Growing Up and other things...

I've had a very productive couple of days. Last weekend was spent in Oklahoma City where I got to see ACE and other friends from college. One of my friends, we'll call her Sevans, started working at this company in OKC called Chesapeake. It's the largest independent energy supplier or something crazy like that. Anyway, they have the most amazing employee benefits package I have ever heard. First of all, they have their own workout facility that offers five different lunchtime classes like Latin Salsa Dancing, circuit training, pilates, etc. Their employees are given free stock. Sevans' is valued at $9000 right now and grows everyday. They have wonderful incentives, including bonuses for good health reports and fitness challenges. That's the way a company should be run, so if I ever have the means and resources to create an incentives package, I will do so accordingly.

Today my tooth broke. It didn't hurt, though. It was actually a popped filling, but it was enough to scare me for two reasons. 1) Are my teeth really that brittle?, and 2) I don't have health insurance right now (!!!). We'll find out more about that later, but under the gun, I checked into health insurances and found out a bunch of things. First, I was looking into a Healthcare Savings Account, which you deposit money into and it takes your premium and other medical expenses out of it. All of this is TAX DEDUCTIBLE! After talking to my dad, we're checking into COBRA, which means that I'm allowed an individual account under his company's healthcare. We'll see how they pan out, but at least I know my options!

While I deposited my check (HOORAY PAYDAY!) I also set up a meeting with a financial rep at Bank of Oklahoma to set up my ROTH and savings CDs. Keep in mind that for insurance and savings and Roth and IRA, I have no idea. I took the required Business, Economics and Society class in college, but I was too busy talking or sleeping or something. This is a completely different language for me. It makes me appreciate having parents and a boyfriend who know what they are doing and can help me. As much as I try conducting my own research, this stuff is too important to mess up just because of my pride!

Work has been going well. We've been getting a lot of media hits for our authors. My supervisor has been giving me rave reviews. I'm glad that I can help. As far as my desire to freelance edit and write, I have been given new motivation. When I first started job hunting, I mentioned a contact who owns a good Christian publishing company here. He didn't have any jobs, but referred me to a woman who runs this editing business and a ministry. She agreed to have lunch with me soon, so I am excited about that.

Looks like I am finally becoming important and busy, but I am still just little old me. I have to admit...I can't wait until JT gets back from his business trip! Two more days, hopefully!

We'll See.

Well, those loser drug reps didn't give me the job. I didn't get called in for a third interview, but at least I made it to the second screening, right? I don't know what to do anymore. Vanguard was my last lead, but I think I messed up my chances with that one. My life is one big We'll See right now.

I sent off three e-mails this morning to the University of Tulsa Law School, the Tulsa World, and my pastor to see if he could keep his eye open for me. Yes, I look desperate. Yes, I am. No, I am not afraid to admit it. Honesty is the best policy. Things are becoming more and more strained at home.

I'm going to see my class graduate from college on Saturday. I'm so proud of them! I can't help but wonder how much different my life would have been if I'd have graduated on time with them. Would I have decided to go to grad school after all? Would I have taken a job in OKC? Would I have totally gone crazy right now? You know, I wouldn't trade anything or do anything differently. Plus, I wouldn't have gotten close to JT, and we all know I'm better off for that.

Granted, I know that if I could go back to my senior year of high school when my brain capacity was fresh, I still don't know what I would have picked to study. If I had the knowledge I do now, I'd have probably picked something public relations/business-oriented, science or math-related, or I would have stuck with journalism. But I can't imagine going through university without forming the relationships I made with my friends in my major, my professors, and those dad gummed authors we English types like to call our "Dead White Males". That, to me, is worth not knowing what I'm going to do with my life.

Okay, enough of the solemn talk. I'm going to go eat my cereal!

Typical Post #239832

OKC was fun. Probably ten people showed up for lunch at our favorite little hole-in-the-wall Chinese place that's within walking distance of the college and offers an entire plateful of mouth-watering (and mouth-burning) food for around $5. When I was in college, I went there so much that yesterday, the waitress spouted off my order before I could even open my mouth, which the friends thought was funny! Anyway, I decided at the last minute to come back last night instead of staying over because my mom's out of town and I felt like I should be at home. But I got to see pretty much everyone I loved, including my professors, who were optimistic and encouraging about the job hunt. The trip was a success!

However, on the way home, the weirdest thing happened. At lunch someone had asked about the movie Premonition, which I absolutely loathed because it gave me the worst feeling all day. We talked about how sometimes we see a picture in our mind of something happening and it actually does. Someone mentioned hitting a deer, so naturally I thought about it while I was driving home in the dark. I shook it away and then was kind of startled when there it was! I saw a deer prancing about on the side of the highway, right next to the road. That'll get your heart racing!

I'm dressed out and ready to begin my Couch-to-5K program I talked about in the Project LGN Blog. Afterward, I'm on a mission to do something creative, but don't know what yet! We'll see!

Oh, and today is New Contact Day! My eyes are happy!

Chicken

I got SO much stuff done today it's not even funny. Well, in all honesty, I could have done more, but given my track record, today was a landmark occasion. Laundry, cleaning out my closet, ferrying my mom about town, and the big kahuna: a chicken marsala dinner complete with a trip to the grocery store and liquor store, to boot. There's a first time for everything!

kiss the cook

chk marsala w/ spaghetti noodles,
asparagus sautee'd in marsala wine and EVOO,
and caesar salad.

mom, digging in.

Oklahoma City is in my sights for tomorrow morning. I'm going to see my friends and professors for a couple of days and take a much-needed weekend away from home. No thinking about jobs, chores, or anything the entire time! I'm bringing a good book for spare time, but I doubt there will be much of that because there are lots of people to catch up with, places to remember, and laughter to be had.

Wonderful

You know that feeling you get when you're laughing really hard at something, but you're all alone with no one to share?

Click here and forward to 05:27.

Yeah, it's not that funny, but I am dying over here!

My little roadtrip to OKC was wonderful. The drive was nice because my good friend Dorly was with me. That little clip I posted above was first witnessed at her house a couple of weeks ago, and we were reminiscing and doing our best impressions and laughing until our sides hurt and we sounded dangerously close to the girl in question.

My wonderful roommate and I baked cookies and cheesecake at her apartment. We went to this little Chinese restaurant where I ate religiously in college. It was fun to laugh and talk and be free with two of my favorite girls today.

Boyfriend comes home tomorrow! I'm pumped!

I am seriously dying laughing over here.

Talking myself down

Sometimes this blog helps just to talk myself down haha...

I am super stressed for my three tests in the next two days. My pulse is racing, even. This morning, I sat down to compose a blog entry saying I was at peace with my tests tomorrow. I've studied the past couple of weeks here and there, but these are the first major exams. To top it off, things are happening in my personal life, too. Everything always happens at once. It's crazy how that works, and never fails!

Ever since that last post when I talked about my vision to help people with prosthetics and orthotics, I have been looking into my options. Apparently, to become certified in that area would only take me until the end of the summer. Do I want to limit myself to that particular specialty? I e-mailed someone from OU, so when I get her advice, I will let you all know!

Today in my parents' mailbox, a nice little Valentine's card was waiting for me from a friend at my old school. Wayne is one of the best guys I have ever known. I am so grateful that he's such a considerate friend. I was his student mentor a year ago when he was a freshman, and he sent me a birthday card after I'd only known him a couple of weeks!

I wish I didn't have to go to my night class, but I think we are getting a take-home test tonight, and flashcards and vocabulary quizzes are helpful. Hopefully, the study session New Friend, Lab Partner, and I arranged will pay off and put my mind at ease. I can study for Anatomy between classes tomorrow, I just remembered.

There, that helps a little...

Just procrastinating!

I needed to blow off some steam. I just got out of the shower, kind of nervous about tomorrow, the first of two anatomy quizzes this week.

New Friend, who can safely be called Lana now, accompanied me to Nordaggio's, a coffee place I used to frequent in high school. Since I didn't have class today, I had already gone through the chemistry assignment while watching a movie, and helped Lana with it occasionally whilst drafting an outline for our anatomy quiz.

One of the old gang was at Nord's, behind the counter this time, and it was so good to see him and catch up. He'd even grown a mullet! I also saw an unwanted face from the Metro days, but successfully managed to avoid all unpleasant and awkward situations.

I'm thinking about starting a novel. I've written several works in progress that kind of fizzled out, but this one could go a long way because it has an autobiographical basis. Granted, I'm not going to write out my life story because I don't want to disguise myself under a fictitious name. My story isn't phenomenal (yet), but I'm merely going to throw in some of the colorful situations that people can learn from with good humor. We'll see.

One of my brothers got in huge trouble today. I'm not going to talk about it, but I feel bad for him, and I'm glad I wasn't around to see The Confrontation with the 'rents.

The weathermen are predicting snow. Again. Just when we finally got rid of the last batch. I am so sick of winter, especially if it jeopardizes my plans to see Best Friend. I so needed this mini-vacation, with the massive amount of work I'm dealing with.