i hate wranglers

This is amazing. Its summer, I'm working, and I'm posting twice in one week! Mainly for the fact that I need to vent again. Not about the girls who occupied our house previously and couldn't clean up after themselves or their cat, but about wranglers, and more specifically, starched wranglers.

Now, I've never been particularly fond of cowboys and their two-sizes-too small jeans. (or anything country for that matter. like overplayed country songs. and you thought boulevard of broken dreams was hell, huh, Ian. but I'm getting off subject...) I don't understand how anyone in their right mind can find a cowboy attractive. I understand the purpose of the clothing for more functional reasons... but the appearance is one I personally find revolting. But to each his own, I suppose. My problems comes when said cowboys bring in umpteen pairs of jeans, and want them heavily starched and pressed. Honestly, how can they be comfortable like that? When you literally have to jump into your slacks, I think there are some serious mental issues there. Perhaps they've been with the cows just a little too long. At any rate, these jeans require a lot of work. First the starching, then the hang drying, then taking these boards, I mean pants, spraying them down with a mist until you can slightly manipulate the fabric, then pressing around the tops. That's the easy part. Then you have to spray down the legs. First one,then somehow wrestle with the leg until you get it lined up correctly (virtually impossible with the starch), then you press the front half of the leg, and leave it sitting for a good 10 minutes to dry. Then you press the back side of the leg. Then you repeat with the other leg. And not only do you have to worry about fighting the solid fabric, but wrangler's had this fabulous idea. "lets put metal bits everywhere on the tops of these jeans." For reinforcement, right? Nope. They wanted to brand their logo into the hands of every person who presses them. I've come close, but fortunately have managed to escape... so far. And not only is the metal hot, but the fabric is hot too, when its straight off the sizzling griddle, i mean press. Then you hang the jeans. Which really isn't an appropriate term. they kind of arch over the hanger, and the pants feel like cardboard. Then you start all over again on another pair.

Now, I really do like my job. The people are great, and I don't mind the laundry and pressing in general. I just take issue doing something that takes forever and seems to serve no point other than to torture the wearer of the jeans... really, and they PAY for it! Alas, it is something we must do. As for all the starched jean wearers out there, I have nothing but ill will, and wishes that your chicken is raw... wow, I need to stop listening to those country songs... *sigh*

on a final note, don't forget to check out the one campaign!

exhaustion, satisfaction, and the tanning squirrels of manhappenin

It's been forever, I know, but work has kept me busy, among other things. And I kill myself. Going to bed super late and getting up early for work is definitely starting to catch up with me, especially this past weekend, which I spent mostly helping out at our house, cleaning blinds, cleaning cat hair out of floor vents, and painting ridiculously tall closets with confusing shelving. I had issues putting it back in my closet. And I'd like to vent. The girls who occupied (I don't like to use the phrase 'lived in' for the fact that we have postulated that they only crashed there.) the house previously never cleaned, and had a cat. In a couple vents the cat hair was a good quarter inch if not more deep. yummy. hopefully you didn't just eat. The closet painting was fun, no ventilation up there. You could only see the lower half of my legs (as in the lower half if you start counting from the knee) in the door, when I was on a bunk ladder propped against the pole thing that you hang your clothes on (for being an English major, I really am at a loss of word quite often). And the roof leaks, it fell in on Lindsey, the washer leaked, the laundry room still smells like cat... but it's starting to come together, and it's looking good. I can't wait until y'all get to come check it out! And we'll have plenty of sleeping spots, so you're definitely welcome to crash (well, girls anyway). And we've determined with our fridge surplus and knife surplus, we're going to start a dessert business, and an assassin business, and rent out sleeping spots on game weekends, to help cover costs. More randomness, I saw a squirrel tanning on the peak of the roof at the neighbor's, and it was just about the funniest thing I've ever seen. I'd illustrate with photo, but I was t-minus a camera at the time.

And tonight I saw a special on Brad Pitt, mostly him raising awareness for children in Africa, through the ONE campaign. I have a bracelet, but after hearing more about it, and seeing those kids, wow. You should all check it out!

Anyway, seeing him with those kids, and talking about the campaign, and him using the extra media attention about him and Jennifer Aniston's breakup to get more attention for the campaign (very clever, I might add) has definitely impressed me. No, not because he's a good looking older actor, but because I think he really cares, and is doing something about it. Anyway, you should check it out, sign the pledge, all that. It's an excellent cause, support from everyone from actors (whose political views I generally don't share) to conservatives... groups like World Vision are a part of it...

anyway, *gets off soapbox* hope you're having a wonderful summer. Apologies for randomness, but I think the paint fumes are still slightly in effect, and I'm still a wee bit tired from this weekend.

Anna the Laundry Lady

Finals are over, went well, moving out wasn't a horrible hectic mess... however my room is now a certified disaster area. Seriously. You think I'm joking because I'm miss have everything has to be perfectly in its place and spotless... but its not working out so well... I'm trying to get rid of things, and clean, and put away, all at the same time, not so smart... but oh well...

So, I'd started to get worried about a job and all, after learning that everything I considered was already filled. I know I shouldn't, because I know that God is in charge and taking care of me, and whatever the heck happens this summer has been okayed by him. But the thought of me stuck at home, because of lack of gas money funds to go visit anyone not in town, and also lack of funds to do things with friends that require money, almost sent me into hyperventilating panic mode when it hit me this afternoon. I love my family and all, but I want to see other people this summer too. Plus, when I went to the movie last night with my fabulous friends that I've missed dearly (Kael, Carl, Brit, Steven, Vern, y'all are amazing!), my dad informed me that "if you're going to be going to the movies, you need to get a job." As if my coming home and giving up the larger job opportunity pool in Manhattan to come home and spend the summer with them, and him having a cushy, secure job, isn't enough for them to fork over a little cash periodically through the summer. Of course, maybe it's because I'm almost 20, and I'd feel bad mooching anyway, and the whole lawsuit thing... good lawyers are dang expensive, fyi. But anyway, so my mom tells me that they've been busy at the cleaners because a nearby town's cleaner closed recently, so I should try there. So I did, and Maxine is awesome, and I have a part-time, maybe more, depending on how busy things are this summer, job! It'll be mostly washing sheets and such for the manor and hospital... and maybe some pressing stuff, and taking orders and such... but yay for money and nice bosses! So, for the summer anyway, I am now Anna the Laundry Lady!

I *heart* storms

Wow, its been almost a week since my last post... I think that's a record (spring break doesn't count). I've been keeping busy, with school finishing up, and hanging out with people before we all leave for three months (and some people longer than that). We'll just say I've been a little lacking in the sleep.

I went with Brit to watch state forensics, which was really weird at 2A... it seemed so much smaller than 3A, but the team (although very small) did really well... everyone broke semi's, and Karen and Steven both broke finals and got 2nd and 4th, respectively, in inform. (for all you non-forensicators, semi's are the semifinal rounds, inform is informative speaking... if you want a more detailed description on exactly how forensics works and everything, but I shall not bore you more here) I'm so proud of them! Gold state medals (because all state medals are gold, whether it's 1st or 6th... trust me, I know... you can impress everyone with the thing, because they never see the 6 on the back!) are always fun to have!

Other good news: I finished my Development of English Language paper, on the use of language in Disney animated movies, and its 15.5 pages long, so no final for me! whoohoo! And now I can give a very lengthy discourse on the topic... if you'd like a demonstration, let me know!

Finally, to the statement in the title. I really do love storms. And I miss them when I'm home. Western Kansas is rather lacking in that department. And today was a good one! The nice cool calm before the storm, with the pretty grey clouds creating an overcast sky, with little bits of blue showing in the east, and rain coming down in the west. The faint rumbles of thunder in the distance And then the random huge drops on the windshield, and finally the downpour and the sweet smell of rain and faint tapping sound it makes on my window. I get all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it! *sigh of happiness* Thank you God for storms!

Dance in the rain if you get a chance, but only if you aren't sleep deprived or else you'll get sick, and that's no fun.

Relay for Life, Parking Tickets, and Surprise Photo Shoots

First off, Relay for Life was awesome, despite it being so cold everything was majorly frosted and sparkling. And eating breakfast while watching the sunrise as well as a fox pouncing is just about the best thing I’ve ever done, and Ian’s shoulder makes a great travel pillow. Seriously... someone should patent and market that. It’d be so popular, and whoever did it would be amazingly rich... I mean, never mind *looks up patent website*

Secondly, I have dubbed yesterday National Anna Got Her First Parking Ticket Day. Why the parking Nazis were out at 11:32 am on a Sunday morning, I don’t know, but they were. But it was worth it, because lunch at Kramer with Ian and Dave and Jenn was FANTASTIC! It was so much fun, and we were all hilarious... maybe that’s because we thought everything was funny because we were all so sleep deprived... hmmm...

Thirdly, my bedding and big purple fuzzy slippers were the stars of a housing and dining photo shoot this afternoon. So Chandra and I were sitting in our room, minding our own business, getting ready for work, and doing homework, respectively, when people knocked on our door, and before we knew it, these three people, one with a camera, were in our room. "I like the curtains, and the woodwork on that chair, and the stars on the bedding... can we get that all in?... the chairs are nice..." Then proceeded to start snapping away. "No, don’t look at the camera. Talk to each other about something fun, we want this to look natural. No, don’t straighten up. Why did you move that pillow? It looked good, put it back... now sit so we can see those slippers. I like the slippers. Can you cross your feet? Where did that other girl go... lets get her back in here..." I ended up sitting at Chandra’s desk, Chandra in her chair, and Alicia came back and was instructed to get in my bed. They told us to start talking, and munching on food if we have some. So they took pictures of us laughing and talking about Chandra at prom, and eating goldfish. Then we had to sign photo release forms. I think they said something about brochures... but they could use them for other things too, I’m guessing. So, you can look for me and Chandra and Alicia, and our room in future housing and dining publishings. Fascinating, I know. I look really grungy, but oh well. They seem to think my star sprinkled bedding and big purple fuzzy slippers will make potential students decide to come to K-State and choose the residence halls. I mean seriously, that’s why I picked dorm life. Not really. But seriously.

Have a wonderful day, and watch out for those dorm paparazzi.