Thursday, February 02, 2006

Screaming inside

If I have to look at a computer screen for one more second today or think about fixed assets (in particular TOOLING assets) I am going to scream.

Today was one of those days where it just seemed like problems just kept cropping up. A day of problems. Never ending problems. You fix one, another one occurs. You spend 5 hours trying to figure out one just to spend the next two trying to figure out how to present it and document it. And then you try to comprehend the language of someone who has an accent only to discover that comprehension is basically impossible. The process is interesting and somewhat fun but you hit a point when you realize that all day you were basically stuck in some kind of problem rut...and that can get frustrating.

So, yes, scream.

And then I wonder, does anyone ever figure it out? Life, I mean? Problems at work are like a puzzle...there is always a solution, you just have to talk to people to understand what's going on and then you have to look at the problem and figure out the best way to solve it by the rules. But life? Life seems more complex. Or is it really just simplistic and people make it complex? Sometimes I just don't think I have it all figured out yet. And I like to figure stuff out. I like stuff to be solved. I like to put the pieces together and have 'ah ha' moments. Sometimes I think I would like for life to be like the GAAP guide we use in accounting...cut and dry-all rules and instructions spelled out in about four million words-lengthy but it leaves no room for question or error. But I don't know-maybe the unknown, the not really ever having it all figured out is just all part of the journey and to completely figure it out would be to make it less interesting.

(Sidenote: I lied. I just looked at a computer screen for 5 more minutes today. But added to the 10-11 hours I've already been looking at the screen really doesn't make 5 minutes seem all that significant. Although I think my head and eyes would fight me on that point right about now).

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

News? What news?

I really have nothing to say but I'm feeling the urge to post something for the sole reason that I haven't posted in several days...

But nothing is really going on except for work. I leave my house at 7 a.m., get home at 7 p.m at the earliest, eat, then work some more at home. Well, the last part (working more at home) is what I SHOULD be doing. I usually get distracted by things that actually sound like fun... like reading a magazine, watching TV, posting on my blog (that's what this REALLY is...a distraction so I don't have to work), attempting to work out...

I have been pretty good about working though lately. I went in for a few hours on Saturday, spent some hours on Sunday night and am seriously considering the need to work some more tonight. It is busy season, so I'm told... even though I'm not a tax accountant anymore I'm learning that rule still applies to me as an auditor. I love it though...so I'm not complaining.

Today is the 105th day without rain for Phoenix. I'm totally not complaining about that either. I think we are in the complete opposite situation as our friends in Oregon, Travis and Rachel. Maybe if they are getting sick of rain in Oregon we can start to convince them to move to Phoenix... or vice versa, I guess, although I'm pretty sure I can't be persuaded to love rain...but that's just me. :) It would be nice to have some friends here... maybe we will have to start really talking people into moving here. So, here's the push: EVERYONE SHOULD MOVE TO PHOENIX! 105 days with no rain, approximately 65-75 degrees for nine months out of the year, sunny all year, tons to do, lots of jobs, major growth, TIM AND JENN, what else could you want in a city? I know somewhere I'm going to hear the response that, "Oh, if you're lonely, you shouldn't have moved AWAY from your friends." Here's my response to that before anyone has the chance to say it: 1) I'm not lonely, I miss our friends 2) I am 100% happy in Phoenix. I absolutely love it here. And we have met people... but it's not the same as the people we've known for years. Having our good friends here would make Phoenix even that much more perfect.

This weekend we are going to the FBR open in Scottsdale. We are pretty excited to see a bunch of the major golfers. We've heard that it's a pretty good time there, too. Apparently it gets pretty crazy for a golf tournament. It should be fun. Sunday I'm sure we'll watch the superbowl... anyone have a vote for who'll win? I vote Seattle...gotta go for the underdogs.

Rambling, yes I'm rambling. And procrastinating. And not watching the State of the Union. Or working. Or working out. But I posted. What a great way to spend time, eh?

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Humiliation.

Today, leaving my client's I completely ate it. Fell. Flew through the air. Wiped out. It started on about the third step up from the bottom of the stairs (as we were walking down). I think my shoe got caught in the cuff of my pants and the next thing I know, I landed at the bottom of the stairs in a split position and I slid across the floor a ways, right along side of my keys which I released from my grip during the fall and which also slid across the floor. My boss was standing there with his jaw dropped, in disbelief... "Did that really just happen? Did she really just do that?" Yes, yes I did. I am convinced though that it was a rather graceful fall. I didn't hurt anything or drop anything (aside from the keys). And I landed in a perfect split position... it was just like I planned a grand exit or something. Classy.

I am still cracking up...3 hours later. So embarrassing but so, so funny. I give my co-worker permission to laugh. I can't imagine how bad he wanted to at the time. Like I said, I still haven't stopped.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

More and more progress...almost a foundation!

It looks like by the time we go to our house next weekend we will have the foundation. Our neighbors right next door to us have theirs and we have the grid stuff on the floors that indicates that we are all ready to be poured. There are three houses in our neighborhood that have already been framed and they are close to ours so we are excited because it appears that they are starting to build from our end of the neighborhood.

Our neighbors foundation is in the background. The front part of the picture is our house...looks like we are next in line to be laid.

Whole view.

Street light!

Grids on the 'floor' of our house...the step before the foundation is laid. I have no idea really what the grids are for, only that I'm probably not calling them the right thing. Tim told me they are basically to keep the foundation from cracking and to hold it together. We really have no clue though... we just know that after this, comes the foundation and then the framing!

The thing in the middle is the plumbing stuff for our bathroom/laundry room... If you look closely, there is also one at the very back in the master bathroom.

Another shot of the grids.

I somewhat retract my earlier opinions

Tim decided to drive home from California on Friday night instead of yesterday morning so that we could get to the DMV as early as possible yesterday. It opens at 8 a.m. so we got up around 6 so that we could leave at 7 and get there by 7:15 or so. When we got there, there was a line of about 100 people ALREADY lined up and waiting. The parking lot was already full. Our jaws hit the floor and visions of an 11:00 finish time flashed through our heads. So we hopped in line and by the time 8 a.m. rolled around, there was another 100-150 people BEHIND us (we were so bored and FREEZING cold that we counted the people in front of and behind us to make the time go faster).

At 8 a.m. we sort of started moving when they opened the doors. Tim got out of line and took the mini to get 'inspected,' which is basically the stupidest thing ever. It involves sitting in a line with your car to have someone take 10 minutes to write down your vin number.

We got in to the front desk at about 8:25 and then I had to wait in another line to take an eye exam. We finally got a number at about 8:35 and we sat down, anticipating to wait another 20-30 minutes (which I do have to say is MULTITUDES better than the last time we visited the DMV in July). BUT, BUT our number was called in 2 minutes after we sat down!! We went over and I got my license. The lady sent me over to the photo line so that I could do that while Tim did the title/registration for the mini. By 9 a.m. we were finished! We were only there for about 1.5 hours and we ran into NO problems whatsoever. Absolutely astounding. And, even better, we ended up paying about $200 less than what the DMV website said we should have paid to register the mini cooper. Sweet! We were pumped!!

And to add to the exciting DMV news, we have not seen barf from the cats since Friday night. I guess the bag of food I bought last week was bad because with this new food, they have been 500% better. I am so, so happy. Tim claims that it's because he's home now... they just missed him, thus the reason for the barf. If that's the case, he's never leaving again!

Friday, January 20, 2006

Tonight's total

11 piles. Why am I even surprised anymore? However, due to the lack of food this morning, the piles were substantially smaller even though there were more than last night. But in case anyone was wondering, that brings the grand total to 42 piles I have met and cleaned up. I'm now 75% finished with the 2nd bottle of resolve and I've used 3.5 rolls of paper towels.

And I am really optimistic that perhaps it was bad food because I just fed them the new good food and they CHOWED. Which they haven't done in about 5 days. And I mean chowed. Like devoured. Like they were starving...which I'm sure they realistically are. And they aren't huddled over in the puke position yet when the past five days after I've fed them, they've remained in that position all night.

So, I'm crossing my fingers that I'm onto something with this new food stuff. Although in some ways that would just make me feel like the most terrible person/cat mom on the planet. I would have been the sole responsibile party for the past 5 days of throwing up because I gave them bad food and made them eat it. At this point though, anything to stop the barfing would be like finding out as a little kid that Santa Claus IS real and you get to live with him FOR A WHOLE YEAR. In the north pole. With Rudolph. No school, just get to play with toys all day. Even if I'm the worst person in the world for giving them bad food, if that means no more barf I DON'T CARE. I will publically admit that I am terrible. Just stop this madness barfing PLEASE. I'm getting desperate and more and more convinced that kids are a definite, 100% NO WAY, Jose. Thanks, anyway, for asking.

100 bottles of beer on the wall

Oh how I wish that was the song that was in my head because there were 100 bottles of beer on my wall-or at least in my fridge. Instead, I have that same tune in my head but instead of singing '100 bottles of beer on the wall' I am singing '100 piles of puke on the floor.'

I am about ready to fly to Japan, start a new life SANS cats.

I know no one cares (and it is entirely disgusting) but I am just going so completely crazy with all of this that if I don't vent somewhere the Japan life could become reality in about 3 seconds. So, newest development. Like I said, last night I picked up 8 piles of puke, which brought the overall total to 26. SSCCREEAAAMM. And when I posted, I said that Emerson was going through the 'puke motions.' And Berkeley was in position. Emerson's never came out. I went and found her with her head tilted back, eating it back in. I then had to go sit in the bathroom for five minutes from the pure grossness of that and will myself not to just walk out and forget about puke forever. Then I had to forcefully shove my fingers down both cats throats to give them medicine to STOP THIS MADNESS. Do you know how gross and degrading it is to your whole being to put your fingers down a mouth that licks an ass on a multiple times daily basis? This morning I get up and find: a) Three more piles of puke from Berkeley b) two yellow piles of something from Emerson...my question is, is it puke or piss? I don't know. That is to be determined. c) wads and clumps of hair from Emerson. Massive.

Being the neglectful person I am, I barely fed either of them anything this morning because I am so damn sick and tired of being the pooper and puker scooper. Why should I feed them if I am just going to have to pick up the regurgitated mess that has greeted every part of my floor?! So, instead I gave them a tiny bit of food and 3 hairball treats. I am such a freakin loser. All I've done this week is pick up puke and go to the vet. Do you now see why I don't want to be a parent? I have no desire to do anything worthwhile after I've picked up crap all night. So I don't. People ask what I've done the night before and I say, "Oh just picked up puke and then sat on my ass thinking about how disgusting that just was. Then go to sleep and dream about cats barfing on my head." Such a life, such a life.

I can't wait to see how many piles I get to add to my total when I get home tonight. I really think there is a good chance I could make it to 100. And then I really WILL need to have 100 bottles of beer. All. to. myself. And in Japan.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Let's play the numbers game

Number of times I dropped my cell phone today on a concrete surface (one being in the middle of a crowd. Nice.): 2
Number of Amoxcillian tablets (500 mg each) I took for no apparent reason yesterday: 4 [Yes, it appears that I was a drug user. My dentist cancelled my appointment to fill my teeth FIVE MINUTES before I was supposed to be there. Classy. And since I have a heart murmur I have to take the drugs AN HOUR before the actual appointment. I was doped up.]
Number of minutes of my drive to work yesterday: 55
Number of minutes of my drive home from work yesterday: 70 (!!)
Number of minutes of my drive to work today: 55
Number of puke piles I have picked up in the past 24 hours: 26 (not an exaggeration. There were 8 when I got home tonight. And I almost just had one more...Emerson was on the verge, Berkeley is also in position. So I wait to add to the number. I am going to go certifiably INSANE. I hate this. It is making me crazy).
Number of bottles of Resolve I have used on the puke: 1.5
Number of rolls of paper towels I have used: 3
Number of minutes I spent at the vet yesterday just to have him tell me that one cat has a hairball and the other is obsessive compulsive (and probably also has a hairball) both of which I ALREADY knew: 45
Number of dollars the vet cost me to tell me what I already knew: 89
Number of zits I have at the current moment: 7 (!!!!)
Number of Oreos I've eaten: 6
Number of boxes of girl scout cookies I just ordered: 3...sweet! I love girl scout cookies!!
Number of weeks I will be out of the office until May: 14
Number of humongous, 5 inch wide by 5 inches tall by 1 inch deep chocolate chip cookies I have eaten today (do we see a pattern with the cookies?): 1
Number of calories that one chocolate chip cookie probably was: 1500
Number of miles I now need to run: 4
Number of miles I will run tonight: 0
Number of insanely weird people I ran into yesterday: 1 (a korean lady staggering around in the grocery store parking lot [I was there buying more Resolve] singing 'Jesus Loves Me' at the top of her lungs).
Number of times I have been flashed today by a lady: 1 (yet another weird instance... was at Nordstrom in the bathroom, walked in and all I saw were boobs. For no glaringly apparent reason).

Ok...I'm done. No more numbers.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

A series of events that make me really question exactly why I am a pet owner

1) Last night went into the bedroom at 10:00 p.m. Didn't go to sleep until 1:30 a.m. Why you ask? Oh, just the damn cats. They were banging, clanging, fighting, crying...you name it, they were doing it. It's like they were just completely determined to try to make as much noise as possible and cause as much damage as possible. It was absolutely unbelievable.

2) Come home tonight to massive piles of cat barf. Lovely. I wasn't sure whose it was at first. I thought that Berkeley was acting weird this morning but on the other hand, I can't even begin to fathom how many massive clumps of hair Emerson has in her stomach (see point 3). So, I cleaned it up and then fed them. Emerson wouldn't eat anything so I thought to myself, "Oh, WOW. For such a little gal, she really got massively sick." Berkeley started eating, of course, but stopped early. Uh-oh. Big warning sign. RUN! I vacated to the other room so that I didn't have to witness the act and sure enough, when I came out five minutes later: more cat vomit! Joy. And does everyone know that I have a seriously throw-up phobia? I literally do. Just ask anyone. I haven't actually done the deed myself since I was around 8 years old. I run if anyone mentions being sick. I am absolutely petrified of it. Many people would tell you that it's a miracle that I can even clean up the cat stuff. Well, as long as I don't hear it or see it happening, the cleaning up is ok but I DON'T enjoy it. And I know that there is more just waiting to come out. GGGRROOAAANN. Berkeley is still acting weird... probably working on one of her enormous hairballs that probably rank as one of the top 10 most disgusting things I have ever seen in my life.

3) I have to take Emerson to the vet tomorrow due to her bald ass and tail. Literally. Her hips are bald, parts of her tail is bald. She seems to be acting normal (although I should note that normal for her is really quite weird). I'm hoping they can tell me what's wrong so that I STOP finding the clumps of hair. It really is madness.

So, in conclusion, I'm utterly tired from only getting about 4 hours of sleep last night due to the cats, I have been cleaning up barf all night, I am continuously picking up and finding clumps of hair all over (literally...earlier there was a huge clump behind the toilet), and I have to go to the vet tomorrow. Vets=trauma=crazy kittens. I really can't imagine being a real parent. I think the comparisons are similar: lack of sleep, dealing with sickness, weird problems, doctors. Now someone PLEASE present me with a GOOD argument of why any sane person would willingly bring that upon themselves (i.e.: having kids). I don't want to hear that 'kids enrich your life.' I always hear that argument. I just want to know what makes all the puke, exhaustion, problems, and yucky stuff worth it. I seriously doubt my ability to cope so an argument as to why I should ever consider it would be appreciated. I don't even like dealing with a 10 pound and a 7 pound cat on their bad days. Maybe I'm selfish and I don't have that mom instinct. Maybe I'm just not one of those super moms. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the job, the responsibility of it all. And that scares the living hell out of me since I know that someday I'm going to be faced with the decision of whether or not I want to become that person: the mom. I'm seriously starting to consider Tim's offer of him being a stay at home dad.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Weekend in review

Great weekend...

Yesterday morning started off somewhat rough (see last post). But it ended up being ok. Since we were up so early we had tons and tons of time. We felt like by 9 AM we had already accomplished so much. Always a good feeling. We went to my favorite little breakfast place, Wildflower Bread, yesterday AND today. I love that place. I really just crave their iced tea more than anything and I like the atmosphere of a little coffee-type shop on weekend mornings.

We also went on an awesome hike in the White Tank Mountains yesterday. We went on a waterfall trail that was an easy two miles roundtrip. It was so awesome at the back to see the canyon where the waterfall is when we actually get rain (we haven't had rain here since around October 15... not that I'm complaining... I like the sun better, anyway. But apparently, this long dry stretch is a record). After the family-packed waterfall trail, we went on the more challenging mesquite canyon trail. It was actually really awesome. It goes forever (like 10-12 miles one way) so we turned around after we'd probably gone 3 miles in. It was an awesome day for a hike and I love hiking up the mountains! After that we went to see 'Munich.' It was pretty good...interesting, if nothing else. I think that film people would like it a lot. I thought it was kind of gory and sad but I could see where critics would rave about it and it really was an interesting story.

Today we just kind of relaxed... it was kind of cold here today and windy. I think it was still like 62 degrees but it felt chilly, like fall! It was kind of cool. It was supposed to rain but it didn't. We did have a few clouds that looked sort of dark but nothing happened. We heard that Flagstaff got one of their first snows of the year, though, so now the skiing people will be happy. We did go on a bike ride which ended up being an excellent workout since we rode into the wind the whole way out. We were definitely feeling it! After the bike ride we came back here and made herb-turkey burgers on the grill and made twice baked potatoes. And we ate ice cream, a weekend staple.

So, the weekend was really pretty low key but those kind of weekends are my favorite, by far.