Um, plump?

"The strangely successful Zellweger is normally a size 6. However, when filming her twice reprised role as Bridget Jones in the eponymous movie franchise, she balloons up to plump 14. Zellweger is currently packing the weight back on for a third installment of a movie that only women watch." - popcrunch.com

As a self-defined "chubby" girl I am well-aware of the media distortions and unrealistic expectations encouraged by Hollywood and the press. I think it's ridiculous, but I don't necessarily get worked up by it. This picture really flummoxed me though because the first picture looks like a scary anti-eating disorder ad (look at her clavicle!) and in the second picture, I think Renee looks absolutely beautiful and certainly not "ballooned up" to any grotesque proportion. They finally banned models that were too thin in Paris last year. I hope that trend continues. I have young girls who come to my office on diets and taking weight loss pills. It is SO mentally and physically unhealthy for teenagers, whose bodies and brains are still developing.

I mean, seriously, EW!

Two Thoughts

Two Random Thoughts for Today:

1. MMM Bop, great song. Me and another woman broke out in spontaneous singing along and almost dancing in the grocery store aisle when it came on.

2. I miss Nemo very much, some sad song made me think of him and it made me cry. I love my kitties very much, but it's still hard to be without him sometimes. This is an ornament I made for the memorial tree Windcrest Animal hospital does every Christmas. I thought it was a very nice gesture for them to ask us to contribute.

Persona non grata

This is what I have decided I am at work.

There are so many things I have been left out of the loop on in the past couple weeks, I can't even recount them all. It is just one flaming dysfunction after another. I am someone who is detail oriented and am very possessive of my office which I have been managing for almost 5 years. Things seem to be slipping out of my control at a conspiracy level. Here's one anecdote that was more funny than anything else:

The new media person called me to say she was coming down to do an interview with a newspaper. I said "Great! I have been doing most of the downstate interviews, so I'm glad you're on board to do it." She said "...Oh...No one told me that." I said "Well, I've been through the media training and everything, but it's not my favorite thing in the world, so it's great that you can come down" And she said "YES....I prefer to do it." And I wanted to say "Whatever, bite me, you can do everything" but I just said "Great!" Then she said "Let me give you my extension" and I said sure, even though it's the same as the LAST 2 people that have been in her position. Then when she actually came down her demeanor was sort of terse and odd with the interviewer and she had me answer a lot of the questions about our services since she's been working here for all of 5 minutes. So I tried to soften our delivery and connect with the interview and I think it went well. I might be in the Delaware State News paper tomorrow. So we chatted for a little bit and she says "Let me give you my card" Now keep in mind, I've worked for this organization for over 6 years, and have outlasted a large number of people in the administrative office. Not to mention I'm constantly there for meetings and committees. I stared at her for a moment and said "Um, I know where you are" And she said "Oh, that's right, you've probably been there."

Are you kidding me? I felt trampled upon and unappreciated before, but now there are so many new people they are going to assume I just fell off the turnip truck rather than being one of the most knowledgeable people in medical services? I am counting down the days. Time for a glass of wine and a good cry.

Brain optional, not required

This was posted on the Feminine Majority Foundations job board: Full time manager needed for day-today operations in first trimester surgical and medication abortion services in our Trenton facility. Responsibilites include hiring, supervision, and training of staff, ensuring empliance with regulatory agencies; debeloping, refining adn implemetning operaitons porcuedure to ensure queality care; patriicpation in delivery of patinent services and other clinical and meidcal activities as required. Interested candidate maust have health care delivery espericne, including supervisory experince. RN licensure, experincd iin women's healthcare and working iwth a diverse population. Fluency in Spanish and English are preferred but not required. EOE. Send resuem and coverletter to PPAMA 437 E. State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 or fax 609323-1546 or email info@ppmercer.org Clearly, the fluency in English thing is optional :-P

Achievement & Random Happenings

This morning, I walked into the Wilmington Trust office and paid off my damn car. Other than my beloved tinfoil Neon that my parents bought me in High School, this is the first time I have actually owned a totally paid off car. It is a feeling of accomplishment and freedom. As long as it lasts another 200,000 miles or so, I'll have gotten my money's worth!

I tried to get it washed to celebrate but the line at the car wash was like 15 deep at 3:30 when I was on lunch break at work. What the hell? Don't other people have stuff to do on a weekday afternoon? You'd think some people would still have jobs. But I had an eerie lunch break. Besides that, I went to the bank to cash a petty cash check, dropped off some reports at the vital statistics office and grabbed lunch. When I got back to the office, I had only been gone 40 minutes. Usually, just one of those things tends to take the whole hour. Not that I take a lunch break very often. My staff tends to get confused if they see me leave the office because I'm always there when they arrive, work through lunch, and am still there when they leave. They may actually suspect I sleep there sometimes.

Yesterday, Buckley thought it would be a bright idea to jump up on a bookshelf with a burning candle and walk right over it. One whole side of him was briefly aflame, though I screamed and the fire went out as he jumped down. I then traumatized him further by getting my brother, who was visiting, to chase him out from under the bed and I cornered him in the bathroom and then pinned him to the bed so I could figure out if he was really hurt. He wasn't, fortunately, just burnt fur. But for all my trouble I was punctured in several places. He must have forgiven me though, because he still slept in the bed. Ah, kitties.

Mounting Frustration

"It must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays..."

I know I said this blog wasn't going to be whiny, but I just can't seem to get a grip on anything right now. I feel completely at odds with everything. Work is the worst it's ever been. I've been sick for two weeks. Between school and work, I haven't made it to the gym in ages. I haven't seen any friends in weeks. My divorced parents are both poor and miserable. Am not getting along at ALL with my apartment-mate. Not the cat.

I know the world is ridiculous right now. In fact, I'm reading Neil Gaiman & Terry Prachett's "Good Omens." Which treats the ruin of the world and Armageddon with the dry humor and sarcastic wit that only the British can really master. Basically stated: We are makers of our own misery. So what does that mean, that only we, ourselves, can make things better? I'm not sure that's the case. I feel like I've done everything I can, in pursuit of the best I can attain. And this is where I find myself, hmm?

Obama has been president for what? 16 Days? Come on, when is this all going to turn around??