Definition of Personal Day

Work has been rough lately. I don't know what it is, but I've lost my ability to cope with pretty much any situation - the people I work with, the tasks I'm required to do, the clients I work on - all of it. Last week was the worst yet and was filled with a lot of venting (aka: yelling...literally yelling at Carlee), several anxiety attacks and a little mid-day crying in my cube.

Sunday night as I thought about coming in to work the next day I got sick to my stomach. So I decided I wasn't going to go. We have personal days and vacation days - not sick days and vacation days. I don't have to be sick to call in and, honestly, I don't have to give a reason because it's "personal".

It was one of the best days I've had in a long time.

I slept in until 9:45 am.
I got a pedicure.
I got a "90" minute massage (that was more like 70 minutes).
I went out to eat.
I went to a movie.
I didn't check my work email at all.

Unfortunately, I'm back at work today. I've only had one small moment of uncontrollable stress so far. We'll see how the rest of the day goes.

I'm pretty sure my job is hazardous to my health.

Interesting

The other day I saw a billboard for this organization. I thought it was interesting.

A Gift

Lindsay and I got home from Boise last night at 3:45 am. We were tired from driving there and back in one day and ready to crawl into bed. Apparently Max missed us while we were gone because he left presents for both of us!

I walked in the door to find feathers in the hallway and I knew it was only going to get worse from there. I followed the feathers to my bedroom where more feathers and the bottom half of a bird body were waiting for me! Yup, that's right. The bloody stump of a bird body, legs and all.

Lindsay followed a small trail to her room where a pile of poo was waiting for her. Apparently bird doesn't agreed with Max's belly.

So we both went to work - Lindsay vacuuming feathers and picking up poo and me grabbing a shovel and scooping up the remains of a bird off my bedroom floor.

Why don't pets realize that dead animals don't make the best gifts? Money or jewelry would be sufficient.

Do Your Job

Dear Alarm Clock,
The question is often asked, Why am I here? or What is my purpose?. For some, the answers to those questions are hard to find. But for you, Alarm Clock, the answer is simple.

You're purpose is to wake me up. Most likely in the morning, but sometimes later in the day after a nap. I don't care how you do it, by radio or iPod, just as long as noise comes out of your speakers to bring me to consciousness.

This morning, Alarm Clock, you didn't do your job. And don't even try to blame it on me. Last night I checked to make sure you were set for 6:58am. I hit the proper button to let you know that the iPod was my preference. I set the song to Michael Buble's "Everything" and placed it in the slot. Every piece was in place.

But for some reason I didn't wake to the sweet sounds of Michael Buble. I woke to Max crying in my face and sun streaming through the window. I looked at the time on your front and when I saw 8:27 am I knew you had failed me. But you couldn't have, I had done everything right. I second guessed myself thinking I had snoozed you without realizing, but when I pulled the iPod off it's dock it was still set to "Everything" just as it had been the night before.

What went wrong, Alarm Clock? How could you do this to me? Lucky for you I made it from stepping out of bed to sitting at my desk in 45 minutes, but let's try for better performance tomorrow. What do you say?

Love,
Stephanie

Sucked me right in.

This is how easy it is for the internet to suck your life away.

• Last night I went to MSN to check the weather for today.
• Saw a link to an article about Ellen's dog adoption freak-out. Read the article.
• Saw a link at the bottom for another article about Ellen's dog adoption freak-out. Read the article.
  
• Saw another link to an article about T.R. Knight (Bambi, The Fetus, O'Malley...whichever you prefer) and how he's happier since he's come out. Read the article.
  
• The T.R. Knight article quoted something he said on Ellen's show on September 28th and I realized I never actually saw that episode because of TIVO Catasrophe 2007.
• Went to YouTube to see if I could find the interview. Found it. Watched it.
• Noticed a related video of Ellen's Oscar interview with Barbara Walters. Remembered we somehow missed that (and even tried to find it for days afterward) and watched it.
• It turned out that it wasn't the full interview so I watched 3 or 4 other clips to try and catch parts I had missed.
• Saw another related video of Ellen on the set of J.Lo's video. Watched it.
  
• Realized it was 1:00am and that if I was going to try to get up "early" I should probably go to bed.

All of that just because I wanted to check the weather.

Darndest Thing

You know that old show Kids Do the Darndest Things (which was probably on Sunday nights right after America's Funniest Home Videos or in some other crappy time slot that it deserved)?

Well, I don't have kids. I have a cat. And, sometimes, cats do the darndest things.

As I was sitting in bed trying to do some "research" for a "meeting" I have tomorrow this is what happened. Twice. My cat is an attention whore.
Oh, and don't roll your eyes because it's another post about my cat.

In other news, there was an awesome rainbow on my way home from work today. A double rainbow at that. I can't even remember the last time I saw one.

One of Many

John Krasinski is one of my TV boyfriends. I just love him! Apparently him and Milo (AKA Jess) are buds.
How cute is he!? Seriously.

He Works Hard For His Money

Did you think we were just going to let him live with us for free?

Paparazzi

My one goal while I was in LA last month was to see a celebrity (even a C-Lister!) getting harassed by the paparazzi. I failed.

Lindsay Lohan on the loose in Utah has breathed new life into my goal. I now want to see her getting harassed by the paparazzi in SLC. This article mentions that they were "snapped heading to dinner Tuesday night in Salt Lake City".

Looks like I'm going to be hanging around downtown more often.

Friends

It's nice to have friends who know me so well.

After one of the most frustrating meetings I've been to in a long time, I came back to my desk to find this IM waiting for me:

Carlee: "It's 4:22 and I'm looking at your face in this meeting and can tell you want to kill "so-and-so" as much as I do right now. That is all."

And she was right. Although, I would have added one or two more people to the list.

2007

Now and Then.

The Right Stuff

Natalie and I were having our daily "How'd you like last night's TV?" chat and as we were discussing the disappointment that is Grey's Anatomy so far, we stumbled upon Alex (aka: Mossimo..."She...she loves you Steve.") and his need for a make-over.

The conversation went like this:

Nat: Everyone except Bailey/Cristina kind of bother me.
Nat: Even my Mossimo!
Stephanie: Mossimo needs a haircut. Sick.
Nat: Who's rocking 1991 Jordan Knight hair

I'm still laughing as I type this. You've gotta love friends that can make you laugh!

1983

Rock Star

Comparison is courtesy of Danny.

Lead singer of Radiohead vs. Max.