

Very uncool? Dave showed up somewhere during the end of the presentation 'by accident'. Asshole! When I was receiving kudo's from Rusty he made sure he mentioned what a valuable resource I was to him. I wanted to just choke the life out of him. He had nasty breath too.

Becky said she was listening in and that I sounded like I "knew my shit". She also mentioned how impressed Rusty was with me. I just said that the whole area deserves credit, not just me. We're a team.

Dave Strikes Again!!

What an asshole! This time, he was sent packing.

Mark R. came into the area to discuss some incorrect parts that were received mixed with some correct parts. The minute he seen Mark head into the area, he immediately stopped in his tracks, whipped around, and headed back. Like he was going to horn right in. This time though, Mark told him that he was here to speak with me about an issue involving my area, that he was not involved. Go Mark!!

Elizabeth even commented about it.

I HATE Dave S!!

What an asshole! Rick brought back the people from Kodak to my area to go over our spiel, and he totally weasled in. What an Asshole! He seen them over there, and made sure he was standing at my desk when they came in so he could look important and get credit. Oh, it just burns me up! Normally during an introduction, everyone is allowed a moment to shake hands. Not this time! No, Dave steps right in there and takes right over. I just stood there. Greg gave me a weird look. He seen it too. I know exactly what he was thinking, it was the same thing I was thinking. So, Rick asked me to go over the RCP in the system for them, and Dave doesn't even move out of the way for them to come in closer. What an ASSHOLE! So, I showed the 2 quality people the RCP, Greg added a few tid bits of info, and they both thanked me for the demonstration, making sure that I was given credit and acknowledging that they appreciated my help. So, that tells me that they noticed it as well. Then Dave goes on some more after that about God knows what. What a weasel! I just want to squash him like a bug. Asshole!!!!!

Note to self:

Ensure that Dave is kept out of the loop whenever possible!! I'm going to have to Bob Miller him. Asshole!!

There should be a law...........................

to stop people from doing the following:

• Talking with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth.
• Letting your shorts creep up between your thighs and not doing anything about it.
• Allowing hair to grow out of your ears/nose.
• assaulting the world with bad breath.

Burning Brain cells

It's so hot in here my brain cells are beginning to die off one by one.

Top Ten Most Irritating Office Peeves

10. Your only pen, the pen you had to borrow just this morning because your other pen was stolen off your desk, has been stolen off your desk while you were at the printer.

9. You hear your phone begin to ring just as your leaving your desk. You rush to pick it up just in time to hear someone say "oh, I'm sorry Sherri, I dialed the wrong number. He He He"

8. You open an email while speaking with a coworker only to have the coworker totally stop in mid sentence so they can read your email.

7. The person sitting on the other side of your cubicle wall pages you to call their extension.

6. Answering the page to report to a certain destination, only to find out the person who paged you there is not there/can't remember why they paged you.

5. Hearing the words "Have you got a minute?" One of these days, I may just say, 'nope, I ran out of minutes just before you got here'.

4. Trivial, mind numbing filler conversation.

3. The neverending, love to hear myself speak, 5 minute speech to say 'you can use these parts'.

2. The acronym FYI.

1. Chainletters!!!!!!!! Ugh!!!!!!!

Work was insane today!

I can't believe how insane it was at work today. Every 5 minutes an issue appeared out of nowhere. First articles, criticals, customer requirements, angry planners, crabby purchasers, and let's not forget a bossy SQE.

I had the closing meeting for my internal audit today. It went beautifully. I was so pleased. No corrective actions issued to me. The only one issued was to Ed for not having his deviations updated within the allotted time. Sandy was pleased as well.

Judy tried her best to get me to tell her who else had applied for the position I had posted. She makes me so irritated sometimes. Too nosy.

Dave is starting to exhibit some extremely bossy tendencies. I would like to just kick his ass today. I have enough work to do without doing his work as well. I also asked him like last week if he would show me how to run the supplier rating list for the information board. He said he would find out from Dave A. and let me know. Never happened! So, I went to Dave A. myself. I'll show him. :P He's definitely someone who wants to keep info to himself for fear of losing self importance. One of my biggest pet peeves!! Oh, get this, I opened an email in front of him, and he literally stepped in and read it from top to bottom. Another one of my biggest pet peeves!! I considered poking his eyes out, and then decided I didn't want to spend the next few decades in jail.

Dentist

I went to the dentist this morning for a filling, and, it was a totally bizarre experience. He's a bizarre person to begin with though. He totally looks like someone who has obsessive compulsive issues. The hair sprayed flat to his head is a dead give away.

Anyway, there I am, sitting in the chair. He is humming away putting a topical on the inside of my gum with a swab. (I needed to get a filling, therefore, shots were needed.) So, after the topical was placed on my gum, he removes the swab, and puts his finger in my mouth and starts to massage it slowly in and out. At least 6 or seven times. Now, I'm not sure if something particularly different happened with today's procedure, but, this is NOT something that has ever happened before. He removes his finger, and sits back for a second, I'm assuming he's getting the syringe ready for the anesthetic, still humming. Then, he snapped at his assistant. That is something that he does quite frequently, however. I'm a little surprised that they have not quit by now. Apparently the water in the dentist tool was set too high. He leans over, gives the shot, and starts telling his assistant what tools to have ready. He was pretty crabby, I have to say.

I'm Horrified

I have somehow found myself on the bearded woman's good side. Don't ask me how. She says to me today "Yah know, I like you. I don't like to many people."

Ugh! That's freaky in itself. Picture it coming from a woman with a beard, very rough coarse voice, and a million tattoos.

Of course, this was just before she told me I owed her my next born child. I just ran away yelling over my shoulder, "I don't plan on having anymore!"

She just laughed and said "that's what they all say"

On a side note: She has absolutely disgusted Dave on a couple of different occasions. I even seen him raise an eyebrow and look away today. You can tell he feels superior to her.

"You Owe Me!"

That's what the bearded woman just yelled at me. Good lord!

Hate my job!

Top 10 reasons why I don't want to be at work today................ (Drum Roll Please)

10. I'm having an allergic reaction to the air within the building.

9. I have suddenly developed a fear of electronic components.

8. The little voices inside my head are telling me to go to the beach.

7. The air conditioner is making a funny squeaky noise, I may go postal.

6. I went to work naked. Then realized I wasn't dreaming.

5. I'm losing my paperball war.

4. Little Hitler at the next desk won't quit giving me the evil eye.

3. The pop machine is out of Mt. Dew.

2. I just don't want to be here.

and, the moment we've all been waiting for................ the #1 reason why I don't want to be at work today..............

1. I just looked down and noticed my white shorts are practically see through!!!

Believe it or not, I did not fry to an absolute unrecognizable crisp. No lobster girl this weekend! :) Although, I did have one minor mishap. Can't see it in this picture, but the back clasp to my swimsuit broke while basking in the sun. Total bummer too, this was my favorite suite.

You think I can fit on here Mom?

Daduh.....Daduh......Daduh, Daduh, Daduh................AAAAAH!

Take me to your leader............

The sea gulls were swarming us. Thomas kept throwing Chex Mix because he knew it would bring them in. One good thing came out of it, I got this really good picture.

The Bearded Woman

I was totally in shock this morning. Rather then asking me to hand my calipers to her, Becky decided to just walk around the table, reach across my lap, and grab the calipers from my desk. I was a tad freaked out by it, I must say. It would be no different then a guy doing the exact same thing. Ugh!!

Governor Granholm

I have to wonder, just what in the heck is wrong with this governor?? Michigan is in debt so deeply that we need to cut schools, and we are fighting in court over the distributors of school lunch foods? Could this be why we are in debt? Wasted tax appropriated money!!!

Workplace Antics

This has been a busy day!! I've been off all week, and today has just been a blur of trying to catch up. Several meetings to attend, lots of chit chat about how I've been off all week.......etc.

The claims adjustor looked at the Jeep today and snapped some pictures. Cross your fingers that it won't need to be totaled out. She said she couldn't see any reason why it wouldn't be able to be fixed.

Dave has on his rainbow necklace again! Joe has been throwing paperballs like crazy over the fence. Elizabeth is as feisty as ever.

Oh, one big development. Connie O. has been given a salaried position titled 'Team Leader' over the MDE line. I'm in shock. She has even been attending the production managers meetings. A position that was never even posted. I'm sure it raised eyebrows all over the plant.

Oh my! I just got off the phone with Bill. I was being a total flirt with him. He started it though, he called down here a while ago and asked about the displays. I said, hold on, I'll go look at them. He said, can I come out? I like talking to you. Shame on me. Then he started talking about having an affect on women. He was flirting big time. So, here we are. (See attached email)

LOL! Use your imagination.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 2:09 PM
To: Sherri Sanders
Subject: RE:

What little thing?

-----Original Message-----
From: "Sherri Sanders"
Sent: 7/8/05 14:00:58
To: "Bill
Subject: RE:

:) Hello

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 1:53 PM
To: Sherri Sanders
Subject:

Hello...

Bill

Speaking of doing stuff I shouldn't be doing. After my meeting with Pat today, I went to walk behind him when he stopped to talk to Rick and my hand totally slid across his ass. I was so embarrassed. I just kept right on going, and yelled over my shoulder "Sorry!"

Thomas is roasting his first hot dog on a stick. So cute!!

I know, I look like an absolute moron! But, this is such a cute picture of Thomas. He would not look at Jessica for a picture!

Zach and Samantha still playing in the river! He had an absolute blast. The 2 of them got along pretty well too. I was glad he had someone to hang out with.

Zach floating down the Betsy river. Yikes!! That water was cold.

Sunburst Marine

Andy just drove by. I seen him earlier taking Mark back home. Mark had yelled out the window and waved. The extremely lively wave of a person who is trying like hell to not get depressed. I do it myself all the time. The worse you feel, the more animated you become.

I also found out that not only did Mark lose his mother this week, but he also lost his job. He had called them up to let them know he was coming back, and they told him they didn't need him. I hate how life turns out sometimes. When you've got bad luck, it's suffocating and endless. I've been there a million times.

On an unrelated side note: I was at the next door neighbor's house when a black truck pulled in. It was a family taking a look at the house. Today is the first time that I have actually walked up to the house to take a look, and, it's definitely not worth $178,000. The cement portion of the driveway looks terrible. It still has the existing roof that Charlie put on it 10 years ago, but the paper says all new. You can tell by looking at the foundation and how it is pieced together that it's not 'all new'. The shingles on the roof don't even match.

Death

I don't think about death often, it scares me actually. On Wednesday of last week, Charlie's Aunt Pat passed away from lung cancer. I have forced myself to not think about it, up until today anyway.

Mark and Connie were at their mother's house, I'm not positive if they were the only one's there. Connie was in the bedroom with Pat when Pat suddenly opened her eyes. Connie stared in disbelief and yelled for Mark to come see what it was that she was witnessing. Mark ran into the room, and stopped dead in his tracks. Pat lay face up on her bed, eyes wide open. A bright glowing light flowing from her eyes. A light so bright her entire face glowed. Both Connie and Mark just stood and watched, neither quite sure exactly what was happening. Moments after the light died away, Pat also passed away.

I have given you the recounted story that was given to me by Charlie, who was told first hand by Mark. I have often seen Charlie waver in his belief of God, but I think he has now come to an understanding that just because he hasn't seen him, doesn't mean he doesn't exist. He looked right at me and said "She saw the light" with tears in his eyes. He firmly believes that in that moment she was being absolved of her sins and God was lifting her up.

I have never said anything like this before in my life; but, I wish I had been able to witness this myself.

I SUCK at checkers!!

I just played like 5 games in a row with someone, and I lost every single one. At one point my opponent even tried to let me win and I still lost! I'm literally hanging my head in shame. :(

Miserable Day

Ok. This has been one of the most miserable days of my life. It's raining. It's muggy. I'm bored out of my skull. Zach is all whining because the light he bought for his bike won't stay on it the way he wants it to stay on it, he wiped out and a car seen him.......etc. I have begun to potty train Thomas, starting today. He is now in his 4th pair of underwear. Town was a rat race when I went to do my grocery shopping, and I was actually rude to a couple of individuals for blocking isles in the store. I mean, come on, get a clue. You can't place your cart in the center of the isle, and then stand on both sides of the cart.

On a positive note. I got to watch probably every single judge show that is on TV. I literally laughed out loud at one of the cases. The man was describing how he was looking for a 2x4 to smack someone "upside the head" because the guy had put a gun to his head. LOL!! The judge even asked him what was he thinking coming to a gun fight with a stick. Supposedly the plaintiff and his girlfriend were running an illegal gambling/prostitution/stolen goods 'club' out of their rented apartment. The defendant was the man who owned the structure, but he had been in jail for having sex with teenagers when his sister rented the couple the place. So, somewhere in the mix, the defendant had stolen several TV's and DVD players and electronic stuff. The defendant claimed he didn't steal it. Of course, after hearing all of the tid bits and various stories from both the defendant and plaintiff, the judge dismissed the whole thing.

Which, gets me thinking, I can not believe people would go on TV and embarrass themselves like that. Puh-lease!! For instance, 'The Maury Show'. Good Lord! If I see one more teeny bopper girl sitting on stage screaming about how some greasy haired tattooed thug is her 'baby's daddy' I'm going to puke. How desperate for attention must you be to publicly humiliate yourself like that? And, do you really think some 16 year old boy is going to 'claim his responsibilities' and support a child? I seriously doubt it. On today's show, a 23 year old black girl was all up in arms about how her 17 year old boyfriends family had thrown her and her 4 kids out on the street. Yes, that is correct, I did say 4 kids. Only one of which was supposed to be this 17 year olds child. Of course, in the end, it turned out to not be his kid, she ran off stage crying and arms a flailing. Maury ran off after her, to make sure he comforted her for the camera's. The boy and his 'momma' stood by yelling about what a ho and slut she was. All I could do is shake my head in disgust.

This is the huge spider that has made it's home on my front deck. I did get the opportunity to see it spinning away on it's web last night, even freakier to see this thing all unsprawled and reflecting moonlight. Just to give you a little indicator of it's size, that groove it is sitting in is about an inch wide. He is sitting on the underside of my porch overhang.

Wal Mart

I see everyone in Wal Mart. It's an almost veritable meeting place. I was walking down the main isle near electronics, and I seen Scott P. at the counter. I, of course, pretended to not see him, and continued on my way. Which got me to thinking, I almost always avoid the people I see that I know. I'm not even sure why I do that, but I do. Just the thought of coming up with meaningless filler conversation until I can end the visit makes my skin crawl. Am I really that anti-social?

I must be.

My brother, taken on my trip to Florida. (He is with Susan's duck Squeakers. His duck, Disco, is in the back ground.)

False Gestures

As I was mowing the grass, I happened to start thinking about what Dave was saying yesterday. He had mentioned that he was having a cook out today, he had invited over a school friend and her children. He was talking about how he really regretted inviting her over, and wished he could somehow get out of it. He had described how it happened. He had run into her and began chatting, one thing led to another, and he told her she had to stop in some time. He then went on to say, "I just said it, it didn't mean I meant it!" So, we all laughed. But, the thing is, it would have been perfectly acceptable for him to just leave it at "It's so good to see you." He didn't have to take it that one extra step, yet he felt the need to do so.

Which made me wonder about Jessica's invite to her cabin during her vacation. I'm pretty sure she meant it, and would not have invited me to stop out if she didn't really want me to.
The last thing in the world I want to be thought of is a pest.

Casual Friday

Ok, I have to admit, I just read that blog and it is one of the funniest things I've ever read. I laughed out loud even.

Had to post something about it, just to remind myself it existed, I would like to read future entries.

Am I the only one sick of hearing about Tom Cruise?

Good grief!! It's time to give the whole Tomkat thing a rest. I'm sick to death of it. At first, I thought it was kind of cute and everything. He's in love, she's a nice girl, yada yada yada; but, this is just too much. From what I see, I don't think this will be anything but a short lived TV romance that will burn out just as quickly as it started.

Think about it. She's probably very much like I am. Infatuation of a movie 'stud' is nothing new. But, is it just infatuation, or is it real love?? "oooh, Tom Cruise! He's so cute! I loved him in 'Risky Business'!"

40 Degrees

It is literally 40 degrees outside. Nowhere but northern Michigan can it go from 94 degrees in the shade to 40 degrees in a single day.