Yuck, Monday!

Why do they still have to muck around with the bloomin' clocks?! It drives me mad! Lose an hour here, gain an hour there, I know it makes for longer evenings, but I don't think it's important to carry on changing the clocks all the time. We're no longer a farming industry, so it's not like we require it to see later into the evening to sow or harvest our crops. And even if we were still a farming industry, then there are such things as flood lights!?!?!

Right, rant over! I'm just tired and been suffering with a bad cold over the weekend and the end of last week. You know when you're getting a bit ill and you begin to lose all control over your own limbs? Well that was me last week! I am surprised I managed to do anything at all, I spent most of the time banging into stuff (I have the biggest old lady bruise on my hip!) and flinging things on the floor - I am actually stunned I managed to even feed myself considering the majority of my food ended up on the floor!

My parents were away last week and they got back on Saturday afternoon, so it was nice to spend some time with them over this weekend.

Now it's back to work. I've been feeling really positive about work recently, people have asked me how it is going and I have really not been able to say anything negative about it, but over the last week or so, things have felt really tense, and I just sort of feel like there is a horrible dark cloud hanging over everything. I'm trying to ignore it and just get on with my job and do what I'm paid to do, but I can't help but feel a little worried. I'm not sure if it's because I'm worried there will be more redundancies, or if it's something else?! I know that my colleague Sally who I get on with really well is not in the best of moods at the moment, and I know that she can't be chipper all the time, but it does start making me feel a bit down when she is p*ssed off every time she steps in the office. I don't know if it's me, or if it's something else. It's just getting quite frustrating because I don't know what to do.

Anyway, enough of my chat...

I hope everyone is well?!

Muchos Love!
Becky xxxx

Some things you may not know about Nae!

This week is meant to be my spring break from uni, but it's been nothing but busy busy busy. I've worked every day since Friday, but I get the weekend off. Finally! Besides working all week, I've started my duties as matron of honor. Don't you think matron sounds weird? But that's what I am because I'm a married lady. Monday night we went bridesmaid dress shopping. We must have tried on 20 dresses between the 6 of us. I'm not really sure how the dress was picked, but it is the ugliest dress I've ever seen in my whole like. And the bride didn't even pick it out - a bridesmaid did! Idiot! Of course the night didn't end without it being said that we could always shorten the dress and because it's black we could wear it again!

Tuesday night I was out for another dress shopping adventure. This time it was for the wedding dress. My cousin Jaime (the bride) had no idea what kind of style she wanted so she tried on every different style possible, but didn't really find anything she liked. She left feeling kinda bad, so I suggested we go to another place. We did and she found "the dress". I didn't want to encourage her to buy it because it was the first time we'd been out shopping, but she looked lovely in it. So, she's going to take some more people down to have a look at it the weekend. Hopefully she buys one soon because the wedding is in August!

Oh, the reason I need something to mother is because I got to spend some time with my godson this week. Jacob is almost 3 months and is so adorable. Jaime brought him with us on Tuesday and I got to hold him when she was trying on dresses. At one point he started to cry and I had no idea how to make him stop. He was giving me the pouty lip and everything. Eventually I got him to stop and he fell asleep in my arms. It was amazing! Babies are not in the picture for Chris and I right now. Nature - well, actually medicine - has denied my womb of a baby for the next year or so. I'm on a mission for a dog. The only thing stopping me is our apartment. This brings me to share some things you might not know about me.....

1. I have to move every year. Where most people don't like moving, I love it! Chris hates it, but has accepted its a part of me. Our current apartment doesn't allow pets, so I want to move so we can get a dog.

2. I have an addictive personality. If I like something I do it over and over and over again until I get bored. Variety doesn't exist for me. Currently I'm having a pepperoni bake (like lasana) for lunch everyday.

3. There is a lot in my past I would change. If you ask someone if they would change anything in their past, most people will say no because it has made them the person they are today. I, on the other hand, think I would be a better person if certain things didn't happen in my past. Even though I know things in my life would change, I still think I would be better off. But of course, certain things in my life wouldn't change like being married to Chris. Chris and I are meant to be so obviously we would have always meet. Corny, I know.

Weather

Is it just me or is anyone else completely confused by the weather situation?! Left the house this morning to lovely sunshine - went out on my lunch and it was raining, walked out of M&S with a sandwich and it was hail stoning, then by the time i got back to the office it was sunny again?!?
I am very confused by it all
Bet certain people who live in California don't have this problem!!

xxxx

REJECT!

I know it is slightly stalkerish of me to friend request celebrities on facebook, but they must realise that people will look for them and friend request them - surely they, as celebrities, must enjoy the attention and the fact that so many non-celebrity people would want to be their friends, you would think they would accept a request for friendship whole-heartedly. In my case, however, I am REJECTED! I have friend requested 2 "celebs" on facebook (they will remain nameless in order that the shreds of my street cred remain intact!) and they have both rejected me. I know they don't know me, but one would hope that they would see a lovely profile picture and think "Wow, this hottie wants to be my friend, I'll definitely accept and get a piece of that action". But obviously, they see my profile picture and think "Oh God, weirdo wants to be my friend! I hope I never meet her on a dark night, I think I might have a heart attack and die of fright!" I am well versed in rejection, but when someone I don't know is able to reject me, that's a whole new level of rejection I am not sure I am ready for! :0(

Anyway, last week was quite a long week, and while nothing of note really happened, I was so pleased that the weekend finally rocked up! I met Caroline for a few drinks in the Slug, and the evening ended up descending into chaos as we met Dilip and Gary and one of their rather strange friends - who thought it appropriate to ask me about my sexual experiences, and asked me to describe my nipples. Now, I am not a prude, and am usually happy to discuss my breasts - they are lovely after all - but seeing as I'd just met this person, I was a little taken a back that he thought it appropriate to ask such intimate questions that not even close friends would necessarily ask!

I went for a walk on Saturday morning and then went into Kingston to return a few bits and get some photos printed. I then met my friend Emily and we went to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which was actually really good. Emily really wanted to see if and I wasn't really bothered, but I actually really enjoyed it - it made me really want to go to Barcelona!!!!

My parents went on holiday yesterday, so I just spent the day sorting out my ironing and chilling out. I really need to start achieving something other than housework during the weekends, I don't really have anything to show for my life at the moment.

Hope you're all well.

Big love!
Becky xxxxx

The week has been a mixture of things. All of which have sucked ass big time.

Because I'm a "nice person" I agreed to go to downtown San Francisco to pick up some coffee pots for my boss' wife. She found some insulated coffee pots advertised on Craig's list (like Gumtree), but they were in SF and she could get down there. Stupid me opened my mouth and said how I was in SF all the time. She organized for me to go to this hotel to pick up the coffee pots on Tuesday afternoon after my classes. The hotel was really posh and so I sat there in the lobby reading a book because they man I was supposed to meet was late. Turns out he was late because he was at a funeral. I let him off the hook because he had a good reason. Turns out the stupid coffee pots were only $2 each. She wanted 4. I just feel like it was such an effort for me to get down there and get them - it was clearly out of my way. I thought they were going to be made of gold or something. Nope. They weren't. Anyways, needed to whine about that. Oh, and when I brought them to work this morning, I carried them in my reusable shopping bag. She never took the bloody things out of it and asked if she could take them home in the bag!!! What did I say? Yes of course! Why do I do things I don't want to do?

In my tax class, we were given a tax return to do that was due today. OMG, that thing kicked my ass. You would think because I do tax returns pretty much everyday, the bloody thing would be easy for me. Nope. Not at all. It was way more complicated than anything I do at work. The couple had a live in nanny, so I had to figure out household employee tax. They had new rental properties, so I had to do depreciation. The wife sold pottery and I had to figure out if it was a business or hobby. All really retarded stuff. Please don't sell pottery. Anyways, I had been working on it over the weekend at work. In class on Tuesday, the professor went over a few things so I knew I needed to revise it a bit, but couldn't actually go into work until this morning to finish it. Was cutting it really close. Anyways, I just wanted to say that I'm done with tax. Done. Don't want to hear about it anymore. At all. Period.

Also, if I get another text telling me not to go to Wal-Mart today because of a gang initiation to shoot 3 women........ Seriously. Come on. How many Wal-Marts are there? I think I'll got to freaking Wal-Mart and take my chances. In fact, the gang will do me a favor by shooting me because I won't have to get that bloody text anymore!

So, Chris and I have been on a diet for 2 weeks now. We decided to eat whatever we wanted tonight. Chris made himself a huge sandwich. I found some bread, turkey, and cheese and thought a turkey melt would be lovely. I fixed everything and put it in the oven. After 10 minutes of thinking about my meal and waiting for it to melt, I checked on it and noticed there was mold on the cheese. What! Moldy cheese! So, I checked that bag of cheese, and yup, there was mold all over it. My meal.....failed. I threw it away and gave up on my dream of eating dinner.

Hope you guys didn't have to deal with moldy cheese this week.

What era am I from?!

I am trying to decide if I'm a 1950's housewife or a 1970's hippie/rock chick, I'm not sure I can be both!? I've been both this weekend anyway! Friday night was 1970's time, out in KTown with some old IAP'ers in my 70's finest dancing the night away to such wonderous tracks as "Come on Eileen" and "I Want you Back". All that was missing was a light up dance floor!

I was wearing my 1950's housewife hat on Saturday, baking a blonde mocha layer cake and making fudge (all from scratch I hasten to add, no packet cakes here!) for my niece's birthday which is on Tuesday, but we had a party yesterday (Sunday). All that was missing from my cake baking activities was set hair, a petticoat and perfect make up!

Imogen got a slide from her Nana & Grandpa (that's her grandparents on her dad's side!) and we set it up in the living room and she was up and down it like a yo-yo, it was the cutest thing ever! I don't understand how one child can be soooooo adorable!?

Back at work today and not really happy to be here, so I've just been being completely out of control and spent over £100 on internet purchases. Mmmmm, I love spending!!

I have nothing else to share, my life is just soooooo dull and boring. I hope it gets interesting at some point soon!!

Hope everyone is good.

Muchos Love 'n' Stuff.

Becky xxxxxx

Nigella better watch out!

Hello Everyone!

I can't help but feel happy that it's the week. Also, the sunshine is making me feel extra happy. I remember what it's like to be in California now! I've finished my first round of midterms. They went okay - I could always do better. In my intermediate financial accounting 2 class, the professor gave us a talk about the job market and the different fields we can go into with accounting degrees. He seemed to be a little biased against government jobs because he said they were mindless 9-5 jobs which hardly give promotions and that we would spend our lives in a little cubical. Let me tell you, this is the best sounding job ever! I would love to work somewhere I didn't have to think, don't have to work overtime, and was left alone in my space to get on with my work. So, now I feel I'm destined to work in government. And to seal the deal even more, I got an email from my tax professor saying that the IRS is getting a buttload of money and is hiring everyone and their mother this year! Fantastic! IRS here I come! I will make sure none of you get audited.

In other news, Chris and I are on a diet. Chris is not weighing himself at all, while I am on the scales every hour. The first day I lost 5 pounds! um.... doesn't seem quiet right. The next day I gained 4.5 pounds back. Why do the scales lie? I have no idea. It's one of those cruelties in life. Actually, I feel a lot better because of the diet. I feel less bloated and my clothes feel looser. I also decided to stop drinking coffee. I was getting up to 3 cups a day. So, I went cold turkey and cut myself off and I have had the worst headache ever since! I guess I'm not through detox yet. You know when you can't have something, you always notice other people with that certain thing. Well, not only is everyone in the world walking around with cups of coffee, but I can smell coffee everywhere! It's like the world is trying to rub it in my face. Not nice World!

Besides that, same old thing really. Just school and work. Oh, I finished my duvet cover. I really don't know why I wanted to make one so bad, but I decided I wanted a new fancy duvet cover so I went to the fabric store and picked out something nice. I had to go back the next day because I didn't get enough fabric. I didn't really bother to measure the bed or the duvet, but it all came together in the end. I even made some pillowcases. Chris was really impressed when he saw it. He said he was surprised I had finished it and had written off the cost of the fabric thinking I would screw it up. I'm glad my husband has faith in me. Now that I have sewing out of my system, I think I'm going to make lampshades for our bedroom. I saw this cute design on a website where they used ribbon and stuck it on lampshades to make their own design. Doesn't sound that hard. Will let you know how they turn out next week. I'm a domestic goddess!

Here we go again....!

Back to the grindstone again! I so hate the fact that the weekends go so bloomin' quickly! I personally feel that the working week should be 4 days long and the weekend should be 3. I feel that we'd all be more productive during the working week and be able to properly rest and enjoy our weekends if we just had that extra day. Perhaps we should petition to see this happen?! Who decided that the working week should be 5 days anyway?!

Didn't do much at all this weekend (I'm seriously becoming a hermit, it's not good!), just spent most of the time trying to fix my laptop which has decided it hates me and doesn't ever want to switch on again. Thankfully I've got all my work etc backed up on my external hard drive, but it doesn't really matter if I can't access it!!! I might have to get myself a new laptop, so I am going to have to find at least £250 from somewhere. Not good. :0(

Went to a great exhibition at Westfield Centre with my dad on Thursday afternoon, it was a getty images exhibition called "Fabulous People, Fabulous Lives" and it's a collection of photographs of celebrities dating from the 30's through to the 80's. I felt a little underdressed and a bit like I shouldn't be there, but hey, I wanted to go look at the pictures, and why shouldn't I?! I'm as entitled as anyone else!

I popped into Kingston on Saturday morning to take a top back to Primark and get a few bits in Boots, then came home and spent the afternoon with my dad recording our version of 'Spooky' by Dusty Springfield!

Sunday I got to go and see 'Watchmen' which I have been excited to see since I saw it advertised. I've been aware of the graphic novel for quite sometime, but have not got around to reading it (I will now!). The film was amazing, it was beautifully shot, the fight sequences were really well put together, and it was cast really well. I really enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the dvd!

Back to work today, and I am really not in the mood to work, I've got the worst headache, and I just want to go home and spend the whole day watching tv! Very lazy I know, but that seems to be a trait of mine that gets worse as I get older. Oops!

Anyway, I'll stop babbling now!

Hope you're all well.

Love 'n' stuff

Becky xxxx

Birthday Stuff!

I have yet to be late on posting, until now. Yesterday was nutty! I had a midterm in my Intermediate Accounting 2 class and then met up with my mom in downtown SF to do some shopping and grab dinner before going to see Wicked. If you haven't seen Wicked, you must go! It was fantastic! I've been wanting to go for ages, but never got around to going while in London. I told Chris back in November that I wanted to go for my birthday, but do you think he got around to getting the tickets... NO! So, I had to take charge and by the tickets for my mom and I since we had birthdays a few days apart.

Speaking of birthdays, mine was wonderful. Thanks for all the text messages, emails, and messages on facebook/myspace. Chris spoiled me rotten and got me tons of presents.

I got a few books, lots of great bath stuff, a couple different perfumes and 2 Coach bags! What can I say, I have my husband in check! So, he definitely made up for not getting me the tickets to Wicked. On Sunday (my birthday), we went to my mom's house and had dinner and cake.

Chris got me a really cute cake from a place called "Nothing Bundt Cakes". He chose the "center of attention" cake. It totally makes sense because I love my birthday and love people making a big deal over it.
I'm sad that I have to wait a whole year for another birthday. I don't like the idea of getting older, but I love celebrating my birthday. Does that make sense?

As mentioned before, I had an accounting exam on Tuesday. I studied for it like crazy and was even dreaming about it! Doing accounting in your sleep is not fun. Anyways, the worst thing happened. I finished the test and had a couple of minutes to go over it. There was one question that I was a little concerned about, so I thought I would change it a little. I erased it and then the professor called time! I was gutted! I can't believe I would be that stupid to not know how much time I had left. Idiot! Oh, well.

Anyways, not much else to report. I officially hate tax season. Old people should not be able to file their taxes. Old people just bring in all of their receipts and don't understand that it takes me 30 minutes to copy all their crap and then 30 minutes to input all of their retirement. Stupid old people. Hate them.

But I miss you all!

Bored & Alone

So, I'm sitting on my own in my office today. I have to admit I feel a sense of power sitting here because I am the queen of my castle, but at the same time, I do feel a sense of dread and cold sweaty palms that I will have to deal with everything on my own for the day. My colleague Sally has the day off today, and she knows everything about everything, so I do struggle a little when she's not here. I think impotent can describe how I often feel working here! There is so much to learn that is so technical, and I just struggle sometimes to get my head around it all. I will have been here 4 months tomorrow, and while I know how to do things on the computer like orders, quotes and invoicing, the second I pick up the phone or one of the factory boys comes up to ask me a question, I feel like they're speaking in a foreign language! I am hoping the knowledge will come with time, but I feel a bit like I'm sinking at the moment. :0(

I haven't really done much recently, apart from having a night out on Thursday to meet Max Shuter (ex IAP) for a quiet drink, which ended up being me, Max and Dilip then me, Max, Dilip, Wes and Steve Lambert. It descended into a completely raucous evening as Max proceeded to get more and more drunk as the evening progressed. It was highly amusing, but not at all what I expected of the evening! Also bumped into an ex-boyfriend which turned me in to a gibbering and quaking wreck. I looked like a total tramp and just wanted to come across and cool and funny and aloof, but I actually think I came across as a total loser (but then again, at least by coming across in that way I was being true to myself!). Did a bit of shopping on Saturday (not enough for my liking, but I am rather skint for some reason) and then went to my sister's for the day yesterday which was lovely, and got to do some painting with my niece. After what seemed like about 2 hours sleep, I'm back here again. The weekends are just over far too quickly. Wish I was a lady of leisure sometimes!!

Anyways, hope you're all keeping well and had fun weekends. Happy Birthday Renee, I hope you enjoyed your day!

Love 'n' Stuff

Becky xxxx