Oookay...

So, I'm trying to learn javascript and polish my html and etc. etc. etc. so I've kind of put this diary on the shelf. Not to mention that I've been going to school and working full time and trying to handle a wacko chihuahua.

Not too much is going on, other than the fact that this semester is almost over and my phone keeps bubblin (I have voicemail). I need to call my mom and my brother and Meghan. Speaking of Meghan, I've found another "elusive h" in the ATL-area. We're going out to see "The Incredibles" tomorrow nite with two others from work and my baby.

I need to post some pictures. I don't know where the USB cord for the dig. camera went. Or my THINKWELL CD 3...arr curse that thing. Hope everybody's life is going well. Later.

- Emily

I need to get some work done.

I need to work on my rough draft film analysis essay for composition class, but I just don't have the drive. (Of course when DO I have the drive...I'm without motivation most times - is there a self-help book for that?) But forgive my rambling and allow me to ignore the pull of LIMEWIRE paired with my new cable modem's speed...let me ignore Nacho's advances to more playtime (a.k.a. "let-me-gnaw-any-exposed-skin-with-my-sharp-teeth-time")...and let me turn off this music so so I can get some work done. Here goes.

The assignment is to "construct a critical examination of a film using secondary sources." (I guess this means I have to do some research, find some critiques?) According to our handout, a critical film essay writer "presumes that his or her reader has seen or is at least familiar with the film under discussion...[and] therefore reminds the reader of key themes and elements of the plot, but a lengthy retelling of the story of the film is neither needed nor acceptable....the writer hopes to reveal subtleties or complexities that may have escaped viewers on the first or even the second viewing. Thus, the essay might focus on a short sequence at the beginning of the film, or on a camera angle that becomes associated with a specific character."

Hard-pressed to arrive at a focus for my analysis, I told my professor that I planned on providing my own explanation of the movie's title ("Magnolia") by comparing the characters experiences to the magnolia itself. He okayed the idea; however, I'm doubting that I can make this into what this handout is looking for.

>>GOD, I WISH NACHO WOULD STOP BITING ME!<<

But since he okayed it, I guess I'll just bring in the rough draft and see from there.

Now, an outline:

I. Introduction:
+ "Magnolia" - directed by Paul Thomas Anderson - 1999 Best Supporting Actor -

II. Focus (forgive the intentional run-on):
+ Characters in "Magnolia" mimic the life cycle of the flower which titles their story - closed up as a bud on a branch, petals unfurling to expose their center when finally inspired or forced to do so, petals of their old selves falling and scattering, their old identities dying to become something new.


III. Frank T.J. Mackey

IV. Claudia Gator

V. Earl Partridge

...I'm checking on secondary sources; we'll see where that leads me.

VI.

Brief overview

Yet another long absence. Yet another list of life events to go through with a [very] brief overview:
1) June = Happy birthday to me and family that didn't call!
2) July = Independence Day is still my favorite holiday...Happy birthday, Charles.
3) August = First day of school - so glad to be back! I feel sooo behind.
4) September = Promoted to HEAD CASHIER when I don't even know what that means. Sarcastic "yay" - more stress. Not sarcastic "yay" - more money.
5) October = I love being good at what I do and I strive to do so. I'm halfway succeeding in that mission: I'm "kicking ass" in school, but I'm "sucking ass" in my stressful new position at Home Depot. / We were seriously considering getting our own apartment, but decided against it. / We got a baby chihuahua - NACHO - and he's the cutest dog in the world (not hyperbolic; I swear it's true :D).

...Well, enough of that. You'll have to forgive me for withholding emotion to turn this journal entry into a diary page...but set your heart at ease with the next entry.

Wow, I use such needless words. DEADWOOD. (Was that a term of Pugh or Kay? Connotations depend on the source...)

WOW. I am such a dork.

Hello

Sitting here watching a WILL & GRACE rerun...nothing's on. Charles is in the other room playing HALO with his friend GREG. I'm easing into bed (well, preparing to ease into bed) with a quick journal entry. Not much has happened today and I haven't got any wacky thoughts to share tonight; just a description of my day. Charles and I both had the day off. We woke up around 9:30 and watered our veggie garden. Then we drove around town, stopped at WALMART and CIRCUIT CITY. Got two new phones from CINGULAR (email me for my #, email me with yours - I'll call one night). Had to return a few things we'd bought. Then went out to eat at CHINA KING BUFFET with his mom. Not much else. I wore my new pleated jean skirt and look REALLY cute. Gotta go check on the laundry. Finished ANGELS & DEMONS two days ago. Good but it made me mad.

Typical mumbo-jumbo

Okay, so I've been slacking as far as journaling goes. But I always happen down that path of nothingness time and again. And I probably always will.

Anyway, here's what's happened while I've been away. I've started and restarted Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). I'm doing this sort of family book discussion with my mom and oldest brother, Nathan.

Charles and I got a new computer; an E-MACHINE with 2.8 GHz, 80 gig, 512 MB. Okay, so I don't know what that means...I'm just reading from the sticker on the mainframe. All I know is I like it and it hasn't given us any problems. (Other than the perpetual problem called LACK OF CABLE MODEM.)

Work is okay...boring as hell but every so often you meet some interesting people (today I saw two guys with "Captain Hook" mustaches and it took all of my strength to keep from cracking up).

Talked with my brother NATHAN a few times on the phone - wish we lived closer; wish I'd have visited him more often when I lived in Indiana. Regret, regret, regret.

Decided I want a GREAT DANE even if they are HUGE, eat everything, and slobber all over the place. I'm so damn tired of tiny dogs. Granted, I love these Pekinese pups, but I miss my big, cuddly, dumb-ass dog, JERRY.

Honesly, I'm getting teary-eyed over my black lab puppy.

I talked to Lindsay (Marine, stationed in California, healing after fracturing both of her knees) but we got disconnected and she never called back...so I don't have a phone number. Does anybody have her number?

I'm watching DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE on FX and Zeus (Jackson) just called McClain (Willis a "crazy melon farmer." Just found that interesting.

I haven't heard anything from MEGHAN in months. Where is she and how can I reach her? School's out and she doesn't live in Indiana anymore. Does anybody have HER number?

About a week ago, I had a dream that I was at the HOWARD COUNTY FAIR by all the stupid carnival games. I was hanging out with MATT S. and MEGHAN. Matt and I were making pancakes (?) and were so excited about it that we were jumping up and down with these stupid grins on our face. All the while, Meghan is glaring at us, jealous of our pancake-making. WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN?

In a sidenote, I remember having a dream shortly after/before that involved a lot of making out with some mysterious guy? Maybe it was Matt, I dunno...I mean, I crushed on him for like a week SOPHOMORE year of high school, but haven't thought about him since. Did I just pull the idea of Matt out of my arse?? Where in my subconscious is he hiding?

I truly want/need to lose weight. I am like against wearing anything too skimpy because I'm like 10 lbs over what I'd like to be (5-7 from what I was last year)...and I just got this skimpy - yet totally cute - skirt and a bright orange two-piece bathing suit...but I've gotta shed some flab. (I want Britney abs...a girl can dream.)

You know, I used to pig out all the time but just now am gaining this weight. I can't figure out whether it's because I walked a whole lot more before or never really ate dinners or if my metabolism has just come to a standstill. God only knows.

Hot

It is sooooo hot in this house. I'm sitting around on my second day off (I go back tomorrow - ugh) using MAPQUEST to figure out how to get around the area. I found one but don't know whether the other address is Cobb Pkwy N or Cobb Pkwy S...so I give up for now.

Did I mention I'm melting in my skin?

Charles had a honest-to-God fit this morning when he realized there were TWO bars of soap in the shower. Apparently, it's one of his biggest pet peeves. Whatever. It'll probably happen again...I don't like his soap.

I need to go jogging or walking or exercising...but I feel like such a dumbass doing it alone. Of course, plenty of people exercise alone - don't know why I make such a big deal out of it.

I'm getting my MMR shot this afternoon. Then I might go to the library and pick up a GERMAN book. (All these people telling me how German I look make me want to speak just a little bit of German. Dorky idea, huh?)

I wish I had some plans for today. I mean, there are things I need to get done. 1) Get my shot. 2) Finish watching AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and return it. 3) Do laundry. 4) Clean/organize room.

But other than that, my day's free. Maybe I'll go shopping? Dunno. Any ideas? Send them my way...

Drizzly, horrible day

Nothing happened and I don't know why I'm writing. I have tomorrow off...maybe I'll have something to say then?

Just had pizza...PAPA JOHNS. Actually worked inside today at Home Depot. NO ONE was there (except for employees). I was in a talkative mood today (a rare occurrence lately) and am getting to know some really nice people.

Flipping channels between COMEDY CENTRAL'S 100 top comedians or whatever and REAL WORLD: SAN DIEGO. Neither of which is very interesting.

Well...I got nothing. Adiós.

Hellooo

Sitting here matching socks and realizing how utterly friendless I am here in Georgia. (Interesting combination.) Of course, that's my own fault, not immersing myself into my new-ish surroundings...Charles says I'm still stuck up in Indiana and he wonders why I haven't made an effort to hang out with his friends. Well to tell you the truth, I don't want to BORROW his friends (something about that seems just loser-ish to me)...and then there's the fact that they're not really my type. Of course, ANY type is better than NO type, isn't it? Maybe I'll call up Victoria one day...

How does Charles always get a hold of my socks...I mean, I guess I'd understand a PAIR being stretched out like crazy...but one of these is totally stretched out and the other is just a little thing...

Arr. I hate matching socks. Isn't my mom supposed to do this for me?

People suck.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! People suck!

Okay, so I got to work in a semi-sociable mood (in contrast to yesterday's "STAY AWAY!") and a few stupid customers ruined my mood. Besides the fact that whoever makes the work schedules needs to rot in hell (well, maybe not that severe - let's just give him/her an eternity as Richard Simmon's siamese twin). I was outside alone as like 5+ people at a time stood waiting to check out. I called for help, and there wasn't anyone to send out. Bleh.

And then there's the fact that Ryan (the other cashier who came in at 11:30) always wanders away from his register to help out customers, leaving me alone with several "spicy" people with just twenty minutes before I'm scheduled to leave.

But an absolute asshole (no other way to put it) takes the cake: some customer walks up to the register in the middle of checking out customer 1 of 5,000,000 and asks if we have any twine to secure his stuff to the top of his car or whatever...I jump away from the register as a customer is writing a check to point out the L&G spool of twine. We see that it's empty. I tell him we've got some twine in the front of the store and some in the drive-through and apologize for being out.

He proceeds to stand there as I check out another customer. I look up, wondering what the hell he's doing just standing there. and he aks, "Are you going to go get some for me?"

I just stare for a second, stunned by this guy's stupidity, asshole-ism, whatever. Do you see this line of customers that stretches to the middle of the Lawn & Garden yard?! Do you honestly believe I would leave customers that have waited going on ten minutes to check out just to get you some damn twine a few hundred yards away?

I mean, as a fellow employee once said, "It's called a DO IT YOURSELF warehouse!"

So in an attempt to get this asshole as far away from me as humanly possible, I start calling up department heads...none of which pick up the phone. (All the while, I'm still checking out customers as this idiot stands there doing nothing but breathing.)

I'm ready to scream at this guy to get the stupid twine himself (okay, not really, I'd probably ask politely, "Sir, could you please get it yourself?" ...Through gritted teeth maybe, but politely all the same) when DON -- Charles' dad -- walks by on his way to lunch. Not realizing at that point he was off the clock, I ask "is there any way you could find some twine for me - we're all out (HELP ME!)"

Don found someone to help the dumbass customer with the twine and the customer comes back a few minutes later (obviously it takes him just as long to cut twine as it does to move - rrr) and goes off on me. "I asked for help and you didn't do anything... [I didn't?!] ...and I stood there for a long time [maybe five minutes after I told you where it was when you just decided to stand there like an idiot] and you forgot about me [if only I could]."

He asked for my name because I guess he was gonna complain about me (which is stupid because A:my name was right on my apron and B:he didn't have a good enough grasp on English to do any complaining anyone would understand). I just crumbled [pleaaase just leave!], "I was trying to call someone up to help..." I just stopped halfway through because I realized there was no sense trying to talk sense into this guy.

So it was nice to clock out for the day. And it was nice to get home. Though getting there was a different story.

Scheduled until 4:45, I was stuck in traffic. And not only did several people turn into the lane suddenly, causing me to pound on my brakes to avoid crashing into them...yet another idiot trying to merge into my lane just cut right in front of me, no blinker or anything. Ohhh, I was pissed and still AM pissed about that. I mean, I would probably have let him over had I KNOWN he was turning, but NOOOO, let's just cut in front of me with inches between my bumper and your driver's side door!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! People suck!

Boxers or briefs? Well...in this case, brief.

Watching some sort of Michael Jackson tribute concert on VH1 while Charles plays NINJA GAIDEN in the other room. (You don't want to be around him while he's playing a challenging game.) What news have a got for you? Well, not much. Back to being "Miss 7:45-4:45" which wouldn't have been bad if I wouldn't have been dealing with all those damn people. (I had one of those "stay away" days. I keep screaming "get away" in my head and none of the customers would listen. I mean, I wasn't bitchy...just not in a "people" mood.) Went to NEW CHINA BUFFET for dinner with Charles...he also surprised me with a cell phone (his hand-me-down because he couldn't switch over the long distance and knew I'd have more use for it than he could). Also bought me a hawaiian backseat cover to match my other hawaiian decorations. (I LOOOVE HAWAIIAN stuff...it's my motif of choice.) Other than that, not much else...talking to Stephanie (my brother's on-again, off-again girlfriend) and wanting to type and type and type.

Y'all should join my mom, brother, and myself in our little "reading circle." We're set to read ANGELS & DEMONS by Dan Brown (author of THE DAVINCI CODE). So, is anyone interested? No pressure to discuss anything - if something captures your interest, just send a little note.

That's about it. Later!

Joining the circus

Well, I've finally succumbed to the pressure to join this circus LIVEJOURNAL has going on. Basically just to get these entries out without having to format everything. And to connect with firends. 'Nuff said.

It's 7:55 AM on el primero de abril, dos mil cuatro. (April already?) I don't work until 11:30 this morning, but the combination of the sliver of sun shinig through the sades and my urge at 7:15 to jump out of bed (since I've become "Miss 7:45-4:45" at Home Depot) got my butt out of bed. Took my shower and planned to journal on the couch while gnawing on the remainder of my chocolate bar from last night. But apparently, sometime last night, Charles ate my damn chocolate. Rrr...no one eats my chocolate! (I need to find a hiding place.)

Before I go any further, I need to release some randomness. Prepare yourselves.

Where have all the large Cadbury eggs gone? I've checked at least four stores and the closest thing I can find is a pack of four at a third the size. Those eggs are the air I breathe at Easter time.

(On a related note, guess who's working all day on Easter Sunday? Is that not a sadistic form of punishment? Though I suppose I do have Good Friday off to make up?? I'm gonna try to catch a service at a nearby church - though I long for Redeemer Lutheran's service...my favorite of the whole year.)

The religious channel broadcast in the Atlanta-Metro area was airing a Lutheran church's service and Charles happened upon it one night while channel surfing. He suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my God, you're Catholic." He wouldn't listen as I tried to explain the differences. So apparently now I'm Catholic...rrrright.

A few entries ago, I briefly spoke of a bookcase/entertainment center. Well, nearly two months later, it's done and stands in this living room of ours. It's a huge thing at 7 feet tall, 10 feet wide, and sage green. Don't get me wrong - it's a very nice piece of furniture; however, it also lack an appropriate "bubble" of space. Along with this bookcase, this 15 x 20 room houses

2 filing cabinets, 2 desks, 3 printer tables, endtable, coffeetable, loveseat, table and 4 chairs, pinball game, arcade game, 2 smaller bookcases, fish aquarium on stand, jukebox, exercise bench, 2 bar stools.

Almost April

Almost April. I'm outside (at work) on a less-than-perfect morning (it's gonna rain...eventually). Quite a change from this weekend 78º Saturday, 80º Sunday. (Weird, for a Midwestern girl.)

Had a pretty good Sunday, other than the fact that I almost melted in the heat. Was told I look German (?) by Jason, a cashier (with a German girlfriend). Was chatted to about Alex's (Inside Garden) booze-y birthday, among other things. Actually made it through STAR WARS 2 (The Empire Strikes Back?) after falling asleep twice - and through the first one as well. Sooory, but they don't rock my world.

("Star Trek: The Next Generation," on the other hand...Data rocks my world!! Just kidding. Though I've always had a thing for Jean-Luc Picard's - Patrick Stewart's - accent. But don't look read any further into that.)

Anyway...back to the world of STAR WARS. The first lacked any semblance of a plot. The second was boring and Luke is such a pansy (though Anakin is much worse in "Episode 2"). I dunno...I guess George Lucas was so obsessed over the graphical elements of the trilogy that he overlooked the importance of character development. All so text-book (or I would assume, having never read any screenwriting textbooks).

...Luke's afraid of his destiny but determined to overcome the dark side without sacrificing the innocent. Han hides behind his cocky, tough-guy facade. As does Leia - behind her exterior of rough, feminine authority, she just wants somone to love. R2-D2 and 3-CPO (or whatever his name is) were basically just there for laughs and/or necessity. The only character I found myself truly drawn to was Chewbacca (I love you Brian!). Not going to delve into why because I've wasted enough time writing about a movie I don't even like. (Though it's probably because I find all that body hair sexy. LOL.)

New job, new entry

Okay - dunno who knows about this, but I'm now working at Home Depot. I'm a cashier in Outdoor Lawn & Garden (for the summer at least) and I've been here for about five weeks. It's a lot like working at Lowe's, just more paperwork, more responsibility, more people, more hours, more money! All in all, I like it but I miss my friends from Lowe's.

Actually, about 2-3 days ago, I drove myself to meet Charles and Mike (from Lowe's) at his apartment. We just hung out, watched Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, had some beer (ugh). Mike's sister and friends came over for about 30 minutes. Totally uneventful. And a lingering question - why was I ever attracted to Mike?? (He reminds me of my broher, David - for those of you know him, you know what I mean.)

I really want a cell phone. These lunch breaks are unbearably long (it only takes me 10, maybe 15 minutes to eat lunch) at 1 hour and I'd love to use this time to catch up with friends/family/fiancé. We were actually going to look into it a little while ago...but it didn't work out.

Almost done with taxes - FAFSA's are coming along (due June 30th at KSU). Gotta get in touch with Cobb County Board of Health for an MMR shot. Two months until insurance kicks in.

My mom and brother, Nathan (26), came down to visit last weekend. Unfortunately, I had to work most of the weekend and only had a few hours to spend with them (all we did was eat together, it seemed - at a Chinese Buffet, Wendy's, IHOP). We went hiking in a very monochromatic park, walked through Target, hung out at their hotel room for an hour, and not much else. Work takes up too much time. :(

Though, I had told them I'd be working all weekend (with the following Monday off) and they still came. But it sucks how far away they are. One day I just wanna take a bus up to Louisville (Nathan) or Kokom and see everyone - even if just for three days.

Unfortunately, when I finally have the money to get on up there, I'll be lacking time. College and a full-time job...talk about busy.

Only time will tell.

Near departure

Hello, me again. I've got 15 minutes to write (minus the time spent checking out customers, but it's a cold, rainy, nasty day, so we're basically dead) while Mary takes a break from the LUMBER/BUILDING MATERIALS cash register.

I can hardly believe I'm in my last few days at Lowe's. I feel almost traitorous, going to their competitor. But hey, they could have given me full-time, so I wouldn't have to look elsewhere.

I can honestly say there are some people I'll miss. Paula, Brenda, "Jersey," Alex, Natalie, Frank, Jim, Phil, John (L&G), Mike, Earl, Maria, etc. But hey, they'll just be across the street.

Charles is wanting to move to Home Depot too, as far as I know. But there's some rule against relatives working in the same store. We'll see...

So, I got an amazing response from my bulk email just a few days ago. (Don't feel left out if you didn't get it - it was just a slightly censored version of my last few journal entries.) Megan, Adam, my mom, Stephanie so far...and I still have family/friends left to forward it to). It makes me feel so loved - and want to write back ASAP. Friday. I hope this urge to write/keep in touch continues for a long time. It makes me feel a lot less self-centered and a lot more extroverted. I've also spoken to Meghan and Brian and Ashley in the past few days - it was GREAT to talk to Meghan! (We talked for an hour, I think - until Charles' parents went to bed.)

A few days ago, I watched a dog show on Animal Planet. There were many cute dogs that I'd love to find out about. (My favorites are still the Golden and Labrador Retreivers - that's what I've grown up with!) And I still want a cat - but Charles is allergic. (But he offered to buy me a $125 ferret the other day. They were adorable, but Charles planned on putting it in the cage with Dufro - our guinea pig. I'm not comfortable with that idea.

I have a whole list of things I want to do/learn/see/experience in life and I never seem to accomplish them. They're really not quite goals, but rather petty little things to do just for the hell of it.

I'm so random.

Well, obviously, I have absolutely nothing to say - I'm still the same Emily you've come to know and love...with a boring life. (But that's why I can write so often.)

Since I'll be starting full-time at Home Depot in the probably a matter of days, you'll hear much less of me (unless I get an equal amount of downtime at Home Depot - doubtful, considering how much business that store does!

Well, that's it. Buh-bye now.

Well, I ended that last entry rather abruptly. Her I am once again at Lowe's, this time "watching the exit door." Great fun. I just stand here, my only jobs being to say "goodbye" to customers, turn off the alarm when it goes off, and report whether anyone walks out the door without paying for something (I'm not allowed to do anything about it - no "Cops"-esque chases). Woohoo.

I know a lot of Johns. John - Victoria's boyfriend. John - in Lawn & Garden. Johns - in Paint. John - in Hardware. I have an Uncle John. And a cousin, Jon-Eric (if that counts). I got sentences in third grade for telling a Jonathan he "had no brain." Are Johns destined to flourish forever?

Ugh. I absolutely hate acne. I mean, I'm no "pizzaface," but I have some stubborn, uncoverable ones that are making me feel so gross today - making my self-esteem plummet.

But enough about me - let's stop being so self-centered, Emily (or is that the point of a diary/journal?).

Yesterday afternoon, I got some horrible news from my mom (and through the day, my friends Meghan, Ashley, and Brian). One of my closest friends in Indiana was driving back to base (she's in the Marines) in her new jeep when she fell asleep at the wheel. From what I understand, she went off the side of the road, and her jeep flipped a couple of times. She's now in the hospital with two fractured knees, though the severity of her injuries is beyond my knowledge. I've got her hospital number and plan on giving her a call to see how she's doing - maybe tonight, if I can figure out what time 10:30 Eastern is in California (7:30?).

This accident took all of us by surprise, but all we can do is thank God for sparing her life - it's so scary to think that Lindsay could be an angel right now...Anyone who's reading this, please send out a prayer for Lindsay. Thanks.

Gosh, what am I supposed to follow that up with? Everything going on in my life seems so petty and inconsequential. I think I'm off - to figure out how I'll manage to call three people I unintentionally told I'd call tonight at the same time (I don't plan well). Adios.

Basic nothingness...

Can't believe it's almost February. On the 15th, I'll have been in Georgia 7 months - that blows my mind! I'm in the Lowe's breakroom with about 20 minutes 'til my shift starts (@ 10 AM).

Not much to cover today - last night, Victoria (Charles' best friend from high school) and her new boyfriend, John, came to the house to hang out for a few hours. As always, I was pretty quiet - I don't know quite why, but I've become very shy and self-conscious since coming to Georgia (I have a February resolution covering this). But anyway...John is a very nice guy (one of the first "good" boyfriends Victoria's had a in long time), about Charles' age with a similar background. I'm very happy for Victoria.

Earlier in the day, Charles' mom (Sharon) repainted the downstairs family room and put up the palm tree border Charles found at Lowe's. Charles worked on the entertainment center/bookcase (currently my books are blocked by the snake's cage) while I organized/cleaned the bedroom. (I would have helped Sharon paint, but there was no room for two people.)

...Gotta start somewhere...in the middle...

Once again...here I am at the LUMBER registers in Lowe's. Working another 5-10:30 shift - it's 19:52 on 1/28 today (yesterday was a day off). I'm only here for 15-20 minutes, though. Giving SUSAN a break.

Absolutely nothing has happened since I last wrote. I finally go the "heap" of laundry done, I renewed "The Sims" for the third time, pigged out, wrote emails to 3 of 3,000,000 people I owe letters to, found out my coat is 100% leather (the outside, at least), and returned to the "exciting world" of Lowe's. I haven't read through Gilgamesh yet; these damn doors still won't close, and I have not won the lottery.

I did try calling my parents yesterday, but there was no signal, so we had to cut it short (after I'd "lost the connection" 3 or so times. Weather - snow up north - interference, I guess.)

A customer came through my line, asking what aisle the "housewives" were on. "...Since you are a home improvement store." I couldn't think of anything witty to say, so I just stuttered a little bit in confusion - as usual.

Woohoo - when I get back to the front, I get to start cleaning (spraying counters, emptying trash, sweeping). Not too bad, really...but I am a lazy bum, remember.

I think I'll get in the hottub tonight or tomorrow morning - I'm sore (wrists, ankles, neck, back). Suure it's 27º F or lower, but it feels so good in that thing.

Spurt of randomness: I love Gold Retreivers, but Charles despises them because they're "stupid" and "too common." (I could prove otherwise, but not now.) Charles wanted a Great Dane, which I agreed to...until I realized how huge they were! Maybe a Boston Terrier. But who knows/cares - we expect to have Priscilla and Chanel (Pekinese) for a while now.

You know, I have a lot of pictures I'd like to put onto my website (start a photo album), but the scanner/computer upstairs isn't/aren't working. Stupid virus.

I need to start a food journal because I need to lose weight and looking at all the junk I eat might turn me away from my "food addiction."