agraciado | Recent Entries

September is probably one of my favorite months of the whole year. It's the when Fall starts to roll in and the long, hot summer nights come to an end. As much as I love Spring and the Summer, I am so excited for the cooler weather. Like much of the country, Nashville has not been spared this Summer. Since Memorial Day it's been endless heat. I'm ready for the A/C to be off and the windows to be open.

There always seems like so much promise when September is here. Maybe it has to do with the start of school but September to me means new beginnings. A chance for a fresh start. There are so many things I want to change this month. After taking a couple years off of school, I will go back in January. It's the perfect chance for me to get some things done and change some habits before my hectic school & work schedule starts. I want to read more. Write more. Enjoy nature. Enjoy good food.

Plus, it's my birthday.

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/192919.html

Shawn and I are just so ready to buy a house. We're busting at the seams in our little 800 square foot apartment (which we share with a roommate). Our bedroom is not only our bedroom, but a home office and a basement as well (it's where everything is stored--even Christmas decoration--since we have no storage space). Last night I said to him, "I'll miss it though. When I was sick, laying in bed all day, it was nice that you were right there. Just a few feet away, taking care of me, always watching over me. I'll have to get a couch and a TV in our future office just for when I'm sick."

For months I've been looking at places online and dying to go to open houses. Now today he's been sending me links to houses he's interested in--all about $50K more than I thought we'd be spending. I capped us out at $175K because I'm cheap and I love the idea that a mortgage for a whole freaking house would be less than what we pay per month for our itty bitty apartment. I'm just so excited for this next step in our lives!

Also--last time I wrote I was waiting for a HR person to call me back about a job I applied to. After 2.5 days of trying to reach her, I did! I've done two phone interviews and am down to the final face-to-face interview on Thursday! There are 3 positions open and myself and a co-worker at my current job are both candidates. I'm crossing my fingers that we both get it! I have a really good feeling about it.

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/192223.html

I applied for a job for the company my boyfriend use to work for. It would be great. Decent pay, M-F, 8-5, no holidays. It would also allow me to keep my current job (it's only part-time) which means I might be able to have this great thing called a savings account.

I apply online and about two minutes later I get a "restricted" call. I ignore it by default because my phone is plagued by spam calls. Sure enough, it's a recruiter from the company. I try to call her back to me and after ringing and ringing, it goes to voicemail. I leave a message and try it a few more times with no luck. This all happens around 4:30 and it's an eastern phone number so I'm thinking maybe they left for the day? After talking to my boyfriend, I'm reassured because he says the whole restricted number thing happened to him too.

I've been trying to call the recruiter all day and just getting her voicemail. I call the corporate job hotline and they say that there are no positions available for the area I'm in. I look online right after, the job is still posted, and I'm hoping the recruiter is just out of the office for the day.

Fingers crossed.

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/191751.html

It's been gloomy here in Nashville.

I was suppose to go with a friend yesterday to see Country Strong. I.was.so.excited! Franklin and LA were the only two cities previewing it early and we've both been talking about how bad we want to see it. Then at the last minute her elderly neighbor asked for a favor and our plans were canceled. It stinks because the way our schedules are we are lucky if every month or two months we have the same day off.

Instead I decided to do some retail therapy. I hit up the clearance racks at Old Navy (three pairs of work pants for $31), got some groceries, and cheap clearance Canon camera because mine are all dead and I'd really like start taking more pictures. Then I played around with my Nook. My boyfriend's parents got me it for Christmas and I love it. The only downfall is when I use it at the break room at work. All my co-workers were coming up to me being like, "What is that?!?! I've never heard of such a thing!" Haha.

Today, it's back to work. Then tomorrow I have an early shift and am going out to a bar with Shawn and some friends. Should be fun!

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/191348.html

Shawn just got a call and.....he got the job he interviewed for last week! I'm so beyond happy. It's in the career field he wants and he'll be making more than $10,000 than what he makes at his current job. It's an amazing opportunity for him and our little 2-person family. He starts January 11 which is perfect. January 6 is our anniversary and January 8 is his birthday. We both take those days off work to be with each other. He'll be able to give his two-weeks at his current job and then take a little mini-vacation!

Also, in January I got a letter in the mail saying a class action lawsuit was going on for the company I work for. A settlement had been reached and you qualified if a manager had ever interrupted your mandatory breaks or lunch period. At the time I had a manager that would constantly bother employees whenever we were on break or lunch. It was so annoying. Then right after this letter came out I was in the break room, reading a book and my manager comes in. She starts asking all these questions about work and then is like, "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you on break? Next time let me know you're on break and I'll talk to you after you're done!" Isn't it obvious that I'm on break if I'm in the break room, reading a book?!?

So I filled out the claims form for the lawsuit. The paperwork said it would only be around $30, which isn't a lot but it's a full tank of gas to me! Almost everyone I worked with refused to take part in the settlement because they were worried they would get fired. I never heard anything about it, so I figured my company must have filed an appeal.

Then today I get a check in the mail from the settlement. I must have read the initial paperwork wrong because it was a check for $300! SCORE! I'm going to be responsible and save most of it, but I am totally splurging on a facial!

Such an amazing day!

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/190893.html

Shawn has a big interview in less than an hour, which would be his first step into the career field he wants. It's so frustrating for me to watch. All he wants is some sort of IT or computer programming job and every time you log onto Yahoo or any job site they say that getting a degree in the computer field is the best you can get because they pay well and are in demand. He's done everything right. He got great grades (he was valedictorian), did internships, got his Bachelors, and has great contacts. Then ever since college he's watched as classmates of his have landed jobs and he hasn't. The place he's interviewing at today a friend of his works at. This friend Shawn had to tutor throughout college because the guy couldn't keep up in his classes. I know if Shawn doesn't get this job it's going to destroy him.

When he first got out of college, it was understandable that he didn't land a *dream* job. It's been 5 or 6 years now and someone needs to give him a break. What sucks the most is watching him blame himself---wondering if he should have pushed harder out of college to find a better job, wondering if he should have done more internships to ensure a job....it just sucks. There are only so many words of encouragement you can give.

So I'm keeping busy right now. I'm in cleaning mode. Shawn's parents are coming in this weekend to take us to a Country Christmas dinner and show at Opryland. I am ridiculously excited. A few years ago I would have been mortified to go to something like this, but since moving to the South I'm embracing all things Southern except maybe the food (yuck!). I've started listening to country music and am dreaming of going to the Country Music Awards someday.

Speaking of Christmas, it sounds like this could be a Christmas miracle. A man, who was previously HIV-positive, no longer has the disease after going through a stem cell transplant. Awesome! I know there is tons of controversy regarding stem cells because of the moral dilemmas. It's an issue I struggle with myself, but when you see the way stem cells are able to help people it's hard not to put your support behind it.

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/190635.html

Our Indian Summer has finally ended. Up until last week there were days in the 80s, but the forecast looks like it's going to stay in the 50-60 range. Yay! It feels so good to break out the long pants and cardigans. Is it wrong that I'm excited for winter so I can use our fireplace?

Last week, I was cooking dinner (in the slow cooker), doing housework, and running errands when Shawn text messaged me. He had won 2nd row tickets to a hockey game! Neither of us watch hockey but we were so STOKED because we knew we'd have an awesome time. We had pretty much the most fun ever. The crowd was amazing. We had a couple of the drunk rowdy people behind us that yelled at the opposite team (those people always make the games so fun). We were standing up, clapping, and cheering for the local team. It was so excited when players got bashed into the glass (I jumped so many times because the glass shook hard) or when fights broke out.

Such a blast! I told him we need to do that again and that if he ever wins tickets to the Titans game (4th row!) that I'm calling out of work no matter what!

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/190418.html

Yesterday, I was making my way around town running some errands when my boyfriend texted me. He had won a free game of bowling voucher at work. Suddenly instead of having a night in, we decided to have a date night. We never have a date night. We always either just have me cook or order take out and watch a movie. I started thinking about it and the last time we went out was when we grabbed lunch inbetween shopping and decided to see Inception. Does that even count as a date?

I made Shawn decide where we went to dinner. Recently he's always been asking where I want to eat or what I wanted for dinner. Whenever I ask what he wants he just says that I'll veto his choice and decide on something else. It made me feel really bad because it's so true! I'm really picky, but I hate that I am blowing him off. I'm trying hard to change and basically agreeing to eat anything.

He ended up taking me to Wolfgang Puck Express. I would describe it as a super upscale take out or a small restaurant--kind of like Panera but they actually serve your food to you. The food was amazingly good. I'm already planning what other meals I will have there.

After that we headed over to the bowling alley. It was crowded and expensive ($5/game!) but a lot of fun. I impressed Shawn with my bowling skillz and we just laughed and had fun together.

We'll have to plan more date nights from now on. Even Shawn mentioned that we don't go out and do stuff enough.

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/190028.html

I feel like I should have done something today with it being 10-10-10...plus I actually had the day off. Instead I stayed home and did chores. They needed to get done. My car needed to be cleaned before the weather took a turn for the worse. There were loads of laundry. And there was just tons of other cleaning and de-cluttering to be done. I always feel so "adult" when I spend the day cleaning. Part of my mindset says, "You have the day off! A weekend no less! Go out and have fun!" Then the practical side kicks in and I know I'll go crazy looking at the messes. Plus in two weeks we're heading out to go hiking and look at the leaves changing. I can't wait. I've been planning this mini-day trip for months.

Today, after all the cleaning was done, I felt like cozy-ing up and reading a book. For weeks I have been trying to get into and it hasn't been happening. It seems like it should be a story I love, but it's not holding my interest. So today I was determined to at least get close to the end--mainly because it's due tomorrow and they wouldn't allow me to renew it. I got comfy on my couch, the sunlight was streaming in--it was perfect reading whether. I just couldn't get into it even though I was dying to know what happened! I've officially given it up and took to wiki to find out how it ends. As I was reading the summary I got really excited because it sounded so great. Maybe I'll like the movie better?

Crossposts: http://agraciado.livejournal.com/189822.html

Work, as usual, has me really stressed out. Earlier this month, one of my favorite co-workers quit. She had graduated from a PhD program and had been job hunting. It took her several months to find a job and when she finally landed one she was able to give us over a month's notice. It was bittersweet because she was great to work with, but it was for the best.

Then early this week, one of the other girls I love to work with put in her two weeks notice. I was super shocked and she said herself that it wasn't really thought out, she just decided it was time to move on.

THEN after my two days off, I come back into work and learn that another one of the girls I work with is stepping down and moving to a completely different department. Her mother had a heart attack and she had to change her hours so she could be a caretaker during the day.

Now I'm freaking out because we are already hiring over 40 cashiers to gear up for the Holidays--that was all of our worries that we won't have enough staff and we'd constantly be dealing with new cashier questions. Plus we are going to be training 3 new Customer Service Managers as well! What also sucks is one of the girls was strictly a closer and the other two closed a couple times a week. Now there are only three of us who are able to close. This Christmas is going to be horrible. I've been a Customer Service Manager for over six months now and there are still many things I don't know.

It's going to be interesting. I really need to put in for vacation in January when all the craziness is over!

Current Mood: anxious
Current Location: home
Current Music: background noise

Next year I will be heading back to school. It's time. I've enjoyed my little vacation from school, but every day I'm more aware of how happier I'd be if I had my degree and had an actual career. I am thankful for my job, especially in these tough economic times. But nothing makes me realize how much more I want a better job than my current job. Only part-time, crappy benefits, no vacation or sick time, no job security, and poor hours.

While there are downfalls to it, I would love to be a teacher. I'm leaning towards English right now, with the other choice being fifth or sixth grade. I'm 99% certain I'll go for English because of my love of reading.

There are two things in my way...

The foreign language requirement. It seems silly that someone trying to get an E-N-G-L-I-S-H degree would have to take a foreign language, but that seems to be the case with every school I look into. I took French in high school and two semesters of it in college. You would think I should know some French, but it just doesn't stick with me. I know this is going to be one of my biggest struggles, so I have a copy of Rosetta Stone and I am determined to learn! With two more advance language classes lingering over my head, I really do have to learn. Every day me and the Rosetta Stone have a date for thirty minutes. I seem to be retaining it really well and am hoping by the time I need to take those dreaded foreign language classes that they will be a breeze.

Speaking of retaining things, one thing I haven't retained since the four years ago that I took my last class is math. In order to even be considered for a teaching degree here, you first have to take a test that shows you have marginally good math, reading, and writing skills. The writing and reading I am not worried about at all. I'll brush up on it a little bit by reading study guides, but I'm good. The math is going to kill me. It's like it's all fallen out of my head. I feel like Amber in that episode of Teen Mom where she is like, "I just don't remember this!" I feel you Amber. I'm right there. Why should I have to do all this multiplication when I have mastered the art of using a calculator?

My goal is to take the test sometime in January, so I have the results by the time I'm ready to apply. I am just scared of the whole math section. I use to be really good at it, so I'm hoping it's just like riding a bike. I'm preparing myself for the worse though.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: home
Current Music: none

I am so excited to be part of Dreamwidth! For years I have been a user of Livejournal. I know I've had my current LJ account since 2005, and I had accounts under other names prior to that. Over the past few years things started to change. Livejournal was sold and then sold again. (And who knows maybe it was sold after that? I only paid attention the first two times it was sold. After that, I pretty much stopped using it.) There are tons of ads and many people have been abandoning it because of all the changes being made.

For a few months, I've been posting on blogspot and I hate it. I hate having to worry about site design and have missed the security journal posting lets you have (posts can be viewed by everyone, just you, or by people you have added as friends). I look forward to this being my new home.