Taking a little sabbatical to get started on a new project.

xoxo.

There's a girl at work who went on full maternity leave, came back (after however many weeks you typically get off), quit and left within the first half a day she was back.

Some women might think, "Sweet deal! Right on! Fuck 'em!" but in actuality, I can't help but think this behavior gives women a terrible name -- especially since she was 3 months pregnant when she was hired. Why would any company want to treat a pregnant woman fairly in the hiring process knowing very well she could do just that?

I raided the supplies in her desk within 5 minutes she left. The body wasn't even cold yet.

I got a really sweet 3-hole punch.

Alert the press!!! Thode is making a stop in Chicago on her way to NYC!

There will be cocktails.

This may come as a somewhat shocking statement considering how much I loathe any sort of sci-fi and don't really do well with TV dramas (more specifically, courtroom dramas - zzzz), but NBC's "Heroes" was actually really good last night.

I'm waiting for a date to pick me up. He got lost on his way here, called, and ends up he went about 15 miles past my street. How does that happen?

I'm hungry.

There's a really bad storm (hail, tornado watch, etc.) going on right now preventing me from leaving work at 5 o'clock on Friday.

Fuck you, Mother Nature.

For the record, I cannot STAND the Audrey Hepburn/Gap ad. Just about as much as I can't stand the black skinny jean.

Please let this phase in 'fashion' pass quickly. Thank you.

If you were ever wondering what it feels like to be stuck inside someone's crotch, you should've been at Austin City Limits on Friday. I had heard Matthew McConaughey was there...stinkin' up the place with his 'au nautural' fragrance, as well as Jake Gyllenhal and Lance Armstrong. I could've been standing next to one of them and wouldn't realize it with 65,000 of my closest friends with me.

Bands I saw included Van Morrison (zzzz), Calexico, Nada Surf, Husky Rescue, Gnarls Barkley, Los Lobos (laugh if you will, but someone told me to see them and they were right - they actually pretty good!), and part of John Mayer and his giant head.

Lee and I met up on Sat. afternoon and she gave me sweet ass t-shirt (thanks!) and Charlie and I were able to meet up for dinner and a drink on Saturday night.

The only 'famous' person I saw was WWE's "The Undertaker," on my flight home. I didn't recognize him, but someone pointed him out to me. I just had his famous "gong" sound that accompanies his entrance into the ring going through my head during take off. And how appropriate would it have been if our plane had gone down in a firey flame with the fuckin' Undertaker along for the ride?

Texas shows us their superiority in waffles.

Um, I feel the need to say that I took my waffle to my room and wasn't taking photos of my food in public. Speaking of which, I've come to the realization that I find it completely strange when people take photos of their table in restaurants. It's a) obnoxious to everyone around you and b) do you really need to remember some meal you're going to shit out in 4-8 hours? However, this behavior is completely acceptable at 3 AM in a Denny's. It's a fine line in etiquette, my friends.

More about ACL tomorrow.

The waffle I ordered for breakfast this morning actually came in the shape of Texas.

They are literally cramming it down my throat y'all.

I'm in Texas, y'all.

My company's travel agent forgot to book me a rental car, so I went to the Avis counter and all they could offer me was either a minivan, an SUV, or a Hummer (insert obvious joke here). Anyway, I took the SUV (and a hummer on the side - wa wa) and so all I need is some big hair and I'm practically a native.

It ends up I have a few (gen. adm.) extra day passes for ACL, so Charlie/Lee, let me know...email me at uvolks2@hotmail.com w/ your phone number.

Besides the XTREME post-9/11 moping I did yesterday (which included doing an olly off a moving truck while crying), some good news I received is that I'll have a VIP pass to Austin City Limits this weekend. This is very exciting to me because it means...drum roll please...AIR CONDITIONING! Thank God, I was kind of dreading having to go down there and standing around in 90+ degree weather all weekend. I am also looking forward possibility of getting to meet up with Charlie on Saturday and being his sugar momma with my corporate American Express card. WOOT!

My company decided to pick today, Sept. 11th, to test the company's fire alarm. Seriously, this couldn't wait until the 12th? Nice bedside manner, agency.

Looking forward, here is a rendering of architect Santiago Calatrava's transportation hub for the new World Trade Center in NY. The ceiling is retractable, allowing for light to enter the building. If you're from the Milwaukee area, you'll recognize the similar design from the Milwaukee Art Museum. I really like it, but would like to hear your thoughts?

I was invited to a co-worker's BBQ yesterday afternoon. I had never hung out with this girl on a social basis, but she's a nice girl and I headed on out to the Western burbs. When I walked into her place, I noticed all of these little motivational post-it notes all over her apartment, like:

"I have a healthy, beautiful body"
"For every mountain, there is a miracle."
"It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up again."

Like, this wasn't only posted in one area. They were all over her apartment. I now know one of her goals is to make it on Oprah.

The only thing I have up in my apartment is a nice crochet message of "Do not fuck with me." Welcome. Can I offer you a beverage?

This girl who sits next to me just got ANOTHER beautiful bouquet of flowers. I swear to you, this girl gets flowers on a weekly basis from some doctor in Miami. What the hell? Share the wealth, man!

Meanwhile, my apartment is being exterminated today. Luckily, I haven't seen any icky bugs so I think it's more of a preventative measure, otherwise Wally has been getting his protein.

It's about time.

Observation:

- Is it just me or does Suri look a little like Bjork?



- I need a translator for MTV's "Two A Day." I have come to accept that Megan and strong southern accents really do not mix well.

I've been a little gun shy about writing about the dates I've gone on recently, perhaps because of a bad experience of a certain ex finding (and scouring) my blog. *cough* None of the dates I've gone on have really been worth writing about, anyway, other than the guy who called me the wrong name on my voicemail, which was pretty hilarious. I said out loud, "Did he just call me Carrina?" I mean, it was no where close to Megan. It was loud in the bar we met, but go on and play, Playa.

Weekend mission...



Accomplished.

Dude, the fuckin' Crocodile Hunter died.

I feel bad for his wife and kids. Argh, the stupid idiot, may he R.I.P.

I forgot to mention it this week, but I'm really sad Jimbo's is closing. The last thing this city needs is more condos with no parking. I watched the White Sox win the World Series in this bar. Poor Bob probably spent most of his adult years there, so I imagine he's like a pup who has lost his way.

R.I.P. Jimbo's.

So, Miss Thode (who has some big news -- let's just say I might be along for the ride for part of a cross country rode trip soon) and I spent all of last night on AOL instant messenger going back and forth about MTV's VMA awards.

Some of my favorite comments:

- "That Acuvue winner needs to win an Invisilign contest."
- "My mom is really cheering for Beyonce."
- (after Al Gore's little of "Here's a photo of Patagonia glaciers 20 years ago, and today" speech), Thode said, "Here's a photo of Nicole Richie before...and today."
- "I want to snuggle with Pharrell and Ti."

Weekend plans include getting off my ass and spending some quality time at the Oak Park library sending off resumes, and drinking. These two activities may or may not be correlated.

I'm Megsy Megs and me love you long time.