My Wish List. :-)

Currently, I am doing what I do best, and that is procrastinating. :-D In an effort to find ANYTHING to do but actual work (and inspired by Suz), I have been creating my ultimate wish list. I gave myself no rules for making this list - it doesn't matter how much or how little the item costs (or if the item is even available for purchase) - if I want the item, it is going on the list, whether or not I would ever actually buy it. (While I would not be unhappy if any of these items were to find their way into my possession, I do recognize my current budgetary restrictions.)

If you would like to make your own wish list, you can do so by clicking the following link:


The wish list is created by amazon.com, but you can add things to the list from any website you choose. (How cool is that?!?!)

And of course, if you would like to see what I have added to my list so far, you can do so by clicking here:

Happy virtual shopping! :-)

Bipartisan Efforts.

Earlier this week, in a fit of boredom and nostalgia, my co-worker Kat and I were discussing our glorious childhood memories of Hi-C Ecto Cooler. After doing some research into the matter (and discovering that as recent as 2007, unbeknownst to us, Ecto Cooler had been available under a different name), we decided to take action. Kat called Minute Maid to lodge our complaint about the discontinuation of this wonderfully deceiving drink (it was green in color, but tasted of oranges and tangerines). Feeling that simply calling Minute Maid wasn't enough, we decided to take further action by composing an email to President-elect Obama through his website, http://www.change.gov, which encourages everyone to share their hopes for the new government. Despite having voted differently in the election and not seeing eye to eye on politics, Kat and I were able to unite in our common desire to see the return of Ecto Cooler to grocery store shelves. The following was our letter.

I would like to congratulate President-elect Obama on his recent victory. I admired the way the campaign united the country in an atmosphere of hope. That being said, I would like to share my hope for the country.

I would like to see the return of one of the most celebrated drink flavors of all time, Hi-C Ecto Cooler. I have done some research into this matter and found that in 2001, Ecto Cooler had been renamed to Shoutin' Orange Tangergreen and was renamed again in 2006 to Crazy Citrus Cooler, only to be tragically discontinued in 2007. I believe that with the return of this product, the subsequent buying surge would contribute greatly to the economic stimulus this country so despeartely needs. This would be a change for Main Street rather than Wall Street, and its effects would be felt immediately in the hearts and minds of Americans. People from all over the country would be reunited in their joy of the return of this beloved boxed drink. This is change the average American can believe in.

Thank you for taking the time to give a voice to my dream and the dream of countless others.

To answer your question, yes, we get that bored at work.

And yes, we sent the email.

Today is not your day, Murphy!

It is no secret that I often find myself plagued by Murphy's Law, much more often than the majority of people I know (at least from my point of view). Sure, I have what you could describe as mundane days where nothing of particular interest occurs, but most days in my life follow the rule of anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Today seemingly started off as one of those days, when after waking up at the wee hour of four thirty in the morning, I arrived at my polling location promplty at six o'clock to discover that the line to vote was already enormous. In years past, I have always gone to vote when the polls first open, and I have never had any problems getting quickly in and out. My heart sank as I parked my car and joined the que standing outside in the chilly morning air. I was certain that despite my efforts, I was going to be late to work, which in turn was going to throw off my entire morning.

Surprisingly, the line seemed to move relatively quickly as I steadily grew closer to the door of the building and to the warmth radiating out from inside, and after standing outside for about twenty minutes, I had finally entered the building. At this point, things seemed to slow down dramatically, and I figured I was still in for a substantial wait. Not long after I was inside, a poll worker came down the line asking for anyone with a last name starting with the letters N through Z. Even though I was still standing relatively close to the door of the building, NO ONE in front of me moved, so I was able to walk straight up to the table at the other side of the room to show my driver's license and receive my ballot. All in all, voting took me about thirty-five minutes.

Murphy 0, Me 1

On my way to stop back by my apartment briefly before heading to work, I realized that the poll worker could have challenged my eligibility to vote since the address on my driver's license did not match the address on my voter registration. (What a catastrophe that would have been!) Thankfully, the poll worker simply asked me about the discrepancy in my address, and let me go on my merry way (it probably helped that I live on the same road - I had simply moved into a bigger apartment in the same building).

Murphy 0, Me 2

Since I was now going to be early to work, and I had spent twenty minutes standing outside in the cold, I rationalized stopping at Starbucks to get a peppermint hot chocolate and a protein plate for breakfast (the protein plate includes a hard boiled egg, crisp apple slices, seedless red grapes, a whole wheat mini bagel, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter). Upon opening my wallet to pay for my purchase, I realized I had forgotten to put my driver's license back in my wallet (I had stuck it in my back pocket after showing it to the poll worker). I immediately checked my back pocket for my license, only to discover that it was missing. I momentarily panicked, as normally this would be the time the Starbucks cashier would ask to see my driver's license since the back of my check card isn't signed. Amazingly, the cashier simply swiped my card and handed it back to me.

Murphy 0, Me 4 (One point for the cashier not asking to see my driver's license, and one point for me losing my driver's license AFTER I voted.)

Of course, there was still the matter of WHERE I lost my driver's license. The worst case scenario was I dropped it at my polling location, and someone picked it up and was running rampant around the city using my driver's license to cast multiple votes, for which I would then be arrested on account of voter fraud. Retracing my steps in my mind, I remembered when I stopped back at my apartment I used the restroom. That had to be it - I was certain my driver's license was laying on my bathroom floor. Unfortunately, the Starbucks I stopped at was down the street from where I work, and I couldn't go back to my apartment to see if my theory was correct.

To make an otherwise already long story short, after completing the morning work I took my lunch break to go back to my apartment, and you guessed it, I found my driver's license laying on my bathroom floor.

Murphy 0, Me 5 (In your face Murphy!)

Naturally, the rest of the day has been one of mundanity.