sorting out priorities

I did not test for my black belt on Saturday.

Why not?
My top priority has been and will be my education... until I can pay for my next class. That means work, work, work. I missed too much class to be able to say it would have been my best effort.



I'm working all available hours at all of my jobs, even if it's during taekwondo. I'll go back to attending every taekwondo class after I can pay for my English class.

Next time, I'm going to make it happen.
Guaranteed.

forgot her what?

My mom called me tonight.

By the time she was finished telling her story, I couldn't breathe.
I was laughing too hard!

Mom didn't sleep much today and got called into work a little early this evening. Boo!

She had driven all the way to her workplace and realized she forgot her dentures. Someone covered her shift while she drove home to get them.

I think she needs a day off... to sleep.

No you know where I get my "go, go, go" attitude comes from!

it ended in our favor

The year 2005 was so traumatic for me that it took two years for my heartache to fade.

In fact, I'm only just beginning to feel comfortable enough to read the angry and hurt journal entries that helped me process such events as my illness after Katrina, engagement abruptly ending, and resignation from LSU with only two classes remaining.

Tonight I read old journal entries. They were really... raw. I can't blame my ex boyfriend's parents for sending me someone else's panties, "bride" Troll doll, curling iron, and hair dryer. They were trying to be nice after their son ended our five-year relationship via a bizarre email that contained the most incoherent confession I've ever read. What's more: he'd been using my credit, so those bills soon flooded my mailbox.

Don't worry, the disputes ended in my favor. Actually, everything ended in my favor!

I own a successful business. I'll be a black belt soon. I've never felt healthier. I'm with a great guy who's never left me at an out-of-town gas station while he drives to his work to get petty cash because the clerk won't take his check. Instead, my new boyfriend kept me company on the phone while I drove through a rough storm. I had to cancel a third because of the bad weather, but those first two dates in June 2006 apparently left him with a good impression of me. After our fifth date, we became exclusive on July 16. By August 13, he told me he loved me.

About six months into our relationship, I wrote:
"I hope this works out because we both deserve to be happy."

I guess everything ended in our favor.

Escamillo and the burger king

Everyone's encountered a real-life burger king. These adults aren't interested in hearing sides: they give orders, and they want things their way.

I DO recommend listening quietly to BK's side. Give him/her attention. You need BK calm for the next step, so ask if his/her beef's been addressed. You want two things: 1) a satisfied response and 2) an association between this satisfaction and you. 

I DON'T recommend being more helpful, like asking if you can get BK some fries. Despite him/her ignoring everyone else involved, most BKs will agree that you've solved the problem just by listening. Next (optional): highlight the advantage of knowing more than one side by throwing BK a verbal "onion" whose layers don't reveal your scathing comeback until after s/he's already walked away.

BOOM! It's a passive-aggressive way to not letting him/her get away with a hissy fit. I try to suppress this urge; I don't like feeling like a torero running from a very angry bull. Oh, and please don't follow my advice. It's mean!

Droid-X-girlfriend

The average girl might get annoyed if her boyfriend ignored her for 2-3 weeks after he got a new gadget (seriously, it’s like clockwork). However, I like the space. It’s a nice change, and after four years, I expect it!

November 2006 was the month he switched to Mac. For three weeks that fall (including Thanksgiving Day), our only physical contact was a series of elbow jabs to my ribs when he wanted me to see a “cool trick” he just learned.

Side note: He now has an eMac, an iMac, three iPods, and a MacBook. To be fair, he plans to fix the eMac for me to have for my business, which is pretty cool. He promised me a netbook last year, but I don’t dare look a gift horse in the mouth since I don’t even own a computer.

Anyway, two years ago, his Blackberry Storm was the coolest thing. “What didn’t it do?” I wondered as he downloaded app after app.

Last year, he picked up a used iPod Touch. I could almost hear the gears turn as he schemed for ways to get an iPhone (regrettably, AT&T has terrible-to-no coverage in our area).

Late last year, his HDTV was barely out of the box when he popped in Star Wars to test it. His Blu-Ray player came home right after Christmas.

He has complained about his (perfectly fine) Blackberry Storm for half the time he’s owned it, but all that ended today when he activated his shiny new Droid X!

Forget the Blackberry Storm; all I hear about is how the (similar) Droid X is awesome possum. His verdict: “It’s really amazing, but it’s not an iPhone.” Really?

You’d think he just fell in (and out of) love with another woman. I would *definitely* be replaced if he could get a Verizon iPhone that massaged his feet.

What’s that, Verizon? You’re rolling out the iPhone next year?

I’ll start packing…