Life, or Something Like It

The One about Being Unsuccessful

savvyprchick — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:43:45 +0000

Weird… I posted this a week ago and it never showed up…

Seventy percent of success in life is showing up.
~Woody Allen

Remember me? Probably not. If Woody is correct, I guess I haven’t really succeeded lately in the blogging world. It’s been way too long since I wrote anything. Summertime is just so busy because there is always something to do outside or someplace you want to go on the weekend so the week is full of catch-up on housework.

See, in Michigan, we get something like a month or two of nice weather before winter hits again. And we try to take advantage of it as much as we can. We have to soak up the heat whenever we can just so we keep ourselves warm for the next winter. I’m exaggerating… but just a bit. It’s been in the 90s the last few days with yesterday being 94 and HUMID—and of course, that was the day that I had to be outside for several hours. Word to the wise: the new sunscreen that sprays at any angle and is a “dry sunscreen” that is waterproof and sand resistant DOES NOT WORK if there is the slightest breeze. I have a randomly-patterned sunburn to prove it. I’m nice and tan where it went on and red and lobster-y where the wind blew it away from my skin.

Since my last post, B has completely moved in. I thought him helping share expenses would ease the burden of the rising cost of everything and help me relax a bit about bills. But so far it hasn’t because everything is still rising. I’m at the point where if an opportunity I’m looking into doesn’t work out, I’m going to have to find a part-time job waitressing or something on top of my 40-50 hour a week work schedule just to get some padding in the bank. Right now I have none… and that’s scary.

B and I also took two weeks of much-needed vacation. I’ve never had two weeks off before (well, since summer vacation when I was in middle school). Because of gas prices, we were unable to do the road trip we had planned (Texas to see B’s mom and St. Louis area to see his dad, brother, grandma and nieces). We ended up staying around here for a week and then going to see his family in the St. Louis area for a week. It was fine, but I think six days with anyone’s family (even mine) would be enough to drive anyone insane.

The window has opened for B’s chance to look for orders for next April. Apparently, the information is only available two weeks every so often and this week the person that he has to work with (forgive me for not knowing the proper terminology yet) to get the information/approval/website/code/something is on leave until Monday. We’re hoping at least one position in Washington is open next week but if it’s not, we’ll wait until the next time the orders are opened to look again… it’d probably be another month before it is. He has until October to choose orders. If he doesn’t, he’ll be given them and we both know what that means: Southern Georgia—because it’s closer by nearly 1,200 miles (so the Navy doesn’t have to pay to move him as far).

Keep your fingers crossed for Washington.

The One about Catching Up

savvyprchick — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:49:30 +0000

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.
~William James

Okay so me = slacker. Well, not really. Things have been craaaaaaaazy at work as we have a huge special traveling exhibit in and I’ve been working weekends and sometimes late in the evenings. So yeah, I haven’t felt like getting online for any length of time either before or after work.

I’ll catch up on stuff later, but for right now, I’ve got some tags I need to clear up. I’m not going to tag anyone right now because, well… I have to get to work soon and I don’t have time

“Getting to Know you Meme” by Ivanhoe

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Let’s see… I was just starting my first job and starting to drive since I was turning 16 that summer.

2. What are 5 Things on my To-Do List for today:
- Go to work
- Go to the YMCA and sign up so I can lose some weight
- Help B clean out his closets since he’s moving in
- Make dinner
- Hopefully get a good night sleep without SOMEONE snoring

3. Snacks I Enjoy:
Mmmm… fresh fruit, soft pretzel with cheese and 100 calorie snacks.

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off all my debt, all my mom’s debt, put enough money away for my retirement, my mom’s retirement and a savings for my brother. Then, I’d start a camp for children with terminal diseases.

5. Three Of My Bad Habits:
I’m sometimes not as patient with the ones I love as I should be. I let housework go many times so I can spend time with my animals and B. At work, I spread all the things I have to do out on my desk so I can see them… which results in organized chaos.

6. 5 Places I have Lived:
I’ve only lived in Michigan. But I have lived in many places throughout the state.

7. Jobs I Have Had:
Waitress. Bank Teller. Resident Assistant in a freshman girls’ dorm. Summer Camp YMCA counselor. Wal-Mart associate (not allowed to work there ever again… a story for another time).

The One About Thursday Thirteens- 21st Edition

savvyprchick — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:39:24 +0000

Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations.
~Faith Baldwin

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

In honor of Lulu’s second birthday today and since she is no longer considered a puppy…

Thirteen Things I’ve Learned from Raising a Greyhound Puppy

Puppy teeth are very sharp. And they are used. A lot. Especially on feet.
Puppies can chew through most things… including a flat wall. Even with a muzzle on.
Puppies like to eat weird things like carpeting, which makes huge holes in your floor.
And even weirder poops… that like to cling.
Chasing a puppy around the yard with a paper towel to get the cling-on off is quite amusing for any neighbors that might be watching.
Just when you think your puppy understands that potty = outside, you’ll be reminded that you are indeed raising a puppy and all rules go out the window.
Anything left within reach is fair game. And anything that isn’t in reach but that can be knocked down, pulled down or bumped down… is still fair game. Everything else should still be fair game… at least in the puppy’s eyes.
No matter what mess you come home to, when you see those adorable eyes staring up at you in love, you can’t stay mad.
Hydrogen peroxide is a very handy thing to have around. It can save you hundreds of dollars in emergency vet bills if your puppy should happen to eat something they shouldn’t have… like a bag of butterscotch chips.
Puppy breath is one of the sweetest smells ever.
Cuddling with a puppy and getting puppy kisses in the morning is one of the best ways to start your day.
Puppies are regular comedians. You are constantly laughing (even if you are crying over that antique they just ruined) at their antics.
Raising a puppy is one of the most frustrating things you can ever put yourself through. But at the same time, it is also one of the sweetest.

Happy Birthday, Lulu! You can see Lulu’s story on my About My Animals page.

The One About Wordless Wednesdays- 21st Edition

savvyprchick — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:06:57 +0000

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.
~Henry David Thoreau

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Lulu turns a two years old tomorrow.

Lulu the day I got her at 4 1/2 months old (in the blue harness laying down):

Lulu last July when B broke his hand (she’s gained 15 pounds since then)

The One About Thursday Thirteens- 20th Edition

savvyprchick — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:43:40 +0000

The total history of almost anyone would shock almost everyone.
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

Thirteen Things About Me Starting with the Letter S
(this is a theme from the Thursday Thirteen website)

I don’t like hot Salsa… but I love pico de gallo!
My favorite horse growing up was Sam… she was the sweetest thing and we complimented each other well.
I don’t like Scary movies… I freak out too much with them.
Saturdays and Sundays are my favorite days of the week… especially if B doesn’t have to work them!
My favorite Smells include lilac, lemon and B’s cologne.
I played Softball when I was younger until 6th grade when I horridly ripped my groin muscle.
I love to Sleep in.
My mom and I both make Satin pillow cases for friends/family… they are so nice to sleep on!
I love turkey, but I think it is best when it is Smoked.
Speaking of… I’ve never Smoked a cigarette in my life or tried any kind of drug.
Snuggling with my animals is second only to snuggling with B.
I am seriously considering letting B talk me into Skydiving… maybe!
And of course, I’m totally in love with my Sailor!

The One About Wordless Wednesdays- 20th Edition

savvyprchick — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:44:51 +0000

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Me n’ my boys:

The One About a New Car… or Not

savvyprchick — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:20:33 +0000

Indecision becomes decision with time.
~Author Unknown

I really don’t know what to do. Gas prices are killing me and my car only gets 22 MPG on a GOOD day. Right now, my Hyundai Tucson fits all the dogs. I don’t think it will when Skah is adult size. But that won’t be for another year or so.

So I’ve been thinking about getting a new car. A hybrid. Most likely, I’ll be commuting at least 40 miles one way when B and I move, so it’s a pretty good idea. So B and I went to check out a two cars this weekend: the Honda Civic hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

My brother now works at a dealership that also has Hondas and can get at least what the dealer pays for the car. I was really hoping that I’d like the Civic more than the Prius or at least like it well enough that the $2,000-$3,000 price difference would convince me that it was a better buy.

But it didn’t. The Civic drove like a cheap car. I could feel every pothole that West Michigan has (and that’s a lot). In fact, B’s truck and Jeep both have smoother rides than the Civic. It really was jerky and made a loud noise (sounded like a far away ambulance siren so much so that I kept looking for the emergency vehicles coming) when it shifted from the battery to the gas engine.

In the Civic, you also can’t fold the seats down in the back because the battery pack takes up 1/8 of the trunk space. And the interior colors! *rolls eyes* You don’t get any choices. The inside color is dependent on the outside color. And the silver that I wanted… comes with blue cloth seats. And not just blue… 1980s ugly medium-dark blue. That’s right… leather seats just isn’t a choice. The other color is a tan… but not a light tan, one that’s medium dark and old-ish looking.

So we went to check out the Toyota Prius. B hates the look of them, but I don’t mind. MUCH more room inside than the Civic and the back seats can fold down with a 60/40 split. Very quiet when it goes from battery to gas. And it has a screen that shows you where the power is going underneath the car… B thought that was really cool (boys!). It also has a back-up camera which is neat. The saleswoman even got on her hands and knees to show us that if there was a small child in the back, you’d see that with the back up camera. That was hilarious. Priceless!

The only problem with the Prius (other than the price!) is the annoying bar that goes across the back windshield. That would bug the heck out of me, but I’m sure I’d get used to it.

But the Prius is expensive. If I sell my car on my own, I’ll probably get $5,000-$6,000 out of it above what I owe. Which is awesome. But that would still put my monthly payment of the Prius at $100-$150 more per month than what I’m paying now ($50-$100 more than my original payment plan when I bought the car–I’ve since refinanced). And with gas at $3.50 a gallon, I’d be saving about $100 a month in gas. So it’d be a wash. However, if gas goes to $4 a gallon, I’d be saving $120 a month.

B and I are doing a roadtrip down to Texas in June and by having a Prius, it’d save us $250 in that trip alone if we only went to our destinations and back (assuming gas is $4 a gallon, which it will be because that will be 4th of July time)… and we plan to do some touristy things along the way!

So my dilemma is: is buying the new car worth it?

And if the answer is yes, then I have something else to think about: rumors have it that the 2009 Prius that will be coming out this fall may get up to 85mpg and possibly be a plug-in where you can go at least 7 miles without using gas (up to 50mph)… I live about 2 miles from work, so that means I could possibly never have to use gas to get to and from work. They are also saying it might have solar panels on the top of the car.

But it’s all guessing at this point. Toyota isn’t going to be telling even the dealerships what the ‘09 model is going to be like because if it is anything like what people are saying… no one would buy and ‘08 model and would just hold out for the ‘09.

So, right now, I have two choices: buy a new car or not. And if I buy a new car, I have two choices: buy one and start saving gas money now or wait to see what ‘09 brings… and possibly be disappointed if the new models aren’t anything worth mentioning.

The One About Thursday Thirteens- 19th Edition

savvyprchick — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:31:48 +0000

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.
~Sherry Anderson

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

I enjoy volunteering, I really do. It makes my day knowing that I make someone else’s day. I can have the worst day in the world, but when I go to do pet therapy at a local hospital, I come back home with all the worries gone. If you don’t volunteer, you should think about it… we all can make this world a better place by helping our fellow people.

Thirteen Ways to Volunteer

Go to your local hospital. They can always use people to transport patients, deliver flowers, sit at the information desk, and even do pet therapy… like Chase and I do!
Check out the nearest Big Brothers Big Sisters and volunteer to be a Big. B and I are doing this as a Big Couple… we just received our first potential match, too! With only a few hours each month, statistics in just our local community shows that, on average, 85% of Littles show greater self-confidence, 80% have a better attitude about school and 77% have improved grades.
Visit your local zoo, aquarium or museum… they always have a need for volunteers and generally rely on them to keep their doors open.
Help a family get back on their feet by helping them build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
Go to your local animal shelter. They need people to help walk dogs, feed animals, clean cages and even give adoption information. And if you have room in your home, many need foster families.
Volunteer with the Red Cross. Even if you don’t live in an area that has disasters like wildfires and hurricanes, each day someone’s house burns down… and the Red Cross is there to help them start getting back on their feet.
Contact any local 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Many of the smaller ones need people with specialties (web design, graphic design, etc) to keep them up and running.
Contact your local non-profit hospice organization. They may need patient sitters, grief advocates, pet therapy and many other things.
Contact your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout council.
Check out the nearest homeless shelter or food bank
Go to your nearest parks and recreation department… help beautify your city!
Visit your nearest library… they sometimes need help re-shelving books, etc.
Check out websites like Volunteer Match or look in your local newspaper… many times volunteer needs are published here.

The One About Wordless Wednesday- 19th Edition

savvyprchick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:36:42 +0000

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~Gilda Radner

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Now 30 lbs and 11 1/2 weeks old (13 1/2 pound gain in 3 1/2 weeks!)

The One About Personalities by Month

savvyprchick — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:43:43 +0000

Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves.
~Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

I was tagged for this a bit ago by Dance of Motherhood, but am just getting around to it.

TAGGING RULES:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving them a comment.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when yours is up!

I’m a Gemini, so it’s always said that I’m a good communicator (which is a good thing since that is what I do for a living!).

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

Hmm. I think a lot of it is true… in fact, I have a cold right now! But I’m not brand conscious, unless you are talking about my company’s brand standard.

I don’t have a lot of people to tag, it’ll be what it’ll be.

I tag:

Ivanhoe (Communique by Ivanhoe)
Jenny (Live! and In Color)
Alicia (Salingergurl)
GreytInspirations
The Savvy Hound
Jenny Spouse
Dig Your Toes In
YOU! (yes you, reading this!)