Thank God for the Pottery Barn Catalog!

Over the weekend, I saw the results of a GERM study on the news:

• Lavatory faucet handles are worse than the inside of the toilet.
• And the magazines in a doctor's office... well, they are worse than almost ANYthing!

This is not something I've never considered before. I've always been a slight germaphobe, and have avoided touching ANYthing in the doctor's office. You see, I'm usually there NOT because I'm "sick", but because I'm having a wellness exam or maybe a sore foot or something.

I usually sit there quietly, with my hands tucked up under my armpits, staring at the fish tank. The problem is, everyone likes to sit near the fish tank... and I don't want to sit with them!

So today, I went prepared... armed with my own POTTERY BARN CATALOG! And trust me, I didn't let IT touch anything either.

Home Sick: Misery and Musings

DAY ONE: MONDAY

1. God, it was good to get home and take my clothes off.
2. Ahhhh... clean sheats and a heating pad.
3. Feeling achy and cold, on not a cold day, I took my temperature. It was 101.2, leaving me with some concern... as (really bad) colon problems run in my family.
4. Miss C drove me crazy.
5. Cooking macaroni and cheese for a late lunch was an ordeal.
6. Dozed most of the afternoon, but noted that judge shows are still good tv.
7. Dozed and missed most of Dr Phil. The part I saw was sick fun.
8. Caught Oprah: Mark Jacobs. He was cool, but I don't get the hubbub. And I don't get the handbag fetish thing... made me wonder if it's a gene.
9. Caught Oprah: The Jimmy Choo shoes were cool, but I'm just SO not a shoe addict... made me wonder if it's a gene. MORE ON THIS STORY LATER.
10. Caught Oprah: Wow. I think at one time I had the original Barbie (worth $25,000 today). I didn't see a use for it then. Sadly, I DO NOW!!!!
11. Caught Oprah: Elmo is a tall black man with a deep voice!!!! Who knew!!! Sadly, it was the shortest part of her program, and frankly, why I tuned in!
12. Cratered to Miss C and let her run around in the yard.
13. Discovered that she DID see a meter man (when she barked). He left the gate unlocked!Fortunately, I checked it before it blew open.
14. Fed Miss C and ate some pizza crust for dinner. Fed the grilled chicken to the baby!
15. Took my temperature again during Raymond re-runs... 100.4.
16. Settled in for the night and watched Wife Swap. Can you believe that woman had a frosty bear head in her freezer???
17. Flipped between 2 1/2 Men and The Bachelor (am I actually admitting this???).
18. Made a mental note to stay up to catch the local ABC affiliate's update on Matt Hickl (the ultimate bachelor)... but fell asleep, instead.
    

DAY TWO: TUESDAY

1. Slept pretty well, but was upset to wake up in pain... again.
2. Feeling a lot less achy, took my temperature. 98.2.
3. Belly still too tender for clothing, but was happy that I could sit up with little pain. Decided that sweat pants would have to do for the medical center!
4. Did a little work from home. Let Miss C do her deal.
5. Did all the stuff you have to do before a Well Woman Exam. You girls know what I'm talking about.
6. Promised the folks in the office that I would be there tomorrow. There's no way I would have been productive the last two days, it's good to know that I'm needed.
7. Said a prayer and headed off for the poking and prodding.
8. Made it home after a long wait at the doctor's office. Look for a post later on this ordeal.
9. Miss C was exhuberant.
10. Ate pizza crust for dinner.
11. And now I'm headed for bed, so exhausted that I don't even care what's on television.

'Well' Woman Exam

If you get sick the day before your 'Well' Woman Exam... should you cancel?

Pain at the Pump

Mid-afternoon on Sunday, I started to not feel so well. By the time I woke up on Monday, I was REALLY sick. I got up and went through the motions, thinking that I would feel better once I was up and moving around.

I made it, painfully, to work and stayed for an hour and a half before I couldn't take it any more. I signed out and started home but had to stop for gas on the way home. And for the first time since the darn things were invented... the pay-at-the-pump wouldn't clear out after pumping my gas. I had to go in the store and argue with the manager, who really didn't care if someone could drive up and fill up on my credit card. She couldn't print a receipt for me. She essentially told me that there was nothing she could do.

I was in a lot of pain by that point, and while I remained respectful... my recollection is that I was loud. I didn't care how many phone calls she had made to the company. I didn't care that they hadn't called her back. I just told her that we needed to reach some resolution, and that I wasn't willing to rely on her memory, should my statement record an excessive billing.

(Heck... it was already $25.50 for a tiny little CRV tank of gas!)

We went back and forth and back and forth. The store filled up with people with the same complaint. Some of them agreed to drive off, in blind trust. It turns out, that there WAS something she could do about it. She managed to clear the pump. And she rubbed my credit card to create a receipt, showing the amount. And she signed and dated it.

Fair enough! I like her tenacity. Of course, I don't think she appreciated mine.

Random Memo: 022306

The Random Memo is back by popular demand (ha!)...

1. I am jokingly referred to, at work, as "the design goddess" and "oh great one". Joke or not, it's actually true! :-)
2. Ever notice that co-workers regard a day that you spent travelling and attending a client meeting... as a vacation? I much prefer, and feel more rested from, a good hard day's work in the office.
3. I think Miss C has been blogging again.
4. Note to self: Check the City of Houston Job Listings! I could use a salary doubling bonus! (Refer to previous post).
5. It's too bad that the IRS doesn't pay interest on refunds.
6. I worked really hard today (and everyday...?) and my boss told me that I could leave early, for my efforts. I got in the car and started home. Heading down the ramp of the parking garage, I glanced at the clock. It was 9 minutes earlier than I was scheduled to leave. Hmmph. I'll bet he laughed himself silly after I walked out the door.
7. Houston traffic sucks. (Alert the media!)
8. If you want to find me tonight at 9pm, you know I'll be parked in front of the tv, watching Joran on ABC. Greta cracked me up last night, reminding her viewers that the conflict in programming is the reason TIVO was invented.
9. For some reason, I don't think Joran and the VDS family are going to be pleased with their decision. But hey... I could be wrong. We'll see.
10. For some reason, I don't think the Kalpoes are going to be pleased with the interview tonight either. IMHO, it seems Joran is setting them up by indicating that they knew where Natalee was and had the vehicular means to return to her. But hey... I could be wrong. We'll see.
11. Already, from the clips I've viewed, Joran contradicts himself. (Alert the media!)
12. Dealing with narcissistic personalities is a bitch... no?
13. Whattaya know... it might be nature, after all! Look for a post soon with further commentary. (Snicker)... You might also look for JAGG's commentary!
14. BEWARE... a restaurant that lists a "new" chicken club sandwich on the menu might just be trying to sell more chickenburgers in disguise.
15. Andrea Yates is in the news again... and I'm reading the book, "Are You There Alone (The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea Yates)" (Suzane O'Malley). I'll have more to say later, but for now, I'll say that I am someone who has taken on the responsibility for someone that didn't have the faculties to be left alone. The emotions that surround this responsibility are incredibly complicated, and hindsight is 20/20. Children weren't involved in my case. So at this point (in my progress in the book), I have to reserve judgment. More later...
16. I just can't wait for my new issue of fusion. That Glenn, he's a hunk! (ha).
17. I have a new perspective on the UAE port contract. (1) After listening to a Houston Port Authority guy, I think this is really no big deal. And (2) I think Bush is leading the Democrats into establishing precedent for special circumstances due to war-time and terrorism. Congress is in an uproar over wire-tapping. Their opposition to the port contract establishes the precedent that there are "unusual circumstances" in this day and age. I could be wrong. And personally, I have mixed emotions. Raised in a a politically active family, I tend to see past the obvious. This time... I'm just not sure what I see!
18. Wow... Mr. P has been with me for over a month! Update coming soon! What in the world is Mr. P?
19. Old friends are a treasure. My old friends know everywhere I've been, and a lot of it hasn't been pretty. I've been through so much that I can no longer afford the luxury to hide any of it. My old friends respect HOW I came through it all, and they understand, at least partly, who I am on the other side, but really...
20. No one REALLY KNOWS me any more.

Amen, Mayor White

"If there was enough money for somebody to steal, there was too much money."

Quote by Mayor Bill White, regarding the Mayor Pro Tem scandal.

Needless to say, I don't work in a profession that observes any but the "biggest" holidays. So, off I went to work this morning! It was nice... the NBA All Star Weekend traffic had dissipated as folks either left town last night, or more likely, slept in this morning. Incidentally, I heard that traffic on the West Loop near the Galleria this weekend was as bad as it was during the Hurricane Rita evacuation!

The weather is still gloomy and cold. And I was soooo incredibly sleepy all day! Then when lunchtime came, I turned down the lunch gang because noone could think of a warm place to go! One of the guys was going out to run errands and offered to bring back a sandwich, so I took him up on his offer and stayed in.

I had a pressing morning deadline, and I worked this weekend to meet it. I spent much of the morning piddling with some things that I knew would be needed in the future (not by me, but by someone). I took a few telephone calls. I mentored a little. And I waited... knowing there was another project in line for my attention, but waiting on the information to be passed to me.

So... I had a little time to think about what's important. And here's what I came up with:

Lunch is important. Correction: GOING OUT TO LUNCH IS IMPORTANT.

$130,000 Hires How Many Cops?

I'm not sure how much an HPD officer makes, but even if we hired only one with this swindled waste of taxpayer's cash, I'd be good with it. What an outrage!

Arrogance Supercedes Common Sense

Guilt rots a person from the inside out. And in the opposite manner, arrogance supercedes common sense.

Ancient Greek Basketball

To compare skating, skiiing and the luge... to the ancient Greek sport of basketball is ludicrous!

The Bush / Quail Incident

I enjoy good political satire and cartoons as well, if not better than the next guy. And it comes in the form of a game, all the much better!

Sometimes it's not so much the event that is scandalous, but the arrogant media frenzy.

Restaurant Review: Star Pizza

Margherita Pizza........

Olive Oil, Fresh Garlic, Roma Tomatoes, Parmesan, and Fresh Basil.
Add Grilled Chicken.
Deep dish Wheat crust.

It's hard to beat Star (I'm partial to the 2111 Norfolk location for their pizza, and the ever moving other one for ambience) and you sure can't beat this pizza. The ingredients are always fresh and ample. I can't stand a pizza that's all cheese, and these folks know when to say when, but not a moment too soon. And you never get a half-cooked pie!

Confession time... this wheat crust, for me, is like having dessert!

Friday Night, Star Pizza and Hornitos

It's been a while since I've had a Friday night at home. In some respects, I think... wow, that's sad... no plans on a Friday night! But, having given it a tiny bit of thought... it's kinda nice! I've got yummy Star Pizza leftovers in the frige, and a bottle of Hornitos that, if I'm not mistaken, is calling my name!

Hard Night's Day!

That's right. I goofed around on Wednesday, so I had to shift into overdrive last night. I got a LOT done, I'm happy to report, but facing the day this morning was a little hard.

No worries, though! It's FRIDAY!!!! I've got a little work to do this weekend, but mostly I've got "me" time!

A Hard Day's Night

I'm procrastinating.

I have work to do but don't feel like doing it. I didn't work last night. I reasoned that it was Valentine's Day. And if I don't work tonight, then I'll be backed into a really tight corner tomorrow night.

It's not like there isn't money involved... there is! And a nice sum, at that! So why can't I manage to apply myself??? It's like my brain is bucking the additional pressure!

It's because today, at work, was just one of those days... I was stretched and pulled in every direction possible, and then a few more besides. It was a hard, hard day.

I had two scheduled meetings. The first one was out of the office and with a client who was an hour and forty-five minutes late. A client called to schedule a third afternoon meeting, while I was at the first meeting. I called when I got back into the office, to indicate that I could make the meeting... but the client never called me back.

I pushed work out the door on three projects, and I answered to three bosses and five clients.

The drive to and from work was rife with the usual accidents, stalls, debris and impolite(!) drivers.

A mass marketing firm (who has somehow gotten my cell phone number) called my cell phone 4 times today.

And I woofed down a 10 minute junk food lunch.

I love my job, and I wouldn't be happy without the responsibility... but a hard day's night is sometimes not productive (or profitable!). Oh, well... there's always the hope that tomorrow will be different!

A Valentine Goat

I had a GREAT Valentine's Day, and I hope you all did, too!

This is one of the best Valentine's stories I've ever read.

'Love' was born on February 7th, bearing a perfectly shaped heart on its fur. Barbara Opper, the goat's owner, believes it to be a Valentine's Day gift from her deceased husband, who died nine years ago.

I don't know about you, but... I believe.

My Personal Take on Aruba

I've made no secret of my sadness over the Natalee Holloway disappearance and anger over the shoddy investigation. But I don't think it's any state government's business to legislate a boycott.

I have more faith in the individual... that each individual is capable of determining how to distribute their expendable income.

For me, it's a difficult question, as I find Aruba to be rich in beauty and the goodness of the average hard working citizen, and poor in the way its class driven society protects (gives the benefit of the doubt or turns a blind eye toward) its arrogant youth, at the expense of its hard working, law abiding society.

A government that ignores, essentially condones illicit activity.

Comments, Please!

If you take the time to read, take the time to comment!

I know you have the time, because many of you will email a response to me!

Agree, disagree, share my laugh or tell me I'm all wet! I love your emails, but please make your comments part of the record! That's how this blog thing works!