I love beer and beer loves me!
Mood:  mischievious
I started this blog as a way to keep all my friends and family updated on life in Florida, but, as with most things I do, I have gotten lazy. My bad.

Let's see what I have been doing lately...

Pretty much working my ass of with crazy hours. This is my first full weekend off in a while. I am happy. Me, Chris and his roommate Tom when to Lost Kangaroo last night. It was a great time. Good to go on a Friday, especially since you have been working all week so this is the place to just sit and chill.

Today is Grandma's 72nd Birthday - Happy Birthday to you.

Went out for a few drinks with CC and her man last weekend. Don't forget CC, we have an "appointment" at 7 on Monday - hahaha

I didn't get the job in Clearwater since a coworker of mine who has been with the bank for 20 years decides she wants to apply for the same job. Bitch.

Terri Schiavo died so Pinellas County is no longer a media circus. It was interesting to see on MSNBC at work the headline "Pinellas Park: City Under Siege". Dude, it is The Park. Have you ever really been to the park? Not that interesting.

Other than that, nothing too exciting going on. Probably stay in tonight or run to International Mall in Tampa and do some shopping. Congrats to the USC Gamecocks Mens Basketball for becoming the 2005 NIT Champs! Now let's pray that the football teams brings home some sort of title (and not in the running for Best Brawl televised this time).

You can't lick our Cocks,
Amanda

Why do I get myself into this?
Mood:  d'oh
Ok, I know I just added a blog earlier today (well yesterday since it is just after midnight on Sunday morning). Here is what has happened in my life in the last 12 hours. I have a met a guy (actually, I met him a week and half ago). 29 yrs old. Great guy. Very nice, handsome, we get along great, talk for hours on the phone, and he's got money ;). Haha. Ok, we go to dinner tonight at Bonefish Grill. He paid (which is important since, many of you know, I have a track record of assholes who have no first date etitquite.) Problem is... he is not quite divorced yet. Will be in a few months. Oh, and he has a 3 1/2 year old daughter. Now, kids do not bother me. I love kids. Thing is though, since he is still techinically married (but is separated), I don't want to get thrown in to this whole thing and then start being labeled the other woman or anything from his "crazy ass bitch of an ex" - direct quote from him. What the hell has happened to me?? It must be something about the Florida sun.

"You have officially been pimped"
Amanda

AND WHAT?!
Mood:  lucky
Wow, it is a Saturday and I don't have to work?! This is crazy. I took full advantage by sleeping til noon. Today will be a good day.

I went on a job interview yesterday for a Service Banker position in Clearwater, FL (about 20 miles north of me). The interview went a lot better than others I have been on. They were making a decision yesterday so I should hear something on Monday or Tuesday. Wish me luck :)

On the way back to work from the interview, I decide to stop and get something to eat. The Chinese takeout place was on the left side of the road, so I had to turn down a street, make a u turn and go back. I turn down 102nd Ave. in Clearwater at 11:00am. Doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Well, it is the same road the hospice that Terri Schiavo lives. Suddenly, my car is surrounded by 30-40 protested screaming "Save Terri!!" I screamed like I have never screamed before. All I wanted was a damn egg roll! Finally the cops came, broke up the crowd and allowed me to continue with my u-turn. My mom is worried because "all the crazy shit on the news happens right near where I live." I always laughed it off, but it is getting more and more true. Turn on the news. Everything happens in the Greater Bay area - Terri Schiavo, Jessica Lunsford, a 5 year old getting arrested for a temper tantrum then coloring on the walls of her school. (By the way, Jessica was found this morning. My hearts and prayers go out to the family is this terrible tragic time. Though this is not the answer they wanted, it is closure and Jessica is now home in eternal peace).

I have never been an overtly religious person. But now I am in fear. Fear of becoming a parent. It used to be the fear of "will I have children?", "will I be a good mom?", "will I be able to raise my kids up right and give them everything?" Now the fear is "if I have kids, will I be able to keep the safe and out of the hands of a predator?" I am almost 25. I would love to have children one day. Everyday on the news, there are reports of children either being abducted or nearly abducted here in the Tampa Bay area. Maybe it was my southern upbringing where we could roam the neighborhood all night and play in the woods, just as long as when mom screamed your name from the porch for dinner, you came running. Now, kids are not even safe in their own bed or a school playground. I don't want to go on a rant, but I can't fathom having to go through something like that. I fear for our future and our children.

Last night, I downloaded the entire Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" album. Now, everyone knows the story of how you play Wizard of Oz and this album, it matches up. I have seen it and I am a believer. BUT this is a better story! I was living with Brent and Shawn (two friends from college that let me stay in their apartment while I finished that ONE damn last class before graduation). Anyway, after I got off work at Frankie's Fun Park, Frankie's Fun Park, Columbia, SC, we drank a little, (ok a lot), and smoked a little, (ok a lot), and was listening to Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon. Ernest Goes to Jail was on Comedy Central. IT MATCHED PERFECTLY! There was even a commercial for a check cashing place that came on at the beginning of "Money". Wow, that must have been some good stuff we had. (Sorry, nostalgic flashback.)

Today will be a heavy duty cleanup day for me. Every single article of clothing I own is in the floor of my bedroom. Trash needs to be taken out, Bathroom scrubed and cleaned. And I am sick with a sore throat, so I bet those chemicals will make me feel better :(

Last but not least, Happy (belated) St. Patrick's Day. Erin Go Braugh! My bank is located within walking distance to 4 Irish pubs so Thursday was a fun day at work.

"May you, Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, Dance like no one is watching, Screw like it is being filmed and Drink like a true Irishman" God Bless Delaney's and the Wednesday $2 pints (taking it back old school)
Amanda

Men suck... plain and simple
Mood:  rushed
As you can tell from the title, I am kinda bitter tonight. Me and my lastest guy have called it quits. I am not really heartbroken. But, and this is to all the guys out there, if your mood suddenly changes overnight and you develop the "asshole gene", don't expcet girls to adapt too well to it. Oh well, God bless 35 year old guys that accept booty calls :)

Also, I work 6 days last week, one day off that was spent doing 6 loads of laundry, and now I am back in hell. But the boss will be out of the office for the next week and half, so there is a bit of silver lining here.

Not too much more is going on. Got a random email from a friend I met freshman year off college. He visited Columbia a couple times while I was in school, but, I have not spoken to him in 3 years. It was good to catch up on old times.

No real plans for St. Patty's on Thursday since the she-devil scheduled me to come in at 7:45 on Friday. Thanks. I love you too.

Still waiting to hear back from a couple of jobs I applyed for. Hopefully I will know something later this week. Real World/Road Rules Inferno II is on tonight, so that is where I will be from 10:00 - 10:30 then off to dream land.

"What's wrong with heavy petting and a blow job?" (Name the show and you are not allowed to answer, Chris)
Amanda

Mood:  a-ok
First and foremost, anyone who knows me knows that I am sarcastic. A smartass, at times, if you will. I have now had two people commenet on below remarks about Donavan McNabb's mom. The story about me loving the commercials was a joke. I was not being serious. Lighten up.

Friday night was a good night. Chris and I went to the Lost Kangaroo and got our regular seats after Old Man Winter and his crew decided to venture back home to the trailor park. The things is that the guys there are awesome. They remember your drinks. No matter how crowded it is, they will come to ya. They shoot the shit, ask how you been, and play the damn songs Chris keeps screaming for ("Play some Skynyrd!") Chuck, Rob and Brian are good people, so we tip a lot for their efforts and in hopes of getting the bell rung and them screaming our names. When you are hammered at 3am, it is pure joy... and it also results in a $100 tab. (Way to go, Flush)

It's Sunday and I am being lazy. Woke up around 11 and have been watching MTV and VH1 all day long. I did venture outside, put my new USC Alumni sticker on my car and drove to the 7-11. That is my day and to be honest, I hope to accomplish nothing more.

I told this person that this story would make the blog. Also, if my 13 year old sister is reading this STOP NOW. I do not want a call from mom bitching at me...

To protect embarrassment, the name of this male individual has been changed. He will be known as "Tyson". Once again, Tyson's penis has scared another girl. The quote of the week: "Umm... your penis was near my vagina and you did nothing about it. I mean, I told you we were not having sex, but you didn't even try to put on a condom." Yeah, a girl actually said this. Which, from a girl's perspective, he would have been screwed either path he chose to take especially since the girl is harping on and on and on about how they are not having sex that night. Pretty funny story. My advice, the same one Mark once gave to me concering deviled eggs and a chicken leg: "Make it happen, make it happen." No truer words have been spoken by a rock star.

I have a long ass week ahead of me with work. I have to open tomorrow, close Wed, Thurs and Fri AND work Saturday. Fuck a bank being open on Saturdays. Your deposit still will not go through til Monday night, so why not WAIT til Monday? That $10 rebate check from Viagra can wait to be cashed. (I say Viagra because when you work in the land of elderly snowbirds, you see A LOT of these checks. So gross. I don't even want to touch it.) But I did get to meet Macho Man Randy Savage as he waited in line to make a deposit. Also, the local porn star agency deposited a check by Ron Jeremy. No one else I work with thought that was as cool as I did.

Also, what the hell is up with the USC football team? First, 6 players are arrested after stealing crap (like pictures) from the athletics office after Lou Holtz announced his retirement. Then Demetrius Summers is cut after failing his SECOND drug test. NOW Moe Thompson stole a TV, DVD player and the DVDs Radio and Rudy (Hot on the Black Market) from a dorm room in East Quad. Nice way to welcome Spurrier in, guys. Fuckin' A. Idiots.

This is my future baby daddy, Ben Rothlisberger. I have always loved football. Never been into any other sport, but I can watch game after game of football. All the Gamecock and Panthers games are watched out of pure love for the team and the sports. A diehard fan, fanatic if you will. I will, though, begin watching Steelers games now. Not for the great season they had. Not for almost making it the Super Bowl. No, the soul reason is to see that man right there. Damn, I am going through withdrawls. September 1st needs to get here FAST! (Gamecocks vs. Central Florida. I will not be at work that Friday).

Sunday Stew premires tonight featuring new Viva La Bams. Inferno II tomorrow at 10 on MTV. The Reality Gods are smiling down on me. Thank you. Off to cook dinner now.

"I don't see why they call it Hamburger Helper, it does fine on its own."
Amanda

Thank God It's Friday
Mood:  chillin'
Well, I am feeling better than I did earlier this week. I played hooky from work today. Zack came over last night. We cooked dinner, watched a movie, then he found some show on the Speed Channel that he was engrossed in for over an hour and half. It was actually a good show. They had to supe up 1967 VW Beatles and race them.

I woke up this morning and I was feeling like crap. And it was raining. And it was cold. So I said fuck that, called in sick and slept in til 11. I planned on cleaning and running errands before the weekend. What did I ACTUALLY do, you ask? I sat in front of the computer engrossed in a Yahoo game: Sinners and Saints Bingo. What the hell? I spent HOURS playing Internet bingo. Why, why, why? When I finally blinked, I was halfway through the "tournament" and it was 5pm.

Tomorrow night, I am heading down to the Lost Kangaroo with Chris (for more on the 'Roo, see previous posts). Saturday will be more laid back, with drinks with Zack and Sunday, possible going to see Be Cool.

Bad thing is, I called in sick, now I actually think I am coming down with something. Working at a bank is like working with kids. Someone is always coming in with some sort of cooties. Especially two coworkers who have been hacking for a month now like they got damn tuberculosis or something.

There is nothing a little jager and red bull won't fix,
Amanda

PS: I saw Constantine last Sunday. I have to say, I was never a big fan of Keanu Reeves after Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Parenthood. I thought he was great in those and never thought he could play other roles (Speed and Johnny Mnemonic proved my point there) but he has continued to impress me. I liked the Matrix trio and this was a pretty good movie too. 3 stars. Go see it. Worth the $5 maintnee price :)

Is this damn week over yet?
Mood:  don't ask
I don't know why, but I am just not in that great of a mood. Not a bad mood, yet not a good mood. Just one of those moods where you want to stare blankly out into space and if anyone dare interupts you, it is grounds for their asses being chewed out.

Nothing too new going on. The lady that hit my branch came in yesterday. What did she say about it? Wanted to know when the hell the front doors would be working again so she wouldn't have to walk so far to the ATM. Umm.... wasn't it YOUR Lincoln that you decided to plant in those front doors, killing someone? Dumb bitch. I am sorry, but she is. She is a senile dumb bitch.

There was a bug in my apartment last night that I couldn't kill and he ran away. I slept with all the lights on last night out of fear he would come and get me. You think I am joking, don't you...

Air conditioning is working after 3 days and 3 complaints. I know, it is March, but I am in Florida. Where it is winter 3 out of 365 days.

I am going to bed now. I will be better tomorrow.

I have PMS and a handgun... no seriously, I have both,
Amanda

Just have a little catching up to do...
Mood:  lazy
Sorry that it has been so long since I updated my blog. Been really busy, but now, for your viewing pleasure, I present to you... the updates.

Well, we all know now that my prediction for the Super Bowl was wrong. I would have been right if the damn Eagles had used time outs better and was not sooooo damn slow in the last couple minutes. Oh well, I still love you, Mrs. McNabb.

I went back home to the mother land (South Carolina) for a week February 13 - February 21. It was good to get time away from work and see my friends and family. I mostly just sat around, relaxed. Oh yeah, and get woke up nightly at 4am by my boyfriend who figured it was ok to call me when he got off of work since he knew I did not have to go to work. That's love right there. I went to Columbia (home of the U of South Carolina) on Friday night and to my old stopping ground of Five Points. It was a good time. Felt kinda odd being back among the college kids, most of which I am now about 5-6 years older than. But me and Noelle showed them how the alumni drink and a good time was had by all. Bought a buttload of Gamecock merchandise to bring back to Florida. (You know that you can't get any of that down here. They still hate us for the whole Spurrier incident).

During the 8 hour drive home, I saw some interesting things. 90% of the drive is on various interstates throughout the 3 state area, but an hour and half is on the rural highway 301 which connected Ocala, FL to Jacksonville, FL. I saw a mud bogging competition going on (I soooooo wanted to stop, but I was on a deadline to get home). It was free too. Damn, I should have called mom and said I would be late. Also, some random lady selling Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls from her car. There had to be almost 200 of those things on her car and the ground. Kinda scary.

As I am almost to the Tampa city limits, my mom calls me and informs me that she in is the emergency room with my 13 year old sister. My sister crashed a neighboorhood kid's moped. She had to have sticthes in her arm, as (who knew) that asphalt will eat your skin away if rubbed at the proper speed, and her leg is in an immbolizer from hip to ankle. She is doing fine now and I hope she has a speedy recovery. Makes me think twice about riding with her once she is of driving age though. (I know she is probably reading this, and you know I am only kidding. Get well soon!)

Also, my coworker, Karen, gave birth to a beautiful boy on February 14th, Jaden George. I would like to send my congrats to Karen and her husband, George. If you ever need a babysitter.... I probably have plans that night ;) Kidding

All in all, life is good. Things have happened recently that makes you realize that you cannot take one day of your life for granted. Wake up glad that you are alive and live that day like it will be your last.

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars,
Amanda

For those about to lose March's trailer payment betting on the Super Bowl, WE SALUTE YOU!
Mood:  flirty
It is that time of the year: Super Bowl XXXIX. New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Jacksonville, FL (the city that always smells like ass).

As most of you know, I love football. But, because I was an advertising major in college, I also love watching those 11 minutes that eats away at your favorite rerun of Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes: Commercials. I know these have been around for a while, but I have become even more fond of the Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials featuring Donovan Mcnabb and his mama, Wilma. Wilma is great. I smell Emmy. You get the feeliing that she really cares for her boys. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside watching the commercials. If I was a 28 year old, African American Quarterback, making $115 million, I would want Wilma as my mom. I love my mom, Sue, but your Chicken Stew ain't got shit on Campbell's Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder.

Shhh.... You hear that? In South Carolina right now, I am being disowned by my mom.

Super Bowl prediction: Eagles over Patriots in overtime.

In other news:
Well, I heard yesterday that I did not get the job that I interviewed for, so what better way to pick yourself up that to drown your sorrows in alcohol. Last night was an pretty fun night. Chris and I went to our usual watering hole, The Lost Kanagroo. If you are ever in Bradenton, FL, I highly suggest stopping in. Tell Rob, Chuck and Brian that we sent you. Just don't sit at the corner of the bar. Those seats are reserved. :) I was hurting this morning, but what can you expect when all your shots end in the word "bomb" - jagerbombs and Irish carbombs. Yum.

Tonight I am just hanging out with Zack. Not to sure what we are doing though. Maybe a movie, maybe a few drinks.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:
Chris - "Yeah, that chick is giving that guy the look like "Oh, baby, I want to have your abortion"

Drop down and get your Eagle on,
Amanda

PS:

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Sleep my way to the top. Get your resolution here.

I found this link on another friend's blog. If you click on the link, you can choose from random resolution that you too can fulfill in 2005. Good stuff.

Just some random thoughts...
Mood:  celebratory
So I went on my job interview today. It was the most nerve wracking hour of my life, but I think I came through unscathed. I hope that I get this job. Not only is the $10,000 more a year beneficial, but it seems like a great opportunity for me to move up the ranks in Wachovia. I am currently looking at apartments in the area of the branch just in case I get the job. From where I live now, it is a 45 minute drive with no traffic. No traffic in the Tampa Bay area? HAHAHA that was a good one.

Not much else is going on. A coworker is leaving at the end of the week for maternity leave. Her doctor warns here that she could go at any minute. Great, watch her go into labor on my time. They will need two ambulances. I am so squimish. I will pass out at the first sight of fluid. They do not pay me enough for this.

Trying to think of something to do for the Super Bowl this weekend. Not as excited about it as I was last year when my boys, the Carolina Panthers, were in it, but what the hell. It is an excuse to drink excessive amounts of beer and get my last football fix til September.

Also, thinking of long weekend and road trip to the Florida Keys. Only a 5 -6 hour drive. May wait til May, not to cold, not to hot. Perfect.

I am tired... so I am going to bed. Have a good one.

Ciao,
Amanda

Another day older and deeper in debt
Mood:  energetic
Well, today was a pretty good day. I guess as good as any day in a dead end job can be. I found out today that I have an interview Wednesday Feb. 2nd at 3:30 for another position with Wachovia making a LOT more money. I hope I get the job since I continue to dig the hole known as credit card debt deeper and deeper. I went to the mall after work for the sole purpopse of paying on my Victoria's Secret and Best Buy credit card bills. Well, I end up with 2 pairs of shoes, 3 DVDs, a CD and some beauty products from Victoria's Secret. Damn sales lady for tempting me with the free gift if you buy a certain amount of stuff. Best Buy did not get paid. I am crossing my finger that my W2 comes soon...

Got some good DVDs though. After throwing some quotes back and forth with my new gentleman friend, I bought the Goodfellas DVD. Also Friday Night Lights (reminds me so much of back home in Lancaster, SC plus I love me some football) and I bought Steel Magnolias - my ultimate favorite chick flick. Still looking for Animal House on DVD. For some reason, no Best Buy around here carries it. I think it is a conspiracy if you ask me.

After the incident Saturday night, looks like all is right in my dating world. Looks like me and the new fella are going to give it a try again this weekend, which I am happy about. About the only decent guy that I have found in Florida. Oh well... we will see. We have only been dating around a month. Am I required to do the whole Valentine's Day gift thing? I need some male input on this one.

Tomorrow's agenda: laundry. I know, you are jealous of my active life. Also, gotta start planning for my road trip. Going to South Carolina from February 13 through the 21st. Should be interesting. Will be the first time I have been back to SC for more than a weekend since I moved here. Gotta get the Road Trip 05 CD mix together. 7 hours is a long time in a car. I-95 is not that bad, except through Georgia. Straight roads, almost no exits. Just trees and swamps. Lovely state.

By the way... no matter what anyone says, I did not stay up til 2am last night downloading Reba McEntire songs off WinMX. Vicious rumors... yeah...

Until we meet again...
Amanda

Welcome! Take a seat
Ok, it is after midnight. I slept til 2pm and then took a 3 hour nap, so needless to say, I will probably be up most of the night. After trying to do something to the USC webpage (usctampabay.tripod.com) and not getting to work, I gave up and decided to make a blog. Why you might ask? I don't know... why do I do a lot of the things I do. Well, it is mostly a way for friends and family back home in South Carolina to know what I have been doing and an online journal of sorts where I can rant and rave. Good stuff.

What have I been up to... well a lot, actually. After some serious thinking and a few road trips, I decided to pack up and move out of Columbia, SC and move to lovely St. Petersburg, FL (just 20 miles outside Tampa, on the Gulf of Mexico). I say this because 75% of my family still tell people I live somewhere in Florida. I should have gotten them maps for Christmas. I arrived in the Sunshine State on July 22nd and started my new job with Wachovia on July 26th and officially hate the job by August 1st. Such is life. I am currently apply for jobs within the company and I quickly realized that while I am a people person, being a teller is not what I was cut out for. Life is great here in Florida. Oh, sure we had that whole 4 hurricanes thing, but the area I live it was relativley untouched by the storms. We were very fortunate. The weather is great. I love talking to my mom back in SC and she is going on and on about the ice storm while I sit back in sunny, mid-70 temps.

Chris overthrew the president of the USC Tampa Bay Alumni Association so he is now commander-in-chief (I was kidding about the mutiny). So, in the land of "it's who you know, not what you know", I made him make me Vice-president. We are trying to build the association back up. It will take some time, but I think we have the talent and resources to do it.

I have dated a few guys here and there while being down here, each one different (and a little more crazier than the next). Oh well, I am 24. I am not worrying. I am currently seeing one guy, but we will see how this one plays out.

Plans for tomorrow: Work at 7:30, then to the mall to pay some credit card bills.

Until then...
Amanda

PS - Go buy The Killers CD. Awesome band, awesome music. And, if anyone can score me some Jimmy Buffett tickets for Feb. 26th at the Ford Ampitheater in Tampa, I would love you long time.