Friday, September 30, 2005

Why do men have nipples?

Why do men have nipples? This is a question I have been asking my friends for years. I have been told that I think of the strangest things. Much to my surprise, earlier this year a book came out entitled “Why Do Men Have Nipples?” I couldn’t believe it!
I was somewhat relieved to know that I am not the only person who wondered such a thing.

Billy Goldberg, a New York physician, brought up odd questions and topics at cocktail parties and other social gatherings over the years, then wrote a book.The book contains all sorts of questions … “Hundreds of Questions You’d Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini” which is the subtitle of the book.

Some of the things people have wondered like why your teeth chatter when you’re cold, or if you could really catch a disease from sitting on a toilet seat.

“Chattering teeth is one way the body tries to generate heat. When the body gets too cold, the area of the brain called the hypothalamus alerts the rest of the body to begin warming up. Shivering, the rapid muscle movement that generates heat then begins. Teeth chattering represents localized shivering.”
“During the course of their research, Goldberg and Leyner found reports of gonorrhea, pinworm and roundworm found on toilet seats -- but catching something from it isn’t common. The authors discovered that an office setting might be worse for your health than toilet seats. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, found the typical office desk harbors some 400 times more disease-causing bacteria than the average toilet seat.”

Some other humorous questions included in the book are “What causes morning breath?” and “Why do beans give you gas?”

“Goldberg says morning breath results from anaerobic bacteria, the xerostomia (dry mouth) or the volatile sulfur compounds (which are waste products from the bacteria). Other contributing factors to foul oral odor include medication, alcohol, sugar, smoking, caffeine, and eating dairy products.Beans contain high percentages of sugars that our bodies are unable to digest, Goldberg explains. When the sugars make it to the intestines, bacteria go to work and start producing large amounts of gas.”

Ok, I finally have the answer to my burning question, the question I have asked repeatedly over the years, getting only a snickering reply of “You’ve got to be kidding”.

And why do men have nipples?

“While only females have mammary glands, we all start out in a similar way in the embryo, the authors explain. The embryo follows a female template until about six weeks, when the male sex chromosome kicks in. Men, however, have already developed nipples.”

Hmmm….I guess that is a pretty good explanation. I am still floored that my recurring question became the name of a book!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Answers to Buggtastic Brain Busters

First, I want to thank all of you for trying, or at least letting me know you stopped by.
Now, the moment you have been waiting for......."drum roll please"........


1. When Jim was taking a stroll one day, he met his father-in-law’s only daughter’s mother-in-law. What did he call her?

Mom

2. Which set of numbers would most logically come next in the following sequence?
10 1 9 2 8 3 7 4 6 5 5 6 4 7 3 8 2

(a) 9 1 (b) 9 3 (c) 8 5 (d) 6 7

The correct answer is (a) 9 1. There are two series, one starting with 10 and going down one number each time, and one starting with 1 and going up one number.

3. The names of three foods are mixed up on each of the following lines. The words are given with their letters in correct order, but each word is “interlettered” with the others. Unscramble the foods.
C F H R M E U E E I A S E T T
A P E P P A R L E P L S S U M S

CHEESE, FRUIT and MEAT
APPLES, PEARS, and PLUMS

4. Grandma looked up from her rocking chair and said, “As far as I can determine, there is only one anagram of the word TRINKET. What is it?”

KNITTER

5. Homonyms are words that sound alike, though they are spelled differently. (Example: to, two, too) One pair of homonyms has meanings that are precisely opposite, and need not be stretched. What are the two spellings of this homonym?

RAISE and RAZE, which mean “to erect” and “to tear down.”

Good job everyone!

Cya later~



Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Buggtastic Brain Busters

New title for my fun little quizzes, thanks to Dave!

Just give them a try, tell me your answers and don't cheat by looking at other bloggers' answers. I will post the answers later.

1. When Jim was taking a stroll one day, he met his father-in-law’s only daughter’s mother-in-law. What did he call her?

2. Which set of numbers would most logically come next in the following sequence?
10 1 9 2 8 3 7 4 6 5 5 6 4 7 3 8 2

(a) 9 1 (b) 9 3 (c) 8 5 (d) 6 7

3. The names of three foods are mixed up on EACH of the following lines. The words are given with their letters in correct order, but each word is “interlettered” with the others. Unscramble the foods.
C F H R M E U E E I A S E T T
A P E P P A R L E P L S S U M S

4. Grandma looked up from her rocking chair and said, “As far as I can determine, there is only one anagram of the word TRINKET. What is it?”

5. Homonyms are words that sound alike, though they are spelled differently. (Example: to, two, too) One pair of homonyms has meanings that are precisely opposite, and need not be stretched. What are the two spellings of this homonym?

Have fun! Cya later :)

Monday, September 26, 2005

Is it disrespectful?

Do you know what I have noticed? People are oblivious and in their own little world.
I went to the store today to buy just a few items. Eight items to be exact. I won’t bore you with the specific purchases I made. Anyhow, there were several cashiers open. I went to the “Express Lane” it specifically states on the sign “10 items or less”. There were two people in front of me. Guess how long it took me to go through this express lane? 15 minutes! To me, that is not very quick considering there should have been no more than 20 items checked out before me. Well, “should have been” are the key words. The first lady was nearly finished when I walked up. She had 4 bags full of things. Unless those “things” were all big things, then she must have had more than 10 items. There seemed to be some problem with the check out, but I was not sure at first. I was distracted by the lady customer talking on her cell phone.
Then she handed the phone to her daughter.
Did you know the person on the other end of the phone was the girl’s father, he was out of town and the little girl was wondering if he was coming home soon? They also had to pick up Kendell right after leaving the store and they had a game to go to which started at 2:15.
People and their cell phones…..they have absolutely no discretion.
There is no such thing as a private conversation any longer.
The cell phone has become such an important factor in their life; they will answer and talk to people anywhere and anytime.
I especially detest it when they start talking during check out in the store. The cashier is trying to ask them something in which they do not answer, or they completely lose track of where they are and what they are supposed to be doing, like paying!
They stand there carrying on a conversation for everyone and their brother to hear (which by the way, when they notice you are standing there listening, they look at you like you are eavesdropping….what are you supposed to do, cover your ears?) while there is a line of people standing behind them waiting for them to finish the transaction.
“HELLO person….come back to Earth and get a move on”.
Anyway, the transaction was finally completed after the cashier called someone over to help.
Then, there was just the one lady in front of me. I was thinking she had a lot more than 10 items.
She started unloading her basket……28, 29, 30, 31, 32. She had 32 items!
Do you think she couldn’t count, because surely she wouldn’t just think she was better than everyone else by completely ignoring the sign, right?
Awwww….33 items, she picked up…uh, 34 items, she picked up another item at the counter. Somebody stop her, is she just trying to aggravate the others in line with me now? Ok, she stopped at 34.
I should have said something to her, but at that point, what would that have accomplished? She would not have said, “Oh, I am terribly sorry I did not see the sign, let me load these back into my basket and go elsewhere”.
I do have a few friends that would have said something and probably quite loudly, but they were not with me.
What makes people do things like that? Why do people think they should be able to get away with stuff like that?
Well, I guess partly is that no one says anything to them. I didn’t, but then again, the store personnel did not enforce “their rule” by saying anything.
Some people, just flat out, feel the rules don't apply to them!
I have said this before, that I avoid conflict in almost anyway possible. I most likely will not say anything about a situation unless it is hurtful in some way to the ones I love (family or friends), then I am like a mother bear protecting her cubs. My “cub” is taken by surprise when this occurs, as they feel it is out of character for me (as was for my boyfriend referenced in my post “In just one unsuspecting moment!”).
Back to the store….
Not only did she have more items than she was supposed to, she decided to start looking for her checkbook after the cashier finished bagging and totalling. Gosh, why couldn't she have had her checkbook in hand and ready to fill in the total? She had plenty of time (the entire time the cashier was scanning and bagging all 34 of her items) to have the check made out. If she was not in that much of a hurry, why did she go through the express lane anyway? I didn't find that very courteous.
15 minutes after I entered the checkout line, my 8 items were zipped through the scanner, bagged and I was on my way out of the door.
Some people are just rude and have no discretion.
There should be a cell phone etiquette class required for all cell phone users.
Now before anything else is said…I have a cell phone, in fact only a cell phone. I have not had a land line for the last 5 years. However, I do feel there is a time and place for everything and the checkout line is not the place, nor the time to be chatting on the phone.
And….no breaking the express lane rules!
Ok, ....I feel better now, and as Mojo says….”nuff said”!
:)

Friday, September 23, 2005

Escaping Registration?

Lately, it seems every time you see the news or read an article, there is something about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One of the several big concerns now is the whereabouts of approximately 25% of the sex offenders on the Gulf Coast. They are in noncompliance of their parole, probation or registry requirements. A lot of the rules in Louisiana changed after Katrina. This exposed the vulnerabilities of the sex offender registry.

Sex offenders in the state of Louisiana have ten days after a relocation to register their new address. Thousands of evacuees have relocated to Texas. Texas officials say the time is up for any sex offenders that have not registered their new location.

Andy Kahan of the Houston Crime Victim Assistance Program has said “If you don't let us know, I guarantee you, you're going to end up with a one-way ticket back to jail.”

I know a lady that does “jail ministry” to inmates. She told me that sex offenders are at the bottom of the totem pole. Even inmates consider them to be the bottom of scum.
I have heard stories of the treatment of sex offenders “on the outside” as well. Since they have to register their address, the general public within a certain radius of their location is notified when they move into the area.
I was notified, at my last apartments, that a sex offender was living in the area (an apartment complex near mine). Some time later, I asked the manager of those apartments if he was still living there, and she said no. She said they could not evict him because of his status, but they just did not renew his lease. She also said that he was not of that status when he had originally moved in.
Many sex offenders receive actual abuse to themselves and their property.

I am not sure which would be worse in their case….living in jail or out of jail.
Not that I can even imagine what living in jail would be like. I cannot get past the thought of having to shower and use the restroom in front of everyone. I am waaaay to modest!

Anyway, ” The government has stepped in to help. Last week in Washington, the House approved the Children's Safety Act, which would create a national Web site for child sex offenders and stipulates the sex felons face up to 20 years in prison for failing to comply with registration requirements.”

I think that is great! These people should be in complete compliance if they are allowed to walk free after committing sexual crimes against children. Otherwise, NO FREEDOM for them. After this type of felony, I really wonder what kind of circumstances allows them to get out in the first place.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Cool Images

Since it is not my birthday any longer, I needed to put something here until I can get a new post up. I have selected a few pictures that are cool. Cya later!
























Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Great songs, special day!


Today is my birthday!
I wish I could have a big party with all of you here.
I figured this would be a good day to share my list of the music I am currently listening to.

I was tagged a while ago by opentext, with an approximation of the Musical Meme: List ten songs or albums that you are currently enjoying. It doesn’t matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they’re no good but they must be songs/albums you’re enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the ten songs in your blog. Explaining your choices is optional. Then tag five other random people to see what they’re listening to.

Now you will notice that I have more than ten songs, but I couldn't limit it to just ten. My range is wide and there are many more frequent favorites not listed, but I had to stop somewhere. My boyfriend and I will often listen to classical, especially in the car after a long day. It can be very soothing.

Ok, well here it is:





1. Blue Oyster Cult ~ Don’t Fear the Reaper
All time number one song I listen to. Just awesome. Sexy song!

2. Kelly Clarkson ~ Since You’ve Been Gone
Powerful voice, energetic song. She has an awesome range in her voice.

3. Creed ~ Higher
Love the instrumental right before he starts singing. This one, I love to close my eyes and let it flow in.

4. Puddle of Mudd ~ She Hates Me
Love the way this one starts off so mild, then breaks loose. Just love it. (A great one to sing really loud in the car by yourself)

5. Green Day ~ American Idiot
Awesome beat, gives me energy.

6. Edwin McCain ~ I’ll Be
I can harmonize with him. My boyfriend likes to hear me sing this one.

7. John Mayer ~ Your Body is a Wonderland
Talk about sexy song. Ummmmmm!

8. Stroke 9 ~ Little Black Back Pack
Fun, makes me sing out loud with this one.

9. Jethro Tull ~ War Child
Ian Anderson, one of the all time greats in my opinion. Reminds me of a sort of Renaissance time that rocks. Unique sound with the fantastic flute.

10. The Killers ~ Mr. Brightside
Good beat, can’t sit still listening to this one.

11. Train ~ Meet Virginia
A classic that I love to sing along with.

12. ACDC ~ Back in Black, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,
You Shook Me All Night Long
I cannot listen to just one ACDC song. Very dynamic.

13. Billy Idol ~ White Wedding
Another sexy husky voice, just a great song.

14. Maroon 5 ~ Harder to Breathe, She will be Loved, This Love
I like this band. Just makes me happy when I hear their music.

15. The Doors ~ Light my Fire, People are Strange
Very laid back, distinct style.

These are not in preference order. I love them all. Since I recently tagged several of you to list your top five favorite songs, I won't tag any of you now. Please feel free to share your favorites. I would love to see what you are into.

Monday, September 19, 2005

What some women want (or need)!

I am just curious about something. They make a little pill for WOMEN to control birth. Why hasn’t there ever been a pill created for a man to control birth? It takes a man and a woman equally to create birth. My guess is that the current “birth control pill” is so effective, everyone is satisfied and there has been no “push” to do otherwise. Ok, that was just a question, now on to what I am really going to talk about.

Now, they have a new “blue” pill for MEN. I am pretty sure everyone is familiar with this little pill, as it is highly advertised. This little blue pill is for men and their sexual dysfunction. Studies have shown that more women suffer from sexual dysfunction than men, but the pharmaceutical industry has failed women miserably. There are no drugs to help women in this area, to date. Pfizer, Inc. did an eight year study to see if the Viagra would be beneficial for women. Conclusion that the little blue pill only works for men. The way Viagra works is that it increases blood flow down below. This effect is the same for men and women. This works great for men, but this alone rarely satisfied women.

Beverly Whipple, the sex researcher who co-wrote “The G-Spot” said “I hate to say it, but women are much more complex than men”.

The latest research indicates women with sexual dysfunction need a neurological solution. When it comes to achieving orgasms, women are more affected by mood and self-esteem than men. That has led researchers to brain scanning and other technology. Yes, they are watching women’s brains while they have orgasms.

................Uh, sorry, I was just trying to picture this!

Ok, back to some of the interesting conclusions of these studies.
They have found that the vagus nerve appears to be important. This nerve, which is outside the spinal cord, carries information to areas of the brain that control mood. The vagus nerve may be the new target for drugs.

These brain scans found the areas of the brain that are activated from orgasm in women, which are measured by the blood flow. When brain cells start firing in a part of the brain that governs a particular emotion or activity, they need more oxygen, which is carried by the blood.

The scans also revealed something else about women. During orgasm, the pain centers in the brain shut down. The pleasure centers (the same ones that become active when people ingest cocaine) light up.
Oh my goodness….if that is what cocaine does to you, I am glad I don’t do it, because I would definitely be addicted!

But a big problem with these scans is that no machine is designed to simultaneously monitor both the brain and the body. And even if they could, the images’ clarity would be muddied by “background noise” such as hand movements. Hmmmm, guess that would be a problem!

Barry Komisaruk, a researcher, is currently studying the brains of women who can self-stimulate purely through thought, a rare attribute that eliminates the “background noise” as he seeks to find out exactly what makes women tick during sex.
Wow! That is an interesting trick, I must say. Hotboy, is that along the lines of “Ra Bliss”?
Now, let’s think about this for a minute. Ladies….BeckEye, Becky, Echeevo72, Kay Ray, Spinning Girl, Alecia (and all of the rest of you ladies, sorry if I left you out), imagine if you were having a bad day at the office (like Frank did the other day). Just gather yourself; take a few minutes…..and life would be wonderful once again. Now, I know it couldn’t be that easy, but just think if it were! There would be no such thing as PMS. Robmcj, just think if it were that easy, your post about being young in the tub might have been different. *grin*
Ok guys (Dave, Carl, Mike, Mojo, Zombie, Blake) I am sure you have some type of comment, let’s hear it! :) As rare as self stimulation through thought is for women, do you think it is something men could do? I think it would be more difficult for men to achieve this because a man is respondent to the physical aspect of sex whereas a woman is receptive to the emotional aspect.

Gert Holstege, a leading sexual researcher at Groningen University in The Netherlands was quoted as saying “The strange thing is that everyone knows that it all happens between the ears and not between the legs.”
“Among other results, Holstege found that the part of the brain thought to control fear and anxiety~the amygdala~deactivated during orgasm for both women and men. He acknowledged that his data for men is a little suspect, however, because they don’t orgasm long enough to take a proper brain scan.” I find that interesting. So, does that mean a woman's orgasm lasts longer than a man's?
Sex research using brain scans is only just getting started, and scientists warn that any potential new drugs, or even better diagnoses of sexual dysfunction , are years away.

Jef ~ I feel sure if a cure can be found for sexual dysfunction in women, that it would be helpful in obtaining a harmonious relationship, right? (I know... among many other factors)
Ticharu ~ something philosophical to add?

What about you Fred, Jiggs, RCS, Goan Pao, Justice, Anorion, ilaiy?

I consider myself fortunate to not experience this problem. At least I have comfort in knowing that if I ever had to rely on some help that it is in the works!

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Hollywood in the year 2037

Recognize any of these people? Not too glam, huh? The guys seem to age a little better! Yes, even "Hollywood" ages!






























































Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Looking for the good in someone.

Here is some advice I have heard. Some of it is really good. Some of it is easy to live by. Some of it may not seem probable. Some of it is my own advice to myself that I wanted to share….I don’t think it ever hurts to look for the good in someone!

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
It will be a truly rewarding experience. A note on expectations…. my Priest told me once, and I will never forget, “Do not have expectations of people and you won’t ever be disappointed”. Do you know how hard that is? I have tried. Just think of something, say for instance your birthday. Don’t you at least expect those that know it is your birthday to at least say “Happy Birthday”? That is some advice that is really hard to live by.

Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Communication is key in a relationship. It doesn’t hurt to love the other stuff too :)

Look for the good in someone.
When you are in a relationship, the longer you are with that person, the easier it is to see their faults. Always look for the good in someone, because it is there and that is what keeps a relationship going.

Don't believe all you hear.
The media has been a good example of this. That might be one of my biggest problems, I have been told I am too trusting, however, I believe that is better than being one of those people that don’t believe anything.

When you say, "I love you," mean it.
Those words should not be taken lightly…and I tell him EVERY DAY.

When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
It is important to say it when appropriate. Do not let pride stand in the way. No one is perfect.

Believe in love at first sight.
I do! :)

Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it is the only way to live life completely.
You will never have it if you do not try. Give it everything you have.

In disagreements, fight fairly. No name-calling.
It is easy to say things in anger that you do not truly mean. It makes a cut deeper.

Don't judge people by their relatives!
I know from my own family, that I am different from my brother and sister.

Talk slowly but think quickly.
There is less chance you will say something you don’t mean.

When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?”
Hahaha! Just a polite way of saying, “None of your business”.

Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
If you want it, you have to go for it.

When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
We can learn from every situation.

Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
If you don’t respect yourself, no one else will. If you don’t have respect for others, don’t expect it from others. If you do it, own it.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
Pride, don’t let it stand in the way of a friendship or a relationship. We all have pride, but if you cherish your friends/relationship, it is not worth losing them over a dispute.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
It is better to reconcile a mistake than to let it go. People will have more admiration towards you.

Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
Sounds silly, but it is true. Just try it.

Spend some time alone.
It is important to take care of yourself too.

Monday, September 12, 2005

Sounds of silence

Can you imagine walking into a nightclub and seeing a room full of people dancing and there is no music? Well, at least no music that you can hear.
The concept involves a Disc Jockey and a bunch of wireless headphones. The music gets played through the wireless headphones instead of through speakers. “The silent disco” was originally held at the Glastonbury Festival, in the west of England. The festival-goers at the dance tent were issued with free headphones so they could listen to the music as loud as they liked. This also enabled them to go on later into the evening without infringing the noise curfew.
The people behind the project were two DJs that were veterans of the Dutch arts scene. Their aim at origin was for people to "go wild in silence". They are confident this could change the world of clubbing, saying “it is better to be seen than heard”.
Hmmmmm, seems I have heard that somewhere before! Oh yes, my grandparents used to say that of children.
Anyway, they claim the music is very intense and everything can be heard perfectly.
Apparently this trend is well received. It is picking up and spreading where ever the events are held, including Belgium, Spain, Italy and Scotland.
If anyone has ever listened to music through headphones, you know how much better the sound is. The music is far more clear and pure sounding.
I suppose if you were on the dance floor listening to the music through your headphones, that it would be easy to get caught up in the music and the movement. I think just seeing it from an outsider perspective that it would be strange…..everyone dancing and moving to silence!
Just think deeper as to how it would sound...like a bunch of stomping and maybe some people singing "offkey"! Interesting concept though.

Friday, September 09, 2005

Answers to short and sweet!

My last post, I asked you to find the names of three mammals in the sentence below:

The large crowd at the flea market came looking for bargains. I took off the peel and ate the banana. He has no judgment, no sense altogether.

Here are the names........

came looking = camel







peel and = eland






sense altogether = seal









And here is the man's head in the coffeebeans:

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Short and sweet!

This is going to be short and sweet. Well, I don't really know if you would consider it "sweet", but nevertheless.....

The names of three mammals are hidden in the following sentences. Find them. (Just see if you can answer this on your own without looking at other blogger responses. I will reveal the names of the three mammels later. ) All the letters are in the correct order.

ok....ready? The sentences are below.

The large crowd at the flea market came looking for bargains. I took off the peel and ate the banana. He has no judgment, no sense altogether.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Also, I wanted to give you guys something to look at. See how long it takes you to find the man's face in the coffee beans.

3 seconds, the right half of your brain is better developed than most people.

If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, your right half of the brain is developed normally.

If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein.

If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger!!!

And, yes, the man is really there!!!
Good luck finding him!!!
Be honest....tell me how long it takes you to find him.
Have fun, cya!



Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Do you really know your co-workers?

Jim Garrison of Highlands Ranch, Colorado went to work one day. It was a normal day; nothing out of the ordinary. They had a company meeting in which they had pizza brought in. At some point after the meeting, he ate 2 of the 6 pieces of pepperoni pizza that had been left over from the meeting. Unannounced to him, the leftover pizza was already spoken for. Some of the employees had planned to take the leftover pizza home. When those employees went to get their “gratis” food to take home, they realized that 1/3 of it was gone. These frugal co-workers were so upset they told the management that Jim had eaten 2 of “their” pieces.
This ultimately led to his termination of employment approximately a month later. First of all…he got fired for eating two left over pieces of pizza? Secondly…A month later? I thought this had to be a joke. Nevertheless, it wasn’t. What a nice bunch of co-workers, huh?
The one positive thing that came from this was the contest that he entered. An offbeat internet contest solicited stories about outrageous firings. He won! He had some good competition though. The runners-up included a furniture mover who was fired after he and a co-worker were caught fencing with some adult sex toys found in a customer's bedroom. Another worker was fired when he misunderstood a manager's instructions to send some sensitive data to microfilm and e-mailed it to a "Michael Finn" instead. Then there was the warehouse worker found doing perverse things with the prosthetics made by his employer.
People are strange!
Anyway, a panel of judges from Silicon Valley picked Jim as the winner from over a thousand entries. He won a Caribbean cruise!
Surely there had to be more to the story than eating two pieces of leftover pizza. Maybe he ate other peoples’ lunches on a regular basis, and they were just “fed up”! Or perhaps he was just “washed up” after bringing his wet laundry into the office to hang dry in his cubicle! Or maybe he would get people “wound up” by coming in to the office and pretending to be a cowboy with a lasso. Ok, enough of those feeble jokes.
At any rate, it seems pretty ridiculous to me. It seems logical that some of those runners up would have gotten fired for their actions, but to get fired for eating a little leftover pizza?

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Your chance to get to know me "a little"!

I first saw this on Rebecca's blog. Then I copied it from Mike's blog.

1. First and middle name? Lee Ann Patricia (Lee Ann is two words, but it is just my first name)

2. Were you named after anyone? My parents ~ My mom is Patricia Ann and my Dad’s middle name is Lee

3. Do you wish on stars? Yes (I am a hopeless romantic)

4. When did you last cry? Last night

5. Do you like your handwriting? Yes, and I also do Calligraphy in my spare time

6. What is your favorite lunch meat? I do not usually eat sandwiches, but I do like a good french dip

7. What is your birth date? September 21

8. What is your most embarrassing CD? Backstreet Boys

9. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Yes, I am very loyal to my friends

10. Do you have a journal? No (This blog is the closest thing I have to a journal)

11. Do you use sarcasm a lot? No

12. What are your nicknames? "Lee", "Luv", "LeeBee", "Princess", “Nan”, “Bug” (when I was little my dad used to call me "Bug" because of my big brown eyes)

13. Would you bungee jump? I might. The closest thing I have done to that is dive off a 10 meter platform (into a pool)

14. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Not usually with my tennis shoes, but if I am wearing hiking boots, yes

15. Do you think that you are strong? Yes, (I was on the swim team for 13 years ~ Coach made us lift weights)

16. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate Chip

17. Shoe Size? 9

18. Red or pink? Pink

19. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? I am too trusting sometimes

20. Who do you miss most? My boyfriend when he is apart from me

21. Do you want everyone that reads this to do the same? It would be cool

22. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Navy sweat pants and gray Nike tennis shoes

23. What are you listening to right now? classical

24. Last thing you ate? Potato soup

25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Bluegreen

26. What is the weather like right now? Sunny and hot (high 80s)

27. Last person you talked to on the phone? My sister

28. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Up close ~ eyes,
From a distance ~ arms…..ummmmm :)

29. Do you like the person that you got this off of? Yes ~ Mike, seems like a great funny guy

30. Favorite Drink? Diet Dr. Pepper

31. FAVORITE SPORT? I like to watch gymnastics, used to love Braves baseball and Dolphins football

32. Hair Color? Dark brown

33. Eye Color? Honey brown

34. Height? 5’6”

35. Do you wear contacts? Yes

36. Favorite Food? Juicy filet mignon

37. Last Movie You Watched? The Day After Tomorrow

38. Favorite Day Of The Year? Christmas

39. Scary Movies Or Happy Endings? Definitely Happy Endings….I have nightmares too easily, so I don’t watch scary movies

40. Summer Or Winter? Winter (I love snuggling up in front of a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace, it never gets too cold here in Birmingham)

41. Hugs OR Kisses? Kisses, my boyfriend has the best kisses

42. What Is Your Favorite Dessert? Icecream (I think)

43. Who Is Most Likely To Do This? HOPEFULLY EVERYONE…LOL!!!!

44. Who Is Least Likely To Do It? Carl (surprise me Carl)

45. Living Arrangements? By my self (oh, and two cats)

46. What Books Are You Reading? Off and on….Microsoft Visual Basic.Net Reloaded

47. What's On Your Mouse Pad? It is solid black with a little logo “Ratpadz GS”

48. What Did You Watch Last Night? The Day After Tomorrow

49. Favorite Smells? My boyfriend’s cologne, vanilla candles, a wonderful lotion called “Moonlight Path” ~ it has lavender extracts in it

50. Favorite Sounds? Laughter and a purring kitten

51. Where Did You Meet Your Other Half? At my previous part time job in the Bookstore.

Friday, September 02, 2005

Not the elevator ride!

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to engage in small talk?

Generally speaking, I am very shy.
There are certain situations that compel me to overcome my bashfulness and be more amenable.
One of those scenarios would be my job. There is quite a bit of communication over the telephone and an occasional meeting with someone outside of the office.
Then there is the cashier or other store personnel of a retail or grocery store. I believe in always giving a smile and at least asking them how their day is going.
Of course, there is the wait staff at restaurants. The service you receive can be impacted by your personable skills.
In addition, there are many other social settings, gatherings, parties etc. that being timid is not beneficial.

If I am presented with the opportunity of meeting someone new, I try to embrace it. The ritual of meeting someone new, a lot of times, involves being introduced to a stranger by someone you know. Having a familiar face near you in this situation tends to make the encounter easier.
However, there are times in your life that you must go unaccompanied into the world. This is where your superior ability of social skills (the gift of gab) behooves you. You are able to make a choice of either being a wallflower ~ totally ignored, or you can be the social butterfly ~ the life of the party. We all know that being the life of the party is way more fun. So, if there is any way possible, the introvert should be out.

Nevertheless, there is one situation where I always feel the most uncomfortable. The level of uncomfortable ness can even vary from each instance.
This would be the elevator ride.
The elevator takes me to my work place destination on a daily basis, even several times a day.
The first scenario is the approach to the elevator. Sometimes, there is someone or several people standing in the lobby waiting for the arrival of the elevator. When you arrive to join the other person (or group of people), there is either silence or the beginnings of your small talk…
“good morning”, “how are you today”, “well, it’s hump day, middle of the week”, “hi, gosh I am glad it’s Friday”, “wow, the weather sure has been hot lately”, “it sure is taking a while for the elevator, I wonder if it’s working”, “oh, here it comes, I think this is the only one working today”.
Uggghhhhhh!
I can’t stand that small talk. You are just there, on your own, with no friend to share the stiffness with.
Sometimes, while on your way to the elevator, someone has already stepped on and you are not sure if they are holding it or not. You need to make the decision whether you are going to hustle there in time to jump on or have the door close in your face. When you make the decision to not hustle, that seems to be the time someone will stick their head out of the doors and say “Going up?” Then you reply as you pick up the pace, “Oh yes, I wasn’t sure if you were holding it or not”.
Now for the actual ride itself.
If you are on the elevator by yourself, you wonder if you will make it to your floor without stopping to let on a new arrival.
TWO, THREE, Ding, STOP, doors open, in walks an unfamiliar person.
Have you ever noticed how people look up when confined in that small shaft? What are they looking at? Sometimes, you will see people looking down, but mostly up. So, I try to look right at a person. (If you have read my profile, I don’t like predictability in a person). I don’t do it to make someone else uncomfortable, but because I feel uncomfortable doing what everyone else is doing (looking up).
Ok, stay with me now.
Someone has walked in, the doors close and you proceed to your destination. Who is going to break the ice? It feels way too strange to be in such a small place with another person (strange person) and no one says a word. Is silence more uncomfortable than the meaningless small talk? YES!
So, here goes… "Hi, how are you?” “Fine, how are you?” “Good…well, the day is half way over now, I’m glad” “Yeah, me too”…….FIVE, SIX, Ding (oh yea, my floor) STOP, doors open, “Ok, have a good day!” “You too!”
Whew! That is over, thank goodness.
See what I mean?
I mean, no one would ever be able to tell that I feel completely uncomfortable in that situation, but underneath, oh yes, I truly do! I think the uncomfortable feeling is compounded by the fact that the other person (people) appears awkward and uneasy.
That is kind of tough for someone that is shy by nature.
All in all, I enjoy talking to people, but that meaningless small talk with a stranger is not easy, especially in the confines of an elevator.
Most of the time, the more you are exposed to a situation the easier it gets.
Not the elevator ride!
Have a good holiday weekend everyone ~ Cya!