WW&B Gets a Makeover!

WW&B has started its makeover. In our hopes and dreams to become famous we thought we should start by getting a logo. You may have noticed a few new things around here like our Share the Love, Contact Us and Working Wives & Bachelorettes We Love to Follow sections. We encourage you to click around our site and explore. This New Year we hope to bring some more exciting gadgets so we can interact with you even more. We’re always looking for improvements! What do you like most about our blog? Come on, flatter us a little!

As always, we deeply appreciate your support and enjoy your feedback and comments. Happy Monday!

Now, meet our new logo…

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Since the Dawn of Time...

I grew up as an only child and being an “only” definitely had its advantages and disadvantages but one thing it didn’t do…was make me your typical spoiled brat.  My parents never had a ton of money and they both worked extremely hard so that they could provide for me but, they also taught me how important it is for me to work and be responsible.  I started working when I was 11 years old for my dad who owned his own handyman business.  When I was 18, I got my first “big girl” job as an admin for an advertising agency which helped pay for my college education.  I worked full-time and went to school part-time.  I’m now 33 and still working my ass off.  I still have a “big girl” job (part-time) and my husband and I own our own bar/restaurant.  I’m not complaining, I actually like working hard…it gives me something to do and keeps me out of trouble but, what really bugs me, especially in an economy such as this, is when people just take having a job for granted.  And I feel like a lot of people coming up in the workforce now just don’t get it.  To me they come across as feeling entitled and they are somewhat lazy and inconsiderate.  Does anyone else feel that way?  Or, is it just because now I’m in my 30’s and the reality of it is, I was the same way in my 20’s?  I don’t know…all I do know is that yesterday I got screwed and I’m pissed!

Thursday’s are my longest day of the week.  I typically work for my “big girl” job about 3 to 3.5 hours.  Then I jump in the shower, grab a bite to eat and I’m off to the bar.  I open the bar on Thursdays so I have to stock beer, do roll-ups, portions, clean and get the place open for business by 3 p.m.  Then I bar tend till about 9:30 p.m.  My relief comes in at 9 p.m. but has to restock beer etc. before she comes on.  Last night turned out quite differently though, as my relief decided to call off work ten minutes before she was supposed to walk through the door.  At that point, it was too late to try and find someone to fill in for so I just said fine, I’ll work it!  I ended up working the shift.  Thankfully, the girl that comes in it 7 p.m. to wait tables, till about 9 p.m., decided to stay on with me and we just toughed it out together.  I mean who calls off ten minutes before your supposed to show up for work.  You can’t really do that in the service industry because the hours are weird and most people in this industry have other jobs.  Not to mention the fact that she called off because of her period!  WHAT?!  I just couldn’t believe it. 

In the end, myself and my faithful side-kicked, pushed through the night will smiles on our faces, made some great money and had some giggles.  But, I’m still really upset and I can’t figure out if I’m upset with her because I’m her boss and I feel like what she did was inconsiderate and disrespectful or, if I’m upset because she’s my friend and it was inconsiderate and disrespectful.  Either way, I have to say something to her and I’m just not looking forward to it.  I mean, I can appreciate the girl calling off because she didn’t think she could work her entire shift, but I didn’t appreciate her doing it ten minutes before she arrived.  I don’t know…I just feel like all of these younger kids pull this crap all the time and it’s frustrating to me because they make more money working 20 hours per week then most people twice their age, not to mention the fact that so many people are without work right now and really struggling.  Calling off because you have your period doesn’t seem to me like you appreciate your job….the one that I gave you and can take away from you anytime.  I’m baffled… I just can’t imagine calling off work (any work) because I have my period.  Women have been working with their periods since the dawn of time.

UGH!

I apologize for the rambling and complaining etc. but I’m frustrated.  Sometimes, this is when I wish that we never opened our own business! 

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The Doctor Will See You Now

It is so easy to put off going to the doctor. Trust me. I'm the queen of "too busy." My kids get there. I make my husband go for aches, pains, illness. And when I'm really sick, I'll go mainly because I need to get over whatever it is as fast as possible because I'm too busy to be sick! It's the preventative maintenance that us chicks usually aren't so good at. Our OBGYNs make us come in once a year otherwise we can't get our birth control filled. We typically go to the dentist because our teeth are something we can see. Same with the dermatologist. It is our regular PCP that we struggle with. It's so easy to put off. We feel fine, so we are fine. And while that is typically the case, it is still good to check in, get annual blood work and set a baseline.

I starts to get scary the older you get. Though I'm not terribly older than the other Working Wives & Bachelorettes, I am starting to see friends get sick with cancer. It's scary. I don't remember my parents friends getting sick or seriously ill when I was growing up. A few friends lost their parents, but I never gave it much thought. The older I get, the more it is in my face, especially when you see people your own age struggling with their health.

In our teens and twenties, we are invincible. Nothing can harm us. We can stay up all night and still function during the day. As we climb into our thirties, our bodies start to slow. I read once that the human body was never meant to live past 40. Through modern medicine, better food and better living conditions, clearly that number has raised, almost doubled. We are lucky, but you have to do your part.

Go to the doctor. Get your annual physical. If you don't have regular health insurance, check out a walk-in clinic, such as MedExpress or Minute Clinic. The prices are reasonable and well worth it. If you need to see a dentist and don't have dental insurance, find a dental school. Many times, they offer free dental exams from students. Visit your OBGYN. Any Planned Parenthood offers services on a sliding scale or, if you live in a city like Pittsburgh, UPMC is forever doing studies. I have a friend who is in grad school full-time and over 26 so insurance is a real issue for her. She participates in a study for birth control and, with minimal participation, she gets free birth control.

There are no excuses. Too busy. No money. Make the time. Find the solution. Stay healthy. We want you around...not just for the next 20 years, but at least 60 or more!

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So What If The Customer Is Right?

I don't complain about customer service a whole lot. I worked retail for quite a few years and know first-hand that dealing with the public is not always the most pleasant experience. But I had a terrible experience at a store I usually love - Target.

My kitchen is very low on cabinet and counter space. But it is a decent size. I have been able to add extra storage space, but I was still in desperate need of counter space. While my mom was here over New Year's, we found a nice kitchen cart at Target. It was the right color, the right size, and had drawers and a little cabinet. It was also on wheels so I could move it when and where I needed it. Just to prove how exciting my life is, I spent 4 hours on New Year's Eve night putting this thing together. While it wasn't difficult, it was very time consuming. At the tail end of the project, my mom and I pick up the top to put it on the base when I notice that it was not going to go on. The back piece had been cut incorrectly so the top did not fit on the base. It was a complete brick wall. There was nothing I could do to fix the situation. I was a little mad.

So the next morning, my mom and I headed to Target to explain the situation. And they were no help. I told them that the piece was wrong. I had pictures. But their only solution was for me to bring the entire cart back to the store. Well...this thing is heavy and bulky. My mom and I wrangled it down the stairs to her car. It doesn't fit. It doesn't fit in the trunk or the back seat. It doesn't fit in my car either. I was able to tie down my trunk lid to drive it back to Target. For all my troubles of putting together a defective product and bringing it back, they graciously gave me a $15 "please shut up" gift card.

I understand that they couldn't just give me a new kitchen cart, so I could go merrily on my way. The part that bothered me was that they had no interest in really helping me or even sympathizing with me over the situation. Even if they didn't care, they could have at least pretended that they did. The attitude I received from their Customer Service department could have changed my perspective on the entire situation. Instead, I left FRUSTRATED!

I did find another kitchen cart at another store. And it is actually much better. I will still shop at Target. But I will think twice about what I choose to purchase there in the future.

P.S. Want an incredible Kelly Moore bag? Leave a comment on her Facebook status for the chance to win one!

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No Betty Crocker

I am not a chef, I am not a baker, in fact, I can’t even convert ounces to cups without the help of Google. But I like to try. I like to check out recipes, drool over how delicious the pictures look, but always manage to get bummed out when my concoction just doesn’t look like the picture.

Most of my cooking adventures fail. Events have resulted in inside jokes such as “the puddle cake” and “melted balls.”

I watch the Food Network and buy cook books, but nothing seems to help. I’ve mastered two meals – crock pot lasagna and potato leek soup. SOMETIMES my cookies turn out OK, but then again, it never fails that I burn one tray.

What does it take, practice? Some lessons? I’m not sure, but what I do know is that I have no natural talent. I’ve babysat for very cuisine-talented families, including the Mineo kids and Miss Laurie’s kids. I’ve eaten some GREAT home-cooked meals, but looks like none of their talents rubbed off. Hell, I cooked those kids mac n cheese or pizza for dinner. Nothing gourmet, and certainly not what they were used to from their parents. I still find Kraft and a Tombstone vital labels in the kitchen.

This weekend, my BFF Jackie and I took part in our latest cooking adventure to break in my new kitchen. This recipe Jackie actually located on Pintrest, but came from The Apron Gal.

Here is a quick peek into our SUCCESSFUL baking quest: Baked S’mores -- get the recipe there

We started by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl to make the crusts. We had to double the recipe, because as per usual, I was not prepared, and did not have the proper sized tray.

Once the dough was made, we placed it in the bottom of the tray and rolled it out pretty thin.
Then we added layer one: CHOCOLATE!

Layer two: FLUFF!

And then Jackie carefully put the top dough layer on... which ended up being way messier than the first dough layerHere is the sweet, sweet dessert - baking away, getting ewwey and gooey

After 30 minutes, and once it was "golden brown" we took it out of the oven. Waiting 15 minutes or so was tough - I wanted to dig in right away!

Here is the final product. Beyond delicious, and tastes just like a camp fire s'more. I would certainly recommend serving them warm, and the next day, just heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Basically, I need help. Our picture does not look like the one from The Apron Gal. But I bet it tasted just as damn good! I would love to take some cooking classes and learn a little more about making quality meals for two. Any suggestions?

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The snow is here...Now the dogs are a mess!

So in one of my last posts I asked where's the snow? I heard the question was also asked on GMA the same morning (which I am already on my way to work when it comes on) but I felt right on topic that day. We ended up getting a couple of inches, nothing too exciting, but of course everyone freaks out! It took a fellow blogger and I two hours to get home after work that first snow fall of the year! Typically it takes us anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 depending on what fantastic event is going on in Pittsburgh. The worst is when the Pirates have an afternoon game...and even though they are horrible, people still go! How is it that we have the worst baseball team and yet, people still go to afternoon games? Don't they have to work like the rest of us? I digress...

Now that the snow is here, I get to look forward to my dogs rolling around and jumping in the snow like snow bunnies and bringing it all through the house once they are finished. It is fun to watch them do it (as you will see below) but the end result is what I hate. Don't you hate walking in the house, taking off your shoes at the door like we have been taught, but the first step you take in your socks is into a wet spot thanks to the dogs? ARGH!

My solution, I am buying them boots. We shall see how long this lasts before I get sick of putting them on. I did this with their shock collars too (and before I hear any crap about that, they learned their boundaries and don't have to wear them anymore...except for the random times they get brave). I would be really good about putting them on and thankfully they don't have to wear them anymore. I figure at least snow is only around for a couple months, so I should be able to handle it. When I get these boots (suggestions on where to buy them would be nice!), I will be sure to post pictures, but until then, I will chase them around the house with a towel to get their paws dry.

Here is a video from a snow day they had last year. Around 2:10 is my favorite part when Mark (the black one) gets a surprise from Axel. You will notice Mark is not a huge fan of the snow and has to have Axel make him a walking path. What a baby!

They are the best of friends and forever will be. But this year, let's hope we don't get that much snow again and I won't have to get the snow off of their bodies too!

Here is to hoping for snow days, even though we aren't in school anymore!

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Are You Feeling Lucky?

Cue the Jason music. I’m not a superstitious person but when things don’t go the way I hope I tend to blame it on my “bad luck”. Interestingly enough, only around 10 percent of Americans believe that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, yet it is still a well-recognized superstition, causing people to joke about it and be perhaps a little more cautious than usual. This year, Friday the thirteenth falls on January 13, April 13 and July 13.

Thanks to our ancestors this date has worried some of us for no reason at all, or is there a reason? What is the origin of this day? According to folklore, 12 Norse gods were having an awesome meal in their heaven. They were drinking, eating and partying when, low and behold, Loki the mischievous appears. He apparently set out for the god Balder (the god of all things wonderful and cool) to be shot in the face with a mistletoe tipped arrow by the blind god of darkness, Hoder...who's blind...and the assassin. (Really? How does that work?) Anyway, Somehow Hoder gets past his crippling loss of sight and shoots Balder with his mistletoe arrow. Balder dies and the whole wide world becomes a dark, sad, and unlucky day every Friday the 13th.

Wow, some story. And great, all of this irrational fear is because of some blind god that shot another god with mistletoe. Way to go. I am not one to follow or believe in superstitions but I am not going to lie the thought of the end of the world does freak me out. I won’t get into my rant but as long as I don’t have to suffer, I will be able to deal with it.

In light of this day, I came across some fun facts that I thought I’d share with you. I am not sure if they are 100% the truth so don’t quote me on them. But, they are fun!

• According to Smithsonian Magazine, “fear of the #13” costs Americans billions of dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations, and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month.


• The technical name for the fear of Friday the 13th is “Triskaidekaphobia”.


• According to folklorists, there is no record of “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century.


• Any month that begins on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. There will always be at least one in every calendar year.


• Many buildings have no 13th floor and many airplanes have no 13th row.

So can bad things be attributed to Friday the 13th or the number 13 in general, or is it just coincidence? You be the judge. Either way, today stay away from ladders and black cats, don’t break a mirror and carry around your lucky rabbit foot.

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