Fantastic Day!

Ok, Let's back track just a tad.  Okay?  Okay
Yesterday, I went to all of my classes and while they weren't entirely thrilling, they weren't terrible either.  I would like to count that as a success :) After my classes, I went to the elementary school and worked with some second graders one in particular who is an English Language Learner.  It was trying, but for some reason, that kid puts a smile on my face for no reason other than he is always trying to avoid work.  Normally an annoyance to a teacher wannabe but his tactics are quite inventive!  Anyway, after coming home from the school, I decided to finish up some assignments and after that I still had time to bake for work.  I made the best chocolate chip cookies I've made in a verrry long time.  Now, don't get me wrong, my chocolate chip cookies are still fabulous whenever I make them, but these, these were phenomenal!  Crisp on the outside, golden brown, choc full of chocolate chips, and nice and chewy on the inside.  Not overcooked but also not undercooked.  So being the cookie addict I am, I ate about half a dozen and took most of them into work where they were promptly devoured!  :)
Today was full of cold weather, gusts of icy cold wind, freezing rain, and frozen shoes.  But on the plus side, I got out of work early and one of my classes was canceled!! Now all I need is to get some reading done and I will have had a wholly productive day!

It Seems Like It Was Just Yesterday...

I know it has been a while (read forever) since I blogged last.  Let me give you the 10 second tidy version of the catch up:
1.  Got excellent grades last semester!
2.  Got a job last summer as a caller at an NPO!
3.  Typical Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's etc.
4.  Got a promotion at work! WHOO HOO!
5.  Also working as a receptionist at work!! :)
6.  Time consuming classes this semester.
7.  Made ExCELLENT friends in my water ex class (somewhat out of order) ((you'll hear plenty about them, Arli and Phil))
8.  Became addicted to HGTV
9.  Became estranged from some friends
10. And I'm still single and 20

Okay, now that we're all caught up, let me have just a tiny little rant!
Tonight, I went to get gas in my car, and it just happens that Sam's Club is the cheapest place to fill the tank.  I get out and unlock my gas cap, do the credit card nonsense and start pumping the gas.  All completely innocent.  The older hispanic man at the pump next to me steps back and starts watching me pump gas.  Then he makes this comment, "So, you're a Texas A&M Dad?"  (Side note:  I got my Dad's car and didn't have the heart/time/energy to take off the window sticker that reads Texas A&M Dad.)  So I kindly replied "oh, that? This used to be my Dad's car"  and after that he continued to try and chat me up waiting much to long to finish pumping his gas and put the pump up for my taste.  Overall, I think it is extremely distasteful to chat up a girl half your age at a gas station at night....

Back To School!

I've always been the type to look forward to the first day of school.  Its always been like a high for me to start a new school year!!!  Today I only have one class and it isn't until later this afternoon.  So I can't wait to meet my professors  and new classmates!  Yea the course work is probably going to be difficult but from what I've heard its completely manageable!  I just can't wait to get to campus!!  Being on campus feels great!  This day also marks me going back to work! Which given the deflated status of my bank accounts at the moment is extremely exciting!  :)  Ok, well I am off to get ready for class insanely early!! :)

A Lesson in Manners

Now I'm not claiming to be the know all be all of manners.  Yes I have my vices but I do consider my self a generally considerate person.  For instance, when asked to be someplace at a certain time, I make it a point to arrive on time.  Whenever we had family Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, parties of any sort, my family was ALWAYS late.  I remember one year my mom was so upset about us always being late, she told my dad that the get together started 2 hours earlier than it actually did so we would get there on time.  It was a move like this that helped me realize that I HATE being late.  And as someone who prides herself on being a good hostess and a gracious guest, I find it UNBELIEVABLY rude to show up late or just not show up and not call.  
Now, translate this into everyday life and not just parties and get togethers. I understand showing up a tad bit late for class every now and then.  I understand that some people have class ALL the way ACROSS campus and may always walk in a few minutes late.  This I have no problem with.  However, I do have a LARGE problem with the fact that in my 50 minute chemistry class, there happens to be this one girl who walks in AT LEAST 20-30 minutes late EVERY class.  This isn't just once in a while, its EVERY day we have class.  Its not even like she can sneak in the back, the only way to get into class is through the front of the room through a very squeeky door!  I cannot believe how inconsiderate that is! UGH! And its not like she just rolled out of bed, the girl has her hair and makeup all nicely done when she walks in.  I just want to scream at her  "WAKE UP AN HOUR EARLIER!"  or "ITS A 9 O'CLOCK CHEM CLASS, NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE!!" 

And The Count Down Begins

What may you ask am I counting towards?  The day I move out of this condemnable hell-hole I live in.  102 days left.  At the new apartment I will no longer have to worry about: having a mowed lawn, living in the ghetto, biking to campus as my ONLY means of transportation, bugs crawling through the pipes, dishes piling up in the sink, having to put shoes on in order to do my laundry, having to lock up my laundry machines, hearing every single outside noise in my house clear as day, an oven that makes terrible noises, coming home and having a book case in my front yard(not my book case), getting my mailbox ripped out of the ground, coming home to find my landlord's latest 'project' on our property.  I CANNOT wait to have a dishwasher, washer and dryer in side, CLEAN carpets and walls, kitchen tiles that match, a kitchen that is not puke green, a door that actually closes, water that STAYS hot, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I'm super grateful for the experience to know what its like to live like this.  Its taught me valuable lessons.  Such as: no dishwasher = deal breaker, if it doesn't look clean when you move in, aint no way it's ever gonna be clean, if you're unhappy in your house, you will eat a ton of food to distract yourself and you will resent your house for all your problems!  Only 102 more days! THANK THE GOOD LORD ABOVE

Small Pleasures That Inspire Simple Joy!

I read this article today and was surprised at how true these things are.  It got me thinking about what "small pleasures" I enjoy.  (definitely not #70 but for sure #83 can't happen enough!)
My small pleasures that bring a simple joy!
1.  Sunny warm days where the wind tosses your hair perfectly!
2.  An unexpected cal from a friend just to say I love you or I miss you
3.  A pet's warmth against your body
4.  A dog's kiss when you're feeling low
5.  getting out of class early/ having class cancelled
6.  daisies
7. daffodils
8.  sunflowers
9. roses
10. flowers of any kind really

Spring Break Reflection - not a happy ending

So the week before Spring Break, on Tuesday, I got a call from my mom.  I was at the park with Amy and her roommate's dog Granger.  Granger is a puppy and Amy and I regularly have Tuesday dates where we gossip and play with the puppy.  I answered the phone no big deal and my mom said she had some news.  I had no clue what was coming.  She proceeded to tell me that Martie, my greyhound, was doing really badly Monday night and when she was standing, she couldn't lay down and when she was laying down, she couldn't get up.  Then my mother told me that early that morning they took Martie to the vet and she and my Dad had to make the heart wrenching decision to have Martie 'put down'.  I knew she hadn't been doing well and I knew that this day was coming but I wasn't ready for it.  When I was in 8th grade, I volunteered at a greyhound adoption society.  I worked at the Petsmart with the society and we tried to get the dogs adopted to loving families.  It was the second week that I was working with them that I saw the most beautiful dog.  She was a smaller greyhound, obviously a runt of the litter, and I walked her around and stayed with her.  When I looked at her, I winked.  She winked back.  She was perfect.  She had a champagne colored coat and she had the most adorable overbite.  We adopted her and took her home.  She and Ginger had some altercations at first but grew to love each other.  She was my dog, I picked her out, I loved her longest.  I miss her so incredibly much.  Even though I didn't see her much when I was in college, knowing that she was waiting for me at home gave me comfort.  This was not how I wanted to preface my spring break.  
Spring break finally rolls around and Mom and I go to Dallas with Mindy and Annie.  We had a really great time and it was such a nice break from the news of Martie.  On our way home, Dad called Mom about the vet visit the Ginger had earlier Monday morning.  We learned that Ginger had cancer of the kidneys, bladder, liver and lungs etc.  I was devastated.  We didn't know how long she was going to have and I didn't want to face losing my other dog so quickly to Martie's passing.  Friday of spring break, I woke up past noon and Emma was getting ready to leave.  Ginger had been panting all morning apparently.  I pet her some and she was laying in front of the couch.  Mom came home and she and Emma and Dad were packing up her car so Emma could leave.  I was just sitting with Ginger.  Emma left.  While Mom and Dad and Emma were outside, Ginger was acting odd, she arched her back and got her head caught under the couch but i fixed it and she was just leaning on me.  I didn't know what to do so I screamed out for Mom and Dad.  No one came.  I was terrified, all I could do was blubber, "its ok, you're gonna be ok" to Ginger.  When Mom and Dad returned an eternity later, Dad called the vet and they said we could bring her in and stay with her.  She couldn't get up and Dad had to carry her in a blanket.  We had just gotten her into the vet's office and on the table when I saw her chest wasn't moving.  It was awful.  All I could do was scream to the vets, "She's not breathing, help! She's not breathing!"  I was hysterical and so were my parents.  We were losing our baby.  Our first puppy, we'd had her since she was a little little puppy.  We'd had her for at least 11 years but I still wanted more from her.  Which I suppose was unfair of me.  I've had dogs since I was in first grade and don't know how to not have them in my life.  This has been the hardest two weeks I've had to endure in the longest time....

Martie

Gingersnap