I'm a 20-something new mommy who recently left my gig in the science industry to become a SAHM. I'm enjoying every second of my life here in Ohio with my husband and my sweet baby girl. Come along for the ride!
So since they put the kibosh on overtime here in the lovely land of awfulness (AKA work)...and I was forced to stay after yesterday to finish up a shipment...you know what that means?? I GET TO LEAVE EARLY TODAY!!
I decided to go home early today instead of tomorrow because I have a cake to bake tonight that is due tomorrow (and can I let you in on a little secret?? I haven't even started yet!) It shouldn't be too bad though. It's just a simple cake for a girl I work with. It's her birthday this weekend. She saw one of my cakes online and basically wanted the exact design. Check it out...
I made this at a cake workshop. It is a mini cake covered in fondant with fondant flowers. There are buttercream accents and the fondant was painted with luster dust.
She didn't want her cake covered in fondant, so I'm doing a buttercream version in a little lighter purple. I also couldn't find the exact flower cut outs...so I hope she doesn't mind those being a little different!
I'll be a busy, busy baker tonight...but I'll try to post pics tomorrow!
I just booked a day at the spa with my mama to celebrate Mother's Day! I am so ridiculously excited about this! I hardly ever get to celebrate with her on Mother's Day because I live so far away, but we will be together all next week..so I decided to celebrate a little early (and she will be totally surprised...if I can keep my big mouth shut!)
We will be spending the day on Monday at The Sundara Spa in Wisconsin Dells. Here's a little taste of the accommodations:
Isn't it gorgeous!?! A complimentary town car will be picking us up in the morning and taking us to the spa. We will start with a purifying bath ritual (whatever that is...it sounds wonderful!) followed by some lounging at the pool. We will then be treated to manis and pedis followed by our massages! Oh...how I hope my mom likes this! I really think it will be a fun day. Apparently we can stay there as long as we want! I just wish my sister was going to be there :( Stupid actuary exams always taking up so much of her time.
In other news, after much hesitation, I went to my WW meeting tonight. I missed last week because of the funeral...and let me just tell you that I ate horribly at home...like really bad. Wine, brownies, wine, candy, wine, pasta salad, NOT low fat bread...it was rough. However...I kept up with all of my running...and it paid off! I only gained 0.2 lbs and let me tell you how crazy excited I am about that! I'm confident that when we are on vacation I will be okay. They have a fitness center, I am going to be able to go grocery shopping for myself, and I'm pretty motivated as of this moment :) Yeah for not screwing up as much as I thought!
Well...I'm off to watch the last 1/2 of Days and then it's bedtime for Jenny! Only two more days of work and then I'm off for a whole week!
1. Mike Brown, the coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, joined my gym yesterday. 2. I'm pissed he didn't put down my name as a referral. I could've saved $10 a month! 3. I don't even like the Cavs. 4. I'm going on a trip this Saturday for a week to Wisconsin with almost all of my aunts, my grandma, and my mom. 5. Should be interesting. 6. We're staying right next to a casino. 7. Again, should be interesting. 8. My family consists of some HUGE gamblers. 9. The first time I went to a casino was last year. 10. I won over $100. 11. I only like to play the slots because I don't actually want to interact with people, therefore letting them in on the secret that I am actually in a casino. 12. My idea of a huge risk is putting more than $5 into a machine at a time. 13. I'm excited for a week off of work. 14. I hope my job is still here for me when I get back! 15. I'm hungry :) 16. I hate the phrase "hump day." 17. When my husband first said that to me years ago, I thought he was making it up and trying to be dirty. 18. I'm glad that Tara and Mike were not below the yellow line on The Biggest Loser last night. 19. I can't believe Ron is in the final four. 20. I have a cake due on Friday!
And in other news...
My sweet friend Nessa of Sparkles of Serendipity (don't you just LOVE the name of her blog?!?) gave me this award! Her blog is too cute...thanks again so much!
Here are the rules: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.
I'm going to take the easy way out and pass this award along to all of my beautiful followers! I'm stunned everyday to log on and see that there are actually people out there that WANT to read my blog! I never in a million years expected that...so thank you friends!
So everyone knows you're not supposed to handle jalapeno peppers and then go touching your eyes, right??
Okay...so Walmart did not have jalapeno peppers so instead I bought some anaheim peppers...which looked just like the jalapeno peppers but (as the sales associate told me) were not as spicy. Um, I think I was punked.
I decided that since they were not supposed to be as hot to just go ahead and chop them up not wearing any gloves. Bad idea. Although I washed my hands a bazillion times since last night...they STILL have the crazy hot stuff on them. How do I know you ask? I have contacts. That's how I know.
I had to take my contacts out last night and put them back in this morning with the fiery depths of Hell on my fingertips. Let me tell you...it did not feel good.
I'm hoping throughout the day, the heat will leave my hands so I can return to normal vision tomorrow. I think my eyes have suffered!
So...let this be a lesson to you. If it looks like a jalapeno...it tastes like one. Hands. down.
I'm back! Matt and I got home yesterday around 3:30. We were able to stop at Sonic on the way...which I am always in favor of since we don't have one close to us. It's sad that it took me so long to even go to a Sonic and realize it's fabulousness...and now that I have...it's no where in sight! Boo.
As soon as we got back...we rushed over to see Tammie and her new baby boy! I ended up going with the bib and burp cloth idea. Here's how they turned out:
I love them! And William is simply beautiful!
I went for my longest run ever today! I have no idea how far I went (ha!) but I ran for 27 out of 35 minutes!! I'm pretty excited about it! I had a rough week being in Indianapolis with my diet...but I did keep up my running and I'm glad that my endurance has not suffered. It sure was hot outside though...but I am not complaining one bit! I'm loving this weather :)
So after my run, I was enjoying my book outside on the patio when I discovered something atrocious! As you may or may not know, I am deathly afraid of birds. I'm completely unaware of what this fear stems from, but for at least the last 5 years I have had dreams (should I say nightmares!) of being pecked to death by these awful creatures! And...no birds are safe from my hatred...little baby birds...ducks...geese...nothing. I am, however, the most fearful of seagulls. They seem to swarm around me in flocks...just waiting to pounce. I'm seriously getting a little anxious just typing this!
So to my horror, I found a nest directly the the right of our sliding door neatly positioned above our patio light. I begged Matt to take it down...but he's concerned about the possibility of baby birds. Fine...I have SOME sympathy for the baby birds. But I'm extremely nervous knowing that thing is so close to me right this very second. Birds have been coming extremely close to the door...and now I know why! I hope they leave soon...
Want to know the craziest thing though?? The birds used some extra scraps from our Christmas tree that had been laying on our patio all winter for the nest! There is even tinsel up there :) It would almost be cute...if it weren't built by freakishly scary flying awfulness.
5 hour drive from Cleveland to Indianapolis...check
4 hours at the funeral home for the showing...check
1 bottle of wine...check
5 hours of funeral festivities...check
2 hours of family darts...check
Family Game Night!! Finally to the part of my time at home that I was looking forward to. We're through the tough part...we made it through entertaining friends and family for so long...watching my poor grandma as she buried her sweet, sweet husband of 55 years...listening to the gun shots of the Color Guard as they honored my grandpa as he was buried...trying to pull myself together enough to do a reading during the actual funeral service...
Now I can relax. We're a big board game family...I mean...seriously huge. It's a typical night at my parent's house to find all of us gathered around the table...laughing hysterically with each other (okay...mostly at each other) with good wine and good food. Did I mention I SUCK on my diet at home?? :) Balderdash is on tap for tonight...
Hope everyone's week is going well....I'll try to catch up with your bloggies as soon as I can!!
Today's the day I'm headed home. I took the rest of the week off which I am ridiculously excited about. Do you think they can lay me off while I'm gone...? Hm.
Anyway, as I sit here this morning, I'm thinking of all of the things on my to do list. (I love making lists by the way. Sometimes I write things down that I have already done...just to cross them off. I have a disease...I know)
I have yet to pack for our trip back home
I'm supposed to be getting ready to go to the gym (My diet/workouts suffer tremendously when I'm home...I have no gym...none of my own food...and have other people cooking for me. I'm actually getting quite anxious about it even as I type this!)
I have a list of a few rooms to tidy up before we leave
Shower up and getting all dressed for the showing (Matt is working a 1/2 day today...so we'll be cutting it close getting to the showing on time. I figured it might be best if I was all ready to go...as not to stress myself out even more!)
Honestly, I'm really not in the mood to do any of these things. I'm enjoying sitting on the couch with my laptop and loving the fact that I am here and not arriving at work this very moment. It's so peaceful this early in the day...
But...without further ado...I must go and get my list-o-crap done...before the whole morning has passed me by. In just under 12 hours...we will be saying goodbye to my Grandpa and having to entertain guests for a good 3 hours...yeah! Then...back to do it again for the funeral tomorrow. I've got a long couple days ahead of me...but they will be shared with friends and family which makes the daunting task of letting go of a loved one seem bearable. Thank y'all so much for all of your kind words and prayers for my family. They mean so much.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the week! Hopefully I'll get a chance to check in soon!
I'm in need of a teddy bears, rainbows, and sugar plums post...so here it goes!
These are a few of my favorite things!
1. Puppies! Matt is allergic to puppies...and kitties...just about anything with fur. But I can't get enough of them! I learned on Wikipedia, which is of course the most reliable source on the Internet, that Westies are hypoallergenic...so they are my new obsession! I WILL be getting one.
2. Peanut Butter I'm a huge fan of the pb...and will put it on just about anything. I don't like jelly though...and I will ONLY use JIF. I'm not sure why...but I will not budge on this issue.
3. Sun Although I've lived in the Midwest my entire life, I am a total Southern wannabe. I thrive in the sun. It gives me so much more energy and I adore being outdoors in the warmness. I seriously think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) because my mood is WAY better when it's sunny! (And what kind of acronym is SAD anyway??)
4. Days of Our Lives I know I've mentioned my obsession a couple of times, okay...okay...tons...but it is getting really good this week people! Phillip was SHOT and is bleeding out his bullet hole in his chest....Nicole and EJ's wedding was just interrupted by Sami...and there's a chance EJ could find out that he and Sami share yet another child together...(although it's actually the child he is raising with Nicole...not the one Sami is raising)...did you make it through?? Totally lost?? Give me one episode and you'll be caught up in no time! It's been the same day for a whole week!
5. And last but not least, my bloggy friends!! I truly do not know what I would do without the support system I have found here and I am so thankful for each one of you! I have formed so many unique relationships that I would've never been able to do before and I feel so lucky to have the friends I have found here in my life.
After my jaunt to and from the gym Saturday...my leg was mad at me. What I thought was some sort of calf issue...Matt later "diagnosed" as actually a problem with my Achilles tendon. It got worse and worse as the day went on. By early afternoon I could hardly walk. It was so tight with every step I took...and I couldn't put any weight on it. (I may or may not have had to lean on the bed whilst putting on my jeans)
But like a trooper...I soldiered on. I whipped up some Oreo Truffles (just so you know...if you ever decide to make these...you will be asked to bring them to EVERY event you are EVER invited to from that point on) and Matt and I headed over to a friend's house for a cook out. I was determined not to let anyone notice my limp (I minimize this by saying limp...but Matt almost forced me to use a cane...no kidding). I even climbed the stairs to check out the new nursery they had just finished. (Gorgeous by the way...baby #2 in my life making his/her's appearance in the next 10 days or so!!)
Well, I got through the evening without anyone saying anything...except for the occasional smirk I got from Matt when he noticed. I rested it on Sunday...and today it is feeling much better. Not 100%...but walkable. My other leg seems to have developed a shin splint...but with that...I can deal.
In other news...my dear grandfather passed away yesterday. He was not well and had been on dialysis for several months. They discovered a blood clot in his leg on Saturday...he went into the hospital...had a heart attack...and never woke up. We prayed and prayed in church on Sunday for my mom and her family to have peace in any decision they had to make about his condition...and I know our prayers were answered. The family was waiting on one of my uncles to arrive so they could decided when/if to take Grandpa off the ventilator...and his heart just stopped. I'm just so thankful that they didn't have to make that decision...God made it for them. I am finding a lot of peace in that.
Grandpa at Christmas, the last time I saw him
So, in an attempt to make this post a little more, shall we say, cheerful...I am looking forward to some much needed time away from work and a chance to see my family...whom I have not seen since my sister's wedding in January. I'm thankful for my husband and how he can so easily see through my words of "you don't need to come with me" and know that I need him more than anyone.
My grandma and grandpa have 7 children...who are all there surrounding my grandma with their love and helping her in any way that they can. She was Grandpa's caregiver...the one who took him to his dialysis appointments, the one who cooked for him and forced him to eat when he didn't want to...and always made him eat what he was supposed to. She kept that man alive for much longer than he should've been (he had a heart transplant 13 years ago!)...and I'm looking forward to being there for her now that she is the one in need.
So I guess we'll be heading back home to Indianapolis sooner than we'd planned.
I did something today, ladies, that I thought I would never do. I RAN to the gym. Yep...who does that?? Only a crazy person...I say!
The gym is three miles from my house...and I no where near ran the whole distance...but I ran the 3-eight minute intervals that are required for this week and walked the rest. I was planning on doing an hour Zumba class and then some lifting...and then Matt was going to pick my lazy butt up because I didn't want to have to walk home :) Well the sucky Zumba instructor was there (the one where I could do a whole class and not even sweat! I mean...if I'm going to get my butt out of bed for a 9:30 am Zumba class on a Saturday...I want to sweat lady! Quit catering to the old farts in the class and help me lose weight!) So I skipped it...did my lifting...and walked all the way back home! Now...I'm spent.
I will say though...that my left calf is KILLING me. I don't know what's up...but it just started hurting yesterday. I'm trying not to be a wuss and "play through the pain" but the pain is starting to make it hard to walk! I'm taking the day off tomorrow from running...so hopefully I will be feeling better by Monday.
So check out what I got!
The lovely Novelista Barista AND Ruggy 13 at Adorably Distracted gave me this award! Thank you ladies so much...I truly love reading your blogs and I really appreciate your kindness!
The award is for:
Dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging AND
To seek the reasons why we all love blogging
*Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it *Don't forget to mention the person who gives you the award *Answer the award's question by writing the reason why you love blogging *Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like *Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post
So why do I love blogging?? I love having a place to go to share what I think and feel. It's a place where I get instant feedback on triumphs as well as tribulations and I have met the most amazing people; a place where I feel safe to express myself without judgment (for the most part!) and learn that there are so many people out there just like me...twenty somethings trying to find their place in the world!
Yesterday was my WW meeting...and I lost again! Not a ton...0.6 lbs., but I'm very glad to be going in the right direction. I also got an award! It's a charm of clapping hands with the number 16 on it for staying with the program for 16 weeks! Pretty exciting! Here's to another 16!
Also, I've been keeping up with my running. You may remember that this week I am up to 8 minutes of running at a time. Well, dare I say this running thing is getting a little easier?? Who would've thought, right? Yesterday when I ran, I couldn't even believe it was me. I ran for so long without even getting tired! Now don't get me wrong, by the end...I was sweating like a pig and was ready to be done...but for most of the workout I felt really good! I really didn't expect it to ever feel like this. I'm actually looking forward to the day where I can run the whole 30 minutes (and yes...this is really still me writing this...I promise!)
My current inspiration and motivator is Tara from The Biggest Loser. My husband and I are VERY into this show. I know he only watches it because of me...but he loves it...I can tell. Here's a before picture of Tara from when the show started 15 weeks ago:
The girl weighed in at 294 lbs. the first week. And after 15 weeks on campus...check her out now!
I mean, can you even stand how freaking gorgeous she is?? She has lost 112 lbs. And she's not just losing a ton of weight, she's also winning just about every challenge possible. The girl is a machine! She is so strong and has so much endurance and drive. It is really encouraging to watch her transformation.
BUT...my real fave on the show is Mike. He's 18 years old and the sweetest kid around. He works so hard and he is really getting results. I am loving the changes in him...inside and out. You can totally tell he is getting more confident. He never talked at the beginning of the show...and now he's always chatting up a storm in the interviews. Here's his before pic:
He weighed in at 388 lbs. to begin the show. After his makeover in week 15...check out the cutie pa-too-ti now!
His makeover was my favorite. He has now lost 145 lbs. It's simply amazing.
If you don't watch this show, I definitely recommend it. It gives you inspiration and it's good for your diet too! Who can sit and eat ice cream or pizza while watching someone work out?? Well...I can...but not all the time...and I DO feel bad about it.
When a Clay Aiken song came on my IPod at the gym while I was lifting weights yesterday, I didn't change it
I was internally super pissed when a lady and her daughter stole my workout bench when I stepped three steps away for two seconds...hello...my weights, water bottle, and locker room key are sitting right there people! You had to step AROUND them to get to the bench!
I stole a Twizzler from my husband's Easter basket this morning...okay fine...and an Almond Joy
I didn't do The Shred yesterday...even though I had planned to (Lindsey...will you make that one up for me??)
Logging onto Blogger and seeing that I have more followers than the last time is a highlight of my day
They let 5 people go at my work today, and I was glad it wasn't me
Even worse, I was happy about 2 of them
When I "cleaned" the living room yesterday, I didn't dust...or windex
I jammed to Keith and Kristyn Getty really loud before my husband got home from work...and I may've danced around the living room a little...a little
I want with all my heart to eat the cake we are getting today at a meeting...go home and eat chocolate chips and everything else that is left in Matt's Easter basket...eat all the chips in the house...and then order pizza (but I won't...because it's weigh in day!)
I went to Tammie's house yesterday to let out her dog...and I seriously thought about taking him home with me
I read the spoilers on Soaps.com for Days of Our Lives...every. single. day.
My very good friend Tammie had her baby this morning!! She went into labor last night...so I'd estimate her labor to be around 12 hours. Whoa! I'll be sure to get some details ASAP!
Anyways...Tammie and her husband Kevin now have a healthy baby boy!! I can't wait to meet little William! He is 21 in. long and weighed in at 8 lb 1/2 oz.
So..my dilemma...what to buy my new favorite baby boy (until BEB's baby is born..and then Mr. William will take a backseat!)?? I have been searching on Etsy all morning for the perfect little monogrammed gift! Here is what I have found so far:
Help me people!! Do you like any of these?? I need some serious suggestions! Have any other ideas??
Worked out with Jillian and did some weights at the gym
Showered up and finished all of the grocery shopping for TWO weeks!
Made some fabulous Oreo Truffles with Tammie...and DID NOT have to take her to the ER...no baby for her yet...but she's due today!!
Relaxed!!
Saturday...my usual grocery day (notice...that is not listed!!)
Zumba at the gym
Took Matt's car to the shop to take the snow tires off...NO MORE SNOW...DO YOU HEAR ME!
Taco Bell!! You have no idea how long it has been since I have had Taco Bell...let alone fast food...oh how I missed you!
Movie! We NEVER go to movies...but we had free passes from Christmas that we still hadn't used (see...we never go!) so we went to see Adventureland. It was pretty good....I'd recommend Netflix-ing it.
Easter Sunday
Early Church
Did my very 1st run outside!! Oh my...it was wonderful. I have NO IDEA how far I ran...but I did my "running 5 minutes walking 2" thing for the last time that week! Now today I'll be up to 8 minutes...yikes!
Watched about 4 episodes of Property Ladder we had on the DVR. I think it's our new favorite show!
Made a budget in Microsoft Money (VERY exciting...actually...it kinda was...I know...I'm sad)
Grilled out! Please do not think this means that it was warm...um no...it was only 40! But...it was so sunny! We just couldn't resist. I'm a sucker for that grill smell!
Happy Easter everyone!! We attended the most powerful service this morning! Our how I wish y'all could've been there! We attend Parkside Church where Alistair Begg is the Senior Pastor. Have you heard of him?? Apparently, he is quite famous...although I myself had never heard of him until we moved to Cleveland. Well, I love me a good, straight from the Bible teaching...and that's exactly what he does!
This fantastic couple, the Getty's, graced us with their presence at the service as well. They write and sing a ton of the songs we use during church for worship and I get absolutely lost in their music. Seeing them in person is always so moving...and with all of the musicians...and the choir...I can't even being to describe the feelings that I had! It's like I couldn't sing loud enough (sorry honey!) and I was getting all choked up just hearing the concregation. There were obviously so many more people there than are usually in attendance...and it was truly an emotional experience for me. I'm just so excited that so many people where there to witness it! I do hope they come back again for another service. Parkside is simply amazing!
Here's just one of the fabulous songs we sang this morning. This isn't our church...but you get the idea. Aren't they fantastic!?!
Do you do Easter baskets?? I have made it a tradition to give one to Matt every year since we started dating! Here's what he got this year:
Some candy...of course...and he got a book and a Bible! He's always trying to share mine...and I'm quite possessive of the Word :) so I thought it was about time he had his own copy! I'm trying to scale back his candy though, seeing as he never eats it...and I end up eating it instead :)
He also received this card:
I had a very religious card picked out...but then I saw this one...and just had to get it! It's very me :)
I'll update you on the rest of my weekend soon...but I wanted to get this Easter post up before the day slipped away!!
Jesus is risen! This is definitely a time for celebration!
Can you tell I'm excited?? It's a floating holiday at work! As a contractor..that means no money for me...but I could freaking care less because I'm so excited to be posting from my couch instead of from my desk at work where I stare at a cinder block wall all day...taking breaks only to potentially kill myself with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or sulfuric acid.
My plan for the day is as follows:
30 Day Shred
weights at the gym
finish grocery list
shower
make Oreo Truffles with the lovely...ready to have her baby ANY DAY NOW Tammie!
grocery shopping
RELAX!!
I'm so excited to be getting our grocery shopping done today so tomorrow we can totally chill all day!! I'm also going to try to shop for 2 weeks. We never do this...but I thought maybe it would save us some money in the long run and also a trip to the store every other week. I'll let you know how that idea fares :)
I hope y'all have a great weekend and an especially fantastic Easter. I'm blessed with so much and it's such a great time for reflection and admiration for what Jesus did for all of us. Where I would be today without Him, well..I don't even want to know.
Oh...and an update on my running!! I have good runs and bad runs...but I never stop. I've stuck to my training and I have run all the days I am supposed to and for as long as I am supposed to. The more I run, the slower I get...but I'm just happy to be running for as long as I am. I am now running for 5 minutes at a time with a 2 minute walk in between....so essentially 20 minutes out of my 30 minute work out are running! Next week it bumps up to 8 minutes of running at a time...so (yikes!) we'll see how that goes! I'm nervous...and some days I just want to quit. BUT...this week at WW...they said that next week they were bringing in this guest to talk about a WW 5K...which would be perfect for me. They're going to have training and everything...so I think it was God telling me to quit being such a baby and get my butt in gear!
First, I want to thank all of you lovely ladies for your comments yesterday on my horrible work post. I never thought I would meet such fantastic people from blogging, and the relationships I share with each of you are so truly special to me. Your support means more to me than you will ever know and I am humbled at the fact that you would take the time to comment on my problems. I can't thank you enough. I just wish some of you would live up here in the freezing Midwest so I could meet you in person! (Well...if I'm wishing for things...I wish I lived in the South!)
I have come to the conclusion that I will make a decision about going back to my job when the time comes (I mean...I haven't even been laid off yet!), but until then, I will try to find another job that I really love. This one blows. What's better than looking for a job while you're at work anyway, right?
Onto more important things...my closet project!
Last weekend I tackled the infamous walk-in closet in our bedroom. Do you girls share closets with your husbands?? I do....I do not heart it. I love to organize and keep things in their place...hubs...not so much. I am definitely in no way saying that the closet mess is his fault...but I would LOVE more room to myself! Alas, not an option right now, so here is the disaster that I started with:
How it ever got this bad, I will never know. I am super embarrassed showing this to you...but it must be done in order for you to get the full effect of the finished product!
What a difference! It makes me so happy to walk in there every morning to it being clean. I AM bothered by the fact that all of the hangers don't match but that is SO me. We got those awesome Huggable Hangers for a wedding present and they just might be my favorite gift.
They make the clothes lay so neatly together...but they are crazy expensive...and we ran out...so I'm stuck using crap ones for a few items.
Oh well, overall, I'd say success!!
My list now includes my "junk" drawer in the kitchen and the bathroom cabinets. Maybe this weekend??
If you got laid off, and they called you to come back, would you?
A little background on my job: I'm a chem lab technician at a very well known company. I'll defer giving the name at this juncture...but I don't think that will last forever :) They only hire people in as temps (aka: contractors) and then evaluate your performance and then hire you full time. This is what they say to get you in the door. What they really do is hire you as a contractor, never with any intention of hiring you on full time, and you rot away for 2 1/2 years....busting your butt...hoping someday they will see what an asset you are to the company. (Alright...so they did hire 1 person in the 2 1/2 years I have been here...but 1 out of 45...not good odds)
I got promoted after a few months to "lead contractor" (I know...fancy right??) and was put in charge of all of the contractors at our site. I was doing this on top of my lab responsibilities...and when we got up to over 40 contractors we decided to hire someone to take over the job full time. I was completely fine with it. Working in HR (which is essentially what I was doing) was something I was neither trained for nor wanted to do. Listening to grown adults bicker and whine about why they were late that day or how someone gave them a dirty look was NOT FUN! Plus....I developed no sympathy for people, something that, if I think back long and hard, I used to have.
Well, due to the economic climate we are currently experiencing, my company is doing some intense lay offs. Of course, they are ONLY laying off contractors. Don't you think it would be better and more cost efficient to lay off full time associates who totally suck instead of people you don't even pay benefits, make less money, and are good at their jobs? Um, no...I guess not. We are now down to 22 contractors. 22. There are rumors going around that 7-8 more are going this week.
I have been told by a very reliable source that I will be among the last to go if the time comes, but somehow this does not ease my anxiety. I truly think that time will come and I will be out of work. Although this will not have the same impact on my family as it will on others that I work with, I still don't want to lose my job. I'd much rather leave this awful place on my own than be asked to leave. And the whole process of laying people off is just awful. They don't even tell you at work. They call you at home and say don't come in again. You aren't allowed back to even collect your things. Someone would have to go through my desk and my locker and get my stuff for me and I would have to go and pick it up from our temp agency (which is over 45 minutes from my house). Well, by golly, this is not happening to me! I cleaned out my whole desk on Monday and brought everything home. I'm essentially ready for my call...
So my question is: What if they call in a month or so and say they are busy again and want me back? Should I go? I really, truly hate it there...but what if I haven't found another job? What if we miss my paycheck more than we think we will? Could I handle going back to a place that so easily threw me aside? A place with clearly no job security whatsoever?
I've been dying for this New Balance tote ever since I found it in my Shop It To Me e-mail the first day I signed up. I have been looking for a new gym bag and I think this would be perfect. It keeps coming down in price...so I think I may finally break down and get it this weekend. It's only $26.99...originally $45! And free shipping...for which I am a huge sucker.
I'm also in love with this little Ralph Lauren number. I would never pay $300 for a dress...and I know no idea where I would wear it...but alas, I am still in love with it.
Some other items I am currently coveting are as follows:
Ralph Lauren's Parker Striped Golf Shirt (perfect in pink for a new golfer like me!)
Remember that time when I left for work at 5:45 am and it was snowing...and when I drove home from work at 3:00 pm and it was snowing...and when I went to the gym and the grocery and made dinner and cleaned the upstairs and I looked outside and it was still snowing??
Upon the culmination of our 15 year relationship last Thursday evening, I wanted to express to you just how much our time together has meant to me. For many, many years, we had a weekly "date night" that I looked forward to with such anticipation. I didn't always know who you would be sleeping with, but I did know you would be thinking of me. Some days I didn't know if you were going to live or die, but I know my love for you pulled you through.
The bond we shared was strong, but I took it hard when you left me for Africa. I gave up on watching your friends in the ER...only to return when there was some minute chance you would be reappearing for a visit. Then when you came back a few weeks ago, it was like nothing had changed...no time had passed. It's like you finally realized what was missing for so many years...and we were reunited at last. Although you did scare me half to death with your whole needing a kidney transplant issue, you pulled through and your death is not something I will ever have to endure (thank goodness!).
Although is seems as if you will remain at County General in Chicago, our weekly date nights have ended. We will no longer be able to see each other and my heart is saddened. You have left an impression on my life that can be touched by no one else. There is a smile that only your face can bring to existence, and that smile is gone...
So I bid you farewell John. I will always love you and I will look forward to reliving our times together in syndication.
Forever yours,
Jenny
So for real, did anyone watch the last episode of ER?? I was actually kind of disappointed. It was more like a regular episode than a finale of a show that lasted 15 years. And what's up with Dr. Carter and his wife?? Are they going to reunite...or what? Oh geez...
On another note, I would like to give a huge THANK YOU to A NYC Housewife-In-Training who hooked me up with both of these awesome awards! Thanks girlie...your blog totally rocks! I really appreciate it your thoughtfulness.
This weekend was simply wonderful. Our usual routine was interrupted by some plans both Saturday and Sunday and it was so nice just to do something different!
Saturday we woke up and headed out to an Assisted Living facility on the east side of Cleveland for a volunteer event for the Junior League...my first one! Both Matt and I had volunteered to help out with an Easter Egg Hunt they were hosting for the kids in the community and the staff's children. Unfortunately because of the weather, the hunt was moved indoors. Although the hiding of the eggs was totally lame seeing as they were just sitting there in plain view, the kids seemed to have a great time! They all came away with a TON of candy.
The woman in charge gave a few of us a tour of the facility when we arrived. We met a lot of the residents and assisted in bringing them down to the Easter Egg Hunt so they could see all of the kids. Although there were definitely people living there that were not really coherent and didn't know what the heck we were doing there, there were also those who were so happy to see us and talked out ears off. We walked through a common area where some of the residents were watching TV...and as Matt walked by...one little old lady said, "Cute!" It was hilarious! Matt fit in very well with the elderly. They think he is very handsome...one lady tried to sell him her "apartment"...AND he loves to sit around all day and do nothing but watch TV. I think he was ready to move in :)
Next we took on the role of passing out refreshments. I have to say, we ran a very well organized station! No one can pass out animal crackers and HUGS like the two of us!
We did some grocery shopping and headed home so Matt could do some work. I actually DID clean the closet! I will post more about that later this week. It was an adventure!
Sunday we went to a church service near home because one of our good friends was singing. It was such a nice time and we enjoyed a meal out with friends after the service at IHOP! (Last time we went to her service, we had to go to Bob Evans for breakfast....which I absolutely hate!! Home fries make me want to puke. Matt stepped in and suggested IHOP...one point for him.)
So after brunch, we did the whole let's get a million separate checks thing. Well the waitress called out a name and neither Matt or I understood, but Matt could see it was his credit card so he raised his hand. Then when she gave him the bill she said, "You are a doctor, right?" Um, what? Matt's initials on his card are M.D. (insert last name here). She thought because his initials were M.D. that he was a doctor! It turns out that's what she had said when she called out his name...Doctor! Ha! And Matt raised his hand like, yep, that's me :) I personally got a kick out of it. MAYBE if the M.D. was after his last name...okay...but hello?? Not before! Oh that made my morning :)
Have y'all heard of Shop It To Me?? My BFF Jill just sent me an invitation for the site. It's basically a site that is your free personal online shopper. What could be better than that, right??
You can select from tons of brands such as Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, D & G, Express, J.Crew, Kate Spade, Lilly, Michael Kors, and more! You can enter in your sizes for shirts, pants, bras, anything....and it will search sites like Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdales, Bluefly...anywhere where the brands you select are sold...and send you an e-mail summary of which new items go on sale in your size. You can sign up to receive e-mails as often (or not so often) as you like. AND...it's totally free! What a great deal, huh?? They also have shoes, handbags, and jewelry!
I'm currently in love with this Kate Spade tote. Still too expensive for me...but now I have my eye on it!
As you can tell, I am very excited about this find and I wanted to immediately share it will all of my blog friends! If you want an invite, leave me a comment with your e-mail (if it's not linked to your blog) and I'll send one your way!
Thank goodness it's Friday! I couldn't be happier that the weekend is almost here and I only have a few hours left at this horrendous place (aka: work) until I can enjoy some much needed time off. I have a trip scheduled to the gym tonight and then it's relaxation central for me! I'm making Shrimp Lasagna Rolls for dinner and I'm really excited to see how they turn out.
Saturday morning, I have signed up for my first volunteer activity as part of the Junior League. I am going to be visiting a nursing home on the east side of Cleveland that is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt. I'm not exactly sure what responsibilities I will have, but it should be a nice morning. I'm looking forward to getting out of the house for a little bit and giving back in whatever way I can.
Sunday we are going to a cantata service (choir concert) at one of the local churches near our neighborhood instead of making the 45 minute trek out to our usual service. I'm looking forward to this change of pace from our normal Sunday routine. A friend of ours is in the choir and has invited us. We went to one of her cantata services once before and it was really nice.
Overall, it should be a fairly uneventful weekend...and I am looking forward to it. I have plans to tackle our bedroom walk-in closet in the near future (it is hideous!) so we'll see if that finds it's way into my weekend plans.
Do you ever have a day where all you want to do is crawl up in a little ball in bed, nice and warm, shut out everything, and wake up tomorrow like nothing ever happened? Well, I'm having one of those days. I'm officially in a funk.
So...to help bring me out of this funk, I thought I would post my current favorite commercial that is guaranteed to make me smile. You may think this is a weird commercial to like...but I think the song is super cute and I'm about two seconds away from calling AT&T...finding out who this little girl is...and stealing her. Her face when she realizes her daddy is home is simply heart-warming.
Whilst I was looking for this commercial (and having quite a lot of trouble seeing as I couldn't even remember what phone company it was for...probably not a good quality for a commercial to have), I came across this one...which is also one of my very faves.
I love it so much!
1. Because it's simply hilarious. I have to look at the subtitles every time because I still don't know what they mean. Seriously...I'm old. 2. MY BFF is named Jill! Sometimes I say this to her...it gets a good laugh :) It's like the commercial is about us...except I'm 25 and I only send about 5 text messages a month....but they are usually to her :)
For some time now, the Wife has been asking me to post as a "guest blogger," but these requests have always resulted in a standoff: she insists on maintaining creative control over her blog, and I've insisted on posting only objectively interesting topics: my love for firearms; military history; or my list of the best gifts that Barack Obama can buy for foreign heads of state (for the Queen of England, I personally would have gone with a DVD of The Naked Gun. She was great in that movie, and it would have brought back fond memories of the time that Lt. Frank Drebin foiled Reggie's Jackson assassination attempt on her life. An iPod? Uninspired.).
And so all of that has come to this (and explains why this post is so late today): I've relented and agreed to post something that might be of some actual interest to her followers (don't forget to comment if you want to hear something about my other potential topics). I always appreciate genius no matter where it might be found, and because once upon a time I wasted four years of my life studying advertising and marketing, I'm particularly partial to genius reflected in a thirty second ad spot. Thirty seconds is an awfully short period of time to develop and communicate your message, so those that do it well deserve a salute.
Among the best in recent memory is the Martin Agency, which developed the GEICO Caveman, apparently (and sadly) now defunct. Aside from being hilarious while still being intelligent--separating these spots from, say, low brow beer commercials--they skewer political correctness, which by itself gets a warm reception in my book.
The Caveman himself is a brilliant piece of work, and he's terrifically well cast. My favorites:
One of the better Cavemen spots has been removed from YouTube, but you can find it at 2:26 in the below video:
Regrettably, notwithstanding a pretty good run, it looks like GEICO is not producing new Caveman spots, settling instead for the remarkably lame "Kash" spots, which as far as I can tell, were not developed by the Martin Agency (the other ads, including the gecko and Mrs. Butterworth, are pretty good).
After these commercials had been making the rounds, ABC developed a nearly unwatchable sitcom based on this campaign (failing to cast the Caveman in the commercial, among other things), which shows only that the incompetent executives at ABC couldn't find gold at Fort Knox. After all, this is the network that brought us "Cupid."
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For quite some time, I've also been fond of the people behind the Old Spice ad campaigns, Wieden + Kennedy (don't confuse this as an endorsement for Old Spice itself--I have little or no desire to smell like gasoline while at work). I think that Bruce Campbell is uniquely appealing to men, so he's a perfect person to cast in an Old Spice ad, but in any event, the below ad is truly inspired:
First, I'm one hundred percent in favor of any ads featuring the work of Duran Duran, and Hungry Like the Wolf is the undisputed champion of this category. Second: why does the piano continue to play when Bruce Campbell makes his hand gestures? This has to be intentional, as it's far too large an error to overlook. So why does the piano keep playing? Because he's Bruce Campbell. And he wears Old Spice (did I mention that his right hand was once a chainsaw in Army of Darkness?). It almost makes me want to head to the store and pay the people at P&G to smell like gasoline. Almost.
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I hate bowling and I hate long-haired punk rockers, but bowling AND long-haired punk rockers? WooHoo!
Although this is a commercial for ESPN, the folks at the PBA have to be behind this: there's just no way that the no-talent clowns at ESPN (affiliated, incidentally, with the aforementioned ABC) could put out this piece of unabashed genius. If the PBA Tour actually had its bowlers basking in the air vent of the ball return machine, I might actually watch a few events. As it is, Pete Weber's sunglasses just aren't doing it for me.
What do you think, gang? Does anyone else hold a special place in their heart for the things that we all skip over with the TiVo? If so, what are your nominations? Also, what does the fairer sex think about the over-the-top machismo of Bruce Campbell?
And worst commercials? That would be a considerably longer post.
