Tomorrow (May 1st) is Kevin and I's 2 year anniversary, but I won't get to see him until Sunday (maybe). It would be great if he stopped by tomorrow for at least a couple minutes, I'm not holding my breath but it would be really cool. It's been rumored that he may have to start working Sundays this week, meaning I don't get to see him.

I know things'll never be the same

May 1st is Kevin and I's 2 year dating anniversary. He asked me yesterday what I wanted and I said something to the tune of "You should know me by now, I'm sure you can figure something out". I realized later that was a bad answer. We always read everywhere how hints and hoping that guys know what you want doesn't work, so it was good he asked, but I really don't have an answer. I know what I want, but what he can actually get me, I'm at a loss at.
I would love to spend a whole weekend with him, I'd love for the mine to stop demanding so much for him, I'd love for him to be back on days, I'd love for a spring/summer/fall without severe weather, I want a nice 30 hour or so job, a nice motorcycle ride (actually a bunch of them), to have money to pay my bills and then some. But how much of that can he actually buy me?
Things that he could buy me: a new MP3 player, a nice working laptop, cute cover-ups for my job (long-sleeve but cool shirts), all seasons of Supernatural and Third Watch. Some nice jeans that fit. But I really don't want him to spend that much money on me, I know he loves spending money on me and likes making me happy, just like I love making him happy, but why spend tons of money on things?

Any suggestions from my readers?

The other day I was watching the Amazing Race, and this season they have a deaf kid and his mother. There was a little incident between that team and a team of sisters when they were both going for the clue box, and in the end he "tattled" on the sisters because he was upset over it. I found that really wrong, yes you're upset, but how old are you? It's a race things are going to happen (hell, they always do), get over it and move on. He also "said" that all hearing people think deaf people are dumb. I found that a little rude to the rest of us. We all know there are people that make fun of deaf people and decide they are stupid, but not everyone is like that.

According to the thermometor on my computer (from KCCI) it has now reached 80 degrees. That's kinda funny. At the beginning of the month, we had snow, now it's summer.

I'm being tortured

OK, I love the warm weather, don't get me wrong, but ever since it's hit 45 (sometimes even before), everyone has been out riding their bikes, and it's been so very painful to hear them.
My motorcycle helmet has been collecting dust in my closet for over a year, it sure seemed like a good purchase at the time. How was I supposed to know I'd get a boyfriend who didn't ride a motorcyle? I always thought that would be a requirement for a boyfriend.
What I wouldn't do for a ride nowadays. OK, there's a lot, but I hate being outside and seeing and hearing a bike go by. Plus, Zylstra's Hog Roast (you'll have to scroll down on the link) is next weekend and Kevin has to work both Friday and Saturday night, so I won't be going to that. Though I wonder if it won't hurt less not being able to go to that. Just having all those bikes and bikers around me and knowing I'm not able to ride on the back of (with) any of them.
Trying to think of a way to explain this to people that aren't into bikes. Think of something you love to do and then imagine you aren't able to do that thing anymore (for whatever reason), it hurts, deep down inside, it really hurts.

I want one

After seeing Jacob (Kevin's nephew), I have decided I really want a kid. If anyone has known me for a very long time, you know I have never wanted a child, I have never been really interested in children. But, I fell in love with him, and I really think I want one. I've noticed I've been on the look out for toys and clothes with construction stuff on it to buy for him.

I had a kid in the store on Friday night, he was really cute and well behaved. The mother said he was going to be 16 months, and he was dressed in a shirt with an excavator on it. It got me into chatting with her about construction equipment and how we're both excited to find dump trucks, cranes, and other stuff. I was so impressed at how well he behaved, when his mother said to put something back he did it. He was more well behaved than some older kids I get in the store.

I've tuned into the new cop show Southland, I think it's pretty good, though it's annoying that when they swear, they beep it out. If you're gonna have them swear on a TV show, leave it in. It's on a 9:00PM, kids should be in bed by then, if they can't watch/listen to swearing. They also start the show at the end of the day, that's pretty annoying as well. They do start back at the beginning, but why the hell would you want to see the end at the beginning?

What season are we in?

I'm so glad it's April, and we'll finally get some nice weather.

Nope, according to the big weather people, tomorrow we're supposed to get 2 to 7 inches of snow, and there's a blizzard warning in parts of Iowa.

Wait a damn minute here, it's spring, spring isn't supposed to have snow. We're supposed to be past the freezing temperatures. We're supposed to be able to put away the heavy coats, boots, and snow shovels. I saw that ice melt and shovels were on clearance at the local stores. I betcha they knocked the prices back up when they heard what the weather was doing tomorrow.

And from Tuesday through the end of the week it's supposed to be in the 50's. Lets hope this is the last round of snow until next fall. That would be nice.

Yay for Iowa

Looks like the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Now gays and lesbians can get married in 3 states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Iowa, Iowa being the first in the nation's heartland. How cool is that?

On other news, Kevin is now an uncle, his brother and sister-in-law had their baby early yesterday morning. Congratulations to them.

CELEBRATION!!!

YAY GOT MY TAXES DONE!!!

OOOHHH!! Movie Meme (we all know how much I love meme's)
1. Name a movie you have seen more than 10 times:
Just one? UMMM, The Blues Brothers, I know practically every line in that movie (people don't like to watch it with me)

2. Name a movie you’ve seen multiple times in the theater:
The only one I've seen multiple times: XMen: The Last Stand, I saw it with different people each time.

3. Name an actor who would make you more inclined to see a movie:
Johnny Depp

4. Name an actor who would make you less likely to see a movie:
Benecio DelToro (I think that's how you spell his name, he is ugly)

5. Name a movie you can and do quote from:
Tommy Boy, all the time, you can use "I need your John Hancock, It's Herbie Hancock" anywhere.

6. Name a movie musical in which you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs:
I don't do musicals

7. Name a movie you have been known to sing along with:
I don't think I sing along with any movies

8. Name a movie you would recommend everyone see:
Anything on my movie shelf, I can't name them all

9. Name a movie you own:
Only one? I own at least 50. A favorite: Any of the Die Hard 4-ology (don't know what that's called), 3 or 4 are the best

10. Name an actor who launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops:
No idea

11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in?
Nope, ours close before I ever went to it

12. Name a movie you keep meaning to see but you just haven’t gotten around to yet:
Paul Blart: Mall Cop, that looks funny

13. Ever walked out of a movie?
At the end, sure. During? never

14. Name a movie that made you cry in the theater:
XMen the last stand

15. Popcorn?
Depends on my mood

16. How often do you go to the movies (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)?
Very rarely

17. What’s the last movie you saw in the theater?
It was the day after Christmas of 2007, but I really don't know, before that it was the 3rd Pirates of the Carribean

18. What’s your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
Action. Out of the over 100 movies I own, most of them are cops or war

19. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
Don't know

20. What movie do you wish you had never seen?
I don't recall any

21. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed?
SAW I and II and III


I'm not gonna tag anyone, cause they don't usually play along anyway, but if you want to feel free.

Is it over?

I need a break, or better yet a vacation.

I am so physically and mentally exhausted from dealing with taxes and I haven't even filed them yet.

Fun for a rainy day

Remember this post? I certainly hope so, it was the last post. Anyways, here are some of the cars we've been painting.
I don't have a before of this one, but it was pretty much the same, I didn't change the base color, I took out the plastic green crotchrocket in the bed, painted the bed grey and outlined the flames on the side in white.
Chevy Silverado:
I don't have a before of this one, but it was pretty much the same, I didn't change the base color, I took out the plastic green crotchrocket in the bed, painted the bed grey and outlined the flames on the side in white.
1966 Impala. Go here for a before shot.

Kevin painted the whole thing in blue, then added the red and white flames and the American flag on the trunk.
Custom Ford Bronco. Go here for before shot.

Kevin painted it black and grey.

1969 Chevelle SS 396. Go here for a before shot, but picture it in silver.

Kevin painted the blue on it.

Check out my flickr pictures to see all the cars.

We got it going on

I forgot to mention what Kevin and I have been doing lately. One time when were at smallmart, he picked up tome plasti-kote truck/car color touch up, that they were clearancing out for $1.00 each and a whole bunch of Hotwheels/Matchbox cars, and we have been painting them to our liking. It's pretty cool. The first night we did it, we were up until 4:00 am, and unfortunately woke up my mom a couple times. Got an earful from her on that.
Also, I've had a jonsing (don't know the real meaning of that word, or where it came from, I know it means something like craving, cause they used it in the Red Dragon) for ice cream, no idea why. Last Wed, I watched Modern Marvels or something like that on ice cream on the History channel, and they were at the Dreyer's factory and other places. I did learn that the ice cream sandwich was born in Iowa, pretty cool huh?
Anyways, I finally bought me some last night at mallmart. Creme Brulee and half-baked from Ben & Jerry's. I've always wanted to try B&J's but its so expensive, I decided to splurge last night. It's good, but you can basically get the same stuff from Blue Bunny for less.

People Annoy Me

Big surprise on my title, huh?

I had a chick in the store the other day with a phone glued to her ear chatting about how she didn't like that her babysitter had someone come over to the house while they weren't there (yes, I listened, when you come into a store, are the only one there, there's no music, you can pretty much expect I'm gonna hear your conversation. If it's so private, chat in your car, or your house), and then when she walked out, gave me a look that was something to the fact that I didn't help her. If you're going to be rude enough to have your phone plastered to your ear the whole time you're in here, I won't be greeting you. I've had enough people give me another look when I greet them while they're chatting on their phone. Because, then, I'm interrupting their conversation.
If I need help in a store, I'm not talking on my phone, and I sure don't have earphones in my ears (as I've seen enough times at the bookstore, while checking people out).

I'm also quite amused at people that say they're looking for ideas, then I have to pry out of them who they're looking for, and they get annoyed. My job is to help you with stuff in the store, if you're coming into the store looking for something, at least have the decency to tell me what, or who its for, then I can help you without (hopefully) getting on your nerves.

I hate it when people park illegally and then turn their hazards on, cause that makes it OK. Kevin loves writing tickets for those, cause then they argue, and they still get a ticket. Like today, there's a pizza delivery guy parked in the driving lane with his hazards on, cause I guess he's too lazy to park, go in and get his next deliveries and then leave. Course the pizza guys do that all the time, there have been numerous times when Kevin drops me off and he has to drive around a car in the fire lane with its hazards on, and while we're sitting there (for 3 seconds) the pizza person gets in and drives off. I think it'd be very funny if they were there when the fire trucks had to use the fire lane, cause they'd just push them out of the way. I'd laugh.

They had a segment on Tyra about morals, and showed some features of the ABC show, What Would You Do? One little 'experiment' they did was have a chick walk away from her laptop and cell phone in a hotel lobby, and then someone 'steals' them. I would've laughed. I've seen so many people do that at the library when I worked there. It's not my job to watch your stuff, how do I know whose it is? Mind you, I do pay attention. People have this false sense of safety when they're are people around. I would never walk off with my stuff sitting out. Even when I worked at the library and we were able to have our laptops out front, if I had to go to the bathroom, you can be sure I tucked my laptop (and anything else) underneath the counter, where my bosses would see someone go into.
The world is not as safe as it was when I was a kid, when you could leave stuff out. There's so many people that do crimes of opportunity because you were too stupid to take your laptop with you, or shut your car off and take the keys when you went into the grocery store for a minute. Yes, it sucks when those things are taken, but it's your own damn fault.

One of Kevn's coworkers the other day said they hated ruining people's days writing meter tickets downtown (when it was 70 degrees out), we were both thinking you are in the wrong profession. They took the job, to get closer to the police department because they want to be a cop someday. Good luck no ruining people's days as a cop. Someone somewhere said about 90% (I have no idea I'm paraphrasing) of the time when people run into cops its because something bad happens. Very true. I also read this, about how the cop wanted to help people, we had a guy at the PD here like that, he was a teacher, now I don't know the reason he quit, but I can guess it's because people didn't want his help. That's how it is, so many people have this idea that people are good. People aren't good, yes there is a percentage that is good, but most people you run into have other intentions.

The way you make me feel.

UGH! I'm so bad at keeping this regularly updated, and for that I apologize.
In the meantime, I have been dealing with an ear infection that finally cleared up yesterday. I never had ear infections as a kid, so I really hated dealing with this. There was a basketball game that I was working, and I guess I had the radio up really loud (on the case of being partially deaf in one ear), and one of the officers made a comment about it. Thankfully, it finally cleared yesterday and I can hear again.
It's been pretty nice out lately, Sun and Mon we got into the 70's and this week promises to be all in the 50s. I'm pretty happy about that, though I'm having a hard time getting my butt in gear to get out of the house and go on my walks. Sunday, I walked down to Target and back (I mapped it online afterward and found I walked about 3 miles), I spent way too much money on Hotwheels cars. Why do they have to have all those cool '60s models out? So, yesterday I told myself I was going to go on my 4 mile walk, left at 4:30, so if it took me 2 hrs I'd be back before 7. That didn't quite work out as planned. For some reason my left ankle started hurting and made me cut the walk short. I haven't mapped it out yet, so I don't know how much I walked. I'm also finding it annoying to have to go without music.
My Mp3 player's battery will not last over 30 minutes lately. It's pretty annoying, and seeing as it's an internal battery, I'd have to buy a whole new replacement and send it in to be replaced. I feel kinda annoyed since it's only a little over 2 years old (I got it for my graduation from college in Dec of 2006) and I know it cost my brother a pretty penny.
I do have a little portable radio, but the antenna must suck, cause I seem to walk 2 feet and can't get the same station in.
I have found out that walking to and from work every night I do walk a mile. That's nice to know, but seeing as how I've plumped up lately, I need to do a little more and actually work out.
In other news, after getting my new toy, Kevin and I went back to his parents home and then went shooting where I shot up this guy. Kevin says it was from 20 yards away. I'm not sure if that's really good, considering I have a scope on my rifle, but I'm pretty happy about it.
Sorry, about the quality of this picture, I did something to my camera and now it won't zoom as close as it did before. I'll have to ask Ross to look at it next time he's in town. Anyways, if you can see, I hit the van 4 times. Once through the top, next to the circle window, once close to the front windows, once at the back wheels there, and once that you can't really see, but I kinda nicked it at the bottom of the undercarriage.
In this picture: you can (hopefully) see I hit the whole packaging 6 times. The 4 on the van, and then once on top of the van, and once through the cardboard picture near the front of the van.

I was remarking how much fun I was having shooting things that day. It was Kevin, his brother, his dad and me. We had his brother's plywood target stand, with my van, another hotwheels car, some paper targets, shotgun shells sitting on top of it, pop bottles on the ground, shotgun shells on the ground, and some wood sticking out of the ground. We spent about 3 hours (maybe?) shooting. I was having so much fun. Plus, Kevin says the rounds for my .22 are pretty cheap. I really can't wait to go shooting again. Kevin and I are considering buying a membership at Ike's here in town. He's got a fun little arsenal to play with, and I am loving my rifle.

Also, I did find some new boots, I went to Kmart, Walmart, Target, JCPenney's, Younkers, Journeys, Hot Topic, Payless, Thiesen's, everywhere that sold boots are our mall, all the places downtown (there's a couple), a few places in Cedar Rapids (Famous Footwear, Macy's I think, Sears), some places in Des Moines (DSW, Scheels, G&L Clothing, Sportsman's Warehouse {OK, that's in Ankeny}, Dillards), I even went to Zappos.com and didn't find what I was looking for, and finally found a couple pairs at the Payless in Des Moines, at a pretty fair price, I bought 2 pairs, so if one wears out, I still have another one. They're working out pretty well.

I'm surprised at the lack of hiking boots/nice looking boots people had. I've made the conclusion women aren't supposed to hike at all. I found minimal pairs of hiking boots at best, and the ones I found were just that, hiking boots. That's what I loved about my Harley boots, they looked nice so you could wear them to work (I have) and then go hiking at the Ledges after work in them. It's kinda annoying to have to switch shoes to do things, but I guess I'll have to in the future.

That's my news, I'll try to do better at updating, but I can't promise anything.

A little help, please

Alright, kids, I could use some advice.
I'm shopping for new boots, you all remember when I bought these? A couple years ago? Well, they're wearing out (guess that's what happens when you wear them all the time), I have holes in the soles inside the boot, in the heels, going all the way down to the rubber soles, plus I'm getting holes under the toes.
I'm hoping to get something about mid-calf height, black, nice durable tread on the bottom, easy to care for, leather, less than 2 inch heels, and under $100.00 I love the style and everything about my current boots except that they're wearing out, if I could find something like that, I'd be in heaven. They don't need to be Harley-Davidson boots, it's just that those fit and were a great price at the time.

AAAAH! It's Friday the 13th

So, Sunday night I spent the night at Kevin's house (that's when I got the other huge frog), and in the morning we went to Earl May (OK by that time it was more like afternoon, as we didn't get out of the house until noonish, and after making some trips to the bank and somewhere for lunch, it was well after noon) and look at their critters, and they had a cute little guinea pig, so cute. The lady said they received it on Friday, and it hadn't really been taken out and played with that much, and while we were there it never made a sound (important tidbit there).
That night, I go home and Kevin calls later saying he's bringing me a Subway sandwich and to meet him downstairs, I'm wondering why I have to meet him downstairs if we're just going to eat the sandwich here. So, I go downstairs and starts walking towards me with something in his hands, turns out his was holding the guinea pig we saw earlier. He said he was going to keep it at his house until Sunday (this being before he decided to go to the conference, mentioned in last post), and then give it to me, but his roommate didn't want her staying there. Apparently after dropping me off at work, he went in search of a cage and then went back to Earl May and picked her up.
Her name is Val, for Valentine's day and the fact that she's got bright red eyes. I've been missing having a guinea pig since my last one died. Val is ours, though she stays at my house.

Love is in the air?

I hope you all are getting ready to celebrate Valentine's Day or Friday the 13th, whichever strikes your fancy, or both, that works too.
I have already received all my presents (and there were a bunch of them too), as Kevin is out of town at a storm chasers conference in Denver, CO. I was telling him he needed to bring me back something and suggested they should be giving away stress balls shaped like tornadoes. I don't think I'm getting anything though, oh well. You wouldn't think I needed something more after you see what all I got for Valentine's Day.
Last week he started by giving me this giant frog. He's at least 3 feet tall.
And after (or before, I don't remember which), he gave me this little one.

And this week he started (with something else, but that will be in my next post, as I haven't quite figured out how to upload more than 4 photos per post in the order I want them) with these guys, he picks me up from work Tuesday night with these 3 (or 4, depending on what you're counting) in his truck.

And then yesterday, we had to go out to his house to pick up the rest of the lot before he went on to CO.

Plus, the caterpillar

That equals 11 (there's another one at his house), well that's weird, I thought for sure there were 12, wait a minute, I forgot the one that's still attached to the mug he's in, guess there are 12. And the giant caterpillar, and.... Oh you'll have to look at the next post (or previous as it comes up on my blog) for that, it's the best present out of the lot.

Don't ever say that I'm not a team player

Tomorrow I get to work another basketball game. I sure hope it's a little less exciting than the last one. Last week we played Kansas and it was interesting, not because of problems by the fans, no the fans were very nice. But we had some very entertaining guests attend. I had Chewbacca come in my door and I saw a gorilla with a giant banana getting a drink at the water fountain.
I did have some annoying people too. I had a couple of guys that decided to go out and have a cigarette pretty much right after they were let in. Because of the law passed last July there is no smoking on public property (or something like that), all I know is you're not allowed to smoke anywhere on University property. They were smoking RIGHT outside the door, that's just annoying in itself whether it's legal or not. So, I go out there and yelled at them (it was windy, cold and I was annoyed to have to talk to them), I told them they couldn't smoke there and they better go to LWay or not come back in. I told the other person working the door with me, she'd have to deal with them when they came back in because I was so pissed. Apparently they weren't so nice when they came in either. I guess they were very rude to my co-worker.
I hate smokers, not all of them, I have come in contact with ones that are very considerate, but the ones that just disregard anyone else that gets in the way of their smoking. Those are the annoying ones.

Find what you loved about it and start there.

Ok kids, here's my late Christmas present.
Let's just say I am very giddy about having this.
I don't know much about it except that it's a .22 bolt-action rifle (?) and it's fun to shoot. Kevin says I should take a hunter's safety course to learn more.

I never stray too far from the sidewalk.

I started working full time at the bookstore for the university on Monday, it's whooping my ass. I stand for about 7.5 hours (actually for the past two days it's been 8.5 hours), and then I get home and sit all night. My feet still hurt this morning, I've noticed I'm walking on my toes.
Nothing like the -10 degree days to make you love Iowa weather. Tonight the low is -14 and tomorrow the high is -2. I hate Iowa winter. Plus we've pretty much had it snowing since Saturday. We got about 9 (maybe) inches on Sat, about an inch Sun, 3 or 4 Mon, and another 3 or 4 last night. Since it seems to be coinciding with me working all day and then night, I haven't shoveled that much, I shoveled on Sunday, and I'm guessing when I get home from the game tonight I'll be shoveling again.
I'm so tired.

Let's take our time, relish

OK, I am no longer allowed to look at buttons. I went to Hobby Lobby today to look for a shadow box frame (it's like a frame, only it has more depth to it for 3D objects) for this, before work, after finding a couple, I still had a few minutes before I had to be at work, so I went to the button aisle. They have these button bags that are just mixes of buttons, and I have a tendency to look and see something cool (like the tree button I saw today) and buy them. I did that and bought 3 bags. BAD WENDY!!!

Has anyone seen the Dr. Pepper commercial where the Diet Dr. Pepper 6pack of bottles "walks" to the candy aisle? During the commercial, the theme song to Cheers is playing, the one that starts "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name...", everytime I see that I stop and listen/watch it, I can't help it, I'm drawn to the TV. I'm not going to go out and buy Diet Dr. Pepper, yet I'm mezmorized by the song.
The Marines commercial has that same effect on me, though I'm drawn to them, not a song.

Speaking of commercials, am I the only one that's sick of Campbell's VS Progresso and their MSG thing. You'd think they could come up with something better.

Hope all is well with my readers.

Fun with technology

How great is technology? I don't have cable and get my TV channels through an antenna. I have already bought the digital converter box and hooked it up. Tonight, CBS's local channel was having troubles with their digital connection and the only way to watch the channel was to unhook your digital box.
I certainly hope they figure out this before February.