Half way

I'm half way through the 4 week assessment phase at work. The assessment phase determines if I get to keep my job or not. I have to pass on 3 different statistical numbers. As of yesterday.....

I'm passing in all areas! Yippee!

1st day.

Yesterday was the 1st day of the assessment phase or as we call it at Qwest "do or die phase." My performance over the next 4 weeks determines whether or not I get to keep my job. I have to average between $700-$1000 in sales every day (NSR) to pass training. Here's the good news. I pulled in $1400 yesterday. Great start!

I decided to include this pic of Canon cause he is a cutie patootie..

Life is good...

Here is the update from recent events from the life of Kins:

• I love the company I work for. My job at Qwest is incredibly hard as I'm not a born sales person, but I'm catching on & things are going ok. I'm still in the practice phase of my training which means my stats don't matter YET. The assessment phase which determines if I get to keep my job or not starts on Wednesday. The assessment phase is 20 days long. I have to sale on average at least $1000 in net sales revenue (NSR) per day to pass training. This might seem easy but it's not. Friday I only had a NSR of $400 & yesterday I had $1100. Send good vibes my way that I'll do well & I'll easily pass training. I really want to keep this job!
• The best news about work is that if we pass training we get a new coach (supervisor). I was assigned to someone that I wasn't really stoked about having as my coach. I was actually really stressed about the whole situation for a couple of reasons. The response of EVERY person I told who my coach was going to be gave me the huge-deer-caught-in-the-head-light-eyes followed by an uncomfortable silence then finally they would say "you'll be fine." Very reassuring! Even folks on his team told me that he was a Nazi! Awesome! Well here is the good part. As of yesterday he no longer works for Qwest. I have no idea why but I am glad to say that I for sure will have a different coach after training. Yippee! I'm feeling very hopeful.
  
• The best news is that since I now have health insurance I'm getting all of my neglected medical needs taken care of. This Saturday I actually have an appointment with an optometrist! I'm especially excited cause I know I need glasses. It's not a good sign when you can't read a stop sign until your right on top of it. Good thing I know what shape they are. :) Actually my drivers license has one of those pesky stipulations on it that I have to wear corrective lenses when driving. Course my present pair of glasses are scratched and broken. They have been for years. The prescription is so old, more then 5 years that I don't think they are actually useful so I don't wear them. Good thing I never speed.
• I also have a physical scheduled for February 17th. Come to find out my doctor won't continue to prescribe my meds until I complete this physical. Nice! Course his office didn't inform me of this until AFTER I had been out of meds for a week and was in the "freaking out & crying for no reason at work stage!" Great impression to give at a new job. Don't worry I got a temporary prescription to last me until my physical in a couple of weeks. After all of this is done I'm going to get my dental needs caught up to date as it's also been about 5 years since I've seen the dentist as too.
  
• All in all I'm feeling pretty healthy & optimistic about the future. I got my taxes done last weekend so I'll have funds to also get the Geo's heath up to par so I can get her registered in February. I'm also considering buying a new netbook so I can upload my pic with my fabulous new camera. Tires for the Geo are a priority but the draw of being able to browse Google Earth is very tempting. I absolutely LOVE maps and Google Earth is the ultimate map! Well see....
  

Week 2 of new job at Qwest

Here is the new job update. I'm still loving my new job, but of course who doesn't love training? We play games most of the day. It can't get more fun then that right? I'm in week 2 of an 11-13 week training period. To continue my job at Qwest I have to pass training. I mostly feel confident that I will, but every now & then I let worries about not passing slip into my mind, but I quickly chase them out. There are 21 people in my training class & I really like all of them. "All" really means 2 of them drive me absolutely nuts! I've decided to take this opportunity as a challenge to improve myself! I'm trying to be a better person by being more tolerant of people who annoy me & I'm trying very very hard to find positive things to focus on. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Life just keeps going...

Sorry I haven't written in a really long time. I guess I haven't had much to say. Actually I feel like not a lot of interesting stuff has been happening. Of course how boring and mundane you think your life is at times it still keeps going. Here are a few highlights from my life as of late.

• I quite my job at Call Assist! Yippee!! Actually that deserves a double YIPPEE! I quit Call Assist on Nov. 24th. Don't worry I have another job at Qwest. I start on Monday. I'm way excited. It's going to be a challenge cause it's very sales oriented & sales is not a strong skill of mine but I'm ready to make it a strong skill. The beauty part is that I only have to deal with one call at a time rather then 3! Brilliant!
• In my week & half vacation I've mostly been chillaxin. I've watched many many Red Box movies & have been reading a lot. I discovered the beauty of ordering books on amazon.com. They have a great Jewish selection, much larger then you can find here in Mormonville. I ordered 4 Jewish fiction books from amazon. ALL 4 books only cost $1.07! Of course you have to pay shipping and handling which brought my grand total to $17.03! Funny huh? Ok, let's review: 4 books = $1.07 S&H = $15.96. Still a very good deal so I'm happy & a bit amused.
  
• I spent Thanksgiving with family. The night before Thanksgiving I stayed at Deb & Jesse's house. It was so fun to play and bond with Mo. He might be the cutest baby ever. I bonded with him by reading to him and he bonded with my by expelling much bodily fluids onto my shirt. For sure I'm his favorite Auntie now, no question!
• I ended up having 2 Thanksgiving dinners this year. I must mention that this year was my first Thanksgiving without actually eating turkey. I've recently converted to vegetarianism. I didn't miss the turkey but I did miss the nostalgia of it. Ok, I'll admit I did miss the turkey with ranch & the week of turkey sandwiches that follows Thanksgiving day.
  
• The first dinner was with Jesse's family. They're fabulous! They're very loud, talkative, & there is many of them. The minute I walked in the door Jesse's grandpa said "make yourself at home." No prob, I was completely in my element with a bunch of almost crazy people laughing and talking all round me. There was a lot of teasing, laughing & a general feeling of welcomeness which is so much like my family. They were even ok with me spilling a large glass of water all over the beautifully decorated table before the dinner even started. Opps!
  
• The second dinner I went to was at my Aunt Marda's house. The house was bulging with people. I would guess that about 30 people were there. Of course it was noted that the crowd was a bit "small" this year! The best part was when my cousin Jana not so nicely kicked me out of my seat at the table cause she wanted to sit across from her daughter! I thought she was joking at first when she told me to move, but oh no, she was serious. It was quite funny. I'm hoping to bring it up in following years to make her feel "guilty" about being rude. :)
• I do have exciting news. Deb & Jesse are moving to Logan in 2 weeks! They have already found a cute house. It is even cheap and close to campus. The best part for me is that it has a stoop & a small porch! Can't you just picture me sitting on the stoop holding a glass of wine, laughing and carrying on in all my glory! I can't wait. I'm so excited to have them close. I can't wait until they actually get here.
  
• I'm finally getting over my cold but my ears hurt like mad! It's mostly my right ear but my left does hurt sometimes too. I've tried to see the doctor a couple of times but they can't fit me in. They keep telling me to go to insti-care but I can't afford that. Grrr! I'm a bit worried that my ear drum will rupture or something horrendous like that will happen. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.
  
• One last thing. Poor Canon & Daphney have been trapped in the house for about a month. This isn't from the cold weather but from the 2 huge black dogs that my upstairs neighbors have. Poor little shuges. My apartment is just way to small to be stuck here all the time.
  

The good & the bad.

The Bad: I've been sick for 4 weeks! I know it seems like forever & it feels that way too. Trouble is I don't seem to be getting better. I tried to go to the doctor 2 days ago, but couldn't get in on account my doc has been deployed (he's in the military) & the clinic doesn't have anyone taking his appointments. Awesome! Perfect timing with flu season & all. The clinic suggested that I visit the Insticare. I went over there & found out that they needed $80 just to see me & there appointments start at $120. Fabulous, since I don't have insurance & I'm currently trying to pay off $700 in medical bills already. I decided to just go home and suffer it out. Hopefully I'll start feeling better soon.
The Good: On the bright side I got a new job at Qwest. I start December 7th. I'm so excited as I've been unhappy with my job at Call Assist for quite some time now. Qwest has a set hourly pay so I can count on a certain amount for my paychecks! This will relieve so much stress for me. Just knowing that my check is going to be "somewhere between" $300 & $800 isn't cohesive to successful financial planning. It's way to much stress not being able to pay my bill even WITH a full time job! The best part is that Qwest even has reasonably priced health insurance ($36 per month) that I will qualify for after just 30 days! I hope I succeed at this new job. It's hard to leave what you know, but I feel really positive & excited about this new opportunity.

Waiting for Mo.....

Waiting for Moses Clloyd LaGrande Stevens:

He is due October 11th so all that we know is that he certainly WON'T be coming on that day! As the day approaches I've had to do a few things to prepare.

• Deb & I have agreed that she will ring me to let me know that I must start driving south when her contractions have become a bit regular but are still far apart. This is a good plan cause I anticipate it will take me about 3 hours to get to Deb & Jesse's house considering all the variables of packing, traffic & who knows what.
• I've made sure that Deb has multiple #'s to reach me at.
  
• I have a list of things I have to do once I get the call: Pack, get gas, & remember to drive safely!
  
• I put in my time off request from work months ago.
  
• I found someone to feed Canon & Daphney while I'm away. Thanks Sammie.
  
• I've tried to prepare by reading many books about how to be the best birth partner that I can be.
  
• Try to keep up on my wash & house cleaning for the next two weeks so I have enough clean cloths & Sammie can find her way into my apartment without inflicting too much physical or psychological pain on her. Side note on this one: I still have to do my wash & clean my apartment. :) I'm banking on the hope that Mo won't come today.
  
• I still don't have a camera but I don't think I'll be able to get one before Mo comes so I guess I can cross this one off. :( Plus I still don't know if I can upload pic onto my computer. I keep forgetting to ask the Geeks I know (Andy, Matthew, & Tommy). If any of the wifes of these geeks read this tell your husband to ring me please.
  
• And now we wait................
  

Parties!

I've been waiting all week for this day to get here & it's finally here! It's a big day filled with 3 different parties.

• The 1st one is at 3 p.m. today. It's a bridal shower for my friend and co-worker Amanda. She is getting married on October 3rd & we are showering her with gifts at the Olive Garden today. Yippee.
• The 2nd is a company work party. Call Assist is actually doing something nice for us. Surprise! They've hired the Pauni Catering to cater a luau. This party is at 5 p.m. at Willow Park so I plan to only order salad at the Olive Garden...hey ya can't beat free food! You may recognize the Pauni name cause they were a recipient of an extreme makeover on their home a few years back on the popular show "Extreme Home Makeover."
  
• The 3rd & final party is tonight at 9 p.m. It's a bachelorette party for Amanda at the Eagles Club. I may or may not attend this one. We'll see.

Gotta run & start getting ready. Fun times ahead. :)

Sad day!

Something sad happened today. My friend and co-worker Harri quit working at Call Assist. As you might imagine I'm all torn up about this. I will miss sitting next to her for 8 hours a day. She quit because she got a better job with benefits and higher pay at Cache Country Carpets. She has worked there previously so she knows she loves the job. Of course I am happy for Harri cause she truly HATED working at Call Assist but I will sure miss her terribly. I'm a bit envious that she never has to worry about "phone time" again! Good luck Harri!

*Harri, if you read this don't think you're getting rid of me entirely. I still know where you live & I plan on chillaxin a bunch at your house. Don't forget to let me know when Clay makes something fab for dinner...I can be there in less then 5 minutes!*

Grrr!

I'm having a bit of a rough go at it. There are a lot of negative things going on right now in my life. Each thing on it's own merit is really nothing but all of them combined is really giving me some trouble. Here's my issues:

• It is April and I still have to shovel snow every fucking day!
• I'm having "digestive issues." I'm sure you prefer not to hear details.
  
• I have PMS really really bad. I just want to scream & yell at someone. Any volunteers?
• I've already had 1 migraine this week & I'm trying to get another at this very moment.
  
• Tony is in another country & I'm having doubts that all that he professes is true.
• The "Harri & Kins Show" got split up! This is the biggest one bringing me down as it makes going to work sooo much harder! Fuck work!!! I feel like I'm in morning. Yes, that's how bad it is!
  

Don't worry I haven't given up completely & I'm not a danger to myself.
I'M JUST IN A REALLY FUCKING BAD MOOD!!

Highlights from my week:

Ok I know ya'll are just torn up inside wondering what has been going on with Kins. Wait no further. Here are the, sometimes a bit dull, events of my life this last week.

• I actually did wash early this week. I think it was on Monday that I accomplished this task. You may be wondering why I would include this as an "event of the week." Well let me tell you...I fucking hate doing wash! So to actually get it done in a timely fashion is definitely note worthy!! Good job Kins, good job.
• I went to Sam's Club to pick up a prescription refill. I have to do this frequently cause I'm on about a gazillion different drugs. This particular prescription was only $12.00 for a 3 month supply. Yippee for cheap drugs! Anyway, after hitting the pharmacy I wandered around a bit. Here's the beauty part. I ended up dropping a mere $160.00 when all was said and done. What the fuck did I buy?
  
• My fabulous Chico Bags arrived in the mail today. Luv them! If I had any funds left I'd be all about going shopping so I could use them, but alas refer to previous "event of the week."
  
• And here is the most important event of the week & the real reason for this post.... Ya ready for it? The guy I fancy at work finally pulled his head out of his ass after not talking to me for a whole week. I guess he finally decided that he had stuff to say to me again. The best part of the whole dramatic story is that when I asked him why he was ignoring me he said "what? you're the one ignoring me." Then he proceeded to explain to me how offended he was that I walked right past him that morning with my nose in the air acting like a snob! I may be a lot of things but I have never in my life been accused of being a "snob." Bossy...yes! Nosy...yes! Intense...yes! Snob...NO! I'm forever amazed & often entertained by peoples perceptions of me. Funny stuff!
  

Help save the Earth

I found this new fabulous product! Ok, that's a bit of a lie cause I actually found it with the help of 2 other people. Either way I'm still very excited and must tell you all about it.

The product I'm so excited about is reusable grocery bags! As you probably have noticed ALL the stores now sale them. Well let me tell you about 2 more ways that you can buy them.

The first picture is the "red bag" (click on the words "red bag" & you should go right to their site.) If that doesn't work their site is redbagmovement.com (copy & paste). Anyway, my cousin Julie posted a post on her blog about these bags a bit ago & I got all excited about them. They sale for $7 per bag online and can hold up to 25 lbs. of groceries! Trouble is they only come in the color red...who would have guessed it? I have this brilliant idea to print something fabulous on them such as our family crest, or some other family related item to sale at our family reunion. Julie & I are working out the details right now. All idea contributions welcome if you're part of the Hartvigsen or Tolman clan, or even if you're not & just have a fabulous idea to share with me.

Julie sent me a sample of the "red bag" in the mail the other week so I could see exactly what we're dealing with. I was showing the bag to my Earth conscious manager Janet at work. The minute I opened the bag up she pulled from her purse another version of a reusable grocery bag. "The Chico Bag" (again click on the words " the chico bag") Their site is chicobag.com. (copy & paste) The Chico Bag is a bit cheaper for all ya'll on a budget. It's only $5 per bag or 5 bags for $20. That makes them only $4 each...nice! And here is the best part...ya ready for it? They come in a variety of colors including my must have PURPLE!!

These bags would make fabulous presents! I mean really who doesn't want to help preserve the Earth and create less trash during their stay here? Exactly! I'm thinking perfect wedding, open house, birthday, Hanukkah, or Christmas presents. Don't be surprised if this is what I give you this year as a present for your special day whatever the occasion might be.

I would really like feedback on this post. Is anyone else as excited about these fabulous bags as me? Did you scope out the site links, or buy any? Let me know.

Deb & Jesse don't worry your bags will be at your house in 4-6 business days. :)

Just cause I knew you were dying to know.

If I tagged YOU, it's because I want to know more about YOU!
Find out if I tagged you at the bottom of this post.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No, but I was named after a wedding chapel in Las Vegas the "Wee Kirk O' The Heather Wedding Chapel" Bruce Kins (not my sperm donor) and my Mom were married there when I was still a wee embryo. True story!

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
I'm sure it was just a few weeks ago. I generally cry every month when I'm PMSing...and usually at work! Warning: I'm due for a good cry here in about 2 weeks.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No, my friend Ryan Simsich once asked me to stop writing him letters cause he couldn't decipher my chicken scratches! Rude huh?

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Tuna pickle. I'll even share the recipe...ya ready for it? Tuna, pickle, & lots of mayo. Delish! Fab on bread or crackers.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
NO! Thank God!!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Absolutely! I'm fucking fantastic!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Maybe!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes and their lovely.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Not in a million years for for a million dollars!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Cinnamon Life Cereal.

11. WHATS on your IPOD?
Nothing, I don't have an IPOD. I actually don't really understand what an IPOD is nor do I care to learn. Technical ignorance is bliss and a whole lot cheaper then having to have every gadget out there.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Depends on my mood. I just bought some amaretto, brownie, black berry, & coconut ice cream from "Cold Stone" today.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
I think probably there hair. At least this is what I remember most about people. If you dye it often then I tend to only recall the color it was when I met you. It's like my brain won't photo shop the new color over the original. ie...Heather White at work is forever changing her hair but she will forever be blond to me. Hmm...I wonder what color her hair really is now. I'll have to notice.

15. RED OR PINK?
Neither....PURPLE!

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU?
The fact that I don't know why guys don't fancy me. God damn it, I'm hot aren't I?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Deb of course. She has half of my brain and sometimes it would come in handy. Luv you Deb!

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
Yes, for sure. Have you met me? Noisiness & bossiness are 2 of my best qualities.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I'm wearing my skinny blue jeans. No shoes but I do have purple and white striped socks on.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Elton John's "Honky Cat" on the radio.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
"Purple Mountain Majesty" of course! I promise it's a real color and it's as fabulous as it sounds.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
In nature: lilacs. On me: my signature scent is "Victoria's Secret Love Spell." In a home: turkey cooking on thanksgiving morning!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My sister Lisa

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yes, I love Beth!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Hmm, I don't have TV but if I did I sure as Hell wouldn't be watching sports.

27. HAIR COLOR?
This is always such a hard question for me cause my hair is that in between color. It's blond, brown, & red all at the same time but non of them too! I guess it depends on the hair sample it's being compared to. My drivers license says brown, but who really knows. Oh, and don't worry my genes are slowly adding gray to the mix as well.

28. EYE COLOR?
Tolman blue.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I can't imagine putting something on my eye and leaving it there!

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Pot luck for sure!

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings. I don't like scary movies. I was permanently traumatized when my mom let Lisa, David, and I watch "The Shining" when I was 7 years old!!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
"He's Just Not That Into You" with Deb in SLC. Good movie!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Purple...more of an eggplant really.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Depends on where I am. In Logan I prefer autumn. In St. George spring. Phoenix winter for sure.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Depends on who's giving them. If it were "K...y", never mind I'll keep that to myself.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Lisa

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Deb

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
"Obsession" by John Douglas

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
The picture is of a white kitten but on it other then my mouse is my summer Nalgene bottle, a pen, food crumbs & a piece of paper. Perhaps I should think about cleaning my desk.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Again, I don't have a TV.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)?
White noise. Like the sound a space heater, humidifier, or fan makes. I have to have at least one of these going to be able to sleep.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles I suppose.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Just over the border in Illinois when Lisa got us lost. Yes, we got lost and ended up in another fucking state!

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I don't think so.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Payson, UT

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
All ya'lls

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
I'll let you know after we meet. "Where the fuck is he already?"

Blogger Tags: Amanda, Daria, Jenny, Janet, Emily, Eliese, Deb, Shealyn, Ann, Julie, Ali, & anyone else who feels like filling this fun questionnaire out.

Ya gotta take your shit!

So last night at about 6p.m. I realized I was completely out of Levothyroxin the med I take to deal with the fact that my thyroid has decided to go on permanent vacation. "No prob," I thought "I'll just run to the pharmacy after work tomorrow. No big deal if I miss a day right?"

Wrong! Oh so very wrong!! If any of you know anything about hypothyroidism you know that your thyroid is incredibly important and when it's not working it pretty much effects every system in your body from your hair, nails, weight, energy, skin, mood, digestive system, & reproductive system just to name a few. I've been taking synthetic thyroid hormone for so long I completely forgot how horrible one feels without a happy working thyroid. Don't worry it all came rushing back today. I won't go into great detail, I just don't have the energy to. Just know that I have NEVER been so tired and run down in my life. I truly can't believe I made it through the day at work without falling asleep. Don't worry I got my prescription filled so tomorrow will be so much better. I'm going to go wash all the makeup off my face, put cocoa butter on my painful skin and go to bed. Yes, I know it's only 4:36 p.m. Sweat dreams ya'll!

FYI: the pic is a real picture of all the drugs that keep me alive and make me the happy fabulous Kins that you all know and love. Thank God for meds!!

Oh and thanks Dr. Megan for answering all my panicky med emergency phone calls.

This, that, & the other....

Here's an update on all that has been going on in my life lately:

• My new phone arrived! Yippee...sort of. Much to my despair I realized that not every phone comes with a camera as a standard feature. My Razr had one so I took it for granted that all phones have cameras. I realize that not all phones do but during the drama of when my Razr actually broke I wasn't exactly thinking about extra features that I want. I was just thinking "send me a phone NOW!" Opps! The day after my new Samsung arrived I called T-Mobile and ordered yet another phone. This one with a camera.

• Even though today is a holiday it was a very good mail day for me. Who knew UPS still delivers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Good thing UPS was out and about cause they brought me my 2nd new phone of the month. Camera & all. Yippee! Now I can take more darling pics of Canon & Daphney and send them to ya'll. Come on...I know you love pics of my boys as much as I do. :)

• UPS also brought me my new electric blanket. This blanket is replacing the one I got for Christmas that broke 2 weeks ago. Yippee for a WARM comfy bed.

• Day 13: Yup today is the 13th day that I have been sick. I now have gone through:
• 10 vacation hours missing work!
  
• 9 boxes of Puffs Plus w/Lotion. How can one human produce so much mucus?
  
• 5 bags of Ricola cough drops. One of the more tasty cough drops, but not in mass quantity!
  
• 2 bottles of cough syrup. Used in an attempt to sleep through just one night without waking up coughing to death. Hasn't worked yet but I still have hope. :)
  
• 1 doctors appointment. I only went as a last resort.
  
• 1 strep test, it was negative
  
• 85 dollars for doctor to tell me that I have a virus and she can't do a damn thing for me.

• I'm still in "Numbers" in my Torah reading. Now I know why it's called "Numbers." :)
  

I now have big plans of taking some cough syrup, crawling into my nice warm bed, and trying to get a bit closer to "Deuteronomy".

Friends...

If you're one of the 2 people who follow my blog you know that I had a bit of a rough weekend. Here's a recap:

1. I got sick...
2. I stayed sick...
3. My phone broke...
4. I'm still sick!
5. My phone is still broken!

Don't worry I'm not complaining, not at all. Actually this post it to thank my dear friends who seem to always come to my rescue. Specifically 2 of my friends that came to my rescue this weekend:

*Amanda*
My dear friend and boss Amanda was truly an angel. She rung me on Saturday to see how I was doing....not so good. She went to the store without my even asking and got me lots of good stuff to make me better. She then came to my house with all the great health aides she had just purchased. You have to know that she was a CNA so she has that nurturing gene in her and she's just a genuinely caring person. She came baring cough syrup, throat spray, orange juice, vitamin C, echinacea, & chicken noodle soup. All needed and much appreciated gifts of health. I put everything to good use and am feeling so much better today. I actually made it to work today. More importantly I worked through the whole day & I think I did ok. Thank you Amanda.

*Harri*
The other person who I need to thank is my darling friend Harri. I so wish all of you could meet Harri. She is one of the most unique & fantastic people I have ever met! I was describing Harri to Deb once and we decided that the perfect way to describe her is this: she's the type of person who would kill someone if she had to, but by God she's getting a manicure right after...ya gotta look pretty. This describes her perfectly. Harri was a huge help this weekend and always really. Yesterday when my phone decided it was done I drove to Harri's house, walked in, & said "I need to use your phone." She didn't even ask why I was there at such an hour, why I walked in, or what I needed the phone for. She just handed me the phone and then laughed at me cause I didn't know how to turn it on. I love you Harri & thank you for being you.

I have many more friend who regularly come to my aide. I love and appreciate them just as much. I just wanted to mention Amanda & Harri in this post for the help they gave me this weekend. I hope the rest of you fabulous people that I love so much don't feel forgotten or neglected. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life that it takes more then one blog post to mention everyone.

FYI: The symbol on this post is the Chinese symbol for "friendship."

IT'S OVER ALREADY?

MY YEAR IN REVIEW!

This year has been interesting. I've done a few things for the very first time and some things have stayed the same. Here's a short list of both:

THINGS THAT STAYED THE SAME:

Home:
I still live in my shoe box size, cheap studio apartment. I've been here for 4 years! After 80 moves who thought I would stay put for more then a minute. In 2009 I hope to move to Illinois closer to Beth and David. Deb don't freak out...this has been my goal for a few years now. We'll see what really happens. As long as my land lords don't sale my house I'll probably still be here come December 31st 2009.

Car:
My fabulous 1993 Geo Metro is still kickin it! Thank God for that. It's old and has a lot of rust spots but it gets GREAT GAS MILLAGE, and starts everyday with no problem. The Geo's not fancy, or flashy but it's dependable and in the end that's all that matters! I love my Geo! I did have to replace the clutch this year. I guess after 13 years it was time. In 2009 I have to get new tires and replace the muffler due to the gravel road I live on. I have holes in the muffler that makes my car a bit loud. You know I'm coming from a few blocks away. :) Fine with me as long as I'm still getting to my destinations ok.

Baby Boys:
Canon and Daphney both turned 7 this year! They bring me so much love and joy. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Work:
I have worked at Feature Films For Families/Call Assist for nearly 2 years. I'm very thankful to even have a job in this economy when thousands of people are getting laid off every month. My job pays ok...enough to cover my bills & a trip to Salt Lake City now and then to play with Deb and Jesse. The best bit is that I'm blessed to have fantastic managers, especially ones that will put up with my quirky personality issues. Ya just gotta love my regular emotional breakdowns at work!

2008 FIRSTS:

Coffee:
This year...thanks to Deb I became addicted to coffee. After making trips to 7-11 every morning and spending at least $1 every trip I decided to purchase a Mr. Coffee maker. Perhaps the best purchase I've made all year! I love nothing more then to hear my coffee maker turn on at 5 a.m. and smell the fantastic aromas that subsequently fill my apartment. I also found the most fantastic & delirious English toffee almond creamer that turns my coffee into a taste explosion. Delish....wait maybe I'll brew some now.

Deb:
So I found my best friend at the laundry matte! No I'm serious. Ok, let me tell you the story. So Deb and I have been friends for many years but in March of 2007 we had a bit of a falling out. This resulted in a year of no involvement in each others lives. In the end this turned out to be a blessing cause this incident was the catalyst for my meeting my fantastic neighbor and friend Helen Petterson. Because of the falling out with Deb I got to share in the last 7 months of Helen's life. She passed away from kidney cancer in October 2007. Isn't it interesting how things happen? Something that seems to be a negative thing actually is exactly what was supposed to happen.
I digress, so a nearly a year after our fall out I was doing wash at the laundry matte. The same laundry matte that I have done my wash at for the last 5 years. As I was waiting for my cloths to get done I was mindlessly staring out of the laundry matte windows. I was pulled from my daze by the sight of a familiar car. Deb saw me through the glass as she was pulling in to the parking spot. She immediately ran in, threw her arms around me, and said "can we be friends again?" At that very moment the whole year of not talking was washed away and she became one of the most important people in my life again. She is truly a "real sister in spirit" and my best friend!

Guys:
Hmmm...so what should I say about my experience with men this year? If you know me at all you probably already know far too many details. I'll just say that 1 free dating site, 12 guys, 4 pregnancy tests, & 2 negative STD tests (thank God) later I realize that I am happy alone. If I ever get to share my life with someone else then that will be grand, but if I don't then that is just fine too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Bloody Graveyard!

Yesterday I had to work 11 a.m-7 p.m. I know most of you are thinking "so, what's the big deal?" Well let me tell you.... I normally work 6 a.m-2 p.m. & have done this for almost 2 years. My body is very set to this schedule. If you know me at all you know the I have NO sense of urgency unless I declare it's time to hurry! To make it to work at 6 a.m. I set my first alarm for 3 a.m.! Yup THREE hours before I have to be at work! Don't worry I normally don't get out of bed until 3:30 a.m. On occasion that I'm still not up by 4 a.m. then panic starts to set in cause I'm running behind schedule! Needless to say but the 11-7 shift was EXTREMELY HARD & felt exactly like working a graveyard!

This is how my day went:
1:30 p.m: I thought I was going to starve to death. Normally I have lunch at 11:30 & the one bowl of Life cereal at 7a.m-ish wasn't cutting it.
2:30 p.m: I decided I was in Hell. I was so tired that I was getting that tired headache...you know the one you get when you're exhausted? Yeah, that one! Not to mention the fact that my eyelids hurt to keep open.
5 p.m:. I was in the "EVERYTHING IS SO FUCKING FUNNY" tired mode. Where NOTHING is actually funny but you're laughing so hard that you have tears in your eyes!
7 p.m.: Finally came and I was free. Of course by then I got a second wind and decided to go shopping!!!!

I found the cutest outfit for my cousin Tommy & Jenny's son, for $2 dollars at Kohl's! Yup I'm a bargain shopper & I don't mind bragging about it either....hehe.....