back in black

ahh, a return to the color that i had originally for this blog.

it's kind of like going home.

puzzle of the day

what does a person who doesn't like coffee do with a starbucks gift card?
(note: this person who doesn't like coffee does enjoy chai but is ultimately unimpressed with starbucks' version of chai)

possible solutions:
sell the gift card to someone who actually does enjoy coffee and/or starbucks.
try to convince themselves that they should learn to like coffee and go on a caffeine binge.
frame the unused card and remember the love with which it was given at the anonymous gift exchange.
donate the card to a fellow student trying to make it through finals stuff.
regift the card to a friend or family member.
write a blog post about it and take the advice of any commenters.
or, give the gift card as a reward to the first person who comments.
use the card as a negotiating piece in some kind of bargain.
leave the card in a random place as a surprise for anyone who happens upon it.

actual solution:
go to starbucks and patiently bear the slew of caffeine deprived people tussling to get in line for their fix while trying to look at the cds that are inconveniently placed at the cash registers and attempting to convince people they are not butting in line. find this fantastic cd by random chance. wonder what else they could possibly buy because there is not enough money on the card for another cd and not enough patience left to continue looking at them anyhow. get in line to buy the cd and remember it's near lunch time and find a tasty looking sandwich. and what luck, after using the entirety of the card, find that the remaining balance is exactly the amount of change (and any other money that is not in your wallet) that they have ... $1.89.

ultimate answer: the person who doesn't like coffee shall buy a cd and a sandwich at starbucks at such time as they are brave enough to face the popularity of said establishment.

i'm a quitter

that's right. i quit.

i quit my job at the papery yesterday. it was harder than i thought it would be. i had decided at the end of november that i couldn't work there anymore. and since then, things had been a lot easier. i enjoyed work more because i knew that i wouldn't have to do it much longer. but when it came time to quit, it was hard to close this certain chapter in my life. i started working there in october of 2004. they were very good to me and honored a lot of my crazy scheduling requests. the owners of the store have treated me very well and i respect them a great deal.

but it was just time to say good-bye for a number of reasons. and when i actually did quit, it went much better than expected. i called the owner first because i wanted to be sure she knew that i did have high regard for her. it was important for me not to burn any bridges. and she was a lot more gracious than i expected her to be. she even told me to keep in mind a new store opening next year and i would basically be welcome there. (this is important because the main reason i'm quitting is because of something, er, um, someone specific at the princeton store.) then i had to tell the manager, which i was really nervous about. but she almost didn't react. just took what i said and was done. moved on. still in a good attitude. it was sort of strange. contrary to what i thought would happen. but really quite a wonderful blessing.

so, when i come back from christmas break, you can expect to hear about my new job hunt that will be commencing. i'm pretty sure i'm going to be looking for a restaurant job. something where i can keep more busy. meet a lot of new people. do something i feel i am good at. it's strange but i really do enjoy being a waitress/being part of a restaurant team. and, i would be remiss if i didn't mention that i expect to be paid better. restaurants in princeton are kind of expensive and that means bigger tips. not that that is the most important thing. really, the most important thing is that i feel my mental well-being will be much improved by a change of scenery.

thank you the papery for two years of retail immersion! hello new attitude of starting fresh!

peace is joy at rest

and joy is peace on its feet

i've been reading...

i recently started a new book for fun called "through painted deserts: light, God and beauty on the open road" by donald miller (author of 'blue like jazz'). this is the first memoir i've ever read for fun. i think i found the book once by just looking at some of the suggestions on amazon. i ordered it. it sat on my shelf for a month or two. then after i exhausted my new children's/youth literature i had recently purchased, i went on to this beautiful book. it makes me happy and sad in all the right ways. i love it. this passage is from the author's note at the beginning. for some reason, when i read, it struck just so and almost made me cry. as i reread it just now, i didn't cry but it's truth still hits me. i hope you enjoy.


life cannot be understood flat on a page.
it has to be lived;
a person has to get out of their head,
has to fall in love,
has to memorize poems,
has to jump off bridges into rivers,
has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under their breath:
i'll tell you how the sun rose
a ribbon at a time...

i need a lover...

that won't drive me crazy.




yep, that's the song that was in my head when i woke up this morning and now i've finally broken down and am listening to it on itunes.

hey, it's a good song.

thanks john mellencamp.

i love weekends

especially when they're in the middle of the week!

and especially since i don't really count the real weekend as a break for me since i have to work the entire time. i'm just saying it's nice to have a day with no responsibility because i am obligated to do something every single day of the week.

5 signs of a lousy job

1. you dread going to work.
check.
2. you get no enjoyment from your day-to-day responsibilities.
check.
3. you are uncomfortable with the company culture and environment.
check.
4. your relationship with your boss is turbulent.
check.
5. you see no opportunities for career advancement or enhancement.
check.

i'm quitting soon.

hi jenny!

today's the day you're supposed to read my blog!
(hopefully you haven't already so you don't miss your personal message)

my sanity may be at stake

i'm having problems deciding which is more important to me next semester:

teachers
classes i'm interested in
relevance of the classes i'm interested in
schedule

any suggestions?