Wine Bottle of the Week

I thought my wine lovin' friends would enjoy this label!

Jup's Bad Day

I don't have kids, nieces, or nephews to brag about and worry over. I don't buy cute clothes for my friends kids and i don't get gooey over baby-showers and big bellies. But . . . I have a kitten! She wakes me up in the middle of the night. She needs to be held when i get home from work and throws a fit when she wants something!

Today Jupiter received her last set of shots at the vet. The first two visits were not bad but today was horrible. She knew what was coming this time around and she let everyone know she was not happy. It took the poor assistance everything she had to keep Jup on the table without getting clawed and Jup screams echoed in the doctors office. Did i mention that was only the first shot - we had two more to go! I walked out of the room in to the waiting room where everyone looked at me as if i just murdered my cat. It was awful!

In two days she is going back to get spade - I'm really not looking forward to the drive there.

Other than her bad day today she is doing very well. Here are a few pics of her voluntarily playing in water and exploring what balloons are.

Memories are part of Life - It's what makes you stronger

I'm beginning to think i should have my Dashboard on my desktop at all times otherwise i miss appeal blogging opportunities. Like now . . .

I'm doing a 10pm apartment cleaning session after a day of conversations with three of my closest friends. During one of my conversations with Janae I explained to her that i was having several flash backs of a certain someone who has been out of my life for almost a year now. Not negative memories or romantic memories just neutral flickers of his name. So as I'm cleaning tonight i realized why - and really it's not that big of a deal. Simply stated. I used a gift card that i received from his family from my last birthday. I opened a Christmas gift from him today that had been collecting dust for the last year and an half. Last year at this time i started my new self exploration which included leaving him. I still can't explain the dreams that I’ve been having but i hope once i shake the simple things that the dreams will go away.

There is something to be said for remembering someone without a bitter taste - it's nice. It probably helps that i am in a place in my life where i have never been so content, satisfied, and full of peace for the future. It makes the word 'Life' live up to its name!

Use Your Words

After yesterday’s four hour deep-clean conversation i realized in the past i have underestimated the power of verbal communication. Though it is one of my strengths i still forget that if it wasn't for the people in my life who also make every effort to better communicate we would not have such amazing relationships. Relationships strive on communication and we wonder why any type of relationship dies either it be with our parents, children, siblings, coworker, or spouses. We point our finger on the tangible outcome versus the root cause - lack of communication. As a good communicator i have actually learned my lesson of 'talking too much' a.k.a 'beating a dead horse'. There are times where we should stop talking and only listen, stop pointing at the opponents faults and ask 'what can i do or stop doing for that matter?' God gave us all the tools to make peace and understand each other - it came in 26 letters. He gave us the ability to use language - the magic of converting feelings and reasoning into sentences and resulting in meeting in the middle. Of course, because we live in a fallen world we have used this gift to also hurt. But for the sake of today i am not focusing on the pain of hurtful words but of the amazing outcome communication does to a heart. With words we are all able to soften another’s heart, realize we are not alone in circumstances, open our minds to something new, begin to know someone else better, and build upon each others ideas for a better tomorrow. I believe that we have failed to sustain communication in relationships because it takes longer to have a two-way talk session than a quickie and a coffee. We have placed our feet on the New York Minute and can't focus long enough to really listen with our minds. When people start practicing two-way conversations followed by honest actions we will see a change in all relationships.

Hello my name is Janelle and i am a blog addict

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I Blog in Three's

I don't know what constitutes as 'real' OCD but my fixation with even numbers, straight lines, and symmetrical displays have got the best of me. Actually when i think about it, i must not be 'really' OCD because my place is a mess at the moment. I would love more than anything to take my time to organize and clean it, but the thing i hate worst than cleaning is cleaning in a hurry. Anyways back to my point - because i am always cognitive of numbers i have noticed - i blog in three's. I will go for a week without a post then 'BAM' three in a row. Don't know why that is or if it's simply because when i actually sit down three is all i have time for before i pass out. I really have not point to this chatter-box of a post i think i just wanted to break the habit of three's!

Directions to Live By

After a dense, unintelligent, ridiculous, jagged, imprudent, demanding, weary, misused, ill-advised, and voluble 11 hour Monday i walked out of my office and threw my hands down in exhaustion. Grabbed three bottles of wine off the end-cap in our market section, briefly smiled to the cashier as i realized i lost my debit card in the alternate universe at the bottom of my bag. Paid, and left the building. Arriving home i lugged my weightless thighs upstairs and put my items in the first available empty counter space. I bought two new wine's and my usual Riesling 'Relax'. But this time the bottle was different - I sat the bottle on my dinner room table and clear as day the directions for the rest of my night were printed on the top of the cap . . .

My Own Bear

The above photo brought me to my knees when i first saw it. I have no idea wear it originated or it's artist but it stands up to the phrase 'A picture is worth a thousand words'. And because the photo explains it's self i will not go into the social use of metaphors but i will raise some obvious questions;

When did we change the moral standard and mask natural beauty for caricature imitation?

We are college graduates, parents, friends, employees, artist, managers, sinners, and hero's but each as individual as the fingerprints we keep. So why have we amplified the simplicity of our uniqueness to satisfy a comically crave of public humility and amusement?

I hardly have any answers to my own questions just merely food for thought.

Any additional thoughts?

Guest Service

I have been dealing with a 'Guest Service' dilemma for some time now and today added a surprising twist to my annoying situation. Before i begin today's story - allow me to rewind. I work at Target (and YES Mr. HR i said it on the WWW). All Target employees wear name badges; a simple little piece of plastic with my name carved in the dead-center with a red bullseye because the red and khaki doesn't do enough to shout 'I work for Target'! I have worked at Target for over a year and therefore i have ordered my morning cup-o-crack from the Starbucks directly behind the store for over a year. And NO, we don't have a Starbucks inside the store because we are a getto Target. Anyways, it is a safe bet that i visit this one particular Starbucks twice a week (if not more) and there are 48 weeks in a year . . hence i have visited this place well over 90 times.

Here is the dilemma.

The following is a conversation i have had 60+ too many times;

Barista - "Hi - can i get a drink started for you?"

Me - "Yes Please, a grande two pump iced white mocha"

Barista - "Would you like whip cream?"

Me - "No, thank you"

Barista - "Your name?"

Me - i look at them then i look down slowly at my name badge then i, again, look at them and say "Janelle"

Barista - "Okay that's going to be three dollars wasted on carbs and sugar"

Okay sorry that last line was just for effect! But you get the picture!

So for a few months i forgave the cashiers for their ignorance of guest service thinking that it was because they are incredibly busy and maybe it's because i don't always go in with my name badge on - sometimes it's only my red and khaki, which really! who the hell wears red and khaki on a normal day . . . they should be shot!

My point is . . . LOOK AT ME WHEN YOU TAKE MY ORDER! AND REMEMBER MY DAMN NAME!!! I have even resulted in the occasional loud sigh of disgruntlement with the slightly slanted head when they ask "Your name?"

Okay moving on!

Today was a rough morning. I was at work at 6:18am and all i could do was hold myself together until Shana came in to open the food court so i could get some coffee to hold me over til store opening. I go about my morning and then 1030am rolls around and i convince my fellow co-worker to answer calls for me because i need food - breakfast food to be exact! There is a Jack in the Box directly next door to the store and mind you i can't remember the last time i ever ate there or even thought about going there but i remembered someone saying they have good breakfast sandwiches so i thought 'What the hell!'.

I walk into their surprisingly clean restaurant to which i have never stepped foot in before and this conversation took place:

Cashier - "Hi - let me know when you are ready to order"

Me - "Thanks" . . ."I will take a sausage egg and cheese sandwhich with a orange juice please"

Cashier - "okay - that will be four dollars of MSG" (sorry couldn't resist)

Cashier - "okay Janelle it will be up in just a minute and we will call your name when it's ready"

Me - Seriously?! I think i stood there briefly with utter amazement trying to figure out how she knew my name.

OH THAT'S RIGHT . . . IT'S CALLED . . . GREAT GUEST SERVICE!!!

In conclusion, just because you use English jargon to call yourself a coffee maker and monopolize the legal-crack we call 'coffee' does not make you capable of great guest service, apparently we left that to the tattooed, spanglish, fast food hole in the wall! I never thought i would say this but 'Kudos' for the everyday common American at our local fast food joint for provided Common-Sense Guest Service!