Hijack

Exploding Christmas Balls

Sunday, Sunday was spent in a wild cleaning jag. The house is screaming, "leave me alone" as I have scrubbed and polished every inch of every surface in a mad frenzy of Lysol and Pledge. It's about time. My mania ceased around about 5 PM when the Christmas decorating bug took over and out came the balls. I just did a little decorating here and a little there, mostly to make Overflow feel festive on Monday morning when everyone will return after a 3 day hiatus. One of my favorite places to decorate is the arch between OVF main and the kitchen. I had it going on, standing in the sinks holding green balls and thumbtacks, I had a plan! The Jewish star was the anchor for the whole creation. I had it almost done to my liking when that damn star protested my Christmas balls and crashed down. In turn, taking the green balls with it, one by one in glorious explosions onto the kitchen floor, much like light bulbs or eggs. That outlandish detonation that cannot be contained. I watched it all in slow motion which provoked a smile as I thought, "of course".

I am simply not discouraged as I expect this according to recent experiences. Everything is a challenge in my life this year. That I get. I am up to it tonight. I just re-installed everything and I am satisfied with the result.
Finally victorious, I have a non-denominational festively functional start to my Christmas / Hanuka cheer.

I'm excited to announce Employee of the Month tomorrow. We are a few days late, since we have not worked. I actually miss my crew which provoked this personality report:

The boys that work for me ...... or rather, the young men that I work with on a daily basis are a source of delight. Their eclectic personalities just infuse this place with a blithesome atmosphere that lingers long after they go.

It's not a secret, Emo is my favorite. Emo is a quiet character. He pays attention to fashion and has well coiffed hair. He regales us with stories of woe that range from heartache to the latest scam he was victim of. Emo is moody and we respect this about him. He's a shopalcoholic that has us all worried. He pays me great respect that melts my heart. He is usually the last one to leave for the day. He is extremely conscientious of his job and it's details. But just when we least expect it, Emo has a burst of intelligence that he has to share, stopping us to all go... hmmmmmm.

Michel has the oddball position of working for me, Mom. So we have a closer relationship than most. The best part of this now is that I accept him completely and have quit treating him like a child. And on the other hand, I think he sees me as the person other than Mom and so we are finally getting to know one another. Michel is my odd man out. Always shows up and never says no, has a work ethic of determination, but takes everything to the limit. Language, food, humor, pretending to work when he is just screwing off - he pushes the envelope to see how far he can go. Michel uses humor to replace uncertainty. He has a kind heart and a bit of vulnerability that is endearing. He is a genuine soul that I dearly love and worry about. He is without doubt, my favorite.

Tyler can just get away with anything. He bowls me over with charm. He is quiet, unassuming, intelligent and just the most impressive young man I have ever met. Tyler is ruthless. I watch him calculate $$ as he is bopping from task to task. The $$ is his bottom line and he is kindly calculating about making sure he gets the jobs that pay. He is not greedy, but smart. He is quite'ish, but opinionated and extremely generous with emotions. When he lets down his guard, his sense of humor falls out. Tyler is the hardest working of the bunch, by far, making him my favorite.

ZACHARY is without doubt, my favorite. He reminds me of my youth and makes me remember how to live life like it doesen't matter. He commands a short story. Zach walked into this venture 3 months ago and I was unsure that I even understood his personality, let alone would be able to work with him on a day to day basis. I gave him a shot only because he is Tyler's brother. He has exceeded my expectations and I embrace his presence in my life with genuine gratitude. Zach is the epitome of careless youth that never once thinks about what someone might say about his outlandish behavior. He simply does not see it and is just alive in his life. I envy his ignorance of how harsh this journey. He will learn and live well. I am sure.

Welcome back Gentlemen. I did miss you.

Blahhhging the afternoon away

I received an early Christmas present Friday afternoon. There is no work ready for me AGAIN so they'll see me on Monday. With an unexpected weekend off and I am spending my Saturday doing exactly nothing and anything I want to do. I ordered a thunderstorm and picked up some movies at the Blockbuster. The slight case of food poisoning I am nursing, acquired at Paradise Valley mall food court yesterday can't even dampen my good mood. So I am finally enjoying my new TV as the thunder rolls. I have tucked myself into a big brown chair with laptop, Alka Seltzer and a host of magazines that were dying to be read. I christened my TV with the movie, "The Ultimate Gift". It was a good movie, one I would recommend for the lesson and a good cry. Be warned though, it is a bit contrived and sappy but does in its own didactic way affirm the value of the spiritual practice of generosity.

I guess I'll spend the rest of the night loitering out in blogland looking for a few good recommendations starting with the Basement Guy's blog. And for a degree of hilarity, this Old Guy's Blog.

A queer day

I shopped for a gift for Zach's birthday today. It had to be something unusual, because he commands it. I found myself in American Eagle, drawn there by the goofy hat display. The have the most hideous hats for winter that I have ever seen. I walked in and was greeted by two drag queens having a lisp off. They were kind enough to model the gay hats for me. I felt obligated to buy one, but it was worth the $29.50 just for the entertainment factor.

Having busted ass once again, I arrived at work with a full truck, to the very brim! Corey opened the cab doors and things came spilling out unto the asphalt. The guys have had a whole day to get my next order ready but low and behold, my next kit has not been pulled by 2PM. So I left with an empty truck and no work. A day late and everyone is short.......

Had a steak for dinner. It was from Fry's and therefore inferior. I had to drown it in Heinz 57 sauce to choke the thing down. I know better than to buy meat there. Heinz site is 20/20.

Done for the day. off to write in the "Chronicles of Blah"

Plastic Jesus

Christmas lights are springing up all over my neighborhood and my street is a rerun of last year. It's boring. Does no one have imagination?

For instance, "rent a husband" was out there on his ladder before he'd even digested his turkey on Thanksgiving night because after all, it's the start of the season and the right thing to do. His perfect yards and perfect lights are a tad bit nauseating and a repeat. He and his perfect son spent an agonizing afternoon installing them and now my garage glows red and pink for the next month. Katie used to live in that house. She and I grumbled about how good it looks. She always wanted lights on the golf course side, but Randy refused saying no one would see them. "Rent a husband" knows better. His golf course side is beautiful.

I'm not a fan of giant blow up decorations. There is a street to the north of me that every other house has one of these things all down the block. Bigger is not always better. These over inflated

ornaments should have been left at Walmart where they belong.

Roxanne's house is the epitome of pathetic. She still has last weeks newspaper in the driveway, so for her, Christmas decorating is an afterthought. She hauls out 1 decoration every year and it's usually done on Christmas eve. A plastic red and white striped arch that she puts on her sidewalk. That's it. Festive? Not so much.

The prize for the worst goes to the detective guy 3 doors down. He is diligent in decorating in a timely manner but in my opinion should just rethink it. His display is simple. A light up plastic Joseph Mary and Jesus. This is fine for the season. But the thing must be 20 years old. Joseph's clothes are so faded he's almost naked. Mary's face has melted off and the poor plastic Jesus can no longer be recognized.

My own plans to declare Christmas spirit are still in the works. I refuse to be the sad dark house on the corner so I am plotting something to give the old neighborhood a bit of a face lift.



Some people put in an honest effort. This is Christmas!

Destination, Kentucky!

I just bought the ticket for my New Years Eve. Party in Kentucky !! These bluegrass hicks better have their shit together, cause I need a major celebration. This is a year I want to ring out loud and clear.

Auld Ang Syne, ya'all.

Grace is gone

Currently stuck in this "Lucy" phase that I can't seem to get out of, I have one comical disaster after another. Comical only if you aren't me. Today it was my big DIY project. I was confidant when the morning started. I was gonna do this thing! This thing being putting a small flat HD TV in the newly constructed backroom. Simple right? I've been shopping for said TV for a couple of weeks now but being cheap, I was waiting for a deal. I had a Walmart budget in mind but taking a box off the shelf with no technical advice seemed intimidating. I found myself back at Best Buy where I could at least get some "how to" info. I stood around the TV section for a good 30 minutes and could not get anyone to help me. I felt like "Pretty Woman" as I had the means to purchase, but apparently didn't look like I was a serious consumer. I should have worn better shoes. Discouraged, I left and found myself at Ultimate Electronics. They are pricey but I remembered good service there with the last TV stand purchase. I walked in the door a beaten woman but was in luck cause these guys work on commission. Fourteen footsteps in, my salesman saw me coming. His name was Nathan, and I liked him immediately.

"I just want to buy a TV" I said. "Then I'm going to help you do that" was Nathan's reply. Relief. I gave him the size and the budget, which he ignored. He took me through the selection and gave his best advice. He sold me on the Toshiba 26" that was $1,100 a few weeks ago but today was half price. Sigh.... twice my budget. I was sold. I had to ask Nathan all of the nitty gritty details as to how to hook up the thing. He grasped my vulnerability and took me through it step by simple step. He even wrote down on a scrap of paper off the top of his head which cable box to get so that Cox doesn't try to talk me into something I don't need. Nathan gave me a bottle of water and a cookie while he took my money, loaded my truck and sent me on my way.

Next task was to find the shelves I envisioned my TV on, which I did without incident. I am encouraged and excited with my purchases and hurry home to put it all together. HA. The disassembled shelves became my first impossible project requiring power tools and a studfinder to anchor them. Once built and installed I felt a certain satisfaction. That is until I noticed the leftover pile of hardware in the middle of the floor. I guessed they gave me extra parts??

And now for the TV. I take it out of it's box in all of it's glory. Nathan has assured me that it was child's play to get this thing up and running. His children must be geniuses. It's still in pieces on the floor.

Any minute I expect Ricky to walk through the door and say, "Lucy, you have some splain'in to do".

Sigh..................

Black is black

It's 6:15 PM the day after Thanksgiving. This day is generally called Black Friday for the consumers ability to get retailers out of the red. I used to love this day and poured over the sale fliers with anticipation. Those were joyous days, waiting in hour long lines with other people buying electronics and talking picture frames and slippers. It was a sort of human bonding experience as you were forced to spend a good portion of time with strangers that were in the same frugal frame of mind. Gleeful with our $30 savings here and there and proud of our ability to brave this dying human event. With the internet being in it's teens now, more and more we trust it with our credit cards. In this modern Era, most shopping is now done online although a dying breed of Brick and Mortar shoppers still exist, much to my amazement. I did not participate in this ritual today, opting instead for a bit of self indulgence in the ways of just wandering about my house and gardens doing whatever felt right in the next moment. The dishes felt right, as they have been hiding since Tuesday's Thanksgiving and were beginning to smell. A nap felt right but turned into a bath instead. Tonight writing feels right, if I can get the words to come.....

BE THANKFUL Living wth Gratitude

Thank you Nichole for being a daughter that humbles me. I am proud to be your mother.

Thank you Michel for accepting me as a parent in your life. I am honored to call you son.

Thank you Vickie for a friendship that has lasted decades. You never let me down.

I am extremely thankful for my friends, acquaintances and all the people that have come into my life this year. Just when I thought I was at the end of my emotional rope, you all crossed my path with your personalities, humor, wisdom and unconditional love, no matter how chaotic I got.

We are all souls who spend time on this Earth in order to learn lessons and share information with our fellow beings. Before we depart this three dimensional existence we give back a little part to the universe in the form of love, knowledge and conscious awareness, making us all immortal. I am grateful to be a part of your lives.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Check Please

Friday night we all went on work furlow because I have had enough. I was left to gab on the phone with Katie until well after 8 and she had me laughing. We were discussing the pros and cons of Viagra.

The pros are obvious, the cons are blindness!

She is convinced Randy could benefit and wondered the reprocussions if she slipped one in his beer. She had me rolling on the floor with talk of vacationing at Viagra Falls.

Saturday Night found me at another Arrowhead haunt that sorely needs critiquing. This would be the unmemorable: Firebird Rocky Mountain Grill. The write up in the paper that led me there boasted of grandiose atmosphere with flagstone fireplace, cozy tables, a wood fired sumptuous menu, and a rather upscale steakhouse establishment. It has three $$$, so it must be good right? They also liked Dillons. What was I thinking?

Should have know better when we got there we were handed a "beeper" to advise us our table was ready. The beeper system is completely uncouth. It's so "Olive Garden"

Our waiter Adam, needed a good slap. He was a cartoon character with a personality that put us at dis-ease. He didn't have a genuine thought in his head and his scripted boring monolog made us say "huh"?

We were left to make menu decisions. They seemed plausable with the usual Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Prime Rib. I choose Prime Rib and was told by Adam they were out??

My disgusted look prompted M to quickly order me A Rib Eye lest I make a scene.

It arrived fully undercooked and fatty along with a baked potato that was about as delicious as a football but rivaled the horrible bread we had to beg for. We got out of there as soon as they could box up this supposed dinner that pawpaws would certainly enjoy.

Sunday, I'm just cooking for a Thanksgiving crowd and hanging out with my Gecko

Albino Aligator

This is my writing partner, Gary the Gecko.

Check out his feet. Isn't he cute? Every night I set up camp on the patio with laptop and my assortment of goodies to write. Every night he is in the same spot on the ceiling reading over my shoulder. He tried out for the Geico ad but was rejected because he is not green. So I am giving him the fame he deserves.

If you click on the picture you can see him up close and personal. Since he's an albino, you can see his brain in green. Kinda creepy.

Blog Blurb

Thanksgiving is next week prompting me to pull out recipes once again. I'm posting them on my cooking blog if you need inspiration. http://justintine.blogspot.com/

Ladies Day @ OVF

Meet the girls

Today was proclaimed ladies day at work. No men allowed! We have been looking forward to this all week. It's Nikki's return to the job after maternity leave that I thought would never end. Suzi, the newest member of our crew arrived for training and of course, Katie was the day's entertainment and as always, our exquisite chef.

The day started with Nikki's early arrival and enthusiasm to get to work. I took my jaunt to Tempe amid the heavy brown cloud that disguised itself as rain. We all arrived back at Overflow around 11. Katie bearing food! And sweet Suzi presented me with a wonderful fall bouquet of flowers. I could get used to this! When the men come to work they only bring their appetites. These girls worked! Until we simply had to stop and eat. Lunch was chicken salad on chopped lettuce and croissants with cranberries and walnuts, questionable enchiladas, chips with guacamole dip, deviled eggs that we fought over finished off with pumpkin cheesecake and fudge.

The days quota was complete before 2 PM. It was an early happy hour.

The ladies kicked ass and the day seemed like anything but work prompting us to schedule this as a weekly event.

Look out gentlemen, you are replaceable!

The Mad Whisker

E and I spent Sunday cooking............

Don't ask his age, he's sensitive.

Meet Paws. He is in remission (so we tell him) from a diagnosis of cancer. The RX cocktail he is taking seems to be working. He is jovial and full of life. He is my constant companion. He doesn't mind that I am a recovering maniac that drinks to much. He doesn't care how old I am or leave me for other women. My faithful companion through thick and thin. He prefers to bite the hand that offers the cheewez. He's undisciplined when we walk and often runs away.

Mad Dog, Best Friend.

Bread Karma

Karma is one of those words we don't translate, but everybody knows it's meaning. There are a lot of ways to describe Karma but it is essentially the belief that your present circumstances are a product of previous actions. Which makes me wonder who I fucked over... but I digress. The belief is that, what you do today will affect your tomorrow. The reason I am even bringing this topic up is because of Tyler K. He's terrified of Karma's swift sword. I find it amusing to watch him at work when people start gossiping or simply saying anything unkind about another human being. He completely clams up and removes himself from the situation. Someone challenged him this week about something or another and he said "I won't go there because Karma can be a bitch". This is my current creed. I over tip, overpay, go out of my way for others, smile when I don't feel like it, volunteer, let that asshole in the Lexus cut me off in traffic and wave a cheerful greeting after the fact, as I to, am afraid of the "bitch".


The painters just left after hours of laboriously covering up the blue paint in 2 rooms. They obviously underestimated the job. After 6 hours and 5 gallons of paint it is them singing the blues tonight. I am completely elated with the results!! I paid the bill wondering if it even covered materials. I felt compelled to generously tip them as I ere on the side of good Karma, after all.......


I just took this loaf of bread out of my oven. Yes, I am cooking again. The yeast has been rising all day. I am grateful to have cooking privileges back. The new oven is clean and now properly broken in. It's one thing to use the stove top for fajitas or meatballs, or employ the oven to warm a pizza. But it's a whole other thing to bake fresh bread. This oven knows it has serious works ahead of it. Bring on Thanksgiving!

11/11/07

Nikki is 28 today! Happy Birthday my baby!

No pictures, please

It is simply a gorgeous Saturday night. I'm installed on front of a fire that won't quite catch on after an impromptu dinner with friends. The atmosphere at work today was jovial as everybody had the "Friday" mindset. We laughed, Zachary leading the way with his comical hippie humor. The discussion turned to our upcoming Christmas party. I had suggested some weeks ago that we would rent out the room at Pappadeux, however it was decided today that we will have a bowling alley party. As the discussion progressed, the enthusiasm was apparent. I agreed. And then Zach decided we would all wear a hat that will express our personality. And so we will. His outlandish charm keeps me on my toes. I was out shopping for Nichole's birthday tonight keeping my eye out for a hat that would be worthy of the party. I was amused. Bowling is not my idea of a Christmas party per say, but hey, it's good exercise for my butt, includes beer and bad shoes, it is defiantly different. So I am game.

Emma was at work this week. She walked in and surveyed the atmosphere. "Grandmama, are we doing plastics"?


"Yes would you like to help"?

"Yes" She sat down at station 1 and grabbed a housing and a few screws. I found it charming. As we have a photo wall of employees in various moments, I grabbed the camera so I could add her to the wall. She scowled and said; " no pictures please". She's apparently sick of my paparazzi ways.

There are 51 days left in this year. I am anxiously counting them down so I can start all over again.

Merry Christmas

Uh ohhh Blogger has a scheduled outage in a few minutes, so I'll write quickly lest you won't get my blurb of wisdom for the night.

It's getting into that season - oh Christmas again. I am disgusted about the commercialism, but give in. It gets earlier every year. And the real slap in the face is that Deliah (99.9) is already playing only Christmas music at night. ?? What is that? How sick of it can we get before the season ends. Anyhow, jumping on the bandwagon, I am publishing my impossible Christmas wish list if anyone is feeling outrageously generous......

I want a Warhol, so there.

Specifically,

A Coach bag

An Itunes gift card that's gonna last awhile

A Nisson 350 Z or Audi A4 - I'm not picky.

An impossibly generous giftcard from AJ's

That's it. My wishlist last year, published here, came true. I got everything I asked for. So I am upping the anty because I have faith.

The Night Shift

God help the souls that agree to work with me after 5 PM when I have just clocked the 11th hour of my workday, but have hours to go before I can call it completion. They arrive with fresh faces and innocence and walk smack into my attitude and chaos. Today was the epitome of shit. The company I do contract work for has their heads completely up their ass. The players are like pool balls upon the break. Ya just don't know what your going to get. They work in relativly close quarters, so you would think they could communicate, but no. Today's faux paux' was that anyone at all forget to tell me about a major change in production when I am the one producing.

I'm almost done here.

Everyone deserves recognition, October's EOM is Michel.

Post-Halloween Re-cap thing

Halloween: A knife, a fire and a pumpkin with oozing pulp. What could go wrong?

I am finishing the Halloween candy I refused to hand out, calling it dinner, as I am still on cooking hiatius.

If you came here looking for a dog that has been morphed into the strange world of Warhol, then you came to the right place.

If you came for a Friday post, oh, I've got nothing.