Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
oh, the places you'll go
So my husband and I were talking about all the places we wanted to visit, especially those we want to see before moving from Arizona. This got us thinking about all of the new places I have visited over the past year. About one year ago, I moved from Indiana to Tucson, Arizona. I had never been west of Iowa prior to our move.
The most notable places I have been (or will be going to) for the first time over the past year are:
The most notable places I have been (or will be going to) for the first time over the past year are:
- Albuquerque, NM
- Las Vegas, NV
- San Diego, CA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- In Oklahoma:
- Tulsa
- Oklahoma City
- Enid
- Woodward
- Waynoka
- In Arizona
- Tucson
- Mt. Lemmon
- Phoenix
- Douglas
- Bisbee
- Tombstone
- Sierra Vista
- Hereford
- Yuma
- Benson
weekly schedule
I made a weekly schedule about a month ago, and so far so good:
Monday
Monday
- Trash day
- Yard work
- Vacuum
- Organize/clean computer files
- 30 mins cardio mixed with strength training arms and shoulders
- Complete stretch
- Clean bathrooms
- Grocery store
- Long walk
- Abs and short stretch
- Clean kitchen
- Food prep
- Make dog food
- Cardio video
- Complete Stretch
- Trash Day
- Clean den, living room/dining room
- Vacuum
- Strength training: legs, butt, lower back
- Clean bedrooms
- Run errands
- Grocery store
- Laundry day
- Clean hall closets
- Clean garage
- Iron
- Cardio
- Strength training: chest, back, abs
- Food prep
- Dust
- Clean master bedroom and closet
- Clean laundry room
- Iron
- Long walk
- Pilates
dog stuff
Sam destroyed a Frisbee and a basketball within 3 minutes last night. She had so much energy, so we took her into the back yard to try to get rid of some of it. We had already gone on a walk a few hours earlier. We threw the rope toy and the squeaky ball. She ran for a few seconds, but mostly doesn't want to run unless she is chasing us or we are chasing her. This wouldn't be too bad except that she is so big and a little clumsy, so she often runs into us leaving us bruised and/or finds her mouth around my arm, which is just not fun for me. If we aren't running around she lies on the floor and acts bored. The minute we stand up, she is nipping our feet. (This doesn't happen all day long, just at night when she is hyper).
Anyway, at one point during the night she was going for a ball that was in my hand, and accidentally ended up with her jaws clenched around my arm. I was a little concerned when she wouldn't let go. Luckily she didn't bite down. I don't know what the heck she is thinking. So we stopped playing with her. Then we complained about how she will only play if we physically run around, which is not fun for us. I asked my husband if he thought she would enjoy playing with a soccer ball because we could kick it for her.
I went to the garage and found a Frisbee and basketball. She went nuts. We have never seen her go so crazy. She had such a good time with that basketball. She was throwing it all over the yard. Rocks were flying everywhere (we have a rock yard). She bit the ball until she was able to carry it around in her mouth. It is slightly flat. And the Frisbee, she went nuts and it is now destroyed. We again found ourselves watching her with our jaws dropped. She is so insanely powerful and apparently full of energy. We think perhaps she was just bored with her previous toys and would probably like having new toys from time to time. We might have to get creative. So far, the biggest hits have been a broom, a large cardboard panel, a basketball, and a Frisbee.
I had also put a couple of new toys (a rope toy and stuffed squeaky toy) into her toy bin while she was outside with A. When she came in the house, she immediately took those toys out of the bin and started throwing them around the den. So, we have decided she really likes new toys. Maybe, we will try to rotate toys more often. She then proceeded to take all of her toys out of her bin and drop them on the floor in the den, which made us laugh hysterically. A swears she is worse than a kid.
This morning while she and I were hanging out in the den, she again removed her toys from the bin and then kept walking back over there to check for more toys, but she had taken them all out. 5 minutes later, I looked over and she had taken one of her collars out of the bin and was flinging it around also, perhaps she thinks it is also a toy. I need to try to think of some games to play with her because she is obviously telling us she is bored.
One of her favorite games is chasing and killing bugs. And although we were sad to see the lizard leave after a month of living on the side of our house, Sam seems to be a more effective bug killer. She had a spider and a large grasshopper for a snack. She loves moths and flies.
Getting ready to do some crafty things in my craft room, so I better go throw the basketball for a few minutes if I want her to leave me alone and sleep nicely at my feet :)
Anyway, at one point during the night she was going for a ball that was in my hand, and accidentally ended up with her jaws clenched around my arm. I was a little concerned when she wouldn't let go. Luckily she didn't bite down. I don't know what the heck she is thinking. So we stopped playing with her. Then we complained about how she will only play if we physically run around, which is not fun for us. I asked my husband if he thought she would enjoy playing with a soccer ball because we could kick it for her.
I went to the garage and found a Frisbee and basketball. She went nuts. We have never seen her go so crazy. She had such a good time with that basketball. She was throwing it all over the yard. Rocks were flying everywhere (we have a rock yard). She bit the ball until she was able to carry it around in her mouth. It is slightly flat. And the Frisbee, she went nuts and it is now destroyed. We again found ourselves watching her with our jaws dropped. She is so insanely powerful and apparently full of energy. We think perhaps she was just bored with her previous toys and would probably like having new toys from time to time. We might have to get creative. So far, the biggest hits have been a broom, a large cardboard panel, a basketball, and a Frisbee.
I had also put a couple of new toys (a rope toy and stuffed squeaky toy) into her toy bin while she was outside with A. When she came in the house, she immediately took those toys out of the bin and started throwing them around the den. So, we have decided she really likes new toys. Maybe, we will try to rotate toys more often. She then proceeded to take all of her toys out of her bin and drop them on the floor in the den, which made us laugh hysterically. A swears she is worse than a kid.
This morning while she and I were hanging out in the den, she again removed her toys from the bin and then kept walking back over there to check for more toys, but she had taken them all out. 5 minutes later, I looked over and she had taken one of her collars out of the bin and was flinging it around also, perhaps she thinks it is also a toy. I need to try to think of some games to play with her because she is obviously telling us she is bored.
One of her favorite games is chasing and killing bugs. And although we were sad to see the lizard leave after a month of living on the side of our house, Sam seems to be a more effective bug killer. She had a spider and a large grasshopper for a snack. She loves moths and flies.
Getting ready to do some crafty things in my craft room, so I better go throw the basketball for a few minutes if I want her to leave me alone and sleep nicely at my feet :)
Nonna
Shout-out to my most faithful reader, my Nonna. I think she checked my blog almost every other day since my last post in November. She and my husband might be my only readers, but that is okay :) I received an email from her today telling me to keep up my blog, I guess I should probably try harder :) Thanks Nonna :)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
a married woman
I again put a coke zero in the freezer last night and forgot about it. It exploded. The mess in the freezer is less than desirable, but more than that I am very upset with the fate of my one and only coke zero. I carefully, as to not cut my hands any more than they already are, popped the remnants of the can into a bowl, smashed it up, and am now enjoying a somewhat odd tasting coke zero out of a sunflower yellow fiestaware mug, hoping perhaps to put a sunny spin on my current predicament.
Back to the hand cutting... I somehow always manage to have cuts on my hands, most often the fingers. Right now, I have a cut on my left index finger and left middle finger, both right at the tip so it stings as I type. I guess I am somewhat amused, if that is the right word, by the sensation, because I am still typing and also keep tapping them onto the counter, I guess just to check if the action still creates the same feeling. Yep, it's still there. The index finger cut is a mystery, but I pretty much always get cuts on the finger from knives or ridicuoulsy sharp JIF peanut butter jar seals. The misddle finger cut is, I am positive about this one, from a serrated steak knife. I was cutting broccoli for the big white beast who roams my house.
The big white beast would be our new dog, Sam. Make that our only dog, who happens to be a fairly new dog, Sam. Well, not new to the world, but new to this house. She is actually 2.5 or 3 years old, according to our veterinarian. Her name is Sam. She is an American Bulldog. And she is a person. Take that Cesar Millan, I just did what you warned me not to do, which is first talk about the dog as a name, then a breed, then as a person. He says we need to think of dogs first as animals, then the species dog, then as the breed, then as their personality. So, I guess I should introduce her as my animal, who is a dog, who just happens to be an American Bulldog, and her name is Sam.
Stubborn ass bulldog.
Haha, so I just typed "stubborn ass" into google to see if I needed to use a hypen, which I do not. But interestingly enough my first return was a video on youtube titled "Bella stubborn ass bulldog." I suppose this is a common personality trait among bulldogs. Sam is so stubborn. We used to have to pick her up and put her in her crate (not as easy as you might think when you have an all muscle 70 lb bulldog), she would go totally limp and then dig her claws into the carpet to avoid this nighttime ritual. She is finally going in by herself, with a few minutes hesitation of course, after I toss a treat in the crate.
She will also randomly choose not to sit when asked and just stare at us. When we stare back and after about 10 minutes of nothing, she finally makes a loud huffing noise and sits.
I make her lie down and wait for her food each morning... this takes about 10 minutes also. She sits and stares at me until she finally realizes I won't cave. Again with a huff, she lies down and waits until I invite her to eat.
She's crazy. She was dragging a 5ft x 4ft piece of thick cardboard around the yard yesterday and flinging it around like a toy. I guess that doesn't really sound that spectacular, but it made us realize how powerful she was and we watched in astonishment. She never ceases to amaze us. She is so beautiful and an absolute blessing.
I am sure it is obvious by this point I am obsessed with the dog. Not sure why. I think I like her more than I like people, my mother assured me this is normal and all people like dogs more than they like other people. I guess this makes sense. They are far less annoying and pretty much keep their thoughts and judgments to themselves. All I think about lately is the damned dog and my in-laws' new dog, Smokey, who is absolutely adorable. I constantly have to tell myself not to dognap him while they are sleeping :)
I am still unemployed. Well, I was working at a daycare for just over 6 months, but that just did not last and was not for me at all. At least not that particular daycare. It was more a moral and ethical decision to quit than anything else. I love the kids. I still really would enjoy working with children, well most of them, but I can't see myself in a teacher position at a daycare ever again. I wish I knew more people with small children here who needed babysitters, the gig actually pays pretty well and I really enjoy it.
I did have one family I was sitting for. They had an amazing 4 yr old boy. He was a joy to work with. But, the dad was a bit too creepy for my taste and wanted me there even when he was there. Then, the mom informed me they were getting divorced and his creepiness factor rose. It was a bummer the whole thing fell through because I got $100 a day and I really love that kid. Oh well, thus is life.
I did apply for an actual library position at a community college here. I thought the interview went very well and I really enjoyed meeting the panel, all 6 of them. The Director emailed me later and said they had already had a current employee lined up for the position, but she did say I did awesome in the interview and made them question their previous decision. She wished she had another opening, but she didn't. Bummer, that's all I have to say.
I guess it wasn't meant to be. I am not sure what is meant to be, but I am going stir crazy, sort of. Mostly I just want to be making my own money again. I have been bringing in the dough since I was 16. I like having my own paycheck. Mostly, I just like having money I suppose... is that bad? I don't even really spend it. I am the most frugal person you will ever meet. I think I have a money hoarding problem. I don't want to spend it, I just want to know it is there incase something horrible happens. I start getting panicky when I think money is low. I suppose this is because I spent so much time worrying about my mom's negative bank balance when I was an adolescent. Either way, I am really weird about money. It makes me sick to spend it most of the time, unless I am getting a crazy good deal. I never buy anything full price (except maybe Wal-Mart brand soap and toilet paper) and have a coupon binder that would make most soccer moms green with envy.
The problem is I am so picky about where I work, I suppose this is not a bad thing... but I kind of feel like a spoiled brat being a childless homemaker and not trying to save the world or at least bring home some money. Shouldn't I be doing something more than running a household at my age? Don't get me wrong, I love not having the constant stress of the workplace and being able to set my own schedule. I have really come to enjoy many aspects of my day. I love steam cleaning carpets and even really enjoy vacuuming. I get a freakishly satisfied feeling when I see what all I picked up out of my carpets. But as I was saying, I am so picky about where I work and what I do. I would love to work at a craft store, but the closest one is over an hour drive away. The public library is cutting library hours and reducing staff. The college library already turned me down (they only have maybe 3 professional positions at this branch anyway). I feel a bit strange having a Masters and not using it in my career. But honestly, I am not even sure what to do. Now I even wonder if the library is where I am supposed to be. Perhaps, I am supposed to pursue some other path. Hopefully it becomes clear soon. Maybe God is just testing my patience and ability to trust and listen to Him.
Regardless, I am currently enjoying my position as homemaker, my husband's wife, and Sam's human.
Back to the hand cutting... I somehow always manage to have cuts on my hands, most often the fingers. Right now, I have a cut on my left index finger and left middle finger, both right at the tip so it stings as I type. I guess I am somewhat amused, if that is the right word, by the sensation, because I am still typing and also keep tapping them onto the counter, I guess just to check if the action still creates the same feeling. Yep, it's still there. The index finger cut is a mystery, but I pretty much always get cuts on the finger from knives or ridicuoulsy sharp JIF peanut butter jar seals. The misddle finger cut is, I am positive about this one, from a serrated steak knife. I was cutting broccoli for the big white beast who roams my house.
The big white beast would be our new dog, Sam. Make that our only dog, who happens to be a fairly new dog, Sam. Well, not new to the world, but new to this house. She is actually 2.5 or 3 years old, according to our veterinarian. Her name is Sam. She is an American Bulldog. And she is a person. Take that Cesar Millan, I just did what you warned me not to do, which is first talk about the dog as a name, then a breed, then as a person. He says we need to think of dogs first as animals, then the species dog, then as the breed, then as their personality. So, I guess I should introduce her as my animal, who is a dog, who just happens to be an American Bulldog, and her name is Sam.
Stubborn ass bulldog.
Haha, so I just typed "stubborn ass" into google to see if I needed to use a hypen, which I do not. But interestingly enough my first return was a video on youtube titled "Bella stubborn ass bulldog." I suppose this is a common personality trait among bulldogs. Sam is so stubborn. We used to have to pick her up and put her in her crate (not as easy as you might think when you have an all muscle 70 lb bulldog), she would go totally limp and then dig her claws into the carpet to avoid this nighttime ritual. She is finally going in by herself, with a few minutes hesitation of course, after I toss a treat in the crate.
She will also randomly choose not to sit when asked and just stare at us. When we stare back and after about 10 minutes of nothing, she finally makes a loud huffing noise and sits.
I make her lie down and wait for her food each morning... this takes about 10 minutes also. She sits and stares at me until she finally realizes I won't cave. Again with a huff, she lies down and waits until I invite her to eat.
She's crazy. She was dragging a 5ft x 4ft piece of thick cardboard around the yard yesterday and flinging it around like a toy. I guess that doesn't really sound that spectacular, but it made us realize how powerful she was and we watched in astonishment. She never ceases to amaze us. She is so beautiful and an absolute blessing.
I am sure it is obvious by this point I am obsessed with the dog. Not sure why. I think I like her more than I like people, my mother assured me this is normal and all people like dogs more than they like other people. I guess this makes sense. They are far less annoying and pretty much keep their thoughts and judgments to themselves. All I think about lately is the damned dog and my in-laws' new dog, Smokey, who is absolutely adorable. I constantly have to tell myself not to dognap him while they are sleeping :)
I am still unemployed. Well, I was working at a daycare for just over 6 months, but that just did not last and was not for me at all. At least not that particular daycare. It was more a moral and ethical decision to quit than anything else. I love the kids. I still really would enjoy working with children, well most of them, but I can't see myself in a teacher position at a daycare ever again. I wish I knew more people with small children here who needed babysitters, the gig actually pays pretty well and I really enjoy it.
I did have one family I was sitting for. They had an amazing 4 yr old boy. He was a joy to work with. But, the dad was a bit too creepy for my taste and wanted me there even when he was there. Then, the mom informed me they were getting divorced and his creepiness factor rose. It was a bummer the whole thing fell through because I got $100 a day and I really love that kid. Oh well, thus is life.
I did apply for an actual library position at a community college here. I thought the interview went very well and I really enjoyed meeting the panel, all 6 of them. The Director emailed me later and said they had already had a current employee lined up for the position, but she did say I did awesome in the interview and made them question their previous decision. She wished she had another opening, but she didn't. Bummer, that's all I have to say.
I guess it wasn't meant to be. I am not sure what is meant to be, but I am going stir crazy, sort of. Mostly I just want to be making my own money again. I have been bringing in the dough since I was 16. I like having my own paycheck. Mostly, I just like having money I suppose... is that bad? I don't even really spend it. I am the most frugal person you will ever meet. I think I have a money hoarding problem. I don't want to spend it, I just want to know it is there incase something horrible happens. I start getting panicky when I think money is low. I suppose this is because I spent so much time worrying about my mom's negative bank balance when I was an adolescent. Either way, I am really weird about money. It makes me sick to spend it most of the time, unless I am getting a crazy good deal. I never buy anything full price (except maybe Wal-Mart brand soap and toilet paper) and have a coupon binder that would make most soccer moms green with envy.
The problem is I am so picky about where I work, I suppose this is not a bad thing... but I kind of feel like a spoiled brat being a childless homemaker and not trying to save the world or at least bring home some money. Shouldn't I be doing something more than running a household at my age? Don't get me wrong, I love not having the constant stress of the workplace and being able to set my own schedule. I have really come to enjoy many aspects of my day. I love steam cleaning carpets and even really enjoy vacuuming. I get a freakishly satisfied feeling when I see what all I picked up out of my carpets. But as I was saying, I am so picky about where I work and what I do. I would love to work at a craft store, but the closest one is over an hour drive away. The public library is cutting library hours and reducing staff. The college library already turned me down (they only have maybe 3 professional positions at this branch anyway). I feel a bit strange having a Masters and not using it in my career. But honestly, I am not even sure what to do. Now I even wonder if the library is where I am supposed to be. Perhaps, I am supposed to pursue some other path. Hopefully it becomes clear soon. Maybe God is just testing my patience and ability to trust and listen to Him.
Regardless, I am currently enjoying my position as homemaker, my husband's wife, and Sam's human.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
yes, i am still alive
Of course I haven't blogged in a long time. I suppose a lot has happened since then. We bought a house and close this Thursday. We are going to start moving in this weekend. I am not sure we will get everything moved in this weekend because I am behind on packing. Apparently I had some sort of viral infection that turned into a secondary infection, leaving me with sinusitis and bronchitis. I went to the doctor and got drugs today. I hope to feel significantly better early this week. I need to pack and also go to work. Oh yeah, I got a job as a Teacher at a daycare. I have my own classroom made up of twelve 3-yr olds. In the mornings, I have a total of about 16 kids all to myself, ages 3-5. The mornings are crazy. The job is crazy and I am pretty sure that is where I picked up my illness. Those snotty kids are always sick.
The past three months were fairly uneventful. Suddenly, there are a million things to do. The minute one thing comes along, everything starts happening at once and I get sick. It has always been like that :)
The past three months were fairly uneventful. Suddenly, there are a million things to do. The minute one thing comes along, everything starts happening at once and I get sick. It has always been like that :)
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