Re-Magnetized: Part Deux

Ok, here is the follow up to that post from last night.

*No, I was not exhausted FROM the guy I got picked up by. I re-read my post and realized I sounded like a huge ho.

*No, I wasn't trying to be cutesy and explain a tow truck adventure or anything, I really did get picked up by a guy on the freeway.

*Yes, while driving.

*No, he wasn't creepy or weird or like an axe murderer. Actually, very sweet and CUTE!

*Yes, I will give you the whole story below. (I just wanted to give the quick run down for those that think I ramble. Oh and by the way for those of you that think I ramble.....EFF OFF:)



I found out on Monday that I would be coming to California to teach a 2 day class, Thursday and Friday. Needless to say I was scrambling about trying to get everything taken care of. Canceling friday night plans, rescheduling appointment with specialist about my watery head on Thursday and booking travel arrangements for my trip. Where I am at in California is only about an hours drive away from my aunt and uncle (the ones that live in wine country) so I figured it would be a nice thing if I could go visit them, even if only for an evening.

After much deliberation I decided to take the smaller, more windy but more direct highway to get me there (and thank god I did). I was nearing the last quarter or so of my trip on said highway when (we shall call him "Freeway Dave") pulled up beside me. As is my usual routine I look to see who's next to me and he happens to be cute and smiling at me so I smile back. "Cute guy" I think. He keeps pulling up next to me, and waving and smiling and winking at me and I'm starting to blush of all the attention (but don't get me wrong, I'm LOVING IT). He motions to his left hand asking if I'm married, I show him my hand, I'm not. He smiles, a BIG smile. I search frantically for a pen to write my number on a piece of paper. Nothing, I had cleaned out my purse for travel. DAMNIT. I hold up my phone and shake it, he does the same. He wants my number, so I do the only thing I know to do.....I start telling him on my fingers. I start getting a little worried around the "9" because I need to take both hands off the wheel, but he seems to get all of them pretty good and I am waiting for that phone to ring. It doesn't. He pulls up next to me and motions for me to get over and I think to myself: "Either he's going to axe murder me, or something awesome is going to happen".

I'm still here, so you know he didn't axe murder me.

I pull over, and he comes to my window and says "Hi, I'm Dave, what's your name?"
"HST"
"Well HST, you are just SO cute! I want to make sure I have this number right?"
"Oh yeah just missing the last digit, it's zero. But way to get the rest of it, I'm impressed."
"I aim, to please. So where you headed?"
"To the Bay to meet my aunt and uncle for dinner, you?"
"To work, I work nights. Where are you from? With that area code, that's what? Modesto?"
"*laugh* nope, it's Eastern Washington.........the STATE."
"Oh, that's too bad, but perhaps you'll be down this way again soon?"
"Oh sure, I visit when I can and work here occasionally....so you should definitely call."
"I will make sure to do that, HST. Oh man, you are just SO CUTE! Have a great night"

And with that he got in his car and we both took off. He texted me a couple times asking when I was headed back to WA and if I had time to go out tonight before my flight. Unfortunately I have to drive an hour plus to get to the airport I flew into so it was a no go, but we talked for about an hour last night and he wished me a goodnight and agreed to call and wake me in the morning (the hotel radio alarm was kind of shifty to be honest). My phone rang this morning and he told me to have a great day and he'd hopefully talk to me later.

I have NO idea what will happen. More than likely: nothing. But what fun! What an adventure! Not to mention an INCREDIBLE ego boost exactly when I needed it...

Weekend Update..................oh and a Fat Rant

OR "They got ya by the balls, even when you don't have balls"

* I'm at work right now because I didn't come in yesterday. I was up the night before in the emergency room getting good drugs and flirting with a male nurse.

* I'm wearing a strapless dress for only the second time in my life. I bought it yesterday and it's just one of those fun, comfortable, flowy little summer dresses. So I wore it.

* I just spilled coffee on my new dress. We all saw that coming right?

* I have a grievance with Old Navy.
*WARNING FAT RANT*

I am attending a beach wedding next Saturday in Southern California. I should have planned ahead and bought a dress a long time ago, I didn't. I went shopping yesterday to try to find something comfortable, light and pretty that could be worn on a beach and then also inside for a reception. I had looked at Old Navy's website and seen quite a few dresses I really liked but like anything you get online it's nice to be able to get the real thing in hand and try it on or at the very least see how it feels and then it's always nice to be able to get it in person that much quicker. Old Navy has stopped carrying plus sizes. They only started carrying them like a year ago! There was nothing for me to even look at in the store. I asked one of the gals working there because I couldn't find the section and she told me that they don't usually carry maternity and plus sizes in the same store. Sure enough they do have a maternity section now. They did assure me though that they carry them online and I can return it to the store if I don't like it. Great, still doesn't help me to find one in the next few days, but thanks lady. My point is this: I'm sure Old Navy could afford to produce (or just stock) 2 less colors of the same damn tshirt and free up a couple feet for a plus size section! They used to have one and I am sure it's possible to have both maternity and plus size if you reduce (even slightly) the amount of average sizes. I find it just a tad insulting that Old Navy doesn't feel that the plus size person's money is worthy of actually making effort to carry clothes that fit them. They will only stock my size of clothes in their store if they have the extra room to do so. Well why not just put a table and a rack in the parking lot then?!

* I also have a grievance with Macy's and most other non-specialized plus size clothes retailers. I left Old Navy feeling crappy but decided to check out a couple other places to see what they had to offer. There are a few stores offering "Junior Plus" these days which is great for the teenagers (believe me I would have LOVED stylish clothes in HS) but Junior Plus is not the same as regular Women's Plus Size. None of them fit my rack. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give up my rack for anything but seriously, could you put some more fabric there please? I went to Macy's out of desperation thinking they might have something neutral like a sundress or something of that nature that I could spice up with some accessories. Everything in that store in my size that is of the nature of a dress was either:

Black or Dark Brown
Had 3/4 length sleeves or a jacket to go with it
Ankle Length

Did I mention the wedding is ON A BEACH?! In SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?! I do not understand the serious lack of appropriate summer attire for a plus size woman in this world. Do they have some sort of statistical evidence to support that fat women don't go outside in the summer? Or is it that they think we shouldn't? Or perhaps it's ok as long as cover up our fat arms and legs? Well I refuse to sweat to death just because some clothes store thinks i'm not worth a light colored sundress. I guess I'm shopping online from now on. And Macy's and Old Navy can eat it. *END FAT RANT*

*I did find a dress online by the way. I just had to order it rush shipping to have it before I leave. And I guess if I try it on and it doesn't fit I'm back to wearing something in my closet that I probably could have worn anyway but I like new shit. Here's what I got:

My First Time

As you become an "adult" you tend to grow out of having any sort of "firsts" that mean anything to you. Well I guess I should say you start growing out of "firsts" all together. I've been having a decent amount of "firsts" lately but they are not your typical kinds of firsts. They are only "firsts" in my own estimation and if you don't agree that they are worthy of noting, then you can fuck off. See? I'm nice. I like to provide options.

*2 nights ago I attended my first real organized wine tasting outside of my own workplace. One of the prominent restaurants in this town hosted a wine tasting of a local winery. A few of my coworkers from my winery were there and they brought some friends along. It was a BLAST. Oh and the wine was DELISH! I also attended another wine tasting last night at a little bistro here in town. The wine was not AS delish but I did end up buying a bottle of the Cabernet Franc. And flirted a little bit with the restaurant owner.

*I tried a flavor other than "_______mint" gum. I usually don't go for the crazy gum flavors I gotta be honest. It's usually "spearmint" or "bubblegum" and that's where I draw the line. Well the other day I branched out and tried "mint mojito" by Orbit. Uh HELLO?! DELICIOUS! So the most amazingly perfect combination of flavors in one gum! I am now addicted and I bought the 3-pack which probably says something about my problem.

*I bought a man a drink last night. I was out after the wine tasting having dinner with some gal pals and there was a very attractive gentleman at the bar with 2 friends and I could have sworn he kept looking over at our table. In the past I would have assumed I was crazy and there was absolutely no way he was looking at our table. He was probably looking past us to the door or something. Well I have been in therapy for a while now and these thoughts have changed, quite a bit. After my friend said "oh yeah I just saw him look over here twice" I figured I was not crazy and he was looking over here for some reason. Regardless of whether he was looking at me or the other three girls I decided it warranted some action. So I told our waiter to send him another of whatever he was drinking and put it on my tab. Yes! I have become bold! When the waiter pointed out who bought it he and his friends (in a completely NON SUBTLE way I might add) turned around to see who had purchased him a drink. I waved politely and smiled and figured I was done at that. NOPE. He came over to say hello and thank you. Turns out his name is Sean and he's a pharmacist. He was very nice and even more handsome when he smiled. He found it insanely intriguing that I work for a winery and I really should have used that to more of my advantage.

*I've decided that me working for a winery could get me more ass than I even imagined. I didn't realize the impact until last night. Here's to the future...

Behave yourself......you're the TEACHER

I can't stop looking at stuff on Found Magazine. I just got the giggles so bad from this one I had to leave the room.

Corporate Culture on the Skids

I'm sure that most good business leaders would agree that it pays to help coach and cultivate your people. Not only does it benefit your business by having capable knowledgeable people but it also helps to grow your employee into a leader themselves and any good leader should want that for their employee. I just finished a 20 minute conversation with one of my participants taking a New Accounts class and I feel completely disheartened. He has been in training almost completely solid for the last MONTH. He started with our company about 2 months ago. He has had almost zero time to practice the skills he's had in each of his classes because the classes are back to back. He told me during this conversation that "just between you and me, when I ask a question I usually hear 'don't ask me again you already asked me twice'." This makes me very sad. The topper to this conversation was him informing me that he received an email from his manager saying "when you get back from training we need you to be ready to go, so make sure you're up to speed on everything".

How's that for coaching and cultivating your employees?

Hope for the future

I was waiting on floor 2 for the elevator this morning and one of the four elevators opened up to an elderly gentleman that took one step out and realized that it wasn't the floor he was looking for. I got in the elevator and he turned to me and said with a smirk "oh, well you know I just stopped to pick you up, I figured I could brave the weather and you deserved it." He gave me a very kind smile and then we both exited on the 1st floor (he let me go first). Every so often I start to feel like chivalry is dead and there are zero nice men left in the world. Granted this was no man I was interested in, nor he in me but I felt hopeful that there are still nice men around somewhere.