The Diary of Jane

Fab Five Goals for 2012.

2012-01-01T21:58:00.003-05:00

For the New Year's Eve service at church, members and guests were asked to come with a list of their top five goals for 2012. Below is the list I created.

FAB FIVE GOALS FOR 2012

1. GOD

Strengthen my commitment to and my walk with God. Discover His purpose for my life and start living according to His will.
Develop and strengthen my prayer life.
Take the new members class at New Life Worship Center and begin serving in a ministry.

2. FINANCES

Educate myself about money management and apply the principles to my life.
Reduce my personal financial debt by at least 1/4 this year.

3. HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, by exercising regularly and making a conscious effort to reduce junk food and eat nutritiously.
Get to a healthy weight by the end of 2012.
Develop and strengthen my thought life. Write in a journal regularly.

4. ATTITUDE

Count it all joy in 2012.
Learn to live life each day with a spirit of gratitude.
Learn to respond to disappointment, frustration, and other negative emotions with grace.
Fill my heart with love, faith, patience, courage, kindness and joy.

5. RELATIONSHIPS

Commit to making relationships with family and friends a priority in 2012.
Strengthen existing relationships and actively pursue new relationships.

What are your goals for 2012?

30 Second Shred.

2011-06-07T19:58:00.003-04:00

This evening I tried the Level 1 workout of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred for the first time. Almost immediately I was discouraged when the workout began with push ups. I barely squeaked out two (on my knees at that) before I was maxed. I failed to make it through the entire 30 second set of jumping jacks, and when "jumping rope" it was all I could do to bounce let alone have my feet leave the floor. Having only five pound weights, I discovered during several of the other exercises that I had to completely forgo using them, five pounds proving to be too much. During the lunging exercises, I was barely able to lower into a squat. To add insult to injury, I was reminded just how inflexible I am during the cool down. As embarrassing as it is to admit all of this, I am further shamed to reveal that I actually cried once the workout was over (and not out of joy or happiness).

There is no other way to say this - I am completely disgusted with myself. I have let myself become a lazy, lethargic individual who does not want to exert even the tiniest amount of effort beyond what is absolutely necessary in any given day. How the hell did I let myself get THIS out of shape? More importantly, how do I get myself back on track?

One thing is clear - this is going to be a much longer, much more difficult journey than I had originally anticipated. I just need to remember that everything in life is a process and I will not be perfect at everything on the first, second, or even the hundredth try. It is okay to fail, as long as I keep getting up, dusting myself off, and trying again. As frustrating as the slow progress may seem, taking baby steps to reach my goals is better than taking no steps at all.

Laughter Wanted.

2011-04-15T18:27:00.001-04:00

Whenever I am in need of a good laugh, the following commercial never fails to deliver the desired result:

This commercial is a close second:

What is your go-to when you are in need of a good laugh (or two)?

City of Wonder.

2010-11-01T20:32:00.001-04:00

Hi, my name is Rebecca. And I am addicted to the Facebook game City of Wonder.

Having once been obsessed with the games Mobsters and Mafia Wars (I have found that obsessions are easy to come by when one is bored at work), I am aware of just how easily (and quickly) I fall under the spell of things that for all intents and purposes appear to be competitive.

By golly, I want to win the competition. No matter what it is.

It starts out so innocently. You begin to build your civilization. Grow your population. Add allies (that is if you are able to convince any of your Facebook friends that it is absolutely necessary to life that they start playing the game). Then, all of a sudden, your slow and steady progress isn't good enough. You want more.

The creators add items that you can "purchase" for your land only through parting with exorbitant amounts of gold. The only problem is, you earn one bar of gold every time you reach a new level. That insane asylum you want (a special just for Halloween - and something you may very well end up needing in real life) costs 35.

But wait - I can take surveys to earn more gold! Except that 7 times out of 10 you don't qualify for the survey - and you can only attempt to gain gold this way once per day. So, countless time is spent attempting to qualify for and take mind numbing surveys, all for a measly four to ten gold each.

Then you start dabbling in other ways to earn gold. Buy a subscription to Shape magazine for 28 gold! Sign up for Netflix for 60 gold! Join Columbia House for 80 gold! When you find yourself starting to consider parting with your hard earned money to straight out purchase gold, you have to ask yourself, "Do I have a problem?"

The answer is most likely yes, you do.

Funny how a click of the mouse can become so addicting, isn't it?

Looks like I might have to quit this one cold turkey.

The dark side of getting older.

2010-10-28T19:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Metabolism,

I suffered deep and utter embarrassment today when at the university health benefits fair I had to divulge my weight to a petite (and very much skinny) younger woman.

(Yes, I am at the age now when suddenly because I work on a college campus most everyone must be younger than I am.)

(Except for tenured faculty, of course.)

(And perhaps the secretaries of the various departments on campus.)

I "volunteered" to tell this woman my weight so that she could tell me:

(a) that I am obese according to my body mass index (of which, by the way, the Wii Fit had already informed me months ago thankyouverymuch) and
(b) that my body fat percentage also lies outside of the healthy range (what a shocker there).

So, my older and increasingly loathed (not to mention much slower) metabolism, would it really be so hard to function at the capacity of my late teens/early twenties?

It sure would make things a whole lot easier on me.

(And by that I mean I could continue to eat whatever I want, whenever I want.)

(After all, the unhealthy choices just taste so much better.)

Begrudgingly yours,
One Not So Mindful Eater

World's Dumbest Employees.

2010-05-07T23:38:00.008-04:00

You've heard of the television show World's Dumbest Criminals, right? Well, yesterday I could have been on the show World's Dumbest Employees.

It all started with a rocky Monday, followed by an email received Tuesday morning that sent me over the edge in terms of anger towards and complete dislike of my job (not the job itself, but rather certain individuals who have the innate ability to suck any and all joy out of the work environment). Having contemplated looking for alternate employment for quite some time, I finally decided to take the plunge. In addition to searching for open positions at several universities out of state, I applied to four positions posted on the human resources website for the university at which I currently work.

My intentions were never to keep my job search a complete secret from my boss, but rather to wait and see if I landed any job interviews before discussing the matter with him. I saw no need to rock the boat and jeopardize what little comfort I have by prematurely announcing my ~~hopefully~~ impending resignation. As fate would have it, however, the public announcement of my job search would not occur at my own discretion.

(Can you see where this is heading?)

Thursday afternoon, a graduate student from another laboratory randomly said to me, "Oh yeah, you applied to a position that was posted by [your boss]." I can just imagine what the look on my face must have been. Color drained, an expression of utter disbelief followed by an unspoken plea for mercy. Least to say, the next time I crossed paths with my boss, he told me to stop by his office before I left for the day. Talk about AWKWARD.

Lesson learned? When searching for a new job, only apply to listings that are clearly in no way even remotely related to my current position. In other words, don't be such a dumbass.

Cruel to be kind?

2010-02-17T17:53:00.017-05:00

A week ago today, I made a decision that I will be questioning for quite some time.

Late Saturday evening, January 23rd, I was startled when I caught a glimpse of something outside on my patio as my two cats, Gabriel and Juliesan, frantically walked back and forth through the blinds. At first I thought the two were chasing an insect that had found it's way inside my apartment, but upon closer inspection I realized the cause of all the commotion was a stray cat sitting directly outside the sliding glass door.

It was cold and rainy that evening, so against my better judgment I slid open the door to let the stray cat inside. Not wanting to chance any aggressive behavior between the stray and my two cats, I coaxed the stray to the second bedroom, which is solely the "cat room." Aside from a couple of instances of hissing, the stray followed me willingly and without hesitation. I worked quickly to set up a clean litter box, food bowl, and water bowl for the stray cat, while also moving Gabriel and Juliesan's things to a different location outside of the room. The stray cat started purring almost immediately, and was extremely affectionate, albeit being obviously malnourished and having been outside for quite some time. After determining the stray cat was a male, I decided I could not in good conscience put him back outside to fend for himself, yet I knew I could not permanently keep him either. Although he appeared to be healthy, to be on the safe side I kept him separated from Gabriel and Juliesan.

Fast forward to Monday. In the morning I called the Humane Society to schedule an appointment to bring the stray cat to the shelter. By this time I had given him a name - Jack. The earliest appointment the Humane Society had was nearly three weeks away, and I knew I was already in danger of becoming attached to my new furry friend. I went ahead and made the appointment, unsure of what else to do. With the appointment so far away, coupled with having discovered blood in Jack's urine, I scheduled an appointment for him with Gabriel and Juliesan's vet to have him examined. At the vet, Jack was given a physical exam, along with a de-wormer (for precautionary measures) and a urinalysis. Jack's urinalysis came back clean, which meant that although he would not need medication, he would need to be put on a special diet. Armed with samples of food and a hefty bill (even with the discount the vet gave me), I brought Jack back home and got settled in for the next couple of weeks.

Throughout the days leading up to my appointment at the Humane Society, I continued keeping Jack separated. I would visit him in the morning and after getting home from work, petting him and attempting to play with him. (I say attempting to play with him because without fail after the second or third time I would tease him with a toy, he would unintentionally end up getting my fingers rather than the toy with his claws, and they were sharp. There was no competing with the speed of his reflexes.) Juliesan did not like being kept out of the room knowing I was inside with another cat, so once or twice I let her in to see if she and Jack would get along. While Julie is fairly accepting of new and unfamiliar cats, Jack was not so open to making a new friend, so least to say his interaction with Juliesan was short lived.

I could feel myself growing increasingly attached to Jack as each day passed, and I tried the best I could to find him a new home. Unfortunately, everyone I know currently has all the pets that they want. I even put a desperate plea on Facebook, asking if anyone was willing to take Jack in. My resolve wavered between knowing I could not keep Jack (not only because of the stresses it would bring to my already overburdened finances, but more importantly because there is a two pet limit at my apartment complex, and with biannual inspections coming up I could not risk breaking the rules) and trying to figure out a way I could make keeping him work.

On Wednesday, February 10th, it took every ounce of my willpower to walk into the Humane Society for my appointment to surrender Jack. Luckily the process was relatively short, as I spent the entire time struggling to hold back tears. Once Jack was taken out of the carrier I brought him in and placed in a holding cage, he looked directly at me and let out a sorrowful meow, as if asking me why I was abandoning him in that strange place. I turned to leave, and before I could even get through the door leading outside the tears began to fall, and I proceeded to cry like a baby until well after I reached home.

Every day since, I have ~~obsessively~~ checked the adoption listings on the Humane Society web page to see if Jack has been made available for adoption. So far, he has been listed under a separate area for found and stray animals, although I highly doubt anyone will claim him. The vet did say he had been neutered, which leads me to believe he did at one time have a home, but he was not microchipped. Jack's listing was also lacking a photograph, and without there being a picture of him it is not likely anyone would recognize he is their missing cat, if he indeed belonged to someone prior to showing up at my door. I have thought several times about going to the Humane Society and trying to get Jack back, but they would probably think me crazy and would not release him to the person who brought him there in the first place. Last night I had a dream that I did return to the Humane Soceity. Jack was sitting on an examination table, and when he saw me he immediately jumped down and came over to me, purring and rubbing up against me as cats do when they want attention. It was all I could do to keep myself from crying all over again.

Not a day goes by that I do not miss Jack. Unfortunately I was faced with two equally unappealing choices - either put him back outside, or take him to the Humane Society. I chose to take him to the Humane Society with the hope that although it might be a scary and stressful place at the start, someone will see him and fall in love with him the way I did, and will provide a healthy and happy home for him. I just wish there was a way I could have communicated to Jack that by giving him up I was not abandoning him, but rather I was trying to do what was best for him, regardless of the way I felt.

I just hope I made the right choice.

A late Christmas wish.

2009-12-29T08:28:00.009-05:00

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1, ESV

I read the following through Clever Girl Goes Blog.

"My name is brandy. And I have a blog.

And a plea.

I use my blog to showcase the crazy I meet everyday, share the stories of the kids I teach and document my love for tequila, dairy products and the abdominal muscles of Ryan Reynolds. Rarely do I talk about personal issues on my blog- as personal as the dude that I adore (who I actually met through my blog- single ladies, let that be a very good reason to blog, the possibility of meeting someone as wonderful as my man), but I need your help. And it involves my dude.

He's a guy who made math comics for my class, so they would love learning about addition. He's the kinda guy who sends my friends gift cards when they are having hard times, who remembers every story I ever told him, who was the first person I celebrated with when I got a teaching job. He's the guy who sent flowers to me at school- dozens of my favourite pink roses just because he loves me. He's a guy who has spent a year patiently explaining (and re-explaining) everything there is to know about football during the important games when silence is preferred. He's made me word puzzles and comics and stayed up late playing Scrabble with me (even though I beat him almost every time). He's listened to me cry about school and family and jobs. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I always knew I wanted.

The holidays have hit us hard. He's recently been told he may have something called multiple myeloma- an incurable cancer, that gives a person an average of five years of continued life. Though this news has came as a shock, he continues to be exactly who has always been- spending his time worrying about me, rather than worrying about himself. He's the most selfless individual I know- (he stayed late on Christmas Eve to work, so his co-workers could leave early) and a post like this would never be something that he would promote or encourage but when I'm overwhelmed and feeling helpless, the blogging community has always given me tremendous support and comfort, two things I desperately need at this time.

As I write this, the future is uncertain and we aren't sure what's happening. He'll need to see an oncologist soon, to verify what's going on in his body. My hope is that everyone who reads this think positive thoughts and if you are a person who prays, could you add him to your list? (You can refer to him as 'brandy's hot awesome dude'). If you don't pray, please keep him in your heart.This cancer is only a possibility and I believe that the prayers and positive thoughts of people can make sure it never becomes a reality.

I want to give a big thank you to the blog owner who scraped their original blog plans and graciously put this up. My goal is to get as many people as possible to see and read this post. If you are reading this and want to help, copy and paste my plea into your blog or send a link through twitter, so more people can keep him in their thoughts. I would be so very grateful (even more grateful than I am to my friend who first showed me the picture of Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. If you haven't seen it, google it. You. Are. Welcome).

I realize this all sounds dramatic, a Lifetime movie in the making- but this is life. Right now. And I'm throwing away any hint of ego and am humbly asking for you to pray or think kind thoughts. If you are able to pass this on, thank you and if you know anything regarding MM- please email me (my email is on my blog). This isn't a call for sympathy or a plea for pity. It's just one girl hoping you can think positive thoughts for the person she adores. If my current heartache provides you with anything, let it be with the reminder that life is short, love is unbending and no one knows what could happen next. Maybe it is silly, but I really do believe that positive thoughts can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading this and if you haven't already? Please tell someone you love them today.

I did."

To go, or not to go....

2009-12-28T12:11:00.018-05:00

Recently I was invited to a New Year's Eve party through Facebook by an acquaintance from college, whom I will refer to as Double H. I was both surprised and flattered by the invitation, seeing as how I have not spoken to him in over six years (and before you ask, no, he did not merely invite everyone on his friend list). While it could be fun to go to the party, let's face it - I am not nor have I ever been socially savvy. I am more than a bit nervous about showing up to a party by myself where I know a single person that will be in attendance, and barely at that. To make matters ~~slightly~~ worse, I noticed today that one of the invitees is a guy I winked at on match.com, whose response was "thanks for the wink, but I don't think you are a good match for me." Thank goodness he is currently listed as not attending the party, as I can only imagine how awkward it would be to run into him should he recognize me! (I shudder at the thought.)

All possible and likely embarrassing catastrophes aside, attending the party could result in several positive scenarios. First and foremost, I would be venturing outside of my comfort zone, which I feel is important for me to do if I am going to continue to grow as an individual. I mean, I could actually have fun! Not only that, but it would provide the potential to cross off the following two items from my 30 Before 30 List:

27. Hold a conversation with a stranger.
30. Make a new friend (one not connected to someone I already know).

Knowing I will most certainly chicken out at the last minute if I plan to go by myself, I have thought about emailing Double H and simply being honest about my apprehensions, and asking if he or anyone else would like to meet up before the party and arrive together. Would this be completely and totally lame? Another option would be there is an Indiana Ice hockey game that evening, so I could ask Double H if he or anyone else would want to catch the game before heading to the party. What do ya'all think? What would you do if you were me?

....and much hilarity ensued.

2009-11-17T14:14:00.007-05:00

I just finished reading one of the most hilarious blog posts of all time, written by one of my favorite authors, Jen Lancaster. Whether or not you are a fan of Twilight and are anticipating the upcoming release of the movie New Moon, I daresay you will find it as hilarious and gut busting as I did. All you need do is click the link below.

New Moon... the Jennsylvania edition

Go on.... Do it. (You know you want to.)

You can thank me later.

Only in my dreams....

2009-07-21T15:28:00.002-04:00

The new 2010 Lotus Evora.

Yes please.

Honest Scrap Award.

2009-07-16T18:01:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago now, I was given the Honest Scrap Award by Steph at The Adventures of Jon and Steph. The rules for this award are as follows:

List ten honest things about yourself that your blogging friends do not know about you.
Give the award away to seven bloggers.
Let the seven bloggers know they have received the award.

Without further ado, here is my list! :-)

Whenever I am driving by myself, I almost always sing along with the music to which I am listening. I can just imagine the things people must have thought when passing me or pulling up next to me at a stoplight. :-D However, I rarely sing when there are other passengers in the car. Despite being in choir for several years while I was growing up, there are few people around whom I am comfortable singing.
One of the things I am complimented on most often is my handwriting. Believe it or not, I have also been told that my handwriting is so neat it is hard to read. Go figure.
I often think I should have chosen a career in editing. No matter what I read, I am extremely aware of misspellings and grammatical errors. I have been known to correct such mistakes, even when I am reading a book for pleasure.
For my 29th birthday this past July 4th, I asked for My Little Ponies. That's right - I said My Little Ponies. (Don't judge.)
It is no secret I loathe Britney Spears and think she is a complete trainwreck. Therefore, it pains me greatly to admit I own her most current CD, Circus - and LOVE it.
I readily admit my biggest fear is losing a loved one. However, I rarely reveal a second fear that weighs just as heavily on my heart - the fear that I will never meet someone with whom to spend the rest of my life.
Since moving out on my own, I have lived in three different apartments. Not once have I fully unpacked and made my apartment into a home. Currently, my lease is up in less than two months.
At several different jobs I have been referred to by bosses and coworkers as a machine, not only for the sheer number of hours that I work, but because of the speed with which I am able to get things done. I go back and forth between being proud of this fact and being saddened by it.
I own an inordinate amount of lipgloss - more than any one girl should own in her lifetime.
If I had the money to spend on one purely selfish desire, I would get a complete set of veneers. My teeth have always been my least favorite physical trait.

There you have it! I am giving this award away to the following bloggers:

I look forward to reading everyone's responses!

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-04T11:13:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a safe and wonderful Fourth of July holiday! I am in Washington, D.C. celebrating my birthday with my best friend Tory and her husband Warren. Today we are going to do as much sightseeing as possible, and then we are going to end the day by watching the Fourth of July fireworks! Least to say, I am super excited. I will post pictures as soon as I get the chance!

Playtime.

2009-06-05T16:11:00.013-04:00

In light of my recent plunge into singlehood, I have found myself taking more pictures of my cat Gabriel than I care to admit. (I am as of yet unsure whether I find this hilarious or pathetic.) However, I recently purchased two cat toys that made for some extremely amusing pictures.

Meet Gabriel. He's a Maine Coon/Tabby mix.

The first toy I bought is called a Playser. It has multiple images
for endless hours of playtime entertainment.

In this picture, you can just make out the red dot by Gabriel's paw.

My favorite is when Gabriel chases the laser image up the wall.

The second toy I bought is a classic doorknob toy.

I think I am going to have to eventually get one of these toys
for each of the doorknobs in my apartment.

Within minutes, Gabriel had already managed to tear one
of the feathers off of the toy.

It certainly is the simple things in life that make me the most happy and bring a smile to my face.

A Case of the Mondays.

2009-06-01T18:53:00.007-04:00

Today, I definitely had a case of the Mondays.

I turned my alarm off in my sleep, waking up an hour after my alarm had been set to go off.
After already running late for work due to the alarm fiasco, my cat Gabriel had yet another hairball, which I then had to stop getting ready for work to clean up.
Feeling guilty about the hairball and despite the fact I brush Gabriel regularly, I made myself even more late by spending several minutes grooming Gabriel in the hopes that I wouldn't arrive home from work this evening to more hairballs (we shall see - I'm not holding my breath on this one).
While getting in my car so I could finally be on my way to work, I knocked over my mug in the center console cup holder, spilling orange juice all over the passenger seat.
I found out the house I had my heart set on buying (it is down the street from my sister and her family, and would have been absolutely perfect for me) has been sold, which greatly dampens my enthusiasm towards buying a house.
Late last week my co-worker and I ate lunch at Pizza Hut, where I decided I was in the mood for a stuffed crust pizza (which only comes in large, by the way). After working all weekend and forgetting to take the leftover pizza home, I sat the pizza box by my computer this afternoon so I would surely not once again forget it. Naturally, as I was driving to my second job, I realized I left the pizza sitting on my desk - and am now without dinner for the evening.

All trivial things, I know (except for the house thing - I really am upset about that), but it just doesn't make for a good start to the week. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

The End of a Tradition?

2009-05-27T21:36:00.012-04:00

Last night as I was watching the news, a story aired that caused me great sadness. Emmis Communications, a broadcasting company that for the last 26 years has sponsored one of the greatest traditions in Indianapolis (at least in my opinion), is as of now no longer going to sponsor the event due to a lack of funding resulting from the struggling economy. The event I am speaking of is the annual Labor Day fireworks celebration, Sky Concert.

Fireworks have been an integral part of my life since birth (I was, after all, born on the Fourth of July). To this day, my father claims that when I was a child, he had me believing the fireworks that always occurred on the Fourth of July were specifically in celebration of my birthday. While I can offer little insight into the truth or falsity of my father's claim (I can recall no memory of ever believing such a thing), there is no denying the fact that I am extremely fond of any and all displays of fireworks.

Even though it has been several years since I last attended Sky Concert, it has always been and will continue to remain one of my favorite fireworks shows. I only hope that the economy rebounds quickly and Sky Concert does not remain in the dark for long.

Outrun the Sun Race Against Melanoma.

2009-05-26T18:24:00.011-04:00

I realize it has been quite a while since I last blogged. I was all set with pictures and stories to recount my vacation in North Carolina, when unexpectedly my world came crashing down around me. The day after I got back from vacation, I found out my now ex-boyfriend Brent wanted to break up with me. The man who told me in the beginning of our relationship that all he wanted was the opportunity to prove to me not all guys are the same and that given the chance he would never be like the guys of my past (many of whom hurt me deeply), gave up and checked out of our relationship just when I needed his love and support the most (which is another story for another day). Not only that, but he kept me hanging for almost a month while he "just didn't know what to do," and I did everything I could think of to show him how much I love him and believe in us as a couple.

Least to say, I have not been in much of a blogging mood.

But, there comes a point where you have to force yourself to get back in the saddle and move on with your life. Step by step. Bit by bit. One day at a time.

Part of my method of dealing with emotional heartache is to keep myself as busy as possible, which translates to working every single hour that I possibly can at both of my jobs. This time around, I am also including that to mean being open to and taking advantage of opportunities to which I would normally not give a great deal of thought.

Enter Outrun the Sun Race Against Melanoma.

One day I got a text message from my friend Mary, asking if I wanted to be a part of her team and participate in a charity walk/run to raise money for melanoma research. I have participated in similar events before, such as Walktoberfest and Race for the Cure, but not in recent years. It didn't take long for me to decide to join Mary's team. Not only will it give me the opportunity to spend quality time with a friend whom I only see rarely, it will allow me to get involved in a great cause. This year on Saturday, June 6th, our team will be doing the one-mile family walk, but I am hoping in the future to train and do the 5 mile run. If you would like to find out more information on the event or to make a donation, you can do so by clicking here. Any and all support is greatly appreciated!

In all of this, I have been greatly inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Amber at Girl With The Red Hair (formerly from Amber Alert). Amber recently completed her first half-marathon, and since then has decided to participate in another race, this time for charity. In doing the Scotiabank half-marathon, she will be raising money for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. This is a cause close to Amber's heart, as heart disease runs in her family and both her grandmother and father have had to have surgery as a result of heart attacks. If you would like to give your support to Amber, you can do so by clicking here. At the very least, I highly recommend you check out her blog (both old and new). You won't be disappointed!

I want to say a big thank you to those of you who have not given up on me in my lengthy absence. Although I have not been commenting a great deal lately as well as not blogging, I have still been checking/reading each of your blogs daily. Hopefully, this post will be the beginning of the end of my prolonged silence.

Goodbye Indiana, Helllloooo North Carolina!

2009-04-16T07:02:00.003-04:00

I am sitting at the airport waiting for the departure of my flight to North Carolina. I will be gone for five glorious days (glorious because it means I won't be at work) visiting my friend Emily. I am super excited, although I will miss everyone back home, especially my best friend Tory who is in town visiting from Delaware. I am hoping for warm weather and to be able to break out my flip flops while I am gone! :-) Unfortunately, the high temperature for Indianapolis when I return Monday evening is 48 degrees. Yuck.

The flight is boarding now, so I better go!

My First Blog Award!

2009-04-15T20:19:00.017-04:00

Recently I received my very first blog award from Suz at 30 Before 30 List. Most of the blogs I read have at least one, if not several awards that have been given to them, so when I saw Suz had chosen my blog as one of her seven favorites for the Kreativ Blogger Award it made my day. Suz's blog was one of the first I started reading on Blogger, and it has provided me with much inspiration, not only in regards to my blog but also in my personal life.

For the award I am supposed to list seven things I love, so here goes!

1. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits - I am in no way, shape, or form a fan of seafood, but these biscuits are more than enough to get me to this restaurant (of course, it doesn't hurt that it is also home to one of my absolute favorite alcoholic beverages, the Sunset Passion Colada.)

2. Tulip Magnolia Trees - Each year I look forward to Spring for one specific reason, and that is the blooming of tulip magnolia trees. When I am out driving, every time I pass one of these trees it puts a smile on my face, no matter how I am feeling. I hope to one day live in a house with a huge tulip magnolia tree in the front yard.

3. Thunderstorms and Lightning - Even though thunderstorms scare me because they often occur in conjunction with the threat of tornadoes, I always get excited at the prospect of a good thunderstorm. I find it incredibly relaxing to be able to sit outside on the porch (or balcony, or wherever) and listen to the rain and watch the lightning. I would love to one day experience a thunderstorm in the deserts of Arizona.

4. The NHL Playoffs - There's nothing better than a hard fought seven game series in pursuit of Lord Stanley's Cup. Speaking of which - today was the first day in round one of the playoffs. Let's go Red Wings!

5. Electric Blankets - Brent keeps his house way too cold for my taste, so when I am at his house I am almost always snuggled up with the electric blanket he bought me for Christmas. Enough said.

6. Chinese Calligraphy - I have always been fascinated by Chinese calligraphy. I think it is incredibly beautiful. I would love to learn to draw a few characters, so that I could paint them on canvases to hang around my apartment.

7. Spa Days - While I have never actually been to a spa, I can only imagine how much fun a day at the spa with my best girlfriend would be. I am a big fan of manicures and pedicures, so surely I would enjoy indulging in the variety of other ways to be pampered at a spa.

There you have it! I am also supposed to name seven of my favorite blogs to receive this award, but alas, I enjoy every blog I read so much I cannot choose between them all. So, I am passing this award on to everyone on my blog roll. :-)

Sleepless in Indiana.

2009-04-14T13:55:00.001-04:00

Dear Insomnia,

I've had it with you. This has to stop. Things were bad enough when you would show up unannounced every once in awhile, but now that you have decided to rear your ugly head repeatedly, night after night? You are driving me crazy. As if waking me up in the middle of the night and not allowing me to fall back asleep wasn't bad enough, now you're also causing me to have trouble falling asleep in the first place. I don't know where you got the idea that I like feeling drowsy all day and barely being able to keep my eyes open at times, but you are sorely mistaken. The truth of the matter is, I value sleep greatly, and would much appreciate being able to sleep soundly so I can quit having to give myself pep talks in the morning just to get out of bed. That being said, I am sure you understand why I can no longer have you interrupting my slumber. Although I cannot say you will be missed, I do wish you luck in finding someone better suited for you.

All the best,

Sleepless in Indiana

Kids say the darndest things.

2009-03-23T19:58:00.008-04:00

Friday evening, I received a phone call from my niece Laura. She started the conversation by asking if I was working the following day (which is never a good sign when it comes to a phone call from one of my nephews or nieces). Apparently, she had forgotten about the ISSMA (Indiana State School Music Association) choir contest she was required to attend Saturday morning, and needed a ride to and from the contest seeing as both her mom and step-dad were working. My sister's children are notorious for forgetting about events and springing them on you at the last minute. Although I was scheduled to work on Saturday it luckily was not until later in the afternoon, so I told Laura it would be no problem for me to take her to the contest.

Afterwards, I decided to run a couple of errands and take my niece to lunch at Steak 'N Shake before taking her home. As we were leaving the school parking lot, my niece gave me what she tells me is the highest compliment you can receive from a teenager. She said, "You're cool to be seen with in public."

How about that. I'm cool to be seen with in public. :-D

Not a morning person (but not a night owl either).

2009-03-20T15:04:00.012-04:00

If you asked, I would tell you that I am one hundred percent, completely and totally NOT a morning person. During the week when my alarm goes off at 6:00a.m. I find myself hitting snooze repeatedly, and by 6:30a.m. I am having to force myself to get out of bed. I would also tell you that I cannot remember the last time I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day (okay, so I CAN remember - it was exactly eight months and ten days ago).

(That would be July 10, 2008 for those of you who are wondering.)

(I know, it's pathetic that I remember the exact date of the last time I actually felt like I got a decent night's sleep.)

(Don't judge me.)

After my alarm has gone off and I am hitting snooze, desperately trying to ignore the fact that if I do not get out of bed I am going to be late for work, I often think about the movie Bruce Almighty, when Jim Carrey's character Bruce is throwing a temper tantrum when he has to get out of bed in the morning. I often have to stifle the urge to start kicking and throwing just such a tantrum myself. (Seeing as how I sleep on my futon, without it being folded out so it is like a couch rather than like a bed, the reality of my throwing such a tantrum would most likely end with me falling on the floor.)

The funny thing is, I know I am more productive in the morning than I am at any other time of day, and most mornings I naturally wake up around 5:30a.m. On the occasions when I actually get out of bed rather than rolling over and falling back asleep, I feel much better than when I have allowed myself to hit snooze. Either way though, I am still generally tired throughout the entire day, and most nights I am ready to pass out around nine or ten o'clock (yet I usually don't go to bed until almost midnight). I find it nearly impossible to wake up in the morning, yet I also struggle to stay up late at night. So, if I'm neither a morning person nor a night owl, what does that make me?

I think it might be time for me to accept the fact that I am meant to be a morning person, and I need to start going to bed earlier.

Up in Smoke.

2009-03-12T12:42:00.005-04:00

There was a fire that started downtown around three o'clock this morning. This is a picture of the smoke from the fire almost ten hours later, taken from the top floor of the building where I work.

This is how I feel right now.

Like everything in my life is going up in smoke.

Anitclimactic.

2009-02-27T13:17:00.008-05:00

To expound upon my post from Wednesday regarding my social awkwardness......

Last night I was at my middle nephew Mitchell's wrestling meet. While there, I saw one of my favorite teachers from highschool, Mrs. McQuiston. I hadn't seen or spoken to her since my Freshman year of college, when at the last minute I decided to apply for a scholarship and needed a letter of recommendation (with which she happily provided me). At one point, Mrs. McQuiston was talking to someone near where I was sitting in the bleachers (I could have reached out and touched her arm if I wanted to), yet I completely chickened out of saying hello to her.

Why, I have no idea.

Not only was I an excellent student in Mrs. McQuiston's English class my Junior year, I went on to be her student helper. She wrote an entire two pages in my Senior memory book. She also used to visit me in the evenings where I worked at Dress Barn after graduation when she would take her daughter to The Little Gym, which was in the same plaza. And of course, she wrote me that glowing letter of recommendation my Freshman year of college (which yes, she let me read). So you see, I had absolutely no reason to be nervous about saying hello (other than the fact that I'm - well - me).

At the end of the wrestling meet, Mrs. McQuiston walked by where I was sitting once again, and this time I was determined to say hello. I got up from my seat, and the conversation went something like this.

Me: Hi!
Mrs. McQ: Hey! It's been awhile.
Me: Yeah....
Mrs. McQ: So what have you been up to?
Me: Not much. I work at IUPUI in a laboratory now.
Mrs. McQ: That doesn't surprise me. Do you have a brother wrestling tonight?
Me: No, my nephew wrestles for Eastwood.
Mrs. McQ: Ah....

And that was the extent of the conversation.

I wonder if she truly recognized me and remembered who I was, or if she was just bluffing.

A Social Butterfly I Am Not.

2009-02-25T14:57:00.010-05:00

Today for lunch one of my coworkers and I decided to go to the Campus Center to eat and do a little shopping. After eating at Mamma Leone's (well, I ate at Mamma Leone's - my coworker decided to get sushi instead), we went to Barnes & Noble. Now, the Barnes & Noble in the Campus Center is not the same size as a standard Barnes & Noble, but it does have a fairly decent selection. With this in mind, I decided to look for the book Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt, which I have sporadically searched for since it was released in September 2008 (and have obviously been unable to find). I am a huge fan of chick lit, and while this particular book falls under that category, it has religious undertones, so it is found in the Christian fiction section of the bookstore.

When I got to the appropriate section of the bookstore, there was a girl sitting in the isle looking at a book. I didn't think anything of it, and went on the search for Miracle Girls. Before I knew what was happening, the girl began speaking to me, causing me to promptly break out in a sweat. She asked me about the book I was searching for, which of course I could only tell her the title and author, having completely forgotten what the book was about (what can I say, I have a never-ending list of books I want to read). She then asked me if I was a student and a part of any campus ministry, and I told her I had graduated from college but worked on campus.

At this point, I had been unable to find Miracle Girls, so the girl suggested a different book and found it on the shelf, handing it to me and giving me a description of the plot. I skimmed the inside cover of the book, and then thanked the girl and said I would keep the book in mind. Feeling sufficiently awkward (and not to mention needing to get back to work), I excused myself, but not before asking the girl's name and telling her it was nice to meet her (I do have at least some manners - and her name was Caroline, in case you were wondering).

Immediately afterwards, I began thinking about my 30 Before 30 List, specifically number 27 - Hold a conversation with a stranger. I think I need to develop certain criteria for this particular item, because I am always turning to Brent (or in this case, my coworker) and asking, "Does that count as holding a conversation with a stranger?" Thus far, the answer I have received has always been a resounding "No." So I have to ask, what exactly should completing this particular item on my list entail?

It really is a shame I am so awkward in social situations, because if I hadn't been so nervous and shy, I could have been on my way to completing another item on my list as well, number 30 - Make a new friend (one not connected to someone I already know). All I would have had to say is, "It was really nice meeting you Caroline and I would love to continue this conversation, but I have to get back to work. How about we exchange email addresses?" I mean, Caroline seemed like an extremely nice person. How hard would it have been to say that?

Damn my tendency to flee as quickly as possible in the opposite direction of anything remotely social.

Shit List.

2009-02-25T11:50:00.008-05:00

Doing what I do best at work (that would be procrastinating), I just found the most hilarious item on the website perpetual kid. I present to you the Shit List.

The description on the website reads:

"While everybody claims to have a shit list, there's never been a way to turn the metaphor into reality - until now. Bring the power of organization to your grudges, and find psychological well-being through the mere act of writing grievances down.

You know you have one - now do something about it!"

Other similarly funny lists include the Obscenely Important Memo, Things You Do That Really Piss Me Off, and Things You Must Do To Make Me Happy.

Firsts.

2009-02-21T15:33:00.005-05:00

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Two days before Junior prom I found out my boyfriend had been cheating on me, so my friend Guy saved the day and was my prom date.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? When you're young and naive, I don't think you are capable of knowing and understanding what love really is. If you asked me do I still talk to the first person I said "I love you" to, the answer is no.

3. What was your FIRST job? My first job was as a receptionist for the hair salon Great Clips.

4. What was your FIRST car? I bought my first car when I was 18-years-old, on December 23, 1998. It was a 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier RS. I drove it almost ten years, until nine months ago when I finally bought a new car on May 22, 2008.

5. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Brent.

6. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Brent.

7. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Mrs. Ritchie at W.D. Richards Elementary School.

8. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? When I was 15-years-old and a Sophomore in highschool, I went with my friend Candace and her parents to Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

9. Who was your FIRST best friend and do you still talk to them? My first best friend was my cousin Ryan. I would certainly hope we still talk, considering we are family!

10. Where was your FIRST sleep over? I don't remember my first sleep over, but I am assuming it was at my cousin Ryan's house.

11. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Brent.

12. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? I was a flower girl in my Aunt Jean's wedding.

13. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? I woke up and got out of bed, duh.

14. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? Mannheim Steamroller.

15. FIRST tattoo? I don't have any tattoos.

16. FIRST piercing? My first and only piercing is my ears.

17. FIRST foreign country you've been to? Canada is the first and only foreign country I have been to.

18. FIRST movie you remember seeing? Ghostbusters.

19. When was your FIRST detention? I never had detention in school.

20. What was the FIRST state you lived in? Indiana is the only state in which I have lived.

21. Who was your FIRST roommate? My first roommate was my friend Jaci (Guy's sister).

Whoop-Whoop (the titles of these things just keep getting better and better).

2009-02-18T12:23:00.009-05:00

Here are the rules - post this list on your profile, replacing my answers with yours.

Tag 25 people to do the same thing.

If I tagged YOU, it's because I want to know more about YOU!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I have the same middle name as an aunt on my father's side.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Sunday.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, when I take the time to write neatly.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham (especially with Colby-Jack cheese).

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? None that I am aware of.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes, on my good days.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? See answer to question five.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, although I probably shouldn't.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, not even if you paid me to do it.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms (I absolutely loved Total Vanilla Yogurt, but sadly not enough other people did and it was discontinued).

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, the shoes I wear every day do not have laces.

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mint chocolate chip (preferably the brand Homemade).

13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Genuineness.

14. RED OR PINK? I don't really care for either color, but if I HAD to choose, I would choose red.

15. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I dislike several things at the moment, but one thing in particular is that I am overly sensitive.

16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? I miss several people at any given moment.

17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Naturally.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Dark blue jeans and black Skechers tennis shoes.

19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? I am sitting at my desk at work, so I am not listening to anything at the moment (other than the sound of my and other people's typing).

20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Purple.

21. FAVORITE SMELL(S)? The smell of the air before a storm.

22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My sister.

23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes, of course! We have known each other since kindergarten.

24. FAVORITE SPORT(S) TO WATCH? Hockey.

25. EYE COLOR? Hazel.

26. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No.

27. FAVORITE FOOD? Cheese.

28. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.

29. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 13 Ghosts (yes, I realize the irony considering my answer to the previous question).

30. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? A black turtle neck underneath a purple sweater.

31. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer.

32. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs (research has shown, after all, that people need 12 hugs a day for good emotional health).

33. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS? Yes, one brother and one sister, both older.

34. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Tory (I know how much she loves when I put her on the spot like this). I love you Tory! :-)

35. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? In my general experience, most people tend to not respond to these things.

36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.

37. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Little Miss Stubborn.

38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Buffalo Sabres versus Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game.

39. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? Laughter (especially a child's laughter).

40. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither.

41. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

42. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? None that I can think of, unless you count being able to cheer Tory up and make her laugh when she is in a bad mood.

43. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Columbus, IN.

44. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Everyone's!

Yes, it is a slow day in the lab and I am trying to fill my time with anything other than actual work. I am a stellar employee, I know.

My Nephew, the Wrestler.

2009-02-11T10:40:00.027-05:00

My oldest nephew Charlie began wrestling in the seventh grade. As a freshman he made the varsity wrestling squad at his school, and this year he is once again wrestling varsity. While Charlie has done exceptionally well from the very beginning, anyone who knows him also knows there hardly seems to be a time when he is not sustaining or recovering from one injury or another. This past Saturday at Regionals was no different.

Regionals is do or die time for wrestlers. A wrestler has to place fourth or better at Regionals to advance to Semi-State, not to mention the first match is a must win in order to not be eliminated. On the other hand, once a wrestler has won his first match the pressure is off, because even if he loses all of his remaining matches, the worst he will place is fourth.

Charlie started out the day having his head taped to prevent the huge scab on his forehead from bleeding, and having his left elbow wrapped because he hyperextended it during practice earlier in the week. Least to say, it was already looking like it was going to be a tough day. In the first round, Charlie faced off against Elwood, and after being up 6-0, pinned his opponent. The second round was a rematch three times over for Charlie, pitting him against Cathedral. Each time Charlie had faced the Cathedral wrestler previously in the season, he lost by a small margin. We were hoping this would be Charlie's opportunity to get the proverbial monkey off his back, but alas, it was not to be. In the third and final round, Charlie found himself up against Hamilton Heights. All seemed to be going fairly well even though Charlie was down by two points at the end of the first period. The second period was about to begin when suddenly the coaches for both teams were on the mat checking out Charlie, and before I realized what was going on, Charlie's coaches called for a
forfeit and that was the end of the match.

It turned out that in an attempt to escape from the hold of the Hamilton Heights wrestler at the end of the first period, Charlie got his bell rung pretty badly when the back right side of his head slammed into the mat. Charlie was dazed for quite a while afterwards, but it appeared he was going to be okay. *cue foreboding music* At practice on Monday, the team trainer was not comfortable clearing Charlie to wrestle at Semi-State this coming Saturday, so she made an appointment for him to be evaluated at Methodist Sports Medicine on Tuesday. To cut to the chase, the results of Tuesday's evaluation were not good. Charlie was diagnosed with a major concussion, ending his wrestling season effective immediately. It goes without saying that Charlie is extremely upset, especially since his season ended prematurely last year after he injured his ankle at the MIC Championship.

Hopefully next season will go better.

My Life Soundtrack.

2009-02-05T09:44:00.004-05:00

I was actually tagged for this one by Liam at Liam's alternate reality, so here goes (although he tagged me on Facebook and not Blogger).

My Life Soundtrack

So here's how it works....
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.).
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For the first question, type the song that's playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE.
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool....just type it in man!
7. Tag 10 people, and they have to do it too.

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

Opening Credits:
Pink - Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)

Waking Up:
Garbage - Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)

First Day at School:
t.A.T.u. - Perfect Enemy

Falling in Love:
Three Days Grace - Get Out Alive

Losing Virginity:
Godsmack - Bad Religion

Fight Song:
Godsmack - Voodoo

Breaking Up:
Def Leppard - When Love & Hate Collide

Prom:
Garbage - Medication

Life:
Three Days Grace - Gone Forever

Mental Breakdown:
Evanescence - Call Me When You're Sober

Driving:
Soulja Boy - Crank That (Travis Barker Remix)

Flashback:
Linkin Park - Shadow of the Day

Getting Back Together:
Savage Garden - I Want You

Wedding:
Garbage - I Think I'm Paranoid

Birth of Child:
Animotion - Obsession (12" Remix)

Final Battle:
New Kids on the Block - Never Gonna Fall in Love Again

Death Scene:
Stabbing Westward - What Do I Have To Do?

I was somewhat disappointed with completing this exercise, because having to hit the next button TWICE, I had to skip over a lot of good songs. :-D Not to mention, I had to write down multiple songs by the same artists, which with my perfectionist personality was hard for me to do, especially when I had to write down two Godsmack songs in a row (I wanted each song to be by a different artist, so the depth of my music library would be more accurately represented). Of course, there are a few songs I am thankful didn't come up. All in all though, I think most of the songs are fairly fitting. :-)

One Word.

2009-02-04T10:46:00.023-05:00

There seems to be a lot of these going around Facebook lately. Although I wasn't tagged for this one, I decided to do it anyway because I thought it was interesting and a challenge.

Type only ONE word answers.

It's harder than you think!! Here is what you are supposed to do....and please don't spoil the fun....copy and paste the following into your own note, then type in your answers and tag a bunch of people - including me.

Where is your cell phone.........................desk

Your hair.................................................wavy
Your mother............................................neatnik
Your father..............................................workaholic
Your favorite thing....................................hockey
Your dream last night................................work
Your favorite drink...................................chai
Your dream/goal.......................................enlightenment
The room you are in..................................office
Your fear..................................................failure
Where do you want to be in 6 years..........settled
Muffins.....................................................pumpkin
One of your wish list items.........................CHI
Where you grew up...................................Columbus
The last thing you did.................................bottles
What are you wearing................................jeans
Your TV...................................................small
Your pets..................................................fluffy
Your computer..........................................nonexistent
Your life....................................................clusterfuck
Your mood...............................................excited
Missing someone......................................many
Your car..................................................Focus
Favorite store...........................................bookstore
Your summer............................................birthday
Your favorite color...................................purple
When is the last time you laughed..............awhile
Last time you cried...................................Monday
Someone who emails me..........................Candace
Favorite food...........................................cheese
Where I would rather be right now...........mountains
Someone who I think will do this..............Tory

Murphy Strikes Again.

2009-02-03T10:42:00.007-05:00

Yesterday as I was driving from my first job to my second job, I was on the highway when it started to snow pretty heavily. This in and of itself didn't bother me, and I continued on my way as I normally would (albeit reducing my speed to account for the slower moving traffic). Suddenly and without warning, a car in the right hand lane kicked up a piece of metal debris that was in the middle of the lane, throwing it across the highway and into - you guessed it - the front end of my car. Between the heavy traffic, decreased visibility, and suddenness of what happened, there was nothing I could do. Naturally, no sooner had this occurred and I began having a conniption fit, the snow abruptly stopped, the sun was shining, and traffic cleared.

As for saying in my post yesterday that I am thankful I'm not living the same day over and over again, a la the movie Groundhog Day? Well, one of these days, I am going to have to learn to keep my mouth shut - because that is exactly what I would like to do with yesterday. If I had left work a minute later or a minute earlier....If I had been driving a little slower or a little faster....If I had been driving in a different lane on the highway....If I had taken a different route to my second job....If only I hadn't recently bought a new car, and I was still driving my much dented and rusted Cavalier (which I would rather still be driving, by the way, except every time I turned around it needed another repair, and it was not worth the money)....If, if, if....

I know it's just a car, and it shouldn't be a big deal. While I am admittedly a perfectionist, I am by far not a materialistic person; it just makes me ill to still owe over $13,000 on something that is now damaged. Although, technically the car was already damaged, because someone put a huge scratch in the rear bumper while I was parked in the parking lot at my second job (before I even had a chance to get the car plated, no less). It took me forever and a day to get over the sick feeling I got every time I looked at the scratch in my rear bumper. I can only imagine how long it will take me to get over this.

It's Groundhog Day!

2009-02-02T11:53:00.012-05:00

First D.J.: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's coooold out there today.
Second D.J.: It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
First D.J.: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.
Second D.J.: [mockingly] That blizzard - thing. That blizzard - thing. Oh, well, here's the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a "big blizzard thing!"
First D.J.: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting.
Second D.J.: Especially cold!
First D.J.: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips...
Second D.J.: - On their chapped lips...
First D.J.: - On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?
Second D.J.: Punxsutawney Phil!
First D.J.: Thats right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's
[in unison]
First D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!
Second D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!

From the Official Site of the Punxsuatawney Groundhog Club:

Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009

Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators

Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper

And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,

Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time

And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be.

Apparently, I have been waiting almost two weeks for this day. So naturally, when I woke up this morning, I completely forgot about the fact that today is Groundhog's Day.

Go figure.

At least I can be thankful that I'm not living the same day over and over again.

Un-Snow Day, Take Two

2009-01-30T18:19:00.007-05:00

Apparently, our society is one that rewards the lazy and unmotivated, while those that actually care and try get screwed.

Okay, so maybe I am blowing this just a bit out of proportion, but I am miffed/ticked/pissed off. Today at work, we received an email detailing how we should record our time for Wednesday when the campus was closed due to the adverse weather conditions. Individuals who were scheduled to work, but did not make it into work that day, get to claim their hours on their timesheet under the code WTHR. People like me, however, who actually showed up and worked MORE than their eight hour shift, do not get to claim any time using this code. Basically, if I had given in to my desire to say screw it and call in, I would have gotten a paid day off; but because I was one of the few dedicated workers who actually showed up that day, I am to receive no compensation. (Keep in mind, I had no choice but to show up - we have months worth of data that relies on certain things being done each day).

I know I am whining, but I needed to take a minute to complain.

On a completely different note, can I just say how proud I am of my oldest nephew, who is seeded third for wrestling sectionals tomorrow? :-)

Un-Snow Day.

2009-01-28T21:43:00.009-05:00

Normally, I love my job. (Well, except for one tiny part, which in reality is not all that tiny.)

Today, not so much.

Working at a university has a lot of GREAT benefits, not the least of which are vacation time, sick time, nine paid holidays each year, and dirt cheap dental and health insurance. However, my position as a research technician, while affording me all of these great benefits, has one major drawback - it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, whether or not it is a holiday, or if campus is closed due to a winter storm - I still have to go to work.

Research must go on.

As I was getting ready to get in the shower this morning, my phone started ringing. Having woken up with a severe headache, I grumbled as I went to see who was text messaging/calling me at such an ungodly hour. I opened my phone to see a message from the university saying campus is closed and classes are canceled due to adverse weather. "That's great," I yelled at my phone, "but I still have to [insert expletive here] go to work!"

Which is unfortunate, because I really could have used a snow day.

WTF, mate?

2009-01-26T18:24:00.003-05:00

Yesterday morning on NFL Sunday Countdown, Chris Berman wished Chris Mortensen a Happy Groundhog's Day.

I sat on the couch for several minutes feeling like I was in some sort of alternate universe, a la one of my recent blogs, which can be found here.

Am I missing something?

25 Random Things About Me.

2009-01-22T10:37:00.032-05:00

I have now been tagged by four of my friends on Facebook, so I suppose I better get to it.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. One thing I wish I had never done is color my hair.

2. I pluck gray hairs out of my head with tweezers. Unfortunately, there are too many for me to be able to pluck them all.

3. A pet peeve of mine is when people flick cigarette butts out of their car window while driving.

4. I have trouble making the simplest of decisions.

5. I am an emotional eater. Not so much when I am sad, but definitely when I am angry, frustrated, or some other similar type of emotion.

6. My favorite number is the number eight.

7. My favorite color is purple.

8. I often get asked what high school I attend.

9. I am a creature of habit, and I greatly dislike change.

10. One of my biggest weaknesses is my inability to confront people when I am upset.

11. I long to work a single job without having to put in overtime. As it is, I not only work overtime at my main job, but I also have a second job.

12. I am eternally grateful for those in my life who truly accept me for who I am, and around whom I am able to be my complete self.

13. I often correct grammatical errors in books while I am reading.

14. I greatly miss being a college student.

15. Foul language cracks me up (hence why I love Foamy the Squirrel so much).

16. Sometimes I snort when I laugh.

17. I dyed my hair purple once after I lost a bet.

18. I have had my car broken into twice, and my credit cards stolen three times.

19. I rarely like pictures of myself.

20. I have been listening to the new Kevin Rudolf CD, In The City, on repeat in my car for well over a week now.

21. I don't wear a watch. It's not that I don't like watches, I just haven't found a watch I like since my last one died several years ago (not that I have looked too terribly hard for one, though).

22. The color I wear most often is gray.

23. Music has the ability to lift my mood in a way few other things can.

24. While I am by nature not prone to spontaneity, I do tend to be impulsive in matters of the heart, which often results in my being hurt.

25. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than spend it with someone who didn't place the same meaning and value on love that I do.

26. Reading through the blog entries I wrote on Xanga in 2005 and 2006 seems like a completely different life to me. I have changed a great deal since that time period, and in my opinion it has not been for the better.

27. Recently I have become extremely forgetful. I used to be able to remember great amounts of detail without a problem, but now it seems I can't even remember the smallest things.

So, I threw a couple of extra things in there. What can I say, I was on a roll. As always, I am not going to tag particular people. If you want to do this, then you will. If you don't want to do this, then you won't. It's as simple as that. :-) I hope some people do participate though, because I would greatly enjoy reading your answers!

Say What?!

2009-01-20T19:24:00.014-05:00

I woke up today thinking it was Groundhog's Day....

In the shower, I thought about what I would change my blog background to after today. I also thought about writing a blog regarding one of my favorite movies, Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray, as a tribute to the day. I wondered whether or not Punxsutawney Phil would see his shadow, and if we could expect six more weeks of winter or an early spring. On our way out the door to work this morning, I even turned to Brent and said, "Happy Groundhog's Day!" It was when I said this and saw the expression on his face that it finally hit me - it isn't even February yet. I don't know what kind of dreams I had last night, but somehow from the time I fell asleep to the time I woke up, I fast forwarded through almost two weeks. (I hadn't even taken any NyQuil before bed that could explain my perceived jump into the future.)

Wishful thinking? Perhaps, although I can't think of something that is happening in the next two weeks that I would want to avoid so badly I would completely skip two weeks of my life.

What's most disturbing to me is the fact that I didn't just wake up thinking it was Groundhog's Day....I went on thinking that for an hour as I got ready for work. I would understand if I had only mistaken the day in the first few moments of waking up, where your mind is still groggy and disoriented....

Exhaustion must be taking more of a toll than I originally thought.

Demotivators.

2009-01-14T13:40:00.017-05:00

For several years, I have been a fan of Despair, Inc., although until recently I had never ordered anything from the site. I am always on the prowl for catchy and interesting t-shirts (meaning t-shirts that make me laugh, regardless of whether or not anyone else thinks they are funny), so when one of my co-workers was ordering from the website, I decided to finally buy my all-time favorite t-shirt, titled Burnout. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my co-worker also ordered me a second t-shirt I had been eyeing as a gift. Thus far today, either t-shirt would have been appropriate.

Epic FAIL.

2009-01-14T10:11:00.005-05:00

Apparently Murphy is at it yet again, and I shouldn't have posted yesterday about losing at Dr. Mario. It appears, despite what I originally thought, it CAN get worse. :-D I'll let the pictures do the talking. (Brent is always P1 and I am always P2. This time we are Jesus and Dr. Phil.)

I clearly have to up my game.

Game Over!

2009-01-13T15:47:00.005-05:00

Shortly before Christmas I suffered from a brief moment of insanity and bought a Wii for me and Brent. It happened after I bought a Wii for my sister's family for Christmas. I made it about a week, staring at the Wii, before I had my break with reality and decided dammit, we needed a Wii too. (Keep in mind, I haven't had a video game system since the Super Nintendo, and I have no real interest in video games. Brent, on the other hand - LOVES video games.) Since we've had the Wii, Brent and I have spent a majority of our time downloading and playing old school Nintendo and Super Nintendo games rather than playing games specifically created for the Wii, although I did buy NHL 2K9 at the same time I bought the game system. As fabulous as NHL 2K9 is, the game we have played the most is the one and only Dr. Mario. Many a late night we have stayed up competing against each other in this often frustrating but nevertheless thrill of a puzzle game, starting at level 0 and not stopping until we have completed level 20. Now, as Brent can tell you, I am anything but a good loser. I am constantly complaining and yelling every time he does something to cause extra blocks to fall on my playing field. Nothing is worse, though, than losing by a matter of a milisecond, such as in the picture above. I am P2 (Chuck Norris), and Brent is P1 (Steve Urkel). I had been ahead in this game and about to win (I swear Brent had at least three or four viruses left to clear when I was getting ready to clear my final virus), when all of a sudden he had cleared his screen. I was honestly in shock.

(Not to mention lucky I was wearing the wrist strap on the remote. *laugh*)

New Year's Irresolutions.

2008-12-31T14:17:00.014-05:00

It's that time again. The countdown to a new year has begun. Normally on this day, I would be scrambling to compile a list of resolutions for the coming year, a list that would no doubt be filled with items identical to my resolutions from the year before - exercise, eat healthy, yada yada yada. While my intentions are good, I know in my heart that the likelihood of me keeping all of my resolutions is slim to none (case in point being I make the same resolutions every year). Instead of once again setting myself up for failure, this year I have decided to forgo my traditional list of New Year's resolutions, save one - and that is to work diligently throughout the year of 2009 on my 30 Before 30 List. So, without further ado, Happy New Year everyone! I wish you all much joy and happiness in the year ahead.

Six Things That Make Me Happy.

2008-12-19T11:48:00.048-05:00

I have been tagged by Suz at 30 Before 30 List. The rules of the game? List six things that make me happy. Having had such a difficult time lately attaining happiness, this exercise couldn't have come at a better time for me. I really tried to dig deep and remember just what it is about life that brings me joy. Here is what I came up with.

1. My Family

One thing that was consistently stressed to me while I was growing up is the importance of family. As a result, throughout my life I have had a deep sense of family loyalty. Some of my most cherished memories revolve around my family. I can truly say the members of my family have supported each other through thick and thin, whether or not we have agreed with one another. I think family is crucial in learning to accept ourselves and others, as well as in learning how to love unconditionally, and I am hopeful if I one day have a child, I am able to instill this value in him/her. Without my family, I would be lost.

2. My Friends

Throughout my life, I have been extremely blessed with absolutely wonderful friends. While the rule of my life has always been quality over quantity (I have always had a few close friends rather than a large group of friendly acquaintances), I have never been left wanting when it comes to friendship. I have the best group of friends a girl could ask for, who love me unconditionally yet are willing to tell me the truth when I need to hear it, even though the truth at times can be harsh. I have a best friend who probably knows me better than I know myself, and around whom I am completely free to be me. I am also extremely fortunate to still be in contact with several of my childhood friends. (As John Leonard once said, "It takes a long time to grow an old friend.") My friends keep me grounded in this crazy and hectic world. :-)

3. My Boyfriend

From the very beginning of our relationship, Brent has made me feel completely comfortable and like I can be myself around him. What is even more amazing is that in social situations where I would normally be a nervous wreck (someone once used the term "socially awkward" to describe me, which I found to be highly accurate and fitting), I am much more calm simply because he is with me. In the past, I have always been apprehensive about introducing my boyfriend to family and friends (especially family, because my father likes to embarrass me) - but with Brent, I have never thought twice about introducing him to anyone. He is one of the most kind and generous people I have ever met, and I cannot say enough good things about him. He is definitely my better half. :-)

4. Tradition

My love for tradition can be traced back to my childhood. I think tradition provides a framework within which one can begin to identify himself or herself, and it also instills a sense of togetherness and belonging that over the years I have found difficult to duplicate. Although I have always been a creature of habit and I have an extreme dislike for change, another great thing about tradition is that it has the capability to evolve over time depending on the situation and the needs of those involved. As I said earlier regarding my family, some of my fondest memories are rooted in tradition. While many traditions have come and gone in my life, I greatly look forward to continuing those old traditions that do still exist, as well as creating new ones in the future.

5. Giving

One of the things that brings great joy to my life is being able to give to others. I love finding the perfect present to put a smile on someone's face, and I would much rather buy for others than buy for myself. As a result, I go overboard sometimes (mostly when it comes to my nephews and nieces), and my budget goes out the window, particularly at Christmas. Giving to me isn't solely about material items, though. While a present can be meaningful, I find it much more deeply rewarding to give of myself. I have always been the type of person who puts others before myself, and there is no length I won't go to for my loved ones. Most people would say this is one of my greatest flaws, but I personally feel it is one of my greatest strengths.

6. Hockey

One of my biggest passions in life is the great sport of hockey. Unfortunately for me, hockey is not the most prominent of sports in Indiana. I have been lucky enough to travel to several nearby cities (as well as a couple of cities not so nearby) associated with NHL franchises, the most important of those being Detroit, Michigan! :-) One of my goals in life is to attend an NHL game at each of the 30 NHL arenas. So far I have been to six NHL arenas, however there is one team I will have to travel to watch a second time - the Phoenix Coyotes. When I visited Phoenix in March of 2003 for the 2002-2003 season, the Coyotes played at America West Arena. Shortly afterward, the Coyotes started off the 2003-2004 season in October of 2003 playing at their new arena, Jobing.com Arena. If only I had waited seven months to see the Phoenix Coyotes! :-D

7. Christmas Lights

I decided to include an extra item on my list, what with Christmas being less than a week away. One of my favorite things about the holiday season has always been driving around to look at Christmas lights. On my way to work this morning, I contemplated taking a different route until I quickly remembered the house I pass by each morning that is entirely decked out in Christmas lights (unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the house - I would feel weird taking a picture of someone's house without their permission). Even though I drive past this house every morning and evening during the week, each time I pass by it I am just as excited to see it as I was when I first saw it. It's a shame that more people don't decorate their houses for the holidays.

Since there are less than six people that I know of who read this blog, rather than tag six people I am simply going to encourage anyone who happens across this post to complete the exercise. And of course, leave me a comment when you do so I can read your list! :-)

Down with the Sickness!

2008-12-16T15:36:00.012-05:00

Last night, Disturbed was in concert at the Murat Egyptian Room in downtown Indianapolis. Having been alerted by my friend Brian the day tickets went on sale back in October, I immediately purchased two tickets for what would quickly become a sold out show. (Usually I am a procrastinator extraordinaire and would have waited to buy tickets, especially since the venue is general admission only - thankfully, I went against my typical nature!)

My boyfriend Brent and I arrived at the Egyptian Room about a half an hour before the show was slated to start, and I was quickly reminded of why I hate going to concerts in the Winter. Leaving our jackets behind in the car, we walked quickly towards the growing line of people waiting to get into the concert, which not only went down the sidewalk, but wrapped around the building as well. We had both decided to wear our gloves, which helped greatly in keeping us somewhat warmer than we would have otherwise been, and thankfully the line moved relatively quickly so before long we were inside. (That's not to say I didn't tell Brent the entire time we were standing in line how much I hated him for making me go to the concert and stand outside in the cold, even though I am the one who purchased the tickets.)

The opening band was The Art of Dying, and I have to say - I was not impressed. (As Brent said afterward, they certainly killed onstage.) They sounded like your typical run of the mill alternative rock band, whatever alternative rock is supposed to mean nowadays. Being from Canada, I would have expected better (after all, modern day hockey did originate in the great province of Quebec) - but alas, it was not to be. Their best song was a cover of the song Them Bones by Alice in Chains, and even that could have been better.

Unfortunately, for the first half of the Disturbed show, I was even less impressed (it was my third time seeing Disturbed in concert, and the show was quickly becoming my least favorite of the three). It sounded like the volume for the vocals was set too high, and lead singer David Draiman's voice kept cracking while he was singing, not to mention he ruined my favorite song, Land of Confusion, by perverting some of the lyrics. After a mere hour of playing, Draiman said thank you and goodnight, and the members of the band walked offstage. Of course, there was still the encore, and when the band returned to the stage and began singing, everything sounded MUCH better. It was almost like we were at a completely different show.

Afterwards, Brent and I were standing off to the side waiting for some of the crowd to disperse when the father of one of my oldest nephew's wrestling teammates came over to say hello. At first, I thought it was just the dad at the concert with his friend, which for some reason I found absolutely hilarious. A couple of minutes later the son came over to say hello though, so naturally I had to jokingly give him grief about being out late on a school night (a sure sign I am getting old).

All in all, I had a great time at the concert, and I will be looking forward to the next time Disturbed returns to Indianapolis!

Breaking the Habit.

2008-12-16T11:32:00.009-05:00

It is no secret that for quite some time now (sadly, for much longer than I would care to admit), I have been stuck in a rut. Over the past several years, I have watched myself become less and less of the bright, vibrant person of my youth, and while all along I have lamented this fact, I have failed to do anything to turn things around.

After stumbling upon Suz's Bookshelf Blog and reading a book she reviewed there, The Next thing on My List by Jill Smolinski, and reading Suz's own life list, I was inspired to create a life list of my own in the hope that it would help me break out of my rut. I decided to make a list of thirty things I want to do before I turn thirty, which is in less than two years. (Yikes!) The following is my list.

My 30 Before 30 List

Try snowboarding.
Join a recreational sports team.
Go see a movie at the movie theater by myself.
Eat at a restaurant by myself.
Write in a journal every day for a month.
Find a cause I am passionate about and get involved.
Educate myself about politics so I can intelligently and effectively defend my political beliefs.
Volunteer at Agape Therapeutic Riding Center.
Learn to ice skate (more specifically, learn to stop without running into the wall of the ice rink).
Buy 1500 thread count Egyptian cotton bed sheets.
Dress up for Halloween (as an adult, Halloween is my least favorite holiday, so I have not dressed up for Halloween since I was a child).
Learn to drive a stick shift.
Be able to run two miles without stopping.
Travel somewhere I have never been.
Visit my maternal grandmother's grave in Evansville, Indiana (the only time I have been to my grandmother's grave was at her funeral, so I have not seen her headstone).
Take the GRE and decide whether or not to apply for graduate school.
Learn basic German.
Attend the 2010 NCAA Men's Frozen Four at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
Have a cookie-baking weekend.
Spend an entire day (24 hours) with my cell phone turned off.
Get dressed up and go out for a fancy dinner.
Go on a carriage ride in downtown Indianapolis. (For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to go on one of these carriage rides, and I have always said the first man to take me on one was the man I was going to marry. Seeing as how I am nearing thirty and I have never been married, I figured it was time to take destiny into my own hands.)
Tour the Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis.
Donate blood.
Take ballroom dancing lessons or swing dancing lessons.
Learn to bake madeleines.
Hold a conversation with a stranger.
Attend the Circle of Lights Festival in Indianapolis.
Mail out Christmas cards in time for the cards to arrive BEFORE Christmas. (Every year I buy Christmas cards, and every year the cards never get mailed out. I have quite a vast collection of Christmas cards, and cards for every other holiday for that matter, in my greeting card box.)
Make a new friend (one not connected to someone I already know).

I tried to create a list consisting of a variety of items, including ones that would be fairly easy to complete, as well as several that will push me beyond my comfort zone. While my original intention was to only include items that are within my control, I did let one creep in that is not entirely so - number 18. While I have every intention of attending the 2010 NCAA Men's Frozen Four, it is not simply a matter of purchasing tickets, reserving a hotel room, and driving to Detroit, MI. Tickets are only available through an application process, and are awarded through a lottery system. If you have purchased Frozen Four tickets before, your application is given priority, but a certain number of tickets are set aside for those who are attempting to purchase tickets for the first time. So, you see, as someone who has not previously purchased Frozen Four tickets, I am going to be relying heavily on luck to score tickets (which, historically, my luck tends to be very, very bad). Either that, or I have to hope I have enough money to purchase tickets at an outrageously inflated price from one of the individuals who is lucky enough to be selected through the lottery system and decides to sell their tickets, for whatever reason. (I think I better start saving now, just to be safe.)

The bottom line is at 28-years-old, I feel like I have wasted my life thus far. I am extremely unhappy a majority of the time, I still have a great deal to learn about who I am as a person, and I have no idea what I want to do with the rest of my life. This list is about rediscovering happiness, learning as much as possible about myself and life, and hopefully discovering my life's purpose (or at least what would make me feel like my life is meaningful and worthwhile, and that I am having a positive impact on the world).

If you would like to keep up with the progress I am making on my list, I have dedicated a separate blog to the endeavor, What Is On My List.

My Wish List. :-)

2008-11-25T12:31:00.021-05:00

Currently, I am doing what I do best, and that is procrastinating. :-D In an effort to find ANYTHING to do but actual work (and inspired by Suz), I have been creating my ultimate wish list. I gave myself no rules for making this list - it doesn't matter how much or how little the item costs (or if the item is even available for purchase) - if I want the item, it is going on the list, whether or not I would ever actually buy it. (While I would not be unhappy if any of these items were to find their way into my possession, I do recognize my current budgetary restrictions.)

If you would like to make your own wish list, you can do so by clicking the following link:

The wish list is created by amazon.com, but you can add things to the list from any website you choose. (How cool is that?!?!)

And of course, if you would like to see what I have added to my list so far, you can do so by clicking here:

Happy virtual shopping! :-)

Bipartisan Efforts.

2008-11-14T13:56:00.011-05:00

Earlier this week, in a fit of boredom and nostalgia, my co-worker Kat and I were discussing our glorious childhood memories of Hi-C Ecto Cooler. After doing some research into the matter (and discovering that as recent as 2007, unbeknownst to us, Ecto Cooler had been available under a different name), we decided to take action. Kat called Minute Maid to lodge our complaint about the discontinuation of this wonderfully deceiving drink (it was green in color, but tasted of oranges and tangerines). Feeling that simply calling Minute Maid wasn't enough, we decided to take further action by composing an email to President-elect Obama through his website, http://www.change.gov, which encourages everyone to share their hopes for the new government. Despite having voted differently in the election and not seeing eye to eye on politics, Kat and I were able to unite in our common desire to see the return of Ecto Cooler to grocery store shelves. The following was our letter.

I would like to congratulate President-elect Obama on his recent victory. I admired the way the campaign united the country in an atmosphere of hope. That being said, I would like to share my hope for the country.

I would like to see the return of one of the most celebrated drink flavors of all time, Hi-C Ecto Cooler. I have done some research into this matter and found that in 2001, Ecto Cooler had been renamed to Shoutin' Orange Tangergreen and was renamed again in 2006 to Crazy Citrus Cooler, only to be tragically discontinued in 2007. I believe that with the return of this product, the subsequent buying surge would contribute greatly to the economic stimulus this country so despeartely needs. This would be a change for Main Street rather than Wall Street, and its effects would be felt immediately in the hearts and minds of Americans. People from all over the country would be reunited in their joy of the return of this beloved boxed drink. This is change the average American can believe in.

Thank you for taking the time to give a voice to my dream and the dream of countless others.

To answer your question, yes, we get that bored at work.

And yes, we sent the email.

Today is not your day, Murphy!

2008-11-04T14:49:00.006-05:00

It is no secret that I often find myself plagued by Murphy's Law, much more often than the majority of people I know (at least from my point of view). Sure, I have what you could describe as mundane days where nothing of particular interest occurs, but most days in my life follow the rule of anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Today seemingly started off as one of those days, when after waking up at the wee hour of four thirty in the morning, I arrived at my polling location promplty at six o'clock to discover that the line to vote was already enormous. In years past, I have always gone to vote when the polls first open, and I have never had any problems getting quickly in and out. My heart sank as I parked my car and joined the que standing outside in the chilly morning air. I was certain that despite my efforts, I was going to be late to work, which in turn was going to throw off my entire morning.

Surprisingly, the line seemed to move relatively quickly as I steadily grew closer to the door of the building and to the warmth radiating out from inside, and after standing outside for about twenty minutes, I had finally entered the building. At this point, things seemed to slow down dramatically, and I figured I was still in for a substantial wait. Not long after I was inside, a poll worker came down the line asking for anyone with a last name starting with the letters N through Z. Even though I was still standing relatively close to the door of the building, NO ONE in front of me moved, so I was able to walk straight up to the table at the other side of the room to show my driver's license and receive my ballot. All in all, voting took me about thirty-five minutes.

Murphy 0, Me 1

On my way to stop back by my apartment briefly before heading to work, I realized that the poll worker could have challenged my eligibility to vote since the address on my driver's license did not match the address on my voter registration. (What a catastrophe that would have been!) Thankfully, the poll worker simply asked me about the discrepancy in my address, and let me go on my merry way (it probably helped that I live on the same road - I had simply moved into a bigger apartment in the same building).

Murphy 0, Me 2

Since I was now going to be early to work, and I had spent twenty minutes standing outside in the cold, I rationalized stopping at Starbucks to get a peppermint hot chocolate and a protein plate for breakfast (the protein plate includes a hard boiled egg, crisp apple slices, seedless red grapes, a whole wheat mini bagel, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter). Upon opening my wallet to pay for my purchase, I realized I had forgotten to put my driver's license back in my wallet (I had stuck it in my back pocket after showing it to the poll worker). I immediately checked my back pocket for my license, only to discover that it was missing. I momentarily panicked, as normally this would be the time the Starbucks cashier would ask to see my driver's license since the back of my check card isn't signed. Amazingly, the cashier simply swiped my card and handed it back to me.

Murphy 0, Me 4 (One point for the cashier not asking to see my driver's license, and one point for me losing my driver's license AFTER I voted.)

Of course, there was still the matter of WHERE I lost my driver's license. The worst case scenario was I dropped it at my polling location, and someone picked it up and was running rampant around the city using my driver's license to cast multiple votes, for which I would then be arrested on account of voter fraud. Retracing my steps in my mind, I remembered when I stopped back at my apartment I used the restroom. That had to be it - I was certain my driver's license was laying on my bathroom floor. Unfortunately, the Starbucks I stopped at was down the street from where I work, and I couldn't go back to my apartment to see if my theory was correct.

To make an otherwise already long story short, after completing the morning work I took my lunch break to go back to my apartment, and you guessed it, I found my driver's license laying on my bathroom floor.

Murphy 0, Me 5 (In your face Murphy!)

Naturally, the rest of the day has been one of mundanity.

A Penny for Your Thoughts.

2008-10-31T11:43:00.013-04:00

Earlier this week, I emptied all of the pennies from my wallet into the Harry Plopper piggy bank that sits by my computer monitor at work (I had AT LEAST twenty cents worth of pennies weighing down my wallet). This morning as I was driving to work, I was going to be extremely early and decided to stop at McDonald's for a fruit and walnut salad and small orange juice, despite having woken up with a severe headache that was making me nauseous and causing me to have no desire whatsoever to eat. (What better way to kill time than by idling in a busy drive thru, right?) After placing my order, the drive thru attendee told me my total was $4.01. As I pulled forward and got my wallet out of my purse to retrieve my money (there is a sign at the drive thru that CLEARLY tells you to have your money ready), I was reminded of my aforementioned penny dumping. It figures after weeks of pennies accumulating in my wallet, the moment I get rid of them is the exact moment I need one. (It is Murphy's Law, after all, which seems to be the predominate law governing my life.) Once I pulled up to the first drive-thru window (I think McDonald's is the only fast food establishment that actually uses both of their drive-thru windows), I handed the drive-thru attendee $10.10. As she entered my tender into the register and was about to hand me my change, she looked over at me and said, "You do know you gave me ten dollars and ten cents, right?" My reply was to chuckle slightly and say, "Yes, I know - I didn't have a penny." A light suddenly came on in her head, as apparently she thought I was trying to engage in some sort of trickery by handing her a dime rather than a penny, when I was simply trying to avoid getting ninety-nine cents in change. Perhaps drive thru attendees are often on the receiving end of pranks, and her mind was on high alert what with today being Halloween and all. You never can tell in this day and age.

My Happy Life List.

2008-09-18T10:17:00.011-04:00

My Happy Life List

Every Day, I Would Like To....

Set a good example for my nephews and nieces.
Write in a journal.
Take time out to read.
Exercise.

Every Week, I Would Like To....

Spend quality time with my nephews and nieces.
Maintain my close relationships with my family and friends.
Do something active.
Put money into a savings account.

In 3 Months, I Would Like To....

Unpack and have my apartment looking the way I want it to.
Develop a budget and stick to it.
Learn about photography and how to properly use my digital camera.
Pack my lunch at least four days a week so that I can save money and eat healthier by not eating fast food for lunch every day.

Before This Time Next Year, I Would Like To....

Lose 20 pounds.
Rent a chalet in the Smoky Mountains for a weekend getaway.
Reconnect with old friends with whom I have lost contact over the years.
Find the serenity for which I have been so desperately searching.

In 3 to 5 Years, I Would Like To....

Pay off all of my debt.
Get married.
Start a family.
Go to graduate school and further my education.

Before I Die, I Would Like To....

Visit all 30 NHL arenas.
Travel to a foreign country to experience the beauty and culture there.
Own a horse.
Discover and fulfill my life's purpose.

What Color Glasses Do You See The World Through?

2008-08-28T10:03:00.004-04:00

You See the World Through Blue Colored Glasses

You live your life with tranquility. You have faith that things will work themselves out with time.
You judge all your interactions through the lens of hope. You try to get all the facts before forming your opinion.

You face challenges with wisdom. You know that all bad things pass, and you have the confidence to see problems through.
You see love as the utmost expression of trust. Your relationships tend to be peaceful and stable.

At your worst, you can be cool, melancholy, and detached. You sometimes have to step back from emotionally charged situations.
You are at your happiest when you are able to reflect and relax.

What Color Glasses Do You See the World Through?

Which of the Five Senses Are You?

2008-08-27T14:26:00.004-04:00

You are the Sense of Touch

You are a highly sensitive and easily moved person.
You love to get as close to other people as possible.
Human connection is very important to you.

You are also likely to be an animal lover who loves animals as much as humans.
In fact, you like almost anything soft!
You have expensive taste in clothes and furniture. It's all about the fabric.

Which of the Five Senses Are You?

Another Friday evening spent at Riley Hospital.

2008-07-28T15:06:00.006-04:00

As some of you already know, Friday evening my 13-year-old niece Laura was rushed to Riley Hospital in an ambulance. Laura had been at the Brickyard Festival at the Knights of Columbus on 71st Street and Keystone Avenue with her friend Mikaela and Mikaela's sisters, mother, and grandmother. Laura, who like many other members in her family suffers from social anxiety, was uncomfortable being around the large group of people at the festival. She was handling things fine until she ended up standing too close to a grill and began coughing because of all of the smoke. When Laura couldn't breathe, she started to hyperventilate, and then she had a panic attack. The paramedic said she was shaking uncontrollably and fading in and out of consciousness (however, she does not recall this - she swears that she was merely dizzy and needed to sit down, and that she was fully aware of what was happening the entire time). Laura's stepfather rode with her in the ambulance to the hospital while my sister followed behind. I arrived at the hospital shortly after everyone else, having been at home when my sister called to tell me Laura was being taken away in an ambulance. We were at Riley until about three in the morning, but Laura seemed to bounce right back and is doing well now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who was praying for Laura on Friday night. I am extremely thankful that it wasn't something more serious!

Manners Suck.

2008-07-17T15:45:00.011-04:00

I was in Dover, Delaware recently, visiting my best friend Tory for her birthday. Naturally while I was there, we had to stop in at Dunkin' Donuts to purchase several of the delightful morsels. As we entered the Dunkin' Donuts on North Dupont Highway, there was a sign posted on the door. It said, "Please complete cell phone calls prior to placing your order." I found this to be extremely amusing, so I made Tory get her camera out of her purse so I could take a picture of the sign. I find it comical yet oddly disturbing that customers talking on their cell phones while simultaneously placing an order at the counter of Dunkin' Donuts has become a large enough problem that the manager, or whoever is in charge of the establishment, has had to place a sign on the door in an attempt to eliminate this rude behavior. Now, I myself am one of those individuals who is attached at the hip to their cell phone - but seriously people! Has our world really become one that is completely devoid of any and all manners?

This is for Nici. :-)

2008-06-25T13:50:00.006-04:00

Nici, I didn't have your email address to send you these images, so I figured I would post them here and then you can copy them if you like. I immediately thought of you when I saw them on Facebook. Enjoy! :-)

Update on Prayer Request for My Uncle Bill.

2008-05-13T08:29:00.006-04:00

I am relieved to say that my Uncle Bill's cancer has not returned. Thankfully, my uncle's doctor was correct in his suspicions. It was my uncle's gall bladder causing his abdominal pain, so my uncle has already had surgery to have his gall bladder removed. The results of my uncle's bone marrow aspiration also came back negative, so it looks like he is in the clear. Thank you to all who were keeping my uncle in your thoughts and prayers!

The Fool Who Ripped Her Pants

2008-05-01T09:27:00.013-04:00

Yesterday at work, I was weighing rats when one of them started to jump out of my hand. Instinctively, I went into a squat as I tried to catch the rat and keep it from falling to the floor. Unfortunately when I did this, I heard a distinct ripping sound. Thankfully, it happened near the end of my workday, and the tear was along the back pocket of my jeans, so it wasn't terribly noticeable. However, the pair of jeans I was wearing were one of two pairs I have that actually fit me, so now I am down to one pair of jeans. :-(

Prayer Request.

2008-04-29T08:56:00.005-04:00

Please pray for my Uncle Bill. He recently went to the hospital emergency room because he was having severe abdominal pain, and the emergency room doctor's diagnosis was that my uncle's cancer was back, this time in his spleen. However, my uncle's doctor thinks this was a misdiagnosis, and that my uncle simply had a gallbladder attack. My uncle is having a bone marrow aspiration today, so hopefully we will have more information and a correct (non-cancer related) diagnosis soon.

Midewest Earthquake.

2008-04-19T11:45:00.004-04:00

Yesterday morning at approximately 5:38a.m., I was awaken abruptly when my studio apartment began to shake. It felt like the entire apartment was vibrating; my futon was creaking and the chandelier in the living area was swaying. At first I thought I was in the middle of a tornado, but my mind quickly reasoned that there had been no severe storms in the weather forecast. My apartment is at the end of the hallway on the second floor, so it is next to the laundry facility. As the shaking continued, it sounded like someone was doing laundry and the washers had gone off-balance and were banging into each other. Then, as quickly as it had started, the shaking stopped. I laid in bed for a couple of minutes, contemplating trying to go back to sleep, my heart racing and my body too paralyzed to get up and look around. Finally I rolled over and switched on the television, turning on the Channel 8 morning news. Minutes after I had turned on the television, there was breaking news about an earthquake centered in southern Illinois. Suddenly everything made sense, and my body finally began to relax. The moral of the story? If I am ever in a catastrophic situation, I will surely be doomed, seeing as how even just the thought of a possible tornado is enough to paralyze me. :-D On a more serious note, it does make me wonder how I would react were a truly dangerous situation to arise.

Where A Kid Can Be A Kid.

2008-04-15T14:07:00.001-04:00

On March 24th, I saw one of my best friends from childhood, Allison, that I had last seen when we were in highschool. Allison, her mom, and her three children spent the day in Indianapolis going to the Children's Museum and Build-A-Bear, with their final stop being the ever popular family entertainment center Chuck E. Cheese's. I met them for dinner that evening after I got off work, and it was a blast. :-) I was nervous at first, because you can never really predict what it is going to be like when you see someone for the first time in years, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was like no time had passed between us at all. It is comforting to know that true friendships do exist, where no matter how much time has passed or what has happened in your life, you can always pick up right where you left off. I have to say, my favorite part of the evening was when Allison and I got up to play some games. Not only is Chuck E. Cheese's a place where a kid can be a kid, but it is a place where an adult can be a kid as well. :-) Here's hoping I will always be able to connect with my inner child.

I Got Tagged.

2008-03-10T13:40:00.005-04:00

Here's how you play: Once you've been tagged you have to write a blog with 10 weird random facts, habits or goals about yourself, and at the end choose 10 people to be tagged. List their names and why you tagged them, and don't forget to leave them a comment saying (You're It!) and to go read your blog. You cannot tag the person that tagged you so since you can't tag me back let me know when you are done so that I can go read YOUR blog answers...

1. I have an irrational fear of the toilet overflowing. I don't know why or when I developed this fear, but any time a toilet becomes clogged or overflows, I freak out - and not in a good way. I actually have nightmares about my toilet overflowing.

2. I bought my first car (a 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier RS) on December 23, 1998, when I was eighteen. I am now 27-years-old, and I still drive the same car. How sad is that?! My car has been through two accidents, several alternators, a catalytic converter and two exhaust pipes, a blown head gasket and a cracked head, transmission and radiator repairs, two break-ins, and almost 200,000 miles (and those are just the major things). Her name is Faithful.

3. When I was younger, I painted my bedroom hot pink in honor of my favorite wrestler, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, complete with a life size poster of The Hitman on my wall. At night when my bedroom lights were on and my blinds were up, my room looked like it glowed from outside, and you could clearly see the poster.

4. My mother says when I was little I would call my stomach my stummy, a combination of stomach and tummy. So when I didn't feel well, I would go around saying "I have a stummyache."

5. I was born on the Fourth of July. Up until I was 10-years-old, my parents would tell me that the fireworks were for me and that everyone was celebrating my birthday. (No, I wasn't gullible enough to believe them, just in case you were wondering.) One of my favorite things to do on my birthday is to go see fireworks, but I rarely get to do that nowadays.

6. When I was a baby, my maternal grandmother made me a little pillow. My mother says that even as a baby, I would refuse to go to sleep without Little Pillow. When I was older, Little Pillow was incorporated into my bedtime prayer, where I would bless all of my favorite things - "God bless everybody, especially Crackle and Pop (my pet mice), Baby Holly Hobby, Hello Kitty, Glow Worm, Good Luck Bear, and Little Pillow. Amen." As an adult, I still sleep with Little Pillow - and I still say the addition my mother and I created to my bedtime prayer, even though I no longer have any of those things except for Little Pillow.

7. When I was eight-years-old and in second grade, I was hit by a pickup truck while walking home from school. The crossguard had just told us to start crossing the street, and I was at the front of the line. With one foot off the curb, a 16-year-old boy late getting back to school thought he could make it before we started crossing. Ignoring the crossguard's stop sign, he hit me. The thing that upset me most about the accident was that my favorite sweatsuit was ruined (the same grandmother who made Little Pillow had made the sweatsuit for me). Apparently I skidded across the asphalt on the left side of my face, although I never got to see the damage. A sixth grade girl I didn't know rode with me in the back of the ambulance to the hospital. I don't remember anything about her except that we had the same last name. I never saw her again, and I'm not sure if I ever got a chance to thank her for what she did for me.

8. I choked on a sugar baby once because I was laughing at my boyfriend at the time. He had gotten a new credit card in the mail, and the company had put "Mrs." in front of his name. For some reason I found this extremely hilarious, and I started laughing hysterically, which caused me to choke on the sugar baby I had been eating. My boyfriend had to administer the heimlich maneuver on me. I wouldn't eat sugar babies for a long time after that, and to this day I still don't eat them very often.

9. I love cherries, but dislike almost anything cherry flavored (especially cherry flavored candy and Koolaid).

10. The summer between sixth and seventh grade, I broke my left arm running away from a bee (in my defense, the bee was HUGE - and scary). That summer, we had had a problem with carpenter bees boring holes in the wood fence surrounding our patio. That particular day, Natasha had ridden her bike over. Later, when we went to retrieve Natasha's bike off the patio, we saw the carpenter bees flying around her bike. I started to run around the apartment building to my front door so I could get my dad and tell him the bees had returned. In the process of running I fell, thus breaking my arm. I not only broke both my radius and ulna, but bent them both as well, so that my arm was curved. I had to have surgery to straighten my arm, before which the doctor comforted me by saying the worst he could do was snap both the bones in my arm in half. To this day, my left wrist and fingers are smaller than my right wrist and fingers, a result of having a cast on my left arm.

I am choosing not to tag anyone, because most of the people I would tag probably wouldn't take the time to do this. However, if you do want to do this, I would love to read your answers!