A Bit of A Set Back

So, unlike many other college students who recently enjoyed some vacation time during the middle of their last semester of college I spent my time at work. Dreading two more years of this nonsense. I find myself asking “Why am I doing this?!” on a daily basis. And lately I’ve really been trying to figure out if this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I’m taking these all of these classes, but it will all be for nothing if I don’t actually want it.

Currently, I’m a business major. This is a pretty typical degree for a lot of students and I’ve even been told it’s a “lazy degree”. Right now I work in an office doing accounts payable/customer service. I hope to continue to work in an office environment because they pretty much have what I like to call “mommy hours”. A business degree, to me, is a pretty flexible degree that can be applied in many different fields. So naturally this is the route I decided I should take. And as you all know, my dream is to one day get us back to California, and live happily ever after by the beach. However, at the moment we’ve been told jobs for individuals without a degree in the area we would like to one day move back to are pretty scarce. So I can’t go back there without something.

As much as I would like to just call it quits and completely give up on this whole school thing, I know that it’s in my (and my family’s) best interest that I continue. Unfortunately, I’m all kinds of burnt out. I find any excuse to NOT do things because I swear if I have to read another chapter about the Texas Government or about the flow of production at our local department store I will set those damn books on fire! Agh! It’s so annoying. And I feel like I’m missing out on a lot. Focusing on school is taking away from a lot of other things I could be doing (with my family, my daughter). Financially, it’s put a nice dent in my pay checks as well and right now we need every penny we can spare. And I do mean, every penny.

Now, I know that school is the right thing. If I want to have any kind of career, I need to put on my big girl undies and suck it up. Which is exactly what I plan to do. I just plan on slowing things down a bit. So for this semester I’ve withdrawn from two of my classes (the hardest ones), which only leaves me with two classes to take. I will take each of the classes I’ve withdrawn from, individually, during one of my mini semesters because I need to give them my full attention if I want to pass them. I've been so focused on just finishing that I haven't taken the time to really breath and focus on what it is that I'm actually doing. So yes, this sets me back a semester but for now, this is what I need. For my sanity. For my GPA. I need a break, I need to slow things down until I can get out of this slump.

Listen

Holy Bagees, That Stung!

On Monday it got up to 70 degrees and I was so excited to get home and go out for a “test run”. It was a bit windy when I got home but with the time change I knew that the temperature would hold for a few more hours. I felt like I was long overdue for a slow, long distance run. I needed to get out, stretch my legs, and feel the sun on my skin. So once I got there I changed and headed out.

Everything was fine, up until I hit my .5 mile mark. Since the sun was pretty high still I decided to take the longer route home. And that’s when things got interesting. I rounded a corner and saw a dog out in the middle of the road. Now, I’ve encountered this dog before (about a month back), and he actually nipped at my shoe once. That day, I squirted him with water and he ran away. This time he didn't look very threatening at first because he isn't very big, but he was barking up a storm and growling. I just assumed he was being a tough guy. But, I still picked up a rock and opened up my water bottle just in case. I had my headphones in and I kept up my pace. I saw him start circling me, but I kept my eyes ahead. At one point he got a little too close so I kicked in his direction and told him to “get”. He took off behind me back to his house so I assumed I was clear and started to speed up. That’s when I saw another dog coming at me really fast from the left side, and then I felt a bite on my right calf.

As a reflex I kicked back when I felt the sting and the dog let go. But he kept trying to come back at my leg, and the other dog that had caught my attention before was also growling at me. I checked my leg and it didn't look bad at all but I did see some blood so I wiped it away. Then, I went in search of the first big stick I could find. My first thought, in all honesty, was to hit the crap out of that damn dog. But then I realized I needed to tell the owners and see if I could find out any information about the dog (did he actually belong to them, was he vaccinated?). So I made my way up to their fence, stick in hand, and tried to get someone to come out. I was out there hollering for about 3 minutes and no one came out. I knew someone had to be home because cars were parked out front, but either they really couldn't hear me or they were hoping I’d just go away. So, I decided I’d continue my run and then come back to talk to them in my car.

I swung my stick and backed my way down the road before I started off again. Once I got home I told my husband what had happened, and he insisted I call the police. Now, I’m an animal person and I know how bad it sucks to have the cops called on you because your dogs loose. So, I told him I wanted to speak to the owners first. He said he’d come with me so we all loaded up and made our way to the house. When we got there he knocked on the windows and yelled. No one came out. Finally I honked, and started yelling with him and a little girl came out. We asked to speak to her parents and they came out a few seconds later. They claimed the dog belonged to their daughter’s boyfriend. He wasn’t there at the time, because his daughter was in labor. I introduced myself, showed them my leg, and told them I ran by there often. I told them that this was the second time that this dog had come at me, and my husband made some reference about calling the sheriff. That’s when they told me that the dog had his vaccinations and that the dog would be taken care of. I told them we didn’t want any trouble, but if it happened again I’d call animal control. They shook our hands, and took both dogs into their fenced yard.

My husband insisted that I call the police but I felt we had handled the situation. It wasn’t until I was at work the next day that someone asked me “What if he had attacked a child? or What if you had been out running with Emery and he bit her?” So, I called the sheriff and made a report. I let them know we had spoken with the owners, and they immediately knew who I was talking about. Apparently, I’m not the first to complain about their dogs. I told them I didn’t need a sheriff to come out, but I just wanted it on file that I had made the report in case it happened again. They asked if I had gone to the ER, because the owners would be held liable to pay for my visit if I had gone. I told them that I hadn’t since it wasn’t that deep, and my leg was healing so rabies wasn’t an issue. The sheriff told me that if it happened again to call them immediately so they could have animal control pick up the dog.

I honestly don’t want any trouble because this is a small town. We see everyone pretty much every afternoon. But I would feel so bad if that dog got out, bit a kid, and I hadn’t spoken up. So, I feel like I did the right thing. The owner can be angry with me if he feels like it but I’m sure if the roles were reversed they would not have hesitated to call and make a report. The bite wasn't that deep, mainly deep scratches, so it’s healing really fast, and it’s mainly just one big bruise. If I’m on my feet for a long period of time then it swells up a bit, but other than that it’s fine. Since then, I've gone on one run by that house. The dog was outside of the fence but he was tied up. I glad to see that they were serious about making sure he wasn't loose again. I really would have hated to have another conversation with the police.

p.s. I was reading Erica's current post, 

and come to find out bloglovin has my blog listed. 

So, if anyone has that, you can also use that to follow along.

Click here ---->Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Wordless Wednesday

Flickr, you jerk!

So, last Friday I was scrolling through the blog because I knew some of my pictures from when I first started blogging had a broken link. The last time I had checked them there weren't that many so I didn't think much of it. But then, I checked some of my most recent ones and found out that A LOT of them were broken. And by that I mean the majority.

I paid for my subscription to Flickr so I had no idea WHY my pictures came up as unavailable. I had not rearranged anything, and all of the pictures I upload usually stay in the order I upload them in. So what gives? After much searching it turns out that when my SETS (albums, for those that don't know Flickr's lingo) get rearranged, then those pictures get a different URL. Hence the broken ones on my blog.

To me, this is STUPID. I grab the URL from the picture itself, not the picture in the set but whatever. So now, I have to spend the majority of my free time reinserting all of my images back to my blog. I've finished some, but we're talking three years back here, so it's going to take me awhile. And I also have mom brain so I don't even remember what all I had where, sometimes. So yea, again, excuse the mess/lack of pictures on my blog. It's a work in progress.

Now what exactly was the point of this post? Not a damn thing really. I just needed to write about how mad Flickr made me, and in case you find yourself looking around at nothing but words and missing pictures now you know why. :)  

One Bad Ass Violinist

So last year a long time friend of mine named Eric (also my algebra tutor) asked me if I’d be willing to go with him to see a violinist if he couldn't find someone else to go with him. I said sure, why not? The worst that could happen would be that I’d get stuck listening to some classical music for an hour and a half, but hey they’d have beer right? Well, once he bought the tickets he told me that the violinist was actually Lindsey Stirling! I don’t know if you know who that is, but she’s pretty much a rock ’n ’roll violinist if there ever was one. After finding that out I was definitely a lot more willing to go!Fast forward to last week and the only other person who would have been able to go ended up having to work. So off we went to the big city of Dallas, Texas.

He paid for VIP passes so he could go in for a meet and greet before the show so we had to leave a bit earlier during the day. It’s an hour and a half drive up to Dallas and my friends a bit anal about being punctual. When he told me what time we were leaving I thought it was a bit early for the time this whole thing started there. But according to his schedule (lol, yea, he’s all about those) we’d be getting there right on time. Turns out the clock on his GPS wasn't on the daylight savings setting so we actually got there an hour early.

So we killed some time at the House of Blues restaurant. I grabbed a beer and then had a salad. Then we made our way over to the section designated for the meet and greet. He’s such a nerd that he insisted we “get directions” TWICE to make sure we were in the right spot. Yup, he was that excited. Once Lindsey’s assistant came out she handed us our passes, told us to line up, and then after a few minutes we were told where to go to get merch and posters for our autographs if we hadn't brought anything ourselves. What was really cool about this is that we were first in line, and that’s the order that we had to line up and the order that we had to stay in, in order to meet her. The perks of being super early, right? Then, we were told to go make a line by this guy inside who would be waiting for us by the barricade. Once Lindsey was ready she'd come out to greet us.

Now, this is when I realized I should have done my research. See, my friend is very shy and pretty much clams up when it comes to social situations. So, when we got into the final line before the meet and greet the guy at the barricade started up a conversation with me. My friend didn't say a single word but would hardly look at the guy. So, I just assumed the guy was someone who worked for Lindsey or was part of the staff at House of Blues. It wasn't until the guy behind us in line called out his name and asked him for an autograph that my friend quietly told me it was the drummer. I had no idea. Like none. Now, I don’t “fan-girl” over bands (unless it’s HIM) but I did feel a little dumb for carrying on a conversation with the drummer about the weather and for not asking for his autograph. LOL! Once he finished signing autographs he came back over, and that’s when we started talking about their travels and the music we were into. He's definitely a nice guy and you could really tell how much they love and appreciate the fans. Even the creepy obsessive ones. He had some stories about those. Made me appreciate the privacy that comes with being "normal" that's for sure.

Right after that, Lindsey finally came out and I got my picture & autograph. Then I stood by and watched my already awkward friend get star struck. It was hilarious! We waited for everyone to go through the line, I got a picture with the drummer, and then they played a song for us that they don’t do during the show. They answered questions and then headed out before the main doors opened. And that’s when we waited for everyone else to make their way in. By 8 pm the show was underway and we were front and center. Well, more like off to the right, but still it was up front. Their opening act was Vibrant Sound from LA. He was really laid back & chill. Definitely some good vibe music. I really enjoyed it but my friend said he wasn't “impressive”. At the time. Turns out he bought VS’s album on iTunes because it grew on him. LOL! Once he finished his set we had an intermission for the tech’s to move some things in place and then it was time for Lindsey to come on.

This girl could put on a show for it only being three instruments. I was expecting it to be good, but it was awesome! I usually like anything live to begin with because it's so much different than watching something on TV. It's such a different atmosphere and you can tell when bands/ performers are really into what they do. And let me tell you the energy there was incredible and we all fed off of it. Going in I knew I'd like it, but I assumed half way through I'd make my way to the bar and enjoy the show from the comforts or a chair. That was so not the case! They did a wonderful job with their performance and in how they engaged with the audience. From the projections to the dancing, all of it was really amazing. I walked out of there with a completely different opinion about performances without actual singing. It’s definitely something I would go see again! And I was thankful that my friend allowed me to go with him.

p.s. I was able to record the song 

they did for the meet and greet. 

The sound isn't professional or anything.

But go here to see it if you want. :)

Wordless Wednesday

An All-Around Sprucing

I’m in that mood again! That “let’s clean up, and make things look pretty” mood. Spring does this to me every year. And this doesn't just apply to home life. It tends to cross over onto my blog. But, I can also be a creature of habit so sometimes the changes are subtle. Or at least they are on my blog. I tend to go a bit more drastic when it comes to my actual surroundings.

This spring I've decided to paint. I know I've said it before, but this time I’m dead serious. Living in my parents house without them has left me feeling weird. Our stuff is in it, but everything else is still my parent’s. The dishes, the paint, the decorations. Even though they gave us the house and told us to do whatever we’d like with it, I haven’t been able to bring myself to do anything. I still see it as “Mom and Dad’s house” and I feel like I shouldn't change anything because they’ll be back. My mom on the other hand told me to go wild. She told me to change the paint, plant some flowers, throw out the curtains, and really change it up if I want to. So, I’m taking her advice and hoping to finally really make it our own. It’ll be like starting over with a clean slate. Breathing some new life into an old home. And I can’t wait to get started on the spare room! I was thinking of turning it into a guest room/reading room. I have so many ideas, and some will come and go, but I really feel like this is something I need to do. As much as I love change, I can be a bit stubborn when it comes to letting things go. Thankfully, I'll have plenty of time to take it one project at a time.

Now, my blog is definitely a different story. I've had the same template for awhile now and every year I feel like changing things up. I’m definitely not a fan of clutter/advertisements so I try to keep everything as minimal and easy to navigate as possible. That said, I wouldn't mind adding some color and changing things up. Sometimes I feel like I should throw caution to the wind and “liven” things up a bit! But then the perfectionist in me starts to take over and I find myself getting a headache over the simplest details. So for now, I’m just messing with a few things here and there. I've also been experimenting's with some brighter color scheme options as well as lighter ones. I've looked into finally getting my own domain, but some of you know how picky I am on that subject so we’ll see how that goes. There are just so many possibilities and I really want this blog to be a representation of me regardless of how many/few readers come across it. I know that's kind of hard to do with a webpage, but hey, I can try. :-P 

Ha! Can you seriously believe that this is such a big deal for me?? I guess it just goes to show how truly OCD I can be. LOL! But change is good. However much or little I do of it, it's always a good thing. So, in the meantime if things look a little off or a little funny it's probably because I'm dabbling. I'll get it all finished soon.

Thoughts On A Monday

Today in our tiny little town we are getting 85 degree weather. I am so excited! In fact, I'm so excited that I even busted out the mom shorts! LOL! Spring is finally here Y'ALL!! And that means that Summer is well on its way!! Now, I normally love cold weather. I love the snow, and I love the rain. I love hot chocolate and warm blankets. But as the years go by, and as Emery has gotten older, I've realized that summer is definitely our favorite season. Plus with all of this global warming going on winter just hasn't been what it used to be. So yes, we are very very much excited for summer in this household.

There’s something about the heat that I find absolutely enjoyable. The way my skin feels after being out in the sun soaking up as much vitamin D as it can. I just feel so much more awake and energized. I also like getting to go for a run in the afternoons and once I’m done still have enough daylight to go exploring with Emery. I love being able to take long walks/runs with her too. When she first started running such long distances (for a toddler) I was a bit concerned. But once the doctor gave us her seal of approval we spent a lot of time outside going for runs. Ever since then, I've been itching to get us back out there! And since she showed such an interest in running last summer I've decided to take her shoe shopping for her very first pair of running shoes as soon as this weather stays permanent.

The infamous "Mom shorts"

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about slowing things down. I recently took a spill (I fainted) after a work out because I skipped out on my vitamins for 48 hours. Or at least that's what I'm blaming it on because I'm not pregnant, I wasn't dehydrated, and I had eaten that day. So, after that I’m pretty sure this anemic things is going to take longer than two months to finally straighten itself out. Which means I need to start eating foods that have iron in them, as well as not pushing myself so hard when it comes to work outs. I need to listen to my body and what it’s telling me. Work my way back up instead of trying to get back to where I was within one week. I need to accept that I'm pretty much starting over. Which sucks, but I got lucky this time and made it to the locker room before face planting. Next time I might not get so lucky, and that could be incredibly dangerous. So I need to listen to my body, and learn to be patient/content with the progress I’m currently making. At least until the doctor tells me otherwise.

Right before I fainted. Literally. 

I also feel really awful about slacking off on my diet last month. I had no gain and no loss, but I still feel crappy about not keeping up with it. So with this new month comes a new attitude; a new resolve. I’m hoping to get back into my strict diet from before, and hopefully shed another 15 lbs. by the time summer gets here. I plan on preparing my snacks and lunches the night before again, and going back to eating mainly fruits and veggies. I might also go back to drinking Rockin’ Wellness, and start on some SPARK for extra energy. Currently, these are just some ideas I've been tossing around because I’m always looking for ways to help instead of hinder my progress. Plus, with my schedule, I need things that are quick and simple. So here’s to getting back to it for the month of March, yea?!

This passed weekend we had a blast! I spent a lot of time with family, and was able to go see Lindsey Stirling live with a friend. We spent an entire day in our PJ’s and watched movies. Then on Sunday we went to Trader’s Village and were able to look around and ride some ride. I'll write more about these little adventures throughout the week, but I just wanted to say that it was definitely a fun weekend. One that was very much needed. And finally, I've suffered a tiny set back in the college department. One that I’m okay with and that I’ll write more about at a later time as well. Once everything is processed, and actually gone through. Even with this change I’m pretty relieved and I feel like I’m slowly making the necessary changes I need in my life. It’s been wonderful, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.

Happy Monday, y’all!!