Catch up, catsup

Well, I’m fresh off a busy weekend and a 50+ hour work week. Have I mentioned that I love my job? I still do.

This new beta blogger thing doesn’t seem to like for me to put a photo on my profile. Oh well, you people know what I look like. If you don’t, go to Myspace, I have plenty of pics there.

We had our big Open House on Friday. It was a wonderful success. I looked great, if I may say so. The CEO absolutely loved the giant scissors I got for the ribbon cutting. He was so excited! They looked cool, with the company logo and colors, and they really worked too! The bow and ribbon fit perfectly on the area designated for ribbon cutting. I was very pleased with myself.

The shareholders arrived in limos, town cars and big black SUV’s. Apparently we have some amazing backers. I heard rumor that an NBA coach is one of our investors, although he didn’t come to the event. I stood in the front reception are,a greeting and smiling and chit-chatting, and directing people on where to go. I’m quite good at that. I was on my feet for the better part of 12 hours on Friday, but I loved every minute of it.

The caterers were absolutely amazing. We went with Abuelo’s, and not only was the food fantastic, but the service was outstanding! One of the guys actually came to my desk and asked if he could get me something to eat! Hell, I didn’t have time to eat, but what a nice gesture. They walked around the entire building, waiting on guests and making sure everything was clean. I was very impressed. I highly recommend them if you’re looking for an awesome caterer.

All in all, it was a very lovely day. I had many things to do after work, so my day didn’t really end until about midnite. And for some reason, I can’t seem to sleep late anymore. I automatically wake up at 6:30 AM now, every day, even on the weekend.

Saturday I hung out with my son mostly. We had breakfast with my friend Sara, who I see only once a month or so now. Then we went to trade in some of his old video games and he received a $92 store credit. Geez, that’s a lot of games. He was able to purchase two new games, so he was very happy. We went shopping, he helped me wash and vaccum the car. Such a good boy. He still doesn’t mind shopping with his mom. How cool is that?

Sunday was less busy, but I managed to get the house in order somewhat. I’m having a real nesting feeling right now, like I need everything to be in its place. I always seem to get that way in the fall. For other people it’s spring cleaning. Nah, too hot then. I’d rather do it when it’s cool outside.

Looking at apartments this week, hoping to move as soon as possible. Apparently Evan’s sister is coming to visit for Thanksgiving. I’m not sure if we can be moved by then, but it would be nice. If not, then I have a hell of a lot more cleaning to do to that house before she arrives.
This week looks a lot less nutty. I’m happy to be out of the house for at least 40 hours a week. Gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Those are good feelings.

My friend Beth is now a business owner. I’m so proud of her. More details to come, I haven’t had time to chat with her much about her venture.

Have a nice week, in case I don’t see you.

I LOVE MY JOB!

Wow. What an awesome few days.

To catch up briefly, as I don’t want to bore any of you. You’re probably reading this because you’re bored, right?

Started the new job last week and whoa, I have to say, I feel like I’m at home. Finally. My boss is wonderful, the people are so nice, the space is gorgeous, although still under a lot of construction at the moment. I’m very excited about the product, it’s quite amazing. Here’s the website:
www.mediacart.com

I’ve done some odd things. My first tasks were to help purchase a rug for the lobby, and to obtain a pair of giant scissors for the ribbon cutting ceremony this week. Done. Picked up the giant bow and ribbon today. I’ve been doing a lot of running around, shopping and getting things we need as it is a new space and in need of everything. Yes, everything. My only complaint so far is that the security guard sits at my desk at nite, and he’s a slob. Oh well. I’ll be putting in overtime this week, lots to do, lots to do. We’ve been dealing with electricians and furniture movers and phone installers and pretty much any vendor you can imagine. It’s been amazing. The day just flies by.

Today, as I was on my way to yet another errand, my boss gave me some cash for the purchases, threw in an extra $20 for gas, and then she did something I didn’t expect at all: She gave me an extra $100 cash, for me, just to say thanks for all I’ve done so far! Are you kidding me? You’re welcome! I’ve only been here for a week! I love this place! Not that I expect this to be a regular occurrence, but it sure was a nice bonus. She’s terrific.

Last week, my birthday. It came and it went. No big deal. They start meaning less and less after 35. Two more years to 40. Geez. At least I don’t look my age, that’s a good thing. Thanks, mom. The boyfriend and I had a nice dinner, and he went along with me to my final improv class. How did it go? It could have been better. I was nervous, having some of the pros there. I don’t start scenes well, but I follow ok. It was fun to take the classes, but I’m not convinced that I have what it takes to be an improviser. So, back to the stand-up and the joke writing, eh? My play still isn’t finished, and now we’re working up an idea for a horror film, as well as some funny sketches to hopefully put on at the club at some point.

In a nutshell, I guess that’s about it. I probably won’t have near as much time to blog as I used to. Rest assured, I’ll update when I can, and especially when something is worth reading.

I want a new tattoo

I’ve had the fever for a while, it’s just they’re so damned expensive. But it's birthday time and I'm thinking I deserve a treat. I’d like to get one more, just one more. Of course, that would bring me to three, and three is an uneven number, and that kinda freaks me out, so in all actuality I would probably end up getting another one, just so that I’m even. Damn this OCD.

I got my first one when I was 30. It’s on my right hip, so no one except the boyfriend ever gets to see it. It is adorable though. I got it during my Phen-Fen spree. I was so excited, having lost 30 pounds, that I thought celebrating with permanent body art was the way to go. I chose a cheery little number – a sunflower with a happy face in the middle. Very cute and girly, I know. (What, did you expect me to get a skull and cross bones? Geez.)

The second tat came after my divorce. Sort of a, “hey, look at me! I’m single again!” tattoo. Where did this one land? You guessed it – lower back. Where all the classy ladies are getting them done these days. This time I went with my zodiac sign, not too big, in a lovely shade of purple.

So my dilemma – what should I get now, and where should it go? I’m thinking ankle maybe. Definitely not on the boobs. Those are sacred and shall not be inked. But I’m at a loss as to what it should be. Maybe a bunny, lots of meaning behind that. Tell me what you think.

My lucky day

Friday the 13th. Not unlucky for me today. I got a job! Yay! I finally heard back from the one I've been wanting. I was on my way back from yet another interview, and I got the call just as I was pulling into the Starbuck's drive-thru.

"Hi! Welcome to Starbuck's. This is Michelle, how can I help you?"

"Hi Michelle! How are you today?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm great! I just got a job! And I'm celebrating with a tall mocha."

I pull around to the window and she hands me my drink. Another guy behind her comes to the window and says, "Congratulations on your new job! This one's on me."

Aww. How nice. A new job AND a free coffee. It's a good day.

Graduation!

I can't believe our improv classes are coming to an end! I have enjoyed them so much. I want more! More more more!

It really has been a lot of fun. I find it difficult to get out of my comfort zone. I think this helped a lot. And I've made some cool new friends, which is always a bonus. We started out with 17 people. Last nite our group had dwindled to 10, although I'm pretty sure a few more will be at our final class.

Our class is 'graduating' on Tuesday, October 17th, and some of the real ComedySportz people will be coming to play some games with us. That should be fun. Thank you in advance to those CSz folks who volunteered their time. Please, be kind to us. We know not what we do, and that will be painfully clear to you all next week.

So what am I doing for my birthday? Pretending I'm someone else! Couldn't think of a better way to celebrate. (Sean, I'm holding you to that promise of cake.)

Feminism and harassment

How about some personal stuff today? Sound good?

I don’t consider myself a feminist. I believe in equality. I support women’s rights and have always been a pro-choice advocate and all that, but I don’t think women have it as bad as we used to. We can go into any profession we choose. We’re not expected to skip college in favor of raising a family. Women participate in all facets of society, and in most cases, as equals.

So why do feminists still make women out to be helpless victims?

Sure, there are things that are still unfair. Disparities between the sexes will always exist (although not exclusively toward women). Most notably, the continued objectification that women endure. But I have three words for you: Men are pigs. Why does this continue to surprise us?

Let me qualify that statement – not ALL men are pigs. I would say that most of them possess pig-like qualities, although they may not display them. Just because a guy in a bar doesn’t grab your ass, doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about it. Is it wrong that men are attracted to the physical appearance of women? Hell no. How would any of us ever end up in relationships if there were not some sort of attraction? But how they go about expressing it and acting on it is the key.

I saw something on Jill’s blog the other day that I thought was interesting: A blog that allows women (or men also, I thought), to post pictures of people who harass them. Problem is, what qualifies as “sexual harassment” these days? If a guy whistles or yells at you, is that really sexual harassment? Are you really violated in that situation?

I suppose it’s subjective. Experts tell us if you perceive that you’ve been violated, then you have. I tend to disagree. Having been truly violated, by far more than words, and unfortunately more than once, maybe my perception is a little skewed on the matter.

(You see where the crazy comes from, huh? Ah-ha. It all makes sense now!)

I went to the site and read the stories that were posted, alongside pictures of the ‘offenders’. One woman was angry because a guy asked her to smile.

Um, ok.

Another told a story of a decent guy who actually approached her in a respectful, non-threatening way. Nice to see that. That was the only positive story. Here’s the link, check it out: http://hollabacktexas.blogspot.com/

But there were a couple of things that pissed me off.

From their Q & A section:

Question: I am a man who was recently sexually objectified by a woman on the street. I think this is reverse harassment. Why won’t you post my story?

Answer: While a woman making unsolicited sexual remarks to a man is certainly conceivable, the power dynamics of such an encounter are very different in a society where women comprise a historically subordinated group. HollaBackNYC is a project dedicated to combating a particular form of violence that designates subordinated groups (such as women and LGBTQ** folks, for example) as targets in public spaces or otherwise vulnerable to unsolicited, nonconsensual encounters with strangers. It is thus not a forum for reporting other unpleasantries.

Why won’t they post your story? Basically, because you’re a man. That seems a little sexist to me. “Other unpleasantries”? It’s a site dedicated to alleged harassment – but only if you’re a woman. I understand their reasoning, but I don’t agree with it. But this post is about feminism, not reverse sexism. I’ll talk about that later.

Are women attacked? Yes. Do women get raped? Yes. Is every guy who honks or whistles at a woman a rapist? No. Men get attacked as well. Men are raped too (in prison) and in larger numbers. (Yes, by other men, but still.)

Question: If you show off your boobage, shouldn’t you expect some compliments?

Answer: Sure, expect them, but don’t accept them! Just because it happens doesn’t mean it’s okay. A compliment is not a compliment if it makes the recipient feel bad.

Ok, but why do women, in this day and age, get mad when a man notices what they're wearing? I mean really, if you're showing it off, you want someone to see it, and you shouldn't get upset when they do. Are they 'asking for it' if they are attacked? No. But someone looking and someone touching are two very different things.

So here’s my problem with feminists*: Women are equal and strong and can take care of themselves, but they are also victims and need to be taken care of.

You can’t have it both ways.

Would I be offended if some guy grabbed my ass or any other part of my body? Yes, of course. But if I’m walking down the street and some guy yells, “Nice tits!”, would I feel violated? No.

What do you think? I don’t mind taking any shit on this, all comments are welcome. I love debating this sort of thing.

(* I realize that there are different types of feminism and a wide range of beliefs in that area.)

(**Ok, I get the LGB and the T, but what's the Q?)

Is this really necessary?

In the interest of being a complete and utter waste of time...

http://www.airguitarusa.com/home.html

You are so off my MySpace friends list

Random stuff for no apparent reason...

Doogie Howser, MD invented the blog. Really, he did. Think about it.

Snakes are scary, because they don't have arms but they can still hurt you.

I have an irrational fear of people named Kevin.

Have you ever noticed how much alcohol is consumed on most sitcoms?

I seriously don't care if I'm one of your top friends on MySpace. Seriously. But if you take me off, I'll take you off too. Nothing personal. Fair is fair. Ok, so maybe I do care a little. How high school of me.

I hate people's ex's who won't go away. Mine included.

My knee hurts.

I hate spiders.

I like my hair today. Got it cut by a guy in my improv class and he did a great job. He's funny too. Best haircut ever.

My birthday: 10 days. I'm not looking forward to it. Two years to 40. Crap.

I haven't been writing much lately. That has to change.

I haven't written a new joke in months. I'm just not feeling it right now.

Apology

I am such a shit.

One of my very best friends in the world sent me a letter. Yes, a letter in the mail, because I've been too busy wallowing in my own pit of crap to call or email her in the last couple of months.

She's always been that one person who was there for me. But I don't get to see her because she lives 2 hours away. We grew up together. We wore ugly choir dresses together. She was there during my first divorce, telling me that I was doing the right thing. Her mother used to babysit my kids when they were little. Her family has invited me to spend holidays with them when I didn't have anyone else to spend them with.

She's such a great mom, and I've always admired her ability to do a million things at once and not get flustered. Our sons are 6 months apart in age. She and her husband are a study in successful, happy marriage. There's something I've never had.

Your letter made me cry, and I'm so sorry for all that you're going through. I've been out of touch for a while, with you, with a lot of people. We have lots to talk about. I promise to call you tonite.

I love you, Dallas Observer

Ok, so I'm not their mother, but I feel as proud as one.

Corey Sutton was voted "Best Local Stand-up" by the DO for 2006. See this article. http://www.dallasobserver.com/bestof/award.php?oid=oid:249941

Aww. Our little Corey is growing up and doing so well! I'll never forget the first time I met him at an open mic. I had just done a set, which he witnessed, and he walked up to me in his oh-so-adorable and shy way and whispered very quietly to me, "I love you."

The best thing about Corey is that, in spite of his success at such a young age, he remains humble and without a big head about it. He's always been down to earth, and I think he will stay that way. After being in this business for a few years, it's refreshing to see someone who knows he's talented, but doesn't treat others as if they aren't. Even some of the comedian folks I've considered friends over the years really aren't my friends unless I can do something for them or help them out in some way. That's the nature of the business. No one's in it to make friends. But Corey, nope, he's not like that.

Way to go, C-dog. We love you.

And, my favorite group of smart-ass political satirists got a very nice mention as well. Sadly, their show last nite didn't yield the amazing crowd we were hoping for, but the show was damn good. Another link for you: http://www.dallasobserver.com/blogs/

Thanks, Andrea. And you're right, Beth IS one of the funniest women. Ever.

I'm so proud of these folks. So very proud.