My Day Off...

So, turns out...even on my day off, i find ways to be on the computer.

i took the day off because i was seriously feeling like i was going insane, or brain dead...either way, i needed a break. there are only so many assessments and care plans that one can do in a row without losing all sense of sanity. And in my business, we are trying to keep people from the brink of 'going crazy', so i figured i need to give myself the same care that we try to give our members, and have some 'me time'. I also glad i took the day off because...a few weeks ago my boss at the restaurant asked if i could help out more during the week. now, i know that i have a problem with saying no when people need help, and i think i can handle anything, so i said, 'Sure, let me know what days you need help with and i'll see what i can do'. Sunday his wife came to me and asked if i could work Wednesday and i said 'ok' (for the record: i have told her no in the past, and usually dictate my schedule completely, so i'm not a complete pushover!!). So, not only did i nearly lose sanity at my real job, i then had to run home, let my pooch out for 3 minutes and head out to work from 5-10pm as a server (please don't call pet control on me...i know that's near abuse...i'm making up for it today!!). Thanks to constantly telling myself 'you don't have to work tomorrow', and the fact that 4 cops at the end of my shift that gave me a $12 tip, i made $50 and came home to finish an episode of Sex and the City and head to bed.

this morning has been pretty productive. Of course i couldn't sleep in past 7:45am, but laying in bed for 45 minutes, knowing you don't HAVE to get up, and you won't be going to work is beyond heaven. i decided to get up and shower before Oprah at 9. I'm not a huge fanatic Oprah lover, but when i don't work, i try to watch her, just cause i can. Problem #1: getting up after 7am usually means there's no hot water left in the building, and today was no exception. I had to wash my hair in the sink with semi-warm water...urgh. Problem #2: i decided to cut my hair but got a little scissor happy and it's a little shorter than i had originally meant. Oops!! Problem #3: Five minutes after starting Oprah, (i was still cutting my hair), i heard from the tv the music that comes when there's a 'special news update' that interrupts regular programing. So, instead of watching Oprah and why getting older is great and no one should be afraid of it cause there are so many great things out there to do etc...i had to watch BUSH, yes Sir President, in a press conference, in which he continued to talk shit about how we're not in a recession and how our national security is at stake and we're all DOOMED if he's not allowed to listen in on all of our personal phone calls. I really only watched cause i was hoping that it wouldn't be very long and i could get back to Oprah. Of course it was over 2 minutes before the hour and with commercials, i didn't see Oprah anymore. Stupid Bush. But h was able to do laundry and make myself pancakes and eggs..yum!!

Anyways...the Real reason i took off today is because i've decided to look into other housing options. I think i wrote a while back about looking at buying a home, and then decided i didn't want to at the time. I'm still not convinced i should, but i don't feel like i did enough research to know for sure that it's not right for me. I spent last friday evening with some friends, all of whom essentially ganged up on me and said i'm crazy if i don't buy b/c it's such a great investment. I'm not jumping into it, but i'm giving it another look, a real look. I'm also interested in looking at other rental options. I feel like though i Love where i live and really couldn't ask for better, i'm sick of freezing in my apartment, with no relief from the landlords and i need to find something else for next year. i've been looking in two different neighborhoods that have somewhat cheaper rent, but they are much farther from downtown than i am now...so it's a struggle to know what to do. Also, two friends of mine recently found out that they'll be moving into an apartment close to mine, and two other friends already live within short walking distances...so leaving this area would really suck. I'm just not sure i can find anything else around here comparable in price that will let me have my dog...

so, my quest for the afternoon is to get information so that i can figure out what i'm going to do, or at least start the process...

we'll see!!

Tonight's plans include going to see a play 'A Steady Rain' , and then tomorrow night is The General, an old silent film by Buster Keaton music by the Chicago Symphony. I'm so excited:):):)

how to spend over $250 in 45 minutes while at work....

so. today began as any other stressful, packed day...and i got a little cocky...thinking i could do it all. oh how quickly 'the universe' put me back in my place!!

one of my client's State IDs broke like two years before we started working with him. today i decided that i was going to take him downtown to the Secretary of State/DMV to get him a new one. We'd be there before lunch, so it shouldn't've been too busy. And it wasn't. we waited about 30 minutes and then he went (i wasn't allowed to go with him) to get his pic taken and wait for the ID to be made. (It's cool in IL cause you don't have to wait for it to come in the mail like in NY) now...parking around the city is impossible, and i HATE spending $14.00 for anything less than the whole day:)...so i did a 'keep the blinkers on cause i'm really not going to be very long' move and i essencially made my client run with me to the building and back. i figured i might get a ticket, but i've parked there before and nothing happened so i figured i'd risk it. i even relaxed a bit while i was being hit on by a cute guy waiting for his friend to get a new ID...hehe...
we nearly ran back to the car only to turn the corner and ...OMG my car WASN"T THERE. i had a client with me, a full day of visits and paper work and NO CAR. not to mention it was below freezing outside and using my phone to call 311 didn't really work well. she couldn't find my license plate at the pound yet, but put me through anyways...and thank goodness, my car was there already. Also, the only reason i didn't completely panic was because i had my wallet with me... i grabbed a cab (paid for with plastic) got my car from the pound (paid for with plastic) and in a matter of an hour and a half i had paid almost $200 to get my car back...not to mention the $60 ticket that i had gotten before the car was towed. it all happened so fast i still can't believe it happened...like, seriously...

i think i should've just paid $14 for parking in the first place...just a thought.

Valentine's Day

it's just Thursday people, get over it!!

some people say God has a sense of humor

sometimes i don't think he's very funny...

last weekend...

so, last weekend was the benefit, the one i debated going to because of my eye problems...well. i went. even though i said i probably wouldn't. like i wouldn't go at all. oh well.

the reason for the benefit was for a bunch of rich people...i mean, uh, to raise money for one of the programs at the church i go to. it's a great program and the church i attend on a semi-regular basis is one of the richest in the city, so i guess i shouldn't been surprised. i'm not really, but it's crazy...all these old people that can come to an event like that and just get whatever they want...oh the lives we lead...anyways. so, raising money for good causes is good.the theme of the benefit was Carnival...but the only thing that was like a Carnival was a bunch of masks that were given out throughout the night. oh, and an old guy that brought his own and kept it on the Whole night..it had tassles and everything. i wish i'd gotten a picture, though i think it May have been somewhat inappropriate!! i got to attend because i volunteered, which meant i got to show people how to bid on silent auction items in case they didn't know what was going on. i also was able to direct them towards the restroom if needed. i felt very important!! actually, myself and a girl i kind of know were put 'in charge' of the art section...so some of the bidding was for pieces that started at $40, but some started...STARTED at over $3000. seriously. and those pieces got fought over...amazing!! so, at 8:30pm we were able to go to the volunteer room, and eat dinner, a separate dinner than the people who actually bought the meals...and then we were free to roam and enjoy the same privileges as the non-volunteers. i had some friends who volunteered, and some who didn't...and we all gathered on the dance floor to break it down. except...and no offense to those of you who are married...but i'm not a huge fan of reception dances that include lame music that no one really dances to...and this is what happened. so we ended up going home...and that was that. i also realized how sadly pale i am...especially in the dead of winter. it is a sad truth...yet...it is what it is...

good times, good times....

2 things...

1)ok, so one of my favorite quotes from That 70's Show is from the episode when Eric's dad has recently had a heart attack. they're back home and Eric is talking to his parents in the kitchen...

Kitty: Eric, we have to keep your father calm, so no shenanigans.
Eric: Oh, mom, I haven't shenaniganned in six years. I've hooliganned, I've no-good-nicked, I've ne'er-do-welled, I've rabble-roused...
Red: Will you shut up!

it's better when you see the episode...

2)i'm SOOO glad that Mitt Romney is out of the Presidential race (sorry sis) he's an ass and i'm glad he's gone. in his exiting speech he said:

that if he continued [in the race] it would "be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win" and that he cannot let his campaign "be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

cause Obama and Clinton are Really advocating "A Surrender to Terrorism", so yeah, it's good that he made sure that won't happen...THANK YOU MITT ROMNEY. (check your sarcasm-ometer cause it's showing pretty high right now)

he's such an ass...i haven't liked him from the get-go, like i think he's a sleeze,
New Hampshire Debates from 1/5/08...i don't care if he's losing the fight in the campaign, but how is that comment constructive in any way? it's NOT. it's divicive and destructive. ONE leader does have to emerge from this election, and with statements and attitudes like that, how would ONE country, which includes all of the people he's completely insulting, back him and give him Any respect? They wouldn't...I wouldn't...he should have left a long time ago.

this one was funny too...

i can't believe the Patriot's Lost...

I seriously can't believe the Giants won, though with just over 2 minutes left, and the ball in Giant's possession, i kind of felt like they'd pull through...damn Eli. i know i'm from New York, so i'm kind of proud of them, plus i always go for the underdog, so...what was i thinking?? when i was in college, Tom Brady was THE quarterback...as he was playing for MI at the time, so nostalgia pulls me toward the Patriots. I've never cared about the Giants. If i was gonna go for an NFL New York team it would be the Bills. Also, i was the only one at the party that wasn't a die hard Giants fan, so i technically was still going for the underdog. Plus, how cool would an undefeated season be...seriously.

anyways, this was my favorite commercial...


We watched it a few times with TiVo at my friend's place, because it totally cracked me up. My friend's husband thought it was hilarious that i asked how to get back to "real time"...as in, the game on TV, not our actual time...i thought it was a legit question...he thought i sounded rediculous. For those non-TiVo-owning people out there...where's the love??

this one was funny too, but not as much...


btw, this is what it looks like outside my apartment right now...i'm gonna have to dig my car out tomorrow for sure!!