Hello, and long time no blog!  Work (jobs 1 & 2) has been crazy with Valentine's Day and all, and now I'm back to being bored, busy, and broke.  I've been trying to have a day off for over 2 weeks now, and today was really truly supposed to be the day.  Of course, I've had about 10 phone calls and done a few hours of work for job 2.  Sucky.

Let's do some updating, shall we?  Last week Monday we had an unseasonably warm day (almost 60 degrees!) and after my afternoon fell apart at job 1 I decided to play hooky and eat lunch down at the lakefront.  It was so stinkin bright I couldn't really tell what I was taking pictures of exactly, but they came out okay.  It was nice to be outside without 9 layers of clothes on for a change!

As you know, I have a bit of an obsession with books.  Thanks to a friend of mine from bookclub, I have been known to waste a few hours on LibraryThing.com, and I'm now a lifetime member.  It seems like every time I explain what the site is all about to someone that there isn't much to say, yet I lose all track of time there.  Anyway, at the last meeting, this same friend told me about the "999 Challenge", where you read 9 books in 9 categories in 2009.  At first I thought it was lame, and then after I looked at her list and at other ones, I decided to take the plunge and just do it.  Since then I have spent an embarrassing amount of time thinking about categories I could have and books I want to read.  Between working today and catching up on TV shows, I have finally posted my "999 Challenge".  It has sadly taken me probably 3 hours because I keep looking things up.  Here's the link in case you're interested:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/58127

I've finished reading a few books from my previous post, so that's something I've gotten done.  Sadly my desk still looks like a bomb blew up a paper factory.  I've also done lots of loads of laundry, spent far too much money on eating out this month, and just generally been busy doing stuff that is so interesting I can't remember it later in the week, let alone later in the day.  

Lately I've also been saying "no" to things that I don't want to do.  Despite this effort, my brain is swirling and I seem to be constantly running around.  How can this be?  I really don't understand. Do I have some kind of mild case of ADD? Am I already having "senior moments" at 30? I pass by this sign multiple times a day in my house, and is it really working? I'd like to think so, but I don't know. 

Any suggestions, rants, whatever are always welcome.  Now, off to scrounge up something for dinner!

One old, three new.  Busy day today.  I'm hoping to go downtown tomorrow afternoon, perhaps something will come of that!  

Can I just ask why the hell moisturizer costs so much?  Geez, you'll go bankrupt trying to keep your hands from looking like the crypt-keeper.  There was a girl in high school whose hands were so dry that they would literally crack and bleed - gross.  I'll live in those dumb white cotton gloves before I let that happen.  Might be a problem at work, though.

I started "Mary Barton" this morning because I am apparently insane.  Of course I am no where near finishing the next book for bookclub in 2 days, but that's nothing new.  Hopefully I can get some reading done while I'm "working hard" tomorrow afternoon, waiting for the phone to ring.  Things could always be worse.  I could be stuck at a desk trying not to stab someone in the face and praying that it's time to go home.  I had dinner with a former co-worker tonight and I am so thankful that I don't work there any more.  If I hadn't been there myself, I'd think she was making half of the stuff up. It's crAAzy. 

I'll end on a funny note tonight...enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=701Ot1PaFYo

Ch-check it out!  Expect more lots more pictures now...

Look out, bitches!  I got me a new digital camera today!  

It's my first (I know, I'm so on top of things, gadget-wise), and I'm super excited to use it.  I'm a little nervous that somehow, someway I'll screw it up and I'll get an only-in-Portuguese menu or it'll end up with X-Ray vision and everyone will look naked or something.  (Actually, if that happens, I'll have to give it to AKA, it'll be perfect for her!) I'll post some pics here later today once the friggin battery charges.

So far today I have been just as productive as usual.  I'm making lentil soup in a crockpot so the whole house stinks like garlic and spices, had lunch out with Mom and her friends, ran to the post office, and somehow managed to dick around online this morning for over an hour.  Seriously, how does that happen?  It's a mystery.  I have about 30 things to do for work, but instead I'm on here blogging about nothing and wondering what I can take a picture of later.  I'd post a pic of my "office" but it's far too horrendous and embarrassing as it is now.  Picture heaps of paperwork and a little carved out space for a laptop and mouse and that's my office.  

In an effort to do something semi-interactive on here, I'd like to know what you guys are currently reading or looking forward to reading.  I'll start first.  (Clears throat)

Books I am currently reading:

1) Out of Africa

2) The Haunted Bookshop

3) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

4) Armadale

5) The Invention of Hugo Cabret

6) It's All Too Much

7) Anatomy of the Spirit

8) A Canticle for Leibowitz

And here's what is up next for me to start:

1) Mistress of Mellyn

2) The Mysterious Affair At Styles

3) The Hollow

4) Mary Barton

5) some Chekov short stories

6) Homecoming

I promised myself that I would finish one of the 8 before I started a new one, but I'm not even fooling myself.  "Mary Barton" is staring at me on my coffee table right now.  I might have to pick her up or that bitch will stare at me all night long.

More later - hopefully with pictures!