Today was the Dioner Navarro signing. I’ve known about for awhile. Yet, I forgot to place an order to print out the photo of me and Navarro. I didn’t know there was a Rite Aid right next to the signing (and I don’t have a Rite Aid photo account). I found two WalGreens so I placed my order that way.

I got home from work around 1 AM and went straight to bed after I got my bags together for the autograph signing and for the game. Unfortunately, for some reason I had a difficult time falling asleep. Even when I did fall asleep, I didn’t sleep well at all. When my alarm went off at 5, I said, forget it. I’m not getting up yet. An hour later, after I couldn’t fall back asleep, I finally got up and headed out.

Last night, before I left work I sent in a photo order to Walgreens. I completely forgot to do it till the last minute. I had two options. I could send it to the one closer to the signing and pick it up around 8:30, or send it to the one that was out of my way and it would be ready by the time I left. It said it would be done at 2:39 AM. I figured it would be easier to pick it up on the way instead of going to the signing, putting my chair in my spot, wait for a friend to arrive so I could leave and go pick it up, and come back. So I sent it to the one that was further away and said it would be done at 2:39 AM. It was at a 24 hr Walgreens. My friend Edward has done a late order at a 24 hr Walgreens and picked it up like at 1 or 2 AM. So I figured, alright, it should be done by 2:39 AM so I can pick it up on my way, right?

WRONG.

It’s early when I get there, around 6:30ish. There’s a security guard and one cashier. I walk around trying to see if there’s another employee. There was a long line so I didn’t want to get in line just to ask for assistance, but I didn’t want to interrupt him while he was ringing up. After walking around and the line getting shorter, I finally got in line. He called in someone to help me. The guy comes out, asks me for my name. I told him Eav. He goes, is that the first name?  I told him, no that was my last name, first name Linda. I know they organize the photos by last name so I always give them my last name first. He looks for the photo in the regular orders when I had told him it was an 8×10. He didn’t find it. I tell him again, it’s an 8×10. He didn’t find it, asks me when did I place my order. I told him. He goes, “Oh. It’s not going to be ready. We don’t have a night person for that.” I’m like. Are you kidding me? Then why offer the photo at night and tell me it’s ready at 2:39 AM if there’s no one to process it a 2 AM??? I’ve ordered photos online before and when I select my pick up location, it’ll tell me if the location has it available or not. I guess I can relate to my customers now when they see their expected due date and their order isn’t ready yet. It’s not quite the same but it is.

After a week of dealing with customers, nice and rude and “special” ones, plus I hadn’t eaten yet (and haven’t really been eating well the last few days anyway) and I didn’t really get any sleep … I was CRANKY after that. I was more emotional than I usually am. Normally I wouldn’t get upset by something like this. And actually, most times when I go, they’ll offer to print it up right then and ask if I wouldn’t mind waiting a few minutes. He didn’t say any of that. Just, “Oh, it’s not going to be ready.” I told him straight out. “Just cancel it then. I’m not coming back for it. I came out of my way to pick it up here because it said it would be ready at 2:39 AM.” And yes, I realize the irony of that statement. I was gonna purchase something else but since I wasn’t getting my photos, I put my purchase back.

On my way out, the cashier who called the other guy asked me, “Did you get what you needed?” I told him, “No, it wasn’t ready.” And kept walking out. I was ready to cry. I was that emotionally unstable this morning. Even I was surprised how impatient and cranky I was. I was still cranky when I went to McDonalds and ordered the hot cakes and sausage, oatmeal, and medium iced caramel mocha. The guy gave me half of my order and it took me THREE tries to get his attention to get me the rest of my order. He was going to give me someone else’s order but it was missing the sausage. Guess what? I took one bite of the sausage and it fell off my fork and onto the ground. Just great. That’s my favorite part of the meal. And the oatmeal was too thick! I know. A lot of rants. Forgive me. I’m just in a bad mood this morning and needed to rant. I’ll be better tonight at the game. I promise. Just need another stop at Starbucks before I go and get myself a treat.

Oh yeah. Want to add insult to injury? I got home and noticed a nice lovely crack going across my windshield. Anyone want to rub salt in my wound while the day is still young?

I started out this entry about the signing and realized my rant got too long. Again, sorry about my rant. Just needed to blow some steam.

Sigh. I just got to repeat this to myself: God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.

Yesterday, I needed to get tickets for this upcoming homestand. On Wednesday, I saw that Groupon had a special for Saturday’s game. Reserve tickets were 7, Lower Reserve were 11, and Infield Reserve was 18 (or something like that). They also had a discounted convenience fee. You still had to pay the Ticketmaster fee and for printing, or do will call is what I usually do. Even after all that, the Reserve ticket came up to about $13. I figured, if I was going to go to the Stadium to pick up my ticket, I might has well pay $14 for my ticket there. On the bright side, if you haven’t purchased tickets from Ticketmaster recently (I haven’t. I avoid it at all costs), they have changed the way you buy your tickets. They made some changes earlier this season and I did NOT like how they changed. Well, they have redeemed themselves in that way by changing it once again. I love the new system as you can now SELECT where you are buying your tickets. I didn’t like that before where I didn’t have an option of where I want to sit. Before, I loved sitting on the first base side and sometimes when I would purchase my tickets on Ticketmaster, they would stick me on the 3rd base side.

Anyway, I’m digressing. So I pull up to the security booth at the gate and usually the guard waves me in. I know two of the regular guards and they usually wave me in. Today, I had to stop when he asked me if I was going to buy tickets. I told him that I was. He asked me if I was an employee and if I had my badge. I almost always have my badge with me but I left it at home that day, not thinking that I would need it to purchase tickets. Long story short, he issued me a visitor’s pass.

When I got up to the top, there were two ticket sellers. My favorite seller was available as there was no line and the other seller was busy with a customer. My favorite seller recognized me off the bat. I said, “Hey, are you busy?” He was reading a book I think when I approached. He was like, ‘Hey, Mrs… wait, don’t tell me! He just pitched against us, the guy with Brewers.” During game day, I would walk past him and say hi and he would say “Hi Mrs. Martin” because I wore a 55 shirt the first few times we met. He finally gave up and asked me what his name was again. I reminded him, Wolf. He was like, “Oh yeah! Randy Wolf! So what can I do for you today?” I got my ticket for three games.

My coworker who’s a Dodger fan thinks it’s awesome that these people see me so often that they recognize me.

I don’t know how many of you know, but apparently MLBlogs has moved over to Word Press. It may take me a while to get used to this new format. I hope it’s better than the old one! I didn’t like the old format. Anyone out there with helpful tips who used Word Press before?  I used blogspot before and I liked their format. I still have a blog over there but I haven’t updated that in forever. Both blogs are being neglected now that I’m working full time. Hopefully I’ll have time tomorrow to post about the Barajas signing last Friday.

Until next time,

Falling LEAVes