BREAK

Taking a break from all the packing...feeling totally burnt out! I would love to relax my whole four day weekend, but that obviously isn't happening. Maybe on Monday... Jordan is zero help right now because he's taking a nap before he has to go to work. Almost done with the bedroom...then all that's left is the kitchen. Which I haven't touched yet. Not looking forward to that. :(

Why did you last visit the doctor? To have a scary mole removed.
What was the last thing that made you feel proud and why? Getting straight As my last and hardest semester of college.
Do you like salt? Yeah...not a ton, though. I don't put it on everything like some people.
Do you think Kurt Cobain was assassinated? I don't know. It's nothing I've ever looked into too deeply.
Do you feel uncomfortable when people you hardly know confide in you? It depends--very heavily--on what they're saying. Most of the time I don't mind, but some things really shouldn't be shared with new acquaintances.
Have you ever regretted what you said in drunken conversation once sober? I don't think so.
Is there anything coming up which you're dreading? All the packing/moving stuff.
Anything you're looking forward to? Being settled into the new place!
Do you ever do tedious tasks just to keep your mind occupied? No. If I wanted to keep my mind occupied, I would do something enjoyable or interesting, not something tedious...
Have you ever lived with somebody with truly repulsive habits? Not repulsive...just highly annoying.
Do you tend to say things because they're appropriate not because you mean them? Not really.
Did you hate it when people patronised you when you were a child? Yeah. Who didn't?
What is a word you hate? Irregardless.
Do you have a favourite childrens book? I can't think of a specific book...if I had all of them in front of me, I bet I could, though. When I was really young, I loved any books with animals--Clifford, Berenstain Bears. I really liked Amelia Bedelia books and Dr. Seuss, too. Around 3rd grade, I was really into Nancy Drew and I loved the book Ella Enchanted. I was all about The Friendship Ring series by Rachel Vail in 5th grade.
Have you ever been in a job where you didn't fit in with your co-workers? Yeah.
Do you need a wee right now? Assuming that "need a wee" means "need to pee," no.
Is there a certain noise/sound which scares you? Um, gunshots maybe?
When did you last eat sweeties? Well, UK survey writer, if sweeties means candy, yesterday. If its a specific food item, never.
What was the last thing to upset you? Realizing that our new apartment does not have a dishwasher...I definitely thought it had one. But no, it doesn't. :(
What was the last thing to make you happy? Orange julius and pretzel bites with Jordan.
Have you ever eaten chocolate for breakfast? Sure.
Do you like balloons? Not really.
Out of the people you know, who's birthday is next? Grant.
Does that person have any plans to celebrate their birthday? He'll probably go out for dinner with Nikcole and/or my parents.
Do you enjoy swimming? Sometimes.
When will you next go to the beach? No idea.
When at the beach do you like to swim in the sea? I've only been to a legit beach one time, and it was too cold to swim.
If you have pet fish do you bother to name them? I don't have pet fish...but if I did, of course I would name them!
Do you like adventure games like Monkey Island and Diskworld? ???
Did you ever read the Terry Pratchet "Disk World" books? No.
If yes to the question above, what are they like?
Have you had to change a nappy lately? No. I've never changed a baby's diaper, that I can recall.
Do you find your batteries always run out right when you need them most? Usually.
Would you like a holiday about now? YES. I miss summer vacations.
What's stopping you from going on holiday right now? Lack of funds.
Do you keep your eggs in the fridge? Yeah, we keep them in the fridge in America. Generally.
Have you ever owned chickens? Nope.
Do you like classical music? Yeah.
When did you last listen to music? I'm listening to music right now.
Have you ever seen "Canibal the Musical"? No.
Are your breasts sore? No, they feel pretty normal...

Moving, ahhh

It feels good to enjoy a cup of coffee and some cereal before having to get ready for work. Usually, I sleep as late as possible and don't have time for anything but a quick shower. The extra sleep is always nice, but I hate rolling out of bed and going straight to work. It's depressing. I should probably be using this time for packing, but I'd rather relax...and hope that I'll be able to get a lot done on Thursday and Friday. I'm definitely not going to feel like packing when I get home at 11:30 tonight. Stupid long cashier shift. It's my first one...I'm glad that I'm finally learning how to cashier and thus officially finishing my training, but I'm afraid that I'm going to be super bored. There's so many different things to do at Food Avenue, running the whole section all by yourself. Cashiering, though I'm sure it's more fast-paced, seems so monotonous. But at least I won't have to wear a hairnet!

I can't believe we're moving in three days! And in four days, we'll have Crosby! As excited as I am to move to Coralville, I think I'm actually going to miss this place. Yes, I hate having a roommate and I hate that we can't have any pets here...but I like this apartment. I wish we could take the big kitchen and the deck with us...

On Monday, Jordan and I bought a bunch of Crosby supplies. Fun, fun! I wanted to buy Crosby half a dozen toys, but Jordan said we should start with one or two. Hah. On the flip-side, I was trying to save money and wanted to get Crosby a cheap really basic dog bed...but Jordan wouldn't have it. He had to get him a big plushy cushioned one. He's so cute, wanting to spoil our puppy. <3 Well...time to get ready for work.

Good Day.

I'm proud of myself--I had today off work and I actually made good use of my time. In other words, I didn't just lie around and watch TV all day! I did a lot of writing in the afternoon, folded and put away a mountain of laundry, and bought some new clothes at Gordman's--including two much needed red shirts for work. :) I'm pretty excited about the story I'm working on...I feel like with one more round of revisions, it might be ready to be sent out. My parents are amazing for giving me the writer's market book for my graduation--it's so helpful to know what publications are out there and how much freelance stuff they publish per year (a lot of journals are 100% freelance written, which is encouraging). This fabulous book even tells me which places will pay you and how much. I've also learned that pretty much no one takes submissions in the summer months, oddly. Just one more reason why I want it to be fall already!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/irish-coffee-cupcakes

^Really want to make those sometime! Though I bet they would be perfectly delicious without the whiskey in the frosting. If and when I make them, I'll have to make half the batch spiked and the other half un-spiked. I've never been a huge Martha Stewart fan, but her recipe for banana cupcakes with honey-cinnamon frosting was so amazing, I'm willing to bet these would be just as tasty.

Sooo, this week, I'm working Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday--closing every night. Nights are easier than days, especially since I know the closing procedures so well now, but I wish they would give me more opening hours. I like coming home at 4:00 and still having the whole evening in front of me. When I get off between 9:30 and 10:00, I come home and go to bed within an hour or two. And that's depressing. Oh well...hours are hours. And I do have to admit, getting up at 6:00 for an opening shift is rather painful.

Oh summer

Almost halfway through July? That doesn't seem possible. Oh summer, you're going by so fast. Jordan and I will be at our new place in two weeks. Crazy! I'm really excited, but dreading the moving process. I hate packing boxes. I should start soon, but I don't wanna. It's so tedious. I always pack something that I end up needing before we get unpacked, and then I can't find it. And moving is going to be more difficult than it was in past years, now that we have couches and such. But my parents will be coming up to help, so I'm sure we'll manage. We'll be happily settled into our new place before we know it. :)

I have yet to learn cashiering at work. I wasn't able to on Wednesday because I had to cover Food Avenue. The guy scheduled for that night came in with a cold, so they had to put him elsewhere. I hope I can learn it soon so I can pick up more hours! Although I've had thirty this week and thirty next week, the week after that I only have sixteen. Blah. But I am learning Food Avenue really well...I closed by myself for the third time tonight, and I think I have it down. My supervisor and all the upper management people give me nonstop compliments on how fast I'm learning everything and what a great job I'm doing...

Mmm, I'm thinking it's time to zone out listening to music and filling out a survey.

Has anyone ever told you that you looked like a celebrity? Not really. Jordan has said I look like Keira Knightley when I made certain faces. Pretty sure he's crazy.
When was the last time you got something done to your hair? I can't remember. I think it was February...I should probably get a trim one of these days.
Do you have any change on you right now? No--no pockets.
What color is the pillowcase(s) on your bed? Blue.
Do you have a favorite day of the week? Not really. Whatever my days off are.
Cutting your hair extremely short, would you do it? If it was a style that looked good on me, yes. I'm not that attached to my hair.
Have you ever been in an art show? No.
Would you considered yourself to be well-exposed to life or sheltered? Somewhere in the middle.
How high is your pain tolerance? I think it's pretty average.
If you're in a relationship, how long have you been dating? Jordan and I have been together for four years, married for almost one year. <3
Have you ever played the game Halo? No.
Are you wearing any jewelry at the moment? Yeah, just my rings.
Is there a sport that you love to play? No.
Have you ever had to learn lines for a play/skit/movie? Yeah, many times.
Do you like your nose? No.
Is there a hair color you prefer on the opposite sex? Not really. When I was younger, I always thought I would marry a brunette, though.
Kissing someone with facial hair, do you mind? I've never kissed anyone with anything more than stubble on their face...but I don't think I would mind.
Would you ever like to be a stunt person? Nah.
Are you a pyromaniac? Not really, though I love candles, campfires, bonfires etc.
How soon is your birthday? Four months.
Are you one of those people who listen to songs on repeat? Sometimes, when I first hear a song and I really love it.
Can any of your friends sing very well? Yes.
Would you ever enter any kind of pageant? No.
Do you have piano fingers? I've been told so, yes. I wish they were a bit longer, though.
What is your preferred curse word? Depends on the situation. I think I say damn it the most, though.
When someone's drunk, the truth comes spilling out, correct? I've heard so, but not in my experience. But I'm not often drunk or surrounded by drunk people.
Have you ever slept on a beach? Not that I can recall.
Would you like to be taller? Maybe a couple inches.
Are you a fan of piercings on the opposite sex? Not particularly. Nothing more than an ear piercing.
Have you ever listened to Celtic music? Yeah.
Who did you dance with last? Jordan.
When holding hands, do you intertwine fingers? Yeah.
Do you have an old pair of pyjamas that you just can't throw away? No.
Is there a movie that makes you cry every single time you watch it? There's a few that consistently give me that lump in my throat...but I rarely actually cry when I watch movies.
Do you ever talk to the TV? Not really.
What's your opinion on Johnny Depp? I think he's very talented. And cute.
Can you speak in different accents? Yeah.
If you write, isn't writer's block the most horrible thing? Yeah, it sucks.
Can you sew or knit? I have sewn in the past--made a few skirts and some pj pants in junior high. I don't know how well I would do with a sewing machine now, though.
Do you have a favorite pair of jeans? Yeah.
What size shirt do you normally wear? It depends on the style. Small or medium.
Are you good with money? Not really...but I wouldn't say I'm bad with it, either.
Has anyone ever aimed a gun at you? No.
Do you think it's possible for a person to be fearless? Seems highly unlikely.
What is the first letter of the person's name you last kissed? J.
Have you ever written a song? Yeah. I wrote a lot of them in high school.
Do you believe there is life on other planets? I don't think so, but I think it's possible. Maybe in another galaxy.
If you think about the universe long enough, it's baffling isn't it? Of course.
Would you consider yourself to be poor, middle class, or rich? My family is middle class. Jordan and I are poor.
Do you have any sort of debt? Yeah, from college. No credit card debt, though, thankfully.
Have you spoken to the person you love today? Yes, though not much. It was one of those unfortunate days where we only saw each other for five minutes because of our work schedules.
Would you ever travel to Los Angeles? It's not a dream of mine or anything, but I wouldn't mind.
Have you ever been through a natural disaster? The flood of 2008. It didn't have a direct impact on my life, though.
Have you ever been on a train? Yes. 24-hour ride to Arizona. I enjoyed it.
Is there a memory that embarrasses you to think about? Yeah...I have plenty.
Where exactly are you right now? My room.
Is there a guy you can talk to about anything? Yes. That's one of the many reasons that I married him.
Have you ever been in a parade? Yeah.
Would you ever consider being a news reporter? Meh. I don't think so.
Do people say you look your age? Or younger or older? Generally a couple years younger.
Have you ever sent a celebrity fan mail? No.
Are you ashamed of how you acted when you were younger? Nah.
Do you ever have those days where you feel you're the ugliest person ever? Yeah.
Have you ever been in a musical? Yeah.
When was the last time you swam in a pool? Last month, when Katie came to visit.
How do you know someone is your best friend? For me, feeling at ease and like I can be myself around them.
When was the last time you used a highlighter? Finals week.
Has a flashlight ever ran out batteries on you in the dark? Yeah, I think so.

Tanzanian Peaberry

New type of coffee I'm trying, from Archer Farms (Target's brand). The beans are really cute--small and round, like peas...hence the name, maybe? It's pretty tasty.

So, the new job is going pretty well. I'm officially done with training as far as Food Avenue goes, and I'm learning cashier today. I'm not too excited that the shift is 3-11, but I'm looking forward to learning cashiering--it will be so easy compared to Food Avenue! To put it into perspective, Food Avenue took four days, ie around 30 hours, of training; cashiering takes about an hour of training. I do like Food Avenue a lot--I like the multitasking involved, and having a whole section to myself. As predicted, it reminds me so much of Great American Cookies. What sucks is all the cleaning that needs to be done, particularly at closing. Opening doesn't have much cleaning--it's mostly turning things on and prepping food. But closing is ridiculous. We have a two page list of things that need to be cleaned and we're supposed to start at 5 PM and finish at 9:30. Easy enough if business slows down as the evening progresses--not so easy if it's, say, 4th of July weekend and you're super busy up until 8:00. And since I JUST finished training, I'm slow at everything. So instead of finishing by 9:30, I finish after 10:00. But I'm sure I'll get the hang of it over the next couple weeks.

And good news--my parents are giving us a car! Matt's old sable that he drove in high school. My Dad put a new battery in it the other day, and it started up just fine (after two years of sitting in our back driveway). He said that he just needs to get the alignment fixed, and then it should be fine for us to drive in town. Having two cars will open up job possibilities, for sure--Jordan will be able to work something other than third shift, if he wants.

Sadly, I have done very little writing since I started my job. I wasn't expecting to work 35 hours my first week...and the eight hours shifts took some adjusting. For the first couple days, I actually kind of missed the four hour shifts of Applebees. And on top of that, I've had various other things going on. Cookouts with both Jordan's family and mine, wedding stuff with Carissa. I've been exhausted! Writing just hasn't been on my mind...except for yesterday, when it dawned on me that I haven't written anything in a week (with the exception of journaling). I remembered something that one of my writing TAs and the U of I said about writing everyday--when you make writing a daily habit, that's when you've become serious about it...and that's when you really start to make progress. So I'm going to try to write everyday from now on, if at all possible. I should probably buy myself a cute journal to write in, as incentive.

Mmk...time to finish up the laundry.