Nostalgia with a Tinge of Jealousy

You know what’s a weird feeling? Finding out your high school sweetheart is engaged…to someone else. No matter how moved on I am, and how distant our lives have become, I have to admit that a piece of my heart sank when I heard the news.

It’s weird to think that could have been me. In fact, it was supposed to be me…seven years ago. But things are very different now, and although I know I wasn’t supposed to be that girl, it still hurts a little to think that I’m not.

I do wish them all the happiness in the world though. And although I love my life, and where I am right now, I think I’m going to be a little sad for the rest of the day.

I think that’s okay.

I Can't Help It, I'm An Animal Lover

Okay I realize I just posted like ten minutes ago, but in my morning blog-read session I came across this postcard on the PostSecret website and i couldn't help but share it with all of you. Because in all honesty, I feel the EXACT same way. And I don't need an anomyous posting website to share it with all of you.

Does that make me a bad person?

The Effects of Housesitting

I'm really tired today. In fact, it's been a long time since I've felt this tired while being at work. Probably since my days of drunken all night binges until 6 in the morning, followed by an early 7:00 am shift at work where I would spend the day hunched over the desk, puking in the garbage can. Those days were tiring. And thank god they're over with.

Today, I'm that kind of tired. Only I'm not hung over, or still drunk. I'm just exhausted because last night, I didn't sleep. At all. You see, this week I am house sitting. And as a result I am sleeping in a strange house, with strange animals, in a strange city, in a very strange bed.

I don't sleep well to begin with when I'm not in my own bed, let alone in a strange house that makes strange noises at 11:30 at night causing the puppies to perk their ears and stare intently out the bedroom door. I also can't sleep without the soothing hum of a fan. The dead silence of a room is too much for me to handle while I'm sleeping. The thoughts in my mind are entirely too loud...they keep me up! But this house...no fan. Not a single one in sight. Great. Lucky for me attached to their bedroom is a bathroom and inside said bathroom...a ventilation fan. Score! So I turned that on, and crawled back into bed. But it still wasn't loud enough, and I felt bad having it run for 8 hours straight because quite honestly, I don't think that's what they're made for. So I turned it off, and tried to go back to sleep, but I just kept hearing the weird noises, and the strange neighbors, and the puppies snoring, and then I couldn't get comfortable and I was tossing and turning, and then I had to pee......

It was a nightmare. Actually I wish it were, because that would mean I was actually sleeping...instead of staring at the ceiling.

Hopefully tonight will be better. I don't think I can handle a full week of no sleep.

I Should Invest In Office Depot

Want to hear something really dorky?

I adore office supplies. I do! There is something so exciting to me about walking into an Office Depot and seeing all of the hundreds of different office supply choices that lay in front of me. Binders, and markers, and pens, and folders, and erasers, and post-its...I love it all. It all makes my heart beat just a little bit faster.

Today, when I arrived to work, I had a huge box waiting for me on my chair and when I opened it up, I realized my office supply order for work had finally come. Hooray! New Sharpies!! I try to stay casual about my love affair, but sometimes I can't help but burst at the seams as I anxiously await the moment when I get to write with my new gel pen, or use that brand new binder that smells so fantastic sitting in my cube.

I also love writing checks. But that's an entirely different post.

A Humble Human I Am

As I flew to and from Orlando, Florida this past week, I had a chance to philosophize and wanted to share with all my blog friends, my thoughts on our existence on this planet.

Down here on Earth, humans seem pretty powerful. Standing at an average height of around 5'4" (depending on your country of origin), compared to the other living creatures around us, we're pretty monstrous. We build tall buildings that tower to the sky and drive around in vehicles bigger than anyone could have ever imagined would be necessary. Our cities become clouded with smog, we create garbage heaps tall enough to ski on, and we have recently been accused of altering the entire planet's temperature. From down here, we rule the world.

But has anybody ever taken a look at the world from 37,000 feet in the air? Suddenly, humans don't seem as powerful anymore. Massive sprawling cities become ant like in comparison and to make out a single human being would be near impossible. From 37,000 feet, it's nature that rules the world, not humans.

If we are that insignificant from 37,000 feet in the air, imagine how insignificant we become from outer space!

Are we insignificant enough to have absolutely no effect on the planet and it's changing weather patterns? I can't say for sure. But through the windows of an airplane, human life and our place on this planet become humbled against the sprawling landscape and open air around us. With our large egos and over-sized necessities I think we forget just how small we really are sometimes and take for granted just how powerful and massive the natural landscape around us truly is. I wish sometimes we all appreciated this, and wanted to care more for it, instead of trying to use it to our respective political advantages. After all, once we die...we die. And our time on this earth will be short lived. But our energy will remain here on this beautiful planet of ours, manifesting itself through heat on a hot day, or a brisk breeze on a cool fall day. It'll be carried in the wind of a tropical storm or in the rain of a Midwestern spring day. Through our death, we will become one with nature. We should care for it, as we would our own insignificant bodies. After all, it is more powerful than we will ever be or could ever hope to be in this human life of ours.

Going Out...Smoke Free

In the past, whenever the topic of a citywide smoking ban in Milwaukee has ever come up, I would be the first one in line fighting against it, arguing that it's not necessary to over-legislate! I LIKE living in a free country where we have the freedom to make our own choices, even if that choice includes lighting up a cigarette after I'm finished with my meal. Sure the stink in my clothes, the burning in my eyes, and the deep clouded breathing I would have to take care of after a night out was irritating, but it was something I learned to deal with over the years. After all, I had the option to not go out or to frequent establishments that DIDN'T allow smoking...although establishments like that are very hard to come by.

But then I began to realize that while I was looking out for the smoker's rights and fighting for their right to smoke, I was completely overlooking the NON-SMOKER'S rights and THEIR rights to NOT SMOKE. To NOT be exposed to second hand toxic smoke every time they go out. To NOT have to come home smelling like an ashtray every time they want to meet up with friends for drinks. To NOT have to put their own health at risk, every time they step into a public facility. And as a non-smoker, I can't believe my own rights never occurred to me!

My feelings on the matter were only elevated as I completed a night out in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin this weekend, which is one of the cities in Wisconsin that is already implementing a city-wide smoking ban. At the end of the night, my clothes didn't smell, my eyes didn't burn, and in the morning, i could breathe just as easily as I had been able to the night before. To know that I could throw on my jacket from the night before, and run out to get the morning paper without holding my breath the entire way was reason enough for me to know that something has to be done in Milwaukee.

I'm still not entirely convinced that a city wide ban is necessary, but I do believe that businesses should receive some sort of incentive for CHOOSING to go smoke-free. The City of Milwaukee should then PROMOTE these businesses so that us non-smokers can be sure to patronize these establishments and hopefully it'll encourage other businesses to follow suit, without having to get the government involved. At least this way, the rights of ALL parties are being considered...not just the rights of one side.

The ONLY Mention of Harry Potter You Will Probably Ever See On Here

Okay, I know I am setting myself up to be pelted by e-rocks but I am willing to take that chance because this just has to get off of my chest otherwise I may blow.

I am so sick and tired of Harry Potter. If I have to see one more blog post (mine doesn't count =) ), one more news story, one more poster broadcasting the release of ANOTHER friggin' book I am going to go ballistic.

Harry Potter has taken over the world. If he could run for president, I bet everyone would wait in line to vote for him.

Can the books really be THAT good? I mean really. Were Beanie Babies really THAT valuable? Was the Furby really THAT cool? And seriously, does the world really need another sci-fi obsession? Wasn't star-wars enough?

But I digress. The Furby was pretty damn cool, and I do give JKRowling a ridiculous amount of credit for accomplishing what she has. I mean hell, she's making reading FUN again...for everyone!!!

Maybe if I actually read the books I'd have a different opinion and maybe if I gave the movies another shot I'd be more willing to accept the fact that Harry Potter and his friends really are cool people worth every 4 hour line. But I think you'll have a hard time convincing me that ANYTHING needs this much hype, unless there's some cure for the incurable disease.

I just can't wait until this whole thing has blown over, the depression of the final book has finally had it's chance to pass on through, and the world can get back to it's regularily scheduled program.

A Not So Green Moment

Okay so I lied. I thought maybe I wouldn’t feel like posting for a while but the truth of the matter is, I’m a closed person the way it is. If I don’t at least blog about something, how will I release anything at all?!

I don’t have much to write about I guess.

I’m annoyed at the man this morning that I watched chuck his donut out his car window after taking one single bite out of it. I’m not kidding when I tell you that I almost got out of my car and chucked it back inside at him. But then I remembered where I work, and what neighborhood I was driving in…and who knows if he had a gun. So I quietly cursed him, gave him my “I hate you” dirty look and Tara’s imfamous “What the Fuck” hand, then drove away satisfied that I just ruined his day by making him feel aweful. But we all know none of my tactics affected him in any way. In fact, he probably went home and threw his soda can on the front lawn. But I like to think he went home and recycled.

I'm a Social Outcast

I hate coming to work the day after American Idol. In fact, I hate any social interaction anywhere the day after American Idol. Actually, I hate the day after Grays Anatomy as well. Why? Because I don’t watch these shows and as a result, I am left out of many conversations! It’s irritating when the first thing out of many people’s mouth’s when you enter the office is: “Did you watch Gray’s last night?” or “Aren’t you annoyed that Sanjaya is STILL on Idol?!” My response to both of these questions is always, “no” and I have to laugh at the looks of horror I receive when people realize what I freak I am. Yes, that’s right people, last night I chose to do some work, converse with Tara, and eat some food instead of watching American Idol…banish me now.

I realize I could probably invest in some Ti-Vo, record these beloved shows, and watch them when I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time, but then I would just be succumbing to peer pressure, and my 5th grade science teacher told me that was bad…and that I would die. Crazy nuns!

Plus, if any of you remember the episode where Rachel from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. takes up smoking simply so she can join in company gossip…nothing good comes from it. At least, I don’t think anything does, so I vow to stick to my guns, and not watch these shows. Maybe they should just bring back Pop Up Video and we can all watch that instead.

I didn't go to Grammar School

In doing research today for a few work projects, I came across a number of articles written on the subject of grammar, and our declining English language. Some of them made me laugh at how annoyed people get when people don’t properly use their words, and some made me want to grab my Webster and study up immediately. They all got me thinking though, and they sparked the need inside of me to explain a few things about us non-English majored members of the English speaking world. Although I speak for nobody else but myself.

I have terrible grammar, and probably even worse spelling (which doesn’t say too much). I’m sure that anyone who has every read this blog knows that little fact about me, and I am grateful that regardless of my occasional misuse of the English language, many of you continue to frequent my ramblings; even though you may cringe inside when I throw in a few too many run on sentences, or make a word plural that isn’t exactly supposed to be. (speaking of…was that last sentence a run-on?)

However, the great thing about the Weblog world is that I don’t HAVE to be a great speller or have fantastic English to do what some people had to go through many years of schooling to do, and that is to write. Sure I don’t get paid to update people on my life, and my words aren’t as pretty to read as some, but it’s an opportunity for me to do something that up until recently, was only reserved for personal diaries. People actually READ what I write, and some actually enjoy it!

But Christi, you speak English, you live in the United States, you SHOULD know how to speak proper English, or at least spell correctly! I couldn’t agree more. However, aside from my poor spelling (which I attribute to my reliance on spell check), my only knowledge of proper grammar use is what I learned in Grade School. GRADE SCHOOL. Outside of my 6th grade English I have never once had to learn anything even remotely close to grammar “right and wrongs”. So blame the educational system, not me =)

I guess the excuse I’m trying to make is aside from the simple “their, they’re, and there” we learned in our earlier years, my knowledge base of the matter simply isn’t there. And since I don’t do this professionally, why delve into it so deeply? Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe it’s important to remain educated on the English language, after all, we use it every single day! But to think of all the possible mistakes that are out there to make when using all of these fabulous words of ours is exhausting! I’ll let the professionals deal with all of them.

To sum it up: I didn’t go to school to learn every grammatical error that is possible to make, so I’m going to make mistakes sometimes. I’ll continue to try to grow as a literary human being, but in the mean time, you may just have to tough out some “pet-peevy” type mistakes. I apologize to those that this bothers. But know, that while I’m aggravating you with my words, I’m having a great time sharing my thoughts with all of you =)

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

IT’S SNOWING!!!

A huge dumping, white covered, doesn’t show any signs of stopping kind of snowfall. It’s the kind of snow that silences the world around you with its thick blanket and dense fall. It’s the beautiful white powder that looms over streets and housetops before the salt trucks have a chance to muck it all up and turn it brown and unpleasant. It’s the same kind of morning that I used to wish for really hard every winter in Grade School because I knew that the next morning school would be cancelled…and today it has been. Best of all, it’s the type of weather that I needed to put me back into the Christmas mood I’ve been missing this season.

I LOVE snow. Hate winter, love snow. As much as I say I want to, I would never be able to leave this in search of warmer weather. Sure I complain about it come February and March, but I would never want to miss the opportunity to miss the first great snowfall of the season. Days like today are priceless to me. No ocean could ever replace a Wisconsin Blizzard.

The joys of being a woman

For the first time in a very long time, my alarm went off this morning, and I didn’t want to slam the sounds of Wes, Ronnie, and Alley from KISSFM into the wall. I instead, laid in my bed for a few more minutes, allowing my body to adjust to the morning, and hearing out Wes’s story about golfing.

I was FLOORED with what I heard.

For the first time in my entire life I was listening to another man speak of how lame other men can be.

Let me explain.

Apparently KISSFM hosted a golf outing yesterday in which the entire morning show cast was in attendance. Apparently throughout the outing, Wes spent some time riding around on the beverage cart with the girls working it. He continued to tell a story of the repulsion he felt for men as with each and every hole she stopped at, she had to endure ongoing remarks and comments from the men at each of the holes. FINALLY for the first time, a man was seeing this situation from our eyes.

He laughed as he made fun of some of the comments, and he sincerely apologized on-air for the way that men act towards women sometimes. It was a refreshing thought to wake up to. I turned off the alarm with a smile =)

Now unfortunately, I am not as tolerant as apparently this beverage cart girl was for she responded to Wes saying “It doesn’t really bother me, I’ve gotten used to it”. This little lady on the other hand, has had to endure these situations my entire life and I am not so willing to just brush it off with a little giggle. I just sometimes wonder why it is that men feel the need to hoot and holler and spit their game at every walking pair of breasts they see. Is there really a point? Do they get more "booty" that way? Do women truly respond positively towards these situations?

But then I have to wonder where us women stand in all of this. After all, we are the ones giggling for tips and oogling our goodies for men to stare at. Maybe we're bringing this all on ourselves. Or at least we should take some credit for it.

Either way it's no excuse for a man to make a woman feel completely uncomfortable in her surroundings, and the cat calls are really unecessary, regardless of your chosen profession. I hope that a number of these men were listening to the KISS morning show this morning and heard how stupid they actually sound. Who knows ladies, maybe there’s hope for them, and our social lives after all.

Hollywood Superhumans?

On my day off yesterday, I decided to relax on my couch and browse through a few pages of my roomate's "Us Weekly" magazine...a magazine that I rarely pick up on my own these days. I had heard through the grapevine that Britney was in deed pregnant again, and the radio has been buzzing about something regarding Richie Sambora and Denise Richards, so I decided I should probably catch up on my celebrity gossip, for conversation purposes of course.

I was floored when I read THIS!

Is it really newsworthy that Jennifer Lopez is gray? Is it really that hard to comprehend that Hollywood royalty really is human after all?

I did a Google search just to see how much of an impact this topic is having on the world and I came up with over 87,000 sites related to Jennifer Lopez, and her graying hair. 87,000 different people care enough to discuss this topic. In fact, it has even stirred up so much commotion that Jennifer Lopez's rep had to comment saying "Jennifer is not gray". As if a public statement regarding her human nature was even necessary.

Jennifer, I salute you for showing your human roots. I commend you for giving your hair a break from it's consistent dye jobs (as if I should talk). Maybe you should embrace your humanity! The rest of the world will learn to accept it. I promise.

To the rest of the world, stricken with grief over this terrifying news, it's time to bust out your boxed dye and get rid of those roots! If Jennifer Lopez can't get away with it, there's no way in hell the rest of us commoners can get away with it. I just wonder if they'd be as interested to know that my mom has been mostly gray since before I can remember. Hell I'll put out a public statement for her too!!

Kudos to UsWeekly and Jennifer Lopez's rep for promoting such positive values to the world.

I now remembered why I don't read those magazines =)

I'll Pay Your Way, And Mine

I LOATHE freeloaders! It absolutely positively just makes my skin crawl, when I think of the people that are living day to day on someone elses tab!

- The man and woman that walk by my store twice a day, every day, with bags of food from Love Incorporated. All of it is 100% free for them to fill their lazy mouths.

- The man or woman or group of kids that broke into my car this summer and stole all of my clothes and accessories needed for my job interview that morning! I truly hope you enjoyed your used makeup.

- The person that picked up my phone New Years Day and downloaded $125 worth of sports games onto my phone. THANKS FOR THAT BILL!

Ugh. Get a job people! Work for you own food, buy your own makeup, and get your own damn phone.

Working Hard...or Hardly Working

You would not BELIEVE the number of calls I get from woman who are at work, searching for bridal gowns and planning their wedding. Is this really what consumes a brides mind, even while they're at work? I'm sure their employers would be thrilled to know that they're checking out the latest "How to" on the Knot.com, or perusing thousands of dress styles on Essense's website, while on their dime. And it's very satisfying to know that certain people, I as a consumer rely on to be doing their job accurately, are really just sitting behind a computer fantisizing about their little "All about me" party.

And while I'm at it. SINCE WHEN DID MOTHERS SHOP FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS?? Wasn't that something we did when we were 5 and couldn't pick out items for ourselves? I've gotten at least 5 calls in the last half hour from MOTHERS looking for a dress for their daughters. Yeah sure, they're helping, but if you're too busy to be planning a wedding....why are you planning one?

No, I'm not a bitter non-bride, and please know that I truly am happy for you. I just don't get it. It's supposed to be a celebration of your love right? Then why all the fuss? And why for the love of god must life revolve around it? I guess to me, if it were truly all about the celebration of love, the ceremony would exist with you, your spouse, your parents, and close friends and family...then go out and get bombed together =)

But it's just something much different these days...for a lot of brides.

And that's my crabby rant for the morning.

Remembering the Marathon

Okay, this is the last one today..I promise!!!

As my mom and I are making preparations to head to Market this weekend, we were reminded that travel times may be delayed as this weekend is the Chicago Marathon. THE CHICAGO MARATHON. It's been a year already since I ran that!!! I couldn't believe it!

In remembering the marathon, i decided to head back through my Live Journal and bring up my post I created, the day after running it. The adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, and the victory I felt was alive as ever!

This is what I wrote

Temperature says cool, but it's STEAMY up in here.

Warning: Please excuse the occasional swear word. If you are easily offended by the use of such words, you may want to skip this post all together.

Time Warner Cable came last night. I was all excited to finally have cable in my apartment. But Jack (that's what I'll call him...short for JACKASS) came to my apartment all crabby and spoutin' attitude and was a little annoyed when I told him my landlord had special requests on where to drill. Jack snapped at me, I told him this is NOT my problem, and thus, called my landlord and had John (my landord) speak with Jack (the Jackass). After about a 30 second conversation John apparently swore at Jack, Jack hung up the phone, and one day later I still do not have cable. I was fuming about it last night but after being on hold for a half hour with Time Warner Cable after Jack decided he was unwilling to help me out, I hung up and figured I'd deal with it today when I calmed down. (After I post of course)

I just don't understand why my landlord is being such an ass about it. I've been hounding him for the past month, trying to get him into our apartment so he can decide where he wants Time Warner to drill (my landlords instructions) and he finally comes, gives them absure directions, and suddenly I have to take the grunt of it all. I'm not asking him to take down a frickin' wall. I'm asking him to drill for cable. It's not like his house is anything spectacular that a cable line is going to drop the value. Take your f'n overpriced rent and your new little Mercedes and back the fuck off a little bit. My god!

And Time Warner...TIME WARNER! Don't think you're getting away from my rath either! You send a lousy, attitude-stricken, helpless man over to my house to do..no I'm sorry NOT do his job..and then expect me to pay $60 a month for YOUR services that he was unwilling to provide me with? Probably not. I'm sorry Jack. It's your fucking job to come into my house and drill. Don't act like your life is so tough and your job is so shitty. You don't like it quit, but don't take it out on me. I'm so sick of people acting like they deserve something else out of life, or that their life is so much worse than anyone elses. If you're not happy, change something then. Don't expect someone else to do it for you.

Argh.

Okay, I feel better =)

It's a gorgeous Friday afternoon, I'm not going to let Time Warner's incompitence or my landlord's bs to ruin that. I have brides to make happy =)

Wednesday Timeline

5:30 am: Woke up early with Tara, had a few early morning cuddles, then moved cars with my drunk roomate who had JUST gotten home from the bar (and was still in her work clothes) so that Tara could leave for work.

6:00 am: Attempted to get back to sleep but ended up just laying in bed for two hours.

8:00 am: Showered

9:00 am: Jumped in the Cabby, and drove to work

10:00 am: Work begins

5:08 pm: Get a text from Erin telling me to come over for drinks.
Text her back saying "OKAY!"

6:30 pm: Close up the store, begin my drive to Milwaukee.

7:30 pm: Arrive home, change quickly.

7:45 pm: Bought flowers at Jewel for Erin

8:00 pm: Arrive at Erin's. We sat outside for about 3 1/2 hours talking about life and drinking wine. She's starting a book club which I'm SUPER excited about.

12:00 am: Leave Erin's

12:05 am: Arrive at home thrilled to see that, for the first time since we moved in together, Nicky was in bed BEFORE me!

12:10 am: Make some early morning food and crawl into bed excited to pass out and sleep.

2:30 am: The first of the obnoxious hour smoke breaks begins. Right outside my window. Two boys, one girl (mind you the girl was NOT Nicky), laughing and talking, and blowing their smoke into my bedroom window. Completely oblivious to the fact that a.) The person they were obviously there to see was NOT out there with them, yet they still took it upon their liberties to utilize our front porch for their social hour and b.) THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE SLEEPING IN THE BEDROOM RIGHT OFF OF THE FRONT PORCH!!!!!!!

3:00 am: .....smoking....

3:30 am: .... still smoking....

4:00 AM: ...STILL F'N SMOKING... At my last straw I got up to say something but as soon as I did they decided it was time to finally call it a night and go to bed (wherever that may be).

I'm not sure how much more I can deal with it. I'm a VERY easy going person, it really takes a lot to bring to my brink. Disrespect however, will DEFINITLEY do that. Sitting out on the porch, smoking, socializing, and drinking is fine at a reasonable hour. Even 1:00 in the morning I'm willing to overlook it. But to have the audacity, to be THAT loud, at THAT hour, when people are trying to SLEEP!!!!! It's beyond me that people can act like that...EVERY FUCKING NIGHT!!!

You want to stay up all night and drink that's fine, do what you do. But please respect the others in the house who's lives do NOT revolve around alcohol and who actually need to get a decent night's sleep to get up in the morning.

Needless to say I'm crabby again this morning because two out of the three nights that I have actually slept at my apartment, I have been kept up until absurd hours of the morning because my front porch has become "The Warren Street Pub". It's Nicky's house too though, and she has a right to do what she does, when she wants, and bring over whomever she chooses. I really don't mind.

I guess I just have to start sleeping with my window closed =(

I Woke Up This Morning, and Put on my Cranky Pants

If there is a wrong side of my bed, I definitley woke up on it today. As is said in Office Space, I have a "case of the Monday's", and my only cure is sunlight and some more sleep.

I was awoken once every two hours last night, as late night smoke breaks trickled into my bedroom window, awakening me from my already restless nights sleep. It's not that I mind the talking outside of my window, I did after all choose to have the bedroom right off of our front porch, and to tell you the truth my windtunnel of a fan usually blocks out most noise around me. But last night as 1:00, 3:00, and even 6:00 rolled around and the smoke trickled into my bedroom, I began regretting my decision to take the big window over the private bathroom. I have no room to complain though, I could have easily asked them to not sit in front of my bedroom window, but I chose to just throw a pillow over my head and attempt some sort of sleep. Either way, it wasn't happening.

At 8:00 I awoke to rain. Great, one more thing to add to my already terrible mood. Under normal circumstances I would welcome the rain. There's something soothing to me about a muggy, rainy, cloud covered day. Today however, I could have really used the sunlight, and the lack of it alluded to a really long Monday to come.

I arrived at work about 15 minutes late, and continue to have a pile of "to-do's" waiting for me. On top of managing this store for my mom while she takes a holiday to pack up our house, I have to confirm about a million vendor attendees for my show at the Milk Pail January 10, prepare for this interview tomorrow (including preparing my resume), finalize the hair and makeup for my fashion show on January 22, and try to do it all with a smile. But, my usual positive self left me with the final cigarette butt last night, and remaining is a big ball of huffiness, and the desire to just be back in bed.

I'm not sure I can deal with the self indulgence the brides bring today. I definitley do NOT want to be here.

No Kill Woes

My parents recently sold their house. Yes their big, beautiful piece of real estate will no longer belong to The Andersons, and will instead be entitled to The Fitzpatricks, as of October 3, 2005. I was sad about the recent sale, after all it is a gorgeous house, but it never really was my home so the sentimental value of the house never really existed with me. The sadness came, when I realized I'd have to get rid of my two dogs, and two cats, which my parents had been taking care of for me until I was able to find an apartment that allowed for me to have a shelter in my living quarters.

As my parents were forced to move out of their house, they were also forced to find temporary living, until they could re-build or move permanently. After a few weeks of looking, they were finally able to find a place, with the only problem being it did not allow pets, of ANY kind.

We instantly found homes for my two pugs, Cooper and Farley, as apparently everyone in the town of Burlington, and the surrounding 47 states wants a pug. I cried as I said goodbye to them but knew they were going to a good home. We had a bit more trouble finding homes for our two cats however, and as we are now down to the wire on finding a home for them, we decided to call a No Kill animal shelter, to see if they would be willing to find a home for them.

I researched a few today, and found one in Kenosha that sounded like a friendly, caring home to put our cats. I called St. Francis and was immidiatley greeted by a very unfriendly woman. I ignored it however, as she may have just been having a bad day. I kindley asked her for more information about their shelter, because I had two cats that I wanted to bring to them. She stopped me mid-sentence and snapped out a "why?" to which I responded that the apartment we were moving into did not allow pets. Her response made me cry and hang up the phone:

"NO. You just didn't care enough about these animals to find a home for them. You went ahead and found an apartment not thinking about the cats that you decided to just toss them out on the road that a bunch of garbage that you...."

Click

I hung up and cried. How DARE she pass such judgment on me. She knows NOTHING about me, or my stance on animal care and cruelty. I'm a HUGE animal lover. I won't even willingly step on an ant!! That whole saying "wouldn't hurt a fly", seriously..I wouldn't! And what's worse, is it's her JOB to work at a place where unfortunatley people unresponsibly drop of their unwanted animals simply because they don't want the hassle anymore. If she believes so strongly about it, she should NOT be working there. It's unprofessional and cruel. Why would you work someplace you disagree with?

Completely bothered by the entire situation, I decided to write an email. It was satisfying, even though I know they'll probably just delete it right away. But I feel better knowing that it's out there.

I have NEVER in my life been treated the way I was treated by a member of your staff when I called about 5 minutes ago. How DARE you judge me and say such cruel things without knowing my situation or where I come from.

I am a HUGE animal lover. I recently moved up here from Chicago and while living down there for four years I donated time and money, 10 hours a week to the local no-kill animal shelter. They were respectful individuals, worthy of my time and efforts. (I exaggerated here just a little)

When the choice came to find a loving home for my cats, and the emergency needed to vacate my current establishment came, I tried every option to find them a home. I was successful with my two dogs, but had little success with my cats. However, knowing how compassionate and caring the shelter in Chicago was, I figured my last option would be to hand them over to a shelter that would care for them, until a home could be found. Therefore, I called your establishement and have never been more horrified with humanity.

I fear that with such hatred in your employees, these animals are not being cared for the way they deserve to be cared for. Your company does not deserve to hold the name "St. Francis".

You can hold your cruel judgements, it's your right as an American. But in a place of business those judgements are disrespectful and unprofessional.

I was hoping to frequent your socity and donate my time and money in exchange for your help with my two cats for a few months while I found a permanent place. Unfortunatley I cannot subject myself to such a place.

I hope you reconsider your approach to individuals that are looking for a home for their animals. Because the next person that calls isn't going to just keep trying, like I will. They'll just let their animals free in the world. And they'll have you to blame for their ultimate death.