Christmas lights

Christmas lights are starting to be hung!! Which is a smart thing to do now while the weather is still good. I love Christmas lights. I really enjoy going down the Christmas story drive and taking a quick ride down the narrow lane of Winder street. The lights are beautiful.

There are some that are embarrassing. Some that are too much. There is a house in my old neighborhood that has what I call "Lego Lights". Nothing is measured. The colors of the lights are all primary colors and run along the whole roof top. Once one color ends, another is added. It's mismatched and looks as the residents just threw boxes of lights on the top of their home. Giving the complete illusion of a Lego house.

Remember in Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold fails at lighting up the house with Christmas lights at the "lighting ceremony" in front of the entire family? Well from that moment comes one of the best quotes from the Griswold family-in my opinion.

Frances: Talk about pissing your money away. I hope you kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.

Audrey: He worked really hard, Grandma.

Art: So do washing machines.

There are those that work hard on their Christmas lights and those that just throw anything that flashes on their house. I would like to thank Failblog.org for the following picture to show the difference in those that care and those that don't.

"Work is a necessary evil to be avoided." -Mark Twain

Oh, the ways work can impact our lives. I have many jobs that have all been in customer service. And each job has just been a horse of a different color. I'm nice to the customer. They get what they want. I'm mean to the customer. They get what they want from someone else. Sometimes I cry or yell or throw things - it doesn't matter. Every customer service job is the same. It always ends in kissing some body's rear end - then they get what they want.

Luckily, I have really enjoyed some of my jobs. I have worked with amazing people. I have had some life changing experiences.

In a really geeky show that I love (cough) Firefly (cough) there is a man that is talking about his job and the way it makes him act. Then he finds out later in the show that he took his job because of the way he already was.

I think everyone should think really think about this. We are all in work that is about us in some way. It can propel our personality to be stronger more defined. It allows us to learn more about ourselves. Such as, "I like doing this" or "There isn't enough money in the world to make me do that again"

Looking back on my personal job trek, I find myself surprised by the way it's helped me become who I am today. Not that I didn't have my personality before them but they helped me become more defined.

Nanny- I love children. I want to be a mother. I feel compassionate. I'm impatient. I enjoy reading stories. I think parents should take a stand and grow up. I think that children learn by example. I'm goofy. I care about hygiene and germs. I love toys. I laugh. I like to cook. Cleaning up after someone else is exhausting.

The E Center Box Office- I like people. I love going to concerts. I love getting discounts. I like noise. I am loud. I am generous. I am computer savvy. I like to party. I hate public restrooms

Hollywood Connections- Kids are fun to entertain. Kids never listen. I hate cleaning bathrooms. I want a manager that knows more than me. I want to learn. I want to play games. I hate carnival music.

Shopko- I love to shop. I love Black Friday. I want to buy everything that I don't need. I spend a lot of money on food. I love black pants. Magazines are amazing. I like to work in the garden. I'm protective of lost children. I'm a flirt.

Blockbuster- I am a movie junkie. I love to talk about media. Actor gossip is entertaining to me. I love knowing movie endings before others see them. I love trailers. I am a marathon women. I think stay at home dates are the best. People in movie stores are artistic. I'm a quoter. I love the night life.

SLCC Cosmetology- I love fashion. I am creative. I'm good at measurements. I like to study. I enjoy social gatherings. I like to fold warm laundry. I love the sound of water. I like to complement others. I like to do things right the first time. I think vanity is ugly.

Seagull Book and Tape- I'm a book worm. I give opinions to others. I help plan. I know how to decorate. I love talk tapes. I want to be spiritually feed. I love doctrine. I think old women are funny. I love having my books signed. I love hearing about peoples reading experiences.

Kohl's- I wear nice perfume. I hate balancing. I'm annoyed by teenage boys. I'm not a work-a-holic. I worry about stupid details.

FedEx Systems- I'm not a telephone talker. I like things to be taken care of. I like people that own up to their responsibilities. I'm very loud. I love photos of Friends and family. I keep mementos. I'm a rude driver. I like to type. I hate being micromanaged. I love having a fixed schedule. I like knowing where I stand.

Writer- I get stumped easily. I like to go on rampages. I like alone time. I'm in control. I love wit. I like to be poetic. I love to have crazy ideas. I like being original.

(OK, so I've never been paid to write, but I'm still a writer. My other jobs might have made my personality stronger but I found myself in writing.)

NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month)

This November is National Blog Month. There is a goal for bloggers everywhere to post once a day to help make the Internet a happier place. As you can tell by my blog history, I've never even been close to this. In fact I've already failed. You see, I didn't blog on November 1st or 2nd. But just because I'm already behind doesn't mean that I'm not going to try.

Today I post my top ten November goals.

1. Get all cards/games/prizes/food prepared for Emily’s bridal shower on November 14th.
2. November 19th, go to Events by Alice and see New Moon.
3. Post a blog for each day of NOVEMBER-Yikes!!!
4. Make rolls and stuffing for November 26th, Thanksgiving.
5. Attend church every Sunday in nOvEMbeR.
6. In November I want my prayer and scripture reading quality to improve by leaps and bounds.
7. november 12th, celebrate my late Mother’s 61st birthday with my sisters.
8. All of my nOVEMBEr bills paid on time and car fixed… oy vey!!
9. De-junk through all of my things and organize a huge November DI run.
10. Work on a chapter in my book that is called “November”.

The many emotions of Winter

Last week it snowed for the first time near my house. I wanted to blog that day, but it turned out to be a very busy one.

So on a non snowy day, I blog. There are many feelings that surround me in the Winter season. I actually hate snow and ice and all of the horrible things a winter storm brings. However, I do love the holidays.

I love getting together with my family and doing festive things. I love baking for loved ones. I love seeing the clearances on fall clothes. I love the mayhem of Black Friday and the crazy people (including me) that shop it. I love that night time comes early. I love that one day we all get an extra hour of sleep. I thrive for clear night sky's and thin air that slides the whole way into your lungs. I love seeing little kids in huge coats. I love seeing old women in ridiculous home made hats.

Here is a list of my Winter emotions.

ANNOYED- Feeling random clumps of snow in my shoes, on my car seat, down the back of my shirt, in my hair, and in my purse. I hate when dirty gutter rain falls on my face and on my arms as I enter under the porch shelter - thinking I would be safe from the elements as I enter the house.

TIRED- I haven't had shelter over my car as long as I can remember. This leaves the need to wake up 30 minutes early to scrape and heat up the car.

HURT- Ow! I fell and really hurt my backside/knees/palms. I wish I wasn't so clumsy. I've always been envious of the kids that run and slide on the snow. Who needs ski's when you have grace.

EMBARRASSED- I fell again.

STRESSED- Shopping for those I love, trying to find the perfect thing for each individual person.

HUMBLED- The festival of trees is always one of my favorite nights of the year. There are so many of the trees that touch my heart or remind me of things I'm grateful for.

HAPPY- I love lights on houses and Christmas music in the stores and cars.

ENTERTAINED- Shopping for those I love, trying to find the perfect thing for each individual person.

GRATEFUL- To think about the birth of Christ and be able to celebrate. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

POETIC- When the sky is a willing mirror reflecting a white hue from the fallen snow, lighting every night with a glow. It looks like moon light found a way to never be shadowed. Every year of my adult life I choose a night and take a midnight walk. I love the complete silence of crisp air. The silhouettes of dark blue trees line my path as I enjoy the ambiance. My skin, a perfect alabaster.

Rie reads.

There is nothing like an amazing read! I just wanted to post some books that I've read and enjoyed.


I'm not going to over kill The Hunger Games and Catching Fire...this time. Please read them anyways.

First up would be The Mortal Instruments series. This was surprisingly a great read. I've picked it up in the good old Barnes and Nobles many of times but I always put it back before I got to the check out. I'm really glad that a friend bought it on a whim. (She said the cover looked nice- I agree.) The series includes City of Bones, City of Ash, and City of Glass. These are super easy to read since they are youth readers.

The next would be Wuthering Heights. I've read it before but I really wanted to freshen up on the dark romance between Heathcliff and Cathy. Oh how I hate Cathy!! This book is an eclectic collection of types of love and hate. I had a friend at work ask me what the book was about - I said that it was Twilight, but Edward and Bella don't get together. We both hate Bella so she read it that week.

I finally finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Between my love of Jane Austen and my love for morbid things this was a perfect match. Reading this one is a no-brainer. I'm funny. I'm super excited for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters that will come out in September.

50% off your entire purchace @ Payless

I'm not a big fan of Oprah, in fact she really annoys me. But today she seems to be trying to impress me.

Last night London and I were talking about our happy dreams. I said how I love the dreams where I find mega cheap perfect fitting shoes. And sadly, I didn't have the dream, but today I found something that will help bring it to reality.

If you go to this website below you can print off a 50% off you entire purchase coupon at Payless Shoe Store. I thought it was a really sweet deal. It starts today and ends tomorrow.

OK Oprah, today you were cool....

Hope you enjoy the coupon like I will!!

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091016-tows-payless

convenient problem

Tuesday I got a flat tire and it cost $100 to fix. And really, that is not too shabby. It could have been a lot worse.

My car was fine besides the flat, I got to work on time, I will get paid before I go to New York (so I still will have some $$ to fall back on), No one got hurt, and I had nothing to do that night so no plans were wrecked. I even had some friends from work that helped me put on a spare at lunch time. Who knew that there was something like a convenient flat tire.