Dinner and Conversation

The turtle sitting on the credenza above my laptop is watching me again. I think he likes me. It's a little unsettling, as every time I look up he's there! hehe (No, I have not cracked and completely lost my mind!)

So I had to go through 2 changes this week. The first, and most important, was the change of my laptop. One joke turned into a comical debacle that was well played. I've had the same Thinkpad for over 4 years and somehow the laptop/computer refresh program always skipped me. Which I was never really upset about because the newer laptops were giving everyone problems. Mine was the lone engine that just kept producing. The IS folks (and friends of mine) were around a few weeks ago and told me it was time to let it go. I, in my Amy glory, threw a passive-aggressive temper tantrum about it, as I didn't want to inherit someone else's problems. They promised me that it wouldn't be another problem, as I was getting a fancy and shiny new one - not someone's problems. I had the other one so long that the 'N' and 'A' keys were starting to wear off, and the stickers on the front noting the intel inside were completely gone. They kept teasing me all week of when they were coming to take my laptop, and even on facebook they were taunting me of when they will steal it from me. I was contacted on Monday, and Clara promised that I could have a few days to say goodbye, but it was going this week. My dinosaur was on it's last legs. I even tried to talk them into letting me keep it or buy it because it was still in really good working condition and it was too old to be recycled. They weren't having it!

I got to use it in a workshop yesterday, and as I came around the corner with my laptop bag, back to my cube, they were all waiting for me. Maryellen and Jocelyn started doing an intervention, as I started screaming (quietly) "no, you can't make me!" I had a few more minutes with it, as they weren't ready to do my deployment yet. We had a quick meeting in Carol's office, and sneaky me snuck it into the meeting with me. I came back around the corner with it tucked under my arm, and that's when IS did their own intervention. "Come on Amy, come sign into this new shiny thing...., here, let me hold that dirty old thing while you sign-in!" They actually took it from me and then hid it so I couldn't find it! Rascals! I had my revenge, as they were running some program installs and had to reboot it - it actually froze, wouldn't recognize my login, nor reboot! I told them they can take the shiny thing back with them! But, alas... here I am on my new laptop. It's actually pretty nifty with an even bigger screen. I like it... but it's not my baby yet.

My other change was that my friend is leaving today to go back home to Texas. We had dinner last night at Ze Mean Bean and it was WONDERFUL! We did their Slavic tasting menu (only on Thursday nights) and we had 5 courses of heaven: Borscht, Perogies, some sort of mac&cheese combo, goulash, and then bread pudding. Every bite just got better and better. I tasted Chimay for the first time, which I will definitely be ordering, and my friend enjoyed his Cragganmore. I highly recommend it!

We got to talking about relationships and we both came to the same conclusion that with some people after the lust/newness/excitement of the new relationship wears off, they really don't know what to do. They don't know how to live day-to-day in a relationship, as society spends most of it's time teaching how to chase/attract a mate, but not much on how to have a relationship with someone. Reality sets in, and because it's no longer as entertaining and flashy during the attraction phase, they leave the relationship. It's the thrill seeker mentality that isn't really built to last. Now experts would say that it's up to the two parties to keep the excitement going, but not many people know how to do that - or one person is committed to trying, and the other doesn't really see the point. Experts also explain the stages of falling in love, and they claim that the initial attraction phase is bound to come to an end, and all bets are off - the kid gloves are removed. Maybe this is how I can start making my millions... of course, after I graduate, write my book, and run for President.