Not Me!

It is Monday and for those of you who frequent MckMama's Blog, you know that that means its "Not Me!" day. I've decided to participate this week and if I can think of more than one or two things, maybe I will make it a weekly or every other week occurance...we'll see!

I have decided from now on, I'm going to purchase the Sunday paper and clip coupons. Of course I wouldn't just clip the coupons and throw the rest of the paper in the trash without even glancing at the headlines. Nor would I leave the coupons in a pile without organizing them until 5 minutes before I wanted to go grocery shopping, a week later. And of course I wouldn't only end up using 3 coupons when I have hundreds... Not me!

I did not only purchase groceries that fit into my new nutrition plan so that my husband would have no choice but to eat healthier with me... I would never...

I didn't forget to lock the file cabinets that are filled with very confidential, personal information at work after being told that that is one of the most important tasks I need to complete each and every day.

I would never yell very mean things at my husband for waking me up when he got home at 5 in the morning after only falling asleep 3 hours earlier. Nor would I outright blame him for my recent inability to fall asleep. I promise, my subconscious can get horrible while I'm sleeping.

If you want to participate or check out the rules, go to MckMama's Blog and link up!

Random Picture Challenge 3.0

4 Little Men and Girly Twins started another random picture challenge. Go to her page and link up if you'd like to join in!

August 2007 photos

Pick the 30th picture

Talk about it

I babysat this little girl A LOT and her parents gave us passes to go to the zoo! It was a blast except her sleepiness set in right when we were cooling off with popsicles and she dropped it all over herself and threw a tantrum. Figures. 

But she was adorable, all the "ooos" and sometimes little screams because something scared her. In the above picture, she was about to chase the geese. 

(People also thought she was my daughter because we look similar. THAT was interesting.)

What if... (I may have tagged you)

Do you ever think about a major decision you had to make and wonder what would have happened if you had chosen differently? Where would that leave you? What would you be doing? 

People will more than likely tell you not to think about past decisions. They will say that it can cause you to have regrets or that you can not change what has happened in the past. But every now and then I like to let my mind wander. Call it unhealthy. Call it crazy. But I can't help it.

I often think about my decision to go to Belmont. I mean, there was really no substance to it. At my new job, many ask why I chose to go to school across the country, why I chose to go to Belmont University. And quite frankly, as much as I have an answer I really have no earthly idea.

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I used to have it all figured out, or so I thought. 

Goal. Work for that goal. Achieve that goal. New Goal. Work for that goal. Achieve it. I think you get my drift. That's how we're taught, how our minds are molded from a young age, particularly with school. The goal is to go to Kindergarten and pass. To study, do decent on the test, and pass. Then the next grade and the next test. Goal after goal after goal. 

Then it came time to make my decision about college. I was good at a lot of things and I liked a lot of things and I struggled because I always had a plan and the plan ran out. I didn't know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. Then an opportunity presented itself for me to go to Belmont and audition. So I did. I freaked out and had a terrible audition but when I stepped on that campus, I felt at home. I knew without any doubt I was supposed to go there. I had one back up school. ONE. And I did well at that audition but it just didn't feel right. 

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I just knew where I was meant to be.

But what if... What if I had stayed in NY? What if I hadn't left and decided to go with my back up school? 

I wouldn't have met my husband or married him. I would be much further in debt than I am now because of the tuition/tax/housing/scholarship differences. I wouldn't have been a part of an amazing church here or worked in the music industry in the same capacity as I have over the past few years. I probably never would have found out that Music Row is nothing exciting. It's a bunch of houses and buildings and at the end is this strange naked statue that makes me uncomfortable. I wouldn't have my puppies. I wouldn't have made the horrible decision to live with my best friend and end up destroying a relationship. (Or maybe I would have.) I wouldn't have had to spend 15 months away from the man I love and all the other residuals that came with that. But on the same token I wouldn't have learned and grown and matured through the brokenness that those difficult times provoked.

Sure I would have learned lessons and would have probably grown in other ways, but I have to say that I am still 100% satisfied with my decision and thinking about it doesn't change that.

Thinking about past decisions can help you realize how important that decision was or help you learn from it. I would have spent 4 years in a horrible school, if that was the case, just to meet my hubby. Luckily I got to meet him and had a great college experience.

So I'm going to do some tagging because I am curious. 

Here are the rules.

1. Think about a major decision you have made.

2. Tell your readers why you chose the way you did.

3. Talk about what happened as a result and try to find something positive.

4. Bring up something that would have or wouldn't have happened had you chosen another way.

5. Tag at least 3 people.

6. Link back to the person who tagged you.

I'm tagging...

1. The Mister at The Mister  (creative I know)

2. Pam at The Weber's (not to be confused with Pamela)

3. Pamela at The Dayton Time (not to be confused with Pam)

4. Runningamuck 

Being humbled through the jelloing of my mind

The new job is great. I like the people I work with and the work itself keeps me occupied every second of the day. If you know me, you know this is a good thing because I get bored easily, especially when it comes to jobs. But my mind hurts. I don't think any number of classes could have prepared me for the millions of details in this business.

I am a perfectionist to the very core and typically catch on pretty quick. Making a mistake once is difficult for me to swallow, but making the same mistake twice drives me insane. If I told you how many mistakes I made today,...well, I probably couldn't even count them. I'm learning to admit that I am wrong not once or twice but dozens of times each hour. 

Will it all ever click? 

Who knows, maybe its a good thing for it to not all click because then I will constantly be challenged and not have the opportunity to get bored.

Can anyone relate?

The Stranger on my couch

This morning I peeled myself out of bed around 6:30 a.m. I know I know I shouldn't complain. There are people who get up much earlier in the morning, but I absolutely positively can not handle mornings. I have to set 3 or more alarms. No joke. And you better believe I hit the snooze on each one of them several times.

My poor husband... Once he wakes up, he's pretty much doomed to be awake. And me blasting "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you..." at least 4 times every morning because I don't want to wake up does not help his sleep situation. (Yeah, I know "Yellow" is probably not the best ring tone in the world. I got it a year ago because it was taking forever to find a song I liked. I got impatient and well, that's the only ringtone I have. Maybe someday I'll fix it but probably not.)

So anyway, my husband had an army friend in town this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love having guests and entertaining, but it was a bit much considering I had a lot of cleaning to catch up on and had just started a new job. And its also VERY akward when you have to get up first thing in the morning and do everything you need to do to get ready in your bathroom.

We're in a one bedroom apartment and the kitchen, living room, and dining room are all in one area and then there's the hall and the bedroom and bathroom on the other side. The "stranger" was on the couch which meant I could not use the living room, kitchen, or dining room. And my hubby was sleeping in the bedroom which meant the only room I had left was the bathroom, the lovely small bathroom equipped with a washer and dryer.

On the positive side, I got ready in record time for the morning because everything was ready and I wasn't able to diddle daddle in another room. I was confined. And I guess one morning of not being able to walk naked through my house if I so choose confinement isn't so bad.

I keep telling myself that I will become a morning person once I have children, because that's what everyone else tells me. But to be completely honest, I really can not see myself ever enjoying mornings.

One of these days I will beat Pamela to the tagging

Oh yes, I will. And it will be a wonderful day because then she will have no other choice but to blog what I tell her to blog because I have blogged what she has told me to blog.

Anyway, Pamela at The Dayton Time tagged me and since this week consists of a lot of adjusting and ZERO time, this is just what I needed!

The Rules are...

1. Go to your Documents.

2. Go to the 6th File.

3. Click on your 6th picture.

4. Blog about it.

5. Pick 6 friends to do the same.

This is a photo of me at at friend's wedding. It was my first time being in someone's wedding. (Well, I sang for my cousin's wedding, but I guess that doesn't really count.) And soon...my big wedding! I'm super excited!

And if you need a meme or a break from your everyday posting, consider yourself tagged. Just let me know if you do so that I can check it out!

How many times can I use the word "brilliant" in one post?

I would love to give you a brilliant post to read filled with entertainment and wit, but my brain is fried. Today was my first day in my new job and back in an office. It was my first day working in a corporate atmosphere.

There was not one moment in my day where my brain was not being exercised. This was/is probably a good thing but my brain is a bit rusty. Can a brain be rusty? I must be tired. 

Oh, but I did experience one very cool thing today, I mean besides the thrill of my first day at my new job. I went to a bagel shop for lunch and there were several handicapped employees who served me. They were brilliant and made me smile. Those working with them were very happy as well. Kudos to the owner/manager of Bagelworks and Perks for supporting and giving opportunity to those brilliant individuals. No really, they are brilliant and sometimes I think they have a better grasp on life and happiness than I ever will. 

The Random Picture Challenge

I found this on Married to the Military's page but she got it from 4 Little Men and Girly Twins.

Just go into your photos and click on your May folder. Then post the 21st picture. 

Here is mine!

This is at the base about a week after my hubby came home from Iraq. We wanted to greet some of our friends that were coming in. (They typically send them home in several groups.) It's such a relief to have him home and out of the army!

And don't forget to link up!

Small town girl and my two worlds

I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everything about everyone and most of the time what they knew wasn't true. Then, I ventured off to college 4 states away and have managed to stay put for now. I haven't seen, heard, or spoken to most people from my High School. In fact, I can honestly say I talk to 2 and its not typically on a normal basis. 

Tonight I broke that pattern and had the chance to talk to someone I haven't seen in 4.5 years. Its amazing what can happen when you're away that you don't find out about until years after its happened. I generally expect to get wind of any juicy stories because again everyoneknowseverythingabouteveryone in this small town and I still have family and a few friends there. 

Oh yes, and by the way... I apparently do heroin or something. And no I don't really do heroin. I actually have never even picked up a cigarette. But someone told so and so who told someone who proceeded to tell someone else... I think you get the idea. NO I DO NOT NOR WILL I EVER SMOKE OR INJECT THINGS INTO MY BODY WITH NEEDLES thankyouverymuch. Don't you love rumors?

Well anyways... This person that I spoke to has had serious health issues for the past year and a half. She's young, very young and it breaks my heart that she has had to go through so much and that I just really had no idea. I mean these health issues could have taken her life, easily. And I find myself wishing I could be there for her.

Sometimes I also wish I could be there when things go haywire with my family or another friend. I wonder what my purpose is for being where I am right now. Then I realize that if I were back in that small town, I'd want to be there for my friends and adopted family here.

My two worlds are beginning to collide. 

Staffing Agencies are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and you will find a job if you're looking

I graduated college a year ago last month. I was blessed to have friends and mentors in my industry and work with and for them this year. But all while I was working with them, I was looking for a job that was fulfilling and made my degree feel worth while. Not that working with them wasn't a great experience. I learned a lot, but I knew it was temporary.

I've applied for a lot of companies, most of which I never heard back from. On top of the job market being horrible and the economy in shambles, the area I live in is way over-saturated with people holding the same degree or no degree and much more experience. It posed a real challenge for me.

I grew up in a small town. I was a big fish in a pond. When I moved to a city filled with hundreds of thousands of people with similar goals as me, I relocated myself to the ocean. (Please forgive the analogy, it's the simplest way to explain the situation.) 

Feeling completely incompetent after working 3 jobs throughout college to pay for a $100,000 education so that you can have good experiences and get a good job, not so great. Rejection = No Fun

After pushing for a particular company for several months, I finally threw in the hat. Putting all your eggs in one basket is not always such a good idea. I really believed that was what I was supposed to do. The company is very well known and has great principles. I really wanted to work there, but their hiring process sucks. I interviewed twice with 2 different divisions. One time I was in the top 3 for the job and the other, they basically told me I was too smart for the position. You'd think they want smart people, right?

Anyway, a good friend of mine works for that company and she tried to help me find a job there. It just wasn't meant to be. The same friend gave me her contact at a staffing agency. I was reluctant to try it for a really long time. "How are these people going to find me a job that I will like? I can do it on my own." Boy oh boy was I wrong. 

I interviewed with the contact last Tuesday, the 30th. I got called about a possible job on Monday the 5th, less than a week. I submitted my resume and heard back within a couple hours. They wanted to interview me. There were a couple random issues thrown in the mix with our interview time/day but we settled in on Wednesday at 1:30. The interview went over an hour and I got a call an hour after that. And now, I have a job. The staffing agency found me a job in one week. 

Now I will say for those thinking about trying out a staffing agency, my case may or may not be rare. It depends on your contact and the agency. But I have to say that my experience has been wonderful and I HIGHLY recommend it. 

Hopefully there will be even more news and clarity on life later today! My hubby has an interview as well!

I have teeth!

Braces came off today!

Interview tomorrow morning!

Spa Day (Christmas gift) on Saturday!

I will post more pictures when blogger decides to let me again! And yes, that is my Christmas tree and no it is not coming down for a little while longer. I didn't get to enjoy the holidays because I was so busy so I'm going to enjoy them now! :) 

I can smile... for the first time in over 20 years!

I love good days

So basically... I lied, but not on purpose! I didn't actually have Jury Duty today, although I won't feel bad if I am dismissed when I go in in March after spending around 2 hours or so there today plus whatever time it takes to interview and call every night to see if my panel is up. Pffshew! That was a long sentence and probably a run on. Sorry Mrs. Buford. You tried to teach me English but alas I am still not perfect. 

Anyway, today is a good day so you'll have to excuse my humor attempt at humor. 

1. The wait was only 1 hr 15 minutes to get my panel selection for jury duty. 

2. I did not have to deal with 100s of very upset people who had to "waste their time" to do their civil duty. The clerks had it the worst. :(

3. I got a call about a potential job opportunity.

4. I got a call saying there was a cancellation this week so I could get my braces off Wednesday at 2:15. 

5. I had fajitas for lunch. (I haven't had a fajita in a LONG time. Mmm)

6. I got a call from the orthodontist's office again saying they had made a mistake with my appt on Wednesday. They didn't have enough time, BUT there is an available appointment tomorrow at 9:45 am! Woohoo!

7. I got another call saying the company selected me for an interview! 

8. I got to talk to an amazing friend. Unfortunately her day was not going so well.

9. I enjoyed the evening with my husband who surprised me with a bar of Dove Chocolate. (The best kind there is in my opinion)

You MUST try this - Seventh Generation

I live in an apartment and let's just say the shower area is worn and a worn shower means more soap scum and all kinds of gross things that make their home in my shower. It makes me want to wear flip flops in my own shower! Yuck! I've tried varying products including bleach, baking soda, and tub cleaners. Nothing got the gunk off. NOTHING! I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. 

So I'm at Walgreens yesterday and saw a product that was on sale for a dollar and nineteen cents. 1.19 for 32 FL oz of natural cleaning product. They had me. I bought a tile and tub and an all purpose cleaner. I wasn't convinced that it was going to do anything special for me but I thought it was worth a try and since I was out of cleaning product, a dollar nineteen sounded pretty good. 

This morning I sprayed my shower. I walked back 2-3 minutes later and started wiping my shower. All the gunk was loose and came off with little to no scrubbing. Then I thought to myself, "If it loosened junk I had spent months scrubbing, I wonder if it can get the stains from past residents out from in between the tiles?" And what do you know? The grout is white again. Years and years of stains...gone. 

I haven't tried the All-Purpose Cleaner yet, but I am SO tempted to go back to Walgreens and buy 10 more of each product because who can beat that price for something that actually works and won't harm me or my pets? 

It's free of perfumes and dyes, hypo-allergenic, and they tell you exactly what they put in their products. ALL the ingredients are listed on their labels. 

So go to Walgreens while its still on sale and try it!

P.S. If you join their site, there are coupons as well! 

Let the fun begin

I am told that prior to your wedding or the "big day" many have nightmares. Everything from your husband actually being someone else, your dress tearing, no one showing up, and varying other sorts of madness. 

For some reason I thought I would be exempt from this crazy phenomenon. After all, I'm technically already married and I LOVE the thrill of chaos coming together, love to plan. Well, I guess I was wrong. I just had a dream that nothing was actually done before the wedding. On the day of my wedding I had to find flowers, have my dress finished, make sure the pastor knew he was supposed to marry us, and interrupt someone else's reception to tell the coordinator our food selection. I mean, crazy stuff! So let's just say I am going to be calling some people this week and buckling down on plans because I really don't want to have to do anything but get ready and look pretty on that day. 

Our Happy Tales

You know how most normal people like most puppies? The cute perfect little ones that are plump and healthy? Some feel sorry for the runts, but most choose one of the others in the litter because they are generally strong and healthy. 

Well, we here at our home LOVE puppies but we don't go for the typical "cute perfect" ones, we like the special ones. 

I picked our first little pup from Happy Tales Humane. We had been looking for months and months because well hubby was going to Iraq for 15 months and I needed something to cuddle and keep me company. Humans just don't always do the trick. I walked into Happy Tales on a weekday which is usually slim pickins in the pup department, but when I walked in, this little black pup covered in white flakes wagged her entire body when she saw me. She was darling and picked me. I took her home with me that day. 

What I didn't know at that time was that she was sick, very sick. To make a long story short, I went through heck doing everything I could to keep her alive and try to find a vet that would help. All the vets except one told me to put her down. Bear in mind this is about a month after my husband left. I was not about to give up. After a lot of prayer and the vet that actually cared even giving up, I decided to pull her off her 5 meds and see what happened. She is now one of the healthiest, happiest, most stubborn (where could she possibly have picked that up) pups I've ever seen.*

And the new project??? We were at the puppy park one day when our pup noticed another that looked just like her! (The dog pound is right next to the park and they walk the pound dogs by the park area.) Hubby and I went in and he fell in love with the dog. I was hesitant at first, but agreed to start feeding pup 1 a much less expensive brand of food so we could afford the new one. He's my husband's dog so of course he would pick a name like Jackson. (Hubby has a Civil War obsession.)

Jackson is very "special." He was 9 months when we got him and had clearly been abused. Jack was scared to death of Hubby when we first got him and is still skittish at times. He DOES NOT like men. AT ALL. In fact, if cowering or running away weren't enough, when he gets scared he pees. It is a lovely habit that I usually always have to clean up. This makes training and discipline nearly impossible. BLAH! But like with Rudi, I am determined to make this work. He CAN and WILL be trained. It....just...takes...time.... And such is life. 

* Happy Tales had no idea she was that sick. In fact, because of my situation, they agreed to pay all of her medical bills and medicines. They are AMAZING! 

P.S. I have Jury Duty Monday which will likely initiate some great stories. (At least I hope because I will need to stay entertained somehow.)

Just add Nutmeg

It has been hit or miss with me and the blog posts lately due to the holidays and my recent discovery that I can survive without my computer! In one way there is A LOT going on and in another, absolutely nothing. 

We rolled out of bed around 10:30 this morning after being out through the wee hours of the night. It was worth it to have my hands gripping the steering wheel of a Cadillac for 15 glorious minutes and for the company of good friends, of course. ;)

This morning I decided to whip up some pancakes and cook them on my new Calphalon griddle. Mmm Mmmm Mmmm. The recipe itself was okay. The pancakes turned out a little thin, BUT they enlightened me to adding nutmeg to the batter. You don't need much. This recipe called for 1/8 tsp but it was just the enabler I needed to consume 10 pancakes as if they were water. It also had butter in the recipe and recommended cooking the pancakes on butter instead of oil. Yum. So use your recipe with nutmeg and fry on butter instead of oil. You'll thank me later. (I hope!)

Now for a HUGE cup of steamy hot chocolate and some cuddle time with the pups and hubby. 

Enjoying it while I can because tomorrow I will need to decrease my hot chocolate intake significantly and be productive and proactive.