Wow! I haven't posted in 20 days! I didn't realize it had been that long! Sorry folks. I am alive, but things are crazy. We had month-end and quarter-end stuff at work that kept me busy so I couldn't be web surfing or blogging. And because we implemented a new accounting system at work on July 1, I have continued to be extremely busy. I have people stopping by my desk ALL day long, so I try to keep work-related stuff up on my monitor. ;-)
I also went to Las Vegas over the 4th of July weekend. I did a LOT of partying and was intoxicated three nights in a row, so I was exhausted all of last week. (And with all the calories I consumed in Vegas between the buffet, the numerous drinks, and the late night/early morning pizza binges, I only gained a half a pound as of last week's Wednesday weigh-in!!! I was pretty damn proud of myself! But the weigh-in wench made her comment AGAIN. I finally gave her a piece of my mind - told her I didn't appreciate it and it was only a half a pound. She better not say anything to me tomorrow or she'll get another piece of my mind, although hopefully tomorrow the scales will tell me I'm a loser!) I fell asleep (way earlier than usual) on the couch every night last week. Now I'm caught up on sleep, but thanks to physical therapy on my shoulder, I've been in quite a bit of pain. The pain is so bad that I took 800mg of ibuprofen and a muscle relaxant, and I STILL felt it. And pain makes me very cranky. And when I'm cranky I don't want to do anything, including blog. So there's that.
Hopefully I'll be back to my usual self soon. I know you're all riveted to your feed readers waiting for me to post something witty. hahaha.
Peace and love.
J
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
I've been tagged!
Kori tagged me to do this meme.
1. What is your current obsession? The Internets!
2. What is your weirdest obsession? I can't think of anything off the top of my head.
3. Recall a fond childhood memory? Painting refrigerator boxes on my grandparents’ farm, putting carpet scraps in them and then playing in them like they were houses! I have a ton of fond memories from summers spent on my grandparents’ farm.
4. What’s for dinner? a Mexican Tamale Pie.
5. What would you eat for your last meal? Filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.
6. What’s the last thing you bought? Literally? Hair gel and face wash.
7. What are you listening to right now? The television.
8. What do you think of the person who tagged you? Kori is an amazing individual. A strong, independent woman. A phenomenal mother.
9.If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be? This is really tough because there are a lot of beautiful places in the world, so not having seen them all, I can't say. For now I'll go with New Zealand - beautiful scenery and mild weather. I hate heat and humidity.
10.If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.
11. Which language do you want to learn? I’d like to speak Spanish fluently.
12. What’s your favorite quote (for now)? “Can you look out the window without your shadow getting in the way?” – Sarah McLachlan
13.What is your favorite color? Blue
14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? Trouser jeans.
15. What is your dream job? Owning a coffee shop and/or doing something that makes a difference in the world. I’d love to volunteer with needy kids and families or work with Doctors Without Borders.
16.What’s your favorite magazine? I currently subscribe to Self, but I haven’t been reading it. I like National Geographic, but I don’t subscribe.
17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on? A bag for my new camera.
18. Describe your personal style? Kind of stylish, but not stylish to the point where I spend tons of money on the newest (and weirdest) fashions. Comfort is the most important factor. Most of my clothes are solids that can be mixed and matched. I’m a Gap & Banana Republic girl.
19. What are you going to do after this? Go to my friends’ house for brownies, strawberries, and ice cream! Yum. (Yeah, I typed this up last night.)
20.What are your favorite films? I love action movies and comedies. My favorites are the Ocean’s trilogy, Old School, and now The Hangover. Not exactly “films”, but they’re what I like.
21. What’s your favorite fruit? I can’t choose just one. I love so many! Peaches, mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, cherries, bananas, apples.
22.What inspires you? People who are strong and persevere. Creative people.
23. Your favorite books? Anything by Barbara Kingsolver. She moves me.
24. Do you collect anything? I kind of collect shot glasses, but I stopped because I had too many. I had a cute little shelf above the sink in my last apt to display them, but now they’re hiding in the cupboard because I’m classier now. ☺
25. Any advice from bitter experience? Never burn bridges, no matter how much you want to. The world IS small and everyone knows everyone!
26. What makes you follow a blog? If it’s witty and makes me laugh. I also love to read cute quotes from peoples’ kids. Good photography will also keep me coming back.
Rules: 1. Respond. 2. Tag 4 other people.
I’m tagging Mikki, Brit, J, and MyLittleBecky.
1. What is your current obsession? The Internets!
2. What is your weirdest obsession? I can't think of anything off the top of my head.
3. Recall a fond childhood memory? Painting refrigerator boxes on my grandparents’ farm, putting carpet scraps in them and then playing in them like they were houses! I have a ton of fond memories from summers spent on my grandparents’ farm.
4. What’s for dinner? a Mexican Tamale Pie.
5. What would you eat for your last meal? Filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.
6. What’s the last thing you bought? Literally? Hair gel and face wash.
7. What are you listening to right now? The television.
8. What do you think of the person who tagged you? Kori is an amazing individual. A strong, independent woman. A phenomenal mother.
9.If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be? This is really tough because there are a lot of beautiful places in the world, so not having seen them all, I can't say. For now I'll go with New Zealand - beautiful scenery and mild weather. I hate heat and humidity.
10.If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.
11. Which language do you want to learn? I’d like to speak Spanish fluently.
12. What’s your favorite quote (for now)? “Can you look out the window without your shadow getting in the way?” – Sarah McLachlan
13.What is your favorite color? Blue
14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? Trouser jeans.
15. What is your dream job? Owning a coffee shop and/or doing something that makes a difference in the world. I’d love to volunteer with needy kids and families or work with Doctors Without Borders.
16.What’s your favorite magazine? I currently subscribe to Self, but I haven’t been reading it. I like National Geographic, but I don’t subscribe.
17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on? A bag for my new camera.
18. Describe your personal style? Kind of stylish, but not stylish to the point where I spend tons of money on the newest (and weirdest) fashions. Comfort is the most important factor. Most of my clothes are solids that can be mixed and matched. I’m a Gap & Banana Republic girl.
19. What are you going to do after this? Go to my friends’ house for brownies, strawberries, and ice cream! Yum. (Yeah, I typed this up last night.)
20.What are your favorite films? I love action movies and comedies. My favorites are the Ocean’s trilogy, Old School, and now The Hangover. Not exactly “films”, but they’re what I like.
21. What’s your favorite fruit? I can’t choose just one. I love so many! Peaches, mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, cherries, bananas, apples.
22.What inspires you? People who are strong and persevere. Creative people.
23. Your favorite books? Anything by Barbara Kingsolver. She moves me.
24. Do you collect anything? I kind of collect shot glasses, but I stopped because I had too many. I had a cute little shelf above the sink in my last apt to display them, but now they’re hiding in the cupboard because I’m classier now. ☺
25. Any advice from bitter experience? Never burn bridges, no matter how much you want to. The world IS small and everyone knows everyone!
26. What makes you follow a blog? If it’s witty and makes me laugh. I also love to read cute quotes from peoples’ kids. Good photography will also keep me coming back.
Rules: 1. Respond. 2. Tag 4 other people.
I’m tagging Mikki, Brit, J, and MyLittleBecky.
Friday Fragments
Friday Fragments is brought to you by Mrs. 4444. Go check her out and join the fun!
**I usually don't like making my own salads. I just can't make 'em taste as yummy as restaurants can. All of that changed a few months ago when I was working in Sausalito and had to eat out for lunch every day. I would go to a regional grocery store chain called Mollie Stone's and visit the salad bar. I found a delicious salad dressing that was labeled "Roasted Garlic". I asked if it was bottled for sale, but they said no and I could pour a bunch into a soup bowl and be charged the same price as a bowl of soup. Being out of town, I opted not to do so. Since then I have searched high and low at every grocery store I go to for roasted garlic salad dressing. I found ONE salad dressing, but it just wasn't the same. I just discovered this week that there is a Mollie Stone's near where I work. I was disappointed to find that they didn't have the roasted garlic dressing, but noticed a balsamic vinaigrette of the same appearance. I tried it, and sure enough it's the same. All this searching and it's actually balsamic vinaigrette! So I poured a bunch into a soup cup and brought it home. I ate salad for lunch and dinner on Monday. This dressing has revolutionized salad for me.
**On Wednesday at Weight Watchers I hopped on the scale and then the weigh-in wench made a "oh dear" scrunchy face and said in a patronizing tone, "Oooh, did you expect to gain this week?" I was like, WTF?! I gained ONE freaking pound. and YES, I did expect that I would not have been as successful with my efforts because for Father's Day I went out to breakfast and then went to a friend's house for hot dogs and chips and dip. Sometimes a girl gets fed up with being deprived of things. Seriously though, aren't the WW people supposed to be encouraging?!
**Sunday is the one year anniversary being adorable Miss Charlotte's kitty mama. Over this past year I have really come to love my little fuzzy wuzzy fur-baby.
She does this adorable little thing where she lays down and puts her paws up like an otter. Then she rolls around and meows at me to pet her belly.
Charlotte is the sweetest cat I have ever encountered. She's only hissed probably three times since I've had her, and she NEVER scratches; not even when I subject her to a bath. She would be happy being petted 24/7 for the rest of her life.
**For some reason I thing blog posts are better when pictures are included.
**I'm going to see comedian Chelsea Handler this weekend! I'm going with my friend and her cousin who I've known since Daisy Girl Scouts! I'm excited to be reconnected with these girls and to spend time with different people. Bring on the fun!
Peace and love.
J
**I usually don't like making my own salads. I just can't make 'em taste as yummy as restaurants can. All of that changed a few months ago when I was working in Sausalito and had to eat out for lunch every day. I would go to a regional grocery store chain called Mollie Stone's and visit the salad bar. I found a delicious salad dressing that was labeled "Roasted Garlic". I asked if it was bottled for sale, but they said no and I could pour a bunch into a soup bowl and be charged the same price as a bowl of soup. Being out of town, I opted not to do so. Since then I have searched high and low at every grocery store I go to for roasted garlic salad dressing. I found ONE salad dressing, but it just wasn't the same. I just discovered this week that there is a Mollie Stone's near where I work. I was disappointed to find that they didn't have the roasted garlic dressing, but noticed a balsamic vinaigrette of the same appearance. I tried it, and sure enough it's the same. All this searching and it's actually balsamic vinaigrette! So I poured a bunch into a soup cup and brought it home. I ate salad for lunch and dinner on Monday. This dressing has revolutionized salad for me.
**On Wednesday at Weight Watchers I hopped on the scale and then the weigh-in wench made a "oh dear" scrunchy face and said in a patronizing tone, "Oooh, did you expect to gain this week?" I was like, WTF?! I gained ONE freaking pound. and YES, I did expect that I would not have been as successful with my efforts because for Father's Day I went out to breakfast and then went to a friend's house for hot dogs and chips and dip. Sometimes a girl gets fed up with being deprived of things. Seriously though, aren't the WW people supposed to be encouraging?!
**Sunday is the one year anniversary being adorable Miss Charlotte's kitty mama. Over this past year I have really come to love my little fuzzy wuzzy fur-baby.
She does this adorable little thing where she lays down and puts her paws up like an otter. Then she rolls around and meows at me to pet her belly.
Charlotte is the sweetest cat I have ever encountered. She's only hissed probably three times since I've had her, and she NEVER scratches; not even when I subject her to a bath. She would be happy being petted 24/7 for the rest of her life.**For some reason I thing blog posts are better when pictures are included.
**I'm going to see comedian Chelsea Handler this weekend! I'm going with my friend and her cousin who I've known since Daisy Girl Scouts! I'm excited to be reconnected with these girls and to spend time with different people. Bring on the fun!
Peace and love.
J
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Don't even get me started: Car Insurance
After yesterday's post, my dearest blog friend reminded me that she's an insurance agent, so I just had to type out all the gory details of my nightmarish experience to see if she had any advice. Now that I've typed it all out, I'll share it here so that you may learn from the mistakes.
*******************************************************************
My insurance is nearly $200/month for the following reason(s):
I got in a car accident in January 2008, I went to the chiropractor twice. I paid a total of $120 out of pocket for those 2 visits. My claim adjuster (with Unitrin Direct) asked if I had any medical expenses, so I told her that I had gone to the chiropractor. She said, "Send us a copy of the bill and we'll reimburse you." I said, "Are you sure? Will my premium go up because of this?" She said, "No." When I moved to San Jose I let them know of my new address, and they said that my rates were going up a little because the neighborhood was a worse one than where I lived in LA, which is a LOAD of crap.
Because of that little rate increase my dad suggested that I shop around to see if I could get a cheaper premium. (Here's where my dad gets some of the blame.) I didn't really want to because I liked Unitrin Direct. They handled my accident claim and a prior vandalism claim very well (except for not disclosing the truth about paying the chiropractic bills, which I go into below). I don't know WHY I went against my gut, but I did and I shopped for new insurance. I got a way lower rate (through my new insurance agent, which I'd never had before), so I moved over to Mercury insurance. I paid the down payment and then a couple weeks later, I get a notice that they didn't know I had a bodily injury accident, so they have to raise the premium. I told my insurance agent, so he went and found me a better deal at Allied Insurance, which I accepted and paid the down payment for, but sure enough I got a letter from them a few weeks later with the same story... I had a bodily injury accident. So I argued with EVERYONE that it was not a bodily injury, it was a chiropractor visit because I was sore. No one cared. Still an injury, they said.
My agent suggested I call Unitrin Direct and request subrogation - I pay them back the $120 they reimbursed me for the chiropractic visits, and they remove the "bodily injury" classification. Nope, the medical claims lady says, subrogation is not allowed in California. I said, "Why would my California-based insurance agent tell me to ask you about it if it's not allowed??" and she just replied, "The bodily injury is in the California state records. Even if I take the money back, you can never remove the fact that there was bodily injury reported in your claim."At this point I was BEYOND PISSED and I wrote to my agent:
James:
I'm sure you can understand that I am not happy right now. I left Unitrin Direct with a 6 month premium of $855 because you said you could get me a premium lower than that. I understand the problem with Mercury, but I was under the impression that you would have confirmed that issue would not arise again with Allied Insurance, but here I have gotten a letter from them saying that "effective inception the 1/12/08 accident has been added to the policy" and the premium increased from the quote of $782 to $1,106.
I called Unitrin Direct and they cannot reinstate my previous policy because it has been longer than 30 days. The premium they quoted me just now is $1,107.90 for six months, which is just $1 more than Allied. I spoke with two people and they both said there is absolutely nothing they can do; the quote cannot be adjusted. So now I'm screwed and either way, my insurance premium has increased and I'm paying an additional $500 a year. Not exactly what I was looking for when I went shopping for a new policy. What can you do to resolve this?
Julie
Apparently he couldn't do anything, and now I'm stuck with a six month premium of $1,106. Shit. And that is why I had an absolute fit on Tuesday when I had a fender bender. All I could see was dollar signs.
Moral of the story: if you like your insurance company and you've been with them for a couple years and your gut says "don't shop around", DON'T!!
*******************************************************************
My insurance is nearly $200/month for the following reason(s):
I got in a car accident in January 2008, I went to the chiropractor twice. I paid a total of $120 out of pocket for those 2 visits. My claim adjuster (with Unitrin Direct) asked if I had any medical expenses, so I told her that I had gone to the chiropractor. She said, "Send us a copy of the bill and we'll reimburse you." I said, "Are you sure? Will my premium go up because of this?" She said, "No." When I moved to San Jose I let them know of my new address, and they said that my rates were going up a little because the neighborhood was a worse one than where I lived in LA, which is a LOAD of crap.
Because of that little rate increase my dad suggested that I shop around to see if I could get a cheaper premium. (Here's where my dad gets some of the blame.) I didn't really want to because I liked Unitrin Direct. They handled my accident claim and a prior vandalism claim very well (except for not disclosing the truth about paying the chiropractic bills, which I go into below). I don't know WHY I went against my gut, but I did and I shopped for new insurance. I got a way lower rate (through my new insurance agent, which I'd never had before), so I moved over to Mercury insurance. I paid the down payment and then a couple weeks later, I get a notice that they didn't know I had a bodily injury accident, so they have to raise the premium. I told my insurance agent, so he went and found me a better deal at Allied Insurance, which I accepted and paid the down payment for, but sure enough I got a letter from them a few weeks later with the same story... I had a bodily injury accident. So I argued with EVERYONE that it was not a bodily injury, it was a chiropractor visit because I was sore. No one cared. Still an injury, they said.
My agent suggested I call Unitrin Direct and request subrogation - I pay them back the $120 they reimbursed me for the chiropractic visits, and they remove the "bodily injury" classification. Nope, the medical claims lady says, subrogation is not allowed in California. I said, "Why would my California-based insurance agent tell me to ask you about it if it's not allowed??" and she just replied, "The bodily injury is in the California state records. Even if I take the money back, you can never remove the fact that there was bodily injury reported in your claim."At this point I was BEYOND PISSED and I wrote to my agent:
James:
I'm sure you can understand that I am not happy right now. I left Unitrin Direct with a 6 month premium of $855 because you said you could get me a premium lower than that. I understand the problem with Mercury, but I was under the impression that you would have confirmed that issue would not arise again with Allied Insurance, but here I have gotten a letter from them saying that "effective inception the 1/12/08 accident has been added to the policy" and the premium increased from the quote of $782 to $1,106.
I called Unitrin Direct and they cannot reinstate my previous policy because it has been longer than 30 days. The premium they quoted me just now is $1,107.90 for six months, which is just $1 more than Allied. I spoke with two people and they both said there is absolutely nothing they can do; the quote cannot be adjusted. So now I'm screwed and either way, my insurance premium has increased and I'm paying an additional $500 a year. Not exactly what I was looking for when I went shopping for a new policy. What can you do to resolve this?
Julie
Apparently he couldn't do anything, and now I'm stuck with a six month premium of $1,106. Shit. And that is why I had an absolute fit on Tuesday when I had a fender bender. All I could see was dollar signs.
Moral of the story: if you like your insurance company and you've been with them for a couple years and your gut says "don't shop around", DON'T!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Rant & Rave Wednesday
I found this post idea over at A Little Blog About Nothing.
Rant: Last night in the parking lot of the grocery store, I experienced a little fender bender. I looked behind me, but the guy was in my blind spot - right behind my head/headrest. Neither of us were at fault. The witnesses said that we backed up in unison. My poor little Civic has a plastic bumper, so that needs to be replaced. The other guy drove a 1989 Ford pickup, so he had no damage, and could have cared less. He said, "I'm cool if you're cool." I said, "HAHA! NO! Do you have insurance?" (as I thought perhaps he'd said it because he was uninsured.) He did indeed have insurance, so we swapped info. After re-assessing the situation, I've decided to bypass reporting it to my insurance (because it's ridiculously effing expensive as it is, which is a long sob story that I'll save for another post if I can detail it all without breaking into a fit of rage or depression). A friend of a friend manages a body shop and is totally going to hook a sister up with a great "green" deal. I'll actually save money because I'm paying less than my insurance deductible. woo! But of course, I wish it had never happened!! Damn Honda for plastic bumpers and blind spots that you apparently can fit a truck in!
Rave: I started back Weight Watchers a few weeks ago, and after 2 weeks I'd lost 4.8 pounds! I weigh in again tonight. You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but according to the ridiculous Body Mass Index, I need to lose at least 70 pounds to be just below the maximum healthy weight for my height. A friend so eloquently stated that if I lose 70 pounds, I'll look like a Brazilian super model.
Rant: I found these super cute trouser jeans at Lane Bryant, and when I went to purchase them, the cashier said that they're being discontinued. She also said that they are the best jeans the store carries, and she, along with other customers, are upset about their decision to discontinue them. I sent an email to Lane Bryant via their website expressing my disappointment, but of course I haven't heard a response from them. How in the world am I supposed to take Stacy & Clinton's advice if I can't find trouser jeans that fit me?! But Julie, you say, I thought you were losing weight? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Since I wear the smallest size at Lane Bryant as it is, as soon as I lose my 70 pounds, I won't be able to shop there anymore anyway. But I got a big ol' booty, so I anticipate I'll still need to search high and low for pants that fit me properly. Damn society and their low rise trend.
Rave: This weekend while blog surfing, I found a little gem called 20 Something Bloggers. I joined the network, and have found a ton of new, totally awesome, hilarious, thought-provoking, creative blogs to read. I have also gained a bunch of new followers! (Hi new friends! and thanks for reading. I hope I don't bore you!) I'm excited about all the new blogs I've found, but at the same time overwhelmed with the volume of reading I'll have if I choose to keep up with everyone!
Peace and love.
J
Rant: Last night in the parking lot of the grocery store, I experienced a little fender bender. I looked behind me, but the guy was in my blind spot - right behind my head/headrest. Neither of us were at fault. The witnesses said that we backed up in unison. My poor little Civic has a plastic bumper, so that needs to be replaced. The other guy drove a 1989 Ford pickup, so he had no damage, and could have cared less. He said, "I'm cool if you're cool." I said, "HAHA! NO! Do you have insurance?" (as I thought perhaps he'd said it because he was uninsured.) He did indeed have insurance, so we swapped info. After re-assessing the situation, I've decided to bypass reporting it to my insurance (because it's ridiculously effing expensive as it is, which is a long sob story that I'll save for another post if I can detail it all without breaking into a fit of rage or depression). A friend of a friend manages a body shop and is totally going to hook a sister up with a great "green" deal. I'll actually save money because I'm paying less than my insurance deductible. woo! But of course, I wish it had never happened!! Damn Honda for plastic bumpers and blind spots that you apparently can fit a truck in!
Rave: I started back Weight Watchers a few weeks ago, and after 2 weeks I'd lost 4.8 pounds! I weigh in again tonight. You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but according to the ridiculous Body Mass Index, I need to lose at least 70 pounds to be just below the maximum healthy weight for my height. A friend so eloquently stated that if I lose 70 pounds, I'll look like a Brazilian super model.
Rant: I found these super cute trouser jeans at Lane Bryant, and when I went to purchase them, the cashier said that they're being discontinued. She also said that they are the best jeans the store carries, and she, along with other customers, are upset about their decision to discontinue them. I sent an email to Lane Bryant via their website expressing my disappointment, but of course I haven't heard a response from them. How in the world am I supposed to take Stacy & Clinton's advice if I can't find trouser jeans that fit me?! But Julie, you say, I thought you were losing weight? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Since I wear the smallest size at Lane Bryant as it is, as soon as I lose my 70 pounds, I won't be able to shop there anymore anyway. But I got a big ol' booty, so I anticipate I'll still need to search high and low for pants that fit me properly. Damn society and their low rise trend.
Rave: This weekend while blog surfing, I found a little gem called 20 Something Bloggers. I joined the network, and have found a ton of new, totally awesome, hilarious, thought-provoking, creative blogs to read. I have also gained a bunch of new followers! (Hi new friends! and thanks for reading. I hope I don't bore you!) I'm excited about all the new blogs I've found, but at the same time overwhelmed with the volume of reading I'll have if I choose to keep up with everyone!
Peace and love.
J
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