Emails: Where is the communication?

In a world where everyone is busy and no one has time for phone calls; emails thrive. Emails are sent out to share recipes, to invite people to parties, to tell someone how you feel about them (albeit in an extremely cheesy forwarding kind of way), to plan events, and apparently to even ask someone to be a part of one of the biggest days of your life: Your Wedding.

A friend of mine is getting married in May of this year and we just went through an ordeal of hurt feelings over email communication ... or lack of.

In December, she sent out emails asking people to be in the house party of her wedding. Somehow or another, I did not receive these emails. Another friend of mine did and text to ask me if I had been asked as well (texting is another issue that I have ... for another day). I did not receive the email and knew that I had already mentioned that it would be OK if I wasn't a part of the wedding because I tend to enjoy the weddings that I attend as a guest more than I enjoy weddings that I attend as a stressed out bridesmaid or other member of the wedding party.

Nearly a month later (yesterday), I called my friend to talk about other things unrelated to the wedding ... mainly related to our new years resolutions. It is during this phone call that she asks me if I want to be in the house party. I tell her "no, thanks ... I'd rather enjoy myself as a guest." And she said "OK." I said this because I had known about the aforementioned email that was sent to a friend of mine weeks before that asked her to be in the house party and it sounded to me like I was simply an after thought.

Today, I received an email from my friend. In it, she explains to me that she has hurt feelings and that she doesn't understand why I do not want to be a part of her wedding. I try to call her once before sending an email back (because honestly, this would have been solved much faster in a phone call to begin with) but she had left her phone at her sister's. I went ahead and sent another email explaining my feelings about not receiving an email ... etc. She replies with the email that was sent to all of the people that she had wanted to be in the wedding ... me included.

I have no idea what happened with the email. I searched through all of my mail and none of the searches pulled up that email. My email has never failed me in the past ... but I guess there is a first time for everything.

Anyway. Feelings unhurt ... but I can't help but wonder how much (if not all) of this could have been fixed by an actual phone call or God forbid even face to face communication. Like I mentioned before ... everyone is busy which is why email thrives as much as it does. However, I know that I personally called all of my bridesmaids, house party members, and even my 5 year old ring bearer to ask them to be a member of my wedding. There was no confusion. There was no missing emails. There was no problems.

So ... take heed ... not everything that you say in an email gets sent ... not everything that you say in an email gets taken the correct way ... not everything sent in an email gets resolved. So come on ... call a friend today! It won't kill you ... I bet that you are a great multi-tasker and can handle a phone and whatever else keeps you busy in a day.

Date night gone sour by lack of respect

Aaron and I started the night with a wonderful dinner at good Ol "Texas Road House." We were seriously craving some steak ... and steak fries :)

After dinner we wanted to go and see Marley and Me. Originally, we were going to go to the Lowes theatre which usually means that we are going to get some crappy seats but have the theatre mostly to ourselves. On our way out, Aaron asked if we could go to a better theatre since we were only seeing one movie.

I looked at the times and Marley and Me was going to be playing at the Tinseltown in front of the mall at 8:45. The Market Street theatre was only playing movies that were being mentioned for awards, so Marley and Me wasn't an option.

Well, we ended up getting finished with dinner at 6:45 so we ended up going to Lowes after all. The theatre was mostly empty. We had to move over a seat because mine was literally half a seat but it wasn't that big of a deal.

Right before the movie began, a group of teenagers came in and sat RIGHT in front of us. To which I said: "Wow, really? Out of the entire theatre ... you guys chose to sit DIRECTLY in front of us?" So ... they kind of moved down just a bit :) And they were mostly quiet ... so it was OK.

But about 15 minutes before the end of the movie, a group of teens came in from another movie and proceeded to talk the entire time! I was disgusted!! I wanted so bad to just throw my liter water bottle at them.

And it made me start thinking ... I was quiet when I was a movie goer as a teen. I said "please" and "thank you" when I was younger (and now) and I always made sure to open doors for people. It just seems that people do not do that these days. Does that mean that the parents aren't teaching their kids manners anymore?

Aaron says that it is because teenagers are just selfish and they do not think of other people. But I don't think it's a selfish thing ... I think it's the way that they are brought up ... and it's sad.

Merry Christmas

I hope that everyone had an amazing Christmas filled with joy, peace, and celebrating the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

Ours was wonderful even if we celebrated a few days early. We got to see a lot of family. I got to spend a whole night with my little nephew, Kaleb. He is just the best baby! I love him so much!

I've eaten myself sick nearly every day. January 1st marks the beginning of the "diet" again. Bleh bleh bleh.

Although this is a great and wonderful time of year .. I can only wonder what this new year will bring for us. How many dear friends will we lose this year? How many people will give birth and celebrate life? What job will I get this year? Will we buy a house finally? Will we get pregnant?

2009 has so many possibilities. So what will happen? What do you think will happen in the new year?

What are your resolutions?

Mine ...

- No Cussing
- No Drinking (even wine!) after Feb. 1
- Lose weight (really this year ... really)

I Hate You V.S.

This weekend was the weekend of all weekends for my friend A.D. She is graduating (finally) in December like I will graduate (finally) in May.

We got massages done and went to the cheesecake factory. We got some drinks and had a nice time at home after wards.

But in the middle of that, there was shopping.

We went to the Galleria, which I do not recommend on any day in December. I wanted to go to this new place to get new bras because they alter them for free and they size you correctly. I am astounded by my bra size, 34 H (U.K.) ... 34 K (U.S.). Yeah.

Anyway, I got two new bras that I absolutely love. They make me look so much thinner and make my boobs look AWESOME! So then we go to V.S. (Victoria Effing Secret)

Victoria Secret has been claiming that my boobs have been a size 38 DD for years now. Mainly so that I will some how find a bra that kind of fits me I'm assuming. They never fit correctly. I explain to them that they are too tight here, baggy there, etc. And they simply tell me that that is just the way it is. So, after getting "Holistically" sized at "Intimacy," I suddenly have a hatred for this place called V.S. because it's possible that their incorrect sizing has led to my boob problems to begin with.

But that's not all. They are a bunch of hypocrites.

Those "Angels" that model all of their outfits have huge fake boobs. And yet ... V.S. doesn't make sizes for people with big boobs. And then their workers walk around with an entitled look when you ask for something in an extra large before smirking and replying "No, we don't carry extra large. We only have extra small to large."

I don't need the "extra large" for anything else except to pour my boobs into. The dress/nightgown fit perfectly everywhere else except in the boobs. So how are you going to be a "boob store" that sells sexy lingerie that girls with perfectly skinny bodies and HUGE boobs model ... when in your stores you do not carry sizes that girls with perfectly not so skinny bodies and HUGE boobs can fit said boobs into?

Furthermore, if you have extra SMALL ... how are you going to discriminate the needs of the extra LARGE?

So, Screw you V.S.
Kiss my Huge 34 K'

Five Golden Rings!

I was tagged by my dear blogging friend Jules! I tag ... whoever wants to do this!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I love unwrapping presents so very much! I'm not a fan of gift bags at all! Our wrapping paper this year is "Breast Cancer Awareness Themed" It is a pretty silver shiny color with pink ribbons all over it! Aaron even likes it!

2. Real tree or Artificial? I've only ever had an artificial tree. Once we get a house, Aaron says that we can get a real one. However, I'm sure that it is going to be messy and a lot of work ... but it is also going to be AWESOME!

3. When do you put up the tree? We put it up the day after Thanksgiving. It was lighted the next day because we needed to get an extension cord. Unfortunately, Link chewed through the extension cord ... and then he chewed through the light cord. Now we are going to have to get a brand new tree for next year. Hopefully we will by a house by then ... then we can get the REAL tree!

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after new years. Aaron says that that is ENOUGH of tree time!

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Um, I liked all of the presents that I got as a child. But I guess it was probably the Topsy Tail doll I got.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Aaron

8. Easiest person to buy for? Jessica, I always know exactly what to get her!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I definitely want to get one later!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, however we aren't able to do them this year because we didn't take a good picture :(

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't think that I've ever gotten a bad Christmas card.

12. Favorite/Worst Christmas Movie? The Nightmare Before Christmas or A Christmas Story!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Since we have moved to Houston, I start early. There is no going to the malls in December ... no way.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think that I have .. but I really want to recycle this serving platter that we got that we can't fit ANYTHING in.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chicken and Sausage Gumbo!!! FOR SURE!!

16. Lights on the tree? Usually, but like I said before ... not this year since Link ate through the cords.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Mary Did You Know!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Traveling to Orange the weekend before Christmas. We'll have Christmas at home this year because Aaron will be working.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? Yes, I can.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We had a bow last year ... don't have a topper this year.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? When I was younger we always talked my grandparents into letting us open them early and then we got unwrapped "santa" presents in the morning. At Aaron's parents ... we open them Christmas morning and it's wonderful!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people.

23. Favorite ornaments? I like silver and black ones!

24. Stockings? Yes, but I haven't put any up this year because we don't have a Chimney

25. Take turns opening presents? Yes, we get all of our presents in big piles in front of us and then we go around the room opening the gifts one by one so that we can take pictures and ooh and ahh over everyone's gifts!

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? I want new bras and a Charm bracelet!! And Peace and Joy and Happiness!

Jtv Suicide

I'm not sure if any of you have been paying attention to the news, but a few days ago (Wednesday Afternoon) a 19 year old college student from Florida died from an over dose on his bed while broadcasting it live over Jtv (Justin.tv.)

As a person who used to broadcast my life over the internet for a few months ... this story really resonates with me. I can not believe that a) he talked about this before the act occurred and no one tried to stop him, b) he laid there dying in his bed for HOURS and no one tried to stop it, c) the people in the chat room egged him on saying that he should take more pills and no one tried to stop it.

I think that the people that did that in the chat room should be accomplices to murder. That's right, murder. By not immediately calling the police they helped him commit suicide. His blood should be permanently on their hands. They should mourn his death ... the death that they could have stopped.

But they don't.

The boy, Abraham Briggs, posted his suicide note on "bodybuilders.com" before taking the pills. The people that post on that site have said things like "He was a troll, he has said that he was going to do that numerous times, that whole video is fake, EMS guys don't look like that when they come to help someone, those cops totally looked fake, No one busts down a door like that, Good riddance, this guy deserves all he gets." Etc.

Really? That is a human life that is being talked about! I just can not believe that all of these people do not think that their actions could have saved his life, or even care that their actions could have saved his life.

Here is a time line that I found on "bodybuilder.com" from a guy from India that finally got a hold of the police. He was from INDIA.

- CandyJunkie creates thread telling Misc. he'll overdose himself again on drugs live on Justin.tv
- CandyJunkie posts the amount of drugs he's going to take
- Mods don't take it seriously because of his past trolling
- People egg him on
- CandyJunkie posts a copied suicide note
- People keep egging him on
- He pops the pills and goes to sleep
- He breathes for a few hours, people think he's going to be alright and keep joking and trash talking on his JTV log.
- Some time later many people realize he was not moving.
- I find his personal details through E-detectivery, I figure out his name and number and location.
- Personal details posted on Misc. I request people to call the cops because I live in India and had no way to make International calls all by myself.
- People tell me he's a troll and nobody calls. Staberella especially is quite a huge cynic and says that he wasn't going to die on that kind of drugs, she insists nothing is going to happen and that people should just gtfo of the thread.
- I send an email to Miami Police on their official email on their website, Email not functioning!
- I call Miami Police from my dad's phone and speak to at least three cops and one person from the 911 line (whatever it is) for over 8 minutes about the situation, the people there do not take the case seriously and tell me to call the sheriff of his county, and give me the sheriff's number even after I told them I was speaking from a different country and that this was an emergency.
- I post the sheriff's number on the Misc. thread
- People tell me to quit worrying and that they're 100% sure its a loop and he's just fraudin'
-calls the Broward County Sheriff's office and speaks to them about the situation along with a couple of other people. By the time I called, it turns out 3 people had already called them about it.
- People wait for the cops to bust in on the JTV cam.
- Some people start thinking nobody called the cops, at least 5 more people call the cops, they were told the cops were on it
- 25 minutes after the first call to the cops, the cops bust in. They cover the webcam
- People speculating whether he's dead or not
- Friends post messages on his myspace worried about him, no response from him.
- His best friend posts a thread on the Misc. and informs the people that he's dead.
- Some people still think it's a bluff

RIP Abraham Biggs.

He lied there for 8 HOURS. These people watched him die for 8 HOURS. I just can't fathom that. I honestly can not believe that people did not try to get help after they watched him take the pills that he was taking. Instead, they told him that he needed to take more pills. This is the human race. I am disgusted.

Save Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies is an AMAZING show on Wednesday Nights at 7pm central time.

The ABC big heads aren't sure whether or not to cancel it and are waiting to find out how the ratings go after the election. It's been preempted the past two weeks because of Dancing with the Stars and the CMAs. But it's coming back this Wednesday and they are really looking to see if the viewing goes up!

The show is about a pie-maker named Ned who has a gift/curse. He can touch anything that is dead and bring it back to life. However, if he brings it back to life for more than a minute, something else around it dies for good. He works with a P.I. solving murder cases by touching the dead bodies, asking who killed them, and then touching them again before the minute is up. However, things get a little sticky when his childhood love is found dead. He touches her but can't bring himself to touch her again and causes the funeral director to die instead. Thus is the love story of Ned & Chuck! He can never touch her again because if he does she will die permanently.

It's so beautiful and fairy tale-ish and wonderful! Every episode leaves me with a smile afterwards!

SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WATCH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 7pm CENTRAL TIME!