I am having a major binging phase right now. I'm eating so horribly and that is not an exaggeration. I've got to do better. I just went into the break room and there were all of these leftover goodies from yesterday's Enrollment Services banquet and it took everything inside of me to not grab a cinnamon roll and two little brownies (especially because I am so hungry this morning). I even let out a little grunt because it was so difficult to leave empty-handed. I really need to get back into shape. I've only gained like five pounds from my normal, but it feels like a ton. I don't really like to blast my get-fit plans, but at the start of the year I'm going to go back to the gym at ISU for the spring and summer semesters. After that, I'm going to join Gold's Gym Express. I just want to feel better all around, but I, of course, want to look great for the wedding and honeymoon and I need to start now. I hate working out when I feel out of shape, but I alw
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Motherless Daughters was pretty much all I had hoped it would be. There were several quotes in there that hit me in my gut, that made me feel as though I'm not alone in this life that has been forever changed because my mother died when I was 19. Sometimes I feel a little crazy because of it--like I'm reacting wrong or just plain overreacting--because I have no one in my life that truly understands what it's been like for me. (I'm not trying to be dramatic about this; it is just a fact of who I am. There is no other component of my person or my personality that is as pervasive to who I am as the fact that I am a motherless daughter. It enters into every part of my life, pretty much every day.) It's made me feel better about my experiences as a motherless daughter and about my future as one. I might have to buy this book and keep it with me throughout my life. I'm grateful that I ran across it when I did, since I'm having such a hard time right now without m
I just had a very satisfying moment on the job and it really had nothing to do with actually helping a student. I was randomly sitting at the front desk while Kay was away and I happened to answer a phone call from a student who was in my Creative Writing class here at Heartland in Spring 2004. She's returning again as a student here and had a question about her transcripts from other colleges. When we were in that class together, man, she thought she was the shit. She was going to school at Columbia and was going to transfer to UIC and you could just tell that she thought Heartland students were worthless (even though... uhh... she was taking a class here). Creative Writing is the only course she took here and her grades were horrible from both UIC and Columbia during multiple semesters. And now she's returning to finish her Associate's... 8 years later. It was just a moment for me that made me have all the more pride in being an alum of this institution. People often
It's crazy how some songs just always bring up certain memories for you. I was in 3rd grade when this song came out; I was like 8 or 9 years old. I still love it and I still picture myself in the backseat of my dad's orange 1938 Chevy as we're driving to Columbus, Ohio for a national hot rod show in the summer. I listened to this cassette on my Walkman repeatedly during that six hour drive. I don't know what it was about this song back then; it's not catchy, but it's actually quite beautiful, I think. A small part of my heart is reserved for the old country music that I grew up on. Don't mind the first 30 seconds or so. The audio isn't that great. Bear with me! Also, Wynonna reminds me of my mom, minus the crazy red hair. It's amazing how similar their faces are.
I have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks! This weekend I get to see my good friend Michele, who I will ask to be my maid of honor. I hope she says yes. There's no reason why she wouldn't, other than she'll be across the country--which is a real possibility. Right now she's back in central Illinois from Washington D.C., where she's doing an internship. I wish I got to see her more often because she really is one of my best friends, but alas, life takes her lots of places. On Monday I'm taking the day off and going to Chicago with my aunt Peggy to do our annual Christmas shopping trip at Water Tower Place. Really we only go to eat lunch at Cheesecake Factory (red velvet cheesecake--to die for!) and get exuberant amounts of Garrett's Popcorn to give as gifts. I'm hoping that it won't be as busy since it'll be a Monday, but who knows. The weekend after that Philip and I are going to St. Louis to see a Blues game. It's been a few
I'm going to be totally candid. I'm in a weird spot right now in regards to all of this wedding planning. On the one hand, I don't want to think and talk about it all the time because who can even do that? I, of course, (sort of) have other things going on in my life... though not a lot right now. I could basically drive myself crazy thinking about it because there are so many options, things to consider, and websites to browse. I also don't want to be "that bride" who only has wedding on the brain at all times and all topics inevitably lead back to the wedding. (I'm not really sure if those types of brides exist, but I imagine they do and I don't want to be one of them.) On the other hand, though, I do want to think and talk about it all the time because it's an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime event. I both do and don't want to talk about it (bring it up or even discuss it at length when asked) because it's fun to talk about your plans, b
Finally. We finally have a date. I'm so relieved and happy that we can move on from this. When I opened the letter from the chaplain at Wesleyan and saw September 22, 2012 at 3:30 pm (even in bold like that), I looked at it for a moment and imagined how nervous I'm going to be and thought about how it's actually happening now. Yay! This week during my lunch break I've spent a lot of time calling and emailing different reception places in town. Holiday Inn and Suites near the airport, Doubletree, and The Chateau are all booked for that date. I do have a viewing of Parke Hotel and Conference Center scheduled on the 28th and I'm emailing back and forth with Eastland Suites to see if they have our date open. It's actually kind of nice that these places are booked, just because it makes for less options and, therefore, less decisions to make. I think we'd be happy to have it at Parke, but I still want to see it in person again and talk to the catering manager.
I love The Pioneer Woman . I wish I was The Pioneer Woman. I truly do have aspirations of being super domestic and creative someday, but I think deep down I am just a lazy, boring person. I blame it on not having the appropriate space and tools, but we'll see if I feel and behave differently once we move in together and get into the married life routine. On a seemingly unrelated note, I am over purchasing books to read. Although I think it would be fun to have a living room filled with books and bookshelves, it honestly feels like a waste of money and space to me. I only get around to reading a book for a second or third time unless I really love it; all of the rest of them just sit there gathering dust until I feel like they aren't cool anymore and then I give them to Goodwill. So... I'm done buying books unless I read it once and just really need to have it at my disposal at all times. Enter the I-Share catalog and Heartland Community College's library. I'v
I just got this nail polish today in the mail from Amazon that I discovered on Pinterest and I lovelovelove it! It is the perfect purple color. It's a "smoky violet" and is exactly the hue that I want for our wedding. (It's called "Parlez-Vous" by OPI.) I know I won't be able to find that, though. Originally I had thought we'd do blue... there are two colors (Marine and Peacock) that I like at David's Bridal and I think it would be very elegant. Blue has been done, but I haven't been to a wedding with a really rich, dark blue color and so I thought it might be something different that people haven't seen. It's appropriate for the month (September) and I think it would be pretty. I'm kind of changing my mind, though. Purple has been my favorite color for years. Though I think purple has seen its day lately at weddings, I still might do it if I can find a shade that's not the same as what I've seen. You know me.
I kind of feel like students should submit some kind of personal statement of accountability before they're granted financial aid. There are so many students that come in here and withdraw from or fail their classes and the government has paid for it all. I understand sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, but I just saw this student who I would like to call a "Bad Attitude Bobby" who has to get a loan for school because the government wouldn't give him a grant. I am happy about it because he will probably withdraw from his classes anyway or just fail them. This is so frustrating to me because right after that I saw a student who just wants to take a course to get certified as a CNA so that she can get a (low-paying) nursing assistant job. Financial aid doesn't cover our CNA course. It's so sad because now she can't do this course and, subsequently, get a job because the government is paying for Bad Attitude Bobby instead. Grr...
Okay, I am so much more excited about wedding planning now! Evelyn Chapel is a go! I just need to submit our application after I get Philip's signature this weekend and get the confirmation letter back probably sometime next week saying that we have September 22, 2012 as our date! I'm so happy and relieved that this has worked out.
New background! C'mon, Evelyn Chapel chaplain! I've been waiting since Tuesday night to hear back from her about booking the two timeslots so that we have more time for set-up and pictures. I honestly don't care what she says at this point--I just want to know! This whole thing has taken entirely too long! I recently bought a second pair of riding boots and I'm super excited about them. They're the same kind that I bought in the perfect brown color, except these are black. If you're looking for boots, these are at Target and are only $35. I'm quite pleased with them. Now I need some black jeggings, which I'll probably also buy from Target. The only thing I hate is paying for shipping and I don't really want to spend another $50 to get free shipping. I'm sure I could find enough stuff though to spend that much! I'm sure it'll happen!
I'm not sure why, but I'm overly excited for Christmas this year. Even before Halloween, I've been in the Christmas mood. I think this might be because I will really be able to enjoy it without the worry of an upcoming semester of grad school. I also get a lot of time off of work--from December 24 all the way until January 3. I'm so lucky. That's 10 days! I love the feel of Christmastime, too. I love going to the mall when it's busy, when it's all decked out in lights, red, and green, and when it smells like roasted sugared pecans. I love being cozy inside when it's cold outside. Can't wait! So... a new development with Evelyn Chapel. I had the brilliant idea of contacting the chaplain again to see if we can book two times (10:00 am-1:00 pm and 2:00 pm-5:00 pm) in order to have enough time to set up and take pictures before we have the ceremony at like 3:30. I offered to pay double, since that's how much it's going to cost if we have it at
*sigh* A person from the apartment company in Deer Creek called to say that they have an opening in the same area of townhomes that we were looking at a few months ago. I am sad and disappointed because we won't be moving there. Now that we're engaged, I need to be thinking about paying for a wedding and I can't justify spending $800+ on rent when I'm paying half that to live with my dad. I'm also worried about my car and making that drive every day. Philip's job at Proctor isn't super permanent in that if something came up in Bloomington, he'd want to take that instead. I'd be really annoyed living in Deer Creek and both of us driving to BN for work. I'm bummed and I know he is too, just because we would like to live together and see each other every day. The townhome is super cute and I would love to live there, but my responsible and financially-worried sides are just saying it wouldn't be the best choice right now. It was really har
Things to be excited about this weekend: 1. A quiet, but productive, Friday night (cleaning, laundry). 2. Sleeping in and getting manicure at Fox and Hound's on Saturday. 3. My daddy's wienie roast (perfect weather, bonfire in the backyard, my aunt's pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting, s'mores, lots of other ridiculously delicious and calorically abominable foods, seeing family and family friends, talking about being engaged, etc.). 4. Sleeping in again on Sunday, but this time with my fiance. 5. Watching Hocus Pocus , Sleepy Hollow , Ghost Hunters , American Horror Story , and How I Met Your Mother while snuggled up with my fiance. 6. Hopefully going to see Calvary United Methodist Church and deciding if that's the place for sure. 7. Busy Corner (chicken melt) and Janet's cake with my family to celebrate my dad's birthday. 8. More tv/dvd watching and snuggling with my fiance. Yaaay. Pretty much my favorite weekend of
Well, Evelyn Chapel is pretty much a no-go. You literally only get the chapel for three hours if there are other weddings scheduled that day. Three hours for everything--set up, pictures, ceremony, more pictures, clean up. It's possible that you can have more time if there aren't other weddings scheduled that day, but I don't think I want to take that risk. The last thing I would want is to be stressed out about having enough time for the ceremony. I'm looking into the Unitarian Universalist Church in town, though I already know that family members will not like the idea of us getting married there. I personally do like it because it's inclusive of all religions and I feel connections spiritually to ideas and concepts above and beyond Jesus Christ. I already heard back from the UU Church and they allow nonmembers and I would be able to have the officiant I want, so this is a plus. I've never been in the space before, so I suppose I could go look at it. I
Ugh... All I want is to hear back from the chaplain at Evelyn Chapel for the last time so that we can book the place! My last question is about how much time we have, which will make or break us sending in our application. I just want to know that we have our date so that I can start contacting all of these other places that I know also book up quickly (photographer, cake, florist) and start looking for a reception venue. C'mon, chaplain!
It's so weird, but I oftentimes get teary-eyed when I think about England. I know that people (mostly my boyfriend... er... FIANCE!) probably get annoyed with me because I bring it up a lot, but I doubt that my love for that country will ever go away. So many things remind me of it and it's just one of those things that, until you've experienced it, you can't quite understand... but once you've experienced it, you just know!!! I got an email from John Harding today, who was my supervisor for my internship at the University of Cambridge last summer. He wanted to tell me that he gave the first award from the fund that the research I did over the summer helped secure and that they have 20 other applications. Basically it's a pot of money that international disabled students are able to use to fulfill academic-related needs that have to do with their disability--so it could be things like paying a notetaker or getting a laptop that has specific software. I'm s
Last week I had asked people to give me suggestions on facebook for other small places besides Evelyn Chapel that we can have a ceremony. I got some good ideas, but only two were feasible-- Centennial Christian Church and The Wittenberg Lutheran Center , which is where my parents got married. I emailed both places to ask if they allowed other pastors to officiate and what the capacity is. The pastor at Wittenberg wrote back yesterday, asking a lot of questions like if I'm still a member at the church I grew up at, if I attend, if Philip attends, etc. He also said that, although he was sure that Jim (the pastor that I want to conduct our ceremony) was a nice person and a strong Christian, that Missouri Synod Lutheran churches do not allow pastors of any other denomination to preside over services. Not having Jim do our service (or at least some other pastor that I know--since I know so many, it would feel silly to not have someone do it that I actually am friends with) is kind of
I always get confused about the issue of body image. We are bombarded with images of models who are very skinny, but who, for the most part, look good in the clothes they are trying to sell to you (in my opinion). We're also told that the way these women keep their bodies in such a form is quite unhealthy. For a long time, I've thought that supermodels just have that type of body naturally; my best friend in high school could eat whatever she wanted without gaining a pound. Recently I saw an episode on something like 20/20 about models (of the runway variety) and it is ridiculous what those girls go through to keep their body in that kind of shape. They eat little to nothing and work out for hours every day. I have to assume that this rigid regiment is the norm for supermodels, because very few of us have the metabolism to keep us that thin naturally. The converse of the idea that "those women (models) are unhealthy" is that women of all shapes and sizes should l
I keep telling Philip that I'm so happy that I'll always have the memories from the day we got engaged. The whole night was just so cute, so here are the things that, when I look back on that day, I think I'll always remember: Philip sitting on the porch, waiting for me when I pulled up. When his parents went outside for a minute, me and him dancing to the music that his mom had on. (Little did I know how nervous he was!) Me rambling on and on during the drive to the spot where he proposed. Me getting super nervous when I realized we were on the road to that spot. (I continued to ramble on, even worse probably, because I was so nervous!) Me getting even more super nervous when he said we were getting out of the car. Him holding my hand as he helped me through the barbed wire and up the hill. (Yes--we were trespassing and had to climb through a barbed wire fence!) Him looking me in the eyes and saying the sweetest things about me (and a cow mooing in the middle
What is it about a person that makes them be the type of human that works with you and sees you every day, yet purposefully ignores you at the grocery store (after you know they saw you) and has a snarky and dismissive attitude around you all the time? Do people just decide to be miserable and/or make life as miserable as possible for everyone around them? Why would you choose that? I don't care what you've been through--the golden rule still applies to you. Ugh...
I really wish it were possible for us to get married sooner. I am baffled already by how much planning goes into such an event, and I even think that I was prepared for it! My aunt Peggy and I are going to look at Evelyn Chapel after I get out of work on Thursday, so I'm pretty excited to see it in person! If it's as spectacular as I think it might be, Philip and I will go see it on Monday. If it's not as spectacular as I think it might be, I'm more seriously considering the option of the church I grew up in, Christ Lutheran Church. I'm still not sure how that works in terms of being a member and/or having a different pastor officiate, but I guess if Evelyn doesn't work out that I'll have to make some phone calls. Philip's mom also mentioned the church that she and Philip's dad got married at in Peoria, and I'm not totally opposed to that idea, but if Philip and I are living in Bloomington/Normal, it might be impractical to try to plan a we
Today's List (Day 30): I'm Happiest When... 1. I'm comfortable--physically (in clothing that is flattering, cute, and/or fits well), emotionally and mentally (when I have good self-esteem, am present in the moment, and know who I am and to whom I belong), and socially (with one individual or a small group that I have a lot in common with and/or can be myself) 2. I have something to look forward to 3. Things are planned out well in advance 4. I'm with my fiance (ha! fiance!), my family, or close friends 5. I have alone time 6. My mind is intellectually stretched (i.e. when I have things to think about that I haven't thought about before) 7. I feel confident in my abilities and am receiving good feedback 8. I'm making people proud or happy I'm kind of glad that these lists are over because I just wasn't feeling it this time around. I had to finish it, though, because once I have a goal, I accomplish it!
I've been quite unexcited about the lists lately, that's why it's taken me so long to get to this weeks'. Tuesday's List (Day 27): My Over-Used Words and Phrases 1. Right 2. Yeah 3. Oh, honey... 4. Nice 5. Totally Yesterday's List (Day 28): If I Ruled the World... 1. Everyone would get along (obviously) 2. Everyone would have food, shelter, clothing, access to good education, and at least a living wage 3. Free ice cream for everyone! Today's List (Day 29): What Was Awesome About This Month 1. Uhh... GETTING ENGAGED! There's nothing more awesome, so I'll stop there.
I'm so behind on lists because of all the engagement excitement! Friday's List (Day 23): If I Won the Lottery, I'd... 1. Buy a house 2. Buy a car (a new, white Mini Cooper) 3. Pay off Philip's debt 4. Buy Philip the car of his dreams 5. Have a huge, beautiful wedding! 6. Go on an extravagant honeymoon 7. Open up a hockey shop that Philip could manage 8. Probably quit my job, but maybe not 9. Travel the world 10. Buy everyone that I know all sorts of stuff and donate a whole bunch to charity Saturday's List (Day 24): Things I Like To Do When I'm Sick I don't often get sick. It's very rare. But I guess when I do, all I like to do is stay in my pjs, cuddle up on the couch with a blankie, watch tv that I don't get to watch during the day, and drink tea. Yesterday's List (Day 25): Things To Do Before My Next Birthday 1. Enjoy being engaged 2. All sorts of wedding planning! 3. Work work work Today's List (Day 26):
It actually happened and is actually happening! We're engaged and we're gonna get married! I'm so happy, excited, and lucky!!! It was probably the cutest possible proposal for us that he could've thought of. To make a long story short (and trust me, I want to retell the whole thing moment-by-moment a hundred times and am excited to do so!), he took me to a spot in the country outside of Peoria that we had randomly visited when we first started dating eight years ago. It's an old quarry and has a big cliff with a lake down below and is just really pretty countryside. We climbed up the hill, he said some very sweet things to me, offered me marriage and this gorgeous ring and I, of course, said yes. It was so surreal and special! We probably could've hugged all night up there, but we had a reservation at 309 in Peoria and so we had to go. We were also trespassing, so we didn't want to get caught! :P All night at dinner we just kept laughing and smiling and
Today's List (Day 22): Things I Am Feeling Right Now I totally just made up this list because today's actual list was "Ways to Avoid Doing Homework" and I no longer have homework, so I don't want to think about it anymore. 1. Annoyed that I'm so annoyed 2. Lucky that I have a job 3. Excited that it's almost Friday 4. Excited that a new Grey's Anatomy is on tonight 5. Happy that I get to see and hug my boyfriend tomorrow
Chloe survived the vet just fine. When it was time to leave this morning, she was hanging out in her carrier, as if she wanted to go. She didn't, though. She started meowing at me--asking me what the heck was going on--as soon as we went outside. Luckily, there was only one dog in the waiting room, so she was fairly calm. The appointment took all of five minutes and we were back home at 8:20. (Our appointment was 8:15.) She was super cuddly to me after we got home, so she obviously forgave me for the temporary crisis. She is so soft; I wish I could sleep on her like a pillow. That sounds so weird, but she's comfy! I love her. She's my fav creature in all the land. We are bffs.
I'm currently reading a book that my brother told me about and lent to me. It's called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter . I have to admit that I was leery about this book. Though I am a fan of both Abraham Lincoln and tales about vampires (really the only books about vampires I've read are the Twilight series, but I do tend to also enjoy movie depictions of them, such as Van Helsing ), I just wasn't quite sure about this one. The cover, for one thing, turned me off. I mean, c'mon. It seemed too cheesy for me or something. I was concerned that right away I'd be rolling my eyes and/or bored, but I was so wrong about it. After about five pages, I was really interested. It's based on Lincoln's "secret diaries" and the way it's written really makes you think that this could have happened. It also has a lot of history tied to it, which always peaks my interest. While looking for a picture of the book cover, I discovered that it's being
Today's List (Day 20): My Dream Space Would Include... 1. Dark hardwood floors 2. A colorful rug 3. Big, white baseboards and crown molding 4. A calming wall color like grayish-blue or mocha brown 5. Lots of windows to let that sunshine in :) 6. High ceilings 7. Dark wood furniture 8. Comfy fabrics--probably a big ole couch and two small, stylish chairs 9. Eclectic accessories 10. A home-y feel that represents me (or us, when we live together) -------------------- Today I had to wake up at 5:00 am to go to a community college articulation conference at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, which is about an hour and 50 minutes from here. Matthew was supposed to go with me, but he was sick all weekend, so I ended up going by myself. I got to use a Heartland vehicle (Honda Civic Hybrid--with the HCC logo on the side and everything!), so that was fun. Driving in the fog at 6:00 am and in the dark, however, was not. It wasn't that bad; I survived and got th
Today's List (Day 19): Inventions I Wish Were Real 1. Hermione's Time Turner. 2. Food that burns calories (ha!). 3. A teleporter? Really just some sort of contraption where I'm here one moment and then miles away the next. This would eliminate travel time and I'd be able to see my boyfriend every day and go to the beach whenever I wanted. (Is that what a teleporter is?) -------------------- I'm feeling kind of weird today... like really anti-social. So... update on the office situation: It's going to be six weeks until I can move into my new office. I was hoping it was going to be sooner, but it won't happen until the renovations on the other side of the office suite are done because the cashier is currently occupying the space that will be my office. I was so confused because she moved in--and I mean, really moved in. Even though it's temporary, she was unpacking decorations and pictures and arranging things as if she was going to be ther
Yesterday's List (Day 17): Fictional Characters I Love There are so many characters that I am just in love with and always will be. They are the ones that I am emotionally attached to, that I can see myself in. I have invested a lot of time and energy--and probably tears--into these characters and that's why they mean so much to me! Hermione because she always reminded me of myself Barney, Robin, Ted, Lily, and Marshall. I wish I had a group of friends like this. Twilight characters Charlotte, Carrie, Miranda, and Samantha--each other's soul mates. We've all been through a lot together. Forrest Gump because everyone needs to be a little more like him. Noah and Allie for their simple, but passionate, love. -------------------- Today's List (Day 18): A Few of My Favorite Things 1. Philip (hugging him) 2. Chloe (kissing her on the top of her head in between her ears ) 3. Storms (the real kind with high winds and hail that scares you a little bit even
Today's List (Day 16): Dream Jobs The one I always automatically think of when I think "dream job" is what Samantha Brown does for a living, which is travel the world and tell people about how amazing it is on television. I would love to have her job. She has seen and done so many things; I am incredibly jealous of her. I also would love to be an author if I were creative enough and could think of stories. Having that lifestyle would be inspiring for me. I think that I would be good at being a book editor, which might still have some of the creativeness that I crave. Owning a store of some kind would be fun, but I'm not interested in anything enough to want to sell it or be around it all the time. The exact job that I have now is one that I have thought about since the beginning of college, so I feel lucky that I am where I am. It's all come full-circle for me, so in that way, I have kind of fulfilled a dream. :)
I've decided that I no longer like myself with long hair. I may feel this way because it seems as though my hair has been in the in-between short/long phase for like... ever. I don't like it at medium length, I know that much. I think that having this length of hair makes my head look even smaller than it actually is and I have a pretty small noggin. I'm not going to cut it short again for awhile, though. I need to have something to work with should I be planning some sort of event that requires me to look glamorous in the coming year. After that, though, Imma probably hack it back off.
Today's List (Day 15): Never Have I Ever... 1. Broken a bone or had stitches 2. Lived anywhere other than home (Well, besides England for two months.) 3. Been to prom 4. Seen the show LOST 5. Had a pedicure (Plz don't touch my feet.) 6. Adequately rolled my Rs, like you do when you speak Spanish 7. Been taken to the hospital in an ambulance or been taken to the ER 8. Been seriously depressed 9. Been fired from a job 10. Driven a stick-shift
Today's List (Day 14): My Favorite Outfits To Wear Work clothing-wise... maybe what I'm wearing today? I guess if I had a camera and/or cared enough, I might take a picture of it. But alas, I do not have a camera nor do I care that much. So here's a description: a colorful patterned high-waisted skirt, a tan scoopneck tank top, white boyfriend cardigan, brown chunky belt, and tan flats. Generally I am pleased with any outfit that mixes and matches traditional clothing items with things that are more unique, and whenever I can add interesting jewelry, I am all the more happy. I don't like to go too over the top with style quirkiness, though sometimes I wish I had that kind of personality. I do like to wear things that everyone else might not wear. I also wish that I had unlimited resources so that I could have all sorts of unique things to wear (i.e. expensive things!). I do love clothing and accessories! If I don't care about fashion at the moment, my favor
It probably should've never been suggested to me that I might think about getting a new car. At first, I never considered it, but now I'm thinking about it more and more. Initially the idea was silly to me--my little '98 Cavalier is doing just fine for the most part and she only has about 75k miles. This past year, though, she's been in the shop three times. The idea of possibly making a commute from Morton or Deer Creek every day with a car that might not be all that reliable scares me. So... there's the whole safety issue. The other part of me also just likes the idea of having something new. I've driven that car for 10 years. Is it time for something different? The payment thing definitely freaks me out a bit. Moving in with Philip will undoubtedly have unforeseen costs. Can I afford a car payment on top of it? I've done a little bit of number crunching and I feel like I'd be okay. The car won't be brand new (I'm currently looking at 2005-
Yesterday's List (Day 12): Things That Motivate Me 1. Thinking about the finished product 2. Making people happy/proud 3. Knowing that I'll be appreciated Today's List (Day 13): Things I Do When I'm Procrastinating Procrastinating comes natural to me. It is one of my talents. 1. Sit on Facebook for hours 2. Sit on Pinterest for hours 3. Surf the net, in general 4. Watch tv 5. Basically anything in order to not do what I need to do Oh, procrastinating. Fun times. I am underwhelmed by the lists lately. Hopefully they'll get better!
I've spent a little time today watching the stuff about 9/11 on tv. I think it's important to take the time to be reverent and humble about it. The thing that gets me every time are the phone calls that people made to their loved ones from the planes or inside the buildings. They knew that their planes were hijacked and that something terrible was going to happen to them. I can't imagine leaving that kind of voicemail or having that last conversation. How in the world do you convey how you feel in that moment? All of them sound surprisingly calm, as if they were already resigned to their fate. They all were definitely braver than I would be.
Today's List (Day 11): Favorite Things About This Time of Year 1. It's starting to feel like fall, which is probably my favorite season! 2. All the pumpkin and Halloween stuff is going to be in stores soon (if it isn't already)! 3. I always liked the start of the school year. It feels a little different this time around, but I'm happy that I'll always be around the feeling of the beginning of school! 4. It's almost Philip birthday! 5. I can watch Hocus Pocus in a few weeks! So many exclamation points, but I really do love this time of the year!!! -------------------- I'm excited because at work on Friday we talked about all of the office switching that will take place soon. I'll be moving out of the corner office that I've been occupying since I started to a smaller office that doesn't have windows. I knew that the time would come and I'm fine with it; I feel lucky to have the job and even have an office. I'll definitely
Today's List (Day 9): Weekend Plans 1. Have a lazy Friday night with my boyfriend, which will probably entail eating dinner at a restaurant and watching old episodes of Ghost Hunters . 2. Go to Emily's Uppercase Living party, which is all of those inspirational (and sometimes cheesy) quotes that people put on their walls. I guess it also includes a line of jewelry, which is what I'm mostly interested in. 3. Do more hanging out with my boyfriend. 4. Do more general laziness. 5. Wish that it was another three day weekend.
Today's List (Day 8): Things That Remind Me of My Childhood There are probably a ton of things, day after day, that remind me of my childhood. Instead of racking my brain to come up with things, I'm going to change this post a little... to "Things That I Remember Most Vividly From Every Age (By Elementary School Year)," because that's way easier. Preschool My first "boyfriend," Bryan. Being made of fun by the girls because I wore undershirts and they would say I was wearing a bra. Looking back I can't believe that this happened in preschool... I mean, I was like 4 and 5 years old! I also remember the little "programs" that we put on for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Kindergarten Playing on the monkey bars that we had in our classroom. (Do kindergarten classrooms still have monkey bars?) Wearing my little monitor to school to detect that I had a heart murmur. (I have a double heart murmur, in fact.) Some boy looking up my ski
Today's List (Day 2): I'm Proud of Myself For... 1. Graduating college and grad school (I'm first in my immediate family and one of two in my entire family to do so--my Grandma Scheffert being the other.) 2. Going to England for a summer (It took a lot of courage for me to go there without knowing a soul.) 3. Having an eight year relationship with Philip (I'm proud of us . And I love us.) 4. Feeling sort of accomplished at age 27 5. Knowing myself as well as I do at age 27 -------------------- I am sooooo ready for this three day weekend. After this week, boy, am I ready...
So the situation with the parent has been, I guess, about 75% resolved. Cecilia did some investigating and it sounds like the whole thing was pretty much pointless (the student doesn't even need the class?!). I'm annoyed and frustrated because the mother took a completely different angle with Cecilia, which probably makes me look worse. Cecilia reassured me that I did fine and that I shouldn't worry about it. I still feel awful; that mother said some very hurtful things that will probably stick with me for awhile. I still feel like crying about the whole thing. I hate feeling incompetent, but the thing that's worse is that I'm worried that Cecilia doesn't think I'm a good advisor. She doesn't know me well enough to know that I care, that I listen, and that I'm patient and understanding. All she knows is what she hears from other people and, unfortunately, this parent probably had a lot of bad things to say about me, which really just came from a pl
Today, this first day of September, is the start of the newest 30 Days of Lists. I guess you have to pay to view the blog and know what each day's list is? I'm clearly not doing that (my $6 could be spent more wisely), so I searched the 'net until I found someone's blog that is participating. So I'm following that person now and I'll be able to know what each day's list is. So scandalous. With that being said... Today's List (Day 1): Goals for This Month 1. Get into better shape / start exercising again (I could stand to lose about 5-8 pounds and now that I'm on a normal schedule at work, I'll be able to work out in the Student Fitness Center most nights.) 2. Hopefully find a place to move into with Philip 3. Live every day without wishing for the future (I feel like I spend too much of my life thinking about how things will hopefully be someday, i.e. when I'm on a vacation, when I move in with Phil, when we can start our life
We didn't get the place in Deer Creek. Ashley called last night at like 8:00 to tell me that they chose the other people. We're bummed, but we're also the first people that they'll call if another place opens up. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess. I've been perusing the internet for brown shiny riding boots the entire summer. I'd been going back and forth about buying some that were more expensive and better quality versus just getting some cheap ones. I realized that I won't be wearing them much, so it wouldn't be worth spending the money on real leather and whatnot... so I found these last night and liked them and just went for it. I'm ready for fall now! I still need to find that black and white striped top, though.
Philip and I went to look at the place in Deer Creek last night. It's really nice and super cute; we really hope we get it! There is another couple interested, so Bob (the property manager--he's young and should not be called Bob, but that's his name, nonetheless) is supposed to call me today and let me know if we're chosen. Both of us feel as though we're not going to be picked. The other couple really wanted to move in on September 15 when it's first available and, although we're open to that too, our ideal time for some reason was October 1. We made it clear to Bob, though, that we would be happy to move in on September 15 if we could get the place! Since it's already noon and I haven't heard anything, I'm assuming we're not being picked. I won't be totally heartbroken, but I'm pretty excited about it! Bob said if we weren't chosen we'd be placed on a waiting list and would be the first people he calls if something else op
Phil and I have been discussing and sort of stressing over the whole prospect of moving in together. With him working in Peoria and me working in Normal, the possibilities are limited and we'd both be making sacrifices (mostly financial, of course) to do it. We've been toying with the idea of him just working at Proctor until he could find something in Bloomington--then we would move in together here. Living somewhere in between Peoria and Bloomington is pretty much a commitment to him staying at Proctor. There are other factors, as well, and it's just a confusing situation! Anywaaay... I've been perusing craigslist to see if there are any postings for good places. Last week I saw a place in Mackinaw that was pretty cheap in terms of rent and sounded fairly nice; I'm still awaiting pictures and word from the landlord on if they will allow Chloe. I'm not impressed that it's taken them this long to get back to me, being that she told me she'd do so this
I'm reading a really good book right now that I'm excited about! It's called Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. I feel as though Philip's friend, Mike, told me about it a few years ago. I've had it on my shelf since then and decided to pick it up a few days ago. I really had no clue what it was about before I started reading it. I liked the title and the cover art because it sounded and looked kind of creepy and I like things that are kind of creepy. I've been hooked since about page 3. It's about Savannah, Georgia and, from what I can tell, is also about a murder that occurred there. I like it a lot because the author is good at painting pictures of what the town is like. (He described Savannah in exactly the way I would picture it to be--quaint, green, garden-y, old, historical, willow tree-y, southern-hospitality-y, and almost England-y.) The characters are also very vivid to me. The story just flows and, overall, I'm reall
New episodes (season 7) of How I Met Your Mother start on September 19. I wonder if I'm going to be able to finish all of the other episodes before then. I hope so! It's my new mission! Netflix only has through season 5 available, so I guess I'll have to go to Blockbuster or something to get season 6. I love that show and will miss getting the dvds when I'm done, but yay--new episodes!
The end of another week. I'm always so amazed at how quickly the days and weeks fly by. I mean, it's already mid-August. Insanity! Tonight after work I went on a bit of a shopping spree, but I got the best deals ever . I found a cute top that was on clearance for $12.99 at JCPenney, but I also had a $10 off any purchase coupon, so I got a $40 top for $3.00. Then I went to Kohl's and found some black patent high heels on clearance for $11.99 (from $59.99). I also had a $10 off any purchase coupon there too, so I got $60 shoes for literally $2.00. It was crazy! I got $100 worth of merchandise for $5! I was so proud of myself for bargain shopping. But I also bought a $45 bra from Victoria's Secret (though I did have a $10 off any bra coupon... so it was originally a $55 bra). I was never a believer in Vicky's bras until a couple of years ago. I've been needing a new strapless one for awhile. The one I have is from sophomore year of high school (yeah--it's m
I have to admit that I do miss my planner looking like this... This was a pretty typical week during grad school; sometimes more, sometimes less. I loved writing all the stuff I had to do in there and I think I miss having a lot to keep me busy (sometimes). I feel much less productive, even though I know there are things I could be working on. I think I need a lot of structure in my life; I don't do well with free time (even though I do love it). Anyways, I can't wait until I'm done working these late nights at Heartland. I thought I'd be cool with it indefinitely, but I'm totally looking forward to having a normal schedule most days. I will have to still work one late night a week until 7:00, but the rest of the week I'll be done at 5:00. My new schedule will begin on the 29th. Then perhaps I can have more of a routine--I really need to back to exercising and once I have time in the evenings, I'll be able to go to the fitness center on campus after
Today I was in two orientation sessions at work since I am officially an employee. First thing this morning we met with HR to talk about insurance and retirement and all sorts of other benefits stuff. I feel really lucky to work at Heartland because the benefits are really good. The health insurance is even better than at BroMenn, I think (or maybe I just wasn't signed up for the best one there). All of that always confuses me because I don't really know the jargon, especially for retirement. The retirement plan (SURS: State University Retirement System) is something that I have to choose within the next six months and it's a once in a lifetime choice! How stressful is that?! I'm sure it'll be okay no matter what, but it's confusing when they're talking spouses and annuities and investments and other things that I don't know about yet. I can't wait until I can go to the dentist beginning on September 1! In other news, why in god's name can'
We explored Morton yesterday evening and weren't very successful in finding apartments. We found two complexes that we were familiar with based on their bad reviews on an internet site. We also randomly found some small complexes--none of which looked very nice or had signs up about availability or how to even inquire. Unless we're given some great information about a different building before mid-September, I think we'll end up going with Cape Cod Village . It's quite expensive, but probably worth it. It's the nicest we've seen, there's a lake, they allow animals (cats AND dogs, so we could get a pooch if we wanted), there's a clubhouse (pool, billiards, work out room, tanning facility--all free), and another cool hang out spot with tables and fireplaces outdoors... there's just a lot going for the price and it's a good location too (close to the interstate). I think we would be happiest there and if it didn't work out, of course we'd on
So, yes... I have a jerb. And Philip has a jerb. And we can move on with our lives. I can't reiterate enough how happy, excited, and relieved we both are. I just knew we'd get jobs this week! On Friday our plan is to drive around Morton and see what types of apartments are there. We probably won't move until the beginning of October, but it'll be fun to look. I hope we're able to find something that's nice and new-ish and not too expensive. The tricky thing will be finding somewhere that allows cats. Now that it's actually going to happen, it's weird to think about packing up all of my stuff and moving, really for the first time ever. I wonder how much stuff I actually have. It doesn't seem like much (mostly clothes, really), but I'm sure it's more than I think. It'll be interesting to put all of our stuff together and it be our stuff. It's fun. And cute. There will be a lot of logistical things like furniture to figure out.