These are my thoughts; though they may be public domain, please have enough respect and understand that they are mine and are not for the use of your own deviant agenda.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Weight Loss - So I hit a plateau for a couple weeks there. I would fluctuate between 3 pounds, neither going over or under but somewhere in between on each day. I started a exercise routine and wondered if that was it. I was on the verge of being discouraged when I measured and weighed last week and had lost 1 pound for a total of 28 pounds. I measured and went down 7 1/2 inches, which the time before I had gone down 10 pounds and 7 1/2 inches. So I was happy to see that even though the scale wasn't showing a difference my body was. Well I've stayed consistent with my exercise routine and have officially lost 34 pounds and 41 1/2 inches all over as of this morning! :D I feel fantastic!
What's more surprising is that 3 years ago when I was a couple pounds lighter then I am now, my measurements were bigger then they are now! So I may weigh more by a couple pounds but I'm smaller physically. It feels great and has made me even more determined to keep going. I understand that plateau's happen and will happen in the future but I'm going to stick them out. The reward is so worth it!
Another interesting fact is that the last time I lost this much weight I did it over a span of 10 months. I've currently been working on losing weight since early June! Only two and a half months! :) It makes me feel my next big goal is very attainable! I've reached my first goal which is to lose 32 pounds. My ultimate goal is an additional 50 pounds but my next short term goal is 25 pounds. So I'll keep you posted!
Birthday Plans - I'm not sure if these plans are going to happen yet but... I want to have a BBQ on my birthday which is September 4th. I picked Friday because I'm going to BootieLA on Saturday September 5th with a big group of friends and that's always a late night so I figured I'd be too tired to do anything on Sunday September 6th. So we'll see if I can pull this together. Right now the financial side of it is what's concerning me, even if I have everyone bring something. But I haven't had a big party at this place yet. I've had a dinner party of about 20 people but this would probably be bigger then that, at least I hope so. :) Oh and I plan on going to Disneyland the day of my birthday if that works out. I signed up for the free birthday pass but since I already have a season pass I hear they give a gift certificate in its place.
Job Search - I've been pretty discouraged about the whole job hunt thing. I've gotten confirmation that doors are staying shut for a reason, just haven't figured out what God's reason is yet. That might seem a little odd but it's true. Things have happened that there is no other explanation then God shut the door. I'm trying to stay positive about that. It's hard to understand when I don't see the bigger picture. But that's what faith is all about, trusting in what you can't see or understand.
Unexpected Honesty - Right now I feel so torn between being a good Godly woman and being completely unrestrained in opportunities of the worldly nature. There's a song that fits where my hearts at.
Satisfy - Tenth Avenue North
Before the sun has touched the sky Colors bursting from Your eyes Before the flood of the morning light Before the earth has felt Your heat Before I stand up to my feet Before I begin to feel this weak
Satisfy me Lord, oh oh Satisfy me Lord, oh oh I'm begging You, help me see You're all I want, You're all I need Oh, satisfy me Lord
When the day is closing in Like the stars in the night I am falling Into the pull of the earth and it's affection In me, oh lord, can you create A pure heart cuz I'm afraid That I just might run back to the things I hate
Satisfy me Lord, oh oh Satisfy me Lord, oh oh Yeah, I'm begging You, help me see You're all I want, You're all I need Oh, satisfy me Lord
You're beautiful, You're beautiful You're more than all this world can give You're beautiful, You're beautiful You're love is all I need to live You're beautiful, You're beautiful You're more than all this world can give You're beautiful, more beautiful You're love is all I need to live
Satisfy me Lord, oh oh Satisfy me Lord, oh oh I'm begging You, help me see You're all I want, You're all I need Oh, satisfy me Lord
My relationship with God has become stronger in this time of having to trust His plan for my life but I also feel the draw to do things I've always been against in my personal beliefs or what I have always felt was morally unacceptable. It's been quite a challenge! Especially when the opportunities keep presenting themselves at the most unexpected times! Of course, that's when it's the hardest to prepare yourself to fight against the temptation! Those of you who understand where I'm at, please pray for me to have continued strength.
A Chair's Photography - I'm almost afraid of sharing this because I've said it so often. I actually have made steps to moving forward with the business plan. I am happy to say that the signs that God wants me to move forward with starting my photography business are too great to ignore anymore! I have to get it up and running and right now is the best time! So hopefully I'll be sharing updates in regards to this very soon!
I woke up at 3:30 this morning to make my way down to Pasadena for another photography group outing. This one was organized by my friend James. James' friend Jon (2Factor Photography Smug Mug page) joined us, and I had a great time learning new things about how he started his business and what he uses.
Our photography group is planning on getting together every 3rd Saturday of the month with a new photography project or location each time. If anyone is interested in joining let me know! This next month we've decided we wanted to play with nighttime portraits and I'm going to use my friend Andy as my model (he's already agreed)! I wanted a rock star look and he's got it! I'm really looking forward to playing with lighting. Jon has some external lights and Septembers project all started when I asked if I could just go with him when he's shooting a portrait with external lighting. I am really happy about this group. I hope it grows because it’s a great way to gain more knowledge and it's so fun to talk to people who have the same passion as I do about photography.
Here is a couple of my favorites
Depeche Mode - I'm going to Depeche Mode Monday night at the Hollywood Bowl! I love Depeche Mode! I'm a little nervous because Dave Gahan has been having voice issues and has had to cancel a couple shows this week per doctors orders! The last email I received said the two shows at Hollywood Bowl would still be happening but I'm still nervous! That would totally suck! Especially since a couple of the people going with me have never seen Depeche Mode live before! It seems crazy when I've been to at least 1 show per tour in the last few tours. :) I love the Hollywood Bowl as a venue so it should be very cool!
So since my last post, life has been filled with non-stop adventures! Gotta love that right? But that means LOTS of pictures (as usual)! So I guess the first announcement might as well be the biggest…
Weight Loss – So I’ve lost a total of 27 pounds as of today! Better yet, I’m able to fit into jeans I haven’t been able to wear for over two years! I love it! Oh and I have lost a total of 27 inches all over! Yup, I feel great! I’m so close to my first goal! I’m proud of myself. And I have no desire to falter or cheat. Ok so there are those days but they haven’t happened in a while. I want to lose the weight at a healthy rate. And, I haven’t been working out as consistently as I would like to but I’m still very happy with my success!
In my last post I had to run off and didn’t finish explaining the wedding and the busiest day of the month last month.
6.19.09 Terrance & Holly’s Wedding - I can’t share the pictures of the wedding because I haven’t given them to the bride and groom yet. I’m waiting on them for something so I don’t like sharing until they have access to them first. So it should be sometime next week.
6.20.09 Toni Michels Funeral – Well there is nothing good about funerals. I will say it felt like a reunion of the old Aspen Street Crew, though I wish it was under different circumstances. Toni had a big impact on my youth. It’s hard to imagine I won’t see her, on this earth at least. Steve had written his thoughts out because he knew he wouldn’t be able to make it through talking about it. His brother read it for him. The one statement that stood out to me is that every time he goes to bed and wakes up he will feel the sorrow of her loss the most… Wow! How true and real is that? I went to school with Shawn and I got teary a lot during his talk, but it wasn’t until his oldest daughter got up to speak that the tears flowed. She talked about how her Nana always said she loved her more then the universe and broke down in the middle and Shawn had to finish for her. It was so tender... She ended it saying "Nana, I love you more then the universe". Yeah, not a dry eye in the place.
She passed away from Breast Cancer so the entire family wore pink of some sort which I thought was fitting. The women wore brown dresses with pink ribbons in the pattern. The guys wore black shirts with pink pin stripes and pink ties with a breast cancer sweat band on their forearm. All the grandkids wore pink of some sort as well.
After the service I got a chance to talk to the family and it was an emotional morning. Toni will be missed.
6.20.09 Sasha's Going Away Party - I left there and had to rush to get lunch and head down to Sasha’s going away party in Yucaipa. Here are a couple of my favorite shots. It was a nice time. I didn’t get to hang out with Sasha that much but it’s always so relaxing at the Clements’s home.
6.20.09 and Poet Sky @ Old Towne Pub Pasadena – I made my way out to Pasadena to make sure I would get there in time. The drive was relaxing. I was looking forward to the show and the venue has so much character I was looking forward to taking more pictures there again. I had a great time that night! Poet Sky was on fire! Their last show at this venue was a bit of a disappointment for them but this one I think more then made up for it. And it was a late night!
6.29.09 Laguna – My sister and I had an appointment in Irvine again. And since we were both going down together for once, we decided to spend the afternoon at our favorite beach afterwards. I love Laguna! I found it difficult to just sit and relax. I wanted to be exploring, taking pictures or walking around. Heidi on the other hand enjoyed reading and lying on the beach.
I posted a status update on Facebook and a friend called me and had a recommendation for where we should eat for lunch, Sun Dried Tomato. I was laughing but he took care of everything! Made the reservation and even suggested what we were to eat and where to sit while we were there. And we got there and decided against outdoor seating only because it had gotten chilly and we also decided against his food recommendations because of the day’s specials. It was yummy! All-in-all a great day!
7.1.09 Monthly Worship Concert – My church, The Place, is putting on monthly concerts the first Wednesday of every month. This was our very first one and I am thrilled to say it was a success! We even had a hotdog cookout because it was so close to the 4th of July. We had a great time! I’m looking forward to the next one!
7.4.09 4th of July – I normally don’t get out to the fireworks but was happy to be able to this year. We met up with some family friends and I was impressed with the show.
7.10-12.09 Santa Cruz – My sister was hired to do makeup for a wedding up in Santa Cruz. They paid for the cost of her travel, her hotel room as well as paid for her time. Since I don’t have a lot going on, she asked if I wanted to join her. Of course I said yes! How cool is it to experience a trip up the coast at no cost to me other then food!? So, we decided to take the scenic route which was the 101 to the 1 since we were leaving Friday and had the time. It was such a great time with Heidi and I, we had so much fun being silly and listening to great music.
It was such a beautiful drive! I had a hard time not stopping every few minutes to take pictures!
Saturday was the day of the wedding and while Heidi started work on the bridesmaids I had made arrangements to meet up with my friend James. James and I have been friends for years (10+ easy)! He usually has to come down to Southern California for us to hang out so this time I was actually able to meet him up in his territory! We’d always ended up at Santa Monica Pier when he’d come down and he’d always say it was nothing like Santa Cruz Boardwalk. And sure enough he was right! I loved it there! We had a great time walking around, talking and catching up and of course me taking lots of pictures!
I got back in just enough time to get ready for the wedding that evening. James stuck around so that after the ceremony we went back to the boardwalk and then went to Downtown Santa Cruz and walked around. It was a great day.
Sunday we took the boring route back down the 5 Fwy because we were on a time crunch. My brother’s band, Poet Sky, was playing and we had decided to be the hard core fans and drive 5+ hours to go see their show in Pomona that night.
7.12.09 Poet Sky & AMP in Pomona – Before the show I wasn’t sure I had the energy to make it through but as usual once I start snapping pictures I was energized! The show was originally supposed to be in a bar but there was some confusion and luckily they were able to play out in a courtyard which I thought worked out better!
It was a long crazy weekend but nothing compared to what was coming the following weekend!
7.17.09 Camp Schultz Practice – Andy had asked me if I had time to go take pics of his band while they practiced for their show the next day. It was a short practice and early enough that I was able to stop by for about an hour and take some shots. I was pretty happy with how they turned out.
7.17.09 Club E (a Gothic Event) – My good friends Joe and Erica had put on a big Gothic party for Erica’s birthday. They wanted me to take pictures for it and were generous enough to pay me for my time. I had a great time shooting pictures and enjoying the nostalgia of my old wannabe Goth days just out of high school. It was a bit of a reunion as a lot of the people there were friends from that time.
7.18.09 Pasadena Photo Walk – The only bummer about my late night out was that I had already agreed to be in Pasadena the next morning at 7:30! Yeah I got like 2 hours of sleep, but I don’t often get out there and take artistic shots of random places. But that was the point of the event and I took advantage. Sadly we were all supposed to meet up after a couple of hours but the location they set wasn’t opened for another hour so everyone just kind of went their separate ways. I was looking forward to checking out what other people shot.
Anyways, we got done and with the lack of sleep and being out in the hot sun, I was definitely losing it. I needed sleep bad! I got home and took a nap for a few hours and had to get ready for my final shoot of the weekend.
My friend James had been the one to invite me to the event and we stayed close while taking our pictures through Old Town Pasadena. We plan on going back out on our own August 15th and we’re going to invite anyone who wants to go to join us. If you’re interested let me know.
7.18.09 Camp Schultz and others with CJ Ramone – So Andy and Chris were pretty excited about their show with CJ Ramone who was going to be playing all the old Ramones songs. My other friends, Voting with Bullets, were there as well so I knew a lot of people at the show.
At some point in the evening I lost all gumption. I believe it was the lack of sleep catching up with me because I got unreasonably moody. I struggled to even want to be there. I felt like I knew everyone but that there was no one there that I could hang out with. Everyone I knew was in the bands playing so they were too busy. By the time CJ Ramone came on I just wanted to leave. Mike from Camp Schultz convinced me to stay because when was I going to get a chance like this again? I was glad I did stay but I didn’t close out the event, I stayed for about half the set.
Job Hunt – So I had a pretty big let down this week. I interviewed for an Admin II position for the Pharmacy at Kaiser in Victorville on Monday. I felt good about the interview and sent out my thank you letter as soon as I got home. I found out Friday that they went with someone with Pharmacy experience, which makes sense but I was pretty down. She told me I did great in the interview and thought the thank you letter was definitely a nice touch (thanks Russ!).
I have another job I’m still waiting to hear back from but it’s been dragged out because of some issues beyond their control, so I’m not sure when that one will be confirmed one way or another.
So it’s taken me over a week to complete this post! Hopefully it won’t be this long before I can post again. I really need to start writing less or posting more often. Not sure.
I've been doing a lot of reflection. Or I should say I've been avoiding my responsibilities. Being unemployed sucks. I am a person that likes order and schedules. I find it hard to function without them. I've said it lots of times, I thrive on chaos. When I have an open day, or MANY open days, I find it hard to stay motivated to stick to a schedule. I get bored easily. The week before last was almost a little too busy but I'll go into that later.
Today I woke up determined. I didn't realize it until I saw that I woke up when my alarm went off, something my body seems to have been rejecting any other day. I accomplished a lot before 10am.
I have been finding comfort in coffee for once. I normally have to have fufu coffee but since I'm on a diet and can't have sugar I'm stuck with plain old coffee, cream and sweeteners. With the heat, add some ice and you've got a refreshing drink that feels like a treat. Either way, I got out of the house. For the first time I went and sat down at a coffee shop, did my devotions, wrote in my journal, and read some of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (I want it read again before the movie comes out). It was oddly relaxing. Sure it was hard to block out the sound of people talking, debating how our country could mourn the loss of a pedophile (which I'm inclined to agree, sorry to those readers and friends who are actually mourning the loss... I can't seem to bring myself to feel sad at all). But people came and went through the coffee house and there was plenty of time for quiet. I enjoyed it a lot! I think I will do it on a regular basis.
As I sat looking out the window at The Grind (the coffee house), a sudden rush of appreciation filled me for the fact that I live in beautiful Southern California! And that I have no idea where I will be in the future, even the near future. My future is completely unwritten. And I felt for the first time a sense of anticipation rather then dread or fear about what’s going to happen next! I have no idea what God has in store for me. It's totally open! But knowing that even in a few months my life will not be what it is today is no longer scary but exhilarating! As I wrote this, a song came into my mind...
What's that song?... Unwritten - by Natasha Bedingfield.
I am unwritten, Can't read my mind I'm undefined I'm just beginning The pen's in my hand Ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you Open up the dirty window Let the sun illuminate the words That you could not find Reaching for something in the distance So close you can almost taste it Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin No one else can feel it for you Only you can let it in No one else, no one else Can speak the words on your lips Drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins The rest is still unwritten, yeah
Oh, oh
I break tradition Sometimes my tries Are outside the lines, oh yeah yeah We've been conditioned To not make mistakes But I can't live that way oh, oh
Staring at the blank page before you Open up the dirty window Let the sun illuminate the words That you could not find Reaching for something in the distance So close you can almost taste it Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin No one else can feel it for you Only you can let it in No one else, no one else Can speak the words on your lips drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins the rest still unwritten
(Gospel) Staring at the blank page before you Open up the dirty window Let the sun illuminate the words That you could not find Reaching for something in the distance So close you can almost taste it Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin No one else can feel it for you Only you can let it in No one else, no one else Can speak the words on your lips Drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
Sometimes we get so preoccupied with worry over the unknown that we forget the unknown should be looked at with excitement! Today can change the rest of my life depending on what happens next!
I think being unemployed has its advantages. How many people feel like their life is so repetitive? They feel like they are going through the motions with nothing new and exciting to report. The same old job day in and day out. I'm not saying they too couldn't look at their life with anticipation but not even knowing what your next job is going to be, who you will work with, where you will be living, etc. is quite unnerving for some people. Lately, it's been scary to me. I have been filled with dread that I would fail. Not be able to find a job before unemployment runs out and be stuck dealing with horrible finances. Wow... What a depressing picture huh? But today I'm filled with the possibilities of what God can do! I am excited to see His plans unfold and what He plans on bringing next in my life! I want to enjoy this time off as much as I can! Because when I do have a job, there may come a time when I feel stuck. So I am going to try to experience each day with anticipation and excitement for what God has planned. I guess reading this, it seems so obvious. I didn't hate life before, or think every day was horrible, but I did feel dread and fear. I no longer want to feel that way. The idea of not knowing what's coming tomorrow is bringing a smile to my face rather then worry!
Ok so I barely survived the busiest week of the month! Lots of emotional ups and downs and the worst day (Saturday, June 20th) was the biggest emotional roller coaster of them all! So at this point I haven't even gone through all the pics so they may or may not be attached to this post.
Weight Loss - So I've officially lost 15 pounds! Yay! I feel great and have only experienced a couple days of hardcore cravings. I'm realizing they are more emotional cravings which I knew my problem was emotional eating. I haven't measured in a while. I normally wait till Monday to do that. But my last measurements put me at losing 12 1/2 inches all over! How cool is that!? I went to try on clothes and am practically a whole size down! :D I don't know if it's noticeable to anyone else. My brother said he could tell (which is cool cause he's a guy! lol), but no one else has said anything. I think I need to lose my first goal before people will start noticing. But I'm halfway there. :) I haven't cheated either. Once you get the hang of it, it's not too hard to figure out what you can and can't eat.
Jam Bernardino 6/13/09 - So I went down to check out my friend Jimi play. He is quite the talented guitar player! I had never had a chance to see him live. I was able to hang out with him, his new girlfriend and his friends back at one of his friends beautiful mansion! I had a good time.
It's funny that I found myself in unfamiliar surroundings and around unfamiliar people (aside from Jimi and Sasha) and I was actually a bit shy! I guess it takes me to be in my own surroundings to be myself. :) But I had a great time. Jimi's friends were cool, down to earth people and I really didn't feel too awkward around them.
Disneyland! 6/15-16/09 - So I was able to make it to Disneyland one last time before my block out dates started! It was quite crowded as I'm sure everyone else was attempting the same thing. I went down with Linda, Vicki, Emily and Stephanie. They got a room and asked me to spend the night. I, of course, couldn't pass that up. :) We took our time getting down there the first day. And it was cool because Stephanie hadn't ever been on some of my favorite rides, so it was fun to experience that with a first-timer. I am finding that I like California Adventures more then Disneyland. Probably because I've been to Disneyland so much the rides are classics and California Adventures is all still new. We even got a chance to watch the Electric Parade. After the parade we met Jerret who came down to take Stephanie home since we were all spending the night.
The next day it was REALLY hot and WAY more crowded. I think we went on a ride or two but ended up heading out early. But I had a blast! I was so glad I was able to go with them!
House sitting 6/16-18/09 - So when I got back from Disneyland I had to house sit. I was a little tired but found it relaxing to be at the place I was housesitting. There were a lot of animals with specific instructions but all-in-all it worked out pretty good. But this meant I hadn't spent the night in my own bed from Monday - Thursday! I was thinking it's a good thing I didn't have a job!
Rehearsal Dinner 6/18/09 - Holly wanted me to take some pictures of her and her fiancé to be printed up for a frame at the wedding. She was pretty stressed out but I didn't mind. I was down at Edwards Mansion and scoping the place out for the wedding day. Our original goal was to take pictures before the rehearsal but we ended up doing it afterward. I specifically didn't want any landmarks in the pictures because I didn't want the guests to know it was the same location. I picked a pretty green spot and took maybe 100 photos. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Also on the way home the sky was so beautiful I had to snap a couple shots. I had a car pull up next to me checking me out while I blindly shot pics out through and out my window. hehe
Ok so I was going to continue on the rest of my busy week but I have friends bugging me to get to a BBQ... I'm off for now... More to come...
Terrance & Holly's Wedding Shoot 6/19/09 and Toni Michels Funeral, Sasha's Going Away Party and Poet Sky @ Old Towne Pub Pasadena 6/20/09
How often have I started my blog posts with something like "Life is good"? And even though I have no job, struggling to even find places for me to apply to, I can honestly say life is good!
Though I find it difficult to understand why I don't update my blog more now that I don't have a job. The funny thing is, time flies for me now that I'm not working. Before I know it the day is over and I don't have much to show for it. I consider it a productive day when I get at least ONE item on my "To Do" list completed. But I will say this week I've gotten a couple items each day. It feels good to have completed items that have been on my list for the last 3 weeks!
There are a lot of changes going to be taking place in the next few months. I know this even without having a clue where my next job is going to be. I had an interview a couple weeks ago and honestly I'm quite hopeful. I was told I should hear something right about now so please keep praying.
God is doing a lot in my life right now. I feel closer to His call on my life then I ever have before. Or I should say more able to hear where He is directing me. It's been a long time since I've felt even somewhat close to Him. And I think there is a maturity with it that makes me more aware of even the minutest voice. I love it! I am not saying I'm where I need to be, far from it actually... But it just feels so good to have that closeness again.
I'm getting involved in ministry again. The Care Place is an umbrella organization for the church. My dad put it on the back burner for a few years and amazingly the people in the church have come together with their individual ministries which make up the entire mission statement of the original Care Place and some of these people didn't even know about The Care Place. So it's like God is opening the doors to start something big! I'm really excited! We have our first official meeting June 20th. But it looks like we'll be doing a worship once-a-month, hopefully starting a soup kitchen, making blankets for the people in the community, and lots more. But those are the things we feel we can start pretty much right away.
June Chaos - This month is going to be quite busy. But as I always say, I thrive on chaos. These are the events I have on my calendar as of right now.
June 2nd - Camp Schultz Live shoot Chris and Andy from Poet Sky are in another band called Camp Schultz and I went to take pictures of their show. They are quite good! I was definitely impressed and I'm not a big "punk" music fan. Here's a couple of my favorite pics from the night! June 4th - Lunch with Rachel and Rashaell for the latter's birthday. We hung out at Rashaell's for most of the afternoon. June 5th - Dinner and the movies with my friend Jeremy. We went to go see "My Life in Ruins" and I hadn't even seen the previews before he mentioned it. It was a cute movie.
June 6th - BootieLA with my friend Andie. Ok so I've had a lot of people ask me "Bootie whah!?". So go to this website, www.bootiela.com. Basically it's a club where the dj's do mashups all night long. The music is awesome! Everyone should experience it at least once! But if you can't make it to the club then download the Best Of mp3's they have on their website. Best of Bootie 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. I think 2006 is my favorite. Anyways it was so fun dancing and letting loose. It was their 4th anniversary in LA. I missed having Russ there, because he's the one who introduced me to it. But I still had a blast and can't wait to go again! Hopefully Russ can join us next time. ;) Oh and my sister did my hair and makeup. I had fake lashes on and everything. :) You can see the progression of how the hair and makeup held up with all that dancing around and sweating! lol June 7th - My parents 40th Wedding Anniversary!!! Talk about setting a great example for me. :) They went up to Big Bear for the weekend so I didn't have to do anything for them but it's still a definitive landmark!
June 10th - Operation Blankets Some of the ladies from the church put together some of those easy fleece blankets for the needy children in the community. We're going to be getting together once-a-month to make them.
For the rest of the month:
June 13th - Jam Bernardino to check out my friend Jimi perform a short acoustic set.
June 15th - Disneyland!!! I'm sneaking in one last Disneyland trip before my blockout dates start. Linda has asked me to go with them a few times and every time she asks I was busy doing stuff. So this time I'm hopeful it will work out. :)
June 18th - Rehearsal Dinner shoot. The couple wants me to come to the rehearsal dinner and take pics of them. They want these pics ready and printed the next day so I'll shoot, go home, play and send them to the bride Holly so she can get pics printed for the wedding.
June 19th - Terrance and Holly Wedding Shoot The wedding is in the evening at Edward's Mansion! I've been there one other time for my friends wedding and it's a beautiful place. I'm looking forward to how the pictures are going to turn out. :)
June 20th - Busiest Day of the Month! In the morning I have the first official meeting of The Care Place which I'm running for the office of the Secretary. That afternoon at 4pm I am going to Yucaipa for a Going Away Party for my good friend Sasha. It's a bittersweet thing because I'm sad she's going but happy for her achievements and she's following her dreams. I then have to be in Pasadena at 9pm for a Poet Sky show at the Old Towne Pub. It'll be a lot of driving that's for sure.
June 26th - Jr and Brandie's Wedding Shoot They are getting married in San Diego in the morning and the place looks very pretty. This is a small wedding. They will be having an intimate beach lunch as their reception. I love the beach and taking pics should be a lot of fun!
June 29th - Irvine then Laguna Beach with Heidi. Heidi and I are going down to Irvine for an appointment and we both like to go to the beach afterwards. :) I usually go alone so it'll be nice to spend time with my sis.
Toni Michels Funeral - A good friend of mine, Toni Michels, lost her battle with cancer. She passed away on Wednesday. I know she's in a better place and out of pain but it's hit me quite hard how big of an impact she's had on my life. She was such a good listener. And to be quite honest I've been avoiding thinking about her death because I had felt the need to call her for the last couple of weeks. Every time I would think to get my phone and get her number something came up. Right now I regret that more then anything! (sigh) :( They had moved and I lost touch. The funeral is in California sometime in the next week or so.
Weight Loss - I've started focusing on weight loss again. I've been walking more regularly but now I'm sticking to a lifestyle change (I hate the word diet). I will admit the first two weeks are more like a jump start but I am determined, nervous and excited about it. I'm ready for the change. I'm ready to start feeling better and having more energy. So hopefully in the next two weeks I'll have significant weight loss.
I want to lose 32 pounds as my first initial goal. I know better then to set the big goal. I won't be weighing in again until next Monday.
I've had a productive week. Actually I've been pretty busy the last couple of weeks, but I consider productive as doing the things I've had on my To Do list! Since being unemployed I've struggled with the constant battle of keeping a positive attitude and being motivated. I've failed at times. But this week I've been pretty successful at keeping a positive and upbeat attitude. I'm going on 3 months being unemployed. It sure doesn't feel like it though!
Movies (And my reviews of them hehe) - In the last few weeks I've been going to a lot of movies. I have been really excited to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek and Terminator Salvation. I will say I was slightly disappointed in Wolverine. I wouldn't say it was a bad movie just not as good as I had expected. I can't say enough about Star Trek! I've seen it twice in theaters! I loved each of the characters. I am hoping that because of the fact that it's an alternate universe they are going to continue making the series with the group they have now. I have a huge crush on Zachary Quinto as it is. And he was an excellent Spock! Yup, one of my favorite movies recently! I've had only two friends say they didn't think it was that great but most of my other friends agree with me, it was an excellent movie! And Terminator Salvation obviously hasn't come out yet. So hopefully that one won't disappoint.
I went to a couple other movies at the request of other people. My mom invited me to go see Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and not that I had any expectation of the movie to begin with, I wasn't at all impressed. I felt the concept had been done too many times for it to be interesting. You knew how it would end. And it just wasn't that funny. I left thinking "eh..." and that's it! One movie that did surprise me was 17 Again. On Mother's Day it was decided that the girls would all go to the movies and let the guys stay home and relax. Megan really wanted to see the movie since it had Zac Efron whom I've never thought much of. But I was highly surprised and quite entertained. Even if the concept had been done before there was something redeeming about the movie. It's possible that because I had absolutely NO desire or expectations of liking the movie that I was pleasantly surprised but I've heard good things about the movie since I went to it. My favorite character is Ned Gold the rich geek best friend! So there ya have it. The movies I've seen recently and what I thought of them.
Missing Alliance - This last weekend I realized how much I miss my old job. I had lot of conflicts with the people, but towards the end, I'd say even a year ago I was well on my way to LOVING my job and the people I worked with (well with maybe one exception lol). At the end I was thoroughly enjoying the challenges being brought before me. Sure studying for my AAP was a lot of pressure but I find that I like that. I miss it. I miss the people I worked with, even though we all do our best to keep in touch, it's just not the same. It's hard to imagine where I'll work next.
The Future - I've been taking a personal inventory. I went to my parents and my old supervisor and asked them what they saw as my strengths and weaknesses. It was interesting the feedback I got and helpful on the personal side but I also need to use it for the direction of my future career. I feel I'm at a cross roads. Really I have a lot of different directions I can take in my life. The question is what direction do I feel God is calling me to? He's given me my strengths and interests for a reason. Now how can I use that to my benefit? Every job I've ever had I've just kinda landed in.
I finally heard back from the Pasadena job, they can't afford me and I'm not willing to settle for less especially since they expected me to move down there. So we'll see what God has in store.
A Chair's Photography - The other side of this unemployment is that my photography seems to be going somewhere. I took pictures of a wedding May 2nd and was asked for my business card a few times. I didn't have any made so I should look into that. The other thing is I've had to borrow my friend Ludek's equipment because I don't have some of it to make shooting easier. Until now, with some of the money I got from my last wedding shoot I bought all the items I'd been borrowing! An external flash, diffuser, an extra battery and a tripod are all on their way. I got a great deal. Everything was A LOT cheaper then I had anticipated. My next big purchase is a new lens but that will be a while before I can afford something that pricey.
Here are a couple of my favorite shots of the wedding on May 2nd for Brad and Randi at the Redlands Temple, reception shots are in someone's backyard in Apple Valley
Jesse - So the 3rd anniversary of Jesse's death was Wednesday this week. He's been on my mind quite a bit. I've actually been reading the blogs I've posted (listed below) of when it happened. 5/13/06 5/14/06 5/17/06 I wonder at times what our friendship would be like if he were still alive. I know I let go a lot of the pain and resentment of our relationship at the funeral. I have gone to Disneyland a couple times in the last few weeks and I couldn't help but think of him. We had season passes when we were dating. I really miss him.
Disneyland - So yes, I went to Disneyland back on May 4th (with Andie) as well as May 14th (with Ron)! I had a blast both times. I love Disneyland! And with the passes you can enjoy a fairly cheap day of entertainment! Andie and I have a lot of the same interests at Disneyland so it's always fun with her. It was the first time I went with my friend Ron and was amazed at how different my Disneyland experience was! He showed me sides of Disneyland I had never even heard of! It was fantastic! I can't wait to show Andie! :) Mostly it was performers but I was thoroughly impressed. And on top of that I learned of a new talent of his! He plays the piano phenomenally! My jaw dropped to the floor when he played three of my favorite classical songs beautifully! And then he shared a few of the songs he's written himself! ... Amazing! It was great to get to know him better. And we're for sure going to Disneyland again after my blockout dates have passed. So here are a couple pictures of my two trips.
Santa Cruz - Heidi has been hired to do makeup for a wedding I believe the second weekend in July up in Santa Cruz. She's asked me join her. The gas and hotel are being paid for by her client, which is freakin awesome! I'm soo happy she invited me! I can't wait! And I will get to finally visit with my good friend James in his neck of the woods. :) All at relatively no cost to me! :D And I'm so excited for a new place to take pics!
So... I'm finally on the down side of a serious upper respiratory infection plus ear infections! It started Monday. This cold took me out! I kept hoping I'd move past it but by Thursday the pain was unbearable. I couldn't swallow and my ears felt like someone was cutting them with knives! I went to a clinic that my friend Tom works at since I didn't have insurance. I was told I had a temperature of 101. After the doctor saw my ears and throat he seemed very concerned that I would be around anyone because he said I was highly contagious. He was concerned mostly about anyone that lived with me. Of course my first thought was Brian who's already on Prednisone which breaks down his immune system! Anyways, I got a shot of antibiotics in the keister and a 5 day dose of pills. I went home hoping for the best. I made sure to stay in my room and got a can of Lysol to spray around anywhere I was so I wouldn't spread it. My dad and mom had come over and anointed me with oil and prayed over me.
After a very restless night of sleep, and serious pain I woke up physically drained from everything and broke down. I was scared. The pain hadn't gotten better but worse! I thought maybe it was because the antibiotics were fighting the infection. But I didn't think I could handle the pain any longer. I literally cried to God to take it away. I forced myself to take a shower and a steam bath, I took my morning antibiotics and consulted with Tom and my family who all thought it might be time to go to the ER. I decided to wait until Tom could consult with the Doctor who saw me the night before. Within the next couple of hours, about 10am, my body started to feel better. My ears were no longer on fire but felt like they were filled with water. My throat was bearable. I could swallow without feeling like someone was stabbing my throat.
I'm not 100% or even 75% but the pain has reduced so much that I feel so thankful! I can't talk much because when I do I still go into coughing fits which still can be somewhat painful. My chest is still tight. My throat is sore. My ears are achy but not bad. But I can deal with this pain so much more then the pain in the last few days! I’m so thankful!
The below was written earlier in the week...
Dear Lord, will this cold ever go away!? I was actually pretty sick for about two weeks a short time ago. Then Sunday night I had a migraine that wouldn't quit and I wake up Monday to yet another nasty cold! This BITES! I'm totally achy and exhausted. I've slept most of the day away. I was so energized last week too! I was non-stop all week! I stuck to my daily routine and accomplished all sorts of things with my week. I guess I might have pushed myself too hard. Either way, I'm tired of being sick and not sure why my immune system is not fighting these colds off very well.
So in the last month I've been on an emotional rollercoaster. I am dealing with unemployment better then last time but it is seriously difficult to deal with the emotional toll it takes on a person. I know I'm not the only one out there that struggles staying positive and even motivated! It hasn't help that I've been sick!
Since I'm not feeling so hot, I won't really go into much explanation. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.
4/13/09 - Easter - I went over to my parents after church and enjoyed a good home cooked meal. We hung out and talked which was nice. And I stayed later then expected to watch the movie "Mama Mia" which wasn't that bad. I'm a big fan of Colin Firth and was impressed with Meryl Streep's energy for the film at her age. I didn't take too many pictures that day. Here's one of me and my sister, and my mom and Bailey at church.
4/14/09 - Movie Screening - So my good friend Sasha decided to take me out to the movie screening of "How To Be" down in Santa Monica. I wasn't sure what to expect but it ended up being a cool film. The best part was afterwards when they have a Q&A session with the director Oliver Irving and one of the actors in the film who wrote all the music, Joe Hastings I believe. It was interesting to hear how he came up with the idea for the film and how he got it where it was. After that they were in the lobby and we were able to talk to them one on one. We didn't stay long enough to do too much of that. Sasha did ask Joe Hastings a question. All in all it was a very interesting experience and I would definitely recommend seeing the film!
And I stumbled across this video of the screening I went to checking out the movie website. I'm not going to make an effort to point me out in the crowd but I can see me. lol
Since we knew it would be a late night, Sasha offered to let me sleep in the spare room, which worked out rather conveniently because I was meeting some of the old Alliance crew for lunch the next day.
4/15/09 - Wahoo's Lunch - It was a last minute plan to meet everyone so the crowd was smaller then we'd hoped. I'm hoping to plan another one in May so more people can come.
4/16/09 - Andie's going away party - I met Andie and some of her work friends Thursday night for her going away party. It was quite entertaining to watch them. We ended the night at a dance club. I was disappointed in the music and it made me realize how awesome BootieLA is and how I desperately need to get back there! Anyways, they are a fun group of people and I had a good time hanging out with them.
4/18/09 - Bailey's Game - It's not often that I get to go to my niece and nephew's games but I made a point to go and realized it was a great opportunity to get some pictures. And I got some great shots of Bailey. :) He's a lefty so he throws off the pitcher. Anyways, isn't he a cutie?!
Anyways, that's all of an update I can give for now...
So I'm surviving on only 3 ½ to 4 hours of sleep. I got home at 4am and got out of bed for church at 8am. But I had an absolute blast last night at the Poet Sky show at the Old Towne Pub in Pasadena! I will definitely share pictures. There is just too much to share before I go into that! :) And there will be things I skip, a lot has been going on!
Possible New Job - I guess now is as good a time as any to share the possibility of a new job. I didn't want to share until I knew it was more certain and sadly it's still very up-in-the-air. I applied for a job out in Pasadena about the end of last month. A friend of mine had the owners email address so I sent over my resume' not knowing what would come of it. After a few communications and a very successful interview I was confident of being offered a job. So what's the issue? I was told during one of our conversations prior to interviewing that they only had one concern, they didn't like my commute and that if the position was offered, they would expect me to move to Pasadena!
I wish I could be more excited but there is so much I'm still waiting on. I got an email from the owner last week stating that they are planning on hiring me (yay me), but that it was just a timing issue at this point. They would hire me to head out a new department and they have a lot of logistics to work through in getting that department set up. Now, you would think I would be ecstatic but there is still so much to consider. Even if I was offered a position it doesn't mean I will take the job. I have no idea what they are willing to give in compensation. The cost of living in Pasadena is significantly different then living in Apple Valley.
But I have to say this... when they first approached me about the position I was thrilled with the idea of moving to Pasadena. I immediately looked up cost of rent in the general area, talked with my brother about moving out there together, and started getting SUPER excited about the idea of such a minor yet drastic change in my life. I've always loved Pasadena! I would go out there just to visit and get away. Even my family took the news of the idea of me moving really well! But then I reached the bottom line I started to get concerned that the salary offered wouldn't be enough to make the move feasible.
So at this point, my future is in a bit of limbo. I know what I'm going to ask for salary-wise and if it's God's will then what they are willing to pay will match or be reasonable enough that I could work with it. My friend James is concerned I'm going to settle for less then reasonable and to be honest I'm slightly concerned about doing the same thing myself just because I love the idea of moving to Pasadena so much. I don't want to put all my hope in this job and have it not be a viable solution to me needing a job, and not just a job but one that I believe I would enjoy utterly and completely!
I have had to keep handing it over to God. I keep trying to take it and figure it out. And to be honest there are too many coincidences for me not to see His hand in this. So if it is what God has planned then no matter how much thought I put into trying to figure it out, it doesn't make any impact on the final outcome. I also have to realize that if it's NOT God's will then I can't be too disappointed (which in all honesty I would be).
Goals and Plans - So I have decided (along with continually handing the Pasadena job back over to God) I will keep up the search for work (which can be pretty depressing), and keep going on with life as my unemployed self has been. I have a lot of goals and projects I want to work on and I will say with the concept of being unemployed, I have been a bit of a slacker in doing anything truly productive in a search for a job, or completing projects I have around the house. But the last couple of days and even confirmed in the message at church today, I feel the conviction of getting over this lazy mentality. I'm done procrastinating. I'm going to set goals, make plans and keep a normal routine. I'm not going to put things off any more. I'm going to start getting up a little earlier then I have been, walk, do my devotions, look for work and by then it should be lunch time! So I should have plenty of time to get projects going in the afternoon. Even my brother has plenty of webpage side projects he’s gotten from clients. Now that I’m not working I can complete them quicker then when I’m stuck working nights or weekends on them.
Elaina’s Adoption! 6/11/09 – So Rachel and Tom’s adoption of Rosie finalized FINALLY! It’s been 4 long years and I’m sooo happy for them! I wasn’t going to miss being there for anything! I took some pictures and the whole thing was pretty awesome!
Visiting with D'Arcy 3/16/09 - Facebook has connected me with a lot of my friends from when I lived and went to school in Alaska. One of those friends being D'Arcy who updated her status one day to say she was enjoying her sister’s bakery in California! D’Arcy lives on the East Coast so I immediately asked where she was and we made plans for me to drive down to where she was staying so we could visit! It was awesome chatting about the last 15 years of our lives. I got down there at about 1pm and didn't leave until after 8pm.
Here is a pic of us I believe in 1992 (poor quality) and below that the current picture of us!
Poet Sky at the Old Town Pub in Pasadena 3/21/09 – So I had been looking forward to this show since I was told about it! At least I was until the day arrived. I started my period and was in the general funk of pmsing. I was looking forward to getting out, dressing up and having a night out on the town (a town in which I hope to be working soon)! Yes, I’m sure this is tmi but I was bloated and felt pretty miserable about the idea of going out. The last show I struggled with emotionally for some reason and the fear of that repeating was severe. Luckily I talked to my mom and my sister and all was well! I felt cute despite my monthly nuisance.
I was finally hopeful again that a night out with my brother and sister could be good fun. My friend Brandie’s friends flaked on her last minute and we had an extra spot in our car so we decided to take her along with us. We got there and were early enough to stop off at a small pizzeria for dinner near the pub. It was great. I enjoyed the atmosphere of a Saturday night in Old Town Pasadena! When we arrived at the pub things didn’t change. There was a very cool atmosphere and attitude of everyone that night. I had a blast talking and hanging out. I was enjoying myself the ENTIRE night. The only bummer was that Poet Sky was supposed to go on at 11pm and didn’t end up playing until 1am! And not only that their set was cut short. LAME! Anyways, without further ado, here are some of my favorite pictures! If you want to see more you’ll have to be a friend on facebook or myspace.
I'm in my 3rd week of being unemployed. The week after I got laid off was pretty uneventful. In fact, I don't really remember what all happened. But last week was pretty crazy busy! I've got a lot to share and of course loads of pictures to go along with everything!
February 20th Dinner - So for the 2nd week in a row Andie came over to help me learn how to cook. We made breaded chicken with bowtie pasta, sun dried tomatoes and sauteed asperagus in an alfredo sauce and seriously orgasmic garlic bread. lol
February 21st New Hair / Tango Kilo - I got my hair done by Heidi and it's quite a bit blonder but I love it. My sister was too busy to style it so another girl Randi took some time to curl my hair. I thought it was cute, a bit more curls then I like but I was going out that night so it worked out nicely.
So my friends band, Tango Kilo, was playing at a local dive bar, the Marina Lounge in Spring Valley Lake. My brother and I went. I had a lot of fun! I don't go to too many local shows so I was surprised by how many people I knew. It was a reunion of sorts. I enjoyed hanging out and talking with my brothers friends. My friends Andie and Barbara came as well. It was a late night but I had a great time!
February 22nd Poet Sky @ the Universal Bar & Grill - Well this whole night was odd for me. First of all I look at the pics and realize it was a great night, and I really did have a good time. Though there was another side to that show, my internal emotions were miserable! I struggled and looking back I'm STILL not sure what was up with me that night. If you look at the pics you can't really see it either. But it was a bitter sweet night for me. But check out the rockin pics!
February 23rd LA Meeting - So I drove down to LA for a meeting with the payroll company and it was incredible. I had only gotten 4 hours of sleep because of my brothers show, but I thought I looked presentable considering.
This company was already awesome in my book but the owner took me out to lunch to discuss options to get me a job and I was blown away by how nice he was and how hard he was trying to make it work. The bummer is, without traffic it took me 2 hours to get down there. So we left it as I was going to take a week to think about it. In this week we both came to the conclusion that I'm a great fit for the company if I lived closer. I'm still considering a sales position which would let me stay local for the most part. Just waiting to see what God has for me.
It was rough to try and stay awake because I was so tired. But this is towards the end of the night...
February 24th Pasadena Class / Alliance Crew Lunch / Dinner with Berrys - You got that right! I was non-stop that day. I drove down to Pasadena for aWesPay ACH class that I was already signed up for before I was laid off. It was from 9 - 12:30. The only awkward thing was they recognized me and asked me to stay afterward to explain what took place with Alliance. It wasn't too bad. The person I talked to said he was hearing two stories and wanted to know what the correct one was. I told him about having troubles looking for a job and he introduced me to someone who then asked me to email her my resume and she would pass it around. So that was cool! And I ran into another lady I met back in August when I went to the conference in Vegas. She also had me email her my resume. So it was a good networking venture.
Alliance Lunch - After the class I drove to Rancho Cucamonga to Wahoo's where I was gonna meet a bunch of the crew. I was actually really happy to see everyone. And it made me realize how much I missed seeing them every day. Here's a picture of the group that made it.
Dinner with the Berrys - I hadn't hung out with my friend David in a while so I had arranged for us to meet for dinner since I was going to be down there. He sadly was laid off by linkLINE, yet again, because of the Alliance fiasco. Apparently linkLINE couldn't afford the lack of income that Alliance paid them for their servers etc. Anyways, it was great to see the kiddos before me, David and Erin went out to dinner. Their kids are getting sooo big! Here's a pic of the group of us.
More Updates - I have a lot more to share but I'm out of time. I'll post something in the next couple of days.
To Share: Dinner Party - February 27th Megan's Birthday - March 1st Visitor from Africa - February 28th - March 5th A Chair's Photography - February 28th New Glasses Possible new job with big changes
For those of you curious as to what happened with my job, I will explain but let me start by sharing an awesome poem Eric wrote about it. I will go into more detail below.
Eric's Poem - Read with the timing of "The Night Before Christmas". This was written February 5th, 2009 the day after Alliance's bank terminated our services.
The Night Before We Were Cancelled by Eric R. Gavin
Twas only just yesterday, when all through this place It was business as usual, not a single sad face Kaycee was working, her keyboard a blazing Margarita was cooking and it smelled amazing
Tony unboxed some shiny new gizmo Charity was giggling as she so often does so Hector was reading, researching and looking That strange burning smell meant Mike Ross' lunch was cooking
Eric was typing at lightning fast speeds Tina put a third coat on, so she wouldn't freeze With Josh dressed in black, and Darla in pink We opened our E-mails, to see what's the stink!?
Even Jody was shocked, and she's seen it all But Stephanie had to answer another phone call Jena sensed danger, she's exceptionally wise Mike Roth saw that terrified look in Eric's eyes
We all gathered round, the letter held high We had just been cancelled by our O D F I All Alliance was silent, you could hear a pin drop Nobody was talking, even Eric had stopped
What does this mean, all of us then inquired Are we keeping our jobs, are we gonna get fired? When all of a sudden the answer came clear The bank gave response and what did we hear!?
No debits, no credits, no transactions we'll send We're holding your money, yes this is the end That was all there was, no questions no fuss... They said, "All of your monies are belong to us."
So to every one listening, to all of my friends It's been an honor to work with you up to the end No job has been cooler, no place felt so right To all at Alliance, to all a goodnight.
The Story Behind Being Laid Off - Remember how my last post I talked about Hell Week. I said I didn't think it could get worse if I recall correctly... Sadly it did. It was a whirlwind to the end though. We did our best but it all came to a sad end last Friday, February 13th, 2009. I'm not sure what to explain, or if explaining is really all that important. Just that the last week and a half of my employment were some of the toughest in my history at Alliance.
Just imagine this... We debited clients on Tuesday (February 3rd), we had credits scheduled to go out on Wednesday (February 4th)... BUT the bank stopped processing for us, AND put all the money in the account on hold! This didn't just affect a certain portion of our clients, but ALL of them! Can you imagine the calls we got!? We were frantically trying to figure out how our clients could get their money back. The bank wasn't much help to us. Most of the clients were understanding but extremely frustrated. I only dealt with a few belligerent merchants. I heard a couple death threats for the owner. We don't have a lot of local clients or we may have had some show up at our door. It was just non-stop.
The moment I heard the bank terminted Alliance's services I went back to my desk and went to biblegateway.com and the scripture of the day was
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
Which I repeated to myself every time I felt overwhelmed.
The day after the bank terminted our services, all the girls in support came in at 6am - 6pm so we could field all the calls. We knew it was going to be chaos. It was a LONG day. Friday was just as bad. I prayed every day walking in to work that God would give me the strength to deal with what lied ahead for that day. Every day was an emotional rollercoaster, a possibility of making it through, then not, new hope, then not. This continued through Wednesday (February 11th) of the following week . I went out to lunch with my coworker, Mike(#2), and came back to find out that the other girls in support were being laid off and that the salary employees were going to stick it out till Friday and hope that by then the company had a leg to stand on.
Thursday (February 12th) I woke up with a heavy heart, to the point of it choking me. I called my parents for prayer and they gave me the support I needed. During my dads prayer a song came into my mind which I repeated until the heaviness lifted.
Be strong & courageous, for the Lord my God is with me. Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed. I'm going to walk in faith and victory!
As you all know, Alliance never got that leg to stand on and I was laid off on Friday. I am not afraid or dismayed. I still walk in faith and victory.
Here are just a couple of the pics with me and my ex-coworkers - now friends that I will miss seeing every work day... I didn't get pics with everyone because as you can imagine most people weren't up for pics.
Aftermath - I've been oddly calm about this whole thing. I feel slightly numb. I haven't cried and I don't think I will. I remember with linkLINE I was devastated about being laid off from my job, I was an emotional wreck. I know my walk with God is much different then it was then. I'm thankful to have this peace in knowing God has a plan and a good future. There are moments I've stressed about finances, and as quickly as the stress hits me, it goes away knowing God is in control.
Jobs - Looking out there, the economy sucks for finding work right now. But I have thankfully had a couple job offers. One is not ready quite yet, the other, is a drive to the heart of LA. The commute would be a killer. It's for a payroll client I always enjoyed working with at Alliance. I'm meeting with the owner Monday to see if a job is even feasible with the commute I'd have to deal with. I'm not making any decisions. I'm keeping an open mind and praying that God will show me what He wants me to do. I'll keep you updated.
This Weekend (Cooking, Tango Kilo and Poet Sky) - In the meantime life continues. I'm actually having a lot of fun. Last weekend the band came over to practice two days in a row for their show this coming weekend. I had a good time with the guys. Here are a couple shots from them hangin out and practicing...
At some point during the weekend my brother mentioned my new plan to cook every Friday night with my friend Andie. (She knows I don't know how to cook and figured since I'm in my 30's its about time I learn. haha!) So Chris plans on joining us! If he actually does it should be quite entertaining. Saturday my sister is going to do my hair and my friend Dave's band, Tango Kilo, in playing at the Marina Lounge, which is the first local show they've had in a while. So my brother and I are going to that. Sunday my brothers band, Poet Sky, is playing down at Universal Bar and Grill so I'm going down with him to that.
I hope to visit some of the Alliance crew Tuesday. So hopefully I'll have more pictures to share for that.
She stared at the office door… Took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face before swiping her security badge. She chuckled to herself at the pathetic attempt to fake enthusiasm and almost couldn’t bring herself to push the door open. Another deep breath as the door swung open into “hell“. Immediately she felt the stare, more like glare, of her supervisor. Attempting a smile which turned out to be more like a smirk, said good morning, suddenly regretting the decision to come into work a little late since she stayed so late the night before. There was tension in the air. Chaos really. The busy hum of everyone running around frantic. She tried to listen to the conversations of her coworkers, to see if she could make out what all was going on. Finally she stopped one of them to ask them what happened only to find out everyone had been called in early to help with the “situation“…
This is what happened when I walked into work Friday morning. In fact, I was having such a rough morning on the way into work I put in worship music to try to help my attitude. Looking back I think it was God’s way of preparing me for what lied ahead.
I struggled to give over my heart to Him as I worshipped on the way to work. I listened to the words of the worship songs and hoped that my attitude would truly reflect the words that were sung. I finally stopped and asked just that, to change my heart, I knew it was a decision, and it took action. I tried smiling, sure it was strained but eventually it would turn into a genuine smile, it had to. I pulled into my parking spot at work and leaned my head back against my seat staring at the roof of my car. A song then came on… “Draw Me Close to You”
Draw me close to you Never let me go I lay it all down again To hear you say that I'm your friend
Help me find a way to bring me back to you
[Chorus:] You're all I want, You're all I've ever needed You're all I want, Help me know you are near
You are my desire No one else will do Cause no one else Can take you place To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find a way to bring me back to you
[Chorus:] You're all I want, You're all I've ever needed You're all I want, Help me know you are near
Phrases like “ help me find a way to bring me back to you”, “ Help me know you are near”, “you are my desire” all were truth. I waited till the song was over before getting out of my car. I took a deep breath and said to myself that I could do it, I’d make it through the day, that things wouldn’t always stay like this at work… This is all before the description of what took place in the first paragraph! Tell me that wasn’t designed by God. Can you imagine if I hadn’t taken the time to cry out to God, how I would have handled walking into hell that morning? As it was I was almost immediately overwhelmed by the wave of tension that hit me when the door to my office opened. The phrase “help me know that you are near” repeated in my mind as I walked to my desk to face whatever catastrophe that we were faced with at work. For a moment I questioned God but almost moments after the questions I realized that He had given me strength to face this day.
I had a payroll training class to conduct. It was a special request from a new merchant to be trained on Friday rather then the normal days payroll training is done. I was concerned it would have to be cancelled with all the chaos but my supervisor expected me to go ahead as planned. I felt bad but the glare I had received earlier had softened. My supervisor hadn’t gone home from the day before. After the shock of learning the events that took place to cause the confusion and chaos in the office I was told I wasn’t called to come in early just because of how far away I live and they knew I would be there eventually. I felt horrible but luckily was not made to feel it by anyone in the office.
I was given a huge blessing, I was able to walk away from the chaos, shut myself into the conference room to conduct the training class for two hours with three of the brightest, friendliest people I’ve ever had to work with in training! I felt Gods hand in everything I dealt with throughout the day in the same magnitude. My coworkers complained of dealing with rude, aggressive merchants out for blood. And everyone I worked with, even in regards to the drama were all very pleasant and understanding. I couldn’t help but *know* He was near.
This so isn't fair... I was sick... goodness, like a week or two ago and this morning I woke up to yet another cold! what da eff?! And I'm someone that rarely gets sick. What sucks is that it's been like 80 degrees down in Ontario all last week and it's like 20 degrees cooler up in the desert. Hmmm no wonder I'm sick. My body isn't able to adjust to the extremes. I don't look forward to driving down the pass tomorrow with an already stuffed up head. That's the worst! And to top off having a cold, I was totally nauseous all day! I have no idea why. I started to feel better when I got some food in me but my stomach has been touchy even through the evening. Bleh!
Anyways, there have been lots of good things going on since my last blog post. It’s hard for me to take the time to go over it now. But I will say this. Thank you to those of you who responded to the post before via one medium or another. I'm doing MUCH better. God showed me a lot this last week and confirmed it over this extended weekend.
But because of the time I'm gonna post some pics of my AAP Celebration outing.
Kaycee and Stephanie
Jena and Margarita
Jena, me and Tina (with Eric trying to sneak in looking oh so macho in the back)
Mike, Cindy, Eric and Mike #2 aka Tom
Jody, me and Mike
Me and my brother Brian
I love this pic! Mike, me and Keith lol
Sheri, me and Hector
Brian and Andie
Keith, Andie and Mike (look how short she looks next to them lol) waiting to go in for bowling
Mike and me at the bowling ally
The group that went bowling - Mike, Crystal, Andie, Sheri and Keith
Last night I finally went out for my AAP Certification Celebration. :) I had a blast! Of course, who wouldn't when the entire night is centered around their accomplishment! haha! Honestly I just figured it was a good excuse to go out with coworkers and enjoy them outside of the office. :) It was pretty awesome, but more about the night later.
On a fairly personal note, this week I went through a little patch of discouragement. Feeling farther from God then I've been in a long time, I felt like I was falling away and even worse, didn't care to fight to get back on track. I shared this with my mom, who was supportive and awesome as usual. It was tough.
I realize lately that my better friends aren't very good examples of what a Christ-like walk is, and the friends that are good examples I've pulled away from, tired of their seeming self-righteous judgments. Now, looking back, part of me wonders if they were self-righteous at all or was it just my own personal guilt that made me feel judged. I'm not sure.
I have a lot of non-Christian friends. Lately they have been the friends I lean on most. With that though, their perspectives are quite different then mine. Usually their views and beliefs don't impact me. But in a way, I felt like my perspective about right and wrong was being tainted (for lack of a better word).
But that being said, it was a non-Christian friend that helped me snap out of this desire to turn away from trying to walk the Christ-like walk. It was a simple statement which I'm not going to share but it changed my perspective from despair to encouragement. I had mentioned my lack of interest in doing what was right and wishing I could be fully selfish and live my own life following after things that aren't centered around God but around my desires. He stated more then asked the question of allowing myself to be influenced by my non-Christian friends. I have to admit that yes, sometimes I do let my friends influence me more then they should.
It wasn't until later on in the day that I noticed our chat had impacted my view of the situation. I no longer felt that the decision to turn around was so far off. And in fact, I think the decision was made as soon as we had the chat.
The thing is, I'm not perfect, I can't expect perfection. Yes, striving for perfection is all God asks of us. So, I'm striving. I will stumble. I will stop. I will sit down. I will wander. But I will always go back. Why? Because there is no question of what I believe. I love the Lord with all my heart. I want HIS will for my life, not my own.
Once the decision was made, I didn't feel like there was so much pressure to do the right thing. Interesting huh? Like I was so worried that my choices were impacting my very future that I was feeling overwhelmed and didn't want to have to make decisions. When I realized that no matter what, God would work things out for the good of those that love Him, then even if I stumble, stop, sit down, or wander it would always be worked out. Sure there may be consequences.
This song "The Worst Things Beautiful" by OURS just came on and it's quite fitting for this part of my post.
So I'll wake every moment, wake with the sun Were the worst things always the first things to come? Find a way to move on and a way to be strong Cause somethings do change, well somethings come and Made the worsts things beautiful
Wait... till the morning comes around Wait... for something beautiful Wait ...see if worry turns around Wait....please wait
So sometimes the worst things can be made into beautiful things. Enough venting... I think that's it for this post. :)
Finally an update! But not just any update... A gigantic update mostly of pictures! Those of you who have my myspace or facebook have seen most of these pictures. For those of you who do have my myspace and facebook, there are new ones towards the bottom. :)
Where oh where should I begin!? There's just too much and I have plenty of pictures to go with. Maybe I should just let the pictures tell the story.
11.2.08 : My CEO's wedding - Yeah that was back in November! I was really happy with how the pictures came out. I think I've determined I want an outdoor wedding. I love all the green in the pictures!
11.21.08 : Twilight Geeks - Yup I'm a huge fan of Twilight. So a few of my friends went to see the midnight showing of Twilight. :)
11.27.08 : Thanksgiving - I've explained my Thanksgiving on a post below so here are the pictures from that day.
11.29.08 : Brown Family Portrait - This is my second year taking pictures for the Brown family. :) They are a beautiful family so it's not hard to get great shots. But this is in their backyard! Talk about a beautiful view!
12.3-5.08 : My Vacation / Disneyland - I have a Worldmark Timeshare and decided since I didn't have a lot of cash I would go on a local vacation. I went to the resort in Anaheim for a couple of days and also went to Disneyland. One of my bestest's, Andie, came down and went to Disneyland with me. Then we met up with my friend Brandie with her daughter Lexi (first time to Disneyland) and her friend Kari. Good times at the Happiest Place on Earth. :)
12.6.08 : OURS @ the Roxy in Hollywood - So my friend Jimi got me hooked on the band OURS. The first time I saw them perform, a band called Plain Jane Automobile opened for them and the lead singer Duke was just an all around cool guy. He posed for a picture on stage and asked me to send it to him. So this show since I felt I knew him to some extent I sent him some of these pics and he liked them so much he posted a folder on the bands myspace giving me credit for the pics. :) That was so cool!
12.11.08 : Alliance Gift Exchange / Brunch - Because our traditional Christmas Potluck included significant others, Alliance decided to have a brunch the day before the potluck so we could do our gift exchange without the significant others feeling awkward about it.
12.12.08 : Alliance Potluck - We had to get a table for 23. Quite the interesting setup. It was quite relaxing to just sit around and enjoy lunch together. The department directors got up and said nice things about their departments. The CEO got up and talked about the company and was sweet enough to pick me out of the crowd and told everyone how much I've "blossomed" in the company. It was only slightly embarrassing, I felt pretty special actually.
12.13.08 : Gregory & Tawnay's Wedding - I took these pictures as a wedding gift for Tawnay. I was dissapointed in all the lighting and weather and tried to make the best of what I had. I didn't have an external flash which I think was the thing bugging me the most. Anyways, these are the ones I thought turned out ok flash and all.
12.13.08 : Poet Sky show in Pomona - Right after the wedding I was rushed down the hill to go watch my brothers gig... The first time Poet Sky performed since they have gotten back together. So of course we had to go to that! Heidi, Andie and I stopped by one of my favorite places, Wahoo's, for dinner. Then we met my brother and the band local bar near The Wire where the show was at.
12.14.08 : Free Hugs - In 2006 we did our first ever Free Hugs, click here to go to that post. We decided Christmas is the best time to do it so we went again. Sadly this year it didn't get as positive a response. We think it had to do with the cardboard signs and the shopping carts near us. lol People thought we were homeless or something. We'll know better for next year. But here are a couple pics of the troops.
12.16.08 : AAP Certification - It came in! So it's official! I can sign my name Charity Ring, AAP. lol I will say that it felt more fulfilling to have the unofficial pass then when I got the piece of paper. I guess because I had already gotten my promotion and raise. So it didn't change much having the piece of paper. But as my mom pointed out, if I didn't get certified then I would have felt it! I plan on going out with a few of my coworkers to celebrate. We had it planned for Wednesday but with the snow we have to put it off. And with the holidays I didn't want to stress out about figuring out a good day for everyone. So we're hoping to go karaoking January 9th or something. I think that would be fun! Here's a pic of my certification and the card everyone got for me when I passed the test, and you can sort of see the box with my pin in it. :) yay!
12.17.08 : Snow... LOTS of snow! - So it snowed on Monday in the pass and I wasn't able to get to work. But Wednesday I actually attempted it before finding out they just closed the Cajon Pass. Here are some pictures of our snow day! I've never seen this much snow come down in such a short time while living in California! Craziness!
12.19.08 : A random Friday - Like most Fridays, went to Wahoo's but this time Joshua joined Mike and I to celebrate me getting my certification (since Joshua would probably not be joining the group that goes out in January). But here are my two favorite guys at the office. :)
And that evening I met with David and Erin. Great friends of mine that I haven't hung out with since I started studying for my AAP. I got to meet their 6th and final little one, Matthew Elliott. He's such a sweetie.
Holy cow that's a lot of pictures! I'm sure it's more then most people care to check out in one sitting so I'm sorry about that. Hopefully you enjoy them. I'm off to decorate the house with the little that I plan on putting up for the Christmas season. It'll only be up for a week so I'm not doing much.
First I must say Happy Birthday to my beautiful niece Amber!!! She makes me feel old! lol
So my standard Friday night "date" ditched me. Had better plans I guess. pfft. ;) haha Just kidding. She had a friends birthday party and invited me to go but I decided with the busy weekend ahead of me I needed the downtime. I'm getting better at making "me" time. I'm watching Harry Potter in the background and veggin in the living room. Mike is over helping Heidi and my brother Brian has spent his Thanksgiving in Argentina so I have to place to myself.
My Thanksgiving was a blast! My first turkey turned out great! My family and Brandie gave me an "A". lol I had so much fun playing hostess to my family for Thanksgiving. My friend Brandie came over too. It was a really nice day overall. Everyone was in obliging, upbeat moods. I got up early to make sure the house was clean and ready to go for my family. I took lots of pictures. Everyone laughed as I took pictures of my first turkey. Maybe I'll post a couple of them. :) I'm thoroughly enjoying my nice clean house right now!
My Future Home - It's amazing how much you appreciate a place when you know you're going to be leaving it soon. I've always loved this house. It's taken me too long to get truly settled only to find out at the end of the lease (which is at the end of May) my brother wants to move. So where does this leave me? Honestly I've spent a couple weeks trying to weigh my options. I could try to make it out on my own but my finances are such that I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that until my debt is paid off.
My mom is anxious to have me move back in with her. She knows this is something I don't necessarily *want* to do so she's offered to have me stay with them for a cheap rate so I can pay off my debt faster and then move out on my own after maybe 6 months or so. The rate that they will charge me for a room is almost too good to pass up. But I struggle with the idea of living with my parents again. I love my parents, and we get along fine but I've enjoyed being out on my own.
It's a few months away so we'll see how things work out. But this just makes me more determined to host a party/bbq of some sort at this place before it's moving time. Maybe within the first couple of months into the new year.
New Years Resolutions (perhaps a month early) - Speaking of the new year. I've been thinking a lot about New Years Resolutions. It seems that I've already come to some resolutions. And as cliché as they may sound I'm more determined then ever. One being my finances. Taking control of my debt and focusing on paying it off. The other is getting back on track with losing weight. Life has been so chaotic that I've stopped any routine of exercise and I've noticed the difference.
Compliance Specialist - My new title at work! I got a promotion! All that studying paid off! (Still no letter letting me know if I'm certified or not.) I'm really excited about this new role. I have a lot to clean up and catch up on but I'm looking forward to the challenge. It'll be interesting not having to deal with the daily queue, not having to close! That will be wonderful! Though I have to wait till the new girl is trained before I can change my schedule, but still... It won't be long. I'm very excited.
Tomorrow - I have to get up at the buttcrack of dawn to get my oil changed. I want it out of the way. And I've promised a family that I would feed their cats this weekend so I'm going to do that in the morning after that. My dad has promised to come over and help with the last couple items I wanted put up in my room and some other odds and ends. I have a family portrait to take late tomorrow afternoon, then feed the cats again. And since my "date" ditched me tonight she's gonna come hang out tomorrow night. lol
Vacation - So I finally get my vacation! I have to work Monday but my vacation is from the 2nd through the 8th. I plan on taking a couple days and going down to my timeshare in Anaheim. I'm definitely going to Disneyland. I was joking with Heidi and Mike with that cheesy Disneyland commercial... "Charity, you just got a promotion! What are you going to do now?!.... I'm going to Disneyland!!!" lol Andie is gonna come with since she's never been to California Adventures! Craziness! I am going to go see OURS at the Roxy with my friend Jimi on Saturday the 6th. Other then that I plan on vegging. I'm sure my time will fill up quickly.
Anyways, if I have to be up to get my oil changed I should probably head to bed. Maybe I'll upload some pictures tomorrow or Sunday if I have time. Oh and thanks to everyone who sent me text messages wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a great one yourselves.
I'm thinking it's about time for an update. So much is going on as usual, which means I have no clue where to begin.
Thanksgiving - I'm waiting for my dough to set so I can bake the rest of my cookies. I'm making my very first turkey this Thanksgiving! My parents asked if we could do thanksgiving at my place since they are still getting settled into theirs. I told them no problem and this was as good a time as any to learn how to make a turkey. :) My dad is coming over tomorrow night to help me with the stuffing and prep work (which means I need to get stuff done tonight so it's ready for him tomorrow). He made me promise to have a batch of cookies waiting for him and only him. lol
Twilight - Ok so I have to come clean... I'm an addict. I can't get enough. I love Twilight. I love Edward (not necessarily Rob Pattison but the character). I couldn't wait for the movie. I went to the midnight showing and then again the next day for a friends birthday outing. I loved, loved, LOVED it! I thought the movie was awesome. They did a great job of keeping close to the book (though only a handful of my friends were dissapointed, most felt the same as me) it was an excellent representation of the book and I can't wait to see more! I hear they have the go ahead to make the next movie and I'm really excited! I plan on rereading the series. The books are excellent. I only hope Stephanie Meyer will change her mind about not finishing "Midnight Sun" (which is the first book from Edwards perspective). Yeah you could say I'm a fanatic, twilight geek, whatever. :)
Work - So I have yet to get my letter letting me know whether or not I'm a certified AAP. I'm supposed to hear by the end of the month so I'm trying to be patient in waiting. Work has been a bit hectic and crazy for me. Mostly in a good way. I've had a lot of added tasks, giving me something new and challenging which I've been enjoying. I am looking forward to getting it all organized and under control. But for now my days flash by me.
This last week has been full of emotional ups and downs. Granted, I am pmsing. But just lots of stuff going on in my life. I have a lot to consider in the coming months. I would share but it's getting late and I should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long and busy day!
Anyways, the night has passed, my movie (Narnia) just ended, the cookies are packed away and I'm debating on whether to put the bread for the stuffing in the oven to dry out rather then on the counters.
I was just emailing my friend Matt and got some clarity to my mood. It might be tacky to post part of my email to him but it just came out right... "Anyways right now I'm struggling. Not sure what emotions I'm feeling. Tension. Moodiness. I'm a little pissy and I'm not sure why. I have no good reason to be. So I'm reading a book. Getting away from my thoughts. Avoiding reality. Maybe its post-passing-blues hehe I've spent so long studying that now I'm on the downer side of it all. Still haven't seen the raise, or the promotion so it's kind of like all that work for nothing. Hm..."
Tonight I couldn't do anything... Watching tv couldn't hold my interest. Myspace or Facebook couldn't hold my interest. The only thing that's made me smile is my book "Twilight". I've read the entire series but I'm trying to reread the first book before the movie comes out in a week and a half.
I will say that having my parents staying at my place hasn't been bad at all. I've been spoiled with good food. Though I hadn't realized how much I utilize my office. And as much as there have been minor inconveniences this whole experience has been pretty stress free. Tomorrow since I'm off my dad is going to help me put up some stuff. I unpacked a few of the pictures I kept in boxes. I'm looking forward to getting stuff up. They are officially moving out this Saturday. I will be glad to get life back to some form of a normal pattern.
Anyways, that's all for now... I'll give more of an update when I'm in a better mood.
I wasn't too sure I'd blog even after I was done with my AAP exam. But here I am... Oh and I'm now no longer a blond! I would say I'm a brunette but it has quite a bit of red to it too! So far people either love it or think I make a better blond. No one has said they hate it. I will gradually go back to blond but it's nice for a change.
Poet Sky 10/11/08 - So I took some pics of Poet Sky. It was seriously a 10 minute shoot and I thought the shots turned out pretty good. And it helps that the guys in the band are all good looking.
AAP Exam 10/29/08 - So... Short Version - I'm happy to say that I passed my AAP exam!!!!!
(Long Version) It's an "unofficial pass" though. So I'm not exactly sure what that means. I've narrowed it down to a few options.
This is the first time they've done electronic testing so they may say its unofficial just in case there is a computer error and they can confirm everything processed correctly.
The certification is handed out based on how many applicants pass, and if there are a lot then they pick the top scoring applicants.
They just want to make us sweat it out till we get the official certificate in the mail! lol
No clue which is the right answer. I was told they *may* be grading on a curve. So if that's the case then idea 2 is most likely the answer. So I won't know if I'm AAP Certified until the end of November. But my goal was to pass the test and I did that! A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders! This test has been looming over my head for the last 5 months and has been in the forefront of my mind for the last month! I have no idea what to do with myself! No constant nagging of how I should be studying, doing flash cards, taking practice tests or reading. I can go home and veg GUILT FREE!
I've had so many people praying over this test and my confidence would waver back and forth on whether or not I could do this. I decided my best bet was to worship all the way down to the test so I could keep my mind off of it and on God. And it helped, every time I wasn't fully submersed in worship my stomach was in knots. I knew God has brought me this far, I had so many people praying for me and I truly had done all I could to study to the best of my ability so I felt there was nothing more to do then just sit down and take the test.
Anyways, the day of the test I got there WAY early. The testing center was in Riverside. I sat at the computer station and read the first question and went into panic mode. I took a deep breath and said another quick prayer for God's help. The test was completely different then I expected. I had been given warnings that it was a tough test and that they word things in such a way as to trick you (or I should say make sure you truly understand the concept of ACH payments). But I was shocked at how seriously close each answer was! I went through each question answering to the best of my understanding, marking the ones I wasn't confident about (which was like half the test!). Once I completed all 120 questions (20 of which are pilot questions that wouldn't be scored) I went back through the ones I marked being sure to read the question very carefully. I was happy I went back through because as I took the test I got more comfortable with the type of questioning and wording and I picked up on things when I went back through. I kept most of the same answers but a couple I knew without a shadow of a doubt I needed to change my answer. The test took me 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I went out and waited for them to print my results and honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. I really was waiting to hear I had failed and that I would have to explain to my work that I didn't pass. But the girl said congratulations, you passed. I practically fainted! No joke... I got weak and a bit teary eyed. I've wanted this so much. I've focused all my energies on this for so long I was in shock that it was over and I got a great outcome to all my hard work.
I immediately went outside with a HUGE grin on my face and called my supervisor to tell her the good news. She said she knew I could do it and congratulated me. I made all the necessary calls and text messages on my way back to the office.
Here's the coolest part! So I walk in to my office. I wasn't sure what to expect but I said hello and walked to my cubicle where I was greeted by my entire department jumping out at me yelling "Congratulations!" with streamer poppers flying at me, camera taking a picture of my reaction! I was shocked! They even had a banner congratulating me and decorated my desk with candy and little streamers. There was a card signed by the entire office! I was in shock! I felt so completely and utterly special! I mean seriously!? How awesome is that to have happen!? I'm gonna remember that one for a long time! :) Here are a couple snapshots from my cell... I am patiently waiting for Tina to send me the pics she took from her camera.
Wedding Shoot - So I have a wedding shoot tomorrow! The CEO of Alliance is getting married and asked me to take the pics! It's a paying gig too. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. It's at Thatcher Manor in Perris Ca. Sadly it looks like it might rain tomorrow. So pictures should be fun! (Um... yeah) But the place is rather pretty so I'm hoping the weather cooperates!
Thursday 10/30/08 - I had to open so I was up at 4am to leave my house by 5am to be at work at 6am. The day was busy. I got off work at 3pm and had to grab some food on my way to the rehearsal. I got there an hour early but asked if I could come in and get the layout of the place for photo ideas.
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
Here are a couple pictures of the happy couple
I was thrilled I was done so early. I called my friend Ludek on my way home. He is so awesome. He's lending me all his fancy camera equipment so I can get the best possible shots for the wedding tomorrow! He has my same camera model so I am able to use his external flash and gigantore lens! I was so happy when he said he had no issues with me using it. He's such a generous person. I'm thankful for his friendship.
I was heading home sooner then I expected so I stopped by my friend Andie's house to come up with a last minute costume for the Halloween Potluck at work. I got home at about 8:30 and started baking cookies till 11:00pm when I finally decided it was time to crash.
At the Moment - As I'm typing this there was a sudden downpour of rain. And I really do love the smell of rain! And my mom just overloaded me with some sugar. Bleh! My parents and sister are staying with me for the next week (possibly two). They had to be out of their place yesterday and the new place they are renting isn't available until the 5th at the earliest. So right now my parents are staying in my brother’s office. My sister is sleeping in my office. She wasn't supposed to have her kids this week but her ex-husband had an emergency with his other son. Derrek is in the hospital. It seems so strange that he's no longer part of my family. So for the night Bailey slept on my couch in the living room and Megan stayed with her other Grandma. My brother Brian has conveniently stayed out of the house during this entire transition.
A benefit to having my parents staying with me is that my mom is a fantastic cook! I'll get awesome home cooked meals for the first time in ages! And my dad has always been so willing to help me put stuff up. And one of the things I've neglected since moving into this new place is actually putting up all my decorations! My dad said he'd be happy to help but I'm not going to bug him this weekend. He's been through enough in having to deal with a transition placement at my house! I really do feel bad that my parents have to go through all this at their age.
Alliance Halloween Potluck - This potluck was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if it's because we actually took time to sit and talk and enjoy the conversation or what. Normally it feels so awkward, but I enjoyed myself.
Here are a couple pictures of the day. :)
Life after the AAP Exam - I need a vacation. I've spent so many months focusing all my extra energies on studying. Work has been a bit crazy because we're understaffed and I have had added responsibilities. Which has been cool but it's made every day at work a non-stop chaotic environment for me, just trying to fit it all into a routine and get everything done in a timely manner on a daily basis. It's always been a laid back job so it's not like I can't get over it. But yesterday after the potluck I started to lose it. I felt like if I didn't get peace and quiet I would scream! I think it's just that I've been telling myself... As soon as the test was over I would have time for myself and that hasn't happened. I've been almost MORE busy, taking pictures of Paul's rehearsal, baking cookies for a potluck, planning a costume, meeting up with Ludek to grab his equipment, helping my parents move and get situated, and then dealing with the concerns of taking good pictures for Paul's wedding! If it wasn't for my completely lazy day today (which hasn't been fully lazy as I have company) I think I would just want to shut down. I emailed my supervisor on my way out of work Friday and asked her to consider allowing me to take some time off. With the lack of help I know it's going to be difficult but I'm finding it difficult to concentrate and get things done.
And who knows, maybe all I needed was a day like today. A bit lazy and somewhat quiet (definitely not used to kids being in the house! haha My niece is running back and forth outside my room window playing with the dogs, not that it's bothering me, its just not ... quiet). I think of how my parents must feel though, living in limbo for a week or so and how annoying and uncomfortable that must be for them. I have NOTHING to complain about. So I'm trying to be as obliging as I can for their sakes.
Anyways, it’s taken me longer to add pictures to this post then I thought and I want to go help my mom with dinner. I know this is an extensive update. But hey, it’s been a month! What do you expect from the blogging addict? Bye for now…
It's Sunday and I really thought I was going to have a relaxing day ahead of me but I've been wrong. I've been on the go since this morning.
I was supposed to be at church at 9:15 and didn't get there till 9:45. I was in charge of the video overheads and Brandie was dedicating little Lexi and I of course took pictures of that! :) After church I planned on taking it easy but I had to get laundry done. Then my sister mentioned something about my nephews birthday party. There is a family one tomorrow but this was the one for him and his friends. I decided to go and take some pictures. It was kind of fun. :) It lasted a little longer then I expected so I decided to head home. On my way I got a call from my friend Leonard who I've been trying to meet up for dinner with him and his wife for the last couple of weeks. So they are taking me out for my birthday tonight.
The band is over so the house is quite loud. But I've cleaned up most of my room and have a pile of stuff to get through of all my AAP papers from the Vegas trip. Brandie is on her way over because Lexi left one of her favorite teething rings at church.
Brian also needs me to read through his paper. He's a bit nervous about it. He's struggled all weekend to focus enough to write it. He wants me to make sure its coherent.
Monday is Bailey's family birthday party. Wednesday I'm going to the Hollywood Bowl for a concert with Jimi. I'm looking forward to that.
So I'm gonna go stick my nose in a book for the hour and a half I have before I meet my friends for dinner...
Fender Bender - So I got into an accident this morning. Luckily the damage was minimal and to my car only. I met Mike at Starbucks this morning and was backing out. There was a delivery truck in my way so I was being careful to not back into it. Sadly this girl was on the side I wasn't watching as carefully. I barely bumped her but she was a total bitch about it. I guess she honked but I wasn't able to hear her because of my music. And honestly it wasn't that loud! But I felt horrible. I looked and her car was perfectly fine. I saw a slight scratch on mine but she said she could feel something fold so she checked her entire front end. She was exasperated! It ended up that my bumper got pushed out of place. I was totally shaky. She wasn't very nice about it even when she realized I had the only damage. I pulled back into my spot and Mike checked it out. He knew it was something he could push back into place. Mike agreed the lady was a little oddly pissed off considering I had the damage. I felt a little better but honestly this was the first accident I had gotten into in YEARS (I got into one a year or so after I got my license but it was the other guys fault) and this was the ONLY one that was my fault! I think that's what made it so hard to let go. I knew I looked from all angles before backing up but I was so cautious about that delivery truck and the idea that I couldn't hear her honking really bothered me. So it took me a few hours to let it go.
Anyways there's a lot to share! So I will probably just give quick updates.
My Birthday - My birthday was pretty awesome! On the actual day I was so surprised at how many people made an effort to wish me Happy Birthday. :) I felt totally special! I went to work and after work went to my parents for a special birthday dinner.
Saturday, September 6th BootieLA- I went out to dinner at Red Robin with my sister and Andie. Rachel sadly couldn't make it because she was sick... I mean REALLY sick. I felt so bad. And I was bummed she wouldn't be apart of my birthday celebrations like she has been pretty much since we became friends in Jr High. After dinner we drove down to pick up Russ and made our way to Echoplex for BootieLA. Yet again I had an absolute blast! I love that event! I will be going again soon!
AAP Conference in Vegas September 8th - 11th - This was my first business trip and I was oddly nervous about it. But it was actually A LOT of fun! We got to Vegas at about 5pm and my friend Debbie met up with us and we went to dinner. After dinner Debbie and I decided to go hang out and catch up.
Tuesday I was able to sleep in a little since my first class didn't start till noon. I was one of the only people in my class taking the AAP test this year and so the teacher called on me a lot. I was happy to say I knew all but one question he directly asked me. After the class they had a reception dinner. It was interesting to be able to talk to people who have taken the test. I felt more comfortable. After the reception dinner I called Debbie to come meet up with me again and we just hung out at the hotel. We ended up hanging out at Toby Keith's bar in the hotel. It was pretty rowdy and they had a band playing country music, and normally I would say that wasn't my thing, but I was highly entertained by it all.
Wednesday was my long day in classes. It was a lot of information but I was able to talk to more people about the AAP test during our breaks and in one session we broke into discussion groups and at lunch one of the people in my discussion group said I seemed knowledgeable! lol that made me feel pretty good. :) And the end of the day I just wanted to get out of there. My brain was fried. I went to dinner with Jody and my friend Armando met me at the hotel at about 9 and we went out to bowling and then to Freemont Street. He kept asking if I'd done different Vegas things, most of them I hadn't. He was bummed we hadn't been able to hang out before that night but that's how it worked out.
Thursday I was able to sleep in a little because my teleseminar didn't start until 10am. I had to be packed before the teleseminar because as soon as it was over we had to check out. We left Vegas and stopped off at State Line to grab some lunch. I didn't get home till about 5pm. But was thankful for all the information I got and also for the opportunity to go!
Photoshoot - So my friend James came up with this cool idea for a photoshoot. It wasn't the first time I had heard of the concept and thought it was a great idea for a photoshoot. Basically it's been said if you take a fluorescent light and stick it in the ground under power lines it will light up. There are a few different factors that we knew by the article James read. So we decided to test it. We met out in the Oak Hills area and we stopped at a spot and stuck a fluorescent light into the ground and sure enough it started to glow! We decided to try another place that's a little further out that James remembered off the 395. It seemed brighter and we made the choice to set up a photoshoot, but there are a lot of technical things we need to work out so I'm not sure how soon this will be happening.
I was up way too early for being up so late. I've been dealing with some annoying house issues. First was my tub not draining very well. I pulled apart what I would consider the most complicated tub stopper I've ever seen! Finally got to the drain and didn't have much to grab out. Made a makeshift snake to push down the drain and still nothing. I've tried Liquid Plummer and Drano but this was before I got the drain opened to pour it directly in. So I figure one more attempt at using Drano today and I throw in the towel.
The other issue was my laptop wasn't connecting to the internet and I did the complicated rebooting order my brother told me to do. Restart the computer. Shut down, pull the battery out for a minute, restart fully then shut down again. ?!?! Does this sound a little ridiculous to anyone else yet? Now mind you I understand sometimes computers are just that, a bunch of complicated seemingly unnecessary steps. But nothing was working and this was the 3rd day in a row. So finally I got the screwdriver out (lol not for the laptop!) and opened the little hidden electronic box in the closet. That was actually harder then it sounds! That sucker is on lockdown. Part of me wonders if that's why my brother came up with that complicated rebooting order. hehe Anyways I rebooted the wireless router and poof! I'm online on my laptop!
Last night I was wide awake. Too alert to go to sleep and not awake enough to accomplish anything worth while. I was in that zoning state. I knew I would regret my choice to have soda at dinner with my brother and Andie. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I thought I was in the perfect state of mind to write a blog or something but I attempted a short email and had a hard time focusing. I think I finally attempted to crawl into bed at 2:30am.
So today is my errand day for the weekend. I was hoping to be up at a good hour and get things accomplished. I'm up, my eyes popped open at 8 which should be fine but I have a headache and my tummy isn't feeling so good with last nights dinner. I'm not the ball of energy I was last night after leaving work. I think I was just thrilled about the concept of a three day weekend! hehe But I was determined! Last night was grand central for my cell phone from the moment I pulled into the garage at the house. Mike needed my help, Brandie was returning my call from earlier, Andie was calling to let me know she was on her way for our standing Friday night date hehe, Armando kept calling me so I could hear the Three Doors Down concert he was at, I had been text messaging Jerret back and forth for a little bit. And after work I made a goal, get Drano from Target on my way home, try to get the clog to clear and my bathroom was in desperate need of a scrub down. So I got the worst part done, I scrubbed the toilet and used the drano down the tub drain before Andie made it to my house. We took Mike to Home Depot for something he needed for his truck. After that we dropped him off and picked up my brother and made our way to dinner. Then Andie and I stayed up talking for a long while. She was my moral support when pulling apart the tub stopper and trying to deal with the annoying clog. hehe
Today I need to finish cleaning my bathroom and I really should do the kitchen as well. I need to go to the bank and pull out cash for the week. I don't like not having an ATM card. (I had an unauthorized transaction on my account and so I went to my bank and before I knew it he had told me I was getting a new atm card and told me to grab cash because my new atm card wouldn't be here for 7 - 10 business days. Ugh!) I also have to go help my brother with something when he gets back from an early trip to Huntington Park for work. Then my sis is doing my hair. And I have tentative plans to go to dinner with James and Lareen (but I know their schedules are tight and I haven't had any confirmations).
Sunday and Monday I have no major plans but to relax!
There is another blog on its way but I got to get my butt out of this house and get all my running done.
So I'm sitting with my laptop on my new (yard sale deal) futon in my office waiting for my pictures of the weekend to download on my desktop machine. I have a ton of pictures to post! This weekend I drove all over the place! I put over 400 miles on my car! But it's been a good weekend. But let’s do things in chronological order...
Written Friday 08/08/08
I know… I know... It's been a while. Life has kind of come at me fast and I'm trying really hard to organize my priorities and blogging is sadly low on the list. And so much has happened in the last month I'm not too sure what to really update. I seriously can't believe it's been this long since I've updated!
Vacations - With all the stress going on in my life this topic has crept into my daydreams a lot as of late. This morning on my way to work I thought about scheduling a vacation away by myself, maybe Solvang like I've been wanting to, just take pictures and get some quiet time. But that will have to be next year as the timeshare I have is booked up months and months in advance for Solvang. Though I can go just about anywhere with this timeshare I really think it would be nice to go somewhere unique. My work has told me I'm required to take at least a week off by the end of the year. And right now that sounds really nice but not possible till November.
AAP Examination - I've officially scheduled my AAP Exam for October 29th at 10am! I'm sooo nervous and excited at the same time. I'm concerned about my lack of time for study but I have found that things are starting to sink in. I'm remembering more and more. I do know that the entire month of October I'm going to be studying my butt off! No life for me till the test is OVER! Sorry friends... don't take it personal. I just have a goal!
Events - Ok so I just looked through my calendar and realized how many different events I went to and most I took pictures that I can post!
Edify's first show 6/28/08 - I took a ton of pictures so I'll make sure to go through and upload them. I was very proud of my boys! The band did very well!
OURS show with Jimi 6/29/08 - Jimi, a friend from myspace, had a spare ticket to see OURS down at the Glasshouse in Pomona. It was the first time we got to meet face to face. Jimi is a really cool guy! And he was first in line! Before we were allowed in Jimmy (the lead singer to OURS) came out and I was immediately impressed with how genuine he seemed. He was friendly and didn't seem like taking pictures with fans was a waste of his time. In fact, Jimi asked if I wanted a picture with Jimmy and I decided I did. I felt a little silly and even said sorry and Jimmy was like, there is no reason to say sorry and it may sound odd but he wasn't afraid to get close for the picture. I know some people that barely even let you stand next to them. He put his arm around me and smiled for the shot. And well he was definitely my type so that probably made liking him all that much easier! ;) I was impressed with him and hoped I would enjoy the music.
It was the first time I ever heard OURS. I was really glad I went! All the bands were pretty awesome! The show started a lot later then scheduled and we were wondering if it was because the turnout didn't seem that great. The first band was Plain Jane Automobile and they were great! (Jimi still has yet to send me some of their music from the cd he got while we were there :P) Duke was a really nice guy. He saw me taking pics at the show and asked me to make sure he got copies of them. One shot in particular is my favorite, him singing, looking down and pointing right at me. Though I hadn't quite got my camera settings adjusted for the low lighting I still think the shot turned out cool. The second band was God or Julie which wasn't particularly my style but I got a lot of great shots of the band. Then OURS came on. I was mesmerized within moments. I was very impressed and immediately a fan!
Go hereto see the video to my favorite song "God Only Wants You"! If you want to read Jimi's review of the show Go Here. Not sure how well that will work if you don't have myspace.
Here is my favorite pic of Duke from Plain Jane Automobile
Here is the pic Jimi took of me and Jimmy before the show
Here are some of my favorites of Jimmy from OURS
Movie Night @ church 7/2/08 - No pictures, but we got together to watch "Thou shalt laugh" and I got a kick out of it. A couple of the comedians were really funny!
Fun at the Park 7/13/08 - We all met for a picnic at the park. I had a great time and had lots of fun taking pictures! My boys, Eric and Jerret, were so sweet! If they were just a little older! ;) haha
Ladies pool party 7/19/08 - Again no pictures, mostly because a bunch of ladies, at a pool, usually don't like their pictures taken. I enjoyed myself though. I truly relaxed!
Game Night 8/1/08 - I dreaded going. I was tired, had a rough week at work but decided to make an appearance. I'm so glad I did! Ron from church made up a list of words based on books, plays/theater, movies, tv and songs that the two groups (my team and my sisters team) had to try to get through them as quickly as possible. The first team through the words won. My team was great! But we got stuck on "Avenue Q" and "Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite!" which NONE of my team had ever heard of before! lol We got 5 words behind but in the end we were behind by 1 word when my sisters team won. Sure we lost but we almost caught up! I was impressed with that! Anyways, it was a lot of fun!
BootieLA 8/2/08 - So my friend Russ was the one to introduce me to BootieLA last year when we spent the day driving around taking pictures. He had a Best of BootieLA cd, it was an awesome mix! From that point on I attempted to get down there and go with Russ at the first Saturday of every month. Attempted up until last weekend when I finally got to go! I met him at his place and we got there a little late. But I walked in and immediately wanted to get out on the dance floor! That's always a good sign of great music! I had a blast! I let loose! I had been having a rough day. In fact I had been having a rough couple of weeks. Getting out on that dance floor I let go of it all. It was very therapeutic and fun at the same time! It was exactly what I needed! I had a great time with my friend Russ, who sadly is moving to Montana next month. But I plan on going back down for my birthday next month!
Updated 8/10/08 -
Church Pool Party 8/9/08 - I went to the church pool party Saturday. It was relaxing. Michelle and I played pool which made me want to buy a pool table for our extra living room so bad! I haven't played pool in a while but it was fun! Michelle was a really good teacher, as it’s been a while since I've played I needed reminders of how certain shots would work. I won the first game and she thought I lied about not really remembering how to play. hehe Anyways, it was a good time. I didn't really get into the pool, I sat on the edge and put my feet in and that was about it. But it was nice to get some sun.
I didn't stay long because I needed to get home so Rachel and Tom could drop off the futon I bought from Rachel’s mom. I am really happy about it. So far I'm enjoying sitting indian style with my laptop (on my lap)... lol I really wanted a couch for my office but I wanted one that I could use as a spare bed if I had company. But I couldn't afford the one I wanted from IKEA just yet and this one was only 25.00! I couldn't pass it up! And it's in great shape!
Tupperware Party w/ Dixie Longate 8/9/08 - Darla at work invited us all to go to a Tupperware party. But not just *any* tupperware party… A tupperware party where the consultant is Dixie Longatea drag queen! I invited my friend Andie because I know she'd get a kick out of it. And it turns out this was Dixie's last show as he/she is taking her character to Broadway (I think)!
Anyways, Andie and I got down to Corona a tad late. Dixie looked just like she did in her pictures. It was awesome! I laughed the whole time! I got some great pictures and amazingly she did actually sell the product! Of course she was a bit more vulgar then I think any regular consultant would be able to get away with but I had a blast! And I got to hang out with Keith who I don't get to see nearly enough! :)
Meeting up with James 8/10/08 - So most of you may remember my friend James (Mopmonster) from Northern California. We've been friends for years and whenever he's in Southern California we try to meet up. So today after church I went down to his hotel in Burbank and from there we went to Santa Monica. We just walked the pier, talked about lots of stuff, had dinner at Wahoo's and then made our way back. We were both tired from our long weekends so we decided to call it a night and I was heading home before the sun went down. I am glad for this little bit of time to veg before going to bed.
Ok so hopefully it won't be another month before I update again! Night
I think it's high time I wrote an update with pictures! Of course I won't have pictures of the event I shot tonight but at least you'll get something!
I just got home from Edify's first concert. They are my churches band. They so rock! I'm so proud of them... They are all my boys from youth and well Tom's my best friend’s husband so he's practically family and Michelle is just an absolute doll! It was fantastic!
Here are some of the pics of the photoshoot I had with the band earlier this month. It was a lot of fun!
Edify 6/8/08
AAP Certification - Anyways, I've been on an emotional rollercoaster the last couple of weeks. I have found that I have been stressing WAY too much on this AAP examination in October, almost to the point of self sabotage. I'm just trying to take deep breaths and take it one day at a time. I think the part that is disconcerting me is that I'm an intelligent person, I pick up on things fairly quickly, but these ACH rules are a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo and I'm struggling to grasp a basic concept just because the verbiage is so wordy! But I've been persistent. I took that AAP Preparation Class in Pasadena and felt completely out of my league. Mind you, the person heading up the class made it clear that it wasn't meant for beginners. So I had a teleseminar last Thursday on Risk Management Strategies and I was reading the Rish Management Handbook all week before the class and again struggled to comprehend what it was I was reading. Then I take the class and was blown away by how much I understood and how easy it seemed. I think I am just struggling with processing the ACH legal jargon. Either way, after taking that class it did help me calm down quite a bit about the class.
Also I'm going to Vegas in September with my Supervisor for an Operations Conference dealing with the AAP stuff. It will be my first business trip for Alliance, well actually for any company I have worked for so it should be interesting. I think another thing that is putting the pressure on for passing this test is all the money that Alliance is putting out on my behalf. I don't want to disappoint them. These classes, workshops, teleseminars, etc aren't cheap. Failure is not an option! My friends are awesome though... they have faith in me and are all so encouraging and uplifting.
A Chair's Photography - Sometimes I'm so surprised at how many people are so willing to hire me to do their photos. Joshua says I'm professional since I've been paid more then once. It's hard to look at myself as a professional photographer because I still have sooo much to learn! I assisted with Susan Whitney for that wedding down at Kimberly Crest Mansion and it was an absolute blast! Like I said in the post about that event, I was sweaty, tired and non-stop and I still felt like it wasn't work... I had too much fun! Photography is definitely a passion. I get lost looking through the lens. I forget about all the troubles and focus on another world. It's awesome! So tonight at the concert I saw my Political Science teacher from college and we got to talking and he saw me taking pictures and he said he would like me to take the pictures for when he and his wife renew their vows. They asked for a card. This isn't the first time I've been asked if I have a card. A great friend of mine Annette has a bakery Sweet Addictions and when she saw my engagement shots of Daniel and Mary she wanted cards to hand out to her clients that come in for wedding cakes.
Yet shooting with Susan I realized how far I am from being ready for any kind of professional business in wedding photography. I'd love to work with her again. I'm hoping she will call me for future weddings. I don't know how rude it is to ask if she liked my work well enough to actually use me again. I finally got the pictures back from her. Our schedules were never meshing and I was quite discouraged by the time I actually got them all, which was last night. I finally looked through the ones she liked and felt comfortable with her critique of my work. She had valid points. I know there is so far to go. But sometimes I don't think it's going to take very long. Meaning I may still have so much to learn but life will carry me from one thing to the next with this whether I feel prepared or not. I was just thinking back that my first real photography job was for Brian and Rashaell Fischer's wedding. That was back in March! That was only 3 (almost 4) months ago! It's been a whirlwind. I can only imagine what the next few months hold!
For those of you who don't have my myspace page I apologize, you don’t get to see the pictures as soon as the people on myspace. I just realized I never posted the pictures of the Steampunk Treehouse! Or Turtle's Reception!
So without further ado...
Steampunk Treehouse 5/1/08 - A select few... I have posted a small slideshow so if you would like to see it go to Steampunk Treehouse Slideshow
Random Shots 4/08 - I just ran into a bunch of shots I took in April and never uploaded them. Some of them are really rather cool...
Turtle & Amber's Wedding Reception 5/17/08
And I can hardly believe I'm actually able to do this but here are some of my favorite pics from the wedding!
So I’m taking a bit of a break from unpacking. Honestly I feel like I’ve accomplished A LOT! But when I look at how many boxes I have left I feel a little disappointed. The old place was so cluttered I’m doing my best to avoid clutter. I’m getting rid of things I don’t need. Rachel would be proud! I’m such a horrible pack rat it almost bugs me! I figure if it’s something I haven’t looked at in the 3 years I lived at the old place I *really* don’t need it! Though, I do have two chests full of things from my childhood that I do plan on keeping.
I also finally got my pc connected to the internet so I’ll be able to post all those pictures I’ve been excited to share! It seems so amazing that I’ve lived here since May 10th and am JUST now getting through the unpacking process. I’m so grateful that it’s a long weekend!
So now for a few pictures…
5/4/08 - The Three Musketeers – Out for Andie’s 30th!
Cute one of my two dearest friends! I love these girls!
5/9/08 - Out with the old! It’s such a sad looking yard.
A pretty flower picked for me near my old place so I wouldn’t feel left out when Tom and Brian brought back a bunch for their wives.
5/11/08 - In with the new! I love the new place! It’s awesome!
On my way to work after my first night in the new place
5/24/08 - So Rachel called me right when I pulled up at work and asked me if I would be interested in going to a Dodgers game that night. I’ve never been but have always wanted to so I said yes immediately!
Blurry shot of me and Rach snuggled up in the back seat
Me and Rach bundled up at the game
Brian (and me peeking into the shot hehe)
Brian, me and Rach (Tom and Jacob were there too but none of the pics of them turned out that well)
Me and Rach when the rain started to pour! They put the game on rain delay at the bottom of the 9th inning! Cardinals were up by 1 so we figured it wasn’t worth fighting the crowds. By the time we made it to the car the rain stopped but we were SOAKED!
More pics to come of the Steampunk Treehouse and Turtle's Wedding!
So I’m sitting on a comfy chair with my laptop at Chuck and Robin’s in Yucaipa. It’s been a busy weekend but I’m blown away by their hospitality. They are truly amazing people! I’ve been asking Sam what I can do to show my appreciation. Chuck intimidated me when I was dating Sam but he’s been an absolute sweetheart to my sister and I this whole time.
Thursday - I was up at 5:00am to be sure to get packed for my weekend in Yucaipa and I had to head down to Pasadena for the AAP Preparation Class. I left at 7:00 and because of traffic didn’t make it to my class till late. The class was from 8:30 - 3:30 and packed FULL of information. The teacher made it clear early on that this class wasn’t for beginners which is what I was. I was happy that I at least understood the terms. I have a study partner. She works at a small credit union so she will help me where I am weak which is the banking side of it. I am strong in the NACHA file formats since I deal with that on a regular basis so I’ll be helping her with that.
So after the class I had to head into work. Traffic was so bad I didn’t make it there till 5:30. Stephanie wasn’t familiar with the end of the day stuff so I had to make sure to help. We got done at around 6:15 so it wasn’t too bad. I was told my sister went in for surgery at about 6:30 so I didn’t rush. My sister was ready to go by 8:45! Her surgery was a huge success!
Friday - Heidi had a rough first couple of days. She couldn’t move without being dizzy and feeling like she was going to pass out. Mike came down to watch Heidi while I was at work. She didn’t keep food down too well and had to stay in bed most of the day.
Saturday - I took my time getting ready. My mom was down by 12:15 so I could get up to Turtle’s Wedding Reception. On my way home I stopped by my friend James’ place to drop off the name plate he left at Alliance when he went to his new job. He was at his moms place in Oak Hills for the weekend. I had a nice chat with his mom and sister.
I stopped by my place and got dressed for the wedding. I made it out to Lucerne Valley 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Turtle was still setting up. He mentioned that it would be unlikely we would get pictures of him and the family like planned because everyone was behind schedule. So I took pics of what I could. The reception started and I snapped away. The whole concept of a Gothic reception was pretty cool. It was a great party! People were dressed like they were ready to hit the clubs. Amber was beautiful and Turtle looked great! I can’t wait to show the pictures. But as with all the other pictures I’ve been anxious to share, who knows when I’ll get a chance to post them.
(vent) Right now I'm feeling a little tired of living in limbo. It started with the move. Packing up the house and moving into the new place and not being settled before I had to spend this extended weekend in Yucaipa. I can't complain about my time here because of how awesome it's been to hang out with Robin and Chuck, like I said before they are truly amazing. But I really would like to just be at my own place, but not as it is right now, I'd like it to be completely unpacked as well. Then today I get a call from my good friend asking me to housesit for her in the next couple of weeks and my first reaction was "Absolutely NOT!" But I told her I would think about it. Just right now I'm not feelin' it. I've been going too much and really just need to get things situated at my new place. (/vent)
So I had a good time taking pictures of the wedding reception. It’s always great to hang out with my friends from my wannabe goth days. I'm still even a little surprised at how the friendships have survived the years. I even got out on the dance floor! I left at 12:15am and made it down to Yucaipa by about 1:30 am. Turtle gave me more money then agreed upon which I felt bad taking just because I didn’t get ANY family shots or really many single shots of them. But he said he saw me workin the whole time and he really was hoping I’d get a chance to party a little. He was sweet. I'm really happy for him. It’s odd looking back at our friendship and where it started. I don’t talk to him often, and as much as some of my friends won’t understand this, I really do feel a fondness for him. I think because he was my first kiss. You always remember your first kiss. Heh
Sunday - I have taken the day easy. I've been a little bit moody but I think that's just because I didn't get much sleep and I really just want to be home. Heidi has her appointment tomorrow so we should be able to head home tomorrow.
This work week should be interesting with all that's going on. We have a new supervisor in training. Mike is going to be in Hawaii for a week to celebrate his anniversary. Margarita comes back from taking care of her mom who fell and fractured her hip. Jody and other upper management will be in Vegas for one of the biggest conferences of the year. And I have to call and see about switching the AAP Certification test to my name and get all the paperwork and training books to prepare for the test in October.
I made a starbucks run earlier this evening and looking at the time, I'm starting to regret it! It's late and I have to be up early to get ready, pack up my things as I use them and clean along the way. I feel so blessed to have been able to stay with Robin and Chuck! I want to make sure to do what I can to leave it as close to what it was when I came as possible! Anyone have any ideas of what I can do for them to show how much I appreciate their hospitality, something special, unique?
Well I really gotta get to bed. Goodnight. Pictures to come... I promise!
Well I'm sitting on my bed, typing this blog. This is a different feeling... I have a laptop. It's mine. But it's a hand me down. A rather nice one too. Only problem: No battery life, it always has to be plugged in. Not much freedom in that is there? I guess I can always go get a new battery right?
Ok so too much to babble on about to be rambling about the laptop.
The move is complete! I won't say we're settled just because unpacking is going to take a while! And with my schedule it might take longer then I would like.
Tonight is my last night in the new place till Monday night! Tomorrow my sister is going in for surgery to fix her Otosclerosis (a progressive degenerative condition of the temporal bone which can result in hearing loss) and the doctor's have stated that she should not make the trip back up the Cajon Pass during the first few days after her surgery. The surgery is to take place in San Bernardino. And Sam's mom was nice enough to offer to let us stay at their place in Yucaipa after the surgery. I should be packing but this is the first time I've had internet since Saturday. Of course at work I can connect but things have been a little hectic there and I haven't had a lot of time to spend on the internet.
Tomorrow morning I'm going down to Pasadena for a compliance class in place of a girl that quit this week. I guess it's safe to say that I have gotten a promotion. They haven't figured out the title to give me as I will be dealing with my normal duties but taking on the compliance issues as well. This also means a raise. woohoo! I have a lot to learn but they are willing to pay for my training. There is a test in October that if I can take and pass will make me AAP Certified (Accredited ACH Professional) and will be something I can take with me.
Yesterday was the 2 year anniversary of Jesse's death. It hit me last night as I grabbed a box and saw Orenthal Wantsomemore (a stuffed arrangatang that Jesse bought me when we were dating). I am sad. I've thought about him quite a bit in the last couple of months. I mentioned it to Joshua at work today and he asked if it still hurts me. I'm not sure what I feel. I know he's in a better place. I know he and I weren't the best of friends when he passed away but I always knew he would call every-now-and-then and we'd talk, joke and laugh. I miss his constant impersonations. I miss him.
Also this weekend is Turtle and Amber's wedding reception which I am taking pictures of. I'm really looking forward to it!
Well it's my bedtime. I have an early morning and busy schedule ahead of me.
I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated! Things are going really well!
The Move - I have yet to start packing for the move. I stopped by our new landlady's office to sign some papers this morning. She seems genuine, which is a good sign. She's fairly laid back. The community we're moving into might be more uptight then we're used to but the rules don't seem too outrageous compared to some of the communities I've heard about. I'm excited about this place. It's really nice and has so much space. I’m looking forward to getting over there.
My Weekend - I'm not even sure if I'll get a chance to post this since I only have a few spare moments to post this blog. Friday I got home at a reasonable hour. I enjoyed a leisurely evening because I knew the rest of my weekend would be non-stop. I stayed up later then I would have liked because a friend needed some advice. I have also been working on the engagement shoot pictures so that I can post a couple! I got to bed around 1:30.
I got up this morning and went tanning, rushed back home to go with my brother to meet our new landlords. Dropped Brian off and went over to Coco's to have lunch with Brandie who had brought Alexis up for the day! Alexis is adorable! She's so sweet and very alert. I had a great time catching up with Brandie. It was great to see her and the baby.
After that though, I came home truly exhausted. I really needed to be working on some graphic work for my brother but I couldn't keep my eyes open. I took an hour nap! I got up at 3:30 and started my graphic work for Brian. Amazingly enough the task only took me 10 minutes tops! Who rules? I do! hehe That was a pleasant surprise!
Now I have some spare time and I decided to update everyone on the happenings. Tonight Andie and I are going to the play Guys and Dolls at VVC. Ron and Amielle, a couple from the church are in it. I believe Jerret (my adopted little brother) is going to join us. I've heard the play is really good!
Sunday after church I'm heading to a family portrait shoot for my coworker Margarita. It's down in Rancho Cucamonga in their backyard which I hear is beautiful. After that I plan on heading over to spend the evening with my friend Sandeep who lives in Northern Cali but is going to be down here for a training class for work. I'm looking forward to hanging out with him. I don't get to see him enough. Then it’s back to the daily grind.
This Week - I have to start packing in the evenings. I'm taking Thursday off to go down to take pictures of the Steampunk Treehouse. James decided to go with me. Though I just found out this week that he's taken a job down in Santa Monica! I am actually pretty bummed! It's been nice to have a coworker that enjoys photography as much as I do. He says we'll still try to get together for our photography group but I'm sure him living down there will make it a little more difficult. Though I am happy for him and any time I'm down in Santa Monica I'll be sure to stop by and say hi. Anyways, my friend Drew wants us to stop by his place in Palm Springs the day we go to Indio. So that should be a full day. And Drew likes photography too. We'll see how the day works out.
Daniel and Mary Engagement Shoot 4/20/08 - Some of you have been asking to see some of the pictures I took of the couple last Sunday. I have not had any time to sit down and sift through them until yesterday and that was only because my plans Friday night changed to my benefit. So here are some of my shots. I took close to 550 pictures the whole day! These are a few that I like. Let me know what you think!
