People Who Talk Too Much and Other Annoyances

I'm sitting here at my desk and there has been a conversation going on next to me for about 10 minutes. My desk is in a high traffic area, so I've learned to tune things out. But as I'm sitting here, I notice that I have only heard one voice this whole time. The guy hasn't stopped talking the entire time. Person #2 has had the occasional 'yep' and 'uh huh' squeezed in, but other than that, it has been person #1.

There are few things that annoy me more than people who talk nonstop without taking a breath. Just one giant run on sentence. To make matters worse, he has a somewhat monotone voice. You think there is lilt to his vocals, but then you realize you're starting to twitch from the constant buzz of his words.

He's such a nice guy, too, that I feel bad for saying these things. He's also incredibly smart and is full of interesting tid bits. But sometimes it's too much. At lunch, we can be discussing something trivial such as the latest Brangelina baby and he will turn the conversation into a thesis on the movie Tomb Raider and you just wanted to make fun of the baby's name.

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Riding the bus can be difficult enough. Standing outside in the snow or the rain or the wind can be unpleasant. The crowded bus stops, the crowded bus can be unpleasant. The gross people you are sometimes forced to be a bit too close to can be unpleasant. The gaggle of young adults talking too loudly can be unpleasant.

Strangely enough, I do enjoy the bus. I find it a relaxing way to start the day. Slip on my headphones, pull out a book, and sit back and enjoy the ride. No sitting in traffic getting frustrated. I just bury myself in a story or a song.

One thing that helps to make the bus enjoyable are the unspoken rules that the majority of riders adhere to. What makes it unejoyable is when people don't abide by them. For example:

1. Do not speak to your fellow riders. Unless you have a friendship off the bus, keep your mouth shut. I have headphones on. Quit trying to talk to me and making me pull out the earbuds to say, "what?" only to have you make some meaningless comment about the weather or the book I'm reading. (add that to my list of annoyances: small talk. I hate small talk).

2. If you are sharing a seat with someone and another seat opens up, move. We don't know each other. It is bad enough we are forced to squeeze this close together. You are 200 pounds overweight with weird bumps on your arm and your breath is atrocious. Please get up and move to a seat where you can spread out. There was one instance where I was sitting at the very back of the bus next to the window (the long bench seat). The bus was packed and we were all crammed in there. As the ride continued, it left just me and the dude sitting next to me on the bench seat. I looked over and saw that the window seat across from me was open. All he had to do was slide over, but he didn't budge. It was incredibly awkward. Dude, I will not take offence if you move.

3. Keep your music at a reasonable volume, and dear god, do not sing along. There have been many times where I have been stuck next to someone with their music so loud I can hear it through my own headphones. Why? Why does it need to be so loud? And maybe you think you're the next American Idol, but I am not Paula Abdul so please do not give me your best Alicia Keys.

4. Do not eat on the bus. My bus stops next to an Arbys. Arbys smells. People get on the bus and open up their Arbys and start to go to town. They then throw their wrappers on the floor. It makes me want to vomit. Which leads me to the next rule....

5. The bus is not a giant garbage can. Please pick up after yourself. Please. I don't want to sit in your gum. I don't want to step on your peanut shells. I don't want to slip on your Arbys' wrapper.

6. Sit next to your kids. I just worked all day. I don't need your squirmming 3 year old bopping up and down in the seat and bumping into me and staring at me. I am not your babysitter.

Please, just follow these rules and the bus will be a much more inviting place for everyone.

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I'm tall and, therefore, I have longer legs and take longer strides when I walk. This makes me walk faster than most. Yet, I have plenty of shorter friends that I have trouble keeping up with, so I don't think I walk ridiculously fast. What I don't get is people who walk slow, or just move slow in general. Do they not have anywhere to go? Do they not have a job to get to or a bus to catch or just anywhere they would rather be then on the street inches in front of me? I wish I could be so lackadaisical.

This goes for drivers, too. I like to drive fast. But I am never more than 5 miles over the speed limit on side streets and 10 on freeways. When people pull out in front of me, I assume it must mean they are in a hurry and will be going at least the speed limit. But then why does it seem they slow to a crawl as soon as they are in front of me? I just want a sign on my car that says, "I am faster than you. Please just pull over and let me go around you. I am not afraid of a speeding ticket."

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I took a Strength Finders test that told me my best strength is that I am empathetic. I wish I wasn't. One of my top annoyances is people who are inconsiderate of others. It drive me crazy. Especially when they are inconsiderate of me.

As I said, I sit in a highly trafficked area at work right next to a conference room. People will finish a meeting, well they will finish the meeting in the conference room, and then continue the meeting right next to my desk. Even so much as standing in my cube and leaning on my desk. Who does this? Hello? Do you not see me?

I also don't like when I feel people are being excluded. Maybe it's from feeling excluded growing up, but it really bugs me.

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So, those are just a few things. Maybe I will have another entry as more come to me.

See you later, holidays

The holidays are over. Well, I guess New Years is yet to happen, but the holiday season, in my mind, is over.

I start to dread them around mid October, then the next thing you know you've been stuff to the gills with mashed potatoes and chocolate and it's January 1st. Now the real winter begins. It always feels like once Christmas has passed that winter is almost over. But no. There are at least 4 more months of this crap.

I used to be a winter person. But I've changed. I think it was last winter that did it. It started early and lasted so long. Then we got about 3 weeks of summer and fall kicked in. Now here we are again. It's just too soon. Here's to hoping it's over by April (or at the very least May).

Christmas treated me well. It was a good year. I didn't have to buy much which made it much more enjoyable. Not that I'm a scrooge or anything, but I think the giving and receiving part of Christmas is lost anyway, so why bother. It has always seemed silly to me to tell people exactly what I want only so they can buy it for me when I could just as easily buy it for myself. But instead, I spend the same amount of money on something for them that they could just buy themselves. Maybe if we put the guessing game back into it, then I could find the spirit. But then there is just so much pressure.

I did have to go to church on Christmas Day. My mother-in-law sings in the choir. It was a Catholic service in a brand new church. It was like sitting in a ski lodge. There was nothing spiritual about it. The priests' voices came through on tiny speakers that made them sound alien. It just creeped me out. I'm not a religious person and I was not raised Catholic, so the whole thing was just weird and I wanted to leave as soon as I stepped through the door. But it was not until over an hour later that I was set free.

My family get together consisted of food. It was one of the best spreads we've had. We do potluck style and there was a lot of variety and a ton of stuff that I can eat (I'm a vegetarian). One of my sisters, who insists she can get me to go back to eating meat in one week spent with her, made me a my very own seven layer salad minus the bacon. It was a big step for her and I really appreciated it.

Now I'm back at work for three days and then I get another four day weekend. Oddly enough, I'm looking forward to getting back into the routine again. I'm at work now and have zero motivation since no one is here and I only have a day and a half left before another extended weekend.

It looks like I will be spending New Years at home with my husband and dog and this is just fine with me. We were invited to a party/bar hopping extravaganza, but that just didn't sound intriguing.

I'm getting ready to head home with day one almost in the books. Unfortunately, Prison Break is on a holiday hiatus. So it will just be laundry for me tonight.

1 1/2 more days....

Poisoned

I had food poisoning on Saturday. At least that's what I think it was. Although I can't trace it back to any one food source. I just know I wouldn't wish what I went through on anybody.

I woke up Saturday around noon feeling really hungover. Understandable, given the festivities the night before. My stomach felt upset, but I just thought I needed some food. My husband offered to run to the store to get what I was craving: bananas and spaghetti-os. While he was gone, I made trip #1 to the bathroom and threw up. It has been years since I threw up. What a horrible feeling.

He came home and I had the banana. Within minutes I was back in the bathroom for vomit session #2. I tried to drink some orange juice and water. #3, #4. Nothing was staying down.
I tried to go back to bed. As I laid there, my stomach pains grew worse. I was actually wailing in agony. The only relief I could get was by throwing up. But that would only last a few minutes and then slowly the pain would return.

Eventually I started getting really concerned. I was feeling light headed and the nausea was bringing me to the breaking point. I told my husband that I think I needed to go to the doctor.

Unfortunately, we had a major snow storm that day so the roads were terrible. I kept going back and forth on whether or not I should go and risk the drive. We decided we had no choice and I needed to go. At this point I couldn't even stand anymore.

Around 6pm, we got into the car and drove to the nearest Urgent Care. Closed. My fingers and head were tingling. I had my head sticking out the window to get air. We headed to the next closest. After the usual waiting period (I thought this was urgent?) I finally met with the doctor. He confirmed I was very dehydrated and, though they did not have the equipment to give me an IV for fluids, they were able to give me an anti-nausea/anti-vomiting shot. It would also help me sleep.

He told me to get some gatorade and mix it with water and sip that for the rest of the night.

When we got home, I took a sip of gatorade and it was probably the greatest thing I've ever tasted. I fell asleep within a half hour.

When I woke up on Sunday, I felt fine. My stomach was rumbling with hunger pains and my whole upper body was (and still is) one big muscle strain, but I wasn't doubled over in pain.

It just sucks that I lost a full Saturday.

And I missed the 25 Cent Taco Christmas show.

And now I'm scared to eat certain things.

Weekend Update

I had such a nice weekend.

My husband told me he wanted a new iPod for Christmas. I told him I wanted Rock Band. So on Friday night we went and bought each other our gifts. Then came home and played Rock Band all night. That game is so much fun and so addicting. All I see when I close my eyes are the colorful flowing music squares. So much fun.

Saturday night we went to see Dan Wilson courtesy of my job. We had great seats. I like Dan Wilson, the actual guy, I've always found him very pleasant. I loved the one big Semisonic album. His solo stuff I've been indifferent to. I've never bought any of it, but I didn't hate it either.

We went into the show expecting a nice pleasant folky sort of sit down show. Very grown up. We left yelling how much Dan Wilson rules. It was fantastic. What a performer. He did two sets. One solo acoustic, the second with the full band. He joked that he was opening for himself. He did a great cover of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" by Bob Dylan. He told great stories. He made group sing alongs with the audience. It was such a suprise. As we left, my husband and I both said we had no idea we would be sitting there with a smile on our face the entire evening. Totally loved him.

I did nothing on Sunday. And it was great. I never got out of my pajamas. I played a little Rock Band, watched a couple of movies, took a nap. A great Sunday.

One of the movies I watched was I Am Legend. It was on HBO. I can't decide if I liked it or not, but it hasn't left my mind since it ended. I think it's mostly because....SPOILER WARNING........

the dog died. I was devestated, though I saw it coming. I hate when companion animals die in movies. And the way he goes is heartbreaking.

Will Smith was fantastic in this movie. Who knew he could really really act? The movie was a lot spookier than I thought it would be. The ending sort of copped out and could have been so much better. I hear it's not true to the book. I might have to pick the book up.

.....SPOILER OVER....

So, though it was not an exciting weekend, it was a nice one.

Don't Look Back In Anger

I went to Oasis last night. I left with mixed feelings.

First, no live music that is not a marching band should ever be played at the Target Center. The sound there is atrocious. Just a big wall of muffled static. Even when music wasn't playing and the artists were just talking, it was muffled.

Second, I got my tickets free from work, so I shouldn't complain about their location, but they weren't very good. Oasis looked like little stick people.

Third, the arena was half empty. The rows around us were almost completely empty. It's hard to get energized surrounded by no one watching stick people make muffled sounds.

Here is how my night went:

Earlier in the day, at my work, Ryan Adams performed. Seeing this, I wasn't too eager to see him at the official show. What a tool.

At the actual show, however, he sounded good (for as well as anyone can sound at the Target Center). He's a fine musician and has surrounded himself with fine musicians (The Cardinals). But, his songs are all kind of the same. One blended into the next and it didn't help that he didn't address the crowd whatsoever. Just played one song and the next and the next with barely a break in between.

We were so far away that when Oasis started, all I could focus on was the crazy screens going on behind the stick figures on stage. It was like watching a really long music video.

In the end, Oasis played a lot of great songs that I love, though I couldn't understand half of them because it sounded like I was listening to them from the otherside of a wall. And I spent $100 (beer was $7.50, parking was $14 - it adds up).

Oasis!

I get to see Oasis tonight! I get to see Oasis tonight!

I'm very excited. I have loved Oasis for so long. I will admit, I lost touch with them around Standing On The Shoulder of Giants, but I don't think I'm the only one.

They are definitely in my top 5 favorite bands of all time. Yes, all time.

They are only getting better, too. Their last two albums have been phenomenal.

Below is a list of my top 20 (I couldn't narrow it down any further) Oasis songs:

1. Supersonic
2. Live Forever
3. Do You know Know What I Mean?
4. Slide Away
5. Don't Look Back in Anger
6. Wonderwall
7. The Meaning of Soul
8. Talk Tonight
9. Champagne Supernova
10. Mucky Fingers
11. Rockin' Chair
12. Masterplan
13. Let There Be Love
14. Cigarettes and Alchohol
15. Fade In/Out
16. Stop Crying Your Heart Out
17. Little By Little
18. Columbia
19. Girl In The Dirty Shirt
20. Where Did it All Go Wrong?

I Love Prison Break

My favorite show is Prison Break. Yes, Prison Break. Even more than Lost or The Office...I love Prison Break. Why? It's just so much fun.

I started watching it the summer after the first season. I had heard good things, but didn't want to come in midseason, so I purchased all of season 1 off of iTunes. I thought it was awesome. It was suspenseful, smart, fast paced, gritty, shocking....it was great.

It is on it's fourth season now and I eagerly await Monday nights. It is one of the few shows that starts early (late August) and runs almost straight through. It has had one 2 week break during the World Series (Prison Break is on FOX).

The show has had its ups and downs (last season was ruined by the writer's strike - like most shows), but it has always been a fun and exciting ride - if not a confusing implausible one. Consisitency has not been the show's friend.

Let's see if I can sum up these past four seasons in the most basic way and have them make any sense (spoilers below)....

One brother (Linc) is falsely accused of murdering the president's brother. He is put on death row. The president is a part of group of bad guys called The Company. Her brother isn't even dead! (well, he is now, but not when Linc allegedly shot him.)

Lin's younger brother, Michael, a genius engineer who just happened to have helped design the very prison (Fox River) that his brother is being held at. He gets the prison blueprints, along with clues and names of people, tattooed onto his body and commits armed robbery to get thrown into the same prison as his brother (luckily that all worked out and he didn't get tossed somewhere else).

At the end of season 1, the brothers, along with about 6 other people they are forced to bring with, escape with the help of the prison doctor (and Michael love interest) Sarah Tancredi.

Once out, they are persued by FBI agent (and Company hitman) Alex Mahone. Also on their tail is former Fox River guard Bellick (I can't believe I don't remember his first name at the moment). This is basically the whole second season. You find out some background info. The brother's father once worked for The Company. He tries to bring them down, only to be killed by Mahone. Mahone is a bit crazy with a shady past, but is just trying to do one last job for The Company so he can move on with his life and try to win back the love of his wife and child.

Eventually, Michael, Lin, Sarah, and two other ex-inmates make it to Panama. Lincoln is cleared of all charges.

At the end of season 2, The Company frames Michael for murder and has him thrown in a Panama prison named Sona. Joining him in this prissn are: Alex Mahone (Michael gets him busted for drug trafficking), Bellick (accused of murder while trying to track down the Fox River Eight) and T-Bag (an ex-con from Fox River who, I think, also gets busted for murder in Panama). Sona is a prison that is run by the prisoners. There are guards in the towers outside, but the inside is anything goes. It holds some of the worst criminals in the world.

Season 3 takes place almost entirely in Sona. You learn that The Company had Michael thrown in Sona so he can break out one of their men (hey! another prison break!). Lincoln is teamed up with a woman from The Company named Gretchen. Gretchen is holding Lincoln's son LJ and Sarah Tancredi hostage until Michael can break out The Company man, named Whistler.

This season was cut short due to the writers' strike so it is very rushed and ends up with a lot of plot holes. One of the most painful plot mishaps is Michael's attire. They are in a Panama prison. It is hot. Very very hot. Most of the prisoners are running around in muscle shirts. But the actor who plays Michael did not want to have to sit through getting his fake tattoo plastered on daily, so they threw him in a long sleeve tee. It just looked ridiculous.

Somewhere along the way, Lincoln tries to rescue Sarah and LJ. When he fails, Gretchen sends Lincoln a present....Sarah's head in a box! He doesn't tell Michael at first. When Michael does find out, he is obviously upset, but he goes on with plan to save his nephew, LJ.

Eventually, they break out of Sona and Michael vows to get his revenge on Gretchen for cutting off Sarah's head. End of season three.

So, now we are on season 4. Lincoln, Michael, Mahone, Bellick, and Michael's old Fox River cellmate, Sucre are picked up for various reasons by FBI agent Don Self They are asked to help bring down The Company in return for full pardons. Before this happens, Michael tracks down Gretchen who tells Michael she never killed Sarah. Michael is able to track down the unbelievably alive Sarah who actually did manage to escape. Gretchen made up the whole killing to keep Michael on the plan.

Sarah joins the new team and they beginworking together to get a device called Scylla that will help them bring down The Company.

Yes, that was the simplest series synopsis I could do.

I didn't even get into all that has happened this season. It is just too much.

All I can say is I love this show and this season especially. My husband can't even be in the same room as me because I freak out too much.

Highly recommend you start from the beginning and check it out.

Just remember to not over think it and just enjoy the ride. It's a lot of fun.