My favorite things are: extreme temperatures
(yeah right)
Colorado snow right after it falls
Elk Horses cactus
bouncy babies little spiderlings
Blue Spruce
Whales
jellyfish
French-poodles Siamese cats Sea turtles
legal documents Good books
chocolate and lots of it!
Music (of course)
Green Herons Catalogs
People baking
Pelicans Mountains
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Yipee! My first Vox blog!
I can't believe I still managed to keep the guts in actually making a blog in the middle of my academic struggle for this coming quarterly examinations. *sigh* When will I ever learn? (haha)
I'm really so excited to explore a lot more about Vox and hope I could finally get eternal satisfaction. :P
Oh well, enough about me.
I just hope I'd get to make new friends in this new environment.
And I guess that's already enough for me to end this post.
More stuff to come soon! Wish me luck for my big exam. :D
So I'm not sure if I wanted to do this. I do have another blog, which I will link to below. Anyway, I'm looking forward to checking out Vox and it's neighborhoods. Here you go.
Naked in Public.
I also like this little dude a lot.
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Ok so this is my first blog entry ever so... yeah.
Well today is the last day of my 2 week suspension from school, and I don't really know what to expect when I get back. I mean I've heard from my friends that the whole school wants to kill me but iI don't think the ENTIRE school wants to beat me up. Oh yeah the reason I got suspended is that I beat up a kid for no reason and broke his glasses. At the time I did it it seemed like nobody liked the kid but now everyone is sticking up for him.I've heard rumours that he's mentally disabled, but iI doubt that. I would be angry with my self if I beat a handicapped kid up.But yeah I don't know last year I dealt with this by hiding all the time.But not this time. I don't know how it's going down but I expect it won't be pleasent...for anybody.But besides that things are o.k. Like I get ungrounded tommorow.Yeah! But that doesn't really mean anything because me and my dad are still fighting. I really want things to be good between us but it's not happenning. I'll live at least i'll get to come out of my room. A recent goal is to produce a podcast show, but i need to buy a mic. headset but don't have the money. The show is gonna kinda be like an MTV live(my favorite live show) feel but it's going to be really limited because it's only audio. I think im gonna call it The FlipSide but im not sure. If you, the readers, have any suggestions e-mail them to me @ rockerman32@live.ca. Im still unsure wether or not to have a co-host but theres plenty of time to think about that. Well my time is out for today so until next time...
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As it stands, this is my first post in my first real blog ever (minor "blogging" in a livejournal many years ago, not counting that). I finally decided, after much thought, to start a blog. I thought that my life was probably interesting enough to warrant one, but we'll see. Hopefully I use this to some extent and not just abandoning it much like other things similar to this in the past. I think this might be a good place for venting, reflection, among other things. I don't expect many people to read this, considering this might be one of the least exciting blogs of the thousands that are out here on the interweb. For those that do happen to stumble upon it, or what have you... enjoy?
For a semi-real blog entry; I forgot how much I completely love Godspeed! You Black Emperor! They're so powerful, calming, hopeful, and full of despair at the same time. "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is probably one of the most beautiful albums ever made. So simple and eloquent, but I find it hard to put my finger just on what it is that makes this album so great. "It just is" works best for me.
Exodus 16:2-15 NIV:
Verse 11:
The Lord said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.'"
_____
The whole Israelite community is on the march again, heading for the Promised Land, under Moses' leadership. They have left the seven sparkling springs of Elim and its seventy palm trees. They are camped in the Desert of Sin. It's been just 15 days since they left slavery in Egypt.
And already they begin to complain. The Bible tells us they grumbled. We're gonna die of starvation! We coulda stayed in Egypt, yes, in slavery, but at least we would have all the food we wanted.
So the Lord speaks to Moses and tells him to tell the people that God will provide for them. He will give them meat at dusk and bread at dawn. It will be the Lord's doing. God does take care of His own.
I think it was in college that I first learned of Abraham Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs. First on Mazlow's list of needs is the biological. We must have water and food. Next on the list is safety. Without either one of these two needs met, we are going to grumble. It's just human nature. We want to survive. That's a basic human need.
Moses was obedient to God and led His people out of slavery in Egypt. They were on their way, together, under God, to the Promised Land, "a land flowing with milk and honey." They weren't there yet.
What they soon found out was how shallow was their trust in God's provision. We soon forget the parting of the seas and the drowning of our pursuers. But we remember well every creature comfort we were afforded "back in the day."
For the next few days I will be exploring this passage from Exodus chapter 16. I invite you to explore it with me.
Today's lesson, from verse 11, tells us several things about God.
First, God hears our grumbling and He cares about us.
Next, God has a message for us: a promise to provide for our daily needs.
Last, God wants us to know He will never leave us or forsake us. He's our God.
The test of any promise is in the keeping of it.
As the Israelites soon found out, God's promises are real and He keeps His promises to His people.
That's a good thing, a very good thing, indeed.
I like that about God.
Don't you, too?
Then I'll move it faster, faster, faster, faster.
Wednesday, September 10th
Noonish
Only two days off this week. Today and Friday. I fucking NEED a day off after closing with Cindy last night. She makes us do twice as much as anyone else makes us, and every time she walks past me, she goes,"Faster, faster, faster, faster!" SHUT. UP! MY ARMS WILL NOT MOVE FASTER THAN THIS WITHOUT FLYING OFF OF MY BODY. GO. AWAAAAY.
The store was closed. The customers were all gone. The EMPLOYEES were all gone. Except for me, Justin, and Cindy. Yet, for some reason, it is inappropriate to talk while I'm cleaning the glass on the meat display case.
I was already pissed at her for being such an annoying bitch, and for having to clean ALL THREE slicers that night because there were only two of us closing the deli (Cindy had to close up the seafood department because the guy who was supposed to got hurt in culinary school today). But. Even though I'd been working my ass off and putting up with her shit for the past nine hours (THAT'S RIGHT KIDS, NINE FUCKING HOURS OF CINDY) I wasn't allowed to make idle conversation to take my mind off of murdering her in the face. FINE. I'LL JUST GO FASTERFASTERFASTERFASTER. MY RAGE FUELS MY ARM. AND MY MURDEROUS PLOT. ENJOY.
"Nooo taaaalkING! You need to be working!"
"We can do both at the same time! (forced happy tone)"
"No you can't! If you're looking up at him you're not looking at what you're cleaning."
What?! I didn't even know where the fuck he was at. I just responded to a voice from beyond the counter. SHUT. UP. CINDY. THIS IS NOT STUDY HALL. I HATE YOU.
"I wasn't looking up at him."
"*hushedgrumble*"
And as if that were not enough, they had to shut the power off because they're doing something to the freezers or something. I don't know. But, Cindy had us rush over to the machine to punch out, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. WOW. SO, A FUCKING HALF HOUR AFTER WE'RE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE IS TOO LATE. IMAGINE THAT. So, she had us go fasterfasterfasterfaster back to the deli, and I was THOROUGHLY PISSED, rushing round like a fucking maniac, and slipped on the floor (I didn't know Justin had just mopped. I was too consumed by my attempt to burn a hole through the glass I was cleaning with my fasterfasterfaster arm.) and landed flat on my ass (and killed myself). It was a classic Charlie Brown football kick fall, without so many flips.
She was acting all fucking concerned. Concerned that I might report her ass and jeopardize her fucking JOB maybe. It's her WHOLE FUCKING LIFE. She is the ONLY person I've met there who talks about nothing but work. Justin told me she has kids! SHE HAS NEVER MENTIONED HAVING CHILDREN, A HUSBAND, A PET, A FRIEND, A THOUGHT, OR ANYTHING BUT MEAT AND CHEESE. DIE ALREADY!
Me and Justin had a very serious discussion about this (while she was at her 2 o'clock meeting and the employees were allowed to speak) and decided that no one would fuck that. The kids are either a lie, adopted, or were artificially inseminated. No one would even rape her. She'd be talking about stock levels. Who gets off on that?
Anyway, when we FINALLY got out of there (9 fucking 15 pm), I was on the bench in front of the store trying to release all of the day's frustration by crying and ranting to Cameron on the phone, when Cindy comes around the fucking corner and starts talking to me! "Are you okay? How long until your ride gets here? Do you want me to wait with you?' WTF?! NO! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!! IT'S HARD TO BITCH ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU'RE A FOOT AWAY. IT'S YOUR FUCKING FAULT I'M ENRAGED AND HAVE A THROBBING ASS-BRUISE RIGHT NOW. DON'T TRY TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL LESS GUILTY BY PRETENDING TO CARE. YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE FOR HARASSING AND CAUSING INJURY TO CUTE HAPPY NEW EMPLOYEES THAT THE MANAGER ABOVE YOU LIKES. YEAH. MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TOLD HIM WHAT A GREAT JOB I WAS DOING SO FAR. MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF INSTEAD. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. I HOPE YOUR CHILDREN KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP. YOU KNOW THEY WANT TO.
]]>Of course I have been back at school for well over a week, but today was Joshua's first day of "school." He started pre-k this morning and absolutely loved it! When I arrived home after work today he spent about 20mins outlining his day. First puzzles, then play time, gym time, snack time and that was basically the day. Needless to say he is a genius. Okay, I'm biased... but at the dinner table this evening Karen and I were talking about veins and Joshua started talking about weather vanes and how they can tell the direction of the wind and sometimes there is a rooster on the weather vane. G-E-N-I-O-U-S!
School (for me) is off to a flying start. I have two over-sized classes (one of 34 stdnts and another with 36). Right now it's ok because I haven't had to mark a class set of essays yet. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in Oct/Nov.
Karen is managing quite well looking after our 2 boys and 2 other 2 year olds in our "day home." So far no major spills or trips to the hospital.
Our house has a foundation. We met with the builders yesterday and framing should begin in about 2 weeks. No official move in day but it looks to be about mid-March (the same time as the delivery of our 3rd child and basketball playoffs).
Anywho, I hope to keep this blog updated with pics and vids at least once a week. There's always the phone, email of Facebook too.
PS - In the NFL pool I picked 12 right (13 was the pool winner) CURSE YOU INDY!!!
I am a science nerd and I am trying to read more now that I'm out of college. Reading expands the mind! Ha ha... I'm trying to be more open minded about books and it's been very difficult. Any suggestions from anyone about books to read? I'm currently reading "The Scientists":
Is it possible to stay truly happy in a marriage?
I am beginning to wonder... The two married couples that have the greatest impact in my life seem to be miserable and with held from things. They complain about being married and it seems like they would have done things differently if given the opportunity with the knowledge they know now. Is knowledge enough to override love? I have an amazing boyfriend that means the world to me. We've been dating for a little more than 5 months (I realize this isn't an extremely long time). We don't fight and everything ends up in a good conversation and laughs! I consider him to be my soulmate, my other half. I hope that's enough for our marriage...
Soulmate:
[Primeval man] could walk upright as men now do, backwards or forwards as he pleased, and he could also roll over and over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and four feet, eight in all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs in the air; this was when he wanted to run fast…Terrible was their might and strength, and the thoughts of their hearts were great, and they made an attack upon the gods... Doubt reigned in the celestial councils. Should they kill them and annihilate the race with thunderbolts, as they had done the giants, then there would be an end of the sacrifices and worship which men offered to them; but, on the other hand, the gods could not suffer their insolence to be unrestrained. At last, after a good deal of reflection, Zeus discovered a way. He said: 'Methinks I have a plan which will humble their pride and improve their manners; men shall continue to exist, but I will cut them in two and then they will be diminished in strength and increased in numbers; this will have the advantage of making them more profitable to us. They shall walk upright on two legs, and if they continue insolent and will not be quiet, I will split them again and they shall hop about on a single leg.
]]>wow, today was a big milestone for our family...it was the first day that both girls were in school at the same time. the little princess started first grade and the munchkin started preschool! the princess made us proud by just walking into her class behind her teacher. we were a little worried because she was attending a different school from where she had attended kindergarten but she was a trooper. the munchkin had a moment of anxiety when she first walked into her class and came running back out but after a little bit of reassurance and then pointing out something in the classroom that caught her attention she went back into the room which gave us the opening to leave. they both came home saying they had a good day at school so we are both proud parents.
"first grade, here i come" happened to be the book we read with the princess before she turned in for the night.
Tennessee to swear in first woman chief justice
Tennessee will swear in its first woman state Supreme Court chief justice today in Nashville.
Janice M. Holder, 58, of Memphis will be one of 20 women chief justices nationwide, according to the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Va.
]]>Back in July, Thomas took me to a Chinese restaurant that I like to celebrate my birthday. After the yummy meal, we, of course, had to see what our fortune cookies had to say. I currently have no clue what Thomas's was, but I kept mine, which read "You will move into a wonderful new home within the year."
I had hoped that the silly, generic fortune would be true, so I ended up keeping it for sport. Turns out, almost one month after pulling it out of my fortune cookie, it came to fruition! And, as you see it above, it is pictured with the key to our new home! It is for that reason that we should have went out and played those "lucky numbers," for we just might be home owners and millionaires if we had done so :o)
So, here are some details--Thomas and I have been looking for a house to buy for quite some time. We've made several attempts at actually purchasing a home, but none of those ever panned out in the end, which ended up being a blessing, ultimately. God had the foresight to know that purchasing a house in one town was a bad idea because he had a promotion for Thomas in the works, so as we were writing out a contract for a home, one was being simultaneously accepted from someone else. In a more recent incident, we put a contract on a house that was pre-foreclosure that was simply beat out by another buyer with the same terms who simply offered 20 minutes or so before we did. This roller-coaster of home searching was wreaking havoc on me emotionally (and Thomas, but more me). It always seemed that every house we ever looked at was simply not a possibility for us, whether it be due to price or location or size or condition or availability....you get the drift. But our Realtor held strong and kept on the lookout, even when were put actively looking for a house on hold.
And, as things tend to eventually go with real estate, some things in the market began to move. A new construction home in a desirable location was dropped tremendously in price, ultimately falling into our price range. Before the price drop, the builder promised to pay for closing costs and pre-paids for the buyer. The intention was to take out this condition when the price was lowered, but thanks to an oversight by the lister in MLS, the clause was not taken out, so we were able to benefit from this as well. We had looked at homes in this specific area before, but they were just out of our range, so finally finding one was great. Our agent was on her toes and noticed the price drop on day one and had us out there with an appointment by lunch. After looking at the home, our agent took Daniel outside to play while Thomas and I discussed the potential purchase. 40 minutes later, we decided we wanted to do it (we'll not go into the emotional roller coaster that I was on for that 40 minutes!) The papers were already prepared (guess our agent knew this was the one for us as well), and by that afternoon, our contract was accepted!
Having so many issues with homes, I was afraid to tell many folks or get too excited, so we've been pretty quiet on the issue. However, as of last Friday, we are officially home owners! Now, it is time to gear up for move # 6 in 5 1/2 years of marriage. Fortunately, we know this move will be more long term. Since everything transpired very quickly, we've got 30 days to move because we will continue to rent the month of September, which will give us time to move as slowly or as quickly as we wish. Another blessing: we have no lease where we are renting now, so we can leave when we need to leave.
So, without any further ado, here is a pic of OUR FIRST HOME!!!
4:30pm
Wednesday, August 27th
4pm
I get paid for my training! YESSS! It was so exhausting, though, so I'm sort of not surprised. LOL 4pm-8pm Monday and yesterday. Mostly handouts, videos, and paperwork. But I did get to shadow for quite a while yesterday. I was taught how to use and clean the meat slicer. The scales look really confusing though. They punch in like a million numbers after they weight stuff. How do they know what to push? I'll let you know when I find out. XD
I get an hour lunch, and a fifteen minute break. And I joined the muthafuckin' union. XD My department manager's name is Cindy. It was SO hard to not be like, "HI CINDY!!!" Like I did with Jonjon's Cindy every time she was nearby. XD
There was this one video that's supposed to be "funny". The only funny thing about it was how TERRIBLE the acting was. It (like everything else in our fucking training) was all about customer service. And EVERY time a customer was treated well, they said "WOOOW!"
There were two other new guys (Stephen in dairy and Alex in produce, both from a nearby Catholic school, though Alex just graduated) who started the same day I did, and while me and Alex watched the WOW video, Stephen was downstairs doing a customer service computer quiz thing with Mary (who's was doing all of our customer service training. Out of everyone I've met so far she's my favorite, though everyone is SO nice). So, when it was Stephen's turn to watch the video, we told him to count the wows. LMFAO I don't know if he actually did, though. He's very quiet. And for once, I'm not. XD Except with some of the cashiers who look like they might be snobby. I'm still careful around them. But yeah, if I ever get to train people, I'm definitely counting the wows next time I see that.
And yesterday, I saw Lindsay! Michelle's sister. We were choir buddies back in the day, and she was best friends with Mesa. I had NO idea she worked there! We were very excited, and caught up on each others' lives (I was early, and she'd pop over between bagging groceries). She was like,"If you're ever working an eight hour shift...*nod* lunch." XD!!! She graduated a year before me, and other than a "Hi, Lindsay!" in the Land O'Lakes halls a couple times last year, I haven't really talked to her since her graduation party. It's funny. I knew her longer, but ended up a lot closer with Michelle. I guess we just have more in common. I still haven't asked her how her China trip was. TO MYSPACE!
BUT FIRST. I MUST SAY THIS.
THE BAKERY.
IS MY WEAKNESS.
NIKI. I WILL BRING YOU NOMS.
I should bring you to the store so you can pick out favorite noms.
Here's a list of all the people I've met (and remembered):
And I met at least another ten people whose names I can't remember. Mary introduced us to EVERYONE we walked past. It was a bit overwhelming, but everyone was very welcoming. Thank god for name tags, eh?
Also! I has a uniform! It's kind of cute, but everything is so big on me. XD Because it's in "ladies sizes" instead of juniors, which would fit me. Black baseball cap (the visor was cuter, but it hurt my head and kept sliding down my face), hairs in a ponytail (all of them. XD Just because I'm in deli), light blue button-up shirt, black apron, black shoes (or white), black (or khaki, or dark blue) pants (which you supply). No facial piercings, and "offensive" tattoos must be covered. And no more than three piercings per ear, and two rings per hand. I don't think hair color is an issue, because there's a black lady who works in the kitchen with BRIGHT red-orangey hair. But that might be because she doesn't do as much customer interaction. I'm not sure. Boys need to have hair above shoulder length, and no facial hair. Basically, most of our customers are old people, who are easily frightened or offended... and most of all, OBSCENELY judgemental.
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