Close Call...

This is what happened.

I was driving home from work. I had just dropped Aundray off at home. I had carefully maneuvered my way through the snowy streets up to this point. I like to think that I am a pretty safe inclimate weather driver.

I'm driving north on 63 going about 50 maybe 55 mph. The highways are pretty clear at this point so I was going faster than I normally would after snow. The song "You don't see me" by Keane was blasting on the stereo and I am happily harmonizing along (Keane if perfect for inventing new harmonies). I'm singing along to the first round of the chorus and prep myself mentally for the bump as I go over the rail road tracks.

It's funny. I've often wondered what it's like to get into a serious car accident. Not a fender bender or a run in with the mail box (I never did that by the way). I'm talking real spinning out of control accident here. I once wrote about it. See Entry Seventeen in my other blog. I imagine things slowing down and all sound disappearing. Everything is surreal until the deadly impact comes and then it all sound and light and pain. Let me tell you, I had it pretty close to right.

I hit the bump and the tracks and in the middle of singing a note I go over the mother of all icy patches. I skid. Just a little fish tail at first. My heart lept and I did the first thing my mind thought of. I turned the wheel into the skid. Then things got out of control. Suddenly I was spinning. Not a fast tilt-a-whirl spin. A slow, almost methodical turning of the car. All sound disappeared. I'm not sure if that's because my ears stopped registering it or because my stereo was jolted out of play. But all I could hear was the blood rushing into my brain. My heart stopped. Every thought of "this is how you get out of a spin and get back in control" left me. All thought of the nights previous work left as well. In fact every thought left except the one that knew with absolute surety that I was going to hit something. I sat, gripping the wheel, bracing myself internally for that moment of sound and pain that would surely come.

I didn't close my eyes. I did hold my breath. I just sat there and let it happen because at that point there was no way I was going to regain control of my car. I went over both lanes of 63-north and into the grassy ditch of a median. I thought my journey would stop there. No, I somehow got over the dip and then kept spinning onto the opposite side of the highway. I went over both of those lanes as well and spun at least two more times in the grass bordering 63-south. At that point my thoughts went from "I'm going to hit something" to "I'm going to flip and roll down that hill there." But after two spins I stopped. Slanted, on the grass at the crest of that hill, everything was absolutely still.

The music of Keane stuttered back to my ears. I think it may have stopped when I bumped over the median. It was blaringly too loud. I hit pause and remembered to breathe. I was shaking. My car was no longer running. My lights were still on. A new kind of silence came then. The silence of one who realizes that they are alive when they could have been dead. I took several deep breaths. The first thing I felt was the biggest wave of relief I've ever felt in my life. Then, immense gratitude. My next emotion was shame. I saw cars passing me and I wondered if they were all thinking what I think when I see a car off the road..."what an idiot to drive stupidly in this weather. If they are okay, it serves them right to be stuck in the snow on the side of the road." I quickly turned off my lights and turned on my flashers.

The next thing to do was get off this hill. My first thought was to call Mom and Dad. So I did. # times. I called mom 3 times also. I called Kirsti once. No one was answering and I was getting a little frustrated. I of course haven't thought to pray for help at this point. It's now been about 10 minutes since I was listening happily to Keane. Several cars have passed and gone on their merry way. Then I see the unmistakable outline of a police vehicle. He flashes his bright flood light in my face and pulls over with his lights flashing. I knew that when you get pulled over you are supposed to stay in the car and NOT get out. For this situation I was unsure. I opened my door halfway, pulled it almost closed. Did this again. Finally decided to get out and move towards the officer.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. No injuries."

"What happened?" Is his second question.

"I went over the railroad tracks, hit and icy patch and spun all the way over here."

"Yeah, that can happen in this weather."

He proceeds to ask if my car is damaged. If it will start up. He also asks if anyone is coming to pick me up. I tell him I am trying to get in touch with someone but having no success. I give him my license and he calls in my info and the situation. During this I sit in my car to stay warm and I try to call Mom and Dad again with no success. I even try Kirsti again. I think about calling Steven and remember that he's at work. Holly, maybe? No, I don't have her number. I even thought about my home teachers but decided against it. Another police car pulls over. I groan. I feel a little embarrassed. The officer sends the other on his way (this officer is a sheriff by the way). He asks if I got in touch with anyone. I shake my head but say I'll reach someone eventually (I'm not very sure in my words).

"Well, I don't want to leave you here in the cold. Let me mark your car so they know someone has been here and I'll give you a ride home. You can call someone to get your car tomorrow morning."

I agree and he makes room for me in the front seat of his vehicle. Wow! I've never ridden in a police car before. I got to sit in one briefly that horrid summer me and Elise and her roommate drove home form Utah (he fixed our tire while we sat in his air conditioning). He went and wrapped some yellow sheriff tape around the antenna of the car and then got back in his vehicle. I gave him my address and some general instructions. Then I sat in silence listening to all the beeps and whirs his equipment made. We didn't speak much.

"So, how many times did you think, 'Oh crap!' while it was happening?" he asked me once we got back onto 63-north. I smiled a little and actually chuckled.

"None, actually. I think my mind was pretty blank. I just kept thinking I was going to hit something. It's amazing that I didn't." I was honest and wondered at the fact that no curse words went through my mind as I spun out of control. I'm sure that most people in the world couldn't say the same. There was more silence. I gave him more instructions as we got closer. He pulled into my drive way and said "have a good evening" as a farewell.

"You too," I answered.

I never even found out the officers name. It was the last thing on my mind at the time.

I went through the door and almost immediately told my story to Holly. She sympathized and was awed that nothing worse happened. She also expressed her worry at traveling the following day. Shortly after that I went upstairs. I was still a bit shaky from all the adrenaline. I dropped all my things on the bed and immediately fell to my knees.

And then I wept. Not only wept. My body was wracked with the sobs of a person with the fullest of hearts. In my mind I could not think of words appropriate to express my gratitude to Father in heaven for his hand in the nights events. I think I even laughed a little in amazed relief.

So there is the story.

To give you a little bit of follow up, I got my car off the hill. Mom and Dad went with me early in the morning and Pushed while I pumped the gas. It was easier than I thought it would be. My car is fine. I still need new tires like no ones business. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have spun so bad if my tires had been replaced.

I have passed the area a couple times throughout the day. Here are a few things I have noticed that make me even more grateful to my Heavenly Father.

1. There are a few signs inclusing those flashing light poles that I could ahve easi;y hit in my journey to the wroung side of the highway.

2. If I had gone much further down that hill I would not have been able to stop myself from goingall the way to the bottom. At the bottom was either a shallow bog now frozen and covered in snow or a collection of snow in the valley of a hill. I'm not sure. But I surely would ahve sustained some damage to my car.

3. Thank goodness it was as late as it was and traffic was minimal. I'm pretty sure that I would never be able to forgive myself for injuring another person in an accident.

As of 6:45 am, the highway had been cleared but that stupid icy patch was still there.

I'm sure many would say that this is an anticlimactic story. I was, after all, unharmed and my car undamaged. Nothing more exciting than me spinning happened. But for me it was a very significant event. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before. I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I'm not particularly motivated to live my life more fully now (though the fact that I am alive is more wonderful to me now). It simply happened and it did have a significant effect on me.

I'm not sure that I learned a lesson. I guess I could have been a little more careful on the road. I should have slowed down at the railroad tracks.

I'm just glad that the story has a happy ending.

I recall someone in the family commenting on how blessed we all have been to have had no horrible tragedy in our family. We have lost people and grieved. But of the "Missouri Lambsons" we are all still alive and well. I have been recently wondering-if there was a tragedy in the family when would it occur and to whom? (Morbid, I know). I'm just glad that it wasn't me and it wasn't last night. Although I would much rather it be me than anyone else in the family.

On that note, I am going to bed.

I love you all, Family. I am so greatful to have you all in my life. I'm not sure how I would make it through my life without each and every one of you. Thanks for being people I can't wait to spend eternity with.

Two little blurbs

I can't promise that they will actually be little though.

So I read the blogs of Emily, Steven and Beckie recently and have decided to respond to them in blog form rather than comment form.

Mainly because I love doing things that are unimportant.

First off, Emily and Steven asked what is on my knightstand (I mean night stand of course but wouldn't it be cool if you had a handsome knight standing in your room?)

My nightstand is more of a little bookshelf. It has 4 levels and two drawers on the bottom. It would greatly increase the length of this post if I go into great detail concerning every shelf so I will be brief at first. I apologize for not having a picture. I can't seem to find my camera.

The two drawers are brimming with all kinds of crafty things. Scissors, glue, a cornucopia of stickers and writing utensils (markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.). There are also a bunch of cut out pictures and words from magazines from when I used to glue those in my journals.

The top shelf has my alarm clock, lotion, a tin labeled "chocolate" and a basket with all my past entertainment weeklies.

I'll come back to the shelf directly below that.

The second shelf going down has a letter opener, a box filled with old and foreign coins and my cell phone graveyard.

Below that is a shelf filled with all my old journals. I like to have them on hand in case I want ot remember something, reminisce or laugh/cringe at myself.

The bottom shelf is a mess. It has the jackets of a few hardcover books I am trying to read as well as a few books I got for Christmas that I haven't gotten to yet-"difficult conversations", "Harry, a history" and the book by Audubon. There you will also find my calculator and a smattering of other things including even more stickers.

Back to the top shelf. I have the bad habit of re-reading books before I've read books that I own and have never touched. I let the number of books I am reading pile up to an unmamageable number and then purge the pile to about three. Right now the long list is as follows (ahem)...

1. "'Salems Lot" by: Stephen King-An epically long novel that I have already read.

2. "The medium is the massage: an inventory of effects" by: Marshall McLuhan-I have also read this book but not in depth because it's not a cover to cover read. You just have to flip through it and catch new little nuggets of inspiration each time. It's a great book.

3."The Bourne Identity" by: Robert Ludlum-I tried to read this book two year ago and got stopped up by Harry Potter I'm pretty sure. 6 months ago I tried to start it again. I haven't gotten very far.

4. "God Emperor of Dune" by: Frank Herbert-I love this series. I tried to read this book for a project my Senior year @ hickman and didn't manage to get past the first quarter of the book. It was the first and only time I used sparknotes.

5. "Peter Pan" by:J.M. Barrie-I've owned this for over a year and decided that I need to read it. i't charmig so far, but other books have distracted me.

6. "The Kite Runner" by: Khaled hosseini-I saw the movie and started the book while I was in Rhode Island. Lack of reading time was the reason I didn't get far. I haven't read any of it since I got home 5 months ago.

7. "The Dead Zone" by: Stephen King- I stated this in Rhode Island the same time I started "The Kite Runner". I got further in this one but, again, I had to stop and focus on other things.

8. "Wizard and Glass: The Dark Tower IV" by: Stephen King-I know, my third King book. What can I say? I'm a fan. I was a part of his book club for a while. This one I started many years ago. It was a lot slower than the others in the series so I put it down. Now I've picked it back up again.

9. my scriptures. I am still trying to get in the habit of reading them every night. They are placed before all the other books on the shelf so I see them first and remember.

There you have it. I think I will cut the list down to a book I want to re-read, a book I haven't read and book I started and want to finish. Three is a good number. Add to that the books I have to read for Brit Lit and I should be set!

This is already a long post, but I want to do my top 5 jobs list like Beckie did. This will be much shorter, I promise.

TOP 5 REALISTIC JOBS (in no particular order)
1. Writer/photographer for National Geographic or some Nature magazine-If I had planned things better I probably could have done this. There is a smidgen of a chance that I still could.

2. Zoologist-This was what I wanted to be graduating from High School. Mizzou did not have a zoology degree so I started out in Biology hoping that I could find my way from there. Mom told me of a woman she knew who did things similar to a zoologist and had majored in Fisheries and Wildlife. I looked into it and here I am. Zoology would have been preferred, but I am really excited to work wither as a conservation biologist, a behavioral ecologist or something similar.

3. Geologist with a specialty in cave geology/Cave ecologist/ Some job that means I get to spend my days in caves-I have been caving times in my life. Not that many. But I have loved it every time. I find cave ecosystems and geology fascinating. I wish I could just be a professional spelunker and take people into caves as a guide. I'm sure that doesn't pay well.

4. Volcanist-Next to caves, the coolest geological phenomenon would be volcanoes. I don't care how dangerous they are. I think it would be amazing to work with a team of people trying to determine the likelihood of eruptions and causes and effects and all that blah, blah, blah.

5. Animal security-I put this one last because it is the least plausible of all the plausible dream jobs. Though it would often be tragic, I would love to help abused or injured animals. Animals that just need help in general. Like that show on TV. Plus it would be great for those abusing animals to receive justice.

TOP 5 SLIGHTLY LESS REALISTIC JOBS

1. Movie animal trainer-I realized a long time ago that I was never going to be an actor, a director or a writer for a film or tv show. I'm not competitive enough. So if I was going to be in the movie/tv industry in any way it eould be to train, the dogs, cats, monkeys, horses, elephants, kangaroos, fish...okay, not fish. I want to be the person who gets that dog to nark at just the right monent. Or that horse to rear without killing the rider on cue. That would be awesome.

2. Professional Musician-more specifically in a band. This a completly fantastical dream. There were a few unsucessful attempts. The first that I remember was Trent Co. later to be renamed TIKKI. This was me, Trinity Koger and her friend (I forget her name). It was gonna be sorta punk/alternative rock. I think we got some band logos, outfits and lyrics down. But no music and no actual rehersals. Then I was gonna be in a band with Mary James and Marcia Stull. I dont even know what we were called but I never went to their few rehersals. Apparently they wrote some songs. And last, but not least, there was the Micky Finns. Me, my friend Jessica and our friend Brandy. We were going to play rock and on the side be a basket ball band like Stomp. Jessica and Brandy were in love with Guns N Roses. These were all in Jr. High and none of them got off the ground. It's still a wonderful dream.

3. CGI & Special effects creator/editor-You all know that I was obsessed with Star Wars. During that time I watched the extras concerning all the work that went into the special effects. I was hooked. I thought it would be so cool to work with that. This also panders to my dream of somehow working in the film/TV business. Watching Lord of the Rings re-kindled this flame, though at that point I knew it would never be.

4. Sled dog trainer and racer-This dream could become a partial reality if I get the Alaska internship I really REALLY want. I'm sure that I wont get to do a lot of actual training. But just working with sled dogs in alaska would be fantastic. Anyway, this is an unrealistic dream in terms of my real job.

5. Astronomer-I have always been fascinated by space and its expanse. I have always wanted to be an astronomer. I have also always known that it could never be. I'm not good enough at higher math and science. I can do the easier biological/ecological/statistical stuff but that's about it. I think the movie Contact greatly influenced this dream.

So there you have it. You know the geography of my nightstand and my top 5 jobs (both somewhat realistic and completely unrealistic).

Thats all I got. This post is long enough as it is.

EOTW...

...End Of The Week.

And what an ending it will be. I have class until 12:00. Then I go home, relax for MAYBE an hour. Then I work from 2-close.

I brought this on myself. I wouldn't have picked up the 2-5 shift if I didn't need the money.

So things have gotten a little better since Wednesday. I feel less pressure now that the first week is coming to a close.

Maybe I should stop sitting in this cold little corner. It's right by the window. But it's more secluded than other seats and therefore quieter.

I'm not sure all of you know, but a few weeks ago I received a check from the university. It's a pretty large chunk of money. In the past I have never received so much. Also, the university has a tendency to send me refund money and then several weeks later tell me that I OWE them at least half of what they sent me. So I'm not sure the money is even mine to spend. I am waiting. But if it is in fact mine, I will soon be purchasing a laptop! I am trying not to get too excited about it.

So I am reading Beowulf for the first time. It is a rather strange story. Obviously fantastical. But trying to be realistic at the same time. One of those. I find it interesting that Grendel can be killed simply by the decapitation of his arm. Especially since he is described as such a horrible and formidable foe. I am reading this online via a website I found, so this could be a horrible translation. Have any of you read Beowulf? Is this really what happens?

Anyway. I really enjoy the topic of my 8:00 class (folklore and field research). I just dont much care for the time. I dislike 8:00 classes for many reasons.

1. It's early. I know I had to wake up at 5:00 or 5:30 for seminary and marching band, but those days are far past. My body doesn't like the early hour.

2. I have to eat breakfast early. My stomach isn't ready for food at that point. so when 9:30 rolls around, I am all rumbly in my tumbly again.

3. It means that I will have been up a lot longer than usual for my 8 hour shift tonight. I forsee being tired once 8:00pm rolls around. And I will still have at least two hours to go.

Boy my life is fascinating. I went from talking about my refund check to describing my dislike of early classes. Why can't I be writing about how much pain I'm in because I had to wrestle a horiffic beast that can't be harmed by weapons (again...how did he manage to rip his arm off? And how is that enough to do Grendel in?)

First day plus an hour.

It's barely the first week of classes and I'm already feeling stressed. I blame that fully on today and checking my e-mail.

Yesterday was fine. I had one class and no lab.

My first class was Animal Population dynamics. It studies animal populations and the dynamics associated with them. Or more specifically, what affects the growth and decline of animal populations. The teacher is somewhat shy. I don't think the class will be as hard as I was expecting at first. The rest of my day was spent like all my days during break. Doing nothing. I tried to catch up on 24 and The Office, but my internet was being uncooperative. Work was even okay. I almost made $50. That is amazing for a Tuesday night.

Today dawned early. I had class at 8:00am. Blah, but I'll get over it. This class was Introduction to Folklore and field research. My first impression are that this class will be fun and fascinating. We all know how first impressions go.

After we were done with our little "get to know you" exercise we went over the syllabus. A typical first day. I made my way down to the A&S computer lab and plopped myself in my favorite corner. All was well until I opened up my mizzou e-mail account.

First I got to read about how I am slacking on my new calling as a ticket promoter for the MoTab concert. Great, another thing to worry about. They told me, after I had accepted, that they dont want me to feel overwhelmed. I didn't until I realized that I wasn't doind what I'm supposed to be. Plus I still feel like I dont really know what I'm supposed to be doing.

I fail.

Next I open the e-mail from my Resource practicum professor (practicxum is basically the capstone). We are meeting to go on a field trip on the first day. Great. We will get back sometime between 5:30 and 6:00. EVEN BETTER!!! That means that I probably wont be to work on time even though Shawn shanged my schedualed time to 6:00. Oh the joy. I text my trainee Amanda telling her to be there at 5:00 and if I'm not there to do a few things until I show up. I also tell her that I want her to say until 7:00. She replys that she will be there at 4:30 and will leave at 6:30. Um, okay. I thought I was the one assigning the schedule. I need to be more assertive. If she doesn't stay until 7:00 I dont think she will be ready to have her own tables by Friday. I am so frustrated with this girl.

Then I decide to read the family chain e-mail. Pretty much all bad news. That makes me feel guilty for thinking my life is frustrating.

So, now I am venting on my blog. The best place to go. I have a class in 20 minutes and another one 10 minutes after that which is about a 10 minute walk away. THEN I have another class at 3:30. 3.5 hours later. I knw it's wasting gas, but I think I am going home in that time. Maybe grocery shopping. I am not prepared mentally/physically/technologically for that 3.5 hour wait.

By that I mean I am already stressed about work and I wish I had thought to bring my work clothes to campus with me. I forgot to pack a lunch. And I don't have my iPod or a set of headphones with me so the 3.5 hours would be suffered in unbearable slience. All I remembered to bring was an old entertainment weelky and a book. Ug. So much for being prepared for today.

I have to go soon. I have a million knots in my stomach now. I'm sure they will have dissappeared by tomorrow (at least I hope so). Sorry for the downer. Sometimes you just have one of those days. Unfortunatly, I think it's going to be one of those months.

24 premire part two

In the spirit of Dave, comments occur in real time.

HOUR THREE

RECAP RECAP RECAP!!!

Uh-oh, he's in transit. Thats about as safe as a perimeter.

6 Days? Apparently you all forgot the name of the show.

Ooooh! Jacks sporting the sunglasses.

Were surprised that the sniper got through the perimeter? I'm pretty sure he could ahve done that without help.

Oh yeah, Tony is SO not talking. You can just tell by the look on his face.

Who wants to bet that either Gold or Hillinger are the security leak?

"You're running out of time..." aren't we always?

WOAH!!! Tony, Bill, Chloe...bu...ju...wha...What?!? I can't wait until they tell me where the heck this is going.

President Taylor asks how this happened...You shut down CTU and ran off Jack Bauer. Thats what.

The federal government is corrupt. Of course. When is the government not corrupt?

Aww...Chloe told Jack he looked good. You know who else looks good? Bill. I'm diggin' the scruffy look. Much better than the prmi, propper, suit variety.

So...Tony is good? Wow, it didn't take them long to play that card. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic. But after all that "Tony is evil" hype? I dont know. It seems abrupt. There has GOT to be more there.

Gold is gonna die or get hurt or be the leak in this scene. One of those three.

Or just confronted. Anti-climactic. Of course there is an explanation that gets Hillinger off the "mole" hook.

Aw, were suffocating someone just like old times. Brings back memories of season one and George Mason.

"Anyting is possible if you know what you're doing." And Chloe knows what she is doing. Unfortunally I think Gold is going to prove formidible.

YAY! Jack and Tony together! Just like old tiomes. I feel so happy.

Perimeter. Hah. Yeah right. Like there was a perimeter that could hold Jack Bauer and Tony Almeida.

Yep, "really good" is the biggest understatement describing Chloe in the history of the world.

"This is going to hurt." Hahaha...

That was just about the coolest thing ever (meaning the car out the parking garage stunt). Jack, way to pull through for me buddy. I knew you would do something way awesome before long.

END HOUR THREE

HOUR FOUR (I dont know about you, but watching on Hulu makes me sick of the trailer for Taken. Is Liam supposed to have an accent or not? He kind of sounds like Mr. Dramatic movie tralier Voice.)

And...we have recap. Thank goodness for minimum White House sub-plot so far.


Who else thinks the presidents sons girlfriend is stringing the First Gentleman along?

Maybe Larry Moss is the mole.

Wow, Kanin and Taylor. Do we really have to repeat the problem? WE all know what is going on. YOU all know what is going on...lets just waste time in the episode by nutshelling, shall we?

Aw. The empty hull of CTU.

Sad. Tony WAS a bad guy. The tragic villian. I KNEW he couldn't just be GOOD after all that.

"It's just us." Like you would need anyone else.

The more this plot goes on the more I dislike Henry Taylor. I understand the need to look into what happened to his son, but with all that is going on? Can't it wait?

"I'll do what has to be done" I sure hope so. I hope Tony isn't a double-double agent.

Oh jeez. Tony has to kill Jack. This early on we know that wont happen. "They'll get out of it..." Of course they will. Where have we seen Emerson before? I know he was in Highlander, but I never watched that. He's been in some of Charmed and First Wave but as far as I ven tell nothing that I would really remember him from. Oh well.

Everyone is going "Phew!" right about now.

Hillinger is going to be in so much trouble.

C'mon Tony. Jack doesn't underestimate anybody. But everybody underestimates Jack.

And in the midst of it all we follow Henry. Where oh where is this going? I forsee another Sandra Palmer/Walid plot.

Oh, Oh, OOOOHHH. The Dead Roger plot leads us to the mole in the presidency. Got it. Wow, I'm surprised the writers pulled something like this off.

Walker want's to be as awesome as Jack. I wonder if she has the guts to do what she has to.

Go Walker! I'm glad you had it in you. But now she looks like she wants to cry.

Walker is totally going in alone.

Mutobo's wife also looks familiar. (Looks it up) Oh! She was the wife of the divorging black couple in Enchanted!

Beep. Boop. Beep. Boop. Boom.

So far so good. Of course, season 6 started out real promising too. I mean we found out that Jack's brother was Blue Tooth guy and Jack bit someones juglar to get out of custody. Jack killed Curtis and a Nuclear bomb went off. Then it was all down hill from there. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Also, there are a ton of things left hanging from season 6. Chloe fainting? What was that? And Morris? Whatever happened to him? Speaking of Morris, he was credited on the cast list for the third episode. I'm pretty sure I never saw him. Unless he was an extra. Man I really disliked season 6.

Thats all. Sorry it's so long. I dont think I will ever post an episode review like this again.

24 Season Premier.

See my real time comments on 24 Redemption when I watched it yesterday if you feel like it.

This, for those of you interested, is my brief review of the first part of the 4 hour season premier. The last two hours will be tonight at 7:00pm. I am sad because I will be working. And every Monday I will be at FHE so I will miss it every week. Thank goodness for the internet and full streaming episodes.

On to the review.

First I would like to say that I called the whole "Tony faked his death and is now a bad guy because he blames the U.S. government for his crappy life" plot line.

I did not think Jack would catch up to him so quick. I was sure that the Tony/Jack face off would come much later creating more tension.

Note that so far Tony has not killed anyone. I am willing to forgive him his wrongs as long as that remains the same.

Funny how the guy who plays Tonys informer was also the horrible spineless UN guy from 24 Redemption. Now they need to bring Carl in for some random bit part that lasts only 1 episode.

I can't get over how young the First Mans (is that proper terminology for the female presidents hubby?) secret service shadow is. He looks about 23. I might be able to accept 25-27. Still that seems rather young.

I like President Taylor but she seems a little threatening. I would not want to be on her staff. If I gave her a wrong look she may fire me.

The brief scene with the trial was good but not long enough. I wanted more of Jack telling the world that he did what he had to for his country and doesn't regret his decisions. On that topic, as I listened to Jacks reasoning for the things he did I was not satisfied. He said he would do ANYTHING to achieve his objective. That makes him seem heartless. The truth is he would do anything unless it meant compromising innocent lives. We all remember how we thought he killed children in season 2 and it was all a trick.

It is a shame that the whole first hour went by and the only violence was a car accident. That is what 24 has done to me. I want to see some kick-butt action. I suppose that makes me a horrible person.

I wonder where the "Mr. Taylor is crazy obsessed with his sons death" plot is going. I have a feeling that it's just another one of those filler plots. One that will probably fall off the face of the show in a week or two and were all left wondering "what was the point?"

I miss Chloe. I was really hoping she would have already made her appearance.

I will say again that as long as we are resurrecting characters, we HAVE to bring back Chase. Any one second that? Steven? Elise?

I'm glad that Jack sees the reasoning behind his trial. I am also glad that random FBI agents out there think that it's wrong and pointless.

As much as we all want Jack to be with Audrey I have a feeling that there is going to be some sexual tension between him and this new FBI chick.

I watched the 4 minute recap of season 6 on the special features of the 24 redemption dvd. The sum-up just confused me even more. I'm used to my shows having some sort of cohesive plot. There was none of that in season 6. I still can't get over that shady agent that looked menacing for one scene and then never showed up again.

I agree that it's quite convenient that the senate told Jack his hearing will re-convene in 24 hours. Way to ensure another season. I was so psyched for a trial lasting at least 1 episode. No dice. Now I have to wait another year for that one.

Dave Barry's blog is amusing- as usual. I agree that the 2 hours was slower than most. But I would rather have slow with some inkling of a plot than mindless fast paced action with NO plot. I didn't think it was too bad. Maybe we'll get to see a deeper side of Jack. Static characters are no good right?

Who else is disappointed that Watchmen is rated R?

Okay, thats all I got for the first part of season 1. Tomorrow I will grant all your wishes and give you a review of the premier part two. Supposedly there is a big surprise coming. And that surprise is that Tony is working with Audrey to take over the world.

A great start...or not

I'm barely three days into the new year and already I feel unappreciated and underpaid.

I know work rants are boring so I will be brief.

Tonight, I made very little money. The worst tip I got was the worst tip I have received in a while. It was an 11-top. I had volunteered hoping to get a good tip off of it. Unfortunately, we got busy and I wasn't able to give them the attention I wanted. Their ticket came to almost $100. Guess how much they left me?

$10? Nope. GO lower. Apparently 10% was to rich for their blood.

$7? $5? Still too high.

$3. Thats all I got. When I saw the three lonely bills laying scattered on the table I wasn't too worried. They had split the checks and many probably paid with credit. So I was shocked and disgusted when I saw a long line of zeros on my credit tip report. Three dollars. Thats a 3% tip. The least they could have done was act like the service had been bad. They seemed happy enough as they left and were very polite. So I got my hopes up. Plus that leads me to think they are just cheap. If they acted unhappy that at least tells me that I deserved a poor tip. Anyway, I think that anyone at a restaurant who is intelligent enought o see how busy we are should be kind wnough to leave a decent tip. But some people have lost all treces of human generosity.

There were a few good tips tonight. But not enough to make up for what I lost because of this 11-top table. Because of them I wasn't able to properly take care of my other tables. So I got poor tips off them as well. Lots of $2 tips.

I lose the "lets keep this short and to the point" game.

As a side note because of occurances on Thursday, I have been feeling that my managers are taking advantage of my generosity and spinelessness. They ask, I do. What do I get in return? I half-hearted, after thought thanks. Juli got to hear the whole story about this. I will spare you all. If you really want to hear the whole thing, feel free to ask me. You know I lofe the chance to rant and rave about work.

It seems that the more I work at a place, the more I see how flawed the management system is. I think I get big headed. I left Candlelight lodge because they wouldn't give me the hours I needed and because I thought they were felling apart due to some poor management decisions. I left Movie Gallery because they wouldn't give me the raise I deserved and because I knew the company was and still is a sinking ship. Management at my current place of employment is okay overall, but they seem to lack morals when it comes to professionalism. And they also have some problems with porcedure sometimes. I'll get over it. I'm kinf of on my high horse right now. I really am more like Spencer than I ever thought possible. I'm just not that vocal in my complaints. I try to be. But you all know that I am non-confrontational.

In other news, there really not any other news. I saw Australia. Beckie, I will send you an e-mail with my detailed review. But in a few words, I loved it.

Just an FYI to any and all regular readers-I will be posting more often on my other "creative" blog. I told myself that I need to write (or type) something every day and I am going to use my other blog as one of my medium. This blog will be, as usual, a place to update my life so I can stay connected. Feel free to visit my other blog and comment if you wish-but its mostly there for my sanity and as an outlet.

Okay thats all. Time to go to bed. I've been going to bed way to late these past couple days. Thats pertially because I have been trying to train my body to get used to 7 hours of sleep rather than 8 so that one school nights where I only get 6 I wont be as tired.

Right. This time I mean it. Goodnight.

I'm so bad at that. Ask Dad.