Endlessly, She Said

Today is one of those days. No, not one of THOSE days 😉

But one of those really stressful days. I like to call them DEADLINE DAYS. Working in publications, time is money and money is time, and we are constantly producing publications. This past week has been super important because we’ve been working to publish one of our most important resources ever. The good thing is that my boss has been SUPER happy with my work, and that makes me feel awesome! But I gotta get real—deadlines stress me out. I like to think that deadlines stress the majority of people out though.

Anyway, so for the deadline today, I had to get this publication ready for a last round proof for our CEO to look at. I would run up a draft proof to his office, then 5 minutes later, I’d get a call that he wanted something added, or something tweaked, or something taken away for clarity purposes. Then he wanted 4 copies of the pamphlet made for the proofreaders to check over the weekend. And he was leaving out of town at 1 p.m., so all the final changes for the last proof had to be made before that. So needless to say (but I’m gonna say it anyway), I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and then I was hunkered down at the computer, frantically working to make things perfect.

By the time 1 p.m. rolled around, I successfully handed in the proof and delivered the other 3 to the respective persons. So I got to eat lunch around 1 ish. I was soooo hungry from running up and down the 3 flights of stairs over and over again (we don’t have an elevator at my work).

It takes me FOREVER to come down off of the adrenaline high of rushing to meet deadlines. My stomach ties itself in knots, i get a huge headache, and my heart beats super fast while my mind races on endlessly. I ate my lunch, and thankfully, my boss brought me some Oreos as a type of treat to help me ease out of the rush, but it still took another hour or so to come off the adrenaline high. 4 Tylenol later, the headache begins to subside and I try to regain focus and figure out what the next step of action is.

That is a deadline day in a nutshell. They’re crazy. I’m really glad they don’t happen THAT often, but they do come. I now have 3 more huge projects to work on, along with on-the-side stuff for friends. It’s weird because I live for the rush, but the rush kicks my butt!

I seriously have mad respect for all the other people working in publications. Ours isn’t big name and it’s intense. If I could go up and hug all the people working at big magazines and stuff, I would—they need it!

The good news is that I won 2 tickets to go see AFI at the Showbox tomorrow night! Nothing like an evening of rocking out to start off the weekend, especially after a deadline day. 🙂

Mayday

Today is a big day for me! It’s my first ever Holiday Party at my new job! I’m really really excited. 😀 I’m doing a lot of new things today. I made a baked squash casserole thing for everyone and I hope it tastes really good. Also, as part of tradition for the office party, everyone does a “show and tell” thing. I WAS going to sing Winterlove by Parachute, but when I met with the entertainment coordinator, she said that it would be really cool to perform something I wrote myself. So I am. I’m going to be singing one of my favorite songs that I’ve written. It’s called Mayday. It’s all about how we get to choose whether we are going to see life and its trials as positive or negative and that we get to choose our response accordingly. Hopefully I will get someone to record it so I can share it with you all, but if I don’t, you can at least see the lyrics to it below:

CHORUS:
Mayday. Mayday.
You say Everyone’s as comfortable as you
But baby
Someday
You’ll see that tomorrow is up to you

Fingers on the smoking gun
Everyone is trying to run
Away
Let the rhythm take control
Take you to a place where you know
There’s a star, a ray of hope
and everyone’s the same

Mayday. Mayday.
You say Everyone’s as comfortable as you
But baby
Someday
You’ll see that tomorrow is up to you

Laser lights and telegrams
Try to define who I am
Alright. Alright.
Let the damage take it’s toll
Move beyond and then you know
There’s a goal, a common thread
and everyone’s alive

Bridge>>
The tracks for trains racing away
They call you melancholy
But every day is a brand new way
and your chance to sway and

Mayday. Mayday.
You say Everyone’s as comfortable as you
But baby
Someday
You’ll see that tomorrow is up to you

Tomorrow’s up to you
And you know just what to do.

Back Again

Amanda Martinez is a fan of

Parachute

Create your Fan Badge

It’s SOOOO true! I’m a fan!

I LOVE this band so much! So much so in fact, that I’m thinking of singing their song, Winterlove for my work’s Holiday Party! I know it’s gonna be this huge brave thing, but since moving here to Seattle, I’ve noticed that a lot of the things I do lately are huge brave things. So why not, y’know? The great thing about the people I work with is that they are not as judgmental as others, so I’m sure that even if I suck they’ll at least pat me on the back. 😉

Here’s the song (i would of course sing a girl version subbing the “her” for “him” and sounding slightly less manly 😉 heheheh)
http://www.youtube.com/v/v7XHUmD7gEM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1

In other news, Kelley gets here on tomorrow and I’m SO excited to have her here!! She’s been such an amazing friend and I really really really love spending time with her! 😀 And we get to have lots of fun together for the next 2 weeks!

Here’s just some of what we got planned:

– Space Needle
– Experience Music Project
– (maybe) Ride the Ducks
– The Aquarium
– Exploring Neighborhoods
– Parachute/Kelly Clarkson Concert
– Justin Nozuka/Sam Bradley Concert
– Pie Night

and that’s just the beginning! We’re gonna be having sooooo much fun!

And then, in just a few more weeks, I’ll be heading home to Austin for some much needed family time 😀

I can’t WAIT to hug all my friends and family! 😀 They make my heart happy!

Midnight Land

This morning started a bit rough. The good news is I went to bed WAY early, so that I wouldn’t be sleep deprived. Nonetheless, I woke up with a scratchy, swollen throat. I tweeted about it, which updates my Facebook status. I thought for sure my dad would see the update and then give me a call and ask me #1 why I was up so early and #2 if I had gargled with warm salt water yet. Now, if it’s one thing I strongly dislike (though I probably shouldn’t, but eh. whaddayado?) it’s gargling with warm salt water. Something about salty water is just not appealing. Now cold salt water that I accidentally swallow while swimming is one thing . . . warm, nay, hot salt water is gross. 😦 True story.

It was so weird getting on the bus and going to work this morning. I guess I never realized exactly how PITCH BLACK 6 a.m. was in the Pacific Northwest. I wasn’t able to see a lot of the landmarks that remind me which bus stop to get off at. So I kept my head plastered to the side of the crowded bus like a moron so I could try to make out little signs that were dimly lit along the way. Oh yeah, so, my bus was WAY crowded this morning. The first bus I took made it 5 blocks to the transit center and then we all had to de-board and wait for the next bus because the one we were on had a flat tire. 😦 Lame-ski. So now there’s two groups of hostile non-morning people waiting to board another bus that’s half full of other non-morning people trying to hurry to get to work. I imagine it’s something equivalent to choosing to give a giant plate of steak to only ONE select lion in the den. It was madness.

I haven’t eaten meat for the past two days. I think something’s wrong with me. The carnivore inside of me declared war this morning, so I decided to eat a turkey sandwich at Quiznos. So I order a regular sandwich and the guy charges me for a large. So I notice for a second that the total is higher than i expected, but today i’m blaming everything on the drugs (it’s just easier that way and i’m sure in some way it’s true) so I use the swipey and go sit down to eat. Then the lady that made my sandwich comes to the register and calls me over because he OVERCHARGED me. So then she goes to fix it and he goes, “Why don’t we just give her two cookies instead of going through all this hassel?” And i just smile . . . because i’m thinking how much i’d like to slap the guy in the face . . . just sayin’. So then she fixes it and gives me my money back and i was SO tempted as i left to go up and say to her, in a loud mexican manner, “Thanks for fixing my order total. You really deserve a raise. That other guy only deserves two cookies.”

My day was made better by my boss. We are on a MAJOR deadline and things have been so hectic. But this afternoon, my boss came to my desk with the latest corrections and was seriously near tears. She was just saying how glad she is that I’ve been working so hard to get things done and that she’s so proud of me for being part of the team and taking on such a big thing and just following through. She said she had been really stressed out about everything but that she was so thankful that I’ve followed through and haven’t complained and that it’s really made things easier for her to know she can depend on me. That really made my day. Here’s why—my boss . . . is AMAZING. no. seriously. she is. she’s not just this chick that barks orders. She is so giving and so loving and isn’t afraid to give me a hug or a word of encouragement. She counts me as part of the team and she’s just so fun to be around. She lets me talk to her about Parachute and about movies and pop culture and all sorts of stuff. And she is so understanding and so patient with me. I really love working with and for her 😀

So now that I’ve given you a basic rundown of my day and I’ve hosed down my room in Lysol, I’m gonna call it a night.

Goodnight.
Sleep tight.
Don’t let the bed bugs talk you into gargling with warm salt water.

Love always,
Amanda and the medicine 😉

Party In The U.S.A.

Today was our company picnic! We went to Seward Park and had a giant potluck and had a great time. I was really brave and tried some new foods . . . I ate TOFU! So crazy! I never would have thought I would, but I did. I’m not really a fan. I had to follow it up with some watermelon and some frozen custard. I usually don’t eat seafood, but the main dish was salmon, so I ate a little bit of it. It was kinda weird tasting, but not terrible. I also got to try some caramel goat cheese . . . crazy right??

I really enjoy all of my co-workers and all their fun personalities 😀 Some of my co-workers brought their kiddos and so we had a giant water gun fight and that was a lot of fun too! 😀 One of the kids that was there was commenting on some food that another co-worker brought and said, “She paid a lot of money for that. She bought it FOR SALE, not ON SALE.” It was so cute 😀

The view was BEAUTIFUL and we all talked about everything from the VMAs to the glory of Mi Tierra in San Antonio and the beauty of Chuy’s and BBQ in Austin 😀 Overall it was a really relaxing fun day 😀

Some photos from the day:

the Tofu i ate 😀

Let It Be

Okay so I work on a computer all day long, and honestly, sometimes when I’ve got the system doing like a million things (million meaning 5) like… saving an InDesign document while transferring photos onto the server, while opening a word document, while scanning artwork, while deleting an article off the computer… I seriously half expect the computer to have a pop up alert that says:

Listen lady, I can only do so much at one time…KNOCK IT OFF!

Seriously. Sometimes I sit there, just waiting for it to pop up as the spinny rainbow of death spins madly on. I wouldn’t blame it if my work computer just grew arms and hands and decided to give me the finger. seriously. I overwork it. 😦

Patience is a virtue. But I haven’t completely adopted it yet. 😦

And when i’m on my lunch break, checking emails and facebook and twitter and such, I keep refreshing things cause I don’t want to miss anything… and I picture again, a little pop up alert saying:

No one’s updating, okay. Get over it.

Do you ever have moments like that? I mean, I know if you don’t have a Mac, it’ll be a slightly lamer version (because I wholeheartedly believe that Dell/Vaios/and the like are less superior) of the alert. Like a box will pop up and say:

Look, I’m a lame computer. I quit.

Just sayin’ . . .

——————————————

PS: Today is the LAST day to vote for my new haircut! I’ve already scheduled an appointment at the hairdresser’s next Wednesday, so make sure you get your vote in! The poll ends tonight! So far haircut #4 is in the lead. (and yes mom, I already counted your vote for me to just get a trim…but #4 is still winning.)

So, go HERE and vote there———->

This Little Piggy

I would like to start today’s post off with an apology and a confession:

1. I apologize for not updating in so long. “You shouldn’t have to apologize.” you say? I know. I just want to. I feel like each and every person who reads my blog deserves to know that they are important—you are important to me! 😀

2. I am not perfect. Far from it actually. And I don’t always think the ‘right’ things or ‘do’ the right things. It’s true. A while back I was talking to one of my friends and they were saying how it affected them at times because it seems as though I have my entire life together and that every day is just peachy and great… but this is so not true.

Though I am predominantly optimistic about almost everything, there have been a lot of hits and tears along the way that have gotten me to where I am. And in case you’re wondering, no I’m not like, “putting up a wall of safety” around me… I’m simply choosing everyday to take some of the most complex situations and laugh about them or talk myself into finding a bit of a silver lining. And what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger and I learn from EVERYTHING.

One thing I did promise myself is to LIVE my life to the fullest and make the best of everything that comes my way. Is my life perfect…oh no no no. Can I make some of the crappiest situations not seem so crappy? yes. yes indeed.

Which leads me to the latest thing… this SWINE FLU pandemic thingy.

First of all, can I just say that the term “SWINE” just makes me wanna vomit? Can we call it the Pig Flu or the Worse-Than-Your-Average-Flu? Anything but Swine. That makes me think that every person who gets it is gonna turn into a pig…a la Pinochhio with the the whole donkey thing. Creeptastic.

So every Wednesday, we have a staff meeting where we all go into this room with chairs and couches and go over Buildings and Grounds, Computer Updates, Publications Updates and Office Reminders and such. Well today we had a big discussion about this … PIGGY FLU… and everyone was spewing out data upon data and statistic upon statistic…and it was all so overwhelming. One of the guys asked a really good question. He asked: HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A LIVING WILL MADE UP? And it gets all awkward quiet and like a couple people raise their hands… and I look at the guy and I go, “Um. Would you like me to write you into mine?” And everyone laughed! It was so funny… and I just kept going… talking about who I would give my iTunes playlist to, who gets my laptop, etc. And it was so funny! One of my other co-workers commented later on how glad she was that I was on the team, bringing lots of laughs and a light air. 😀

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m concerned about the Piggy Flu, but at the same time, if I panic, it helps nothing. And if I get sick, I get sick. And if I die, I die. I’m not afraid.

Another example would be the recent RC Teacher mailout I worked on. So I ran out of bags…like 70 packets shy of a complete mailout. So I had to order more bags. But when the guy asked me if I needed small or large bags, I just guessed large- better to get bigger ones than accidentally get the smaller ones, eh? KINDA.

Let’s just say… the large bags… are large. All day I was making jokes about buying out all the Extra-Huge bags from DHL… and trying to compete with Santa… and mailing myself home. It was funny!… at least I thought so. 😉

It kinda reminds me of this book I found at Borders once called THE SECRETS OF THE BULLET-PROOF SPIRIT.

I think I’ll buy it with my next paycheck and let you know if I truly DO have a “bullet-proof spirit.” 😉

Another book I’m going to buy is THE NARCISSISM EPIDEMIC. Very relevant, very interesting.

Well that’s all for today! Thanks for checking out the blog! 😀

Pour Some Sugar On Me

For the past week and a half, I’ve been working on this massive mailout for work and one of our co-workers has this awesome niece, Cherie, who has been volunteering time every afternoon to help. So we’ve been able to spend some great quality time together. This week her aunt is in Africa at a conference and she’s here all by her lonesome. Did I mention she’s not from Seattle (like me!). She’s from Atlanta, Georgia—ATL!! So we’re spending some extra fun time together this week since we get along so well and have a lot in common—like our obsessive love for BBQ and Chick-Fil-A!

Today we went to this chocolate shop in Queen Anne called CHOCOLOPOLIS!

It should have been named HEAVEN or CHOCOTOPIA! Their chocolate was amazing! It was so exquisite! Some of the truffles looked like they were marbleized stones. Seriously!

We both got chocolate covered pretzels!

She got a strawberry truffle while I got a coconut truffle and a bag of strawberry vanilla marshmallows. They taste A M A Z I N G!!!!

Tomorrow after work we’re going to dinner and then on Friday night we’re gonna go see a movie together! I love hanging out with her! She’s so fun to be around!

You’ve Got Growing Up To Do

So, one of my co-workers, Jayne, asked me to water her plants. She’s growing Basil and Tomatos and is out of town for the weekend… so I offered to water them. But as she was giving me instructions, I couldn’t help but feel that these plants needed to have names. no rhyme or reason to that thought process…they just did. So I gave them names. Please, meet the plants! 😀

Left to Right, Back to Front: Annalise, Celeste, Nick/ Donna, Veronica, Danny/ Xander, Ella, Arianne

Left to Right, Back to Front: Rosalie, Trent, Al/ Baxter, Gabe, Savannah/ Edinho (Eugenio), Maly, Tammy/Lucy, Emmylou, Grant/ Liesel, Cassidy, Maggie

Left to Right, Back to Front: Phillip, Karina/ Roxy, Juliette/ Carter, Lottie/ Spencer, Mason

Left to Right, Back to Front:Kimmy, Evie/ Meg, Louis/ Dexter, Hank

I hope they grow and grow and grow into amazing fruits and herbs! 😀

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

I had so much fun today!!! So every so often, the office staff all go to a Rec Center in Queen Anne after lunch and play basketball. So I came ready today to play. I didn’t know what to expect, but I must say that today I had the BEST time ever playing basketball. I don’t normally play…for so many reasons…

1. I’m kinda clumsy.

No, really. Like, I might trip over my own self. Or hit someone in the face with my attempts to make a basket.

2. I’m not really into sports.

For instance, one time I was playing flag football and I totally threw the ball to the wrong end zone. Cause I don’t really understand the gist of football… or most any other sports for that matter.

3. The people I would normally play sports with are super competitive and make me feel like a schmuck for sucking at sports.

Even getting me to consider playing sports… is a big deal. And the times that I have, no one will pass me the ball/frisbee/football/hackysack…etc. because I’m not going to score any points with my lack of skill. I get a lot of eye rolls and a lot of sighs and a lot of being rejected. Sad, but true.

4. I’m not competitive.

When I play sports…it’s for fun. That’s it. I don’t care if the other team makes a basket or a goal, I’m gonna clap. Cause you know what… that takes skill and talent… and I appreciate that. I’m not gonna get upset cause I didn’t win… I just don’t care enough.

But today, playing with the people at work, I felt completely comfortable, and completely valued. They never made fun of me, never rolled their eyes, and we didn’t keep score. We just had fun. We got exercise and cheered each other on and just laughed a lot. I even shot the ball at the wrong basket… I missed, by the way… and no one got upset, and they even continued to throw me the ball afterwards. I felt like there were finally people who would be willing to put themselves on my level and be real teammates. At the end, they were all encouraging me and giving me high fives and just hugging me and making me feel like part of the family. It was so great! And, it was during office hours, so we got paid to play basketball! 😀 I LOVE MY JOB! And I LOVE the people I work with!

After we got done playing, Tim, one of the head honchos at my office, said: NOW you’re officially hired! 😀

In other news, I completed my first ever quarterly journal publication for my job and it felt so great!! My boss encouraged me and was so proud of me! Today was a GREAT day!!

Enjoy some photos:

warming up (l to r: Diane, Sooja, Ellie, Jesse)

practice shots (l to r: Jesse, Valerie, Ellie, Tim)

I believe I can fly…

catching the pass!

taking a practice shot

having so much fun! (l to r: Jayne, Jesse, Lisa, Valerie, Sooja, Ellie, Diane)

DEFENSE!! DEFENSE!! DEFENSE!! (l to r: Lisa, Jesse, Diane, Sooja, Katie)

We’re such a fun team! (l to r: Yuko, Ellie, Tim, Katie, Sooja, Jesse, Valerie)

all tuckered out from playing a good game!