Just a little sidebar... have you ever noticed that when you like someone, and they complain, you sympathize or empathize and laugh a little and everyone gets to feel a little better, but if you don't like someone, it just makes you not like them a little bit more?
Ok. I'm done.

So... it's been a while. Strangely enough for someone who is temping and has nearly no responsibilities, I feel like I've been busy. For those of you who may have somehow missed it (and this is mostly for Invisible P who I purposefully didn't show) I got an early birthday present on 5/20. Mrs. Jones & Lady Ala Mode took me out to get a new hole. In my gutt. I have joined the ranks of the tragically hip. I have a belly-button piercing. It's pretty cool, I guess, but the pain lingered a little longer than I had anticipated. In fact, it's still a little uncomfortable some of the time. Like when I wear pants. Ho hum. The things I do for fashion. Still, I AM the coolest girl in the uber-cube where I work.
Then... volleyball started. Last week was fun, and we played better than I think we did all last season. Some of us much better. Of course, we didn't win -- we are still the same people. BUT! We had our first official game last night and we won a game!!! This is very exciting news. We won, and the other team was on the court the entire time. We technically lost the match, but really, the excitement of the win possibly took an edge off of our competitive spirit. Plus, I think the other team was starting to lose their buzz.
Saturday was spent in Madison, where we narrowly missed seeing my friend S who was in town from the twin cities (not Neenah/Menasha, but the real ones). We shopped and had a generally good time, and then went to Stoughton to celebrate my aunt's graduation from Upper Iowa University. She had an honor cord just like Mr. Jones'. Congrats & much love to both! I'd just like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that despite the fact that I can't see to get a job, I too graduated with honors and I even got to wear a metal. Yes, that's how pathetic I am. I have to toot (tee-hee) my own horn. Anywho! We had a really nice time, saw some of my long-lost relatives and found out that my Uncle Johnnie's middle name is David. Now I will never, ever forget that. When I'm 99 and I can't remember my own name, I'll still remember that.
We drove home late that night after the party and discovered that everyone between Stoughton and Columbus (including those in Madison and Sun Prairie) are reverse-vampires. They hate the dark. NOTHING was open and I, being me, had to pee. We eventually found a lovely gas station that was clean and had toilet paper and all was well and there was no pained outdoor urination. Thank God.
Sunday was recovery (though not from booze so much as from lots of hours in the car) and much preparation for the fun time that was had by all on Monday for the Birthday/Graduation party at the Jones'. White trash clothing required for everyone except my dad who was a little afraid that he'd get pulled over driving his fancy car looking like Gomer and get hassled. He's smart, that one. Anywho... food and fire and nearly Shaft's junk. What more could a girl want for her birthday? Well...among other things: a pretty robe, and fun books, a sparkly bracelet, crazy Hello Kitty things and a Badtz notebook, the smallest pen ever, money, gift certificates, beef jerky, and *hooray* a sewing machine. Now we're all jazzed up about making fun stuff for the Mr. Chan's Machine.
Mother arrived safely home from Napal. Quite a bit lighter and looking a little under the weather, but seemingly happy. She brought me wonderful things for my birthday including a neat purse and envelopes made by Napalese women who actually get paid for their work, interesting and strange snacks, and *a mini unscented car air freshener*. :) I am such a lucky girl. So... thanks to all.
Oh! I almost forgot. Yesterday was super-freak-out day at work because I found out that the disappeared-off-the-face-of-the-earth Pimp Daddy has, in fact, been living most of this time with my co-worker! I'm not breaking into song here, but seriously, the world can't possibly be that small. Maybe we're in some crazy cosmic ant farm. Who knows?
I'm going to sign off now, but I have a message for a certain someone courtesy of our friends at The Onion AV Club:
Star Wars: Episode II—Attack Of The Clones

Now that Star Wars: Episode II is coming out, The Onion A.V. Club can finally cash in by placing this lot of valuable Jar-Jar Binks merchandise for sale on eBay.
In many ways, George Lucas has only his success to blame. As one of the leading lights of the digital movement, Lucas and his effects wizards at Industrial Light & Magic have made miracles look a little more commonplace with every passing year, by turning out CGI worlds so awesome that awe alone is beginning to show its limitations. In Attack Of The Clones, a turgid and uninspired entry in the diminishing Star Wars pantheon, virtually every shot has been designed to introduce jaws to the pavement, with dense cityscapes that stretch to infinity in all directions and breathtaking panoramas that put nature's best to shame. But without the mythical power or giddy adventurousness of the first two Star Wars movies, the impact is strangely numbing, like watching a two-and-a-half-hour ILM show reel in search of moneyed investors. Though a marginal improvement over 1999's The Phantom Menace—if only because it pushes infamous clearance-bin sidekick Jar-Jar Binks to the margins—Attack Of The Clones runs into a similar set of problems, mainly caused by characters opening their mouths to speak. Never a competent director of actors, who often look stiff and disoriented against the blue-screen backdrops, Lucas gets little help from Hayden Christensen, his choice to bring young Anakin Skywalker from precocious childhood into petulant adolescence. As a gifted Jedi under the strict tutelage of Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi, Christensen pouts and glowers at the camera every time the Dark Side tempts him, which happens a lot when he oversteps his bounds to stop a faction of separatists that threatens the stability of the Republic. Assigned to protect Natalie Portman, former Queen and now Senator of the peace-loving planet Naboo, Christensen breaks the Jedi code by falling in love with her, though no amount of frolicking and flowery dialogue can get those feelings across. Away from their square courtship, McGregor looks far more comfortable and commanding this time as Kenobi, whose investigation of an attempt on Portman's life leads him to a larger plot involving a bounty hunter (Temuera Morrison), a former Jedi (Christopher Lee), and a massive clone army. Lucas and his technicians sweat heavily over the eye candy, crafting amazingly detailed worlds and opulent interior spaces that wouldn't have been possible before the digital age. But save for a crowd-pleasing moment with Yoda, the movie remains pretty and inert, with no authentic emotion, no cumulative power, and no sense of physicality and danger in the action sequences. In lieu of a proper climax, Attack Of The Clones ends with a tantalizing cliffhanger for the next episode, but Lucas' lumbering series is presenting fewer and fewer reasons to tune in. —Scott Tobias

Today we saw the Attack of the Clowns. I mean Clones. Or whatever. The new Star Wars movie. Yoda is very cool - super ninja flying all over the place and kicking butt. However, the acting by every single person in the movie, other than Yoda, stinks. Pee-eww. Nasty.
Last night was girls' night out and we got a little crazy at the P. Sadly The Reverend was not working, and therefore our bar tab was WAY too high. Stupid fat-slapper.
I'm suppose to be watching a very special (and final) episode of The X-files, so I should probably go. Tomorrow night is the season finale of Angel. Very exciting. I probably watch too much tv.
Night folks.

Here's the news from 4imprint: they hate my face. Or rather, they're not interested in giving me the job that I interviewed for. However, the people that I'm working with now "put in a good word" for me with their boss, but they're not techincally hiring anyone right now. One woman (who I like a lot) told me that today she ordered more catalogs for us to proof so that we could work there longer as temps. She's very cool & sweet.
As Mrs. Jones said today, I can do a lot of stuff. Surely there must be something that I could do that would be useful to the company. Now only to convince them of that.
So that's what's new in my world. Hopefully brighter news is on the horizon.

Hooray! No more Ameritech! I've gone through the lovely TDS website and signed up for the metrocom.
Work went ok today. I took an hour lunch so I could spend a little last-minute time with Mother before she takes off for Katmandu and areas beyond. I have to say that I'm a little jealous. Not of the vaccinations, mind you, but of a the idea of having a foreign adventure. *sigh* First, a steady job. Second, globe-trotting.
There's no new news from 4imprint. I talked today with two other women that were both hired from temp agencies, though. That seems to be a good sign, right? Keep your fingers crossed, folks.
Anywho - time to get some dinner & then sit down for an episode of Angel. He's so dreamy. Even if he's not Doyle. ;)

Well... I think the interviews all went pretty well. Here's a tip: don't look at people's titles before you have to meet with them. It's much better to find out 90% through the thing that the guy you've been joking around with is actually the VP. Much less pressure somehow.
Have I mentioned how nice everyone there is? If not, I should. At least 100 more times. Some random woman in the kitchen there told me I had cute hair today. And she wasn't even being sarcastic. Nice.
I met first with the HR director. Black shirt (possibly with a 4imprint or Nelson marketing logo), black skirt and - that's right - jelly bean socks. Obviously. I love that place. And that massage therapist comment... yeah. They have one. Not on staff, but she comes in like every other Thursday. $12 for 15 minutes, but hey, I'm not complaining. I want to make almost a dollar an hour. I'm in the wrong line of work. But she probably has to touch yucky people. Even over your clothes, that can't be too cool.
Tomorrow is casual (so no ironing), but I'm beat so I'm going to sign off. I'll hear an answer on whether or not they think I'm nice enough to work there next week, I guess. I'll let ch'all know when I do. So far so good, though, I think. TTFN (just for Invisible P.)

What a day, what a day. Work seemed to drag on forever... I guess we all had a case of the Mondays. Ha ha. But hooray for me! Tomorrow afternoon will be filled with interviews with (it seems like) everyone who I could ever possibly encounter if I would get hired for the copywriting job, including an interview with the woman I already interviewed with?! Wish me luck.
This morning after I had set up tomorrow afternoon I had to call Cadre and let them know that I wouldn't be available to work tomorrow pm, due to the interview things. My ever-so-helpful Cadre lady asked when the interviews were starting, and I told her 1:30... her response was, "So you can work until like 1 then, right?" Ummm... no. No, I'm going to eat lunch (with Roxy & Ronda, hopefully). Oh... so when do you think you'll be able to work until? Noon. Noon is the correct answer.
So where are you interviewing?
Well, 4Imprint, actually.
Oh... and is this something you've done yourself?
(Is there another way to get an interview?) Yeah. I had my first interview here for this position before I started the temp thing. (So you can't collect on it, nanny nanny boo boo.)
Oh... that's great. Well, good luck.
Yeah. Thanks. Bye.
You get the idea. I love those people at temp agencies so much. Just enough of an education that they think they can be condescending while at the same time realizing that we know that they know they work at a temp agency - permanently. Suckers. *humpf*
So I should go so I can iron the clothes I'm planning on wearing tomorrow. Have to make a good impression, you know. Impression, at 4Imprint. That's almost funny. The people in the training room next to us are new and are learning the basics of imprinting (i.e. screening, embossing vs. debossing, etc.) and there's a lovely training video that I just know I'm going to get to watch if I'm hired, even though I've heard it about 3 times already. Woo-hoo. I guess if that's the worst they do to me, I'll be happy. Did I mentioned the catered breakfasts every Friday morning? And this week, it's casual dress Thursday AND Friday. I don't think the people there have any idea how good they've got it. No massage therapist on staff, but maybe I'll have to make a few suggestions once I've gotten a paycheck or two. Hmmm.....excellent.

Hi. Today we went to the Brat Fry in Kohler and saw my dad & bro & his gal. It was nice. And I'm very full. Mmmm... double brat on Sheboygan hard rolls. You can't get better than that. People here in Osh Vegas don't get the hard roll thing until they try it. Those of you who haven't will just have to trust me.
Now I'm at the boys' house and we will be dining on Chinese, which I don't have room in my belly for, but the hot 'n sour soup will keep and make a lovely lunch tomorrow.
I'm very excited because I got a call from 4Imprint on Friday and they want me to interview with the big wigs for a copywriting job. It is so sweet there. Catered lunches every day, breakfast on Friday, fancy vending machines, a fountain, and the people are very nice, to boot. So everyone cross their fingers for me, or knock on wood, or whathaveyou.
A & D's wedding was last night was ok. I wouldn't have paid the dj a dime, but A & D seemed to have fun. I tried really hard to get drunk, and was a little disappointed when it didn't seem to work - however, I was still blessed with a hangover this morning. There is no justice. I do expect that I should have no trouble falling asleep tonight, though.
Ok - time for the Simpsons. See ya.

Went to work today, and after pasing through the morning's nausea, it was just fine. One woman I work with also has ties to the un-love-ed CCA, though I think she was on the side that I would have had a problem with, had we been there at the same time. She thinks the former VP was Cruella DeVil, which I can't argue with, but other than that... well, let's just say we don't have a lot in common. Not that I'm poo-pooing the single life, I just can't see resigning myself to a life with my cat at age 35 (ish).
This evening I tried taking a look at those other *fancier* blogs that blogger highlights. Boring. But it made me think that maybe I should add a link to the only news source I like (apart from the Onion, which I guess I should add, too). Here I go.
Shaft dined with us this evening, which was very nice. I thought that I hadn't seen him in so long because we are old, and we go home too early. Turns out, he hasn't really left his pjs in the last week. We bad guys should make a pledge to not allow him to wallow so g-d much. Only because we love him.
Here's a little shout-out to my cousins that may be reading this. Sam, Henry, Frank... you're my favorites, you know. And not just because you're the only ones I could point out in a line-up. Not that I'd ever have to. Right? Right? Now go throw something at the freaky rabbit in your mom's garden. She really doesn't like members of the rodent family. Chia and Ting are very hurt by that, by the way.
Anyway... time to go spend some quality time with Mr. Chan.

So - I spent the afternoon making a geocities site that I have almost no use for, except that it gives me space to show off photos of you all. tee-hee. I feel like mostly it hates me, but I learned how to add the most annoying thing I've ever seen on a website (apart from flashing text) so of course I had to use it. Look for more photos and a more user-friendly format in the future. Right now, it's just silly fun. See you soon.

Ho hum. I didn't go to work yesterday or today because in the mornings my tummy is yucky. And no, I'm not pregnant. The same thing happened two? three? years ago (where does the time go?) and the doctor was about as helpful as Mr. Jones' dick in my ear. On the upside, our landlord came today and fixed our leaky faucet. This, my friends, is the beauty of renting. Of course, the downside is having to go outside to do laundry. Possibly I talk about laundry too much. It's very nearly done, and this has me much happier than it should, I think. Anywho.
Yesterday was a very happy mail day for me. I received #1 - a very prompt Thank you note from A for her shower, though I'm not expecting one for the bachelorette party; #2 - an invitation to my aunt's graduation party, which promises to be even crazier than last Saturday night (she's having Karaoke for crap's sake, and it's at a bowling alley) and #3 - an invitation to Mother's sister's wedding. This may come off as sarcasm, and it is NOT, but I feel very honored to be invited. The bride & groom-to-be are really cool, great people, and they're having a very small ceremony, and I'm very excited for them. Love *sigh* yeah. It's great. Plus, now I have an excuse to dress up three times this summer. Very exciting.
I'm going to go now and see if I can have a nice chat with my aunt. As I am feeling better, I expect to see all you kids later at the P.