Monday, August 28, 2006

Okay Janie, you're up

Click here for your much anticipated La Bruja reading. See how patience pays? Just kidding with ya, Chica - I hope you enjoy it!

Saturday, August 26, 2006

NOT a movie review. Sheesh.

I have been asked to update the blog about something OTHER than movies. Um, how do I put this? It's MY blog and I can do what I want? Something like that. Just kidding Shelia. Kind of.

So what has been going on? Other than getting yelled at a few times yesterday by the happy would-be buyers and buyers' agents of Building C, not much is new on the subdivision site. I am at a stand still for the most part (well, I got the okay to close the three Building B units that have been sitting in my stand up for three weeks now, but only with an enormous holdback resulting in a big fat dollar amount requirement from the seller, so does that mean that I can really close them? I will be really surprised if it happens). This whole situation is not making me very popular, until I give my shpiel about how I am required to provide clear title for their buyer and I am not able to do that. I mean, isn't the buyer the agent's primary concern? As opposed to the check? I would imagine that would be the case. I guess I should have rethought the comment of "It is not my responsibility that you chose a career that is commission-based and are having difficulty managing your finances"... sometimes stating the obvious can sound sort of snide. But, crap, I'm right, aren't I?

The weather has been fine if not a little bit cold. Interestingly enough, it has been in the 70s and low 80s during the work week then spikes to the low 90s in time for the weekend. That's good. Tonight Kathy, Benny, Tom and I are going to another Gilbert and Lori barbecue, so that should be fun.

I am much more red-headed than I was Monday, so that is something different. Prepping for my September trip... ummmm, what else? Tropical storms are beginning to form down that way and I find it interesting that travellers to those parts, counting the days to their trip, flip out about tropical storms and Cat 1 hurricanes. Wilma shut us down for a few months but she was a monster; anything they get this year, that slides by or even lands on top, will not be fun, but some travellers seem to think that a tropical storm will do the damage that Wilma did - come on, this isn't Florida! We are a bit more prepared in the construction department. Oh well, panic is one of those endearing human qualities, I guess.

Last night I watched a movie (ha!) called "The United States of Leland". It was an awful lot of talking, but I like Don Cheadle and it had a pretty good supporting cast. I liked it well enough, but I ended up being really tired when it was over and I attribute it to the lulling qualities of the constant dialogue. The good news is it didn't have a happy ending - this matters only because most Hollywood-type movies do, and life has a lot of both, so it's good to mix it up a little.

I know you have heard this all before but I have to clean. The laundry is going, that's a start. So I must leave you now and be on my way.

Oh, and as for La Bruja, keep checking this site, as there may be some upcoming developments. She's really good, isn't she?

Monday, August 21, 2006

A Tale of Two Movies

I just finished watching another of my Netflix selections and thought I would make a comparison of the two most recent movies. They are both in the same genre, so that's helpful.

First of all I am not much into action films so I don't bother choosing things that star Arnold or Tom or Bruce (I think I'm dating myself. If I am, there is plenty more coming.). The other night as I have mentioned, I watched "The Machinist" - if you feel you want to rent it sometime (if you can find it, I had never even heard of it but the preview on Netflix looked good enough), then skip the post, or don't, whatever, I can't tell you what to do. So it starred Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh and some other people I've not seen before (which is fine). It is billed as a thriller, and made in like I don't know, 2004. It IS a thriller, the main character (Bale) has not slept in a year and starts hallucinating a new co-worker and is involved in all manner of wierd situations that we assume are all about his insomnia. He has clearly not eaten much in the last year either, and is thin as a rail. It's frightening, actually. The movie is interesting, starts out where it looks like he has killed someone and is trying to dispose of the body right before the flashback to the rest of the story.

It's "thriller-y" I guess, but more along the lines of psychological thriller, which means you have to think and all that. Thinking is good I suppose, but if I want to think during a movie I would sort of prefer it be some sort of drama. Would I recommend "The Machinist"? I don't know yet.

Tonight, however, I watched another choice, also a thriller, from 1983. Charles Bronson, Andrew Stevens, some girl that you see in a lot of feminine protection commercials and a youngish Wilford Brimley in "10 to Midnight". What a great movie! I haven't seen it in a while but it totally delivered everything I want in a thriller. Basic premise, Charles Bronson plays his normal role as rogue cop with Andrew Stevens (never remembered his head being so big) as his rational new sidekick. The tampon girl is Chuck's daughter, spunky, hard-headed and a blooming love interest to Big Head. Anyway there is the requisite psycho, who spends 80% of the movie nekkid (no full frontal for the boy, only for all the girls he stabs), and Chuck being all rogue and trying to nail this guy who always has an allibi. Alibi? Allibi? You know what I mean. Anwyay, the story is pretty familiar, the outcome predictable, the good guys kinda bad and the bad guys pricks. It ends the way it has ended every time I have seen it before: well. Would I recommend it? Hell yes! You gotta love cops like Charles Bronson and Clint Eastwood (well, Dirty Harry Clint, anyway, he lost me at "Bridges of Madison County".)! They're rugged, good looking in an older tough guy sort of way, and always doing things THEIR way. We don't get that any more (Bruce Willis doesn't count).

My verdict: New Thriller 2 out of 5 - too much thinking involved for simple entertainment. Old Thriller 5 out of 5 - I've seen it before and I will see it again. You should too.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Saturday fun

I had such a good day yesterday that I am compelled to share.

So my friend Kim S. had invited me a few weeks back to go with her and her company on a Willamette Jet Boat ride, and I agreed, mostly because it is a mid-day gig and I am a wuss and simply can't seem to do much on Saturday nights anymore (except for Lori and Gilbert's family barbecues). This Saturday rolled around, and I was looking forward to it. I had never been, never heard of it, never seen them on the Willamette, nada. For those of you who do not know Portland, the Willamette River divides the city of Portland into the west side and the east side. Portland has a ton of bridges to get you from one side to the other - I rarely use those bridges, as I am a west-sider and downtown is on my side. The Copper Penny is on the other. I think for those of you that DO know Portland, that pretty much sums it up.

Anyway, come to find out, Saturday the 19th was also Multnomah Days in Multnomah Village, a neighborhood (on the west side) of Portland. Kim S. lives in Multnomah (for like 17 years as it turns out), so the plan was that I would meet her and her good friend's son (Jake, he is going into the 5th grade, so what is that, like 11?) somewhere for lunch and then head on to the jet boat ride.

As you all know, I was up and ready to go pretty early yesterday, so I phoned Kim to find out what time the parade was. Jake, a Cub Scout, was marching in the parade, so when I phoned her at around 9:30, she was already walking him down the the post office where it all started. I told her I would come for the parade and I went on to her house, parked the car in her driveway and met her down in the village (max 3 min walking time - she is right there in the middle of it all).

We found a spot, hunkered down (that phrase always reminds me of Seamus. Had a little "Seamus moment" there. Okay, it's gone.) and waited for the start of it. It was fun! Jake and the Scouts were pretty much the 2nd entry, so he got to watch the rest of it with us. You all know (by now, good Lord) that I am not a gigantic fan of kids, just because they get to that annoying stage (somewhere around age 8 months and ending around 26 years), but Jake is a VERY good kid. I was surprised. Anyway, all manner of parade entries marched, drove, trotted and bicycled their way past our little stoop in front of the community center, and it was really great fun. You gotta love a parade. When it ended (about an hour later), we walked around the village and looked at the booths and in stores with the other 1000 people (it was pretty busy) and then ended up having lunch at Lucky Labrador.

After lunch, we went back to Kim's to get the car and go to the jet boat ride. She had about 60 people set up for it - and that is how many people the boats hold. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? So on we go, down to OMSI (you park there and the docks are in front) and soon enough, the crew was ready and about 57 of our 60 people were anxiously awaiting the start. We left around 2:05 (those other 3 didn't show). The captain let us know the drill, safety stuff, and that we would be getting wet. The younger kids on the boat were wondering where was the best place to sit to get wet (it was like 90 degrees outside) and he said anywhere. We let Jake sit on the end, and we were in the 2nd to the last row, with me in the middle.

So the ride starts out, and this thing has 3 Chevy 456 engines in it and goes REALLY fast (when you can). He does a bunch of stuff, like slams on the brakes (but really only the front people were getting any kind of wet) and spins (depending on what side of the boat you were on, some got wetter than others). We went up toward the Fremont Bridge, then turned around, and then went back down south, toward Oregon City and all that.

So the cool thing about this was the history involved. He gave us little stories about places along the way, fast facts about Portland, that kind of thing, and it was really interesting. Plus, you know, you were on a boat in the Willamette on a hot day, sometimes going really fast and sometimes not, and it was just pretty bitchin. We went all the way down to Willamette Falls and actually went all the way the locks, very interesting, and then we started back toward base (it's a 2 hour ride). He went fast a lot on the way back (since we had already had our history lesson) and did some more spins and stuff. Anyway, I was about to say to Kim that I was impressed with our seating location since the worst I had gotten was sprays to the face here and there, when he slams on the brakes and absolutely NAILS the entire boat. I mean nails us. Total water wave. I was SOAKED. Mascara was everywhere (on the girls around me - I was smart and used waterproof). Hair, tshirt, shorts, shoes, COMPLETELY saturated. So now we speed up and continue on our way and it's COLD! It was really a great time, and I so recommend it. I wish I would have known about it before.

Back at the dock at 4pm, and since I had a 5pm pedi and wax, we took off for home and my car - luckily I was able to change clothes before the pedi appointment (soaked) and then had a relaxing pedicure and not so relaxing eyebrow-lip-beard wax from Xiang. Janice F (Jeri and Becky H., you know who I mean, with the chocolate Rabbit with tangerine pinstripes from high school?) was two chairs down but I did not acknowledge her (she knew it was me, I could tell) (I just didn't feel like getting involved). After that, on to the grocery store for more creamer and coffee, and then home to relax and watch a movie. "The Machinist" - an anorexic Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh doing what she does best. I guess I'd recommend it, but it was wierd. Mostly because you wonder how actors do the things they do to their bodies for a role.

I guess this is long enough now, so since I slept in this morning, I have less time to prep before I run out and get some sun. Thanks for reading!

And thanks to KIM S. for a great Saturday!

Saturday, August 19, 2006

I really made the coffee too strong this morning

Okay my new favorite song is "Una Noche" (Alejandro Sanz with the Corrs). I am hoping it's my neighbors' too because they hear it as much as I do. I am taking some of the annoying points of living in Mexico (playing music at all hours with no regard to others' sleeping habits is one of them) and incorporating them into my US existance. Free country, right?

Anyway, it's Saturday again. Yesterday at about 2pm I just finished working for the week. Stayed til 5 but let's face it, I barely worked. The atmosphere in the office was more like a carnival than a business office, let's face it. I figured it's not a big deal in that situation if I announce to everyone that I have over-worked the week and was done with it.

So my Bruja friend is pretty darn good, isn't she? She read for Office Boy John (John) and hit it on the head and she DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HIM. Look, Bruja, people want to know who you are and how to get in touch with you... Hmmmmmm.

Today I am going on a jet boat ride thingy in the Willamette (keep your mouth closed) with Kim S. and her coworkers. She does it every year with work but she can invite strays such as myself if she wants. It should be fun. Kind of a tourist thing, you know? In a city where you wouldn't like think of tourists doing stuff other than going up to the Rose (Hose) Gardens or walking around the Pearl or NW. I am not a very good resident when it comes to hosting. I don't know what's going on half the time as my heart isn't here half the time.

Look at this carpet! I really need to vacuum. I know I say that a lot but seriously, this is getting out of hand. What does it mean that I am just not hauling out the vacuum and getting it over with? Do I LIKE coming out here at 0-dark-hundred and THINKING I see spiders and/or critters on the floor? Because that is what happens, every day.

I don't know if I mentioned it (okay, the coffee is kicking in) (which means I am all over the map thought-wise) but I am booked for the 6th thru the 14th. Most of you Cancunenses have been to the States/Canada since I have been back from my last trip, so I cannot imagine you needing anything, but if you DO, please let me know. So long as it doesn't weigh 20 lbs or take up insane amounts of space. I don't intend to bring that one enormous suitcase because I end up spending up to $50 (I think it really is $50 on America West) per direction in overweight baggage charges. I just don't want to do that.

SS is having a party tonight and though I cannot be there in person I will be there in spirit. So if Xiang sees me doing the happy-it's-a-party dance tonight at 5pm (8pm SS's time) I hope she doesn't think it's because I am thrilled to have my toenails lopped off and the Cro-Magnum Man eyebrows tamed (though I am).

I'm gonna vacuum now.

Friday, August 18, 2006

My boyfriend

I'm bored and don't want to be at work anymore this week.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

La Bruja Makes Me Think.

Well today I had my good friend La Bruja Magnifca pull some cards for me. Here is the result. She pulled some very right on cards and I know that the time has come for me to really buckle down and figure out what I want out of this life. What an appropriate time.

I spent most of the day driving all over hell and gone for the sake of my desk and First American Title. I don't like leaving the office to do what I do when I do it, because of the bedlam I return to, but sometimes there is no avoiding it. So there I was, driving all over Multnomah and Washington counties. My desk is important to me, as are my clients (and those potential clients that I really want), and there are some out there, like Imeldita and Maggie, who do this all the time. I can't complain. I have a pretty good gig in this career, and though it may not be what I want for reals, for now it is giving me some cash.

I send strong thoughts out to my friend Rauly, who is sad, and I hope that he feels better. Ah, youth!

Managed to get to chit chat (via telephone actually) with Laura as today is her birthday. That was nice. She sounds like she is making good positive changes in her life and that makes me happy.

So today was a good day - busy and full of pandemonium, but good. Connected with some good friends for what that is worth, and now I am listening to "Old '55" and cooking some enchiladas. I guess I just have to look away from what I want to complain about, and face the stuff I enjoy. It's gotta be the answer.

Happy Birthday to Laura and Andy!

Neither one of them read this blog, but some of you know them, so I am doing my part. My hair is not done yet, only have mascara on the top lashes (don't ask), and am still in my jams but I thought I would get this in for those of you in the other time zones.

My friend Benny's mom died last week so I went to the funeral yesterday with Kathy and Tom. It was a very sad funeral but then the reception at the Legion and later at another son's home turned out to be pretty fun, the way funerals should be. Benny has a great family and I was glad to have been a part of it. I am feeling particularly crappy about having missed Kathy's dad's funeral just 3 weeks ago, and though she understands why I could not be there, it still doesn't make me feel any better. I just know that it is important to be there for your friends in times like these and in better times as well. I am lucky to have the good friends that I have, and those that have gone by the wayside, for whatever reasons they have chosen (real, imagined, or spawned from their own issues), well I only hope that they know how important friendship is one day.

As for family, well, it's interesting to me to see other families in motion. There are such differences in families of Mexican descent and those of ... what are we, American I guess. So many people came up and spoke at the service for Benny's mom, crying and sharing stories, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I know my family will not have the same dynamic. Doesn't mean we don't feel it, we just have never been the type to show it. I see a lot more of that in Mexican families (not that Mexican families are unique - I just have never spent a lot of time with other cultures). But it was nice. So while cleaning out my purse this morning, I pulled out the little memorial card that you get, with Mary Lou's picture on it, and I said (out loud, of course, because I'm a spinster living alone and just a couple of steps away from having 8 cats), You did a great job, Mary Lou, thank you.

For all the crap that is going on in the US about illegals and immigration and all that, we could really learn a lot from other cultures, if we would just take the time to look. Being Mexican doesn't mean you just like jalapeños on your food.

But to turn it up again, Happy Birthday to two NYers-turned-Cancunense ~ ! Hoping it's a great day for you both!

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Keeping up with the (blogging) Joneses.

Suzanne has inspired me. She is almost blogging more than me now and frankly, I need to step up. I promise not to throw in big, title-industry-related words or complain about my work. Though it's draining. Draining, I tell you!

This am I went and picked up a slap-happy Tom and went to the Beaverton Farmer's Market for the better Dave's Killer Bread selection and some soup lady soup. Thai curry something-or-other. In my search to find something spicy enough to satisfy my needs I am pretty much trying everything. Even my tacos from Sanchez Taqueria at lunch yesterday were not spicy enough, even with the salsa roja. Dang it.

Anyway, got the soup and the go-to Rockin' Rye (I tried several other types today, like the Good Seed and the Good Seed Spelt but dang it if I don't just dig that Rockin' Rye! It's the BOMB) and had run into Shelia... also had a Marc A spotting but Tom didn't want to approach him. Marc is a friend of Tom's from grade school, and we used to see him from time to time and all that but sometimes you just don't want to reunite... I always had a crush on him. From like before 1st grade and forward. Til like, I don't know, now. Isn't that kind of funny? I always tell him too so it's not like it's a secret thing.

Um, let's see. Pat was in town (or I should say "is") from Beautiful Cleveland (which, he reports, is really sort of a dying town. Apparently the entire east side of the Flats is vacant. His impression, as a "foreigner", and sorry to any native Clevelanders out there, is that it's the kind of town that the youngsters don't really want to live in. So like, they grow up there and want to move somewhere else, which is why he calls it sort of dying. You know, just old fashioned maybe. I loved it, myself, but I can see his point. It's a bummer because, I mean, it's Cleveland. He digs the hell out of it himself but then again, he is a "foreigner" and in his mid 50s.), so we (Barbie, Mom, Shelia, Jim, myself, Tom and Pat) had dinner at McCormick's. Surprise surprise (but I do love their food). Vicki and Rick were actually there (Pat is here for Vicki's 50th birthday - even though she lives in Irvine. They came up here to do a wine tour type of a gig). They didn't dine with us but were in the bar having a drink, so that was kind of cool. I have always dug the hell out of Rick.

Anyway, everything else, like work and that, has been the same. You know, I go to work at 7am with visions of a productive day and end up ready to kill somebody by like 8:30. But that is nothing new. I am going to be watching a DVD Shelia loaned to me last night to see if it will help my outlook. I gotta tell you, when I was in Cancun I was SO MUCH MORE POSITIVE. I don't know if it is just work here or the whole thing in general that makes me what I am here. Whatever it is I better snap out of it because it's not healthy. Though it makes for some comic relief (for others) when I am going off on something.

Okay, seriously, I have to vacuum and clean the bathroom and all that happy crap. Happy days!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Happy Birthday Nancy - !

Oh, that's right, she doesn't read my blog. Okay, that's fine, at least it's out there. I just made a ginormous comment on SS's blog telling her to blog whenever she wants, even when it's about nothing, so I guess I will blog mid-week. From work. Where I am not that busy today.

Everything came to a screeching halt Monday when I tried to record on one of my lovely condo subdivision files and Recording did a date down (it doesn't matter that most of you don't know what I am talking about, that's what makes ME the expert) and found a construction lien that recorded against ALL THREE BUILDINGS in the subdivision for $1.3 million. Considering these units sell for anywhere from $160K to $275K, and about 24 of them are already closed, that leaves, what $54K PER REMAINING FILE to collect to pay off this lien? Sure! That's gonna happen... So yeah, the three files I have on my desk that would have closed Monday and Tuesday are just sitting there, waiting for their locks to expire, gathering dust and staring at me while my bonus slips away... I love my job. I do. I really, really do.

Then there is the rumor that money went down to the county yesterday to pay the taxes on Building C. This has not yet been verified. What this means to me is that the 20 people who call me EVERY DAY looking for a prelim will now be revved up to phone me EVERY 1/2 HOUR to get that prelim. And they think my poor little Title Officer can pump the prelims out that quick. AND they think that PLAT = OCCUPANCY and we know from the experience we had on Building B that that can take a while... So I guess it's time to grease up the ear (good Lord that doesn't sound good, but I'm leaving it in) and spruce up my attitude because the phones will be ringing. I am telling you, I love my job.

Okay that's it, might as well start the work day.

See SS? It doesn't have to have content. It just means no one will comment. But I know you are out there...

By the way, when does Becky come back from her vacations anyway?

Saturday, August 05, 2006

¡Sabado gigante!

So on the TV right now is the dvd "Hustle and Flow". The song won Best Song at the Oscars. It stars that Terence guy that was also the oreo from "Crash", but I almost want to say that this movie, this thing that is on while I am blogging, may have been nominated for Best Picture. You know what, I'm gonna look that up. Hang on. Okay I'm back - it wasn't nominated for Best Picture, but the Terence guy was nominated for Best Actor. Oh my hell. I can't even understand him (but I guess that's probably why he was nominated). This thing is a piece of crap. I can't believe I watched the first hour. I just ... can't believe it.

So yesterday I got pulled over on my way home from work. Well, not pulled over exactly. A Washington County Sheriff was behind me on Scholls Ferry at the light at Allen, and when the traffic started moving, he was sort of hanging back, like I knew he was running my plate so he wasn't paying attention to the traffic, just the computer. Anyway, I went on, and turned into the little stop-and-rob where I buy my smokes, got out, and saw that he had pulled into the parking lot too. Not like RIGHT BEHIND me, or even in a spot, but sort of back a ways and perpendicular (is it perpendicular when he's like, crossing my "t"? I should have paid more attention in Algebra. Sorry, Mr. Krake, but you never should have let me screw around in class.). Anyhoo, so I go in, get my smokes, and as I am coming out and getting back in the car, the sheriff yells out "Joyce!" I say, "Yes?" and he walks over to me and says, "Do you have your drivers license on you?" And I say, "Of course..." and hand it to him. He doesn't tell me why he has called me out, his lights are not on, and we step over to the curb and I take my sunglasses off (mind you, I buy smokes at this store ALL THE TIME, so the clerk is pretty interested, as are the other patrons). He looks at it, then says, "Meet me at my car" and I say, "Well, do you want the rest of the stuff, registration and insurance?" And he says, "Sure you can get that, I'll just meet you at YOUR car." Of course, he's a cop, I ask him if I should get IN the car or stay OUT of the car (any opportunity for him to yell at me has to be averted). He says I can get in, so I get in, get the stuff out of the glove box, and wait for him.

It was only a couple of minutes. He walks back over, hands me my license back and says, "Yeah, mistaken identity. There is a person with your name with a felony warrant." So I look at him and say, "With MY name? Joyce J------?" And he says "Yeah" but you can see he wants to get out of there. I exclaim "A felony!" And then I go, "But you ran my plate. Does she have the same kind of car?" By this time he is sprinting for the cruiser, and he says no, and then tells me, "Don't be surprised if you get pulled over again."

It took roughly 4 seconds for me to put the stuff in the glovebox and turn the key, but when I looked in my rearview to pull out, he was gone. And I turned right on to Scholls Ferry, the way he must have gone, since he couldn't have gotten out going left with the traffic and all, and he wasn't even ahead of me. He was like, GONE gone. I figured he must have gotten a call or something, or didn't want to deal with the fact that he approached me for no reason at all. Except I was thinking that maybe he ran the plate because my car is 18 years old and this is Washington County, where apparently your car defines you (but only if you think people will think you're really neato if you drive an expensive car).

Meanwhile, back on the TV, the Terence guy just beat the smack out of the more important rapper guy, and as he was being hauled off, his number one whore was dramatically pledging their anthem (um, "I in char' "? I told you I can't understand him.). I can't believe it's still going.

Yeah, so not much else today. Got up at 7am with the best of intentions, but chatted with Jan Jan until 12:30 - she came online around 9:30 my time. Sometimes you chat and good Lord the time just flies. So I managed to hit Target and then went and got Tom because I'm really nice. Got home and this is the reward I get. "Hustle and Flow".

Ain' THAT a bitch.

After thought - It bears answering the same question here that Jan Jan asked - why didn't I ask him why he pulled me over? Well, why would I? He's a cop, I'm a citizen. I am required to do whatever they tell me, because as a private tax-paying citizen, I have no rights when it comes to being approached by a peace officer. I'm being serious. I could have asked him, and he could have told me anything. I think that's why he told me someone with my same name (right) had a felony warrant. Nuh uh. I was listening to Mana and my car is old. He probably saw the car and thought I was some illegal alien who never transferred the tags. I know what time it is. So yeah, doesn't matter if I asked him or not. He can do whatever he wants.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Checking in

Yeah so pretty much nothing new going on, as you can see from my absence. Just working like a dog and not getting very far with that. Last night we had a little party/open house down in our downtown office, the one I used to work at before the big move. It was fun. They did a big (huge) remodel and the place is way different than it was when I was there. It's pretty bitchin and I am jealous because I would love to work there, but then my office would be a mess of papers and files and it would just make the whole place look trashy. Which I think is why they put me all the way in the back here at Lincoln Tower. My office can be quite disastrous but nobody really sees it, except John. John says he can hear me rant and rave and basically carry on regularly, but Cathy, who sits sort of kitty-corner out in general population, alleges she cannot hear me. I don't believe her. Or maybe she has a hearing problem. Not sure, all I know is that SOMEONE must have heard me when I cracked my phone. Whoops.

It's Friday so I should (and am) in a pretty decent mood, despite my condo subdivision woes. And trust me, they are a-plenty. I guess I didn't mention the subpoena and subsequent deposition from last week. THAT was fun. All courtesy of this little project. Ahhh escrow! And I was bored with not having a job! I am the definitive "be-careful-what-you-wish-for" example.

Well I am at work and my 11:30 is due any time, so I best be getting back to it. Not many plans for the weekend, besides the norm (cleaning, laundry, Target). Such is my life in Oregon. It's great, really. REALLY.