I just wrote an entire entry, tried to insert a picture of the Saturn Astra, and accidentally hit "Backspace" at the wrong time.  It acted as the Back button on the browser, and DELETED EVERYTHING.

I'm angry right now and I'll redo my wasted work later.  AHHHHHHHHRGH!!!!

Well, Steve got his truck - the "for sure" one.  What a nightmare last night was!  We rode to Boardman in the old "Timberline" (fancy name for green) Titan, and the detailing crew was still hard at work on the black truck from Wheeling.  Big Steve and I sat in the lobby, drinking disgustingly old coffee and eating microwave popcorn out of coffee filter "bowls".  We then went down to join Steve and his salesman, Brian, in the business office.

I couldn't stand that room!  The fluorescent lighting had a greenish hue to it, similar to the strange, creepy light that permeates the air during a tornado warning.  After killing the equivalent of two small trees' worth of paper with computer printout errors and voided contracts, we finally went to leave.  There were a couple small dents/chips of unknown origin that Steve found prior to signing, and they promised to fix them to his satisfaction.  He was upset, but accepted the offer of repair "to 100% customer satisfaction".

However...when we pulled the new truck around to get the iPod & GPS, more problems arose.  The LCD display on the radio is busted - you can't read a damn thing.  There's a spray mark on the passenger door pillar where someone attempted to cover up some defect.  This resulted in a long battle between the dealers and a man that wants his new truck to be new.  I really thought we were going back home in the Mustang, which sat lonely by the road in the ranks of relinquished vehicles looking for new owners.  An agreement was finally made, and after stopping for dinner at the smallest Eat 'N Park ever built, we arrived home at nearly 10:30 last night.

In other news, Remi's been having seizures lately.  It's happened twice now, about 3 weeks apart.  A quck review of my books reminded me that idiopathic epilepsy tends to show up in dogs between 1 and 3 years of age.  Remi just turned a year old on January 1st.  Both incidents have occurred during an argument between Steve and I - the textbooks also say that seizures can be triggered by a specific event in affected dogs: stress, certain weather conditions, etc.  I called Dr. Farone the other night when it happened (Tuesday, I think?), and we agreed that waiting for testing is worth it, as if the seizures don't increase in frequency or severity (they only affect his shoulders & above), there's no sense in treating him.  The first time lasted only 30-45 seconds.  This time lasted about a minute and a half, followed by another small one 15 minutes later that lasted about one minute.  He's alert and responsive throughout the episode - he'll come when I call him, but his entire head is shaking side to side when he looks at me - still wagging his tail.  That's a Lab for you. =)

I feel bad for him...but on the bright side, there are many, many worse things that he could have.  At least epilepsy doesn't typically affect the health or lifestyle of a dog.  We'll see what the future holds...

Ever search for your old username?  I did...and look what I found!  I forgot I even ever had a LiveJournal until just last night.  Browsing through it reminded me just how much I enjoyed writing in it - and how much of a release it was for me.  I felt good writing; letting my stresses off of my chest and chronicling my daily life.

And I realized - I need that again.  My thoughts bottle up inside my head, with nowhere to let them out.  My expressions come out so differently in writing - so much stronger and coherent.  When I speak, I can't find the words.  When I do, I stutter them out in an awkward "word vomit".

So here I am. =)

I just got home from taking Steve's mom home from work.  We've had some nasty snow (and "wintry mix" per accuweather.com) over the past couple days, so we decided to shuttle her to and from TMC while the roads are bad.  They still are...I almost got rear-ended by a minivan when I went to turn onto Chestnut.  It's early, and it's my day off, so I thought I'd lay here in bed and watch some TV so I can fall back asleep.  Surprisingly enough, there's absolutely nothing on television at this time of day.

Flipping through Comcast's guide, I find the following:

• Early Show
• Morning Show
• Morning Show w/Mike & Juliet
• Good Morning America
• American Morning
• Morning Express w/R. Meade
• Mike and Mike in the Morning
• Morning Inspiration With Bro

All of these, intermingled with Paid Programming, and followed by Soap Operas and Talk Shows.  I now remember why I watched VHS tapes when I was home sick from elementary school.  I settled with "Haunting Sarah" on the Lifetime Movie Network.  Interesting enough.

Alright...well, laying here is working and I'm getting tired...a pretty mundane entry to re-open my journal, I know.   But a start is a start, and I'll get better.

Alright guys...I really don't want to do this, not because I paid for a subscription, but because most of the time I really enjoy writing in here and looking back on things...

But...this journal's done. It's not worth losing friends over.

It's been fun, guys...

Well...it happened.



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I pulled over (into the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall no less) just to take this picture.

This must explain all the quirks my car has been having lately. Every light on my dash has come on at least once this week except for one (Check Engine, ABS, Brake, Low Coolant - that's the light of the day...and Check Gauges has yet to arrive). Nothing seems wrong with the car, besides the alternator belt needing adjusted...but I blame it all on the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Curse!

Bold what you remember from the 90s.

G.I. Joe
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (this was my Saturday night date)
Secret World of Alex Mack
Nightmare Before Christmas (me, Erica & Christine had every line memorized! haha)
Welcome Freshman
Space Cases
Roundhouse
The Muppet Show
Muppet Babies
Ureka's Castle
Salute Your Shorts (awesomeeee)
Legends of the Hidden Temple
What Would You Do?
Double Dare (I wanted to be on this show)
Rocko's Modern Life (Rocko's Modern Liiiife...Rocko's Modern LIFE!)( more... )

NOOOOOO.....I had a whole damn entry written out and it didn't take it!!

WORK
My 3 till God-knows-when shift actually ended at 9:45. I did PCA's all night and got all but 2 things done (Infant Boys/Infant Girls/Duckie Group/Toddler Boys/Boys 4-7x/Infant Boys & Girls Fleece - all done, Cabbage Patch Kids shoes/some Infant hats - not done)...Mel will be thrilled.

I just stayed at home after work...regardless of my intense craving for a Blue Slurpee. =P Greg called after practice and before bed...and the rest of the time I spent on this damned contraption until the wee hours of the morning...late enough that I didn't wake up until almost 3 today. *ashamed*

HORSES
I rode Mary's big paint mare bareback the other night...and that horse has the smoothest trot I've ever ridden in my life! She's smoother than a lot of gaited horses I've been on, and that's amazing! I've been on countless horses in my lifetime, and she's got to have the easiest riding trot, hands-down. No wonder Mary & Dean ride almost every day. =P

NOW
Going to the barn, maybe to ride, maybe just to take care of my work. If the doors are closed I may just ride inside for a bit since it's so blistery cold outside.

LATER
I won't be home till late tonight...I'm going to practice and then to Greg's for a little bit after. So if you want me, you'll have to leave a message on AIM or a voicemail - but don't expect to get a call back until at least 12:30/12:45 cuz I don't get service until Foodland. Ohioville is awesome like that.

Edit: And in reference to my "I-had-a-crappy-day-let's-bitch-about-it" post, I must apologize for what I said. Theresa, you're a wonderful girl and I'm sure you had your reasons. It was just my hasty pissed-off-about-everything rant, nothing against you personally, and if you were offended, I apologize from the bottom of my heart.

Have I really been slacking that bad? Hmm. Oh well...don't really care right now. =)

I've been in a crappy mood all day...cuz I really didn't do anything. Went to the new chinese buffet with Hilfigs, found out they have Squid Salad with real baby squids in it, completely intact except for the fact that their heads are chopped off. The rest of their body - grey skin and all, 8 tentacles with suction cups still on them - is still there. I picked one up and put it on her placemat to find when she came back.

And yeah. Then I sat around. All day. And it SUCKED. Greg had work to do for the band, so...I waited around for him. Then I sent him to the bar. And ordered 2 pizzas cuz he was gonna try to get Marty & Theresa to come over...but they had other plans - so I wasted $10 on a second pizza for nothing. Awesome. Like I have money to throw away. Damn crummy paychecks.

So Greg came back, and Ed came over...we watched American History X, I got bored and rolled over on the couch till it was done. I've spent half the day crying over God-knows-what. It's just really shitty that I spent my fucking Saturday off doing absolutely fucking nothing. And I have to work 3 to close tomorrow, which means anywhere between 10 and midnight. Isn't that awesome.

Then I pulled my stupid shoulder out again MOVING A PILLOW. I don't even remember the horse's name that injured it and it's STILL BOTHERING ME. I'm beginning to think it always will. Whatever. I'm in such a bad mood.

I could really use a drink.

I can't even begin to explain what a good mood I'm in right now.

I'M NOT GOING TO FAIL MY ONLINE CLASS! See...I lost my book. Like 3 weeks ago. Yeah, that's a problem, cuz my midterm was tonight! So I was telling Tori about this...and she tells me she's got the book in her car! Oh Sweet Heaven! I got a 94/100. Whew.

Umm...I was one of the winners for the costume contest at work with my Angel outfit - I don't remember if I said that or not. 5 free tickets to see The Incredibles! Haha...that may sound lame to you but I'm excited!

And YAY BUSH!!

I'm gonna continue rocking (a.k.a. Dancing & Singing in my CHAIR) to the 90s Pop station until I get tired.

I LOVE LIFE!

Alright, a lot of people read this journal. People that I'm friends with, who actually like me and care about what I have to say, and people who hate me but just can't seem to curb their curiosity.

Yes, I do know who you are. I can tell who reads this. And I don't care that you do. It's not my call what you do with your time.

However - if you've got nasty comments, keep them to yourself. This is my personal journal and I am free to write whatever I want to in it. My loves, my hates, my experiences. Things I'd like to remember, things I'd like to vent about. What I write is my business. If you've got a problem with it, don't read it.

No one makes you come here. No one forces you to click that link and no one puts a gun to your head to make you read what I've said. Remember that.

Don't try to start a ridiculous online war with me by leaving rude comments - it won't work. You're not gonna get me fired up about anything. If you don't have something nice to say about my life, it doesn't make a difference to me, and it doesn't hurt my feelings as you probably think it does.

Leaving an anonymous comment (which I do find cowardly - if you've got an opinion and you believe so strongly that it needs to be said, why don't you have the balls to sign your name and back it up?) does not make me sit at home and fret over "Who could it be?! Who could have said those horrible things about me?!" No. I dismiss it as someone who has something against me that feels the need to try to make me regret what I've said or done.

Sorry, sweetheart. It doesn't work that way.

I've figured out why I'm sick - it's got to be from being scheduled 7 days in a row. I have work, school, horses, boyfriend, a big art project to finish...and I'm a night owl. It's finally caught up with me. I don't know if it's cuz she doesn't like me or what, but last week Janet scheduled me 3 days, 16 1/2 hours...and then 7 days in a row. WTF?!

So after working 10-6:30 on this painfully gorgeous day, Michelle had to write me up for my tardiness. =/ She didn't want to and made sure she let me know that.
She was like, "Steph...come here. I don't want you to quit. (I hadn't been planning on it) But I have to write you up before you leave today, since you've been late so many times...I really need you here! I have to tell you, Mel is extremely picky...no, choosy...about who works in KRU, and she really likes you. So I want you to do everything you can to stay here." Etcetera, etcetera.
So I had to sign this paper for my formal warning - and if I'm late once within the next 30 days, I'll get a final warning. Final warning = Termination, basically.

So I'm buying a dual alarm clock. Pronto. If I'm not there within 10 minutes of my shift, something went wrong with my alarm or I wrecked my car on the way there. There's no other reason.

I went to watch the guys practice and attempted to take pictures, but my digital camera hates me as usual.

If I didn't stop and get food, my stomach said it'd eat itself, so I stopped at Foodland on my way home.

A Tip For Men:
If you're gonna try to pick up women - don't do it at a grocery store.

I walked in and there was this real tall guy...and I could tell by the way he looked at me that he was gonna stop me at some point to talk to me. So he half-followed me around the store (you know, when you're following someone but don't want them to know) until he ran into me.

"Hey, Is your name Lindsey?"
"No, no it's not."
"Oh...you look familiar."
"No, it's Stephanie."
"You went to Western Beaver?"
"No...but I've dated a few guys from there...Dan Chaffee for 2 years, Greg Moreira now."
"Oh...you go to CCBC, right?
"Uhh...I take evening classes..."
"Tuesdays?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, I've seen you...what are you doing here so late?"
*insert insignificant small talk*

So I got away from him to go put something away, and managed to get to my car. Till I realized I forgot milk for my Honey Bunches of Oats. Damnit. So I go to walk back in and cross paths again.

"Hey...can I ask you something?" (well, I know what's coming now, ugh)
"Are you and your boyfriend serious?"
"Yes...yes we are." (as I think to myself...WOW you're a douchebag)
"Are you?"
"YES."
"Oh, I was gonna see if you wanted to go out sometime..."
"No, that's okay. We're pretty serious."


LAME. LAME LAME LAME LAME LAME.
And pathetic. Very pathetic.
Ridiculously pathetic.

I'm gonna go eat my cereal now.

Aww, Nelly's Country Grammar - I remember dancing to this with the twins & Cortney on the Gateway Clipper for our senior banquet. Singing and acting out "light it up & take a puff, pass it to me now" with Jody Wilson was so awkward, haha...if you don't know her, you wouldn't get it.

Speaking of the Wilsons and Cortney...when Shawna called me Wednesday night, she asked me something. Invited me somewhere. It's not for awhile, but I'm going.

Where?

Well, I didn't go to Italy & Greece with AIP, I'm not going to Italy & France with CCBC, and I'm definitely not going to Germany & France with Derrick Beercook, haha. What an offer, eh?

No, I'm going to Tokyo, Japan.
That's like #15 on my list of places that I'd like to go, but Mom's willing to pay for it.

It's next New Years, I think...Jody and Cortney are meeting Shawna in Tokyo..and they want me to go, too.
I thought about it...and the chances of the 4 of us being together anytime other than this in the next 4 or 5 years is very unlikely. Unless one of us gets married, that'd be the only thing. So - Tokyo and my best friends - here I come!

Greg seemed a little disappointed when I told him it was on New Years...he got sorta pouty. I can understand, everyone wants to be with their loved one on New Years...but we'll have this one together! And if it's meant to be, we'll have many more together. It'll just be 2006 eleven hours earlier for me, that's all.

Not looking forward to that plane ride, though...haha
I've never sat anywhere in my life for 15-20 hours and not moved.


↑↑↑
And this is the cuteass "Pink Ladies 2004" outfit that Meg & I were supposed to wear to the party that got rained out. However, I got complimented on it like crazy anyway, since I went out in it on my own! JP was impressed when I went in to get my paycheck. Quite a change from that stupid red TRU shirt. Greg thinks I look good in it - without the hat - not a big fan of the hat. Too ghetto, I'm sure. =P

Alright...so all TRU associates have to dress up for Friday and Saturday. I desperately wanted to be Dorothy, but decided that tonight, and well...I refuse to pay another $50 for a different costume.

Sooo after going to Humphrey's with Greg & Marty to meet up with some of my coworkers, we stopped down at Ben & Kate's so she could let me borrow her old angel costume - which, by the way, is adorable!!! I love it. Buuut to keep the sexiness level down, I had to get some white tights.

So I picked Meg up at a little before 11:30 and we went to Wally World. For white tights. And a white thong, can't have panty lines even in a toy store, you know. What began as a 2-item trip turned into getting costumes for the party tomorrow night.

Pink & black trucker hats, a shirt that's cute as hell, a pink & black pearl bracelet (4 rows of pearls), a black belt with white dots, a pink satin bow to tie onto it, silver hoop earrings with pink rhinestones in them...it's AWESOME. We're gonna be adorable.

So I realized on the way home - by the time Halloween's over, I'll have been 3 different things. Do you know how happy that makes me??! This is my favorite holiday! I was a dead bride for the Halloween show, I'll be an angel Friday & Saturday at work (and maybe Sunday if I go to that wedding w/Meg), and I'll be a cute little punk rocker chick at the party tomorrow night. AHHH I'm so excited!!! =D

Pictures WILL be posted!!

You don't have to be a country girl to know the truth about trucks, proves Erica:

FemmeFatale: its so....round
CountryRockBaBe: it's so sorry-excuse-for-a-truck
CountryRockBaBe: lol
FemmeFatale: people who want trucks don't want a truck that looks like you could cuddle with it
CountryRockBaBe: lmao

(This sprouted in response to the 2006 Dodge Dakota concept, which is more or less a rounder version of the '05...with terribly ugly taillights and ridiculous front fenders that are much too flowy...and it appears that the headlights follow the contour - or start it, rather - of the fender...ugh...it's terrible.)

Work sucked today. I was absolutely exhausted all day.

Greg didn't leave till midnight, then I ended up staying up way too late talking to Marty on AIM. Some deep conversation, some humor aimed in my direction that I fell for and it backfired and almost made me cry, haha...I'm just way too gullible for my own good.

After a few hours of wonderful sleep on the queen-sized air mattress that Dad put downstairs for me, I crawled out of bed and dragged my ass into TRU. I was sooo unproductive today, haha...

So I went back downstairs to nap from 2:30-5:15, ate, was about to go to class - and Shawna called from Japan! So I ended up talking to her until 7:00 and going to class late. Whoops.

Not much else - went to class, turned down Jon the motorcycle guy again (he's been trying to get me on his Harley for the past 3 weeks), Tori invited me to a party Friday night, and Greg came back over.

Food & bed time again!

OH yes...the time has come.

THE HOT TUB IS HERE!

Yeah when my parents told me they ordered it...they said it was a 2 person - which was okay, cuz me & Greg could have it when we wanted, & she & dad could have it when they wanted...

Well, they lied. It's a 7 person tub. With a Kenwood stereo system & awesome LED lights & a waterfall & all sorts of nifty little things. SWEET!!!!

So I think I may just go hop in there for a little bit before bed since butthead isn't coming over tonight.

Hot Tub = Awesomeness.
Me in Hot Tub = Awesomeness x9283748976.5 <3

Last night was fun. A bunch of us got dressed up, and the guys put on a really good show...as 80s rockers hahaha. I think Jake looked the best out of all of them, with his long crimpy wig & tight leather pants, woo. I'll post pictures when I get them from Ashley, cuz I forgot to take my camera with me again =/

Ed came! =D That was awesome. Matt came as an Asian whore with Trish Slevin as his pimp - hil-ar-i-ous! And I saw some kid that I went to the Art Institute with. He recognized me under all that makeup after not seeing me since March! Now that's impressive.

I sold a bunch of CDs, which was nice...but after Crisen was done playing, I was like, "Sweetie...I'm going home for a shower. I've seen Mushcup before and I'll see them again" and I wiped the black & red off my lips to give him a kiss.

Shower felt sooooo goooooood. Then we went out to EnP for a little bit (Midnite Buffet = WONDERFUL when I haven't eaten anything all day) - '"All You Can Eat", baby! The best 3 words there ever was!' - yes, that's my genius in action. "That's four words, Stephanie." was his immediate response.

I can't count, okay! CAN'T COUNT!

From Lindsey, spending her days in Daytona:

FoXy56RoXy: there's a drive in church down by the beach though
FoXy56RoXy: i think that might be fun
CountryRockBabe: haha are you serious??
FoXy56RoXy: it's like a drive in movie but instead of a movie you get church
CountryRockBabe: a drive in church??  what's happened to america?!
FoXy56RoXy: it's like this little white church with a stage and the pastor comes out and preaches

Alright I only got half as much done today as I'd wanted to.

I woke up feeling like a tangle of torn muscles. I really want my bed back...=/ Sleeping on a couch in the basement since Memorial Day has really done a number on my muscles.

I didn't work on the car today, but I told Rachel (iloveyou_anyway) that I'd bring in flyers for the show that she's gonna put in the Echo for Friday (GENIUS IDEA!) so I stopped in the high school for last period.

Didn't go tanning cuz I just felt like taking a nap after I got home, didn't go to Home Depot for the same reason.

I did go to Philosophy class though (okay, so I just accomplished ONE of my four goals for the day)...I got a B on my test (16/20) which is enough to make me happy. Especially since my professor gave me a dirty look when it only took me like 2 or 3 minutes to finish. I'm a quick test taker - I always have been. I'm nearly always the first one done. I wasn't in my History class last night cuz I came in a few minutes late, but that's the only reason. I think I did pretty well on that one too...which is surprising since I didn't study and I'm terrible at history. The prof. seems to be a real pushover though...

I went straight to Kerrie's after class, watched the guys develop a cover for Saturday night for a little bit, then spent the rest of the time with Kerrie and (ha)Ty. She fed me. I ♥ her.