Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in friendlytornado's LiveJournal:

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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
11:23 am	"Helpful" One of the only things I find more infuriating than this morning's experience is this morning's other experience.  Would you like the story?  I thought you might. This morning I got up for the unemployment mandatory "Reemployment Orientation" - the seminar where they walk you through what you need to do to claim unemployment benefits, what programs and resume-building seminars you can take, etc.  The hour this orientation lasted was painless enough.  The main gist of the orientation, which was hammered home was that they are here to help, with helpful help and resources and helpfulness.  HELP US HELP YOU - we have employment specialists and fax machines and government resources and burning desires to help!  We want to help you get a good job, not just any old crappy sucky one.  That was the message.  Then we had a break, after which you could return if you wanted more information about education programs.   I wanted the more information, so I stuck around after the break. Instead of it being a "classroom" setting like the first half, there were two employees there to talk us through our options.  I was the youngest person in the room, pretty young blonde.  So of course I was the first target for slick mister slickety (probably twenty-six years old) "helper" guy in his dress shoes and pink shirt.  He seemed nice enough, but also not super smart.  He seemed to think his job was to not listen to me very much, not ask me very many questions, but rather, to explain in small, patronizing words, why I was unreasonable in wanting to maybe get some training for something else because I have a marketable skill (no matter that it is not advance-able and soul-sucking) and furthermore, that I might be all "optimistic" with "goals" and "dreams" and "salary requirements" now, but when I've been unemployed for a while, I will be so desperate that I will gratefully settle for a low-paying job that I would not currently, in my "recently unemployed" state even deign to consider.  I should just wait and see, he is right about this. So instead of being all helpful, like the first half of the class had informed me that he would be, he was really UN-helpful.  Don't you hate that? Calmly, I told him I understood where he was coming from, trying to set reasonable expectations and all that, and that he didn't need to bother, and that I would like to speak to someone else, or could we get back to my actual questions.  He referred me to a website - the website IN THE BROCHURE, the website I had already looked at and decided I wanted more information about, and then went back to telling me that I should focus revisiting my salary needs and weigh them against a job that could be fulfilling because I won't be able to get both, there are lots of recent college graduates this year.  (To which I say, are there not loads of recent college graduates EVERY YEAR?  No?  Just this year?)  I then explained to him, somewhat more authoritatively that I am not some millenial idiot who has no idea how the world works, and that I can do without the expectation-lowering speech and would he please just answer my questions or could I talk to someone else.  He in all his "I wear this pink shirt and am full of youthful wisdom and took a pay cut myself" wouldn't do either, so I excused myself to go cry.  I was so frustrated!  When I came back, he started in again with the "worker retraining is not for someone who has a marketable skill" and I (less calmly than before) explained that I understood what he was saying, but that there was no future or room for advancement in this area and I would like to point my career in another, more desired and advance-able direction.  Also, I explained that me being me, I had thought about which way I might like to point it, and find some training to help me along, and that even if they reject me, I am still going to apply, and that is what I am asking you for help with.  I am not asking you to piss on my dreams and patronize me.  I hate being patronized. It was at this point my volume went up.   It went up a lot. Dude did not get it.  As he is starting in once again with the same explanation about worker retraining, I started to actually cry from the frustration. I gathered my stuff and declared (more loudly than I realized) through tears "I AM DONE HERE!  THANK YOU FOR NOTHING!  You have been completely UN-informative and UN-helpful!" And I stormed towards the door.  The more experienced worksource worker at that point could not help but notice that things were not going well for mister pinkshirt - no one could - and asked if I would please not leave, could she talk to me in the hallway, and she was very helpful in talking me down, finding the source of my issue, explaining that the pinkshirted dumbass was new, and OF COURSE she understood what I was asking for, and that it would be stupid not to even apply, and this is what I needed to do to give myself the best shot at succeeding in this course of action. And then she told me exactly what I was asking for, what my next steps should be.  Was that so hard?  (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
11:20 am	Wednesday fo Pho! Meeting up with my friend Sassy for lunch soon - we are going to get Pho!  Mmm, hot soupy goodness on a chilly day.  Sounds perfectly perfect to me! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
2:41 pm	Ooo, it posted! I entered the welovecolors.com halloween costume contest b/c I was wearing one of their products (kelly green fishnet tights) - you can see my pix online and vote for me here! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
1:47 pm	Let's start with the bananas and work our way back from there Well!  It's November - and I've loads to blog about.  Where, oh where to start?  I know, let's start with bananas (fun! tasty!) and work our way back from there... Today I made banana bread.  It's not a typical go-to thing for me to do, probably because bananas are not one of those fruits I keep around very often.  I probably buy them about two or three times a year, when a craving for bananas hits, which is probably why they just get eaten and not left around till they are all overripe and banana bread-ready.  These bananas came from GK's house, I saw them and said "hey, I'll make your bananas into bread" and so here I am, surrounded by the fragrant aroma of freshly baked banana goodies. Yesterday, Sunday Nov, 1 was a lazy day.  Stayed out and up way too late for my own good, but Halloween was sure fun.*  As a result, much napping and shampooing (we'll get to that in a bit) were the only real "accomplishments" that happened.  I did venture out into the world and had a delicious Monte Cristo sandwich at Roxy's diner in Fremont.  That was a high point. Saturday was Halloween, which I was extra excited about this year.  I had made a fantastic (if I do say so myself) ensemble to wear - all shiny and green and poisonous - was Poison Ivy.  GK rented a tux and was Bruce Wayne.  It was fantastic, he looks very good in the formalwear competition.  He had made Batman cufflinks, so he had the little Batman reference in his outfit.  It was fun.   A good part of the afternoon I spent coloring my hair with a gelatinous red gluelike product.  The stuff works - my hair was red - but it was also frizzy and tacky and strawlike.  Not the most touchable consistency, but it's one day, I figured.  I just hoped that once the red stuff washed out (and if, of course, you never really can be too sure with cheesy wash-out products) that my hair would go back to its natural soft and smooth consistency.   I showed up at GK's with my red mane and started getting ready - hot rollers, makeup, eyelashes, glitter powder - the works.  I did my hair up in what my sister calls "unicorn buns" a la Uma Therman's Poison Ivy of "Batman & Robin" - the red hair dye/glue helped hold that look all night.  In fact, in the morning my hair was still pretty much unmoved.  I took the bobby pins out and it was still in place - would not move! I had purchased some kelly green fishnets from an online company called "welovecolors.com" and they were perfect - very green!  (This company, btw, makes tights and fishnets and stockings in so many colors, I highly recommend!  When they shipped, they came with a flyer that announced their Halloween costume contest, so I just sent in a couple pix of my outfit.  Will send you the link to the voting page when I get it - please vote for me!)  It was really fun getting ready, and we headed off to Party 1 - with a quick stop at Fred Meyer to pick up a bag of ice.  They were out of ice, which was a bummer, but we did see a guy all dressed up like Braveheart - the kilt, the hair, the blue facepaint - very impressive!   One bag of ice later we were at Shrewsbury's Halloween Bash - complete with freaky glowing motion-sensor head in a jar and all.  Had a good time partying with a waitress from True Blood, Divo, a lion tamer, Bruce Lee, a bee, a devil - and of course our hostess the lovely Pocahontas. From there we headed to a bash at the Little Red Studio to party with our friends a penguin and the lovely naughty nurse. There was a really good DJ and some interesting costumes - a great fun way to see and be seen.  I got called a green goddess by a wench of some sort, but that didn't feel right b/c isn't "green goddess" some kind of salad dressing?  I was no salad dressing!  *Did I mention the jello shots?  There were jello shots at both parties.  Mmmm, jello!   I ended up crashing in my stiff red hair at the naughty nurse & penguin's house - was a little concerned about getting red all over the place, but in the end the sleepiness prevailed.  Later it took 3 shampooings to come out but thankfully it is ALL  OUT and no residue has been left behind - red, sticky or otherwise. Friday I hit Old Navy and bought some celebratory PJs in my new size - so exciting and fun!  They are pink, and they fit me, the new me, who has completed her weight-losing for the year with a bang!  Hit the goals - bet-wise and personal-wise, so the next phase of  maintenance begins.  Very exciting.  And they work, too, the PJs.  Love that. What an exciting time to be alive!   (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
10:42 am	Networking Hit a networking event last night with GK - which was fun and interesting.  More science-ey than anything I've done before - but interesting and friendly people all the same.  I teased a fellow named Bruce who has an online marketing company by saying "OMG, Bruce, OMG!" which took him a minute to process and respond to, but then he laughed.   I think if you're going to say you market via online social media in this day and age, you should be prepared  with the basics at least - OMG, LOL, PIR, ROFL, etc.  You should also perhaps not look at the person talking to you like she is a lunatic. Also, I got into a conversation with a couple of UW prenatal somethingorother research guys about Halloween, and the one was talking about his "Bo-Peep" costume last year.  The other guy, whose name was Jay, kept pretty quiet on the topic.  To draw him into the conversation I said "So Jay, are you a big Halloweener?" which made them both burst out laughing and get very red-faced.  Oops.  So that was fun, and at least I can comfort myself knowing I still know how to make a strong first impression when networking. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
1:52 pm	Reflecting, Directing I have been spending this week reflecting on what direction I want to head in next.  I am doing this because A) I can and B) I did something quite similar at the beginning of the year, with regards to my weight loss goals, and that turned out quite well, actually.  I feel like if I can be even half as successful at directing my next career choices and moves as I was at the weight loss this year, I will be quite the happy camper.   Figuratively, of course, seeing as Carmen doesn't camp. New roommate has been very cool and supportive through the past couple of days.  Original roommate is kind of freaking out.  He needs to chill.  Everything will work out and I will find work and I will move out and everything will be fine.  In other news, started sewing my fab H-weenie costume today.  It is going to be great - I love it already.  Mmmm - sooooooo green!  Pure evil green.  Muhahahahahah! (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
3:20 pm	Observation of the moment Unemployed Carmen drinks a lot of tea.  A lot! (Comment on this)
11:12 am	Filing & Flying So yesterday I filed for unemployment. Whee! Now I feel more in line with the rest of mainstream America.  I am taking it as an opportunity to move forward to the next big thing - career/life makeover if you will.  2009 will definitely go down in the record books as a year of many changes for this gal. Also, last night I noticed what I thought was a cut on my finger.  It struck me as odd since I didn't remember cutting my finger on anything.  This morning it was all red and swollen - clearly not your average cut.  Nope, it was a sliver.  Ouch.  Got that bad boy out and now the redness is going down.  Still very tender. The cats did not know what to think of my not getting up and leaving first thing in the morning today.  TumTum loves it - he crawled right under the covers with me and has been really close to me (touching, if possible, on a lap or similar.)  Juan just gives me a lot of looks and a lot of lip.  He's always been pretty vocal. I bought a greeting card for myself a while ago because I liked what is written on it.  I have it up in my room.  It says: "Faith is believing that one of two things will happen," she said "either that there will be something solid for you to stand on - or you will be taught to fly." (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 16th, 2009
3:08 pm	Cagey Either he is growing on me or aging very well - Nicolas Cage is looking much better these days than I've ever thought he did in the past. Huh.  I still think he picked a stupid name for his poor kid. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
9:08 am	Not what I set out to do It's been a rainy start-of-fall week, you know where you are feeling all the autumnal  blues and stay-indoors-ness cozy yet alarmingly somewhat "is this full-blown depression" feelings.  You know the type. To lift my spirits and amuse myself, I have been looking at the blog cakewrecks.com, because it is hilarious.  My favorites are the decorators who do not possess critical thinking skills enough to read instructions and get them right.  Such as a cake that says "Congratulations (in red)" written in say, blue icing.  When clearly who would want "(in red)" as part of the inscription right?  But there it is, on the cake - ha ha ha so funny. Well all this cakewreck hilarity has had the side effect of me waking up in the morning with really strong urges to eat cake.  It's one of those desserts that you make for a birthday, because that is what you do, but typically if I want a dessert a cookie or brownie is the go-to, not cake.  Morning 3 of waking up with the really strong urge to eat cake was yesterday.   Yadda, yadda, yadda... ...I had dinner at Cupcake Royale yesterday.  It was delicious.   Now that I've scratched that itch, I have to think no more cakewrecks for Carmen, at least not for a good long while.   (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
2:49 pm	H1N1 We had a little mini-meeting at work today - apparently our insurer is paying for (and recommending) swine flue vaccinations so we should all  feel free to get them - at Walgreens or Safeway or the Dr. office or wherever. So at least I have that going for  me.  That's nice. I got a little behind in my hot yoga challenge for this month - uh-oh!  I'm going to have to do a couple weekend classes to make up and keep on track.  I can do that.  Shouldn't be too much of a problem.   Also, I need to get a haircut - am getting split ends.  AGH!  Not that!  Also the shape has grown out too much so it doesn't look like it has a style, it's just  "I am too lazy/clueless/cheap/deluded/full of procrastination to get a haircut although clearly one is needed" style right now. (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
5:23 pm	Trippity Trip Trap Well!  This past week was a fun and exciting adventure!  At this time last week I was packing my bags for a quick visit to Wisco followed by a not as quick drive back in my new (to me) fab 2000 - yes, this century, folks - Honda Civic.  Took my suitcases with me to Pilates, hung out with my friend CT afterwards and then she very kindly took me to the airport for my 11:30 pm flight.   Of course I took my airplane pillow.  Took the red-eye to ATL, layed over briefly in which time I ate a bagel, got on my 2nd plane for MKE and was there by 9am.  Not bad! Unfortunately I was a bit on the tired and frazzled side, and was intermittantly weepy all day.  Had lunch with my mom, which was fun, and then we went and picked up new civic who I call "Leela" - that was fun.  My niece EK was *very* excited to have me come get it (she had helped clean it up, etc) and we slapped the shiny new WA plates on there and off I went to pick up my road-trip companion GK.  Whee! Got GK at the airport and our first stop was a funky little Mexican restaraunt where we met up with my HS pals and their wives.  Much rejoicing was had at the reunion!  And then some Corona was drank and fish tacos eaten.  Good times!  We then settled in at a cozy yet shockingly empty restaurant where one of my pal's brother works.  That was fun, and very easy to sip our drinks and chitchat.  When they turned off the lights we figured it was time to go. The next day GK helped my dad and brother in law install a new door (the frame had to be cut wider, as the new door is bigger than the old one.  Mmmm, power tools and sawing!  Grunt grunt!   My sister and I chopped a lot of meat and veggies and put together a whole mess of kebabs - chicken ones and beef ones!  Soooooooo good!  We had sangria and more people arrived, it was very festive!  And it was very sad when it all came to an end!  Boo! Stayed up till 2 am talking to mom.  That was good - we had a very good and thorough conversation and then overslept the next morning. Therefore, we got a bit of a later start than originally anticipated.  Some time was eaten up with the "box up that mounted steer skull and decide how it will go in the trunk and not get wrecked on a road trip" - more time than we thought.  That reminds me, I need to get that out of my trunk... The drive back was great - we had replaced the windshield wipers so the bits of rain we hit the first day were no obstacle.  It was shockingly gusty and windy through N Dakota, so that was kind of tiring.  Stops along the way included Fargo, of Fargo fame, Billings, where pretty much everything is bear-themed, including the upholstery in the Billings Best Western, and Spokane, which has a lot of confusing 1-way streets and not a lot of Starbucks.  We ended up getting Dutch Brothers coffees, which were pretty good.    One additional stop along the way was Moses Lake, where we had a bit of a tailpipe issue and got it resolved in a matter of hours.  Did you know, by the way, that the pet shop in Moses Lake has a wallaby?  A wallaby in a kennel.  It's not for sale, it just lives there with its tetherball.  The pet shop also has a myriad of freakin' adorable kittens! OMG! Kittens!  For $14.99!  But then I remembered I have felines at home so I didn't need any more.  Entering Seattle was wonderful and surreal.  All of a sudden everything is familiar! And you know where you are!  Crazy!  I was exhausted!  Or too tired, anyway, to deal with the mounted steer skull in my trunk.  It's so cool.  I can't wait to get a place to display it.   I think I should get some Georgia O'Keefe prints to go with it.  So that's my recent adventuring in a nutshell!  It's been quite a week! (Comment on this)
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
10:59 am	Non-Vegan This morning when I got up I thought about having eggs - I didn't have them, I horsed around and had some coffee, and then I took a little nap.  When I woke from the nap I thought about the eggs again, but I was so drowsy and comfy under the covers I didn't do anything about it. I finally got up again and fried a couple of eggs.  Yum.  Sooooooooooo good.  I know I could probably fairly easily go vegetarian (more or less) and from time to time will go stretches of days without eating meat.   It doesn't seem like that big of a stretch to me.  But I don't know, vegan?  That would be hard.  No eggs on a Saturday morning?  That is one of my joys in life. In other, completely unrelated news, I hope the weather clears up because I'm hosting a clothing exchange this afternoon and I have more space (and light!) outside than inside.  eep!  Oh well, either way it will work out just fine I'm sure.  Last night went out with GK in Fremont and wore my fancypants first pair of Fluevogs, to which I matched pretty much my whole outfit.  Haven't worn those puppies since the weight loss and they are a ton more comfy I must say.  That was fun and exciting.  Had a very good chicken and polenta dish at the 35th st bistro - yum!  The polenta was sooooooooo creamy and there were fried green tomatoes involved.  Walked to Fremont and back in the 4" heels and I have no complaints - fantastic!  I freakin' love my 'vogs!   (Comment on this)
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
10:04 am	Four (4) Pair! I did some much-needed tidying (and laundry) last night - feels good to get that done.  As I was putting clothes away, I realized I now have four pair of jeans.  FOUR!  And they all fit me!  It feels so luxurious and decadent after the pants crisis of the summer and earlier this year.   FOUR FREAKIN' PAIR!  (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
5:05 pm	Mmm, leftover drumsticks! Had leftover chicken tonight for dinner.  I'm doing laundry now in hopes that this icky sprinkly weather will pass and I can go for a run unmolested by precipitation. (Comment on this)
9:55 am	That was really delicious I made some chicken last night - drumsticks in a pan - partially sauteed & partially steamed in a pan on the stove. Started with some butter, drumsticks, salt, thyme and fennel seeds.  Sauteed a bit.  Poured in some white wine and put a lid on for steaming.  Took the lid off, flipped them, the juices had all evaporated (not a tight lid) so I deglazed the pan with some water and let them steam again - repeated the deglaze/steam process a few more times and voila - chicken! Very tasty. (Comment on this)
Friday, September 11th, 2009
11:06 am	Rough Week Well!  I am glad it's Friday - this has been a heck of a rough week.  Physically rough - I played my first ever soccer game (of my life) with a co-ed recreational team on Tuesday night - man was I ever nervous.  Fortunately for me everyone on my team was really nice and helpful and I even kicked the ball a few times.  I guess it is a major coup that I ran toward the ball instead of away from it - so, so far, so good. On account of the new sport in my life, I am reeling in aches and pains - I had no idea it would use so many, and such different muscles than just running.  All week I  have been that whiny person on facebook "oh I'm sore from soccer it kicked my butt" and "my love handle muscles hurt" - wah wah me!  I know, such a baby, right?  I am nervous that I won't be able to run the 10k this weekend (I haven't run since Tuesday - just too sore.)  That's tomorrow so we shall see... In addition to that, I am sad to the core - it's not about him anymore, it's just me - I took it hard.  I still cry pretty much every day.  I have lots of self doubt and wonder about my worth as a person, as a partner, as a friend - all these lovely things.  An old friend once described me as someone who "does not take rejection very well" and that has always amused me (who doesn't, right?) and struck me as very insightful.  I don't take rejection well, and although I am working on getting back to my old, chipper self, until I get there I will feel like this.  Hmmm. And yes, I am getting out there and doing things and keeping active (see first story about soccer) and trying new things and practicing self-care, and yes it helps to some degree - more than just lying about moping for sure, I am still pretty wrecked.  The joker put it best "I'm only laughing on the outside, my smile is just skin deep..." I know this kind of thing doesn't last forever, and I'm glad to be the kind of person who has that perspective I guess, but that doesn't make the present any less painful.  At least the soccer (and thusly its related soreness) has an end date on it. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
6:20 pm	Threesy-peasy! Okay I'll out and admit it - I haven't been running.  I've been encouraging my friends and acquaintances to run a 5k/10k with me THIS MONTH and I haven't been training AT ALL!  After all, I've had so many good excuses not to run: * I just ran a half marathon and need a break * I'm going to Italy now * Waaaah I got dumped * OMG it is raining this morning ! (okay that was just the one time) * I was airbagged in a car accident * Waaaah I'm still sad about getting dumped BOO FREAKIN' HOO! So today I decided to cut the crap and get my butt out and running.  I lasted 3 miles - not bad!  My goal was to do at least two and try for four.  I figure if I can repeat the 3 miles at least twice more this week and hit a 5 miles this weekend, then keep up with the four miles at least 3 times next week I'll be in a good place.  Love the new running shoes - they are fantastic. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
10:29 am	Really??!! My homepage for Firefox is Yahoo.  It has all kinds of little bits of info, including today's top searches.  In case you were curious, Batman is today's #1 search.  Yesterday was Kate Gosselin.   I just like imagining the two contrasted side-by-side.  In unrelated news got my NEW FAB driver license in the mail.  It is shiny and new and has fab new photo of me.  I love it!  Sadly I did not have a reason to whip it out last night b/c when I ordered my drink I did not get carded :-(  Bummer, dude! (Comment on this)
Monday, August 24th, 2009
2:54 pm	Quickie Frock Update Wore the new frock from a weekend ago (accident weekend) to festivities this weekend.  It was fab and went well with some boots and a little cardigan that I already had.  The pictures have begun rolling in on facebook and I'm pleased to say I love the way it looks in the pictures. (2 Comments |Comment on this)