My thoughts on riding the bus...

As much as I dislike riding the bus, it sure has given me some good blogging material. =o]

1. They do not make the seats big enough. Today I sat next to a big-boned gentleman who took up all of his seat and half of mine. The term "rubbing elbows" has never been so accurate. I believe these seats were designed to fit the physique of a third grader - one without obesity.

2. To the two Indian men sitting in front of me: You smell bad. Wash off the curry, please.

3. Whoever deliberately scratched off choice letters on the sign that used to say "A little farther back please," but now says "A little fart please," - THAT'S HILARIOUS

4. To the woman in a different fur coat every day: 1.) If you're wearing a fur coat every day, do you not have enough money to drive? 2.) If you're trying to help the environment by taking the bus, don't kill little furry animals. 3.) ick, fur

5. Note from Kelly: To the loud group of women: Use your six-inch voices, please.
- She's right. Especially in the morning, no one wants to hear your conversations about your kids, dogs, and dying mothers. While I understand it is a cramped space, [see #1.] the people you're talking to are not that far away from you.

6. My usual driver looks like the creepy, bald guy in Scary Movie. It makes me grin every time.

7. And finally, to the same people on my commute who smile at me every day because we're in the same boat [bus], thanks. You make my trip a little bit easier.

*** disclaimer - my intent is not to vent or complain... just sharing what's in my head. We should make this into a Public Service Announcement! Someone call Isaiah Washington!

I've been bitten!

It's finally happened. I've been willingly sucked in to the Twilight series (pun intended). I sat back and watched as the entire series consumed Brittany for a few weeks, thinking she was a little obsessed. She'd stay up most of the night reading them, even hauling them to work to read on her lunch break. The whole time I thought "I'm never reading those childish little teen novels." I didn't get caught up in the whole Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings buzz either. It's just not my genre.

Brittany had finally given up on convincing me to read them. But now, yes even I have not been able to put it down. I've been dedicated to it every morning and evening on my commute to and from work - no, I don't read and drive like some mega-multi-taskers; I take the bus - relax.

It's actually very well written. Stephenie Meyer creates compelling characters and relationships and makes it okay that the plot is make-believe. Edward Cullen is so mysteriously sexy, too!

I can't wait to see the movie now. I feel like a teenie bopper again. Most likely it was college that messed with my mind. Being an English major, those with Ph Ds forced me to read Jane Austen, Faulkner, and Hemmingway; boy are they missing out! Twilight is a good, entertaining read that goes pretty quickly despite being close to 500 pages. Bring on New Moon.

Pure Craziness

So right now there is so much going on in my life I'm getting whiplash. I was thinking I need to update my blog, and I don't really know where to begin. So I think I'll mush it all into one. Hold on tight!

- I get 4,000 texts and phone calls from Brittany. "Someone got killed in our complex!" That's right. Good ol' Hickory Hills Homicide happened right across the parking lot from us. Scary.

- Even though I have a job I love right now, it's not promised. I have to start looking for a full-time gig even though I don't want to leave where I am. I could cry thinking of writing more cover letters and relying on Monster emails every day. Especially now that I'm going to start getting some PR experience.

- Chris Brown is a great singer and a very bad person. Disappointment.

- A happier note: Yesterday was Anthony's birthday and we had a fabulicious dinner at PF Changs. Today is my big brother Chris' birthday.

- Also happy: Tonight is Katie Zeak night at LRC! I can't wait to hear her sing. She is so great.

- I have a fun-filled weekend. Friday: Drinks with YASMINA! :-) Saturday: Work then drinks with Anthony :-) Sunday: Home to do taxes and see my sister Laura

- When do I get to see my favorite roomie? I miss her. I need to talk to her about the strange mountain lion that has taken over our apartment. Kinsa-Winsa

- I'd like to bring orange back. I'd also like to start dancing again - but on my terms...

- Sleeping in is such a foreign thing to me anymore. I'm not sure I remember how to.

Monster? I think not.

I came across this article online, and it angered me just a smidge. Entitled "One-Armed TV Host Scares Kids, Parents Say" caught my attention. Here's the link if you want to read the intriguing story. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29391313

In fewer words: A pretty blond was hired by a British TV company to host a children's program. The controversy? The woman was born with an incomplete arm leaving the part below her elbow as a stump. Parents say they don't want their kids to watch her program because the kids may be scared by her missing arm.

Let's put this into perspective. The company did not hire a sex offender, serial killer, nudist, criminal, gang member, etc. They hired a perfectly normal host with a slight handicap.

Now does she look like a monster? Someone who would scare children? Is this what kids imagine jumping out from under the bed at night? I think these parents are overreacting. Are they trying to shelter their kids from a TV personality? Kids are going to be exposed to people with handicaps thousands of times throughout life, and they shouldn't be trained to fear them. I think it's the parents with the problem here. Not the kids.

If parents really want to protect their kids, they shouldn't focus on people like this. Keep them away from guns, drugs, and violence. Just because you were lucky enough to be born with all of your extremities in place doesn't mean you should alienate those who weren't.

My thought about trust... and I do have one

Did you ever think about how much we trust other people? Today at the bank I just handed the teller my $100 bill without hesitation*. I trust the bus driver with my life twice a day to get me to and from work. If something tragic happens such as a fire or your Great Aunt Meryl falls and breaks a hip, we dial 911, tell them our address, and get in the car with absolute strangers. That's just it. They're strangers. We don't know them; yet we feel the need to check our significant other's phone messages and interrogate them if they arrive just 5 minutes past his or her ETA.

They say to trust your instincts. Usually we trust anyone in a hospital with a white coat; yet we always request a second opinion. We trust our friends when we start a convo with "OMG don't tell anyone this but..." Usually that same phrase is uttered 15 mins later by the same person who just heard it. So how do we decide who we do and do not trust?



* Why do I have a $100 bill you ask? Well, because Brittany gave it to me.**
** Why did Brittany have a $100 bill? Well, because she just got back from Vegas.***
***Ya, I don't want to talk about it.

Double take... again

If you're on facebook I'm sure you've noticed the targeted ads along the right hand side of the screen. It's crazy how personalized they all are. Mine usually shows a picture of Justin Timberlake [right on!] asking me if I want to take the ultimate Justin IQ test. I also get a picture of a 90 pound girl in a bikini asking me if I want to look like her, and telling me they have the secret to losing belly fat. I also get some writing competitions or freelance writers wanted ads. I think one ad even said something about LRC. Talk about target marketing.

However, just recently this photo came up, and I nearly got sick to my stomach. Warning: weird image following!


It said "Impossible IQ Question: How many lips does this girl have?" Well, frankly I can't look at it for too long because my eyes cross, and it makes me nauseous. I know it's just photoshopped, but . . . gah!

What goes up when the rain comes down?

So this morning was a rainy one in Pittsburgh - SURPRISE! Lucky for me, I'd packed my trusty umbrella. I arrived at work nice and dry. Some other 'burghers, however, weren't so lucky. I heard one woman say as she struggled to open a broken umbrella: "Why does my umbrella always fail when I need it most?"

I wanted to say to her, "Well, ma'am, it's probably because you don't use your umbrella when you don't need it." Think about it. How often do you open your umbrella when it's not raining? Chances are, it's not going to fail you when you are not using it.

I found it funny so I thought I'd share.