Thursday, November 29, 2001
god, i am so incredibly inadequate...
ok, enough of *that* for today. sheesh.
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
"the game was suspended because of unsafe play conditions"
"it was like bambi on ice"
it's not every day you see *that* happen. too bad... it was shaping up to be a darn good (and entertaining) game. damn hockey arenas... all buildings should be built for basketball, and basketball alone.
this article is the best:
"i was nervous that guys would rip their groins..."
harambe homecoming (or, i love the smell of propane in the morning.)
on a quest for information regarding a return to my safari-driving days, i visited disney's animal kingdom this afternoon. i was happily surprised to be greeted by familiar and friendly faces, all asking when i was returning and wishing me luck with getting on the schedule again.
i was given various business cards and voicemail extensions and one manager went right ahead and put a call in to the scheduler to see what could be done. good progress for my first attempt, i think.
i couldn't leave without a trip out on the harambe wildlife reserve. more familiar faces awaited me there (including 'happy') as well as so many new faces. (since last i visited there are baby wildebeest, baby kudu -and their mothers, of course- a baby mandrill, a baby black rhino which is not yet on show, and yet *another* baby white rhino.) the hush hush rumor is that we're still expecting too. about a year and a half from now 'little red' should have a baby brother or sister! (shhhh, it's a secret)
all in all it was a very nice homecoming. it was also nice to know that many old friends are still around, and will be still if/when i get back to work in a couple weeks.
(and bri, i'm to send you 'cheers' from stan and blessing. see, we *all* miss you!)
i've heard some random random things in my time, but...
"Now, I really do try to avoid talking about sex on here, but I thought this was just too good. There IS a difference between sex and making love. This is how it makes perfect sense to me. Say sex is a Big Mac, and making love is the Extra Value Meal. The Big Mac is great on its own, but once you get those fries and drink...you dont want to give them up and you dont want to settle for anything less."
(a friend who shall remain nameless)
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
today's episode: in which i achieve a life-long goal, find further evidence that my faith in mankind isn't so naive, and learn how to spell gastroenterology (did i spell that right?)
so it all begins when i wake up bright and early on my day off to deal with dreaded car trouble. as you should all know, my car is like my single most prized possession... without it... (i shudder to think). anywho.. i was making my 30 mile trek to a transmission specialist when i had an awful sinking feeling... a quick premonition mere seconds before i hear frightening sounds from the back of car which resulted in what i could only assume was a dragging muffler. *sigh* i just can't win, can i?
the elderly 'frank' (who must have worked at the transmission shop since it opened in '57) took my car for a spin but for the life of him couldn't get the transmission to act up and did not hear the noise of which i complained. (who could over the exhaust system -or lack thereof?) he referred me to 'mac' down the street.
mac and i went for a drive... i was certain *i* could get the car to make the noise so he rode shotgun (not safari shotgun, mind you... more like mechanic shotgun). i hate to complain about a noiseless (hahaha you thought i forgot about the muffler, right?) car but even i couldn't get it to make the noise. now it could in no way have been related to the muffler... but it had disappeared. so for now... i guess all is well, at least in the transmission and brakes dept.
mac pops the car up on the rack... verifies everything is ok and takes a look at my tires. this is where i get a 10 minute lecture. i mean, i *knew* driving on tires on which you could actually see the steel poking through was a bad idea... but i can't afford new tires... (oops) so mac, the kindest mechanic in the world pops two new tires on my car hands me an invoice and a self addressed stamped envelope and tells me to mail him a check when i get paid.
later i have a doctor's appointment about which i don't even have much to say. it was just a preliminary appt. before a big scary appointment. don't worry, i'm fine. it's just kind of scary, and i don't like being scared and i don't like telling you i'm scared because i don't like being vulnerable. i've gotten to the point where i can say about anything here... but frankly, this is too much. within the next couple weeks i have to go back... and i can't go alone. i need to bring someone who will be able to drive me home... i wish there were anyone here i really wanted to distract my mind in the waiting room and make fun of me in my drugged state on the way home... but there isn't. honestly there isn't but a handful, if that, of people i would want there, and i want that badly right now. i wish you were here...
anyway, i'll leave you on a happy note. one step closer to dying a fulfilled person, i did *not* step on a pop top, however i *did* blow out a flip flop this evening. funny how something that totally has the potential to piss you off can make you smile if you think of it in the right light.
now, i have a long night of smallville and hawkeye basketball ahead of me... and a sweet day off again tomorrow... let's hope this one is less eventful.
Sunday, November 25, 2001
looking back at what i've had to say over the last week or so really demonstrates how disruptive the holidays are to my schedule!i've gone from multiple and often even LONG updates nearly daily to meaningless mini-posts concocted by my half awake brain.
i am exhausted. mentally and physically FRIED. i need about a week off. unfortunately i don't really see that happening, and sadly my days off this week are even booked by unpleasant things like doctor's appointments and getting my car looked at.
*sigh*
i just keep reminding myself... christmas comes but once a year... (even if it does last 3 months.)
Saturday, November 24, 2001
sorry
Thursday, November 22, 2001
thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. we usually do christmas at my mom's and thanksgiving at my dad's. he always has a huge turkey and makes homemade stuffing, gravy, and wonderful lumpy mashed potatoes. we even attempt to make homemade apple pie. so far we're 50-50 on the pie. i wish them luck this year... otherwise our traditional response to 'does anyone want some pumpkin pie?" (a chorus of, "hell no!") will also pass on to our apple pie. also... watching the 'macy's day parade' lounging on the couch with my sisters was more entertaining than watching it alone...
now while i'm missing all that i do have a lot to be thankful... even though i complain so much about my 'horrible' life.
i finally have some real independence and a bit of financial freedom, though i'm also lucky enough to have parents who are still willing to help me out with the big things.
i have the ability to travel all the way to 'tom sawyer's island' just to relax in a rocking chair and read a book for awhile.
the 'tempo of doom II' hasn't failed me yet, despite the way he grumbles every time we go for a drive.
all the stress i am going through about this spring just means i really have a lot of great opportunities to choose from.
i have a job i usually like that pays pretty well, despite the poor job market most are facing.
i have a brand new huggin size sulley that was placed in my possession for what basically comes down to $2.00.
and last but never ever least, i have the most wonderful friends that, frankly, keep me sane and alive... even if most of them average about 4 states away from me... (i would have linked you too, but i don't want to leave anyone out just because they're web page-less)
happy thanksgiving, everyone!
(b, i'm taking bets on how long it takes someone in your family to cry. my money is on 4:30pm central so let me know.)
this hurts it's so funny.
not for long, kids. not for long.
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
on my way home i saw gas for 95 cents. sweet. also, there is about a one mile stretch on my way to work that smells like lemony hot dogs.
Monday, November 19, 2001
ok, an event took place on saturday that frankly, until now i just haven't had the words to express my tremendous excitement.
see, last saturday hawkeyes everywhere celebrated the return of our dear friend, floyd. now i know this may seem silly... but it is inexplicably important that floyd once again resides in iowa city. not to mention, it was a palendrome whopping of 42-24 over the questionable-at-best gophers that got him where he is today.
for those of you that don't care... hrmpf, i say. for those of you that do, i hope this will make up more my inability to express in words my excitement and... glee on saturday.
Sunday, November 18, 2001
just watched britney spears live from las vegas on hbo. i wanna be britney when i grow up!
it was a pretty good show. plus she has some fabulous outfits. to her credit i'll say it was a whole new britney... but not quite as sleezy of a britney as the video for slave might have you believe. the show, while obviously somewhat sexual (hello, it's britney) was also pretty tasteful (again, it's britney).
and what's hotter than a half-nekked britney? a soaking wet half-nekked britney. hello...
Saturday, November 17, 2001
i just ate some black pepper jelly beans... not as bad as the sardine jelly bean i just ate though...
beware of bernie bott's every flavour beans!
Friday, November 16, 2001
yay for working 8pm-4am for the next two nights. or rather, boo.
Thursday, November 15, 2001
I AM 23% GEEK.
all along i've been telling you i'm a wannabe-geek. now it's official. *shrug* i'm more geek than some...
the good news is: i get beter every day.
the bad news is... i get worse everyday.
i'm so complex. i'm lonely too.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
excellent. nine out of ten, here. i have a good eye.
(link via elise.)
gastrointestinal specialist.
that's all i have to say at this time.
Tuesday, November 13, 2001
it's true that we are our own worst critics. because of this we can never really see ourselves the way anyone else does. we know how we wish to be seen... but i don't think we can ever really believe people see us that way. we always assume the worst.
now, they say our friends are a reflection of ourselves. in that case, this must be what i am:
i am strong, i am confident, i am intelligent, i am entertaining, i am scared.
i trust, i care, i teach, i comfort, i listen, and i laugh.
i am a nerd, i am a clown, i am a brat, and i am a friend.
i am honest, i am trusting, i am magical, and i am royalty.
i'm a character, i'm a bastard, i'm a hottie and i'm a person.
i am not disgusting, i am not unlovable, i am not perfect, and i am not alone.
now as my friend, you may have read the above list and agreed, 'yes, that describes stephanie.' well, as your friend, i am a mirror of you. you have no choice but to accept the fact that you are these things too.
you're right. i'd never judge you... and i would no sooner lie to you.
Monday, November 12, 2001
growing up in the public school system, i know that there is no greater reward than a pizza party. well, looks like we must finally be doing something right. today my DSM (who seems to think i suck and always makes me cry because 'obviously i don't care about my job') bought pizza and drinks for himself, the other asst. manager and me. he also outwardly complimented us. what fun.
also, you thought the worst case scenario survival guide book was fun, try the board game. i got it for my roommate for his birthday. it's freakin hilarious... but not as funny as michael when he's laughing so hard he merely squeaks. (sounds suspiciously like a steaming TEAPOT).
ugh. horrible news. last night i came home just before 1am to find that a little less than 2 weeks after halloween, the tacky decorations had finally come down. this doesn't sound like horrible news, you say? unfortunately the halloween decor was replaced with CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! ...tree and all.
folks, FYI: it's not even thanksgiving yet...
i've got no problem with christmas... but come on. plus, for the second year in a row i am forced to suffer with what i can best describe as a low budget martha stewart tree. this tree in no way bears any resemblance to any christmas tree i would ever put up. first of all... it's fake. (do they even HAVE real trees in florida?) secondly, it's all... 'coordinated'. i don't know how to describe it, but our trees have always been a huge wonderful mess of randomness from homemade ornaments, to grade school pictures, to family heirlooms, to used retainers. if every single inch of the tree isn't plastered with colorful lights and ornaments, the job isn't done.
this tree, however, is sorely lacking in ornamentation... what it DOES have are plain gold balls, and some clear ones and pearly white ones with gold sparkly designs. and they are all about a foot away from each other. the best (worst) part is the tree topper... a GIGANTIC burgundy bow with like 5 matching ribbons (about 3-4 inches thick with gold edges) that are probably 7 ft. long and curl down the sides of the tree. what the heck is THAT?
the tree is one of my favorite things about christmas. ours were always so special. if there is one thing this tree is NOT, that would be... special.
continuing in a recent trend, last night i had what was possibly the oddest, most beautiful, most vivid dream i have ever had. it was such a long one and it, of course, made no sense, but the colors... man, i definitely dream in color... and the 'cinematography' of it all... i should be a director. it was nuts.
Sunday, November 11, 2001
ah ha! now's my chance... what better time to start my masterpiece?
sometimes a little heartfelt reassurance goes a long way.
Saturday, November 10, 2001
never EVER let me loose on downtown disney armed with a loaded debit card and a cast member id good for 40% off anything. bad, bad idea... and while we're on the subject... whose brilliant idea was it for me to go to a wonderfully sappy tear jerker all by myself? huh?
so after work i headed to DTD to do some shopping... maybe catch a flick (i figured going to one movie by myself doesn't make me a loser... right?). anyway, there was a jazz festival going on at PI and an art fair all over the place. plus on 'the west side' (i typed that in monorail voice... just so you know.) there were people doing sidewalk chalk drawings everywhere. they were so amazing. i might go back tomorrow and get some pics.
i managed to snag myself the monsters inc. soundtrack (in it's cute little limited edition numbered collector's case -probably a billion of them out there), a mickey mug, some miscellaneous surprises, and THE MOST FANTASTIC TOMORROWLAND POSTER EVER EVER EVER!!!!!! (i'm a little excited about that one.)
then, feeling i was up for the daunting task of seeing a movie by myself, i purchased my ticket for life as a house. (at this time the guy at the ticket window totally flirts with me. note: he was neither disgusting, creepy, nor a mechanic of any kind. odd...) i got myself some nachos, plopped down in the perfect seat, and proceeded to LOVE that freakin' movie. it was all kinds of american beauty part two (same people made it, i hear) and it was really really really good. seriously when the credits started rolling, i had to laugh because all you could hear echoing through the half empty theater were sniffles and sobs. it was good sad though. i mean, it was kind of happy sad. it's the kind of movie i love because it's uplifting and makes you think... but i hate it too because if you think to much you realize... 'i am so insignificant.'
i looked again at the amazing drawings on the sidewalk on the way out...
'i am so insignificant'
Friday, November 09, 2001
according to the MAPP test to assess career compatibilities i have some 'exciting opportunities' as an announcer, product promotion, and even as a barker-babe-esque spokesmodel. do you need a college education for that?
my #1 job content interest is apparently work for personal gain, recognition, status. all very interesting results.
now, i just love how many stupid free personality tests, iq tests, etc there are online, but heaven forbid anyone want to take a test that's actually useful to them. it was virtually impossible to find any kind of free career test. boo. this one was alright though.
Thursday, November 08, 2001
"hey girls, how's grace?"
"bad."
"how bad?"
"mariah carey in glitter."
-karen to will and jack. (will and grace)
oh. my. survivor.
wow. i haven't really been watching this season, but i saw previews for this week's show and it looked pretty interesting. all i have to say is, go producers. they sure keep finding ways to spice things up. i mean after watching the show for a few years, you could totally learn some strategies etc. but what they pulled tonight. dizamn... no one ever expected that.
plus one girl got a tick on her butt and they had to pull it off. so that was entertaining.
i don't feel so good.
ah... big ten basketball on teevee. all is right with the world. i was hoping the trotters would win at first... (MSU's win last year would be less cool if just anyone could beat the trotters...) but by the end of the game i was certainly disappointed to see the hawkeyes lose. they're lookin' pretty good. lucky for them they're my second fave big ten team... otherwise i'd be hating them right now.
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
i just did an image search on google for 'tomorrowland'. i have never been so thrilled with a set of serch results in my life! i think i'll be rethinking that design i had going for gh.net after seeing some of the pics i found. now if only i could find some really big images... or even some prints. *swoon*
sometimes there is so much crap that you don't realize how lucky you are.
like how many people have the luxury of being able to take a brisk walk through a magic kingdom when they want a little exercise? all these people milling around who paid hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for a magical vacation, and i can just pop in, go for a walk, and head home without spending a cent.
(this is where i apologize to those of you who will not understand the rest of this post.)
so i went to the MK (totally got a minnie monorail parking spot and was the first one down the ramp from the monorail. just like old times.) i went in and wondered up main street. (mickey and friends were playing around in front of the castle, but i was too far away to really hear what was going on before they left.) on my way to AL i stopped long enough to talk to the hopster for awhile. (people look at me like i'm crazy because i'm talking to a duck. like you didn't just wait in line for half an hour to get your picture taken with donald. shut up.) also, FYI: hoppy is a boy. his coloring isn't very striking, but why did i think he was a girl? whatever. anyway, i cruised through AL, FL, LS, FL, SL (stroller-ville, aka MTTF), TL then back around the other way.
i was going to get some pirate booty to send it my friend, 'mad sam kidd' (oh, the booty jokes i could have made) unfortunately it looks like it's lean times even for pirates. no booty to be found (and the 'house of treasure' or whatever it's called was closed... only the main part was open.) i did find a little booty in the agraba trader, but it wasn't very booty-liscious... mostly just blue and green. let's see... ooooh, huggin' size sulley, that's all i have to say. and the new section of the emporium is open, and grossish.
ok, i'm crazy, but i was lead to believe you could actually walk around the seven seas lagoon. where did i get this notion? how on earth do i come up with these things? anyway, you can walk around... but you just have to be a nature lover to do so i guess. i walked from the MK, past the contemporary to the TTC. there was a sidewalk about half the way, but after you walk under the river... that's where the sidewalk ends if ya know what i mean.
thankfully i'm not afraid of grass, because on my way to the TTC i found what may be my favorite spot on disney property. it was so lake michigan. it helped that i found it just after sunset... twilight. in the back of the TTC, (you know that sidewalk that goes behind, connecting maybe the resort monorail and the cot rail? just beyond that) there is a grassy area. now right on the edge of the lagoon, right by the dock for the ferry, there is kind of a beach. but it's not a guest area per se. it's a small beach, but there is pretty white sand and a few palm trees and some quaky ducks. you can see the GFR&S and the PR, but not the CR or the MK. you can see the sunset and the lagoon. it was perfect. so quiet. not sidewalks, no benches, just a little grassy 'cliff' and a sandy beach and little waves lapping on the shore. it would be a good place to sit with a bottle of (insert alcoholic beverage here) and good company and talk about whatever random schtuff pops into your head.
i finally headed home. after checking my balance at the atm i realized i wasn't going to be able to get 'legally blonde' after all (the whole reason i left the house) if i wanted to be able to eat for the rest of the week. i guess i'll get it on friday.
so it comes to this. i actually got dressed and left the apt. on a day off. i actually got some legitimate exercize. my muscles are tight, and for the first time in a long time, my mind is clear.
does anyone watch smallville? does anyone else have a problem with how accepting clark's parents are of the fact that he has weird superhuman powers?
"guys. i can see through things!"
"maybe you need to just learn to control it..."
Tuesday, November 06, 2001
i have no veins... and that is truly disappointing because veins are awesome. i love guys who can make their arms all veiny... but only if they don't freak out when i try to collapse them. (come on, ya wuss... it's not going to hurt you!) if i had veiny arms, i would do that all the time. but i don't. everytime i have to get labwork done it takes them like 15 minutes just to find an adequate vein, and usually they miss that one and move on to the next arm. i generally leave with a couple nice bruises.
one more for the never-ending wish list...
Monday, November 05, 2001
the build your own moster set i want got marked up to $25 at the parks, just like in the disney store. boo. but i found it on amazon.com for like 23 bucks... and it's on sale at target for 16.88. i have found way too much monsters stuff i want to buy. hehehe.
yeah for tuesday!
i have this vague sensation that something big happened in the world of baseball tonight...
all i know is, whatever happened was sure to make myles happy and was certain to free up a lot of teevee/sports media time for basketball season! yeah!
Sunday, November 04, 2001
shut up. that is just... ca-RAzy.
Saturday, November 03, 2001
sorry for the delayed updating, kids. if you notice the times of the following posts you'll see i have been updating all day, but blogger wasn't publishing for 'some reason'. the reason: i changed my server password this afternoon but didn't even think to change it in my blogger settings. yes, i'm a dolt.
wow, that sounds more like disappointment that UM lost than excitement that MSU won... i know some people are a stickler for the sport but ouch.
i would make some snide comments about actually being able to beat some of the stinky mammalian teams in the big ten, unlike other schools... but let's face it folks: a month from now i'll be singing the praises of the hawkeye basketball team like it's my job so i'll refrain in order to not look like a total hypocrite.
anyway, the moral of the story for those unable to grasp it is this:
MONSTERS INC. KICKED ASS AND YOU ALL NEED TO GO SEE IT RIGHT NOW.
(that should have been fairly obvious)
also, if you haven't completely perused the monsters inc. website, do so before seeing the movie. it's that much more enjoyable when you feel like you already know your way around the facility. hehe.
"i just wanted to be sparkly and pretty... ...i still don't see what the big deal was"
-britney on her 2000 mtv vma outfit
FYI:
7:50pm this evening marks an occasion i have been waiting for for darn near two years. needless to say i am so psyched!
oh, and one more thing:
'GOOOOOOOOOGLEY'
(that was for hillary)
so i saw something the other week that just hasn't left my mind. it'll sound kind of lame and cheesy, but it's made me think.
i was driving home from work when i noticed a rainbow (not an unusual sight for orlando). it was a pretty nice rainbow, but nothing spectacular, until i turned a corner and the sun hit the clouds from another angle. it was the most incredible thing i have ever seen. it was a thick, solid rainbow with all colors shining so brightly is was as if it had a light of it's own. it was glowing. it reached from horizon to horizon (one might argue there is only one horizon, but you know what i mean). at it's peak it even began to double, how rainbows sometimes do. no words could do it justice. it was amazing.
it made me think about a lot of things. like how something mediocre could become something amazing in a matter of seconds if you have patience... good things could be just around the corner.
another thing: as amazing and huge and bright as this rainbow was, i was saddened to look at the cars around me, most of their passengers utterly unaware of what was going on just outside their windows. so trapped in their daily routines that they were unable to appreciate all the beauty around them.
and finally, what has made me think the most: while the rainbow was at it's peak, a small plane flew right through the colors, just between red and orange. those people will never know that rainbow existed. they will never know that they flew right through the most beautiful rainbow i have ever seen. they were a part of it. they were inside of it. i could be inside a rainbow right now.
i said it made me think. i didn't say it made me think rationally, nor did i say it made me come to any definitive conclusions. but i thought it was time to share anyway.
*cries*
my old basketball crush, jon garavaglia, played with the magic johnson all-stars at 'the bres' last night. boo hoo. i would LOVE to see his fine face again. not to mention respert, and the man himself, magic. what a game.
FYI: this all star team was more highly praised than the globetrotter team we surprised last year. and for those who doubt this year's spartan team... rest assured the young team stamped a big phat 'L' on magic's face before he left the arena. you haven't seen the last of us, my friends.
Friday, November 02, 2001
oh, what i wouldn't give to be in good ol' EL tonight... how freakin' cool is that game going to be?
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