What the...?

So it looks like everything has gone crazy the last 20 hours or so. Don't you love it when two people from opposite sides of your life somehow find each other---and then RIP EACH OTHER'S THROATS OUT??? Holy cow!!! Did I DIE or something? Is this Hell? It kind of feels like it--especially since I have to go to work in less than an hour. Yikes.

BTW Facebook sucks.

Six Years

Six years ago on this day a nervous 18-year-old stood waiting in a line with people she hardly knew. She primped her bushy hair and smoothed out her very attractive golden gown. When the line started moving her heart skipped a beat. As she entered the stadium she scoured the crowd and miraculously spotted her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and her niece waving and smiling at her. She was upset that her sister and sister's family had not shown up but she tried her best to ignore it. Like a solider going to battle she marched single file until she was led down a row of seats where she ended up sitting on the aisle.

As the program began she spotted a few of her friends throughout the crowd of nearly 2,000. She laughed at a friend who had been roped into singing with the choir (even though the friend enjoyed her role in the ceremony). She even spotted a boy she liked and blushed a little when he waved to her. (Ah, schmaltzy teenage affection!) After an hour and a half or so of listening to boring speeches and watching nearly everyone else take "the walk" her row stood up and, again, she obediently followed.

Once she had made it to the back of the stage her palms began to sweat and her heart pounded like a kettle drum. She then heard whisperings of some of the people ahead of her. There had apparently been a mistake. The end of the S's and the beginning of the T's had come down before the end of the R's and the beginning of the S's. She realized that as an "SU" she would be walking before someone she knew who was an "ST". She panicked for a minute and wondered if this alphabetical error would cost her from walking. However, as those ahead of her began to walk without a problem she knew she would be fine.

Finally the big moment came. As she stood at the "doorway" the student body president (with whom she always had thought was very, very cute) looked at her name card and said it to her in full to make sure it had been pronounced correctly. She nodded nervously and when she heard her name echoed overhead she walked tall down the walkway. The principal and some administrators shook her hand and one of them asked where she would be going to college.
"Utah State," she mumbled nervously. She then paused for a picture (where her parents later decided NOT to buy because it totally was a rip-off) where they handed her the diploma frame and she made her way back to her seat.

After it was all over she pushed her way outside through the crowd, took pictures with her family, and once she returned the fabulous golden gown (although it was better then the brown that the boys had to wear) a PTA lady pulled a piece of paper out of a file and handed it to her. She stared at the paper for the moment before she slid it into the leather, book-style frame.
Thirteen years of public schooling had brought her to this moment. Steph had graduated from high school.

...

As I sit here six years later I can still recall moments of that day quite well (obviously). Although my life is not exactly what I thought it would be I can not deny that I have come down quite a road and have accomplished a lot since then. I am hoping to be a part of another graduation ceremony in the next year as I have recently learned that I am officially a college senior. Who knows what else could happen along the way? I guess it is true--today is the first day of the rest of my life.

BIRDIES!!!

For those of you who don't know my house is surrounded by oak brush trees and therefore we have always had at least one bird's nest every Spring. (As far as I remember they have always been robin nests but it is possible that there's been others.) This year is no exception--but there is something a little different. Instead of in a tree we have a nest here...

I guess the mama robin wanted someplace warm for her babies.

Aren't they cute?

Don't worry, I am not bothering them too much. I just like to go out and look at them every few days or so. I have always been fascinated with birds, especially mama birds. They're so dedicated to their babies! Look at her up there just sitting and sitting. It must be boring, yet she does it. I don't know if I could do it. Who knows where the papa bird flew off? (Ha ha, I'm just saying...)

I am so glad summer is around the corner!

Friendship(?)

“Friend: A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.”

That’s the definition according to dictionary.com. That’s pretty self-explanatory, right? There’s no real need to delve into a discussion about the meaning, right? It’s not something that’s up for debate like abortion or stem cell research, right? ISN’T THAT SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY AND THEIR DOG KNOWS?

You would think so, right? Well, I guess that just isn’t the case anymore. Here’s the 21st century definition.

“Friend: A person acquainted with another through common interests with little to no feelings of affection or personal regard.”

Gee Steph, that seems kind of harsh.

I call it as I see it. Lately I’ve seen a lot of people who are taking friendship for granted and I do not like it. They’ve dropped the “affection or personal regard” part altogether. Its like they’re thinking, “I’ll call so and so to hang out with him. I don’t think he’s a friend really but he’s got a cool X-BOX that we can play together. I want to use him to ease my boredom—yeah, that’s what I’ll do!” That’s not friendship; that’s being a mooch!

But to take a step further when so and so calls him to ask for a favor then he just makes up some excuse for not wanting to help him. Backstabbing and lying are never acceptable, but ESPECIALLY when done to a supposed friend. Why are people doing this? Why are people acting so selfish? I don’t get it and to be honest I am just plain fed up!

People in the world are becoming more and more self-absorbed as each day passes. It’s no longer “Do unto others,” it is, “Survival of the fittest”. I really think that’s sad. I don’t know what can be done about it, which makes it sadder.

Why can’t people stop being jerks?

Not Fair!

I woke up today feeling like I have been hit by a truck even though I got a lot of sleep. I have a bad, bad cold and I don't want to do anything but just lay here on the couch and die. (Even sitting up now with the laptop is kind of making me nauseous). Naturally I did not go to work today. I have always thought that when you don't feel well you should try to go to work anyway. In the past I have done this and have been sent home. That seems more responsible than calling out because people often fake it when they call. (I hear it first hand because I am the one who answers the phones and I can tell when people are faking or when they sound perfectly healthy). Today, though, I decided just to call out because I knew if I went they would have sent me home anyway. I really had the best intentions in mind but now it seems like everything has turned around and bitten me in the butt.

I called my work a little bit after I woke up (like at 7:30am-ish) so I could give them notice because I was scheduled at 8am. Since the store was closed no one answered (even though they are SUPPOSED to) and I was stuck waiting and waiting for TWENTY-MINUTES!!! Finally a girl on the floor answered and transferred me to the manager. When I talked to the manager and told her I was not coming in she asked me what time I was scheduled. When I told her 8am she got mad and said, "That's in ten minutes!" When I explained to her how I had been waiting for 20 mins she said, "Yeah, the phone's not working. I know you're sick but you've really put us in a bind, you know!" I then, trying to help her, gave her the name of someone she could call in my place (because part of my job is to call people to come in and cover shifts) but she still seemed pissed off and just kind of hung up on me.

I've never been a manager and I know they deal with a lot of stress and stuff but I am not happy of the attitude she had towards me! I have only called out once for an emergency and I have been sent home a few times for being sick but other than that I have always been dependable and a great worker! I know people are going to say to me, "Well, that's just how it is in the retail world". Yeah, I know that. I KNOW THAT!!! I also know there's nothing I can do about it and I shouldn't fret over something so stupid. But the thing is that it really, honestly, truly is UNFAIR!!!

Why do all the dimpy little teen aged cashiers get to call out whenever the crap they want to go hang out with their friends but all hell breaks loose on me for calling out because I am genuinely sick? Why are they telling us at work to wash our hands a lot and use hand sanitizers because of all the Swine Flu crap but I get yelled at for actually being sick? I am tired of being taken advantage of. Good workers should be rewarded for their loyalty but they never are, and it sucks! I don't know if I can deal with the retail world any longer! My sister's right, I need to get out of there.