Monday, November 28, 2005
Alarms
It was really cold here last night...29 degrees! I was cozy in my bed until 4:30 when my neighbor's alarm clock went off. It's an alarm like Cayle had...it is a rapid incessant beeping. I can't see how a person lying next to it or even in the same apartment could let it go for more than 5 seconds. Unfortunately, Cayle would leave his alarm set when he didn't come home the next morning...and our neighbor likes to wait 30 seconds to hit SNOOZE. Three times. 4:30, 4:45, 5:00. After 5, I gave up all hope.

Then comes the garbage man. Usually not a big deal...he is a bit loud but he IS taking away my trash. Unfortunately (again) there is a Mazda that parks outside our apartment with the most sensitive car alarm ever. No joke...this alarm goes off about 5 times a day. If you are parked next to the Mazda, when you start your car, the alarm is set off. So naturally, the trash man, UPS man and small animals walking by also set off the damn alarm. Whoever owns it surely must be annoyed by having to constantly reset the alarm. Hey, I'm not a fool. This is Phoenix, the car theft capital of the USA. I understand the necessity...but even necessity has limits!

Seriously, nobody wants your stupid Mazda. I have never wanted to key a car so bad in my life. One day i'm going to get fed up and either leave him a note on the car (which will also set off the alarm) or i'm just going to stand next to it and push the car incessantly until the owner comes out. I will probably get beat down but for the love of GOD there is no need for alarms to be *that* touchy. I am just a simple girl who likes a solid night of sleep. I can keep hoping and praying that someday somebody really WILL steal that Mazda and when the owner pokes his head out the window to reset the alarm he'll see his car is gone. Good riddance!


Saturday, November 26, 2005
uneventful holiday
we've had a quiet weekend so far...a good feast of turkey breast and other things. one more day off and then its time to get back to work! hopefully next weekend we can go get our christmas tree and then start decorating. :)


Thursday, November 24, 2005
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!


Wednesday, November 23, 2005
happy turkey day!


i made this all by myself!!!



Sunday, November 20, 2005
If you're bored
New secrets posted today on Post Secret



Friday, November 18, 2005
happy friday
Guess who left the house today and forgot to put on their deoderant??

























We had movers come to the lab today to stack two huge 570lb shakers (see above pic). They were the most incompetent movers ever. So instead of using a hydraulic lift to raise the shaker off of the pallet, they just tip it out onto its backside and let it hang out on a 4 wheel dolly. Then they decide they can't place the shaker on top of the base because their lift isn't strong enough to lift over 500 lbs. OK, they need to get another one.

Unfortunately they left the shaker perched on top of the dolly. Not centered of course. Meanwhile, they are off doing whatever for 3 hours or so and we call the moving company several times. They said they used their lift and it was shaking under the load so they decided to get a different one. Too bad I was there the whole time and saw that they never touched the stupid lift. Real smooth, the guys have to lie about their own inability to get the (expensive) job done.

So now we are stranded, our 570 pound monster shaker is perilously perched and useless to us. While we are waiting for the movers to return and fix their screw-ups, Shelly, my new boss/PI was behind the monstrosity and must've tapped it ever so slightly. The whole thing tipped over and gave me a heart attack at the same time. Luckily I wasn't too close to it. And it landed, feet first. The power cord still reaches the outlet. I think we should just leave it in the middle of the lab walkway...so we won't have to mess with movers anymore.

The beauty of it was the movers came back a little while later and they have the nerve to ask me how it got upright onto the floor. Let's be logical: "Yeah, Shelly and I just lifted it up and set it down right there like that. 570lbs isn't that heavy." I didn't actually say that...but I did mention that they left it in an unstable position and it "just fell over, all by itself." Ooopsie!

By the way, Shelly is southern. I don't mean wannabe-state-clinging-to-the-civil-war-still-like-Virginia southern. She's from New Orleans. Talk about a cute accent! When the shaker fell she said "shit" and it sounded like "shi-yet" and it was the cutest little curseword i've ever heard.


Wednesday, November 16, 2005
I just noticed this link in Lisa's blog
and its hilarious.

http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/story_detail.php?asset_id=17092

aww my little tara. Lisa gave her a pretty nice bed. whatever happened to that air mattress?


Tuesday, November 15, 2005
work work work
At work we've been going over some projects we hope to be doing soon. A lot of it is on hold until we move across campus to the new Biodesign Institute. My new building will look like this:


































Brand-Spankin' new! So anyway one of my new projects will be to find out about a special clay treatment for a skin eating bacteria. gross!!! But seriously, it could really help a lot of people and *theoretically speaking* our hypothesis shouldn't be too terribly hard to prove. Plus i'd get to play with french clay AND skin eating bacteria!!!mmmmyummmy!

on another note, Heather, you should see if you can get a job at ASU. the benefits are sweet. healthcare is OK ....but the best part is you (and your dear hubby) pay only $25 bucks for up to 9 credits a semester. I can knock out 1/3 of my masters degree before i even apply for a program! plus, a lot of their masters' are research-based and therefore pay stipends...major bonus.

And on another side-note...i think we should all read somebody's blog who we normally would not read. I have links to a few blogs on this page...i am going to start commenting on those peoples' friends' blogs. Yep, people i dont even know. I like getting comments so i figure you have to give in order to receive. Julie (tara) you are in my sights. snorman needs to link to her friends, i know she has a few. It's going to be a blogging frenzy!!!


Saturday, November 12, 2005
Waddling on...




























We saw March of the Penguins tonight! It was pretty good. It got a lot better after the stupid lady who brought her 2 year old LEFT the theater. Just because it's rated G doesn't mean "bring the little tykes!." Since when are 2 year olds into documentaries and National Geographic?

Regardless, I learned some neat things about penguins and I have even more reasons why I don't like cold/snow/antarctic-like wind.



I made this for you, Tara













i agree with your stance on the mullet. Keira's hair is o.k....she is the poor, scrappy one in the movie, isn't she? Don't they turn her into a beautiful princess at the end?? j/k. she is a bit waifish...i think she sold out after Bend It Like Beckham.


Thursday, November 10, 2005
I just noticed in my profile it says:

Industry: Biotech

and at first i read it wrong and thought it said "Biotch."

Tara would think that's funny.


Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Happy Election Day
below is from clickondetroit.com

DETROIT -- The candidates for mayor of Detroit continued their last-minute campaigns and cast their own votes Tuesday.
Freman Hendrix cast his vote along with his wife, Elaine; son, Stephen; and daughter, Erin; just after 8 a.m. at Cooke Elementary School, located at 18800 Puritan St. in Detroit, Local 4 reported. Incumbent Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his wife, First Lady Carlita Kilpatrick, placed their votes at 11 a.m. at the River House Apartments, located at 8900 E. Jefferson Ave.
Kilpatrick traveled in a motor home overnight to make last-minute visits with Detroit voters. Stops included Greektown and the main U.S. post office in Detroit, Local 4 reported.
After a breakfast with his family Tuesday morning, he headed to the polls.
"I feel better now since I voted," said Kilpatrick. "I'm ready to go."
The mayor will head to the Ambassador Ballroom at the Renaissance Center in Detroit after the polls close. Kilpatrick said he believes he will be able to get some sleep after 11 p.m.
The current mayor said he anticipates a great turnout at the polls.
His challenger, Hendrix, also canvassed the city Tuesday for last-minute campaigning.
"This is going to be a good day for the city of Detroit," said Hendrix.
Hendrix started off his morning of campaigning at Fishbone's restaurant, and was expected to continue on a bus tour through the city to other establishments. After the polls close at 8 p.m., Hendrix will head to the State Theater in Detroit for what he hopes will be a victory party, Local 4 reported.
Hendrix said the Detroit mayoral race is "always going to be a close election," adding that it is emotional for voters and they will make a last-minute decision.


----------------------------
Interesting. I hope the taxpayers didn't pay for that motor home Kwame was cruising around the city in. I'm surprised he didn't have an Escalade, mayhaps a maroon one?

Of course Kwame feels better since he voted. That vote was one of 10 votes for himself. Unless he paid off his entourage to vote for him too. That would bring the grand count up to 40 votes for Kwame.

And of course its going to be a good day for Detroit. As long as they give Kwame the boot that he's deserved for a loooong time. I read a story how Kwame's camp equated the media frenzy about all his scandals to LYNCHING. yes, lynching. Apparently the news airing all your dirty laundry and exposing criminals (who use public money for their crimes) is comparable to torturing innocent people for racist reasons. mmmyah.

Have a nice life Kwame.


Monday, November 07, 2005
orientated
i had orientation today at ASU. It was interesting...the retirement plan is mandatory and requires a 6.9% contribution on my part. That will increase to about 8% in July. Now, I'm all for saving for retirement...but at my last job i made more money and i could choose my contributions. I liked the fact that if i really needed that meager last 5% i could choose to not contribute it. On the other hand, I can take up to 9 credits a semester for $25. Yep you read that right. So can Evan. If we have kids, they can go to U of A, ASU or NAU for 25% of in-state tuition. My kids will be dropouts or Arizona-educated kids... with the house prices here I wont be able to afford anything else.

I went to Fazoli's today. Pure heaven! The breadsticks weren't nearly buttery enough...you couldn't squeeze the butter out of them like you could from the Valpo Fazoli's breadsticks. Oh well. It was kinda bizarre....about 80 degrees out and inside they were playing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and other classic holiday tunes. Not only does it NOT look like Christmas, but its only early november!!! Give the turkey's their limelight and wait a bit for the christmas carols!!!!


Saturday, November 05, 2005
in honor of Tara:










Evan and Stinky are watching the game. Except when evan yells at the TV. Then stinky gets scared and comes looking for me. And we all know I can usually be found here.


Friday, November 04, 2005

tv time!


ok, shopping day do-over
Just as I was getting ready to leave for my shopping expedition yesterday, I got a call from my dear hubby telling me he has a massive headache and is coming home early. So i decided to hang out here in case he needed anything. He survived and is at work today...and the shopping commenced.

So the "fancy" mall is in Scottsdale. AKA Snobsdale. It's a nice area, good schools. I don't feel so bad about not being able to afford to buy a house there anymore. They are not our kind of people. As soon as you roll over the "Welcome to Scottsdale" border, there is a Rolls Royce/Jaguar/Maserati/Ferrari dealership. Jaguar obviously isn't posh enough to link.

I eventually made it to the mall and parked my cheap korean car in the parking garage underground. I was aiming to be near one end of the mall because that's where all the stores I was hoping to hit were located. I emerge from the garage, of course, in front of Neiman Marcus and the absolute furthest point (geographically and financially) from my destination. As if that isn't enough, i'm wearing my oldest jeans and a zip up fleece over a mismatched shirt. I'm surprised they let me into that mall.

It was a successful shopping journey, except for when i tripped coming out of Banana Republic. I didn't fall, props to me!


Thursday, November 03, 2005
I ♥ Phoenix
right now it is 66 degrees outside (9:30 am). Brrrrr!!!!! I should go get some hot chocolate. Good thing the high for later today is 84.

Today I am starting some Christmas shopping. There is a lot of shopping and traffic here already...so i'm being proactive and trying to get it done before Thanksgiving before it gets insane. You may forward your Christmas lists to me via this blog or by email, but if you have been bad this year there are no guarantees.


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