Monday, In a Nutshell

6:40 AM: Moved both my car and Paul's car without completely removing the frost from the windows. He was parked behind me and was still asleep. Since the neighbor didn't pull up very far on the curb I had to pull his car out and park it. Then I had to get in my car, partially defrost, pull it out, and park it. Then I had to pull his car back in the driveway. BUT! I got to use my spiffy new defrosting glove and I wasn't even late for work!

9:45 AM: Set out from my office to the other office for training that started at 10. The previous group started late so we got to stand around holding our coats. We started at 10:30.

12:40 - 1:10 PM: Talked to a man about how he was a USA wrestler. I also heard about every detail of his pain. I hadn't eaten lunch yet and was STARVING!

3:30 PM: Got ready to leave the office.

3:31 PM: Remembered I still had to close a case.

3:45 PM: Left the office.

4:00 PM: Went to the gym where I felt WILDLY out of shape when I was huffing and puffing like crazy WAY earlier than I'd have liked.

5:00 PM: Missed my turn for the interstate and saw a man shake his fist at me before turning around in a convenience store parking lot so that I could get going in the right direction.

5:05 PM: Nearly got sideswiped by a stupid woman in her stupid black Mercedes who doesn't know how to merge.

5:15 PM: Entered the grocery store for ground beef, spaghetti sauce and noodles, and parmesean cheese for spaghetti and meatballs.

5:30 PM: Turned on the stove to brown hamburger. I put away clean dishes while the hamburger worked on browning.

5:35 PM: OH CRAP! You don't brown hamburger when you make meatballs!!!

5:40 PM: Salvaged meatballs.

6:30 PM: Took a shower. So did the upstairs neighbor. Shower was cool and then suddenly scalding hot.

7:00 PM: Enjoyed dinner and watched Grown Ups with Paul who had an equally bad day.

Thankful: Take 2

1. Books. I don't need any stinking ereader. You can't crack the spine of a Kindle or a Nook and you can't dog ear the pages. And you certainly don't get that delightful musty book smell from one. Instead, when you open one of those bad boys you get that new cell phone smell. That's great for a cell phone but not for a book. Or rather, not-book.

2. Virginia Lynn Yopp. That wonderful little pup makes every day more interesting and more adorable. I mean, it's 10:00 am right now and she's asleep in a sweater with her head on a pillow. Precious.

3. My family. Not only do they love me, but they actually like me. And they are entertaining. I dare you to find a more entertaining family.

4. Waffle/peanut butter/banana sandwiches. It's my breakfast of choice nearly every morning at work and it's wonderful.

Thankful

Given that tomorrow is Thanksgiving (you know, the best holiday ever?), I've been thinking a lot about what I'm thankful for (please take note, this list is not comprehensive).

1. Federal Holidays. There are fewer things better than knowing that you don't have to work a full 40 hour week but you still get paid to do so. This week I only had to work 20 hours but I got paid for 40! Nevermind the fact that I worked 21.5...

2. Those commercials that come back at the same time every. Single. Year. How precious are the babies sleeping while "Silent Night" plays? So precious! Or the snowman who turns into a little boy wearing flannel after he eats Campbell's soup? Love it! Or even the one where every animal wants to be the Cadbury Bunny! Okay, not exactly seasonally appropriate, but wonderful just the same.

3. Starbucks. I don't care if they're like the Walmart of coffee. I love Starbucks and I really love their seasonal specials. I had my first peppermint mocha of the season (nevermind that it felt more like pumpkin spice latte season) last Saturday and I drank it while shopping for wrapping paper and Angel Tree gifts.

4. Fur-lined moccasins. So. Unbelievably. Comfortable.

5. Paul. He puts up with me when I'm cranky and when I wake up crying from a bad dream at 5 AM and when I request Chinese food for dinner pretty much every week and when he comes home and there's a pink sweater on the dog that he likes to pretend isn't a girl. I still don't quite understands how the world thrust us together and made it work, but I'm sure glad it did. I love you!

6. Jeggings. Seriously, could they be any more comfortable?!

7. Cardigan sweaters. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Cardigans are the world's best accessory (sorry Pearls, you're number 2). They're adorable, they make you warm, and they make non-work-appropriate clothes work-appropriate.

8. Thanksgiving. Do you know why Thanksgiving is amazing? Because Thanksgiving is the only day of the year that I eat gravy on Stuffing. And I look forward to it for the other 364 days. But I can't make it any other time because that would ruin the allure.

Griping

Ladies and Gents, I'm tired. I'm tired and I'm annoyed by so much right now and I can't seem to get my head above the annoying water.

1. I am SICK of being on the phone. I feel like I spend about 50% of my time at work on the phone with people who are either A) Incompetent, or B) Completely, totally, utterly unwilling to provide any sort of help whatsoever. As a result, when I'm not at work I have zero desire to use the phone which means that I feel like frienships are crumbling beneath me. I don't like relying 100% on facebook to keep in touch with people I actually care about.

2. Christmas. I have no idea what to get the majority of people on my shopping list. Whenever I ask someone what they want they ALWAYS say nothing. Newsflash: THAT'S NOT HELPFUL!!

3. Roanoke doesn't have a Chipotle. But Blacksburg does. Blacksburg also has a Moes. Why in the world does one small town (albeit it large when considering all the students) need TWO stores that provides delicious, giant burritos for the masses? Roanoke is bigger and, at least in my humble opinion, deserving of at least one tasty burrito joint. Baja Bistro does NOT count.

4. People are rude. The end.

5. I think I could east chinese food every day. But that's not good. And my waist line is proving it.

6. Speaking of, I hate tight jeans. I hate knowing that they're tight and it's all my fault.