Friday, April 30, 2010

Fun, Fun Friday!!!

I sure hope that Lauren and Mama M don't mind sharing, lol. I love their meme's (I kind of hate the word meme, btw). Anyway, here's this week's!


Lauren over at The Little Things We Do......


1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Godfather"..... yeah, I know they are weirdly paired, lol. Since I've already gone over one.... I'll add "The Notebook", "Steel Magnolia", and "Dirty Dancing" to the mix.

2. My favorite movie as a child was "Sleeping Beauty" and "Big Business." I wanted three fairies to help me and I wanted to dance in a forest with my Prince, lol. When my parents got a divorce, I always got upset on the weekends that I had to go with my dad. One week, he took me to rent a movie and get my favorite chips (Sour Cream and Onion) to calm me down. It began a tradition that lasted until he got remarried. Pretty much, 5 out of 10 times, I would choose "Big Business" to go with my SCO chips, lol.

3. The best movie quote ever is from ..... would you know that my mind is completely blank, at the moment. I quote random movies all the time, but I can't think of my favorite quotes, right now, lol. The only one that comes to mind is one that I quoted today (and it's certainly not my favorite).... "Sweet Home Alabama"...... "Why do you want to marry me?" - "So that I can kiss you whenever I want." ........... and, "The truth is, I gave away my heart a long time ago. My whole heart. And, I never quite got it back."

4. My favorite actress is Julia Roberts and Reese Witherspoon. My favorite actor is George Clooney (mainly because he's hot).

5. The movie I could watch over and over is "Steel Magnolia", "Sweet Home Alabama", "The Notebook", and "Fried Green Tomatos." I love them all and never get tired of them.

6. My favorite movie genre is romantic comedy. Those are usually the ones I can watch again and again. I like drama and suspense and straight comedy, but romantic comedies are the best, imo.

7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend is ..... no clue. I'll have to look to see what's playing. I saw 'The Back-up Plan" last weekend.




Now onto Mama M's 5QF from My Little Life......




1. If you could, would you go back to high school?

No. I loved high school. I really, really did. I cried my entire senior year, every time there was a 'last' anything. I cried my first semester of college, because I missed high school so much.

My best friends from HS are still some of my best friends in this world. My brother is about to be a senior at the school I went to. If I'm still living here when I have kids, I'll send them to that K-12 school. I seriously enjoyed my entire experience.

That said, I wouldn't go back. I like my life now. I love the people I know and the things I'm doing. I'm cool with keeping HS a very full trunk of fond memories.

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)

I'm going to go with a healthy chunk of money that would allow me to not worry about it, for the rest of my life.

I'd also wish for someone to love me as much as I love them back...... That sounds kind of lame, but it's true, lol.


 
3. What kids show do you secretly like?

I not-so-secretly love Little Einsteins. Seriously, it's a great children's show. I hope it is still around when I have kids.



4. What is your beverage of choice?

On a day-to-day basis.......... Water, Unsweet Tea, Starbucks Green Tea, and Vitamin Water ZERO

If I'm splurging..... Sweet Tea, White Mocha Frap from Starbucks, or Cherry Pepsi

Party drinks..... Vodka and Cranberry, Peach Rum with Cranberry and Sprite, or anything Frozen and Fruity

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?

I'm working hard on losing weight and looking/feeling good.

I'm also working on being more confident......... Lately, I've really been searching who I am and why I do the things I do. I want to be a better person.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Honestly.....

My name twin over at Living on Sweet Tea honored me with this award!



Ten honest things about myself........

  1. I'm a BBQ sauce snob. There are two places in my town where I will eat the sauce..... one is a local hole-in-the-wall called Jimbo's and the other is Shane's Rib Shack. Every other place doesn't have good enough sauce.... it's either too sweet, too mustardy, too thick, or just gross.

  2. I am the most non-social person on the face of the planet until I take a shower. Poor Ninny lived with us for about a year and is the cheeriest morning person, ever. She thought I was mad that she was there for a couple months until she finally said something to my mom about it..... "Jessica doesn't talk to me in the mornings.... I think she's mad at me."..... My mom assured her that I'm just a complete grump and barely awake until I stand under hot water.

  3. It makes me really sad to see people eating by themselves. Even if they seem content to be alone at the table, I get sad.

  4. I'm vain enough to have goals that I want to achieve before my ten year reunion (next year).... the list? Have a cool job (check), Be 50lbs smaller (almost there.... I'd really like it to be more, lol), Great guy on my arm (so out of my control unless I hire someone)

  5. I once wanted 13 kids because I had a bunch of pretty names picked out for them. I've since lowered that number, lol.

  6. I hate driving. I'd love to live in a city with great public transportation..... subways are a thing of greatness, imo.

  7. I hate milk... the smell, the taste... I even think it's an ugly shade of white.

  8. I have a super-creepy memory. It's nothing I try to do.... it's just always been that way. I can remember conversations word-for-word, events moment-by-moment, and people by face and name. Not everything or everytime, but the majority. If you tell me something about yourself, I'll probably always remember it. However, people do get slightly weirded out, so I tend to not share what I already know, lol. This has served me well when I was subbing, though... it only took me about an hour to learn all the kids' names. When I was little, I would act out entire episodes of 'Full House' and 'Family Matters' for my step-sister, when she couldn't watch it that week.

  9. I'm the type of person who will laugh at something 3 days later. I think it has to do with the creep memory situation... I just keep picturing it and it's funny. And, once I get the giggles, I can't stop.

  10. I want a huge wedding. I get that it's the marriage that is important, but I'd like one day in my life where everyone I love is in one room, together, having fun and celebrating life.


    Now I'm supposed to pass it along to ten people....... However, an 11th thing about me is that I always feel bad if I leave someone out that might have wanted to do it. So go ahead and consider yourself tagged. A 12th thing about me is that when other people say that, I always feel lame tagging myself......... so, if you want me to visibly tag you, I will, lol.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Fill in the Blank Friday (on Monday)

I saw this on Living On Sweet Tea's blog and HAD to do it, even though it's several days late, lol.



You can check this fun one out The Little Things We Do.....


1. One song that always takes me back to my youth is "Barbie Girl"...... we had so much ridiculous fun with that song. Another one is "Mo Money, Mo Problems".... brings me back to cheerleading in the 9th grade, lol.


2. My first concert ever was New Kids On The Block. I was about to turn 7 and it was a couple weeks before my birthday. I was having a NKOTB pool party and gave a security guard an invitation to give to NKOTB. In my innocence, I thought they'd actually get it...... I didn't think they'd be able to come (they had busy lives, after all).


3. If I could create my dream music festival I'd want these bands to be there: Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Clay Walker, Billy Currington, Chuck Wicks, James Otto, Dierks Bentley, Danny Gokey, Colbie Caillat, Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Usher, New Edition (adored them in the 6th grade, lol), Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keyes, The Fray, OneRepublic..... just to name a few.


4. The best make-out/"boot knocking" song ever is .... first of all, I think it's hysterical that so many people say that they've never even thought about it before. Anyway, I haven't made out or anything else to it, however, Chuck Wicks' new single (which has yet to come out) is definitely all about the "romance." It's called "Hold That Thought"..... check it out when it comes out.


5. The best concert I've ever been to was ..... you do realize this is IMPOSSIBLE for me to answer, right? I simply can't do it. I will say this......... it's not summer without a Kenny concert (which means sad things for this summer), CC sounds better in person than she does on her CD, Keith Urban rocks, NSYNC was always like Disney World, and Taylor Swift is like Broadway in a concert.


6. A memorable musical moment for me was .... meeting all the people I've met. Also, the surprise acoustic show by Keith Urban at St Jude Seminar, last year. That was awesome.


7. The song on my iPod that's getting the most play these days is "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train and "Love This Pain" by Lady Antebellum. Everytime I listen to my IPod, I listen to those two songs.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Random Question Sunday......

MannLand5..... check it out.....







The questions...


1. If you could star in any movie genre..what would it be..romance..horror..comedy..suspense or action?

Romantic comedy........ I'd love it!!



2. Do you recycle?

I try..... I usually fail.



3. Have you ever been to a strip club?

Yep. I was in a class..... Women in Pop Culture..... and we were discussing porn and strip clubs. The question was..... are they exploitation or liberation? Anyway, it was a field trip. I didn't stay long, lol.



4. Do you have a nickname?

I have several...... Jess is the main one (hence my blog title). Even when I don't ever call myself that or introduce myself as that, people still end up calling me Jess.

When I was little, it was "Jessie." Very few people still call me that...... basically just older relatives, lol.

Besides those two obvious ones........... Crystal (a guy named Steve at work calls me that and I call him Bob), JB, Angel (TG calls/ed me that), Jessie-Bell, Turkeyface (TG also called me that.... I prefer Angel, lol), and J.



5. What's a name you can't stand to be called?

Jennifer. I get it all the time. Jennifer is a lovely name........ however, it's not mine.

I try not to be rude about it, but I will admit that if you call me Jennifer, I take it as a sign that I'm not important enough to you to remember my correct name. In a business of "it's all about who you know"..... calling me Jennifer instead of Jessica is a sign that you don't actually care about me, but what I can do for you.



6. What are your Summer staples?

Flip flops and sunglasses, lol.


7. What was the last thing you bought for yourself?

A new hair straightener. I was in desperate need of a new one.


8. Are you happy with your boob size?

I actually would be ok if they were a little smaller. Gravity is not kind to big boobs. To go bra-less is a wonder, for me.

I've literally considered getting them lifted. Not quite there, yet, but it's definitely in the back of my mind.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Weekly Workout Blog

Week 46.....

 Sunday - Nothing

Monday - Nothing

Tuesday - Walked for an hour and pilates

Wednesday - Curves

Thursday - Walked for 45 mins and pilates

Friday - Nada

Saturday - Elliptical for 30 mins and Treadmill for 20


I think that's pretty good! Not fabulous, but a vast improvment on last week. I mean, I made it on an Elliptical and that's major progress!!! Plus, I did track all of my food.




Goals for this upcoming week:


  • Track ALL food, Monday-Friday
  • Curves at least twice
  • Treadmill/Walk at least twice

Bonus points if.....
  • I make it to the Y and get on an Elliptical.
  • I make it to a Zumba class.
  • I do pilates.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"Waiting to Exhale" Wednesday

Hi! How is everyone doing this week?

It's been a pretty good week, in the Sunshine State for me (except for the fact that Lil Woman is leaving it).

Despite the good week, there are always things to look forward to!

This week, I'm looking forward to............

  • The Back-Up Plan coming out, this weekend! I've been so excited about this movie, lol. That would SOOOO be me.......... decide that I've waited long enough to get married, go to a sperm bank to get pregnant, and then immediately run smack dab into the man of my dreams. Completely would happen to me, lol.

  • Friday is a huge event for our city. It's our version of the Kentucky Derby, with a twist. Anyway, it's super fun and a great crowd.

  • Sunday. I love my new Sunday School class. Our age group has desperately needing a class like this and it really has been a blessing.

  • a big project at work being completed. My poor intern and I are about to pull our hair out, but we're thisclose to being finished!


What are YOU looking forward to?

Monday, April 19, 2010

Monday Minute

I went a while without posting......... now, you're getting like 10 posts in 2 days.
 
What can I say? I'm in the mood.
 
 
Ian has a blog.... You can click on the picture to go to his site.
Monday Minute




1 - Ever take a shit in the woods?

No. I try to avoid the woods as much as possible.

I went camping twice and I vowed never to do it, again.



2 - If you won $1,000, what's the first thing you would do with it besides give me a cut?

If I won $1,000, I'd use it to take a vacation.



3 - What's your favorite phrase?

"Oh, dear goodness" or "Fire in the hole"



4 - Fill in the blank - the world would be a better place if ______ left the planet.

selfishness.......... rudeness....... rodents


5 - How do you take your coffee or tea?

Coffee..... with flavored cream or cold.

Tea..... BREWED ONLY...... Iced (green or black) with Sweet N Low.

CC, take two......

I've mentioned before that I adore Colbie Caillat. I love her music!

Last Fall, I went to her concert and loved it. So, when I got invited to go to another one, I jumped at the chance!


Jeni and I



Her opening act was her bandmate, Justin Young. I liked him when I saw him sing with Colbie before, but his own stuff is phenomenal, too! Oh....... at the last concert, Billie Jo and I wanted Justin and Colbie to be together. Jeni and I are 99% convinced they are actually together. We have no proof..... that's just our belief, lol.



They wouldn't allow flash photography, which made for some interesting lighting in the pictures. I love her background. So pretty, imo......



Seriously, she's got the most amazing voice.




Last time, I took note of what songs she sang so that I could report back to Jeni. I figured the playlist would be the same this time. However, when I realized it was going to be different, I started taking notes.

Here's what she sang this time..........

  • Begin Again
  • You Got Me
  • Realize
  • Oxygen
  • Fearless
  • Let's Make It Rain
  • Turn Your Lights Down Low
  • I Won't
  • The Little Things
  • No Woman, No Cry
  • I Never Told You
  • Fallin For You
  • Lucky
  • Bubbly
That's five songs that are different from the last time. Kind of cool if you ask me, lol. However, I still wish she would sing Tailor Made, Out of My Mind, and Battle. Are you listening out there, Colbie? Please add those three to your set list. Thanks.


Never heard of her? Well, check her stuff out. Here's some of her best (in my opinion)........

"So go on, go on and break my heart. I'll be ok. There's nothing you can do to to me that's ever gonna bury me. So go on, go on and leave my love out on the street. I'm fearless. Better believe I'm fearless, fearless." - Fearless

"Twenty-five and all of these mixed emotions are tangled up with pure confusion. It's hard to let go of the past, but it seems easier as time moves on." - Tailor Made

"I'm so in love with you, don't know what to do, this time. And, though you're out of sight, you're never ever out of my mind." - Out of My Mind






After the show, we got to meet her. Chick is TALL. Granted, she had on heels, but still, she towers over my 5'7" self. I feel this is a weird picture of me, but whatever, lol.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

The reason I need to continue working out......

So that I can one day wear......



 It's my new favorite wedding dress.

Before, it was this.

The two clearly have their similarities. Ironically, I don't wear belts or sashes. What makes me think I'd look good in a wedding dress that has one is beyond me. However, I'm determined that one of those dresses will be mine.

One day.

You know..... when I actually have a wedding.

The good news is that I have time.

This week's workouts..........

Monday - Curves

Tuesday - Softball game

Wednesday - Curves

Thursday - Nothing

Friday - Curves


I didn't quite meet my goals, but I did go to Curves one day more than I intended AND I did track all of my food for Mon-Fri.



Goals for this upcoming week:


  • Track ALL food, Monday-Friday

  • Curves at least twice

  • Treadmill/Walk at least twice


Bonus points if.....


  • I make it to the Y and get on an Elliptical (it's been WAY too long).

  • I make it to a Zumba class.

  • I do pilates.

Random Question Sunday



The questions can be found at MannLand5.....


1. Mens chests..hairy or hairless?

Bordering on hairless..... I don't mind a little fuzz, but no gorillas, please.



2. How often do you run red lights?

Not very often.



3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid?

Reese Witherspoon..... Jennifer Aniston.... Carrie Underwood.... Taylor Swift



4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog?

I don't Twitter. I have way more friends on Facebook than I do followers of my blog. Then again, few people in my "real" life know I have a blog and even fewer read it.

I'd be thrilled with more followers, though!!!



5. What makes you feel sexy?

An awesome pair of heels..... a cute dress that makes me feel good.... a good hair day.... a really good flirt session (when it's totally PG, but there a bunch of underlying tension... so fun, lol)



6. I get excited when...........?

..... when simple things happen.

Like finding out that a Chipotle's is coming to town (I called one of my coworkers before work I was so excited). Or, when my favorite song comes on the radio when I have just enough time in the car to listen to the whole thing. Or, it feels like Fall (if you are Floridian, you know what that first day feels like). Or, when someone drops off cupcakes to the station, early in the morning. Or, I see a rainbow. Or, I step foot on Disney property. Or, I get a random text that I wasn't expecting. Or, it starts raining at night. Or, I have a really good workout and feel like I lost a lot of weight (doesn't matter that I didn't). Or, when I know that "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Big Brother" are getting close to starting. Or, a really good hug. Or, when Panera brings back my Strawberry Poppyseed with Chicken salad.

I could go on and on. People laugh at me because I literally get giddy over the most mundane things.



7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"?

Most definitely indoorsy. I like being outside, sometimes, but I am much more an indoors girl.



8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars?
 
Million dollars..... I could build the house I want and still have come left over.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

3 Months Later.........

I mentioned earlier this week that I got some texts from The Guy.

Let's back it up, a bit......

Last weekend, I made a pact with myself to have a better week, a better attitude, a better everything. See, the couple weeks before were HORRIBLE and I was having a really hard time of it. So, going into Monday, I made a decision to keep myself out of the dumps.

I also made pact that I wasn't going to think about TG. Today is three months since we last talked, three months since I knew I was going to mail that letter, and three months since I lost my friendship. Knowing that Saturday was coming up, I decided that I just wouldn't do it. I wouldn't think about him.... I wouldn't talk about him..... I am MOVING ON.

Monday was awesome. Great day, great success on my new attitude and The Guy-less mind.

Then, came Tuesday. Tuesday was a day where I wasn't in a bad mood...... nothing bad was happening, no one was doing anything to upset me, I wasn't PMSing. However, I would burst into tears for no reason, at all. I was sitting in my office, crying, and having NO CLUE why.

Then, came our airstaff and programming meeting. Usually, these meetings are a mix of frustration and fun. When you get a whole lot of creative people in one room......... it tends to get entertaining. Overall, the meeting was fine.

Then, my boss decides that he would bring up the fact that a lot of people seem to be frustrated. He said that if anyone was truly so far gone with where they are to let him know because he'd like to help them. "I'm going to use The Guy as an example."

Yep, he went there.

So, on Day Two of my attempt to not think about TG, my pact was broken because my boss chose to talk about him. He went on. And on. And on.

Awesome.

Well, that didn't help the crying. I sat at my softball game and cried. I cried in my car. I cried in my office. Apparently, there was an ocean of tears building up in my body that decided they were getting out even if I had no reason to cry. Let it be known that while I am the type that cries.... I usually don't do it for no reason.

I called a friend on my way home. I work with her husband, so she knows and understands, but also has the perspective that you need. We talked for an hour and a half. About TG, about work, about life, about why I'm feeling so frustrated. Her take was that I'm mourning the loss of my friendship, still. That "the romance" has been mourned, but not the friendship. Because, really, we all thought he'd get over it by now. Three months is ridiculous. So, her theory is that I'm just now getting it.... that he's just plain not in my life anymore and I have to get used to it.

After speaking with her, I felt a lot better.

I went home, ate dinner, and then got on Facebook.

And, the man who barely posts on FB, decided on that day to post a video of himself AND he changed his profile picture of him sitting in his old cubicle at our work.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!

I gave into the devil. I watched the video. I also emailed him........

Subject: Thought you'd get a kick out of this................

Someone else may have already told you about it, but today we had an airstaff/programming meeting and you were used as the example of what to do if you're unhappy with your career path, lol.

In fact, at least 10 minutes of the meeting was dedicated to the "Professional Journey of The Guy."

That was it. Short, simple, friendly. No pressure. I said what I wanted to say because I knew he would find the whole thing amusing. I honestly, truly wrote the email expecting that I wouldn't get a response.

Then, I decided to put the day behind me and go back to my pact.

Enter Wednesday.........

Great day, on so many levels. Things at work were going really well........ like I mentioned before, we're working on some really cool opportunities that I hope go through.

Then, Mary calls me over to her cubicle.

The Guy had sent her a few new pictures of himself.... "So no one there forgets what I look like.... haha."

Mary and I chatted for a while, too. I told her about my conversation from the night before and she offered a slightly different perspective. However, the general conclusion was the same........ it's been three months. The friendship is gone. Maybe one day it will come back, but don't sit around waiting for it. He didn't have to go about it this way, but he did. I'm making progress, but need to make more, because my friend isn't around any more. Overall, I felt good.

I went back to my office and saw I had texts.

From The Guy.

"I got a lead for *****. Can u give him this info. It won't be a big buy at all. Prob super small. But it is something. Tell him to call ****. Make sure to tell him that he took over for me."

Ok. You could have called or emailed him yourself, but..........

"That's nice of you......... I'll be sure to pass it along!"

That was odd, but I responded and moved on to other things.

20 minutes later......

"I am getting my tonsils out. To see if that helps."

Me.... "You mean to tell me you still have your tonsils in?!?!? I bet that is EXACTLY the problem. I'm glad someone finally figured it out. When's surgery? It's really hard for adults."

TG..... "Not sure if it is the whole problem but we will see."

Me.... "Well, I choose to believe it will fix the whole problem for you."

TG.... "Well I hope it does. This has been two years of hell. I sent Mary some new pics of me."

Me... "I know it has.... That's why I'm believing something as silly and removable as your tonsils will do the trick..... Really? I'll have to hit her up to see them."


Yes, I had already seen them. I pretended I didn't.

The next day, I sent him a text commenting on the pictures he sent.

I haven't heard back and don't expect to.

The funny part was going over to Mary after our little exchange........... "Guess who just texted me."............. "Who?"...... "The Guy."............ (eyes wide) "You're kidding! Well, there he goes, again. Blowing our theories right out of the water."

I know all of this seems silly........... it was so miniscule. But, it was SO unexpected. It didn't really address anything, at all. But, as silly as it was, I felt like I had my friend back for a few minutes.

Who knows.... It may be another 3 months or 6 months or a year before I hear from him, again.


I'm making a pact with myself not to wait, lol.

Jess the Style Icon (or not)

My lovely friend Brittany Ann from Living in the Moment tagged me with this fun award. Britt has her own glorious sense of style.... I'm telling you, she can do wonders with bobby pins and hair.... and was kind enough to consider me "preppy."

Personally, the only reason I think I might qualify is because I went to a private school for 13 years. "Prep" was considered both a compliment and an insult, at the exact same time. Out of all the styles in the world, I think I have a firm handle on what makes a preppy outfit.

I don't think I'm the greatest when it comes to clothing. I try to look presentable and slightly stylish (or, more to the point, like I'm not completely out of style). But, I know I don't exactly work it, at all times. Mainly, I just want to cover the flub.






1. Who is your style icon?
















All of the above. Now, they are all super skinny and I'm not, so I don't tend to dress like them, but I think Reese, Jen, Carrie, and Taylor all have a great style. They can all rock a simple t-shirt and jeans. They all look fabulous all dressed up. Basically, they always look put together and yet very comfortable. Nothing too crazy, but classy.



2. What is your favorite socialite book?

Bergdorf Blondes. I loved it, lol. Also.... I don't know if this counts because it's sort of the other view of the socialites, but I love The Nanny Diaries and The Nanny Returns.



3. What is your favorite party theme?

I have no idea. Put me in a room with good foods and good friends. That's all I ask for, lol.



4. What is your go-to Halloween costume?

Cheerleader or fairy. Those are usually pretty easy.



5. What is the extravagance you just can't live without?

Books and music.



6. Who is the living person you admire?

My mom.


7. What is my greatest fear?

I hate rats and mice. I detest them. After a field mouse got into my house, I made a declaration that I would put Decon pellets into any new place I was living. Before one thing gets moved in, I will make it so any rodents will die before I know they've taken up residence.

On a greater note, I fear losing my family or loved ones. I fear dying before I find love and am able to make a family.



8. What's the trait you dislike about yourself?

I wish I was a little more outgoing and confident.



9. Which talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could sing.

I also wish I was more athletic.



1o. What is my greatest achievement?

I'm going to steal Brittany's answer, a bit. I have lots of blessings, not so much achievements.

Graduating from college was a big deal for me and my family. I was the first one, ever, to graduate from college. Getting my job was a big deal, too. I'd worked for 3 1/2 years for it.



11. Who are the 10 people I'd like to tag with the Preppy Mafia award?




Mrs. Newlywed at Newlyweds Next Door

Katie at Loves of Life

Justine from Almost There





Friday, April 16, 2010

Doubling up on the Friday Fun......

I'm cheating and doing two questionnaires in one post.

First up....



Go to My Little Life to join in!!

1. What words do you use on your blog/online that you don't use in real life?

LOL..... I don't say those initials. Other than that, I think I type how I talk.

I say "seriously" all the time. I blame it on my insane love of Grey's Anatomy, where they once had an entire conversation that basically consisted of that one word.

What do you say, people who know or have met me in real life? Do I write how I talk?


2. Do you still write checks?

I wrote one, just yesterday, lol. Usually, it's just when I'm paying for something random..... like, when Mary used a discount to get me earrings and a new necklace and then I paid her back by writing her a check.


3. Who was your favorite President and why?

Is it bad that I don't really have one? They've all done good.... they've all done bad. I haven't lived long enough to really be able to comment, imo.

But, just for the sake of the question, I'm going to say Washington because he was the very first, Lincoln because he was supposed to be as honest as they come, and Grant because he's a distant relative.

I will say that I've never been fond of Andrew Jackson. Remember that, Meg? We were very adament in AP History that we didn't like him.


4. Are you a yeller?

I can be. I don't really like it when I do, but yeah, I can belt it out when I'm super angry.



5. Have you ever dumpster dived?
 
No. I have a thing against trash and germs.
 
 
That was fun! Round two.....
 

Head over to The Little Things We Do to fill in the blanks!


1. The first thing I do in the morning is hit the snooze button....three times.... then, I get out of bed and make it. My bed has to be made before I do anything else.

2. Every night before bed I set my phone alarm clock. Then, I check it. Then, I check it, again.

3. My favorite thing to do when I'm having a bad day is talk with good friends, curl up on the couch to watch a movie or a good TV show, and eat something sinful.

4. Something that makes me cringe is when people use the Lord's name in vain. I never say anything to anyone who does, but I mentally add "is my Lord and Savior" to keep myself from slipping out with it. I went to a private Christian school where we were NEVER allowed to say it in a secular way, so it's just so engrained in me not to do so. Two times, I've slipped and I feel awful afterwards.

5. Social situations stress me out. Unless it's a situation where I'm really close with the people that will be there, I get nervous and shy.

6. I like to collect keychains. Everytime I visit a new place or I go to something special, I pick up a new keychain. They are the perfect momento, especially when travelling..... way easier to pack, lol.

7. Weekends are for hopefully resting. I do have to work on a lot of weekends, but I love to just chill when I get the chance!!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

"Waiting to Exhale" Wednesday

Hi friends.....

I've been a non-blogger, recently. Instead, I've just been a blog lurker.

A lot of you have been in funks lately. Me, too, lol. A BIG, huge, rotten, no good, very bad funk.

Thankfully, I'm fighting my way out of it. Today has been a really good day....... it was a good day and then I got some texts from "The Guy." Which, I'll be honest, made it a better day than it already was. I'm trying to keep everything in perspective, though.

Anyway, without further ado, I bring you "Waiting to Exhale" Wednesday.

I am looking forward to......

  • Saturday! My friend Jeni and I are going to a Colbie Caillat concert. I've said it once and I'll say it again..... if there were a soundtrack of my life and it could only be comprised of one artist's music, Colbie Caillat would be that artist. Therefore, Jess is super psyched about Saturday.

  • Seconding the Saturday concert for another reason......... it's a concert that has nothing to do with work, lol. Clearly, my job allows super cool opportunities. Last weekend, I actually got to eat dinner with the artist before the concert.... totally fun. On the flip side, there's always an element of work involved. So, it's nice to go to a concert where you get to do nothing but sit back and enjoy the music!!

  • I am going to a movie, this weekend. I never went from the last time I said I was going. It will happen, this weekend.

  • Work has been difficult to deal with, lately (which has been part of my funk). However, today, we discussed some potential opportunities that I'm really excited about and hope go through!!


What are YOU looking forward to?

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Trying to bring back the Weekly Workout Blog

I've sucked at this. I'm very irritated at myself for this. The really annoying thing is that I know I can do it and do it well..... I just get busy/lazy.

But, we shall try to pick it up, again.

 
I'm also tracking all of my food, in hopes to speed up the losses. I'm not perfect at it, yet, but I've done pretty well.

 

 
Week 39

 
Monday - Softball practice

 
Tuesday - Curves and Softball game

 

 

 
Week 40

 
Monday - Curves

 
Tuesday - Curves and Softball game

 

 

 
Week 41

 
Nothing all week long.... sick

 

 

 
Week 42

 
Monday - Curves

 
Tuesday - Softball game

 
Wednesday - Nothing
 
Thursday - Walk for an hour

Saturday - Walked ALL over Universal and Islands of Adventures (I'm counting it.... my fellow Floridian Bloggers can back me up that we walked for hours)



Week 43

Tuesday - Softball game



Week 44

Tuesday - Curves and Softball game

Thursday - Walked for an hour

Saturday - Walked for an hour


Goals for this upcoming week:

  • Track ALL food, Monday-Friday
  • Curves at least twice
  • Treadmill/Walk at least twice

Bonus points if..... 
  • I make it to the Y and get on an Elliptical (it's been WAY too long).
  • I make it to a Zumba class.
  • I do pilates.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Work and Social Networking

*sigh*

Let me start off by saying that I do love my job. I really do. And, I work for and with really great people. We all might be slightly insane, but overall, it's a good group.

Now onto the reason I sigh........

About two years ago, I started a F*ceB**k page. It was strictly personal.

Then, as work friends started going on there, I'd add them. Not a big deal.

Then, a year ago, I became the Promotions Director of the group and I gained more and more friends..... again, some of them from work.

About 7-8 months ago, we started DJ Pages and Station Pages. The individual DJs run their pages, but I run the station pages..... all from my personal account.

Well, over the past 6 months, I've been getting a LOT of requests from listeners and clients. They'd see that I was friends with a DJ, know who I was, and then friend me. And, I'd ignore their requests. Because, despite the overlap, it was still *my* page. I chose what I said or posted, etc, etc. My family is on my page, personal friends are on my page, and there was too much personal information on there for me to want listeners or clients to see.

Fast-forward to last week. In a meeting, I was given instructions on things to do with the station pages. I completely disagree with the thinking and the plan, but that's neither here nor there. Today, our owner gave a big speech about everyone being on F*ceb**k and how things get back to him, etc, etc, etc.

Then, my direct supervisor (under his WORK name) friended me.

 I have several coworkers (even one of my bosses) on my page. However, it's always been an understanding that what I post is MY business and doesn't affect my job.

Keep in mind that I like my direct supervisor just fine. It's just that we aren't friends outside of work and I doubt he cares about my life outside of work. So, to me, his request (directly on the heels of that lecture) was strictly a work deal. He is "friends" with all the DJs (on their DJ pages only), plus a bunch of people that are work related.

Basically, it was the straw that broke the camel's back, for me.

I ended up creating a separate work-only page/persona. I friended a bunch of the listeners/clients that I previously ignored. I deleted the DJ pages off of my account and friended them under my work page. I made it so that the station pages are only connected to this new work page.

I probably should have done it a long time ago.

Now, I've got people asking me what's up and I'm trying to diplomatically explain why.

It's really stressing me out.

I have nothing to hide from them. Shoot, my Sunday School teachers are on my page. But, I'm feeling like I'm being watched. I'm also feeling like EVERYTHING in my personal life is becoming wrapped up in work. It's part of the job, honestly...... it's a very social environment.... it's a place where we spend WAY too much time together... it's an industry where you can find yourself working around the clock. So, I'm trying to figure out a way to separate, a little bit.

Again.... I probably should have done it a long time ago.... and, it's really stressing me out.

And, because no one from work knows I have this blog (well, that I know of), this is the ONLY place I can really "get it out."

Thanks for "listening."

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Random Questions on Easter Sunday!

Happy Easter, everyone!!!! I hope you have a great day!

Keely decided to keep up with Getting to know YOU, even today, and I'm so glad she did!! Head over there and participate!



The questions..


1. Showers or baths?

Showers, showers, showers! I am NOT a bath person, at all. I might take a bath once a year..... and, when I do, I'm usually so not relaxed. This may be TMI, but the whole time I'm thinking, "My bare butt is now sitting on the same surface that bare feet touch, everyday. Or worse, that other bare butts have sat on."

It doesn't even matter that I clean the tub before the bath. I just get grossed out.



2. Do you have any crazy urges?

Rarely. And, when I do, I almost never act on them.

Does that make me boring?



3. What is one thing we don't know about you?

Haven't we covered it all? I have no clue.

Wait.... I may have already said this before. If so, then you already know it and I'm way too boring for words.

Anyway..... I was born with my intestines wrapped around several organs and tied in knots. When I was 9 days old, I had to have drastic surgery to correct it. It left me with a scar from one side of my stomach to the other (it's so friggin ugly, I can't begin to tell you) and basically, a second belly button (not really, but that's what it looks like). I'm not really fond of the scars, but they were absolutely necessary in the process of saving my life. In 1983, there were 12 documented cases of babies born with the same issues.... I was 1 of 3 to survive.



4. Exercise..love it or hate it?

Exercise and I have a real love/hate relationship. Right now, I hate it because I've let myself get out of the habit of it. When I'm in the habit, I actually don't mind it too much, and I love the effects of it.



5. Do you think you have a good body image?

I think I have a pretty realistic image of my body. I definitely see some good points, but there are a lot of bad, so that tends to overshadow the good. It is the reason I work to lost weight.



6. Flour or corn tortillas?

Either one.



7. How do you celebrate Easter?

Church and then everyone comes over for family dinner.

Today, my mind kept wandering during the service. It was weird because I've been really focused, lately, when I've been at church. I've been totally great about paying attention and really taking in the message. But, today, not so much. The funny thing was that I kept thinking, "Man, I really hope we sing that song. We haven't sang it since the Sunday I blogged about it." We really haven't..... it's like God kept it going for the weeks that I needed it and then once I finally got the message, He took a break from it for a while.

So, I sat in church and kept having to force myself to pay attention. Then, the pastor said we were going to sing as a closing. As soon as I heard the first few notes, I recognized the song. As we started singing, I got more and more giddy. You could feel the rest of the congregation doing the same thing, lol. I literally thought, "YAY, GOD!!! Thanks!!! You knew I needed to be able to sing this song, today!!"

Now, I'm home, updated my FB status, am doing a little blogging, and am about to help with dinner.



8. Hard boiled Easter eggs or plastic eggs?
 
As fun as it is to dye eggs, I prefer plastic. There is nothing worse than not being able to find all the eggs and then smelling a rotting one a few days later (clearly this has happened in the past).
 
Plus, you get to hide candy in the plastic eggs, whereas there's nothing but boiled egg in the real ones. I don't like to eat eggs, so that's no good to me, lol.
 
 
Happy Easter, Everyone!!!