Starbucks

I got another free Starbucks mug on my way into the train station this evening. Partly a function of being across from both a Starbucks and their regional offices, I'm sure. I thought the girl said, "Happy birthday from Starbucks," but while thinking about it later, I realized she probably said, "Happy EARTH DAY." (Which is 2 days from now.) Whoops. I guess the green-colored mugs should have tipped me off. They're very nice, though--I really like having travel mugs that actually close all the way. Most of mine have little vent holes that allow my coffee to splash out while I'm walking. But I digress. Happy Earth Day, a little early. And if today is your birthday--Happy Birthday!!

I'm no electrician, but...

I'm beginning to think we have an electrical problem. When I got home today, I flipped on the light switch in the hallway, saw a bright flash of light, and the lights went out. It turned out that a light bulb burning out actually flipped the circuit breaker. Unbelievable. Either those are some seriously high-powered track lights, or we need to do some rewiring. I wonder if it's a problem that the whole condo is on 2 circuits?? We've known about this since shortly after moving in, but we've only had problems when trying to run the washer and jacuzzi tub at the same time. Or a bathroom fan and a vacuum cleaner. I think I'll put this on my "think about fixing it eventually" list. Along with about a thousand other things.

Air conditioning

Today I had to turn the air conditioning on at the office for the first time this year. It makes it seem like summer, except it's only April and I'm sure the weather is going to disappoint me again next week. Or tomorrow.

Actually, I could have opened the windows, but the building maintenance guys are staining the deck and there are both noxious odors and lots of noise coming in here as it is. Some days I love that I work in an office building that can be described as "eclectic," "unique" and "eccentric." Other days, I think it would be a lot less annoying to work somewhere a little more normal. Then again, how many people have a view of a roof garden from their desk?

Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this, my mama said...

Okay, but I HATE days like this--a thousand emails and phone calls and questions and tasks. Ugh! Things due "yesterday," things I had to re-do multiple times, things that went wrong...and it's a beautiful sunny day outside, to top it all off. While I love having this beautiful roof garden right outside my window, it makes it that much more depressing to have to be indoors on such a nice spring day.

And it's only Wednesday. Great.

I hate Mondays.

I really do. I'm never in the mood to do anything involving getting out of bed. It seems like Mondays are always way too full of stuff to do, things to organize, and emails to answer. By midafternoon I am in serious need of a coffee break--partly for the caffeine, and partly for the fresh air I get while walking to the coffee shop.

Ugh. Wake me up when it's Tuesday. Or better yet, Saturday.

Doppelganger!
Someone I just met told me that I look like Kristin Davis. No one has said that before...but it's a nice compliment. Come to think of it, I don't really get many "hey, you look like _____" comments. From anyone. That's ok, though...I really like looking like myself, anyway.

Actually, someone did recently tell me that I look exactly how I did in high school. I think she meant it as a compliment--i.e., "you aren't aging at all." But I still don't think I'm quite at the age where that's a good thing. Looking way younger than my age will come in very handy when I'm 40, however. Anyway, I'm thinking that at the very least, I need a new haircut so I'll look a little less "high school."

Oh, and yes, I am writing this at almost 2 a.m. Long story. Ok, not really. I don't sleep. End of story.

Enough already.

I'm so ready for summer to arrive. One irritating thing about the Midwest is the "teaser" warm weather, followed by cold days, rainy days, and occasionally even some snow. I guess I shouldn't complain--I should enjoy the nice weather whenever it's here. It's unfortunate, though, that it was warm and sunny this morning, but by the time I left work it was cool, wet and extremely windy. I literally almost got knocked off my feet when I came around a corner and was hit by a gust of wind.

I shouldn't wish away the time that I have, but I am looking forward to summer!

There was a Department of Homeland Security SUV parked outside my train station this morning. I wonder what that was about? It looked like 2 guys just sitting there in the vehicle, chatting over coffee. Hmm. Oh, in case the DHS guys are reading this--having an unmarked vehicle doesn't do you any good if the license plate gives away who you are. Just trying to be helpful.

Going into Starbucks in the morning cracks me up. There's a huge crowd, and listening to the drink orders is entertaining. People are actually very creative--someone ordered something the Starbucks employees had never heard of. "We've got a new one!" someone shouted, and the other staff cheered. I used to find the complicated ordering thing annoying --"venti double-shot cinnamon dolce nonfat latte"--but now it just makes me laugh.

To round out my ever-interesting journey to work, I was in the elevator with too-much-cologne- guy this morning. Granted, I'm more sensitive to strong smells than most, but I wonder why people think spraying the stuff a half-dozen times is ok.

Ok, I'm back, after a VERY long hiatus.

That's funny--my last post was on March 24.  It was a long time ago, but I have crammed a lot of life into those 4 months.  On March 26, we closed on our first home, a condo.  And as any homeowner knows, we have had a lot to do ever since then.  We're at the point, I think, where everything is done except hanging pictures on the walls.  Which for me is quite a task, being the perfectionist that I am.  Will the picture look good with the wall color?  What about the size of pictures relative to the walls?  I have no idea how any member of my family puts up with me sometimes.  I imagine at times my husband wants to say, "Just hang the stupid picture somewhere, for crying out loud."  But he's too nice to do that. 

I've also been MIA partly because we've traveled quite a bit, visiting family, and partly because we're just so stinking busy.  And to think I was planning on a relaxing, slow-pace summer.  This better not continue, or when the pace picks up in September I'm going to collapse. 

We'll see if the pace of my blogging picks up...I hope so, because it's a nice outlet for my random thoughts.