Camera Repair is a Rip

Holy crap. I've been calling around trying to find a place to get my digital camera fixed. It's been broken for over a year, because the first time I tried to get it fixed it was too expensive. Basically, I think the lens is broken or something because everything comes out all different colors and blurred and it's not the LCD screen because even when I download the pics off the camera, they look the same way. So, I called around this morning to get an estimate to repair it. $239. $239 to FIX a frikkin' camera. That's probably more than what the thing cost to begin with! Ugh. So, I guess I might as well just buy another one. Can you BELIEVE they're charging that much though?? I need to get certified in digital camera repair...apparently that's where the money is. Bastards. Anyways....thanks to Benadryl I'm feeling much better this morning...although I did sleep til 11:30 AM so maybe that's part of it too. :) Laters!

Allergies

I think I'm allergic to my apartment. For the past week my eyes have been incredibly itchy, and my nose has been running, and it's been pretty miserable. So, last night I thought that maybe it would help if I left the AC turned off. Maybe that would prevent the death-laden particulate matter from circulating around the room and slowly killing me. Well my friends, no dice. I woke up this morning worse than it's been the whole week. My throat is sore and I look like my dog died. Except I don't have a dog. Unless there's one hanging out in here under all these clothes...which could be the source of all the allergies. Stupid animals. Anyways...I'm going to finish doing my laundry in the hopes of finishing the apartment cleaning and ridding myself of these HORRIBLE allergies!! Laters.

Oh, also. I heart Honda Elements. I think anyone in the car-buying market (i.e. Tom) should buy one. Cause they're pretty...and they come in 4wd, and in 4wd they're cheaper than trucks. So, um....BAM! :)

Help me paint my apartment!!

rhodes_br_sm
Originally uploaded by mance01.

A shot of the bedroom with a little peek at the bathroom. The bathroom is white inside, so I'm kind of okay with it. But the bedroom is the putrid creme cinder blocks with gold trim/doors. Not pretty. Again, suggestions are welcome. Although keep in mind that I basically have no window in the bedroom (it's very very small) so dark colors just make the room look smaller and darker. (Not cool.) If I had it my way, the whole apartment would just be lime green...but in the interest of taste, being a grown-up, and increasing my possibility of ever having a guest again, I'll take suggestions for colors that aren't lime green. :)

Help!

rhodes_kit_sm
Originally uploaded by mance01.

Okay, this is my kitchen (well, a sample pic from my apartment building's website...my kitchen is much messier.) The point is, do you see the gold/creme color? It closely resembles my highschool, and it looks like I'm going to renew my lease for another year, so I really want to paint it a different color. I'm thinking a light green for the living room, but what color should I paint the kitchen walls and the cabinets? Suggestions por favor :)

I Heart Being Single

I was sitting here earlier, pining over this man, because despite playing a villain in the latest Batman movie, he is still very pretty, very Irish, and his name is Cillian. And I thought to myself, "You will never get a guy like that." And then I realized, "Why not?" And it dawned on me. I am oh-so-glad that I'm single. One of my friends is getting married in a couple of weeks, and another of my friends is convinced that she will marry the guy she is now dating. I'm happy for both of them. But they have to look at Cillian Murphy and say, "I will never date a man like that." And it's true. Because they'll be with the man they have now. For the rest of their lives.

There's nothing wrong with that. If they're happy, and that guy makes them happy, then lucky them. I just know that there is no way that I could be happy if I got married anytime soon. I realized that I have NO idea who I'm going to end up with, and that's awesome! There is someone who I haven't even met yet, that I'll want to spend the rest of my life with. And he doesn't know me now, so he doesn't know anything about me, or what I've done, or who I've been. I love that my romantic future isn't a foregone conclusion. My dream guy would be tall and have some sort of an accent and ability to dance. And I've always told myself that I'll never find that. But why the hell not?!? So now, I'm kind of excited about the future...you never know what/who you'll run in to. :) G'night!!

Also, my God this post is random. I don't know what's comin' in the through the ventilation tonight. :-p

That's a lot of estrogen

So I went to my first bachelorette party on Friday night. It was definitely an experience...although not one that I'd particularly care to relive anytime soon. Some highlights included:

* The bride-to-be wearing a phallic pacifier, a pink feather boa, and a crown the whole night.
* Attending a drag show at an alternative lifestyle club...the bride-to-be being pulled up onto the stage, and the drag queen emcee sucking the phallic pacifier while it was still attached to the bachelorette's neck.
* Riding around in a limousine (although I really didn't care for it too much...we had WAYY too many people in there.
* Two girls got the bachelorette to tape their breasts since they were wearing clothes that were too revealing for a bra. The whole night you could look over at these girls, and they would be staring at their own breasts in wonderment. Hi-larious.
* At one point, my friend C is on her own over at the bar. She then comes and sits with me. I ask her what she's done with the bachelorette's crown. "I put it on the prince. He needed a crown." hahaha...she is such a funny drunk.
* Witnessing my friend rebuff all men who made advances upon her. One man said, "You're too pretty to be buying your own drinks." Her reply, "Thanks." And then she plunks her own money down on the bar. I told her that was no way to get drunk cheaply, but you gotta respect a lady who won't let a guy buy her a drink because she knows she wants no part of them.

I can't really think of anything else that funny that happened. We lost the bachelorette and a couple of her friends for about an hour. When they finally showed up in the club, it turned out that they had been outside in the limo fighting with a cop because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. Apparently they kept yelling "Click it or ticket" at him. I was sorry I missed that. So, that was my Friday night. Laters! :)

She's Alive!!

My MIA roommate is no longer MIA!!! THANK GOD!! I called her house earlier today, as I've done about a million times over the past month, and this time her sister said, "Sure, let me get her." I almost fell out. So, she's back on the continent, and she'll be at our friend's wedding. YAY!! Also, lucky all of you, because now I can quit whining about how she ditched me and about how I missed her and all that jazz. :)

ID

I've been working at my current job for 3 years. In those three years, it has occurred to me many times that I might need a name badge. The badge identifies you as an employee, thus making you much more credible when you try to do things within a hospital. More importantly, the badge contains a cardkey that gives you access to the building where our office is located. For the past three years, I have stood outside the building's door and hoped that the security guard would be at the desk to let me in. Most of the time he is. Which I think is why I've gone this long without a badge. However, we now have two new security guards. Both of which know that I work there because they've seen me leaving with the group on cases several times. I've even spoken to both on several occasions. However, both have decided to be jerks and not let me into the building without a badge. So I have to stand outside, call one of my team members on my cell phone, and they have to walk out and let me in. This pisses off both myself and the people I work with. One night one of the security guards even asked to speak to my supervisor. I don't know what the hell the SECURITY GUARD was going to do to affect my job, but he sure as hell was going to try. Luckily, my boss is not there in the middle of the night which are the hours I typically do my job.

So, today I will lose my distinction as the only badgeless employee. I'm going to bow to conformity in the interests of not standing outside in the middle of the night. It was a tough choice, but I'm finally going to take the plunge. Stupid security guards. Laters!

Thoughts

I just walked into the kitchen, and the sunlight was pouring in the blinds.

I should go outside and lay by the pool and work on my tan.
No, then I'll get all hot and need a shower.
I can't shower, I don't have any clean towels.
I dont want to do laundry.
I think I'll get back in the bed and watch Napoleon Dynamite.

I think that was the saddest chain of thought I've ever had.

My 100 Things List

Everyone else is doing it, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. You should too...for my amusement :)

1. I love to write.
2. I used to think I was a kick-ass writer...until I started reading everyone else's blogs and realized that there are many many many talented and funny writers and I think they should all write books so I can read them.
3. I'm 5'8. And I think I'm really tall for a girl.
4. All of my boyfriends have been my height or shorter.
5. Based on experiences from #4, I will not date a boy who is not at least one inch taller than me. I know it's discriminatory, but I'm sorry. It's just the way it is. And in my book, the taller you are, the hotter you are.
6. I love all things Irish or anywhere near Irish-related. Accents, music, the color green, you name it.
7. I talk a lot. Constantly. Wayyy too much.
8. I am the oldest of five girls.
9. My family has two miniature poodles, Cookie and Choochoo.
10. I know the dogs' names sound really girly, but I swear my father named them (and they're both boys.)
11. I lived in Hawaii, but it was wasted on me in my youth.
12. By that I mean, I never learned to surf and I never went skinny-dipping in the ocean at night. So what was the point?!?
13. I have incredibly thick hair.
14. In 8th grade, I cut my hair from shoulder blade length to above my ears.
15. In high school, my nicknames included 'shroom and Darth Vader due to varying stages of my hair growing out.
16. They made a wig out of my hair when I got it cut off.
17. My friends think that I don't have a boyfriend because I'm too intimidating.
18. I think I am the least photogenic person on the planet.
19. I can't wait for my driver's license to expire so that it will be the right color for me to go drinking without suspicious glares.
20. I think my sisters are all supermodel gorgeous.
21. I'm 21 years old.
22. My best friend is 2 years younger than my father.
23. My mother is 6 years older than my father.
24. I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and a master's degree in public health.
25. I want to go to medical school.
26. I was too much of a slack-ass during my undergraduate years to get into med school.
27. I love historical fiction.
28. I had 15 cavities at one dentist visit.
29. I think my dentist was trying to make some money for her impending baby.
30. I am really good with children.
31. I don't ever want to have children of my own.
32. New York is my favorite city, but Chicago feels like home.
33. I was born in Oakland, California.
34. I've lived in Oakland, CA; Long Beach, CA; Great Lakes, IL; Kaneohe, HI; and Dadeville, AL. 35. I've lived in Alabama the longest, but I will never say that I'm from Alabama. (sorry AL peeps.)
36. My sisters have all picked up strong southern accents.
37. #36 hurts my soul.
38. I think toothless drag queens are scary.
39. I have put money into a drag queen's bra.
40. I have been fall-down drunk.
41. I've yet to experience a hangover.
42. I think Guinness is the best beer ever.
43. I've had a crush on one guy for 3 years.
44. He has not had a crush on me.
45. I have not been asked out on a date in over 2 years.
46. My ex-boyfriend is a felon.
47. I've never had a Caucasian roommate.
48. I desperately wish I could speak another language.
49. I don't like the way Spanish sounds. I should learn it, but I kind of don't want to.
50. I love traveling, but have never been outside of the country.
51. I'm afraid that if I go to Ireland, I'll never want to leave and when I do come back I'll be depressed the rest of my life because I'm not there.
52. I'm also afraid that if I go to Ireland, I will have built it up too much in my head, and I won't love it that much and then I'll be sad about that the rest of my life.
53. My MIA roommate and I want to live together a la the Golden Girls when our husbands die.
54. In the Catholic church, the purpose of marriage is strictly procreation. I don't want to procreate, so I'm not supposed to get married. I'm guessing we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
55. I'm Catholic, but I guess you figured that out.
56. I'm a military brat.
57. I want to join the Air Force after I get out of medical school.
58. But first I have to get into medical school.
59. I think I'm a great dancer.
60. My Dad dances all the time. I think that's where I got it.
61. Everyone says I look just like my Mom. I don't see it.
62. The only time I'm not listening to music is during class. I heart music.
63. I don't dig blonde boys.
64. I can't cook. At all.
65. I had my navel pierced, but took it out because my parents would kill me if they found out.
66. I own a guitar.
67. I play piano, flute, and xylophone. I can't play the guitar.
68. I did public speaking competitively in high school.
69. I was captain of scholar's bowl team throughout Jr. high and high school.
70. I wish colleges had scholar's bowl teams.
71. Most of my friends are boys.
72. I have a scar under my lip where I fell out of the top bunk bed onto the concrete floor when I was about 8 years old.
73. I have painted a picture using my breasts.
74. I then sold that painting at a charity auction. No one knew what brushstroke I used.
75. If you know me, keep #73 under your hat.
76. I am extremely messy.
77. I don't mind washing dishes, but for some reason I avoid it at all costs.
78. I am really really bossy.
79. My father once told me that I shouldn't need pepper spray to kick a guy's ass. I believe him.
80. I'm horrible at staying in touch with people. I never remember to write, call, or otherwise communicate on an individual level.
81. My father used to bribe me with purses. He had to throw in a lip gloss to get me to go off the high dive at swimming lessons when I was a kid.
82. I'm kind of a vegetarian... I eat fish, but not any other kind of meat.
83. I am a complete chocoholic.
84. I love to sing.
85. I like it when people underestimate me.
86. Vettriano is my favorite painter.
87. I love musicals and Bollywood movies.
88. It's my dream to be a backup dancer in a Bollywood movie. Just once. For kicks.
89. I enjoy bowling.
90. I LOVE to watch soccer games.
91. I like baseball, but only when I'm actually watching it in person.
92. I once looked up the address of a boy I liked, and then searched for his house with my roommate for 3 nights consecutively. When we found the house, I ducked and didn't even look at it for fear of being spotted.
93. I like soymilk.
94. I think Raisin Bran Crunch is the best cereal EVER.
95. I saw "The Producers" on Broadway. And I didn't like it.
96. I think Natalie Portman and Djimon Houson are the hottest people on the planet.
97. I'm secretly thrilled everytime I speak to someone and they say, "You're not from Alabama, are you? You don't sound like it."
98. I think David Sedaris is hilarious.
99. I love the Simpsons...but not the new episodes. And Our Lady Peace. All Our Lady Peace.
100. For the past 3 years, I have been the only female at my job. We just got a new girl, but she's totally not going to last....and I'm secretly glad.

It's better than nothing

Okay, I'm still not ready for super-amazo posting, but here's something to chew on for a while. My Flickr photo album! Sorry all the pics are out of order- I've never used Flickr before and I'm still trying to get the hang of it. Also, if this link doesn't work, make yourself an account and then search for my pics using my screenname mance01. Enjoy!!

Let Me Die

Phone ringing
Samantha: (sleepily) Hello?
Jessica: Hey! Can I come stay with you tonight?
Samantha: Sure.
Jessica: Are you asleep?
Samantha: Yeah...I worked all night. Got home a couple hours ago. Soooo sleepy.
Jessica: Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, go to sleep.
Samantha: Okay, see you in a little while.
Recedes back into coma

Phone ringing...5 mins later
Samantha: Ughhh...Hello?
Dad: Hey! Whatcha doin'?
Samantha: Sleeping.
Dad: Oh...did you work last night?
Samantha: Uh huh.
Dad: Where did you go?
Samantha: All over the planet.
Dad: What did you do?
Samantha: My job. (inwardly: and for the love of all that is good and holy could you please hang up the phone?)
Dad: Wanna talk to your Mom?
Samantha: Not really. Sleepy. Want go sleep.
Dad: Just a sec, I'll get her for you.
Samantha: Please just let me die.
Mom: Hello?
Samantha: Hi Mom.
Mom: Did you work last night?
Samantha: Yes.
Mom: Where did you go?
Samantha: All over.
Mom: What did you do?
Samantha: Not much.
Mom: Well, you better go to sleep. Get some rest in case you get called out again.
Samantha: Great idea Mom. (to myself, holy GOD I WOULD BE ASLEEP IF YOU PEOPLE WOULD QUIT FRIKKIN' CALLING ME AND KEEPING ME ON THE PHONE!!!!! AUGHHH!!)
Gets out of bed and throws things.


So now, I'm wide awake...because these last calls were actually the 3rd and 4th in a rapid succession...but the first two people got off the phone as soon as I said I worked all night. My family knows no such bounds. I know, I should turn my phone off, but my job has gotten to where they call me on the phone instead of using my pager, so I really can't.

Also, I promise a super-amazo update on my trip....really. I just haven't had a chance to write it yet, because one of my sisters spent the whole weekend with me, I worked all night last night, and now Jessica's coming up. Never fear though- it's coming. Complete with Flickr photo album! WOO!! Laters :)

We Are Family....I Got All My Sisters With Me

Well, except Jessica. We are heading out on family vacation for the week. Everyone but Jessica is going, meaning that there will be 6 people and a week's worth of luggage crammed into the family vehicle. Sounds pleasant, no? Chicago! Woo! And it's museum week, so all the museums are free admission. Which means either "Yay no admission!" or "I would gladly pay admission if you will just give me room to breathe!" I really hope they're not all packed out...we'll see though.

So, there will be an even less frequent posting of complete and utter crap on this blog than usual. I doubt we'll have internet access from where we're staying, however I am taking a journal so that I can be sure to chronicle the many bizarre happenings that are sure to take place. In the meantime, everyone behave, but do some cool stuff so you'll have some good stories for me upon my return.

Back Friday night! Laters :)

Thoughts at 1:32 AM

I worry about my sisters' abilities to spell....and now I have proof that this fear is not unfounded. Behold- the scariest email I have ever received!

hey1 what's up my babys? well r u pshcd bout chicago? i am! well look @ my profile asap becuz i got an awesome new quote!!! welll get bac 2 me!!! love ya
jen

That's right folks. An email, that normally is composed of words, has been reduced to this. It hurts my soul. The only thing I can sympathize with is the excessive use of the word "well." I do that all the frikkin' time.

The real reason behind this post is to keep my mind off the movie I just watched. "The Notebook" was really good...not as good as the book..but good. The issue with it is that it is by far THE saddest, most sappy, make me sob my eyes out book/movie ever. The book probably made me cry even harder. However, for the past hour I've been sitting here in the dark bawling my eyes out, because sweet Jesus the end of that movie is sad. So, I'm going to stop crying and read a little bit of Foxtrot or something. If you haven't read "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks, read it. It is SOOOOOOOOO good. Really. Don't watch the movie. Cause you'll cry and it'll ruin the book for you. Unless you've read the book. Then you should watch the movie. But only if you want to cry. Anyways...g'night!

Will you be me?

Cause I'm tired of it. The cocktail/dinner thing was actually really good. The thing is (ssshh internets...this is top secret) whenever I go to these AIDS things, I feel like a total imposter. People think I'm really on top of things and that I'm some kind of expert on AIDS policy and stuff like that. News flash folks: totally not. I mean,
1. I read enough to have an opinion on this stuff, and
2. I organized a huge conference on the topic.

But let me translate that for you.
1. Everyone who reads anything on the AIDS epidemic and US policy on the topic will have an opinion. Really. The stuff is totally wack....and you would probably think so too unless you're really right-wing and scary. In which case, you're probably not here reading my blog....because I converted Jessica. :) Yay!
2. I'm an organizer. I can totally get people to do what I want in an organized manner. Because I'm the oldest child in a large military-type family. The only way to get things done is in an organized manner. I know how to get the best out of people...and that translates well into organizing events, leading groups, and all that jazz. I could probably organize a conference on knitting and do fairly well. Because I'm a good speaker, I'm nice, and gosh-darn it, people like me.

So, I'm sitting there listening to these really amazing people talk about the AIDS epidemic, and I'm totally with them. I am completely inspired by them, I have a great deal of compassion for people suffering from HIV/AIDS, and I take great issue with US AIDS policy. But what good does any of that do? I know a few students that are going to work in Rwanda and Zambia this summer. They care about these issues, and they do things about it. I'm totally all talk. Because I'd like to do that stuff, but honestly? When will I do that? I blame my family, but really, I'm sure none of these people's families were all that stoked about their choice to leave for a war-torn African nation to treat AIDS. Particularly when AIDS prevalence among health care workers in these areas mirrors that of the general population due to poor universal precautions. But they're going. If I really wanted to go, I could go. I am the one stopping myself. Because I totally suck. So, in summary, cheers for people who do AIDS work. Jeers to people who are complete posers (i.e. me.) Laters.

Powers

I wish I had superpowers. If I had superpowers, I would use them right now to stop time, because I. Am. Tired. Sooooo tired. I worked like a frikkin' dog all weekend. Memorial day was merely a tick of the OR clock for me. I lost hours and hours of sleep. And I haven't gotten to sleep in since. And I don't feel good. Right now, I would love nothing more than to turn on a movie, crawl into my bed, and halfheartedly watch as I slowly drift into sleep. But no. Instead I am stressing, trying on every single thing in my closet in a desperate attempt to find ONE NICE OUTFIT. Why do I have none?!?!? I have 3 suits. Only one of them fits. The blazers on the other too are way too big for me.

I'll be attending a townhall meeting on Global AIDS policy tonight. And I really really really want to bail. I don't feel good. I'm tired. I hate meeting and talking to people. Unngghhh. But. I must go. The success of the conference shocked everyone, including PHR, and now we're meeting with one congressman and staff from the two senators' offices, and the president of the university, and people from PBS and the newspaper are coming. Unnggghhh. Sooo not wanting to go to this. Anyways. So, I'm off to the shower. And then to cocktail/dinner nightmare. More later I'm sure. Laters.

PS- 5 days to OLP single! Yay!!

Scandalous

Found out the dirt on cute new guy at work. He's not single. In fact, he's very involved. In a scandalous way. I asked him why he came to our place to work the first time I met him. He told me that his parents went to church with our associate director, Ben*, and that Ben had recommended him for a position. I said, "Oh, okay" and went on with my life. Ohhhh....so naive I am. I was out on a case over the weekend with a couple of my coworkers, and the new guy came up in the conversation. My co-worker Ryan* said, "You know how he got this job, don't you?" I said, "Yeah, his parents go to church with Ben." Ryan said, "Mmmhmm. That's what his mama told him to say!"

Okay, here's where it gets confusing, but not really if you pay attention. I asked how he really got the job. Apparently, Ben is dating a chick that works under him, Suzy*. And Cute New Guy is dating Suzy's daughter. Which makes him very indirectly associated with Ben. Nonetheless, Ben got him this job. Probably to impress his girlfriend Suzy. Damn. What tangled webs they weave. And apparently Cute New Guy (who's about to graduate college) told Ryan that now that he's graduating "chicks just want to get married. I don't want to get married, I just want to mess around." Classy, eh? So now there's a new way to get a job. Doin' the boss's girlfriend's daughter. Seems like a pretty roundabout way to do it, but whatever works I guess. Laters!

* Names have been changed to protect the guilty. :)

Generation Gap

Michaela: You'll be 30 when I graduate!!
Samantha: I know. I'll be old.
Michaela: You need a boyfriend!! You're already 21 and you don't have a boyfriend or anything!!


It's a special kind of feeling when you realize your little sister thinks you have one foot in the grave. I laughed so hard, it hurt. :)