blissful randomness

Goodbye, Blogger!

2009-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Blogger is really making me mad... It isn't allowing me to upload pictures to my blog. And who wants a blog void of pictures? Not this girl.

I'll be moving my blog over to Wordpress.

The new address will be: http://teampilotlove.wordpress.com/.

More Time-Wasting Opportunities

2009-08-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to extend to you this URL, because I have lost so much time on here it's disturbing:

http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/zombie_baseball

When playing any kind of online/video game, I normally go for a puzzle-type game. (If you know me, you understand that the exceptions to this rulre are Zelda (any kind), Mario Kart, and 007.) I had a tough time trying to figure out why I like Zombie Baseball so very much.

I've been enlightened by this conversation via Gchat:
Me: who does this thing?
very
i think i am seriously obsessed with zombie baseball
Christy: of course
it's a rare combination of two of your best loves
zombies and sports

Why didn't I put that together before?!

Thanks to the creators of Zombie Baseball, and a big thanks to Christy for helping me to figure out most of my life questions, including why I am addicted to ZB.

I Wish I Had Pictures

2009-08-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

Because today was my dad's family reunion.

Not much to report (we didn't stay too long), but I did end up on the receiving end of the bar across from Phil and Al. No one is shocked, because this is the same place I always end up at a family reunion. Go figure.

Uber Cute

2009-07-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Any ideas as to what my friend should name her adorable kitten??

Darn It

2009-07-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, a few weeks ago, my older cat Kramer died. Since then, Squishie has been pretty... needy. She's much more cuddly and meows much more than she used to. (And I didn't ever think that was possible...)

At first, I was really convinced that I didn't need another cat. I mean, I appreciate that the one I have is more receptive to love than she was before. Plus, animals can be expensive, especially if they weigh 20 pounds and eat a lot of food.

But tonight, this happened:

This cat was hanging out on Ben's back porch last night. He was friendly and was doing what I refer to as the "I'm going to put on a show and rub my body all over this here banister" move. That's fun and great to watch, but this guy here really pulled me in tonight.

You see, I had family dinner at Ben's parents, then came back to Ben's afterward to finish some laundry. This cat was just waiting in front of the house. I went to unlock the door, and he was purring and rubbing all over my legs, so I sat down. Then he jumped in my lap and cuddled. It was awesome.

Point of the story: I'm getting another cat, after I pay off some bills...

Things I Will Miss

2009-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

On my very last day at BJH (YES!!) I am trying to think of some of the things I will miss. Here is what I can come up with thus far.

Telling a joke to Courtney, who will laugh and then say, "I don't get it."

Hearing "PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!" and bird calls from the OR hallway.

My music loudly blaring from the iPod speakers.

My "other" mom being awesome. She covers the gambit, from always listening to me when I need to vent or cry, or singing "Dick in a Box" out of nowhere. Cynthia Halliburton, YOU are awesome.

Having hours to kill. Normally on the internet.

Being able to have Ben sit with me in the Children's Hospital cafeteria.

Getting to see my best friend when she's leaving work.

Playing TWSS. (Okay, dominating TWSS.)

Hearing quotes like "He's Steve, and Steve is Steve. What did I say?".

Fist pounds from Green.

Dancing and breaking into song whenever I want, and having no one care.

Believe me, there are a lot more things that I will NOT miss that make it worth leaving, but I want to leave with positive feelings. Farewell BJH. Round two was nice, but not nice enough.

Work

2009-07-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

On my second-to-last day at BJH (or, at least, I hope it is...), I am really in the "I don't give a crap" mode. Don't get me wrong- I'm still getting my work done, but at a slower pace and afterwards am ready to get some quiet time in. I also have stopped refraining from singing very loudly (and obnoxiously).

Tonight, I really put my heart behind The Moknees theme song.

When I was a child, I absolutely loved The Monkees. Not necessarily the music, but the show itself. It's not a great show. But you really have to hand it to my uncle, who I forced to watch it with me. Listening to that theme song brings back memories, including a more recent one.

While working at Anderson, we basically had no internet privileges. By that, I mean 90% of sites were blocked. Not blocked? Wikipedia and Wikihow. (If you are unfamiliar with Wikihow, I suggest asking me about it sometime. I am experienced in ridiculous Wikihow searching.) Other unblocked sites included a lot of medical reference sites. I am slightly confused as to why we did have access to any Wiki site, but it did allow for some entertainment (when I wasn't dancing or playing Bejeweled on my laptop).

I will let the story tell itself, by giving this link and saying that this wouldn't be the first time I've done this search.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Monkees_episodes

One Lonely Cat

2009-07-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the death of one cat, I would like to report some happy news.

My other cat, Squishie, is now much more receptive to love than she was before. She's a prissy little thing and normally will allow you to pet her for about two minutes before running away. Not so much anymore.

I've been feeling pretty awful lately and was running a fever this afternoon, and while recouping on the futon, the cat wouldn't leave me alone. I'm not used to this, but happy that it's happening.

RIP Fat Cat

2009-07-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when I got home from vacation, my beloved fat cat Kramer was pretty sluggish. We couldn't find him when we got home and eventually we found him lying inside a microwave box. He was meowing, but didn't really move from the box. This wasn't necessarily a cause for alarm- Kramer liked boxes. The house was, however, pretty gross. There was a lot of vomit around, and some surprises left on the bathroom carpet. Still, I guess I just assumed he didn't like being home without me here.

After dropping my things off, Ben and I went to his place and after that he headed to work, while I went to the grocery store. When I got home, my intuition told me soemthing just wasn't right. I put away the groceries and found Kramer lying by the water bowl, but he wasn't necessarily drinking, just lying there. I picked him up, and he was really lethargic.

I put a towel down on the floor and a small bowl of water next to it, and put Kramer on the towel. After a while, he jumped up on the bed. That's where I let him stay for most of the night.

I knew it was going downhill fast when he jumped off the bed and crawled into the litter box, but didn't use it. I think then my motherly instincts really went into gear. I got the microwave box he was in when we got home and put a towel in it. Then I just laid him in the box.

After a few hours, I must have nodded off, but I heard him moving, so I turned to see him. He jumped out of the box and went to lay by the water bowel again. This time, I just got up, turned on the light, and sat next to him. Sparing details, he was dead in about 20 minutes.

This is probably my favorite picture of Kramer. RIP buddy.

WOW!

2009-07-17T16:12:00.001-07:00

So, this week I've been on vacation. Most weeks of vacation I have taken in the past result in me doing a whole lot of nothing, or something coming in the way of the things I have planned. This vacation week, however, was very different.

Monday I spent most of the day cleaning my apartment. Not that "hey, I need to do a once-over" clean, but that "it's time I had really scrubbed this place" clean. (I actually love those.) I only got about half-way through the place, but I still consider it a victory. Tuesday consisted of family dinner and some laundry, plus some packing, because Wednesday morning started a real vacation.

My wonderful boyfriend took me floating on the Meramac. We did a six mile float, which took about five hours. I only used the paddle once, some woman called me the Queen of the Meramac, and my breakfast was a s'mores Pop Tart and a beer. (And lunch wasn't bad either, consisting of giant Cheez-its and an italian sandwich.) After the float, we drove to Kansas City for the night, where we stayed with Ben's Aunt Bert.

Thursday we got to shoot hoops at The College Basketball experience and walked around a KC mall. Inbetween, we had a pretty yummy lunch, with a highlight of garlic fries. (There were real cloves of garlic on my fries, and it was outstanding!) We also went to a thrift store, where we found Ben a perfect outfit to wear to an upcoming party AND two really good VHS tapes: She's All That, and Crazy Fat Ethel II. The former of the two flicks looks amazing: The warning label reads "Never come between Ethel and a well-stocked refridgerator!!", while the back cover says "Thirteen years ago, Ethel was judged criminally insane. Now the menal ward is overcrowded and the budget has been cut, so Ethel is back on the street!!" Also, the video company responsible for this piece of work is Video Treasures. The tape inside looks to be about halfway watched.

Sidenote: You really have to hand it to my manfriend, who picked out Crazy Fat Ethel II all on his own. I assume this was to feed my love for really awful movies. At least, I hope that's why he picked it up.

After our day out in downtown KC, we got to have dinner and walk around the Plaza with Aunt Bert. We ate at a place called the 810 Zone, which allowed me to watch an Asian volleyball game, while Ben and Bert watched a rugby match. All around fun.

Friday morning, we got up at a reasonable hour and headed back home to Saint Louis. On the way, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and hit up a gas staion/store called Love's. Love's is a really great gas station and store. The restrooms were really clean (and there was a cute baby having its diaper changed that everyone was cooing over). They sell do-rags, nascar t-shirts, glass figurines, and shirts with the guitar hero logo that say "Jesus Hero". The store is really outstanding.

On the trip back, I learned that Ben has LFO's "Summer Girls" on his iPod. He also at one point looked at me and said, "It's Britney, bitch", which made me feel like I was on vacation with Roxanne. Also I re-discovered Robyn's hit "Show Me Love". Forgot about Robyn or want to know more? Here's your link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robyn.

The real reason we came home so early Friday was because Ben's sister-in-law was having a c-section at 7:45AM to introduce Ben's new niece to the world. She's absolutely adorable, and is super-long and healthy. This is Maria Joy Muehleisen:

You can't tell me this baby isn't gorgeous!
There are a lot of times when I pray and praise God for the good he puts into my life. Tonight while eating a bowl of Kix by candle light for dinner, I said a prayer and cried one little happy tear. I feel that I have really been blessed this week.

It's The Weekend We've All Been Waiting For

2009-07-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, well, it's the 2nd best weekend of the year, anyway.

Hicnic this weekend! I can already taste the shenannigans. So. Very. Excited.

I'm sure I'll have a lot to talk about afterwards, so keep checking back!

And, for now, I'll just say that I've had a busy few weeks. Here's a photo to showcase that fun:

Taken at the best weekend of 2009, Christy and Tom's wedding. It was AWESOME!

CDs: Stolen.

2009-06-30T18:33:00.001-07:00

In April, my car was broken into outside of my Soulard apartment. They stole my CD case, which had a whole lot of CDs inside. How many? I didn't know that answer for a while. I put off counting becuase of a few reasons- I have been really busy, and I really didn't want to know how many were gone for a while. Last week (or the week before, I can't remember) I decided to count them. Between the ones I can count because I owned the hard copies, and the addition of the burned ones that were in there, I would say I lost about 130 CDs. Not a fun concept for my brain to grasp, truthfully. My favorite CDs were the ones I always had in the car with me.

Of course, I have an iPod-ready stereo. Problem is that when my car was totaled in February, I ripped it out and haven't had a chance (or the cash) to have it re-installed into my new car. Bummer.

Optimistically, I am now taking a few different CDs with me here and there, listening to things I normally wouldn't have listened to. So, indirectly and unplanned, I am rediscovering parts of my library I had forgotten about. Nothing wrong with that I suppose.

Here's a video of a track from a CD that was stolen. Take a look at the dude stage right on the cowbell:

Tomorrow

2009-06-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I get to see two of my oldest (and two of my most awesome) friends get married.

Now, initially, I thought this day would strike me as strange. But not anymore. Whatever weird feeling I had that we're all getting "old" and now have to live adult lives has gone by the wayside. Life is different (and more adult-like) but way more awesome than it was before. I think this goes for a lot of people I've known for an extended period of time, including myself. I won't retract my statement to some of you that I'll probably cry like a baby tomorrow, because I probably will. But it'll be a good, excited cry.

Here's to Christy and Tom, who get to (finally!) make it official tomorrow. I love you both very much and am so happy I get to be a part of this day.

In celebration, here is a picture from one of the most fun wedding receptions I have ever attended. (I love adopted sisters.)

I Needed This

2009-06-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

Can you see it? The sweat from my Pepsi decided to make a smiley face today. It was pretty cool.

All Things Good

2009-06-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been under a mess of stress. Most of which is unavoidable. I've been feeling down a lot the past few weeks. Understandably, at that.

Today, I finally feel like myself. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It's a great feeling.

I think that's all I've got for today. Things are good. I'm just a bit tired, but am really looking forward to getting some sleep tomorrow.

Warning: You're About to Lose Too Much Time

2009-06-17T18:01:00.001-07:00

I try to refrain from these types of posts, as I figure I waste enough time on stupid sites, as does everyone I know. But this is too good to pass up.

By the way, credit goes to my cousin Christy, who sends me links to all kinds of things that waste my time. :)

Enjoy. I promise it's worth your time.

http://ugliesttattoos.com/

100 Posts

2009-06-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is blog number one hundred. And I feel like I don't write a lot of days...

Anyway, yesteday I arrived at BJH's parking garage about 35 minutes before I needed to clock in. And I clocked in two minutes late. Why, you ask? Because I drove around the parking lot/garage looking for a spot for entirely too long. It was very aggrevating.

When I did find a spot, I really found about a spot and a half. You see, I've blogged before about BJH employees not really knowing how to park. Didn't believe me? See for yourself:

My car is in the right portion of the picutre. I am parked in an actual spot. This truck is parked in a self-created spot. Awesome.

Do you see the yellow line runnning straight down the middle of where the truck is parked? That's not cool, dude. Not cool at all. And I will say that this is not the only time I've seen a situation such as this.

*Sigh* I am ready for a new job, whenever God wants to bless me with one.

I Need Some Cheering Up

2009-06-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

So, I tried to find fun things in my day that made me laugh.

I was moderately successful, as I found a few things, but that lacks in number from my normal days.

1- On the way into work today I realized something- I drive a really loud Ford. On the streets of the city of Saint Louis. Today, I had both windows down. (ie: anyone on the sidewalk could hear what I was listening to.) I was blaring REO Speedwagon. At this point in time, the only thought that came into my head was, 'This is as Caseyville as I get'.

2- There is still some contruction going on in my building. I'm cool with that. However, whatever electric tool they were using this morning had a distinct noise. Have you ever seen Silent Hill? If not, just know that it is super awesome, and SUPER creepy. Remember whenever that smog crap is going to take over the skies of the town? That stupid siren goes off?! That's the sound this tool made when it started up. I was concerned that either people were coming to burn me, or with the weather today, that I was going to be eaten by a tornado. Either way, dead. And not fun. But funny.

That's all I have for now. Maybe I'll revise later if something else comes up.

Reaching Out

2009-06-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to help others. This year, I've been blessed enough to have a lot of loved ones around me to help me when I needed it most. I love that feeling- that there are people out there who care enough about you to be there when things really... well, suck.

I've grown a lot religiously this year. Especially in the last month or two. Being appreciative as to what and who God has placed into my life. Now I am ready to return favors, and give to those who give so much to me, and others who really just need it.

I try to take care of my loved ones. Sometimes, I am not sure how. I just do what I know I can or what I am good at. I hope what I do can reduce stress or give others more time to "do life", as a friend and I like to say. This can include actual physical duties, or just trying to make someone I love feel better.

Today I sent a facebook message to an aquaintance who seems to be having a hard time. I don't know if I helped with a message. I just know that there are all kinds of situations that are handed to us that back us into corners. It's there that we should all really search ourselves. What houses your faith when you're down and out? Are you fighting alone, or is your faith placed in the only one who holds destiny?

I'm not saying that you need to force-feed your beliefs to others. I am, however, saying that serving Christ and glorifying God mean doing what is right for mankind.

There are a lot of personal things that I don't like sharing with people, unless 1- they need to know because they're close to me, or 2- I really think they could gain from hearing one of my stories.

All I am saying is that I encourage you to do what everyone should consider to be the RIGHT thing- help those in need. You don't have to have a lot to give in order to do so. If you have a roof over your head, food to eat, and some water, you're very lucky. These are things you can share with others.

So, reach out to those in need. Even if it's just a kind word when someone needs it. If you have more to offer, and your heart desires to, give it!

Stanley Cup Finals

2009-06-12T20:11:00.001-07:00

Hello, Pittsburgh!

I love hockey. I love when the Wings lose (to anyone, really). I especially love that the city of Pittsburgh has two winning teams.

Who the heck wants to go on a roadtrip?! This girl.

So, congrats Pens! Way to beat my most hated team in hockey. I love the team for that.

Quotes

2009-06-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Just thought it would be fun to share two quotes overheard at work today. I was not the one who said them. The same person, however, did say both of them.

"Kiss my Cherrios!"

and

"Your momma told me so!"

Sugar & Coffee

2009-06-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

I've used both things the past few days to help me wake up. Yesterday I had a babysitting date, and today I am up with my mom.

Yesterday I stopped by QT to get some coffee. I always convince myself that I don't need the fancy stuff with added flavors and sugars. What do I always get? The things I try to convice myself not to.

Yesterday I got the Carmel Macchiato. That's the standard. It's too sugary and fattening, but delicious all around.

Today, I stopped on my way to get said carmel goodness. There was a little flappy sign that said "Banana Split Coffee". It doesn't sound great. In fact, it doesn't even sound good. For some unknown reason, I was pulled to it. So I got it. On the walk to the car I kicked myself in the butt for getting it.

I just tasted it.

It tastes delicious.

Not something I'd drink daily, but okay for an every-once-in-a-while fix.

What a Week

2009-06-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

This week has been one of the most exhausting and emotionally taxing weeks I've ever had. In my life. If you have known me for a while, or know my background, I think that statement carries a lot of weight. Good thing that weight isn't really on me.

Today I am testy. I am more sensitive to things than normal (sorry, Ben!), and to be honest, there have been a few times I have burst into crying fits. I try not to cry at inappropriate times, or at least not in front of people. (And for the record, I would not consider myself a crier.) My mind is still boggled and I am confused as how to word how I am feeling. I can say that I feel as though someone pushed my PANIC! button a few months back, liked what they saw, and hasn't let go.

Though, through all this, an interesting thing has happened. When I received some not-so-great news, Ben and I went straight to God. After the prayer, I didn't feel a normal overwhelming feeling I would feel. Instead, I felt as though it wasn't in my hands anymore. We lifted it to God. It's like a passed baton in a race- it was yours, you took it to where it needed to be, you did your part. Of course you are curious to see where it ends up; but that decision is no longer up to you. Will you be worried? Probably, because we as human beings tend to worry. It's almost inevitable. The question is whether or not we should worry. The answer is a resounding NO!! God has his plan. It's not mine or yours, but it is his. We aren't supposed to know what's going to happen. We are supposed to trust that whatever He says, goes. (That sounds like my dad talking to me as a child...)

Have you ever been in a class where a professor says, "You need to know this, you'll use it everyday in your career"? (By the way, calculus is infamous for this. I should know, I took it three times.) I will not call those professors liars. However, I will say that most information learned is not as practical as they make it out to be. That info you learn every Sunday in church? That's infinitely more valuable than anything you can learn in a textbook.

What happens when you take all of those teachings, and put them into real life? Take it further, outside the doors of a chapel?

You live.

You live for what is right. You do what the Lord wants you to do. For Him, for others, to enrich yourself, to be a reflection of what He is. You give to those worthy and unworthy alike. You give because He gave for us.

You want to know what else happens?

Important areas of your life are tested- the way you think, they way you behave, the relationships in which you interact. Your priorities are placed where they need to be. You learn who and what is important and how to rank said priorities. When you do that alongside God, in the trust that His plan is good and right and the only way, you live for Him. Not you or your loved ones or for the pressures that overcome. Because when you live for Him, you will receive everything you need to be happy because He will provide that for you.

There's no need to fret over the things you do not have. You should thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon you. If asked a little over a year ago, I would have said that I needed more of EVERYTHING. Now, I understand that I have been given all that I need.

When I think I "need" something else, I'll take that to God. It's between He and I, no matter what it is. He will answer. If I don't like the answer, it doesn't matter. That is His answer, His plan. I don't need to try to fight it; He will provide when He sees fit.

Because I take everything to Him and trust Him with it, when I think about all of those things being tested, I KNOW I passed. That weight isn't on me, because I have placed my faith in God and know He is right.

I urge you to do the same as I have done. God gives you faith when you are down and out and think you have none, and that is an awesome thing.

Here's a group picture from our triple date last night. Fun!!

Something Old is Something New

2009-06-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

After what can, on the light side of things, be considered a crazy week, today I did something I used to do often, but haven't been able to do a lot lately.

I got to see Ann Marie and Sophia and Stella.

Ann Marie is my mom's youngest brother's wife. As far as I am concerned, Bill married into royalty. Ann Marie stays at home to raise the girls. During the school year, she works part time, only while the girls are in class. She's a great mom. The girls are so well behaved and sweet it's surprising in today's world.

Anyway, I got to have a great talk with Ann Marie. (She's awesome to me!!) I also had this conversation with the girls after I saw Sophia make a face that I KNOW I make:
Janelle: "Sophia, I think you're my twin."
Sophia: "I think so, too."
Janelle: "Stella, you aren't my twin because you have way more guts than I have."
Stella: "Well, i don't think you and Sophia are alike either, because she's going to be much taller than you when she grows up. She's already almost taller than you"

Essentially, I was told I am short. By a seven-year-old. My girls are awesome, and growing up so fast! (Sidenote: I really do wish I had a scanner, as I would add some baby pictures of the girls, but no such luck.)

In the first picture, Sohpia was working on my hair. Stella made us pause to take a goofy picture. And, yes, that IS Roma's finger in ready to poke me in the face!

The second picture is from my grandma's funeral this April. As you can see, Stella was not lying when she said Sohpia is almost as tall as me... *sigh*

The third picture is the gals at their finest... very, VERY goofy!

Today I say that if you really want to see loved ones, don't wait. Go visit them now. My life would be so drastically different if Ann Marie and the girls weren't in it, and I am SO thankful for them!

Also, I hope everyone ate a healthier dinner than I, as I had Gardettos for the main course, and now Sno-Caps for dessert. Take that, diet!

For Those Unaware

2009-06-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I am a huge Christopher Walken fan. Last night Ben and I began talking about him because we were watching The Usual Suspects , which has Kevin Pollak as a co-star. Kevin Pollak does an outstanding impression of Christopher Walken. The most memorable one I have heard is a piece from Bob and Tom's radio show, where Pollak answers questions that have no relation to his answers. It's outstanding. One line I can remember is "The squirrels scare me."

Anyway, today I am on a Christopher Walken rampage. I've got on my Christopher Walken t-shirt.

Can you see that? It's backwards, but you get the point.

Anyway, my favorite Walken clip is not the cowbell one. It's this clip with the ever-so-awesome Tim Meadows (Because who doesn't like The Ladies Man?). Tim Meadows plays a cencus taker, and he stops by Christopher Walken's apartment to get some info. Here it is for your enjoyment.

Not How Things Are "Supposed" To Be...

2009-06-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation this morning with one of my good, long term friends. She is very excited (and I'm excited for her), as her boyfriend took her to look at engagement rings yesterday. As we talked about cuts and types (which I have entirely no clue about), we eventually traveled to talking about how weird the situation was. Weird not to be taken in a negative connotation. Just... different. If you would have asked the group of friends fifteen years ago where we'd be today, it would have been a completely different set-up than what it is now.

For a long time in my life, I was jealous of others: the fact that most of my friends graduated college exactly four years after high school; most of them continued on to great jobs and an opportunity to attend grad school.

In the last few years, I have realized that there's a masterplan for everyone, and it's God's masterplan. There have been a lot of situations in my life that at one point I wanted to change.

After a re-evaluation, I understand that there would be absolutely no way I'd be where I am today without each and every one of the experiences I've had. Sometimes I think I should be really proud of where I've come from and who I have become. In reality, I owe everything I am to God's graciousness.

Looking back ten to fifteen years ago, I obviously had different plans for myself. I am infinitely grateful that those plans were not God's plans. I wouldn't trade where I am today for the opportunity to change my past or anything I have experienced. It is fair to say that I am the happiest I have ever been. Grace be to God!

Do you feel this way? Would you change the past?

Review

2009-06-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Who didn't watch Conan?

I did. Obviously. It was funny. I was disappointed.

One Pearl Jam song that wasn't very good. At all. Eddie looked terrible.

This ends my stretch of swooning over the Ved. Now my focus is completely on my real-life swooning. That's much more important anyway.

Exciting

2009-05-31T20:17:00.001-07:00

It takes a lot to get me excited about television. The only show I really watch (excluding sports) is The Office.

However, Conan's first Tonight Show is tomorrow. Conan is kind of funny, don't get me wrong. But I'm pretty sure that his line-up for night one can't get much better.

Will Farrell and Pearl Jam.

This is actually something I want to watch. That doesn't happen often at all. I am excited. :)

Holy Smokes

2009-05-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

"Maybe he's from the future."

That was an answer to a conversation at work today. Courtney happened to see a man on a bus "smoking a liquid cigarette". (Court, those were your words, not mine, and I love you, but you like picking on me, too.) I had no answer to this statement. Dustin, on the other hand, had questions. "Did it smell?" "He was smoking it on the bus?", among others. The first answer was "It was crack". Second answer: "Maybe he was from the future". At this point, I couldn't help but laugh. (Since, we have conquered a Google search that informed us that it is an anti-smoking agent that can perhaps have a cherry flavor.)

While all of that is laughable and fun, I started to ponder that question: Would or would I not like to see what's in store for me in the future?

Not that this is the first time I've thought about it. I just is a question that pops up here and there and jogs your mind.

Answer? Not even a little bit. Wouldn't that take all of the wonder out of life? I already know what my end goal is. Why would I want to disturb the beauty of it? The suprises, the twists, the turns; they make everything so different and exciting. If I knew where I ended up, who's to say there wouldn't be a part of me that, at times, would just want to seek that out? I try to be a straight shooter anyway, but there are parts of life that are supposed to be unexpected. I'd rather keep mine that way.

What would you do?

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day, and weekend, was a little out of the norm. But so much more great than the norm.

Ben got to hang in Atlanta until Sunday morning, leaving me with a completely blank slate for the weekend. I got to hang out with my friend Alisha on Saturday. This included a very late breakfast at a restaurant downtown called Rooster (they specialize in crapes), a Salvation Army run, and a walk through Tower Grove Park. After the awesome hang out time, I had dinner with the Muehleisens: ribs, bread, coffee, birthday cake, and wonderful company. A winning combo. Sunday housed the regular activities: church and relaxation. Well... relaxation this Sunday meant laundry and cleaning a bathroom, but it needed to be done.

Memorial Days of past normally include seeking out a friend's barbeque and drinking a few beers. Due to some rain and me no longer consuming beer, this year consisted of a long relaxing day filled with food, video games, movies, and love. I wouldn't have traded that for a "normal" Memorial Day past for much of anything.

WHEW!

2009-05-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

What a night! I'm sure Courtney would agree that work was certianly hopping tonight. I am still tired from Six Flags fun yesterday, didn't sleep well last night, and today has certainly kicked me in the pants.... I plan on sleeping like a baby tonight.

Anyway, today has been super busy! Got up at a decent hour to see Ben off to Atlanta and was enjoying a quiet morning. Then I remembered I had pre-op testing this afternoon.

I am having a surgery next Thursday. The last time I had surgery I was five, and I only have one memory (a very unpleasant one) from that surgery. This time I really don't know what to expect.

Working in an O.R., I knew they did pre-op testing, but that didn't register when I thought of my own surgery. (You know how that always works??!) I scheduled the pre-op work a few days ago, and in all of the craziness the last few days, completely forgot about it until about 10:30AM. Good thing I checked my organizer then, because my appointment was at 1:30. When I made the appointment, my mind could only think of one thing. That one thing? "I hope they don't have to draw blood."

I know they have to draw blood. I guess I thought my sweet-as-all-get-out self could convince them otherwise. Funny part? I almost did. Let me fill you in on what happens when you have pre-operative testing. (Or, at least, when I have pre-op testing.)

I signed in and began filling out some papers. I met with a nice woman named Jeanine who made sure my basic info was correct, then I sat back in the waiting room. Then another nice woman came and took my height and weight, then led me to a waiting room. Dana the MA came into the room and took my blood pressure. My BP is always great, and this girl's oxygen saturation is 100%!!! Becca then came in and we talked about all kinds of things regarding family history of illnesses and the like. Becca was most definitely awesome. She was really sweet and funny and told me of the awesome fight that happened that morning between two teenage females in the very same room I was in. (This fight involved a bottle of milk and some braids...) Becca gave me a lot of good advice and information and a hug, saying "Will you come up to visit us? I like you." Next, she sent in a little sixty-year-old Pakistani woman. This was Shireen, an anesthesiologist. She was AWESOME! At first, she thought I had a heart murmur, but then realized it was her stethoscope rubbing against my shirt. Then she looked at my teeth and tongue (for anesthesea mask purposes). Then she took a look at the surgical site. Next she told me she was proud of me "like her own child" for having the surgery done. She didn't want to move onto the next room, so she told me all about her family, how they came to America, what she did before that, what her children are doing now... Then she hugged me, laughed, and said "We need more patients like you". I said, "Shireen, you don't have to get any blood from me, do you?" Shireen said "You can't trick me! It won't hurt that bad!" (She was serious.... I was soooooo close!) Then another nice woman came in to draw blood. I explained to her that I do NOT like needles and I didn't do well with shots or injections of any sort. She promised to be nice, and she WAS! It was pretty much completely painless. So sticking me three or four times to find a vein. What a stellar team!

All in all, I would call today a success. From here on out, I just ask for prayers for a successful surgery next week! :)

See?? No bruising or anything!

I'm 100% Sure...

2009-05-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

Mike Herrera and the Px just came to my rescue.

I'm at work. On the radio on the other side of the room is playing Delilah. This is my absolute least favorite radio show. It's just too cheesy and the songs are too gooey. (This does not add up to grilled cheese, as my vivid explanation may lead you to believe, because grilled cheese is delicious.)

Most of the time I can put up with whatever I happen to hear, because my iPod is always playing on the other side of the room. Tonight, however, a song came on that makes me cringe almost everytime: Bryan Adam's "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)". I was going to shout something like, "Hey, this is horrible! Turn it off!", but two of the four people in the room were singing it, so I would have been outvoted. Instead I was just hoping that something awesome would come blaring through the iPod stereo speakers, and it did. MxPx's "Chick Magnet".

Thank Goodness for iPod shuffle.

What songs make you crazy?! I wanna know.

Yum!

2009-05-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

In an effort to lose some stress pounds I gained in the month of April, I am attempting to eat better. (Not that I gained that much, but I'd like to stop it before it gets out of hand.) I used to be one of the healthiest eaters I've ever known. Then I got busy and lazy and quit making lunches.

This month, I'm changing that fact. Previously, I have been eating whatever the Children's Hospital cafeteria had to offer. They have a Pizza Hut and a DQ. Also every day they have a featured item, which is almost always some sort of asian dish. Obviously the things they have to offer are not on the healthy end of the spectrum.

My lunch (and snacks) now include a sandwich of sorts, a few apples, some yogurt (or a snack pack), another type of fruit, and-here's the great item- strawberry yogurt-covered raisins. Those things are delicious! I try to stick to a handful a day, but it gets tough.

Anyway, I do plan on making other things, but life has been so busy I haven't had time to prepare much else. If anyone has any good ideas, let me know. It has to be easily prepared and healthy.

While I wait...

2009-05-17T21:54:00.001-07:00

This week has been super busy. Scheduled a surgery, played house in a house that wasn't mine, tried to learn to sew, had lunch out with friends (twice!), went to a baseball game, held a game night, and my normal Sunday activities. I got to spend a lot of time with loved ones, and that was awesome.

Along with getting up earlier, I am trying to try new things. Hence, the sewing. The machine didn't want to work when I tried it, so when the instructional book is found, I can try again. I am also trying to carry whatever I learn in church throughout the week. Today's bottom line discussion is that God owns all. So, whether something is taken away from you or given to you, it's not really yours. When things don't go the way you like them to, it's important to remember that there's a masterplan for you. It happens God's way, on God's time, for God's good. So, rejoice in what you have AND what you don't. I dare you to challenge that.

Normalcy

2009-05-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

As the title of the blog states, I believe things are getting back to normal. After April, I am happy this is the case.

Housesitting this week has been very relaxing. No nighttime interruptions. Also, not much unpacking/really cleaning up the apartment. That is on the agenda for tomorrow. I also have to get to WalMart and a grocery store, then have lunch with a friend before work at 3pm. Lots to do. Saturday isn't much better as far as being busy goes, but I am really looking forward to a booked schedule where there are a lot of fun activities on the agenda!

Today, I'll ask this question: Have you ever pulled paper towels out of a dispenser and they're so jam-packed into the dispenser that they just tear? That happens a lot in my facility of employment. It kind of irks me. Anyone else?

Sleeping In

2009-05-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

I hate it.

Some people love it. And some days, sure, I really need to do so. (Or, at least, when I am really tired I convince myself that I need it.) Most days, though, I work a lot better on about 4-6 hours of sleep as opposed to the 7-8 recommended.

Why discuss this today?

Last night, Ben and I both stayed at his parents' house. (He had to be up early for a meeting out this way.) I got up at 5:30AM with him and we had breakfast and coffee. The pivital part of the morning was when Ben left. I was awake enough to stay up, but I fought that urge and went back to bed. And slept until 10:00AM. I should have stayed up and watered the plants, taken a shower, gotten some things together at my old apartment...

The reason that I bring this up is that I am in the process of changing a lot of things in my life. I think getting up at a decent hour daily is going towards the top of the list. So, as much as I will regret posting this, I encourage you to call me and get me up. Early if needed.

Parking Garages

2009-05-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Does anyone dislike parking garages?

Most of the time, I love parking garages. When there is inclimate weather, they keep your car covered. Sometimes they even have cameras, which create a sense of security.

I work in a huge facility that has a parking garage for employees. It sits about 4 blocks away from the facility itself. This is somewhat understandable because being in a city, there is not much room for huge parking complexes. However, this garage fills up pretty quickly. They have an overflow garage which also fills up pretty quickly. (And the overflow garage is a primary garage for another facility...)

Another thing that bothers me about said facility is the fact that the employees that actually do park there have no idea as to how to park in ONE parking space. There are lines. You park inbetween them. This is not a difficult concept, right?

There are security guys who patrol the garage pretty much on an hourly basis. Do you think a proper solution would be to ticket people who take up more than one spot? I would say that it's not a big deal if these drivers were slim in numbers. However, they are not. *sigh*

I still love my garage. I can normally find a place to park after driving around for about 20 minutes. As long as I have some time to spare, it works out.

Sweet Deal

2009-05-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

This week is going to be pretty awesome. I'm house sitting out in West County for Ben's parents in their sweet place. It's like a vacation except that I'm about 20 minutes from home. Last night was the first night staying here. I'm sleeping in the master bedroom. The bed is bigger than mine (bonus plan) and the sheets are undescribably comfortable. The house is nestled right around 270 and Manchester, and you'd be surprised how quiet is it out here. Much quieter than my new apartment, where car alarms are going off at 2am, there's a cat on the roof crying all night, and some of the people in the apartment building next to me like to play some Indian music around 3am.

Speaking of the new apartment, I am slowly but surely getting settled in. I am trying to take my time and not be stressed out over any unpacking, but I have a game night planned for next Saturday night so I have to have everything done by then.

Staying out in a cozy place for a week should really give me some insight on some things I've had on my mind for quite some time now. I plan on enjoying the thinking time as well as the room!

Why?

2009-05-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you understand what I huge football fan I am. I have a deep love for the game (especially my Steelers). It may not match my excitement for the game of hockey, but it does come a close second.

A few days ago, Brett Favre decided that maybe he should come out of retirement (again) and play football. This is the second time he will come out of retirement, if he really decides to do so. Retirement is a huge deal. When I think about where I'd like to be by the time I'm 70, the word "retired" is most definitely my preferred option. However, this takes a lot of planning. I would prefer to know 100% that I could take care of myself (and my spouse), as well as my children and grandchildren. Bottom line: a lot of hard work, and a lot more money to be saved. Still, totally doable. I doubt anyone would argue that it would be nice to have all of this by the time you're 39 years of age.

Look, Mr. Favre, we all have to think pretty heavily about retirement. But to be at such a young age and have complete financial stability for generations to come AND to go out on the top of your game? I think this is something most individuals only dream of.

All I'm saying is that when anyone decides to retire, it means you stop doing what you've been doing for a living. So, Brett Favre, STOP! Not only are you causing me to roll my eyes when ESPN covers another "coming out of retirement" story, but in the end it's like someone telling me the story of the little boy who cried wolf. I've heard it for many years, and it, as well as you playing football, is getting really old.

Ugh.

2009-05-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

I think I'm on my way down a road that is going to change everything for the better. I just hate that feeling of nervousness that is present at the beginning of anything new... Oh well.

On another note, today I attempted to make a decent breakfast. Bottom line? I need to practice making a decent breakfast. So today I will ask, if anyone has any good recipes/ideas/suggestions, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

I think the only time I ever cared about Cinco de Mayo was in Spanish class in junior high.

Anyway, today I've gotten a lot accomplished. I chopped up all the veggies/fruits I bought at the store on Sunday, went through a couple of boxes I've been neededing to sift through, among some other things. I packed a lunch, took a shower, then took off for work. Not until I got onto the north campus did I realize that I had left my lunch in the fridge at home. It's not that it was something super delicious or exciting, but it was a lot healthier than what I'm going to pick up at Children's cafeteria later on tonight. Boo!!!

Frustrations abound.

Yesterday

2009-05-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a pretty awesome day if I do say so myself. It may not have started off on the right foot, but it was quickly turned around.

I woke up with some really bad allergy issues. I know a lot of people that have allergy troubles, but this year it seems to be worse than the ones before. I was not really all there in church (my head apparently decided to become super congested). After church, Ben had a baseball game. I couldn't really sit out for the entire game and watch it (see: allergy-related issues). Instead, I headed to Mid Rivers Mall. I will state that I am not a mall person. In fact, I don't really like spending money or shopping unless it is to purchase fun electronic gadgets (or head to Goodwill to get great deals on things I probably don't need). This trip was a little different though. I am trying to explore the Saint Louis area since I have recently become a resident of the city. So this trip was more about getting out and seeing a new part of the area I hadn't seen before. It was a worthwhile trip. I got a few Card's t-shirts for the game I'm going to next Saturday. Mid Rivers also has a Slacker's CDs and Games within the mall. In case you are not familiar with Slacker's, they specialize in the resale of music, DVDs, and video games. AKA a really fun place for me to waste some time when needed. I wandered around for quite some time, with nothing really catching my eye. I looked for some DVDs I have been wanting (which they didn't have), checked out the comic book section (yep, you read that right), and peered into what they had to offer concerning Game Cube games. I had already chatted with the guy behind the register (because I like being friendly) and had said the "Goodbye, enjoy the day" conversation. I was on my way out, then BOOM! I spotted it. A 2 DVD set that I knew I had to buy- Coheed's "Neverender" live from NYC set. I have been so busy this month (and pretty much the beginning of this year as well) that I was not even aware that the awesomeness had been released on DVD. Think that's exciting? I haven't even gotten to the best part of the day yet.

After actually enjoying a trip to a mall, I headed back to watch some of Ben's ball game. I didn't get to see much, except for a grand slam for the WIN! (Okay, Ben was not the one who got the grand slam, but it was still awfully sweet!) We left the game, home to let him shower and change for work, and then we had the pleasure of attending a family picnic. My cousin Christy and her family were in town from Florida, so it was nice to be able to visit with them.

After dropping Ben off at work around five, my plan was to go back to my apartment and continue the never-ending process of unpacking and going through all of my things. While that's really what I should have done for the remainder of the night until I met Ben back at Llywelyn's, I really only did that for a short period of time.

The aforementioned DVD was really calling my name.

So.

I put my cell phone on silent and only checked it every so often. I didn't even bother trying to connect to the free wifi that I found floating through the air in my living room. Instead I turned out the lights, opened the windows, grabbed a sweet Coors Light and threw in said DVD. Best DVD purchase ever? Why yes, it was. And you bet your rear end that I danced around my living room until I went back to Llywelyn's.

Besides the obvious, why, should are probably asking, is this so very awesome?

My answer to that question is that I cannot remember the last night I just decided to focus completely on myself. Yes, I should really get that unpacking completely done, but I've done a pretty good job of getting to where I currently stand. I could have done laundry, but I've got all kinds of time to do that. Bottom line is, I rarely have the time to spend on myself. Most of the time when that opportunity arises, I end up doing some sort of busy work, because I am used to being overwhelmed. Last night was the exacty opposite of overwhelming. It was liberating. Plus, I've got all of 'Heed's songs in a live version now. Pretty sweet if you ask me.

I encourage you all to do these sorts of things for yourself every so often. (And, really, I plan on practicing what I preach from now on, so to say.) And if you like Coheed, I really do suggest this DVD. If the idea of having their entire library on DVD isn't tempting enough, they do a cover of IM's "The Trooper" that pretty much melted my face off. I put it back together, but barely. ;)

Oh, the Beginning of May...

2009-05-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Things are off to a great start.

Courtney and I were discussing earlier in the week getting coffee this morning, but it didn't work well with her schedule. Instead, I woke up (at a decent hour, mind you) and unpacked a few things. I also rearranged the living room. Maybe just a little more time there and I'll have everything finished up.

Today, while in the shower, I left the door open. (Hey, I wanted to hear the iPod speakers that were in the living room, and these are the joys of living alone.) Of course, that little silly grey kitten follows me into the bathroom and I start the shower. She's looking as if she's thinking about jumping in, and I keep saying "NO!" (a word both of my cats completely understand). I get on in and start washing, when I look behind me, and there's a little grey kitten in the back of the shower. Mad because she's soaking wet. If only animals would listen...

I got a check in the mail today from my previous landlord. Got to put that in the bank.

With Fun May getting off to a decent start despite the craptastic weather, I am really looking forward to the month, and this weekend when my cousin and her family are coming in from Florida. Be safe Christy!

Good Day!

2009-04-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

What's good about today? It's the last day of quite possibly the worst month of my life. Two moves, a death, a minimized vacation, and a car that was broken into... That's not on my list of good months.

Because I am an eternal optimist, I would like to cover the good things that come from a bad month.

First of all, I got off early today. We were done pretty early, so I took a bow and ran out. In fact, I ran to Ben's house. On the way, I picked up a six pack of Shock Top, one of my favorite beers. Since, I've enjoyed a handsome man, a beer, some spaghetti, and The Office.

Second of all, Ben has made made next month "Fun May", where we pack as many fun things into the month as possible. Because it's my thing, I am making CDs for the event(s). It's something I am looking forward to, although I don't plan on the stoppage of fun come June 1st.

And lastly, I switched my facebook language to Pirate. Quite awesome if you ask me.

Something You Should All See

2009-04-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today, I have movies on the brain. By no stretch of the imagination are they great movies; for those who follow me on facebook, I posted a Gigli reference today. May as well cover that business first.

Look, we knew Gigli was going to be terrible. It's Ben Affleck and J-Lo together. In a film. If you haven't seen it, I won't even tell you what it's about. Partially because I cannot remember. Also, because the parts I can remember are very highly inappropriate. Why see this? Because we could get in for free. And Rachel Melton and I love ridiculousness, so why not? Also, Barnes went (how we got in for free). We couldn't bring ourselves to tell the child selling us the tickets that we were going to see this particular film, so we told him we were seeing American Pie. It was as bad as one would expect. Problem is, after seeing it, I wanted to show someone else how terrible it was. So I did. Which means I've seen it more than once. I am not proud of this fact. Although hearing J-Lo's vagina speech in the movie reminded me a lot of that time Christy and I (and someone else, but I can't remember who) saw Originial Sin in theathers with a bunch of old people. If you saw that film, you understand why that was a problem.

Another movie, one which I highly recommend to everyone, is Black Sheep. Nope, not talking about the Chris Farley movie. This movie is an australian film which weresheep. It's quite possibly the funniest film I've ever seen. It was revisited in my mind today because Dustin received it from Netflix on Friday and watched it this weekend. I promise you all that if you ask him, he would totally back me up on how funny it is. I heard of this movie one night through Carolyn, who saw a preview for it and had to call me at work. (Speaking of Carolyn, you should all ask me in person how we got to be great friends.) If you want to see a preview, it's here: http://www.blacksheep-themovie.com/.

If you've seen any terribly bad movies that end up being hilarious, please send them my way. I love that stuff.

My New Addiction

2009-04-26T20:43:00.001-07:00

Without going into detail, I will say I've been addicted to many things in my life, most of which have subsided by now. But today I think I have a new addiction, one that isn't as bad as those before it.

My friend Rachel listens to online sermons on a regular basis, and I have recently had an interest in listening to them as well. When she was home over Easter weekend, not only did she give me some EASTER JAMS!, but also told me of a link with really great online sermons. The link is: http://www.journeyon.net/sermon-list/. This is a church my friends Christy and Tom attend.

Today is my first day listening to these online sermons. Right now it's about ten til 11pm, and I've been listening almost continuously since about 5:30pm. That's a pretty good run. Not that I've been sitting here all night doing nothing listening. I've been unpacking and setting up things... and listening. Hey, I'm pretty good at multitasking.

Anyway, if listening to sermons is your thing, I would really suggest checking out the link. If not, disregard it and go check out www.graphjam.com. That's almost equally as cool.

I always pick the best days.....

2009-04-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

...to move.

Last time, it was pouring down rain, and my furniture was a little wet. This time, it's crazy warm outside for April and poor Ben worked his rear end off to help me get everything moved today. I am seriously a lucky girl, because I did very little actual moving and more unpacking than anything else.

Things are slowly coming together, but I still have a long way to go. This time, while unpacking, I am going to be pulling things out to take to Goodwill. I have already been through the bedroom and I've got three boxes ready to go. I have a lot of kitchen things as well, so I assume I will have at least one more box from that room. This new place doesn't have a lot of extra storage, so I feel pretty good getting rid of some of my things as well as giving back by way of donation.

All in all, I am happy to have all of my belongings in one place now. (THANK YOU BEN!) It's a nice small apartment with all hardwood floors. It's a place I can see myself staying in for at least a year (hey, not just because I signed a year lease), and maybe a little longer depending on how things end up playing out. The only problem I can spot is that I can't find a strong enough free wifi signal. : )

As a final thought, I am thankful for all of you who support me (whether it be here or long-distance). This month has been a rough one, and I am looking forward to getting things back to normal.

I Feel Much Better

2009-04-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

Today was a good day. Actually, I've been feeling much better ever since last night, but today's happenings were equally as good as yesterday's.

With the car window in a non-commissioned state, I don't want to drive it until I have it repaired (which happens tomorrow morning). Good news? Ben gets to drive me around for two days. Yesterday when he picked me up, he got to come in and meet everyone I work with (or, rather, my shift of people, the good ones). That was fun and good for everyone. Then dinner and a movie. It was a peaceful night.

This morning, I packed as much as I could before George got to my place in Soulard to help move. Then Ben showed up, and I basically didn't have to do too much, which was nice. I've been joking all day that I'm about 78% moved, which probably is a great guess. The rest will be completely finished on Saturday, which gives me the rest of the weekend to set things up.

The new place, off Chippewa and Gravois, is a lot smaller than the place in Soulard, but I really prefer it that way. It gives me a chance to get rid of a lot of things I hang onto and don't need. AKA- make a really large Goodwill donation.

Also, Roxanne, if you're reading this, tell Maury I'll be over to steal a microwave. : )

Stupid Hoodlums

2009-04-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

I should recap the last few months of my life, to give everyone the big picture.

January was a great month. My Steelers won the Superbowl, I got to meet the greatest man ever (and he fell hook, line, and sinker), hockey was still on TV.

February was okay. My car was totaled by a hit and run driver outside of Ben's apartment on February 7th. On Valentine's Day, I got a new car. A really cool new car.

March was relatively uneventful, but I prefer it that way.

April... well April kinda sucks. The first part of April I moved into a new place in Soulard, only to find out two days later that the building I am staying in is being sold. I was told I had to be out by the 27th, which is next Monday. I found out that I had a place about a week and a half ago, about a minute or so from Ben's, which is nice. Everyone came home for Easter last weekend, and that was fun. The Friday before Easter, when I left work, I officially started vacation, as Ben and I had a planned trip to Chicago. We were to leave Wednesday afternoon and come home Sunday. Monday morning, my grandma passed away, which pushed my vacation off until Friday and made what I thought was to be a pretty relaxed week into a really crazy week. I came back to work yesterday (Tuesday), and this week is pretty busy within itself. I've been trying to pack everything I own because I move AGAIN tomorrow (into my new place). To make things even better, this morning when I awoke, I found that some hoodlums has busted my driver's side window in my car and stole my CDs.

With that said:
Things I am thankful for:
First, and obviously most importantly, Benjamin. If not for him, I would NOT be sane right now. Or, at least, I wouldn't be holding onto whatever sanity I still have left.
Second, caffeine. I haven't had a great night's sleep in a while now. I'm tired.
Third, a really good Blues game last night. I love you, my Saint Louis Blues. Thanks for a great season!
Fourth, my snuggly cats. They sense when things are wrong, and they've been extra lovey lately.
Fifth, my evening shift friends at work. The random things we talk about keep a smile on my face.
Sixth, Duets. No explanation needed.
Seventh, music.

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there are more things, but my brain is fried.

Too Much

2009-04-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

This week has been so overwhelming. A death, wake, funeral, trip to chicago (and back) all within about 7 days. I am tired, sad, exhausted. At the same time, I have been humbled and am so happy. Huge life events bring out a lot in us. Whether those things be good or bad, it doesn't matter. They just bring themselves out.

The trip to Chicago would have been better if it would have happened another week. I think I packed too much into the week. Problem is, if I would have canceled, I would not have been able to see my significant other until today. With everything going on, I think I just needed to be where he ways. Hence, a 36-hour stay in Chicago. Plus, I got to visit with Roxanne a little, which made me feel a ton better as well.

In the end, I am very glad I went. The comforts of home are nice, but there are other comforts that are more important when everything is said and done.

Gratitude

2009-04-16T19:36:00.001-07:00

Everytime a major event happens in life, I grow more thankful for everything I have. This extends through so much: God, friends, family, being able to make choices...

Today is a great chance to focus on what I am so thankful to have.

I am thankful for the ability to make choices. That said, I have been feeling this pull to go back into teaching (as a major). I have discussed this with the most important person, and I've got support and backup. My goal in life has always been to help people in my career choice. I know I'll make a great teacher. I'm excited to get back into the field again.

I am thankful for my family and friends. The turnout at the wake tonight was unreal. Everything was beautiful and I am so humbled by those who extend themselves.

I am thankful for Ben, who is an outstanding man and supporting me from Chicago via calls and texts. Don't want to find out where I'd be without him.

And of course, I am thankful to God for giving me all of the above, and everything I have in this world. I am so lucky.

All I ask today is that you all say a prayer for my family tomorrow. It will not be an easy day, but we will make it through.

Vacation

2009-04-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

This week I have been on vacation. Ben and I planned a trip to Chicago a few months back, and this is the week we were going. With the death of my grandma, things have changed a little. Ben is leaving on the train today at 3, and I will stay in town for the wake and funeral, then leave on Friday at 3. I have a feeling that timing is going to be good for me; I will be ready to skip town, and have an almost five-hour-long train ride to clear my head. Saturday we are seeing a band called Fundamental Elements. Even though it's a shortened trip, I am looking forward to it.

This morning I have been thinking about how nice it is to have a vacation. I don't think I have taken an entire week off in at least three years... Or, it doesn't feel as if I have. Even under the circumstances, it has been an okay week.

Yesterday was a great day. I didn't set an alarm and got about six loads of laundry done. (Hey, not all of that is mine...) I traded $500 for the keys to my new apartment. When I went to do so, I got to see the work they are putting into the place. Everything is looking really nice. The walls are almost done being painted and the woodwork is also close to being finished. The tile in the bathroom looks really great. I can't really move my things in until next week, but to be honest, even if I could I don't think I would have the time until then anyway.

Ben and I also got to do something yesterday that doesn't happen often at all. We enjoyed a sit-down dinner AND a movie in the same night. Dinner at Blueberry Hill, which is where we met up for the first time outside of Llywelyn's. (On a side note, I would recomment BH's cheddar cheese balls.) As for the movie... where do I begin?

You all understand that I have an extreme liking of really REALLY bad movies. The ones that are so bad they are just too funny. Well Ben, although not as strong as my liking, also doesn't mind said movies. This is great, because I get to talk him into the terrible ones every so often. Last night's debacle? Duets starring Huey Lewis (and not the News). I would recommend the movie because A.) it has Huey, and B.) he sings Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright". I would post what Ben's review would be, but I will leave that up to him. (Because I am 100% sure I know what he's going to say.)

My plan for today is equally as great. I am lucky enough to get to spend the morning hours with Ben and then drop him at the train station. After that... I think some of my day will be used to begin packing for Chicago, as with the wake tomorrow and funeral Friday I doubt I will have time after today to do so. Also- I am going to play video games. I mean, I play on sitting on a couch and maybe playing Zelda's Twilight Princess until my eyes hurt. Or heck, maybe even play some online games. But that's all I could come up with to fill my day. After all, I still AM on vacation.

National High Five Day

2009-04-14T07:28:00.001-07:00

I doubt I will have time to post this one in the next few days, and I really want everyone to know beforehand.

Thursday is National High Five Day. You should High Five everyone you know! There's a Cards/Cubs game on, so you could watcht that and let loose. Or, if the weather improves (and I believe it is supposed to), you can high five about that. Just find every reasonable excuse to slap hands.

Where do I start?

2009-04-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

This morning, about 6am, I woke up to see that I had a new voicemail. You know that bottomless pit that grows in your stomach when you just know something isn't right? Mine was swelling rapidly.

It was my dad telling me that my grandma on my mom's side had passed in the early morning. At first, it didn't hit me. In fact, it took about 8 hours to hit me. And then it hit me hard.

Today, all I ask is that you say a prayer for my family.

Fabulous Weekend

2009-04-11T15:44:00.001-07:00

What a weekend it has been already! Everyone came home last night and I was lucky enough to be done with work pretty early. Headed over to the grocery store to get some goodies, and then home where everyone (well... almost everyone... we were missing a couple people) got to come and hang. Then a trip to Llywelyn's to see/meet Ben, which was fun. (Although Tiny Cows were not playing that night, much to the disappointment of Rachel Melton.) Today I was lucky enough to get to attend my dear friend Christy's bridal shower at Helen Fitzgeralds in Sunset Hills. Everything about it was fantastic: fun games, great people, good food...

As for right now, I'm sitting in my living room getting ready to put the finishing touches on Summer Jams, which are looking amazing as is... but will be outstanding with said improvements.

Tomorrow I am blessed enough to be invited to an all-day Muehleisen family Easter. Church in the morning, BLUES game in the afternoon, dinner in the evening. This pretty much means a blog tomorrow is out, but at least you know what I'll be up to.

So, celebrate Christ tomorrow (and everyday as far as I'm concerned) and LET'S GO BLUES!!!!!

Happy Good Friday!!, part II

2009-04-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know about my apartment situation:

I just found out I got the apartment I looked at last Saturday. : )

'Tis a GREAT Friday indeed!

Happy Good Friday!!

2009-04-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today is a super important day.

First of all, I encourage you to celebrate Christ today.
Second of all, if you're my friend and you're in town today/don't have anything to do, I encourage you to come to my house tonight!!!! YAY!!!!!

That's it. Got a super busy, awesomely fun weekend ahead. Enjoy this Great Day!

Easter, part II

2009-04-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

How did I forget the Cadbury Eggs?? I eat them oddly. I eat just enough off the top to get my pinky inside and then I dig the goodness out. And that sound completely filthy.

What do you think about the worst candy ever? I'm going with Peeps. Just disgusting.

Easter

2009-04-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

I really love Easter, for a TON of different reasons. One of them (not being the most important) is the fact that there is a lot of great candy in grocery stores. I don't eat candy on a regular basis. However, around this time of year, I just want a huge basket full of the stuff.

Today, I thought it would be fun to talk about our favorite candy. Some of mine are: chocolate covered strawberries (I consider them a candy, what do you think?), Milky Ways, Twix, any kind of plain smooth chocolate (especially that Dove stuff.... wow), 3 Musketeers, Mike & Ike's, Sour Straws, Reese's Pieces, Sixlets... I think I like candy a lot more than what I thought before...

That is all for right now. Well, besides to say that I am really looking forward to getting out of work on Friday. Freinds will be home and I will be off for a week and have a trip to Chicago planned. So excited!

Just another day...

2009-04-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

I slept until 10am today. I don't like doing that. However, I decided after a Blues WIN last night (make that STOMPING of Pheonix) I would just turn off my phone before I went to bed. I never do so. End result? No alarm, and I wake up at 10am on the dot. It is what it is.

Today really is just another day. I have not heard from Wash U yet, which is slightly irritating, but I understand that I am just not supposed to know yet. Everything comes at the time at which it is meant to come. Wouldn't you agree?

Twice in one day

2009-04-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever blogged twice in the same day, but today deserves two blogs.

It's a great day! I got up and played around on my free wifi (also what I'm doing now), and went to the bank and got a money order and stamps to mail off to the real estate company for my credit check. Should know if I get the apartment in the next two to three days. I ripped myself a CD of the ridiculous tunes I bought off iTunes last night and took it into the car/to work as well. Included in that mess was a song by the band Dangerous Toys, called "Sport'n a Woody". Yes, you did read that correctly. It is the dirtiest song I have ever heard (yes, dirtier than "Hot Cherie"), so I decided to google the entire song lyrics. It's so bad it's worth a share, so here goes: http://www.lyrics.com/index.php/artists/lyric/dangerous-toys-p-12684-lyrics-sportn-a-woody-t-1944254.

Have fun with those lyrics. (I know you're laughing, Rox.)

I also had about three really good TWSS's at work. (For those unaware, TWSS translates to That's What She Said, a great game to play.) On a normal day, I would say I top out at two. Today was especially funny.

Another funny thing that happened: On a day in which my friend Matt McCormick is working, I will almost always demand a three-minute shoulder rub. A little background: Matt is the charge nurse in the O.R. And I am always tense after the day shift leaves because they are always cranky. So after they leave, I head down to the main O.R. desk where everyone sits at the end of the day. We trade shoulder rubs, then back to work. It breaks up the day and that's nice. Today was no different. I went down to visit, but this time was much funnier than normal.

While getting my shoulder rub, Matt found what I would call a kink in my shoulder. Then this conversation happened: (And FYI, Marti is an awesome nurse who works at the desk daily.)
Matt: That's tight.
Marti: What?
Me: Matt found a kink in my shoulder.
Marti: Well, we always knew you were kinky.
Matt: I didn't even know that.
Marti: How would you know?!
Matt: UUUHHHHH....
Me: What the hell just happened?!
And then we all laughed.

To top things off, I got Qudoba for free for dinner tonight. Life is pretty good. : )

This is a good one

2009-04-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

It's short and sweet, but I can't stop thinking about how true it is.

Some things in my life way be in complete disarray right now. However, I trust in God that there is a reason for it. In fact, I now understand that He has shown me that while a lot can be wrong, but having someone by your side that you know is not going to go anywhere; someone who is always going to support you, no matter what; someone who cares for you just as much as you care for them; that is the important piece of the puzzle. Finally understanding that is awesome for me. : )

Back to being happy

2009-04-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

The last week has really been a test for me, in a number of areas. I am trying to be a better person in a number of areas (being more patient is one of them), and it was a stretch this week. For those of you I've been in touch with, I will apologize for not being myself lately. However, I think this weekend really helped in a lot of ways.

Friday morning was rough. Looked at a place around 8am, and right after I looked at it, the person who looked at it the day before put in their application. I had another appointment at 12pm, but they called before the appointment and said someone had just rented it. I was bumming.

The guy who took me to look at the first apartment called me back that afternoon and said they had just recently bought and are rehabbing another building just a few blocks away from the first one I saw. So Saturday I went to look at that apartment, and I like it more than the first. It should be done in a week or two, and as long as I pass the credit check, I should be A-OK. I have my fingers crossed, for a few reasons. I am really REALLY sick of looking at apartments, and this one is pretty close to Benjamin. That will be nice.

After looking at the apartment, I decided it was a nice day to sit outside. So I grabbed some laundry, beer, and cigs, and headed to Ben's place. Sat on the deck for a while, played around online, listened to some tunes, got my laundry done... All in all, felt a lot better.

Today was awesome. Church with the manfriend and Mom in the morning, pizza for lunch and a nap and hockey in the afternoon... and now I'm hanging out. I am 100% sure that Sundays are my favorite days of the week.

Haven't heard from Wash U yet, and if I haven't heard from them by Tuesday, I am going to call the director and see what's up. I've prayed a lot about this, and if it's supposed to happen, it will. If not, something else will come about. I have faith in that.

Huey Lewis and the News

2009-04-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Again, I am trying to stay optimistic here... So I am writing about things that make me smile. Two things happen when I write these blogs: I smile, and some of you get to a: relive a story, or b: hear a new one. If you're in the latter half of that second part of the equation, feel free to ask questions as to what I am talking about if I do not clarify a story well enough.

With that said...

While driving to work today (and, oddly enough, earlier this week as well) I heard "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News on the radio. (I read a poll somewhere a while back that ranked this at number 2 on the "worst songs ever" list.) Yeah, Huey Lewis (with or without the News) is funny. But they become funnier if you're Rachel, Roxanne, or myself.

A few years back after Roxanne's dad passed, the three of us were in the Provence basement going through some of Myron's old records. Roxanne comes across this beauty of a record, Sports, that included the solid hit "I Want a New Drug". I will forever remember the look on Roxanne's face when she pulled that out of the stack. It said many things. The strongest sentence her face would have said is, "WHY THE HELL DOES MY FATHER OWN THIS?!?". And if you know Rox, you SO KNOW that's true.

Needless to say, I laugh at HL&TN all the time. But especially during this special song.

Glen Fest

2009-04-01T18:48:00.001-07:00

These past few days have been pretty crappy, but I'm trying to keep my optimism. (This is at the urging of my father.) So I should probably post about things that make me happy. Here goes.

Right before I got the call that I would have to move (again), I was leafing through my photos and working on a fun project. I came across a lot of fun photos, but some in particular brought back some memories I had totally forgotten about.

Specifically, the time we went to Glen Fest.

For those unaware, Glen Fest is Glen Carbon IL's homecoming. It has improved in the past few years and now happens ON Main Street on a Saturday and Sunday. But back in the day when we attended (that one time), it was held on church grounds. And it was special, to say the least.

I found the picture of Rach, Barnes, and myself on the bus that shuttled us across Main Street. Also for those unaware, Main Street in GC is about as wide as my thumb. AKA- you don't need a bus to cross the street.

I found another picture of the sidewalk some genius permanently marked. With the words "smoke a bowl". In the cement before it dried. Don't think that's funny? Read above where I stated this was on church grounds.

Also on the same night, for some reason, we went to TeePee (Hey, Rox, did I spell that right?) and danced in front of the sign. In this photo, we look as if we were rapping. Or something. Rach was wearing the oh-so-infamous Mountain Dew hat.

I did find other fun things, which I will save for another blogging day. =)

I spoke too soon

2009-03-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

Last night at about 7pm, my new landlord called.

And said that he's selling the building and I have to move out.

This is the place I just moved into on Saturday. Sunday I spent all day unpacking everything I own.

I have yet to punch someone in the face. I do, however, believe it would make me feel MUCH better.

New things

2009-03-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

I am officially a resident of Soulard! With the help of Ben and George, all of my things were moved on Saturday. Yes, we did it in the rain, and my matress and futon were soaked, but I am estatic to be in Missouri! This leaves me closer to work and school and my Ben. =)

Speaking of work, my second interview with Wash U is this Wednesday at 9am. I am really stoked about this. Wash U has great benefits: the health and dental are reasonably priced, 22 vacation days starting out is super awesome, and since most of the employees are doctors, there are a lot of paid holidays and no weekends or weeknights to work. But overall, just being able to say "Yeah, I work for Washington University" is pretty cool. Also, I have been seeking out a career opportunity that will allow me to help others. This position would be perfect for that.

That's what is going on today. One end thought though: if anyone has a microwave they want to sell (for really cheap) or just give to me, I would TOTALLY welcome that.

Big week

2009-03-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

All this week I've been packing and moving, working, little sleep, then repeat. It's seriously wearing me down. Tomorrow is the big move, though. Starting at my old place at ten, all of the big ticket items are getting moved! I'm really excited and looking forward to being in the city for the first time ever!

Also, today I got a call back for a 2nd interview at Wash U. Pray and cross fingers, toes, and elbows for me. This job is something I would love to do and I know I'd be great at it. =)

Have a lovely weekend, and let's hope it doesn't rain tomorrow!

It has been entirely too long....

2009-03-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a weird time, these blog-less days...

But it has also been busy! I've been keeping things moving along with school. The first class is going swimmingly, and I am actually learning much more than I originally believed I would. My professor doesn't believe in tests or quizzes, so grading is based strictly upon understanding the material and presenting it in class. Works perfectly for me, and I expect to do great.

I've been on a few job interviews now, one for a data entry position here at Barnes-Jewish in the pre-lung transplant department. I should know whether or not I got that job by the end of this week. Today I interviewed for a position with Washington University as a pharmacy technician. It encompasses retail and IV prep, both of which I have experience with. Without going into depth, I'll just say that this position sounds extrememly interesting and right up my alley. By the end of this week or early next week, I will know whether or not I have a second interview, and subsequently from there will know if I am offered the position. Say a prayer, and keep your fingers crossed!!

I will be moving into an apartment in Soulard very soon. That's super exciting! The place is huge and I got a great deal on it. I'm really looking forward to being in the city!

That's it for now. It felt good to get all of that out.

Small request

2009-03-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Today, just say some extra prayers for me. =)

And check this picture. It's my dad, myself, my Great Grandpa Phillips, and my bro. It's making me smile today.

What a headache

2009-03-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

I've got this headache because I keep trying to pick out my top ten bands (of right now) and I just cannot make up my mind.

I realized I had forgotten to post about class on Monday. It was pretty sweet. We had to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on a current event relating to corporate communications. It's March, so I chose the increase of email communication and decrease in work productivity due to March Madness. Pretty simple if you don't mind talking in front of people and really like ESPN. And that took up the entire class. Plus I got out early and got to see my manfriend. Always a plus.

I took a typing test today for two different jobs I can transfer into at Barnes. That's super cool. Pray for me (and for those of you that don't do that sort of thing, cross your fingers). I'm excited to get a Monday through Friday day job. =)

I have what I consider a "real" date tomorrow. This consists of dinner and a hockey game. All of this begins before the hour of 10pm. Also good.

That's it for today.

Best present ever

2009-03-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last night I got the best present anyone has ever gotten me. The best ones are always the ones in which thought was placed. This one had a lot of thought. So thanks to Benjamin for purchasing a children's bible for me so that I can get caught up on the "meat" of the book in accordance with reading my own NIV study bible. (Oh, and the other presents were great as well.)

That's really it for today. Other than to say I am undoubtedly the luckiest girl on this planet. I'm heading home shortly to do some biblical reading and perhaps begin to compile my favorite bands/albums.

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Really REALLY quickly

2009-03-09T15:09:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting in a Bread Co. using free WiFi before class, which means that this post should be short. You should all check the music blog, because it's funny and it made me feel a little happier writing it.

I'm really stressing today because of a few things; mainly, I've got class in 45 minutes and I have to give a PowerPoint presentation. I have no idea why I'm worried. The content is fun, the speech is great... but for some reason I'm anxious. I have a feeling that it has to do with the fact that I have job interviews tomorrow, and I'm just hoping all goes well. I am needing a change and will be very grateful when that change comes. So I hope everyone says a prayer for me tonight. I'll say one for myself, but it's not like a few more would hurt people.

As a sidenote: Why must people insist on being rude when there is no reason to be? I have little to no patience when this happens. Arg.

What a view I have

2009-03-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up feeling less-than-well with a sore throat that I would wish on no one. After some coheresing of myself and a lot of cups of warm tea, I feel MUCH better.

I am super lucky to have the friends I do (that includes all of you), but today I am super lucky to have the Lynch's as two of my best friends.

You see, Chris and Carolyn are off in some foreign island on a wonderful tropical vacation. At first, anyone would be jealous. I know they're going to come back tanned and rested and ready for anything.

The beauty comes in this: I am house and dog sitting this afternoon. The house is on a lake and awesome and QUIET! And I love Grrrrrl, Dakota, and my Simon. I brought my computer and prepared a PowerPoint presentation for class tomorrow and almost fell asleep with a poodle mix on my lap. This is the epitome of relaxation. Now do you see the beauty?

More dog time now. And time on the deck to enjoy this gorgeous weather.

Hope everyone's weekend is swell!!

I feel semi-lost

2009-03-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

For the past week or so now, I have not had internet at my place of residence. Hence my feeling lost. I had just grown used to my love of blogging, then BAM!, no internet. Oh well.

This week has been pretty crazy. As previously blogged, I got to attend my first class. Since then, I have managed to round up a couple of job interviews for next week, and have one call I need to return for a third. This is a great sign, as I have been looking for a full-time day position, and all of the three jobs I've applied for fit that bill. The first job is at Saint John's Mercy Medical Center, where my cousin Beth works. This is just a patient transport job, but it would get my foot in the door. The other two jobs are both at Barnes-Jewish (where I currently work), and to be honest, I'd like to stay there if possible. Both jobs are desk jobs, and they both deal with the public. Right now, I'm stuck in a room five nights a week with the same people, having a minimal impact on patients directly. I am really hoping for an opportunity to work more directly with patients, as I feel that is my calling in life and this is God's will for me. One BJH job deals with radiation therapy patients, whereas the other deals with pre-lung transplant patients. I feel as though I could be a benefit to both types of patients. With that said, pray for me. =)

Also, today I took a trip to Circuit City. For those of you who live under a rock, they're going out of business and have crazy deals going on. I finally bought myself a new (WORKING!) laptop! I got it at about 65% of the original price, which is awesome. It's an HP Pavilion Entertainment PC. This thing comes with a friggin' remote. It's sweet!! I can't wait to get all of my goodies uploaded onto it and enjoy what it has to offer!

I got to talk to Beth today, who's home sick with Owen. The poor boy has a 103* fever that won't break and a double ear infection, so keep him in your thoughts.

Guess who else I got to talk to today: my Grandma B!! For those of you who have never had the pleasure of meeting her, she's just awesome. And the most undeniably sweet woman on this planet. Of course, the first thing the 81-year-old informed me of was that her hair is white because she got a haircut today. Oh, the perils of being a retired grandma...

Because I am not sure if I'll have the opportunity to write tomorrow or Sunday, I should recap this weekend. Here goes:
Saturday: go for a run, have lunch with Jess, maybe help Beth at the house, trivia with the Roethemeyers, hang out time with my way cool manfriend.
Sunday: sunday school, church, house and dog sit, homework, trivia.

Do you see how busy (read:FUN) my weekend is going to be? (I may have forgotten something... I feel as though I did....)

Have a productive, blessed weekend!!

I had almost forgotten

2009-03-04T16:04:00.001-08:00

Something cool happened this weekend and I have been so busy that I haven't posted about it yet. (The lack of home internet also doesn't help anything.)

On Friday of last week, I was really excited to see Stella play basketball the next day. That ended up not happening. I stayed up pretty darn late and couldn't wake up the next morning. (I should know that I really can't make too early Saturday morning plans because Ben works late on Fridays and my mind will not let me sleep without a goodnight call from him, which normally comes between 1 and 2am.) I ended up sleeping until around 10am and calling the Swalleys to apologize, which was immediately forgiven. (Thank God for really cool people who marry into families, right?) I actually ended up going over to see Bill, Ann Marie, Sophia and Stella and having lunch at the house. I got my new school pictures (yay!) and had a gymnastic show put on for me. We also discussed what the tooth fairy does with all of those teeth she collects...

Two REALLY cool things happened, though. Out of nowhere around the lunch table, Sophia (the one who favors me more) starts talking about mullets. FREAKING MULLETS. I am pretty sure my mouth dropped and stayed for a while. I ended up telling her how much that proves we're related, to which she responds "I know". However, I'm pretty sure she has no clue, really.

The other cool thing that happened? I played Wii bowling. That's pretty cool, since I haven't played in a while, but you want to know what's even cooler? I got SCHOOLED at Wii bowling. By a seven-year-old. Stella and I played a game together and she beat me. AND bowled a 216!! That's pretty impressive for a kid, I don't care if it's real bowling or not. At the end she just started shouting "Turkey!" and eventually, in the 10th frame, she got her turkey.

There's my weekend in a nutshell. It was super fun!

Anywho, today I got to sleep in and did some Biblical reading, along with some cleaning and some CD shopping. Good day, hope all of you are having one too!

I owe Roxanne BIGTIME

2009-03-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

I really, wholeheartedly do.

Yesterday's class (and beginning of an entirely new school life) went smoothly. I will not say that the class itself was that exciting. I get pretty board with orientation and getting the basics out of the way. However, the idea itself-- getting a business-field degree in a short amount of time while going to class two nights a week-- is so liberating. The course itself is going to be more interesting than originally thought. My professor is a really cool old dude that has about 20 doctorate degrees (slight exaggeration), and there are a few people who seem really down to earth and there for the right reasons. The examination of communication failure next week will be an exciting "real" first class.

Anyhow, I completely owe the Foxy Roxanne for this. You see, this gal has been pushing me for a while to just finish a degree. (Not to mention that her mom pushes as well whenever I am graced with her presence.) In an email filled with confusion, I explained to her that I needed guidence in which school to attend. Her response was just what I needed, and in the end, her knowledge of Saint Louis colleges (even from Chicago) really helped me decide on the right choice.

So, thanks Roxanne!

today's a big day

2009-03-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

I think the title says it all.

I start at Fontbonne University tonight and am 16 months away from obtaining my Bachelor Degree in Corporate Communications. It's sweet.

Thought I should talk about what I'm feeling at this moment: excited, completely freaked out, anxious, happy beyond belief, and I'll stop there because it will get long and complicated after that. I always get anxious right before starting school (except for K, I was super excited). This is a new place, new people, a new major. It's all friggin' NEW. The good thing is that I make it through class tonight, and I don't have class again until next Monday, and that's a blessing.

Maybe to take some of my nervousness away I should talk about other fun things...

The Watchmen comes out on Friday!! If you would like to be a nerd and see this with me, please let me know.
I am so excited to have a Chicago trip planned in April. Get ready, Chitown friends!!
My cousin, Beth, and myself are just a few weeks away from living together. It's exciting and I'm really looking forward to seeing her daily.

So, there are just a few things that I'm looking forward to. That tactic did not take away as much nervousness as planned. (You see moving and new school in the same paragraph, correct?!)

Moreover, I'm really excited about the future. Way excited. All I ask of you all is that you pray for me in the next few weeks. I've got a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it done.

Have a great Monday!

unsettling frustration

2009-02-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

As previously stated, I believe everything in my life is finally in its place. That is an amazing feeling in and of itself, but the things (individually) that are in their said places also make me happy daily. It's just one big happy circle. (I'm paraphrasing that, but thanks to Ben for quoting something like that last night.)

The only thing that is irking me is work. For a number of reasons. All of which I will not get into. If you want to know, just shoot me an email.

On to greater things.

These last few days have been so productive. I've gotten everything done for school (with the exception of applying for financial aid, which I'll do tomorrow), got my taxes done, started some laundry... you get the picture.

Tomorrow is going to be very fun for me. I have to get up waaaaay too early, but it is going to be worth it. Stella Bella Boo has a basketball game at 8am on the far end of Edwardsville. That means I have about a 35 minute drive to get to the YMCA to see her play. This is the reason my alarm clock is going to be going off way too early. It has been too long since I have seen my girls (I think Christmas was the last time). It sucks, but the time does fly by, and everytime I try to make a date with Stella, she tells me "Let me check my schedule". That statement started at the age of 5. Anyway, I got myself a new camera this past week. I missed my old one so greatly I finally caved and bought a new one. It's nothing fancy, but it will allow me to take pictures again. If you know me, you know how much I love my pictures. I will absolutely be taking my camera to the game tomorrow morning. After the game, I plan on making a trip out to the STL to my (almost) new diggs, my cousin Beth's house. Then it's probably back to finish up some laundry with the 'rents, followed by some Wendy Kniepp time. There aren't very many things as fun as Wendy Kniepp time, fused with Jess and Rami as well. It's pretty much entirely just going to kick butt.

So now that you know my plan for tonight and tomorrow, I'm off to put that into action. Have a great weekend!!

I'm overwhelmed

2009-02-25T19:20:00.001-08:00

Starting this coming Monday, I'll be enrolled full-time in a program that will allow me to obtain my bachelor's degree- in 16 months.

Pretty cool, right?

I'll be attending Fontbonne University, which is a Catholic school based in St. Louis. They have an OPTIONS program for students that are over the age of 23 and work full-time. There are five degrees to choose from. Based on my background in English, I have decided to pursuit the Bachelors of Arts in Corporate Communications. During a quiet dinner tonight at work, I whipped out the three books I received today when i turned in my registration form (and money). I read all of my preliminary materials, and started in on the nitty gritty stuff: the first two chapters of my textbook. I won't say that the topic of communication is at all foreign to me. In fact, I believe I am a pretty good communicator. But the topics are pretty interesting in the way they are presented within the book, which is great, because I was really hoping not to be bored.

For the next eight weeks, I go to class on Monday nights only. Afterward, I begin classes two nights per week. And that extends through the length of the program. Then I'm done. After a review of my transcript, I believe I will only have to take two or three extra classes to fill a few general ed requirements, but I can take those at a community college and save some money in the long run.

All I really want to say about this is that if anyone would have asked me six months ago if I would be this close to a degree, I would have said there wasn't a chance. Cool thing is that, within the last 2-3 months, it seems as if everything in my life is really falling into place. And to be honest, this is just the icing on the cake.

I try to be thankful daily for what I am given. On rough days, this is not close to easy. But on days like today, I am seriously overwhelmed by God's grace and what he has bestowed upon me. Likewise, I hope you all can see what you've been given and be thankful for that as well, even on the bad days.

Good day! And I'll certainly keep all posted on this busy life I've got going!

things that preoccupy my time

2009-02-24T18:04:00.001-08:00

Today is much better than yesterday. I've gotten a ton accomplished in the last few mornings, and hope to accomplish even more tomorrow. Then I can take a break.

Also, you may notice my increased effort of correct punctuation and capitalization. I'm doing that on purpose.

On a day-to-day basis, I will write down lists of things, such as: music I would like to try; things I need to do; things I want to do differently or better; and so on. Because i had a semi-breakdown yesterday, at work I wrote several lists. Mostly things I need to do more often to focus on myself and keep ME happy, as opposed to being available to everyone at anytime.

My point today is really the lists. It does sounds silly when I think about it: I write several lists daily. A lot. Most are not detailed and some really have no point. However, my mind is constantly going and I do NOT like to lose a great idea- it must be written down. I carry a full-size notebook with me pretty much every place I go. I encourage you to do this as well. Make sure you have a pen!

My last bit of list advice is my favorite part of writing a list: insert random things into your lists that will make you laugh. At the end of the night when recapping them, seeing something silly written in the middle of things you need to buy at Wal-Mart will at least get a smile. And sometimes the smile comes when you're exhausted and just don't think you can smile anymore that day.

On a day like today, however, I have not written a list. (Okay, I have added onto the lists from yesterday, so maybe I'm stretching the truth here a little.) Most days are not too busy for lists. However, when I get super funny links in my email, it's hard to worry about a list. Here's what I received this morning, with a message that read, "Have fun wasting several hours".

http://www.fmylife.com/ (Thank you B!)

And as stated, I hope you all have fun wasting several hours of your own time on this website and writing really long, useless lists. Good day!

wow

2009-02-23T16:23:00.001-08:00

just.... wow.

so today my father was at the wrong end of a semi-breakdown (on my end). not the way i prefer to start a morning.

since then, i've gotten a lot accomplished. (yay! and go me!) thing is, i'll probably be doing the same tomorrow. but i've already gotten the frustration out of my system, so tomorrow should pass without problem.

i will say that even with all i've accomplished today, my daily list of crap still has a lot on it. (of course, some are irrelevant. i put random things on there to put a smile on my own face when i recap at night.)

also, when returning home this afternoon to grab my things for work, i had realized i had not read my daily passage for today from my awesome book. (some of you don't necessarily know about this book. perhaps i'll fill you in sometime.) the topic for today was "losing control".... to which i laughed hysterically.

life is funny. especially mine when i make it. =)

holy hockey goal batman

2009-02-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

(you all know i write from the heart and about what i really feel- with a shot of humor. this is no exception.)

gotta get this out of the way- the title of this blog contains a few of my favorite things: hockey (let's go blues!), hockey goals (let's WIN blues!), and batman (who is my favorite comic book hero). and now onto the blog.

i have a few loves of my life: music and sports. they pretty much top the list of... well, anything for me. needless to say, every day consists of listening to music and at least trying to catch some of sportscenter (on espn) or trying to watch a game of sorts.

most mornings i actually do catch sportscenter. at times, i really REALLY love sc. just give me the highlights of the games i want to see (and some of those i don't), the sports-related news stories, and the top ten of course.

the past few weeks, sc has not been making me very happy. i mean, please DO break the news that michael phelps took a bong hit at a party. but please DO NOT talk about it for two hours straight, because i really do want to see some highlight reel.

also, is it a shock to espn that yet another baseball player admits to taking steroids? because in the line of love for sports, i would say baseball comes in third for me. (hockey takes the number one spot, while football comes in a close second.) and i'm not really shocked that a-rod, at one point in time said "me? steroids?! never!" and then turns around and says "well.... i mean.... there were those texas days.......", which will probably one day take us to "i only did steroids through 75% of my career, but, hey, everyone was doing it".

i don't need espn to report, in an expansion of the previous thought, on the fact that we FINALLY have the name of a-rod's cousin who shot him up with steroids that he really had no idea as to what they were. what am i going to do with his name? end up saying "really? you're dumb. you shot a famous baseball player up with 'roids and that's your claim to fame". that's about the extent of my thoughts on him.

and, finally, i do not need a brett favre-inspired, eight-hour-long version of sc. because then it really is no longer SPORTSCENTER. it's a brett favre tribute. and he retired last year as well. is the third time a charm? well... let's say he comes back. let me tell you what's going to happen. he won't relive those glory favre days. he'll play for a year. then he'll retire. isn't that what just happened?

i am not saying these stories aren't important. they are. but sportscenter is supposed to give me highlights from all sport happenings the previous day. not pick one news story and block out all other sports/players/games, etc. so, i've been a little down on sc lately, because i liked it when they gave me what i wanted.

in the past few days, they have been redeeming themselves.

i've gotten a great couple days full of top ten plays. did anyone watch the lakers-golden state game last night? i don't even really keep up with the nba. (i prefer ncaa ball.) but when i got home last night, i flipped on the tv and the game was on. and i felt the energy on that court and couldn't turn it off. kobe had a couple of great blocks (the one i thought would make the top ten did not, but another did) and the game was pretty close up until the end. i also hope that rachel caught the highlight from the suns-clippers game, where shaq makes a dunk, then does that infamous "nice job hand" stare. then afterward they show that kid from the clippers who, after a made free throw, stares at his hand. then the shot goes to shaq, who's cracking up on the bench. it was absolutely priceless.

during the months where there is no football or baseball, sportscenter's top ten usually consists of only nba/ncaa shots. but today was super cool, because number one in the top ten was a sweeeeeeeeeet nhl goal by the capitals' ovechkin. this kid is pretty much amazing. (in the video they refer to him as the "greatest hockey player in the world".) it's pretty impressive. watch closely, though, because the super impressive part is when he passes the puck along the boards- to himself. here's the clip.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3917680

how sweeeeeeeeet was that?!

in closing, espn has now redeemed themselves.

happy days

2009-02-18T15:22:00.000-08:00

today was surprisingly happy.

i got to sleep in (because i just didn't set an alarm) and my body really needed it. it was well worth it. afterwards i had to do some running to tie up some loose ends with the car and ended up catching up with a friend. this meeting was... well, it was informative and fun (while it had the potential of being really akward). and i'm so glad there was catching up to be had.

my boss also gave me the blessing to apply for the bachelor's program and said we'd work something out if i get accepted and can start in a few weeks. i'm completely excited, worried, rushed, anxious, grateful, and praying this works out for me.

that's it for today. things are good, but i have a lot to get to. have a great wednesday!

new.... everything?

2009-02-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

been an up and down and back up and back down day today... and i'm super happy it's soon coming to an end, because i'm tired and have too much on the docket for this week.

today i have been super down about school. i just feel like ever since i left the english rhelm, i haven't been myself education-wise. while an english (and secondary ed) major, it was never an issue to study. i loved the material being taught, and i understood it. i loved writing the papers, and i had a great time thinking critically about pieces of literature.

sometimes i'm not sure why i changed my mind. my feeling that i'd get overwhelmingly upset at tenured teachers who didn't care about students consumed me. i really should have been thinking about the good i could do for kids (or adults, or just anyone i could teach) as opposed to the negative. alas, such is life.

when i did change my mind about teaching, my professors at mckendree (and the provence's) were surprised. i was met by a lot of "but you'd make a great teacher" sayings.

what's the bottom line here?

i work well with people. no matter the age.

i've got two different people pushing me to finish a degree right now: one happens to be my awesome manfriend ben, the other my great friend (and confidant, among other amazing things) roxanne. rox is studying to be a high school counselor, and when i have education questions, she's the first i think of.

i've recently emailed her discussing (and questioning) my options concerning a degree... and rox delivers. i was happily greeted by an email with lots of helpful links and opinions. i've checked into a program at a catholic school in st louis (fontbonne) that will allow me to obtain a communication/english focused bachlor degree in business. (the exact degree is in corporate communication.) i've gotten some feedback pretty quickly... and the course begins in about 2 weeks. frighteneing. but i'm (very) quickly checking into it, and if things can work out... i could have a bachelors by the end of next summer. how very cool is that?

anyway, my parents are some-what hesitant with this head-first jump into a program. (i believe they're thinking more about the financial end of things at this time.) i've just got a lot to figure out (and subsequently do) in the next few weeks if this is going to happen.

i'm really excited and say THANK YOU to rox. and ben gets just as big of a THANK YOU for everything he does as well.

i'll keep you all posted on what's up with all of this.

and today i got some awesome cds. you can read about them in my music blog.

i hope to not skip anymore days in blogging, so here's to hoping i'm back tomorrow with more to say!

really quick before bed.....

2009-02-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

i'll just say that this day started off rough and not how i wanted it to. my phone decided it didn't like being my alarm clock anymore, so i slept waaaaay too late and missed sunday school and church... don't like missing either of those. =(

but i got ready anyway and dropped some laundry off at the 'rents, then to lunch with my manfriend and another awesome friend of ben's i got to meet (hi brian!). we ate at o'connell's (get the burger, it's pretty darn good and really filling). then it was back to the 'rents place to transfer over some laundry, coupled with a quick trip to walmart to purchase a much-needed alarm clock.

tonight was trivia at llywelyn's (quickly becoming a sunday tradition). by the time i got there, it hit me that i have had very little sleep for most nights within the last few weeks. between totaling the car, work, school, grandma in the hospital... well, i'm sure you all get the picture. i really hit a wall from about 8-10pm and just thought i wouldn't make it much longer. unfortunately, like most other nights, i always get a second wind. so here i am posting at 1:15am. nice.

anyway, trivia really ended up being a blast. we got 3rd place (i'll take the credit for most of that- i was a one-man team for the first 2 rounds...), and beth told me some really awesome family stories i had not heard. those are always fun, right?

anyway, i'm off to bed. maybe tomorrow i shall post pictures of the car... night for now all!

finally.....

2009-02-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

i got me a new ride.

all of you probably know my car was totaled a little over a week ago outside my boyfriend's place in the city. my poor baby was parked on the street minding its own business (yeah, i'm not referring to ben, i'm totally referring to my sunfire), when some idiot hit it pretty hard and rendered it undrivable.

thursday i did some test driving at a dealer in collinsville IL called Accent Auto. (Gregg Neeman is the owner. if anyone is looking for a car, i'll send you their number. promise you will not be disappointed.) the first car i drove was an '01 mustang, and that thing was sweet. i tried to call my dad twice while cruising down the highway in this beast, but he didn't answer. so ben heeded the call that went something like "I HAVE TO HAVE THIS CAR!!!!", followed by a lot of awesomes. then dad called and broke my heart, telling me the insurance would be unreal and the gas mileage would be bad... just an overall "i don't think this is such a good idea".

i took that baby back to the dealer and then drove an '02 sunfire, which is the same car i was driving before, except two years newer. it was a comfortable drive, since i was used to it. i called my dad to let him know i was interested in it, and he put a call into mom. unfortunately my grandma was taken to the hospital that day, so it put a hault on things.

the next day i put in for a loan and got approved, for about $1,000 less than what the sunfire was going to cost me. my awesome parents said they'd front me the cash until i got my tax refund back and we'd go ahead and get the car.

this morning i actually got to sleep in and had a great wake up call, then ran over to my parents to get the plan rolling. my mom was already planning on heading to the insurance agency and said she'd go ahead and get the insurance rolling on the new car for me, or at least get a quote. while she was doing that, dad and i were going to the dealership to drive the sunfire before making a deal.

that's what we did. kinda.

we drove the sunfire and dad said it was a pretty good deal. it had some blinker issues and a squeak in the front end, plus needed to have the door hinges replaced. we took that back and had a purchase order written up. during that time, we were shooting the breeze with gregg, who is really cool. he was talking about the mustang and i mentioned that i had taken it for a spin and it was really cool, but i didnt' think i could afford the insurance and the gas on it. he told me that his dad is driving the same exact car as the 'stang, and it was currently getting 32 mpg. that's really good. i said my old sunfire had been getting about 26-28mpg and gregg said the mustang would get at least that. then i thought, 'i've got to get my dad to drive this thing down the road once, and he'll see why i really want it'. and my plan worked. i believe my dad's exact line was "the only thing that could make this car cooler is if it were a stick shift". and he's right.

when we got back, gregg wrote up a purchase order for the mustang as well and said he wouldn't sell either until we got back with him. we ran up to the insurance company and had a quote done. full coverage insurance on the mustang was $20 cheaper monthly than insurance on the sunfire. what a cool deal! state farm also ran a loan through for me and said it would more than likely be approved on monday morning. doubly sweet.

so i got the insurance started on the stang and went back to Accent Auto. i told gregg what was going on and he said "well, if you want it today, just write me a dummy check and take it". yup, that's how cool this guy is. (of course, we're repeat customers.) a couple of checks between saturday morning and saturday afternoon, and i got to drive my parents to a late lunch in a super cool car.

needless to say, i'm excited and promise to post pictures of my becky-proclaimed "sexy. that thing's just sexy" car. alas, right now i cannot. but soon. wooooohooooo!!

have a lovely weekend. hopefully i'll be back to post tomorrow.

oh no

2009-02-12T23:18:00.001-08:00

i missed a day posting!! oh well.

these past few days have been really busy, hence the no blogging. i've been searching for cars ever since mine got pounded. (that's what she said? no. but could have been. i'm tired, cut me some slack.) today i found a beauty, and called dad, who called mom to say "hey, we've found one, let's get a move on", to which mom replied "my mom's in the hospital, i don't wanna talk about this right now". so, now it's crunch time and i've got some things pending out there in moolah land and will know more tomorrow. (at least, i pray i know more tomorrow.)

car shopping is crazy. it also allows me a lot of time to drive around by myself and listen to a lot of music. sometimes when tired, i just start talking to the stereo. it happens people. so this morning while driving around, i was listening to boston. (surprise!) when foreplay/long time came on, i said aloud "i could do without the foreplay". then the drumroll goes off in my head and i think i should really wait to say funny things when at least one other living thing can hear it. because that's a "that's what she said" if i've ever heard one.

so... more about the loans tomorrow, a test, a super exciting lunch =D, and work. then sleep perhaps, because right now i'm so excited to see a certain someone i am giggling and fidgety. off to attempt some sleep....

oh, and HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH! and happy special day to benjamin as well. ;)

nervousness

2009-02-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

today i'm nervous. about something i can't even talk about yet. silly. i'll fill some of you in via email. (it's a good nervous, by the way.)

today has been AWESOME. yep, that's all caps because this day, on my awesome days scale, sits at like an 8.34. that's pretty darn good on my scale, considering yesterday teetered on the low end.

why is today just that good? i'm dancing my pants off at work. well, not literally. i think there's some kind of rule where you have to keep your clothes on in the OR unless you're the patient. but i'm seriously grooving nonetheless. as i wrote in today's music blog, my ipod has been glorious. even cooler is that the other radio on the other side of the room (the one that i wrote about in an earlier blog) is ALSO groovin'. (with the likes of steve miller's "rockin' me" which is one of my ringtones.) basically i dance to my music, dance to pause my music, dance over to the other side of the room where my pal green patterson teaches me (or tries to teach me) to dance, then i dance back to my side of the room. i did not run this morning. i think all of this dancing has made up for the run, and then some.

other cool things that happened today: i got to talk to my dad and my manfriend during dinner, since i took an early one. that was super sweet since i never have a chance to do that. i enjoyed some mashed potatoes for dinner. my lunch was also good, even though it was a quick bologna and catsup sandwich. (don't knock the bologna and catsup sandwich. it's cheap and easy and super good when you're super hungry.) we had a really cool discussion in ethics and it helped everyone understand the readings much better. it was a beautiful day weather-wise, and that means that i'm on the high end of my scale pretty much no matter what.

that's it for today. i'm sure tomorrow's blog will be interesting. i have to do my best to find a ride. i'm praying that tomorrow morning goes very VERY smoothly. pray for me as well.

does anyone want....

2009-02-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

a small gray cat named squishie?? she's currently driving me crazy.

anyhow, it's late and i need to sleep. but i thought i'd give a list of things i'm thankful for before i pass out. here's the list:

- the gimmie gimmie's cover of "end of the road"
- dark, rich, black coffee
- a warm bed
- snuggly cats in the morning
- camel lights
- junkyards that will give me some money for my totaled car
- virtual hugs (these are via text)
- real hugs (these are via boyfriend)
- angry, loud music
- crying when i absolutely have to get it out
- happy music once i get a few needed tears out of the way
- a goodnight phone call

that's it for today people. goooood night.

roller coaster day

2009-02-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

today has been nothing other than a roller coaster. i believe i should start with more about yesterday to get the full effect of today's post.

while having too much fun killing my car yesterday, i must have been found by something that is not a friend of mine- an allergy. my arm was itching and i had an odd rash. it went away during the afternoon hours, but came back last night. i have to wait for my goodnight phonecall before i sleep. most of the time, even if i'm tired, i just can't really sleep until i get the call. and after the call i sleep like a baby. anyway, last night i had to take some benedryl about 12ish. i really don't like to take many meds at all, and i really have a dislike of benedryl these days. (i used to love it. used it as a sleeping aid when jess and i lived about the bar...) i took the benedryl because i knew that i wouldn't be able to sleep and i'd just sit up and itch. i wish i hadn't taken the benedryl because that stuff knocks me out. and keeps me knocked out. needless to say, i was fighting to tell ben goodnight when i got the phonecall. plus i slept through the cell phone alarm this morning, which i never do. (i'm the world's lightest sleeper.) sleeping through the alarm meant that i missed sunday school, and that did not make me very happy at all.

i did make it to church. with it being disciple now weekend, the abundance of youth was amazing. i'm always happy to see this. it's funny though, because i think of myself and my church history, and i think i should share some of that. when i was a child, we did not go to church. the only times i remember going is for Easter or Christmas (if that) and it was normally with a grandparent or great-grandparent. don't take that statement the wrong way. my parents are religious. i'm unsure why we never went to church, but as a child i didn't ask that question. anyway, the first 18 years of my life had very few church experiences. things started to change for me in that year. i got the boot from my house (don't ask; just leave it at that), and i went to live with the melton's (hi rach!). we started going to church and i really enjoyed it. at 19, i was baptised at bethel baptist in caseyville (my hometown). that was a really great feeling. the october after i turned 19, i moved back home with my parents and started working 2 jobs, including sundays. this created a lax in church attendance in my life. i now have a job where i don't have to work weekends (which is really nice). so i can begin attending church regularly again. it's a good step for me and something i've been wanting to do. (man, i'm so glad i stayed at bjc full-time and turned down that walgreens job...)

i'm excited to see where God is leading me to next. and i'm normally not a follower, but wherever i'm led by Him i'm sure i'll follow then.

i bring this point up (about going back to church and not going as a child) because of a point josh brought up tonight at youth service. i believe the statistic he threw out was that after graduating high school, 87% of students do not continue going to church. that statistic alone is disturbing. but it bothers me further. let me explain.

i have a fantastic life that just keeps getting better. i firmly believe that's because of many things; this includes my intelligence, my happiness, my willingness to take care of myself when needed, and my faith. i thought high school was hard. but boy were my late teens to early twenties even more stressful. there are days (like today) when i'm hit with a lot. and at times it can feel like i want to throw in the towel, but i never do. i end up just saying things like "this is in God's hands, not mine. it's His reason." (i know some of you have heard that a lot from me lately.) i really belive that. sometimes i don't even want to know the reason; i just want to know in my heart that i have the faith that there is a reason.

that was a little rant, but i had to get it out. moral of the story is that the statistic is crazy. that's the time in your life when you especially need to worship and pray; moreso than the previous 18 years, in most cases.

back to my day.

after church i got to come back to the house and take a nap. i almost tried to skip the nap because there was an illini-purdue game on (which the illini won!!!!!). i eventually decided the nap was a better idea.

after my nap i had the pleasure of attending josh's youth group service, some of which i spoke of above. in addition, i'd like to say that josh is a great speaker (hey, we all know he likes to talk). his lesson hit home tonight as well. so a big BIG thanks to josh for freely opening himself and his church up to a silly girl like me.

then it was trivia for a short while. we didn't stay as long as normal, but i'm glad to be home and enjoying my ben fold's live cd over and over again.

on another note, when i got home my roommate told me we'd have to be out of our current place probably by the first of april. i have mixed emotions on this...

here's a shot of roma, josh, and myself at josh and colleen's wedding. it was fun shenannigans. notice my eyes, as i had been crying for quite some time. and i rarely cry at weddings, but this one was funny and cute and josh was so happy that it made this girl cry.

damage control

2009-02-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

if you have nothing to do, i suggest going to walmart on a saturday night. especially if you like to people watch! wow, what a crowd.

today was fun. got to rip my speakers and stereo. and by that, i mean that i'm lucky enough to have a manfriend that ripped it out for me. i did, however, get to pry the passenger door open, which was a lot of fun. so, unnumerous thanks go out to ben for all of his patience today! (and every other day)

after purposely getting to damage the car, we got to see a friend perform a solo show down at cicero's. acoustic music is always good. plus some new, fun company for me, which is gladly welcomed. lunch at noodles after that. (green, did you read that??? i had NOODLES!!!)

from there i've made it home, took a trip to look for something to get me from a to b, and had a walmart and slackers run. now i am getting around to this and i intend on cleaning up a little bit. laundry is on the list as well, but currently i love money 2 is sucking me in. (yes, i've already seen this first episode, but it's sooooooo bad i want to watch one more time...)

i'll end this blog with a picture my cousin beth sent me via text today.

this is beth's son owen, who is the funniest kid i know.

my sweet ride, RIP

2009-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

first of all, i'd like to say that yesterday was an amazing day for me, even including what the majority of this blog will be about. i got to meet an awesome family and have dinner with them, which was a great time. i also got to go to the blues game, and they went to a shootout! even though they lost, it didn't take away from my awesome dinner. and the hit and run driver that totaled my car also did not take away from the dinner OR the blues game.

getting straight to the point, ben and i were in the living room of his place, participating in the best activity ever, where i get to relax and get warm and cozy under a blanket while he reads a really good book to me. (seriously, how awesome, right?) we hear quite a commotion come from outside, and casually decide to check it out. what was it? it was some dude (or dudette, not sure) plowing into my car. my sweet sweet ride was parked on the side of the road. this dude(tte) came around the corner apparently pretty fast, and plowed into the right rear end of my vehicle, which threw the front end of my car into the van in front of me. let's just say that when ben moved it out of the middle of the street, it was discovered that the back right tire is impaled with metal and does not want to move.

so, my car that everyone always said looked like me? i hope someone doesn't see it now and say "geez, that car looks like you" because i would hope on my worst day that i wouldn't look that bad. also, since my car is 10 years old, i only had liability coverage, so no need to turn a claim into the insurance company. it won't be covered.

and because i have endless optimism, i'd now like to point out why it's a-ok that this happened:
- everything happens for a reason. it's not my reason, it's God's reason. while i don't know what that reason is now, and i perhaps will not ever know this reason, i will say that i'm fine with that.
- no one was in or around the accident scene at the time it occurred, so i'm very thankful that no one was hurt.
- i guess my dad and i get to go look at cars. i'm a minimalist, so i'll take whatever car i can get a deal on. but it will be quality time with my father and i. we're both pretty busy, so this is a good thing.
- i was dreading the fact that when i sold the car, i would have to remove and subsequently replace the new and old head units and speakers. now i can just rip them out and go on my way.
- now i can really clean out my car.
- i can sell my baby to a junkyard and get a little cash for it.
- the trunk hasn't opened in about a year. i was hoping that the dude(tte) that hit the back right panel would have popped the trunk open. no such luck, but THAT would have been hilarious.
- i'll have a vehicle with a new car smell.
- i only had a half tank of gas as opposed to a full tank.

so, there's my list of good things that should go through your head when something like this happens to you (which i hope it never does).

don't get me wrong. at a point last night, that endless optimism was running on empty. good thing is that it never ran out of gas.
=)

here is a shot of the car from every side. the dude(tte) hit me from the right, and plowed my front end into a van that was in front of me.

sleep

2009-02-05T07:07:00.001-08:00

i know some people who say that they just hate sleeping alone. for a while, i thought i may be one of these people. i, however, am not. today i want to share why sleeping alone is glorious sometimes (while i listen to extreme):

- you get an entire bed to yourself. and let's face it, if you have to share, you get a lot less room.
- if you have pets, you have to share the bed with them. but you can kick them off the bed if needed, and they won't stay mad at you.
- you're the only possible sleep talker/snorer. so you've no one to blame except yourself if your own sleep talking/snoring wakes you up. and it probably won't.
- no one will steal your blankets.
- you can watch vh1 reality tv programming before bed and no one will argue with you.
- you can dance and sing to yourself if you're just not tired yet. (yeah... i don't know ANYONE who would do that.......)
- my favorite part: you can sleep naked. it feels good against flannel sheets, and there's no one who will try to put the moves on you. added bonus if it's a really cold night and you're all bundled up and warm.

so, there. as always, i will try to turn something not-so-fun into something fun for all of you. i hope this helped.

happy thursday! and GO BLUES!!!!!

zombies!

2009-02-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

today i'm tired and work is wearing me out, but i am taking a break for a quick post.

since everyone knows i love zombies, practically everyone i know has forwarded me this. it's funny and something i wish i had done, so it's obvious that i should share.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/3E711699CF4E8864862575530014BC8C?OpenDocument

enjoy. and later when i get home i'll post the best picture ever taken of me, which includes a zombie and me in a zombie squad t-shirt and a gun. yeah, it's golden.

probably my best halloween costume ever. more gems that can be unnoticable: i am wearing a long sleeve thermal t-shirt with rubber duckies on them, and my jeans were ripped everywhere so i wore super long socks. best thing? my face here = awesome. really.

weight loss

2009-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

so today was spectacularly cool (because i can't tell you the last time i didn't have a day like that). and i'll touch on a really cool thing that happened while i was at work tonight: i weighed myself.

at the end of last summer/beginning of last fall, i weighed in at my highest i've ever been (seriously, topped at 150lbs). and i had a bet with someone to lose the most weight in two months. i won, but at the time that i won i had dropped maybe 10lbs. still good, but not what i wanted.

it's been a long time since i weighed myself because i've just been so busy. but lately my jeans have been horribly big. in fact, my mom noticed that i had been wearing a pair from high school (yeah, you read that right- high school) that um... had a hole in the crotch. not noticable unless it's pointed out, or you're folding them next to your mom, who points to the crotch and says "holy geez, those are the ones from high school! why are you wearing those?". since then, there's been a lot of discussion of her fixing the hole so i don't have to get rid of my trophy jeans. instead she made me buy a new pair that fit.

i think curiosity got to me, and i just had to weigh today. it had been so long and i can see a difference. so... i've lost over 20lbs since september. and i'm pretty proud of that.

that's my good news for the day. =)

superbowl champs: not the arizona cardinals

2009-02-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

sorry, had to get that out of the way.

GOOOOOO STEEEEEEELERS!!!!!

if you couldn't already tell, my team won the superbowl. now i'm just waiting to hear what santonio is going to nickname that game-winning touchdown catch. and while i'm glad we had a win, this is the time of year when the sports i like to watch begin dwindling down. oh well, i've got ncaa basketball and hockey. plus, this year, i'm going to make a conscious effort to follow baseball. let's hope it's a success!

have you ever had one of those days when you just don't think life can get much better? yesterday was one of those days. didn't think i could get much happier after a good ball game AND a win, but it really did! how cool is that?

that's all for today. lots going on!

superbowl sunday

2009-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

we all know i love football, and i LOVE the steelers. so today is a big day for me. but superbowl isn't the only reason.

i am going to a church this morning at which my friend josh is a youth pastor. i am eventually hoping to take a leadership role within said youth group, so today really starts me on an amazing path that i am extremely thankful for. keep josh and myself in your thoughts and prayers. we have a lot of great things that get to be discussed, and i'm very happy.

still.... it IS superbowl sunday.

i'd just like to say that i'd like to see omar epps take home a win. wait... i mean mike tomlin.... or omar epps... no, mike tomlin. ever mixed those two up? i do. here's the comparison:

seriously, sometimes i have to remind myself that i am not, in fact, watching house.

have a blessed sunday, a nice time watching the superbowl, and GOOOOOOO BIG BEN AND THE STEEEEEEELERS!!!!

an amazing day

2009-01-31T21:04:00.000-08:00

hey all! today has been SUPER productive. there were so many awesome things that i had to make a list just to remember everything. so, here's my list.

- i got to sleep in. this is outstanding, since the last few days have included very little sleep and being awake before or around 6am. normally i don't prefer to sleep in, but today the 10:30 wake up was welcomed.

- i had a text message when i wandered downstairs that andria had sent me. she put a blues outfit on baby mark, put them on myspace, and entitled the folder "for janelle". then, being the awesome aunt that i am, i stole said pictures and put them on my myspace and facebook.

- instead of sportscenter, this morning i was greeted by a pittsburgh/notre dame ncaa ball game. and pittsburgh took that game. GO PITTSBURGH!

- i got to talk to my cousin beth as well. cool thing is we have decided to move in together this may. she has a house in the city and we're going to fix up the basement. cool thing is i can help her with the bills and owen, and i already know we're going to have so much fun. plus, i'm stoked about moving to the city. closer to a cool dude.

- i did like 6ish loads of laundry. i love clean laundry, and getting so many loads done was amazing.

- i enjoyed a beer and a nice long talk with my dad. something i do about every weekend. i also had somewhat of a really cool breakthrough with my mom. awesomely awesome.

- how 'bout them blues?!?!?!? chris mason with his first home win, and a shutout. two games down... both teams win... good standing for the 3rd game, my steeler superbowl tomorrow.

- i drank a LOT of coffee. i love coffee.

so far those are the cool things that have happened today. i'm really looking forward to tomorrow! sunday school and church, drop by the 'rents again, clean out the car, SUPERBOWL!!, and other fun things.

i still have to put away the 6ish loads of laundry and enjoy me some dinner. dinner will definitely be cereal since i got milk today as well. i also still have to write about three more blogs....

i'm off to end an amazing night.

but before i go, here's my little man supporting my blues.

holidays

2009-01-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

just realized that in the last few days i've said "i hate valentines day" a few times.

this is not true. i really don't hate any day. but i think i should clarify what i mean when i said that. and we can take more than one holiday into consideration here: how about Christmas and valentines day?

here's the deal. during these holidays, people dig into debt to buy loved ones a really expensive Christmas present. nice gesture, i understand. but is that really what the holiday is about? i've been telling family members for years "seriously, presents is not what this day is about. so, please. i've got everything i need. don't get me anything." not to say i'm against presents. we all appreciate them. i'm saying that the important part is that everyone gets together and celebrates for the REAL reason. plus, handmade/thoughtful gifts = best gifts ever. always.

and, valentines day. every single couple goes out. expensive restaurant, expensive movie, probably some jewelry or expensive crap. worst part? some people expect this kind of behavior. are there that many shallow people in the world? for serious. i'm not saying that people shouldn't celebrate a good relationship. but to say that one day is THE day out of the year to do that? if i like someone, i'll tell them on everyday except v-day. (okay, not necessarily, but you guys get the point.)

the point is that everyday should be a day to celebrate everything you have, just because it's been given to you for one more day, right?

i won't say "don't have a good valentines day". i just think everyday is as good and as important as you make it.

that's it! have a wonderful friday!!