TAG!! i'm it...

yup, i tagged myself, but i made a few changes so it's not just a repeat...

What were you doing a decade ago?
wow... i was 12... so i was probably trying to not be so awkward during my awkward-stage (that lasted about... 8 years...) and playing flag football at recess with the boys. this was the summer i broke it off with my elementary-boyfriend because we were so mature now and needed to move on... (hahaha! yeah right)

4 Things on my semi-long-term to-do list:
1) pay off my student loans
2) pay off my credit cards... and then cut them up :)
3) get a house to put all my kitchen stuff in ;)
4) be happy... consistently... in all aspects of my life

4 Places that I would like to visit:
1) Vegas, preferably the set of CSI to meet the cast (yeah yeah... lea'me alone)
2) Hawaii
3) all those countries on the other side of the Atlantic that you always see pictures of...
4) Mexico

4 Co-Workers that I will never forget, and why:
1) Jim - the man that taught me everything i know about the plumbing department (not to mention the reason i even decided to transfer out of cashiering) and about life in general. i am his favorite Semi-Italian Plumbing Princess and student. he is a great man and deserves the best of everything. i'm SURE he's making quite the amazing angel. miss you lots Jim!! :) i don't know where i'd be if i had never met you! give 'em hell!
2) Brad - he's the only manager that i still care to know... :) he's the coolest, most laid-back, AWESOME boss i've ever had. i miss working for him very much! i go and visit him every chance i get, and text him when i get bored (sorry Brat-ley... i still don't have pictures... i'm working on it...) oh, and he gives me and my family members a good deal on anything we want... just cuz he rocks like that. gotta love it!
3) Mikey - the biggest, most muscly associate ever to work in the plumbing department... when he was applying, we had a bet going on where he would be working... (aaaaand i almost tripped over my jaw that dropped to the floor the first time i saw him... crap) my guess was Lumber, Lex guessed Hardware/Tools... we were both wrong. they put him with us back in Plumbing and i had never been happier! we made a great pair! we did everything together! we were the "Dynamic Duo of the Lowe's in Bellevue". everyone knew us and everyone knew that if you asked one of us to do something, both of us were on it like white-on-rice. it worked out quite well if i do say so myself!! we did lunch every day, regardless of if we worked the same hours or not... i miss our lunch-talks... baby i love you! *muah*
4) Dana "Shmeck" - oh lady... you so pretty!! and that baby of yours?! gunna be a heart-breaker for sure!! she's the cutest! do you remember the first day we met?! and the first week we started the Lowe's Bowling Crew?! oh wow... those were the days!! she's amazing people! she taught me all the ropes of the front end, and how to not take crap from anyone! i owe a lot to her! ah the memories! using duct tape to hold her pants together, making the "attitude adjuster"... and the "mini-attitude adjuster"... you know, for those minor adjustments... awesome. love it.

4 Things people should know about me:
1) i am probly too stubborn for my own good
2) i'm also probly too competitive... i never lose. and don't you forget it.
3) i love taking naps (if it were up to me there would be a mandatory nap time instated throughout America... people would be happier for sure)
4) i will laugh REALLY HARD at just about anything that's funny (and even at things that aren't funny) because i love to laugh! (and because i think that laughing at people's "dumb jokes" makes them happier and feel more loved...)

NEXT, I tag anybody
who wants to be tagged!

*ahh* a fresh start...

this past week/weekend has been a bit too crazy for me.
i'm trying to remember a lot of information from starting my new job Friday.
my family's a crazy bunch, as usual.
and life in general has just been...
well...
stupid.
but having this 3-day-holiday-weekend has also been a great opportunity, because it has given me a chance to un-lax a little and put a little perspective on my life.
not having to work Monday was a blessing in disguise.
i thought it would totally throw me off and make this week really hard to manage, but i was SO wrong...
i woke up at 8 to cloudy skies and decided that was unacceptable, so i went back to sleep until noon.
i took my sweet time taking a shower, drying and straightening my hair, and getting ready for the day (that was already half over) and then did a little therapeutic shopping with Banana (she's the greatest).
we went to a BBQ and then spent some time on the swings, the big toy, and wading through shin-deep water, went to visit a friend, and then called it an early night and went home to bed.
i woke up this morning at 5 without whining and complaining, and the day is only getting better and better!!
i can honestly say that i LOVE my new job! the people are incredible! the environment is fantastic! i just love it. i can't wait to go tomorrow.
how many people do you know that can say that and not be lying?!
i've also been consistently working out for the past little while, and going tanning to take the edge off and it's working out quite nicely. i'm looking more and more Mexican every day, and i'm happier.
my sister had to kinda kick me in the butt and get me to just drop a few things, like the bad-habits they were, and stop wasting my energy on them, but now that i've successfully moved on i'm feeling GREAT!!
gotta love a fresh start...
anyway... i'm gunna continue my fantastic week...
hope everyone is having a GREAT day! :)

-kmw-

first day at my new job

well, i was up at 6am today... it's been a long time since i've actually been coherent at that hour... it was crazy... but i did it!
i got there at about 5 til 8 and walked in... Abi was happy to see me and we got started!
it was a little overwhelming at first, but i've got down how to pull charts... next step is answering the phone and making reminder calls, which i'll do on Tuesday. the scheduling system isn't TOO different from the one i use at my current job, so it shouldn't be too hard to get down.
the one thing that will be tricky is that right NOW i answer the phone:
"Washington Institute of Sports Medicine, this is Kiley"
and starting Tuesday i'll have to answer the phone:
"Pain Consultants of Washington, this is Kiley"
it'll be tricky and probly confusing for the next week or 2...
i'll get it down... hopefully...
anyway, just thought you would all like to know! :)
have a LOVELY day.

-kmw-

another great day to be alive!

even though the sun isn't shining it's a FANTASTIC day!!

it's day 6 of my 7 day challenge and i'm feeling GREAT! :)
i was up at 8 getting ready for my interview, put on some cute clothes, and headed out.
it was a rainy drive, but i tried to stay optimistic and keep my mind in the right place, instead of on the IDIOT drivers... (one of which decided it would be a good idea to flip a you-know-what right as i was headed at them at 35mph... yeah, not really smart... but whatever) i refrained from using my horn and just went on my way.
i went in to my interview, met the other person that will be training me and everything...
so i start Friday! :) (like, day after tomorrow Friday...)
the deats:
it's called Pain Consultants of Washington they deal with older patients with chronic pain. i'll be working 8-Noon for the next week, for training and orientation stuff, and so i can still finish out my last couple weeks at my current job. the people i'll be working with are great. i already know that i'll like them!! :)
it's not going to be easy, but it will be awesome!!
i'm gunna be working 8-Noon and then 2-7 for a couple weeks i think... long days... but i guess i'll have a pretty decent lunch break so i can't complain :) and i'll be making money.
aaaaaaand i'll finally pay off my loans from school! YAY!!!
*sigh* awesome. can't wait to start!!

on another note, i watched the Season Finale of NCIS today between my interview and work... and cried!! :( serious! i was sitting there crying... i'm such a boob... it was a very sad 2 hour finale... i watched the finale of Shark too... and Monday was CSI: Miami finale... (can you BELIEVE what happened?!?!) tonight continues my week of Season Finales... this week will be a hard one for me... i don't like it when my shows end with cliff-hangers... not exactly lovin Jerry Bruckheimer right now...
anyway... yeah...

-kmw-

it's a great... day to be alive...

i know the sun's still shinin' when i close my eyes!...

so i had an interview today.
10am at BusinessCareers with Donna.
wait... let me back up just a sec....
when i woke up this morning it was cold and rainy...
i got in the shower, straightened my hair, got dressed and headed to my interview.
while i was on my way it was pouring down rain...
aaaaand i almost died.
no joke.
there was a Subaru Outback in front of me... a Subaru Outback behind and to the right of me... and a Subaru Outback turning in front of me to go the opposite direction...
i was gripping the wheel so tight my fingers hurt...
my thoughts: "this is it for me. that's it. i'm dead."
luckily i made it.
to make matters worse my busted heel caught on the hem of my slacks and ripped the dang thing right out... and it's already hard to walk on it BECAUSE it's broken (i forgot it was like that til it ripped out my hem...) and the entire lobby of this building in Bellevue is tile!! so i'm talking to myself as i walk to the elevator (which i hate)
"ok, slow... don't slip... slow..."
made it to the elevator, made it to the right office. signed in, filled out my thingy, and before i knew it, Donna came out and had me come back to her desk.
she asked me a bunch of questions and scribbled some stuff down on some paper and then had me go in another room to take some short tests (spelling, grammar, math, Microsoft Word and Excel) but before i could finish those she has already found an interview for me with someone that wanted to make me an offer TODAY!
the interview was set for 1:00pm and it's for a place just up the hill from my current job!!
how convenient!
i was finished with everything in time to have a bite to eat with Banana at AppleBee's (ohmigosh, so good food) and then pick up Sally at the bus stop before the interview. and to top THAT off the sun was out and it had turned into a beautiful day!
finally made it to my interview, went in, went over responsibilities, benefits, pay, hours... the works... met a couple employees that would he helping me train...
aaaaaand they want me back for a second interview and a "trial run" to see if i'm really as serious about this as i think i am tomorrow at 10am...
AHH! i'm excited!!
those benefits, pay and hours i mentioned... yeah
Monday-Thursday: 8-5
Friday: 8-12
Full Benefits, Medical and Dental Health
401K after a year
$2 MORE an hour than my current rate...
CAN life get any better?
i submit that it CANNOT!!

wish me luck!! :)
i'll let ya know how it goes tomorrow.

-kmw-

what did i JUST say?

ever had a moment like this?

you explain something to someone, and they don't listen to the words that are coming out of your mouth, and then they ask you a question that you JUST answered in your explanation, and you really wanna jump through the phone (or over the counter, depending on the situation) and beat them over the head, but since you can't really do that you just wanna be like...

"what did i JUST say?"

example:

#1

conversation with patient via phone...

"Washington Institute of Sports Medicine, this is Kiley"

"hi this is so-and-so, i'd like to set up an appointment for this Thursday at 4:30"

"i'm sorry, i actually don't have a spot at 4:30, the latest one i have that day is a 1:30"

"oh, so you don't have a 4:00?"

"....(insert phrase here)....no, sorry"

#2

conversation with member of club

"i wanted to come in and play a little tennis, would you happen to have a court available at 1:00 today?"

"i'm sorry, i actually don't have any availabilities for the rest of the day"

"oh, so you don't have one at 3:00 either?"

"....(insert phrase here)....no, sorry"

#3

conversation with customer service

"i need to change my contact phone number...the other one doesn't work."

"ok, what's the new number?"

"(BLA)BLA-BLAH"

"ok, so the old number isn't a good number to reach you at?"

"....(insert phrase here)....no..."

honestly people... if you would JUST pay attention the FIRST time, you might not look or sound like a complete IDIOT when you're talking to someone. at least TRY and act professional!!

hello?!

-kmw-

who mails a bug?

found another interesting article!! :)

Customs agents seized more than two dozen giant beetles — some the size of a child's hand — from an overseas package after postal workers heard the insects making scratching noises.

"They are highly destructive insect pests that can cause extensive damage to fruit and vegetable crops, trees, shrubs and turf grasses."

In all, authorities found 26 Hercules, rhinoceros and Goliath beetles. It is illegal to ship live beetles into the United States without a permit from the Department of Agriculture.

full story

who knew it was illegal to send bugs in the mail...

-kmw-

by request...

my little big sister requested some pictures

of my curly hair without a silly face...
i give you...

Kiley...

Curly Haired Smoldering Temptress...

see, it's like this naturally...

i don't have to do anything...

-kmw-

i'm a fish

my horoscope for the day, compliments of MSN Astrology:

Today is a day for speaking your truth, Kiley. Whatever you’ve got to say and have been holding back, it’s time to let it out. Even if you’re not feeling at your strongest or most confident, now’s the moment to take a leap of faith. Don’t worry if you have trouble finding the right words, trust that they will come, and that the fruit of your efforts will bring you relief and peace of mind.

ok... this one i might take seriously

Don't take everything so seriously. Consciously lighten up and take the stressful edge off of your work. You will be much more productive if you are able to smile at yourself and feel at ease instead of in competition with everyone around you.

my job isn't exactly stressful or competitive... but i guess i could smile more...

Today you can feel in tune with your most important emotions. You might attempt to focus your energy on creating affection instead of simply unleashing it. You need plenty of affection in your life in order to feel your best. When words fail, try to give yourself the opportunity to express your needs through affecting others in a positive light. You have a special connection to the economy. Giving your time or money to a needy cause helps you feel pleasantly connected with the world.

ok, you had me til you started telling me where to spend my money...

don't ya just love horoscopes?!

-kmw-

all natur-al

i'm pretty sure that i hide it well.

i mean, i straighten it every day...
but my hair is REALLY...

like this...

crazy huh?? what'dya think??

ignore the face... focus on the hair.

-kmw-

closed for renovation

sad day. my big toy is being torn down...

but hey. they're gunna build a new one!! :)
woo hoo!!
NEW toys to play on!
aaaaand in the mean time
they still have the swings.
*whew*
i was almost upset.

-kmw-

RD: Argument Starter

Having a husband creates an extra seven hours a week of housework for women...
A wife saves men from about an hour of housework a week.
University of Michigan

ok, mom, you were right...

reading the Readers Digest again...

The Benefits of Boredom
Carolyn Y. Johnson

"Boredom's doldrums were unavoidable, yet also a primordial soup for some of life's most quintessentially human moments... A long drive home after a frustrating day could force ruminations. A pang of homesickness at the start of a plane ride might put a journey in perspective.
"Increasingly, these empty moments are being saturated with productivity, communication, and the digital distractions offered by an ever-expanding array of slick mobile devices...
"But are we too busy twirling through the songs on our iPods--while checking e-mail, while changing lanes on the highway--to consider whether we are giving up a good thing? We are most human when we feel dull. Lolling around in a state of restlessness is one of life's greatest luxuries--one not available to creatures that spend all their time pursuing mere survival. To be bored is to stop reacting to the external world, and to explore the internal one. It is in these times of reflection that people often discover something new, whether it is an epiphany about a relationship or a new theory about the way the universe works. Granted, many people emerge from boredom feeling that they have accomplished nothing. But is accomplishment really the point of life? There is a strong argument that boredom--so often parodied as a glassy-eyed drooling state of nothingness--is an essential human emotion that underlies art, literature, philosophy, science, and even love."

ok, ok, ok... mom was right when she said that sometimes it's good to just sit and listen. we're missing out on so much when we constantly have something going on or making noise... i guess i should take more time to listen...

-kmw-

what's this?!

hey y'all! you may have noticed my new addition...

i'm now a twitter-er...

Mr. Ex-Roommate-That-I-Don't-Have-A-Name-For-Yet got me interested one day when i was bored and bouncing around from blog to blog... so i checked it out...

come follow me on twitter! :)

it's bordering on stalkerish, but hey, so is reading my blog ;)

KIDDING!

have a nice day, despite the weather.

-kmw-

you KNOW why!

what's THAT supposed to mean?!

"TO THE BIG TOY!!!"

jennifer shouts as she takes off, flip-flops and all, across the playground...
moments earlier she was swinging on the swing set with her best friend, banana.
you know, on her stomach in the swing and everything.
camera and cell phone raised to "charge" in one hand, holding the top of her pants (that are recently too big for her) in the other, she tears across the grassy hill toward the big toy.
it's dark.
there's no one around.
the grass is a little wet, but who cares. they've got too much energy.
banana shouts from behind "wait! i wanna race you!"
jennifer stops and turns just as banana catches up and passes without even a hesitation.
they're off!
snapping pictures right and left...
chatting it up through the yellow microphone thing about nothing in particular.
then it's to the twisty slide! more pictures
now it's the rings...
see how long you can hold yourself up...
jennifer manages to flip herself upside down long enough for a picture.
next is the baby swings...
as they wander over they reminisce about past experiences...
getting their butts stuck in the seat...
slamming face-first into the ground while their feet are still caught in the leg holes...
good times.
then it's to the fence.
who knew a fence could be so much fun?
banana climbs over and leaps off the other side, full-super-star formation
caught in action by jennifer
wet footprints on the sidewalk
strike a pose!
jennifer tries to climb over a particularly tall section of the fence...
fails...
she tries to balance, laying across the top...
falls off the other side...
caught on camera by banana

"crap! i'm wired!"
"must be that shot of seven+..."
"IT'S BETTER THAN CRACK!!"
*both laughing*

*sigh* time for a movie...
all-in-all, a fun night at the park...
definitely gotta do that again...

-kmw-

in the market... as it were...

it's been a year and 2 weeks since i started this part-time job i'm at right now...
i think it's time for a change...
i applied for school this morning (yes, it was actually morning... shocker)
the plan is: online classes and a full-time job...
i was dinking around on the internet during work today and YET ANOTHER article caught my attention... this one is pretty funny... and it goes right along with the job-ish theme of this blog :)

Here are 10 real-life mistakes that illustrate what not to do when you sit down for your next interview:

1. Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.

2. Applicant told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died – and his uncle wasn't "looking too good."

3. The job seeker asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.

4. The applicant smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room.

5. Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified."

6. Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.

7. When the applicant was offered food before the interview, he declined saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.

8. An applicant said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person" – in her interview for an accounting position.

9. During a phone interview the candidate flushed the toilet while talking to hiring manager.

10. The applicant took out a hairbrush and brushed her hair.


have a day...
-kmw-

seven...

7 quirky things you never knew you wanted to know about me:

1. i am number 4 of 5 children (4 girls, 1 boy) and, sorry sisters, i'm the favorite daughter... i'm the baby girl, therefore the favorite... see how that works? if you ask my mom, i'm their "second son" and a repeat of 2 of my 3 older sisters... also the most dramatic ;) but as far as i'm concerned i'm the favorite! :) i am my daddy's little girl. i've always been more tom-boyish than my other siblings (well, except "the first son" Emily).

2. i can't sleep at night without constant, consistent noise... if you walk into my room it's pretty much like a wind tunnel... i have a box fan, on medium, blowing right at my bed and a little fan hanging above my bed blowing down on me too... i need fresh, circulating air... my sleep-space has to be slightly cold, windy, and soft. i have 2 king-size pillows, 5 standard-size pillows and a down comforter... and it doesn't stop there... underneath all that there's a fitted sheet... (no top sheet, i cant stand top sheets... they just get twisted and tangled and end up on the floor anyway...) there's a padded mattress cover on top of a sleeping bag, on top of a fluffy comforter (folded in half) on top of a "full" mattress... ridiculous? my mom thinks so.

3. i'm slightly claustrophobic... i blame my sisters... small spaces don't really bother me, i don't like elevators, but not because of the confined space... if i can't move my arms and legs i will go ballistic... when i go camping i have to unzip all the way, or sleep on top of my sleeping bag with a blanket... if i'm sitting on a couch with a blanket over me and someone sits by my feet on top of the blanket i have to yank it out or get out somehow... if i can't get out i freak out and start to cry... and those of you that know me know that i DON'T cry...

4. i don't like my food to touch each other... my mom calls me "Kevin" after her younger brother because he always had to have those plates with the little divider things... yeah... if i had those, i'd use them all the time. if i have syrup or gravy or something runny on my plate, i'll even go as far as putting a knife handle under one side of my plate so whatever-it-is won't run into my other food... dad, i don't care if it's all going to the same place, it doesn't have to start all mixed together... that's just gross...

5. i love a good argument... if i need to, i'll even start a fight for no reason! just to get out some aggression, i'll push buttons and try as hard as i can to get someone to argue with me. and i never lose. i will never start a fight that i can't win. or if someone starts a fight with me, i won't give them the benefit of arguing with me unless i know i'm right. yeah, it sounds immature, but you can't tell me that you haven't started a fight just to get a rise out of someone, only to crush them because you know you're right. everyone has done it. i'm just more stubborn than anyone i know. i guess i can blame my parental unit for that... together they made me... the most stubborn human on this earth. and don't you forget it.

6. i'm addicted to silver jewelery. i won't wear gold stuff... only silver. i wear 8 or 9 rings on a daily basis, all of which are silver AND all of them have sentimental value, contrary to popular belief. i always wear a silver, ASL "i love you" necklace and occasionally pair it with a silver 4-leaf clover necklace. i wear silver earrings, whether it's hoops, wings, studs, you name it. i'll even go for a good platinum now and then... it looks silver but it's more durable...

7. i rarely get sick... i'm pretty sure that my immune system is the greatest ever. reason: when i was a little, little kid i sat out in my yard and picked up a rock from the ground, stuck it in my mouth, sucked off the mud, tossed it back and picked up another one... "God made dirt, dirt don't hurt." i'm immune to EVERYTHING. i'm pretty sure i inherited my dad's awesome immune system too... he'll eat stuff out of the fridge that starving kids in Ethiopia wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole and nothing will happen to him. he won't get sick, he won't throw up, nothing. it's incredible... anyway, yeah. genes... (p.s. whoever said that after you throw up you feel better LIED... i feel worse...)

hope you all enjoyed this...
ya never knew you wanted to know huh??

have a day.
-kmw-

be jealous...

Robert Downy Jr...
so hott...
so good actor...
be jealous.
my best friend is the greatest...
she took me to a private screening of Ironman last night...
we were the only ones in the entire theater...
awesome seats we didn't have to fight for, no one to be annoying and kick the back of my seat, no one sitting in front of me so i couldn't put my feet up, no obnoxious kids, nobody... just us. enjoying a truly awesome movie.
definitely gotta own that one.
it was intense and hilarious.
that may have been because i had been up for far too long and was getting a little loopy, but i thought it was pretty humorous...
i'll need to get the soundtrack too...
definitely my kind of music...
my dad calls it "bang your sword on your shield" music...
i call it "good, loud, driving, workout" music
definitely go see it. you won't regret it.



tonight we're gunna go see Made of Honor...
Patrick Dempsey...
also hott...
also a private screening...
YESSSSSS.....
should be good... i'll give my review later... ;)
hope all y'all have a fun night! :)
i know i will!!
even though i'm lacking in the sleep department...
i have a few things to blame though....
1. movie started at 11:30pm
2. i got a text message at 2:30am
(we won't say any names... he knows who he is)
3. my house is under construction, so against my will i'm woken up at about 8ish every morning, regardless of how late (or how early) i was out the night before...

whatever...

peace out...

-kmw-

what if no one were fat?

yet another headline that caught my attention...

In the United States today, 66% of adults are overweight. Almost 33% of adults are obese, and 4.7% are morbidly obese, or more than 100 pounds overweight. But . . .

What if nobody in America were fat?

We'd save billions of dollars in gas. Airlines would double their profits. A dearth of diabetes and other diseases would save billions of dollars more -- and put thousands of doctors on the street. McDonald's would sell not Big Macs but little steamed chicken snacks -- or watch its profits melt away. Productivity would rise, potentially creating tens of thousands more jobs or higher wages all around.
Add up the savings on health, food, clothing and efficiencies, and you could buy a professional home gym for every U.S. household -- or hand each $4,270 in cash.

$487 billion in gas, sweat and stretch pants

Yes, it sounds a little wild, but the implications of a leaner, meaner country add up to a weighty $487 billion. That's almost 3.5% of gross domestic product, no small sum.

Mind you, only 1.8% of that is new growth. The rest is a radical shift in resources, away from the needs of our bigger citizens to . . . well, whatever we and our overlords would spend these extra billions on.

First, let's put the meat on that $487 billion. The estimates below assume the average American adult is at least 20 pounds overweight, a figure nutritionists see as fair.

• Savings on fuel for cars and airlines due to their lighter loads would top $5 billion, according to industry studies. Researchers say each overweight driver burns about 18 additional gallons of gas a year, or just under a billion gallons altogether. Savings in the air are far greater: The jet-fuel savings alone could double North American airlines' forecast 2008 profits to $3.8 billion and maybe persuade them to stop stranding passengers because they can't afford the fuel for flights. As for oil imports, they'd be dented by less than 1%.


• Plus-sized clothing costs 10% to 15% more, so shoppers would save $10 billion on shirts, pants and dresses. And clothes might fit better too. Cynthia Istook, an associate professor in textile apparel at North Carolina State University, says the economies of making fewer sizes would be tremendous. Clothing makers could then afford to offer more variety in hip and bust sizes, rather than asking every woman to squeeze into an hourglass shape.


• Because 3,500 calories translates into a pound of fat, somewhere along the way, America's 227 million adults have eaten 16 trillion calories too many. That's 14 billion Big Mac meals, with fries and a soda. Eliminate those and you wipe out $81 billion, or McDonald's past four years of sales.


• If Americans were slim and maintained their weight by eating 150 fewer calories a day (half a slice of pizza), that could snip roughly 6.5%, or $20 billion a year, off U.S. farmers' sales (assuming no extra exports). Bob Young, the American Farm Bureau's chief economist, says farmers would cope. They'd switch some land from fattening seed oils and sugar beets to fruits and vegetables. Or they might grow corn for ethanol, or even open a hunting resort.


• The medical costs of obesity-related problems such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease run near $140 billion, or more than 6% of all health-care costs. That ballpark figure was calculated by Joel Cohen, an economic researcher for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, using data from a 1998 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. Cohen reckons that if no one were fat, medical insurance costs would fall -- to everyone's delight -- and doctors and drug makers could do more preventive care. That sounds good, but Roland Sturm, a senior economist for Rand in Santa Monica, Calif., doubts anyone would pay for preventive care. More likely, he says, some doctors would be on the street. "They could drive cabs," he suggests.


• Productivity in the workplace would jump as people took fewer sick days and spent less time at work feeling unwell. Ross DeVol, the director of health economics at the Milken Institute, says the loss of productivity due to people showing up at work sick is "immense." Using a recent Milken report on the subject, he calculates that if no one were obese, the added output from workers and their caregivers would give the country a $257 billion boost. That's 1.8% of GDP, enough extra output to allow businesses to hire tens of thousands more workers or to raise wages, economists say. Or at least, that's the theory. Given bosses' love of expanding their profits and their own pay, you can count on some of this being spirited away. Just look at 2000 to 2005, when worker productivity rose 16.6% while median wages rose less than half that amount.


• "Jenny Craig would be very unhappy" if everyone were slim, says Rand's Sturm. And so she would, along with the rest of the $55 billion weight-loss industry. Trimmed-down citizens would be swapping their diet pills for bikinis and their gastric-banding for nose jobs.

it goes on to end with a section on what to do with all the money saved... but i thought this was interesting... i dont exactly agree with some of the things said in this one, but it's not for me to judge. :)

-kmw-

priceless

my best friend and i were sitting in the back row at church after i was finished leading the music, just sitting there, enjoying the meeting, and while i was looking around the room to see who/what i could see i noticed that all three of these boys in the row ahead of us were sitting the exact same way... left elbow up on the back, right arm down, head slightly tilted...

from left to right: Mr. Ex-Roommate-That-I-Don't-Have-A-Name-For, Mr. DC's (aka: Mr. Anti-Social) and Mr. Soccer...

it was pretty funny... i nudged Sylvia and she looked and then said to get out my phone and take a picture... i'm gunna take this opportunity to say that i'm just following Mr. Soccer's example... i know it's not really allowed to take pictures in the chapel, but this was priceless.

mariners and french toast...

the ward went to the Mariner's game on Saturday... good times had by all. the sun was out (mostly) it wasn't too hot or too cold, we were surrounded by friends, the M's won... all in all it was a fantastic experience! i took a bunch of pictures, you'll have to check out my facebook for those :) this was my favorite one of all the pictures i took...
i'm not as much of a baseball fan as i wish i was... i guess the game is just a little too sporadic in it's excitement for me... and there's not enough contact... football is my sport of choice...
but considering that the football season doesn't start til September 4th, baseball it is... there were a bunch of people there and it was a blast! :) my least favorite part though... Mr. Soccer, Mr. DCs and their ex-roommate who i don't have a name for yet, came for a bit, and then left to go over to Qwest for Supercross... oh the JEALOUSY!!! (i've gone past the "green with envy" stage... now i'm just flipping through the colors with jealousy...) i wanted to go SOOO bad!! but i was a driver for a carpool, and my best friend and i couldn't just ditch our carpool-ies, ya know?? oh well... maybe i'll go next year... or maybe i'll fly to Vegas for it next weekend... be spontaneous like that... if only.


THEN... Sunday my best friend and i went over to Mr. Soccer and Mr. DCs abode to make breakfast for dinner... yes, in that beautiful kitchen that i'm so jealous of!! i finally got to cook in it... and it was fanTAStic... we made my dad's famous french toast, hash browns, bacon... mmmmmmm... so good!! i have to admit, i was a little nervous at first... i mean i've made this breakfast a hundred times, if not more, but having people hover over me while i'm making it, expecting something great... yikes!! i'm pretty sure i was shaking... but everyone was pretty lax about it... which made me calm myself down a bit :) it was a way fun time!! we (sylvia and i) provided food and Mr. Soccer and Mr. DCs provided entertainment: Mr. Soccer played the piano and both of them sang... they're quite talented if i do say so myself. i might have to take advantage of that and have them be a special musical number for me one of these Sundays... ;) be prepared to be amazed!
after dinner we had brownies and ice cream and played/watched them play this AWESOME and ADDICTING video game called N+... omigosh... it keeps me up at night! the background music plays in my head and i'm all jumpy cuz i don't wanna land on a mine! it's a fun game though... much more fun than other games i've played... if you die, you don't just fall over like in Halo... your body actually gets blown to smithereens... and pieces of you fly around the screen, setting off more bombs or mines or whatever they are... it's pretty cool... i started to get mad though... i'm not one to take it lightly if i lose repeatedly... i kinda wanted to huck the controller at the tv a few times...
anyway... it was way fun. definitely gunna hafta do that again! :)
thanks for having us over guys!! and thanks for letting me cook in that AWESOME kitchen of yours... LOVE it! :)
bbq ribs next time?? done. (fyi... it's kinda a long process)

-kmw-

i can have this...

sally and stink were at Walgreen's one night and there were these people there... we love to people watch... they were being so ridiculously hilarious that we have since quoted them and their ridiculousness and it's pretty dang funny...
the 2 quotes are "i can have this" and "shut up, i'm trying to pick out a present"
for the whole, gut-busting story you'll have to read sally's blog...

last night... picture this: dad, standing behind the couch, mom sitting on the couch, sally sitting on the floor by the TV and me, in the hall...
there's this over-the-toilet cabinet thing in a box in the hall...
me: is this going upstairs? or in my bathroom?
mom: in your bathroom
me: "i can have this..."
sally: shut up...
dad: shut up, i'm trying to think about a Christmas present...
me: ...what?!
mom, sally, me: *laughing so hard we almost peed our pants*
sally: (for the rest of the night) shut up, i'm trying to think about a Christmas present for you...

for some reason my dad can't quote things quite right... ever...
he tries, really he does, and it's so funny because he says what he THINKS are the right words... but really they're not... he does it with movie lines, funny things that we've said in the past, or pretty much anything... and then a new quote is born in the hysterical laughter of his "re-arranged" quote... hahaha!!!

gotta love family...

-kmw-

TAG! you're it...

i was reading my cousin's blog, getting an update on their life that i've been missing since last summer... and i saw this "tagged" blog and thought it was a way fun idea
so i decided to play tag and see how it went...

4 JOBS I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE:
1. Dairy Queen when i was 16 (never again... ugh!)
2. Coldwell Banker Bain as a Personal Assistant in (august-december '04)
3. Lowe's HIW (august '04-december '06)
4. WISM/WAPT (april '07-current)

4 MOVIES I WOULD (OR HAVE) WATCHED OVER AND OVER:
1. 300
2. P&P, S&S, MAAN
3. Tommy Boy
4. So I Married an Aze Murder

4 PLACES I'VE LIVED:
1. Kirkland, WA
2. Nauvoo, IL
3. Rexburg, ID
4. TBD

4 PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY:
1. mom
2. brian
3. bishop or counselors
4. urban dictionary wotd

4 OF MY FAVORITE FOODS/RESTAURANTS:
1. TDM (Taco Del Mar)
2. Sakura Teriyaki
3. Red Robin
4. AppleBee's

4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. in my bed
2. Hawaii (never been...)
3. tanning
4. kickin it with Peyton Manning

4 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2008:
1. SUMMER!!! (including: sun, 4th of July, boating, tanning in the REAL sun...)
2. family reunion in august
3. losing 40lbs
4. paying off my credit cards

4 FRIENDS I WANT TO TAG:
1. sisters: Jennalee, Emily and Molly (yeah, i know that's 3 people... sue me)
2. brother: Fleet aka: SALLY!!
3. Brian Lutz
4. Mike Shin

back to basics...

the draft starts tomorrow at noon... now, i know how some of this works, but i still had some questions, so i went looking for answers... i decided to post my findings here for anyone else that was wondering how and why the NFL Draft works...
look how resourceful i am ;) yay for Google!

How is the NFL Draft Order determined?

• The team with the lowest winning percentage at the end of the previous season drafts first in the NFL Draft.
• The rest of the teams are placed in order from lowest winning percentage to the highest.
• The Super Bowl winner drafts last, even if they do not have the highest winning percentage.
• The Super Bowl loser drafts next to last.
• Strength of schedule for the previous season is the first tie-breaker for teams with the same winning percentage.
• Divisional and conference records are the next step in the tie-breaking procedure.
• As a last resort, a coin toss is used to determine the order of selection for teams with the same winning percentage.
• If a playoff and non-playoff team end the season with the same winning percentage, the non-playoff team selects before the playoff team regardless of strength of schedule.

a two part blog about stupidity

"facing up" is always better than "bowing out"

for the love.
if people would just confront their problems and get them out in the open and taken care of, the world would be a much happier place.
the way people pussy foot around the proverbial "bush" is driving me absolutely CRAZY...
i'm tired of people taking out their frustrations with the way people are, on innocent and irrelevant objects without confronting the person (or object) that they're having an issue with. i mean honestly... fighting over myspace, facebook, whatever...
dumb.
"fighting online is like being in the Special Olympics.... even if you win you're still a retard"
sorry, that's a little harsh, but OH-so-true.
i don't know about you, but i would rather have someone that's angry with me, for whatever reason, TELL ME about it, rather than talk to their friends or just let the problem fester and get worse and worse til they HATE me, and then not even remember why.
yes, some things go away if you ignore them long enough, but if you don't tell someone that whatever they're doing is bothering you, there's no chance of them ever changing or fixing the problem.
i'm convinced this is why people, who were SO happily married, get divorced...
"what we've got here, is a failure to communicate"
stop writing notes.
stop changing your "status".
TALK for crying out loud!


NOW... for the second part of this vent-session of a blog...


i absolutely HATE... hate Hate HATE HATE people that don't know how to freaking drive.
if i were in charge, people would have to RE-take the drive-test, as well as the written, at age 60.
you don't pass, you don't drive.
simple as that.
so... i'm coming home from down-town Kirkland with Sylvia, just drivin' along, eastbound 85th street... 35-40mph... whatever... i'm coming up on the freeway entrance/exits and there's a car, a Subaru Outback (i kid you not) coming off the exit where they SHOULD yield and then merge into traffic...
well, this high-and-mighty, owner-of-the-road, jerk decides that he doesn't want to yield, even though i'm going 40 and not slowing down. he's supposed to yield, right? hmm...
so he's "comin' in!! and if i didn't see him, accident..." so i slam on my breaks, LAY on the horn and don't let up until they have turned the corner past the car dealership and gotten out of my way... (for those of you that don't know Kirkland very well, that's a good block-and-a-half and yes, i was laying on my horn the whole time) of course i yelled a few not-so-nice words at him as i was laying on my horn... and as we passed them i noticed, besides the stupid car they were driving, that they were OLD people!! UGH!
if i had a gun there'd be a lot less stupid people on the road.
for the love.
if you don't know how to use those pedals by your feet, get the CRAP out of the car, and OFF the road!
honestly.
now to touch on the Subaru Outback thing...
i can say, truthfully, that more than a handful of times i've almost been in an accident while driving behind, next to, in front of, anywhere within a 100-foot radius of a Subaru Outback.
they slam on their breaks at just-turned-yellow lights, drive 5 miles under the speed limit, don't know how to read when it comes to road signs, try and run you off the road because they can't for the life of them look in their blind-spots before merging, and in general are older-than-crap, tree-hugging, organic-food-eating, "green"-thinking, "hiking-is-a-sport" yuppies that wouldn't know normality if it bit them in the ARMpit...
RRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!
*heavy sigh* (mom: "eyeballs and a belly button...")
anyway... i think that's enough for today...
have a nice day!


-kmw-

40lbs. by AUG 6th OR BUST!!

so, i know i've blogged about this a couple times before, but whatever... it never hurts to be "enthusiastic" about losing weight.
since the last time i posted about this i've become a little more serious about it too...
i had a big motivation burst yesterday! i came to work, as usual and brought my "extreme gulp" jug full of ice water to drink. it's about 64oz. and i usually drain one in a work day (5 hours) which isn't bad if you ask me!!
but anyway, where i work, DLP also does Fire Fighter Testing, so yesterday there were a couple of them here and one of them asked me about my jug of water... i said that i had 32lbs left to lose by August 6th...
"why that number? and why that date?"
"well, my whole family is coming into town for my family reunion that day... and i don't wanna be the cow in all the pictures..."
"*haha* i see! well, that's a good way to start! most of the time when someone starts to lose weight it's mostly water weight that goes first."
"yeah, i've decided to cut out pop and burgers..."
"good idea! do you plan out your meals?"
"i don't, but i should..."
"well, when you plan to plan out your meals, you should try and eat 4-6 small meals a day... a serving the size of your fist, lots of fruits and vegetables, fiber, carbs... what have you been working on so far?"
"well, it's been baby steps so far, so i'm not shocking the crap out of my body, ya know... i don't eat after 9pm, it would be earlier, but i don't get off work til 7 or later every night... but yeah, that and i don't drink pop or eat out, and i try and drink lots and lots of water."
"do you eat a lot of dairy?"
"uh... well, i drink milk...??"
"what about cottage cheese?"
"eww... no... not a fan"
"it's good for you... i don't really like it either, but you might try mixing it half and half with yogurt, maybe throw in some fruit... and there's a meal!"
"hmm... i'll have to try that... :)"
"yeah, it seems like you've got a good idea of what you need to do, now all you have to do is actually DO IT!"
"yeah, i've gotta force myself for a bit, but i think i'll be able to just form a habit..."
"yeah, and if you need or want any pointers, just give us a call at the Fire Department and ask for me! i'd be more than happy ta help you out."
"THANKS! that would be awesome!"
he was a pretty awesome guy... not bad looking either... hmm...
THEN my co-worker came in and she's a personal trainer...
i asked her if i could pick her brain for some other ideas on what i could cut out, add in, or change, and we had a good chat about calories and how much i was taking in... and how much i SHOULD be taking in... and how i need to actually drag my sorry butt out of bed in the morning and get my metabolism going so i'm not just retaining water and being a slug...
and THEN one of the dad's of one of our athletes came in and mentioned to me that i looked thinner... (which i thought was AWESOME...) i said that i'd only lost 8lbs in the last month, but i guess... THANKS!! :) he asked me what i was doing and i went through the whole shpeal (if that's a word) again and said that i had been going through boxes and found pictures of what i looked like in high school... DANG i looked good... if only... so i said that i was on my way to making my Drivers License accurate again... :)
anyway, so yeah... BIG motivation day for me...
so this morning, instead of rolling over and shutting off my very-loud-alarm (the NFL Theme) i actually got my sorry butt out of bed at 9, made breakfast, cleaned my room, finished my laundry, sorted a stack of papers while doing a few ab-exercises, had a healthy lunch with some friends, and now i'm at work...
i've had about 60oz of water today and had to pee-like-sea-biscuit about 6 or 8 times already...
talk about flushing your system! no joke...
Day 1 and counting... wish me luck!!

-kmw-

holy slow texter...

for the life of me, i cant understand why it takes 5 years for people who are young(er) to send a text.
i mean c'mon.
even my DAD can send a text in a relatively short period of time!! and he's got fat fingers! (no offence dad... it's a small phone with small buttons... or something)
if you can't figure out the "T9", switch to manual! it's easy! the letters are printed on the keys!!
when you're trying to have a conversation with someone, through text, and they take over an hour to respond, MOST people have already forgotten what the conversation was about.
you have to go back into your outbox (if your phone automatically saves it) and see what you asked or said to get the response you did...
and if your phone doesn't save it you're S.O.L.
good luck piecing together the conversation.
it's even worse when it's inconsistent!!
explanation: if someone usually is a pretty quick responder, but then one day they just take forever, without ANY explanation or reason (i.e. working, in a meeting, sleeping...) it makes ya wonder 'um... hello? are you alive? or just ignoring me?'...
and vice-versa... if someone is notoriously slow at texting, i can get used to that. but when they all of a sudden start texting right back when you expect to have a good hour of waiting, it totally throws off the groove.
is it too much to ask for a little consistency!?!
for the record: this is NOT an attack on guys. girls, you do it too.
honestly people. use your thumbs...
yeah, i know that some people aren't the texting type, they prefer to talk on the phone or even be in person to have conversations...
there's nothing wrong with that!
i'm totally down for talking on the phone or going out to lunch and chatting over some good food, or even just kickin it and talking/venting while playing Madden NFL 08 or Grand Theft Auto IV or Rainbow Six Vegas II... or some game where you get to shoot things and people... (those of you that know me know that i mostly just watch these games... the only video game i'm actually good at is the old Mario Brothers games)
anyway... there's my little vent about Holy Slow Texters... hopefully i won't have to re-visit this one...

-kmw-

HA-larious!!

pretty much the funniest thing i've seen all week...

*thank you Sylvia for making me laugh*

totally busted up the first time i saw this picture...


and it still kills me!!


-kmw-

been there, kissed that...

hahahahaha!! i can't get over how funny this one is...

the original has more types, but i copied the ones that i've personally experienced...

I have a tongue, too, thank you

Tom was a good-looking, smart guy who played guitar and opened every door for me, but he also had a knack for filling my entire mouth with his imperialistic tongue, which completely crushed mine as it recklessly reached for my tonsils. No matter what I did, I couldn’t remove it, mostly because my own tongue seemed to have disappeared. Lots of oral offenders’ tongues make the mistake of setting up permanent residence in their dates’ mouths. The tongue should be about playful give and take: Tease, then pull back. If that gets a positive response, venture a little further, but never leave your date thinking, “What the heck happened to my tongue?” or “Red alert: Suffocation setting in!”

Mr. Hoover (more recent than the others...foul)

Mr. Hoover is the opposite of the previous smoocher—he likes to suck your tongue right out of your mouth and hold onto it. If your date’s entire head is unwillingly following yours because you’re holding her tongue hostage, that’s probably not a good thing. Tongue suction is tricky. Unless you know exactly the amount of suction to exert and the duration to hold your partner’s tongue captive (Hint: it’s not five minutes), you’re treading into Bad Kisser Land.

The Cheek-Licker

Licking or lapping your date’s cheek will leave him or her either (a) grossed out or (b) laughing (i personally laughed right out loud...). Licking people’s faces isn’t hot. (I don’t care if your girlfriend freshman year loved it; she was one in a million, maybe 100 million.) When it comes to kissing, the tongue should make contact with two — and only two — places above the shoulders besides the mouth—the neck and the ear. But if you shoot for these erogenous zones, don’t overdo it. Wet willies and hickeys are for amateurs.

i laughed the whole time i was reading this... *giggle-eww-giggle*

mostly because all i could think about was this picture that Sylvia had on her facebook... and it reminded me of a pretty bad experience i had with Mr. MormonHoover...

i repeat:

*giggle-eww-giggle*

i can honestly say that i just about peed my pants when i saw this picture...

so funny...

-kmw-

the last one single...

yup. i found yet another hilarious article! :) yay for MSN.com! this time i just picked out my favorites of the Q&A section...

So you’ve noticed that you’re the only one in your circle of friends who isn’t attached, engaged or married, huh?

here we go!! :)

Q: Why do so many women experience this type of panic?
A: Being single in this society is still the greatest of social stigmas—despite how many zeroes are at the end of our paychecks or initials after our name. Society still perceives singleness as a personal failure and sends us this classic mixed message that while we should flourish in our careers and embrace our independence, we’re still a failure if we’re single. And as our expectations rise in all other areas of life, they too are heightened when it comes to our “personal success” with marriage. So essentially, the Panic Years are both self-imposed and culturally-imposed.

if you're still single-and-30 (or 30+) it's not because you suck at life. if you're progressing and have a good career path you're fine! there's nothing wrong with trying to get ahead in life. if you're 30 and stagnant... that's just sad. get off your butt and do something!

Q: To get through the Panic Years, you recommend that women use “creative tactics” to find potential fiancés (PFs). What are some of these tactics?
A: Instead of retracing stale dating routes that aren’t getting you anywhere, look for opportunities in places you might have missed. When life hands you an emergency-room visit for that skiing mishap, make nice with the cute, single resident on call! Look at every event in life as an opportunity—and not just one that passes you by, but one you must seize! Who said you can’t find a cute, straight guy at jury duty? Instead of idling away at the inscrutable Latin carved on the walls, a woman I know made small talk with juror #5, her current boyfriend of more than a year.

HA-larious! i think i'll take this opportunity to quote my favorite movie... i'm pretty sure that if you go around "making nice" with anything male (or female) that moves and breathes you'll become "the most determined flirt that ever made [yourself and your] family ridiculous." (Pride and Prejudice) no joke.

Q: How can women deal with what you call “Panic by Proxy,” the pressure from pushy parents and friends?
A: What those people putting pressure on you don’t know won’t hurt them. Exercise your right to keep the play-by-play of your relationship as private as possible. And don’t be afraid to confront these people once and for all. Confront the offenders head-on and explain that their projected pressure onto you is self-defeating. Let them know that it is crushing your self-esteem and putting an undue strain on your relationship with them.

tell them to back the heck off... there's nothing wrong with being single dang it!! just because all 3 of your sisters are happily married, 2 of them with 4 children each and the other with 2, doesn't mean you have to run out and get yourself hitched to the first guy you "crush" on... good grief!!

Q: What kind of dating expectations do you recommend single women experiencing the Panic Years set if they want to get married?
A: If you’re already planning your wedding to the guy you’re sitting across from on date number one, you’re in trouble. Not necessarily because he won’t be The One, but because you’re not even letting yourself be in the moment. Permit yourself to get lost in the date, get lost in your conversation, get lost in him. But whatever you do, don’t let yourself get lost in the single-mindedness of walking down the aisle by tomorrow. You will not only sabotage this relationship, but any future relationship with those kinds of expectations. At the same time, letting a “comfortable relationship” languish for years without any shift in momentum doesn’t bode well for your marital future, either. Don’t think about clinching the deal at every phase of your relationship, but do be cognizant of your needs and share that with your partner, who, if he’s the right one, will unquestionably respect that. But if he’s still sneaking you in through the service entrance of his building after months of dating, he’s pretty much telegraphing his true intentions for you.

ok, i agree with this last one. yes, i'm guilty of thinking "hmm... Mrs. Kiley So-and-So... that sounds nice" or even going as far as signing my first name with his last name... once upon a time i did that sort of thing! (yeah yeah, i know i'm still young and so it couldn't have been THAT long ago, but whatever... shut up.) thankfully, i can say i've moved on... matured, if you will. now it's just a funny, hi-i'm-ridiculous kind of thing that i make fun of... mostly i get a kick out it when people that still do that kind of thing can't, for the life of them, stop, but try and rationalize their way into sanity... right... been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the hat... not worth the extra stress!!

you stay classy... :)

-kmw-

unpredictable: seattle weather

i don't care what the weather man says, our weather canNOT be predicted...
from the time i got up this morning (yes, i was up at 9 this morning, shocker) until just now, 6:30pm, the weather has gone straight to crap. the sun was out and it was blue skies and beautiful weather until about... 1:30... then when i got to work it was sprinkling... at about 3 it started to hail... by 4 it was snowing, big flakes... and here we are, 6:30 and it's pouring down rain, flippin cold outside, and miserable, Seattle weather...
it's all quite depressing...
ok ok... the rain is great. it keeps everything fresh and green...
i just hate that everything is soggy all the time.
in my opinion, pouring rain is only good for 2 things:
making out like in the movies (i.e. The Notebook) and playing mud-football.
other than that... ugh. no wonder people are always sad and crabby... i don't blame them!! i've lived here my whole life!! the only time i've ever been away from here for an extended period of time is when i was at school in Illinois and then in Idaho... i was only gone for 3 or 4 months at a time... and that's only in the last 4 years... i think i should move... permanently... to a state with sunshine more often than not... this girl needs some sun!! none of this fake, tanning-bed stuff... (don't get me wrong, it's the greatest 12 minute nap in the world) i just need some real sun...
AHH! i just looked outside and it's raining AND snowing all at the same time... fan-flippin-tastic.

-kmw-

really??

for the love.
can we not do anything that makes sense?!
nope... i think not.
for some reason my family feels the need to make life as difficult as possibly possible for everyone else, mostly me... oh, and then they like to get on my case for being the one that wastes gas and time doing thing that "don't make economical sense"... really?
honestly people...
ok, so i live about 8 minutes away from my work. it's pretty much a straight shot if you're coming down 124th. tonight is "date night" so i called my dad and said:
"i'm having a thought here..."
"oh, does it hurt?" (he thinks he's SO funny)
"ha ha... so my thought is, how about before you and mom go out tonight, can you bring me a car?"
"maybe, we'll see what we can do."
"ok"
so that was about an hour and a half ago...
my brother calls me about 15 minutes ago and says:
"do you have a ride home from work?"
"no, i called and asked dad if he'd bring me a car"
"i thought you were going out tonight?"
"i am, but i'm driving tonight, she drove last time"
"well, we're all going to Lowe's and we don't know if we'll be done by 7"
"that's 2 hours away..."
"yeah, we don't know if we'll be done."
"well... why can't you just bring me a car and then go to Lowe's?"
"because..."
"that's a good reason..."
"we'll come pick you up when you get off work"
"um... whatever."
and i hung up...
for real people??
so they want to: drive here and pick me up, take me back to the house, and go to Lowe's in Bellevue, then i'll get the car and come BACK over here, by work, to pick up my "date" (if you will) Sylvia, just to go to Bellevue... uh...
my idea was to: drive both cars here, leave one, and THEN go to Lowe's so that i can pick up Sylvia on my way to Bellevue for the movie...
no... that would make sense... we're not real big on that... ridiculous...
such is life...

-kmw-

Men's Aerotech 2's... size 6

they finally came...
they're on my feet...
i nearly hyperventilated while opening the box
before i opened the actual shoe box i had to breathe...
*in through the nose, out through the mouth*
i was driving at the time...
so i had a shoe in my lap...
my best friend had the other one in her lap...
we both smelled the "new shoe smell"
definitely the most exciting thing that's happened to me all freakin' week...
is that sad?? i think so...
but still....
aren't they beautiful!!??
SO worth the wait...
i think i'm so happy with my shoes that i may just forget about those stupid people and let them off the hook this once...
beautiful...
SO hott shoes...
i can't get over how hott they are...
dang.

-kmw-
p.s. i know all of you that got that mass-picture-text from me are just as excited as i am... ;)

holding my breath...

"hi, this is Mr. ICan'tCopyAnAddress, from UPS in Redmond... i'm calling for Kiley..."
"this is her."
"oh! ok, i'm calling because we have a package for you and i'm trying to get the correct address"
"that would be good... considering it's been almost 3 weeks..."
"*uneasy laugh* the address i have here is 12707 120th Street..."
"that's wrong."
"o...k, let me get a pen here and write down the correct address..."
"it's ONE-TWO-SEVEN-ZERO-SEVEN, ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTIETH AVENUE NORTHEAST, SUITE ONE-HUNDRED..."
(i don't think i could have spelled it out or enunciated my words more clearly... i felt like i was talking to a child... but hey, whatever it takes, right?)
"ok, great, that will be delivered tomorrow"
"great. i'll be waiting."
"have a nice day"
"oh i will... as soon as they get here"
"*uneasy laugh* bye"

so... tomorrow it is...
no problem...
that's just... ya know...
20 days from the day i ordered them...
18 days from when they were shipped...
EIGHTEEN days!!
yeah, that sounds like "3-7 business days, not including weekends" to me!
then there's the 8 days, from the day they delivered it to the wrong address, it would take to "track it down and re-route it"...
tomorrow would be day 7 of those 8 days...
RAR!
i'm happy... but at the same time i'm still pissed off...
it's a mixed emotion.

-kmw-

been there, dated that...

at work i find myself usually perusing through the articles on MSN.com, reading anything that grabs my attention... mostly i read the ones with titles that make me smile a little or even laugh right out loud... like today's article:

Love Tips from Animal Trainers

They’ve trained dogs to sit, dolphins to flip mid-air, and bears to balance on balls and play the harmonica. But can animal trainers also teach us a thing or two about taming our romantic partners? It’s a strange concept, and yet Amy Sutherland, who’d observed animal trainers in action, decided to apply the same techniques toward changing a few of her husband Scott’s less savory habits. After secretly subjecting him to a few training sessions, Sutherland was pleasantly surprised to see major improvements: Suddenly, Scott was happily picking up socks, shaving more often, and driving under the speed limit. In short, animal training had helped her mold her guy into a model sweetie.

she, the author, continues on with a Q&A section that i found humorous...

Q: First off, isn’t it a little insulting to “train” people like animals? Haven’t we evolved more sophisticated ways to convey our needs, like talking?
A: Talking is overrated. We rely on it too much when we have other tools at our disposal. We think, “If only I explained things just right to my date, that will solve the problem.” And it’s fine to say something once. But all too often we just end up repeating ourselves with no luck. Animal trainers, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of speech. They can’t tell a hyena, “Now, if you could just stand up on your hind legs and turn around….” As a result, they’re masters at changing behavior in an entirely different way. And we can learn from them.

for real?! talking is overrated?? hmm... if there's another way, what is it?! treats? "sweet-tooth" motivation to do our bidding?

Q: So what, in a nutshell, is the secret to training a romantic partner?
A: The most important thing to remember with people as well as animals is that punishment isn’t an effective way to get what you want. You don’t teach a sea lion to flip by nagging; likewise, I couldn’t convince my husband Scott to change by nagging either. So instead of punishing him when he didn’t pick up his socks, I started rewarding him when he did. And it worked. The same technique applies to dating scenarios, too. If someone says he’s going to call on a certain night then doesn’t, chewing him out when he finally does contact you will only further discourage him from calling. So, while it’s tempting to say, “It’s great to hear from you but…” stick to “It’s great to hear from you,” period.

i agree that punishing someone doesn't work... in fact i think it would make them love you less... or at least be less inclined to show you affection. at least give them the chance to make it up to you... ;)

Q: So what should you do if you’ve got the opposite problem, where someone is calling too often and being clingy?
A: For this, what comes to mind is a technique I learned from a professional trainer who’d taught African crested cranes to stop landing on his head. Rather than discouraging the cranes from landing on him, he laid some mats on the ground and encouraged the cranes to land there instead. Likewise, if someone’s calling you constantly asking when you’re free, fighting off the entreaties with “I’m busy” won’t do much good. Assuming you really do want to see this person when you can, you can put an end to the pestering simply by setting a firm date to get together, even if that’s far in the future. Since you’ve made a plan, your date can focus on that and no longer has a reason to bug you before then.

currently having this issue with Mr. SingleForLife... but what if i don't really wanna see him again?? i don't think setting a date to get together will make him stop... wouldn't that have the opposite effect??

Q: What if the person you’re trying to train doesn’t seem to be improving?
A: Take baby steps. You can’t teach a baboon to ride a skateboard all in one day. First, you teach the baboon to sit on it, then stand on it, and so on. Likewise, if your date is chronically late, you can’t expect that she’ll suddenly start showing up on time. Maybe, instead of being a half-hour late, she’ll only make you wait 15 minutes. That’s progress and you should acknowledge that.

why should you need to train someone to do things the way you want them to? if you fell in love with them, or even if you just LIKE them, isn't it who they are now, that you fell for? not the thing you're trying to make them become??

Q: Only what exactly should you give someone as a “reward”? Obviously you’re not talking about biscuits here.
A: The reward can be anything someone likes, and it’s good to mix it up. Any prize will lose its value if it becomes too predictable. My dog Penny Jane loves treats, but she also likes getting her chin scratched, so I’ll use those, too. My list for Scott includes smiles, kisses, hugs, head rubs, compliments, and presents—especially stereo and bike gear. On dates, if you always bring flowers, give the same compliment, or wait until the end of the evening to move in for a kiss, things will get stale pretty fast. A little variety – by, say, kissing at the beginning or in the middle of the date instead of at the doorstep – will keep things interesting.

interesting... that's for sure. gotta love variety!!

Q: Are there certain behaviors that are too entrenched to change?
A: Absolutely. You can’t keep a badger from digging, and I can’t stop Scott from losing his wallet and keys. In relationships, women often pressure men to be more talkative, while men try to get women to cool it on the communication front. I doubt either gender will train the other to change any time soon, so it’s a waste of time to try. A woman once complained to me that her boyfriend tended to text her rather than call. She took it personally, as if it were a sign he didn’t care. But chances are, it has nothing to do with her. He just loves texting, and she might have to accept that’s how he prefers to communicate.

i have nothing to say to this... mostly cuz i agree...

Q: So now that your husband Scott knows to pick up his socks, shave, and drive under the speed limit, what’s next on your wish list?
A: Scott could really use a haircut. In the past, I would have nagged him about it, but now I keep my mouth shut. The day he does come home with a haircut, though, I’m going to shower him with appreciation.

whatever... only if there's "gold" involved...

Q: Does Scott train you, too?
A: Totally. When I briefly had braces and was on a teary tirade about how much pain I was in, Scott didn’t respond at all. This is a common technique that trainers use on dolphins called the Least Reinforcing Scenario, or L. R. S. for short. When a dolphin misbehaves by squirting water on the trainer, the best response is to ignore it, since any reaction, positive or negative, will only fuel the behavior. Once I realized Scott wasn’t going to coddle or carp on me for whining, I ran out of steam. Then it hit me what he was doing. “Did you just give me an L. R. S.?” I asked him. He didn’t respond to that, either. But clearly, it worked.

i'm pretty sure this works with kids too... most people, if ignored, will knock off whatever behavior is being ignored... when you don't get a desired reaction or a "rise" out someone, it's kinda boring to bug or complain to them...

-kmw-