Which bullet will win?
Also, I love numbers.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Things don't usually turn out this way but I'd just like to share 3 very surprising stories.
Story 1
In high school a neighbor had a renter who had a cat and worked lots of hours. Because of her schedule she was looking to pay someone to come by daily during the week and spend some time with the cat and feed the cat. The neighbor recommended me. I agreed. I love cats! And earning money in high school was always a plus. I think we agreed that she would pay me $40 on a monthly basis or something. Anyway, I went daily after school and played with the cat and fed the cat. The cat was really sweet but that's not the point of the story. It was the end of the last week of a month; I was supposed to get paid the next day or something. I stopped by after school as usual, but found no cat and the apartment was empty! I talked with the neighbor and she said the woman moved out that morning having given no notice. It was all around strange. My mother was mad because the woman did not pay me for that month and I had been very responsible, often visiting the cat after school and in the evening. I was more upset at not having said goodbye to the cat. The neighbor did not leave a forwarding address or anything; so there was nothing left to do but learn a lesson.
About four or five months later I received a very late Christmas card in the mail. It was from the woman and included an apology for not telling me she was moving as well as a check! My mother was shocked. My naive high school self was not as shocked but was happy to know she and the cat were okay and, of course, to have the $40.
Story 2
For three years in high school I had the same summer job. I worked with this woman, Carole. She was in her late thirties or early forties. She was very nice and we were work friends. She worked there for the last 2 summers that I did. At the end of each summer, she (along with most people who worked summers on the Cape) left the cape to go elsewhere for work. And I went to school. Sometime during the fall of my second year of college, I received a collect call from Carole. I hadn't heard from her in over a year and did not know who it was at first. She told me her car ran out of gas while leaving the Cape and heading to Western Mass and she was stuck at a gas station with no money and could I drive to meet her and loan her some money to get gas and some food so she can get back to Western Mass. I was really surprised but agreed. (I know, I know. This is the part of the story where the hand hits the forehead and you might be saying, "Sara, are you kidding me?")
Anyway, it took me about an hour to drive to where Carole was. I loaned her some money, bought the both of us coffee, we chatted for a bit and then parted ways. Carole told me she'd mail me a check when she got to Western Mass. Off she went, and back to school I went. My mother was furious when she heard what happened. She thought I was smarter than that. I told her I trusted Carole and believed she would send me the money and I became my mother's stupid child.
It took somewhere between 10-12 months but I did receive a card in the mail from Carole with a check for the money she owed me and a grateful thank you. I was still the stupidest child, just also lucky.
Story 3
I recently had to move out of my apartment because the building was headed for foreclosure. I wasn't given a lot of notice, but I found a new place quickly and was able to move with only some minor disruptions (no water, ahem). Anyway, when I left the old place I had paid the last month's rent twice (when I first moved in and before I knew I had to move out) and had paid a security deposit. I tried several times to get this money from the landlord before I moved out. I set up meeting times and offered to swing by and pick it up but each time was in vain, she forgot or lost the check. After I moved out I called her several times about the best way to get the check; she never answered my call or called me back. So finally I left her a message telling her I was sending her a self-addressed stamped envelope so she could just place the check inside and drop it in the mail. I figured this would be the easiest for her and she didn't have to see me or talk to me. I thought if anything would work, this would work. So I was disappointed when I had not heard anything 2 weeks later and figured it was a lost cause 4 weeks later.
This past week (6 weeks later) I received a familiar looking envelope in the mail -- the self addressed stamped envelope I wrote. There was a check inside with an apology note. Am I surprised? Yes. But then again, this sort of thing has happened before.
Story 1
In high school a neighbor had a renter who had a cat and worked lots of hours. Because of her schedule she was looking to pay someone to come by daily during the week and spend some time with the cat and feed the cat. The neighbor recommended me. I agreed. I love cats! And earning money in high school was always a plus. I think we agreed that she would pay me $40 on a monthly basis or something. Anyway, I went daily after school and played with the cat and fed the cat. The cat was really sweet but that's not the point of the story. It was the end of the last week of a month; I was supposed to get paid the next day or something. I stopped by after school as usual, but found no cat and the apartment was empty! I talked with the neighbor and she said the woman moved out that morning having given no notice. It was all around strange. My mother was mad because the woman did not pay me for that month and I had been very responsible, often visiting the cat after school and in the evening. I was more upset at not having said goodbye to the cat. The neighbor did not leave a forwarding address or anything; so there was nothing left to do but learn a lesson.
About four or five months later I received a very late Christmas card in the mail. It was from the woman and included an apology for not telling me she was moving as well as a check! My mother was shocked. My naive high school self was not as shocked but was happy to know she and the cat were okay and, of course, to have the $40.
Story 2
For three years in high school I had the same summer job. I worked with this woman, Carole. She was in her late thirties or early forties. She was very nice and we were work friends. She worked there for the last 2 summers that I did. At the end of each summer, she (along with most people who worked summers on the Cape) left the cape to go elsewhere for work. And I went to school. Sometime during the fall of my second year of college, I received a collect call from Carole. I hadn't heard from her in over a year and did not know who it was at first. She told me her car ran out of gas while leaving the Cape and heading to Western Mass and she was stuck at a gas station with no money and could I drive to meet her and loan her some money to get gas and some food so she can get back to Western Mass. I was really surprised but agreed. (I know, I know. This is the part of the story where the hand hits the forehead and you might be saying, "Sara, are you kidding me?")
Anyway, it took me about an hour to drive to where Carole was. I loaned her some money, bought the both of us coffee, we chatted for a bit and then parted ways. Carole told me she'd mail me a check when she got to Western Mass. Off she went, and back to school I went. My mother was furious when she heard what happened. She thought I was smarter than that. I told her I trusted Carole and believed she would send me the money and I became my mother's stupid child.
It took somewhere between 10-12 months but I did receive a card in the mail from Carole with a check for the money she owed me and a grateful thank you. I was still the stupidest child, just also lucky.
Story 3
I recently had to move out of my apartment because the building was headed for foreclosure. I wasn't given a lot of notice, but I found a new place quickly and was able to move with only some minor disruptions (no water, ahem). Anyway, when I left the old place I had paid the last month's rent twice (when I first moved in and before I knew I had to move out) and had paid a security deposit. I tried several times to get this money from the landlord before I moved out. I set up meeting times and offered to swing by and pick it up but each time was in vain, she forgot or lost the check. After I moved out I called her several times about the best way to get the check; she never answered my call or called me back. So finally I left her a message telling her I was sending her a self-addressed stamped envelope so she could just place the check inside and drop it in the mail. I figured this would be the easiest for her and she didn't have to see me or talk to me. I thought if anything would work, this would work. So I was disappointed when I had not heard anything 2 weeks later and figured it was a lost cause 4 weeks later.
This past week (6 weeks later) I received a familiar looking envelope in the mail -- the self addressed stamped envelope I wrote. There was a check inside with an apology note. Am I surprised? Yes. But then again, this sort of thing has happened before.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ides of March looking towards the ides of July
It's the ides of March. In four months I turn 29. For the first time. As a birthday present to myself, I would like to be 10lbs lighter on that date.
I know this won't be easy. But I plan on trying hard. And making it public here might serve as some encouragement for me.
I am currently 20 lbs heavier than when I started college, but about 15 lbs lighter than my heaviest weight not that long ago. While I really want to get back to the weight I was at when starting college, I'd be happy with losing just the 10 pounds.
I plan on eating less, eating healthier, and most importantly being more active: walks and possibly Pilates. If necessary, I will resort to leaving berating messages to myself in the bathroom mirror and putting up old photos of myself on the fridge. I'm serious folks. Really, serious.
I know this won't be easy. But I plan on trying hard. And making it public here might serve as some encouragement for me.
I am currently 20 lbs heavier than when I started college, but about 15 lbs lighter than my heaviest weight not that long ago. While I really want to get back to the weight I was at when starting college, I'd be happy with losing just the 10 pounds.
I plan on eating less, eating healthier, and most importantly being more active: walks and possibly Pilates. If necessary, I will resort to leaving berating messages to myself in the bathroom mirror and putting up old photos of myself on the fridge. I'm serious folks. Really, serious.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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