10.30.2008

The pressure is on...in my head

Tomorrow I head off for the east side of the state. I have a big job fair to attend Saturday, and I am almost trying to see a few dozen friends in the process.

I've been unemployed for approximately two months now. And I'm feeling it a little bit. The pressure, I mean.

The thing is, I have been a fairly successful person. I got my degree with good grades, I got a good internship, I'm pretty sure I've only had one real job interview in my life and that was over the phone.

So needless to say being unemployed is unknown territory.

Back to tomorrow. I'll set off for the Eastside with resumes, writing samples, and business in tow.

Hopefully I'll be prepared to dazzle and walk away with employment.

But who knows what tomorrow will really bring, or in this case - Saturday.

10.29.2008

Behind the times

I am not a very up-to-date person when it comes to the latest 'in things'.

I started reading Harry Potter after four of the books were already published, I haven't touched the Twilight saga, and I only got myspace after some of my campers from bball camp wanted to stay in touch after camp ended.

I know, I'm a loser.

Still, even today, I continue to fall behind (see Twilight saga above). I seem to have multiple email accounts, online profiles - you name it - but continue to be missing out on something.

More specifically, Twitter. Now I'm not exactly sure what this whole Twitter thing is, but I'm going to do some research. (Please try to hold back your laughter for my ignorance, I admitted to it from the beginning.)

The last thing I really need is one more thing to keep track of.

I think this just reinforces that I wasn't ever, am not, and never will be a 'cool kid'.

And I'm okay with that.

I just wonder what else is out there that I have no idea about?! (That list could probably be endless.)

10.27.2008

Blah, blah, blah

Here's why my blog has been lackluster in recent days...
...I haven't worn real clothes since Friday (meaning something besides basketball shorts and/or sweats) and I haven't driven a car since I can't even remember - I think Tuesday last week.

True story.

So I don't really have any stories to tell.

Mostly I'm just trying to get myself psyched up for the big job fair on Saturday, and I'm doing that by cutting myself off from the majority of the population.

What can I say...I'm a winner.

10.25.2008

The most wonderful time of the year

I'm having a hard time to contain my excitement. My very favorite season is coming.

No, silly. Not the holidays. It's not Halloween (obviously, if you've been paying attention), Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years. Not even close.

It's almost college basketball time. Teams just officially started practice this past week.

If that doesn't get you excited, stop reading this post. Right now.

To commemorate the coming days, I wanted to share just a few pieces of basketball news courtesy of Yahoo! News and my good friend, the old one.

First of all, Lute Olson retired. The long time Arizona coach finally stepped down. Not all that surprising considering his break last year, his age, etc. But still big news, and kind of sad.

Something crazy I saw today. A 73-year-old man is playing basketball at Roane State. I thought I could barely move after practice when I was 19. I can't even imagine 73. Holy crap. To here more of his story go here.

Wow. I still can't get over that.

Mostly I'm just excited for the football season to end. My alma mater has been painful watch and we have a good bball team. Or at least have the past few years.

Plus, basketball is pretty much the coolest sport ever.

So I am getting excited.

10.24.2008

All Hallows Eve

Halloween is coming, in case you live under a rock or in a cave or something and hadn't gotten the memo.

While the kids are excited to be princess and superheroes, and eating as much candy as possible before Mom and Dad come to their senses, young women across the country are looking forward to wearing as little clothing as possible and calling it an outfit. And young men are looking forward to oogling said young women.

I will not be wearing such an outfit - for a number of reasons.

Reason #1 - I don't have any ideas. You'd think it'd be easy since so little clothing is actually involved, but alas it does take a little creativity. Of which I am lacking.

Reason #2 - my legs are white. As my mother lovingly pointed out this afternoon when I tried on my new suit for her. Meaning, maybe you should put those legs away until sometime late next summer when you have actually regained some color.

Reason #3 - I'm not really interested in dressing in less. Not really my style. Were I to dress up - which isn't happening, I'd rather just eat candy - I would at least attempt something different instead of just skanky.

Reason #4 (and the real reason for lack of Halloween spirit) - I am attending a job fair the next day. Since I have now been unemployed for two months, or will be when I attend, I figure I should probably give my best effort into making this job fair a success, meaning obtaining employment. I'm pretty sure that won't be achieved if my interviewer looks at me and asks, "How was your Halloween?"

So go enjoy wearing to little clothing as the weather approaches frigid, and in some places even snows probably, my fellow 20-somethings. I'm gonna try to get a job.

Priorities, right.

10.23.2008

An Apology

I'm sorry. I've been reading over the past few days, or more specifically yesterday's post, and I have not done well by you, my loyal readers.

Organizing my crap and my blog, really, that was the best I could come up with?!

I plead insanity.

My face-to-face human interactions have been limited to my father, a couple lawn care customers and a handful of retail employees, some of whom are more talkative than others.

I'm also running low on things to entertain myself with, which I why I've already decided to spend the day tackling my stuff. ALL that stuff I complained about.

So I'm sorry. You deserve better.

10.22.2008

Scattered

I feel the need for some organization in my life. In many areas.

My stuff for sure. Not only are my things strewn seemingly across the Evergreen state, but also across my room.

It's not as if I have piles of things waiting to be put away, it's that I have bins and tubs of my stuff that has finally all made it back from the land of the Rockies.

I got it here and realized that it won't all fit in my room, especially since the room already was storing some of my things. It's unfortunate really. That I have all this stuff and not enough space for it.

And it doesn't even count everything in storage over in the Palouse. Apparently I'm a pack rat. Or something.

I also hope to get this blog organized. I have done a poor job of tagging my posts appropriately. This means there's no real way to sort through it all. But going back and retagging everything, as well as creating more comprehensive tags will take some time.

Luckily, time is something I have plenty of.

10.21.2008

Fall (cont'd)

I know a few weeks ago I mentioned it was officially fall because I had made apple crisp.

Really, it was officially fall because the calendar said so, along with the leaves falling (I almost wrote trees falling), rain descending (at home that definitely means fall), the shortening of the days, and a multitude of other occurences.

I have come across further proof that fall is upon us, well it's beyond that, it's in midswing.

Egg nog.

That's right. The thick delicious drink previously associate with the holidays (aka winter) has become a fall staple due to commercial America's realization that there was money to be made. That's what the American dream is about, isn't in?!

To get back to egg nog, I'm pretty excited. My favorite espresso drink of choice is an egg nog latte (preferably cut with nonfat milk so I can pretend that I am trying to lower my cholesterol - I'll explain that one at a later date).

I spend much of the rest of the year mourning the fact that egg nog is not there to take part in my latte.

So for the next few months, I will celebrate.

Here's to you, egg nog.

As a side note:
I also made apple butter (with my mom) and homemade oatmeal molasses bread (with my dad), and it was good. (This felt like another fall activity.)

(And yes, I am so cool that my primary interactions are with my parents and their dogs.)

(Sorry for the overuse of parentheses.)

10.20.2008

Television

Since I have no life (meaning I am lacking in employment and many friends) I find myself with a lot of free time on my hands.

And I can't say I've been using it well.

Instead of exercising more, organizing all the stuff I brought home, or really throwing myself - mind, body and soul - into the job hunt, I have become addicted to TV.

There are sooo many shows I am currently trying to follow it's ridiculous.

Army Wives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Chuck, Jon & Kate Plus 8, House, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, ER, the Office...to name a few.

There are also shows I wish I were following more carefully.

One Tree Hill, House, Numbers, SNL, Fringe, a probably a few others I can't think of.

This is completely ridiculous, yet so entertaining. And I can't seem to help myself. I don't know why.

Every night I tell myself, tomorrow you are going to get something accomplished. Or more than one something. So tonight I am telling the world (or the few people who may or may not read this) what I have to accomplish tomorrow.

Update resume and cover letter, apply for a job, finish laundry and put clothes away, work on sorting something in my room, go for a run or a walk with the dogs, mow lawns, clean up the kitchen, and generally avoid sitting on my behind for long periods of time.

In reality I probably won't accomplish a lot of this list. But at least there's a better chance now that it's not just in my head, right?

Oh, and case you haven't noticed this excess time has also significantly increased my blogging. When I am actually home, and not traversing the country, I seem to post at an alarming rate.

I apologize for this, but I am busy working on the TV addiction and don't have time to focus on the blogging.

Pick your battles, that's what mom always says.

Dogs

I am a dog person. No question about it.

I don't dislike cats, but I have a strong preference for dogs. Dogs are loyal, have generally happy personalities, and want to please you.

Before anyone starts psychoanalyzing that last statement (I could list more things about dogs that I like, those are just a couple), I also have to say there are time that dogs drive me absolutely nuts.

Especially the dogs I am around all the time, Jackson and Jamaica.

Jackson is an 115-pound, white German Shepard/yellow lab mix. He's about eight years old and while a big dog, a little on the thick side. Jackson has got to be one of the cleanest dogs I have ever met. He tiptoes through our lawn and can spend hours cleaning himself.

Jackson is not without his annoying tendencies. In his lifetime he has consumed a great amount of chocolate (Belgium chocolate, chocolate covered raisins, chocolate chip cookies), butter, and any other food left too close to the end of the counter.

(Too close is anywhere besides the back of the stove.)

Jamaica is a year and a half, black and white English springer spaniel. She has more energy than most dogs I've met and absolutely no regard for getting dirty.

Jamaica may also be on of the wimpiest dogs I know. She was attacked as a puppy by another dog (luckily the dog only got her ear and we kept her from real harm) and is now afraid of any dog or person she doesn't recognize, including her own people.

We're convinced that her eyesight isn't great - there are times she has barked at me as I walk down the hallway as if I am some sort of dangerous intruder and not the person she regularly cuddles with on the couch.

I really do like our dogs, except when they annoy me with their barking and energy and neediness.

Otherwise they are awesome. Especially when they are cuddly and sleeping. (Jackson sleeps, Jamaica cuddles)

And today has been a good day, nothing destroyed and lots of sleeping.

10.16.2008

What?!?!

I know I just posted. But I wanted all of you to have a chance to be a part of the group prayer going on over the intercom system.

There was no preamble, the woman just started praying.

We did not pray for miracles. Probably because they would take away from the hospital's main revenue source.

Weird.

Amen.

Visit to the Hospital (still in progress)

Before I get started with the story of my morning, I just want to assure everyone that this was a procedural visit and not an emergency visit. A doctor stuck (well, is sticking actually) a camera down my dad's throat to look at his heart.

As far as I know, all is well.

First of all, I now have proof that no human being should actually be required to function at 6:00 a.m. This is how I know...

My dad was driving to the hospital and we had to stop at a red light behind two other cars. We were headed straight ahead. Beside us the cars received a green arrow. Not one, but both of the cars in front of us preceded to pull into the intersection as if it were their turn to cross and effectively cutting off the cars attempting to turn left across from us.

This is obvious proof that no human can fully function that early in the morning.

I am now in a hospital waiting room complete with a computer work station, fireplace, and scoreboard. All that's missing is some sort of snack bar for those of us that haven't had anything to eat yet and have been up for over to hours. (meaning me)

Now I am waiting for #168352 to come out of the procedure in a completely drugged state.

My father is now known as #168352 - the hospital tracks him through their scoreboard system by number to maintain his privacy. Luckily for me, I remember numbers easily, even in my fatigue- and hunger-induced delusional state.

Since arriving at the hospital, #168352 has been doling out councilling advice like it's his job. (oh wait, it is.) First it was the woman who checked him in, then the two nurses that got him ready. He now knows about their children, who their counselors are, what problems they have. And he thought this visit was about him.

Well, I am going to go read my book and pretend that my stomach isn't growling. Just call it sympathy fasting since #168352 hasn't been allowed to eat since last night.

10.14.2008

All Over the Place

I've been thinking about this post for most of the afternoon and evening. Except I keep having these aborted thoughts. Meaning I'll get halfway into what I might want to talk about/focus on and then my mind takes off in another direction.

First it was the election (this one really isn't that much more important). Then I moved onto my excessive amount of stuff which is all in my room for the first time in who knows how long (and how desperately I want to get it all organized).

There's the state of the economy and my employment or lack thereof (one being very directly related to the other). I thought of stories of our dog, Jackson, relating to large quantities of chocolate (chocolate chip cookies, belgium chocolate, and chocolate covered raisins, to name a few).

My conversation, or attempt at a conversation with a deer. My joy for christmas shopping. My love of salmon. My plan for world domination (ok, I was just checking to see if you were still reading).

My point is I could not focus long enough to come up with a complete blog. If you don't believe me, you really haven't been paying attention.

That said, I made it home today after countless miles, gallons of gasoline, meals, and visits with friends.

Now I have to go catch up on all the TV shows I missed while traveling across half the country through snow, rain and wind. True story.

10.11.2008

Energy I'm not sure I ever had.

I spent last night with my friend Tre and her volleyball team. A volleyball team that is comprised of a baker's dozen of 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds.

It was a decade ago that I was going through my freshman year of high school. And I had forgotten just what being a freshman meant.

They were great girls - high energy, short attention spans, and a desire to have you care and pay attention to them. They also provided us with about five hours of entertainment. Here's my favorite quote from the night:

"There are only six days in the week." (awkward pause as we all stare in disbelief)
"Oh wait, I forgot Saturday. That why I always say I didn't do anything when people ask me about my Saturday."

Tre and I still aren't sure whether or not she was serious.

I had also forgotten that this time of the year means homecoming, until they whipped out their phones and started passing around pictures of their dresses. It so funny to see how priorities change.

So there's my Friday night adventure.

On a totally different note:

I have made it back to the Evergreen state. And I got to experience my first day of driving in the snow of the season. I was so out of practice I really needed it. 1200-ish miles and 17 hours later, I am getting close to where I started.

10.09.2008

The Tetons, etc.

In January, when my dad and I drove to Colorado, we were thoroughly bored by the Wyoming leg of the trip. So on my trip back home, I decided to spice things up. There was no avoiding Wyoming, so instead I chose to drive through Jackson Hole (JH).

Located in the Tetons and just south of Yellowstone, it's some pretty country. And I actually enjoyed my drive. Crazy!

I got here early enough to do a little Christmas shopping and grab an expensive dinner. (My new deal with myself is the only shopping I'm allowed to do now is for Christmas.) And I have to say that wandering around JH I was wishing I had some more time here. Instead of the 16 hours, half of which I'll be sleeping.

I took some sweet pictures on the drive, and then promptly forgot my camera as I wandered around town. The good news...I have to find breakfast in the morning so I'll snap a few pics then.

So here's the shots I got today. Now I really need to focus my energies on Grey's.

10.07.2008

Vacation = lots of food

So far the time in the land of the Rockies has been good. I've already caught up with a few people, and will see a few more before I leave.

Somehow all these meetings seem to involve food. This visit has turned into a large progressive meal.

It started with lunch today, which will be followed by a happy hour and then dinner. Tomorrow I am on my own for breakfast, but have actually committed to two lunches. (That's right, not one, but two) I am doing another happy tomorrow and then dinner again.

I'll be lucky if my clothes all fit when I leave here.

I keep giving the same little speech about my state of unemployment. "I've been looking...nothing's caught my eye...this is not the time to be finding a job...look at the economy...I think employers and employees are acting more conservative..."

I throw out extenuating circumstances and upcoming possibilities.

Basically, I'm full of hot air.

Well, I need to go rest up for the next round of eating. I am collecting stories and hope to have a post a little later on about some of the more amusing moments of my trip. I'm sure I have a few more good ones coming my way.

10.06.2008

What was I thinking; oh wait, I wasn't

I made it to the land of the Rockies. Mostly in one piece. But I am tired, and my head/jaw is killing me, and it was a looong day o' travel.

Now that I got my whining out of the way, let me share with you why I am a little on the cranky side..

First, I'll start with my lack of sleep last night. Not smart, I know. But it wasn't (entirely) my fault. Mistake #1: I didn't start packing until somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 p.m. Again, bad idea.

Anyways, I finished packing and decided it was necessary to start a book. What was I thinking. Then after convincing myself to put the book down, I realized I needed to use the lavatory. Then the puppy (Maica, aka Maican me Crazy) started whining, so I realized her to use the outdoor lavatory (aka the backyard). She decided that it was actually time to play. After a stare down in the hallway, which ended with me sitting on the step and her laying outside of my door 20 feet away, I lured her back to her kennel with a dog treat.

Then I went to bed. I have no idea what time it was, and don't really care to know. Needless to say, 6 a.m. came rather early.

I'm Off to See the Wizard

Not really. Actually, I'm off to get my car back.

When I completed the neverending internship (no, that doesn't make sense) at the end of August, I decided to leave my car there. I could see myself working and living there and decided not to drive the car back on the off chance someone wanted to hire me.

No such luck. And I'm tired of not having my car. So off to the land off the Rockies I go.

I'm gonna hang, catch up with friends and get my crap organized for a few days, and then will slowly make my way home.

There's not much of a plan. I might stop by Yellowstone, but the stories of women killed out hiking by themselves keep flashing through my mind, and my mom already informed me I wasn't allowed to stay in a cabin by myself.

I still think I might drive a different way than I did with Dad in January. Freeway is boring, as is most of Wyoming.

I hope to catch up with some friends along the way, and I will be seeing my sister's play. Since I'm footloose and fancy free, I thought I should make the most of the trip. Maybe even catch a barn dance. That's right a barn dance.

I'll let you know what actually comes to pass. Hopefully along the way. If we're lucky, I might even snap a few pictures.

10.05.2008

A Day in the Life of...

I thought I would take a moment to give you a taste of what a day mowing lawns (with my dad) is like. Keep in mind that this is not how the businesses probably do it - thankfully - but it works for us.

Yesterday morning around 10 a.m., my dad and I set out for a day in the mowing fields.

We had a list of approximately 17 lawns that might need a trim and no interest in getting all of them done.

The first two lawns include the discovery of a dead pet rabbit and one of the funniest dogs ever, Cooper the Labradoodle. (Or as I like to call him, Mr. Cooper, as in Hanging with Mr. Cooper)

We decide it's time for pit stop in the form of the REI Fall Sale. We discover some excellent deals including three pairs of shoes. (None of which were for me, hold your applause please)

This shopping spree means we have to swing by home, as the large REI bag makes things squishy in the small truck cab. No stop at home is quick as the dogs bark and demand that someone plays with them. Our break also includes snacktime.

For a health-concious family like us, snack time consists of apple slices, chocolate chip cookies, and cherry coke.

After a small lawn, we jet out to Fernberg and what becomes our last three lawns of the day due to the monsoons.

The first two are finished easily and quickly. Driving past my alma mater, we head for lawn numero seis del dia. (number six of the day, for those that don't speak Spanish)

We find the lawn littered with apples and low hanging branches. After picking up all the apples that didn't totally gross me out, we apply our mowers to the yard but are unable to finish before the rain starts.

Luckily I am wearing a long-sleeved, cotton t-shirt, so I barely get wet at all. I think you could have wrung me out and had enough water for a small African village.

We head home, pepsi from the last customer in hand, having made more more in four hours of mowing that I would have made in 12 hours at my previous place of employment.

All things considered, not such a bad gig.

10.03.2008

You know things are bad when...

Your DI football team has to hold open tryouts for a QB...during the season.

I knew that things would be rough for the Cougs.

They fired their head/hired a new one last spring after a few very disappointing seasons. The Pac-10 is a tough conference to recruit. Especially when you are located far away from beaches, large stadiums, and the $$$ of Nike.

So the team is young, inexperienced and outmatched. No question about it. Except for Gibson. That kid can catch a football.

Then the No. 1 & 2 QBs got knocked out for the season. One a fifth-year senior who sat on the bench for four years for this shot.

The good news...the try-outs are just for the practice team.

The bad news...the two scholarship QBs left are both freshmen. Not that there isn't promise. They just pretty much fit the team. Young, inexperienced.

And the team is looking to fill a gap by recruiting from the current student body. Daily Evergreen Story No joke.

But really this is the American Dream in action. This is why every kid wanted to be QB at recess and grown men still pound it out in backyards and parks across the country.

I just never expected it to become a reality.

A Lot of Children

I've been watching a number of television shows recently that have to do with families that have lots of children (creative title for my post, I know).

There are the Goslins (of Jon & Kate Plus 8) who had twins, wanted one more, and ended up with six. Not only do they have eight children, but six of them are the same age.

On Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last week, a woman adopted her sister's ten children when the sister died. In addition to her four kids, that made for a total of fourteen between the ages of 4 and 17. Crazy.

The was another show on TLC, Kids by the Dozen, that follows a few different families that have 12 or more children (as if you could figure that out from the title). One family had 17 and one was on the way. By the end of this year, they will have 18 children. Another family had 13 kids and the dad already seemed excited about the possibility of more. And all of their children had names that started with the letter 'J'.

Wow. Astounding.

Just the numbers alone associated with this many children is ridiculous. The family with 17 children has to pack almost 40 pairs of shoes on trips and over 100 shirts. For three days.

And the grocery bills. I can't even imagine.

I've also realized that I have no interest in having an enormous family. For multiple reasons. You'd be changing diapers forever. It'd be hard to anything spur of the moment - just think about it. And that idea of having to birth that many children. I don't even want to think about it. The cost of weddings for all those daughters. Having enough space for everyone and everything. It exhausts me just to think about it.

However, if my sister somehow ends up with ten children, and writes me a letter asking me to adopt them when she dies, I would make the sacrifice.

But I'm not gonna lie, the idea sends shivers up my spine.

I'm going to think about puppies or something.

10.02.2008

Boredom Takes Hold

As I've sat around home, I've grown rather restless.

Not so much that I am ready to settle for any old job or move any old place, but enough that I needed something to happen.

I'd been contemplating cutting my hair, but upon reflection decided that this was a poor choice. I like to be able to pull all my hair back and I want to have the option of not spending much time on it.

Haircut nixed.

Instead I went with hair dye. While also a permanent decision, it's one that can be changed fairly easily. It's also much less expensive that getting a professional cut, since I went with the box dye job.

Cheap entertainment let's call it.

The hard part...my hair hasn't been dyed in over three years. This was a big commitment.

Now it's a shade of rich majogany. The only unfortunate part, my mom forgot to add the aromatic shimmer oil. To think that my hair could be shimmering right now.

Overall it turned out well. And I'm already thinking of what the next color might be. To think I went three years.

Raindrops on Roses

I was in the shower today thinking just how much I enjoy really hot showers. There is something about standing there with the water just slightly below a temperature that would physically burn you and letting your muscles relax and your mind rest.

I'm not much of a bath person. I can enjoy one every once and a while, but baths aren't really my thing.

The shower got me thinking about all the other things that I really love. So here's the list of my favorite things:
  • really hot showers (obviously)
  • climbing into a bed with clean sheets on it
  • a cup of tea and a good book on a rainy day
  • a sunny day with nothing I have to do
  • basketball shorts
  • making someone's day
  • driving with the windows down and the music up
  • spending the day on the back of a horse
  • shoes
  • a delicious meal
  • exploring a new place
  • laughing so hard my stomach hurts
The list could go on. There is a lot in this life that I really enjoy, but I'm going to end it there.

10.01.2008

First Day of October

Life is exciting for me.

I spend my time painting (yes, still), mowing lawns, reading, sleeping, eating, and doing other equally thrilling activities.

Today I made attempt #2 at apple crisp. Let's just say attempt #1 was a disappointment.

I managed to slice my thumb open with serrated knife in the process. It felt wonderful. Luckily I was able to keep my blood from spoiling the current batch of apple crisp.

That was really about as exciting as the day got though. I haven't put real clothes on since Saturday. Wow, that's sad.

The good news, the battle of the cold seems to be won. The tide is turning. Victory is mine!

I also conquered Mahjong Epic today. 100 levels done.

Like I said, life is exciting.