Lists

Before I go on, I want to share with you another sweet wallpaper.


You're welcome.

So, we all make lists. Chores. Groceries. Errands. Pros & cons. There, see? That was like, a list of list examples. Amazing.

Then we have more serious lists. Like, goals or accomplishments. Wants/needs, benefits/risks. You get it.

After I left home, I dabbled with college, changed majors a couple of times, dated a few douche bags, got burned, quit school....I had an endless lack of direction. It was pretty sweet. Then I moved to Las Vegas. I don't know what I thought I'd find. I wasn't thinking about money, although I had none. I just needed something. So I dealt drugs. Really, I did. I worked at a pharmacy. It was totally legal. Then I met a nice guy who had some direction. He steered me. That was nice of him. I owe him big time. That's probably I married him.

In any case, once I realized that I had nothing to offer anyone (especially not a great guy like him), I figured I had better get things straightened out. I mean, it was about so much more than him. It was about where I saw myself in 10 years and what I wanted to do with my life. I knew that I wanted him there for sure, but everything else had to fall into place as well.

On a sidenote, I liked him SO much, do you know what I did? I thought that if I had something of his, he would definitely want it back at some point, so he'd have a reason to call me. I borrowed his favorite DVD. Then I conveniently kept "forgetting" to give it back to him. In my mind, he always had a reason to call me because of that. That is, if he wanted his DVD back. A year later, I came clean and told him what my plan had been. He responded by saying, "If I didn't like you, I would have just gone and bought another DVD." Thanks. Thanks a lot. You know what, I don't even LIKE The Big Lebowski. How about that?!

So after I had given his movie back, I thought about things some more. And I made a list. I decided to write things down in the order that I thought of them, but not necessarily in the order they had to be accomplished. Because that's just setting me up for failure. For example, if it took me forever to get one thing done, I'd never get to the next thing, and who knows where I'd be. So here it is, in no particular order, with the things crossed off that I have accomplished thus far.

Pay off credit cards
Marry nice guy
Finish college
Get skinny
Obtain career
Buy house
Have baby

I'm excited to say that I was able to cross yet another thing off of that list as of this past Monday. That thing I was referring to in the previous blog about work - they finally announced it so now I can talk about it publicly. Remember when I was talking about my job awhile back and how it had the possibility of ending? Or how about when I started talking to my job as if it were a person (hint: #10)? Well, all that longing has now been brought to an end, as it was announced Tuesday that I was hired on permanently. HOORAY! Do you know what this means? This means the job is permanent and they can never get rid of me. I can work there until I retire and have like...a pension, or something. It's a government job. There's a union involved. They can't get rid of me unless I do something heinous and illegal.

All I know, is that it takes a HUGE weight off of my shoulders. I can check another thing off of my list and move forward. I am so happy. I love my job, and I never want to leave, and now I don't have to!!! It's about fricken time. So here is my new list, with another goal crossed off. Hooray! Hoo-ray.

Pay off credit cards
Marry nice guy
Finish college
Obtain career
Get skinny
Buy house
Have baby

Onto another topic. Speaking of work though - I have become pretty good friends with a coworker of mine. We are both very productive at work, but we take time here and there to talk through email when we don't have time to socialize like normal people. Sometimes these e-mail threads can last half a day and they're hilarious. I may occasionally blog "email memoirs" because some of them are just so worth sharing. This starts out referencing a big white dog that we see when we leave the office on breaks to go for a walk in the residential neighborhood nearby. Actually, it is this dog. Do you or someone you know own this dog? I want to know this dog's name. I want to know if it wears clothing and if it owns a diamond encrusted collar and a Coach purse.


Case in point:

From: Me
To: Co-Worker
Subject: RE: case

I went for a walk. White Dog was MIA. I miss White Dog. And also The Plant. Where is it?!

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

[Other co-worker] has The Plant. She keeps forgetting to bring it in.

I may or may not be going to a family friend's Pampered Chef party next Tuesday evening. I don't know if you'd be interested???

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

I may be interested as I enjoy Pampered Chef!

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

OK, I'll let you know as it gets closer. I think it starts at 6 or 6:30. Don't know how that'll work with your gym. I love it and want to go but it's like shopping when you're broke...only you're shopping for things you really love. It's not like shopping for the perfect jeans. Which is a hate filled experience which always results in self loathing.

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

I usually go on Tuesdays around 4pm. So that would work. I suppose it will depend on our finances as well. I hate shopping for jeans. My goal is to one day love shopping for jeans. I want to be that girl that fits into anything.

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

Yeah, our finances are pretty iffy too. Normally I stay away from these parties. Maybe I could pick up a Christmas gift for someone else and that would make me feel better. They'll probably have gluten filled food though :(

Jeans are the bane of my existence from like age 12 when I grew hips. My hips must not be proportionate to my height because it's hard to find jeans that aren't too long but still fit my hips and waist. I too want to be the girl that everything fits, but I don't think that's possible. I bet like 95% of the population of women have a hard time with finding clothes that fit well. The other 5% is divided between model twigs and rich people who have their clothing custom made.

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

Oh crap, that's right. Lame. Why is gluten in everything. :(

I agree with you about the sizes. I don't think I will ever be that girl either. It is much easier to find cute clothes though when you are a smaller size. So I know that dropping some sizes will make my life a little better. I will enjoy jean shopping again, at least for a while. :)

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

Haha, yeah, depends on how soon you get pregnant.

I'm sorry about your gluten allergy. Maybe it'll be something that you can eat very small amounts of certain things??? I hope.

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

I hope. I'm just super paranoid about my throat closing up. I have to go to the store tonight and pick up some veggies that I can bring to work and eat. I have hummus and I can have that with carrots and tomatoes. I didn't bring anything today. I have eaten string cheese today and that is all. I'm hungry and I have brown rice and sugar snap peas to look forward to for dinner. Joy is mine to be had. Yay. :[

I bought gluten free ice cream though and it's darn good.

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

Yeah, you've got to find filling things to eat now. Go on a mission for gluten free. That'll help you feel better about it. Yeah, don't be afraid to go to the hospital if your throat starts closing up!! Maybe you should go to an allergist so they can test you and then get you an epi pen to carry around. Or re-new your one for bees. It's a terrible feeling and you don't want to have to try to rush yourself to the hospital by waiting too long. I don't want to watch you pass out and then jam an empty pen tube into your throat to get you some air. Not cool.

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

Yeah, I don't want that to happen either. Plus, if I am here at work and I have a reaction, who knows what it will look like. I will start gurgling, my face will turn blue, and my lips will puff up....I'll be staggering around moaning trying to get someone to help me. And since [male coworker] has informed me that he'd not hesitate to shoot me in the head in the event that I am bitten by a zombie (to supposedly sustain survival for others), I really don't want to risk being murdered under false pretenses of being a zombie by a trigger-happy coworker.

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

I'm sorry, I'm just imagining that happening. I'd rush up but it would be too late and I'd make him feel guilty forever for taking such drastic measures. If I get there in time I'll ask him to shoot a hole through your throat.

From: Me
To: Co-worker
Subject: RE: case

Can you imagine if that happened?! He has my hands tied behind my back and I'm on my knees and he's about to pop a cap into my brain stem at the back of my skull execution style and I'm still moaning and drooling...and [female co-worker] is eating a piece of cheese, watching it unfold....and [Office Person] is making copies.....and you are running at me and him screaming, "No! It's just a gluten allergy! GLUTEN!!!!!"

From: Co-worker
To: Me
Subject: RE: case

I also think it's important for people to remember there are times to blend in with the zombies, like in Shaun of the Dead. If you have no weapons, just start blending in by lurching and stumbling around.

You get the point. There have been better ones and there will continue to be. I guess you have to be there. In any case, I think they are worth sharing. You don't have to read them. :)