Why Fast Food is Bad for You

So as I left work for the day at noon (I love half days) I decided that I had worked my little tail off and I wanted, nay, NEEDED, a milkshake. Chick-Fil-A being oh so conveniently located, I ignored the voices of reason that said I had a big butt and a small bank account and cruised over to get some chicken. I had just pulled up to place my order when I heard an odd hissing noise. Strange, maybe the speaker isn't working right... But no, I placed my order successfully and pulled up. The noise continued, and I thought perhaps a water line? and looked around for a sprinkler or hose. Nope... A horrifying thought hit me, what if my power steering whatever thingy-ma-bob had blown up? Then as I continued to pull forward one car space at a time, it became very apparent to me that the hissing sound was the air in my tire, I could here the blowing increase when I drove on top of whatever was in my wheel. ARGH! Once my food had been retrieved, I pulled into a parking spot to inspect this new spot on my day. I kid you not, the cause of the hissing was a 3/4" bolt stuck into my tire. DAMMIT! My mind screamed tire store - ask and ye shall receive! The clouds parted, beams of light shown down and angels descended to guide my path.... Or I looked to the right and discovered a Big-O-Tire next door to the Chick-Fil-A. Yay me! I cruised my way over there trying to ignore the lovely hissing noise and now the gentle pull of a quickly flattening tire.
Have found a parking space right up front, I went in and waited to be attended. (I'd like to just note that my food and milkshake sat almost forgotten in the car at this point) A gentleman (ya right) came out and asked me what I needed, so I explained I had something in my tire and needed it fixed. He told me it'd be an hour or so and as I had nothing better to do, I handed him my keys and went outside for my shake. Sitting there I called the one person I call whenever my life reaches minor crisis stage, my daddy. It was his advice that I have the tire changed then wander over to Discount Tire since I didn't know if I still had warranty coverage. I nearly always listen to my daddy (no, really!) so I went back in to retrieve my keys. "Hey, I think I might still have a warranty on these tires so I'm going to take it where I got them. Can I get my keys from you?" "Sure, no problem." "Can I get someone to change the tire real quick?" "Sure, but it'll be an hour." "Seriously? It takes you guys a couple minutes..." "Yeah, but you've got all these people ahead of you." "All right, whatever, I'll do it myself." And out I went in a huff, but not before scanning the by-standers in the small shop who couldn't have helped but hear this exchange. Three ladies and a guy trying real hard to avoid my gaze. But on the way out was a guy by the door who had just come in. "Wanna make a quick $20?" I grinned at him. He laughed and said no thanks, I grinned and shrugged and headed out.
I opened my front door, tossed in my purse, then popped my hatch. I located the jack pretty easily and had gotten as far as removing it when that guy who'd been by the door came out. "Are you seriously gonna change it yourself?" "Yep, I can't drive it like this, and I don't want to wait an hour when I can do it myself." "Aw man, now I'm gonna feel all guilty... I'll help you change it." "Seriously? Oh, that'd be great!" And help he did. We chatted and made fun of Big O as we figured out how to release the spare from under the car and use the jack. And yes, I did get my hands dirty, though he did most of the work. I tried to offer him some cash, but all he asked was for me to take a picture of him changing my tire in front of a Big O Tire store, which I happily did. He couldn't wait to tell the story to his co-workers, saying his day had been pretty boring up til then. Also, he said he had a wife that he hoped someone would help in the same situation. I didn't get his name, but thanks so much!
Donut securely in place, I made my way toward Discount Tire, normally a 10 minute drive. I do love not going over 40 MPH.... By this time my waffle fries were cold and my shake was decidedly melty, and I honestly didn't have much of an appetite. I was SO mad at those jerks at Big O who could have changed my tire in less than 5 minutes and were probably inside laughing at us. Well I did get to Discount Tire and as always the guys there were fast and friendly. The man who checked me in was impressed by the size of the chunk of metal sticking out of my now-flat tire. He expressed his concern over their ability to just patch it and I told him I REALLY didn't want to buy a new tire, but I understood and for them to do their best. I was in there less than 15 minutes. I didn't have time to look through a single crappy tire-store magazine fully. My tire got plugged, replaced on the car, and the spare and jack put away. And a kid with a smile on his face told me no charge and sent me on my way. They even checked the air pressure in all my tires. So let's weigh this out.... Fast, friendly service that gets results, or an overbearing jerk working for that creepy Little O.... I love Discount Tire. Though looking back, they didn't ask me if I wanted to keep the bolt...
Anyway, I guess my whole point is if you're trying to lose weight and save money, don't go out for fast food. You'll get a flat tire.

Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other

What a long week it’s been… I haven’t seen you in 3 and a half weeks. I’ve seen you once since you asked me to be your girl. I haven’t heard from you at all in more than 72 hours, not a peep. It’s become a coin toss, the way I look at our situation. One minute I’m patient and quiet. The next I’m tortured, saddened and raging. Dragon would have dumped you long ago. Nickles says you’re good for me and my impatient nature. So here’s how my thought process works at these times.

You’re such a sweet and wonderful guy, and I know you’re a good man. You have ambitions and goals, you have a plan. I have no doubt you’ll achieve what you want to financially and career-wise. And what’s the big deal about being apart? It could be worse, you’re not a soldier in Iraq. You don’t live six states away. I’ve looked into your eyes before. And if I eventually want forever, what’s one more day, and then one more?

But then, how long does it take to send one little text? Where’s the reassurance I’m even ever on your mind? Here’s one more guy who can’t be bothered with me except on his schedule. And yes, it’s more stressful for you to have to worry about keeping me happy. but did you ever consider how stressful it is for me to just not even know? Whether you care? Whether you’re safe? Anything?

And I go back and forth, back and forth…

I love that you texted me so much I had to up my cell plan;
that Fraggle Rock turns you on;
our inappropriate phone conversations;
that being with you feels like coming home;
that you’re trying to get back in shape;
your beautiful eyes and sexy voice;
that you play the piano for me over the phone;
you tell me I’m beautiful, and you’ll always keep me safe;
you tell me you can’t remember a time before me;
you trust me enough to show me your house;
you forgot to pick up your mom from the airport because you were with me;
I'm the first girl to bring you flowers;
you calling me at 11:30 at night;
you’re proud of my martial arts ambitions;
the way you can’t look at me when I’m touching you;
the way you peek anyway;
you’re accepting of my imperfections.

And I hate that you ditched a good dinner for a little snow;
that you missed a day, then an evening, then a night;
that you’ve never showed up on my doorstep surreptitiously;
you’ve never woken me up after sneaking into my house in the middle of the night;
you ditched me last Saturday;
and then Sunday;
and Monday too;
you don’t call when you say you will;
you never text me back anymore;
you never return my e-mails anymore;
work is always more important, regardless of plans;
I’m not worth your time.

Songs that come to mind?
Whatever It Takes
Precious Illusions
Realize

And yes, I’m still here. But I keep thinking I can’t do this forever. And then I think what a quitter I’d be if we broke up. And then I think 'how much longer are you gonna let another guy treat you like shit?' And then I think 'but it can’t go on like this forever'. And then I think but what if it does? And then I quit thinking, it does me no good.

It went something like this...

Having discussed my situation (ie. psycho stalker-girl spasm) with Dragon, it was decided I should neither ignore Knight or bother him constantly. It was instead suggested that I e-mail him exactly how I felt, leave a voicemail saying I had e-mailed him and he NEEDED to read it, and see what happens.

And so I wrote…

Subject: Just me again
And I have to tell you I'm not terribly cheerful tonight. I'm actually having a rather hard time writing this, that first sentence has been sitting alone on my screen for 10 minutes now. I miss you, love. Painfully and desperately, and I'm having major problems with that. I think it's because when we first started talking we e-mailed often, then texted incessantly (to the point where I upped my phone plan) and now I hardly hear from you at all. I tell myself you're just busier than usual, but I don't really know that. Maybe you're always this busy and you were making time for me before... Or maybe you're avoiding me for some reason. Or maybe... well, I don't actually know. I want you to be aware that I'm really bothered by this right now. I'm torn between bothering you constantly or ignoring your existence completely until I hear from you again. But I'll settle for this. Just in case you are as paranoid as I can be, no, I'm not dumping you. But I AM having a hard time, I think if I hadn't heard from you so often in the first place that it wouldn't hurt so bad to not hear from you now. And even if you ARE super busy, it takes less than a minute to send a text once a day... I need some reassurance here, and I'm sorry if that sounds needy or whiny, but that's just the way I feel.
A response would be appreciated, in whatever form you want to send it. I just needed to get that all out...
Much love,
~me~

It was less than an hour later that Jack Johnson’s ‘Bubble Toes’ came out of my phone and I excused myself to the privacy of my room. I realize now I don’t even know if he read my e-mail yet, perhaps his call was brought on simply by my message. The results are the same.

((Please read blue text with the sexiest Australian accent God has ever graced a man with))

Hi!
Hey babe
How are you doing?
I’m alright, I just called to see how you’re first day was
Ugh, long and boring! I spent most of my day sitting in my cubicle reading training manuals. But it’ll be better once I go on site. It was okay.
Well good, that’s really great. Hey, I can’t talk long, I’m probably going to be working til 5am, but I just wanted t see how your first day is.
Well thank you. Can I ask you something?
What’s that?
Are you always this busy?
No. No I’m not always this busy.
Promise?
I promise. We just have a ton of projects coming due, like 12 projects this week.
Okay. I believe you. I’m just going a little crazy over here. (And my voice started to break. Did he hear that?)
You’ve gotta have faith in me baby. It’s not always like this.
All right. I will. I’ll let you go.
Okay babe, I’ll talk to you soon, okay?
Okay, bye.
Bye babe. (And that's when I broke down.)

And regardless of how much I may have cried, from pure relief and loneliness, I do believe him. And that will push me through the next 24 hours.