Showing posts with label Everyday Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everyday Life. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Pardon Me While I Get A Bit Snarky

Every once in a while, even Little Miss Sunshine decides to look at the world and be like WTF. Today, I'm going there.

1. If you drive a two seated convertable, I'm going to make a few conclusions about you without knowing anything about you at all. 1) You're probably having a midlife crisis 2) Most likely your a pretentious person 3) Both 1 and 2 could possibly apply to you at the same time. I always see middle aged men driving these cars bald head gleaming possibly with a middle aged woman with a baseball cap and I just want to scream "Who exactly do you think your kidding? Not me buddy, not me." This car is usually not red, no they want to be more subtle. Opting for silver or black, they think that no one will notice they're not twenty-five, or hot, or interesting, but dear two seated convertable owner, I'm on to you. You, my friend (heck, you're not my friend, I'm making fun of you), are in the middle of a midlife crisis. Save your money, go to therapy, you will never be in your twenties again.

2. The Rockford Register Star. If you live in R-town, you'll understand what I'm about to snark about. The writing is terrible, the facts in the stories are worse, sometimes when I've gone to an event they have written about I wonder if the reporter majored in fictional writing. Now, I'm a lawyer, I don't think there's such thing as an unbiased resitation of any fact pattern, but let's at least try to pretend, since last time I checked that's what journalists strive to do (that's what they "take pride in"). Headlines like "Backers: Firefighter being treated unfairly" and "200 in March 'Want Justice'" probably don't convey that whole unbiased thing your going for. Not to mention, the Editorial Board hates public workers which leads me to my next snarky remark.

3. I know the Economy sucks. I get it. However, I don't understand for the life of me why we must take so many pot shots at anyone who works for the government. Here's the deal, those government workers when the economy is good don't get raises and bonuses like the folks out there in the public sector. No one leads the charge to raise our pay. But let me tell you, as soon as the economy tanks, all I hear is how everyone wants the people with government jobs to suffer just as badly as they are. Guess what folks, even when the economy is bad, you still make more than I do at my little government job. Try to hire a lawyer who will work for roughly $25.00 an hour and if they work more than forty hours a week, which they all do, make less than that hourly. I challenge you to go call an attorney and ask if they will work for that hourly. My bet is that they A) laugh till they cry and/or B) hang up on you. And if you want the market forces to work in the criminal justice system people, business is booming as the economy is tanking. There's more business, more work, so if we look at it as a business, everyone in the criminal justice system should make more. Bottom line, don't be a hater.

4. I promise Obama is not trying to euthanize your grandmother. Health care should be a right not a privilege and as someone who has health insurance let me enlighten everyone else that also has it. Until we do something to reform the current health care situation, those with health insurance will continue to pay for those who don't have it and be at the mercy of people who want nothing more than to try to figure out how not to pay out to providers and stick you with the cost as well. I keep hearing I don't want the government between me and my doctor, folks, right now we have your health insurance provider between you and your doctor. Reform is needed, we can all agree on that. Let's take that common ground we have and work for a solution without worrying about which party is going to get the credit for it or how much you like or dislike President Obama.

5. Customer service...it makes me want to come back to your business. What doesn't make me want to come back to your business and spend my hard earned albeit little money. If you're a hostess at Chili's your entire job is to welcome me to the restaurant and seat me as quickly as possible. It's not acceptable to tell me "Just a minute" after you've been three feet away from me in a lobby with only one other couple (sitting down waiting to be sat) for the last five minutes (you've already had just a minute) and when you ask where I want to sit because it would be in your best interest not to make some snotty retort back to me when I point out that there are plenty of open seats I can visually see in both the dining room and the bar. I don't want to come back to Chili's to eat in the restaurant (I'll just order out my food from there and you won't see my money when you get tipped out by the servers later that night) and odds are I'm probably going to tell your manager how you can't even say "Hello, Welcome to Chili's" when I walked through the door. Additionally, if I'm calling your business I expect to A) not have it ring 25 times before you answer B)Talk to a human being C) to be transferred to the right department D)for that phone not to have to ring 25 or more times before someone answers or I finally have to start the process over because I can't stand to hear the phone ring one more time. Dear Walmart, you failed that test miserable as well as your other axises of evil such as Comcast, Nicor, and ComEd.

So there's a little bit of snark for you, sometimes it just feels good to let it out.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

I'm So Over March

I don't know about anyone else...but I'm glad March is over. It's been wet and cold and over all yucky. I'm looking forward to days with flip flops, and tank tops, and shorts that say Pink on the back of them (I own copious amounts of these shorts).

I'm hoping to find in the month of April:

1. Motivation to work out (I do need to fit into a wedding dress in October, and it would be nice if I could look at the pictures later without crying about my weight...not to mention it is fun to go swimming in the summer and not cry when wearing a swim suit...do you notice the whole crying aspect of this?)

2. The ability to separate my work life from my home life and find the proper balance. I'm thinking about doing some reading about mediation and relaxation techniques. I need to try and remember I'm working to live, not living to work. Maybe I should start chanting that like a mantra daily...

3. Some new jeans that I can love as much as the two pairs of jeans that I own that I practically live in (one pair I've had since college and the other pair I bought last year from American Eagle)

4. A DJ...I need to do this ASAP, and I keep putting it off. I hate cold calling people and asking for prices...I feel like I have a phobia of the phone when it comes to doing this. But it has to be done and I have to do it...so in April hopefully I will.

5. My tax return...it's nice when I see that the federal and state government give me back a fraction of what I give to them every two weeks from my check.

Bring it on April, Bring it on.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Ever Day Can't Be Easy

I'm having a rough weekend. Matt was supposed to be home this weekend and then on Friday...that changed. He's now supposed to be back sometime next week. I haven't seen him for two weeks already and three weeks seems like a ridiculous amount of time for someone to work without a day off...but I digress. So never fear, dear Facebook and Blogger friends, I'm okay, just not happy. I've seen him a total of six days in seven weeks...I miss him a lot, he's my best friend and he keeps me sane. As pathetic as it sounds I daily feel as if I'm missing my right arm when he's gone, which I guess is why I'm marrying him, I just didn't need this experience to know that I can't live without him...I've been there, done that, and already knew I didn't really want to do it again. To top it off, my old friend insomnia is back and hitting me harder than ever, so Ali minus sleep does not make a happy or rational Ali.

Anyway, I have this new fantasy job I discovered last week when I was getting my nails done. I'd like to name colors of nail polish for OPI. If you don't love the names of the nail polish something is wrong with you...they always make me smile. What's not to love about "I'm not really a waitress", or "It's Greek to me", or even "Sally and the lifeguard". It sounds like a fun and creative job that would be upbeat and never get boring. I think when I grow up, it's what I want to do. Let's call it Ali's personal pipe dream.

I've also gotten a few more things done on the wedding front, I try to do one thing every week...which has worked pretty well thus. I've gotten my bridesmaid dresses, we did that the week before last. The dresses are in two different styles for the four ladies in the wedding. They're in the same color and material so they match but allow a little variation to make it a little less than typical...I think it looks great and I'm really excited about it. Additionally, today my mom and I went to Woodfield and found her a mother of the bride's dress in a pretty brown that makes her look like a model (ok, my mom always looks like a model but this dress looks really wonderful on her). This next week I'm going to try a book a limo, the hotel for the night of the wedding, and make an appointment with the florist to meet with her. Wish me luck, I have high hopes.

Things will get better...I just need to wait it out for a little while.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

It's Amazing What A Day Can Do

I think my best quality is the ability to be be resilient. Often I imagine myself in a pink bunny suit hitting a drum over and over again, like the energizer bunny, marching through life. Whatever life throws at me, I just keep marching and hitting that damn drum, whether I'm happy, sad, or ready to break my drum sticks. On days like today, I remember why that quality is so important.

It's sunny and 70 degrees today, I wore flip flops and drove around with the sun roof in my car open. It was wonderful. I had a doctor's appointment so I left work early and had a little time to myself to reflect and remember why life is beautiful...particularly why my life is beautiful.

A little back story. I've been running around for the last couple weeks on empty. I've been working a lot of hours, I was deathly ill last week and last weekend, I miss Matt terribly, and I've been generally unhappy. I just haven't felt balanced at all and my attitude has sucked. I've felt like I can't control anything, life is pushing me around, and catastrophe is looming (and the Nicor bill that came in the mail Friday night that informed me they hadn't read my meter for five months and I owed them $300.00 within two weeks really didn't help much either)

But today I was able to put those feelings away and just enjoy the moment. I was able to push pass my career disappointments and remember I'm not my job, I'm more than my job, and my title and status for eight hours a day is just that...a title and a status that are words but aren't who I am. That the only box I'm in is the one I create for myself and put myself in.

I was able to put aside the feeling that the other shoe is going to drop and put on shoes I like to wear. I was able to figure out how to go around the obstacles or jump over them even when those obstacles seem to fall from the sky.

I was able to be my best self even when just yesterday I was ready to go over the cliff to keep myself from continuing to bang on the drum. I just need to remind myself that I have the ability to change my outlook and perception and it's really amazing what a day can, in fact, do for me.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

If Only I Had The Time

I find myself daily wishing I had time to do the things I want to do. Time seems to be this elusive little devil that slips away quickly when I have a little of it free yet lingers when I'm at work. I keep making jokes that if Matt and I have to do pre-marital counseling we're going to have to it individually because of our schedules...and then I recognized that it wasn't so much of a joke as it was a reality. So I decide to challenge myself and think about all the different things I coulda, shoulda, woulda do if only I had the time.

1. I'd go see the movies I keep saying I want to see...I have a complete list. He's Not That Into You, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Push, Coraline...all at the movie theater all just waiting to be seen.

2. I'd read the American Wife. I bought it in December and I'm ashamed that as an avid reader who really wants to read this novel and loves this author I have failed to do so. Not to mention I'd read Honeymoon in Tehran which I hear is wonderful as well.

3. I'd blog more. I love reading my past posts. It reminds me where I was in my life when I wrote it and who I was...I started blogging almost five years ago...that's a lot of life for a 27 year old. But as my time constraints shackle me, I post less and thus just don't have that personal record I enjoy so much.

4. I'd go to the gym more. Now I know I'm making excuses and I try to go at least twice a week, but when I have limited time my couch seem so much for tempting than the treadmill.

5. I'd live in the moment. I don't do this, ever, I'm always thinking about what I have to do next. Okay, maybe I'm lying to myself because I'm type A and I'm not sure I have the ability to do this...but Lord, I'd like the time to try.

6. I'd use my Netflix account...properly. I've had disc one of the first season of The Wire for a month and another movie since before Christmas...

7. I'd de-clutter my closet. I'm going to have to do this eventually...Matt may want some closet space and I have at least a rack of clothing I no longer wear. It's going to be a project and I need some time to do it in.

8. I'd donate the books I've had in my garage all packed up and ready to go to the library...but I work when the library is open...and I need to make time to donate them.

9. I'd try to stop being tired all the time. I'm always tired and I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired but I don't think there is a twelve step program for this problem.

10. I'd return personal phone calls and e-mails and maybe just make some on my own. I've become horrible about doing the former and really should try to do the later (cause you have to be a friend to have a friend).

What would you do if you only had the time?

I just don't want to look back and regret this month or year or even day because I didn't do anything that made me happy...I don't know maybe it's just time to try something new or do things differently...cause this doesn't seem to be working. I want to believe life is beautiful and I want to be able to cherish my days...but life is turning into my own version of No Exit and I'm not really sure if the rat race is for me anymore. I guess sometimes it's about having the courage to fix your life when you recognize it's broken and I'm not sure I'm there yet.