Sunday, December 23, 2007

What A Week!

I started school on Tuesday and it was great!!!

My instructors are amazing and I have a small class....so we'll get lots of one on one instruction!! We learned our first cut on Wednesday...and when I say cut, I mean trim. It took me a while to get it done so I didn't finish it until Thursday. We are working on mannequin heads right now and they start out with pretty long hair, so we worked on trimming it and making it an even length. We trimmed it 3 times this week! Yesterday was the last trim and I did pretty well! My instructor said that he's impressed with all of us because he hasn't had any major length issues to correct. He checks our balance on every section before we can move to the next. I'm posting pictures of one of the trims from this week. We are learning a new cut next week...I'll post more pictures then.





In other news....my brother and sister in law are having a boy!!! I will have 3 nephews now!!! I'm pretty excited about that!

Anyway, the first week of school was great....it was the best decision ever!!! I hope you all have a great Christmas...I'll post some more pics as I get them. I want to document my progress. I hope you enjoy!

Peace! :)


Sunday, December 16, 2007

Lucky Number 7

So I have finished reading another book!! I finished the Mitch Albom book For One More Day. It was another easy read and a great story. I have already started reading Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister but haven't gotten far enough into it to comment...so I'll let you know later!

This has been such a relaxing week for me! As you know...my last day at the bank was last Friday. I have been a different person since then. Even though the weather over the weekend was horrible and we lost power for a day and a half...it was still so great to not have to worry about making it to work. I just sat and played card games with my mom and did a whole lot of nothing! I probably should have tried to find a job, but I think I've found something that I can do from home and set my own schedule. Tomorrow I will be spending some time doing the training for that. I start class on Tuesday!!! YIPPEE!!!! I can't wait!!!!

In other news, my brother and his wife find out tomorrow if they are having a boy or a girl...I soooo can't wait for that!!!

Anyway, that's really all for now....I'm sleepy and need to get to bed. I've got a lot of sitting in front of the computer to do tomorrow!

Peace :)

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Relief

I am officially unemployed!!!! To some, that might sound a little odd...but to me it makes soooo much sense! Just ask me about the last few months...then you'll understand.

My last day was pretty uneventful. We were busy, so that made the time go by very quickly!! I was kind of upset that I didn't get a little bit of a party or something. I mean, I've only been with this company for 3 years. I had a friend who transferred and got a cake and all kinds of hoopla! I wasn't really expecting anything, but it would have been nice. But whatever!!! I don't have to see any of those people again if I don't want to...and that's nice! I can't explain the relief I felt when I left there this evening!!! I didn't really even say goodbye to anyone....I just bolted out the door to get to my small group Christmas party!! I was scheduled to work until 7 tonight, but I got to leave at 6 and my party was at 6:30...so I had to hurry!!!

My Christmas party was super fun!! We had great food, went to see the lights in Yukon and played Dirty Santa. Jason and I totally kicked butt!!! We had numbers at the end and had some good items to choose from. I stole some Starbucks coffee grounds and flavored syrups from Aaron & Christina (sorry!). Jason opened up a Japanese tea set. The tea set got stolen from him and he stole my coffee. Well, I stole the tea set and we traded gifts....so I got my coffee back and he got his tea set back!!! It was soooo great!!! We felt kinda bad....but then realized that the name of the game is "Dirty" Santa. It was a great time tonight and I absolutely love my small group!!! They are all fantastic people and I'm so happy to call them my friends!

Well, I should go to bed now. I've got a busy day tomorrow! Good night!

Peace :)

Sunday, December 2, 2007

**SIGH**

What a week!!!

I'm ready for my last week...that's all I'm sayin about that!!

I went to Target on Friday night and bought 2 books and 2 dvds that I'm very excited about!!! I haven't started the books, but I've already watched one of the dvds and am currently watching the other! The dvds are the Ellen Degeneres HBO special "Here and Now." If you haven't seen it...you should! It's so stinkin funny!!! The other dvd is The Office Season 1. It's ok....a lot of the story lines are just like the British version...and I like the British version better. Maybe that's just because I saw it first. Anyway, I think that once I get to season 3 it will be better, because I'm pretty sure that the British version only ran for 2 seasons.

Anyway, the books that I purchased are For One More Day by Mitch Albom and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. I bought the Mitch Albom book because I've read 2 of his already and they were very easy reads and I enjoyed them quite a bit. The Gregory Maguire book I bought for the same reason. He is the author of Wicked and Son of a Witch. I loved these books. They were pretty difficult to read, but I loved them!!! I'm very excited to get to reading. I think I'll start with the Albom book because I know I'll finish it pretty quickly. It will probably take a little more time to get through the Maguire book and I'd like to get one more book read before I start school in 2 weeks!!!!

Anyway...that's all for now. Pray for me this next week. I'm so ready to be done with my job...I was really wishing that Friday had been my last day. It was a rough day! Also pray that I find a job soon...because after this Friday....I will be unemployed....and that makes me nervous.

Peace :)

Friday, November 23, 2007

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A Minor Setback

So, I went to meet with the prospective employer yesterday...and it's not going to work out!! So, I am currently enrolled for classes that start Dec. 18th and will be leaving my current job on Dec. 7th and do not have another job yet!! I'm not too worried, because I get paid all of the PTO that I have accrued over the last 3 years...almost 200 hours!!! Now, this should help for a few months, so I've still got some time to find a job....but I would like to have something lined up before I start classes. Let me know if you have any ideas that don't involve waiting tables.

Anyway...I'm counting the days until I get to leave my job!!! It has been pretty stressful lately and especially this week. I'm not going to give any details as to what all is going on....but I just can't handle much more!!! Only 16 1/2 days to go!!! (The 1/2 is because I work this Saturday....and it's only for half of a normal day.)

So....this writer's guild strike is killing me!!! I don't know all the details of why the writers are on strike...but I think that someone should just hurry up and give them what they want so my shows will come back!!!! Well, Heroes isn't gone....yet. It only has 2 more new episodes!!! 24 isn't even going to come on at all!!! What am I supposed to do on Monday nights now?!

There is also a strike going on in NYC that has shut a lot of Broadway shows down. I think that is really sad, because I don't think there is a better experience in the world than that of live theater!!! I think it is something that everyone should experience. I think that it is the stage managers and the behind the scenes people that are on strike here....and I have complete respect for them!! I have been a stage manager before and it is so difficult! It sucks sometimes to put up with actors/actresses who don't follow direction, know their lines, shut up back stage during a show, know their cues...you get the idea!! I say, "Give these people what they want!!!" They probably deserve it...and then some!!! Just get these shows back up and running!!!

So that's my thought for today!! I hope you all, all 5 of you, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Peace :)

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

IT'S OFFICIAL!

I am officially enrolled at The Academy of Hair Design!!! I signed all the paperwork today and it felt great!! I noticed today that I didn't feel like I was signing my life away today like I did when I enrolled at Trevecca. Anyway, I'm very excited! I start December 18th and my projected date of graduation is September 30th, 2008. They have worked in an extra 100 hours for excused absences....but I'm not planning on using them. Now, if it gets really crappy this winter and they have to close the school...that is when those 100 hours come in to play. If I don't use any of those hours I'll graduate early...I'm really hoping for that! When I got back to work after enrolling, I typed up my resignation letter. It was very strange to do that. I have been at that job for 3 years and at one point actually thought that I would move up into management...so it felt very strange to actually say "I am resigning my position." In a way, it felt very liberating!! In a way, it is very frightening. I mean, I'm going from this steady job with great benefits to poor college student...again! I know that in the end I'll be much happier, but it still freaks me out a little.

Anyway, enough of that! I feel like that's all I've been talking about on this blog so far. On to new subjects!

I realized something while I was traveling over the weekend. I took a book with me for the long car rides. I thought it would last until the end of the trip...boy was I wrong. The book I read was Tuesdays With Morrie. It's a great book, but a very easy read. I realized that I was in danger of finishing very early when, after about an hour of reading, I was already half way through the book! Anyway, after reading that book so fast, I got to thinking about my reading habits this past year. I was one of those horrible students in high school that never read a single book all the way through. I would do reports with Cliff Notes or based on discussions held in class. I despised reading...until I met Harry Potter!!! I discovered the series in early 2004. I read every book leading up to the one released that year...which I think was book 5. After the 5th book, I just had to wait on the rest to come out...and there wasn't much reading in between. I made it my resolution this year to read more. In January I spent way too much money at Borders on books!! I have read a total of 6 books this year. Now, that may not seem like much...but for me it's huge!!! It probably would have been more, but the 5 months that I spent as a supervisor at work kinda made me not want to do anything at all!!

So, I'm looking for suggestions. I would like to get a couple more books in before the end of the year!! Here's a list of what I've read so far:

Wicked
Son of a Witch
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Tuesdays With Morrie
The Kite Runner

If you have any suggestions, just let me know!

Peace :)

Monday, November 12, 2007

Update

So, I went to the hair academy on Thursday for a tour of the school and to fill out the application for the student loan. Well, I got there and the girl that was supposed to take me on the tour was not in that day...no big deal. I went ahead and filled out the loan application. While I was filling it out, the girl asked me if I had a co-signer. I didn't because I really didn't think I'd need one. She said that it was very hard to qualify individually and that most people had to have co-signers. Anyway, I left there a little frustrated. I got to thinking about it though, and I realized that she was used to younger people who have no credit coming to that school...so they would need co-signers. Anyway, before I left, she told me that she would be in on Saturday and should have an answer by then. I told her to call my cell because I would be out of town.

I left Friday morning to go to Louisiana for my nephew's 2nd birthday. At about 12:30 that afternoon, I got a call from the hair academy. I qualified for the loan on my own!!!!! They are sending me the enrollment info. packet and I go Wednesday to enroll!! I am calling someone about a job tomorrow and then I'll be all set!!! I can't believe that this is all happening so quickly!! I can't wait!

Anyway, this weekend was great! My nephews are so great! Cayden is such a little firecracker! He's so funny ! He'll say anything you tell him to...which is not always great...but most of the time very hilarious! Tanner is absolutely beautiful! For anyone who doesn't know, he was very sick when he was born. At one point, the doctors gave him less than 10% chance of surviving. Anyway, he's doing great and is just a beautiful, happy baby! He hardly ever cries and he smiles at everything!! I was very sad to leave there this morning. I got home and went over to the Middendorf's house for dinner and Heroes. This is my normal Monday night thing. Tonight, however was a little different, because their friend Jools is in town from Ireland. He made a killer stew tonight!!! It was fantastic!! It was also a little different this week because we had two episodes to watch because we missed last week. That show totally stresses me out! The only thing that stresses me out more, is that there are only 3 new episodes left because of the writer's strike!!! I hope they reach an agreement before the three episodes are up! I don't know what I'll do!!!

Anyway, I'm off to bed now! 9 hours in the car wore me out!

Peace :)

Monday, November 5, 2007

So what's new?

Quite a bit is new with me!!!

1.) I am very burnt out with my current work situation...so I have decided to go back to school...
2.) I have decided to enroll at The Academy of Hair Design!!! I have an appointment on Thursday morning to tour the school and fill out the applications and get the enrollment process started!!
3.) I am in the process of finding a part time job and the search is going well. I have some of my bills taken care of by working at home for my parents and I have a very promising prospect to cover the rest!!

I can't even explain how I feel about all of this. It's happened so quickly! I just got to thinking a few weeks ago that I am really tired of a corporate setting and I know that I just don't fit in there. I have thought about going to cosmetology school before but never really did anything about it...but now it's time!! I'm so excited but I'm nervous at the same time. I have been working at my current job for 3 years now...and it's very strange to leave the comfort of a steady paycheck, and health and dental insurance and a 401k...but I know that this is going to be a great thing for me. I love people and I love the creativity involved in hair design! I really feel like this is something that I will be great at!!

So, if you are not already committed to a hairdresser...come see me in 10 months!!! HA HA!!

Later! :)




Tuesday, October 16, 2007

I <3 Kansas!!!

I went to visit my best friend Kelsie this weekend...sooo awesome!!!

This is the first time that I have gone to visit her when she hasn't been in a show, super busy with school or sick. The last time I went up was the weekend of my birthday. We spent quite a bit of time in the ER that weekend. It was so nice to just hang out with her. I really miss her a ton and wish that I could find a way to move up there. Lawrence is such a cool place. Their downtown is amazing! So many cool places for vintage clothing, furniture & decor. Also some great coffee shops. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend! I would like to make going up there a more frequent thing...we'll see. Anyway, that's all for now. I'd better get to sleep before the storm comes...if I don't, I'll be awake all night!

Peace :)

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Exhaustion

I'm sooo exhausted right now!

It's been a great weekend though. I left work at 4 on Friday and headed to the church. I drove the people mover for the high school group. We went to Tulsa for the Switchfoot concert. I don't know a whole lot of their stuff, but I do appreciate that they sound like their recordings!! It is always frustrating to hear people sound so amazing on their albums only to discover that they are horrible in real life!! After the concert was over, we had a pretty long walk back to the people mover. On the way, there was a QuikTrip- the boys are pretty much obsessed with the QT!! So we stopped in and bought some beverages and snacks. We then headed to the home of one of our sponsors...well, his parents' home...anyway. They have a very large back yard and they pitched tents for us to sleep in and built a fire pit for us and everything!! It was so nice! I was already pretty tired when we got to the house, so I wasn't so into the whole fire and roasting marshmallows. I was just ready to crash! I ended up sleeping in a tent with 4 other girls. Now, this tent probably could have slept 3 very comfortably and 4 a little less cofortably....but there were 5 in there!! It was so hot!!! Not a whole lot of sleeping happened that night. Not to mention that I was on the ground. My body is hurting today!! When we got up on Saturday morning we had a huge breakfast. We loaded up the people mover and headed for OKC around 12:30. I was so tired and I felt disgusting from sweating so much...but it was so much fun!!! I don't know if I'll be able to do the camping thing again any time soon....but I'm not saying that I'll never do it again. I just need to let my body recover from this weekend.

Anyway...that's pretty much it for me right now. I'm getting ready to go take a nap!!

Peace!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Here goes...

Here we go!!

I haven't blogged in quite a while...so I though it was time I started again! Not that I've ever had that much to say, oh well!

So I got my hair cut and colored this weekend...super cool!! I have a red streak in the front and it's amazing. Now, I told my boss on Friday that I was going to do it and she said that she couldn't wait to see it!! Fast forward to today at about 5:45. I was supposed to leave at 5, but we had to have a talk. So, she gives me a run down of what my duties are at the branch...which was cool. I mean I pretty much knew, but it was interesting to see it on paper. Then she tells me, very reluctantly, that her boss's boss wants me to cover up the red!!!! She told me that she fought for it because she liked it and there's technically not anything in our dress code that says that I can't have a red streak in my hair. He just feels like it's not professional. Whatever is what I have to say to that!!!!! I'm ready for a new job!!! One that will allow me to dye my hair any dang color that I want to, and one that will let me get my nose pierced again if I want to!!! I'm sick of having a super professional job!! It sucks for someone like me. I've never been a corporate type of person and I have been working a corporate type job for almost 3 years. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE!!!!! I need to find something else...quick!!

Anyway, that's my rant for the day.

Enjoy :)