Simple Things That Are Making Me Happy Now *

* except for my Austin trip this weekend

* and except for my trip to Kansas City in a few weeks

I mean, look at this sweet sweet dog.  Again, I love her way way too much.

Sushi from this past weekend.  We got to eat this on a patio, during a little thunderstorm and rain.  After this we went to see Mud, which was actually a really good movie.  Sushi can always make me smile.



Leslie's first green number at work!!  We are so proud of her. (For those not down on the green/red  number deal, these are our goals at work and how many loads we are supposed to hit in one day).

I needed to remind myself of something happy today, because not only did all of our lives get threatened today by a crazy ex-driver, but I also had two service failures in ten minutes this afternoon.  It was awesome. 

Sometimes you just need to sit back and relax and remember the things that make you happy.

Epiphany Part 2

For me this past weekend was one for thinking.  I'm not sure what came across me, but I kept thinking about how I've been treated my whole life.

At least once a week someone calls me naive or too trusting.  When I got my managerial assessment back, it seriously shocked me to find out that not only do normal people think this, even computers can tell.  I've always tried to be someone that people respect and trust, but for some reason, I've been walked on a lot in my lifetime.  

I know that I've been taken advantage of more than once; some because I was just too afraid to be nice, or some because I genuinely didn't know what was happening.  I've let people string me along to the point where I don't even know what is going on anymore.  Some people have done some terrible things to me, and I've forgiven them.  But it builds up in you; like some terrible rage, and I know that can't be healthy.  

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that people treat me this way because I let them.  I let people use me; I let them walk on me like a doormat; I trust everything coming out of their mouths, because I just didn't know any better.  And this pattern of behavior has been following me around for as long as I can remember.

So I made the conscious decision this weekend to stop it;  I will stop letting people treat me like crap.  And it was as simple as that.  I always admired my sister, because she doesn't take crap from anybody.  She'll call someone out and not be afraid at all.  She'll get what she wants from mean people on the phone, so I am going to be more like my younger sister.  And that's that.  

And to get away from the seriousness, here's a song I've been totally digging lately.

Jesse's 35th Birthday Party

Once or twice, I've brought up our decompression sessions that my co-workers and I sometimes have on a Friday night.

We do this mainly to keep ourselves sane; it's pretty much just a giant bitching session.  We talk about all the crap that went on during the week, talk about people that we work with, how we wish we could change what's going on, etc.  

This past Friday was a little different; it was Jesse's birthday!  We were all planning on going to Avondale Brewery to celebrate, but the crazy Alabama weather took a turn for the colder, and we ended up celebrating at Jesse's with a cookout and bonfire.  

There was also some Dance Dance Revolution: befriend Ingy, she has the whole thing on video.  I'm pretty sure the birthday boy beat me pretty bad.

Jesse is famous for his Mexican flag shot; which is actually pretty yummy.

We ended the night with s'mores and cocktails on the back porch; maybe one too many cocktails.  I will say this again and again about my coworkers; without them, this job would be mostly unbearable.  They are truly what get me through every day.  I have made some valuable friendships, that I think will stick with me for awhile. 

My First Ever Golf Outing...Fore! *is that right?

Last Thursday, I spent my day at the golf course.

 

Yes, I did.

 

It was a carrier outing for one of my customers, and I'm not going to lie; I'd been pretty nervous about this golf thing from the get-go.  I do not have the greatest hand-eye coordination on the planet, and was told that I could just hang out in the cart and drink.  Which there was plenty of, but there were a couple holes where my status as female was called into play.  I did not know that the ladies tees were sometimes a good bit further up than the mens.  I was told I only had to hit the ball ten feet for it to be better than anything they hit.

 

They played a game called four-man (person?) scramble, where you play off the best shot, to make the game go faster.  We did nothing but drink and have a great time.  The customer put me with the best people they possibly could have.  I did happen (of course) to get a few pictures of the place where I first made contact with a golf ball with a driver.

 

Oh.  And I will say that I came in pretty clutch on a couple of putts. :)

 

This is M, with his giant Jack and coke.

I'm pretty sure they turned around every so often to see if I knew where the ball went.  The guy next to M was one of the funniest guys I've met.  I was super obsessed with M's golf shoes too.  They were so pretty!

 So, I had such a good time that I think I am actually going to go and take professional golf lessons.  B offered, but he scares me...the patience is non-existent with that one.  Plus, if I can get any sort of pink clubs, then I am definitely one happy girl.

Wednesday Ramblings

* We found Abita Strawberry at the World Market . We were beyond excited.  Find it.  Love it.  *

*  I did not get the promotion at work.  I'm almost sort of glad it worked out the way it did.  * 

*  I think I'm going to start taking golf lessons; more on that soon.  *

*  I'm trying to get back to writing, but for some reason, I'm having a hard time coming up with a story line.  I've recently read Farewell to Arms by Hemingway and am reading another memoir by the guy who wrote Jarhead.  I think I took that comment on my manager assessment about not reading a little too much to heart.  Although the test told me that I was completely mentally competent, I still feel some need to prove somebody wrong.  Yet another character flaw *

*  The bombings in Boston.  I am glad they found those people who did it.  I will never understand the amount of crazy in this world; I can't even wrap my mind around those people who want to do nothing but hurt and maim other people.  It absolutely makes no sense to me.  *

*  I've been kind of scared of my blood clots lately.  I think it's because my back has been bothering me, and that will always remind me them.  It's nothing even close as severe to the pain of the blood clots, but it's still scary.  *

Milk Bar - New Orleans

While in New Orleans, we always always always need to try out a new place.  We were cruising around, and saw this cute little place tucked away into a strip mall.  There were plenty of other places around, but the cute little cow on this one caught our eye.  

Ok, my eye.

Their big thing is their milkshakes.  B got a vanilla one, and it was really yummy.  They also serve all of their meals with a Chupa-Chup sucker.  I don't think I'd seen those guys since high school. 

I had the grilled shrimp sandwich thing; it had pesto and tomatoes, and the roll that it was on was so so good.

The great thing about this place was that it wasn't crowded at all; and for the most part, the food was quite healthy.  They had salads and all sorts of great sandwiches with cute little names.  

If you don't want to mess with the crowds in the quarter on a Saturday, I'd say venture out and try this place.

Good-bye Auburn Oaks!

This weekend was incredibly bitter sweet.  This weekend the Auburn faithful said good-bye to our trees on Toomer's Corner.  We celebrated by first watching our boys come out for the Spring Game; then walked up to the trees to roll them for the very last time.

I know it sounds weird to essentially just TP a bunch of trees, but you guys, there is nothing more fun in the entire world.

Ever since they were poisoned, the arborists at Auburn were unsure of their survival.  I'm not sure if arborists is a word, so we're just going to go with it here.  At the beginning of last month, they announced that the trees were going to have to come down; that the poison that Harvey Updyke had been too much for them to handle.

So tomorrow, the 100+ year old Toomer's Oaks are going to be cut down.  But this weekend we celebrated...Auburn had the highest turn out for their A-Day game ever, 83,401 people were there.  And there were possible more around those oaks.

There were tears, not going to lie, but for the most part it was a happy celebration; a celebration of the Auburn family, and the spirit of All In.

War Damn Eagle.

 We unfortunately didn't get to stay well into the night when the trees got super rolled (we do have a little fur baby at home we had to hurry back for), but Google and see for yourself.

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

More New Orleans First Night

** I won't ignore the tragedy that happened in Boston; it makes me sick to my stomach. People following their dreams to run in a marathon, but people also should realize the good in the world, and it far outweighs the bad.  I am a firm believer in that and will always be **

Our first night in New Orleans was a great!  It was JM's first time on Bourbon, so we had to do it up right.  After dinner at Jacque-Imos, we went and got changed and gussied up and hit Bourbon.  As always, after our night of drinking, we went to Vieux Carre Pizza and had a Bourbon special.  As always, it is highly recommended.  

That night I was also dragged up in front of an entire bar to take the tip jar around the entire bar.  Fortunately for me, B took a entire video of the whole thing.  Unfortunately for you, Blogger doesn't seem to like iphone videos...

JM Photobomb.  Love It.

Again with B's face...  Linds sent me this after the fact, with the caption, I'm not really sure what's going on here.  Me either; me either, but I'm pretty sure that daiquiri in JM's hand has something to do with it.

 

 JM's first night on Bourbon was a great success; I'm pretty sure we succeeded in getting him slightly tipsy.  I mean, we did get him into the corner drug store for Brother's chicken and Zapps chips.  Sour Cream and Onion...probably the best I've had.

A Sweet Birmingham Southern Night

Saturday's weather was perfect.  We spent it having a wine tasting at a vineyard in Calera with the in-laws, and then decided that we needed to go and check out the new ballpark downtown.  The Barons fortunately were up by 10 in the first inning, sooo, we just decided to drink some beers and walk around the stadium.  

Oh yeah...and to the brewery across the street!! It was the first time I'd been to the Good People Brewery, and it was really great.  They have that big open room with Southwire coils thingies for tables, and a huge ass blade for a fan.  Unfortunately the iPhone doesn't do action shots of fans very well, so..no picture.  But trust me; awesome.   Finish the night out with a gyro from Purple Onion, and you're all set.  Birmingham, sometimes, I heart you way too much.

These are from the actual Peanut Depot in Birmingham; That place is amazing town. 

Yes clearly I look like a crazy person, but that Snakehandler is the yummiest IPA I've ever had.  Ugh, I love the wrinkles on my forehead too.  Old lady I'm becoming.