Do you ever think that at any time you could be fired? I mean, one day you’re all happy and cozy in your nice little job and then *boom* “You’re Fired!” and then you have to clean out your desk with all your personal belongings, or rush out and risk losing everything… and No, that didn’t happen to me, Thank God! I’m way too good at my job for that to happen *shifty eyes*(HAHAHA!). But it has happened a lot recently at my work and today I was left to clean up the pieces! I’m number 2 when it comes to internal happenings (if you watch The Office you will get that saying of number 2 even more…) and of course… OF COURSE… something BIG always happens when my boss is out and I have to try to figure out what to do. I guess she’s out kind of a lot though… but anyway… Today was draining… emotionally and physically…

I get pulled into the office managers office today and i’m like UH OH! But of course, not about me, I told you, I’m good *winkwink* so he said, I just let KA go, what else do I need to do? R usually handles the rest from here. Oh man, I can’t even get ahold of R or her boss or any other manager I know of because they’re all in a regional meeting. I’ll figure something out. so i’m looking through her desk figuring there has to be some sort of “procedures book” but I can’t find anything. and I know a little because i’ve helped out before but never had to deal with the full situation by myself. So then the office manager comes up to me again, I just let JR go too. WHAT??  total shock there, no idea why. I could see why KA got let go because of performance, and I dont know the full reason for JR because he said it was kind of the same but other things as well, but he would not elaborate… but JR was seriously the best ever! I mean not numbers wise, he didn’t bring in all the numbers like others did but whenever I needed Anything even if it should be from someone else but they were out of the office, he would help me no questions asked. I could count on him for ANYTHING. I can see getting rid of someone that wasn’t performing well, but its a total moral buster to get rid of the nicest person who would do anything for anyone, and of course a jokester to lighten the mood every once in a while. So I’m Really bummed about that… so on top of the total shock i’m still trying to figure out what to do…Well I pretty much get it figured out, and put a phonecall into a corporate payroll person to ask a specific pay question and then when R finally gets my message and calls me back she pretty much said, you did everything you needed to do, good job. so that felt good! Even though I was at my wits end already. So I just have to finish some data entry regarding it tomorrow which shouldn’t be too bad. Oh and did I also mention the same time he announced the firing of KA he also announced someone else put notice in and then someone else pretty much got demoted but it was “mutual” and “the right decision for him” to move to this other job. Both were managers that I managed as well, and JR was in my team as well. So 3 out of the 4 ppl I worked with regularly. My head is just spinning!!

and not to “complain” anymore but I worked 10 hours yesterday without a lunch and today I had to come in early to give a presentation and then because of everything happening left over an hour late so I almost worked another 10 hours today with a quick lunch break but couldn’t leave -for another reason I will not even get into- so more like being at the office for 11 hours today… Yeah….I’m ready for bed and its not even 8pm yet LOL. Lets just hope tomorrow is better….

What A Week… what a weekend… I barely turned the computer on at all last week and I was deprived of internet for the long weekend. Last week we were busy getting ready to leave for the weekend, plus I was more tired than usual and busier at work, so I picked sleep over internet. Friday we drove over to the other side of the state to see the family, we stayed with the hubby’s mom who doesn’t have internet and we can never pick up a wireless signal with the laptop

Luckily the drive was only a 4 1/2 hr drive each way, even in holiday weekend traffic (twice it has taken us 6 hours). I think we went at the odd times so it wasn’t so bad. But man I was sure glad we weren’t going the other way on 75 on the way home. Some stupid idiot didn’t tie his boat down good enough and it flew off the trailer!! backed up traffic for MILES! it was a HUGE boat too! I wish i had the camera out to take a pic of that mess…

But I’m home now, and catching up on some of my fav. bloggers… Ria being one of them. Wow she talked a lot about me this week and I feel bad for not reading! HAHA. Sorry Ria! And she even named me as one of her 5 fav featured bloggers and gave me a “kickass blog” award, even though I think she’s just being nice LOL but thanks Ria!  and we will get back to our “writing challenge” this week, promise! and hopefully I’ll have time for more interesting blogs as well. I had a good rant last week but I didn’t get a chance to get on here, so there goes that!

But hopefully everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend! And either relaxed or had lots of fun! And don’t forget WHY we celebrate, it isn’t just an extra day off work

Wish me luck for tomorrow that I won’t have to work until 9pm due to one day payroll because of the holiday…

writing exercise: finish the 4 starters…

I can’t believe I was afraid of…moving to Florida. It’s great here! Sure it has it’s negative sides of things, but in reality, I am more happy here than I have ever been. I must have had that seasonal mood disorder or something, because I could get really depressed and down on myself for no reason. But because of all the sun and warmth I feel happier than ever, even when things don’t always go my way!

I can’t believe I was intimidated by… so many people. I’m at the point where, most of the time, I say screw it, who cares what they think! of course there are certain circumstances where I get nervous or unsure of myself. But really, who cares. No one is better then me!! I’m just as good as anyone else. I just wish I was more confident, not so shy, growing up. Who knows what I would be like or what my life would be like. But hey, thats who I was and there is no point wishing I could change anything, it made me who I am today. And I’m sure I had my reasons for being like that, but you live and you learn.

I can’t believe she never told me… she could sing. All those years and I never knew. She never even sang to the radio when we were together, but then I saw her up on that stage belting out the lyrics and was blown away.

I can’t believe how many years it’s been since… I’ve been on a boat. I took it for granted, all those years with my grandparents living on the lake. I grew up on the water. Driving a boat was second nature. Now I’d be lost trying to drive a boat or steer a canoe. I miss those days…

writing exercise 15:

Finish the story…

My teeth were chattering…

I was a mix between cold and scared. I sat there dripping wet. A nice man brought a blanket and wrapped it around me. Everything was a blur and I don’t think I could even pick that man out today if I saw him again. The boat rocked back and forth. I was nauseous but tried to hold it down because I couldn’t move, I was numb inside and out. I felt paralyzed, I could only look straight ahead. I could hear noise around me but I couldn’t make any words out. Someone was trying to talk to me but I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, I barely had enough energy to blink. I had been treading water for hours, it seemed. I thought help would never arrive. I had an angel looking after me, I just hope my husband has one too. He’s worse off then I was, he went under trying to keep me afloat. The divers found him and performed CPR, a helicopter took him away to the hospital. I didn’t know if he was dead or alive.

Hours later I shuffle my feet walking to the waiting room in the hospital. A nurse led me to a seat and left. I was checked out and waiting to hear any word about my husband. No one can tell me what was going on. I sit impatiently sinking my teeth into that blanket I wouldn’t let go of. It was my safety blanket now, it signaled my safety and I was holding out for my husbands as well. The doctor finally emerged from behind the closed doors, I try to concentrate on his mouth to make sure my ears hear what my eyes read on his lips. “Your husband is going to make it. He is recovering.” Thank God! That is just the news I wanted to hear. Can I see him? They lead me to his room, I lean over the bed holding him tightly and tell him I will never let go, just like he didn’t let me go.

The Votes are in. The top two contestants are the David’s. David Archuleta and David Cook.  I really wanted it to be between Syesha and David Cook!! but I had a feeling David Archuleta would make it with all the teeney boppers voting for him since and screaming and crying over him. but I was really sad for Syesha! I remember when I first noticed Syesha, I mean, really noticed how good she is and wanted her to win. I wish I could remember the name of the song, but she was wearing a sleek red dress and was on top of the piano. It was more like a Broadway performance and I was just like WOW. She really showed personality and that’s when I first “noticed” her standing out from the crowd. I first knew that David would be a star when he sung Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean. He put an awesome twist on the song and really made it his own. I knew he was talented to change it up so much and make it even better than the original. David Archuleta is good, but he’s not great. He’s only 17! And the songs he sings are all old ballads. He’s not that creative in changing up the songs, and many of his performances Simon referred to as “theme park performances.”  I could see him on the Mikey Mouse Club back in the 80’s or something, but not Americas next Idol! Come On! However I do have to give him props for picking the Chris Brown song, but it was just not right for him to be singing “my boo.” Those words did not come out of his mouth naturally. But the younger, hipper version of him I could see liking.   So who will win, David Cook or David Archuleta?? My vote is for COOK!!!

Writing exercise 14. finish the story…

In his rear view mirror the cab driver saw…

a man hurriedly climb into the back seat. He was sweating profusely and was carrying a huge bag stuffed full of who knows what. The cab driver got a really uneasy feeling about this.

“Drive!” The man yells.

“This cab is out of service,” the cab driver tries to tell the man.

“Well put it back in service,” he shouts.

“I’m sorry but you must get out.”

The cab driver tries to be stern, but the next thing he knows he’s looking down the barrel of a gun. “I don’t think you understand English,” the man continues, “Put this car in drive and put your foot on the gas petal, Now!”

The cab driver decides to listen as he doesn’t want this crazy man to kill him and leave his wife and two children behind. He drives as fast as he can, running stop signs and red lights. He’s secretly hoping a cop will pull him over and he can be done with this crazy fare. Unfortunately he makes it to the destination of this crazy man’s with no cops in sight. He’s in front of a run down apartment building and not the best area of town. At least he’s done with this guy, or so he thinks. The man gets out but climbs into the front seat.

“I’m going to need you to stay here and wait for me.” The man says.

“Sure, I will wait” the cab driver says, but knowing all well that he’s going to speed like hell out of there as soon as the guy goes inside.

“Just to ensure you don’t try anything…” he says as he quickly grabs something shiny out of his pocket which cab driver fears is a knife for a split second. He throws hand cuffs on his wrist and cuffs him to the steering wheel and grabs the keys out of the ignition. “I’ll be back, be ready” he warns.

A few minutes later he emerges from the run down apartment carrying another bag. He jumps in the front seat and as he puts the keys back in the ignition and starts the car the cab driver notices blood on his hands. He wants to ask, but refrains out of fear of what he will do. The guy gives the cab driver more instructions on where to go. He stops in front of another building and they go though the same routine with the cuffs and the keys, and emerges again with another bag. The cab driver wonders how long this will go on for, it’s already nearly 2 am.

“One more stop,” the man practically answers the cab drivers thoughts. “Ok, pull over at this park.”

The cab driver almost expects to be cuffed again, but is surprised when the man grabs the bags out of the back seat, throws a couple hundred dollar bills his way and takes off running through the deserted park.

The cab driver sits there stunned for a minute. He wasn’t sure what to do or what to think. He thought about going to the police, but he didn’t have proof of any crimes committed. He didn’t know who this guy was or what he did. He was so exhausted, dumbfounded, and greatful to be be alive that he just went home. He kissed his sleeping children, glad that he was able to see them again, and cuddled with his sleeping wife.

The next morning he almost forgot of the ordeal the night before until he turned on the news. There on the television he recognized the building he stopped at, where he was first handcuffed to the steering wheel. The news anchor was reporting the story that tied three murders together. Wow, what have I done? The man thinks. Murder. I helped this guy commit murder?? Then as the story unfolds, he comes to find out that all these men where major drug distributors. A couple even had charges of murder and rape, and one the police had been after for some time but could never catch up to him. So was this guy doing a good thing to get these men off the streets? At least people will be safer, right. But it took murder for this to happen. The cab driver debating on going to the police to tell him what they knew, but could he really help put this man away for getting rid of scum from the city, for helping to put an end to these men and their crimes, making their neighborhood safer?

This cab driver is facing a moral dilemma. what would you do???

writing exercise 13: I’m a 12 yr old girl, living on a farm, found diary from 1864

Some people might not have opened…

the small, cobweb filled door in the loft of the barn. But I was a curious young girl and loved secrets. But I’ll tell you how I came upon this door before I get too far ahead of myself.

Me and my older brother were playing baseball with the neighbor boys on my Grandpa Jack and Grandma Jane’s farm. One of the bigger boys hit the ball up into the barn, we thought it went up into the loft. Since I was the lightest, they lifted me up to go find it. As I was walking along the creaking braces, trying hard to balance on the beams and not fall, I finally spotted the ball in the corner. “I found it!” I shouted. A couple of them yelled for me to throw it down so we could finish playing the game. I hurried over to the ball and that’s when I noticed the little door. It was only about half the size of a normal door and slanted on a diagonal with the shape of the roof. I was so intrigued by that door I had never noticed before. I had been up in the rafters before but never over on this side of the barn, since the floor had mostly fallen out. We weren’t allowed over this way. I threw the ball down to the boys though the hole in the floor and told them I’d be down in a minute. My brother didn’t think it was a good idea, he knew I’d get in trouble playing on that side of the barn, but I told him I thought I heard a cat and had to find him. He went on back to the game and didn’t give me another thought.

I opened the door slowly, afraid of what I’d find. The door creaked loudly. The floor was luckily in tact, but I cautiously stepped on it in case it gave way under my weight. There was a little tiny room just barely tall enough for me to stand up straight, I ducked my head a little so it wouldn’t hit the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. There were a few wooden boxes piled up to one side. I brushed the dust off of one to reveal the name Mable. Mable, I thought to myself, what an unusual name. That must be great grandma Mable I’ve heard so much about. My grandma Jane loved her grandma Mable and talked about her all the time. She told so many stories about when she was little that you would have thought they were the same age and lived through the experiences together. It was crazy how much she could recapture the memories just from stories Grandma Mable must have told her. I lifted the top of one of the boxes inside was another box, but it was a round cardboard box, a little dusty and worn. I opened it and found a couple of hats. I tried one on and wished I had a mirror to see how silly I looked in these old fashioned hats. I need to remember to bring a mirror up here with me next time. I pulled back the lid of a second create and found a few tin boxes. I opened them up one by one. One tin box contained photographs. Wow, look at these old black and white pictures. I was mesmerized by the people and wished I knew who they all were. I wanted to ask my grandma but was afraid she would yell at me for being over here. Maybe I’ll take the chance if she’s in a good mood when I get back to the house. I open another tin, there are folded papers and letters inside. I open the last tin and there is a book. I pull out the book and flip though the hand written pages. This must be her diary! I lean over to a crack between the wooden boards which is letting a little light in so I can see what was written. The book was full of entries, most of it was dated in 1864. I skipped around reading a few pages here and there, I was so excited that I couldn’t figure out where to start, I just wanted to know what everything said. This must be why Grandma Jane knows so much about her Grandma Mable. She must know these boxes are up here and read this before. I decide to start from the beginning. I got half way though the first page and my brother is calling me from inside the barn. He said grandma Jane was calling us for lunch. I hurry and put everything back where I found it, but I stuck the diary in my waist band and pull my shirt over it so no one can see it. I can’t let them know I took it but I might not be able to get back up in the barn tonight and I really want to read the rest of this diary to find out more about my family, and maybe some secrets…

writing exercise 12

We had spent the afternoon in a cafe on the Rue Saint-Jacques, a spring afternoon just like any other…

The spring weather was just like any other day, however our moods were not. We couldn’t be happier celebrating the success of our first officially published book. We toasted champagne and ate our fill of food. Clinging out glasses together we both cheered, “To Us!” We couldn’t believe we finally did it. All our hard work was finally paying off. We recounted the steps it took to get to where we were at that moment. Some days it was an uphill struggle. There were times we didn’t think it was good enough or creative enough. There were times when we felt like we didn’t know what we were doing or where the story was going. Some times we flat out got writers block and didn’t write for weeks at a time. Then finally we got back on track. We took a trip to clear our heads and to bring us back to why we started writing this story in the first place. We got so wrapped up in all our new found ideas that we continued to write day after day, hour after hour. Until finally one day we sat back and said, this is it. It’s perfect just the way it is. Now you would think that’s where it ends and we were toasting two days later… but no there was much more. When we finally found we were finished, we realized, it was only the first step. We had to find a publisher who would even acknowledge us. We had to submit the book, we had to jump through this hoop, through that hoop. It took months and months to finally get the green light. And here we sit, celebrating our first book written together, with a contract sitting between us to write another book. We’re so happy our dreams are finally coming true that we don’t want to acknowledge this haunting feeling coming over us… what are we going to write about next???

writing exercise 11

use all 8 symbols in a story from the “gypsy card”

It seems almost impossible for me to go back to that split second when…

I grew into an adult from my teenage years. Maybe because it happens over time, but you think I would know the when it was, right? Thinking back at my childhood I can remember when I didn’t have a care in the world. Arts and Crafts were the best time in school, I always loved art. But I had a hard time cutting a straight line with scissors, I still do for that matter! Then getting a little older, the biggest worry was who I was going to share my “best friends necklaces” with. I had many “best friends” growing up. But the one who has the longest time and still running is the one I shared the yinyang necklace with. I think I was the white yin and she was the black yang, if I’m not mistaken. Speaking of necklaces, when I received my first necklace with a cross on it I felt grown up. It was real gold, I was trusted with real jewelry and felt special. I took CPR classes and learned how to teach kids about the poison symbol and not to touch whatever it was on. If I could be trusted with savings someones life that has to mean I’m grown up. Then I waved my hand to my parents in the stand on graduation day. I had to be grown up then, I was done with high school! Then in college, playing capture the flag (of course the drinking version) it hit me… I was living on my own, playing this game at 3 in the morning and I don’t have to try to sneak back in the house, I’m living on my own. Now, I’m grown up. Then I graduate college and get a job. I have to be sure I get up at least an hour earlier than I normally would in the winter just to scrape last nights snowfall off my car and make it into work on the icy roads and still get there on time. I have the responsibility of not being late to work. Wow now I feel really grown up. Then I realize… I’ve been growing up this whole time. Each day I am more of an adult then I was the day before. This will never end until the day I die…

Whenever I wear anything new, I don’t get to do anything fun. I have come to the conclusion that I must do a test run with new outfits as to not be disappointed when I’m looking forward to doing something.  The first example I can think of was last month. It was a work bbq on the beach on a Saturday. I wore this shirt i’ve had for a while but never wore, and this was the perfect time to wear it. It was a tube top type shirt which is why i never wore it yet, i lived in MI, there are not many chances to wear it. Now that I’m in FL it’s nicer a lot more often. I didn’t want to wear a bathing suit to the work thing, so a tube top seemed the perfect choice to get some sun… long story short I got ready and all dressed up and then we never made it…I just happen to have a picture however, because I was doing a “self portrait challenge” that month and had to take a pic every day for the month. So I have a pic from before i left…I’ll share it now so i can share my outfit I missed out on, even though its only part of the shirt and not the full effect but you can see how my necklace perfectly ties in, and of course the new shades I had bought… not the mention the fact it was perfect I took a pic With the glasses on because I dont have any pictures of me posted on here, so it kinda works out perfect to still “camouflage” my identity. haha.

Which brings me to my second event…Yesterday, I decided to wear this shirt, again never wore before but had for a while. Not as long as the other shirt, but I’ve had it since March. I decided I didn’t need a “special occasion” to wear this shirt, I would just wear it when I was meeting my friend for lunch and to hang out for the day. Again, got all dressed up and ready to go and then she cancels on me last minute! So I “wasted” another good outfit. Here is that one…isn’t it a cute shirt??? lol

And then to top it off… twice in one weekend i get disappointed! Sunday rolls around. My hubby and I were going to go play tennis, but we couldn’t get moving early enough because we were too tired. So then it got too hot to play tennis. So we decided to go play mini golf. Oh, I should have mentioned, since I didn’t get to hang out with my friend yesterday I went shopping by myself just to get out and do something. I bought a few articles of clothing. What I decided to wear today was a whole new outfit! Nothing fancy, but I got these cute shorts, I believe the style is called Bermuda. They’re really long, like to the knee. I’m into the capris now, which i never thought would happen because I’m so short they look kinda funny on me, like long pants. But its FL and I don’t like short shorts anymore, getting too old to show off the legs HAHA. So these seemed kind of appealing. I remember when I realized I should get shorts like that. I saw a girl walking down the street, a younger girl, with her family. She looked so cute in the shorts, I think they were pretty similar to the ones i found actually. And they just jumped right out at me at the store so I went ahead of bought them! They fit great. And then I got a plain black tank but its a scoop neck that gathers you know… its kinds of hard to explain and you can’t really see it in the picture, so I hope you know what I mean…but anyway… mini golfing… we start driving along and we’re about half way there when it starts to rain! well it’s Florida, it could stop in two minutes, or maybe its not even raining over there. So we keep going. We get off the expressway (yeah the closest one we could find is like 25 mins away) and it starts Pouring and lightning… yeah, guess we can cancel those plans. So we turn around… and there goes another outfit!

I kinda feel like I look like an old lady LOL but I like them, so shut up! haha.

So thanks for letting me finally share my outfits I so dearly missed going “out on the town” with.