Yippee! Totally being sarcastic.

I really hope I can force myself to wake up in the very wee hours of the morning. I really don't want to have to work all day tomorrow! I want to feel like I have some sort of a weekend before I start working at this store for the next month. :( She has me closing the first two nights I am there! What a nice way to welcome someone into your store. The store doesn't close until 10! I am lying in bed almost asleep at that point normally! Let's just say that I am dreading working with that woman. I hate to say that, but there is no doubt in my mind that I will be telling you something that she did to piss me off in the near future! I worked at her store one day, and she immediately informed me that she did not pay overtime. I just looked at her with a "Why the hell are you telling me this?" look. I never get overtime unless someone offers it to me. I just thought that was weird until I talked to someone else that went to her store to work, and she told him the same thing (and he HAS to get OT because he is an assistant). It just makes me think that she is a bitch to work for, but I will give her a chance perhaps I am wrong. This just reminds me of when I went back to work at the Smyrna store, and Jack informed me of how much happier I was at the previous store. I obviously have a serious problem working nights and weekends.

Tomorrow after I make my way home from work, Jack and I are going to go somewhere in Anaheim for Free Comic Book day. Yeah, I don't know either. He is dying to go though, so I will just suck it up and do it. :)

Ugh!

Ok..I am thinking that I am stressing out about this job thing for no reason. My DM called me today, and he stressed that I would be going back to my regular job as soon as they have this other person trained. This took such a load off of my shoulders. They also sent out a Sysm that I would be temporarily out of my stores. This made me feel better. I hate to think that I would turn down a promotion, but I just might. I told Jack when I got home, and he seemed disappointed! Rrrrr...just the other day he was telling me how upset he would be if I had to start working nights and weekends again, and it was almost like the total opposite today! I think he is just thinking about the money factor. I made sure to stress how we would probably not get to see a lot of each other because we wouldn't have our weekends together, all of our nights together, or holidays. The holiday part seemed to turn him around. It is bad enough that we don't have family here, and it would just make it worse if one of us had to work all day on holidays. I look forward to being able to take another day off for Memorial Day....hey...maybe I will be able to go home after all for the baby shower. I REALLY want to!

We totally went to see Nightmare on Elm Street tonight! I was surprised! I thought it would be horrible, but it actually wasn't that bad. I have to say it was good. *Gasp* I hate to say that, since it is a remake. I like the new Freddy. I couldn't believe that they killed hottie vampire Kellen Lutz off as quickly as they did, but I figure it was just a way to help some boys get their lady friends to the theater to see it. I did jump a lot during the movie.

And last but not least. I am pretty sure I have a freakin' bladder infection. :( I got up to pee 4 times last night! I have been peeing like a crazy person. It's ridiculous! I NEVER pee this much. I swear I have a bladder the size of a watermelon. I almost asked the girls in the Lindora clinic if they could write me a script for some Keflex today, but I am sure that would never happen because they want their money.

Almost halfway through my week

I totally thought I blogged yesterday!

I am still going over and over in my mind about this possible promotion. It really makes me uneasy to think that I am going to have to go back to working nights and weekends. Jack told me the other day that he would be upset if I went back to working nights and weekends. That totally did not help in the decision making. I know that being an assistant again is just one step closer to having my own store, but I want to skip over that step damnit! I have been an assistant for too long already. I worked for a manager that would never tell me when there was an opening for a store manager position because she was so afraid of not having me at her store to help her. As horrible as this may seem, I am already wondering how much longer Jill (the manager at the store I have to work at the next month) is going to be working for the company. I mean what if I go work at this store as an assistant and then she retires. Will I be a shoo in for the store manager position, or am I going to have to fight it out? Ugh! Only 3 more days of work until I have to start working at that store!

I did speak to Ashleigh (the district manager's assistant) today, and she told me that she wants me to come in and be her during her next vacation. I can only hope that this will happen! Ok so here is the other possible option that I may be able to persuade my DM into letting me do. I would really like to be a floating assistant. This means that I would cover vacations and go assist in a store that needed extra help. That is pretty much what I was doing before this year began. I LOVED it! I was constantly going somewhere different. I know almost all of the store managers because of doing this. PLUS it could be a Monday thru Friday day job because I would be only covering someone's vacay rather than being stuck in one store. Ok! I am finished. If I start to think about this too much, I will never go to sleep tonight! Hell I couldn't even sleep in this morning because I started to think about it.

OH! We got advanced screening tickets to Nightmare on Elm St! I will let you know what I think about it tomorrow night!

Took some new pictures!

Sooooo I finally got off of my lazy butt, and I took Roscoe for a walk. We went right down the road to Castaway Park! These were taken less than a mile from my apartment! You may have to turn your head sideways for a couple. I apologize, but I ain't fixin' it! :)

I flippin' hate you Aunt Flo! Go the hell home!

I was about to run Jack to the dentist this morning (did I mention he is a big baby when it comes to doctors?). We were on our way up there when they called to push his appointment back 2 hours! I was hot! If I would have known that I could have gone to work really early this morning but instead it threw my whole day off, and I will yet again be working on Saturday. :*( Sucky! We finally get to the doctor's office this afternoon, and he goes back and OF FREAKIN' COURSE my cramps go into full swing. I thought I was going to die. I was without ibuprofen, so I just had to deal. I was sitting every which way to make myself comfortable, but it did not work. I had to wait 2 hours like that! To make matters worse, there were no decent magazines and there was not a TV! I would have totally bought a magazine and taken it with me had I known that. Thankfully it is all over now, and my husband is no longer stressed and panicky well that is until his next appointment! Eek! I don't know where the hell we are going to find the money for this next appointment! He will be working his ass off doing shows for sure!

Have I mentioned that I have got to drive to Tennessee? OMG! I want a bike so bad! They are such a high commodity out here that they jack up the prices on them! If I go home, I am sure I can find some for a 3rd of the price! Some of these bikes out here are like 3 and 400 dollars! I want a beach cruiser! Besides that I have a dream about my family like every night, and it is really making me homesick!

Sunday Dinner

Have I told you that I have a few really awesome neighbor couples? They are great! We just got back from our awesome dinner! We are all talking about doing it again next Sunday! Perhaps this will just continue to be a weekly thing! Ribs, turkey tips, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and my banana pudding for dessert! Awesome! The conversation was also hilarious! Great time with great people. :) Let's just hope this possible promotion doesn't screw it all up for me! Jack already said today that he was going to be really upset if I had to start working nights and weekends again. I had to inform him of how possible that would be if I get a promotion. Sucks!

I made my banana pudding FINALLY! I waited until today. :( I totally should have made it last night, so it had more time to get mushy. I would like to add that I don't make hot banana pudding. I make it cold, and it is a VERY simple recipe that any little kid could make. I am amazed at all of the banana pudding recipes out there! Here is mine. Get ready for it......layer of nilla wafers, layer of sliced bananas, layer of vanilla pudding-instant (yes, vanilla. Are you sure it isn't banana? yep. It's vanilla). Just keep layering it up and throw it in the fridge when you are finished. :) I told you a little kid could make it.

My husband looks like a little kid in the floor watching Saturday morning cartoons right now. I wish you could have seen his face when he found "Ultimate Avengers" on blue-ray.

We have had a very uneventful day. We did go to brunch at the Aloha Grill and Tiki Bar. They have these amazing barbeque sliders on Hawaiian bread. <--Yep the kind you buy in the grocery store that I personally know I can sit and eat a whole package. I had to stop buying them.

Random Thoughts with Jennifer Deakins Heikle

My husband fell asleep tonight at 8 o'clock. Damn, you can tell we are getting old.

I really wanna go stick my feet in the sand. Tomorrow.

I am still really not sure about this promotion thing that "I don't know about yet." My DM is calling it my "special project" when I go over to work at that store for a month.

I did talk with my friday store's store manager yesterday. She informed me that I there are two store without managers right now, and that perhaps he is trying to decide if he wants me to go ahead and try for store manager. I like that idea. :)

My super awesome husband went yard selling this morning while I was at work. He bought 2 pictures because he saw them, and he thought they would go with our decor. :) He was totally right! I will post pictures, once I hang them.

I am currently listening to a cover band that is performing across the street. They are pretty good.

We are grilling out again tomorrow with our new neighbor friends (well we've known them, since we moved in. we are just now starting to do stuff with them) We also added a new couple, and I believe they are going to come and eat with all of us tomorrow. It will no doubt be a fun time. :)

I really wanna go rent Avatar. I have seen it, but I want to watch it again. I probably should just go ahead and buy it, but we have already bought 13 movies this weekend. Jack got 8 of them for a dollar a piece at a yard sale this morning. The other 5 were 5 for 20 at Blockbuster.

I totally want to go hop in my car and start driving home, so I can see my family. It has been way to long now. :(

I have to remind myself that I am actually in California every now and then. It is still very surreal to me even after all this time.

Every now and then I see a CA license plate, and I have a brief moment where I think it is a Tennessee license plate.

I haven't been to the beach yet this year. *gasp* I cannot believe I just admitted that. Please proceed to smack me across the head. I do drive by the ocean all of the time. I just haven't gone to stick my feet in the sand. Like I said before, tomorrow.

The Frappe from McDonalds is pretty good. It does kind of taste like a caramel flavored Hunt's snack pack pudding. It kind of takes you back to your childhood for a moment because you are trying to figure out the familiar flavor.

We get to fork out 600 bucks for Jack's root canal on Monday. I know I am excited to spend more money that we don't have. This paycheck was supposed to be the one where we were back on track. Oh well.

I really need to go make my banana pudding for our cookout tomorrow. We were informed to bring the dessert this time, since we did everything else last time.

If you haven't gotten a chance to go look at the two photography blogs I follow, please do! Honeysuckle Hills is where Jack and I got married. Regina is such a wonderful person, and she really captures the moments of weddings. I am amazed every time I look through my wedding pictures. She really captured the me that I see when I look in the mirror. <--I know you know what I am talking about! Tera's photography (Armosa Studios) belongs in a magazine, and she did infact get into a magazine. Her work is fabulous. She makes all of the people in her pictures look like models. That girl could take my photo anytime.

Just found this posted on a status on Facebook.

I just HAD to share this! Too cute!


With time, women gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, Good grief, look how smart I am!...

I just don't know!

So...I get to work this morning, and I am immediately congratulated. Ok what the hell? I look at the manager of that store, and I say, "Um, ok" He says, "You don't know?" Ok so obviously I don't know, or I wouldn't have looked some dumbfounded when he congratulated me. Apparently my district manager has made a decision to promote me without my knowledge or request. This sounds great right? Well I can't decide if I am happy about it or not. Don't get me wrong it is more money...supposedly. So here is the deal. I am currently a cosmetic supervisor. I work Monday through Friday in the morning, and I have weekends off. My husband just took that pay cut, so he wouldn't have to work weekends without being asked. I have decided that it just isn't in our cards to have weekends off together. Ok so anyway, my DM called me the other day to tell me that he is going to send me to the store right by my apartment to work for a month as a Shift Supervisor (I'm already technically classified as that). What I was informed of today is that it is a trial run because he wants to promote me to an assistant manager. This would be fabulous, BUT that means I will have to work nights and weekends again! Ugh! I thought I was finished with that! I keep trying to tell myself that this is just going to put me into an opportunity where I can be promoted to a Store Manager. Then after that I can be promoted to a DM or Human Resources Manager (<----That is totally what I want!) I just don't want to have to go through all of the grunt work again! I was an assistant before they demoted all of the assistants in TN, and then I moved out here and got this totally cushy cosmetic supervisor position. My only problem is that I am topped out at my pay, and I cannot make anymore in that position unless they change the top out pay! Why can't they just go ahead and promote me to a manager (Was 7 years as an assistant or shift supervisor not long enough?)?? This would put Jack and me in a perfect position to start talkin' babies.



I would also just like to add that all of my blogging buddies are putting me to shame. They are posting way too much! :)

Sorry!

I have been totally slacking these past couple of weeks! To make it up to you, I send you here. This is another one of my blogs that I kept for a very short while 6 years ago when my hubby and I first met. I hope there is nothing in there that will totally embarrass me. :)

I didn't work yesterday which means I am working Saturday. :( Jack had to go to the dentist. He had an abscess. He was informed that he needs to have the tooth surgically removed because it is so close to his sinuses. I don't think his insurance is covering any of it because they told him that everything he needs to have done going to cost 2,000. They act like you should just have that in your bank account. Oh this is going to cost 2 grand let's get started. Jeez! I was really hoping for a break from the broke factor. OH! Which totally freakin' reminds me! Jack gets paid for his day rate now when he does shows (I told you this already). He gets offered a show today, and he turned it down! I am so freakin' pissed! I mean we have to come up with this money, and he turns down a gig! RRRRR!

I found out today that my manager is pulling me from my cosmetics for a month and making me go work in a store as a supervisor. Sheesh! I haven't used the computer system since July! I check my e-mail and time, but that is about it. I CAN remember it, but it is just funny that they assume that I do. I am hoping that this helps me get my foot in the door to a MIT position (manager in training). I really don't want to go back to being an assistant. I just want to get my foot in the door to being a store manager. I kind of wonder if this isn't his way of testing me. :)

I got em! I got em! Look how cute!

Let me introduce you to my new lamps!


Come to find out the guy who was selling them actually lives in my apartment complex! YAY!

I totally forgot!

I took some pictures for you! They really aren't anything special, but they are pictures of things in California that you MIGHT want to see!

First! A sign to get on the 5. Out here you do not say interstate 5 or I-5 because if you do people will say something to the equivalent of the southern, "You're not from around here are ya?" Out here, you get on the freeway and you call those freeways only by its' number.


Next a picture of part of the Sonic. Now I know you are thinking, that you see Sonics all of the time, but I don't! Anyway check out that fancy wall! When have you been to a Sonic that looks so freakin' nice? I imagine the one in Brentwood probably looks similar to this one. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the whole place because it is beautiful.




Here is a picture of the Huntington Beach sign. If you have ever heard the Beach Boys song "Surf City USA," you know all about the HB. What they don't tell you is that the place is full of rednecks and douche bags. :)




We walked into a mall out here, and we saw this sign.



Now maybe you are a mall shopper, so you have seen this sign before, but I have never seen a sign like that! I am a bargain shopper and trust me Kohls, Ross, and T.J. Maxx don't have those kinds of signs. If they did, it would be a warning rack not a bargain rack. "Warning do not approach this rack, or your head may explode." :)

I just thought this place looked pretty cool! Fresh seafood daily! Some are still swimming.





One last thing with no picture involved. My persistence has paid off! I have found 2 wrought iron lamps on Craigslist, AND they are only 10 dollars for the pair! Ok fine! I'll put up a picture...











When I get them tomorrow, I will take a picture with the side tables and the lamps! I am so excited! It feels like Christmas! Next on my Craigslist list is an ottoman! :o)

Saturday!

It has been way to long, since I last posted I apologize! Lets see......

Since this morning was Saturday, we went yard selling. We did not find the lamps I am looking for, but our good deal of the day was a 50 cent bean bag. I had to convince my husband to get it for himself. I sold it for the person at the yard sale. It started at a dollar, and then they told us we could have it for 50 cents! Ahh! I love a good deal. It just needs to be restuffed, but we have a Michaels down the street, so I don't see that being an issue! Anyway! After we found that good deal, we headed down to the Balboa Peninsula, walked around for a while (think about a quarter of Gatlinburg on a Peninsula, and another quarter on an island)and ate at the Harborside Restaurant.



We sat in the bar because they have AWESOME happy hour specials! I am not just talking drinks! They have 4 dollar meals! You can get a mini burger, fries, and coleslaw for 4 dollars! Ok so we ate way more food than that, but you get the picture! As cheap as it is you can afford to get several things, and share! While we were waiting for our food, we watched a few boats come in. We then hear a girl say, "That cannot be legal. Can they do that?" I look back at what she is talking about, and these 3 guys have a stingray, and they are cutting off its sides! It was still moving! I just couldn't believe it! I mean not only was I disgusted that they would do that to a living creature, but they are cutting right beside a restaurant where people are trying to eat!

We went to see 2 movies last night! Finally! We have some extra cash. It won't last for very long at the rate it is going! Anyway! We went to see Kick Ass and Hot Tub Time Machine! They were both really good! We obviously only paid to see one and snuck into the other one! They charge almost 12 dollars to go see a movie out here! Crazy!

Put your adult ears on...

Bitch Ass Customer of the Week goes to the bitch with the ugly ass purse! It was one of those moments where I knew what I would say to her, but since I was at work, I couldn't! Here is the lowdown. I am working on a planogram for a store that is majorly behind (FemHy also know to you as the tampons and pads plano). These items are big. My cart is full, so I am forced to put the items on the ground. I also have a couple of shelves in the aisle that I had just asked the Assistant Manager at the store to come and get. He went back to the stockroom to get a dolly. The bitch with the ugly ass purse rounds the corner in her shopping cart almost knocking over the shelves as the Assistant Manager is coming up behind her to move them. He has to wait until she gets around them because she won't just let him move the shelves. Oh no! She has to get a pissy ass look on her face, and struggle to get around them. She proceeds up the aisle to where I am, and I say, "Can I help you find anything?" I am thinking there is no way she is going to want to go down this aisle, I will be able to get anything she needs. I am a nice southern girl who is willing to help the customers. Instead of her saying, "I'm looking for..." She says in the rudest tone ever, "No, I need to get down this aisle, but you have stuff in my way." I wanted to say, "Well, I can tell that money does not buy manners because you are obviously a rude bitch." What I did say was (in my nicest attitude no underlying bitch tone), "Give me just one second, so I can move some of this stuff." I did take my time though. The last thing she did was really made me want to slap her. That fucking bitch didn't even get a damn thing down that aisle! She was just walking down it. She could have walked down one of the other 20 aisles the store had, but she chose the one aisle I was on!

I am so glad that I don't work at that store everyday because that is the uppity Newport Beach store. I would wind up getting fired because one day one of those snobby bitches would say something to me, and I would snap. Those women look down on you for having a job. It is almost like they want to know why you are working, and why you don't have a rich husband that gives you all of the money that you need. They are the ladies in the tennis outfits. The ladies who have nannies for their kids, but yet they are home all day or they are out all day spending the money that they don't make.

Ok you can put your regular PG ears back on.

Wonderful customer of the week goes to the man who asked me how he got so lucky to have such a nice, helpful young lady help him. I immediately explained to him that he had chosen a good ol southern girl to help him. I, of course, lay on the thick accent. Those older gentlemen just eat it up. :)

Day 98! Thrify Girl At Your Service!

Here it is! This is my awesome deal! Drumroll please!!




I got all of this for only 11.46 before taxes! I should have spent 30.96! I saved a whopping 19.50! What an awesome deal! So, I know you wanna know how I did it. Here ya go!

As long as Ulta is having the same deal everywhere, you should be able to score this too.

Loreal, Revlon, Maybelline, and Ulta cosmetics are on sale for 40% off right now (started today). Well, if you look around on the displays with all of the new items that the companies are carrying that are put out, you should be able to find 1.00 off coupons (Maybelline specifically). You have to look at the fine print! Some of these coupons LOOK like they are only for the product on the display, but really it will say all Maybelline cosmetics or all Maybelline eye cosmetics. THEN when you spend 10 dollars or more, there is a coupon for an additional 3.50 off! Added bonus is that you can check out all of the new products, and look like you spent a fortune!

Also! If you like candles, Michaels currently has their candles 3 for 10, and you can also grab a candle warmer for the same price. You don't have to buy all 3 to get that deal, so you can get more or less depending upon how many you want and only pay 3.33!


P.S. Where have all of my blogging friends gone? I haven't had any blog updates in a while. Hmm.

Day 98...damn you Wii Fit

Stupid Wii Fit! I step on the Wii Fit today after way too long of not playing it, and it tells me that I weigh like 11 lbs more than my scale! WHAT!? That makes me angry! I should have just bought myself a new scale when I first started, so that I wouldn't feel this way when I found out I weighed more! So now, not only have I gained weight because I have been eating horribly, but I find out I weigh even more than what I thought! Bleech! Oh I have to do phase 1 again and SOON! I hope this makes me want to exercise more too! Jeez I am such a slacker! I need to go back to my reasons for losing weight in the first place!

Pissed off in Newport Beach

Beware sensitive ears. Beware.

Dear Company my husband works for,
I did not move all the way out to California, so that I would never get to spend a whole weekend with my husband. You see, I am one of those girls that doesn't have to have a "girl's night out" away from her husband because I actually like him. He is my best friend whom I can tell anything to even if it is bitch about him. Even if I did care for a "girl's night out" I only have two friends out here that I don't work with, and I really don't make it a habit of hanging out with them because honestly, I have a really hard time liking other girls. They really get on my nerves. Anyway, when you call and tell him that he has to go to work at the spur of the moment, it really fucking pisses me off. I am stuck at home alone with the dogs. They don't talk back when I talk to them. They just look at me like I am nuts. I have nothing to do except for sit and stare at this stupid computer because I cannot afford cable at the moment. All of the money that we would use to pay the cable has to go into his gas tank to drive to and from shows. Oh and by the way thank you so much for not reimbursing mileage anymore. Let me tell you, it really helps out financially. You could at least pay for the tanks of gas that we are forced to pay for when he has to drive over a hundred mile. He does work for you, and since he is salary I am guessing that he doesn't make near as much as he should. I really think he makes less than me an hour which is sad because I don't make diddle squat compared to all of these Rite Aid union workers, and I am topped out at my position.

Fuck You Company!
Jenn

Day 97! Damn am I thrifty!

I totally bought a carpet cleaner today! Here is a stock photo of it!




When this carpet cleaner came out it was around 275 dollars, you can get it now for a little less. Well guess how much this "Thrifty Girl" got it for? Drumroll please..........40 bucks! Yep you heard right! I love the swap meets out here! WOW! It just needs a little patching done to it because the tub has a little crack in it. It is also missing the attachments that I wouldn't have used anyway! I can order them if I really want them anyway! I was so happy! I went looking for lamps, but instead came home with the carpet cleaner that I have been dying to have for a while now! The lamps can wait until next week! I have cleaned the carpet in the bedroom! Hallelujah! My bedroom currently does not totally smell of dog!

Here is a California tidbit for today. Say, "Hello" to the light on the ramp of the freeways out here!



I had no idea how much I loved these damn things until today! Jack and I were driving down the 5 today when all of these cars were speeding onto the freeway! I freaked out! I scream, "Why is the meter not on? What the hell!?" That is when I realized how much I love those damn things! It is a stop light that you have to wait at before you get on the freeway. It helps with the flow of traffic because fewer people are having to slam on their brakes to let people over. The on ramp to the freeway is two lanes. When traffic gets heavy, they turn the meter on. The light allows 1 car per lane to go at a time. I would say it is about 20 seconds between green lights. Anyway, I love em! Tennessee should definitely have those things in downtown Nashville.

I might just write more later. :)

Day 96........bleeh

I am so freakin' bored! I really need something to do! We were planning on going to the movies, but now that we have an itty bitty bit of extra cash, there are no movies out that we want to see. I will just think of it as money saved. What do I do now though? Ugh. I mean I took a shower to have something to do a minute ago because I was so bored. That is really sad!

My day yet again has not been South Beach friendly. I ate Sonic for lunch and a honey bun for breakfast. I really wish I had a personal chef that would just come in, make my food, and hand it to me to eat. Oh to be little again! That personal chef idea sounds like a mom.

2 hours later....

No longer totally bored! We went to Ralph's and got some stuff to grill out. We met up with some neighbors, and we grilled while having good conversation. I can't complain! :) The fajitas were awesome! I am not sure if Kroger's has them in their butcher department, but if they do, you should try them. We also ran to Blockbuster. They FINALLY had the new Super Mario Brothers for the Wii!!! YAY!

Jack didn't get to do his stand up premiere tonight. He didn't get off of work early enough to go, so there are no Hollywood pictures. :(

The plan for tomorrow is officially going around looking at yard sales and heading to the swap meet. I will hopefully find some lamps and perhaps even purchase a carpet cleaner. Oh carpet cleaner, how I miss you. Oh to be able to clean the carpet in the bedroom. That would just be heaven! Cleaning the carpet in the other bedroom would be nice too. I really want to get rid of that cat smell. Yuck!

Day 95

I am a big cow! Jeez! I just ate enough for me and another person. I am ready for my healthy food grocery store run!

I just want you to know that I have looked back on a couple of my posts, and I ramble! Sorry about that. I try to type as fast as I am thinking, and I just tell you what is going on in my head at that moment. I will try to be better!

I am so excited! My husband is off of work this Saturday! YAY! That isn't the only thing I am excited about though! I think I am finally going to get my husband to go down to San Juan Capistrano! YAY! I drive to SJC once a week. This town looks so beautiful in the morning, and I am just dying to take pictures! I definitely don't have the camera that I so dearly want, but I could take some pictures with my decent digital and my super awesome 35mm! I don't even know who processes film around here in this area, so that 35mm idea may not be such a good one.

Tomorrow, I have to have to have to make myself get up super early! Jack has signed up for an open mic (comedy) in Hollywood, and it is tomorrow night! He thought it was Saturday, but he was wrong which means I have to get up BEFORE the butt crack of dawn to go to work. I know that you may be thinking, "Oooo you get to go to Hollywood." Let me tell you something, Hollywood is not all it is cracked up to be. It is, however, something that you must see once. It doesn't take that long to explore the parts that you see on the tv, I would say give yourself maybe an hour to an hour and a half. You will be begging to leave, once you hit that point. I am so serious. The stars on the sidewalk are everywhere, and they really are not that interesting. Although, the one funny thing about the trip to Hollywood is that you can see the guy who dresses up like Spiderman. He looks like he has shit stains on his ass. I am not kidding! If I get to see him by some random chance tomorrow, I will snap a picture!




I hit the 99 cent store today. I apologize for the HUGE picture. I really need to snap a picture of that place myself! Anyway, we picked up some drinks. I love that they have Dr. Pepper's brother there. His name is Dr. Stripes. He is just as delicious as his brother. He may even be more delicious. He is also a larger 3 liter. I know, I know Dr. Stripes does not appear on my South Beach Diet list, but since I am eating horribly for a while I am just doing it. I usually purchase Splenda to make my drinks with because I am a tea a holic. I cannot afford Splenda right now which means I have to drink all of the bad stuff. I guess I could just drink water, but I am an expensive water drinker. I can sometimes convince myself to drink the tap water, but it takes a lot of force.


I REALLY REALLY want to fly home to Tennessee in May. I get on Orbitz, and I pretend like I am booking a flight. I hate that I am missing my sister-in-law's baby shower. Ugh! I am the worst sister-in-law. I didn't even get invited to Jack's sister's baby shower. I know I live in California, but I am her sister-in-law and I did want an invite. It would have been nice to know when it was at least! Melinda reassured me that I would be receiving one to her's. I just wish I could surprise everyone by showing up! What I really hate is that I had someone that was going to let me use her frequent flyer miles, and I wasn't entirely sure when I would have the chance to fly home. Jean called me asked if she could use them. Ugh! I wish I could/would have said no. I really wish that I would have thought to say, "Oh, I am saving them for when my sister-in-law has her baby shower." I totally was not thinking. I was just happy to talk to Jean. Jack and I are not officially planning on going back home to visit until August. We want to be able to meet both our niece and our nephew when we go. Add that I am a bad aunt to the list too. I haven't even met my nephew, and he was born in November. It just goes with not having the time or the money to go visit. :(

94

I cannot believe that I haven't told you! Proceed with caution if you have sensitive ears.

OMG! So the other day I had to drive Jack's car to work because his rim had to be worked on, and it was on a donut. He had to drive to Palm Springs. Ladida you get the picture. It was overcast enough to put on headlights, so I turned on the headlights. I went to work. I come out after work, and I hit the button to unlock the doors. It doesn't work. I think "Piece of junk! The button doesn't even work." I try to unlock the doors with the key. It doesn't want to unlock. I go to the passenger side it doesn't want to unlock, but I finally get the door open. I think to myself, "That is scary. I will never lock the doors to this car again." I hop in the car, put the key in the ignition, turn the key, and nothing! OMG! Seriously? The battery is dead? What the hell? I am a southern girl, so what do I think? I need to get someone to jump the car. I run inside the store, and I ask everyone and I do mean EVERYONE that works there if they have any jumper cables. No one has any! I was pissed! How the hell does no one have jumper cables in this store. Someone informs me, "Well everyone has AAA." My words, "That is still not an excuse to not have jumper cables in your car." I made the decision to purchase the jumper cables because Jack needed some in this "new" car anyway. I buy them. I proceed to ask one of the girls if I can use her car to jump my car. Her answer is, "No I am so afraid to do that. I haven't even popped the hood on my car yet. It is so new." I say, "I know how to do it. It really isn't that difficult." She says, "Sorry, no" I was fucking pissed at this point. I gave her the what the fuck ever look. I went over to the pharmacy, and I ask the only guy left in the store if I can use his car. He says, "Sure." We start walking towards the door, and he says, "I have never used jumper cables before. I haven't even popped the hood on my car before." In my head, "Oh my fucking God! Seriously?! These California people are fucking morons." Out loud I say, "Well you are gonna love this then. Not only do I know how to pop my hood, I also know how to jump a car, how to change a tire (though I have thankfully never had to use this before, I have seen it done enough that I could figure it out in a do or die situation.), I know I can add fluids to my car (I have to put power steering fluid in almost every day. Oh how I want to get this fixed), and I can check the oil (yeah, so I have never changed it before. I would totally be more than willing to learn. Feel free to show me if you ever see me!) We get out to the cars, he luckily knows where the hood latch inside his car is, I hook the red on red the black on black (for those of you who have never jumped a car before, it is sooo easy. Just remember match the colors up on the battery to the colors on the jumper cables. Oh and do not let the jumper cables touch the ground or each other when attached to the battery. This is your car lesson with Jenn!), I have him start his car, I give it a minute and then start my car, let it run for another second, and then proceed to remove the jumper cables. Ta Da! That easy! Dennis seemed pretty pleased. He did explain to me that everyone has AAA because no one wants to stop and help. It does make me want to go ahead and suck it up just incase something does happen in the future, but seriously who the hell wants to wait for AAA when they can do something themselves in a matter of minutes?!

Here is an observation that I made recently. Please do not take this as sounding racist in anyway. I don't know why it would sound racist, but whatever just incase someone is easily offended. Whatever. I want to know where all the black people are out here! I saw 3 black people today at the 7-11, and I was shocked! I don't really realize the lack of until I actually see a black person. I see plenty of Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Japanese. Where are you black people? Out of all of the stores that I have worked at out here, I can only think of one black person. Crazy!

93.5

I can't stand it! One of the dogs peed on the bed, and I just so happen to be attempting to sleep on that side of the bed. I just keep smelling the urine! BLEECH! I have got to find something to get this smell out! I also need a carpet cleaner, so I can get the smell out of the carpet. I don't know why my dogs are trying to revert back to before the potty trained days! Rrrrr! Roscoe will hold his pee for hours, but Kasey and Maverick they don't care. Nope. "I gotta pee. Oh this looks good." Rrrrr! It is disgusting! If they would hold it, I wouldn't have to leave them in cages all day long. Anyway, if you have some miracle spray that gets rid of the dog and dog urine smell PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Number 93!

It is Tuesday. I am broke. I have no gas in my car. There is no chicken or beef in the apartment. My dogs are out of dog food. The cable got just came to get my cable boxes, since we haven't had cable in a while. My husband isn't home, and I am currently making rice to eat for a dinner that is very un South Beach Diet friendly. All in all it's been a pretty good day! :) I told you I am disgustingly optimistic! My cousin's facebook status last night was that you choose to be happy. I agree completely with that! Whenever everything is falling down around you, you can still make the choice to be happy. If I don't have a smile on my face, people ask me what is wrong! Ok I do have bad days, BUT I can always find a way to turn that around. I just do something selfless. One morning I was having the worst morning. I was running late, and then to make it worse there was a train stopped going across Singer Rd. (that is for all of you Rutherford county people). I had to turn around and go all the way down Old Nashville Hwy. Before I was able to do that, I stopped a lady and told her. She says to me, "Oh my gosh you are a life saver, I am running so late. Thank you so much." My bad day ended right there. I stopped thinking about how bad my morning had been, and I started thinking about how much I helped that woman. Today, I had a customer looking for a specific item. As we all know once you find a cosmetic item that you just love, mysteriously you can never find it ever again. Those cosmetic companies really know when to stop selling your color. This lady was looking for a lipstick, square, clear container. She just knew she would never be able to find it again, but SHE asked ME! It took a couple of guesses, and her realizing that she had the old tube in her purse but we found it! Yep! We actually had it! That totally made my day that! Oh and by the way if you love fingernail polish, Sally Hansen just released 42 new colors! When you find a color you love, buy as many as you can!

Dia 92.5

If you haven't already watched this, check it out! :) It is my cousin! She is trying to get onto The Biggest Loser! This is her video.

I can't get it to embed for some reason! Rrr! Click it! Thanks so much! :)

Dia 92

I just want to point out that my toes are way cuter, and the nails are definitely painted red currently. :)


I am so ready to be back on my good healthy food! I have gained 5 lbs already! OMG! I am ready for my cupboards to be stocked with healthy goodness. I just need the cash flow! For now, I will just have to suffer with the starches. Don't get me wrong! I love the way it tastes! I just hate to watch my scale go in the opposite direction! To make matters worse, I cannot ever tell if my scale is lying to me or not. I should have just purchased a new one at the beginning. It is too late now, and I am just sticking with the old one!

I worked at a different store than normal today. I hate helping stores with inventory! I also hate that, since I am the cosmetic girl that is always up to date that I am always the one that gets stuck doing it! The cosmetic girl that works at that store was behind! It totally aggravates me when people are behind in their stores when I am not! If I can do it, you can do it!

I went to the business office to use the community computers. I really need to print 2 things off! I go in, sign into what I need to print off, click print, nothing! Seriously? Have they still not gotten the damn thing fixed? Can they not just go buy a new one? I mean it isn't a high quality printer! I need to print my monthly blockbuster coupon and tickets to an advanced screening of Death at a Funeral (which btw if you haven't seen the original, you should! It is a great movie, and it really isn't that old. I would say less than 7 years.)

Oh! Did I tell you? I probably forgot among all of the earthquake madness! I got a FREE bookcase off of Craigslist! That's right! It is one of those cheap plywood things, BUT it matches the wood in the kitchen and the area that is supposed to be the diningroom. We definitely don't use it as that hopefully one day! Anyway! I finally got to put out my turtles! YAY! Here are a couple of pictures!

Day 91

EARTHQUAKE!




I felt it! I actually felt it! I know that earthquakes are supposed to be terrifying, but that was soooo freakin' COOL! Yes! Wow! Jack and I were sitting in the livingroom. I was on the computer, and he was playing Call of Duty. We hear this sound and then it feels like we are little mice in a box, and someone has picked it up and shook it from side to side just slightly for a couple of seconds. We had no idea what happened! We look at each other and immediately run outside. Were we just in an earthquake? Did that really just happen? Jack hangs his head over the balcony to our neighbor's apartment and asks, "Was that an earthquake?" He had the biggest smile on his face! That was so freakin' cool! I don't ever want to feel one bigger than that, but it was so cool!

Post 100!

I cannot believe I have stuck with posting this long! Now if only I could have gone 100 days without cheating. Today has been horrible food wise! The past few days have been horrible food wise actually! I totally need to be eating better, but we are still in that broke phase! I am hoping that when I hit day 100 that I will be able to afford to restart phase 1. I want to be below 200 lbs before summer gets here! That is my goal! What day does summer start? June 21. That is about 79 days from now give or take a few. I know I can do it! I mean hell in the first 90 days I am down 47 lbs (well probably not anymore thanks to gorging myself). I totally have this in the bag! WOW! Now that I think of it, if I keep on the way I am going I may be almost to my goal by then. Whoa! That is a lot to absorb. I hope this will help me stay motivated to keep on going! Here is to making my goal weight close to summer time.

90

I apologized to my cousin last night about lying to our Granny about her! I know I was only 4 or 5, and it shouldn't have haunted me all of this time. I actually do feel better about it. It has really bugged me all of this time! She forgave me and laughed at me! :)

I forgot to tell you why I laughed at myself yesterday! All of these years, I have been getting the words to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" wrong! I felt like a complete moron when I realized! LOL! A moron who busted out laughing at herself! It must be because I have heard the song all of these years, and I had originally gotten it wrong as a child! Ok so here is my fess up! Let me get the lyrics to the little part that I thought was something else! :)

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

Ok, so I have no idea where the hell I got this from, but I have always thought that he says

"The jailer's not my son"

Now listen and tell me it doesn't sound like that!

89

Wow! I haven't written in 2 days! What is up with that?

Ok so I have had a few weird memories lately and a laugh at myself moment today.

When I was really little, I can remember staying up past 9 (ooooh!). My older brother and I would stay up to watch the fireworks that they put on at the Nashville fairgrounds. We only lived in Nashville until I was 4, so that memory is VERY far back. I hadn't really thought about it in a long time!

Another..

My parents went out of town for the weekend, and they left my older brother and me with one of my mom's friends. She came and stayed at our house, and she took us to the Cumberland Science museum! That was awesome! This was also while we lived in Nashville.

Another...

I remember when we were moving to Smyrna that my parents made me leave my little grocery cart with all of the fake food at that house. I was so devastated!

Another...

I can remember playing with my Popple in the backyard of that house.

Another...

I remember this only one time, and I am not really sure why I remember this only once. Chris and I walking down the road to our Granny and Pop's house. They just lived right down the street.

Another...

I can remember lying on the hide-a-bed watching The Golden Girls at my Granny and Pop's house. I think that is why I LOVE that show so much!

Another...

I can remember Pop always doing word search puzzles while listening to the ballgame, so that Chris and I could watch TV.

I remember going to the grocery store and being told to get whatever I wanted. Gotta love grandparent's.

I also remember after my grandmother had already had a heart attack specifically seeing her buy cigarettes (she tried to hide it). I never told anyone that until after she died. Why would anyone want to tell on their grandparents?

I remember when my cousin Emily and I were at my Granny and Pop's house watching TV that I wanted the volume up, and I pushed a button thinking that it was the volume button. It wasn't! It changed the channel to some snowy channel, and my Granny got mad. I immediately blamed it on Emily. Sorry Em! :( This has really haunted me. I am not really sure why, but I think it is all because I lied to my Granny! Why would anyone want to lie to their grandparents? They think you can do no wrong!

Ok, so I totally have more, but I will stop there! :)

I am down 47 lbs! That means I am only 10 lbs away from that magical number! Oh magical number will you please hurry up and magically get here please! It would be nice to lose 3 more lbs before my 100 day mark! My magazine headline could read "50 lbs in just 100 days"

I am planning on going to look through a whole bunch of yardsales tomorrow. I just don't know why! I have no money! How the crap am I supposed to buy stuff? I really want lamps though! Ugh! Maybe I will come across some free ones on Craigslist this weekend! I am being picky though, and that is my problem! I want what I want because I want my living room to look really cute. When people come to visit, I want them to think that I am spending a lot of money for this place to look nice. In all reality the largest purchase was the couch, and I thought I would kill Jack when he told me how much he paid for it! I love Craigslist because you can find nice items that people just want to chuck! I just wished we owned a truck. I would already have our guest bedroom all decked out if we did!