Shannon and the No Good Very Bad Week

Ever had one of those days where everything annoys you? Well I'm having one of those weeks. I've been in a mood the past few days. No one can do anything right. It's like this... I'm thinking in my head exactly what I want someone to do. They need to be able to read my mind and do it exactly that way, or else all hell brakes loose. They can't do it better either, because that will just piss me off even more. If I want something it has to be the perfect amount/dosage. Not more or less and it's the other person's job to figure it out. My poor boyfriend has been at the mercy of my attitude all week (shmuck). I think our morning conversation went something like this.

Me: "Why aren't you cuddling with me?"

Him: "Because last night you yelled at me to never touch you again."

Me: "Well I'm changing my mind. Are you okay with that!?"

Him: *shuts up and does as I say* (wise man) "Is that better?"

Me: "Your breathing too loud"

Him: "I'm just breathing."

Me: "Stop talking, I'm trying to sleep."

Him: "Sorry. I'll try to breath quieter."

Me: "I'm still trying to sleep! Are you still talking?"

This is the point where he leaves and I decide it's better that way because he clearly can't do anything right. Just like everyone else at this current time. Like my roommate. My poor roommate. Has had the pleasure of coming home to "Brian, I can't believe you (fill in wrong-doing here)" before his foot even hits the first step.

My teacher starts class to late one day and then to early the next. My dad didn't answer the phone the way I think he should and the Phillies played too well the other night. At least I find pleasure in these stories and can see how completely ridiculous I'm being. I just don't really care. At least not this week. :)

Keep it to Yourself

Have you ever been walking down the street and overheard an unpleasant, personal piece of someone's conversation? Maybe you've been that annoying person having the inappropriate conversation in public? I don't know if people have decide that it's okay to talk about such personal things where people can hear you, or if they really believe that no one is listening.

The other day I walked passed a girl around my age, yelling and crying into her phone "so you're going to act like a 3-year-old and hang up on me!?" It was awkward for me and everything else within 5 feet. This seems to be a common occurance in Philadelphia. People offer personal information up to strangers. I don't want to know that your boyfriend dumped you if I don't even know you. It's annoying.

I can't complain too much though, I'm sure I've had a loud conversation in public, that no one wanted to hear.

Berlin in the 1920's

My teacher gave us this quote that I like...

"Erst kommt das Fressen und dann kommt die Morale."

Basically...

"Eat first, worry about morals later."

OMG, Her Hair.

Let me tell you about something that I've noticed. People (girls really) do not pay attention to the backs of their heads. I don't know if they think that because they can't see it than neither can we, or what. I was sitting in a lecture today in the back of the room. Naturally I looked at the back of the people's head -- I mean what else was I supposed to do? Listen to the lecture? Girls had knots and rats nests in their hair. Ponytails where nice in the front, but a tangled web held together with a hair-tie in the back. The front part of girls hair was brushed, but the back didn't seem to have that luxury. I understand that people rush to class and I know most women don't have 360 degree mirrors, but come on. Use the double mirror trick, use a friend... use a brush! I'm sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. Just think people! You don't just have hair in the front of your head, so why are you only paying attention to that part? People just look in the mirror, fix what they can see and go, but if you just take five more seconds and go over what you can't see then you won't look like a bum in the back. If you don't have five seconds then I don't know what to tell you except to stand against a wall all day.

Karma is a Bitch

You know the saying "what goes around, comes around"? Well, that was certainly confirmed for me tonight. In addition to being a full time student, I am a part time nanny (as my last post stated). Growing up, me and my sister always had Au Pairs. They would come from another country (usually Germany) and live with us for about a year each. My parents would pay them and give them a place to live in exchange for childcare. They would take classes at a community college during the day and take care of me and my sister before and after school and most weekends. My sister was an angel. Always polite, never caused any problems. I, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. I hated having babysitters. I didn't see them as fun, rather annoying people telling me what to do. I constantly pulled the "you're not my mother card" and made 8 out of 12 of them cry. I was awful! Anyway, the tables have turned. Now I am a nanny of 2 wonderful, but difficult kids. They are about the same age difference as me and my sister were and just like us these kids follow the same trend. The younger one is an angel. Always listens, never yells. The older one is just like me, likes to push buttons and test limits. Being that I was the same way, you would think that I'd know how to handle a situation like this, but I don't. I fight with the oldest, I make deals, I ask nicely, I compromise. Nothing seems to be working. In my past, every time I misbehaved, the babysitter would yell and told me how bad I was. This is the wrong approach. the more they disliked me and adored my sister, the madder I got. I resented them for it and in response acted out more. Cause and affect. Currently I'm trying to explain to the oldest, that even when he's bad I still like him. So far it hasn't been super effective. I guess I really just got what was coming to me. Oh karma.

Six Classes, 25 hours of Work, Gym Gym Gym!

My life=school, work, gym, homework and repeat. It's driving me crazy. The huge chunks of my consist of my classes (all six of them) and work (all 25 hours at least a week). It may not seem like a lot, but it sucks. Then, in any free time I have, I have to stuff in homework and a decent workout, which is an hour or more. The active parts of my days probably only 8 hours, which isn't so bad. I worked at least 10 hours a day (50 a week) over the summer, but it's different. It's all the running aroun and going back and forth that's killing me. When I worked over the summer, I drove to work, did what I needed to do and drove home. However, this semester, not only do I have to balance thse four key things, but I waste so much time transporting myself to each. My apartment to school, 15 blocks. School to work, 18 blocks. To the gym from either, about 10 blocks. Not to mention I'm making these trip several times a day. If I have 2 hours between a class I'm not going to sit at school. I'm going to go home, make a semi-healthy meal and then make the trip back to school, go to class and rush out to pick up the kids I watch from school. Once I get the two, very lovely, but very difficult kids it's not even over. I have to get them home from school and to ballet or soccer or piano or to the art store or the park, etc. It's exhausting! On the contrary, I would complain about being bored if I had nothing to do.

Don't Take What Isn't Yours

Shoplifting: (also known as PIE theft, five-finger discount, orshrinkage within the retail industry) is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts. Most shoplifters are amateurs; however, there are people and groups who make their living from shoplifting, and they tend to be more skilled.

I was at Cherry Hill Mall today, specifically in the Abercrombie & Fitch dressing room. I remembered the days in High School when I'd go to the mall with two of my best friends and we'd switch the tags. I never considered this shoplifting at the time, but now looking back (while a clever idea), it was infact shoplifting and not a great moral choice. What you do is grab two shirts -- similar ones (i.e. two graphic t-shirts) -- one from the clearance/sale rack and the one you 'actually'want. When in the fitting room you switch the tags. It's a very simple procedure and pretty much fool proof. Most fitting rooms didn't have cameras in them (however more and more stores are slowly getting them now). It didn't take long, so it wasn't suspicious and most of the time the cashier didn't even notice. Even if he/she did catch the'change', they wouldn't even think or be able to prove that it was an intentional act on your part. It was a task that we had perfected.

Now, by no means am I justifying stealing or telling you to go do it. To be honest I feel the complete opposite. I'm totally against the five-finger-discount. I work hard for my money and so does everyone else. It's just such a fascinating crime because it's so widespread. The is a range of small and big ways to shoplift. It's also a crime that's preformed by every race and age.

Shoplifting has been around forever. As big as robbing a bank or as small as doing the old switch-a-roo on some t-shirts. What is so ironic is that in reality a decent amount of people who commit these 'crimes', have the money to pay for the clothes or whatever it is they're taking. They just do it for the thrill.

Don't Steal.

We'll Be Right Back After This Short Commercial Break

I have had a headache for the past two days. I keep taking medicine (which I personally think it overrated), but this persistent headache keeps coming back. Yesterday, when it was really bad, I decided I would just try turning off the light and not watch television or look at the computer. Five minutes into my decision I realized that there was little for me to do. I picked up a magazine to read, but my head hurt too much to read it. This headache really brought how much people rely on TV and the Internet to entertain them, to my attention. This includes me, so much of my relaxing life and productive life revolves around the screen of a computer or TV. Now, don't misjudge me. My days are typically filled with class, work and the gym, but when I finally get back to my apartment and sit down I immediately go for the remote and laptop. The shows I watch on TV are my source of entertainment, the websites I have on the internet (i.e. facebook) are my social contacts and the work I do on the computer is how I keep up with school. I'm always looking at the glowing screen where things are constantly moving, it's no wonder I have this headache. Here are some interesting statistics...

Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99

Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24

Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes

Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56

Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million

Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million

Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

It Happened for a Reason

“Everything happens for a reason. Every action has a reaction. Always remember that whats meant to be will always find a way to come about.”

People should live everyday with this phrase in their head. I try to, hence the title.

The world of Twitter

Xanga > Myspace > Facebook > Twitter. Since about age 12 I have never been without some sort of "networking page". While I was never on of those people who spent the majority of their time checking their page as well as other people's, I definitely jumped on the band-wagon and got whatever web page was the new 'thing'. What bugs me, is that these places (that used to be a spot for you to express yourself) have slowly become less of a blog and more of a personal tracking system - one in particular. Here is my problem with Twitter. I feel like it is basically just a society accepted, politically correct way to stalk your friends. Sometimes not even friends, just people that you've come across or met a few times. It's weird and creepy. Why would you want the internet world to know what you were doing yesterday at 5 or tomorrow at noon? "Hi world, I'm at CVS. Come find me." What boggles my mind even more is the amount of celebrities and people in the lime-light that have twitters and 'tweet' away. Aren't most of them always complaining about paparazzi and never having privacy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't twitter seem like the wrong way to get privacy? It's becoming this whole culture, that's mentioned in TV shows, commercials and everyday exchanges. It just amazes me at how quickly this new trend was accepted and how all other social websites are curving their look to follow in the footsteps of Twitter. Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but all I know is that you will never catch me 'tweeting'. If you want to know where I am you can call.