Mid-April

So, not much is new with me since my last post.  Seriously.  I live a very boring life, people.  But don't get me wrong...I am okay with that. :)  But it does lead to lack of ideas for blog posts!

I'm still super busy at work and things are high stress right now for various reasons.  High stress enough that I had a little meltdown last week. :(  But I worked through it and life goes on.  It was just a combination of different events that just kind of sent me over the edge.  But I look at it like this...everyone needs a good cry once in awhile and that just happened to be MY day for one!  ha! :)

Mom & Dad are planning a trip out here in June, so that's something to look forward to.  Mom is going to come out early at the beginning of June and going to my yearly church convention with me, so that will be nice!  Then, Dad will come out after our convention and they'll both be here for a week or so.  I'm VERY excited about their planned visit! :)

So, I gave my luck a try recently and applied for an Advising job at a university in Wisconsin.  I haven't heard anything back from them yet and the job posting has been closed for a little over two weeks now, so I'm not sure if I should be concerned or just trust that they're still making decisions on who they want to bring in and interview!! :o)  It seemed like the perfect job up there, so I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring to see what happened.  If it doesn't work out, I'm okay with still being at my current job.  I just thought it would be nicer to be much closer to family again.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on whether or not I hear anything from the job!

Speaking of university's, ours ends its spring classes in just two more weeks!  April 27 is the last day of classes and then the week after that is finals week.  Yahoo!!  I'm ready for this semester to be OVER.  It has not been a fun one.  It has gone by quickly, but several events have just made it a difficult one (for everyone).  Better days are ahead, I hope!!

Well, all for now.  I can't promise anymore that I'll be very regular about updating because I just don't enjoy blogging like I used to.  But I will update when I can and when the fancy strikes!  It just may be only once or twice a month, though.  We'll see.  So, take care care until next time!

Oh, Happy Day!

Today was a gorgeous day here!  I can't believe how fantastic the weather has been this month.  We usually never see weather this nice until mid-May.  It's been a real treat!  The leaves have started coming up on the bushes and buds are appearing on the trees.  Beautiful!!  Yes, I know that this is later than what most of you are experiencing, but we are at a higher elevation than most places, so it takes a little longer for these things to happen. :)

It was fantastic to listen again to the birds chirping outside my office window.  They had quite the melody to them today.  It was very pretty to listen to!

Well, knock on wood, but I think I survived advising week a-OK!!  Amazingly enough, this felt like a relatively comfortable year (aka, it wasn't chaotic or exhausting).  I'm honestly not sure what the difference was, whether I was more prepared than I ever have been before or because I was more relaxed about how things were going.  You see, we're short staffed in the office right now, so my mentality has shifted to, "I'll do what I can do and just be happy with that."  There's obviously too much work to accomplish all in one day, so I find that I'm much more relaxed and that I go home knowing I did a good job and knowing that the work will be there tomorrow, too.  Hmmmm...maybe this really could be the big difference!!  Who knows...

So, there's only four weeks left in the semester and then summer is here!!  I find that so hard to believe.  Time just flies!  I was part of a conversation this afternoon where this woman was mentioning that now that "50 is in her rearview mirror," she is really trying to enjoy every day for what it is and that she is also trying to have a little "me time" every day, too.  She said that she has a tendency to get so caught up in life and work and school that she doesn't even appreciate the days.  She feels that she's more aware of her age (and that she might not have as many years left as what she's already lived) and that because of that, she just wants to be more appreciative of each day that she's given.  I found myself smiling while listening to her and thinking, "I want to do that, too." :)  So, here's to a nice, relaxing weekend where we step back, take a deep breath and enjoy the days for what they are.

Just livin' life : )

Not much is going on with me these days.  It was advising week this week, so it was a busy time.  I anticipate that next week is going to be busier because kids actually start registering and that's when I seemed to get bogged down with work.  Oh, well!  I'll do what I can throughout the day and go home happy in the evenings.  Sounds like a good plan, right? :)

We've been having some GORGEOUS weather in town over the last couple of weeks, so that's been great!  I'm afraid that we're going to pay for it in June, though, and then THAT'S when we'll get the snow!  haha!  With how crazy the weather can be in this town, I just wouldn't be surprised by that. :)

I ordered some girl scout cookies more than a few weeks ago and I've been patiently waiting for my order to arrive.  Unfortunately, today did not prove to be the day that they arrived. Maybe next week?!?

And that's all for now!  Yes, I know that this is quite a boring post, but that's the way it goes when you're busy during the work week and tired in the evenings.  I plan to R&R this weekend and I'm really looking forward to that!! : )  Take care 'til next time! :)


UPDATE:  Yes, Monday is looking to be a great day!  As soon as I posted this, logged out, and then logged into my e-mail, this is what I found:
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012
Subject: Girl Scout Cookies
Your cookies have arrived! You may pick them up any time!

Yahoo!! :o)

Signs of spring

When I got to work this morning, it was already above 40 degrees outside and the birds were chirping away!  By lunchtime, it was in the low 50s.  Ahhhhh...the signs of spring!  Alas, it doesn't last long around here.  Tonight and tomorrow?  Rain and snow.  Blech.  But by Thursday it's supposed to be nice weather again, so I won't complain too much. :)

Next week is spring break at the University and while all the students get the week off, I still have to work.  We get our "extra" days off during Christmas, so that's fine by me! :)  The week after next is advising week, so I will have LOTS to do next week's quiet time to get ready for it!!  I'm a little more nervous about it because we're under more strict mandates to not work extra hours anymore, so while I'd usually put in about 50 hrs. during advising week, now I'm being told that I'll get slapped on the hand if I try to do that.  So...we'll see how it goes! The mandate has put me in a position to just not be as helpful as I've been in the past (aka, it's now more of telling students to just figure things out on their own) and, honestly, I'm not so sure I like that.  It has, however, lessened my stress quite a bit already, so I guess I can't complain.  Anyway, with my track record on posting, the next time I post will probably be in April (AFTER advising week!), so I'll let you know then how it went and how I survived. :)

I've been missing my family quite a bit today.  I'm not sure why, really.  Well, I know why...because they're GREAT! :) But today was one of those days where I miss them and I find myself shaking my head and asking myself HOW I ended up so far away from them.  I always tell my mom, "It turned out this way because I was young and foolish when I made the decision to move so far away!"  haha! :)  Don't get me wrong...I *love* Wyoming and *love* my job!!  Some days, though, I just wish it wasn't so far from Wisconsin.

Any of you watching all of this election hub-bub?  I keep watching it and wondering if this will be the first year that I just don't even go out and vote.  We'll see!  I've voted every year since turning 18, but I'm so disgusted with all of them, anymore, that I wonder why I even bother to put in my two cents.  They're all just a bunch of frauds and it seems that all they do is go around in circles and we end up in more and more trouble than we ever have been before.  The sad thing is that I know it's not going to get any better and I bet that the people running will just become more and more crooked.  It's sad, really.  Even though I wasn't even alive during days that I'm about to describe, I can honestly say that I miss the days of honest times and honest people.  At least all of the wickedness today inspires ME to be honest and trustworthy!!  I hope I'm doing an okay job at that.

Well, all for now.  I've been keeping quite busy at work so I'm quite tuckered out by the end of the day anymore.  It just makes me so glad for quiet evenings. :)  Take care 'til next time!

Another two-week hiatus?!?

Oh boy.  Yes, I know that it's been another two weeks since I have posted here, but this time I really have NO excuse. :)  I had company two weekends ago (the weekend after valentine's day) and for all of last week, I was busy every night of the week!  On Monday night, I cleaned my apartment after my company left.  On Tuesday, I went to the last girl's college basketball game, Wednesday night was bible study, and then Thursday and Friday night, I was on the phone ALL evening, each evening!  No joke!  Good thing I have a good phone plan. haha! :)  Saturday, I went downtown to pick up some enchiladas that I purchased from a school for their fundraiser (yum!) and then went to the college guy's basketball game and then on Sunday, I went to my Sunday morning church meeting and then we had a potluck for some dear friends who are moving away to another state.  Sunday day was a good day (meeting) but a sad day (saying goodbye).  So, I've just been busy, busy, busy again! :)

Work is going well, too.  There's a lot going on and it's keeping me quite busy, so I'm usually pretty exhausted by the time I get home each night.  Obviously that doesn't stop me from making plans for the evening, but on the nights that I don't have anything going on, it's GREAT to just chill out and RELAX. :)  Tonight has been one of those nights and I've been very glad for that.  I came home with a headache today so I was glad to just relax.

Well, I've been shopping for a new wallet for awhile now and boy, oh, boy...is it HARD to find something a gal can like!  Well, it is for me, anyway. :)  I've had my current wallet for about 10 years now and it's starting to look a little worn out, so I thought it was time to upgrade.  I've been looking and looking and I think I finally found one today!  Here's a picture, but sorry about the picture quality.  I took it from my cell phone.

Cute, no?  Well, I like it!  The main wallet is a dark brown leather and the swirly dods are a lighter brown.  It's VERY cute!  It's an Ariat wallet (a big name in western wear) and my friend said, "Well, we're going to turn you into a cowgirl yet!" haha! :)  Anyway, I'm just happy that I finally found a wallet!  Yay! :)

I hope that you're doing well and having good days!  We've had some icky winter weather here lately with some SERIOUS wind (aka, gusts of 60 mph).  It's been atrocious, really. I've said it before and I'll say it again...I completely understand why men and women went crazy because of the wind in the old wild west.  It's the new west out here and the wind drives ME crazy some days!!  Ugh.  Anyway, hopefully it will pass soon and we'll be well on our way to spring! :)  Take care until next time!

Valentine's Day Flowers

Look at the beautiful flowers my dad sent me for valentine's day!  Isn't he just so sweet?!

Love you, Dad!  Thank you!!! : )

Please forgive me...

Please forgive my delay in posting, but I had the flu last week!  booooo!!! :(  Luckily, it was only a 24-hour bug (Tuesday to Wednesday), but it's been a few residual days of tiredness since then, so not much productivity on my part.  Oops!  But I'm feeling "normal" again today and thought I'd put up a little post of what's been going on with me.  :)

Work has been good, so I can't complain there.  It keeps me busy, so that's nice.  We're being held to our working hours a lot more now, though, so that's been quite a change for me.  It's been mandated that departments be more strict with their staff to ensure that they are NOT working more than 40 hours a week.  I'd often work until 6 PM just to "finish up" the day and get things organized for the next day, all without claiming it on my payroll.  But I was okay with that!  However, the University is NOT okay with that, so they're being more strict about things.  Disobedience to this change could result in a reprimand that goes into my employee file, so I will obey the rules because I don't want that to happen!! :)  We'll see how things go once work drastically increases during advising time.  I try not to worry about it.  What will be, will be!!

This past Saturday I was a guest coach for the women's college basketball team, so that was a fun experience! :)  I got to watch the team warm up a bit ("shoot around") in the morning (around 9 AM), go out for breakfast with them (10 AM), join them in the locker room before the game and during half time and then sit just behind them on the bench (in "press row"). Oh, and how could I forget?! They announced it on the loud speaker AND posted it on the jumbo tron that I was one of the honorary coaches! Woo-hoo! :)  It was LOTS of fun!! Too bad we lost by three points, though. Oh, well...I'm still a fan! GO COWGIRLS!!!  :)

Here's a picture they took of me and the other honorary coach (on my right).  The woman on the left is an academic advisor for the athletes and I work with her quite a bit, so that's why I think I was chosen for this fun experience. :)

Try not to laugh at me in the picture...it wasn't the best picture I've had taken of me. :)  The crazy part about the experience, though, is that I wasn't allowed to cheer!!  I had to be a "neutral" fan because we were sitting among the press.  Seriously.  I was told that if I even wanted to clap that I had to clap under the table.  It was weird!! And let me tell you, it was HARD to be quiet! haha! :)  But it was still fun to be close enough to hear the Coach talk to the girls during time outs. Very interesting!! :)
 
So that's what I've been up to over the last couple of weeks.  I meant to post something last week, but got sick, so hopefully this post can make up for it. :)  Take care!  Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!!! :)