awkwardness at work

I'm an awkward person.

And it shows.

So far in the six-plus weeks I've worked for OSA I've done the following:

-Spilled my drink all over the floor. While walking. I'm still not sure how it happened.

-Just about tripped over my computer cords and face-planted it. I thought I escaped that one until my co-worker (and crew boss) said, "Are you okay?"

-Crashed into a door.

-Got my rolly computer bag stuck while walking too fast and just about fell down because of the momentum. Twice.

-Tripped on my heels.

-Couldn't get the door open on my co-worker's car. While he was standing there waiting, no less.

-Backed into some one's car (just a bump!) while another coworker was waiting for me to follow her to a job site. I'm sure she saw, especially since I had to get out of the car and go talk to the woman whose car I hit. Sorry about that, lady. (No damage was done, thankfully.)

That one was my very first day.

Oh, and don't just think all these things happened and no one was the wiser.

Oh, no. People saw.

It was awesome.

The Birth Order

Have you ever read The Birth Order?

I haven't. But I believe there's some truth in there.

I have some friends. We used to be roommates. All three of us are firstborns.

We got together last weekend to catch up and hang out and discuss life.

Kristine has a Pysch degree and is pursuing courses in massage therapy. Laura is finishing her degree in music education. And you know I'm an accountant.

But I can't believe how similar we are. We have similar goals and life views and enjoy many of the same activities. So many times last weekend one of us would say, "You can tell I'm a firstborn."

One site says that firstborns tend to be people pleasers. They crave approval, are reliable, conscientious, perfectionists, driven, conventional, and want things their way.

They want things their own way...hmm. That's true. And not only am I a firstborn, but I married a firstborn.

It gets interesting.

About Me

Whenever people tell me a story and I don't know what to say at the end I'll mumble one of three things:

"That's funny." Even if it's not.

"That's weird." Even if it's not.

Or "That's so crazy." I save that one for when the other two don't fit.

It's nothing personal. I just don't know what to say to you. I'm awkward like that.

In Sheep's Clothing

You may have noticed that In Sheep's Clothing by Susan May Warren has been on my "On My Nightstand" list for about six months.

I'm not sure what's up with that.

I got to a slow part and stopped reading, and now it's been so long I don't even remember what's happening anymore.

I had best get on top of that.

my favorite movies

Apollo 13.

I love this movie. I could probably watch it once a month and not get tired of it. In fact, I just watched it last weekend and sort of want to watch it again.

Darren hadn't seen Apollo 13 until I bought and sent him the DVD while he was in Iraq. Such a crime to live 20 years of your life without seeing this movie.

A classic.

Mom's Meatloaf

I love meatloaf.

Correction: I love my mom's meatloaf. Can't say I'm a huge fan of any other meatloaf, in fact.

This is actually probably my grandma's meatloaf recipe. And very possibly even her mother's. And so on and so forth.

So if you're looking for a fantastic meatloaf recipe, look no further.

Now I usually do half a meatloaf recipe, since there's only two of us, but I'll type the recipe as it normally is made, since things can get a little tricky with the egg and tomato sauce.

Start with two pounds thawed burger. (Remember, I only have one because I halved the recipe.)

You will need saltine crackers, salt and pepper, milk, minced onion, tomato sauce, and an egg.

Crumble one sleeve of the saltines in a bowl. Add 8 oz tomato sauce (you can buy it that size), 1 egg, 1 tbsp minced onion OR 1/4 cup chopped, 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper, and the burger. Mix everything up real nice.

(Note: if you half the recipe you can still add a whole egg. No need to get crazy trying to half that.)

Press the burger mixture into a glass 9x9 pan. Glass seems to work better than tin, for some reason. This is an 8x6 pan if you decide to half the recipe. It works perfectly for this.

Now for the good part.

Grab some mustard, ketcup, and brown sugar. I really, really, really like the topping, so I double it. So here it is doubled.

Mix 1/2 cup ketchup with 6 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tsp mustard. Spread on top of the pressed meat mixture.

Don't forget, this is doubled for a regular-sized meatloaf, so if you are halving the meatloaf recipe, don't forget to half the topping. Or you could not, it really doesn't matter. One time I accidentally doubled the regular topping for a half-sized meatloaf. It was a lot of topping.

I told you this could get confusing.

Bake at 375 for at least 1 hour. If you're doing a half recipe you only need to bake it 35-40 minutes.

We probably have this about once a month. Maybe more. We both really love it.

Mmmmm, meatloaf.

Enjoy!

The B-I-B-L-E

Yes, that's the book for me. I stand alone, on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E. The BIBLE!

Remember that song? Good times in VBS, good times.


So I decided to read through the Bible again. I read it once my sophomore year of college during Old Testament and New Testament classes. Man, was that ever brutal. Have you ever read the entire Bible?

In six months?

And memorized 12,000 pieces of information regarding the theme, author, audience, intent, historical significance, and time period of every book?

While taking Comp II and Accounting courses?

It's not recommended.

Talk about a case for insanity. My roommate and I had pages and pages and note cards and note cards taped up in our room and bathroom detailing Paul's journeys and letters.

I used to know when every book of the Bible was written. (Did you know the Bible is not organized entirely by dates, but more so by themes? Never realized until OT class.)

And who wrote it.

And who it was written to.

And why.

And you don't even want to know what else.

I wish I still remembered it all. But I don't. Fortunately that information is still available to me in the form of my NIV Women's Devotional.

In any case, I decided to read it again. My goal is to be done by the end of the year.

So far I've finished Genesis. It's time for the Israelites to leave Egypt now.

I love a good plague, don't you?

I'm excited to read the Bible again, for the most part. I have to say I'm not overly enthused about Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Job, and a couple others.

But if God says they're important, then I'm going to read them. A couple weeks ago I made a decision to refocus my life. I have a bad tendency to pray to God periodically and call it good. But I need more structure, more time with Him. I just need more.

So, that's the plan. Wish me luck.

decision revoked

Remember my post here about how I decided to take the CPA exam?

And the post here about how I ordered the review course?

I sent it back.

I can't do it. I just can't.

I almost had a mental breakdown thinking about it. And you know, I don't really even care if I ever have a CPA. I mean, yes, it would be nice, but for my future goals it's not necessary.

Studying for and taking the CPA literally would have eaten up a year of my life. A year I was not willing to sacrifice. Maybe it's because of my past but I don't believe studying is the most productive use of my time.

I didn't do well in school. I mean, I excelled in school but I didn't do well mentally.

Sometimes I think I hate to learn. Probably it's more that I hate to study and do homework and take tests. Do you have any idea how many times I seriously considered quitting school?

Probably about five. My roommates and I frequently called these bouts of despair a "quarter-life crisis." Some of those semesters of school were honestly the hardest things I've ever had to do.

I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand the pressure (mostly self-inflicted) to be successful. I couldn't stand the time away from home and from the people I love.

Looking back now, it was worth it. I mean, it was still probably one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but in the end I'm glad I did it.

Maybe I would say the same thing about the CPA exam, but maybe not. It's just not something I'm prepared to sacrifice for at this point in my life. It's a big decision and I don't want to go into it with regrets.

It's hard to explain how difficult it is for me to do things like go to college and take the CPA exam. You might not understand where I'm coming from, but maybe you will.

The only thing I felt when I decided not to take the CPA after all was relief. Mostly relief that I wouldn't have to spend 15 hours a week studying. But also relief that I didn't have to perform. I didn't have to impress anyone. I didn't have to be the best.

I may have some serious psychological issues.

The thing about getting straight As and graduating summa cum laude is that everyone begins to expect you to be intelligent. To be smart. To be a genius. (No, I'm not a genius.)

And they congratulate you! Oh boy, do they ever congratulate you. They call you smart and intelligent. Do you have any idea how many times people have said to me "You're so smart"?

And you know what? Before long, that's who I became. I was the smart girl. I am the smart girl. It's part of my identity, reinforced by my educational success and the things people say to me.

But what happens if I do something like get a B? Or worse, fail the CPA exam?

It's unthinkable.

See, I'm not okay with just squeaking by. That's not how life has worked out for me. I'm all or nothing. I give things my best or I don't do them at all. That's the way I am.

So for me taking the CPA would mean giving it my best. Which would me countless hours of studying to ensure I pass every section on the first try. Failure is not an option.

I do believe I am my father's daughter. If you knew him, you'd understand.

I believe I've told you why I chose accounting as my major. It was because my dad said I should.

He was right; I do love accounting. I am good at it. But that's not all I am. I am not just someone who is "good" at things; someone who is smart and gets good grades.

Have you ever heard of a Johari window? Several years ago everyone on myspace was doing them. Overwhelmingly people selected "smart" for me. Over and over and over again. That's what people see when they look at me. Is that what you see?

Every time someone says I'm smart I cringe inside and try to pass it off.

For the record, I did get a B once. In ninth grade Vietnam class. That would be one of those classes I had to take because I didn't have band. To this day the only thing I remember about Vietnam is the Tet Offensive. Which is kind of ironic, because I love history.


Anyway, as I told you: serious psychological issues.

It happens.

Bally's

Darren and I joined Bally's. I was loving the Y but it was just too far of a drive to go work out. And since I had to take 694 I could never go during rush hour. It got to be a hassle. Plus, Bally's is cheaper, so that's nice. I has a pool and hot tub, lots of ellipticals, a running track, and a great selection of weight machines.

I hate it.

Well, I hate going there. Once I'm there it's fine, but getting me over there...good luck. I hate working out; always have, always will.

But I do love the benefits.


So I gained about four pounds in Florida. In one week. What can I say? We ate out every day for lunch AND supper. It happens. In any case, I've pretty much lost all that and am now back to my original goal for the year.

I'm 9.7 pounds away. Yes I know that's more than when I started. I told you: Florida. It took me a month to lose that weight.

It probably would take my husband two days to lose four pounds. The stinker.


Yesterday I hit up the elliptical for 30 minutes and then had the (not so) brilliant idea to run on the treadmill for a while.

My legs weighed five thousand pounds.

And my calves were to the point of cramping.

It was brutal. I hate to run. But I'll probably do it the next time I'm at the gym. One time I ran three miles without stopping.

Don't laugh. That's a big deal for me. I'm NOT a runner.

In any case, I would like to do that again. It's one of my life-long goals, I guess.

three hundred

This marks my 300th post.

That's a lot of my crazy thoughts rolling about.

I feel sorry for you.


P.S. After I set this up to appear today I realized I miscalculated and it's actually my 301st post.

Ooops.

Air & Space Class

I wasn't in band in high school so I always had to take a lot of electives. From Journalism to British Literature; from Sewing to Air & Space.

Ahh, Air & Space. I probably remember more from that class than any other class I took in high school. Well, maybe not sewing class, but you know what I mean.

In Air & Space I learned the difference between a piston and a crankshaft. My husband is impressed that I even know those words.

I learned what the term V-6 means. I know what a cylinder is and how it works to make your car run. (This would be associated with the piston and the crankshaft in some way.)

I learned what makes an airplane fly and the laws of aerodynamics. I learned how to land an airplane on a real simulator. Did you know when an airplane is on the ground you steer it with pedals at your feet?

And then there was my favorite part of the class, the Space part.

I learned about rockets. I used to have the sequence of an Apollo launch memorized but I don't remember it all anymore. To this very day I have an obsession with Apollo 13.

I learned about shuttle launches, too, only a couple months before the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry.

Air & Space was probably one of my favorite classes of all time. Better than AP English, better than AP World History, and definitely better than AP Calc and Physics. I actually did enjoy all my AP classes, but nothing beats Air & Space. I couldn't even tell you how little I remember from all those AP classes. Well, I could. Here is is:

AP English: Octogenarian. Person in their 80s.
AP Calc: The derivative of xcubed is 3xsquared.
AP World History: The Industrial Revolution changed the course of history.
Physics: I don't even remember anything from Physics. Obviously it wasn't too important.

The sad thing is I took those AP classes only five years ago, and I had Air & Space eight years ago.

I'd take it again if I could.

Mandatory Overtime

Today marks the beginning of a new pay period at work, and with it the beginning of mandatory overtime.

Joy.

I knew I was going to have to work it, I just didn't know it would be so soon. Apparently, neither did anyone else. My crew boss told me that this is the earliest overtime has started.

That didn't cheer me up at all.

I am asked to work 88 hours every pay period. Probably I'll do my usual four 10-hour days each week, and then work an 8-hour day every other Friday.

I don't get time and a half for overtime. Instead, I get comp time. Which means for every hour of overtime I work I get one hour of paid time off. Pretty much like vacation. And I can accrue up to 80 hours of comp time.

I'll probably be thanking heaven for overtime come this fall when I can take two weeks off with no pay and not even touch my paid vacation balance.

Yeah, that will be nice.

But until then, if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know why.

movie review

Darren and I rented Law Abiding Citizen last night.

It was oddly predictable yet slightly intriguing. What a mixture.

Overall, it was okay, though keep in mind it's rated R for a reason. I had to cover my eyes for some of the bloody parts.

I don't do blood. Eewwww.

identity theft

At my staff training for OSA a couple weeks ago we had a speaker on identity theft.

My goodness, I could not believe all the ways people can steal your identity. Pretty much it's a matter of when, not if. Kind of like cancer.

In my opinion.

Anyway, I decided to buy a shredder. It's one thing to live in the country and (cough) burn your old bank statements in a burning barrel, and it's totally something different to have them picked up by Waste Management and hauled off to a landfill heaven knows where.

Plus, all those credit card solicitations? I definitely don't want someone activating one of those bad boys and racking up debt under my name.

So I bought a shredder.

This bad boy was only $25 at Target and it cross-cuts the paper, which is better than strip-shredding it.

Those would be bank deposit receipts, all chopped up into tiny little pieces. That's a lot smaller than I can rip them up myself.

This shredder also does credit cards, but no CDs or DVDs. That's fine. I don't need to shred any DVDs. It can shred up to six sheets at a time, reverse, and has a safety lock that will stop the shredding if the lid is pulled off or not on in the first place. And I looked at those blades. You do not want your finger in there.

In addition, the speaker recommended you check your credit report at least once a year. Go here to check it for free. You can get one free report for each credit bureau, so if you're married you can get six per year, or one every two months. Just keep track of whose SS you used and which credit reporting bureau you went through the last time. Unfortunately you can't see your credit score (unless you want to pay) but you can see the past year's activity in all your credit cards, as well as whether they are in good standing and any late payments. Probably if you have a mortgage it will be on there, too. Not sure since we don't have one.

I checked mine today and it wasn't anything special. I just showed all my cards (both joint and individual) and their standing. I did really want to see my score since I was curious about it after closing a couple cards. I saw it about two years ago at the bank and it was good. Better than my husband's, which made me happy. :) Him, not so much. Especially since he had a paid-off loan. But I've had a longer credit history and no late payments.

Anyway, check your credit report and make sure no one is abusing your credit. And shred your documents. It's good sense. And it's fun.

my favorite books

The Cubicle Next Door

Siri L Mitchell


Definitely one of my favorite books of all-time. And probably the funniest chick-lit I've ever read.

For real.

It's just THAT good.

From the back cover:

"What if God has more planned for your life than you do?

Jackie Harrison is a civilian who loves her job at the U.S. Air Force Academy. That is, until she is forced to divide her office into cubicles and share the space with a new history instructor, Lt. Col. Joseph Gallagher. A charmer in a flight suit, Joe wants to explore both Colorado and a growing relationship with his new cubicle mate. The office was bad enough, but Jackie's beside herself when Joe shows up in her home and church, even turning her grandmother's weekly bridge game into poker night!

Jackie goes online to vent, but she eventually finds herself admitting her conflicting feelings about this office neighbor who drives her crazy and makes her heart flutter. But when her blog--The Cubicle Next Door--is featured on TV, everyone begins to read it, including Joe. Will he figure out the anonymous confessions and frustrations are written about him? And how will Jackie ever express her heart offline?

This tale of limited work space, hidden identity, and cyber confessions is for anyone who has ever longed to be themselves and to find a life beyond cubicle walls."

I read this book several years ago and I've re-read it probably about four times. I love this book. I hope you enjoy it!

movie review

Thursday night we saw When in Rome.

It was pretty funny. Story line could have used some improvement, and it wasn't overly romantic, but it was cute.

I really like Kristen Bell from the old Veronica Mars days. Good memories of watching that with the college roommates.

And there's nothing like staring at Josh Duhamel for an hour and twenty minutes.

Rating: B+

the 11th most awesome invention ever

Adults' Gummy Multivitamin Dietary Supplement.

A.k.a. vitamins that taste like fruit snacks.

Amazing.

They taste so delicious it's hard to limit myself to the recommended two a day. I really want to eat more but I'm afraid of what it will do to me.


For a list of the top ten greatest inventions ever, go here.

2010 Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics start today.

The last time I watched the Winter Olympics was on my dorm room floor freshman year. I don't really remember anything about them...

I really only like to watch a couple events of the winter olympics. I prefer the Summer Olympics, so I was pretty bummed they were in China last time and were on at 3 a.m. I had to settle for the highlights.

I like to watch the ice skating. It reminds me of Sunday afternoons and Hallmark movie channel. I'm not sure why the Hallmark movie channel, but Mom, Lex, and I used to watch ice skating on CBS Sunday afternoons in the winter.

I like the bobsled. I rode in a bobsled once. True story.


Summer 2006, Park City, Utah. Park City was where all the skiing, bobsled, snowboarding, etc. occurred during the Salt Lake City Olympics. They have a big Olympic park up there now and you can see it, go to a little museum, and go on some rides. Well, it was summer, so obviously there wasn't any snow. However, they still used the tracks as practice. They would put wheels on the bobsleds and practice all summer long. And, best part of all, you could go for a ride.

From the website: "Feel the rush as you speed down the Olympic track in a 4-person bobsled. A trained pilot will take you and two other passengers through 15 curves, reaching speeds up to 80 mph, and pulling close to 5 G's of force. The "Comet" bobsled ride is not for the faint of heart. Billed as the most intense minute of your life, this ride will give you a very good idea of what Olympic bobsled athletes experience day in and day out."

They aren't lying. It is the most intense minute of your life. And I definitely would not recommend it if you have health issues. I thought I was going to die. For real. You put on this massive helmet and squeeze into this bobsled. Squeeze. Then you're off. They tell you to keep your back, neck, shoulders all tense to help resist the G's. Well, I wasn't prepared. Not kidding, for the first 30 seconds I couldn't get my head off my chest; that's how intense it was. My lungs felt like they were getting crushed and I probably didn't draw a breath for the first 1/3 of the ride. You go careening around these corners and you pray to God the thing isn't going to tip, because you swear the ground is getting closer.

Then, it ends. And you can breathe. And your head isn't stuck to your chest. And you have an instant headache.

Good times.


Anyway, I also like the ski-jumping. My sister and I used to play the Nagano Winter Olympics game on Super Nintendo. We only did the ski-jumping. She always won.

I like the snowboard flips. Don't you love how I don't know the name of the actual events?? I like speed skating, too.

I do not like curling. Too boring.

parmesan-encrusted chicken

A couple weekends ago my in-laws were here and we went to Noodles & Co. for lunch.

I had the Parmesan-Encrusted chicken over buttered egg noodles.

My life will never be the same.


As with all my favorite restaurant foods, I turned to the internet for the recipe. And, as luck would have it, I found one from Noodles & Co. themselves.

So, prepare to be amazed. Prepare to have chicken like you've never had chicken before. Prepare to list parmesan-encrusted chicken over buttered egg noodles as one of your favorite foods of all time.


Start with egg noodles. Like you couldn't figure that out. Go ahead and get your water boiling.

Now here is where there are supposed to be about three more pictures of me mixing ingredients and battering the chicken, but I was too busy cooking to take pictures, so you'll just have to pretend.

You'll need:

-4 chicken breasts, thawed and rinsed
-1 tbsp oil
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-1 cup flour, divided
-1 tbsp Italian seasoning
-1/2 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste

Mix 1/2 cup flour with the parmesan, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. (The recipe I found online is actually double this, but that was WAY too much for four chicken breasts.)

Place the other 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup cream in two separate bowls. Dredge chicken in flour (and I have no idea what 'dredge' means, I just rubbed it in there real good), then dip in milk, and finally coat with breading.

Heat oil in cast iron skillet. Cook breaded chicken over medium heat, 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Place entire skillet in 350 degree preheated oven until chicken is done. Let rest before slicing.

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, use any other oven-safe pan. Or you would probably be fine just cooking the whole thing on the stove top. I don't see why that wouldn't work just as well.

Also, don't be afraid to let your chicken get a little dark. I ate that lighter piece on the left and it wasn't so good. The batter should get a little crispified and not be mushy. Some of these pieces might look a little done but they tasted the best.

You probably should have started your noodles by now.

After you drain the noodles scoop a big chunk of butter in the pan and make sure the noodles get nice and slippery. Believe me, you do not want to skimp on the butter.

Top with chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

Enjoy!

taxes

I did our taxes last night.

It was probably the fastest I've ever done taxes. Maybe I did learn something in tax class after all.

I was way excited about the "Making Work Pay" credit, as that saved us quite a bit of tax dollars.

Also, this year you can deduct some of your charitable contributions for state taxes even if you didn't itemize federal. You can deduct 50% of the amount over $500, but it's still subject to the federal charitable contributions limitations. That saved us $42 in taxes. Forty-two bucks isn't a lot, but I'll take it.

Darren didn't realize he could subtract his Army pay for state taxable income, so we did that this year and that saved us about $400 in taxes.

All in all, we're getting a little over $1,500 back, which we're putting in our "new car fund." How exciting.

wonder hangers

Don't you think there should be a service that tests and rates all those "As Seen on TV" products? I do.

Maybe I'll start one. I definitely think it would be very helpful. I always wonder how well these "great inventions" will work. I'm always so curious about them. Curious enough I'll actually consider purchasing them on the off-chance they will make my life easier.

Curious enough I actually will purchase them...

So I was in Walgreen's the other day, waiting for my passport picture to be developed, when I spotted these babies:

You've seen the commercials on TV, right? Save so much space in your closet with a few simple hangers.

Space in my closet is something I'm in desperate need of, as you can see.

Everything is jam-packed in there and my shirts are always wrinkled. It's very annoying. So I bought the wonder hangers.

Here is the end result. As you can see there is much more space between my suits, which is nice. The hangers were easy to use and relatively inexpensive.

Some things I didn't like:
-They don't work so well on sweatshirts. Definitely no room saved in that department.
-I don't think the shirts actually hanging on the wonder hangers will be "wrinkle-free."
-Some of the clothes hang down so low they're hitting my crate of shoes. I don't really want my clothes in my shoes, but hopefully you won't have that problem. Some reorganizing was in order.

Overall, I'd say a 6 on a 10 point scale. Works a little, but not well enough to buy more. I recommend putting away some of the clothes you don't wear, which is what I'll end up doing.


Next up: Bumpits.

how to fold a fitted sheet

My fitted sheet got the best of me yesterday.

I just about blew a gasket. Instead, I gathered myself up off the floor and found this.

Amazing what you can find on the internet, isn't it?

I love that it's a man folding the sheet. And it really works. It only took me two tries to get the fitted sheet square enough to pass my inspection. I can't even tell the flat sheet apart from the fitted now that they're both folded.

It makes me so happy inside.

Book Review

I read Oh, Baby! by Judy Baer yesterday. I really like Judy Baer. She's written a couple books now that I've really enjoyed.

This one was right up there with The Whitney Chronicles. It was cute, light, and funny, although the ending was pretty anticlimactic. Overall, a good read.

I Hate...

...sneezing right after I put on mascara.

...the mold that grows in the bottom of the toilet brush holder.

...when the sock elves steal one of my socks.

...the lines on the carpet left by the vacuum cleaner.

...when gum gets hard while I'm chewing it.

...the crusties on the milk jug rim.

...when the bed sheets are hanging down past the comforter.

...the light from the alarm clock.

Well, I did it.

I ordered a CPA review course from Becker yesterday.

$3,160.00. There's no turning back now.

Plus I wrote a check for $998 to CPA Examination Services for the exam itself.

I also had to pay $7.99 for a passport photograph. I must get some special ID. And, you know, there's the cost of the stamp I'll have to put on the envelope.

So if you would like to donate to the cause, feel free to contact me for my mailing address.


Otherwise, Mom, I'm calling you.

Just kidding. Sort of. I will need to borrow money before my credit card payment is due, but OSA will reimburse me the cost of the review course after I complete my six month probationary period.

my favorite movies

Some years ago I bought the book In Her Shoes.

I never read it.

The same day I bought In Her Shoes I also bought the book Asking for Trouble.

I did start that one, but I never finished it.

Ironically, several years later I went to see the movie The Wedding Date. During the opening credits I see "based on the book Asking for Trouble." I knew the storyline sounded familiar...

Then, later that very same year In Her Shoes was made into a movie as well. I just thought you might want to admire the irony of the situation.

But, moving on.

While The Wedding Date is a good chick-flick, as chick-flicks go, it is In Her Shoes that makes my list of favorite movies of all time.

In Her Shoes is about two sisters, Rose and Maggie. Rose is plain and practical. Maggie is good-looking and fun-loving.

It sort of reminds me of me and my sister. A little bit. Not in a bad way, but I mean, come on. If you've seen this movie and if you know my sister and me at all, you can see where I might get that idea.

Anyway, it's a great movie about sisters. If you don't have one you probably won't understand. There isn't anyone in the world who can take the place of a sister.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, and then when it's over you'll call your sister just to talk.

diploma

Guess what came in the mail this week?

My diploma!

I put in in the fancy holder I got at graduation. Then I put it in a closet. I really have no use for it. No one asks to see your diploma; they just want your official transcript. The only thing a diploma is good for is hanging on the wall. But I'm not going to do that, because it doesn't even have my field of study.

See? All it says is Bachelor of Science. Well, that could have been anything! So lame. All those hours I put into accounting and my diploma doesn't even mention it. Eh, oh well. Maybe in a couple of years I'll pull it out of the closet and gaze at it with fond memories.

Then again, maybe not.

Why I Love...

My Swiffer Wet Jet.

Three reasons:

1. It's antibacterial.

2. It smells like orange.

3. I don't have to get on my hands and knees.

In all my 13 years of professional and recreational cleaning I have never found something so amazing as the Swiffer Wet Jet.

I almost died today

It's true.

No, not really. But it could have been.

It was 5:56 am. I had just brushed two inches of snow off my car and was ready to get in and head off to work. I got in my car, backed out of my parking space, and prepared to stare death in the face.

Death in the form of my driveway, that is.

The thing is a beast.

I knew I was going to have to gun it to make it out with all that snow, so I slammed on my accelerator, the tires spun, and off I went. I made it about 3/4 of the way up when I could tell I wasn't going to go any further.

Unfortunately, I couldn't tell soon enough. Before I could get my car in reverse I started sliding backwards down the driveway. Now, I realized I could have just let it slide down and kept tapping the breaks, but I don't think that fast in a crisis.

I just got a new transmission so I'm not about to put my car in reverse without coming to a complete stop. Or trying to. It didn't work so well. I just about slid backward into the ditch. I kept turning and turning my wheel to the left to avoid the lawn, the whole time trying to get into reverse, when all of a sudden the tires catch and I go shooting off the other side of the driveway, onto the sidewalk.

Yeah, I ran over the sidewalk. And a huge rock. I heard it hit my bumper. Or perhaps the underside of my car. Who can say?

By now I have it in reverse so I correct my path and ease back down the driveway, just terrified of hitting the house. I back up all the way to the garage and prepare to gun it again. The tires catch and I speed up the driveway only to get stopped by the snowplow bank at the top. I let my tires spin until I smell rubber, finally realizing I'm not going to make it on attempt number two either. By that time I had the whole reverse-slide-down-the-driveway down so I got her in reverse before I started sliding and backed down.

Well, 80% backed, 20% slid.

I go all the way back to the garage again. Sat there for a minute to prepare myself and calm my nerves. (And you can bet I was shaking after that. Keep in mind it's very dark at 6am. And it was still snowing.) After I felt ready I decided I was going all the way. No stopping at the top to check for traffic. If someone came they would have to either stop or hit me, because there wasn't going to be anything I could do about it.

I gunned 'er for the third time and just about didn't make it, but make it I did. No one hit me, either. I even went sliding across my lane and into the opposite and managed to not get hit. Fortunately for me there aren't a lot of people on the side streets at 6:02 in the morning.

I decided the next time there's snow I'm making my husband buy me a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Or probably I'll just use the truck to pack down the snow so I can get out with the car. Wish me luck.

Book Review

Remember when I wrote about The Whitney Chronicles here?

Later I found there had been a second book published entitled The Baby Chronicles.




It was mediocre.

I judge a book one of two things:

(1) The number of times I laugh out loud, or

(2) The sleep I lose because I can't put it down.

Without those two elements...well, it just isn't a good book. I was able to put this one down and I only laughed a couple times. So I wouldn't highly recommend it, but if it's a choice between this and CPA review materials, this book would win every time.