Chicago Chick

Continued Disappointment

Maybe I am just continuing to recover from jury duty.  When I got into the office this morning, I had a feeling that something not-so-great was waiting for me and I was right.  I did get a heads up before I got to work.  Apparently, the client isn't happy with the technical resource - this is tech resource number 2 by the way - and I guess they (the tech resource and the client manager) had a confrontation about hours charged versus hours worked.

It turns out that I only heard my company's side of the story.  Today, I got the client's side of the story which was interesting.  I was told that K, the client manager, spoke to the business development manager and that the tech resource was told about the issue.  Then, the tech resource, H, met with K and confronted her with the issue.

What K said was H pretty much blamed it on me.  H said that since I was acting as the project manager and knew that he was doing nothing that it was my fault that he was charging time but not producing anything.  * HUH *

So apparently, his crappy attitude is MY fault!  Somehow I never knew that I had that kind of power.  Today, the tech resource was being a pain in the ass.  I wrote up a document based on requirements from the client.  Since the requirements had to do with the client's legacy system, H needed to talk to the client about things.  He didn't want to and made a big stink about having to.

Honestly, I hate everyone - EVERYONE.  I'm hoping that this is just a carry over from jury duty because I'm not a hateful angry person.  I would hate to think that I am slowly turning into one.

The Ugly

There are a lot of things that I learned from serving on a jury.  Unfortunately, most of the things that I learned were not good lessons.  As I was leaving the courthouse to go home, I though about the things that I experienced such as truth and how it isn't always black and white and that when people "swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God" it doesn't mean much to SOME people.

Did I think that the police lied?  I think that they told the truth as best as they could and so did the accused "girlfriend" and his niece's fiance.  Did I think anyone out and out LIED?  Yes, but it wasn't the witnesses or the defendant although he didn't even take the stand.

So who lied?  I think that some of the jurors lied.  One guy came in the jury room right after the closing arguments and said, "He's not guilty.  Police lie all the time and he's not guilty."  Another woman said the same thing and another guy agreed.  We're still deliberating.  The strange thing is that although the majority of the jurors are trying to keep an open mind, there are 5 jurors who are hell bent on saying that the guy is not guilty.

And, they are saying this purely on the fact that they don't like police officers and they think that they're liars.  I hate that - I hate that these guys were asked how they felt about police officers during the jury selection process and they said what they thought.  The also said that how they felt would not bias their opinion if they were picked to serve on the jury.  They took an oath and swore that their bias would not affect their opinion.

AND THEY LIED!

I hate when I am put in situations where my faith in humanity is tested.  This jury duty thing is turning out to be a very ugly experience.

Jury Duty is NOT So Bad!

Yesterday was the second day of jury duty and it really isn't so bad.  I don't have to be at the court house until 10:00 am and for the most part, we haven't stayed past 4:30 pm.  We get a little over an hour for lunch which is more than I take at work on a regular day.  I get to sit in a relatively comfortable chair and my only job is to listen.

If it weren't for the teeny check that we get for serving each day, I think I'd love to do jury duty for a living.  Luckily I still get my regular salary while I'm on jury duty.  I guess it would be hard for a company to not pay you when really you HAVE to serve on the jury if you are selected.

This is the first time that I've served as a juror and before that, the only real impression of jury duty I had was of the movie, "Twelve Angry Men" - if you haven't seen it, you really should.  But, jury duty is nothing like that.  There doesn't seem to be anyone in the jury who doesn't want to be there.  Once we all settled in, it seemed as though everyone was pretty interested in the case.

I got to know some of the people on the jury yesterday.  One woman got married very recently.  She's 35, works as a receptionist, rides a motorcycle, and she is HILarious!  There's another woman who is also in her mid to late 30s who has a 6 year old daughter and is waiting for a call about a baby that she and her husband are adopting from China.  There's a student from Columbia College who's so quiet that you'd never know he was there.

So far the experience hasn't been bad at all.  For me, it's been kind of like a vacation.

Preschool and Jury Duty

Today I reported for jury duty.  I thought for sure that they would excuse me, but they didn't.  I was told that I cannot talk about the case - we heard opening arguments this afternoon - but I could talk about stuff like jury duty and the selection process.

One piece of advice.  If you ever get called for jury duty, make sure you bring something to read (because you wait a lot) and that you bring your own lunch (because the cafeteria is awful).  When we were called into the courtroom, we were handed a piece of paper with a number of questions like what's your name; have you ever been arrested; have you ever worked in law enforcement; and on and on.

So, my little speech went something like "My name is Irene.  I'm a software consultant.  I've never worked in law enforcement;  blah, blah, blah."  What was interesting wasn't that the attorneys for the state and for the defendant were eying me like a piece of meat (the will she make a good juror look), but what the other 39 people who were called to jury duty said.

One person was unemployed and spent his time going to church and only - and I mean ONLY - read the Bible.  Another person was a bleached blond who was in real estate (surprise) who had 2 children and lived in Lincoln Park (ooh who woulda guessed) and was married to an attorney (another *startling* surprise - I'm being sarcastic).  There were half a dozen people who were arrested for drug possession or DUIs.  It was truly a cross section of people.  One woman who was from Italy and didn't really speak English.  She started crying because she was so nervous when it was time to talk to the judge.

People were so desperate to get out of jury duty.  Once one person said that they should outlaw guns, 10 other people agreed and said their belief would not prejudice them.  Although I don't share one of my co-workers beliefs that "You should be PROUD to serve on a jury. . ." I do believe that one shouldn't lie just to get out of it.  So, because I didn't lie and I guess I fit the bill as to what they were looking for I am now on the jury.  Yep, just me and 13 (2 alternates) other people all sharing the civic duty and missing work.

It's interesting meeting the other people who were called to jury duty this morning.  One of the women and I were talking and for some reason we got on the subject of preschool.  She had mentioned that I should start looking for preschools like NOW because apparently it affects your child's whole education.  This isn't the first time I have heard this, but for whatever reason I'm in panic mode trying to find a preschool for Nicholas because God forbid he gets "left behind".

Overall, it's been an interesting day.  One minute I'm worried about getting to work on time and the next I'm being sworn in as a juror and freaking out about Nicholas' preschool and him being on the fast tract to Dummyville if I don't get my ass in gear.  Jeez!  I mean, will there ever be a time when I get to stop worrying about work or anything?  And, when exactly does a 2 1/2 year old gets to be just that?

Good GOD You're Annoying!

Like every extended weekend due to some obscure holiday that only banks and post offices observe, by noon on Monday David and I usually have gotten on each other's nerves.  Today is no exception.  I came home with a women's magazine - Elle or Glamor or something like that.  It was on the kitchen counter for like five minutes and suddenly *POOF* gone.

It's now in the bathroom with my husband.  Ever so often I hear laughing.  It's so annoying when he does that!  Couldn't he just go into the bathroom with an OLD magazine?  Why does it have to be a new one - one that I haven't even read?

I know that he's going to come out of the bathroom and look at me and say, "What?  I like to know what's going on in you women's heads."  Yeah, like a Glamor magazine is going to unlock all the mysteries of women.  Sheeeesh!

A Failing Grade

When I was in grade school and high school and all throughout college, grades were ridiculously important to me.  I agonized over every little A minus because it should have been an A.  But now as an adult, I don't get grades.  Well, at least not in report card form.

Today I had the day off because my client is a bank and they have the day off for President's Day.  So, because I have a day off I thought it would make sense to go to the doctor for my annual physical.  I had my blood drawn to be tested for thyroid disease, cholesterol, diabetes, and every imaginable thing.

The one thing that I hated was getting on the scale.  I hate that doctor's scale because it tells the truth and sometimes I just don't want to know the truth.  The truth that I haven't been able shake.  When the blood test comes back, I know that it will probably show that I am borderline diabetic - if not full blown - and that I probably have high cholesterol.  It's annoying and frustrating and I wish I could do something to change it - quickly!

I will most likely be told that I could alleviate some of the symptoms or keep the disease at bay for at least a little while if I exercised more regularly and lost weight.  The net would be a failing grade.  Not an A or even an A minus!  The issue I have is not that I don't take care of myself or that I never have.

The issue I have is that I feel pulled in a bazillion different directions and I don't have what it takes to focus and take care of everything.  Yes, I know that I'm not superwoman and I will never be.  But, the world is full of people who can multi task and do it well.  There was a time when I did multiple things well, but lately I am struggling.

Oh, the Pressure

I know that everyone is talking about Britney Spears and her new do.  The first thing I though of was "Thank GOD - something other than Anna Nicole Smith is being talked about."  The next thing I thought was, "That poor girl!"

Source: Oh No They Didn't

I have to say that there are times when I've felt that craziness for different reasons.  On the one hand, I would love to walk a mile in her shoes.  It would be nice not to have to worry about money, but I'm sure her life comes with all sorts of crap.  Still, you have to believe that a lot of it is brought on by the (bad) choices that she makes.

It's not like life's perfect for anyone.  It's easy to say that it would be easy to live someone else's life.  Honestly, though - it's a shame that someone with so much is unable to just sit back and enjoy what they have without going so, well, CUCKOO.

Trying Maybe a Little TOO Hard

It seems that I post entries in the morning either when I cannot sleep or when I actually get my fat ass up to run.  This morning I ran on the treadmill inside the house.  I hate running inside on a treadmill because I don't have anything to distract me.  There are no pretty homes to look at or people walking their dogs.  There's just me, the whirring of the treadmill, and the songs on my iPod.

I need these distractions to keep me from thinking too much.  Plus, the pretty homes and the people walking their dogs distract me from how much longer I have to run.  I hate running, but I love how it makes me feel after I'm finished.

What thoughts am I running from?  The thoughts of work and "is this where my life is going" and "Jeez, I don't appreciate my family (the boys) as much as I should."  Yesterday was particularly tough because I came home early from work. 

I didn't want to get stuck in the office overnight with the constant snowfall.  So, because I was home I got to feed the boys a late lunch and put Nicholas down for a nap.

He's a rambunctious little boy and he doesn't always behave.  I felt like every 2 minutes I was telling him don't do this or don't do that.  He wants to play and I should have known that, but here I was saying NO to everything.  And, damned it if he wasn't getting on my nerves.  See, I'm not always a good mother - the kids get on my nerves, sometimes I don't want to change a dirty diaper, or I don't always put my kids' happiness before mine.  Bad, bad, bad!

I snuggled him a little before he fell asleep and after he settled down I started doing some work because I was still on the clock and I feel guilty if I don't work.  Besides, when you feel like you're doing a horrible job at one task, it's best that you do something that you think you're good at (it's what I do). 

But, it was hard to concentrate because I kept thinking about how these years will pass so quickly and I really just need to enjoy the kids while they're this age.  I could just slack off and hang out with the boys while I was home.  Snow days don't happen very often

Then, I started thinking that if I didn't work then we'd have to move in with my parents; the boys wouldn't be able to go to good colleges; I would be more stressed out; and on and on.   It's a ridiculous thought, but it's how I'm wired.  I try too hard and the ones that suffer seem to be the ones that mean the most.

Stand Up for What You Belive In

Today I went to the bank to cash a check that my in-laws gave me.  It was a descent sized check - very generous especially since they didn't need to do that.  I don't have an account at the bank which the check was written, but still it was written off of the bank I went to.  And, it was a valid check.

When I first came to the bank, they wouldn't cash the check because I was going through the drive through.  Fair enough, so I came inside with a very boisterous Nick.  I gave the teller my driver's license and a credit card as my forms of identification.  Then, because I didn't have an account they wanted my fingerprint on the check.

Whaaaaat!?!?!?

I refused.  Don't they have enough of my information?  They have my driver's license and my address and my credit card number which is enough for someone on the bank's side to commit a fraud on ME!  So, because I refused to give them my fingerprint they wanted to call my in-laws.  I was fine with that, but they had the wrong telephone number in their files so they could not call them.  Uhmmm OK.

I decided to call them myself and then the teller said something very stupid.  She said, "Have them call us here."  Why was this stupid?  Because I could have had anyone - anyone - call the teller and tell her that they were my in-laws.  It didn't matter because I couldn't get a hold of them.

The net was because I refused to give them my fingerprint in addition to 2 forms of identification and my signature, I was not able to cash my check.  However, if I had opened an account with that check and then drained the account for all but $50 then that would have been okay.  Funny because they wouldn't need my fingerprint to open an account.  They would need ONE form of identification instead of the TWO that I gave them.

I understand that their process and their policies are intended to protect their customer.  But, if the signature on the check matches the one on file and they have all my information, I believe that I've proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the check I am presenting is real and valid.  Their fingerprint policy is designed to protect THE BANK and not the customer.  So ridiculous.

I ended up leaving the bank without cashing the check but not before I let Nick run around.  He also grabbed someone's id and keys to the bank and threw them in the trash.  On the way out the door he spit at the bank manager and was this close to kicking the bank guard.  Sometimes 2 year old bad behavior isn't bad.  And, when it's done by a 2 year old and NOT me it's awesome!!!!!

Cleaning Up My Act

Yesterday I felt like a terrible parent.  While I was on line, Nicholas grabbed my hand and said "Want to play.  Want to play with Mommy." to which I responded, "Hang on - Mommy's checking her e-mail."  The look on Nicholas' face was enough to melt anyone's icy heart.  It was a look that was near tears.

This is where the collective groan should come.  I say this because it was a Sunday.  Sunday when I was a child was for family and church.  My parents were incredibly busy when I was a kid, but they always made it a point to make the weekend family time.  Here I am with no good reason to check e-mail and instead of playing with my son, I'm spending hours on end on the Internet.

Bad, bad, bad.  Granted, there are times when I need to take a breather but there really is no excuse for hours on the Internet.  I really think I need to clean up my act when it comes to the boys.  I talk about how being a parent isn't the only thing that I am, but to a large extent it IS who I am - today.  When I'm at work, I play the role and it just makes sense that when I'm at home that I should be a parent.

And, I hate doing things half-assed.  I was always taught that if you are going to do something, you should do it well.  Does that mean that I'm going to be "All Mommy; All The Time"?  No, I still believe that there are more things to being a parent and, like rule number one in speech class, you should know your audience.

I'm still Irene the spaz; the wanna be runner; the amateur photographer; the middle child of an immigrant family.  But, I'm also Irene the parent and I guess I should do a little more to clean up my act.

Sometimes It's Best Not to Sugar-Coat Things

I'm annoyed.  What else is new?  I'm annoyed in a "I've been married for what seems forever" kinda way and not the angry teen-aged angst way that I've been told by relatives that I appeared to be during my teen years.

Don't get me wrong.  I love my husband and for the most part I love my life.  I could use more money and more sleep and more free time, but that's a story for another time.  David, the kids, and I spent the evening at my parents' house and this morning we were in a rush to get home.  For whatever reason, I was running around packing stuff and David was asking me for things for what seemed like every 2 minutes.

"Where are Nick's pants?" or "Could you put Alex's socks on?" or "Where ARE Alex's socks?" and on and on.  Never mind that I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  Normally David is very good about getting the kids dressed, but a third of the time he gets all "Honey, where are the . . . "  And, he knows better than to get this way when I'm running around trying to do stuff.  It still floors me when after the 50th "Where is the . . ." question that he asks me what's wrong when I give him an exasperated answer.

This April will be our 10th wedding anniversary.  This is what I tell people when they ask what it's been like to be married to the same person for so long:

There are days when it feels like 10 years and other days when it feels like 10 days.  There are times when you look over at the person sleeping next to you, with their face all squished against the pillow with the drool running down the side of their mouth, and think "awwww".  Then there are the days when you look over at them and think, "Good GOD what have I done?!?"  I tell people that don't be surprised if there are some days when the person you married isn't your favorite person for a while.  It happens.  Sometimes it's best not to sugar-coat things.

And just for the record, don't ever ask me what pregnancy is like because I'll tell you the truth - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Really, sometimes it's best not to sugar-coat things.

Adventures in Mascara

Today after work I stopped off at Nordstroms and hit the make-up counter.  For whatever reason, since last week at the dermatologist, I have been obsessed with this new skin regimen.  Normally, I'm not like this at all.

After I turned 28ish I started to not really take a lot of time with my make-up stuff.  I always did my face the same way which consisted of eyeliner, mascara (maybe), chap-stick, and Bobbi Brown foundation stick used as concealer.  But overall, I didn't do much because I was lazy.

As of last week, I decided that I would ditch the eyeliner and do the mascara thing and that's all.  No stuff to cover up under-eye circles or even out my skin.  It actually bought me 15 minutes more in sleep time which is strange because it only took me 5 minutes to put on the Irene face.

This morning I ran out of mascara - okay, so it fell in the toilet.  I'm not a girly-girl, but I know that if something falls in the toilet, it's pretty much off limits FOREVER.  I figured if I was going to save all this moolah on not buying eyeliner and cover up then I could spend a little more on mascara.

Do you know that there are a bazillion types of mascara?  Some that make your lashes look longer or fuller; fuller and longer; fuller and longer and waterproof; mascara that surrounds your lashes with tubes; and on and on.  I swear if you put all the combinations together on one of your eyes, your lashes could probably leap tall buildings with a single bound.  Or, at the very least, be bullet-proof.

It's all so confusing.  I left without any mascara and went to the Walgreen's where I bought the usual Mabeline stuff.  Ya know, the stuff in the pink tube with the green top.  I figure if it falls in the toilet - which it eventually will - I won't feel so bad.

Failure to Launch

It was freezing last night!  You know what's coming.  I swear I packed my running stuff and I lugged it to work and I fully meant to do the fun run last night.  I was doing fine until I realized that I needed to get gas and went out into the freezing cold night air to fill up my tank on the way to the fun run.

I decided it wasn't a good idea to be running in sub zero weather (with the wind chill) if I had a difficult time getting out of my heated car with ALL my clothes and winter coat on.  I run warm, but I was so cold!  Usually, I fill up my tank but I couldn't sit out there long enough and my car is only part way full of gas.

To make up for not running I got up this morning and ran on the treadmill.  Granted it was slower than I hoped for and it was boring, but I did it.  I've been keeping track of my stats or lack thereof on BIM Active.  Here are my stats for today.  They're pretty bad, but I am proud that I actually got up to run.

The Pretty White Stuff

Last night it took me over an hour to get home.  Actually, it was really only a 35 minute commute which isn't bad at all.  The pretty snow added an extra 15 minutes to my commute so I can't complain.

I stopped off to get some Yak Trax because I'm planning on running this evening.  Yes, I know that it's crazy freezing out there but I signed up to be part of a weekly women's fun run at Universal Sole in December and have been waiting for it to begin.

I could just NOT go, but I've been very slack with my running meaning that I haven't run at all since the 1st week of February and before that I hadn't run since the 2nd week of January.  Running on a treadmill is just not fun so I thought that the weekly fun run would make me get my butt going.

This morning I packed for the run.  I packed A LOT of stuff because I don't know what I need to stay warm.  Yeah, there's the Patagonia base layers and all that, but I get warm so easily.  Truth be told, I am a little excited and hope it doesn't get canceled.

Stay tuned, I will try to post tonight and let you know how it went (or didn't go).

Random Thoughts on Farting

I signed up for a beginning yoga class last week and yesterday was the first of 4 classes in the series.  There was a time when I went to a yoga class almost every day, but then again there was a time that I spent at least an hour everyday at the gym.

The great thing about yoga for me is that my head is clear.  Actually, it's not completely clear because I'm concentrating on the breathing and the fact that my legs are tight and something else on my body may be in pain.  For the most part my head clear or at least as clear as it will ever get.

However, I am easily distracted by little things.  Noises or little thoughts that pop into my head.  One of thoughts was why is it that someone always has to fart during yoga class.  That's right I said fart.  You know, pass gas.

It's almost always a guy that does it and it's almost always the guy that I happen to be sitting next to.  Maybe it's that I just happen to hear it because he's closest to me and the guy on the other side of the room is passing gas but I can't hear it because he's on the other side of the room.

Last night I was lucky, Farty McFarty next to me was pretty odorless.  Either that or I was holding my breath.  I don't think that the woman sitting next to the guy across the room - Gassy Gus - was as lucky.  I could hear her stifle a giggle and at the end of class she said, "I'm never sitting next to that same guy again.  Whatever he eats doesn't produce such a great smelling bi-product."

All I could do in response is smile.  I am certain that women fart in class.  I just think that because we've had a lifetime of being trained not to let one go so loudly, we're better able to control it.  Or, at least we leave the room.

Fffffffffreeeeezing!

I checked the weather this morning and was not surprised that it was -5F.  Truth be told, I didn't have to check the weather site this morning to see that it was ridiculously cold because there was snow on the inside of the window sill.

That's right - I said snow - inside.  Since David spent a lot of time installing a humidifier a few weeks ago, it's been nice in the house.  I don't wake up with a dry throat and my hair doesn't feel so dry that it will break off.  The kids don't have colds or stuffy noses when they wake up.  The humidifier is a good thing - a good thing.

But, along with the humidity comes the condensation which forms when the warm, damp air inside hits the cold air on the windows.  The condensation drips and settles on the window sill where - when it comes in contact with the cold windows - it freezes into ice.  If it freezes fast enough we get snow inside the house.

Then there are the pipes which don't like the cold weather either.  I turned on the water in the tub this morning and was shocked to hear "errrrrrrkkkkk" - a sure sign that the pipes may be frozen.  I love winter - it's my favorite season next to fall - but this is nuts.  Winter is supposed to be about snow and cold and not snow IN your house and bitter cold.

Yeah, yeah I've lived here all my life and it's cold in the Midwest; it just IS.  But, maybe it would be a little better if we actually had some pretty snow to look at.  Then again, if there were snow on the ground it may not be this bitter cold!

Go Bears, but I Won't Be Watching

I love Chicago and I love the Chicago teams.  Well, except for the White Sox; don't ask me why because I don't have a good reason.  YES I have been to a White Sox game - twice.  Once at the old Comisky Park and another at the newer Cellular field so it cannot be said that the reason I don't like the Sox is because I've never been.

But, I am not going to be watching the Super Bowl because I never watch the Super Bowl.  When I was little my brother, sister and I would sit in my parents' bed eating TV dinners and watch the Super Bowl.  For whatever reason, once we all hit our teen-aged years that stopped and I haven't watched a Super Bowl ever since (not even the 1986 one).

Normally, on Super Bowl Sunday I would go shopping.  But since I'm much less of a mall shopper and more of an Internet shopper these days, I won't be shopping this year.  The last time I went shopping during the Super Bowl was probably 1999 and it was probably for shoes.  So what's there to do for a non-Super Bowl, non-shopping gal to do?

Maybe I'll nap with the kids or do some laundry.  There are somethings on the Internet I'd like to look up and there's a New Year's Resolution list that needs some revision in the worst way.  Of course, I could always go to the gym - it will be less crowded this afternoon.

So I will be wishing the Bears well and I may even peek in on them to see how they're doing.  I am sure they will be better off without me in the end.

The Skin I'm In

So, here is a picture taken of me today (02/03/2007) and it's day 1 of the very expensive skin care regimen.  I figure if I'm going to spend big bucks on skincare, I want to see what kind of results I'm getting - if I'm getting any at all.  Let's just say that I'm a big skeptic.

Here I am in pieces:

Here's my forehead (click on the picture to see it up close and *scary*):

Here are my eyes:

And, my chin:

Seeing these pictures is a bit scary.  What's scary about it is that I actually have GOOD skin.  The dermatologist told me that I had good skin and almost every esthetician I've been to has told me the same thing.  And, this was said to me while looking through that big, scary magnifying glass thing. I wonder what BAD skin looks like (and I didn't mean to slam my friend in the last post - she thinks she's aging badly but then again, who doesn't think that).

What am I hoping for?  I'm hoping that the spots and the splotchiness that has started to appear goes away.  We'll see.

You must love the skin you're in! Get more information on different types of skin treatment like acne treatment and other treatments like wrinkle treatment. Many of us aren't as lucky to have great skin and hair but you can get healthy skin with laser hair removal and different skin treatments.

If Beauty Fades and Stupid is Forever, What's Vanity?

All my childhood I was told that I was a smart girl.  I was never the pretty one or the one who the boys went ga-ga over.  Although, when I look back at my pictures I was actually a very cute kid.  Yeah there was that awkward phase from the time I was 11 to 13 years old, but it wasn't THAT bad.  Still, I was "the smart" one.

I appreciate my intelligence because as my dad says, "Beauty fades but stupid is forever."  My dad was the one who told me to study hard, do well in school, and get a good job.  This was told to me not because I was smart, but because if I ever got married I wouldn't have to worry about supporting myself should my husband leave me.  It's warped I know, but hey "Beauty fades but stupid is forever." and how can a stupid pretty girl possibly support herself once her beauty was gone?

That's part of the reason that I am glad that I had boys, but I digress.

For the past year, I've been feeling less than pretty.  I've been tired and feeling a bit haggard.  Last night I ran into one of my friends who is not aging well.  By this I mean that her skin looks a little worse for wear (wrinkles, smile lines, dry tired skin).  And, while I don't look like all my 36 years I would like to keep it that way.  I hadn't seen my friend in a couple of months and I noticed that her skin was glowing.

God, this sounds like an info-mercial.  But, she told me what she was using and I went to the product's website.  Today I made an appointment to see one of the doctors that distributes the product and tonight I get to try the product for the first time.  Was it expensive - ridiculously so.  Was it worth it - I don't know; ask me again in 6 weeks.

I realized that even though the idea that brains are better than beauty was drummed into my head all my childhood, it really hasn't quite sunk in.  Yes, beauty fades and stupid is forever but vanity never seems to go away.

Adventures in Dating

It has been a very, very long time since I dated anyone.  David and I have been together off and on for 15 years and this April, it will be our 10 wedding anniversary.  Do I miss being single?  In some ways I do, but we always get nostalgic about the past.  Well, most of us do anyway.

Tooday I had lunch with my friend Griff and she was telling me about her very bad Internet dating date.  I don't want to bash any Internet dating services because in this day and age they're a good thing.  In fact, my very good friend MB met her boyfriend through an Internet dating site and on February 15th, they'll celebrate their 1 year dating anniversary.

So, back to Griff her bad Internet dating date.  It's amazing how one can portray themselves a certain way on the Internet.  Apparently this guy said that he was 5' 11" and was slim.  But, when Griff met him she said she was wearing 2 inch heels and at 5' 7" in stocking feet, she towered over him.  She also said that she would describe him as "frail" and not really "slim".  To top it off, he handed her a $5.00 bill and made her pick up the rest of the cost of dinner.

While I don't mean to make light of people's bad dates, I do find them funny.  Yeah, it's been a long time since I went on a date but I've had my share of bad ones.  Granted, I never dated a Carnival guy linked to Betty Loren-Maltese (MB) or knowingly kissed a clown (Griff's friend).  But I did have a very bad blind date who didn't realize that I was NOT in the car before he took off down my driveway.

When we're in the midst of these bad dates we aren't laughing.  But, as Griff's friend who kissed a clown said, "I knew it would make for a good story."

Dating can definitly be an adventure and online dating is definitly adventurous as well. Having an onlin e dating profile will allow you to be viewed by people looking for dates as well.