Retail Therapy Just Got A New Meaning

Yesterday I realized that my once white bra had turned an awful gray color. Since I've been staying at my sister's house, I have a minimal amount of clothes and an even more minimal amount of lingerie. I turned to my backup bra and discovered it was as mangy as the first! I told my mom that I was in desperate need of new undergarments, so she agreed to head up to the nearby outlet mall with me today.

Well, today was excellent! I loaded my mom, wheelchair, walker, and all into my car and sped off in search of replacement bras. I wasn't sure of my mom's energy level at that point, so I didn't know if we would need to make it a short outing or not.

Upon arrival I picked up two soft pretzels, one for each of us and steered the wheelchair to the Maidenform outlet. We browsed the store and surprisingly found three bras that fit, a task not made easy by my large chest. (It seems all the large cup sizes are cut for old ladies! No offense.) So we picked up a few undies, too. Everything was on sale and I had a coupon so we were quite proud of our frugal spending!

Next, my mom wheeled herself while I gobbled up my pretzel for energy (trying on bras is hard work) over to the Michael Kors outlet. We skipped over the purses because although I love them, even at the outlet they are quite pricey. Besides, I still have two from my Italian honeymoon that haven't even see the light of day yet. We rolled into the sweaters and we spotted the cutest orange, faux wrap sweater with two buckles around the upper left hip. I, of course, had to get one. It's the perfect color for Autumn after all. From the sale rack I plucked a fuzzy snakeskin print cardigan, and a ruched pink, white, and gray long sleeved top, perfect alone or under a blazer. My mom found an adorable diagonally striped purple and black, drapey sweater. I would have got one for myself would they have had it in my size!

I figured my mom would be tired-out from trying on a couple of sweaters considering she had to stand up a few times. That's not always an easy task for her these days. We headed off in the direction of the car, but when she saw Dress Barn, she said she wanted to go in. On a side note, if you're like me, you're probably thinking Dress Barn is old lady-ish and unstylish. I used to think that anyway, but recently have found that it's actually kind of cool. You just have to take the bad with the good, but that can be said for a lot of stores. So anyway, we popped into Dress Barn and before I knew it, my mom had decided to try on some entire outfits! I was shocked that she wanted to try pants on, I didn't even want to, because it's a lot of work, you know.

The store had a good size dressing room, so we pulled in and got to work. We took my mom's leg braces off and she shimmied into her pants while I made sure she kept her balance and didn't fall. The first outfit was a pair of brown herringbone pants with a burgundy long sleeve shirt. She topped it with a brown sleeveless sweater that buttoned once at the top. It was a complete success! She tried on a few other sweaters, but ultimately passed on those. I didn't want to be left out of the fun so I found a green faux leather motorcycle jacket. The color is a little reminiscent of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but it's fun all the same. Color is a vital part of one's wardrobe.

Excited about our finds, we got my mom all re-dressed including her braces. When she learned that sweaters were buy one get one half off, she decided it would only be right to get another one. After moving section to section we found a cute black and white hooded sweater with three little black buttons from the neck down. (My mom has lost about 100 pounds over the past year, so she doesn't have many clothes that fit her current size. I just have a problem.) During the hunt for the other sweater, she decided the stylish gray bootcut jeans were calling her name. We headed back to the dressing room so she could try them. It meant unstrapping the braces and more balancing practice, but I was thrilled that she had the energy to keep on going! The jeans looked awesome so we decided to take those, too. My mom accused me of being a bad influence on her, but I told her, she's my mom, she made me that way. She credited my shopaholism to my grandma who had us shopping at Nordstrom before we could talk or walk. She's probably right, but she doesn't help either!

Anyway, after making a substantial dent in our wallets and with energy levels beginning to dip for both parties, we called it quits and made our way home. But today, it wasn't so much the shopping that made me happy, (but it helped) it was seeing my mom have so much energy. To see my mom up and moving around so much, enjoying the things she enjoyed before everything happened. Life felt a little more normal. And above all, she got a really good workout standing and wheeling, getting fresh air and moving. That means we covered her physical therapy then, too. See? Retail therapy is even better than we thought!

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

You'll have to excuse the horrendous picture as I only have my phone for a camera for the time being, but check out these beauties! Okay, so maybe diamonds are a girl's best friend, but faux diamonds are a girl's wallet's best friend.

These are my latest Home Shopping Network purchase. I was just casually browsing around the site when I saw that there was an Absolute Event! For those of you don't know (but really should) Absolute is HSN's version of a cubic zirconium and it is amazing. They claim that people won't know the difference, so I asked my geologist husband to put their words to the test. He says that though it's easy for him to tell the difference (he is a professional after all) it's a really good imitation and the average person likely couldn't tell the difference. I buy that. Except for the size thing...I don't think anybody believes that little old me can afford rocks that big. But I don't mind, I love them all the same. Besides, if they were real I'd be afraid to wear them outside!

I decided to reward myself, I've been going through a lot and I deserve it. And seeing as how I'm staying at my sister's house with my mom, I really didn't have any jewelry here with me. (Yes, I'm just looking for excuses here.) I can't resist an Absolute matching set on sale, so sue me! These are fabulous. I love them. And already wear them all the time. I highly recommend checking out HSN.com's Absolute section.

Not only have I been checking the website, but my mom and I have taken to watching HSN sometimes when she's in bed feeling low or tired. We both get excited seeing what's in store. We ooh and ahh at the good stuff, giggle at the silly, and have fun predicting what the salesgirls will say next. It's so nice that shopping can make us feel better. And the jewelry makes me feel beautiful and fancy. Can't argue with that!

Remember Me?

I've been gone awhile now, so you may have forgotten me.

A lot has changed in past few months. Here's the short version: I found a retail job. It was horrible. I quit. My mom was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer. She was in the hospital, then a rehab center, and has since been released to my sister's tiny house. I got married. Went on a fantastic two week honeymoon. Left my apartment to stay at said sister's tiny house to help care for mom. You'll find the long version on my new blog, This Is My Life?

While everything is kind of up in the air right now, I'm using my new blog, This Is My Life?, to express myself. I'm going to keep this blog going however because at my core, I'm still the same old TheShoppingGirl. I still am quite the shopaholic and have learned to be even more resourceful with it while I'm somewhat housebound with my mom.

So stay tuned for the happy shopping stories to come!

Long Live Queen Ding-Dong

This post ties back into my post I. Want. A. Job. As I was saying before, I really want a job, even just a little something. (Although, I know as soon as I get a job, I will be saying the opposite).

Anyway, last night I decided to check Craigslist for open jobs in my area. I have always been a little hesitant looking for jobs on Craigslist because you never know what you might get. Beyond that, companies don't list their names on Craigslist, so you can't do your research and you don't know what you're signing up for.

I decided because everywhere else I was looking, I was out of leads, I might as well give Craigslist a chance. A found a job posted that day that sounded great. It was part-time, working at a physical therapy practice. I decided my skill set truly fit with what they were looking for and proceeded to reply to their posting.

In my last post about job hunting, I mentioned that I like to write a very specific cover letter for each position, but was sick of writing them and always felt they were never just right. I went back to the drawing board though and made this as pertinent as I could with the two sentence job description I had been provided. I actually thought it was a success. (Of course, I still haven't heard anything back.)

While I was applying for this great opportunity, I decided to see if I could find anything else worth applying for. I found four other positions that seemed to have potential, so I figured I would apply to them as well. (As I said, I've been applying to tons of positions and haven't heard more than a word or two back from anywhere. I don't understand when or how I became such an untouchable.) Moving on, I decided the cover letter I had written for the physical therapy position was a strong enough blanket cover letter, since I had little information to go off of from the postings. Here is where the trouble began.

I tapped reply to the next job and copy and pasted my previous email. I changed the job description in which I referenced and did a quick once over to make sure I took out anything else that referred to a physical therapy practice. It looked good! Off I sent it. I repeated this process three other times and then jumped into bed. It was after midnight by this point.

This morning I woke up expecting to hear nothing back, but hoping all the same that I would. My phone rang around 9:30, but it was my fiance's set ringtone, so though I was happy he called, disappointment still hit that it wasn't a future employer. After ending my conversation with Chris, I thumbed through my BlackBerry for emails. Some junk, nothing good. I was going to crawl back in bed for awhile to read or watch TV, but my phone blinked red, indicating that I had a new email.

I scanned down and I couldn't believe it was for the Administrative Assistant position that I had applied to just the night before. The posting had been old, so I didn't get my hopes up, thinking they may just be telling me that it had been filled. At this point, I was so excited at the thought that someone would even bother to tell me that, because that was a first. I excitedly opened the email and read only a short phrase.

We don't have a physical therapy practice...

I gasped. Instead of aiming myself back towards the bed, I scurried to my computer to assess the damage. There it was, right in the first paragraph. I had neglected to take out that I would be an asset to their physical therapy practice. I meant company! I meant company, whichever one you were!

My stomach churned. I immediately replied. I wasn't sure that that was the right choice. My letter mentions how great I am at attention to detail. (I swear, I am extremely detail-oriented. It was midnight. I was in panic mode that I would never find a job. I knew I should have written a job specific cover letter. Shame on me.) But I replied anyway, apologizing for the mistake, hoping that deep down they would decide that everybody makes mistakes, but it takes a strong person to admit they are wrong, especially to an prospective employer. (I haven't heard anything back there either, nor do I expect to.)

After an attempt at damage control, I opted to recall the other three pending letters. Because it was sent through Craigslist, it can't be recalled. A new reason to not like Craigslist!

So there you have it. This Ding-Dong here applied to four jobs yesterday, telling each how she would be an asset to their physical therapy practice, of which they do not have. I am totally embarrassed, but I'll just have to chalk it up as another lesson learned, laugh at myself, and move on.


On a side note: I've been looking back at my previous number of post each month, and that number keeps declining. My goal is to try to get the number to increase now instead of decrease. Especially since I lost a lovely follower. To those of you who have stuck around: I appreciate your on-going support.

Long Live Queen Ding-Dong!

Late Night TV, You Win Again

People like me are the reason infomercials were invented. Okay, so this time it wasn't an infomercial, but HSN: Home Shopping Network.

It was 1:30 AM, and I was curled up the couch with a fleece blanket and my cat. I was so comfortable, and not at all sleepy, so I decided to find something on TV for another hour or so before going to bed. (Unemployment has made me revert back to my terrible sleeping habits.)

Of course at that hour there was nothing good on TV, but I scrolled through the channel guide, bound to find something to watch. That's when I saw, "Tori Spelling Collection" displayed on HSN. I had purchased a Tori Spelling necklace (the floating agate in blue for any of you that know the line) awhile back and really loved it. I thought back to when I had ordered that piece and remembered that she had some really great pieces; they were stylish, trendy, and chic. I hadn't purchased more for two reasons: one, the stock was limited and two, the items were a little pricey. (And on a side note: I am only slightly bitter that the necklace I bought a while ago is now half the price. Oh, well!)

Anyway, back to 1:30 AM, the couch, and HSN. Tori Spelling was actually on this viewing to show the jewelry, and for some reason, the fact that she, herself wears the jewelry appeals to me. Enough so, that I want to buy it. I watched the remaining half hour of the show and stayed tuned for the next hour to come. I told myself that I wasn't going to buy anything, but I still wanted to see the whole line. I made it to the end, loving so many of the pieces, and they were at a special event price, but I still held to my pledge that I wasn't going to order anything.

By the end of the second hour, I was quite groggy. Before I knew what was happening, I had popped on to HSN.com and was ordering a necklace. I decided it was so versatile I could wear it with everything, so it would be well worth the investment. I typed in my credit card number in my altered state and clicked order. Here is the result:



This picture doesn't really do the necklace justice. I really do love it and am hardly even experiencing any cognitive disonance. The only problem is that my shopaholic nature has kicked in and I want to order more! I find myself checking HSN.com a few times a day. You might think that sounds crazy. Okay, it is kind of crazy, but if you shop at HSN you might know why. You see, the stock is constantly updated, and at any given time, the inventory is different. You never know what you might find, and that triggers my shopaholic-ness, too. I'm getting out of control! I must regain composure!

But seriously, check it out! I love the line. Oh, but don't buy too much, the stock is very limited and I might want that.

I. Want. A. Job.

Sorry, I just don't feel like posting much. I've been working on my writing skills elsewhere: writing cover letters. I've been trying them every which way. From dry and professional to the exaggeratedly creative and everything in between, if you can think of a style, I've certainly tried it. But nothing has worked! Suggestions welcome.

Chris and I are doing fine money-wise. We can afford our lifestyle, but I would like to have an income of my own. My savings account just keeps depleting and dwindling and I would like to build a nest egg for our future. I don't want to head into our marriage without a dime to my name, or without a job, or really at this point an identity.

I still haven't really met anyone in the area, so I mostly hang around at home all day. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy not having to work everyday and I've been able to pick up a bunch of hobbies, but my life is still lacking structure. I don't have anything that I have to do everyday or even every week. Just recently, I started guitar lessons every Tuesday. I look forward to my lesson so much because it gives me reason to do something. Otherwise, I can be lazy at times.

I don't mind sitting around all day and watching TV, but I feel bad later on. Chris comes homes after working for ten hours. I slept for five of those hours and was unproductive for the other five. What a waste! But I don't really work on my hobbies such as sewing or writing because I just "never get around to it". I've been trying to set time out to work on it, but I don't hold myself to it. No matter what I try, I just can't figure out a good way. Suggestions welcome here as well.

But really, I want a job if for no other reason than this: I have a fabulous shoe collection and nowhere to wear it!

To Lose or Not to Lose?

Well this is certainly not a problem I ever thought I would have to deal with. I've just known that I will always be someone who has weight to lose; thus I should always being actively trying to lose weight. Here's the dilema:

Saturday, I found it! The dress. The one I could see myself getting married in. I had so been dreading wedding dress shopping. Being a size 16, if I have to try on a size bigger, I'm in the plus size department. And wedding dresses run on the small side. I had convinced myself I was going to have to custom order a hideous dress, not at all what I was looking for, because of my size. There just isn't a great selection of plus size wedding dresses. And I was looking to keep the budget down.

So, Saturday, I met with a bridal consultant. I ticked off my fingers all the things I was looking for in a dress, but assured her I was open to trying anything. I was just saying, I've been in this body for 24 years and I know what works and what doesn't. As for the list: preferably not strapless, I need something to support my DD's, and hopefully even thick straps because I have such broad shoulders, something simple, but not too plain, something for an outdoor setting, white, yes, but the shade isn't too important. She asks me my size and pulls me over to the rack holding the potential candidates. She then asks if a halter is okay, and I replied, that's great.

(Note: My dress is not pictured.)

She's pulls a dress off the rack. I consider it from all angles. I liked it. I wasn't sure about the long train, or if the bead work was just right, but it looked good overall. The consultant hung it in the dressing room while I browsed the racks. I pull about nine other dresses. Everything looked good, but I point I wasn't really loving any one more than the other. I was waiting to try them on before I made my decision. As I said, I was trying to stay open to anything.

I fly through dress after dress. No, that didn't work at all. My boobs would never fit in any size of that dress. That neckline to too straight. With the lace bottom, they would have to custom order that one. This one looks pink. This one makes me look fat(ter). I like this top, but not the bottom. I like this bottom, but not the top. This one is two sizes to small, I like it, but I don't know what it would look like if I ordered it, don't want to take any chances. Finally, one that zips. But it's a size 18 and is an absolute tent on me. I look like I should be housing the tables at the reception not walking down the aisle. Okay, clip it back, what would it look like smaller? It would be okay. There's beading at the bottom though, hemming the dress would be nightmare and an expensive one at that.

We get to the last dress on the rack. The ivory halter that we pulled first. I shimmy in and it zips! I can't believe it, it fits. And it had all the elements I was looking for. It looks like it was custom made for me. The waist cuts in, slimming my shape. The beading tapers off into a V and hits in exactly the right spots. There isn't any beading on the bottom, making hemming a cinch! The halter straps need to be shortened, but other than that, it fits just like a glove. I was shocked at such a good find. And it was on sale. And the floor model was clean and in good shape. I took it, receiving another 20% off.

After 1 hour and 20 minutes, I walked out of the shop with a dress in hand, and it fit the budget coming in at $500 with tax. The dilema in that you ask? As I said, it fits like a glove.

As you probably know, I've been trying to lose weight. I hoped that I could lose at least 20 pounds before the wedding. With about five months to go, that was a reasonable goal. The thing is, my weight loss has slowed (and I've gotten lazy truthfully). I decided, I didn't need the stress of trying to lose a bunch of weight before the wedding. It didn't want to starve myself to be sure I could fit in a smaller size dress.

But I think I could lose a little weight and still fit in the dress. (I mean to be healthy, I really do need to lose weight.) But I'm worried if I lose too much, there won't be time to get all the alterations done on the dress. They scolded me while I was there, you can't buy a dress and then lose a bunch of weight. Okay. Point taken. Maybe 10 pounds max? Does anybody have any idea how much would be too much? How many pounds is a size typically? Then I worry if I don't actively try to lose weight, I'm going to gain weight, and then I won't fit either. Why does everything wedding related have to be so stressful? Help!

Step into My Closet

Glancing over at the passenger side of they car, my eyes catch a view of three rouge pairs of shoes. They are probably castoffs from a long day of work, when my feet just couldn't take it anymore. Or maybe they were the spare pair I brought along when I wasn't sure which went better with my outfit. I decide that it's definitely time to clean out the car.

The backseat pf my little SUV is still folded into its downward position, the position in which I put it into over two moths ago, when I moved. I left the backseat down because I was still carting a few leftover items from my parents' house to the apartment and vice verse. Now that I'm more or less settled in the new place, it's time to get the car clutter under control.

After a little more digging, I discover a pair of flip-flops under my three pairs of displaced heels: one pair of faux natural colored snakeskin, two pairs dark pink, one t-strap, the other alligator textured. The seat houses a pile of Cd's that I put away immediately, since it's such an easy task. Under the Cd's I find my letter of recommendation. That's not a safe place for such a document, so I remind myself to file it in my desk for safe keeping.

The clean up is coming along nicely, so next I head to the backseat, determined to finally put the seats in their upright and locked position. I swing open the door and reach in. My first find is a canvas bag, contents: four more pairs of heels. These heels were from the last trip I made back to my parents' house. I know there and then, the clean up of the car couldn't go any farther until I got my shoe collection under control.

Behold the product of my latest labor. My closet door, accessorized with 31 pairs of heels. Unfortunately, I just couldn't fit anything more than heels on the rack due to the high volume I own. There are still over twenty pairs of shoes left looking for a spot. My next goal is to organize the remainder; that way it's easy to see exactly what I have, easy to grab them quickly, and easy to keep them from cluttering up my apartment, my car, and anywhere else they end up (which seems to be everywhere).

And yes, I do realize that I may have a problem. I purchased four pairs of shoes in the month of February alone: a pair of open-toe, studded, Steve Madden booties, 4.5 inches, a pair of pumps, black and red faux snakeskin, 4 inches, a pair of white gladiator pumps with gold buckles up and down, 4 inches and finally (not pictured) a pair of brown leather wedges, strappy all around, also about 4 inches. In my defense, in the process of organizing my shoes, I did donate four pairs, so I'm about even. I just can't resist a pretty pair of size 6.5's, even if I do wear my slip on sneakers most of the time.

So That's Why They Call it A Slimmer

I've been meaning to buy a pair of SPANX for awhile now. You know, the bodyshapers. I just wanted the kind that are like spandex biking shorts, not the whole shaping caboodle or anything. I recently bought a bodyshaper from T. J. Maxx, the long, shorts type. They were a cheaper alternative than a pair of SPANX, thus the reason for buying them. I figured they would do the trick.

While covering my cellulite and making my pants fit a little better is at the top of my wish list, that's ultimately not what I planned to achieve with these SPANX alternatives. I will admit to you the real reason I wanted a pair of long bodyshaping shorts: so my legs won't rub or stick together when I walk. While I do carry my excess weight fairly proportionately, I definitely have some thunder thighs. I can't walk long without chaffing and "rub burning" my inner thighs. And while I don't have anything against cowboys, I don't really enjoy walking like one.

Anyway, I tried these cheap SPANX alternatives and ended up walking "Rootin' Tootin' Cowboy Joe"-style after a few minutes because the darn things just rolled up. I mean, they practically became a second set of underwear and I had a roll line generously framing my butt and thighs. After that fiasco, I told myself to stop being frugal and go for the SPANX. I set my mind to buying a pair of SPANX, eventually.

Last night, I made a late night solo trip to Fred Meyer. Chris caught my horrible cold and I was re-stocking the medicine cabinet for him. Even though I moved in a couple months ago, I still hadn't finished organizing my closet; this was partially due to the fact that I ran out of hangers. This week Chris and I were working on cleaning the place up a little more and I decided I need to get my closet settled. So back at Fred Meyer, my handy dandy list told me I needed more hangers in addition to the cough syrup.

Once I walked through the automatic glass doors, I veered to the left, right to the clothing department. I tell you no lie, I really thought that is where I would find hangers. While I didn't find any empty hangers, I did pick up a shirt and sweater that conveniently came with their own respective hangers! I promptly added them to my basket (but left them in the car upon my arrival home as I didn't want to hear complaining that I was shopping for unnecessary clothes while Chris was suffering with the cold I gave him and he didn't even have any medicine, blah, blah, blah...).

After I did the full rounds and figured out that hangers are actually on the opposite side of Fred Meyer in the storage section, I started to move along. On my way into the next department I was distracted by an adorable black and white straw hat. Don't worry. I gently reminded myself that it has been snowing outside lately, I'm not going to the racetrack anytime soon, and I wouldn't want to pack it on vacation even if it is to Hawaii because it would just get smashed. (On second thought, Chris and I did talk about going to the racetrack. Maybe I should go back and buy it, even if I would be the only one wearing a giant hat. And I would look ridiculous, considering people don't typically wear straw hats to the racetrack for everyday races. Okay, you win, I won't buy it. Until I can think of a better excuse.)

Back at the store, after I talked myself out of the lovely little hat, I continued to move along and was soon confronted in the aisle by ASSETS. The packaging reminded me that I had indeed been meaning to buy a pair of SPANX. I figured that considering I never remember to do just that, and that I didn't know when the next opportunity may present itself, I should just buy these. They were a lower price alternative, but not too low in price that I didn't expect them to deliver results.

I analyzed my options and decided that I might as well go with the high-waisted shorts option rather than the medium rise. After all, my tummy needs smoothing and I wouldn't have to worry about them rolling down. So I picked up the green package and consulted with the back on which size to choose. Height: 5' even, though I always try to cop to a couple more inches. I figured I should be honest to get the best fit for my little splurge. Okay, next. Weight: that's a little rude don't you think? I've only just met you, little green cardboard box of judgment. Alright: just under 200 pounds. I guess that makes me a size: off the chart! What are you telling me? These are not going to fit you, unless you lose 10 pounds or grow an inch? How can you be so fat; is that even possible? Skip the next few meals? You are a horribly deformed freak? Reluctantly, I opted for the size that is the biggest a 5' person should be, or at least according to ASSETS anyway.

Once I pulled the shaper out of the bag, I realized I should be fine. They were like nylons or tights, so I could just stretch them out. Make it work, as Tim Gunn would say. I went into the bathroom and put one foot in. My right leg was immediately encased like a little sausage. Make it work. Pull. Stretch. Breathe. Pull. More. More. Breathe. Shimmy. Shimmy. Jump. Phew. I did it! I officially got my new little buddies on. So far I don't have any complaints, but I'm glad I didn't get the bigger size. These come all the way up to my boobs. I didn't need the same size as somebody even a centimeter taller. And one other complaint, that I will have to add about 20 minutes to my routine in the morning if I'm planning on wearing a skirt to get these suckers on. But as long as the unattractive and painful rub rash on my inner thighs is gone, it's much worth it. And besides, with all the sweating I did just putting these ASSETS on, I'm definitely going to lose weight. So that's why they call it a slimmer.

If You're Wondering Where I've Been

Forgive me for being away so long. I'm finally feeling better; I was so sick with a flu and it lasted for almost two weeks. My head was in a fog, and I really couldn't even think straight. Besides being sick, I also was getting my butt into gear working more on my goals; however blogging got pushed to the side.

I had to buckle down and start nailing down wedding plans. While I still have no dress, which I keep hearing I'm late on getting, most everything else is at satisfactory progress. The dress is the next step. And being at my current size, my least favorite part.

I also had to put my nose to the grindstone. It's not that I have to get a job right now. With Chris' income and my savings, financially we are set. It's not even that I'm bored. Truthfully, I'm fine at home picking up hobbies and watching TV. The thing is, there is a voice in my head that keeps telling me to at least try to get into the workforce again. We all know it's not an easy task at this time, but I'm thinking about my resume. I don't want to have a large gap while looking for a job. I don't want a perspective employer think that I'm lazy or that I don't want to work, and that I don't have experience. Ultimately, I really do have a strongly work ethic and want to work. I will always strive to be the best at what I do, even menial tasks. Like I say, it's not that I'm bored, but I want to have a sense of accomplishment, and taking care of a three bedroom apartment and two cats doesn't exactly cut it for me. I want something more out of life. I want to be a success.

Some of this may come from the fact that I just celebrated my 24th birthday. While I don't feel old by any means, I feel like I don't have much to show for myself. There is a second factor that made me realize this. Chris and I made a quick shopping trip at Nordstrom Rack. I barely even wanted to shop because I didn't want to spend money, but I hated that I didn't want to shop because I LOVE shopping. (I'll save what I bought because I'm going to try and follow through with my post idea for "Confessions of a Shopaholic" which I promise to get to soon.)So, I want to earn money, my own money. While Chris is willing to give me money, I don't want to take it for shoes and clothes, or my own hobbies. I feel like I have to answer to him and it takes away my independence. He's nonchalant about it, but I'm insistent that I want to take care of myself in some way.

So that's where I've been. Working away on writing cover letters and adjusting my resume. Applying, applying, and applying, trying to find somewhere that while hire me, and let's face it, something I won't hate at the same time. I'll post again soon. Thanks for sticking with me.

Times Flies When....

Time just seems to be getting away from me. Late Tuesday night I made it back from the wonderful trip to Disneyland. We had tons of fun and took it kind of easy for once, so that was great. The weather was amazing and I definitely soaked up some much needed rays. I even celebrated my birthday while in the park even though it isn't until the 23rd, but considering I will probably just hang out at home on the actually day, I think it's okay. I missed celebrating Valentine's Day with my honey, but we celebrated early. My mom, sister, and I made a girls' day out of Valentine's Day, even having a fancy lunch with some princesses. (Corny I know, but fun none-the-less.) The one complaint I have is that the lines were much longer than I had expected them to be in February, even if it was a holiday weekend. We missed out on a couple things with the limited time, but still experienced the magic!

(One more tiny complaint: Weekends there is a firework show at night, and the park pretty much shuts down an hour before it starts, during, and even about thirty minutes after the display. I don't mind just sitting and watching, but because the whole park is basically forced to stand and watch (no sitting, except if you can find a bench that someone hasn't parked their butt on for hours in anticipation) there is nowhere to go. I was forced into the only open spot of pavement until the show began. Unfortunately, the reason it was open was due to the fact that there was a nice, large pile of vomit next to it. But I waited it out until the crew came and cleaned it up, and miraculously it was disinfected and smelling acceptable just as the show began.) Thought you might enjoy that little story, because for any of you that know me, you know, these are the things that can only happen to me.

Anyway, I wanted to be sure to post today because I'm off again! That's right, I've basically spent only one weekend at the apartment since moving in. I have a million plans, but none of them involve being here. Guess that's what happens when your only friends in the city you live in are your fiance and your two cats. (Still love it here though!) I'm heading back to my parents house tomorrow, to catch the Bon Jovi concert with my mom, sister, and family friend. This won't be my first Bon Jovi concert, but it will be the first one not in the absolutely last row in the place. I'm also hoping it will be the first one that doesn't involve the sweaty lady from the seat next to me grinding on my in her leather pants. Cross your fingers for me! (I'm telling you, these things can only happen to me.) I don't yet know if I'm staying until Saturday or Sunday, but I do know that I have a lot of junk stored up in my old room, so I promise myself that I will take some time to de-clutter more.

Speaking of de-cluttering, that goal is actually going along well. Chris and I recently spent some time in the garage and I organized and purged another nice chunk of things. I'm happy with the progress, but I know there is still a lot more work to be done! Keep on chuckin'! (Get it? It's late, forgive my stupid humor.)

Finding a job has not been going well. I can't find anything that sounds appealing, but that hasn't stopped me from applying. I haven't received a single call back. Guess I'll have to try a different approach with my cover letters. I know I should really get out there and start networking more, but I just haven't pushed myself to do it yet. Must just be fear or rejection holding me back. And if I'm really being 100% honest here, I have been a little lazy. I've been hoping for some fantastic opportunity that just comes up. That's what I've always lucked into before. I've been secretly hoping it would happen serendipitously just one more time. I think it's time to just get out and there and network.

Wedding planning is going well. We have our menu finalized and it sounds delicious. Our caterer has been so amazing to work with and I think everyone will be really happy with the choices. We've got three fancy passed hor dourves in addition to the salmon and chicken, added to some pasta salad, regular salad, an array of fresh fruit. This blurb does it no justice. My old college roommate, a graphic designer, is designing the invitations. I need to get in touch with her again, to show her some samples of what I like. (If anyone has any good suggestions for invitations, please feel free to comment.) We have a great photographer and I hear she can work wonders with Photoshop. I'm hoping she can put my head on someone else's body or at least slim me down the 70 pounds I'm hoping to shed! Only joking. I've only lost about 5 pounds total since I moved into the new place, but at least it's a start. The wedding is now 6 months away, so I better get into gear.

Although, I am proud to announce that I am under 200 pounds. Unfortunately, I'm not that proud to announce that because I have just admitted that I was over 200 pounds, but what they heck, most of us are on a weight-loss journey and completely understand. I'm going to convince myself that you're not judging; you understand that the extra weight doesn't come from sitting on the couch, eating bon-bons, and not doing much else. You know, it's there despite the limited calorie intake, the lack of carbs, the extra walks up the stairs, the hours on the elliptical, the weight-loss shakes and the starving, the pilates and the endless treadmill. You name, I've tried it all, as I'm telling myself you have, too. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we gain, but it's a never-ending struggle. While I keep saying I'd like to lose 70 pounds, the reality is, I haven't weighed that little since elementary school (I developed early). So while losing 70 pounds would put me at my dream weight, I'm thinking more realistically. By the wedding, I would love to lose 30 more pounds. It's a big goal, but attainable in six months. That's only a total of 5 pounds lost a month. I know it's easy said than done, but I really am working on "life style changes". (Yes, that's a residual quote from my Weight Watcher's days.) I'm working on being confident and happy at any weight, but I need to be healthy, too. I just don't have much energy, and that's what I really want to get back.

Enough about all that, let's get to the good stuff. Shopping! As I said, my shopping has been on somewhat of a lockdown due to my lack of job and rapidly depleting savings account. I have an idea for a weekly post: Confessions of a Shopaholic. At the end of every week (or possibly two at this point in time) I will summarize what I bought a la Becky Bloomwood in the book, Confessions of a Shopaholic. (One of my favorites.) It's entertaining, but also a good way to keep track of what I'm actually spending, because sometimes, you don't even realize what you've spent with all the little things here and there. Let me know what you guys think, if that's something worth reading to you! I will tell you that just today, I "accidentally" purchased three pairs of shoes from GoJane.com. You see, you had to spend $50 to get the free shipping and the shoes are all so cheap that it took three pairs to get to $50. Do you think Chris will believe that the Shoe Fairy came for my birthday?

California, Here We Come

I may not have won the Superbowl, but I'm going to Disneyland anyway. That's right. I'm heading of with my mom and sister for five days to the "Happiest Place on Earth." It's a tradition that our family started when I was only six years old, to go to Disneyland at least once a year. (I say at least, because we have been known to go twice a year on occasion.)

When I was six my beautiful grandmother, Irene, passed away. My grandpa decided the family needed both some cheering up and some bonding time. As soon as summer hit and all the grandkids were out of school, we loaded up my grandpa's old Ford and my parents' new blue van with family. We grandpa led the pack followed by my mom, my sister, and myself. And my mom's only sister brought her three kids, too. In order to take less time off work (and avoid being trapped in a caravan with five noisy kids, their wives, and their father-in-law) my dad and my uncle opted to fly down to California after we have safely arrived.

Plane tickets for everyone would have cost a pretty penny, and those pennies were all coming out of my grandpa's pockets, so we were forced to do things his way. Now, I'm not complaining, because I still have some fond memories of the drive to California with my family. I remember my cousin, Joe, the only boy (besides my grandpa) singing his six year old little heart out, belting out many made up words. I remember having to pull over in the van every ten minutes when my oldest cousin, Dee, was terribly sick to her stomach. She toughed it out with the paper towels and stepped into the shrubbery on the side of the road. You see, we couldn't stop so she could use the restroom, because we were on a strict schedule that my grandpa implemented with much authority. When we had to stop to eat, we stop at Denny's and only Denny's. I think I have been to every Denny's from Washington to California. (No wonder my poor cousin was sick!)

It's been years since my grandpa has left us, but we still continue the tradition. We haven't gone with my aunt and her kids in many years, but they still go occasionally. To this date, I don't believe my uncle and dad ever made it back. They complained about long lines and cranky kids. (They were the cranky ones if you ask me.) It's clear that none of them developed the attachment to Disneyland that my mom, sister, and I have. My mom would live in Disneyland if she could; she could never tire of it. Each time we go, she reverts back to the child still inside her; Disney played such a huge part in her childhood. I think my mom's joy is part of the reason visiting the park is so magical for my sister and myself. We might be old and grown now, but this tradition is one to keep, because the feeling never changes. We like to think that Grandma and Grandpa join us there, too.

You Like Me, You Really Like Me

Or at least one person does! I'm proud to announce that Coryanne Ettiene the writer of one of my favorite blogs, Housewife Bliss, has honored with with my first award. I am now the proud holder of a Sunshine Award.


I would like to thank Coryanne for including me in her twelve blogs and also take the time to pass this on to those that inspire me with every post and witty comment. Thank you all the the support and the comments, and most importantly, the entertainment you supply me with! You all bring me my required daily dose of sunshine.

1. Two Years and Counting
2. What Goes Up Must Come Down
3. Straitjackets are Slimming
4. World According 2 Lisa: A Blogoddess's Tale
5. Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time
6. Diary of a (not so) single mum
7. The Blonde Duck
8. BLOGitse
9. Miles of Style
10. Sew Cute
11. BonBon Rose Girls
12. The Secret is in the Sauce Though I'm not sure if I can actually present this site with the Sunshine Award, I feel it necessary to include it. If it wasn't for SITS, I would not have found a majority of these sites, so I am forever indebted to them.

To accept this little slice of sunshine, here are the rules for accepting:
• Put the Logo on your sidebar, or within a post.
•Pass the award onto 12 Bloggers.
•Link the nominees within your post.
•Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
•Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

Am I Dying to Be Beautiful?

Today has been a day of learning for me. After my shower today, I was so excited to re-discover a lotion from Victoria's Secret that somehow surfaced during the move. I've had it for awhile, but it seemed to still be okay. (I have since checked the shelf life of lotion. It is two to three years, so I'm definitely in the clear.) Anyway, the lotion is the from "beauty rush" line and is the body whip moisture cream, the type that imitates whipped cream. Yes, you tip it upside down and squirt it out just like you were topping a sundae. I love these type of fun beauty products. As a holder of a marketing degree, when I buy a product like this, I feel like I'm rewarding the marketing team and saying, "Job well done. Keep the ideas coming." Because, let's be honest, it's probably not even that great of a lotion, and it's usually overpriced, but I'm paying for the novelty of it. I appreciate the innovation that went into it. I hope to be a part of that someday.

But I'm still not getting to my point. Just a minute, I'm almost there.

When Chris got home from work, I had my lotion on the coffee table. "Don't you like my lotion?" I asked him. "It smells so good and is so much fun!" Chris looked back and me like I was a little crazy, but smiled and said of course he liked it. He picked up the lotion to read the ingredients. As an Environmental Geologist, (whatever that is..j/k) he is really into being green and is always telling me how I'm ruining the planet. (I'm doing much better, Mother Nature. I'm trying. I'm sorry.) Chris hesitates for a moment, so I know what's coming...at least I thought I did. Chris tell me it contains propane and benzyl benzoate. "Yes, that's right, honey," he tells me. You are putting lighter fluid on your legs. I immediately jumped on the defensive and said I didn't care, I like my lotion, and I'm going to use it. But in my head I was imagining myself taking the bottle of lighter fluid from next to the barbeque and lotioning up. How insane is that? So, I'm not so sure I was use this lotion anymore. (I still think it's fun.)

So after that little lesson, I turned to check in on my blogs that I'm following. First, I checked in with Makeup Junkie. (I love makeup. It's one of my shopping addictions, but I've still been pretty successful at repressing my urge to shop lately...must find job soon.) Anyway, Makeup Junkie posted a blog about an article called, The Price of Beauty. The article was interesting, but what really interested me was about Vaseline. Now, I use Vaseline for everything, but I definitely put it on my lips all the time. After reading the article, I found out that when I put Vaseline on my lips, it's like drinking gasoline, I decided before I combust into a fireball adding gasoline to my lighter fluid soaked legs, I should re-think things. I'm not sure the validity of the claim that Vaseline on your lips, including in lip balms, is so bad, that it may even lead to breast cancer, but I'm also not sure that I want to take any chances. Beeswax is supposed to be a good alternative, so I'll stick to my Blistex Fruit Smoothies and the like.

Good for Me

It's a good thing I factored in Monday as a recovery day when I was setting my goal timelines. I was totally sick; yuck! I'm feeling fine today, so I guess it's back to work.

Let me just quickly mention: Kathy Griffin is my hero. Her show was absolutely amazing; upon leaving the venue, my stomach was sore from laughing so hard for so long. I wish I could be funny like that; her show was just so witty and clever. And I probably appreciated it more than most as I have never missed an episode of the reality shows that she has based a chuck of her material around: The Real Housewives, Jon and Kate Plus 8, Hoarders, and of course her own, My Life on the D List. It was just too good for words.

Sunday morning, my dad brought me a variety of McDonald's breakfasts. No, I wasn't supposed to choose which type I wanted; I was supposed to eat them all. That's great for my weight loss goal. He gets offended if I don't eat everything and he sits and watches me eat, so I can't even pretend! I stuffed way too much food down, but managed to leave a few breakfast sandwiches in the bag. Did I mention that upon my arrival on Friday, my sister greeted me with my favorite Dairy Queen treat? Yes, the yummy layer of fudge and peanuts topped with ice cream, topped with more fudge and peanuts, layered with more ice cream, finished with another scoop of fudge and peanuts dessert. I could not resist and ate the entire thing! Do you see now why I said my family sabotages my goals?

Sunday I made it home minutes before Chris' parents arrived. He had finished cleaning everything, so the place looked great. I on the other hand was a mess, un-showered with a ponytail, sweatshirt, and jeans. I was just going to have to stay that way though, because there was no time. I really like Chris' family, and it was a nice visit. His parents checked out the new apartment (which they loved) and just chatted for awhile before treating us to a great lunch. They even brought us a housewarming present: a rice cooker (which I will have to learn how to use).

You should be proud to know that Chris and I, did in fact, send out our save-the-dates last night. We just used TheKnot to create a spreadsheet of our guests, uploaded it, and used the email save-the-date option. The email is really cute and the design matches the website we created. It was so easy I should have done it a long time ago. We already have people responding, it's great. I highly recommend it. (Don't worry, paper invitations will still follow.)

I have a lead on the job-front, which I plan to check out later today. I followed one lead this weekend, but it ultimately ended up that I would need to get my real estate license, and by the time all was said and done, it would be cheaper for me to not work.

Remember the skin care goal? Yeah, that one kind of feel off already. In my defense though, my skin was actually acting up with all the attention I was paying to it. I was breaking out and the routine, even with all the moisturizer, was drying out my skin so much, that a wrinkle actually starting appearing on my forehead. Now that I stopped, by skin is looking better and the wrinkle has pretty much disappeared. So don't follow that routine...even if it was in a magazine.

This weekend, I found SITS (The Secret is the Sauce) which is a support site for bloggers. It's great and I've already found new blogs to follow and even got a few new followers myself. It inspired me to do more with my blog, so I'm working on that now, too. Thanks to everyone who took the time to visit my page. Hopefully, once I find my voice a little more, I can be a little more entertaining!

My Life Not Even on the D-List

Today, I slept in late and went out to a nice lunch where I ordered a lemonade with a little kick in it, to kick off the weekend.

I made a quick trip to the fabric store where I bought an industrial strength needle and thread to repair a hole in the couch. Chris bought the couches from Craigslist before we moved in together and I was never much of a fan. The couches are nice enough (originally from Macy's Furniture Gallery) but they don't seem to hold up well. They are huge and overstuffed and no matter how I sit on them, my feet never seem to be able to touch the ground. Lounging on them isn't much more comfortable because the cushions start to smother you all on their own. And they've always smelled a little like dog; we don't even have a dog.

The rest of the day we clean the apartment like tornadoes in preparation for his parents' Sunday arrival. Things are really starting to look good and we got a much amount of stuff put away. I started running out of steam though, so I hope nobody looks in my closet. It actually looks like a tornado hit in there!

The reason we cleaned so much today is because I won't be around for a few days, so if I don't blog, it's not just because I'm being lazy. My mom, sister, and I are going to see the loveable Kathy Griffin in Seattle on Saturday. I'm heading up to my parents' house tonight so we can all go together tomorrow. Then I have to hightail it early in the morning on Sunday, to get back to our place before Chris' parents do.

I am giving myself Monday as a recovery day, so hopefully by Tuesday, I'll move forward with my goals, and hopefully while I am gone, I don't fall off the bandwagon!

I'm Finally on Track, But How Long Will It Last?

With January quickly coming to an end, I fear that once it’s gone, my motivation will be too. I use the term motivation in the loosest sense as we all know I don’t have much. Lately, I’ve been using what little I have and powering through though. I’m actually following through with some of the goals I set. (I choose not to call these New Year’s resolutions because I am strongly against making New Year’s resolutions. Those are just made to be broken.)

I’ve actually started being more pro-active in my wedding planning. This week I even went to TheKnot.com and created a wedding website for Chris and I. By next week, I hope to even have the “save the date” emails out. (However, next week will be February, so there’s not telling if that’s going to happen.) I’ve talked recently to my bridesmaid about a dress that we both love and as she is conveniently making my invitations as well, about those too. Things are well underway.

As far as job hunting goes, I’m still slacking on that front. I just feel like I need to get a few more things under control before I can start working. At least, I was feeling that way. I going to set a date for myself: next Tuesday I must begin the process of starting to find a job. My former boss gave me a letter of recommendation, something I was always too afraid to ask for in the past, so my application materials are that much more complete. While my savings are dwindling, I’ve been curbing my shopping habit (which is incredibly hard for me). I feel guilty shopping when I have no idea when my next source of income will come in and I refuse to beg Chris for an allowance. There is no reason for that. (I understand there are many situations when one person in the relationship must support the other, but I’m just being lazy in my job search. If I truly cannot find a job soon, then I may reconsider this scenario.)

My goal to get out from under the clutter is going better than I ever expected. I’ve been very diligent in donating and throwing away things that I don’t truly need. I realize I keep mentioning how much of a shopaholic I am, but haven’t shown you much in that respect if you don’t already know me personally. That’s mostly because I’ve been trying to not even think about shopping since I don’t have the means to do it at this time. Here is one example though. I am a shoe and purse fanatic! Now, I haven’t gotten around to going through my shoes yet, but I decided last night, to sort through my purses. Besides the handful of purses that I have scattered about, I brought 3 bins full of a variety of purses: bags large enough to be used as computer totes, small clutches and tiny wristlets, from more luxurious brands like Michael Kors, Betsey Johnson, and Coach, to the one with more everyday prices points like Nine West, Nicole Miller, Rampage, and Guess, even a few Wal-Mart and Payless purchases. I don’t discriminate. While I do get a thrill buying designer brands, I truly go for the aesthetic appeal; if it’s cute, classy, stylish, or anything in between, I HAVE TO HAVE IT. Anyway, I digress. I was wanted to pat myself on the back for donating an entire box of purses. And I don’t mean some small box; I mean a full on medium moving box from Home Depot. I usually have such a hard time getting rid of purses, thinking that I can use them again sometime, but the truth is I never use them again. I’ve already moved on and bought ten more purses, some I will use and some I never will. The purses are just the beginning; I’m totally getting my junk situation under control.

I’m still not quite ready to talk about my weight loss goals. Weight is something I’ve struggled with my whole life, and I’m embarrassed to even talk about it. I always feel judged on it, but when I delve too deep into trying to lose weight, I become obsessed and it consumes me. I’m working on finding a happy medium before I start going public with my weight blogs. (I continue to work on them privately.)

Finally, I have one more goal that I haven’t mentioned on my blog. The reason being: it is so new. I was readying over the February “People: Style Watch” one of my favorite magazines. It has an article about 5 ways to getting great skin. Since I’m all gung-ho about goals right now, and my wedding in coming up in August, I figured I might as well work on getting great skin. My skin is fine, if not a little dry, nothing great. I don’t breakout much, but when I do I always get one or two giant blemishes that no matter what you do, you can’t cover and you can’t resist picking (eww, I know, but it’s the truth). Anyway, I’m working on taking better care of my skin. I’m starting with a new night regime for now: I start with some basic cream face wash, then put on a newly purchased serum that is supposed to even out skin tone, and follow that with another newly purchases ultra-moisturizing cream, top it off with cream made specifically for the eye area and you’re set. So far, I haven’t seen a change, but it’s only been about two days so stay tuned if you’re interested to find out.

Living in Limbo: A Writing Exercise

I grew up just outside of Seattle, but I’m currently residing in another town: Limbo. The Census is unable to track the population number here being that people always seem to pop in and out, in and out. Many of my fellow residents are recent college graduates, just like me. Sometimes I think that Limbonians forget they can leave. After all, it can feel comfortable and relaxing (especially in the beginning). And after only a short period of time, it begins to feel like home. You get into a pattern or a habit and then it feels like, well, life. But the truth is, a lot of time we Limbonians are not living as much as existing. When you are simply in the state of existing, life can feel boring and tedious, but you don’t remember how life was before this. You have a hard time imagining life after Limbo, too. Let’s face it; change is a four letter word, not just for Limbonians, but also for those residing elsewhere.

There are roads all over this place that lead to the rest of the world, but what happens when you find them? Everyone’s intentions are good, but intentions can lack motivation. There is usually a misstep or fallout between thinking and doing here in Limbo. Some people can get out of Limbo forever. Some people never leave. Most of us will be temporary residents at some point in the course of our lives.

Lucky for me, there are a lot of stores in Limbo to keep me busy!

Where Did All This Stuff Come From?

For the last three days all Chris and I did was unpack. I realize we have been unpacking for almost two weeks now, but I attribute this to the fact that I am, indeed, a shopaholic. As I previously mentioned, before I started blogging publicly, I was privately blogging as a therapeutic release. Part of that self-therapy was trying to get myself out from under the clutter I was living in at my parents’ house. As I have also mentioned before, I am convinced I have an acute case of hoarding. Recently I learned that hoarding is a type of OCD and associated with it, many times, is compulsive shopping. Also, it can be genetic. Note: I have not been evaluated by a professional and so this is all self-diagnosis. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’m hurting anything by acknowledging that I may have a problem. (Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.)

So, as I was saying, my goal at my parents’ house was: Get Out from Under That Clutter. One quick fix was to move into a bigger space. Another was to leave a large amount of items at my parents’ house, where I know it won’t be tossed. But that is really not fixing the problem, it’s masking it. Eventually it will catch up with me again and I don’t think I can afford to move into a bigger place. My parents won’t want my stuff around forever either.

Moving into this nice, new place has made me realize how great it feels when things are clean and organized. I don’t want to clutter it up and feel like I’m being suffocated by my possessions like I did at my parents’ house. Because it’s still January, I feel like I can get away with adding another New Year’s resolution. I will downsize the amount of unnecessary junk I hold onto and make sure not to get buried under clutter. Here are a few steps I have been using while working on it thus far:

• Ask myself, “Why are you keeping that?” and being honest with myself about the real reason
• Commit to cleaning up and clearing out, not getting lazy about it
• When in doubt, throw it out
• Keep the memory, maybe a picture, but toss the item
• I must throw away or donate at least one item a day
• If I’m feeling ambitious, I can throw away or donate a little more but that doesn’t count towards the future
• Reward myself, within reason, by keeping one thing out of the bunch, getting a new treat to replace something, or just taking a long break and watching a girly movie, or blogging
• Don’t let other people clutter my life, for example, don’t worry about getting rid of something because it was a gift

So that’s it for right now. I’m working on getting my life and house a little more uncluttered. And I have to say, I’ve been doing pretty well for me. I’m parting with things that before I would never have. I’m shopping much less (but that’s another blog in the making). Chris’ parents are coming on Sunday. We still have a lot to unpack before they come, but I think it’s good. I work better with a deadline. I’ll let you know how the visit with the future in-laws goes. I’m not too worried, but then again, that’s when bad things happen.

Eventually, I Will Get with the Program

Okay, I know I said I was going to start writing more now that I have my computer hooked up. I probably can't get away with the excuse that our Internet has been acting up, because of course, I could have at least written and posted later. And that excuse probably flies with you even less because I was in fact at my parents' house for three nights, where the Internet was working just fine. But I'm willing to bet, you will allow the excuse that my family led to my unproductive behavior. Who wouldn't agree that family has the ability to take you completely off track? Whatever your goal: cleaning, organizing, writing, weight loss, job hunting, wedding planning, family always wants to help, but usually only makes it worse. If you don't agree, then you are one lucky duck! (Even as I type this my cat has begun to walk over my keyboard, making this post mighty tricky.)

I will get with the program soon. Really not much exciting has happened anyway. Here is a quick overview: Chris and I have cleaned the place up minimally, but it's starting to come together nicely. The good news is that I have found my camera and even the cable, so as soon as I unpack the rest of my car, I can finally post a few pictures.

On Saturday, Chris and I met with the caterer at the wedding location. It was a very quick consultation. We just went over the basics: how many people will come? buffet or not? food allergies or preferences? It will be about 85 people, buffet style, and we have no really prefernces on food except that Chris' step-sister is a vegetarian; oh, and I absolutely HATE mushrooms. We figured out the logistics and I think it's going to be beautiful. We'll have a sample menu in a couple weeks and the caterer works with the rental company for tables, tents, and chairs, the works! Stay tuned for more to come!

As I said, I went to my parents' house Sunday night. (Don't get ahead of yourself there! There was no blowout fight or exciting news that sent me rushing home to mother. I just left a lot of junk at home because of my horrendous packing skills.) Before making the drive back home, I made a list of all the things I wanted to be sure to bring back to the apartment. You'll be surprised to hear that not only did I find everything on the list, but I successfully packed it into my car and got it here!

I'm not quite ready to post about my weight loss yet. I haven't gotten with that program yet either, but I will say that my goal is to lose 65 pounds; and I do have the much to lose. More to come on that as well.

As for job hunting...that hasn't even made it's way onto page one of my "To Do" list yet. I'm getting there. Eventually...

I Like to Move It, Move It

Not so much. Moving is not so fun. There are a lot of reasons why moving isn’t fun, but here is how it went down…

I moved from my parents’ house, the house that I lived in since I was born. My mom is a borderline hoarder. (Don’t ever let her know that I admitted that to the world, but it’s true.) That means that pretty much everything I have ever owned is still in that house, and if I try to get rid of it, she usually interrupts me and says, “Aw, you’re going to get rid of that?” Thus, I have pretty much everything since I was born in that house, not to mention all the furniture and other things I accumulated in the four years I was away at school. All that added up to the process of packing becoming too overwhelming, so I gave up and left a bunch of stuff there. I’m heading back Monday to start to make heads and tails of it all.

As if packing wasn’t bad enough, there is the actual process of loading everything into the truck. My dad, bless his heart, wanted to help, but due to back injuries, can hardly even walk. He stood in the way, moved one thing at a time, and most of all, aggravated me. He also spent the whole time commenting on how half of the moving truck was full of my shoes. Yes, Dad. Anyone who knows me knows I have a large collection of shoes. It is not my fault, as I said, I’m a shopaholic. (Oh no, I just used the word “collection” to describe my belongings. I’m afraid my own hoarding tendencies are starting to show through. It’s genetic you know!)

Anyway, my fiancé and I loaded up the truck and my SUV and drove the two hours to get to the new place. It was getting late and we still needed to return the truck, so we decided to do a quick unload and leave everything in the garage for the time being. That was Saturday, January 9th. It’s Wednesday, January 13th and most of it is still there.

I did bring up a few boxes from the garage. I started with kitchen gear, and after putting hours of working into it, the kitchen is really starting to come along. The bedroom is pretty complete; it just needs a little artwork or something. The walk-in closet is almost empty as my clothes are almost all still in the garage. (Chris, that’s my fiancé, gave me the entire walk-in because it’s not all that big and, being a shopaholic, I have a lot of clothes.) The second bedroom is almost entirely empty and the office has become a catch all for junk. The dining room/built-in desk area have turned out great. (That’s where I’m working right now. The living room is a disaster, but while look a lot better after we get all the boxes and garbage out. (I plan to post pictures soon, after I find where I packed my camera!)

Finally, I'm happy to report that everything has been great living with Chris (and the two kitties) so far. He's being patient with my slow moving in style and I'm pitching in by making dinner for him so it's ready when he gets home from work. I love the new place; the set-up is great and so are all the amenities. We have even taken advantage of the communal hot tub and workout room. Moving may suck, but it was all worth it!

FYI…I plan to start posting more often, now that I have my computer up and going. I expect the next post will be about my weight loss goals, as that’s the next step. Since I’m still in the process of moving, expect updates on that as well. And as for the exciting part, we are meeting with the caterer on Saturday, so wedding planning is in full swing. Job hunting is on hold at the moment…I’ve got too much going on right now!

Introduction

Writing has always been somewhat therapeutic for me. Many times I have tried to get into the habit of writing more, but I just never did. In October, a co-worker/friend of mine and I got to talking about the books we had recently read (another hobby I have always tried to find more time for with little success). My co-worker and I found we had a lot in common when it came to reading, and she shared with me that she had just finished writing a book. As she became more involved with the process of getting it published, she decided to start up a blog. (Check it out here; her writing style is fantastic!) I began following her blog and was so inspired that I decided to create my own. I’m quite the perfectionist though, and am pretty self-conscience of my writing. I starting blogging, but made it visible only to myself. I’ve decided to go ahead and create a blog that anyone can read, even though I’m sure not many people will!

As you’ll find in the “About Me” section, I’ve recently left my job to move to a new city. I’m moving in with my fiancé for the first time, planning our wedding set for August, job hunting, and many other average, everyday things. Through my blog I can keep all my friends and family up-to-date without having to tell everyone the same thing over and over again. The topics I plan to include are: job hunting, wedding planning, the trials and tribulations of moving, setting up a new place, living with my soon to be husband, the fact that I’m a real shopaholic (hence the blog title) and even my weight loss plan; life in general. So follow me and I hope to bring you some entertainment and if nothing else, a weekly slice of my life.