Seriously.  How crappy is my luck this year..

My poor car.  Yesterday I was on the way home from the gym and I had a lovely little day planned.  But some tool had to plow his car right into mine.  I was driving on the road and he was pulling out of the parking lot at this auto place in Quincy.  His excuse “Oh I didn’t even see your car coming.  It’s so small.”  Really?  I wasn’t going very fast but he still ripped off the whole front bumper of my car.  Little sad seeing as that bumper is only just about 6 months old from the last time someone decided to crash into me.

Just one more thing to pile on me right now.  I went on one interview a few weeks ago.  Two actually for the same job but they had "decided to go with someone else."  Which is fine but they kept me hanging forever.  I just feel like I'm getting nowhere on the job front.  I have so much great experience but it means nothing.

I'm really debating moving after my lease runs out in May.  I just feel like there are no jobs in Boston for what I really want to do.  I don't want to settle.  But then I feel like I shouldn't be so picky.  It's a double edged sword this  career thing I swear.  

I've been trying to check out new music and take chances on random bands and it's definitely making me nostalgic of my college days.  I just recently downloaded a good bulk of music by Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine and also giving Straylight Run a second chance.  I adored Straylight when they first came out with their demos.  Being a fan of John Nolan I was overly excited about them.  His vocals, I think made Taking Back Sunday (circa Tell All Your Friends - that's the only album he's on).  I could barely stomach TBS with Fred or the new guy (who sounds and looks like a JoBro).  

Anywho - I saw Straylight at their first show at the Downtown (RIP) and before their album came out a few times and they were amazing.  Then when their album came out and they went on tour it was totally different.  The music became so downer-like and the album was so overproduced.  But I've gotten a hold of their albums after that and even the most recent without Michelle and it's surprisingly good and reminiscent of their demos.  

So yeah.  Music has literally been my best friend these days.  I just feel out of touch with a lot of things lately, but thats the one thing that's made me super happy.

Only good news next time I promise.

xok

I've been doing some serious neglecting of this blog here. Sorry five readers. I promise to make my life more interesting STAT.

I got my car back! Woop. She is gorgeous and sparkly.

If you remember this is what she looked like before. And anyone who has seen my car in the flesh (metal?) in the past two years knows the other side of the bumper was held together by duct tape that my step-dad spray painted black to match. Oo she is gorgeous now. I'm using the club a lot more now. I don't want anyone to steal her.

(ED Note: Yeah I totally am too lazy to fuzz out my license plate. I'm sure you nice folks won't do bad things with it.)

Went to my first bonfire of the season last Saturday night and it was glorious. The smell of wood smoke in my hair and on my clothes was invigorating. I couldn't stop sniffing myself on the way home. It was at my roommates friend house who likes in Pembroke but is a Quincy cop. I could listen to dumb cop stories all night. Seriously. I told him he should write memoirs based solely off of his hilarious stories. I could try to tell them again but it would be lame.

I have a hip hop star in my building (by hip hop star I am totally being sarcastic. He's probably 19 - tops and dances and sings in the gym - which is next to my apartment really late at night). Gary and Pat were lucky enough to catch one of his performances late last Friday night. So much so that after they walked by and saw him - they doubled back and walked by again - much to the hip hop stars embarrassment. It was super late and the roommate was sleeping so I nicely asked him to turn it down - which he did but still.

Then when I went to bring down the rent, Caitlin - the super sweet office manager tells me that the neighbor next to us complained because she thought we were playing "racist music" at 2:30 in the morning. Apparently hip hop star was holding another performance in the gym Monday night. Missy did not hear, nor did I but our neighbor was NOT pleased. Nor was the family on the other side of the gym whose baby was woken up.

Good stuff.

Work is CRAZY lately but is definitely going really well and I'm learning a whole new facet of my job - event planning. Usually someone else does all the logistics and such - but she left in November. Then we hired someone else to do it - but with tiny budgets we are trying to keep the work as close as we can - making me the new event manager. It's amazing and confusing but totally redeeming. I think this may be my forte actually. I love pitching and media outreach - but this is also really fun. Helps me be really organized. I'm also the holder of the budget - which is scary.

Speaking of jobs - one of my best friends, Miss Robyn - got laid off last week. She has the WORST job luck ever. I feel awful for her. She's also not going on vacation anymore to Dominican with us - and she was part of the reason why I wanted to go so badly. When I found out she was going I was psyched! Now her and Matt are not going. I'm still as excited for the trip - just bummed she won't be joining us.

This weekend holds promise for a good time. Tonight is my mom's birthday so I'll be providing cake at her dinner party. Pretty excited. My mom is the only older adult I know who get's super psyched about her birthday. I hope I get that excited when I'm 54 (sorry mom). Whcih reminds me - I should probably call her to wish her happy birthday.

Tomorrow Kaitlyn and Andy are having a rager at their house. Super excited because as I have never been to one of their parties, I know last time Pat was there he had so much fun that he stayed real late and passed out in his car (which was parked in their driveway) and called me like 85 times to tell me how much fun it was and also to share his Lost theories. So I'm looking forward to it. They are an amazing group of people for sure.

Music minute. Not sure if I've shared this with my blog - but the new New Found Glory album is pretty effing incredible. I hated, despised thier last two albums (OK OK Catalyst wasn't AWFUL - but that ONE song that doesn't even deserve to be mentioned - ruined it for me). Their new one Not Without a Fight was produced by the genious that is Mark Hoppus - who also produced MCS's brilliant Committ this to Memory (and is also doing MCS's upcoming record. WOOP!) - so I thank Mark Hoppus for re-introducing me to the 2002 version of NFG. So good. So good, that, first day of Bamboozle (also when they are playing) I will be wearing the infamous NFG All Stars Steve Klein shirt. The shirt that both Lauren and Robyn want me to leave to them in my will. Yeah. It's THAT cool.

Work time. xok

Good weekend. I swear I don't remember any of it though.

What I do remember is drunk face-booking someone I may or may not have a crush on. Great. I'll let you know where this one goes.

Friday night Pat and I went to Chili's for some drinks and apps. So yummy.

Saturday I woke up early to drop my car off in Lawrence. One of my step-dad's friends is going to fix it on the cheap (hopefully). I should be getting an update soon. Wasn't a good sign that when he looked at it he was like "Oh that's worse than I expected!" Yikes. I also picked up my rental. 2009 Toyota Corolla. So nice. Probably one of the nicest cars I've ever driven. I'm a Honda Girl for life but I would consider buying one after my Civ goes to the junkyard (knocccck on wood). It's super sleek looking. Love it. I have it until Friday.

Stopped at my aunt and uncles to have lunch and chat. Had to talk with my awkward cousin who's around my age but has the social graces of a 8 year old. She always makes me feel so awkward and weird. Stopped at Lisa's (my favorite cousin) to see her and her husband and daughter Julia. Love her.

Hillary had her crepe party later that night. I was exhausted I should have napped before hand but I didn't have time. I made my guacamole and Robyn made really good buffalo dip. Crepes were amazing and I could probably never make them as good as Mrs. Hagler. I'm going to try dammit. Seven bottles of champagne were had. Twas a good night. We played Apples to Apples (LOVEEEE) and some other game where you reveal this funny stuff about yourself and each time a different team would have to decide who said what. Can't remember the name but it was wicked fun.

Sunday I went out with my mom to the Curtain Factory to find some curtains. I got some pretty sweet pomegranate color curtains. Gorgeous. I haven't put them up yet because I need a step stool to do so. Sure different not living at home with my step dad the handy man of handy mans. Another few stops at BJ's, Walmart (ugh) and Shaw's and I was DONE for the day. I went to CVS and printed out like over 100 pictures from both of my digital cameras. I never realized how many great pictures I had in there. I went back to the APT, did some laundry and filled up some frames I bought at Ikea.

Also when I saw Hillary on Friday night she gave me a few housewarming gifts. She gave me one amazing frame that fits four pictures and this wooden K. Sounds silly - but she has this H that she got in Pheonix a few years ago and I always tell her how much I want a K. Well when she went to Pheonix in Feb she bought me my K!!! It's so sweet. So is the frame. It's heavy so I'm not sure yet where to put it on the wall. Again I need someone to tell me where the studs are so I can make sure it doesn't come flying off the wall in the middle of the night.

I was extremely productive. Doing laundry was NOT bad at all. I dragged it down to the basement. No one was in there so I had pick of the machines. Reminded me SO much of doing laundry in college! So funny.

I hope this week passes fast. I need another day to veg wicked bad.

Oh BTW I'm going to Punta Cana in June! Super excited. Anyone who wants to go it's SUPER cheap. Like $800 cheap (that's including airfare!). All inclusive. So excited.

xok

"It could be worse...". Is what I have been saying to myself since I left work yesterday.

I was on my way home. I was planning on going to Home Depot to pick out shelves for our pantry and then to Ikea for the bookshelf I'd like to build before all the crap in my room comes.

Then this happened.

I was cruising along 123. Not going too fast as it was sleeting, icing and raining all at once. Perfect recipe for a car accident. I was nearing the end of 123 and I come up on this street on the left. Well the car two cars in front of me stops suddenly to stop and turn as does the lovely car in front of me. You can guess what happened next. I slammed my breaks but they were impervious to the sleet and rain - but I attempted to move my car to the right so I wouldn't hit it.

I tried my best. But as you can see my right bumper got right up in the rear passenger bumper of this guys car. His car looks 100 times better than mine. He probably has a basketball size indent in that back right corner and no damage to his lights. Sweet older guy. Probably in his 70's. Tells me his wife pushes him around more than my car hitting him. I made sure he was ok 100 times. We traded information and the cops pull up. I was happy to see them just in case this man went home and complained about pain because when the cops and fire trucks (yess FIRE TRUCKS. Plural! For my stinking little accident) came they all asked him another 100 times. The cops were also super nice and helpful.

Went home and Roger and Mom had a good laugh about me now having two messed up bumpers. I did not laugh. I kind of got really bummed about it. So many things are going awesome and I was saying that this amount of positive things NEVER happens to me. This had to come and smack me in the face.

But I went to sleep early. Slept on it and realized it could have been way worse. My car could not be driveable. His car could have been way worse. One of us could have been seriously hurt. I'm back in good spirits today! I somehow lost my registration after giving it to the cop last night so I went and got myself a new one today. I went to the Norwell Police station to do an accident report and I called my insurance company and started a claim.

Going to build the shelves tonight in the pantry and hopefully finally get in that trip to Ikea. All is well.

xok

I love this blogging everyday thing.  It really helps me stay on my toes for some reason.  I think of things I need to share - good and bad and blogging is a really therapeutic way to express it even if people don't want to hear it.  Weird.  Yes.  

So Amazon totally redeemed itself from the Christmas present debacle of 2008.  I cancelled this gift for and I didn't get to present it to Mrs Hagler with all her other gifts.  I assured her it was on the way.  Truth is it wasn't.  I checked every brick and mortar store I could and then I went online.  Everyone always tells me how amazing Overstock.com is but I think I might disagree.  Everything was SUPER expensive including the digital photo frame I wanted to get her.  I have to admit I am a bit of a review snob and like to stick to brands I know.  I wanted to get her the Kodak one - not the no name one or this ugly one or that random one.   I know that I probably paid more for the name but it's just one of my things.  Finally,  I went back to Amazon to look again.  To my surprise they were cheaper from the first time I got it and still offered free shipping.  I ordered it this past sunday night (1/4) and I received it via my favorite UPS guy yesterday (1/6) in super condition.  

Car drama.  So I have been having so many car problems since November.  First my car just wouldn't start.  Then my check engine light would go on. Etc. Etc.  So I (along with my step dad) went to Highland Mechanics in Braintree to get it fixed.  The guy tells me I have a lazy thermostat and that a censor needs to be replaced so the light will go out and oh also that my battery and starter are going.  Roger tells the guy to fix the thermostat and the censor.  $500 dollars later I feel like nothing has changed but Roger is really smart about these things so I trust his opinion.  Three weeks ago right before Christmas my car dies again in the driveway.  Roger taps the starter with a hammer - it starts.  Next day Roger put a new battery and starter in (seriously having a jack of all trades around is SOOOO worth it even though he drives me bananas - he can also electrocute proof your pool).  $250 later I'm convinced it's all good.  

Fast forward to yesterday.  I bundle up for work make my way to Dunkin down the street from my house and what do you know - CAR WON'T START!  Yeah.  I try like 10 times before I call Roger (who BTW was mad at me for putting a hand print on the door he just stained - oops) to come and rescue me.  I tried everything before calling a tow truck.  So my baby is at Honda in Weymouth and turns out the reason it wasn't starting is because when I got a new thermostat the guy totally crossed all these wires or some crap and the new thermostat was moving closer and closer to crushing these wires everyday - yesterday was the day all the wires to start the car were crushed.  So $197 to figure that out.  I am so over it.  I'm not saving my money for my car - I'm saving for my apt.

Today I took the commuter rail to work.  I had flashes back to when I would take the LIRR into NYC for my internship because the commuter rail looks just like LIRR.  But I got to listen to music and play my DS and drink my coffee so it's not a bad deal. 

Work is getting better.  Monday I wanted to die.  I seriously contemplated updating my resume because of my lack of work to do.  Since November I stopped work on three accounts.  One because they don't need me anymore, one because they went bankrupt and the other because we resigned their business.  The last one I mention was a huge part of my time and also stress (as mentioned in the last post).  I got to talk to my boss yesterday though and she had a really positive outlook and I feel like I'm really starting to take ownership over my new projects.  It's   and with a client whose industry I have never worked in but I feel like I'm really getting the hang of it.  I also was just asked to be part of a new business pitch for a cool new client so yeah work feels better.

Oy.