My Journey

Recession?

2010-10-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

I think everyone has been hit by the recession in some way. It is glaringly obvious in some, but in others you have too look a little bit to notice. I have recently been shopping at a local market that sells local produce and I was a little disturbed by what I found. The first thing I bought were Brussel Sprouts. I love to roast them in a hot, hot oven with garlic and olive oil until they are nice and caramelized. Sooo good!
Nothing odd here, just your basic sprout.

What the? Huh, those are quite small now that I think about it.....

Ok, well they may be on the small side but that just means I don't have to cut them in half to roast! See there is a silver lining to everything! Next on the list is another of my favorite things to roast, also with garlic and olive oil. Mmmm double good!

I love, love, love sweet potatoes! Probably more than white potatoes!

Again, they seem a little on the small side.... :) Seriously, these were CRAZY small. It was like a fingerling potato, only the sweet version.

So I came up with 2 theories. The first being the farmers are struggling so much, they are being forced to to pick their crops early in order to make money. The second being that since I am buying local and in Vegas, there is simply not enough water for the crops to grow any bigger. We are in a desert after all. To add to that theory, maybe these crops are not being poisoned with chemicals or injected with growth hormones and this is how a normal crop should look! What do you think?

On that note, I am on a mission to try something new every time I go to the grocery store. This week I went with the Prickly Pear.
Has anyone had one of these before?

Small Sacrifices

2010-10-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to wonder if the cost of something is worth the rewards.

Seriously it not only took me 20 minutes to get all the seeds out but I had Pomegranate juice all over my counter, my ipod and myself. Thank goodness I had the foresight to put this on over my work clothes......

My Saturday as a 12 year old boy

2010-09-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday I decided to release my inner 12 year old boy and went to the National Skateboarding Championship. It totally rocked!!!
My friend Chava invited me to go and I thought it might be a good way to pick up on hot tattooed skater boys. Unfortunately the majority of the males were under the age of 18, there with their wives and children, or drunk and annoying.
Regardless, I still had a good time. Funny man Rob Dyrdek (I love him!) was the host and we were sitting only about 50 feet from him. He was covered in security though so I was unable to stalk him efficiently. Even though you know he is short, he is even shorter in person. There was also a booth where you could meet and get your picture taken with Audrina Patridge (you know from "The Hills") Yeah, I didn't.
There were 3 events on this little skate park set-up and the finalist ranged in age from 14-28.
The tricks these guys can do is amazing! It made me want to buy a skateboard :)
Nyjah Huston (AWESOME dreads!)
Chaz Ortiz (He was one of my favorites)
Chris Cole (Getting old in skateboarding terms, 28!!!!! and my personal favorite who missed winning on the very last trick)

Now I knew skateboarding was a big deal but I did not realize the amount of money involved. The winner received $150,000... Seriously? Can you imagine winning that much money as a kid? Crazy! I did get some prizes myself like this kick butt poster...
I am totally hanging this on my wall in my room, lol. I also got this awesome bumper sticker which is doubly cool because it is also my initials!
Totally Rad

Alright Already

2010-08-11T21:24:00.001-07:00

I get it, I get it, it's time for me to update. It's summer in Vegas and I would rather be out at the pool than blogging, so sue me! Ha Ha No I really have been putting this off because I honestly thought I had nothing to blog about but as I was looking through my pictures I realized that I actually have done something other than get skin cancer this summer! Be prepared though, it is a lot of pictures!

First off, I had two cute boys come into my life this summer...... My sweet, sweet nephew
And my beautiful friend popped this little one out

We are pretty sure she is the mom
I was able to go home and visit the fam over the 4th of July. I got to see (or rather NOT see) my brother in law
My Cuz
My pops and the other little man (we will have a special bond as middle children!)
My uncle who appears to be looking at my chest, but is actually not. He is only a little creepy, not that creepy.....
My sweet momma
My sassy sis
My retarded bro
My sis in law who makes the most incredible, funny children in the whole world!
And my precocious niece, who can make me laugh harder than anyone! Yes, those are my shoes, next will be a tattoo :)
Life at work has of course been really difficult by I am managing. First off my boss and friend called it quits.
Then my other boss and friend decided she was done as well.
Then my good friend Pam decided she wanted to get married and leave me all alone in this hell hole. She did stay with me for 6 weeks though before she moved to San Diego so we had some good times together. Some of the pictures are not suitable for this family blog so those will stay off..... (kidding)

To thank me for my hospitality, I was invited up to San Diego for a week for a vacation and it was HEAVEN!!!! (Yes, I am back on a mission to move there) Pam and James on the beach
Me soakin up the rays
Yeah, that's right. I'm in a bikini. I wear it all the time. I don't care
Awwww, sand on my feet
That's all for now folks, it's late, I'm tired. I will try to be better ;) Yeah right

Back to basics

2010-05-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

It has been WAY to long since I blogged! It's partially because I really need a new computer and it takes me hours to do a post because this one is so slow!! I am going to try and be better.
I recently watched a movie called Food Inc. I think EVERYONE should watch this movie! I have been eating healthy (for the most part, lol) for quite some time now, but have recently kicked it up a notch to organic foods. This does require some effort and I by no means am eating everything organic, but have been buying my fruits, vegetables, and dairy this way and a limited amount of meat. During my last trip to "whole paycheck" i.e. "Whole Foods" I was having difficulty finding organic pickles. Pickles are the one thing that I cannot live without. If I had to pick one food to eat forever, it would be pickles. So, I decided to make my own today (all organic ingredients!), and I am so excited!!!
I will let you know how they turn out as soon as I am able to crack them open! It is really hard to be patient! I also made molasses cookies for work on Friday and ate a couple of them and they were by no means organic or healthy but they were really, really good!

On another exciting note, this beautiful girl is about to have a baby!!!!
She started having contractions yesterday and she just texted me that she is at an 8 and should be ready to push in an hour. I can't believe it! I am so glad she waited so that it would be a Gemini, although I was really pushing for my birthday, lol! I am so glad we got some pool time together as that is probably it for the next couple years! :) Love you so much Celeste!!!

I forgot something

2010-03-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot this, I entered this giveaway last week and totally won! This is what I won!
And this is the link to her Etsy store! Go check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/theflashbulb

She has the cutest prints and I am so happy I won! I never win anything so I was really excited! Also, the photos on the previous post I had done at 1 hour photo and because they were not ready when I got there, I got them for free! Hmm, maybe I need to chance the slots this week......

Where is my muse?

2010-03-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like all the blog has gone out of me and I do not know how to get it back. It has been weighing on my mind that I need to blog but I just don't have anything to say. Then Stephanie texted me out of the blue with a great blogging idea and so I thought I would just start small and see what happens.

Some who know me, know that I believe that everyone has an attraction to someone that others would not touch with a ten foot pole. I am talking about someone that people would look at and go "ew, really!?" Don't dismiss it right away, think about it for a minute. Isn't there someone that makes your heart race a little when you see them, but you would never admit it to anyone else? I have never been afraid to admit mine and up until recently this guy has been my secret weird crush.
I know, I know but it is what it is. I say up until recently because there is now someone else that I just think is really sexy in his own gross way and that's this guy.
So, I want to know who your secret disgusting crushes are. Don't be afraid, after all who am I to judge? Oh, and if you don't know who these guys are you are either way to young or way to old to be reading my blog.

Now on to some normal, everyday life stuff. I decided a couple weeks ago that I was sick of spending money on fresh herbs and wanted to grow my own. So I bought a cute little pot and some Cilantro, Basil, and Parsley seeds. Look how cute the first little sprouts are!
So far so good, I will keep you posted!
I have also been getting an interior decorating itch, mainly in my bedroom as the only thing in there (literally) is my bed. I realize I only really sleep in there but I also tend to do laundry, get ready for the day, and read in there and I am getting really sick of my cream walls. So I decided to blow up some of the photographs I have taken. I decided to just do a couple to make sure that when I blew them up, they did not distort or become grainy. I took these in Hawaii in my friends yard, and I think they turned out pretty good!

The weather here is starting to get better and we were in the high seventies today, so things are looking up. Although, I am heading to Utah this weekend and the thought of having to bring sweaters instead of tank tops fills me with dread! My sweet sis sent me a super cute apron this week and the best magnet I have ever seen!!!!!
That pretty much says it all!

**Thanks to my Aunt Mary for her post today, I really needed that :)

This one's for you pops

2010-02-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

Some people are addicted to drugs or alcohol, I am afraid I may be addicted to tattoos.........

Bachelor Pad

2010-02-11T20:01:00.001-08:00

I have lived alone and single for so long that I have finally turned into a bachelor. Ha Ha Ha

Leaving Las Vegas

2010-02-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

Yes, I said it. I am more than ready to get out of Las Vegas. I hate my job, I hate the rude people here, and I hate the lack of plants and the color green. It is time to move on. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, but was not sure about what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I really miss my family and would like to be closer to them, but Utah is just not the place for me either. So what is a girl to do? Well first she decides to finally take her friend up on an offer for a weekend road trip to San Diego.
They check out some fun places like Seaport village. Check out the size of this naval ship! (picture all 3 pictures as 1, it's huge!)
I love, love, love this statue!
They hit the beach of course. I could have just pitched a tent right then and there and lived out my days completely happy! Who knows, maybe I will learn to surf, although I think I need to learn how to swim first!
We walked out into the middle of the ocean along this pier, and checked out all of the cool shops they have along the ocean.

So what can a girl do but fall in love with San Diego and decide that she probably wants to live there. Of course, there is the beach (that's the pier)
And that is enough itself, but there is so much more. People seem so happy there and they are friendly and there is so much to do and see! It just hit me that this was the place that I needed to be. So I am going forward full throttle! I have been looking for jobs and sent my resume in to a couple of places. I went back again this last weekend and we drove around checking out places to live. I am taking some time off of work next week so that I can hopefully set up some interviews and if everything works out ok, I am OUT of Vegas!

Brian is probably too young to remember, but Steph, remember the fond memories of this place? Ha Ha! Isn't this also the place where you and your love affair with bleu cheese began?
So that is my new plan. I am excited to see where it takes me!

Christmas Follow Up and the big W

2010-01-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

I forgot something when I did my Christmas post it's been nagging at me ever since. In case you didn't know my dad loves treasure hunting and his metal detector is his most prized possession. He finds all kinds of great stuff and he has them all organized into different categories. Well Stephanie and I were in his room over Christmas and were looking around at his stuff when we came upon this.....
What the? Dad just went from cute, lovable grandpa to creepy old man! I understand that you find them, but is it really necessary to keep them? What exactly are they going to be used for? Voodoo seances? Gifts for the grand kids? Doll cemetery in the back yard? To start your own china doll army? Whatever it is, leave me out of it creepy dad!

Also in regards to the last post, I concede that Stephanie did not call me a whore but did say that I looked like a cage dancer, which I took as calling me a whore. She also called me a diva, but that is beside the point. Anyway, as promised here are the boots in question.....
Does that look like the face of someone that belongs in a cage dancing? Pure innocence!

On another note, no matter how much I hate the big W as a corporation and their monopoly on the market, I just can't stop shopping there. They are cheap, plain and simple, and if that's all you can afford then so be it. I will put on my blindfold and step off my soap box.

That being said here is a little story. As you know from a previous blog, I use those cute bags when I do my shopping to try and do my part by not using the plastic bags. EVERY single time I go to the big W, without fail they will try and put something in one of those plastic bags. I will have 5 reusable bags and they will want to put my soap in a plastic bag, or my economy size jar of pickles in a plastic bag. It drives me crazy! Not only do they try EVERY single time, but they also have to argue with me EVERY single time when I request that they not use a plastic bag. "You don't want your soap touching your food", or "the pickles are heavy". Well no duh, but no need to worry as I am pretty sure the CANVAS bag won't break! I am not exaggerating here, it is EVERY time I go. Why do they think I bring my own bags? If I wanted plastic I would leave my bags at home! I think it is a conspiracy between the big W and the plastic bag makers.....

Home for the Holidays

2009-12-29T20:29:00.001-08:00

I went home to Utah for Christmas and it was great, other than freezing to death in my mothers house. She did turn up the heat from 69 degrees to 71 degrees when icicles formed on my nose though, so that was very generous of her! She had to take off all of her clothes because then it was WAY to hot for her, but aren't mothers supposed to make sacrifices for their children? Thanks Ma!

We started some new family traditions this year. The first one is the making of the Christmas spaghetti.
Yes, Spaghetti! Who needs Holiday Ham when you have Italian pasta! I have never seen the children eat so much in my life!
He is 2 people, it is a rough age! I promise he does smile though and can be VERY charming!
Seriously, Belle had 4 plates! Pure bliss!
Oh they were eating the spaghetti too! It's just not all over their faces! Thanks Steph for the new Christmas Feast Tradition!

We also started a new family game called BeanBoozled! Basically you get 2 Jelly Beans that look the same and you have to decide what flavor it is. Options include Coconut or Baby Wipes, Peach or Barf, and my personal favorite Buttered Popcorn or Rotten Cheese! I don't have any pictures of the great faces made as I was an active participant in the game. There was a lot of spitting in the trash though, take my word!
Another change to tradition was the Christmas Tree. Growing up we ALWAYS had a fresh tree and a couple of times even cut it down ourselves. As we all grew up and moved out of the house, mom moved on to the fake Christmas Tree. Ok, I can live with that. This year though, it went a step further.....
Nothing says Merry Christmas like a fake mini tree on top of the table! I am hoping for a simple Christmas Tree Ornament next year hung from the ceiling!

The one thing that never changes though is the laughter, smiles and love! I love my family!!!

Oh yeah, one more Christmas memory I will never forget..... Being called a whore by my sister! Ha Ha Ha, ok she told me I looked like Pretty Woman, but same thing!!!!

There is no place like home

2009-11-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

I went home to Utah for Thanksgiving and other than the freezing cold and the fact that my mother doesn't believe in a heater, it was great! I miss my family and it was so good to see them. We always have such a good time and there is always a lot of laughter. Once again, I am ticked that I did not take more pictures, but it is what it is!
My sweet momma, I miss her so much!
I learned you don't mess with grandpa's whipped cream
Because then he smears it on your face
I learned sometimes you have to stand on your tiptoes to be seen in the pictureI learned grandpa never smiles, ever. I also learned that he doesn't like the rules of Scrabble although he does manage to kick my butt almost everytime!
I learned that not only does Steph's hubby not have a face, but neither does their son. Their kids are so cute but unfortunately you can't see that. I was unable to get one of Libby because I only saw her at family pictures and cameras aren't allowed there.
I learned that Brian and Jamie have really awesome smiles, really they are perfect!
I learned that sometimes a 2 year old can be really mean
And is not afraid to wear a bow if that's what he wants
On a side note, notice his snotty nose? He passed that to me but it was worth it to kiss all over that face. I can't believe how smart he is and how much he is talking. When they showed up for family pictures, Brian got out his Utes flag and he said "Hey daddy, go Utes!" So cute!
I learned that a growling, moving dinosaur will cause hours of fun for both boys and girls
I learned that getting up really early for Black Friday is a great way to spend time with your sis, but can really make you look and feel your age!
How can you not love these faces!!!!!!

Catch up

2009-11-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know what is wrong with me lately, but I have had no interest in blogging. I think it is partly because I know I am going to have to commit to some time as my computer is slower than molasses! I am going to try and be better though. Halloween came and went without any fanfare. Once again not one person came to my door (I did NOT buy candy this year) and once again, I was the only one who dressed up at work. Where is the sense of fun???? I was the Octomom (thanks for the idea Steph!)
I got so many compliments on my "hair" that I decided to mix things up and dye it! I don't have any pictures yet, and trust me, you do NOT want to see me right this second, so as soon as I decide to take one, I will post it.

I have also started baking a treat for work on Mondays. Mondays suck as it is, so I wanted to bring treats for everyone to try and brighten the day. Here are a few things I have made so far but unfortunately I have not taken pictures of everything I have done. First we have Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Apple Toffee Tartlets
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (which took entirely TOO MUCH time!)
Here is my spin on Carrot cake in which I mixed half carrots, half sweet potatoes. I am so mad I did not take a picture of the finished product. I did it in my bundt pan and it was so pretty!
I also made 1,000 Calorie Bars, Peanutty Buckeye bars, and Lemon Squares. My next treat is Molasses Sandwhich Cookies. I LOVE to bake, and since I have been eating healthy it has been hard for me, but this allows me to do what I love and then give away to other people!

I have been doing a lot of craft projects too and Celeste gave me this idea from a Womans Day magazine.
You take your old sweaters and make pillow cases out of them and close them up using cute buttons. So cute! I of course have been doing a lot of crocheting but nothing new or exciting.

I have also been trying to help with my "carbon footprint" in small ways and I found these bags at Ross for $1.00 and use them whenever I go shopping. I don't only use them for groceries but also at the bookstore, the craft store, and the little ones I use as my lunchbox!
That's about it! The weather here has just been wonderful. We are finally getting into fall though and the reason I could tell was this.....
Yes, we have a tree in Vegas, and it changed colors! Very exciting, as you can see from the background that we do not get a lot of color out here! I am so excited to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and can't wait to spend time with my family! Even in the cold ;)

As promised......

2009-10-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have had neck problems for years and I have been through countless pillows trying to alleviate the pain. I decided that maybe my problem isn't the pillow, but the mattress. So I went and bought my first grown up purchase. A beautiful king size bed with an overpriced (hopefully worth it) mattress.
I have never bought anything brand new, it has either been given to me or I picked it up at a yard sale. It was very difficult to throw the money down, but I am a grown up now, and can handle grown up things! It has been very difficult for me not to just lay in it all day.......

I also had some friends down this weekend and it was so good to see them and we had a great time. We of course were able to enjoy the benefits of the pool! I love that it is still warm enough here in the day to worship the sun!
Yes, I still have to plug my nose, don't judge me!Joy your straddle is amazing, and way to be brave about NOT plugging your nose!Celeste, your ability to smile for the camera while tucking really shows your skills!

We also hit the strip and walked around for awhile. We were able to witness a really proud moment in someones life......
Apparently what happens in Vegas, sometimes ends up on someones blog! We of course did a little gambling and as a joke I put in $2.00 in a penny machine and won $18.00 Why was it a joke you say?
Who comes up with these games? I ALSO played Wheel of Fortune and won $90. This is not typical for me as I never win on the rare time I play. I was smart though and cashed out and walked away!

It was a great weekend and it was so good to hang out with friends! I do have some apologies to make though. First, I apologize for the violation of the card slappers as we walked down the strip! I also apologize for making you go see "the most terrifying movie of all time" and then having it totally suck! Oh and I apologize for the temperature of my house, I do like it a little warmer than the average person! I love you girls!

Pillow talk

2009-10-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year, I started a lifestyle change (I refuse to call it a diet) and am proud to say that I am down 30lbs from when I started. With this weight loss, there has been a lot of changes in my wardrobe as things have become to big on me. As I have been cleaning out my closet, it has been really hard for me to give some of the things away because of the great fabric. So I decided to make pillows! No they do not match anything in my house, and yes I will probably have more than I need, but look how cute they turned out!

Now as we all know, my sewing skills are severely lacking and luckily pillows are forgiving, just don't look to close at my closing stitches! I had only one mishap and surprisingly I wasn't even sewing yet. I was simply threading the bobbin........
It looks like that because I got it so twisted up that I had to cut through all the thread to get it off the bobbin. If that was the least of my problems, I am happy. I may attempt to put together a funky blanket next!

On another note, sometimes I see weird things in Vegas. This happened to be in the parking lot of my work building. I guess it's not that weird but if you have never seen a hot air balloon up close, they are HUGE. See how small the truck looks?
And just because I miss it........
***Coming soon, my first grown up purchase!

Surprise!

2009-09-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Bear with me, I have a lot of catching up to do. Last month I was laying on my couch in my pajamas when I hear a knock on the door. What the? NO one ever comes to my door! When I opened it I was delighted to see this standing there...
(Her chest was not that big at the door, that came later in the weekend, we are in Vegas after all!) My cute little family surprised me with a visit and we had a great time! There was TONS of pool play in which I learned many things. First off was that Brian can't float (even with all this help!)
And these 2 just love to swim. Trent was jumping off the side like he knew what he was doing!
I also learned that this one isn't as innocent as she may look! (Jamie, not Belle)
She almost got us kicked out of the pool area because she didn't want to take off her pants. Again, your in Vegas. The pants come off! I also learned that Trent and I share some common interests.....
That's how I do it to buddy! Of course we do not share this.....
I have NEVER been this unhappy in a Baskin & Robbins! Although my face has been that messy there before. I was also able to meet Jamies uncle and we all had breakfast together which was nice. Jamie and I also watched a girlie movie together while Brian snored on the couch. Thank you so much for coming to visit! It meant so much to me and I love having you here!

Once upon a time

2009-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was an underpaid, overworked princess who was tired and stressed. She was close to her breaking point and decided the only thing that could save her was to breath in the ocean and cleanse her soul.
Luckily, the princess knew a queen that lived in Hawaii and the queen offered a magical place to stay.
With permission of the King, of course.
The King and Queen had 3 beautiful princesses who offered to share a room, in order for this princess to have her own.
The princess was able to go on many magical adventures including a picnic by sea....
The top of a volcano (which was freezing!).......
Beautiful tide pools with the waves crashing against rocks in the back drop.......
and the beach (of course!) where she breathed in the good and got rid of the bad.
The princess was also able to attend a Royal birthday party complete with a duck cake!
The princess also had the fortune of having lunch with the Queen and a beautiful lizard.
Apparently the lizard was thirsty, and the Queen shared some condensation off of her glass with him.
There was a little danger......

(The ride back over the volcano was foggy and scary! Nice driving Mautz!)
But there was mostly fun and beauty!
So thank you royal family for a wonderful vacation!
Thank you Princess Sophia! (Notice the birthday pierced ears)
Thank you Princess Avery!
Thank you Princess Lyla!
Thank you King Toby!
And most of all, thank you Queen Amy, I had an amazing time and loved our late night chats, and laugh sessions! You are an amazing friend!
**That is sexy ocean hair

I have no title

2009-07-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Amy told me that my blog is depressing her and all I needed to do was put up a smiley face if I have nothing to blog about. But, since I am here, I might as well say something! I will say I am in the middle of a difficult time in life so I have not felt like I had anything happy or uplifting to talk about. As I type this though, I realize this is not true! I managed a visit to Utah over the 4th and there is nothing sad or depressing about seeing these gifts.......
I miss these guys so much and it brings me such joy when I am able to spend time with them! Do you see the burn on Belle's arm? Brian did that with a metal hot dog stick! It fell on her arm and she closed her arm on it, so it got both sides. Poor baby! Ok, Brian didn't do it, it was an accident! They are both so sassy and sweet at the same time. I got plenty of dirty looks from Trenter's but also some good loves. How can you not love those faces!

I also got some good quality time with Jamie and Brian. I was able to watch fireworks with them and then we sat in the backyard with a fire and talked. It was really nice to just sit and be together. Jamie, I really miss our book club!
I was also able to spend some quality time with Steph (sorry Steph apparently you were unavailable at all of the photo opportunities, but you know I love you, after all your tattooed on my arm for life!) and my brother in law, phone face, Ripley, or Pat if you prefer. I really have NO pictures of him where there is not a phone covering his face! We went to the Sugarhouse festival, up to Pioneer Park for the farmers market, and then had some bar-be-que!
I of course spent time with my wonderful momma as well as my pops. It was so good to see everyone and I love and miss you all!

I was also able to complete my sibling tattoo and Brian was added to the mix. In case your wondering why a frog, that has been my dads nickname for him since he was little.
Sorry Asian, I know you wanted the killer blue dart frog, but it didn't really go with my theme!
It has been hot here (110 degrees on average) but I am surprisingly loving it! Work is still ridiculous, so we won't go into that. I am in the process of figuring out what my next move is in regards to my mom and I may be thinking about moving back to Utah, so if you know of any good paying jobs in my field, let me know! And that's all I got!

The "Buddy" Pass

2009-06-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am finally able to talk about this without weeping so here goes...... I have been planning a trip out to Hawaii for quite a few months now. I got the time off of work, bought some new clothes, stocked up on the sunblock and was able to snag myself a "buddy" pass from a friend of Steph's. Now I am putting "buddy" in quotation marks because this is not what it turned out to be! To make an incredibly long story short, I will sum it up. Long hours in the airport in Vegas, long hours spent on the computer looking at different flights, hating Delta for only having 1 flight to Hawaii a day out of only 3 different cities, BUYING a ticket to Los Angeles, long hours spent at LAX, BUYING a ticket back home to Las Vegas, wasted money on cab rides, and getting my hopes up over and over, only to have them crushed! What do I have to show for it????
Lots of tickets! Whoopee! Oh, there is something that made it to Hawaii......
It had a fabulous time! So there, I have told the story and am in the final stage of grief which is acceptance. I am an evolved woman. Nina, your faulty "buddy" pass is no reflection on you as person, nor is the fact that the airline you work for needs to rethink their ideas on overselling flights that are apparently still very popular even in this crappy economy! I do appreciate that you gave it to me though, it made me a stronger person! I also believe that there is some bad Karma floating around and it has decided to set its' sights on me. I am not sure why and I have been trying to make things right with the universe, but with the month I have had, I think it is still mad.

On another note, I had a birthday. It was pretty good and my friends from work took me to a "biker bar" so that we could look at hot men all night.
There were bikers there, this is true, but they were probably all over 50. Not that I don't think someone over 50 can't be hot (I mean look at Bruce Willis, yummy!) they just were NOT here. It was still fun and we did a lot of laughing!

I also had my friend Legrand come to visit me and along with talking, laughing, lounging by the pool, and watching fabulous Lifetime movies together we also went to a show.
We saw Erikah Badu at MGM as a birthday treat for us both and it was awesome! Thanks Legrand!

We have also moved offices at work. I am trying really hard not to complain because it is literally a mile from my house (goodbye commute!) but they have crammed me and my employee into a 9x9 cell with no window and so much stuff that we have to put most of it into the warehouse next door. So I will be spending a lot of my day going back and forth for the needed information. Positive spin is more exercise. Ok, I lied, I complained that whole paragraph. Here is the before picture....
I do not have an after picture yet because there is not enough room for my camera after everything was put into it by the movers. By Friday night I had already put in 52 hours and I had to go in Saturday to help with the move. I was there from 7 to 5:30pm trying to get everything ready so that we are ready to work on Monday. Guess what, we are not. Then I had to go back today to do actual work because the move had put me behind on things that I have to have done. Here is the best part, I am on salary. That means I get paid 40 hours, that's it! Positive side, we are getting back the cuts they made to our salaries at the end of July. Does this mean we are not getting raises this year?

I will try hard not to go so long without blogging as it is painstaking to the reader (sorry Amy)! I will also work on getting my sense of humor back as it is hard to be without one. Maybe when I find a new job.........or a hot biker.

Tattoo Update

2009-05-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Word on the street is that with this new tattoo, I have lost all hope of finding that special someone. In my fathers words "Now she will never find someone and get married". Lol Oh pops, you should know that some men DO think tattoos are sexy, they are probably just not the kind of men YOU want me bringing home!

Disgrace

2009-05-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have known for years that this is what I am, but I FINALLY got the "official" title from my mother a few weeks ago when I told her I was getting this.........
In her words I am not just a "disgrace", but a "disgrace to the family". Beat that Steph and Asian! I have worked so hard over the years to earn this prestigious award and it is such a relief to finally win! I thank all of you who have contributed in my journey towards this momentous occasion (Amy and Celeste). In case your wondering why this tattoo, it is a tribute to me and my sis who is my "right hand gal". Asian got kicked out of the tattoo as it did not fit with the flow, but don't worry he gets to be put somewhere else when I go back in July. I do have to continue on so that I can keep my title!
Oh and just so you know, I sat for 4 1/2 hours. That is one tough chick!

Yummy!

2009-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an absolutely DELICIOUS recipe for "hummus" that is actually low in calories and a lot better for you than the original, click or copy and paste the link below...........

http://www.mixingbowl.com/message/recipe/view.castle?g=-2&m=5254027

The nerve.......

2009-05-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Oh wow, I didn't realize that it has almost been a month since I blogged! I have been wanting to for awhile now and something just happened that helped motivate me. The scene of the crime...
If you don't know much about this store, everyone has to check themselves out as well as bag their own groceries (helps keep the prices down). I get done shopping and scan all of my items and the last thing I send down the belt are these....
(Girls if you don't have someone to buy you flowers, buy them for yourself!!!!) They went down last as I did not want them to get crushed by the other groceries. I pay and proceed to head down the belt to bag everything. I am not even halfway done bagging when a woman gets in my line and proceeds to check out and run her stuff down the belt. At first, I can't believe she is doing this and then I realize her stuff is SMASHING my flowers! I lean over and grab them and give her a look and she continues to check out and run her stuff down the belt. At this point, our groceries are getting all mixed in together and I am MAD! Now does this look like a face that angers easily?
Well it's not! But I have to say I wanted to resort to some violence right there in the store, I mean the gall of this woman! So I say"excuse me, can you please wait until I am finished" and she says, "Oh I am done anyway" as she sends her last item down the belt. Well this really ticks me off and I continue bagging and start shoving her stuff out of the way. She calmly comes over and starts bagging her things right next to me, while I try to make sure she doesn't take any of my things! I continue to forcefully shove her stuff away from mine as she finishes bagging and she doesn't say a word to me! I am sorry to say, as she walked away, I couldn't help myself, I called her a B***H. No response, she just kept walking. In hindsight I am glad I did not get a reaction out of her, as I am also not a fighter and probably could have got my butt kicked! I will also admit, it felt really good to call her that! I deal with rude people on a daily basis, but this just sent me over the edge!
Let's see what else do I have...... I made an awesome sandwich for lunch today which consisted of smoked salmon, Persian cucumbers, and goat cheese on whole wheat. Yummy! Also, it is 95 degrees today and I am loving it! It's pool time!

Have you ever let something occur, when you normally would not, just to see what happens? I did!
That my friends, is a sweet potato that started to grow some eyes. I may continue to see what happens.......

Lastly here is a shout out to all you mommas out there who keep this world in an endless supply of diapers in the landfills, kids kicking the back of your seat on a plane, train, or automobile, and piercing shrieks in the movie theaters, shopping centers, and restaurants. Thanks for all you do! You know I love you all!

The Little Things....

2009-04-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

As I have grown older (and wiser!) I have to come to realize that it is the "little" things in life that really matter. I had two "little" things happen to me recently that re-affirmed this. One "little" thing that turned into a big thing and another "little" thing that is not so big, but both brought me a lot of happiness.

The first happened the other day at work. Now work has been incredibly difficult and hard on me lately and it has made me very frustrated. I have felt overworked and underpaid and with them cutting our salaries, AND piling more work on us, it has made things worse. A co-worker of mine, who has also become my friend, took a notice to this and did something "little" for me. I came into work one morning and this was sitting on my desk.
This was such a nice gesture and it really made my day that someone was thinking about me and appreciating the hard work that I do! It was such a small thing, but it is a nice feeling to have someone think about you and then to let you know it!

The second thing happened today. I was going to a used book store to trade in some books and it was not open yet so I decided to stop into Kohl's to window shop. I probably window shopped for over an hour and was getting ready to leave when I noticed this and it was like Manna from the heavens!
I used to work in a store that had a whole selection of essential oils that you could mix into lotion or body wash, and they had a scent called Egyptian Musk and I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the smell of this! I would pour it into my nostrils if I could! So when I saw the name on this I about died, and it smells the EXACT same as that oil! To top it all off, it was on sale and I proceeded to buy two bottles. I immediately sprayed it all over the interior of my car, all through the clothes in my closet, on my sheets, couch, carpet, shower curtain etc, etc.. Then I kept walking outside and clearing my nose because I was getting used to the scent and wanted a clear nose with which to smell this goodness. "Little" thing, BIG deal! Made my day!

May 23rd 2009

Food Scale

2009-04-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is short but I wanted to share. A few posts back I talked about how I won the prize of a food scale for Mardi Gras at work. I thought it was a little silly and put it in the closet as a re-gift. Well a couple of weeks ago I started keeping track of my eating habits and joined this website www.caloriecount.about.com to keep track of my caloric intake each day. I don't know what I would do without that food scale now, or how I ever lived without one! I measure almost everything! You would be amazed at how inaccurate the nutitional guides are on food products! Mostly because they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. So this food scale has become my new woobie! Oh and just so you know, just because you have a healthy cereal and you drink it with Soy Milk, does not mean it is low in calories. In fact, if you have 2 bowls of this so called cereal, you can be eating close to 600 calories. The more you know........

Annual Exam

2009-04-06T19:23:00.001-07:00

I recently had the great pleasure of going for my annual exam. One of the hardest parts of moving or switching insurances is having to find a new gynecologist and having somebody new checking out your lady business. Now I am not necessarily opposed to having a male gynecologist although I do prefer a female, as they know more about my lady business than a male does. The person I picked this time just happened to be a male.

My experience started in the hallway waiting for the office to open when a lady who was probably a size negative zero asked me how far along I was! My only satisfaction was seeing the horror on her face when I told her I was not pregnant, just fat! I then of course had to wait almost an hour before being called back. I finally went back and was able to enjoy getting on the scale when I was already feeling so great about myself! The nurse took me in the room and told me to get completely naked and wanted me to put on a child sized paper vest and something that really feels no bigger than a paper towel to cover my lower half. Of course the room is freezing and I have to wait another 20 minutes in my crinkly outfit. So my male Dr comes in and then says that he has some medical students and is it alright if they come in. Oh sure, why the hell not! Let's make a party out of my vagina!

So he feels up my breasts, makes me scoot to the edge of the table and violates my lady business with that thing that reminds me of a pipe cleaner. As I am enjoying the pinch of the speculuum my boss of course is calling my work cell phone so now I have the image of him in my head! Can this get any better?

The Dr has me sit up and then asks me if I have any questions. I let him know about the PCOS and that my other Dr thinks I should have a scope to make sure everything is ok in there. At that point he asks me if I am planning on getting pregnant and I say "well no" and he says that I don't really need to worry about it unless I am planning on getting pregnant. Excuse me? I would prefer not to have a cyst burst in my uterus if I can at all help it! He then says that I just need to be on Birth Control. I then tell him that I am unable to take Birth Control due to the Pulmonary Embolism I had. Then he says "well in the country I come from we have other medications that could help, but you can't get those here". Ok, then why are you telling me? Then he has the nerve to tell me that if I just ate healthier and exercised I could probably clear up a lot of my issues. He says "I am not saying your fat, I just think it would help to lose weight". First off, I am so sick of people thinking I pig out because of my weight! I try to eat really healthy and have really had trouble losing weight. Now granted I could use a little more exercise, but don't just assume that I am hittin Mickey D's every night! At this point, I am just done with this guy and all I want to do is put my clothes back on and head back to work!

So there you have it! Another great trip to the gyno! I will be getting a different Dr not only because he was a jerk but also because I want another opinion and with someone that will actually listen to the person that knows her own body! I really hope those med students had another person to learn from!

A little something to remember him by.......

2009-04-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

I own a Japanese stress reducer item known as "Ben-wah" (I think that is the name) balls. They have little chimes in them and you roll them around on your hands and they supposedly touch key pressure points in your hand to help you reduce your stress. When my cute little family came down to see me a few weeks ago, my little buddy Trenters fell in love with these things. He would carry 1 or both of them around with him and shake them now and again. On the morning I had to work, it was early and I went into the kitchen and noticed he was awake, so I went over and looked in at him and he was laying there with his puppy and one of the balls in his hand! So cute! Anyway, after they left, I noticed that one of them was missing
I really didn't think much about it because I rarely use them and figured I would find it eventually as I cleaned my house. Out of sight and out of mind. Well today I found it.
And where you may ask did I find it?
Lol, I honestly never thought once about looking here! Oh the fun surprises that you get long after you have had children in your home! Thanks Trenters you made my day and made me smile!

And then I was attacked by this....
Now it may not look that big as I was unable to capture its size in the photo, but I kid you not, this thing was probably a little bit longer than my pinkie! Now I am typically ok with insects (other than bees) but for some reason Moths creep me out and this thing flew right at me! I ducked just in time and was not injured! It is pretty though!

New plan

2009-04-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just can't seem to do the whole picture a day. So instead of continually feeling like a failure and refusing to blog I decided to try something new. I saw this bumper sticker
and thought, oh I could do weekly themes! So I decided to try a week of bumper sticker pictures. Well I only saw that first one and then this one
(tee-hee) and that was it. Haven't seen another bumper sticker since! Also that was dangerous trying to take pictures while driving and I really don't want to die in a fiery crash! Ok new plan. I have been on a mission to lose some lbs and wanted to make some new recipes so I thought ok a week of recipe photos! I started out with a seafood soup with corn and soy beans,
Then tried out a Garbanzo Bean Burger
And then I got tired of cooking and ate only salads and out the window that idea went! Oh I also made my own homemade croutons
but that was for a salad potluck at work, not a healthy food. Salad potlucks are AWESOME! So I am tired of trying to come up with ideas and I am just going back to taking pictures when I see something. Maybe I will give it another try when my life involves something other than work and is a little more interesting!

Speaking of recipes though, I joined this website called mixingbowl.com which is great way to share recipes with your friends and gets tips/ideas/recipes from others! So far Stephanie, Aunt Mary, Emily, Sandy, and my friend Krystl have joined. You will be really sorry if you don't check it out!

~I apologize for the lack of flow and interesting content in this post. It is late Thursday night and my brain is complete mush. I just read it back and I sound like an idiot, but I have no energy to go back and change anything and I need to post so that I can stop obsessing about it and get some sleep. No I am not drunk, just tired. Thank you~

Another visit

2009-03-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well my picture a day lasted all of 2 weeks and I fell off the wagon! I am back on though starting today! In the interim though, I had another set of visitors in the way of my bro, my sister-in-law, and my snot-nosed little niece and nephew! That's right, my family came to Vegas, and all I got was this lousy cold!
See the snot on that boys nose! I would not change a thing though! It was so good to see everyone and I so enjoyed having them here! Here are some highlights of the visit.......
Getting a huge grin from this sweet face!
Watching this sassy girl dance to the beat of her own drum!
The Cupcakery taste test!
Playing in the park
Getting this look, alot, and being called a "bubblehead" repeatedly!
Asian abusing the baby
Loving on this little girl, who is a complete crack up!
Watching this little guy run everywhere and letting his voice be known!
Just having my family in my space! Thank you guys for coming, I love you so much! Next time we will have to drive around more, I don't think we did enough driving!

2/28-3/6/9

2009-03-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

Seriously this is hard, but we move on to week 2 of a picture a day! Last Saturday I went for a little drive and saw these trees everywhere! This has always meant the first sign of Spring to me and I think they are so beautiful!
Sunday was another beautiful day and it was warm enough to put on one of my summer dresses and sit in the sun for awhile. I am trying to enjoy what little Spring we have here as I know when it really starts to heat up, it will get hot fast!
Monday I got a phone call from my apartment telling me that I was the winner of the early bird contest! If you get your rent in early, you are entered into a drawing, and I won! I NEVER win anything so I was excited. My reward was a $50 gift card to Target! Whoo-hoo! I bought this storage ottoman and this bra. I believe EVERY woman should have sexy, cute bras' to wear under their clothes!
Tuesday was just another busy day at work and by the time I left, it was too dark to really get a picture of anything. Honestly, I just didn't want to focus on taking a picture this day. So I took this driving home from work. Fascinating isn't it?
I have realized that I do not have a lot of photos of myself, mostly because I am the one taking the pictures. I have also realized that of the pictures I do post of myself, I look like a big old scrounge! Seeing as how this is MY journey, I should probably have some photos of me that don't include my pajamas or braids! Thanks to the timer on my camera, here is a picture of me in my "professional attire" before work on Wednesday. That's right Amy, I clean up real nice too!
Thursday we had a potluck at work and I decided to make a "Better than Sex cake" and it was a huge hit! It is funny but since I moved here, I realized that people don't make casseroles and desserts here the way we do in Utah. This makes for me being an awesome cook, lol! The pan was pretty much scraped clean!
And we come full circle to Friday, where I was able to hunker down and watch one of my favorite shows. It is one of the many laughs I look forward to in the week! I want to marry Joel McHale...

Rough start

2009-02-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

Alright so my first week of attempting a picture a day proved to be a little more difficult than I thought. Seriously, my life is so boring during the work week and I am pretty sure no one wants to see the same picture of my desk everyday. This is what I did manage to do though.

I moved one of my plants outside because it seemed to be producing something similar to a fruit fly and I wanted them to die. On Saturday, I noticed something has been chewing on it. There is no way that is a bug! Cat? Lizard? Scorpion? Small child?
On Sunday I did a little shopping at my favorite store Ross, and was able to find this little "nightstand". I have been without one since I moved and thought this was cute as well as functional for storing things!
On Monday I decided to stop by my other favorite store, Barnes and Noble to check out the bargain books. I have decided that just because you cut down on the number of bookcases you own, does not necessarily mean you cut down on the books!
On Tuesday, we had some Mardi Gras celebrations at work. Although I did not win any beads (this is my place of employment after all!), I did win this kitchen scale in a bead guessing contest! I know some people weigh there food, but I am not one of those people. Can you say re-gift?
Wednesday I really had nothing to take a photo of. I mean nothing. So I share a Vegas fact. While people in other parts of the country get things like grocery ads, department store ads etc.. in their mail, we here in Vegas get a lot of casino ads. You buy food with your money, we put ours in slot machines!
On Thursday I fell down. That's right, I fell down. In a parking lot. Full of people. At work. In front of my co-workers. A positive spin is that it's the only time I have seen anyone be nice in Vegas. People actually came over to see if I was alright! The only thing that I hurt was my pride, oh and my new pink pants!
And today I had an insurance audit at work. Now mind you I worked my BUTT off this week trying to get prepared for this thing. I am in charge of all the inpatient stuff at work so I had to go through all of the inpatient charts to make sure they are up to date and accurate. We are talking HIGH stress all week, almost to the point of wanting to quit! So I have everything ready and I meet with the woman who then proceeds to tell me, she is not really interested in the inpatient charts this time, she wants to see outpatient. What? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME? I was so mad! Here is a picture of my desk (after I organized it for the meeting), trust me, it did not look this way throughout the week!
This one is just because I took a pretty picture and need to think of something pretty (instead of the guy that stabbed himself in the lung today).
Now I am going to turn on the heating pad and rest my neck (too much time hunched over my desk this week) and arm (too much weight trying to break my fall!)

Vacation

2009-02-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

My best friend Amy came to visit me from Hawaii and we had so much fun! I took the whole week off from work (which was HEAVEN) and we had a great time together. Here are some of the highlights!
We went and saw "He's just not that into you" which was a great, funny movie. As we were walking out of the theater, we saw this display and of course had to get in on the action!
Of course, I could not get her to go see a scary movie with me, namely "My bloody Valentine" but that's cool, whatever! Next we had a great time laughing at the expense of my cheerleading uniform, side ponytail and all!
Apparently Yoga IS good at keeping you flexible. This makes my thighs hurt just looking at it!
We boxed with Muhammad Ali at Caesars Palace,
We met George Straight at the Goat Feathers Antique Shop in Boulder City,
and we ate, ALOT!
Mmmmmm Gnocchi! We got massages, we went shopping, we did a little gambling, we ended up in our jams by 5pm on more than one night, we laughed and laughed, and we got some soul sista tattoos, oh yeah!
Good times were had by all! Sorry it was so cold Amy, next time you will have to come a little later in the year, or bring something warmer than flip-flops and summer dresses, lol! Thanks for such a great time, and for being such a great friend, even though we take the heat of people thinking we are lesbians, they just don't understand us!
I have also decided to try and do a picture a day so that I can keep up better with my blog and my life, because I am sure there is one there, and I am just not noticing it. Knowing me and my procrastinating self, it may not go as well as planned, but I am willing to take the chance!

Slacker

2009-02-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

I have been a huge blogger slacker lately, but am going to try to to do better from now on! I don't have anything too exciting this time, just some updates. A couple weekends ago I went to Ephraim to visit Celeste and of course I pick the weekend where a huge storm was coming in. It started snowing on Sunday and I decided that it might be a better idea to get up really early on Monday after the snow had stopped. Well that was a mistake! A drive that is usually 4 hours, took me 7! Here is a view of me driving 25mph down the highway.
Needless to say, I won't be doing that again until winter is OVER! I have never been so glad to see desert in my life!
I did get my test results back so if you want to know I can email you privately. Since I have an open blog and I don't know who is reading it, I'd rather not discuss some of my business so openly! In fact I may jump on the private bandwagon so I know who I am sharing my business with. I am pretty sure I have the email addresses of people I think are reading, so go ahead and leave a comment if you want me to include you on the list of readers.

Work has been completely insane (no pun intended ;P) and I do not see it slowing down anytime EVER! We are the only mental health provider for Health Plan of Nevada (insurance) which serves over 700,000 lives. Now this is not the only insurance we take, in fact we take quite a few others. Well the higher ups that be are in the process of trying to get a contract with Medicaid as well. Are you joking? Not that I don't think it would be great to help even more people, but I am pretty sure my company has no plans whatsoever of hiring more "helping hands" which just creates more work those of us there, and we are already overworked! Oh it just makes me so tired even thinking about it......

For the past week I have had this almost overwhelming craving for french fries. Now I like fries as much as the next person, but have never really been one to crave them. I have also been doing really well with watching what I eat and I have not cheated once this week! So today all I can think about is how good some fries would be and a great idea comes to me. I bought some pre-cooked Polenta (the one in the tube) the other day and have been trying to decide what to do with it. Well I sliced it up, put it on a cookie sheet, sprayed a little Olive Oil on it, and baked it! Wallah~healthy french fries!
Ok so maybe not french fries, but crunchy enough for me to pretend! And yes, I did dip them in Ketchup!

I have also been working on getting all 800 of the pictures from my digital camera, off of my computer and made into actual pictures. I have been making changes to some (black and white, cropping etc..) to get them how I like. Now I have always wanted to enter some of my photos into contests, and Celeste inspired me to go ahead and do it. She has entered some of her photos in various fairs and won! I have a feeling Vegas doesn't have a lot of county fairs, so I am on a mission to find a photo contest somewhere here, and make an entry. I may be asking permission from some of you (Jamie and Amy) as some of my best photos are of your children! Wish me luck!

Voicemail

2009-01-22T20:20:00.001-08:00

Here is the voicemail I received today.....

"Hi, this message is for Stacey, this is so and so from the so and so lab. We have the results of your tests and there are some abnormalities that your doctor would like to discuss with you. Please come to your appointment on so and so date to discuss these results."

Are you kidding me? Gee thanks for making me go into an unnecessary panic for the next week until my appointment. Could you not have just called to remind me about my appointment? Did you have to throw in that there were abnormalities and then not be able to discuss them with me? What is the point of that? Sometimes you really have to wonder about people! So much for being "still" this week!

On a positive note, the Zyrtec is working wonders and I have not had hives in 4 days, although I feel a little drugged all of the time! I am not complaining though, beggars can't be choosers! I have also found that I can eat something other than Saltines. Edamame does not irritate in any way!

Maybe they found my twin............

And the verdict is.......

2009-01-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

In case anyone was still wondering how I am fairing in my battle against the hives, I finally went to the Dr. I started out with my PCP who proceeded to tell me that I would need to see a dermatologist before I could be referred to an allergist. What??? Then, in order to get the referral to the dermatologist (which the insurance requires) I would need to have a chest x-ray done first. What??? Whatever just do it. So I finally get in to see the dermatologist and she knew immediately what I had (as I am sure my PCP did as well). Urticaria Hives, specifically dermatographism. This apparently affects 5% of the population, typically appears in women, and can last for months, even years (going on about 9 months now). They do not know what causes it and apparently there is no real cure. The Dr. wants me to take Zyrtec once a day, everyday to help with the symptoms and gave me a list of things that "might" help. This list included using nothing with fragrance including soaps, lotions, detergent, fabric softener, deodarant, perfume, etc.. The list also included a list of foods known to aggravate the condition. You know foods like dairy, nuts, chocolate, tomatoes, fruit, and fresh vegetables. Yes that's right, EVERY single one of your basic food groups. Sweet! So not only will I be smelly but apparently I have a new diet of saltine crackers and Zyrtec. Which in my case will NOT make me lose weight. So for the price of my gas to and from 2 Dr's appointments, a chest x-ray, and $45 in co-pays, I now get to not eat anything and suffer in order not to suffer. Thanks, that really helps! Oh, I also got the reminder to seek immediate medical attention, should my throat or mouth start to swell! Will do! Here are some pictures of my affliction.
I would have taken some of my own skin but I am REALLY trying to avoid anything that may even imitate a scratching motion. Ok, I will stop complaining now, at least I am not this poor baby.
*Part Two of the story in 2 weeks........

What do you get?

2009-01-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you learn how to crochet?
What do you get when you can't stop buying yarn?

What do you get when Payless is having a sale on shoes?

What do you get when your closet is so full of shoes, you step on one, and a high heel jams into the arch of your foot?
What do you get for $20 when a store is going out of business? (Yes, 4 pairs of pants, a skirt, AND 2 shirts!)
What do you get when the clothes you bought are too tight?
What do you get when you find out your best friend is coming to visit you?

100th Post

2009-01-08T19:34:00.000-08:00

I have made it to my 100th post! Instead of doing 100 things about myself, I have decided to list 100 things I love. These are in no particular order although I do love my family and friends the most! I will not take it personally if you don't read all 100.

1. My Family
2. My friends
3. Working
4. My Independence
5. Music
6. Laughter
7. Plants
8. The Sun
9. Pickles
10. Chapstick
11. Books
12. My Car
13. Mail
14. Ice
15. Kleenex
16. Benadryl
17. Bras (love that they lift my boobs up, hate wearing them!)
18. My Bed
19. Socks
20. Shoes
21. Love
22. Daisies
23. Tattoos
24. The number 24
25. Sushi
26. Coffee
27. Slippers
28. Black and White Film
29. Patchouli
30. Lotion
31. Greeting Cards
32. Crocheting
33. Fairies
34. Body Pillows
35. Scrunchies
36. Incense
37. Children (as long as they're not mine!)
38. Magazines
39. Traveling (especially first class!)
40. Art
41. Nature
42. Motorcycles
43. Learning
44. Spanish (learning a little everyday!)
45. French (not learning at all, but love when someone speaks it!)
46. Fresh and Easy Market
47. Animals (most of them anyway)
48. Diet Coke
49. Movies
50. The Ocean
51. Gardening
52. Dragonflies
53. Cooking
54. Mexico
55. Gum
56. Candles
57. Scrabble
58. Camping
59. Photography
60. Lamps
61. Tank Tops
62. Horoscopes
63. Desserts
64. Billy Lane
65. The Color Blue
66. The Food Channel
67. Jewelry
68. Pajama Bottoms
69. Sweaters
70. Tapestries
71. Palm Trees
72. Pin Up's
73. Aprons (Thanks Amy)
74. The Office
75. Hot Baths
76. Being a Woman
77. Not wearing makeup
78. Floss
79. Catalog Shopping (not buying, just circling what you would buy, if you could!)
80. Rice Pudding
81. Calendars
82. Hippies
83. Funny T-shirts
84. People Watching
85. Gnomes
86. Men (oh yeah!)
87. Puzzles
88. Hats
89. Coloring
90. Fires (not in a pyro kind of way, more like campfires, or fires in a fireplace)
91. Made up Motivational Posters
92. Bread
93. Vampires
94. Guitars (no I don't play)
95. My Sleep Mask
96. Massages
97. Pottery
98. Fingernails for scratching these darn hives!
99. Horror Films
100. The World of Blogs!!!!!

Yeah 100th post! I salute you! And in the spirit of motivational posters........

New Year

2009-01-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

I have found it difficult to blog lately and I am not sure if it is because my life has become boring and predictable, or that I am not paying attention to the little things that happen to me. If it is the latter, I will try harder, if it is the first, I will work on that!

Christmas was great and I had a great time visiting with my family! Although I could have done without having to get out the snow blower every day I was there! I can't believe how fast my niece and nephew are growing and they bring such joy to our lives.

Yes, I made the hats and scarf, and you can see how much Trenters loves it! So cute! For a good laugh, click on Stephs link and watch the video of my nephew!

If you don't know this about me, I am really into totem animals. Totem animals comes from Native American cultures and traditions. These animals, it is believed, accompany us in both physical and spiritual worlds. Totem animals can come to you in different ways. Mine have tended to just show up in places that I have not been expecting, or just recently, in a book I was reading that struck me in just a certain way. For the past few years, mine has been the dragonfly. Dargonflies represent 2 year periods of change and they beckon you to seek out the parts of you that may need changing. I rarely see dragonflies, but when I was in Hawaii, I saw them everywhere. I had a moment in which the BIGGEST dragonfly I have ever seen landed right in front of me, hence the dragonfly tattoo came into existence.

I have recently been doing a lot of self reflecting and the other day I had a praying mantis show up. I again, rarely see praying mantis', in fact it has probably been years since I have seen one, so it struck me a little bit. Then, in a book I have been reading, the praying mantis kept showing up throughout the story. So I took notice. The praying mantis symbolizes patience, stillness, and calm. It teaches us to still the outer part of ourselves, so that when the time comes to act, we can do so with surety. I am pretty good at hiding this, but my family definitely knows, I have NO patience. There are often times that I may appear calm on the outside, but on the inside I am going a million miles a minute. So this totem has come at an interesting time. Things at work are really crazy and as I have been learning my new job, I have really felt unsettled and unsure. My move has had alot of pros but it has also brought up alot of feelings that I am not sure how to work out.

To make a long story, longer, I spent New Years Eve alone. I know that sounds sad and depressing but it actually wasn't. I had offers to go out, but I just didn't want to. I was able to sit and reflect on the new year up ahead and think about the things I want to accomplish. I also thought about how lucky I am. I may have spent my new year alone, but I thought about others who were alone not by choice, whether their loved ones were gone or they had no loved ones. At least I was warm and have a roof over my head and food to eat. There are a lot of people in this world who do not even have close to what I have.

So I treated myself to Sushi, surf and turf, yummy salmon, and Octopus!

I wrapped myself in blankets, cranked up the heat (because I can afford it), and watched scary movies all night.
I went to bed feeling content.

Last year my word was Live and I think I have done well with that. This year my word is Still.
I don't want to just appear calm on the outside, I want to still things on the inside as well. I want to have patience and calm in my heart. I want to stop being angry at bad drivers, and getting worked up at work. I want to be patient with dumb people, and let things go that I cannot control. I want to be still.

Apparently I will also be getting a new tattoo.

Work

2008-12-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my work is very difficult. Sometimes I wonder why I do it. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it.

I was just getting ready to leave work the other day when a crisis call came it. Wanting to leave, I became really annoyed but sat down and picked up the phone. On the other end was a man who was completely manic. He was rambling on about how he "knew too much" and he could not bear it anymore. He was talking about the government and god and everything in between. He then stated if he had a gun he would shoot himself, and began to sob. I asked him where he was and he stated he was driving home from work. Now a realize a hysterical man who is very ill should probably not be talking on the phone while he is driving, but I felt like the safest thing to do would be to talk with him until he got home. So I did. He spoke of having a gambling problem and had done well for a few years, but started again a couple of months ago. He also said he had been giving money to a woman, because she needed it, and his wife new nothing of any of this. I spoke with him for a half an hour until he pulled into his driveway. He thanked me for talking with him and stated he had pulled it together and would be fine. I gave him my work # in case he needed to call again and hung up.

Here is where I had my dilemma. He was feeling suicidal and I knew that was something I could not ignore, but I also knew that I could cause him a lot of trouble at home, especially with his wife. i felt pretty sure he was not actually going to kill himself, but what if I was wrong? I wasn't sure what to do. So I called the police and asked them to do a welfare check. I went home and worried the whole night about how I had probably ruined his trust in me. It was really bothering me, but I knew I had to do what I did.

The next morning I went into work and had a message on my phone, and sure enough it was from him. My stomach dropped when I heard his voice. He was much calmer and actual sounded pretty rational. He said that he wanted to call and thank me for talking him home, and helping him through a really rough moment. He stated he was surprised when the cops showed up at his door, but it actually was a good thing, as he and his wife had one of the best conversations they have ever had. He stated he was going to try and get back on track with his medications and with his gambling. He again thanked me for being there for him when he really needed someone.
That is why I do what I do. I deal with a lot of things that do not end up that way, but it is worth it when they do. There are times I doubt the things that I have to do, but if it helps just one person, then I can take the heartache. My work is hard but it is a lot harder to be that person on the other end of the phone, and for that I am grateful.

On another note, it snowed in Vegas today. Why me?

Thanksgiving and beyond

2008-12-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

I haven't felt like blogging lately so I am going to do a little catch up here. I went home to Utah for Thanksgiving and it was great to see all of my family, especially my sweet little niece and nephew. I can't believe how fast they are growing up! I also did not have to go see Twilight by myself and Jamie and I went and had a great time (minus the police involvement!). I was upgraded to first class for my flights (thanks Steph!) and got to watch Donny Osmond sleeping! The only down side to the trip was I did not see the sun for 4 days and was glad to come home to that!

The new promotion at work is going well and I am a LOT less stressed! I am learning a lot and find it very rewarding. I am also working on my application for grad school so wish me luck! My raise kicked in and I really appreciated the extra money as I had to get my brakes done. I called my good buddy mechanic Wayne and he fixed me right up! He is a sweet old man and always treats me right, which is nice in this town!

I was pretty busy this week. I had a date, which did not work out the way I planned, but really how often do my dates work out? Maybe I have a glitch in my Karma somewhere and it is playing out in my dates. The search continues. I also went to an amazing art show at a place called The Arts Factory (http://www.theartsfactory.com/index.html). I work with a therapist who owns a gallery there and he had a showing. I loved the paintings but prices were a little out of my league, $3,000 out of my league to be exact! There was another artist I really liked and to check out her work you can go here http://www.nikijsands.com/ It was really neat to check out such great artists.

Today I want to lay on the couch all day and watch movies, but I will actually be cleaning my house, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and heading to the bookstore, I mean there has to be some pleasure in there somewhere! In parting, I leave you with the question mechanic Wayne asked me "Why are you still single? I hear the Irish have no trouble finding mates." Huh?

Dreams

2008-11-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

I hardly ever remember my dreams, but when I do, they are very bizarre. Here is the dream I was having this morning upon waking......

I am on my way to work, it is a bright, sunny morning, when I start into the construction that is going on near my house (true). As I start into the "cones" it becomes pitch black and I realize there is smoke and crumbling asphalt everywhere. I begin to panic a little because I cannot see anything, not even lights from the cars that were ahead of me, and I am worried about driving into an accident. All of a sudden I see construction workers, one of them being a friend of mine. They stop my car and make me park it and tell me I have to follow the crowd down through crumbling stone. My friend makes a comment about my high heels saying I am going to need something sturdier and points down to her cowboy boots. I ask her if there was an accident and she insinuates that it is terrorist related. I ask her if it is terrorists and she tells me no, but it is a quarantine and no one is allowed to leave the area. I get the feeling that this happens occasionally in Vegas and that I should not be alarmed. At this point I look around, and it is now bright daylight again and I can see the area is blocked off on all 4 sides by massive port-a-potties. All I can think about is how my boss is going to be mad at me if I do not get to work but I don't dare to call and tell her what is happening. I then notice that everyone is assigned a "cabin" which is the size of a small outhouse. My number is 237 and I begin to look for it. All of a sudden, Stephanie is there and is helping me look for my "lodgings". As we are walking this HUGE man storms past us towards another small man and starts bashing his head against a wall over and over. People around us start yelling for him to stop and he turns around to leave when he sees another man and starts to choke him. Now I am yelling for him to stop when he digs his fingers into the guys eye sockets (sorry, its a little graphic). No one is doing anything so I grab a dumbbell, which of course just happens to be lying there, and I smash him in the head with it and he falls over unconscious. Stephanie and I start on our way again towards the huge port-a-potties this time and a car full of girls flies by us, almost hitting us, and they are singing and hanging out the windows and I yell at them. They run into wet cement that the construction workers have been pouring and the workers start yelling and that is when I woke up.

Strange eh? Like I said, I do not remember my dreams very often, and when I do they typically have to do with destruction. Lots of darkness and the crumbling of structures, and I am always afraid in them. I think the last dream I remember having (and this was months and months ago) had to do with meteors hitting the earth and me trying to escape. I had my mother with me and we were in one of those old hippie VW vans with a bunch of other hippies. Again lots of darkness and destruction.

Conversation in a grocery store

2008-11-15T17:36:00.000-08:00

Guy: Hi.
Me: Hello.
Guy: How are you doing today?
Me: I'm good, and yourself?
Guy: Good. If you don't mind me saying, you are one nice thick woman.
Me: Thank you? as I walk away

Apparently thick is the new fat? I guess I will take it as a compliment.

I have not felt like blogging this week so I will update. The firing of the poor old lady went without a hitch other than the fact she took all of the knowledge of her job with her. That's right, I am once again thrown into a position where nobody really knows what I will be doing. Good luck to me! My employees were very sad, so that of course always makes you feel good! I start officially on Monday and already have some things due that I have no idea how to do! Again, good luck to me!

The weather here is still heaven! We hit 78 today and had beautiful blue skies! I sat out on the patio this morning and read an entire Ann Rice book, it was WONDERFUL! I also made the Pumpkin spiced truffles, which actually turned into fudge as it was too sticky to form into balls. I don't know if this was user error or recipe error, but whatever it was, it was a mess! They were delish, but I do not think I would put the name Pumpkin in the title. This is really something I should be talking about on my recipe blog. The day has been great and relaxing, and the only time I got sad was hearing about my sweet nephews birthday party, which I obviously missed. Time goes by way too fast sometimes!

I had some friends come into town this past weekend and we had a lot of fun. Lots of gambling, lots of losing, but I did have a great run of luck at the Black Jack table, so I can still buy groceries this week. I have been debating on whether I should post the pictures and finally decided to do it as comic relief. Can you tell what I may have been embarrassed about?
Oh how I wish this bike was mine! So cool! And apparently very hot!
Me and famous Marilyn Monroe. Hot but not that hot!
Me and Arnold. Thankfully not hot at all! Well maybe a little.

So I have a gland problem! I am still very thick!

Promotion

2008-11-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

After 5 months here in Vegas, I have apparently earned myself the opportunity of another promotion. It is not technically official until next week, but they are getting rid of the person in that position tomorrow. I am excited about this position and think it will be very educational and great experience for my career. My new title will be Director of Care Coordination. My job will entail keeping track of all the patients that need to go inpatient for any mental health or substance abuse issues. I will keep track of their stays and then make sure they have the follow care they need post hospital. This is the part I like. I will also be responsible for getting the crisis workers out to the E.R's when they call in. The not so fun part is having to deal with insurance companies who do not want patients in the hospital because it costs them money. Aw money, the root of all evil! I know I will have a difficult time denying someone access to something they may truly need. The other bad part is trying to fill the shoes of the woman who has been in this position for quite some time, and trying to deal with the angry people she has worked with, who are going to be upset that she has been let go. Back to a good part is of course a raise, which is ALWAYS nice! I will also not have to supervise a bunch of people, which is great, because let's be honest, I don't think I am really "boss" material. I mean, I can do it, and I am good at it, but I hate it. All in all I think this will be a good change for me and a little less stressful. I do wish I did not have to be at work when they actually let her go though.

Books

2008-11-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

I met with my book club on Sunday and we discussed "A Thousand Splendid Suns"by Khaled Hosseini, also the author of "The Kite Runner". Such a great read although very sad. Our book for November is "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold.
I am excited to read this and if you know her other books "The Lovely Bones" and "Lucky", you know what a great writer she is. I have really missed book club in Utah. We have not had a very big showing to the one I am in here, and honestly the discussions are lacking. I am considering starting a 2nd club to try and see if I can find some more interesting people.

I love to read and I tend to go through phases where I find a series of books I like and can't seem to put them down. The Twilight series was like that for me and I have now been hooked on Ann Rices' Vampire Chronicles. You know "Interview with a Vampire"! I am on the 3rd book right now "Queen of the Damned" and I am hooked! Apparently I have a thing for vampires! Speaking of vampires, I have no one to go see "Twilight" with when it comes out and since I am not missing the opening night, I may be forced to go alone. If anyone wants to come to Vegas at that time, the movie and popcorn is on me!

Now in the spirit of the election, get out and VOTE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBaX9GPSaQ

Halloween

2008-11-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

First, I am legal and officially have internet now. Thanks Cox Communications guy!

I love Halloween. It has always been my favorite holiday and I love to dress up. That being said, I did not dress up this year and although I was invited out, I did not feel like going. Work has been overly stressful and I just wanted to go home and relax (There is another promotion in the works though). I decided that I better grab some candy before I went home for the little trick or treaters. This is what the bowl looked like at the beginning of the night.....
And here is what it looked like at the end of the night......
That's right, the same (minus 2 Dove dark chocolates, I admit I bought them so I could have some!). I did not have any trick or treaters. Not one. I should have known, I am in Vegas after all. I don't think kids are allowed to trick or treat here. Come to think of it, I don't think I have seen any kids since I have been here. Oh well, I will be a hit at book club tomorrow with goodie bags!

In parting here is a picture of a particularly bad hive day. Enjoy!

Recipe Blog

2008-10-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start a recipe blog (link is on my page under Lilikoi's recipes). I love to share yummy recipes that I find, and instead of taking up my "blogging journal", I decided to use a different blog so that I can print that as a recipe book at the end of the year. Feel free to check it out and share some recipes of your own!

Recipes

2008-10-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

Quinoa Egg Bake w/ Spinach and Garlic

1 tsp butter
½ c uncooked quinoa
8 eggs (I used 4 eggs and 4 egg whites)
1 ¼ c milk (I used unsweetened Soy milk)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 c packed baby spinach, roughly chopped (I only had frozen so I thawed it and used about a half a cup)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper (I think not)
1 c finely shredded parmesan (I used Feta and just sprinkled it over the top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8x8 glass or metal baking dish with butter and set aside. Rinse Quinoa in a fine mesh strainer with cold water and drain well (I did not do this).

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and quinoa. Stir in spinach and pour into dish. Cover with foil and jiggle dish gently from side to side so the quinoa settles to the bottom. Bake until just set, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle top with cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered until golden brown and crisp, about 10-15 minutes more. Set aside and let cool briefly, then slice and serve.

*Fact* Quinoa is a super grain as it contains all 8 essential amino acids-this makes it a complete protein!

Healthy Zucchini Brownies

2 c grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
2 c whole wheat or whole grain flour
1 tsp salt
½ c olive oil
1 ¼ c maple syrup
¼ c cocoa
¼ tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients and mix. Gently stir in the zucchini and pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan and bake 25-30 minutes, testing with a toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting. Serves 24 (yeah right!)

And for the Pumpkin Lover………………

Pumpkin-Spiced Gingersnap Truffles

1 ¼ c semisweet chocolate pieces
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp. vanilla
½ c whipping cream
¼ c chopped gingersnaps (about 10 cookies)
1/3 c finely crushed gingersnaps (about 7 cookies) and/or ¼ c unsweetened cocoa powder

In a medium bowl combine chocolate pieces, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.

In a medium microwave safe bowl, place whipping cream. Microwave on high for 70 seconds or until boiling (or put in a saucepan and bring just to boiling.) Pour cream over chocolate mixture. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Stir in chopped gingersnaps. Cover and refrigerate 1 ½-2 hours or until firm but soft enough to form balls.

Place crushed gingersnaps and/or cocoa powder in small bowl(s). Using a small spoon, scoop 1 tbsp portions of truffle mixture and shape into balls. Roll in cookies or cocoa to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store covered, in refrigerator, up to 3 days. Makes 20 to 25 truffles. Yummy!

Pumpkin Bourbon Pudding

2 tbsp bourbon or 2 tbsp orange juice + 1 tsp vanilla
¼ c golden raisins or dark raisins
Nonstick cooking spray
1 slightly beaten egg
1-15 oz can pumpkin
1-5 oz can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
½ c packed brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 c quick-cooking rolled oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp butter or margarine, melted

In a small saucepan heat bourbon or orange juice and vanilla just until hot (do not boil). Add raisins and set aside to cool.

Lightly coat eight 6oz soufflé dishes or custard cups or a 1-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Place soufflé dishes or custard cups in a shallow baking pan for ease of handling, set aside.

In a large bowl combine egg white, egg, pumpkin, milk, the ½ c brown sugar, and pumpkin spice. Stir in raisins and any liquid left in the pan. Spoon mixture into prepared dish(es). In a small bowl, stir together rolled oats and the 2 tbsp of sugar. Stir in melted butter and then sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Bake in a 375 degree oven about 30 minutes for the cups and 40-45 for the larger dish, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 1 hour before serving. Makes 8 servings.

No internet

2008-10-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to steal internet from all of my neighbors since I moved here and apparently they all smartened up and I can not access it anymore, ergo I have not been blogging. So I am sitting at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf trying to catch up on everything and it may be a long one (although it is FREEZING in here so we will see how much I can stand!). I am enjoying a Pumpkin Latte because I have to try and find Autumn somewhere!

Work has been a nightmare and I am working 10 hours a day right now. Hopefully I will get some new staff in this week and start getting them trained. All I can say is they are not paying me enough money and I WILL be asking for a huge raise come January!

I was able to get in some fun times and went to the Renaissance Fair last weekend.

No I did not wear this the whole time!

There were a lot of these back in those days!

Nothing like flogging a teenager (I'm not kidding) Seriously people, this is supposed to be a family event! The fair was actually quite comical and for some reason people thought that in the renaissance days you dressed like a Gothic fairy. Lots of black eyeliner and wings!

I also went to "Rock Band Live" at the Hard Rock with my friend Abby from work.

Panic at the Disco
Dashboard Confessional

Plain White Tees were there too. It was open to people of all ages so of course it was FULL of middle school aged kids. We stood closer to the back of the event.......next to all the parents. Man I am getting old! This actually turned into a bit of a blind date in which I got into a political debate with this guy and needless to say we would never work out! He did however buy us all dinner at a fancy sushi restaurant, Nobu, in which we had deep fried snapper!
He ordered for everyone without even asking, which is another reason we would not work out. I try people, I really do but it is hard to meet quality people in your 30's. I have found that it is especially hard in Vegas where people just aren't very friendly. Oh well, the search continues!

As promised here are a few pictures from Barry Manilow.

Book Club friend, Sameya

I have quite a few more but my toes are about to fall off from frostbite and I really need to get into my 100 degree car.

And lastly for Amy, I had great intentions of putting my recipe down for the Quinoa quiche and of course I left it on the counter. I did however have a picture! I will get it to you soon! I also found a great recipe for Pumpkin Truffles, Pumpkin Bourbon Pudding, and Zucchini Brownies that I want to share with you!

Forgot

2008-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

I forgot, I also went to Art in the Park in Boulder City on Saturday and it was sooooo cool! Imagine the arts festival in Salt Lake but triple the size. Anyway here is the link to an artist I really liked.

http://www.orasart.com/

Quick update

2008-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have not had any internet for the past week so I am going to do a quick update and then I will have to post the pictures at a later time. Barry Manilow was AWESOME! Seriously I forgot how much I love him. My parents had a record with his music when I was younger and I used to torture Stephanie by playing that record over and over and singing on my "stage" with my "microphone". The best part is he sounds the exact same and thanks to plastic surgery, his face looks the same too! Pictures will follow soon!

I went to book club on Sunday and we discussed "The Kite Runner". I have read this before but it was such a great book, I did not mind doing it again. Our book for next month is "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author. I am also reading a couple of books by author Michael Chabon who is actually going to be coming here for a book signing and I thought it would be fun to read some of his work and then go meet him and hear a reading and have my books signed!

I also just got invited to go see Panic at the Disco and Plain White Tees at the Hard Rock Cafe tomorrow night, so I am looking forward to that and will let you know how it goes! I am trying to do as much as I can outside of work because work has been Hell lately! I had to get rid of 2 people which takes my call center of 5 dow to a center of 3. Needless to say, I am working alot and feeling the pressure! Yesterday I got the, "Are you ok? You look really tired!" Thanks for telling me I look like crap!

Red Rock

2008-10-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday I decided to pull out the old hiking shoes and I headed up to Red Rock Canyon with a friend from book club.It made me so happy, the happiest I have been since I moved. It has been such a long time since I have been in any sort of canyon and it was so great for my soul! Here are some pic's!

There were pheasants EVERYWHERE! My friend kept thinking they were rattlesnakes in the brush-too funny! She was a bit of a wimp!Most of the rocks had this pattern on them and I loved the way it looked-therefore the picture!

It really doesn't get much better than this! The temp is getting a little better here, so I am really looking forward to weekly trips out here as it gets even cooler! Worth every penny of the pass to the canyon!
I am trying to focus on "living" so my adventures continue tonight with "Barry Manilow at the Hilton"! Stay tuned..............

Benadryl Please?

2008-09-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you mix fingers covered in allergens and itchy eyes?
Oh the bane of my existence!

New Olympic Event?

2008-09-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you clean and clean and clean and nobody notices? Are you tired of working hard to have a nice home, and just once you would like some recognition? Then have I found the thing for you.......
What is this you may ask? Well let me show you!
That's right! The housekeeping Olympics! Always wanted a gold medal in something? Well here is your chance! I cracked up when I saw this in the paper, and especially when I saw these pictures.
Look at how much fun she is having! I have NEVER had that much fun vacuuming. I wonder if I am even using the proper technique? Oh dear, I am not sure I want someone judging me on that.
Oh the pain, sweat, and glory of toilet plunger racing! I really hope she won! I personally would be holding it by the handle.
I don't know about anyone else but I despise cleaning! The LAST thing I would want to do is practice it more than I have to in the hopes of winning an award. Seeing how it is Saturday and most people deep clean on Saturday, I thought I would give you a little laugh to get you through!

Green Thumb?

2008-09-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

I love plants and I love having them in my house. When I moved I had plants that I had loved and cared for, for over 10+ years. If you recall, I murdered them by putting them in my car for "safe travel" and they burned to death in the hot Nevada desert. This is the only plant that survived because it was safely out of the suns rays in the U-Haul.
As you can see, this plant has been through quite a bit and has some serious wear and tear but I have had this plant for 13 years and since it was about 6 inches big. We have a very special bond!

I have looked for house plants off and on in various stores since I moved here but have been unable to find any. On Saturday I noticed that a nursery had opened up down the street and decided to stop in. Well I found a glorious arrangement of house plants and the best part of all, they were only $1.98 each! Here is what I scored and please ignore the cable chord in the photo....
My apartment already feels brighter and lighter! Such a small thing for large happiness! I just hope I don't kill them!

Update

2008-09-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

The previous post was unfortunately cancelled so I am sorry Brian, no ideas on how to fake your own murder. I know, it disappointed me as well. That was going to be my goal for 2009.

Work is keeping me insanely busy but I guess that is good as I would otherwise be bored! Just to give you an idea of what work is like for me here are some statistics. In the month of August my 5 person call center had approximately 20,000 incoming and outgoing phone calls. We had 1108 NEW patients to be split up among 3 different offices and 40 different providers. This averages to about 27 new patients per person a month. Remember this does not include their existing patients. We are the ONLY provider for a few insurances and if we do not have good access we refer some patients to outside providers. In August we referred out almost 500 people. It is mind blowing to me the amount of people in need of help! Needless to say, I don't really stop from the time I get to work until the time I leave.

*Vegas facts*

If you are in need of money for whatever reason, it is ok to roam in an out of moving traffic to knock on windows and ask for it.
Matinee movies are not actually cheaper, just earlier. ($8.00)
Grocery stores do not only have food samples. You can also sample booze!
There are only a handful of ACTUAL post offices in this huge city. You can pick up some stamps at "Terrible's" gas station though!
No store here is ever really busy. You can go right after work or on Saturday and there are never really any crowds. I don't know if this is because everything is open all of time but it is quite nice!
Vegas would not be trying to get water from Utah if the Bellagio wasn't using so much for it's fountain! I about died! Talk about a waste!

Great band? I think not!

2008-09-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Let's just say that Frankie may be super hot with his dark handsome looks and his tattoos, but the next best thing he is not. I am really not a music snob and I tried really hard to get into the band but let's call a spade a spade.....Frankie you are just another Vegas lounge act!
I went in thinking I was going to be turned on to some great new music and left thinking I was really in Vegas. I should have known as I was walking into a lounge at the Golden Nugget Casino that I would be hearing "Luck be a Lady Tonight" before the night was over.
I try really hard to make the best of every situation I am in though and I still had a great time. Apparently Frankie has a few very big fans which include the people I went with as well as the very loud drunk girl in the corner who kept yelling "woo hoo"! That alone is entertainment enough! It is a good think Frankie and his band mates are good looking as it made listening to them a little easier!

I also got to ride in a Prius which was VERY cool and so environmentally friendly!
Next on my adventure list is an invite to this on Wednesday....

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is sponsoring this incredible program on called "Tom Martinez" and it is about:

"This former extremist and member of The Order will share the story of his decision to turn his back on these groups and become an FBI informant. He will tell why he did it, how the FBI helped him stage his own "murder" and why he now devotes his time to speaking about his experiences and transformation."

Stay Tuned!

Tapped Out!

2008-09-03T18:31:00.001-07:00

It is only Wednesday and I had Monday off but I am DONE! Work has been crazy, life has been crazy and I am about to go crazy! So I decided I am going out. I am going to go see this band frankiemoreno.com at the Golden Nugget. My book club friend invited me and she knows the band and says they are great, so I am going! The band sounds like they are great and Frankie is HOT! (Yes, I will get to meet him!)
I will let you know how it goes and if I get lucky! (just kidding mom, sorry for my continual bad behavior)

Car

2008-08-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

I got my car in 2001 and it has been the best car I have ever had. I have rarely had any problems with it and even paid it off a few years ago. My plan has always been to just run this car into the ground before I get a new one. My car has 105,000 miles on it so I knew it was bound to start having a few problems. Well a few weeks ago it started to idle a little funny and my check engine light came on so I ran it into Auto Zone for a diagnostic test. While I was there I met a guy who is a mobile mechanic and he gave me his card in case I had problems. The test said that it was probably a gas cap so I replaced it. It continued to idle funny and I am starting to get paranoid about breaking down in the middle of insane Las Vegas traffic, plus the fact that I HAVE to have a car here. About a week later the engine light came back on. I had a good feeling about the mechanic (Wayne) and gave him a call. I figured I could use a tune up as well and $250 bucks later I had a bunch of new parts in my engine! It was actually a pretty good deal for everything he did. So I left, still idling funny, light came back on, met with Wayne, ordered some parts ($100), and will get it fixed on Monday. I just keep telling myself that it is cheaper to do this than make car payments every month!

With that being said, here is my pool....

Man I love the sun!

I also picked up these books so that I can start exploring a little bit. I really miss the mountains of Utah but decided I can love the Nevada desert just as much! Sandy and Ben have been my inspiration!

Hives

2008-08-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

This is what I have been dealing with for the past 3 months........
As you can see it is not your typical round hive. This happens because I feel a bit of an itch and scratch. Well that scratch turns into raised welts that just continue to itch worse. I only scratched this twice before this happened. I think I have narrowed it down to tomato based things and strawberries. Dairy was ruled out, which is what I thought the culprit was to begin with. All I can say is it is driving me CRAZY!!!!!!!!

I have found a new place to do my grocery shopping and it is AMAZING! It is called the Fresh and Easy Market and they just started popping up in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Picture Wild Oats or Whole Foods but affordable! I just bought a huge things of Strawberries for $1.38! I also bought this huge Basil plant for $2.99! So cool! I have been eating so healthy for the past couple weeks and this store has made it possible for me! Who would have thought one would get so excited buying a bag of baby carrots for 98 cents!

Favorite Things

2008-08-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

I was sitting and drinking my coffee this morning and started thinking about how much I love my coffee mug so I decided to blog about a few of my favorite things.

Since this is what started this post, my first favorite thing is my coffee mug.
Jamie made this for me and I love it. I don't just mean it's a great mug, I really LOVE it. My biggest fear is breaking it and I take great steps to make sure that never happens. I drink my coffee out of it whenever possible. I will even wash it first thing in the morning, even though I have other mugs, just because it is my favorite.

You all know I love to read, so my second favorite thing is this series.
Of course, this changes over time but right now it is this series. When I was a kid, it was Anne of Green Gables. I don't think I have ever got caught up in a book the way I did with these. Combined time of reading all 4 of them was 8 days. Soooooo good!

I will group the next 2 as they are food related. Of course there is the Pickles, but also my new favorite.....mmmmm Coconut popsicles! I think I could live off of these!

Moving to Vegas has given a new found appreciation for these......They are EVERYWHERE! I am in Heaven!
Even though it is very hot here, and I will probably have no use for anything I can make, I still love to crochet. I can just send things to my loved ones in Utah, where they can use it!
Last but not least is of course my love of the sun! I just spent 3 hours by the pool and am just loving all of the Vitamin D. Of course I use this....my favorite sunblock!

Here is my tan line!
So there are a few of my favorite things. Stay tuned, I may post 2 today as I want to show you a picture of my hives!!!!!

Booooring

2008-08-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

I think I have the most boring life right now. Again my compulsion to blog and I really have nothing. The heat here has really not bothered me too much but today I swear it was 200 degrees. I usually don't use the AC in my car because I am in such stop and go traffic (trying to economize my fuel!) but I HAD to today, I felt like I was melting to the seat!

I took my car into Auto Zone to have a diagnostic test (check engine light came on) and the guy who helped me called me beautiful multiple times! ALWAYS nice to hear, lol! Luckily I apparently just needed a new gas cap. He also hooked me up with a mobile mechanic that is honest and has the cheapest rates in town. He is an older guy and reminds of someone my dad would like, so I had a good feeling about it. It is hard being in a place not knowing anyone, and trying to figure out who you can trust. Especially when your really optimistic like me (dripping sarcasm).

I am working my butt off, close to 10 hours a day and then I come home, make dinner, and read. SOOOOO exciting! I did read the last book in the Twilight series in 1 day though (755 pages) because I just could NOT put it down! Seriously great series! I have read more in the last 2 months than I have in awhile. I probably go through 3 books a week.

My job has kept me pretty busy and they keep adding responsibilities on me, but of course I am up to the challenge. I like to keep really busy at work. I had a good conversation with a co-worker who is in charge of all the practicum at UNLV so I think I have a good in there. I am still doing crisis calls and had to call 911 on a guy the other day who was going to shoot himself. It ended up in this big police standoff at his apartment with hostage negotiations there. He did give up though, so it had a good ending. Just another day in my world!

I have been really hesitant to start any kind of exercise program because it is so freakin hot. I did hang out at the pool all weekend though, worshiping the sun and workin on my sunblock tan, and had the bright idea that I could swim for exercise and stay cool in the process. Duh! Of course, I have not been able to pull my butt out of bed early enough to do it. These things take awhile for me!

I got the results of my allergy test back and it was nothing new. I still have problems with grasses, trees, and animals but all of the food tests were clear. So now I am totally confused as I am still breaking out in hives on almost a daily basis. I would have sworn that it was dairy but I guess not. The only thing it did not test for is fruit, so I guess that is a possibility. I need to call the doctor again I guess. It is really driving me crazy though and I am getting concerned that I may be getting an addiction to Benadryl. Sometimes I suffer just so I am not taking it every night. I really don't know what else to do. Maybe I am allergic to myself!

That's it, that's all I got. I will try and seek out a funny and entertaining story for my next post. Wish me luck!

Book Club

2008-08-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

So I went to my first book club meeting today. I think it is going to be really good and there is a variety of people so that should make the conversations interesting! We met at the "Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf". There were 5 people there but the girl running it said she had a few more men and women that just couldn't make it today. We just went over the types of books we like to read and settled on one from a list that sounded interesting. The girl who runs it is from Maryland and is around my age. There is an older lady from Maine, another girl from Sandy (woo-hoo) and a fella from Ohio. Kind of funny we all meet up in Vegas! I have been going a little crazy not really knowing anyone here, so I am really excited for this!

I did go out with the girl I work with and we went line dancing! Not really my cup of tea but desperate times call for desperate measures! I really like the girl I work with but am not too sure about her friends. I don't judge people but they are barely in their twenties, so we really don't have a lot in common. They were all very nice though and they do this every week, so I at least have some people to go out with regularly. Maybe I will become a world famous line dancer.

I also treated myself to a massage yesterday. Talk about Heaven! There is a local place that had a $40 hour massage special for people that had never been there. It was great! They give you this plush robe to put on and then put you in this meditation room while you wait. Very Shi-Shi! It was a much needed thing and really helped to relax me!

That was it for my weekend. I really miss everyone and will probably be coming home for a visit soon. I need to see something green and not flat! I am starting to think there is no color left in the world!

This and That

2008-07-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Not too much to share right now but always have the compulsion to blog something!

I think I have found a book club (YEAH!). I found it on Craigslist, and it is a group of 30 somethings including both men and women. I have never been in a book club with men and am looking forward to the different view points. We have our first meeting on Sunday and are meeting at a coffee shop. We are all supposed to come with ideas for the first book, any suggestions? I will let you know how it goes!

I can't stand to work in a place where there is no laughter, so I am always trying to find ways to keep the mood light at work. I have been wanting to learn Spanish for a long time now and since the majority of my co-workers, speak Spanish, I have made it a point to pick up as much as I can. For the past week I have taken my Spanish dictionary and phrase book to work and look up phrases to use throughout the day. Needless to say, my co-workers find this very amusing and apparently my "Spanish" is very "American". I keep telling them, one day they will be talking about me behind my back in Spanish and I will know EXACTLY what they are saying!

I am still having trouble with hives. This began a few weeks before I left for Vegas and at the time I chalked it up to stress. Well I am not under any real stress right now and I am still breaking out in hives everyday. I really believe that it is food related at this point and my food allergies as a kid have possibly resurfaced. I went to the Dr. last week to get some allergy tests done and I went thinking they were going to do the scratch test on my back. Instead he took 6 vials of blood and told me I was done. Maybe technology has advanced or I got a crappy test. Either way, I am hoping to find out tomorrow just what is going on. Then I will have to wean myself off of Benadryl.

That is about it for now, I know real exciting! I am hoping my social life starts to pick up a little more. There is a therapist at work that has invited me out with her and her friends and she seems really cool so I am hoping that will help!

Pharmaceuticals

2008-07-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have said it before and I will say it forever, pharmaceutical companies are pure EVIL! That being said, they are also necessary. Pharmaceutical companies will wine and dine you like crazy (see previous post) to get you to try out their medications on people.

Since I started working in Vegas I have really seen the effects of this. We are constantly getting gifts, treats, and almost every Friday we get free lunch brought to us. I am not talking sandwiches here, I am talking lasagna, breadsticks, and salads! While this is cause for joy around the office, it completely sickens me, and I choose not to partake in such events.

Here are some photos of things that were just on MY desk when I arrived:

Paper Clip Holder

Calendar

Post It Notes

Pens are the most popular gift!

There are also cups for everyones enjoyment as well as the clock on the wall, courtesy of Zoloft, the universal antidepressant!

What really cracked me up though was this:

Oh thank goodness you put that warning on there, because I was POSITIVE I was getting a popcorn bag chock full of medication!

So there you have it, selling drugs at it's finest!

A Visit

2008-07-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

I had my first visitor this weekend! Yeah! Celeste came out for a few days and we had a really good time. Of course because it is Vegas, we had to go explore the strip (which took us an HOUR to drive down, one way!). We went out to Coyote Ugly which was pretty fun, rode "The Insanity" ride at the stratosphere, ate some good food at Margaritaville, and walked the strip a little bit. Here are some pictures documenting our time.....

Here is Celeste trying out to be a Coyote

Here we are pretending to be in New York, saluting in front of the statue of liberty. Unfortunately we could not fit all of her into the picture.

And lastly, Elvis let me take a picture with him. I didn't realize his hand was so close to my butt at the time. Naughty Elvis! (He told me he will be making an appearance in Paris Hiltons new show on E, so look for him!)

We also bought a CD from a rapper trying to get his name out in the community, gave a homeless man change, got lost 3 or 4 times (I am still learning!), almost hit a man fleeing from security in my car, and decided every girl we saw in a short dress was a prostitute. Aw, Vegas! Love you Celeste!

The Mask

2008-07-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

If you remember my previous post on my Mexican mask, I talked about how it may be possessed due to the white powder that comes out of it. Well something happened the other day that has me convinced.

When I moved into the new apartment, the mask was one of the first things I hung up on the wall next to my other Mexican mask and the paintings that Amy did. It was hung up the way it is always hung up and it happily sat there for a couple weeks. The other day I was getting ready for work (around 6:30am) and I walk out of the bathroom into the living. As I am gathering my things the mask flies off of the wall and lands face up on the ground. No reason for this whatsoever. It is hung by a cord which was still intact and the nail still sitting nicely in the wall.

This is the wall it was on. Look at where the flash reflected the light. Looks kind of strange.

I will admit it creeped me out a little bit. My theory is that it doesn't like hanging on that wall. So I hung it back it up in the same spot to see if it will happen again. I love this stuff!

Enough on that though. I have really been missing book club since I left and I have tried to find one here without luck. I went to Barnes and Noble but it seems all of theirs are online. I am not sure what I am going to do, but I am in desperate need for some stimulating, intellectual conversation!

Lastly, if you have tried calling or texting me and I have not responded, it is because of my crappy new phone. Apparently it is hit or miss and it may tell me you called and it may not. So feel free to try again! Good times!

It doesn't take much

2008-07-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been a little boring for me because I have not been able to get out much. Partially because I don't know anyone, partially because of money, and partially because my car is not registered and I don't want to get pulled over. Needless to say, I got some stuff done around the house, and was able to do some posts here.

I decided to make a new cushion for my patio chair. I got this chair at a yard sale about 5 years ago and it has the cushion that originally came on it.
According to Steph, this cushion is "funktified" so I got out my sewing machine and material and Wah-Lah...... Very comfy!
I did some laundry, hung up some stuff on the walls, cleaned and vacuumed, and tried to put my room together a little more (I don't have much stuff!)
I made an upside down pineapple cake and then realized this was a huge mistake because I tend to eat when I am bored. I decided I could balance out the calories, if the ONLY thing I ate was the cake and nothing else. Healthy, isn't it?

I did finally go and get my "smog check". I passed, and the guy who did it (I think he was smoking weed when I pulled up because he hurried and and lit some incense) told me I was beautiful. I tipped him $5. It doesn't take much.

Happy 4th!

2008-07-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say Happy 4th of July and that I am so thankful to live where I live and have the things that I have. I try to be grateful everyday for how fortunate I am and I try hard not to take things for granted.

*Vegas fact-Honking your horn is a vital part of the driving process. One must honk their horn even if traffic is backed up and there is no where to go. If you want to avoid being honked at, you must ALWAYS be speeding. This includes residential areas, parking lots, and school zones.

*Vegas fact-You do not have to be a dirty person or live in a slum to have roaches. They are everywhere. If you can't handle this, you need to move far away from Vegas. Roaches are constantly sprayed for which keeps the population down significantly and you typically don't have to worry about them. Roaches like to come INSIDE the apartment to die. (the following image is graphic, please proceed with caution)
*Vegas fact-If you live in Vegas and you like to where flip-flops, you will have to deal with dirty black feet. I do not know why this is, just deal with it.

*Vegas fact-The water that comes out of the tap does not get cold, ever. Nor does it get hot, ever. It is lukewarm, always. It does not taste very good either. The ice tastes the same way. Deal with it.

*Vegas fact-Basic Cable is almost $60. Car insurance is over $100 a month and that is not full coverage. My super-size economy jar of Kosher Dill pickles is $4.50 instead of $2.50.

Ross dress for Less has much cuter clothes here, but Target does not.
No one knew what a Hostess Raspberry Zinger was. I bought everyone in the office one. They loved it.
A crime report for the area is delivered to the mailbox on a weekly basis.
We hit a 116 yesterday and I will deny ever saying this, but it was too hot!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!

All good things end

2008-06-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

If you know anything about me, you know that I am a realist (NOT a pessimist!) The past month has been a whirlwind of good things and positive outcomes, and it has been lovely, but I admit it has also made me very uncomfortable. Things in this life just do not happen this way. So while I have been enjoying all of it, I have also been waiting for the bottom to start falling out. Now I realize that these next few items are very small in the scheme of things, but I know life's pattern, and it is just the beginning!

A few days ago my foot started hurting and felt like someone was stabbing me in the heel every time I stepped on it. So I began walking on my tippy toe which caused my calf to seize up as I never use that muscle! I did some research and talked with a friend, as well as my mother, who had a similar thing, and have come to the conclusion that I have a bone spur.
This typically requires surgery at some point. They will have you try insoles first and possibly cortisone injections, but hello? do you really think I can give up my heels? Also, my insurance in Vegas does not kick in until tomorrow and I still have to wait to get my insurance card before I can see a Dr. My mood does not bode well when I am in pain.

Then, when I got home from work today, I decided to hang a picture that my wonderful friend Amy gave me for my birthday (she is an amazing artist, and I have been wanting this picture FOREVER!)
I was taking out some staples that had the frame protected and as I am doing this (with scissors) I stab myself in the palm (with scissors). Yeah, stabbing yourself hurts a little worse than cutting yourself. Of course my next thought is, please don't need stitches as you have no insurance right now! Luckily the bleeding stopped and I don't think I need stitches, but I will now worry about infection (the scissor were NOT clean!).
The other thing I know about life is that things always happen in 3's. So the bottom is starting to fall out but I have 1 more thing to look forward too. I should have waited for the 3rd thing to happen before I did this blog, but I decided I would leave this with a cliffhanger! I like to keep it exciting!

*Vegas Fact* Do not ask people where you can go to do Safety and Emissions. They will look at you like you are an idiot. Apparently the correct terminology here is "Smog check". Excuse me for my bad vocabulary!

Oooh La La!

2008-06-26T17:22:00.001-07:00

The clinical director at my work came to me and invited me to a dinner that a pharmaceutical company (pure evil!) was putting on to try and sell a new antidepressant. He said that it was a free meal in a shi-shi restaurant, so I figured why not? Now typically only Psychiatrists are invited to these for obvious reasons and when I got there I figured out he only invited me because he needed bodies, so the place wasn't empty! He claims that isn't true, but come on! I supervise a call center, I have nothing to do with medications!

Anyway, the point to all of this is that I had the most delicious meal I have had in weeks! I wanted to take a picture of the mini menu to show you, but it really wasn't that kind of place! In fact, I felt a little under dressed even though I was in my work clothes. I decided on the Filet Mignon (ALWAYS go big!) and it came with potatoes and fresh green beans and delicious bread. What REALLY got to me though was the dessert. They bring out this Bread Pudding in a Jack Daniels butter sauce and I think I died and went to heaven! I have never tasted anything so fabulous in my life. I was so full, but I could not stop eating it! I don't think I have had any kind of bread pudding before so maybe it is all delicious, but it is now my mission to try and find a similar recipe and duplicate it.

That is all.

1 week down

2008-06-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

I made it through my first week in Vegas! It was actually a really good week. I am loving my new apartment (pictures to follow) and work was great. I have had a lot of positive feedback from my "bosses" and it has helped me feel more comfortable in what I am doing. At first I was worried because things seemed very serious in the call center, but I think I have finally pulled the humor out of everyone. We all know I can't be serious for too long! I took a couple of pictures of my apartment, even though I am not completely done with everything. First off we have one the of the unfortunate casualties of the move....
Here is a picture of my bathroom......
Here is my HUGE closet, it is bigger than my bathroom was in Utah!
Here is my Kitchen, I love the floor...
I will post other pictures later, when I get things more organized. I am off to lounge at the pool in the 100 degree weather! I have not had anything funny or weird happen to me yet, but I have a feeling it will, so I can get more entertaining blogs going again.

I made it!

2008-06-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

I finally made it to Vegas after 7+ hours in a Uhaul with Steph and Snack Pack. That is all I will say about that ;) There was a casualty and all of my plants are dead. Apparently, the car was too hot for them. I was quite sad as I have had some of them for over 10 years. I may just get cactus now. I have started the unpacking process and it is going a lot faster than I thought it would, so it is already starting to feel like my home. Unfortunately I am unable to find the cord for my camera, so no pictures just yet. When I find it, I will put up pictures of the new pad. I LOVE my apartment and think I made the right choice with it.

The weather has been just right and today we are at a balmy 102. I will have you all know my AC is set at 80 degrees and it is just right! Now that I am here, the itching and hives have stopped (a reaction to stress I believe) so I am feeling much better. Not so good is the fact that I have already seen my first cockroach, apparently everyone has them and as long as the buildings keep spraying on a regular basis, they are controlled. I smashed him and proceeded to call the building to tell them to spray NOW! So sick! As long as I don't see a Scorpion I will be fine.

I had today off, so that was really nice to be able to relax a little bit after the chaos of the last month. I have also found out that Target is not as cheap here nor is Albertsons. It is not a huge difference, but enough to notice. The water tastes different as well, but not gross, so I can get used to it. That is all for now, I will post more soon. I love and miss everyone and hope all is well.

Birthday

2008-06-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish my wonderful S-I-L a very happy birthday! I hope you had a great day! I am so glad to have a fellow Gemini in the family! Love you!
Sorry the picture was ruined by Asian.

New Glasses

2008-06-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile but I promise my blog will pick back up after I get moved and settled. The packing is going well, although I had a really difficult time getting rid of all these books.
I am leaving for good next Saturday so I am just trying to get as much done as I can. I have an apartment so that has taken a load off. You can check it out at www.acernovillasapartments.com I leave for Vegas tomorrow and will be back on Wednesday, then I have to work here Thursday and Friday so that does not leave me a lot of time to get it all done! Such is life though!

On a good note though, I got myself a new pair of glasses. I usually only wear my glasses at night but I decided to go for something a little sassier this time.
I have not had new glasses for a couple of years now, so it has been really nice to be able to actually SEE through my glasses again. Here is what they look like on me, but please disregard my pretty hair do and my shiny face!
So that is all I have for right now, except for this little thing just because I love them so much!

It never fails....

2008-05-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

So I am still in Vegas for the rest of this week and had a minute in my lonely hotel room
and thought I would share a story. I was pretty sure that this trip was going to be an uneventful one for me, unlike the past 2, but of course it's me we're talking about!

I decided I was going to eat in the hotel restaurant for dinner tonight. Being alone, I decided to just sit at the counter instead of taking up a table. I sat down in the only available stool and there was an older guy (45-50) sitting next to me.
He proceeds to say hello and I say hello back and he asks me if I am here for business or pleasure. I tell him business and he introduces himself as Brian. I introduce myself and he asks where I am from. I tell him SLC and he says that he has a girlfriend from Magna and then begins backtracking about her not really being his girlfriend. At this point, I can tell the guy is a little intoxicated, but he seems nice enough. Next thing I know he is standing up next to me and says........
Excuse me? Still standing right next to me, he explains a guy in the bathroom sprayed him with cologne and he wants to know if it smells good on him. Um, no thanks. Luckily he took no for an answer and sat down.

I proceed (very fast) through my dinner and he is just talking and talking. First it's about why he put $100 on the Boston Celtics (because there arms were swinging in sync when they were walking, and that's a good sign), and how his birthday was yesterday and it is a great birthday to have (because John Wayne and Stevie Nicks were also born on that day). The best part (other than the smelling thing) was when he asked me if there were fish in Salt Lake. I said "well there are places to fish", and he says "no in Salt Lake", and I say "the great salt lake", and he says "yes". I tell him "no but that there are other lakes with fish". He then says, "why do women do that?" and I say "what?" and he says "answer questions that were never asked". I said "what do you mean" and he says "I simply asked about the Salt Lake and a simple yes or no was what I wanted, not that there were fish in other lakes". Then he starts in on his "girlfriend" and how she always does that and it drives him crazy. Ok dude, I am outta here. I was a little worried he would follow me, but he didn't.

Apparently moving to Vegas is going to give me a lot to blog about.

This is for Stephanie who wanted to see Trump tower, it is the view from my hotel window.

Here's Johnny!

2008-05-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

I just got back from another trip to Vegas and I am exhausted! It is not easy working 2 jobs and flying back and forth and trying to look for a new apartment and pack up the old one and try to wrap up things in my life here! The date I officially need to be in Vegas permanently is June 16th. Needless to say, my blog may be lacking for awhile.

Things went better this trip and I was able to find my way around the streets a little better. I thought I had found some nice places and checked out their models and then found out that they were not that great, and not in a great area, so I basically have to start over. I have narrowed down what area I need to live in though, so that should help.

I did want to share an experience I had though on this last trip though. I stayed at the Palace Stations on my last trip, but it was completely booked this time so I had to find another place, that was cheap, as work is paying for it. The only place I could find that wasn't over $100 a night was this place:
The hotel was in a scary part of town, but it was fairly clean and seemed ok. My stay there was pretty uneventful until 4am. I was sleeping soundly when I was awakened by the sound of soft white noise and a light filling the room. I open my eyes and this is what I see:
Well now that's weird! So I turn off the TV and fall right back to sleep. This happened EVERY morning at EXACTLY 4am. I did not think much about it until I checked out of the hotel and then I started thinking. I know you can set a timer to turn OFF the TV if you fall asleep with it on, but I am almost positive there is no timer to turn ON the TV at a set time. Can anyone say Poltergeist? Can anyone say REDRUM!
Yes, this is an actual picture of the hallway outside of my room. Looks a little like 'The Shining' wouldn't you say? The funny thing is, it did not bother me one bit when it happened, I was more annoyed! I just turned off the TV each time and went back to sleep. I probably annoyed the ghost when I didn't get scared!

That was really the only strange thing that happened on this trip. I did run into Elvis which I thought was pretty funny, but I imagine that won't be the last time I run into Elvis in Vegas! My hotel also had a drive through wedding chapel attached to it, and I really couldn't believe the amount of people that got married there on a daily basis. Sooooo romantic!

Las Vegas

2008-05-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

I am home from my 3 day trip from Vegas and for the most part things went well. I was able to get acquainted with the people I would be working with and everyone was very nice and seemed like they would be fine to work with. It looks like I will be moving around the end of June, or a little before that. In the meantime, I will be flying back and forth between here and Vegas on a weekly basis and splitting my time between the 2 jobs. I have a feeling I am not going to have a lot of free time!

Here is a little run down of the other aspects of my trip. I arrived at the airport and was able to find the shuttle to get my rental car with no problems. I got a great rental car (very fun to drive) and headed out to find my hotel.
I had printed off directions from mapquest but as I started driving I realized they sucked and I had no idea which direction I was facing. North, East, South and West were lost to me. I was pretty much lost and freaking out that I was going to get into an accident in the rental car. I decided to pull into a shady looking gas station on one end of the strip and ask for directions, and a very nice woman helped me. I followed her directions to the hotel and realized too late that my exit forked and I ended back on the freeway in the opposite direction. I did find a frontage road off the next exit though and managed to find the hotel after that.

I checked into the hotel and as I am entering my room, I see a maid laying on my bed, watching TV. What the?
She jumps up and says "your room is just fine" and leaves. Ok, weird, and her perfume smelled! I probably would have turned her in, but I am sure she is overworked and underpaid, so give her a break! At this point it is almost 10 pm and there is no way I am going find somewhere to eat, so I run down to the gift shop and buy a bottle of water (which I proceeded to down before I bought it as I was DYING of thirst) and ate the cheese crackers I got for a snack on the plane. I am exhausted and decide to just go to bed. I think I had just fallen asleep when I hear someone trying to open their room with their key card and it is not working. They are repeatedly putting it in and pulling it out and talking about how it is not working when I realize they are trying to get in MY room. I finally get out of bed and open the door to 2 older men (they may have been having a lover's tryst) and let them know that they were given the wrong room. Sure enough they assigned us the same room, but luckily their key didn't work. They apologized and left and I went to sleep.
I wake up the next morning and leave about 45 minutes early, just to ensure I make it to work on time and of course, proceed to get lost. Thankfully I did leave early because I finally found the place right on time. Again, it is all due to me not knowing which way is South. Luckily the rest of the trip was uneventful, but I was starting to question my decision that first night and morning. The weather was awesome though (other than the wind) and I was able to go outside, at night, without a jacket, for the first time in months! My only other concern is all of the reports I have been seeing on apartment review websites about the scorpions. Apparently that is a bit of problem. As I was in the LV airport, I saw this lovely sculpture......
Is this a bad omen?

Tagged

2008-05-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Jamie tagged me and thankfully gave me something to blog so here goes:

Five X Five

1 - Five places that I go to over and over:

Work

Target
Barnes and Noble
Tanning Salon (tee-hee)

Albertsons

2 - Five people who e-mail me (regularly):

Joy

Sara

Celeste
My Granny

Brian

3 - Five favorite places to eat:

Barbacoa

Olive Garden

Gandolfo's

Red Lobster

KFC (secret, disgusting love)

4 - Five places I would rather be right now:

Mexico

Hawaii

Getting a massage

In bed

Shopping

5 - Five TV shows I watch all the time:

Anything on Food Network

The Office

America's Next Top Model
Gray's Anatomy

Anderson Cooper

There you have it. As a follow up to my previous post, I am flying to Las Vegas on Sunday for a couple days to check things out. It looks like this thing is going to happen (unless I just hate it on this visit). It has been moving a little too fast for me and I am a little overwhelmed. I am trying to breathe my way through it though and just take it a step at a time. Does anyone want to live in my apartment during July with Celeste until the lease is up? I will give you a good deal!

Opportunity

2008-05-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have recently found out that I may have an opportunity to further my career, therefore my resume, therefore a possible better chance of getting into grad school. My work has another call center and they are thinking about putting in a new director to run this call center. I would be in charge of this center and the employees that work there. This would also include a substantial pay raise for me, which in turn could lead to me being able to have that fabulous dinner party I have been talking about. They would also work with me if I got into grad school, which in turn could lead to a foot in the door when I become a therapist.

Sounds great huh? There are only 2 things that are making me stop and think about accepting this position.
The 1st is that it's in Las Vegas. The 2nd is that I would have to be moving within 1-2 months. I have approximately a week to decide what I want to do about this and it is making me sick to my stomach. Anyone who knows me, knows that my guts do not handle things like this well, especially when I have to make such a quick decision. 75% of me wants to go so bad, and the other 25% of me is full of fear. I have always been the type of person that tells others to not be afraid to live life and go where the road takes you, but it is a different story when it comes to myself.

I have been trying to go over the pro's and con's and have come up with a few things. Pro's include great opportunity for me, a GREAT pay raise, a chance to try something new in life, and of course the fact that I will never worry about being cold again (Oh yeah!). Con's include leaving my family (whom I love so much!) and missing out on seeing my precious niece and nephew grow up (which breaks my heart!). Rebuttal to this is that it is really only 5-6 hours away by car, which is really not that far, but I may be putting in a lot more hours as well, which doesn't leave a lot of free time for travel. Cost of living is only a 4% increase and my raise will MORE than make up for that. So I have a really big decision to make and I would appreciate any and all input that you may have. Of course you would all have a place to stay if you were ever to go to Vegas for whatever reason!

New foods

2008-05-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the Food Network and anytime I have the T.V. on for background noise, it is on this channel. As I type this, I am listening to Giada make Portabello burgers on Ciabatta bread...Mmmmm! Along with her, my other favorites include Guy, Paula (anyone who cooks with THAT much butter, is worth watching!), Iron Chef America, and anything that has the amateur cooks on it. I have always wanted to find a recipe that would win the grand prize at a cook-off! I love to cook and I have realized lately that I am getting bored with what I am cooking. I tend to cook a lot of the same things for myself, mainly because it is what I can afford. I watch these amazing cooks and I dream of the day that people will come from miles around to taste my gourmet food at my fabulous dinner parties!

I always have the same excuse about why I am not having these dinner parties, that people will talk about for weeks to come, and that is $. The things I want to make are not cheap! I want my dinner parties to be spectacular affairs with awesome tablescapes! So instead of always making excuses, I have decided I am going to pick an ingredient each week or so and cook something with it.

My first ingredient was Mascarpone Cheese. I have always wanted to cook with Mascarpone cheese, but it is typically $7 for 8oz. Giada is always putting this apparently nutty, creamy cheese in everything from desserts to pastas. I decided to go with a dessert and make a Lemon Cheesecake that included the Mascarpone (of course), cream cheese, sour cream, and of course lots of lemon.

Yummmmmeeeeeee! It turned out so delicious! I don't think it had anything to do with the Mascarpone though. I am not sure it is really something that is all that "spectacular".

I tasted it plain and was really not that impressed. I think it was the lemon that made it so good, and I really love lemon! So, I can now say that I have tried it and I don't really have a need to again, especially for the cost of it! I have not decided what my next ingredient will be, but after I make something, I will let you know how it turned out. I am thinking either Mustard greens or Polenta.

Eyes

2008-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

I had a day off today so I decided to quit procrastinating and go to the eye Dr. I have not had a new pair of glasses in a few years, and although I do not wear them all the time, it would be nice to be able to see out of them when I do. Eye exams are not typically something that people get nervous over, including me, but I have an astigmatism that gets worse every year and I am always worried that they are going to tell me I HAVE to wear my glasses, because contacts can only correct it so much. Ok, so really that isn't that big of a deal, but there is one moment that I get a little butterfly in my stomach. It starts with the eye dilation (which I hate, it makes me feel off balance for hours!):
I have something that is called Congenital retinal pigment epithelial hypertrophy (CHRPE) or as the Dr calls them "bear claws" in my eyes. They are little spots on the back of your eye and can be a sign of cancer, although the chances of them becoming malignant are not that likely. Here is a picture of what it looks like.
So even though it is rare, the hypochondriac in me thinks that there will have been some change and I am going to die of eye cancer. Again, being the hypochondriac that I am, I research things A LOT and have also found that these cute little freckles can be a sign of colon polyps, which can be cancerous as well. Those are not typically found until you are in your 40's or 50's, so I have 10-20 years to worry about getting bowel cancer. I have already determined that I will die of cancer at some point in my life!

So the Dr stares deeply into my eyes, for longer than I think is necessary, and tells me how fascinating these things are. He tells me he wishes I could see them with my own eyes. He then says they look the same as they did last year, and every year before that and I have nothing to worry about. Whew, dodged the bullet for 1 more year! Yes, I know I am over dramatic but I like to think of it as realistic, not dramatic! I try to think positively about it though, and even if I do get eye cancer at some point in my life, at least I will be able to get some medical Marijuana for the pain.

My secret

2008-04-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

I am a sun seeker. I love the heat, the warmth, the light. When I do not have the sun, I am sad. Every year, when the leaves start to change I start psyching myself up for long months ahead. Every year I also ask myself why I live in Utah. Now don't get me wrong, I do love Utah! I love how beautiful it is here and part of me loves that we get every season imaginable. I just wish the warmer months were longer, and the colder months were shorter. My idea of heaven is sitting on a beach in Mexico ALL day long!

So, starting around the end of January, I start going a little stir crazy. I have not really seen any sign of the sun in a few months. Along with my knees and back, my hands are starting to get arthritic from all the crocheting I am doing to generate warmth. The only time I can feel my toes is when I am in a steaming hot shower, which actually hurts for the first few minutes! I believe that this is when the bitter February wind starts in and I want to die.

This is where my secret comes in.

I like to tan.

In a tanning bed.
Yes that's right! There is nothing like laying in that bed for 25 minutes, under the fluorescent lights and sweating to my Ipod. It is the first time all winter that my feet are not cold and my body is filled with the Vitamin D that I don't get from my Soy milk. I can close my eyes, imagine hot sand burning my feet, and get lost in Janis Joplin's "Summertime". For me, it is not necessarily about the browning of my see-through white skin (which I am not complaining about!), but the increase in that happy, good feeling that the sun gives me. I smile and get warm fuzzies just thinking about it! I know more about tanning beds than you can imagine! You want to know the difference between a Wolff and a Ruva bed, just ask!

Now I can already hear the gasps about all of the damage that this can cause to my skin. Yes, I know how bad UVB and UVA lights are for my skin. I also know that they are now promoting people get 10-15 minutes in the sun because most are lacking in Vitamin D due to the increase in sunblock use. I am also the first one to promote wearing sunblock ANYTIME you are out in the sun! No one likes a sunburn and no one likes cancer! The remedy to this problem is that I wear sunblock in the tanning bed. I can get the benefits that the light gives me (no matter how psychosomatic) all the while protecting myself from skin cancer. There is such a thing as responsible tanning!

So there it is, my secret. My healthy glow recently is not due to a new man in my life nor acceptance to the grad school of my choice (again, I was REJECTED!), it is simply the glow from the tanning bed. Warm, bright tanning bed. I love you.

Humiliation

2008-04-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have never considered myself the type of girl who can't do anything a man can do, besides lifting heavy things and peeing standing up, but there are times in my life that I definitely FEEL that way.

Yesterday as I was driving home from work, and all I wanted to do was go home and take off my heels. The responsible part of me took over though and I made a detour to stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things. As I was turning the corner, the truck in front of me lost something.
That innocent looking bucket proceeded to make it's way right under my very low to the ground car, and stuck. Have you ever heard the sound of a plastic bucket being scraped forcefully against asphalt? It's not quiet. So I pull into the stores parking lot and pull into a parking spot. A man walks over pointing underneath my car and I nod and wave him off. Yeah dude, I can hear it! I look under my car and this bucket is completely wedged underneath my car and it ain't budgin! Now add onto this that it is raining and the ground is soaking wet, I am in my new heels (very hot!), and a skirt. Hmm. There is no way I can get on the ground without flashing everyone. I then think about getting out my car jack from the trunk when I remember my trunk is completely PACKED with stuff I was planning on taking to the homeless shelter a few months ago!

So I do what no man would probably ever do and I decide to drive home. I figure that due to the fact that it is a plastic bucket, the asphalt will eventually wear it down enough that it will come loose and set me free. I also deduct that my car is a lot tougher than a plastic bucket so I am pretty sure I will not damage my car in anyway. I mean really, what is a few blocks of humiliation to save yourself the embarrassment of showing everyone your bum! So off I go, making everyones ears bleed as I drive the blocks, and blocks, and blocks home. You should have seen the guys at Jiffy Lube staring at me! It actually took a lot longer than I thought for that stinkin bucket to wear down enough to get loose and I was pulling into my parking lot when it finally broke free. As far as I can tell, there is no damage to my car but the damage that my pride took more than covers it!

I am sorry if I made you cringe Brian, but at least I saved you a trip from having to come and rescue me, once again.

So embarrassing!

Earth Day

2008-04-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today is Earth day and I love her! I love the beauty she possesses and the joy she brings. I love all the "nature" she gives us in the beautiful mountains we call home and the awesome oceans we get to visit. Unfortunately, I don't always treat her right. I try to, but honestly, sometimes I just don't want to wash any dishes and I end up filling her with paper plates. Sometimes, I get really thirsty and buy a bottle of water, which ends up her landfills. I have even made excuses that recycling is not offered in my area, but really I could drive my recycling somewhere else. Yes, I feel guilty about it and I do want to do my part to make less of an impact on her. So I am going to try to start doing things to make my impact on this earth a little less noticeable. The following is a list of things we can all do to make our summer a little "greener" and I challenge everyone to give it a try.

1. This first one is a tough one for most people, but it is something I have no problem doing as I am a heat seeker. Turn up your thermostat a few degrees in the summer which not only helps cool down the earth, but saves you some money as well! If the heat is unbearable, put your feet in some ice water for a few minutes.

2. We all love to barbecue, but there is a smart way to do it. Use propane instead of charcoal or wood, it burns much cleaner. Also, clean your grill with an organic cleaner like Soyclean it’s just as tough on grime as traditional cleaners, but won’t leave that chemical residue behind which gets on your food the next time you use it. Healthy for everyone!

3. Buy your food locally. Summer is a great time to shop farmers markets and those roadside stands for fruits and veggies. Not only do you help local farmers, you also help to cut down on the use of fossil fuels, which significantly reduces levels of pollution and resource depletion over your typical tomato bought at the local supermarket.

4. I know this one is hard as well, because the last thing you want to do is dishes after a full meal, but try to use reusable dishes instead of plastic or paper. Try to make it fun by making EVERYONE help. Not only do you spend time together, but it makes cleanup fast!
5. This may not be one that people think of, but bug spray plays a big role on all earths creatures, not just mosquitoes. DDT is dangerous and can end up turning your backyard into a deathtrap for every other kind of living thing that drops by for a visit. That means birds, butterflies, ladybugs, and even the family dog gets an unhealthy dose. Not to mention yourself, the kids, and the neighbors’ kids. Use products like garlic barrier to ward off mosquitoes. Make sure to apply it when you think it won’t rain for several days, and the garlic alternative should treat you right. Planting rosemary is a natural and low-tech way to block nasty mosquitoes as well.

6. We all know that water usage is a big deal in EVERY part of the world. We can do our parts by watching how much water we are using. There are a lot of beautiful, native plants and flowers we can buy for our yards that require less watering. Also, you may like a super green lawn, but will you really like it when you don't have any water drink? The best time to water is at night when the sun won't evaporate it and make sure you are not over watering!

So there are just a few tips to try to help our mother earth. They may seem small, but if everyone did them, it would have a positive impact on the planet. For other tips on how to "go green" click on this link http://planetgreen.discovery.com/

Peace out!

Stacey

2008-04-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Ever since I decided to write a book, I have been unable to think of 1 little thing to blog about. I mean nothing. Not a good sign for the book! So thanks to Google, I give you the "Stacey Smileys" of the world.....

1. I live in Michigan with my 2 children and my husband Mike Smiley (also my fathers name, creepy).
2. I am a blond teenager in London and I really love all "me mates!".
3. I went to Betsy Lane Elementary School in Kentucky from 78-82.
4. I went to West Perry High School in Pennsylvania from 79-83.
5. I am an author and possible film maker in the United Kingdom.
6. I am a 43 year old in Andover, IL that had Gastric Bypass surgery 5 years ago and apparently I look amazing!
7. I am a corporate trainer in Texas and I lost 8lbs on Jenny Craig.
8. In 1942 I was a male who worked for the Union Bag and Paper Company.
9. I am an independent manager for Close to My Heart in Flint, MI and I love photography and scrap booking.
10. And lastly, I sell local art that I make in Alaska.

Here are some fun facts:

1. The U.S Consensus puts the number of "Stacey Smileys" at around 27.
2. The name Stacey comes from the word Anastasia, is Greek, and means 'the resurrection'.
3. Stacey though is thought to have originated in Ireland.
4. I believe the last name "Smiley" was Irish as well and may have been O'Smiley at one point.
5. My dad has my name tattooed on his chest and it is spelled wrong (Stacy)
6. It is also spelled wrong on my birth certificate. My mom claims the correct spelling is Stacey.
7. Maybe she is just being nice.
8. I talk on the phone at work and often times people mishear my name. The most common things I get called are Ci'Ci and Daisy.
9. Growing up, stupid kids would ask me if I was related to Guy Smiley. Yeah, I'm half puppet.
10. I love my last name and if I get married, I am not sure if I will change it.

Keep

The Perfect Houswife

2008-04-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

I was laying in bed this morning debating whether I should get up or not when I heard Celeste moving for the day. I decided to drag myself out of bed and as I walked out of my room I see Celeste in her pajama shorts, her teacher sweater, and what everyone puts on first thing in the morning.....high heels! I started laughing and asked her what she was doing and her response was, "I have always wanted to cook eggs in heels." Well now, that's interesting! What's next, the laundry? Toilet cleaning? It doesn't get much better than this fella's!

Isn't this the housewife of every man's dreams?

I am not sure how the eggs were though, she didn't make any for me.

Post 50

2008-04-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

I have reached my 50th post and have decided I will just do a list of 50 things about me. Some it if you may already know but hopefully there will be some things that you don't.

1. I am a Gemini
2. I am always cold and my feet always feel like ice.
3. I love pickles
4. I can't sleep without my body pillow
5. I love to read
6. I want to live in Mexico on the beach
7. I have an irrational fear of bees
8. I am a hypochondriac
9. I hate wearing a bra
10. I invited a homeless man to have dinner with my friends and I after a concert once, they thought I was crazy.
11. I love taking black and white pictures of children.
12. The furthest East I have been is Illinois/Wisconsin
13. I love to play Scrabble. It is not just a game to me though and I am ruthless when I play. It is the only game I take so seriously.
14. I HATE onions. Even saying the word makes me want to throw up.
15. I love plants and gardening. If I had my own place I would have the most amazing garden and would never need to buy vegetables from the store again.
16. I have been close to dying twice. Once in a car wreck, once after I broke my leg and had blood clots fill up my lung. Both times it turned out fine. It has made me believe that there is something I need to do here and I continue to do the most with my life to figure it out.
17. Sometimes I take Benadryl when I don't need it just so I can get a good nights sleep.
18. I love horror films, even really bad slasher films. I have never seen a movie that REALLY scared me.

19. I chew ice and I can't seem to stop even though I know how bad it is for my teeth. I LOVE it!
20. I hate talking on the phone.
21. I can't sleep if there is even a little bit of light in the room. I have the window blocked out in my room and I also have an eye mask for times when light comes under the door or the VCR light is bothering me too much.
22. I have a hard time throwing things away, which means I have a lot of useless junk.
23. Even though I am not thin, I know a lot about fitness and health.
24. I have always wanted to be a photo journalist.
25. I burn incense in my car.
26. I worked at a store that sold mens dress shirts and I realize that is a great place to meet guys. Too bad I was in high school at the time.
27. I want to learn to speak Spanish, Italian, and French.
28. I am afraid of deep bodies of water that I can't see my feet in. I imagine there are huge freaky critters down there and I don't want to step on them or have them touch my feet.
29. I love snakes.
30. I was a cheerleader in high school.
31. I hate fighting and can't watch boxing or ultimate fighting because I don't like to see people get hurt, even though I know it is a sport. This includes people yelling at each other. Your point doesn't get across more because your yelling, it just makes you look irrational.
32. I was fired from Hogi Yogi when I was in college because I got my nose pierced and refused to take it out for work.
33. I like to watch people when they don't know your watching. Not because I am weird, but because I like to see people in their natural environments. You learn a lot about people that way which really helps in my line of work.
34. I love to sing and am one of those people that belt it out in the car. You know the ones you stare and laugh at, that's me.

35. I can't meditate. I have tried numerous times. I typically just get mad and give up. Therefore meditation=stress to me.
36. I love infomercials, especially in the middle of the night when I can't sleep.
37. I get butterflies in my stomach when I see or watch Anderson Cooper.
38. I love tattoos and would ultimately love to have full sleeves.
39. My favorite number is 24 and my favorite color is blue.
40. I love going to yard sales in the summer and seeing what kinds of cool things I can buy to fix up.
41. I wish I could grow my hair down to my butt.
42. I feel most at peace camping in the mountains or sitting next to the ocean breathing in the air.
43. I wish I knew how to play a musical instrument, especially the guitar.
44. Even though I eat meat, I hate the thought of animals dying for me (apparently not enough to stop eating meat though)
45. This post is harder than I thought it would be.
46. I believe in ghosts.
47. I would like to end up with someone like a doctor or pilot because they are away a lot and I like to have my space. Perfect fit.
48. I love bad boys. Not the kind that abuse you and treat you like crap, the kind that look like they just crawled out from under a greasy car, muscles glistening. The kind that keep you wondering what their thinking and aren't afraid to stand up to you. The kind with tattoos and motorcycles. I could go on but won't.
49. I think there is nothing better in the world than laughter.
50. And finally, last but not least, I have found that I really enjoy writing since I started this blog and I may try my hand out at it. Would you read a memoir about my life?

Happy 50th post dear blog!

Misc....

2008-04-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

How can it feel like there is so much going on while at the same time nothing going on? Here are just some random things that have happened over the last few days.

First off, I got a rejection letter from University of Washington and I was put on the alternate list with Utah State (which means if someone declines their acceptance they start on the alternate list, I have no idea what number I am on it). I am still waiting to hear from Portland but it is a pretty tough school to get into so I am not holding my breath! Wow, all that work on my applications and the money I spent was WELL worth it! Whatever.

Second, we have a maintenance worker who I believe is special needs (is that politically correct?) and he is a great guy. He always says hello and wants to talk. He is always inventing something artistic and bringing it to the office to show us, and is just an all around really good guy. Well today he comes into the office and it seems like he is really down or something is bothering him. I say hello to him and he proceeds to say "Hi Stacey, you know, I don't care what anyone says about you, I think you are a nice person." Um, ok. Apparently someone has been saying some not so nice things about me in front of him! He left the office and we just couldn't stop laughing! It was just such a funny thing to say to someone! Now I know I can be confrontational (in a good way), I don't take a lot of crap, and I have had people not like me for that, but if you have a problem with me, please don't tell the sweet maintenance guy and ruin his day! Come tell me and I will make it a mission to ruin YOUR day!

Third, there have been no duck or goose attacks as of lately and as far as I know, all of the eggs are being safely incubated. There have also been no signs of those little girls. I hope that is just a coincidence.

Fourth, I had a crazy dream the other night about a volcano. I have never dreamed anything like it before and so I had to look up the meaning. Apparently I have a lot of pent up energy and emotions and if I don't find a release soon, I will explode. So please do not do anything to provoke that as I am sure it will not be pretty.

Ok thats all I got, or at least that is all my brain can process right now. I asked this of my Aunt Mary but do you ever get the feeling that your life is one big "Punk'd" episode?

Ducks again

2008-03-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I promised I was done with duck stories but I have to share this one because it amused/horrified me so much. The following took place at 4:45pm today. I step onto my back patio to read and enjoy being outside when 3 little girls peek their heads into my fence. The one is holding an egg and says "Look at this duck egg I found, do you know which of the ducks it belongs to?" I tell them that I don't, but that they should not be playing with the eggs that the ducks are laying. I tell her to go put it back where she found it and she runs off. I sit down on my chair when I hear the sister of the girl start yelling at her.

Apparently she broke the poor little baby duck egg and the sister is hysterical. She starts yelling that she killed a baby duck and now the mother is going to come and kill her! She states that her scent is all over the egg and because the other 2 girls are with her, the mother will kill them as well. Now keep in mind that these girls are probably around 5 or 6 years old. The girl then proceeds to tell her sister that a baby egg has to sit for 100 days before it hatches and because she has killed the baby it will never become a duck. Then she states "the office is right there and we are going to be in so much trouble, first the mother duck is going to kill us, then the office is going to yell at us!" She then starts on a rant about how she can't believe she killed a baby duck on Easter and how they were supposed to have a celebration when all the ducks hatched and that they will never be able to do that now because the mother duck is going to kill them. The sister is trying to defend herself by saying "it is no big deal, look, it wasn't even a baby yet!"

Part of me is cracking up inside, while my animal loving nature feels so bad that this baby duck is dead (although the ducks drive me crazy, I would never want them to be dead!). I mean this girl is something else! I love that she thinks the mother is going to actually KILL them! I decide to go check things out partly because there are no parents in site and partly because I don't want this girl to have a heart attack. I am also really worried that the duck egg actually looks like a dead baby at this point, and really don't want these girls traumatized by a dead baby. I go out to the other side of my fence and the girl comes running to me, pointing to the egg and telling me that her sister killed a baby duck. I look on the ground and thank goodness, the egg looks exactly like an egg, yolk and all, and give in to my motherly side. I tell the hysterical girl that the baby had not yet developed so it is actually not a baby yet, and that it was an accident and her sister is not a murderer (in so many words) and tell the sister that she needs to keep her mitts off the duck eggs so the babies have to time to hatch and then they will be able to enjoy them while they are young. I get them calmed down and they run off to play. I thought about taking a picture of the broken egg for you all, but decided the other tenants may think me strange if I do that. So there is my humor/horror for the afternoon!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes!

2008-03-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

I LOVE SHOES! I have always loved shoes! If I had money, I would have so many shoes, it would be ridiculous! Currently I own about 30 pairs of shoes, and that is only because I decided I needed to downsize before I moved and got rid of a bunch of them (I had close to 50 at that time). It was a very hard time in my life.

So yesterday I went with Celeste shopping because she is going on a cruise and needed some stuff. Our first stop was DSW and as I was walking through the door, I felt like I was walking through the pearly gates! Birds were singing, the sun was shining, and the smell was indescribable! If I was a millionairre, that would have been my closet! There were just aisles and aisles of all kinds of shoes! I could have stayed there and tried on shoes all day! We then went to Target and of course we hit the shoe section and saw these beaut's! Celeste decided these would be a great addition to the little black dress she has for "fancy night" on the cruise, and out of the kindness of her heart and the money from the Progressive guy, she bought a pair of them for me! Yeah, nice friend I have! These are hot!

My whole point of this blog is not only about how awesome shoes are, but also about the way a new pair of shoes make you feel. I don't know about everyone else, but you give me a new pair of shoes and I am on cloud nine! I seriously feel like a new person and depending on the type of shoe it is, I can become downright sassy! Take these shoes for instance, I wore them out to dinner last night and felt so great in them, that I left the waiter my number because I thought he was just so darn cute! I think he may have only been 17 though so I actually hope he doesn't call. So here's to you shoes! Even though you hurt me at times, I love you and can't imagine what life would be like without you! You bring so much joy and happiness to me, and for that I can never repay you!

A Little About Me

2008-03-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

I have nothing going on so I thought I would take Emily's idea and give it a try!

How old will you be on your next birthday? 32

What place would you like to visit? Africa

What are your favorite places to go? Mexico and my bed, of course!

What is your favorite object? I wasn't really sure on this one so I picked my coffee cup.

What is your favorite food? Pickles and Sushi!

Where do you live? Utah of course!

What is your middle name? Leanne. I have no picture for this because when I typed it in to find a picture, it just brought up a bunch of girls and I thought that might be weird.

What is your college Major? Social Work

Do you have any bad habits? Twirling my hair. I can't help it, it is an unconscious behavior.

What is your favorite animal? I love Bull Mastifs and hope to have one someday. This picture cracks me up!

What is your favorite color? Blue

What is the name of your pet? I don't have a pet unless you count the ants.

What is your favorite holiday? Halloween all the way!

So there you have it! Fascinating isn't it?

My Job

2008-03-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am working at a place where we answer phone calls for people who have mental health or substance abuse issues. First off I want to say that I truly love my job and I truly love helping people who are in need. I would say out of the people I deal with on a daily basis, half of them are not very nice. The following are conversations that I have had with people, or my co-workers have had with people. And people wonder why I have such a thick skin! The first conversation is one my friend Brooke had today:

Call 1
Brooke: Helpline, this is Brooke, how can I help you?
Caller: Yeah, I need to talk with my Dr.
Brooke: Are you in crisis?
Caller: No
Brooke: Ok, well the office is currently in a staff meeting, you can either call back or I can take a message and fax it to them.
Caller decides to let her take a message and Brooke starts asking the questions on the form that we are REQUIRED to fill out. Woman gets upset at the questions (which are like what's your name, phone number, insurance....you know nothing personal!) and proceeds to say:
Caller: I guess you are too stupid to fax a message over.

Sweet, thanks lady! Brooke, I have seen you fax, and you do a great job at it!

Call 2
Sara: UP employee assistance, this is Sara, can I help you?
Caller: Yeah, Stacey left me a message. What does she want?
Sara: I believe she was following up with you to make sure you are getting the assistance you needed.
Caller:Why?
Sara: We just like to make sure you are doing ok and getting the help you need.
Caller: Well I just am not sure why your calling me.
Sara: Well we don't need to call you, we just want to make sure you are ok and don't need anymore assistance.
Caller: Ok Bye.

Dude, you called us for help, trust us, the highlight of our day is not talking to you!

Call 3
Stacey: CP employee assistance, this is Stacey, can I help you?
Caller: Yeah, I tested positive for Cocaine at work and need to open a profile.
Stacey: Ok, when was your last use of Cocaine?
Caller: Never, I don't use Cocaine. I don't know why I tested positive. I may have touched some money that had Cocaine on it.
Stacey: Sir, we all touch money that has Cocaine on it at some point in life, but you CANNOT test positive that way.
Caller: Well I don't know, I never did it. I know people that do it, but I never touch the stuff.
Stacey: Ok sir, well it is impossible to test positive for something when you have not ingested it.
Caller: Well I am just saying, I didn't use it.

This type of call happens ALL of the time, no one EVER is using and they have NO IDEA how they tested positive. I usually see them at the treatment center within a week ;0)

My favorite excuse was that someone put Meth on this guys tire and he was changing it and it blew air in his face and that is how the Meth got in his system. That's where I keep my Meth! Good one!

Or the guy who said that someone held him up at gunpoint and made him snort Cocaine. Guess what dude, no one is wasting their Cocaine on you. It is expensive! Nice try!

Just so you know, ALL drug addicts lie, that's a fact!

Call 4
Stacey: Helpline, this is Stacey, can I help you?
Caller: I need to come in for treatment.
Stacey: Ok, well our next available appointment is today at 4pm.
Caller: Don't you have anything earlier? I really need help.
Stacey: I understand ma'am, there are a lot of people in similar situations and unfortunately that is the next time we have available.
Caller: What's the matter with you? Don't you know addicts do better in the morning?

Yes, I do. I also know they are more cranky because they are no longer high!

And last but not least, my favorite calls. I will censor this, but just imagine someone heavy breathing on the other end.

Stacey: Helpline, this is Stacey, how can I help you?
Caller: Hi Stacey, this is _____. How are you doing?
Stacey: I am fine sir, what can I help you with?
Caller: Well, I have a problem.
Stacey: Ok, what can I help you with?
Caller: Can I tell you a story?
Stacey: Sir, we are a crisis line, I can call someone out to your house to make sure you are ok but we are not a "chat" line. If you need to talk to someone, I suggest you find a therapist.
Caller: So you won't talk to me (heavy breathing still!)?
Stacey: No sir, and please do not call back. Click.

Don't you have someone to stalk on the internet?

This doesn't even break the surface about what I deal with on a daily basis. I will post more stories as they happen, some of them are REALLY funny. I guess the good half make up for the bad half!