I'm almost OUT

...of scrapbook deadline insanity!!

Almost.

I still have an end of the month report to do and send something to try to be published.

(now you know why I've been missing in action....I had 3 deadlines to meet!)

And I have to drive to Oklahoma for my dad's surgery tomorrow.

Trying to finish up laundry.

Pack the kids. Pack myself.

Pack my scrapbook stuff for deadline while I am gone.

Remember everything I am supposed to remember.

Logan's baby turtle just died. Gotta go deal with that.

Crap.

A Hair-Raising Haircut!!

You might remember that recently Big Daddy and I went to that auction for our town's Symphony. Well, in addition to the fantastic necklace I got....I won a silent auction for a $100 gift certificate at a salon here in town. And since I am going out of town on Tuesday to head for my first Creating Keepsakes Convention for the year, I decided it was time to get a haircut
and start chipping away at that $100 I have to spend.


So, I called the salon and was given an appointment with Judy, who I was told was available to do the haircut. Well, I wasn't too worried, even though Judy does sound like she could be an older lady. But, really, doesn't that just mean she's "more experienced?!"


Well, everything was just fine, until I walked in the door of the salon.

Everywhere I looked, I could not find anyone that was anything less than 20 years older than me. Including Judy, who right off showed me the picture of her latest grandchild, who is a month old. I was a bit alarmed, but I figured, how bad can it be?!
(well, the 65+ year old in the next chair was getting her hair set for her weekly "hairdo" before going to sit under the dryer....should have been the thing that assured me I was COMPLETELY OUT OF MY ELEMENT HERE!!!!)

So, as I sit in the chair, Judy asks me if I want a wash, haircut and a set.

A set?!?!

Um....oh my gosh, no!!

So, Judy opts to spray my hair with water, rather than wash and set, and then cut it.

So, she asked me what kind of haircut I'd like.

So, I explained to her that I'd like it just like it was....long layers, layered around the face. Shorter in the back and longer at the bottom of the face on each side.
(and I did fix my hair before going, so she can see what it looks like......)

Well, she asked me questions about how to cut it.

Um....I don't know. Isn't it YOUR job to KNOW THAT?!?!!?!

(I could have told her it's similar to Victoria Beckham's, but she probably only knows
what Betty White's hair looks like!!!)

At this point, I started to panic.

The entire haircut, I sat there about to have a complete heart attack. I couldn't just jump up and run, although, I actually thought about it!!! You see, these people knew who Big Daddy is, so I have to "behave" when I'm in situations like that. So, I knew I had to be calm and be brave.

So, at the end of the torture, I mean haircut.

She asked me if I wanted it to be "styled."

Oh my Gosh, NO!
(I can't even imagine what my hair would look like if Judy styled it!!)

Good thing, too. Because when she asked my how I "fix" my hair. I responded a straightening iron (which they didn't have) or a FAT barrel curling iron, depending on my mood. (well, after looking for about 10 minutes, they found a curling iron that was a bit bigger than a normal small curling iron! Good Grief!) After that, I just said, well you can just blow dry it.....
after all, it's 30 degrees outside and I am still a bit sick, so I didn't want to leave with wet hair.

So, she proceeds to get out the hairdryer and the mousse.

Mousse?!? Do they still manufacture that stuff?!

Yep, they do. And she coated my hair in it. Yummy!

So, at the end of all this fun....I was just ready to GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE!

At this point she offers me some hairspray, so I say sure.

I think to myself, "at this point, if I have hairspray...I can finger place the hair where I want it until I get home later and can wash all this crap out of my hair."

Well, good idea, but the minute she offers me the hairspray, she brings out a can of "Aqua Net" look-alike and proceeds to spray the crap out of my hair.

I about freaked.

So, at this point, I wanted to just go.


So, I get my purse to take care of the charges.
How much can this be?

Well, $18 for the haircut and $8 to blow dry my hair. Not fix it, just blow dry.

$26.00


So, I give her a $6.00 tip, because isn't it 20%?!

$32.00 gone from my $100.

And, I'm only going back to get a bunch of Matrix shampoo and a pedicure......
how can they screw that up?

Thank goodness, I have the name of another hairstylist to go to next time!


*I realize this post is useless without pictures! I promise to post one later!

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! I AM M.A.D. at the post office!!!!!

THIS is how I am feeling right now!!!!

So, guess what happened!?!?

Remember last week when I was bustin' my booty working on my "Secret Assignment" for CHA!?!?!

Well, I mailed it to my Design Team coordinator LAST FRIDAY and mailed it PRIORITY MAIL.

IT'S THURSDAY AND IT's STILL NOT THERE!!!!!!

PRIORITY MAIL is supposed to be 2-3 days delivery, versus as many as 4-5 days for regular First Class Mail. Priority Mail costs more than First Class Mail.

They have given me a false sense of security, allowing me to feel that they make my mail their "Priority." Yea, right. At this point, it's taken 5 days and it's still not been delivered. I am just sick about it. I worked hard on that. Blood, sweat and tears. Seriously. My assignment was hard for me, because I was not in love with the papers I was assigned to use. (turns out after working with them, now I love them!!) But, my point is, completing the assignment was a challenge for me and I rose to the occasion and created something adorable, something I was really proud of. And now, it's lost, I guess. There is no way to know, really.

So now, I am left to be disappointed, disgusted and angry. (and adding more stress to my life, because my design was hand sketched, and hand-cut...meaning it's one of a kind.

What else is there to say?

MAYBE it will show up today.

Thanks for NOTHING, US POSTAL SERVICE!!! :(

Hi...I'm the News Director's Wife.....

Funny thing, this is an actual picture (not staged) of Ike's identification badge for work. It was laying on the edge of our dresser in our room. I have to crack up when you check out the books lying under the i.d. It's kinda funny, but an example of how this job completely encompasses our life. The life of the News Director and his wife and family is definately not for wusses!!!

So, being the New's Directors wife is weird and stressful.

Weird? Yep, weird. It's so strange to walk into a building and get met with the complete respect of total strangers. It's not about me, it's about the fact that I am sleeping with the News Director. After all, I am the new director's wife.....

Stressful? Yep, stressful. I know that I am responsible for keeping everything going, no matter what happens. If there is a news "situation" than Ike goes to work and I deal with things (the kids and house) here. Time after time, I have to deal with last minute changes in plans, Ike working late, Ike leaving early, Ike taking calls no matter what we are doing, Ike constantly on the MacBook managing situations.

I'm the girl he comes home and tells everything to. I'm the one who hears his frustrations. I'm the girl he bounces things off of. I'm the one who hears his stress and tries to help him manage it. I'm the girl who lives vicariously through him. And in some ways, it feels like this is my job, too. You know, the woman behind the man. After all, I am the News Director's wife. (is that a paid position?! because it should be!!!)

When there is breaking news, my husband is with his two mistresses: Blackberry and Mac. And there is not much space for me in that love triangle......I'm ok with it though, because I could kick the other girls a$$es if necessary, although it wouldn't necessarily be a good idea financially, as I'd have to pay to replace them!

< - - - - - - - - -

This is how the "news director" spends every morning: checking emails, checking the news, answering phone calls. It can be really nuts. The Blackberry is usually ringing at 7am most mornings. God bless him...sometimes I really don't know how he does it!

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Here is a picture of Ike's 2nd home. I'm so glad it's nice, since he spends so much time there. It is by far the nicest tv news station I have ever been to!

And believe me, I've seen some newsrooms that rival the local dump! Crappy, old cubicals. Dinosaur equipment. Equipment that either doesn't work or only works sporadically. And the coffee, well Ike always called it sludge, because no one would ever clean the coffee pot.....EVER!

Not only that, but the have top of the line everything! One thing that impressed me is that the studio uses completely robotic cameras. No camera operators. How weird is that?

You absolutely have to hear about Ike's office.... it is so freaking cool! He has a glassed in office that looks over the newsroom, so he can see what's going on. He has a wall of LCD flat screen tv's to watch his station and all the competitors stations, as well. And best of all, he has a big black leather couch! Suh-weet!

THIS beast is a fully mobile LIVE weather unit. It's an out of this world, expensive machine filled w/ the latest, greatest weather tracking tools!

(And right now, it's pimpin' up my driveway ...)

Isn't it totally cool? The boys so want to ride around in it, but they aren't allowed in it!!

Anyway, aside from the stress and pressure.....it's a really good job. And it's a GOOD LIFE!!!

(and believe it or not, it could definately be much worse, like when we had been laid off before.....)

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For giggles I had to add this picture. If you think it is funny, than you get it. If you don't, never mind. It's kind of an inside news joke that really needs no explanation.....

However, I will tell you that this place is about 1/2 a mile from our house and I just stumbled upon it by driving by. I had to turn around and pull over just to snap this picture.

Kev...you know I love ya!!!!

If you get sick of doin' news and all the fun that comes with being a ND, you could get a job here.....