Energy

I am not a good long-distance driver.  The road hypnotizes me, puts me to sleep... during the day when the sun is shining brightly.  But, I will do (almost) anything for my kids, so I made this crazy trip.   It was over 1300 miles, round trip, in 54 hours.  Whew!  Saw lots of these on my drive:

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Well, as I said, I don't do well driving during the daytime with the sun beating down on me, and I was in the car alone for the entire trip minus 3 1/2 hours that my daughter was with me, so my husband urged me to drink a five hour energy on the way home. I had gotten relatively little sleep the night before the last leg of my journey, and I felt like I was falling asleep.  My eyes were closing in spite of the things I was doing to keep myself awake.

I have never before in my life had so much as a drop of energy drink in my life, but I took his advice because I had another six hours to go.  It. Tastes. AWFUL!!!!!  I don't know what urine tastes like, but the 5 Hour Energy tastes like I imagine urine would taste with some artificial flavoring added.  I guess it helped since I stayed awake without having to stop for the night, but I sincerely hope I never have to drink it again!

Strawberry Peachy Sangria

  
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On occasion, I love to order a cold Sangria when we go out to dinner.   My favorite is the strawberry or peach sangria at Outback or the blackberry at Carraba's. They are sometimes expensive, so I have recreated my own version at home.  I use Moscato wine, any brand, and Dole or Welch's Strawberry Peach juice.  The juice also has apples and pears in in.  Mix half and half, half wine, half juice, and add some ice.  Stir, pour in a wine glass, add a straw, and there you go!  Your welcome!

Summer Movies 1 & 2

One way to keep cool during the summer is to stay indoors, and what better place to be indoors than a movie theater?  Especially since I had gift cards to spend!

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A friend and I went to see Mud yesterday.  I really had no idea what it was going to be about but Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon sounded like a winning combination.  The two teenage boys who played Ellis and Neckbone (yes, I said Neckbone) were more of a focus than MM or RW.  In fact, Reese was hardly in the movie.  Overall, it was good; not great, just good.

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Today, my mother, my daughter, and I went to see The Internship.  I like Vince Vaughn. I'm not crazy about Owen Wilson, though.  And I definitely wasn't a fan of The Wedding Crashers.  I didn't like that at all, so I had very low expectations for this one.  Thankfully, it exceeded my low expectations.  The fact that it was "set" at Google made it even more interesting, even if some of it was unrealistic.  There was one scene that was a little uncomfortable inappropriate - my mom and my daughter were with me - but overall, it was funny!  I actually laughed out loud several times.  And I didn't know Vince Vaughn could write, but he did a great job!  Summer is off to a pretty good start.  Can't wait for The Heat!

Summer!

A video in honor of the last day of school. Live from 1972, the year I completed 2nd grade, Seals and Croft (both from TEXAS!) perform their #1 hit Summer Breeze. Makes me feel nice... warm, simple, melancholy, and pure, like things should be. Enjoy!

Professional Crisis

I have been dealing with a crisis at work the last couple of days.  I am sure the person who set this in motion doesn't see it as a crisis, but it's my career she is defaming.  It's my right to confidentiality that she has breached.  And it's my reputation that is at stake.  And I believe it is all because she is friends with a co-worker who strongly dislikes hates my best friend.  And it is also because I will not do things the way she wants me to concerning one, particular matter, and she wants to exert her power over me.  Since she is one of my immediate supervisors, I believe what she is doing could be classified as harassment - not in a sexual way - but in a "bullying" manner.  I believe she is trying to "put me in my place."  In my entire career, I have never been so humiliated.

She picked the wrong person to whom to do this.  I am in the process of filing a grievance which I will take to her immediate supervisor, hopefully on Monday.  I will see if any recourse is taken, and if I have to go over that person's head, I will.  I will take back my professional reputation, and I will have some satisfaction when my rights are once again protected.

I would never have thought that I would be targeted in this manner.  How juvenile this is.  Grown women who are supposed to be professional "bullying" a co-worker.  That is what this boils down to.