Thoughts of a stressed out and slightly overwhelmed woman...

1- I have never appreciated a clean bedroom so much before and never has my personal space been quite so messy and cluttered for such an extended period of time.

2- After years of doing the on again off again diet/exercise thing, I've finally found something that works for me. It's called the Grad Student Diet. It involves lots of Diet Dr. Coke, at most 6 hours of sleep (more like 4), on average one meal a day (on week days, this may go up to two meals a day on weekends), and running all over town to school, work, and methods placements.

3- I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.

4- I need to either constantly remind myself or have someone remind me that I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.

5- I miss spending time with my friends and family.

6- Clean clothes are somewhat overrated

7- I know I don't want to teach in an elementary school and am leaning towards middle school but haven't completely ruled out high school.

8- I am slowly developing my own classroom management philosophy and it kind of feels good.

9- Diet Coke, Goldfish crackers (the original flavor) and crescent rolls....'nuff said.

10- I miss reading for the joy of it.

11- I am learning a whole new language of acronyms and educational jargon.

12- Spring break cannot come soon enough.

Viva!

It was a good day

We're going to ignore the fact that I am breaking out like a 16 year old and declare today a good day for the following reasons:

1) BOTH my state and federal tax refunds hit my account today - I can finally pay off my medical bills. Let's all say it together...YAY!

2) At our department meeting today I was declared the "Records Rockstar". This meant that me putting in insane hours lately has not gone unnoticed and unappreciated, $10 gift card to Harmon's (I get lunch there frequently) and - the best part - a pretty rockin' sign to hang in my cube.

3) Went to Hatch's Chocolate and had Hot chocolate instead of dinner...and it was worth every single calorie.

4) Finished cataloging all DVDs in the apartment - 354...to be exact, including TV shows (at least they aren't all mine).

5) Received a phone call from my recruiter from Westminster and she let me know that all my application materials had arrived and my application was being reviewed by the committee. Turns out they actually call you when a decision has been made. Yikes! I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm used to the impersonal, somewhat less humiliating anonymity of a letter. I'm not sure how I'll react with a rejection from a live person. That's a conversation to look forward to. But the good news it I should know soon. She said the next couple of days but seeing as how we're going into a long weekend, I imagine it should be next week sometime. Now I just have to not think about it for the next week...

Defeated...

I don't know if I defeated the last brownie or it defeated me. It did not survive the day.

My tummy is happy but I hang my head in shame...sorta.

Curses!!

My downfall is not going to be caused by pride or anger or avarice or any other vice. No, my downfall will be caused by brownies. Wonderful, chocolaty, tasty, moist delicious brownies. I have no defense against them. I can't resist them. I don't make them very often for this very reason. Cookies, cakes, doughnuts, pastries, fancy chocolates I can turn down but I just cannot control myself when I come into contact with a brownie. Sunday I was having a bad day...a very bad day. (sorry for the gratuitous use of italics I'm feeling very italicy) So Sunday, bad day - I decided that I would make a pan of brownies to ease my sorrows and help with the wallowing. It's Wednesday and the pan is pretty much gone. There is a small little corner still left but i doubt it will survive the day. I.love.brownies.

I'm sure you have all be anxiously awaiting further details about the teaser of provided a couple of days ago. I know you have all been perched on the edge of your chairs, anxiously biting your nails for the exciting news that I would share with you.

I went to Einstein's last Friday on my way to work to get breakfast, just a quick bagel and some juice. They were pretty busy but finally it is my turn to order. I ask for my bagel, nothing on it (exciting, i know) and I move on down the line but the manager person (he was probably around 20 or so...at least he looked that young) keeps walking down his side of the counter with me making really awkward small talk. Where do you work? A pretty girl like you should smile more... The people around me sort of started snickering and giving me that, "sorry this guy is hitting on you". So I get up to the register and he is still talking to me as the girl is ringing me up. I'm about to walk away and he thrusts a bag with another bagel into my hand. He says, "here take one for the road". Yes, I was already taking one for the road but he was trying to me suave. I look at him and I say, that's ok. I already have what I want. He insists that I take this bagel. The girl at the register gave me this look that just said, "ignore him and take the bagel". There was a long line behind me so I took the bagel and left. I got a free bagel from the manager of Einstein's on the corner of South Temple and E Street. Sort of made my day on Friday. That kind of thing doesn't happen to me very often.

I don't really remember what else I was going to tell you all about but it doesn't really matter. I'm sure it was very important and exciting but I don't remember.

Last night Lisa and I were talking. I was trying to convince her to go salsa dancing with me on Friday. I was invited by a girl in our ward. She's very nice but I don't know her very well and Lisa was invited but she was resisting...especially when I told her we would be going in Provo. Yes, P-town. To convince her to come I told her that she may be missing out on meeting her husband and true love and her happily ever after. What started as a short little scenario to get her to come with me turned it to me making up this whole story of her relationship with this guy, Shnifflehopper Smith, we call him Hopper for short. His mother was so out of it when he was born because of the epidural that she wanted to name him Stephen but it came out Shnifflehopper and his father wasn't there (he was on his way back from a business trip in Shanghai) so he couldn't correct it on the birth certificate and when they went to bless him instead of Stephen, it came out Shnifflehopper. After that his parents decided that if the Lord wanted him to be named Shifflehopper, who were they to say otherwise. ANYWAY, several hours later the story ended. It started out fairly silly and ridiculous (i mean, hello....Shnifflehopper?? He had a cousin named Derek Bloomlinger or something like that) but it ended pretty well.

Overall it was a fairly silly story but it reminded me how much I love story telling. I used to write stories in high school. Granted, they were all very silly and pretty embarrassing but I enjoyed it. I think that's why I chose to be an English major in college. I loved the stories and getting to know the characters. It was stepping into a different world and time and experiencing something new and completely foreign to me. I never took writing very seriously. I wasn't the writer in the family. That was my sister. But I used to love to do it.

This is for all you people tagging me on facebook...

To all you people, with nothing better to do but tag me over and over and over in your notes on Facebook, here you go! Enjoy! There is more than one "tagging" exercise here because I was repeatedly tagged in numerous notes.

Here it is, for your procrastinating enjoyment....25 Random things about yours truly.

1. I always rub my feet together when I am falling asleep. I'm not sure why I do it but I do and if someone asks me to stop, I can't fall asleep.

2. I love shoes but I never wear them in the house and always take them off under my desk. I'm not one of those strange, don't wear shoes in my house, you'll get the floor dirty, I just don't wear shoes inside 99% of the time.

3.When I was younger I used to have recurring nightmares about wolves and bears and lions coming down from the mountains and killing my family. I also dreamed about rabid dogs.

4.I can eat the same thing for lunch every single day for weeks - possibly months - and not get sick of it.

5.My first apartment after college always creeped me out at night.

6.I have a highly active imagination and any bump or noise in night can and will terrify me. I once was house sitting for a family I nannied for in College. I was working on a paper late and didn't get to bed until 2 or 3 when I heard a loud "thump" it freaked me out so much that I crawled into a corner in the room I was staying in and called my older brother, in a different time zone, to tell me what to do.

7.When I was younger, I wanted crutches. Sick and twisted, I know. I thought they would be fun.

8.I love ranch dressing. I put it on everything that could possibly taste good with ranch and some things that you wouldn't think to.

9.I organize my shoes by color and type - heels vs. flats

10.My favorite ice cream is Orange Swiss chocolate or something. It's orange sherbet with chocolate chips in it. they don't make it anymore...it's sad.

11.I moved 4 times in a 12 month period...I don't recommend it.

12.I get really excited about books...especially old books and I organize my books by genre, time period and author.

13.I have worked in my current job for over 2 years.

14.I think I have green eyes but many people tell my they are blue

15.If I like a book I will read it repeatedly.

16.I love old clothes, 30's and 40's type stuff. People dressed so well and looked so classy!

17.If food has a strange texture, I won't eat it. I can't stand oatmeal or mashed potatoes because they're too mushy and I feel like I'm eating something some one else regurgitated.

18. I frequently skipped class in college if I didn't like the class (sorry mom and dad!) But i still managed at least a B, usually an A.

19.Occasionally I'll be hit with fits of domesticity and I'll clean and organize my room or make a real meal.

20.I dream of making a difference in the world. Make my mark.

21.My favorite candy bar is a kit kat or nestle crunch

22.I love the smell of laundry fresh out of the dryer but i hate folding and putting it away.

23. I honestly don't know what my natural hair color is anymore. I've been dying/highlighting my hair since high school. I used to be blond but i'm not sure anymore.

24.I rarely remember my dreams but when I do it's never the entire dream and it's always a very small thing or event of the dream.

25.Sometimes I surprise myself with my girlishness.



And here we go for number two...

1. Where were you 3 hours ago?
I was at Fedex/Kinko's overnight my Sarah Lawrence application

2. Who are you in love with?
myself...no just kidding. I am currently not "in love" in love with anyone. But I do love my family and my friends.

3. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
not that I remember but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
a couple of post-it notes on my desk.

5.When is the last time you went to the mall?
saturday. i got some jeans and a cute pair of green shoes

6.Are you wearing socks right now?
nope

7.Do you have a car worth over $2,000?
at one time it was, but I'm not sure if it is anymore.

8.When was the last time you drove out of town?
that would have to be last summer/fall when Lisa and I went to St. George, good times.

9.Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
yes, twice in fact. I saw Taken on Friday and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Saturday night. Both were very good movies and I highly suggest either.

10.Are you hot?
no...i'm kind of cold (yes, i purposefully chose to answer that question referring to temperature)

11.What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet Coke with my lunch

12.What are you wearing right now?
denim skirt, black leggings and a black top

13.Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it?
i haven't washed my car in a while but I probably should. the inside could definitely use a once over with a vacuum

14.Last food that you ate?
orange chicken...yes i went to Dragon Diner

15.Where were you last week at this time?
working from home

16.Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
yes, jeans, shoes and nylons

17.When is the last time you ran?
that's a funny question.

18.What's the last sporting event you watched?
i can't even remember and no, i did not watch the super bowel.

19.What is your favorite animal?
the kind that don't die

20.Your dream vacation?
somewhere warm with lots of museums

21.Last person's house you were in?
Shannon

22.Worst injury you've ever had?
I had surgery about a year and a half ago but that wasn't related to an "injury". I don't get normal injuries...I get strange and mysterious diseases instead.

23.Have you been in love?
yep

24.Do you miss anyone right now?
all my college buddies

25.Last play you saw?
Les Miserables...i know it's actually a musical but there was acting. Before that it was Pride and Prejudice

26.What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
i don't have one...maybe that's why i'm perpetually single

27.What are your plans for tonight?
Probably have to stop at the UPS place and at some point my parent's so my mom can shorten some jeans for me and laundry in there somewhere

28.Who is the last person you sent a Facebook message or comment?
my mom...weird, i know.

29.Next trip you are going to take?
College reunion of sorts in May

30.Ever go to camp?
we did a lot of camping as a family and i did go to girl's camp AND i even went on a Pioneer Trek

31.Were you an honor roll student in school?
sometimes

32.What do you want to know about the future?
where will i be next year

33.Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
nope but I sometimes will wear Bath and Body Works White Cherry Blossom

34.Are you due sometime this year for a doctor's visit?
yes

35.Where is your best friend?
at this point, probably home

36.How is your best friend?
super duper

37.Do you have a tan?
that's just mean

38.What are you listening to right now?
Michael Buble. he makes the day go faster

39.Do you collect anything?
books, movies, shoes

40.Who is the biggest gossiper you know?
I think we all have a little of the gossiper in us but I don't know anyone that is a Gossiper

41.Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over?
Probably 6 months after i turned 16 and he hit me (with his car).

42.Have you ever drank your soda from a straw?
fairly regularly

43.What does your last text message say?
"will i want to vomit on him?" and i did not make that up!

44.Do you like hot sauce?
nope

45.Last time you took a shower?
this morning

46.Do you need to do laundry?
not necessarily but Tuesday is our assigned laundry day in our building.

47.What is your heritage?
Scottish, English, German, Norwegian (i think)

48.Are you someone's best friend?
i think so

49.Are you rich?
not by a long shot but I have enough to get by

50.What were you doing at 12AM last night?
sleeping