The Soda Stand

Archive for December, 2007

My alarm went off at 6am this morning.  I jumped up out of bed, grabbed some coffee and then realized how PAINFUL it was to be awake this early.   I haven’t been awake this early (unless to just go potty and back to bed) in about 3 months.

I’m relaxing a bit and then I’m going to be getting ready for the interview in a few minutes.  I just wanted to let ya’ll know exactly how tired I am.   I went to bed and did some crossword puzzles at 9:30.   I turned the light off at 10pm and tossed and turned until at least midnight.   I woke up a few times throughout the night.   I finally slept straight through from 3am to when my alarm went off.   I think it’s nerves.

I’m quite nervous about this interview.   Once the interview is done, I’ll fill out a polygraph packet and wait to be scheduled for that.  I hope they are more on the ball than the FD was.   I still haven’t been scheduled for that polygraph yet.  *sigh*

I know everyone keeps telling me it’ll work out and I’ll find a great job.   And for the most part, I believe you when you say that.   However, it doesn’t make me feel any better at the moment.   I know you mean well and you want to help me feel better.   I know this.  I really do.   And I’m trying to focus on that positive spin you put on it.   Sometimes it works and I’m confident and believe what you say.  Other times, I’m so deep within my self pity I can’t see the light for shit.   I’m getting there though!   Don’t give up on me yet.

Off to pick something to wear, jump in the shower, get some breakfast, get ready and get outta here.  Wish me luck!

Until next time….

We have a saying in GA (CCCCRRRRAAAAPPPP!!!! I just remembered there was a meeting tonight I wanted to go!) about secrets. I’m as sick as my secrets. That means, the more secrets we keep about our addiction and defects of character, the sicker we get. So I’m using this post as a confessional, cause I’ve only told two other people. Now thousands (including my family) will know…..

I’m sitting here at my computer desk, using Windows Vista for the first time. Yes, I got myself a spiffy, brand new computer. I know I probably shouldn’t have, but that Dell credit was just sitting there, unused and feeling lonely. I gave in to it shortly before leaving for Georgia and my pretty, new Dell Inspiron was waiting for me when I got back.

Now I know a lot of people dislike Dell, but *I* like Dell. And since *I* am the one using this computer, no comments from the peanut gallery, mmkay? Now I need to decide what to do with the old one. I still need to use it to get my iTunes library on some discs so I can import it onto this new computer. I also need to do that with my pictures and any Word or Excel documents I have over there. I’ll be working on that later this week or next. I need to hook it back up to do this. I was so excited about getting this, I just tore the old one down and put this one together. WHEEEE

My interview for Communications Specialist (fancy name for dispatcher) is tomorrow morning at 8:30. I have set my alarm for 6am and I’m getting ready to prepare the coffee to brew right when I wake up.

When I was working back in Vegas, right before leaving, my boss was looking into learning web conferencing. He had me looking into it because we had three sections under our bureau and he thought it would be easier to do a web conference instead of making everyone try to meet at the same place.

One of our sections was on the complete opposite side of town from where our main office was. Actually, I think our office was on the complete opposite side of where EVERYTHING was, but I digress. He was also interested in setting up some web seminars for training. He was interested in our CSA’s and forensic scientists doing these seminars for whatever training they were instructors for.

He had some grand ideas and I hope that one day he can implement them all. He’s such a smart man, it amazed me how down to earth and “real” he is. A lot of the people we worked with were not like that, so they didn’t quite know what to make of him. LOL It was sometimes fun to watch.

I’m watching Never Been Kissed again. For like the ten millionth time I think. However, I love this movie (read: I love Michael Vartan!)

Until next time…

EVAH!  I have encountered some oddly named places and things since I moved cross country 2 months ago.

As an example, here is a picture of the Speedway at Talladega.  What the heck is a Talladega  anyway?  Any ideas?  I have none.

This picture was taken while I was going about 75 (or more) miles per hour down the interstate.   It was kind of foggy and I thought it looked awesome.   I’ve always wanted to attend a NASCAR event at Talladega.  Only because I really like that name.  Talladega.

Like I mentioned above, I’ve encountered some strange names of places and things.   As I was driving home yesterday, I passed:

• Coosa River
• Cahaba River
• Tallapoosa River
• Little Tallapoosa River
• Warrior River
• West Harpeth River
• Harpeth River
• Cumberland River

That’s just the ones that I remember.  I know I crossed the Tennessee River, but it’s not a strange name to me, cause it’s the same name as the state.   I found it highly amusing looking at the odd names of all these places.   It was quite entertaining on my 7.5 hour drive.

I think the most entertainment was garnered in Alabama.  I don’t know why, but they have the strangest names that I saw along the interstate.

At one point in my drive, just to keep my mind occupied, I started playing the alphabet game.  I never found a Z.   From Talladega to the Ville, there were no Z’s on any signs that I saw.  I could have missed one or something.  Who knows.  Who cares.  I’m just rambling.

Until next time…

When I moved cross country, I wanted to find hotels that were pet friendly. I needed two hotels for two of our travel nights. Our third night was spent with Miss Lucy in her casa.

I went online and found several websites that feature Pet Friendly Hotels. The website helped me find hotels along the road that would accommodate my fur babies, as well as myself and Miss Monique.

The first hotel we stayed in, was by far the most comfortable. It was a mini suite Best Western in Albuquerque. It had pillow top mattresses, a fridge and a microwave. And of course the crappy coffee they leave you in the rooms. They had also offered a continental breakfast the next morning, but we passed on that.

The second hotel we stayed in was another Best Western. Shame on me for expecting the same kind of place. This hotel was not in a very good part of town, nor was it clean. It didn’t have the pillow top mattresses either. But it did have black mold in the shower and by the smoke detector. YAY!

I know that anytime I decide to travel for more than a few days, I will use the Pet Friendly Hotel websites again, so I can make sure I get a place where my girls will be welcomed.

OK, so I just paid most of my bills.  I haven’t gotten the rent bill or two other bills (car and car insurance) because they have already been paid for this month.  I’m in need of one of these jobs.  Seriously.

I don’t know where all my money went (actually I do, I sat down and figured it out) and damn this shit spends quickly!   I’ve been jobless for 3 months, so I had to pay my bills from somewhere, right?  And with the added expenditure of COBRA insurance (which sucks donkey balls by the way) for $342, my money is quickly going away.  This gives me major fucking heartburn, I can guarantee you that.

I’m going to sit down later today and see where I can cut back and see what I need to do to make what I have left last me a little while longer.   I have enough to cover all my bills for two more months and then it’s gone.   This does NOT include groceries and what not, so I need to do something quickly and get it squared away.   I’m glad I have the two job interviews coming  up.  I’m hoping one of them is fruitful.  If not, Target here I come!

I was also looking at my cell phone bill and seeing if I can “downgrade” a bit on that, to save money.   I’ve been researching different cell phones and what not.   I’ve considered changing carriers, however it would cost me too much money to cancel the plan I have with Sprint and move to any T-Mobile plans.   One thing I won’t be looking at is any cell phone accessories, as they will entice me to spend more money.  And that, my friends, would defeat the purpose of trying to SAVE money.  Know what I mean?

I’m going to be posting about this a lot, trying to find solutions.   I do best when I think out loud and put it on paper.  Since I don’t feel like physically writing (cause it hurts my hand), this blog will have to be that paper for me.

Until next time…

I’m just saying.  I dislike the drive to and from my mom’s.  It’s worth it in the long run, cause I get to hang out with mom, brother, SIL and the nephews, but damn I hate that drive.

If I didn’t have the dogs, I can guarantee you, I’d be flying each time I go down there.  Going down there the two times that I have, it’s taken me no less than 8 hours each time.  Coming home the first time took 6.5 or 7 hours.  Coming home today took 7.5 hours.  Exactly on the nose.   It sucks ass coming back here cause I still haven’t quite put my finger on feeling comfortable in calling this place home.   I’ll get there eventually, I’m sure, but right now it’s miserable in this apartment and it’s of my own doing.   I’m working on a plan to fix things though.  Keep reading, you don’t want to miss out on my soap opera of a life I have going on, now do you?

While I was at mom’s, she mentioned she might have my SIL show her how to knit or something like that.  I’m so not domesticated, I don’t think my brain fully understood.  When she said it, I pictured my mother out shopping for sewing supplies and what not.   It also made me think of the time my BFF, TB dragged me out to go shopping for sewing machines for her and her mother.

This train of thought got me to thinking about my own sewing kit I have here in the Ville.  It’s not much really.  Just a small shoe box full of some of my Mimi’s (mom’s mom) old sewing supplies.  LOL  Silly.

Someone is coming up the stairs and the girls are going freaking bonkers.   I really didn’t miss this place much.

Until next time…

Did you have a good Christmas?  I had a great Christmas.  Although I had a headache that made me miserable throughout the day, I was able to enjoy my family’s company anyway!

My nephews gave me a New York Yankees dark blue T-shirt with Jeter 2 on the back.   When they were out shopping, they noticed it was a Yankees shirt, so they wanted to get it for me.  After they had picked it and were paying for it, they realized that it was a Jeter shirt.  LOL  They squealed in delight over that.   I got some yummy smelling soap and candle from SIL and brother and mommy got me a gift card and some of my perfume!  Oh and I can’t forget that my SIL’s mom got me a pretty brown scarf with lots of embroidery at the ends it.  It’s very beautiful.

I’m slowly waking up so I can pack up my stuff and hit the road.   I’m hoping traffic is not super heavy on my way home today.  I’m sure the heaviest traffic will be when I got through the bigger cities of Birmingham and Nashville.   The weather is supposed to just be partly cloudy, so hopefully that sticks around and it doesn’t rain on me like it did coming here.

When I get back, I have to call someone from the human resources department to schedule another job interview.  So that will be two interviews for me to do once I get back.   I’m hoping something comes of one of those two interviews or the interview I had a few weeks ago, which I’m still waiting to be scheduled for the polygraph.

I’m going to go finish my coffee and try to start packing my stuff up so I can hit the road kind of early.

Until next time…

I was reading on Wikipedia earlier about Christmas traditions and where it all started. I was doing this because I read an ignorant post that got a little under my skin. The author was saying she didn’t understand how agnostics could be so “hypocritical” by celebrating Christmas by putting up decorations, including a Christmas tree.

She went on to say that people who are NOT Christians, should not be hypocritical and celebrate the season. Hmmm First of all, I wanted to shoot her. I’ve never met her, I’ve never even read her blog before. I’m not going to link to her because I am not posting this to start some sort of online drama that so many feed off of.

While on Wikipedia, my feelings and thoughts were confirmed:

A winter festival was traditionally the most popular festival of the year in many cultures. Reasons included less agricultural work needing to be done during the winter, as well as people expecting longer days and shorter nights after the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.^[8] In part, the Christmas celebration was created by the early Church in order to entice pagan Romans to convert to Christianity without losing their own winter celebrations.^[9][8] Certain prominent gods and goddesses of other religions in the region had their birthdays celebrated on December 25, including Ishtar, Sol Invictus and Mithras.

Many people already know that December 25th is not actually when Jesus was born. If you didn’t know this, sorry for bursting your bubble. Look it up, you’ll see I’m not talking out of my ass.

Christmas celebrations started out as Pagan holidays and celebrations. The Christians adopted it, as stated above so that the Pagans could convert to Christianity without giving up those celebrations.

One of the many Pagan celebrations during this time of year:

Yule

Main article: Yule

Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late December to early January period. Yule logs were lit to honor Thor, the god of thunder, with the belief that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year. Feasting would continue until the log burned out, which could take as many as twelve days.^[8] In pagan Germania (not to be confused with Germany), the equivalent holiday was the mid-winter night which was followed by 12 “wild nights“, filled with eating, drinking and partying.^[16] As Northern Europe was the last part to Christianize, its pagan celebrations had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul. In English, the Germanic word Yule is synonymous with Christmas,^[17] a usage first recorded in 900.

Christmas has become extensively commercialized with many people forgetting the true meaning or why the celebration started. For *ME* the true meaning of this season is not only celebrating the birth of Jesus, but spending quality time with my family.

I have a small family; me, my mom, my brother and my extended family of my SIL and my adorable nephews. So my quality time is not hard to get when I’m with them. For us, it’s not about the quantity but it’s the quality of time we spend together. We watch movies together, we go window shopping together and we break bread together.

It’s a bonus for me to be able to watch my nephews play with their new toys and gifts they received. It’s a bonus for me if I get any gifts myself. When I was a child, I loved the presents. I loved the shopping and gift giving of the season. As an adult, the presents are the smaller portion of why I love this season.

I felt like venting about this and expressing myself. I guess I’m just trying to say, whatever your beliefs are, enjoy your celebrations, enjoy your family.  No one is right or wrong when it comes to their own belief system (IMHO).  Hope you and your family have a loving, wonderful day today.

Until next time…

A very dear friend left me this comment on Myspace. I don’t know if she knew how much I love the movie Rent, or if it was just random on her part, but it sure is fitting for me.

Merry Christmas, my friends. I hope your holiday is full of love, friendship, family and the true meaning of Christmas (whatever that true meaning is to you). Have a fantastic day.

I can’t believe how fast this year has gone.  It’s just flown by without me being aware of how fast it was going.

It’s difficult to believe that two months ago tomorrow, Miss Monique and I rolled into Louisville towards my new abode.   Two months ago tomorrow I started a new journey in my life in a new city.  It’s been quite a ride so far.

Mom and I watched The Kingdom earlier and we are currently taking a computer (read: let’s play on the computers awhile before watching the next movie) break before watching The Bourne Identity.   We will be watching the special edition DVD because it has an alternative ending that they filmed.   I’ve seen it, but mom has not.

I always have recovery on my brain.  Considering I’m IN recovery for an addiction, I guess it’s not a bad thing.   I wonder what people in alcohol rehab will be doing this Christmas.  I’m sure there will be 12 step meetings, open therapy groups and other things.   Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my fellow addicts who are in drug rehab or other sorts of rehab centers, trying to better themselves.

I keep hearing all of the little sayings and what not that roam the rooms of 12 step meetings….

• One Day At A Time
• Keep Coming Back.
• It works if you work it
• It takes what it takes to get you to where you need to be.
• Forgive yourself and you’ll forgive others who have wronged you.
• In order to change something, you have to recognize it, call it out and deal with it.
• I am as sick as my secrets.
• If I have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow, I’m pissing all over today
• Honesty, open-mindedness and willingness is the key to our recovery
• My defects of character come back and haunt me often

And on that note, I’m going to go find something to munch on and then watch The Bourne Identity.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays to all my wonderful friends.

Until next time….