I’ve been silent… but I have an excuse. August 24, 2008
Posted by smartblondece in Friends, Goodness, TV, Work, family, travel.add a comment
My grandmother’s house has no internet. I am living with my grandmothers house this summer while working for MSMWD (Mid-Sized Municipal Water District). This means that the only time I get to use the internet is at work. Which sadly makes it difficult to blog about… well, you’ve read my blog… just about nothing.
As far as this summer is going… Work is amazing, I have something resembling a love life (for once) and I love being able to spend time with my extended family. I also completely miss my friends and my sister, school, and my grandmother while I love her to death can drive me up a wall at times. So, it’s typical life. In all though it has been an awesome summer and I look forward to getting back to regular blogging. As it is I trek down to the Tully’s Coffee House here in Port Orchard, sit myself in the tall table by the window (experience has taught me that this table has the best internet connection) and do whatever it is I cannot do at work… generally read the questionable emails & links my sister sends me (thanks Kristin, I’d be ready to strip for that guy too. Gorgeous guys should not be allowed to join the priesthood… but that is another post).
This also was my hang out while watching the last few episodes of Doctor Who (Kristin now skip to next paragraph). So I would like you to picture this. You are walking into Tully’s to get you half-caff, non-fat, soy, extra foam, extra shot, white chocolate Mocha, you see this blonde sitting by the window with her fist pressed against her lips, eyes wide, possibly about to cry as she intently watches her computer screen. If this sounds familiar you probably saw me. I cried. A lot. I am going to miss Donna sooooooo much and as far as I care it almost would have been a better fate to have Donna die. I think she would almost rather die than go back to how she was before she met the Doctor. As for Rose. I guess she’ll be happy, and it works, but it is not him… it’s not. If anyone watches Doctor Who confidential I think Billie Piper said it perfectly. It just feels sooo wrong. Because no matter how you look at it, it still isn’t the Doctor. Now I just have to wait until 2010 *sob*.
Getting ready for a trip to Victoria with my Little Sis, Jesse. I booked the hotel today. Should be great fun. I’m looking forward to taking her out to a few bars and clubs. Seeing as we never get to do that stuff in Corvallis due to the drinking age (post on US drinking age and the recent discussion of lowering the US drinking age) and general lack of decent clubs.
I bought a new camera for the trip. Granted I’ve needed to go get a new camera since my last one died in January (with it’s lens open and extended, which is kinda like with it’s eyes open & you can’t close them). So I got a little Sanyo for less than $100. I don’t care if it’s the best camera on the market. I had 3 qualifications:
1. Takes pictures (in more detail I was looking for 8 mega-pixels, settled for 7.1 rather than spending the extra money for the 8… besides the 8 would have meant a few features would have slacked until I went up to about $160)
2. Cheap (I bought it at Walmart… I usually don’t shop there, but like I said I wanted it to be cheap)
3. Won’t break on me, unlike my last one. (Guy at the counter said he’d never seen a Sanyo returned. But he saw a lot of Kodaks returned.)
My little Sanyo fits these, so I’m good. And it is gold.
I will have more posts once I return to school, and my lovely studio apartment. See you all then!
19 days left… not that I’m counting May 23, 2008
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, family.add a comment
So so little time until I leave behind Cow-valley & the sweet scent of cow for… the scent of more cows.
The apartment situation is settled. I am staying in my lovely studio (which I am happy about considering the location and my lack of car) so I don’t have to move (double yay!) and my family is well-chuffed about me staying the summer with my grandmother since her health isn’t the best… to be honest she could be a case on “House”. They can’t figure out why she has a low red blood cell count. Thank god her bone marrow is OK (found that out Wednesday) and as far as they can tell it is NOT cancer. But they are worried about her losing consciousness and it makes my mom and her brothers a lot happier to know that someone will be in the house with her. Lately she’s been staying at her fiance’s (yes my grandmother is engaged… permenantly… think is has been… 7 years…???) or him at her house.
Detour. My step-grandpa died when I was 7. Grandma was single until I was about 12 then she dated this guy… we won’t talk about him… she left him and by the time I was 13 she met Bob. Bob is lovely. His wife had died two years before from cancer. He’s been a close friend of the family forever, he’s even the godfather of the younger of my uncles. Bob is this quiet, incredibly kind man, young at 76 (grandma is 66… yes I have a young family), and he is soooo very good to my grandma. And they are so obviously in love that it is adorable. I’m as excited about seeing him as the rest of my family.
I’ve had virtually no time with my extended family since I returned from England. Summer courses, the temporary job I had, and all other managed to prevent me from travelling to Washington to see anyone. So am I excited about leaving behind Corvallis for The Farm?
Hell yeah.
Flipping Amazing Day!!! October 18, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Friends, Goodness, Work.1 comment so far
Ok. So my first day back from being sick. I knew it was going to be busy. But this was just awesome. I started my day at 8 am. Not too early. Got up, got ready nice and quick without any problems and 45 minutes later was out the door to my meeting for work. I was the first one there. Beautiful thing. Everyone else was there just a minute or two later. I picked up some extra time doing Odyssey presentations for the ‘ittle Freshies.
I expected to have to leave early to make it to my next meeting, an interview but we finished early and I made it to the interview early, after standing around and talking to the other Ambassadors. My interview was at a place called Inspire Tutoring. They have offices just off campus on Monroe. The interview went so well. I could really use the money from tutoring and I can make good money at it.
After that I had a ton of spare time so I met Kristin at Kelley for lunch. Just as I finish my sandwich Katie showed up and we sat there chatting together.
AutoCAD was ok.
More free time during which I got tea and a cookie. Then I sat at work and fiddled on my stuff. A lot of people came in to look around. Then this blonde walked in and I realized there was an awful lot of noise coming from the lobby. “Hi, I have an Odyssey class here.” I thinking, “Um… Don’t Remember a class coming in today…” But I sent them into the Conference room and told her to give me 10. I managed to find Rachel, she got the projector set up while I got the files for
the slide show.
Rachel did a shpeil about various options. Then I got to talk about Sussex.
When that was over, Rachel came into the office and said she was glad I just jumped into a surprise situation and handled it well. I got to sit there and be happy. More people came. Everyone seemed interested in England. Which rocks by the way.
So I did my little presentation and had 5 minutes left so I shut everything down and left. Happy happy day.
New Blog October 15, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, Work, school.add a comment
Haven’t blogged all summer. This blog is basically what its title says… I’m currently sitting in the Library with my math book open beside me… fairly pathetic really… I have far to much to do.
Anyways. Back from the UK. Seemed fitting to start a new blog. Go ahead and read the old ones. I like to segment my life like this.
Week 3 just ended. Midterms start way too soon. Much easier to avoid homework over doing it.
OH! I started working… after a summer of unemployment without the unemployment benefits. I have a job now working for the International Programs Office here at OSU. I’m an international ambassador. I basically tell people about going abroad. And make stuff about Sussex Uni. A presentation, a binder full of info. It’s a great job and I love it.
Weigh in 5 May 28, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, WW.add a comment
I lost a pound! Weighed in at 149. Looked over my goals a bit more yesterday. I realized while I would love to lose 2 pounds every week, it was unrealistic. I am happy, very happy, with any loss between 1 and 2 pounds. I decided that it would be realistic and healthy to lose 6 pounds per month, while still being a challenge. This will have me reaching 126 in week 20 (Labor Day) and 125 then a week later!
Start: 4/23/2007 Start Weight: 155 lbs.
Week 1-4 Loss: 5 lbs!
Week 5: Weight: 149 lbs
GOAL: Lose 6 lbs per month (1-2 lbs per week) until Beginning of October
Week 8: 144 lbs HEALTHY BMI AT 145.5 LBS!!! I GO HOME!
Week 12: 138
Week 16: 132
Week 20: 126
Week 21: 125!!! FINAL GOAL: 125 lbs!
Week 23: Fall Term Begins at OSU.
Rachael got a scale. I used it this morning to weigh in as the health centre is closed today for the bank holiday… I realized something today. Bank holidays in the UK line up with holidays we actually give names in the states. I think it’s a “we can’t do business today becuase the US is on holiday” thing. Anyways I will go to the health centre tomorrow and weigh myself, then come back here and weigh myself again to check the consistancy of the two scales.
Weigh in 4 May 21, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, WW.add a comment
I LOST 1 LB!!! I AM SOOOOOO HAPPY. I did so bad eating this week. And I couldn’t exercise with me being sick. So apparently I didn’t eat as bad as I thought I did. So incredibly happy. So I am now at 150 lbs. I think last time I was 150 lbs I was Junior in high school… I think. YAY!!!
Weigh in 3 May 14, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, Sick, WW, exercise.add a comment
Down 2 lbs. Which makes me very happy. Kinda didn’t expect a loss of that much. I tend to have this annoying lose 2 pounds then don’t lose anything for weeks pattern. So 4 lbs in 2 weeks makes me really happy. Besides I kinda sucked at staying below 19 points this week.
Sick. Which makes me very unhappy. Just my usual annoying lung congestion. But after February I don’t want to push myself. Even though I feel fine… ok I felt fine until about 3 minutes ago when my entire body started aching again and I now feel like crawling under my sheets and hiding away forever. I want to go for a jog. My body and my sensibilities just stop me. Phooey.
Lost track of days… Week 3, Weigh in 2 May 8, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, WW, exercise, school.add a comment
LOST 2 POUNDS! I’m really happy. I’m below 11 stone (at 153 lbs!) now so I had to drop a point. Which is no biggie since I pretty much have been doing that for a week now.
Yesterday I went to see Spiderman 3 and I had a BBQ in the evening. Probably ate more than I should have but I’d been good all day becuase I knew it was coming and I was still eating light after the cake fiasco.
Taken measurements. Gonna measure myself every 3 weeks or when I don’t lose but feel I have worked hard. Those are not going up here. Funny, no problem with my weight but the measurements are a little too personal.
Tuesdays are crazy. Lectures in the morning and Lab in the afternoon. I usually go into lab early so I only have enough time to get lunch and go to lab. Today I didn’t go in early and went for a jog in my 2 hour break. It was a bit rushed with lunch and showering. And the watch I use seems to be broken so I have to go out and buy another.
done being angry— acceptance April 30, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Goodness, WW, exercise.add a comment
ok. So, now step back. Look at it, it was my birthday but my body didn’t care. Very glad I didn’t gain weight this week. 
Gonna be very good this week and stay within my points each day. I’ve finished today at 20 points, my goal is 19+ the 2.5 I gained from exercise.
Gonna keep up C25K, which I am now realizing I haven’t mentioned. Ok so searching around Peertrainer I found a Team called Couch to 5K this summer. They are following the couch to 5k plan that is done by Coolrunnings.com a site that caters to runners and specifically marathoners. I joined and started. I know that running is really good for your fitness and I’m young and I should be able to run much longer than I can. So I’ve done week 1 but am repeating it so I’m starting with everyone else in the group this week. The first week is run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds and repeat for 20 minutes. Ok, so you are only running 2/5 of the time and for a total of 8 minutes of the 20 but that is 8 minutes more than I was running before. And it’s within my grasp while still pushing me to do something I wouldn’t do. It’s also perfect if I start at the top of the hill and run down to the village, around the pond twice and then I have my walk back for cool down (10 min). Eventually I want to be able to run the entire way from the top of the hill down to the village around the pond however many times then back through the country to where I started at the top of the hill (much easier approach from the village side than from the way I come). I also would like to do a 5K race sometime this summer or beginning of the fall. I’m feeling ready to move it up to the next week, but I’m gonna just leave it at week 1 for this week.
Spring Break February 6, 2007
Posted by smartblondece in Friends, Goodness, Pics, family, travel.add a comment
The Meeting House at Dawn
My spring break plans are coming together! I am so excited this will be a great month. First I leave the day after classes end and I am going to Paris with my friend, Diane. Diane is among the many French students studying here at Sussex. Her family lives outside of Paris and I’ll be staying with them for a week. I just bought my ticket and I psyched beyond all else. After that I have three days off of traveling and then my mom, Larry, and Grandma Jeanne come to visit. We’re gonna travel a bit here in England while they are here. They leave and the next morning my dad arrives at Heathrow so I get to battle the London Underground during weekday morning rush hour to go meet him. 
We’re going to see a bit of England before my dad and I catch a cheap flight somewhere. Probably Spain and Portugal. After a winter in Oregon my dad wants sun. I on the other hand have been living in Sussex so I think I’ve seen more sun than rain. And I will return to England in time for the start of summer term (what we call spring term in Oregon) at US.
