Wednesday, December 26, 2012

ER Griping

Last night I held my boyfriend's hand as he writhed in pain next to me while trying to put on a tough face. We were in the ER--my second time there in a month, a different reason but still the transportation--and the waiting room was entirely empty. We were told "any minute now" every hour on the hour, and soon it was 6am. Neither of us would be on time to work, that was for certain. And while I have a precious few vacation/sick time hours left, his current job does not allow him the luxury.

He would nod off next to me for a couple of minutes, only to wake again with the pain moments later. The frustration and anger built up in both of us. How busy could they be with only us in the waiting room? Why couldn't they DO something?

For a while the only other person in the waiting room was a homeless man who had come in trying to get warm. He had garbage bags with random articles of clothing that he seemed to be taking an inventory of. Then he left and it was just us again.

Maybe it was because we were two young, able-bodied 20-somethings. Maybe they assumed we only wanted to get our hands on some prescriptions. Maybe the invisible ambulances that the front desk kept telling us were arriving--we were right next to the ambulance bay and saw none--had too important people waiting to be seen. I tried to comfort him best I could, while trying not to freak myself out over the fact that my seemingly indestructible 6'5 boyfriend was experiencing pain that made him keel over in pain every few minutes.

Once we were called, after 5 hours of waiting, his temperature and blood pressure were taken, and then we waited another stretch of time I will estimate at about an hour and a half. Finally a doctor saw him, and the entire transaction took ten minutes. He was told it was a pinched nerve, and given a prescription. The doctor was gentle and apologetic, but seemed to be suggesting that the pain he was experiencing did not warrant an ER trip to begin with. He seemed concerned that my boyfriend had self-medicated with painkillers from a previous injury and I almost heard a condescending tone. I gritted my teeth and thanked him. During this exchange three elderly people were pushed past our room in stretchers, all seemingly awake and responsive and some even smiling. I wondered how many grandmas had taken a fall during Christmas celebrations and if elderly people should consider not living in homes with stairs. Then I felt like a bad person for thinking ill of the elderly.

The entire time I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being put off just because we are young. I feel this sort of discrimination regularly, but I also feel like complaining about it would fall on deaf ears because of a sort of "young privilege" or something. Like how I cannot compare my years of people scoffing "EAT A SANDWICH!" at me to someone being teased for being overweight because I happen to have a slimmer body type. I'm young, I shouldn't complain, and I should respect my elders and let them go before me in all things in life. My chance will come. Right.

I cannot count how many times I have gone to work feeling ill, only to have a smiling coworker say "party too hard last night, eh?" as they noticed the bags under my eyes or that I looked somewhat off--typically on a day where I choose to not wear makeup, ugh. I feel like whenever I am sick for any reason these days, it is assumed it is because I have "partied too hard." Yes, occasionally I have to deal with a hangover. But, as a somewhat responsible young adult, I try to keep my "partying" contained to the weekends and NOT on a work night.

I've heard stories of young people faking illness to get meds. And older people too. But do they wait for six hours, or do they give up? I don't know. Maybe that's the minimum wait to make sure you're not going to sell them or whatever--as he did end up getting painkillers or some sort. I don't know how the ER works, and I understand this is just going to look like me complaining. The fact that a ten minute meeting with a doctor needed to wait six hours is just mind boggling to me.

I do hope everyone in the ER that night was able to be discharged quickly. I'm just irritated I suppose. And sleepy. Very. Very. Sleepy.

Merry Day After Christmas



I'm sure all of us who are back at work today wish we had one of these things.

Friday, December 21, 2012

A Contractual Christmas

Well, next week starts the last week of my contract work for the "initial company." It has been ...interesting. This is not my first time doing contractual work, but this IS the first company where I feel as though they truly appreciate my time and effort.

It will be bittersweet. Although I love the people here and the work that we are doing is interesting...there just wasn't much actual work for me to do. Currently, I'm the only person in the office today and I have brought a book with me as well as a PDF of my resume because IT IS TIME TO JOB HUNT...again.

I have my fingers in a few pots but it's the never-ending process of continually attempting to find full-time work on a salaried basis and not a full-time contractual basis. Life is hard.

Also, I was not a very good little girl and was a bit frivolous with my money. Let's just say my family is getting a VERY good Christmas from me this year. Don't get me wrong, I have saved money up over the past few months for rent and groceries to last me a while, but I will be having NO fun until I find a new job (except for my trip to Iceland...my reward for absolutely nothing).

But I am going to stop myself there. It's Christmas (or "The Holidays") and I'm going to try and be positive for a spell. I will have some time to rest up, I will be able to fully enjoy Iceland, and I will be able to have all those doctors appointments that I have put off for lack of time (or desire). So...YAY, positivity.

I will end this with my Friday Before Christmas Playlist, that contains NO Christmas songs whatsoever:

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
  2. Howlin' For You - The Black Keys
  3. Ceremony - New Order
  4. Lovestoned/I Think That She Knows - Justin Timberlake
  5. Closer - Kings of Leon
  6. I'm Going Down - Mary J. Blige
  7. Jane Fonda - Mickey Avalon (video NSFW)
  8. Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
  9. Glycerine - Bush
  10. How I Roll - Charlie Mars
  11. Everlong - Foo Fighters (I have always loved this video)
  12. Without You- Harry Nilsson
  13. The Truth - Precious Bryant
  14. When You Were Mine- Prince (the only version I could find that was actually Prince was on MySpace!)
  15. None of Your Business - Salt n' Pepa
  16. Eyes on Fire (Zeds Dead Remix) - Blue Foundation (Zeds Dead)
  17. Life's a Gas - T-Rex
  18. I was a Lover - TV On the Radio
  19. Kiss Off - Violent Femmes
  20. Death - White Lies (Crystal Castles remix is pretty good too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCnF6T59jm4)



Thursday, December 20, 2012

Pet Peeve and Phobia Rolled Into One

Hair in food is the worst.

I don't care if I have just scrubbed my scalp with Lysol and coated my hair in a gallon of Purell to literally watch the hair float gently from my own head and lightly land on my dish and even onto a portion of the plate that has little to no food on it. I DON'T CARE.*

Stolen from here but is a stock photo of some sort? WHY.

Yesterday I watched helplessly as a strand of my own hair landed on my chicken cacciatore when I was no more than halfway done with the dish. Into the trash it went. 

Would YOU want this to touch your food? I think not.
I was reminded of this tragic event just now when I noticed a stray hair on my hand as I reached for my cake pop and yelped "NO!" --I did this. I yelped, with my office door open, terrified that my dessert enjoying experience would be ruined by my own dead cell buildup.

It's okay, guys. I saved it. That was a close one.

*I am gagging while I write this. :shiver:


EDIT: So I just read through the link where I stole the hairy plate image from. I guess ingesting hair is not really a health hazard. UNLESS YOU INGEST AN ENTIRE HEAD'S WORTH. How is that even a point you need to make?
  • "The only real scenario in which hair would pose a threat, she continues, is if you ate a whole head’s worth. Large quantities of the stuff can do to your digestion what it does to your shower drain. Ingesting that much could make long clumps of hair, called trichobezoars, form in your stomach and cause abdominal pain and other symptoms."
AHHHH SHOWER DRAIN BELLY. GROSS GROSS GROSS.

It goes on to further scare the ever-loving-shit out of me:
  • The truth is, you might have eaten hair today. Food manufacturers use L-cysteine, an amino acid in keratin, to stabilize dough and perk up the taste buds that detect salty, savory flavors. Although some factories derive their L-cysteine synthetically or from duck feathers, others get it from human hair. It’s clean, though, thanks to the fact that the manufacturers who use human hair boil it in hydrochloric acid to extract the L-cysteine from the keratin.
So, now whenever I eat a non-homemade baked good (first they take away my Twinkies, then they make me fear my ZebraCakes!?) I am going to be chanting "please be duck, please be duck, please be duck..." between each bite. LOVELY! Also, seriously guys, THINK OF THE VEGANS! Does human hair fall under their umbrella of no-eat-foods? I would think so...

 And then, just to end on a happy note:
  • The FDA has set many standards for what it defines as “natural or unavoidable defects” in foods, but hair doesn’t make the list. And if you think that’s icky, there might be something even worse in your spaghetti; the FDA also okays up to two maggots per can of tomatoes.
THANKS, POPULAR SCIENCE. I'm going to go cower in the corner now.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Entry-Level Job Miracles

Source: istock.

The most exciting part of my day was seeing the iced coffee machine in the lunch room. I am scared to use it, in case it is a mirage.

This ties with yesterday when I received a FREE CARRY-ON LUGGAGE that someone left on the "freebie table" ie one of the lunch tables where people occasionally put stuff they don't want anymore with post-its that say "please take!"

In less-exciting news, someone has offered up free soy sauce packets on the freebie table.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Spreading Good Cheer with Tears in Our Eyes.

The events of Friday in Newtown, Connecticut were heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, a tragedy.. That is something we can all agree on. I feel similar in the aftermath as I did when September 11th happened--while it didn't affect me directly, it made a profound impression and left me feeling helpless. My heart is aching for these families. I lost someone close to me once, and while not in such a violent and hate-filled way, the ache is still there and I cannot even imagine what those families are going through.

I don't think it's right to use this tragedy as an excuse to stand on a soap box or promote a political agenda. The parents and families of those whose lives were lost have not even buried their slain loved ones yet. No thank you, I do not want to hear about how this had nothing to do with guns, or everything to do with guns, I don't want to hear about God not being in public schools or not in public schools and what that means, or whether or not mental illness is a factor in it all and what should be done about that. I don't care whether or not these meme-images coincide with my own beliefs, it is NOT the time or the place. I feel a little bit of rage build up inside of me whenever I see these things in my newsfeed. I want to cry because yes, what you believe is important, and yes, you have every right to express it, but to use a horrible tragedy to try and force others to see your side just feels so wrong to me. Even if change is set into motion by huge events such as this.

It could just be me, I don't know. But that's not the point of this post. Instead of griping on my facebook (there's this blog for that now, heh), I re-posted this link with the following:

"As the year comes to a close I think it is important to remember that despite it all, there is good in the world, and there are people who dedicate themselves to perpetuating it. We should take tragedy not as an excuse to get on a soapbox or spread political agendas, but as a catalyst to propel ourselves forward as human beings. We are all people, we all need each other, and love is worlds stronger than hate. Let's make our New Year's Resolution to try and make it on a list like this for 2013--if not on an internet buzz site but in the heart of someone who needs it. Happy Holidays to all, please let's remember what this time of year is all about."

And I mean it. I am 25. I am often selfish and self centered and while the worst thing that ever happened to me was losing my father, more often than not I think my world is ending because I cannot have the things I want. Or I don't have enough money. Or I don't live in NYC or California. When a tragedy like the Newtown shooting happens, it puts things into better perspective. I am so lucky to have the people in my life that I do. I am so lucky to have a roof over my head, food in my belly, a job, and even a bank account that isn't in the negatives. I need to pay it forward way more often than I do.

Why don't we put the soap boxes away, take a break from re-blogging and sharing memes that reflect political views--at least until the holidays are over--and instead re-channel that energy into something positive? Everyone is fighting their own battles, and no matter what they are a friendly face and helping hand are always appreciated. Pay for someone's coffee in line behind you. Donate $10 to a charity you care about. Leave an anonymous gift on the doorstep of a friend who needs cheering up. Volunteer somewhere. Pay for a stranger's lunch. Do something to make someone smile.

I guarantee you, while it won't change the world or dull the pain of such a terrible event, it will feel so much better than sharing a photo on Facebook.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”- Mr.Rogers

Friday, December 14, 2012

Happy Friday the 14th Playlist!

I seriously cannot express how happy I am that it is finally fucking Friday! #FFF

It has been a most interesting week and I am so thankful it is over. Before I get into my playlist and gripes of the week/day I just wanted to take a minute and thank all of you that have been following and reading so far! I know I can speak for all of us here at 20-Something Gripes, that we are super appreciative of your support and interest. We are at over 1,000 views, so thank you!!

Now on to more important things! Today I am going to talk about one of my MAJOR shortcomings: holding  grudges. I try not to, but there are some things that I just cannot forget no matter how hard I try. I still remember in second grade one of the boys in my class (I still remember his whole name, too!) stole and broke my favorite pencil and then made fun of me because I brought the Beach Boys Greatest Hits CD to class for show and tell. Trivial? Yes.  Stupid? Yes. Will I get over it? Well, it's been about 18 years....so probably not.

Internet

There are, of course, much more serious wrongs that have been done to me over the years but I am not comfortable talking about them on the internet for all to see, let's just say that in some of my grudges I am justified.

I know that I should get over this grudgemania, but I can't seem to shake it. I have been told many times how unhealthy and detrimental it is but I am a firm believer in the difficulties people havechanging behavior after 20 years of living one way and there are more important things to deal with...right?

Am I crazy? Do you hold grudges? If not, how do you get over it?

Since I am having a meh Friday, here is the playlist that I am using to get me through:
  1. I Love It - Icona Pop
  2. The Dope Show - Marilyn Manson
  3. Push and Shove - No Doubt
  4. Boys Wanna Be Her - Peaches
  5. Meds - Placebo
  6. The Wild One - Suzi Quatro
  7. Phenomena - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  8. Top Rated - Icona Pop
  9. Rhinestone Eyes - Gorrilaz
  10. Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation
  11. Gold on the Ceiling - The Black Keys
  12. Countdown - Beyonce
  13. Rocky Took a Lover - Bell X1
  14. Glass Onion - The Beatles
  15. Jumanji -Azealia Banks
  16. Stuck on a Puzzle - Alex Turner
  17. Next Girl - The Black Keys
  18. All I want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
  19. All the Time - Diamond Rings
  20. Toxic - Mark Ronson feat. Triggers
Be well and safe this weekend, my friends.

My friends are dorks.


"I'm on my way out," my roommate said to me as I got in from play rehearsal at nearly 10:00pm last night.

"What? Where are you going? Aren't you sick?" I responded, thinking back to two days ago when I had to bring her to the ER because her cough was inhibiting her breathing.

"I'm going to The Hobbit premiere. Aren't you?"

"Hah! You dork. Have fun!"

The majority of my friends spent last night waiting in line to see the midnight showing of The Hobbit, tickets they'd had for weeks. I politely declined and said that it was just a little too dorky for me. My same response when they asked me to audition to be an actor for the local Renaissance Fair. I'm a theater nerd for sure, and more dorky than I would probably let on in most circumstances--for example, I dressed up as Katniss for the Hunger Games premiere and while I never made it to a Harry Potter book release I always wanted to--but I gotta draw the line somewhere.

I remember a Facebook back and forth with two friends of mine, when one posted a Doctor Who meme of some sort to their wall. These friends also identify as different houses from Harry Potter, to the point where if you heard them casually discussing it, you'd think it was a real thing. Anyway, the conversation went something like this...

Me: Is there a nerdy thing that you guys DON'T like?
Friend 1: NOPE!
Me: I honestly can't think of one...
Me: MANGA! Right? You're not into all that stuff?
Friend 2: Yes, we aren't very fond of Manga.

I will just take the time to say here that yeah, I love my dorky friends. Also that, while I use nerd and dork interchangeably, an ex of mine was very adamant about the fact that they are very different beasts. He sent me the diagram below (he identified as "nerd"):



No thanks, I don't need to see The Hobbit until it comes out on DVD, if that. I wished my roommate luck and that her cough wouldn't upset her grand movie-watching experience with a theater full of awkward people in Hobbit feet. I said I'd wait until the next Hunger Games so I could whip out my Katniss costume again.

I proceeded to spend the rest of the night taking pictures of my cat.


Yes, they are the dorky ones.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Groupon Knows My Style.

Email from Groupon today: "72% Off Earbuds with Swarovski Elements!"

Jeez Groupon, that's something totally necessary that I absolutely need! Thanks!* I would wear them in lieu of earrings and start a new trend that has the added benefit of never having to talk to anyone because they'll assume you can't hear them. SCORE.

But, for serious, if I'd been able to Christmas/Holiday shop sooner, I'd be all over Groupon Goods. Random, fun gifty things for at least 50% off! I missed my chance to get a make-your-own-cheese kit for $20, but my best purchase ever was a mini donut maker for $5.

THE CURRENT LIST HAS MOON SHOES. Sold. Totally sold. Other items of note: zero calorie noodles, heated pet bed, velour track suits, and HANGOVER AIDS. Um, plus some stuff that is actually cool.

Who has their shopping done already? Here's hoping I can find some time this weekend for the rest of mine...

*Earbuds hurt my ears and my ipod is sadly underused. #firstworldproblems

Time to Get Serious

Today's post is going to be on a very serious subject that I feel is plaguing our generation. And no, it's not what you might think.

There's all this talk of ADD and ADHD and how young adults like us have a real problem concentrating. Be it our smartphones, our internet, or our handheld game devices, all signs point to YOUNG PEOPLE CANNOT CONCENTRATE. On the news this morning there was even a segment on how the attention-span of 20-somethings is about 30 seconds for any bit of information.

Guys, we're being misdiagnosed here.

While I definitely believe in ADD and ADHD, having not only been diagnosed with it myself but I'm also related to many people that suffer from it in the worst way, I would venture to say that more often than not it isn't ADD or ADHD that is plaguing our generation but, boredom.

I'm just bored...and maybe you are too?

For example: I think it's pretty obvious by now that I have little to no work to do at my current contracted position. There are days where I can't even eat because I am so busy and I LOVE those days, but usually I'm just trying to entertain myself and not have a mental boredom breakdown.

What is really sad is the fact that our generation is being labeled as not only attention deficit but lazy because of our "habits." The truth is, 20-somethings are the best employees you are going to get. We have this inherent need and desire to please and prove ourselves---the problem is that no one is giving us the opportunity to do so. I strongly believe that we develop these bad habits because we are not trusted. We are not given the chance to show what we are really capable of. What most employers fail to realize is that our "ADD" and "ADHD" is their biggest asset! I can work on multiple tasks AT ONCE, get them done in record time, AND complete them with above-average standards for the company.

That being said, I am NOT being used properly but I AM being paid to sit here so I might as well entertain myself.

So today, I am going share with you what I do during my work day to prevent me from this:

courtesy of gifrific.com

First and foremost, I sign my sorry ass onto Facebook. I live on Facebook now. I wouldn't say it is an addiction, because I can spend time away from it, I just choose not to. It is a choice. Really...I swear. I sign on and educate myself on all of your lives and then I update you (every hour or so throughout my day) on my life. Facebook is my diary. I have never been able to keep one for longer than a few weeks.
Recently my mother cleaned out our attic and found a bunch of my old diaries, about six. You might think, "Well six is a hearty diary number", and it is, except for the fact that there are about three pages filled in each of them; combined that doesn't even make a whole volume! But I digress...Facebook, the lazy-woman's diary.

Second, Twitter. I only recently have started to participate in the Twitter-sphere. I now use it to get all the news I will ever need:


Thanks HuffPost! I feel so much more informed now.

Then there is a mish-mash of things I do and then I repeat. Here is a list of sites to check out if, like me, you get the urge to hide in your company's ceiling crawl space.

Bob's Burgers

Tumblr.



Then I start to feel as though I am wasting my time so I try and educate myself.

Then the news makes me want to kill myself so I move back. Repeat steps one and two (Facebook, Twitter) and move onto the following:

BATHROOM BREAK!

Repeat all steps. I think you get the point.

What sites do YOU go to?? Is there something major I am missing out on??

Back to "work" now...



GIFSoup

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

No pains, no complaints, no gripes

Odie, Odifferus, O-snifferus, or just OD for short, this Australian Kelpie is a man's best friend. Whether playing with his stuffed duck, nipping at strangers, or hanging with the humans how can one not love this face? He has this natural smile and gets ALL the ladies. So obedient that he will walk outside without a leash and always come when he is called, one can not find a better best friend.

So what is my gripe you ask? 

Well, let me explain. Unfortunately I am not the only one in my house who feels this way about the furry creature. And the evenings in Providence are CHILLY. This little pooch makes the foot of my bed so warm and cozy, how does one decide who gets the dog?

Is it survival of the fittest? Do I buy toys and bedding to intrigue him to stay in my bed? How about I help him record his first electronic/hiphop/howl album Ruff Style, ODIE: The Dog

 Ruff Style Album Cover 
My contemplation leads me to think more about the unconventional love that dogs have for humans. So much different than what humans expect from their mates. Take him for a walk, give him some food/water and he will lay with you all night long.

No pains, no complaints, no gripes. 


This little guy was adopted by the Knapp family 4-5 years ago, and I couldn't be happier for the compassion their family shows with animals, even their other little dog, Lucky, who pees on our rugs.


Slow Ass Tuesday

Welcome to Slow Ass Tuesday...it smells like wet dog in the office, the heat is broken, and the bathroom flooded...SUPER!

Voice Mailboxes Lack Common Sense.

I really don't think it should take me seven steps to check my voice mail.


Every time the little red light is on my work phone, informing me of a message, I get a little irritated, because I know it will be a five to ten minute debacle.

-Welcome to your voice mail. Please enter your extension, and then press the pound key.
-Thank you. Please enter your password. And then press the pound key.
-You have two new messages. To record messages, press 1. To get messages, press 2.
-You have two new messages. Voice call received December 10, 9:30am. To listen, press 1. To skip, press 2.
-Voice call from 123-345-6789, ten seconds. To listen, press 1. To skip, press 2.
-"Hello! Message about stuff here!" to delete, press 1. To do other stuff, press other numbers. For more options, press 7.*
-Repeat per message.

If you're checking your voice mail, odds are it's because you see you have a message. Can't we save everyone the headache and just have it be the first option?

And that's my Gripe of the Morning. Cheers.

*Side gripe: the "repeat message" option is quite annoyingly hidden.
---------

First time here? Why not check out...


Monday, December 10, 2012

Why Ron Swanson is the Man of My Dreams

I have come to the conclusion over the past few months that these days there are very few independent men; whether it is emotionally independent, physically independent, or just independent in general. My experience with these “men” has been daunting. I think, at times, men think that all women want to nurture and take care of someone or something, so they “let us” cook, clean, and coddle them…usually with nothing in return. This is not a good tactic and it is a COMPLETE turn off. Sure, at first, we might respond positively to it but soon enough we will resent you and quietly (or not so quietly) hate you for it.



The first time I was awakened to the weaknesses of the men in my generation was my first week in college. I went down to the community laundry room and was separating my laundry into all the correct piles when I felt someone watching me…I turned around and it was not one someone but MANY someones. There were about five guys standing behind me watching me sort my laundry. I realized these “men” had no idea how to do laundry, not a fucking clue. Thus began my tutorial “Laundry for the College Male 101”, by the time I had finished there were at least 10 guys listening. Needless to say this was the first of many shocks I was going to experience and they haven’t stopped.

I just want to find a guy that is self-sufficient. Is that so much to ask for? I want a partner, an equal. I am a strong willed and self-sufficient woman, I don’t need a caregiver and I don’t want to be the caregiver.  I’m not saying they have to be totally self-sufficient (that is just unrealistic), I just want a guy that is the younger version of Ron Swanson, from NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
 Image courtesy of http://bookriot.com

 Ron Swanson, dream man! :  Big (in brawn and personality), smart, strong (mentally and physically), capable… a real man’s man; Ron Swanson. The man is a specimen to behold. The man should be a role model for all men. The man is a God. I understand that his being a God means no human male can be exactly like him, but they can certainly refer to a “What Would Ron Swanson Do?” mantra.

This is the type of guy that will build you a house and all the accoutrements to go with it, make you a hearty meal of beef and cheese, kill a bear should it attack, brew all his own beer, work hard at his job, grow a full beard in two hours, and most important of all be honest and reliable.
Watch and Learn

There is a severe lack of reliability and honesty in guys these days. Life would just be so much easier if people wouldn't bullshit each other. And Ron Swanson is the epitome of a non-bullshitter.  Ron, because he is such a man, does have difficulty showing his sensitive side but he does! He doesn't hide who he is, he lays it all out there and you have to decide whether to take it or not and I have decided that I’ll take it…just a few years younger please ;)

Top Five Reasons Ron Swanson is a Better Man than You Are:
1.       Loyal to his womenhe has had two wives and was loyal to each one while he was with her (despite their being crazy)

2.       Can out drink you and out eat you in whiskey and bacon—don’t even try

3.       Has a female best friend who he trusts completely but has no romantic relations with nor will he ever

4.       Can build anything you could ever want out of wood

5.       Is secretly the most caring and fun man

Gif courtesey of http://www.uproxx.com

I rest my case.

Monday Playlist!!

The boss is out! I am on top of my work, waiting for more so here is my playlist for today. I am hopped up on caffeine and I will be crashing in about two hours, should be a GREAT day.

  1. Disparate Youth - Satigold
  2. There is a Light that Never Goes Out - The Smiths
  3. Is She Weird? - The Pixies
  4. Immigrant Song - Trent Reznor, Karen O (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo version)
  5. A Real Hero - College feat. Electric Youth
  6. Bad Girls - M.I.A
  7. Pin - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  8. Ball and Biscuit - The White Stripes
  9. Born to Die - Lana Del Rey
  10. Electricity - Arctic Monkeys
  11. Nathan - Azealia Banks feat. Styles P
  12. The Call - Backstreet Boys
  13. Upgrade U - Beyonce feat Jay-Z
  14. Busted - The Black Keys
  15. Radar - Britney Spears
  16. Aberdeen - Cage the Elephant ( This video makes me sad...)
  17. Sweet Nothing - Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch
  18. I Fought the Law - The Clash
  19. Same Mistakes - The Echo Friendly
  20. Till I Collapse  - Eminem
So there you have it...The beginning of my Monday.

Happy Monday! -- My Weekend in Pictures

And so begins "Hell Week" for the play I'm in. Late nights of dancing and singing and whatnot, with the show opening this weekend.

So, basically every day this week is going to feel like a Monday, bleh!

However, I had a great weekend to kick off this crazy week. Here is a summary of my weekend jaunt to NYC, in pictures (pay no attention to how much booze I appear to be drinking...):
Obligatory WE'RE IN TIMES SQUARE!! picture

Melty newpaper machine?


First Broadway show!
(Billy Ray was disappointing... overall good show though)

J'adore les crepes.

Brunching Bellini

My drink matches my leggings, but you can't quite tell.

Shots... not the wisest of choices.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland...

And we'll end with an adorable picture of my cat, because he's adorable.


How was everyone else's weekend?

Friday, December 7, 2012

My Wonderfully Constructed 1st World Life

This morning my client called and left me a message; he asked if I wanted to go to Nairobi, Kenya with him in July to work with students who are blind in science classes. We would be demonstrating the Talking LabQuest and basic science principles to underprivileged students.

As I debate whether this is a safe and worthy experience, I think to myself that July is still a long time away. But in the grand scheme of things, it is only next summer and truly not that far off. While enjoying my 20's I can't help but think that life is only going to speed up from here as I begin to road-map out my future. Not that I haven't already tried to plan it all out, but many elements have come into play that shake up the whole structure of this wonderfully constructed "1st world" life.

Kenya would be the 20th country I have visited, and a great opportunity to see how another part of the world lives. Did I mention, I'll be exploring it with a man who is blind? To me, every opportunity can be a positive one, and there are many reasons to go on this voyage. However, diseases, violence, and death do frighten my wonderfully constructed 1st world life... Is it all worth jeopardizing to see another continent and experience the hardships faced in Africa?

As I begin to see my life speed up, is it because I am growing up, or because I am having more fun? Some may consider 24 to still be young, but as I look around, I only have a few more years to pull it all together and then i'm past my prime. So I will continue to reflect on what life has been, and what it could be.

This is my latest 20-something gripe, off to my next client meeting. Good day.

Friday Playlist

Since there is shit nothing going on at work today. I decided to write up what I have been listening to today to get me through (you will soon notice that I LOVE lists):
  1. Freedom at 21- Jack White
  2. 212 - Azealia Banks
  3. R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys
  4. Your Touch - The Black Keys
  5. Party and Bullshit - Notorious B.I.G
  6. Why Bother? - Weezer
  7. Sixteen Saltines - Jack White
  8. Shake Me Down - Cage the Elephant
  9. Ms. Fat Booty - Mos Def
  10. 20 Dolla - M.I.A
  11. Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chili Peppers
  12. Daft Punk Is Playing At My House - LCD Soundsystem
  13. Add It Up - Violent Femmes
  14. Psycho - The Sonics
  15. Darling Nikki - Foo Fighters (lyrics included for your pleasure)
  16. Ulysses - Frank Ferdinand
  17. Smart Went Crazy - Atmosphere
  18. My Dick - Mickey Avalon
  19. Moonlight Mile - The Rolling Stones
  20. Get Some - Lykke Li

You Know It's Going to be an Interesting Day When...

I found a condom wrapper in my cat's litterbox this morning.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

It's been a rough week...

It's been a rough week, like just about every other week of my life lately. But this one was particularly difficult, for NO particular reason. Let's just say sleepy head-bobbing is not a good thing to do in a meeting with the executives in England, anyways to cheer me up I came up with a whole list of minor annoyances that I blow way out of proportion, just so that I can put a little perspective into my life and realize how first world it is. Yay Fridays!!!

My list of minor annoyances that I blow way out of proportions (thus far):
  1. When trying to type "about it" and it comes out "abou tit" but I am typing too fast and press send before I notice...
  2. When you are in your mid-twenties and still have to find a way to cover up hickeys (these should stop at college)
  3. When the shower curtain is not in the tub properly so when you get out of the shower you notice that the whole bathroom floor looks like a great lake and your bathroom rug feels like peat moss.
  4. When I show up to work in business clothes and it ends up being casual Friday
  5. When an associate uses more than one acronym in a single sentence: "We will be needing those new BU NATAM pages for the ITTrans page on the EMC O.N.E site."
  6. When people still insist that men and women cannot be friends without sex being involved.
  7. When I comment on something on FB and it ends up being a really popular post so then I get a million notifications letting me know that other people have shared their opinions...that I don't care about...but I read them anyways and then get annoyed that I spent my time reading them.
  8. When my grown up logic interfers with my immature logic and I end up having a circular argument with myself.
  9. When two people decide to be honest with each other and then I am the only one that actually follows through with the promise.
  10. When I have to make things an even number to feel okay (hence this useless number ten annoyance).
Ahhhh, I feel better. You will too if you add to my list! Our generation is full of people who are annoyed 99.5% of the time. Please share, I would like to be annoyed at what annoys you and then judge you for it...jk....but not really.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Gift Guide for 20-Somethings

Image stolen from here, who took it from here
During Thanksgiving dinner I heard no fewer than five times from my mother, "You need to give me a Christmas List!!!" As I sat down with a pen and paper and tried to brainstorm, I was reminded of days of yore when I would spend hours with the Toys R Us Christmas Toy Advertisement, carefully circling every little thing that I wanted, with stars next to the things I REALLY wanted. These days, it's a little more difficult--despite the fact that I could still probably find hours of enjoyment with an Easy Bake Oven. I know simply saying "money." won't work, as my parents love to find special things for me and wrap them to open under the tree. And since money is tight (as money is wont to do), it gives them more options if they can spread it around a little and hit the sales.

I think my list this year went something like this:
-Clothes (American Eagle, Express, Forever21, Macys)*
-Makeup (Clinique, Sephora)
-Dutch Oven
-Cast Iron Skillet
-Waffle Maker**
-Travel stuff
-Expensive Things That You Could Give Me Some Money/Gift Cards To Go To (Canon Macro Lens, EGO lights)
-My favorite vodka is Absolut
-Absolutely NO VIBRATING DUCKS***

A little different for sure. And I was really hurting for ideas because I honestly couldn't come up with specific things I wanted that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

However, the more I thought about it, the more I came up with. So here I present to you, the 20-Something Gripes Gift Guide. Hopefully these are things that your favorite 20-Something will enjoy, and not just me.

For the 9-5 Commuter 20-Something
Thermos-brand Vacuum Insulated Commuter Bottle ($30.99)
For us newly-jobbed 20-Somethings, coffee is our lifeblood. When I was making my 45 minute drive to my first post-grad job, or my 1 hour public transportation ride to my college internship, I needed coffee to get myself going. This is an addiction that lasts a lifetime, and we all know that coffee is at its most powerful when piping hot. What's worse than cold coffee? Cancer. Jeez, you're so insensitive. But still, cold coffee is pretty gross. That's where this amazing little device comes in--it is not your standard travel mug that lets coffee go cold before you even get to your car, OH NO. When I got my first REAL post-grad job (the job I'm currently in, actually) my mom got me one of these travel mugs. IT IS THE BEST THING EVER... I promptly lost it, and miss it dearly BUT... it keeps your coffee hot for EIGHT HOURS. EIGHT. HOURS. And keeps cold stuff cold even longer! I even left ice cubes in it once and they were still frosty over 14 hours later. When it comes to coffee transportation devices, this one is the best.
EXTRA POINTS: Hide a Starbucks gift card inside! $3 for coffee is a serious TREAT and not one most of us can afford upon entering The Real World. Oh pumpkin spice lattes, how I miss you...

For the 20-Something Who Clings to Their Childhood
Custom-Made Plushies of their Favorite Childhood Characters by Battleaxe Custom Sewn (Pricing by Order)
HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THIS FALCOR FROM NEVERENDING STORY?? Seriously, this girl is amazing with the plushies. I may be biased because she's a friend of mine, but go check out her Facebook page and tell me you wouldn't love a Kermit or a Hobbes or any of your other amazing childhood favorites. Sure, you COULD find a Carebear at Hot Topic, but do you really want to support corporate greed like that? Why not support a fellow 20-Something in her entrepreneurial endeavor? She also does clothing repair and seamstress-ing and the like. As real life sets in for us cynical 20-Somethings, it's nice to have a piece of our past to cuddle with and cry into every now and then.

For the Pseudo-Professional 20-Something
Their Name. ($10 and up)
This makes sense, I promise. Okay, so, think of your favorite 20-Something. Now, write Theirname.com (with their name in it instead of theirname, you're smarter than this, I know it). Does somebody have it? No? Then buy it! Domain names are pretty cheap these days, and it's an invaluable tool for making an online web presence when job hunting. Go the extra mile and set up a Wordpress or Blogger account and give them the appropriate info to start building their website and online presence  When potential employers Google them, the first result will be the .com name. Take it from someone who was mildly cyber-bullied in the past--Google results can make or break you in certain situations.
EXTRA POINTS: Are you HTML-inclined? Build a site template to go with it! A great "DIY" gift.

For the Foodie 20-Something
Sushi Making Kit ($34.99)
Sushi is delicious, there's no arguing that. If the idea of eating raw fish makes you squeemish then you just need to get over it and open your mind and palate to the wonders of this Asian cuisine. 20-Somethings, particularly 20-Somethings who have any sort of "foodie" background, love sushi. Sushi, however, is expensive. The only time I can afford sushi at my favorite local joint is if I happen to be there during the lunch specials mid-week--does not happen often. With a kit like this, you can attempt to make sushi at home! Save money! Yay!--and probably fail terribly, but it's the thought that counts, right? Plus it gives hours of frustration...uh... I mean, enjoyment?
EXTRA POINTS: Spring for a special super-sharp sushi knife ($14.49). Once you perfect the art of the sushi rolling, it's rather disheartening to tear it apart thanks to a subpar knife.


For Any 20-Something with a Car
Gift certificates for: Car Washes, Oil Changes, Tires, Basic Repairs (~$30 and up)
You know what is last on my list of spending priorities? Routine car repairs. I KNOW that the salt on the road in the wintertime is bad for my car, but car washes are $10 or more and for weekly washes, that adds up. I KNOW my oil change light has been on for over a month but how important is an oil change ANYWAY? Losing $30 worth? ---dangerous thoughts, but when a repair isn't totally VITAL, it's not something I jump at doing. Plus you generally have to leave work (and thus, wages) to get it done, since most car repair places are only open 9-5. I didn't even KNOW I needed new tires until a concerned co-worker went out of his way to set up an appointment for me to get new ones, as mine were dangerously bald. While I was glad I didn't have to deal with a blowout, I was grumbling over the $350 it cost me to replace my tires. Anyway, what I'm getting at is, gift cards towards annoying yet necessary car upkeep would be a welcome gift!
For the City-Living 20-Something: A month of public transport! It was $60/month when I lived in Boston, check your 20-Something's MTA website for official pricing.
EXTRA POINTS: AAA Membership is ALWAYS a good idea!

For the Outdoorsy 20-Something
Swiss Army Knife (SOL Origin Survival Tool, $49.99)
I was never the outdoorsy-type in my formative years, but now that I'm on a budget I realize--HEY. HIKING IS FREE! This means I spend a lot more time outside than I used to. The ratio of bar-to-mountain or mall-to-hiking trail is more like 3:1, whereas it used to be... never... But seriously, a hike to a mountain top with a picnic lunch with friends at the top is equal parts tiring and rewarding. I asked my outdoorsy roommate for an idea, to which she said "Headlamp or Swiss Army Knife" and went a-Googling. I found this BADASS Swiss army knife for a whopping $50, but it seriously has everything! Look at it! Even a nature-inept person like myself could survive in the woods Hatchet-style with this thing-a-ma-bob. The kit also includes some other stuff, check it out.
EXTRA POINTS: Run around your local camping store and I'm sure you can find some supplemental stuff. Maybe an emergency blanket or some energy jellybeans? Camping stores have the weirdest "impulse buy" section at the checkout counter...

For the 20-Something Lush-on-the-Go
Packable Wine Glasses ($14.95)
Found this while looking for the former list item. Collapsible wine glasses! While yes, it's perfect for camping, I'm envisioning bringing it to anywhere I may be toting wine to that may not have suitable wine receptacles  How many times have you been to a party and had to drink your Bordeux out of a red solo cup? Every time you go to a male friend's apartment, that's how many. Also for regular, non-camping travel, it's great for hotel room pre-gaming! The possibilities are truly endless.
EXTRA POINTS: Include a nice-ish bottle of wine, something over $10 because I know I sure as hell don't spend more than $10 on booze for myself anymore...


For the 20-Something Who Still Goes Out on Friday Nights
Birchbox ($10/month)
One of the things lacking in my budget right now is the money for GOOD makeup. I let myself splurge on $12 eyeliner, but other than that I tend to grab what's cheap at the drugstore. That's why Birchbox would be an excellent gift: For $10/month you can send your beloved 20-something a box of premium makeup samples. For gifts, you can choose a 3 month, 6 month, 12 month, or "Ultimate" subscription--the lower priced ones being totally affordable and within most peoples' gift budgets. And the samples aren't those little condom-wrapper-sized ones you get in magazines or at the beauty counter of Macy's when you're roped in for a "free skin consultation" in hopes you'll shell out $50 for a tiny bottle of eye cream. Nope, these are generous little samples that will last a month if not longer. Everyone I know who has a Birchbox subscription loves it, and getting packages in the mail is always a fun time. Give your favorite 20-something a little bit of glamour--they have ones for guys too!
EXTRA POINTS: They have an online store with the full sized samples. Add a giftcard for the store so that your gift recipient can buy a full-size version of his or her favorite sample.

For Just About Any 20-Something
Nice Booze. ($25 and up)
Getting a special bottle of your favorite vice is a luxury that many of us don't have when we're on our own, doing our whole paying-rent-and-bills-and-student-loans thing. I think if any of my friends got me a bottle of Absolut Pear I'd cry tears of joy, as no one should have to suffer through Rubenoff after graduating college. If you want to shell out for top shelf, all the better. We will love you for it.
EXTRA POINTS: Include a pretty flask of some sort so that we can sneak a shot into a plain coke at a bar and save some $$$.


*Don't laugh at me for shopping everywhere that teenagers shop. DON'T. Plus I'm lucky my mom has a great sixth sense when it comes to clothes shopping and finds things that are exactly my style
**I cook, and bake, a lot. Have you seen my other blog?
***There's a story here. I'll tell it sometime.

I was not paid for this, all opinions are my own. Any pictures used are not mine at all were probably Googled (except the Yaris, that's my baby) but please don't come after me because I'm using them to promote your stuff? Thanks...

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Is it love or the feeling of love?

"Love makes a man act funny."

I've experienced this often throughout my life and somehow keep letting myself get hurt, but as Butters says: "I'm sad, but at the same time, I'm really happy that something could make me feel that sad. Its like, it makes me feel alive, you know? It makes me feel human." But is this feeling I have for an actual person, or the need to feel loved? This inner conflict haunts the decisions I make in life.

So as I gripe about my girl issues, it is not just me, it is the nature of love. It makes you feel like you're on a roller coaster, but without this feeling, how can we feel good? Life is full of ups and downs, and that is what makes it exciting. But damn, it hurts sometimes.

Can the internet just improve so much that we don't have to leave our house anymore?

A life of solitude seems less stressful, but what fun is life without a little conflict?

Get Out of My Personal Space-- Allston Edition

To go along with what Ashley posted about being told to smile (something that happens far too often to me, I must look miserable):

Last night as I was making my way back to my apartment after my 9-5 at a software company I was approached by the possible drug user/drug dealer that lives in the building next to mine. Here is my resulting Facebook post about the incident:

"No, possible drug dealer next door, I would not like to smoke a cigarette with you on the steps and then go get dinner. No matter how much you insist I look "like I need some tender love and care". No, no thank you."

New Faces!

Yep, a day after having this blog I decided it'd be more interesting with different voices. So, while I doubt anyone has been following this blog so soon into its conception, I thought I'd announce it anyway. Please welcome Meredith and Roger, my dear friends from my college years who are griping about their own 20-Something existence to the East of me.

Yay, friends!

Hey you, get out of my personal space.

I'm trying to think up good responses to complete strangers approaching me in public and asking me to smile. So far the best one I can think of is "Sorry but it's hard to smile while suppressing explosive diarrhea." Any thoughts?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

What I Learned Today

Things My Cat Likes:

Quesadillas.

Things My Cat Doesn't Like:

 Clothing.

When you have a cold...

When you have a cold, you are supposed to drink orange juice.

When you are stressed, you drink beer.

When you're sick AND stressed?

I'm just going to chase my beer with a glass of OJ and hope for the best.

Also I assume the pineapples soaking in my vodka in the fridge will release their Vitamin C into the liquor and I'll be all set come Saturday, yeah?

The More You Know...

So if, during a followup appointment at your healthcare provider's office for an unrelated issue, you mention to your nurse practitioner that your jaw hurts occasionally, and she suggests using Advil before you go to sleep, you will get a bill for the full office visit instead of a copay because a TMJ consultation is not covered by your insurance.

In other news, it is T-Minus 10 months until I am no longer on my parents' insurance and this becomes a headache of a different sort.

Welcome to the place where I whine about stuff.