Summer Has Officially Begun!

I’m very excited about today and let me tell you why…my summer has officially started and I’m super psyched! Why has my summer officially started on this Thursday in May…because I don’t have to work my Thursday bar shift for the whole summer!!!  You may be wondering why since my husband and I own the joint and I’ll tell you.

Several years ago when things finally started to get settled at the bar, my hubby and I decided that we needed to have at least one night where we did something together.  So we decided to join a bowling league together and it was the perfect idea.  It was something that we had to dedicate at least one night a week too.  It’s something that’s active so we’re not just sitting on our asses (not that we get to do that much anyways) and it was a way to meet some new people.  Not only good for us, but our bowling league now hangs out at the bar…can’t beat that!  Plus, for me, I have  gained at least five more hours in my week to get other things done and that’s a big deal.

So on my first Thursday without having to work at the bar, I plan on getting out in my garden and pulling some weeds!  Might not sound like too much fun to you, but I’m looking forward to it.  My garden is in need of a little TLC plus, I find gardening to be pretty therapeutic and it looks to be the perfect gardening day here in the ‘Burgh.  Then it’s off to our first night of bowling for the season.  I’ve already got my shoes cleaned, my ball shiny and plenty of dollars to spend on the dollar beers. 

It’s going to be a GREAT day today…I just know it!!! 

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The MAD Shitter!

So I’m back from the fabulous land of Las Vegas and it was…AWESOME!  Everything went perfectly.  The trade show went off with a hitch, the weather couldn’t have been more superb and the people I traveled with were a blast!  And for the first time in a long time (on a business trip to Vegas), I had a significant amount of down time and let me tell you…I took full advantage of it.  I even spent six hours poolside one day and that never happens.  At night we went out and enjoyed all of the fun that Vegas has to offer and of course, we gambled.  We gambled a lot!

There was only one bad part to the whole trip…

Saturday I woke up bright and early as I had to be at the airport at 9:30 a.m. and it was a rough wake-up.  I had a wicked hang over (to be expected in sin city) but it’s not like I haven’t been hung over and flying before.  You just get a cocktail on the plane and power through.  Except that everything else about the ride was TERRIBLE!  I had a four hour flight from Vegas to Charlotte.  I had the aisle seat and next to me in the middle seat was an older woman who was slightly larger.  Not obese but big enough where we couldn’t put the arm rest down in between us, so I felt like she was invading my space the entire time.  Across the aisle from me was this guy…oh my!  He was probably in his early 40s and was wearing black skinny jeans with paint all over them, work boats and a Metallica t-shirt with the arms really cut out.  He had this weird ‘70s hairstyle and he wore the most ridiculous sunglasses the entire time.  What made him terrible to sit next too was that it was only his second plane ride and he had absolutely nothing to do to occupy his time for four hours.  So what did he do instead?  He asked me and everyone else that walked passed – flight attendant, passenger – for the time.  Do you have any idea how long that makes a four hour plane ride?   After the sixth time he asked me, I handed him one of my rag mags and told him that he was making the flight longer by needing to know the time every five minutes!  But wait…it gets worse.  About two hours out from Charlotte, we hit a lot of turbulence and it was bad.  Being that I was very hung over, I became quite aware of where my puke bag was.  But being pukey wasn’t what was worse.  The woman next to me, the larger one, started to get sick and she burped and farted for the last two hours, excusing herself every time.  I wanted to DIE!  I couldn’t get off the flight fast enough.

Finally…I’m in Charlotte.  I hall ass to my connecting flight only to get there and find out that there was mechanical issues with our plane and we have to move to another gate.  The new gate was exactly where I just came from.  On the way back to that gate, I’m on the people mover and I’m walking and moving.  There’s an older gentleman directly ahead of me (late 50s early 60s) wearing shorts. 

This is where it’s going to blow your mind…

He starts shitting his pants right on the people mover directly in front of me!!!!

Let that sink in for a minute.

Again, he starts shitting his pants right in front of me.  I’m wearing flip-flops and almost flip-flopped directly into it.  The smell made the woman’s farts on the plane smell like roses.  I mean, this man was sick.  His poo smelled worse than a babies diarrhea.   Needless-to-say, the guy tries to hurry but once on the people mover, you can’t get off.  The poo was running down his leg.  It took everything in me not to vomit (remember…hung over).  Are you still processing this part of the story?  Let me say it one more time…he pooped his shorts on the people mover in the middle of the Charlotte airport!!!!

Finally, I get to the new gate and although the flight was delayed over an hour, we got to board and…wait for it…wait for it…the crazy time guy was sitting directly behind me!  I should have known by the way he was dressed that he was heading to Pittsburgh.  I mean where else in the world could one dress like that and get away with it?  Only in the ‘burgh!

By the time I got home at 1 a.m. I was beat and so glad to be home!

One more time…he shit his pants on the people mover in the Charlotte airport!

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What Happens in Vegas...

So it begins…my travel season for my “big girl” job officially begins tomorrow at 7:20 a.m.  I’m off to VEGAS baby and I couldn’t be more excited.  Not just because I’m going to my favorite city in the world but because I’m getting the hell outta dodge!

Each year I’m on the road about 10 to 12 weeks, whisking off to here there and everywhere.  Most of the time I’m going to great places like Vegas, Orlando and San Diego but,  sometimes I have to go to not-so-great cities like Philly, Dallas and Atlanta.  Not to say that these places aren’t nice, I just seem to have bad experiences.  Case-in-point…I was stung by a scorpion seven times in Dallas.  Not fun!  But I am really looking forward to this trip.  It’s the first trip of the year, the weather in Vegas looks perfect and I’m traveling with some of my favorite people in the company.  Also, the show that we’re exhibiting at is one of my favorites to organize each year.  It’s just the right size, the attendees are very nice and willing to talk and the show hours are very short leaving us plenty of time to enjoy all of the great parts of Vegas i.e. laying by the amazing pools, gambling, eating delicious foods and sipping on all those wonderful cocktails!  We also have two great parties that we HAVE to go…sounds rough I know.  Are you all jealous yet? 

Now, as the year goes on and I continue to travel, I’m sure there will be many posts that talk about where I’m going and what I’m doing.  Not all of them will be this upbeat.  This happens to be one of my easiest trips of the year in a fantastic city.  Most of the time when I’m on the road, I work four times harder on very little rest and barely any food.  Traveling for work is never as much fun as it sounds and for any of you out there reading this that travel, I know it’s a love hate relationship.  It gets old being out on the road, staying in hotel after hotel, eating out and living out of a suitcase.  I seem to always count the months down to when my season is over and I’m home for a few months.  On the flip side, I’m always counting down the months till I’m back on the road. 

At least I’m starting this year out on a good…did I mention I’m heading to VEGAS?!

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Take a Kid to Work - WHAT?

Take your child to work day… The one day a year, small humans feel so special that they get to skip a day of school and head to work with their parent.

Now, when I was little, it was JUST take your daughter to work day, but has since become take your child to work.

My mom was a teacher – so in a sense I was STILL going to school (just not my school). And I knew what a teacher did at their job – I was surrounded all day by a teacher. But it was different, and it made me feel “cool.”

I got to write on the chalkboard, check papers, have lunch in the teacher’s lounge, play with the bunny in the science class, AND I got to do all the work that my mom assigned to the kids (I wanted to prove I was smarter than them and could get the highest grade). Yes, I was an over-achiever and a perfectionist even as a 8 year old.

I’m not sure I ever got out of it what the actual goal of “Take Your Child to Work Day” is, which is apparently a program that goes beyond the average “shadow” an adult and shows them the value of their education, helping them discover the power and possibilities associated with a balanced work and family life, and providing them an opportunity to share how they envision the future and begin steps toward their end goals in a hands-on and interactive environment is key to their achieving success.

I knew my mom had to deal with bratty children, I knew she came home covered in chalk dust, I knew once she got home she made dinner and then sat and graded papers. I knew this. It didn’t inspire me to be a teacher.  I wanted to be an astronaut. (Those lucky kids probably got to use a weightlessness simulator when they went to work with their parents.)

Which makes me think – what would be some of the best jobs to go to work with your parent to, how about the worst?

Best:

• Disney Characters
• Zoo Keeper
• Chef/Baker
• Rob Dyrdek (because he has the best jobs in the world)

Worst

• Garbage Man
• Restaurant Dishwasher
• Farmer
• Pedicurist
• Undertaker

What did your parents do? Did you like going to work with them?

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So Much To Do

Me and the fam in Canaan Valley

I grew up in a house with two working parents (well, actually four working parents because of divorce). My mom worked full-time as a nurse. She was never homeroom mom. She didn't make it to many soccer games or swim meets. Our weekends weren't full of fun things to do (that's what we went to my dad's house for :-)). It was chores and grocery shopping and church.

I'm not coming down on my mom, well, maybe a little, but it's more about me as a mom and my kids these days.

My husband and I both work. My kids' schedules are insane between speech and occupational therapy, and faith formation classes. And we have a puppy that I swear requires more attention and caring than a newborn!

I think I'm a pretty good parent--weaving fun into our weekends be it with hiking, playtime at the park, going out to eat, going to the movies or science center or zoo. We have our fair share of fun. Yet, my darling mini-mes are ungrateful to say the least.

I swear, I must have heard "I'm bored" from my six year old 25 this weekend. He spent more time than even a mediocre mom would allow on the computer. Then to the iTouch, then TV. It was beautful out. We were washing cars, playing in the yard, etc. He didn't want any of it.

Then, he decides he wants to go to the park, so my husband takes him (it's literally four houses away from my house). He sees some of our neighbors there. He plays with them. Then, it is time for dinner. He comes home, inhales his dinner, takes his shower and then asks to go back to the park. We say no because we have planned outdoor movie night in the backyard. He cries. He never gets to go to the park. Blah, blah, blah. Waaaa, waaaa, waaaa. I settle it simply by saying "you should have been raised by your grandparents."

I did what my parents wanted. Always what my parents wanted. Don't get me wrong, we did trips to the amusement park, vacations, etc. but the "little things" didn't exist. There wasn't time. They didn't make time. We were raised that we, as their children, entered their lives, not the other way around.

I swore I was gonna raise my kids in a similar manner, but with a bit more fun. And we do more fun, but my kids have come to expect it and it isn't appreciated. That's where I have failed them and me.

I will try harder to ignore my children. I will try harder to not give them everything. I will try harder to let them be bored...a lot. This may make me sound terrible, but boredom is the gateway to creativity. My sister and I played some awesome things. I was always making up stories in my mind. Imagining the future, the past, everything. I was, what some would have deemed a dreamer. I wasn't living it, so I had to dream it.

Every parent wants to give their child what they didn't have. And I want to give my children all the attention that there just wasn't time for in my growing up. But, I need a break from all the fun...or maybe just a drink!

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Goofy or Regular?

Believe it or not, tomorrow is December 1. I for one have continuously expressed my concern with how quickly this year has flown by.

However, December means winter is here! And winter means snow, and snow means fun activities! Over the last two winters I have decided to take up the fine art of snowboarding… and it is a fine art. For me, it has not been easy, but I have grown to love it as a winter sport. So much so that I went out and ordered myself a snowboard after only my third time on a mountain. Most were skeptical of my purchase seeing that my first time down a mountain resulted in a minor concussion and a few smashed 8 year olds.

But, last season I successfully made it down the hills. I’m not good. I’m pretty bad. In fact, I can’t walk for almost a week after we spend time at 7 Springs or Hidden Valley and my knees are usually bruised beyond recognition.

It is one of those things Nick and I enjoy doing together (though, he usually leaves me in the dust to fend for myself, because I hold him up), and we love getting a group of friends together and heading to the mountains for the weekend.

This year I am teaching my friend Jackie to board. In her failed attempt this summer to teach me how to wakeboard, I feel as though this could be a task (Love you JMO). Nick says we both need to purchase helmets. This is probably a true statement.

But for those of you who have never attempted to board or ski, I must tell you that the hardest part about it all is getting off the damn lift. For me, it is no longer making it down the mountain that is my Achilles' heel – it is conquering the ski lift! Getting on – OK. Getting off – Challenge. This is where I fall, bruise my knees, smash into people, knock others over. It’s dangerous, hard and hilarious all at the same time. I’ve seen more injuries occur from people trying to get off the lifts than from falls down the mountain.

This winter season, I have two goals:
1. Learn to use the front edge of my board. Right now, I have two speeds – fast and stop. I don’t carve across the mountain (you need to use your front edge to do this), I just go as fast as I can, and then stop.
2. Master the lift.

Here in Pittsburgh we’ve been having unseasonably warm weather, but by Christmas (26 days) I’m going to be itching to get on my board. Stop this rain, gimme snow!

Happy winter, everyone!

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