Good-bye 2009

As we kiss 2009 good-bye I can't help but be surprised by the amount of people I am close to who have said that 2009 was their worst year ever. I found alot to be thankful for. For one, I left my first post-college job and was able to go back to school, there were no hurricane evacuations this summer and nothing came close to us at all. I consider this a huge blessing after losing the roof over my head (literally) to Rita in 2005 and my home almost floating away during Ike in 2008. My grandpa had a heart attack and lived through it and that was the only family health scare of 2009.

I've noticed that a lot of bloggers have 2oo9 in pictures so I sat down and realized I don't have hardly any. Then I thought about it and some of my proudest moments can't be captured in a picture. There were no pictures in the courtroom the moment when a child got returned to their parents, when the handcuffs clicked on a child molester or when the Grand Jury indicted. There wasn't a camera there when after 20 minutes of being too scared to look, I finally checked my Praxis score and found out I passed. I had some tough moments wondering how everything was going to get paid for and how I was gonna make it and the lack of pictures shows I just stayed busy and pulled through.

I skipped the bonfire and most likely won't leave the house tonight. I'm tired from the drive from Houston and honestly, I'm just thankful to be back home in my own bed. Maybe I've just gotten too old or maybe just for once this year, I wanna sit down and be with my thoughts and take a break from the ringing phones and the running around. Maybe I just wanna sit in my pjs with the dogs, relax, go to bed and wake up to a new year and another fresh start.

Test Post

I wanted to test out blogpress on the iPhone too see how it works. I also added a pic of the big dogs and so far so good. Still in Houston relaxing and hoping the weather lets up so I can shop a little tomorrow before I head home. I don't really have big plans for NYE. We're heading to a small party and possibly a bonfire.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Teaching

I have one regret about my schooling and it's that I didn't take Spanish. In Louisiana, we are taught French in elementary school so when I got to middle and high school, it was easier to continue with French rather than start Spanish. I understand teaching French and French Immersion to preserve our culture but Spanish is much more practical in the real world. I've been looking at a few school districts here in Texas just for fun and the majority of the open positions are ESL. I know that there is the perfect teaching position out there for me but now is the time to start worrying and wondering. I don't think I could ever leave my hometown but I still haven't ruled it out. I know I need to let go and let God or I'll drive myself absolutely insane until April.

Houston

We made it safely to Houston without incident except for me forgetting my coat and having to head back. Luckily, it was before I hit the interstate. I had a salad from Panera for dinner and of course made latte on the Tassimo. I need to get one ASAP.

Tomorrow I'm taking my Christmas ring into the jeweler to be re-sized. My right ring finger was either broken or jammed badly at some point in my childhood (I'm thinking softball or my brief stint in basketball) and my knuckle is freakin huge. The bad part is, once rings get past the knuckle there is a big size difference and they tend to slide around alot. At least I don't have to worry about losing a ring since my knuckle area is so chunky.

I think it's funny that I escape to Houston to relax when things are much more fast paced here than at home. I really do love my smallish town but can't argue with the better shopping and more places to eat that Houston has to offer. The traffic doesn't terrify me anymore, I can remember being 16 or 17 and driving over here for the 1st time in my Celica and I was scared to death.

The rest of my night is going to consist of sitting in front of the tv and staying warm.

Christmas Recap

Christmas was great. I got a beautiful ring and of course my leopard Snuggie and other goodies. I'm trying to get everything ready to head to Houston in the morning. It's a huge process just trying to get 3 dogs ready to go much less everything that I need to bring. I'm coming home Thursday and have to take the tree down over the weekend as well. That is probably the most annoying thing about Christmas. It seems like every year I have trouble getting everything back in the boxes it came in. Hopefully I'll get to do some shopping in Houston and take a little break before school starts on January 19th.

Merry Christmas

Notice they are both clean. The festivities started a little late and ended at 11 or so and the last load is now in the dishwasher and I'm getting ready to watch A Christmas Story then head to bed. Hosting is hard work. I have the big family lunch tomorrow then I will be officially spent. Merry Christmas to all in blogland.

Salute

This post is dedicated to the "Holiday Host Rookie". I myself fall into that category as this is the 2nd year I'm hosting Christmas Eve dinner. In the South especially, this is a big deal, a coming of age. You want to live up to your great-grandmother, grandmother and mother's skills and it's hard. The Eve of the Eve for a rookie usually consists of running around like a chicken with its head cut off looking for last minute must haves followed by being up half the night making sure every inch of the house is spotless. Rookies often will drive all over town to find that perfect Christmas dip bowl or food item. This year my enemy was fresh bruschetta, could not find it anywhere.

Here's to you if you're new to hosting Christmas dinner, if you're trying to out-do the neighbor who's house is always spotless or trying to please that critical mother in law, I raise my glass of fresh sweet tea to y'all ladies. When it's finally over and the relatives pull out of the driveway, let's all pour us a glass and take long nap. Oh wait, there's that little problem of cleaning up after the festivities.

Blondie

I'm going to tell a story about a child we'll call "Blondie". Blondie was removed from his parents about a year ago. Blondie is in Special Education and has Bi-Polar Disorder as well as other behavior problems. When Blondie was taken, he used every curse word on a daily basis, hated anyone who wasn't white, couldn't be in crowds, and kicked and screamed. He's 8 now and had spent a lot of time in a mental institution when was 5-6.

Fast forward to now, Blondie is doing well in school and has been mainstreamed into 2 classes (art and gym). He follows the rules and has a list of "good words" to use when he gets angry. He no longer has outbursts at school and has been given certificates for good behavior. He's now back with his mom and I couldn't ask for anything better for him. Merry Christmas to all the Blondies out there.

Christmas Dishes

Still on the hunt for Christmas dinnerware. Might have to wait til after Christmas. Ugh

Confessions

I need to stay away from the Christmas ornaments. I re-arranged the tree again tonight. I'm a little OCD when it comes to some stuff, this is the reason that I wait until the last minute to write papers or prepare speeches. I just keep messing with stuff trying to attain that impossible perfection when all I really do is mess things up more. This time, I'm not touching it again until I take it down.

Thank you Lord for Christmas break. I needed it so bad. The holidays always fly by though so before I know it, I'll be back in school busting tail again.

The Christmas Tree

Excuse the terrible sideways angle iPhone pic. I guess I'm going to have to add a new camera to my Christmas list this year. The very top of the tree needs to be taken care of sometime this week. I got some pretty gold fleur de lis ornaments at Hobby Lobby a few years ago and I need to go back to see if they still have them. I heart me some Hobby Lobby. I redecorated the guest bathroom with stuff from their and it turned out really cute. I got fleur de lis towels racks and drawer pulls from there too. You can't tell from the pic, but I have some pretty glass ice cycles that my aunt gave me along with some gold and white angels and silver bows. I want to get a smaller tree or 2 for next year to put around the house and do a different theme for each one. I absolutely love decorating for Christmas.

Confessions

Since my schedule is so messed up, I often get bursts of energy at 1 am. This happened last night when I was washing clothes and realized I was running out of hangers. I then went to tackle my messy closet and started purging stuff I don't wear. Let's face it people, if it doesn't fit now, it's most likely not gonna fit next year and if it does, you're not gonna wear it. Once I get started with a mission like this, I can't stop. So all of the clothes and towels were washed and folded, the floors were mopped and the dishes done. I was in bed by 3:30 or so.

Now to the confessions part. My closet is disgusting. I've said this before but it's really bad. I found shirts and stuff just shoved on the top shelf. My shoes are everywhere and I can't really find anything. My cleaning a lot of time consists of shoving all the stuff somewhere I can't see it.

Christmas Stress

I just got in from church and lunch with the bff and now I'm watching the Saints. My mom and I are going to see Messiah at 3.

I'm having Christmas Eve dinner at my house and I've been obsessing about making everything perfect. My grandma, mom and aunt are experts at hosting anything so I've got some big shoes to fill. I got the napkins and plates for the desserts already (from Dollar Tree, score!) and I need to get some tablecloths and figure out what kind of setup I'm going to do with desserts and food.

After all of that worrying, I looked at the tree and realized it needs some more ornaments or something so I'm gonna work on that this evening after I study for my last final.

Snow Report

So the snow at work sucked. We made a few snowballs with what stuck to the cars but I think the ground was too wet I guess for it to stick? There was definitely more snow at home though because it's still stuck to the cars and roofs. A good bit of it blew on my back porch but nothing really worthy of taking pics of. Houston got more than we did for sure but I'm just thankful that I was able to drive home from work safely. We were so dead. I left around 10:30 or so only because I stayed late because I had some people that just wouldn't leave.

Furkid Friday

There are 2 doggies ready for the snow. The advisory goes from 3pm-3am today. I have to leave for work at 4:15 which is in 30 minutes. Right now it's raining like crazy. It's been snowing off and on in Houston all day. People up North probably don't understand the hysteria and the fact that the news tells us not to drive if there's even a possibility of snow but here in Louisiana we're spoiled. The cold weather literally makes me cry. When it does snow, we act like complete fools and 2 inches is a big deal. The public schools closed at 1 pm and the University canceled finals this evening so the poor students that didn't study get a second chance. If and when the snow comes, I've got my iPhone handy for lots of pics.

Not so nieghborly

Darn you Bed Bath and Beyond for sending me not one, not two, but THREE coupons in the mail today. I do not need to be spending anymore money! I also am not very neighborly today because I saw 2 guys outside measuring the concrete pad next door at an empty lot and I glared at them. I don't want anymore neighbors! I think that if they come back I'll tell them that it floods here all the time and the cows in the field have a tendency to escape and attack.

After tonight's final, I have one more left. It's almost over.

Who Dat?

So excited about the Saints doing so well this season. For as long as I can remember, they've been a joke and now it's 11-0. Crazy. I didn't work the game but I stayed home and watched it.

I have one last project to do at the lab tomorrow (I hate Promethean right now!) and 2 finals to take before this semester is over. The finals are pretty easy, nothing is comprehensive so that's always a plus.

All roads lead to home

Thanksgiving was great save for a little family drama that I don't want to dive too deep in on here but this gist is, my brother may be coming to live with me. He's gone through a lot and has been in Houston for 3 years and thinks it's time to come back home to work and clear his head. The guest room has been transformed into something very liveable and cute (I needed to do this anyway) but it's still a work in progress. Whether he comes or not, it'll be ready when I need it.

People who are from here often want to leave but most of the time all roads lead back to home. I lived in Houston when I was younger and Baton Rouge some during college and I'm actually glad I'm back home. Where I live isn't a super small town but it's small enough to be comfortable. I love being able to go to Wal-Mart at 3 am and not having to worry about being robbed or anything. The downside to that is, if you go out in public looking rough, you're bound to run into someone you know. I want to stay here to teach too so I can serve the community I grew up in.

I'm turning in my last big project tomorrow. I honestly would rather take a ton of Scantron finals than mess with all these projects. I just can't finish them and leave them alone, I have to keep picking at them until I ruin it.

I'm going to start adding more pictures to the blog even though my camera died, my iPhone takes decent pics.

Be Thankful

I went to dinner tonight and heard yet another story of a friend who's business is going under. They are currently able to barely make ends meet which is a pretty good position to be in considering the tough times we're in. It really does make me sick to hear people bitch about how bad Christmas is gonna be this year when it's really not about the gifts anyway. If you've got clothes on your back, a roof over your head then you're doing better than alot of people. I'm just praying for a teaching job in the fall and to stay healthy. The $500 handbags can wait for better times. Everybody needs a reality check.

I've gotten better at being frugal this year, that's for sure. I wait for things to go on sale and consider what I really need before I buy rather than just grabbing whatever catches my eye. I'm watching dollar movies from Redbox rather than going out so much and cooking at home.

On a lighter note, I went to Target after dinner and got 2 pairs of flats for $12 and a new planner. I've already got events to put in it for next year. I figure it can only go up from here.

Holidays

I turned in my Portfolio this evening so it's now in God's and the teacher's hands. I have a few more small assignments to do and the semester will be over. I had a nice dinner with my grandparents, aunt and cousins so it was a pretty good day. I'm not gonna worry or stress anymore about the Portfolio and focus on other things. I think I've let stress and anxiety get the best of me lately and it's time for it to stop.

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving. I need to figure out whether I'm going to do a real Christmas tree this year or use my fake one in the closet. It's pre-lit and super annoying so I think I may take a trip to the tree farm to see what I can get. I miss the smell of a real tree.

I don't celebrate Wordless Wednesday

When I first got my iPhone, I hated that thing with a passion. I was a die hard Blackberry fanatic but I wanted something different. I used to wish my old Sprint BB would work on At&T. The iPhone was actually cheaper for new customers when I bought mine. I don't hate it as much now. My only issue is that email doesn't push through and if you set it to retrieve every 15 minutes you have a dead battery before the day is over. The Blackboard app is a plus though so I can access my school stuff on the go.


This a new favorite of mine: TIGI Rockaholic Livin The Dream shampoo and conditioner. I got a sample of it with my ULTA order and I love it. Being Southern, I tend to use a ton of root booster and hairspray because,"the higher the hair, the closer to God" and this gets all the gunk out and makes my hair soft. It doesn't have that overpowering smell that most TIGI products have (Dumb Blonde, Catwalk Fashionista) and that's a plus for me.

Almost there

Last night I decided I was gonna get domestic and clean the whole house. I swept and mopped everything and started washing the million loads of clothes I have to do. Then I crashed. I slept most of today to recover. I haven't been feeling so good either and I hope I'm not getting sick. If the weather would make up it's mind I'd be ok but that's Louisiana for you.

My portfolio is gonna be adorable. I hit up the Dollar Tree and got some cute printer paper that has letters and numbers on it and I got a book of stickers to decorate some of my things with. Just 2 more days and it'll be turned in. Everything is just flying by so fast. Work has been really slow the past few weeks so I'm thinking about looking for another job. I'm trying not to jump the gun and over-stress though.

School

My classroom observations went well. The 1st graders were very good and they all had amazing handwriting. The Pre-K kids were driving me insane because I got the last activity before lunch but all in all it was a good day. I went to class after observing then spent 2 hours in the lab working on the Promethean assignments that I had to turn in. All of the classrooms at the school I went to had the boards because of a tech grant, so it was nice to see them actually put to practical use. The teachers used them mostly for spelling words and putting Brain Pop videos on. The Pre-K class used it for their alphabet songs.

My eyes are burning because I'm so tired and I still have 3 more portfolio assignments to type up and then I can put that project to rest. Thank God the semester is almost over because I'm running out of steam fast.

It all works out in the end

I'm back from court! It was long and we went into conference for what felt like forever so we could argue our points. What we wanted got accomplished and it wasn't a big steaming mess like I feared. I had a good lunch with my old co-workers and ran my few errands today. My sinuses are still driving me crazy but I'm headed to work. I'm going to devote my Sunday afternoon to my portfolio so everything should be at a manageable level by Monday.

If I had one wish today it would be to stay in my pj's that I threw on when I got home, eat Ben & Jerry's, and not leave the house for the rest of the night. But we can't always get what we want. I have to check up on the CASA kids tomorrow morning (which I can do in sweatpants at least) so hopefully I won't be working all night.

Stress

"When life gives you lemons, get the tequila and salt" Today was a pretty high stress day for me. I have to go to court tomorrow for my case. It's completely unplanned and there are some major kinks thrown into it. I've been running around all day making nice and getting the facts. I know someone is going to end up upset tomorrow and it's going to get tense. Then, I had to take Tahyo to the vet. Thank God she is healthy and only goes once a year because she is a mess at the vet. The closed in exam room freaks her out. After I did all my running around I was 30 minutes late to class and about to pee my pants when I got to school. When I got there, I found out the portfolio is due a week earlier than previously discussed. There goes my weekend, as if I had one anyway other than slinging drinks all night just to make ends meet.

The up side is, it's almost over. I'm doing amazing in all of my classes so far and get to observe at a great school on Monday. Next semester isn't going to be the hell I thought it was and I'm a little ways away from an official nervous breakdown. I'll make it as long as I remember to keep breathing. Stress will eat me alive if I let it and damnit, I'm not giving in.

It's only Tuesday

I'm going tomorrow to get my H1N1 vaccine. I debated on whether or not I was going to do it but it's free so I might as well. I reasoned that since I'll be in and out of the schools for the rest of the year as well as working with the public and not knowing whether I'm coming or going, that I don't have time to get sick. Plus, one of my CASA kids had it. It's free at school and apparently they have a plethora of it because they keep emailing me telling me to get it.

There is no school tomorrow so I'll be doing some Field Experience at a Daycare. I have to hang out for a bit and watch the kids play, then rush to CASA kids house, get my vaccine and to a meeting at school at 5. A super bonus is that Child Psych is cancelled so my teacher can keep her kid so I'll have less running around to do. I keep telling myself that I will not have a nervous breakdown and it'll all be over soon. I got a text at work tonight informing me that I have to be in court Friday so I pitched a small fit about that. I'll leave you with a photo of Moo since I apparently have given up on Furkid Friday.

Sunday Funday

I'm very disappointed in LSU. I caught the last 2 quarters at work and it was just sad. Last night we were so slow. I'm doing my usual Sunday cleaning and washing while the big dogs are trying to make a mess. I have to clean the office today too. It's a disaster. Mom is bringing me some lunch though so the day is starting to look up.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be observing all week in the schools. I hope to finish my portfolio by the end of next week so all of my huge projects will be out of the way.

BFF just called on her way home from Spring to tell me that she is currently stuck behind an 18 wheeler with a sign that says, "Show ure hooters" Classy.

What Weekend?

I got off work insanely early today thank God. I have a million emails to check but I'm on here and Facebook instead. I have to work tomorrow night so nothing interesting going on for me this weekend unfortunately.

I did accomplish a few things this week. I had a nail appointment Wednesday and got my hair done on Thursday. I had a decent but cut off of it. My hair is extremely thick and I needed something shorter and more manageable for awhile. I'm sure by the time Spring rolls around, I'll be bored with it and throw some blonde back in there.

Thankful

I got formally accepted into Teacher Ed today and registered for Spring. All I have to say about that is, when I'm finished, I will have lost about about 50 lbs from running around like a chicken with its head cut off and not being able to afford food. It's ok though, I really don't have a choice and it'll all be over before I know it. Life goes on, it's gonna get bad before it gets better.

I am thankful for the fact that I have a roof over my head that no one can take away from me. It may not be straight out of Southern Living but it's my "mansion in the marsh". I'm thankful for the fact that I am able to go to school and further my education and in 6 months, I will have 2 perfectly useful degrees. I'm thankful for the fact that my student loans are on deferment and I will get some forgiveness when I start teaching. I'm thankful that my health is good, as I don't and won't have insurance until I start teaching. I'm thankful for the 5 minutes of contentment I get a day before I start pressuring myself all over again.

Weekend

I finally found my package from Ulta. I got a sample of a new TIGI shampoo and conditioner that I can't wait to try.

I went home from work tonight to get caught up on schoolwork. Story of my life. I lost my weekends when I left my old job and started playing the student role again. I have to turn in my required packet to enter into the 2nd round of my education classes tomorrow. Yes, on a Saturday. My adviser is amazing and has office hours from 12-5 every Saturday. Registration is Monday and Tuesday then 1 more semester and this is over!

I finally decided on a costume for tomorrow night at work. I went to borrow my cousin's old Sheriff's Office uniform shirt and we couldn't find it but he did find his traffic vest, a hardhat and a tool belt so I am now a construction worker. Easy and free. Normally, I'd put in a better effort but since I'm going to be working all night I wasn't spending a penny on my costume. I'm wearing my Uggs for boots and of course that makes me happy. It's supposed to be pretty cold tomorrow night for Louisiana standards anyway, so at least my feet will be warm.

Boo UPS

Apparently my Bare Minerals order was delivered while I was at home this morning and I don't have it. Tomorrow after class I guess I have to chase it down. I'm officially exhausted and have a test tomorrow. I spent this morning fighting with the Promethean Board for about an hour before I turned my lesson in. Next week, I have to observe for what feels like a million hours. I still haven't gotten my costume together for work on Saturday. I know, such a slacker. I just don't have time for anything other than school right now since it's the end of the semester. I've been kicking around a few easy costume ideas. It has to be something I can work in easily. I thought about being a granny, all I need is slippers, a moo moo and a wig.

The weather is supposed to get bad tomorrow and Friday. Last week, the water got pretty high out here. Hopefully this won't affect my test tomorrow. We had to cancel class last Thursday because of all of it.

Too tired for a title

I'm feeling much better after the other night at work. I will be stuck in the computer lab for most of Monday morning working on some lessons in Promethean. I'm getting used to it but I still have a hard time applying it at the Kindergarten level. Promethean is an interactive board used in some classrooms. You can design lessons for it that the students can interact with by going to the board and circling the correct answer or using a tool that they can participate in an interactive poll with from their desks.

On another note, Ulta is giving away a free Bare Minerals kit with any $44 Bare Minerals purchase. The kit is called Wild About Bare and has a lipstick and 2 other items in it. I've been using Bare Minerals for about a month now. At first, I was pretty skeptical but now I'm hooked. Shipping is also free on orders over $50 and they include free samples with every order. I normally go to Ulta in Houston since we don't have one here but this is my first time ordering from them.

It's getting uggly

I am so ready to start teaching. Work was horrible tonight and I just keep telling myself it's not going to be much longer. I had to clean up after someone that threw up after too much Goldschlager, and someone left without paying. On a good note, LSU whooped Auburn.

I hate cold weather. To the folks in places like Canada or Colorado, bless y'alls hearts, I'd die. Tonight when I got home, I turned the heater on and went to the closet and dug my Uggs out. I know some of y'all are probably like, "dear Lord, can't the Uggs just disappear" but I seriously love them and yes, I still do wear them out in public. I've had them for a good 3 years now, and they aren't goin anywhere.

Stressing

I got out of work tonight, took my online quiz and went to dinner with my parents at Texas Roadhouse. Last night, I got all domestic and made chili dogs and baked a cake. I ate one piece, then Tahyo proceeded to lick all of the icing off so I had to toss it. It's just as well, I don't need to be eating more than one piece anyway. I'm dreading tomorrow night at work but I have to keep telling myself it'll be ok.

BFF is sick so there will be no hot mess action going on tonight. I need to finish typing all of my essays anyway. Next week, I've got to visit some schools and turn in my portfolio. I can't wait to start teaching.

I've had problems with panic attacks lately. They run in my family; my grandmother and aunt have had problems with them. Last night I had one out of the blue. Normally, I know one is coming because I can feel that I'm working myself into a tizzy and sometimes I can stop and relax before it gets to that point. Last night, I couldn't. I know that everything is going to be ok but I still worry about finishing school, and whether or not I'll get a teaching job. I have a degree in Criminal Justice and if things ever got terribly bad, I wouldn't hesitate to strap on a gun and badge and work patrol if I had to. Police officers are always needed. I know I need to "let go and let God" but I can be such a control freak at times. It didn't help that at dinner tonight, my dad was saying how my cousin took a leave position teaching at a middle school and now can't find a job. It doesn't help that I have ADD and my mind runs 90 to nothin all the time. Sometimes I think that it's a good idea that I don't really have to much time to stop and freak out otherwise I'd be in the crazy house for sure.

Beauty Faves Day 2

I fell in love with Burberry Brit last year and still think it smells delish. I am looking for a few new scents though.
Victoria's Secret eyeshadows. They are fairly priced and work well. I like having a good variety of shadows to choose from so I buy these alot.
Covergirl Lashblast. Again, another great frugal find.
Bare Minerals Warmth. This came in my kit and is my favorite. It's a great bronzer even during winter. I have used this over other foundation brands and it works just as well.

Beauty Faves

Bare Minerals Skin Rev er Up. I use this under any makeup, not just Bare Minerals and it works well. It makes my skin so smooth and soft.
Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift. This is perfect for days when I don't get enough sleep and it also works well under eyeshadow to prevent creasing.
I use this once a week and love it (the price can't be beat). As I've gotten older, my skin isn't as oily as it used to be so this is perfect for keeping the little bit of oil I do get in check.

Holy Coyote

I got a text around 6 this morning from K informing me there were 2 coyotes in the neighborhood. This is the second time this year they've been actually spotted walking around (you can hear them alot). All of my dogs go out on leashes but I worry about this little cutie the most. We were on coyote watch tonight and stayed close to the house.

Slow and simple

I have an obsession with putting everything away. My house has no storage space whatsoever so I'm constantly getting baskets and things to tuck away all my stuff. My mom hit a basket haul when her neighbor was moving out. I took a few and made magazine holders, a place to store extra TP in the guest bathroom, and a place for some of my children's books. I still have 2 more I need to do something with.

I've posted before about my organizational troubles and I've decided to focus on at least one task in one room a day instead of trying to do it all at once. I don't have many actual days off where I'm not either working, doing school projects, chasing kids for my case, or being in class or observing one so until I get a break, I'm going to take it slow. My task for today was to move the recliner out of the office and into the guest room. Tomorrow I'll work on something else in the office and in a week or so it should be organized and ready to paint. Slow and and simple is the key.

One score, one fail

First the fail. This is Abita Restoration Ale. Created after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Abita raised over $500,000 to aid in recovery efforts. I saw it the other day and decided I'd try it. FAIL. It's waaay too bitter.Now the score. I was at Target doing my usual Sunday afternoon perusing and saw that this was on sale for $2 so I scooped it up. It smells amazing. Now I wish I would've gotten a few more. I'm also in love with the Brazilian Carnival scent. It's perfect for summer which sadly is now gone even in Louisiana. I had to break out the long sleeves today. It actually feels pretty nice but I'm sure there will be a few more hot days left this year. I love it here, but the weather sure is crazy. It's impossible to plan an outfit. I get all excited to wear a cardigan or something and when I wake up, it's hotter than hell.

Short and Sweet

I found out Thursday that I passed my Praxis. The giant weight is officially off my shoulders now!

I really don't have the energy to write anything else because I'm disappointed with LSU tonight. They sure sucked.

Noteworthy

Posted on Our Pack's blog. I honestly think it's a good idea. I know some think it's ok to forgive and forget the whole Michael Vick issue but there is a deeper message here besides the fact that what he did to his dogs was cruel and illegal. What does his return to the NFL teach young children? That it's ok to do something like this? Animal abuse leads to people abuse, plain and simple. Children idolize him and think that being a dogfighter is "cool". It's just one more reason that shows society is going to hell in a handbasket. I know not everyone is a pit bull person and I am by no means trying to push it on anyone but how can anyone hate what they don't understand?

Change is on the way

Good things from the weekend: got some cleaning done on Rainy Sunday, LSU beat Georgia, that game was so tense at the end.

I'm awake pretty early since I slept late yesterday and napped a little because of the rain. Today, my schedule is pretty packed. I have a nail appointment, class, schoolwork and I need to work on my CASA case some also since we will be going to court soon.

I've been looking online for some ideas for a fall/winter wardrobe although it doesn't get cold enough down here to really call it winter. I have quite a few newer good things since I went from a 16 to a 10 last year but I can't resist shopping. I just have a tendency to stick to the few things I like and buy them in every color. I know there's always a need for basics, but I just feel like I'm in a fashion rut. I'm a terrible shopper too, if I need flats, I'll leave with 2 pair of heels and things like that. As much as I complain about the cold, this year I'm looking forward to it getting cooler. I'm just so ready for change in every aspect of my life and knowing that it's all coming soon is driving me crazy.

Hair Care Favorites

First Polyvore

Untitled by MegMac911 featuring Coach bags

I've wanted to make something on Polyvore for awhile now. I'm not super skilled at it but heres a try. This would be an everyday look for me.

Shoe Shopping

One of these things is not like the others. I hate shopping for flats. I either wear heels, flip flops, and occasionally boots. I have owned 2 pairs of flats in my life and hated them. Maybe it's because at 5 ft. 2 I've always had a "short complex". I certainly can't chase 30 kindergartners in heels all school year, so I've began my flats quest a little early. All shoes can be found at Piperlime. I will just have to keep looking. I hear so much about these that I'm thinking that might be the way to go for every day wear. Most flats I've come across don't seem to hold up very well and I suppose they wouldn't be pricey for something I'd wear every day. Next, I'll have to have all my pants hemmed. Ugh.

Dear President Obama

I read an article today that said Obama wants to lengthen school days and times. It can be found here. That's a nice idea and all but they also have to consider the costs in raising teacher's pay to accommodate the extra hours. As a future teacher, I know that extra time in school means teachers staying later, extra work at home on lesson plans, more preparation and so forth. A teachers day isn't just during school hours and summers aren't spent playing around. Any good teacher will tell you that a majority of their summertime is spent working on lesson plans, prepping classrooms and attending in-services and conferences. If you average out a teachers salary with hours actually worked plus the extra money most spend on supplies and such, it's actually not very good. I try to avoid getting political on here, but I found it a little amusing.

I will discuss the fiasco that was my birthday weekend tomorrow.

Little of this, little of that

Once again, I'm caught in a situation where I need to get cleaning. My brother was coming for my birthday weekend then he wasn't and now he is again. He's bringing his gf so I've got to get the house clean. The guest room of course is a wreck and I don't feel like Little Suzy Homemaker at all. I'm syncing the iPhone and watching the Rachel Zoe episode I missed on Monday. I die!

I got an A on my education test and all the points possible on my Education Technology assignments. Go me! I'm praying for my BFF who is tackling the GRE at 7:30 tomorrow morning. The weekend is going to consist of a little drinking and a family get-together on Sunday. I need to relax, school has really started to consume me.

It'll get bad before it gets better

Oh dear Lord where do I start on this past week? Wednesday, my a/c went out and the little man comes out that day so I'm happy until I find out that my inside unit is fried and they can't come until Monday. Bless the guy's little heart, he went and got me a window unit and I set up shop in the living room for 5 nights. This morning, he came by himself and put the new unit in. It's normally a 2 man job at least. On my way to class, I realized I took my antibiotic on an empty stomach and I was a little overheated so I skipped and sat at grandma's until I could get the dizzy feeling to go away.

My schoolwork had been piling up so I attacked it tonight with the goal to be in bed by 1 am and I've got 20 minutes. I'm much more productive working in the office than at the laptop even though my office is utter chaos at this point. So much for being organized before school started. I think I might put up some pictures of what I need to do so maybe I can get motivated.

Fab Free Finds

I finally made it home from Houston with about an hour and a half before I had to be at work. I was still feeling pretty bad and running fever and luckily there were extra people so I got to go home. I came home and cleaned (bad I know) and I'm going to figure out dinner and get some studying and rest in. My aunt had a collection of jewelry she let me go through and I picked a few of my favorite things to share.

The pendent on the far right has a lion on it. Pics were taken with my iPhone since my digital camera is broken.


I love fleur de lis. There is one in every room of my house.

I miss this thing already. It's a Bosch Tassimo expresso/coffee maker. It made me some amazing lattes while I was on my relaxation/sick getaway.

What I also miss is the time I spent typing this up. Apparently Firefox and I aren't getting along. I have to keep it on both computers because Blackboard only works with it and I need Blackboard for school. Otherwise I hate it.

Swirl, Tap and Buff

I finally decided to try Bare Minerals. I haven't really had trouble with my skin yet fortunately but I've used many different foundations over the years. I've used everything from the expensive department store brands to Revlon. I used it for the first time this morning and I can say that it's very easy to apply, just like the infomercial says. I've worn it all day and it still looks pretty good. I didn't need to touch up during the day and my skin doesn't look or feel oily. However, the coverage is about the same as any other brand. I will continue to use it, but once it runs out, I probably won't buy anymore.

Sick in H-town

Saturday after the test I drove to Houston. It rained almost the entire way and I realized my tires on the Yukon are in pretty bad shape. I'm going to get that taken care of tomorrow as well as getting an eye exam and new contacts. I've been feeling sick since Friday, but I'm finally starting to get better. I went to Ulta and Target. I've been wanting to try Bare Minerals for awhile now and I finally got it. I haven't used it yet but tomorrow I'll definately post a review.

The Praxis went well. I breezed through the Science part which shocked me. I'm sure I bombed the Math but I did my best. Now I have to just wait it out and see. I have schoolwork to take care of tomorrow night. I have to head home Tuesday morning and back to reality.

Confessions of a Junkaholic

I woke up feeling like death this morning. I've been sippin Day Quil like they're gonna pull it from the shelves, sucking on cough drops non-stop and drinkin my OJ. My fever finally broke and I sweated bullets for 30 minutes or so then drank some water and a Red Bull and cleaned out the Yukon. I found: a Treo car charger (I haven't used the Treo since before I bought the Yukon WTH) my plaid pumps, my hooker heels (black patent peep-toe sky high) a sweater and a jacket. The plaid shoes, sweater and jacket are particularly embarassing to admit because those are clearly WINTER ITEMS and last time I checked, winter done went a long time ago down here in the boot. I also had a mop in the back that I bought at least 3 months ago. This is why I need a 2 door car, but most likely I'd just be hazard on the road cause I couldn't see because there'd be too much junk.

I'm off to read some magazines to ease my anxiety. In the words of Mr. Cajun Onstar, "kids, don't eat pralines while they still hot, you gon get the foie" Pray for me tomorrow, all 0 of you fine folks that read this.

First Test Grade In

I got an 88 on my test! I did so much better than I thought. 2 points away from an A but I'll deal. Tomorrow I have to get dog food and clean out the Yukon then I'm going to go over my Praxis work 1 more time and let God do the rest. I'm not as nervous and stressed as I have been, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with myself after it's over since it's consumed me for so long. I refuse to stress myself with packing anything tomorrow for the Houston trip but I am going to get what little bit I have to wash done so Saturday I can pack quickly and get on the road. The forecast shows rain every day into next week. Fabulous. Hopefully I'll get to do some shopping in Houston.

To Medicate or Not

I was sitting here studying when all 3 dogs start barking like the damn house is on fire. I'm in such a mood that I seriously hope that it's someone walking through the yard and they shit their pants trying to get away. The other night I came home and 2 guys were running down the street. They went behind some houses before I could really see them. I used to freak out about noises but the whole neighborhood is afraid of my dogs as well as K and J's so I don't get my panties in such a wad anymore.

Apparently I'm getting so old that I forgot my birthday. I argued with E that it was the weekend after the Praxis test but I neglected to realize that the weekend of the 19th is stuck in between those. Guess it was a blonde moment. Worked sucked tonight and I almost dread the drive to Houston now that the dogs don't get along. While I'm typing this it's Moo-1, Havi flip flop-0. Damn it!

I think I need some anti-anxiety medication

Miss Anti-Social

I wasn't in the spirit for college football but I am now. Of course, my team is LSU. I'm trying to find a few weekends to get some tickets after I get the stress that is the Praxis over with. I decided today that after the test, I'm going to head to Houston and take a little break. I don't have class next Monday, so hopefully I'll be refreshed when I come back. The next weekend is my birthday, so at least the things I have to do now revolve more around my social life than school. It's a much needed break.

I would really love to go to the Chelsea Premium Outlet while I'm in Houston. The outlet is about an hour away in Cypress. They have Burberry, Coach, Kate Spade, BCBG, True Religion, Juicy, 3 sunglasses places. But we'll see. I still can't really let myself think about relaxing at this point. Thank God, tomorrow night is my only scheduled shift.

Stressed

In exactly 7 days, I will be sitting down and taking the Praxis which will determine whether or not I get to teach next year. I've just about completed the study book. I also have a Portfolio assignment and a test on Wednesday. I switched shifts to get off tonight because I didn't wanna deal with all the drama of the 1st LSU game. Apparently, a fight broke out Thursday night. I wasn't there for it but thought about picking up because my class was canceled. Thank God I didn't. I don't need anymore stress this week.

Tomorrow night and Tuesday are my only 2 scheduled nights for the next week so I should be able to get a handle on things and be ready for the test. While I've been in study mode, I didn't really notice all controversy about Obama's speech to students on Tuesday. There is a petition going around locally urging parents to keep their kids home. As a future teacher, the first thing I did was read the memo that was sent to schools. My personal feelings for Obama aside, I will say that the discussion questions and assignments were not Early Childhood friendly. I can understand showing the program to upper Middle and High School students, but there's no way in hell that I'd show it in my classroom. Early Childhood classes are not allowed to watch t.v. 99% of the time and it has to be heavily scrutinized before they view it and cannot be longer than 10 minutes. I honestly don't think they're showing it in the Elementary Schools around here anyway so parents just need to get a grip. He's in charge, was elected by the people, so let him have his time. Most kids aren't gonna be paying attention anyway.

New phone, lots to do

I was so sick of my cell phone company and getting terrible reception at my house so I finally switched to AT&T. They have the Blackberry of course, the same one that I've been using and loved all this time but I decided to be fun and get the i phone. The first night, I hated it and planned on exchanging it for the BB the next day but I didn't. The i phone is growing on me pretty quick.

The Praxis clinic I attended over the weekend was amazing. Rather than focusing on what we needed to study and work on, she taught us simple strategies to figure out the correct answer even if we have no clue. The math portion helped me a great deal. I've had a mental block in the math dept. for years but her little tips and tricks took a lot of my anxiety away.

Tommorrow I have a full day. Moo is getting his tubes removed in the morning, then I'm headed to grocery shop before class. Tommorrow night I have to work on Praxis stuff plus any homework that hasn't been done for the week. I think I might schedule a night of drinks or something this week.

Furkid Friday (WARNING: GRAPHIC)

FML

Today after barely making it through my night class (I seriously caught myself nodding off at least 15 times) I walk out to the parking lot to discover my tire is flat as hell with a huge nail in it. I call for help only to find that my spare won't come off properly so I had to leave it at school until I can have it towed to the tire shop tommorrow. I ate stale Lucky Charms for dinner and if I don't get to bed soon I'm gonna have a meltdown. FML

Ups and Downs

This week has been a light one so far at school. Rachel Zoe started again. I love, love, love that show. I'm becoming a regular Bravo addict. I also have developed a lusting for the I Phone after my sister got one for her birthday. The 8 gig is $100 right now. I don't know yet if I'm ready to dump my Blackberry, it's seen me through my last year of college and first real job out of school. I had a Treo before that and absolutely hated it. Palm sucks.

On the downside, K's brother in law is on his last leg in his battle with cancer. I hate to see her and J hurting but their family is coming together and they're gonna get through it. Another downer, is the dog fight I had to break up after working all night last night. General and Moo got into it and Moo lost. I knew owning bully breeds that the day would come when I'd potentially have 2 that could never play together and today is that day. We are on a crate and rotate basis with them from now on and I'm suprisingly more ok with it than I thought I'd be. Poor Moo was sedated and had drainage tubes put in his chest. Poor baby is wearing an E collar for the next five days.

Sick Day

I'm taking my first web class this semester and I'm not too sure about it. The professor posted an assignment on Saturday that is due Monday at midnight. I did manage to get it all done but if I had worked all weekend it would've been impossible.

I went home sick on Saturday night. I started feeling bad Friday night right before I left work and woke up Saturday feeling horrible. I went into work that night then went home. I got some much needed rest and I'm not running fever anymore but I'm still stopped up and sneezing like crazy.

I feel super old. My little sister turned 18 today. We had a little family get-together at my grandma's with dumplings, corn, green beans, peas, biscuits and apple pie. I have 1 class tommorrow and 1 chapter left in my readings so I've got to get on the Praxis work because the test is in 3 weeks. After that, I feel like I can finally relax.

Mickey D's Meltdown

When bad things start happening they seem to keep happening until a huge hot mess pile of trouble is accumulated. One tragedy in a group of friends is sure to bring on a few more. But as sure as everything's falling apart one minute, you turn around and it's suddenly ok. I wish I could say that now was the ok part but it's not.

I had a minor meltdown today because I've been dealing with alot and not sleeping properly and forgetting to eat some days. After I went and got my nails done which consisted of me listening to a crying baby and 2 stressed out older children that need to start school TODAY rather than next week or their momma is gonna commit murder. On the way home, I realized that I hadn't eaten since some point yesterday or maybe it was the day before so I decided to be quick and whip in to McDonald's. Well I got home and discovered that the folks working there decided I needed a Filet O Fish with cheese instead of whatever I ordered so instead of going back or getting something else, I had a meltdown. The Filet O Fish is the most disgusting thing on the planet and I know the chicken nuggets I fatassed it and ordered weren't much healthier but they sure aren't Filet O Fish. The dogs are my only witnesses so I don't feel so bad about it but it was pretty unnecessary.

Tommorrow is a new day.

Aaaaahhh

School started Monday and so far, I have a handle on things but only because it's the first week. Moo will be starting school again too. We have to complete one more set of obedience classes before we move on to the CGC (Canine Good Citizen). I ran into his teacher at work tonight and we are going to do a private training to substitute for the intermediate because where she's working now combines Basic and Intermediate and what he took before was Puppy and Basic combined.

All this stuff is making me waaay to busy. I have to meet an old friend for drinks sometime next week and most likely, that'll be the only thing other than school and studying for Praxis that I do. I have one chance to pass it and less than a month to finish studying. I'm going to a clinic on the 29th that hopefully will help me. Tonight I'll get 6 hours of sleep before class then I have to come home and study plus do housework. I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends already.

Back to School

My gazillion dollars in tuition, books and fees has been paid. I have finished shamelessly begging to be let in my last 2 classes and got my .edu email problem, that I ignored most of my undergrad life, fixed for good. I have my paper, binders, pens and hi-lighters. Praxis II has been scheduled and prayers are needed now to insure my passing on September 12th. I am 2 semesters and a summer away from teaching some kindergarten hellions. Thank God!

Now, I can sit back and relax on this Fab Friday since I'm off work. This closet still isn't done but I make deadlines just to break em so no biggie. I noticed one of the electronic billboards had an ad for a free consultation from the closet makeover people so I may entertain the thought of calling them up "just to see".

I'm going to get a haircut at 3:00. I used to have it fairly short (a little above my shoulders) then I let it grow pretty long but now I'm just tired of it. I have to wear it up for work so I need something that'll fit in a pony tail but I also want something that just doesn't lay there when it's down. I trust T so I'm sure whatever she comes up with will be great.

Furkid Friday

Tonight at work I found out that Michael Vick signed with the Eagles. I found it much more satisfying when his sorry ass was making 27 cents an hour in prison. The video link below is of Johnny Justice's visit to Rachel Ray courtesy of BadRap (www.badrap.org)
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/video/vick/badrap_rr_022808.html


2nd video link is to the "pit bull problem" or "i'm sorry video"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Qlw3pzWv4


Pit bulls can blog too: http://princessthepit.blogspot.com/

Lack of Sleep + No Food = No Good

I feel for anyone who has ever worked at a bar. My sleeping schedule is all kinds of jacked up. I'm staying up today as long as it takes to run my errands then I'm taking a nap before I go meet a friend for drinks tommorrow night. I got home at 3 which isn't too bad. I've pretty much slept the past 2 days away except for the time I've been at work tonight and Sunday night. I think the last time I ate was Sunday or possibly early Monday morning so I'm gonna be bad and grab McDonald's breakfast when they open at 5:30. I severly need a break, I don't know whether I'm coming or going. This must be what being on drugs feels like. I wouldn't really know because I only tried pot once and nothing happened. Otherwise, I was/am a good goody. Breaktime is over though because school starts in less than a week whether I'm ready or not.

Tonight Sucked. The End

It was fight night again at work tonight. Silva knocked out Griffin in the first round (thank you Lord!) but the championship match after that lasted waaay too long. Tonight's suckyness can be summed up with some self-explanatory bullets.

*Chasing and fussing at underage drinkers
*Fight in the parking lot
*Broken air conditioner in a building full of sweaty meatheads in Affliction shirts who kept complaining. I wanted to say, "Bitch you are sitting on your ass drinking beer. I'm running my overweight self in circles around this place to get your beer. Don't tell me how fuckin hot it is." Instead I say, "Gosh it is a little warm. I'm sure once the crowd clears it'll be fine. How about I get you another round?"
*Ice machine quit making ice, delivery people finally showed up with very large glacier like ice that was a pain in the ass and looked silly in the cups
*I didn't make jack shit and my car note is due soon
*Wasted an hour and a half waiting to leave
*Have to go exchange brand new, took hours to program BB because the damn keypad won't light up and there is annoying flashing mystery light (Googled both issues and the general consensus is to return it.

FML today. Tommorrow will be better.

Cleaning Out the Closet

Image from HGTV.com

I love this closet. Mine is not quite that big but pretty close. I love how everything is tucked away but the downside to that is not being able to see what you've got. Plus I have severe ADD and would work myself into a fit trying to find a pair of shoes I haven't worn in months. I still haven't finished organizing mine but I have everything ready to get started. Hiring someone else to do it is looking better every day.

RIP Blackberry

Last night, my dear Blackberry died. I had it for about 2 years so it was looking quite rough. I was going to upgrade pretty soon anyway. They had black, red and orange so I decided to be a little fun and get the orange. I had the Curve before but since the old one's screen cracked and went white, I've spent the afternoon so far transferring all of my numbers.

Crate and Barrel Wishlist

Images courtesy of Crateandbarrel.com


It seems someone is a bit obsessed with paisley.

Fall Cleaning

I have some serious overhauling to do at home. It's sort of a Fall Cleaning. School starts August 17th and before then, I have to:

1. Finish furnishing the guest room
2. Clean and organize the office
3. Set-up a lap top workstation in either the kitchen or corner of the living room
4. Overhaul my closet (give away all clothes I don't need, organize all shoes and misc. crap in there)
5. Random cleaning duties like washing covers on couch cushions, cleaning rugs, organizing under all sinks, linen closet overhaul

I'm starting today and I've gotta stay motivated. My Yukon also needs to be cleaned and vacuumed sometime this week. It makes things easier when I write it down and discuss it, but I get so overwhelmed. Part of the problem are my hours at work. I still haven't gotten in the groove of getting home at 3 am.

Cutting Suspenders

"This makes me wanna cut my suspenders and go into orbit" That right there is a quote from my grandma and today was definately that kinda day for me. To start it off, I was 45 minutes late for court and had about 5 minutes to catch my breath from running to the courthouse before they called my case. My testimony lasted about 5 minutes then C and the girl who took my place had lunch at our usual court day spot. New Girl is a bit of an airhead and C and I were unsuccessful in sneaking off without her.

After court, I came home and sat around since my subpoena getting me off of work all day. Today is Moo's 1st birthday so I decided to take him to get a toy and some treats. We stopped off at the vet's first for flea and heartworm meds then went to Petco and got tennis balls and treats. He managed to steal a few from the treat bar and rawhide bar. I decided to stop at the gas station on the way home. I parked in the front and left the Yukon running. Bad idea. When I came out, I couldn't get the door open. Damn Moo! I never renewed my Onstar because I have navigation and all that so I didn't see the need. After waiting 20 minutes on Pop-A-Lock, I came home and renewed OnStar ASAP. I'll pay the $20 a month so next time, they can just unlock the damn car over the phone. Thank God I left it running or else I would've broken a window so poor Moo wouldn't have overheated. He knew he did something wrong but I couldn't get mad at him.

Tonight will be a low key domestic evening of washing and tv.

Lesson of the day

"The toes you step on today may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tommorrow" I had firsthand experience with this yesterday. It felt pretty good to see the look on this person's face when they realized who was going to make a major life decision for them. You truly never know who's watching especially in a small town.

Thirsty Thursday

I just got in from a restaurant opening and honestly, the food wasn't that great. I had a duck breast that only made me miss the ones my old boss used to cook. The potatoes were ok and the salad wasn't too fresh but it wasn't terrible. I went with H and she got a fruit stand salad that was pretty good. Alcohol would've made the situation better but they haven't got the liquor license yet so that wasn't an option.

I'm considering going out tonight because I'm in a bit of a mood. I had to end a friendship because of my friend's spouse and it just sucks. It's hard to watch someone you care about sit and get cheated on and drug through the mud by some asshole that thinks every woman is fair game, including his wife's friends. I also don't understand how many times someone can hear "I'm not interested" a 100 times and still not get the point or care about what they're doing. I know, it's easier to see the solution if you're looking at it from the outside, but what more would someone need to realize it's not going to work.

The 5 year plan

Ugh. My Google reader is not working properly nor is my camera so the My Favorite Things edition will have to be put off for another day. It's probably time for a new digi cam anyway since I've had this Sony for awhile now. I don't really need anything fancy, just something good for snapshots since I'm no photographer.

I went to my parents today and did a little cleaning that my daddy overpaid me for. Now that I've graduated college, gone are the days where I just get money handed to me. My family still does help with some small petty things but it's mostly been schoolbooks, a Dr. visit (specifically my $150 eardrops, that was with insurance!) or something major. I know they'll all be so glad when I finally get done with school for good and start working somewhere permanent. I've decided to go ahead and finish the teaching certificate, teach for a year or 2 then start the Counseling classes since they are all at night anyway plus I'll have my summers free. It's so nice now that alot of classes are offered online, they've started Saturday classes, each summer has 2 mini sessions, the mini sessions between Fall and Spring semesters now offer more classes so I should be able to get alot of classes out of the way pretty quickly. I'm going to try and start my pre-reqs the first summer after I start teaching so I don't get spoiled to having the entire summer off.

Crack of dawn

Why am I awake at 7 am after working until 3 am pray tell? Because we have a meeting at work this morning. That is the one thing I don't miss about the service industry, early meetings on weekend days all because we're serving a new drink or changing something small and unimportant that they could've told us about before a shift one night instead of getting us up at the crack of dawn. I'm so exhausted I don't know if I'll make it to church this morning but I can hear my grandma saying, "Jesus was tired too when he died for your sins now wasn't he?" "There is no excuse for missing church."

I do love working in a place where everyone in town goes though because I always end up running into someone I needed to get in touch with. That also has alot to do with the fact that this is a small ass town. I saw Moo's trainer last night. She taught us basic obedience and is the best ever plus she owns bully breeds so she knows what's up. On our last class, she said she was moving but ended up staying and working somewhere else. So Mr. Moo will be going back to class ASAP.

Since I've made amazing money this weekend, I think I'm going to spend a bit this afternoon if I'm not taking a nap. I made the mistake of friending a cute little local boutique on Facebook and their new stuff is tempting me every time I log in. I have done great so far with my "Frugal Summer" and wearing what I have, but everyone needs a little reward every now and then.

For my next post. I'll be showing some of my favorite things from around the house.

My old job

I figured I'd finally sit down and explain what my job at the non-profit was before I decided to do the teaching/counseling thing and it's impact on the rest of my life aside from it being my first professional/college graduate job.

Anytime a child needs to be interviewed for any law enforcement reason (sexual abuse, physical abuse, witness to a violent crime, neglect, abandonment) they are interviewed at a special place specifically designed for children by a neutral 3rd party called a forensic interviewer. The interviews are videotaped for court purposes but the child may still have to testify in court. My job was to support the interviewer while the interview was taking place by running the tapes, making sure paperwork was in order and so forth. I was being groomed to actually start the interviewing myself before I left. Most of the time, we interviewed victims of sexual abuse. There is always little to no medical evidence despite what people think and it's often a he said, she said type of case. The interview goes through all the details step by step of the abuse and the interviewer must remain neutral, not showing compassion, anger or shock. Typically these interviewers work for non-profit agencies and are not compensated enough (in my opinion) for what they do.

The job was emotionally tough and was a huge slap in the face for me because growing up, I thought my family was dysfunctional but now I realize I am blessed that I never had to go through some of the things these kids did growing up and what a spoiled brat I was/am.

FB vs Myspace

I tend to stay off of Facebook because well my Southern Baptist grandmother is on there and I don't think she'd appreciate pictures of me boozing it up on the weekends. I was browsing Myspace and noticed a girl that was in my "people you may know" area. So, I go check her profile out and I ended up not knowing who she was. However, she had posted pictures on a slideshow on her main page of some guys funeral. The pics showed him in the casket and everything with little kids hanging over the side and crying. WTH? I just find that terribly unappropriate on so many levels. People are crazy.

Tonight, I'm going with K to get her hood peirced. She's been wanting it for a long time and today's the day. She and I both went through a peircing phase when we were younger. I had my tongue and nose pierced, she had her tongue, nose and eyebrow (not all at the same time). Now that we're older and don't want things that show, her peircing choice works for her. Would I ever do it? That's a big hell no but I'll be there to support her. We're going to cap the evening off with a nice dinner at O'Charley's.