Christmas Brunch

So this year, the girls decided that we'd have a lovely brunch at Owen Brennan's to celebrate Christmas and do our gift exchange. I gave A a piece of her china- a Fiesta pitcher in peacock (blue). And B gave me a carrier with all these compartments to keep my beads!!! Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry. The shrimp and grits were the best. Of course! A good time was had by all!

Unshelved

Hillarious Library cartoon!! Check it out!!!! This doesn't even begin to touch what we deal with and the public!

http://www.overduemedia.com/

Silly MEME

SILLY MEME

1.When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?Seriously. 6:45 a.m. is too early for a normal person to get up in the morning.

2.How much cash do you have on you?
$200 and a little change. Housesitting money. I’m going to the bank at dinner. Usually have NO cash. Only bank card.

3.What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
Floor.

4.Do you label yourself?
Probably too much.

5.Bright or Dark Room?
Bright, usually. I’m not a fan of the dark. Still sleep with bedside table lamp on, most nights.

6.Why is there always a missing question?
I don’t understand this question?!

7.What does your watch look like?
I usually don’t wear a watch. But, I do own a silver one.

8.What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was zonked out on the xanex. Usually I'm watching Malcolm in the Middle on Fox 13.

9.Where is your nearest 7-11?
There aren’t any 7-11’s in Memphis. So the Circle K is about 4 streets away at Highland and Southern.

10.What’s a word that you say a lot?
Sweetie. All the kids at the liberry are sweetie. Ok, so I drop the f -bomb too. But, I’m working on that!

11.Who told you he/she loved you last?
My momma.

12.Last furry thing you touched?
My new pink scarf from Old Navy.

13.How many rolls of film do you need developed?
I probably have 2 or 3 disposible cameras around that need to be developed.

14.Favorite age you have been so far?
Probably sometime in college. When I was dating someone and the world seemed so much bigger.

15.Your worst enemy?
Carbs: bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, did I say bread????

16.What is your current desktop picture?
Fishes!

17.What was the last thing you said to someone?
You can go to computer 16.

18.The last song you listened to?
A couple of songs from the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack. Awesome music!

19.What time of day were you born?
Crack-o-dawn. Mom was hoping I’d be born the day before as an anniversary present to my grandparents. But, I was a lollygagger!

20.What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Put a note on the machine and go complain to the lady in charge of them!

21.Do you consider yourself kind?
Yes, but probably not enough.

22.What’s your life motto?
Doo doo occurs!

23.Name three things you have on you at all times.
My cell phone, Blistex (usually berry flavored), and my iPod.

24.Can you change the oil on a car?
Ummm no. That’s why they have the dealership and coupons!

25.When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Actually, it hasn’t been that long ago. Maybe a couple of months.

Work Schmerk

I'm sooo ready to go home. Work is particularly crappy today. SO here is a funny hahaha for everyone to see!


If you feel like you need this cutie patootie dustpan- go to Plum Party supplies. They have lots of adorable stuff!

I'm an addict!

They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Well I am an addict. I LOVE the Mensa daily jigsaw puzzle! To you all: enjoy!

Mensa Daily Jigsaw

Manic Monday

I'm exhausted. Seriously! The first annual shop 'til you drop marathon. We began with the pick-up at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. And everyone mark it down - I was ready! I had my holiday lights headband on and was dressed in layers ready for the crazy mall temps. The best way to Christmas shop- drunk! Hilarious!!! We stopped for lunch after hitting the pet store, Best Buy, and like 4 stores in the mall. Two cosmos later and E was a happy camper. Woo hoo! After we were filled to the gills we continued on in our quests for great bargains and happy holidays. The word of the day was Yo! As in, I'm gonna go look over here Yo! Or, Yo!, what do you think of this perfume, Yo! The goal was to see how many times you could slip it into the conversation without M freaking out and hitting us! She is sooo violent. :)

Ok, on to more shopping. I had planned on buying my mom a 2006, Mr. Bingle doll. But, to my surprise, they had an entire set of them - 7 in all! M thinks they look like bats. She just doesn't know. Mr. Bingle has been a serious staple in my house since I can remember. We used to have a store in Memphis called Lowenstein's. It was in Poplar Plaza where Spin Street is now located. In the big window where Elvis now hangs- Mr. Bingle once reigned. It was Christmas when Mr. Bingle came to the big window- you knew Santa was around the corner! So now my momma is the proud owner of 8 new Mr. Bingles (1998-2004 and 2006). The woman at Dillards - they now own the Mr. Bingle rights, said she didn't think they had a 2005 doll. If anyone knows they did- let me know. I am now on a mission! She has an oldie but goodie like the one in the add above. He has been well-loved and has seen better days, but he is very important at our house!

So after all the shopping- I believe the last purchase was around 9:30 p.m. @ Macy's. The purchase, a brand new pretty for E! It will be her birthday after all (in less than a week).
After the last climb up the mall steps to the parking garage, it was decided, that I would go along for the sushi dinner. Sushi- yes me. I have had sushi before with Kram and others always ordering and saying, "you should try this. It's cooked." This time, I took the initiative and read the menu and ordered for myself. Officially, I am a convert. It is actually good! I only tried the cooked stuff, but honestly, it was really filling and yummy tasting. I love the California roll and some sort of roll that has avocado, salmon and cream cheese! Who would've thunk it!

Needless to say when I got home at 11:15 p.m., I got directly in bed and took a handful of Advil.

TGI Friday!!!

So my sister lives in Oklahoma City, OK. She sent me this picture of the snow outside her house. I'm sooo terribly jealous! I love snow. In Memphis we get ice, if we get anything!

We had some horrible wind last night! It was loud and forceful. I generally sleep with my window open- I am a hot-natured person. So at exactly 4:44a.m. I woke to the howl of the wind and rustle of my window blinds. Ok, so it startled the poo out of me! I tried shoving my pillow in front of my window... tired and lazy. But alas, I was required to get up and shut my window for fear that I would be found encased in a block of ice. It was so cold that you could have hung some serious meat products in there!

Today at the liberry: half of the building is without power, it is cold in here, and the computers keep shutting off and on with no notice. (They are working on the power in the neighborhood because much of the power was knocked out because of the wind.) Have you ever heard nearly 20 computers turn on and off at the same time. It sounds like a vacuum cleaner that is turned on and then turned off again. Over and over and over again! Everyone- pray for a half day of work!

Grey's last night- loved it! I wouldn't be able to handle it if George's daddy hadn't made it through the surgery! Seriously! But, I love that everyone finally tried to forgive Cristina. Isn't it weird how we can forgive some people easier than we can others. Why do we hold some people to higher standards?

Ok, some major Christmas shopping will begin on Saturday for the 'cleaning lady'. MUST get it done! It's driving me insane- ok, more than normal. Sunday I will be performing my Sunday Service. That's what we call our time to work at the big liberry. Oh history department, how I love you. For those of you who don't know; I am soooo being facetious.

Eeeww, eeewww, and more eewww!

First let me start by saying that I really like to watch Seinfeld on t.v. Especially the 11:30p.m. showing on Fox 13. It just usually fits in with when I'm going to bed. So, there is an episode where George (Jason Alexander) takes a book into the restroom at a Brentano's book store. Well, an employee spots this and tells George that he must buy the book. This is a really expensive art book. Of course, George is furious and vows to return the book to another store for his refund. Unbeknownst to Jorge (espanol for George) the book gets "tagged" that it has
been in the restroom and cannot be returned.
--side note: I don't approve of what Michael Richards said at the comedy club the other night. I hate that word. If the kids says that in passing to one another here in the liberry, they are told they need to leave. Also, my mom is not a Jason Alexander fan. I think it is a hold-over from when he was the jerk in Pretty Woman. But whatever, I love Seinfeld.

So, I had a Seinfeld moment in the branch today. I come in after having to attend a mandatory training on the ADA. If that hadn't been traumatic enough- have you ever sat in a room with 40 or so really smart people who know more than the trainers???- I encounter a customer. He asks where are the restrooms. Simple enough. I noticed he walks around looking at things for a few moments, then picks up a magazine from the counter. My interest is piqued now. He begins to walk to the doors. Now for a lesson on how we keep library materials in the library. They have strip in them called 'tattle tape'. It is similar to a department store sensor- just smaller and inside the book's or magazine's binding. So I notice the door sensor doesn't sound. I quickly stop him before he can get into the vestibule with the 'reading material'. I explain that he can't take that out of the main library. He said but I'm just... I mean really he was just gonna take circulating library materials into the restroom (aka the library). I politely explained in my most serious voice that he was not allowed to take library materials into the restroom. I offered him the freebie papers, and that's what he did. He came up to the desk and grabbed a Memphis Flyer. The library's magazine is now safe from his 'library time'. And disaster was averted!

Wednesday at the liberry

So I called the police again today. This time the good looking officer took my report. I call the non-emergency number so much that I have decided to print out my name, D.O.B., and work number on cards so that I can just hand it to them. I was helping to put the angel on the top of our work holiday tree (ok, it's a Christmas tree!) when a customer came up and told me that the men's public restroom had been vandalized. I went to inspect the restrooms and indeed the men's restroom had been doused in something yellow. Mustard- no! Paint-yes! The paint is on the floor, counter tops, the bathroom stalls and the urinals. I was seething! Why? For what reason? Officially, the restrooms are now closed until further notice. ALL the public restrooms! Due to vandalism! And to the little kid who told me he had to "use it" - not here you don't!

I'm a librarian

I'm a librarian. I don't know if I've told you this. But, I am. I LOVE to read. I read anything and everything. I kinda fell into being a librarian. Ok, see I'm technically a library assistant. But, I do the same thing as a librarian without the Masters in Library Science degree. So I get a lot less moola boola. I have a degree in journalism, public relations, from The University of Memphis (Go Tigers!). Why I have a degree in Journalism: 1. I enjoy writing. 2. I'm fairly good at writing. 3. I happened to be working on campus in the Media Relations office and I thought, I can do this! So I majored in Journalism. The benefits: I worked for a couple of my professors. I could use my on campus job as my internship! And the journalism building was like 15 steps from my dorm. I'm a lazy butt!

So I work at the liberry (This is what the kids at the library say. They can't seem to put the extra r in there!) I work with the public- all day long. Some days it is wonderful- some days, not so much! One week I filed three police reports in 3 days and called the fire department on the fifth day. Oh joy. Last week- not one call to the police or any other emergency services! I work mainly with teens. I enjoy working with teens. In my previous job I was a case manager (social worker) for the State of Tennessee. I was responsible for the welfare and well-being of 20 children in the foster care system. I wouldn't wish the job on my worst enemy. I was a great social worker - not so great at the paperwork- but a great advocate for my kids.

The bane of my existence: the public computers! If you don't have a 'puter at home, more likely than not, you have gone to your local liberry to use the public computers. Remember that the public uses these computers! Seriously! If you want to stay on for like twenty hours, get a computer for your house. We have so many computers for too many people needing them! Every customer has one hour, once a day to do what they will with the computer. If a child wants to stare at the screen for their hour- get over it. They have just as many rights as you do lady! Sir, their parents pay taxes too! If you don't like the system get your own 'puter! Be kind, be courteous and above all else be nice to your friendly librarian!

Gobble gobble

Happy Turkey day! gobble gobble. I went to take care of Merlin, Max and Coco while Sadie and Mr. Incredible went to SC to see the family. I lounged on the couch. Watched Days of Our Lives (DOOL) on the big screen. Loved Max and looked for Merlin. The Roomba freaks me out! Seriously! I walked in after work on Wednesday- the quietest day in the history of the WH liberry- and so help me goodness it had lost its way. I gently picked up the little fella and returned him to his home base. What an amazing little man! I wish we could program all men to clean up after themselves and others!!!

My mother and I, along with M (her parents moved to Mississippi- if I must suffer with the crazy family, why shouldn't she??) went to Atoka to see the family. It was a lovely afternoon to drive the momma's new car! Woo hoo. New car smell. A thirty minute drive for turkey, pea salad, 7-Up Salad and lumpy mashed potatoes. What more can I say? Brown Carol (the name my cousin gave my grandmother when she couldn't say grandmother) was glad all the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were there. My sissy stayed in Oklahoma for turkey day in exchange for a longer Christmas visit. If another aunt or Brown Carol asked if she was moving back to Memphis anytime soon- like February as she had all told us about 6 months ago- I think I may have had to go postal on the fam. Ugh! I think M had a good time, she didn't seem to be traumatized by the family tales of woe and wonder. "All families are dysfunctional. It just depends on to what degree!"-katiememphis

After dinner and too much time socializing, we zoomed into Garden Ridge for the annual Thanksgiving weekend sales extravaganza! We shoved, we pushed, we searched for all the bargains we could find! All in all- I was exhausted and tired of squeezing down too-tiny aisles with my shoppoing cart and had to depart in time to get home to watch Grey's! Oh Mer, Der, Mc Steamy, George, Izzy... I love them all!

In the end- a great turkey day and I didn't eat too much! Amazing.

The boys...

Okay, this picture is over a month old! I'm a little behind on blogging... to catch up:

The groom-to-be, Kram and Mr. Incredible @ Kram's 30th birthday. There was blue icing on a chocolate cake that poor E couldn't eat. 1- she does not eat blue foods. 2- chocolate makes her splotch. We ate at El Po. (On a side note: I swear to goodness that they must put something in their food that is addictive. During Lent last year, I ate a shrimp quesadilla from there every Friday. I loved Lent last year!) Can we say too much chips and salsa?!

This was right before the groom-to-be (gtb) proposed to A. More on that later.

Kram and I have been friends since we were 14. Wow- 16 years is a long time. I miss him. In the past year or so, we haven't been as tight as we once were. You know how you have that friend who is always there to pick you up when you you're feeling icky poo poo. Well that's Kram aka poo poo head. I don't remember why I used to call him that- I was only 14 and 15 at the time! Now whenever I see him, I always seem to cry. I dunno. This happened once before when we were in college. We got over that- I'm sure we'll get over this. I miss him.

30 Bites

I have been 30 for a little more than a month now and thus far, it's been crappy! Really crappy.

I finally got my car back after the whole tree landing on it situation.

Happy Birthday to me!!

Happy Birthday to me!!
The day after my 30th birthday, my neighbor's tree fell on my car and my mother's car! Isn't it lovely!

My vacay

This is the beach of Biloxi, MS. Went there for Labor Day Weekend. So sad! This picture, of course, has the wrong date on it. I hadn't yet learned how to change the date on my camera!! The sign says: Storm Debris in Water DO NOT ENTER! hearbreaking!

Momma and the most favoritest...

This is my most favoritest godmother (tall lady on the left) and my momma!