Just shoot me now

That way, I will never have to work another Sunday. It is so dreary and tedious working the desk on a Sunday. I don't know how Drayson stands it every week. There were about six stylists on and the salon was awash in negative energy. Three of them are outright negative energy as a way of life and the other three where normally not so much negative, were negative because of these three. It was nearly unbearable.

I had two crochet projects with me and a book and I still nearly went mad. It is also tiresome to have to tell anyine who calls after noon that we are booked and I cannot accomodate them. Their dissatisfied huffs add considerably to the negative energy.

Vicious

Doddering old men named Lu

I have had a second occurence of an old man named Lew crossing my path recently. The first occurence was when I worked at Oildom. A senior editor was hired on who was near 60 and no one really knew why he was there. It was basically a professional courtesy for him to be able to retire in a few years. He has a great history within the industry and contacts I am sure, but he really was doddering. There just is not another word coming to mind to better describe Oildom Lou. My involvement with him was fetching things. He might have been the only person there to consider me 'his' secretary. I was the adminiastrative manager for an office of about 10, but Lou really liked it if I would 'please get the coffee going' or "please stock up his stationery'. At least he had manners and wasn't too muich of a pest.

Yesterday, I made a new doddering old man acquaintance named Lew. As I was leaving for the night, I walked past catalog and there he was. He was asking
Beverly(think of Marge Simpson's sisters here and hear them speak) for help in clocking out. 'I'm not the trainer. Didn't Sue show you how to do all this? You been here a week already and you can't work the time clock?" She is just about the rudest bitch in the place, and it really bothered me to witness this exchange.

Here I was ready to hit the door running. My purse, laptop and bag of other miscellaneous stuff slung over my shoulder or in my hand and in my other hand a bottle of water and Rice Krispy treat. I went over to the catalog counter and said excuse me to enter the conversation. Lew, dutiful (new) JCP employee that he was had his nametag on. Reaching my hand to shake I said "Hi, Lew. Maxine from the salon. LEt me help you with the time clock." In no way was I being a suck up or anything less than genuine, and it was a definite feel good moment. I was genuine with my offer to help. Lew was genuine with his appreciation. Beverly was genuine with her slack jawed look of disbelief as she said under her breath "Well I was gonna help."

Then as I said good night to Lew as we passed by catalog, Bob the bossman walked by and said "Thanks Max, Noted." I love it when he catches me going above aand beyond, and he always does. I think it might be time to hit him up for a dependent discount card for my lovergrrl.

I just hope I haven't created a monster in Lew.

Interesting read

Go read it!

weirdness

I usually work 9-6 on Wednesday but due to our other receptionist being at college orientaation, I am working 11-7. That is just weird. I am sure it is because my boss did not want to dump another 1-9 on me this week, but still, it is odd.

Training begins with the new receptionist today who is taking Mitu's place after next week when she leaves for school. Dana has worked for JCP for years, but her previous position was dissolved. She took the severance and has been gone for about 6 months. It will help that she is up on the JCP way. Really all she needs to learn is the new register/computer and the way we book people. She will be a pro by tomorrow I think. I am pretty sure she is in her 40s, so it will be nice having more maturity at the desk. I also wonder if she might be family. Maybe on the down low as she is married with kids. But I know first hand that it is still possible.

The three of us on the desk being gay. That could be interesting.

Once again

We are once again a two functioning toilet household. My lovergrrl is so butch she can fix anything. But what a jewel that she is a handy toilet refurbisher. She is a babe. A goddess.

And she's all mine!!

I spoke to Paul today, first time since right before Easter. He actually answered his cell phone. Will wonders never cease?

I have been calling. And calling. I bitched him out royally for not calling me as I was growing very concerned. I even told him I was going to call one of his evil neices tomorrow if I did not get him. "Glad I answered sugar. You know I don't know how to work this damn new phone."

He was surprised it has been that long, and I cut him all the slack in the world because he is going through a lot of shit to rebuild a life that was callously stripped away from him. And, well. And because he is Paul and I adore him. We shall see him Saturday for dinner.

Too many friends have some crap being flung their way. Time for some Metta practice.

Monday morning blah

I hate feeling uninspired. Even when it is a fleeting moment. Brief. Just. Don't. Like it.

The thing is, I am not totally sure that is what I am feeling. It is a general blah of feeling I am *this* close (hold fingers nearly touching to illustrate how close) to some sort of epiphany. Knowing it is coming, whatever it is, makes me feel a little manic. Monday morning blah makes me feel a little depressed. There is medication for this, I know, but I am not in need of anything more than discipline.

Work in progress.

Ooooh..Ahhhhh...

Last night's milky way was more like a white russian. Nearly perfect. I think it could have been a little heavier on the chocolate and maybe even a slight bit more espresso. I chose half and it was pretty good. Easy to drink. Heavy. Cream.

E is so sick today. Isn't that sad? No, it isn't. Not. She has a new toy and is playing hooky to bask in my presence as well.

I am so damn fine.

As irritating as Rachel Ray can be...

She had a one pot 30 minute meal which I have become quite fond of. Chicken and rice. No boredom here, you can tweak the recipe at will and make it different every time. Here is my basic version:

2 skinless boneless (raw)chicken breasts chopped up
1 large yellow onion
Olive oil
seasonings
15 ounce can chicken (or beef or vegetable) stock
8 ounce can tomato sauce
8 ounce can of water
1 1/2 cups dragon rice

Thats the minimum ingredients. You can also add anything else you like vegetable wise when you saute the onions, and you can certainly sub beef for the chicken or make it vegetarian. I usually add baby carrots and bell peppers and celery. Not tonight though.

The dish evolves depending on what spices you add. I have used homemade sauce and Italian or mexican spices. Tonight I am using sweet curry.

I chopped up the chicken and tossed it with 2 tablespoons of curry powder. Then I browned it (not fully cooked it) in olive oil in the largest pot I have, 8 quart I think. Remove the chicken to a side dish and add the onion and a little more oil to the pot to brown and soften the onion for a few minutes.

Then add 2 tbs more of curry, 1 tbs paprika, 1 tbs cinnamon and a few dashes ginger for the hell of it. Add more olive oil. Just a bit to moisten.

Add rice and stir with all the spices. Add all the liquids and the chicken and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook covered about 20 minutes til rice is done.

It smells so good in here. E will have to tell y'all if it is any good or not. I have never really used curry in this quantity so we shall see...

And the first week of June is gone...

How does this happen? I know it has been June for a week because I physically checked the calendar last Wednesday to confirm it was First Wednesday and Meteor night (for Professional Women's Networking Happy Hour). I also have to tell people all day at work when they need to write a check or record debit card use (yes, people actually DO both those things often). So I have known it is June. But tos ee a whole week of it slip away is somehow disconcerting.

This means the first half of 2005 is nearly gone.

Pfft.

Over.

It is just disconcerting. I am not sure how else to describe it. Not very writerly of me, I know, but it is all part of the disbelief.

I suppose half gone also means half still to come. I am feeling that in a big way as well and trying toget back into a solid writing schedule. I think I will make my first effort something manageable and shoot for 30 solid minutes a day. If I do this in the morning, I am likely to have more consistent results, but it isn't always feasible. I hate not having spell check on this. I am still undecided on whether blogging counts toward time writing.

I think tomorrow needs to be a Milky Way day. Can't you hear it calling?

Toasted Marshmallows

I want some. Really.

I made a slide show using iPhoto and I wanted to save it to a disc to send it to my dad. It is a show of photos he took 50 years ago. I just think he would like it and from what the book says, I should be able to do this. I am just not following and there is a little bit of vagueness surrounding the directions.It could be nothing more than that the file is too big. I will have to see about that and maybe redo it. But I am not quite sure where to see how big the file actually is.

Laundry awaits.

Make mine a Milky Way

The recipe:

Hazelnut, Caramel and Chocolate syrups in the bottom third of a pint glass.
Add ice to near full.
Add heavy cream leaving about an inch of room.
Add espresso.

And yes, that is still way too coffee tasting for me, but with some extra syrup I somehow managed to finish it with no reluctance.

E remains a skeptic and is curious to see if the espresso keeps me awake tonight or not.

I like the flavors of coffee well enough and I like the smell of it brewing. I just always find it way too bitter in a you can't add enough cream or sugar sort of way. The Milky Way certainly is an admirable effort. I think I will try it again and ask for the espresso on the side. Then I can add just the right amount. The counter boy will look at me as if I am insane to be sure. Maybe I will try a half espresso Milky Way. Maybe I just need a splash of espresso. Yes. That is likely the ticket.

And then there were two...

Wrecks is on his way to a new family. We are once again a house of beings on Goddess time. Sawyer and Nola are well versed in the ways of the Goddess. They decidedly know how to chill, and there are no signs of depression of the loss of their pain in the ass pupp.

Maybe now I can refocus my energies and get back on track. There are stories to write. Paintings to finish. Felting to be explored. The beach calls.

Yes, certainly plenty else going on around here.