: Rina

How many of you are backseat drivers? Well, I am, but not in the sense of driving a motor vehicle. I am a backseat Excel user.

Yuuup. This is the nerd speaking, so please be gentle. I just got out of a meeting in which one of the other engineers had up an Excel spreadsheet on the projector screen. Great guy, but slow with the cell formatting and entering data. I started to feel it inside me. You'd know the feeling if you are a backseat anything like I am.

You start watching their every move, hoping that they'll use the proper shortcuts. Then as time continues, you realize that they aren't going to be moving any faster than at this... very... steady... s... l... o... w... pace. A burning sensation starts in your stomach, but you refrain from jumping at the person in the driver's seat--in my case, in the office chair across from me. You kindly offer a tip, but it takes them even longer to find it or realize what it is you are saying.

Now every move that they make is exaggerated and seems to be taking decades to finish. You want to pummel them and tell them they are doing it ALL wrong. You do it.

Just kidding--I was in public and *ahem* at work. I didn't pummel anyone, but I did start getting the finger quiver where I wanted to run over to the laptop and type away. That was hard. I deserve some egg rolls for that one.

I'm sure there are things that I do that make people want to pummel me and change the way I do it and then pummel me again. Perhaps my methods of cleaning would drive someone to pummel me or maybe my coding techniques suck the life out of you. Regardless, I'm an Excel snob and proud. I hope that in the future, I won't suck at everyday software like some people and keep my efficiency and job security at a premium.

Back seat drivers, raise your hands proudly!

Categorized: Work, Thoughts
Plugs: Evan Bee Kitty Exene Jessica Jijy Connie Mihoriel Emma Jean

: Angel

What would you do for a 15% off coupon towards any future purchase of dirt? Would you fill out a customer satisfaction survey? Why dirt you ask? Because apparently the coupon's restricted from everything else!! (Do they even sell dirt at JCPenney?) Here's the coupon VERBATIM:

JCPenney Customer Satisfaction Survey 15% off savings coupon does not apply to

• Value Right
• 2 or more prices
• Cosmetics & Fragrances
• Cookware
• Cutlery & Gadgets
• Jewelry Bonus Buys
• Floor Care
• Furniture & Mattresses
• Personal Care Appliances
• Small Appliances and Electronics
• Clarks
• Columbia Sportswear Co.
• Easy Spirit
• Hunter Douglas
• Levi's
• Outlet Stores
• Services
• Salon Services & Service Contracts
• or Gift Card/e-Gift Cards
• prior purchases

And the following additional jcp.com/catalog merchandise purchases:

• JCPenney Custom Fit Clothing
• Jodee Catalogs
• Combo Prices
• Fine China
• Housewares
• Infant (Bedding/Furniture/Wheeled Goods/Accessories)
• Jewelry
• Musical Instruments
• Pet Items
• Pools
• Scooters
• Sporting Goods
• Toys
• Video Games
• Grand Patrician
• Oreck and Teleflora

Discounts cannot be combined with any other discount coupon/certificate or applied to orders currently being processed.

No Cash Value. One coupon per customer. Coupon must be surrendered at the time of purchase. Unauthorized duplications, reproductions or facsimiles of this coupon cannot be accepted. Discount is applied to all qualifying items purchased on a prorated basis; any applicable refunds will be given in prorated amount.

Discount does not apply to Buy One Get One offers during selected storewide savings events. JCPenney Associate and Retired Associate purchases are excluded from this offer. Only one "JCPenney Customer Satisfaction Survey" coupon per household may be redeemed during any 30 day period.

Well ooookay then. I don't need any dirt at the moment, but I'll hang onto the coupon in case SOMETHING comes up.

Categorized: Product
Plugs: Vikki | Jessie | Angie | Fatz | Taiwan Brown | Yin | Ashhh | Eilidh | Laura | Angel | Lene | Nikki Rae | Chrys | Aichee | Exene | Ciel | Tai | Austin

: Angel

Angel

This will be a short entry because I am special today.

I must be special. I must be special today because my thermos of coffee tasted like dish soap. I must be REALLY special, because I continued to drink it for awhile. !

Seriously though, it did not taste good at all, but for some reason, my coffee addiction told me that I needed to drink it anyway. I washed it before I went on vacation for a week, or so I thought I did.

...I think I need a vacation from that vacation. Pictures have been updated through June.

Categorized: Site, Funny
Plugs: Katie | Ciel | Taiwan | Vicky | Jay

Wooo! What a weekend, ahem, week! First of all, thank you to all the commenters, emailers, and guestbook-signers. I really appreciate the love! Anyway... this weekend was rather eventful. Being so eventful, this post is long, but get pass the superficial update and you'll understand why I called this, "Appreciating Life".

I finished volunteering at the girl's engineering camp and it was a blast. The girls flew their planes WAY UP HIGH. After they left, I got to "fly" one too. "Fly", i.e. avoiding the trees. I'm an engineer, not a remote-control pilot. Volunteering is fun, so get involved! I put up all the pictures here.

OK, enough of the PG stuff, let's get to the drinkathon. After another day of work, I headed north with about 25 other people to go camping and tubing in Hersey. On Sat, all of the tubes were twined together so that our mass of drunken sloppiness could float down the river without losing anyone. The whole event was SUPPOSED to be 3 hours long, but if you've ever tubed before in a mass of drunken sloppiness, you know that it's never the case. We were on that river for 5.5 hours. By the end, everyone was freezing and ornery from the big clouds that kept hiding the sun. I still got a nice tan, teehee. I put the camping pictures on my picture site for Day 1 and Day 2. Highlights had to be:

• Sandy jumping off the canoe, sending himself, Martinez, and Jess into the river.
• Chaz & Bill not reaching sober all weekend.
• I took my flaming Dr. Pepper like a CHAMP!
• Bill's quip about how he only lost a bet to God once when he bet that god couldn't make the world in 8 days, but he made it in 7.
• Chaz getting thrown a wrench when D said that the grain could eat the Fox.
• Chaz walking through the fire without realizing it.
• All the "private" tents.
• D saving everyone from hitting the banks. Hyperass.
• Liquor face shots from the water guns.
• 6'5" Bill in the tiny tent.

The trip was fun. D and I reiterated that Asians don't camp. I made it out alive with 3 mosquito bites and a sore tubing body. Sitting on a river for 5.5 hrs is HARD!

Then came my "value life" experience...

On the way home Sunday, D and I were on the highway when a car in front of us spun out after avoiding an unsecured plywood board that flew off from a truck in front. D pulled over and ran out to see if the couple needed help while I called 911. Fortunately, they were fine, a little shook up, but uninjured. I didn't take any pictures, which is weird, but I did appreciate getting home safely after that. Be careful driving behind trucks with unsecured plywood! The guy in the truck DID stop to make sure the couple was fine, but still... stupid move on assuming 80mph wouldn't streamline your board at cars behind you.

D and I were maybe 2 cars behind, but luckily we didn't tailgate that car or truck, otherwise we could have needed the 911 call. Sometimes, it takes a quick reminder for us to value that we are healthy and safe, which is sad if you think about how much we can take for granted.

I'm healthy, secure, loved, and happy. I have a job, a home, and great friends and family. I am truly lucky!

Categorized: Events, Thoughts
Plugs: Stephy | Vicky | Lisa | Melissa | J | LK | Robbie | Jodie | Maddy | Lucy | Andy Nguyen | Lily | Svanhild | Britney | Rina (Thanks for the link!) | Tessa | Ira | Daisy (Thanks for the link and email!)