The sniffles, coughs and bloody eye

One of the pitfalls of working in retail is that you are exposed to a lot of different germs. When you interact with that many people, 5 days a week, you are going to get sick. It's just a fact. And when you work with cash and interact with a lot of people, your chances of getting sick are higher. I am currently getting over my second cold this fall. I suspect that I never really got over my first cold so that is why this last one was worst then the first. I actually had to go to the doctor. Something that I avoid. Why go for just a cold? They can't do anything for that. Well, I popped a blood vessel in my eye so the doctor I went. I didn't go because I thought I needed to but everyone told me I had too. I have to admit it was a good thing because I do have an ear infection (Surprise!) and "yuckiness" in my lungs. My eye however is fine and will clear up on it's own. The other good thing about this visit, was I finally found a doctor in Brooklyn I really like. Dr. Azad was so nice and very warm. I really felt comfortable talking with her. So maybe, next time I get sick I won't need a blood vessel to pop to go the doctor.

In other news, I am watching Iowa vs. Michigan on TV. I miss watching my boys play. It's kind of funny. When I went to Iowa, I could have cared less about watching them play. I voluntarily worked on game days because they were the easiest days to work. We were dead during the game, giving us plenty of time to get work done that we normally get done on a Saturday but since leaving Iowa, I've become attach to the team. I guess it's one thing that keeps me connected to home. It's something that I still have in common with my friends who still live in Iowa. I know we have more in common then that but it's comforting to know that they are at home cheering on the Hawkeyes, while I am here. Iowa Alumni have a New York chapter that meets every Saturday in a bar in the upper east side to watch games. I have always wanted to go but didn't want to go alone. I haven't been able to convince anyone to go with me and I mostly have to work on Saturdays anyway. This Thanksgiving, with my Sister and Dad are in town, we are going to try to go for the Iowa-Nebraska game. I think that will be fun and get a chance to meet some fellow Iowans in New York. So, with that I say, Go Hawkeyes!!!

Yeah! New Job!

I have a new part time job. I work in the morning for doodledeals.com. It's a website that offers great deals for Kids and their moms! I have really been enjoying it. I am a customer service rep and work mostly from home. I do have to go into the office every now and then. It's a lot more work then responding to emails, answering questions. I'm actually surprised at how much research I have to do. I have to look up accounts, deals, and vendors. I've had to go through the payment process a few times, to make sure our directions in our vouchers are correct. It's very interesting. I'm not new to customer service. I have to a fair amount of it at Barnes and Noble but it's kind of a different animal when it's done over email and phone. In some ways, it's so much nicer not actually have to deal with customers in person but in others, it's a whole lot easier to solve their problem when you are talking to them face to face. I feel like I'm learning a whole new skill set. So, I'm really happy. I kind of wish that I don't have to do so many closes at B&N but oh well. Things are so much better now. I feel more relaxed. I'm not as worried about my finanicial situation as much as I was. I don't have to move. It's great.

Whats on my book shelf

I have been reading a lot of teen or YA (young adult) novels lately. I blame my sister. She lent my Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Trilogy last summer and since then I have been hooked. Ok, so may be it's not fair to blame her because I read many Teen novels before then but since then that is pretty much all I have wanted to read. Some of coworkers make fun of me because I am an adult reading books written for kids but they are so Good! Well, most of them. I like them because they are easy and fast and fun. They are not going to challenge my world view or make me think. They are just easy, breezy fun books, mostly about vampires, werewolves, fairies and an occasional dystopia world thrown in. It's all those reasons that I need to read them. I'm stressed out at work. Frustrated that I haven't been able to find another job that will pay me more. I'm not exactly where I thought I would be at this point in my life that I just need an escape and Teen books give me that. So my friends my scoff but I have already read 23 books in 2011. How many have you read?

Here are some of my favorites Teen novels I have read in the last year. I'm posting in no particular order.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: If you haven't read them, Why the hell not? The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay make up the best series I have ever read. They are very complete. The characters are strong and well fleshed, the story is interesting and Collins perfectly balances the action/violence with the romance and stops every now and then for much needed comic relief. Go buy them now!

White Cat by Holly Black: It's part crime novel, part mystery and part family drama. It was recommended by several of the authors I follow on twitter and it didn't disappoint. I can't wait for the second book Red Glove to come out in a week.

The Mortal Instruments Trilogy (part 1) and Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare: Both series are about Shadow Hunters. Humans ascended from Angels who protect the world from Demons. It has a little bit every super natural beings, which is fun. TMI takes place in modern day New York, while Clockwork Angel takes place in Victorian England, giving it a little Steampunk feel to it. There really should be more Steampunk in teen fiction.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride: I picked this up because I thought the title was awesome. I was so glad that the book was just as awesome. Sam, is a college dropout, he works at a fast food restaurant and he just found out he's a Necromancer. It's a tough life. Very funny and I hope she continues with these characters because I want to read more!

Shiver, Linger, Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver and Linger are about werewolves and are pretty awesome and Lament and Ballad are about fairies but really should be read for James. He's kind of the perfect boy ever!

Divergent by Veronica Roth: This book isn't even out yet. I got an advance reader copy from Harper Collins. Several of the authors I follow on twitter where raving about it so I had to read it and it lived up to the hype. It's a dystopian novel that takes place in Chicago. The people have broken up into factions based on what they value. Knowledge, Selflessness, honesty, Courage and Peace. At 16, you choose which faction you want to belong too. For Tris, her choice is difficult. Does she stay with her family or abandon them for another faction. It's kind of like the Hunger Games because it has a strong female protagonist and is at times very violent but that's about where the similarities end. I highly recommend it when it comes out in May.

Ok so I'm tiring here so I'm just going to post a just a few more titles that I really like and you can find them all on my goodreads page.

Tiger's Curse and Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck Before I fall by Lauren Oliver Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

So what are you all reading? Any suggestions on what I should read next?

Weight Watchers

So kinda on a whim, after work I Monday I signed up for Weight Watchers online. I did it in college so I'm familiar with how the diet works and so I thought I should try it again. I had some success with it but like all the diets I have been on as soon as I plateaued I became frustrated and went back to my hold habits. I am determined that this will not happen again. When I weighed myself to set up my profile, I was horrified to find that not only have I gained back all the weight I had lost before moving to New York but I am now the heaviest I have ever been! When did this happen? I don't feel like I have changed my eating habits? I'm not eating more then I did before. I'm actually more active here in New York then I ever was in Iowa since I don't have a car and am forced to do more walking. So how can I really be heavier now then ever before? This puzzles me but I want to look as this as a good thing. Maybe this is what I need to push me to really lose the weight. I refuse to gain anymore weight. I wanted to lose some weight before we go to Florida in March but it's no longer about that. I'm not happy with the way I look. I know I am not healthy and I have been overweight for most of my life. I know this is something I can change and God willing this plan will help me do it.

Oh so, yeah

I have returned! Go Me! I guess I didn't realize it's been almost a year since my last blog. Yeah, I do kind of suck at this. Honestly, I have no idea what I want to say right now. Right now I am doing my laundry. I hate doing laundry. Well that's not true. I don't mind doing the actually laundry, it's the gathering of the laundry, making sure I have enough quarters for the machines that I have a problem with. I truly believe that if I had my own washer and dryer and didn't have to share the whole building that I would procrastinate so much but that just maybe an excuse. Oh well, a girl can dream about that because it's not going to happen anytime soon for me. A washer and dryer is a luxory in NYC that many of us will never be able to afford. Sad.

So, yeah, I'm feeling this blog is kind of a fail. Who wants to read about my laundry? Really. This is what you all been waiting for? haha. Sorry. I guess this is why I don't blog that often.

WOW! OMG!

I kind of can't believe it! I've lost 11 lbs in two weeks! That's really more then expected. That's really impressive considering the Special K challenge is to lost 6lbs in 2 weeks! (I haven't tried on a smaller pair of jeans yet but I don't think I lost enough inches to have lost a jeans size) It's even more impressive considering that my exercise regiment was hampered by the huge blister on my heel, which still hasn't completely healed but at least is not painful anymore. I wonder how much I would have lost if I wasn't limited by my heel? It doesn't matter though because I did better then I thought/hoped and I have a good start to my year. Now I only have like 50-60 more pounds go to before next year. haha I hope the weather holds up so I can continue to walk to work. I really like doing that when I can. It's such a simple way to get exercise and I really don't live that far. I'm so excited about this!

New Year New You

I have survived another holiday season at Barnes and Noble. Good for me. We are still dealing with the aftermath of the season with all of the returns. So many people got some really crappy gifts this year and some how this is my fault. Hey! It's not my fault that your Uncle doesn't know what you like but whatever. After January it'll be too late! haha

Anyway, so 2009 is so over. In 2010, I'm making some changes. The first being my weight. I have long wanted to lose weight and have had some success in the past but I have gotten no where near my goal. Right now, I'm doing the Special K Challenge. The Challenge includes eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast. A meal bar, a protein shake or another bowl of cereal for lunch. A snack bar or fruit in between meals and then a sensible meal for dinner for two weeks. In those two weeks, you are supposedly going to lose 1 jeans size or six pounds. (depends on which box you read, I guess they are backing off the jeans goal) So far, I have been doing very well. Since Sunday, I have lost 5 lbs! I do wonder though if it has more to do with the walking and exercising I've started doing this week then the Special K but I really don't care. I've feel good. (Well, except for the monster blister I have on my heel right now) The problem I have now is what am I am going to do after this two weeks are over. I'm going to have to find another meal plan to follow because Special K alone is going to get me to my final goal. I want to be at least 60 lbs by the beginning of 2011. Now I only have 55 lbs to go! Any suggestions on healthy and easy cookbooks I should be looking at?

And other news the Australian Open starts tomorrow (Australian time) I'm so excited! How I do love tennis! A lot of late nights coming up.

oh that time of the year

I'm sitting in my living room flipping back and forth from whatever is on HBO and the Iowa Game. I can't take this pressure.

I can't believe that it's November already. The holiday season is here. blah. It's not that I don't like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's just I work in retail. So the holiday's are our busiest time of the year. So that's good. It does make the work go faster but it's also the pressure filled. We are expected to have and know everything and we don't this is somehow our fault. The holidays really bring out the worse in people. The best too but you only really you only remember the bad things. It also makes me miss my family more. At least, that won't be a problem. Next weekend, I'm meeting Mom in Minneapolis for our annual Christmas shopping. Even though, we really don't do that much actual Christmas shopping. I'm actually thinking of taking my big suitcase because I want to look for a new winter coat. My coat is fine but it ends at my waist. It doens't get that cold here in New York or at least not as cold as Iowa but I do seem to spend more time outside then I did before. So I want a coat that is a little bit longer. Covering more of my legs because that's what was really cold last year. I also want to look for new work pants because mine are getting kind of warn But mostly, I'm going to spend time with my Mom. I haven't seen her since August.

For Thanksgiving, Dad and Kat are coming here like last year. I am determined to get more time off from work so I can actually spend more time with them. I felt like I spent their entire visit at work and they really didn't do much. They both had work to do so I don't think they minded it as much as I did but still, I felt bad. So this year, I've asked for strategic days off to maximize our time. Kat and I are going to see New Moon, together (I guess another tradtion). I hear good things about it. If anything, it should be a good laugh. What else we will do besides Thanksgiving, is still up in the air but I'm really not concerned about that.

And then finally, Christmas. I can't believe that my store is letting me have time off! I guess that's what you get when you ask six months in advance. Unfortunatley, I will miss Christmas morning because my flight doesn't come until noon but I will still be with my family on Christmas. What could be better? I'm only going to be home for a week but I really couldn't ask for more time. You don't want to push your luck. So any plans over the Holidays?

So this is what I'm doing to get myself through the holidays. I wish I can spend more time with my family but the little nibbles I get is just going to have to be enough.

My 1 year anniversary

A year ago, yesterday, I moved to New York. It's kind of hard to believe that has gone by so fast! I kind of feel like I just got here. I'm such a newbie. I really like it here. I like the people (for the most part) I like where I work (for the most part). I still get excited when I get to go to city and just walk around. I love it when people come and visit me and I can show them around. Now if only, I could get them to move here and then I wouldn't have to miss them. So now that I have lived her a year, can I call myself a New Yorker?

Pretty Excited!!

My mom is coming tomorrow and I have been cleaning like a mad woman. I fully admit it. I am not the neatest person. I tend to have things pile up. I once told my mom that I knew I could find anything I needed because I knew it would be somewhere on the floor. She really didn't like that answer. Well, I have picked up around my living, I've swept and mopped the floors. I've washed my dishes, cleared out my fridge. I still have to wipe down my shower but I'll tackle that after work. You want to really see how dirty this city is, take a shower and see the dirt come off. Yeah, it's gross. I'm not a big fan of that aspect of living here but it's kind of a minor thing. So, I am almost done with everything I need to do before she gets here tomorrow afternoon! I'm so pumped! I can't wait for her to get here. We have some loose plans for the weekend. I think we are mostly going to explore some areas of the Brooklyn/Manhattan that we are not the familiar with. It's pretty sad, that I have lived in Brooklyn for almost a year but haven't really explored it much. I think, when I first moved here, I was still just getting my bearings and wasn't really all that confident. and then the winter came and I really didn't want to be outside anymore then I had to be. (Even though this winter wasn't as bad as post winter's I have experienced) Now, that it's warmer out and I am a bit more confident in my city navigational skills, I want to see more of the my new city. So, I think we are going to see more of Brooklyn and more of downtown Manhattan. I haven't walked across the Brooklyn Bridge yet either so we are going to do that. I'm working Monday and then Tuesday, we will walk around Soho and Greenwich before heading uptown to listen to the NY Philharmonic in Central Park and then Wednesday is HARRY POTTER! I already bought out tickets for the first IMAX 3D showing at 10am! We have to go Lincoln Center, which is a bit of a trek so it's going to be an early morning but so worth it! And since we are going to be midtown anyway, I think we will do a bit of shopping! That's the tentative plan for now. I'm super excited!

Andy Roddick is like my Harry Potter

When Katharine came to visit me last month, we got matching tattoos. We got the words Mischief Managed tattooed to my wrist and her shoulders. It's a reference to Harry Potter if you didn't know that. On our way home from the Tattoo parlour we talked about how appropriate a HP tattoo was for us because HP is not just one of our favorite books but the role that they have played in our personal and professional lives. All the midnight parties we have worked, all the people we have met and so forth. HP has been a bigger part of our lives then I had originally. (Side Note: another reason our tattoos are special. My tattoo is in her handwriting and hers is in mine. So, not to sound cheesy or creepy but I have a little bit of my sister where ever I go) This got me thinking.

Today, in between helping customers, I was following Andy Roddick's match against Andy Murray on my blackberry. When Roddick finally won, I was beyond ecstatic! At one point I looked down on my new tattoo and thought to myself, Andy Roddick is kind of like Harry Potter. I have always enjoyed watching tennis on TV. I really loved watching Wimbledon when it was on HBO. Those were the days, no commercials and so of the games all time best commentating. I remember when a young Venus Williams played Steffi Graf. The match was being called by Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. It was a pretty intense match and at one point Billie Jean couldn't even watch, she was so nervous for both players. Anyway, I digress. It really wasn't until I started following Roddick in late 2000-early 2001 that I become a real fanatic. I started to follow the sport week and and week out, which isn't easy. I also started visiting fan sites and message boards. One day I found a site named Roddick Rocks. There a I met friends that I still have today. We from all over the world and from different backgrounds but one thing we had in common was that we loved tennis and loved Andy. Unfortunately the site did not last but the friendships I made there have. Also, from following Andy, I have talked my family into going to tournaments in Paris (Davis Cup semis 2002) and London (Wimbledon, twice) and other tournaments throughout the US. I'm pretty sure, if it wasn't for my enthusiasm, I could never have convinced my mom to go to Paris in the middle of the school year. *lol* So, for me, Andy isn't just my favorite player because I like his game, or I admire his fight and his willingness to improve but he's my favorite because of all that he has given me. The memories from the vacations I went on to see him play, the hours on the Internet following a stupid score tick, the friends that I met and still talk to and occasionally see. He has truly been a bigger part of my life then I realized and for that I thank him and I also want to Congratulate him on making his third Wimbledon final!

I do not like to woken up

In the last week or so, one of my neighbors has gone out early, forgotten their keys and for some reason decides to ring my bell to let him in. Now this tends to happen around 7 o'clock in the morning. I don't know if my neighbor picked my apartment because chances are I am home at the time (unless I have to open) or if pushed everyone's number and I was just stupid enough to get up and answer him. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. After the second day in a row I let him and said no more. I'm not getting up anymore. I answered him because what if it was someone I knew or if someone was in trouble but after the second time, he just forgot his keys then he deserves to be locked out. So, this morning, again around 7am, my buzzer rings. It wakes me up and I said nope, not getting up. If it is one of my friends, then if they were really outside my door they would call me to let me know. If someone is in trouble, well then I'm sorry but there are other people who live in my building that are probably already up who can help them. I am not anyone's back up plan if they forget or decide to leave their keys because they are just going out for a minute and know that someone will let them in. No, I am not that person. I never leave my apartment without my keys, even if I am just going to the little botega to get milk. Even if I did, I'm I wouldn't want to wake someone up that early in the morning. I think it's kind of rude a persumptious to think that there will be someone here to let you in. Take responisibility for yourself people!

After writing this all out. Am I being too harsh? I like my neighbors for the most part. They are usually quiet. We say hi to each other in the stairwell, I guess if I am ever in that situation I would hope someone would let me in too. hmmm... I guess my biggest issue is this is that it has happened 4 times in the last week. No one is that forgetful, right? Of course, the waking me up at 7am when I don't have to get up early never win you points with me, no matter what the situation is. Maybe I am just a cranky neighbor.

It's interesting how people react. Yesterday, I wore a dress to work and had my hair down. The woman all worked with commented on my dress and how cute I looked in it and I had several guys comment on my hair. I just found that situation funny. Women notice clothes and apparently Men notice hair. *lol*

Strawberries and Cream and Tennis

I love Wimbledon. It maybe my favorite tournament. The tradition. The grass. The Royal Box. The all white clothes. The Strawberries and Cream. The PIMMS! It just oozes class. I also have a lot of fond memories. When I'm watching it on TV, I try to look at the stands and see if I can find where I sat on Centre Court. I find this little tidbit about Wimbledon the funniest thing. When you think of Wimbledon, you think Strawberries and Cream, the Duchess of Kent and all that stuff but you see those fans in the front rows on Centre and Court 1? Yeah, well, they all camped out last night on the pavement to get those tickets. They haven't showered. Many of them probably forgot their toothbrush or comb and many of more them are probably wearing the same clothes they wore last night. How funny is that? And so Wimbledon is just a perfect mix of the Upper and Lower classes all cheering for Andy Murray. *lol* That maybe why I really love Wimbledon. Where else in the world does that happen? There is no way you could camp overnight in Queens to see the US Open overnight and survive. No Way! So, I'm telling you to watch it. Watch WIMBLEDON! It's on ESPN2. NBC on the weekends and for the lucky few, The Tennis Channel at night.

People Suck and I'm not loving my job right now

I think I need a new job. I had such a great week with Kat but as soon as she left, my week just went downhill. I kind of hate retail. Maybe it's just he clientele at my store. Park Slope is a fairly wealthy neighborhood in Brooklyn. If you look around, you wouldn't really notice that we are in an economic downturn with their Louis Vuitton bags and Gucci sunglasses. They all feel entitled to everything and for too long the store had been letting them get away with everything. Well, we are in an economic downturn so we are not being as carefree with our exceptions as they have been in the past. I hate when they pull out the "I'm a member and shop here all the time" excuse. Well, so am I, so you're point being? Plus if you shop here all the time then how is it that this is the first time I have seen you? Anyway, they suck. The other reason I'm not really enjoying work lately is some of my cashiers have been really getting on my nerves. Ok, only really 2 of them and unfortunately they are like the only full-time cashiers we have and even more unfortunately, their hours seem to always coincide with my hours. If I open, one of them is my opener. If I close, they are my closers. If I am a mid, one is already there before I get there and the other one comes in to replace them later. I feel like I get no relief! I know they are not only working with me but it really does feel like that. One of them is hearing impaired but it's not that she can't hear me, she just doesn't listen. The other one is just so unsure of herself. She has no self-confidence. I would feel sorry for her if she didn't make my life that much harder. Between the two of them, I spend more time correcting their mistakes and basically cleaning up after them. It's exhausting. So basically, I am saying a need a new job because I don't know how much I can take this. I need a vacation.

Katharine is coming on Saturday! I'm so excited. We really don't have any plans besides The Daily Show on Monday and Guillermo Del Toro on Wednesday night. It is going to be a cool week! Yeah for sisters!

Updates of sorts

So, Challenge update. I did reach a minor milestone. The 10 lbs mark! but then I had the weekend off and didn't really exercise (it rained all weekend) and I wasn't really watching what I was eating! PIZZA. So I gained 2 lbs back But I'm still down 8, so that's good. I know I'm not winning but I think I am one of the leaders. So I'm pretty happy about that. The challenge ends on June 1st but I think this is just the beginning for me. I want to keep it up all summer if not longer. I really do want to lose weight. I don't want to be over 200lbs anymore. I want to be able to go into the Express or H&M and fit into their clothes. Not just squeeze myself into. I want to be able to wear the latest trends without feeling stupid. But really I'm tired of my feet hurting after a day of work. I know that If I wasn't carrying around all those extra pounds that they wouldn't hurt so badly. I don't want to be fat anymore.

It's been a pretty stressful couple of weeks at work. My friend, Lourdes and fellow head cashier, broke her arm and wrist playing kickball. She is out for at least six weeks, longer if it turns out she needs surgery. If that wasn't enough, a few people are leaving to go to the new store on the Upper East Side and 1 was fired. We have already been working on a thin schedule (which is still pretty robust compared the thin schedules I'm used too from my old store) so we have gone from understaffed to severely understaffed. The morale in the store was pretty low before and this has only made things worse. To cover things, I have had to work on days I don't normally. I'm closing tonight and opening tomorrow. Luckily, the closing Manager is Laurie, so she is going to let me leave early and she will finish up the nights paperwork. There isn't that much when you close, anyways. It's just counting down all the tills and I'll have all the ones we are not using down before I leave anyway. I'm planning on calling a car to take me home. I'm not sure I want to wait around for the bus and or train. It's days like this that I really miss my car. Yesterday, I just missed the bus because I was across that street and didn't feel like risking my life to catch it. Fortunately, it was in the middle of the day and there is like a bus every five minutes but still annoying.

So that's what's going on with me right now. I'll try to update more often but I say that all the time. ;-)

The Challenge

A group of us at work are having a weight challenge. I think they are 7 or 8 of us who are participating. We have all set a goal of how much we want to lose (or gain in the case of the few of the guys who are participating) by June 1st and who ever gets the closest to their goal wins the pot. We each put in $10. Yesterday we all weighed ourselves so it kind of made it the first official day of the challenge even though many of us have already been dieting for a week. I have already lost 4 lbs! It would be really nice to win because hey that's $70-80 but I'm just happy that I'm doing something to lose weight. I have struggled with my weight my entire life, as you all know. Three years ago, I lost 30 lbs with Nutrisystems and I was really proud of myself but in the three years since I have gained it all back. I thought, naively or wishful thinking, that after I moved to NY that the pounds would just come off because I don't have a car and I pretty much walk everywhere but that's not really true. I do do a lot of walking but I mostly walk to the bus or subway and take them places. So my brilliant plan was not so brilliant. So the new plan is when I have close at work, I'm going to walk to work. I figure it will take me at least an hour to get to work. I do live about 40 blocks away so it's not that bad of a walk. I just have to make sure to bring deodorant so I don't smell when I get to work. I have already started bringing my lunch to work so I'm not tempted to eat out at say, Five Guys once a week. (Which is delicious!) and I have started eating breakfast. I'm never really been much of a breakfast eater. I'm usually not hungry in the morning so I don't eat. I know this just makes me hungrier later and then I over eat at lunch or whenever I do eat but it didn't make sense for me to eat when I'm not hungry. But I am eating breakfast now and having small snacks through out the day so I don't over eat. I'm really exciting about the whole thing and I hope I do well. I hope we all do. Wish me luck!

Update

Last night I rolled my ankle walking to the bus. It was painful but I do do thins about once a year. The worse part was that I was still a block and half away from the bus stop, when I got to the bus it was packed so I had to stand almost the whole way home and then when I got off the bus I still had to climb up the hill (and 36 stairs) to my apartment. It was a long night and I don't even have a pretty bruise to show for it. My ankle is a little swollen but it has been a lot worse in the past so I guess I should be happy.

A group of girls at work are competing to see who can lose the most weight. Well, it's whoever gets closer to their goal by June 1st. Yesterday was the first day but since I was aware of the game until I decided to start today. Well, then the ankle injury and I felt I needed cookies so I made cool whip cookies. I have eaten most of them. I know it's bad. I'll do better tomorrow. I went grocery shopping today a bought healthier food so Go Me.

Now that it is April and I have used all my paid time off for last year, it's now back to business as usual. I can't believe how fast time flies. It's been almost three weeks since Jackie and Kate were here, two weeks since I saw Mom and Dad in Minneapolis. I'm a little sad. For one morale hasn't been all that great at the store and I'm still hoping the corporate office would call me for an interview. I really want to go on vacation again. *lol*

Dumb Criminals

Very rarely do we catch shoplifters. You have to be pretty dumb to get caught especially in a climate where companies are afraid of being sued for false accusations. Businesses have to be 100% sure that the person really did steal the items they have been accused. So basically, the only way they are going to be arrested if they actually admit to it. Well, we had 2 people try to shoplift from our store. The first guy tried to go out our ramp thinking that since he did see the security gates on both sides that it had no security sensors. He was wrong. His books beeped. The best part of the story is our Security guard asking the guy "What do you think your doing?". Really the best question ever! The guy so embarrassed. Put the books down and quickly left the store and that was it. The real genius was on Saturday. I wasn't there for the first guy but was working on Saturday. I was in the middle of doing a return when in the corner of my eye I could see one of my cashiers trying to get my attention. So, I ask her what she needs and our conversation went kind of like this.

cashier: "um... I just saw someone leave the store with a bunch of books and our paid-detail go after them. What do we do now?"

me: when did you see this?

cashier: a couple of minutes ago.

me: have they returned yet?

cashier: no.

me: ok, um, well. Let me tell (my manager) Laurie.

So I relay this story to Laurie and as I am finishing up, the Security guard (who looks 12) calls her to tell her the same thing I just did. At this point, it's time for my break. So, I clock out. Go downstairs to get my bag and as I'm leaving the store to get dinner the paid-detail cop has returned with the shoplifter in handcuffs. He didn't exactly look like you expect a shoplifter to look like. He was definitely in hipster gear. horn-rimmed classes, hoody jacket, fedora and converse. He looked so embarrassed, as he should be, when she brought him in but it was my break time and I was hungry so I wasn't going to stick around to see what happened. Well, I missed the excitement because like I said, we don't catch that many shoplifters. Laurie called our store manager, she wasn't in, so she called one of ASM's to ask what to do. He said call the cops and if they think we have enough evidence to charge him they will arrest him. So, she did call the cops but so did the paid-detail officer and our other manager who was there too. So there was like 20 cops walking around with nothing to do. The shoplifter was obviously not a pro because he immediately confesses. I guess he figured that if he admitted to it that we wouldn't arrest him but he was wrong. He admitted to it and he was going to jail and since it was a Saturday night. He would have to spend the weekend in jail and all for $180 worth of books. The best part was he was wearing a name badge. He works for Saturday Night Live! So he definitely wasn't going to work that night! I really hope that they do a skit on it next week!