I was bored enough procrastinating this afternoon so much that I decided to read the weekly circular for my local grocery...but I did it online. Some interesting stuff I suppose. I see one thing on a great sale so I decide to go stock up on it. I put on presentable clothes, I march myself to the store, I get the rest of my goods, and the one item I wanted BECAUSE it was on sale...wasn't actually on sale. What the crap people?

Stupid flyer...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 11:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Thanks to SWG's story about feeding the stray cat on his trip yesterday I now miss my pets again. I can't have pets where I live now so letÂ’s take a trip down memory lane...

As a kid we rescued/saved each and every one of our family pets.

Dummy - he was a fluffy white cat that my parents already had when I was born. I'm not sure how they came to adopt him but they did somehow. He was as dumb as a stump, hence his name. In actuality, he was probably partially blind or something. If you put food in front of him, he still couldn't find it. He was one of those indoor/outdoor cats so he got to run around the neighborhood a lot. This apparently pissed off one of the neighbors (who was a giant uh... not nice person... on a good day). Dummy went missing for a while and no one knew what happened. Later my parents found him near the backyard, shot dead. We could never prove it, but the neighbor was always the prime suspect.

Lucky - he was a big grey cat with a white chest and boots. He got his name because we almost hit him with our truck. We were driving home from vacation one summer and he was sitting in the middle of the highway. At first, from far away, my dad thought he was trash in the road. As we approached and slowed down, the cat didn't budge. My dad stopped the truck, got out, and picked up the cat. We were out in the middle of farmland but he didn't look like a farm cat. We checked a few houses around but no one had seen him before. That made him ours. He was infested with all kinds of nasty things but once we got him cleaned up at the vet he was good as new. He was an inside cat from then on. He loved our house and got big and fat there. Unfortunately he had a not so bright vet. We never really knew how old he was but he was probably pretty old once he got sick. He started getting sluggish and would howl. He didn't want eat and eventually didn't want to move. We took him to the vet several times but it wasn't until the last visit that the vet realized what was wrong. He ended up on the operating table and just couldn't handle the stress. His body had been through so much that he just didn't pull through. (At least this is what my parents told me)

Little Foot - a black and tan tabby that my mom found as a kitten. He got his name because I had just seen the Land Before Time movie and I loved the main character. Mom worked in the doctor's office in a small town (yes, I said the, as in the only office). The doctor lived in a house across the alley behind the office. One day they had an emergency in the alley and when it was over my mom noticed the kitten. He was very young. Doc said he had been hanging around for a while. Mom went and put him on the Doc's porch so he didn't get hit in the alley. At the end of the day he was still sitting there, exactly where my mom had left him, so she put him in a cardboard box and brought him home. Lucky didn't really appreciate the addition at first but he got used to him after a while. Little Foot has been a hell raiser ever since we got him. The outdoors are the most fascinating thing to him and he always tries to escape. He always ends up coming back but without claws and having lived indoors for nearly his whole life, battling coyotes doesn't sound like a good plan. He lives with my mom still but he's getting daily medical care because his kidneys are just about gone. Poor kitty...

Nugget & Silky - these two kittens were picked up from a friend that was a member of the humane society as soon as they were able to leave their mom. Nugget was a short haired orange tabby. Silky was a long haired cream color. There are lots of stories about these two since they were the pets that I got to pick out as a child. I don't know what happened to them though. When my dad decided to sell the house and move in with his girlfriend (now his wife) he gave them away. It was a seriously traumatic experience because he didn't give them to a family, he took them to the shelter. Taking the time to find a loving family for two adult cats was too much for him to take on and I wasn't told he was giving them away until a few weeks or so before he did. They were very attached to us and each other. Taking them to the shelter and watching them cower in fear as they howled for attention was the most heartbreaking thing I think I've ever done. Supposedly they were adopted together just a week later to a family ... but I will never know for sure what happened to them ...

Heidi - the smartest, most beautiful German Shepard you'd ever meet. My aunt and uncle kept her out on their property when they rescued her from some abusive friends. She never really got any attention so we brought her to our house. She loved playing with us and running around in the California sun. She lived a long and happy life. She got hip dysplasia like a lot of Shepards but she did alright with pain meds. We ended up putting her to sleep because of the cancer instead.

Next time I get a pet, I'll find him/her at the shelter too...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 02:40 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Apparently the beefy Mr. Kenny Chesney is off the market, ladies. That's right, he got married on that little island he lives on in the Carribean, to Rene Zellweger. Fox has a story with very few details.

But all I have to say is... Kenny! How could you? You've just met the girl. I know you've strayed a bit from the rest of the country pack but don't you go giving the whole genre a bad wrap now. What do you think you are...a pop star? Country stars get married and mean it. None of this Brittney "oops I didn't mean it" crap...ok?

Chris Cagle always just seemed a little bit more fun anyway...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 01:33 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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So I'm filling in the millions of questions that go along with trying to become a govie and it comes to the section on family... to include step-family. Are you for serious? For serious.

I have to admit being related to these ... uh ... misfits relatives?

Crap...this can't be good for my future in government...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 06:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I sent flowers to her office and a card to her house but in case you're like my brother and forgot to send something... there's still time! You can send the same Mother's Day greeting he did, Mr. T style.

Go watch it HERE on ifilm.com

Posted by: Princess Cat at 06:05 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Gentlemen, you can stop reading right now as I'm fairly certain you are not interested in the cosmetics section of the drug store...

So ladies...a friend was asking for skin care advice today...
As part of the answer I picked up my moisturizer...my trusty, wonderful, always gives me great skin moisturizer...and there was no SPF rating on it. *GASP* WHAT? This has to be wrong, I thought. Nope...I looked it up on the Neutrogena website...there is no SPF rating for my moisturizer. These bastards! The entire time I have been using it, I have thought I was protecting my skin from the sun.

So now I face a dilemma...I like my combination skin moisturizer by Neutrogena but it is very important to me to protect my skin... Neutrogena doesn't make a combination skin moisturizer with an SPF rating...

Bastards...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 02:15 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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The question was posed to me recently...How am I able to be so in touch with my feelings and then describe them in such a logical, straightforward, uncomplicated manner?

At first I didn't know. After contemplating it, I have my dad to thank. All those talks we had when I was a kid helped me to be able to identify my emotions and generally pinpoint their source. It probably worked because he didn't give up until I could give him an answer and lying to my father was just something that I was not built to do. It wasn't a badgering kind of not giving up; it was more of a sympathetic, but persistent nudging. After a while I got better at expressing my emotions in a coherent and understandable way. I knew how I felt and he knew what I meant. The talks with dad got less dramatic in nature and my life felt less out of control. I grew up what I like to consider well adjusted.

So now we have today a Princess Cat that may not always feel like the world is on her side or that there is anything she can do about it...but a Princess Cat that can tell you the specific who/what/when/why/where/how of the situation without making a scene...usually...

Thanks, Dad...

Thanks, Dad...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 11:43 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Posted by: Princess Cat at 07:52 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As much as I wanted to keep my personal life off of this blog, I have no where else left to turn. I've been backed into a corner and just can't find peace.

I'm so tired of the advice...
I don't think I can take one more person piping up with what they think my best course of action would be. There are no perfect answers and calling the shots from the sidelines certainly isn't going to yield one. So please, no more comments about what I should do or when...

I am a good person...
I was nothing but nice...
I never said choose...
I offered my heart...

In exchange...

I've been unappreciated...
I've been accused...
I've been ignored...
I've been blamed...
I've been doubted...
I've been snubbed...

I have been betrayed.

I have become a cold, hard, bitch...
And I don't know how to back down...

I did nothing wrong...
I was a kind hearted girl...

So naive...

My deeds did not go unpunished...
The demons returned to torment...
And peace has slipped farther away...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 03:54 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I am quickly growing to hate this bunch of incompetent losers... They just keep letting me down.

Back in Feb I used them to send a birthday present and they botched it multiple times.

Now, they are the delivery company for a package I am anxiously awaiting. The transaction looks something like this so far:

Ship date: May 2, 2005
Estimated delivery date: May 5, 2005 by 4:30 pm

May 5, 2005
8:26 am
On FedEx vehicle for delivery
WEST SPRINGFIELD VA

May 4, 2005
8:27 pm
Package in FedEx location
WEST SPRINGFIELD VA

12:52 pm
Package not due for delivery
WEST SPRINGFIELD VA

7:56 am
On FedEx vehicle for delivery
WEST SPRINGFIELD VA

6:50 am
Arrived at FedEx Destination Location
WEST SPRINGFIELD VA

4:43 am
Left FedEx Ramp
DULLES VA

2:22 am
Arrived at FedEx Ramp
DULLES VA

May 3, 2005
2:44 pm
Left FedEx Sort Facility
INDIANAPOLIS IN

4:54 am
Left FedEx Sort Facility
LOS ANGELES CA

May 2, 2005
11:50 pm
Arrived at Sort Facility
LOS ANGELES CA

8:23 pm
Left FedEx Origin Location
CITY OF INDUSTRY CA

3:49 pm
Pre-routed meter pkg picked up
CITY OF INDUSTRY CA

How flippin long would you like my package to float around VA? And what is this "Package not due for delivery" crap after you put it on a truck and drove it around all day?

FedEx SUCKS! NOW GIVE ME MY PACKAGE!

UPDATE: My package was delivered this evening and after much personal temper tantrum throwing over my own subsequent, simpleton mistake, all is well with the package contents.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 03:13 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I hate who I've become...
Trying so hard to find happiness in the little things, just so I'm not so bitter for a few moments out of my day...
My eyes used to sparkle...
I feel abandoned and let down, by my own decisions...
There is so much pain in the world, larger than mine, but I see only my own...
Thinking of myself feels so selfish, the guilt weighs on me...
My content here sux and I'm not inspired to write...
The semester is ending, so many unknowns, my course uncharted...
People are falling around me, and I am powerless to help...
I don't see the glass half empty anymore...
It has fallen and smashed on the ground...

Here I am, once again / I'm torn into pieces / Can't deny it, can't pretend / ... / Broken up, deep inside / But you won't get to see the tears I cry

Posted by: Princess Cat at 04:03 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Don't ask me why, but I love this dance. I miss it. A lot. The only problem is I only about half know it. I seem to have a terrible ability to forget dance steps. I'd kill for someone who could teach me more of them. And I long for the days when practicing was as easy as going a couple exits down the freeway.

*sigh*

Where have you gone cowboy?

Posted by: Princess Cat at 01:16 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Today has been a fun, fun day.

My director has been giving me troubles over a class I want to take and itÂ’s been severely chapping my hide. Well I've been talking to the instructor and he made statements about the course contrary to what the director did. So what happened? I made the instructor aware of the restrictions the director was putting on the course and he replied with "Let me speak with him and I'll get back to you." Hahaha...it's always a good day when I can rock the boat with the administration.

What else made my day so fabulous, you ask? I'm getting fingerprinted! In a good way. I've been selected as an alternate candidate for an internship in the fall and they are going to work on a clearance for me in case I end up getting it. Woohoo!

Good times, dear readersÂ…good timesÂ…

Posted by: Princess Cat at 10:58 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I guess that's what makes it so hard...

I sat on my lazy duff after class tonight and watched House for the first time in 5 months. I have no idea what the overarching storyline is at this point so forgive my lack of details. But as the episode ended I nearly threw the stick from my long since eaten fudgesicle at the TV ... until I remembered it wasn't my TV. He sat there wanting this woman to come back to work and offered her everything in the book ... praise for her skills, more money, a better parking spot, he even offered to listen to her more ... but he didn't offer her what was so flipping obvious ... appreciation for who she was, as a person, not just a doctor. She didn't need to hear she did a good job...she needed to hear that he valued her. She needed to have him swallow his pride. Nothing else would do...and he just didn't understand...

I feel ya, girl... Captain Obvious is on vacation and he didnÂ’t bother to hire a temp...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 10:10 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Apparently I have become a grammar/punctuation nazi. You wouldn't know it from the way I blog or IM but when it comes to academic/official/professional work of some kind... you'd better have your ducks in a row.

People give me their papers to edit and I am more than happy to help them out. Writing is hard and we all feel better if we have someone else read over our work. However, people inevitably get their papers back from me with scores of strike outs, arrows, question marks, and red ink galore. Sometimes they get their feelings hurt but like I used to tell my econ students that thought I was a grading nazi, "It's not about making you feel good, it's about making sure you get it right. And you can hate me now but if you stay in this field, you'll thank me later."

I'm still shocked at basic rules of writing that people don't understand though. Like the rule that says two spaces between each sentence...how do you get that wrong? Type, type type, period, space, space. It's not hard! It's a rule that you ALWAYS follow.

*shakes head in disbelief*

Posted by: Princess Cat at 02:32 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Looks like Miss Sadie is back at designing after her battle with law school finals. I can't wait to see what kind of fantastic aesthetic upgrades she has in mind.

So until she's done, mind the sign about dust and watch your head...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 12:17 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Someday theyÂ’ll find your small town world on a big town avenue / Gonna make you like the way they talk when theyÂ’re talking to you / Gonna make you break out of the shell cause they tell you to / Gonna make you like the way they lie better than the truth / TheyÂ’ll tell you everything you wanted someone else to say / TheyÂ’re gonna break your heart, yeah

From what IÂ’ve seen / YouÂ’re just a one more hand me down / Cause no oneÂ’s tried to give you what you need / ... /

Somebody ought to take you in / Try to make you love again / Try to make you like the way they feel / When theyÂ’re under your skin / Never once did you think theyÂ’d lie when theyÂ’re holding you / You wonder why they havenÂ’t called / When they said theyÂ’d call you / You start to wonder if youÂ’re ever gonna make it by / YouÂ’ll start to think you were born blind

From what IÂ’ve seen / YouÂ’re just a one more hand me down / Cause no oneÂ’s tried to give you what you need / ... /

--Matchbox Twenty

The rest of the song just didn't quite feel applicable in my current state of confusion. Yes, I've had a little wine...sue me...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 01:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Coming home today at 9:30p I had my headphones on as I tried in vain to study for the one final I have left. There was a rather distraught/tired looking fellow a seat over but that's standard in this city so I didn't think anything of it. When we got near my stop he made a quick phone call and then smiled in my direction. I smiled back and went back to putting my things away. He then pulled out an address and asked if I knew where the street was. So I told him I would show him where it was.
We got off the train and exited the station. We started walking toward a dark area with no sidewalk and I veered off to the better lit, paved portion of the road. I walked him to the intersection where I lived and told him exactly where he needed to go. We shook hands and parted ways.
It didn't dawn on me until I was at home making dinner...late at night, strange man I don't know, single girl, few people around... wtf was I thinking?

Little Miss Helpful apparently forgets about the dangers of big city life sometimes...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 11:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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My instructor just e-mailed me the feedback on the tough research paper I was stressing over and presented last week. Things came out well but after reading his email, I'm hanging my head in shame...

Paper 3 A: Well written, well researched, and well structured paper on a difficult topic. Your recommendations are well developed and reasonable. Great job overall.

Participation A: Excellent presentation of your paper but I continued to be disappointed in the amount of your participation in the seminar. Please do
yourself, your fellow students, and your other instructors a favor by getting more involved during seminars. You were a great pleasure in class. Best wishes in your future endeavors.

My grade will come out pretty well the course...there's no way it can be below an A - if I remember my earlier grades correctly. But that part about him being disappointed just cuts in a way I can't overlook. Usually I wouldn't care how an instructor felt about my performance as long as I was happy with it and I got the grade I wanted... but I respect this instructor more than most... and I disappointed him...

I'm sorry, Lt Col ... I really didn't give you everything I could have ... and I have no excuse but my own foolishness ...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 04:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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And so is my toe...

Note to self: Subwoofer & toe are a poor (and painful) combination. Corner impact at velocity (no matter how minimal) underscores this point.

But my toe is a pretty purple color now...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 01:56 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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