Well actually I dont feel really fine. I started to feel sick over the weekend but I really dont get sick often and when I do, I try to fight it by keeping doing things. Not rest like most people would. I took down wallpaper. Monday morning is when the worst of it hit. People say its been going around, thanks for whoever gave it to me. Of all the weeks, this was just not the week to get sick. Why? Well let see…

Im in the middle of planning a New Years Eve dance for about 100 high schoolers. Lots and lots to do the week of the dance and I handed a meeting over to my boss that I just simply couldnt attend. The stomach wouldnt allow me, hated that.

My old roommate is getting married this Saturday and she asked me to take the photos. Im happy to do that for her, and really hope to be 100% better by the wonderful day. Really hard for me to think quick when Im sick let alone creative!

Im working on my new room (hence the taking down of wallpaper) and trying to pack up my old one. I have so much packing to do but little energy to do it – or time for that matter! 17th is coming very quickly!

Im house sitting for my friends who I agreed to do so for ages before I knew I had to move. Thankfully their dog is behaving much better this time around than last time. I dont even want to think about having to pick up poop while feeling sick myself.

Oh and my car got a hit and run last week. Yeah. Right before Christmas. I was out caroling – you know, bringing Christmas cheers to others and someone backs up into my driver side door. So Gwen is out getting a new door. Thats costing a pretty penny in deducible. Thankfully, the friends who Im house sitting for are letting me use their car, saving me the rental car expense.

Im now short on hours at Starbucks for giving up my shift and not being able to pick any hours due to said NYE dance and wedding. I know it will work out. Trying not to stress about the fact I just may lose my benefits.

So, there is just a lot to be worrying out about. Im not for some reason. But I would like for things to stop coming all at once, you know? I mean, my gosh dont I have enough going on and being sick on top of that? Im ranting a bit much I know. I just trying to sort through some thoughts of all that is going on my life and trying not to go crazy with it.

Want a great way to end the year isnt it? I am looking forward to this dance, should be fun, even if we lack adult staff. The kids have worked hard to put it together. The wedding is one I have been looking forward to. So there is beauty in the madness, I just like to have more beauty than madness if you know what I mean.

Yesterday at my youth job in the middle of the afternoon the snack craving monster came on. Usually the snacker in my office is my team mate, Amy, but she is out sick which makes the office very lonely and quiet, especially when the boss is out in meetings all day. I day dreamed a little bit about the pretzel at Target I saw earlier in the day when I was picking up Christmas gift wrap. Then I remembered how not so awesome they were the last time I thought they’d make a delightful snack. So I went to the grocery store right around the corner from the church. Dont be fooled, I wasnt going there to get fruit or anything, I have plenty of that at home. I wanted something crunchy and chip like. As soon as I walked in to find the chip isle I was lost. We have this type grocery store all over town and this location is completely backwards to every other single stores layout. It was so confusing, too me way too long to figure out where the chips where. And the chips after all where not what I was craving to snack on. So I headed over to the cracker isle and went to my old faithful, Cheez-Its. Usually I get boxed items such as the wonderful Cheez-Its at Target so when I saw they wanted almost 4 bucks for a box, I reconsidered. Then! Then I saw that they had Cheez-It Crisps on sale at a price I was willing to try the little cheesy guys at. Let me tell you, totally different cracker. I mean, it doesn’t taste anything like a Cheez-It! Okay maybe a tad, but if you blindfold me and ask me to tell you what it is, I wouldnt of even guessed it was in the Cheez-It family, let alone its brother the crisp! Im not saying they are horrible (yes, Im snacking on them right now, why do you ask) or anything just not a Cheez-It when you are wanting a Cheez-It.

I am now craving pie. Where is Luke’s Diner when I need it?

There is a Dunkin’ Donuts being built walking distance from my house. That, ladies and gentleman is very dangerous. Its not as though I am a huge Dunkin’ Donuts fan by any means. I think Ive been to one maybe a handful of times in my whole life, probably less. Im more of a Krispy Kreme girl myself – when that pretty red sign is on, its takes great strength to keep driving by. A lot of times the hot and now just call my name so loudly that I cant help but to listen. My love for Krispy Kreme has dampened a bit when I once was like a moth to a flame when I saw the “Hot Donuts Now” sign on. I ordered “One hot donut now please!” (yes just like that) and when I received my donut it was not hot or now. It was a very, very sad day. But needless to say, I like donuts. My tolerance for sugar doesn’t allow me to have more than say two in one sitting, but even two too often is not good. Cake donuts, like the ones at Dunkin’ Donuts are quite tasty. I can see myself now, convincing myself “Well if I walk to Dunkin’ Donuts and back, when Im totally burning the calories Id eat from a yummy sprinkled donut.” I can make anything healthy, even donuts! Oh yeah, this can not be good.

Isnt that a fun work to say? Spoodle. I got the pleasure again to put away the order on Monday. Do I look like a gal who has a lot of upper body strength to put away big heavy boxes way up above my head?

Well that might of not been the best photo to prove my point. Im not! DO NOT HAVE LOTS OF MUSCLES. I was feeling empowered since I just sorta hiked the Grand Canyon in that photo. Okay never-mind Im already off track. SPOODLE. It was in the order that I put away. In my three in a half years at Starbucks I had never seen a Spoodle. In fact, in all my hours spent inside of kitchen stores I had never seen something labeled as a spoodle. No one knew what the spoodle was for or why it had come in our order. Today though, today my manager showed me the spoodle and said that she found out what it was for. It will be pouring coffee into the filter right before we brew it. As lovely as that sounds, that wont be fun durning the morning rush but whatever. We got a spoodle! I just dont know if I care for the ramifications of the spoodle. So if the line at Starbucks is a bit longer in the morning, just remind yourself that it must be the spoodle.

The song “Falling Slowly” from the movie Once, which I love, won an Academy Award! Can you believe two indy people who kept looking at each other with these I-cant-believe-we-are-here! looks won an Academy Award! I was a bit giddy. And okay I know the Academy Awards were so two weekends ago, but I didnt see them till last night. Im a little behind with life it seems, but Im okay with that.

A lot of my friends or people around me are having babies. Maybe its because Im not married, but I just love it. I have baby fever, but not in a I-want-a-baby fever but just a I-love-holding-this-sweet-child-ohhhh-yeah-she-needs-diaper-change-here-you-go, fever. My roommate and I were in Target in the baby section and I was completely out of my element. Their registry was so picked over and crib sheets just didnt excite me. I have this thing if I dont really like the gift or its simply not exciting (like crib sheets) I wont get it. Even if they registered for it. So sue me, I went off the registry and got them some adorable oneies. You can never have enough oneies right? Did I mention they were adorable? They were.

Its been quite lovely around these parts lately. Jason and I both have been wearing sandals (or as my Dad called them the other day slippers. Slippers? Someone from southern California does not call sandals, slippers. Its like the southerners with toboggan.) as often as possible and its been so great. Was it not two weeks ago we got a couple inches of snow and now the flowers are starting to bloom? Im ready for Spring as much as I love snowy days. My pink toe nails like seeing the sunshine than the inside of my Docs. But part of me fears Spring because that means Summer is approaching and I really dislike summer here. Humidity, which means sweaty Alisa for months. I will try not to think about that too much and just enjoy the daffodils and freshly blooming pink trees.

This past summer I chopped my hair off. It was in effort to help bring my hair to one length once again after many years in layers. Apparently layers are best for girls like me who have fine hair. I like the layers, love them even, right after I get them. But then I go through how much of a pain it is to style them, wouldnt it be nice to just have long one length hair again? Yeah it would, and so I chop it. Then of course Im in love with my cute summer short hair cut… for about a week. Then the honeymoon feeling quickly turns into normal rotiune and then I just bored with my hair. Yet, I have to complete my mission of long hair at one length, so to mix it up I grow my bangs out. Jason loves this idea with the short hair cut, which he wasnt too crazy about in the first place. But of course after I did cut it, he liked it. Go figure. I grew my bangs out, so fun having long swept to the side bangs. Now my hair is at that funky in between stage of not short but not long. I HATE this stage. I do not think its flattering at all on me, but I know its part of the process so I suffer through because I have cute sweepy bangs to balance it all out. Then a friend of mine takes a picture of me at a party. Maybe it was a bad hair/bang day, but ew ew ew. My bangs just look stringy not cute and sweepy. And I had just gotten them cut not two weeks before that. So last week I made an appointment to get a haircut. Chopping these long crazy you were so cute and sweepy but turned on me to ugly stringy bangs. Its the day before my appointment and all this week my bangs have been wonderful. This always seems to happen. I get frustrated with my hair, make an appointment to fix the problem and well my hair behaviors. Its as if it knows or something. Never the less, I still plan on getting my hair cut tomorrow. Despite the pleas from Jason to not cut the sweepy bangs. I told him I didnt feel pretty in them to which he responded, then do what you need to feel good. Good man.

… “La la la la. I can not hear you.”

I can not hear you telling me we are going to be open on Christmas. No Im sorry, Christmas Day is the one, and only day of the year we are closed yet you seem to think Im hearing this “We are going to be open on Christmas Day” bit. Not buying it becasue well I just cant hear it. So if I dont show up that morning, its becasue well I didnt hear it. Christmas is not canceled!

I really do enjoy smelling good. This past winter, from advice from a friend I stopped wearing any kind of lotion with a scent to it. My skin had become so itchy that I was going a little crazy. This still baffles me since I grew up in Southern California which is basically a desert. Dry is what I know. To help fight my battle with dry itchy skin, I went on a lotion hunt all the while finding out that lotions with scents in it could set off the skin to itch. I banded all my scented lotions to the back of my bathroom shelf until now. I was getting out of my first-aid tubberwear and found the forbidden lotions. I thought that since its summer and I haven’t felt real dry, (which by the way makes no scene to me since in California only time I was dry was in the summer) Id see if my skin was up to smelling good. I’ve never been a girl who had a scent so it feels a little weird when I do. But the past two days of smelling good has been so lovely. I will smell this pretty green fresh smell and think “What is that wonderful smell?” only to realize that it is me! Better use all the lotion I can while summer still sticks around.

Anyone else in the mood for some fruit? I sure am. That has turn into my dessert of choice. When I grabbed some dinner last week, I got a couple of plums for dessert. Last night I had some strawberry shortcake and it was fine, but afterwards I wished I had a bowl full of strawberries instead. I don’t know what this change in my taste buds are, but Im glad for it being that fruit is much better for me. Only problem with this craving is currently have is that its hard to instantly give into it. And its good for me! Why is it hard? Becasue when I go to the super market later, Im gonna pick out some yummy looking fruit. I will bring it home and wash it and put in a paper towel to eat and take a good bite to only find out its not ripe yet! I spend a lot of time gently testing fruit to find an already ripe one, but I rarely can find one. I have to wait a day or two before getting the sweet nectar that I long for. Maybe I should just get some juice to hold me over.

Today in my house Dana and I had our version of What Not to Wear and I played the role of Stacey. No gay men were readily accessible so we had no Clinton to banter with. Though, I was much kinder than Stacey, but I did do her proud by making my room mate get ride of every last wire hanger she owned. Let me back up a little here for those of you who don’t live in our house. Dana has a lot of clothes and by a lot, I don’t think the girl has every cleaned out her closet before. I saw a few months back that the beam that most of her clothes hang on was bending in the middle, I examined a bit further. These clothes were clothes Dana never wears and some outdated. I promised her a date to help clean out her closet and today was the day! She didn’t really understand my hatred for the wire hangers. Unless there is a marshmallow at the end of one slowly turning brown for my smores, I do not see the use for a wire hanger! They are not sturdy for clothing and don’t help hold your clothes shape nicely. Sadly, we don’t have the What Not to Wear budget, so wooden hangers were not the wire hangers replacement but plastic isn’t too shabby if you ask me. Rule of thumb I had Dana go by “When was the last time you wore this?’ and if she couldn’t remember or been over a year, into the pile it went. She was a little more attached at first, feeling like she had nothing left. I haven’t no connection to her clothes had no problem grabbing things from her hand. For example a very ratty, stained sorta white t-shirt she says she wears all the time. I’ve never once seen her in it and she shouldn’t wear it out anyhow. Then we got to the pants and oh my gosh, I think she had thirty pairs of jeans in her closet. THIRTY PAIRS. I told her whatever she could fit into she could keep. I think she’s down to ten. Good night that was a lot of jeans. I then tired to give some words of wisdom how investing into some nice clothes might last longer (a lot of her clothes were new but already not so nice or shrinking). Okay maybe I do sound a bit more like Stacey then I initially thought. By the end of it all we had 6 bags of clothes, one bag of shoes and one bag of handbags to take to good will. Thats 8, count them, 8 bags she got rid of today! I was so proud of her and her now very neatly organized closet. (Disclaimer: Dana knows about her clothing problem being blogged in case yall were wondering)

Something new happened here in downtown this morning. Around 8:30am, which normally on a weekday I would not say is too early for folks to be up and making noise. I wasn’t bothered so much by the noise but by the confusion it brought me. “Left, left, left right left…” was loud and clear through my bedroom window but I thought maybe I was dreaming that a military outfit would be outside my window and went back to sleep. Well, I tired to go back to sleep till my alarm of 9am went off, trying to get more rest than usual because I have a cold that has taken over my head. I got on Marla, replied to some emails and then turned on the TV to catch some of the Ellen show. My eyes would just not stay awake, so I gave in and set my alarm till 1130am (longest I wanted to sleep). I slept till again I heard military voices outside of my window and this time I peaked outside to see if I was crazy or the nightquill was still kickin’. Sure enough there was a dozen or so men jogging down my street. Wonder if this will become an every morning occurrence. I got this cold on Thursday that really was just a slight cough. As the days went on, the cough worsen but according to webmd.com it was just a cold and there wasn’t a whole lot I could do other than rest and drink plenty of fluids. I don’t like to call in sick to work, plus right now I’m trying earn vacation time and save money for some trips coming up this spring. With not much of a voice (I lose my voice when I get sick) I went into work, sounding a lot worse than I actually felt. I went out to dinner for Catherine’s 21st birthday on Saturday night and felt fine. Sunday morning was a little worse, which I think had to do with daylight savings time. By the time the evening of yesterday rolled around the cough had officially taken over my head. I don’t remember my nose running this much in years. Yet I still went to work today. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I keep my distance and really think I feel better being out and about than staying in back. Part of me my adult thinking is, people get sick, but life doesn’t stop and mom isn’t here to take care of me all day long. I guess its good I have some mind set of not just lying in bed feeling sorry for myself or something. All of this to say, I hate having a cold. I have gotten more sick in the past 9 months living in NC than the past 5 years or more in California. Apparently my body just doesn’t know what to do with all this clean air.

I hate chicken. Well, mostly in the raw, uncooked way. Live way, I don’t have much of a problem with. Last time I went grocery shopping I bought some meat since somebody doesn’t think I have enough meat in the meals I cook (for myself or him). So I bought some chicken, but with the understand that he would have to cook said chicken. It goes back to my home economics days in Jr High when I was put on an all boy group and they were more that gross with the whole raw chicken. Turned me away from the stuff from that day on. I never really liked chicken growing up ether, my mom never made in a way I wasn’t grossed out by it (my poor mom and how I criticized her cooking). I will eat chicken if someone makes it for me or if I go out with friends, no biggie. I just really despite preparing and cooking chicken. I tell you all this so you understand how much of a step it was for me to actually purchase the chicken, touch it through very thin layer of plastic.

Tonight when we discussed what we should have for dinner chicken tacos where the main topic of conversation. I told someone that I would put the chicken out from the freezer so it would be easy to cook. He asks me if I could cook the chicken so it would be really easy to put everything else together at his house. I remind him of all that I just shared with you fine folks. As I sit here writing my little chicken rant, my house is being filled with chicken odors. It is not pleasant, no not one bit. I keep walking back and forth to the kitchen, checking to see if they are done. The white state the chicken has taken on the outside doesn’t appeal anymore to me than it did when it was frozen raw. Though I did learn through this event that frozen raw chicken I can handle (I didn’t, I poked at it with a fork and put it into the boiling chicken broth, no hands needed) much much much better than raw room temperature chicken. Everytime I poke the chicken to see if its cooked all the way through, I have to wash my hands. Bet my hair wreaks of chicken smell too, lovely.

So this isn’t to say I don’t like eating chicken (nevermind I started this with a very bold I hate chicken statement). Its more the fact I hate with most every ounce of my being, cooking chicken. The very brave thing I am currently doing should go down in history because I’m not sure when this will happen again. All the germs that chickens carry may boil away in the pot, but yet I’m still fearful. I will get the water as hot as I can get it with as much soap as it can stand and let the knife, fork and pot that were apart of the cooking of chicken soak so the germs will surely die. Go ahead, tell me I need to suck it up and get over my fear of chicken. I wont budge. Do you know how long ago Jr. High was? I very long time ago and this is the last time you shall know of my cooking chicken again. Now I must go wash my hands again.

Dear Social Security Office,

Dana and I were fascinated by your misting airfresher. We had been up since 430am that morning and worked a long day so that might of been it. But we thank you for keeping the air smelling fresh like gingerbread. That’s very festive of you. We were also very amused by the security guy you have that makes a very big deal about locking the doors at 4pm. I was a bit disappoint after all the build up that he didn’t let us know the moment he put the key in the lock. But,the waiting time was useful for me to study for my driving test that I had coming up. Also thank you for giving me the good news I can take the print out you gave me to DMV.

You are very helpful,
Alisa

Dear Drivers License DMV,

This is the second visit to your grounds that I have taken recently. I did not have all my paper work last time, my social security card had taken a long walk away from me. Today it didn’t seem you even needed it which was a bit discouraging. That was quickly forgotten by the quick wait I had (good thing because I forgot my book) and the nice man who helped me through the process. He also joked with me how there are not many “cattle crossings” in California. Your test made be a bit nervous but I passed none the less.

You made my head way too big on my license photo,
Alisa

Dear License Plate DMV,

Why are you not in the same place as the Drivers License DMV? Other states (as my brother calls it “God’s state”, California) have their act together and you can get all your car paper work needs in one location. Or did you two have a fight a while back and haven’t made amends yet? It would of been really nice if you two could of made up by now because I had to drive on the street I got in a car accident on. Nevermind that happened in September its very nerve racking. Oh and what is up with your wall of cheesy vanity plates? The Christian ones especially made me giggle inside.

You got the most money out of me today,
Alisa

Dear State Inspection place,

Thank you for putting on my NC plates along with passing Gwen for inspection. During my long wait I got to catch up on “What I Like About You” and “Reba”. You need to make the bathroom easier to get to if you are going to make people wait so long. Also, you must have really good food in your vending machine because your workers went to it. A lot.

Gwen is happy for her shiny new sticker,
Alisa

Dear Jim Halbert,

I’m sorry that I called you an jerk* tonight. I didn’t really mean it, I was speaking out of bit of anger and frustration. Its just, you were being so cold to Pam. I know she turned you down twice after you put your heart on the line. You have to understand, she dated Roy since high school, its all she’s know a life with Roy. Now she’s on her own figuring out who she is and that takes some time. She misses you, she told you that! She wasn’t afraid to run up and give you a hug in front of everyone. That is the fancy new Beesly! But you instead avoided the great banter that we all know and love between Pam and Jim. You choice to flaunt your new found spark with this Karen girl in front of her. You know Pam has feelings for you, no matter how many times she tells you “we will always be friends.” I’ve been told the reason I got so upset tonight is because I love the idea of Jim and Pam more than Jim. This is not true, I love you Jim which is why I hate to see you put up a wall to your relationship with Pam. You just didn’t have to be so stand offish to her, that’s all I’m saying. Don’t blame Pam for the words she used in the parking lot, she’s just as hurt as you. Did that long phone conversation mean nothing to you? I don’t get the feeling you’d save the receptionist anymore, Jim and that makes me very said. I know you told Pam you are sorta seeing somebody and all, but Id keep my eye on Toby if I were. Glad to have you back in Scranton and giving Dwight a hard time, but please include Pam. Its much funnier that way anyhow. Im including a couple photo to help remind you of how happy you were when Pam and you were close, just in case it helps.

Fondly,
Alisa

*what I really called you probably isn’t appropriate for everyone’s consumption.

Ahhhh the internet. Its so good to be back. If you missed the first parts of the Gwen story, they can be found here and here .

I didn’t get the chance to tell yall the great news that happen last week, Gwen came home! Even picking her up was a bit of a hassle, being I had to sit there for 45 minutes while they “finished something up”. Rather frustrating for sure. Being that I was house sitting I didn’t really have any need to go on the highway so I didn’t drive her much past 50 mph this past week. This weekend I drove along the 40 quite a bit and in a phone call conversation with my mom I discovered my steering wheel was shaking! My alignment was off! I thought I had felt my wheel tighten when I turned but I didn’t know if that was me just being used to driving the rental for so long (this happened little over a month and half ago). I was super paranoid the first day I got her back, just felt weird to drive my own car.

I gave Rick a call this morning and told him I have to work this evening but could bring it in. He said Id have to leave the car with him if I did that since there are a lot of cars at his shop at the moment. I told him I shouldn’t have to wait in line again being this is something they should of fixed when it was there last week (I’m not playing around anymore!). He said there was already a car up in the machine, and he was down a person. If I could wait till Wednesday he could get it down in an hour. I told him I couldn’t bring it in till noon. He said he still could get it down while I waited. And so the drama of Gwen continues. I surely hope this is going to be the last visit to the body shop she has in a very long time! She needs NC plates but she cant get those if she keeps having to have long visits at the body shop. If I didn’t like dealing with car stuff before, I really don’t like it now.

I really want to blog, I just been busy with work and fun things. I have a couple of blog posts rolling around in my head that I will take the time to write soon. Today felt like day of the car accident all over again, playing phone tag and talking to car people. Wayne was sorta frustrated that my car wasn’t done (I would be too if I was paying $1500 for a rental car, not even a good one). He told me to put some fire under the body shops butt (not those words but the tone was there) and I told him he could call them if he’d like, I can really hurry the work along, I don’t fix cars. Which all of this only happened once I called him telling him my rental car bill wasn’t ever transferred from my credit card to their billing. Then I think after seeing the amount due was trying to get lose ends tied. That, and hes going on vacation next week, one of the two. So apparently right now Gwen is getting a new coat of paint (I fear a little she wont be the same pretty color she was. Is that silly?) and will be dry and ready by Friday. Well see. They told me she’d be ready last Thursday and here we are almost a week later and no Gwen. Stinky rental car needs to go.

On a fun note, some friends and mine have started an online magazine of sorts called Corner Table . This in the very baby stages but thought Id let yall check it out while it was still bran new. Its exciting to be apart of.

Hope yall are enjoying the amazing fall leaves that autumn is bringing.

(In case you missed what happened and the first update )

So last week (what? I’ve been busy) I was the squeaky wheel to all the powers involved in getting Gwen back to herself. First I called and called a man fondly known as Wayne. But when I say it to friends in passing its more like Wayne . Wayne is the guy’s who hit me insurance rep. Last I knew, his family hadn’t connected anyone regarding this. Meaning, I was the first to call everything in and get the ball rolling. So after leaving messages for Wayne whom had just gone by to see the damage to the cars told me both were totaled. I quickly corrected him that Gwen was in fact not. He said he’d get “the numbers” together and call me in a couple of days because he would be in a meeting all day (seriously any of you who also to claim to all day meetings, do they really exist?). So I called on said day and Wayne didn’t answer is phone. Twice. Then maybe he got the hint in my voice on the message I left him and answered his phone on my finally attempt of the day. He tells me he will send a check for the estimated damages. I remind him that estimate is for simply looking at the car, what if they find more damage inside of Gwen? He says that he’d just pay the shop directly for those cost. Doesn’t make a whole lot of since to me but I don’t have much a choice now do I? And then he has the gulls to say get started on the work soon becasue Im in a rental. Right, because Im the one whos been slow in this process.

My next phone call I needed to make was to the shop to let them know I had the funds to start the work on the car. Rick (no hard feelings really this him. Yet.) at the shop told me that they don’t need the money, they can just start with the work. This is something I could have been told a lot sooner than two weeks after the fact. I tell him all the Wayne told me about if extra damage is found and he said he’d have to make sure with Wayne . I’m getting more and more evidence that Wayne really doesn’t do well with the phone. So after Rick doesn’t call me back (grrr) I call him and ask what the plans are. He got the same story from Wayne and would order parts and star the work on Monday. I ask when Gwen would be back to herself and he said ether October 10th or 11th. A month without my car and in a stinky rental car. Yes, stinky, it is and no I will not name it to make me like it any more. So there you have it folks, poor Gwen cant get a brake. I will be happy to get my car back and be done with all this car stuff.

The past few days have been somewhat of a blur but very long at the same time. I started to not feel well on Monday but didn’t think too much about it because I don’t get sick that often. But knowing myself well enough I could tell I was fighting something. I even went to work because I just really cant bring myself to call in sick unless I’m really really sick. Yesterday though things seemed to take a turn for the worse instead of the better so I went to the doctor, which was a ordeal in and of itself. Apparently very few doctors in my area are accepting new patients. This ether means that there are too many sick people in Greensboro or there are not enough doctors to go around. Neither one of these comforts me at all. I went to the doctors, which I shall spare yall on the details but it was better experience than I expected. Like I said, but I’m thinking of stopping saying but I think it jinxes me somehow, I don’t get sick very often, so I don’t go to the doctors very often. Lets just say, I have had insurance with Starbucks for almost two years now and this is the very first time I have used it. It wasn’t till after a very long wait for the my door of my little room to open up again, I laid down and smelled that hospital smell that is the main reason I hate going to the doctors. The smell of being overly serialized is not a comforting smell to me, even though it probably should be. It makes me nervous and think things are worse than they actually are for some reason. Maybe because that smell reminds me of the handful of times I had surgery on my birthmark when I was little and that smell is associated with that. But this whole waiting in the little room thing, Id like to talk about that for a second. I saw three people yesterday, including the doctor. Three people who whisked in and out of that room every few minutes and a long period of time between each other to see me. Its one of the strangest things in the medical field I think. You sit (or in my case lie down, I was very tired) on this table with a thin sheet over it waiting for folks in scrubs to come in and talk to you, take your pulse (and tell you how small your arms are. I actually appreciated that comment because when your sick you don’t feel pretty at all. So that thought process to me, sitting there with bed head ponytail and no make up was “I’m not frumpy!”) or get your medical history. I saw the back of that door more often than I really wished to, and couple of times to protest the back of the door’s poster of “Please do not use your cell phone” I reached for my cell phone. I didn’t use it, but I was tempted to that’s all. At one point I took a magazine from the limited offering hanging on the wall next to said closed door. Of course when I’m trying to read People’s take about Brittany being a mom is when the nurse decided to come in. People magazine is still just one of those magazines you don’t want to be caught reading, but my options where very limited. I should of just taken the high road and stayed lied down on the table. All and all, first doctors visit in a long time, wasn’t half bad. Today I’m eating crackers okay and wanting to drink more. When your sick those are like the last two things in the world you want in your mouth. I actually didn’t want anything, drank way less that I should of but when you just cant bring yourself to do it and your only cheerleader is Biscoe giving you a cute look of support most of the day, then no drinking is gonna happen. A good nights sleep did me some good I think, but we’ll see how the day goes.

In the years I traveled back and forth from California to North Carolina, it was always the cheapest to fly Southwest. My family had mostly grown up on this airline, because they were the lowest fair in the sky. There’s a photo of my brother and dad holding up their group “a” tickets because we rarely got them. But this trip to California (which is very backwards… a weekend trip to Cali? Its usually to NC) thanks to Grandma I flew on Continental out of Greensboro rather than Raleigh. It is thanks to this new airline experience I have come with the newest (yes these happen fairly often) pros and cons list.

Whos got the seat power?
Pro for SW: You get their early enough or check in online early, it is up to yourself to nab a good seat.
Con for Continental: You can pick your seat when your buying your ticket on line. But if you get your ticket last minute (like I did) you don’t have choices like that.

This by no means any airlines fault, but I always seem to get those older men who want to chit chat or have no scene of personal space that they kinda spill over into my seat. I want to remind them how they did not paid for that part of my seat, if they have to please hand over my refund. Yes, I am a small petite girl, but this gives no one sitting next to me the right to lean into my spare room! That’s my spare room! I usually go for a window seat, but I may just go for the isle from now on. Since I avoid airplane bathrooms at all cost, window seats are great because I don’t have to get up. I’d gladly get up if only that means I get my seat all to myself.

Id also like to note that my favorite plane ride in a very long time was on the flight from Houston to California. I was given the middle seat (boo!) and sat and prayed no men would sit next to me (they are always creating problems. Women tend to mind their own business and stay to their seats.) and Jesus answered my prayers. Two girls about my size sat on ether side of me. Neither one of them tried to chit chat with me or get into my seat. All of us fell a sleep a one point and even the continued to stay in our own seats. We were polite to each other when turns to the bathroom happened. They just seem to get there wasn’t much point to the ‘What do you do for a living” chit chat and entertained themselves with a book, writing or sleeping.

The Food:
Pro for Continental: Actually food! One flight I got crackers with salami and spread, trail mix and M&Ms. Other flight was in the morning so they offered us Cheerio’s with the perfect size carton of milk and a banana. Although they do offer pretzels instead of peanuts. I don’t understand this switch but I did rediscover my love for pretzels this weekend. And when I asked for another bag of pretzels, I was given two.
Con for SW: Snack pack. They are fine and all, but never give me an ounce of fullness. I always brought on my own meal to get me through the long flight. But they still do offer peanuts, good peanuts too.
Both airline use coke products, so both get big points for me on that. Although I’m half tempted everytime to say “Can I please just have the whole can of Diet Coke? I’m gonna ask for more the next time you come around anyhow. Saves you some steps.”

Layovers:
Pro for Continental: Both times my layover was in Houston. The layovers where not long at all. First one was enough time for me to get across the airport (had to take a train, but that was kinda cool) use the bathroom and grab another snack or magazine. And then off I went to my gate where I didn’t sit very long at all.
Con for SW: I always seem to get the flights that stop at least twice (once to switch planes and then just a stop to get more passengers at another). Or I only have one stop but its for about two hours. Airports can be the neatest place to hang out in (people watching) or the worst, depending on the wait of the layover.

Now this was a toughie. I’ve always liked how its always sorta a guess where my layover would be. Visited lots of different states in one flight thanks to SW. I like to travel so I like the accept of the layover, but not enough to give it full pro points. And then again, SW has never made me travel completely across the airport to get to another terminal. But then again, the people working the desks in front of the gates for SW are much nicer than Continental. Oh what a great segway to..

Customer Service:
Pro for SW: I guess I have never really had issues with the people who work for SW. I’ve seem most SW flight attendance be overly nice to a man whos wanted 5 bags of peanuts with his can of coke. Also SW has a song that everyone once in a while you’ll have a flight attendant who knows it and sings it over the speaker system in the plane (always a lot of fun). Also the staff on the plane always seems happy on SW. Have a bit of fun with the safety speech the poor guys have to give out who knows the number of time a day. And whenever I’ve called SW about redeeming free flights, they are always so helpful and nice.
Con for Continental: I know I have only flown with them once, but this one employee set my mind on their customer service. On the way to California the service wasn’t unpleasant (this is where I got the extra bag of pretzels) but wasn’t anything noting (other than the pretzels, very important). But this one girl who was being the desk in front of the flight from Houston to Greensboro was just unpleasant. The flight was delayed and so another flight boarded before ours. This was very confusing to a lot of people but it is no reason to be rude. She wouldn’t even look up at them and tell them the plane wasn’t there yet. How do we know? There are no windows to watch for our plane so we rely on you for all information. And we know its not your fault the plane is delayed but with a sour attitude like that, we are gonna blame it on you. Also, I had a very heavy bag of mugs and curtains (that’s another story) that was under my seat on the little commuter plane from Houston to Greensboro but bothered the man (another story) sitting next to me. So I brought it forward seeing if they could store it for me safety someplace else since their tiny overhead bins didn’t fit it like the last one. Desk lady was there and was so rude. Thankfully, not nicely but nice enough the flight attendant put it with the crews stuff in a closet on the plane. I could rant all day about how bad customer service is, but I shall leave it at that.

Bag space:
Pro for SW: I have never had a problem carrying anything on (even three smaller items on the plane where it should only be two) or fitting anything into the overhead bin.
Con for Continental: I still don’t get why we took one of those tiny planes from Houston to Greensboro but we did. And the overhead space on those planes suck big time. They are smaller than under the seat for crying outloud! So here’s the heavy bag story. I was moving back (still on strike with the post office) a box of kitchen items, along with my bag stuff to the brim as my check ins. As my carry on, my mom and I carefully wrapped all my mugs and glasses along with one of my couch covers and curtains. It was in a duffle bag that I have had since I think Jr High, but still does its job well. As you can imagine, this thing was heavy. I had nice fellow passengers on a plane help me get my bag up and down in the over head bin, mostly them feeling bad for me that I had to carry such a load. Through the Houston airport I drug the bag because I was hurting from carrying (come to find that I have a rash on my shoulder from the bag.) giving the other travels a site to see for sure. But when a normal size bag wont fit on the plane, that is not my fault! And when asking for help and getting a rude face and comment doesn’t help ether! The guy who sat next to me on the flight from Houston to Greensboro had long legs so he was not excited about my bag taking put part of his leg space, nevermind he had the isle seat but I understood. But then he later had his legs in my leg area and we all know how I don’t like that (and always kept leaning into my seat to look out the window). I finally put my tray table down, which slapped his knee and he moved his leg over (if only I had thought of that sooner!). And then I closed the window so he’d stop leaning over me to look out! He smelled funny too, which never helps someone case.

So after this carefully analyst of the two airlines, we can see that Southwest is the clear winner. They are cheaper too, even with the drive out to Raleigh, Southwest is the way to fly. (Also, on my flight from Houston to California…the window seat girl next to me took out a water bottle towards the end of the trip and drank from it. I did not fear for my life since it seems that you’d want an isle seat if you were to pull anything. But none the less if she was allowed a water bottle, why shouldn’t have I been allowed a water bottle?)

Finally made my way to the birth place of the one and only Mike and Kari relationship, Family Christian stores. I’ve been wanting to at least see the place that they met for some reason. Completely different than what I had pictured in my head for the stories. But I went in there to see if they could help me put back together my bible. You see, my bible is seven years old and has been everywhere with me. I still know what page shampoo somehow leaked on in my pack on my trip to Thailand. I have pressed flowers in there from Hungry. A pound from England a friend gave me that I use as a book mark in proverbs. A photo taken in the 50′s by my grandparents of Yosemite. Along with a few photos of my Jr Highers from a couple years ago. This bible has many memories for me if you cant tell. Even the front has a name tag of mine that’s from when I helped with 6th grade. My bible is in their hands for two weeks as they see how much it will cost me to put my precious book back together.

Now, the next thing I did was just a big mistake. I knew I should of just stuck to the original plan of dropping off my bible and walk out. But no, I had to walk around and see all the Christian retail items I know so well (Christian bookstores are really all the same). I wondered over to the Christian fiction section to see if Kristin’s new book had been released yet. No dice. But I did see another book by an author who I will not name, who I have ranted before about. This author should not be writing chick-lit. Write a novel or whatever kind of fiction book you’d like but do not market it as a chick-lit! Which she (or her publisher) is doing because the cover, I actually liked but knew better to be fooled! Even the tag line wasn’t something that should be on a chick-lit book! Just because chick-lit is “in” right now doesn’t mean you should write it! If you don’t have the chick voice or understand a chick-lit basic story line then please stay away! So many exclamations because it just drives me crazy to market a book something that is not. Then I also made the mistake of seeing what is out in the Christian music world. Before I got more worked up I left the store, stomping my feet just a little.