I found this on a blog and thought I would like to try and do this also. It is a great way to report and keep track of life in general. A topic popped into my head this morning on the way to work that I hope to write about next time - "Dating Don't Do." You can thank a late night at a bar, a few drinks and a good conversation with a friend to bring this topic about. But for now:
"Just a round-up of my life over the week to keep me honest, and satisfy that need for voyeurism that forces you to read my blog."
Mind
One-word description of the workweek: loaded
Books I've finished: I started Julie and Julia/My Sister's Keeper - not sure I will finish either any time soon.
News story that stuck with me: Jon & Kate Plus 8 divorcing; Farrah Fawcett--dead!; Michael Jackson--dead! Oxy-Clean Guy --dead! What a week.
Body
Workouts this week: Trying for 3.
Nutritional cheats: Stupid cheese fries and beer. It was late too. Still beating myself up for it.
Spirit
What I did for myself: I went out on a girl's night and stayed out way past my bedtime. I also got the house super clean for not only the week, but a showing. Still crossing fingers we sell our townhome.
June 29, 2009
June 19, 2009
Acting His Way Out of a Paper Bag
A little background: The hubs went to college for drama that takes place on a stage, not the Jon and Kate Plus Eight kind. He got his diploma and moved back east after working odd jobs including one in the magazine industry. Once he set up shop in North Carolina, he went into HR. HR is tricky, but a lot like being a drama major. You deal with people, and well, from my experience, people can be crazy. After his company downsized and the 11pm phone calls to India stopped in our home, he started searching for the next big thing. They came in three little packages that looked promising, but fell short of even a glimpse to propel up the corporate ladder.
In our current economy, when one find themselves out of work, I mean a career, best thing to do reinvent themselves. Being the supportive wife I try really hard to be, we took the team approach to finding ones true calling. It came in forms of meeting at the coffeehouse for brainstorming sessions, to evening with lots of adult beverages and word vomiting into the wee hours of the night. But what came next, neither of us saw coming. A local play was short on staff, and well, I mentioned that the hubs could step in to help. Yes, I know it was selfish to volunteer his endless hours to job surf on the Internet, but we both agreed in previous weeks that networking would be key to landing a cube back in Corporate America.
Last Tuesday evening it clicked. He auditioned and got the part; *poof readers, met my hubs the actor. Can you tell I am like a proud mother who's kid got the lead role in his school play? Well, it isn't the lead, but enough speaking parts and fast changes to make your head spin. In less than one month, the hubs will be back doing what he actually got his degree in, which not most people can say these days. Hopefully this is lead to bigger and better things, but in the meantime, we plan to just soak up the good news for a change.
In our current economy, when one find themselves out of work, I mean a career, best thing to do reinvent themselves. Being the supportive wife I try really hard to be, we took the team approach to finding ones true calling. It came in forms of meeting at the coffeehouse for brainstorming sessions, to evening with lots of adult beverages and word vomiting into the wee hours of the night. But what came next, neither of us saw coming. A local play was short on staff, and well, I mentioned that the hubs could step in to help. Yes, I know it was selfish to volunteer his endless hours to job surf on the Internet, but we both agreed in previous weeks that networking would be key to landing a cube back in Corporate America.
Last Tuesday evening it clicked. He auditioned and got the part; *poof readers, met my hubs the actor. Can you tell I am like a proud mother who's kid got the lead role in his school play? Well, it isn't the lead, but enough speaking parts and fast changes to make your head spin. In less than one month, the hubs will be back doing what he actually got his degree in, which not most people can say these days. Hopefully this is lead to bigger and better things, but in the meantime, we plan to just soak up the good news for a change.
June 12, 2009
All You Need Is...
"Hope that one tragic loss does not mean another. Hope in always trusting the bigger plan & pulling up by the bootstraps. Hope in a purpose is not a clear-laid path."
Last year was really hard. We decided we wanted to move to California, and well - it didn't happen. In October my husband moved to South San Fran, while I packed up a house and then a moving truck. I ate at all my favorite places, said goodbye to my brother and his family, and wrote off the city I came to right after graduation for a retail management position. I was ready to leave, to start over. The afternoon the moving truck came and picked up all our stuff was the day the bottom fell out. I got a phone call an hour after they left to let me know that something was wrong. Last year was when the economy started to tank, really bad. My husband was told that all new positions were eliminated and that he could go back to the Carolinas. This is the part where you can only imagine the panic, the stress and well the tears that our dream to start a new chapter out west would never be written.
The next few days where really a blur. I called my manager and asked for my job back, I called the moving company and asked for our stuff to come back, we called the apartment building to get out of our crazy lease, and then I turned to hope that everything would work out in the end. That was when I learned that everything can be reversed. I put on a smile when I greeted my husband at the airport who was numb. We went to our home that was all clean and clear of any of our belongings. We got our dogs and headed south to see the his parents. We spend that weekend getting our lives in order. Getting our address updated (again), emailing my contacts in CA to let them know I would not be coming for an interview and then calling my best friend to say something I didn't want to say; they we were not moving. All I wanted to do was to crawl under a rock and never come out again. I felt like I failed.
Over the next few months, it didn't get better. I am still surprised that my friends welcomed me with open arms and my grumpy attitude. The holidays came and we spend our first time without my in-laws/extended family who were in California visiting my husband's sister. We both just wanted to blink and have 2008 end. New Years was when things really started to take a turn. We got our pride back and rang in the season with a hope that next year, 2009 would be our year.
So far, things have not been perfect, but they are good. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, one income to keep us going and well, we have a strong marriage to lean on. Things are not always easy, but I do have hope that things will be okay. We'll get a bigger place without having to share walls, my husband will find another job and we'll get to start a family. It might not happen right away, but no matter what, we made it to the other side in one piece and today, that is what counts.
Last year was really hard. We decided we wanted to move to California, and well - it didn't happen. In October my husband moved to South San Fran, while I packed up a house and then a moving truck. I ate at all my favorite places, said goodbye to my brother and his family, and wrote off the city I came to right after graduation for a retail management position. I was ready to leave, to start over. The afternoon the moving truck came and picked up all our stuff was the day the bottom fell out. I got a phone call an hour after they left to let me know that something was wrong. Last year was when the economy started to tank, really bad. My husband was told that all new positions were eliminated and that he could go back to the Carolinas. This is the part where you can only imagine the panic, the stress and well the tears that our dream to start a new chapter out west would never be written.
The next few days where really a blur. I called my manager and asked for my job back, I called the moving company and asked for our stuff to come back, we called the apartment building to get out of our crazy lease, and then I turned to hope that everything would work out in the end. That was when I learned that everything can be reversed. I put on a smile when I greeted my husband at the airport who was numb. We went to our home that was all clean and clear of any of our belongings. We got our dogs and headed south to see the his parents. We spend that weekend getting our lives in order. Getting our address updated (again), emailing my contacts in CA to let them know I would not be coming for an interview and then calling my best friend to say something I didn't want to say; they we were not moving. All I wanted to do was to crawl under a rock and never come out again. I felt like I failed.
Over the next few months, it didn't get better. I am still surprised that my friends welcomed me with open arms and my grumpy attitude. The holidays came and we spend our first time without my in-laws/extended family who were in California visiting my husband's sister. We both just wanted to blink and have 2008 end. New Years was when things really started to take a turn. We got our pride back and rang in the season with a hope that next year, 2009 would be our year.
So far, things have not been perfect, but they are good. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, one income to keep us going and well, we have a strong marriage to lean on. Things are not always easy, but I do have hope that things will be okay. We'll get a bigger place without having to share walls, my husband will find another job and we'll get to start a family. It might not happen right away, but no matter what, we made it to the other side in one piece and today, that is what counts.
June 10, 2009
What's Next?
On the way to work today, I heard a song that I've heard a million times before, but for some reason, today it rang true to my current situation. I've been surfing through blogs reading everything from divorce to new recipes. And then it hit me - where is my life going and why does it seem like everyone else has a plan?
This year (so far) hasn't been the best nor the worst. Here's a short list:
* One year of marriage :)
* Two years of my husband searching for work and coming up empty :(
* Eight months of our town home on the market :(
* A few month of us starting a small business :)
* Almost eight years down the part-time retail drain; I got laid off last month :(
* A month after our boxer got Cancer and had surgery (Stage 2) :(
I am trying my best to count as many blessings as I can, but lately, even that gets really hard to do. I just feel like we are stuck and can't move forward. I worry that things will always be this way and while we try for change - everyone else around us will move forward while we struggle to stay a float. How did we get here? Can't blame a president or an economy; it is what it is. Trying to figure out how to make the best out of a situation can be exhausting. Trying to find more tricks to pull out of my sleeve isn't working here. So what is next? I have no clue, but I will keep hoping for the best.
This year (so far) hasn't been the best nor the worst. Here's a short list:
* One year of marriage :)
* Two years of my husband searching for work and coming up empty :(
* Eight months of our town home on the market :(
* A few month of us starting a small business :)
* Almost eight years down the part-time retail drain; I got laid off last month :(
* A month after our boxer got Cancer and had surgery (Stage 2) :(
I am trying my best to count as many blessings as I can, but lately, even that gets really hard to do. I just feel like we are stuck and can't move forward. I worry that things will always be this way and while we try for change - everyone else around us will move forward while we struggle to stay a float. How did we get here? Can't blame a president or an economy; it is what it is. Trying to figure out how to make the best out of a situation can be exhausting. Trying to find more tricks to pull out of my sleeve isn't working here. So what is next? I have no clue, but I will keep hoping for the best.
March 13, 2009
So, I've been thinking...
Every time I hear someone say "so, I've been thinking", or it comes out of my mouth, it still reminds me of my college boyfriend breaking up with me; but that's another story for another time. I recently heard a really great quote: "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." - Albert Einstein
The last week has been tough (maybe due more to the fact that daylights saving took an hour of my sleep) mostly due to the economy. I have been trying really hard to think of ways or changes to our current lives that could make a difference down the road. And during this day and age, that concept is even harder to come by. So I am left with a few ideas and a ton of questions. There are fewer and fewer opportunities, but there are still needs out there.
I guess that doesn't help to be vague, but when you have lots of swirl in your head, you tend to try and wrap your arms around it and hang tight until something seems falls into place. I guess I need to keep pondering about my leap of faith. It might be a good idea on paper - but in real life, it scares the crap out of me. Off to do more research.
The last week has been tough (maybe due more to the fact that daylights saving took an hour of my sleep) mostly due to the economy. I have been trying really hard to think of ways or changes to our current lives that could make a difference down the road. And during this day and age, that concept is even harder to come by. So I am left with a few ideas and a ton of questions. There are fewer and fewer opportunities, but there are still needs out there.
I guess that doesn't help to be vague, but when you have lots of swirl in your head, you tend to try and wrap your arms around it and hang tight until something seems falls into place. I guess I need to keep pondering about my leap of faith. It might be a good idea on paper - but in real life, it scares the crap out of me. Off to do more research.
February 12, 2009
What to do, what to do
I have been thinking a lot about doing the 1001 list where you make a list of what you'd like to achieve in the next so many days/years. I haven't started one yet, but I did find this fun little survey so here it is:
100 Things You Should Do in Your Life: (according to the internet and a blog I found)
1. Started my own blog - Yes, ta-da!
2. Slept under the stars - No
3. Played in a band - No, but I tried to start one in college. Bad idea.
4. Visited Hawaii - Not yet :)
5. Watched a meteor shower - Yes (college credit baby!)
6. Given more than I can afford to charity - No
7. Been to Disneyland/World - Yes
8. Climbed a mountain - Yes, a few of them actually.
9. Held a praying mantis - No
10. Sung a solo - No, unless the shower or the car counts
11. Bungee jumped - No thanks, not ever planning on it
12. Visited Paris - No, but maybe one day
13. Watched lightning at sea - No
14. Taught myself an art from scratch - Yes
15. Adopted a child - No
16. Had food poisoning - Yes
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - Yes, in high school
18. Grown my own vegetables - Yes, little cherry tomatoes
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - No
20. Slept on an overnight train - No, but that does sounds like fun
21. Had a pillow fight - Yes
22. Hitchhiked - No (not a good plan for this day and age)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Yep, mental health days rock!
24. Built a snow fort - No, can't really do that in the south due to lack of snow
25. Held a lamb - No
26. Gone skinny dipping - Yes
27. Run a Marathon - No, but a lifetime wish to run that far
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - No
29. Seen a total eclipse - Yes, as a kid
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - Yes
31. Hit a home run - No, I wasn't the best in sports as a kid
32. Been on a cruise - Yes, the cruise to no-where overnight, puked the whole time
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - No
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors - Yes
35. Seen an Amish community - Yes, close to the wineries in NC
36. Taught myself a new language - Yes, but only know a little spanish
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Yes, as long as there is money in my pocket, then I am doing okay
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - No
39. Gone rock climbing - No, but would like to
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David - No
41. Sung karaoke - Yes, in St. Lucia on our honeymoon
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - No
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - No
44. Visited Africa - No
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - Yes - but it wasn't a great night
46. Been transported in an ambulance - Yes, in high school and college
47. Had my portrait painted - No, unless you count a street vendor
48. Gone deep sea fishing - No, again no boat rides for me
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - No
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower - No
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - Yes, in St. Lucia and Israel
52. Kissed in the rain - Yes
53. Played in the mud - Yes
54. Gone to a drive-in - Movie no, restaurant yes
55. Been in a movie - No, but on a TV show
56. Visited the Great Wall of China - No
57. Started a business - No
58. Taken a martial arts class - No
59. Visited Russia - No
60. Served at a soup kitchen - No
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - Yes, and also ate a lot of them too!
62. Gone whale watching - No
63. Got flowers for no reason - Yes
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - No
65. Gone sky diving - No, another never
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - No, but went to the memorials in Israel and Washington, DC
67. Bounced a check - No
68. Flown in a helicopter - No
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - Yes, but I am not sure where he might be now
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - No
71. Eaten caviar - Yes - gross.
72. Pieced a quilt - No
73. Stood in Times Square - Yes, a few times - I heart NYC
74. Toured the Everglades - No
75. Been fired from a job - No - but I learned when to walk away from the bad ones
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London - No
77. Broken a bone - Yes, arm
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - Yes
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - No
80. Published a book - No, but thinking about writing one
81. Visited the Vatican - No
82. Bought a brand new car - Yes, but not by my choice
83. Walked in Jerusalem - Yes, in high school
84. Had my picture in the newspaper - Yes, in elementary school for raising the school flag.
85. Read the entire Bible - No
86. Visited the White House - No
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - No
88. Had chickenpox - Yes, thanks to my brother
89. Saved someone’s life - No
90. Sat on a jury - No
91. Met someone famous - Yes, James Brown
92. Joined a book club - Yes
93. Lost a loved one - Yes
94. Had a baby - Not yet ;)
95. Seen the Alamo in person - No
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - No
97. Been involved in a law suit - No
98. Owned a cell phone - Yes
99. Been stung by a bee - Yes
100. Ridden an elephant- No
100 Things You Should Do in Your Life: (according to the internet and a blog I found)
1. Started my own blog - Yes, ta-da!
2. Slept under the stars - No
3. Played in a band - No, but I tried to start one in college. Bad idea.
4. Visited Hawaii - Not yet :)
5. Watched a meteor shower - Yes (college credit baby!)
6. Given more than I can afford to charity - No
7. Been to Disneyland/World - Yes
8. Climbed a mountain - Yes, a few of them actually.
9. Held a praying mantis - No
10. Sung a solo - No, unless the shower or the car counts
11. Bungee jumped - No thanks, not ever planning on it
12. Visited Paris - No, but maybe one day
13. Watched lightning at sea - No
14. Taught myself an art from scratch - Yes
15. Adopted a child - No
16. Had food poisoning - Yes
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - Yes, in high school
18. Grown my own vegetables - Yes, little cherry tomatoes
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - No
20. Slept on an overnight train - No, but that does sounds like fun
21. Had a pillow fight - Yes
22. Hitchhiked - No (not a good plan for this day and age)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Yep, mental health days rock!
24. Built a snow fort - No, can't really do that in the south due to lack of snow
25. Held a lamb - No
26. Gone skinny dipping - Yes
27. Run a Marathon - No, but a lifetime wish to run that far
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - No
29. Seen a total eclipse - Yes, as a kid
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - Yes
31. Hit a home run - No, I wasn't the best in sports as a kid
32. Been on a cruise - Yes, the cruise to no-where overnight, puked the whole time
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - No
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors - Yes
35. Seen an Amish community - Yes, close to the wineries in NC
36. Taught myself a new language - Yes, but only know a little spanish
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Yes, as long as there is money in my pocket, then I am doing okay
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - No
39. Gone rock climbing - No, but would like to
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David - No
41. Sung karaoke - Yes, in St. Lucia on our honeymoon
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - No
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - No
44. Visited Africa - No
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - Yes - but it wasn't a great night
46. Been transported in an ambulance - Yes, in high school and college
47. Had my portrait painted - No, unless you count a street vendor
48. Gone deep sea fishing - No, again no boat rides for me
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - No
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower - No
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - Yes, in St. Lucia and Israel
52. Kissed in the rain - Yes
53. Played in the mud - Yes
54. Gone to a drive-in - Movie no, restaurant yes
55. Been in a movie - No, but on a TV show
56. Visited the Great Wall of China - No
57. Started a business - No
58. Taken a martial arts class - No
59. Visited Russia - No
60. Served at a soup kitchen - No
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - Yes, and also ate a lot of them too!
62. Gone whale watching - No
63. Got flowers for no reason - Yes
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - No
65. Gone sky diving - No, another never
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - No, but went to the memorials in Israel and Washington, DC
67. Bounced a check - No
68. Flown in a helicopter - No
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - Yes, but I am not sure where he might be now
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - No
71. Eaten caviar - Yes - gross.
72. Pieced a quilt - No
73. Stood in Times Square - Yes, a few times - I heart NYC
74. Toured the Everglades - No
75. Been fired from a job - No - but I learned when to walk away from the bad ones
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London - No
77. Broken a bone - Yes, arm
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - Yes
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - No
80. Published a book - No, but thinking about writing one
81. Visited the Vatican - No
82. Bought a brand new car - Yes, but not by my choice
83. Walked in Jerusalem - Yes, in high school
84. Had my picture in the newspaper - Yes, in elementary school for raising the school flag.
85. Read the entire Bible - No
86. Visited the White House - No
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - No
88. Had chickenpox - Yes, thanks to my brother
89. Saved someone’s life - No
90. Sat on a jury - No
91. Met someone famous - Yes, James Brown
92. Joined a book club - Yes
93. Lost a loved one - Yes
94. Had a baby - Not yet ;)
95. Seen the Alamo in person - No
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - No
97. Been involved in a law suit - No
98. Owned a cell phone - Yes
99. Been stung by a bee - Yes
100. Ridden an elephant- No
February 6, 2009
You Pick
Here's a poll on what is the worst sound to ever wake up to:
(a) An alarm clock beeping at the crack of dawn
(b) A puking dog who manages to hit the curtains and his bed with his vomit
or (c) A snoring spouse who should be called a lumberjack due to the logs he was sawing in his sleep right in your ear.
Welcome to my week and the many things that make me think that strong coffee was created for mornings such as these scenarios mentioned above. I just wonder what life will be like if we decided to throw a kid into the mix. Pray for me.
(a) An alarm clock beeping at the crack of dawn
(b) A puking dog who manages to hit the curtains and his bed with his vomit
or (c) A snoring spouse who should be called a lumberjack due to the logs he was sawing in his sleep right in your ear.
Welcome to my week and the many things that make me think that strong coffee was created for mornings such as these scenarios mentioned above. I just wonder what life will be like if we decided to throw a kid into the mix. Pray for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)