Help. I need help coming up with names for my new car. Pontiac Grand Am. Now, here are the guidelines.
It must be a name that starts with either a G or a P. I know this sounds weird, but I was told, by a certain blond highschool friend of mine (brenda, you know who you are) that you HAVE to do it this way.
I'd also like something different, but not stupid.

Give me your ideas!

I had the most fun this last weekend. I went back to Texas to finish up some "business" and stayed with my friend Cesar. It was such a blast. It was awesome being back. First of all, it was fabulously hot! Which I love. Second of all, it was just so much fun!!!

Thursday night when I got in, Cesar and I wound up drinking some new drink he learned how to make that consisted of one can limeade, one can vodka, and 2 bottles of beer. I was drunk off of 1/2 a glass and quite giggly, which I normally don't get like when I'm drunk. We both had 2. So you can probably imagine how we were. We drank and watched Chocolat. mmmmmm... Johnny Depp...mm mm mm. Then we stayed up talking through the walls for a long time. We should have just gone to bed in the same room, but by the time our drunk asses came up with that revelation, we were already snug and warm in our beds. Eventually, we fell asleep.

Friday, I met with the photographer to arrange my photo album. It's going to be awesome. I was so excited to see my wedding again. (Kind of sad that I'm no longer a bride. Just a boring wife.) Then went to lunch with my friend Lisa. It was nice to hang out with her, she's turned out to be a really good friend, and I'm glad I called her to have lunch. It was fun catching up on things. She even bought a black and white bunny at the swap meet or something. Then Cesar and I went to his families house for a birthday party. I have to say, it's a little weird being around someone who has brothers and sisters whom he actually likes. I have one, and she can't seem to stop shitting on me. He has millions and they all do nice things for eachother. Isn't that weird? ;o) It is to me. But it was cool to see.

Saturday we went SHOPPING! Woo hoo! Well, we didn't buy much at the outlet mall, but Cesar wound up buying an Entertainment Center and Rug. It was fun! Wish I had money to blow.

When I got home on Sunday night, my husband called as I was driving into my apartment to see if I made it home. I told him I was almost there. When I walked up the stairs to my apartment the door opened. I was scared shittless. I was preparing myself to karate chop someone, and was freaking out because I thought I hadn't locked my house up all weekend. And then standing in the doorway was my hot husband with a smile on his face saying, "welcome home". It was so great! I love him.

This weekend made me realize even more than my wedding did, how lucky I am to have the few good friends that I do have. I miss my friends. I mean, my REAL friends. I am worried that I won't be able to find that kind of quality friendship with anyone up here. It's a whole different world up here than it is down there. There I was single and young, and met most of my loyal good friends through school. Here I'm married and old. So the young singles won't be good friends b/c I have little in common with them. The older married are already with children and too boring for me to identify with. So I have no idea how I'm going to go about making good friends up here. Sigh.... I missed Texas. Even though I love MN b/c my man is here, and we have a lot of great things to do out here, I still missed Texas. I'm going to have to visit a lot more frequently.

Thanks Cesar for being such a great friend, and releaving some of my "homesick-ness". You are fabulous and I love you! Even though I may go bankrupt.

Something strange is going on. I put on one of my "cute" pants today. which isn't hard to do since I only have 3 pairs. 1 has fish blood on them, and I can no longer wear as a pair of "fashion" pants. The other has a hole in the knee, and is growing another in the hips. Boy those were a bad investment. Oh, I do have a fourth pair! They are my VC ones that inspired my new "diet" pants. Anywhooo... I'm wearing these pants that usually make me look thin. Well... as thin as I can look anyway. Today they are loose. I can't figure it out. I'm still as fat as can be. I haven't worked out since the accident, and I've been eating out more than I did at P1. So I know I'm not any thinner than I was when they fit nice. So my only conclusion is that they stretched out in the dryer last night. OR some fat ass has taken my jeans, wore them, and returned them without my knowledge!

After all of that....
So I have spent 5 days going back and forth on which car to buy. The black Pontiac Grand Am, or the Silver Monte Carlo. I've made a decision, then changed my mind. Then did it again, and again, and again....
So we finally decided we are going for the Monte. It's a nicer car for the same price. And who cares about the mileage b/c I am not going to have it forever. So that was my final decision.
I heard from the dealer this morning. They can't make the deal go through b/c they think my debt to income ratio is too high and I'd be overextending myself. So basically. I'd need a cosigner. Which I think is weird since a different dealer approved me for the same exact amount! Whatever.
So now I'm getting the Pontiac.
I can hear Cesar's shouts of joy as I write this. He now can be seen in my car, and I don't have to get a rental when he comes out.

"You're Fired!"

So. Interesting haps this last Friday. The 13th I might add. Not that I believe in superstitions. The girl that has been training me was "mysteriously" fired. We came back from lunch to a controversy in house.

Apparently she had been fired for a "policy violation". She was told not to speak to anyone so we don't know for sure. Later, someone called her and she wouldn't say what it was, but that she thougth it was "petty" and if she got fired, many other people should be fired for it too. So then rumors went a flying. Just as is tradition for a corporate office. What could it be? Do we all need to run to our policy manuel to make sure that we don't break it too? Why didn't she just get a warning? All these fabulous speculations.

Well, as the day progressed, we learned that another guy "Barsted" was fired as well. He was fired for buying or selling, the rumor isn't clear, drugs in the company parking lot. Now isn't that just interesting? Why anyone who is nearing their 30s, or over their 30s is still doing weed or other drugs, is beyond me.

Soap Box time:
I think anyone who is like that still in their lives is a bit of a loser. No matter how put together they "are" or "seem". Sorry for me getting on my soap box hear, but come on! We're supposed to be proffessionals!

Anywhoo. Then the guy I work with pointed out that I am now the "Senior Allocator" (by default) in the Malls/Aiports. Which struck me as funny because it wasn't long ago that my other 1/2 at pier 1 was abruptly fired and I was the sole guru. So apparently this is a trend in my life. I have decided if they ask me to either take on it all, or move over into this other girls position I'm asking for more money. How much should I ask for? $2000 too much? More? What do you think?

I came up with a new diet strategy. Today I am wearing a new pair of pants. I have a couple "special care" actions that I take when I buy new pants.
1. They fit so nice I don't want to stretch them out in the waistline. So I suck in my gut most of the day to hopefully prevent this. Therefore, strengthening my abs (aka a workout).
2. They are straight legs, so I can feel my fat thighs all squished and trying to bust the seems when I sit for long periods of time(aka more workout). This makes me get up more and move around in an attempt to preserve the new pants. Plus, it keeps me consious of my fattness, therefore making me want to do something about it so I don't ruin my new pants.
3. Since they fit perfectly, which usually means a little snug in the waist, it keeps me from over eating at lunch so as to avoid the #1 issue and that is stretching out the waistline. Plus, I am going to divert back to my strategy listed in #1 after I eat to prevent this. And if I over ate, that would be quite difficult to do! Which then again would remind me of how fat I am, which then again, makes me want to do something about it!

So you see here. The key to good weight loss is to wear new pants! It creates it's own dietetic circle! It's great! I think I should write a book about it!

A girl I work with just came over and asked me if I had done something. I told her no b/c I was waiting on Heather to do something, and that I was working on something else. Well. I was also typing a note to a friend of mine. So she goes, "I was here until 7:00 last night because I just can't get it done. So if your bored or something,and nodded to my computer note, would you do mine for me?" I told her if she wanted me to do them I'd do them.

That is just absoluetly out of line to say the "bored" comment to me. First of all, the systems are so slow, I'm writing the note between waiting times. And second. I see no difference in me taking a minute or two to write a note to a friend, and them going out to smoke a cig. Actually. It probably takes less time for me to write a note than it does for them to smoke a cigarette.

I wonder if I should say something to someone? Like maybe to my boss? What do you think? I wish I would have said, "Just because I'm writing a note to a friend doens't mean I'm working any less, nor does it mean I'm niglecting my duties here at Wilsons." I feel like I should say that to a manager or something. Like before this girl starts saying I'm not working or something. I don't know if she's like that to complain just because I don't work the way she does, but I don't know. Maybe she is.

Everyone's work ethic is different. And since I am only getting paid to work a certain amount of hours, that is what I'm putting in. It shouldn't be my life. Now, that's not to say if I am really busy, and/or something is urgent that I won't put in hours. It's just not neccessary to me at this point in time. Everything I have to do is stuff that can get done during regular work hours. Know what I mean? I mean. If I work my butt off, there is always going to be something else that needs to be done, so really, it's like beating a dead horse.

Give me some feed back y'all!

Tomorrow I am going to finally have enough money to buy a plane ticket back to Texas. Woo hoo! I am hoping to be there the last weekend in August. I'm going to take a "personal" day. Somewhat like P1's floating holidays I think. Or at least that is what I'm treating them as!

I also need to start working on buying a car. Darin and I found a couple in Fergus Falls that I'd like to go test drive and get the dirt on. Used of course. It's so sad. I've been gearing myself up to buying a bran new car for so long. Now with the wedding, I have to buy a used car. :o( Marriage sucks! All it does is drain your bank account. I thought that was what I was for...Draining Darin's bank account. I'm mad that I'm being deprived of my wifely duties!

I am going to try to get a loan for one of the 2001 Pontiac Grand Ams that I saw. If I don't qualify for that loan, then I guess I'm stuck buying this 199-something car for $2500. :o( Poor me! Take pitty on me!

Sigh....

The car ran fine all the way to Wheaton. Where upon my arrival, my- oh so detail oriented- husband noticed that the bracket that holds the muffler on was broken in half. So he'd have to fix it. We then went to the lake for the weekend. We got back on Sunday around 3:00, where he decided he'd have to weld it since there were no stores open on Sunday in this small town. (now...why oh why, didn't he think to go to Fergus Falls to buy the part where we were on Sunday already, minutes away from the lake, I do not know. But I can tell you, that is what I would have done. But that's just me and my silly women's logic.)

So... He welds this thing on, and decides to tinker around with several other things to make sure I am good to go. Which I'm fine with because I'd rather have it safe than not. I'm just anxious to get back because I don't want to get back in the middle of the night again.
Finally, by 6:00 the car is ready for me to go.

Everything seemed to be going good until I got about 45 minutes away from home. I had just stopped at this very cool truck stop/travel center, bought some fresh bread (they have a great bakery/restaurant there, and had just finished munching on my sour cream and onion lays potatoe chips. Going.... oh probably 75 miles an hour. (I say probably, because the care has no speedometer) I notice that the alignment is off. But I'm not sure because I'm going around a turn, so maybe it's just me being paranoid. Then suddenly there is a loud thud/bang. And ALOT of smoke. Then thump! thump! thump! thump! thump! thump! I had a flat tire. In the left lane. In the middle of lots of traffice because the cities traffic is really thick at 8:00 at night on sunday. So I pull over as best I can and drive into the median. Which is a ditch. A steep ditch.

Remembering all those wonderful death stories on the news about people changing tires on the side of the road, I made sure I pulled into the ditch pretty well to avoid getting bruitally squished by something while tinkering around on this hunk of junk. Excuse me, I mean, "classic piece of muscle car".

I knew I was in for it, because I had never seen a spair tire on this thing. Nor did I know where Darin's jack was. It was all very frustrating to me because, had I been in my beloved -may he rest in peace- car, "Forest". I would know exactly how to do all of this.
So.... First things first. Call Darin to tell him what is going on. Call my Aunt and my cousin. In case they are in the area and can help me. Or stop off for coffee in the ditch.

Second. Find the frickin' tire. Call Darin, ask where it is? Get no good answers because he's more concerned with, I don't know what. My cell phone is dying and all I want is the facts.

Third. Found the tire, now have to find the jack. "What the fuck is this?!!!!" It's some crappy devise that takes me 10 minutes to figure out how to use. After calling Darin again, on my soon to be dead cell phone, he can't seem to tell me where the rest of the jack components are. Wonderful!

I finally get all together and start looking for a place to put this stupid bumper jack on. (aka the bumper.) BUT my bumper is so low that I can't get it under there because of the blow out. So as I'm about to throw a fit in the median, a state trooper pulls up. Turns out, even though part of why I was so irritated was because I was thinking, "had this happened to me in Texas, One of those guys that drives around looking for just this sort of thing would have found me by now, and been able to help me", someone on a cell phone had called and said there was a car in the ditch somewhere. So that was nice. Someone cared. Even know noone stopped for me. But I'm going to look up the state trooper phone number and put it in my cell phone to use if I ever see anyone needing help! Much much safer than pulling over to help!

So Woo hoo! State trooper is here! He then helps me get the jack under the bumper and we're on our way! woo hoo! He gets the tire off, and the spare on..... But... my luck is so fabulous tonight. The spare is completely flat. I now need air. He sends a second trooper off for an air compressor. The guy returns withing 20 minutes but the compressor doesn't work. So now I have to call a tow truck to come fill my tire. Another 20 minutes goes by.... All while I have one state trooper sitting in the ditch with me with all his lights on. All very very exciting. The guy fills my tire with air, and I am charged $45.!!!!!! I now have no money for the rest of the week. Sucks being poor.

Finally. FINALLY by 9:30 we get my car moving again. But now the challenge is getting out of this ditch into rush hour-like traffic. I thought I might pop a tire trying to get out of there. And let me also add, that is possibly the scariest thing I've ever had to do. It's already hard to judge cars in the dark, and I've got to get into the fast lane as well. I'm surprised I didn't freak out more than I did. Actually. I think I kept my calm pretty well. The most imbarrassing part is that the state trooper waited for me to get out, and so did the tow truck.

So I drove home with people wizzing by me on the left. Even though it was a full size spare, I was scared to death. So I just chugged along until I got home. Where I quickly collapsed into my bed. After calling my husband to let me know I was finally home.

The sweetest part of this whole mess was that he told me he had tires loaded in his truck, ready to head out on my next call if I had needed him. Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever? He'd head out 2 1/2 hours to find me in a ditch. Now that really must be love!.

So I'm driving to work this morning (takes me 10 minutes... 15 tops). Sitting at a light when I think I see smoke coming out of Darin's 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. (His baby..If the way he treats this car is in any way an indicator as to how he is going to handle our children, I will definately have NOTHING to worry about!)
So I'm like, "crap". I'm supposed to drive to Wheaton tonight after work. (3 hour drive)
So I pull into my work parking lot. I don't see any smoke coming out of the hood. So this is good right?
I pop the hood. Nothing.
I get out and notice there is water running down the wheel well, and it's making a puddle.
I can't open the hood because Darin usually has to do this "McGiver" move to open it, and apparently I don't have the magic touch. So I say screw it and I go into the building to call my husband. I figure I can turn into a typical GIRL. he he he. Let the MAN figure out what the hell is wrong! Go girl power!

So I go out there with my cell phone later, and there seems to be nothing wrong. He made me check a million and one things. Nothing of which had a problem. So I must have pulled another GIRL move and imagined the smoke.
Whatever.
If this car dies while I'm driving to Wheaton, I'm going to be pissed! Pissed as Hell!
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Today's Horiscope: The Sun's opposing Neptune, the planet of reality, suggests that you may have miscalculated the viability of an endeavor. If you're getting cold feet or having second thoughts, pay attention.

This is very telling, and right on.

As much as I hate to admit this, I have been having second thoughts about the importance of my career. What am I really getting out of this current career oportunity anyway? Not much really. It's not as creative as I'd like, and even though I'm getting the expierience that I thought would be good for me. I am afraid, I'm not enjoying the new company as much as I thought I would. They seem to be very scattered. Our meetings don't run on time, and they never stay on topic, veering off into other business topics that should be discussed offline, or in another meeting. No wonder this company isn't doing very well. It's very obvious to me why. But anyway. . . I've also been wondering, what is staying in the cities going to do to further my career? What will this current position do to further my career?

I am starting to wonder if I should just give up on having a career and job that I love going to, and just doing something closer to Wheaton. Besides, I'm not sure I'm loving the job I'm going to right now anyway. So I don't think I'm accomplishing what I wanted to accomplish at the moment anyway. Whatever. Anyway. It's so hard to explain what I'm thinking right now.

Warning: What I am about to say is very corny.

I love my husband. I absolutely love him. Everytime I set eyes on him I'm even more attracted to him that I was the last time I saw him. He's such a wonderful man, I'm very lucky to have found him. I'm also very lucky that all my bullshit didn't push him away for good. I love him. Everytime I turn around he's doing something else that I think is wonderful. And I'm not even talking about major things here. Little things he does or says really mean a lot to me, and make me love him even more.

Ahhhh.... Love is bliss!

"The downside to gluing yourself to a position is that once you're securely stuck to it, you frequently don't want it anymore. Try a neutral approach today; you may learn something interesting."

Funnily enough. I had a meeting today where they suggessted that myself and another allocator visit the MSP store every other week. I said that might not be a bad idea, but this morning it sunk in that that means we need to go to the MSP store twice a month! Why didn't I read this horiscope before I went to that meeting!?

But never fear. My horiscope today says: "You have more leverage over a certain situation than you realize. In short, there is no need to play the underdog this afternoon."

Woo hoo! I'm gonna get out of it!!!! I think once a month is plently!