A Random Post About Random Things

Item #1: (as in Murray's band meeting notes)
I have wondered a few times in the last few years, and especially when I hear the Sleep Train commercial on TV, how all the different mattress stores stay in business. I mean, how often are people really buying new mattresses? I have had the same mattress for 13 years (yes, I know I should get a new one). I just checked the East County/South Bay yellow pages and there are 4 Mattress Discounters, 5 Sleep Trains, 1 Banner, 1 Ortho, 1 Healthy Back, and 4 other miscellaneous mattress stores. That's 15 mattress stores in just 2 regions of our county. Are these stores ever so busy that they can't help all the customers? Are they usually empty? Are some of them listed in the phone book but actually closed now? I know the answer is yes to that, actually, because the Sleep Number store that was in Parkway Plaza is no longer. And in these oft-mentioned "bad economic times", I wonder even more about how mattress sales are going. I guess maybe I'll wander into a Sleep Train one of these days and ask them.

Item #2:
Last December, I traded in my beloved 1999 pine green Honda civic. Jason said once that I had the most popular-colored Civic and it rubbed me the wrong way, as if he was saying I was unoriginal. (He wasn't, I was just testy that day.) The car I got to replace the Civic (another Civic) is blue, Atomic Blue to be exact. Guess what? Every Single Day I see my car, at least once. I now have the 21st century's most popular color. Great.

Item #3:
I have had these little metal Sanrio (Hello Kitty's brand) containers filled with coins for years and years. One is full of wheatleaf pennies, another has other American coins, and then another is full of a bunch of foreign coins from a bunch of different countries. I decided recently to sort the foreign ones and see if they were worth anything. Guess what? They're not. I have coins from Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, The Netherlands, Canada, England, United Arab Emirates, France, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Hong Kong, and The Phillipines. I know where most of these came from: John (the ex-husband) brought coins from The Phillipines, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan. My friend Angie gave me some from Japan and Hong Kong. John and/or Angie may have also gotten the Korean coins. The ones from the UAE have to be from my grandparents when they lived overseas. Same with the Singapore/Malay money. And I know that some of the Canadian $$ came from my own wallet this summer as well as the random Canadian penny that makes its way into a US cash register and into my hand as change. I do not know, however, how I got Francs, Dutch coins, or English pounds. I have never been to Europe and don't remember being given these coins. Needless to say, they are worth nada; the Currency Exchange at the mall only exchanges coinage in the form of pounds or Euros. The lady behind the counter told me I could sell my little collection for scrap. Haha. I think I'll give away the Pesos (0.07 cents to the $) and maybe sell some of the other older coins on e-bay. Or maybe I'll just dump them all back into their little tin can and let them collect dust for another 20 years.

Item #4:
I went to the El Cajon Oktoberfest this past Sunday for the first time. In the last 10 years, the La Mesa Oktoberfest has become less German and more Salesman ie: more crap to buy, more back-cracking chiropractors, more non-Deutsch grub (last time I checked, pizza was not German). I have not been to the La Mesa O-Fest for a couple years and this year, I decided I would check out the other East County sausage soiree. It was a lot different. Much smaller, it is held at the East County German Club (or something like that). There were maybe 30 vendors versus the couple hundred at La Mesa. There was only one place to get each type of German food- one pretzel stand (these pretzels are as big around as your head), one sausage/kraut/potato stand, one drink stand, one pastry stand, and one BierGarten. There were many men and women in traditional dress- lederhosen and those pretty dresses the women wear. There was one stage where the band played, one dance floor, and several rows of tables for people to use for eating, drinking, talking. I stayed for about an hour and a half (I ate about 1/2 of my enormous $5 pretzel) and left. I can now say I have been to the El Cajon Oktoberfest and I can say that once was enough. I definitely appreciated the authenticity but I felt a bit out of place as I could tell that many of the people who were there knew each other. I prefer the anonymity of the La Mesa crowd. Maybe next year, I'll go to Germany...

...and I'm Miss America

A tidbit from an article in this week's People magazine about one of the Housewives of New Jersey:

Danielle Staub says regarding plastic surgery rumors: "I haven't had anything done. Just my bubbies. Two times. " Regarding her face she says, "Botox! That's it. I had lip injections [for the first time] on TV."

Okay, so "I haven't had anything done" includes two breast surgeries, Botox at least once, and lip fillers. I know Botox and Restylane and the like are not surgical enhancements, but come on! These statements by her are akin to the ones Shasta makes fun of me for saying: "I haven't had anything to eat today...except for a hot chocolate, a bowl of cereal, some french fries, and a piece of pizza!" In my mind, whether surgical or otherwise, when a person alters the way they look, this is "having something done". Plus, just look at her face in the magazine photos! She has obviously had work done. My issue is not with this- it is with the way she both denies and admits to procedures in the same paragraph. Either tell the truth or tell people to mind their own beeswax! Don't lie when the truth is staring the readers in the face, pun intended.

I'm out...

I just work here...

So today seemed to be bad customer service day. The day started off fine, at the Chula Vista Nature Center where anyone involved with helping customers was nice. The customer-helpers at Fuddrucker's for lunch were also fine. So, off we (Jason was with me) went to PULSE bike shop to get my new bike fitted. As we entered the store, a guy with a huge German Shepard was leaving the store and in no way indicated or even looked like he worked at the shop. We stood at the counter for a couple minutes, hearing people talking in the back room. No one cam up to help us but then the guy with the dog was back in the store and said, "Is there something I can help you with?" I told why I was there and he seemed a bit perturbed, asking if I had made an appointment. I said no but he worked out with the guy in the back to trade jobs and fit my bike.

I can't say that Juan was rude but he definitely gave off an air of being inconvenienced by me walking in. When he needed me to get on the bike to fit it, he would say monotonely, "get on" or "get off". No emotion, no nothin'. At one point, he had to help another customer because the other guy working there couldn't figure out how to. I patiently waited as they were obliging me. Eventually, the bike was fitted but was found to have a defect where the bottle cage screws on so Juan said I would have to leave the bike. He took forever finding the info in the computer; when he finally handed me the work order receipt, I had to ask him if I was all set. He never made eye contact, never said "Okay, we'll call you!", never said "Thanks". Hopefully, next time I am in there, he will be in a better mood.

Next, I stopped at Walmart to get some 1 hour developing. I filled out the forms and the girl took my envelopes, saying, "See you in a hour!". Yes she would. I went to get a massage at So Relax and as I was being elbowed in the traps, my phone rang. As I left the massage, I listened to the message; it was words to this effect: "Hi, this is Photo Girl at Walmart and your film that you dropped off won't be ready in one hour because I have to take a lunch and there's no one here to do it so it won't be done but it will be ready by eight. Sorry about that." Click. What? Only 25 minutes earlier, she told me it would be ready. My question is: did she know ahe was going to be going to lunch during the time she was supposed to be developing my film? Did someone call in sick in the 20 minutes I had been away from the counter? I went back to the store and asked the lady who had come behind the counter to help another girl who was waiting for pictures, what the deal was. "Oh, she had to go to lunch." My question for her was: did she know this when I gave her my film and would I get a discount on the price since my film would not be done in 1 hour? She said she didn't know because she worked in electronics! Argh!! When I pick up my pictures tomorrow night, I will definitely be getting a discount!

So, now I was really miffed. I decided to calm myself by getting a Blizzard at the Dairy Queen in the mall. As I walked up to the counter, a couple of other people were waiting for their ice cream treats. The worker girl saw me, looked at me, said nothing to me, and then went into the back of the shop and had not yet emerged when I decided to walk away (about 1 minute). I chalked it up to my third strike of the day in good customer relations.

Maybe I'll get lucky tomorrow and Starbucks will screw up my hot chocolate...

riiiggghhhtttt.......

from dot.comments in Star Magazine:

"Angelina Pregnant!
She and Brad do make beautiful babies. Just pick a normal name this time, please!
--lu'shauntae"

my thoughts:

a- this chick hates her weird name and feels bad for Knox, Vivienne, Shiloh, Pax, Zahara, and Maddox

b- this chick made up the name "lu'shauntae" to make a point

c- this chick does not get the irony of her comment

No, I don't have anything to declare.

Decided to drive to Campo yesterday to see the old Stone Store that I remember visiting as a kid. Was excited to see parts of rural San Diego that I have either never seen or have not seen in a long time. Drove down Avocado Blvd and stopped at Mickey D's for a healthy snack of large diet Coke and medium fries. Made my way to 94 East and looked at the Sweetwater Bridge, reminiscing about driving on it with my dad when I was little. Drove through Jamul, agreeing with the "No Casino in Jamul" signs. It's kind of a small place for a casino. Saw a mom horse in a field with 2 babies. Made my way up and down hills behind a slow driver for a bit but remained patient and calm as I was not in a big hurry. Drove through Dulzura and wondered what people do who live so far out.
Kept going and started to hit the curvy roads that I had no recollection of as it had been years since I was out this far on 94. Started to feel a bit car sick, even as the driver. Felt a bit cautious driving on the downhills. Eventually get to Potrero and see lots of motorcycles stopped at the Potrero store. Keep driving and a couple miles down the road, see many motorcycles coming up behind me. Then witness aurally and visually these motorcycles whiz loudly past me on the left, causing me to drive halfway in the emergency lane because I am sure one of them will hit me and die. Actually witness one pass a truck who is passing a car in the opposite lane and tensely wait for the accident to occur, as the cyclist passes the truck in the opposite lane's emergency lane! Yikes, those guys a nuts! Breathe a small sigh of relief as they fly down and then up a straightway.
Finally make it to Campo; park at the little store and video with my camera a train with an engine and two passenger cars go past. They are part of the railway museum up the road. Walk across top the Stone Store and take some pix outside then pay the $2 adult donation to the guy inside the store (which is now a museum). Look around for a few minutes then go upstairs to the military museum. They run a video about 100 years of history in Campo, including commentary from a Kumeyaay Indian and information on the Gaskill brothers (who built the store) and the men who started the San Diego-Arizona train line. Take a few more pictures, then go back to the car and drive over to the train museum. It's closed for train rides but I take pictures of the stuff outside- not super exciting. Decide to head back home; briefly consider going towards Interstate 8 but then remember that I want to hit the junction of 94 and 188 to go the 2 miles to Tecate, just to see Mexico from my side of the border. Head back and stop in Potrero at the store, where I see a horse tied to a post next to cars and motorcycles. Take some pictures and buy (and subsequently eat) a Choco Taco. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Get to the junction and make the turn. I can see Mexico and am surprised that there are so many houses and buildings. I have only been to Tecate once and it was a very brief and close-to-the-border visit. Keep driving and quickly see signs that the border is close, that firearms are illegal, and that Subway is up ahead. Start to realize that I am nearing the gates and try to pull into the parking lot of the mini mall where Subway is to turn around as I have absolutely no intention of going into Mexico, at all, especially by myself. Cannot turn into the parking lot as a car is in my way so I proceed to the border and look behind me to see if I can make a u-turn and go back north- nope, it's a one way street. Shit! So I retardedly drive into Mexico and pull into a parking spot next to 3 Mexican border agents. Ask them how I get back into the United States- can I just turn around? But of course not, Hilary, you idiot! I have to go 3 blocks east, then turn left at a light, and go back across from there. Jesus Christ, I am scared! I make sure my doors are locked and my windows up. I feel partly bad for expecting something to happen but then I again I don't. I go down a little street and find the signal. Encounter traffic rules I am not familiar with, like intersections with no stop (ALTO) signs, just people trusting that it is my turn or their turn or the other guy's turn. I make my way to the light and turn left and find my way into the "go back to the USA line".
It's a semi-long line and I feel apprehensive as I have absolutely no idea how long it will take to get to the checkpoint that I cannot even see from where I am. There are street vendors asking if I want agua, tamales, pistachios, newspapers. If I make eye contact, I politely shake my head; if I try to focus elsewhere, trying to AVOID eye contact, they stand at my window so that I eventually have to make eye contact and do my polite "no thanks" head movement. As I sit in the slowly moving (at least it is moving) line, I notice the "fence" that is supposed to keep illegals out of the USA. I realize I could climb it (it's not chainlink but one of those corrugated-looking pieces of metal where the corrugations are like little steps). It is covered in graffiti and stickers for skateboarding and music and with advertisements. I am still feeling a bit anxious but the line is moving steadily and I finally make it to the actual border crossing, about 40 minutes after getting in line. There are cameras and signs and lights; I wait my turn while the border agents change shifts. The woman finally waves me forward and I roll down my window, driver's license and Social Security card ready.
She asks me what I am doing in Mexico and do I have my birth certificate. I explain that I made a wrong turn and that, No, I do not have my birth certificate. She asks what I mean about making a wrong turn. I explain that I did not mean to drive across the border. She looks at me a little funny and asks me if I come to Mexico often and I say I have not been in a long time and that I just made a mistake and want to get back into the United States. She asks what I am doing all the way out by Tecate and I tell her I went to Campo. This seems to alleviate some of her suspicion and when she asks me if I am bringing anything back with me from Mexico, I tell her, "Just myself." She gives me my license back and hands me a flyer stating the new rules for travelers to Mexico starting June 1st. She asks if I know how to get out and I say, "Just follow the signs?" She smiles and says to turn right when I get out and I point left and she says "No. right" and I reply, "Go north" and she says, "Yes", with another small smile. I get the hell out of there and drive home with an anxiety-caused lump in my throat and a vague feeling of fatigue. I stop at the Sweetwater Bridge to take some pictures, make my way to the Rancho San Diego Target, spend $80 on stuff I need and stuff I don't, stop by Panda Express for dinner, then get home.
I feel like I had an adventure. I feel like an idiot. I feel tired. I see news stories on TV about several dozen cases of swine flu in Mexico. I see a commercial for ID cards that get you into Mexico. I tell my dad this story and he says, "Hilary!" Next week I think I'll visit San Ysidro!!

random thoughts

I have random thoughts. I have been told many times that I am weird when I tell other people my random thoughts. Well, you know what? I don't care!

*I once wondered, while sitting in Qualcomm Stadium during a Padre game, how many people in the stands had only one kidney.

*I wondered at work the other day, as I was walking through several sets of doors, in place to keep the little animals from escaping, if anyone at my work will ever develop a repetetive motion injury from all the door openings that occur on a daily basis.

*I realized, on another day at work, that I have become so accustomed to the sound of clicking mice at computers, that I must have heard this sound millions of times, but less than 20 years ago, I had never heard the sound.

*I realize that at pretty much any moment during my day, someone dies.

*I find it amazing that since 1994, I have witnessed and helped with thousands of dog, cat, and rabbit castrations and ovariohysterectomies.

*I find it strange that I was able to, with almost zero fear, swim 1 mile in the ocean for the triathlon but was afraid to go out far enough the next day to do quality snorkeling.

*I believe that there is someone in the world that looks exactly like me.

*I recently came to the realization that by the year 2100, I will be dead and the world will continue, not in the sense that it can't run without me (because this clearly is not the case), but in the sense that I really don't matter in the huge scheme of things.

Okay, enough randomness for 1 day- until next time...

Heeeeeerrrrrrreeeeee'ssssss Hilary!!

Yo Yo Yo, Hildot in da house!!! I have decided to start a blog... I don't know how often I will write but I plan on it being often. I always feel like I have things to say but only say them to myself and then they are gone. Sometimes I rant, sometimes I am witty, and sometimes I am inappropriate (okay, more than sometimes). Anyways, welcome; I hope I get some readers and if not, at least I won't be talking to myself as much...haha. TTFN...hilary