Sunday = (not so) Funday

Normally Sundays are amazing days, but today just felt like any other. Actually, I worked 7 hours today... but from my couch, in my pjs so it didn't feel too bad. I was entering data from in-depth interviews done in Japan. Yeah, it was in Japanese... most of the important stuff was translated, but it's still kinda daunting.

This weekend was much less eventful than last weekend. I took some online training courses on Friday night (I wonder if I can charge them for that time, too... probably not) and then did some cleaning and shopping and laundry on Saturday. (yay new clothes!) I know, exciting, right? I thought I had pink eye (thanks to my right eye that has a pink ring around the iris) but it doesn't itch and it's not gooey so maybe it's just from when I hit my eye with my mascara brush. Ha... that incident made for a great morning on Thursday. =)

Oh! I made all of my deadlines (so far)! I am actually really proud of that because I didn't think I could do it. Unfortunately The Boss pretty much rejected all of my proposals, but whatever. I'm (trying to be) over it. It's not that he didn't like what I did or how I did it, he just decided to go a different direction--so I'm back at square one. Oh. Well. 10 more days.

Last Tuesday The Boss did talk to me about full time hiring and stuff--but it (unfortunately) doesn't look good for this department. Again, not because he doesn't like me (cause i think he does again) but just because I'm an undergrad and it's just really hard to get in to marketing research from outside of Caterpillar.

I'm hoping the overtime kinda simmers down for the next two weeks... maybe it'll completely go away? but either way I should have some more time to relax and hang out with people. I can't believe there're only 10 working days, 12 actual days until we're done and I'll never see the other interns again. Sad. =(

This is my current favorite Spain picture from last summer. Pretty sweet, eh? Sometimes I don't believe that I was even there. It's from the Alhambra in Granada... i wanna go back and i wanna go back right now. so there.

smashed windows

These are pictures from when the window was broken...

somebody's got a case of the mondays

I got married in one of my dreams last night. It was really detailed, though, so I woke up kinda freaked out... I sure hope my subconcious isn't trying to tell me something about the guy though... haha. weird...

The rest of the day was good, though. I entered 60 projects into my database today, which means only 40 to go. Only. Ha. I had to bring them home so that I can try to get some of it done...I'm a lot closer to making the deadline than I thought, though. I also have to give a kinda big presentation tomorrow (yup, taking out one of the suits for this one). I should go practice and then enter some projects... yay for Mondays.

police at 4:30am and glass stuck in my hair

This weekend was pretty spectacular in all ways but one...

Friday: KTP and Drew showed up for some exciting Peoria adventures! Yay for the Three Musketeers reunion. We dined at Flattop Grill (pretty much amazing) and chatted it up like the old days. It was so nice and easy to get back in the swing of things with these guys. Then we headed over to Sam's place for a little pre-partying (my first non-fruity tasting shots) and hanging out (also spectacular--especially the music and the lights =). We decided to go to some of the exciting Peoria bars and Sam's friend Jeni dropped us off. I've now learned that Peoria Friday nightlife is pretty much left to the creepy dancing people, but that's another part of the story. To cut to the chase, we went to a few bars and decided to head back to Sam's place around 3:30am (sidenote: I had been up since 6:00am the morning before). We decided that we would walk back since it wasn't too far but then Sam was a little nervous about one of the neighborhoods we had to walk through so she decided to call Jeni again for a ride. So we're walking and talking and being jolly. Then, from a field on the left, three or four guys came out of a field and started walking towards where we were. All the little hairs on the back of my neck stood up because of the situation: three girls and a guy walking home from the bars a little tipsy at 3:30ish am and three guys walking towards us. We decided to cross the street to where there was more light--and, let's be honest, we would've been a little farther from the guys. As we were crossing, Drew said he felt a rock hit him on the foot but I didn't really register his comment. Just at that second, Sam's friend Jeni came down the hill to pick us up (good thing, too). As we trotted over to her car we were laughing and saying what good timing she had. We all piled in (KTP, Drew and I in the back) and slammed the doors when there was a loud crashing sound behind us. Jeni squealed away and I turned around to see that the rear window was shattered and there was glass everywhere. The rest of the story is pretty uninteresting, but to summarize we went to Sam's, called the police, they waited 45 minutes to help us and then pretty much treated the situation with no urgency. Their response to the people who threw rocks at us was "Well, if they do anything else bad tonight we'll probably pick them up then." Way to be proactive. We still had glass all over and I even found a bunch in my hair the next morning. Spectacular. Anyway, all of Friday was a pretty big experience--the drinking with KTP, Drew and Sam and then the window "issue". It also turned into an expensive experience... =)

Saturday: We slept in (but still only got 6 hours of sleep) and then hung out and went grocery shopping. For dinner we grilled some chicken and corn and had some rice dishes and 8 people ended up eating (it was originally 4ish... =) We didn't run out of food, though, so that's good. THEN, the cultural experience of a lifetime. Erin (an intern friend who's addicted to line dancing) and I dragged (...literally in some cases...) 4 other people to Stone Country for some super amazing dancing experiences. =) I think everyone liked it--at least that's what they tell me. I had a good time again, even though it was really empty this time.

Sunday: Drew went skydiving this morning with some friends from school so KTP and I hung out by the pool and watched a movie and talked and it was pretty sweet. Again, I get excited to see that even after some time we can all still hang out together and get along so well. Drew came back and picked KTP up and they're on their way back to Batavia. My apartment seems so lonely after having them here and with so much going on. I need to get some work stuff done tonight, but I kinda need to get out of here for a bit so I'm going to go eat at a friend's place.

This week will be pretty intense--my deadlines are finally happening and I'm not ready. Plus my boss is back in town and I have a presentation in front of some pretty crucial people on Tuesday. Sorry for the novel, but Friday was a pretty...interesting... night and I felt like sharing. I'm just really glad Jeni came when she did, otherwise who knows what would've happened. Maybe nothing. But maybe it could have been much worse...

Let's see...

I had a really great weekend at home. Erin (an intern friend) and I went to Batavia and hung out with KTP and Drew (yay!). It was pretty much spectacular. AND, I got laundry done. haha. Mom and Dad were visiting my Uncle and his family in Michigan so we had the house to ourselves. Oh, I went to IKEA and only spent $47! I know, pretty much a miracle.

I'm swamped (again) at work this week. I just got another project for my boss that I got done (to a reasonable degree) by the end of the day, but that whole time was spent away from all the other projects I need to be doing. I know I should be saying "no" to people who need help, but I don't really have the option when it's my boss... and the other projects I just really want to do. I mean, I took this internship to learn about marketing research...not just about database creation. I think I just have too many bosses. Oh well...

quick news

Megan Casey got engaged!! Yay!

new career path

Korin (my roommate) and I were watching TV and talking tonight and we've decided to become models. I know, I should have seen it coming...it's an obvious career move for me.

In unrelated news: I had good dinner last night. Andrew made a delicious shrimp/peppers/butter/pasta dish with good salad and even the bread with the olive oil dip stuff. Ok, I suck at describing food (that doesn't even count as a description) but it was good. It was good tonight for dinner, too.

I brought some work home with me today to see if I could be productive here. I kinda failed. I mean, I did about 2 hours of work, but I'll only bill 45 minutes because it was so unproductive.

This is a super lame post. I'm not even going to try to save it, though, cause I need to pack for Batavia and then go to bed.

I should start sleeping more, but other things and conversations are much more entertaining. I've been sleeping through my alarm in the mornings, too. Bad news bears. Ok... bed?

Taj Mahal

I'm going to India!!!

The internet doesn't work in my apartment so I'm hanging in Katie and Erin's place and stealing someone's wireless. I don't know why it works here, but whatever. I had a really good day and here's why:

1) India! I got some e-mails from my Prof. about setting dates and getting deposits to him and stuff which means I can finally get really excited. I'll be gone from 01/02/07 until 01/12/07 (I think).

2) I got some promising news from my boss! The Boss pulled me into his office at the end of the day and pretty much told me that I'm amazing. ok, kidding. But he did transfer me to another manager...which sounds weird, but my boss might not be The Boss when I want to get a job there, so he transferred me to a manager who will be there for sure. That way when I want a job I will have a MUCH easier chance of getting one. It'll still depend on final grades/my performance this summer/if there's an opening. But still! The Boss was like "I really don't want to transfer you, but I am doing what's best for you." Yay!

There was something else, but I don't remember what.

I worked 22:45 hours of overtime over the last two weeks. I guess it's worth it to get my project done and according to The Boss my "sense of urgency has not gone unnoticed." He did still stress that I haven't proven anything in these few weeks... I still have to work my ass off to get a job in the end. I feel like lots of the other interns are pretty much shoe-ins for a job after they graduate, but since I don't want just a general marketing job (i really want research) it's more competitive. Oh well... keep on truckin'.

I need to go home now to clean my apartment cause it's embarrassingly dirty. One of the interns I met is cooking dinner at my place tomorrow night and I need to at least try to get it clean. I hope it doesn't still smell... I think I'm used to it by now so I don't notice. Whatever. I want a clean apartment. =( My dad thinks that the air conditioner was leaking. (oh yeah, my parents came visiting on Saturday... my mom thought my apartment "could be really nice" but it was a little too messy for her tastes... =)

I'm going to India!! The Boss likes me again!! I get good food tomorrow!!

cheer up, charlie

My parents are coming into town today! (Doug broke his car window...long story but they're swapping cars with him until it's fixed.) And, I get to go cook my potluck dish at my brother's house (in his CLEAN kitchen)! And, I get to hang out with work people outside of work. AND, a group of people are coming from UofI to go linedancing at Stone Country... a group of interns are going, too!! So, last night was good until I started getting really tired (bad news bears), but my energy's picking back up and today should be great! Life looks better when I'm not tired.

Oh, and I'm not in the office like I was last weekend!!!!

yuck

my apartment smells. really bad. it is dirty and smelly and ew. we have a puddle of water that's trying to evaporate. don't know how it got there, but the carpet's wet. just thought you should know.

Facts:

• I like people.
• I am going to see Pirates tomorrow.
• I need to make some potluck dish to bring to a BBQ at my boss' house (ah!).
  
• I'm the only person in my department who can do what I'm doing at work.
• I have run out of work clothes that I enjoy wearing--nothing really appeals to me in the mornings.
• Coffee is good.
• I plan too many things in my life, which restricts actually living for the sake of living--and is instead living for the sake of completing tasks/goals.
• I have church-y thoughts swimming in my head again.
• Erin cooks a mean cashew/chicken/spicy/sour/sweet dinner.
• I need to go to bed, but I'm too tired to move from the couch.
  
• Overtime is occasionally overrated.
• I am going to bed.
  

Happy Fourth of July!

I can't believe it's July 4th already... when did that happen?

This time last year we were doing some wine tasting/tapas making at a Fourth of July shindig in the Sacramonte (I think it was up there...). I tried to make sangria today, but I wasn't too happy with the result--the fruit I used tasted funny. Kinda disappointing, but whatevs. People still drank it and now I know what not to use (be very selective with citrus...). : )

Today was fun--grilling with friends and then relaxing before going to Peoria fireworks. Good times. We watched from a parking lot near the river and Katie and I went crafting in Walmart while we were waiting. We painted boxes... haha, I think you had to have been there to understand. I've been getting these craft urges lately, but nothing ever turns out the way I want it to. Hm...symbolic of my life? Just kidding, just kidding.

I should get to bed. The last thing my boss said to the group at lunch yesterday was that "we should enjoy the Fourth, but come back to the office ready to work on Wednesday. We're going to work a long, busy, full day. Just be ready for it." Great. I wonder how long a "long day" is...

New Links

Howdy. Happy almost Fourth of July!

I put my favorite links over there to the right. They're pretty much amazing in every way...

I worked this morning, but it wasn't too bad. I'm getting nervous for Friday (Deadline Day) because I'm (probably) not going to be done and I have a million other things to be doing, too. Ah!
Well, I'm off.....