Thursday, October 26, 2006

Week Four

Previous weight loss: 11.4 lbs

This week's weight loss: 1.6 lbs

Total weight loss: 13 lbs

I'm off to Kentucky this weekend to see some good friends from Germany. As a bonus, I get to kidnap Scout from the Army and finally bring him home. It's also my last day of work, and I only have to suffer through four more weeks of school before I finally have my degree. Life is good.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

New Rule

Ok, so I'm making my first blog rule ever:

If you choose to leave an anonymous comment, please sign your name below the comment. Otherwise, the comment will be deleted.

I am not referring to those of you that normally comment under anonymity and sign your name (Uncle Tim, Dad, SAHM, Nancy, etc.).

I have a sneaking suspicion that my stalker has returned (who I haven't actually blogged about, because, quite frankly, I have better things to do), and is leaving anonymous comments because he's a pathetic jerk-off. If I'm wrong, and you've been leaving totally anonymous comments, and you aren't in fact stalking me, please speak up so that Scout can stop planning the torturous attack he plans to make on this dude.

And if it is you, Stalker-Boy, this is the last time I'm going to tell you to leave me alone. The next step is something I like to call Your-Chain-of-Command.

Ex-Boyfriends

**Warning**This is an extremely long, boring post about my past love life, written purely for therapeutic reasons. I would urge you not to waste your time reading it.

If it's one thing I hate about being home, it's that I run into people that I would be completely content to never see again. Ever.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was at Wal-Mart, I was conducting a smell-test on a fabric softener (I could spend hours sniffing things - candles, detergent, whatever. Ask Scout). Anyway, I was so involved in smelling the yumminess of this product that I failed to realize that I was standing right.next.to.an.ex. When I turned around to tell my mom about how scrumptious the fabric softener was, him and I practically ran into each other. He walked off as I scrambled to find my mom. No words were spoken. How's that for an uncomfortable situation?

The break-up between him and I lacked closure - which is the story of my life. We never really technically broke up - I guess I just got sick of the way he treated me. I always felt like a nuisance, I never came first, and everything was on his terms.

The final straw was New Years, when we went up to Canada with some friends. We got in a fight about something, and when I caught up with him at the bar, he was hanging on some other girl. As I recall, he slept in the hallway of the hotel that night. When we got back to town, we didn't speak again. And we lived five houses away from each other.

So a month later, I was engaged to Scout. I can't even begin to tell you what a whirlwind that was - I felt like I had known Scout for 20 years. We were meant to be.

Some part of me felt a responsibility to tell this ex, who I had really never *technically* broken up with, that it was completely (if not obviously) over. I stopped by his house one day, and before I could even say anything, he noticed the ring. He begged me to reconsider and to give him another chance. Umm, no.

So fast forward to yesterday, when I ran into my "first love's" family. Oh, man. This is an entirely different ballgame.

I was in love with Bryan (not his real name) for three years. We were really good friends, but I wasn't the girl he was interested in. I watched as he dated most of my friends, and waited for the day that he might want me. Well, that day finally came during my last six weeks of high school. He had graduated the year before, and he was getting ready to go to basic training.

Our relationship was a short one (again, the story of my life) - about six months. Four months of it was while he was away. I knew something was wrong when he didn't call me the day he got back from Georgia. He was home for ten days before he had to go to his first duty station. I thought we would spend every waking moment together before he had to leave again - we hung out once in the first three days he was home (his family hated me by the way. Why, I don't know. I've always been a hit with the parents). Anyway, I decided that rather and sit around and wait, like I had been doing since I met him, I was going to end it so that I could move on with my life. When I did, he asked me to marry him and go to Washington, D.C. together (What is up with guys that don't want a girl until she decides to leave? I'll never understand that).

Now looking back on it, I was a pretty smart 18 year-old. I had just been accepted to Seattle Pacific University, and knew that I would much rather have a good education than a bad husband. How I knew that at the time, I'll never know (seriously, I had an intoxicating love for him. I really felt like no one, in the history of mankind, had ever felt this way about another human being. Ahh. To be 18 again). Anyway, I declined his proposal. His family hated me even more. He was married a year later.

So I ran into Bryan's mom and sister yesterday at Wal-Mart. I had just filled my cart with about 42 Lean Cuisine frozen dinners and a bunch of bananas. I walked around the corner, and my face became hot and flushed as I realized who I had just run into. But of course, I put on my "it's so good to see you" smile, and pretended to care how they were doing.

So then Bryan's mom went on to tell me that Bryan and his wife are so happy, they have three kids (which I had to see pictures of), they have a 2800 square foot house, the wife gets to stay at home because Bryan makes *so much money*, they drive two brand-new cars, on and on and on. Of course, she was saying all of this in what may have seemed to be a sweet tone, but it was more like look what you're missing out on. And of course, being my usual, charming self, I said, "Well, I always knew Bryan was destined for big things. Please tell him I said hello."

Scout must have somehow felt my discomfort, because my cell phone rang at that very moment. I silently thanked God and said, "Well, that's my husband. I better let you go. It was very nice to see you."

I guess as much as it makes me want to vomit when I see people like this, it makes me realize something about my life: I am extremely happy, I love my husband more than I've loved anything or anyone in my life, I am well taken care of (in every possible way), and I snatched up the best possible husband that any girl could ever hope for (sometimes, I'm still amazed that he picked me). When I dream about the future, Scout is always in it. And nothing in my past matters any more.

I am one lucky girl.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Work Sucks

I still hate my job.

I only have five work days left, but this job makes me slightly understand where people are coming from when they walk into an office and start shooting it up (don't worry - I'm not contemplating anything like that).

I won't go into the mundane details of my work day, but I drove home in tears today (which has started to become an every day occurrence). I asked my mom to call the office and tell them I was in a serious car accident. Because then, you know, I wouldn't be able to help the fact that I couldn't come back. She said no.

So I guess I'm going back tomorrow.

I have a couple of fun stories though. I guess my job is good for something, right?

So the other day, I was grabbing the notebook that we use to record feline leukemia/AIDS tests. As I walked back to surgery, where my favorite doctor was performing a cat neuter, two sticky, nasty, round objects came flying at me. One bounced off of me and landed on the notebook. I looked down, and it was a fresh little cat testicle. Yeah, that was nasty.

On the same day, I got to give a cute little cocker spaniel a bath. No one really told me what it was for; giving baths is a pretty common task for me. The dog looked completely normal and healthy while she was dry. But as I hosed her down, I started seeing hundreds and hundreds of little black spots. I thought, man this dog has bad skin! But when I looked closer, the spots were moving - THEY WERE FLEAS. I swear there were five hundred of them. I used a shampoo called Mycodex. It's one of those that has instructions on the bottle similar to, "Do not let this touch your skin or you will die. Do not consume or you will die. Do not splash this in your eye or you will die. Death is a possible consequence of using this product." Anyway, the fleas were seriously dead within two seconds of applying the shampoo. As I washed it off the dog though, I saw blood swirling around the bottom of the tub. Those bastards had eaten her raw. I felt so bad for her - but was happy that I was able to provide her with a little relief.

On a different note, I had a telephone interview with a company that is willing to pay me a decent salary and serious opportunities for advancement (I guess college education really does have its advantages). It looks promising; I got a packet in the mail giving the company permission to check my credit report, and I have a second interview when I get to Texas. Sweeeet. The down side? I actually have to dress like a girl - nylons, heels, and suits. The whole nine yards.

Think happy thoughts for me.

Week Three

Previous weight loss: 6.8 lbs

Week three weight loss: 4.6 lbs!

Total weight loss: 11.4 lbs!

Wow, this was a good Weight Watchers week. I was able to buy a pair of pants in a smaller size than I've been able to wear in two years. Sweeeeet.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Aww

Another great post brought to you by Cold Fury.

Check out the new Halloween graphics, too. Sick but funny.

Mmmm....Coffee


So Dad, you were the winner with 80% on my little Business Law Quiz, which is awesome (especially considering the fact that the rest of you - all four of my readers - got big fat zeros).

You can either have your prize as I promised it, or you and I can go to Starbucks together when I get to Texas.

I'm glad it was you. :)

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Yay

I just ordered my first graduation present (a gift from my mom and stepdad):



Ahhh...Who knew a simple appliance could make all those million-page papers disappear from my memory?

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Fun Times

You want to know what I've been doing today? Studying my ass off!!!

This is from my favorite chapter of my Business Law class. What do you get for having the highest number of correct answers? Some free education and a foamy latte at my expense. I'll send the winner a $5 Starbucks gift card (I know, I'm such a big spender). Hey, I have to do something to get myself through midterm week.

1. The word tort is French for:

a. pie.
b. court.
c. late.
d. harm.

2. The basic purpose of tort law is to:

a. provide remedies for the invasion of protected interests.
b. punish criminal wrongdoers.
c. ensure that Congress does not overstep its legal authority.
d. make sure that citizens follow appropriate immigration regulations.

3. The person who commits a tort is known as:

a. a maladjustor.
b. a criminal.
c. a tortfeasor.
d. an invalid.

4. If Sam threatens Jill with a knife but does not, in fact, touch her, Jill may sue for ________ if she honestly believed Sam might have hurt her.

a. battery
b. felony
c. assault
d. misdemeanor

5. If you are falsely imprisoned, you are:

a. made fearful of an unwanted contact with another person.
b. touched by another person in an unwanted or offensive way.
c. confined or restrained by another person intentionally and without justification.
d. intentionally bad-mouthed by another person.

6. If Sal sends Max a high-priority e-mail message telling Max that his wife has just died, when in fact Sal knows this is untrue, Max may be able to sue Sal for:

a. infliction of emotional distress.
b. libel.
c. violations of the First Amendment.
d. battery.

7. If you defame someone, you injure:

a. yourself.
b. that person's good reputation.
c. the administrative branch.
d. the judiciary.

8. If someone uses a great picture of you to sell peanut butter and does not obtain your consent to do so, you may be able to sue for:

a. libel.
b. fraudulent misrepresentation.
c. defamation.
d. appropriation.

9. Which of the following is not an element of the tort of fraudulent misrepresentation?

a. A causal connection between the misrepresentation and the injury suffered.
b. A lack of intent to cause reliance on the misrepresentation.
c. Damages suffered as a result of reliance on the misrepresentation.
d. Justifiable reliance by the party that was deceived.

10. Which of the following is not an element of the tort of wrongful interference with a contractual relationship?

a. A valid, enforceable contract must exist between two parties.
b. A third party must be aware that the contract exists.
c. A third party must unintentionally cause one of the parties to break the contract.
d. A third party must intentionally cause one of the parties to break the contract.

11. Torts committed against property include:

a. defamation.
b. appropriation.
c. conversion.
d. libel.

12. Which of the following would not constitute trespass to land?

a. Without permission, you tunnel under your neighbor's land.
b. With permission, you walk across your neighbor's land.
c. Without permission, you shoot an arrow accross your neighbor's land.
d. Without permission, your neighbor sets up a vegetable stand on your land.

13. Luisa borrows Tony's 2001 Toyota Camry and refuses to return in on Tony's request. Which tort has Luisa committed?

a. Invasion of privacy.
b. Negligence.
c. Conversion.
d. Slander.

14. Slander of quality is also known as:

a. conversion.
b. trade dress.
c. trade libel.
d. wrongful interference.

15. If your actions harm someone else, but you never intended to cause that harm, you may be liable for the tort of:

a. conversion.
b. nuisance.
c. negligence.
d. infliction of emotional distress.

16. The duty of care requires you to:

a. help all strangers you run across.
b. help only those strangers who are suffering from some injury.
c. help only those strangers who are experiencing an emergency.
d. act as a reasonable person would act in the same circumstances.

17. What was the legal issue involved in the case of Martin v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.?

a. Business invitees.
b. Reckless disregard of agents.
c. Malpractice.
d. Ethical duties only.

18. If a dentist violates his or her duty of care to you by negligently cracking two of your teeth, you may be able to sue the dentist for:

a. malpractice.
b. appropriation.
c. trespass.
d. puffery.

19. The landmark case that established the "foreseeability" test for proximate cause was:

a. Wickard v. Filburn.
b. Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co.
c. Roach v. Stern.
d. Martin v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

20. Which of the following is a defense to a negligence claim?

a. Self-defense.
b. Defense of property.
c. Assumption of risk.
d. Truth.

21. In a state that follows the "contributory negligence" rule, a plaintiff whose own negligence contributes to his or her harm:

a. will recover nothing from the defendant.
b. will recover only 50 percent of the damages sought.
c. will recover fully from the defendant.
d. will recover only in the defendant is a nonresident.

22. If a jury in a "comparative negligence" state with 50 percent rule finds Bill 35 percent liable for his own injuries in a negligence suit that Bill brings against Tina, Bill will recover:

a. nothing at all from Tina.
b. 50 percent of the damages he seeks from Tina.
c. 65 percent of the damages he seeks from Tina.
d. 100 percent of the damages he seeks from Tina.

23. Res ipsa loquitur means:

a. you're on your own.
b. buyer beware.
c. ignorance is no excuse.
d. the facts speak for themselves.

24. Under the tort doctrine of strict liability, liability is:

a. based on fault.
b. based on negligence.
c. not based on fault.
d. implemented only for inteded wrongful acts.

25. One of the legal difficulties posed by defamatory remarks made online is that:

a. it makes it difficult for Internet service providers (ISPs) to stay in business, because they are held liable for the defamatory remarks made by those using their services.
b. the Internet makes it so easy to locate those who make the defamatory statements that the courts are overburdened with tort lawsuits.
c. defendants in online defamation suits retaliate by spamming the plaintiffs, thus overloading the plaintiffs' Web sites and causing them to suffer further harm.
d. it is difficult to learn the identity of the person who made the defamatory remarks.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Week Two

I know that I've been a bad blogger lately; I've been super busy (which all my friends hear every single time I start a new semester - sorry). I'm really looking forward to having my schedule completely free of required brain-stretching (which will be in about six weeks).

Today was the first day of midterms. I had to go to Fort Lewis - which made me feel at home. I never realized before this week how much I feel like a part of the military community. For the most part, I don't feel at home around civilians - partly because I unknowingly start using Army lingo, and I have to back up and explain what ACS stands for, what an Article 15 is, or what the difference between an officer and an NCO is.

But anyway, Fort Lewis made me smile. And the scale this week made me smile even more. Two smiles in one day makes for one happy girl.

Previous weight loss: 4.2 pounds

Week two weight loss: 2.6 pounds

Total weight loss: 6.8 pounds

Oh yeah, Dad. I talked to someone else today that knew you in Berlin. It's such a small world.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

This one's for you, Kelly

A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing. His eyes are rolled back in his head.

The other guy whips out his cellphone and calls 911. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”

The operator, in a calm soothing voice, says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.”

There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy’s voice comes back on the line. He says, “O.K., now what?”

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Week One

I weighed in at Weight Watchers today, and I lost 4.2 lbs this week. Yay!

I'll continue to give updates every week....