Random Thoughts

2009-01-15T20:45:00.003-06:00

I know. It's been a long time. Things have been kinda crazy since before Christmas. A quick recap...the holidays were great. We got to see our families and Rich's dad took us to Disneyworld. We had a blast. I'll (finally) post some pictures just as soon as I get them loaded onto my computer. We came back from the holidays and headed back to work. We are now in the process of shopping for our first home. We've gotten preapproved and are meeting with a real estate agent Saturday morning. I can't wait. I'm trying to update the blog a little so I've got the background changed (couldn't leave Christmas trees up there all year long, could I?), but I'll have to put off the other stuff I want to do for later. Sorry this is so short, but I've got to accomplish some other things before I go to bed this evening. Later!

2008-12-05T21:01:00.002-06:00

I'm afraid that I haven't been able to stir up any excitement about Christmas this year. I sent out my Christmas cards this morning and made a list of what I want to buy everyone, but that's it. No Christmas tree, no wreaths, no lights, nothing. Sad, isn't it? So I've put on some Christmas music on Pandora in order to inspire myself.

So, what else is new, you ask?

Well, I've recently discovered my love of the public library. It's fabulous. I've been checking out books for my bookclub, books I've been putting off reading, and even books on CD to listen to during my commute to and from work. Currently, I'm finishing The Pact by Jodi Picoult. Now, I've heard a lot of good things about this book, but there is the one character that I absolutely HATE. She just ruins the book for me. The book is about a suicide pact (well, sort of...it's much more involved than that obviously, but I digress) and the reasons this girl has for killing herself are just so STUPID. Stop here if you don't want me to ruin this book for you.

Okay...so this girl decides to kill herself because she finds out she's pregnant with her boyfriend's baby. She doesn't want to get married (because I don't think that she really loves this poor guy), but she can't bring herself to break up with him. Can't break his heart and all that crap. She can't bring herself to have an abortion because she was molested by a stanger when she was younger. Ok, fine, whatever. But this stupid girl can't even kill herself without enlisting the help of her boyfriend who desperately wants to stop her. I mean grow a pair and pick something. Quit being a wimp and choose something, don't bring your boyfriend down with you, you selfish twit. Ok...so obviously I'm not enjoying this book. I've never been accused of being too sensitive. Can you tell? I just can't understand certain points of view. It's not for lack of trying, but I'm very set in my ways, and stupidity just baffles me. I understand suicide to a degree. I've gone through a period of severe depression myself as a teenager, but I would have never taken anyone down with me like this character did. It's appalling, really.

Ok...If you stopped reading, you can pick it up here again.

I'm also listening to Confessions of a Shopaholic by *well, to be honest, I have no clue who wrote it.* This is typically a book I would have NEVER picked up in a thousand years. Greatly due to the fact that I am ungodly tight with my money and the thought of being addicted to shopping is something I cannot relate to on any level at all. But, when Rich and I went to see Twilight (a movie I was fairly dissappointed with, by the way. But the movies are never as captivating as the books, with very very few exceptions, of course.) and previews for this upcoming movie came on. It's definitely a chick flick and this book certainly falls into the category to chick lit, but the previews caught my attention and stuck with me. I grabbed this book on CD with the thought that if I just couldn't find anything else on the shelf that I wanted to listen to, I would grab this. Of course, there was nothing else. So I wasn't very excited about listening to this particular book, but it is so perfect for my commute.

I don't know if I would find it as funny if I were reading it off the pages of the actual book, but the person reading it on the CD makes it all worthwhile. She has a British accent and the way she says certain things and the emotion she puts into the book is priceless. The character is in deep debt and her thought process dealing with how to handle her debt and how to justify her purchases (EVERYTHING is either a bargain that just can't be missed or a very wise investment...lol). I don't know if the movie will be as funny because you won't be able to hear inside her head like you can when you read a book (this was one of the things that I felt was lacking from Twilight), but it has potential to be a cute movie.

The weird thing about listening to this book is that I find myself hearing my own thoughts throughout my day in the same voice and the woman on the CD. It's hilarious. I even throw in a few phrases like..."She is looking smart today." or "Oh, bloody hell." I'm also daydreaming like JD on Scrubs. My mind has been all over the place lately, but it makes for a very entertaining day. I keep trying to explain to people that is actually is fun to be in my head. lol

Well, I seem to have rambled on quite a bit. You're probably tired of reading this. I'm actually a little tired of typing, and I'm stumped as to what topic I'd like to move on to next. So, I'll end it here before I think of something to go on another tangent with. Until next time...

2008-11-25T21:11:00.004-06:00

UPDATE:

I finally purchased a vehicle to replace my dearly departed Toyota Camry (RIP 1997-2008). I got a 09 Nissan Versa hatchback. I don't have any pics, so just click the link if you have no idea what they look like. Mine is pretty basic. It's white and for the first time ever, I have a CD player and keyless remote. WhooHoo...moving on up, baby! Hopefully, I'll get some pics soon. Now I get to pay for this thing for the next 3-4 years...

I saw Twilight last Friday night. It was decent. You must go into it realizing that there is going to be a certain cheeseball factor to it due to it being a teen romance in nature. I'm thinking of cutting my hair like Alice Cullen. What do you think? I also thought it was pretty awesome that Edward drives a hatchback (like me!) in the movie.

I find that there are a lot of non-hatchback lovers out there. I can understand that to a degree because I thought they were ugly in high school, but how are they any different from a SUV or a van?
I still want to see the new Bond movie. Daniel Craig is a hotty. :)
I'm just getting started with my Christmas shopping. This year has gone by way too fast.
I'm still undecided on whether or not I feel financially ready to purchase a house. Should I take another year and put some more money back? We've got a pretty decent emergency fund and I would rather not dip into that for closing costs, etc.
I am so ready for Thanksgiving. We're doing the traditional dinner at the grandparents' again this year. Bring on the turkey...gobble, gobble.
I've joined a book club. Last month we discussed The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I read it last year. Our next book is Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris. It was a pretty good collection of short stories. Now I'm a couple of chapters into The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I hear she's good. I love the library. I also got Confessions of a Shopaholic to listen to during my commute. I eventually want to re-read the entire Harry Potter series. I might start that next.
I have been knitting the same pair of socks since the beginning of the year. I'm almost finished. Why can't I just finish this second sock?
Christmas cards have been ordered. That is really all I have accomplished for the holidays.

Ok...so I can't think of anything else to ramble about. Later.

2008-11-14T13:12:00.003-06:00

I don't know if you've seen this on the news, but this has been keeping me entertained. Someone has a litter of adorable puppies that they are streaming live on the internet 24 hours. They're so cute, I just had to post.

I'm also going to try to embed this on my blog. Wish me luck.

Edit: OK...this link isn't showing up. I'll keep trying.

2008-10-31T14:03:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween!!!!

Good afternoon, all. I decided that since I've got a few minutes in between experiments here at work, I'd fit in a quick blog. Hold on...I need to measure some samples...

Okay...I'm back. Where to start? I'm still without a car. I have one picked out, but my insurance check hasn't made it yet. I have issues with buying a car without a downpayment, so as soon as the USPS decides to make it possible for me to finance my car, I'll go get one. In the meantime, my ever-patient co-worker has been bringing me to work and back this week. Thank you, Kelley!
We have this nifty little machine (Snap ID) for Western blots that we're trying out today. It uses a vaccuum to pull the antibody through the membrane instead of washing the antibody over the membrane and hoping that it binds. I can't wait to see this thing in action. It takes a process that usually takes a day down to an hour or so. Sorry, I think my nerdy side may be showing, but I really think this stuff is neat.
Tonight, we're going to M & J's and hanging with them. It will probably be an early night because Rich is running his first 10K tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I can drag myself out of bed to get some pictures. It's supposed to be 37* tomorrow morning, so I doubt I'll be in a pleasant mood standing out in the cold while Rich is running, but I know this stuff is important to him.
The rest of the weekend should be pretty standard...grocery shopping, knitting, reading, etc. (I'm pretty boring, huh?).
I recently read the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers. I am now addicted. It's a young adult series, but I can't help but be absolutely fascinated by the characters in the book. The movie comes out November 21st. I'm so there.
That pretty much covers everything I have going on. Later!

2008-10-18T15:02:00.002-05:00

Argh! Car salesmen are so irritating. I only went to 2 places before I gave up and came home. The first guy wasn't very bad, but the second guy knew less about the car we wanted to see than I did. I think when I asked him about the optional antilock brakes on the Nissan Versa, he realized I was not some stupid little girl who just wanted a cute car in a pretty color. He had NO IDEA about what came on those cars. I hate how even though I'm the one looking for a car that I'll be driving, they insist on talking mainly to my husband. Like I don't bring home a paycheck and make decisions for myself. It's just so insulting.
I cleaned out my car out this morning. I cried a little. I wanted to buy another car to replace Rich's truck. I did not want to shop for a car like this. I miss my little car.
We might go troll some lots tomorrow when the vultures aren't stalking. Maybe that will be a little less stressful. I'm thinking about coming home next weekend and maybe trying to buy a car in Columbus. The salesmen there don't seem to drip with as much slime as the ones here do.
In other news, I read "Twilight" yesterday. It's a young adult book about a girl who fall in love with a vampire. I loved it. I don't typically finish books in a single day like I used to. This one I just couldn't put down.
Well, that's about it. I think I'll go mope around for a while and watch the Bama game.

2008-10-15T19:16:00.002-05:00

A first...

I experienced something for the first time today. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of those enjoyable firsts like a first birthday or a first kiss. This afternoon for the first time ever, I was involved in a car accident that wasn't a minor fender bender in a parking lot. I rear-ended a guy (in a BMW, no less) because I turned my head to the left for a second. I still have no clue how it all happened. Everyone is okay. Thank God. I'm a little stiff right now, and I'm pretty sure tomorrow will absolutely SUCK. I've been sick for 2 days and left work early to get some rest so I can get over this cold, but now I'm still sick and have a sore neck and back to go with it. I will not be going in to work tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I've totalled my car. It's a 1997 Camry, so it won't take much. We'll see what the body shop says tomorrow. My insurance company (Allstate) has been awesome through this whole deal. I'm going to get something to eat now (I haven't had lunch and its 7:30pm). Hope everyone has a good night and drive safely.

2008-09-19T22:25:00.002-05:00

So tonight I'm sitting here in my pajamas. I've cut the AC off and am listening to the sounds outside (and Rich killing some bad guys on his video games up front). I'm feeling pretty good. I talked to my boss today about not finishing my master's degree. There was no lecture, no yelling (which is something I became accustomed to from my previous boss, unfortunately), just some advice on how to handle my decision in future interviews I may have. He didn't ask for an explanation or anything. He just understood. I can't even explain how blessed I felt at that moment. So now I just have to tell my MP and drop off my stuff at my old lab. It almost seems simple now. I'd love to just get my MP on the phone and tell her exactly what I think, but I won't burn any bridges. I've not felt so at peace in a very long time. I'm finally doing what I need to do for me.
It took me a while to finally come to this decision. I've been grappling with it for a while. But yesterday, when I received 3 phone call and 2 e-mails within a 4 hour period asking about some samples that I had clearly informed those who still work there about their whereabouts, I realized that I just can't deal with these people anymore. Don't call me during work hours and expect an immediate answer. You don't sign my check anymore, so I'm not going to be at your beck-and-call during time devoted to my job or during my personal time. Deal with it. You used me for cheap labor for 3 1/2 years and I just took it, getting nothing from you in return. I had such a strong emotional reaction to this that I knew it was time to let it all go. I am, by no means, an angry person who is easily irritated, but yesterday just pissed me off. I haven't been that mad since I left S-ville. I know I've made the right decision.
Last weekend, Rich and I went camping. It was so nice. The weather was perfect for camping. I took a few pictures, but I haven't downloaded them to my computer to post them yet. Maybe I'll do that later this weekend. We also had a little get-together at my boss's house last Friday. It was so much fun. Rich finally got to meet everyone I work with, and I think that now he understands that the people I'm surrounded by are very different from those I was working with before. He actually wants to spend more time with them. At my last job, I had 2-3 people I actually trusted, but I really could have done without having to deal with several of them. They were all just so negative. But, I realize now, that it doesn't have to be that way.
This weekend I plan on taking it easy. I'll watch some TV, maybe do some knitting, I don't know. I've definitely got to make a Target run and go to the grocery store. Well, that about covers my week. Everything else has been pretty routine. So until next time...

2008-09-06T20:56:00.002-05:00

Don't ask me why I've been in a blogging mood lately because I have no clue. Today was pretty easy going. Rich got up at the crack of dawn to go run a 5K. I always intend to go, but my Saturdays are really the only days I have to sleep in and not worry about getting anything done that day. So, I didn't go. I know, I know. I should be a more supportive wife, but I just don't feel the need to be up that early every single Saturday. If Rich enjoys it, fine, but don't try and drag me into it.
After he got home, we went to Applebee's to eat lunch and watch some football. Southern Miss lost to Auburn. :( It was so hard to sit in that restaurant and not make it obvious that I was rooting against Auburn. I've come to learn that not pulling for either Auburn or Alabama around here makes you seem strange to the natives. I guess that's why I get along with all the international people I work with.
That is something I absolutely love about my job. I am the only American in my lab. My boss is from the UK, Kelley is from Canada, Jai is from India, and Dario is from Uraguay. Trust me, it's a little different being a minority, but it really is fun. Discussing politics is especially interesting since I'm able to get opinions from people who understand the rest of the world's view of the US. That being said, I still have no clue who I'm going to vote for. I'm leaning towards Bob Barr seeing as how my political views are very libertarian-like. I really don't care for the Republican or the Democratic parties. I'm surprised at how many people don't know about the libertarian party. Just goes to show you how politics have gone to crap in this country. The media doesn't help either. We get to choose from 2 extremely corrupt parties and that's it. I want someone to represent my views and those 2 parties just don't cut it. Americans used to have a choice when there were several parties out there to choose from. Now we just have to settle with who we feel is the lesser of 2 evils. That's just wrong. Okay...I'm stepping off my soap box now.
Rich just let me know that MSU won their game. Yeah! Go Bulldogs!
So the past 2 weekends I have been desperately trying to find some shirts that are not t-shirts that I will wear to work. I would have thought that with all the places there are to shop here in the Birmingham metro area, that this would not be a challenge. I have been proved wrong. I seem to find that I have very expensive tastes in clothing, which may explain why my wardrobe is so very limited. I'll admit that I am considerably overweight (something I have been working on for a while. I've lost 16 pounds this year so far.), but I'm not obese, and I would expect to be able to find well-made shirts that look good on my body. I've always had trouble finding clothes I like and I've never been much of a fashion horse, but I'm just getting depressed about it now. I really want to learn how to sew so I can buy these shirts that are too big and alter them so that the fit correctly. Maybe once Rich and I are in a home of our own, I can set up a sewing area and take a class and learn how. I think I'll do some online shopping. Maybe I'll find something that way. Later!

2008-09-05T21:04:00.002-05:00

So, I've been thinking...

Okay...so I feel like blogging. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything to write about. So, if you don't want to hear me spend a few minutes rambling about whatever pops in my head at this particular moment, you may want to stop reading here...

Still here? Wow. I can't believe it. You're probably pretty bored, huh? So, I've been thinking that I haven't been doing much reading here lately. I have a book to read, but I haven't started it yet because I got 3 magazines in the mail last week that I've been reading. But anyways, the book I will be reading soon (hopefully) is called Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson. I hear it's good, but I know absolutely nothing else about it. I haven't even read the back of the book. Ehh...if I hate it, I'll put it away for a few years and pick it up again to see if I like it any better. I do that a lot with books. I hated Wuthering Heights when I read it in high school, but when I picked it up for the second time in my 20's, I decided that it is one of my favorite books. Go figure. Maybe I should give Faulkner a 3rd try. I haven't read any since high school. I may like it now. I doubt it, but I'm willing to give it a try. Maybe later.

Still reading? That's cool. So, I've been thinking that I really have no clue how to dress myself so that I don't look like a college student. Technically, I've been in school my whole life with the exception of the past 5 months, and I think that has stunted the growth of my inner fashionista. I can't put a look together to save my life. If it isn't a dress that I can wear with either black or brown pumps or my personal favorite, seeing as how I hardly ever wear skirts or dresses, jeans and a slouchy t-shirt, I don't know what else to put together. My friends at work have even commented on this. I'm trying, but with having to buy Rich clothes because of all the weight he has lost, our budget doesn't leave a whole lot of room to improve my wardrobe. I also have this nagging little voice in my head every time I buy something saying "This money could be going to that house you hope to purchase in a few months." Ugh. Shut-up! You inner voice!

Okay...I'm pretty sure I lost all the guys on that last thought. Still reading? So, I've been thinking about how the hell people afford to have a child. Not only that, but how the hell do you afford multiple children? There's no way we could survive on 1 income here and daycare takes up half of my monthly pay. Hold on...I have to take the dog out...

Ugh! I can't wait to get a place with a fenced in backyard where I can just throw the dog out there when she wants to go out. Well, my thought process has been completely derailed, so I guess I'll call this blog done. Until next time...

2008-09-01T22:09:00.016-05:00

The last 8 months worth of pictures....

So, as you can see, I haven't downloaded pictures off of my camera since before Christmas. I will now attempt to show you what's been going on since then...

First of all, we had our friends get together at our Starkvegas apartment to celebrate the holidays and a few December birthdays...

Then Rich and I celebrated our Christmas at home before we hit the road to visit the family. Delta got to open her presents first...

Then Rich and I got to open ours...

We spent the rest of the holidays travelling all over the great state of Mississippi. I have a few pictures of that, but for time's sake, I won't post them now.

After Christmas, I really buckled down and looked for a real job. I was miserable at MSU and was desperately looking for a change. Finally, mid-March I got a job offer at University of Alabama-Birmingham working in the the Pathology Department/Center for Free Radical Biology. I can't even tell you how thankful I was to get this job. Well, my boss and I decided that I should start April 1st. Holy crap! I had to find a place to live and move in 3 weeks! Well, we pulled it off. Rich stayed with my brother in Columbus, until he found a job and I went it alone in B-ham for a couple of months. Thankfully, Rich found a job in the Trust Operations department at Regions and started in June.

At the beginning of the year, Rich and I made a deal that if he got down to his goal weight of 210 pounds (down from 250 pounds), we would buy him a new TV. Well, I was very surprised at how he threw himself into running and blew his goal weight out of the water. He is now sitting at a very healthy 186 pounds. He has since then taken running 5K's and 10K's. He is currently training for a half-marathon this coming February. He ran 13 miles just this morning. Running's not my cup of tea, but I'm glad he's found something active that he enjoys.

We've also done a little camping...

We also spent a weekend at campmeeting and this weekend we went to Memphis to celebrate Rich's godson's first birthday. Of course, I forgot my camera on these occasions. Needless to say, we've been busy. I'll sign this off with our most recently family photo taken a few weeks ago. I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures. Later!

2008-08-27T17:21:00.002-05:00

What I have to look forward to this fall...

I just found this on another blog and thought it was pretty on point with how thing operate in the Brandon household during football season. Here is a list of house rules from September until post-Super Bowl.

1. From the first weekend in September until the end of the bowl season, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions. The remote control will be fingerprinted each night, any sign of your fingerprints and all shopping trips will be cancelled for a month.

2. If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a game, for an important reason such as preparing snacks or getting the beers, I don't mind, as long as you crawl along the floor.

3. During the football season, read the sports section of the newspaper so that you understand who I'm yelling at during the season. As a tip, check the box scores for the referees' names too.

4. During the games I will be drunk as Cooter Brown. You cannot expect me to listen to you, open the door, kill any spiders, answer the phone, etc. It ain't gonna happen.

5. It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the games. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good game that I missed during the day.

6. Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because my team is losing, DO NOT say "get over it, it's only a game", or "don't worry, they'll win next time." If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less. Remember, you will never ever know more about football than me and your so called "words of encouragement" will only lead to a break up or divorce.

7. If a great play occurs while you are in the room, you may be required to freeze or repeat your act for the rest of the game as good mojo. If my team wins, you will be showered with gifts for the next 6 days. If they lose, you will be blamed repeatedly for moving, blinking or secretly not believing in your heart of the power of mojo.

8. Tell your friends NOT to get married, have any babies, or any other social related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because:I will not go, I will not go, and I will not go.However, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Saturday to watch a game, we will be there before the Coors Light bottles reach "Code Blue".

9. You are welcome to sit with me to watch one game and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the halftime score is pleasing me. College Gameday and the highlights on Saturday night are just as important as the games themselves. Even if I curse Lou, Herbie, and Corso like the anti-SEC, biased dogs that they are, I still want to hear what they say.

10. And finally, please save your expressions such as: "Thank God the football season is only during the Fall." I am immune to these words, because after this comes the NFL playoffs, the Pro Bowl, AFL, AFL2, the CFL, and the replays on the college sports channels.

I really don't have a strong team preference when it comes to college football. I support the SEC when they are playing non-SEC teams (unless they are playing Southern Miss...Go Eagles!). As for the SEC teams, having attended grad school at MSU, I feel obliged to pull for Croom's Bulldogs. Rich is an avid Alabama fan, so he is fitting in perfectly here in Birmingham. As far as the NFL, I don't think Rich really cares, but I LOVE MY SAINTS! (Geaux Saints!)
Well, I'll try and post some more later. I just saw those "house rules" and had to post them. I'm going to go hop in rush hour traffic and hopefully be home within the next half hour or so. Later!

2008-08-20T22:35:00.002-05:00

"I'm not dead yet!"

I love that movie. Anyways...as you can see, I'm still alive and kicking. I've put off an update for weeks now because I've got some pictures and stuff I'd like to post, but that will just have to wait, I guess. I updated the layout of my blog and I think I like it better than what I had, but it's still not quite there yet. It'll have to do for a while. I'm still loving my job. I'm making some new friends which has always been a bit of a challenge for me. Rich and I have started looking into buying a house. That would be nice. I'm sick of renting and just having to deal with what I get because I can't change anything. There is a serious lack of closet space in my new apartment and I can't use my treadmill due to the fact that it would drive the downstairs neighbors crazy. I'm also not too fond of having people walk over my head all hours of the night. That's not something I had to deal with in my duplex.
We're still seeing our old friends a good bit. That has really made the move so much easier.
Rich is running up a storm. He's done 3 5K runs and is training for a 10K that's coming up. He plans to possibly do a half marathon early next year. He's down to 190 pounds and none of his clothes fit. We're having to completely start over with his wardrobe. He really loves running and I'm happy to see him looking so healthy. He's really motivating me even though I haven't really found the energy to get myself into shape. I'll get there. I just have to dedicate myself to it the way he has.
There's so much here to do. Friday night, I'm thinking about going to an art show at a gallery in Homewood after work. I just love going in there to appreciate the work even though I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on art right now. I hope to make a couple of investments after we purchase our home.
We've only had satellite and internet for a few weeks, so I'm slowly reincorporating that into my schedule. I love DVR!! How did I survive all these years without it? I'm no longer tied to the TV or looking for blank VHS tapes. For the young kids who don't know...VHS tapes are something that played movies in a box called a VCR. You know, the early version of the DVD and DVD player. I apologize for the blatant sarcasm, but I've been feeling kind of old lately. I think it has something to do with the fact that Rich just turned 28 last Sunday and I'm beginning to realize that 30 isn't too far away for either of us. I've just got to take things one step at a time.
I think I've decided to not finish my master's degree, although, I haven't made anything official in that regard yet. I dread telling my boss. I really don't think he'd care all that much, but I can't seem to find a way to work it into a conversation without just blurting it out. It's so awkward. And before anyone decides to jump up and tell me that I'll regret this decision, know that I've put a lot of thought into this and I know that this is what will make me happy. I need to move on with my life. People told me I'd always regret not going to my prom. I can honestly say that 8 years later, I still have no regrets about that. I feel the same way about this decision. I've gotten everything out of that program that I can.
Okay...well, this has turned out to be much long than I had intended. I'll try and post some pics and more of an update this weekend. Later!

2008-06-11T17:30:00.002-05:00

I was going to head home, but it seems that the bottom has fallen out of one of those summer afternoon thunderstorms. I don't have my umbrella and rush hour traffic in the rain doesn't sound like much fun, so I'm going to write a blog. Okay...what to write about...

Rich and I went camping with my parent's this weekend. I didn't get sunburned! That's always an accomplishment when I'm outdoors for long periods of time.

My parents had to neuter their dog yesterday. He's old and has an enlarged prostate. Or I guess I should say had. The vet said he should be fine.

I found out yesterday that my Aunt Doris has Alzheimer's (is that how you spell it?). Or as I used to call it when I was a kid Old Timer's. Even as a child, I thought that was a weird name for a disease. I was relieved when I found out it was pronounced Alzheimer's. Let's see...this is the fourth family member I've had with this disease. Odds aren't looking too good for me and old age.

Work is kicking my tail this week. I can't seem to get everything done in 8 hours, so I end up staying much later.

Well, looks like the rain has let up a little. I'm gonna try to make it to my car without getting too wet. Wish me luck.

2008-05-28T16:35:00.002-05:00

I don't really have a point to writing this, but I haven't updated in a while, so I figured I'd better write something. I'm still loving it here in B-ham. There's always something to do. My friends are nearby and I'm still only a couple of hours from home anytime I feel like making the 2 hour trip. I've missed my husband, but he'll be joining my this weekend. This time for good. The past couple of months have been a little lonely without him.
He's managed to lose his wedding ring twice since we moved. And twice he has miraculously found it again. Hopefully, he'll put it somewhere safe and not lose it a 3rd time. He's managed to lose 50 pounds and the darn thing just won't stay on his finger anymore. I'm so proud of him and his weight loss. He's been an inspiration.
UAB is having a Walk UAB! Challenge over the next 9 weeks. I've signed up along with a couple of girls I work with. Maybe the 3 of us can get out of the building a walk a few blocks during the day.
I love my new job. It's been a little challenging learning some of these new techniques, but I'm learning. Slowly, but surely.
Rich will be starting his new job next week. I hope he likes it. He'll have so many more opportunities at this new job. His old job just didn't have anything else to offer.
For those of you wondering, Delta is doing fine. She's still adjusting to the move, but she's just as spoiled as she ever was.
Well, that was a quick and dirty of what's been going on in the Brandon household. I'll probably post more later, but I still haven't gotten internet hook-up at home yet. I look at it as a sacrifice that will get me one step closer to being a home owner. But, I'll talk about that another time. I'm going to get ready to head home. Later!

2008-05-05T11:58:00.003-05:00

I just had to take a moment to bask in the glory of all the oldest siblings in the world being validated by this article. We've been speaking of this injustice we've had to endure for years, but no one has taken us seriously. Now we have scientific evidence.

2008-05-02T22:28:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week, I witnessed a man dying on an operating table. I had co-workers ask me about it later, and I haven't been very successful in trying to put it into words. Really, all I did was stand out in the hall, watch the madness of nurses coming in and out of the OR, and pray for the man on the table whose heart was failing him. I could hear them charging the crash cart over and over, trying to get his heart beating correctly again. And then I heard the words, "Call it." It's one thing to watch ER or Grey's on TV and hear those words, and a whole other experience to be standing outside of a room and know that a person just died in there. I kept thinking about this man's family who was anxiously waiting outside to hear that the organ transplant was successful and how he'll heal and get to spend at least a few more years with his loved ones. The patients I see who go in for these transplants are so happy before they go into that OR. They've found an organ. They've possibly found more time.
The other thing that amazed me during this situation was how the doctors and nurses handled everything. There was a strange balance of urgency and caring, but at the same time emotionally distancing themselves from the situation. This would have to be necessary to survive those types of jobs, and I really don't believe it is a trait that is easily acquired in school. My view of doctors and nurses who have to sort through those types of feelings has been forever changed.

2008-04-14T17:01:00.002-05:00

Sweet Relief...
It's been a while since my last post. I have relocated to Birmingham. Rich is still located in Columbus until the end of April. It makes for some lonely, boring evenings. Especially since I don't have cable or internet at home. This makes staying at work later easier since I can surf the internet here. That, and I can wait out some of the traffic on the way home. The commute isn't bad and I am absolutely in love with my job so far. I am seriously going back and forth on whether or not to finish my degree. On the one hand, my current boss is so attentive and helpful to his grad students, it makes me bitter and resentful that I didn't get that from my major professor. Being bitter and resentful about my research does not motivate me to pull my thesis back out and complete and defend it. On the other hand, I saw "Angela *******, MS" written on a piece of paper today. I thought to myself, "That looks nice." The other technician I work with has been here for 11 years with only a BS and is very happy. I wonder if I could feel that way too. I need to make a decision soon.
I have felt more at peace with myself in the last 2 weeks than I have in the past 3 years. It's quite refreshing.

2008-03-19T08:27:00.002-05:00

So I'm not exactly sure what the point of this post is, so I just plan on rambling and see what comes out.
Interest rates have been cut again. Good for those who are buying a home. Bad for my savings account that is now at a 3.0% interest rate. Down from 4.5% a few months ago. Bummer. I hate that because I make less money. Oh well, maybe the rates will still be low when Rich and I go to buy a house so that we can benefit from all these cuts.
I'm still trying to win the Honda Fit that they're giving away. After this week, I've only got one more week to qualify. It'd be nice to win a car so that I don't have to go through the hassle of negotiating to buy one. Rich's truck is looking like it's on its last legs. It's been in the shop for 2 days. I knew it wouldn't last much longer due to the fact it has over 200K miles on it, but I was really hoping it would make it to December. The repairs are beginning to cost more than the truck is worth and I hate putting more money into it than we have to. I just need a little more time to save up some more money for the down payment (and to see if my mom and brother win the Fit and would like to give us a deal ;). My mom and brother have already qualified for the final drawing, so that means I've got a 1:50 shot at getting this. Not bad odds if you ask me. I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed.
Rich and I found an apartment in B-ham. I think it will be nice. We never could have done it without M & J. They took us all over town for 2 days. We definitely owe them some major baby-sitting time.
We found out this weekend that N & K are also joining us in B-ham. It will be nice to have a group of people I already know there. I think it will make the transition to the area easier especially for me since I tend to be a bit of a hermit. I am desperately hoping that my transition into my new job goes better than the one I'm currently at. Let's just say that some people were more welcoming and helpful than others. It took me over a year to break into the clique here. If I hadn't come to this area with friends already in place, I would have been run off a long time ago. I don't expect everyone to like me. I'm not that naive. There are always 1 or 2 people that decide I suck for whatever reason without getting to know me first. These are usually the people I make an effort to bug the hell out of once I figure out what gets on their nerves. I know that's probably really mean, but its just how I deal. For example, when I figured out that my mere presence around this one person drove her up the wall, I made every effort to make sure I followed her out to every smoke break she went on. lol She finally got to know me and we have a pretty good working relationship now. I can't say that I trust her, but we're definitely on more friendly terms. If I were less secure with myself, I don't know that I could cope the way I do. And I don't look at people who don't like me as a person with a major character flaw. If you don't like me...that's okay. However, if I have to work with you, I expect you to put your personal feelings aside and at least be civil. I expect the same from myself.
We also recently found out that N & K are expecting their first child. I'm very excited for them. And even a little jealous. I'll admit it. I'm not ashamed. I would be bold-faced lying to you if I said I wasn't at all. Rich and I have always taken life with our own timeline. Would I have wanted a child within my first year of marriage? No. I always wanted at least 5 years of marriage with my husband before children came into the picture. I feel like that time is important. Especially, since I got married right before I turned 22. Sometimes I have to stop and realize that in the mist of all my friends having babies, I really am doing what I want to with my life. I never wanted to be a SAHM and still don't. I wanted to make the bigger paycheck and let Rich stay at home with the kids for a couple of years. I don't think I have the same maternal instincts as other women. That may change after we have kids, but I don't feel the need to have them now. I also feel that it's important to bring our future offspring to a home we actually own. I don't want to bring my child home to a place we rent. I don't know why I feel so strongly about that, but I do. I also don't want to get "knocked-up" during my first year at a job. I would hate for my employers to think that I am just using my job as a means to afford to have children so that I can leave the work-force later. I know that stereo-type is still circulating in the working environment. I don't want to do anything that will project that image.
I'm very excited about moving on to the next stage of my life, even though its a little scary. But really...what change isn't a little scary? I am now faced with the question of "Do I finish this degree or desert it?" As of now, I'm planning on finishing my thesis and defending it. However, I am still harboring some hard feelings about how my graduate student career has been handled. I also do not appreciate some of the things my major professor has been implying since I started interviewing for jobs. Others on my committee have been so supportive, and I feel like I'm just getting hostility from my MP. I feel like after 3 1/2 years of working on a Master's degree, I've put in more than enough time. I don't feel like at this point, all the blame for not being done can rest on my shoulders alone. I'll take partial responsibility, but definitely not all. When it takes 6 months to get feed back on 7 pages of my thesis. That's not my fault. And it's also not my responsibility to stay on your butt to make sure you do your job as my MP. You should do that because it is expected of you as a MP and not because I've called you about it 20 times a day. That is where you have failed. If only I could say that to MP without death as a consequence. I'm not looking to burn any bridges at this point. But I also will not be looking to MP for any future advice or guidance. MP has made it clear over the years that she is definitely less than interested in helping me.
Rich and I have been busying packing and getting ready to move. I don't know when my next blog will be, so everyone will have to be patient. I'm planning on moving March 29th and Rich will stay in C-town until the end of April. It's going to be a lonely month, but I've done it before. Until then...

2008-03-17T16:09:00.001-05:00

Star Wars through the eyes of a 3 year old...

I just thought this was adorable.

2008-03-10T13:35:00.002-05:00

Later Starkvegas!

I got the job at UAB! I'm so excited. I get to move to Birmingham. We'll probably be going apartment hunting this weekend. I'll update with more details later.

WhooHoo!

2008-03-04T14:49:00.000-06:00

I've got an interview tomorrow at UAB. Wish me luck.

2008-02-27T16:42:00.003-06:00

I'm beginning to become very discouraged. I'm starting to dwell on the fact that I've been in college for 7.5 years working on degrees that apparently have no effect on my ability to find a job. I really believed that I'd have at least 1 offer by now. I've given up on being picky and really am willing to take just about whatever someone will give me so that I can get my foot in the door. At the rate I'm going it looks like come May, I'm going to be working retail somewhere. I should work at Walmart. I hate that place. It will be just like where I am now. I've been looking for 9 months now. I've had 2 or 3 interviews and spoke with several recruiters who offer me the advice of "hanging in there" and "just keep applying". Lovely. Any pre-college kiddos reading this...word of advice: Go get a 2 year degree doing something in the medical field. DO NOT...I repeat...DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME GETTING A 4 YEAR DEGREE AND END UP IN GRAD SCHOOL. Unless you desire to become a college professor (In that case, I assume you are a crazy masochist), heed my warning. I regret my decision to go to grad school. The only comfort I have is that I haven't had to take out any loans for this. It's just not worth it.

2008-01-19T21:08:00.000-06:00

Update: I didn't get the job. I'm still stuck in my own personal hell.

2008-01-07T15:24:00.000-06:00

I know...I've been bad and haven't posted any Christmas pics yet. I spent most of my holiday at home cleaning like a mad woman...not that you can tell. But my filing finally got done and some recycling went out and my book shelf got organized (sort of...I read WAY too much and ran out of space for my books). I can't seem to pry myself away from the computer for very long because I've become obsessive about stalking my e-mail. On Jan 2nd I received an e-mail from a professor setting up a lab and looking for a Research Associate. *Ding ding ding! Hire me! Hire me!* The research sounded interesting and it's within driving distance of home. Also he contacted me after seeing my resume on Careerbuilder.com. *He wouldn't have contacted me if I didn't have a shot at the job, right?* Anyways, I've applied to it and sent him a personal e-mail, but I haven't heard back from anyone. Granted, it's only been 2 work days and everyone just got back from the holidays, so I realize that I'm being totally neurotic. But, I REALLY want to get out of here and get a new job. I'm tired of putting my whole life on hold and denying myself things (like a home and a family) because I'm waiting to finish this degree that may never happen. I...(Holy crap...Dr. X just walked in while I was typing this...lol...she reminded me that thesis deadlines are at the end of March...yeah right...that's totally gonna happen...lol). Well, I should probably do some real work. Just pray for me, okay?

2007-12-19T16:11:00.000-06:00

I am so unoriginal, I can't stand it. But anyways...I'm borrowing this from Brooke.

1. WRAPPING PAPER OR GIFT BAGS?
I'm a gift bag girl. Reusable, less waste. I guess it's the hippie in me.

2. TREE--REAL OR ARTIFICIAL?
Again...my inner-hippie with a touch of allergies. While I love the smell and look of a real tree, I find that fake trees are much more practical for me. We have a pre-lit one. Anything that takes more than an hour to set up, won't get set-up by me. There's less mess with a fake tree and they don't make my skin itch like crazy when I'm decorating. I also worry about the fire hazard.

3. WHEN DO YOU PUT UP YOUR TREE?
December 1st...no sooner.

4. WHEN DO YOU TAKE YOUR TREE DOWN?
December 26th...I'm usually sick of looking at it by then. I'm ready to say goodbye to the previous year and get geared up for the next one. I can't do this with a tree in my house. Plus it gives me time to get things settled before I've got to head back to work.

5. LIKE EGG NOG?
No idea...I don't think I've ever had it.

6. DO YOU HAVE A NATIVITY SCENE?
Yes. It sits on top of our entertainment center. It's simple, but I like it.

7. FAVORITE GIFT RECEIVED AS A CHILD
My teddy bear that I got when I was 6 and my Barbie dream house.

8. HARDEST PERSON TO BUY FOR
Rich...he's impossible.

9. EASIEST PERSON TO BUY FOR
My mom

10. WORST CHRISTMAS GIFT
No such thing

11. MAIL OR EMAIL CHRISTMAS CARDS
Mail. I display them in my house during the holidays. I get e-mails everyday, but I don't always get a pretty card. I'd rather not get one at all, than to get an e-mailed card.

12. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Elf

13. WHEN DO YOU START CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
I do most of my Christmas shopping online. I don't do the general public at Christmas. I refuse to set foot in a Wal-mart from the day after Thanksgiving until after New Years unless absolutely, positively unavoidable. Also, Christmas drivers are scary. So to answer the question, I get an idea of what I want to buy right after Thanksgiving and then hit the CyberMonday sales.

15. FAVORITE FOOD TO EAT ON CHRISTMAS
Are you serious...all of it!

16. CLEAR OR COLORED TREE LIGHTS
I used to be all about some clear lights, but I'm kinda tired of them right now. I see clear lights every day of the year. Give me some color!

17. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG
Carol of the Bells

18. TRAVEL DURING CHRISTMAS OR STAY HOME
Oh...to be able to stay in one place during the holidays. Wouldn't that be nice? I may just be a butt next year and tell everyone to come see me. I don't mind going on a day trip, but we visit 4 different places every holiday. That will immediately come to a stop once we have children. I love seeing everyone, but all the traveling we do every year ruins the holiday for me.

19. CAN YOU NAME SANTA'S REINDEER?
Let's see...Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen...is that eight? Yeah! Then yes.

20. ANGEL OR STAR ON TOP OF TREE
I've always had a star. They're just more fun to me.

21. OPEN PRESENTS CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS MORNING
Doesn't matter to me. The 4 days around Christmas just rolls into one big time period for me.

22. MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR
The fact that I've had to look at Christmas stuff since October. This holiday has gone commercial and I refuse to treat it as such.

I've got some Christmas pictures to post, but I'll have to do that later. Rich bought me a new desktop for my birthmas (that's what we've dubbed things that apply to both my birthday and Christmas), so I'll probably be posting more often since I've got something new to play with. No promises though.

If I don't see ya...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Bring on 2008.

2007-12-12T16:17:00.000-06:00

I was planning on posting about the upcoming holidays this evening while making cookies, but I'm afraid my festive mood has taken a turn. While on Myspace a couple of hours ago, I found out that a girl I graduated high school with has passed away. I didn't know her very well, but I was in the drumline with her husband for 3 years. It's not so much that I've lost a close friend or anything, but I feel very sad for Jason and wish I could do something. I think the thing that bothers me the most is that she was only 25 and I have no idea how she passed away. It seems like every couple of years, I hear of someone I went to high school with has passed away. It usually takes a couple of days for me to fully digest this information because I will always remember these people as being young and full of life. Comprehending that that person is lying dead somewhere doesn't sit well with me, no matter how close I was to that person. I haven't seen either Cathy or Jason in years other than when Cathy found me on MySpace, but it just doesn't seem right. I looked at the pictures in her account and she looks just like she did in high school. She and Jason seemed very happy. I can't even imagine what Jason is going through right now. This would be my worst nightmare. Please pray for Cathy's family. I know that they miss her very much.

2007-11-21T18:40:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving...

Well, it's that time of year again. I love Thanksgiving. I think that's why I get so irritated when I see Christmas decorations up before this particular holiday. I feel like it gets seriously neglected. Do we REALLY need a WHOLE MONTH to celebrate Christmas? I refuse to allow Christmas decorations to go up in our house before December 1st. Rich hates this, but I refuse to lose November to Christmas. So in honor of Thanksgiving I'm borrowing from Brooke's blog and I'm going to list 5 things that I'm grateful for.

1) My family. I couldn't ask for a better group of people. My husband is the best. He helps with the housework, cooks, and even gives the occasional back rub. My parents couldn't be any better if they tried. They're always there for me. And even though my brother and I used to fight like cats and dogs growing up, we even voluntarily hang out together now. I'm very thankful for that.
2) I just found out today that my mom has qualified for a migraine study. She'll be receiving treatment in Birmingham. I realize that she may be in the control group of this study, but if this research will help to develop a treatment that will help with her migraines in the future, I can't help but be excited.
3) My education. I feel like even though I'm having trouble finding a job right now, every penny that I've spent on my education has been worth it. The longer I'm in school, the more humble I become. People leave high school feeling like they know everything they need to know. This feeling can even continue after 4 years of college. But nothing has made me feel like I have no idea what is going on than walking into a laboratory for the first time. I'm thankful for the realization that there is still a lot to learn.
4) My friends. I would be an absolute hermit if not for them. Seriously, I can keep myself holed up for weeks with enough books and movies.
5) The opportunities that I've had. I live in a country where people care enough to see that I'm educated, I know how to read and take care of myself. It's not like that in every country. I can't imagine living in a place where women are seen so beneath men that they are unable to do anything to better their lives without the permission of a man. God has truly blessed me.

I wish I had some pictures to post, but my camera is not currently working. Hopefully my new battery will be in soon. Well, I guess that's about all I have to say. Have a good Thanksgiving.

2007-10-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

I need to vent for a moment, so bare with me if you will. I have reapplied for health insurance again. After being rejected the first time, they have so graciously (*this being said with very thick sarcasm*) offered me a $1000 deductable but I have to pay $500 towards my prescription medications before they will begin to cover my medications. After doing the math, I figured out my birth control pills run me about $480 a year. Well, isn't that convenient. I'll pay $1800 a year to get my yearly check-up, which only runs me about $200 total (including lab fees) and the off chance that I MIGHT get sick this year. (I usually don't.) Yes, I would be covered if I ended up in a bad car accident, my appendix ruptured, etc. But is it really worth it? I'm 25 years old. I RARELY get sick and when I do, it's usually the sniffles. I bet if I had a monthly presciption for Viagra or Cialis, BCBS of MS wouldn't mind covering that. Of course, if I quit taking the BC pill and got knocked up with an unplanned pregnancy. Well, my insurance won't cover that either. You wouldn't believe what they charge for maternity coverage on an individual policy. Oh! Not only will they not have to cover my pregnancy, but there will be another member of my family that will need health insurance. Even MORE MONEY in THEIR pockets! Ok, so let's say I go off the pill and have a "WHOOPS". I could just get on Medicaid and WIC, right? Surely, a couple where one is in graduate school and making $7.00/ hour can get some government assistance. NOOOOO! We make too much money. Are you serious? We don't even make the average medium income and now we have to support a child on top of covering all the other maternity expenses that my cheap ass insurance won't cover. I'm not trying to whine, but you would think that while I'm trying to better myself by going to graduate school, I wouldn't have to be terrified of my husband and I accidentally getting pregnant. Do you know how much interest I would make if I put that $1800/year into a high interest savings/money market account. I can't believe that the government allows this to happen and I know that there are others out there who are getting ripped off far worse than I am. Okay. I think I'm done. Sorry, but I just found this to be ridiculous.

2007-10-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Well, there's still not a whole lot going on, but I thought I'd post something anyways. I'm still job hunting with nothing coming of it yet. I'm currently writing my thesis and a manuscript in the futile hopes that I may one day finish this degree. I really think that if the right job came along, I would just jump ship and quit. I guess if that ever happens, I'll find out.
Rich and I went to Memphis this weekend for Paul and Becca's son's baptism. Rich is officially a godfather. Logan is so cute. I'm suffering from a mild case of baby fever, but this is easily overcome whenever I look at our checkbook and realize that I have no health insurance much less something with maternity coverage. I just have to keep putting my life on hold for school. That's what I really resent. I feel like this school is holding me back. It makes me bitter. It really is time for me to move on. No weight loss or new books or knitting projects to report on. I was able to do a little bit of shopping on the way home yesterday. I got a couple of new shirts (on sale, of course) at Ann Taylor Loft, a couple of new trousers (on sale, again) at Lerner New York, and a pair of the best fitting jeans ever at Belks. I broke down and bought (okay...Rich grabbed them and took them to the cash register before I could stop him) a pair of Lucky Easy Rider jeans. The were $100 for a single pair! Of course, being the tight-wad I am, I just about died and tried to take them back several times before we left the mall. It's not that I didn't need a pair of jeans (all my others either have holes or are too big). It's not that we didn't have the money (I'm cheap and hardly spend anything on myself...this irritates Rich for some reason). But I hate to spend that much money on clothes. I do really love what I bought though. I'll get over it in a few weeks.
Well, that's about it. Hope everyone is doing well, and I'll check back in later. Hopefully, with something more interesting to talk about.

2007-09-23T20:57:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to check in and let you guys know we're still alive. Nothing much is going on. My laptop has crashed. I don't know why. I'm still applying for jobs and not hearing anything. Truthfully, I've haven't applied to anything new in about 3 or 4 weeks. I really need to get back on it. There's a couple of positions at St. Jude's that I'll probably apply for this week. Memphis would be a pretty cool town and we'd be closer to Rich's godson. I lost a pound. Go me! I'm still writing my thesis and hoping to do my defense in February so I can graduate in May. (Keeping my fingers crossed) Well, that about covers it. I'm going to get ready for bed. Later.

2007-08-26T16:26:00.000-05:00

Just a short post today. Nothing much is going on. Work is still the same. I've managed to lose 1/2 a pound. Not much, but I'll take it over nothing . As you can see from the pictures, I've finished my purse. I'm very pleased with it. We're all doing well. Last weekend we were without AC for 2 days. Very uncomfortable, but we made it. I'm currently reading Homebuying for Dummies. We're not looking to buy anytime soon, but I always feel good going into something prepared. Hope everyone is staying cool and getting ready for football season. State's first game is this Thursday and my Fantasy Football draft is coming up in the next week, I believe. Geaux Saints!

2007-08-14T16:04:00.000-05:00

Well, there's not a whole lot to post about this week. I haven't lost any weight. I haven't gotten any interviews. I did finish the hat and booty set I was working on for Paul and Becca's son. Here's a pic. They're not perfect. One booty is smaller than the other and I messed up on the ribbing in a couple of spots on the hat. Oh well. I'm still learning. It's the thought that counts, right?

I went to Yarns Downtown on Saturday and picked out my next project. I'm so excited about it. It's a purse and I'm almost done with the knitting, but I've still got to get it lined and pick out the handles and stuff to finish it up. I would have gotten it the other day, but I ran out of money. I sometimes can't believe how much yarn costs, but this purse is going to be worth every penny when it's finished. Here's some pictures of what I've done so far.

I'd love to get good enough at knitting that I could actually sell some of this stuff, but the materials alone cost more than $100 for this purse and that's not counting the man hours I've put in to making it. I'd have to charge $200 for this purse to see any profit out of it. How do people make money on making crafts and not go in the hole?

Tomorrow's payday...WhoooHoooo! I've got to get up and sit in on the Veterinary Parasitology class tomorrow morning. Mmmm. 8AM and parasites always go well together. The professors want to introduce us to the vet students so they'll know us when we start teaching and helping out with the labs. Like even half of them will even bother to learn our names. I finished my poster for the CVM Research Day. I've just got to figure out how to get it to the printer's. That stupid poster took me nearly 2 days to complete. But like Dr. Pote says, "It'll be another 'bean' on your CV." I already have a 2 page CV. Do I really need to make it any longer?

Well, that's about it. Tonight I'll go home, walk the dog, and run on the treadmill. Hopefully, I can get some more job applications out this evening. I guess I should just start applying for jobs that I don't qualify for and keep my fingers crossed. I'm more than qualified for some of these other jobs and I can't even get an interview. What's with that? Something will come up. God always sees to that.

2007-08-07T11:08:00.000-05:00

Rich and I went with my parents to the Alabama Society of Traditional Bowmen this past Saturday. My mom got her new bow. It's really nice and shoots really well. Rich shot really well for his first time. Bonus: No one lost any arrows either. Those things can be pricey. The only downside was it was SO HOT. I was super grouchy by 4 in the afternoon. We stopped in T-town and had dinner at Wings (yummy, but I really wanted some Olive Garden...maybe next time). By the time we got home, we all showered and crashed for the evening.
I've just about finished my first baby booty for Paul and Becca's son. I'll take pictures once it's all finished and post them. I've had a good bit of trouble with this first one. I may knit a third one to replace this first one, if I don't like how it turns out. I'm going to Yarns Downtown (hey, hey...guess who figured out how to put links within the blog now) this Saturday to pick my next project and buy my supplies. I kind of want to attempt a purse or a sweater or there's also this really cute skirt in one of the pattern books my mom has. I just haven't decided yet, but I'll keep you posted.
I've added a couple of tickers to the blog. The first one is for our anniversary (just for sentimental reasons really and I really do believe that every year a couple remains married is a real accomplishment). The second one is to keep me accountable about my weight loss or gain whichever seems to be the ongoing trend at that moment. My eating has been exceptionally bad since the cruise last March and this weather is not motivating me to work out. I want to be a healthy mom when Rich and I decide it's time to have children and I'm really just tired of carrying all this extra weight around. I wish I could get Rich motivated, because if I had him trying to do this with me, I think it would be a lot easier. His suggestions of hamburgers and chicken wings for dinner are less than helpful.
Well, that's about all I have to talk about now. Later.

2007-08-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

Well, as you can see, I have decided to update my blog. I finally figured out how to add links, so I posted a few of my favorite websites. I'm sure I'll add more later.
As for what's been going on...I finished The Time Traveler's Wife that I mentioned in my last blog. Very good book. I highly recommend it. After that one, I read HP7, of course. Again, excellent book and I highly recommend the whole series. I'm now reading the second book of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles (The Vampire Lestat). So far it's pretty good. The past couple of weekends were spent at Campmeeting. Very fun, but seriously HOT! I believe Brooke has some pictures posted on her blog (The Mannings in the links list). I, of course, forgot my camera. The Biancas moved to B-ham. That's a bit of a bummer for me because the only thing I liked about living in Starkville is getting to hang out with them more often. Starkville officially sucks now. Hopefully, I'll be out of here soon. I've applied to about a dozen jobs, but haven't heard from any of them. Talk about a blow to the ego. I'll just have to keep trying, I guess. Until then, I'm still working on the Masters degree that will never end. Rich's new firm is starting up today. He's dreading it, but I told him to go in there with a positive attitude. If you've already decided that it's going to suck, then it will. I'm still knitting. I'm working on a hat and booties set for Paul and Becca's son who should be here soon. They are in Tennessee colors, of course. I've finished the hat and am working on the first booty. I'll post pics soon. I've got to decide what my next project will be.
Well, I've got to go take care of some fish. I'll post again soon.

2007-07-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I've finished Week 1 of the Couch to 5K program. So far, I'm feeling really good about this whole running thing. I was a little sore the first day, but I've been fine since then. It hasn't been that hard yet, but I'm sure next week will be much tougher.
I'm going to Monticello to visit my grandparents this weekend. I feel bad since I haven't been there since Christmas and there's no telling when I'll get another chance to make it down there again. I can't wait to get a job with some vacation days. It's hard to take off time when you've got bills to pay and you don't have any paid time off.
I've started reading The Time Traveler's Wife. So far its pretty good, but I"m only 3 chapters into it. Well, gotta go.

2007-07-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

Ok. So I BLATANTLY FAILED the 30 day picture challenge. I'm okay with that though. The problem was that I kept taking pictures, I just wasnt' posting them. This just isn't a daily thing for me. Sometimes, I just don't have anything to say. I also like to marinate on things before I say them sometimes. It lets me get my thoughts in order. So here's a recap of what's been going on the past few weeks.
First of all, I'm on the job market. If anyone knows of a lab tech position let me know. Anywhere but the city of Starkville, MS will work for me. I don't really like it here, although Rich just can't understand why. There's nothing to do here but drink. After a while, that gets REALLY BORING. Especially when there's a bunch of drunk 18 year olds driving around. I fear for my life every weekend. I have no desire to live in a college town anymore.
During the last week of June, we experienced just about all the major aspects of life. Rich's grandmother passed away. We will all miss her very much. Rich took it really hard, but he's getting better. Campmeeting just won't be the same this year. That Tuesday, Mike and Jen had their 3rd child, Sean Thomas. And that Saturday, our friends Nate and Keri got married. That was a very crazy week that I don't ever want to relive.
The 4th of July was nice. We just hung around all day. That evening we had Mike and Jen and their kids and some other friends over to sit on the back porch and watch the fireworks at the Sportsplex. We've got an excellent view and we don't even have to leave home. The kids seemed to really enjoy it.
Rich has recently followed in my father's footsteps and has gotten into traditional archery. No compound bows here. Rich purchased a recurve bow and is now practicing for his first shoot. He really seems to enjoy it. The shoot is the first weekend in August at Tannehill Park outside of Birmingham. I'll let you know how he does. I want to get a longbow and get involved a little later, but right now, I just don't have the time to dedicate to practicing. Between school, job hunting, knitting, and reading, I don't have a whole lot of free time.
I've also decided to pick up running again. I'm going to start this evening. I'm doing the Couch to 5K program and tracking my calories and exercise on Sparkpeople.com. I lost a lot of weight last year by doing this. The only thing I'm going to change is I'm going to run outside instead of the treadmill when I can. I'd like to do a 5K, but I can't run outside to save my life. I think that the treadmill keeps pace for my inside, but when I'm outside, I run much faster than I should and can't run very far at all. Hopefully, by January, I can get down to my goal weight. It's not that hard. I just have to do it.
Well, Rich just woke up and its getting late this morning. I better go get my shower and get ready.

2007-05-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

Photo Challenge Day #4:

When are we going to get it? When is the government going to step up and put some restrictions on the gas companies who are hell bent on raping the middle class of America? When will Americans realize that we don't need giant gas-guzzling vehicles to get us where we're going? For those people who drive through the city in their shiny Hummers that have obviously never seen and will never see "off road", I AM giving you a dirty look while you drive down the road making it harder for those of us without money to flush down the toilet to afford the gas we need to get ourselves to work everyday.

2007-05-17T07:21:00.000-05:00

Sorry I forgot to post a picture yesterday. I have strep throat and blogging just got delayed. It's sad because I was only to day 3. I'll continue posting tonight.

2007-05-15T18:53:00.000-05:00

Photo Challenge Day #3:

Sorry, but today's photos are pretty lame. I went to work from 7-9am this morning and then came home because I'm still running a fever and I'm going to feel really bad if I get someone else at work sick. So I got the absolutely necessary stuff done this morning and came home. Most of my day has been spent sleeping on the couch and reading a book. Good news...I haven't felt like eating all day.

Seeing as how I haven't seen anyone or done anything today, there just wasn't much to take pictures of except me, my dog, and my book. So that's what I did. Sorry for the lack of make-up and bed head, but I wasn't feeling very motivated today.

2007-05-14T20:13:00.000-05:00

Picture Challenge Day #2:

So today I'm posting a picture that was actually taken last week. A lot of people, including Rich, don't quite understand what it is I'm studying for school and what my research actually involves. So I'll take a moment to explain it. The posted picture is of me and one of our student workers gathering mud from the bottom of a catfish pond. The dog swimming in the picture decided to join us for a swim. She was a sweetheart. In that mud, I'm looking for a certain species of oligochaete (big word for worm) that sheds a form of the parasite known as an actinospore. This actinospore floats in the water until it encounters a fish. It then infects the fish where a cyst containing myxospores (these look like sperm) forms. Once this cyst ruptures, the myxospores are ingested by the worm and the cycle continues. There are several different species of these organisms in catfish ponds. I am studying these species and seeing how they relate to each other morphologically and molecularly (kind of like CSI).

On another note, Rich and I have gotten sick. Ugh. I was running a fever most of the day, but I think I've finally broken it. We'll see how I'm feeling tomorrow. Until then...

2007-05-13T21:28:00.000-05:00

So I've been inspired to try the whole post a pic everyday blogs. While I feel that my everyday life is pretty boring and I don't have any cute kids to post pics of (unless you want to count my dog...and I pretty much do, except she only has so many facial expressions that she can make), I thought I might take a whack at it anyway. So for today, I'm posting a picture of the 2 projects I've knitted since I started a few months ago. Every time I finish something, I feel like I've actually accomplished something. That means a lot to me right now, seeing as how finishing my master's degree may not happen. (long story short...funds are running out and my research isn't complete...and I will not be taking full blame for how this has come about.) While on that note, I'm looking for a job. Anyone out there who knows of a lab in need of a technician, please notify me. I would like to stay in the MS, TN, AL area, but that's not set in stone.

I knitted my first pair of baby booties and a hat recently. The booties are a little milestone for me since the main reason I wanted to start knitting was so that I could make my own knitted socks. The baby booties were an inexpensive way for me to learn the basics. I had a hard time with the double pointed needles, but I think I finally have the hang of it. Also, I'm not a big fan of the fuzzy yarn, so I don't know if I'll be working with that stuff too much. The scarf in the picture was really easy and I really like how it turned out. My next project is a carrying bag for my yoga mat. The one I have is really hard to get my mat into without tearing it, so I hope to have that done soon. I'll probably start on that after I finish my vacation scrapbook that hasn't been started yet even though we've been back for a month. Until tomorrow...

2007-03-19T10:59:00.000-05:00

I have no idea why there is a huge space between the text and the pictures. Sorry about that, but at least I finally got them posted.

2007-03-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

Guess who finally figured it out!

Carnival Imagination Cruise

2007-03-18T19:08:00.000-05:00

We're baaaack! The cruise was fabulous. I've been trying most of the afternoon to get pictures loaded using Picasa, but it doesn't seem to want to cooperate. I'll try again later.

2007-01-29T22:19:00.000-06:00

Just thought I'd drop in for a quick update. There's just not a whole lot going on in the life of Angela right now. I'm going to work and taking a class that I don't need (long story...trust me you don't want to hear it), just trying to keep things going. I've been working out 4 time a week for the past month in order to get myself ready for the cruise we're going on in March. I can't wait. It's going to be awesome. So far, I haven't really seen a difference on the scale, but I'm down a jean size so I'm going to take that as a positive.
I've been taking Poweryoga twice a week. I love it. This is definately something I will keep up. I just purchased a new yoga mat tonight. The one I have is a little thin on those hard wood floors. My knees don't fare too well with the thinner mats, so I bought a thicker one.
Delta turned 2 yesterday and my dad turned 46 today. Lots of birthdays. Last Saturday, Rich and I went to our neice's (Reese) FOURTH birthday party. How is that possible? Everyone must stop aging and growing up immediately! I demand it. I will not be 30 in 5 years (Rich only has 4...ha ha).
Well, I should get to bed (I know it's only 10:30pm, but, by golly, I'm not as young as I used to be). Goodnight.

2007-01-22T08:07:00.000-06:00

Ok...well, the Saints sucked it up major last night. I find that being a Saints fan since I was little has led me to be very pessimistic about my favorite team (true Saints fans can't be too positive). I don't think it would have been possible for them to fumble the ball anymore than they did. Colston should really work on that for next year. Poor Drew Brees.
On the bright side, GO Colts! I was really pulling for them. If it would have been a Saints/Colts Superbowl, I still would have pulled for the Saints, but I will definately be cheering for the Colts on Feb. 4th. I don't feel that Rex Grossman has been consistent enough this season to deserve a Superbowl title.
There's always next year...

2007-01-21T12:46:00.000-06:00

GO SAINTS!! I've got my Reggie Bush jersey ready and waiting...

2007-01-19T16:27:00.000-06:00

And some pictures from New Year's. We had a little get-together at our place and then hit the casinos. I made $80 that night. Anytime I can turn a $20 bill into a $100...well, I'll take it as a good sign for the upcoming year.

New years 2006/2007

2007-01-19T16:06:00.000-06:00

Guess who finally downloaded Christmas pictures onto her computer! Sorry this took so long, but I procrastinate (which we all know). It also took quite some time to figure out how to use Picasa, so I hope this works. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Christmas New years 2006

2006-12-18T15:23:00.000-06:00

WHEW!!!! Busy, busy, busy. Just a recap of last week. Everything was pretty normal last Monday through Wednesday. Just the cooking and wrapping gifts, etc. that comes with the holidays. I finally got the Christmas cards out. Gold star for me. I didn't even do them last year. Thursday was our lab Christmas party. We went to Polliwogs for beer and appetizers and played Dirty Santa. I usually don't like that game, but it was actually pretty fun this year. I got a stocking with a puzzle, candles, a Sudoku puzzle book, a fuzzy pen, and this green goo called Flarp that makes fart noises (tons of fun at a bar, by the way). Friday, I went to work and that evening we went to Doug's birthday get-together. We ate at Harveys and then went to Zachary's to listen to some music and (you guessed it) drink more beer. We woke up at 6am the next morning to go to my Grandparents' and ate and exchanged gifts, etc. This continued on Sunday and that evening we traveled back. It's almost relaxing to be at work today.
So far I've checked my e-mail (which took a while since I got 100 messages over the weekend), updated my notebook, moved some fish, and wrote this. I've got to go grocery shopping tonight since we didn't get to do it yesterday. And I have several gifts left to wrap. One of Rich's still hasn't made it in yet. I hope it gets here soon.
I will be 25 years old 1 week from today. I came to the realization yesterday that 30 is getting really close. That number has never really bothered me before. But I realized that at 30, it is the end all be all. You are an...dun, dun, dun...ADULT (oh the horror). Oh well, I've got a few more years. I really feel like I'm still 17 years old. Except that I have a college degree, an apartment, bills, and a husband. But other than that I don't feel grown up at all. It's actually kind of amusing.
Oh, and as a side note, GO SAINTS!!!!! I just knew they'd make the playoffs this year. Even though we lost yesterday, we still kick butt! Ok, end of side note.
Tomorrow and Wednesday and going to be REALLY s....l......o......w. I don't really have much to do. Well, I've got to pretend to work for a little while. Later.

2006-12-11T16:32:00.000-06:00

So Monday is nearly over. I don't really have a whole lot to say, but I thought it would be nice to update this blog. I'll just keep typing and we'll see what comes out. This weekend was pretty fun. We had the department Christmas party Friday night. Food was excellent, as always. Who knew a bunch of nerdy scientists could be such good cooks? We stayed until about 7pm and headed to Mike and Jen's. I love going over there. It's just like family. And their kids are as adorable as they come. Again, food was excellent, as always. I ate a lot this weekend, if you can't tell. We stayed over there until about 2am (really late for me, but the conversation was good). After that Rich and I went home and went to bed.
Saturday, we slept until nearly 11am (ahhh....just like being back in high school). We hung around for a while and then decided to catch the matinee of Casino Royale. Now, I'm not usually a Bond fan, but holy crap I could watch Daniel Craig until my eyeballs fall out. HHHHHOOOOOOTTTTTT! Someone should kiss his parents for me. When he put that tux on...well, I'm just not even gonna go there. Rich thought it was funny. But hey, he got to ogle the Bond girl (which happens to be the reason I think men love these movies so much). I thought no one could reach Sean Connery's Bondness, but I have been corrected.
After the movie, Rich and I stopped by Blockbuster and rented the DaVinci Code. I highly recommend the book. While the movie was enjoyable, anyone who has read the book will find it to be disappointing. But if you're not busy comparing the 2, the movie is pretty good. Nothing exciting happened the rest of the weekend.
We did our usual Sunday routine of grocery shopping and preparing for the coming week. And that was about it. However, I would like to take a moment and send out a big shout out the the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS!!!!! We are so due. Way to kick ass! 9-4! Watch out Carolina, we're coming for ya!
As for today, I have been writing my manuscript and planning out what all I need to accomplish this week. I know that doesn't sound like much, but I get so much more done when I sit down and work out all the details. I don't have to worry that I've forgotten something. Tonight, I'm going to go home, put on some laundry, watch Rachael Ray, run on the treadmill (I have a new program I want to try tonight), and just chill out. Rich is cooking tonight (yea!).
Well, that's about it. Until next time...

2006-12-05T15:34:00.001-06:00

In need of a creative mental break. I've discovered that I can only stay focused on my writing for about 5 minutes at a time. I'm getting my stuff done, it's just that I can't keep my mind from wandering off subject and talking to my co-workers. The only thing that keeps me remotely focused is listening to my iPod. I swear that is the best money I ever spent. Except for maybe my treadmill. But I get more use out of my iPod. I remember being able to sit still for hours at a time when I was a kid. Is there such a thing as late development ADD? I guess when I used to write as a kid, it was because I really wanted to. When did writing become work for me? I used to want to do this for a living. I used to love to go to the library and do research. What happened to all that? I really think that higher education can stifle creativity. Not always. I'm sure that the fact I went into such an analytical field has something to do with it. I miss enjoying what I do. I wish there were some dance classes or something I could take to get that all out of my system. I miss performing. You would think that living in a college town would provide opportunities like dance and music classes. Hell, I think a knitting class would be a lot of fun. They just don't seem to have much around here. I'm not artistic enough for art classes (my mom and Rich will confirm that for anyone who doubts that; I just don't have an eye to create my own art.)
Well, I guess that's enough rambling for right now. I'd better get back to writing my paper.

2006-11-08T16:52:00.000-06:00

Yet again...it's been a while. I know. I have not excuse, so I'm not going to give you any. Just a brief update to pass the last 15 min. of work. I have begun Christmas planning. Rich and I took pictures for our Christmas cards this past Saturday. My mom did a really good job. Photoshop does wonders for puffy eyes ;). Rich is doing well. There's not a whole lot to report there. We're both just working. We went to go see some friends play at Polliwog's Saturday night. It was so much fun. They are all very talented.
I don't think it's a secret, but a couple of our friends are expected their 3rd child. I'm so excited for them. They already have 2 wonderful kids. They're really good parents.
I started dieting and working out again. Hopefully, I can lose at least another 5-10 lbs before Christmas. Just so I can have some buffering for the holidays. You know how that is. Finding sparkpeople.com has really worked for me. It breaks dieting and exercise down into numbers. When you see how much you really eat, it makes a huge difference.
Well, I think I'm going to pack up my computer and start heading home. Hope everyone is doing fine (if anyone is actually reading this). I'll check in again soon.

2006-09-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

It's FRIDAY!!! Yea! I can't wait for 5:00. This was such a long week and I don't even feel like I've gotten anything accomplished. I taught on Wed. I can't tell you how glad I am that that is over. I realize that having teaching experience looks good on a CV, but I really think that I would be absolutely miserable if I had to do that everyday for my career. I have tons of respect for teachers. It's just not something I'm cut out for.
Somehow the vet students got into vet school not knowing how to take notes quickly. The write down every word you say. It's called abbreviations! My class ran over a full 10 minutes because they wrote so slow. I really wonder how some of those people made it through undergrad.
Yesterday was All College Day here at the vet school. So basically I just went to a bunch of functions and did absolutely no work whatsoever. Fun. Fun.
So this weekend will consist of me sleeping in and possibly some shopping. It would be fun to see what bands are playing this weekend. Maybe I'll check out the bar scene tonight. I'll see how I feel later.
Okay...so this just popped into my head because my feet are still sore from Wed. How in the heck do women wear dress shoes all day. I wore a flat pair of leather Clarks and my feet still hurt 2 days later. Maybe it's my high arches. But there are girl around here who wear 3 inch heels all day everyday. How is that possible? Can someone explain this to me?
Well, I'm going to wrap this up. Have a good weekend everyone!

2006-09-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

Improvident--that is the lab's "Word of the Day" according to Cynthia who got it from Google. It means thoughtless or negligent. So here comes my vent. I'm having a bad week so far, so just bare with me for a moment. I am supposed to teach a class tomorrow morning at 8AM. FUN! (or not). I hate teaching. There is nothing I despise more than standing up in front of 72 vet students with a God complex and a professor who is a billion times smarter than I am and acting like I actually know what I'm talking about. My major professor informs me last Tuesday through another grad student (not directly through a conversation she's had with me) that I will be teaching the lecture I taught last fall next Wednesday. OK. No problem. Next week, Monday at 4pm (less than 2 days before I teach) she informs me that I will also be teaching another organism that I don't have a lecture for. I also need handouts for the students. Sure, I can handle it (I'm a pushover.). I work on it for most of the night last night. This morning around 10am. Phone call: you don't need to do the other organism lecture. Note: This is the day before I teach and I haven't worked on my handout because I was working on the other lecture. UGH! And she also wants a copy of the manuscript I haven't finished so she can proofread it while she's out of town. She will be getting the introduction. I feel like my whole experience as a grad student has been like this. My major professor has no time for me. I am always the last one to get a meeting if I get one at all. If I ever go crazy and decide I want a Ph.D I will be sure to do my homework first before I spend years of my life working for someone who forgets I exist. Ok. Thanks for listening. I feel much better now. *stepping off soapbox*

2006-09-03T22:53:00.000-05:00

Here's Wynfrey and Delta!
Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of the "kids" that I took a few months ago and never posted. I've been spending a good chunk of the weekend organizing my pictures. So, I figured now is as good a time as any.

2006-09-02T14:16:00.000-05:00

I've decided that my day just goes to darn fast to remember to keep up this blog. I look at it in my favorites folder everyday and briefly think..."I should really post something." There just aren't enough hours in the day. Things are going well on the homefront. The school year has started back up and it's hard to find a decent parking space again. I guess it would help if I actually showed up to work before 9AM. It's hard to get motivated to do that when you have a co-worker who doesn't come in until 11AM and leaves at 3 or 4PM after taking a 1 or 2 hour lunch break. I shouldn't let it bother me, but she's a real witch to me sometimes. I just don't like 2-faced people. You never know when they're going to stab you in the back. I try to deal with this person as little as possible.
Last weekend, Rich and I got to go out with CJ and the Pascos, Clayton and Sarah. So much fun. It doesn't matter how much time has passed, it feels like we're all back on the beach in Florida everytime we get together. I just love those guys!
Yesterday after work, Rich and I went to play 9 holes of golf. We did terrible. I lost 4 golf balls and Rich lost around 8. Now, I know that makes it sound like I did better than Rich, but the reason Rich lost so many is because he can hit the ball further than 5 feet. It's hard to lose the ball when you can watch it roll across the ground in front of you. It was fun anyway. After it was too dark to play anymore, Rich and I sat on the porch of the clubhouse and smoked a couple of cigars (yum!). A guy named Connie joined us. He used to coach a high school football team in Alabama, and he had some great stories. He'd spent one evening dicussing coaching strategies with Bear Bryant and some other great college coaches. We talked to him for a long time. At about 9:30pm we realized we needed to get something to eat, so we hit Taco Bell, of course. I love that stuff. I had the Nacho Crunch Grilled Stuft Burrito. I don't recommend it. There was nothing "Crunch" about it. The tortilla strips were soggy with whatever greasy sauce they poured over the top of it. Not cool.
We're supposed to go to T-town tomorrow and go to Wings. Yum-O! (to quote Rachel Ray...who is solely responsible for why we don't eat Hamburger Helper and fast food every night in this household.)
Well, that's about it for the Brandon homestead. Until next time...

2006-07-04T16:14:00.000-05:00

I'm just proving myself to be a big, fat liar. Somewhere in my head I thought to myself..."Hey, it's summer. I'm not taking any classes. I'll have a ton of extra time." NOT!!!! I don't think I've spent a weekend at home in a month or more and work is driving me absolutely insane. I got so stressed out the other day I actually broke into tears at work. I'm still trying to live that one down. My major professor just told me to calm down. She apparently is not planning on kicking me out of there in December so I'll have at least another year to finish my research and writing.

Rich is finally finishing his baseball season. I can't wait. It seems like we hardly get to hang out anymore. His All-Star team finished 3rd in the state this past weekend and we have one more tournament in Columbus next weekend. Then it's all over! I know Rich really enjoys coaching. I just wish he would get certified to teach so he would get paid for all this extra work he puts in. But he's happy at his current job, so I can't complain.

I hope everyone is having a great 4th of July. I went in to work earlier today and put individual snail into individual little cups (they look like shot glasses, which is convenient since spending hours doing what I did today makes you want to start drinking heavily) for 4 hours. Yuck. I hate snails. What purpose do they really serve in the greater scheme of things? I guess other animals eat them, but can't animals feed on something else so that I can banish the snails from the face of the planet? At least that would solve the little parasite problem that we're researching in our lab.

So after I finished playing with snails for a good chunk of my holiday, I went to Sonic for lunch. I was seriously craving a Vanilla Coke and they sent me home with a Diet Coke. Yuck. I hate Diet Coke after taste and on top of that the aspartame triggers my migraines. So I drove back to Sonic and got a Regular Vanilla Coke. Much better. I've eaten my caloric intake for the day. Damn fast food. I just wasn't going to pass on that Route 44 Vanilla Coke though. I'd just say screw it, but I've lost 11 pounds since March and I'm not ready to undo all that. So I get to drink water for the rest of the day. My body doesn't require any more fuel. That sucks.

So I went to visit my grandparents this weekend. And get this...my aunt informs me that my cousin married the rudest girl ever (they got married the weekend before, but Rich and I couldn't make it because Rich was in another wedding). My aunt (Deanna, she's 27 so it's kind of a weird aunt/niece relationship since I'm 24...but anyways) was a bridesmaid and while they were getting their hair done, the bride (Candace) tells Deanna "We're all going to lunch...you're not going to feel left out are you?" Who does that?! Deanna was a bridesmaid, not just some random family member! On top of that, my brother didn't even get an invitation to the wedding. This Candace chick has repeatedly insulted our family in front of our faces, and I can't believe my cousin doesn't say anything! She's just plain tacky. But I've seen the company she keeps, so it doesn't surprise me at all.

So that's been my recent news. Was this long enough to make up for a month of neglecting to post anything? I hope so. Later!

2006-04-22T20:04:00.000-05:00

I know...I know... I absolutely suck at keeping a blog. But in my defense I also frequent MySpace and Facebook on a daily basis. But anyways...I was reading Brooke's blog and then I saw a link to Jenny's blog and read hers and then I really started to feel guilty. I will make a pledge to take more pictures as soon as the next 2 weeks are over. Now be prepared because I live with Rich and my dog. Not really a whole lot going on. I'm still kind of keeping up with my running. I'm down to 2 times a week instead of 3 but hey...it's better than nothing. I should probably apologize for my punctuation or lack thereof resulting in my run-on sentences. Brooke being an English major probably cringes a little when she reads these things. No I'm not illiterate...I just tend to write in a stream of thought type of manner. I guess that's why I titled my blog "Random Thoughts" because that's exactly what they are. I just type whatever is running through my head at the moment. Well, I'd better get back to working on my seminar presentation. Enough procrastinating.

2006-03-15T20:47:00.000-06:00

Well, its been a little while since I posted. And of course there's a reason for that. I skipped my work-outs last week and only did 2 the week before that. But it's "Spring Break" (I put that in quotes because even though I don't have classes, my major professor is expecting major work to be done over this week. I was going to take this time to work on some projects I have due at the end of April, but so much for that. I'll just have to do them at the last minute just like everything else. So much for planning. Sometimes I don't even know why I bother. My plans never turn out.) ...as I digress...it's "Spring Break" and I've jumped back into my work-outs. Monday I finished up Week 3 of the Couch to 5K program (1.512 miles) and today I started Week 4 (1.545 miles). I've also taken the dog for a couple of 15-20 minute walks when I feel like taking a break from writing my research proposal. I've been doing a lot of thinking about grad school lately. I've come to the conclusion that I have NO desire whatsoever to become a researcher. I will definately be going the technician route when I finally get out of school (one way or another). My brain just does not work the way a researcher's brain works. Just give a task and let me do it. So far, my experience with research has been to run around like crazy trying to write grants, instruct grad students, teach, put up with smart-a$$ vet students with a God complex (note: not every vet student suffers from this, but there's always a few in every group). I just hope I can find a good job somewhere and buy a house. I'd go into how much I dislike this apartment, but for what we're paying for rent and having the option of keeping pets, I can't really complain. I do however think its gross that they just paint over the dust on the walls and doorjams, etc instead of wiping them down first. Who wants dirt painted and glued onto the walls. Yuck. Well, I've done enough blabbering for now. Goodnight.

2006-03-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

Well, just thought I'd post my workout mileage today (1.426 miles). Nothing else really going on. Tomorrow night I'm going to Songfest at the W. It's always really fun and good cheap entertainment. Plus I like catching up with my friends that are still there. They'll be graduating soon and then I won't know anybody. That's kind of sad. Hopefully, most of my pledge class will try to come back for Homecoming every spring. I'm sure it will start to dwindle. Well, that's pretty much all that's going on in my life right now. Catch ya later...

2006-02-28T21:40:00.000-06:00

Holy Crap! I had the worst weekend. Friday wasn't bad, but Saturday night we had the poker game from hell. I tried to invite some "friends" (there's only really one or two that I would actually consider giving that term to) over to drink some beer and play some cards. No big deal. Well, our usual tried and true friends showed up and a guy I work with was there. He got smashed and insulted just about everybody in the room. I seriously thought one of the guys was going to take him outside and beat the crap out of him. Talk about having to do some damage control. Needless to say, our usual crew is not wanting to hang out with him again. I feel kind of bad because of course he doesn't remember a thing and I had to tell him all about it on Monday morning, but he really is a pretty good guy. I wish my friends had seen that instead. But hey, that's just some of the consequences you have to deal with when you drink that much. It was his own fault.
On a better note, I worked out this evening and was able to get 1.423 miles in today. I'm getting better, but I have a long way to go. Still not losing any weight, but I had 2 salads today. Maybe that will show up on the scale tomorrow.
Okay. How weird is this? I've never been a smoker, but for some godforsaken reason I have been craving cigarettes like a madman for the past 4 days. Weird. I almost got in the car to buy a pack Sunday. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I don't want to undo any progress I've made with my running. That, and I feel guilty because I kind of made Rich quit. He seems to be encouraging my cravings. I think he seriously wants me to start smoking so he'll have an excuse to start up again. I shall resist the temptation.
Bring on the rest of the week...

2006-02-25T13:27:00.000-06:00

This will be a quick post. I didn't get to run last night because I worked late, then we went out. But I ran 1.38 miles today for a total of 4.162 miles this week. That's a .2 mile increase from last week. I'm still out of shape, but I'm seeing some improvement. Later.

2006-02-23T19:44:00.000-06:00

I forgot to post this yesterday so I'll update it now. Yesterday I walked/jogged 1.354 miles. I started week 3 of the program yesterday so it's a little bit harder and I wasn't able to go as fast. However, I went to the doctor for a check-up yesterday and my blood pressure was really good. Usually it's slightly high. So I guess I can see some improvement even though I haven't lost any weight yet.
Now for the bad news. We got our tax return back today and we owe. :( It's not much but we won't be able to put any in savings or take any major trips for vacation. I try to put money away when I can so that when we decide we're ready to buy a house, it won't be such a struggle to save for a downpayment. I guess I'll just have to put some away during the year.
I made some really good black beans tonite to go with the pork chops we had for dinner. They were really easy (recipe borrowed from Rachael Ray, of course). All it was was 1/2 a red onion cooked in a tbsp of EVOO for a couple of minutes. Then you add 1 can black beans, 11/2 tsp cumin or chili powder and 2 tsp hot sauce and just heat it up. Really yummy. Well, I'll post again soon...

2006-02-20T22:41:00.000-06:00

Okay...since I hardly ever post on this thing. I think I will write about the books I read and use this as an exercise accountability posting. Today I walk/jogged 1.428 miles in 30 minutes. I know its not much, but considering how out of shape I am, trust me, I've had to work for 2 weeks to get to this point. I'm doing a Couch to 5K program from coolrunning.com. Supposedly by the end of 3 months I should be able to run 3 miles without stopping. Considering I've never been able to run a mile even when I was in good shape, this seems like a small miracle. I'll be happy with a mile, but hey if I can do 3...maybe one day I'll be able to run in a 5K. That would be such an accomplishment. But I'll take it one day at a time and see what happens.

2006-02-17T20:43:00.000-06:00

Well, its been nearly a month since my last post. I'm just not very good at this blogging thing. The fact of the matter is nothing really exciting really happens all that much. I go to school, I come home, I go to bed. It's pretty much the same thing. I stayed home from work today...shhhh. But I have to go in tomorrow morning to do some stuff. I hate going in on Saturdays. We may be leaving in the morning to go to Clarksdale for Kappa Sigma's Founders Day. It would be nice to go and see everyone, but I'm really worried about the icey weather that's coming our way. I really think we should stay home. I'm am such a homebody. There is nowhere I would rather be than curled up in my bed or on the couch, dog in lap, watching a good movie or reading a book. Speaking of books, I just finished reading "The Amulet of Samarkand". It's a children's book, but I love children literature. It was a pretty good book. It's part of a trilogy, so I'll probably check out the other 2. Now I'm reading "Good Omens". It reminds me of the movie Dogma, how it pokes fun at religon and human nature. I'm not far into it at all, but it seems like it will be pretty good. I'll update on that later... Rich and I are going to head to Polliwogs to hear our buddy Dru play tonight. He's got an amazing voice. I figure I could go for some spinach and artichoke dip and a couple of beers. Well, I'd better get ready. Goodnight.

2006-01-26T14:40:00.000-06:00

I HAVE BANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, most people probably don't care, but at 2:40 today I had a major breakthrough with my research. I've been trying to get these bands to show up since August. I'm soooooo excited! Okay...enough of my geekiness. This day just went from being majorly crappy to really good. I may have to go out for magaritas tonight.

2006-01-25T19:33:00.000-06:00

I thought that since it's been a month already, I'd finally post some Christmas pictures. Here is Delta enjoying her present.

2006-01-25T19:29:00.000-06:00

Our little Christmas tree...2005

2006-01-25T19:23:00.000-06:00

This is Rich and Delta at our Christmas last month. Delta is too busy chewing on her new peanut butter filled rawhide bone to even look at the camera.

2006-01-19T19:47:00.000-06:00

Delta...in her natural state of being...

2006-01-19T19:02:00.000-06:00

This was stolen from Brooke's blog, which was stolen from Jenny's blog...

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. perpetual student (The job that NEVER ends!)
2. carhop (The easiest job, but it tests your patience.)
3. daycare teacher (never again...its not fair to be out numbered 10 to 1 with 3 and 4 year olds)
4. biology tutor (I take back my earlier comment...this was the easiest job I've had; no one ever showed up to be tutored.

Four movies you would watch over and over: (there are SOOOOO many; here are four that jump to mind immediately):
1. Braveheart
2. School of Rock
3. Boondock Saints
4. The Notebook

Four places you have lived:
1. Flowood, MS
2. Columbus, MS
3. Starkville, MS
4. sorry...there isn't a fourth

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. The OC
2. Lost
3. Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals
4. The Biggest Loser

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Paris, France
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. Perdido Key, FL
4. The Grand Canyon

Four websites you visit daily:
1. flylady.net
2. msn.com
3. facebook.com
4. thenest.com

Four of my favorite foods:
1. anything Mexican
2. anything Italian
3. ice cream
4. granola bars

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. on the beach somewhere warm
2. skiing
3. in a warm bubble bath
4. in a huge shopping mall with lots of money and stores with clothes that don't fit funny

2006-01-13T16:12:00.000-06:00

Ok so it really has been FOREVER since I posted last. But the fact of the matter is there hasn't been much to post. The wanna-lose-weight bug has bit me again. It's about all I can do to keep me from purchasing a $1500 treadmill right now. But the fact of the matter is we don't have the money, so I figure I'll save for the next couple of years and buy one later. I'm sure I'll still have some weight to deal with then too. Work is kind of frustrating right now seeing is how I'm the only one in my lab who actually shows up. I just left this afternoon. I figured if no one else is working today, why should I be busting my butt? Classes start next week. Ugh. It's my last semester of classes, so I'm pretty excited to just get it over with. I have to present a seminar though and I have no research to present right now. This should be interesting. Rich and I are supposed to go eat at the new Pepper's on Hwy 12 tonight. Hopefully, it won't be too crowded. Yeah right. I came across a really cool website yesterday called myheritage.com. You upload a picture and it scans your face and tells you what celebrity you look like. It's full of crap, but entertaining. Apparently my facial structures resemble those of Sharon Stone. Sounds good to me. lol. My mom keeps complaining about how cluttered her house is. I keep sending her to Flylady.net, but she's not buying it. I'm thinking about making her a control journal to see if that may get her started. I tried sending her the e-mails but she just deletes them. I know it sounds corny, but that website is the only thing that keeps my head on straight and our apartment livable. Otherwise Rich would be doing everything while I'm trying to catch up and I'm sure he wouldn't like that. Well, maybe something interesting will happen to me in the next few days and I'll have something to post that is worth reading. Until then...

2005-12-21T11:58:00.000-06:00

Wow. It's been a while since I've posted. Well, I made a C in Stats, but I still have a 3.0 to continue. I just have to have a really good next semester. I've been sick this week. Yuck. But I've gotten a good bit done around the house regardless. It feels so good to have this break and be able to catch up on things. I work harder at home than I do at work, but I feel like I've accomplished more when I do the things I really enjoy doing around here. I learned to knit last weekend at my grandmother's so now I am trying to make a dishrag. Maybe it won't fall apart on me. I didn't get Christmas cards done this year. Oh well, maybe next year. I've still got to finish my Christmas shopping for Rich. We've got everyone else wrapped up and ready to go, but I still have a few more things to pick up for him. Well, I've got to finish getting ready to run into town. I'll try and post again soon.

2005-12-08T17:00:00.000-06:00

I took my last final today. YEA!!!! I can't wait to just take it semi-easy the next few weeks before I have to start all over again. I'm still waiting on my Stats grade. Hopefully I'll get that in soon. My last final was a little harder than I suspected, but I made an A- on my project that was 60% of my grade, so I think I pulled off an A in there. Rich hasn't made it in yet. He is picking up some seasoned salt so I can make some roasted pecans to bring to our little class get together tomorrow afternoon. I think we're going to try and put our Christmas tree up tonight because it looks like I'll be in Columbus all weekend while my car in getting worked on. My mom and I are going shopping in Tupelo on Saturday. I can't wait. I can't remember the last time I got to go shopping in a place that wasn't Walmart or the grocery store. Vicki's Secret here I come! I'm planning on getting a nice new pair of flannel pj's since I've had the ones I'm still wearing since the 9th or 10th grade. Rich mentioned coming to Columbus on Sunday, so we'll see what he decides to do. He's going to be playing in a golf tournament on Saturday. He seems pretty excited about that. I need to go make dinner so I'd better wrap this up. But before I go, can someone explain to me how to publish pictures. I tried to put up a few last night and couldn't figure it out. My html is pretty rusty. Anyways...until tomorrow...