The Essense of Freedom

Why do Summer Sitcoms suck so Much?

I'm at a cross-roads... I have a very important decision to make. I can either read Shiver, or That Bree Tanner Book by Stephanie Meyer. Not an important decision you say... oh but you are so wrong! The book you read very much dictates your emotionally sanity after finishing said book. The wrong book could leave you melancholy for hours, or even days. It is all about the selection. If I really could read anything that I wanted, any selection possible. I would have the unpublished manuscript of Torment in my hands and you would not hear from me for a day or two. However, I have to settle for whatever I have on my bookshelf, just waiting for me to pick it up, and decide which "second best" book I will use to bide my time while I wait for what I really want.  That got me thinking about other things that you just temporarily settle for while you wait for the better.
    
For example... Summer sitcoms, no one actually likes them, we just settle for the poor excuse for entertainment and wait for the real TV shows to start up in the fall. Hand me downs, people may say that they like hand me downs but 99% of the time they like that it's free. If the new stuff was free I'm pretty sure they would opt for the skin remnant free choice. Then naturally, (as i'm sure you all could see where I was going with this) settling on Average Andy  while you wait for someone that you actually like to come along. I'm not saying to you don't like Andy at all, I'm just saying that you know that he's not "the one" for you. (because you of course have more insight than others and can see who you are and aren't supposed to end up with) Why even put yourself through the relationship process if you know that it's going to end, and possibly very painfully?

Because.... Story 1: My mom gave me a sweater a couple years ago, I love it. Great hand me down. I bought a shirt at american eagle a couple months ago and the first time I wore it 3 buttons fell off of it. It wasn't as good as I thought it was. The 20 year old sweater is much more reliable.
Story 2: A couple Christmases ago my Aunt and Uncle (Shout out!) got me a book, A Great and Terrible Beauty. I'd seen it in the bookstore a couple times but I always passed. It then sat on my shelf for a while, and then while I was waiting for the new Meg Cabot book to come out I picked up the Libba Bray book. (GTB) Needless to say, It's been my favorite book ever since. Story 3: nope nothing...summer sitcoms just suck ;)

Who really knows anything about anything until they experience something. A sweater that I thought was a "second best" was much better quality and will probably last for many more years. My "second best" book ended up being my "can't wait for the sequel" book. (And inevitably, if the summer show doesn't suck as much as the others, next year the network will probably put it into the fall lineup) I don't even know how many movies I've seen, books I've read or stories I've heard of the Andy's in this world being the Prince Charmings just waiting to be discovered. Live life, mess up, experience things and Look for "second bests"

Bee

**This was all me talking myself into actually picking a "second best" book to read. Giving myself some hope that I can add it to my Elite bookshelf where I keep all of my favorite books. **
**Chris- There was no significance in the use of the name Andy... It is simply the first A name that came to mind after I wrote the word Average. So if you happen to call me or text me asking who Andy is, and why I seem to think he's so perfect and Why I didn't use the name Chris... I will point you to this end note. :)  PS  I love you. :) You aren't my second best. I got lucky with you. 

Fallen Trailer

This is the random house book trailer for one of my favorite books: Fallen by Lauren Kate. It's awesome. The only negative is that the casting sucks and is nothing like Lauren Kate described them, but for a low budget book trailer it is quite good. 

Sitting at work again...this time on a Saturday. Chris is coming today. :) I'm excited! I really have no idea what we are going to do all weekend, it is supposed to be gross out. Work has been so stressful lately. I came back to work last night to get my nails done before Chris came today and all of a sudden rumors were flying around about people getting fired, and then there was a meeting with Christin and Addy that ended in Addy walking out of the salon for a walk in tears. Shortly after that Christin left for a seminar this weekend. Then today Addy is still super upset and asked me for a list of all of her clients. (If you don't work in the business i'll tell you that that is a HUGE no no for receptionists to allow) I told her that I didn't know how, I felt bad for lying but I wasn't going to risk my job so that she can have her clients, if she wants a list she can forumlate one herself and I won't get in trouble. Anyway, after I spoke with Addy I changed the security settings for the regular receptionists so there is a security barrier that won't allow them to print off a list of clients by employee. I just thought that this was the best way to protect everyone at the desk. If they can't print  a sheet of clients because of security then maybe people will stop asking. It has just been a really stressful environment lately, everyone is really stressed and I'm trying not to let it affect me but sometimes its hard to be positive when you're surrounded by negativity.

On the much brighter side, I've seemed to have much more time to read this summer than i expected. I've been flying through books lately which is great. I need my books! They keep me sane. Especially last night, my dad was going nuts! He screamed at me for 20 minutes because my mom did 2 dishes (I washed all the dishes and then she found two cups and so she just washed them quickly and then i got yelled at because he walked in and she was doing dishes) He didn't even ask me to do the dishes, I just did them, but do I get a good job, a pat on the back, a way to go daughter...nope I get yelled at for 20 minutes for missing 2. I just wish I could record him sometime and just play back how he acts, let him see how stupid and unsensitive he makes himself look. It's really sad. It's sad that my sister can't have a German exchange student, it's sad that my mom cant bring him to her high school reunion, just because we don't know how my dad will act and we don't want to subject other people to him. Well, I started this paragraph with on the bright side and then went into more depressing, sad things. SO...

On the Bright Side! Chris is coming today! I'm so excited He should probably be in Worthington by now, if he actually left at noon. Tonight I think we are going to go out to eat and then I was thinking about taking him to comedy sportz in Uptown. Or going and seeing a late movie or something. I'm just happy that he's coming. It's like a vacation but at home, with the person that I love. :) When he's here I have everything that I want. It's hard in Vermillion sometimes because I"m really not completly myself, I'm still not in my comfort zone. Here I have everything that I've ever known, I'm just more me I suppose. So that's why I love it so much when Chris comes to Minneapolis. I get to share it with him.

P.S.

P.S. I updated my books page. If you're a reading addict like moi, check it out. Or not, whatevs.


B. Again.

Time So Does Not Fly

         Sitting at work, on a Monday morning with absolutely nothing to do. I already read 100 pages of my book this morning, the last 100 pages. There is not a single person here other than me, but I had to come in this morning because the phone usually rings constantly, but of course the one monday morning that I have nothing to do but answer the phones, is the one monday the phone doesn't want to ring more than once every 30 mins. I am now stuck waiting for the laundy to be done and wait patiently for the first client to show up at 3:00, in 3 HOURS! In the meantime I'm anxiously researching hints to the plot of the sequel to the book I just finished. It's called Fallen (the book I just finished, not the sequel...that's called Torment) it's wonderful, definetly putting it in Charisse's need to borrow from Brie pile. She'll be so please.
       I'm anxious for the day to be over, today is the only day all week that I pull a double shift (salon from 8:30 -3:30, dairy queen from 4:30-10:00) then I only work at the salon until Sunday, which is great! I'm so excited, Chris is coming in less that 2 weeks. Our six month was yesterday, I just wish I could have seen him. I'm excited for his family to come to Minneapolis after the 4th too. Living in this area you take advantage of the many fun things to do, I seem to fall into a rut of always doing the same things, ie: Barnes and Noble, Applebees, Mall of America, and Caribou, all wonderful things mind you. I however do think that going to mystic and Valleyfair will be more fun with them. But i'm making Chris go to the Buffet with me if we go to mystic, I love the mousse there. :)
      Nothing really more to say, which is disappointing, I was hoping writing would at least make some of the time go by, but it's only been approx. five minutes. sigh. Well, I shall just have to try to accomplish something here (the salon) then.

B

2 dollars

The $2 Bill. Everyone should start carrying them!

I am STILL laughing!! I think we need to quit saving our $2 bills and bring them out in public.  The younger generation doesn't know they exist.

On my way home from work, I stopped at Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat. In my billfold are a $50 bill and a $2 bill.   I figure that with a $2 bill, I can get something to eat and not  have to worry about anyone getting irritated at me for trying to break a $50 bill.
Me: "Hi, I'd like one seven-layer burrito please, to go."
Server: "That'll be $1.04. Eat in?"
Me: "No, it's to go." At this point, I open my billfold and hand him the $2 bill. He looks at it kind of funny.
Server: "Uh, hang on a sec, I'll be right back."

He goes to talk to his manager, who is still within my earshot.   The following conversation occurs between the two of them:
Server: "Hey, you ever see a $2 bill?"
Manager: "No. A what?"
Server: "A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me."
Manager: "Ask for something else. There's no such thing as a $2 bill."
Server: "Yeah, thought so."

He comes back to me and says, "We don't take these Do you have anything else?"
Me: "Just this fifty. You don't take $2 bills?   Why?"
Server: "I don't know."
Me: "See here where it says legal tender?"
Server: "Yeah."
Me: "So, why won't you take it?"
Server: "Well, hang on a sec."

He goes back to his manager, who has been watching me like I'm a shoplifter, and says to him, "He says I have to take it."
Manager: "Doesn't he have anything else?"
Server: "Yeah, a fifty. I'll get it and you can open the safe and get change "
Manager: "I'm not opening the safe with him in here."
Server: "What should I do?"
Manager: "Tell him to come back later when he has real money."
 
Server: "I can't tell him that! You tell him."
Manager: "Just tell him."
Server: "No way! This is weird. I'm going in back."

The manager approaches me and says, "I'm sorry, but we don't take big bills this time of night."
Me: "It's only seven o'clock! Well then, here's a two dollar bill."
Manager: "We don't take those, either."
Me: "Why not?"
Manager: "I think you know why."
Me: "No really, tell me why."
Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."
Me: "Excuse me?"
Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."
Me: "What on earth for?"
Manager: "Please, sir."
Me: "Uh, go ahead, call them."
Manager: "Would you please just leave?"
Me: "No."
Manager: "Fine -- have it your way then."
Me: "Hey, that's Burger King, isn't it?"

At this point, he backs away from me and calls mall security on the phone around the corner. I have two people staring at me from the dining area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect. A few minutes later this 45-year-oldish guy
Comes in.
Guard: "Yeah, Mike, what's up?"
Manager (whispering): "This guy is trying to give me some (pause) funny money."
 
Guard: "No kidding!   What?"
Manager: "Get this .. A two dollar bill."
Guard (incredulous): "Why would a guy fake a two dollar bill?"
Manager: "I don't know. He's kinda weird. He says the only other thing he has is a fifty."
Guard: "Oh, so the fifty's fake!"
Manager: "No, the two dollar bill is."
Guard: "Why would he fake a two dollar bill?"
Manager: "I don't know! Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?"
Guard: "Yeah."

Security Guard walks over to me and......
Guard: "Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you're trying to use."
Me: "Uh, no."
Guard: "Lemme see 'em."
Me: "Why?"
Guard: "Do you want me to get the cops in here?"

At this point I am ready to say, "Sure, please!" but I want to eat, so I say "I'm just trying to buy a burrito and pay for it with this two dollar bill.

I put the bill up near his face, and he flinches like I'm taking a swing at him.    He takes the bill, turns it over a few times in his hands, and says, "Hey, Mike, what's wrong with this bill?"
Manager: "It's fake."
Guard: "It doesn't look fake to me."
Manager: "But it's a two dollar bill."
Guard: "Yeah?"
Manager: "Well, there's no such thing, is there?"

The security guard and I both look at him like he's an idiot, and it dawns on the guy that he has no clue.

So, it turns out that my burrito was free, and he threw in a small drink and some of those cinnamon thingies, too.

Made me want to get a whole stack of two dollar bills just to see what happens when I try to buy stuff. If I got the right group of people, I could probably end up in jail. You get free food there,  too.