Bingo, for the Young at Heart.

There comes a point in your life where everything you once found enjoyable, and a representation of your social status, just falls by the wayside and you zone out into a state of melancholy complacency. Or as in represented in my life: old. 23 old. For example: you can't go get too excited for New Year's Eve because you know staying up that late is going to throw you off for the rest of that week and you have to work and need to be focused so you put on your game face and try to have an awesome time running around with your friends and meeting new people and getting free drinks and then it rapidly melts away by 12:30pm. Bedtime.

Or there is the instance where you begin to turn down social outings and happy hours because you have Bingo on Thursday nights with your roommate at the golf course club house with all of your roommate's friends. That's right, Bingo in the retirement community.

Now I can't dis it too much because it can be fun. But let me tell you, it started off a nightmare. The first night there was a fairly large group of us and the table was pretty noisy. Well every time a number was called no one would be paying attention and shout "Whaaa?" right as the announcer would repeat the number. It was exasperating. And the announcer uses 'Bingo Lingo' where every number has a saying like: 'G56... Was she worth it?' and then they will add my name in there cause they love me so much, so like 'B12 a monkey's cousin, B12 Lauren's family tree... Oh except you Grammy!' The Lingo is ridiculous and a little racy sometimes especially when it get to O69, I'll let you check it out: Bing Lingo.

So Aside from the nobody be able to hear and the clever jabs to my self esteem, there was a glimmer of hope when the roommate shouted 'BINGO!'

So then it was worth the exhausting repetition of the numbers and the hushing of the table. She won $100.

Then the third week I was on my own and considering not going. But the club lures you in because every night you attend you get an extra card on the last night when the grand pot is $800.. so I'm not missing that!

But the receptionist at my work had a baby the day before so I drove to the hospital and got to hold a one day old baby:

Little Camilo. That would have warranted one of the greatest moments of this year but then I had to go to Bingo. I showed up three games late, was hassled for finally making my appearance, paid for my cards and took a seat at the bar. With only two games left I was there more to get some dinner and hang out with staff more but I had to play so I could still be in the running for the last night.

The game 'X', so you have to get an X on one of your cards. So I was just eating and carrying on with my friends and half hearing the words being called when I notice I only have about two numbers left. But I play it cool because I have been this close before and someone else got it before me. Well then I only have one number left so my heart starts to pound but I don't want to jinx myself so I continue to play it cool....

THEN BINGO!! I shouted and leapt out of my chair completely baffled by my winning before anyone else! And it was my first game out of the three weeks. A whopping $75 in 'wine vouchers' is handed to me and I take a seat at the old people table with my roommate's friends.

The final game is coverall where you have to get every number marked. I am still so ecstatic from my first win and everyone is giving me crap for showing up late and taking all the money that I am hardly paying attention to the numbers being called for the last game.

So I am eating my food, repeating the numbers for the old people and I realize that I am getting pretty close again. But I tell my self 'self, chill out, there is no way you could win again'. But heart starts to palpitate again. Then I am down to one left and just know someone is going to get it before me when the announcer says 'B11' I  literally scream so loud and jump out of my chair knocking it completely over and giving everyone over 60 (so everyone) a heart attack. I won AGAIN! $125! For a grand total of $195!!

Then the harassing really starts: 'You think you can just waltz in here all late and take all the money?' 'Oh those must be your lucky tights' and 'I think I am deaf now due to your screaming'. BUt I brushed all those to the side. Take that old people!

This week, although, I did not win. But 4 out of the 5 wins were by people at my table... my luck rubbed off. It was a fun night until I remembered that I had turned down happy hour and free tickets to the basketball game to be there...

Boom. Olded.....Posted.

A New Year & a New Me.

Happy New Year! 

It is 2012 and I am ready for new adventures. Like I mentioned in my post Transitions, I am ready to become a newer and improved version of myself in the form of maturity. My dad will be so proud.

After the lastest events of 2011, I am on a mission to become healthier and take care of my body. Don't get crazy though, vegetables are still the enemy, but I will compensate with multi-vitamins and eating lots of fruit. I have also made the tough decision of limiting my carbohydrate intake. It will be hard, but it will be worth it... I just have to tell that to my thrice a week mac and cheese intake. Oy.

Aside from the excitement of my new nutritional values, I am extremely excited for my upcoming trip to Indianapolis to see Blake. We finally picked a time and then realized it was also during Superbowl Weekend.... in Indianpolis. Woot! I can't wait to go tailgating near the Colts stadium, should be a great time. Not to mention I finally get to spend time with Blake, it will only have been 4 months since our last visit. I am not truly counting the hour we spent during his layover in the Phoenix airport. I mean anytime spent with my wonderful boyfriend is the best time in the world but just the one hour is hard.

In other, and less depressing, news: the secretary at my work is on bed rest until she gives birth to a little boy in the next few weeks. This is good news and bad news because she will be having a little baby soon but also because now I have to run the front desk.

I know, it sounds like running the front desk at an insurance agency wouldn't be so bad, and it really isn't, but then you have to consider the mundane tasks of answering the phones and watch it turn into amateur hour brought about by all of Arizona.

I had a lady call this morning asking for an agent who is involved with the personal policies, like homeowners and personal auto insurance. The lady said she had called the agent but it kept going to voicemail. Then I asked, as I always do, if she left a voicemail because then the agent would return it as soon as she could. I then mentioned that she was on the other line because I could see her light blinking on my switchboard thingy. Then the lady says, and I quote, "Oh I don't leave voicemails." And the old Lauren would have "Oh well then don't expect to get in touch with the agent then." But I bit my tongue and said  she could leave a message or call back but my hands were tied. Give. Me. A. Break. LEAVE A MESSAGE.

Once when I was covering the front desk, this guy called trying to explain to me that he had been in an accident.. in SPANISH. I know pretty much zero Spanish. I took French for 6 years and it has obviously been helpful living in the town I am now... not. All I could say was "No habla Espanol and uno momento" and then tried to transfer him to a lady who I thought spoke Spanish in our agency.... she doesn't. I made a horrible stereotypical error. Lo siento por favor. The guy was on his own.

Then I constantly get the "I cannot get a hold of so-and-so, is there anyone else I can talk to?" I give me to three other people because they keep calling back and then I ask if they left a message... LEAVE A FREAKING MESSAGE. They will never learn.

Boom Posted.