Thursday, June 30, 2011

I chose the worst Gmail address possible

Listen, I didn't want to just be FirstLast@gmail.com, because when I was 21, that seemed unnecessarily boring. And EmailShannon@gmail.com was already taken (I am generally two to three years behind others on the technology curve...as seen in my move to Gmail from Juno).

Here is how EVERY CONVERSATION in which I have to provide my email address goes:

Person: And what's your email address?
Me: Yes, it's "email..."
Person: Yes, your email. What is it?
Me: It's actually the word "email..."
Person: Right, we need your email address for your account here.
Me: Yes, I understand. My email address begins with the word "email."
Person: What?
Me: My email address is "e-m-a-i-l-"
Person: Your email address is actually "email?"
Me: That's the first part of it, yes. It's Email The Shannon at gmail dot com.
Person: Um...
Me: Let me just spell it. It's email--e-m-a-i-l--the--t-h-e--
Person: EmailE?
Me: No, THE. T-h-e.
Person: Oh, the.
Me: E-m-a-i-l-t-h-e-s-h-a-n-n-o-n
Person: OH, so it's like email you at gmail dot com.
Me: That was the idea.
Person: Oh, that's cute.
Me: Actually, it's a huge pain in my ass.

I don't really say that part. I just think it.

It finally led me to creating a FirstLast@gmail.com, and just having it forward.




I feel like a sell out every time I say it.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Third post in one day...yikes...

...and it's because I literally cannot more forward on our two most pertinent projects without a response from IT and the Math Department...and they're being non-responsive at the moment.

I was home for lunch today and laughed out loud at the memory of this event. My brother is rrrreal funny, and likely completely unrelated to that, funny things happen to him often. This was in Roswell, NM, right outside of a WalMart that happens to be in a mall there (?!?).

Stranger: Hey, where can I find printer paper?
Bran: Oh I'm sorry, I don't work here.
Stranger: Like the kind that you just use in a computer printer.
Bran: I'm sorry, sir...I don't know what to tell you...I don't work at WalMart.
Stranger: ...so...in the back?
Bran: Yeah.

This came to me while I was taking out the trash, and I laughed and laughed.

Because I still do this...

name change situation

I don't know if I'll ever be ok with changing my name, because I'm real used to it, but I got an email from a girl named something very close to Allison Draper, and her email address is her first letter of her first name and her last name....

ADraper.

Stop it...at least ask for an exception to your organization's email address formula. At first, I thought "at least go for the first TWO letters of the first..." but then it would be ALDraper...like Ye Auld Raper...blurg. In her shoes, I'd have to go with Allison Great Gal, so my email would be AGreatGal.

Or something like that.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

something new

I clicked on a bunch of stuff today, and apparently now I can post from my email, and there’s a mobile version of this blog...just for you to read while on the train or waiting for your STD test or whatever…nbd, nbd. This is actually in an email now…WILL IT POST?


I love this, because it’s making my blog more like Microsoft Word. Thanks, this!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

things you've all missed.

I'm back in action! Here are the things you've missed:

1. Cousin and I randomly (really randomly) were given free tickets to see Glee Live. We had this conversation...we actually have this type of conversation often.

Cousin: Hey, so this guy just gave me tickets to see Glee Live...it started about 15 minutes ago.
Me: Seriously? Do you want to go?
Cousin: Do YOU want to go?
Me: Well...I'm home and already in my jams (this was pre-conference, so shut up about it)...but think of the story we'd have...
Cousin: What would future us think about present us in this moment right now?
Me: I'm getting dressed.

In the edit mode of this post, that conversation is indented, but not when I publish it. I don't understand the internet at all. I wish the internet was all Microsoft Word and/or Paint.

Anyway, there are perks to living ten minutes away from everything great. So we used this random guy's tickets and saw half of Glee Live from really good seats. It was all that I actually used to like about Glee when I watched it (the pop music) and none of what I hated so much that I had to stop watching the show (everything else about the show). And I'm always impressed by people who can dance AND sing at the same time.

2. I had to get glasses to wear over my contacts while reading and working on a computer. Fortunately, that's only 97% of what I do. The other 3% involves watching Dateline NBC, going to concerts and walking to and from meals, at which point I don't have to wear them. I blame the conference for this most recent malady, because of all the spreadsheets I just stared at in my office until many midnights. I was going to take a picture of them, but you all know how well I do with alone pictures. Mistake!

3. That conference happened. I've been working on it for two years. I am happy it went well...happy it's over...and slightly mourning the end of having that conference to work on. I love projects.

4. I've developed a potentially unhealthy obsession with Dateline NBC and 48 Hours. I have no idea why. Sometimes, I put one on when I'm going to sleep, and I'll end up watching three of them. THEY'RE REAL STORIES.



I think cousin is embarrassed that this is our DVR right now.

5. I think I'm going to buy this:


6: My fam has been in town, which has been delightful. It has also meant that I haven't eaten at home in more than a week. When I do again, I am excited to make this:



7. Game of Thrones ended--easily my favorite HBO show in years. I can't say enough good things about it...other than I'm SO excited for season 2. It's the least formulaic show ever. Watch it immediately. True Blood is starting this weekend. It's reeeeedic, and I love it.


Get 'em, Lady S.

8. My office is going to Chuck-e-Cheese lunch today to have a skee ball competition. You'd think it would be weird to be those adults at Chuck-e-Cheese without kids...and you'd be right. Especially when in business attire. But I have SEVEN!THOUSAND!TICKETS!!!!!

9. I ordered a bathing suit online, because J Crew didn't carry it in stores (why are there still catalogs?) and it was a redic amount of money. It arrived...it didn't fit right...and I was actually happy it didn't fit right.

What? Why did you order it in the first place if you were just going to hope it didn't fit?

I have no idea. I have a shopping problem, I think. If I hadn't ensured that I didn't like it, I would forever dream of the perfect bathing suit that I never tried on, and would mentally compare every other bathing suit I'd get in my lifetime to what I envisioned that suit would look like (perfect), and no suit would ever compare. So the fact that I ordered it and didn't like it freed me from a lifetime of malcontent. And you know what? I almost kept it anyway, because when I returned it, the sales guy was like "Ohhhhh this is so cute...why are you returning it?" I literally hesitated for a moment, then remembered, and said "Because it made me look like I've birthed three babies." It actually didn't look that bad, but I wanted the conversation to end before he convinced me to keep it.

I literally have to trick myself in and out of these things. But at least I know how to do it.

I ordered another one immediately after, and it should arrive today. Here's to hoping...I keep thinking I can go with a new style after 10 years of only buying the same style...I might be delusional. Do delusional people know they're delusional?

In reflecting on this post, I have realized that you all basically haven't missed anything except the random isht that pops into my head, and, as a shout out, that I buy.
What have you been buying?
Oh, I don't know, two bathing suits, tokens at Chuck-e-Cheese and a scooter. Cheers.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Conferencia

I
love
events.

I love events.

I put in this conference bid two years ago.

Yesterday, 500 people were checked in, housed, fed and welcomed.

I think I have gotten 9 hours of sleep total in the last three days...but I feel good...because conferences are like liquid sleep.

Unfortunately, it also means that my mind is working the manner that it makes it feel ok to say things like "liquid sleep," which makes no sense, and sounds narshty.

I ALSO HAD THREE HOT DOGS FOR DINNER ON SATURDAY. I loved that. Two in one bun...then one in one bun...I don't know why I'm writing that...or using the caps...maybe I'm not as in it as I thought I was...