There's a guy trying to sue the company I work for because they're charging him for installing an alarm on his premises. Apparently, he "wasn't aware there was a charge" for having an alarm system fitted. He "didn't receive written confirmation in time" and his wife went ahead and agreed to the installation. Now that it's in, he doesn't want to pay for it. Now, maybe it's just me, but isn't it getting a little ridiculous when someone actually has a case in court because they weren't aware they had to pay for goods and services requested? I mean, does he ask for written confirmation he'll have to pay for milk every time he hits the grocery store? Even better - he won't allow them to take it out because he would be left in danger without an alarm. *headshake*
 
Also, I got a text message on my phone today from the company I'm with. I have a pay as you go, which means I just put money in it every month or so and use it up. (It's different to cell minutes in the states, it doesn't expire or anything) The text message I got was about signing up for an offer to send free Valentine's Day texts to a loved one in the USA. Now, I do have a loved one in the USA. But why do my phone company know that? Alarming. I hate that they look at my phone records. And that they keep texting me annoying offers all the time.
 
I'm running out of inspiration for lunches. Any suggestions? I'm picky, so don't suggest anything gross like cold rice salad. =p Suggest something with chocolate in it....

During festival season here, it's always rainy and muddy and crap, despite being the height of summer. So wellies are a necessity. Now, this year a peculiar thing happened; the folks who make wellies started making pink ones and flowery ones and pretty ones for adults, and all the girls went crazy for them and started wearing their wellies on a daily basis. Not at a festival, just... down to the shop. Or around the mall. Even when it wasn't raining. I myself invested in a pair, but I didn't want to out-welly myself so I kept them strictly for welly-appropriate days. It also cut down on a lot of the 'looking like a complete tool' that was going around.
 
But the really strange part is that it's snowing now all week and there's nary a welly in sight. Why is that, you say? Well - and I'm not sure so don't quote me - I reckon that welly season is over. They're unfashionable now. These former welly-mad ladies would now prefer to lose a pinkie toe to frostbite than be caught dead in their hot pink, weather appropriate footwear. Luckily, I care more for my pinkie toes than I do for being on the cutting edge of fashion, so I happily dragged my flowery boots out once again and donned them for the week. Never mind I'm the only one over 8 wearing them - I'm also the only one who doesn't have to hunt up a new pair of shoes every morning because the old pair are frozen to the porch step, or thick with snow, or dripping with water.
 
The snow. Well, it was a fun walk to work this morning. Imagine walking through a slush puppy - you know, those drinks that are just flavoured crushed ice? Yeah, that was me last night, wading home through a dirt flavoured slush puppy. But overnight the slush puppy froze in place, so now imagine walking on a two inch thick slush puppy layer that's been in the freezer all night. That was me this morning. Graceful I ain't. It's like watching a drunk baby gazelle try to navigate an oil slick; legs akimbo, arms flailing madly, I was even making that frantic bleating sound they do right before the pitch and fall.
 
But I made it to work. With my cocoa still IN the cup. Success!

When I hear people bitching about the snow that falls where they live, how terrible it is to be snowed in and not able to get to work and all that crap, I wonder if they'd prefer Irish snow. =p Because it doesn't *snow* here. There's wind all right. And cold, wet, white stuff. And ice - good God, the ice. But no, it doesn't snow. It storms, and it sleets and it drops hideous, killer slush from the sky. An easier way to describe it that ours STARTS OUT like snow in New York finishes (NY is the only snowy place I've been). You know that disgusting, muddy white, slippy, wet slush that accumulates at the edges of the roads? Ya.. that's all over my garden. And my coat. And my ass, actually, because it's tricky to walk in slush masequerading as snow that's hiding a nice layer of ice. But not *ice* ice - let's not get overexcited here and think anyone in this country has ever seen a frozen lake or pair of ice skates. No, no. Lakes don't freeze like that. There are no places to skate here that haven't been purpose built with fake ice.
 
So I'm sitting here in work (no, we NEVER get days off work in Ireland if it snows) pretty wet after that walk, suffering from something as yet undiagnosed. I can look forward to slithering down the path to the shop for lunch, then skittering the rest of the way home, then booking a lovely round of blood tests. And who cares? Well, nobody actually. I can count on one hand the amount of people who enquired after my well being this weekend, out of those who knew I was sick (who can be counted on both hands, and a foot).
 
Gee, why would I wanna move to LA??

This is an article from an Irish newspaper, which I found pretty hilarious. It's funnier if you live in Dublin... long story short, there's a 'poor' north side to Dublin (where Bono pretends to be from) and a ridiculously rich part of the north side (where Bono actually lives). Similarly there's a shitty side of the south (Bray) and a glorious side (where I live. It's not that glorious actually).
 

I'm super excited about tomorrow. Finally, Obama can start unfucking Bush's mess. And it's gonna be the most super awesome inauguration ever, I can sense it.
 
There's also the added benefit that a certain breed of Republicans will be gnashing their teeth in anger and whining about armageddon, and that makes me giggle because I'm a vindictive bitch. They did, after all, inflict Bush on the world for EIGHT FUCKIN YEARS.
 
But mostly, I'm just happy about Obama. I'm sensing a sudden resurgence in tourism into America, finally... which is good for me, in a roundabout, mysterious way.  And also, he's awesome, so that helps. Come ooooooon Tuesday!
 
In other news, I played Guitar Hero for the first time. Yes, yes. We all knew this would happen.... I have become OBSESSED with owning it. However, I am poverty stricken, so I think I shall have to wait until I'm on vacation in America this summer (cry) and then make Tony get it for me. 

Firstly, a news story that made me smile. Obv a bad incident, but I like a good 'hero' story myself!
 
Now. I have taken up knitting. Strangely, it is not as effortless as Connie would have us think, with her fancy socks and turtles and what have you. =p Though I did only (re)learn last night, after....12 years? Something like that. My mom showed me plain knitting (which I could do anyway) and then swanky purl knitting. Which looks like a sweater.
 
So now I have a long, skinny piece of purple material knitted. Today, I think my mom is going to try to find me a pattern to work on. She does lots of knitting, she made me sweaters and cardigans when I was little, and now she makes my little niece a bunch of cardigans and dresses. I doubt I'll be starting with a dress, though! I shall keep you informed.
 
As an aside... grown up knitting needles are LONG! I kept hitting myself in the face with the needle in my right hand. Doh! =p

You may have noticed my new layout, and if your eyes haven't been seared from your skull by the brightness, I shall explain myself.
 
Up until an hour ago, I had it pretty hard. My fiance and best friend lives half the world away, had just left yesterday, and so all the Happy vibes and the fun that he brings were gone too. I was back at my crappy job doing crappy work and feeling crappy. The jerks I work for took the teddy off my desk and gave it to one of their kids. I was sulking because I'm on antibiotics as well. I was poverty stricken and whining about how it'll take me six months to save enough to leave here.
 
And it went on. And on. And on.
 
But then it changed. I logged onto a different networking site, checked my updates, and discovered - to my dismay - one of the people on my friends list passed away on the 1st of January. It was very unexpected, and very sad. The girl who informed everyone of his passing had posted a blog entry about it, which I read. Then I kept reading. I read her previous blog, and the one before that, and the one before that... Her friend has died, she herself is extremely ill at the moment, she's currently also disabled and may face having toes amputated in the near future, and she's pretty poor because she can't work right now. Yet she's the happiest person I have ever come across in my life. Everything she talks about is good, she's always saying how marvellous life is... So I asked her why she's not more pissed off at her lot in life, how she thinks everything's so great when it's all falling apart around her. This is what she said:
"As I sit here, hooked up to an IV at home, saddened by the loss of a friend, worried about all my friends that are already having a hard year, I cant help but smile. Life truly is what you make of it. If everyday you can think of ONE thing that makes you happy, something big like the love of a great person, or something small like your favorite pair of undies or socks, than you are doing ok. Find something else the next day and by the end of the week you actually have a LIST of the things that make you happy. If everyday you do this, than eventually maybe that list will outweigh the bad. Live each day to its fullest no matter how hard it is. Be kind and supportive to each other and try not to hold grudges. Find something in your life to cherish and love and then love it with all your heart. Be silly and crazy sometimes but always take care of those that love you."

So I sat back. And I thought about that. And then I thought about other things. And then I came to a decision. I would like to be happy now. All those things that were bugging me earlier? I just have to look at it in a different way.
 
I have the most amazing, wonderful, loving fiance who is also my best friend in the world and soon we get to spend the rest of our lives together. He makes me laugh, and he makes me happy, and he makes life fun, but just because he's not physically HERE it doesn't mean I can't still be happy and laugh and have fun.
 
I have a stable job - which is a blessing right now, considering the current economic crisis - and I work with people who are fair and decent. Some of them aren't my cup of tea, but they're not bad people. And some of them are really lovely and do nice things like get my lunch for me and buy sweets to share. The girl I wasn't keen on is actually very nice, she's just quite negative, and maybe I just wasn't happy seeing her and knowing I'm like that. So I'll be happy and friendly, and maybe she'll cheer up too.
 
I have lots of teddies, I'm sure I'll have lots more in years to come, and losing one little stuffed dog is a stupid thing to get pissy about when it's been given to a little boy who'll probably play with it a lot more than I ever would.
 
I may be sick but thank God I have money to buy medicine with, and it's just a minor thing that will be cleared up in no time at all. Neither myself nor any of my family are seriously ill, which makes me a lot luckier than some.
 
I'm not poverty stricken, I have a house and a job and a mom who's understanding enough to not make me pay for groceries or utilities or laundry, so that I save all the money I possibly can. And I may be stuck here for a few months until I save it, but that gives me a precious few months more to spend with my niece and my nephews and my siblings and my mom. They won't always be down the road or in the next room or popping in every weekend to see me.
 
I guess I'm done for now... sorry it was so long and potentially really cheesy.  I'm just feeling positive right now. And I wanted to share that.
 
You're all lovely!
 
Now go find something good today and be happy about it. You can tell me here or you can just keep it to yourself, but either way, find it and smile.

 

So.
Tony left yesterday and I spent the entire day in hysterics, but calmed down enough to get out of bed, get my shit together, and get my ass into work today.
But I arrive to find that they've taken my teddy bear. I got this bear as a Christmas present thing from a corporate client we have (the rest of them got booze, I think) and he sat on my desk and was my little mascot.
WHY WOULD YOU TAKE MY FUCKING TEDDY BEAR??
First crying jag = 9:08am