Whale watching with Wells Fargo...

Whale and I

So I'm back in Barcelona, which means I'm back to actually updating this thing...

My flights for the first time were pretty uneventful. No I wasn't body searched or taken into the back room... I didn't even get upgraded to first class, MAJOR fail. However I was able to charm my way into free Internet access at the hotel I was staying at.

First world problem: Didn't even get served a meal on the flight. *le sigh*

I had a layover in Iceland for a day, absolutely fantastic. I completely want to vacation there now. Whale watching anyone?

I ended up getting a hotel room in town to sleep and take a shower. I meandered around the city a bit, talked to the local folk; learned about their heating system, volcanoes, trees, whales, eating habits, what cures ring worm and the local drama (apparently the man's wife at the coffee shop PERSONALLY saw Tom Cruise last week). I would show you pictures from my adventure HOWEVER the thingy [technical term] I used to upload all of my pictures from my camera happened to break when I hulk-smashed it into the USB port 1 minute ago. And then I thought... well who needs pictures when we can use our wonderful imaginations....

Bacon, Whales and the ability to become a
(kronas) millionaire... Iceland rocks.

So the currency in Iceland is the kronas, no idea if I'm spelling that right FYI. This is a lesson on why you always check your information... I think it's roughly 112 to 1 USD? That was my quick math skills at work, in addition to my White Bear Lake education (again check ur facts)... so when the woman who was helping me book my hotel, handed back my credit card AFTER running it through, told me that my total was $11,000... I nearly shit a brick. Because even though their currency is kronas (sp?) they SAY dollars. I will say this, spending $20,000 in one day had me feeling pretty fancy... Have you ever tasted a $800 cup of coffee?! Didn't think so, it tasted like really expensive Folgers.

The only pseudo-funny tale I can tell is that I recently opened up a travel account with Wells Fargo, and having it be so recent I was given a temporary card. Well when I was getting my hotel room, as he was handing back my card the man goes; "Is your name really Wells Fargo?" Which really makes the comment "Thank you Wells, enjoy your day." from my taxi driver make more sense...

A Cherry on Top

Just one of those all-around bad days.

Driving home from work with the windows down... ready to just go home and relax...

Suddenly something beans me in the head.

Look down into my lap, it's a burning cigarette.

Apparently the car in front flicked it.

Made me burst out laughing.

Oh Universe, you get me.

Words and such.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY

My Doctor Visit.

So I went to the doctor today and they needed to take a blood sample.

I don't do that so well. Not that I think I would faint... but let's just say that the last time I had to do it, circa 2007... I cried... and by cried I mean bawled my eyes out and begged them not to do it.

I've grown up a little since then. And this time I went ALL. BY. MESELF.

Like a total grown up.

I thought I would be fair so when the nurse came in, I looked her in the eye and said. "Listen, I really don't like what you're about to do. I'm not going to cry or faint... But I thought I should let you know I don't like it."

She laughed and made me lay down on the doctor table so we could get down to business.

So she's on the left side of me. I'm not looking. It's completely a mind over matter thing.

I seriously still have to put up my hand to cover any needles on TV. It's unpleasant at best.

She sticks in the needle. All's fine in my world. I'm blabbing about how I drove from White Bear Lake to downtown Minneapolis only to remember my doctor office is in White Bear Lake and I had to drive back... typical.

And she goes "OH! This isn't right... Maybe the needle is bad. I'm going to try another one."

FINE. I'm FINE.

Second needle inserted in left arm... 2 minutes go by. Silent minutes this time. If she has the balls to screw up the first time then she DOESN'T get to hear my witty and hilarious stories.

"This just isn't working. Funny... I've done at least 12 of these today... I'm not sure why it's going wrong."

Cotton balls. Tape action. She moves to the other side.

I'm still FINE. I swear. I'm being really Calm. Cool. Collected.

"WOW! Your veins are huge over here! I should have tried this arm the first time."

Are you kidding me?

Third needle makes it's way into my arm.

"Hmmm. It's coming out... just really slow. Let me try to change tubes."

I'm not sure why I looked. It must be that morbid fascination thing. All signs were pointing to 'Don't look' Street. But I decided to hop on the train to "WTF did I just do-ville"

In slow motion (because it's sexy) I look over at the EXACT moment my blood decided to make a break for it and squirts all over her.

I screamed. Loud.

It wasn't that much blood. I'll be fair. But watching your veins open up a can of whoop-ass all over a nurses uniform (you can't get that shit out) is NOT my favorite thing in the world.

She got the blood. I grabbed my stuff, swung open the door and battled my way through the crowd that had gathered around the room.

I've been doing the whole Frankenstein thing since then. Elbows definitely have a purpose. It's so much harder to drive.

I bruise easily too. I know I'm still going to be black and blue till the next time I go in there.

That's just what happened today.

The End.

Insectula! Creature From Another World.

As many of you know my dad is currently in the process of directing and filming a 'campy-horror' movie in our very own White Bear Lake.

It's a process to go through mostly because all set up is done in our house.

Thought I would share a few pictures from behind the scenes....

We need fan support so spread the work and check it out :)

http://www.insectula.com/

http://insectula.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/insectulamovie

Always finish what you start.

I found this gem. It's the start of a blog I never got around to finishing OR starting for that matter.

I'm sure it was hilarious to me (as I always am to myself).... And it would have made the 3 people who read my blog 'lol' OUT LOUD.

For the moment I'll say 'you're welcome' to the loyal friends... Nothing good could have come from this.

Spellign

I remember a time when I was a great speller.

Granted it was in third grade where the most difficult word I encountered was probably 'Together'.*

I still remember getting my confidence bashed in, when in 3rd grade we were talking about 'Compound words' and Mrs. H asked the class if anyone knew a compound word. Excitedly my hand shot up and I yelled out "Together! Get it? To-get-her!". She told me I was wrong...

YES. I am still bitter about that.

*Side note: Rewards for your accomplishments seem to decrease as you get older... I wish I still got treats for something I did, like not peeing in my pants. Well... technically you get the reward of not peeing your pants as a grown-ass person. Point still stands.

**Second side note: Ironically enough I'm listening to "ABC" by the Jackson 5.

ANYWAY. Point being that I think technology has really ruined my ability to spell. I hardly spell anything correct anymore. If I get about 3 letters down of a particular word, my phone will automatically know what I'm saying and type it out completely for me.

I don't do abbr. however (btw if you got that joke you rock)(and that one) and for that I'm pretty proud. In fact, it drives me nutz to see; u, ur, wut, y and/or thx.

Some of them don't even make sense. Wut vs. what is a ONE letter deference? How big in a hurry do you have to be to not be able to take the time to text ONE additional letter!?

I guess I'm ranting because it bugs me that people don't try and use correct grammar or spelling. I think language, especially the English language is just crumbling nowadays. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I don't screw up. But I make an effort to seem intelligent or at least educated.... I will probably never be able to spell the words; defiantly, weird or permanent let alone SAY them. But I put in the effort.

On that topic... sometimes I have a stuttering problem. No idea where it comes from.

I have a terrible story about that actually. So I work at The Hanger Room as a bartender/server (Stop by if you haven't) and one day during the week I was serving a table. It was two woman having dinner together who had ordered one glass of wine apiece. When they had finished, I offered them another.Both declined saying that they had to 'Get up early to teach.'

So being a talkative person, and from the area I inquired where she worked. To which she replied "916".

Now if you are from White Bear you know that 916 is 'special education' school. Some of their students are mentally handicapped or have hearing disabilities etc.

But thinking she was referring to another sub-White Bear School called ALC (Area learning center) I meant to say 'I have friends who went there' or something along those lines... No idea.

HOWEVER, in my excitement I blurted out "I went there!" but I happened to also stutter at the same time so I sounded more like "I wh-wh-whaent there!". A little Hellen Keller moment (and that was a politically incorrect moment).

I was so mortified about saying that, I didn't even take it back. I just shut up REAL quick. She looked at me and proceeded to say... "Yes, some people move on to other things"... Defeated, I just nodded and walked away.

Cool Story Hansel.

So... Picture time. I put up two pictures today. One just makes me laugh. It was the inspiration to this post. The second happened today when I was texting a co-worker to come in to relieve me of my bartending post. First text was sent before too many people had come in and I thought it would be funny. Obviously I'm not funny. I KNOW this (still makes me giggle).

Second text was my desperate plea for him to come help. I just thought that exchange was relevant.

Last point: I found an interesting word that I haven't come across in a while: Portmantea - which is a blending of two words like spork or smog.

Peace mo-fos.

Brook Benton - I Keep Thinking to Myself Lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3vMA_t1TzM

This is a great song. I wrote down the lyrics as I couldn't find them anywhere.

Brook Benton - I Keep Thinking To Myself Lyrics

I keep thinking to myself,

Thinking what will I have left if you don't come home.

If I though that it would help I would tell you how I felt,

Or try to telephone.

'Cause the winters coming soon,

It's getting chilly in this room,

Girl I miss you.

I miss the warmth you used to give,

And I need that warmth to live,

Girl I need you.

And I'll keep thinking what I'll do,

Doing nothing without you like I've always done.

Since the time I realized you knew about my other lives,

Though it was all in fun.

Now I'd accept you as you are,

For me that's going pretty far,

Against the rules.

That says a wife can never fall,

Or even feel something at all,

Without them fools.

And I keep thinking to myself,

We could have had somthing left,

If I had only seen you.

Well girl I've had my moments too,

And I've been foolish just like you,

Yes, I've lost my head.

But I gave you no side arm,

I built me up and let you fall,

And now you're gone.

We can't back up and start again,

'Cause I'm locked out and you're locked in,

And we're both alone.

No we can't backup and start again,

'Cause I'm locked out and you're locked in,

And we're both alone [Repeat x2].

Carz

Yesterday I was driving around when suddenly I sensed there was something wrong in my car. Something seriously wrong in close proximity to my being. Call it instinct... it took me

a moment to realize that I was sweating. My HEAT WAS WORKING AGAIN....

R u serious car? I was like WHHHAAAATTTT?!?! And then I did a celebration dance... after I turned down my thermostat of course. Identify the issue. Correct that sh*t.

In fact I just got my heat fixed in my car. WOW. Luxury at it's finest. Watch out world... Arielle is rollin' round REAL fancy like.

On as serious note as I can make: I've come to the realization that your car really does say something about you. My '99 Ford Taurus is not my dream car (believe it or not) but with 60k miles on it, new tires and having never had a car problem (before this heat debacle)... it makes sense. My car says something along the lines of: I wish to achieve more but from a practical standpoint I'm going to run this b*tch into the ground.

I admire new cars, I like fast cars and I worship old cars.

If I was to pick my dream car I'm thinking a small SUV, heated seats, automatic car starter and a flux capacitor. We can all dream eh?

I'm not sure what it is about this season that gets me... is it the blanket of calming snow on the ground? The screams of merriment tearing away from children as they have their first snowball fight? Or the fact that in Minnesota when it snows ONE CENTIMETER all of a sudden chaos ensues on the road.

I mean SERIOUSLY people. We've all lived in the god forsaken state most of our lives. There is a way to park and it does not consist of doing whatever you want. Just because your car is there does not suddenly make it a parking spot. Be considerate.

I'm a cautious driver. Aggressively passive aggressive is my style (how Minnesotan of me) but to the man with the giant for explorer with 4 wheel drive... going 15 in a 40 mph area. COME ON.

I just want to scream sometimes. Road rage? Perhaps. Warranted? Most defiantly.

The picture of the giant white SUV made me laugh. That's a statement piece at its finest. The man that owned that? 5'2 at best... sun tanned like a 70 year old retired woman in Arizona, spiked black hair with enough gel to last 2 months and ED HARDY scrawled across his tribal tattoo laden arms. I am trying to be more visual with my descriptions. Not saying that we should support stereotypes but they are there for cases like this.

ONE MAN'S 30 INCHES IS ANOTHER WOMAN'S 2.

And on the note I'm out.

FAME! and Insectula! The movie.

I'm going to take a moment here to advertise.

I recently realized that I'm kind of a big f*cking deal so I want to market myself to make money.

I contacted Gatorade and Snickers. I have yet to hear back from them but I'm pretty positive good things will come.

Jokes aside I know that many people who read this (mom, dad) and/or who are my friends (a loose term) know about my dad's movie. If you haven't already: CHECK IT OUT.

It's amazing.

My dad is really excited about it and I'm really proud at what he's done so far.

A campy horror film that will knock you out of your socks.

So check it out, spread the word and LIKE! it on the ole FB. You know you want to.

Peace.

Trailer: http://youtu.be/vacjXC4L4aY

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/insectulamovie

Website: http://www.insectula.com/