February Snow 2014

2014 has brought with it some really freaking strange weather.  We had snow in the middle of the week, it came down most of the day but it didn't stick.  Then Thursday more came down, but this time it started to stick.  I left work early, and it was a good thing because there were some cars sliding around and even I lost traction a few times which of course had me freaked out and shaking like crazy by the time I pulled in to the garage.  The snow continued Friday, I got a snow day so I didn't have to go out there.  And now here it is Saturday and it is still snowing.  In fact it started snowing harder after I took these pics.  David is out at the store right now getting some essentials (you know, bread, milk, beer).  I will be much happier when he's back home with me watching the olympics.  Here are some snow pics!  Maybe more to come later.  

Fat Robin-our local angry bird

Anxiety

My brain, on the inside, is a complex labyrinth of insanity.  You wouldn't always know it just talking to me, you have to get through some of those protective walls before you see the crazy those walls are protecting you from.  Sometimes, as I'm lying awake at nights I'm decorating my labyrinth with owls and other knick-knacks and fretting about things I have no idea why I'm even fretting about them.  And then I started fretting about fretting about un-fret worthy things.  It wasn't until yesterday, while instant messaging with a friend, that it kind of dawned on me that I may be suffering from anxiety.  This is pretty much how it all unfolded: 

(edited for relevance, to protect the innocent, and because I am apparently the worst speller on the planet.)

(Also, I'm changing my friends name and for fun I'm going to call her Loki.  Just roll with it.)

Me:  I slept like crap last night and I am actually wondering if perhaps I have some anxiety issues...but then I think that's lame and I don't really think that's my problem, but then I wonder when I can't fall asleep because I'm anxious about things like where I'm going to park my car.  Seriously.  WTF is wrong with me?

Loki:  That actually does sound like anxiety, and there is NOTHING lame about that.

Me:  I seriously get anxious about really lame things.  Like parking my car, or driving my husband anywhere and how I'm going to get us there.  It's worse if I'm not confident about where we are going.  I'm clearly mental.

Loki:  Well, yeah.  Obviously.  But it doesn't have to be a major thing to be anxious about for it to be anxiety.  I think it's the little every day things that make it an anxiety issue.

Me:  It makes me anxious just thinking about it. My mom always called me a "worry wart."  I really hate that term.

Loki:  No, that is a shitty term.  But so is anxious I suppose.

Me:  Great.  I'm like of of those nasty little "toy" dogs (that I hate) that pee/crap on everything because they are flighty, nervous (anxious) little things.  Or high strung.  OMG I'm a fucking poodle. Worse, I'm a toy poodle that pees in the stupid dog purse I'm carried around in!

Loki:  No.  NO YOU ARE NOT.  You are more relaxed about things than you realize.  You don't stress about everything, just certain things.  If we are doing the dog comparison thing, I'd liken it to a perfectly well adjusted dog with a bit of separation anxiety.

Me:  I internalize.  A lot.  Arf.

Loki:  Okay, you might chew on shoes sometimes, but you don't cower and pee.

Me:  ROFL

Loki:  I think internalizing is part of it, hold on...

Me:  You left me, I'm alone and anxious...

Me:  Hello?

Me:  Arf?

Me:  I think I need to pee... (J/K)

Loki:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/generalized-anxiety-disorder/DS00502/DSECTION=symptoms  I'm not diagnosing you, I'm giving you information.  I think if you feel it is actually interfering with your life... you should see what your options are.

Loki:  And good grief.  Do I need to start putting down newspapers when I walk away? J/K

Me:  Ha ha!  Okay, reading now...

So I go and look at the symptoms, and the causes and the medications and the risks... and thought that perhaps it is plausible that I have a bit of an anxiety problem.  Having said that, not enough that I want to go be on medications or talk to a head shrinker.  On every page it did some to indicate a high potential to become dependent on medications or alcohol.  

Me:  Great, I could become an alcoholic... I'm going to be anxious about that tonight while I'm drinking my wine.

Loki:  OMFG  Laughing so hard right now, even though it isn't really funny.

Me:  My drinking comment?

Loki:  Yes.  Sorry.

Me:  I was trying to be funny  I make inappropriate things funny because I have the same problem and feel better if I'm not the only one laughing.  It defuses the situation and makes things less awkward.  

Loki:  It's a good thing we are friends!

I have awesome chats with people like that all the time.  That's just how my friends and I roll.  But in all seriousness, anxiety isn't really a laughing matter.  It keeps some people from ever leaving their house.  For me, if I am really suffering any kind of anxiety issue, it just seems to make my tummy full of freaked out butterflies and stress about how things are going to work out.  Stress can exacerbate (that means to make things worse (may all my Shaun of the Dead fan friends giggle)) things and maybe that has been part of my issue as of late.  Things usually mellow after the holidays, so maybe that will be a better time to gauge things.  You know me, I'll probably just ignore it (and fret about it) regardless. 

Shit I Can't Believe I Deal With at Safeway: Express Lane Coupon Lady

Yes, it is again time to share another "Shit I can't Believe I Deal With at Safeway" story.  On this occasion I was just running into the store for a bag of ice.  I anticipated it would be a quick stop.  I walked into the store and got right into the express lane.  I was a little alarmed to see the store as busy as it was; there were several 'normal' lanes open with lines and there were two express lanes open, also with lines.  I got in the express lane that had the smaller line.  There were only three people ahead of me and thankfully they only had a few items each.  I was actually thinking how refreshing it was to be in a line where the people understood the concept of 12 items or less (or however many "or less" items it was).  Then all my patience and faith in my fellow shoppers was once again crushed by the inconsiderateness of one person.  Express Lane Coupon Lady ("ELCL").  

ELCL was in line with, I'm assuming, her husband.  They only had about 8 items.  First she told the checker she wanted plastic.  Than halfway through she told him she wanted paper, double-bagged.  To add to the fun, after almost every item she asked the checker if he had scanned in her Safeway club card, which he had done after he scanned in the first item.  After getting the club card and groceries scanned, and safely stowed in double-bagged paper bags she asked him two more times if he scanned in her club card.  He explained to her (for probably not the first time) how she could tell the card was scanned by looking at the screen.  She wasn't even listening to him at this point.  She turned away and starting digging in her purse.  I wasn't sure what she was doing, her wallet was sitting on the counter.  She finds what she was looking for. She whips out a coupon and says, "last time I was here you forgot to take this off and scan it."  He looked at the coupon for a minute and said, "I'm sorry ma'am, I'm not going to be able to help you with this" and he handed the coupon back.  "I'd like you to fix this, or let me speak to a manager" she said.

By this time the lines are starting to get even more backed up, there were at least eight people behind me. ELCL's husband looked around and urged his wife to drop it for now.  She told him to shut up.  The checker ducked out to speak with someone at customer service for a moment.  The checker came back and asks ELCL if she had her receipt with her.  She looked at him like he was an idiot and told him that it was from a week and a half ago and that she most certainly did not have it with her.  He politely told her he would need that in order to give her the credit because if he were to try to added it to her current transaction it wouldn't let him because she had not purchased the item this trip, so he would need to look up the transaction where she had made the purchase.  Bless this patient checker, he looked to see how backed up his lane was before turning to ELCL to apologize that he was unable to help her, that he was unable to do a search like that, and that she should speak to customer service.  ELCL was oblivious the the dark looks she was getting from the people in line behind her.  She got all snotty and said to the checker "I thought that's what the club card was for, so you could look up my past transactions."  It looked like the checker was just about out of patience.  The husband must have known because he was now trying to pull his wife away from the counter so the checker could take care of someone else (ME).  She thankfully relented, but grabbed at her purse in a manner that suggested she was not happy.  I purchased my ice and as I was leaving, noticed she was having a heated debate with the poor gal that was working customer service.

What a bitch.  Seriously, the coupon was for 30 cents.  I realize every little bit helps, and maybe they really needed that 30 cents... but she didn't have to be so rude and snarky about it.  And really, is the express lane the lane to do that in?  /end rant

Shit I Can't Believe I Deal With at Safeway: Wine Jerks

It's time for another installment of "shit I can't believe I deal with at Safeway."  Let me set this up for you.  It's Monday, around 4:40 pm.  I have finished work for the day and stop at the store at my way home.  It's sunny out, only a few clouds in the sky.  There is a nice breeze.  I have my list organized by isles (helps me be quick, and not forget items and I don't care if it makes me sound OCD), so I start on the fun side of the store.  The wine isle.

Our Safeway doesn't have a huge wine selection, and it's tucked in by the bakery/bread isle so it tends to get a little congested.  David and I have done our experimenting and have a good idea of what we like so when I go to buy wine I already know what I want and where it is.  Today was no different.  The store was busy, but not more so than usual.  I'll admit there were more kids and parents with that deer-in-the-headlights look that is not uncommon at the start of summer break.  

I get to the wine isle and I put my cart in what I hoped would be an out of the way spot (by some stale looking bread and ugly cookies).  I get my wine carriers unfolded and ready, and then head over to pull armfuls of wine from the shelf.  David and I have been enjoying the red wine lately, especially Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon and 14 Hands Merlot (I know, it's a fucking Merlot...but don't judge me).  We've been buying those two for awhile now, so I knew where they were on the shelf.  

Blocking me from my precious wine are two people (Wine Jerks, henceforth called WJ) and their shopping cart.  

I stand there for a moment trying to be patient, hoping that they will see me looking anxiously at the wine and will politely move.  They are scrutinizing each bottle the pick up and wondering about how fruity or dry the wine will be.  They have a six pack in their cart with a few bottles of wine, all different.  They choose to ignore me.  Things are getting serious now.

WJ:  They are talking to one another  "Do you think this would be good on the patio before dinner?  Hmmm... that's a good question."

Me:  I am standing maybe an arms length away, looking like I really need to grab some wine 

WJ:  She pulls a bottle out of their wine carrier in the cart, "I'm still not sure about this one..." he has a bottle in each hand and is looking at each label like it will tell him a secret.

Me:  I'm starting to get fed up,  "Excuse me, can I get through and grab some wine?"  I gesture towards what I want, which is where their cart is parked.

WJ:  They both look at me as if I have asked them to leave the store immediately.  He responds,  "No, we are in the process of picking wine."

Me:  I am trying to process what he just said.  "I know what I want, it's right there... "I point at the Ghost Pines

WJ:  Still the guy, "We'll move when we are finished picking our wine!" and then he turns away from me and goes back to his slow deliberation.

Me:  I'm standing there completely gobsmacked.  They seriously wouldn't move aside even just a step?  "But I just need to get in right there... "  I again point at the Ghost Pines.

WJ:  They both look at me like I have horns (side note: if only I had horns...) He again responds, "We will move, when we are done."

So now I'm pissed.  I'm still standing there, not sure what to do.  I've never had someone say no they won't move.  The woman is down closer to the beginning of the isle and makes some excited noise about a bottle of wine.  The man takes a few steps over to meet her and inspect the bottle she is holding.  I rush in, grab all the Ghost Pines on the shelf and walk victoriously back to my cart.  There were only 2 bottles (I wanted more), so I had to go back and get some 14 Hands.  I went back and waited for another opportunity, but they were not budging so finally I just sort of pushed my way through and again snatched all the wine off the shelf.  I only got 3 bottles, I needed one more but I wasn't about to stand there and try to pick one.  So, I shot them several dirty looks and then I took my wine and went to another part of the store.  When I was done getting everything else I needed I went back to the wine section and got my last bottle (14 Hands table red or something like that).  Their cart was still there, but they were no where to be found.  I can only hope that the dirty looks I shot them as I stormed off incinerated them.

Don't get between a woman and her wine.  Seriously.  Don't.

~Emily

Really?

I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it's already August.  Granted the seasons don't have as much of an impact on me with the whole not being in school and not having summers off.  Still, I can't help but feel like "Seriously?  It's August?!"  I have accomplished not much.  I hate summer.  It gets up into my sinusssessses (yes, I know) and makes me feel like I'm on the cusp of turning into a zombie pretty much from the end of June until the beginning of October.  Considering that, I'm going to count getting up and going to work every day (and actually doing work) as an accomplishment.  Yup.  That's just how the summer is for me.  /headdesk

Pharmacy Rage

This is something I feel probably 7 out of 10 times when I go to our pharmacy.

If by personal they mean waiting in line
only to be cut in front of repeatedly
until you are the only remaining
person who needs help then
yes I agree with this.

Chick Crack

This occurred last week actually, I'm just not getting to it.  I really wish I had a picture I could share, but you my dear reader(s) can be happy I don't because crack kills and it's a good thing I'm not into girls because I might have had a car accident due to crack-distraction.  Also, it might have been considered pornography and that has no place on my blog.

This woman was prepared-
no crack showing here!

So I was driving home, just my usual 10-20 minute drive (depending on traffic and stop lights) when not even 3 minutes into my drive a chick on a motorcycle pulls out in front of me.  Normally this wouldn't illicit any kind of comment from me except as we were driving down the road and she was adjusting things on her bike (mirrors, position on the seat etc.) her pants disappeared.  The belt tried with all it's might to hold those jeans in place, but the jeans rode too low on the waste and the belt didn't have a fighting chance.  I'm also convinced there was no underwear because seriously, there was ass hanging out.

So this all makes me wonder... could she not feel her ass hanging out?  How in the heck was any of that comfortable?  She was wiggling around a lot, did she not think about her attire before she hopped on that bike and went out for the day?  How much was that motorcycle vibrating...

People never cease to amuse me.

Piece of Candy, Go For a Ride?

So I have been hearing “Trunk or Treat” and even saw a sign in a church parking lot for a “Trunk or Treat.”  I thought it was a typo because, come on, we’ve all had it happen and just sort of run with it at least once (my blog is proof of my embracing mine).  Today being Halloween I was thinking about this “Trunk or Treat” business and decided to google it.  

I like to go to Wikipedia for my answers.  Wikipedia: Trunk or Treat 

The Wiki Answer to “What is Trunk or Treat?” is:

“Picture this: a huge parking lot with the back ends of vans and trucks decorated in a variety of fun themes; complete with games and treats. Maybe in one section of the lot there is an inflatable bounce house and in another section there is a puppet show. From babies on up to grandpas and grandmas, there is something for everyone. What a fun way to spend the evening as a family!  In many communities churches sponsor the fun event and families plan their own theme for their vehicle. Sometimes elementary schools, sororities, and large neighborhoods sponsor one as well. The best part of Trunk-or-Treating is that the parking lot is roped off, freeing kids to skip or stroll from place to place.” 

And lastly, here are pictures. 

WTF??!!?  

Who really thought it would be a good idea to encourage children to go up to decorated trunks for candy?  What is stopping some total creepo from doing just that and nabbing your child?  Come one, seriously.  We complain about all the bad poop going on, but aren’t we just making it happen by doing totally stupid crap like this?

It’s just great how the churches are putting these “lets give small children the idea that it’s okay to take candy from strangers with decorated cars/vans” ideas (vans?  really?  Nothing creepy about that, right?  *eye roll*).  What is so hard about going door to door with a parent/older sibling/approved adult?  Or what about going to a party?  

It’s a sad world we live in if walking door to door for free candy has become an inconvenience.  I get that some people don't live near people, but when I was growing up those people went and trick or treated in a friends neighborhood or went to a Halloween party.  If you don’t want to do the door to door, there are parties or fall festivities to be enjoyed.  Try that, instead of activities that only help bad people steal and molest your children.