Monday, November 29, 2010

So, turns out I'm lopsided.

As far as my days off go, this is the busiest one I've had in a long time. No sleeping in and watching Food Network all day for me. Jordan and I just got back from our appointments at Primary Care Clinic North. Yep, we finally got our initial IowaCare appointments. We both got our flu shots for the year, and I found out that my left leg is significantly shorter, and smaller, than my right. Yep. And my ankle cord is very tight, hence me not being able to move my foot normally. This explains so much! Why most shoes are so uncomfortable for me, why I always feel the need to balance my weight on my right leg and why I don't put my left heel down when I walk...I can't believe that, at 23, I'm just now discovering this. Crazy. Anyway, he referred me to the foot and ankle specialists so they can check it out, and possibly do some kind of physical therapy for my Achilles tendon and calf muscles.

In two hours, we'll be off to Hampton Apartments for a tour. Excited! We're hoping to live there next year. They look so nice from their website. We're so sick of our current apartment...we're fighting off an ant infestation at the moment. They're somehow getting in under the heater in our dining room, and through the bathroom window. One of the many reasons I hate having our apartment half underground.

Then after that, we're off to Texas Roadhouse for my belated birthday dinner! Can't wait for those delicious rolls and a tasty baked sweet potato. We might be seeing Harry Potter tonight, too. Speaking of belated birthday festivities, I should mention that Jordan did a very nice job with my present this year. I didn't have to say "this is exactly what I want and it's at this store, now go get it" like I have in the past. He got me three Yankee candles--vanilla lime, apple cider, and vanilla pumpkin--nice, long-lasting ones. I was very pleased, considering that I burn through scented candles like they're made of paper. He also got me a new journal from Barnes and Noble because I don't have many pages left in my current one. :)

So yeah. That's our day. And while I still have some time before our 2:00 showing at Hampton Apartments, I need to run to the store.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Productivity?!

I'm proud to say that I've been somewhat productive today--I put away the clean clothes that have been in a heap on the couch for a week and I'm halfway through the four loads of laundry that needed to be done. :) I also decided it was time to banish my spring/summer clothing to my under-the-bed storage container...and replace them with sweaters and long-sleeve t-shirts. Can't live in denial anymore--winter is actually coming.

Know what else is actually coming? Student loan bills. /cry. My first payment is due in three weeks. Looking at how much money I'll be paying back, roughly over the next decade, is pretty shocking. And I only went to a university...for just two years. I can't imagine what alumni of four-year private schools have to deal with. Yes, I think my education was worth it, in spite of my current mediocre job...but how can a good education be so expensive? It's depressing. Jordan and I should probably start saving for our kids' college funds now. Twenty years early doesn't seem crazy at all.

On an unrelated (and happier) note, I just discovered that we live right next to a Zio Johno's! It's by Hobby Lobby and Hy-Vee, and I noticed it for the first time last night. For some reason, they don't acknowledge this location on their website, but it's definitely there. So excited--they have such tasty, inexpensive pasta. I might have to pick up some spaghetti for supper.

Now, because of my trip to Burlington on Friday and how crazy work was this weekend, I haven't gotten any writing done for several days. So, continuing the productive streak, I'm going to go work on that.

Friday, November 19, 2010

I love my family.

So, I had to take Crosby to Burlington for a vet appointment today--he needed a shot and some prescription dog food and such. We could have done it somewhere in town, but we're really most comfortable taking him to Allgood's. I think Crosby is most comfortable with that, too. Jordan was supposed to come with me but backed out at the last second because he needed to catch up on sleep for the crazy weekend of work he has ahead of him. Valid point, but I was still mad at him for not coming like he said he would. In the end, though, I'm glad he didn't--I was able to stay in Burlington to hang out with my parents a lot longer that way. Had such a good time! I went to the bake sale/Christmas decorations sale at the church where my mom works. Mom bought me some pumpkin bread, pumpkin pecan cookies, and a really cute Christmas wreath for our door. We had Great Wall takeout for supper (phoenix crab and hunan chicken...YUM!)...watched Seinfeld and the classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas on TV. Wish I could have stayed longer, but having Crosby with me (without his dog food or kennel or any other necessary overnight items) and the fact that I have to work at 7:30 in the morning made that impossible. Oh well.

I can't wait to go back next week for Thanksgiving! It'll be good to see my grandparents (pretty sure I haven't seen them since last Thanksgiving--they didn't make it for Christmas because of the snow storm) and my brothers. And my Dad promised to make a fire in the fireplace as long as it's nice and chilly out...very excited for that. And all the delicious food, of course. The corn and cheesy potato casseroles, especially...and sweet potatoes with apples, too. As much as I hate the cold, I LOVE this time of year.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

I wish I could take a few days off just to clean the apartment. And put all my summer clothes in storage...because that's why there are winter clothes all over our bedroom floor--no room in my dresser for them! Having the apartment so dirty depresses me...I can barely fill my coffee pot with water because of all the dishes in the sink. However, cleaning the apartment before going to work is even more depressing. Jordan's no help at all--he's in a coma after working forty hours in the past four days (that's a lot when his usual work week is about twenty hours). So I'm just going to stay at my desk and try not to notice the ridiculous messes all around me. Yeah.

Excited for Thanksgiving! Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to hit both families this year. Perrian said they were going to try to do an evening get-together so we could make it--my family always has dinner at noon so the family coming from two and three hours away can get home at a decent time. But now Jordan's grandma wants to make her dinner at noon, too. Jordan said we should just stay in Burlington for the day. I feel bad about that...but to be honest, I would rather have to split up for the day and have Jordan in Fruitland while I'm in Burlington than have to miss my family's Thanksgiving. /sigh. I think this will all be easier down the road when we have our own house and kids. Then WE can be the ones hosting the holiday dinners and make both families come to us.

I need to work on my novel. There is NO WAY I'm finishing it this month. I should be halfway done by now and I'm not even one-fourth done! First official NaNoWriMo attempt=big fat failure. The website, taking into account how much I've written so far, says "at this rate you will finish on Feb. 19." lol. Oh well. I'll try again next year. And in the meantime, I'm going to keep writing this novel anyway because I'm enjoying it. My new goal is to make it to 25,000 words, ie the halfway point, by the end of the month. That will still feel like a big accomplishment.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

A good day for...

Christmas music! And coffee! And coziness! Even though work was pretty miserable (weekends always are), I am so happy to be home and have the whole evening ahead of me. I picked up a few things at Target before I left, and I happened to find myself in the Christmas candy section. I was going to get a bag of classic Lindt truffles, but then I saw the milk and pumpkin spice caramel Ghirardelli chocolate squares. Yes, that is one flavor. "Milk and pumpkin spice caramel." Kind of ridiculous name...but they are SO GOOD! I know there's no way I'll be able to stop myself from eating the whole bag tonight (doesn't help that there's only ten pieces in a bag...). You definitely need to try them. Similar to the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks that I love, the pumpkin is very subtle.

So, kind of depressing, I cut my hand at work today on a broken hinge. The cut is on my palm, right between my thumb and forefinger. Flexing or stretching my hand pulls the cut open, which is bad, and painful...so no piano playing for me for the next day or two. :(

The new schedule came out at work, for the week of November 21-27. I'm working Sunday 7:30-2, have Monday off, Tuesday 3-9:30, Wednesday 3-9:30 (my birthday), Thursday off (Thanksgiving!!), Friday 1-10:30 (boo, Black Friday), and Saturday 7:30-4. So...not exactly ideal. I'm working on my birthday...and how awful is it that I have to open Saturday morning after closing on Friday? I'm going to be so exhausted. When the next week's schedule comes out, I better freaking have Sunday the 28th off!!! Blah. Jordan and I already decided that we'll just celebrate my birthday on Monday the 22nd, since we both have that day off work. Our tentative plan is to have dinner at Texas Road House. I've been craving their baked sweet potatoes and delicious rolls for weeks. Yep, my mouth is watering right now.

SURVEY

1:. What clothes did you sleep in last night? Red underwear. That's it, lol. I hate sleeping in pajamas...I only do if I have to sleep in a bed other than my own.
2:. Is your cars' mileage over 100,000? I really don't know. It's been ages since I actually looked at the mileage. But It's ten years old, so I'm sure it is.
3:. Was the last song you listened to from a radio, TV, MP3 player or CD? Point of Grace's version of Angels We Have Heard on High.
4:. What was the last thing you ate where you used a spoon? Chicken noodle soup from Chick-Fil-A.
5:. When microwaving do you set the time or hit the "minute plus." I set the time, unless I need exactly thirty seconds or a minute or whatever.
6:. How many times did you check the time today? I was at work...so a lot.
7:. Do you like the MAC or PC format better? I've never used a MAC, actually. I've always been happy with my PCs.
8:. What store do you usually get food at? Hy-Vee or Target.
9:. Is you day better when you wake up early or sleep in? I love to sleep in...but my day usually goes better when I get up early.
10:. Do you prefer to fall asleep with the TV on or off? Off. But I can sleep with it on, too.
11:. Do you like sitting on the inside or outside of a restaurant booth? I don't really care.
12:. How many formal dances did you or have you gone to in high school? 4. Three homecomings and one prom.
13:. Do you pay your cell phone bill or does you parents? I'm still on my parents' cell phone plan, lol. And Jordan is still on his parents'.
14:. How many toilets are in the house you are in now? I'm in an apartment, not a house. And we have one.
15:. Do you dry off in the shower or out of the shower? Both.
16:. Do you take your trash to the dump or have it picked up? We take it out to the dumpster...then it gets picked up from there.
17:. Do you prefer an automatic or a manual transmission? Automatic. I've never learned how to drive manual.
18:. What did you last remove or put into the fridge? Drinking water this morning.
19:. Do you use fabric softener sheets in the dryer when you do laundry? Yeah.
20:. Have you ever woke up to your leg cramping? Probably.
21:. Do you make more phone calls or send more texts in an average day? I rarely use my phone...but I think I use it for calls more often.
22:. Has anyone asked you for a ride in your car in the past two weeks? Nope.
23:. Do you have any TV on DVD collections? No. I wanted to get The Office on DVD, but then I realized I could watch all the episodes on Netflix, instantly. :)
24:. Can you stand any reality TV shows? Not a fan. I like some varieties, though--cooking/food themed, wedding themed.
25:. When you sneeze do you sneeze into your shirt or your hands? Into the crook of my elbow.
26:. Do you have neighbors who are exceptionally loud on a daily basis? No, thankfully.
27:. Are you watching TV or listening to music while doing this? Yes. Listening to Christmas music. :)
28:. Have you brushed your teeth today? No...slept in too late. And I brushed them before bed last night, anyway.
29:. Do you use the air conditioner in your car or roll down your window? Roll down the window, unless it's crazy hot. Then I'll use the AC. I miss hot weather. Summer is so far away. :(
30:. What was the last thing you procrastinated on doing? Doing laundry.
31:. Are you planning on taking a shower today? Already did.
32:. Who was the last person you talked to? Jordan.
33:. Was it raining the last time you wore a hoodie/jacket? Nope.
34:. What color are the sheets on your bed? Blue.
35:. Do you usually have sex in the morning, noon or night time? Night time, usually.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Mmk

Mmk...as much as I like the idea that I'll be off work by 4:00 tomorrow, I do not want to get up in five hours. This switching back and forth between opening and closing shifts is killing me! I'll have to come home and take a nap after work and then I won't be able to sleep tomorrow night and then I'll be sleep deprived all over again for my Sunday opening shift. Blah. I'm also a little scared because I've never done a Saturday opening...not sure how busy it will be.

I'm really not tired at all right now. Survey should help, right?

Do you know anyone who is very, very shy? Yeah. Some people think I am...but I haven't really got that since high school.
Are you one of those people who laughs at scary movies? If I have someone to make fun of them with. But I avoid scary movies in general.
Is anyone upset with you right now? Don't believe so.
What kind of mood are you in right now? Meh. Happy because I just watched Glee, but dreading work in a few hours. And also depressed that I don't have a day off til next Friday.
Do you have good hand-eye coordination? Not really.
Do you know how to swear in a different language? Nope. I used to have a book that had all the Spanish swear words and foul language you would ever need to know, but I lost it.
Could you be a good actor/actress if you really tried? Yeah, I think I have the basic skills.
What season are you at your happiest in? Fall is my favorite season, but I probably feel the happiest in spring...the warmth and the greenness after all the horrible cold and snow really lifts my spirits.
Is there anything you regret doing today? I regret sleeping in til 11:00. That's why I didn't get much done today AND why I'm not tired right now.
Do you get annoyed when someone tells a dead baby joke? I don't know anyone who tells dead baby jokes.
What is the temperature outside right now? In the 40s, I think.
Is love always hard? No.
Are you a fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway? It's okay.
Are you any good at playing Simon Says? Do you mean the classic following directions kid game? I guess?
Do you make it obvious when people hurt your feelings? No. Not on purpose.
Is there anyone who doesn't like you because of something you didn't do? Not that I'm aware of.
Are you good at giving other people directions? No. I'm horrible. And I feel like, at all the jobs I've had, when a random person walks in and wants directions, they come straight to me. I don't know why. Apparently I look approachable...too bad I'm the worst direction-giver ever.
Are you a fan of the band Journey? Sure.
Do you know a guy named Joe? Yeah.
Have you ever heard a rumor about a person you've liked before? Yeah.
Do you like chocolate/peanut butter fudge? I don't believe I've ever had that...but it sounds like something I would like.
What is the best place near your house to get pizza? Pizza Hut.
Have you tried sushi before? Yeah. So good. I wish I could eat it more often.
Do you know anyone who is allergic to horses? No.
Do you have any songs currently stuck in your head? Yeah. Several of the songs that were on Glee.
Is it just like, one line of the song over and over? Pretty much.
Does it bother you when someone is a different sexuality than you? No.
Do you know what Pedobear looks like? Yeah.
When was the last snow day you had from school/work? Hmm...I don't remember if the U of I had any snow days last year. Seems like there was one really close to finals, but I can't remember if that was last winter or the one before.
Have you ever switched religions or churches? Switched churches, yes. Not religions.
What is your favorite accent to listen to? I just like listening to accents in general. I think Spanish and Italian are my favorites.
Are you really a rude person or do people just think that? I'm not a rude person and people don't think that I am, either, to my knowledge.
Will anyone be confessing anything to you soon? How should I know?
Do you think that any type of standardized testing is pointless? There are pros and cons. I never liked it, but I wouldn't say it's completely pointless.
Are you good at hiding your feelings when you want to? Not really
Has anyone ever assumed you had a crush on them? If they did, they never told me.
What teacher do/did you hate the most? Professor Kuenzli. I didn't hate him...but he was my least favorite literature professor. Annoying and forgetful and he always gave pop quizzes on the days when I skipped or was sick. I loved the reading list for his class, though.
What's the main ringtone on your cell phone? I dunno. Nothing recognizable. Some generic ringtone that came with the phone.
Can you name five songs by The Beatles without Google? Maybe...let's see. I Wanna Hold Your Hand...Hard Days Night...Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds...She Loves You...Yellow Submarine. I win. 3/5 of those I only know from band/choir throughout the years.
If you had a baby boy right now, what would you name him? Though Jordan recently said he likes the name Vincent, I think I would pull for William. Classic, some nice nickname options (I like Will or Liam), and it would be after my Grandpa Landon.
Is there anyone that is jealous of you or anything that you have? I doubt it.
Do you think you would be a good elementary school teacher? Perhaps.
French fries or onion rings? French fries.
Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo? Yeah...once in high school. And I'm currently trudging through it now. Thanks to our horrible week of car trouble and financial mishaps and just having to work a lot since the beginning of the month, I'm like 15,000 words behind. Oops. I'm so not finishing on time...but I'm going to do my best to finish it on my own terms.
Do you prefer hairspray to hair gel? I don't know--I don't use either.
Is someone waiting for you to do something for them? Nope. Well, Crosby might be waiting for me to take him outside, but that's about it.

Still not tired...but going to try and give this sleeping thing a shot.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Oops.

At around midnight last night, I decided to take a break from writing my NaNo novel and started reading. I've been rereading one of my favorite books (Kartography, by Kamila Shamsie), mostly just during my breaks at work. Well once I started, and didn't have a fifteen or half-hour time limit to make me put it down, I couldn't stop. I finished the book. Even though it was 5 AM and I was exhausted, I couldn't even fall asleep right away because I kept thinking about the book and the characters. I want to email Kamila Shamsie and tell her to write another novel with these characters in it. Or five more. I want to turn back to page one and read it AGAIN...which is kind of crazy, considering that I've never read a novel for a third time. I am so emotionally invested in this book. It kinda kills me that I never ever would have read this book or even heard of it if I hadn't taken a "literature of the Indian Subcontinent" class my junior year.

Sorry for gushing. I'm still on my happy "I just read a fantastic book" cloud.

ANYWAY...that's why I'm still about 6000 words behind on my NaNoWriMo novel. (Or twenty pages. It doesn't sound quite so bad in pages.) And writing this blog about why I'm behind isn't helping...so I'm going to go be productive. After I make some coffee.