Category Archives: Life

baby, you can drive my car

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You might be expecting some kind of happy and reflective Christmas post. Except you’re reading my blog, which means you probably know better. You, oh astute reader, are aware that there is no day of my year exempt from ridiculous situations and random stories.

Colorado most certainly had a white Christmas this year, which was quite beautiful. That is until I had to make an hour drive up to my boyfriend’s parent’s house for dinner. I’m not really too big of a wuss about driving in the snow, but I really wasn’t in the mood to put in so much effort for food. (I mean, next you’ll be expecting me to help cook it and everything…) I realized that that was probably not the best reason for blowing off a dinner (plus his mom makes pie!) and so I ventured out into the cold afternoon. And then I ventured back. I forgot my car’s gas light has been on for 4 days now. Oops. Somehow pumping gas in a snowstorm seemed utterly unpleasant, unpleasant enough for me to REQUEST to take the family’s minivan instead. Oh, the joys of living at home. I bet you wish you had minivans at your fingertips, waiting for your beck and call…

The roads were fairly slick and the snow was falling pretty heavily. The drive started out with me forgetting that I forgot how to get there until I got to the point that I had to pick my path. I, of course, picked wrong. Then, as I was driving down the wrong highway through a winter storm, the passenger-side windshield wiper of the car FALLS OFF. Luckily it gets snagged by the still attached and now worthless piece of wiper and I can assure you that I uttered some phrases that might not have made baby Jesus feel very welcome on his birthday. I made it to the next exit and proceed to call my mom to see what it is I need to do to reattach detached pieces of car. (And if any of you so much as start the “driving with a cell phone” lecture now, how about you go drive someone else’s car and have a vital and completely-necessary-for-the-moment-at-hand piece of said vehicle FALL OFF while you’re driving? Then you can talk. I might still whack you with a wiper blade, but you don’t even get to talk until that point.) Anyways, turns out the exit ramp was uber-slick and the car felt that skidding back towards the highway would be fun way to make my heart stop. (Again, I’m really sorry about the language, buddy. Happy birthday.) I finally got myself pulled over and spent the next ten minutes decrusting ice and reattaching car parts.

By the time I got back on the road, I had had about enough of this whole white Christmas nonsense and thought that I might just drive my car into a snow bank when Let It Snow came on the radio. It was time to turn off the Christmas cheer and find some real music. Luckily, the family minivan has good taste in music and a Beatles CD was already in place for me. It’s hard for anyone to stay mad when they listen to Hey Jude. (Maybe Mark Chapman…)

I spent the rest of the drive happily listening and playing with acronyms. Every time I lost traction when I braked today a fun little light in on the dashboard lit up. Since my car apparently does not have the same “TCS” excitement as the minivan, I was a little puzzled by the acronym and spent a fair amount of time throwing ideas for meaning around. Some of my personal favorites:

TCS: Traction Coming Soon
TCS: To Cure Skidding
TCS: Take Caution! Slow!
TCS: Time to Curse Silently

Apparently TCS actually means Traction Control System according to Google, but I kind of like all my definitions better…

If you weren’t have a good day already, hopefully the mayham that is my life helped bring just a little cheer. Happy holidays!

(Side note: Happily, I made it to my destination without any other major disasters and it turned out to be a very fun afternoon that proved worthy of the drive.)

you can fight City Hall

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On Friday morning, I fought a parking ticket and won.  I am still so excited every time I think about it that I am going to share.

I was ticketed at the beginning of the month when a meter jammed halfway through paying.  I didn’t have enough change to move the car and pay for the whole amount of time again and I couldn’t finish paying where I was because of the stuck coin – a catch 22, if you will.  I tried calling the service number on the meter only to find that they weren’t open and apparently didn’t believe in using voicemail.  Since I couldn’t win, I just left the car in the half-paid spot and hoped for the best.  (I think that verbalizing that you hope to not get a ticket is kind of like a meter-maid Bat Signal – it’s like a beacon that calls to them, letting them know that somewhere in the night there are hopes to be dashed.)  It seemed especially unpleasant as I was parking at an event that I didn’t particularly want to attend in the first place, and I was more than a little irritated to find a parking ticket on my car when I came back out as I would have paid in full if the meter hadn’t malfunctioned.

I went in to “the parking magistrate” in Denver (a very grandiose title for people who give tickets, I think) to protest the ticket.  I went in with a copy of my phone bill (evidence that I did indeed try to do the right thing) and a hope that good intentions would trump expired meters.  I had to go present my case in a hearing room (also a little unnecessary on the part of the parking magistrate, if you ask me…) and I got the ticket dismissed!  While I’m sure my compelling evidence and well-practiced story didn’t hurt, I’m slightly convinced that the lady listening to my case just wanted me to leave so she could start the long weekend.

I was skeptical that parking ticketers would display reasonableness, but I am quite happy to say that it all worked out!  Keeping my money is wonderful, but I really feel like I get the most satisfaction from winning.  Winning is one of my hobbies that I am most passionate about.   What a wonderful start to the holiday weekend!  (side note:  a twelve day long weekend in fact!  yay for use it or lose it vacation days!)

spring forward, fall back

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Looking back, I feel like I can track my life stages by through the progression of my favorite holidays.

In the early years, any holiday that involved presents topped my favorite days of the year. Things like birthdays and Christmas really couldn’t be beat. (I’m not sure that I ever moved past this stage, but I was able to evolve and add more favorite holidays to the list…)

In elementary school, holidays that involved candy became priorities, allowing Halloween and Easter to join the top of the ranks. I also learned early that any day that created a day off was a miracle to be appreciated. However, it probably doesn’t bode well for my eternal self that I spent years celebrating Martin Luther King Day and Teacher In-Service Days with equal abandon…

In middle school and high school, trick-or-treating and costumes stopped being cool and the holiday fell off the radar for the greater part of the decade. However, the quiet bliss of mashed potatoes helped fill the gap and Thanksgiving thanksgiving truly came to be.

In college, dressing up was once again acceptable (at least in Boulder…) and Halloween was back in the game and any holiday that I got to go home for was acceptable as a favorite.

Now I’m done with school. I enjoy all holidays, as I feel that I am particularly adept at celebrations, parties, and dining events of all kinds. But the inspiration for this post as a whole was the realization that my true favorite holidays are 1) the ones that get you off of work without taking a personal day and 2) perhaps the most understated holiday of the year, the annual resetting of the clocks (the autumn one, of course). I don’t know if other people really count this as an actual holiday, but in my mind there are few things better than that glorious Sunday when the clocks roll back and you are entitled to a full, wonderful hour of extra sleep.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Day 1

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Today was my first day of work. People have asked me how it went, and I’m not quite sure what exactly to say. Mostly I’ve been saying “it was good,” and that is very true. It was good. But it was also many other things. So, in case you were thinking of asking about how my first day of work went, here are some of my responses.

  • It went well. I like my co-workers and my supervisors and the rest of the people who make up my (approximately) 12 person office. The work seems challenging and interesting, though I really haven’t had a chance to do much of it yet. The environment is very open, though definitely driven. It’s nice.
  • It was long. The hours are definitely not 9-5, and that is not any easier on the HR day.
  • It was hot. I’m not sure if I’m getting sick or if the air conditioning does not function within my optimal temperature range, but I was warm all day.
  • It was exciting. I loooooooove picking out my pens and highlighters, etc. from the office supply cabinet.
  • It was conflicting. For example, my excitement over the announcement that I would be getting a company Blackberry was dulled by the realization that a company Blackberry was an expectation for constant connection to work.
  • It was painful, particularly for feet that had to spend 10 hours in heels having strictly worn flip flops or sneakers since I left my office job in August ’06.
  • It was hunger-causing. But seriously, that’s everything in my life, so no biggie there. But I thought that maybe my stomach acid had begun to digest my internal organs by lunchtime. I’m going to have to adjust to a no snacking schedule. Okay, realistically that’s a minimum snacking schedule.
  • It was exhilarating. I take the light rail system (trains) to get downtown. I figured out all the stops and the timing and the return tripping and the ticket buying. And the surprising part is that it went without a hitch. Successful navigation makes me happy, especially environmentally, economically-friendly navigation. Plus it reminds me of being back in Europe, except now I can understand the announcements.
  • It was a reality-check. I. Have. A. Real. Job. Where I am expected to be at every day (including some weekends). And. This. Arrangement. Goes. On. Indefinitely? whoa…. This is probably not the right reaction, but I spent a fair amount of time during the HR discussions wishing that I had ditched more classes when I had the chance…

Basically, I like it and I think it will be a nice job. So mostly: “How was your day?” “It was good.” : )

I Have ENTIRELY Too Much Stuff!!!

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When we studied Walden Pond in school, I was always entranced with the idea of living simply, of giving up the material side of life to commune with nature. Now, I realize that I am far too much of a packrat for that to ever work well. Pretty soon my simple cabin would be full of the leaves that struck me as pretty and the rocks that I’m certain would make good paperweights.

I’m in the process of trying to move back in with my parents. This is no easy task, because the word “trying” here means, “working really hard to find a way to combine two Completely Full rooms into one livable space.” The real problem is that I’m trying to do this without having to get rid of all the things that I have become inherently attached to. I am discovering that this isn’t going to work, because I am overly attached to all things in both rooms. Something’s gotta give…

I am sentimental. I save movie stubs. I have clothes that no longer fit that I am less than inclined to give away because they were a gift. And I still have my favorite pair of jeans from highschool tucked into my closet, though they are so worn out that I’m sure wearing them in public could be classified as indecent. This only scrapes the surface…

I’m working right now trying to clean out my dresser. I’m trying to channel all my logical decision making skills and convince myself that there is really no reason for me to keep the t-shirt that I got on vacation in the Caribbean in the 4th grade! Clearly, it’s time to move on. And yet, there is a whole pile of “giveway” things that never quite make it out the door.

HELP! Support my logic and quell my ridiculous emotional attachments!

a showerer’s paradox

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catch 22. a quandry, a predicament. really, my life is quite the enigma.

The issue: It’s not until I am stripped down in the shower that I am struck with the “Wow! I should really go work out” realization. (well…usually it’s the workout revelation, but sometimes my conclusion is that maybe I should just install more flattering lighting in my bathroom…seems easier…)

However, since I am in the shower getting clean, I have no motivation whatsoever to get back out and go for a run, thus getting sweaty, gross, and in need of a shower all over again. Plus, I have a hard enough time trying to fix post-shower hair once in a day. Asking me to think about blow drying twice is akin to asking Paris Hilton to serve a full sentence — not gonna happen.

And so, I decide that I’ll work out and get all sweaty (and thus in shape) later, before I need to shower again. That way, I will be efficient with my showering and kill two birds with one stone. (Plus, that plan would give me major environmental props for being so conscientious about my water use. See. Really, I’m just thinking of you. And the rainforests. And whales. And future generations who depend on my sustainable lifestyle choices. I should get awards more often.)

But that’s where the well-laid plan falls apart. Because I tend to forget about my need to workout until I’m back in the shower…

I Graduated!

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Dear Everyone,

I graduated from the business school on Thursday and had the all-school graduation on Friday. Life is good. Thanks for everyone who came and for the many of you who have supported me in my 16 years of school. You are all awesome…almost as awesome as me!

Love to all,

Your favorite new college graduate

as Tom Petty would say: Time To Move On

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I have 3 classes, 2 finals, and 1 paper until I’m finished with college. It’s kind of like the 12 days of Christmas, only the rewards of getting to the end of college are way cooler than partridges. (Honestly, no one even knows what a partridge is, other than an obscure bird or a family of semi-obnoxious singers.) While being done with college marks the end of an era that I am sad to leave (as demonstrated during my post of mourning), I am also very excited to have successfully finished.

As I look back over my past 4 years, I realize that I have acquired a lot of knowledge. Yes, a lot of time has been spent in the classroom and library studying, but I have discovered that college holds as many lessons outside the classroom as it does inside. So here is a small selection of things my time at CU has taught me.

Things I Have Learned In College

Time spent with friends always means more than time spent studying.

Most things can be “learned” in the week before the test.

Rarely is it pleasant to wake up with any kind of -eeto/-ito breath. If you have a late night craving for fake cheese, brush.

You can successfully give out the fake number 867-5309 by adding an area code and saying “zero” instead of “o.”

Waiting until the semester is 1/4 of the way over before buying the book is a good way to get 50% on your first quiz.

A Dr. Jekyll professor on day one does not guarantee the absence of Mr. Hyde the rest of the semester.

Seeing school theatre productions may involve people in loincloths. Prepare yourself.

There is no such thing as a “cool” engineering center employee…damn.

Crossword puzzle ability is much more impressive than financial portfolio analysis ability.

Salsa goes with everything.

Squishy bruised apples and a tennis racket make for quality entertainment.

There are few things in life as enjoyable as a crisp fall day at a college football game.

Metal grates on the sidewalk have the ability to develop ice overnight and create splendidly disastrous wipeouts the next morning.

There is a special place in the hearts of many apartment dwellers for those who neglect to password protect their wireless internet.

Not having class on Friday very rarely produces productive days on Friday. However, it often produces entertaining nights on Thursday.

Being caffeinated is not equivalent to being motivated.

No amount of monetary savings makes 1-ply toilet paper worth it.

The decision to read textbooks in bed never results in more than 15 minutes of reading. The ability to continually convince oneself that “it will work this time” is one of the greatest mysteries in life.

Always spell check. Even in Excel.

The key to studying is understanding when you have your most productive hours.

The key to having your most productive hours in the morning is to not sleep through them.

“World Cuisine” night in the dorms is a good night to order pizza.

Management classes suck.

When the insomniac in the apartment below you buys a speedbag, don’t expect your life to be the same.

Earphones are crucial to ignoring the people handing out environmental fliers.

Don’t keep chocolate that you don’t want to share in the kitchen.

Study abroad.

Having friends in sororities is like having friends who will share their personal chef.

Never re-read a paper after you’ve turned it in, unless you want to be frustrated by mistakes you can’t fix.

Even as an adult, there will continue to be people who don’t wash their hands after they go to the bathroom.

A group project will always have at least one kid that doesn’t pull their weight. And occasionally, group projects will have one kid that shows up plastered for the day of the final project. (the latter phenomenon may be less evident at schools that did not spend time atop the “#1 Party School in America” list…)

By the nature of Murphy and his damned law, all 8:00 classes will be in the farthest possible building on campus from where you live.

Campus parking meters still apply on weekends.

Dishwashers are in fact appliances that are subject to electrical fire.

The boiled noodle hierarchy: Spaghetti > Mac & Cheese > Ramen.

Advil fixes everything.

You can determine the quality of the professor in the class before yours by the amount of newspapers left behind by previous students.

It is indeed possible to go through an entire year without changing the vacuum bag.

Never assume that your roommate is in charge of getting a bill sent in.

When people offer free food from 12-2, get there closer to 12 than 2.

Not liking to wear shoes does not make it is a good idea to wear flipflops year round in Colorado. However, any day above 50 is permissible.

College goes quickly. Enjoy it while it lasts.