The problem with being scheduled back to back to back is that you have no room for error. Yesterday was the longest day I've had in a while. After starting perfectly fine twice, my car died in the Harmon's parking lot on my way to work. I was running early so I decided to stop and get a Jamba Juice. I called my sister and she packed up her young ones and came to jump my car. She gets there only to realize that the jumper cables are in her husbands car and he's at work. She drops me off at work and my brother comes to pick up some keys and we try to jump my car. No luck. After work we went over to my sister's and my brother in law - the wonderful man that he is - looked at it. They got it to start and drove it to my sister's where I was watching the children. I get in to go home and it won't start. Several hours and car parts later, they finally got it to start. They had to replace the battery and the battery cables. I didn't leave their apartment until almost 9:00. I didn't get home until about 9:15. I was so maxed out I just went to bed.
The problem with days like that when you are scheduled so tightly, is that it tends to overlap into the next couple of days. I was planning on getting some homework done last night and a few other things that I needed to get done but because of car issues I couldn't. So tonight instead of going to the Oquirrh (no idea how to spell that!) Temple open house, I had to stay home to do homework and bake and cook for the ward boating activity on saturday because I won't have any time to do it tomorrow because of my work schedule tomorrow. Trust me, you don't want to know.
But I am now far to tired to do any of the things I planned. I went to the grocery store bought Pillsbury dough and the cookies turned out a little gimpy. I also bought stuff to make oreos and pasta salad but did I make oreo cookies and pasta salad? Nope. Instead I ate some dinner, picked up my keys from my brother and went and bought a printer.
And speaking of buying printers....dude. I got the cheapest printer I could find. It was still $70. I then get to the register and the cashier tells me that I'll need an ink cartridge because the one included doesn't really do a whole lot. I go and get the ink cartridge. He then tells me that I'll need a printer cable because that too, isn't included with the printer. But first the guy tries to sell me a printer cable that comes with a two year printer warranty for $50. No thanks. I'll stick with my $20 printer cable. I of course had to buy paper and I also bought some highlighters. The grand total came to over $100!!!! Seriously?! They couldn't throw in the printer cable? or at least an ink cartridge that will print more than one piece of paper?!
But back to my original point. This week has been very long and I don't foresee it getting better any time soon. I am greatly looking forward to my cruise in a couple of weeks.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Time Management
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Introducing the New and Improved Kelly
I started school the beginning of this month. I thought now would be a good time to make some changes to my life. I have had a rather tempestuous relationship with vegetables, basically my entire life. Sunday dinners used to be quite a traumatic event for me. I was forced to gag down my veggies, mostly broccoli. According to my mother, when I was very young, I used to love broccoli and orange ruffy (fish) - both of which I cannot stand anymore. I decided a couple of weeks ago I would try different veggies. I mean, there must be at least one that I like. I'll eat salads with some veggies on them but it's not a very wide selection. I have since tried broccoli (again), green beans, peas and yellow peppers. I can't say that I'm a huge fan of any of them. But, I'm still going to continue to try.
I also joined a gym. I got up at 7:45 on Saturday morning and signed up, paid my gym fees and actually worked out for about an hour. I then came home and made myself an omelet. Me, ms. anti morning woke up voluntarily at 7:45 on a weekend and went to the gym. I just want to make sure you all understand the magnitude of this action. I didn't go on Sunday but I went last night after work even though I was dead tired. I only did about 45 minutes because i needed to get home to do some homework.
AND this morning I got up early and went to the driving range with my dad. Other than mini gold, I have never golfed before. Let's just say that the dirt clods traveled farther than the golf balls. Despite my obvious lack of golfing experience, I actually had a good time. I'm pretty sure we'll keep going.
I also want to take Rock Climbing lessons. There's a three class course offered by Rockreation that I am thinking about taking. I probably wouldn't have time to do it until after my cruise but I think it'd be fun.
So, say hello to the new and improved Kelly. Here's hoping she sticks around.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Oh What a day...
It's been a fairly productive day. I woke up at 7:45 this morning, thanks to the garbage truck outside my window, and decided to just get up. So I headed to the gym...the first time in who knows how long. Well, I know how long, but I'm not going to tell you - the point is, I put in a good hour at the gym this morning. I came home, made myself an omelet, i tried to make myself an omelet but it tasted pretty good. I then, with Lisa's help, started a project that would then take over the rest of my day.
I started school this month and I decided that I really need a desk. I also got my annual bonus last week and thought now would be a good time to purchase said desk. Seems like a fairly simple and straightforward venture. It is now 10:23 and Lisa is still working on putting my desk together. Yes, she's putting it together. I find it's easier to let her do it than help. She's good at it and just sort of takes charge and does it. Why are we still working on this so late? Why is my room in shambles, you ask? Well, in the process of moving my $15 Target bookshelf to the other side of my room, it broke. Books fell everywhere and the shelf was beyond repair. So we went to Ikea in search of a desk and possibly a bookshelf. I find a bookshelf, but not a desk and Lisa finds a really great Draft Table. HOWEVER, it will not under any circumstances fit into my small car. We call around to friends and family with larger vehicles and finally found someone that would/could let us borrow their car. We leave Ikea, without buying anything and stop to get some lunch on the way to University Hospital to trade cars with our dear friend, Megan.
We went to Zuppa's (so good!) but as I go to get my wallet from my purse to pay for my lunch, I realize that I don't have my wallet. It is buried under a mountain of books and odds and ends on my bed at home because I took it to the gym with me this morning. Lisa was kind enough to pay for my lunch. We drive all the way back to the apartment, get my wallet, double check measurements, go up to University Hospital, trade cars with Megan and head back out to Ikea. We had a slight detour to Target, Office Depot and Office Max before we actually made it back to Ikea. We purchase the bookshelf and drafting table and head back home. But before we get home we have to stop at Office Depot on 21st to pick up my desk because the location in Fort Union didn't have the desk I wanted in the store. Turns out this desk is approximately 150 lbs and it took Lisa and a store clerk to get it into the car.
We start calling around to guys we know to see if they'd be able to help us bring it into the apartment. We weren't having any luck until Lisa's friend responded and brought all his roommates. So almost four hours later...we're still not done and Lisa still hasn't put together her drafting table.
It's been a productive day but I need another day in my weekend.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
99
The object is to copy & paste the list of "99 things" to a note & bold the things you've done!! You should all do it! It's quick & it brought back some funny memories!!
1. Started your own blog - obviously
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis - I came back from class once and there was one on my pillow
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise - italics because I will in a few short weeks!
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - ask me in a couple of weeks!
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Have been published
81. Visited the Redwoods
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - sorta
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Monday, July 20, 2009
Random Thoughts of the day
It's Monday and I am having a particularly difficult time concentrating on my work and not being super grumpy that I'm at the office instead of on some beach somewhere or an exciting new city. SO, to help keep me entertained and awake, I am going to let you all know what my thoughts are throughout the day. Think of it as one long twitter. I don't tweet. I don't need one more thing to help me procrastinate...but if I did tweet these would be my tweets throughout the day.
Hold on to your hats because, here we go....
11:54 am: just finished semi organizing my desk and realize that I need a larger desk. My current cubicle is slightly claustrophobic.
12:05 pm: brought leftover bbq pulled pork for lunch but ended up ordering chinese...i am such a sucker sometimes!
12:39 pm: Dear Student, please read your transcript thoroughly before calling and getting upset with me. Thanks.
1:11 pm: is not sure why I keep checking my gmail. I never get anything new or exciting.
1:38 pm: can hear the movie the guy on the other side of my cubicle wall is watching. Can't tell for sure what it is but sounds like there is a car chase.
2:34 pm: found out we get our annual bonus tomorrow and I am daydreaming about office supplies and a new desk for my room and rearranging everything. Don't judge. I like office supplies.
3:20pm: was quite possibly a life coach in my previous life.
4:09pm: just learned that all staplers are not created equal. Need to invest in a swingliner stapler.
4:52pm: thinks she will do a little shopping before going to the bridal shower tonight. She needs to psychologically prepare herself for the wedding-ness.
Friday, July 17, 2009
ABC
Monday, July 13, 2009
Does this make me a dork?
I am so excited for this movie! I know this scene isn't in the book but it looks good to me! I'm sure the movie is going to be sold out for weeks but I'm excited to see it.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Doctor's Orders
Anyone that knows me knows about the love/hate relationship I have with my job. Over all, it's a pretty good job. It helps me pay the bills, put gas in my car, buy food and sometimes a little extra to have fun with. I have complete medical and dental coverage and a pretty good deal with eye exams and such. I have paid vacation time/sick leave, 403b with an employer matching program. All in all, it's pretty good. I've been there 3 years and I've proved myself and I have a healthy respect from my coworkers and managers/supervisors.
BUT and there is a but...I tend to work crazy hours every once in a while. WGU is a fully online, nationally accredited university. Obviously, we go about our education model a little differently. Part of that difference is, we start new terms every month. Which means, we have students starting new terms, changing programs, taking breaks, enrolling in classes, in mass, at the beginning of every month. What does that mean for me? Data entry....lots of data entry. It's not uncommon for me to put in 50 or possibly 60 hour work weeks around the first of the month. I come in early and work late at home. Most of the time I don't mind. It's part of the job. My job is to help student's succeed and progress through their program. They can't do that if their program change hasn't been processed, right?
Anyway...it's the first of the month and it's been a rough go around this time. Lots of questions, errors, missing information, IT glitches AND we have a three day weekend and the bi annual mentor meetings next week. Which means, mentors won't be readily available to set up their student's AAPS (courses for the next term) for the next week. Naturally everyone is panicking. I have been particularly stressed because I am the unofficial lead program changer person. I worked late last night and tonight as well.
So why am I telling you all this, seemingly boring and unimportant information? Because without it, you wouldn't understand the amazingness of my roommate. I mean, really...amazing. She went out this evening with a mutual friend (Hi Megan!). From what Lisa told me i thought they'd be home in an hour or so with my dinner. They don't get back for a couple of hours and then Lisa is all shifty when i ask her where they went/what they did and then she gets this sneaky smile on her face. The smile that says, she has something up her sleeve. Both she and Megan start giggling and talking very conspiratorially.
Again, for those that know me, know that i am a very impatient person. Lisa knows this and she started taunting me while on her computer doing something but she won't tell me what and then she prints something and goes into her room and I hear tape and scissors cutting paper. At one point she gets something from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. And behold....
It's a prescription for "Employment Relief 800 MG Tablets"
The instructions say:
Take 3 Red tablets for Idiotic Questions
Take 4 Green tablets for Program Changes
Take 2 Yellow tablets for Mentor Issues
Take 5 Brown & 3 Orange tablets for positively no reason at all Repeat as necessary
Use Before Insanity Strikes
Refills are absolutely allowed - Dr. Auth Not Required
And she filled it with M&M's.
Seriously...best roommate ever. And wouldn't you know it? they totally work!
