Im Starting to Feel Like Jessie Spano

T minus 2 days until we leave for Puerto Vallarta. Am I ready, you ask? No.

This week has been jam packed with many events that have kept me from the one place I need to be spending the bulk of my time: the gym. Monday night was our last family dinner before my grandmother flew home to Massachusetts. Tuesday night I was up to my elbows in laundry and other random household chores to make it to my class on time. Sure, I could have hopped on the treadmill myself and made a go of it- but then what would I be able to complain about? Of course, then there was Last night (Wednesday), which was spent at my work Holiday Party. Tonight I just might stand a chance at burning off some last minute calories, but then I stop and look at my to-do list that seems to get longer by the day and must be completed by tomorrow. There is always Friday, which would work for a truly last second option, but at this point- will that even help? I may as well order a large, deep-dish cheese pizza for dinner and eat it all myself. I don’t think it would make me feel much worse than I already do.

When it comes to packing, I tend to bring everything I own minus the kitchen sink- and believe you me, if it would fit, I just might bring that too. I have made my list, scratched things off and convinced myself “I wont need that” only to replace it with something else. Something that probably takes up more space… like, say, 6 pairs of shoes. I need some flip flops for everyday wear, some for the beach, some going out shoes, some nice shoes for the restaurants that have a “casual elegant” dress code (no, I don’t know who coined that term), some tennis shoes for walking around in the city or if we decide to go on one of the excursions that include hiking and maybe some cute flats. RIDICULOUS, I know. Someone please slap me.

I plan to pack my ipod for the plane ride though I suspect I wont get much listening done. It just so happens that some friends of ours, who are flying to Hawaii, will be on the first half of our first flight on Saturday. On top of that, Derek is a nervous flier and unless he is entertained or kept busy by his laptop or something, I think I might be keeping him distracted. I like to read on planes if I can stay awake long enough, but the only book I have in my possession that has not already been read cover to cover three times is Harry Potter. I don’t know that I want to lug a fourteen-pound book with me all over Mexico. HAH! I guess I do have a practical side. Kinda. Anyone have any suggestions for an easy read while traveling or parked beach side?

December?! Really???

Its been so long since Ive made the time to sit down and update you all on my oh so exciting life. I'm sure you have all been on the edges of your seats waiting to hear every detail of my life and I am sorry to have kept you waiting.

Of course, Thanksgiving was wonderful. We ate until we were all on the verge of exploding- there was lots of family time spent together and just as fast as it crept up on all of us, it was over. One very cool thing about Thanksgiving is that my Grandmother comes every year and stays for about two weeks- so while the holiday has passed, she is still here and Ive gotten to see her a lot.

Not only did Thanksgiving come and go, but its almost time to leave for my vacation! I leave for Puerto Vallarta on Saturday morning for a much needed escape from the real world. Derek, Ryan, Rhonda, Kelby, Karin, Allena and Brent are all staying at the same resort and we could not be more excited about the adventures were sure to have. I have been busily preparing myself to put on a bathing suit during the time of the year none of us would like to. Its been hard to make the gym a priority but Ican honestly say its made me feel really good. Golds Gym has a sign on their front doors that reads “know that showing up is half the battle” and when you leave, the other side of the sign reads “know that youll be back for more tomorrow”- and boy are those true!

In leaving town, that means our poor sweet pup, Molly has to be looked after. By people we don’t know. For the first time in her year with us (it was one year ago yesterday that Derek and I brought her home!) she will be boarded and taken care of by strangers for SIX NIGHTS. Last January my Uncle Scott and his wife Merae took Molly in and looked after her for a week despite her not yet being housebroken. During football season, Dereks friend and neighbor, Chris, would check in on Molly at night and in the mornings making sure she had food, water, and some attention. I think the only time shes been boarded was in April for Erin and Aaron’s wedding. We stayed overnight in a hotel in Grapevine and all of our dogs stayed at the same “hotel” but that was for one night. Just one. Do you think she will ever forgive us? I made her reservation and took notes on what to bring with us and I know she will be in very capable hands, she will be loved and paid attention to, I just wish there was some way to make sure she knew we were coming back for her.

Christmas will be here before we know it. Seriously, time flies when youre having fun. I sat down and penciled in all the parties and events we have committed to for the next few weekends and I could not believe how booked we are. Sure, I feel grateful and blessed to have friends and family to spend the holiday season with, I just feel overwhelmed with all the places we need to be! I guess what I really needed to say at the start of this paragraph is that it will be the New Year before we know it!

I suppose for now (mostly out of fear my readers have given up on my boring post) that will be all.

More again later this week before we leave!

Faboooo

Allison was so kind to give me the "Your Blog is Fabulous" award. Since she is one of the main reasons I even started a blog of my own, I must oblige to her request for a blog about all things fabulous (besides me, that is) ;)
I would insert the cute picture but my computer at work- circa 1980 will not allow it. Boo.

And so, I must list 5 things that I find fabulously addictive:

1) Cookies and Cream ice cream. Im pretty sure that if it were socially acceptable Id eat an entire gallon in one sitting. Too bad its not.

2) One Tree Hill. Sure I jumped on the bandwagon about 3 or 4 years later than everyone else but I am full blown addicted. Be it a new episode, an old one on Soap Net or an even older one I rented while recovering from my wisdom tooth removal, I. LOVE. IT.

3) Facebook or MySpace. Im sure lots of people find them silly, but I really enjoy them. I have found some of the most random connections and oldest friends imaginable. Not to mention its a great way to pass the time should you ever find yourself with an hour to kill. Im still so mad its blocked at work...stalking efforts foiled.

4) Pedicures. I wish I had the money to get two per month. Who am I kidding? I wish I could afford one the second my polish is chipped or when Ive had a bad day. Since money doesn’t grow on trees Ill have to save them for a time that I really want to spoil myself.

5) Pool days. Nothing is more enjoyable than a Saturday spent at the pool, with friends, floats, coolers and maybe even a little snack to cook out. Its so nice to sit/swim in the cool refreshing water when its 110 degrees outside here in Texas.

And now- to all you fellow fabulous bloggers- its your turn:

Sarah
Velma
Kelly
Kim
Katie

….get to it!

Warm Fuzzies

Despite having been awake since 4:45 AM, today is one of those days I want to wrap my arms around the world and give it a giant hug. Something about Thanksgiving being right under our noses makes me feel especially grateful (as it should).

When we were in college, Michelle started a tradition that eventually spilled over to all of us. She would write a daily list of all the reasons she was grateful. When I hopped on the gratitude train, Id email it to my loved ones and make sure they all received their due shout-outs. Not only did it serve as a reminder of all the reasons I should be grateful, but it also helped me to stay positive and look for the good things in each and every of my days.

I realize this year that I have so very many reasons to be grateful and wanted to share them with you. Perhaps the spirit of Thanksgiving will reach each of you, and you can make you own lists!

I have two sets of wonderful families to spend the holidays with.

I have my own, from my aunts and uncles who feel more like siblings, cousins and great aunts and uncles, a grandmother who flies in each year just for the occasion, all the babies and little ones in our family and last but certainly not least, my amazing great grandmother- for which I feel especially grateful. How many people my age know their great grandparents? I feel so blessed to be able to spend my holidays with four generations of our family. It is all of these people that help me feel that necessary family tie when my mom is out at sea and cannot be here to celebrate/overeat with.

In addition to all of those wonderful people, I have Dereks family to share the holidays with. His parents, who make me feel as though I have belonged at their table all along, his brother and sister in law who feel more like friends than Derek’s siblings, their precious daughter Macey, all of his cousins, aunts and uncles. As a matter of fact, two of his cousins- Riley and Kelby, are people I consider to be my friends as well.

I have an amazing job that makes me incredibly happy- it pays my bills, keeps a roof over my head, keeps me fed AND its fun. I have found that not everyone can say they love what they do. I finally feel that I have found a job and a place that I truly enjoy being. Each day is filled with both fun and challenging experiences and I have loved every minute of learning the business. It helps that 99% of the people I work with have an equally happy outlook, so we all walk around with really silly looking grins on our faces. Its hard to be in a bad mood, even at our 6:00 or 6:30 AM meetings. The icing on the cake would have to be my boss, Eric. He is so laid back, patient and a very cool lunch buddy-I count my lucky stars twice for him when I think about my job.

My friends. How on earth would any of us survive adulthood without our friends? Not only does it help to have your support system remind you that maybe youre not all that crazy but they also help pass the time between my ups and downs- and they make it fun. I can honestly credit my friends with so many of my accomplishments- not that Ive done anything all that impressive, but it helps to know theyre right behind you,ready to catch you if you fall. It helps to know that if you fail they will still love you and they’ll still be behind you- waiting to lend a hand or a provide good hearty laugh.

I am grateful for my health (which may have something to do with the fact that I am paying out the nose for coverage until my new insurance kicks in from my new job). I found a plan that costs less than the ungodly amount COBRA expects you to pay, but if anything were to happen to me, I would be paying off that ever so high deducible for what I can only guess would be the next 300 years. I feel lucky to feel healthy and strong when I wake up in the morning. Sure, I'm not a morning person but I still get to wake up every morning- that itself is a blessing.

Rest assure I could go on for days about all the reasons I am grateful, but for now- I will leave it at the above reasons.

Be sure to count your blessings as often as you can!

Things That Make You Go Mmmmmm...

We all like to spoil ourselves, do we not? Sure, sometimes more than others- but doing nice things for ourselves every now and then is well deserved. I got to thinking this morning while I got ready for work (at 4:45 AM, mind you) that I often wonder, do I spoil myself too much or am I on par with the human race?

Some things I do to spoil myself:

- Buy cookie dough at the grocery store for no good reason at all.

- Watch Gossip Girl or One Tree Hill in my pajamas when I get home from work.

- Get a pedicure- need I say more? Or if money is tight, Ill buy myself a new nail polish at the grocery store and sit down to give myself an at-home pedicure.

- Deep conditioning treatment (as many of you may have read about my Einstein like hairdo, this was a huge help).

- Eat cereal for dinner- sure it may not be the most well balanced meal, but its easy and oh so delicious.

- Meet my boyfriend or a friend for lunch during the week. Now that I have more flexible hours at work, I don’t have to scarf my meal down in 30 minutes at my desk, and I don’t even have to eat at home everyday if I don’t feel like it. It’s a nice treat to see loved ones and talk about how our days are going and its far less depressing than eating alone off of your own coffee table while digging through the dvr for something to keep you entertained. Not to mention, it’s hard to go back into the office once you’ve been home and caught sight of your couch and/or bed.

- Bargain shop. Long live Ross, Marshall’s, Target and Old Navy sale items. I think this one is self-explanatory.

- READ. This one tends to happen in waves- Ill be on a crazy reading kick for a few weeks, then Ill take a few weeks off. Either way, it leaves me totally satisfied and is an awesome way to pass the time while traveling, getting ready for bed, or just a rainy afternoon spent at home.

So, am I self-centered or is this about on par with what you guys do for yourselves? How do you feel most spoiled?

FINALLY!

I guess I asked for it- winter finally seems to be here. Sure, the afternoons still reach the 70-degree mark and the sun still shines intensely enough into my car during the day that I need to sometimes click on the AC- but there are some tell tale signs that winter has finally arrived.

1) My hair is ridiculously ridden with a ton of static electricity. It doesn’t help that my hair happens to be in that awkward in between stage of just below the shoulders and right above the spot that I longer want to shave it off all day everyday. My hair sticks to my face, stands straight up down the center of my part and I walk around feeling my head may resemble Einstein’s own hairdo a little too much.

2) I am having a hard time waking up. No matter how early I go to bed, I'm still so tired and still very much dreading that moment where I peel the covers off of myself and stand up to face the day. I have found myself sleeping until the very last possible moment on more than one occasion and am sad to say that my appearance may be starting to suffer. Shame on me.

3) I am frustrated with everything in my closet. I did already make mention of the cold and dry mornings that are followed by warm and sunny afternoons. So, I ask you- what on earth do you wear on a day like this? Today I went all in and opted for a turtleneck but I bet you about $300 that come noon, I will look like a downright fool. The only option for this indecisive weather I have come up with is layering and most women know how annoying that is. Not only does it make you look bulky in the worst ways but most of the time youre dressed, youre rearranging one thing or yanking on another. I cannot stand when one top is bunched up under another or the seams don’t match up… UGH!

4) Getting to the gym is at an all time low. I made a great effort last week and worked out three whole days in a row (yes, Id like a medal) and it felt great. Yet somehow this week, I'm too “Wintered out” to lift a finger. Perhaps this has a direct effect on how I look in layered clothes? Hmm..

5) I don’t want to end this post having only made 4 points, so Ill move on to point #5. Soup sounds good for almost every meal. I love soup. Ill admit it, my name is Desiree and I'm addicted to soup. Having rifled through all my recipes over the last few days I managed to find some new soups to try that I may add to my list of favorites. Soup warms your bones (that’s also what I say when I eat oatmeal), its comforting and its not all that bad for you if you eat it in small portions or opt for a healthier type (duh, right?).
All in all, here is a warm welcome to winter. I'm so glad you finally showed up. Please don’t make me look any more foolish than I may already look in my turtleneck today and leave town for the next week or so. Thanks.

I Must Be Hungry

When I grocery shop, I like to write my lists in order of where I might find things in the store. Ill put all cleaning items together, meats in one section of my list, toiletries in one corner and so on and so forth.

Occasionally, when I'm feeling extra adventurous, Ill pick a few recipes out of my cookbook and make a secondary list of ingredients. I also arrange this list into sections, and categories. This week, I have been going through a lot of my saved recipes and submitting them to our family cookbook so I guess it occured to me that some of my favorite dishes may also be some of the most boring or overused. Dont get me wrong, theyre yummy to chow down on, but my collection could use a facelift. Most of my recipes are featured from the Kraft magazine or website but I am looking for maybe some easier, warm and cozy meals to try.

I ask all of you, loyal readers-submit your favorite easy home cooked meal for me so that I may branch out even more! If you have the time, I would very much appreciate the shared knowledge!

A Night in Brookfield Estates

Derek and I went for a walk around his neighborhood last night. We don’t make the time to do this very often, but when we do, its really nice. Last night was a little more unusual than our past walks- starting out with a lost dog and ending with some angry neighbors.

Right when we neared the edge of Derek’s driveway at the start of our walk, a small black dog (one that looked much like Molly) approached us and started barking. We looked both ways up and down his street to see if we could find anyone- looking frazzled, chasing this leash less dog. Much to our surprise, there was nobody running in our direction apologizing and begging us to please grab his or her dog. Perhaps our surprise was due to the fact that when Molly gets away from us (and bolts all the way down the block) were usually more worried about her running up to a little kid and licking them to death than we are about actually grabbing her- not to mention were usually immensely frustrated and desperate for someone to reach out and lend a hand by scooping her up. Because this dog seemed to be out on its own without the knowledge of its owner I immediately suggested we grab it and look at its tags to call someone. Here is how the conversation went:

Me- “Hurry up and grab it”
D- “What if it has rabies?”
Me- “Its to cute to have rabies, Molly is cute and she doesn’t have rabies”
D- “That’s not logical”
Me-“Sure it is, it has tags which means someone cares for it and most likely got this dog its rabies shot”

-Silence-

Me- “Fine, you hold Molly and Ill grab the dog”

Well let me tell you... this dog did not want to go home! Not only would it not allow me to grab it but also barked like crazy once I got within two feet of it. Id get close and it would run off- then stop and wait for me to catch up. This game of cat and mouse continued on for about as long as I could stand until I finally picked up speed and went jogging after the dog. Much to my dismay, this poor dog eventually made a turn and disappeared into the darkness and I was left worried, a little broken hearted at my shortcomings as a hero and of course out of breath.

Derek was still two blocks behind trying to keep Molly at bay, though I still think he might think that rabies is airborne and he was protecting himself.

After I finally came to terms that the dog was not going to come back, show up out of the darkness and certainly would not allow me to grab him, I gave up and waited for Derek to catch up to me. We carried on and it only took a few more blocks for the excitement to kick in again.

We heard a couple arguing loudly right as we rounded a corner and me being the nosey person I am, immediately slowed my pace so I could be nosey, take in the fight and pick a side. Derek and I both quickly realized that this was no small argument and when we heard cussing and accusations of hitting, a windshield being broken, and LOTS of cussing back and forth, we knew not to linger too long. Derek started walking faster and was annoyed when I didn’t do the same.

D- “Come on, we don’t need to stand around for this”
Me- “Wait, I cant hear from this far away”
D- “That’s the idea, you don’t want to mess with angry people”
Me-“But…. I want to hear what happens”
D- “NO, COME ON”
Me- “Fine. But youre no fun at all on this walk tonight”

Anyone want to come along on our next dog-catching-eavesdropping adventure?

Where is Winter?

Seeing as how we live in Texas, the coldest day we have had this year would most likely have been in the 40s at the absolute lowest. I realize that there is a very small and short window to actually experience a winter in this state of ours, but is it too much to ask for an actual cold snap somewhere in the near future? The weatherman keeps promising a “cold front” and I keep waking up feeling disappointed. The closest we have gotten to chilly has been humid and hot days where the mornings are gloomy and the afternoons are clouded mixed with hazed sunshine (ozone action day much?) WHERE IS WINTER?!

There are so many things I look forward to around this time of year. Winter, for me, is associated with so many cozy thoughts and ideas. Hot chocolate is fun to pour with friends and family, the fire is usually roaring (though not in my apartment as I am lacking a fireplace of my own), the sweaters and fleeces are pulled from the far corners of closets, Christmas lights are strung up in the neighborhood, fall colors make an appearance in home décor shops, there is pumpkin pie and Christmas is near!

Am I jumping the gun a bit seeing how Thanksgiving is still a few weeks ago? Sure I am— so sue me!
Side bar- Happy Birthday to Katie!!!

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!