Me vs. The Vending Machines

So today, I really wanted an orange juice to go with my breakfast sandwich from across the street. The sandwich shop didn't have any, so I went back up to my desk and gathered a dollar bill, a quarter, and a five dollar bill (just in case it was more than $1.25) and went back down to the second floor to the juice vending machine. Little did I know that the juice vending machine along with its vending machine neighbors were secretly all plotting against me....

I see right off that an orange juice is $1.50. No problem! I load my five dollar bill into the machine and it spits it right out again. Try again. Same result. In and out. So I try the dollar bill changer to hopefully get some quarters. But same result as the vending machine... in and out. I'm not ready to give up yet, so I decide to load my five dollar bill into another vending machine, choose something for later and then use the change to get my orange juice. That machine gave me back 4 dollar coins and .15 cents (and a bag of Twizzlers). So now I proceed to load the dollar coin into the juice machine. It drops through. I pull it out and try again. This time it eats it! Doesn't fall through, won't give it back and no dollar credit. Hmph! However, not easily deterred, I see that vending machine #3 has gum for .50 cents. Perfect! I'll purchase some gum and then get back two quarters leaving me a dollar bill and three quarters. More than enough! Except...I put in my dollar and try to select the letter for the gum. Apparently the 'H' button is out of order....sooooo no gum. No worries, I select something else (this time a granola bar) and get back .15 cents. Add that to what I have and I now have one dollar and 55 cents in change. I'm set! Except... Now the juice machine won't take my one dollar bill either. Apparently the juice machine doesn't like paper money...who knew? But no worries, a nice lady is close by and seeing my predicament, offers me four quarters for my dollar. I am so close I can almost taste the citrus-y yummyness that is waiting for me. Carefully I pop in my 6 quarters and select the number for the orange juice. The machine slides over to my selection, gets the juice, slides it back to the dispenser, the dispenser opens, I reach in and.......(drumroll please!)......IT'S FROZEN!!!! So I get to eat my breakfast longingly staring at my completely frozen orange juice.

Yes, I'm pretty sure the vending machine gods were against me today.

A Model for World Peace

It was 10 AM in the Rocky Mountains. I was here. One guy was in Houston. The other in Bangalore, India.

Together we worked on the same problem, sharing screens, files and information. Together we communicated and understood each other. Together we made progress. And together we will solve the problem.

Christmas Rant

Ok, I'm a grinch. I don't try to hide it. I have absolutely zero Christmas decorations at my place and I try to take the bare minimum approach to everything Christmas. I have attempted to listen to Christmas music once or twice, but get so annoyed by the cheesy versions of Shirley Temple singing "Nuttin for Christmas" that I am forced to turn it off, or wish I could turn it off...really if I am paying dearly for a meal at a fine dining restaraunt, should I really be forced to listen to that? Really?!! Might not a symphonic recording of Christmas music be slightly more appropriate for such a place? Is it really that hard to find decent not-so-annoying Christmas music? IS IT?!!! But I digress...

So thats reason one I guess...the music...Not the good & new music, no, I'm talking about the annoying versions of the same old tunes I have heard since I was three years old. They were great when I was three, but yeah, 30 years later, please, just someone make it stop.

Next, I hate the expectations of Christmas. I hate that people expect that you just must get all excited about Christmas the day after thanksgiving and that if you don't then you are somehow anti-Jesus and deserve nothing but a huge lump of coal in your stocking. Is it really necessary to entertain the same level of enthusiasim for a holiday that I had when I was five? Why is it not OK to reserve my excitement for a few days before...you know, for the days when all the stress of the holiday (figuring out what to get people, shopping, wrapping) is over with and I can can actually enjoy it (giving, enjoying time with family, time off work, etc).

Which brings me to my next reason...Buying presents. I love getting that perfect present ready and put together for that perfect person and giving it to them in that perfectly magical Christmas moment...Well, as long as I have a really great idea that I am certain that person will like. But honestly, how often does that happen? Maybe one gift out of 10? Maybe one year out of three? So, for the rest of the people that are on your list you are scrambling...thinking of what you could possibly get this person that you really don't know very well or that person who already has everything, or this other person who you know will be getting a stellar gift from someone else and you want yours to be at least comparable to that one. So you end up heading to Wal-Mart at the last moment, rummaging through one picked over isle after another looking for a gift that will probably just be regifted anyway and end up with...*Drumroll please* The All-in-one fruitcake maker!!!! Now really, who wouldn't want that?

So, to all of you little Who's out there...please just head back to the suburbs (and quit taking up all the metered parking downtown! Me and my CNG car are supposed to have free metered parking, not you! Ok, now I'm kidding...well...sort of ;-) and have yourself a merry little Christmas...Just let me enjoy mine on my own terms. Curled up with a blanket, some hot chocolate, a cookie and a book listening to the Christmas bells echoing through the windows from the church on the corner.

Perhaps a sticky bun, or four?

So, as if it isn't bad enough that I currently live about a block away from the best cookies ever, today I managed to fall upon the most amazing bakery/pastry shop and it's only a block and a half away from my work. I'm ruined, I tell you! RUINED! This bakery has everything...every amazing dessert you can imagine and they are all just waiting for me. Creme Brulee, Marzipon cake, cookies, pastries, chocolates...everything. Anyone that knows me, already knows that I have a serious dessert addiction...I'm the person who wants to see the dessert menu first so that I can plan accordingly for the rest of the meal...the one who bases the quality of a restaraunt on the quality of their dessert. And now, there are 50+ desserts calling to me, a block and a half away from the place where I spend the majority of my days, patiently waiting their turn as I unsuccessfully attempt to fight my inner sugar demon....Did I mention I'm ruined?

Sure

Sure on this shining night
Of star-made shadows round
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground

The late year lies down the north,
All is healed, all is health
High summer holds the earth,
Hearts all whole

Sure on this shining night
I weep for wonder
Wandr’ing far alone
Of shadows on the stars.

by James Agee

1909-1955

Upside Down

Has your life ever been so completely turned upside down that you can barely keep up with your day to day activities (ie. working, eating, breathing, etc.) let alone find any time or desire to participate in the other activities you know you once enjoyed (ie. singing, dancing, reading, blogging, etc.)

Well if you are wondering what has happened to me this last month, the above pretty much sums it up. Things are starting to mellow out though and there are even a couple things on the horizon that I am actually looking forward to in the coming months. So don't worry, I will come up with something interesting to write about very soon....well just as soon as I can remember what, exactly, I am interested in...

I Voted!

So I took advantage of the early voting option since I will not be near my regular polling location on the big election day tomorrow. The wait in line and the actual voting process added up to about an hour of my time, (maybe these election people should talk to Disney about a FastPass option? Just sayin...) but it wasn't so bad because I got to be entertained by all the very interesting/strange people waiting in line. The right to vote is just that, a right of every American citizen of age to cast their vote voicing their opinion on the direction of the country and local politics. Women, men, old, young, poor, rich, everyone can vote. Its kind of cool in a way and the make up of people standing in the early voting line showed a rather interesting cross section of good ole American folk. I couldn't help but notice the guy rambling on about nothing and everything directly behind me. He was having a hard time waiting in line and finally a poll worker noticed and invited him to go directly to the front of the line to which he responds "Where is it? How do I get there?" Um, follow the line to the front? maybe? Many standing in line were smart enough to bring books or laptops to keep themselves busy in line...Since I didn't bring any of those items, I just let myself be entertained by everyone else.

At any rate, I am glad that the election will (finally) be over tomorrow. Ever since the primaries I have been worried about how the presidential race will turn out. I am thrilled that Obama is ahead in the polls and am hoping beyond hope that the polls are right! He is exactly what this country needs after 8 years of Bush, someone who thinks with his head, reasons out the issues and determines the best solutions without giving into knee jerk reactions. His inexperience does not bother me...some of the best leaders in the business world are not the ones who know everything about the entire business, but rather the ones that know who to ask for help and to turn to for advice, can listen to problems and help coordinate solutions. I think Obama can do this for our country and that he will prove to be a powerful leader.

Go Obama!

Oh and if you are in the Utah 3rd District...Chaffetz? Really? REALLY!!?!? For the record, I voted for the other guy...I'm not even sure who the other guy was, but Chaffetz is just scary, SCARY I tell you! Every time I have heard his commercials I just wanted to scream and run away to hide.

Lastly, if you are in California, please, PLEASE, vote NO on prop 8. It is just the right thing to do.