Running (Yes, again)

I started running* again today. At least my Change Your Life Challenge gave me something new to complain about!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, likely to be titled: 10 Reasons Why I Don't Run (and why I am quitting again).




*loose definition. 2 miles in just under** 30 minutes
**as in, 29:49, but who's counting

For what it's worth, my ultimate goal is to be able to run a 5k in that same time. So, basically I want to add a mile. I wonder if I'll actually reach that goal. It would be pretty awesome if I did!

How I Accidentally Spent an Entire Sunday

+

I recorded this show when it aired earlier this spring and never got around to watching it. I woke up bright & early this morning and wanted something to look at so I turned on Off the Map...and never turned it off. 

How could I with him as one of the main characters?

source

I'm debating starting a Friday Night Lights Final Season party, but I think I've had enough TV for the weekend. 

At least I washed my sheets and cleaned my bathroom before the marathon started! 

Are You Tired of Hearing About My Garden?

I bought my garden and planted everything in mid-March, so a little over 2 months ago. I have been tracking the progress on the blog, which has been a lot of fun for me!

I check on my little plants every morning & water them then. I typically fill up 2 pitchers of water and distribute evenly.

I took these pictures on Thursday morning, so before all the giant storms hit Atlanta. The bigger peppers are starting to turn red as of this morning, which is super exciting to me! It means they are almost ready to be picked! 

Those are my cucumbers. So far, they haven't been so successful. There is one on the vine right now that I don't think is going to be a keeper either. From what I have read, I should probably just go ahead and pick it but I want it to grow! Hopefully I'll get one that I can eat! 

And the tragedy that was my broccoli seems to be coming back to life. I am convinced that I have a green thumb. Remember when I tried to drown my cucumber plant? Well, that's the one that is producing the most vegetables! I just left it alone and it came back to life and now it's just going to town on cucumber production! I guess the broccoli felt the same way about the worms. I'm not going to hold out hope but at the same time...it's growing! I guess the broccoli didn't really need those leaves anyway. 

So, I've learned a lot about growing plants. I'm definitely going to do it again, maybe even in the fall! Honestly, it's been really, really easy. There was a little effort at the beginning to get the planters and the soil & fertilizer, and now I just have to water them. I added more fertilizer last week and that seemed to really jumpstart the broccoli. As I did more research, I realized that I probably should have been adding fertilizer every week. Lesson learned! 

I think the biggest thing I learned is that some things you have to do kind of fly by the seat of your pants. I could have done tons and tons of research, but it seems like when it comes to growing plants you just have to jump in head first and try. The worst thing that happens is that worms eat your plants and they die before they grow anything. But, you can remedy that too! Plus, with a view like the one I have, I am convinced you can grow vegetables anywhere. 

Hopefully I'll have more to report back in a couple weeks :)

10 Things on a Thursday

1. I talk out loud to myself in my office when the door is shut. Wouldn't you if you had your own office?

2. I woke up this morning feeling so grateful to have such fabulous friends who know me so well. My best friend in the entire world is going to be in town next week and I am going to see so many friends and share so many wonderful memories over the next few months - it just left my heart feeling very full and satisfied this morning.

3. I grew 1 cucumber so far but it was a little...odd-shaped. Hopefully the rest of them will be a little more normal and I'll feel safe eating them.


4. I broke my camera. I sent it in to be fixed, then I bought a point-and-shoot because I have the patience of a 2 year old, then I found out my DSLR is being replaced. But the store I bought it from stopped carrying my model. I mean, really? So now I'm going to get an upgraded model but apparently I have to pay more and just, ugh. I need somone else to deal with this first-world problem for me. I miss my camera :(

5. I have zilch, zip, zero plans for Memorial Day weekend. Well, that's partially untrue. I have a date tomorrow night, and then I'm going to a birthday party, and I have a friend who wants to meet up for a drink on Saturday night. But other than that, my weekend is wide open.

6. I recently read The Pioneer Woman's book. I love P-Dub as much as the next girl (maybe more), but I wished her book ended differently. It was kinda abrupt. Maybe there's a part 2 that I don't know about.

7. I only skipped out on exercise 1 day so far this week, and that was on Monday, and I skipped exercising because I had heart palpitations over my grocery store bill. It was over $100. I only feed one person.

8. It's my job to plan Friday lunch at work this week (and next week too) and I only spent 1/2 of my budget this week. I wonder if that means I get to spend the other half plus my whole budget for next Friday's lunch? PARTAY if that's the case!

9. I skipped yoga last night and went for a walk instead and then I ate dinner at Nuevo Laredo and drank 2 Coronas, because that's what responsible kids do. I tried to convince my dinner companion to take tequila shots but he declined, stating that it would be an aggressive move for 9pm on a Wednesday. Fine, fine.



10. I just typed something incredibly passive-aggressive and then deleted it. See Mom, I'm growing up in the mature young lady you always hoped I would be.

Happy Memorial Day weekend, someone remind me next year that I should take a vacation around this time. I'm long overdue.

The Ultimate Dilemma

I'm really not that great at dating. 

Exhibit A: Boy invites me to go out "one night next week." I forget to respond until next week is halfway over. Oops?

Exhibit B: Boy suggests we go out Thursday or Friday night and offers 3 places to go. I have never been to any so I say "Sure! I am up for trying something new, you pick!" He says "Ok, how about Friday at 8?" I panic. 

^^ the face of panic

What do you do when someone wants to make plans for a Friday night, particularly when you have no plans yourself? First of all, do you look like a loser if you say yes, because clearly you have no Friday night plans? And second of all, if I look like a loser, then isn't he a loser too because he clearly has no other Friday night plans either? So then are we just 2 losers going on a date? Because I am not a loser! Or does that then become my Friday night plans and then I am suddenly cool again because I have plans on a Friday night? And so then does that mean he is using me to look cool so he can have plans on a Friday night? 

Now you know what it is like to live in my head, and why I will likely never marry and just end up some crazy lady with 17 couches in her condo and plants on her balcony. Oh yeah, I'm already there. Win win?

For the record, I said yes, so now I have Friday night plans. I am really not sure if this makes me cool or a complete loser. The fact that I blogged about it leads me to believe the latter is the case. Someone stop me.

Updated to add: I hope he never reads this. I might die. 

Blogger Book Swap

I "met" Claire via the sweet Summer B. Turns out Claire & I grew up in the same suburb of Atlanta! She is now kickin' it on the West Coast but I like to live vicariously through her blog. And I'm secretly jealous of her prison poetry gig -- seriously one of the coolest volunteer jobs I've heard of.

Anyway, Claire is doing a Blogger Book Swap and I am absolutely, 100% participating. I love books, I love new books...why not?!

If you are interested in participating, here's the rundown:

1. Email Claire (kieferclaire@gmail.com) or Lindsay (undomesticchica@gmail.com) with your name, address, blog url, and reading interests. Email them by May 30th! (If you don't have a blog, you can definitely still participate, right Claire?!)

2. We/They will email you with your partner's info on May 31st.

3. Once you get your partner's info, send her a book or two that you have around your house that you think she might enjoy. It could be something you've read and loved, or just something you've heard great things about. All genres are welcome, just try not to send something suuuuper popular (so that you don't end up sending books your partner already has). Mail your book(s) out by June 4th!

4. A week or so after the books have been mailed, Lindsay and Claire will host a little link party and showcase the books people sent/received. Fun, right?

Please spread the word and put our button on your blog! We're so excited about this and can't wait to pair you up. We hope you join us!!

Change Your Life Challenge #3

Remember the Change Your Life Challenge?

I got all pumped up about it and my friends were talking about it and then it just kind of...fizzled away.

I (kind of) ate vegetarian for a week. I donated clothes like I was supposed to. And I haven't done anything since then. Well, not true. I have made some really awesome progress on my 101 in 1001 list, but I was really misisng that week-long CHALLENGE. Something that jump-started my own personal goals.

Enter my own Change Your Life Challenege. If the powers that be aren't brainstorming anymore, I'll do them on my own (and hope that you will play along!)

Who: Me, and whoever else would like to join!

What: Exercise for 30+ minutes every day of the week

When: Starting today, Sunday May 22, through Saturday, May 28. (I know this isn't a lot of prep time, so if you can't start until Tuesday, start Tuesday and go through next Monday!)

Why: It's so easy to get unmotivated when it comes to exercise, so I just need a little kick in the pants! Especially with the warmer weather and all the fun social activities that means!

How: Today I walked for 50 minutes (to my office and back home, 3 miles!). I intend to take a yoga class at Red Hot Yoga with a Living Social coupon I purchased, play tennis at least once, go on another walk, and who knows what else! You could do a class at a gym, 30 minutes of weight lifting in your apartment complex fitness room, a yoga video, Wii Fit for 30 minutes, walk your dog for 30 minutes...the possibilities are endless!

If you are ready to participate in this challenge, then comment on this entry so we can support each other!

Got questions about the "Change Your Life Challenge"? Email me with any questions or concerns you have.

If you accept the challenge, post the challenge logo on your blog and encourage more people to scurry over here and sign up for the challenge, too!

Grab the link for the logo: http://i54.tinypic.com/28rfe6a.jpg and check out the hashtag on Twitter.

Feel free to copy and paste (and post) this entry at your own blog. Just give credit and share the love!



PSA: Facebook Edition

I promise I am not the bitter single girl. This post may make me sound like I am, but really, I swear, I'm not.

We are all adults, right? We are grown-ups with real jobs, Master's degrees, house payments, and serious relationships. And Facebook is just as much fun now that we are adults as it was when we were 18 and stalking our high school friends to see who went to college and who didn't and who was cheating on their high school sweetheart and who wasn't. Only now I stalk peruse Facebook to see who got married, who had the prettiest wedding, and who's baby is the cutest.

What I don't stalk facebook for is to see posts between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or yes, even mother & infant child, expressing their love and devotion and excitement about seeing them later that day (when they likely woke up next to said person 3 hours ago). Daily.

If you are wondering if I am talking about you, I am. Although in all fairness, this post is not directed at any one person in particular. Just the group of individuals who partake in previously mentioned activities.

Case and point, this morning after my cup of coffee, I ventured into facebook land. BAM - what are the first 3 posts in my newsfeed?

1. "Missing ____ sooooo much today."
2. "Mommy and Baby can't wait for Daddy to come home from work and spend the WHOLE weekend with us. We love him so much!"
3. "It's your love, it just does something to me...." and upon further investigation, the ENTIRE SONG had been posted between the 2 Facebook walls...more than once.

Here's the thing - I'm all about being in Facebook relationships, telling someone how much you appreciate them or love them on Facebook, and public displays of affection. I really, really am. But like I said - we are adults. I can only assume that if you and your baby's daddy made, well, a baby together, and you're still married, you probably are really damn excited for him to come home. And if you are living 3000 miles from your significant other, you probably do miss them so much today, and tomorrow, and the next day. But really, why do you have to let the whole world see that? Why do you let them in on what could be the sweetest part of your relationship?

I'm all about offering suggestions to remedy what I see as a problem so here is my advice: Say it out loud! Send it in a text message! Send it in an email! Send it via owl!

Maybe one day when I'm not a single lady I too will splatter facebook with my expressions of love, but for now, I'll leave Facebook for messages like "ET phone home" and "If you don't pick up the phone next time I call you I'm never speaking to you again." Because clearly, that's what facebook is for.

Ride the Bus

Never in my life did I think that I would be a promoter of public transportation. In fact, I have been about as anti-public transportation as it gets for as long as I can remember. Too confusing, too dirty, too many people, too inconvenient, you name it, I had a reason why it should not be used.

Until now.

It is a well-known opinion that Atlanta's public transportation (MARTA) is rather, well, unhelpful. While I am not here to dispute the effectiveness of MARTA, I thought I'd do a little PSA regarding my best practices and ways to utilize the system.

I take the bus to work just about every single day. Parking at our office is $110/month versus MARTA unlimited pass at $60/month. They also have a student discount if you are still a student (or know one...) It takes me 30 minutes door to door using MARTA, 15 driving, so while my commute has doubled, my cost was cut almost in half.

I have found the most useful bus route to be the 110 The Peach bus. It goes from Lenox Mall all the way to Five Points Station straight down Peachtree. I have taken this route to football games, out to the bar on the weekend (both in Buckead & in Midtown), to the airport...the list is endless. The stops are frequent so if you live close to Peachtree Road, you are probably close to a 110 bus stop. One thing to remember: going south on Peachtree, every other 110 bus stops at Arts Center Station and turns back around to go north. Just look at the front of the bus and if it says Five Points, you're probably good to go. Or, you can ask the bus driver, but don't be surprised if you get a snippity response. You may be the 98049320th person to ask the same question, you'd be testy too.

Just recently I decided I needed to put my Marta pass to better use and not just ride up and down Peachtree Street. Google Maps to the rescue! Did you know it will show you bus routes to your destination along with times? It's pretty awesome. I was leaving work and going to dinner on Howell Mill Road. I put the addresses into Google Maps and turns out, there was a bus that left from the 10th Street Station (#12), traveled down 10th street to Howell Mill and turned north, dropping me off RIGHT in front of the restaurant! No changing buses, no fuss, no muss. It was so easy!

A little more research showed that I could also take a bus very easily into the Highlands. Who needs a taxi when you have a bus? Granted, it does take a little more time, but let me just tell you...the stories you walk away with are often worth it.

Anyway, perhaps you are feeling enlightened or perhaps you are thinking I am a whacko for dedicating an entire post to the zoo that is Atlanta public transportation, but I hope you are at least a little bit more informed and less intimidated by MARTA buses!

Maybe some other day I'll make a whole post regarding the things I have seen (and wish I hadn't seen) on MARTA buses. Last night was a "I wish there were more people like that" moment, which does happen more often than you'd think.

Wanna Come Over?

Yippee! I made a decision in the great sofa debate! Although it's hardly been in my house 12 hours, and I was only for for 1 of them, I am seriously pumped. I got up this morning and moved furniture out of my living room. Then I showered and then I vaccummed. I am backwards.

Anyone want to come over to my frat house? We (and by we I mean my roommate) arranged for Salvation Army to come pick these bad boys up but they couldn't come until next week, so frat-style living complete with extra sofas it is! I guess this just cements the fact that I really only use the dining room table as another place to put down my crap. Oops.

But it was all worth it when this beautiful, wonderful, well-loved sectional was delivered! I wasn't supposed to be home when it was delivered, but things changed and I stayed home to wait for my biggest purchase to date to arrive.

 

I spent all of about 30 minutes after the sofa was delivered sitting on it, but I already know it's a keeper. I went back to the store not one more but two more times to measure and look at colors and sit on the other sofas before I made my decision. And then I decided! I ordered this on Saturday, and if I had chosen delivery that day, it would have been delivered Tuesday, but at first I selected pick-up. Turns out I wasn't able to pick it up afterall (and after seeing it be delivered today I'm REALLY glad that's what I opted for) but by the time I changed my mind the earliest they could deliver was Wednesday. Wednesday it was!

 

The delivery people were alright. They were a little fussy and didn't exactly treat my furniture they way I hoped they would, or me really for that matter. Not sure what to do about it - would you call and complain? They didn't do anything wrong, per se, they just didn't have the greatest customer service, and for the $130 they cost me, I'd think they could have plastered on a smile! Maybe it's just me. Either way, I'm pleased as punch with my new sofa. I was nervous about whether or not I had measured correctly and if I had chosen the right color (I am so not a visual person) but it fit perfectly and the color is just fine. It's a little grayer versus the more tan color I was expecting but, I chose a color called "stone" so I am not sure why I didn't think it would be gray.

 

I'm really proud of myself for making my first large purchase as an adult by myself. Sure, I got other people's input, but at the end of the day I measured, I tested out couches, and I decided. And then I was a nervous nancy for 5 days but I didn't tell anyone that part! I guess it's just another lesson in How To Be a Grown Up.

 

These lessons are getting a lot closer together than I really would like...

The Online Date Debate

I've debated for a long time about whether or not I wanted to divulge the fact that I have joined the world of online dating right here on my old blogarooski. I'd be lying if I said it was because I was afraid the potential dates would find it; it was more about my being embarassed that I had "stooped" so low as to online dating. I didn't want people to judge me - people who I haven't seen or spoken to in years, but have somehow stumbled onto my blog via word of mouth or just plain luck. Trust me, it happens.

Anyway, I have decided to go ahead and share with you my online dating experience because it's basically over, so I don't have much to worry about anymore. And really, what do I care if you judge me, strangers on the internet?!

I joined the online dating world a little under a year ago. I felt like I needed to meet new people. I have friends (shocking...) and very good ones at that, but it's kinda hard to meet people when I'm out and about on a Friday night because a) I've usually had enough cocktails to make me easily distracted, b) my friends were/are mostly dudes with a few girlfriends thrown in the mix and c) when I'm out with my friends, I want to hang out with them, not try to meet Mr. Right!

So, Match.com it was. I paid for 1 month, and made it my goal to go on 4 dates in as many weeks. Mission accomplished! I went on 4 great first dates, only one of which I was bummed about when he didn't call for a 2nd date. After my first month on Match, I figured what the heck, what's another month! That second month was not quite as productive, so I ended my subscription and figured online dating wasn't for me.

In August, I decided I was bored and wanted something to entertain myself, so I joined OkCupid. I had heard mixed things about it and figured I would give it a try. I activated and deactivated my account more than once and went out on a handful of dates, but I was entirely unimpressed with the OkCupid clientele. I also really felt like you get what you pay for, so to speak. Because OkCupid was free, many of the people I started conversations with never actually invited me out or suggested that we should even meet, even after a few weeks of emailing/texting. I realize this is different for everyone, but you know after a couple of emails if you are interested in going out with someone, and while I am not afraid to send the first message, I do kind of expect the guy to do the first invitation. Is that too old-fashioned of me?

After talking with some friends, I re-started my Match membership a month ago. Honestly though, this time is really no different than the others have been. It provides entertainment, I've gone out on some good first dates, and even a handful of second dates, but nothing particularly promising.

I guess that really sums up how I feel about online dating. It's fun, it's entertaining, and it gets you out of the house and meeting new people and in an effort to sound as shallow as possible, it's a guaranteed free dinner! Do I think I'm going to meet someone that I date long-term via Match.com? Chances are no. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue putting myself out there. I started online dating because I felt like I had to take my future into my own hands, and now I'm just kind of eh about it. Funny how that works, right?

I never thought I'd be one to join an online dating site. I'm outgoing, I have friends, and I have never had a problem meeting people, but like many other people I've talked to, it's really, really hard to meet people after college. So, that's where I stand. I still have another month left on my subscription but after that, I think I'm done with the online dating world. So, anyone have any single male friends? I assure you I'm not too crazy.

Dear Life, I need a BREAK. XOXO, KEH

Last week, I sat down on my computer and typed out a post about what it means to be busy, and how I stay so busy all the time. Then, the next morning, my in-real-life-friend and fellow-blogger Buckhead Betty posted about basically the same thing. This is not the first time we have posted similar things around the same time, and I figured she'd summed it up nicely for both of us.

Being busy is a choice we make, and to me it doesn't seem out of the ordinary to have plans, oh, every night of the week. For some people that might seem weird, and when you ask me how I do it, my response is usually somewhere between, "How do I do what?" and "I HAVE NO IDEA I'M SO BUSY I CAN'T THINK ABOUT IT!!!" Typically though, it's not busy to me. It's life!

But sometimes, life has had ENOUGH. I have spent the last 3 months going, going, going. Nonstop, without coming up for air, without so much as breathing fresh oxygen. I have done happy hours and volunteering and meetings and church and dinners with friends and babysitting and tennis matches and softball games and tennis practice and "relaxing" massages and hosted dinner parties and attended dinner parties AND AND AND. You get the idea.

This past weekend, I had more of the same planned. Cinco de Mayo festivities, a work dinner hosted by someone super important in the company, a softball game, a birthday party, etc. Thursday night didn't go exactly as planned, and then Friday got here. And I wanted to curl up in a ball under my desk and cry, and sleep, and cry some more. I went to the work dinner, and promptly went home afterwards, crawled under my covers, and slept a glorious 10 hours. I went about my Saturday running errands, making lists in my head, forgetting what was on the lists...you know, normal Saturday. I headed out to an early dinner get together. I prepared a salad.

And after the salad was prepared, I sat on my kitchen floor and proclaimed that I was tired. Really tired. Really, really tired. And then I got up, I put on my big girl pants, and I went to my dinner. And after that, I went out for my friends birthday. But you know what? I had 2 beers at the dinner, and 1/2 a beer at the birthday party, because my body said NO MA'AM. My body had finally had enough. I knew I had hit my wall, figuratively speaking of course, because remember, I only had 2.5 beers. I bailed on my friends that night and I went home and I slept. And on Sunday, I did more fun things, and Sunday night, I slept. I cancelled a phone date with a girlfriend, I got comfy on my couch, and I rested. It was what my body was demanding.

So, the whole point of me telling you this is that when your body really needs it, you will be forced to slow down. I started this out by saying I have been going non-stop for the past 3 months. I mean, just look at my blog posts. I either haven't had time to post, or I've posted about all the things I am doing. Neither one screams "balance." But I have been caught up in a new job, new friends from said job, new friends from other aspects of life, and that old FOMO-friend peeking through, and I couldn't bear to say no to any of it.

So to those of you who think I can do it all...newsflash! I can't! But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. I'm taking this week easy. I have a friend coming into town this weekend, and I'm really hoping that she'll feel okay about just hanging out. That doesn't mean we can't go out to places where other people are getting wild and crazy but...it likely will not be me. My body is still in break-mode. But hey, I have the best friends in the world so I have a feeling she'll understand.

I hope you do too. We all need a break sometime, and I'm taking mine. Holla!

Wanna Come Over?

Yippee! I made a decision in the great sofa debate! Although it's hardly been in my house 12 hours, and I was only for for 1 of them, I am seriously pumped. I got up this morning and moved furniture out of my living room. Then I showered and then I vaccummed. I am backwards.

Anyone want to come over to my frat house? We (and by we I mean my roommate) arranged for Salvation Army to come pick these bad boys up but they couldn't come until next week, so frat-style living complete with extra sofas it is! I guess this just cements the fact that I really only use the dining room table as another place to put down my crap. Oops.

But it was all worth it when this beautiful, wonderful, well-loved sectional was delivered! I wasn't supposed to be home when it was delivered, but things changed and I stayed home to wait for my biggest purchase to date to arrive.

I spent all of about 30 minutes after the sofa was delivered sitting on it, but I already know it's a keeper. I went back to the store not one more but two more times to measure and look at colors and sit on the other sofas before I made my decision. And then I decided! I ordered this on Saturday, and if I had chosen delivery that day, it would have been delivered Tuesday, but at first I selected pick-up. Turns out I wasn't able to pick it up afterall (and after seeing it be delivered today I'm REALLY glad that's what I opted for) but by the time I changed my mind the earliest they could deliver was Wednesday. Wednesday it was!

The delivery people were alright. They were a little fussy and didn't exactly treat my furniture they way I hoped they would, or me really for that matter. Not sure what to do about it - would you call and complain? They didn't do anything wrong, per se, they just didn't have the greatest customer service, and for the $130 they cost me, I'd think they could have plastered on a smile! Maybe it's just me. Either way, I'm pleased as punch with my new sofa. I was nervous about whether or not I had measured correctly and if I had chosen the right color (I am so not a visual person) but it fit perfectly and the color is just fine. It's a little grayer versus the more tan color I was expecting but, I chose a color called "stone" so I am not sure why I didn't think it would be gray.

I'm really proud of myself for making my first large purchase as an adult by myself. Sure, I got other people's input, but at the end of the day I measured, I tested out couches, and I decided. And then I was a nervous nancy for 5 days but I didn't tell anyone that part! I guess it's just another lesson in How To Be a Grown Up.

These lessons are getting a lot closer together than I really would like...

In case you were concerned...

The worms are still there, but not quite so many.

This is what I like to call "Death by Dibel" or...overkill. Or super killed, if you're my broccoli.

Like I said, those worms got nothin' on me. Until I ingest 800 pounds of "organic" pesticide...but I'll have worm-free cabbage!

Update: The New Job

Earlier this month marked six months at my not-so-new-anymore job.

To say the last six months have been a blessing would be a huge understatement. Never in my life have I felt more fulfilled, more challenged, more inspired, more motivated, more capable than I do at work. And really, I can't decide if these past months have dragged on at a snail's pace or if they have flown so fast I can hardly stop my head from spinning. It's a toss up.

I pinch myself every single day, and I wake up thinking, "Yes! I get to go to work today!" Still! After six months! It hasn't all been a cake walk, I assure you, but not a day goes by that I don't think about how lucky I truly am. I have found a job that is seriously PERFECT for me at a company that truly values their employees.

 

Not only that, but I'm good at my job! It's unbelievable! I always knew I was good at nannying and being a personal assistant. I was so good that I started my own company doing that! When I started working in Marketing, I always felt like I was second-guessing myself. Part of that was the work environment (small start-up company) and part of that is that I wasn't working in an area that really catered to my strengths. I was okay at Marketing, and I liked it okay, but I always craved more contact with people.

Guess what? My WHOLE JOB now involves working with people. I get 100+ emails per day. I probably send even more. I walk around the office and chat with people because it's part of my job! We had an all staff meeting last week and I knew every single person that walked in the door, and they knew me! All 150+ of them! Ya'll, I'm happier than a little clam at high tide.

I'm not writing this to brag. I'm writing this because it took me almost two years after I graduated from college to find a job that I even liked, let alone loved. Plus, if I'm being honest, I am really proud of how far I have come. When I graduated in December 2008, I promised myself I woudn't settle. I didn't take any of what seemed like millions of door-to-door sales opportunities that "fell into my lap" despite my dad's encouraging. I cried so many tears about job-searching. I had more disappointments than I think is fair, and I hated myself all the time. I felt like a giant failure for not being able to find a job and I was convinced my parents hated me. But still, I held out, waiting for my dream job - the one I could turn into a career. And I found it (or I guess maybe it found me?) finally. And now? I'm six months of job-stresss-crying free and it feels great!

To those of you just graduating college, or still searching for that first job, or searching for what feels like your nineteenth job, keep looking. Don't give up! It may not be the first job you get, or the second, or the third, but that job of a lifetime is out there, just like it was for me.


Georgia Tech graduation, December 2008

It's funny, when I applied for my current job, I had never heard of the company, I had no idea what a consulting firm really did...I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. And now, six months later, I still don't really know what a consultant really does even though I work with them all the dang time. I do know what I have gotten myself into though, and it's AWESOME.

I've written a lot over the last six months about how lucky I am, and it's not just how many shows I can win tickets to or burgerfests I can attend. I had a bunch of words written about big men in the sky and walking a journey together, and those words just aren't me. I'm really not very good at talking about my faith. That's another post for another day. I just know I'm lucky, I know who to thank for it, and that's enough for me for now.

My Garden: Update 3

One growing pepper with 2 of his special friends. They need to grow faster!

More of my little pepper friends. 

Growing pepper, take 2

The cucumbers are trying to escape! I had to move the pot away from the edge - it was right up against the railing. Can't have any infractions against the HOA as a result of runaway cucumbers!

I don't really know what the flowers on the cucumber plants are for. They're just yellow, and they tend to die...

Baby peppers in pepper pot #2

And some potential peppers that will no longer be.

Well, that was supposed to be broccoli

But there are these little worms that got to it. And pardon my French, but those mother crackers really pissed me off. They didn't just eat my broccoli & cabbage leaves, they TERRORIZED them.

Yeah, they look real cute and innocent, don't they? WRONG-O, buddy boy. Them there worms are the devil.

My cabbage has HOLES in it!

And it took me a while to figure out exactly what the problem was...I just thought it would stop, or something. I'm not really sure what I thought. I guess my thumb is more yellow than green. I'm getting there!

The dust that I put ALL OVER my broccoli & cabbage to ward off those mother crackin' worms. So far it has worked wonders, but the little punks just moved to leaves where the dust didn't fall. Guess what? They got busted this morning. According to Pike Nurseries, this stuff is organic, and only affects the bad guys (like looper worms). Obviously I'll have to wash my veggies before eating, if there are any to eat, but this stuff is apparenly the best of the best. I'm hoping for a serious worm massacre by the time I get home tonight. Do you know how long it takes to grow broccoli? By my calculations, 2 months. Do you know how long it takes worms to eat said broccoli? By my calculation, 2 hours. Jerks.