I know who my father is

There is this crazy dude at work: We call him "Clayton". Lately he's been coming in twice or more a week to "work" with me. He is either nuttier than Mr. Peanut or bloody brilliant. I'm leaning towards crazy. He takes pictures of rocks and finds 'pictures' or 'carvings' in them. He is trying to link them all together to the same artist way back when. Somehow this is going to prove the existence of the 'Arc of the Covenant' and the actual location of Atlantis, and I wouldn't be surprised if it proved the family geneology of Big Foot. I don't know what they have to do with any of this. So Don't ask me. I was actually enjoying "playing along" on Friday, instead of acting interested then thoroughly annoyed. However, as usual, because of how much attention he demands, there was a line of people looking hungruly at me behind the counter when I turned around from the computer. So, he actually apologized and said I would be right with them. One lady said something to the effect of: "I just need to know if I can do this in the self-serve or if she needs to do it for me."
His reply?
"If you want it done right you'll have her do it!" with a HUGE grin.
Her reaction was almost offended, and my glare to him should of killed him. Did he really want me to take MORE time with someone else, making him wait even longer? Stupid. Anyway, seeing the look on the woman's face he laughs: "Hey, it's okay. I can say that! She's my daughter!"
The look of disgust on my face was enough for everyone to take a step back from the counter. I told him to leave the copy center area. I walked over to the women and as they started to describe their job, I completely ignored them and said "THAT is NOT MY DAD". They looked at me really confused. "He is crazy if he thinks he has any attachment to me."

He asked how much I made. I said "Not enough("to deal with you"<-I added in my head)." He said, "Ya know, when all this is set through you're going to come work for me." (" Not in your wildest dreams," I thought smugly. Slightly smiling at the fact that I'm not telling him I'm moving... so one of these days in August he is going to walk in and realize I'm not there to do his stupid little projects anymore.) He has promised me that once his portfolio comes together and he gets them to "the right people", he will buy me a GT mustang. I'm not keeping my hopes up.

Anyway, just wanted to say,

I'm proud of my dad and my lineage. I have good blood- not crazy blood. I've gotten a lot of good qualities from my parents-

Mom's:

• kind smile
• generous attitude
• Nose
• Honest care for people
• Rosy Cheeks

Dad's:

• Work Ethic
• Laser-like focus (When I want it)
• Southern Temper
• Curly Hair
• Want to work with my hands
• Get going so we can get back

Love you guys

It's Been a Hard Day's Night... & I've Been Working, Like a Dog

Well, here I am at work. How am I posting you ask? Simple- I brought my laptop and connected to Staples' free wifi. haha. My manager keeps patrolling around. But whatever. He never really says much anymore now that it's so rediculously slow.

So, it is finalized Andrew and I are moving in August. Our last day of paid rent is Aug 23. I think I'll want to book it the second week of August instead of the last week though. We'll leave it empty for a few days. Andrew plans on building a motorcycle "crate" for my bike. We are gonna try to load it into the back of his dad's truck with a couple of boxes of stuff. We are shipping my car. We will drive in the focus with a month's worth of clothes and supplies crammed inside. We will also be taking Behr with us in the car. We plan on loading up a "POD" and have it delivered at the 30 day mark to our new apartment. When we get to Texas we are planning to spend at most a couple of weeks with my parents- apartment hunting the whole time. Then we will tell the "POD" people where to deliver it. I am so excited. I think now that it is a definite go, Andrew is a little nervous. I think he is still excited though.

I'm going to try and transfer with Staples to a Hub Location (closed to the public copycenter where bulk orders are done). If there is not positions available I will try and transfer to a store out there. Then I will continue training for my physical testing with the PD's out there. Hopefully Dallas doesn't go on a freeze by the time I get out there. I already know Frisco has. Anyway, I will stay with Staples to at least have some kind of income during the "grace period".

Life is going to be changing real quickly here in the next little while. I'm excited to name this the last summer of AZ for me. However, I'm going to miss my sisters and their beautiful children... yeah- I'll miss my "other brothers" too (My sisters have GREAT husbands). However, Andrew and I just both feel that it is time to move on. Really, industrial wise, there is nothing left here for us. I know Andrew is sad to leave the bulk of his family, but I think the Texas scenery will help his day-to-day mood, and when he sees them it will be that much greater. And just for clarification, I'm not making him move. he wants to just as much I do. Ask. Everytime I bring it up I always make sure to ask in case I'm overshadowing his thoughts.

Anyway, I graduate in a little over 6 weeks! MAY 8th, 2:00 PM (Parker's B-day- sorry Nephew) NAU campus. It is gonna be awesome! I am sure I will cry, but it is going to be so rewarding to walk across that stage & grab that fake diploma holder Cuma Sum Lude (Idk how to spell it) & know that I grabbed that school career by the horns & wrangled it to the ground to make sure that I finished in the first four years & pulled it out with a 4.0

It was hard, but it was worth it.

Oh yeah, Andrew & I also spent all day yesterday cleaning piles and sorting through crap, and everything now has a place! I LOVE walking into the apartment now. I am a LOT less irritated when the apartment looks clean and nice and homey. I am so glad we were able to finish it. It's been a long project. But finally, everything has a place. I'm so excited. We have a HOME. woohoo! And the apartment looks a LOT bigger than it ever has. Andrew is great at reorganizing. Maybe I'll post some pictures of the new layout ;)
I am also glad we bought this wicked awesome shredder too. Thast thing ran for like 4 hours yesteday without overheating or skipping a beat! GO "MAILMATE"!

Anyway, thanks for reading. I know it's kinda jumping around. But :) You know me.

If I ever own a frame shop I'll name it "I WAS FRAMED!"

So, I should be finishing my paper on GALILEO but screw it. I have writer's block at 11:46 now that my 44 oz. Dr P. caffeine intoxication has worn off. I'm very distracted.

I

Love

Andrew

Period (.)

He fell asleep in about 30 minutes today. We were suppossed to go to the Renaissance Fair (already bought the fricken $36 tickets). However, we did not end up going to the temple last night like I wanted. So, we woke up and went this morning. I got to see a Sign Language interpretor... Oh my. It made me miss it so, so much. I almost cried it was so beautiful watching the person move their arms to create meaning and phrases. Some of the words I didn't understand because they are temple specific, but I was actually quite proud that I remembered much of what was being shared. I think once I graduate, and things slow down a little, I am going to take more sign classes, just for fun. I know it kinda sucks and doesn't make sense because I have swollen joints and a right hand that is slowly deforming from my rhematoidal arthritic like Lupus. But I miss it.

Ya know those days, those certain days where you just ... feel like yourself again? Watching him sign, made me realize how much I missed it. Just like hanging up my art on our apartment walls made me realize my slr canon that is gathering dust in its case in my closet. I can't wait to be done with school and stupid staples and be able to live again. Be able to enjoy things.

I really hope DPD works 4day 10 hour shifts instead of 5day 8 hour shifts. It would be so so much nicer.

I get to watch Parker on Tuesday and I'm excited for that. If I can just make it through my Monday night class (capstone) I will feel a heck of a lot better. You guys all know how I worry about blowing my 4.0 the last 8 weeks of my 4 year college career.

Thanks for reading. I'm exhausted. I think I'll make Andrew move over and snag my pillow out from under him... the little theif. :)

Ambitions

"DON'T GIVE UP. Not Yet..."

So... for now- Plan on Dallas.... DPD --- DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Requirements:

6.5 inch Vertical Leap
14 Sit-ups in One Minute
300 Meter Run in One Minute 50 Seconds
4 Push Ups in One Minute
1.5 Mile Run in 19 Minutes and Nine Seconds


Doesn't sound that hard, right? Well, it is if you've hardly ever worked out and have no confidence in your physical abilities.

Well- that's about to change :)

Andrew and I are making a change. We are going to be working out 3 mornings a week. Sports and other activities will be on the off days. I'm really excited. A little scared, a little nervous. I love Andrew and he has been nothing but supportive. So-WATCH OUT!!!


Here comes the newest recruit (fingers crossed) for Dallas. Coming soon to the Dallas City near you: AUGUST 2009!!!

"Recenalities"

So... on the road again. This time to somewhere fun!

Here we are in mom's living room

See the cute little shirt he's wearing??? Look familar??














Oh yeah... GANGSTA!!!
Let's Take a Moment of Silence for the Passing of Admiral Fishington... The Iron Finned.
??/??/07- 3/11/09

Rest in Peace Soldier

He truly did live in the public service life of a fishbowl

Later PEEPS

Man- It's March Already??

Why yes, yes it is. I think I just noticed the date today & I... can't believe it!

Andrew's birthday is on Thursday! We are going on a trip TOGETHER to Dallas to see area, family, and have LOADS OF FUN!

Here's our tentative schedule!

Thursday: (ANDREW'S BIRTHDAY)

4pm fly out Phoenix (YEA!)
9pm ARrive in Dallas (YEA!)
Visit a little, play with the pup, take a look at the house

FRIDAY:
Drive around & look at the different areas, maybe see Aunt Karen & Uncle James, See Adam & his new girl-
PAPPADEAUX'S NIGHT! The Whole fam is expected to go out & celebrate Andrew's 23rd with us! He's so excited to try the grilled gator!!! WOOHOO!

SATURDAY:

SIX FLAGS!!! (WOOOHOOO)

We wake up, eat quick breakfast-hope in the car-- and off to stand in line before the park opens @ 10. We already have our tickets & parking passes! We plan to stay ALL DAY LONG!! WOOHOO! SO SIKED!

Then , after that exhausting day: head back home for some grub and good company.

SUNDAY
Go to Mom's Sacrament Meeting

Depart Dallas 3:05PM (*Tear*)
Arrive in PHX 5:25PM(*SCREAM*)

It's gonna be a super short trip but neither of us can take any school off...


SOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!


AND THAT- MY FRIENDS- IS WHAT'S GOING ON!!!!!

...

So Many Choices....

Doctors... have never been on my good side. They set you an appointment, ask YOU to come 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork as to not "jam up the process". So, like a good "patient" at the dr's "PRACTICE" site, you show up, take the stupid forms that take you less than 1 minute to fill out. You sit... and you wait... you ask the front desk if they know if you need to take a urine sample b/c frankly---> you really gotta go!

So, you sit there.... and sit there.... and *yawn* sit there. Just as you decide to, then actually pull something from your never-ending baby-version Mary Poppins deep-purse, is when the door swings open and you hear your name by someone holding a clip-board and a stethesscope (however you spell it) around their neck. So, you shove everything else back in your black-hole bag and trudge over. Ge the weight check (every woman's dream).

You check the time as soon as the lady who gets your blood pressure and pulse exits the door and says "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes. SIKE!

The time is now: 3:21. Woah! Only six minutes late so far! So I'm thinking, maybe this'll go quickly, cause I got a million things I need to do. So I sit..... and sit... pull up my legs on the table indian-style and sit... and then lean back against the wall.... and lean my head against the wall and sit... close my eyes... start to drift... when BAM! You wonder "How LONG have I been sitting here?" You check the time. It is now, 3:58... and silently brooding, you decide to give it 15 mintues (to make it a full hour) before you unleash your version of gnashing of teeth and eternal racking. Time gets closer... closer... and at 4:05 you realize:

It is a GOOD thing they take your blood pressure at the beginning of the appointment and NOT at the end. OTHERWISE- you would be under the highest dose of blood pressure meds to "take it down".

Just as you begin to think of what the first thing you will start yelling at the poor unfortunate soul that you first see when the clock chimes 4:15, a *KNOCK!* on the door. Lo and behold, here strolls in the dr.

Seriously? Who made these people who commonly are known to have "god-complexes", the right to make me, their customer, wait an HOUR in order to grace me with their presence? Seriously? If you wanted to talk to me at 4:15- you should have set my appointment for 4:15, not waste an hour that I had to lose work for! Think about it, what OTHER "PROFESSION" allows that kind of delay and gets away with it? Airports? Maybe- but they'll give you food vouches if you complain. Restaurants? They'll give you free dessert. Corporate Execs? If you start that meeting an hour late, you betcha someone's job is toast.

So, I'm royally pissed that they waste an hour of my time, then make me pay buco bucks to let them "diagnose me" with ailments and wonder "Hmm.. I wonder why that med didn't work- let's look at taking this one... It is usually used for chemotherapy cancer patients, it does have a portion of what is found in ABORTION pills, you will need to take FOLIC acid in order to counteract the drug's destruction of your own. So, if you are planning on having kids any time soon, don't. Seeing as this drug will cause defects in the baby. (THAT's real comforting.) Oh wait, you're not on birth control? Oh, your other doctors thought it was a bad idea? Hmm... Well, you will need to be EXTREMELY careful. See, if you were to become pregnant, seeing as you would be taking a pill with certain abortic elements, it would be a very hard choice to make...It is going to help "stablize" your white blood cell count, which will reduce the inflammation. However, we will need to test your blood every 3-4 weeks in the beginning to make sure we aren't totally killing ALL of them and that the level doesn't get 'too' low. Then we will also need to monitor your liver.. seeing as you would hate for that to fail! Oh what's that? You almost had liver failure in 2005? Oh no biggie. As long as you don't have hepititus B OR C- You should be okay."

Is anyone else buying this?