Whoa Nelly....revisited

At the Starbucks or the Starbucks or the Starbucks or the Starbucks

2009-06-13T00:01:26Z

You must watch this

Please watch go watch this video and get to know the neighborhood where I almost bought a condo

You must watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo

I don't ask for much el-Jay, but trust me this is worth it.

The next time I buy a car it will be brand new so I don't have to deal with shit like this...

2009-06-01T15:07:51Z

Never buy a used car or any car from CarMax unless you don't have job or you do have an infinite amount of time to deal with people who are dumber than bricks.

I took my car for a 3rd party diagnostic and the mechanic told me it was overall in good shape except for some glaring oversights.

The ORIGINAL motherfucking factory air filter is still in the car. And I know because it has NISSAN CORPORATION 2007 printed on the side. He told me to take a picture of it to show the dealers later.

This simple thing really upset me. How lazy could you be to change the oil but-- oh wait! Not take the simple step of replacing a fucking air filter. This is when I committed in my mind to Raising Hell, over one of the worst and exhausting reasons one should raise hell: principle.

The serpentine belt was cracked.

There is a coolant leak.

Brakes need to be flushed.

And oh yes, the 30K service? NEVER WAS DONE.

How do you sell someone a car marginally over 30K miles, claim it was totally serviced and then CLEARLY not fucking service the car?

Overall, it wasn't a bad checkup. He said the main concern is the coolant leak but in my mind I was already heated over a cheap air filter. The mechanic (I didn't take it to my regular guy) actually told me that I'd be stupid to return the car for these reasons but guess what motherfuckers, that is EXACTLY what I'm prepared to do.

So I rolled back into CarMax my 5th trip in 1 week and was taken to the guy who closed my deal (who was different from the guy who initially sold me the car and saved me from the motherfucking idiot who tried to sell me a Dodge Avenger). I told him the problem, probably utilizing wild hand gestures then he brought over his manager and then ANOTHER manager came over. They copied the mechanic's report and told me the service department would call me Monday with a time to bring in the car to make the repairs.

"I don't think you understand me," I started. "I don't want the repairs done that YOUR service department THINKS need to be done. I want the repairs done that this diagnostic test said needs to be done. And then when I'm done I'm taking it BACK to a mechanic and if he finds anything else wrong with this car, I'm taking it back and I want my money back."

They gave me some speech about how CarMax being dedicated to quality and blah blah blah. They agreed with me. I left.

I decided I'm going to quit worrying about this until Monday or until I'm given a reason to worry. This process has been one huge exhausting pain in the neck and I swear, the next time I buy a car it's going to be brand new and not from some Best-Buy-color-scheme-stealing-big-box-cheap-ass-den-of-morons.

Seriously?

2009-02-27T05:50:48Z

Me in the Dupont Circle Radio Shack

"Hey do you guys sell projectors?"

Clerk: "No... but I can sell you a cell phone"

Me: "That is THE MOST unhelpful response ever."

Clerk: So you do or do not want a cell phone?"

Ugh..

2008-12-27T21:47:42Z

My temperature is holding strong at 101.5, I thought the fever broke last night after peaking at 102.5 but no such luck. I am so bored I want to cry. I can't focus on reading so I'm left to suffer through marathons of The Real Housewives or E! Celebrity Couples or MADE.

This sucks. I use The Holidays I Don't Celebrate to catch up on work and relax and this is definitely not relaxing.

Oh snap, Clean House is on... salvation? On the Style Network?

Sweet serenity.

2008-12-25T05:16:57Z

A stack of books + bed + me = A Very Merry Nerdy Christmas.

Sweet, I got an invite!

2008-12-17T05:21:52Z

I was leaving Subway today and saw the cutest little girl in history. She reminded me of me as a kid, dancing around the mostly empty restaurant singing songs no one but she knew the words to and her hair in a pigtails.

I smiled to her and said, "You are just so cute. How old are you?"

Her, dancing in circles, "I'm 4!"

ME: Wow! You're such a big girl.

She stopped in her tracks, looked at me and squealed, "HEY! You wanna come to my birthday party!! It's at Chucky Cheese!"

Her mother looked totally unaffected. Much like my mother when I was dancing around in empty Subway's when I was 4. Like, ho hum, another day in the neighborhood.

"I'm sorry sweetie! I have to work!"

The little girl isn't even like what's work? What is that shit about and is it as fun as Chucky Cheese?

She paused from dancing for a moment then replied, "Well you should still come!! IT'S CHUCKY CHEESE!"

Little girl, you are right. My birthday isn't until April but hell, I might even have my party at Chucky Cheese. Or a bar. (Probably at a bar).

Et tu, Jet Blue?

2008-12-12T19:49:44Z

I was scheming a way to sneak away for a vacation (when am I not?) and was plugging in dates to Costa Rica on Jet Blue and when I went to select a dreamy flight I got this:

Until June 1, 2008 JetBlue allows two bags (up to 62 inches in overall dimensions and up to 50 pounds)
free of charge for each customer flying to/from Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico, and St. Maarten.
Effective June 1, 2008 the first bag is free of charge and the second bag is allowed for a fee of $20.
Please note, boxes are not accepted. Excess, overweight, and/or oversized bags will be accepted on
a load-availability basis for a fee.

Bah I say to this, BAH!

Fuck, fuck, fuck FUCCCKKKKKKK

2008-12-05T21:21:56Z

I am cured of my Ohio nostalgia . Cured. FUCKING DONE.

I caught an earlier flight in today. I thought I could use the extra time to say hello to my old colleagues, get lunch with a friend and visit my college advisor. This meant I had to be up at 4 AM to make a 6 AM flight that connected in Cincinnati. I got to Baltimore late and by the time I got settled in I realized that there was no point in going to sleep so awake I stayed.This makes roughly 2 nights in a row with no to little sleep. My big sister was supposed to take me to the airport but since she relieved me at the hospital I arranged for a car to take me to the airport. First, I was going to take a regular cab. Then I read all the horrible reviews for Baltimore cabs.

Then I came across a listing called EnviroRide. Basically a cab service of hybrid cars. The price was right so I set the reservation, got the confirmation email and relaxed with that task taken care of.

NOT.

FUCKING NOT.

And you know what? I'm going to make this post public in hopes that this comes up in the fucking fucked up company search engine results.

So yeah, where was I? Oh yes, so motherfucking EnviroRide in Baltimore was set to pick me up at 4 AM.
Something seemed a little off. Perhaps this was too good to be true? Perhaps this wouldn't go as smoothly as they claimed.

I was right.

I called at 4:05 AM. Clearly, so fucking clearly waking up a sleeping dispatcher, and asked where my ride was. He groggily replied that he would try to reach the driver and call me back immediately.

He doesn't.
I call him back. 4:11.
The dispatcher says, "I'm not going to lie to you Sabrina, the driver overslept. He's supposed to call you!" Then paraphased because my white hot rage makes my memory fuzzy 'He lives 10 minutes away. I promise you.' And we argue about whether this man ACTUALLY lives 10 minutes away or is only saying that because he has clearly dropped the ball.' Much like when a teenager tells his/her's parents that they're "only" 10 minutes away when they blew their curfew.

4:22 Driver finally calls
I demand to know exactly how far away he is and the idiot responds "I am exactly 10 to 15 minutes away." I say, it isn't exactly when you give a range. Then he says, "I will be there in exactly 15 minutes."

4:55 (28 minutes later) The driver finally arrives. Nearly a full HOUR after the original reservation.

Between 4:22 and 4:55 I called the dispatcher back to yell about how messed up this is. How I held up my end of the reservation and how unprofessional this all is and if I miss this flight I WILL be reimbursed by his company. The man literally begs me not to tell his manager, said that he's writing up an incident report and asks me if I want to cost people their jobs.

I also tried calling other cab companies, content to take whichever comes first and got quickly reminded that Baltimore is not a hot metropolis that demands 24 hr cabs roaming the streets.

When I finally get in the car there is a box of takeout food next to me and he drove about 80MPH and got me to the airport in lightening speed. I made my flight only by sprinting like FloJo to the departure gate and checking in online. Thanks a lot EnviroRide. This middle finger is for you.

I am not a snobby asshole. My father drove a cab and ran a car service, among other things. He never, for instance, left other people's trash in the car. And I am the nicest as nice can be to cab drivers but this shit bordered on fucking insanity. "Oh yes, we'll pick you up here at this time..... PSYCH!"

Oh, but at least I got this letter of apology

Good morning Sabrina!

We wanted to take the time to apologize to you for missing your reservation time. We want you to know that you will not be charged for the ride and we would like to offer you an additional airport run for free. We value you as our customer and want to continue to do business with you. The next time you need an airport ride please let us know your name and we will give you that ride free of charge.

Thank you for choosing EnviroRide and we look forward to serving you again soon!!

EnviroRide

To which I say, HELL NO I will not be using your jacked service again.

EDITED TO ADD: In DC cab drivers have to display their license out in the open. Apparently this isn't the case in Baltimore or EnviroRide isn't about sharing that informing with it's passengers as I looked and couldn't find a license number with which is write a pointed angry complaint to. Oh well, guess this blog will have to suffice.

When I land in Columbus, I pick up my rental car and the clerk tells me she can give me a deal on an SUV.
"Free upgrade?" I ask.
"No, but we have a lot of SUVs," she replies.
Um. How does that even make sense? I'll give you a deal.... by giving you full price? Does not make sense at all.

Anyway, I am thanking GOD that I spoke with my father right before going to pick up my rental. I was planning on skipping the insurance, sure that my coverage under Geico would apply and my father demanded that I not skimp. "Get the insurance!" he bellowed.

Cool, fine, whatever.

Cool, fine, whatever indeed. Here I sit, in Columbus EATING MY WORDS.

I went about my schedule as planned. Visited my old job, had lunch with my friend and parked behind this building on campus at a meter to go visit my old advisor.

I return about an hour later and there is a HUGE white scratch along the side of my cherry red non-discounted rental SUV.
Thank you God for giving me a pushy father who demans I overinsure myself. THANK YOU GOD.

Other stuff that happened:

Got pulled over about 10 minutes after leaving the airport (I said, "I'm lost!" Cop replied, "Yeah, I could tell") No ticket.
I had to hit up Target immediately for a hat and mittens because it is FREEZING up in here.
My bank account is acting screwy because the rental company put a crazy debit freeze which is making me paranoid.
The intern at my old job asked me if I knew where Lagos is. Um, little girl, are you kidding me?

So yeah, Ohio, hi it's me. Sabrina. I know I've only been back about 5 hours but fuck this place. Really. I have a sinking suspicion that this trip is just doomed.

Please don't let it be so. I NEED HAPPY TIMES DAMMIT.

Relief

2008-11-27T01:40:08Z

I miss absolutely nothing about my old job. Not the villians, the stress, the money, the drama. None of it.

But sometimes I catch myself aching for my old commute. Talk about not realizing what you're missing 'til it's gone.

I cherished being able to zone out and read in the mornings and after work riding the Metro or getting driven to the office. I didn't really notice it as my mobile meditation until it stopped and started to become tense and antsy. Also my purse, where I would usually hold 2 or 3 books at a time got downsized to a smaller size and my friends started asking me why haven't I been mentioning what I've been reading like I sometimes do. I'm usually like, "This book is AMAZING!" and would pull it out of my big ass purse at that moment, shove it in their hands and make them flip through the pages. If I were feeling generous I'd just give it to them, but we are in a recession so that as stopped too.

The biggest sign of my halted reading practice is my nightstand. I have this massive backlog of books on it that I have been itching to get through for months. I have a picture but I can't find my camera cord so I'll post it later. Rolling over in the morning and looking at my nightstand is like being on a diet staring into the window of a doughnuts shop (for geeks). Sometimes in the mornings I'm able to steal a few minutes here and there and if I'm feeling ambitious I sneak away to a coffee shop on the rare nights I'm not working late but it's gotten crazy bad.

So this Thanksgiving, besides the hugging my family and kissing babies I will be locked away catching up on my reading and this simply makes me ecstatic.

If there has been anything I learned lately it is that I am utterly drained and exhausted and need to take care of myself better and this is my first step toward doing so. I have very little responsibility on Thanksgiving in my family-- I'm not cooking anything, I have never liked turkey and I don't care about sports. I have my blanket pulled out and I'm ready to curl up and fall into myself again.

Happy Thanksgiving folks!

Funny ha, ha

2008-11-04T15:55:48Z

me: this is like Christmas for Democracy

Michael: I just hope democracy gets what it wants

and not like an ugly sweater

and fruitcake

me: word

Michael: Like

literally

McCain is an Old

ugly sweater

and Palin

Major time fruit cake

My latest love.

2008-10-09T02:37:26Z

The Do Lectures.

It might just be the accents that won me over.

While we're at it...

2008-09-22T20:23:00Z

Can someone teach me how not to hate Firefox 3?

I'm just saying.
It kinda sucks hard.

Helppppppp internets! HELP!

2008-09-22T15:20:43Z

UPDATE

Created a new administrator profile and moved everything over to that. Meltdown avoided. Peace reigns again.

THANK S V!

~~I tied to power up my laptop today and got this error message from my friend, dear ole' Windows:~~

Windows Cannot Find the Local Profile and Is Logging You On with a Temporary Profile

And now it's acting like we've never met before! Like I haven't nursed a broken heart or two over this keyboard. Like I haven't hauled this baby around the world and back again.

All of my nice, organized, vital folders (that I naturally haven't backed up in awhile) are gone. Soooooo much shit I was working on gone.

So what I'm trying to say is---- HELP!

I have the best luck

2008-07-28T19:07:22Z

A tree fell on my car.

Something I found on my desk

2008-04-26T23:52:00Z

I love my weekends because it's the chief block of time I have in my week I can use to focus on my other projects and personal pursuits. Plus, I can organize my little heart out and who doesn't love that?

Anyway, on my commute I picked up some crappy commuter newspaper and was numb, flipping through their chicken-noodle-newspaper and came across an advertisement that actually made me laugh out loud, I ripped out the page and tucked it into my notebook.

We hate weddings.
Let us plan yours (free)
Have you had it with the all-consuming, insanity-inducing Wedding Industrial Complex? Are you looking for a wedding that celebrates your love rather than a 3, 000 beaded gown or embroidered cocktail napkins that match the groomsmen's vests that match specially made jelly beans handed out in silk bags as wedding favors? Local publication is looking for an engaged couple brave enough, secure enough, in love enough to let their wedding be a statement, a rebellion aimed directly at Wedding Obsessed America. We'll plan a cheap, unique, stunningly unorthodox affair to remember. Preference will be given to events that can be staged in Spring/Summer 2008, but we're open to all requests.

There, I said it.

2008-04-15T05:41:13Z

I wish I had a Mac.

UGH.

Mental Health Day

2008-04-03T19:58:48Z

Took one today.
Needed it a lot.

Tourists, the Metro and Me

2008-03-21T17:23:20Z

Now that we are on the cusp of the Cherry Blossom Festival, my normal near-deserted commute into the city is no more. Now we have bands of families dressed in identical outfits, strollers, fannie packs galore, large, loud and lost groups of people. It is Spring in DC. And really, that I don't mind. I give you directions, I ooo and aahh at your screaming child, I translate our ridiculously simple map. I'm nice. I'm really fucking nice.

But here's where you lose my understanding, where I want to banish you into the barren desert of the Sahara, where I want to snatch off your fannie pack and stomp on it until you cry. Allow me to break down the following:

You let people riding on the subway OFF and THEN you can enter.

There's an intercom announcement advising this and everything!
Do not try to trample me as I am getting off the train. If you do, I officially take no qualms in running you the fuck over. The train will not depart as long as there is a steady stream of people entering and leaving, it will not leave you. And even if it does-- THERE IS ANOTHER ONE RIGHT BEHIND IT. And guess what?! There's a SCREEN telling you when the next train is coming too, so it's not like you'll be stranded wondering when it will arrive. Be patient and do not storm the doors as soon as they open because people need to get off the fucking train and not try to squeeze through a gaggle of tourists who are just SO happy they were able to jump on so fast!

Do not stand right in front of the top or bottom of an escalator.

You bitches are the worst. This goes against basic human law, so don't even act like you don't know. You create bottlenecks that annoy the fuck out of me. Do not stand with your loved ones on top or at the bottom of the escalator and use that time to strategize what you're going to see next or where you're going to go and where's Little Tommy? Let's stand here and wait for Little Tommy. Hey guess what? If you're not getting on or getting off the escalator DON'T FUCKING STAND IN FRONT OF ONE. Stand off to the fucking side and get your shit together. Jesus fucking Christ, that is rude. It's like jumping into my car, getting to a green light and THEN coming to a complete stop to put my child in a car seat (or stroller in this case), buckle my seat belt and calling my friend for directions. You'd honk at me too, right? Well, HONK, HONK fuckers, move outta the way.

This naturally brings me to:

Stand right, Walk left

If you DO find Little Tommy and decide to (finally!) get on the escalator you stand to the RIGHT if you are just riding and leave the LEFT side clear for those who are trying to run to catch trains or get out of the Metro station. THERE ARE SIGNS FOR THIS. It's not secret DC law. It's rude to just STAND on the LEFT and not heed the pleas of those behind you who are watching their train home plow away. You are not just a tourist here. You are an asshole.

Segways are for morons

This is what sparked my rant. Today I was walking into work and a gaggle of white people on Segways, blow past me. Seriously, I didn't know those things could go that fast. And one guy turned around and YELLED at me for not getting out of the way! ME! A pedestrian! YOU! fucker on a retarded system of travel. I don't even know where to start with that. Oh wait, yes I do--

You are a SUPREME asshole.
Just WALK.
I can't believe you're paying MONEY to look that retarded and yell at a girl
When you could have just WALKED.
I hope your tour guide gets lost and you end up in Southeast and someone robs you.
That would MAKE MY LIFE.
I'd spin around in a circle and smile with glee.
Asshole.

So this is my Guide to DC Tourism. And I shall call it, Don't Be an Asshole.
Enjoy your stay!

Fuck shady dentists

2008-03-01T00:12:54Z

My family's pattern of getting screwed by the medical establishment is raging on.

My mother went to an actual, non-retarded oral surgeon and he is almost positive that her dentist broke her jaw AND she has a serious infection. She has to take a week off of work at least. Being my mother's daughter, I am cringing at this prospect.

Unbelievable.
Un-FUCKING-believable.

How can a dentist break your jaw? Where on Earth did you get trained?
I'm so pissed, I'm shaking.
OH! And to add to the situation, the dentist that worked on her mouth?
He got fired!
Has the world gone mad?
Is there some sort of dental report card I can access before I submit my mouth to the abuse of a dental hack?

Oh, and my little sister is giving me the silent treatment for not taking off to babysit. Manipulative, much?
OH, and my Shit Ass Ho Motherfucker sister-in-law flaked on helping out two days in a row.
OHH, and my best friend is also in caretaker hell.

Fuck responsibility, I want to move to Mexico.

learning makes me feel better

2008-02-19T15:00:37Z

So my doctor friend called me last night (at like 4 AM) and tried to calm me down by explaining, "We do like 200 hundred of these a day," to which I exclaimed "LIAR!" and he was like "You're right. More like 400."

And I know how surfing on the Internet for medical information will almost always convince you of the worst, but I found this website:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Angioplasty/Angioplasty_During.html

And the animation demo actually made me feel a whole lot better.
I'm off to the hospital now.

Where life tests my hope & faith

2008-02-19T01:29:12Z

My father is in the hospital right now. This morning we were hanging out and he was playing with my nephew and now he's in the hospital and I am freaking out.

So he had a stress test scheduled today. And apparently he failed the first one. But he passed the second one. His doctor apparently, wanted to get to the bottom of why he failed the first test and was trying to keep him overnight for observation. My father, naturally, objected. My mother, naturally, knocked some sense into him. They took him by ambulance from the doctor's to the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital they took them to-- our family happens to have a long-standing beef with on the account that they are horrible and killed my brothers. No one, and I mean no one in our fam, willfully takes a step into that hellhole now. So they're transferring him to another hospital tonight? Tomorrow? I don't know. BECAUSE I AM FREAKING OUT.

When I freak out I only hear every other word people say to me. So things don't make sense. Like my father in the hospital MAKES NO SENSE.
I was home from work because it was glorious President's Day and now I am freaking the fuck out because what if something happens to my Daddy? This family has been through too much pain. My soul cannot withstand another beating. I really need my father to be okay.

Tomorrow they're scheduling an angioplasty. I think. I don't know. NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
My friend, thankfully, is a cardiac resident at the hospital he's being transferred to tomorrow. I sent him no less than 45 text messages over the course of this afternoon. My tone slowly shifted from calm notes like "Hey love, keep me posted on my Dad" to frantic "IF ANY OF YOUR PEOPLE HURT MY DADDY I WILL KICK YOUR ASS." Which I'm sure he absolutely appreciated.

I consider myself an optimist, upbeat, positive. But with things like this, I go to the worst possible scenario with the quickness because of history and because it's just what I do. My big sister, who truly broke any record I set for driving from Baltimore to Fairfax, VA, is treating this very practically. She's like "He was at the best place to find out something wasn't right. And now that we know it, let's get to work on making it right again." She likens it to finding a lump in your breast. "Ok it's scary. Take a moment. Don't let the grief paralyze you. Now get ready to fight and make it right again."

I'm glad one of us is like this. I can't even pretend to be tough. I'm a crying mess. And I know my Dad knows this. I don't like being in this place where someone I love is in pain and may or may not come out okay. When I was really young and my brother got attacked my father deliberately stalled taking me to visit him in the hospital because he knew I wouldn't handle it well. And he was riiiiggghhhtttt. I sent Kleenex stock soaring that day, I'm sure.

And to add to all of this, my paternal grandmother is ALSO not doing well. This last week was very scary in caring for her because she decided to go on a hunger strike. Why? Because she's like 100 and can do whatever she damn well pleases, "now can you please go pack my bags so [I] can go back to Somalia please?" Granted her "hunger strike" lasted all of 1.5 days but little things have a big impact when you're already way, way underweight pulling stuff like this only makes things worse. She was put back on hospice. And I was put back on freaking out watch. My father is the only person she really listens to.

But when the going gets tough, I get annoying.
I literally stood over her bed asking her in Somali "Can I get you something to eat?............. How about now?.................. Now?................ Anything?.........................You hungry?.......................Now?......................Now?.....................Food?......................I can get some for you................really............Hungry?.........................Want some?............................Now?.........................Now?................................Now? .............................. Now? ......................................Hungry?............................................. Now?............................................... Now?

Until she got so annoyed she threw a spoon at me and asked for some food.
Hey, the little victories.
I love and adore my grandmother and it really messes me up to see her so frail.

I just need things to be okay again. For everyone. Everywhere. Can I just get that?

In case you were wondering....

2008-02-15T16:36:34Z

I'm STILL effin' sick.

I have zero energy, folks.
I got so sick of television that I decided to go to the library or bookstore or some place where I could buy or take home words and read those words and delight that I am actually using my brain.
First of all, it took me like forever to get dressed. Let's not even talk about my hair.

Then I schelp outside and yeah, my car has a flat tire.
OF COURSE IT DOES. OF COURSE!

If I'm too tired to put on a hat, I am damn sure, too tired to change a flat tire. Hell, typing this is wiping me out.
Someone call me a driver. Where's my Gatorade?

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Still fucking sick

2008-02-14T16:34:56Z

Home again. Preparing for another mind numbing day of boredom and blah. I cannot wait until I feel better. I don't even want to think about all the fluids I've lost. I hate being sick. I haven't been this sick in years. Normally, I'm down for about a day or so but we're now into day 4 of essentially undoing everything I've eaten/drank since Sunday. I already set a doc's appt for tomorrow, but what can he do?

OH! And to add insult to injury, the only work-thing I had to do today was a phone interview with this lady in Texas. I called at our preset time and she wasn't even in her office! Ok, 1-- I don't even remember what we're supposed to talk about and 2-- I AM IN NO CONDITION TO BE TOYED WITH WOMAN! Get your ass on the phone before I settle into my DVR backlog or you will be forgotten. I hate this shit. I never forget it, either.
Rule #1 to getting press/in the media-- fucking call reporters back. Or be at your phone when you're supposed. I'm sitting in my home office with a trash can in between my legs. If I can make it, so can you.

EDIT: She called and we almost immediately got into an argument over whether I should email her my questions. (NO). Then she slammed me by saying I talk too fast. (DUH.) I kinda hate her right now.

EDIT: She just called back and agreed to interview. Most irritating interview ever.

Being home sick is not as fun as I remember

2008-02-12T23:58:21Z

Man, being home sick used to be so rad. Has getting older ruined everything? Since when did ginger ale and bad TV become so boring?
Also, I forgot I was supposed to have coffee with someone after work and felt like a doofus when she called me and I was home in PJs, playing with a yo-yo whilst on barf watch 2008.

Pretty much everyone in my family is sick or healing from something. My father, big sister and I have stomach bugs, my mom got random dental work, my brother is always down with something and my other brother is recovering from almost voting for Clinton in the primary (if that isn't a disease, I don't know what is).

Also, there was an 8-car pileup on 395 this afternoon. I know this means nothing to you if you don't live in the area so allow me to translate: REALLY BIG MOTHERFUCKING ACCIDENT. On a ramp, no less! That's always been a huge fear of mine. And the only reason I found out is because they interrupted Oprah to tell me. Thanks WJLA. I really didn't believe the weather was that bad to merit such terrible road conditions. So I decided to step out on the patio and see for myself.

On my first step, I nearly busted my ass.
I'll be keeping my ass home allllll night tonight.

I injured myself being a geek.

2008-02-06T23:06:27Z

A year and a half ago I was working on a documentary and would spend about 8-10 hours a day with headphones clued to my head, editing video and audio. About a month or so into this, my right hand started to hurt so much I cringed everytime I changed a radio station or CD track in my car. It hurt to change channels on the TV remote. My hand/arm burned. I would have been perfectly comfortable walking around with my hand submerged in a bucket of ice cold water.

I went to the doctor, took 4 days off of work, some anti-inflammation drugs and had to wear a hideous wrist/arm brace thing for about 6 weeks. But then I felt better. It flared up every now and then with the Afghans when I was working on grant reports or editing for long period of times but I had a pretty good rotation between heavy work periods and time off. I thought I had it licked so bad, I even threw out my ugly brace.

Well, not anymore.
Now, I'm up in Baltimore reporting way early in the morning three times a week. Then I'm at Dysfunction Central, in my office editing, writing and not attempting to sound like a doofus now that I actually manage a staff. Then I'm at home where I write like a mad woman until I pass out. Right now, at work I'm in the throes of managing our website overhaul, a team of contractors and projecting managing it all. I'm staring at ColdFusion code until my eyes scream for mercy. My right hand hurts so much I want to fly to the South Pole and shove it into the sea.

Last night I realized how crazy this all is. I remembered my father's always wise advice and am trying to take a break from this pace. This is so stupid. I am no good to anyone if I am swollen and broken and can't write. At work I switched my mouse from right handed to left handed and that significantly slowed me down.

I hate when I get so off balance like this. When I don't listen to my body, literally break myself down and go "Well, what's wrong? Why isn't this working the way it used to?"

I hate it when I don't listen to myself period. Why o why did I take this insane in the membrane job? I thought I could make it until June but now I don't think I can last. I just need to get this new site live, save every cent of my inflated salary and bust the hell out of there.
Run Brina, run!
I want my Mommy.