Needed Change

Want to hear an interestingly sad statistic? The ratio of the American dollar to the Euro is the same ratio of Men’s vs Women’s pay scales, where for every dollar a man makes, a woman makes roughly $0.75.

Sure, men can work longer hours because most men who choose to have families are allowed to do so.

Sure, women who choose to have families tend to sacrifice time at the office because most women are expected to do so.

Is the professional input of a man's brainpower vs. a women's brainpower really different? I think all people have valuable input in business and in life, and I think it's bogus that corporate America boasts equal opportunity, but is a .25/dollar pay scale difference based upon a sexual organ REALLY equal?

I call BS.

For people out there who don't think the difference is a big deal, go to Europe and tell me you don't feel like it's expensive....after all, 25 cents per dollar spent really adds up.

Just sayin'.
Just

Dear Perkins,

I visited store #3678 with a neighbor for dinner last night. We were immediately seated, and the restaurant was more than half empty. While waiting to be greeted and have our beverage order placed, I noticed only two servers tending to tables. Again, the restaurant was not particularly busy, but the two servers did seem a bit overwhelmed. Immediately, I also noticed that while there were two servers running around with the majority of the tables, two additional servers and the manager on duty were sitting at a table on the side of the restaurant rolling silverware and hanging out.
We sat at our table (with two three-year-olds, mind you) for twenty minutes before we were greeted by an employee. I could tell by the look on Rae's face (our server) that she was extremely overwhelmed. She took our order and was on her way.
An hour later we received our food.
I feel the food time was completely unacceptable, but do not hold our server responsible.
The person who upset me the most in this situation was the manager on duty. Throughout our entire wait, the manager continued to sit at a table with two other staff members while our server was running around overwhelmed and ultimately neglecting tables due to the lack of support from management. One of the servers sitting with the manager on duty placed a food order, received her food order and ate her food.
While our server was cashing out another table, the manager on duty brought a box to our table. At no time did the manager ask how our food was. In fact, I had to casually stop the manager and ask her if there was a reason why our food took an hour to make (which consisted of a salad, chicken tender melt, dollar pancakes and a kids grilled cheese).
She responded by having the audacity to tell me the restaurant was extremely busy and the kitchen only had two cooks. Her tone was off putting and very unprofessional. I could not believe my ears. I've been in the restaurant industry for years and I would love for you to run the numbers on what this store brought in last night. I am extremely confident that if you did so, you would find she was overstaffed and had low sales. Not once while we were in this restaurant were all of the tables full, nor was there a wait list for people to be seated.
I would also like to note that while we were waiting the hour for our food, three tables in the restaurant who had been seated after us, and had similar food orders as my table, received and paid for their food before my table had received our food.
After assertively approaching the manager on duty, I noticed she pulled Rae aside. Rae returned to our table and offered us desert, but at that point, I did not feel like staying in the restaurant due to my disdain for how the situation had been handled by the manager on duty. I feel very strongly that the manager should have reproached us and am very disappointed she did not do so.
While taking my son to the bathroom, Rae brought us a few pieces of pie in a to-go box, which was very kind on her behalf. Unfortunately a few of pieces of pie do not excuse the principal of the matter (the lack of professionalism, organization and support and poor communication skills from her lack luster manager). I can only hope this letter will prompt the General Manager to take a closer look at how poor the management at this location is. I can be quite certain I will not return to this location until I have been made fully aware that this will never happen again.
I have a copy of the check should you need to review it.
If asked what the best part of my experience at this establishment was, I can only come up with two things. The first being the great smelling bathrooms, and the second was leaving. Should you have any further questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to contact me.

I'm Glad...

I love music, but I have only been to a handful of concerts. Most of the shows have been during music festivals such as X-Fest or WEFest. In fact, the only shows I have been to that WEREN'T a part of a music festival were two NSYNC shows (no, you didn't read that wrong...).
That being said, I purchased a ticket to the upcoming Gretchen Wilson show at the Myth...and I'm REALLY excited!
I've heard rumors that she's not the most personable to her fans...but there IS such a thing as separating work with personal life (something that Brittney FAILED AT MISERABLY). Gretchen has my complete and total respect. One of my favorite songs to jam to (lately) is California Girls:

I ain’t never had a problem with California
There’s a lot of good women from Sacramento to Carona
But them Hollywood types after a while wear on ya
Struttin around in their size zeros
Skinny little girls no meat on their bones
Never even heard of George Jones

Ain’t you glad we ain’t all California girls
Ain’t you glad there’s still a few of us left
That knows how to rock your world
Ain’t afraid to eat fried chicken and dirty dance to Merle
Ain’t you glad we ain’t all California girls

There ain’t nothing wrong with plastic surgery
Well Dolly Parton never looked so good to me
Everybody ought to be exactly who they want to be
But that Paris Hilton gets under my skin
With her big fake smile and her painted on tan
She’d never have a chance at a real man

(Chorus: x2)

Now...I understand that there's some grammar issues here, but the message is pretty good, and exactly how I feel right now :)

I may not be thin, but I'm damn proud of who I am...and I think that matters the most in life! (stepping off of my soapbox now...)

An Answer.

Oh.My.God. If I hear the Roseanne radio commercial where she talks about her vegas show, and you can tell she's reading a script, and the local dj's ALSO record scripted questions. SERIOUSLY! I might be forced to rip my ears off...and that wouldn't be a lot of fun for me.

ANYWAYS....

Onto answering Mandy's question:

If you had a chance to move anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I can feel my mind wandering to far off places right now. If you asked me this question pre-little man, I would answer without hesitation: New York City. However...it's not the best place to be single raising a toddler....SOOOO....hmmm, I'm a bit stumped. I am going to do myself a favor and rephrase the question so I can answer it :) If money were not an obstacle, I would move to a US coast, so I would have easy access to the ocean, as well as an international airport to travel back to MN in the spring and fall to enjoy the weather and see my parents and extended family.
I still have a lot of traveling ahead of me, so an living close to an international airport would be important and until I experience other parts of the world. I don't feel I'm educated enough (geographically speaking) to fairly weigh my options of moving to a different country. Do I want to visit Europe, South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand? OF COURSE! But until I experience their culture firsthand, I can't pinpoint where my dream home or area of the world would be.

Wow...what a lot of unnecessary rambling! I hope I answered your question!!

Rainbows and Butterflies.

Black Coffee...I just don't get it. How can a person drink something hot that leaves your mouth with an extremely bitter, unpleasant aftertaste? To me, drinking coffee straight black is like waking up, going down on a guy, and swallowing EVERY MORNING...It just doesn't make sense (that is, unless money is involved, or, they happen to tuck their shirts into their underware...I digress)!!

How do people resist adding sugar and cream/milk? It turns a hot, bitter drink into a smooth, deliciously nutty beverage. The cream and the milk enhance the coffee flavor, so instead of destroying your taste buds, they are treated to hot ice cream. It's genius!

I know people say they were conditioned to drinking straight coffee, just like they were conditioned to drink nasty keg beer in college. Once you grow up, you realize that there is more to beer than nasty bush light...so why don't people realize there's more to coffee like that with sugar and cream/milk? Let me repeat myself: I just.don't.get.it.

I'm now convinced whoever can stomach drinking straight coffee and swallowing in the morning, and also enjoys Bush Light keg beer is a terrorist. Watch out, Georgie Bush Jr. is gonna get ya!

I wonder how John McCain and Barack Obama take their coffee? Now THAT'S a good question!

Look! A Bandwagon...Count me IN

I am not one to keep my mouth shut when frustration overcomes me. This is one of those moments. I am not attacking ANYONE, so I hope you don't become offended with what I am about to say, or how I have phrased myself. I know I've gotten into trouble with a few people in the past based on what I've posted on here, but I do not believe in censoring myself...so please, I ask you, if you have any issues, feel FREE to discuss them with me...Thanks.

Call me a girl who jumps on the bandwagon..but I cannot resist commenting about the Palin issue that seems to have so many of my friends heated up.
I am a bit unsettled by their willingness to outright say "Palin is an idiot." I am equally unsettled because almost all of the comments about Palins' lack of intelligence seem outright cruel.

Do I have respect for how she is portraying women? Of course not.
What I do have respect for is the ingenious angle the McCain Palin ticket is taking. They are obviously targeting the population of America who is less educated, and is yearning for a person who seems to be normal in office. A person who has no problem using the same slang terms they use in everyday life. A person who reaches out to them with English they understand. You may not agree with the McCain campaign, but I think they're winning more votes than you can imagine through portraying Palin in this light.

Do I personally agree with winking at the camera, giving shout outs in the middle of a VP debate, or using slang's like "you betcha" "doggone-it" and "Joe Sixpack"? HELLZ NO. But again, their campaign has focused her angle on reaching out to the less educated American looking for "a normal person" to be in the White House. Their tactics cannot be phrased in a simpler mannor.

I firmly believe all of the people I know are educated enough to be able to take a breath, and step outside of their liberal or conservative ways. I believe we all need to slow down for a moment, step outside of our comfort zone, and put ourselves in the shoes of each of the candidates for president. Not one of them should be labeled an idiot. All of them are standing where they are for a reason. They are all extremely intelligent, and are also more capable of doing a good job than we are letting ourselves believe.

I will cast my vote when the time comes, however I still haven't been able to reach a decision about who it will be for. I have a lot of researching, reading and listening to do. I hope you do the same.

Anyone care to help me off of this extremely high soap box?

Ode to the Durse

You're big.
You can carry my load.
Every time I need to find something, you seem like a black hole.
You've made me feel secure outside of my comfort zone.
Most importantly, you've been there for me, through make-up blunders and dirty diapers.

As a 23 year old single mother, I had to come up with a creative resolution to carrying both a diaper bag AND a purse.

I've always had a love hate relationships with purses (doesn't that seem as if it should be purseai? Ya know, like syllabus::syllabai, HA! AS IF). I was rarely able to fit my necessities in the cute purses, but couldn't bring myself to buy a "bag."

I was stuck in the middle, and not liking it.

Then, little man came along and I'd be damned if I didn't leave the house stocked with baby supplies that could last me a week if need be. Enter, my Durse.

It wasn't sold in the baby section of target, but I refuse to call it a bag because I'm stubborn like that. It was fashionable and practical for me and my baby. If you are a new parent, don't waste your money on a diaper bag, just go straight for the durse. If you're a sexually active person, invest in a durse instead of another cute impractical purse...trust me, it'll be worth it later ;)

Call me crazy. Call me inventive. Just don't call me a bag lady.

Relationships

For a long time, I was never comfortable in social situations. I had a looming feeling that I needed to impress people, and would never fail to say something obsurd or annoying. It was never intentional, it's just something that always seemed to happen.
Some things haven't changed, however, one important thing has. This past week, I met up with some great people I hadn't seen in years. We were brought together again because of the passing of a high school classmate. Although I hadn't spoken with this classmate since high school, I felt an extremely strong urge to honor him, his life, his family and his friends by attending his services. I had known him since elementary school, and it was the least I could do.
His untimely passing gave all of us a shining opportunity to catch up with each other. I wish it were under better circumstances, but I am so thankful I was able to spend time with these people.
When I arrived home after spending a night with these people, I was struck with an amazing realization. For the first time, I felt like myself around this particular group of people. The feelings of expectation had faded from my inner conscious. It was a simple night. It was a great night. I hope there are many more of these nights to come.

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Particularly, around this "time of the month" I tend to get a bit down about the way my life is going. I have dozens of people I know, but this "time of the month" never fails to whisper in my ear that I don't have many people who are besties. I feel saddened by this and only blame myself...but somethings are not to blame, and although I'm the first to point the finger at "me", I know I am just being a bit melodramatic.

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All of the thoughts running through my head are stark reminders that relationships are valuable and precious. Friends, family, acquaintances and peers. All are delicate. All deserve the utmost respect. All are what make us rounded individuals.

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I am one who tends to shrug these types of feelings off with a "meh." I have the feeling(s), I let them out, I go to bed, and I wake up with a smile on my face in the morning. Maybe that's weird to some...but to me, it's what I do best. If you stuck with this post for this long...Thank you (or should I be saying I'm sorry. hehehe).

Happy Anniversary!

As of today, I've been in my current position for a year. It is a milestone of time that has flown past my eyes in a glorious and enjoyable whirlwind. My coworkers are amazing. The work is steady. My boss is unbelievably supportive of my professional and personal life. At times, it feels like my own personal utopia...and I love every second of it.
I never envisioned myself as a part of the corporate world...more so, I never fathomed actually enjoying the majority of my time spent working.
Maybe I love the company I am currently receiving my paychecks from because I respect them and their business decisions. I had previously worked in a horrible politically motivated environment. Switching positions and companies has given me a breath of fresh air that I enjoy breathing in every morning as my alarm goes off to start my day.
I am so thankful for the opportunities I've been fortunate for this past year. I am extremely excited for the opportunities my company is providing for my future. I've got a cheesy grin on my face, and I don't see it going away anytime soon.

Uh-Hmmm..

Dear Smokers,

I'm not hating on you right now. Yes, it's your right to smoke. I'll admit, if I'm in an EXTREMELY rebellious mood, I'll pretend to be one of you, and cough my way through a cancer stick cigarette (honestly though, that may happen only once a year....really)

I won't lie to ya. Since MN passed their anti-smoking in public establishments law, I've been at ease when going out in public. I know smoking your heater gives you a nicotine buzz (I will never share in with you), it makes my eyes water, my nose itch, and my clothes stink.

One last thing. Can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop standing RIGHT OUTSIDE the public doors? I'm not trying to take anymore of your "rights" away..just sayin. It's no fun for me to walk outside if I'm barraged by your smoke. In fact, it makes me avoid going outside (specifically when I'm at work) altogether. So if you could be so kind to abide by my requests..that would be great. Then, I wouldn't have to move your desk to storage room B...in the basement...or hide your swingline.

Sincerely,
Miz

Friday

Friday Friday Friday. Just about the only thing I've enjoyed lately is going to my job. It still manages to provide a safe environment for me. I am so thankful.
Work has been a bit chaotic...but I've come to recognize it as a peaceful chaos. In past positions, I found myself getting easily bored. In this position, there is always something new that is thrown my way. A new challenge I can take head on. People asking me their opinion, and me reaching out to get their opinions. It is a place of professionalism. It is a place I am not ashamed to call my second home.
At the office, we're sometimes very similar to a big family. We share laughs together. We get serious when we need to be. We sometimes fault and talk about one another...but the maliciousness passes faster than it lasts (thank god for that!). The camaraderie surmounts most offices I've come across.
Even though the past week (give or take) has thrown me its curve balls, I believe all things happen for a reason. I believe my reason for finding this office was to give me hope for my future (particularly my professional one).
One thing I've learned the hard way in the past year and a half, is you can't control everything in life. What life's lesson's has reminded me of is what I do have control over. I'm glad work has given me something to be positive about....
Please excuse the lack of coherency in this post. I really have had a long week...and I'm writing this WAY past my bedtime!
Happy Friday!

PSA

To skinny, tan, half-brained girls: If you are going to go to a bar to drink, do NOT ask the bartender if there is going to be Michelobe 64 (A 3:2 BEER!) on tap...Also, if out at a bar, do not look at said chubby girl (cough::me::cough) and tell her that you only ordered a 3:2 beer because "well, at the end of the night...I like to count my calories." If you strictly feel the need to fit in with your pretty-boy friends by counting the liquid calories you are consuming, maybe you shouldn't drink AT ALL. Reality check bizzo...Drinking isn't supposed to be about calorie counting. It's about social interaction and having a good time. Don't ruin it for people like me by acting like the poster child of an eating disorder.

A Bitch On Wheels

WARNING: Language suitable for a sailor....dead ahead!

I.AM.CRABBY....not just crabby, but also a huge bitch on wheels. I can attribute my ginormous attitude to PMS. I can also attribute it to a few stressful situations in my life, including getting over a virus, getting little sleep during my bout with the nasty virus, the constant abuse from a toddler, a lot of extra responsibility at work, and being told (in slightly different words) that I wasn't taking responsibility for the well being of little-man. Fuck you.
I know there are a combination of different stressors in my life, and I shouldn't take everything out on one person...but when someone, anyone, has the audacity to tell me I'm not putting little-man first all I can say is Fuck You. My tone does not entail a raised voice. My tone is dry, and straight to the point.
For this person's information, I HAVE BEEN PUTTING THIS LITTLE GUY FIRST SINCE THE DAY I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT! Wow...can ya sense the hostility? (GUILTY!)
I know everyone has everyday stress they deal with. I can empathize...but I refuse to tolerate someone acting like a victim. And, as life has shown tonight, if you act like a victim to this mama, especially when this mama is a bitch on wheels, I'll set ya straight...fo rizzy yo.
I really get heated when someone not only offends my parenting styles, but also finds it acceptable to go out drinking on a work night until 10pm. This same person refuses to be at my house until 8:30 (because that is when I am scheduled to arrive home from a same-day work trip), because being out until 8:30 and NOT being at a bar getting wasted is just something they cannot handle...it will totally deprive them of sleep and make them have a bad day at work....BULLSHIT!
At times like this I really really really wish that little-man had two different families to love him and help support me raise him. Particularly, grandparents who find every second spent with their grandchildren a joy, not a chore... When I find my companion, his family will not chose booze over their own family....one can only hope..
Again, I wish I was gifted with words so I could paint the full picture. My writing reminds me of the most abstract artwork you could imagine....like something painted by an elephant, although, some people would actually PAY for an elephant painting...and I would probably have to pay someone to read my rants....fucking life right?!

YOU WILL NOT WIN!

Why is it, when you have every intention of having a fantastic day, the traffic gods throw a million extra cars on the road, in a sad attempt to start your "great day" off rotten???? I will not let the traffic gods prevail! I will still have a fantastic day, even though I was only 3 minutes early instead of my usual 20...

My Productivity so far today:

* Found 2 new blogs that I will probably start reading on a regular basis.
* Read/wrote in my blog for about 2 hours (I should really cut my blog time down..but it's a happy addiction that I just can't seem to break!)
* Produced 15 Emergency cards, with lamination

So far, my day hasn't been as productive as one would have hoped...but there's still a few more hours for me to make it up to myself! :)

Politics

I have decided I am going to make a label specifically for politics. I think I am going to have a lot to say regarding the upcoming election over the next few months.
As I was channel flipping tonight, I ran across the live Democratic debate on CNN. For the first time, I can truly say I have faith the government will change if Hilary or Obama becomes our next president. Maybe my hopes will be crushed, but at the same time, maybe they won't be. These two candidates are so passionate about politics. Does that mean they're going to tell me what I want to hear, and then let me down once they're in the White House? I certainly hope not. I feel the scrutiny from the American public would be far too harsh. Obama stated that the percentage of voters turning out for the primaries has more than doubled during the current caucuses. I feel that if they're campaign is getting people motivated to become involved, then the American public will not tolerate another ridiculous presidency like we've had to endure the past seven years. Both Hilary and Obama were so civil with each other. It was almost as powerful as when they were close to tearing each others' throats out a couple of weeks ago. Hilary made a comment that had me laughing. She said it "took one Clinton to clean up after the first Bush administration, and it's going to take another Clinton to clean up after the second."
If you haven't been following the campaigns, I strongly encourage you to start. It's a long ride ahead for all of the candidates involved, but I am optimistic the country will finally get the comfort in knowing they will have a strong leader when the ride is over.

Get a Room!

I don't know how to phrase this in a way where I don't come off as a total prude..but at this point, I don't care.
I live above a nympho....and he's not very quiet about it. He is the type of guy who overcompensates with what he doesn't have by always making sure he's driving a brand new car. He drives me up a wall! And what ticks me off even more is the fact that he always brings home these RANDOM girls and f@#ks them....loud....at 11pm....what an ass. I say F@#K because that is the only thing you can really label it as....these girls let out these fake ass screams, and it's right below my bed.
The worst part about it is I'll see him as I'm walking to my car, and tell him to keep it down...and all the asshole does is snicker. I really can't wait until he moves out, or until I do, because the live porno soundtrack is going to drive me nuts more sooner than later. I am restraining myself from banging on the floor, but I think that would only boost his ego, and I am NOT about to do that....grrrr

Warning...Venting Ahead

I will continue to say this until I am blue in the face! Why do people in minnesota act like they are orginally from hawaii whenever it snows?! Last night, my commute was slow and extremely painful...I can understand this if the conditions were horrible, but there was only a mere dusting on the roads. Yes, we need to be more cautious after snow falls, but slamming on the breaks because a snowflake is blown in front of your car is outright rediculous!
This morning, I left my house twenty minutes early for fear of the rediculous traffic...and it was a good thing! I was surrounded by extremely heavy traffic (which hasn't been this bad in a loooong time)...Then, there was the bozo in his 4x4 Chevy truck who decided to cut across an exit lane. I wish I could write this down so people could understand how idiotic this guy was...If I had superpowers he would have been toast as far as I'm concerned!
I have heard that immediately venting about stresses can actually harm your health, so this morning, I waited a good half hour before writing this (and my thoughts had not changed in that time, so I felt it was appropriate to vent)

Dirrrrty

If you don't follow politics, I would suggest watching the current democratic debates. With the writers strike in full force, the democratic debates seem to have as much drama as desperate housewives! (ok..not really as much, but holy cow were they heated tonight!!)
I am very excited to see how the primaries end up in the months to come. I am not a very political person, but I do vote because I feel it gives me the right to voice my likes and dislikes about our political leaders. After little-man came into my life, I felt an even stronger urge to become interested in politics for the sake of my family and the future for little-man. I am still, like many of my friends, completely undecided about who I am rooting for in the democratic/presidential race...but I'm totally ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy some great old fashioned debating. I think it is fantastic to see two real people standing behind the podium, instead of robotic middle aged people who are afraid to get down and dirty. I really am excited...and that's the first time I can say that about American politics in my entire life!

Hello

When is the last time you said "Hi" to a stranger while walking down the hall? As I was returning from my daily walk, I decided I was going to smile and say hi to people as I walked towards my office. Not in a creepy way, but in a "I hope you're having a great day even though I don't know you" kind of way. I only passed two people. One said Hi, and was very kind. The other said Hi, but was very taken aback.
Remember back to when you were in high school and you would say hi to EVERYONE when you were passing between classes? Freshman year of college was fairly friendly too. Somewhere along the lines, people stopped saying hi, stopped being friendly and started averting eye contact. How and why does this happen? Saying a friendly hello is completely harmless, and actually gives you a nice feeling inside.
I challenge you to say hi to complete strangers....not just a smile and nod, but an actual "hi" or "hello". It gave me a great feeling today, and maybe it will do the same for you :)

I.AM.GENIUS

I have been receiving daily emails from WCCO entailing a "watercooler" subject (which is just a random news story that is work appropriate to talk about) and also about the "Good Question" they are covering on the 10pm news. Today, the Good Question is one that I actually submitted. If you look back to my post from November 29 you will see that I was ranting about not getting a response to why songs get stuck in your head.....Well I'll be darned...Today, the good question is "Why do songs get stuck in our heads?" I should get royalties from this story! It was all my idea...ALL MINE ;)