I'm Back...

I am unsure how many people out there in this big world noticed, but I've been gone for a while. In June 2011, I quit my job of 3 years due to some rather nasty and demeaning work conditions that I personally could not justify taking a moment longer. So, I quit. I filed for unemployment to help until I found another job. I was initially denied, but petitioned that the work conditions left me no other option but to quit, and had a hearing in front of a "judge" to prove myself. At that hearing, my employer did not show up but instead sent their lawyer (who is the son of the owner/Doctor in charge of the medical practice I worked at) to "beat me up in front of the judge". At that hearing, the lawyer pulled out a large binder and opened it up to a few bookmarked pages and asked me to read from them--the binder was my entire blog, pictures and all, printed out page by page, in color. I had to read from posts that I wrote while still employed that he felt implied that I had been planning on quitting the entire spring, and that I quit solely to go on my vacation to the Outer Banks with Josh (which happened to be the week following me quitting my job). It Was CREEPY. It bothered me enough that I just stopped blogging on here. I mean, really, EW.
However, so much has gone on in the past 9 months that I should have been blogging about. My life has had some serious ups and downs in that amount of time; things have changed drastically in so many many ways. I realized at a few points that I should totally be blogging about it all, but never got around to it. Then, on Wednesday of this week, (which happened to be Leap Day so the bad day shouldn't have even existed!) I was having a bad day--nothing in particular was really wrong but I was on the verge of having a real full-blown temper tantrum on my living room floor, bawling my eyes out, kicking my legs, pounding my fists into the floor, screaming at the top of my lungs in between breaths...and my sister-in-law Jenny texted me to see what was wrong. It was then that I realized that it was both nothing really and a whole lot of everything that I haven't been able to get out of myself or off my chest in a really long time. She suggested I start blogging again...and I realized yes, that is the answer right now. I love writing, I am usually better at putting it all down on "paper" than putting it out in words or physical expressions. I really want to take a kick-boxing class to get the angry parts out, but that isn't in my very near future right now, so this will suffice.
So, I am back.
I don't care who is reading this; if those Shrews I worked for are still reading this, or their Mole Lawyer, or that evil Wicked Witch who drove me to quit my job is reading this too, FINE. GOOD FOR YOU. I'm glad that my life is of so much interest to you; I'll just take it that YOUR personal life sucks that much that you need to look in on what this 29 year-old has going on to feel alive. :)

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. The highlight of my week was a two-fer: Thursday night when Josh came home from working out of town, AND he brought me a Shamrock Shake for dessert! He's been working out of town far too much this year so far, and it does not make me happy. On top of the normal gloom of having the house to myself and caring for the 5 furry pups myself, this time he is totally missing out on our little baby growing in my tummy! I'm glad this time he was only gone 3 days.
2. If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be simplistic, rustic/country, and functional.
3. My first vehicle was a green 1994 Dodge Dakota. I loved that truck.
4. An item I need to have in my day in order to function is my Nalgene filled with water. I carry it everywhere. It usually needs refilled numerous times, but it's how I make sure I am staying plenty hydrated. (And a snuggle from Cash--I cannot start my day without a little puppy cuddle time in bed before rolling out!)
5. My favorite way to waste time is at work: playing solitaire (shh, don't tell my boss, it's not written down on my daily sheets); recently I discovered Pinterest, and it's got my undivided attention from time to time; right now I'd say anything BABY--planning a nursery, bookmarking items I want and need, researching said items to find the best there is, etc.
6. Right now I could really go for a caramel salt latte. But it would keep me up all night at this point.
7. This weekend I will be cleaning and doing laundry. I neglected these things this past week in leiu of sleep...and they must be done. Also, I will be seeing some good friends Saturday night for a dinner party! Can't wait, it's been too long since we've gone out and spent time with some good people! :)

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. My idea of pure perfection would be fresh flowers on my table every day, rainy evenings, sunny days, and no more sickness/cancer/illness afflicting the world.

2. Hope makes the world go 'round.

3. If it weren't for bills that need paid every time I turn around, I'd be content to be a stay-at-home wifey (and someday mother).

4. Bloggers are totally awesome. Creativity galore!!

5. If I had a paycheck I'd buy you something shiny and new.

6. I'm glad it's Friday because well, what's not to like about a Friday?? :)

7. Something I'm excited about is the upcoming fall season! I love fairs, and concerts, and truck pulls, and sausage sandwiches, and fries, and fried everything, and the animals, and cowboy boots and jeans, and the cooler weather, and football starts, and pumpkins, and my birthday! and fall colors...YAY!!!

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. My most favorite birthday was ahh! I don't remember my age...maybe 13? My BFF at the time threw me a surprise party and lots of friends came, we laid and watched the stars next to the road after dark, and had a cake fight with my birthday chocolate chip cookie cake!!! It was so much fun!

2. My worst birthday was my 21st birthday...most of my friends were too young to take me out, but one guy was old enough and did take me out...I ended up crushing his box of cigarettes (he kept blowing smoke on me), he went to the bathroom and threatened that I better give the box back to him when he got out, and I ran...I ended up hanging off a guard rail down a gorge waiting until he passed, sneaked through Cornell University's campus hiding behind bushes and trees and signs while he was driving up and down the streets yelling my name, until I got to a Blue Light to call someone to come escort me home; two big guys did come and escort me home and my good friend who I called for advice prior to finding a Blue Light ended up calling the cops over the entire incident and I had to give a deposition when I finally got back. UGH!

3. My favorite birthday memory is arriving in Hawaii for the start of our honeymoon on my birthday!! Now if only that could happen every birthday....

4. The best birthday present I've ever received was that Hawaiian vacation!

5. The best birthday present I've ever given was a homemade cheesecake. Everyone loved it, even my mother, and she really isn't that big a fan of cheesecake at all! AND my sister, a HUGE cheesecake fan, told me it tasted BETTER than Cheesecake Factory!!

6. Birthdays are awesome!!! It's great to get spoiled or spoil someone for one special day...a day that's all your own!

7. My favorite age so far has been 27/28...married at 27, Hawaiian honeymoon for my birthday, and this first year, while challenging and tough at times, has been amazing with my husband by my side!

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. My go to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is a floor length strapless dress in varying colors depending on the time of day and venue...I have quite a few!

2. This week has been somewhat uneventful...I've been spending most of my time worrying about the water situation here at the house, or job-hunting and filling out application after application after application...

3. When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy I'll usually eat soup and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich if I can get myself to make it.

4. My favorite pair of shoes is my Birkenstock sandals or my Airwalk sandals...then my Timberland boots when the weather turns...

5. A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary, but that I could never part with is a quarter that I found in a coin purse from my grandfather that I was given after he passed away. The purse always sat on his dresser, and now it sits on mine with other coins in it...but I cannot spend THAT coin.

6. My favorite person is Joshua David Fiske. Then maybe Gary Allan...;-).

7. If I were going to write my own blank it would say hmm...My favorite structure is a lighthouse.