Updates: Oh the cleverness of me....

So it's been a week since I last wrote (at least) and I figured someone might be interested in the things that have happened during the week. Let's begin.

1. The Job: so I started work this past week. I'm so incredibly happy to be working again! I won't lie and say that I leap out of bed at 6 am, but I'm cheerful and happy at the office and I like what I'm doing. It's a small office, a total of 7 employees. 5 of those employees are part time, leaving only me and the owner as full time. And there are some pretty amazing perks that go along with it... like awesome employee lunches that I don't have to pay for. There's downsides too, of course. For instance, the amount of tasks I have to learn how to do is pretty intense and the insurance I'm paying for is sky-high... but other then that, it's a great gig and I really hope that I can stay there for.... like, ever. :)

2. Recent Musings: It's come to my attention that composting has become very popular. I've got to say that I actually really love the concept of composting, but it's just not for me. First of all, it's hugely time consuming. I mean, you've got to get all the junk that you need to set it up before you add your veggie scraps. Second, it stinks. Literally. It smells God-awful. Third, the bugs. Really, the amount of black flies that come out of a compost heap is dreadful. And I hate bugs of all kinds. Fourth, every person that I've known who has composted as just ended up with tomato plants growing out of their compost heaps. Like I said, I like the idea of it, but it's far easier and makes me much happier to just go out and buy organic soil for my garden. More power to you if you want to stir around a bunch of rotting food.... But I have a plan for public composting that I think could really work. Since most of my state is doing a great job of recycling (with single stream and all), the bulk of the garbage that ends up at the landfill is compostable. I mean, even Sun Chips is making a compostable packaging. So why don't we just put all the convicts to work turning the landfill into a giant compost heap. And then the residents can buy local compost and the state could generate a little extra money. And it'll give the convicts something to do.... Ok, it's not an ideal plan, but hey. It was just an idea.

3. Trip to NYC: So I went to NYC today to see the King Tut exhibit in Times Square. It was a bus trip through AAA and a gift from my parents. M and I were very excited to go! And we had a great time... we arrived in NYC around 10:30, had admission to the show for 11, got out around 12, and didn't have to meet the bus again until 4. But I have to honestly say that I was a little disappointed with the actual show for King Tut. I understand that Egypt probably limits the amount artifacts that leave the country, but for the amount of space that the Times Square Expo Center has I was pretty bummed about all the empty space. However, the artifacts were awesome and it was highly enjoyable and educational. My inner teacher even came out and I gave a little mini-lesson to some high-school kids at the exhibit.

The gift shop was another story.... the majority of the items they had were for children. I was really bummed. I did get a magnet of a bright blue scarab beetle. I wanted to get a cartouche (or however you spell them), but they were like $400.....

After the King Tut exhibit, we walked around a lot. We ate lunch at "The Play-Write". It was great - M had fish and chips. I had, shocker, a corned beef reuben. Gasp now, I was shocked myself.... I know I'm not a meat-eater, for the most part, but it's pretty hard for me to resist corned beef.

I purchased 2 awesome (knock off) bags and a wallet, as well as a pashima (which I always get when I'm in NYC). We had drinks at "Carmines" before the bus picked us up.... M had a beer (which he spilt all over his own self) and I had a frozen apple martini. We walked to Bryant Park, which is lovely. I'd like to go back there with a picnic lunch and sit out in the lawn.

Here are two funny stories from our trip:
1. M got pooped on by a bird. That's it. We were just walking down the street and then suddenly bird poop was on his chest. It was gross. I had to clean it up. Ok, maybe not funny. But the look on his face was priceless.

2. On our way home from NYC I overheard the following little tidbit about bottled water. Person A said to Person B, thanks so much for the water.... and it continued for a bit while I tuned out the small talk. Then I tuned back in again when Person B said "My son doesn't drink Disani water... he says it's dehydrated water anyway." I turned to M and said, "Did he just say dehydrated water? How does one dehydrate water?" I mean really, what would you be left with? A bottle full of air? And if you managed to actually dehydrate water, how does one rehydrate it? Dehydrated water... just add water and stir????? I actually laughed pretty hard on this one... :)

That's all for now folks. I can't wait for my next trip to NYC and next week's work load! :)

Big Day Tomorrow

Well, it's official cyber-world. I'm starting my new job tomorrow!! I'm very excited and a bit nervous too. So nervous in fact that I accidently stabbed myself in the palm with a steak knife. It wasn't good... :(

My background check isn't complete, but the office manager told me to come on down anyways and they'll start me tomorrow. I'm not really worried that something back will come back with my background check, I mean I've had to do these things a bunch of times for other jobs and everything comes back fine. But I know that companies change their policies all the time - what if you need like a credit score of 800 to work at this place? I'm hardly there....

On a side note, I scored several more amazing things at the Goodwill over the weekend. A few pairs of shoes, a new dress (with tags), a skirt, several sweaters, a few cardigans, a few knit tops and a nice sweatshirt. I call that a win.

That's all for now. I'll try and remember to write tomorrow with an update on my 1st day on on the job. But for now my lunch is packed, my outfit is hanging in the bathroom, and my makeup is all lined up on the counter. All ready for me to get ready for work tomorrow. :)

The Twist and Turns of Fate

Well hello again, bloggers! Thought I'd give everyone in cyberspace an update as to what I've been doing:

Here's the backstory, in case you didn't already know: Husband and myself have been unemployed for a while now. We've been very industrial around the house, planting the garden, etc, but I long to be in a job again. And the unemployment checks are just helping us skate by.

So.... I like to say I've recently had more interviews then Bradley International as flights. But the good news is, I've landed a position!! :) I'll be working in a Finanacial Planners office and I hope to start on Monday. Yesterday I went in and got fingerprinted and filled out all kinds of fun paperwork.

But M is still out of work. And we've hooked up with an eldery couple at our church that needs help with their garden. So we've been 'sharecropping' which is a lot of fun. Since we've made that connection, these people have conencted us with other eldery folks in the area that need assistance with things around the house. That being said, we've been contracted to do the following:
1. install flooring
2. paint
3. move furniture and boxes
4. clean windows
5. clean carpets
6. general fixing up

It's funny - we're both so much busier since we've been out of work. But now I'll have to reschedule some things for the weekend as I'll be working again...

Besides all of that, or maybe in celebration of getting a job, M and I decided to hit a couple of the local Goodwills and check it out. Here's what we scored:
1. a full set of golf clubs (now we both have a set)
2. a pair of Gap jeans
3. a sweater from Coldwater Creek
4. a sweater from Anne Taylor
5. two cardigans
6. a knit top from Calvin Kline
7. a short black skirt
8. pair of brown pumps
9. pair of brown loafers for M

And we got all of that for.... $62!!!! Can you believe it??? I love the Goodwill!

Quick Coupon :)

Hi everyone,

I got a comment from my last posting from Dress Barn with a link to a coupon. Check it out:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4581487838_04751d3140.jpg

20% off any one item. Go out and shop! :)

Dress shopping 101, maybe?

I had to go dress shopping....

I know. You're probably thinking, "You had to go? Someone forced you to go look at pretty dresses at gunpoint? Uh huh...". But it's true. Well, not at gunpoint, but I did have to go. You see, my cousin is getting married... in July. And while I realize that July is a few months away, I sold a couple of handbags so I had a little money to burn.

So off I traipsed to the mall, husband in tow. We went to Dress Barn first, and I had quite a bit of success there. I found about 10 dresses I tried on, and I purchased two. I'm very pleased with the dresses - one is a beautiful turquoise Marilyn Monroe style dress, which will be perfect for the wedding, provided the bridal party isn't wearing blue. The other dress is a great plum/bright purple color, sleeveless, sheath style with lovely pleating at the neckline and a black patent leather belt. I hate the belt, but it's removable. And I have a GREAT black belt to wear with it. :)

I may have to return the blue dress.

What really drew me to the purple dress is that I could wear it to work (if I ever get a job!) or even to church. The blue one is a bit more limited. But the two dresses were only about $40.00 each so I don't feel too bad about buying them. Oh, and that purple dress will look awesome with a Cole Haan cardigan I picked up at TJMaxx's for $15.

But dress shopping is hard work. The majority of the dresses I found at Dress Barn (and at the mall after I purchased the two from DB) were of the following styles:

1. the "TENT" dress - this is the dress that is shaped like a gigantic t-shirt. There is no shaping on this dress what-so-ever. Not a princess seam in sight. Not very flattering on someone bigger then the average super model.

2. the 1950's housewife - all this dress needs is a string of pearls, a martini, and a matching Hoover vacuum. Really. While I love this style of dress, I can't really pull it off without giggling a lot.

3. the standard sheath dress - I lo-o-o-o-o-o-ve this dress style. But finding one that works on a plus size body is difficult. The purple dress I bought was of this style - and I wouldn't have gotten it if it hadn't been presented with the belt. Even though the belt is awful, it brings additional shaping to the dress. And the belt I have at home is better.

4. the summer dress - this is a very broad range type of dress. The average dress from Target, Walmart or Kohl's will generally fall in this category. I love summer dresses - they are fun, flirty and generally cheap. But they don't lend themselves to weddings or offices. More like BBQ's and beer.

So overall I feel like I really lucked out. And, both dresses were in smaller sizes then I usually wear. Always a bonus! :)

I also picked up a pair of black flats at a new shoe store at the mall, and bought Michael (the husband) two new pairs of shoes at DSW. Love that store! :)