When it rains, it pours.

So I am going to start this blog with a disclaimer.  I may just offend some of you, and I am kind of okay with it.  The way my day has been going so far, it's just one of those days.

So I really didn't sleep too well last night.  I don't know if I just took too long of an afternoon nap yesterday, or if my body is rebelling against me, but I just could not fall into a deep sleep.  So already I started my rather early morning, sleepy.  Then I get to work, and it just felt like everyone was angry about something.  The callers who called in where taking it out primarily on our producer Rose, but for those few calls I got, myself as well.

I was ready to get over it though.  It has finally cooled down, and I was set to go on my run.  I was going to swing home, get changed and take off before an afternoon meeting.  Well, I get to the house and Mark has accidentally chain locked the door.  I have no way to get in the house.  Some of you may well remember that the back door is a different lock and Mark has the only key.  Another major problem is that the 24 ounces of water are starting to add up, and I need to relieve myself so badly.

I call Mark and I can't get a hold of him.  I try his desk phone, I text his cell phone, then I call his cell phone, nothing is getting through.  So I decide to drive and get a coffee and use their facilities.  Well I ordered a chai and it was just disgusting.  More from my taste buds' stand point then anything they did.  I am still trying to be light hearted, so I drive to Mark's building, sit in the parking lot and try calling a couple more times.  I think I should go in and see if someone can get him.  There is no security guard and I can't remember what floor he is on.

So now I am getting super frustrated.  My day is at a complete stand still.  I can't get anything done, I desperately need to shower before I head to my meeting and I can't clean the house.  I decide to go to one of my favorite coffee places and get a latte while I wait.  When I walk in the cashier asks me how my day is going.  All I said was, "It's just one of those days that when it rains it pours."  I even chuckled a little.  She asked me what was going on and I explained I was locked out of my house the one day I really needed to get inside.  The man behind her looks at me and says, "Well at least you're not in Joplin, MO."  While I do agree with the sentiment, I was and still am very irked by his moral superiority here.  I looked at him and said with a smile, "Well of course, I'm sure we all our, but that doesn't help me get into my house."

Of course a little bit later Mark got a hold of me and I picked up the key.  I got to my meeting, had a great time with some Rose and Tim up at KCFV.  Things seemed to be turning around, and then I drove home, only to find that again I am locked out.  I gave Mark back his key at lunch time and I forgot my phone.  So I am thinking, seriously dude, twice in one day?  Luckily we had gone through all the windows I could crawl through on his lunch, so here I am breaking into my own home and thinking either he is REALLY tired today, or playing a not-so funny joke.  Well from a phone call later I found out, that actually the landlord stopped by to fix the closet and "locked" up.  But seriously, what are the odds?

So this takes me back to the man behind the counter's statement that honestly still really irks me.  I hate when people pull these statements out.  I can understand saying that if I were complaining and going on about how horrible things were (like I am here), but I was actually trying to make light of my situation.  I agree that we should all, everyday, remember how blessed we are.  We should be praising God for his generocity and the many blessings He has and will bestow on us.  However, I don't think tragedies mean I can't have a day where I just feel like everything is going against me.  It doesn't mean I am not allowed to feel a bit frustrated, or just a bit amazed at how everything seems to be going against me.

This isn't the first time someone has made these comments to me.  I feel like the intention isn't to remind you of the many blessings you have, but instead make you feel bad for feeling.  I am entitled to feel, now as a Christian, I do believe that I should respond apropriately with my feelings, but tragedies don't stop everyday life and they don't stop people from feeling.  It's all relative, and there are horrible things happening all over the world.  Based on this world view, no one in the US should ever have a bad day.  It's like someone who has experienced death saying that you should appreciate someone and not have conflict because they lost someone in their life.  Are they right?  In a sense.  We should always value each other, but that doesn't mean conflict isn't going to happen.  It is always how we respond to conflict. 

A PSA for Drivers

I'm not sure how many of us really remember, but pedestrians actually do have the right of way.  I have to say that since my family came to visit almost a month ago I have noticed a very disturbing trend here in St Louis, that this isn't actually the case.  I am sure some of you are shocked by this, but even if the little man indicates that I can safely cross the street, it's not necessarily true.  It's becoming a very disturbing trend, and this blog is very much a reminder to please pay attention because you might end up hitting me.

I cannot tell you how many times within the last few weeks I have had my like flash before my eyes and thought, well at least I know where I'm going.  My mom, my sister, Reagan and I were all on a walk and a man got ticked at us, inching his way forward to the cross walk impatiently making faces at us.  Luckily we had Terynn, who I thought might honestly start banging her fists on the hood of the car.  Or there was the girl a couple of days ago who decided to pull out of the school drive way, almost taking me out at the knees.  Luckily for her I sensed she wasn't paying attention and slowed my pace so she didn't hit me, but don't you worry I also made sure to yell in her convertable, "I'm glad to know pedestrians still have the right of way."  Or there was the guy not even twenty minutes ago making an unprotected left turn who, again, came inches from taking me out and even after I flashed by him in his window did not notice me.

So really this is my call to all of us to pay attention.  This is why they teach you to scan the roadway.  This is why you shouldn't be on your cell phone.  I shouldn't have to jump out of the way of a car while I am in a protected pedestrian zone and this is clearly happening far too often to be just a mistake.  It's a mistake that could be very costly next time around.

This PSA has been brought to you by Paige the Runner and Pedestrians of America.

Extreme Couponing or Extreme Hoarding?

So has anyone else watched "Extreme Couponing" on TLC?  I had heard about this "crazy phenomenon" for a few weeks and decided one day to watch it.  For those of you that haven't watched, it is crazy.  They spotlight people who generally went through a life altering event like a spouse losing a job, and how they decided to save money.  They turned to the Almighty Coupon.  Some of them will spend 30 hours a week clipping and organizing their coupons with supermarket sales.  They then chart out their mission plan through the store to get all the items they "need" and then review the stores coupon policy to insure that their shopping trip will go off without a hitch.  They might even call to make sure there have been no changes to the policy.  Then they go to work wiping out the store for all they can get.

 All I can say is why?  I do think it's incredible and a little bit inspiring that these people can take $1200 worth of groceries and get it all the way down to five dollars.  Sometimes they even make money, which with the cost of food these days, who doesn't want to be paid to shop?  It is amazing, but when you look at their houses, they are stock piled with crap.  They have three years worth of food and their own little grocery store, but they keep adding to it, and it's all crap food.  I am not the most all natural girl when it comes to food, but I am slowly heading that direction, but why do you need 500 bottles of Gatorade or 300 cans of soda?  Or even 600 bottles of pain killers?

I feel that this show is more on the level of organized hoarding.  One gal bought three years worth of diapers and she doesn't even have kids!  I grant you that diapers are very expensive, but why pick up something you don't even need?  I know this isn't necessarily a pre-requisite anymore in our culture, but she isn't even married or in a relationship.  I get she got the diapers for free, but why?  That's just clutter, even if it is organized on a shelf in the basement.  I mean she could at least donate it to needy people who do need diapers.

I feel that TLC really needs to blend two shows together here.  "Extreme Hoarding" and "Extreme Couponing" should join together to treat these people.  Help them start eating some of the food and wait a little bit until the stock pile gets low and then stock back up.  I mean three years worth of cereal is great, but if you keep adding and never eating it, you're just wasting food.  And if the food isn't going bad after that length of time, why would you want to put it in your body?  Think of all the chemicals it takes to preserve that food for three years.  TLC needs to start treating these people pronto and make sure they get the help they need.  Or perhaps just encourage them to start giving some of the food away.  The overweight daughter in law clearly does not need two years of her favorite soda stock piled.  Let's donate that to a food shelter and maybe they can give those needy people a sugary treat.

Color Me Orange

Okay, so today I had a wonderful, odd moment that I think I could only have.  You see I went to make this amazing new recipe from Better Homes and Gardens (yes, I am that old lady who gets that magazine) and I ran into a bit of a predicament.  You see I don't like oranges, well really I shouldn't discriminate, I don't like citrus.  And it's not for a lack of trying.  Over the years I have tried my fair share of orange wedges, and I don't get why everyone finds these fruits to be SO AMAZING.  I find them squishy, slimy, and nasty.  They manage to always leave residue between my teeth, and then later I get heartburn.

So you might then be asking yourself, "Paige, if you hate this fruit so much, why are you cooking with it?"  Great question!  You see, I am always willing to set aside my hatred and try new recipes.  Besides, the orange would be cut up and mixed in with other ingredients, negating the texture and acidic issues.  As I went to add it into the recipe, I came to a very funny stop.  I don't know how to peel an orange.  I mean why know how to peel something, I will NEVER eat.  This logic had always held solid until today.  I had to actually call Mark into the kitchen to ask what to do.  I know this seems silly, but my fingers weren't getting under the peel (I almost called it the skin) and I was at a loss.

By the time Mark got into the kitchen (approximately 5 seconds later) I had already cut it in half and was trying to take the peel off that way.  (His pace was much to slow for me.)  He then explained to me that you just have to dig in, and you don't cut into it because then all the juice comes out.  This had not even occured to me.  The orange did eventually make it to the food processor, and dinner was a success!  I guess it's true, we do learn something new each day.

I Just Want a Human!!

Right now, as I sit here typing, I am on the phone, with "customer service" for Microsoft.  I just don't understand why we have to go automated?  I am sure that the agents don't understand why, when they talk to customers they are so angry.  I can tell you exactly, because when I have a problem I just want to talk to someone!!  I get it, you need to figure out what I need the help with, so you put me through a rolladex of different options so you can better get me through the process and to the person who can help me, but when I have to go through eight different menus pressing buttons or talking to a machine, it gets old really fast.

It doesn't help that while trying to talk to the automated male, or typically female voice that can't understand me I end up getting hung up on.  I don't want to talk to the machine and yell, with exacting clarity what I want to talk to them about.  I want a human, even if I am transferred 15 times wrong, I would rather speak to a human being, and preferrably one who's native language is mine or that doesn't mumble into the phone.  I just need to understand the person and have confidence that they understand me.  The worst is trying to call a government agency.  You might as well fall down an abyss.  There is more chance of you actually hitting the bottom then getting to an actual human being, who not only will help you, but has a positive attitude while doing so. 

I know that this rant is nothing new, but honestly, with a recession, let's get over ourselves and hire some of these unemployed to answer phones and help direct call traffic.  I get that this is totally simplifying things and very unfeasible, but while I finish this, I have been hung up on by the computer for the fourth time, so hey, a girl can dream can't she?

Dodging Landmines

Neighbors, don't we just love them.  They always make life so easy right?  Well right now, Jesus' words of loving your neighbors has been something I have to chant to myself.  I just don't understand why we can't be curteous anymore?  I can get over my upstairs neighbors holding gymnastics classes that sound like they are going to summersult right through the ceiling.  I can deal with the weird attitudes about parking spaces.  I mean you take another person's "spot" because your "spot" was taken, you totally deserve to have them park right on your bumper so pulling out the next day will be next to impossible.  Should have known better.

However, there is one offense I can't stand.  If you have a dog, pick up after it when it craps on my lawn!  I don't want to walk out to my car in the morning and step in your dog's poop.  If I am headed to work, I usually don't have the time to go change my shoes because I stepped in a wretchedly horrible pile of poo.  When I get a dog I will clean up after it, but it's your dog, it's not my responsibility to clean up after it. 

Maybe you think I am being a bit over the top, but I am not talking about one pile, as I was bringing in my groceries the other day, I realized there were at least 6 different mounds in my yard.  I felt like I was training for special opps to avoid landmines as I was darting and weaving around my lawn.  It's occurring to me that the sign I saw posted in another neighborhood on someone's lawn, about cleaning up after your pet if it happens to choose my lawn, is completely neccesary.

Surviving an Ice Storm

Wow, so Missouri weather has hit us two little Californians hard this year.  I know many of the people we now know from places like Michigan or Ohio might think we're soft, and they'd be right, but we're slowly getting the hang of this crazy weather.

So last week, as some of you may have heard, Armageddon was proclaimed for the Mid-West and a huge chunk of the country in the form of an ice storm and then blizzard like conditions.  I found myself wondering, what does an ice storm really look like?  I mean obviously there is ice, but does it rain and then freeze and that creates an ice storm.  To be honest, a part of me had this mental image of sheets of ice that looked like glass in a window falling from the sky.  Now that would be a storm!

In actuality, for those who don't know like me, it's basically what we called sleet in Idaho.  It's frozen rain.  (Some of you may be saying Duh right now, but hey we all learn a little differently.)  Now here in St Louis, the issue is that it is still wet enough to bind and then freeze.  So the weather was a mess last Tuesday.  Expecting to die on Wednesday, I awoke to the pleasant surprise of just snow, and to be honest, it wasn't even that hard.  It was a nice little flurry, nothing to get upset about.

However, my problems came on Thursday.  I was so cold on Wednesday, that I decided to not go out and brush off my car.  HUGE MISTAKE!!  In more than one way.  First, our house has a screened in porch.  The porch door had not been open, so it was completely frozen shut, there was no way to actually open the door.  I had to walk around the house, however, as I went out our shared back door, I saw the salt our landlord had left us and decided once I got in to my car I would salt by our front door, so that when I came back from class I could get in the house.  You see we only have one key to the back door, and since Mark parks in the driveway off that door, he has the only key.  If I couldn't get the front porch open, and the neighbors locked that door, well I was SOL as some say. 

Second, there was frozen snow, plus a 1/4" thick casing of ice, wrapped around my entire car.  I had to use my key to break the ice that surrounded my door, and then spent 10 minutes pulling, breaking more ice, and pulling. At one point I did think that I might rip off my plastic handle and then be screwed because the passenger side lock is broken and I wouldn't be able to get in my car.

Finally, I pryed my door open with all my might.  I inserted my key and just prayed the engine would turn over, and it actually did.  I blasted the defroster and raced to the back of the house to get the salt mentioned earlier.  I put the salt out on our steps as well, because they looked pretty icy, and I really don't want to kill the mail man.  After having completed the salting, I went straight to work on my car.

It was quite a process to get the snow and ice off my car.  I had a method to my madness though.  I started at my driver side door, and continued on the side, to the back, around the other side, then to the front.  Now I had to do a thorough job on the front because I forgot to lift up my wiperblades, and they were somewhere below all the layers, frozen to my car.

I dusted snow, I hacked at ice, continuing around the car.  After about a half our, I noticed some of my neighbors just staring at me as they drove by.  For now, I looked like the White Witch of Narnia.  Completely cloacked in snow and ice, my hair wild and frozen, with ice scrapper in hand, attacking vigorously at my windows, shouting words and phrases not commonly heard.  And finally, when all hope seemed lost, I managed to find my car.  I looked at my phone clock and realized that I emerged victorious after an hour and a half of intense (and cold) battle.  It was now 9:15-9:20, and I thought I might still be able to make it to my class.  I hoped in my toasty car, engaged the clutch, put my foot on the gas and then listened to my wheels spin. 

At this point I thought I'll try reverse and see if that works any better.  This time with my head turned around I got a better view of the smoke coming from my tires and the exhaust making its way towards heaven.  I thought perhaps I can use our neighbors shovel to help dig myself out.  I ran to the back door, but alas, the neighbor had locked it.  Determined to not fight my front porch door I decided to give it one more go.  I got behind the wheel and gave it the gas, and finally, after lurching and studdering (and not from the clutch) my car was finally released from its icy cage.

Of course at this point, I would never make it to class on time, so I decided to head to Barnes and Nobles and buy a book.  When I returned home, the long term battle began.  That is the battle with my front stairs.  There are two sets, one that leads up to the house in general, and then both my neighbor and I have a set that leads into our perspective portions of the house.  The stairs were, and are so icy, that I can't actually just walk up them.  I mostly rock climb up them, holding the bannister for dear life as I manuever around them.  We are currently out of salt, and so now I do fear for the mail man.