I had really hoped to blog about my engagement pictures today, however, our photographer is still working on the processing.

So, instead, I bring you:  MY FURBABY, Charlie:

In May of 2008 I dogsat for a friend of mine who has a 110 pound black lab mix (named Dr. Frankenfurter).  I grew up with a black lab, and love dogs.  Being around Frankie reminded me of how much I missed having a dog in my life.  Around this time, I also discovered long coat Chihuahuas.  A friend of mine got one, and it was the sweetest dog I'd ever met.  Long coats are bred to select for personality traits mostly, and personally, I find them WAY cuter than smooth coats.

One day on a whim, Brett and I decided to stop in a pet store and play with puppies.  We had decided on getting a dog from a shelter after we moved in June, and I wanted to get a feel for what type of dog we would be compatible with.  First we played with a Min-Pin, who aggrivated Brett's allergies so much that he was immediatley out of the question.

Next we looked into a window, and saw two dogs, one was a sleeping 2 pound long coat chihuahua.  I asked the girl to get him for me, and as soon as I held him, I was in love.  He nuzzled up to my neck, cuddled with me, and fell asleep right there.  We asked how much he was.  Over $2,000, but if we paid in cash today, they would knock off 15%.  Brett said no, and I cried the whole way home.  He went back to Cleveland that night (at the time were Long distance), and over the course of 3 days, I went to visit this amazingly sweet pup 2 more times.  Each time it was harder to give him back.  Eventually, I convinced Brett that he would make a wonderful birthday present, while simultaneously convincing the pet store to give us a 50% discount on the pup that I had already named Charlie.

Charlie relaxes after a long walk.

Brett paid by credit card over the phone, and I took him home on Wednesday. 

Since then he has brought something into our lives that we never knew we could have with a dog.  He is pretty darn close to perfect.  He almost never barks (the exception being if he thinks that there might be an intruder coming to get us), he snuggles with us like a champ, he's as sweet as can be, and he's our little slice of awesome.  He is five pounds of pure sugar.

Back to workouts!

Well, I went back to working out with Muscles on Monday night (I hadn't gone in TWO MONTHS!) and I'm still sore all over.  I took time off from the gym and my running while I was sick, and barley had the energy to stand, and now that I'm feeling better, it's time to get back into the swing of things.

In other news, while I normal put an "embargo" on Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, I'm doing things different this year.  The tree still wont go up until next week, but stonkings have been hung, lights have been strung, and Christmas Candies fill the decorative wooden bowls around my apartment.  I'm listening to Christmas albums, baking cookies, and taking in the spirit of the season.

I want this year to be a great Christmas.

My entire life, the only real tradition my family has had has been that my brother and I wake up early, rouse our parents, and everyone unwraps presents while we watch "A Christmas Story" as a family, and then we spend the rest of the day eating, playing and never changing out of Pajamas (unless we were in Lousiana, in that case, we changed and went to MawMaws house for homemade candy, and an endless feast).  Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, no one faught, no one cried, and no one yelled (unless it was a yell of "YAY I LOVE IT").  Last year was the first year that I didn't wake up at my parents house.  I didn't know that it was going to be the last time I even had the chance.  Instead Boyfriend and I trecked up to Ohio to visit his family and (aside from being there to visit with Amber) it was not an enjoyable trip for me.  His family had tricked us and said the family dinner would be ON Christmas, it wasn't, it was 2 days later (so, in short, we could've done both family celebrations but instead I got cheated out of seeing my brother, spending the last Christmas together as a family, and I spent Christmas morning crying because I was homesick). 

I want this Christmas to start a new tradition.  One for me and Boyfriend.  I just don't know what it will be yet.  This will be the first year that we wake up together in our own place on Christmas morning.  I want it to be fantastic.

Resolve

So, Yesterday was a somewhat enlightening day for me.  And I have some "resolvements" this morning so to speak, so now, in twitter style:

I have resolved that:
-Starbucks will never spell my name correctly on a cup (because Rachel is just TOO hard I guess)
-There are worse things in life than getting laid off from a job you hate
-That, yes in fact, I do want to be a Chemical Engineer
-That moving into Project Management one day is still my upmost goal.
-That I hate THIS job... not this profession.
-That "Passion Tea" is a horrible substitute for green tea at starbucks, but it's the only decaf tea option, so I'll drink it anyway.


I think that's about it.  I'm starting to look at the lay off as a positive thing.  At the very worst case I will be out of work for a month-ish until work starts coming in at my "home company" (they have the contracts, just not the physical workload).  I will be in a place where I can learn a little bit more.  I can ask for more money now.  I will be in a better place to learn from Project Managers.  This is a good thing.

Now, I want to respond to the comment that Amber Lane left on my post yesterday.  Indeed, I am more fun, energetic, and social than most engineer types.  And I think that is what will make me a good Project Manager.  It is a job perfectly suited for me.  It's filled with spreadsheets, file folders, teamwork, and (my favorite) team building outings!  There is in fact a 5 year plan (which I will naturally be altering slightly today, given the new set of variables) (also, naturally, it's been put into a gannt chart, because, I am a dork) to get me there.  It's all just a matter of building myself as an engineer first.  Also, while I would LOVE to move back to Ohio and start fabulous party planning with you, the snow will have to leave first.  No more snow for me.  Snow is evil.

Well Readers, Here's to a fruitful job hunt! :D

Well.

This morning I recieved news that as of December 11th, I will be laid off.  At least I have a whole month to look for something else.  The trouble I'm having is that I'm not sure that I want to stay in Chemical Engineering.  I hate the job I have now.  I don't get it.  I loved all my internships, maybe it's just THIS job.

I don't know, I've been fantasizing latley about other career paths.  Nursing, Wedding Planning, Activity Co-ordinating... something with more face to face interaction.  My problem is that I don't know how to ebb into any of those feilds, and I also know that I like money, and wont make the amount of money that I make now, at least, not initially.  I don't know what to do.

I know, I know.  It's been over 2 weeks.  In my defense, Things have been hectic, though not in any kind of exciting way to provide any bloggy material.

Anyhow; After my doctor apointment on the 30th I found out what has been casing me grief in my stomach.  I have what is apparently a fairly severe case of Acid Reflux as well as something called a "Sliding Hiatus Hernia" (what this means is that due to stress, the muscles in my eusaphagus have tensed so much that they are litterally pulling my stomach into my chest cavity.)  The doctor perscribed Nexium and a reduction in stress.  Reduction in stress is a tricky one for me.  Right now I'm working on avoiding the foods that add to the stress effects in my body (fatty foods, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, etc.)  Fatty foods has been the easiest.  Lack of caffeine and chocolate means that I cannot have my favorite winter treat: Starbucks Pepermint White Mocha.  Oh yea, I'm also supposed to avoid pepermints... I've switched to a decaf green tea in the mornings (Thank You Arizona Tea company for making your diet green tea in decaf!)

Reduction in stress is not going so well.  This is a tricky one for me.  I tend to worry and stress over little things, and planning a wedding + parents divorce + Brett potentialy losing his job + every day normal stresses doesn't bode well for me.  But I will work on my coping mechanisms, and things will get better.

In happier news, I'm still IN LOVE with the clarisonic.  I'm using it religiously, and in return it has given me some GREAT skin.  I haven't worn concealer in weeks, and I completley skipped my "about to start my period" face breakout this month.

I also booked a DJ for the wedding.  He is somewhat expensive, but, Has amazing reviews all over the web and I feel like a good DJ can really make or break the "party theme" of an event.  And I want booties on the dance floor.

That's about it as far as "news in Rachel Land goes"  See, two weeks, in a quick update.  So, that's that.

101 in 1001 plus why I love the fine people at Clarisonic.

So, I guess there was some confusion about my last post.  The 101 in 1001 is a list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days.  As to why I want to fold all those cranes?  In Asian folklore it is said that 1000 paper cranes will make a wish come true, it is also associated with 1000 years of hapiness and prosperity.  I want to fold these cranes and somehow incorporate them into the wedding.  Because I am a dork totally sappy.

In other news, there are some list items completed, or kind of anyway.

3. Pass the FE Exam - This is "in progress"  I took the exam on Saturday (yay! done studying!) but wont get the results until January.  Hopefully I passed it because I don't want to ever take that test again.  Other things I don't want to ever do again: Anything involving electrical engineering.  ouch.

Also: 29) Buy a Clarisonic Skincare Brush.

I took the plunge, I bought it, in pink naturally.

I am in love y'all.  If you have ever considered buying one of these babies, but hessitated based on the price, JUST JUMP IN AND DO IT.  It is truly worth every penny.  Even after 3 days I have noticed a HUGE improvement in my skin.  Important fact of note here: I am a compulsive skin picker.  This means that without even realizing it I will pick at every flaw in my face until I've turned it all into a bloody mess, I don't even notice that I'm doing it half of the time until the damage is done.  That said, my pick sites are healing remarkably fast, my scars seem to be fading quicker than ever, and my skin tone is evening in ways I didn't think possible.  And this is only after 3 days.  Imagine what I will see in one month! 

I bought it online from Sephora (where they are running a "friends and family special" through Nov 2, 2009 - the online code is FF2009, I got 20% off).  I noticed they also have a smaller size "travel" version that is $50 cheaper.  I opted not to get that one because it only had one speed setting and one timmer setting.  The full size version has 2 speeds, and 3 timer settings, allowing for a little more customization.  I've been using it with the included cleansers and following up with DDF 10% Glycolic Toner and Philosophy Hope in a Jar.  I can feel a noticible difference in the moisture level (I was using the DDF and hope in a jar with a DDF cleanser before, FYI) over time using the Clarisonic (meaning my face HOLDS moisture better than ever.).

Seriously, y'all, just do it.  Get the Clarisonic and never look back.  Best. Purchace. Ever.

Oh my Gosh!

I can't believe is has been a week since I posted!

I have been a busy bee preparing myself for my upcoming Fundamentals of Engineering Exam.  It's on Saturday.  I have been studying with almost every spare second of my days.

So, there hasn't been much to blog about.

However, I have also been working on a 101 in 1001 list.  Right now, I'm only at 76 items, so any suggestions on how to finish this are more than welcome!

101 in 1001 (Finish Date: Tuesday, July 17, 2012)
1. Read Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles" (0/10)

2. Read 10 books that I already own, but haven't read yet (0/10)

3. Pass the FE Exam

4. Ask for, and get, a raise in my salary

5. Work somewhere other than the company I work for now

6. Bring Chemical Engineering Textbooks to work

7. Make/Build a Kite and Fly It

8. Complete a "100 things that make me happy" list and scrapbook it

9. List handmade cards for sale on Etsy

10. Fold 1000 Paper Cranes (0/1000)

11. Buy and color all pages of a coloring book

12. Make a scrapbook of me and Brett

13. Take 26 Photos to represent A-Z (Theme TBD)

14. Pay all Credit Cards off in Full 12 months in a row (0/12)

15. Set up 401k

16. Open savings accounts for the following purposes : savings for house, savings for retirement, savings for future children's college

17. Pay off Bank of America Credit Card

18. Buy a House

19. Bake a Pie from scratch (crust and all)

20. Attend the Louisiana Strawberry Festival

21. Eat at the Melting pot 6 times (0/6)

22. Take a Leisure Class at Louisiana Culinary Institute

23. Eat a Deep fried Snickers Bar

24. Run a 5K

25. Don't eat fast food for 60 days straight 3 times (1/60) (0/3)

26. Find an alternative to Skin Picking for when I'm stressed

27. Go 30 days without alcohol 3 times (0/3)

28. Get a Facial

29. Give up Caffeine for 30 days

30. Establish Rules for self regarding caffeine intake

31. Actually Say No to something I don't want to do 10 times (in lieu of saying yes to please another person) (0/10)

32. Unplug from Facebook for an entire week

33. Wash Face every night for 30 days (0/30)

34. Take at least 10 bubble baths (0/10)

35. Get Married

36. Get Pregnant

37. Host a Holiday Dinner at my own House.

38. Get my hair back to that blonde color that I LOVED

39. Learn to Locate all 50 US states on a map

40. Sing karaoke in Public

41. Place in the top 4 of a Magic Tournament

42. Host a Poker Night

43. Attend a Pub Trivia night

44. Get Teeth Whitened

45. Complete a NYTimes Sunday Crossword with NO help from people or internet.

46. Make 5 New Friends (0/5)

47. Wear Makeup Everyday for 30 Days (0/30)

48. Volunteer for an Animal Shelter 6 times (0/6)

49. Have personal photos printed, frame, and bring to work.

50. Watch 26 Movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet (not including movies for other items on the list) (0/26)

51. Watch 10 of the IMDB Top 250 Movies (not including movies for other items on the list) (0/10)

52. Finally watch "Citizen Cane"

53. re-organize and begin using Franklin Covey Planner again (as a tool to track goals instead of time)

54. Set Up a "finished crafts" display stand in the craft room/office.

55. Organize Video Games into a system similar to DVDs

56. Finish organizing DVDs & DVD catalogue spreadsheet

57. Go to Paris with Brett

58. Make and send 6 Halloween Greeting Cards one year

59. Make and Send 15 Christmas Cards one year

60. Kiss Brett at the top of the Eiffel Tower (Vegas Or Paris)

61. Surprise Brett with Candlelit dinner

62. Go to Las Vegas again (this time, don't loose so much money)

63. Finally throw out all of my expired Makeup

64. Get something other than "the usual" at 6 different restraunts (0/6)

65. Go 30 days without meat (including fish) 3 times (0/3)

66. Establish and rules regarding fast-food, takeout, and fried foods

67. Make dinner (using no shortcuts) everyday for 7 days

68. Go 90 days without Chocolate (0/90)

69. Buy a Clarisonic Skin Brush (Bought that, this morning using the Sephora Friends and Family Discount (online cupon code: FF2009))

70. Donate $5 for every item not completed to American Cancer Foundation (Current total: $500)

71. Go 30 days without dairy 3 times (0/3)

72. Clean and organize the accessory closet (and give away at least half of the purses and shoes)

73. Go to 5 “New to me” local restaurants

74. Save $10,000 (for “the future”, not a house)

75. Finish a Quilt

76. Host a “wine night” where all wines are under $10 or come from a box.

77. TBD

78. TBD

79. TBD

80. TBD

81. TBD

82. TBD

83. TBD

84. TBD

85. TBD

86. TBD

87. TBD

88. TBD

89. TBD

90. TBD

91. TBD

92. TBD

93. TBD

94. TBD

95. TBD

96. TBD

97. TBD

98. TBD

99. TBD

100. TBD

101. TBD

Meep

Yes, I have been a bad blogger.

 

I have been keeping up with reading, I just haven't had much to say.

 

I want to tank everyone who commented on my last post.  It really means a lot to me.

 

And here's some bullet point action of what I've been up to:

 

-Trying to figure how to stay out of the middle of this divorce

-Midnight emergency vet visits with Charlie (after he got into something that didn't agree with him)

-Going back to blonde

-Trying to find a "Guidance Counselor" for adults

-Crafting, Crafting, Crafting (Halloween cards, cards for my fabulous bridesmaids, buliten boards of awesomeness, etc)

-Doctors visits to figure out my stomach problems

-Did I mention I went back to blonde?  cause that's the highlight (PUN INTENDED) of my week 

 

I have some posts in the works right now:

-Blonde hair pictures

-some wedding related posts

-a few 'round the house crafts that I want to post about.

 

For now, I'm going to get back to work, put my head down and charge through the rest of today. 

 

 

100th post.

This was supposed to be a post with a great giveaway in it.  I just hadn't thought of it yet.

However, my giveaway will have to wait.  You may remember that in my last post.. I talked about getting some bad news... and I need to blog about it now.

12 days ago, my whole life changed.  I pulled into my parent's driveway ready to meet my mom and go out for the evening.  I saw my mom and asked if she was ready to leave, and she said "well, I've had kind of a bad day... we need to talk."  She explained to me that my dad was having an affair, and that she kicked him out.  I spent Friday working on the office/craft room, then spent the rest of the weekend crying.

Yesterday, my mom filed for divorce.  My dad has already put in an offer on a new house and keeps talking about "starting over." 

I do not feel good.  I'm actually angry at people who went through divorce as children.  Because, they were sent to psychologists, people cared what they went through.  I keep hearing "oh, just get over it."  I don't want to.  I want to hit people, I want to stay in bed all day, I want to cry.  But, no, I'm an adult.  I have to go to work, and act like I'm not falling to pieces, I have to act like I'm not loosing my hope and faith in love.  I have to pretend that this doesn't make me SO FREAKING SCARED to get married.  It's hard.  And it's happening SO fast.

So, there's where I'm at, readers. 

Hokay, Sho...

Now, I wasn't planning on having this project completed until Sunday to blog about, but I recieved some... less than settling news last night, which put me in the mood to finish off my organizing cleaning spectacular in the Office.  Here's the problem with our office... I let Boyfriend be in charge of it.  Big Mistake.  Huge.

Here's the before:

Okay, this is in fact, my work area, so this is my fault.  But beyond here lies... well... Boyfriend's fault.

 

From the doorway (note the pile of dishes, beer bottles, and trash surrounding boyfriend's area...).

 

The closet... filled with boxes we still haven't unpacked from over a year ago.

 

Finally, a corner full of boxes and computer stuff.... 

And after a full day of pulling out boxes, assembling shelves, and organizing, (plus breaks to watch Grey's, Modern Family, and Eastwick) I'm proud to show off the  AFTER:

 

My work area.  The board above my desk has some finished greeting cards waiting to be sent out.  You can also see the huge daquiri that Brett picked up for me when he went out earlier.  Trust me, if you had been through what I've been through in the past 24 hours, you'd need one too (by the by, that's not a reference to the cleaning, but to the unsettling news I received in regards to... well, I don't want to talk about it.)

 

The closet, NOW.... much improved.  The pink boxes contain craft supplies, the unit on the left will house my laptop when I need desk space for crafting, so that I'll still be able to listen to my tunes.  You can see that I took the hippie way out when I decorated and utilized my sarongs... but I'm not ashamed, it warms the place up a bit.

 

Our new bookshelf.  It holds the contents of most of those boxes you saw in the before pictures.  Including all of my textbooks from school...

 

Boyfriend's Desk (and Charlie's tail).  MUCH BETTAH.  Note the trashcan I strategically placed next to the desk... Still a mess of wires otherwise, but, I get the feeling it will be hard to control that.

Some clean floors, and an extra cute goggie.