Quinci - I will love you forever

I have the most amazing cat in the world! (Exclamation point definitely necessary!) He has been my baby for ten years. I think everyone who's ever met him has wanted to take him home. 

He often thinks he's a dog. He'll come when I call his name, beg from the table, sit on command, and follow me around (and also makes me follow him around too). He's gentle and fiercely loyal. And he gets jealous if I even pet the dog. 

If he doesn't get his full amount of affection for the day, he'll make sure I know that he's in need of attention. I really don't mind this. I probably made him that way by spoiling him with love and affection. 

Today I took Quinci to the vet. I was there for three hours while he was getting tests, blood-work, and ex-rays. It turns out he is in the late stages of heart disease, with a heart arrhythmia. And his heart is much larger than it should be. The vet gave him a couple months to live. In shock, I asked if there was any way she could be wrong. She just said no, but that he may have, at most, up to a year. She then commented on his spunk - and that he may just be a fighter. I believe he is.

When I got him (as a present for my 14th birthday), I was thrilled. I had ALWAYS wanted a cat. But my dad was a self-proclaimed "cat-hater" who shot cats with a bee-bee gun when he was younger. When he finally gave in and got me a cat, Quinci immediately melted his heart. 

Quinci is perfect for me. He was born the runt. Since none of his siblings let him have any milk, he was hand-fed. And so he's always loved people (and hated cats). 

Personally, I've always liked soft things. And Quinci is incredibly soft. Every time I have taken him to the vet, the veterinarians always comment that he has bunny-like fur. I love his bunny fur. And I love him. 

Just a few minutes ago, he was nudging my typing fingers with his little pink-orange nose. So I stopped typing to pet him. Now he's comfortably sharing my computer chair with me.

Well, I'm not giving up on him. He's a fighter - I just know it!

Does chocolate addiction have an "off" button?!

Sometimes I really wish chocolate addiction came with an "off" button . . . Days like today, yesterday, and the day before yesterday in particular.

I admit: I eat chocolate everyday and often several times a day. For the last three days, I have had so much chocolate that I've paid for it with a tummy ache in the evenings.

I know I am an obsessive chocolate eater. I normally eat chocolate throughout the day in small amounts: A truffle in the morning, a cupcake in the afternoon, and maybe a spoonful of chocolate in the evening.

More recently, it's not only been obsessive, but excessive. For example, yesterday I had chocolate fudge pop-tarts for breakfast, a chocolate frosted brownie after lunch, chocolate raisins for snack, a cinnamon roll with chocolate frosting after dinner, and a handful of chocolate truffles as a late night snack (a snack that I indulged in while already having a stomach ache!)

And this is becoming the norm. Although the cravings are every few hours, I think about chocolate much more than that.

The stomach ache is kind of like a hangover - it's the sign that maybe next time I should consider cutting down. But no, I'm like an alcoholic. I just can't stop. I wonder if there's C.A. (Chocoholics Anonymous) group I could join . . . Not that I actually would . . . 

Making Connections

Making connections that may or may not be there. . .

• Cherphobia: The obsessive dread of laughing to death.
• “If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane.” – Jimmy Buffett

Therefore, those who are afraid of laughing end up going insane.

• “The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.” – Robert Frost.

So I figure that this must mean – The insane people who don’t laugh because they dread laughing themselves to death are ironically more likely to die because of their irrational worry.

Voodoo Doughnuts Anyone?

My friend and I were hanging out last night when she suddenly had the idea of driving up to Portland for Voodoo Doughnuts. Since I’d never been there, I agreed. So we Mapquested it and were on our way. 

She explained some of the strange things they put on their donuts – like bacon on maple bars. Seriously? I thought it sounded more disgusting than delicious. But I like trying new things. And since so many people have raved about how amazing they are I was admittedly getting anxious to try one. 

But the street that Mapquest led us to was just a small alleyway with no Voodoo Doughnuts in sight. So we drove around downtown Portland for about a half an hour (after 11 on a Friday night) trying to find a parking spot. When we finally did, we called Voodoo Doughnuts. They gave us some rather sketchy directions. So we tried again. We found the Paris Theater that it was apparently nearby but still didn’t see it. We tried circling the area, but with all those one-way streets, we ended up getting so far away that we finally gave up and drove home. 

Somewhat disappointed, I comforted myself by insisting that a maple bar with bacon was just a heart attack waiting to happen. 

Have any of you had Voodoo Doughnuts? Or had some and not liked them?

Out to Eat

I love going out to eat. I even love going out to eat by myself. Although, since I still text and talk on the phone, I don’t know if I can still consider it “by myself.” Regardless, going out alone gives me a paramount opportunity to observe. And I don’t mean to simply people-watch. People-watching is often one-sided. You watch, listen, and then leave. But to observe requires much more: Personal thought, deductive reasoning, interpretation, and sometimes making a hypothesis about the surrounding situation.

Sometimes observing can give you great story-starters, antidotes, or ideas for poems or essays. And sometimes observing people can just be funny, random, or ridiculous. 

At Big Town Hero today, I recognized the red-headed man at the register. He took my order last week. I suddenly remembered an interchange I overheard last week between him and another worker . . .

The man I couldn’t see had informed this red-head that he smelled bad. The accusation didn’t seem to perturb him at all. He simply explained that he showered once a week on Friday. As I was ordering and remembering this, I realized what day of the week it is today: Thursday. Eeew. 

Besides me and the workers, Big Town was barren. When the red-head took my order, he asked for my name. I thought this seemed odd. But then again, perhaps he just mechanically asked everyone out of habit. Nope. When he brought my sandwich to the table – the only table with an occupant – he asked: “Jolene?” I was tempted to say “no” but restrained myself.

Bored

Tonight, I was bored and trying to get motivated to do homework. I decided to come on and read our class blogs. Then I decided I should probably get some blogs of my own written for this week. But after writing one, I couldn't think of any other ideas.

So in my unmotivated boredom, I started feeding my fish. I don't mean real fish though. I've never actually owned a fish. But in my blog, you may have noticed the colored fish swimming about. If you put your mouse in the water and right-click, it'll drop food into the water. The fish then all swim over and eat it.

I've been "feeding" my fish for about ten minutes now. So if anyone else is bored, I just thought I'd mention that feeding the fish is a nice, mindless pass-time you might consider taking advantage of to avoid doing homework.

Word Confusion (Part 5)

Apparently, if I use a cliché, people that know me automatically assume that I’m messing it up. Just tonight I said that I was “biding time” when I was informed that the actual saying is: “buying time.” I was so certain that “biding time” was a saying; but then, I’ve also been wrong too many times to count. 

So I looked it up. Sure enough, I was right this time! In fact, they are both sayings. I can buy time – As a way of delaying an event or action to gain an advantage. And I can bide time – To remain, tarry, or wait for further developments.

I feel happy and vindicated. It’s not often that I’m the one to say the cliché correctly. . .

Valentines Day!

I am single. And I love Valentine’s Day! Growing up, Valentine’s Day was a special day my daddy got me flowers or chocolate . . . In recent years, he’s learned to forget the flowers and just give me chocolate.

To me, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about couples. It’s about love. And I mean love in a more encompassing sense that includes family, friends, or children. I always love giving kids candy or chocolate (especially if I’m not around when their sugar highs hit).

As a server, Valentine’s Day is one of the mandatory work days. It’s one of my favorite days to work. My second favorite is Christmas Eve. This is simply because people are always in festive, good moods, and it makes for a pleasant work atmosphere. Plus, it’s always really busy, which of course means more tips.

My final reason for loving Valentine’s Day is because it’s a perfect excuse to indulge in a little extra chocolate. At work, we bring chocolates to share with each other. And the day after Valentine’s (today) stores sell all Valentine’s chocolate at half-off. So today I bought myself a delicious Hershey’s Pot of Gold Assorted Chocolates.

So Happy Day After Valentine’s. (And don’t forget to take advantage of half-off chocolates!)

Facebook is taking over my life

Okay, so “taking over” may be a bit of an exaggeration. But it does wield a powerful force over its users. And it is terribly addicting in nature. 

I think Facebook takes up much more of a person’s life than its users realize. First, time flies when you’re on Facebook. And even when not logged in, you’re still constantly bombarded with Facebook reminders to your email, phone, or Ipod.

I have found that nearly every time I go online, the first thing I do is check Facebook, even if I’m going online for an entirely different reason. Then I get distracted and stay on a bit. And sometimes I forget why I went online in the first place.  

One of my favorite features of Facebook is: The “like” button. It allows you to show your interest with one simple click. Though, I often wish that there was also a “dislike” button. And I’ve even wanted a button that allows you to “like” another person’s “like.”

I have also wished you could “like” someone’s status multiple times if you really like it. Or perhaps just adding a “super like” sort of like the “super poke.” Because, when your friend posts that he passed his math exam, it doesn’t deserve the same treatment as when another friend posts that she’s thrilled that she just found out she’s pregnant.

The “like” feature is actually a rather odd way Facebook is taking over my life. When I am reading a textbook for class and come across something interesting, I write “like” in the margin. Simple. Concise. To the point.

Come to think of it, Facebook lingo in general has taken over the margins of my books. I use “lol,” “haha,” “hehe,” “like” and even “dislike” regularly (in addition to more insightful comments of course). 

I just hope I’m not the only one who has noticed Facebook creeping into other areas of life! 

Starving at work

I think I work at one of the worst place to be hungry on the job: A restaurant.

I typically eat before I go to work. But sometimes I don’t leave myself enough time. Or if I work a long shift without a break, I get hungry. On these occasions, everything I serve looks delicious – including things I don’t even like! The scents of deep fried, wood fired, grilled, steamed, and baked cooking assaults my senses. The alder plank that our salmon is fired on is one of the most powerful and enticing aromas.

While pre-bussing, it’s hard not to be tempted to grab an uneaten French fry before discarding a guest’s plate. And if I have to serve Chocolate Ganache, my stomach growls in envy. It is torture enough to have to serve my favorite dessert and not be able to eat it on a normal day. But when I'm hungry, it’s sheer agony.    

And then, a guest can (and often has) unknowingly rubbed it in. After I set their savory meals on the table and say, “enjoy,” one guest is fated to reply: “You too.” If only!

Other times, after setting down the food, I’ve had guests say, “Feel free to join us.” I wish. I know they mean it as a playful jest, but it only makes my stomach growl louder. It’s as if they’re dangling a tantalizing dish before my nose, tempting me, and then quickly snatching it back.

Another silly addiction

Lip gloss may seem like an odd addiction. But it is no less powerful. There is something delightful about the delicious, ooey-gooey, smooth feel of lip gloss on my mouth. 

I recently read that lip gloss has fish scales in it. Although it grossed me out at first, it didn’t stop me from slathering on the lip gloss throughout the day.

I also have lip gloss backups strategically placed around the house and in my purse for emergency lip-dryness. Before bed, I have to put on extra so it’ll last. If I don’t fall asleep right away, or if I wake up in the middle of the night, I get up and go put on more. If I don’t get up, I risk lying awake for hours thinking about how I should really put on more lip gloss (true story).

Well, speaking of addictions, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check Facebook now. I’ve already got a Belgian chocolate truffle ready and in hand. Then I’ll grab a textbook and turn on Netflix. And heck, I may even apply another coat of lip gloss!

Silly Addictions

 Some people can use Facebook in moderation. Some can even ignore the Facebook craze completely. But others – like me – have an all-or-nothing mentality. I rationalize it by insisting that Facebook is a good way of helping me get through homework. After writing a paragraph for a paper or reading a few pages of a textbook, I’ll go see what’s new on Facebook, comment on statuses, chat, or whatever.

 



But I’m not on Facebook all the time of course. I sign out of Facebook to turn on Netflix. I love getting into a TV show and watching every episode of every season straight through. Netflix is also a great way to get homework done – Really, it is! If I’m reading for class, I can have a Netflix on and just listen to it. This only becomes an issue when the show or movie is more visually-based than audio. When this happens, I either miss out on integral pieces of information, or I quit reading and just watch.

Chocolate is wonderful because this is an addiction that you can have while doing almost anything. I can be driving, sitting in class, doing homework, Facebook, or watching a Netflix while also eating chocolate. Chocolate + __________ = The paramount way of multitasking.

Word Confusion (Part 4)

A common slip-up for me is switching words around. For instance, ever since I was young, I have called the lawn-mower a mow-lawner. Although I now know that this isn’t a word, I have used it for so long that I really have to think before saying the word lawn-mower so that I don’t say it wrong. 

Another example of words I’ve switched the order of is another one I’ve done since I was young too: When someone has just returned from a run or some sort of energy-exerting activity, I’ve said, “Your pinks are cheek,” instead of “Your cheeks are pink.” This is another one that I’ve said wrong for so long that I still have slip-ups if I don’t think before I speak.

Family members and long-time friends know how I confuse these. So they’ll sometimes tell me that my pinks are cheek or call the lawn-mower a mow-lawner just to be funny – or make fun of me – Not quite sure which . . .

Long Drives

I used to hate driving anywhere that took over 10 minutes. That’s because I was usually running late, and it would just be more time to stress, and then speed, and then stress about speeding. But that’s been changing. 

I was raised in a family that thought on-time was late and 10 minutes early was on-time. I naturally thought that was ridiculous. So I decided that logically on-time was actually on-time. But then, what was on-time began to stretch to 5 minutes late. 

But I know now why being early is smart. I tried it just for fun near the end of last term driving to work. I left early enough that I’d be 15 minutes early. But there I ended up being stuck in traffic from a car accident. By the time I arrived, I barely made it on-time. So then I decided to make an additional conscious effort to be early everywhere. Since then, I haven’t been stressing out anymore. 

I live in Salem. So I have a 30 minute drive to school, a 25 minute to work, and a 30 minute drive to church in Albany. I usually drive out to Albany 1-2, sometimes 3 times a week. Although I used to loathe the long trips (and the rate that my car used up gas), I now enjoy the trips. I even look forward to them. It’s a time to sit and relax, listen to music, take in the scenery (assuming it’s not raining), and most importantly, it’s a time that I don’t have to think about homework at all.

It’s funny how just changing one thing affected a huge portion of my life. If I calculated the hours I spent in my car stressing out (which I won’t because I’m not a math major), I’d see what a large chunk of my life was spent in unnecessary anxiety. Plus, I’m sure it’s much healthier to be stress-free!