Exciting News!!

I got an email last week from one of my fav bloggers, LiLu, asking me if I would like to participate in co-writing a new blog, In It To Gym It. It looks like it has really taken off and although I haven't posted yet, I am very excited to be taking part in this. It is a support system for people who want to lose weight and get healthy, and a place to talk about accomplishments, to vent about frustrations, etc. I really like it so far, and I hope to post something later today if I have time. You all know how busy I am, and that I don't have a lot of time for working out, so I'm hoping this will make it easier for me to get out of bed on my days off and do SOMETHING. Anything. I eat healthy but that's less than half the battle for weight loss. I know that more than 60% is exercise so as a result, I'm not gaining weight but I'm not losing it either. I just have to realized that even if I can only go to the gym a couple times a week, well, its better than no times at all. If you are interested in checking it out, click the link above and enjoy :) Some of the stories are hilarious, I was in tears laughing over one yesterday. I think its going to be great. And thanks LiLu for putting it together, this was a great idea!!

The Mondays

Hey everyone.. I don't have a whole lot going on at the moment to talk about so this will be short, but since I haven't posted in a couple of days, I felt like I should say SOMETHING. My weekend was not great.. I had to open Target both days, so no sleeping in for me at all until this weekend. I also went on a carb binge and totally killed all kinds of bread and pasta, and I'm feeling sluggish today. I woke up with a migraine, (the bad kind, the kind that I don't usually let myself drive in,) but I came to work anyway because I really didn't want to take a vacation day. Its better now, but this morning was really rough between the pounding head and the nauseous stomach. J and I are fighting. Its just been one of those days, except its been one of those 3-days-in-a-row. If that makes sense.

There are some good things though. Friday my company had a meeting at the super-ritzy country club in town, and I won a $50 Macy's gift card in bingo. New pair of shoes?? I think so! I am back to eating like normal today, and my smoothie this morning was really good. I got new salad dressing, (Orange Miso,) and added brussel sprouts to my lunch salad, and I'm excited to eat it. I cleaned out my refrigerator and it looks like new, seriously. And I couldn't help but laugh when all the crap was thrown away, and everything was scrubbed down, that J only had 4 things in there... lemonade, applesauce, hot dogs, and baloney. My veggies and stuff took up the entire thing. It looks like the fridge of a SUPER healthy freak, which I strive to be but I feel like I fail a lot of the time. Case in point, the no-bake cookies that a coworker brought in today. YUM.

Anyway, I hope I have something good to talk about tomorrow. I'm in a blah mood today, sorry everyone :(

Part Two Of Two

I went to get the dress after work yesterday. After telling the girl (who decided to wear sweatpants to her job as a bridal consultant) my name, she went off in search of the dress. Here is the thing... the bride actually paid for the dress to begin with. So when I told her the name, I said, "It is either under Rachel or Jenny, I'm not sure which." I waited, and waited, and almost told the happy couple who came through the door to RUN, but didn't.... and she finally came back.
"I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
"Rachel."
"Oh. Well this is a purple, short Alfred Angelo dress, but this isn't the name. Could it be under something else?" Oh. My. God.
"Yes, as a matter of fact it could be Jenny ---."
"Oh. Well this doesn't have a last name, and it says Jennifer, not Jenny. Do you think that's the same one?"
"You know what, it probably is. Crazy.."

So I take it and I'm out the door, and she comes running over and whispers, "You already paid for that right?" I had, but at this point I realized who I was dealing with and that I probably could have gotten it for free, but I said, "Yes, back in December." She nodded and went back inside. She didn't even CHECK. I totally could have stolen the dress and no one would have been the wiser. (I have a guilty conscience so I wouldn't have done it, but still....)

And I went home and tried it on, and guess what. My size 14 hips fit perfectly in the size 10 dress. Who would have guessed?!? (There is a lot of sarcasm in those last couple sentences, in case you didn't catch on.) Actually, it may be the first bridesmaids dress in history that doesn't need to be altered. I know I took a risk, what with trying it on and all, so I'm happy it all worked out. (More sarcasm.)

In other news... this week, they have found three snakes in my office building. Since I have an irrational fear of snakes, my feet are not touching the floor, and if I see one I already let everyone know I would be leaving.

Also, I still have no allergy symptoms. So I'm thinking the greens are working???

Part One Of Two

I take serious issue with bridesmaid's dresses. I have been in one wedding, and I am coming up on the second and I'm already annoyed. Its not the actual dress itself, but rather the people selling it. The first time around, I had moved down here but the wedding was in NY and therefore I was not able to actually GO to the store and try things on. I had to get measurements and then send them to the place, and they sent me the dress. So off to the bridal place I went.... measurements came back, giant chest and butt, normal waist. (I have what my grandmother affectionately calls an hourglass shape... ask my brother and he will say "built like a football player... J just calls me thick, and this is the description I'm sticking with.) Anyway, I am usually a size 10. Now, I am aware that this does not translate well to bridesmaids dresses, and that it would probably be a little bigger, but imagine my surprise when I called in the measurements and they came back with a 14. A 14?? Excuse me?? No. I told her that I thought maybe a 12 would be better, and she says, "Well, your bust and your waist are measuring a 12, but the hips are a 14 so we need to get the bigger size." Ok. Keep in mind that even though I hadn't seen the dress, SHE had. And when I received said dress, I wanted to strangle her. It was strapless and when I put it on, it fell right back down. Easily. This idiot ordered me a 14 because my hips measured a 14, EXCEPT she failed to mention that the dress was very formfitting through the bust and waist, and then flared out where? Oh. At the hips. So please tell me why I needed it to fit the hips, because in this style, I probably could have gotten a 2 and my hips still would have fit. Dumbass. Anyway, by the time it was taken in TWICE, guess what. It was an 8. Major fail on the part of the woman ordering my dress.

This time, the dress is one I was able to try on. Its adorable, a dark purple color, short, strapless, (no, I am not describing a hooker dress, its very classy and adorable.) And its also formfitting all the way through the hips. At the store, I tried on a 10 that fit perfectly. With a little adjusting to the top, I could have probably just taken that one and called it a day, but oh well. So I tell the lady this is the one I want, (the bride let us choose, wasn't that nice of her??) and she proceeds to measure me. You know where this is going.. they want to order me a 14. No. Nonononononononono. I had on the 10, the 10 fit, I want the 10. And they ARGUE with me.
"Ma'am, your hips are a 41, they will not fit into a 10."
"Um, dumb blond, I just had it on and it DID fit."
And who was she to talk about my measurements? I have an ass, bigger than most white girls but I love it and its a 10, dammit. So I signed a form saying it was ok to order the 10 even though the measurements said differently. Even though she just saw me in the 10. Think outside the box salesgirl, you cannot possibly be that stupid.

Or can you?

This morning the bride called the shop to check the status of my dress. After calling about 10 times, they finally answered the phone. In the middle of getting her information, they hung up on her, and never answered again. So she called me all frustrated, and I tried to call. 5 times, and they answered. I gave them the information, and was put on hold. 10 minutes later, I was hung up on. My temper spiked... I called back, and finally got someone on the line.

"Hello?"

"Um, YEAH. I have called twice now and been hung up on. I want to know the status of my bridesmaid's dress. Now."

"I am so sorry I hung up. I had another call." (excuse me???) "Let me transfer you."

Another person- "Yeah hello?"

Me "Hi, I am calling to check on-"

Her "Um yes, I just called you back and left a message to let you know the dress is here."

Me (so irritated at being cut off and her entire tone) "Wow, thanks. I'm so glad I needed to CALL YOU to know that my dress is in." Click.

I have to go get it now. Unless I get arrested for choking this woman with the dress, I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. I'm sorry, but am I wrong in assuming that if you pay $150 for a dress, that you can at least be notified when it comes in, without attitude, without jumping through hoops? I guess not. All I needed to do was read the reviews of this place and I have my answer. Here I go..

Fun With Allergies

Thanks to everyone who read and commented on my last blog, (Especially Will, since when does a man volunteer to hear a woman complain??? So, standing ovation for Will, who has a very lucky wife.) Sorry for all the venting, but hey, I think it will be a better week so maybe you don't need to hear it for a few days? (Unless you know me in real life. Then I am not promising anything..)



Even though today is Monday, its a good day so far. Its gorgeous outside, and from my desk I see blue sky and about a million trees with little white flowers on them, just waiting to cause me headaches, sinus infections, and a lot of sneezing. Everyone, including J, is having some sort of allergy attack today. The woman who sits in front of me has even broken out in hives of some sort, and sinus meds were flying off the shelves this weekend in Target. Everyone is affected... everyone, except me. Which is strange, because I always get a sinus infection this time of year, and it is one of the rare times I will go to the doctor without procrastination. I learned this lesson in college when I got one so bad that I had to go to the ER in the middle of the night, and my alcoholic boyfriend was drunk so I had to drive myself, and he stepped on my kitten that night.... story for another time. (The kitten survived.) Anyway, when I arrived they took one look and let me lay down in a bed until they could get to me. UNHEARD OF. And also proof that yes, I let it get THAT BAD. Never again. But for some reason, I am Claritin Clear, without the Claritin. And I think its totally by accident. See, I was doing some reading this weekend about foods to eat to alleviate certain ills, and greens were on the list for allergies. Interesting, since I eat between 2-4 handfuls of greens every day between salads and smoothies. And this is along with other fruits and vegetables. I'm not saying its working, because allergy season has just begun. But I am going to take a risk for the sake of science, and I am NOT going to start popping my allergy pill. I am going to wait and see if all these greens can prevent symptoms in the first place. I may live to regret this, seeing as allergies usually leave me down and out for about a week, but if not then it will be worth it. I'm not huge on taking a lot of meds, but I am also a wimp when it comes to pain, therefore I take allergy pills and migraine meds and all that at the first signs. (Also since eating greens... migraines are MUCH fewer and further between. If you don't get migraines, you have NO IDEA the relief this is.) So if I can eliminate the allergy pills, I will be happy. If not...well, I guess that will explain my next "I'm Complaining" post. Because if you think I am a good complainer now? Wait till I'm sick :)

I'm complaining..

This has been the week from hell. The full time job has run me into the ground, which wouldn't be so bad except that right after I'm done with the job that takes all my mental strength, I then have needed to turn around and go to Target. On the nights that I didn't work at Target, I stayed late at the full time job. And even though I am sensing relief because its Friday, you all know I don't get to fully enjoy the weekend. And its supposed to be 75 degrees both days. I am seriously considering giving someone my Sunday shift because honestly, I need a day. I had 2 nights in a row where I got 4 hours of sleep, which means no, I did NOT make it to the gym this week. I was going to go last night but instead I passed out cold as soon as I got home and slept for 3 hours. When I woke up, I made dinner and spent the rest of the night in bed watching TV before I went to sleep. I usually feel guilty about being so lazy, but last night I was 100% ok with it. You know those days at work where you come home and you cannot even form a rational sentence? Yep. That's been me, all week. Right now its probably 75 degrees out, and the sky is blue, and it smells like flowers. And all I want to do is go home and mix a drink and unwind. But I will have just enough time to throw on my red shirt and khaki's and rush off in Friday traffic to Target, where I will stay till 10:00. By then I will be too tired for the drink. If I actually get undressed for bed tonight, I will call it a success.

If you are still reading this bitchfest and haven't yet clicked off to read a better post, there were some good points to this week. I finally got my sub today, and it was fabulous. I bought a red teakettle to match my red decor in the kitchen, and I love it. Yes, I could absolutely heat water for my tea in a pot or in the microwave, but I think the red kettle is more fun :) I got a new pair of shoes, because I needed silver ones for a wedding in April, and I made sure to get ones I can wear anytime. Today was their debut, and they were a hit. I also got a new purse. It's bright white, from Guess, my little present to myself with my bonus I received last week and its FABULOUS. I have been wanting a white purse and I am IN LOVE. What else... what else... I am sad to say this is all the good that has happened. Not a good week. I very much hope next week is better...

Have a great weekend!!

The Day That Joe Biden Makes It Personal

Today was going to be a great day. Today Jimmy Johns was having dollar subs. (For those of you who do not have a Jimmy Johns, I'm sorry. They are fantastic. And no, your sub place is not better. Accept it.) Anyway, Jimmy Johns is busy on a normal day, so in order to not be in line for 2 hours to get the sub, I would need to leave work 15 minutes before they opened and try to be semi close to the front of the line. Yes, its kind of like getting concert tickets. People camp out overnight for this. (I don't know if this is true, but I like to think it is.)

Anyhow, my friend DJ and I had the plan all set to go. He was driving, we were leaving at 10:45, getting there at 10:55, and they open at 11. Simple. So we leave. The exit to the highway is right next to work, and as we get on we see two marked police cars, one unmarked, and a truck with one of those "Stop Traffic" blinking lights on it, all lights on all cars flashing, flying onto the highway. So we are all like,"Man, I bet there is an accident, I hope it doesn't make us late for Jimmy Johns, which sub are you getting..." and so on. We are driving along, and suddenly all the cop cars make a full speed, death-provoking choreographed spin-out and stop sideways, blocking traffic and testing the brakes of all the people right behind them. Lucky for them it appears everyone was up to date on inspection because I could totally see how that little trick could have ended in disaster, but anyway... we stopped. And waited. And waited. Did I mention that they pulled this stunt RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EXIT? Like, I could have easily walked to Jimmy Johns. DJ was getting all mad and jonesing for the sub, and was saying things like, "Do you think they would be mad if I eased by and got on the exit? Do you think if I got out to ask what was going on, they would draw their guns? What is going on?" (I know you are wondering whether or not a Jimmy Johns sub is worth a standoff with a police officer. I'm not saying that it is, but I'm not saying that it isn't either..) We called a friend back at work to ask her to check the news, was there a chase happening, what was going on, and how long can we expect it to last? She didn't know. So we sat. And sat. Until she called back and whispered, "I found out what's going on. Joe Biden is in town, and they are blocking the highway for him." Well, damn.

When the cops finally let us go, we drove the 17 feet to the exit and arrive at Jimmy Johns. We get out and walk around to the door, only to see the line was wrapped completely around the building. I may or may not have seen a tent from the previous night, just sayin.. and since we are supposed to have a half hour lunch and we had already been gone for a half hour, we admitted defeat and drove away, cursing Joe Biden the entire time. And since I knew it was dollar JJ's day, I didn't bring a lunch. So we settled for Quiznos. And y'all know I love Quiznos, but when I was looking forward to a JJ's sub, a Quiznos salad doesn't really cut it.

To sum up, Joe really put a dent in my mood today. If not for him, we would have made at least the MIDDLE of the line. If not for him, I would have spent $1.00 on lunch instead of $7.92. So Joe, if you are reading this, I am very disappointed. You owe me $6.92, and yes, I will take a personal check. And I hope you let Barack know that this little stunt you pulled today will be taken into consideration during the next election. Remember that.

New Blogger, Show Some Love!

Sorry that I have been MIA the past few days, work has been insane this week. But I wanted to give a quick shout-out to my friend Amanda, who started a blog this week about her family and raising her son Nolan. Her son is super cute, and she always has some good stories to tell! Her and her husband have been together since 8th grade and still going strong. So pop over and check her out!

http://filiatraultchronicles.blogspot.com/

I hope to be back tomorrow... fingers crossed...

Fun Facts

Its Monday and I feel like crap because I had macaroni and cheese last night for dinner. I KNOW. I don't know what I was thinking. But its all good, I'm not going to let a small setback ruin my mood, which is decent for a Monday. I have a couple little tidbits to share that I learned this weekend, so enjoy :)

Did you know that eating one pound of meat is equivalent to driving 40 miles in an SUV? This means that it took THAT MUCH energy to produce one pound. Times that by all the thousand pound cows, plus pigs, chickens, and whatever else, times 9 billion animals per YEAR that it takes to feed America, and yeah. That's mind blowing. If people could make at least one day a week in their household meat free, think of the impact that could have.

A disturbing fact that I learned from this month's Women's Health magazine.. if not for government subsidies, conventionally grown produce would cost astronomically MORE than organic, due to the costs of chemicals and pesticides. I'm really happy to see that our government will happily offer millions to farmers in order to get them to spray their soil and crops with poison instead of giving the population affordable organic, chemical-free food. I am not really a conspiracy theorist when it comes to a lot of things, but I am getting more and more skeptical of the way our food is being regulated. Also mind blowing, in my opinion.

Speaking of organic, I love shopping at Whole Foods. When I tell people this, they like to counter with, "But WF is SOOOO expensive." Well, since Target actually carries a bunch of organic produce and also the soup I like, I started buying it there. Until I realized that the soup was over a dollar more at Target, and the spinach that I buy a ton of every week was also $.50 more. So I don't really get the argument that its so expensive. Organic is going to be expensive no matter where you buy it, thanks to the government apparently.

While at WF, I asked a worker about vitamins. (One of the main things I love about this store is that the people who work there actually know what they are talking about. Any other grocery store would be all like, "I don't know.." while giving a blank stare.) Anyway, I was curious about D and B12. I take a supplement for B12 anyway because I don't think I get enough with my diet, but I wanted to know more and if there was a better one since mine is a pretty generic brand. He pointed me the way of liquid B12. I took it yesterday before work and I would swear it gave me more energy. I wasn't even looking for it to do that, and of course I forgot to take it this morning, but I am definitely liking it. And J is starting to take the D vitamin, even though he sighs heavily when I hand it to him. Another tidbit about J... he is black, and he will swear that black people don't like the sun. He is literally almost never in the sun for any length of time. So I told him he needs to take the supplement with me, because even though I am in the sun in the summer, I'm sure I don't get enough year-round.

I got a delicious mixed-berry cup while I was there. It had strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in it. And I also enjoyed the warning: "May Contain Strawberries." I understand people have allergies, but what dumbass needs the warning when the cup is clear, and you can SEE them? If you were allergic to strawberries, you wouldn't buy it. (I hope.) But I'm sure that at one point, someone was stupid enough to do it anyway, thus the warning.

Oh You Thought I Might Relax Tonight? You're Cute :)

Its Thursday, and I realized that I haven't written anything in a couple of days. Its been a little crazy at work, and therefore they are expecting me to work ALL DAY instead of posting on blogger. I know, I work for slavedrivers. I will also probably be here late today but that's ok because I gave away my shift at Target. I know you are thinking I will be doing something fabulous on my night off.... perhaps you think I will be taking in some after work drinks, or going to the gym, or even maybe going on a little date with J. Well, you would be wrong. Mama needs to clean the apartment. No, seriously. It is OUT OF CONTROL. I got home last night and looked around like I was seeing it for the first time and thought, do I really live here?? Not good folks. Not good at all. There are piles of clothes in the bathroom, bedroom, closet, and in front of the washer. The kitchen contains zero clean dishes, and the sink is broken and apparently overflowed last night when J tried to clean up, so there is nasty water residue on the floor. (He attempted to clean it up... with an old shirt... and didn't nearly get all of it. I guess he thought it would evaporate since I stepped in a puddle when I got home, but to be fair to him I also left it there. What?? I was tired!) The living room is a cloud of pet fur, and the bedroom floor is covered in feathers from my feather bed that has a hole in it. Needle and thread? I don't understand..

The last time the apartment had a good cleaning was, um, before Christmas. It was my New Years resolution to be better at cleaning. Needless to say, that resolution and I parted ways at the speed of sound. Every time I do a really thorough cleaning, I promise myself to never let it get like that again. I say that I will do a small cleaning every day or every other day so that it always looks good. It's yet to happen that I keep this up more than a week or so. I live in a really nice apartment, one that I fought over with J because even though its expensive, its worth it. It has black appliances and countertops, brushed nickle fixtures, big bedrooms, and lots of windows. I'm not treating it right. So tonight when I get home, there will be no drinks or date or even the gym. I will scrub, vaccum, wash the floors/sinks/tub, dust, and, ahem, take down the Christmas tree. I heard a nasty rumor that some people actually took theirs down in January. I choose not to believe this nonsense.

The Full Post

I already told you the highlight of my weekend, but there were other good things I wanted to share as well. First of all, I went to the GYM!! For the first time since August! I woke up early on Saturday and went to spin class before Target. Then yesterday I went and did the stair-stepper for about a half hour. Before I stopped going, the stair-stepper was my new challenge. I have long ago mastered the elliptical and while I think its a great workout, I don't find it totally challenging. I need to do it for at least an hour to really feel anything. Even though the machine tells me I burn more calories with the elliptical, I am definitely more worn out after the stair-stepper. (And spin... the class can be absolutely brutal but I love it.) Saturday I ate really well, but yesterday I went out for Thai and felt like total crap afterwards. Not like food-poisoning crap or anything, but more like the way I usually feel made even worse because now I know I can feel so much better. Does that make sense? Anyway, I have leftovers in my fridge and I don't even know if I will eat them because that's how different the feeling was. I was tired, and dragging, and uncomfortably full. We went to the mall after and I felt sluggish and gross. NOT how you want to feel while trying on jeans. (Even though they were WAY out of my price range and I wasn't planning to buy any, but I would still like to feel hot and pretend like I can afford $160 jeans, thankyou.) Anyway, other than that it was a fantastic day off, and I so wish I could have a full day off more than once every couple of months. I am so jealous of people who get weekends. I haven't had weekends in a LONG TIME. Hopefully this summer.. everyone cross your fingers for me :) And I also had a margarita yesterday, which cannot be understated. It was heaven in a fancy glass.

I'm about to leave work, late due to a late meeting, but whatever. They are paying me more so I guess I need to stay when asked. I hope I make it to the gym because I am dragging again, but maybe its what I need.

Weekend Tidbit

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend, because I definitely did. I will write more about it later, but the one thing that stood out for me happened at Target. (I can hear you all sighing, thinking "JEEZZZ she talks about Target wayy too much.." but this is a good one, I promise!!) A man and his two daughters came up to my register and one little girl handed me a bag of carrots and told me they were hers. I said, "Oh really, you like carrots?" She smiled a huge smile and said, "Yes!! We dip them in hummus, its my favorite snack!" I could have hugged her father right then and there. It was really nice to hear this after seeing one too many meltdowns over soda and candy bars. And not one thing in their cart was unhealthy. And the kids were smiling, and fighting over who got to hold the carrots. So for the people who say kids won't eat healthy, it CAN'T be done, well.... I bring you the adorable blond girls, both under the age of five, who were at check lane 26 this past Saturday.

No, I Didn't Use Drugs. Its The Maca.... Or The Greens... Or Something.

I woke up this morning feeling GREAT. I don't know if its the fact that I haven't worked at Target all week, or the smoothie I had before bed last night, or the maca powder in my smoothie this morning, but I'm a ball of energy right now. I'm never like this, (I mean, NEVER LIKE THIS,) so its a great feeling. If I could feel like this every day, my life would be complete. I'm thinking maybe I will do the green smoothies at night more often. I didn't put any maca or hemp protein in it last night, just fruit, spinach, peanut butter and chocolate. It was so good. I also had sprouted wheat toast with an avocado and tomato on top. Its one of my new favorite things :)

I was thinking about what I've been eating, and it dawned on me how drastically my diet has changed in the past few weeks. I always thought I was eating well because I would make sure to get as much organic foods as I could, but at the end of the day I still was not getting nearly enough fruit and vegetables. Since deciding to try to eat as Raw as possible, there is no way I don't get enough. Just this morning I had 6 pieces of fruit and a huge handful of kale in a smoothie. I had a salad for lunch, and I will probably have another smoothie for dinner. Its crazy. And if the energy that I have today is an indication that its finally paying off, then its totally worth it. I cannot explain how fabulous its been to not be so tired. Usually I'm dragging around at this point in the day, praying that 3:30 comes, and cursing Target because all I want to do is nap. Let me tell you, the LAST thing I want to do today is nap. I'm actually ok with going to Target because it will get me moving. (Provided my customers follow the rules I posted a couple of days ago, lol.) AND... sit down, I don't want to cause anyone to pass out... I think I am going to wake up early tomorrow, on a SATURDAY, and go to spinning before Target. That's right. I said it. I have Sunday off, and I plan to go to the gym again, but probably for an elliptical workout and some ab work. I used to have a 6 pack. I would like that back please. I am going to lunch Sunday afternoon with a friend for some very un-Raw Thai food, but its all good. I'm sure I will have a couple of smoothies to balance everything out.

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!!

The Rut

First things first. I am IN LOVE with the smoothie creation I made for breakfast. It was: 2 bananas, 1 mango, 2 kiwi, 1 handful of kale, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, and then of course hemp protein powder and maca powder. It tastes like peanut butter banana, which is one of my favorite snacks. Even J liked it, he asked me to save him a glass. He is usually a good sport and tastes the smoothies, but he has never asked for his own glass. Points for me :)
Now onto other things. I have come to the realization in the past week that I have become LAZY. I was not really aware of this because before the second job, I was going to the gym at least 3 times a week. Then when I started the second job, I didn't have time for the gym but I was working 70 hours a week and therefore I was justified in spending my 2 nights off a week in bed, catching up on sleep. Now, last week and this week I have only been working 3 days at Target. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This gives me 4 nights off, and what have I been doing? Running some errands after work, and then going home and right into bed for a nap, dinner, shower, back to bed for the night. Why am I not cleaning my house? Why am I not going back to the gym? I don't know. Yesterday I wanted to go, but my body had a mind of its own, and before I knew it I was waking up at 7:15, already in pj's, and then in a bad mood for the rest of the night because I felt so lazy but wasn't motivated to do anything about it. So I have a tentative plan. Today after work J and I have to go to the bank. When I get home, I am going to CLEAN MY HOUSE. It really needs it. Tomorrow and Saturday I have to work, but I have Sunday off. So Sunday, I am getting my ass to the gym. And hopefully Monday night as well. I have a wedding coming up in April and a general NEED to lose about 20 pounds, and its not going to happen by laying around watching Grey's all night every night. I mean, the gym has TV's on each cardio machine. I can watch Grey's there. Its not the end of the world.
I hope that by posting this here, I will be forced to do exactly what I said I would do. I guess we will see tomorrow if I started. I'll see if I wake up to a clean house.

Sorry Coffee, My Feelings Have Changed And I Want To Break Up

So I started to write a post yesterday, but when I was about halfway through I decided I didn't like it so I have it saved. When I have time, maybe I will revise and pass it along. In the meantime, I have something exciting to tell you :)
For those of you who don't know, I work 2 jobs. Its supposed to be a full time job and a part time job, but Target just loves me so much that they usually give me almost-full-time hours. So on an average week, I am working about 70 hours. This on top of the fact that I am not naturally a super energetic person, and I seem to require more sleep than most, and I am usually dragging around as a result. Coffee has been my very best friend these past couple of years, but lately I have wanted to try something else. I don't like to be that person who has to rely on a huge cup of caffeine every day, not to mention that the jittery feeling isn't fun, and it has usually worn off by lunchtime. This leaves me sleeping at my desk for part of the afternoon, and I don't think my superiors appreciate that. In fact, I'm pretty sure its frowned upon. Anyway, I have been reading a lot of blogs and articles about natural ways to increase energy, and came across Maca powder. It was mentioned by a few different people so I looked it up and found that among other things, it is supposed to "combat fatigue." I found it at Whole Foods, ($25 a pack, damn..) and mixed it into my smoothie yesterday. Now let me tell you, this stuff on its own smells and tastes like vomit, but since it calls for only a teaspoon, its fairly covered up in the smoothie. And coincidence or not, I was bouncing around in my chair during work yesterday. I didn't get sleepy till just before I left work. This is HUGE. NEWS. I am trying it again today to see if it really is the powder doing it. If it is, and if you are like me and tend to be sleepy a lot during the day, I suggest you try it. I researched it online, there are no known side effects, and it is Raw, kosher, vegan, organic.... it covers all bases. (Just make sure to only use a teaspoon, I think I accidentally put more than that in today and I am not enjoying my smoothie as much as usual.. vomit flavoring anyone?)
Anyway, everyone have a Happy Wednesday and if I have time later, I will revise and post from yesterday.

Can You Tell It Was a Bad Weekend At Work?

I want to begin by saying that not every day/weekend is like this. In fact, this was really a perfect storm of events that all happened in a single Saturday/Sunday, but I want to prevent them in the future. A preemptive strike if you will. So read, laugh, cry, sympathize with me, but whatever you do, please reference this list before your next trip to your local Target/Walmart/Grocery Store. The employees will LOVE you.





1) Coupons. I am all for coupons. I went through a good year long period where I was an avid coupon clipper, and one time I planned so well that I saved over $100 on a shopping trip. So if you come through my line and you have 7000 coupons, I am all for it. But with this being said.... PLEASE KNOW WHICH COUPONS YOU WANT TO USE. There is almost nothing more aggravating to a cashier than to stand there and wait after ringing up your $250 order while you dig through an envelope of coupons to find your $.50 off the laundry detergent. Because first of all, in the scheme of $250, making it $249.50 is not worth wasting 5 minutes of my time, and everyone else behind you and their time. And second of all, when you triumphantly emerge from your coupon mess, holding the wrinkled offender in your hands, I am no longer happy that I'm saving you money. I am looking for any reason not to be able to use it because you made me mad. So it better not be expired, it better be for EXACTLY what you got, or else I'm not letting it slide. Have it ready beforehand, and you will avoid all this.


2) DO NOT lean over and take the bags while I am filling them. It doesn't "help." Most of the time I'm not done with the bag, your arms come over into MY space in an awkward way, and get in the way of everything I am trying to do, and no, it is NOT helpful. If we are all done and you want to ask to make sure you got everything, or peek over and check for yourself, this is fine. I'm not perfect and I have totally forgotten to give someone a bag before. But don't just think you can reach over and take it. Let me do my job, thankyouverymuch.


3) Do not leave your cart, (buggy, basket, whatever you call it,) in my lane or at the end of the lane and leave because you think you can carry all the bags without it. I don't care whether you can or not. You pass the cart terminal on your way out. It is pure laziness to leave it there, its rude because this means that I need to move it, (and do you think I have time for that when I'm ringing up literally hundreds of people a day?? No I do not,) and it gets in the way of every single other person in line behind you.


4) If you and your significant other come through my line and you decide in the 2 minutes it takes to complete your order that I am really cool and you both seem equally eager to hang out, and you BOTH give me your separate cell phone numbers, well.. I am going to think you are swingers. And I am not going to call because even though it makes us prude, J and I just are not into that. Call me old fashioned. And if you are not a swinger, you totally came across as one so maybe don't be so creepy next time.


5) I know that I'm wearing a name tag, but it really creeps me out to have you call me by my name. I've never met you before, so saying "Hi Rachel!!" catches me off guard every time.



6) If you are coming to return something, please bring the entire thing. DO NOT come to me with one pair of socks out of a pack of three and demand to exchange that ONE pair with the itty bittiest hole in them for another 3 pack. I'm just not going to let you. And when you storm off all mad because now its my fault that you need to go find the other 2 pairs, I have no sympathy for you. I'm simply laughing at you as soon as you are out of range.



6.5) Along with that, I am also laughing at you if you come to me with one thing to return from the dollar spot. Especially if you let it slip that you live a half hour away and can't believe you had to come all the way back because your grandson didn't like it. Did it ever occur to you that getting that $1.08 back does not equal the cost of gas for an hour long round trip? Throw it away and call it a loss.



7) And last but definitely most important. Please wear something that covers your bottom half. I do not like to look up from my register and see that you decided to wear a short coat with absolutely NOTHING underneath, bent over your cart so everyone can see your everything. The customers in my line don't like to see it either, and I'm sure the words, "Oh my God that woman has no pants on!!" were not words she was ever planning on uttering in Target. (Or any public place other than South Beach for that matter.) Poor girl. She was way to young to see that, and the offender was WAY too old to not be wearing at least a pair of underwear.



So yes. These are all true stories of my weekend. Some are specific to this weekend, some happen every single day. (I'm hoping/praying/crossing my fingers that #7 never happens again. It was life changing, and not in a good, Maca Powder way.) I'm positive that none of my fabulous readers are guilty of any of these things. But for the rest of the troubled world, I'm hoping you will pass it on, because its back to work on Friday and I just don't know if I will live through it. I feel a stroke coming on..

One Of My Many Secrets

I consider myself to be a fairly open person when it comes to my life. I'm not extremely private, and for the most part if you ask, I will tell. With that being said, I tend to be more private when it comes to my family. And you are not going to get the whole story here, but I will let you in on a small part.

I have an older brother. This is not exactly a secret for people who know me personally, but since I usually only discuss my younger brother, people are surprised when they hear this for the first time. He is my half brother, and we were thisclose when we were little. Times and circumstances happened, and an EXTREMELY long story short, we are anything but close anymore. We spoke for the first time in years in September. My father had some pretty serious health scares and so I tracked him down and filled him in on what was going on. We had a pretty heartfelt conversation, (actually I think we had 2 althogether,) and we found each other on Facebook, and have been ever so slightly keeping in touch. I learned a few things from him during these conversations. One: He works on a scallop boat. Two: He wishes he had done some things differently and that we were closer. And the third, and the reason for this post.... he spends a couple months each winter in South America, mainly Chile. Guess where he was this weekend..

No need to worry, because after a day of stressing out he updated Facebook to say that he was ok, but his vacation would be extended due to "the end of the world." I can't imagine being there during this time, and seeing all the devastation, and being probably the most scared anyone could be in their entire life. I am going to keep checking to see when he is back in the country, and then I will call and see if he wants to talk. Life is too short.