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It's Been a While
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Jun. 24th, 2008 @ 04:53 pm
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I haven't posted an entry in a long time it seems. I started working part-time at Woodland Park Vineyards here in Stillwater. I do a little bit of everything. The restaurant part of it opened in March, which is called Gardens Restaurant. It's easier to make a list of what my job entails rather than writing it all out.
Job Description:
Waitress
Web Designer
Vineyard Helper
Dishwasher
Kitchen Help
Wine Sales
Events Planner, and other little things
I've only been working there for about 3 weeks, and I love it. Sometimes it can be hard work, but when we harvest the grapes in late August, it will be rewarding to see the results. |
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Job Hunting
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Jun. 11th, 2008 @ 09:02 am
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I'm job hunting right now, and it's a part-time job looking and applying for jobs. |
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Economic Stimulus
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May. 12th, 2008 @ 05:36 pm
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I was supposed to be economically stimulated via direct deposit. Where's my check?Current Music: Smashing Pumpkins |
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Having a moment
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May. 9th, 2008 @ 06:08 pm
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I'm getting married to my best friend.
He's the coolest person I know.Current Mood:  chipper Current Music: Ratatat |
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Bush's Speech Today
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Apr. 29th, 2008 @ 10:06 am
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Bush's speech today was a long drawn-out speech about high gas and food prices--no shit. All Americans know that.
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| » (No Subject) |
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This article comes from Men's Health. I think it's interesting and relates to all of us who eat out.
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/139/the-20-worst-foods-in-america/
Apr. 29th, 2008 @ 10:00 am
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| » Weddings |
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I don't know anything about planning a wedding. Baby showers and wedding showers are things I can do, but I've never planned a wedding. When do I need to start deciding on a place for the reception, the place for the ceremony, the dress, the food, etc.?
There is a guest list in progress and 2 possible places we have in mind for the reception. As for everything else, I don't know what to do. I'm also on a limited (extremely) budget. We don't want a huge wedding, but not something thrown together in our backyard.
Apr. 18th, 2008 @ 03:33 pm
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| » Good Day |
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Today was a good day. Okay, that sounds a little too much like Ice Cube. Any minute, I'll start bustin out the lyrics. "I don't know but today seems kinda odd. . ." and etc.
Anyway, my students have ben giving excellent presentations on their research paper topics. I have learned a lot about ethanol (the dry mill method of ethanol production and cellulosic ethanol), Type 1 Diabetes, standardized testing, malpractice laws, recycling, Parkinson's Diseases, and mental disabilites. It has been fun listening to these presentations. It has been an ideal teaching day--questions, debates, involvement, and everything that comes what all teachers wish for when teaching college freshman. It's the only time in the semester when I get to see just how creative and passionate they are with their topics.
Gotta say today was a good day.
Apr. 16th, 2008 @ 06:16 pm
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| » Engaged |
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Yes, Justin and I are officially engaged as of yesterday. He proposed to me while I was folding clothes and mindlessly watching television. The ring is absolutely beautiful, and I am extremely happy.
The potential wedding date is October 11th.
Apr. 12th, 2008 @ 05:40 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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I cannot wait for Battlestar Galactica to start. April 4th!
Mar. 20th, 2008 @ 09:41 am
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| » Planet of the Apes |
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Wednesday I went to bed at 9pm because I had a fever, but I kept coughing off and on even though I took nyquil. Finally, I just got up at 3am, and watched Beneath the Planet of the Apes. That one is my favorite Planet of the Apes movies. The set designers must have put a lot of work into the movie. I never really consciously think about those things, but I found myself really staring at the background, not the characters. The scenes in the cave, which was once one of the New York City subways, is amazing. I forget which building it is, but it resembles the Parthenon. I cannot remember terms from my art history classes, so whoever reads this entry will have to fogive me for using the wrong terminology. The front part of the building, with the Greek figures is cracked and and broken in several places. The shading on the building was perfect. I'm going to watch it again this weekend, and then maybe I will be able to articulate myself better.
Feb. 8th, 2008 @ 04:56 pm
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| » Second and Final Round of Comps |
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I am taking my final round of comps on Friday. I am nervous, and that is all I will say about that.
Friday, I will be exhausted but relieved. Sometime in the next few weeks I want to have an X Files marathon.
I cannot sleep, and Planet of the Apes is on. I love those movies. I want to buy all of them. The acting is perfectly melodramatic.
I know that I may not be making any sense, and that is okay. I am attempting to rid my writing and speech of contractions. I do not know why exactly. It just seems different.
Friday, Friday, Friday please come.
Jan. 29th, 2008 @ 12:15 am
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| » Saying It Out Loud--Reflection |
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In the last post I made about my weight, I had stated that I would not post anything concerning weight until I reached my goal. Well, I reached my goal today. When I started this process of not just losing weight, but living a healthier lifestyle, I thought I would look the way I did when I was 19. I look at pictures from when I was 19, and I look emaciated (and I may be using this word in the wrong way, but it's the only word that comes to mind when I think of those days). I rememember the size I wore then and it was actually a bigger size than I wear now. That seems weird considering I was 115 pounds. The scale and my body do not match up. So, the only thing that I can conclude is that while the scale says that I weigh 133 lbs. now, some of it has to be muscle. When I was 19 from what I can remember I wore a size 7/8. Now, depending on the clothes, I wear a size 4/6.; however, 2 pairs of jeans I have are a 7, but I've washed them many times. It is such a great feeling to go down 4-5 sizes in clothes. It took me 2 years to get to where I am, but because it was a slow process, I will be able to keep it off. I did not try a quick fix. The most important thing is that I've developed a healthy lifestyle. I'm not perpetually on a diet. I eat what I want, but I watch what I eat, when I eat, and how much I eat. I also do that when it comes to drinking.
I also love exercise. It may sound silly to some people, but I am addicted to a certain amount of exercise. I have to go to the gym at least 5 days a week and lift weights either at home or at the gym. Even if I didn't go to the gym, I would find exercises to do around the house, ride a bike or run around my neighborhood. I can't see myself going more than 2 weeks without some kind of workout. Example: the gym was closed this past Monday, and I had not been to the gym that Sat. or Sunday, so I lifted weights at home and did exercises that I had learned from classes I had taken in the past.
Jan. 24th, 2008 @ 07:19 pm
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| » Winter Pics 2007 |
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These are the most recent pictures from November and December, nothing special about them. I just thought I would share.
My Dad and I
Justin Playing with Fire
Me and Cold Weather
Falkor Looking Sleepy
Simon the Sleeping Furry Shrimp
Dec. 28th, 2007 @ 11:25 am
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| » (No Subject) |
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I just read that last entry and part of it didn't make sense, but I'm tried and need some more sleep. Incoherent at this point.
Dec. 24th, 2007 @ 05:28 am
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| » (No Subject) |
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I will make this entry brief and provide details later. Saturday I got stuck in a snow storm in Wichita, KS. A really nice lady gave me a ride and a place to stay for the night. She was the only person to stop after many people drove by watching me wave them down--makes me bitter about the world in way. Actually, they probably didn't want to get stuck either or thought there was nothing they could do because they were traveling too, and the lady who helped me happened to live in a town near the highway. I got stuck again when I got my car pulled out the first time. The nice lady and her neighbor helped me push my car out of the snow for about a block and 1/2. Then, Sunday morning I was okay to drive to Junction City (near Manhattan KS-KSU). After the towing business, my card said it was cancelled, and of course, that pissed me off because I had used it earlier that day to get gas. When I got to my grandma's it worked fine, so I guess it was just the town I was in at the time. It was like a twilight zone. I hurt my back, but it's okay nnow, and my card works again. I am thankful that there are a few wonderful people in the world. Justin is the kindest most understanding person I have ever known. He kept me calm. Without him, I don't know what I would have done. Anyway, I'm safe now and thankful that I didn't get into an accident. Lesson learned: Even if I have driven through snow many times, I will wait to drive anywhere until after a storm or drive to my destination a day or two before the storm may arrive. Dummy, dummy, dummy.
Merry Christmas.
Dec. 24th, 2007 @ 05:12 am
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| » This Weekend |
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As many Stillwater folks know, Justin and I usually have a party the weekend before Christmas. He may still have some kind of get-together, but I say he because I will be gone from the 22nd-26th. I'm going to Kansas to visit my grandma. This will be the first Christmas without my grandpa. Although, last year he couldn't hardly do anything, but he was still physically present, and now that my grandpa is not here anymore, my grandma isn't sure what to do with herself. She has many things that she does everyday, but she was used to being his caretaker.
I will enjoy Christmas with her and my aunt and cousins.
Two weeks ago, I received a card from a second cousin whom I've never met. I've heard a lot about her seeing as she was my grandpa's niece. She included a letter in the card that explained who she was and how she viewed my grandfather, as a hero. He must have mentioned many good things about me because she sent me his stripes from the uniform that he wore in Vietnam. Before he left for Vietnam, he went to Austin to visit his brother, my second cousin's father (all this family stuff gets confusing), and he dated his stripes from his uniform 14 Nov. '68. He knew that she would love that and keep them forever. Her name is Tammy, but he always called her Charlie for some reason. I guess he saw her as a tomboy, kind of like how he saw me when I was little. It's kind of weird to hear all of this stuff now because my grandpa treated me the same way. He and I loved history, war movies, stories about WWII and Vietnam, and like other people in my family, I saw him as a hero. So, I was overjoyed that I now have those stripes. They are not much, but there is a special emotional and historical attachment to them that will not match anything that I may receive that belongs to my grandpa.
On a completely different note, I will be sad about not being here this weekend because I love the Christmas party we have every year, but maybe I will get to see everyone on New Year's Eve. Last year I was sick and in bed the whole time. Happy holidays to everyone.
Dec. 19th, 2007 @ 10:18 am
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| » My Grandfather |
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My grandfather passed away at 3:30pm on Thanksgiving day. He was 74. He was a wonderful man, and my brother and I visited him almost every summer since I was 6 yrs. old. I am thankful for that because he taught me about my family history, encouraged me to pursue my talent as an artist, encouraged my brother to write, taught my brother how to play chess, and many other things. When my brother finally beat him at chess, it was like the apprentice had defeated the master (Star Wars reference). He lived a hard life, but he loved us grandchildren and made up for all the things he was not able to do for my father. He was also a Sergeant Major when he retired from the army, which is the highest rank for an enlistee (I think that's how you says that). The military was his life, as well as family visits. After his stroke 5 yrs. ago, his health went downhill, but he was still able to communicate with me up until about 2 yrs. ago, which became the saddest visits to Junction City, KS. I always looked forward to my visits to KS to see him and my grandmother, of course, but last year, he was a shadow of what he used to be, and he could hardly speak for many medical reasons that are too long to go into.
His vice was alcohol, which ultimately led to some of the medical problems he had. However, we all have vices, some are worse than others.
I have been thinking about all of these things since Thursday, not dwelling on them, but thinking. I have only lost one other person in my family, and it was someone who I should have seen more often. We always say we need to visit our families, some of whom, we never see, and sometimes it takes the death of someon close to realize that we need to stop for at least a one moment everyday and think about the people we have in our lives and how they affect us. Who makes us who we are? Or, What makes us who we are? Is it family, the lack of family? strong wills? friends, the lack of friends?
I just want to honor my grandfather's memory. I will be at his funeral this Thursday. It will be the first time in years that my dad, and other family members will be together. If anything, we will all get to see each other again. Who knows when the next time will be.
Nov. 26th, 2007 @ 04:53 pm
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| » Tired Today |
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I have 10 more papers to grade and I need to read 2 articles for Theory and Criticism, but all I want to do is sleep, sleep until tomorrow is here. I'm usually not this sleepy or out of energy. I don't even feel like going to the gym or walking around the lake, and it's a nice day out. Usually on Tuesdays, if it's nice, I go jogging around the lake, but I just don't feel like it today.
Abnormally tired and sluggish today. Blah.
Nov. 13th, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
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| » Baby Shower Tomorrow |
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I'm excited about the baby shower tomorrow. I have never thrown one, but it has been fun, but I love to plan parties and events. The more I think about that, the more I think that I should have been an event coordinator rather than an English teacher. I love planning, decorating, and hosting parties--actually any event or special occassion. I will take a lot of pictures of the shower.
Nov. 9th, 2007 @ 06:41 pm
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looking_askance's journal