Giveaway Winner!

Happy Wednesday!

I feel Wednesdays are good days to get good news because it helps your week go by faster.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I loved reading all of your stories, and as soon as I am done with my mountain of homework, I will try to respond to everyone. You guys are great and I love it!

But, the random number generator was in charge this time, so….drum roll please…

The winner of these fun goodies:

Is Ashley from The Accidental Olympian Alaskan!! Congratulations!! E-mail me your address and I will get that into the mail this week!

 

And I DO want to blog about everything going on, but it has been crazy busy, or by the time I have free time, my brain is fried and all I would do is ramble, and no one wants that. So maybe later tonight after I finish grading sample essays, but definitely by the end of the week. There are some hilarious stories.

 

Congratulations to Ashley, again, and I hope to have another giveaway in the near future!!

The Other State

I thought this blog post would be one of the easier ones. I mean, I think trip posts are usually pretty easy to write. You say what you did. Tell funny stories. Done.

But there’s something about this trip that doesn’t seem to be coming out. I don’t know what all to say about the trip.

It was both a vacation and not all at the same time.

I guess it was a vacation for me, but Mr. A still had to work during the days, so I was left to finding things to do on my own and exploring a new city is not nearly as fun when you’re by yourself. I think maybe that’s why it didn’t feel like a vacation to me.

But I did have a good time.

I got there on a Thursday night and was pretty exhausted. I don’t like to fly and the stress just wears me out. We grabbed some dinner at a BBQ place close to his hotel and just kept it simple.

Since he worked during the days, I was going to take him to work and pick him up so that I could have the car during the day. Except I was fairly terrified of the driving there. I love driving in the city, but the drivers there think they are the only ones on the road and have no consideration for anyone else driving. No idea how there aren’t more accidents and that more people aren’t seriously injured. Mr. A basically had to Tokyo Drift down the highway one day so he wasn’t slammed into the guardrail.

Mr. A also didn’t know anyone there, so the whole time he was there, he didn’t do much, so when I showed up, I wanted to do some of the fun touristy things.

We went to the aquarium, which was really neat. They had a cool rain forest island with monkeys and other creatures and there wasn’t a barrier between you and them. The island was situated so that they couldn’t get out, but it was cool to feel like there was nothing stopping them from jumping over. They even had a sloth in a tree that, technically, was close enough you could touch and absolutely nothing stopping you from doing so other than sign that said “Do Not Touch the Sloth”.

They had some really cool fish and the shark tunnel is always fun to walk through. We also love sea turtles, and they had a couple huge ones. They also had penguins that were outside, which is just amusing since I always imagine penguins in the cold, not the 100+ degree weather.

The city is basically a lot of eating and shopping. We found some truly delicious restaurants. Ones that I am craving from home and so very sad that I can’t have it.

Of course, I went to Sprinkles Cupcakes more than I ever should admit to anyone. But ZOMG those things are the best cupcakes that I have ever had. Too bad their cake mixes you can buy have gotten bad reviews. I would give anything for one of their red velvet and a chocolate marshmallow. Nomzzzzzzzz

We also learned that this city has probably one of the highest concentrations of rich people, at least that I’ve ever encountered. Never seen so many Range Rovers and Panameras in one place. Also realized that a lot of the stores in the malls that I couldn’t even step foot in without them requesting to know my checking account balance. One day I can shop there, just not now.

And then we went to visit our friends in another big city in Other State, about 4 hours away.

We had a great time. I hadn’t seen them since January and it was great to spend time with really good friends for a weekend. A and Mr. A lived together for 3 years in college and P and I went to high school together. P and A got together about 6 months after Mr. A and I, so the 4 of us spent A LOT of time together. We talked about the fact that if we had to live with another couple, it would be them since we basically did it through most of undergrad.

P and I talked about their wedding plans for next fall. The boys were boys and talked about boy things. We just had a truly great time.

Too bad the trip had to end on a sour note.

We were heading to our car in the parking garage of their apartment complex. The garage is locked and you have to have a clicker to get in. Guests are supposed to park on the top level, sot hats where we parked. But when we got up there, we saw that someone had broken into our car.

They completely ripped out the window and some of his stuff was sitting on the ground around the car. Mr. A was so pissed off. I was mad and just didn’t know what to do. Mr. A has had one hell of a time since he’s been in Other State, and this was about the 4th thing to go wrong involving his car. Guy had only been there a month.

Thank heavens they didn’t steal anything other than an envelope of receipts he was keeping for tax purposes. And receipts don’t have full credit card numbers so it should be fine and I’m keeping an eye on our accounts.

We think they were either looking for drugs, a laptop, or a stereo system since they left all sorts of expensive things in the car. They left the gps and his expensive radar detector and hiking stuff worth well over $400 and other various things. They definitely went through everything and tore stuff apart.

So we got to drive 4 hours on the interstate without a window, which is pretty darn miserable. Luckily Mr. A’s boss was a saint and let us park the car in their garage since our other option was going to be taking turns hanging out in the car all night to make sure no one stole the whole car. I had to move my flight to the next day since we weren’t sure if we would get back in time. No real complaints about an extra day with the husband, but we spent 2 hours at the window place waiting while they replaced it. So happy Mr. A’s insurance covered it all or we would be out about $500. Insurance is awesome.

All in all, it was a good time. I was so very happy to see Mr. A and to get to spend some time with him. We missed each other and I know it was good for him to have someone there to get him out of that hotel room. We went to a ball game. We ate at delicious restaurants. We endured 100+ temperatures every single day.

I also got to meet some blog friends which was truly amazing. All three of them were great and I am so very sad that I don’t live closer so that we can hang out some more. I won’t say who because I don’t know how anonymous they are and I wrote all over Twitter where I was, so I will respect their privacy. (But ladies, you were all AMAZING and I hope one day we can meet up again. SO MUCH FUN!)

So that was Other State. I’m sure I’m missing something, but my brain feels like it’s a bit in a fog and I can’t quite think out this whole thing. I will write better. Probably about things that I have been seeing in educations systems that are ticking me off. Hello, soapbox!

Making “New” Friends

While I’m writing this before my trip, by the time you read this, I will be in Other State and trying to find my way around one of the 5 largest metro areas. (Let’s see how many times I get lost or drive the wrong way on a one way street.)

Not only will I finally be seeing my husband after 3 and a half long weeks apart and getting to experience new restaurants and a new city and a new state and enjoy a little vacation away, but I will also be meeting some blog and twitter friends. 3 internet friends, to be precise.

EEEEEKKKK.

I am so very excited to meet these lovely ladies. I have been reading their blogs since I started this blog of my own. It feels like I have known them for a long time, but at the same time, I don’t know them.

Like me, they keep some things off the blogs and off of twitter. We all do. We all like to keep some things private. And even if I attempted to tell you all everything, it would be impossible.

So here I am, willingly going to meet 3 different women who I have never met before.

Sounds like the start of a horror film, doesn’t it?

Luckily, I have e-mailed and talked to them and I have decided that they are not serial killers or crazy people.

At least I don’t think so…

(Hi ladies. You know who you are. So excited!)

On Monday, I will be meeting up with one and her husband and some of their friends at a baseball game. Hubs and I both love baseball, so I figure it will be some common ground and will be fun. I think I’m less nervous than Mr. A. Poor guy is afraid he will embarrass me or something since these are people I have a connection to, and not him. He will be just fine. He’s good at talking to people. I’m not worried about him.

The other two ladies, we don’t have official plans, but one gets back from out of town on Monday and the other will be busy for the first few days, so once they get back and done with work stuff, we will figure it out.

I feel like I’m in grade school and trying to make new friends on the first day of class. What to wear. What to do. What to say. How to not look like an idiot. That might be the hard one.

Have any of you met up with internet friends? Any tips? Was it as awkward as I’m afraid it’s going to be?

(Girls, I swear I’m normal, I just get nervous meeting new people. Sorry!)

Amazed

Words can’t explain my gratitude to all of you.

I never imagined the outpouring of support from yesterday’s post. I thought maybe I came across as a little whiny and you would move on to the next blog you read. But I had to get it out there. I had to write it, and not only write it, but have you read it. Journals never helped me because I knew that it was still inside me, and me alone.

I’m teary eyed and having a hard time finding the words to say to you all.

I know this is a silly blog. Millions of people have them. And millions of people probably have better ones than I do. But you found mine and you read it. And yesterday, you commented. You gave advice. You expressed your support. You gave me warnings. And you sent virtual hugs and thoughts and prayers. You gave me hope when I was slowly losing every ounce I had mustered up to yesterday. You let me know that I’m not alone. That it isn’t my fault. And that you were thinking about me.

And for that, I thank you.

Thank you doesn’t really cut it. It may sound incredibly silly, but all day yesterday, every time I received a comment and read it, it brought a smile to my face and gave me a renewed sense of conviction. You made my day significantly better.

It showed me I can call you guys friends. Again, lame. But that’s how it felt. Still feels.

Maybe it’s the wine, but I’m super sentimental today.

So I’ll quit being a gushing ball of meh.

But I had some questions about your suggestions yesterday. I think every single one of you had amazing advice and ideas, but for some of them, I’m not sure where to look or how to start.

So, I’ll jump right in.

1. Temp agencies. Never really considered it, but I’m all for it. If someone else wants to put my name out there, more power to them. But how do they work? Also, how do I find one? Even more important, how can I tell if they’re shady and should avoid them? I don’t want to end up in a drug house. Or a scam.

2. Volunteering. How did you pick where to volunteer? Where do you volunteer? How do you find places and what types of places, generally, tend to need help? I looked into CASA, but I’m afraid of committing, finding a job, and then not having time to do it.

3. Non-profits. Okay, I understand what that means, but how do you get involved? I know some of you work for non-profits, so how does that work?

4. Political. Someone mentioned political campaigns. Now, I really have no desire to go door to door. That’s so not my thing. But what else might they need?

5. Retail. I worked at a shoe store when I was 16 because two of my friends worked there. How bad is it? Also, and I’m not going to be picky about hours, but will I be working Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Years? The only reason I’m concerned is because I’m a couple hours away from family. So, if I was home and working, no big deal if I have to work because it’s a 10 minute drive and they will wait for me. But if it’s 2 hours, I’m afraid I’ll miss every gathering. It’s something I’m looking into, especially since we live less than a mile from the mall, but just curious. (Please don’t think I’m being picky. Just curious what I’m getting into.)

 

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. To those of you who have said you were in my position, thank you for the advice from someone who has been in the trenches and knows the struggle, emotionally and mentally. To those of you with jobs, thank you for telling me how you got those and please don’t think I’m not happy for you. I am. I’m happy you are providing for your family and not having to go through what I am right now. To those of you in my position, know you have a partner in crime. I, logically, know that it’s not my fault and I’m doing what I can. Same for you. We will get through this. No one knows how long this will take, but we will figure it out.

You are all wonderful and know how much you’ve helped someone this week. Treat yourself with a glass of wine or a margarita or a cookie or a pumpkin spice latte. You deserve it.

love you guys.