I'm going on my first work trip tomorrow! I'm very excited, very nervous, very excited. It just so happens that my first trip is back home so I'll be flying to Baltimore on Wednesday and then out again on Saturday. I will get to see my parents and General Mahem (aka Rocky) for a night. Other than that, I hope to see a few friends, a couple of crabs, and nice weather. Come on, East Coast, give me a few days of sunshine!

Hopefully I'll come back in one piece.

San Diego Radio Rocks My World

I just heard "Tootsee Roll" on the radio. I feel a whomp coming up!

Natural Disasters: Take 2

I thought I'd stick a Natural Disaster update on here for all those concerned about the shark attack and fires in Southern California.

What I understand about the shark attack was that it was a random act, very unusual for the area. It was the first known attack in 50 years in the San Diego area. It occurred on Friday about 20 miles north of where I live in a town called Solana Beach. The 66-year-old man was training for a triathalon, wearing a wet suit, and the theory is that the great white mistook him for a seal. The sharks come down through our area during the mating season and generally leave humans alone. I worked with his son's best friend for my last few days at Vistage. It's a small world.

As for the wildfires, they're near LA and, therefore, not a threat to anyone this far south. Hopefully they'll get them under control soon.

So, there you have it. California at its finest. I hope all is well on the Eastern Front.

A most humble thank you to Steve, Steve, Andy, and George

I had the most rediculous night last night. If anyone tried to call me and couldn't get through, I appologize. Apparently I wasn't able to receive incoming calls. Therefore, I called Verizon from my phone (obviously I could make outgoing calls) so that we could resolve the problem. After a misconnection with Steve, the FIRST tech that helped me, I called back and got Andy, who would be happy to send Steve a text to call me back. To which I replied, "That would be great, except I can't get incoming calls." Right. So back to square one. Andy decided that the tower problem in Carmel Valley (20 minutes north of PB) might not be the problem, so let's reprogram your phone. I turned it off, he did his thing, I turned it back on to reprogram, and then it shut down completely. I couldn't turn the damn thing back on for the life of me!

Meanwhile, my friend Tara was flying into the San Diego airport from a family vacation to St. Pete, FL. I had her car keys, house key (spare thank god, because it turns out I lost it!), and car all at my house. I didn't have her number to call and set up a meeting place. I didn't have my phone to receive her texts. I couldn't receive incoming calls even on Adam's phone, which now received both his and my calls after the THIRD Verizon tech service member forwarded my cell number in the interim. The third guy, also named Steve, couldn't understand why my phone died and refused to agree that it wasn't my fault, that the only reason it died was because of the reprogramming, and that Verizon now owed me a new phone. He didn't seem to think so, and I couldn't wait any longer to go find Tara at the airport.

So, I took Adam's phone with me, parked the car, and went in on a (wo)man hunt for my friend. Luckily she's maybe a buck thirty at 5'11''. She stuck out out of airport crowd. And after almost crying from relief that we found each other, I realized, maybe it was just a power issue... So I plugged the thing in, and up she came. So, yes, Steve, Steve, and Andy, I am the idiot. I am the reason the phone died, and you do NOT owe me a new one. George, the FOURTH and final Verizon tech savvy man I will hopefully talk to in a very long time, forwarded my phone number back to my phone so Adam's identity was back to normal. Next time, I might try the plug first before harassing any more Verizon men. :)

You've Been Forewarned.

Dear 2008 Stephanie,

This is Stephanie from the future. There is something quite serious that I need to discuss with you at this juncture. I'm older, wiser, a bit wider. Please listen.

Put down the taco. Ignore Taco Tuesdays. You do not NEED a fried fish taco every week, covered in yummy white sause, cabbage, and lime juice. You may be able to afford aforementioned goodness each week, but, listen to the Stephanie of the future. You WILL look like a fun house mirror if you don't put down that taco. And for heaven's sake, stop licking the wrapper! Have some self-control, woman!

With love and concern,
Stephanie of the future

Recreation of a conversation I had with my suite-mate at work today regarding my radio choices

Me: Holler! I typed in The Who in Pandora and got the exact song I wanted to hear!

Husna: Who?

Me: The Who.

Husna: Who?

Me: THE Who. The band The Who?

Husna: Oh, OK.

Me: (sigh of relief) OK.

Just so everyone knows that I'm on the cusp of cool

Justin says that no one thinks I'm cool, but I beg to differ for the following reasons:
1. My favorite blog just made it to The Wall Street Journal today. Granted, it's in the same section as an article about power pumps. Check it out here.

2. My favorite TV show, The Office, starts up again tonight with an episode called "The Dinner Party." I have to DVR it, but I'm OK with that since I too am going to a dinner party. I'll just pretend that Jim and Pam are there with me, so Aragon/Loomis/Summer family, if I start talking about putting my co-workers mouse in jell-O, just play along :) PS. If you haven't seen Jim's best pranks, be sure to do so to gear up for tonight.

3. I write about spray foam at my new editing job. Take that!

(Maybe that last one doesn't make me cool, but it certainly makes me unique, eh?)

In conclusion, I read cool things, I watch cool things, and I do cool things, therefore, one would have to also assume then that I am indeed cool.