Winds of Change

Great song and as far as the second verse goes, it sort of applies...

It's been a while as my 3 followers will see from my last post, so I figured at least an update was long overdue.

I have gotten more things for my apartment and still discovering whatever my "style" is. I enjoy the space and the freedom, but still enjoy to "come home". My Mom still refers to it as "that apartment" and I am corrected sometimes if I call it "home". I try to be sensitive to it, but I also think it's funny.

So, for those who keep up with me on facebook, I have a new job!!

I really like it and keep waiting for something bad to happen. It's just too good. No one is monitoring me, no one hassels me, I keep up with my time, and I do everything at my own pace. I could get used to this, if I would stop waiting for the "other shoe to fall" or whatever.

I actually have an office!! I often close the door and listen to music, which is good and bad. I think I forget sometimes that I am in an office and that the wall are paper thin. So far I have only busted myself humming. However, the other day people cleared out early and I totally could have been jamming out! Fridays are like a ghost town and the offices on either side of me are usually empty. So, my "night owl" status and being up too late, like tonight are not great when it's that quiet. I will just have to use one of my "what to do when caught sleeping at work" excuses, like...when found asleep in your office and you manage to rouse yourself from sleep when someone enters the room simply open your eyes and say "amen".

October is usually a pretty busy month for me, a lot of birthdays, including my own. I have had something going on every weekend this month I believe. I went to the state fair for the first time...I think I would appreciate more the novelty of a small town fair. It was crowded and I got blisters. I went to a family reunion last weekend...I made it a majority of one of the days before I got "well, you still depriving a young man of your companionship?" I guess I was surprised no one pressed the issue sooner and I guess I should be grateful they said "young man", unless they expect me to marry younger. I guess with my last birthday I am approaching the time of my life that that will be a constant "concern" on the part of those around me. I also managed to be the only girl at the reunion watching the Ranger game (the 2nd game of the series), didn't "single" myself out there!

This weekend I am doing something I thought I would not do...I'm going to my 10 year high school reunion. I fear/dread the following:

-Finding it lame and wanting to leave soon after arrival
-Finding myself standing alone
-Finding myself "drawing a blank" when someone greets me (especially if it's a big greeting, like opening to a hug upon approach)
-Having a person come up to me and say "you made high school terrible for me"-(wasn't there someone for everyone?)
-Having a person say "you never talked to me in high school"-(uh it's called shyness and I have a filter!)
-Having a person say "I had a huge crush on you in high school" (boy or girl) and maybe following it with "you were really pretty then" or something (should I be flattered?)
-Getting rained on...it is going to be outside (especially if I wear my hair straight)
-Getting stuck at the "singles" table ( I am the singles table in my life)
-Getting the "that's okay...it'll happen" to my response of "no" to the "are you married?"; "are you seeing anyone?"; or "do you have any children?"questions (maybe I should just say I am converting to Catholicism and then becoming a nun or buy a cabin in the woods and take up a trade)

Why am I going again??

I'm Still Here

Just to save face and show proof that I exist still and not just on facebook, I will do an update and maybe a few pics. So, a lot has happened since my last post. I moved into an apartment, that was pretty huge....I have actually kept my car damage free, and I have kept my cell phone dry. I know, pretty crazy...actually I just can't seem to think of anything else right now...

Anyway, so I moved into an apartment...it's funny I never knew what kind of "decorating tastes" I had until now. My taste is basically, a whatever, laid back feel like my personality. I guess it's true that it reflects you as a person. I am not sure if that is good or bad. I am putting little bit of everything in my apartment. I like the random find and not the mass produced for the most part. To demonstrate, here are a few pics of a few random finds...

That's my dining table, it actually has 6 chairs now since there is a leaf for it too. I got it at a trading post in Justin, Tx. It's called Justin Trading Post or Mommies Trading Post and I have since bought a coffee table (seen above), many things for my kitchen, and a papasan chair from there. The chairs don't all match, but I kinda love that about it. The table is scarred and heavy and I love that too. The coffee table was a cool find since it was covered in stuff and I was about to leave the store, once I uncovered it I knew I had to have it. Thanks to Laura for introducing me to the trading post!

I did get a "mass produced" couch because my Grandpa offered to buy me a new one instead of giving me his old one. I thought that was pretty sweet! This is a pic I got of it online...

It looks like leather right? Nope, microfiber. I know what you're thinking...oh. Truly it is a great couch and I have already taken naps on it and it survived it's first christening thanks to Lil' Miss Calli only minutes after it's delivery. She suddenly became a human geyser and spit up on it! Oddly enough I had just mentioned to Lexi that the couch was the type of material that you could spill something on and just wipe it off. Haha.

I of course did not feel completely moved in until after I got a shelf for my movies...here's the before and after of the shelf that I found at a resale shop:

It looks like I may need to be looking for another shelf soon. Haha.

My only complaints are my upstairs neighbor, I call him Bootsy. I am really starting to believe that he may wear boots at all times because his footfalls are deafening! I create many scenarios in my head as to why he is so loud. They keep me from going up there and confronting him, along with the fact that it's not in my nature to do so. One scenario is that he is a serial killer and he is moving bodies therefore his steps are heavier with the added weight. I am afraid of that being fact and him opening the door covered in plastic and me developing a hate for the color red and associating it with fear and nausea. I know, that's a little gruesome. Another, is I picture one of me confronting him only for him to answer the door in only a towel and be extremely attractive and me getting tongue-tied and red faced and just running back down the stairs (more like falling or rolling if it's possible on cement stairs). I also picture him answering the door in said "attire" and being extremely unattractive and it being all the more awkward. Or, yikes, him answer the door naked...don't worry the full picture never develops there....haha.

I still have yet to put anything on the walls in the living room and need to take more pics to show you more of the apartment, but I have to just tease so you may read the next one. So, until then...

A Simple Kinda Life?

I am sooo ready for my so-called life to be back (not the show, even though I did like it). Don't get me wrong, I like to be busy but I don't like something huge or traumatic happening so frequently. Here's a break down:

1) I get a new cell phone!
2) I dunk the cell phone in water.
3) I get the cell phone replaced...twice!
4) I have a great birthday with friends and family and pay off my car.
5) A week later that car is stolen.
6) Fast forward 3 weeks, a check is issued by insurance company for the car not being found...yea new car!
7) Next day, car is found and has been trashed
8) Get new car!!




9) Less than 24 hours later after new car purchase, car gets backed into



Seriously?!

I now live in paranoia that this car, even in it's dented state is going to be stolen. I was talking to my mom about it all and she said that I can't live like that. I asked her "is God trying to tell me something?" She said "maybe He's telling you to live more by faith and that my car shouldn't be where my treasure is." She's right, as usual, I hate that. So I decided to forget my paranoia and I actually took my car to the company Christmas party. It was at the Neon Moon Saloon over in the stockyards by Billy Bob's. I had never been there and had never even heard of it. I worked my tail off planning for it. It seemed to be a sucess with my motley crew of co-workers. There was pool tables, karaoke, and of course an open bar. It took a bit but we got people on stage to sing for tickets for door prizes. I even gave into peer pressure and sang a classic, "Alone" by Heart. I got cat calls, cell phones were raised and swayed, and I even got a couple "we're not worthy" bows. I thought I was free of the pressure but at the end I was requested to sing a Christmas song to send us off. I sang along to a very fast version it seemed of "O Holy Night". All in all, not terrible but I am sure glad it's over and I can stop stressin'.

I am sooo ready for a simple kinda life....

Time Away

I love cabins. I do, I always have a good time when I stay in one, so I decided to visit my love for a little mini vacation before the holidays. I figured I needed a break. Not just a break from work but just from everything. Don't judge, single life can be hard when you are constantly reminded of your said status and those who are determined to "fix" it. So I booked a cabin in Oklahoma and picked one that I liked based on the cute porch and the garden tub. I figured who could ask for anything more? I booked the cabin with all intents and purposes to go and stay by myself. This seemed like a fabulous idea...at the time. Well I found out it wasn't the best time to take off from work, payroll was due among many other things as usual. However, I NEED A VACATION!! I stood my ground and make the reservations and started planning ahead. I then realized my first mistake...I was going to be gone when "New Moon" was going to be released! What was I thinking? So I started searching for local theaters near where I would be...found one, problem solved! Then I started thinking, maybe I shouldn't go see it by myself, I really like to watch movies with people to see their reactions too. So, I invited my friend Misty to join me at the cabin and to go see the movie...so glad I did!

I left out on Wednesday much later than I intended (second mistake), oh well just as long as I get there before dark right? Well, I left not remembering how it gets dark so early. I also realized in all my "planning", I did not get maps and specific directions other than the e-mails from a lady at the cabin rental office. Not too worry I have GPS on my phone...so I thought. It wouldn't work! So I very quickly, in route to my destination downloaded a GPS app to take me there. It worked fairly well but apparently took me in a roundabout way.

So I get on the main drag from where I will be turning off to get to my cabin, it's getting darker and darker and I am getting farther and farther out from civilization. Now granted I was in Oklahoma where some might say there is no civilization, but it is where I have some family and is where my family has reunions so watch it. Granted that is usually the only times that I see them, still. So I am driving for a while and I thinking, crap I passed it. So I head back to "civilization" and I do something I rarely ever do...I asked for directions. I know that that is usually a typical thing for some women, but things are backwards in my family. The men ask for directions and the men like to shop and the women don't ask for directions and usually shop with a purpose. So I ask for directions and they are soooooo backwoods it's ridiculous. They pass my "directions" around and keep muttering back and forth all the while blowing smoke, literal smoke in my face. Well I get back on the road after their "guidance" and I drive for a bit and don't see what they are talking about. I do it again, I stop at another place and ask for directions. These women were a little more helpful, but they also decided to add things like..."good luck with cell service" and "make all your calls now". Uh thanks so much. I had been getting service in and out but I was still able to get many worried calls and calls to check on me from my parents and friends.

I head out on the main drag again...I drive....drive....still driving and start thinking...I am in a horror flick or to make it a little better possibly Forks, Washington. So it is pitch black and I finally see my road marker "Crawpuppies" or to be more accurate from what the sign actually says "Crawpups" or some jumbled version of that. I turn down this road and I start winding down some gravel roads and there are of course, no lights. I do this for a bit and while trying to not cry keep going back to "Crawpuppies" to get my bearings. I do this at least 3 times. I finally call the cabin office thinking that they will probably not answer, it's too late...of course this is because I start believing that it is like midnight cause of the darkness and then look to the clock in the car and see it is in fact only 6pm! So I call the cabin office...ring...ring...ring...thank the Lord someone answers!!! It's the lady I have been e-mailing! This sweet, sweet lady talks me through it and guides me from "Crawpuppies"...she says "There are 2 gravel roads to your right (I am thinking, there are? I never saw them in the 10 times I went down this road) you need to turn right at the 2nd road, you will see our sign there." Okay, okay, is that? yes, I believe it is...a break in the tall, tall grass....oh it's a gravel road! One down!! Okay, okay where's road number two?? Ah ha! Another break in the tall, tall grass and what's that peaking over it...oh yes, it's a tiny, miniature, not lit up at all sign! I did not see that before! She stays on the phone with me and guides me all the way to my cabin!! I was so excited to see it that when I went up the stairs to the porch I tripped a few times, hope she couldn't hear it. Sweet cinnamon pumpkin! I made it!! Only 6:30...now what? I realize that I obviously have cell service, so I check in with the necessary people and decide that I am not going anywhere.

What to do for dinner...snacks, as I said not going anywhere. My Dad insisted I get the multi-tool (with knife)from the truck (I borrowed the truck, since I am still in rental car status and going out of state), got it and the wicked awesome multi-purpose flashlight (complete with lantern setting, torch setting, siren setting, and radio). So I settle in with my stuff and my snacks in front of the TV downstairs.
Scratch, scratch...creeeekkkk. What...was...that??? Oh crap...I am the damsel in distress in a twisted horror flick. This place is filled with windows I cannot see out of cause it is so stinkin dark!! I get my multi-tool, knife ready and check all locks...oh did I mention the windows?...did I mention that they have no curtains!!???...only tiny valances, I am sure it really completes "the look". Well I can't tell if anything is actually outside...so I do the next best thing. I start moving what furniture and such I can in front of the front and back doors. I also turn on random lights throughout. I watch TV for a while and then decide that I really didn't get to talk to my mom much earlier...gonna call her...again. Don't judge me. I am all ready for bed so I talk to her while I decide what lights to leave on and to leave the TV on. I go upstairs, which is a loft, so I can still stare into darkness. I keep her talking long enough to get into bed. "Bye, love you Mom"...with a silent "I'll always love you, tell Dad I love him too." So I lay down with a book, my flashlight, and my multi-tool knife...then I hear scampering on the roof. It's a squirrel, it's a squirrel, right??? Yeah, sure it is. I decide then also with my recent "luck" to check on the truck. I press the lock button and I see the lights flash and hear the beep...good still there. Okay, I put the book away and allow the host of whatever late night show talk me to sleep. Sleep...4 am...what was that?...why am I awake?...great, gotta pee. Gotta go downstairs to do that...woke me up a bit. Sleep...man is it bright in here...alright I'm up.

Misty showed up the next night...yea!! So happy to see her!! We are getting ready to go see the midnight showing of "New Moon" at the local theater. Well I noticed we had a problem with hornets or yellow jackets, not sure what they were. I had killed 2 already. I am chillin on the couch in my jeans, sweater and cute new converse and see one "land" on the floor. I was reading my book and I decided it's as good as anything to kill it. Well I rear back and getting ready to hit it and SMACK! RIP! Rip, yes I said, rip. I simultaneously killed the bug with my book and...ripped my pants. I say rip, but it's more like my butt exploded out of my pants! LOL!! I was like, seriously?? I had no warning, my pants always sag in the butt, I had been wearing them all day, lounging around and all it took was me bending over?! I stood up quickly and gasped. Misty said, "did you get it?" "Uh, oh yeah I got the bug...but I just totally ripped my pants." I then proceeded to back up slowly to the staircase to change. Well, I guess it's better it happened before we went to dinner and the movie. (Oh, dinner was at a place called Papa Pablano's, pretty good, very colorful)

"New Moon", I am surrounded by children in their letter jackets...I am too old for this...maybe. They are sooo backwoods and hickish, it's a show in itself. They keep periodically trying to start the wave in this line we are in, which is a line for ticket holders! Apprently we are not "true Twilight fans" since we won't participate in the wave. Shut up children...haha....well I liked the movie and it was interesting to see it with all of them and I got annoyed a few times, but it was an adventure.

The rest of the trip was relaxing and fun to just do whatever and be in such beautiful scenery. Oh and I slept sooo much better knowing Misty was downstairs. We hit another local restaurant Friday called Roma. It was pretty good too. We went to 2 Walmarts, a cute local coffee shop, and another local BBQ place called MR Pigg. I know, I know...it is however M.R. Pigg not Mr. Pigg, it just didn't specify on the sign. All in all, it was a nice time away...even if I thought I was gonna die the first night...haha.

Keeping Austin Weird...

So I decided to "keep Austin weird and went there last weekend to see John Krasinski's (Jim from "The Office")directorial debut with my super fan friend Misty. We also attended a reading/signing from the book that the movie is based on. JK was adorable at the reading and even showed that he is in fact human and does get nervous in front of fans. He almost knocked over the microphone and was even shaking when we was reading from the book. He is adorable!! The movie/book is called "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" and it was definitely an indie film and I had to discuss it out loud to make sure I understood it. It wasn't bad, just indie and thought/question provoking. The theater was off of the infamous 6th street and we got there around 8 something and it hadn't even reached it's peak in liveliness and people. After the movie was over around 12 something it was another world and from what understand it could be compared to Mardi Gras which I have never been to.


It was a good road trip too because I got to go to the Roundrock outlets and got a pair of green converse shoes!! I think they are super cute!!!








All in all, good times, good friends old and new and always good to do a little road trippin'.

My Findings...

So here it is, the continuation of my car saga...So I finally got a chance to go and look at "my car" on Monday. I left work at 4:30 so I could make it before the rude woman that works at the wrecker service told me they stop letting people "see" vehicles. Well, I head that way and there is a huge wreck right before the Beach St exit. I inch along until I get past the exit and finally we start moving. I make it to the place after having to call because it is NOT located directly off of Denton Hwy. It is behind something on Denton Hwy. I get there with 5 minutes to spare somehow and I go into what is a house serving as an office. I walk in and see a "not small" man with dirty hands and more tattoos than I can count, let's call him Bud. Bud gets up from a desk and says "Trammell?" and I nod and he says "Soloro? Is that the one they just picked up?" (short pause) "Just kidding." I just attempt to smile of course. (It was a Toyota Solara by the way.) Bud starts looking through this drawer and of course he decides to at that moment show an example that men can in fact multi-task and he proceeds to go through the drawer AND belch. All the while this is going on a man is yelling from an "office" about facebook and something to do with texting. I'm am getting from "context clues" maybe it involves his kid and maybe his ex-wife's computer and pictures from an iPod. There are I don't know how many men in that office but I saw at least 3 different ones peek out. Bud keeps looking and and says "I've looked at this like 12 times today, can't find it though." He goes to the computer and asks for the last 4 digits of the VIN number, how that helps to find paperwork in a somewhat broken and disorganized drawer to look on the computer, I have no idea. Thankfully, my Mom was with me and had the insurance card with that info on it. Well after he comes back to the drawer and pulls out one envelope with some man's license copied on it and I kept saying "That's not mine", he finds mine. He says "No keys, got keys?" Well I of course had nothing because as I told them and the police, I turned in everything on the vehicle, title and all last Tuesday! Well he "escorts" us out and like 4 cats are running around in front of me, he says "Wanna cat?" I say "Uh, no thanks, I'm good." Bud yells at a man across the lot to take us to the car, the guy (let's call him Denver) says, "Why can't you?" Bud says "Cause there ain't nobody in the office!" (beside the at least 4 in that office with the ranting man). Denver says, "It's 5:30, it's closed!" Bud says, "just go with the guy in the blue hat(Denver), forgive him, he's a Denver fan." So we have to go the back corner of the lot passing wrecks that you wonder, is that it? I finally spot it between a severely wrecked vehicle and like 5 others. My first thought was...my car (fighting some threatening tears)...that didn't last. I notice there is some sticky yellow plastic on the driver side window. I thought it was something for identification or marking...nope the driver side window was stuck down. Denver reaches in and unlocks it...this is NOT my car, at least not how it was when I had it. There are dirty clothes, socks, cds, paper, almost a full pack of cigarettes, and more. The whole thing reeked of cigarette smoke and there are leaves. I decide to look in the console (with latex gloves on) and...nothing, so I go to the passenger side...the locks don't work, so Denver reaches in and unlocks it. I see most of the contents of the glove box in the floorboard. I find my flashlight, ice scraper and what insurance cards I can find (at least I got something, right?). I find someone else's mail among this (interesting? I think so, especially since the address is a street that runs right next to where the auto shop is, which is where it was stolen from) and I find a box cutter, a kitchen knife, a small baggie with two rings, and just trash in general. Well I wanted to check the trunk for my camping chair and my nephew's booster seat...well the trunk release won't work. I try with Denver to pull the seats forward to access the trunk...yuck...nope they won't budge. So he fiddles with the locks and it somehow resets the trunk release and it works. Nothing. Well I decide then that not only am I feeling disgusted and sad and I don't think I am going to find anything else, but I am afraid to dig for fear of cutting myself on something or finding something else disgusting. Oh, while I am "searching" my Mom feels the need to point out to Denver that I never kept "my car" like this, it was much cleaner. I doubt he cares Mom. We leave and I officially say good-bye to "my car". I call the detective with Saginaw police and leave him a message and the Tracie the claims lady and informed them both on my findings. Basically I said, mostly everything in the car is in fact, not mine. On to my new vehicle...possibly a GREEN 2010 Toyota Venza. It doesn't come in until the first week of Dec. but Toyota made me a deal and knew I had to turn in my rental car on Wed and they have put me in a 2010 red camry until the venza comes in. That is when I ultimately decide and "sign on the dotted line"...

Latest

So, I waited the alotted time period required by my insurance and I finally settled on my car. I received the check last week on Tuesday and surprise, surprise I get a call from the auto shop it was stolen from on Wednesday. What did they say? Well, they said they may have found my vehicle. Found??? Maybe...brought back??? Seriously?? The people it was stolen from, "found it"?? Do they think I'm stupid? Oh and get this, it was found...dun dun dun...on the block right behind the auto shop!! Seriously suspicious! They wanted to know if I had the VIN number somewhere...uh yeah I'm going to help you "find" my car...I don't think so! So anyway, I heard nothing confirming if it was or wasn't my car. So that was Tuesday and Wednesday...Thursday morning, I had to be at work early for a safety meeting and I should have eaten my Wheaties. Now I have been told that I have a sensitive sense of smell and as I was being taught how to be safer I keep noticing that I smell alcohol. I also notice that everytime that Green Fingers (a guy I work with literally has a green fungus under every nail) speaks it gets stronger. Now GF had had previous issues with alcohol, like showing up late and drunk and then crying...that was so pathetic. He was having "lady problems", I know how that sounds but he always called his fiance "lady" and she was no longer his fiance. That's a whole other story. So, I mention it to a co-worker and she passes it on while someone asked me a question. The next thing I know I am being called into the safety coordinator's office with one of my bosses to elaborate on my observation of GF. Next thing I know drug tests are being pulled, GF refuses (after chain smoking and face washing) and gets fired. That was shocking, sad, and apparently according to some "a long time coming." So, I am feeling bad about that and notice I missed a call on my cell, it was from the Saginaw police...my car had been "recovered". I told him my suspicions, he "uh uh'd" through that and then he requested I that I go look at it and see if anything of mine is still in it, claim it, and if there is anything that is not mine in it let them know. I have to wear latex gloves and I have to basically do their job and investigate the car. Notice I didn't say my car?? It's not mine anymore, it's the insurance company's car! He also told me that they had wanted me to come look on Wednesday, I told him no one called me but the auto shop and his response "oh I guess we dropped the ball on that one", you think? Thank you Captain Obvious. So I did a conference call with the wrecker service and my insurance claims person Tracie (we are now on a first name basis and might even exchange Christmas cards, haha) and found the police needed to give me permission to access the vehicle. So I am going tomorrow to investigate.

Next post: My Findings...