What are 5 passions you have?
There aren't many things I'm passionate about these days. I seem to have lost my edge! (And wow - these questions are kind of like therapy!) Perhaps it's because I got tired of fighting for the things I was passionate about; because I am tired of it not mattering to others...
1. My son. The amazing, hilarious, brilliant Jackalope. I am, of course, passionate about him. My eyes tear upon hearing praise for him from strangers. He owns my heart. Or at least half of it...
2. My husband, of course. I am passionate about being a good wife to him - loving him, being his biggest fan, being everything he needs and wants me to be, and helping him to be the best he can be.
3. My extended family - my sisters, my brother, my sisters-in-law, my beautiful little nieces, and, of course, my parents.
4. My friends. I love my friends and want to do everything I can to help them in their life journeys. I'm learning that doesn't mean I can always fix things or should do everything.
5. Equality. One of the biggest things that upsets me is inequality, of any kind. I don't care what your excuses are. "I was raised that way." "I think it's wrong." "My religious/non-religious beliefs..." Whatever. Shut up. Everyone should be allowed to live their lives in in peace. Who are you to tell someone it's wrong? Who are you to use hurtful words or judge someone based on their skin color, race, religion or sexual identity? Who are you to so obnoxiously force your opinions on us all? None of us are any better than the other. We're all just flawed people trying to live our lives and be our best selves.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Dream job (Day 7 of 30)
What is your dream job, and why?
Oh, my!! This is a question I have pondered again and again! Throughout my life, I've had so many different dreams. As a child, I wanted to be a teacher or a mom. In my teens, I went through a fame stage that I fed through Drama classes and clubs; a life on stage is what I wanted. In my junior and senior years, I decided on teaching. I loved little kids. Until I worked in daycare my first year of college. Haha!
When I was 20, I worked at a resort in Panama City Beach, as a front desk clerk, and talked to the event planner there. Maybe that experience planted a seed that I didn't realize was there. For the next several years, I worked for various companies but always in the finance or accounting departments. (While I always got good grades in Honors math classes, I got my credits out of the way ASAP. I hated math!) Eventually, I decided I wanted to go into corporate event planning. I loved being a part of the various morale boosting, informational, and other events within corporations. The first step was a project coordinator (administrative assistant) position within my current accounting department. I was so proud of myself for making the leap from accounting to admin. I was talking to my mentor about getting a degree that would help me move forward, and about how to move up into corporate event planning.
Then, we had baby Jack and moved to Arizona for Wayne's work. Since then, I've had very little desire to work. I've thought about party planning, but then I see how awesome other people are at it and realize I've got nothing on them. I really believe I'm best suited to administrative roles - organizing, scheduling, helping people get what they need and want. In the world of employment, the perfect job for me is administrative assistant. My "dream" job would be heiress to a fortune. Haha!
In real life, my dream job is the one I have - keeping my family organized, scheduled and giving them what they need; my dream job is mom and wife.
Oh, my!! This is a question I have pondered again and again! Throughout my life, I've had so many different dreams. As a child, I wanted to be a teacher or a mom. In my teens, I went through a fame stage that I fed through Drama classes and clubs; a life on stage is what I wanted. In my junior and senior years, I decided on teaching. I loved little kids. Until I worked in daycare my first year of college. Haha!
When I was 20, I worked at a resort in Panama City Beach, as a front desk clerk, and talked to the event planner there. Maybe that experience planted a seed that I didn't realize was there. For the next several years, I worked for various companies but always in the finance or accounting departments. (While I always got good grades in Honors math classes, I got my credits out of the way ASAP. I hated math!) Eventually, I decided I wanted to go into corporate event planning. I loved being a part of the various morale boosting, informational, and other events within corporations. The first step was a project coordinator (administrative assistant) position within my current accounting department. I was so proud of myself for making the leap from accounting to admin. I was talking to my mentor about getting a degree that would help me move forward, and about how to move up into corporate event planning.
Then, we had baby Jack and moved to Arizona for Wayne's work. Since then, I've had very little desire to work. I've thought about party planning, but then I see how awesome other people are at it and realize I've got nothing on them. I really believe I'm best suited to administrative roles - organizing, scheduling, helping people get what they need and want. In the world of employment, the perfect job for me is administrative assistant. My "dream" job would be heiress to a fortune. Haha!
In real life, my dream job is the one I have - keeping my family organized, scheduled and giving them what they need; my dream job is mom and wife.
Monday, June 11, 2012
The Hardest Thing (Day 6 of 30)
What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
My sixteen year old sister, Rachael, died of a drug overdose on April 1 of this year. I don't think I can rehash it all right now but you can read about it here.
My sixteen year old sister, Rachael, died of a drug overdose on April 1 of this year. I don't think I can rehash it all right now but you can read about it here.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Happiness (Day 5 of 30)
What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
***Note: I did this wrong, wrong, wrong. I read it as "5 things that WOULD make you most happy..." I am not pregnant. I want the things below. I don't have them yet. Sorry for the confusion!!***
1. Being able to spend time with my extended family.
2. Having financial security; in other words, having the means to pay off our loans/credit cards/cars, having a nice safety net of a savings account, getting our retirement accounts in order, etc. (Yes, in this sense, money can buy happiness.)
3. Finding the motivation I began the year with - in regards to getting healthier and getting my house organized.
4. Being pregnant.
5. A nice grassy green backyard and a pool to sit by.
And 5 things that DO make me most happy right now:
1. Laughing with my husband. I do love how much we can make each other laugh.
2. Seeing Jack come out of his shy little shell more and more!
3. Having a clean house!! After the yard sale yesterday, Wayne and I did some serious cleaning and the house looks amazing! (Except the office, which is my next project!)
4. Blogging.
5. Knowing that I have made lasting friendships. There are always ups and downs. (Some more dramatic than others.) But the relationships are there to stay.
***Note: I did this wrong, wrong, wrong. I read it as "5 things that WOULD make you most happy..." I am not pregnant. I want the things below. I don't have them yet. Sorry for the confusion!!***
1. Being able to spend time with my extended family.
2. Having financial security; in other words, having the means to pay off our loans/credit cards/cars, having a nice safety net of a savings account, getting our retirement accounts in order, etc. (Yes, in this sense, money can buy happiness.)
3. Finding the motivation I began the year with - in regards to getting healthier and getting my house organized.
4. Being pregnant.
5. A nice grassy green backyard and a pool to sit by.
And 5 things that DO make me most happy right now:
1. Laughing with my husband. I do love how much we can make each other laugh.
2. Seeing Jack come out of his shy little shell more and more!
3. Having a clean house!! After the yard sale yesterday, Wayne and I did some serious cleaning and the house looks amazing! (Except the office, which is my next project!)
4. Blogging.
5. Knowing that I have made lasting friendships. There are always ups and downs. (Some more dramatic than others.) But the relationships are there to stay.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Dear Jenna (Day 4 of 30)
List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
1. You are adorable!
2. You are smart.
3. You are funny.
4. You are NOT fat.
5. You will be fine!
6. Start saving your money now. It will set a precedent that you'll be grateful for later.
7. Pay attention to what your parents are trying to teach you. (Especially the home maintenance/building/yard stuff!)
8. Don't waste too much time on people who treat you like crap. A good friend will not use you or put you down.
9. Again - save money now!!
10. Don't worry so much about whether or not you fit in. Be yourself - you're awesome!
1. You are adorable!
2. You are smart.
3. You are funny.
4. You are NOT fat.
5. You will be fine!
6. Start saving your money now. It will set a precedent that you'll be grateful for later.
7. Pay attention to what your parents are trying to teach you. (Especially the home maintenance/building/yard stuff!)
8. Don't waste too much time on people who treat you like crap. A good friend will not use you or put you down.
9. Again - save money now!!
10. Don't worry so much about whether or not you fit in. Be yourself - you're awesome!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Sooo Not Meant To Be
I am obviously not meant to be a pet owner. I am way too emotional about it. Even when I had my cat, when she'd go in for shots and get freaked out, the vet would ask me to leave the room because MY emotions were too much. (Today, the vet was worried I was going to pass out.)
Then came Sophie. Our perfect little Yorkie-Chihuahua mix. I loved her soooo much. But, she got into some dental floss Jack had played with and ate it. It ended up killing her. I was inconsolable. Hysterical when I had to tell the vet it was okay to put her down. (The damage to her intestines was too much.)
And yet, I agreed to get two more pups. The cutest little Schnauzer-Papillon mixes. Pepper, a blonde, was named for Pepper Potts of IronMan fame. I named the dark one Paisley, because I like the alliteration. The name is one I love but knew Wayne'd never let me use for a baby (should we ever have a girl).
Between the dog hair on every surface, the digging in the backyard, and the constant play fighting, they've been driving me nuts. But, I kept thinking, it's okay - we'll get them trained and it'll be okay.
Until today. They both went in for their spay on Wednesday. Paisley got her soft collar (to prevent licking at the incision) off and ripped herself open while I was gone for 30 minutes. Her omentum was coming out of the incision. Trust me when I say that is not something anyone ever needs to see. I flipped out, called Wayne, and called the vet clinic where we had the surgeries done. In the meantime, she got blood everywhere. (More freaking out on my part ensued.) Wayne came home and helped me take her to the vet. She cost over $100 there, and will be another $100 at the clinic where the original surgery was done. (At our vet, it'd have been around $600 to fix her.)
As much as I love them (and it's not as much as I loved Sophie), I can't do it anymore. The worrying. The having to be home all the time. Having to get up early in the morning (or in the middle of the night) because they're crying. Even listening to their whining is wearing on me. The outrageous amounts of money we spend on them for the best dog food (Wellness Small Breed Puppy - $16 for a bag that lasts 2 weeks), dog toys, bones, treats (also Wellness), crates, beds (Pepper's was $55 because she likes to eat beds and this one is indestructible), groomer, and, of course, vet visits.
Aside from the money, though, is the stress. Finding another thing they've torn up. Worrying if they'll get sick from it. Worrying about them getting out of the backyard. Trying to find someone to check on them if we want to go to Tucson for the day, or paying to have them kenneled if we're gone for a weekend.
Given how hard it is for me to be happy on a daily basis right now, I just cannot take the stress anymore. And don't even get me started on how emotional I am about it all! It's amazing how much I've cried today, considering how annoyed I am with Paisley most days.
I am just not equipped to deal with being a pet mommy. It's hard enough for me to keep the house clean and be a kid's mommy. (Not that I have any of the above issues with Jack... well, the whining has got to stop. LOL) So, we're re-homing the puppies. And it's curious to find that I feel shame at that. I guess I just don't want to let anyone down - human or not.
Then came Sophie. Our perfect little Yorkie-Chihuahua mix. I loved her soooo much. But, she got into some dental floss Jack had played with and ate it. It ended up killing her. I was inconsolable. Hysterical when I had to tell the vet it was okay to put her down. (The damage to her intestines was too much.)
And yet, I agreed to get two more pups. The cutest little Schnauzer-Papillon mixes. Pepper, a blonde, was named for Pepper Potts of IronMan fame. I named the dark one Paisley, because I like the alliteration. The name is one I love but knew Wayne'd never let me use for a baby (should we ever have a girl).
Between the dog hair on every surface, the digging in the backyard, and the constant play fighting, they've been driving me nuts. But, I kept thinking, it's okay - we'll get them trained and it'll be okay.
Until today. They both went in for their spay on Wednesday. Paisley got her soft collar (to prevent licking at the incision) off and ripped herself open while I was gone for 30 minutes. Her omentum was coming out of the incision. Trust me when I say that is not something anyone ever needs to see. I flipped out, called Wayne, and called the vet clinic where we had the surgeries done. In the meantime, she got blood everywhere. (More freaking out on my part ensued.) Wayne came home and helped me take her to the vet. She cost over $100 there, and will be another $100 at the clinic where the original surgery was done. (At our vet, it'd have been around $600 to fix her.)
As much as I love them (and it's not as much as I loved Sophie), I can't do it anymore. The worrying. The having to be home all the time. Having to get up early in the morning (or in the middle of the night) because they're crying. Even listening to their whining is wearing on me. The outrageous amounts of money we spend on them for the best dog food (Wellness Small Breed Puppy - $16 for a bag that lasts 2 weeks), dog toys, bones, treats (also Wellness), crates, beds (Pepper's was $55 because she likes to eat beds and this one is indestructible), groomer, and, of course, vet visits.
Aside from the money, though, is the stress. Finding another thing they've torn up. Worrying if they'll get sick from it. Worrying about them getting out of the backyard. Trying to find someone to check on them if we want to go to Tucson for the day, or paying to have them kenneled if we're gone for a weekend.
Given how hard it is for me to be happy on a daily basis right now, I just cannot take the stress anymore. And don't even get me started on how emotional I am about it all! It's amazing how much I've cried today, considering how annoyed I am with Paisley most days.
I am just not equipped to deal with being a pet mommy. It's hard enough for me to keep the house clean and be a kid's mommy. (Not that I have any of the above issues with Jack... well, the whining has got to stop. LOL) So, we're re-homing the puppies. And it's curious to find that I feel shame at that. I guess I just don't want to let anyone down - human or not.
My Parents (Day 3 of 30)
Describe your relationship with your parents.
Whew. Where do I begin? I've written and deleted this several times already. Let's say it's complicated but I love them very much. And they love me. All 5 of them - Mom, stepdad JD, Dad, stepmom (Sue/Mom), and stepmom Candy. (She may be the newest one but she loves me. Haha!)
Whew. Where do I begin? I've written and deleted this several times already. Let's say it's complicated but I love them very much. And they love me. All 5 of them - Mom, stepdad JD, Dad, stepmom (Sue/Mom), and stepmom Candy. (She may be the newest one but she loves me. Haha!)
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