Yankees World Series Trophy

That is the Yankees World Series Trophy in all it's glory! This past Saturday it traveled from Hong Kong to the County Center for our cities viewing pleasures! It was only available for 3 measly hours. Chancho picked me up from work and we rushed over and got in line. There were only a few people on line because it wasn't advertised very well. We didn't have to wait very long to stand right next to it. It wasn't in a glass case or anything. I could have touched it, kissed it and smelled it if I felt the need to. It was so beautiful. It has gotten me so much more excited for this season to start. Pitchers and catchers report in a week I think it is and we will be buying our tickets for the Red Sox v. Yankees game very very soon. This week, I think we'll lay down the money and check off another stadium on our list. March is just around the corner!

No Phone! Ahhhhh

I am going Crazy!! My phone broke on Saturday. The screen went black. I have no way of looking at it, therefore I can't send or receive text messages or view any of my contacts. I can still receive phone calls and make calls, if I know the number. It's driving me bonkers! Chancho and I rely heavily on our phones for communication, especially while he's at work. We are constantly texting one another throughout the day. It feels really weird not being able to send him a text whenever I want. It's pretty sad how dependent I have become with this phone. I can't even use it as my alarm clock anymore. I had to download a gadget to my computer to make sure that I was up in time for work. Which did not mean I had a peaceful sleep. I was so nervous that I wasn't going to wake up to the new alarm. I strode into Verizon today, very confidently, and asked for a new phone. The man was not friendly, but said that because I was within warranty, I could indeed receive a new phone for FREE. The catch was that I have to until Wed for it to arrive AND it needs to be signed for. I'm sure I can handle not having a fully functioning phone until Wed, but the fact that it needs to be signed for is going to be tricky. Both, my mother and I have to work all day. My father on the other hand is off, but he has a strict rule of not answering the door, plus the fact that he lives in the basement and can't hear the doorbell. Two very good signs that I'll be driving to FedEx on Wed to pick up my phone after work. It all won't matter though once I have a working phone in my hand!

Superbowl Sunday was spent at Zach's house with his family and a couple of our friends. It was a good time. Chancho took the day off so that he could partake in the "superbowl" of his own. Every year him and a bunch of his (our) friends get together at a local college and play football. He is hurting today though. Of course they play tackle and don't wear any protection. He got his lip cut up real bad and his lip is probably 3 times the size today.

This upcoming weekend we are planning a Cross Country Ski trip. We thought we would head up to Lapland Lake, which is in the Adirondacks. It's a Finish themed park because the owner is from Finland who was an Olympic skier. It's about 3 hours away from here and a tad expensive for us right now so instead I have a feeling we'll be going to Fahnestock Winter Park. It's a lot closer, smaller, but affordable and only a day trip. Chancho has never been x-country skiing before, so I'm really excited to teach him and see how he does. Maybe he'll love it like he now loves camping.We shall see.

Listening to: "Smile" by Uncle Kracker

Sunny's

 I've been thinking a lot lately about school and how my life was a bit different when I was there only a few months ago. I am figuring out how to adjust to this new lifestyle, but with more responsibility and views on life. I am so grateful that I was able to spend 4 years away from home in new surroundings filled with wonderful people.
Growing up in a household where I wasn't the happiest child, I dreamed of the days where I would be able to leave and be on my own. As a requirement by my parents I had to attend school at least 2 hours away. This was to ensure that I wouldn't be home every weekend, but close enough that I could come home if something came up. I knew right away that I would be going further than 2 hours away. I wanted to escape being home and under my parents supervision. Little did I know that I would hate to travel the distance. I found a school as far as I could be in the state of New York, so I could attend a SUNY school. A tiny town that was as big as my neighborhood. They drove tractors down the road and had snow that would require you to use a snowsuit to get to classes dry. This is the wonderful school that I chose. There were many times, many many times, that I questioned why I chose to go there, but in the end I remembered that I was loving every minute of it.

I have met so many people, fantastic people while I was away at school. I have formed life long friendships that I know I could count on for anything. I would travel those 8 hours in a heartbeat if I knew they needed me. A group of girls that I met freshman year, became my family throughout the 4 years and it was hard to leave them behind. Now that we're all going in our separate directions, I know that we'll do everything possible to keep in touch. There was also a group of guys that I met my junior year that became like brothers to me. A lot of mornings were spent sharing stories about the previous nights activities and confiding in one another about embarrassing moments or not such great decisions, but in the end we were always there for one another. Sunny's is a local "nightclub" in town. It was the place where we could go freshman year as under-aged college students. It quickly became the place to go whenever you felt the urge to just dance. Our final year, we had a house about 200 steps away from the front door of Sunny's. It brings back a ton of memories.
Turns out that by escaping the home I grew up in, I have now distanced myself from a family that I miss everyday and am too far to just stop by and say hi. Now it comes down to emails and text messages, with a few phone calls here and there. They know that they can call me anytime. I guess the purpose of this post would just be to simply say that I appreciated being away at school and the friendships that I built. I wouldn't have done anything differently, regardless of how things have turned out so far. My friends mean the world to me and I will do anything for them. Some friendships are slowly sliding to the wayside, but that doesn't mean I don't cherish those moments and memories. I don't view it as losing a friend, but just someone passing by that I may see again. I am hoping for a reunion this summer. I may be going to surprise a friend who is walking the stage in May, I'd love to be there to see him finally finish. So here's to college and the greatest memories that I can hold on to while I make even bigger and better memories with the next chapter of my life!

Dedication to my friends whom I know I can call up at 1am if I'm lonely: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

Quote of the Day: "When I want friendship defined-I look at my friends"

Calling All Jobs

I'm getting desperate. I need a new job, not that I don't love my job now, but that's all that it is, a job. I want a career. I am ready to switch it up and get on with something new and exciting. I have been applying to jobs almost every week and nothing. I mean nothing, has come of it. This has been going on since June. I haven't even gotten a call for an interview. What am I doing wrong? How is it possible that with a degree that I have not  been able to find something, anything. I started applying to jobs that I wouldn't even consider, but I am desperate. I have even started applying to places outside of my desired traveling range, meaning the worst place on earth NJ! I am trying to stay positive. I do have a job and an income that allows me to pay for my bills and school loans, but I am ready, beyond ready to move up.
The search continues on...


Listening to: "Rockstar" by Nickelback
Quote of the Day: "There has to be dark and muddy waters so that the sun could have something to background its flashing glory." - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Buried Alive by Roy Hallums

Picture yourself in Iraq, just trying to get some work done when you are kidnapped. How do you get yourself to survive? What will keep you going and willing to make it through your ordeal, no matter how long it is, with the worst possible thought on your mind of death? Roy Hallums brings you through his encouraging ordeal of being kidnapped by a gang, while working as a contractor in Iraq.
This book captures you right from the beginning, as you're thrown into a different world of new customs and life changing activities. It allows you to feel as Roy did while being held hostage and opens your mind into how strong you are as a person, questioning how you may react if put in a similar situation, if not by being kidnapped, but from the families point of view. It was hard to put the book down as you read further in, he left you wanting to know more with every flip of the page. Pick up the book and see for yourself.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Family

Turns out that my grandmother made it through the surgery just fine. She is home today without any complications and wobbling around. My mother will be there for a few more days just to make sure that she is waited on hand and foot. My grandmother lives by herself in her own house that has two floors, her bedroom being upstairs so it's definitely not convenient for her to only have use of one leg. Thank you to all who had good thoughts and prayers.
Speaking of family. I was able to talk to a cousin today that I haven't spoken to in years a decade. Thanks to wonderful Facebook chat, we were able to talk for a few moments and catch up. It's nothing like meeting in person or visiting, but it was very nice. I told her to check out the blog so here's a quick shout out to you! Hi :)

In other news, I finally finished reading my book from BookSneeze yesterday so look forward to a post about that, when I find the time.

Listening to: "Superman" by Matchbox 20
Quote of the Day: "If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise."
-Robert Fritz

Off Day

Apparently yesterday I had an off day at work. I wasn't exactly "feeling" the work place atmosphere, but I was still doing my job. I just wasn't as peppy as they would have liked me to be. My manager also found me doing jobs that I wasn't necessarily supposed to be doing at that moment. I didn't consider that to be a bad thing, I was still doing work beneficial to the store, but I guess it just wasn't what she wanted.
My supervisor spoke to me today asking me what was happening. I was thrown off guard. I didn't expect that conversation at all. So there I was stumbling over my words trying to explain myself. As it turns out, I just didn't have the correct attitude that they were expecting. Bare with me a moment while I vent this out.
I just don't see how they can lecture me about my attitude after one day of me not smiling every time they saw me. You would think that they would understand that people just wake up and find themselves in a funk. I'm not one to fake my feelings. If I don't feel like myself, there is nothing that will make me act differently, especially if I'm at work. It doesn't effect how well I do my job if I'm not smiling and jumping up and down. I agree that I  may not come across as approachable if I'm not standing there smiling, but there has to be some leeway. My personality doesn't change. I'm still a kind, patient person. What gets me the most is that I was still working and helping the store out, unlike a few other employees who just stand there and stare at the ceiling.
Okay I'm done. Today was hopefully better. They announced that an employee is now a full timer, which means that they get a key to the store. I was a bit shocked and bummed out by that because I've been aiming for a position of that nature since I have yet to find another job. This is just motivating me even more to find another job and quick. It's time for a change, especially if they aren't going to reward me for my hard work.

Listening to: "Before Tomorrow Comes" by Alter Bridge
Quote of the Day: "Do not be afraid to give up the good for the great." -Robert Hege