Happy Happy Joy!

HammieLove got a $5000 bonus today! Woohoo! This came that the perfect time. His birthday is tomorrow, we are going to desert ( for all of you non-Californians, this translates to a hellbent, hair raising weekend on our dirtbikes and dune buggy), so HL can buy his new dirtbike. :) I am very excited.

On the downside, my dirtbike is still in the shop, but I threatened to go in there and cry if they didn't fix it by tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I bought HammieLove tickets to see Comedy Central Live with Dave Attell. We love Insomniac! It is such a fun and funny show. He is going to love them.

Do you have your costume all set for Halloween? I am going low-key with a painted kitty face, a shirt that says "ROWR", clip-on ears from Hot Topic, and a feather boa tail. Gotta carve my punkin tonight for the contest tomorrow. I should cook some chili for the cook-off but I don't think that I am going to. I had to order cornbread for 60 people. The guy at the restaurant thought I was crazy. (I am, but that is a whole 'nother story.)

I had better get on the road. Gotta hit the mall for more presents, the crafts store for stuff for my costume, and I have to clean the rest of this apartment for move-in. Plus, A VERY SPECIAL Survivor. Twists, twists, and more twists! *cues ominous music*

Have a great night!

Update for all of my three readers...

As you may know, I live in San Diego and we are burning right now. Our beautiful blue skies are black with smoke and orange with fire. HammieLove and I are fine. The fire is five miles or so from our house, but it would have to burn through the entire city of houses in order to get to us. We are not worried and have not had to pack for evacuation as of yet. We can watch the fires from the top of our apartment complex and will have plenty of warning. The air is bad enough that, being as asthmatic as I am, I cannot venture outside without a mask on for more than a minute or two. As it is right now, I am in my office with a mask on because the ventilation system can't keep up with the smoke.

Friends of mine have not been as lucky. I have more than one that are evacuated right now and have no idea what is going on at their houses. One friend's parents are the recipients of a miracle as they have discovered every house on their street and in the surrounding neighborhood has burned except for theirs. They now have a bird's eye view of devastation.

Our Humane Society burned to the ground two years ago as the result of arson, and the newly rebuilt (on the other side of town for good measure) is now in the path of the fire. The adoptable animals were sedated and moved, but there are still "strays" at the shelter that cannot be rescued at this point.

The whole county has been devastated. Please keep us, the newly homeless families, and especially the brave and heroic firefighters in your prayers. You can donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund at www.sdarc.org .
San Diego is also facing a critical blood shoartage, so please donate locally so that if they have to go to other places for blood, it will be available. (I believe you can designate that donation to benefit San Diego too).

Thanks for your thoughts and I will update later.

I feel much better today!
After 2 Red Bulls this morning, I am feeling REALLY good!

I think I have an ear fetish. Is that weird? I love Orlando Bloom as Legolas, but I think that is due in large part to the elf ears. I bought elf ears from a costume shop withount any intention of being an elf for Halloween. I want to be a kitty for H-ween. I was a kitty last year and I liked it. I loved my ears! They are not the headand kind. They have a garter-like strap that I can arrange my hair around to make it look like they are coming out of my head. I just went to Hot Topic and bought kitty ears that clip onto my hair like barrettes. And my friend bought me an Emily snow beanie that is black and has kitty eyes on it and ears that stick out the top. I love ears! :)

The whole three people that read this should head on over to GreenTuna's blog, because she is completely inspired today. I bow humbly at the feet of Great Blogger Tuna.

Ugh. I feel crappier today than I did yesterday. The Boss' said I could leave early, but I have so much work...Ugh again. I want to go home and snuggle on the couch with HammieLove and watch Survivor.

HammieLove brought me home Chinese food and Baskin Robbins ice cream cake last night. I love that man!

I can't think of anything interesting to say, so I will leave you with a quote that was on the O'Reilly Factor on Monday night.

"If a cat has kittens in the oven, you can't call them cookies."
-Some Boy Scout head honcho about the lawsuit filed by one of the gay rights organizations because the BSA have leased public land in Balboa Park.

*cough*cough*

Man, I just started to feel like crap. Too much going on these days!

HammieLove gave me additional birthday presents on Saturday morning. He had already bought me all new motocross gear (pants, jersey, helmet, boots and gloves) and then he gave me a Fox camelback and goggles. I will look so pro on my new bike come Halloween. Even though I have never ridden it and never ridden a motorcycle. I figure if I mastered the three wheeler, a two wheeler will be no sweat!

We had dinner at a great restaurant in Del Mar called Sbicca. The atmosphere was fantastic, the food better, and the wine was tasty! hammieLove sure knows how to pick a bottle of wine! Then, towards the end of dinner, LadyBoss shows up just to give me a hug, a card, and to wish me happy birthday. What a boss! I was so surprised and so impressed that she went that extra mile. My boss rocks!

We went to the street fair on Sunday. I got the cutest purse! It looks like a stuffed animal bear, but it is a purse! Who said I was immature?

HammieLove also took me "shopping" for engagement rings, so he knows what I want when he goes to buy it. *does a happy dance* It only took FOUR AND A HALF YEARS!!!! I am really stoked. I can't wait to get married!

Well, I am back.

I am also 23! *yay me*

And I am the proud godmother of 7 lb 12 oz
Gwendolyn Marie McLaughlin. :)

My birthday was wonderful. Breakfast with my parents, tae kwon do class (where everyone got to kick my butt really hard to wish me Happy Birthday). I freaked out at the last second about going to my friends funeral. It wasn't the death part that bothered me, it was the fact that there were going to be 5 or 6 people there that hate me and that I hate and I decided that I would be really uncomfortable. I would rather mourn Mikey in a way that I would be comfortable. So we went to Epazote in Del Mar and did a shot of tequila in his memory.

We checked into our hotel early. It was a beuatiful hotel. We weren't carrying any luggage, so I think that the front desk clerk was suspicious of us for some reason. Not that I am ashamed of "living in sin", but I didn't appreciate her announcing to anyone within earshot that I was sharing a room with a man who had a different last name than I do. THEN, we were settled into the room like 20 minutes later when there is a knock on the door, a quick "Housekeeping!" announcement, and the housekeeper bust in like the SWAT team. Aren't they supposed to wait for an answer? She brought in ONE towel (for our fully stocked bathroom). I thought it was odd, until I realized that she was doing a hooker check (at least that is what I think she was doing.) ONE towel? Give me a break. I don't look like a hooker...I sure as hell wasn't dressed like one! Everyone said that I should have complained, but I didn't realize it until later that night.

More birthday and baby update later...I have some work to catch up on!

One day till my birhtday!

Actually, today is my Work Birthday, since tomorow is Saturday. My friend, Mike, got me a monkey. I promptly pick it up and give it a firm spanking. And name it Mike. Awww, good monkey.

One of the title officers sent me flowers and a teddy bear. I named it Fuzzyhead RosieBear. I am in sensory overload from the soft fuzzy animals. I love to touch things, escpecially smooth and soft things. I am obsessive about it. I love my bears!!

This reminded me of a funny story. We were all out at the desert for Thanksgiving and HammieLove's sister was with us with her two boys. We were all sitting around the campfire and there was this boy that belonged to another family who was "special." He kept asking everyone, "Do you love my bear?" His bear being a big ol' floppy teddy. Tony, the oldest nephew, finally gets tired of hearing the question and answers, " The fire will love your bear." in this totally menacing, un-Tony like voice. It was Mafioso Newphew Tony! (this may be one of those "you had to be there" moments, but trust me it was funny!)

HammieLove got off of work early and went birthday present shopping. I love my birthday!!

3 days until Genny has her baby. It is so cool to think that there will all of a sudden be a new person in our lives. I can't wait!

BTW, R.I.P. Red Sox

Time to get to gettin;. Good night all...

I think I figured it out! Sorry for the confusion! Hopefully this color doesn't hurt the eyes...

Changing again...sorry

this font thing is weird!

Changed the font to white...weird...posting

Testing for my site meter

Only two more days to buy me lots of presents for my birthday! Get to crackin'!

Deep thought for the day:

Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine and into your brain. That is where people get shitty ideas from.

Heh.

I am rooting for the Red Sox tonight, even though I am not from Boston and I don't even really like baseball. My home team is the Padres, so you can share my enthusiasm. My friend, Stephanie, is a big ol' Sox fan because she moved here from Beantown four months ago. She wishes she was back home because people would understand her fanaticism. I think that everyone here got really into it to make her feel more at home. I think we are honorary Beantownians.

Poor Cubs. :(

Today has been a super busy one at work. I have taken a short break to update this for the 1 person that may read it.
BossMan is in ChiTown for the USC/Notre Dame game and the LadyBoss is home sick. So I am here to get reamed by the clients (just one reamed me, and I handled it very well, if I do say so. And I do.) Back and forth to the recorders. Fun.

The Boss' aren't here and it is Boss' Day! I got BossMan Godiva Chocolate Cigars and I got the ladyBoss a little Godiva gift pack in a gold mesh bag. Chocolate is always a good present.

There is this guy, Hunter, at the Recorder's office. Hunter is a long haired tattooed rock star wanna be who is kind of cute until he opens his mouth. He called me a slacker and a loser for not going to college. (I make almost 30,000 a year at 23 with no college education. Not bad.) But apparently this guy is now living in his truck. He smells like he is at least. I gave him a hug because he said he was depressed, and now my shirt smells like a homeless person, stale beer, cigarettes, and body odor. Yick. I also read his Soc 101 paper on "corporate rationalization." It was an awful poorly spelled piece of regurgitated liberal crap with bad grammar. Now I don't eat at McDonalds because of the way they treat their employees, but I have a reason. This essay was about how the Man and the Media are working to saturate society with "secret messages." Holy COW! How he wouldn't eat meat, or drink Coca-Cola, but he does collect Nikes and buy gas because he has "thought it through." Does that make sense? Because smoking Big Tobacco and drinking Budweiser doesn't support big business? This is what college does to you. It makes you think you KNOW everything.

Anyway, I feel sorry for him. After he called me a slacker, I made a shirt that had a really funny picture of him on it with "Slacker" written underneath it. He thinks that it is hilarious and wants one. I think that I am going to make him one just so he has a clean shirt. So sad.

I hate people.

First, I have to suffer through the getting-called-to-the-principal's-office feeling all night after my boss tells me that he (being the BossMan) and the LadyBoss would like to have a "meeting" with me tomorrow (which is today). He tells me not to stress, but OF COURSE I am stressing!

We have the "meeting" today and it is because of some of the "perceptions" that people have of me. Translation: People are talking shit about me behind my back to my boss'. Nice. Their perceptions? That I socialize too much (in the office and at the County Recorders office), I goof around on the Internet too much (Heh.) and that I am away from my desk too much. I came out of the meeting okay, because my boss' really rock and they listened to me. Here is what I said:

Socialize too much? Are you kidding? I am so busy I barely have time to breathe, much less socialize. Whilst I may occasionally spend a couple of minutes Friday morning professing my love for Rupert with the fellow Survivorites, I would hardly call that "too much." And at the Recorder's Office, there is nothing to do BUT talk while you are waiting for your docs to gets examined. Whatever.

Internet? They are a little right on that. But I am not on THAT much. My work still gets done. And I get breaks, right?

The problem with this whole thing is not that people have been talking behind my back. The problem is that I think that it is someone that I consider my friend. I have always had the problem of being too trusting. Now I have to watch myself around her and I hate that. Why can't people mind their own business?

I hate how being in a good mood all the time is considered immature. I am happy almost all the time. Even when I am in a bad mood, I can manage to smile and crack a joke. Older people think that I am immature. I don't get it. Sullen and grumpy is maturity? If that is maturity, then you can have it.

On the good news front, Genny (my BFF) called to let me know that her OB/GYN is scheduling to induce her on Monday. I really want to be there and I hope that the Boss' will give me the day off. I have missed the birth of ALL of my nieces and nephews (there are 16!) and I really want to be there for the birth of my first goddaughter, Gwendolyn.

I think I am with Rappy on the Big Dumb Idiots. I was at the Recorders office, trying to work on my laptop (see not socializing) when a BDI comes up to me and tells me that I can't plug into the county electricity. Are you kidding? (I actually said this) My 20 minutes of laptop power is going to put you over budget? Give me a break. But like the good, MATURE professional that I am, I shut down my document and computer. I get called to the counter and when I looked back, the BDI had gone and gotten another BDI. They were looking for me and when I caught their attention BDI2 tells me that I can't use county electricity. WHICH IS WHY I HAD STOPPED after being asked the FIRST TIME. And then she points out my Red Bull and tells me I can't drink in there (as all the clerks around me collectively take sips of their sodas) Was it really necessary for the first BDI to get the second? And they wonder why people come in and shoot up government buildings. Geez.

4 days till my birthday... I wonder if we will go engagement ring shopping like HammieLove mentioned. I haven't said anything (to him) since he mentioned it, but I hope so! :)

And HammieLove's boss better kick down with the bonus this week. Yes, the bonus he has been promising for a month now. It is such a letdown every week we don;t get it. HammieLove is buying himself a new motorcycle so I can have his. HammieLove was amused when he came home to find me in my Fabulous Diva underoos, a tank top and my new motorcycle boots cleaning the kitchen. I love my boots! And my Underoos! And my sport top that I got at Target! Plus, I have to break my boots in. But I was wearing them because I love them. I would wear my helmet too if I could get away with it. Hell, I would walk around in full get up. I love my new gear!

I better stop "goofing off". G'night all...

I have a link on Hamster Time!! I am so special!

Methinks that I get too excited over trivial stuff.

R.I.P. Mike A. Mills
October 3, 1932- October 10, 2003

My favorite memory of Mikey was my first day at CESCO. I walked into the office for my first day of "professional" work. At the receptionist's desk, there stood an old man with white hair and glasses in outrageous red plaid golf pants that he had to wear because he lost a bet. What an ornery old man he was.

His death had been expected since he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer early last year. It was still a shock when I got the news on Friday morning. He had just gotten out of the hospital after a bout with pneumonia, but we really though that he was going to be fine. I am sad because I hadn't talked to him in a couple of months and I hadn't sent him a get well card yet. I sent my best wishes to him through his family, but I am sad because I didn't really get to say goodbye.

I found out today that I will have my chance to say goodbye on Saturday. Which is my birthday. Everyone around me thinks that it sucks. Actually, so did I. I thought about it though, and now I think that it is kind of cool. Mikey wanted to be remembered in a party on the beach. No stuffy funerals and somber black clothing for this man. He wants us all in beach attire, living it up in the sand. I am sure he will be in heaven, putter in one hand, cigar in the other, looking down on us and laughing. So I decided that sharing my day with him, spending a day that is special to me celebrating the life of a special man is the perfect kind of day to have.


I love ya, Mikey.

Desert season is coming soon! I am very excited. I got on my new bike yesterday (CR250-in case you were wondering) and it fits like a glove. Even my HammieLove was surprised about how good I look on it. Once he is done fixing the water pump, I am going to take all of the plastics off of it and spray paint them bright red! And then I will stencil on my Dirt Bunny logo. I am going to look so cute! (Just ask me!)

I got an Off Road Warehouse sticker for my car. It looks funny on my little Echo. Off Road Echo! Woohoo! I also ordered a SheRides sticker for the back of my car. I like to think of my car as an extension of me. I am getting a license plate frame that says, " If you're gonna ride my ass
At least pull my hair!" Heh.

I talk alot...have you noticed?

The countdown has begun... 5 days until I turn 23!! Woohoo!

I wonder when birthdays stop becoming fun? Do they ever? Am I going to be like "Woohoo! I am 60!" heh.

This weekend is going to fun, fun, fun! I believe that we are going to go Lips on Friday night. Lips is a great dinner show in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. The show is a bunch of drag queens! It is fabulous, dah-ling! They are hilarious, talented, and really, really bitchy! I went a couple of months ago for a bachelorette party, and our waitress had such a great body! And a skin tight dress. She performed in a nylon body stocking and you COULD. NOT. TELL. AT. ALL. They must invest in a helluva lot of duct tape!! (Shout out to SM--we know what that is like!)

Anyone from SoCal reading this, listen up! The grocery store workers are striking right now. While it may be a pain to go to another store, DO NOT CROSS THE LINE! These people are not asking for more money. TPTB are trying to cut their health and pension benefits in half. Your groceries are not going to get more expensive. The less people cross the line, the sooner this thing will be over. Besides, all Teamster-driven delivery trucks are going to stop delivering, so supplies will be running out. Support your grocery workers!!

Wow...I actually took GreenTuna's lead and started a blog. I am so technologically advanced now! Woohoo!

Let my first post be a shout out to HamsterTime, who introduced me to the crazy cat world of MsTuna (if you're nasty), HWG, and Rappy (the blogs that I read every day. Tuna News rocks! Good luck TinyTuna!)