A Day In The Life - 3

Well, I'm a little late because this was supposed to be for the 5th and published on the 6th but let's face it, I'm not known for my memory so I forgot. Again, Sheryl at Paper Napkin started this and it is fun and I always like to do what the cool kids are doing. I'm trendy like that (yes, I am kidding. I'm not trendy at all).

6:04 AM Keem tells me to get up. Listen to her talk to Eddy who is sleeping on the cat tower. He races down the hall after her, meowing all the way. You can almost hear him thinking "Yay! She's awake! It's time for me to be adored!"

6:05 AM Go to the bathroom. Decide to finish reading the book I stayed up way too late reading last night. I only have about 30-40 pages left. The book is Close To You by Mary Jane Clark. She's not a bad author but seems to belong to the Dan Brown school of writing - the chapters are about two pages long. She also reminds me of Mary Higgins Clark a little bit.

6:20 AM Finish book. All loose ends are tied up. Bad killer caught. Yay for the heroine! Contemplate not taking shower. Too tired to shower. Want sleep.

6:21 AM It's karaoke night. I'm taking a shower.

6:30 AM Finish shower. Ah, refreshing lukewarm water (I actually prefer lukewarm to cold showers. I think it might stem from being the last person to get ready when I was growing up and the water heater had usually run out of hot water by the time it was my turn).

6:31 AM What to wear? What to wear? I really, really, really need to do laundry but have been putting it off. Fortunately I shaved my legs yesterday so I can wear a skirt.

6:35 AM I hate my clothes. I have nothing fun and exciting. Where are the shirts that scream "I am a temptress!" Oh, wait, that's the shirt Beth's supposed to wear. Finally put on sleeveless sweater top. It's lightweight so I won't be too hot. Granted my arms are the size of small hams but what are you going to do? I really need to start exercising.

6:38 AM Go tell Keem what time it is. She decrees we have 16 more minutes before we have to leave. She gets ready first in the morning because she can then take a nap or spend time petting Eddy while I am getting ready.

6:39 AM Go to set alarm for 15 minute nap. Accidently turn power off to clock (not sure how I managed to do this) and have to wait for radio morning crew to tell me the time. It's actually 6:35. Whoops. I'm 4 minutes ahead of myself.

6:50 AM Alarm goes off. Dang it. Go wake Keem again. Pack lunch. Ground Cajun turkey and corn and noodles. Grab two bottles of the best dang tea ever (Diet Lipton Green Tea with Citrus - it's great tasting AND good for you, according to their website). Breakfast will be bagels and cream cheese. Pack up cross stitch that I didn't put into the handy little cross stitch folder I have last night.

7:00 AM Time to leave. We say goodbye to Eddy. He looks forlorn. This is not his favorite time of the day. His humans have all left him.

7:05 AM Keem has decreed that the car is officially warm enough to drive (The engine has to reach a certain temperature before she'll pull out of the lot. She is very cautious). We are on our way to work. Oh, the excitement.

7:15 AM Arrive at work. Sit in the car for a few minutes, listening to the radio. I love David Bowie.

7:25 AM Have logged into computer. It is time to toast my bagel. It is sticky. Bagels aren't supposed to be sticky.

7:26 AM Realized that the bagel is actually French Toast flavored and not the Cinnamon Raisin I thought I was buying. I am not sure how I feel about this. While I enjoy the concept of French Toast (Maple syrup is our friend and also explains the stickiness), I don't actually like French Toast.

7:28 AM Bagel is pretty good. Cream cheese, however, is less than exciting. I am getting annoyed with the whole swirled cream cheese fad that Philadelphia Cream Cheese is running with. And why don't they make an olive flavored cream cheese? I like olives.

7:30 AM Must start work. Joy.

10:30 AM John is finally here. It's not usually a big deal that he starts at 10:30 but Joe is out today and Patti isn't here. I've had to work with two transfers (and reject both, I am feeling like a jinx), let in window repairmen three times and deal with a ton of phone calls. Why are we busy? We are not supposed to be busy in June.

12:06 PM On lunch. Finally. What a busy, busy day. There are three people wanting help at the counter. Great. Cindy is helping out but I feel weird with people watching me eat. Fortunately Linda is available. Well, sort of. She was on lunch as well but hadn't started eating yet.

12:18 PM Stupid Blogger is thwarting me again. Argh! I hate that. Can’t post what I’ve written so far. Beth, however, has a new post up and it is fantastic! I love it when she posts pictures. Check out the slideshows. It really amazes me how talented she is with a camera…she should so be writing travel books.

1:22 PM Had another minor rush at the counter. I got to reject my third transfer for the day. I am feeling very bad about this. Here’s a question – what part of “The Medallion Stamp must not be dated” do people not understand? It’s not my fault, it’s the fault of the banker that stamped the form but I still hate having to explain this to people.

1:47 PM Trying to read blogs, can’t leave comments. Curse you, Blogger! Curse you! Should I be worried about my fortune (My Way has something like a fortune cookie on their site) – “Misery loves company. Wanna hang out?” I’m not miserable. Am I supposed to be miserable? And here’s my horoscope:

Pisces
The water energy has intensified again and you Fish are among those who can intuitively feel elemental shifts. But now it's not just about the simple feelings. You may want to exert self-control so you are not at the whim of your emotions. All will be well if you can stay in touch with your basic needs.

What the heck does that mean? Sheesh.

2:05 PM People. You are calling a call center. You are on the phone. That means I can hear you when you are eating. Now I wouldn’t usually care but this person was very loud.

2:42 PM Just got an email saying that the air conditioner won’t be fixed until Monday or Tuesday. What joy. I am slowly dying here. Can’t imagine what tomorrow will be like.

3:47 PM Just 13 more minutes to go. I wish there was a way I could justify not taking any more phone calls for the day. Even though I can usually justify everything, my work ethic doesn’t allow me to cheat. Dang it.

4:04 PM Yay! I finally get to go home! Logging off computer as we speak!

4:10 PM In the car, on the way home. We decide to stop at Taco Bell for dinner and pick up something to go.

4:30 PM Arrive home, bearing fragrant bags of yummy Taco Bell. Eddy is at the door to greet us. He runs into the hallway.

DM: Cat. Get back into the apartment.
Eddy: Mrrrrrrroooooooowwww (translation: I am a lonely, lonely cat. You left me all day. I have no choice but to run into the hallway and hope that someone arrests you for cat abuse).
DM: Do you want a treat?
Eddy: Mrrooww (translation: Well, I think it is the least that you could do. Abandoner!).
DM: You have to come inside for your treat. We don't serve treats in the hallway.
Eddy: Mrrowww (and long stretch before he slllllooooowwwwlllyyy walks into the apartment (translation: Fine. I'll let it slide this time but I'll be watching you))

4:35 PM Go to bathroom. Take clothes off. Revel in the freedom of the girls (I hate bras. They are evil and wrong) and the rest of my body. Remember fondly when I lived alone and didn't have to worry about roommates viewing my nakedness. Wonder why Jeff runs around in just his underwear (I have taken to referring to him as Package Boy) when Keem and I are always clothed in the communal areas of the apartment. Put on large pink nightgown and go to eat.

5:00 PM Cat is fed. Humans are fed. It is time for me to take my nap. I have karaoke tonight and am old so must take a nap if I'm going to stay out until 3 AM.

5:30 PM Still not asleep. Stupid afternoon crew. Stop talking! Play music! God, I miss my computer (I can't surf the Internet or load anything or burn CDs but I could still play iTunes. But I took my computer to work for one of the IT team to take a look at and I am hoping he'll be able to pull my music and pictures off so I can reformat).

10:30 PM Alarm goes off. Put on clothes. Curse evil bra.

10:35 PM Call Liz. Tell her I'm going to go call a cab and will meet her at the Chalet. She is eating so will be there in 15-20 minutes.

10:40 PM Call Beth. She is trying to get out of work early. I tell her I will meet her at the Chalet.
10:42 PM Gather purse. Look at purse book (The Thief of Always by Clive Barker - creepy but good. Liz lent it to me) I have about 30 pages left of it. Contemplate getting backup purse book but figure I probably won't be able to finish before the cab comes.

10:45 PM Arrive in lobby. There are no cabs at the cab stand. There are never cabs on Thursday nights. This is irritating. Every other time there's at least one, sometimes as many as three or four.

10:46 PM The guard calls Yellow Cab for me.

DM (after waiting forever for the dispatcher to pickup): Hi. How long would it take to get a cab to (my apartment complex).
Really rude Yellow Cab dispatcher (RRYD): 20 minutes.
DM: Okay. Thanks.

I go sit down and begin reading my book.

11:15 PM No cab. I have just finished my book. Contemplate going and getting my backup book but you know perfectly well that if I do that, the cab will show up and leave.

11:20 PM I am bored. Bored, bored, bored. BORED.

11:25 PM Start playing stupid game on my cell phone. It is less than exciting.

11:30 PM Where is my cab? C'mon, people, this is way past twenty minutes.

11:31 PM (or so) Realize that Beth sent me a text message and left a phone message for me. Call her. Tell her I am still waiting and that I called Liz.

11:40 PM (or so) A Diamond Cab has pulled up. I go jump into the cab.

DM: Hi. Can you take me to the Chalet on Rice Street.
Cab Driver (CD): Yeah. Did you call for a cab?
DM: Yes. I called Yellow over 45 minutes ago. You're here now. They lose.
CD: I have absolutely no problem with that.

11:50 PM (or so (I'll have very little concept of time for the next few hours because I don't have a watch and the only clock is behind the bar)) Arrive at the Chalet. Pay driver. Walk in. See Beth. Go to sit down next to her.

B: Would you sit over here (motions to another chair)? Someone's sitting there.
DM: Okay.

I go sit down. My back is right next to another table which I hate becase I always feel like I am bumping into them or when people try to walk between the tables it's a pain. Who is sitting in the other chair? I don't recognize the purse. Are Katie and Steve up here tonight?

B: I have a new friend.

She then proceeds to tell me about this woman who walked up and asked to sit with her.

B: Her name is Nancy. Her boyfriend is in prison because he's a mean drunk and tried to strangle her.
DM: Um, shouldn't that make him no longer her boyfriend?

Nancy is gone for awhile. I hate where I am sitting. I am going to move.

DM: I'm moving over here.
B: But Nancy's sitting there. That's rude.
DM: So? I'm a bitch.

I start moving my stuff.

B: She's coming back.

Nancy comes over and sits down. She has absolutely no personality. I have absolutely no qualms about asking her to switch spots with me. She kind of freaks me out a little.

A little while later, Beth is singing. Nancy decides to start a conversation.

N: Beth seems nice.
DM: She is.
N: My best friend in high school was named Beth. That was 14...no, 15...no, 14 years ago. That was when that Kiss song was popular.
DM: Beth HATES that song.
N: I know (Giggles and puts her hand on my arm)! She told me that.

Okay, you know she hates the song. Why did you bring it up then? Why are you touching me? Don't touch me, crazy lady without personality!

Char and Tom come in. Liz shows up. We have to get extra chairs (when I say we, I mean that I sent Tom on a search for extra chairs) so that our friends can join us. So much for Nancy leaving when they show up like she told Beth she would. She's crazy AND a liar.

Beth shows us pictures of the cake that she prepared for Sarah. The amount of frosting she put on this cake frightens me a little. She is telling us about the sugar high she caused for her bankers.

Char and Tom leave. Nancy is still there.

12:41 AM There is a bachelor party at the table behind us. This very thin but kind of cute guy goes up to sing. He is going to sing Ghostbusters. He is now stripping to Ghostbusters. Oh, dear Lord in Heaven.

Bryan: I don't want to name any names but Doug (this would be the stripper's name) should leave some meth for the rest of us.

Doug is now humping the wall.

Bryan: I stand by my previous meth comment. The one night I don't bring my stun gun...

Doug dances on tables, he quite possibly tries to swing from the disco ball (not sure about this but the disco ball is now dead so it's a good guess that he tried this but I was writing this down). He finishes and walks back to his table. We are laughing hysterically.

Bryan: We're going to seperate into groups and discuss what just happened. We're going to write down how this made us feel, share our emotions.

DM: Already there! You (to Doug) are so going on my blog, honey.
B: You called him honey. Do you like him?
DM: Uh...no. I'm not sure why I called him honey.

Nancy is reading what I'm writing in my notebook. This is very irritating. She leaves to go and sing and Liz, Beth and I are discussing her. Beth tells Liz about how her boyfriend is in prison.

Liz: When she looks at me, I wonder if she's thinking, 'Would it take only 4 stabs or 8?'
DM: Damn it. I can't write this down! She was reading what I was writing earlier.

I am sure we had many other funny but unkind things to say about Nancy and her oddness but I don't remember what they were. She eventually left.

1:10 AM The door opens. A chorus of angels begin to sing. The most attractive man in the entire universe walks in and sits down at our table. I try very hard not to do a happy dance because I had thought he might not be coming in since he's usually there by 1 AM and Liz had said something about him being tired. Ah. My Thursday night is complete. Good friends and the man I adore are present. Good times.

Time seems to fast forward. I know that we talked about fun and exciting things but I can't remember what they were. I think there was mention of Ben Folds' music, maybe a movie or two, cake and frosting, sweet tooths (or would that be sweet teeth?), an upcoming wedding James is going to attend, etc.

Suddenly karaoke is over. Even sadder, after karaoke is over. Where did the time go? James leaves. Liz is in the middle of telling us a story.

Liz: Something, something, something.
B: Okay. The door closed. You want to sigh, don't you?
DM: No (vehement denial that is not fooling anyone). And, even if I did, Liz is in the middle of a story. It would be rude to interrupt her.
B: Liz, can Dana take a moment to sigh?
Liz: Yes.
B: Go ahead.
DM: Sigh that indicates that I am incredibly insane about stupid James and why doesn't he realize that I am the one for him, dang it?

Later, Liz is telling us about James's roommate, Big Matt, who apparently is not the nicest person around.

DM: Poor James.
B: You want to...Never mind.
DM: What?
B: You want to console him, don't you?
DM: Yes.
Liz: I am going to go to the bathroom and then try to remember why I sit at this table with you freaks.

We later leave and head for my apartment. Beth and I chat about the evening and listen for music. It is a nice way to unwind at the end of the night.

3:11 AM I look at the clock while I am getting into bed. I notice the time because it is 3:11 and I was born on March 11th so I like to notice things like this. March 11th is quite possibly the coolest day ever. Just so you know.


So anyway, that was my day. It's very late and I apologize. I have other stories about karaoke that I'll tell later. Ciao!