Things i Hear

sniff sniff. "You smell like chicken"

"No i don't."

"ah. Yeah. ya do"

"No i don't. You smell like chicken"

"No, its you, it didn't smell like chicken until you got in the car. Its you"

silence

Location: Red light next to a KFC

Don't worry, we figured it out.

Mi Vida Loca

My crazy life. Not that gangta'. But indeed it will be crazy.

Yesterday, i had a lot going on in my life.

As of today, i have a butt load going on in my life. Times 2.

With the intent of graduating in December next year, I am taking additional classes next "semester". I use " " because i don't really have semesters, i sorta go to school year round, which is why I constantly feel like im on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Anyhow. I'm considered a full time student due semester hour technicalities, even thought i only have classes on Mondays. Well... technicalities no more i tell you. I will be taking 2 additional 16 week classes at MATC and 2 additional 6/7 week courses at Stritch (not simultaneously, but consecutively).... to accompany my regular Monday night class.

Lets recap shall we?

Monday- Regularly scheduled class at Stritch 6-10... my next (Business Law) class starts on Monday.
Tuesday- Mequon campus MATC 5:30-7:00pm Intro to Nutritional Science... say whaa?? yeah. Its an elective. I need so many electives since I'm am already scheduled for all my required courses. And when i transfer ed my credits from MATC to Stritch, my earlier (non business degree oriented) credits didn't transfer... damn you early childhood education credits. damn you.
Wednesday- West Allis campus MATC 6:30-9:30pm Elements of Speech. Oddly enough i need a speech class, who would have thought? And allll these years no one told me. hmmm.
Thursday- Stritch (2/10-3/17) 6-10pm Managing Cultural Diversity (meh) Another elective class.
Thursday-Stritch (3/24-4/28) 6-10pm Study of Non-Western Religions <--- I'm looking forward to this one the most... diversity shmiversity
Friday- you will most likely find me drowning in a bottle of wine. maybe two.

Oh... and for $hits and Giggles (<--- one of my new favorite sayings) I successfully completed a "History of Wisconsin" course at MATC.

AND I have a CLEP Exam scheduled for Thursday. (NYE eve) Might as well finish the year off with a bang right?

I know what your thinking.... are you nuts? Its up to debate, but no. I'm not. I'm determined. This extreme overload in school will only be for a few months. Sure, I'll be stressed. Sure, I'll get some grays. Sure, I'll be the biggest B word for those few months. But it'll be worth it. I know its a lot. But thankfully, i have an amazing husband and an amazing family and amazing friends, in a nutshell, an amazing support system. And at the end of the day, I'm doing this for him, for them, for me.

In fact, it might not seem like it, but I'm actually being precautious. See, I'm scheduled to graduate... December... let me check the calendar.... December 10/11 ish of 2011. All the extra classes on my schedule end by May 18th. I chose to take all the classes in the first half of the year, didn't want to leave anything to chance, ya know?

Ok, so now that you think I've completely lost it. I plan on doing all this.... WHILE trying to get promoted at work. Come January i will be on a personal developmental plan to get to the next step in my career. Lovely.

Can we negotiate?

Santa-

I didn't want you to think i was being unreasonable. So I did a little research and found a comparable item, that is less than half the price and i like 3/4ths as much (you follow me?) as the Michael Kors one.

And i guess i could do with out the DB Florentine Vaccheta.

Santa, baby....

All i want under our MIA tree is this:

Please?

Maybe not for Saturday.

Maybe not for Sunday.

I can do Monday.

Please take into consideration how good I've been this year. And i only want this.
and maybe a DB Florentine Vaccheta (med east/west in natural)

Thank you.

I love you.

Aficionado

I would like to defer from calling my self a shoe addict. Because im not. If i were an addict i would have countless number of (useless) shoes in my closet, just collecting dust, for the hell of it. And i don't. All my shoes comfortably reside in their original respective homes. And if my chance, in translation, one of my pairs lost its home, they were given temporary (but very permanent) sterallite homes.

I label myself a shoe aficionado because i find great joy in all shoes, not just women's shoes. I also would like to think of myself more in terms of a shoe connoisseur, if you will. Very few things bring me the joy a well made shoe brings me. I think this is why, i don't like a pair of shoes. I fall in LOVE with a pair of shoes. if there is anything i loathe is a crappy pair of shoes. i mean... if your in the shoe business, you have to keep up with the Jones's (a.k.a trends). No one wants to rock parrot key nose pumps....

Its not all aesthetics people, its the fit, the comfort, the shoe run. I mean sure, i shoe can look pretty... but can you stand to" walk the walk" in them?  I recently added another staple, but non the less important, pair of shoes to my family. I am pleased to introduce the Nine West Rocha in black leather.

 Yes, if your wondering, i DID take off my shoe at work, planted that bad boy on my desk and took a picture of it. I just had to, these shoes are amazingly comfortable. Plus they look great with dress pants and skirts. They have a perfect almond toe and although 41/4 inch heel sounds a little high, the 1/2 inch platform gives them a p.e.r.f.e.c.t balance.

Disclaimer, i do not have kanckles. Its just a weird angle. i swear.

And another angle.

And to prove I'm not an addict.... i threw these in there as well.  I just wish i had a baby girl to gift these to. They are just so perfect...The color is fabulous. Every girl, even at the ripe age of 6 months, should own a  pair of red shoes. (The correct shade of red though, never bright and tacky) Velcro Mary Janes? A must for the toddler on the go! And the elastic back ensure all day comfort.

Find these here!

Mending Signs

Its funny how God sends you signs. All.The.Time. Whether or not you choose to see them is a completely different story. As for me, i feel like Truman, everything is a clear sign... though I'm smarter, I recognize them.

I know a lot of people who have a lot of anger, pain and sadness in their hearts. And specially during the holidays, it fills me with a tremendous amount of sadness, when i realize how many people are O.K with living their lives this way. Maybe its me. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe its the fact that can (am) viewing things differently.

Forgive & Forget. Possibly the 2 hardest words in the English language. Some argue that you cant have one with out the other. Some people feel they can forget but never forgive. Or they say they have forgiven but cant let it go, forget. But why is it so hard? What is it in our nature that makes it impossible for us to do both?

Can you forgive someone with out them asking for forgiveness? Or do we feel cheated? Can people genuinely forgive someone? and at the same time forget or let go?

Sometimes i feel like people cant do both. Mainly, because people have the misconception that Forgiving is Forgetting. It is not. Forgetting is dismissing something from your mind; to stop remembering. Forgetting is being unable to remember, to forget to do something or leave behind unintentionally. Forgetting isn't Forgiving either. Forgetting is denial.

When i say forgive and forget i don't mean forget that it happened. Or forget the feelings or emotions that were felt. I mean forget it... let it go. I know it sounds hard, but by not letting go, you simply harm yourself. Many times, the person who hurt you... is no longer "there" emotionally, meaning this doesn't affect them anymore, they've moved past it. And you, well you, you are still living in the aftermath of whatever happened, you are still being eaten alive with pain, anger, sadness.

Forgiving some one is as important for yourself, as it is for the person you are forgiving. Can you forgive someone with out them asking for forgiveness? I have. But that is up for debate. Some people need acknowledgement or closure to their problems, which is an understandable request. But have you ever thought that perhaps the person who hurt, offended or sinned against you has such a tremendous amount of guilt that they are unable to face the problem? Or they sit on the other end of this problem/issue that came between you two, feeling the same way, looking for the courage to say the first word? Looking to mend your relationship. Just saying.


I leave you with this....

For if you forgive men when they sin against you,

 your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

 But if you do not forgive men their sins,

 your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15                             

I may have gotten the sign, But i hope you see the message.

Im a sucka'

Yes, That's right. I am a sucka' for infomercials. Self diagnosed Infomercial-aholic

Seriously. Ask my family.When i was younger i was able to convince my mom to buy just about anything. I seriously could not watch an infomercial with out rushing to get my moms credit card from my her purse. We eventually became the shameful owners of multiple "Ronco" line products, endless exercise dvd's (back then tapes) , anything that began with AB-roller, rocker, machine, twister etc. etc.

Whats that? Order in the next 10 minutes and you will knock off a payment?

But wait! There's more? Be one of the first 200 callers and get a travel bag, a travel size product and double the warranty? A $90 value???

And then of course i'd ask about the upgrade to expedite shipping. Which for some reason always seemed to take as long as regular shipping.

I eventually learned ... "paid actors, dramatization, results may vary, results not typical, paid audience, not real testimony" ..... were never a good sign of a good product.

UNTIL last weekend.... (my birthday in fact)

Juju and i were heading out the door and caught a few minutes of the an infomercial for the "Top Styler" (i think its from the makers of the InStyler)

I watched in awe... as clam after clam came off the models hair revealing perfectly, bouncy, healthy, shinny curls.  

And THEN ... the girl sitting in the chair did it herself. with OUT a mirror. (*warning* Infomercial-aholic speaking) And the results were perfect, and if she could do it, i could do it. 

Whats that? your telling me it wasn't her first time doing it? Preposterous!!

Anyhow.... Im not sure i'll be too quick to pull out my debit card to purchase them, if i remember correctly, they were about $100 ( plus s+h). Oddly enough, i cant seem to find them on the internet. I read a few places that they are so brand spankin' new they're not avaible.

But i actually think these things work.

** sigh **

I'll keep you posted.



A whole latte budget

To know me is to love me. Seriously. I am many things, funny, smart, strong, (in)&dependent, beeutiful, loud, animated, polite, spontaneous, goofy and a little ghetto. But in FABULOUS way.

I am an avid coffee drinker. I like all sorts of coffee, lattes, any kind of "ccinos", you name it- I'll drink it.

At work, the people at Starbucks were gracious enough to pass on the recipes for all their signature drinks. Thankfully they are not as expensive as they are at the real Starbucks, though they are the real deal, taste the same. Still it can get costly.

Grab a pencil:

A.M : Grande Verona - $1.50

Mid day Tazo tea- .75c

P.M Grande Latte ( mocha, chai, americano, etc)- $2.75 ish

TOTAL: $5.00

X 5 days a week- $25.00

Remember kids this is just on your daily fuel (coffee in case you were following along) and if you don't brown paper bag it for lunch, you will spend a minimum of $5 a day.... again $25.00/ week

grand total $50.00 week!! That's over $2,500 a year!! {gulp} Truth be told.

That was me.

So what does someone, who's a little ghetto fabulous, and on a budget do?

My friends I give you- Lolos 'faux'ocha

Colombian Instant Coffee

Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate w/ cocoa

Marshmallows ( of course )

This set me back about 12 dollars. Half a weeks worth of coffee, 3x's as much coffee. =-)

Look at that marshmallowee froth!!

Oh SN: I also have 3 different boxes of tazo teas at my desk. And i seldomly buy lunch at work now. This means im saving tons and tons of money... I think someone deserves a new pair of shoes as a reward. Just saying.

Why thank you, Flo!

Though I do think you're rather annoying.