it's nature people

Every Monday my office gets a floral arrangement delivered to the office to be kept at the reception desk (where I sit most of the day). Often times they design the arrangements based on the current season or holiday. This was the case this Monday when they delivered a really nice arrangement adorned with sprigs of evergreen branches. It's really beautiful with huge red flowers and orchids along with the pine/juniper/cedar branches. Now to me the smell of these trees is instantly recognizable as an evergreen tree which I immediately associate with Christmas. Because of wreathes I'm sure. Also I will be the first to say that the smell was very strong as they were freshly arranged and being kept in a somewhat small area but the reaction to this arrangement has been insane. First of all apparently people from LA have no idea what these trees smell like because about half my office has commented on them. Most people have no idea where the smell is coming from despite the fact that the arrangement is right there. I have been asked by at least 5 people if that smell is cleaning liquid. For those that realize it is coming from the arrangement I would say about 98% think the smell is horrible. And basically no one has recognized it as the natural smell the branches should make. The smell has been describes as: rotten trash, cat pee, urinal cakes, dirty rags, and the vague something rotting. Now like I said the smell is strong but I like it. I like the smell of pine/evergreen trees, which much to every ones disbelief, is what this smells like.

Maybe this is not weird and I just am having a hard time realizing the some people have never experienced this smell before but every time someone asks me about it I shake my head a little. Seriously go out and smell some nature sometime. And I get that living in a city like LA you don't get a chance to smell a spruce that often but I grew up in the country and I knew what homeless people smelled like. And trust me this arrangement smells much better despite what people in my office seem to think.

clean

I never would have thought that I was the type of person to be that bothered by an unclean apartment but it is becoming apparent that as I get older I find cleanliness more and more important. Not that I was ever a slob or anything but I use to never be bothered by dirt. I guess I felt I was allowed to have a dirty apartment because I was in college but now that is not the case.

That being said I'm very discouraged by the fact that I can spend almost a whole weekend cleaning and my apartment never looks the way I want. The kitchen counters are stained (and will NOT come clean), as are the linoleum floors and there is dirt literally painted into the walls. When I clean I like to see results and in this apartment I don't get those to the degree I would like. Though it is definitely an improvement for sure.

prop 8

Op-Ed from the Human Rights Campaign about prop 8.

Soon I will so an actual post about the election.

I Voted

I voted this morning.



Now I'm just sitting at work freaking out. I've been nervous about it for awhile but now I don't know if I can take it. I may need to get a drink at lunch.



Go Obama!

For Rachel

I have a gym stalker...

The first time I noticed him I was running on the elliptical trainers and he was on the one next to me. I noticed him because it seemed that he was staring at me while I ran which is weird and uncomfortable. I thought there was a chance that he was not really staring just generally looking in my direction but seriously who looks at the person running next to them at the gym. Anyway, I kinda brushed that off. Then the second time I knew for sure he was being a creep. Again he got on the machine next to me and basically just looked at me the whole time he was there. But not at my face/ass/chest it seemed like he was looking at my stomach/upper thigh - which is not an entirely sexy area. I kinda wanted to give him a 'wtf face' at the time but it was so weird I just kept looking ahead not wanting to catch his gaze. I should add that he is at least 60 years old and not at all attractive; he does not look good for his age. The THIRD time I did give him the face. I knew now there was no coincidence about it because even when there was basically no one on the ellipticals he still got on the one right next to me. I think however the fact that I looked at him at all only fueled what was about to happen.

After running for about 15min he got off the machine. When I run I'm not really paying attention so I did not realize he was standing next to me for a bit. Then he touched my arm and I looked to see that he was holding out a business card with his name and number written on it. Written on because this was not his business card but one he had gotten from the front desk at the gym and just added his info. I took the card (for some reason, first reaction i guess) and gave him a seriously confused look. This is when he made the 'call me' hand gesture and mouthed those words (as I refused to take my headphones off). I continued to look at him with concern and bewilderment while he walked away. I honestly think I was in shock. It's one thing for a creepy old man to stare at young girls at the gym but it's a whole different thing to think you have a chance with one.

Now I'm afraid to go to the gym. I have been there once since then and though he was there he kept to himself. Hopefully the fact that I will not be calling him will make him realize that, no I don't have daddy issues (damn, grand-daddy issues almost) and he will move on. Fingers crossed.

good stuff

another article...this one about Colin Powell endorsing Obama.

We all know a lot of these moves are for very political reasons but I think Powell in many ways is generally doing what he thinks is best for the country.


“he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure.” (About Obama)

“Don’t give up on the political process; fix it[...]It’s a great system. It just needs tidying up.”

we can't wait

I was reading this article and getting pissed off. I understand that the economic situation is affecting all aspects of business and credit but I see the act of abandoning new clean energy as purely motivated by greed. The fact that oil and natural gas prices are down now makes companies and investors move away from clean energy because it is more expensive. But oil being down does not increase the supply. This is just another element that stalls the development of new methods that it is so clear we need. The greed surrounding this industry just disgusts me. That even in the face of the fact that we are reaching the end of oil people are still willing to wait on green energy just to make a little more money. I realize we live in a capitalistic society but really are the people in charge of these industries that willing to turn their backs on everyone else and are we as a society fine with letting them do it. We have a lot of responsibility as well in the situation we are in. Americans are always looking for the cheapest way around a situation usually at a much greater cost down the road. I realize in a lot of ways I'm an idealist but it bothers me to think that we (include in that whomever you want) are still not willing to do what it takes as a country to get this gone. I think it's clear that this is not just an issue for earth loving hippies anymore it's fundamental to our national security our economic position and our general quality of life (not to mention our planet, which I still care about).