The one where I went to the bar...

Girl's night out was last night. It was a blast! Last night for the Spring Breakers, everyone had just gotten back into town; the place was packed!

Just a few of the scenes I ran into that was well worth the cover charge:

• A man serenaded me with a harmonica
• The lead singer of the band was walking on the bar
• The lead singer was then carried around the room on a bouncer's shoulders...it was more odd.
• The lead singer (still trying to be the shit) tried to start a dance off in the middle of the bar. Major fail.
• A 62-year-old woman jumped up on the stage to hool-a-hoop.
• The 62-year-old woman then fell on the drums.
• A bachelorette was pulled up on stage for a song; no one cheered for her.
• The band had dangerously bad strobe lights
• The band also covered the backstreet boys...wth....wth...wth???

When it was all said and done last night and the bar yelled last call, I had a blast last night!

Breath of Fresh Air

Had a date last night, I'm sure he'll read this but I started this blog with a no holds barred mentality and with the exception of other circumstances, I plan on keeping to that.

For the first time, I had a date with someone where I felt comfortable. Helps that I already knew him, and I've known him a long time. God, college seems like forever ago. Extremely nice to hang out with someone that I could actually hold a conversation with.

So, I knew him in college and it's actually quite a funny background story and maybe I'll write about that later. I don't think I'd seen him since then, actually, or maybe afterwards, shit I can't remember that far back. I really didn't recognize him. And I most certainly didn't remember him being almost a foot taller than me. Check one off list. I don't think he remembered me being so short either, he kept looking over my head once I saw him...

Time had changed him a bit. He's still very handsome but he's matured. Has military background, job, is an Alabama fan, graduated high school and college, walks/talks like he's confident, definately has a skill and his own hobbies. Check off 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 items from list. Good start... Overall, he was like a wine that had gotten better with age. So far. The shitty qualities from years ago were gone or minimized and, honestly, I wasn't looking to hard to see if they were there too much because I had such a good time.

First plan was margeritas and mexican food. I needed a drink. However, Iguana Grill was more than packed. I think the Fire Marshall was off duty; there were too many people in there!! So plan B, spontaneous and probably right up his ally since he'd said that's what he wanted anyway, was Kobe. Once we sat at the bar, I didn't quit laughing. That hasn't happened in awhile.

I'm going to be a little bit more honest here, more than anyone needs to know, but I'm going on a limb here. It's a very flimsy limb. I am not good with the whole "trust" thing and "good intentions." Yeah, I admit it, I don't believe anyone has a noble motive when the meet me now. Last night showed me something different, though. For the first time, I saw hope that not all mean are out to get in my pants.

So needless to say, yes, you who I know is reading this, you did well. Yes, you have another date. I'd love to see how much fun we'd have. Now stop getting my name wrong.

The Rules and Counting

1. Must be employed.
2. Must be an Alabama fan.
3. Must be less than within my age up to 4 years older than me.
4. No country music. It sucks. Very, very few exceptions to that.
5. Must have college degree.
6. Must have highschool diploma.
7. Cannot suck the blood out of his parents.
8. Must have a retirement plan in place and in action.
9. Must be debt free.
10. No kids yet.
11. No hitting.
12. No biters...you're stupid if you think nibbling is cute. It's not.
13. Gives good back rubs.
14. Cleans regularly.
15. Respects what I've just cleaned.
16. Allows me my own hobbies.
17. Allows me to watch my own shows.
18. True gift giver - not to buy my affection. To let me know he thinks about me.
19. Respects my time.
20. Always opens every door, every time, every where, every day.
21. Loves movies.
22. Must be taller than me.
23. Has his own hobbies.
24. Has a skill.
25. Doesn't put me down for Lucill Ball moments. I have many of them.
26. Knows when to leave me alone.
27. Doesn't yell.
28. Communicates.
29. Never cheated on anyone.
30. Loves the gym. And it shows.
31. Speaks a foreign language.
32. Loves music.
33. Eeuughhh...I'll not list this one.
34. And I won't list this one either. They're censored. For me only. :)
35. Believes in himself.
36. Isn't cocky.
37. Takes pride in appearance.
38. Doesn't tell me who I can be with.
39. No curfews.
40. Has a life and let's me in but doesn't shove it down my throat.
41. Keeps his nails clean.
42. Clean shaven.
43. Knows how to make a bed.
44. Can fold clothes.
45. Brings me soup when I'm sick.
46. Plays an instrument.
47. Has never been arrested.
48. Doesn't believe in public intoxication.
49. Hates patron.
50. Never accuses me of bullshit.
51. Doesn't do drama.
52. Looks like Daniel Craig.
53. Respects when I don't want to talk about something.
54. Doesn't read my diary.
55. Trusts me completely.
56. Never gives me a reason to not trust him.
57. Gives me an off day if I want it.
58. Believes in me, even when I don't.
59. Supports me during my project.
60. Has a dream and wants to achieve it.

Man in the house

My new roommate has moved in.

Let me tell you how chaotic this has been! It should be very easy for someone to move their paraphernalia in a home, however, you also have to move your stuff out so they have room for there's! Geez!!! I have a lot of stuff! Fortunately, I'm not a pack rat!

My guest room is where I had stored my Christmas decor. All of that has been consolidated and moved to a storage closet. The rest of the items in there were is to dispose.

I think I've found a good fit, for a roomie that is. D #2 works nights, I work days. To make things even more fun, he has several similarities with the guy I'm currently seeing (D #1). Keeping the conversations straight has been very interesting! Here's a list of what they have in common:

• Both have the same name

  Both are from the same state

  Both are in the same industry

  Both work long hours

  Both raised cocker spaniels

  Both cook Yes!!!!

Let's just say that I have confused the history of these two more than once... But they've met each other, and to make it even more hilarious to me only maybe my roommate gets along with the guy I'm dating maybe better than I do! WTH?!

The Six

Six things about me you probably don't know:

1. I have OCD. I went to get medication for it and the doctor told me it was all in my head. I don't like to step on lines, all of the nutritional labels on my boxes of food have to face me when I open the pantry, I like even numbers of objects unless it is divisible by three, I don't get in the bed unless it's completely made, I fold clothes without wrinkles in them, I don't like for my food to touch or I don't eat it, I like straight lines i.e. pictures can't be crooked or the TV has to be in a straight line with the table, yada yada yada. There are more to list but it would take over the six things you don't know about me.

2. I don't like Christmas that much. It's too commercialized for my taste. It should be about Jesus' birthday and being a gift to others; not how much you spent or how much you can't spend because of the economy.

3. I sang in Carnegie Hall, twice. Small, unimportant fact about me, especially considering that there were 500 other people my age singing with me both performances.

4. I have this strange ability to remember most actors' names and filmographies, including some movies I haven't seen, after seeing them in just a few movies.

5. Along the same lines, I have another strange ability to be able to remember the words to most songs; the ability is even stronger for songs that I really hate!

6. I have a fear of drains. That's embarrassing to admit, but you never knew it about me did you? I'm not only afraid of the drains in pools but I'm afraid of the drain in tubs and sinks. I prefer my sinks come with garbage disposals so I don't have to get any additional bits of food out of the drain...wraeahgh! My skin is crawling thinking about it!

Mental Health Day

I am so excited today! I have the day off from work! While it doesn't take my mind off of some of the stresses there, it does help me relax in a big way. I already have a packed schedule this evening and work on top of it was pulling me thin. So yesterday, when I asked if I could have the afternoon off a little early, I was very surprised when Clint said, "Just take Tuesday off."

That means I have a whole day to get stuff done today! Here's a little why I was getting stressed about this evening. Every month, my girlfriends and I have our Supper Club. Usually it's the second week of the month but with the holidays and all, it was much easier for all of us to get together the third week of December. We are having an ornament swap and eating dinner at a nice restaurant. We'll catch up with each other, ask how the babies and husbands are and then we'll laugh, cut up, relax and enjoy each others' company with no husbands or children around. I look forward to this every month! Especially since I work around 11 men all day, every day! That's not even counting my husband!

Tomorrow is our Christmas at the dealership. Not that I've been procrastinating at all, I haven't, I just need to get the ingredients to make my dish. I wasn't able to get to the store on Sunday and I have gotten to where I refuse to go to Walmart or Food World by myself at night over here. There was a mugging not too long ago and I don't particularly want to be the next victim. That being said, tonight, I would have to go to the store tonight to get the stuff I need for my dish. That's why I asked Clint if I could leave a little early: I wanted to be able to leave before it was dark, get my ingredients, go to Supper Club and come home to mix it together. Plus, tonight is the Biggest Loser Finale so I didn't want to be up late watching it or make my dish - a Paula Dean dish, no less - while watching people tell me how dishes like mine made the fat! Go Michelle!!

That being said, my schedule today is as follows:

• Call the radio station check
• Eat oatmeal check
• Play on the internet while oatmeal digests checking
• Go run three miles Maybe I'll run outside today, weather permitting...
• Circuit train Or maybe I'll run four miles outside today and say I had a good enough workout
• Eat egg whites Breakfast of champions!
• Grocery Shop Home and Holidays shopping!
• Cook But don't eat!
• Eat chicken and salad lunch of champions...
• Play on the internet some more
• Go to Supper Club
• Watch Michelle win the Biggest Loser! Or Ed - not Heba or Vicky! BTW, I voted for Ed!

In the garden of Eden...

This training is so hard. List of things that I've been tempted by in the last several days that I have resisted!

1. Donuts
2. Chocolate covered donuts
3. Chocolate covered cream-fill donuts GASP!!!
4. Peterbrooke Chocolatiere chocolate including but not limited to: chocolate covered oreos, milk chocolate, chocolate covered nutter butters, etc. etc.
5. Caramel Apples my husband made and left in the refrigerator
6. Assorted candies at the movie theatre
7. Reese's Pieces
8. Hot dogs
9. Sandwich bread
10. Sugar coated pecans that my husband made

Thank you! Now pat me on the back!

One cup of Irish Blend coffee, please...extra Bailey's

The past couple of years, I've not really enjoyed Christmas. I could just enjoy the season with my family and be just as happy. I don't care about the gift giving, I don't want anything, I don't need anything (except for the usual; money, Prozac...), and I don't really get into the whole "singing-Christmas-carols-while-driving-down-a-deserted-two-lane-highway-in-search-for-the-perfect-Christmas-tree" scene. Could care less. I only decorate because my husband asks me to. The first year we dated, we didn't even exchange presents!

So the fact that I always get stuck un-decorating or decorating difficult trees probably doesn't help.

We put the Christmas tree up at work today. It's a giant, pre-lit mammoth that some conniving moron menaced with an evil comic book laugh. Who ever designed this tree is laughing at me earnestly right now. And laughing at the scratches on my arms. I look like I've been attacked by an army of cats!

Here's what I learned about while putting up the Christmas tree at Tuscaloosa Hyundai today:

• The tree has three section and fifteen plugs, at least!
• Not all the plugs' male parts have a female part...
• After you've spent 6 hours of your day trying to find the female part for the male part, it helps to know that there is an extension chord for those male parts.
• Fake, pre-lit pine trees are sharp.
• It is possible for Ed to fall asleep standing while following the cord in search for one of the much needed female parts.
• I have two kinds of co-workers; the kind that help and the kind that don't.
• Patience is a requirement when assembling a Christmas tree.
• A blown bulb doesn't mean the strand won't work.
• Don't assemble the tree infront of the owner's office. He's just as frustrated as you are.
• I have very smart-ass co-workers.
• Standing and watching a frustrated person fight with the source of her anger only makes the person more frustrated. You know who you are.
• Standing and watching a frustrated person fight with the source of her anger, telling her how to fix it, not listening when she tells you she tried it, repeating your theories anyway and refusing to help when she asks only makes the person livid.
• I work with a bunch know-it-alls.
• People watching you fight with trees shouldn't get mad at you for not getting it right when they don't offer to help.
• People watching you fight with trees shouldn't get mad at you for not getting it right and understand that somebody else told you already had all the parts to the tree the first time you asked about additional "parts".
• People watching you fight with trees shouldn't get mad at you for not getting it right and go find something else to do if they arent' going to help.
• Tequila makes any tree look better!
• Whiskey makes any tree look even better!
• It is not kosher to stand behind the person frustrated with the tree and ask them what is taking so long.
• It is not kosher to laugh at the frustrated person who is stepping away from the Christmas tree and then sing "O Christmas" tree...
• We have THE SINGLE MOST BEAUTIFUL Christmas tree in Alabama.

Always look on the bright side of you life...

Top ten reasons I'm excited to be moving today.

1. It is a day off from crunching numbers.
2. I will have the best excuse ever to get rid of those clothes that Trey and I NEVER wear.
3. No more pool duty (not that I ever had it, really).
4. I will have a stove that works year round, not right before I move in and right before I move out. Note to self, write a post about that because that's a funny story.
5. I will be saving more than half of what I've been currently paying in rent and utilities, which means more books! And a bookshelf!
6. Tanning bed on apartment location. Stephanie won't have an excuse to be pale anymore.
7. Thirty minute drives to work and gym have now been shaved to three minutes and seven minutes.
8. I won't have to dodge deer while driving down the street.
9. Barnes & Noble is less than ten minutes drive. So is Los Tarascos.
10. I can go barefoot around the house again since I won't be watching my step for scorpions anymore!!!