Brown Bagging It

This week I am in class all week while I am at work. This is cool for a few reasons. One - I am not stuck at my desk. Two - I am finally getting the Green Belt training I have been wanting for about a year and a half. And three - I get to meet new people.

While in class, we have a structured amount of break time and lunch time. Normally, classes give an hour for lunch. This class however gives us only 30 minutes for lunch. Eh, whatever. I rarely take more than that anyway. I may be saying a little too much about my lunch breaks, but they are usually held at my desk and surfing web comics and the wonderful interweb. I can get away with this because I bring my lunch. There is no cafeteria in my building, just a lobby and I feel a little silly eating there.

Today I realized just how many people buy their lunch from the whining that erupted at, "You will have 30 minutes for lunch." I would say it's safe to say that out of a class of 22 people, only 2 of us brought our lunch. There is only 1 person in from out of town, so that leaves 19 people or 86% of various ages and backgrounds that buy lunch. There are a lot of people in my office area that vacate the premises for lunch as well. A lot of people tell me it's a release to be able to leave work for that hour. Whatever. At 9 hours a day (9x80 schedule) adding another hour seems like too much time from start to finish. I would rather be home 30 minutes earlier and out of my work clothes drinking a beer on my porch. But that's just me.

Also, I can't fathom the expense of eating out everyday. I read the Idiots Guide the Finances in Your 20's &30's and they broke it down for me (cause they are good at that). Say you get a a sub, chips, and soda on average and it costs you $7. Well that seems like not a lot, but if you did that every day for a week it's $35 and that doesn't include gas to get there - nowadays you have the through that in there. After a month you have spent $140 on eating out (or $126 on my schedule). That's a new outfit complete with shoes! I usually have leftovers from my meals, so I just move them to lunches. How easy can that be? Throw food in dish (which you would be doing anyway), bring to work, heat, eat. To each his own, but I will be bringing my lunches and enjoying my new outfit.

Let's Go Braves!

In my quest for things to see and accomplish while I am living in Atlanta, I went to see a Braves game Thursday night. Not just any Braves game, but a free Braves game with transportation. In all honesty, that is pretty much the only way I do baseball games. I do not have enough outright love of the game to purchase a ticket. I go to hang out with people.

This particular outing was put on by LMents which is a Lockheed sponsored club for 0-5 year employees, aka - the younger generation. Most of these people I know from my bowling league so it was nice to hang with them again. We went to Atkins Park (local bar) to meet up before the game and then headed out on the bus.

On the bus we go and we magically arrive at the stadium. Turns out no one communicated we needed a parking pass to park there with the bus and so we had to go some secret special way. Whatever, we got there in time. We got our tickets and headed into the stadium. Turns out our seats were on the exact opposite side behind home plate and in the "oh my god, bring tissues" nosebleed section. It wasn't that bad aside from the slightly chilly weather with a breeze that would make you numb. The more people that left the colder it got. Anyway, we all kind of got settled and watched or tried to watch some of the game. I think I may have paid attention for 1 or 2 innings in total throughout the entire game. I will give you my highlights though.

One - The gianormous screen where all sorts of information is displayed. Wow and more wow.

Two - I waited probably a good inning or inning and a half to get the only things I wanted in the stadium. That's right, an overpriced beer and pretzel.

Three - These guys were my favorite and probably most underpaid people on the field. I cheered for them.

It was a good time and I was glad to go because I got out of it what I wanted. A chance to visit with people and to eat my beer and pretzel. I was happy. :)

On the Road Again

Ok, so keeping with my promise of many blogish things to write about I continue. Last weekend Bonnie and Alex got married in DC. Rob was in the wedding party so we got there Friday night for the rehearsal dinner and of course the ceremony on Saturday. It was a beautiful event and it was a good time getting to see everyone again.

What this blog entry is about though is more the journey there. It started leaving the complex the evening of Thursday the 12th. On our way out we got to see the famed, "place the trash on the hood of your car blocking your view while trying" trash removal technique. Too bad my camera wasn't at the ready because it was a sight. On our way to the highway, we also saw the most highly acclaimed driving move of a left on red. Meaning, the light had turned red, the driver stopped, then went. Not ran an orange light. I really don't understand how that is ok, but whatever.

We went onwards to Holly and Wade's without too much trouble aside from not knowing the exact exit to get off. Rob knew where he was going which was all that mattered because he was driving. We had a very enjoyable visit with them over cookie dough and the next morning we were off and running again. About 10am or so we decided to stop for gas and stretch our legs somewhere around NC/SC border. As far as memory served me anyway. Well where ever it was we stopped had to have been deep in the heart of freaksville. It was a true truckers stop with a dinner and chapel that was open for services. The bathrooms were just gross, however I found two things amusing while in there. One - they had a scent machine you put a quarter into to get a blast of a scent on you. How odd. Two - the womens bathroom had a door that lead to a shower but said, "CO-ED" on it. How creepy. Rob and I left rather quickly and feeling icky. Lunch was at a combo KFC and Taco Bell which was a little weird, but delicious as only Taco Bell can be. Or, I supposed as a KFC can be, but we got tacos so I can't say for certain.

We made it the rest of the way with only one accident in Richmond. I was flustered because I was driving. "Have your accidents on your own time! I have a wedding practice to get to!" Anywho, got there right on time. Whew! It's not exactly what I would call the journey that makes movies, but it was amusing.

Food Network Awards

First let me just say, I have plenty of blogish things I wanted to write about but something took the cake. The Food Network Cake! And so I must write about that first.

For those who do not know, the Food Network hosted it's very first Food Network Awards. For those that do know, welcome to my circle of dorkiness (FYI - apparently not a real word). I received an email from my beloved Wegmans announcing that they had in fact taken the cake in the Food Network Awards winning the Super Market Category for Building a better grocery store. Happy Dance!!

I grew up with Wegmans and quite possibly, no wait, absolutely have been spoiled by them. I have come to expect what they deliver without hesitation from every other grocery chain. Needless to say, this often times leaves me disappointed and frustrated by my shopping experience when I shop at other places. I love to cook and cooking sometimes requires unique ingredients that I know without even checking will be at Wegmans. Not so with many other chains.

Their outstanding customer service, produce freshness and selection, along with ethnic grocery section has made them jump ahead of the other guys. People will often complain about their price, but honestly, most of the time they are cheaper on the items you frequently buy. On things that matter, i.e. - fish, meats, etc, if you find them for cheaper, it's probably lower quality.

If you are close enough to go into one and check it out, do it. Make it something you would do like go to the park. Just wander around and look at everything. And for those in the DC area, I know all theirs have the cafeteria side to them, so go for a meal and enjoy!

www.wegmans.com

Swing and a Miss

My first softball practice was tonight. First softball practice in what may very well be 10 years. I did little to no preparation for this, including putting off finding a glove until yesterday. Thank you Amanda for the use of yours.

This was an interesting practice. We did the normal ball tossing then fielding and hitting the ball, but there were a good number of people there who weren't going to be playing with us tomorrow night. They were using us to help practice for a March of Dimes game Saturday. To be quite honest, I have no idea who is really on my team. I think I know about 3 other people besides the coach. I guess tomorrow I will see who shows up.

What's good to know is I apparently retained nothing from my days in middle school. I couldn't catch a ball to save my life after the initial warm ups were done. Pop fly to wherever I was and I would miss it by inches. If I sneezed I am sure I would have caught at least half of them. And! Just as a tip in case anyone was wondering, your big toe is no substitute for your glove. I tried it. Twice. Ouch.

I am pretty sure my arm is going to turn to mush at some point. The ringing through my hands and up through my arms tells me I didn't hit the ball right. Sometimes it was good and sometimes it felt as though someone shocked my arm. I am sure I will pick up on how to hit. Investing in a bat and going to a batting cage might help. I am not sure I want to put that much effort in.

In any event, I have 5-6 months of making myself look like a freaken retarded monkey out on the field. At bat... well I can't say that will be any different. Maybe I will get the star for most improved.

Happy Easter

Car Mayhem

When I woke up this morning I noticed something rather odd. My neighbor's car seemed to be missing the rear drivers side wheel. The tire, lug nuts, the works. I just thought they had done some work or whatever on it and didn't give it too much attention. I did think it was weird that the car seemed to be propped up with cement drainage run off blocks. Then again I live in a complex with people who do some of the strangest things anyway such as putting their trash on the hood of their car in front of the drivers seat.

After seeing the police car pull up, I realized there may be more to this than I thought. Turns out someone stole the wheel. Who does that? I mean when I get a flat I usually go to the store, purchase another tire and move on. I guess it was easier to steal a tire in the middle of the night in freezing cold weather (last night it was around 30s) and find 3 cement drainage run off blocks stack them up to prop the car up with and the run off with the wheel. Oie!

I had a little bit of my own car trouble. I went out to check my tires and car out to see if I had anything amiss there, but it checked out until I couldn't get into my car. I figured my car clicker was dead so I borrowed Rob's car to get another battery. Changed it out and still nothing. Then I remembered I cleaned my car out and when I do that it can run the battery down (I use a car dust buster). So my line of thought was great, my car had enough power to lock itself but not to unlock itself. Awesome! I had tried to manually unlock my car without success, but that's because apparently I didn't do it right. I am spoiled by technology and it has made me ignorant. After figuring out how to get into my car, Rob came to my rescue to jump the battery. Turns out while I was cleaning my car, I hit the parking lights to the on position and didn't notice which is what ran my battery down. Sometimes it's just one of those days.

Bit O' Southern

I don't know what came over me in that last post! I guess the south assimilated me and now I have the ability to speak redneck! ACK!!! I try to regain some northern heritage by looking at pictures of snow and embracing being a Yankee.

Seriously though, I am growing a garden and I think it's super cool. They are starting to sprout already and this seriously will keep me occupied for weeks! I'll grow pretty flowers and my cats will eat them, how awesome!

On and another note, the radio station I listen to does a south of I-20 word of the day. Some of them are pretty good. For those of you who don't get the I-20 reference, it's just the southern-er part of Atlanta which they make fun of. That I think started the transition the redneckness. If I start to wear camo, I want someone to shoot me.

5th Grade Science Projeck

Remember when yo' were in 5th grade an' th' skoo marm had yo' does a biology projeck wif seeds? Wal ah's cornduckin' mah own mad as a weasel in a blender scientist experiments right in mah own household! Fry mah hide! *Twilight Music*

On over this hyar past weekend ah went shoppin' an' bought some seeds t'plant. ah figger this hyar is a great idea fo' two reasons. One - It's cornsiderably cheaper buyin' seeds an' plantin' them in neighbo'ly aban'oned dirt thet yo' didn't pay fo' than buyin' th' already bloomin' plants an' plantin' them. Two - It kin add excitement t'yo' daily life t'watch these thin's grow. Whuffo' this hyar mo'nin' ah went down t'check on them an''d yo' believe af'er only four days of bein' planted, they is sproutin' already? It's amazin'. This hyar sh'd keep me fine intertained fo' weeks. Plus ah git t'say, "ah grew thet! Fry mah hide!"

ah have quite an asso'tment of flowers some of which ah know, marigolds an' sweet pea, some ah doesn't, th' trimenjus pink flowers an' th' ones thet look like impatients. ah's a-gonna photograph this hyar experience t'show progress. Sh'd be quite neat. :)