Friday Fill-ins: 4th Edition

Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them.
~John Shirley

It’s time for…  Friday Fill-ins!

1. Follow the lead of others and all you’ll see are arses.
2. My own hand-made satin pillowcase is something I always take with me on vacation. (I hate laying my head on pillows so many others have shared).
3. To achieve your goals, you must work for them. Rewards don’t come without work.
4. I have a need for a relaxing vacation.  But I won’t get one anytime soon.
5. Hope floats. (Incidentally, B is in that movie as an extra… he’s one of the marching band members at the end!)
6. As for the weekend, I’m looking forward to having a bonfire at our executive director’s house, tomorrow my plans include caulking windows and finishing a side project, and Sunday I want to get up on my roof and replace some shingles.

The One About Thursday Thirteens: 29th Edition

As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.
~Ellen Perry Berkeley

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 of My Favorite LOL Cats from the Past Few Weeks (in no particular order)

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. 
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10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 

The One About Wordless Wednesday: 29th Edition

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.
~Robert C. Gallagher

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

At 8 weeks (12 pounds):

And now at 8 1/2 months (83 lbs)

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Friday Fill-ins: 3rd Edition

Weekends don’t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless.
~Bill Watterson

It’s time for…  Friday Fill-ins!

1. October is an expensive month for me.  My car registration is due, both my dogs have to have their annual shots and this year Chase has to have a dental and it’s my mom’s birthday… and it used to be my dad’s.
2. Ignorant and bigoted/racist people scare me.
3. Leaves are falling all around, it’s time for me to bundle up for the next eight months of cold weather.
4. My favorite horror movie is The Shining because I’ve visited the Stanley Hotel and because that’s one of the only horror movies I’ve watched–I hate them.
5. Childhood = good memories.
6. It was a dark and stormy night is the only part of Snoopy’s novel that he ever wrote.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to going to my mom’s house, tomorrow my plans include meeting my recruiter and going to a friend’s wedding, and Sunday I want to relax, but I might be going to a memorial service for a co-worker’s wife instead.

The One About Trying to Join the Navy Reserve

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved.  He inspires the power and energy to get it done.
~Ralph Nader

I guess in my last post I mentioned something about Navy standards for the 1.5 mile run, sit-ups and push-ups.  You were probably wondering what I was talking about.

I have decided to pursue a Navy Reserve Officer commission.  I’m trying to get a Public Affairs Officer position, but my second choice is Intelligence.  It’s not going to be easy.  I was told they normally take one or two people out of about 2,400 applicants each year.  This year (FY 2009, which starts Oct 1), they are taking 20-24.  So my chances go from one in 2,400 to one in 100… pretty good odds.  Still hard, but I look at it as though I have 20 times more of a chance this year.

If I was granted this commission, I’d go for two weeks of training to learn military protocol (including how to put on military uniforms and press them).  Of course, there would be PT (physical training) during that time as well.  Afterward, I’d do the one weekend a month and two weeks a year thing.

I have a lot of things to do to get ready for trying to get the commission. I have to find people to give me excellent letters of recommendation and there are tons of forms and papers to fill out.  Then I have to be interviewed by two Navy Officers where they will ask me hard questions, off-the-wall questions, questions about the Navy and definitely questions about current events.

I have to show that I’m a leader, that I can inspire people and guide them to do great things.  I know I am a leader… I just have to prove it.  Wish me luck!

The One About the Baseline Start

Runners just do it–they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first.
~Author Unknown

Well, I just did a baseline test for my sit-ups, push-ups and 1 mile run.  I’m soo out of shape.  The Navy standards go from probationary to satisfactory to good to excellent to outstanding with low, medium and high within each category (ie good low, good medium, good high).  You HAVE to have satisfactory low to even pass, but I’m shooting for good low to good high for each of mine.

I can’t do a proper push-up.  Not at all.  I need to do 19-30 sit-ups to be in the good range for a female my age.

I didn’t get a good baseline for my sit-ups because B pissed me off by making comments about my red face so that I stopped and didn’t feel like doing them in front of him anymore.  I need 54-75 sit-ups for the good range.

I did a one mile in 13 minutes, 45 seconds (I haven’t done a mile run for 12 years).  On that pace, I’m set to do a 17 minute, 15 second 1.5 mile run.  I need a 14 minute, 53 second to a 14 minute flat 1.5 mile run to be in the good range.

I have a loooooooooooot of work to do.

The One About Getting Ready to Start

If it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all.
~Joey Adams

Well,  B and I are getting ready to start our exercising. I just might start on Sunday because I’m that eager.

Last night, I went to Target and bought a cardio watch that will allow me to count down the times that I need for the exercise program and will also tell me what my heart rate is.  This will help me keep it within the target zones.

I’m really excited to start!

Friday Fill-ins: 2nd Edition

Never do anything that you wouldn’t want to explain to the paramedics.
~Author Unknown

It’s time for…  Friday Fill-ins!

1. Changing leaves and starting to get in shape are some of the things I’m most looking forward to in October.
2. Sometimes I drink soda or lemonade straight from the container and put it back.
3. I never thought the military would be for me but now I’m considering joining the Air Force Reserves or Navy Reserves and that’s why there’s the saying, “Never say never.”
4. When I’m down I like to lay in bed and read a book with one, two or all three of my dogs cuddling with me… and sometimes one or two cats!
5. At work or doing things around my house is where you’ll find me most often.
6. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow my plans include having to work for a few hours to do a newspaper interview and Sunday, I want to start my exercise routine.

The One About Thursday Thirteens- 28th Edition

Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.
~H. Jackson Browne

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

Because I’m looking for a second job, I thought this would be an appropriate topic.

Thirteen Jobs I’ve Considered In My Lifetime (and haven’t done, or haven’t yet done):

1. Pediatrician.  I think this was my first dream in life when I was really little.
2. Teacher.  I love teaching… but I’m not sure I could put up with kids today and their lack of discipline in general.
3. Nurse.  I love taking care of people.  I don’t love science.  But I’d be way better off if I did!
4. Journalist/reporter. I actually went to college thinking this is what I was going to do.  I switched majors late in my freshman year, but still am only 3 credits away from a major in journalism.
5. Ranch hand.  Seriously, I’d love this.  I also dreamed of marrying a cowboy so I could live in the country the rest of my life.
6. Photographer. I’ve never had formal training, but I think I could be good at it if I did.
7. Race horse masseuse.  I thought I had made this up when I was younger (thinking the rich people who race horses would pay big money for a horse masseuse to work on their prized animals)… but I recently found out it really is a job.
8. Veterinarian.  I would 100% love this job.  But again, I 100% hate science classes.
9. Vet tech.  I think it would be a fun job.  But it doesn’t pay anymore than what I do now, so there’s no reason to go back to school for it.
10. Manager/owner of a camp for children with life-threatening diseases.  Yup, still want to do this and the plan is in my head… I just don’t think it’ll ever come to fruition.
11. Dog/cat “bed and biscuit” business owner.  I’d love to take care of animals for a living and get paid.  People would come back time and time again to board their beloved pets with me because they’d receive such good care.  Alas, I don’t have the capital for that.
12. Jockey/horse exerciser.  You can see where my passion is, right?  Animals!  At least I get to exercise horses now, though I’m not paid (ooops… did I let the cat out of the bag?).
13. Navy Reserve Officer.  This may or may not be something I’m thinking of pursuing right now.

So what jobs have you thought about in your lifetime but never done?