Please Mr. Postman

Yeah - I'm still here.  Just been busy/uncreative/unmotivated as of late.

So, I requested my Bar Exam scores.  I wish I hadn't done that, as this is what they reflected:

Passing Score: 346
My Score: 342

FOUR POINTS. FOUR MOTHER-EFFING POINTS.  1%.  That's it.  That's all that stood between me and my law license.  FOUR POINTS.

I would've been less frustrated if my score had been more like 250.

But, alas, what can you do?

Well, what I did is beg.  The CPA exam allows exam candidates (for a fee, of course.  hey - isn't money what this is all about after all??) to have their exams re-scored.  The Bar doesn't embrace such a policy - or at least I can find no evidence of one.  So I decided to appeal to the humanity of the Executive Director and Chairman.  I wrote them a very heartfelt letter in which I pleaded to have my exam re-scored.  Seeing as I only have one measly percent to go, it's worth a shot, right??  Sadly, they apparently do not agree with my logic as I have not heard back from anyone at the Board.  Sigh.

So, I've applied to take the blasted thing again.  Application, and accompanying check for $400, went out today.  That basically means $400 and 4 months of studying for FOUR POINTS.

All irritation aside - what this means is that I better damn well knock that piece of shi* out of the park in February, and I want any loyal readers I may still have left to hold me to that.  Studying must start now.  There will be no 3.5-week cram sessions this time.  MONTHS of preparation.  I will not take any chances.

That is all.

Fare Thee Well

It's a sad day for your fair SS, as the summer shows are coming to an end.  Sigh.  To the following pieces of trash, we now bid you adieu: 

1. Toddlers & Tiaras 
2. Royal Pains 
3. Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami 
4. Make It or Break It 
5. Rizolli & Isles
6. The Secret Life of the American Teenager

And the saddest of all...

     7. The Closer

We will miss you all so.  

But, life (and primetime programming) must go on.  Therefore we offer a resounding welcome to the NEW FALL LINEUP!!!  Including (but not limited to): 

1. Law & Order SVU
2. Grey's Anatomy 
3. Keeping Up with the Kardashians 
4. Weeds
5. (New) Hellcats
6. (New) Shit My Dad Says

And the greatest of all...

     7. gLee

As a public service, I have decided to publish the link to the September preview schedule for your review:

http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview/images/fallpreview2010calendar.pdf

Now, go forth and rot your brains!

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

Took 3 exams.  Got 3 sets of results:

---

The Good:

Apparently, I am ethical enough to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (precursor to a law license).  Yay!  Sounds like it would be a piece of cake or a joke.  Not so much.  This was actually my second time taking it.  It’s quite tricky, and you really do have to prepare.  No working off the assumption that you instinctively know right from wrong.  I was pretty nervous about it, actually, so I’m glad I did okay.  It would be a rather large nuisance for me to have to take it again. 

Good news. 

Even better news?

I FINALLY PASSED THE MOTHER-EFFING CPA EXAM BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s right – you’re now reading the brilliant words of Kristen, CPA (well, once I complete the painstaking licensing process anyway…).  I am SO thrilled about this since, as you know, I have been taking this piece of crap exam for the majority of my existence.  And I gotta say (in case you weren’t aware), I was pretty damn sick of it. 

But now? 

NO MORE!!  ALL DONE!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!!!!

Not only will I no longer have to endure the misery of Regulation, Audit, Financial Reporting, and Business Environment, I’ll probably have twice the disposable income, since I won’t be forking over thousands of dollars a year in test fees.  That’s as good of news as the exam results themselves! 

So -  

In celebration: 

---

The Bad:

Sadly, God generally doesn’t open windows without first closing doors.  My closed door?  The Bar Exam.  Gigantic Sigh.  Despite my respectable (albeit futile, last-ditch, and somewhat insane) effort at cramming 3 months of studying into 3 weeks, I was not able to pass this beast.  Sucks.  A lot.  I have gone back and forth on whether I will take it again in February, but I have decided that I will.  I am getting my actual scores in the next week or so, so hopefully I can see what I need to work on (and hopefully I wasn’t ridiculously far off…).  Then, I will do it all again come the end of February.  Hopefully, the March 2011 equivalent of this post will reveal a much brighter future for yours truly… 

In the meantime though -

In mourning:

---

The Ugly:

The Bar wasn’t the only fatality this month.  Also out the window went my relationship.  After the beach trip from hell, Deac basically dropped off the face of the Earth.  Oh, he called, but he made no mention of seeing me for 3 weeks.  Since that’s the opposite of what a reasonable person would do if told the things I said to Deac, I decided to cut him loose.  Did it through an unnecessarily nice email (since I LOATHE talking about my feelings), and never heard from him again.  Hasta la vista, Deac!  And good riddance, I guess (as I am taking his lack of effort and response as a personal affront).  NOT having any relationship drama or distractions will definitely make preparing for (and passing, damn it!) the Bar much easier this next time…

Nonetheless - 

In memoriam: 

---

Alright, that’s all for now!  Back to work for me.  After my mental quasi-strike, I am über behind.  Snap to, Kristen!  Chop, chop!  Gotta avoid getting fired, at the very least.

Oh yeah - hopefully I’ll have some Random Thoughts for you tomorrow.  It’s been a long time since my mental anarchy has graced you. They’re definitely flying around my head right now, too, just dying to get out…

Latuh!  

Little Boxes

Yes, fair readers, I have officially bitten off more than I can chew. And I choked on it. When you do one too many things, you fail at all of them. And that? Is me.

So, I have been pushed by my overwhelming misery into a coma of inaction.  I finally bathed today.  But immediately got right back in my bed, where I am on my 38th consecutive episode of the only thing that is getting me through:



Not the drug itself, because I've never been one for illegal substances.  (Or legal ones - thank God I quit drinking 5 years ago, or I would've probably had my stomach pumped by now.)

I now believe this is the greatest show ever.  Well, maybe not ever because I do still love the Closer and Buffy just as much.  But, it is now in my top 5 of all time.  Watch it.  Love it.  Watch it some more.  The only bad thing about Weeds?  I'm done with the first 3 seasons, and there are only two more seasons and two episodes left until I'm caught up.  What am I going to do when I run out of Weeds??  Depressing.

Ah, coffee slurping, questionable sex having, well intentioned Nancy Botwin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8oVZiuk0r8

Minus the two kids, drug dealing, and dead ex-husband - I am living her life.  At least I'm not alone...



The theme song from this little marvel is SO. TRUE.  And sung by someone different each episode - everybody from the Shins to Donovan.  Can't embed them (damn the man!), but you can check a sampling out here:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weeds+intro

Enjoy.  And if you have Netflix, go watch Weeds on instant download.  You won't be sorry.

Life in a Nutshell

It's been a rough few weeks.  It's also been a very long time since I've told a story with songs.  (Check out my first AND last attempt: http://stolensentiments.blogspot.com/2010/02/somebody-to-love.html).  So, instead of boring you with the details, I'll do what I do best and steal someone else's words to tell you (in no particular order) what's happened lately with relationships, exam results, work, and life in general.  Enjoy!  (If you don't listen to anything else, PLEASE watch the Disgruntled Employee Song.  Priceless...)

I Want Candy

Alright, alright.  I know.  I'm well aware of my shortcomings - specifically my inability to follow through on ANYTHING.  The Happiness Project? (See: Back in Black) Yeah... It's no more.  At least for now.  I had the epiphany that it was going to be damn-near impossible to embark on a year-long journey to a euphoric state of happy bliss when I am TOTALLY. UNBELIEVABLY. BURNT. OUT.  I think I probably need to deal with that before I dive in to life improvement, don't you?

So, I'm now undertaking Dr. Frank Lipman's (check out Spent? End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again)  6-week program to recover from the diabolical disorder he coined "Spent".  And ladies and gents, I AM SPENT.  Boy-howdy am I spent...

The Six-Week "Revive" Program entails the following:

• Week One: Nourish 
• Week Two: Move
• Week Three: Adapt 
• Week Four: Release 
• Week Five: Balance
• Week Six: Sustain 

Doesn't sound too hard, right?  (Well - except for that whole "moving" thing.  We all know how good I am at actually exercising...)  I would be more than thrilled to focus on rebuilding my immune system, learning to go to bed at a reasonable hour, and even moving my lazy ass from time to time, if weren't for one thing: in Lipman's mind, "Nourish" is synonymous with GIVING UP SUGAR.  And don't just mean giving up the half a bag of marshmallows I've historically (and regularly) consumed in one sitting.  I mean giving up ALL sugar.  Lipman suggests cooking hot muselix sans sweet and using agave syrup in place of white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, or basically all sugar of any kind. 

I think that's a load of horse-doody.  NO WAY am I going to be able to give up sugar completely.  But, I've resolved to come pretty damn close...  

Thank God I'm at least allowed to have fruit.  But people, in case you wondered, fruit is NOT a cookie.  It is NOT a piece of fudgy cake.  Nor is it a candy bar, a brownie, a handful of Pretzel M&Ms, or my most recent obsession - a thick, creamy milkshake.  It's fruit.  Boring, lame, unsatisfying fruit.  Sigh.

Lipman says that the first three days of the sugar detox are the worst.  I have headaches, lack of concentration, and hunger pangs to look forward to.  Joy.  But the person I feel the worst for isn't actually myself - it's  Boss-Man Jr., who made a surprise visit to work on some clients with me and Boss-Man Sr.  He gets to witness the hysteria and pure evil that are apparently going to start spewing out of me in about T-minus-12 hours.  Poor, poor BMJ.  I've already preemptively apologized for anything I might do or say during his short visit to the Sunny South.  Let's hope I don't get fired... 

Well kids, off to make some appetite suppressant tea and watch Brenda Leigh - another woman who knows the pain of sugar withdrawal. God love her.

If I survive Day One, I'll regale you with my Trash Talkin' about Saved by the Bell's extraordinarily unrealistic and age-inappropriate relationships.  I know you can't wait.  

Hasta,  

SS 

Fire

So, this happened today, 5 miles from my house:



  

 



Miraculously - and PRAISE GOD - only one person was killed (2 others are critically injured).  It's incredibly amazing that the cars behind this horrific accident didn't create a bajillion-car pile-up.  I can't promise you I wouldn't have run into all the people in front of me if I'd seen an oil tanker explode, producing a nuclear-bomb-sized cloud of black smoke and flames hot enough to melt the asphalt.  Kudos to you, metro-area drivers, for keeping your cool in a very, very scary situation.

Unfortunately, I averaged a speed of 15 mph all the way home, and missed the Secret Life of the American Teenager.  What a cluster...

Trash Talk - Tuesday

(Yes, I know it's Thursday.  But to be fair, I started this entry on Tuesday.)

Why hello there, loyal readers!  Yes, I know I have not kept true to my word about updating all the time but, what can I say?  Life is crazy!!  I took the MPRE on Friday (which was much harder than I thought it would be, so I need extra fingers and toes crossed on my behalf), and I went to the beach this weekend with Deac, his cousin, and his cousin's wife.  Not my best beach weekend experience - in part because the Outer Banks No-See-Ems decided to use me as an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Inspired by Hyperbole and a Half, I decided to draw you guys a picture of my misery so that you might, perhaps, share in it with me (because misery certainly does love company!):

So now I'm back at home and at work, trying not to rip the flesh off of my body for the itching.  At least I got to move seats now so I'm not in a fishbowl anymore, and I can blog on my lunch break!  Hooray!  And now that I've gotten your skin empathetically crawling, I shall move on to today's true Trash Talk topic (say that three times fast!):

---

OPINIONS AHEAD. 

PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

---

Let me be clear here, though.  I LOOOOOVE The Closer.  Seriously LOVE it.  It's one of my most favoritest shows ever.  But it's the topic of Trash Talk this week because there IS something about it that bugs me.

Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (the lovely and talented Kyra Sedgwick) is a homicide detective in LA who hails from the ATL.  To be specific, she's from Roswell, GA - a suburb of Atlanta.  Who else lived in Roswell?  Yep - that would be yours truly.  Brenda's ridiculously southern accent does prove to be a major part of her charm, but - hate to break it to you - people from Atlanta really don't talk like that.  I spent 23 of my 31 years (and the most formidable 23 at that) in ATL 'burbs, and I have been told that I have no discernible accent.  None.  Sure, every now and then I'll say something that gives my (proud) southern heritage away, but I definitely don't come off as a hick.  Neither do my parents or siblings.

Atlanta is a varietal cornucopia of cultures, and is one of the most diverse cities in the country.  There are a crap-ton of relos (relocated persons) in the city and suburbs, which has contributed to the obliteration of the stereotypical redneck accent that is rumored to permeate the metropolis.

Note - I am NOT speaking for the rest of the state of Georgia (which is FILLED with "My Name is Earl-esque characters); I am just talking about the City of Atlanta, and the Atlanta-Metro area (which has a radius of roughly 100 miles).  

Roswell is only about 15 minutes from downtown, and borders the swanky suburbs of Dunwoody and Buckhead - the height of class in the ATL.  No hicks in sight. I know that, if you go way out to the outskirts of Roswell, you may find a heavy accent or two, but it's not the norm these days.  Brenda isn't old enough to have developed that accent as a result of growing up in Roswell (especially if she lived in the area where she would've been zoned to Roswell High School - which she states in the season 3 finale that she was).  So, the show gets the stink-eye from me for perpetuating the myth that Atlantans are hicks (and implying that southerners are slow and stupid - which is ironic, considering Brenda is actually a frickin' genius and mastermind of criminal justice).  If they wanted to do that, they should've written her character so that she was from Macon, or Millegeville, or Snellville or something.

End rant.

Oh - if you're not a Closer fan, or have no idea what I'm talking about, watch the following clips.  They should give you an idea.  And, friends and followers from the ATL - let me know if you agree with my assessment.  (Sorry - for some reason, embedding is disabled on all "The Closer" clips on YouTube.  Lame!)

Crazy Bride Scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSxTzm-EScQ&feature=related

Lt. Provenza Mimics Brenda (VERY funny):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-F4Gwor1ao

(Sorry my posts kind of suck these days, by the way.  I'm trying to get back in the groove.  A month-long blogging hiatus has a way of stealing your muse and putting up quite the writer's block.  Don't give up on me yet, though.  I promise to tell you when it's hopeless and you can stop reading...)

Tell Me Why - Wednesday

Yep - It's another Wednesday.  And, yet again, I'm confused.  La pregunta del dia is: WHY AM I STILL AWAKE???  I'm supposed to be working on my energy level this month as part of my Happiness Project, but I haven't exactly been following the Project guidelines.  This month they are: 

1. GO TO BED at a decent hour (like 10:30) 
2. GET OUT OF BED at a decent hour (like 6:30) 
3. Exercise - not every day for hours, but a doable 4x/week for 20 minutes. 
4. Take a multivitamin.  

Well, it's the 4th.  How many of those things have done? Even once this month?  NONE.  

I have a ton of work to do, a test to study for, a house to clean, and a trip for which I need to pack (LOOOONG overdue beach weekend with Deac - to celebrate the end of these miserable exams).  Despite this freakishly long list of chores, I am sitting on my couch, blogging to you, and watching Y&R.  I am too tired to do stuff, so I should go to bed and get a fresh, early start tomorrow, right?  

Which brings me back to my original question - WHY AM I STILL UP???  

I need to go to bed... 

(Thanks again to Hyperbole and a Half - my favorite blog of the day - for letting me steal (without permission)  brilliant drawings.)  

I'm Just a Kid (and Life is a Nightmare)

Here I go again, referring you to other blogs.  I've been trying to catch up on some of my favorites (since I not only banned myself from my own blog for the duration of Studypalooza, but from all others I love as well) and I came across this most priceless entry from Hyperbole and a Half.  Check it out.  You won't be disappointed (and you may even understand me just a little bit better): 


http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html





I intend to produce my own work of genius (or at least lackluster mediocrity) later tonight.  Stay tuned. 

Back In Black

Yep, that's right!  I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccckkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know you guys missed me terribly, and please know how much I've missed you!  Some of you (well, some of those of you who might actually still follow my lonely little blog after my month-long hiatus, that is) may remember that I just undertook the miserable feat of sitting for the DREADED...

...wait for it...

Can't promise anyone that I passed (especially in light of my prior academic glory - see: Trash Talk Tuesday), but, I DID survive.  That's something, right?

 I have the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam this Friday, and then I'm done with this crap - hopefully forever. I will find out the results of the bar, the MPRE, and the last section of the CPA exam on roughly the same day (somewhere around August 28).  So, stay tuned - at least for the end of the month. It will either be an AMAZING day, or an incredibly shitty one...

---

In the meantime, I'm starting a new project.  For the next 12 months I present to you an incredibly exciting (though unoriginal) self-improvement project - the Happiness Project (stolen from the book of the same name).  Much like the author of this charming memoir, Gretchen Rubin, I will focus on a different shortcoming or goal each month and strive to improve my life, and thereby increase my happiness, by making changes in that particular area.  A sneak preview - August, Month 1, will center on energy.  More details to come...

---

Alright happy people, I am off to bed.  Back to work tomorrow after my 30-day unpaid leave of absence/Studying Extravaganza.  Ugh...

But, before I go, a salute to all the people and things that got me through one HELLUVAN exam: 

• The fine folks at MicroMash and Bar in a Flash.  Love those guys!
• Microsoft OneNote 
• My dear friend Senor P - for sneaking me those PMBR lectures.  They saved my butt!
• The nut jobs that dreamed up this gem: 

• Law & Order SVU and the Closer.  (Win the Emmy, Kyra!!) 
• My now ex-Roomie - the Intern. 
• Deac, especially for my delicious celebratory dinner last night. 
• AC/DC
• This song: 

• This cereal: 

• My wrist-brace, Bengay, and BioFreeze. 
• My laptop, which functioned ALL the way through the race that is the state essay portion. 
• My dear friend Professor E. 
• A lot of prayers from all around. 
• The spacious suite at my ghetto hotel at the test-site, and the delicious salad at the restaurant next door.
• The view of the horse park that made me want a pony. 
• Coffee and Adderall. 
• This cat: 

• My bed. 
• And last - but absolutely not least since I'd probably be dead or in a padded cell right now without them - everyone out there who believed in me.  You know who you are. 

All of my love and devotion to all of the above.  You truly are my Sunshine.  

LAY-TUH! 

Tell Me Why - Wednesday

x

New segment here on Musical Musings.  While I will still focus on wonderful people/organizations some Wednesdays, I will also be asking you guys some deep, life-altering questions.  So, without delay, the VERY FIRST...

---

---

Today, dear readers,


TELL ME WHY...........          

     

...........I WATCH THIS CRAP?!?!

To which crap am I referring?  That would be this crap: 

We all know that, when it comes to TV, I have serious issues.  And I mean SERIOUS.  This might be the biggest piece of crap I watch, and that is saying a helluva lot.  I've already featured "Secret Life" in a post before (see this Trash Talk), but I didn't really delve into what makes the show so gosh-darn stupid.  Instead of creating a drawn out diatribe explaining my theories, as is my usual way, I will instead list all of the stupid, unbelievable story lines in the show, and explain the flaws in the characters and the actors who portray them. 

1. 
   
   1.   Ben's Devotion to Amy: Ben.  Cute kid, albeit it gawky and annoying.  He decides he needs a girlfriend.  His two friends point out Amy.  That is, Amy BEFORE the baby bump started to show.  He goes on a date with Amy.  He then, IMMEDIATELY, falls in love with Amy.  In real life, that kid would've run like hell when he found out the girl he'd been out with ONCE was pregnant with the Big Playboy On Campus's kid.  But NOOOOO.  Ben confesses his undying love for Amy, and frickin' proposes.  They're FIFTEEN!  The first season culminated with the two running off to get married.  Of course, that wasn't remotely legal, so it didn't last.  They break up.  He sleeps with her Baby-Daddy's ex, gets her pregnant, doesn't know it, and is now back together with Amy.  Of course, the shit will hit the fan next week when Amy finds out about Adrienne's poppin' fresh bun in the oven... 
   
   
   Ø  Characters: 
   
   
   o  Amy: Irritating, self-centered, whiny, band-geek narcissist.  And I hate her hair.  (Actress Shailene Woodley isn't THAT bad, but she still gets on my nerves.) 
   o  Ben: As aforementioned, gawky and annoying.  (Actor Ken Baumann - definitely not great.  Probably would throw him in the "minoring in drama, majoring in accounting" talent category.)
   
   
   2.     Jack Does Grace: Ah, Grace.  President of the Chastity Club (though it doesn’t have the charming irony of the same storyline in Glee).  To save her pathetic high school relationship from the class tramp Adrienne, Grace decides to bare all for Jackie-Boy and do the nasty.  And, she ABSOLUTELY loves it.  Becomes almost obsessed with it.  In fact, her obsession with it prompts a whole episode on masturbation.  (DON’T ask.)  What 15 year old GIRL loves sex that much after the first time?  And yet somehow manages to never do it again?  (Nope, never again.)  Really? I don’t think so.  Actually, the only realistic part of this dramatic travesty – sex makes the two kids realize they don’t like each other all that much after all…
   
   
   Ø  Characters: 
   
   
   o   Jack: Typical bumbling idiot teenage guy.  Decent looking.  Particularly moronic when it comes to girls. (Actor Greg Finley…SUCKS.)
   o   Grace: Not that cute, but is supposed to be the pure, sweet, chaste, and innocent high-school hottie.  Doesn’t really pull it off all that well.  Kind of bugs me.  Definitely borders on hypocritical.  (Actress Megan Park – not bad.  But not that good, either.)
   
   
   3.     Madison and Lauren: Amy’s two cronies.  They are so craptastic in every possible way.  Characters and actresses alike.  SUCK.  So bad.  So bad in fact, that’s all the explanation they get.
   
   
   4.     George and Anne Jeurgens: Oh Molly, Molly.  What happened to you?  When did you become the world’s worst actress?  When did you decide you would accept the stupidest storylines of all time?  Yes, that’s Molly Ringwald I’m talking about.  Beloved…
   
   
   Andie:
   
   
   

   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   

   And Sammy Davis Baker Jr: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Now, she’s a divorced/on again-off again pseudo-reconciled ex-wife mother who got pregnant by her ex husband.  They have a very bizarre and incredibly lame relationship.  She tries to convince some random guy that she dated for five minutes that the baby was his.  He cheats on her with slut Adrienne’s mom and gets hair plugs.  They are God. Awful. 
   
   
   Ø  Characters:
   
   
   o   Anne: I think I’ve adequately explained her.
   o   George: And him. (Actor Mark Derwin is pretty funny though, and adds some much needed comic relief to the show.)
   
   
   Ironically, the slut Adrienne/Playboy Ricky storyline is actually pretty realistic and well done.  Both actors (Francia Raisa and Daren Kasagoff) are actually decent.  Adrienne is very pretty in an exotic way.  Daren isn’t hot enough to pull off his role, but I guess he has that mysterious, troubled boy thing going.  My favorite character is Ashley, with her incredibly dry sense of humor and monotone line delivery.  Certainly not winning an Emmy any time soon, but still pretty good.
   
   
   OH!  BEST OF ALL!!!  The new guidance counselor??  MAYIM BIALICK!  YEP!  BLOSSOM!!!
   
   
   
   
   
   OMG.  She could almost warrant an entire post herself. But I'll save that for another day.
   
   

   ---

   So, with all of that said, WHY IN THE HELL do I tune into ABC Family EVERY Monday night at 8:00 pm EST???  What is wrong with me, dear readers???  WHY??
   
   
   
   A dollar to whoever can give me the answer.
   
   
   Bon Jeudi! 
   
   
   (Oh - sorry for the jacked up font.  Not sure what's up with that tonight...) 

Random's Manifest - Thursday Thoughts

Back home from Disney, and in the office.  Figured, what better time for some RANDOM THOUGHTS??

Moving Day 

No, not from my house.  From the office.  We're moving from our holding space in the 'hood to our new, beautiful building Uptown.  As glad as I will be to say goodbye to the rif-raff around here, I am not looking forward to the longer commute and expensive parking.  Nor am I terribly thrilled about the "Workplace of the Future", in which my cubicle will be out in the middle of everything, and all of my doings will be everyone's business.  I'll have to figure out a way to hide my blogging breaks from the masses... 

We're in the midst of packing right now, and this place looks like World War III at the moment.  Awesome.  I kinda like it for some reason.  First, it's an opportunity to purge and get reorganized which, contrary to popular belief (based on the chaotic state of my house), is actually one of my favorite things.  As disastrous as my home might be, my workspace is psychotically organized, albeit cluttered.  Now, I can reorganize my organization, and de-clutter at the same time!  What could be better??  Yay!  Second, it's a little invigorating to have everyone working together to get stuff done.  We're normally kind of on our own, and we don't interact much.  But, when we're all having to clean and pack and organize, we have to all just get along.  It's a complete wreck at the moment though.   I am going to try to take a picture of this nightmare to post for you guys.  I know you'd positively LOVE to see our mess.  :) 

Strange That Glee Makes Me Cry.  And ALMOST like Lady GaGa... 

I've cried the last three episodes.  A good cry though, I suppose.  Tuesday's season finale was awesome, but I am absolutely devastated to see it go for the summer. I will miss it so!  I'm listening to the soundtrack from the episode as I type.  Outstanding stuff.  If you haven't already, download it NOW.  

Here's a sampling: 

I was also shockingly pleased with the Lady GaGa episode.  As aforementioned, I am not a GaGa fan, but I gotta say, I LOVE Bad Romance now.  But, not her version still.  This version: 

Rachel and her surprise mom also do a pretty great version of Poker Face.  When you check out the soundtrack from the season finale, look into that, too.  You won't be sorry.

eShakti, have a sale already!

The online clothier bombards me with daily emails showcasing their beautiful summer dresses, but not since I made my first purchase (see this edition of Random Thoughts: http://stolensentiments.blogspot.com/2010/02/randoms-manifest.html) have they offered any deals!  There are so many cute things I want from this store, including these: 

Don't they know that if they just lowered the prices a smidgen, I'd order again?  Sigh... 


Ok, so I'm not the best at keeping my resolutions...
Remember when May was going to be a great month for new beginnings?  (see: Brand New May)  Yeah, so, not so much...  


Haven't done Weight Watchers at all and, in fact, have gained quite a bit.  That is the direct result of the work project from hell, though.  Things are quieting down a little, so I need to get back in the groove.  I can't cross back over into the bad place.  I just can't.  


Along that same vein, I haven't worked out in literally MONTHS.  Unless you count walking around the theme parks, which, I don't.  That has to change.  I feel like hell right now, so I need to get off my once again fat ass and MOVE.  Doc said I'm at risk for blood clots if I don't.  That should seriously scare me straight, but as of yet, it hasn't.  Maybe I'll get on the elliptical when I get out of here today.  Maybe... 


Some other resolutions I made in the past: 

• Watch all 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (again)
• Read at least 3 books/month
• Pass the CPA exam and the Bar
• Join a book club
• Get in shape
• Meet my future husband

Hmm... Well, I did do the first one.  Yep.  ALL SEVEN.  And, I remember why it's my favorite show of all time.  As for the second item, although I've still been reading a lot, I haven't kept to my 3 book/month rule.  Just too busy.  For number three - I did in fact fail the CPA exam yet again.  Scheduled to retake it on July 3.  I really need to not make the same mistake for the bar.  I am starting that study plan TONIGHT.  Fourth, no book club.  Haven't found one, and don't have enough hours in the day.  Maybe that'll change soon, though.  Fifth, YEAH RIGHT!  We just had that conversation.  Last - not yet.  Still waiting for him, it seems... 

Another Bloggy Award!!! 
In the midst of my utter madness (aka getting that application done), I received a lovely blogger award from Donda at: http://www.dailylifewithbipolar.blogspot.com/?zx=adaafc79cc2a3242. 


(Don't get discouraged if a Blogger warning pops up - there's no dangerous content in her great blog - just real life tales of living with Bi-Polar disorder.  Accept the warning and enter.  That's an order.)  

Thank you Donda, for the award!  I appreciate it!  I promise I will pay it forward and fulfill my award requirements soon. 

That kid's got some problems. 

My name is Kristen, and I'm addicted to some REALLY bad TV.  Including some shows geared towards tween-age girls.  There.  I admit it.  I am ashamed.  I will not go into greater detail than that, but I will share with you a video made for one of the horrible, horrible half hours of crap I ingest with my eyes.  It's a great song and a pretty cool concept, if you ask me.  Enjoy!

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And with that, I bid you adieu.  Off to finish packing my junk and then I'm getting out of here early.  Gonna work from home and maybe exercise.  I'll keep you posted on my progress (or lack thereof).  


Have a fabu day!