No, not a baby.
My KitchenAid came today!!! I want SO much to spend the night baking away making cookies and bread and all sorts of other goodies. But alas, I must do my visiting teaching and homework. Sometimes I really hate being a responsible adult.
The truth is, I really want to go home and sleep and THEN do a bunch of baking. My throat started hurting on Saturday night (thank heavens for pellet ice at work!) and now my head is all fuzzy. Thank you, OTC Claritin, for not helping me one bit with allergies this year. Actually, it's probably a cold since David has had one for about a week now and he loves to cough on things. :D Yay for us. Guess it's time to start taking Vitamin C.
That reminds me. When I was little (around 4 or 5 maybe) Shauna and I found the Vitamin C bottle at her house in her parent's bathroom. (Remember this, Shauna?) Yeah, um, we ate the whole bottle between the two of us. All I remember after that is being sick in the middle of the night and puking up orange foam. Gross. Don't worry, I won't be doing that again any time soon. Besides, they make Vitamin C in other flavors now. Like lemon and lime. Not sure why I felt the need to expound on that.
Anyway ... I came to work without makeup on this morning. SCARE - Y. Lots of people looked at me funny. A few people asked if I was feeling okay. Yeah. I just look like death warmed over because I didn't put on my face. Thanks for asking. Thanks for wanting to know why I look more awful than I usually do. Whatever. The reason I didn't wear it (since I normally won't go out in public without it!) is that my right eye, for whatever stupid reason, would NOT curl OR hold mascara this morning. I tried two different curlers and four different mascaras. Ridiculous. Why can't someone invent a permanent "paint" for lashes that you can apply yourself again after they grow back in from falling out? There would be serious money in that people. That way, you'd always have "mascara" on and all you'd have to do is attempt to curl them or whatever it is you do with them. Total time saver. Just sayin'.
And now I can't even look down without my nose running all over the place. Time to start bonding with the Puffs Extra with lotion. That new arrival might as well have been a baby for as good as I feel right now ....
3/29/11
3/25/11
K is for ...
K-een
I-deal
T-errific
C-lassy
H-andy
E-xcellent
N-ifty
A-wesome
I-ncredible
D-andy
And it's mine!!!
Well, next week it will be mine anyway. My friend, Linda, is always sharing delicious recipes with me. Her most recent one was for homemade wheat bread sweetened with honey. She made me a loaf and brought it in to work today. It is heaven! I'm so excited to take it home and share it with Mom and Dad. The texture is so not wheat bread. It's soft and chewy, but has no grainy feel to it. Plus, there's not much of a bread "taste", unlike some wheat breads where all you can taste is the wheat.
She shared the recipe with me a couple of days ago. They ground their own wheat for the bread. Very homemaker-ish, eh? Yeah, well, Mom bought a wheat grinder a while back and we haven't really used it. And we have like a bazillion pounds of wheat of all kinds of varieties in our food storage. What better way to use it and learn how to grind the wheat at the same time?
What prompted the KitchenAid purchase then? Well, the recipe said to use a bread machine with a dough hook. Uh, yeah. Don't have one of those. Well, I do. Kind of. I have a hand mixer that has served me well for years. It has a dough hook, but not one that could manage making actual wheat bread. I've been pricing KitchenAid's for almost a year now. I found this exact one for a steal (like highway robbery) on (where else?) Amazon. And with my good ol' Prime Membership I could put it on my Amazon card and not pay interest for six months. So I did it. And now Mom and I (yes, Mom, you) are going to learn to make homemade whole wheat bread after we learn how to grind our massive amounts of wheat. Fun, huh? I'm so excited about it! And I hope we don't end up baking bricks instead of loaves because then maybe we could share loaves with others like Linda shared with me.
The "rationalizer" and "justifier" in me also noted last night that learning to grind wheat and bake bread would definitely qualify for some sort of Young Women's project in my Personal Progress. Sweet! Heck, I might earn that medallion after all.
I-deal
T-errific
C-lassy
H-andy
E-xcellent
N-ifty
A-wesome
I-ncredible
D-andy
And it's mine!!!
 | |
| KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer, White |
She shared the recipe with me a couple of days ago. They ground their own wheat for the bread. Very homemaker-ish, eh? Yeah, well, Mom bought a wheat grinder a while back and we haven't really used it. And we have like a bazillion pounds of wheat of all kinds of varieties in our food storage. What better way to use it and learn how to grind the wheat at the same time?
What prompted the KitchenAid purchase then? Well, the recipe said to use a bread machine with a dough hook. Uh, yeah. Don't have one of those. Well, I do. Kind of. I have a hand mixer that has served me well for years. It has a dough hook, but not one that could manage making actual wheat bread. I've been pricing KitchenAid's for almost a year now. I found this exact one for a steal (like highway robbery) on (where else?) Amazon. And with my good ol' Prime Membership I could put it on my Amazon card and not pay interest for six months. So I did it. And now Mom and I (yes, Mom, you) are going to learn to make homemade whole wheat bread after we learn how to grind our massive amounts of wheat. Fun, huh? I'm so excited about it! And I hope we don't end up baking bricks instead of loaves because then maybe we could share loaves with others like Linda shared with me.
The "rationalizer" and "justifier" in me also noted last night that learning to grind wheat and bake bread would definitely qualify for some sort of Young Women's project in my Personal Progress. Sweet! Heck, I might earn that medallion after all.
3/21/11
Confession Time
The first counselor in our Bishopric came to visit on Saturday and extended a calling to me as the second counselor in our ward Young Women Presidency. I confess, my stomach hit the floor and I felt like puking. Callings usually aren't that scary, but this one, well, this one does more than scare me.
Confession: I hated going to Young Women's when I was a young girl. Ages 12-18 are awkward anyway, but Young Women's was a whole different ball of wax. Don't get me wrong ~ I loved attending church and hearing testimonies of others my age. But that was about the extent of it.
I didn't enjoy the activities every week, got tired of the gossip and girl talk, and looked forward to Relief Society from the time I was about 14. Why was it so awful? Ummmmmm.
Confession: The one and only year I went to girl's camp I was puked on in the middle of the night. We'd had chicken and biscuits (which I still can't eat) the night before and the girl on the bunk above me got sick. My hair was totally matted down in vomit, my pillow and sleeping bag were covered, and some of it even got into my bag of "treats." Bad, right? It gets worse. The only showers we had were cold showers ~ EXCEPT for the showers in the leaders cabin. They were warm. The leaders said I needed to shower in the girl's showers. Well, I refused to wash puke out of my hair in cold water. Had I needed a quick "spit bath" the cold water would have sufficed. No way was I washing a full head of thick and uber long hair in freezing cold mountain water. So, I left it in all day. The smell got so bad the leaders finally offered up their showers to wash my hair so the camp didn't have to smell me anymore. The worst part was having other girls tease me about being a "whimp" for not washing my hair in the freezing cold water (and by freezing, I really mean freezing ~ I still get chills just thinking about how cold that water was). I was also referred to as "The girl that got puked on", so that was especially fun. (We had just moved about six months prior to girl's camp, so I didn't know anyone except the girls in my ward.) Call me ridiculous, but that was a terrible experience. I never went back to girl's camp. And I still don't look forward to it now, even as a leader. Dirt and I are NOT friends.
To add to that, I worked really hard to receive my Young Womanhood medallion. For my last project, I did something based on the value of knowledge. It had something to do with music, but was a stretch from my normal play the piano or violin. I had my interview with the bishop (a new bishop, by the way) and he said everything looked great. My mom signed off on everything saying I did what I said I did to complete the project and the bishop said to get the Young Women President's signature and the medallion was mine. I met with the president. She refused to sign my book saying that my final project was "too easy." I spent over the minimum number of hours on it and did all that was required, but because it had something to do with music and I was "musically inclined" she determined that the project wasn't difficult enough for me. She didn't take into consideration the fact that I was the ONLY young woman in our Laurel class who attended school AND worked a more than part-time job at my dad's dry cleaning business. Whatever. I came home, threw the Personal Progress book in the garbage can and never looked back. The following week at church I went into Relief Society with my mom. That was the end of attending Young Women for me!
Stupid? Maybe. Childish? Maybe. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. I was so happy to be out of that program. It was a HUGE relief to be with adult women that didn't gossip and could care less who was dating who or whatever it was the young women talked about. But, here I am again! Mom said maybe I've been called now because some of the girls in Young Women feel much the same way I did. Maybe I'm there to help them learn from their experience and get something positive out of it. Or to help them see that things eventually get better and not to worry so much about right now. And maybe it's so I can finally "earn" that medallion and wear it proudly around my neck. Maybe. I don't know why the Lord calls us when and where He does. I just know we have to do our best, work hard, and take with us what we've learned from the experience. The girls in our ward will end up teaching me more than I can ever teach them. And I know they are excited to have me spend time with them every Sunday and during the week. They've already told me so, and that makes me think maybe things won't be as bad as they were when I was a young Beehive.
Confession: I'm still extremely nervous about this calling. And every time I think about it I still feel like puking.
Confession: I hated going to Young Women's when I was a young girl. Ages 12-18 are awkward anyway, but Young Women's was a whole different ball of wax. Don't get me wrong ~ I loved attending church and hearing testimonies of others my age. But that was about the extent of it.
I didn't enjoy the activities every week, got tired of the gossip and girl talk, and looked forward to Relief Society from the time I was about 14. Why was it so awful? Ummmmmm.
Confession: The one and only year I went to girl's camp I was puked on in the middle of the night. We'd had chicken and biscuits (which I still can't eat) the night before and the girl on the bunk above me got sick. My hair was totally matted down in vomit, my pillow and sleeping bag were covered, and some of it even got into my bag of "treats." Bad, right? It gets worse. The only showers we had were cold showers ~ EXCEPT for the showers in the leaders cabin. They were warm. The leaders said I needed to shower in the girl's showers. Well, I refused to wash puke out of my hair in cold water. Had I needed a quick "spit bath" the cold water would have sufficed. No way was I washing a full head of thick and uber long hair in freezing cold mountain water. So, I left it in all day. The smell got so bad the leaders finally offered up their showers to wash my hair so the camp didn't have to smell me anymore. The worst part was having other girls tease me about being a "whimp" for not washing my hair in the freezing cold water (and by freezing, I really mean freezing ~ I still get chills just thinking about how cold that water was). I was also referred to as "The girl that got puked on", so that was especially fun. (We had just moved about six months prior to girl's camp, so I didn't know anyone except the girls in my ward.) Call me ridiculous, but that was a terrible experience. I never went back to girl's camp. And I still don't look forward to it now, even as a leader. Dirt and I are NOT friends.
To add to that, I worked really hard to receive my Young Womanhood medallion. For my last project, I did something based on the value of knowledge. It had something to do with music, but was a stretch from my normal play the piano or violin. I had my interview with the bishop (a new bishop, by the way) and he said everything looked great. My mom signed off on everything saying I did what I said I did to complete the project and the bishop said to get the Young Women President's signature and the medallion was mine. I met with the president. She refused to sign my book saying that my final project was "too easy." I spent over the minimum number of hours on it and did all that was required, but because it had something to do with music and I was "musically inclined" she determined that the project wasn't difficult enough for me. She didn't take into consideration the fact that I was the ONLY young woman in our Laurel class who attended school AND worked a more than part-time job at my dad's dry cleaning business. Whatever. I came home, threw the Personal Progress book in the garbage can and never looked back. The following week at church I went into Relief Society with my mom. That was the end of attending Young Women for me!
Stupid? Maybe. Childish? Maybe. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. I was so happy to be out of that program. It was a HUGE relief to be with adult women that didn't gossip and could care less who was dating who or whatever it was the young women talked about. But, here I am again! Mom said maybe I've been called now because some of the girls in Young Women feel much the same way I did. Maybe I'm there to help them learn from their experience and get something positive out of it. Or to help them see that things eventually get better and not to worry so much about right now. And maybe it's so I can finally "earn" that medallion and wear it proudly around my neck. Maybe. I don't know why the Lord calls us when and where He does. I just know we have to do our best, work hard, and take with us what we've learned from the experience. The girls in our ward will end up teaching me more than I can ever teach them. And I know they are excited to have me spend time with them every Sunday and during the week. They've already told me so, and that makes me think maybe things won't be as bad as they were when I was a young Beehive.
Confession: I'm still extremely nervous about this calling. And every time I think about it I still feel like puking.
3/18/11
Is it too early to start a count down?
Not for the New Year. For May. Is it too early?
That's really only two months away. That's not too far, right? Will time go by more slowly if I start counting down days? Like watching water boil?
I'm headed to DC in May. SO excited. Among other feelings. There's a little trepidation. Not enough to keep me from going, but still some exists.
Reasons? Well, one is that I have a layover in Chicago. A naive white girl from small town America in Chicago alone. Hm. Just makes me think a bit. Luckily, I don't have to leave the airport. My longest layover is only about 90 minutes, and that's on the way home when (I hope) I'm dead tired and can't do anything more than walk from one gate to another.
Second reason: I haven't flown since like 2007. So what, right? Yeah, well, since 2007 I've also lost 230 pounds. There is still this huge fear that I'll have to ask for a seat belt extension. Or that I'll "bother" the person next to me. I'm flying Southwest. They do not have large seats. It's just a little bit scary.
Third reason: Staying with friends is great! Only, I don't want to overstay my welcome. Hopefully, I won't drive Shauna batty and get kicked out before it's time to go home. It would be a real drag not to spend as much time with her as possible.
Fourth reason: My parents and Bear. Need I say more? I'm gonna miss the three of them more than I could ever say. What if they forget me while I'm gone? Or realize how much they love not having me around? Sad. Too depressing to think about.
Fifth reason: I can't think of one right now, but I'm sure it exists.
On a much more different, but just as happy, note I bought a new (to me) car. Instead of driving this little baby (which I have LOVED)
I now drive this sweet ride:
Yes, I know it's the "same" car. But it's not. Really, it's not. And as much as I loved the old Honda, I love the new Honda just as much. Maybe more. (Could I actually love a car more? Hm.) Anyway, I really like the tinted windows, the color, the leather interior, heated seats, sunroof, and overall ride. (You just can't beat a Honda, and I don't care what anyone says otherwise.) It's a sporty little go-getter and the two days I've had it have been heaven.
Too bad I don't have the vacation time to drive to DC ....
That's really only two months away. That's not too far, right? Will time go by more slowly if I start counting down days? Like watching water boil?
I'm headed to DC in May. SO excited. Among other feelings. There's a little trepidation. Not enough to keep me from going, but still some exists.
Reasons? Well, one is that I have a layover in Chicago. A naive white girl from small town America in Chicago alone. Hm. Just makes me think a bit. Luckily, I don't have to leave the airport. My longest layover is only about 90 minutes, and that's on the way home when (I hope) I'm dead tired and can't do anything more than walk from one gate to another.
Second reason: I haven't flown since like 2007. So what, right? Yeah, well, since 2007 I've also lost 230 pounds. There is still this huge fear that I'll have to ask for a seat belt extension. Or that I'll "bother" the person next to me. I'm flying Southwest. They do not have large seats. It's just a little bit scary.
Third reason: Staying with friends is great! Only, I don't want to overstay my welcome. Hopefully, I won't drive Shauna batty and get kicked out before it's time to go home. It would be a real drag not to spend as much time with her as possible.
Fourth reason: My parents and Bear. Need I say more? I'm gonna miss the three of them more than I could ever say. What if they forget me while I'm gone? Or realize how much they love not having me around? Sad. Too depressing to think about.
Fifth reason: I can't think of one right now, but I'm sure it exists.
On a much more different, but just as happy, note I bought a new (to me) car. Instead of driving this little baby (which I have LOVED)
 |
| Not a photo from the dealer .... |
Yes, I know it's the "same" car. But it's not. Really, it's not. And as much as I loved the old Honda, I love the new Honda just as much. Maybe more. (Could I actually love a car more? Hm.) Anyway, I really like the tinted windows, the color, the leather interior, heated seats, sunroof, and overall ride. (You just can't beat a Honda, and I don't care what anyone says otherwise.) It's a sporty little go-getter and the two days I've had it have been heaven.
Too bad I don't have the vacation time to drive to DC ....
3/11/11
Call me Gumby
I said something to a "younger" person the other day about feeling like Gumby. They looked at me like I was crazy. Gumby wasn't that long ago, was it? I don't really remember anything about it, but at least I know what it (he) is. As a reference for those who don't know what I'm talking about, this is Gumby:
The point is that you can pull him in whatever direction you want. He stretches to impossible limits without flinching. And that is how I feel.
My new job is great. I really like it. It's interesting to see a different end of the donation process. I like working on my own and doing my own thing. The music can blare from my speakers and nobody cares. People actually stop by and stay to talk for a minute every once in a while. I have a nice view of campus through a big window. That means I have a lot of sunshine - huge plus!
The reason I feel like Gumby? Well, transition begets more transition. My jobs were split between two people, so I have to train two people. That means my head is barely floating above water on my new job while I train others to do my former job. I knew it was coming, but I didn't know how much it was going to take out of me! Luckily for me, they are both fast learners. It will be nice once everyone is settled again. Maybe then I can stop being Gumby and actually do some seriously needed organizing of my new job. Now, if I could just figure out a way to chat with Linda more everything would be perfect!
Random tidbit of the day: I quite like a watermelon flavored Jolly Rancher sucker now and then.
Random questions of the day: Why do people hear warnings about a tsunami, hurricane, tornado, or tidal wave and not heed them? Do they really think they can outrun, outlast, or outwhit mother nature?
Fact: I despise Daylight Saving Time. And it's not "savings", it's saving. For real. It's coming around again this weekend and I'm so annoyed about losing that hour for the next eight (yes, folks, count 'em) months. Arizona and Hawaii are the two smartest states in the Union.
I'm ready for a nap. Or a long weekend. Or both. Or just no homework. I could handle that.
My new job is great. I really like it. It's interesting to see a different end of the donation process. I like working on my own and doing my own thing. The music can blare from my speakers and nobody cares. People actually stop by and stay to talk for a minute every once in a while. I have a nice view of campus through a big window. That means I have a lot of sunshine - huge plus!
The reason I feel like Gumby? Well, transition begets more transition. My jobs were split between two people, so I have to train two people. That means my head is barely floating above water on my new job while I train others to do my former job. I knew it was coming, but I didn't know how much it was going to take out of me! Luckily for me, they are both fast learners. It will be nice once everyone is settled again. Maybe then I can stop being Gumby and actually do some seriously needed organizing of my new job. Now, if I could just figure out a way to chat with Linda more everything would be perfect!
Random tidbit of the day: I quite like a watermelon flavored Jolly Rancher sucker now and then.
Random questions of the day: Why do people hear warnings about a tsunami, hurricane, tornado, or tidal wave and not heed them? Do they really think they can outrun, outlast, or outwhit mother nature?
Fact: I despise Daylight Saving Time. And it's not "savings", it's saving. For real. It's coming around again this weekend and I'm so annoyed about losing that hour for the next eight (yes, folks, count 'em) months. Arizona and Hawaii are the two smartest states in the Union.
I'm ready for a nap. Or a long weekend. Or both. Or just no homework. I could handle that.
3/4/11
Honor
There has been a lot of talk lately about Brandon Davies. He is a BYU basketball player that was dismissed/suspended from the team because he violated BYU's Honor Code. The big question has been what did he do to deserve the dismissal? My question in reply: Does it really matter what he did?
I don't know the situation, so I can't comment on Brandon's actions, but this is what I feel. Honor is tied directly to integrity. Integrity is doing what you know to be right even when nobody is watching (in other words, even when it's not necessary to prove you did what was right). Whatever Brandon did, he lost his honor. He signed a contract (a "code"); he promised his coaches, his teammates, and his friends that he would abide by that contract. He promised to abide by certain rules, but he didn't keep his end of the contract.
Because of his actions he must now face the consequences. Unfortunately, so must his coaches and teammates. He left behind him a morally deflated group of individuals who thought more of him and expected more of him than he gave. He literally gave up his honor for something of less value. Was it worth it?
The whole thing has made me think about my life and my choices. Have I ever given up my honor for something of less value? Have I ever traded in my integrity for far less than it was worth? Have I ever been so selfish as to minimize others by choosing something that was easy or fun or exciting or different? If so, I better start repenting now because as far as I'm concerned throwing your honor out the window is like saying you know more than God. And I don't care who you are, you don't know more than the God that created you.
The honorable thing would have been to walk away from whatever temptation was in the way. The honorable thing would have been to hold your values, your morals as one of the most important things you own. For Brandon's sake, and the sake of his friends and all those he has disappointed, I hope he learns quickly what it means to be a man of honor.
And next time, if there is a next time, just stick with what you know is right regardless of what is being thrown in your face. After all, you can take your honor with you to the next life. If you don't have your honor to take with you what have you really got?
I don't know the situation, so I can't comment on Brandon's actions, but this is what I feel. Honor is tied directly to integrity. Integrity is doing what you know to be right even when nobody is watching (in other words, even when it's not necessary to prove you did what was right). Whatever Brandon did, he lost his honor. He signed a contract (a "code"); he promised his coaches, his teammates, and his friends that he would abide by that contract. He promised to abide by certain rules, but he didn't keep his end of the contract.
Because of his actions he must now face the consequences. Unfortunately, so must his coaches and teammates. He left behind him a morally deflated group of individuals who thought more of him and expected more of him than he gave. He literally gave up his honor for something of less value. Was it worth it?
The whole thing has made me think about my life and my choices. Have I ever given up my honor for something of less value? Have I ever traded in my integrity for far less than it was worth? Have I ever been so selfish as to minimize others by choosing something that was easy or fun or exciting or different? If so, I better start repenting now because as far as I'm concerned throwing your honor out the window is like saying you know more than God. And I don't care who you are, you don't know more than the God that created you.
The honorable thing would have been to walk away from whatever temptation was in the way. The honorable thing would have been to hold your values, your morals as one of the most important things you own. For Brandon's sake, and the sake of his friends and all those he has disappointed, I hope he learns quickly what it means to be a man of honor.
And next time, if there is a next time, just stick with what you know is right regardless of what is being thrown in your face. After all, you can take your honor with you to the next life. If you don't have your honor to take with you what have you really got?
2/22/11
Good things come to those who wait
Yes indeed. Good things come to those who wait.
I have blogged before about my love affair with Netflix. For a little more than $10 a month I can watch TV and movies and all sorts of fun stuff. It's definitely worth the price and keeps me entertained when I need a good veg-out.
Well, Amazon announced a little good news today. If you have a Prime Membership you can now watch TV and movies for absolutely free. Hooray! As a number cruncher, I figured out the "monthly" fee for a Prime Membership is $6.59. That's cheaper than Netflix. Not that I'll give up my Netflix account because, well, I'm still in love with that.
But how great is it that Amazon offers free stuff? I've downloaded TV series from them before (mostly "The Office"), but haven't figured out how to burn those to DVD for home viewing. Along with unlimited TV and movies, you can stream to an internet capable TV. Yes! I knew that was a good investment.
Glad I hung in there! One more reason to renew that Prime Membership. Love it!
I have blogged before about my love affair with Netflix. For a little more than $10 a month I can watch TV and movies and all sorts of fun stuff. It's definitely worth the price and keeps me entertained when I need a good veg-out.
Well, Amazon announced a little good news today. If you have a Prime Membership you can now watch TV and movies for absolutely free. Hooray! As a number cruncher, I figured out the "monthly" fee for a Prime Membership is $6.59. That's cheaper than Netflix. Not that I'll give up my Netflix account because, well, I'm still in love with that.
But how great is it that Amazon offers free stuff? I've downloaded TV series from them before (mostly "The Office"), but haven't figured out how to burn those to DVD for home viewing. Along with unlimited TV and movies, you can stream to an internet capable TV. Yes! I knew that was a good investment.
Glad I hung in there! One more reason to renew that Prime Membership. Love it!
2/11/11
Overflow is brain on my
What I really meant to say is my brain is on overflow. Too. Much. Stuff!!!
I've been training for my new job this week. It will not be an easy thing. Change is always difficult, but this transition might be more stressful than I thought. First of all, nobody has been hired to replace me which means training is going to go on a lot longer than just two weeks. Since I'm not leaving the company (or the building) that's not such a big deal. EXCEPT I still have no clue what's going on with my new job. Sure, information has been spoken and written down. That doesn't mean much right now.
On the upside, my job was posted. Bonus! Hopefully, we will get a good candidate pool and find someone who can do a good job and like what they do. It will be good to flush all of that information out of my head so I can actually retain some of the new stuff. That would be good. That would be REALLY good.
Perhaps a marathon of movies or TV series can help alleviate the overflow. Or maybe just eating extreme amounts of delicious and gooey caramel popcorn (homemade, of course), sweet potato fries from Guru's, and frozen yogurt from Maverik. That combination makes everything better, doesn't it?
I've been training for my new job this week. It will not be an easy thing. Change is always difficult, but this transition might be more stressful than I thought. First of all, nobody has been hired to replace me which means training is going to go on a lot longer than just two weeks. Since I'm not leaving the company (or the building) that's not such a big deal. EXCEPT I still have no clue what's going on with my new job. Sure, information has been spoken and written down. That doesn't mean much right now.
On the upside, my job was posted. Bonus! Hopefully, we will get a good candidate pool and find someone who can do a good job and like what they do. It will be good to flush all of that information out of my head so I can actually retain some of the new stuff. That would be good. That would be REALLY good.
Perhaps a marathon of movies or TV series can help alleviate the overflow. Or maybe just eating extreme amounts of delicious and gooey caramel popcorn (homemade, of course), sweet potato fries from Guru's, and frozen yogurt from Maverik. That combination makes everything better, doesn't it?
2/9/11
Black leather, baby!
It should be illegal for me to shop at big box stores. They always have such great deals that you can't pass up because it would be stupid. That's right - stupid. You can't NOT spend $20 on something you would use that would cost you $40 somewhere else. It would be insane to pass up something like that. Am I right? You betcha.
Well, I got caught in the grips of big box last night. I found a Kenneth Cole leather jacket for the unbelievably incredible price of $29.71 (plus tax, of course - thank you government). For that price you have to try the dang thing on. And then it fits. And then you have to buy. But you also have to call your mom and ask if she wants one, too. (Yes, you HAVE to do that.) So I did and we both ended up with a nice leather jacket.
Mom told Dad it was his Valentine's Day gift to her. Great rationale, Mom! See, this is one reason a husband would be useful. I don't have an excuse! Other than really liking the jacket and convincing myself I couldn't live without it.
Mine is black and Mom's is a really pretty burgundy. They're different styles, too, so that's a bonus. Now we can go out in public together and not look matchy-matchish, which is SO annoying even if you are both the coolest people on the planet.
I'm happy with the jacket, but not so happy that the big box sucks me in. Go black leather jacket! Boo big box!!!
Well, I got caught in the grips of big box last night. I found a Kenneth Cole leather jacket for the unbelievably incredible price of $29.71 (plus tax, of course - thank you government). For that price you have to try the dang thing on. And then it fits. And then you have to buy. But you also have to call your mom and ask if she wants one, too. (Yes, you HAVE to do that.) So I did and we both ended up with a nice leather jacket.
Mom told Dad it was his Valentine's Day gift to her. Great rationale, Mom! See, this is one reason a husband would be useful. I don't have an excuse! Other than really liking the jacket and convincing myself I couldn't live without it.
Mine is black and Mom's is a really pretty burgundy. They're different styles, too, so that's a bonus. Now we can go out in public together and not look matchy-matchish, which is SO annoying even if you are both the coolest people on the planet.
I'm happy with the jacket, but not so happy that the big box sucks me in. Go black leather jacket! Boo big box!!!
2/3/11
What kind of person makes their mother cry?
That's right, people. I'm a terrible person.
The other day, I called home to ask Mom a question. I knew she probably wasn't home because she was helping my niece with some car-related issues. But I called on the off chance that she would still be home and could answer my questions. The phone went to voice mail and, instead of leaving a message, I hung up. Did I think anything else about it? No. Not even for a minute.
At five, when I got off work, I called Mom to see how things were going and do my regular check-in. When I asked how she was she said, "Fine, now that I'm done crying." That concerned me, obviously, because I love my mom to pieces. I didn't want her crying over anything! Then, she proceeded to tell me the reason she was crying: I called and she wasn't home, so that means she wasn't there for me when I needed her, which made her cry.
Holy crap. I suck.
What kind of person makes their mother cry? Even accidentally? A horrible, horrible person. A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person. Since then, I think I may have redeemed myself. Maybe. Or not. I tried to please her this week. Personally, professionally, all around tried to please her. Basically, it was an effort to prove that I didn't really suck as much as I felt like I did for making her cry.
Does this mean I lose the daughter of the year award? Because, seriously, I was on my way to winning until this happened.
The other day, I called home to ask Mom a question. I knew she probably wasn't home because she was helping my niece with some car-related issues. But I called on the off chance that she would still be home and could answer my questions. The phone went to voice mail and, instead of leaving a message, I hung up. Did I think anything else about it? No. Not even for a minute.
At five, when I got off work, I called Mom to see how things were going and do my regular check-in. When I asked how she was she said, "Fine, now that I'm done crying." That concerned me, obviously, because I love my mom to pieces. I didn't want her crying over anything! Then, she proceeded to tell me the reason she was crying: I called and she wasn't home, so that means she wasn't there for me when I needed her, which made her cry.
Holy crap. I suck.
What kind of person makes their mother cry? Even accidentally? A horrible, horrible person. A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person. Since then, I think I may have redeemed myself. Maybe. Or not. I tried to please her this week. Personally, professionally, all around tried to please her. Basically, it was an effort to prove that I didn't really suck as much as I felt like I did for making her cry.
Does this mean I lose the daughter of the year award? Because, seriously, I was on my way to winning until this happened.
1/31/11
One down, eleven to go
Holy Toledo! Where did January go? What an incredibly quick month it has been. Like a flash. If you blinked you missed it. Oy. It's scary that time goes so fast. When I was a kid, one DAY was an eternity. But having a whole month disappear before I even realized it was here is kind of scary. I mean, where - WHERE - does that time go?
Does it float into outer space and stay there? Does it really go as fast as we think it does? Or is it all perception? This whole thing really fascinates me. No question that God is in charge, so it doesn't really matter in the long term. But it really makes me feel crazy thinking that the time went so fast and I don't know what happened to it.
In accordance with making time pass faster, Mom and I are having movie night tonight. That should easily blow at least four hours down the tubes. Might as well send January out with a bang, huh? Before you know it, we'll be stressing about what to buy for Christmas.
Does it float into outer space and stay there? Does it really go as fast as we think it does? Or is it all perception? This whole thing really fascinates me. No question that God is in charge, so it doesn't really matter in the long term. But it really makes me feel crazy thinking that the time went so fast and I don't know what happened to it.
In accordance with making time pass faster, Mom and I are having movie night tonight. That should easily blow at least four hours down the tubes. Might as well send January out with a bang, huh? Before you know it, we'll be stressing about what to buy for Christmas.
1/28/11
Pressure
There are always pressures during finals week, but this weekend is exceptionally pressure-filled. My interests now, career-wise, are to write and edit. And, well, without saying too much (because I can't at this point), I have some real career boosting opportunities on the horizon. Those opportunities make for a pressure-filled weekend. Ack! Grrr! Rawr! *Sniff*
That means a LOT of writing this weekend. Two freaking huge assignments, and professional writing for a chance at some "opportunities" that will really be good for me - that's what is on my schedule. Everyone cross your fingers and shoot up a prayer (or two). When I know (and can share) more, I will.
Sounds like fun, eh? Yep. Definitely my idea of a fantastic weekend. Dang. I really wanted to veg out and watch Secretariat or go shopping or something. Guess I could do all of that as a reward if those opportunities pan out after all my hard work this weekend. I like rewards!
That means a LOT of writing this weekend. Two freaking huge assignments, and professional writing for a chance at some "opportunities" that will really be good for me - that's what is on my schedule. Everyone cross your fingers and shoot up a prayer (or two). When I know (and can share) more, I will.
Sounds like fun, eh? Yep. Definitely my idea of a fantastic weekend. Dang. I really wanted to veg out and watch Secretariat or go shopping or something. Guess I could do all of that as a reward if those opportunities pan out after all my hard work this weekend. I like rewards!
1/19/11
Moo-lah
Basically, I have everything I need and most of what I want (besides several million dollars ... all things in time, right?).
So it's not easy to "gift" me something I don't already have. That's where Mom found herself on my birthday. What in the heck could she give me that I didn't already have?
She pulled through!
The thing about Mom? She's SO creative. (Sometimes it bugs me, but only because I'm jealous. Sh. Don't tell her I said that.) This year was no exception.
Let me preface that by saying I was NOT happy about having a birthday this year. Sometimes I hit a "rut" and wish people would just let the day pass without causing a scene, demanding celebration, or even remembering me. Yeah, it was one of those birthdays for me. Stupid and selfish. I know. Whatever.
Anyway, Mom wrote a cute poem for me about our life adventures and the places we've visited and things we've done together. She wrote about my BFF, Shauna, and all the fun times we had growing up "through the fence" from each other. And then, Mom and Dad gave me Moo-lah (aka "seed money") towards a trip to NYC/DC to see Shauna.
Can I get a "Woot! Woot!"? Oh yeah. I'm excited! There are lots of things to do and see in NYC and DC. I've been there before, but not with a "local", so this will be a different travel experience for me. (Plus, I'm not one to invite myself to stay with someone, so I'm sure Shauna was real happy about that news.)
The only drawback? I realized as I was kissing Bear (my four-legged BFF) this morning before I left for work that he can't come with me. Sad!!! I'm not sure how long I can survive without him. And he's not one to talk on the phone, so it's not like I can call him and have a conversation with him and know he's okay. My heart breaks thinking about it. :o( At least with Mom I can call every day and chat with her and know by the sound of her voice how things are going. :o)
I'm aiming for April or May on the travel front. Shauna and I will chat this weekend and hopefully nail down more specifics. How fun! It's been quite a while since I took a "real" trip and actually used vacation time for a vacation. Fun, fun, fun! And all thanks to Mom and Dad. It sorta makes up for not wanting to celebrate this year's birthday. Sorta.
So it's not easy to "gift" me something I don't already have. That's where Mom found herself on my birthday. What in the heck could she give me that I didn't already have?
She pulled through!
The thing about Mom? She's SO creative. (Sometimes it bugs me, but only because I'm jealous. Sh. Don't tell her I said that.) This year was no exception.
Let me preface that by saying I was NOT happy about having a birthday this year. Sometimes I hit a "rut" and wish people would just let the day pass without causing a scene, demanding celebration, or even remembering me. Yeah, it was one of those birthdays for me. Stupid and selfish. I know. Whatever.
Anyway, Mom wrote a cute poem for me about our life adventures and the places we've visited and things we've done together. She wrote about my BFF, Shauna, and all the fun times we had growing up "through the fence" from each other. And then, Mom and Dad gave me Moo-lah (aka "seed money") towards a trip to NYC/DC to see Shauna.
Can I get a "Woot! Woot!"? Oh yeah. I'm excited! There are lots of things to do and see in NYC and DC. I've been there before, but not with a "local", so this will be a different travel experience for me. (Plus, I'm not one to invite myself to stay with someone, so I'm sure Shauna was real happy about that news.)
The only drawback? I realized as I was kissing Bear (my four-legged BFF) this morning before I left for work that he can't come with me. Sad!!! I'm not sure how long I can survive without him. And he's not one to talk on the phone, so it's not like I can call him and have a conversation with him and know he's okay. My heart breaks thinking about it. :o( At least with Mom I can call every day and chat with her and know by the sound of her voice how things are going. :o)
I'm aiming for April or May on the travel front. Shauna and I will chat this weekend and hopefully nail down more specifics. How fun! It's been quite a while since I took a "real" trip and actually used vacation time for a vacation. Fun, fun, fun! And all thanks to Mom and Dad. It sorta makes up for not wanting to celebrate this year's birthday. Sorta.
12/31/10
3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
Happy New Year! And may 2011 be the best year yet.
Honestly, 2010 was just an okay year. I passed my second math class and an IT class with A's. I saw my BFF's little boy for the first time - and he was freakishly tall!!! I earned an Associate's degree in Communications (and will have the actual certificate very soon). I maintained a 230 pound weight loss. That's about it. Can't think of much else that happened.
Since I'm not one for resolutions, let's just say that good things will happen in 2011. For instance, I'm going to get a new iPhone and so will my mom (whether she really believes that or not). I will still subscribe to Netflix. We will get Direct TV instead of Comcast (hallelujah!). Who knows what other good things will happen?
Happy New Year!
Honestly, 2010 was just an okay year. I passed my second math class and an IT class with A's. I saw my BFF's little boy for the first time - and he was freakishly tall!!! I earned an Associate's degree in Communications (and will have the actual certificate very soon). I maintained a 230 pound weight loss. That's about it. Can't think of much else that happened.
Since I'm not one for resolutions, let's just say that good things will happen in 2011. For instance, I'm going to get a new iPhone and so will my mom (whether she really believes that or not). I will still subscribe to Netflix. We will get Direct TV instead of Comcast (hallelujah!). Who knows what other good things will happen?
Happy New Year!
12/29/10
Say it ain't so
Honestly, this year has passed by in a fury. What happened? Where did the time go?
Remember as a kid when it seemed like Christmas took forever to get here? And then the New Year (one week later) was an eternity away? Why is it time speeds up the older you get? But the older you get, the slower you move? It just doesn't make sense.
I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. This year is no different. Haven't even thought about it. Have no idea what I should resolve to do, do better, or not do at all. Would it really matter what I resolved to do anyway? They say most resolutions are broken within a week of making them. Why would I want to fall into that pit?
Just say it ain't so. Tell me 2010 is not over. Or guarantee me that 2011 will be the best year yet. Ever. Of all time. That might make me feel a little better.
Remember as a kid when it seemed like Christmas took forever to get here? And then the New Year (one week later) was an eternity away? Why is it time speeds up the older you get? But the older you get, the slower you move? It just doesn't make sense.
I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. This year is no different. Haven't even thought about it. Have no idea what I should resolve to do, do better, or not do at all. Would it really matter what I resolved to do anyway? They say most resolutions are broken within a week of making them. Why would I want to fall into that pit?
Just say it ain't so. Tell me 2010 is not over. Or guarantee me that 2011 will be the best year yet. Ever. Of all time. That might make me feel a little better.
12/13/10
S.O.S.
Christmas is less than two weeks away. For several years now, it's been tradition that I write a Christmas story for my nieces and nephews. They get an ornament that goes along with the story. And in past years, they have looked forward to it. I haven't even started the story yet. It's quite possible I may not be able to put one together before Christmas Eve night. The tradition may have died this year. Not good.
My bachelor's program starts tomorrow. Yikes! I have no idea what to expect. It's only one class, but it's an entire semester squished into five weeks. One bachelor's class at a time might actually be more difficult than two associate's classes. We shall see.
Something fishy is going on in my checking account. I can usually balance it to the penny. Yes, I am that anal. But I can't figure out where the discrepancy is. And it's not just $1 or $10. That's something I could deal with. Why, oh why, won't it balance?!
For some Christmas fun this year, we're doing the 12 Days of Christmas for someone. I'm excited about it and hope it makes a certain person feel the Christmas Spirit. However, I have NO clue how we're going to get the gifts to the home without being noticed and found out. This poses a problem because it's totally going to ruin it for me if they figure out who's doing it.
The real reason this post is titled S.O.S. is because the other night I was scrubbing a cookie sheet of my mom's that had some baked on grease stains. You know the kind. They turn a weird yellow-y orange color and just look nasty. They don't wash off with regular dish detergent (even Dawn won't cut that grease!) and you end up living with a gross looking pan. Well, I found an S.O.S. (lemon scented - what?!) pad under the kitchen sink. I pulled it out and used that bad boy on her cookie sheets and it took that grease right off! Sure, a little elbow grease was involved, but they looked a lot better (I thought) after the S.O.S. pad got done with it. One time, I even spent about an hour scrubbing away at this old dripper pan of Mom's. I don't think she noticed how different it looked when I got done. It's just a pan, after all, but it sure did shine! It reminds me of those older Mr. Clean commercials where they showed a totally trashed, dirty, grimy, gross kitchen before Mr. Clean got a hold of it. Then, they'd show the "after" and it sparkled and shined. I've always wanted to see that happen in person. Kinda got a glimpse of that using the good ol' S.O.S. pad on the cookie sheets.
Oh, the simple things that brighten my day.
My bachelor's program starts tomorrow. Yikes! I have no idea what to expect. It's only one class, but it's an entire semester squished into five weeks. One bachelor's class at a time might actually be more difficult than two associate's classes. We shall see.
Something fishy is going on in my checking account. I can usually balance it to the penny. Yes, I am that anal. But I can't figure out where the discrepancy is. And it's not just $1 or $10. That's something I could deal with. Why, oh why, won't it balance?!
For some Christmas fun this year, we're doing the 12 Days of Christmas for someone. I'm excited about it and hope it makes a certain person feel the Christmas Spirit. However, I have NO clue how we're going to get the gifts to the home without being noticed and found out. This poses a problem because it's totally going to ruin it for me if they figure out who's doing it.
The real reason this post is titled S.O.S. is because the other night I was scrubbing a cookie sheet of my mom's that had some baked on grease stains. You know the kind. They turn a weird yellow-y orange color and just look nasty. They don't wash off with regular dish detergent (even Dawn won't cut that grease!) and you end up living with a gross looking pan. Well, I found an S.O.S. (lemon scented - what?!) pad under the kitchen sink. I pulled it out and used that bad boy on her cookie sheets and it took that grease right off! Sure, a little elbow grease was involved, but they looked a lot better (I thought) after the S.O.S. pad got done with it. One time, I even spent about an hour scrubbing away at this old dripper pan of Mom's. I don't think she noticed how different it looked when I got done. It's just a pan, after all, but it sure did shine! It reminds me of those older Mr. Clean commercials where they showed a totally trashed, dirty, grimy, gross kitchen before Mr. Clean got a hold of it. Then, they'd show the "after" and it sparkled and shined. I've always wanted to see that happen in person. Kinda got a glimpse of that using the good ol' S.O.S. pad on the cookie sheets.
Oh, the simple things that brighten my day.
12/10/10
Lie to Me
There's a show on Fox on Monday nights called "Lie to Me." And it's fantastic! (I've never actually watched an episode on Monday night, but thanks to Netflix I can watch it any time.)
The premise is the main character, Cal Lightman, is a deception expert. He and his team can read body language and facial expressions to determine whether or not someone is telling the truth. VERY interesting. And compelling. I want to know how much truth there is in the process, because it would be really fascinating to be able to read people like that and know when you're being lied to or hearing a half-truth.
The only actor I know in the show is Kelli Williams (from that legal drama on ABC years ago that I can no longer remember the name of, but it had that other actress with the black hair and VERY thin body - it might be "The Practice"). Anyway, everyone else is pretty much unknown to me, but I think the acting is pretty good and the plots are intriguing.
It might be fun (and awfully challenging) to write for a show like that. It would also be stressful. Hm. Something to think about on the career end of things. Or not.
The premise is the main character, Cal Lightman, is a deception expert. He and his team can read body language and facial expressions to determine whether or not someone is telling the truth. VERY interesting. And compelling. I want to know how much truth there is in the process, because it would be really fascinating to be able to read people like that and know when you're being lied to or hearing a half-truth.
The only actor I know in the show is Kelli Williams (from that legal drama on ABC years ago that I can no longer remember the name of, but it had that other actress with the black hair and VERY thin body - it might be "The Practice"). Anyway, everyone else is pretty much unknown to me, but I think the acting is pretty good and the plots are intriguing.
It might be fun (and awfully challenging) to write for a show like that. It would also be stressful. Hm. Something to think about on the career end of things. Or not.
12/9/10
Nostalgia
My best friend (the one I've never NOT known) is coming "home" shortly before Christmas. Can you say excited?!
Every year at Christmas our parents would have a Christmas party. And a New Year's party every New Year's Eve. Nothing EVER got scheduled over those parties because it was known well in advance that they were on the calendar. Now, I can't tell you specifically what happened at those parties, what food was served, what fun things were done. But I can tell you what I felt at those parties: happiness, joy, love, peace, friendship, and the Christmas Spirit.
It is those very things I'm looking forward to when my BFF gets here. I could care less what we eat, what we talk about, what activities we do. It's that feeling of nostalgia and memories of feeling good and safe and peaceful that will last forever.
THAT is why Christmas is my favorite holiday. It's the feeling associated with it. It's naps by the Christmas tree with the lights on, family over to play games or watch movies, Mom and I putting a puzzle together, music and more music, hearty foods and hot chocolate or wassail. It's all the things I would love to do every day, all day, but rarely have an opportunity to do. Time seems to slow down, almost come to a halt. I love that. I love that feeling.
Nostalgia is great. And I thrive on it!
Every year at Christmas our parents would have a Christmas party. And a New Year's party every New Year's Eve. Nothing EVER got scheduled over those parties because it was known well in advance that they were on the calendar. Now, I can't tell you specifically what happened at those parties, what food was served, what fun things were done. But I can tell you what I felt at those parties: happiness, joy, love, peace, friendship, and the Christmas Spirit.
It is those very things I'm looking forward to when my BFF gets here. I could care less what we eat, what we talk about, what activities we do. It's that feeling of nostalgia and memories of feeling good and safe and peaceful that will last forever.
THAT is why Christmas is my favorite holiday. It's the feeling associated with it. It's naps by the Christmas tree with the lights on, family over to play games or watch movies, Mom and I putting a puzzle together, music and more music, hearty foods and hot chocolate or wassail. It's all the things I would love to do every day, all day, but rarely have an opportunity to do. Time seems to slow down, almost come to a halt. I love that. I love that feeling.
Nostalgia is great. And I thrive on it!
11/15/10
It's okay to play with your food
Sometimes it's okay to play with your food. Like when you have four legs and are this cute:
I wish you could hear the noises he makes. They didn't come out very clear on the video, but it's hilarious! He growls at his food - like a Bear. His name definitely suits him.
And that, my friends, is one more reason I truly love my dog.
The List of 300
A friend of mine told me about her brother-in-law's single brother. He has made, and published on the web, a list of 300 must-haves his future wife must have. Some of the items include hip girth (for child-bearing, obviously), weight, height, preferential hair color, and skin tone.
To him I say, "Ha! Like you have 300 qualities any woman in her right mind would want!"
And then I thought, "Could I even come up with 300 must-haves in a mate?" The answer: nope.
Really, there's only one must-have on my "list." He needs to love the Savior and the gospel more than he loves me. I know if he loves both of those more than me than I'm taken care of. :o) Other than that, I couldn't really come up with must-haves.
There are certainly some I'd-like-to-haves, but the one must-have far outweighs any of those. It seems to me he wasted precious time coming up with 300 must-haves for his stupid list when he could have spent that time looking for a good woman and be married by now. Idiot!
To him I say, "Ha! Like you have 300 qualities any woman in her right mind would want!"
And then I thought, "Could I even come up with 300 must-haves in a mate?" The answer: nope.
Really, there's only one must-have on my "list." He needs to love the Savior and the gospel more than he loves me. I know if he loves both of those more than me than I'm taken care of. :o) Other than that, I couldn't really come up with must-haves.
There are certainly some I'd-like-to-haves, but the one must-have far outweighs any of those. It seems to me he wasted precious time coming up with 300 must-haves for his stupid list when he could have spent that time looking for a good woman and be married by now. Idiot!
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