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FYI: I have a blog devoted solely to quizzes. Here's the link.

As promised...
Ok, I said I'd tell you more about the hamburger later, and now it's later. Here's the deal:

I don't remember the last time I went to church. The church I was going to in Sioux City apparently lost its priest, and is not holding services until a new one arrives. This information has not been confirmed. However, with our current work situation, going to a church that's more than 30 minutes away isn't practical at this point. So, to sum it up, I'm not going to church, and I'm living in sin with my future husband. I'm not really doing any of the things that a good Orthodox person would do, so why continue to act like one? I've never even been to confession. So, I decided to stop fasting. Not altogether, mind you, I'm still practicing the Wednesday and Friday fast. I'm just not following the whole Lenten fast thing. I probably will during Holy Week (the week before Pascha), but until then, I've reverted to being carnivorous. I think God will forgive me for my weakness, I hope he understands. A little grace in my life would be refreshing. As it is, things are not going so well. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, a job to provide money to keep the wolves from the door, and the love of friends, family, and a wonderful mook of a man. But that's where the list peters out. I'm not happy in my current situation. And I don't feel like there's anything I can do about it. Things will change, hopefully for the better. I just hope they change soon. I'm going out of my gourd. My poor thumb can't take much more. (Please don't ask me to explain that statement. Suffice it to say that I have a bad habit that surfaces when I'm stressed, and my thumb pays the brunt of the price.) Peace, I'm out.

Please God, Please
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: House Hunting
Jim's been calling on places in the paper for rent. We're looking closely at smallish houses in Plainview, but there's also a farmhouse by Battle Creek, which is much closer, and preferable. He's called several times, and I guess he and the guy renting the farmhouse are playing phone tag. In between the time I left for work this morning (yes, for some inexplicable reason, I'm working during the day today and tomorrow [stupid rotten rotation anyway]) and when Jim got home, the guy called again. He's supposed to call again later today. Please, God.....please let us get this house. We were supposed to be completely moved out of Jerry's house by May 1st. Today is April 16th and we still have nowhere to go. It isn't like Jerry is going to kick us out, but I don't want to start annoying my in-laws this early in the game.

I'm still here...
Mood:  down
Now Playing: I Don't Care Anymore - Phil Collins
Well, it's happened. I am now among the ranks of pepper spray carrying women. After the little confrontation at the front door the other day, I really started to worry that I might get attacked here. So, while we were in Yankton on Monday, I picked up some triple-threat spray: tear gas, red pepper, and UV dye, all in one convenient little spray canister. It sits ready just below my monitor. I've barred all of the doors except the one I can easily see from my desk, and I may close that one after my two flunkies get here at midnight.

Jim was really pressing me to get a handgun, but I don't think it would do me any good. I'd be shaking too badly to hold it up. Besides, my aim with a pistol is shoddy. Needs much work. I'm happy with my spray.

Let's see, what else is new...

Monday was Jim's 37th birthday. We went fishing in Niobrara. Well, I guess I shouldn't say "we" went fishing. The truth is that I couldn't shake the pounding headache that was keeping me from sleeping, so at around 3am Monday morning, I got stupid and took Tylenol PM. Didn't occur to me that it might make it difficult for me to get up and moving at 5am. At the time, all I wanted was to get some sleep, so I took something that would make it happen. Silly me. The darn stuff didn't wear off until noon. Yup, that's right, I got out of bed, got dressed, went out to the van and slept most of the way to Niobrara. Then I crawled into the back seat and slept until noon. In the meantime, Jim caught a 5 pound catfish, and Jerry (his dad) caught a smaller one, maybe a pound and a half. We went to get some lunch at a small cafe, where I ate my first hamburger in over a month. More on that subject later.

After lunch we returned to the river, and I supervised a whole lotta nothing. Was windy, cloudy, and pretty cold if you ask me. The guys didn't seem to have any trouble, but I was chilled to the bone. I had on jeans, a t-shirt, a thick fleece shirt, an insulated men's coat, and a blanket poncho. Oh, and a handkerchief and a boonie hat on my head. Even with all that, I was shivering. Jim was laughing at me, he said I looked like a cross between Nanuk of the North, and the local bag lady. Jerry took a couple of pictures. I don't like them, so I'm not going to share. :P Anyway, I decided I'd had enough fresh air after about half an hour, and returned to the backseat of the van, where I camped out with a book, then took another nap!

Well, it turns out that it was a good thing I'd slept that much, because despite the approval stamp on our time off request, the doggone manager scheduled me to work Monday night. I was not a happy girl. I'm still not. And to make matters worse, I had to fight to keep my darn coworkers awake! Again!!! I've decided that I'm not going to put up with it anymore. When they get here tonight, I'm going to tell them that if they fall asleep, they're going to get written up. I've had it. And since the last write up I asked for hasn't been done yet (I'm not authorized to do them myself, but that may change), I'm going to talk to the manager about it it the morning. If the one I previously asked for isn't done within a week, I'm going to write to the owner. I'm tired of the slip-shod management style here. If I'm going to keep working here, I'm not going to sit back and let things slide anymore. And if they don't like it, they can fire me. I don't care anymore. Something's gotta give!

Now Page 2...
I really don't enjoy being a supervisor. I don't like being responsible for keeping people in line. But, here I am. I do the best I can.

Miss Thang didn't even last an hour before she laid her head down on her desk and dozed off tonight. Several minutes later, I was less than 10 feet away. I said "(name), you need to sit up, please." No response. So, I went over and shook her shoulder. I said "I'm going to say this the simplest way I know how. You're at work. You're not getting paid to sleep. I want you sitting up." She hasn't been back to sleep yet (it's amazing how she perked up during her lunch break). I'm not kidding around anymore. I've asked nicely. I've tried telling her instead of asking. If it happens again, especially if it happens again TONIGHT, I'm writing her up. I know she's not the only person who falls asleep on the clock, but she is the only person on MY shift that consistently falls asleep, and sleeps through CALLS! I don't know what else to do. Argh!

Trying
Mood:  irritated
I'm so tired. And my two coworkers are merrily napping (and snoring) away, despite my polite request that they not do that very thing. How am I supposed to stay conscious at the only person in the room attempting to remain that way? It ticks me off. Why do I have to be the responsible one? What really gets my goat is I specifically asked her to stay awake (my exact words were "I need you to stay awake, please.") and he knows better. She managed to keep her eyes open for one whole hour before she turned her chair to face away from me and promptly nodded off. She must think like my cat does: if I can't see you, you can't see me. I'm so sick of this job. I've spent the last six months giving everything I have, filling in whenever I'm needed, working 9-14 hour days. I seldom get more than one day off per week, and Jim usually doesn't even get a day off. The only real time I get to spend with Jim is either at work, or at the expense of time I should spend sleeping. I haven't been to church in over a month, more like 6-8 weeks. I'm not supposed to be working Saturday nights, or Sunday during the day, but I've done both in the past 2 weeks. My life is a shambles. I have no energy, no motivation, and no joi de vivre. I am seriously considering walking out right now. Unfortunately, I'm more mature than that, and I realize that I have bills to pay. Adulthood sucks. I don't wanna do it anymore. I want to go to bed for a month to get my sleeping habits back, then spend the next month on the couch watching TV and reading books. I want to remember what feeling good is like. I want my life back. I want my mommy. I want to cry until I can't cry anymore, then start all over. I want three wishes, and a fairy godmother. I feel a little like the end chorus of "Meet Virginia" by Train:
Well, she wants to be the queen.
Then she thinks about her scene.
Well, she wants to live her life.
Then she thinks about her life.
Pulls her hair back as she screams.
I don't really wanna be the queen.
I, I don't really wanna be the queen.
I, I don't really wanna be the queen.
I, I don't really wanna live this [life.]

Hah Hah, very funny
After visiting Bill Amend's website, I have learned that the whole thing was intended as an April Fools Joke. Well, they sure got me.

Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: Theme from Twilight Zone
Ok, weirdest thing I have ever seen. Not one, not two, but THREE comic strips today have the same basic concept. Go to Yahoo News and read Foxtrot, Get Fuzzy, and Pearls Before Swine. Creepy. Foxtrot is drawn by Bill Amend, Get Fuzzy by Darby Conley, and Pearls Before Swine by Stephen Pastis.

FYI
Just updated my website, check it out if you're interested. Here's the link.

Oh, and one other thing...
Mood:  irritated
ROLL CALL!

Everyone, and I mean everyone reading this had better comment. I know you people are out there, and so far, Amanda's the only one commenting. I'm not posting again until I see comments. NO MORE PASSIVE READING!!! If you don't know how to comment, here's your primer: At the bottom of each message there's a line of small type. Click on "Post your comment." That will take you to the "comments" window, which will contain the entry you are commenting on, and any current comments. At the bottom of that window is a form. Enter your information: name, email (optional), website (optional). Then type your message. When you're done, click the "continue" button. This will bring up the refreshed "comments" window, with a preview of your comment. To finalize your comment, click "post", to change your comment, click "edit". Get it? Got it? GOOD! Now you have no excuse. :)