shallow thoughts by csolly: December 2001

Remember that vacation checklist I made? Let's see how I'm doing, with 2 days left here in Chesterfield. * Put all my photos into albums. I've bought the albums, just haven't stuck in the pics yet. Maybe I'll do that today. * Start learning javascript, asp, css and more. (Gotta catch up with some webby pals about what's the most important to learn.) I've got books to learn CSS and Javascript, and I decided not to go for the ASP book because I'm not exactly sure what I would use it for. I'm a good way through my CSS book and loving it. It's written terribly, but I'm still getting it. And I'm so ecited about all the stuff I'm going to be able to do with it now. Look for a redesign of my site within a few weeks. * Maybe start a writing project that I can get excited about. Um, no, I have no ideas in this area. But I used the word mybe, so I don't feel I'm required to meet this goal. * Try not to be online too much! :P Doing very well. Check email a few times a day, but that's about it. :) * Catch up with some old friends. Done. Saw my friend Anne on Monday, saw pal Lance Wednesday and I think I'm going to karaoke tonight with some other people, but not sure about that yet. * Pay my bills. Done. :) Got no money left, but that is all taken care of. * Go for a few tans to get a little bit o' color on my pastey bod. Also done. :) * Send Christmas cards? :P Ha ha ha ... not done. * R E L A X ! Done. :)

I have been living a lie. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to lead you all on, it was just easier to lie than to explain the whole truth. It started out small and now it's grown into something that's spread among all of you, my friends. I didn't mean for this to get so out of hand and have you all believe something that isn't true. I know I was wrong to do it, but I'm here to try and make it all right. I am not from St. Louis, Missouri. I am from a town called Chesterfield, Missouri. It' just outside the city of St. Louis in St. Louis County. When people ask where I'm from St. Louis a much nicer answer to give than "Missouri," which people cannot identify with at all and probably just conjure up images of farm fields or something. And to say "Chesterfield" would mean even less. Saying I'm from St. Louis lends a little more identity to where I come from. At least people can think of a baseball team and maybe that there is a large arch as a landmark. But that's not where I live. I'm from the suburbs, half an hour from the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. I live near shopping malls with parking as far as the eye can see, grocery stores surrounded with minivans, high schools with huge football stadiums, the levees along the Missouri River, movie theaters with 16 screens, 20 screens and 24 screens (there isn't much else to do other than go to the movies). From now on, when people ask where I am from, I will be more honest. I'm sorry I've mislead you. I'll never do it again.

This weekend, I heard so many holiday travel horror stories. People just wanting to share with others that they'd been at the airport since 11 yesterday or stood in line for 5 hours. Well, I have a holiday travel story, but mine is a good one because I came out of it with a free night in a hotel, a $500 voucher for American Airlines and I made a new friend. Friday night, Heather dropped me off at the airport (Thank you Heather!) more than an hour and a half early. The lines were unbelievable. Now, I heard people say they'd seen worse, but I never have, and I travel a decent amount. I walked around for about 15 minutes just asking people what the line they were standing in was for. "E-tickets, I think." "I think this might be international, but I'm not sure." "I have no idea." OK. I found someone who worked with the airline and she put me in the right check-in line. I started talking to her a bit (the line was not moving at all) and she asked what kind of ticket I had. She told me that if I would carry on my luggage, I could probably just go right through security, to the gate and check in there. Worst thing that happens, she said, is that I come right back to the end of the line. I breezed through security. (Well, they did open my bag looking for a non-existent nail clipper and went over my whole body with a metal detector, looking suspiciously at the metal brads on my jeans.) I walked to the gate, stood in line, checked in, got on the plane. People are crabbing about how long they'd been there, etc. I just let them talk. I'm not in my seat for more than 5 minutes before they ask for 3 volunteers to get off the plane. They'll give them a $300 voucher and overnight accommodations. I thought about it; by the time I made up my mind to volunteer or not, they would have 3 people, I figured. But they came back and said, We need 8 people to get off the plane. I got up out of my seat and off the plane. I stood around with the other volunteers and started chatting with this other girl who seemed really nice. The attitude we saw being dispensed all over the place was crazy. Ticked off passengers yelling at the airline staff. Staff getting annoyed at passengers. Insanity. We just snickered at it all; we were totally set. We got our $500 vouchers (not just $300) and reserved seats on a plane for the next morning. I was just asking for a cab voucher home and one back in the morning, but they said it would be an hour for a car and persuaded me and Cheree (the girl I was talking to who was also just going to cab it home) to take the night in the hotel. We also got a meal voucher, so I asked her to dinner. :) We took the shuttle together to the hotel nearby, checked in, bought clean underwear from the convenience store, dropped our stuff off in our respective rooms and met up at the bar for some food and drinks. We had a great time. We have a lot in common actually. She just turned 24, graduated from college in 2000, been in New York for about a year and a half and is from near St. Louis. She's a graphic designer for Kate Spade. We've exchanged info and I fully intend to call her when I get back to New York. Next morning, Cheree and I walk into the lobby about a minute apart from one another, catch the shuttle bus together to the airport, get through security, walk to the gate, board our plane and fly home. Not too bad, huh?

[I've been in a bloggy mood today] I'm feeling very edgy right now. I think it's just because I'm about to leave for a long trip and have lots to take care of. I took Ozzie to the Porcano Petting Zoo ealier tonight. (Thank you guys!) I miss him already. :P Right now, I am procrastinating packing because I have just dirty clothes, and I have to decide which dirty clothes to take with me. I know that once I get home, I will just fall into mom and dad's arms and be so happy to be in StL. Just gotta get myself there. Gotta go to work tomorrow. Blech. I have plans though. When I go home I want to do the following: * Put all my photos into albums. * Start learning javascript, asp, css and more. (Gotta catch up with some webby pals about what's the most important to learn.) * Maybe start a writing project that I can get excited about. * Try not to be online too much! :P * Catch up with some old friends. * Pay my bills. * Go for a few tans to get a little bit o' color on my pastey bod. * Send Christmas cards? :P * R E L A X ! Sounds do-able, no?

What a day ... I am having the worst cramps I have had in a really long time. I am doubled over at my desk. I should go home. And on Monday I was in the worst mood which I blame on PMS because I have been in a fabulous mood otherwise. Sometimes being a girl isn't so great ... ... but, then again, sometimes it's pretty fabulous. :P

So, I was supposed to meet my team for a holiday breakfast this morning. I got off the train at Grand Central. I crossed 42nd Street, and then there was a large explosion. Everyone jumped and then froze. It occurred to me that it could have just been a truck that dropped or something, but I knew it wasn't. It was an explosion we heard. A few minutes later, fire trucks and police cars were screaming down the street. I was so freaked out. I can't find anything on any web sites about it, but a block of the street is blocked off now. I wish I knew what was going on. It could certainly just be a fire or something, but it really freaked me out.

Hello hello ... Sorry I haven't been writing much. Guess I just haven't had much to say. I've been pretty busy. I went to Boston last weekend, which was very fun, as usual. This week I've been catching up with people before the holidays. I still haven't written Christmas cards yet. Not sure if I will. I want to, and I might once I get home to St. Louis this weekend. We'll see. I'm looking forward to going home. My brother won't be able to make it home this year, which is pretty upsetting. It certainly won't be the same. I love hanging out with him, just the two of us. We have a good time. In Hawaii this year, we had a blast hanging out together for those 10 days. We went surfing together, swam in the pools, sunbathed (he, of course, tans far better than I do), watched the sun rise over the volcanoes from the top of another volcano. It was a good time. Last year, Matt and I sat on the roof almost every night together and watched the sun set (and it was warm enough to just be outside wearing a sweatshirt.) The holidays certainly won't be the same. I have gotten in touch with a few people that I plan on seeing in a long time, including a friend from junior high. That will be great to see him. I think I'm going to take home my big shoebox of photographs and finally put them into albums. I'm also taking along my new favorite possession: the Fight Club DVD. Mom and Dad have a bigger TV, and I want to enjoy my favorite movie on it. :) Other than that, I have few plans. It's going to be great. I'll get to spend a lot of time with Mom and Dad, Mom will feed me, we'll go shopping, probably catch a movie or two, go out to dinner. It'll be nice. (I will my my kitty, though. :) I guess that's it for now. I know this was a bit of a ramble, but I was starting to feel bad that I haven't written much lately. Oh well. :)

Mmmm ... Mom and Dad ... I think I've found what I want for Christmas... The Nomad II Nice! ;)

Oh, I think my life just might be complete now. I own the Fight Club DVD ... I'm not sure if life gets any better. ;) OK, yes, it most certainly does, but I am really really excited about this. :)

Lookie what I did. Gotta add that to my resume.

I had such an interesting night last night and I am going to tell you all about it. Pull up a chair. No, wait, you're already sitting down. The Edison holiday party was last night. Now, last year, the About.com holiday party was madness. Madness, I tell you! No need to go into detail, but "drunken debauchery" doesn't begin to cover it. I had a blast. Edison seems a bit more conservative, so I did not expect anything nearly comparable, but still anticipated an enjoyable evening. Shortly after we got there, I realized that I had forgotten something that I had told my boss I would do. I got all stressed out about it, downed a glass of champagne and headed back to the office to get it done. Got there, realized Boss had gotten it done and all was well. I went back to the party and they started the raffle. (We held a book drive and when you donated a book, you got a ticket for the raffle, which included prizes like stereos, plane tickets, stays in hotels, etc.) I won a DVD player! Can you believe that? People said they wished they had a picture so I could see my face. I was fairly surprised, I guess. :P Then we all got drunk and danced and danced and danced. My teammate Aparna was so excited about all the food that was going to be served, but we didn't even leave the dance floor. I had a wonderful time. A lot more fun than I thought I would have. And tonight, I am off to Boston for another fabulously fun weekend with those kids. Fun fun fun. (Oh, and remember when I posted about doing yoga and going jogging last week? Um, yeah, I only did it that one day. Damn me for being young and staying out late so much and coming home half-drunk too many nights a week!)

Hee hee ... I moved my furniture over the summer, and now the dresser is backed up to the heater. So, in the morning, when I pull out a pair of sock or at night when I pull out clean pjs, they're nice and warm. :) I did some bargain Christmas shopping yesterday. When you see these presents, you will understand that I really am on a budget. (You said a plastic knife-spork set with napkin, salt and pepper from the deli would be OK, right?) I had a pretty relaxing weekend. I went out to Sassy and Marica's birthday party on Friday night, which was really fun. I had a great time. Apparently, I called some people and left a few people some drunk voicemails. (Three voicemails, I think. Could be more. Until yesterday, I only remembered leaving one.) But it was great. All-around fun night with almost no drama or conflict. Pretty nice, huh? Saturday I woke up at Heather's. Trudged home and stayed here almost all day. It was nice. Yesterday, I did the shopping and some wrapping. Another lovely chill day by myself. I need those every once in a while. Later!

So, remember that 10 lb that I lost over the summer because I was poor and unemployed and subsisting almost entirely on cigarettes and water? Yeah, well, those pounds are back with a vengence now that I've quit smoking. Yuck. But I'm going to try to keep up this running thing that seems more trouble than it's worth and hopefully things will be back the way I like them by my birthday. Dieting bites.

I woke up a little early this morning and decided to pop in my morning yoga tape. I felt so good after the workout that I wanted to go for a run. Even though I really didn't have time for it, I didn't want to pass up such a rare opportunity so I seized that impulse and went for a short jog. I feel great! What a lovely way to start the day. I might even do it all again tomorrow ...

shallow thoughts by csolly

Friday, December 28, 2001

Thursday, December 27, 2001

Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Sunday, December 23, 2001

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Monday, December 17, 2001

Friday, December 14, 2001

Monday, December 10, 2001

Thursday, December 06, 2001

Tuesday, December 04, 2001

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