I Am An Advertising Sales Woman, I Really Am

"WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE"

The last two weeks have really gone well for me at my advertising sales job.  I was very shocked at the total dollar amount I sold and at the total of my paycheck today!  I wish I did that well every pay period!  I am learning who to go after and how to get them.  I believe in the next two weeks I will have another full page or half page ad sold!

It makes me nervous when things are going so well!  In the last month or two I have gotten a new vehicle, gotten a really fun, new, full-time job, been able to quit two part-time jobs, feel pretty thin for once, and gotten a new haircut that I am loving!  No, my life isn't perfect, but it's getting pretty damn close!  A lot closer than it used to be!  When we can get caught up on all of our bills and have money left over to do something fun once in a while, that will be closer!  Please don't pinch me cuz I might wake up!

If You Can't Say Anything Nice, Don't Say Anything at All

People have been getting on my nerves on Facebook lately.  Some people say exactly what they think with no regard to how it may come off to the other person.  I was told the picture of my new haircut looked really bad.  Then asked if I don't like having my picture taken, then why do I keep taking picture of myself and posting them.  Well, I do have to have a profile pic!  Duh people!  Then I have people who correct my grammar and spelling!  That really irritates me so much!  I guess they don't realize that they make me feel like shit by doing this.  And finally, I had people asking me why I wasn't at church!  I am not a regular church goer at all, so I don't understand why they missed me so much today at church!  I went on my FB and deleted all the comments that irritated me.  Maybe these people will get the picture! 

 I don't need lectured on attending church!  It is my choice to go or not to go.  I am not a person who believes in institutional religion.  I believe that if you are a believer in God, it doesn't matter if you go to a church or not.  I wasn't baptized until I was 22 because my mother "forgot "!  I do enjoy certain aspects of church like communion.  I have yet to find a pastor that I feel is inspirational regarding God.  I think I need to go to one of those very commercialized churches in a huge auditorium with lots of people saying "Amen" and "hallelujah"!  There is a church like that in Jefferson that I really want to go to!  There is also a couple of churches in Carroll that we haven't checked out yet that I'd like to.

Anyway,  my message is think before you post a comment.  Think how it is going to make the other person feel.  Don't be a bitch if the bottom line!

Job Update

The second week I was at my new office in Carroll I sold a full page ad! I sent emails out regarding our agriculture special section, and someone replied by phone and told me they wanted to do a half page because they were having a grand opening. Well, this half page turned into a full page. I was thrilled! Not only did I get a full page ad, I gained a new client who hadn't advertised with us in quite a while. I also got a poster sponsor who never advertised with us ever before, which is a major company. This was a really good week for sales for me! I'm hoping my paycheck reflects that this week!

I quit one of my part-time jobs on Thursday. I'm not longer an employee of GNC (General Nutrition Center). I feel relieved! I don't know how I did it working a full-time job and two part-time jobs. I did it for a month though! I was getting major burn out! I actually asked my boss at GNC if I could just be on call. That way I could still be an employee, but not work very much. My boss left me a message on my cellphone and said that there was no one on call. Previously he told me that there was a guy who was going to be on call, and now all of the sudden there wasn't anyone on call. He sure changed the story fast. Then on the voice mail he told me that I could put in my two week notice and I could give him two or three weeks! Nobody gives a three-week notice, unless it is required. Well, I had to work on Thursday night and I really didn't feel well all day, I was very achy all over. I texted my boss there and told him I was sick and asked if he could find someone to cover me. He just simply replied "ok". This was very strange. On Thursday to Friday I take my Hy-Vee schedule to GNC so that he can schedule me for the next week. I never took my schedule in. I thought he would call me freaking out. He never called. I guess he really didn't need me, huh? I was only working like 6 hours a week making minimum wage. I was just holding on for the employee 30% discount. I'm very glad I'm out of there.

New Job Update

Well today marks week # 4 of my new full-time job.  I started off working for the Smart Shopper in Denison, Iowa.  This is an advertising newspaper and I sell ads. The first week I sold 2 ads, which is great because my mentor told me that she didn't sell any the first week.  I've sold some ads every week.  Not a lot, may one or two.  The third day I was there my boss was fired.  That was interesting!  But,  it was a good thing for all.  Last week we moved to a new office.  Every day we would go out to eat for lunch.  It's been really fun.

This week I went to work on Monday in Dension.  I was talking to the telemarketer over there, and we decided we should switch positions.  Well, then my supervisor told me that I could just move to the Carroll office to be the telemarketer.  This worked because then I didn't have a half an hour drive.  Today I started in the new office.  I sold two ads today - one via phone and one via email. 

My new office is in an old hotel that was called The Villa.  It was remodeled into an office.  My office is only second floor.  It is very quiet there, but I did get a lot accomplished.  No interruptions!  I think I'm gonna like it, and hopefully I will sell some ads and make some major dough!

Oh, by the way...I get to write!  Yea!

Finally

For the past two years all I've been praying and wishing for was a full-time job. Well tomorrow I start one. I am very anxious. Worried that I won't be good at it or it just won't work out. I have protected myself if that happens by keeping 2 of my part-time jobs. But, of course, I am not wishing for that to be the case. I interviewed for a part-time freelance writing position, and what I ended up with is a full-time advertising sales position. How could I turn down a chance at a full-time job? The only bad thing is that I have to drive half an hour each way. So, the money better be worth the drive!

I've been in retail sales for years and customer service for a few. I know how to handle people. I can read what people are thinking pretty well. I feel like I wanted this so much and now it's here and I'm not ready! Well, ready or not, here goes nothing! Tomorrow I am job shadowing someone. I just hope they are ok to work with. I get along with everyone, but some people drive anyone bonkers!

I will keep you posted on how it all goes!

Following My Dreams

I was reading an advertiser the other day when something caught my eye. It was an ad for a freelance writer. I've only wanted to write for practically my whole life. It's what I went to college for. So I emailed the guy and attached my resume and coverletter. Then he emails back that he was unable to pull up my attachments. So now, sometime in the very near future, I need to mail or fax them.

I would really love writing again! I loved every writing class I took in high school and college, and I entered every essay contest there was. I won one in junior high. It was about Iowa. I was co-editor of my high school newspaper for 2 years and I wrote for my college newspaper also. My first job in Denver was at a corporate travel agency where I composed their monthly newsletter. I also worked for the Denver Business Journal, a big business newspaper. The only thing I got to write there was for the in-house newspaper.

I've about 3 teachers who have influenced my writing. The first one was Mrs. West in junior high. She was also our supervisor for the newspaper. In college I had my journalism professor, Prof. Ellis, and a writing professor, Andrea Frantz. Prof. Franz was awesome! She taught us to write from the heart. I think I frightened her once with how honest I was! I wrote a very personal paper and she ended up counseling on it. I loved her! I wanted to be her! I could see myself teaching writing in junior high or high school.

Well, we shall see if I get this position, and I will keep you all posted! I would be writing for the Denison, Iowa newspaper. I would love to see my name in a byline again! :)

The Itch That Won't Go Away

I've been suffering from a mysterious rash for over a month now. It started after I had been tanning. My doctor diagnosed it as "heat rash" and gave me predisone about 2 weeks ago. It cleared up everywhere except on my left arm and around my neck. I went back yesterday and she said she still thinks it's from an allergic reaction to laundry detergent. She gave me a shot in the butt of steroids. I guess it looks better this morning. Looks like it's drying up a little. Last night I was still itching especially my chest and neck.

I also suffer from severe seasonal allergies. I thought this all stemmed from my horrible hayfever. One night I was at a track meet until 1000 at night and the next day red and itching til it drove me crazy! I still think the rash is related. I am just hoping it goes away this time! If it doesn't I have an appointment with a dermatologist in Fort Dodge in 2 weeks.

As far as overall health goes, I'm still losing weight. I have lost almost 4 pant sizes since a year ago without exercising. I have been taking supplements from GNC. I think I have finally discovered just the right combination that works with my body to shed the pounds. Instead of taking just one kind, I take like one of each of about 3 or 4 kinds. It's working. I've also discovered how amino acids aid in weight loss. It's amazing. I have been down to the size I am for about 2 years. I know I need to exercise to tone it all up now, especially my legs! I'm definitely not bikini ready yet! Maybe bikini top while covering up the bottom half! I haven't felt comfortable about wearing shorts for quite a while. However, I see really heavy women wearing them and think, "What am I worried about?" It's very interesting seeing what some people chose to wear!

20 Years in the Making

In a couple of weeks, on June 1st, my husband Jeff and I will have been married 20 years! Wow, that doesn't seen possible at all! Time has really flown by! It's so hard to believe that I've been married 20 years, I'm going to be 43 shortly and I have a daughter who is almost 18 and will be a senior next year! I've almost lived and used up half of my life! My mom is 72! Unbelievable! Where does the time go?

The last 20 years have been full of ups and downs. We've had two children, gone through about 3 dogs and three cats, and have moved three times. Eleven years ago we almost lost Jeff to cancer. That was one of the toughest things I've dealt with. Two years ago I suffered a mid-life crisis when I lost my full-time job. But, we've managed to muddle through it all. Thank God for that! We just keep moving forward and try not to look back.

I look at the future and I really want to start a career that I never have been able to somehow. I want to make good money so that we can pay things off and save to go on trips It's so hard choosing what to be when you grow up, especially now  that I'm grown up and still don't know what to be. I've always been a go-with-the-flow kind of person. I think that has been part of my downfall. Looking back, I think I was the happiest job wise when I was managing a clothing store here in Carroll. I only did it for a year because I had to work a lot of weekends. I really enjoyed what I did though and wish I could get it back. Hopefully I can find another manager job somewhere around here. If my boss at GNC would ever leave, I could see myself managing it. I'd rather do clothing though. I guess I just need to start looking around. Open my eyes a little to what is available. 20 years ago I graduated from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake with BAs in English and Journalism, and intended on a writing career that never happened.

I do believe that God has a plan for us and everything does happen for a reason. You may not know the reason now, but somewhere down the road it all becomes clear why things happened. I'm looking forward to celebrating many more years with Jeff, and watching our children become adults and hopefully making good decisions with their lives. We only get one life and it is precious, as is time.

New Addition to Our Family

Rocky 3 months old

Yesterday we got an addition to our family, a baby boy sheltie puppy.  We had a sheltie that we had to put to sleep two years ago.  We loved Tiger very much and he was a great dog.  We had him for 9 years.  After Tiger we had a Mini American Eskimo dog we named Chloe.  We had to give her away because she couldn't be potty trained.



Our Beloved Tiger RIP

 My son and I drove from a basketball tournament in Des Moines to Bloomfield, Iowa to pick out the puppy.  It took us about 2 hours to get there.  It is located 52 miles from the Iowa - Missouri border.  Bloomfield has a Amish community.  The people with the puppies were Amish.  The didnt' have a phone at their house.  They had a community phone that they used.  On the way there we saw horses and buggies with people dressed in traditional Amish clothing.  There were a lot of Amish businesses.  When we got there the dog people were dressed traditionally Amish.  They lived on a farm off of a dirt road and up a little gravel path.  They had a lot of dogs.  I had told him that we wanted to male puppy, so they had four male puppies in a cage waiting for us.  There were three reddish colored ones and one that stuck out to us because he looked exactly like our old dog Tiger.  The prices ranged from $175 to $250.  It just so happened that the one we picked was the most expensive, but we knew it was the one, no matter what.


The puppy did really well on the 3 hour drive home.  He didn't throw up, poop or pee!  He sat on Dalton's lap the whole time, even though we had brought a box to put him in.  Dalton just couldn't put him down.  He's so soft and adorable who could blame him!  Now that we have him home, we are working on potty training him.  He has had several accidents.  I know it takes patience.  We are very glad to have him as a part of our family. :)



The Lord Has Risen, He has Risen Indeed!

We got up at around 5:00 am and went to Easter sunrise service at 6:30 am.  Our church held the service at Swan Lake.  It was conducted outside by the lake.  It was very cold this morning, probably around 38 degrees.  It was pretty chilly.  However, it was a beautiful ceremony.  There was scripture, singing, prayer and communion.  There were geese honking on the lake during all of this.  I love non-traditional ceremonies.  it was awesome!

Our extended family couldn't get together today because my niece had a baby in Minnesota, so our immediate family decided to go out for brunch instead of cooking.  We went at 10:00 am.  It was already quite busy.  There was ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, eggs, mash potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, salad bar and deserts.  It was very filling.




Last night my husband and I went to the movie "Water for Elephants".  My husband is a fireman and got a fire call after 20 minutes.  So, I sat through the movie alone.  I didn't mind.  I've done it before.  The movie was excellent.  I was glad I stayed!  The fire call was a little 3-year-old girl who was missing.  After firemen, police and EMTs went all over looking for her, she was found safely hiding in the back of her parent's van.  Her family was at the park and when they left to go home she went to the back of the van and hid from her mom.  Why?  I have no idea.

Well, it was a good Easter.  Praise God! Alleluia!

Back on Track

My 14 year-old son Dalton has started playing traveling basketball for a new team called the Iowa Corn Sharks.  Previously he has been on about 3 traveling teams.  He started out playing for the All Iowa Attack, then my husband started his own team, the Iowa Elite, and then finally he played for The Kingdom of Hoops.  The first team, All Iowa Attack, was a very expensive team to play for.  The monthly fees were about $100.  In addition to this we had to pay for uniform and all traveling expenses including gas, hotels and food.  This team traveled extensively outside of the state.

My husband's team, Iowa Elite, was a good strong team.  At the last tournament they played at there was an argument between one of the dads and my husband, the coach.  After that the team split up and there wasn't enough players left to keep the team going.  With the Kingdom of Hoops Dalton played about 3 tournaments.  We pulled him out after that due to the family being separated a lot for tournaments. It was creating some tension.  The new team, the Iowa Corn Sharks, play all of their tournaments within the state so there isn't a lot of time apart.

Over the course of all this Dalton somehow lost his confidence in playing the game of basketball.  On his 8th grade school team there are a lot of very talented boys who are very competitive.  He feels inferior to two of the boys.  He has always gone toe to toe with them over the years.

Anyway, today was his first tournament with the Corn Sharks in Fort Dodge.  Honestly, without bragging too much, Dalton is the best player on his new team.  I believe this is a very big boost to his confidence.  Hopefully this new found confidence will carry over to his freshman team next year, as well as upcoming baseball, and currently track season.

During Dalton's last game today he score half of the teams points, a total of around 24. :)

Where Has Time Gone?

Today I took the day off to take my daughter Elle to visit a college.  When I really thought about it, I was like, "Damn I'm old!"  It was 20 years ago this May that I graduated from college.  Where did the last 20 years go?  How am I old enough to have a daughter going to college in a year?  Wow!  It was a hard rock to swallow for sure!

The college we visited was Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.  We thought it would take about 2 hours to get there.  In reality, it ended up being 2 1/2 hours.  Getting lost and turning around twice didn't help the timing!  I was driving and Elle is no help at navigating.  We have a GPS on our new Blackberry's, however, we had no signal.  Nice!  Thank God I emailed myself the directions from Mapquest.  We also stopped to get an Iowa map after driving an hour and not being sure where we went from there.  Oh, well!  We ended up being about 15 minutes late.  No big deal.

MapQuest directions

From: Carroll, IA US
To: Orange City, IA US

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

1. Start out going NORTHWEST on US-30/E 6TH ST toward N MAIN ST. Continue to follow US-30 W. (go 0.79 miles)

2. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto US-71 N/LINCOLN ST. Continue to follow US-71 N.

- US-71 N is just past W 10TH ST

(go 12.5 miles)

3. Turn LEFT onto US-71/IA-175. (go 17.67 miles)

4. Turn RIGHT onto US-71.

- If you are on IA-175 and reach JACKSON AVE you've gone about 0.9 miles too far

(go 22.12 miles)

5. Turn LEFT onto US-71-BR/IA-7.

- US-71-BR is 0.3 miles past 615TH ST

(go 1.82 miles)

6. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto FLINDT DR/US-71-BR/IA-7. Continue to follow IA-7.

- IA-7 is 0.2 miles past MEMORIAL RD

(go 17.2 miles)

7. Turn LEFT onto 530TH ST/IA-3 W.

- 530TH ST is 0.4 miles past 535TH ST

(go 3.32 miles)

8. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto IA-3 W.

- IA-3 W is 0.3 miles past S AVE

(go 29.15 miles)

9. Turn RIGHT onto CR-K64.

- CR-K64 is 0.9 miles past PIONEER AVE

(go 13.83 miles)

10. Turn LEFT onto 2ND ST NE.

- 2ND ST NE is just past E 1ST S

(go 0.07 miles)

11. Welcome to ORANGE CITY, IA.

TOTAL ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours 37 minutes

DISTANCE: 118.46 miles

The college reminded me a lot like the college I went to, Buena Vista University in  Storm Lake, Iowa.  It was located in a small community and was a fairly small campus.Both are also Christ centered schools. Elle really liked it.  This trip reminded me of when I was getting ready to go to college and my method of choosing.  I really wanted to go to hair school, but my mother would not hear of it.  She kept saying, "Go get a college education.  You can always go to hair school."  Boy do I really regret having listened to her.  I wish I would have had some balls and put my foot down and insisted I go to hair school.  Anyway, when I figured I had to go to a college, it was a choice, according to my mom, between Iowa State and Buena Vista.  I knew I would get totally lost at Iowa State, so I opted for BV.  Again, I really wanted to go to a college in Nebraska called Midland Lutheran College.  My mom thought this was too far to drive.  It was really only like 2 hours, if that.  My mom was a single parent and I think she was pretty paranoid that something was going to happen to me.  This is the same woman who had me paged at the mall if she couldn't find me! omg!  Anyway, it's all said and done.  Now I have two BA's and no real job.  Nice!  Had I gone to hair school, I could be running my own salon by now.  I could go back, but I'm almost 43!  We will see.

Back to Elle.  She is taking her ACT tests tomorrow morning.  God help her!  She is not the best test taker at all.  She needs extra time and usually takes her tests outside of the classroom.  She is one of those nervous test takers.  Her doctor tried to put her on a pill that would slow down her heart rate when she got nervous.  It didn't work at all.  What can I say, my nervous kids take after me.  Poor things!  I wish they would have gotten my husband's confidence instead!  I don't know how I even made it into college!  lol!

We Don't Realize How Good We Have It

I was reminded today to be thankful for what I have.  I was working at Hy-Vee when two women, a mom and daughter, came up to customer service.  They wanted to purchase money orders.  The mom said that she needed to have the money orders in her hand before she was giving the daughter any money.  Well, we need the cash before we can print the money orders.  This caused a major scene between the two.  The daughter said, "It's my money, give it to me now!"  The mother said, "I'm leaving!"  She didn't get out before the daughter ran after her.  They were arguing in front of everyone in the store until an employee who knew the daughter asked them to take it outside.  It wasn't long before the two returned.  This time the mother gave my co-worker over $1,000 to purchase money orders.  After they received them, the daughter asked her mother for the rest of her money.  The mother again refused.  The daughter then called the police.  In the end I believe the mother gave the daughter her money and left her at the store.  The daughter took a straight shot to the liquor department of the store upon reentering the store.

I have seen the daughter in the store before.  One night she came in the liquor department when I was covering a break.  She came up to the counter and said, "I want something quick and cheap."  I showed her the cheapest liquor behind the counter.  She ended up buying some vodka for $4.69.  It is obvious to me that the daughter was an alcoholic and/or drug abuser and the mother was trying to save her.  It was a hard love approach.  The mother did not yell.  It was the daughter who made the scene.  At the counter the daughter said to her mother, "I'm never going to be able to show my face in this store again."  She was the problem not the mother.

It makes me wonder how people get this way.  What happened in their lives that made them this way?  Did they lose a child?  Did they lose their love of their life?  I would love to hear this woman's story.  It just makes me so thankful that my life is not like this.  So thankful for "normalcy" in my life.  We take our lives for granted.  It takes an event for us to stand back and look at ourselves.  Why does it take a tragedy for this to happen?  Love your family.  Tell them often.  Hug and kiss them every day.

Love and Basketball

My husband coaches the 8th grade team that my son Dalton plays on.  Jeff has been coaching my son's teams since Dalton was about 3rd or 4th grade.  This weekend we had a tournament in Ankeny.  Dalton's team lost their first two games.  Jeff and I missed the first game because of his work schedule.  In the second game Dalton played with all his heart.  None of any of the player's shots were landing and they lost by about 10 points. 

We were done for the day by 2:30 pm and checked into our hotel.  The hotel we were staying at was having some kind of hunting convention.  There were dead stuffed animals everywhere.  I am totally against hunting and can't stand seeing animals stuffed and mounted.  Not my thing at all.  We relaxed for a while and then headed out to dinner.  We decided we wanted to eat at a buffet.  There was a buffet that we used to go to when we lived in Clive, so we decided to go there.  It ended up being very gross.  It was the kind of place where you worry you'll end up with food poisoning.  Once we had paid though, we were stuck eating there.  It was the kind of buffet where you're not really sure what the food is the container was.  It was like on "Vegas Vacation" where Eddie says, "Give me some of the yellow." lol!  Scary!  We would have been better off with fast food or pizza.  Oh, well, live and learn.  That night we just layed around the hotel room watching basketball and having a few beers.  We were too tired to go anywhere or do anything.

Our last game was today at 8:00 am.  We almost over slept, but made it on time.  The team we played was not as advanced as our team and at first they couldn't score at all.  It ended up being a 20 point win.  We could have left our second string in for the entire game and won.  We came back home right away and it is good to be home.  Our 17 year old daughter Elle stayed home alone.  She slept in our bed.  It was cute to see her stuffed animals still in the bed.  Now we are home and Jeff and Dalton are passed out sleeping.

I am relaxing watching one of my favorite reality tv shows, "Real Housewives of Orange County".  I think that it is a form of voyeurism, living through the rich bitches on tv. lol  There was a store that they went to on the show and I looked it up online.  It is called Recycled Rags.  It is a used clothing store of high-end items ranging in place from $75 up to likek $6,000.

My All Time Favorite Movies and Why

I've decided to list my all time favorite movies and explain why.  Here goes:

#1 Pretty Woman

It is a Cinderella story.  Who doesn't want to be Cinderella?  Who does want to find a tall dark prince and be swept completely away?  Enough said.

#2 Sweet Home Alabama

Love Reese and the guy from the South isn't bad to look at either!  Patrick Dempsy doesn't do it for me!  She chooses right in the end!  My favorite part is the end when he says, "Why would you want to be married to me?"  And she responds, "So I can kiss you whenever I want!" I always cry!

# 3 - 27 Dresses

James Marsden is so adorable!  My favorite parts is when they are standing on the bar singing "Benny and the Jets" and at the end when she goes on the wedding cruise and professes her love for him on the microphone.

#4 Eat Pray Love

Julie Roberts is excellent in this movie.  This is a woman finding herself movie.  Love all the places she visits.  Love the phases of her love life.  This movie made me want to travel, eat and mediate!

#5 Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swazy in tight pants.  What else can I say?  Then there is baby, Frances.  This movie makes you want to visit a resort in the summer time! 

# 6 Road House

Patrick Swazy again.  I love him and his friend who gets the knife in the gut.  Didn't care for the actress who played love interest in this movie.  Patricky Swazy was awesome.  We named our son after this movie - Dalton.

# 7 Family Stone

This one is a family story. There is a love story within the family tragedy story. Diane Keaton again. Love her! Everyone ends up happy in this story, excluding Diane Keaton's character who dies.

# 8 Autumn in New York

If you haven't seen this one, you must! Richard Gere and Wiona Ryder are awesome in this movie. Another forbidden love movie. This one ends badly, but is so good!

# 9 Under the Tuscan Sun

Woman gets divorced. Woman goes to Italy and falls in love with a house and a way of life. Love this movie!

# 10 Devil Wears Prada

This too is kind of a Cinderella Story.  Rags to Riches.  The love story part is kind of messed up, since she doesn't stick with the new guy and ends up with the old guy.  The love interest part really played a minor part.  This was a "finding out who you are" kind of movie.

# 11 Days of Thunder

Young Tom Cruise, what else can I say?  Hot race car driver meets sexy doctor.  A forbidden love story.  Gotta love it!

# 12 Somethings Gotta Give

Love Diane Keaton.  I wish she would have chosen Keano instead of Jack in this one!  Still love the story. You're never too old to find love.

# 13 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Love all of the love stories in this one.  My favorite being the one in Greece.

# 14 August Rush

A real tear jerker!  The end is so awesome!  Makes you wonder about how many lost kids there are out there.

# 15 Dear John

A war movie really.  Brings the realities of what happens when men go off to war and leave their girlfriends behind.

# 16 The Last Song

Young love.  Rich boy meets poor girl.  Also the story of dealing with someone dying of cancer.  This is an great movie!

# 17 Hope Floats

This is a story about going back home and finding your long lost high school love and getting back together.  Loved it!

# 18 Momma Mia

The female bonding in this musical was awesome!  Loved all the singing!  Love it all!

# 19 Steel Magnolia

How far would a woman go to have a baby?  In this movie the woman would give her life.  Excellent film and great female bonding.

# 20 Sleepless in Seattle

A film of loneliness and finding love, for both a man and a boy.  Radio talk shows can find love.  Very romantic.

# 21 A League of Their Own

Female bonding movie of all time.  Loved it!  Gena Davis, Rosie and Madonna were great!  Tom Hanks was hilarious!

#22 Jerry Maguire

Tom Cruise.  This is a movie of believing.  Very inspirational. "You had me at hello!"

# 23 Baby Boom

Diane Keaton.  Corporate woman goes country simple and falls in love with a country doctor.  Also falls in love with motherhood.

#24 Legally Blonde  I

A film about women being strong and going after what they want.

# 25 The Wedding Planner

JLo and Mathew McConaughey. Sexy.  Funny.

#26 Fool's Gold

Mathew McConaughey and Kate Hudson.  Sexy Adventure.  Story of refinding love.

# 27 Maid in Manhattan

JLo.  Rags to riches.

# 28 Up Town Girls
Dakota Fanning and Brittney Murphy.  Story of a child bonding with a substitute mom.  The story of girl who has a it and loses it all, but ends up with the love of a child.

# 29 Sleeping with the Enemy

Julia Roberts in a film of survival.  Excellent film.  New Life, new love.  "My Brown Eyed Girl."

# 30 First Wives Club

Socket to 'em sisters!  Getting even with your cheating husbands. Diane, Bette and Goldie!

February 20th, 2011

Stress.  I could make a list of things that stress me out.  I don't deal with stress very well.  I tend to drink wine when I get stressed out.  It does the trick to unwind me.  Some people exercise, I drink wine.  Oh, well.  I should be in the wine of the week club. lol!  I also watch a lot of reality tv and movies.  I dont' know why, but watching someone else have problems makes me feel better I guess.

I am still working 3 jobs.  That is a stress in itself.  I continue to look for a full-time job.  I continue to send out applications and resumes.  I continue to pray to God to give me a break.  It's just a very tough job market right now and we live in such a small town.  It's so unfair in this town.  There are two jobs that I had, one at a local hospital and one at an appliance warranty company, where the companies won't rehire me because they think that I didn't give two weeks notice, but I did.  The one job at the home warranty company I continued to work at while also starting my new job of opening a physician's office from start up.  How can these people forget these things or document them incorrectly?  I also gave two weeks notice at the hospital also.  My sister worked at the local hospital also and they won't hire her back either.  Nice, huh? Every job I left I gave notice and left on good terms, or so I thought.



Occasionally having two teenagers can be a little stressful.  A lot of drama with relationships with friends and boyfriends and girlfriends.  I understand that kids change as they grow.  My husband, however, does not understand this.  He expects the kids to be in the "in" crowd because he was.  It's very frustrating for both of us.  Both of my kids were in the "in" crowd and grew out of it, which I am fine with.  When I was in high school I could have been in the "in" crowd, but they all drank and I didn't want to.  I found my own group of misfits to be with.  I was happy.  I wouldn't say I wasn't popular though.  I was a cheerleader and very active in school musicals etc.  I was friends with everyone.  My husband was like Mr. Class President and Mr. Football Captain, whose house all the kids hung out at.  I just let the kids make their own decisions and choices, within limits as long as they are safe.  I don't push them to be what they are not.  It's sort of like pushing a kid into an occupation they don't want to do.  Live and let live is my motto.  Breathe and let breathe.

A huge issue of my stress is about to come to an end soon.  I'm finally going to settle the car accident I was in.  I have a meeting with their insurance guy in about 2 weeks.  I hoping things turn out in my favor, which they should because it was the other guy's fault totally.  He got a ticket.  I'll be so glad when that who thing is done finally.  It's been a year on March 11th.

I think life is too short to be stressed over things.  I don't worry anymore because when I did, it didn't help, just gave me ulcers.  We are in a much better place than we were 2 years ago.  We have gone through some tough times.  I am so ready for life to be simpler and more enjoyable.  Throw the stress out the window and don't let it back in!  I think I need to tan, get a massage or have acupuncture, something really relaxing.



Valentine's Day

Some love Valentine's Day and some absolutely hate it.  I am on the side who loves it.  It is a national holiday dedicated to tell your loved ones you love them.

I was shocked when my 17-year-old daughter came home form work tonight and had bought Valentine's Day presents for everyone.   She got flowers for me, a balloon for her brother and chocolate for her daddy.  Wow!  She is the sweetest girl ever.  I almost cried!  I bought presents also.  I got candy for the kids and a pie and card for my husband.

My husband and I went out tonight to celebrate Valentine's Day, since tomorrow is a work day.  We went to the best local Chinese restaurant.  It was very nice because we hadn't been there for a while and there wasn't a lot of people there.  The food and company were excellent.