Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Ferocious Anne

Did you know....
that I am so ferocious that it takes not one, but two cop cars to light me up and pull me over to tell me my tabs are expired???

Naturally this comes after just a couple months that i reminded a friend of mine to get his tabs renewed so that he wouldn't get a ticket. Which in the midst of moving...i promptly forgot about my own. I never received the reminder they are supposed to send out in july or august. Anyway, in october, i have a grand night with blinding red and blue lights. -_-

Now they've arranged for my mitigation hearing. On CHRISTMAS EVE no less. I would have thought that being government, they'd have that day off. Sounds like some people are going to be unhappy with being at work that day. Lucky me.

How on earth does the state justify $216 for forgetting to put little stickers on your plates? That sounds like extortion. Ah the crazy laws we abide by. Some traffic fines, i can understand. Like passing a school bus, or running a red light, or driving drunk. But STICKERS!!!!!!

I'm hoping that since it has been 5 years since my last infraction (which was differed) and that the tabs were taken care of within 24 hours...that they might let me get away with a reduced fine or even better; all together.

*Crosses fingers*

Monday, December 14, 2009

Winter's Delights and Deadfalls

Winter in the Northwest is a mixed blessing. This has been true especially in the last couple of years.
  • We get several light dustings of snow....but they accumulate and turn into layer upon layer of ice.
  • There isn't enough snow for us to feel like we can't drive....but Seattlelites can't drive in anything more than a drizzle anyway
  • Holiday shopping is at it's peak...and so are the lines at the stores.
  • Friends are always happy to see you...provided you're the one willing to brave the icy streets to see them.
  • There isn't a lot of snow on your windshields in the morning....just a lot of stubborn ice.
With Nano over, I'm finally catching up on all the miscellaneous tasks that fell by the wayside. Things like oil changes, cleaning, paperwork, bill filing, and decorating. The one think i absolutely love about the Christmas season is the lights. They make me so happy. I even have a strand up at work. Now all i have to do is survive cleaning my room and I'll be back to normal.

In other news, I am currently locked in an epic battle with a credit card company that i opened my first account with when i turned 18. Seems the left hand isn't talking to the right and all the words are coming right out of the ass. It wasn't until i started my cold and agressive campaign in which i demanded and took down names, extensions and departments that i finally started getting somewhere. Normally, i wouldn't take such a strong emotion with this kind of issue. However, the fact is, I was told that my account was shut down in MAY. I have paperwork stating so. But the annual fee actually sent me to collections. And now they're trying to hold my $500 dollars hostage. Not to put too fine a point on it- I'm not pleased with that prospect.

I believe credit cards are a necessary evil. I simply DO not spend money i don't have yet the society we live in requires us to maintain some kind of credit score. Yet since i have maintained good credit up till this point; things like Annual Fees and Giving them 500$ to hold to make sure my credit is assured....are not acceptable. And that 500$ is MINE.

Christmas shopping is almost done. I have one more stop to do since i very nearly forgot someone very important to me. As of tonight, I should be clear to wrap and deliver. Yay!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Attacking Overwhelmment

Overwhelming circumstances have a tendency to make me feel like throwing in the towel before i even get started.
Like the current state of my room. While the main living area was kept fairly neat for the roommate situation, my room on the other hand, was left to go to seed. It's quite possible that gremlins have been able to make off with a few things.
During Nano, a lot of my normal tasks get pushed aside for the writing. Letters and emails go unopened, bags get thrown, receipts litter my floor, coins are scattered, and don't even get me started with the laundry waiting patiently to be folded and put away.
Usually, I'm so tired by the time i stop writing, that i manage to stagger into my room, take a hold of my bedspread, jerk it back so that anything on top of it goes flying to the floor, any remaining energy is expended trying to get into bed and pull it back over me.
Now that Nano is over, my energy is going into playing catchup. I spent a whole day just doing laundry. And i ended up having to run out of the house for something and not comming back. Then i tried to clean my bathroom, and ended up getting a call from the family to help out with something. Never ended up finishing that.
A ton of half started projects makes for one big mess. And i know you're probably all sitting over there going "just pick one and finish it!". And as i look around my room, i laugh at how easy it must seem when you're not in a constant state of Overwhelmment.
I'm currently formulating a plan which starts at the biggest thing in the way and works outward from there. Only time will tell if i have enough energy to finish it.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Ok, Brain = Dead

Sorry for the delay in posting. Nano got a little hectic for a while. You'll be happy to know that i reached the 50k on the 29th, and then decided not to push my word count beyond that. I simply burned out this year. Between the new boyfriend, family demands, friends who realize I'm suddenly available again, AND all of the tasks that i have put off all month....I'm beat.
And while I'm still too burned out to even plan an after party, I'm doing my best. It might just turn out that next Tuesday we all meet up and chat and talk and joke around. Because thus far, trying to coordinate a bowling night has been hell, both by picking a day that they can all make it, and that the night isn't already taken over.
My life is currently in a state of chaos. I haven't cleaned in a month, making my room an effective obstacle course. Rather than try to sort through a months worth of clothing on my floor, i simply washed everything made of cloth. I'm not quite finished getting that back in order, but my room is a lot less dangerous than before.
Also, i'm going to be making judgment calls on a lot of the things in my room which have been in my way. Things like satchels, luggage, etc that are bulky and don't need to stay in my room when i have a perfectly good garage to store things in.

In other news:
After 6 days off of work, I'm back in the grind. The vacation was much needed and greatly beneficial. Now if only i could just squint my eyes and make this stack disappear.
Also, It's the holiday time. Out comes the half merry half scrooge Anne.
I love the lights, the thrill of finding perfect gifts, the snow, the fact that for a change i have someone to cuddle up with under a comforter on the cold nights and watch Star Trek for the gazillionth time.
What I don't love is that this is a consumerist free for all with ungrateful brats, pushy parents and the tug of wars over parking spaces. People seem to get caught up in the MUST BUY GIFTS zombie like mentality and forget the spirit of Christmas.