Overslept and Overjoyed

Loving my new job!! Tons of information to absorb and it's a challenge but I'm digging it all. The first few days were like I was a foreigner in a land where I didn't speak the language. So many new words, terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and concepts that at first it was daunting.  It's like I'm Helen Keller and at some point I will connect the word "water" with the stream pouring over my hand. But it's slowly beginning to click. Plus the team is awesome - great trainers, patient, and a sense of humor. I'm gonna like it at this new place.

I did learn a lesson this week. When one takes a Benydryl at night and oversleeps, one is capable of getting ready for work in 15 minutes flat. Yeah, that happened Tuesday morning. Woke up at 6:54 am and you've never seen someone move as fast to get coffee, cosmetics, and clothes done to get to work by 7:30. But I got 'er done to work with three minutes to spare!

Drinking and Singing and Contouring Oh My

Last night after work met up with the diva gals at Applebees for drinks. So good seeing everyone!!

Today woke up too early so ended up watching Humoresque with Joan Crawford. Eh....was okay, which probably explains why I fell asleep.

Stopped by Sam's this afternoon to partake in a session of karoke. One of his buddies has a game that scores you on your singing. Several of his friends were over so I joined in on the fun, belting out a Blonde song them later La Bamba, all in Spanish. Too much fun. It was obvious Jimmy was done for the day based upon his snoozing.

When I got home tonight I saw a note Sam had written. Too cute.

Decided today I need to get back to the gym. There's a point you cross when you are still looking presentable then you vere off into fat face territory that no contour shading will ever remove. I'm at that point.

I let the gym owner know I'd be in after work on Monday, which means I've committed myself and there's no turning back. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up a new pair of work out shoes. I also need to toss all the junk food from the house. Here's to getting back into shape!!

Little Bun Head

Stopped at Walgreens to pick up some photos I had developed. Ran across a hair bun for 50% off so snagged it to see how, and if, it would work for me.

It worked pretty well. Pulled hair in a pony, then pulled the bun thing over it, tucked the ends of the pony under the bun, bobbie pinned and voila! Bun head!!

When You Just Know It's Right

Today was my first full day at work and it was fabulous!  Lots to learn but I'm soaking it all in.  Friendly co-workers and the benefits are awesome!  Double the holidays I had at the last job, half Fridays with full pay during the summer, vacation, sick, and personal time, insurance at a super low rate, desk with a window, jeans on Friday,  and came home for lunch today, which hasn't happened for over 7 years. I could go on and on.

Ever get that feeling when something is just right and you fit right in? That's how I felt today and it was great! So excited for this new adventure in my life!

Unexpected Snow Day

I'm so itching to get to work but unfortunately due to snow the office was closed today!! It's still snowing tonight so I hope work will be open for business tomorrow so I can get moving on my orientation!

Avoiding the snow, I've been watching past older episodes of America's Next Top Model. That Janice Dickenson can be such a rude wench! But entertaining.

Happy Day!

Hardly slept last night since I was so nervous about taking the insurance test today. Got cleaned up, ready to go and it was snowing!!

Thankfully the drive to Vancouver was slow but manageable. Arrived, went over the instructions, then sat in a little cubby with a computer and took the test.

Guess what? I passed!! When he told me I jumped up and down and hugged the worker. So happy I passed the test and the studying is over!

Cruised back home, grabbed a sandwich at Safeway, then arrived at the office, only to find out it was closing at noon due to the weather. I was able to see my cubicle, log into the computer and change my password, and get a quickie tour before leaving.

So here I am watching Suddenly Last Summer and preparing for a nap to make up for my missed sleep last night!

Weekend Birthday and Busting My Brain

Saturday night the boys, Candy, and 7 of Sam's friends met up at Plaza Jalisco to celebrate Sam's birthday.  They were loud, they were funny, and it was a very celebratory evening. Sam is such a ham, doing impressions and being a goofball while Jordan has a wit second to none - far-out humor that keeps me busting a gut! It was a great night.

The rest of the weekend I have spent studying for my insurance test tomorrow morning.  I haven't showered, brushed my teeth or gotten out of my janmies as I've been so absorbed with on-line training and practice tests. Say a little prayer for me and cross your fingers that I pass!!

Sam and Studying

First off, happy 23rd birthday to my son Sam today!!!

Second, this week in training class for my new job has been exhausting! Four days of class with nights filled with homework, all preparing me for the test on Tuesday. Highlight is I get Monday for a holiday, which will give me more time to study!

On that note, no time to write so let's make it a good weekend and I'll report back when my studying and test are done!!!

Updating the Flannel

Been digging the bleached flannel fashion so decided to create my own shirt. This morning grabbed an old flannel shirt, rubber banded the bottom, and proceeded to bleach.

Of course nothing goes as planned.  I had filled up a bucket with hot water and bleach, grabbed the shirt, turned back and saw the bleach water leaking from the bucket.  Arggg!!!

Quickly moved the leaky bucket to the sink and cleaned up the dripping bleach mess on the counter.  Then carefully placed rubber banded shirt into the solution.

Per Pinterest, my crafting Bible, it sounded like it would need to soak for quite some time. Yeah not. Took maybe 10 minutes to lighten up that flannel. Rinsed, washed, then threw in the dryer.

I think it turned out pretty good!

Crimp in My Curling Iron

Digging under my bathroom sink, I ran across a flat type of curling iron. Not a straightening iron but more of a marcel type. After testing it out with one curl, I decided to use it today for my whole head.

It's a smaller type of iron so it took some time to curl my hair.  Once done, I grabbed some coconut oil, turned my head upside down, and ran my fingers through my hair to loosen the curls.

Straightening up, I looked in the mirror to see Donny Summers staring back at me. The curls now appeared to be gravity defying crimps! Yikes!

Tried to pat the mass volume down then spent 15 minutes figuring out a way to clip it, tuck it, bundle it, or wrap it to contain the size.  Finally settled on a half up/half down style.

That damn curling iron is akin to one of your bras that sits buried in the dresser until you forget why you haven't worn it. You dig it out, wear it and find out a couple hours later that it drives you crazy. That curling iron fits the same bill and will return to be buried under the sink!!

Facebook Nightmare

The other day I received a Facebook message from a random friend. It was some video I was unable to open. Shortly thereafter, they sent me a note saying they had been hacked so I deleted the message.

Today after running around I arrived home. All of a sudden my phone began pinging away with Facebook message notifications.  Upon investigating, it was obvious my Facebook had been hacked.  It had sent the same video message to virtually all my friends. In turn, they were responding to me asking about the video.  I promptly changed my password and posted a message letting everyone know I had been hacked and to delete the message. 

Continued to receive messages - ping, ping, ping! Driving me absolutely batty!!  Copied "Delete -I was hacked" so I could easily respond to everyone. Nothing like sucking up my afternoon letting everyone know what happened!

Metal Mania

Have made several metal art assemblages but needed someplace to display them.  Dug out a skinny shelf that was buried in the 'junk" room - Jordan's old bedroom that has become the repository of crap.  Set it up at the end of the kitchen bar against the wall.  Doesn't look too bad and fits the bill.

Tonight I dug out my craft box and created a Feed the Birds woman using an old tea pot, tea strainer, and other odds and ends.  Turned out cute and quite the ode to Mary Poppins, which I just watched last week for the first time in years.

Adventures in Cooking

Woke up early this morning and decided to make something different for breakfast - a Dutch baby!  Haven't made it before but it's always been a favorite when I've gone out for breakfast.

On a side note, remember back in the day, my friends, when we were in our twenties with no husbands or children to encumber us, we would frequently visit Dennys at 2am to order breakfast to soak up our inebriation? Then, when you woke up the next morning no longer drunk, you wondered why you felt so bloated, forgetting you had downed a pound of bacon and 12 pancakes!

Back to Dutch baby.  Dug up a recipe on Pinterest - super easy, tossed into the oven and voila!  Turned out great!!

This afternoon, in the spirit of Superbowl, I made some Asian wings. While the chicken was cooking, I whipped up a concoction of soy sauce, ginger, chili sauce, garlic, and a few other spices.  Once the wings were cooked, they were smothered in the sauce and baked for 15 minutes to caramelize. Adding cornstarch to the remaining sauce, I thickened it up and spooned it over the finished wings.  They turned out sweet, spicy, sticky and very tasty!

Strains My Imagination

Some ideas are just too out there to use!!

Ran across this tip - use a strainer to diffuse your hair.  Sorry, that's taking it a little far!  Plus a person would need three hands to hold the blow dryer, strainer, and scrunch the hair.  Gave me a laugh!!