The Tell-Tale Smoke Alarm

Well, it has been a fun adventure with my household safety appliances over the last few days. On Monday night, after taking my wonderful sleeping magic pill Sonata, I was woken up by a sharp beeping at 2am. It wasn't the piercing beeping of trouble, but a lonesome random beep of my smoke alarm telling me the battery was out. It was then I learned two things: 1) If you get up after three hours asleep via Sonata, you walk like a drunk (and tend to trip and run into things), and 2) you cannot go back to sleep.

The most infuriating thing was that once I came downstairs, the stupid thing beeped once more and stopped.

OK, so a smart person would have gone out the next day and bought batteries, JUST in case. But, no. So, tonight, the beeping started in force about 11pm, and it was driving me bonkers. Even the cats were going nuts. Baxter was pacing, and looking at me like, "are you going to do something about that?"

So, at 1am, I snatched my coat from the coat rack and stomped to my car, drove to the 24 hour CVS and bought TWO 9 volt batteries, huffing and puffing all the while.

I got home, climbed on top of the kitchen counter, put the battery in, and closed the little compartment. There.

I walked back into the den and sat down and then....

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I ran over to the smoke alarm and looked up in disbelief only to then discover that the beeping was coming from...my carbon monoxide detector. (about 2 feet to the right of the smoke alarm).

Now, of course, it doesn't take the same kind of batteries. But, thank GOD I had 3 AA batteries. And yes, I know that means I wouldn't have had to venture out in the first place.

...sigh.

-Kim >^..^<

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They're Baaaack

It's that time of year again. Girl Scout cookie time! If you aren't married, and don't have kids (like me), the Girl Scouts still find you through the office, where all the dads or moms are competing for you to buy THEIR child's cookies.

I have NO problem helping them out. The thin mints, in particular, are a weakness of mine. I bought more than a few boxes, and I am ashamed to say, that within the last week, I have consumed the better part of them. Good Lord.

I was shocked tonight to see how much my stash had depleted, and I tried to blame the cats, or thought maybe I had misplaced a box or two, but no such luck.

Oh well, at least I know I am supporting my community. I encourage you all to do the same!

-Kim >^..^<

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Shared Laughter

What better antidote for stressful workdays than a day with a friend who makes you laugh? And I am not talking about a few giggles...I am talking laughing until your sides hurt.
I spent yesterday shopping with my friend Cassandra. We have known each other since high school. It is a bit of a long story, but I actually lived with her and her family for awhile. I was a quasi-exchange student attending a high school in another district about an hour and a half away from my dinky hometown. I was REALLY into theater in high school, and our county dropped its drama program, and I transferred schools.
Now, seeing as I have not become that famous actress I once planned on being, the best thing that came out of that whole arrangement was my friendship with Cassandra. Her whole family is hilarious. Cassandra and I lost touch for awhile, but once we picked back up, it was like we had never stopped talking.
Anyway, I thought several times yesterday when we were together that we regress a bit (in the best way) when we are together--we are right back in high school---finding the smallest things SO funny. I turn into a complete goofball, and we laugh nonstop. It is just too much fun. We have so many inside jokes that I am sure if anyone else was with us, we would drive them crazy.
I think my favorite moment yesterday was when, early in the shopping day, Cassandra got in line at Old Navy. We were at the Concord Mills Outlet Mall. Being a shopping veteran there, I know if you are planning on shopping for a long day there, you are going to need a cart. Suddenly, outside the store, I saw that someone had abandoned a very large blue shopping cart. I went to grab it and came rushing back in the store, very proud. Cassandra immediately said, "that's great-- why don't you wait for me outside the store with that?"

Now, let me pause here to tell you that embarrassing Cassandra is one of my most favorite things to do.

I did walk out of the store, but I was NOT going to let that little comment go. So, having brought my camera, I stood outside of the Old Navy glass window behind the cash registers and started zooming in on her when she got to the register, I let the flash pop, and started taking pictures. It got A LOT of attention. More than my big blue cart would have, I might add. I was laughing so hard, I could hardly hold the camera.
When she came out of the store, avoiding me for as long as possible, she was laughing, telling me that the cashier actually asked her. "Are you somebody?" (they thought she was famous--and that I was a "fan" taking a picture). I will laugh about that for weeks. (She was later very grateful for the big blue cart, by the way).
The possum pic would take too long to explain, but that is also an inside joke. The other picture was us enjoying lots of alcohol...I mean yummy Mexican food.
Last night after we got home I wondered how I survived through the times we were out of touch, because now there would be such a hole in my life without this friendship that brings me so much laughter and comfort.


-Kim >^..^<

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That's Why They Call it "Work"

I alluded to a high level of stress at work in my last blog entry...and that was an understatement. The past three weeks have tested my people skills, my patience, and my temper. It is amazing how otherwise smart, capable people get into a workplace or corporate environment, and can turn into kindergarteners. And the sad fact is, before I realize it, I can get sucked into that behavior.

I always remind the people I manage on my team not to take things personally, but it is one of my weaknesses. But when someone...anyone in an office situation or a personal situation gets nasty or is mean to you, it is hard not to take it personally. Even if they are criticizing your work, it crosses a line somewhere and becomes personal.

What I have learned, the hard way, is that there is some of this, on some level, everywhere, at every job. You have to decide if it is more horrible than normal, or just like everywhere else.

It's all a learning experience, right? What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

Uggghhh. I am buying lottery tickets this week. Lots of them. I always hear people say, "If I won the lottery, I would still work..." NOT ME.
If I win the lottery, it's off to Paris with me!

-Kim >^..^<

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To Sleep or Not to Sleep

For the past two weeks, I have been struggling with insomnia--even worse than my usual night owl habits. I have NOT been able to sleep. I know I am notorious for staying up late, but this has been different. I am talking NO sleep--being up until 5am, and dragging myself into work, late, late, late, and feeling horrible.
It didn't help that the past two weeks at work have been two of the most stressful since I started at the company a year ago. It has been nuts, and my nerves have been shot.
My doctor had called in a prescription, and my insurance company denied it. It took over a week for my doc to get that cleared up. I honestly didn't have much hope for it working, as I haven't had luck with any sleep medications before.
But, on Friday, I picked up the prescription, and took the first dose on Friday night. And finally-- I got a full night's sleep and woke up Saturday morning actually rested! It was amazing, I felt like a new person. I had so much energy, it was wonderful! So, thank goodness for Sonata--which is what I am taking.
Anyway, for those of you that thought I had dropped off the face of the earth lately, I have just been too tired or grumpy or busy at work to be social. Hopefully this week will be better!

-Kim >^..^<

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Offbeat

Thanks to my friend Cassandra, I am now a frequent visitor and quasi-addict of a quirky website: http://icanhascheezburger.com/. It all started with her sending some pictures along from this site, and then I started checking it out, and that was it. I think you have to have a certain sense of humor to enjoy this as much as I do, and Cassandra and I defintely have the same funny bone!
Anyway, this site has a huge global following, and most of the pictures are of cats being funny, entertaining....cats. And the people who post are all animal lovers. There is a certain weird "language" they post in--and you have to get used to that, too. But it is all a crack up. I have spent way too much time on this site this weekend...but, hey, it's better than working, right?
I have posted three of my favorites from the site. The blinker one kills me. I have been laughing at that one all day today.

-Kim >^..^<

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