Today, Friday November 6.

I don’t know if this will make it into the blog, or just end up as a way for me to vent on a daily basis, but we will see. Years ago when I worked for Lily and she would go on her month long vacations I would e-mail her with my comedic take on the comings and goings of the office and our team specifically. I found it very therapeutic, and she seemed to like it (though that isn’t something she would admit to this day as she won’t accept my friend request on FB, but that is a different story all together).

On the way to work this morning, I was behind a motorcycle. Let’s just say I hate driving behind motorcycles. I have “Start(ed) seeing Motorcycles”, but I hate them none the less. They seem so unpredictable. I have noticed that there is never a good motorcycle to be behind, or near on the road. If they aren’t the type weaving in and out of traffic, nearly scraping the paint off of your car as they play pac-man on the road, they are super cautious and don’t just drive. This is the kind I was behind this morning, and I have a hard time really describing what irks me so bad about it. I think it is that I don’t want to get too close behind them as I am afraid that their wheel will get caught on my bumper and cause some strange event to happen. Likewise, they don’t follow people as close perhaps for the same reason. Luckily, she (yes, it was a woman but I am not sure if that makes it worse) took a different exit than me and we parted ways. I hate commuting, I really need to look into getting my ass out of bed early enough to ride my bike again.

I just got out of our teams monthly meeting, which breaks down to the 3 Salt Lake people sitting in a conference room around a phone listening to the California people talk. These meetings usually don’t bother me, and sometimes even engage me. Not today. Today I didn’t have the patience for it! We start out with an ice breaker where a question is asked and we go around the room and answer it. Today the question was number quiz about our daily work loads, and the person that guessed the closest number without going over wins. Simple --- in theory. These people act like they don’t understand what is happening and ask a million questions. The quiz question is about something you do DAILY, what don’t you understand? Should we be worried about your performance?
I will stop complaining about this meeting now, because I did come out of it $25 richer because my process improvement idea rocked.

My boss will be doing a reverse Wizard of Oz production for the next two weeks where she will be leaving Oz (or Zion as Salt Lake has also been referred to) and heading back to Kansas. We decided to all go to lunch as a team for this occasion and were throwing out ideas of places to go. In the back of my mind I was always thinking it would be Davids. Why would we go anywhere else? The food is good and if your day really sucks you can order a drink (one drink is permitted at lunch per our company policy. Awesome, right?). The vegetarian of the group suggests Smash Burger. I am not quite sure what the draw is for her as everything on the menu contains meat; the salads, the chicken sandwiches and their specialty, the burger. Her defense was that she would get a side salad. Um … really? You go to a place that specializes in feeding carnivores so much that they don’t even offer a veggie patty and order a side salad? Not sure I get it. Now I am a recovering vegetarian so you would think I would understand it. And I do understand being willing to go to a place that everyone else has agreed on and just finding something to eat for yourself, but suggesting it? No! We ended up going to David’s for lunch just as I predicted. I ordered a cheeseburger and a Corona, it was blissful!

Oh, and my picture of the day (I took one, so why not) is of Riley and his birthday drink.

On Saturday Casey and I had a no-bake cookie cook off. The receipe I used was a hand down from Roberts family, so I like to think of it as the "Official Matheson Recipe", and Casey used her sisters secret recipe. The result of the cook off was that everyone has their own preference, so I will pronounce it a tie. (The pic associated is the one that looks like piles of poo! My cookies are the ones closest to the camera.)

Sunday took us to the Arts Festival. Jason has decided he is over it, so it may be our last year at the Arts Festival. We will see!

What's eating gilbert grape?

The grapes in my backyard have begun taking over again. They grow along the back fence to cover the concrete wall put up by the church to keep us heathens out. They also grow along some system of poles and wire along the sides of our patio.
Jason and I don't use the grapes, however in the past my neighbor has come over without permission and taken some to make his own grape juice, and a co-workers husband came to collect them to make his own wine. I have 3 bottles of wine made from my own grapes. It is discusting becasue it was their first attempt ever, but very cool to have.
I wonder if SVB Wine Division will finance my backyard winery ...

Your a hard habit to break

I thought last week that I had pretty much kicked the coke habit and replaced it with sugar free lemon-aid, looks like that is not the case. The cravings are back with a vengance and besides, no one likes a quitter!!
By the way, the Coke at the West Valley Five Guys Burgers and Fries is REALLY good!

Picture a day

Jana turned me on to the idea of taking one picture a day. I like the idea because it might actually get me to blog again, but I won't lie, it might not!

Todays picture is of my favoriate coffee joint, Rising Sun. I discovered this great coffee shack many years ago while working with Hilary at Maggie. We were on a hunt for a good frozen coffee that was also close to work. We found the Frozen Planet Utah at Rising Sun to fit the bill perfectly. Many mornings we would take our 15 min break (it actually took about 20) to go visit Tansu and get some yummy coffee. Now that I no longer work at Maggie, I still visit the shack alost every day on my way to work for a non-fat vanilla latte. My ususal barista has been missing for a few days, but Tansu is getting better at perfecting the yummy latte that she makes for me.

I figured my daily visits to this place warranted a picture in the Picture a Day.

The continued adventures of Stacey Matheson

So, I don't know that I need to start every post with this, but for those of you that only see me online, yes, I am still fat!
I signed up for the Bay Area Bike to Work Day, and don't worry, I do know that I don't live in or anywhere near the Bay Area. I am a bit nervous about the whole prospect, but after nearly losing my life on the 201 yesterday and suffering through a traffic jam this morning, it is looking more enticing. My main concerns right now are how I am still going to make it to Rising Sun Coffee everymorning, because it is on 2100 S. and I will be on 1700 S., and will my coffee cup fit in holder where my water bottle will be? Then I drive around Sugarhouse and see guys riding their bikes with a beer in one hand and I realize that I should be fine. Plus, it may get me off of my coffee habit and I can learn how to deal with mornings without the stimulant of caffiene. I just feel sorry for the girls at work while I am coming off of that addiction. Most imporantly (I know, you thought the caffiene would be the most important)I think I am nervous about the fact that I may actually have to follow through with something in my life, but that is a topic more suited for my therapist than my blog.
Hmm, I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully it will become at least a once a week thing and I can save all of those carbon emissions that I emit each day. Biking to work plus running on my lunch break will make for one stinky cubicle. I better talk to my mom about a Scentsy air freshener. Yikes.

to blog or not to blog ...

Shanna has inspired me to sign off of Fbook and update my blog. I don't have a subject, so this will end up as a rambling of my life since my last post. I completely understand if you get bored and stop reading right about now!

In case you are wondering, yes, my last post is still true. I am still fat. However that does not define me, so I will tell you about the rest of my life. I guess it has been a busy couple of months. Jason and I went to Ireland and Amsterdam with Rob and Amy and had a blast. We planned the trip forever ago, and I can't believe it has come and gone. I truly believe that after drinking my way through Ireland, I am ruined for Utah beer. It truly tastes like water after enjoying 8 to 10 percent alcohol. It probably doesn't help that all I drank in Ireland was yummy, creamy Nitro beers like Guiness and Smithwicks (mmmm Smithwicks) the entire time. Off to Amsterdam, the original sin city that makes Vegas look TAME! We indulged in all that the Dam had to offer (no we didn't get prostitutes), the red light district, the green light district within the red light district. Some truly fucked up shit goes on in that town, all under the watchful eye of the authorities. I did learn that pot is not actually legal in Amsterdam, simply tolerated. Also, much to my dismay, all but one type of mushroom has been banned.

When we got home, my sister went into labor with her third daughter, Bailey Shea Madsen. Oh my gosh, so cute! I truly believe that I have the cutest and best nieces and nephews ever. Bailey is such a little angel, and her sisters love her so much! I had told Shelley that I would be mad if she had her while I was on vacation, and luckily she waited. She was supposed to be induced on April 7, but she went into labor on the first (Jersey's birthday, and no, we don't celebrate!). Shell refused to have her on the first, so Bailey cooperated by making the labor difficult, finally showing up at 4 am on the second.

The next weekend we flew to Vegas to witness the marriage of Josh and Hillary. They got engaged on their trip to Ireland in January, and wanted to elope. True to parental form, her dad wanted to walk down the isle, so they planned a small wedding. Hillary looked gorgeous and wore makeup for the first time since I have known her, and Josh looked like Josh in a suit. They also added a new child to their clan with the arrival of Lucile 2, a west highland terrier. She is so cute, but on occasion can look like a rodent. At just 6 pounds, she holds her own with Bosco and Macintosh. I hope Jersey likes her new dog cousin more than she likes Bosco!

hmmmm... what else can I bore you with? My job has been out of control busy, thus almost eliminating my online stalking, facebook and blogging time. I am not sure what is going on, but my boss has gone off her rocker is trying to get me to a senior specialist in record time. I guess that is what I get for telling her that I would rather be busy than bored. It did pay off, because I got recognized as MVP and they gave me $100. I was shocked but wasted no time spending the money on a new pair of Chucks and a pair of boots. I love shoes!

Operation: Stacey

So I seem to be getting larger every year. As a kid you were expected to "grow" as you aged, however I am pretty sure I am a fully grown adult. Unfortunately, I am still growing, and it is in the wrong direction. See, I would love to get taller each year, just until I can try on a pair of pants and not wonder if they are worth the cost of alterations. I use to cut my jeans off to make them fit, but Jason cringes at that thought, and though I have long grown out of that phase, he still says "you are not going to cut them". Whatever.
I am growing wider. Really, I embarrass myself with the size I have become, and often want to hole myself up in the house. I want to lose weight, and it is a resolution that I not only make every New Year and every birthday, but also every month, week and day ... until it is time to act! Once push comes to shove and the choice between a low fat or calorie laden meal comes I forget that I am fat and order what sounds like it will taste the best. I enjoy the meal to its fullest not remembering that I am fat, and as soon as the meal is done, I remember that I am fat again. I am pretty sure this is how bulimia starts.
And so we begin Operation: Stacey. Wish me luck!