My Short List

The topic of "short lists" has been brought up so many times over the past few weeks, from my uncle at Thanksgiving dinner (who had the oddest short list I had ever heard of) to a friend at Princess's birthday party. I figured it would be fun to update mine. I did it way back when and you can find it here, but I am not looking at it till after I get mine done so I can compare without cheating.

Ok, first and foremost, you do know what a short list is, don't you? Its the list of 5 people you can sleep with and your significant other cannot be angry in any way. Its like your get out of jail free card (which would actually come in handy for one of the guys on my list).

For those of you who used to read me before my hiatus, I know you expect Jon Bon Jovi to be at the top. But no. I have retired him. He is like an honorary member. I figure that I have lusted him from afar for 20 years now and it just hasn't happened, so he is being forced to vacate his spot. Now if I were to meet him and the opportunity were to present itself I would kick myself for tossing him, but oh well, I like to live dangerously.

Without further ado, here is my list (keeping in mind that I actually have a rotating list of 100 or so guys who move in and out of the list depending on my mood, so this is based on right this very minute).

1. Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. He is my latest obsession and is just so damned pretty I can't even stand to look at him. But I can't stand not to look at him either. I love him with black hair, I love him with blonde hair, I don't really care. I just love troubled, dirty, scary rockstar boys. Although in my dreams he is taller than 5'9, since I am 5'8. This is from the concert I went to a few weeks back when I was thisclose to Gerard:


2. Billy Lane of Choppers, Inc. He is the one who needs the get out of jail free card, because he is facing 15 years in prison for manslaughter while drunk driving. Many thanks to my new friend CafeKym who kept me up to date about this even while I wasn't blogging. At least if he is in jail I won't have to worry about him banging strippers. Again, in my dreams he is taller than he is in real life (I think he is 5'10).



3. Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars and various movies. No one has dreamier eyes than Jared. No one. He is prettier than most women. I have met him before and he was a little standoffish. But the last time I saw him he was very nice and friendly, even touching a young girl of 8 or 9 on the nose in a playful manner that had me swooning (see pic from the Buzz Bakesale concert, below). Won't he will make a great 2nd daddy to Princess. Again, he is probably the same height as me, but again, in my dreams he is 6'5.



4. Wentworth Miller of Prison Break. Do I think he is a good actor? No. Do I care? No. He has that brooding thing down pat and when they show him on Prison Break covered in tattoos its a religious experience. Patsy and I are going to share him (and Jared too actually). I think we determined she would have Wentworth first and I would have Jared first and then we'll switch. Sounds fair, I mean, what are friends for? I have no idea how tall he is.


5. Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance. Yes I know I am obsessed with My Chem, but I can't help it. Frank is really cute and I love the tattoos and how dirty he is. Alas, I think he is shorter than me. Where exactly are all the TALL, hot, dirty tattooed punk rock boys???


So who's on your short list????

Is This Totally Weird?

I just realized that I am going to see Barry Manilow in concert in January (yes, I know that fact is odd enough all by itself but I love me some Barry) and then to see My Chemical Romance in February and 30 Seconds to Mars in March. How many people do you think there are in the world who are seeing both Barry and either of those bands within a month of each other? Its very weird yet kinda cool, yes? Or no?

THREE

Today, Princess turns three years old. I don't exactly know how three years have passed so quickly, but it also seems like I have known her forever. If ever I doubt there's a god, I look at the fact that I am the most impatient, self-centered person on the planet and I was given a kid who fits me perfectly and doesn't drive me insane. She is so cool. She listens to good rock music and knows all the words. On any given day she will sing My Chemical Romance followed by Ring Around the Rosie. She "hangs out" like a cool teenager and makes it fun to lay on the floor and play with blocks. She is smarter than me. She laughs so hard that it makes me laugh even when I don't want to. She will see a band on tv and know who it is ("Mommy look, its Jared Leto! Run Away! I'll Attack!"). She tells me she is proud of me when I do something nice for her. She is stubborn, hard-headed, strong-willed, and tough (sounds a little familiar). Even my friends who don't like kids just adore her because she is just awesome. Its like somehow I got the exact right kid for me. I am so lucky to have her.

Happy 3rd birthday, Princess!

I Almost Touched Jared Leto

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am, in fact, in my 30's. I am not a teenager. My dad always used to tell me that he still felt 21 inside no matter how old he got, and I never understood that. But now I do. On a good day I feel like I am 22, and on a bad day (bad for those who have to deal with me) I feel like I am 16. And I was a baaaad teenager.

At the concert this weekend in FL (see last post to see what a rockstar I am, and see my next post - coming soon - to hear all the dirty details), I got to be very up close to two of my favorite boys, Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars. I was like a total teenager when I was looking at Jared, he was just so dirty and hot. And then, he starts walking over towards where I was standing. All of a sudden I deserted Hub in quick fashion and basically bum rushed Jared. What would I do had I caught him? Hm, use your imagination on that one. But I didn't get to touch him. I was so close though. Afterwards, Hub was like, um hello, WTF was that, you just left me for Jared! I don't know what came over me but I just had to run at him, like a hormonal 16 year old.

And then, when I saw Gerard Way, I almost cried at the sight of him. He was so beautiful. I had chills, seriously. I didn't get the chance to bum rush him, but maybe next time. He is from Jersey so he'll understand how us Jersey Girls get when we see a cute boy.

One of these days I will start acting my age, but probably not any day soon.

I Don't Know If I'm Back For Good

So I miss this whole blogging thing. I do. I still think to myself when something funny or crazy happens in my life, "gotta put this on the blog." I don't know if I have it in me to keep up with it like I used to though, I just don't know. Princess is turning 3 and she is a full time job by herself, plus of course my actual paying full time job which is turning out to be high stress and high drama (ah, lots of potential stories for the blog there, I can tell you that). Plus my actual life which is really crazy and insanely busy.

I'm not going to "advertise" that I am back, because I am not sure I am really back. But I'm giving it a shot.

Here's an example of how crazy my life is:

Tonight, Hub and I are flying to Florida for a concert. We fly out tonight (Friday) and come back Sunday morning. The concert is all day Saturday. Check it out here: Buzz Bakesale. I have become totally and insanely obsessed with Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. Yes, perhaps he is a poser, and yes Patsy, I know he was a little scary with the black hair (but you know I dig that scary-boys-with black-hair-and-more-eyeliner-than-me thing). There is just something about the new MCR cd that blows me away; I truly think it is genius. And Gerard is just so purty. So I somehow convinced Hub that we need to fly to FL for a concert, and he somehow agreed. Life is good. I am going to try to smuggle the camera in so I can get some good pics of Gerard (and oh yeah, also of Jared Leto who was my obsessive crush a few months back and is also playing with his band 30 Seconds to Mars at the concert). This concert is just pretty, dirty rock boy after pretty, dirty rock boy and I can't wait.

Scary, dirty Gerard Way. Yum.

Feels good to be (possibly) back.

Taking A Break

I know, you probably think I have been taking a break from blogging for a while now since I post so infrequently these days. Since I started working again, I just can't keep up. I don't have as much time to blog anymore (even though I still have plenty to say).

This is not goodbye forever, but more of a "see ya later" from your pal True. I am thinking of starting a completely anonymous blog where no one I know knows about it and I can truly say whatever I want. If you want the address for it, when and if I do it, email me at atruejerseygirl@gmail.com.

I will still stop by your places as much as I can, and I will let you know when I am back to my old tricks.

NIN

I'm back from Atlantic City - we all went down on Saturday to see Nine Inch Nails at the House of Blues. I forgot how awesome it is to see bands in a club rather than an arena - that moment when the band first comes on and the whole crowd surges forward and you feel the crush of all the sweaty people, and everyone starts jumping around and the energy just takes over you. The first third of the concert was tremendous - absolutely awesome. The there was a little lull - I don't know exactly what happened, but the energy left. Then the final third was awesome - they played Hurt and then closed with Head Like a Hole.

Trent shaved his head, no longer having that longish black hair. He looked HOT.

He inspired me to do another "Short List" of the guys I have permission to have sex with and Hub cannot get mad. That will be my next post and you can be pretty sure Trent will be on it. Here is the last time I did it.

What Did I Do Today?

1. I fired someone who has been with my company for almost 5 years. She thanked me.
2. I sent an employee home without pay who really needs the pay. She did not thank me.
3. I fought with a warehouse manager who thinks he is God when dealing with his employees. And I won.
4. I decided that maybe a trip to Amsterdam, even if for only a few days, would be worth it. I really want to go back to Europe. I am seriously thinking about this.
5. Its 2:15 and I am just having breakfast and taking a break for 10 minutes before my next meeting.
6. I have counted that there are approximately 42 hours before I get to see Nine Inch Nails in concert.

That's about it. What's up with you?

My Kid Rules and Other Random Stuff

(added 2/26)

Have I mentioned lately how cool my kid is? What songs are other 2 year olds singing, may I ask? A little Baa Baa Black Sheep, maybe a little Old McDonald? Not my kid. Princess's favorite song is "Beautiful Son" by Hole, and when she sings it, she makes a punk rock face that kicks ass. She will be the punk rocker I should have been but never was.

She has also started getting scared of things, and she will cling to my leg and say "Mommy, I scared." So I taught her that we aren't scared, we're tough. So now Princess will say, "Mommy I scared - no, I not scared, I TOUGH! Grrrrrrr!" Its so the cutest thing.
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I have determined that I can't go to Amsterdam with Patsy and Diddy. Total bummer. But I can't rely on my parents to watch Princess for a whole week while I go swim in the Amstel River (it *is* a river of beer, no?). Its not fair to them. I so want to go to Amsterdam, its on my list of places to see before I die. I really am just dying to go back to Europe in general. But anyway, my amazingly cool cousin Chris is trying to plan a cousins trip to Key West (where me and Hub and Patsy and Diddy and J went in November). I am so in, because a 4 day trip is doable. We also just booked a cruise to Bermuda and the Bahamas for June, and we are bringing Princess with us. It should be interesting. We've never done the vacation thing with her before - we usually do the drop-her-off-at-Grammys-and-go-someplace-we-can-drink thing.
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Work sucks. The only good thing is that I am the Chairperson of the Employee Activity Committee and I am planning a trip to the local minor league baseball team's opening game - which just so happens to be on a Thursday when they have $1 beers. Coincidence? I think not. (Patsy, plan to take that night off! Dollar beers - you cannot pass that up!!!)

What's Up With Me?

I threw a little shindig on Saturday evening for my friend who is moving down south (yes Edd, to a Republican state, but once a Jersey Girl always a Jersey Girl). It was over at 11, so me, Hub, Patsy, Diddy, J, and my cousin came back to my house to continue the beveraging. Oh, and did it ever continue. My cousin and Hub went to bed at probably 2 or 3 a.m., and me J and Patsy stayed up chatting and drinking. All of a sudden we hear someone coming down the steps and I see my cousin. My first thought was, yay, he is rejoining us. Then I realized, wait, he has on different clothes and is holding his keys. That's right, he was leaving to drive home; it was 7:30 a.m. We stayed up a while longer, debated rather voraciously about whether its better to be pretty or smart (thank God I am both and don't have to choose, haha), plus I think I may have told J waaaay too much about myself, and then we went to bed around 9 am. Then I was up at noon to shower and go pick up Princess and then have lunch with Hub's family. It was an exhausting night/day/neverending party.

In three weeks we are going to Atlantic City to see Nine Inch Nails, so it will be yet another insanity-filled weekend. I am thinking of dying my hair black before then - too extreme? Its been black before but I was much younger and I think it might look stupid on me now. I want to either go black or blonde - I am sick of being a brunette. I get bored so easily.

A Few Random Thoughts...

I am about to go watch Bill Mahr and then pass out but I haven't been round these parts in quite a while so I thought I would give you an update on mi vida loca:

1. I am going to throw my boss through a window if she screws up one more thing, then explains it as "WE made a mistake and I (meaning her) will fix it." Because let's be real, a true Jersey Girl does not make mistakes and we all know the boss is not fixing anything but her nails.

2. Grey's Anatomy is the. best. show. period. I have been sick for 2 weeks so I couldn't stay up and watch it Sunday but I tivo'd it. I watched it Monday afternoon and bawled my eyes out. Like when Bailey's husband died on the table! That look in McDreamy's eyes! And then he came back to life! And then McDreamy saying "where is she?" after the bomb went off and Addison comes running out but uh-uh, we all knew he was looking for Meredith! So then I watched it again on Thursday night and yup, I cried again. I am a disaster watching that show.

3. My cousin is trying to plan a trip to Vegas, but he is talking about December. Hub can't take off in December so I said I couldn't go. So then everyone starts replying that if True isn't going, they aren't going either. Go me! I rock!

4. My kid is smarter than your kid. She is two, and she is speaking English and Spanish. She knows her days of the week and her numbers in English and Spanish. We don't speak Spanish - she has picked it up from school. I am so proud of my bilingual two year old. Si!

5. Tomorrow night I am throwing a bon voyage party for my friend who is moving to South Carolina. There is an open bar, me and Patsy will both be there, and its going to get ugly because I have had two BAD weeks of being violently ill and feeling violent towards my boss and I am going to take it out on my liver.

That's it for now...I'll visit soon, promise!

Shufflin'

This is how much I rock:

I put my beloved iPod on shuffle, and first came Air Supply's "All Out Of Love" followed by Hole's "Teenage Whore." I so rock.

My Third Husband

I kinda played hooky from work yesterday and went into NYC to the Motorcycle Show at the Javitz Center. It was pretty cool - since it was a weekday it wasn't as crowded as it would have been on a weekend, and it wasn't as big and overwhelming as the Auto Show.

But most importantly, I met Billy Lane again (Billy will be my third husband, as Jon Bon Jovi will be my second).

Yep, he is touching me.

Hub and I went up to his booth before he got there and talked to one of his employees for the longest time. She was so cool, and she reiterated what I already knew - that Billy is a sweetheart. He was due to get to the booth at 2pm to sign autographs but by 2:15 he still wasn't there. I figure he was at some bar, which was fine with me because I wasn't even on line yet. When he finally got there I saw him from afar, and he had his dreads pulled back in a knit cap and looked a little gangsta. Cool. Hub thought he didn't look as good with his hair back, but I disagreed.

We got on line at some point, and while we were online some jerkoff was in the booth, yelling and being completely obnoxious. The employee we had been talking to earlier came over by us and was like, can you believe this guy, he is the biggest ass. I am looking at the guy and thinking, I know this dude. Finally it hit me - he was the lead singer from Smashmouth. He was a complete ass, and finally one of the other employees escorted him away from the booth.

That Jerk From That Sucky Band Smashmouth, and Billy.

We get up to Billy and I started getting nervous. Not because I was seeing my future husband, but because I was afraid my previous impression of him as a kickass guy was going to be shattered if he wasn't as cool as the last time I met him. Well, no need to worry. He was SO awesome. He is so down to earth and just a regular guy. Hub told him that - that he is impressed with what a nice person he is - and Billy thanked him and said that he always promised himself and his folks that he would never change. We talked to him for a bit (Billy actually spends time with each and every person who comes up for an autograph, as opposed to those OCC jerks who treat it like an assembly line and don't even LOOK at the fans, much less speak to them). He is totally the kind of guy who you want to hang out with at a bar, do some shots and drink some beer, and just hang. Hub wants to invite him to one of our parties, which of course I am totally cool with ;)

We also met Matt Hotch, another chopper builder, and he was equally cool. He is much shyer, not as outgoing as Billy, but really cool. We had a normal conversation with him and he was completely down to earth.

Matt Hotch, Cool Guy

Honestly, I am getting more and more respect for these bike builders - their work is awesome and they are completely cool.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today...

Well, maybe not exactly today, but it was 20 years ago that the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off was released. This is one of the greatest movies of all time and its is one of the movies I quote most often (I hail from a family where every other word we say to each other is a movie line).

I will get back to that in a minute, but first let me tell you how this movie inspired me. While it is a hysterically funny movie, my favorite scene is at the Chicago Art Museum where Cameron is looking at the Seurat painting while The Smiths play in the background. He stares and stares at the painting until it all becomes a blur, and it is really such a touching scene. My friend C and I decide we must go see this painting in real life, so we hop in the car and drive from Jersey to Chicago (stopping only to visit Notre Dame). It was one of the most fun trips in my life (and Chicago is one of my favorite places to visit...I even considered moving there). We basically traveled through Chicago as Ferris did - going to the Sears Tower and leaning against the window looking down (yes, they yell at you for doing that), going to a baseball game and yelling "Swing batta batta batta...sa-wing, batta," and of course, seeing that huge, beautiful painting (a copy of which hangs in my dining room) and singing "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" while gazing at it and letting it become a blur. Awesome.

So onto the quotes - my most often used quote is a possibly obscure one, but its "Snooty? Snotty!" from when they are in the fancy restaurant with Ferris pretending to be Abe Froehman, the sausage king of Chicago. There are so many good ones...what's your favorite quote from Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

Its Lonely At The Top

But first...COMING SOON - Christmas pictures, Princess's birthday pictures, and New Year's Eve pictures. Note to Patsy: you were not as neat and clean while puking on NYE as you thought. Hub found chunks in various places in the bathroom. He cleaned it up, so I am not complaining.
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There are things I love about my job (working in HR). I get to help people with their issues, give them a paycheck, give jobs to qualified people, be a sounding board for suggestions, sell ideas to upper management and then implement them, etc etc etc. But there are things I really hate about working in HR.

The main one is that you can't get close to anyone. I know things about employees, like if they are going to be disciplined, what their raises will be, what their bosses say about them behind their backs, how much their bonus will be, if they are going to be fired. And its hard to look people in the eye and smile and act as if things are normal when I know something's going on. I want to tell them (especially the nice ones), but of course I can't. And the worst part is that in this company, I handle all disiplinary action. So if someone in the company is getting written up, I am the one doing it.

You may remember a few months back when I first started this job, I mentioned "the cool girl" who asked me to go out to lunch with her and her little group. Well these 3 girls are my "crew" here. But as it turns out, the "cool girl" is not liked by her direct manager nor by her VP. One of the other girls is not performing as well as they expected. One of their other friends in the company (who I am not friends with) is going to be fired any day now (I am looking for her replacement and I am going to be the one to fire her). I can't tell them any of this. So how do I go out to lunch and chat and not tell my friends these things?

Another guy, one of our Directors, is going to be written up this week. I have worked really hard to break through this guy's rough exterior and get him to trust me and know I am not your typical HR person. And now, I am going to have to write him up for his attitude. Fun.

What I have realized is that, despite the fact that I DESPISED my former company, the one good thing about it was that there were 6 of us in the department so I could be friends with my co-workers. They were going through the same thing I was. But here, its just me and my director in the department so its a very lonely place to be. I am giving myself a year here, to learn all I can and gain as much experience as I can, and then I am moving on. I have to, for my own sanity.