In the Words of Hillary Duff: Im Coming Clean

I have a confession to make... I have never voted.

When I was in my senior year in high school, pretty much everyone I knew was 18- but I was still falling short at the age of 17. That is the last time I can remember really feeing very passionate about voting or having such a strong opinion that I wanted to shout it from a mountain top.

The next time I was eligible to vote, I was in college and lived in Fort Worth. Being the planner that I was/still am, to this day, I cannot believe it escaped me until the last minute that I was registered to vote in Austin and was living in Fort Worth. Being involved with the greek system, a cheerleader, a Student Ambassador and a Guardian of the Golden Shears all while trying to have a life- I literally didnt have time to pack up and head to Austin to vote. Pathetic, I know.

Having said all of that, I have been raised to not discuss certain things. Money, religion and politics. Its just not polite and you never want to risk offending someone. Im all about keeping the peace, trust me. I just wanted to share with you all that today will be the very first time as an American that I will exercise my right to vote and I couldnt be more excited about it. WHo knew a little red white and blue sticker that proclaimes "I Voted" could bring so much joy?!

Mr. Derek Troy Bohls

Because my mom is in town, Derek has been dutifully taking Molly off my hands every now and then. Its hard to have a guest, a cat, a dog and a schedule that all cooperate with one another. Derek has a backyard that Molly happens to love, so taking her off my hands is not only a huge help to me, but she loves it! I appreciate this so very much, that I am about to devote an entire blog to JUST HIM. He likes attention so Im sure this will make his day =)

1. He is sitting in front of the TV, what is he watching?
ESPN, Sports Center, or some kind of sporting event in general. It may also be Entourage, Simpsons, South Park, or anything thats not The Hills

2. You are out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Ranch. Lots of it

3. Whats one food he doesn’t like?
Tuna fish- which I happen to LOVE

4. You go out to a bar, what does he order?
If its the cloak room he gets a gin and tonic, if its Players (or any other bar for that matter), its a Bud Light

5. Where did he go to High School?
Pflugerville High School

6. What size shoe does he wear?
I believe a 10.5

7. If he were to collect anything, what would it be?
Socks or boxers with holes in them, hats, or keg tap handles

8. What is his favorite sandwich?
I think anything with cheese, ranch or bacon would be a safe bet

9. What would he eat every day if he could?
Sonic. Without a doubt

10. What is his favorite cereal?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch has been a winner these days

11. What would he never wear?
a UT shirt

12. What is his favorite sports team?
The Aggies, The Cowboys and (yuck) the Yankees.

13. Who will he vote for?
I dont know that he plans to (is that bad?)

14. Who is his best friend?
So many- in no particular order:
His brother Ryan, Ryan Pokorney, Avery, Tom, Tyler, Riley, Jeff, Tyson, Rhonda and ME!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?
Pinch his nose, pull his armpit hair, nag him, arrange the couch cushions right before he sits down to mess them up, have a cat, ask him to wait on me "will you bring me xyz?” or go to bed early when I drink

16. How many states has he lived in?
ONE!

17. What is his heritage?
German

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday, what kind of cake is it?
Cheesecake

19. Did he play sports in high school?
In the first few years he did, but I think he found a different hobby he liked more

20. What could he spend hours doing?
Posting on RO, playing xbox, watching TV, drinking/staying up late

So.... Derek, how did I do?!

Home Again, Home Again

Im sure many of you already know this, but in case you dont- my Mom works on a cruise ship. She is gone for very long periods of time and its rare she is here on dry land with her family. What some of you may not already know is that she comes home tonight! Even if it is for only six measly days, it will be a nice treat to have her here.

What ever shall we do with our time? Unfortunately, a lot of her one-day-short-of-a-week stay will be spent running to all kinds of appointments for her. Im sure you can imagine how many things need to get done when you have been away for months on end! I know there will be a nice chunk of time spent opening mountains of mail, lots of packing and unpacking and of course there will be an attempt to see as much of our family as possible. We also plan to eat lunch at the Bohls' house on Sunday afternoon. Im excited for her to see their house and the land that surrounds it- who knows, maybe well get a little crazy and drive her around on a tractor!

One thing that works out very well is that she can have full use of my car while she is here. Because I have been given a work vehicle that I use as my primary source of transportation, she can use my old car and give it a much-needed work out! That way she can come and go as she pleases and I will be able to as well.

Be it a boring post to you all- I actually do have a point- Can you guys think of any cant miss things she should do while she is here? I know its not really the same as a "tourist" but Austin changes so much and I tend to forget whats new/old and what she may need to see!

Things That Make Me Tick

There are certain things that make me feel normal. They make me feel organized, prepared, adult-like and fulfilled. I realize after 25 years that not everyone enjoys cleaning like I do. Not everyone enjoys organizing shoes by height of heels, or clothes by sleeve length, but these things make me feel ready. Of those things, many of them have fallen to the wayside in the last 4 weeks.

On Sunday evening I went grocery shopping for the first time in about two months. How did I survive you ask? By eating popcorn, ice pops and random frozen veggies I had, of course. When enough was enough and only a slice of cheese and a bottle of water remained in my fridge, I admitted defeat and headed to my own personal hell: Wal Mart. It just so happens that there is one across the street from my apartment and after all, they claim their prices are cheaper than their competition- so I gave it a shot. Almost $300 later, I have so much food I am convinced I could feed a small country. You name it, Ive got it. Something about having food, snacks, lunchmeat and juice make me feel like the world is mine for the taking. For this reason alone, I predict many more weeks will pass before I return to the store once again.

Watering my plants always makes me feel good too- an admitted plant killer in recovery; I have managed to keep THREE plants alive on my balcony for almost FOUR whole years now. Granted, they are some of the hardest plants to kill and are basically fool proof in their needs, but they look pretty and give my balcony that something extra. Also due to my epic trip to the grocery store, an adorable and round little pumpkin has found a home on my balcony.

Paying bills, while annoying and serves as a painful reminder of my adulthood, I like putting the stamps on the envelopes and setting it all aside for mailing the next day. Who knew that gas, electricity, rent and cable could make me feel so efficient? On that same note of "necessary evils" eating breakfast helps me feel ready to conquer the day. It has been drilled into my head for as long as I can remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but that doesnt change the fact that Id rather sleep the extra ten minutes than get up and fix myself breakfast. I will admit, however, that on the days I eat on my way to work or once I get to work (I keep oatmeal in my desk) I feel so much better. I know, I know. You would think I would learn the error of my ways and make time to eat every morning, but alas, I do not.

Working out always makes helps me feel good- both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, I am one of those that fall into one of two patterns:

1) Not working out at all (and eating/drinking everything in sight)
2) Working out every single day without fail and counting every single calorie I consume.

I desperately need to find a balance between the two- I always have an excuse. Work makes me exhausted, I feel guilty leaving Molly in her kennel an extra hour every other day (I DO realize I could take her on a walk but her stamina is even worse than mine), or I just plain dont feel like it because something more fun and less sweaty came up.

And of course, blogging makes me feel productive. As cliché as it may sound, getting online and writing really helps me clear my head. When I dont have time to do so, I have all kinds of ideas, problems, complaints, stories and lists running through my mind. Sitting down and sharing it all with you (the lucky ones) makes me feel calm and at peace. It doesnt have to be about anything important, or anything earth shattering, I just need to get on every now and then and write about whats on my mind.

The moral of the story: the blog lives on- even if I write on here half as often as I used to.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

I am undergoing one of the roughest schedule changes I could have ever imagined. I feel 1/3 zombie, 1/3 half awake, and 1/3 running on adrenaline alone. I am one tired lady!

My hours at ACS were 8-4 and I had a thiry minute lunch that was spent shoveling food into my mouth so I could rush back onto the clock. While my days were slow, it was a nice span of time for a "work day" and getting home so early was really the best part of my afternoons.

Here at the new job, every Tuesday I am expected to arrive at work by 6:15 AM for a sales department meeting and once a month I am expected to arrive at work by 5:50 AM for a company wide meeting. When I leave my house, its still very very dark, sunset is hours away and its actually a little cold outside. I can say that while there is very little traffic to deal with, there are actually other drivers on the road!

Why is this information worthy of a blog, you ask? Well...what I want to know is, where on earth are all the other drivers on the road going? The only place I can think of that anyone would need to arrive to that early is the airport. I really cany think of any other places, unless of course they all work here- and I know they dont. Maybe they are also expected at work before the first rooster crow? Perhaps they commute out of town for work or theyre just plum crazy and are on their way home for a very long night out?

Where Does the Time Go?

My goodness gracious- time has seriously flown since my last post. While I know its actually been about two weeks, I have to admit, it feels more like two days. I have had so much going on and I must apologize for leaving you all in the dark. Please find it in your cyber hearts to forgive me?

To appease my readers (any of you who may remain) I'll keep the update as short and sweet as possible. So, lets see, where to begin...

1) Football season is in full swing. Be it an afternoon, a night or entire weekend, many a game day have found us nuzzled safely (more like sweatily crammed) into the stands at Kyle Field. For those of you that do not know, College Station is the home of Derek's beloved Aggies. I went to college where there was no football team so I always joke that I am an equal opportunity football fan. Do I like the games themselves? No, not really. Do I like a good tailgate and grilled goodies? Absolutely. Needless to say, weve been in and out of town a lot and have spent many a Sunday recuperating from the adventures.

2) I completed my last two weeks at the American Cancer Society. It was such a strange feeling to leave and I truly miss everyone dearly. When asked what it was like to leave I can honestly say the best word I can use to describe it would be bittersweet. I was so happy to move on, so happy at the possibilities with my new job, but it was very hard to leave the friends Id made as well as the comfort zone Id learned to call home for over a year and a half.

3) I started my new job on September 29th. On my first day I was given a company cell phone, a company car, a gas card and very high hopes for a long term career. While its only been six whole days that I have worked there, I can honestly say I feel confident I have found an excellent job match for my personality. Everyday has been so much fun and its been a really nice switch when I look at the clock and think: "its ALREADY 3?" rather than "its ONLY 3?"I have a wonderful boss that has devoted so much of his time to teaching me the ropes and I feel eternally grateful for this opportunity.

4) After almost four years of owning a very classy set of bunny-ears, I finally gave in and got cable TV. It was a long time coming but I promised myself I would never spend money on something I could get for free. While I cant say I have completely stuck to that theory, the switch to digital cable coming in February really helped shove me over the edge. My decision was made easier by the horrible customer service I was given by Time Warner Cable. Not only were they completely unphased (is that a word?) at my threat to cancel service with them, but they were completely disinterested in making me any kind of deal to keep me on as a customer. And so, they were on the receiving end of a big fat switch kick to the curb. I was able to find a deal that made my money work that much harder for me, and thus, I finally have my very own dvr and 200 channels as well.

5) I promise that as soon as things calm down and I find my niche in this new job, as soon as I learn to budget my time again and as soon as I can- I will write to you all MUCH more often!

Welcome to 2008

After almost 4 years of having only 6 channels, I caved and signed up for cable. As of October 4th I will be among the technically advanced and have my very own DVR. About time, no?

Just for Laughs

10 Ways to Be an Even Better Friend

1. Gossip, yes, but don't get mean. She'll wonder whether you're talking that way about her to everyone else.

2. If she's got a poppy seed in her teeth, mascara under her eyes or deodorant on her sweater, tell her.
3. Do not. Repeat, do not side with her mother.

4. If she's crazy about him, pretend he's your brother and never date him. Ever.

5. Have that scary fight about how she's been bugging you. If you can go there for a guy, you can for her, too.

6. Keep her ring size filed away in case you-know-who calls for advice about you-know-what.

7. Oh, just wear the bridesmaid's dress.

8. See straight through her attempts at cool perfection and love her more for the weaknesses she's trying to hide.

9. Remind her that she wasn't that into him, either.

10. When the guy dumps her, the cat gets cancer, the job explodes, simply be there.

Interesting Facts

I got these facts in an email from Derek's aunt recently and thought they were so neat-I had to share!

The human body is a machine that is full of wonder. This collection of human body facts will leave you wondering why in the heck we were designed the way we were.
-Scientists say the higher your I. Q., the more you dream. (obviously I dream every night)

-The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.

-You use 200 muscles to take one step. (why are my legs so scrawny looking then?)

-The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man. (I could have told you that much- how about over a foot shorter...)

-Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three. (my toes are so fat, I didnt think they had bones)

-A pair of human feet contains 250,000 sweat glands. (GROSS)

-A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.

-The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades. (is that why reflux hurts so stinking bad?)

-The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

-It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

-The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.

-Men without hair on their chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.

-At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.

-There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet. (GROSS again)

-Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil. (how can this translate to be used on Survivor?)

-The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.

-Your teeth start growing 6 months before you are born. (I guess this explains people that look like they stole dentures from a rabbit?)

-When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, and they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.

NEWSFLASH

I have been so hesitant to blog about the changes in my life. Its been up and down and all over the place, but a few months after I started my great quest- I finally got an offer for a fantastic job! Im so glad to be off the roller coaster and finally have a concrete idea of where my future may take me and know that I worked very hard to get there.

I didnt blog much about it for obvious reasons but as of this morning I am officially in my last two weeks at the American Cancer Society. Telling my supervisor, my team and the original group of peers I started with was a little bittersweet. I could tell they all understood how great my offer was and they knew that money was starting to become an issue for me, as was juggling two jobs with a boyfriend, a dog, a life and way too many bills.

I will be sad to leave my friends here- of course I loved the benefits, the vacation and the flexibility with my schedule but it is time to move on. When I started on March 19, 2007, I was in a class with 12 others. Of the 13 total that made up "Class 66", there are 4 that remain... one of those is myself. So as you can see, its not completely shocking that my time has come as 9 members of our class have already left us.

I will start my new job at Brown Distributing on September 29th and will be aiming my career back toward the sales path. I think it is a smart move for me as I seemed to have done so well with it while I was at RenewData and sold things I barely understood. Now, I will be selling and maintaining the bulk orders of beer. Beer I understand. My clients will consist of smaller restaurants, some coffee shops, bars and a country club or two. Here is hoping its as much fun as I am imagining it will be!

11 days later

I survived my wisdom tooth extraction. I am now a little less wise and very very rested. I had a full 5 days off of work to recover- most of which I spent asleep or glued to the tv watching old seasons of One Tree Hill on dvds I rented from Blockbuster. I know... Im a little less of a woman for admitting to that. Such a dramatic and riveting show, though.

Sorry to have left you deserted for such an unforgivable amount of time, please forgive me.

Be Careful What You Wish For

As far back as I can remember, I was told that I had no wisdom teeth whatsoever. None in, none coming in, none even close to inside my mouth. It became a running joke with the dentist I have seen since I was 8 that I simply "dont have any wisdom"- poor me, eh? I missed out on braces and retainers and now I would be one of very few who didnt get a week off to have my teeth yanked out.



I know what youre thinking, who on earth would WANT oral surgery? Well, I did. When I was younger, covered under my parents insurance and on someone elses dime, of course. Well Im here to tell you that never wish for something you dont REALLY want. All of a sudden, at age 25, I have a wisdom tooth that needs to be extracted, Im on my own insurance and its going to HURT!!!

I was informed last week that I would need to get it out as soon as possible. I made an appointment with the oral surgeon and will be having the extraction tomorrow. I suppose the up-side to having your gums sliced open and a tooth ripped from your jaw is the 5 day break that follows. I see many movies, much sleeping and lots of milkshakes in my near future.

Please feel free to call me, send me emails, text messages, carrier pigeons with jokes or just plain stop by! Im thinking that Ill be pretty bored by the end of day 2... at least Derek has agreed to be my own personal nurse and I can soak up his cable tv for the time being! Its all about the silver lining...

I Am Emotional, I Admit It

I found this on Stephanie Klein's blog this morning and I must be tired, or stressed or on the verge of some kind of meltdown because it brought me to tears:

She's the kind of girl who thinks she's good at cards, and she'll do a little dance when she wins. You'd tell her you only let her win so you could watch her, but she really did beat you. Truth is, you'd love her either way because really, you love the way she reacts to things. You love the way she cries at commercials and looks in her glasses, no makeup. And she thinks she looks ugly, but it's when you love her most...in her socks, comfortable at home, at her desk chair, caught picking her nose, but only a little. You love her like Sunday with eggs and the smell of bacon and fizzled onions. In her undershirt, her laugh, the way when she reads something she likes, she has to read it to you aloud. "Are you listening? You're not fucking listening. Pay attention. There will be a test." You like her threats and her smile, but you think she's prettier when she doesn't. When she thinks no one's watching her. You like her off. You can't stand how long it takes her to get ready or how many times she asks you to get her water, or please do this for me, but you compromise because she rolls down the windows and makes you forget about the traffic. She'll paint her nails in the car and whine when she's cranky and when she can't sleep. You like that you know she’ll sip at her tea in a way you can hear, and that she chews on her shirt collar when she’s nervous. That she prefers mittens to gloves and wishes she had a fireplace only for the smell. You love the curve of her face and the cup of her smile, the way she breathes in the dark, and how she loves you. You’ll spend the rest of your life letting her know you’re the lucky one, that you adore her, even with the extra twelve pounds, and you’ll whisper it every night, even when she can’t hear you.You love how she gets excited when they’ve got her Ben & Jerry’s flavor in stock. She’ll spin around in front of the glass door and say, “Hells yeah.” And she’ll look up for a moment to make sure you see her, the way she does at the movies when something good happens. She always wants to share with you--you know, except when it comes to her fries. Her fries are hers, and your fries are hers. Money too, but mostly the fries. You love the way you know her, that you know how to make her feel at home no matter where she is. Sometimes it’s as easy as the Disney channel and the original Parent Trap. Other times it’s ordering in and a bedtime story she forces you to make up, and if it sounds vaguely like any movie she knows, she’ll call you out on that shit and make you start over. With something new. Because as long as you both find and make new, you can stay with everything that’s old and broken-in.

We should all be so lucky to be loved that much!

Im In The Dog House

For the first time in a very long time, Molly was in BIG trouble last night. Its been such a long time since she did anything that made me as mad as I was last night so I think it shocked her to be in so much trouble, but boy was she ever!

Having taken her to play with her boyfriend Rufus on Saturday night, she was in desperate need of a bath. Because I had so much going on over the long weekend, it had to wait until last night.

Molly is always great about her baths and cooperates with me right up until the end. Its a little known fact, though, that when she is dried off and out of the tub she runs laps until she looks like her legs might snap off her little furry body. Last night was no exception to this rule so I didnt think much of it.

After she was done running around, she went and laid down under my bed (my guess is that she was still a little cold) and I went about my business. When it came time to leave the apt and do some running around she would NOT come out from under the bed. She would be on one side just within reach and would see me coming and move right to the middle of the bed- just to where I couldnt reach her. I tolerated this game of cat and mouse for a while and then I just flat ran out of patience. She was doing this for so long that she was actually making me late!!!

I tried treats, ice, pretending Id left, you name it- I tried it. After much frustration and time spent trying to coax her out, I had to grab her by the leg. It was pretty sad and I know it scared her but she needed to get out. I gave her a spanking hoping she would know what shed done wrong and maybe "learn" that it wasnt okay with me but all it did was make her scared of me for the rest of the night. She didnt even want to come in from outside to go to bed, she would run when I got within five feet of her.

Am I a bad mom or does anyone else have this problem when disciplining their dog(s)?