So apparently I live in St. Paul now

Honestly, I never thought I'd end up here. I always told myself that I was a Minneapolis girl. I still may be. I don't know what I am anymore. Minneapolis is a lot more hard edged than St. Paul seems to be. I kind of like that. It makes me feel safe.

Yesterday I went for a walk in an attempt to find a Wells Fargo so I could deposit my check. For being one of the largest banks in the country, there certainly aren't any around where I live. While I was walking, I stumbled into a rougher neighborhood. And even though I knew it was a rougher neighborhood, I didn't feel especially alarmed after living in north Minneapolis.

I really like St. Paul though. It's neat that I am actually within walking distance to fun things. I like that I have a view of downtown. I like that I have my own place with a nice girl. I like that I have my things again. I like that I have a home again.

I remember waking up in November one morning and realizing that where I was wasn't home anymore. I don't know how it happened or what caused me to wake up feeling that way. I looked around my room and just realized I wasn't where I was supposed to be anymore. It was a terrifying feeling. I didn't know what to do, who to talk to or how to fix it. And while I liked where I was in Eagan, I had two boxes and my clothes. I'm happy to have my bed and dresser, and everything in my own closet and drawers. It's good to be home.

Close Talkers

One of the moms at work is loud, and a close talker. The loud part is just annoying, especially when I like to remain in a half asleep daze until about nine or ten in the morning. Her crashing and yelling makes it difficult for me to maintain a healthy glazed over expression.

But really, I can live with the noise. It's the close talking thing that creeps me out beyond all reason. Even the people I know and love I prefer at a comfortable two feet distance. On her second day of work she actually walked up behind me, looked over my shoulder and rested her head on it. I swear, if she needs to ask a question she stands six inches from my face. I've noticed I habitually start leaning away when she approaches me.

Today, I made a joke while she was about a foot from me and she laughed,which caused her to spit. On my face. In my eye. And I'm not talking about a couple drops. I did all I could not to gasp. The Mexican woman I work with saw it and did though. I quickly walked away and wiped my face off. My right eye does not feel okay.

Color Test = Career Predictions?

Tonight I took a test based entirely on selecting colors that was supposed to predict fitting jobs and my personality in terms of work. I had to take it simply to try to prove it wrong. It was created by Career Path. The test is free, so go take it. I should say none of their colors were all that desireable to me, so this was a somewhat difficult task. The test just asks you to choose colors you prefer most and least. Of course, most were: green, brown, black. Least: lime green, orange, white.

So let's break down my results and see how accurate it was.

Congratulations! I am a "creator." That's why I was such a pain in the ass, mom and dad. I was always destined to be an artist.

I am:
1. Nonconforming (true)
2. Impulsive (true...as much as I hate to admit it)
3. Expressive (mm...sometimes)
4. Romantic (hopelessly so)
5. Intuitive (I can be)
6. Sensitive (I've begun to develop a thicker skin, thank God)
7. Emotional (...yes, sigh)

As an original type, I place high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self expression (okay, pretty true, although "aesthetic qualities" is a little vague). I like to: work independently (check), be creative (check), use my imagination (check), and constantly learn something new (double check-ask Lisa, I once said I could go to school for the rest of my life).

Fields of interest: art (check), drama (check), music (check), writing (uh...duh), places where I can assemble, express, implement creative ideas (damn, it's pretty good).

Occupations:
Advertising executive
Architect
Web designer
Creative director (these all seem much more high paying than the career I chose)
Public Relations (eesh, no way)
Fine or Commercial Artist
Interior decorator
Lawyer (yikes, not on your life)
Librarian (boooooring)
Musician (now we're talking!)
Reporter
Art teacher
ENGLISH TEACHER
Author
Editor

My second best fit is "social manager." Well that sounds bossy. Okay, maybe I am a little.

I am:
1. Tactful (sometimes)
2. Cooperative (fairly often)
3. Generous (well I think I am)
4. Understanding (I try to be)
5. Insightful (sometimes)
6. Friendly (I don't think I bite)
7. Cheerful (again, sometimes)

I am a very social type (skin crawling, skin crawling) who enjoys working in groups (not so much), sharing responsibility (yes, because I'm lazy), and being the center of attention (........yes, dammit).

Fields of interest: instructing (yep!), helping (check), nurturing, caregiving. I discuss and consider feelings in order to solve problems (sometimes), lead (at work I do), direct (isn't that the same as "lead?"), persuade (not really), guide (again, "lead"), organize (not really), enlighten others (well, those who are stupid anyway).
***********************************

So on the whole, it was pretty accurate. What are you?

Consignment shopping/high end shopping

Yesterday was a really nice day and I finally had my car back from the dealership, after two weeks of arguing with them, so I decided I'd try going window shopping at places that I don't normally shop. I went for consignment and high end stores. I used to shop at Banana Republic when I worked at Gap, but that was only because I got 40% off there. The logic behind window shopping yesterday, since I don't like shopping much in general, was that it would get me out in the perfect weather, listening to music (thanks dad, for failing to mention that the radio didn't work in your car) while I drove around. And since most high end and consignment shops are in cute trendy areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul, I'd have to drive off freeways and I'd have to parallel park. Now, let me address parallel parking. I love to parallel park. It's one of the few things I can impress people with because I can do it well and in tight spots (that's what she said). I did it four times yesterday just because I could, especially since I was too scared to in my dad's Jeep for the last week.

Things I learned from consignment shopping:
1. Smaller women should not be allowed to shop. Most anything I found in my size was horrifyingly ugly. I can look at my closet now with a higher level of respect.
2. People in general buy really unattractive things.
3. If I find a pair of jeans that fits in the waist, it will not fit in one or both of the following: hips, inseam.
4. Shirts have been stretched out from the original owner, who was larger in areas that I am not.

Things I learned from high end shopping:
1. Martin + Osa: The store looks like an ultra modern cabin. It made me dislike people who own a cabin because they did not carry pants in a 30" inseam. They apparently feel that cabin people are only average or tall. But their sweaters were really soft.
2. Metropark: The person that came up with the concept for this store was clearly too pretentious. Also, it made me hate posers because they, like cabin owners, only had an average inseam for their pants, and for women the brands were mainly Rock and Republic and True Religion and I have no interest in investing $200 in a pair of jeans.
3. Ruehl: Too loud. Too much like Abercrombie and Fitch. Also, they lie when they label their jeans; a 27" x 31" inseam is really a 27" x 33". Liars.
4. Karma: I am not a rich enough hippie to shop here...which seems somewhat contradictory, but whatever.

The redeeming parts of the day:
1. I got to drive around Grand Ave in St. Paul. I'm starting to like it more than Hennepin Ave in Uptown. Less traffic, less people, older buildings, safer neighborhood. The only downfall is that the think-they're-better-than-you crowds of St. Thomas and Macalester are too close. Get over it: your parties are weaker and your education is overpriced compared to the University of Minnesota.
2. I got to drive around with a kick ass mix all day. Here it is, just for you.

1. "Freckles"- Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Spanish Dance Troupe)
2. "American Girls"- Weezer (I'm actually not sure where this came from, so I'm going to go with the name my friend called the Weezer mix he made me- Rock Music)
3. "Lucky Today"- Cloud Cult (Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus)
4. "Yesterday, Today and Probably Tomorrow"- The Courteeners (St. Jude)
5. "Pure"- The Lightning Seeds (Pure)
6. "Time for Heroes"- The Libertines (Up the Bracket)
7. "The Sun on his Back"- Camera Obscura (Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi)
8. "Fresher than the Sweetness in Water"- Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (The Blue Trees)
9. "Somebody to Love"- Queen (Greatest Hits: I and II)
10. "She Don't Use Jelly (Lounge-A-Palooza)"- Ben Folds Five (Whatever and Ever Amen)
11. "Crimson and Clover"- Tommy James and the Shondells (At Their Best)
12. "Soul on Fire"- Spiritualized (Songs in A & E)
13. "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces"- Ben Folds Five (Whatever and Ever Amen)
14. "We Get On"- Kate Nash (Made of Bricks)
15. "Bide Your Time (Acoustic)"- The Courteeners (St. Jude)
16. "I'm Yours"- Jason Mraz (We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things)
17. "Kate"- Ben Folds Five (Whatever and Ever Amen)
18. "Black Magic"- Jarvis Cocker (Jarvis)
19. "Lunar Sea"- Camera Obscura (Underachievers Please Try Harder)

I would like to add two things: 1. I don't normally use links much in my blog, but I did this time for shits and giggles. It was annoying for me to do. Hopefully the people that read my blog are smart and don't need them because I don't really want to do it again. And, 2. Arran, just because I have Jarvis Cocker on my mix doesn't mean I necessarily like it. Notice I have the original "Crimson and Clover" on there too. I still think it's far superior to Jarvis.

Um...Excuse me?

I've made the choice to leave the hooded sweatshirt I wear for work at work, instead of taking it home or leaving it in the car. On Friday, most likely when I was freezing, I realized I couldn't find my sweatshirt. A little irritating, but I figured I just brought it home with me and forgot to bring it back.

This morning, one of the moms came in to work wearing the navy hooded sweatshirt that I rightfully stole from my dad ten years ago. She said nothing to me, walked around in it all day, and then spilled dressing on it. Generally speaking, I would rather die than have other people handle my clothes, and even if they do ask before taking them, it's rare when I allow it.

Oh yeah, she's going down.