What I won't miss about my job

I was reminded by a friend and former colleague of one of my least favorite parts of my job: all the menial stuff that is in constant competition with much higher-level tasks. (Note to Boss: Do you want an admin, or do you want someone who will help your business work better? You don't necessarily even have to pick one, just don't be surprised when the more sophisticated tasks get higher priority, mmkay?) I laughed out loud for real when I read this email today:

"Also keep in mind that training is a good time to create and perpetuate myths/legends/lies/exaggerations…For example, you could tell her that the reason [Swedish girl that used to work here] went back to Sweden was because one day [Bossman] wanted a diet coke and there weren’t any in the fridge (even though there were some in the locked room) and he had her deported."

Background information, so you get the joke, too-- I am "training" my summer replacement (wow, wish I had had some training when I started...), and refrigerator stocking is an Essential Part of My Job. Feel free to laugh or cry as needed.




Note: there will, of course, be things that I do miss, but I had to share this because I thought it was too hilarious to keep to myself. All for you, internets.

The countdown

It has officially begun-- well, that's a lie. It began officially about a week ago, when I realized that the date of our departure for our New York/Paris odyssey was just over three weeks away. Officially, it is time to completely freak out about my Big Summer Trip, which marks more than a passport stamp for me.

I am entering the last days of my employment at Current Job, which is just fine with me. For what it's worth, I learned a lot here, and we all know I love to learn. Coming in, I knew that this wouldn't be my career, but I never suspected I would have as much trouble with the structure, expectations, and communication here. Since my previous job had been so structured and choked with bureaucracy, I looked forward to working for a small company, one in which there was "no hierarchy," and one in which everyone worked so closely together. What I found was a bit different, and I will be leaving having made some great personal friendships, but feeling like a big disappointment because I couldn't meet "goals" that had no business even being on my plate. I don't want this to be about work, though-- frankly, not enough exciting bad stuff happens here for it to be a compelling read, and I want you people to be entertained.

So, on to the entertainment! Friends, I am leaving for New York (GP's sister's Big Fat Armenian Wedding) and Paris (GP's parents' and our Big Parisian Non-Honeymoon) in two short weeks. I am losing hair over how excited I am. Have you any suggestions for things I Simply Must Do while I'm there? I have only ever been before on day trips when I was visiting London, so really have only covered going up the Eiffel Tower and walking on the Champs Elysees... Oh, and if you want a postcard, I may be able to arrange that. Just give me your address, and I will try my best to find something appropriately cheesy.

Also entertaining? What I get to do when I get back! This is more nerd-entertaining than actually entertaining, but I will be starting my internship (woo, libraries!) and back at Previous Employer, only this time as an instructor. I will have so many exciting and weird kid stories for you!

Now, if only "two weeks from now" would just hurry up and get here...

Just keep swimming

This poster hangs on the wall in my office, and serves as a more stylish reminder than, for instance, a "Hang in there!" poster, that I need to keep plugging away at the interminable phone calls and emails that constitute the majority of my job. Now, for instance, I am in a tangle of CC's, unreturned phone calls, and multiple scheduling conflicts, and I want the hell out! Good thing the British Empire is there, encouraging me to maintain the stiff upper lip of my forefathers (well, Granny, at least).

I told my boss last week that I'm going back to school, and that I had been searching for library-related internships so that I can have some experience in the field even before I begin school in the fall. He took it pretty well (maybe there was some degree of relief? At any rate, he knew that what I am doing for him is not something I want to make a career of), and gave me a good reference for the internship woman, who called the day after I broke the news. The reference, along with that of a former boss (who is now a friend), sealed the deal-- I am starting an internship in a special library after we get back from Paris in July! That's not "special" as in "needs to wear a helmet at all times," just "special" as in, "a very specific collection and management system." I am pretty excited, but a bit apprehensive about being in over my head...I hope there's someplace to hang my poster at the internship place.

What I did on my Thursday evening

A thing you need to know about me is that I use my cooking skills, primarily baking, to get people to like me. You'd be surprised at how many people can be won over with a single batch of oatmeal raisin cookies-- I am that good. Also, modesty. I'm good at that.


Anyway. A pineapple arrived in the mail today at work. Yes, you read that correctly-- a pineapple. At the office. In a box, shrouded with packing foam. From Harry and David, as part of a fruit subscription that one of our clients bought us for Christmas; I think the pineapple was supplementary because we had already gotten our allotted fruit (plums) for the month. Although we have knives and cutting boards in our "kitchen" in the office, I wasn't feeling quite like dismembering a pineapple, and my boss suggested I take it home and "make something delicious" with it.

And so, hoping to make him like me, just a little bit (the man is so hard to read, it's really insane), I suggested that I would make a pineapple upside-down cake. Because what else am I going to do with a pineapple? That I've never attempted upside-down cake-making wasn't even an issue here: I like a good challenge, and with the help of Epicurious, I was soon armed with the know-how and ready to get to business.


First, dismemberment. I vaguely remembered watching at least one Food Network show about the proper way to do this, but mostly, I improvised.


With the tough skin and core thus dispatched, I made quick work of what amounted to a large bowlful of pineapple chunks (bonus: there are totally some left over for snacking!).


The cake mix itself is a fairly simple affair, with the usual creaming method of butter and sugar, then adding milk and dry ingredients in alternate batches. With everything layered-- the pineapples studding the bottom of the pan, which had been covered with a brown sugar/butter mixture (hey, cake is not healthy, ok?), then the batter poured over the top, we were ready to bake.


After about 45 or so minutes of baking time, the tester that pierced the bottom (soon to be the top!) of the cake came out clean, and it was ready to emerge from the oven. With a bit of cooling, the cake came very easily out of the pan, and thus became an upside-down cake (note the absence of maraschino cherries-- they do not belong in baked goods! Only cocktails). Think this will curry some favor with the bossman? I mean, even if it doesn't work, at least I will get to have some cake.

And now, friends, I am off to catch up on The Office and 30 Rock-- I missed last week because of the Braves. Thaaaaanks, Chipper Jones.

Don't cry at work; it's unprofessional

Hello, friends. I had a bit of a crummy day at work, so there is very little that I want to report about the day-- it was lame, despite my best pink-and-white Tretorn efforts. (But I did not cry. I am pretty good at Keeping It Together.)


Note: shoes photograph larger than they are. I assure you my feet are regularly sized.

If you need some entertainment, or just want to get to know the man behind the initials a little better, head over to GP's site-- he's finally getting around to posting an "epic" trip report of our Disneyland visit in January. About time, no?

Puttin' on the Big Girl Shoes

Yep, these are them. After the Emo Shoe Day Disaster of Aught-Eight, I needed some footwear that would pull me out of my work-funk, and decided that these would do the trick (it was either these or my fakey Uggs that I bought at some outlet place years ago, and are decidedly decrepit). What's not to love? A little peep-toe, heels I can still run around in, and the navy! Love! The shoes brought about a slight respite from the multiple-hour freakout that was yesterday, but I'd like to think that it was also my stellar job performance. Who can say, though?

I'm feeling a bit fried, so there may be a meme sometime later. I'll make it entertaining, though, I promise! Still love me!

Emo shoes

Good thing I wore my Emo Shoes (complete with-- wait for it-- broken pink hearts!) today, because it was definitely the lamest Monday I've had in awhile, and this is counting the recent illness/head cold business. Had a meeting with the boss (yes, even in our "non-hierarchical" office, there is a boss), and talked about the numbers. Numbers that I was 100% convinced I had met, convinced I had done a good job. I was not nervous about this meeting, thinking that I had satisfied what was asked of me (that I grow our participant database about 20% in a three-month span, using my own marketing genius and whatever resources I asked for). What I realized, though, thanks to a reminder from the boss...was that I was about 100 people short. Totally something I should have known, and something that I did know-- until my mind got stuck on this one number, and led to me sitting there at the end of this meeting, willing myself not to cry because, seriously, I am a Goddamn Adult.

Something I have to say about my job is that I probably didn't know what I was getting into, when I first started. This is true for probably about 98% of jobs-- you never really know until you've been there awhile what you are truly expected to do. I would like to think that I am in a special situation, that it was a little unclear in the beginning of my time there just how much and what I would be expected to do. Because, seriously? I have a BA in English. I can write one hell of a paper, I understand shades of meaning like nobody's business, and I can craft metaphors that would make you gasp with their accuracy. I cannot, however, devise successful marketing plans. I am not what we would called skilled in enticement, and I cannot think of catch-phrase-y, gimmicky things that will draw people like fat kids to a pie-eating contest. That is not my expertise, and I have never presented any illusions that it was. I am ok with certain expectations that go along with my job, but not so agreeable to certain others. I am willing to work, and work hard. I just hate when effort is rewarded with so little, and I hate that I never even had a chance to be the Golden Child of the office. Right now I am doing the work of one and a half people, at least, and earning what I imagine a full-time barista at Starbucks does.

This is rant-y, and I apologize for being so complain-y, but you know what? Days like today make me really glad I'm going back to school, where expectations are laid out in syllabi, and those in charge of me only get to be so for a semester at a time. I'm glad that, someday, I will get to be a librarian, and at least have to be dealing with problems that I'm qualified (and prepared, ideally, to a certain extent) to deal with.

Happy PB&J Day!

No, seriously! Slashfood says it's National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, so who am I to argue? I'm feeling a little lazy, maybe even to the point where I might consider a PB&J an acceptable dinner. And really, I have to be observant of the holiday! Let's just hope that the bread I bought I-don-t-remember-how-long-ago is still edible. Otherwise it will be some yet-to-be named substitute surrounding my delicious peanut butter and jelly concoction.

I apologize for the lack of coherence recently, but I am so scrambled between work (crazy scheduling needs, and why should it be easy for people to remember to return an email?), planning Mother's Day weekend (multiple moms, and my and GP's parents all together in Sonoma over a weekend-- my palms are already sweaty just thinking about it. Thank god there will be wine.), and sort-of-planning GP's graduation dinner (which shouldn't be that much of an ordeal-- it's just 13 people for crying out loud!), that I have little time to dwell on those, "hey, that would be a cool post" ideas. I do have a shoe-related one that I'm rolling around, so we'll see where that goes. I'm a little annoyed at myself for writing about not writing, but here we are. Maybe I need another cup of coffee...or an early tea time today.

Food coma

Friends, I have very little to say to you today (and yet am still posting, so...yeah, not sure about that). Been eating very well recently, with a barbecue and friends (and board games!) Saturday night, brunch for my brother's 21st on Sunday, and a yummy dinner (with two fondues!) tonight for my sister's 18th. Now, if I could stop having to buy gifts for everyone, ever, all this food would be just fine...

I have a maybe-scary work meeting tomorrow, in which I get to justify my existence/prove to them that the company would be crippled in my absence. Should be fun, right?

2 quick things!

Thing #1: I got a call from my uncle yesterday evening, and the biopsy that was done on Mark's lung has come back benign. They are still going to re-biopsy and treat it, even if only with laproscopic surgery, but right now I am cautiously optimistic. Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts.

Thing #2: This woman was in my office about fifteen minutes ago, teary-eyed and telling me a story about how she is from Bakersfield and works cleaning houses, but got fired from that job, and her boyfriend beats her up (this woman had bruises and lacerations on her arms and face, so there was little doubt as to her veracity), and she's three months pregnant and diabetic, and can I please help her pay for one more night in the motel where she's staying until her sister comes to pick her up? I know that's a long sentence, but it was a long story, and she was near-crying the whole time. Folks, if you want me to empty my wallet for you, you need to, a) be a victim of domestic violence, b) be pregnant and trying to escape the aforementioned situation, and c) nearly crying. My will is weak, and my wallet is usually light on cash, but I will do everything short of driving you back to Bakersfield (that's where I draw the line-- Bakersfield sucks) to help you out. "Megan, you're an idiot. She was clearly lying," you might say. Well, let's look at this from both sides, then. If she was lying, I gave her $18 for her and/or her abusive boyfriend's drug/alcohol habit, which will continue to destroy at least a few lives. If she was telling the truth, then I helped out at least two people today, and for less than $20. If there is change either way, I would like to think that I either helped shift it toward the positive in a big way, or didn't do too much harm to an already terrible situation.

What do you think? Am I a sucker?

Phlegm

Sorry, the title isn't meant to gross anyone out, just to provide an accurate, one-word picture of my health at the moment. (Also, I was floored when, at the age of ten or so, I found out there was a "g" in it. That blew my mind.) Today, Internets, I am home sick from work. While this seems novel when one is fighting to keep one's head off the desk due to congestion that is truly head-pounding, it is decidedly less exciting during a week that is a compression of the time I usually have to do my job (that is, one week of recruiting rather than the usual two), as well as the second of two weeks of the Great Springtime GPparent Visit of Aught-Eight. Just...not enough time to entertain, be competent at work, and manage to breathe through one's nose.

The silver lining of this otherwise-lame day is that it's GP's (last! ever!) spring break, and he is working from home today. He is also willing to bring me most things I ask for, which includes a delicious and oh-so-healthy dinner of...Taco Bell. Sure to cure whatever ails me, right? Or at least be spicy enough (after a healthy dose of the Tapatio) to alert my body that hey! Food tastes like things! Remember that?

Excuse me, friends, while I go cough like a 74-year-old with emphysema* and make awful faces while taking more and more 'tussin.



* emphysema is not really funny. Maybe I should have gone with tuberculosis?

Happy Pi Day! ...and other things I promise to post later

Yes, I am enough of a dork to not only celebrate Pi Day today, but also to foist it upon my coworkers, forcing everyone to bring a pie (entrees, like quiche, chicken pot pie, and even pizza are acceptable) to share at lunch. In the true spirit of the day, one of my bosses ordered pi-symbol pins from some magical place in the intertubes, which we are all sporting with pride. Pictures of pins and pies will be posted...with much less alliteration, I hope...at some point later today.

Also, the SNL recap is coming! I figure that it's about at my usual level of Friday-night awesomeness, so get excited about that. I'm trying to get out of my one-week-behind recap schedule, so there might even be a recap of this upcoming one on...Sunday? Oh, and I found out who Vampire Weekend are, thanks to a recent Fresh Air episode. Thanks, Terry Gross!

Really?

...is that what I sound like? As someone who shamelessly sings loudly in the car (and maaaybe even along to a Spice Girls Greatest Hits CD that she bought on a whim at Victoria's Secret), and subjects many of her loved ones to endless talking and occasional made-up songs about any old thing, I must say that today I have been given pause. We are in the process of getting a new phone system at work, which will be nice because I have a feeling it will mean that my job will end up being less secretarial than it currently is/has been, but annoying in that it has not *instantly* worked and solved all the world's (or the office's) problems. Today I had to set up my voicemail and recorded name for the directory, and in order to verify everything, I had to listen to myself recite the Professional-Sounding Greeting and my name. And, can I say? I'm sorry! I had no idea that I sounded like that. I sound every bit like the California born-and-bred, former sorority girl that I am. And for that, I apologize. Having to listen to myself in any recorded form makes me cringe, hard.

Anyone else have this issue? Am I just crazy?

Carrots and Sticks (or, How I Managed to Do Work and Recap SNL Simultaneously)

Ok, so I'm officially a week behind on my big self-imposed project of recapping SNL for the benefit of the internets, but it's because I'm buried under a mountain of tests that we're running at work! There are three going on right now, one of which we just (finally!) wrapped up actively testing, which involved forty people. My task now (well, one of them) is to get all the business they wrote down and said into a nice, neat Excel file, so no one has to look through a huge stack of papers but me. So, in order to kill two birds with one stone (and one of the birds in this case is decidedly less of a pain in my ass), I have devised a Genius Plan: I will enter some data, and recap a little. Then I will go back to the stupid data, and when I have entered some more, I will allow myself to go back to recapping. Sounds easy enough, but we'll see. Masochist that I am, I have elected to begin entering data first-- at least I'll get to do it on my PC laptop here at home, rather than my work Mac, which does not like to work with Excel in any attractive way.

(Only 18 more to go! I will allow myself at least the cold open and monologue.)

Second week in a row of a "Decision '08" cold open? If you say so, show. Let's see how this goes. Will Forte, you are no Brian Williams (great impression, though). How awesome would it be if they got actual Brian Williams to do one of these sketches? I know he hosted recently, and my love for Brian really knows no bounds. I need to see him on weekends, too! Darrell Hammond as Tim Russert...who is sometimes quite the caricature of himself anyway. Yes, political debates, especially regarding healthcare, can be a bit...dry, to say the least. Which is a little sad, considering what a critical issue it is. "Sweet Georgia Brown," indeed, Fake Brian. I know that Hillary Clinton herself will be having a cameo sometime in this episode, so I think that she must have some sort of sense of humor, after being called not only aggressive, relentless, and demanding, but also annoying, pushy, grating, bossy, shrill, and unpleasant in the beginning of the show. Not sure I love Fred Armisen's Obama... My attention is being lost, even though I think really everyone is giving their best impersonation here-- just not the best writing. We get it! The media loves Obama! Hillary can be a bit grating at times! It's...not that funny. Ooh, Law and Order "bomp-bomp"! And Vincent D'Onofrio, who is in my least favorite series of the franchise, CI. "...not a joke." You're telling me.

Oh! There she is! I have to say, even though I voted for Obama, I still think Hillary Clinton is a pretty amazing woman. I saw her speak in DC when I was in college for a rally/event, and got more than a little misty because it was such a politically charged moment. Whether or not you disagree with her tactics or policies, you have to admit that it's pretty freakin' amazing that we have a legitimate woman in the race for a party's nomination for President (that's the reason I can't absolutely loathe Elizabeth Dole, so it does work both ways). The "I love your outfit" exchange reminds me of the "Janet Reno Dance Party" exchange between Will Ferrell and Janet Reno, with the, "I like your dress, Janet...I like your dress, too, Janet." (See? I have been watching this show forever!)Hillary's laugh, though? Really terrible. But at least she can...laugh about it?

Ellen Page. Adorable, loved her in Juno. I'm interested to see how she fares in sketch comedy, and wondering if she can break out of the "quippy and quirky" mold. She does it well, but I want something else. First impression-- this is shallow, but I like her hair! It's the first time I've seen it down in maybe forever. Very nice. Her mannerisms coupled with the leather jacket are a little Fonzie, though. Andy Samberg as Diablo Cody...not as inaccurate as you might think. That Diablo is one tall drink of water.

(Ok, back to work now...)

Back! I realize some of the effect of my back-and-forthing is lost by doing this all as one post, but liveblogging this would be even stupider. Get excited, though, because I only have 12 more to go! This is totally a big deal.

The Dakota Fanning Show! Please tell me this will involve EP dressed as a small child-- for some reason, the concept is hilarious to me. Also, when will Dakota Fanning be too old to be considered precocious? The shrug-and-arm-flail is pretty off-putting... And ooh, I want to see Persepolis. "Dakota Fanning" talks to real kids in Rockefeller Center about global political issues, David Lynch movies, John Updike, and Bonjour Tristesse. This is about as funny as is sounds, which is not very. YES! EP as Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, who is sublimely annoying. There is much hyperventilatory conversation, and a mention of Aeolian wind harp solos, which I don't think would be possible, right? Don't they just sit there in the window, sounding at the wind's whim? Sorry about the alliteration. Also, about this sketch.

Saturday TV Funhouse brings us...The Obama Files. Cartoon Obama talks to Cartoon Jesse Jackson in a janitor's closet, where Cartoon Jesse produces 100 rhymes for "change." Cartoon Brian Williams is struck by a blow dart when Cartoon Al Sharpton comes to talk to Cartoon Obama, and Al recounts his misadventures in eastern Paraguay and is outfitted with a dog's shock collar. I die a little inside, because, you guys? This is pretty lame.

Ellen Page and Kristen Wiig are...secretaries? In a wood-paneled office. Fred Armisen steps into the foreground to tell us about The College For Excellence, which is sometimes where I think I should have gone, with all the big bucks and job satisfaction that my English degree is bringing me. The College for Excellence, by the way, is located above a Korean Savings Bank, so that's how you know it's good-- I bet that bank takes care of all the student loans for the CoE! I wish I knew high-class business terminology. Stupid UCLA. The high-class business terminology, also, consists of phrases like, "I sent that mass email, and I cc'd everybody." This sketch is pretty solid and reminds me some corporate jargon flashcards I saw and almost bought once Low-hanging fruit, anyone?

Next week (or tonight, whatever), we have Amy Adams! And Vampire Weekend, which is something I assume the kids are listening to nowadays. It is hilarious to hear Don Pardo say the name of the band, though...

Back to work! (...guys, I'm almost done! Yay! Take that, pile of papers!)

The Other Boleyn Girl parody sketch. Has anyone seen this movie? I do love me some English history! Anne Boleyn likes riding steeds, but I don't think she's talking about horses. Dirty! Her sister is a bit of a hussy, and is less skilled at the double entendre. Kristen Wiig shows up as the "Other-Other" (and unibrowed) Boleyn girl, and it gets a little silly--and that's when the fourth sister shows up, and the fifth (a veritable Nubian princess). This sketch is lame, and, fortunately, pretty brief.

SNL Digital Short! Yay! Previous shorts include Lazy Sunday, Dick in a Box, and Laser Cats, so I expect something pretty great. Then again, I couldn't stand "Dear Sister." Sorry. Ellen Page awakens with a start, and wanders into her bathroom to take some aspirin. She's startled by...Andy Samberg as a developmentally delayed mime? In her bathroom mirror. He pops up a couple times in quick succession, holding a tropical drink with an umbrella in it, licking a lollipop, and doing some quick reps with what look like 5-pound weights. In that last pop-up, he looked a little like "Let's Get Physical"-era Olivia Newton John. Was it all a dream? Ellen sits up in bed, again, goes into the bathroom, and the not-mime is on the toilet, reading the paper. Come on, SNL, what are you? Mad TV? The not-mime, in the next scene, awakens with a start, takes some aspirin, and is startled by EP. They then wake up with a start next to each other, and touch fingers in an ET sort of way. Dracula and his wife/girlfriend are there, as is a werewolf. Everyone's very startled, and this sketch is no Dick in a Box. But at least it's not Dear Sister.

Wilco plays, and I like them and all, but you know what happens to musical guests on TiVo. Bleep-bloop!

Weekend Update! Love. We're "not" going to be in a recession, beef has been recalled, Obama isn't really a Muslim, and McCain made a poor choice of opening speakers. Virgin Atlantic did the first biofueled flight, which seems cool, and Rudy Giuliani shows up! Remember when he wanted to be president? That was a strange time. Let's not pretend that he ever had a snowball's chance of getting that nomination. Bugs are a good source of protein, western states are 500% dustier than they were 200 years ago, and Mike Bloomberg is trying to establish oyster beds in NYC waterways... Naps are important! But 6 minutes? Child's play. Fred Armisen is Nicholas Fehn, political comedian-- one who manages not to be very funny at all, like many political comedians. This makes me yearn for Cinders Calhoun, in the Lilith Fair era...some special guests are more special than others, you know.

TiVo says there are about 30 minutes left, so I think that means I have to finish my work and then come back...I have high hopes for that last 30 minutes, however foolish that might be.

Ahh! I just finished with my big stack of papers! But I also realized that there's a basketball game that I have to get through on the TiVo before I leave to watch yet more basketball with my dad. Sorry, SNL. We'll catch up tomorrow, probably.

*There will be linkage added for a little color and interest, but honestly...basketball! Sorry, internets, you lose.

This week in numbers

Which is not to say that I will be reporting on the state of numbers. I'll assume that the numbers, the digits 0-9, are all doing fine and dandy, as they are not working 10+ hour days and feverishly wondering why a job that is so seemingly menial should also seem so difficult. Rather, allow me to present...

5: things on my "swing by Safeway on the way home, just a quick trip" grocery list.

13: things I actually bought at Safeway. I still got to go through the express lane, though!

6, no-- 11, no! 10: people that were recruited for one of the studies that is currently being run at my office. Returning emails is SO HARD, isn't it? What's that? It isn't? Then seriously, what the hell.

7: minutes late that our client company people arrived for the scheduled appointment start time this evening. Coincidentally, that is the same number of minutes it takes me to decide that I hate them forever. Professional adults? Who're they?

3: weeks until MaGP and PaGP come to town, and GP and I get to eat like kings (cross out) civilized grownups. Which we are, I swear.

58 (or so): degrees Fahrenheit in my office for the last two days, due to an imbalance caused by a projector in one (also soundproofed ) room in the office.

18: meatballs that I made for dinner last night. For two people, even two people who really like meatballs, I think we can agree that this is far too many.

30: people that we have to put through testing sessions before these three godawful studies that are eating up my life are done. Good job maintaining focus through that sentence, if you made it to the end!

Forgive the tardiness of the SNL recap-- we decided to watch two episodes of Lost that were languishing in the TiVo instead. Maybe tonight? Maybe.

Ketchup

The spelling of the above has always bothered me-- too...phonetic, too literal, if that's possible for spelling. But I suppose the alternative, "catsup," is even more shudder-inducing, so here we are. Where were we? Oh, I was being cute and punny because today is "Monday" of a four-day work week. Say what you will about shortened weeks, but I am realizing that I loathe the ones that eliminate Mondays rather than Fridays. For the entire four days, one feels as though one is catching up, trying to get done what "should have" been done on Monday, rather than, say, catching up on Project Runway, having a tea party, and watching a friend try on wedding dresses. And yet, as I feel overwhelmed by work, here I sit...blogging at work.

Yesterday really was lovely, as I got to get in some more PR viewing (thanks, DirecTV, for finally recording the ones I need. You're almost back to "neutral" with me, but don't test me or I will have to cut you), and go here and here with the aforementioned friend, and get home in time to make a fairly successful chicken piccata for dinner. To celebrate, I will be eating cheese and crackers for dinner tonight.

Conversely, I suppose that there are only three days left in the work week...