I'm leaving the blog world.
I'd like to say temporarily, but I'm not sure.
I'm tired. And I'm sad. And neither of these emotions reflect what I want my blog to be. Posting feels forced. I dread it actually. Often times during the day I think "Golly, I should really post today since I haven't in like 6 days," but then I can't think of anything positive to write, or I can't find the time.
Anonymity also play a big role. I'm not happy with where I am in my life right now, and I'm tired of putting it all out there for everyone to see.
Maybe when things change and become more positive, I'll be back.
Maybe.
I'm not going to delete anything, and will still welcome comments.
I'm going to keep my profile, so expect to see me more in comments. Twitter as well.
All in all, blogging has been a truly positive and therapeutic experience for me. I'm sad to go, but when it's time, it's time.
I love you all. Thanks for reading.
This isn't goodbye, it's see you later...
Shopping Etiquette from an Experienced Sales Associate
Browsing
- If you are walking slow, or standing still, please stand all the way over on the right side of the walk way, so people may pass you on the left. Think of it as a highway. Also be aware of your surroundings, someone may be right behind you trying to get through the tight squeeze between racks, but can't get bye while you are meandering.
- Do not remove tags. Don not switch tags. We will know.
- If you are unsure the price, use the customer price check (if available) or ask the associate. Don't just assume that because it's on the sales rack, that it is indeed on sale, especially if it is the only one on the rack or misticketed. Things are often misplaced.
Fitting Room
- Don't leave the clothes in a big heaping pile on the floor. Not only is it disrespectful of the stores and associates, but also of your fellow customers. Hang them up or fold them and leave them in the room, or better yet, give them back to an associate or hang them on the rack outside the fitting room (if available)
- Try on everything! Don't assume that because you wear a 5 in one brand, you will wear a 5 in all brands.
- Smaller and tighter does not equal better.
Conversation
- Sales associates are there to help you. We aren't trying to con you. We are just doing our job. Feel free to ask us questions, and please answer ours in return. An "I'm just looking" is pretty obvious, but we were offering our help. We work in this store everyday, putting this away and straightening up, so you might as well use our help!
Cash Register
- If paying by cash, please hand your straightened bills and change to the cashier. Don't lay them on the counter.
- If you have a coupon, present it before you pay. If you haven't read the fine print on the back, then please don't over react when we tell you the coupon does not apply.
- We can't just give you the discount that was advertised in the paper. That is why there was a coupon. For you to cut it out and bring it in.
- It's our job to offer you the in store credit card. We do realize that there is a recession, but do you realize that we get a bonus for every person we get signed up? So in order for me to get out of debt, I suppose I am trying to get you into debt. I'm sorry, it works that way, but I'm seriously not trying to con you, I'm just trying to do my job.
- If you are paying by credit card, please wait until I am finished ringing you up and tell you your total to swipe your card. Otherwise you're just going to have to swipe again.
- It's easier to readjust the price before you pay, rather than after we print out the receipt and hand it to you.
Mini Resolution for January
I was inspired by an article in the December issue of Glamour magazine called "Change Your Life in 31 Days" to try one tiny new thing every day for a month, and see if it changes my life. Seeing as how I can't even complete NaPlaBlaMoBlah or whatever it's called, this will be quite the challenge. But so far so good. Since the first of the year, I have done.... (drum roll please)...
100 sit ups and 10 push ups everyday!
Ok, ok, I realize this is not a huge accomplishment. But, it's January and I don't currently have a gym membership. I'm not going to run outside in the snow, and even if I did have a gym membership, I most likely wouldn't go, because it's just that time of the year where I don't want to leave the house cuz it's just too damn cold. I don't need to lose any weight, but who doesn't need to tone up? So when 10 push ups or 100 sit ups get too easy, I will increase it, day by day. And at the end of the month hopefully I will see a slight change in my body! I have little challenges planned for every month of the year, so we'll see if these little changes change my life!
It's a New Year, it's a new start
Fresh start. That's the way I kind of saw the beginning of 2008. Here we are at the start of 2009, and I feel eerily in the same position. I have not progressed what so ever, in fact I feel like I have regressed. But again I have some resolutions. They are a bit different from last year's though, since my focused has shifted. I'm truly putting myself first this year. I'm not going to worry about pleasing others, or changing the way I act for the betterment of someone else. Here are my big goals for the year, which I have already gotten a great start at:
- Clear my credit card debt I have about $2000 left to clear, and I know I can do about half that if not more just this month. That's one of the positives of not having to pay rent.
- Prepare for law school I need to take an LSAT test prep this spring. Then this summer I will take the LSAT. Then in the fall I will start preparing my admissions letters and applications to be mailed at the end of this year.
- SAVE SAVE SAVE I need about $1000 for my test prep. I need money for my May vacation in Florida. I want to have a $5000 emergency fund. And I also want to save the money I need to move out of my parents house, because that will happen sometime this year.
- Prepare to live alone, but simply Moving straight from college life to living with S, I got a little too far ahead of myself. I need to get my basics together first. Like a bed. And decent furniture and linens. And kitchen necessities. I want to prepare to live alone, and have everything I need in case I do, because I really do like being by myself. But that is a decision I will make when it comes time to move out. Do I live alone? Do I get a roommate? Do I live with S again? That's going to take some time to figure out, but first things first, I need to figure out WHERE! But no matter what, I want to be prepared, and have everything I need, but nothing more. I feel as though I have a whole bunch of nothing right now, so I need to weed out what I don't need or want, and replace that with only the necessities. I won't be quite as drastic as FB, who wants to fit all her belongings in a suitcase, but I would like to be able to fit all of my belongings in a small studio apartment.
Nothing life changing here folks, but with this detour my life took in 2008, I'm just focused on getting back on track, back to basics, and back to ME.
2008 ended on a high note
I'm back from Chicago and I had an amazing time. I had to catch the train on Monday morning at 6:30 am in a little town called Waterloo (ironic eh?) With the time change, that put me in Chicago at 8:30 am. S met me at Union Station, and we went across the street to a posh deli who's name escapes me, to eat some breakfast. Then we hopped on the train and headed back to our his apartment in Hyde Park. After lots of kisses and snuggles and getting reacquainted (if you know what I mean) we cleaned up, ate some lunch , fixed a few cocktails and headed back down town. We walked around a little while the sun was setting, and it was truly romantic. We went past a lot of our old haunts, and even saw the big Christmas tree. We headed over to the AMC to see Seven Pounds (which was so so good! I still can't stop thinking about it) and then ate some dinner. We headed home for an early night in.
Tuesday we had to get up early to go out to his mother's in Bellwood. We were babysitting his niece and nephews for the day, and yes, panic had already set in. In the past, we haven't been the best babysitters. And this time wasn't much better. But we took the kids to the park, which was fun until everyone got too cold, and we ran out of tissues. Then we went back and ordered Chinese, which seemed like a great idea, until we realized that the kids don't even like Chinese food. We headed back around 5, and stopped to eat at Bar Louie. We were exhausted, so we went straight home after that.
On New Years Eve, we went to The Original Pancake House for breakfast. Don't get this confused with The International Pancake House. This one is in Hyde Park, and is much much better. Then we spent the afternoon trying to figure out where to spend our evening, and we also did some drinking. We decided to get all dressed up and go the the Trump Tower. It was free to get into Rebar, and we knew we would be able to see the fireworks from there. Well, we ended up staying there only an hour! It was standing room only, and just a little uncomfortable. So we walked over to Howl at the Moon. S had never been there, and I don't really care for dueling pianos, but we decided to risk it. We were so drunk, we ended up having a good time. We were the only 2 dancing to that cheesy music, and I even did Beyonce's dance when they played "Single Ladies". We knew then, it was time to leave. We haded back to the Bar Louie in Hyde Park, and were mainly focused on eating. But all of a sudden there was champagne on our table and people were counting! We went straight to bed soon after that.
New Years Day was fun too. We went to Smoke Daddy's in Wicker Park for brunch and Bottomless Mimosa's. We came back to Hyde Park to go to Borders for a few chess matches, and then went back to the apartment to watch some movies and snuggle up and take a nap. We ate dinner at Valois Cafeteria, and then it was time for me to go. He came to Union Station with me to say goodbye, and I was gone by 10pm.
I had the most amazing time. We decided that we are going to give this another shot, but this time take things slow and start from scratch. So, with the start of the new year, I find myself in a long distance relationship, living at home with my parents in miserable Indiana. Being in Chicago made me realize how much I really miss it there. And how much I need S in my life. Love is not easy. But nothing ever is.
Train to Chicago
I'm heading to Chicago as I type. I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited. I miss him so much.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Christmas Live Blogging!
10:55 am I woke up about an hour ago, and got into the shower. I'm feeling much better from yesterday. Must have just been a little bug I caught. Last night we had hor d'oeuvres, wine and played some games as a family. We also opened a few presents. So far I got:
Pumas from Joey (I couldn't find a picture of the ones I actually got)11:13 am Joey's awake!! Time to open presents!
12:34 pm Dang I can smell the ham and it smells delicious. We opened our presents and everyone is happy. Here is what I got from Santa:
Nice classic earrings that won't tarnish for once because Santa went for the real deal.
And in my stocking was lot of candy, a People Style Watch magazine, and a one hundred dollar bill. Thanks Santa!
2:00 pm Time to eat!! Yum yum yum!
2:33 pm Ugh I am stuffed. I can't move. Plus I'm getting kind of drunk. One more glass of wine, and then I'm going to take a little nap.
8:33 pm Done with our naps and our family game playing for the night. I'm relaxing and watching the family stone, my brother is drunk and annoying, and I'm not really sure what my parents are doing. Ugh, I'm just dreading the fact I have to work at 7:45 am at one job and 4:15 at the other job tomorrow. Blech.
No Vlog
No vlog today folks. But I have a very good excuse.
I look like hell Audrey.
Because I barfed at work today.
On myself.
It was my lunch break, and I was sitting in the food court eating my free Chick-Fil-A sandwich that I got a coupon for, and I took a swig of my Diet Coke. All of a sudden, it came back up! No warning, nothing. All down the front of my shirt and into my lap. Then I felt it coming again, so I ran to the restroom. Literally, I ran with my hands covering my mouth. But it happened again on the floor in the middle of the food court.
I've never been so embarrassed in my life.
So I went home. And I got sick again, but then took a long nap. And now I feel much much better. But I'm not up to vlogging, seeing as I don't look too pretty covered in vomit.
Maybe opening a few presents will help me feel better. It is Christmas Eve!
If I'm not into it, I'm so over it
I'm not going to complain about being incredibly busy, but I am going to apologize for not being around very much. I never intended to neglect my blog, it just happened. After working 18 hours a day, I just want to crawl into bed, not get on the computer. I had it so easy when I worked in front of a computer for 8 hours, ya know? My personal blog isn't the only thing I have been neglecting, I have also been neglecting all of yours. My Google Reader has been at 1000+ for like, 3 weeks, so I'm pretty sure it means 10,000+. But this week will get better. You can look forward to a vlog from me tomorrow night, with a little announcement, I'm going to live blog our family Christmas, and a few other fascinating posts before I head to Chicago for New Years Eve. So anyway, here is a little recap of what I'm into, and what I'm so over from the past few weeks:
INTO
- The new Britney cd and the new Beyonce cd. I rock out on my way to and from work. My favorites are Britney's "If you seek Amy" and Beyonces "Diva"
- New friends that I'm making at both the mall and the restaurant. It makes working there much easier.
- The older ladies I work with at the mall. I've gotten so many comments from them on the way I dress. Most of the girls at work don't really take our all black dress attire seriously, they just show up in black pants and a black fitted tee and... black knock off crocs *GASP*. I on the other hand, kick it up a notch, because I like dressing up and looking nice. My hair and makeup are always done. For example, yesterday I wore a black suit jacket over a black shift dress, and snake skin heels. The day before I wore a black jersey dress over black tights with yellow ballet flats. One little old lady I work with thought I was a manager. When she asked my real manger about me, she said, "No she's just from Chicago."
- My brother. Without him, I would be completely driven insane.
- S. I love him. Still. And he is sincerely into me as well. Talking to him every night, and texting him all day long is really helping me get through my insane schedule.
- Making twice as much money here as I did in Chicago. Granted, I work twice as many hours, so I guess it all evens out. But I am going to be out of debt in no time!
- CHRIStMAS. I'm over the music I have to listen to 24/7. I'm over the rude ass Christmas shoppers that demand you give them 15% off their $10 purchase, even though their coupon does not apply.
- Seafood. I serve it every night, so don't even try to feed me any. Not even crab legs or lobster tail. Pretty sure I'm wearing it all over my shirt and tie anyway.
- My parents. I love them, you all know I do. And I really appreciate everything they do for me. But do they really need to know who I am texting or talking to on the phone? Do they really need to watch me back the car out of the garage? Do they really need to know when my bill are do, or if I took my pills yet? NO. Back off a little please.
- Mall food. I finally bought some healthy groceries. My waistline has been begging me to pack a lunch instead of fast food.
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