As we enter into 2010....

I'd like to take a moment to look back at 2009 and remember some of the highlights...

~ I spent my first New Years away from the Pacesetter, LOL!! If you know me well, this is a BIG DEAL!!!

~ I spent my first Valentine's day with Eric... We made heart shaped cupcakes together....awww!

~ My job function at work changed and no more incoming customer calls, and best of all, no more Saturdays!!!

~ I saw one of Eric's cats have 3 litters of kittens, back to back.... NO, I am not kidding. FYI, she has been fixed now....

~ Eric and I made our first real trip together to Georgia to see his brother get married. I loved Georgia! I could totally see myself living there.

~ I survived my first contract renewal with AT&T and we never went on strike! Thank God!

~ oh, and we must not forget the historical inauguration of out first African American president, Barack Obama. I honestly think this is what he will be known for. This, and his wife's style, and that is so important in history!

~ I roasted my first whole chicken... thanks Amy! I never would have done it without your pictures on the blog that left Eric's mouth watering...

~ I moved back into my own apartment... it's bittersweet

~ My original iPhone bit the dust. It was pretty devistating, LOL!! It got soaked in my pocket at the Winnie Rice Festival...

~ I think I gained 20 lbs from cooking... I guess not going to the gym sort of contributed too. I'd like to think that it's because i cook so good, though...

~ You can't have TV without cable anymore without a special little box. All those old tv's had to go. You are now being forced to go digital....

~ living with Eric has brought out all my arguing skillz.... That fallacy class at Baylor really paid off.

~ Speaking of Baylor, I paid off my final student loan.... WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!

~ Watched my good friend Margot survive a horrific car accident and am still watching her as she bravely takes on the recovery process for her head injury. She has inspired me and everyone who loves her so much!!

~ Had Christmas with my mom, dad, Amy, Griffin, and Brian (Griff's dad). Seems like an awkward group, but it was actually really nice.

~There were so many others that i am sure I am leaving out!! Feel free to add them in comments ....

See you all next year!

2010 is going to be one hell of a year!!!!

JOY to the world

We have sunshine today!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!!

Just call me Mr. Grinch....

There was a time in my life that I still depended on my mom to pay for my cell phone. I remember one day that she called and i didn't answer the phone. That was the day I received a message on my voicemail from her that simply stated, " if you do not intend to answer my calls, i do not intend to pay for the phone anymore." This one statement jumpstarted my journey into independence! At the time I was mad and thought I'd show her by getting my own cell phone, which I did, and promptly disconnected the one she was paying for. Since then I have been, for the most part, financially independent.

Now, I have this boyfiend who cannot seem to become financially independent and I am not sure why. Since his cell phone is on my account, would it be wrong to use the same statement once used by my mother? Since he only answers when he wants and has yet to give a dime toward the bill, I feel somewhat justified in doing so. I now know where my mother was coming from. Sometimes, when you love someone and want to see them do well, there are certain things you have to do that may hurt them, in order to help them.....

I don't know if it's the same since the relationships are somewhat different... I guess that's something to think on...

This is fun.....

The top 10 most romantic Christmas movies....

Slee-eep in Heavenly Peace

Last night was the first night that Gigi has slept all the way through the night in the new apartment. YAY!!!

It was a good night for both of us.....

Baby, It's Cold Outside

So, I have decided to try and take part in the Christmas Carol title challenge. I am sure I'll miss lots of days, so don't expect too much!

In the picture to your left, you will see Eric (aka Baby, as in the title of the Christmas song) standing in the snow that is falling in Beaumont, Texas. Yes, that's right, we had a 30 minute snow flurry thing going on and we were in Kroger for the majority of it. Do you know WHY we were in Kroger? Because we needed fire wood and a bottle of wine so we could hang out by the fire and drink our wine while it snowed. This is how we Texans imagine all of you do it up north where it snows regularly. Fat lot of good that shopping trip did!! It quit snowing when we were on our way home....

So, what's new with me? Well, i am moved into my new apartment and I love it. I miss Eric, but I think Gigi misses him more :-(. She is having a hard time adjusting and is letting me know it by pouting and then barking through the night. Picture of Gigi pouting on my new couch in my new apartment with my B-EA-UTI-FUL Christmas tree that Eric and I decorated last night.

So, now that I've had snow, gotten into a new apartment, and FINALLY got my Christmas tree put up, I am really ready for the holidays!!!

And Amy - I jsut want to say that the whole Silent Night post is a one time freebie for you.....

a few stitches away....

Yay! It's almost done. Just a few more beads to add and it'll be done and ready to frame. And then it'll be time to start the next one. So, basically, I am thankful to be close to being finished. Maybe I'll fit in a few stitches today while I am working.....

Christmas music

I love Christmas music and with age I have learned to love those stations that play it nonstop from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day. There is something about the peppy jingles that puts me in the Christmas/Shopping mood and the slower Christian melodies that reminds me of the true meaning of Christmas. And, you get it all on one radio station! This is what I am thankful for today!!

Check out this link to a Miley Cyrus version of Santa Claus is Comin to Town. It's one of my new favorites!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGN2KKPXLfk

Merry Christmas!

One more week

Today I am very thankful and sad that this is my last week living in Eric's house. No, we are not breaking up, just needing some time apart in order to try and fix our relationship. All prayers are truly appreciated :-)

It's going to be a tough week. Work, packing, moving....etc. All combined with my unbalanced emotions. If there are no other posts this week, know that I am thankful for prayers and positive thoughts sent my way!

Jill

What I have to be thankful for....

Ok, most people think Facebook is a true waste of time. But, recently someone had a status update with a post recommending to post something you are thankful for everyday up until Thanksgiving. So, I thought I'd give it a try.

It's amazing, everyday I had to debate on which thing I wanted to post that day. Until put to the test, I did not realize how many things I have to be thankful for in my life. I never even got to the physical things, like the basic necessities food, water, and shelter that I am able to take for granted daily. I was only able to list a few short posts which mostly included my family and friends.

My aunt suggested to me that I should start a journal and continue this process. So, I am going to use my blog. If nothing else, you should at least find a quick post showing what I am thankful for each day. I know, I am sure that I will miss days, as there are some that I never even look at the computer, but I am going to try.

So let's start today off with this:

Today I am thankful that I am a strong enough person to make the tough decisions i need to make in order to make my life the best that it can be. I am so grateful to have a system of support. There are so many that reassure me daily that I can do this, and it is the right decision. I have no doubt that these are the people that have made me so strong.

Thanks to Aunt PeeWee for the suggestion! I love this!

the love of a sister

When you are up, your friends know who you are. When you are down, you know who your friends are..... Rev Run

Margot loves to call Monica Rev Run when she sends her little inspirational quotes by text. I especially liked this one because it is very true.

Margot and Monica (aka The Twins) have been a couple of my best friends from high school and on. They are true girlfriends that you can rely on and you know they will be there for you, no matter what the case.

A couple weeks ago, Margot was involved in a bad car accident and sustained some pretty life altering injuries. She has physical injuries to her face which will heal up nicely, but also took a good blow to her head which will heal up with work over time. She is so lucky and we know that without God watching over her, she probably wouldn't be with us today:

What I've learned through all of this:

1. Prayer works.

2. God has a purpose in everything he does.

3. Family and true friends are a huge part of the recovery process.

4. A head injury can make you say just about anything....

It's funny, Margot and Monica were not brought up in church as I was. They were never taught the bible or prayer. I'm not sure if either one of them has ever been saved. From day one of the accident I have seen a faith in Monica that I never knew existed and i wonder if she herself knew it was there? There were prayers being said for Margot around the world and it is comforting to hear Monica say the "prayers are working, keep them up!"

Margot has always been the wild one. Monica has always been the caretaker. So, things are as they should be there. It seemed as though Monica and Margot were beginning to grow apart over the last few years. It used to be The Twins were like one friend, but as we got older they were two seperate people, each looking to do and be their own person. Don't get me wrong, I loved this part of them. But I wondered what had happened their bond. Well, the bond is back. Monica has been the BEST sister ever through all of this. She is there for Margot through everything and will not let her sister fail at recovery. She has taken on the role of sister, nurse, a part time fill in mom for Riley, all the while keeping all of us informed on what is going on and how Margot is doing. I honestly don't know how she does it. It amazes me daily, as does Margot and her recovery.

This may get a bit rambly, but it's been a long few weeks.

I visited Margot last weekend and she looks great. Her face is healing and her eye is sooo much better. She is still not completely herself yet, but I can definitely see bits and pieces of her in there. I know that when she is recovered she will only be a better Margot. She constantly repeats that she doesn't remember the accident or the hospital, what a blessing! She has no idea how bad things were. I can tell she is anxious about her hand healing well enough to play the guitar again, I can only see her strumming away in the near future. She seems a bit agitated and edgy at all times, but I think "how would I feel if I had no idea what happened to me and no one would leave me alone anymore?" I'd be downright angry. She wants her independence and that is completely ALL MARGOT!! Leave her alone, let her drive, etc. She will be doing all this again, no doubt. It'll just take a little time and a lot of work. And also a little petting from Monica... :-)

I love these girls. I love knowing that no matter what happens, they will always be there for each other. It has restored my faith in the bond that sisterhood holds. I know that had the situation been reversed, Margot would be right there with Monica taking care of things

So, I'll quit the rambling now and end this thing with this.....

Remeber who loves you, who takes care of you, who picks you up when you fall and carries you. These are the people that you should surround yourself with. Never take it for granted, for it can be taken from you so quickly!

It's been one full year since the historical election...

How do you feel now? Still believeing in all that change????

This past year did mark a historical event with the election of our first African - American president. His campaign slogan - Change You Can Believe In. So many promises were made and yet in one year, we are yet to see any of his promises kept.

Sadly, he cannot make a decision on the troop surge even though he has been given sound advice from the general. He IS "dithering." I am not sure exactly what he thinks will happen between now and the time he makes a decision. We continue to lose more Americans daily because we need more troops in there. For more information, read this blog http://letthemfight.blogspot.com/. It is full of information on what really needs to be done and is written by a former Marine who recently lost his son in Afghanistan. It is very imformative and has brought me to a much more clear understanding of why we need more troops and a better plan.

And, what about the new Healthcare plan. He made that promise that he would have this in place within his first year as president. Now we hear from the Senate Democrats that there is virtually no way to get a bill to Obama on healthcare within this year!! One more broken promise.

He preached bipartisanship through his campaign. Has he taken the first step to reach across the aisle and make compromises? Maybe reaching across that aisle would help to create that healthcare plan that was promised. He panders to the left and this is not the policies he ran on.

His approval rate has dropped by double digits now. The elections yesterday showed poor turnout by young people and African Americans. This tells us something. Last year, people voted for the charisma and promises made by a man with little experience and questionable background. Now, with election results in, key races were won by the GOP. Maybe people are coming to their senses.

Tentative Contract... woohoo!

Yay! We have a tentative contract negotiated. It's about time. This has been going on since April and I had almost forgotten about it!

CWA officers are headed to Austin as I write this. There, they will get more details on what is in the contract and will vote on whether or not to ratify it. From the few details I have seen, it doesn't look too bad. Of course, there will always be those people who will never be happy if they have to pay a dime for insurance, but it's not so bad. Besides, it gives us another year at $0 premiums.

Details to come....

Now showing in a theater near you.... maybe an all black one?

Friday, I got home from work early and had the pleasure of watching a little Oprah. These days, I am not really a fan of Oprah - seems like she's all about herself and less about the show now. That's beside the point though. Chris Rock was on the show that day promoting his new documentary, Good Hair. This is a movie about black women and what great lengths they go to to make their hair look good. What amused me about the Oprah show, was the older black women in the audience that were offended by this documentary about black women's hair, made by a black man. A woman actually said it would be ok if the movie was only shown in all black theaters. Are these really out there?? Even Chris Rock's face fell when she said that. She was actually offended that he was giving away black women's "hair secrets". These secrets being perms, weave, wigs, etc....

Come on. As a 33 (almost 34) year old woman, living in the year 2009, I already know all the things that black women do to their hair to make it look good. I also know that if I was black, I would do the same things to get good hair. As a white woman, i have decent hair. But not all white women do. We all do stuff to our hair to improve it, highlights, full color, perms, even extensions (also known as weave in the black community).

I just wonder if this woman would feel better about things if say, Adam Sandler, made a documentary about white women getting their hair done. It would not be nearly as exciting. The reason being, black women's hair goes through total transformation - this is what makes it so entertaining. It's like that show Extreme Makeover - it draws people in. Not to see how bad it was at first, but to see how it ends - how great it turns out!! It's not a bad thing and it certainly is not a racial thing.

Another woman in the audience closer to my age thought that this documentary would only give the white women in her office ammunition to make fun of her. Give me a break! I mean, give us white women some credit. We are not stupid about the things that you do to your hair and if you think that someone will start making jokes about your hair after seeing this, they are already making jokes about your hair now. That is a personal fault.

ok, I am almost done with this little rant. When is the world going to move past the black and white issue? There will always be stereotyping, we know that. But this is such a small thing that some people are getting way too worked up about. I mean it's only hair, for God's sake!! And it's Chris Rock. Everybody loves Chris Rock. I am going to sit my happy white butt down in the middle of that theater and see the movie this week. And when I laugh, I hope no one will be offended.

Better days ahead....

It's amazing how bad things can be one week, and the next week it seems like everything is going my way!!

Last week was horrible... no details on that.

This weekend started this week off great. Eric catered to me all weekend because I was feeling so bad with cramps (ugh!). On Saturday we went to the Rice Festival. Food was great, music was great, weather was not. It poured on us while we were there. The parking lot was like a muddy track with cars getting stuck everywhere! You did not want to be in that lot without 4 wheel drive! Meanwhile, our 4 wheel drive sat in our driveway because i blow dried my hair that night, ha! We laughed about it the whole way home. Now my car smells like sour mud.

On Monday, a former friend decided to be friendly to me. No, this does not mean we are friends. It merely proves my point that he is still laden with guilt for what he did to me and is trying desperately to make up for it. After work, I drug a cranky Eric to the new gym in Beaumont where we opened up a membership together!! This means we get to work out together. You see, I push him in some ways and now he'll have a chance to push me at the gym. It all comes out even in the end, right?

Today I actually conversed (by email) with a family member who hasn't really spoken to me in a while. It was good, I think. I am trying to look at it positively as a sort of step towards mending fences. I really miss having her in my life and things are awkward without her. I think she might beg to differ on that statement, but I am entitled to my own opinion.

The other really great thing that happened today, I talked to a realtor about the house sell. FINALLY!!! Things are moving in the right direction and I may not have to waste money on rent. I just might have a partner in all this, after all!!

And now I am here at work and we are out of work. Gotta love that! $25.00+ an hour to sit here and watch a movie on my iphone while I wait for 4:30....

All those horrible days last week, I am glad I was able to push through them. It was a tough few days and things happened that will change my relationship forever, but I am finally seeing that there are better days ahead ... :-)

a hint for my one dedicated reader...

Here is your hint for my birthday gift, Eric.

who reads this???

so, i've come to notice that no one reads my blog. That's ok with me. Most of the time it's just rambling anyways. I am not a very good writer and actually just created this because my sister had one and i thought it was a neat way to keep up with each others lives (outside of the mandatory myspace and facebook). I should have known that at some point this would end in disaster as things most likely do for me. now, the one blog that i actually looked forward to reading is gone. granted, it tended to really piss me off sometimes, because it was my sister's and we don't always agree, but i still looked forward to reading it and sort of knowing what was going on in her life. besides that, she is a great writer. waaaaay better than i am.

Anyways, Amy if you are reading this (which i highly doubt), i really hate that you quit blogging because i think it is something that you loved. I could be wrong, but for once i don't think that i am.

today

so now is the part where we are supposed to try and make everything better. I wish this was easier. it would have been if i'd taken things slower and been a little more cautious from the get-go. but, this is my life and he is the one that i love, so now i try harder than i've ever tried before to make things work. one last big push....

root for me. pray for me. just try to think good thoughts for me.

Tonight

my heart is broken. i am so lost. it's hard to figure out where to go from here. What used to be so perfect seems to be destroyed.

i cannot sleep. i just lie there and cry.

i wish i could let it all out, but there is no one to talk to that would understand it all. i pray and hope for some relief.

Labor Day....

It's Labor day and this means summer is almost over and fall is around the corner. For some of us, anyways!

For me, it means hurricane season is almost over and so far, so good! It also means new fall premiers on my fav television shows!! My favorite holiday is quickly approaching - MY BIRTHDAY!!! (Oct. 27th for those who didn't know). Thanksgiving follows that which means good times with the food and family! I think I said that backwards, or did I?? LOL! From Thanksgiving we will roll into Christmas, which for me this year, could be a blessing or a complete and utter disastor. I'm not really looking forward to seeing how that plays out, but I will try not to dwell on it and enjoy the change in season.

Speaking of changes, I am currently looking into buying a new house. I am exploring all my options out there. So, if anyone reads this and has any advice, I will gladly take it.

Hope everyone's Labor Day is great!!

Good Friends Are Hard to Come By

So, i went on and on in a previous blog about Eric's friend of 20+ years that has screwed everyone over, but he still wants to be friends with him. Well, I guess that's biting me in the ass.

I just got a facebook message from a "friend" that pretty much used me for money. After about a year and a half, she has decided to apologize and wants to repair our friendship. I am not sure how I feel about this. There was a time when we spent every moment together. We had a lot of fun and had a lot in common. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of loaning her money. I mean, the occassional 20 dollar loan was no big deal, picking up a tab at the bar, or grabbing dinner for her. BUt it seemed to happen A LOT!! And then, when she is in dire straights and had no money, but really needed to get into an apartment, I came to the rescue! With the promise of pay back with her income tax refund. Of course, that never happens, but I continue to listen to her excuses. After her tax refund was spent, she decides to pay me out of the stimulus check. I never saw a penny. There was always an excuse. But, I was always understanding because I had been there and knew what it was like to not have money when i needed it. Of course, I was also in my teens and early 20's, not my 30's. So, now I am at a loss. IS there a chance that she has grown up and truly does want to repair our friendship, or is this a ploy because she has pissed everyone else off because she now owes them money????

And, for the record, Eric doesn't like her. So we are running neck and neck on this friend issue....

I'll tell you, good friends are hard to come by. So, when you have them, cherish them....

So, Labor Day weekend is coming up. I vow not to think about any of this. I will spend my long weekend enjoying good friends, good food, and GREAT FUN!!!

Thought for the day....

Apparently not here...

Remember this book? Well, apparently the sidewalk doesn't end here. As a kid I remember having a few of his books of fun kid like poetry.

Well, apparently he had adult poetry books as well. Go here to see the full poem. Here is a quick exerpt. This might catch you off guard,

"Why, you jive motherfucker!" screamed Gimmesome Roy, "I've climbed through rain and sleet,
I've lost three fingers off my hands and four toes off my feet!
I've braved the lair of the polar bear and tasted the maggot's kiss.
Now, you tell me the high is in myself. What kind of shit is this?
My ears 'fore they froze off," says Roy, "had heard all kind of crap,
But I didn't climb for fourteen years to listen to that sophomore rap.
And I didn't crawl up here to hear that the high is on the natch,
So you tell me where the real stuff is or I'll kill your guru ass!"

Now, this is just a short example. I do love the way he still uses the rhyming lyrics even though these are adult poems. Makes it kind of fun!!

Just venting

One thing I really hate about relationships is how you are expected to befriend anyone they are friends with. Why? Just because he likes someone doesn't mean they are my kind of friend.

In my 34 years, I've been through many types of friendships. Some really great and will last forever, some are fair weather (they'll be coming and going), and some people that are "friends" because they need something from you. So, I sort of consider myself to be an expert on friends.

Now, Eric has a friend. They've been friends since they we're kids, 20 + years. I hear this a lot. There was a falling out several months ago between he and his wife and somehow I became a pawn in his game he was playing with her. And this was definitely NOT by choice! Well, because this friend of 20+ years hasn't even had the nerve to confront me to talk or apologize or accuse, or make any type of conversation, I have refused to allow him to be part of MY life. Not Eric's. As far as im concerned, he can spend as much time with him as he wants.

My personal analysis of the friend of 20+ years and Eric's relationship is this: this friend will use and abuse anyone. He comes around and calls only when he needs something. Once that is done, he's gone. Well, I guess either Eric has put up with this so long that he doesn't care anymore or he doesn't realize it. For all I know, he may not have been this way forever. But, because I know the difference, I refuse to be a part of this friendship.

But being the girlfriend, I feel like I should give Eric an honest assessment of what the relationship really is. As I do, I realize I have hurt him more than helped him. Now he feels used and inadequate. What I hate is that this person could mean so much to him that it can make him feel so bad. That must mean at some point over the last 20+ years this guy had a good streak.

I don't know if I should suck it up and pretend this guy never used me as his pawn in his little game or stand my ground and hope Eric will realize that this guy is NOW just a manipulating, cold hearted person that he doesn't need to make his life whole (sometimes this is the feeling I get as I hear about 20+ years guy). It's a struggle to find a common ground in this situation.

Just venting....

Jill

Project Runway is back!!! WOOHOO!!

It's finally back on. It seems like it's been forever. I can't wait to lay up on the couch and watch it tonight. It'll put Eric through hell!! LOL.

The newness of having it on Lifetime and based out of LA should make it interesting. Only complaint from my friend with a new baby, why is it coming on so early?? Nobody that watches Bravo watches TV that early!!

how much should i read into this??

My horoscope today is:

SCORPIO: October 23rd - November 21stBe careful about your interactions with friends and family today -- it's all too easy for them to step on your ego! If you have to, try to just duck down and let them hash it all out amongst themselves.

Oh Lord!! On the day I am going to bring Griffin back to his mom. I better duck and cover, lol!!

Sunday...

My experience baking cookies from scratch is certainly something to write about, because I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN!!! I see no reason to go to this much trouble, when I can buy the little tube of cookie dough and spoon it out onto a cookie sheet, bake, and get rave reviews!!!

I needed to bring something to work for a birthday party. I just recently went through some of my mom's recipes and pulled out a recipe for "Mrs. Field's Cookies." It didn't seem too hard so I decided on Sunday I would make those. It took like every bowl I had in the kitchen, a blender (in place of the food processor), baking pan, mixer, and tons of space!! I think I spent more time cleaning up, than actually baking. NO, I take that back. Grating 8 oz of hershey bars took the longest. Have you ever tried to grate chocolate? as you start on a piece, you think it's pretty easy and then your chocolate melts right where you are holding onto it and breaks. WTH???? How exactly are you supposed to do this? The whole time I am trying to do this, I am getting texts from people that are coming over for dinner. Can't very well text when your fingers are covered in chocolate. Here comes Griffin to save the day. Lucky for me, he knows as much about the iphone as I do and quickly texts back as me!!! So 2 hours after I start the process, i think i finally have a dough. All that's left is to mix in the chocolate chips. This in itself, is not an easy process. Imagine stirring cookie dough. It's not stirrable. It's plow into it with your hands to get it all mixed in. I am not sure what that is called. So, after all this, I am finally able to start the actual baking process. Not too bad, except this recipe must have made 6 doz cookies. What? My sister did not write this on the recipe card when she jotted it down. I think i opened and closed the oven 30 times taking cookies out and putting new ones in.

And, I finally finished, 3.75 hours later. I truly thought I had accomplished something. Right up until Eric tasted one and asked me "what's in this?", "is there coconut in this?" NOOOOO! There was no coconut, only very finely grated chocolate that I spent hours grating. If there was coconut, it would have been bought already shredded!!! Besides, as someone who loves me, you should just eat and tell me how great they are after I spent that long on them. After a shower to clean myself up after slaving away, I tasted one and thought they were pretty good, but I think I prefer Tollhouse slice and bakes. Fortunately, John shows up, heads straight to the cookies cooling on the table and cames out still chewing and calmly staes, "these cookies rock!" Thank God for John!!! He has restored my faith in my baking.

But, I will never do that again. Unless John asks me, because he rocks for saying the right thing!!

Top Chef Masters vs Top Cheffers

I found this questionnaire online about this weeks show. I love the masters show, but I miss the competitiveness of the Top Chef contestants. Anyways, just thought I'd share....

1.Doesn't Rick Bayless's beard kinda remind you of Spencer Pratt's? NO, absolutely not. Rick Bayless is one of my fav's and he is nothing like Spencer

2.What do you think of Anito Lo? She's a little strange and I wish she'd quit running her hands through her hair so much. It makes it look greasy.

3.How is your palette? Could you name those dishes? maybe the peanut butter and the corn

4.Which ex-Top Chef contestant would you pick to be your sous chef? FABIO!!!

5.Who was out of line: Dale or Chiarello? I have to say Dale. Michael was a little rough around the edges, but Dale was flat out rude.

6.How hot is Hubert Keller? I "heart" listening to him talk about his dishes. It brings true meaning to what they say about French men.

7.Who do you think will win? I think i want Bayless or Hubert to win. They both seem genuine about their cooking and seem to view this show as an experience and not a contest.

So, I guess I'll quit blogging for today....

LIPS....

How funny is this??? Only a man could have thought this one up!!! I hope whoever reads this silly blog gets as big of a kick out of this as I did!! Happy Friday!!

book vs movie

So, I just finished reading this book, Julie & Julia. It was FANTASTIC!! I cannot wait to see the movie, but I am afraid it may be a huge disappointment! I cannot figure out how much of the movie is going to be about the life of Julia Child, due to the fact that the book spends little time on it. I loved the character of Julie, though!! It's so easy to see yourself in her -

So, I am planning on seeing the movie sometime this weekend and I'll try and update the blog on how I feel about it. And, if you haven't had a chance, get the book and read it. It's great!!

a little poetry all the way from Alaska

life is the portrait you paint with your spirit, the decision you make to be happy, the time you spend in the pursuit of joy, don't waste your time dwelling on the unknown, but rejoice in the beauty of now, the opportunity to share your own unique beauty, and the chance to be truly amazing is fleeting so take this moment to realize your gift to this life and share it with all those you meet. Let love rule.... Ryan Parker

Insomnia is a BITCH

I cannot sleep.

The last several weeks I have had more trouble sleeping than I've had in years. I hate it. I just lie there with my eyes closed, while my brain is going full speed ahead. And, it's never things I want to think about. It's all the things I'd rather not think about. See, insomnia is a bitch....

Had a lot on my mind lately. I talk about it with friends sometimes. It helps, I guess. There are other people in my life I'd like to talk to about these things, but I would feel awkward now. Sooo, I am blogging, and let me just say, my blogging skills are lacking.

Work is probably the most stress free time I spend daily. This is odd, considering the impending doom of "the strike." But, it is the most normal time in my day where everything is as it should be (for the most part). Home life has been a little difficult lately. I love my boyfriend, but let me just say that some of his habits drive me insane. I mean, to the point of wanting to leave sometimes. I know relationships have to be worked at, and believe me, I am working HARD!! I wonder sometimes how much he is working though? He seems so stress free as he lays there sleeping. I know I annoy him too, but he manages to just sleep through it. I want some of whatever he's taking, PLEASE!!! I think if I could sleep, I could handle all of this so much better.

Other things that bother me:

1. I need a new car. Seems like I am taking mine in for work every other week.
2. When my car isn't being worked on, Eric's jeep is being worked on.
3. Both vehicles in the shop at one time.
4. I want a new house. with a pool. and 2 bathrooms. in a good neighborhood.
5. I can't get Eric motivated to shop for homes with me.
6. as a matter of fact, I can't seem to get Eric motivated to do much, period.
7. those people i wish i could talk to about all of this, no matter how trivial, doesn't really like me much anymore. being family isn't enough to make someone like you. this one probably bothers me most because there is no solution. it is what it is.

As I said, my blogging skills are lacking as you can tell. I think i just rambled my way through this one. I am going to try that sleep thing again. Wish me luck!!!

update

So, we are back to talking strike again as the southeast region's contract end is around the corner. Around the corner, meaning today. And, once again there is no rhyme or reason to what are local union reps tell us. I really hate being in limbo. The sad part is, the people sitting in Austin "negotiating" already know what the outcome will be, it's just timinng on the announcment. I, for one, wish we would just strike or ratify an agreement.

In other news, my friend Monica is pregnant!! Yay! It seems like just the other day she was complaining that she didn't want to be a "geriatric pregnancy." According to Mon, if you are over 35 and pregnant, the medical community considers you to be just this. LOL, I got the biggest kick out of this conversation and 3 months later she is preggo!! Now, it's got me to thinking, if I want kids and wait til I'm over 35 and am considered "geriatric", do I have to find a special dr or what? I have seen no advertisements for these in the Bmt area??? Guess we will find out because with the way my life has been going, I will be 35 or older before I ever have a kid.

My birthday is right around the corner and I'll be 34 this year, woohoo! I am somewhat excited because for the first time in 5 years, Brandi will be in from alaska for my birthday celebration. If you don't know much about me, my birthday is my favorite holiday ever!! I'm not a conceited person, but i love having that day be all about me. Come on, you have to admit everyone wants to be the center of attention at some point. But, having her here is like the icing on the cake, LOL!!

My life is just not very exciting, is it??? I have no witty stories or comments. Just plain old every day life....

I love Bravo!!

So, tonight on Bravo is a new Atlanta Housewives and I cannot wait! It's a strange addiction I have to this channel, but I can't help myself! I think the majority of my DVR recordings are Bravo shows:-) I will watch pretty much anything that comes on this channel and become instantly addicted. And, if I miss a show, I can always count on Bravo to replay it or have a marathon one weekend. The only disappointment is that Project Runway is no longer on Bravo, and The Fashion Show just doesn't measure up (even though I like Isaac Mizrahi).

I can't wait to see what kind of drama is happening in Atlanta with Nene, she's my fav! I'll update later with my thoughts on the new housewife :-)

Jill

Mobile Blogging

Isn't the iPhone supposed to make everything easier? I hear daily, "there's an app for everything!" But, for some reason I can't get a picture to post to my blog on this damn iPhone. I can send all the text that I want, but when it comes to sending pics, this phone sucks!!! I can't even send a pic in a text like every other mobile phone out there. I'm beginning to think Apple needs to take a look at their users priorities! I appreciate the things this phone does, but do I really need to have voice memo? I've never recorded myself on my phone so I could listen to it later... what a joke!! I am texting this blog from my mobile, but if you see the previous blog with no picture, you now know why. Don't worry, it was nothing special, just a quick shot of my desk at work - where I should be working, not blogging! So, I'm going now....

Jill

Flor-i-da!!

Just got back from Florida! I had the best week on the beach with my mom, nephew, and the love of my life!! Pretty darn close to perfection!! Anyways, spent most of our time laid up on the white beaches or in the beautiful water, but managed to make it out on the town a couple nights. A quick note to all - never eat Florida bbq if you are from TX. Major disappointment!!! Going to post a couple pics ....

Sometimes it sucks to be the bigger person

Really! Sometimes it really sucks trying to be the bigger person and then you get shot down. I guess it all depends on the person you are trying to overcome and how mature they can really be too. I have tried for years with this one particular girl that i thought i called a "friend". It just seems like no matter what, she cannot seem to move past the phase of "I told you so's" and "i'm right and your wrong." And the sad thing is, I feel sorry for this girl. I don't know why. I can't explain it. I have prayed about it and asked God to lead me in the right direction with my dealings with her, and "WHAM!" I get knocked in the head with her response of "I'm right and you're wrong". Ironically, followed by the statement that everything is "all good" now and she sure would like to hang out with me and my friends at a pool party this week. WTH????

Any advice on a response to that one???

I apologize to an extent...

Have you ever been told by some one that they 'apologize to an extent"? What exactly is this? Are we putting stipulations on the apology? If that's the case, I'd like to put some stipulations on my acceptance.

I only accept if you say it sincerely.
I only accept if you use the exact words I want to hear.
I only accept if you know everything you did that hurt me... even the most minimal detail.

Come on. If you are willing to apologize, don't be so proud to add that "to an extent" so that you don't look quite as guilty for hurting someone else. I mean, it may make you feel better, but what about the person that you actually hurt? If you are truly sorry for hurting that person, why make them continue to feel guilty "to an extent"? So you don't feel as bad? That's my guess.

To Strike or Not to Strike?!?!

If only I had a choice in the matter. I mean, why don't they take a very normal employee like me, and sit me down in the middle of the bargaining table and let me mediate? I am neither pro union nor pro company. I'm sure I could come to a fair decision for all. Raises around the table, a minimum cost for healthcare, and by all means we will keep the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday!!! Why on earth is that even up for bargaining???

Anyways, they have until midnight tomorrow to get this thing negotiated or you might see me on the local news walking the picket line. Upon my dad's request, I will be wearing a red cap so he can pick me out. I am so not looking forward to that. On a positive note, I may have more time to blog about my 'oh, so interesting' life.

I'll keep you posted. Right now, I have to go get my stuff out of the refigerator in the break room before it gets thrown away. You know, AT&T managers just might need to eat my food!

HILARIOUS

ok, everyone needs to see how some union members spend their time during contract negotiations....

http://files.cwa-union.org/national/att/song.mp3

HILARIOUS!!!!

BTW, I am actually doing my part and wearing a union t-shirt today... I feel somewhat ashamed.

presidential familia'

I know I never get on here and blog, but I thought I'd share this with all of you. I received this as an e-mail from facebook.

Hi, Barack Obama (Washington, DC) has confirmed you as his fourth cousin once removed on We're Related


LOL!!! Now, how do they figure that? I'd like to see the family tree! And, to the rest of my family I want you to know that if I'm related, then you are too!

Did anyone else get this? Is this a ploy to make you think you have to like the guy???

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Good days and bad days....

Yesterday was one of those days that made me want to crawl into a hole and hide from the world. Ever have one of those? It seemed like I couldn't please anyone. Between fighting with my sister and my boyfriend all day, I am trying to do the right thing by a friend who lost a family member. It was like no matter what stance I took with either one of them, I got shot down. UGHHHH!! I hate those days.

Today though has been really good! It's weird how that can happen. It was like my whole outlook had changed after a good night of sleep. And then when I got to work, one of the people that bothers me most wasn't here today... YEA!!! Good start! On the down side, we found out my boss's (and friend) son was in the hospital fighting some pretty high fevers. But as a group in the office, we pooled our money and sent a balloon bouquet for him. It always feels good to try and cheer someone up. Now, I am actually working reports so I put on my Ipod and it feels like all of my favorite songs are coming on back to back!! (i have really good taste in music) I know, these are all songs I've picked so I like them all, but I do have favs! I guess good days mostly outnumber my bad ones so I should be thankful. Today I am just thankful to have one this good follow such a bad one like yesterday.

Cross your fingers I have many of these days to follow! Oh, and one other good thing, my BFF Brandi is going to be here from Alaska on Friday!!!! Can't wait!

All this crazy weather!!

What is up with this crazy weather? I went to bed last night and it was 69 degrees outside. Now, it's 40 something and no sunshine. I get an email from my grandmother, that in Arkansas it is 17 degrees and my aunt has no power and they have to stay in bed to stay warm. Knowing that, I am quite thankful. But I still don't get it and I am cold! And apparently a bit whiney today. I want sunshine and warm weather, where I can throw on shorts and a tee when I get up and not think about the weather. It just makes me happy!! And that has been scientifically proven.

Weight Watchers

I lost 5.6 pounds in my first week!! Yeah!. I know I won't lose that much every week but it was a nice way to start. It makes me want to work harder this week. Anyways, just a quick update since I am at work!

Obama continued.... and more

So this is the first thing I see when I walk through the door at work on Wednesday morning. (I took this picture on my phone when no one was watching, wouldn't want to give the wrong impression!) You can only imagine how that started my day.

I work for a company that strongly participates in the union so the support for Obama makes sense. Union workers and democrats go hand in hand. Well, mostly. I am an exception. What I hate though, is that this is being shoved down my throat and it makes me want to puke!!!

Ok, on to other subjects because I could go on and on!! 

Today, I am going to weight watchers for my first weigh in since I joined. Keep your fingers crossed that I actually lost some weight!! Then, I am going to shop. Now, I don't have a lot of money so I am bargain hunting. Not sure what i am looking for either, but I feel the need to spend some $$$! Anyone else ever get that feeling? I used to shop every weekend. Then I had to go and get a boyfriend and it all stopped. It's a new year though so I am combining all the things I did before Eric and I got together with the things I do now. So, shopping, the gym, going out with girlfriends, etc is all starting back up! 

Last night I went out for drinks with a friend. First, I have no idea what to order with this weight watchers diet. I am normally a beer drinker when I get out, but since I was going for the weigh in this morning, I didn't want to get something that would bloat me.  So I went for Grey Goose and cranberry. It is my new favorite cocktail! Of course Allison, my 100 lb friend, has beer and the sampler platter and she will have no worries about putting on a pound! But, the funny thing was that most people in this bar seemed like they had just hit 21 and we felt so old!! Up until we got hit on my the 60 something man in shorts, polo, and those black nike sandals! YUCK and why? And then, you know what he says, "can y'all talk to us? me and my friend over there (he points to a tall skinny 60 something) just want some girls to sit with us." Do we look like escorts/prostitutes??? We declined as politely as we could while we laughed directly in their face. Should I feel bad about embarrassing them?  Hell no! It was quite entertaining! we proceeded to get Eric all riled up through texting about the "hot guys" hitting on us, to the point that he was coming up there. That would have been pretty funny, but it was time to go. I mean it was 10 pm! Past the bedtime!

So maybe things won't be exactly as they used to be but I am thinking the combination could prove to work out in my favor!!

Obamamania!!!

They are not lying when they call it Obamamania. Mania is the only word to describe it. I can understand the excitement over the fact that this is our first black (actually half-black) president, but don't you think things have gotten a little out of hand? I mean people that never even voted have shown up for the inauguration and walked 10-15 miles to get to it because there is no place to stay. They act as though he is God. I can assure you people, he is not. No president has ever been, nor will be. Get over it.

As a nation, we have experienced all types of presidents. Some good, some bad, some were ok. Everyone has their favorite, assuming they know someting about it. My personal favorite was Ronald Regan. I have friends who LOVE Clinton. We all had an opinion on the president at the time. But, let me make one thing clear. At no point in time did we ever discuss the race of our president this much. Who cares? He is a man. A mortal. Nothing more, nothing less.

I have to go back to work, but expect to hear more on this later. I am not done.....Until then....

Setting new goals

Normally people start their whole weight loss resolutions at the beginning of the year. well, I am stepping outside of the box and starting today, January 7. I've been sick since the start of the new year so i've been living on comfort foods.

This morning I woke up and was actually able to breathe. For the last week, I have been falling asleep and waking up in the middle of the night to one side of my nose completely clogged. I am sure you know what I am talking about if you've ever had allergies, sinus issues, or a cold. So, you sit up and try to make everything resituate so you can breathe through both nostrils. Disgusting, but you do whatever it takes so you can go back to sleep. Anyways, I actaully slept through the night last night and have hardly coughed at all today.

I am currently sitting at work contemplating what I am going to do at the gym. What will burn the most calories that takes the least amount of time and effort??? Is there any such thing? I know there is not. It's been so long since I have actually been in a routine, thanks to dating. But, I am determined to start a good routine today.

So I am feeling good today. So far I haven't coughed or sneezed once and the prospect of the gym is actually enticing!!! Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted!

The Holidays are FINALLY over...

Every year I think I'll be more prepared for the holidays before they get here, but every year I am wrong. I am out there with the rest of you, fighting my way through crowds on the weekend before Christmas and swearing not to do it this way again! But, I made it through the hustle and bustle and had a great Christmas, albeit very busy!

From the first blog you can see where we had been wrapping presents. The wondrous bows made by Eric in the picture. By the way, that bow fell off before Christmas. Imagine that! Anyways, we were no where near being finished at that time. The weekend before Christmas and the week of consisted of non-stop shopping. Eric has really learned to love shopping! LOL! By Christmas Eve we were finished.

I got off work at 5 that day, Eric at 3:20. About 4, I texted him and asked if he'd be ready to load up and head out when i got off at 5 (we were headed to Katy for Christmas with my family).  The text i received in response to my question read:

"Aye cap'n"

Sounding pretty sure of himself. I run out of work at 5 expecting to get home and him be ready to load the car while I took a minute to get ready to head out. As I walk in the door I can hear the shower running. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!! I swear I am living with the master of procrastination. As he finally got out, he seems confused that I am home. "Oh," he says, "I didn't realize what time it was." His typical response. As I reassured him we had plenty of time and began loading the car myself, I was secretly cursing him under my breath the whole time. I may be a little anal about leaving on time but he is so far from trying to be on time that this is a major conflict.

I held it together and we finally made it to Katy. I walked in the door to see Griffin watching a Christmas movie, Mom in the kitchen cooking, and my sister bustling around the house with a stressed out look on her face.  This is a normal look for my sister. Sounds like a typical Christmas Eve, right? Well, we weren't here to stay. We unloaded and reloaded the car to head to my dad's house for Christmas with that family(whoever says you get more presents when your parents are divorced, the fun dies down when you are grown and no papers determine who you spend a holiday with.) 

Dad's house is always really laid back. It was odd this year though because they weren't in their house due to damage from Hurricane Ike. We had Christmas at the house they are renting. Unbeknownst to me, we were supposed to bring our swimsuits since they had heated the pool for us. Thanks Griff for getting that message to us!

Nice, huh . Only in Texas can you swim on Christmas Eve. Don't get me wrong, the pool was heated. So only Griffin had his suit and Eric was able to put on some athletic shorts to swim. The rest of us were stuck taking pictures, see above......

We finally went inside and did the gift exchange. I was thrilled to get a new kitchen clock as I requested. This will be replacing the one currently in the kitchen with primary colors and fruits on it. Just not my style! 

So about 10:30 we head back to my sister's house. As we pull in the driveway she resumes her stressed out look. Remember I said my mom was in the kitchen? She was cooking Christmas Eve dinner, and now, at 11 pm, we were expected to sit down to a nice dinner.  This explains the stressed out look on my sister's face. I, for one, do not mind doing this once a year. I can roll with the late night agenda since it makes everyone happy. My sister has a harder time hiding her frustration, but she tried and I'll give her credit for that. We ate with no major drama at the dinner table.

After eating, and then cleaning, we headed out to my sister's friends house where Santa was leaving all of Griff's stuff. On the way over, Eric decides to take a short nap in the back seat (since he had no time to relax from 3:20 til 5 when i got off). If he had known how Amy drove, he probably would have worn a seat belt. As she came to a screeching halt since  she missed the street she needed to turn on, Eric comes crashing to the floorboard! I was pretty certain his nap was over.

Anyways, we made it back to my sister's house and we all took turns riding the bike Santa left for Griffin. After that Eric and mom both hit the sack!! This left Amy and I to shut it all down. This is how it always is. And it is at this time every year on Christmas Eve, she loses her stressed out look. As we settled in with a glass of wine, here is what we were looking at.....

wow! What a beautiful site! I love to see this every year when we finally get it all done. I know that we are probably a little spoiled since we do seem to go overboard on gifts. But really, we are not. We just enjoy our one time of year that we have to give to each other. I don't have family that lives down the street and can take me shopping anytime, nor can I do it for them. Don't get me wrong, I do know that Christmas is not about the gifts. It is about the birth of Christ. But gifts are a way of celebrating Christ's birthday, right?

So, at 7:30 am my mother is banging on the bedroom door to get up and letting my dog in....

I roll over and nudge Eric who growls back at me. I am starting to smell the coffee so I am coming to life. I tried sweetly to wake him but he was having none of it. It was just too early for him. So I just left him there. This normally doesn't prompt him to get up but he was right behind me. Secretly, I think he really couldn't wait to get to gifts...he's very much like a little kid sometimes!!

Christmas morning went as usual, but with an addition to the family this year. Eric seems to fit right in so I guess I did alright! He even got his own stocking with his name on it. It lights up too. Somebody in my family loves him!!

We all went through the motions of everyone unpacking their stockings and the buckets mom has added to our stocking since we always seem to have so much overflow!!! Stockings are always my favorite part of the morning. All these little things that are so useful and handy, yet you'd never buy them for yourself. I LOVE IT!!!

We went through gifts galore and I think everyone got everything they wanted. All except Griffin who asked for an xbox. I, personally, was surprised that there was anything he could ask for and NOT get it. But, he never mentioned anything about it. He's always happy with what he gets and a pretty gracious kid (most of the time).

By now, it was time for me and E to pack up and leave. We had Christmas in Beaumont with his family next. We made the long drive home, then showered and dressed and headed over to his Uncle James' house. They have a very big close knit family and everyone was there.  It was full of people, gifts, and food and we had a really good time!! I have no super exciting stories from there because there was so much going on at one time, i had a hard time concentrating!!

By the time we made it home, it was about 5 pm and we were POOPED!! I mean tired. At this point, we had not even exchanged our gifts for each other. I went straight to the couch, but the big kid I call my boyfriend, plopped right down in front of the Christmas tree. He had a big grin on his face so I knew he was excited about getting to these gifts. And, I was excited because we would be done!!! YAY!! He got what he wanted, I got what I wanted. He was overwhelmed with his Vince Young jersey. I am not sure why men think it is necessary to wear the matching jersey of the player in the game they are watching, but it is. So he now has 3 of them and he can rotate them on game days. I got diamond earrings. They were in the box with the funny bow! I knew it wasn't shoes and had a strong suspicion it was earrings to match the necklace I got for my birthday!

SO, finally done. Now i am hungry and we have no food because we haven't been home to eat the last couple of weeks. I am feeling pizza. Eric calls me from walgreens to inform me he got a frozen pizza there and we have company coming over shortly. Yea! I rush to get out of my pj's and back into regular clothes. John shows up and they retreat to the front porch. And, that is where they stayed....

At 8:30 pm, I said my good nights and hit the sack!

And the next day, it was back to work as usual.....

Next time I will blog more often instead of one long, drawn out, probably boring blog. But, I am still new at this and getting used to it. Bye for now!! I am leaving you with the after Christmas picture. Yes, those are stockings on my feet.....