Foiled Again

So... I'm trying this new thing at work. It's socializing with the customers outside of just the autopilot, "Hi, that will be (insert price). Thank you. Would you like your receipt? Have a nice day." (really, this is exactly what I say)

It has made me realize how poor I am at small talk. My skills are seriously lacking.

One woman was like, "It's a nice day, the sun's out."

What was my response? "Do you like the sun?" And a milisecond later... Shit, I'm an idiot. that makes no sense. (but that part was in my head.)

Her response: "*awkward pause* Do I like the sun?" She then took pity on me, "Yes, I like it, but sometimes..."and went on to give some reason the sun wasn't so nice, that I knew she didn't really believe, and at the same time was thinking, "good lord this girl is socially inept" The fake, painful smile plastered on her face was the real tip off.

And there I had to sit, waiting for the credit card machine that takes years to print out a receipt, trying to keep the smile on my face while I was inwardly cringing. When I'm embarrassed, the urge to jump and twirl and express my awkwardness through dance is almost impossible to resist.

What I really meant to say was, "yeah, the sun is nice, but the humidity is killer. Plus, I really like rain and clouds, so sometimes I like it when the sun isn't out. I almost prefer clouds to the sun."

But there's so much pressure! You have about two seconds to throw something out there. These people are like... "give me my change, I want to get out of here."

and I'm like... "I'm just trying to broaden my small talk skillz! Help a sista out!

Another bright point of my day was this woman mumbling some old saying I'd never heard before, and then after asking her to repeat herself twice, I just laughed although I still had no idea what she was talking about. Then the guy behind her informed me after she left, "You don't want to be the jack of all trades. The rest of the saying is 'King of none'." (although Laur corrected the saying, and said it was actually something other than King. But I don't remember what she said it was.)

I felt like an incompetent fool. Jack? King? I would say I'm some maid down in the kitchens.

My dad came to visit today on his way back from Michigan. It was fun to show him around campus, and give little anecdotes about the dif. buildings. :)

Went to concert on the square again today. It was opera singing this time. It was good. My fav part was when they sang "Shake Rattle and Roll" and we all got up and danced. Well... some of us got up and danced. Some of us were sticks in the mud.

Alyssa cut Em's bangs last night!

We Make Grocery Shopping Look Good

3974 Words

I finished my midterm for MHR with an hour and a half to spare! Maybe should have reread it... but just couldn't make myself do it. I think the only thing that saved me from going insane was meeting up with Tracey for dinner! It's been wayyyy too long since I've seen her! Luckily I think we're meeting up on Wed for Concert on the Square.

The Frog Pond

I can see my bedroom! This is the basement of the house my Mom and Stevo are building. Looking good.

I Can Make Your Boat Rock

What is cuter than five boxer puppies? Not much.






Boating is the best thing ever!!!


You're going to have some pie and you're going to like it!!!


Spensor and Jake seem to have different feelings towards milipedes than me.

Sounds Like a Beehive

I'll explain later! But here's the pics!

This is my favorite of the night.

The Leftest Right You Can Make

Last night I had my first “chat room” online meeting with my MHR group. I am taking an online class this summer and have for the first time suffered the frustration of “international business”. One of my group members is in Korea, and another is in Australia and finding a time to meet isn’t just working around other obligations. Sleeping patterns, different time zones, and no one’s willingness to meet at 4:00am have been getting in the way as well. Come on people! Sacrifices must be made. ;)

Concert on the Square was canceled today because of the rain. It was really bizarre walking to work because the rain was falling in these huge, wet drops (I was too lazy to go back and get my umbrella once I got outside and saw it was raining) but it was still super hot so I was burning up with my sweatshirt on, but unable to take it off because my t-shirt would have been soaking.

Went to Dobra Tea… Rooibos Chai is wonderful.






I found more pictures that either inspire me to try and be a better photographer, or make me feel as though I have no chance at ever being "good". Either way, they're really good. Check it out!

P.S. Never ask Laura and I for directions. First Laur said I lived on "Gilman" when I live on Gorham and then I said turn by American Apparel and The Triangle Market, but actually the Triangle market is up a street. And we also said something along the lines of "Take the leftest right street you can." That makes sense, right? I understand... Meagan didn't for some reason.

Shhh...Don't Scare Them!

Woops! Sorry Guys! I'm back! Went to the library today for the first time in way too long. I love the library! It's just the best! haha... lame? Maybe. I have never denied that I am a nerd.

So this has got to be the best sequence of picture on the face of the planet!! Well... maybe not. But they're close.




And this is what I want to try and tackle next! It's a little bit different, but super cool! Time to break out the tripod! Check out THESE amazing action time sequences.

FIFTY!!!

Isn't this a bizarre coincidence? The day of my fiftieth post, is on a day celebrating out fifty states! Happy Fourth of July everyone!!!

This is one of the amazing chefs that cooked up a proper fourth of july meal with hamburgers, potato salad, watermelon, and jello in the shape of a flag. Can't get much more american than that, aye?

How Are We Going to Get Out of This Pit of Doom?

Lo siento guys, this is for yesterday. I've been away from home for mucho time.

Rhythm and Booms is this really cool fireworks show at Warner Park where there's music that goes along with the fireworks. So when there's some slower music, they let off smaller, quieter, lower fireworks and when the music is like BOOM the fireworks are like BOOOOM! It was really fun.

What wasn't so fun was getting out after the show. We were stuck in traffic for at least thirty minutes, going the opposite direction from which we wanted to travel, because they blocked off all left turns. So we crawled forward, the wrong way, knowing we'd have to turn around the first instant we got, just to go back the other way and do it again. It was frustrating to say the least.

The only thing that made it bearable was Laur's cassettes. (Her car doesn't have very good reception and no cd player, but there's a cassette player!) We blasted Chuck Barry, have you ever heard the song, "My Ding-a-Ling (sp?) Please look it up.

While waiting for the fireworks, Laur and I read Slaughterhouse-Five out loud to each other. It's really nice to be read to, I should do it more often. Anywho... it just seemed like a strange juxtaposition to me. Slaughterhouse-Five is fixated on death. So it goes. It makes you embarrassed by the American troops. It makes you question everything about life, especially in America. And here we were, getting ready to watch fireworks and say "Yeah! Go America! We're the best!" I like it, it def reins in the patriotism and I truly think too much patriotism is never a good thing.

So... Happy Fourth of July :) Go America! We're the best!


Laur hiding from the sun... maybe looking for Bill?


At first I didn't like this pic at all, but it's really grown on me.


Us in all our glory. We outshine the fireworks for sure.


Kinda looks like a space ship has just landed on the earth. Maybe it's the Tralfamadorians?




The stroller adds something, don't ya think? lol, I really really wish it wasn't there. How dare whoever put that there.