Holy Yesterday Batman!

My main computer is a few minutes from being thrown through a window. It is having some boot-up issues, so I am using another one at my desk. I was doing so good, too! I got here today at 7:30! That's about an hour and forty minutes earlier than usual. The past two mornings I have had to be at a dentist's office in Franklin at 8AM, I made it both times and thought that was a good precedence and if I could keep it up it would be good for me to start getting to work at a reasonable time. I didn't count on spending every minute of my 'extra' time trying to TURN ON my @#$@%#@#$ computer!

Since I can't do any actual WORK at this computer, I might as well do some heavy blogging. I've got lots to say anyway.

So ... yesterday was a big day. I got to work and did my usual routine. I checked work and personal email, checked the bank and then started reading news. Of course, the big headline was the London bombings. Now, before I tell you the story I am about to tell, I'll jump ahead and tell you that three of my best friends in Nashville are in England right now. So as I read this article, here's what I am thinking:

"Certainly this wasn't the french! They were pretty ticked about loosing the Olympics hosting, but there's no way they could be responsible for this. They're too cowardly to actually use weapons of any sort."

- btw, it is still entertaining to read about how upset the french are about loosing. Check it:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8500436

"Wow. 30 people dead? {at the time} Multiple attacks? Oh, what do you know? Muslim extremists. Go figure."

- then ... after reading half the article, I finally had this thought:

"The girls are there!"

I sent a little email to our group asking them to keep the travelers in their thoughts. No big deal, whatever. But then I started thinking about it and reading more and I got pretty concerned. Several of us started exchanging emails. I dunno, maybe we got each other in a lather unnecessarily. We started trying to find ways of getting in touch with their parents to see if they are alright. One of Amanda's friends was talking to her brother, Katie tracked down LB's parents. I tried calling Mary's apartment to ask for her emergency contact, presuming they were either her parents or someone that could get us in touch. Turns out that they can't really give out any information. In fact, they couldn't even confirm to me that Mary lived there or not. So, instead I gave them my contact information and asked them to pass it along to Mary's emergency contact. They wouldn't even confirm to me that they would or would not do that. I, actually, think that is all a good idea and applaud them for protecting their tenants' privacy so well. Turns out that they did call Mary's folks, her dad called me last night. However, there were still some gems from the conversation with the apartment office. Thus follows snipits of that conversation:

Me: "You have a tenant that is vacationing in London. There have been attacks in London today.
I am attempting to get in contact with her parents."

Her: "Attacks?"

Me: "Yes. Terrorist attacks."

Her: "Oh." (As in, "Oh, You scared me for a moment, I thought it was something serious. But now
that you have cleared that up, I am less concerned.")

- I hear someone enter her office and start talking.

Her: "Can you please hold."

Me: "Sure."
- Apparently, somebody's noise complaint or late rent payment is more pressing.

... (blah blah, I give her my contact information.)

Me: "Mary's parents probably will not know me, please tell them that I am a friend from the ##### Church."

Her: "Was she on a mission trip?"

Me: "No. She is on vacation."
- thinking: "What the @#$@## does that matter?"

Her: "Oh, just curious. {hee hee}"


Now that I know that they are safe, I can blog about this and have a good humor. Yesterday, however, I wanted to crawl through the phone and beat the girl senseless.