I'm the Lead Singer

Unofficially...

I think there's going to be an audition at the next office drinking party/karaoke bar night, with my luck. They don't give you much notice of stuff we're doing.

I love my job. The people I work with are down to earth, hilarious, good people. But let me give you the story of just how I got roped into the singing thing.

Yesterday, during the latter-part of my lunch break, I was laying in my car with the windows slightly cracked, singing along to my Adele CD (thanks, Lo!), not thinking that people could hear me. (Why is it that when we're in our car, we think people can't see/hear us? I'm no nose-picker or anything, but I certainly do love to sing. Tangent.) ANYWAYS. One of the guys in the office came up to his car and heard me, then gave me a bit of a razz for just laying in my car in the sunshine, singing to myself with my eyes closed. Being the newbie that I am, I assumed that was the end of it.

The President/CEO, Mike, had half of the office meet him at Benihanna today for lunch. I was sitting there looking over the menu when Mike walked in and introduced himself to me (I'd never met him before). I was sitting next to a few of the Executives (including my favorite person in the office, Jared, who I've only met once before today). I knew there was a drum set in my office that had to be moved, and that a few of the folks in the office (Pres/CEO and Jared included) play in a band together. I didn't know they were lacking a key member.

Jared looked at me part way through lunch, and said, "So Lauren, do you play any instruments?" and I explained no, not really. And that's when Jared goes, "But I hear you sing." And Mike heard him. BUSTED!

They asked what I like to sing. I told him I'll sing pretty much everything and his eyes lit up when I told him I really love hard rock. He said that unless I'm absolute crap (he used a different word, but my only reader is Mormon. *waves* HI ALLI!) I'm in the band. Our first show will be at the company picnic in May and again at the company Christmas party.

Things that induce laughter/smiles/happy feelings in me today:

1. I got my desk and phone and stuff today. I think we'll be working in the new office tomorrow for the first day!

2. My job freaking rocks. We get perks.

3. The cheers that erupted when Marc told everyone at lunch to order alcohol.

4. I didn't get the third degree when I said I don't drink at lunch today.

5. I put myself out there and got ignored. Nothing like a good burn, folks.

6. Halloween is a FREAKING HUGE deal at my office. I've been warned to start planning now. And when I say huge, let me give you a for-instance: Mike (pres/ceo) was Paris Hilton, complete with size 12 stilettos and a bare mid-drift, which was not waxed.

7. Jereme went shopping with me on Saturday. I mean, shopping shopping. Like, he stood around for an hour while I tried on clothes in a few different stores. He's pretty awesome.

It's the Simple Things in Life...

Here are some random thoughts/fun things from the past few days:

• Another Free Willy movie?? Really?? Before you know it, Free Willy is going to become the new Land Before Time series...
• I love "Who's Line is it Anyway?"
• Christy offered me her hat collection for Bryce's crazy hat party on Saturday.
• I'm getting my phone to go with my phone number at work.
• I have this strange urge to watch The Wizard of Oz. I don't understand it.
• I finally fixed my milkshake craving; thank you Ruby's!
• Chelsea's face is freaking amazing.
• Seeing our new office furniture get delivered, and being really excited whenever we heard the dolly going by.
• Reading old GMail chat conversations between me and Alli.
• My work is really cool; we're getting an office-sponsored bowling party one night soon. And at the Christmas party, we always do a talent show. I was warned now so I could start preparing.
• My cork board is back!
• It takes exactly 1.5 text messages between Bryce and I before they become inappropriate.
• I wrote down goals that are going into effect starting Monday morning.
• "Oh, look at that! ...Oh, look at that! ...Oh, look at that!"
• I like "The Marriage Ref."

A Job Update

It's been 4 whole days and I'm still loving my job.

hahahaha.

My friend keeps referring to it as the "job honeymoon stage," but I don't think I'll ever have a problem working there. My bosses Chrsity and Mayu are SO nice. Even when things are crazy like they have been for the last 2 days (and when I say crazy, I mean absolutely insane), Christy and Mayu are positive and have great senses of humor. We laugh through all of the horrible-everything-that-could-go-wrong-can-and-has stuff, and keep on working.

Christy makes sure I'm constantly snacking, which is going to have to stop. I've made a few friends around the office, and Christy and Mayu want me to sit in on the interviews they're doing for the other content intern starting tomorrow. They've been going over resumes and cover letters like crazy since March 3, and so far have only liked one person enough to hire: ME!

(I know, it's weird to me, too.)

I've been getting through 4 audits a day. The audits are usually around 14 pages long, and I've gotten to the point where I'm asking less questions, finding more errors, and looking at the template a lot less, which is good, and apparently impressive.

I got my official SQA email address, phone number, computer, and laptop the other day. Here's where it gets interesting though: I don't have a phone. I have a phone number, but no phone. They're moving our office soon to a different section of the building, and that is when I'll get all set up. (When I get all set up, I'll have 3 computer screens to work off of!)

Basically, I can't gush enough about my job: I am COMPLETELY, 100% enamored with my job.

Things that induce laughter/smiles/happy feelings in me today:

1. The past few days, I've come home from work, changed my clothes, ate dinner, and then laid on my floor for a while (which is like laying on plywood). I like my job, but I'm sore.

2. I get to see Chelsea tomorrow! WOO HOO!! It feels like it's been forever when really, it's just been since Sunday.

3. The videos Ashley has been posting of Rachel talking.

4. I work in a building right across the street from the mall (in PV, for those of you from around here), and in the PV mall there is a Borders. (It's not Barnes and Noble, but really, at this point, I'm not going to split hairs.) There is also a library there.

5. We have a basket ball hoop in our parking lot. Also, the Head of IT leads anyone who wants to participate in this super-intense work out a few times a week. Once I get in shape, I'll have to try it out. Hahaha.

100th Post and Good News!

What a better way to celebrate my 100th post than with some totally awesome, rocking, good news??

I got a job!

...okay, so it's a paid internship, but let's not split hairs, shall we?

I am now a part of the content team at SQA Services, Inc. SQA stands for Supply Quality Assurance, and let me give a bit of a run down of what we do. A major corporation like GlaxoSmithKline will hire SQA to send an auditor out to a manufacturing plant somewhere in the world. The auditor will examine the plant based on our standards and the standards of the corporation that hired SQA to make sure the manufacturing plant is up to par and doing everything correctly. The auditors then write up their reports - and here is where my role comes in to play. I will then edit the audits (that's fun to say out loud - go ahead, give it a try...) and after they're checked out and some revisions are done as necessary, they go back to the corporation that hired us and then CAPA (Corrective Action/Preventive Action) takes place, and everyone is happy.

I'm so excited to be getting into my field. I was applying for pretty much everything under the sun, hoping that somewhere down the road of life, I would get into editing like I've wanted to. But this is just perfect. The office is only 10 minutes away from my house, I already like the people I'll be working for (that I've met so far), and can't get over the fact that I was chosen. After the internship is over, they are hoping to hire at least one intern. Last I heard they wanted 2-3 interns - AND I'M ONE OF THEM!

...Again, I'm super happy.

Things that induce laughter/smiles/happy feelings in me today:

1. I can't believe I got such a lucky break. This just goes to show the power of prayer and fasting. God blesses those who have faith enough to ask.

2. The first thing I did after I told my family was email Brother Allen and tell him the good news. I also thanked him. I had so many teachers in Idaho that I absolutely adored, and taught me so much. I miss them, but I miss them just a little less today.

3. Jereme is super sweet. He keeps running errands with me. I have such a great brother!

4. Peasant pasta tonight. :D YUM.

5. 100 posts and still blogging. I'm impressed I kept it up. And I'm sorry for all of you that I bother. hahaha.

Oscar Night Write Up

So, the Oscars were on on Sunday. I don't know how big of a deal it is outside of California, but here, it's all that is talked about from Valentines Day to St. Patrick's Day. I don't usually pay them much attention until the end of the show, when they announce the big winners like, Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress. But this year, I watched the red carpet (once I got back from church) and the majority of the award show itself.

Here are my thoughts (in case anyone cares):

• I feel so bad for the guys who won for Best Documentary. Okay, not both guys, just the second guy. Some retard who went walking up with them (and I think bankrolled the film) decided to hold up a sign as the second guy started his speech. Consequently, the second guy was cut off. He wasn't allowed to give his acceptance speech, and I never even saw his face because they cut to the audience. Why ruin it for people?
• Also, who the heck does the invitation list for this show?? Tina Fey?? Really? And Mariska Hargitay? What the heck were Tim McGraw and Faith Hill doing there?! I know he was in The Blindside, but only for like 2 scenes - he wasn't nominated. At first I was bothered that Molly Ringwald was invited, but then they did a tribute to John Hughes - or whatever his name was - and it made sense.
• Every time I hear the Up theme song, I want to cry. I don't know why. I loved that movie, and the music is beautiful, but it seriously has me choking up.
• I was so glad that Sandra Bullock won for Best Actress. I mean, wow. The Blindside has to be one of the best movies I've ever seen. Congratulations to her. And also, please pick a better dress next year.
• This year brought change to the Best Director category: a woman, an African American, Terrentino, Reitman and Cameron. Kathryn Bigelow won for The Hurtlocker. It seems so weird that an African American hasn't won, and that, until tonight, a woman hadn't won in 82 years of this ridiculous tradition.
• 10 movies in the Best Picture category?! Holy geez! That hasn't happened since 1943.

I also want to rant for a minute about the absolutely disastrous dresses this year. Usually there are a handful that are hideous, a few that are truly amazing and the rest are merely mediocre. Not this year. This year, there were a few that were mildly stunning, a handful that were merely mediocre and the rest were absolutely atrocious (ahh, alliteration and assonance.)

My best dressed list:

Elizabeth Banks

Anna Kendrick

Demi Moore

Kristen Stewart

Penelope Cruz

My worst dressed list:

Zoe Saldana

Sarah Jessica Parker

Barbra Streisand

Miley Cyrus

Charlize Theron

Maggie Gylenhaal

Jennifer Lopez

Vera Farmiga

This post is already really long, so I'll do 3 very short things that induce laughter/smiles/happy feelings in me today:

1. Enchiladas - momma style.

2. Cute new Sunday clothes.

3. Behood's crazy laugh.

Happy Birthday, Jereme!

It's Jereme's 26th birthday today!

What can I say about such a fantastic brother? I never really felt like an annoying little sister around him or his friends, although I know I was one. He cracks me up pretty much every night at dinner (and other times during the day), and I appreciate him every morning for letting the dog into his room so he stops whining. He's someone I go to when I need advice or someone to listen/calm me down. I love him lots. And lots.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEREME!

Things that induce laughter/smiles/happy feelings in me today:

1. Jereme hates cats, but they LOVE him.

2. My mom got to go to Seattle to see Josh, Karissa, Dan, Ashley, Hannah, and Rachel. Thank you Cheryl for the ticket. I'm so glad she got to go see the kids she doesn't get to see everyday and to have some time for herself.

3. Apparently, KP thinks if I was a food, I'd be mashed potatoes.

4. The email I wrote on behalf of Nicole.