More Office Pranks

Since our little corner of the company is growing, the cubicle arrangement is changing greatly and rapidly. I had to move from my double-wide cube, to one of the high-walled supervisors cubes. I like it a lot better than the old one.

I moved a couple of weeks ago, but the bulk of the office is moving around this week. Today, my buddy Heather moved her cube. She is now one whole row away from her friend Bill, who has been her cube-neighbor forever. She also laughed saying, "I don't know how long it's going to take for me to not accidentally go to my old cube when I come in to work in the morning."

I IM'd Bill:
jainz57: we should trick heather and move all her stuff back to her old cube before she comes in tomorrow.
BillWork: lolololololololol
BillWork: that would be great!
BillWork: GREAT!
jainz57: what time does she come in?
BillWork: 6 am.
BillWork: it would have to be done today after she leaves
jainz57: exactly! just the stuff on top of her desk, except for the computer
BillWork: ya
BillWork: !!!!!!
BillWork: hahahahahaha
BillWork: im laughin already
jainz57: ok we'll do it!
jainz57: it wasn't my idea
BillWork: oh absolutely not. . . . who know's who's idea it is
jainz57: wouldn't it be funny if we did it every day for a week!
BillWork: it would be great
jainz57: i'm not going to be around when she leaves today
BillWork: me either
BillWork: i leave before she does
jainz57: i'll see what i can do
BillWork: atta girrrl!

Unfortunately, heather worked late tonight. I saw that she was still active on Yahoo! Messenger until 6:45. Everybody's usually out of there by 5:30, 6 tops. But around 7:30, I went back to work (just a 10 minute drive). I only saw one car in the lot. Was it Heather's? I don't think I know what kind of car Heather drives anyway. When I went in, the only person I saw inside was a lone janitor. I said 'Hi' and made a point to walk on the carpeted path to my cube, instead of the tile so my shoes wouldn't echo. I sat down in my cube, took a deep breath and decided that I might as well not waste my time. I got up off my chair when I heard voices from the women's restroom, just down the row about 30 yards away. Oh no! Could they still be here? Should I duck underneath my desk?

My phone ringer suddenly filled the empty noise and made me jump. Wrong number. I sat in my cube, waiting and deciding what to do. In the meantime my phone voicemail tone rings. Could this be any more nerve racking? I heard more talking, doors opening and then some squeaky wheels rolling. I finally got the courage up to peek. It was a female janitor.

OK, enough stalling. Let's get it over with. I got an empty box and filled it with her paperwork and picture frames, took a second trip for her stuffed animals and other knick knacks, the the plants and chair. Then the final touch, I took the sign with her name on it from her new desk and posted it to the wall of her old cube. Ah just like old times.

I snapped a couple pics for the record.

Downstairs Backwards

I actually did find it easier to walk downstairs backwards just the day or two after the race. But it's my knees that took the most abuse. I tried running yesterday and could barely make it around the block! I thought I'd be fine since Sunday, I ran 3 miles on the tread mill. The night after the race, I iced my knees and even slept with ice on my knees. I just hope it gets better :( Maybe i will walk on the sidewalks and just run on trails. I should just see my doctor or something.

My next race will be May 20th, the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco.

Pain is weakness leaving the body

I did it! I did the 4th annual P.F. Chang's Rock N' Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix! I am so proud of myself! I've been training for 3 months, and still the farthest I ran during that time was 8.5 miles.

A day before the race, I was so nervous! Reading the "Day Before the Race Tips" didn't help calm my nerves. I know I'm doing everything all wrong!! I had stomach cramps all day (and night). I barely slept. But I did have everything ready the night before... ipod, hat, gloves, extra clothes, etc.

The morning of, it was 32 degrees (and felt like 25). I had on a tank top, a shirt, a thin running jacket and a sweatshirt; shorts, long johns, yoga pants and sweat pants; gloves, a beanie and my lucky pink Red Sox visor. Before the race I stripped off the first 2 outer layers and waited, freezing in corral # 18, for over 30 minutes before the start.

I kept a good pace the whole way, trying to dodge walkers and strewn clothes along the route. I even ditched my gloves after 9 miles. I made sure they were rolled up in a ball so they would be found together when Goodwill, or whoever needs them picked them up, and placed them near a lamp post so a runner wouldn't trip on it. I figure if the runner hits the lamp post he has worse things to worry about than a pair of gloves on the ground.

I slowed down for water at each stop and had some energy goo every 3 miles. I listened to my ipod, putting it on pause each time I would run by the Live bands. The crowds lining the race route helped energize and motivate. My favorite signs were "Pain is weakness leaving the body" and "You look hot and skinny when you run." There were the t-shirts, too. "Why Pass when you can run behind this?" I passed. "10 weeks ago, this sounded like a good idea. 13.1 miles."

Passing each Mile marker (and Kilometer marker) gave me a mental boost, and running with the familiar tunes in my ipod were also helpful. "Remember this song? You were listening to it to make it up that 1 mile stretch through that neighborhood where the cardinals are nesting. Remember the cardinals? How beautiful and bright red they are? No. Don't look at the stretch of road ahead that continues to the horizon. Just think of those cardinals, and this song..."

The last 3 miles were mostly uphill. Going into it, I was confident and so proud of myself. My training took me up 2.5 miles of incline all the time. Here, I passed so many people walking! Each person I passed was another boost for the ego and the energy.

The last water stop had to be the most emotional for me. This is it! I'm almost there! Just 2 more miles. The water stop had so many people, and they were all so loud and encouraging. I thought I was going to cry, and almost did! I can't believe I'm actually doing it, after all these weeks of training! But the water stop high didn't last at mile 11. I wanted to cry for other reasons by that time. I slowed to a super, slow jog, but I kept moving, and kept passing people. I'm almost there. I can't start walking now!!

The last 1/4 mile was amazing. After I went over the bridge to Sun Devil Stadium, I actually picked up the pace. That's it I'm done! The song from my ipod was streaming into my ears "We are the Champions my Friend!" I kid you not! I had the songs on shuffle, and THAT was the song playing as I crossed that finish line. How COOL is that?!

My time: 2 hours and 42 minutes and 14 seconds...13.1 Miles. Whew!

Here's a link to the course virtual tour.



This is me and my boss. We found out we were both training for the same race back in October and carpooled together. I'm trying to convince him to run the Bay to Breakers in May.

What Happens in Vegas...

...doesn't always stay in Vegas...stay tuned for details on my quick trip up to Sin City. I took the day off to finally experience the adult entertainment actors expo. My cousin has been going down to this for years, and tell's me I should check it out.

Each year it's always some excuse, but not this time. This time, I fly free when my husband travels. He happened to have an appointment in Vegas on Thursday, the first day of the Expo. So, I took a vacation day and packed my overnighter.

We arrived at 10 and he worked most of the day, so I took that time to get a manicure and pedicure, read my book. The expo's fan meet and greet was from 2 - 6pm, so we had some time. By 1:30, we were across town and still didn't have lunch.We stopped for a quick bite, but didn't check in to Treasure Island until 2:30. I felt like I was on some hidden camera show. The traffic was hellacious and we seemed to always get behind the lane with the broken down car, or the fender bender that didn't pull over. To top it off, the person at the front desk was a trainee, so, checking in was a slow and tedious process. I'm sure it didn't take that long, but when you're late for something, things you have no control over seem to take longer than they really do. Anyway, he did give us a very nice room on the top floor.


I rushed around getting dressed up, and made up. We walked to the Sands Convention Center, which is behind the Venetian that is directly across the street from Treasure Island. And if you don't already know, Casinos in Vegas are HUGE. It's a long walk, when you're cold and in heels.



Although we missed an hour of the expo, we paid the $75/ticket and checked it out.

Office Pranks

A new manager started today, and to welcome him to the family properly, the natives decorated his office accordingly.


Yeah, I know, foiled again! It's not original, but it's always entertaining.


This reminds me of the office prank we pulled on my boss last year for his birthday. His office was snowed in...cotton balls, snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, painted snow on the windows. Along with this, I created a headline that looked like it was straight out of the Arizona Republic, complete with articles about the "freak" snowstorm.

The actual text of the articles are below:

Hell Freezes Over - Snow in the Sonoran desert Stuns Scottsdale

Scottsdale, Arizona - A freak snowstorm stuns employees of Homestore, Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, when a storm cell converged on an office within the warehouse style office building. “It was bizarre. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Jon Davis, Homestore Facilities Manager exclaims about the devastation. “The snow completely blanketed the office of one of our employees, Allen Cook.

Cook is Vice President of Operations for Homebuilder.com, one of the companies in Homestore, Inc.’s network of media and technology solutions for homebuyers, builders and real estate professionals was out of the office at the time of the snowstorm. There were no reported casualties aside from an i-dog that may have suffered some frostbite to his ears.

White Christmas – HomeBuilder, Inc employees snap camera phone images of the storms aftermath.
Photo AP

Today’s Quick Read
Nation & World

Landmark birthday: The oldest man to work full time celebrates his birthday this week. Allen Cook of Scottsdale, AZ was applauded by the federal government. A statement from the White House claims “More citizens should take after Mr. Cook’s example and continue to work after retirement age. This could resolve our Nation’s social security problems completely.”

Dollar Store Cotton Ball Shortage: Dollar stores across north Phoenix and Scottsdale have reported a shortage of cotton balls this weekend. “I’ve had to put in an emergency order, “ says Bell Road Dollar Store owner, Owen Lee A. Buck. “I don’t understand it. We are going through our books to see if the cotton balls were stolen or never delivered. I’d hate to have to raise our prices because of this. That would mean renaming the store and everything!”

In keeping with the theme, you see the poster on the wall of his office is this snowball.

Fiesta Bowl Proposal

The Fiesta Bowl was an amazing, exciting, nerve-racking, incredible football game. "The best, most exciting College Football Game EVER, Hands Down!!" according to Coope, who was at the game and continued to party with Bronco Fans until 3 AM this morning...Unfortunately, my husband picked Oaklahoma for his BCS pool.

Anyway, I am not about to talk about the game itself. What I thought was cool was the proposal at the end of the game. Linebacker, Ian Johnson, who made the winning 2 point conversion, after being interviewed by a Fox Sports reporter dropped to one knee and proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend! It was so sweet! Although, my husband doesn't think winning Football Players shouldn't cry like that over a proposal...maybe for the game, but not for her accepting the proposal. Ah, my husband, always the romantic.

Well, what I thought sucked was the reporter! After the interview, he steps back and the camera man pans back. Then the reporter says, now I think you want to propose to your girlfriend. SPOILER!! What a dummy! Anyway, She looked at the reporter with big huge surprise in her eyes. That look should've been for her boyfriend, now fiance (she did say yes.).

Oh well, it was still nice. Now the couple are flying to New York to appear on Good Morning America.

Happy New Year!!

Wishing you much love, good health and continued happiness in 2007!

To celebrate, we went to a friends house who was having an impromptu get together. We played some pool and had an early toast to the new year. By 10:30, we all left to go to separate venues.

We decided to celebrate at the Desert Ridge Marriott. Our friends happened to have dinner reservations there and said that the hotel was having a New Year's Eve Party. The event turned out to be great! It was crowded, with no cover charge, a lively band and lots of happy, fun-loving people of all types...Boise fans, Oklahoma fans, the older generation, some young 'uns staying up way past their bedtime, and everything in between.

We counted-down the new year on the dance floor and spent the rest of the evening hanging out by the firepit outside, sipping on my merlot and smoking cigars.

The annual newsletter

I sent out our 2nd annual newsletter this year. It's always nice to keep people up to date with our family. There are those that may think it's boastful, but if it's your family and friends, they should be happy to know that your family is doing well.

I like to think of mine as tasteful, personal and appropriate. Here's an exerpt from someone else's family newsletter I found a little TMI:

"We are expecting our second baby next June. I think we concieved during our five year anniversary weekend getaway to..."

I kid you not!

Unfortunately, this years batch (which was sadly a pitiful trifling) did not produce such jewels as the above. I think the newsletter below may remind us all of "someone" we know: