The Sky is Falling...

So I had to take a 1/2 sick day today from work because I had to visit the ole' dermatologist to get some routine blood work... I'm on month three of my "adventure" into Accutane. For those of you that don't know, being on Accutane means a monthly visit to the doctor for blood work and computerized tests about birth control methods.

The good news is that my complexion has never looked better. The bad news is that I'm starting to feel like a pin cushion.

But talking about skin and taking a half day is not the reason I'm blogging. I wanted to warn everyone, in case nobody has had the common courtesy to let you know, that the sky is falling.  (Consequently, I'm glad to have left early because, frankly, I'm tired of hearing about it).

But for those of you not in the WRAL viewing area...

Almost all 100 counties contained inside the great state of North Carolina are under some sort of Winter Weather Alert and people are losing their minds.  I'm suprised that people are not looting the streets in search of rock salt and batteries... it's that bad.

On Wednesday, after my faculty meeting, I decided to stop by the grocery store. We were running low on Ginger Ale and orange juice and I needed some more of that yogurt with the probiotics in it-- so I stopped in at the local grocery store in town, not thinking about the horrible "Winter Weather Alert" that WRAL had cast upon us (for FRIDAY NIGHT). The breads section was over run and ran-sacked. Apparently bread will somehow sustain life in the event of a possible snow storm. The only thing left was the wheat bread-- which is fine, because that's what I like.  And while checking out in the store hushed, reverent tones could be heard streaming out of locals talking about the impending doom that lay days before us.

Yesterday at work my principal made some comment in the office to our receptionists about how the weatherman was calling for 10 to 12 inches of snow with a layer of ice on top that will be at least an inch and a half thick. Panic ensued.

At afternoon carpool duty, later that day, a mom announced that she had heard that we would have at least three solid inches of ice and we'd be without power for at least a week. Again, panic ensued.

This morning, as I made my way out to morning carpool duty, I heard a co-worker say that, "we might as well get our shorts and flip-flops out, because we were going to have Spring Break next week."  Meaning, we'd end up having to make up all these "snow" days that haven't even happened yet during our planned Spring Break.

The "wintery mix" will not start until sometime tonight (Friday). I've heard it could start as early as six o'clock and I've heard as late as 12 o'clock. "They" expect a "wintery mix" until sometime tomorrow afternoon. And! "They" are saying that "it" is going to "stick" around for a while because it's so cold outside... even though it was 61 degrees yesterday.

I'm a little bit annoyed.  First of all, I hate snow and I probably hate whatever "they" are calling "wintery mix" with a passion.  Snow is dangerous.  I one time got stranded in the snow trying to escape the possibility of being trapped in my apartment with a horrible college roommate during a snowstorm.  Secondly, I hate how crazy the possbility of snow makes everyone.  You would think that the sky is about to rain down lethal doses of radiation or something equally as horrible.  Although I don't like the snow, let's please get a grip.  We can't control the weather anymore than we can control my crazy redneck neighbor, who at this very moment is probably at the grocery store buying a boat load of bread and beer, because "that's what you do when it snows."

My sister works in a nursing home as a social worker.  She says when an old person starts acting "a little crazy" the nurses automatically test to see if the old person has a UTI, because, for whatever reason, a UTI makes old people go a little nuts.  I feel like everyone around me is an elderly person with a bladder infection.

I think that "they" are calling for a few inches of snow-- and probably a little bit of ice.  I'm not sure if it is going to be bad or if people are just in an uproar because they issued this "Winter Weather Alert" three days out.  What I do know is that I hope that the weather people are wrong.  Seeing some snow might be nice, especially on a weekend-- since it won't mess with school.  However, seeing some ice or a lot of ice is scary because that means power outages, most likely.  And I don't know about you, but I like TV, and the computer... and my hair dryer.

So consider yourself warned-- the Sky is Falling-- tonight.

Mystery Illness...

I've been painfully sick for the last week. What started off as a minor sore throat and a low grade fever a week ago promptly turned into the worst lung pain I've ever felt in my life, last Tuesday morning. Don't ask how the two are related, because modern medicine couldn't even field that one.


Sure the doctor was nice and overly concerned. I would be too if the patient came in with a high fever, pale as a ghost and complaining of a horrible pain in her right lung that only got worse if she moved or breathed or tried to maintain any life function at all.

With the chest X-ray appearing to be clear, I was treated for a "chronic" sinus infection-- that I didn't know I had.  The next day I got a call saying I could have pneumonia, but the doctor, "really didn't think that was it." 

Comforting, huh?

Yet today I feel much, much better.  I went to work in the outfit I had laid out to wear last week before the terrible mystery illness-- the new little dress I got from the Banana Republic Outlet a few weeks ago.  And even though I was very sleepy this morning it felt good to get up and fix hair and put on make-up-- even if the wind was blowing to high heaven and it was pouring rain.  Anything is better than being held up on the couch.

Honestly, it is sort of nice to come back to work after being out for so long.  My co-workers, most of them, were concerned about my illness and were glad to have me back (at least they said so).  I've found working in a school, filled mostly with women, that women love nothing better than to commiserate with other women about the various diseases and illnesses they have contracted throughout their lifetime.  I'm sure tomorrow won't be as fun.

I've decided that my next step in maintaining my health is to bite the bullet and go get an H1N1 shot-- just in case.  A few weeks ago, when the school system offered the shots, I laughed them off-- who needs a stupid shot?  A few days at home would be a nice welcomed break  I full-heartedly told a co-worker. 

Stupid shot indeed. 

Round Three with Banana Republic & I've Found Some Satisfaction...

A few days before the Holidays I was in Banana Republic Outlet (BRO) doing a little last minute shopping with my mother.  I was not there to buy things for myself, so I decided that after Christmas I would go to the store and get the stuff I wanted--possibly at a lower price.

So the Monday after Christmas I decided I would head back to Smithfield and check out the store.  Santa Claus brought me a cute little turtleneck sweater in a smokey gray and I knew, from my earlier adventure, that BRO had that sweater in a pretty dark pink color as well-- a color I wouldn't mind having myself.  And my interest was peeked when my sister told me that she went the-day-after-Christmas and got the same sweater for $14 bucks and basically everything in the store was 50% off-- and this is an outlet store with already low-low prices.

So I take myself to the BRO, thinking that I was going to score a few good deals, get the sweater I wanted, possibly something else in the line of workwear, and beat the crowds because, afterall, it was a freaking Monday.

To my surprise-- BRO was completely crowded with tourist.  There were people from Canada in big chunky hiking boots and enormous back-packs loaded down with shopping bags and they were all armed with handfulls of half-off clearance socks.  There were people standing in line to buy clothing, people in line try on clothing, people in line to look at clothing... it was horrible.  Luckily the shirt I wanted was near the door, so I quickly grabbed an XS size in black (changed my mind about the color) and then began scanning the room for anything else that grabbed my eye.  I spotted a pretty silk sheath dress in a black and white print.  Again, I quickly pulled the size I thought I wore and got in line to check out.

Looking back on it, it was pretty comical.  The lady in front of me was in line with nothing-- she had a sister in the store bringing her things that she was calling out to her that she wanted.  I complimented her on bringing a spotter.  And that was a pretty smart idea-- because in that crowd there was no need to bother trying anything on.

So I finally get to the checkout.  I make small talk with the salesgirl, who seems a little overwhelmed at this point because she couldn't even fold up the dress I was buying.  She asks me if I want a BR card and I tell her no.  The Hubster would just die if I got another credit card.  She hands me the bag and I'm on my way-- happier than heck to be out of that crowded store.

Fast-forward a few hours...

I'm taking the dress and sweater out of my shopping bag to hang them up in my closet when I realize that the salesgirl didn't put the sweater in the bag.  So I get my sales ticket.  I paid for the sweater and there is no sweater!

So I call the store.  I speak to another overwhelmed salesgirl who eventually tells me to come back and they "will try to help me out."  I'm so upset at this point.  I know it was just a $14 dollar shirt, but it was the principle of the thing-- I paid for it, and I will get what I paid for.

So the next morning I take off to Smithfield-- sales ticket in hand.  The store manager walks me over to the sweaters, which have now moved to the center of the store and have been completely reorganized.  The store looks completely different-- not only has the inventory been moved around, but Spring stuff was out on the racks.  A tad bit distracted I take the shirt from the store manager and head home.  Again.

Fast-forward a few more hours...

At home, watching the Young and Restless, it dawns on my that I've not put up the sweater.  So during the commercial break I go to the black sweater and notice that the sweater is not long sleeved or made the same-- in fact it is a completely different shirt than what I had paid for the day before.  This shirt wasn't on sale either.  So I have a $30 shirt with short sleeves that I didn't pay for and still no sweater.

Frustrated I decide to just let it go because I was not going to go back to that store again over a sweater that wasn't that special in the first place.

So there.  At least the dress fit.  Or so I thought.  Which brings me to this past Sunday.  The day of my cousin's baby shower.

I had decided that I would wear my new dress, a black cardigan, tights and my new gray suede booties to the shower.  I go to my room, put on the tights and then the dress and I realize that the dress just doesn't fit right.  Sure, it fit-- it zipped and everything, but it just didn't fit in the right places.  It is funny-- I don't really weigh any more than I did three years ago, but things just don't fit the same?  My mother says that weight shifts.  I believe her.

Anyway.  I decide to take the dress back when the Hubster said, "that dress makes your stomach look like it's sticking out."  So I quickly shed the dress, threw on whatever I could find and went to the baby shower only to worry the entire time that I wouldn't be able to find the sales ticket.

But I did find the sales ticket, under the front seat in my car. 

Today I took back the dress, to a much less chaotic BRO and got a size larger that does seem to fit better.

Finally, some satisfaction.

Global Warming?...

I hate cold weather... almost as much as I hate hot, humid weather.  To combat the winter chill that I so very much hate, I decided that I'm going to move to Florida.  I'm not sure how this "plan" is going to work out and all, seeing how the Hubster is a farmer and his farm is here.  And last I heard, it was almost near impossible to move land... at least in one piece.

But I don't have to worry about that now-- the move is off.  I've understood that Florida is cold too!  This morning, while putting on my tights and socks (to wear under my long pants) I overheard the CBS news man talking about how the orange crop is in danger because it is 28 degrees and dropping in Florida.

28 degrees...

Cold.

Poor little Oranges.

Poor little Emily... to think, a few weeks ago I was all freaked out about the Polar Ice Caps melting by the year 2016...

Black-Eyed Peas & Warm New Year's Wishes...

The Hubster is off to eat Black-eyed Peas at his Great-Aunt's house.  I'm going shopping with my mom and sister.  I'm in desparate need of some storage bins. 

It seems that every year my Christmas collection grows a bit-- so I always buy an extra storage bin directly after Christmas.  This year I did just that-- but for some reason I need more.  Maybe it's because I spent way too much money on ribbons and bows and decorations... 

Anyway...

The Hubster is off to eat his weight in Black-eyed Peas.  Supposedly they bring you good fortune in the New Year.  So good Southerner's go to their Great-Aunt's house or Grandma's or wherever and scarf down a couple good size pots full of those tiny little peas.

We need the good fortune-- namely--$$$$

I myself hate Black-eyed Peas-- they are the worst color of light brown you'll ever see--my opinion.  But YUCK.  However, I do prefer the green variety.  I like them undried.  YUCK--dried peas!

Have a very Happy New Year Y'all... I can tell this year is going to be GREAT!