Room with a view

Here's the view from my hotel room balcony. It's looking inside to the Cascades area which is just a very small section of the hotel. The large indoor area is in the Delta section of the hotel which has actual buildings inside the building. There is a food court area, "outdoor" Italian restaurant, a river with boat ride.

Perhaps I will take more pictures later if I stop being lazy.

Moving on up

Our case was accepted by the U.S. Court of Appeals. Oral arguments in November. Yay!

What happens when I get stressed

1. Lose my car. Not my keys, my car. Yesterday I had a meeting and had to park in this massive underground parking ramp. I knew I was on Level E. Yet, it took me a good 10 minutes to find where on Level E my car was.

2. I wake up wanting to vomit and continue this feeling til about 3 p.m. It's called, I probably I have Crohn's but no one will diagnose me with anything but "well..."

3. Write excessively in my planner including things like my flight numbers. Why would I ever need to know my flight numbers?

4. Start taking pills like my chemo pills, Tylenol PM or cocaine.

5. Talking myself out of going to the gym or sleep through my alarm that's waking me up to go to the gym.

6. Begin living in a pigsty, wearing clothes I hate because the ones that are OK are dirty and eating things that only come in plastic cups like pudding or jello because I don't want to do dishes.

7. Wear tennis shoes, jeans and sweatshirts. Note: Sweatshirts. Stupid Minnesota.

Why I would prefer to work with polar bears

1. Polar bears do not bitch, moan or complain even though I think they have plenty of reason to seeing as how they live in the Artic.

2. They understand the concept of tranferring to voicemail if someone is not at their desk. They do not take messages on paper mainly because their massive paws prevent them from writing so they are forced to just hit the transfer button.

3. Since they are unable to do anything but pace in circles (assuming they live in a zoo) or swim in ice cold water, they think you're a goddess for doing all that you do.

4. They could growl with me for necessary stress relief.

5. They could eat the construction men that are tearing up the parking lot five feet from my window, rattling the windows and floors causing nausea.

Five years

Five years ago today I was taking a test in my 8:05 Intro to Mass Communications class in Waters Hall. I was a freshman in college. I took the test and since I got out early, Nicole and I went to the Union to get breakfast and saw everyone crowded around TVs. I saw some Collegian reporters starting to arrive, asking questions. I went back to my dorm only to return immediately to the newsroom to spend the day copy editing and helping with a timeline. I emailed my mom and told her it was "crazy" around here.

I watched TV for days. I cried about a week later while I was driving around listening to the radio. I didn't know anyone in New York and didn't even know anyone who knew someone affected by it directly.

Today, I am in Saint Louis for a business meeting. I flew this morning, at a time five years ago when the towers were collasping, and the only notable changes were I had to take off my shoes, there are more cops, and I had to throw away my lip gloss. I was nervous before I flew but only because it was the anniversary. I have flown on dozens of planes in the last five years and never flinched. I can't really remember anymore what it was like when "9/11" wasn't a buzz word, and CNN actually reported on news that wasn't related to terrorism.

It's my generation's unifying event. But yes, I am sick of hearing about it. I am sick of the war. I am sick of reading "how we have changed" articles. I am sick of politicans fighting about the memorial. I am sick of it.

But that doesn't mean when I read the NY Times "Portraits of Grief" updates this morning that I didn't cry while sitting in the back of an airplane.

Funny WTC ads

http://copyranter.blogspot.com/2006/09/who-cares-where-we-were.html

"Yeah, I was at the gym, and it was the first time EVER that I benchpressed 225, so it was like I KNEW something big was happening. I've never been able to get 225 again. Man, I'll always remember that rep—and, yeah, also those 3,000 dead people."

Something I do like about the Midwest

This morning I went to the gourmet grocery store to get the cake for my co-worker's birthday. While standing in line to check out, an employee came by, noticed my cake was blank and said "Oh, honey, let me have someone write on that for you!" She walked back to the bakery with me, got someone to write Happy Birthday on it and then walked back to the front with me to open a new register and check me out.

Then I went to Starbucks and the employees were talking in Southern accents and joked with me about how I picked the wrong day to come there because they were all being weird. They were actually enjoying their job and on my way out they all smiled and said have a nice day.

There are nice people everywhere but we seem to breed more of them in the middle of the country.

I will still love Thursday despite all this

Thursday is my favorite day of the week. It has the anticipation of Friday but not quite the urgency of Friday when there is no tomorrow to get work done. However, it seems that the stupidest people have decided to attempt to ruin my perfect day, and I just can't let that happen.

I have had this phone call greeting at least ten times today:

"This is Sarah"
"Sarah"
"Yep, this is Sarah"

RIDICULOUS.

Also this email strain:

Email #1 from Bob: When will the awards be announced?
Email #2 from me: On this date
Email #3 from George replying to MY email: When will the awards be announced?

Also I have to buy a cake for tomorrow for a co-worker's birthday. When I am the most motherly figure in the office who remembers these things, there has to be serious problems considering I once made a list of reasons to have children which included tax breaks and someone to do the chores.

10 minutes ago...

Guys in car smoking: "Hey there, can you tell us how to get to Hennepin Avenue?"

Me: "Yeah, two blocks that way."

Guy #1: "You have a nice car."

Me: " I know, I like it, too."

Guy #2: "My buddy wants to know where in your pants street is."

Me: "We don't have streets like that around here."

Guy #1: "How about panties (giggle, giggle)"

Me: "Have a nice night alone."

Character flaws

According to the ever so trustworthy Wikipedia: A character flaw is a limitation, imperfection, problem, phobia, or deficiency present in a character who may be otherwise very functional.

Because my workplace environment is driving me into a self-deprecating mood, here are my character flaws:

1. Antsyness - I am always antsy. Especially on gray, rainy Fridays. I am continually in a state of almost content to downright toe-tapping anxious. I want to live on the East Coast. I want to find a job that doesn't frequently involve me wanting to stab myself in the face. I want to have a boyfriend who is obligated to entertain me when I am bored, rub my feet when they hurt after skating and make me dinner when everything in my fridge looks gross. Also, I could use a new car.

2. Fidgetyness - Probably because of No. 1. However, right now I am twirling my flip-flop on the my big toe while kicking the other foot back and forth under my desk, sucking on my Smart Water bottle and ever so often squeezing Marvin the Martian stress man to death. I also highlight everything when I read it online, but usually not the words I am actually reading. Sometimes to prevent my fidgeting, I sit on my right leg, which also has the added benefit of making me taller. I also cut up things if scissors are in sight, tear apart styrofoam cups or rip paper into shreds.

3. Sunlight - I need it. If I don't get it, I am driven to write blogs like this. Why God didn't just drop me on the equator I will never figure out. Maybe it's the whole AIDS, famine thing.

4. Eye rolling - I can't help it. My eyes have a mind of their own. They just roll around like they are in a big jar.

5. Ignoring - When things get too complicated, I ignore them and pretend they either aren't happening or that I really don't care. Not big important things but just annoying small things with friends, boys or life. It probably makes me a little absent from the real world but if I hold out long enough and ignore it, it either goes away or is no longer worth thinking about. Like how I just stop answering my phone when certain names pop up or block email addresses from my account. This routinely happens when I get suffocated like for example if someone was to try and buy me milk.

Proof

See, I really did it. I swear!

A Real Marathoner

My goal going into the St. Paul inline skating marathon (26.2 miles) was first to finish and then second to get under three hours. I had done 21 miles in a little more than two hours.

Starting out I ate a Cliff bar right before which made me really antsy. I started right before 8 a.m. in Open Wave 2. The first part was the hardest and there were several gradual inclines that made it harder especially since they were in areas that there were no cheering spectators, which makes a huge difference. I did see a wheel on the side of the road, a few people getting medical attention, heard about several falls and a guy throwing up.

The end was a huge hill that definitely caused some moaning and groaning but my everyone was yelling and ringing cowbells so it wasn't as bad as I was anticipating.

Official time: 2:06. YES!

I went to lunch with my very supportive friends and came home and slept. When I woke up, my whole body was on fire, and I had a huge headache. I am sure it'll be a few days of recovery or maybe a few weeks ... but the next marathon is Sept. 16 in Duluth so my body better heal fast!

Anyway, super cool day and one of the biggest things I've defintely done in awhile.

Recap

Five good things that happened to me this week:
1. Was able to congratulate Jo on her new job.
2. Went to the Guthrie with Edie
3. Found out the Starbucks guy didn't quit.
4. Bought spandex, a helmet and Cliff bars.
5. Made chocolate chip cookies.

Five bad things that happened this week:
1. Hated my boss.
2. A girl died outside my work making me ponder the meaning of life.
3. Hated my boss.
4. Decided I look like a freak in a helmet.
5. Cloudy and rainy for two days, making me fear winter.

Marathon is Sunday morning!

Reg Desk, Part II

Me: "You can pick up a schedule right there?"
Person: "So can I get an itinerary or something?"
Me: "Yeah, right there."

Co-worker: "Ouch. Do you want me to teach you to hit like a girl?"

Boss: "Isn't the auditorium just darling."
Me: "Yeah..really cute."

WOOHOO

TWENTY-ONE miles today in spite of the 100 degree heat index. No, I am not insane just totally awesome. I am doing one more long skate this week or when I get back from DC and then tapering off before the marathon.

New milestone

Up to 15 miles in rollerblading. Only 11 more to go and I've got myself a marathon.

DONE!

Things I learned during this workshop:

- Being in charge is hard work but you get a lot of respect and it's rewarding when it's all over.

- People admire poise, patience and gentle humor.

- Some teenagers are idiots, and some are awesome.

- It's better not to find out about the illegal dorm poker game, the frat party or the mattress smuggling incident.

- Working 14-16 hour days makes me tired, sneezy and headachy.

- You can make people memorize the First Amendment for $20.

- It is possible to get more than 30 phone calls in an hour.

I am going to sleep.

Teenie Weenies

I think I might hate high school kids less than I thought I did. This workshop is awesome and besides a few dumbos and an incident at a frat party, it's been rather calm and not so scary being in charge.

What is overwhelming is learning how to teach when I haven't been really trained and running a huge event. But I am surviving despite this awful cough and sneezing fit I have every five minutes.

Off to teach caption writing...

Bruises

I woke up this morning with my entire right kneecap purple. I would to think it was from moving things around in my big new office this week. Wishful thinking since I went out last night and that's more likely the cause.

We had this deal where we got free food and $2 drinks of any kind for bringing 15 friends. Not only did I somehow destroy my knee but there was a lot of me being twirled around and each time thinking "do that one more time and I will probably throw up.." And, I made out with a guy I met who is a friend of a friend in the middle of the bar. Nice behavior, Sarah.

I am off to go rollerblading and then swimming and then shopping. I LOVE summer.

Why home will always be better

Even though I love Minneapolis and my friends and job there, I hate leaving home. It doesn't always make sense why I have to leave a place where I sleep better, laugh more and generally feel calmer. I am sure not working and eating lots of good food has a lot to do with it, but still.

Reasons why it's hard to leave home:

1. Political discussions that go on for hours and get to the point where someone has to break it up to prevent someone from bursting into tears.

2. Sleeping in my bed and not waking up once during the night from a strange noise, an annoying cat or general unrest.

3. Hanging out with Layne and Chris and seeing how much they have grown as people. Oh, such a proud big sis.

4. Spending the afternoon watching movies with my mom.

5. Laying on the couch with my computer in our completely wireless house.

6. Free laundry.

7. Rock-a-Belly Deli, Acme Gifts, Coco Bolos, El Cazador

8. Holding Nicole's baby who can now laugh and wiggle.