music hunts me

I don't really listen to music.  If I have a choice I prefer podcasts (which are my love see below for a list of my current faves) or some kind of teaching.  I love interviews about people I'm interested in.

So I have a different relationship with music than most people.
It kind of takes me over.  Not necessarily in a good way.

I watch the people around me listen to music while they work and I am completely incapable of such behavior.  If I'm listening to music, I'm listening to music.  It's hard for me to do other things at the same time.  Don't get me wrong.  I multitask.  I'm a girl and I have ADD... multitasking isnt really a choice for me.  Unless music is involved.  Then it's a one track mind.

Music sometimes hunts me.  It's like I'll hear a piece of a song and then that song is playing all the time and it won't leave me alone.  I know everyone gets a song stuck in their head, but it's so distracting for me.  It's like being interrupted by a child over and over while trying to do something.  It won't leave me a alone and I feel as though I have to exorcise the song from my mind.

And so I go back to not listening to music.  It's more peaceful in here without the soundtrack.

sad chickens?

I sent a friend at work this...
me:

friend:  has feathers

me: how does one know the chicken is unhappy?

friend:    he looks sad

me:  ha ha ha

friend:  cluuuuuck....sniff... cluuuuuck

I love my friends!!!

Michael Malloy

Some people just don't cooperate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Malloy

You're welcome.

potlucks

Years ago, a group of guys were getting together to put the info and schedule etc. together for a church softball league.

One of the wives (my friend) INSISTED her husband go pick up a couple pies from Marie Calendar's because all there would be avail was chips and soda if he didn't bring something else.

He argued that the guys would do better than that!

Their food that night?

chips

soda2 pies

 

 

 

proof the world is coming to an end

 

Nicki Minaj has a clothing line for Kmart.

Word of the Week

Because the world is too serious (and because I work in corporate America and I don't necessarily fit in here) I try to add a splash of color and fun to our offices and now I'm sharing that with you.

Feel free to print and share.

everything is a pyramid scheme these days

Can I just say -- it's exhausting how many "pyramid" style opportunities are out there.  Everything is a "sign up" program!!

I commented to a coworker how great he’s been looking.  He apparently started running and has just dropped 15 lbs.  I’d like to say without even trying because all women know that men lose weight so much easier than women do.  That whole more red blood cell/lower fat/muscle ratio thing; but then I’ve tried running and I cannot honestly put that in the “not even trying” category!

So I mentioned that I’m looking for something “fun” I might actually stick with, like maybe Zumba because it seems dance related.  So he asked his fiancé and then gave me her website.  Ta da… she does coaching for Beach Body fitness and the website even says…

Sign up to be nagged into working out and eating right or make money nagging others to exercise and eat right!

OK, maybe it didn’t say nagging, but that’s how I feel about it.

btw, did I mention I sell Mary Kay? 

I just signed up for mainly personal use.  I don’t see myself having parties or anything.  I just need others to help me hit that first order so I can get the 50% discount.  I think I’ve been signed up for 2 weeks and I have received over 14 emails.  From the group leader, from MK directly, telling me of different contests (including one where I can earn dishes?? – maybe people have enough makeup so they are branching out ♥).  I had to ask to be removed from the list because I was getting overwhelmed.

My life!!

brilliant by day, dud otherwise

Seriously, during my (real) work day I am brilliant.
I have so many ideas I don't have the opportunity to write about because I think the people that give me that paycheck every week might object to my writing a blog post.

I need a way to capture these ideas without taking lots of time away.
Anybody know of a magic memory idea or device?  Some chip I can slip behind my ear that will grab these thoughts and ideas so that I don't keep losing them?

sigh

handicapped bathrooms

So, am I the only one who wonders about the layout of these stalls?  It's like the designers have to have all these things checked off on their list but they don't think about how best to make it work.

I understand the larger stall, I understand the bar and the higher seat.
But seriously?  If I, as a mostly able bodied person, struggle to reach toilet paper that is basically hanging on the ground, how on earth is a handicapped person supposed to be able to easily reach that?  Shouldn't it be higher?  In fact, why are so many of the toilet paper dispensers so low?  I'm not even tall and I find them too low in general. 

Is it because they have to have that bar in there?  But then who decided that the toilet paper had to be super low?  If they are sitting on the higher seat, wouldn't it be easier to reach?

Just wondering.

strange conversations

conversation with friend:

Do you know what I was thinking about last night?

No.
Or should I say not yet.

Things that smell like the color they are. 
For example:
  My mom gave us a body wash from Bath and Body Works called "Country Chic."   It was purple.  And I was like, yes, this smells purple. 
Then I thought about the people who do that for a living.

See country chic, I would have thought it should be blue because I associate country with light blue.  I would expect it to smell blue and possibly make me sneeze.

Oh we would be good at that job. 
  Except I wouldn't want to be a professional smeller, all that stuff gives me a headache.

Then she sends me a picture of the bottle (because the visual is obviously important here and you can't smell on IM.)

And I feel duty bound to explain that this is, in fact, blue; not purple.

But apparently it's more puple in person.  She's bringing it in tomorrow to show me.

 

rant

You know what I hate?  I hate when I go to to an online store for plus size women and they have skinny women modeling the clothes.  What is up with that? 

In all fairness, the clothes don't even look the same on a skinny girl and a fat girl.  It's poor marketing if nothing else.

OK weak rant, but I think this everytime I go on a site.


You know what is funny to me... of all the posts I've written, the two that got the most views were about cleaning your washing machine!

word of the week

I create a word of the week fun page for work and thought I would share them with you.  I post them in the copy room and kitchen so people have something fun to look at while waiting for something.

cajole       (kuh-JOHL ), verb

1. a: To persuade with flattery or gentle urging:  coax

1. b: To obtain from someone by gentle persuasion

2:  To deceive with soothing words or false promises

Example: 

· Brianna was able to cajole some money from her father before
leaving for the movies.

I went to a restaurant that serves "breakfast at any time". So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance.  Stephen Wright

You can observe a lot by just watching.  Yogi Berra

 

how to cook

One of my coworkers was talking about how she couldn't melt chocolate without burning it and would like to learn how to cook.  I put this together for her and realized, I know more about it than I thought. 

Computer is still being fixed so this will be short.

Here is a good place to start.  Honestly, just reading about how to cook, you gain a lot of info.  http://www.wikihow.com/Cook
A good cookbook -- or several -- is important.
I have the traditional standby by Betty Crocker (for that I seriously double all the spices, but that was after learning how to make things from it).
Silver Palate Cookbooks really kick things up in taste and variety.  A friend gave me their cookbook as a gift and it's a much better option once you have a bit more comfort.
Another tip:  WRITE IN YOUR COOKBOOK.  Did it come out OK?  Did you drop an ingredient you don't care for?  Make notes so you know what you liked or didn't like for next time.

Spice Charts:  (I used these for a long time, and could probably stand an update.  Helped me learn what to use for what and together)

http://www.spiceadvice.com/newsa/usage/chart.html

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1431.asp

Find a website you like with recipes or come up with things you like to eat and I am willing to help you.  There are lots of short cuts you can learn.

Things I've learned over the years:

• Don't leave the kitchen.  the fastest way for dinner to be ruined in my home is for me to walk out of the kitchen.  I now bring my tablet in to half watch something or I listen to the radio or a podcast.
• Read the entire recipe all the way through and make sure you understand it all
• Have all ingredients ready before starting (ex:  chopped, washed, measured)
• Don't cook everything on high (I know it seems faster, but it cooks food uneven and often burns food)
• Remember that food continues to cook after you remove it from the heat.  Especially important in baking.
• Always let meat "rest" before cutting it (10 mins, to allow the juice to reabsorb)
• Start with only what the recipe calls for. (as you learn how to cook and what you like, you can change things up, but you don't want to "break" the rules until you understand them. 
• Baking is chemistry.  What you use is important.  There is a balance of oil, sugar, flour, etc.  And know that baking soda and baking powder are not the same thing!
• Most cookbooks have a "how to" section.  Read it.  They actually know what they are talking about.  (imagine that!)
• Have at least one good sharp knife.  Know how to use it.
• Personally, I don't cook using much oil, I prefer cooking spray just because it cuts on the grease.

binder clips

There is a story behind why this is SO great to me!
The admin who had my position before I did was a hoarder.  She hoarded office supplies in a big way.  Our division went through a huge spring cleaning and we managed to divest ourselves of 40 filing cabinets!!  As we went through them, we kept finding stashes of office supplies; often locked.  There was a filing cabinet with one drawer full of pens -- all of them so old, they didn't work anymore and they had never been used!  They just dried out.

I think in all we found like 7 filing cabinets of office supplies.  The best one was a lateral file drawer FULL of  binder clips!  All the same size, most of them grouped and put into sandwich bags with 5 little boxes in each bag.  I stood there for minutes.  I took a picture (which I sadly cannot find because I would truly love to share this with you).  I just couldn't for the life of me imagine an instance when one would need to purchase so many binderclips!  What possible eventuality would one plan for to have so many hundreds of binder clips?  It's not like they are going to be useful in a Zombie Apocolopyse or something important like that!

A coworker, whom I shared this story, just sent me this and I so enjoyed looking through it.

I hope you do too!


http://www.buzzfeed.com/kevindanger/54-uses-for-binder-clips-that-will-change-your-lif-555z

The cleverness of humanity always delights me!

I had to buy tape today for work

Whenever I look for tape products, the Tape Sketch from SNL comes to mind and it always made me sort of sad to think of someone being so foolish as to sell only scotch tape (or as they say in the UK ‘cello’ tape.)  so, I’m scrolling through 3 pages of tape options (thinking my life, really?!  This isn’t breakfast cereal we’re talking about!) and I come across this.

And I think to myself… what could this POSSIBLY do that would warrant spending over $500 on a tape dispenser!  A manual one at that.

Let’s look at the product description:

• Sturdy yet portable dispenser produces sharp, accurate cuts from 4" to 42" in length
• Easy-pull, snap-back handle and drop-in tape loading

I am going to need a bit more information…

So Amazon gives me a better description at least  (and a lower price):

United Facility Supply Manual Tape Dispenser For Gummed Tape w/48-oz Reservoir, Steel Blades, Black

An industrial-strength, portable dispenser that produces sharp accurate cuts ranging in length from 4" to 42". Made with stainless steel blades that will not rust or corrode. Features a large 48-oz. water bottle with a rubber valve to both reduce spillage and downtime. The easy-pull, snap back handle and drop-on tape loading is ideal for fast-paced working environments. Manually powered dispenser is designed specifically for reinforced and gum paper types. Global Product Type: Tape Dispensers-Manual; Tape Dispenser Type: Manual; For Tape Length: N/A; For Tape Width: 1 in to 3 in.

Obviously this is for packing and shipping in an industrial/volume manner.  I guess now we know part of the reason why all those companies charge such a high rate for shipping and handling!