Life just goes on...

Well, I have not been able to get my grades because Cybereg is down. So I cant know what my teacher gave me. I think he was slightly unhappy I chose to skip the presentation part of the final...but what's a girl to do?
I watched Day after Tomorrow, tonight. Its an awesome movie. I liked it. We watched cheaper by the dozen as well tonight. My mom was crying by the end of that one. She was sad they were so mean to Fed-ex... But mainly she thought it was so cool the way the dad quit his job to be with the family. She wants my dad to see it, but he being a work-a-holic he does not have the time for the family...much less for watching movies with us. He tries...Sunday night being family night. But he is a very busy man. I see him about an hour a day, on days he is not out of town. When he is out of town for months or weeks or days at a time...I don't see him much. He was in China, then Florida, then La Honda, and now he is off backpacking.
The only ones left home right now are Julie, Andrew, MoM and I.
My mom had to go in to get her heart checked again...nothing major this time. That was good. Her eyes seem to be getting worse, this is a really bad thing because she already had lazy eye and bad vision to begin with. I have started helping my mom by sometimes giving her insulin shots, so she does not have to poke herself. She says I am pretty good at it. I got used to needles by working with a vet...but before her, the only thing I gave a shot too was my cat.
I got out of Jury Duty. I sat for at least six hours waiting for my name to be called...the benches were anything but comfortable. Hard wood, with straight backs...most people stood around or sat on the floor. I finished the book I was reading and started on the book called thr3e. So far I really like that book. Hopefully I will get time to read later...not having any more jury duty I may not get as much reading done.
The newest weird thing I picked up lately is...clear playing cards. They are clear pieces of plastic with three circles on them. On one side you can only see the circles, on the other you can see a number and spade, heart etc...... Supposedly they work great if you are playing around drinks...because they wont ruin if they get wet. They should go well with the round playing cards I picked up in Japan or the mini ones I got from somewhere else, or the ones from SF...yes...weird playing cards...what a thing to have.
Orange...yes...Orange. My MoM bought me orange sheets, orange towels, orange lamp...Yeah, lots of orange. I found a new backpack with padded straps...but it only came in grey and black or red and black....I got the red and black. I also got some blue stuff...since I still really really like blue as well. I got a fleece blanket in royal blue. So nice. I also got a new feather pillow...I like feather pillows and blankets...Oh so nice.
Speaking of my pillow...I should be off to bed.
Later dudes!!!

I have returned

I made it back.  I am tired so I will write more later.  I am going to go to bed now and dream of the bed in the hotel where I stayed.  Yes, I am dreaming of a bed.  It was a King size bed that when I laid across it sideways my head and feet could not touch at the same time.  It also had FIVE pillows, FIVE!!!  As well as a feather comforter.  Oh yes, I shall dream of that bed...
I am so glad to be out of the HOT weather.  It was around 90 degrees in Sacramento.  WAY too hot.  I went all over West, South, and Downtown Sacramento.  I also toured the state capital building, and even if I went to his office, I did not see Arnold, our governor, to say hi for those who asked me to.   I failed...and I really did not want to see him anyways, I would have nothing to say (that would be a first).  
So, Goodnight for now.

BUSINESS!!!!

Ok, so I go to work today...and they tell me that I am needed for the home and garden show in Sacramento for five days.  So, I say ok, then realize that I would be in Sacramento on the day of my final...its a 15 page paper and presentation.  I call my teacher to see if I could do some of it early or what.  He tells me he will give me a zero on the presentation if I miss class which would have been 20 points.  He also said he would miss my smiling face...but would see me later since we live across the street from each other and his son will be hired at the beginning of next month.  So...Hopefully I will keep my "a" but with the major point loss from not doing the presentation I may drop to a "b".  I had one of the higher scores in my class...hopefully it will be high enough to let me keep my "a".   
I also have to call in for my jury duty while I am at the show.  yuck.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Sacramento at 8.  I have to pack, and be ready.  Tomorrow was suppose to be my day off...Oh well.  I get to ride up with my brother and Jim (yes, the one you can smell before you see) and I am making a no smoking around Rachel rule which will be strictly enforced.  I get to set up the show and make sure everything is ready.  Sandie, my manager, will be joining me Friday afternoon. 
I get to spend a lot of time in a really nice hotel room...so I am going to take a lot of books and try to relax some.  I have been told that Sacramento is HOT.  Also, people have told me to say hi to our govenator....but I doubt I will see him, which I really don't mind.  Some people love to meet "important" people.  I find them the same as everyone else...I don't see what the huge deal is...
Must pack...and then sleep, for tomorrow will be EARLY!!!  I could probably sleep on the four to five hour drive up there.  who knows...more on me, the show, jury duty, and life later.

The alarms all just went off.  HA ha ha...It was my "new manager" or the new office manager.  My brother had to head out to turn them off.  Its so very funny.  Anyways...it also means she is at work and watching the clock for when I get there.  Later... *runs off...only slightly late*

Also...M, is it working?

Oh, and my dad left for Florida early this morning on July 16th...I saw him a total of about two hours while he was here.  I found out he was gone when I went to lunch this afternoon.  We had Chinese food. 

Well...its new.

Ok, so I said I would change it.  My other one someone tried to help me change...and it never got the way I wanted it.  Well, we shall see if I like this one.  I got the new template...that was cool.  The thing that is REALLY REALLY REALLY bugging me beyond ALL belief is the commenting section.  I don't like it.  I also, *cries* LOST all the old comments.  I am so sad...well, at least the blog is still here.  I also lost my list of passwords.  I hope my siblings have not found it...that would be really bad.  My brother found out my pin to my ATM yesterday...yeah, I doubt he would steal my credit card/ ATM, but I still don't feel safe because the first thing he did was tell my sister.  Jonathan found out too...  Maybe I should go through and change all my passwords to something I can remember, or maybe I should not...It all depends on if I can find my list of passwords or not.  They are of course on a half of piece of printer paper...So if I found it and did not know what it was...I would just toss it. 
I only have two more class meetings in my stats class.  After I pass this class...Its NO more math for me!  HA!!!  yay!!!  um...yeah, anyways.  I was changing my blog for the past four hours instead of researching for my final project. 
Work was horrible today.  Julie was throwing a fit today...nearly took out everyone else who was working.  She is leaving August 30th for Costa Rica...so BEWARE DOWN THERE!!!  Julie, to irritate Collin, sang songs from Sound of Music all day.  He had never seen Sound of Music and had no idea what it was.  Jose thought that she was practicing for singing Christmas carols or something, he too having never heard of The Sound of Music.  Then Collin, to bug me, sat there TAPPING a pen on different things in the office.  What is it with guys and tapping, I shall never know.  My teacher's son, Timothy, is going to be hired next week...That's all sorts of weirdness in itself.  There were some weird customers today...two of them were from PA and they were just going around the USA and happened to stop by and see us.  They are flute makers.  They bought five bucks, $5.40 with tax, worth of canes and then showed me a flute they had, then took off to randomly go somewhere else.  Another bother for us all...there are now parental controls on all the computers in the office, limiting our internet usage to four "approved" work-related sites.  The problem is that they don't always work because the ads are on the "not approved" list. 
Other then like everything, life is going well.  This is the latest I have stayed up like all summer so I better be going to bed. 
Hope you all like the new look...

Oh, and my dad gets back from his Asia trip tomorrow. (and everyone yells a sarcastic little "yay")

tired...

Today I am tired...
Physically tired, I worked this morning with VBC kids, about 200 of them doing games. I ended up cleaning up after the egg toss, all the while fasting for my blood work which I had done later that day (around 1:30 or so).
Emotionally tired, I met with someone who, because my mom wants, is going to be mentoring me. So we talked for a few hours today.
Mentally tired, I just sat through another three hour stats class, and he gave us some problems that three of us working on for like a half hour could not even come up with how to start on them. One due tomorrow, and he gave us a take home test, due Thursday. Plus we still have to finish our final project.
So, now I am just sorta depressed...tired...and know I have work tomorrow, home work tomorrow...and I just want a break to enjoy my summer...Is that too much to ask?

"Keep Santa Cruz Weird"

Ok, so the guy calls me to work on the assignment...and he cannot remember what we are doing so he asks me to write the survey. Which I do, and my sister and I meet him after VBC games and head downtown to do pass out the survey. Most people ignored us. There are a TON of freaks...like seriously. It was so scary. It was weird...I did not think people could BE that ABNORMAL!!! One of the people was walking down the street (if it could be considered walking) with the biggest smile ya ever saw on his face with a foil umbrella. He was taking like half baby steps, and the expression on his face NEVER changed...even when he was looking around. It took him over an hour to make it down the street a few blocks...I would HATE to see him crossing a street...Californians are not the kindest of people sometimes when it comes to waiting for freaks... Well, I get about 20 surveys filled out, and he gets maybe 10...maybe. He says that people are afraid of him, he is just my body guard...Riiiiight, he just kept stopping to smoke, and on some people he would not approach them because he knew them...and he did not want them to know he still exsisted.
Yeah, they are right when they write..."Keep Santa Cruz weird" because it is weird, and that makes it unique. Its a VERY good thing I am from Aptos!!!

53, smoker, city freak...just my luck...i hope this project gets done...FAST!!!

Ok, so today, after getting the day off from work, I IM and play around. Working on my test on and off... My little sis Rebecca comes up and says that everyone is leaving and they will see me when I get home from class, Julie will bring me the car sometime after five. That would have worked, except I was meeting everyone else in my group to go over the answers again before turning in the test at 4:30ish. So, my mom says she will drop me off so I don't have to take the black van. I grab my stuff, and head to the car. I get dropped off at school and I head to the MLC, math learning center, where I meet up with some people and we start discussing the test. I found out that the answer I had put got copied by one girl, than she gave that answer to another guy, who gave it to another guy, and one of the guys told me that answer, which I had been wrong on, so had changed it...so we had to go back through everyone to get the answers right. Anyways...class starts at six, so after sitting in the MLC (I get extra credit for being there) I found out that the entire class period I have only stayed in the MLC a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes, I was depressed at this info, I thought I had been there for at least like four or five hours...I need an hour a week, and that looks doubtful for me. So, we go to class and he is giving out the next project. If the whole class agreed, we could give up this project and its fifteen page paper, for a cumitilive 100 multiple choice final, not enough agreed, and we are stuck with the project. We have to take samples and do all the data stuff. It could have been fun, but my choice in partners was not. I could choose someone who has told me is going to drop the class, has not done assignments, and is a slacker in every sense of the word, OR the one I ended up going with, since the teacher kind of put us together. He is 53 year old landscaper, we were put together because he likes plants and I am the daughter of the owner of BGN. We worked on it, and I found a problem and threw out everyone of his ideas, and gave him some which we are using. He wants me to do all the talking and "out going" stuff, and he will do all the writing. What he does not know is that the presentation has to be split fifty/ fifty. Well, we have to communicate and get this project done, so I ask for his email...yeah, the dude doesn't HAVE email, he only uses phones, well that's all nice and everything, but I don't have a lot of access to a phone, I gave my home number and work number and times he could call each, but that I did not have a phone in my apartment. That was too much for him, I am now responsible for calling him. The other thing that bugs me is that he calls are meetings "dates", What is up with these old guys? Do they find this entertaining? Anyways...the main killer is that he is a heavy smoker, and I am an asthmatic. I cannot breath around him, he Stinks SO very bad. I am worried because when we leave campus, he is free to smoke anywhere but in buildings. But living in CA I am sure he is very used to not being allowed to smoke much at all in public places. In CA you cannot even smoke in bars, which is NICE. I still cant believe out of all the people sort of in my age group...well only about five to ten years older, I get stuck with someone 33 years older, smoker, and seems to be hard of hearing. He also wants to do all test, downtown SC (Santa Cruz) late at night. Normal people do NOT go downtown SC at any time, much less at night. He said we should go to all the sides of SC, North, south, eastside and Westside. I have heard many things about the different sides...not fun. Some people when asked where they are from just say Westside, and everyone knows about them. Cities freak me out. I don't like them. Could life be any worse?

When I got home, the first thing I did, and this is so not like me at all, is walk to the table where my mom had cheesecake out from dinner and sit down and eat one half of two pieces, meaning I ate the equivalent of one piece. (that is a first, normally I only eat half a piece) It was so good, one was chocolate with chocolate chips, and the other was strawberry. Oh yum. Then I sit with Rebecca and watch the last two epesoides of Dr. Quinn (I have only seen about six from the beginning, so I was lost during most of it). Before I realize it, it is 1am, and so we go to go to bed. I then realize I forgot to eat...again, so I grab some bread and butter (French bread is the BEST, although sourdough is way better) and walked out here and wrote this. Now I must go to work tomorrow, so I need some sleep tonight.

Yay for over-staffing...yay for...rain??? Its been really cold here lately. Today it decided to rain. Because of the over-staffing in the office and the rain keeping everyone inside, someone was going to be sent home. Julie said she was going to go, and I asked the manager if it could be me instead, since I work more, am full time, was really tired, and have a take home test. My manager told me that I could go home, and Julie would stay. Julie is on thin ice as the managers say, so when something like that comes up, she is normally the last to get a favor. I was just glad she showed up to work at all. A few of the employees don't think its necessary to show up to work. Oh well. So, I have really enjoyed this day off. But I Have to work on my take home test some. It is due at six tonight. I will try to write later...I have been so out of it and busy I have not been able to in a while. Well, ta ta.

I read this...and after speeding home tonight, it really impacted me. It bugs me that even after reading this...it wont keep me from speeding...I will have to work on this.

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often? When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over,but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.
Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow. Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."
"Hello, Jack." No smile.
"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."
"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.. "I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit , just this once." Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean"
"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.
"What did you clock me at,"
"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"
"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.
"Please, Jack, in the car."
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license? Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip. "Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice. Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.
A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left.
Bob

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived. Life is precious. Handle with care.
This is an important message;
please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully.
Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

I STILL EXIST!!!

Ok, so yeah, I am not dead yet. Almost wish I were. Life is so crazy right now. I am just waiting for it to end. I have so decided that take home tests are of the devil. Sorry Sarah, if I ever doubted you when you said your take home calc test was hard! I just got done working on my test for over three hours straight...Bet you did not think I could sit there studying that long now did ya? Well, this class has proved that I can sit still and quiet (well sorta) for four hours a day four days a week. The sorta quiet part is cuz I sit in a group of girls near the front and sometimes we get off on random topics when we get bored...like clothes, boys, numbers, cars, past relationships, and many more. I cannot believe some of the people I go to school with. I learned a new phrase tonight. The one REALLY cute guy from England (lived in US for like 15 years but still has his accent), said he started smoking when he was "tripping on mushrooms" Yeah, I said he was cute, not smart, mainly it is his accent. Another girl...I can hardly believe this, has been dating a guy, and living with him for the past like 3 years. Today she decided to break up with him, and she is going out with someone else tonight. She moved her stuff out a week before, and he threw what was left on the lawn. How can someone live like that? Also hard to believe, the other girls in the room congratulated her. I will be so glad to return to LU. Where you can hang out with people and and not hear swearing ever other word.
Well, must sleep and then work more on the take home test before work at nine, and work on the take home test when I get off at five, and turn in the same dumb take home test at six tomorrow.
I mean...like who cares whether or not a uniform disturbution has a mode anyways?

Ok, and as for the other half of that horrible test I got 87 out of 100. So, that's a B+. That works. I have been so lost on the Z test, 1- porp Z test, and the T test. I also still have that five page paper due this Tuesday on O.J. Simson's trial.
Other Sad news...I got summoned...I don't want to be summoned. Who invented jury duty anyways? It was probably a form of Torture. I have been told a hundred and one ways to get out of it. Some were very creative.
I tried to White Rabbit Sarah first...but yeah...woke up later then I should have and had to go and watch siblings before work (for like 20 minutes while my sister cleaned the office and my mom was at the dentist). I ate breakfast at my house for the first time in a long long while. I had life and Coco puffs...it was good.
Michael came to visit today. He is a old friend and co-worker of my father. This time the crazy thing he brought was a water rocket. Supposealy it was cool and it lasted a few hours...I don't know cuz I was at work...but at least nothing exploded THIS time. I asked if he could use Raquel as a target cuz she wanted to get wet...but the water would be moving at 40 mph so it was not the safest thing. Oh well, better luck next time.
The randomest thing...My teacher turned out to live across the street from me. We also attend the same church, he Sundays and we go Saturday nights. His wife knows us, and they knew all about the four adopted kids...and he knows more about me then most people. Then, he comes to visit the nursery, and his son, Timothy has now applied for a job here. All the while I am taking stats from him. Its freaky!!!
It was pay day today! The government takes too much money.
My friend and I are getting together tomorrow!!! I am going to her house for the night. We are making arrapas and pupusas...and having a "wish we were in Colombia" party. Personally I enjoyed the food of El Salvador mas pero...comosea. It is sad that this will be the first friend I have seen since leaving school. My co-workers are my friends...sorta...because I don't drink there is not a social activity we can do together. Everyone else I get along with great is a LOT older than me. So, I am excited about seeing someone my age again...well she is about four of five years older...but OH WELL...I guess I will have to return to school before seeing people my own age that are enjoyable to be around.
Now, to bed with me. Miss ya and goodnight yall

So...My own blog wont let me comment on it...so here is my response to the last comments that were left.

A orange shirt with GARFIELD!!! WOW...sounds cool. *dreams about orange shirts with Garfield on them* As for the sanitizer...there will be NONE of that horrible stuff in MY SIDE of the SUITE!!! *shudders at the thought of hand sanitizer* I am so glad there are fellow Klutzes around...

As for the "e"Mac...I am not to sure about it. My first computer given to me being an iMac I don't really like them. The eMac is completely white with the dumb one button mouse and its all in one unit. It is suppose to be the best for computer graphics...and my sister said about half the students use Macs at her new school...its an art school near LA...What did we expect?