Archives for March 2014

thursday ten: i have wheels again edition

1. So, that whole not having a vehicle situation has been resolved. I purchased a new (to me) Toyota Prius after several visits to car dealerships. One of the managers of the lot is the husband of someone I know and I made him aware up front just how UNPLEASANT my shopping experience had been at other dealerships. He arranged for an excellent sales person to help me out – one that didn’t pressure or annoy. It was a GREAT shopping experience. I’m looking forward to seeing the savings at the gas pumps with my Prius.

2. The thing is, after getting in a car accident because of snow and ice, the last thing you want to do is drive on snow and ice and guess what? WINTER WILL NOT GO AWAY. Tuesday morning’s snow had me taking a massive detour to avoid the stretch of road where I had hit the patch of ice that sent me spinning into the telephone pole weeks before. Years of no problems at all and all it takes is one to terrify me.

3. Relieved my first season of girl scout cookie sales is over. What a pain in the ass those things are. Delivering them, collecting money, and driving to the troop leader’s house to pick up and drop off stuff and she lives no where near anywhere I want to go. Anyway. Whatever. Done.

4. Chris and I finally finished watching Season Two of House of Cards last week and dang… I’m curious where it goes from here. And, now I’m just counting down for the new season of Orange is the New Black. Okay, I’m not really counting, but I’m out of stuff to watch so yeah.

5. I got new glasses this week! I RARELY wear glasses at all (I just don’t love the way things look when I wear glasses because I’m so used to my contacts) and my prescription was well over four years old (whooooops). So, new frames. They’re pretty adorable. I may actually wear them in public on purpose.

6. That 2048 game… I’m addicted. I played while walking on the treadmill last night – ended up walking five minutes longer than I had intended. So what if I can never win, at least I’m getting exercise.

7. I still need new jeans. After getting through the stress of car shopping, you would think this would be easy peasy but you’d be wrong because THIGHS.

8. You know what would be awesome? Spring.

9. While I really dig my new job, adjusting to the schedule has yet to get easier. For the first time in a long time, there is a huge amount of importance on the weekends because those are the only days I can sometimes find time to get things done. Even that’s been tough, what with the car shopping and gymnastics hooey. I’m going to have to get better at relaxing on the weekends because WHOA AM I TIRED.

10. If I’m tired I really should make myself go to sleep earlier and yet… I don’t.

Thursday Ten. On Friday. I Got Sidetracked edition

I still haven’t solved the whole “not having a car” problem but I have plans to look at vehicles this weekend. What I’ve reinforced over the past week is that car salespeople be crazy. And I be…not stupid enough to fall for gimmicks, and too easily annoyed to be tolerant of it. If I give you a budget, don’t show me things outside of that budget. I’m not going to overextend myself on a car. I may want to, but I can’t and so I won’t. Refusal to adhere to my stated objectives DRIVES ME BONKERS in sales people. You’re not listening? I’m not buying.

Picked up Pumpkin’s Girl Scout cookie order yesterday for delivering and the troop leader was pointing out that other people sold hundreds versus our measly 50. Look, lady – I’m somewhat of a cookie purist. Not busting my tail to sell boxed cookies.

200 | 365

MARCH MADNESS BABY. Are your brackets ready? You may or may not be surprised that I created an ESPN group for me and Chris to compete with our brackets (competitive streak, whut?). I kinda dig that he indulges me my March Madness craziness, and even joins in the fun. (Who’d you pick to win it all?)

Like nearly every other parent on the planet, I bought “Frozen” on DVD this week. I can’t wait to sit down and watch it with my kiddos.

First day of spring, huh? Hmmmph. Yeah. Not sure I believe spring will ever come.

Oh look. It’s Friday. I didn’t post this yesterday. My schedule? Is bonkers. Ab-so-lute-ly BONKERS. I know that most people work these traditional schedules and they do just fine, but I haven’t done it in over eight years. I’m struggling to adjust but – I really like my job. I’ll find my groove at some point. In the meantime, I keep saying I need to do more crock pot cooking…AND I MEAN THAT.

I wore cute shoes last Friday. Heel blisters ever since. Boo. [I first typed that as “hister bleels” – it’s been a long week.]
I have a lot of drafts in my email and I wonder if that’s normal. How many drafts do you typically have? Are you like me, do you write things for purposes other than email and leave them in drafts to save them? Or do you really mean to send actual emails (I don’t send enough actual emails)?

Since I’ve started writing this, Duke lost and broke my bracket. THANKS FOR NOTHING, DUKE.

Finally finished the book I’ve been reading for over a week. Always a fan of Wally Lamb and “We are Water” didn’t disappoint (it did stress me out a bit, though). It’s not an easy read, but it’s a good read.

Thursday Ten: Raising My Middle Fingers to Winter edition

1. A giant resounding EFF YOU to winter. As I was driving (slowly, I might add – I’m a cautious driver!) to work yesterday, I hit a patch of ice. My car spun across the two lane road and then? Smashed into a telephone pole. I’m okay – sore, but okay – my MamaVan, on the other hand? Well. Ouch.
192 | 365

2. So I’m not sure what to do next. It’s a 9 year old vehicle with damn near 200,000 miles on it. Depending on the cost of the repair, I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Clearly I’ll know more in the next few days. I was anticipating needing to get a new car this year… I just figured it’d be on MY terms, not Mother Nature’s. But, you know… just in case: what do you drive and do you love it?

3. It was awesome to email my boss yesterday and say, “I was in a car accident – I will be late for work…” and have his first response to me be, “Are you okay?” It hasn’t been quite three weeks yet (almost!) but I like where I am, and I love that they’re people-focused.

4. Currently reading the new book by Wally Lamb and so far I’m loving it. I love his writing, and have since “She’s Come Undone.”

5. Sometimes I shake my head at the news. Well. Usually I shake my head at the news.

6. Pumpkin decided to try Girl Scouts this year and the cookies arrive next week. Confession: I don’t like Girl Scout Cookies. They’re not that great, they’re too small, and they just seem inadequate. Hashtag Homemade Cookies For Lyfe. Or something.

7. Have I mentioned lately how much I haaaaaate winter?

8. My sister needs to get her gall bladder removed tomorrow. I don’t even know what a gall bladder does, but whatever it is, hers isn’t doing it right. So here’s hoping the surgery goes smoothly and recovery is speedy.

9. I bought the ingredients for brownies but didn’t actually make brownies. That either shows incredible restraint or pure stupidity.

10. I’m finally caught up on old episodes of Parenthood so that I can finally start watching right when they air on TV. You would think this isn’t a very big deal but you’d be wrong.

Thursday Ten: Potholes or Po-tholes Edition

1. The Princess said a kid in one of her classes mispronounced the word “potholes” as “puh-tholes” and now that’s what I think when I’m driving, “Gah, I hope these poTHOLES don’t mess with my tires!” Related: holy freaking potholes, Michigan.

2. Expecting temperatures above freezing – FINALLY – soon and I am glad. I’m so tired of being cold. Also, I’d love for some of this snow to be gone.

3. Song I’m in love with this week? Sara Bareilles, “I Choose You.”

4. Nearly two weeks in to my new job and so far? I think it’s going okay. I still hate feeling like I’ve got that “new kid smell” (er, or somethin’…), but I think this is gonna be okay.

5. Glad to have my favorite lens home.
we may pass violets looking for roses

6. I’m never going to be one of those people who thinks Jennifer Lawrence can do no wrong, but I admit I felt a bit of a kinship when I saw her trip over an orange traffic cone on the Oscar red carpet. I would SO do that. If they let me anywhere near the red carpet.

7. Pumpkin is working on a book report for school and she’s so excited about the project. I love when teachers can craft an assignment that makes kids genuinely enthusiastic about the project. Granted, my kids are readers – so no great challenge there – but they’ve created a cool project alongside the reading and she’s been hard at work on it already…and it’s not due for three more weeks.

8. The thing about working full time is OH MY GOD WHEN WILL I HAVE TIME TO CLEAN MY HOUSE? (I realize that there are some of you in that school of, “Your kids are only young once and let the house be messy and there will be time to clean when they’ve moved out” and yeah, that’s basically what I’m doing now, living in clutter and instead of spending time cleaning, I’m spending time with my kids but y’all? This is not gonna fly. I don’t like mess.)

9. I miss guitar lessons.

10. I have been told a few times in the past few days that I look happier than I have in awhile, and I am I am I am but whoa nelly, I’m tired. Adjusting is tough stuff. Can’t wait until life feels a bit more routine than it does right now. If you have any tips for work and life balance, lemme know in the comments.

 

Forward Motion

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One week down.

I had forgotten, kind of, the transition involved with going from a job where you know all of the inner workings and quirks to one where you have a blank slate and have everything to learn. That feeling of going from the one that people go to when they have questions to being the one who is asking the questions. It’s not a feeling I like, this cluelessness, but I do know that it should pass.

All of that aside, for the first time in a long time, I feel on track for getting my feet back on the ground.

I really hope this means the tide is turning.

I’m sure you do, as well. After all, I’m sure this hasn’t been a very fun place to read for the past year or so.

But I’m hoping for good things in my future.

And hope feels good. I haven’t felt hope in awhile…and I kind of like it.