1. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.
2. I (along with my brother and sisters) had the amazing ability to walk on the sidewalk when it was 110 degrees outside.
3. In high school I worked at a Dry Cleaners and loved the drive through in the summer because I could momentarily stick my head into an air conditioned car. (Often times the 100 degree weather felt better than the inside of One Hour Martinizing)
4. I thought Arizona winters were pretty chilly.
5. I now chuckle when I see the high temperatures of 1oo (in August at midnight) and Arizonians walking around with heavy coats in 60 degree weather.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
5 Things - January 22nd
1. Over the summer a friend successfully got me hooked on Chuck.
2. There is not one episode I have been disappointed in.
3. Although I miss Chuck's first season hair, he looks amazing this season.
4. Chuck is hot...the picture speaks for itself.
5. I love Chuck!
2. There is not one episode I have been disappointed in.
3. Although I miss Chuck's first season hair, he looks amazing this season.
4. Chuck is hot...the picture speaks for itself.
5. I love Chuck!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Few Words and a Pic (a little late)...Wednesday
(Today I would have rather been chasing seagulls....I guess any day I would)
Saturday, January 15, 2011
5 Things - January 15th
1. This week has been sort of a rough week for me...
2. I went to a class that does not start until next week
3. I tried to get into a gold Chevy Malibu when I drive a Gold Honda Accord
4. My dog was the unfortunate recipient of my stress...I smacked him during my slumber
5. All of this school stress has resulted in having to do my make-up at work two days
(First time because I was running late...Second time because I left my make-up in my desk the day before)
2. I went to a class that does not start until next week
3. I tried to get into a gold Chevy Malibu when I drive a Gold Honda Accord
4. My dog was the unfortunate recipient of my stress...I smacked him during my slumber
5. All of this school stress has resulted in having to do my make-up at work two days
(First time because I was running late...Second time because I left my make-up in my desk the day before)
(Just like last week, seeing things like this in the morning makes it all worth it)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
5 Things - January 8th
Friday, January 7, 2011
Just in case you find yourself in an earthquake....
I received this email at work today and I found it just a little humorous and thought I would share.
Teachers and staff-
We have a scheduled earthquake drill this afternoon. Please take time between 1:30 to the end of the day to remind students of what to do in case of an earthquake. I found these 10 tips from an article from a United Nations Disaster relief agent and feel free to share them with your class:
TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY
1) Almost everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when buildings collapse ARE CRUSHED TO DEATH. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. That position helps you survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs. Concrete slab buildings are the most dangerous during an earthquake.
4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
6) Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of frequency (they swing separately from the main part of the building).. The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads and horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and lying in the fetal position next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices wi th a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Pets....Kids....Neighbors
I feel like I should start by giving you a little background about life for the past year and a half. My sister and I decided to take in a "ghetto" (this would be the name I lovingly gave him) dog into our little apartment. My brother found Winston on the canal behind his house. He was obviously mistreated and had been through a lot on the big, bad streets of Phoenix. I am sure he had numerous objects thrown at him, kicked, and who knows what else. Before getting a dog I always said I would never have a Chihuahua because they are not people friendly dogs and all they do is yap. Nevertheless, Winston's unique charm made his way into my life. It is definitely true animals help you through some hard times in your life!
(Soon after my brother brought Winston home)
Winston struggles with anyone outside of my sister, parents, and friend (and that is sometimes even touch and go). Regardless of his many rages, I do consider my sister and I considerate pet owners. We keep our apartment clean and try our darnedest to eliminate the smell of dog. Jen and I have also gone through many discipline tactics. Alas, the squirt bottle is the best so far (maybe I should try this out when I have children of my own).
Which brings me to my point of being pet considerate and kid considerate...because oddly enough I often feel like I am raising a child. Each one has to be fed everyday, taken to the bathroom, bathed, disciplined, and most importantly entertained. My sister and I have the privilege to have the best neighbors in the entire complex. They clean up after themselves, participate in pleasantries and small talk, and are quiet as mice. Who am I kidding....I think we pulled the short end of the stick when it comes to the tenants we share our building with. I am beginning to think someone secretly hates me out there in the apartment world and practicing exposure therapy to help me overcome my OCD tendencies (okay....I watch a lot of Obsessed on A&E).
Point #1:
Don't get me wrong I love pets, but if you are not going to take care of them don't bring them into your home (hmm...similar to children). Every day I make my way up and down three flights of stairs, multiple times a day, so my dogs can relieve themselves. Notice I said I go up and down the stairs. Our awesome neighbors directly across from our apartment recently brought home a Basset Hound puppy for a Christmas gift. Days went by and suddenly there were surprises left between the apartment doors. They were allowing their puppy to use the space between our doors as a toilet. Number 1 and number 2 deposits were appearing just steps away from our apartment. The number 2 transaction was left at the doorstep for more than three days and Number 1 so nicely froze into a puddle for several weeks. Really??!!! Who feels okay leaving that for everyone to "enjoy"? The cherry on top was the other day when I was walking my dogs and I stumbled across another "transaction" in the middle of the sidewalk. "I love my neighbors...I love my neighbors". Side note....tonight we are now stacking diapers at the doorstep and the bottom of the stairs!
Point #2
Now on to children. Again, I state if you can't take care of them (children or pets) DO NOT bring them into your house. Our neighbors downstairs have two very "sweet" little boys and also contribute many habits for all to enjoy. I would like to preface this point with a little conversation about the "rules" of having a pet in our complex. You must pay, an undisclosed non-refundable deposit, for cleaning upon moving out of the apartment. I completely understand the logic behind this because pets are unfortunately not like humans and do not use the toilet. BUT, I am beginning to think a deposit should be required for children. Now back to those sweet boys, imagine being in a peaceful slumber and all of the sudden their is a child SCREAMING below you (it is 3:00 AM). One usually wakes the other and often times cry harmoniously. Do the parents go and console their children? No of course not, they continue to allow them to cry until they are so exhausted they fall back to sleep. I am by no means a child hater, and I would be fine with an occasional scream fest. BUT, the fest lasts the entire day and sometimes the parents even join in by yelling, "STOP IT" (and I am not kidding about all day...come and visit and you will experience the joys of these boys) or turning on the Twilight soundtracks to muffle the sounds of the screams (I don't even need to mention how loud she plays the music because you are well aware I am sure....I KNOW the music she is listening to and even sometimes can understand the words). Now, if the screaming and music were not bad enough, we have to add in the 7:00 AM vacuuming sessions that tend to last at least 30-45 minutes (our apartment is 900 sq feet). I leave my favorite for last because it directly effects me and the ambiance :) of my apartment building. The mother so dutifully sweeps the kitchen floor about once a week. You may ask, "Kerry, how do you know this?". Well, normal people would use this cool little gadget called the dust pan, but why would we use that when we can sweep it out the door. If you are ever needing a snack there are often times goldfish, cereal, bread crusts, and crackers just outside her door. So DELICIOUS!!! Imagine with me for just a moment....If she sweeps that amount of crap outside and her children are screaming and kicking the walls (sometimes it even makes the floor shake)....what in the world does her apartment look like? For all I know her boys urinate in the corner....just like dogs!! Do you now agree, children need the cleaning deposit too!!!???
Points #3-7
Pumpkins- One of my favorite holidays is Halloween. First, because it is in the fall and I love it. Second, I love the smells, decorations, and excitement that revolves around this time of year. Pumpkins stacked by doorsteps....and even digging your hands into that gooey mess before carving. Well, Halloween has been over for two months now and some pumpkins are still lingering around the building. Their first home was by my neighbors door (they looked the best there). The second was by the door of someone that lives on the other side of the building (still looked okay). Their current home....out on the grass by the playground. It is especially nice when the snow melts and their slimy, rotting remains are there for everyone to enjoy. Apparently some people are too lazy to throw them in the dumpster and would rather throw them to the playground area. Does the apartment complex do anything about it? Of course not! They only receive hundreds of dollars from each apartment each month.
Cat Crate- Another addition to our lovely abode is a cat crate...in two pieces on the grass outside the building. You may wonder, why I am so bugged with a silly crate? Well, when it has been laying there since the end of October and it has a questionable substance in the bottom....I have issues. I guess the new trash can at our building is not in the apartment or the dumpster. Just come on over and throw it outside on our grass.
Cats in General- This really has nothing to do with neighbors or children, but it has everything to do with the roaming cats in our complex. Why must they kill mice and eat everything but the head? Enough said.
Window Screens- You may begin to wonder if I dislike cats after so many points directed towards them. They are not my favorite pet, but I do not hate them....I think I just dislike their owners. Another neighbor of ours allowed their little feline to scratch, chew a hole in the family room window screen. Did she ask to have the screen replaced or replace it herself? No, she took her scissors and cut out a square so the little kitty can have easy access to go outside whenever needed.
Christmas Tree- The most recent irritation is the disposing of Christmas trees. The day after Christmas our neighbors got rid of their tree. I am impressed it is not just out in the lawn, but they did leave presents behind. There are pine needles all the way down the stairs. A couple? No. It feels like you are walking in a forest as your go up and down the stairs. So much that they crackle beneath your feet and you always get a collection in your apartment each time you come in.
After this entirely too long of a post you may be thinking I am just a grumpy person who is never happy. This is not true...I love pets....I love children....I love neighbors. Just take care of your crap please so I don't have to look at it!
(Soon after my brother brought Winston home)
Winston struggles with anyone outside of my sister, parents, and friend (and that is sometimes even touch and go). Regardless of his many rages, I do consider my sister and I considerate pet owners. We keep our apartment clean and try our darnedest to eliminate the smell of dog. Jen and I have also gone through many discipline tactics. Alas, the squirt bottle is the best so far (maybe I should try this out when I have children of my own).
Which brings me to my point of being pet considerate and kid considerate...because oddly enough I often feel like I am raising a child. Each one has to be fed everyday, taken to the bathroom, bathed, disciplined, and most importantly entertained. My sister and I have the privilege to have the best neighbors in the entire complex. They clean up after themselves, participate in pleasantries and small talk, and are quiet as mice. Who am I kidding....I think we pulled the short end of the stick when it comes to the tenants we share our building with. I am beginning to think someone secretly hates me out there in the apartment world and practicing exposure therapy to help me overcome my OCD tendencies (okay....I watch a lot of Obsessed on A&E).
Point #1:
Don't get me wrong I love pets, but if you are not going to take care of them don't bring them into your home (hmm...similar to children). Every day I make my way up and down three flights of stairs, multiple times a day, so my dogs can relieve themselves. Notice I said I go up and down the stairs. Our awesome neighbors directly across from our apartment recently brought home a Basset Hound puppy for a Christmas gift. Days went by and suddenly there were surprises left between the apartment doors. They were allowing their puppy to use the space between our doors as a toilet. Number 1 and number 2 deposits were appearing just steps away from our apartment. The number 2 transaction was left at the doorstep for more than three days and Number 1 so nicely froze into a puddle for several weeks. Really??!!! Who feels okay leaving that for everyone to "enjoy"? The cherry on top was the other day when I was walking my dogs and I stumbled across another "transaction" in the middle of the sidewalk. "I love my neighbors...I love my neighbors". Side note....tonight we are now stacking diapers at the doorstep and the bottom of the stairs!
Point #2
Now on to children. Again, I state if you can't take care of them (children or pets) DO NOT bring them into your house. Our neighbors downstairs have two very "sweet" little boys and also contribute many habits for all to enjoy. I would like to preface this point with a little conversation about the "rules" of having a pet in our complex. You must pay, an undisclosed non-refundable deposit, for cleaning upon moving out of the apartment. I completely understand the logic behind this because pets are unfortunately not like humans and do not use the toilet. BUT, I am beginning to think a deposit should be required for children. Now back to those sweet boys, imagine being in a peaceful slumber and all of the sudden their is a child SCREAMING below you (it is 3:00 AM). One usually wakes the other and often times cry harmoniously. Do the parents go and console their children? No of course not, they continue to allow them to cry until they are so exhausted they fall back to sleep. I am by no means a child hater, and I would be fine with an occasional scream fest. BUT, the fest lasts the entire day and sometimes the parents even join in by yelling, "STOP IT" (and I am not kidding about all day...come and visit and you will experience the joys of these boys) or turning on the Twilight soundtracks to muffle the sounds of the screams (I don't even need to mention how loud she plays the music because you are well aware I am sure....I KNOW the music she is listening to and even sometimes can understand the words). Now, if the screaming and music were not bad enough, we have to add in the 7:00 AM vacuuming sessions that tend to last at least 30-45 minutes (our apartment is 900 sq feet). I leave my favorite for last because it directly effects me and the ambiance :) of my apartment building. The mother so dutifully sweeps the kitchen floor about once a week. You may ask, "Kerry, how do you know this?". Well, normal people would use this cool little gadget called the dust pan, but why would we use that when we can sweep it out the door. If you are ever needing a snack there are often times goldfish, cereal, bread crusts, and crackers just outside her door. So DELICIOUS!!! Imagine with me for just a moment....If she sweeps that amount of crap outside and her children are screaming and kicking the walls (sometimes it even makes the floor shake)....what in the world does her apartment look like? For all I know her boys urinate in the corner....just like dogs!! Do you now agree, children need the cleaning deposit too!!!???
Points #3-7
Pumpkins- One of my favorite holidays is Halloween. First, because it is in the fall and I love it. Second, I love the smells, decorations, and excitement that revolves around this time of year. Pumpkins stacked by doorsteps....and even digging your hands into that gooey mess before carving. Well, Halloween has been over for two months now and some pumpkins are still lingering around the building. Their first home was by my neighbors door (they looked the best there). The second was by the door of someone that lives on the other side of the building (still looked okay). Their current home....out on the grass by the playground. It is especially nice when the snow melts and their slimy, rotting remains are there for everyone to enjoy. Apparently some people are too lazy to throw them in the dumpster and would rather throw them to the playground area. Does the apartment complex do anything about it? Of course not! They only receive hundreds of dollars from each apartment each month.
Cat Crate- Another addition to our lovely abode is a cat crate...in two pieces on the grass outside the building. You may wonder, why I am so bugged with a silly crate? Well, when it has been laying there since the end of October and it has a questionable substance in the bottom....I have issues. I guess the new trash can at our building is not in the apartment or the dumpster. Just come on over and throw it outside on our grass.
Cats in General- This really has nothing to do with neighbors or children, but it has everything to do with the roaming cats in our complex. Why must they kill mice and eat everything but the head? Enough said.
Window Screens- You may begin to wonder if I dislike cats after so many points directed towards them. They are not my favorite pet, but I do not hate them....I think I just dislike their owners. Another neighbor of ours allowed their little feline to scratch, chew a hole in the family room window screen. Did she ask to have the screen replaced or replace it herself? No, she took her scissors and cut out a square so the little kitty can have easy access to go outside whenever needed.
Christmas Tree- The most recent irritation is the disposing of Christmas trees. The day after Christmas our neighbors got rid of their tree. I am impressed it is not just out in the lawn, but they did leave presents behind. There are pine needles all the way down the stairs. A couple? No. It feels like you are walking in a forest as your go up and down the stairs. So much that they crackle beneath your feet and you always get a collection in your apartment each time you come in.
After this entirely too long of a post you may be thinking I am just a grumpy person who is never happy. This is not true...I love pets....I love children....I love neighbors. Just take care of your crap please so I don't have to look at it!
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