Babysitting = Birth Control

You should be proud of me. I went to that Institute class last Thursday all by myself. I even sat right in the front row! I actually regretted that later because no one sits in the front row, leaving me all by my lonesome, but luckily there were some nice folks behind me that didn't mind partnering up with me for parts of the class.

This past weekend was a rough one. I went to California with my cousin Jamie to help her and her husband with their three little girls while she ran an 11 mile obstacle race. She's one tough lady! Anyway, her girls are 4, almost 2, and 5 months. A wild bunch, but very cute. After it was all over and the drool and boogers had been washed from my skin and clothes, I was completely wiped! I still am. On top of that I have to start packing up my room and looking for paint because I'm moving this weekend! I'm pretty excited but I'm just realizing how much work it's going to be. I guess it's my own fault for not starting sooner.

I'm hoping that once I move I will have some more interesting stories to tell you... who ever you are...

Much Needed Motivation

So I have 3000 page views. No big deal. I also made $50 extra dollars today for drawing and coloring a picture. Didn't even break a sweat. I also went to the doctor and got awesome news (no, not that kind of news). Basically, today is a very good day. I hope this good luck streak follows through to tonight where I will attempt to attend an LDS Institute class (I never go). I really hope my nerves don't give in and I decide to do something better (ie. watch cat videos online). These past few days have not been good since I'm am recently single. Long story, maybe later.

Anyway I'm glad it's been a decent day and I'm looking forward to this next week where I will be moving out of my Aunt and Uncle's house and into a house with my sister and a few other girls. I think I'm ready to do the independent thing and I'm praying I don't crash and fall on my face when it comes to finances. I better start pumping out new pictures to sell so I can afford toilet paper.

Hmm....I'm tempted.

Starbucks Is Not Just For Coffee Drinkers

This morning I had a doctor appointment to go to at 8, and thinking it would be a half hour wait, then an hour appointment, I told the girls at work I'd be in by 10:30. In reality, I was there probably a total of 6.5 minutes, wait time included. I didn't realize it was just a blood draw so I had the next couple hours of free time. "Endless possibilities!" I said to myself. I decided on Starbucks since it was 20 yards away. I ordered a breakfast sandwich and hot chocolate and sat at a little table and read.

I cannot begin to describe how wonderful it was. It was a pleasant atmosphere smelling of coffee and sweets, music was playing in the background and I knew every song. I sat at my little table for two and read my (zombie) book. There was a pleasant looking man across from me working on his laptop and an older woman having breakfast with her husband to my right. A steady stream of people came through to get their daily fix and hurry off to work. But me? I was sitting there calm as could be, soaking in soft rays of light peeking through the glass. 

Why is it when we are in a hurry time seems to speed by and then when we have all the time in the world the seconds just tick by like molasses? If I could do that every day, I would. It relaxed me completely, I didn't have a care in the world. After my hour of reading, I slowly made my way to work, not even bothering to dart and weave through traffic like I normally do as I rush to work. If only I had the mental ability to wake up early so I had time to get ready slowly. I'm not the kind of person who likes to be rushed.

So now at work I sit here and try and evoke that same content feeling that I had at the coffee shop, but a light bulb just popped so I need to go clean up some glass shards before the clients start coming in. 

Maybe I'll read a book tonight...

Thou Shalt Not Be A Pansy

Confidence. Something that is essential to one's success, I believe. Something that I'm lacking. My goal for this year is to gain confidence, not in a smug "I'm so great" kind of way, but the "I know I can do this" way. I'm sure it would creep out to all corners of my life and help in different areas. One of my friends (who I must say, I have never met) sent me a link to this great site when I was complaining about how hard it was to write a book.  Here is the part I liked best:

1. Thou shalt think like a professional, starting now.
2. Thou shalt begin and keep going till you’re through.
3. Thou shalt take your efforts and desires seriously.
4. Thou shalt call it work.
5. Thou shalt write for yourself, not the market.
6. Thou shalt not wait for visits from the muse.
7. Thou shalt not ask whether you are good enough.
8. Thou shalt not intimidate yourself by comparing your writing with a published and polished work.
9. Thou shalt not worry whether your idea is new enough.
10. Thou shalt not talk your idea away.
11. Thou shalt not self-censor at all during the first draft.
12. Thou shalt not risk writer’s paralysis by looking for the precise word or being afraid of sounding dumb.
13. Thou shalt not believe that if writing is hard, you must be no good.
14. Thou shalt not set yourself up for failure with impossible goals.
15. Thou shalt not believe in writer’s block.

I must say I am thoroughly motivated now. If only they had one of these for self confidence. 

It's February Already??

Guess what today is? No, not just Valentine's Day, it's my Blogger Birthday! It's been a year since my first post, a little over a year since I moved here. I'm proud to say that a lot has changed since my first blog post, including myself, some ways good, some ways... not as good, but better than a year ago.

Since today is the day of love, I just wanted to say how much I love.... writing. It's true, I love it with a fiery passion that no amount of chocolate or any Valentines card can express. I've mentioned my goal to write a book, several in fact, and I'm still working hard at it. The older I get, the more determined I am since I want to be published before I get too old. I always wanted to be like Christopher Paolini or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes who both wrote books while they were still in their youth. Since I'm now closing in on my geriatric years (almost 20!) I figured I needed to step up the pace and get my butt into gear!

Here's to another year of blogging and all that mushy Valentine's Day stuff! I hope you snatch up the love of your life, if you haven't already. Huzzah!

Fancy Is Not My Forte

Since Valentine's Day is on a Tuesday this year, Rich and I thought it would be best to celebrate on Saturday. That morning we went to the Arizona Renaissance Fair (one of my all time favorite things) and I got to stare in awe and envy at all the amazing costumes. Someday I will have a costume of my own.

After I went home and freshened up, Rich took me to where we had our first date: Golf-land. I'm happy to say it didn't have that first date "charm" to it. Afterwards we headed to Scottsdale/Phoenix to go to Bistro 24, a supposedly fancy restaurant, the kind you get reservations for. I was a little nervous because I don't go to fancy places on the regular. I'm more of a "Olive Garden Fancy" which is, you know, not that fancy. Before we left I told him I was okay with going somewhere else, somewhere cheaper. Maybe Cheesecake Factory or even Taco Bell. We took off for Bistro 24 anyway. When we got there we realized it was valet parking only so we parked across the street. I was starting to get nervous and then had a minor breakdown. I told him I couldn't go in there, I felt like an impostor, blah blah, not fancy enough, etc. Then we realized that right behind us in that parking lot was a Cheesecake Factory. I believe it was heaven sent.

I'd like to make note that Rich still gets all the cool points he would have gotten just because he was willing to take me to Bistro 24 and pay whatever it cost. Even though we ended up at a slightly less fancy place, at least it wasn't Olive Garden Fancy.

This Phone Will Die

My brain is fuzzy and it really hurts. It almost feels as if it is inflamed so I keep drinking water which helps for about a minute. I'm about to break this phone if it rings one more time or maybe my head will explode before I have the chance to do that. Two and a half hours of work to go and I may just go insane.

One good thing about today is I have a meeting with a landlord that I may start renting from. It would be in a house with 4 girls, one being my sister. It would be the first time I am independent seeing as I've been living with my Aunt for the past year. She is wonderful and like a mother/best friend to me, but I think it's time I get out of her hair.

On to new things I guess.

Tear-Free Friday

There must be something going on with my hormones because I have been on somewhat of an emotional wreck. I've been reading Catching Fire, the second book to The Hunger Games (I just got emotional while typing the title... I'm defective 0_o). Every time there is a mention of comrade-ery, professions of love, or even simple happy moments, I get this wave of feelings that makes me want to burst into tears. This is not normal. I do not cry often. I would watch some super manly killing/explosions movie to cure me but I've already tried that. I'm still a pansy.   |.\_/.|

For those who like Twilight, or maybe you don't like it but you've read it/watched it, here are a few parodies I have to watch over and over again. I love them! (these don't make me cry)

Twilight

New Moon

Eclipse

Breaking Dawn - Part1

Red-Shoe Rescuer

I'm so thankful that I have a convertible. Last night I was taking Sir Richard to his place when we realized that we had forgot his bike back at work. Fortunately I was able to put the top down and then wedge the bike into my tiny backseat. I'm sure we looking nothing less than ridiculous with a bike sticking way out of my car, flying down the freeway, me wearing my Russian hat and Rich wearing his baby blue helmet. Some nights are just pure fun.

This morning I had another adventure. I was just putting the finishing touches on my makeup when my Aunt Becky comes in and tells me my Uncle John ran out of gas on the freeway and she still had a couple piano lessons to teach. I quickly got dressed and headed out to fill my gas can (which I bought a while ago because I have run out of gas many times). 

I cannot tell you how good it felt to be the rescuer, not the rescue-ee. It's nice not being the damsel in distress from time to time. I pulled over on the side of the freeway and made my way over to John's car, gas can in hand, hair blowing in the wind, red high heels blazing. 

I felt so cool.

Now I'm just back to normal Haley, sitting at my desk at the office, waiting for the next distress signal so I can throw on my cape and go save the day.