I inherited a cleaning lady from the previous owners. For them, she came to clean twice a month. When I inherited her, I figured we only needed her once a month since we're only two people versus the previous owners and their seven cats. So far it's worked out well. I like to call her Rosario.
My husband and I don't make messes around the house. We're pretty good about cleaning up after ourselves and tidying up when needed. In between our cleaning lady's visits, my husband cleans our bathroom of grime and other build - up. That usually holds us over until Rosario comes and gives it the deep clean, scrub that it needs. She does a great job and I really like her. For the amount of time and energy she exerts while cleaning our house, she comes pretty cheap.
Unlike another famous Rosario that I know, this one doesn't really speak any English. I guess that's good in the case that the famous Rosario always lipped back to her boss. I usually say, 'Good morning' and ask her how she's been (it's been four weeks since I've seen her, after all), and it's usually a 50/50 shot that she'll actually understand what I'm saying. This morning I asked her how her Christmas was ('Good') and if she had a Happy New Year ('Happy New Year to you too'). And then she goes off and does her work.
But here's the kicker. Every time she comes to clean, I feel like she's still a guest and I need to clean before she gets here. I don't mean get down on all fours and start scrubbing the floorboards, but more like making sure the sink is clear, mail and newspapers are put away or recycled, shoes and clothes are where they need to be, etc. I was scrambling to get some laundry started, putting other dirty clothes away (where she can't see them) and by the time she arrived this morning, I still had to put away some shoes, clear the dish rack and clean the dirty dishes (the latter being my husband's job, btw).
So why do I do this? I know I'm not the only one - why do we clean for the cleaning lady? Isn't that her job? Isn't that what I'm paying her to do? Perhaps it's just that I don't want her to leave here after a long day and tell her friends and family what complete SLOBS we are - like she would....would she?
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Big 3-2
Yesterday I turned the big 3-2. Because it was my birthday, I decided to take a day off from blogging. But I'm back...another year older and perhaps a little wiser.
I wanted to share my experiences with you all - I like to call it "The Beginnings of 32." I woke up yesterday with a minor pimple below my nose and two healing pimples on my chin. The day started out gray and gloomy and soon after getting into work (yes, I worked on my birthday), big, fat chunks of snow started falling. Lord knows how much I hate snow so it seemed only fitting. As I was scarfing down my egg sandwich at my desk, my director comes over to my cube and asks of I could do a demo for him and the executive director. With a mouth full of egg, I said, 'Sure - I'll be done in 2 minutes.' And sure enough, five minutes later, I have the director and executive director in my cube, the executive director hovering over my shoulder, as I demo'd a new screen for him.
I can't see the windows from my cube, so I just sat doing my work without any idea of what it was really like outside. When I finally did get up to go to the cafeteria for lunch, I saw that it had already snowed like 3-4 inches! and it was coming down big and hard. I had a call at 1pm so I couldn't leave until that was over. Stupid me also drove the sedan to work - not the SUV - so I felt like l had to make my way home before the roads got any worse. I managed to leave and get home, in decent time, without incident. Well, not completely without incident. When I pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the car, the snow was deep enough that it started coming into my Cole-Haan patent leather shoes! After work, I put on the snow boots and headed out to the driveway to shovel. At this point, it was half raining, half hailing. But it was something that had to be done. My husband drove in a few minutes later and yelled at me to go inside because it was my birthday and I shouldn't have been shoveling. And we had 7pm dinner reservations and I couldn't tell if it was sweat dripping down my forehead or rain. We both managed to get the driveway cleared in no time and I ran in to take a shower before dinner. It was sweat because my shirt was drenched (that's classy!).
We headed to the nice mall (Tysons II) before dinner and strolled around. The only downer was Neiman Marcus sold out of my body wash - so I have to wait for the next shipment in February - boo. But we went to the new steakhouse that opened up - Wildfire. Because we had reservations, they put us in a booth that sat six people - but it was nice. We had soup, salad, entree and decadent chocolate cake for dessert. I felt like a heffer afterwards....so we managed to walk around the mall a little more (need to work off that food) and then head home.
Day 2 of being 32 - I was all ready to work from home, in my sweats. I went downstairs to connect to work, turned on the TV to watch (for the first time) 'Make Me a Supermodel' and started eating some breakfast. 30 minutes later, I could not connect to the internet, I stomped up the stairs to get changed out of my sweats and make myself look presentable to go to work. Eventhough our driveway was cleared, it was a sheet of ice. I had on my Burberry wellies and still managed to slip and fall on my left side (butt, hip and shoulder). I got in the car, muttered some expletives and immediately called my husband for some sympathy. I am now at work, laptop connecting to the network just fine (imagine that) and basically saying that 32 has not started out as great as it could have been. Then again, I wasn't expecting much...but hip replacement? Not at all.
I wanted to share my experiences with you all - I like to call it "The Beginnings of 32." I woke up yesterday with a minor pimple below my nose and two healing pimples on my chin. The day started out gray and gloomy and soon after getting into work (yes, I worked on my birthday), big, fat chunks of snow started falling. Lord knows how much I hate snow so it seemed only fitting. As I was scarfing down my egg sandwich at my desk, my director comes over to my cube and asks of I could do a demo for him and the executive director. With a mouth full of egg, I said, 'Sure - I'll be done in 2 minutes.' And sure enough, five minutes later, I have the director and executive director in my cube, the executive director hovering over my shoulder, as I demo'd a new screen for him.
I can't see the windows from my cube, so I just sat doing my work without any idea of what it was really like outside. When I finally did get up to go to the cafeteria for lunch, I saw that it had already snowed like 3-4 inches! and it was coming down big and hard. I had a call at 1pm so I couldn't leave until that was over. Stupid me also drove the sedan to work - not the SUV - so I felt like l had to make my way home before the roads got any worse. I managed to leave and get home, in decent time, without incident. Well, not completely without incident. When I pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the car, the snow was deep enough that it started coming into my Cole-Haan patent leather shoes! After work, I put on the snow boots and headed out to the driveway to shovel. At this point, it was half raining, half hailing. But it was something that had to be done. My husband drove in a few minutes later and yelled at me to go inside because it was my birthday and I shouldn't have been shoveling. And we had 7pm dinner reservations and I couldn't tell if it was sweat dripping down my forehead or rain. We both managed to get the driveway cleared in no time and I ran in to take a shower before dinner. It was sweat because my shirt was drenched (that's classy!).
We headed to the nice mall (Tysons II) before dinner and strolled around. The only downer was Neiman Marcus sold out of my body wash - so I have to wait for the next shipment in February - boo. But we went to the new steakhouse that opened up - Wildfire. Because we had reservations, they put us in a booth that sat six people - but it was nice. We had soup, salad, entree and decadent chocolate cake for dessert. I felt like a heffer afterwards....so we managed to walk around the mall a little more (need to work off that food) and then head home.
Day 2 of being 32 - I was all ready to work from home, in my sweats. I went downstairs to connect to work, turned on the TV to watch (for the first time) 'Make Me a Supermodel' and started eating some breakfast. 30 minutes later, I could not connect to the internet, I stomped up the stairs to get changed out of my sweats and make myself look presentable to go to work. Eventhough our driveway was cleared, it was a sheet of ice. I had on my Burberry wellies and still managed to slip and fall on my left side (butt, hip and shoulder). I got in the car, muttered some expletives and immediately called my husband for some sympathy. I am now at work, laptop connecting to the network just fine (imagine that) and basically saying that 32 has not started out as great as it could have been. Then again, I wasn't expecting much...but hip replacement? Not at all.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Tough Decision: The Story of a Purchasing Dilemma
When I shop, I am pretty focused. I usually go to a store knowing what I need to get or have some kind of idea of what needs to be purchased. It really cuts down on my browse time and allows me to get other things done - because if I just walked around the mall aimlessly, I'd just be lost.
However, there are those RARE times where I do just want to walk around the mall aimlessly - just to browse. I really don't buy anything during these times but I get an idea of what's out there, price things out - you know, in case I ever find myself on 'The Price is Right' and I need to play some pricing game. If there's a really good sale going on somewhere, that might entice me to make some unplanned purchases.
Ballston Commons Mall is a fairly small mall with only one anchor store - Macy's. I would probably call this mall the 7-11 of malls....the convenience store, if you will. Wouldn't recommend making it your mall source for the fashion savvy but would consider it a place to grab that quick something if you can't run out to the regular mall. The real reason it wouldn't classify as a real mall is because it doesn't have the staples like Gap or Banana Republic. Instead you get lots of sneaker stores, a Victoria's Secret and a DEB (or G+G...you know what I mean).
I was recently at Ballston Commons - not for the last minute shopping - but for the NFL playoff game viewing at one of their many restaurant/bars. Because Virginia has not made it onto the 'No Smoking Indoors' list, I was in no rush to get to the bar to watch the game. Besides, it wasn't even the Cowboys game (this was pre-Cowboys game trauma). So I decided to walk around the mall and really see what it was like since I hadn't really ever looked around. Nothing really caught my eye - I did manage to sneak into the Victoria's Secret for their big semi-annual sale and it was here that I ran into my purchasing dilemma (I know, I know...you're thinking, 'Took her long enough!')
When I was in the checkout line, I was looking over the body lotions, body sprays, and other glittery things that were all on sale. Stuffed along with the body condiments was a pile of 'The Best of Spice Girls' CD. This is the one that they have been promoting along with their reunion
tour. It was priced at a mere $4.99. I didn't know if this was on sale or if this is just what they were going for at Victoria's Secret. It really didn't matter - what mattered was I found myself in a quandary. Do I buy it and suffer embarrassment if people found out that I am an owner of the CD or do I pass because I have lived this long without any Spice Girls CDs and can certainly afford to keep going. FIVE dollars. What CD do you get for FIVE dollars?! I'll tell you what - people you've never heard of or a CD full of songs sang by amateurs. The CD certainly met my three song minimum requirement. And it's not like I hated their music (except 'Wannabe' - I really did hate that song). But the Best of Spice Girls...such a guilty pleasure.
I figured I could afford this time to think over the potential purchase since there was a pile of them there and I have about three Victoria's Secret stores in close proximity to me. But if I did move ahead with the purchase, wouldn't I want to tell people what a bargain I scored on this Best of CD? God, I hope not.
However, there are those RARE times where I do just want to walk around the mall aimlessly - just to browse. I really don't buy anything during these times but I get an idea of what's out there, price things out - you know, in case I ever find myself on 'The Price is Right' and I need to play some pricing game. If there's a really good sale going on somewhere, that might entice me to make some unplanned purchases.
Ballston Commons Mall is a fairly small mall with only one anchor store - Macy's. I would probably call this mall the 7-11 of malls....the convenience store, if you will. Wouldn't recommend making it your mall source for the fashion savvy but would consider it a place to grab that quick something if you can't run out to the regular mall. The real reason it wouldn't classify as a real mall is because it doesn't have the staples like Gap or Banana Republic. Instead you get lots of sneaker stores, a Victoria's Secret and a DEB (or G+G...you know what I mean).
I was recently at Ballston Commons - not for the last minute shopping - but for the NFL playoff game viewing at one of their many restaurant/bars. Because Virginia has not made it onto the 'No Smoking Indoors' list, I was in no rush to get to the bar to watch the game. Besides, it wasn't even the Cowboys game (this was pre-Cowboys game trauma). So I decided to walk around the mall and really see what it was like since I hadn't really ever looked around. Nothing really caught my eye - I did manage to sneak into the Victoria's Secret for their big semi-annual sale and it was here that I ran into my purchasing dilemma (I know, I know...you're thinking, 'Took her long enough!')
When I was in the checkout line, I was looking over the body lotions, body sprays, and other glittery things that were all on sale. Stuffed along with the body condiments was a pile of 'The Best of Spice Girls' CD. This is the one that they have been promoting along with their reunion
tour. It was priced at a mere $4.99. I didn't know if this was on sale or if this is just what they were going for at Victoria's Secret. It really didn't matter - what mattered was I found myself in a quandary. Do I buy it and suffer embarrassment if people found out that I am an owner of the CD or do I pass because I have lived this long without any Spice Girls CDs and can certainly afford to keep going. FIVE dollars. What CD do you get for FIVE dollars?! I'll tell you what - people you've never heard of or a CD full of songs sang by amateurs. The CD certainly met my three song minimum requirement. And it's not like I hated their music (except 'Wannabe' - I really did hate that song). But the Best of Spice Girls...such a guilty pleasure.I figured I could afford this time to think over the potential purchase since there was a pile of them there and I have about three Victoria's Secret stores in close proximity to me. But if I did move ahead with the purchase, wouldn't I want to tell people what a bargain I scored on this Best of CD? God, I hope not.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The College Uniform
For a student, the college uniform consists of pants and your college's tee shirt or sweatshirt, depending on the season. Nine years out of college and I laugh about the uniform. Mainly because I was a victim. Secondly because it's funny.
When I look in my Alumnus magazine or see any pictures of students attending classes at Purdue, nine times out of ten, you will see a student or three wearing a 'Purdue' shirt. You walk around campus on a nice day and you have people wearing Purdue tee shirts, shorts, sweatpants, etc. Maybe it's a rite of passage - when you first get to college, you need to load up on your college's gear. But during your four, sometimes five year stints at any college, you seem to accumulate a wealth of college apparel. Possibly even enough to open your own flea market stand.
But what I find so humorous about the college uniform, all in hindsight of course, is that I already know where you go to college. If I'm on Purdue's campus and someone is walking around with a backpack, chances are pretty good that you attend school...at Purdue. If I'm sitting in class with my fellow peers, I am 99.9% certain that we're all enrolled...at Purdue. In a picture, it's not enough that they tell me that, 'Students and professors at X University studied blah blah blah...' in the caption. No - the people in the photo wearing 'X University' tee shirts is what really brings it home.
I'm only picking on Purdue because that's my Alma mater - but I guarantee that the same thing is happening across college campuses across the US. I could have sworn that we were all clothed during our high school years and some of those clothes made the trek to college. So why all the college gear? Our last years to actually go around looking like a semi-slob? In case we ever find ourselves wandering off campus and lost so we can be safely returned to college home base? It's not as if college gear is cheaper than regular clothing - so I don't quite understand.
Fast forward to present day adult-hood and college gear is still really popular. But now you're with a whole smorgasbord of people that attended other colleges/universities so it's important to represent your school - whether it's in recreational sports, game viewings, at the gym or grocery shopping. I'm still a victim. Although you won't find me wearing Purdue gear every day (perhaps at the gym) or every weekend, I know when I need to rip out a shirt and represent and I now have a whole pile from which to choose!
I guess being a victim of the college uniform was one of those 'What was I thinking' moments!
Monday, January 14, 2008
A DISGRUNTLED Cowboys Fan
Yes, I am a Dallas Cowboys fan. And on this dreary Monday morning in Washington DC, I am SOOOOOOOOOOO upset right now over the Dallas loss yesterday to the NY Giants. Growing up in New Jersey, I always had to be the "outcast" for being the Cowboys fan (along with some Jets fans) in a sea of Giants fans. But when I got to college, I found a fellow die-hard Cowboys fan to cheer with and talk about team dynamics - so that worked out great. Fast forward to present day in Redskins country, I find myself back in the "outcast" pool amongst a sea of maroon and gold - blech!
Yesterday's loss was a TOTAL bummer. Needless to say, I can continue with another year of my favorite rant, "I hate Tony Romo." I have been a Cowboys fan since I can remember - so this isn't a bandwagon thing or a 'Tony Romo is so dreamy' thing - no way. I have been with them since the Tom Landry days, the Hershel Walker days, the first day Jerry Jones took over the team, Troy Aikman's rookie season where they went 1-15 and when they got those hideous uniforms with the big-ass stars on the shoulders. Yes, I have been a life-long fan. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Tony Romo. That boy has got a lot to prove to me and he has come up short in the 2007 season.
Let's flash back to the 2006 NFC wild card game, against the Seattle Seahawks. As I sat in an Arlington bar, watching in disbelief, the bobbled-snap, scramble action in the last seconds, I knew Tony Romo was going to have a hard time from the press and media over it. That was the night I decided that I hate Tony Romo as our QB. But it was a reversible hate. My hate was more of a 'prove to me that you're right for this team and maybe I'll learn to like you.' So start the 2007 season and the Cowboys are doing really well. They are beginning to look like the team of the 90s with Aikman, Smith, Irvin, Harper, Novacek and Johnston. T.O. is finally learning to keep his trap under control and the team is winning. Unfortunately, the hate was not reversed. Since the Cowboys were doing so well, I figured the only way to reverse the hate was to get them to the Super Bowl. Did they have to win it? No - because let's face it, it's the Patriots' year (choke, choke!). So here we are, on Sunday, 1/13/08, watching the Cowboys' 2008 Super Bowl hopes and dreams come to an end, in just a few short hours. And the hate has not died - it will be carried through to the next season.
You might be saying that it's pretty harsh of me to hold these feelings for a guy that had a decent game yesterday. I will be the first to admit that the loss was not all Tony Romo's fault. However, the QB is the leader of the team and the leader needs to set an example and I don't think he's done that. But let's talk about something else that happened during the season that could've led to his loss to the Giants. T.O. said not to blame Tony or the loss on the fact that Tony was seen in Mexico, with Jessica Simpson during their first round bye week. Guess what - that's where I'm going. As far as I'm concerned, a bye week still means you're on the job. He should've been watching the first round games - studying, conditioning, FOCUSING. I'm really shocked that Coach Phillips let him go to Mexico with the SAME person that allegedly "caused" him to have the WORST game this season cause she was up in the skybox, shaking her double-D's in a pink Romo jersey. And if not Coach Phillips, where was that micro-managing owner of theirs? T.O. is only trying to turn the press away from that Mexican vacation because supposedly he paid for it. (Ugh - shut the trap, T.O. - you were doing so well all season.)
There are others of you out there saying that Tom Brady can do it - he had Bridget Moynahan and now he's dating supermodel Gisele. Yeah - well Tom Brady's team is also undefeated and his QB rating is always the tops so what he does on his own time seems to be working so he's good to go. Romo already admitted he could not juggle a romance and a career - that was said to his college girlfriend. I don't think that has changed - so pick one: a great NFL career or dating a blonde dummy whose career is in the toilet. And as an NFL player, you're only working seven months out of the year - he couldn't have gone to Mexico in mid-Feb, after the Super Bowl? Was there a last minute room deal he couldn't pass up? Ugh - just thinking about it makes me so angry.
I am now cheering for the old-man veteran, Brett Favre - he needs a ring so he can retire in peace.
And I'm also jumping on the newly formed 'Yoko Romo' bandwagon - that's what they're calling Jessica Simpson. She's breaking up the team!!!
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