Becoming a Stepford Wife

The past few days have been spent with me cleaning more than I ever thought possible. When I moved into my new apartment, because of the crappy renovators my landlord who doesn't know what the hell she's doing hired, there was an 1/8" thick layer of dust on everything... The cabinets, everything in the bathroom, the top of the fridge, even the blinds... And I just finally got around to cleaning a lot of it. I spent four hours going Mrs. Cleaver in the kitchen, scrubbing everything I could, washing the floor by hand AFTER vacuuming and sweeping first (because even though we'd washed the floor, it still didn't all come up), washing the blinds, bleaching the outside of the fridge... It was an ordeal. Especially with Snickers trying to be in the middle of it all. This is why I need a dog... They don't try to climb into whatever you're trying to clean... and they're just better.

...Somehow in the middle of the now-three day cleaning party, I pulled a muscle in my leg. I'm not exactly sure what or how I did it. All I know is that it's an annoyance. Not pain, but it's like the ringing in your ear that won't stop.

I still managed to get out and have fun (for CHEAP!) this weekend. A few friends from choir and I went to karaoke and I effectively got drunk for under $20, which almost never happens anymore. Of course I had to sing "Goldfinger" and "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee." Go me.

Even better? I got up after 5 hours of sleep, got to church, and was handed the descant to the Entrance Hymn. I'm just now getting used to my soprano voice, so imagine my surprise when my choir director gave me the sheet of paper loaded with high Gs and said, "I wanted as much power on the top as I could get." Okay... Good morning to me! Time to warm up now! But lemme tell ya, I sang the CRAP out of it, and I think I deafened the people in front of me... All in a day's work.

Back from Sabbatical

So after a few months off, I decided to start blogging again. Sorry to the (two) readers who waited anxiously for my next posts. This'll be just a little catch up kind thing, then I'll elaborate on life... In the past few months:

My brother got married.



I've lost almost 30 pounds.

BEFORE




AFTER




I got a monster named Snickers.


Nicole was here and had her Senior Recital (Picture of that already added).

And I visited the Ryans in Philly a few times and saw Eric and Steven while I was there.



Being a real person isn't as hard as I expected, and while it still sucks that I'm not making a ton of money, I'm doing ok. I was able to splurge on a few tops and got some things that fit me. I miss my friends like crazy, but I talk to them all often enough, and I've made a few work friends that I really enjoy spending time with. The couple voice lessons I've had have been great! I never realized how easy singing could be...or how much breath it ACTUALLY took (Apparently I don't use all my air). So yeah... Life is good. Except for the whole "My voice is in Man Land" thing because of stress and this crazy weather.

Temporarily Relocated

Yesterday when I was at work, I got a call from my boss asking me how many hours I was working this week. After telling her, she asked if I'd be willing to work at the Wood Street store downtown. Well, of course I was! I'm in desperate need of hours, and if I'm free, then HELL YEAH, I'll work 16 more hours! I don't care if it was in Hoboken, New Jersey, I'd be there! So I get to work this morning, and Joe, the manager at Wood street (He's freaking AWESOME, bee-tee-dubs) sets me up on the computer, and I start work. First sale- I sell vitamins along with Force Factor and ReCreate (sleep Aid and a post-workout recovery pill). YES. Go me! Second sale? Pink Magic (limited release #1 selling testosterone booster that gives me $7.85 every time I sell one), Jack3d (#1 pre work-out that gives me $3.00), and Super Cissus (a really good supplement to take for joint issues), among other things. Total= $450. Yes. That is right. I made an almost $500 sale today. I rock. I also sold Enzyte today to a really hot guy. Poor him. The guy asked if I tried it, and I'm like...."Ummmmmmmmmm....no. That's not really my kinda thing." I added in my head, "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF DUMB QUESTION IS THAT!? I have a VAGINA! I don't think a male enhancement pill is going to work on me!" I guess you can't be hot and smart. I was also told by one of my coworkers that I was gorgeous and if he didn't already have a girlfriend, I'd be his girlfriend.

All in all a good day at work.

My new landlord who's been doing a ton of repairs in my house hired some people to deep clean the bathrooms because of a mold issue. She didn't tell me. All my shower stuff was in the wrong place, and some of my expensive things were even thrown out. Like a brand new 4-pack of $17 Gilette Fusion ProGlide razor blades (I like men's razor blades better... They last longer) and my $16 Nexus conditioner, and $10 Burts Bees body wash. NOT OK. On top of that, they decided they were going to paint, so the combination of fumes set off my asthma. It's so bad that I can't walk without wheezing and sounding like I'm going to cough out a lung. I'm actually afraid I'm going to need to go to the E.R. I had shit I needed to do today!!! Oh...yeah. I also forgot to mention that she opened a window that WE HAVE A FREAKING SIGN NOT TO OPEN because it won't close without a LOT of difficulty. I came back to paint fumes last night, and it was like a vice clamped around my bronchials. Amanda and I were struggling to breathe, and my only saving grace was I kept my door shut yesterday, so the fumes had a harder time getting into my room. Today, I smelled them through my open window and through my door, because there was more painting going on. Did I mention Amanda and I asked them not to do anything with fumes because we have severe asthma? No? Well, we did. And my landlord's response was, "Oh... I thought you were going to be gone all day." Not an excuse. Amanda and I got back at 10:30 last night to the fumes. So unless anyone wants to open an air conditioned house to me until around 11:00 tonight when I should be able to breathe in my house again, I'm going to hang out with Lisa at work... Happy day off!!

Inception

GO SEE IT NOW!

Job Interview, Old Friends, then PARRRRRTAAAAAY

My job interview at Bath and Body Works went well. It was one of those group interviews that really didn't give the manager a chance to really see me, but it did show how I get along with people I'm in competition with, which is good. But the manager seems really nice, she was smiling and laughing, and the whole interview flowed really well and it was more of an easy conversation while getting business done. B&BW in general seems like a really great atmosphere where I'll have a lot of fun doing it. All of the people there are really happy and they're always smiling. It's just a sunny and cheerful place, which is really great. I'm hoping it'll be very low stress. And who wouldn't want discounts at Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret? That's damn sweet, if you ask me. They're also only looking for people to work 15-20 hours a week, which is exactly what I want. So I'm really hoping this works out.

The other night I talked to one of my best friends from high school. I haven't heard from Josh in about 3 years, and it really made my day. He was one of the friends that I would go to with just about anything, and he was always good for making people feel better about it. You can't be around him and not smile. And he's freaking talented to boot! I'm so excited for him. He won the Met Districts (or was it Regionals? It was late...) as a senior, and he's going to a great program for grad school. I'm still smiling when I think about how well he's doing. I can't wait to see what his career is going to be.

Last night was fantastic! I went out with Julia, Becca, and Tim to Mad Mex to catch up, because it's been awhile since we all got together. Julia and I had a couple Big Azzes (the new watermelon flavor is disappointing, but the mango never fails to impress), and Tim left early to go meet some friends he'd had plans with, so it turned into a girls night. I am such a guy most of the time, that I LOVE going out with the girls. There are things that guys don't get and you need some estrogen to be able to understand, so we unloaded all of our troubles and got problems we couldn't tell other people out in the open, then the next minute we were laughing so hard I was afraid margarita was going to come out of my nose. It was definitely a night I needed. After that, I headed out to a party with some of my Scotch 'n' Soda friends that I haven't seen in a while. Steven was there, and drunk Steven is always an educational experience. I swear, I learn more about music from him after he's had a few drinks than I have in almost any music history class, except one that Paul Johnston teaches. They're about on the same level. Then after a lot of people left, it was just me and some of the guys, and that's always a blast. Since I grew up with guys pretty much being the only people I hung out with, that's when I'm my most at ease. I get competitive, and there's always great fun banter, and if you add beer to mix, I get even more relaxed. We were all up hanging out until 5 AM (Why do I keep doing this to myself? It only exacerbates the insomnia issue...), when Nick offered me the couch since I live hella far (I don't know why I keep using that word today), and I took him up on that. It was a damn comfy couch. I slept like a rock.

Now time to clean my room because CLAIREISSPENDINGTHENIGHTOMGSOEXCITED and drop by work for something.

Twilight of the Incredibly Sexy Men in Way too Hot Weather

So the contractors are still at my house. Pretty much 24/7. I wish I could say I've learned to ignore it, but it's more like I've learned to pick my battles. This is one I'm not going to win. So on Tuesday, Amanda and I went to see Eclipse. Now, I am not a Twilight fan. At all. In fact, everytime I see something new and completely unnecessary that is Twilight, I want to shoot Stephanie Meyer in the face. Like Twilight Sweet Tarts. Unacceptable. And if I have to hear about the Great Debate, Edward vs. Jacob one more time, I'm going to scream. I read the books, enjoyed them while I did, obsessed for about a week, then I was OVER. IT. Like a normal person should be. So needless to say, the only reason I saw Eclipse was for the bad acting. And it did not disappoint. I swear, everything Kristen Stewart said, she said it on the same pitch. I thought I was listening to a robot. And Edward's a tool. He's overly sappy, then way too controlling. And he glitters. No. The best part of the movie was the Harry Potter trailer. HOLY CRAP! I can't wait for that.

Work is going a lot better, too. I'll officially be allowed to be in the store alone on Saturday when I call Jason, the district manager, and I'm opening on Monday. I'm making on average $3.00 more an hour in commissions, and when it's just me in the store, it'll be even better. So I'm happy about that. We had a company meeting on Thursday with all of the sales associates and the managers in our district talking about new promotions and how we were doing sales-wise, and my store is doing really well. We're overall #1 in the district, which is really exciting. AND to make this meeting even better, there's maybe one unattractive man in the whole district. I thought it was maybe my CMU goggles, but I haven't been on campus in over two months. No, these guys are all SEXY. And I work with all of them. I love my job.

I love it even more because it's air conditioned. It's been hotter than Satan's asshole after eating a spicy burrito lately (Sorry for the disgusting analogy. It was the first thing I thought of...), and it's even worse because there's been no breeze since we're landlocked. The air is heavy and stagnant, and there have actually been air quality warnings when it was over 90. Sleeping is another issue. I have to take a cold shower, then use this mint cooling gel I got from the Body Shop that's meant for your feet all over my body because the menthol feels nice on my sizzling skin, wear nothing but underwear and a tank top, then sleep with the fan directly on me. Then in the morning, I wake up gross and sweaty and usually find a new pimple on either my chin or my cheek on the side of my face that was on my pillow. It's great. I thought I'd never say it, but I can't wait for fall and winter.