To the tune of...

When The Lights Go Down In The City

When the email goes out at work
And the IT guy keeps disappearing
Oh I want to go home from my work day
Oh, Oh, ooooohhh.


Yup, that's where I'm at right now. Good times.

Silver lining - I don't FULLY rely on email for my job. It's a key part of my work day. You know, communicate with coworkers (thankfully there is also the network chat), emails from main campus (which really don't apply to me about 99.9% of the time), scanning documents to myself to filed electronically (which I can still do from the online version of my email...that still works, somehow).

Okay, so maybe my email isn't as necessary as I feel like it is. The only thing I can't do is access the shared folders, which is where part of my daily tasks do come from. So I'm kind of out of doing that, unless someone wants to forward that to me.

Silverer lining - I can access my email online. Yeah...so very weird. Outlook is crap, but online email...just fine (except for the shared folders part).

I do have other things I can do, so there's that, too. But I just feel like I can't work without my email!

Is there anything you have at work that you feel you can't function without...even though you really do function without it?

Even more silver lining...tomorrow is Friday!!!

YAAAY!!!!

The Year in Review, And a Look Ahead

I've been fairly consistent in not posting lately, since about June/July is when I started slacking off. There really hasn't been a good reason, especially since I found myself with some much time after the beginning of July (see This post for why). You'd think that having more time on my hands would allow for more blogging. But I think I just didn't feel like it.

Despite a new job, that I love, I think the last part of the year was a bit of a funk for me. I was holding steady in my weight loss, but not losing any more. I was training for a new job. And then I was in school, too. I don't know that I really felt like writing anything, despite having plenty to write about.

But 2013 was a good year. I am no longer traveling on a bi-weekly basis. I'm not longer traveling at all! I work a half mile from my current home. And Mr S had a couple of great opportunities pop up at his job as well that sweeten his resume up nicely should a promotional opportunity come about.

Looking forward to 2014, I have a lot of plans. I start back to work on the 2nd. I start back to school on the 6th. I'm working on a budget to reduce our debt. We'll be moving...not sure to what yet, house or apartment (our rent is going up and this place isn't worth the increase). It just feels good looking forward.

I'm not giving up on my weight loss goals. I am, however, starting fresh. I'll still be doing weight watchers, and I'll get more focused on what I'm doing. I'm also working out with a co-worker and her roommate twice a week. And I'll start supplementing in between with my own stuff at home or at the complex gym.

Hopefully you'll see me on here more often. I've changed schools, though, so I don't know what my work load will be like with my new classes. But I want to be more active on here. Not so much for you, though I do enjoy the interactions I get from time to time, but for me. I want to document my life, and writing by hand just exhausts me thinking about it. LOL!

Here's to a new year and new beginnings and great things for all of us!

Happy New Year, dolls!

Weekly update - 11/19/2013

As you can see, I’ve been pretty inconsistent here. I’m hoping to change that this week. I’m implementing some scheduling that, I hope, will get me in some semblance of order when I’m not at work. I just feel like so much is going on, but when I stop to list it out, it doesn’t seem like that much after all.

The new job is going well. I’ve officially hit my 90 days. I should have a review coming soon, I think. And, since I’m now past the 90 days, I’ll be changing schools (again). Honestly, if it weren’t for the no cost but books thing, I’d stay where I’m at as I’m really enjoying AMU. However, free is no loans to pay for stuff. And if all I have to pay for is books (either buy or rent), then that is also no loans. And No Loans is always going to trump just about anything when it comes to school costs.

School is going well. I finished my first class with an A. My second will probably be a C+ or a B as I didn’t turn in an assignment and have a 60 on another. And aside from really not liking my professor, it’s been a decent class. There’s been some things I’ve had issues with (like a two page memo…memos are not supposed to be longer than a page…that’s why they’re called memos!), it’s hasn’t been too bad. I have two more weeks left and I’ll be done. Just in time to get my transcripts sent over to CBU to finalize everything for the January 6 start.

My parents are coming for Christmas. That will be fun. It’s been two years since they’ve been here, and while I’ve been there a couple times it’ll be nice to have them here for a change. Dad’s looking forward to all the restaurants; mom’s looking forward to the shopping.

Speaking of two years, Mr. S and I celebrated two years of matrimonial bliss last week! WOOHOO!!

And, with that, I’ve run out of things to update with. Oh well, probably for the better. It’s time to clean the office/spare room and get ready for work.

Cheers, dolls!

Monday - a look at the week ahead

I'm still playing with a catching title for my Monday posts.  The plan is for the post to be a bit of a look at the weekend adventures that just occurred and a look at what the plan is for the coming days.  I'm open to suggestions!! 

I'm sure you noticed (all 8 of you) that I was MIA last week with postings.  That's what happens when a crazy work schedule (aka, conference) interferes with normal crazy schedule (aka, general travel).  I was in San Diego for three days last week for a conference that the university I work for was a vendor at.  The days weren't as long as some others I've participated in, but when I'm around other co-workers and my boss it kind of throws the days for a scheduling loop.  The conference itself is pretty schedule friendly:  11-5 for two days and 10-2 for the last day.  It's the after hours events that wreck havoc!  But it's always so much fun!  I get to see people I normally only see once a year (I work out of my apartment here in sometimes-sunny SoCal and the main office is in South Alabama).  Depending on who it is, there is usually a good time to be had by all.  This time around was no different.  Tuesday I went to dinner with two ladies I work with and we had a great time.  Wednesday I was at dinner with my booth co-worker, our boss, the manager of our special programs team, and two famous people (more on that in a another post later).  And then Thursday the conference ended, so I headed home after break-down of the booth space.  We met about 10 of our students.  I met a lot of people I've had email contact with over the last three months, so it was nice to finally put a face to a name/email address.  And we met some great new folks too. 

After that, the Mr and I kept the weekend pretty low key.  These events tend to wear me out, so I usually take the weekend to recoup.  This weekend was no exception.  Saturday we ventured out and went to eat at Lazy Dog Cafe then took a loop or two around the mall.  I drug Mr S in to Charming Charlies and found some great ideas for hair clips to make my long do dolled up (I'm trying to decide if I want to try to make them from scratch or just buy them).  While we were at the mall, we also ventured into Game Stop.  The hubs began toying with the idea of getting a Nintendo 3DS.  While we mulled it over, we went to see "This Means War" (funny stuff).  After the movie we decided to find out what Game Stop would give us for our old DS and some old Apple electronics (my iPod Touch 2nd Gen and his iPhone 3G).  The decision to trade was made and we ventured home to gather our old electronics, reset them to factory settings, make sure they work, then head back and make the trade.  We ended up with a Nintendo 3DS and a new game (sonic generations, I think) and only paid about $50 out of pocket!  And we got rid of stuff taking up space we didn't use anymore!

Sunday was another low key day for me, but Mr S went to play volleyball.  After we went to eat at Yard House, took a lap around the mall, and then went home.  Knowing we needed to get groceries (fridge/freezer were looking might bare) we ventured out for that later and it paid off - not many people at the store and we were in and out in under an hour!  VICTORY!! 

Since I'm in office this week, I'm back on a fairly regular schedule.  I'm really trying my hardest to keep to the laundry/cleaning/cooking schedule I start a couple weeks ago.  Obviously, being gone most of last week, it wasn't hard to keep to it as there really wasn't much of one.  We'll see how it goes this week.  And working out and dieting/eating right - total fail last week!!  I seriously need to start planning my snacks better for when I'm out all day.  Here's hoping for a great week on exercise, healthy food choices, and all around greatness!

Hugs...