Adventures in Truffle making

Rather than the normal Christmas post, I thought I'd regale you all with tales of my Christmas goodie making...

All my best recipes come from my Mother and Grandmother. It's a well-known fact and running joke that Mom is the Substitution Queen when it comes to meal making. No tomato sauce? Eh, just substitute tomato paste...etc, etc. I've often told friends that my mom makes great meals, but they just always taste different than the time she made it before. I suppose it was a way to keep us on our toes (and her out of the grocery store).

With this in mind, I called my Mom up before the "baked goods" season commenced. I called her to email me some vital recipes. "Do you want the truffle recipe, too?" she asked. "Lindsay made them for her office and now they think she is a gourmet cook." Hey, if my sister could do it, bring on the puffy white hat and glitzy title!

True to her word, I received all the recipes in my inbox a few days later. I was pleased to find that the truffle recipe required no baking, only three ingredients and (apparently) lasting fame with whomever came in contact with them. I should have known at this point that the whole scenario was too good to be true. BUT, determined to maximize my afternoon, I stopped by the grocery store after church to pick up all of the ingredients.

With Oreos, cream cheese and Baker's semi-sweet chocolate in tow, I checked out confident that my standing in the cooking world was about to be raised in a massive way.

Ready to tackle anything (or so I thought), I crushed the oreos into oblivion. Mixing them with the cream cheese went well and I proceeded to make them into little balls, humming Christmas carols all the while.

Now, this is where our story takes a drastic turn. After chilling the little guys for the allotted time, I pulled them out to complete the next step. "Cover them with semi-sweet chocolate". Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong.

Round 1:
Naively optimistic, I grabbed the first truffle-in-the-making and gamely microwaved my first square of chocolate. I grabbed two forks, ready to wedge the little guy in between and give him a good dunking in the chocolate-y goodness. Turns out one square was not enough in the bottom of the bowl for my pre-conceived dunking.

Round 2:
Undaunted, I plopped it into the bowl, but the thing obstinately refused my every attempt to roll it. I tried with the fork, I tried with a spoon, and I tried with my finger (clean, of course).

It was at this point in the process that I realized I was in over my head. Donning the Christmas apron hopeful for a little holiday magic, I resolutely finished the first truffle as well as I could and dropped it on the cookie sheet. Chocolate pooled everywhere underneath, unfortunately distant from the actual truffle it was supposed to cover.

Round 3:
I decided to give myself a little mental pep talk. "Okay, Amy, you are a problem solver! You do tougher things like this every day. Do NOT let chocolate get the best of you. You are BETTER than this." My little mantra seemed to encourage me and after surveying the situation, I decided to try to get a bigger pool of chocolate for the baptism of all my truffle guys.

Yanking out another bigger bowl and running cold water over the fingers that (unfortunately) grabbed the small bowl with the original melted chocolate a wee bit too soon, I managed to unwrap another Baker's chocolate square and get it into the microwave for it's meltdown. (ha!)

At the end of this round, I had two squares melted and was about to transfer the second liquidated square into the bigger bowl with the first when my pot holders failed me. The small bowl slipped out of my grasp and into (you guessed it!) the bigger bowl. Aw, sheesh! Can't a girl get a break?? Shaking my head in disgust, I rescued my small bowl, salvaging as much chocolate as possible and tried pouring the chocolate over a few of the truffles. Turns out, the chocolate was too thick, globbing on top but not really with the coverage I was looking for.

Round 4:
In a fit of panic, I decided to try something outside the box. Something that only McGuiver would have thought of were he in my position. I pulled a sandwich-sized Ziploc bag out of a drawer, spooned a few doses of chocolate and plopped the truffle in. Just like Shake 'n Bake, right? Um, not so much. The truffle taunted me in side his plastic prison and refused to move one iota of an inch.

Round 5:
With rows and rows of truffles ahead of me and no end or feasible plan in sight, I somehow managed to use a spatula (Pampered Chef to the rescue!) my finger and a few spoons to finish the job.

With the last truffle fully-if somewhat unevenly- coated in chocolate, I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand and leaned against the counter to survey the damage. Chocolate was now spread into every possible crevice on the microwave, stove, counter, floor, and sink. I looked down and realized that I had seen better days and bent down to wipe a sizable glob of chocolate off of my ankle with my chocolate blackened tea towel.

Thankful that my roommate was out for the afternoon, I went about cleaning up the remnants of my truffle making adventure. I think I'm done with truffles for a while...

p.s. Every time I tell this story, there are a thousand other options that people think up. Hey, people? You weren't there. The truffles were not attacking YOU. I'm just thinking that had you been in my shoes, you would have been chocolate covered and defeated as well.

p.p.s. I am now at home in West Virginia where my Mother has a whole BAG of truffles evenly covered with chocolate and even better tasting than mine. How do you like THAT?

Silence is Golden

I still don't really get what that means. I think it means that silence is worth its weight in gold...but isn't an articulate word equally prized? I'm just sayin'...

If you know me, you know that I love music. While driving, I can almost always be heard partially down the street I am traveling on. I can't help it, I love the beats, the lyrics, the harmonies...I love the feeling that your car is your studio and that you CAN be a drummer. Everyone sounds good singing in their car. I also sometimes have to head bob or move my shoulders to the groovy tunes. I know my sister would bury her head in her hands, but I'm a slave to the art. Can you blame me?

I recently discovered another band/artist that I LOVE. Seriously...I heart this CD. Background...I was the last to discover 4Him, D(ecent) C(hristian) Talk, and numerous other groups. I don't know what it is, but I'm always coming in late to catch the BANDwagon. :) In any case, I have recently discovered TobyMac.

Originally, I thought I wouldn't like it because DC Talk dared to split up. I spent many an hour with Nu Thang on repeat and "Socially Acceptable" from their Free At Last tape (that's right, it was a tape) was my first breakthrough to the world of Christian Contemporary music. So what could be better than that? I wrote all the spin-off albums off.

Turns out, I was wrong. You won't hear that very often, because this is only about the second time I've been wrong in my life. So enjoy it now...I was very wrong. I love almost every track on the "Portable Sounds" CD and it is going to ROCK the HOUSE when I work out using it as my soundtrack.

Sidenote: Does anyone else ever feel like they are in a movie with a soundtrack playing in the back? I almost always feel this way at the gym and when I am getting ready for work. I think a montage plays in my head. Anyone? Anyone? Ahem. Okay then. Moving on...

I did not intend to say any of this so far...but here's the reason for my post. Yesterday, I got in my car and I didn't turn on my music. I didn't pick up my cell phone (and hands-free earpiece) and call any of my friends or family. I didn't talk at the truck that cut me off.

I just sat there in silence. All the way home, I basked it in. I don't get how silence has a sound, but it does. It's like a cotton ball deafening sound. And I love it. There's so much happening in my life every second that I rarely take time to just be silent and think. I have to tell you that it was a mini-spa experience in my car that day.

I think we take silence for granted. The listening ear of a friend, the walk in the snow at night with nothing around, the lack of white noise. So, give silence a try today and see how you like it. Just be still and quiet...see what happens.

Does this mean I won't be listening to my rad albums anymore? Now, people let's not get crazy!

Merry Christmas! Or as we used to say at Term101...Mary Christian!

How the Mighty Have Fallen...

...that's right. I fell to third place in my fantasy football league. WHY oh WHY did they give me the wussy players with so many injuries. Probable, Injured Reserve, Doubtful...all words I know hate. You heard me. I hate them.

I guess you could say that I'm a little competitive...and apparently really into Fantasy Football these days.

Hey, a girl's gotta have SOMETHING.

:)

Turkey Lurkey Trip

Turkey Lurkey day this year prompted the eternal question: Where shall I go? My West Virginia family would have loved for me to make the trek across the country by air or by sea, but we've learned through the years that the pricey flights make it a fool hardy venture. Plus, with my aptitude to have major layovers, I'd probably spend the whole of Thanksgiving day at an airport Burger King eating my $20 burger instead of the traditional holiday fixings.

But getting back to the question at hand...The answer seemed simple enough this year, having already elbowed my way into many a family meal/celebration of my roommate's family. "Well, that's settled!" I thought. That complacency was challenged when Anne came home and announced that she and her mother were driving to Texas to see their extended family. Now a new question reared its not especially ugly head: To stay or not to stay? (I like to think that this was Shakespeare's first draft of the famous phrase...)

In the end, I made up my mind to join them in the 13 hour ride to the flatest state on the planet. If you have an affinity for said state, please avert your eyes for a few paragraphs...

I don't get why Texas is so proud of itself. Major props go out to the state department head who thought of such a brilliant marketing plan. I wish I had been a fly on THAT wall! There's just no reason I can think of for people to adore their state so much that they must make every conceivable item in its likelihood. Seriously, people...tortilla chips in the shape of TX?

On our way to our Thanksgiving, I saw so many flags painted on buildings, worked into brickwork, lights, etc that I lost count. If I didn't know my American history, I would have thought TEXAS was the state that seceded from the union! (Holly - it wasn't Texas. :))

I get that the state is big...almost as big as the belt buckles that inhabit it. Alaska, I should mention, is much bigger and its citizens seem to be more grounded. I understand that Texas is a part of the glorious south and its hospitality. I agree that they are kind and warm people. but what southern state ISN'T? I just don't comprehend why Texans set their state so high above the rest. Other than affordable housing (which, admittedly is something), I am befuddled and lost.

Okay, diatribe over. So - a road trip! I'm no novice to its charm, having taken many in my young lifetime. I set out to prepare myself in the usual McGuiver way. Bag of books? CHECK! Scarf project? CHECK! Real Simple magazines? CHECK! Snacks, caffeine and portable DVD player? CHECK, CHECKY, CHECK CHECK! And most importantly, CDs including the coveted Christmas albums. Then, I eyed my roommate's bag. One book in sight and no scarf peeking out of the flap. I decided at that point that this trip would be different than my predictable family excursions and vastly different than the caffeine induced college trips of yore. Uncertain, I decided to do what usually works best...stay flexible as Gumby (but not as green) and keep an open mind (even though I run the risk of things falling out).

The drive to Texas began at 1:45 PM on Wednesday afternoon and I began to realize the charm of traveling with Anne and her mom - they LIKE car games and their head doesn't explode when you ask for a bathroom break! (Sorry, Dad...)

Other than my friend Matt, who willingly played numerous games of 20 questions in Turkey, I've never found someone who would go rounds and rounds of the game without some sort of upper. BUT I had never traveled with these two, who single (double?) handedly taught me "I'm thinking of...", which they explained, when asked, as 20 questions without a LIMIT! Well, folks, I don't mind telling you that I was blown away. Who knew?!

All in all the trip to Dallas was really fun! Anne's family was uber welcoming and caring. We had lots of fun conversations with her family, laughter, food and blessed sleep. I was really thankful for such an awesome family to hang out with and they made the 3 days of vacation seem like weeks because of the restfulness. We met Anne's new little niece that was adopted from the Ukraine and watched Cars with her sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece. I also got to hang out with my friend Megan and her gorgeous daughter, Bella. It was SO great to catch up and reconnect.

I'm glad to be home in the level-headed state of Coloradoans. But I suppose I should say that perhaps Texas wasn't so bad. But I think its the people more than anything else...

BRING ON THE CHRISTMAS MERRIMENT!

Prelude to the Giving of Thanks

When I was in High School, my sister Lindsay was in Junior High. This meant, of course, that we were a part of two different worlds, all encompassed under one roof. One such division was the name of our singing groups. Just a small preface: I have to say that there are a multitude of awesome choir names in the vast realm of musical terminology.

I tried out for Concert Choir (everyone with a genuine desire to be there was welcome), Encore (smaller ensemble...a little more difficult to be in) and A ccaprecio (it means "as you like it". And many people liked trying out for it as it was the elite 8 person singing group few made it into). All of that to say, my sister Lindsay tried out and made it into Prelude and sang her little heart out. All of this is neither here nor there, it's just that my title reminded me of it.

Ahem...but back to the original reason for this post. With all the helter skelter of the last week, I haven't really taken time to slow down. I actually think I have two speeds...fast and super fast. This is much like super bad, but without the bad part. My former roommate Holly, however, always puts me to shame in this department. Her speedometer of life tops out at turbo fast. But I digress.

My point is that it's hard to live life purposefully. I have no trouble walking to my car purposefully (except when I am in heels), but going through my daily routine with a bigger perspective and a "zoom out" lens over my day is not something that usually happens. Judge me if you will, but I have a feeling that I'm not alone.

I think, then, it is only appropriate to use the Thanksgiving Holiday as a pause button and to really take the time to think about what I am thankful for. First and foremost, I'm thankful for my salvation and the fact that God continues to stick with me throughout all my screw-ups. But here's a few other things that I'm grateful for...

1. No one can push my buttons like my family...but I know that no matter what comes up they have my back. I'm thankful for them.

2. I'm thankful that my sister Lindsay and I have such a good relationship now. There were some touch and go situations when we both lived at home, but growing up has matured us both and I love our friendship.

3. No way when I moved to Colorado did I imagine that I would get a fabulous roommate (not the freaky variety that tended to pop up in my other CA situations....you know, the kind that gypped me on rent, etc.) I'm thankful for Anne...if for no other reason than she laughs at my jokes and is a constant presence urging me to drink more water.

4. Going to work each day is fun! I don't deserve the job the Lord orchestrated for me, but I'm so incredibly thankful for it. What a picture of grace! AND it came built in with extra cool friends on the side. :)

5. Friendship is freaky. It's hard to navigate the choppy waters of a friendship and keep your bearings in a swirl of emotion. They can be the mark of the best of times or the curse of the worst of times...I have a handful of people in my life that I feel I can be myself with and there is that rare give and take that is sometimes lacking. I don't know what I would do without them...they are a lifeline. I'm thankful for them.

6. I heart my church. I love the feeling of family and learning from those around me. And let's just be honest about it...I DIG the floral arrangements at the front of the sanctuary. In all seriousness, though, I'm thankful for my church and the pastors that lead it.

7. Rejoining the world of books has been awesome and it made me appreciate those people that take the time to write from a different perspective than my life (not really that hard to do :)) and suck me in. All the midnight and one a.m. sessions to get through a book have been worth it. So has the coffee...

8. Last and least (at least for this time and place) I'm thankful for the seasons and the Yankee candles that maximize my enjoyment of them.

So that's my list for now...next week is going to be fast and furious with the forecast showing a strong likelihood for snow. Ah, well...the dry roads were bound to be gone eventually. Here's to a season of staying on all 4 wheels and AWAY from the evilness that is black ice. Drive safe out there, Coloradans! My life depends on it...

Falalalalalalalala

I tried to wait. I really did try. In deference to 98% of people in my life that like to start celebrating Christmas AFTER Thanksgiving (c'mon, people, it's a mere forecasting of what it is come! That's when there's something to be thankful about!) I attempted to hold my horses. But those pesky fillies got the best of me again. Darn non-equestrian that I am.

Here's the thing. I've already read 2...count 'em 2...blog posts on the Starbucks red cups signaling the start of Christmas joy and merriment. While I think that Starbucks kind of jumped the gun, that's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black seeing as how I had determined weeks before my strategy to maximize the holiday season.

I think you should join me in this...it's going to be a lot of fun. And it's not like I'm not giving you plenty of notice! Here's the plan for Christmas Plan 2007...there's only going to be one of these, so pay attention.

1. I resolve that the majority of my CD playing will be Christmas music from Thanksgiving to Christmas

2. I resolve that the majority of my reading will be Christmas books

3. I resolve to watch ELF at least 3 times during the season and introduce others to it's finer workings

4. I resolve to actually write a Christmas letter and send it out on my own like a big girl. No, this year will not be the year of the missing stamps, OR the year of 1/2 the list because I ran out of time. This year will be DIFFERENT. I'll bring people up-to-date if it KILLS me. (Now that's the spirit, eh?)

5. I resolve to burn my Yankee Christmas Cookie Candle at least halfway down. This takes considerable effort as I can no longer burn it at work. Something about a fire hazard...

6. I resolve to say Merry Christmas to check out people as much as possible. If they have no Christmas spirit, I'll just sing...*

5. I will maximize my use of the red Starbucks cup by drinking my seasonal peppermint mocha...but not TOO much so that it still stays special

*See ELF

So there you have it. Amy's Plan for Maximum Holiday Enjoyment. Please add to the list in your comment and I'll attempt to widen my Christmas horizons.

Also, because of the guilty feeling I have for publishing this post "out of season" (is there a LICENSE for that??!) I will post about Thanksgiving in one of my following posts. I'll be taking a crazy, college-type road trip and if I am alive at the end of it all, you will have details. I swear.

Until then, live like it's Christmas but don't breathe a word of it to anyone else lest the Christmas-after-Thanksgiving naysayers are in ears length. Trust me on this one...the repercussions are great and not to be messed with.

Brush with Fame...

So, up until this point in my life my brushes with famous people have been slim. The best one, perhaps, was that I saw Pierce Brosnan running on Malibu Beach. I've also seen Mark Paul Gosslar (Saved by the Bell), Simon from 7th Heaven, Ruthie from 7th Heaven and seen a few sitcoms shot in Santa Clarita, CA. Maybe more than your average gal, but still nothing overtly amazing.

Tonight, though, was a totally different story. Go back in time with me, if you will, to about a week ago. No...I think we have to go back further. About a month ago, my cubical-mate Liz sent out an email to all of us at work. Apparently, one of our authors Louie Giglio was going to be in the Denver area as a part of the "How Great is Our God" tour with Chris Tomlin. I decided that it would be fabulous to take part in such an outing and hastily secured my spot via email. (It's not like she could keep me out...after all, I know where she works! :)) Liz bought the tickets, I invited a few friends and 5 of us were locked in. (sounds like voting, doesn't it?!?)


Now, about a week ago I was sorting through the emails that come through our general email box. Mostly, I get the same 5 questions over and over and multiple requests for free books to weed through. I also appreciate the fact that some of these people clearly are not on the same plane with the rest of us Americans...and I readily admit that sometimes I have to laugh. C'mon, people! You really think we are going to give you MOVIE RIGHTS to one of our books? In general I enjoy this task because it provides light-hearted reprieve from my other responsibilities. Last week, I received some praise from a reader for one of Louie's books. I dutifully and joyfully forwarded the complimentary comments to the email we had on file for Louie and heard back from his assistant thanking me and assuring me that she would forward it on.


*sidebar: Now, I know that if you open someone else's snail mail it is a federal crime. But what about email? Who is protecting me from this??


Ahem. Going back to the story at hand...I emailed the assistant back and long story short (I know you don't have all night/morning) I obtained meet and greet passes for all 5 of us to go backstage after the show and meet Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio! I was excited, for sure, but my co-workers were even more so, if you can believe that! I basked in the rays of everyone's gratitude that I was able to procure such an esteemed item and went back to work assuring a concerned emailer that yes there WAS a link for the book Chazown and that he should hold his horses and I would give it to him. Maybe I didn't say it in those terms EXACTLY, but I think we understand each other.


Tonight was the night. And can I just say that I've come a long way from the girl that plastered her closet walls with pictures of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jonathan Brandis and Rider Strong?? I really was excited to meet them and interact a bit with them, but was grounded in the fact that they were just men, just like everyone else and that the Lord just was using them in different ways than the opportunities he gave to me. Now, it's not like I didn't NOTICE that Chris was single and short and could sing...but, having learned from my previous crush on JTT (I went a few days being a vegetarian because he was CONVINCED that he would notice me...as you can imagine, I was crushed when he never called), I was pretty sure there was not going to be a lasting relationship over a signed copy of "Arriving".

I'm pretty sure the look on his face is just pure astonishment at my wit and beauty...don't you??


My co-workers Lindsey and Liz with Louie Giglio

A few things to note:

1. I enjoyed the worship concert much more than I had ever anticipated. It was an amazing night and I was able to worship with fewer inhabitions than I normally do...Besides the two male back-up type singers who couldn't dance and were a bit distracting, it was SUCH a well done event.


2. I appreciated Louie's sermon on the greatness of God and it made me feel like I was back at TMC listening to Francis Chan tell me that, "God has a plan and he is in control of the universe. Now, you may have a better plan...but you don't have a universe." It was a much needed reminder of how small I am and how great He is.


3. I'm happy to report that while at the meet and greet, all 5 of us acted with decorum and dignity while we interacted with Chris and Louie. Just so we're clear, though, we all dissolved into girlish giggles once we were safely in the car on the ride home.


All in all, though, it turns out that the night wasn't really about Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio. It was more about worship and returning to that place of kneeling before the God of the universe. As I said...a light year away from my JTT days. :)


It's 12:10 PM...so I'm going to bed. Sorry I'm lame and haven't posted for just shy of a month...I'll get better, I promise. Also, don't be fooled. I'm writing this post tonight, but will wait until later to post it so that I can include pictures/documentation of the evening.


Goodnight ColoRADO SPRINGS!!

Changes...

I got a call from my Mom last Monday. It wasn't a "Hey, whatcha doing right now?" kind of call. She called to tell me that my Papa breathed his last and moved from earth to heaven in that moment. I knew that he had been getting worse and not better and that this was inevitable, but there is no rule book for how to respond to news like that...no fool-proof words to comfort people. Mostly, I felt distance - distance from my family and distanced from the emotions. I wasn't as close with my grandpa as I was my grandma. I didn't know him - but he was still family. There at all of our holiday gatherings; he added a presence to our lives that is removed now. Life changes with death, you know?

For most of my life, my grandparents lived in the tiniest town I think I've ever spent time in - Torrington, WY. This is where we buried my Nana and my family once again made the trek, possibly for the last time, to this town of few stoplights and no Wal-Mart. I remember as a kid that I didn't always like visiting Nana and Papa. It tended to be a long drive with few stops (I'll spare you the details on that - trust me you are better off!) and a boring time - a time that meant that one of the three of us girls were going to have to squish into the dreaded middle seat. Once there, we usually found things to occupy ourselves, but the days were longer and we were out of our normal routines and lives.

Going back there, though, I remembered it differently. I think that's the mercy of memories sometimes...they come back in greater focus and major on the good things. We drove by the two houses that my grandparents lived in and commented on how well (or NOT well) the current owners were keeping it up. I looked at one house and remembered pictures taken in the backyard when I was barely able to walk. I loved that backyard because, you see, my Nana had plastic animals that I felt needed love and attention. So, I would toddle out there and pet them. A lot of things reminded me of life back then - when things were less complicated and I had less responsibility for my person.

It has taken me a long time to sift through the weekends events and figure out what to say to the people that ask a simple question: "How was your weekend?" Simple question but, for me, a difficult answer.

If I had to sum it up, I'd say this - The weekend was full of changes. My sister arrived with her new husband. My youngest sister showed me parts of her and her life that I feel I don't even recognize who she is anymore. My parents tackled all the decisions that they needed to make and spent time being hosts to my extended family. You know, life brings changes, too.

I personally hated the book Who Moved My Cheese? Mostly, I think I have a problem with being compared to a rodent. I don't do change well - but life really does demand change and transitions and I somehow will muddle through. If someone could give me a playbook, it'd help though...I'm just sayin'.

Taking Out The Trash Day

Just a little phrase I picked up from my political studies...aka a West Wing episode. :) Here's a few things going on with me:

Calendars

So, there I was...walking around purposefully in Target. If you know me, you know that this is not an unusual pastime. I maintain that Target is my "happiest place on earth". After all, where else can you find cute clothes, great gift ideas, and jewelry and home furnishings with style? Not many places, really. Wal-Mart does have better prices, I will give my nay-sayers that...however, Target is far superior in style.

Anyway, as I was saying. I was meandering through Target looking for a birthday card for a birthday party I was attending (that, just in case you were wondering, is the best place to GIVE a birthday card). Then I saw it! A sign reminding the absent-minded employee that Tuesday was Boss Day. I thought to myself "Self, I can't believe there is such a thing as Boss day. If we celebrated every holiday on our calendar, you would barely have to work! This, of course, would diminish a reason for Bosses Day in general...now, how did I get here? Oh, yes. Boss Day. Well, since there is no way at this point to change the Julian calendar, you need to plan something for your fabulous Boss. Plus, it's fun to buy things for people."

Having completed my internal conversation to a point that I felt comfortable with the conclusion, I set quick action to my plan getting increasingly excited. (What can I say? I'm weird like that) I picked out a card for my boss and decided to pow-wow with my co-worker about getting flowers for the big day.

Being the helpful and thorough person that I am, I decided that the only right thing to do would be to share the information that the Target sign so willingly shared with me. I told various co-workers about said holiday coming around the corner.

On the eve of Boss Day, I stopped by Whole Foods to get some pretty flowers. This is the only acceptable place in Colorado Springs as they do not have a Trader Joe's. (sniff!) I purchased some bright and beautiful Gerber daisies for the occasion and spent the later part of the evening arranging the flowers to pull out their best sides (For those of you not in "the know", the best side is defined by having more petals than it's opposing side). I went to great effort to transport the flowers in the morning, getting my co-workers signatures on the various cards and placing the objects of our esteem on their desks.

Having accomplished this feat, I sat down at my desk refreshed and ready to work another day. I began my to-do list by looking at my calendar for the next month and a feeling of dreaded horror struck me in the bottom of my roiling stomach.

Turns out, Boss Day is actually October 16th.

Be forewarned.

Fantasy Football

There was really only one thing that could console me after my Bronco's loss on Sunday...the fact that the opposing quarterback was actually working for me on my Fantasy Football team. This is a little thing that my business books like to call a "win-win". Here's how it breaks down.

If the Bronco's win, I win because I love them so much that happiness floods my soul at their victory. If the Bronco's lose, then I win because it is likely that they lost because my Fantasy Football QB stole the show, thereby racking up some buco points for me.

I'd be hard pressed to tell you which win I would have enjoyed more, because I do feel a love for my FF team that surpasses previous years. Maybe because this year, I have spent more time than prior seasons combined already on my little guys.

I am such a humble person, that someone else will have to tell you that I am now in the #2 slot in my league. If I were not so self-abasing I would tell you of the glee that filled my being this morning as I checked on my stalwart team's progress. Yep, you'll have to hear it elsewhere, because as Proverbs admonishes...pride goes before a fall.

Women's Retreat

This weekend, I went into the woods for our church retreat - not by mySELF, of course! There could be BEARS out there!

Besides the many wonderful spiritual convictions that flew at me, I learned a little more about myself in general this weekend - I discovered that I am no longer of the age or health to sleep on camp bunk beds.

Let me paint the scene for you- I slid (literally) into my sleeping bag and zipped it halfway up. I couldn't zip it ALL the way up because you always need to leave room for a fast getaway. Especially with the bears in the vicinity. I then laid my head down on my pillow, only to find that my neck was not in the chiropractor recommended "neutral" position. It, in a word, was cricked.

I tried folding it repeatedly, only to find out that pillow has a mind of it's own. I almost knocked it's stuffing out, but how neutral would my neck be THEN? I finally resigned myself to to the truth that I was stuck with this situation (I made my bed, and now I had to lie in it).

This is when the slippery-ness came into play. The sleeping bag should come with gripper pads. My pillow shot across the room (okay, to be real, it really only slid onto the floor) and by morning, my sleeping bag was on the fritz.

This was night one of two. Night two consisted of a move to an upper bunk, despite my falling calamities as a child, due to an invader of the peace. IOTP (Invader of the Peace) was a mouse. I never did see said mouse, but I did see the little "presents" he left for me on my mattress. AND, it must have been related to Mighty Mouse because my cough drop wrappers were no match for him. As I climbed into my perch, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was deluding myself that the IOTP couldn't find me there, I tossed and turned until my bleary eyes opened at 7:10 AM and the room alarm clock prodded me out of bed.

In all, though, it was a good weekend of fun, fellowship and learning...plus some game-playing, which we all know that I love TOO much. Here's a few pictures...

FF and GS (you'll see later)

There's a reason that my roommate is singing "Let it Snow!" this fine evening. And even though she's made clear that she would LIKE for it to snow (something about liking it and wanting to snowboard), it's a new reason.

First, a little background. Last winter, as most of you know, was a hard winter for the Coloradan. And while there is much debate as to whether or not this is the "new normal" for our state as a whole (thanks for that gem, Oprah!) or if last year was the weirdest year on the face of the planet...well, let's just say I'm not qualified to make that determination. Others seem quite forceful in their opinions. I am choosing, at this point, to stay out it. Mostly because I don't think I can affect any change that I really want and also because I will almost surely be discounted as a Californian for any theory that I choose to back.

But, let's get to the point, shall we? There's only so many minutes in one's life, and here I am wasting some of yours. Ahem...soooo, last winter my roommate and I spent a lot of time snowed in our apartment. When I first moved in, my landlord let me know that there was a pool, heat, and a fireplace that would have to be turned on by the utility company or a fireman. I personally, liked the idea of the fireman better as by their very occupation they are hot. And by hot I mean, running into blazing buildings, people! And just like that, there I go wasting your precious minutes again!

When things started to get a little frosty last winter, I called my trusty utility company to get them to come turn on the fireplace. Turns out, I wasn't their top priority. They scheduled a few times to come which I waited for with bated breath, with nothing happening. My roommate and I have a few jokes about our current place of residence. On any particular snowy morning, we would say, "Hey, let's just sit by the fire and read!" knowing very well that there was no way this was going to come to fruition.

THIS year, we decided, would be different. Before all of the OTHER folks in our area decided that it was time for THEIR fireplaces to be turned on, we would put in our request. So far, I hadn't done anything about it.

Episode 1 - The Gas Scare
Fast forward to last night. I walked out of my room, headed toward the kitchen and the ice water that my parched lips wanted. On the way, I encountered the smell of gas. Not trusting my nose as half of it is plugged, I got my roommate out of bed and had HER smell. She decided I was right. We turned off the gas furnace for the five minutes the panel said to adhere to, and then turned everything back on with no result. We left it off and marched ourselves off to bed. (I, of course, called my friend Greg to make certain that I was not about to die in my sleep)

I called the utility company bright and early this morning and was informed that they have a 24-hour service and could accommodate me after working hours. I'm telling you, cable and phone companies should take note! I was thrilled out of my gourd. I placed my request for an after 6 PM audience with said gas man and got a call at 9:48 PM that he was on his way.

He came out and checked everything (which was all in good working order, Mom and Dad) and Anne and I cajoled him into turning our fireplace on. We feel quite pleased with ourselves and Anne promptly broke into song. We win. The end.

Episode 2: Fantasy Football
Can I just say how much I love fantasy football? Well, I do. But here's a few reasons I'm not very good at it...

1. I'm not that familiar with other team's players. I was/am a Bronco Fan and know all/most of THEM, but I've found that having all of the players of one team on a fantasy football team is not only ill-advised, but ALSO practically impossible with the way the draft occurs.

2. The harder I try, the worse my team does. I've really tried...I bought Football for Idiots not considering myself an idiot, but perhaps only a novice in knowing all there is to know about this particular sport. I mean, I enjoy the basics and of course the bone-crunching action, but it took me a while to understand the two-point conversion. I also read up on all my players...I traded some of the unlucky ones out for players that were "scheduled" to get more points.

3. I can't really smack-talk that well.

4. I am usually not up to make trades (although I know it is a vital part of football - fantasy and otherwise) because I'm convinced that the other player has more information than me and is just trying to pull the wool over my eyes. This may or may not be true, but given my fellow players, I'm leaning toward the true.

5. I most likely will forget about checking it halfway through the season. You know when you can't make changes? Um, when the game is actually being played, that's when. And that's when it inevitably is brought to my mind. Now, we'd have a whole DIFFERENT game if they let us do that. It'd be more like the stock market...

Nevertheless, I enjoy it immensely and I also am glad for the players that they get the shot to stand alone, since it's usually such a team thing. :)

El Fin.

Ashes to Ashes...

Growing up we children had to pull our weight around the house. My sisters and I all had chores that were "assigned" to us and pretty much didn't change. Except, of course, when the mad winds of change liberated a sister (not a nun, just for clarification) to initiate the trading process. Much like the fur traders of yore, we would start with the bargaining...

Sister 1: "Hey, if you empty the trashes this week, I'll dust the living room AND vacuum the stairs!"

Sister 2: "WHY?"

(The sister that was being presumed among was usually suspicious...knowing that there could and usually was a REASON why said sister didn't want to complete the task)

Sister 1: "I'm sick of emptying trashes. I just want to change!"

Sister 2: (warily) "Well...alright. But next week you have to empty the trashes yourself."

Sister 1: (happily) "I will!"

During the summer, my mother upped the ante on our chore-world and commenced with the leaving of "The List". The list was always written in neat print (daring us to use the excuse "We couldn't read it!") with nursing shorthand (I'm half-way to a nursing degree already), and ALWAYS delineated by name of the sister with check boxes beside each task. With Mom and Dad at work, Mom knew that all we would do is read, watch TV and/or perform various other activities completely devoid of being "productive". So, the list was set out on the counter or magneted to the fridge to keep us in line throughout the summer hours.

Usually "The List" didn't take us long so we would, of course, do aforementioned summer-time activities of our choosing and about 1/2 an hour before a returning parent was due to arrive we would hustle through all the tasks to keep us from my mother's exacting evil eye. As you can imagine, these chores were always really thoroughly executed... :)

Today, I embarked on a task I put on my internal List...the dusting of the fan blades. What you will see next is a pictorial reckoning of my dusting adventure. And can I just say...ew. I can't believe it has come to this...

I suited up for the task in typical MacGuiver style..wetting a towel and tying it around my nose and mouth. This method is good for dusting fan blades in the comfort of your own home AND entering burning buildings. So maybe it was a little overkill, but better to overkill than BE killed, right? Oh, and I might have also been inspired by the movie I saw yesterday "3:10 to Yuma".

I tried to take a picture that would accurately display for you the severity of the situation. This is the best I could do...

This dusting cloth shows one swipe of my hand across the blade. Now, this doesn't look too bad, but remember that most of the dust hopped off the blade as a dust bunny, so this only reflects about 2/3 of the dust removed.

I do really like dusting things. At first, it was because mom would let us use a feather duster (c'mon, now...that's just good fun). Then later it was deemed as a tool that "just pushed the dust around", which apparently was a bad thing. Even then, I liked dusting, through because it is instant gratification cleaning. Sometimes when I'm cleaning I feel the futility. So I wiped off the counter. So what? A crumb will be there no less than 15 minutes later. But with dusting, I can see the fruit of my labor right away and it tends to stay that way for at least a week. And as a bonus, we also get the lemon-y fresh smell of pledge to keep us company.

Thanks for sticking through my massive tale. I know it was long and seemingly pointless, but wasn't it FUN?! :)

Surfin'

Way back when, in a Californian city far far away lived a duchess named Amy. Why a duchess, you ask? Well, they get to be nobility and have all of those perks...wearing the pretty, flow-y dresses, going to all the parties, living in fun manors with thousands of acres - all without the pressure of being a princess.

Ahem...but what I really wanted to say was...a few years ago I had a roommate who brought home an interesting time-waster. Basically, it was a medium sized oval board that when placed over a big hard pipe "roll" was designed to help one learn balance for surfing. I spent many a minute on that board rolling back and forth, trying to attain the "hang ten" ease that I admired in so many of my peers. All to no avail. Although I improved dramatically from when I began, I never did get to test my skills on an actual surf board...and I'm pretty sure that if I HAD, I would not have come out unscathed.

No matter...today I made up for it in a whole different way. I'm sure that you have all heard of the phrase "Surfing the Web". Well, I never really got the analogy until now. I opened up my instant messenger today and signed on. As usual, the box full of multiple links to different web stories surfaced. What the heck, I thought. I'll click on a few and become wiser about the things going on in the world. So, I tenuously clicked on the first heading cleverly entitled Diaper-free Babies. I must say it was the title, more than the subject matter that interested me (having no children and all). Diaper-free Babies? I thought, Who comes UP with this stuff? And so it began.

From there, I clicked on a link about Hillary Clinton appearing on Ellen (nice try, Hil, but you aren't getting me with that one!). Then I went to an interesting link about High School Musical 2 and from there clickety clacked my way to a page about a Miss Teen USA contestant's bizarre answer in the competition. And then it hit me...I was SURFING! From one page to another with nary a space in between browses.

So this is what Surfing the Web is all about! I gleefully shouted to myself internally. This is what I've been missing out on for so many years! Now, not to say that I will have this much free time again in the near future, but I am glad to be on board with the English language again.

Ha!! On board...that's a good one...

In the Words of My Mother...

...Yikes-a-mola!


Why is the best time to blog always in the middle of the night? Okay, well maybe not the MIDDLE of the night, but darn near close enough. Oh, right! I think it's because I have a day job. Whoa, I hadn't thought of this, but how AWESOME would it be to be a professional blogger? Ah, well, a girl can dream, right?


In any case, the real reason for this post is to describe to you the pitfalls of my new job in publishing. Are you ready? Here they come:


1. Being surrounded by people that love to read as much (and more) than myself is definitely exposing my inner nerd more than has previously been seen. Squeals erupted from my face when I was told that one of my favorite authors, Robin Jones Gunn, is continuing with another spin-off series from The Christy Miller series. It's the Katie Weldon series. Best of all? My co-worker was right there with me in the enthusiasm department. Scary, isn't it? It's like working with MOVIE STARS, people! We might even start a book club and read the books together. (oh the horrors!) The little girl that would rather read and eat her lunch in elementary school than to EVER strike up a conversation with a living breathing person is back and better than ever.


2. Being ensconced with bookshelves on every side in my new place of work distracts me and I end up wandering the halls aimlessly (ha!) looking at book spine after book spine trying to see with glazed over eyes if there is anything new on the shelf that I can pilfer for myself. And by pilfer, I mean gain access to legally...


3. Being handed stacks of books to take home and read for my very own self is reminding me how much I missed the wonderful wide world of fiction up until this point. All of the frenzied "college skimming" of books severely dulled my book appetite. Well, no more! Now, I can see a whole new horizon that includes me spending half of my paycheck on rent and the other half on books. Because, you see, I won't be able to just read the ones I get for free...Oh, no, that would be too EASY! So if you see me meandering through the streets disheveled and looking for food, oblige me, won't you? It's all in the name of suffering for my craft.


4. Working with people my own age makes me want to hang out with them outside of work. Case in point - ice skating with a co-worker today. While I enjoyed it immensely, my ankles hate me tonight. All because of a poor sock choice. Sheesh. Well, at least I have a plan for next time. Provided there IS a next time...After all, my skating partner wisely packed the correct socks for such an excursion and therefore was held back by my stupidity.


5. Having a good communicator for a boss has spoiled me such that I will never be able to move on from this position and will rot in my current assistant office chair. I just KNOW there cannot be a better situation out there. Try and contradict me if you must...


6. Working with author/celebrities has ruined me on normal people. Now, in any conversation with me, you must use correct grammar (which I can't even always do :)) and speak publisher-ese in order to get an audience with me. Because I know you are all out there clamoring for an audience with the Amazon Queen.*


That's all I've got for now. Sorry it's been a while since my last post...I've had lots to say rolling inside my brain, but scant time and creative energy to actually follow through. Speaking of my brain, I think it's found the off switch, so I'm off (ha!) to bed. Talk at you soon!


*Amazon Queen is not a title highlighting my massive height or mad skills with a machete in the middle of the rain forest. It is a title given to me by my co-worker Allison, who has put me in charge of all items having to do with amazon.com. Trust me, I'm going to need a crown and scepter when all this is through. I wonder if I can write that into the benefits for next year??

BTW

Oh, btw, I'm pretty sure that I spelled a lot of words in my previous post incorrectly. Please forgive me and know that it is just because I forgot to spell check before publishing. :(

If you can't find it in your heart to forgive me...well...no one is forcing you to check this blog. :)

A Clacker in the Making

Hello, all. It's about 9:30 PM here in Colorado and I'm feeling good and also hydrated. I love ice...

Tonight I joined the YMCA. It was a very exciting step for me, made possible by my employer and the "Health and Fitness" beneft. Gotta love big companies!!

I spent about 45 minutes there with friends riding the bike, doing this weird semi-eliptical machine and weights. Weights intimidate me, I must say, but with a few tips from my expert friends, I was good to go! The smell of the room reminded me of our old wrestling gym and my days as a cheerleader. Now, I'd like to think I was keeping up with the body-builder/military/kung fu guy next to me, but I think he might have been lifting more than 5 lbs. :)

Normally, we would have gone to Hip Hop class, but ALAS! Our teacher Vanessa was out and the salsa teacher was subbing and they had already started, hence the "Plan B".

Totally unrelated, but let me let YOU in on a story that was forming in my brain today.

Rewind 5 months to the FABULOUS month of March, home of my birthday, St. Patrick's Day AND my sister's wedding. This was my first time being IN a wedding as a maid of honor, so I was "honor" bound to live by the bride's wishes regarding clothing, etc. In preparation for such a momentous occasion, I went and purchased something that is pretty foreign to my closet...high heel shoes. Now, it's not that I can't appreciate the subtle complexities of a height increase. Believe me, I understand the value of it!

For me, the high heel has been the archnemesis of my friend, foot comfort. However, for the wedding, I was sure I had found the perfect shoe that would display my feet in the elegant way befitting someone of my title. They are awfully cute...and they went with the design of the dress.

On the day of the wedding, I managed to walk down the aisle and get up the stairs without any embarrassing fumbles, only to find that my greatest challenges would be standing in one place for 20 minutes. If I didn't have the ceremony distracting me (and causing me to well up with an amount of water that I didn't know was possible for a human being to expend out of their eyes), I would have died. I'm certain of it.

As soon as we got to the reception, those puppies were cast off of my feet and I was sure that I would NEVER put them on again. Live and learn, right?

Fast forward to my job interview for Multnomah a month ago. Clogs just didn't seem appropriate footwear for my carefully selected ensamble and my sequined Indian moccassin type shoes also seemed a little out of place, so out came the heels.

Since that time, I've worn them frequently, must to the dismay of my squinched toes. I know there is such a thing as comfortable high heels, but to me it seems like an oxymoron. There is such an art to wearing high heels well and I must say that I don't think I've mastered yet (I think other passerbys would agree). I feel like I'm clomping forward, trying to be sophisticated, rather than actually BEING sophisticated.

I do feel a responsibility, though, to continue in the pursuit of high heel walking mastery. I am, after all, over a quarter of a century old and let's be honest - I DO need the height. I think I just need to lean back and give a little more attitude than I'm currently giving.

As they say, attitude goes a long way! If that's true, then far be it from me to stand (or walk) in the way of progress.

I Can See Clearly Now...

...the rain is gone.

So, I've passed the 1 week mark at work and am well on my way to surpassing the 2nd week as well. I think if I were going to have been eaten by wolves, I would have by now. Don't you think?

Here's the thing about starting at the beginning of August...everyone is in the middle of a vacation, on their way to a vacation or just returning home from a vacation. It's been a little ghost-town like in my neck of the office...until today, that is. Today seemed like the mass entrance for all returning home conquerors of relaxation.

There were pictures of new babies, scenery and wedding photos gallore. The halls hummed with the tales of various travels...and it reminded me that I really don't know anyone at all. This was only heightened with an experience of going to lunch with a few girls from the office.

It's just an awkward experience sometimes to get to know a number of people in a short amount of time...I forgot how weird it feels to be the outsider. You would think I would have remembered from moving to different schools my whole life! Being the "new girl" has its hype, but it wears off relatively quickly (like within 2 weeks?). :)

On the upside, though...I found out that for my job I get to post excerpts of all the books into our database. This feeds into websites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble (no pressure, right??) So BASICALLY I get paid to read. :) This is SO the best job ever...and with time, I think it will only get better.

APPROVED!

YAY! So, all my dilligence paid off and I got approved for my Sallie Mae consolidation loans! Hello, $200 savings per month!!!

Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you.

I'm Just Sayin'

Writing has always been the way that I process my thoughts...so I apologize in advance if this post makes very little sense.

So, in many scenarios, I've found myself biting my tongue. Not literally (usually not, at least), but quite frequently as of late I've found that my mind has been racing with lots and lots of thoughts that I can't really say. It's pretty difficult to get me mad...by that I don't mean "Hey jerk, you just cut me off!" essence of the word, but more the beginnings of rage boiling the bottom of my stomach. It really does take a lot to get me there...I'm pretty easy-going and intellectual about the those types of things usually.

As adults, there are things that we just learn not to say. That's why Bill Cosby made such a splash with "Kids say the darndest Things"...there's a learning and maturing process that happens in our society. Our mental grid gets more tightly woven and only certain things get through the sieve. Then there is always the possibility that my NOT saying what I truly think/feel is my way of pleasing people and hiding the ugliness that is in me (and all of us).

It's sometimes hard to distinguish for me. I have no doubt or disillusionment about the fact that my base reactions are usually not the most Christ-like way to react. And I try not to...I try to get to the bottom of the root issue...otherwise it's like batting an annoying fly around instead of smashing it with a fly-swatter. But sometimes (for me, at least) it's overwhelming. And then there are those times that in the heat of the moment, I pull back a retort that will only scathe the person it is directed to and go back to my every day tasks...only to realize later that I never really dealt with it in the way that I was supposed to. And THAT'S not good for anyone's constitution (American or otherwise).

So, this is me...asking the Lord for wisdom about my predicament and to direct me to say what needs to be said (even if others won't like it) and to hold my tongue when my words will do no good...Boy, that James really go it right, didn't he? The tongue really is the rudder that steers the whole ship...Hopefully, I've not already capsized! :)

Back to the grind...

Well, after the last three nights I've had, it will be difficult going back to normal existance. However, on the upside, the nights following these will probably result in more sleep. :)

Tuesday and Wednesday night were a frantic race against the clock (and my sleepy eyes) to finish "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". This was sooo the best fiction book I've ever read. I know it came out about a month ago, but I've been on a mission. First, I read "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" before I saw the movie to make sure I was making the most of the experience. :) (Oh, yes, I'm one of THOSE). I think it may have backfired on me, though, because the whole movie I was reverting in my mind to the printed pages and comparing and contrasting - quite a mental excersize when the book is 870 pages! I may have to see it again to really enjoy it...

Then, I read the NEXT book "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" so that I would remember everything that I skimmed college-style when the book first came out. What can I say, I was desperate to get to the end!

THEN, I was able to dive into "The Deathly Hallows" with an armory of useful details henceforth ingrained in my memory...it was worth it.

Now, it may seem like a lot of effort, but it's that feeling that something you love is ending. Ever since my childhood, my books have been the best friends I've known...sounds cheesy, but it is just the facts. When you move a lot, pen pals will only take you so far :) Harry Potter is over, but at least I had the crowning acheivement of sucking dry the experience, eh?

Tonight, I saw the much-anticipated movie "The Bourne Ultimatum". Really good movie and worth the money if you liked the other two...it's the best movie I've seen in a long time - starts out with adreneline and doesn't let up until the end credits.

I think, now, my life is like the 4th Mission Impossible movie. Okay, so maybe you can't draw a LOT of parallels, as I don't really bear a resemblence to Tom Cruise and have never in my life done my own stunts...But go with me here - in concept, it's the mentality that the first movie was so good, you have to make the next one bigger and better to keep the attention of the audience. Pretty soon, stuff will be blowing up non-stop throughout the movie and every character will be wearing a "mask" of another and tearing it off at the height of some intense movie music.

I'm going to have to transition back to every day life and I think my first stop will be cleaning my room. Nothing will bring me back to reality and ground me as much as that, eh?

As Promised...

Soooo...today I got the infamous Sallie Mae letter telling me that they needed more information. Everyone who is suprised, please raise your hand. Anyone? Anyone? Okay then.

Rather than give in to my normal procrastination tendencies, I marched myself right over to Kinkos with paystub and diploma in hand. I faxed those little papers over to Kinkos.

Can I just say how much I hate Kinkos? The people are just not very helpful or knowlegeable. I'm sure this isn't true for ALL Kinkos, and I do appreciate the concept of the multi-tasking paper center. Really, I do! I just wish I could have a better experience at ours. It's driving me batty! There are bigger problems in the world, I realize.

I also have to say that I really am enjoying a Colorado Summer. The days are beautiful and usually sunny with temps between 80 and 95, but the evenings cool down (usually with a rain shower or two). I love not feeling like I am going to shoot myself in the face in order to escape skin searing heat (sorry to all of you in SoCal!). I also love that I get a free heavenly carwash each week. :)

So, that's that. Just a small update.

Oh my GOSH! I HAVE A NEW JOB!

Yes, that's right - the reality of it is finally sinking in! I'm one of those people that doesn't really believe that she's going somewhere until she actually gets on the plane - that's when the excitement sets in.

That's how I felt today too...here's what I did in my first day as a marketing assistant -

1. Ordered office supplies - Since the receptionist is out on vacation until tomorrow, the supply room was running a bit low. I don't mind at all - I got to pick out the stuff that I want and I got a RED stapler (Office Space, anyone?) and a RED tape dispenser! Did I mention that I got to order WHICHEVER one I WANTED??

2. Did some research - My new boss Tiffany handed me a 35 page hand out with marketing terms to familiarize myself with. Gibberish such as EMS, ABA, ISBN, etc will soon become second nature to me...of this I have no doubt, given the amount of diligent study that I employed.

3. Read through some e-mails -The 12 emails that awaited me will be dealt with tomorrow as I have not the faintest idea what to do with them as of yet. HEY! I'm a NOVICE people.

4. Made some copies DESPITE the "help" of the Kinko's employees - We are promoting a new book coming out called "Do Hard Things" and I made copies of some publicity articles on the good ole color copier. Took me some time given the fact that the lady didn't know how to change a toner cartridge and it took them a while to figure out a minor problem having to do with paper size.

5. Collated and assembled 200 folders - To assist with the publicity for the aforementioned book, we put together packets with a copy of my stellarly copied articles, a brochure, DVD and a flyer thingy (there's got to be a technical term for that piece...I'm sure it will be taught to me eventually). BTW, I didn't assemble all 200 by myself. My boss Tiffany and my co-worker Carly helped. It went super fast

6. Took some books - Don't worry, I'm not stealing from my employer on my first day! These books are actually ALLOWED to be given away to ME (the new employee). I picked up some new authors, some old beloved authors, and some interesting titles. I was like a kid in a candy store, let me tell you! This should have been my job through high school - bet I would have saved a LOT of money and would have been independantly wealthy by now. Darn it!

7. Got introduced to my co-workers - I think I'm going to love them. It's such a fun office environment and there are a lot of girls my age that work there including (but not limited to) my new friend and cubicle-mate, Liz. She made me feel super welcome and I'm excited to get to know her better at lunches and what not.

So, that was my first day. It wasn't overwelming at all - but I know that there is probably loads more to come, considering that I haven't really been given any of the tasks for which I will be perpetually responsible. I think there will be some major training tomorrow, but I'm not concerned. I'm sure I'll pick it up eventually - there's LOADS of space in that brain of mine just itching to go to work. :)

Thanks for all of your prayers and support! I'll let you know how the rest of the week goes. :)

- Amy

P.S. I get my own NAME tag and EVERYTHING on my cubicle "door".

P.P. S. I get to put anything up in my cubicle that I want! On the walls and EVERYTHING! You all are going right up there to smile down on me...whether you like it or not.

It's Time...

Okay, so I've been out of college about 4 years now. I have grown as a person. I now know things like how to pay bills, what to look for in an apartment-mate, what is important in a lease so that your landlord can't get away with not patching a leaky ceiling that expands every time it rains, and how to deal with car insurance when your car is no longer the shiny, complete, and functional motor vehicle that it once was.

I've learned things that college never even taught me. I've brandished my degree on resumes and I'm pretttyyy sure that it was influential in landing me my first job (at least I hope so, or all that crap about getting-an-education-because-it-moves-you-along-further-along-in-life is all for naught).

Know what I haven't done? Consolidate my 5 student loans. Yep! Now, it's not because I haven't tried, mind you. i have tried a few times to do it. Something has been holding me back...okay - it was me. Let's face it, there are two things that I don't understand (well, there are probably more than two, but for the purposes of this blog, let's just say two, okay?). Those things are Student Loan Consolidation and Health Insurance. People in this industry make it SO DARN HARD to figure out what the heck is going on. I'll leave the health insurance schpiel (spelling?) to Michael Moore, but seriously - can't someone get together and make a resource for people that haven't taken classes and had certification in student loan finance-ese? Please?

Well, given that I did a budget (again) and realized that I should cut my monthly expenses, I realized that I have been putting off doing this consolidation. And you have to understand that when I say that I "realized", it did take a supreme perfected effort to ignore the fact that I needed to consolidate, given that several people currently mock me about it...

So, I took the plunge and did my application online with Sallie Mae. I signed and submitted it today. I am asking you all to hold me accountable - I'll be posting if I hear from them and what requirements I have to do (you know - blood of the first born child, original birth certificates, a certifiable bond) and then hopefully this will be the last and final time I have to have this numerical cloud hanging over my head. One can only hope...

Here goes nothing! 7th time is a charm!

Onward and Upward!

So, Friday July 27 was my last day at my previous employer...It was SO weird to leave - mostly I feel like I'm just on vacation and will be going back. It's so odd to leave a pattern of life that has been a part of me since the end of my college years! I already miss my co-workers...but thankfully, we can still hang out since we live in the same state. I really hope that I can after all of this, 'cause they are cool people and I like them. :) I, being the cheesy person I am AND the dedicated blogger, took a picture of my boss, my manager and myself. Here we are!

After 3 weeks finishing up at work, I decided to take an impromptu road trip to my home of 18 months when I was in 5th grade and see one of my long lost friends, Tammy. She is now living only a few blocks from where my old house was and has a husband and two cute kids...Zoie and Zade. Here's the thing, people - I haven't seen her for 8 years. My family and I drove through and went to her wedding before dropping me off to college. Let me tell you, people do change in 8 years...but they DON'T change too...(if that makes any sense).

This was my first roadtrip EVER by myself. There's something about having a sidekick on these long driving trips that really makes it go faster and adds peace of mind. But, seeing that it wasn't snowing, I decided I and my trusty Saturn Ion could make it through. And we did! Here's a few pictures for you...

Uh-oh...

*Sniff*

Going Green...

Not to re-visit the ugly past, but remember my first post complete with pictures of my poor little car that got rolled over on my way to Colorado? Well, as you probably know from the subsequent posts I got a new car...another Saturn Ion in the green color. I'm not as crazy about the green as I was the silver-blue, but it was on sale and green is better than some other colors so I felt that I did well (as far as I know, they don't make a pink Saturn Ion yet, so I was out of luck).

With said new car and the help of a stellar Uncle, I am fully equipped with all the new upgrades including satellite radio (which has since been discontinued as I could not in good conscience spend $20 a month for music that I can listen to for free on the real radio), a place to plug in my iPod mini and OnStar.

Now, don't get me wrong...I fully appreciate all of these things. But (and I'm really not high maintainence, I promise!) I miss one teensy tiny little feature of my old car. This is the CD "repeat" button. I love that little button with all my heart. It helps me to milk my favorite-song-of-the-moment for all it's worth.

Here's the way my music process happens. I hear a song on the radio, in a store, etc. I search it out, download it and play it over and over and over until I know all the lyrics and the harmony parts (what?? background vocalists are people too!). Then I get tired of it and move on to the next song that gets blessed by my interest. Several weeks, months or years later I hear said song that I used to love to pieces on a mix CD and I think to myself "That song sounds sooo familiar! I like it a lot..." and then I revive my interest again.

Without the key "repeat" button in this process, I feel a bit lost. I have taken to manually rewinding the song...which I suppose is fine and probably strengthens my finger muscles or something. However, I can't help but think that newer isn't ALWAYS better. There are lots of things that endure time because they are classic.

Saturn would do well to heed my advice. I'm just sayin'.

Song recycling. That's green, right? Just doing my part to help the environment.

The Skinny (not the jeans...)

So, it's been a while since I posted last! I have to be honest and tell you all in confidence (so no blabbing!) that I really just haven't felt in a "blogg-y" mood. Now, my family might disagree with me, but I don't think I'm a moody person in general. However, when it comes to this method of communication, I have to feel sufficiently impassioned about a post in order to really carry it off in true Amy style...that's different from Big Willy style, for those of you taking notes. Therefore, my blogging has been inhibited by my state of mind.

Though there hasn't been much on the blog to signify it, a lot has changed with me recently. Well, really one big thing has changed...my employment situation. After working at my current employer ever since I graduated from college, I am leaving to pursue a new line of work. I'm going to take to the stage...I hear they get great make-up. Just kidding of course...

I'm going to start working in publishing as a marketing assistant! I start on 8/1/07 and I am stoked about the whole thing. Certain un-named sources have suggested that I use my new position to try and put this blog into a book. While I don't really think that will be happening any time soon, I AM excited about the possibility of branching out into a new industry and seeing what I'm made of. There are so many options for me and I get so excited just thinking about it. After my first interview with said company, I told my Dad, "This is the job I never knew I always wanted!" And while I can't really shake that nagging feeling that it is a line from a movie (maybe that stage thing IS an option!) it was a moment of realization for me.

I'm so glad that I had the chance to work at my current employer. It's been so good and so stretching for me to be there. At times it was the best of times, at times it was the worst of times (to steal a bit from Charles Dickens), but all in all the Lord wanted me there for a reason and I'm glad to have made some friends and gained some skills along the way.

Now, I'm looking forward to the future and trying to brace myself for the transition that is sure to happen from one industry to another and from small business to larger-than-life business. Luckily (or blessedly), my new boss seems to be amazing and I'm sure they will help me get up to snuff as soon as is humanly possible. After all, it's in their best interest, right??

Thanks for all of you that have prayed with me and for me through these last few weeks and who have given me all sorts of stellar advice to live by. If I ever DO write a book, you'll be in the credits for sure. No telling if it will be invisible ink or not, but the important thing is YOU know, right?

P.S.

Yesterday night I was talking with my sister on the phone laying on my back on my bed. At the end of the call for some unearthly reason I accidently dropped my cell phone on my nose. I'm fairly certain that it's broken.

My mom (the nurse) laughed at me when I suggested that it might be shattered. SHE said that it didn't have enough FORCE to break my nose. Um, Mom? I was there. It had force. Trust me.

Since then I have had no trouble breathing which is, I suppose, a good sign. My sister Lindsay also laughed at me when I explained to her that my nose could be bent beyond recognition. SHE said "I think you would KNOW if your nose was BROKEN." Thanks for that gem, Lindsay. Your support means everything to me.

You will ALL be sorry if someday they can trace all my physical problems to bone fragments jammed into the back of my head. Do you hear me? You will alllllll be sorry.

It's a Girl Thing...

Here's the difference between my sister and I...her idea of a perfect night is to hang out at home alone (with her husband). Mine is to spend time with friends, just hanging out, sharing a meal, movie, etc.

It's 10:28 PM MST. Do you know what I'm doing? I'm watching the Tyra Banks show on channel 42 and bawling my face off as I watch 4 women get made over by Tina Knowles (Beyonce's mom). How did I get here? It was a sloooowwww downward slope of being left to my own devices this evening. :)

Being around people keeps me from completely losing it watching people I don't even know. But seriously, I think there is something deeply emotional about a makeover. Whenever I get a haircut, I feel like a whole new person. Now, magnify that by 800 and you have the power of a makeover...

But do you know what the best part is? It's not seeing the people who got made over with their final look. It's watching the people that nominated them cry on the spot as soon as they see their friend/daughter, etc.

What's next for me? Well, I'm hanging out with some women at my church tomorrow night, so a repeat of tonight's melodrama is less likely to occur. Then again...my next blog might be waterworks during a telephone service commercial. What can I say? It's definately a girl thing.

Swing, Batta' Batta'

Well, all the way through college there were multiple opportunities to go to Dodger games and TMC baseball games. I never chose to go and offered up multiple explanations to excuse myself from participating in the sport but I'm about to give you the unabridged, E True Hollywood story. I never went because I always thought of baseball as long and boring. I mean let's face it...it doesn't have the bone crunching action of football now, does it? Now, I conceed that it takes GREAT skill to play the sport. I just don't find it particularly riveting.

However, I became the "ticket table" girl at church this last Sunday for a Sky Sox game that our church was getting tickets for. In the course of fulfilling my various tasks (taking money, counting people, etc) I also decided to throw caution to the wind and attend. After all, I would be in good company and I can't really say I dislike something until I try it, right? Right.

So this Friday night, off to the game I went...and I discovered I was right all along. It was a long and boring game but it was very fun to sit and talk with my friends throughout the game and enjoy the fireworks after. I can't complain about that. But I do think that the guy that makes comfortable bleachers will make a million dollars...

I had the typical baseball game experience complete with singing "Take me Out to the Ball Game". The only thing I didn't do is eat a hot dog at the game...I hate hot dogs so why spend the money just for a good photo op? Here's some pictures from the momentous occasion!

Tracy, Holly and I get ready to enter the stadium...I decide to pretend I am a diva. Pretty convincing, eh?

I was really there, folks...

Pastor Lance (aka Ansel Adams), Leighann and little Lukey. I love this little guy!

Need some peanuts or craker jacks? This guy is your man!

I discovered I like Gatorade..and other important items

Hello all of you out there in the blog reading community... Good to talk at you again! :)

A few things of interest (hopefully)...

1. I've been meeting with my friends Tracy and Holly to go through Elisabeth George's book, "Loving God with All Your Mind". We finished up last week (sniff!) and given the fact they are teachers and stuff, they are taking off to go home for the month of July. This finished up the last weekly commitment I have until Fall when Lifegroup, choir, and everything else starts up again. I thought I'd make mention of it because in my life, it's rare that I actually FINISH everything I start and it feels good to have finished the book and talking it through with my friends. I highly recommend it! BTW, sorry for the fuzziness of the picture...I'm supa' sad it came out so unfocused, but maybe we can think of it as artistic?? Thanks a million! :)

2. Our friend Mark got a job in Denver and is moving in mid-July. To send him off in style with the whole gang, we had a bar-b-que in Garden of the Gods and played a little frisbee golf late into the night. It was a ton of fun...except the frisbee golf part where we were tramping through tall weeds and foliage and crossing our fingers that there were no snakes or other unpleasant creature under our feet...Here's a few pictures...

Here's the gang: from the back of the picnic table all the way around - Bart, Amy, Tracy, Holly (around the tree stump) Eric, Anthony, Mark (in front of the tree stump) Julianne, Kate.

Bart, Tracy and Amy (what a great name!)

Isn't the view beautiful? This is what makes all the crazy CO weather worth it!

3. One of the things I miss most about being in California is garage sale-ing with my friends Greg and Niki. We made such a great team...Greg was the expert parallel parker, Niki took care of navigating, and I brought the "Are you sure you don't have room for that awfully cute, extremely well priced item?" dimension to the group. I did get to a few sales last weekend with my roommate, though and it felt good to get back in the game :) Our garage sale adventures included my roommate Anne saying, "Garage sales? That's better than Wal-mart!" In any case, on our way to lunch, we stumbled across a garage sale where I bought the below item for...guess how much? Only $10! I plan to either distress it or repaint it and add some new hardware to make it more "amy-ish". I'm stoked!

No more teacher, no more books...

So, it's been almost 5 years since I graduated from college. Whoa, where does the time go?? There was a lot of pressure on me as an incoming freshman to choose my major and start my coursework in style (they obviously didn't know the style I possessed naturally).

At some point between applying to the college and actually attending it I changed my major from Teacher Education to Biblical Counseling. Now, as I watch my roommate-the-teacher prepare for her vacation of 5 days and the responsibilities of her job over and done with I am left to wonder if perhaps I made a hasty choice?

Granted, the field of life insurance of which I am now a part is so COMPLETELY related to counseling that I am certain my major was not misjudged. What the heck are we doing, people?

I, unlike most people, didn't change majors during college. I was told I would go through several majors before finding the right one. Once again, "they" proved themselves woefully inept at knowing my stellar loyalty to any given task I pick up... :) I stuck with counseling all the way through and graduated in all my laude something-or-other glory!

Sidebar: why in the world can't we use regular languge in graduation ceremonies? And doesn't MAGNA cum laude seem much higher an honor than SUMA cum laude? When I think "magna" I think of the Magna Carta and the word Magnificent. When I think "suma" all that comes in my head (and quickly out again) is the image of sumo wrestlers...ew.

On the other hand...teachers work harder than anyone I know - maybe they deserve the break? The knowlege doesn't make it any easier, believe me I know, but it takes all types to make the world go 'round. Yeah, you just keep tellin' yourself that...

A Night of Reckoning...

Last night, my roommate Anne and I headed out to Fountain to a BBQ. Our friend Julie was hosting it because she was house sitting out there. We arrived starving and ready to start our weekend off...

I discovered a few things about myself that I would like to share with you...

1. I hate mesquitos (sp?). ..but apparently they like ME. Also, citronella (sp?) candles are a joke. I saw a mesquito fly straight up next to it and he looked none the worse for wear. Also, while we are on the subject, I have to ask myself (along with Mr. Seinfeld), "What flavor is mesquite? Do they make it from mesquitos?"

2. I am remarkably good at badmitton. You would think from the name, that I wouldn't have been good at all, but that's where you would be wrong.

3. I love playing volleyball with a badmitton net that sags in the middle. It makes me an INCREDIBLE overhand server. :)

4. Burgers taste better on the grill than when you make them at home in the broiler.

5. I still have an active dislike for watermelon. Anne gasped when I admitted this and made me try another piece of it. I took the smallest bite in the world, which solidified my position. Sorry, melons aren't my thing!

Anne and I left just in time to see an incredible sunset. We pulled of the side of the road to get the picture (see the antennae on the left?)...

Now, comes the reason for the title of this post. As we got on the I-25 to head back home, there was a truck in the lane to the left of us and just a little ahead of us. All of a sudden, I saw this thing hurtling toward us. At the time I thought it was a dirt bag or something flying out of the guys truck. Nope! Turns out it was a DEER! The truck hit it and the deer split in half, the head half flew through the air and into our lane but thankfully had enough velocity so that I didn't hit it. Praise the Lord!

When that half of the deer zoomed through our lane, though it left a bloody and gutsy mess in it's wake which splattered all over my windshield and the front of my car. Ew, ew and double ew! At this point, I was still unsure what had happened (how did a DIRT BAG get all over my windshield and why does it look like blood?) and I screeched to Anne in the passenger seat, "What do I DO??" At the time my visability was severely diminished (as you might imagine). Anne calmly told me to just wash it off with my windshield wipers. I'm glad she was there or I might have driven blind all the way back home!

Our first item of business when we got back to our town was no longer to get home and relax but to find the nearest carwash. Shell station to the rescue! If I had the presence of mind, I might have snapped a few before photos so you could experience the grossness with me, but alas! I didn't. Maybe that was my subconscious again....:)

All in all, it was an experience that I will remember, but I'm thankful that we not only didn't get hurt, but that my car reflexs are sharp as a cat! :)