Vanished Into Thin Air!

I swear I have not been slacking on my blog challenge!  I have not posted Day 18 to Day 22 yet because my internet SUCKS!!!  Seriously!  Cannot watch Netflix...which means no "Shameless (UK Original)"...and trust me when I say that it is a MUST!  They are freakin hilarious!  So far I have only made it like four episodes into it but they are taking the US version and practically mirroring the original...which is so totally awesome!

On top of no Netflix, I cannot check my email...and my phone freaks out everytime I try to check it there.  Since I am waiting on a loser to respond to an email I sent him at the beginning of the month from my Hotmail account, I can only check it on the computer because my phone takes WAY too long to download apps now (have I mentioned how much I HATE my Droid 2?).  I am trying to avoid talking to him on the phone mainly because I want to keep things civil and if I can do all communication via email then I have time to re-read what I want to say and not sound like a douche myself.

No Netflix...no email...no Facebook.  I am actually not too worried about Facebook.  I am thoroughly annoyed with the fact that I cannot get the "Most Recent" option on my stupid smart phone anymore though!  Drives me NUTS!  Then there is the fact that lack of internet on my phone makes it extremely difficult to play "Subway Surfer"...which I have become totally addicted to since my nephew's birthday party this last weekend!

Okay...it is time to sign off and head back to work!  Hopefully I can get my posts all caught up tonight...if the internet cooperates!  Until next time!

UBC Day 17 - Close Your Eyes and Open Your Mind

Even on my days off, I never feel like I get to really relax and do nothing.  It always seems like I have something to do.  Some errand I have to run...some place I have to go...end up getting called in to work an extra shift.

When I get a day to really just relax and do nothing...I turn my alarm off...I shut my phone off...I wake up naturally.  I eventually make my way out to the living room where I curl up in my blanket and watch a few of my shows on the DVR...but honestly I feel most relaxed when I am dancing.  When I am practicing my Zumba moves on my own.  Creating my own choreography or working on getting a few new dances down.  The music just seriously makes everything else irrelevant.

Any worries or stress just melts away as soon as I start the music and start to move.  Dance has always been that way for me.  I was just in love with New Orleans partially because I could go out any night of the week and the clubs would be packed and playing great music and I would dance and not think about anything else.  Sure...being 19 years old and getting into clubs and not being carded buying drinks and shots was fun but dancing is really why I went out.  Not to get drunk because I could.

Now that I know that my knee is okay, I have stopped babying it and plan to build that muscle back up and get back into teaching Zumba.  I need to dance.  I have so much pain and stress that I need a release.  If I could not dance, I would run but right now I cannot really do either.  However I am totally ready to fully try my choreography that I created in my head and have yet been able to try out!

On the flip side, I also love to curl up next to a window with great light and a good book...a cup of hot coffee and a beautiful view...that is perfection as well!  The only thing that could ever make it better is having someone special there with me.  To peek up over the top of my book and see someone special sitting close to me doing something similar.  Eventually when I get my set schedule of Wednesday through Sunday work week back, I plan to find someplace beautiful and peaceful to go to and read on Mondays or Tuesdays.  Who knows...maybe I will walk onto a ferry and go somewhere and use the time and surrounding beauty to refresh my poetry!

How do you unwind?  Is there a special place that you go to and relax?  Is there a certain activity that just puts your mind at ease?  Share your secret you place!

Until next time!

UBC Day 16 - Sharing Is Caring

I am not going to make a big deal about sharing this post because it is mainly to vent.  The other day I posted a status update on my personal Facebook page about being concerned about someone I love...someone I care about very much.  This person is going through a very rough time right now.  It is not my place to spill publicly what is going on in his life so I do not share the very little details that I do know.  I do not mention his name or anything.

My update was very vague.  So much so that it could have been about anyone.  This person is similar to myself in the fact that when times get tough, we shut down.  That is something that I have been trying to work on but still suffer...it is a huge reason why I lost so many people when my ex and I went through our divorce...because I did not want to talk about it.  I did not want pity.  If I wanted to talk about it, I would seek out the person I wanted to talk to.  That hurt me in the end.

Going back to the second sentence in the last paragraph...it could have been about ANYONE.  Have you ever been worried about someone?  Have you ever posted a status update about it on Facebook?  Do you post those things looking for pity, kind words, negativity, or just to vent?  What gets me is when people jump to conclusions and throwing out negative comments when they do not know what is going on.

How do these people know that I was not talking about my cousin?  My uncle passed away a couple of months ago from a car accident.  How do these people know that my cousin and I could have gone from talking every day to all of a sudden him shutting down?  They jump to the conclusion that it ALWAYS has to do with my love life.

The person that I was talking about means a lot to me.  I love him.  I care for him.  I cannot imagine what he is going through and I just wish I could be there for him.  Anyone who knows me, knows that THAT is the kind of person I am.  Hell, I am going to school for Psychology.  I am a good listener.  I love to be there for my friends when they need someone...even if they just need someone there and do not talk.

Next thing I know, I am being bombarded with comments from people telling me to "move on", "he is not worth it", "you deserve better than that", etc.  I can respond to those with vague answers but I ended up deleting the post after someone who used to be a really good friend of mine wrote a novel of a comment.  I only remember a few parts but the part that sticks with me is when he said to imagine it to be me in that situation and how I would feel.

I was in that situation.  Two years ago.  I did the same thing he is doing.  I shut down.  I did not talk to my friends.  I did not talk to my family.  I stayed away from Facebook and Twitter and my only escape was taking or teaching a Zumba class or some other fitness class at the gym I worked at.  I had no one I could trust.  I had no one I could turn to.  My ex turned to everyone we knew and told lies...which he apologized for...too late of course because the damage was already done.

Even through all the hurtful and hateful things that he put me through...leaving me with nothing and taking everything...at the end of the day, I hoped that in the end that he would eventually find happiness.  I lost everything.  I lost my house...my "family" (because that is what you get in the military...not friends...but family)...my dogs...my financial stability...my ability to take care of myself.  I was left with no other option but to move back home.  Something I never wanted to do.  I live with my mom.  I am freaking out because there is a possibility that my sister might be moving in this summer depending on where she gets in for her Masters program and I might be out of a place to live.

So I know what it looks like from his eyes.  I was accused of some of the same things he has been accused of...as far as I know, my ex did not cheat on me...just accused me of doing so.  All I ask is that if you have something that you want to comment on, before you hit "enter" or click "post", re-read it.  If it sounds like it could be construed as negative, cut it and paste it into a message.  Make it something private.  That way you do not look like an inconsiderate jerk and people that really have my back do not jump down your throat and defend me...because that has happened...and I love them for it!

I cannot see it from her eyes because I would never and could never do what she has done.  I am not a typical girl.  The things that get to most women tend to roll off my back.  Case and point...my ex husband spent like $600 at a strip club...my exact words to him after he told me how much he spent were "...and how do YOU feel about that?"...followed by a laugh.  Just remember the old saying of "Think before you speak"...except "Think before you type/comment".  Any negative comments will always be deleted.

Until next time!

UBC Day 15 - How Many Hats Do You Wear?

Today is National Hat Day.  You can take my title question to mean physically how many hats do you wear or how many "hats" you wear.  I have my "big sister/step sister" hat, I have my "Auntie Randa" hat, "daughter" hat, "favorite grandchild" hat (ha...and we all know that I am Grandma Buddy's favorite...and we all accept it!), etc.

This post is not about those kinds of hats though...I picked three of my hats that I love to share with everyone!  I do not have all of my hats unpacked right now BUT you make due with what you have right?!

This is my winter work hat.  I could not tell you were I got it...or who gave it to me if it was a gift.  It came with a matching scarf too!  I wear three shirts to work...put my scarf on...add my Columbia jacket with the fleece lining and this hat...oh and toss in a couple of those hand warmers for me to wear inside of my gloves...and I am set!

I swear this hat is clean!  This is my other work hat...you know...for when it is not freezing outside!  I am actually in dire need of a new one!  Might invest in one after payday!  This hat has most definitely seen better days...by the way...it is a BLACK hat...not a brown one...and those brown spots only came about AFTER it went through the dish washer!

I cannot figure out why this picture is only coming out sideways when I took it just like I did my work hat.  Anyway, I bought this at the Anheuser Busch Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri.  It even has the Bud Light logo on the back.  I fell in love with it!  "Wally's Diner & Gas Station...Eat Here...Get Gas!"

Show me your favorite hat!  I really want to see it!  Be it an actual hat or a picture of you with your children in your "Mom/Dad" hat...you get the drift!  Until next time!

UBC Day 14 - Changing Seasons

It is flipping cold outside and let me tell you what...I might be FROM the great Pacific Northwest but I do not BELONG in the Pacific Northwest.  I do enjoy having seasons...Rain (Fall)...Cold Rain (Winter)...Rain (Spring)...Little Sun (Summer).  Right now I am stuck in the cold rain season...where sometimes it is really cold (like this weekend where I swear my core temperature dropped like 15 degrees just so I would not freeze to death)...sometimes it is rainy...and sometimes it is freaking cold and rainy and windy and miserable!

I do not belong up there.  I know that it rains a ton in the spring and summer in parts of the south but I miss it terribly and I really want to go back.  I am really close to jumping at the opportunity.  It does not hurt the fact that the man that I love with all my heart and soul is from the south and lives in the south...and wants me to come to him.  I just cannot drop everything and leave...not yet anyway!

I favorite season is Fall.  I love the changing of the leaves.  The reds, oranges, and yellows!

Old Mission, Idaho 2010

I took that picture on a 21 day road trip I took with my ex husband...How can you look at a picture like that and NOT love Fall?!

Until next time!

UBC Day 13 - Where Do You Spend Your Days?

100,000

That would be a very vague approximation of how many hours an average person might work in their lifetime.  We spend most of our lives working...more than we spend with our families.  It is kind of sad to me to be honest.  That brings me to the question in my title...

Where do YOU spend your days?

I have the privilege of working for the greatest family ever!  I know that I have written about it before but I really have the coolest job ever!  I get to fuel airplanes and helicopters of ALL kinds!  What I have not done, is share pictures...I do not have many but I work on the line on Wednesday and Thursday so I can take some pics and add them later!

 

This was taken right before our major snow storm last year...and when the airport closes down and I loose a week of work then I call it a storm.  That is one of our helicopters!

A frosty, foggy, and chilly morning at work...but you cannot tell me that is not just amazing to look at!

 When the President came into town, a flight restriction was in place ALL DAY LONG...and this big guy showed up and landed just in time!

This is part of our taxiway heading to the end of the runway for aircraft to take off on runway 33 to the North...my preferred runway...especially during the summer when I have to hot fuel the caravan!

Here is a tandem skydive instructor with a student...I will do this one day this summer...when it is hot outside on the surface!

Have you ever seen anything that cool after a long, hard, hot day at work?  It makes all the sweat and horrible tan lines totally worth it!

Now that there are some awesome outside pictures...I will work on some actual pictures of the facilities...because the pictures on the website do not do it justice!  Check it out!

Until next time!

UBC Day 12 - A Little Change

I have told a few white lies but nothing serious.  I try to be honest.  I try to treat others the way that I  prefer to be treated.  I cannot even begin to imagine how someone can treat another so bad.  I do not know how fast I can type this.

When I decided that I was going to move back home when my divorce was final, I started looking for a place(s) to teach Zumba.  I found a lead for a position at a dance studio.  I talked to the owner and set up a meeting with her and an audition.  I was offered the position and was so excited that I forgot to ask how much I would be paid.

Once I moved and got settled in, I started teaching.  I was informed that I had to obtain a small business license because I was considered a hired independent contractor.  I was to provide her with an invoice at the end the month and that I would be paid by the fifth of the month.  I could be paid monthly, every other month or quarterly...however I wanted...I just needed to provide her with the invoice.

I started in August.  It was towards the end of March that I was organizing some things and found my contract.  I read over it and noticed that it stated that after three months there would be a pay increase per class.  I contacted the owner and asked to set up a meeting so I could ask her some questions.  It was like pulling teeth to meet with her.

After getting the royal run around from her for months...I mean she would cancel last minute or not show up and not answer the phone...I mean how many times can someone seriously get rear-ended on the freeway or have to take her friend/sister/self to the emergency room...are you kidding me?!  So I finally just sent her a text message with my questions...stupid me for not emailing her and having a paper trail.  So she tells me how much I am supposed to be getting per class based on the contract that she sent me.

I created my invoices and had emailed them to her.  Among them included one for back pay.  She said that she did not understand why she owed me back pay.  I explained that I took the number of classes I had taught after the three month mark and applied the increase.  She tried to tell me that a pay increase is only done after a meeting and discussing how the classes have gone and how attendance had been.

Guess what...THAT WAS NOT IN THE CONTRACT!!!  I was asked to take on more hours at work and since my actual job pays my bills, I told the owner that I had to quit immediately.  She told me that I needed to talk to my boss and make them understand my prior commitments.  I told her that my employer has bent over backwards to accommodate my schedule but that it was becoming a burden and that if it came down to it, I chose the airport.

She tried to tell me that it was stated in my contract that if I could not give 30 days notice then I was required to find a substitute...guess what...THAT WAS NOT IN THE CONTRACT EITHER!!!  She is a total flake.  A horrible business owner.  I have filed with small claims court because she owes me over $400.  She refuses to pay me.  I set up two meetings for her to pay me and she was a no show...with no call...no text...no email...no nothing!  It is rude...VERY unprofessional...total lack of respect.

After all this is resolved, I plan to file a complaint against her has a "business woman"...I do not know how I will be able to do that...but I am going to do something.  I do not know how or why someone would treat another this way...if I could change something in this world it would be to either change those people like the owner of the studio or get rid of them all together.

What would you change if you could?  Please share a little something with me!

Until next time!

UBC Day 11 - Comfort and Love

I admit it...my short term memory SUCKS!  Seriously!  I can remember how I got every major scar on my body (and I have quite a few) but I cannot tell you what I did last week.

Example:  I fuel airplanes and helicopters.  I work at a flight school so I am dealing with small aircraft...Cessna 152s and 172s.  I am accident prone.  I run into things constantly!  I smack my elbows, knees, hips, shins and ALWAYS my head!  I can remember cleaning the inside of one of our planes and smacked my head three times in less than five minutes...the same spot on the airplane and the same spot on my head.  Anyway, my friend said that I should be wrapped in bubble wrap.  He asked me if I had injured myself that particular day.  I said that I could remember smacking my head climbing into the fuel truck...but I could not remember if it had happened that day or the day before.

When asked about my childhood, there are three items I always mention.

1. Corky
2. Super Bear
3. My Blankie

Corky was my favorite toy as a child.  He was a doll dressed in purple and white...maybe pink.  When I really strain to try and remember I lose it...but I definitely remember the purple.  I lost Corky when I was eight years old.  My mom told me to not to bring him because I might lose him but I could not leave the country and not take him with me!  I am just really glad that she put her foot down and made me leave my blankie at home.  When I was eight, my mom and grandma took my sisters and me to Germany to meet my great grandma and meet some other family members.  I left Corky on the plane.  We called the airline and no one returned it.  Someone picked it up and took it home and some other child grew up with my Corky.

When I was five, my babysitter Laurie gave my sister and me each a teddy bear.  I still have mine.  I call him Super Bear.  I slept with him every night until I left for boot camp...and trust me...I am not lying when I say that I was terrified...not about going to boot camp but trying to fall asleep without my teddy bear!

Super Bear and me

Yeah...I still sleep with my teddy bear...SO WHAT?!  He is much better to cuddle with...because he does not move...or snore...and makes a GREAT pillow!

Last but not least is my blankie...I would totally snap a picture of it but my mom packed it in a box and told me that I am not allowed to use it anymore because it was going to fall apart...my grandma made it for me when I was a baby.  On one side, there are bunnies and butterflies...very faded and no where near at bright colors as they used to be.  They look more like very light pastel colors.  On the other side it has some stick figure drawings, pictures and the alphabet (fun little side note...taught myself the ABCs backwards...and learned that you cannot sing the ABCs backwards using the same tune forwards...it just does not work...no matter how many times you try...trust me...I have logged possibly double digit hours trying to get it to work...and it does not...ever).

These items bring me comfort and remind me how much I am loved.  We all have items from our childhood that bring us comfort and security.  What is your "security blanket"?  Tell me!  I would love to read about it!

Until next time!

UBC Day 10 - Who Helped Mold You?

I have had a lot of great teachers and mentors in my short 28 years on this planet.  Some great, some not so great.  I used to be able to be able to name EVER SINGLE TEACHER I ever had.  From pre-school through high school graduation...and my "A" school instructors.  Maybe it is coming with age, but I cannot remember all of their names anymore...from seventh grade to my senior year I would have to look at my yearbooks to pick out my teachers.

There are a few that really STAND OUT as THE BEST!

Mr. Santos...he was my sixth grade teacher.  Up until the day I set foot in his classroom, I was way behind in my reading level.  To be honest, I still keep my phone handy with the Dictionary.com app pulled up whenever I am reading for school work...and I use the "Look Up" feature frequently on my Nook when I come across words I do not know...and I am a VERY slow reader.  I was also way behind in my math comprehension.  I do not know how he did it but he made something click inside my head and my math grades became better than ever!

Towards the end of the year, we had that aptitude test that was going to help place us in the correct math class when we started middle school the following year.  Not long after the testing was over, Mr. Santos called my house one night.  I answered the phone and instantly thought I had done something wrong when he asked to speak to my parents.  I was a nervous wreck the entire time they were on the phone.  I sat in my room trying to figure out what horrible thing I had done at school that would warrant a call from my teacher.

My parents called me out into the living room and told me to have a seat on the couch.  Trying to figure out what I had to apologize for, my folks told me that they had a good talk with my teacher.  He told my parents that I scored the HIGHEST out of all the kids that took the test at our school...and that I got the THIRD HIGHEST score in the history of the school!  I think I had some lucky guesses.  They were so proud of me. Because I scored so high, I had to take an Algebra aptitude test...which I bombed of course because I did not really know that much.

I have never forgotten how inspirational he was to me.  I went on to take math classes up to Trig...which I did not understand at all but somehow managed to pass...barely.  Now that does not really have much of anything to do with how I got to where I am today.  There really is not much that math that I have to do when fueling airplanes...and any math I do have to do...I do with a calculator!

I had a ton of great mentors that I intend to give the perfect amount of praise to but they will each get their own post!  This is the first man to really make a difference in my life but NOT the last!  Who made a profound influence in your life?  What it a teacher?  A friend?  A family member?  A co-worker?  A stranger?  Please share with me!  I would love to hear about your experiences!

Until next time!

UBC Day 9 - Can The Pieces Be Put Back Together?

My heart,

I am writing this in the form of a letter instead of a blog post.  Mainly because I am having a total brain freeze when it came to writing my feelings down in the form of a poem...it has been so long since I really put my feelings down on paper I feel like I have almost lost my touch.

I know that some (or all) of what I am about to write I have already either told or texted to you.

There are only a few dates that I can actually remember exactly.

• My birthday (obviously)
• My family's birthdays
• My two best friends' birthdays
• The date I signed my life away to the Coast Guard
• The date I graduated boot camp
• The date I arrived to my first unit
• The date I got out of the Coast Guard
• The date I got my first Zumba license
• The date I got my job at Harvey Field

I swear I have to look at a calendar to remember when I had gotten married...I should have known that it was not going to work out.

I not only remember the date that we met but I remember the moment I saw you.  I had just walked out of my BM3's house just a few doors down from your house.  You were in the parking lot.  I fell in love with you in a nano second.  I elbowed my new "big brother" friend if he knew you and when he said yes I told him that he had to introduce me to you.  The moment I heard your voice for the first time, my heart melted.

By the time we finished with the customary "Hey.  Nice to meet you."  I knew that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.  Call me crazy but I could feel it deep down in my soul.  My heart has belonged to you since that night, November 10, 2002.

We had our ups and downs but almost a year later, my heart just shattered.  We are two peas in a pod.  When things start to get bad and our emotions start to get the better of us, we shut down.  I am trying really hard to work on that from my end.  Anyway, you had shut down. You were deploying and I was moving across the country and you were shutting me out.  All I wanted was to hold you as long as I could.  The closest I was able to get was in the few short minutes that you allowed me in your doorway.  Just long enough for me to kiss you and tell you that I love you (for the first time...saying those words out loud...to you) and I do not know where I was able to find the strength through the tears to just walk away.

For eight years I did not know where you were...if you were happy...if you were safe.  Nothing else seemed real without having those answers.  Not a day had gone by that I had not thought about you.  It was not until last year when you reached out to me.  Finding out that you were safe made me so happy!  I thought I was going to be devastated when I found out that you were married and have three (very beautiful) children...but I was happy for you!

Something still felt off.  I thought that knowing where you were and that you were okay would make me whole...make that dull ache in my chest finally go away but it did not.  Instead, it brought back all the feelings that I thought had gone away.  When our communication was cut off, I felt like I was falling into a black hole.  It felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest.  I could not breathe.  I felt on the verge of tears constantly.

I was a little hesitant to respond to the email that you sent me last month but I am glad that you did.  The moment I heard your voice for the first time in nine years it felt like it had only been minutes since we had last spoke.  It felt natural and wonderful and amazing!  When you made me laugh, I felt lighter than air.  You ended our conversation with "I love you" and it was the first time I had heard you say those words to me and my heart started piecing back together.

It warms my heart knowing that deep down you have loved me all these years...but at the same time it hurts that we have loved each other for a decade and have not been together.  All the time that we could have been together and we have been apart having separate lives...experiencing things that we should have experienced together...not with others...

I am in love with you.  I have always been in love with you.  I will ALWAYS be in love with you.  I know that you know that.  I know that you are hurting right now.  You have shut down.  I have not heard from you in days.  All I want to do is wrap you in my arms and hold you tight.  It hurts me knowing that I am so far away from you and there is nothing I can do or say that can in any way shape or form help.  I love you.  I hope to hear from you soon, my heart!

UBC Day 8 - Groovin' To The Music

As I type this, I am listening to my favorite radio station...and the only one I listen to.  I do not think I even have it programmed on my car stereo because I NEVER CHANGE THE STATION!  Plus their website gives you the option to listen to them online...and they have a FREE app for Google Play (Android) and iTunes (iPhone)!  Plus they seriously have like the coolest DJs EVER!

**I am sorry in advanced for those that work the weekend...I do not know you guys very well...except that you sometimes cover the weekday folks from time to time...and therefore can only say that you guys rock but I do not know you by name...I am going to do my best to listen more on the weekends!**

The Wolf has the BEST morning show...HANDS DOWN!
Fitz, Tony Russell, Ellen Tailor and Randy the Biscuit are a great team!  I am having a hard time trying to remember if they were funny before Ellen joined the show last winter!  I am sure they were...because I remember Fitz having Randy do some incredibly RIDICULOUS stunts...(i.e. snow angel in his underwear...just spent like 20 minutes trying to find the picture and I could not...grrr)

They have made me laugh and cry...and always managed to make me cry when I am like two minutes away from work...on the rare day that I actually wear make up...nothing like being completely put together only to arrive at work almost 20 minutes later with red eyes, runny mascara, splotchy face and tissue stuffed up my nose because the snot is just free flowing...yeah...those kinds of tears...lol!  If you have not ever heard this morning show, you are seriously missing out!  If you go HERE you can hear some audio clips STRAIGHT from the show!  Go on...I will wait!

Okay...so now that you have heard how hilarious these folks are, you have to totally follow them on Facebook and Twitter!  I am going to make it super easy for you!

Fitz on Facebook and Twitter
Tony on Facebook and Twitter
Ellen on Facebook and Twitter
Randy on Facebook and Twitter

Next up is Miss DeAnna Lee!  She is hilarious!  I love her to death and the woman has like a bazillion pairs of boots!  I want to totally raid her closet!  I was doodling around on Facebook during my lunch break one day and it said I had a Friend Request and when I opened it up, it was DeAnna Lee!  I was stoked to say the least!  Then SHE sent me a message calling me a Zumba Queen!  I am still trying to convince her to come to one of my classes...and since she gets off the air at 3pm and my class starts at 5:30pm (when it starts up again)...she is totally coming to my class!  I will beg and plead if I have to!

DeAnna Lee on Facebook and Twitter

We get to spend the last part of our afternoon and first part of our evening with Wing Nut (a.k.a. Wingo).  He hit the nail on the head one day...on my drive home from work one night it was raining and he called the weather "SUCKTASTIC' totally became my new favorite word...and by tweeting it #sucktastic and tagging Wingo I gained a follower!  Plus we have discovered that you can add *tastic* to anything and make it funny...example...January 1 on my Bacon Lovers calendar had the word "Bactastic: amazingly wonderful, utterly fantastic bacon foods or experiences with bacon." and we created Porktastic!  Anyway...this guy is so awesome that we instant message back and forth and have been woken up in the middle of the night to him getting all Chatty Kathy on me!  Seriously an awesome dude!

Wing Nut on Facebook and Twitter

Last but not least Nick at Nite rounds out the night.  He has the burning question of the night and gets some super awesome discussions going!  He also does this Nightie Nights segment where you can call in and leave a quick nightie night message to someone you love/care about.  It is super cute and sweet and it actually starts here in about 15 minutes.  Does he get bonus points since he is funny AND cute?  DUH!!!

Nick on Facebook and Twitter

Now that you have the scoop on the greatest radio station DJs, check out Seattle Wolf on Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time!

UBC Day 7 - Historical Event

I am not much of a history buff.

I absolutely love history but when I can pick what I want to learn about verses being forced to learn about something (like in a history class).  The only reason I made it through my last history class in college was because I was able to pick my topic (from a list...of course) and was able to write about Nazi Germany before, during and after World War II.  This was important to me because my grandmother was born and raised in Germany.  We have a picture of my great grandfather dressed in his SS uniform (being a train conductor, he was forced to work for the Nazis).  My grandmother was temporarily in a "protection" camp where she kept a diamond earring under her tongue to keep the Nazis from taking the last thing she had of her mother's.

I am completely fascinated by World War I and World War II and love to read about them and watch the documentaries but I absolutely hated every minute of being FORCED to learn about it in high school.  My favorite mini series/documentaries for World War II are "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific".  I actually purchased the book "Band of Brothers" and Captain Dick Winter's autobiography after seeing the series.  My ex husband loved "The Pacific" so much that when my mom came across a signed copy of one of the Marines biography, she got it for him for Christmas that year.

If I could have witnessed any single historical event, I am not sure if I can really narrow it down to one.  There are so many that would be amazing to witness but I cannot handle being around or near death.  Watching the troops storm Normandy would be amazing but there was so much blood and souls lost.  It would be awesome to have been a fly on the wall of the Borden house to see if Lizzy really did kill her father and step mother (you did now that Mrs. Borden was not Lizzy actual mother).

Probably one of the most tragic accidents not part of a war took place in April 1912.  The sinking of Titanic...that beautiful ship...all those innocent lives lost due to the lack of boats...the third class citizens being locked below deck so the first class women and children could be saved first.  Take away their money and their fancy clothes...what made them any more special than the women and children below that were purposely drowned?  What was going through the minds of the people in that freezing water?  Their hope fading as they fear the boats will not come back...that they will freeze to death...wondering if there was an easier way to just give up and die so the pain will stop...chew on that!

Until next time!

UBC Day 6 - It Is A Favorite Kind of Day

I had all intentions of picking one prompt to write about today but I find that two of my favorite things go hand in hand!  I cannot figure out where to start.  Well here it is!

My Favorite Food

My Favorite Movie

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Not only is that my food but it is also my favorite movie!  What could possibly be better than fried green tomatoes (besides somehow figuring out how to fry them...wrapped in bacon...oh man...)?  Let me share a little bit about how this came to be!

When the movie came out in 1991, my mom rented it for one of our movie nights.  Movie nights were usually Saturday nights because we always watched TGIF on Friday nights.  Anyway, she brings this movie home and I was just mesmerized!  I wanted to watch it again and again.  I am pretty sure that we were the only ones who rented that movie because we always seemed to have it!  The first time I found it on DVD I bought it!

TO WANDA!

Now I watched this movie for YEARS and then one day I decided that fried green tomatoes were my favorite food...and I have NEVER even tried them!  Let me tell you something...the first time I had them I loved them!  I have only made them like a handful of times but they are delicious!  They are also SUPER easy to make.  Unfortunately all my cookbooks are packed and in storage otherwise I would give a great recipe.  Some other time!  For now it is time for me to see if tomorrow's prompts have been emailed out and possibly go to sleep!

Until next time!

UBC Day 5 - Self Interview

I have got to be honest here.  I almost...like for a fraction of a second...did not write today.  Not because I did not have time.  Not because I was tired from working all day.  Not because I just wanted to be lazy and come home from work, shower, curl up in my pajamas and either read my NOOK or watch Netflix on my Wii.

I was not feeling the prompts.

I have decided on the self interview mainly because a link was provided to questions that can be used!  I have picked three questions...just hope I do not bore anyone!

Q:  WHAT WAS THE HAPPIEST MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE?  THE SADDEST?
A:  I generally try to be a pretty happy person but when I try and think about the happiest moment in my life, all of my happiest memories are tied to one single man.  I know that many tears were shed because of him but I was never happier than when I was with him.  The happiest moment came a week or so ago.  It was the second time I had talked to him on the phone in almost nine years and before we hung up, he said, "I love you."  It was the first time he had ever said those words to me.  I felt those words the moment I laid eyes on him just over ten years ago!

One of the saddest moments of my life involved this same man that I have been in love with since November 10, 2002.  It was sometime at the very end of September or beginning of October of 2003.  When he has personal things that really get to him, he shuts down.  He had shut down and shut me out.  He was getting underway the next day and I was transferring and I did not know when or IF I would ever see him again.  I was calling him repeatedly with no answer.  I could feel my heart starting to shatter into a million pieces.  I was knocking on his door and pleading with him to just open the door.  He finally did and I swear it was something straight out of a movie...I hugged him...grabbed his face...kissed him...looked him in the eye and told him that I loved him for the very first time and I turned around and walked away.  I have not physically laid eyes on him since then.  That was the moment that my heart shattered.

Q:  HOW HAS YOUR LIFE BEEN DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'D IMAGINED?
A:  Well...now that is almost like the million dollar question...I guess it would depend where I was in my life at the time.  When I was 18, I lived in the moment.  I hardly thought about what I was going to do the next day let alone where I wanted my life to go.  I bounced back and forth between getting out of the Coast Guard at the end of my six year enlistment or staying in for 20 years and retiring.

That went on for several years.  I got married towards the end of 2007 and I thought that by now I would have a family and be happily married and living happily ever after.  That obviously did not happen.  However if things go in the direction that I have wanted for ten years then maybe I will eventually get my happily ever after!

I most certainly did not anticipate being 28 years old, drowning in debt, struggling to make ends meat to pay my bills, and living with my mother.  It almost feels like little bits of me die each day...that light at the end of the tunnel just keeps getting smaller and smaller and I feel like I cannot even breathe most days.  It takes every ounce of energy I have not to break down every day.

Q:  DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
A:  I have a rule...NO REGRETS EVER!  There is no point.  In case you have not heard...scientists have yet to find a way to travel back in time.  There are no do-overs.  All you do is torture yourself constantly thinking "What if..."  Every so often I have had those seconds where I wonder how my life would be now if I had driven to the love of my life nine years ago when he lived about seven hours away from me.  At the time it felt like I was making every effort to make something work and the feels were not being returned.  I did not go.  I cannot go back and do things differently so why dwell on it.  That is exactly what you do when you regret something...you constantly think about it.  It is like HATE...in my opinion hate is a wasted emotion because you claim to hate something/someone and by hating them you are just thinking about them and driving yourself insane.

I feel like my mind was not all there during some of my answers and that I rambled a little and I am sorry if that is the case.  My mind is elsewhere...just a little worried about someone very important to me.  I have now taken over an hour to write this because I have been so distracted and feeling side tracked all day.  I honestly have not been able to really focus on anything all day.

Until next time!

UBC Day 4 - Advice

Something I pride myself on is being a really good listener.  I have always been able to put my friends at ease so they can open up to me.  Sometimes all someone needs is for someone to listen.  They are not necessarily looking for advice or a solution to whatever problem they are having at the time.  I have been asked for advice from time to time and make it very clear that all I am doing is giving my opinion...what I would do or what I think if I were in the same situation.

When I opened up my email last night and read the prompts for today's blog post, I thought

Should I take the easy question and write a boring post about my first job at a pediatricians office?

How exciting of a post can you write about being hired to scan archived charts onto a computer?

I could always impress anyone who reads it by how I became the "Copy Machine Whisperer"...

The last prompt was something about if an cover story/article was written about my family/me, what magazine would I want it to be in and why...I do not feel like I am that interesting enough to really have an article written...lol!

So I have decided to tackle the first prompt of offering one piece of advice on a subject or activity that I am really good at.  The first thing that comes to mind is actually my mom's voice.  Listening to her talk about how clumsy our whole family is...how my sister can trip over her own feet...while standing still (true story...I witnessed it happen once).  While my mom and my sisters are all three very artistic, my mom is very proud of the fact that I am a dancer.  I have loved to dance since I was a very little girl!  My mom put me in my first dance class at the age of six.

Almost three years ago I took my first Zumba class and within four months I became a licensed instructor!  My mom tells people that I am intimidating to watch and she is not sure how I can move the way I do.  Naturally, my first instinct for this prompt is to tell people why they should not be afraid to try Zumba.  It is not one piece of advice but a few pieces all lumped together

• DO NOT be afraid of mirrors in the classroom.  I can tell you from personal experience that no one is watching you BUT you.  As an instructor I look around at my students and if I can tell that it looks like someone is having difficulty trying to do a step, I know how to modify and simplify so they can keep going and not get discouraged and come back for more!
• DO ask your instructor questions!  We learn so much during our trainings that if we do not use it, we will lose it!  Ask us to help break down a step that you just cannot get!  There is not a single instructor out there around the world that will tell a student no they cannot help them.
• DO NOT stand in the back...especially if there are mirrors or if there is no stage.  I will tell you why.  If you stand in the back of a crowded class and there is no stage...you will not be able to see the instructor and you will only get frustrated.  If you stand in the back and there are mirrors, you cannot see yourself (when I first started, I was shoved in the front by the instructor.  I was not only able to watch her but watch myself to make sure I was doing something close to what she was doing).  Being able to watch yourself move will keep you moving.  If you stand in the back and the class is practically empty, I get a little nervous.  I like to think that I have good hygiene but if there are only a couple of people in the class and they stand in the back, you can bet that I will be sneaking in armpit sniffs whenever possible to make sure I do not smell.  I am not saying you have to be front row center...but get pretty close!  Chances are, front row center is already taken and we are all possessive of our spots!
• DO come back.  Practice makes perfect.  Just like any other workout, you have to keep going in order to see results...and just so you know...my best friend lost something like 20 pounds by watching what she ate and doing Zumba.
• Last, but not least, THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO ZUMBA!  You can have a dozen instructors with the same music and same choreography and every single instructor will look different.  As long as you are moving and having fun, that is all we care about!  We want you to work up a sweat and leave with a smile on your face!  I told by someone once that she took a Zumba class ONCE at her university.  The instructor singled her out and told her that she was (and I quote...hence the quotation marks) "...doing it wrong."  Rest assured that if I could, I would have gone to that instructor's class, done everything wrong and then called them out!  I wish I would have known about her experience after it had happened.  Should this ever happen to you (and I pray that it will not...and every instructor I have ever told this too has been thoroughly appalled), I want you to do the following for me...REPORT IT TO ZUMBA HOME OFFICE!  If you do not know the instructor's full name, you can click on "Find an Instructor" or "Find a Class" at Zumba.com.  Once you have your instructor's name, there is a contact link (I think it is at the bottom of the website) and you just have to click your way through and pick the proper category.  At the very least, if enough people report these instructors, they will be informed...but if no one says anything then these instructors will never learn!

Originally I had not intended on writing about Zumba for my advice BUT these are important points to stress to our students.  If we do not help them feel comfortable and confident in class, then they will not come back and I know it breaks my heart to know that people stop going.  I also encourage everyone to take classes from other instructors!  Like I said, every instructor is different and can offer you a different perspective!  I know I love taking classes because it takes the pressure off of me to be on top of my game and if I mess up or forget steps...no one is watching me!

Until next time!

UBC Day 3 - Book Review

My mom got me a NOOK Color for my birthday last year.  I love it.  I have to admit though that most of the time, I was using it for Netflix.  I did not have my Wii set up and my DVD player was packed away (which, by the way, does not work anymore...will not open and I cannot find the dang remote)...PLUS my dresser was in my closet and my TV was being used in the living room (until the 60 inch was purchased).

On to today's post!  I have never been into reading comic books.  I like movies based on comic books...Spiderman...Superman...Batman...well some time ago, I do not remember how I came across her but I found Blake Northcott on Twitter.  Seriously the coolest chick ever and was temporarily BANNED from Twitter!  How cool is that?!?  Here is the link to her Facebook page...and her website!

Anyway, Blake is a writer.  I remember seeing her posting about the reviews about her book and where it was on the Amazon charts.  I was dinking around on my Nook looking for books to sample and I decided to check out her book "Vs. Reality"...I bought it...and I LOVED IT!

Vs. Reality by Blake Northcott...READ IT NOW!

The main character Donovan Cole wants to be more than some loser who cannot win a single fight.  His best friend takes him out for a supposed night on the town.  He sees a girl sitting at the bar and has absolutely no idea that this girl is about to change his life!  When she asks him to leave with her out the back, he willingly goes.  Once outside, the two are confronted and when it seems this girl's life is in danger, Donovan suddenly transforms.  He becomes how he dreams himself...tall, muscles, strong...even tattooed.  She takes him to her place and explains what has happened to him.  He is becoming real life super hero!

Now this book is not just about how glamorous it is to be a super hero...they do not just go around beating up bad guys...there is no Bat Signal...they are just normal people like us right?!  I could go on and on but I would give it all away and I would not want to spoil it for you!  I swear that you will NOT regret purchasing this book/ebook.  Here is the link to purchase it on Amazon...I cannot find it on the Barnes & Noble website...but I bought it from the "Shop" icon on my NOOK.

Please, if you read it let me know what you think by leaving me a comment here AND if you like it or even love it...tell Blake herself!  I did...on Twitter...and she responded!  I love her and I cannot wait to purchase "Relapse" as soon as I am done writing this post!

Until next time!

UBC Day 2 - Admiration

While I only wrote my Day 1 post a few hours ago, I have found that I cannot sleep right now (which really sucks since my alarm will be going off in about four and a half hours) so I thought I might go ahead and get Day 2 done!

Today, the prompt is to write about someone I admire and why I admire them.  If there is not a specific person that I admire then I can write about certain qualities that people have that I admire.

I admire a lot of people for a lot of different reasons so when it comes down to it, I find qualities and characteristics that I admire instead of trying to narrow it down to one person.

I admire people with public speaking skills.  I admire that specific skill mainly because I do not!  You provide me with music and choreography (or I can come up with my own), and I can dance in front of a few people or a crowd of hundreds!  The second you place a microphone in my hand and tell me to just say something as simple as, "Hello, my name is Myranda." I will look at you like you have lost your mind and I will get cotton mouth and I will freeze.  I remember being at "A" school to become an Aviation Maintenance Technician for the Coast Guard.  My class had 20 people when we started...by the time we got through the first month or so and entered into the second phase we had about 15 or 16 people.  Every week someone was assigned to give a presentation on an assigned topic.  When it was my turn to give my presentation, I had known these guys for over three months and I was giving a presentation about emergency exits in the different aircraft that the Coast Guard had.  Even though these guys were my friends and like family, I struggled with it...really bad dry mouth and stuttering.  Totally does not make sense because not even an hour later we were all outside on break and I could talk or tell a story to all those guys and it would not phase me.  I do not get it.

Also along with the inability to speak in public, that has hindered me from singing.  I love to sing but because of my stage fright, I did not pursue singing in the choir when I was in school and now the only people I really sing in front of are my mom and my sisters...it is very rare that anyone outside of those three get to hear me sing for real.

Another quality that I admire are those who can open and speak their mind.  For the most part I am an open book.  You can ask me anything and I will answer you honestly.  However I shut down when I am sad/upset/angry.  I tend to bottle things up and just let them eat away at me...and I am trying to be better.  I want to be able to say what is wrong and have the person I am talking to actually hear me and listen to me.

Another part of today's challenge was to share a resource of any kind.  Well I am going to share an image of a book that I read in 2012 that was the best book I have ever read!

The Pillars of the Earth was an amazing book!  I am a very slow reader so it took me a long time to read this but it was worth it!  I had heard about the book on an extremely random day when I turned on the tv and The Oprah Show was on and it was a book that she was recommending.  A couple of years later, I was watching a commercial for an HBO mini series for the book.  I watched the mini series and decided it was a definite MUST READ!  It takes place in the 12th century and is about the people involved in the building of a church and the politics between the those of high society and those high within the church.

Here is the link to purchase this book for Kindle.
Here is the link to purchase this book for Nook.

Lastly, did you know that January is Artichoke and Asparagus month?  I did not know that!  Well I just wanted to share with you what I do to cook each of these and and how I like them.  I use pretty much the same preparation!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take asparagus and rinse thoroughly.  Snap the end off so that you are left with the edible portion (holding the asparagus in the middle of the stalk and at the cut end and bending it until it snaps is the best way to make sure that you get rid of the right amount of the woody stalk off and it will be a lot more enjoyable to eat without that part).  I put the asparagus into a gallon size ziplock bag.  Once all the asparagus is in the bag, I spray lightly with a vegetable cooking spray.  I sprinkle some garlic powder and/or onion powder, black pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper (because I like the heat).  I seal the bag and shake and rub the asparagus until each piece is well coated.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the asparagus onto the sheet in a single layer.  I sprinkle with a little sea salt and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness.  Bake until the tips get nice and crisp...may need extra cooking time...I usually start with 5 minute increments.

For artichokes, preheat the oven to 375.  I cut about a half of an inch of the stalk off and then cut it in half.  With kitchen scissors, cut the sharp ends of the artichoke leaves off.  Using a grapefruit spoon (it has the special side that helps to cut the fruit but a regular spoon can be used), scoop out the choke until all of it is gone and I pull all the leaves until no purple ones are left.  Rinse to make sure there are no little bits of the choke left.  Spray lightly with vegetable spray.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place the artichokes cut side down.  Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until the leaves get a light brown color.  I then take another sheet of foil and loosely cover the artichokes and continue to bake for at least 10 - 15 minutes or until you can easily insert and remove a paring knife from the artichoke heart.

Now my alarm is going off in less than four hours so...
Until next time!

UBC Day 1 - 2012 Memories

I received my first email for the Ultimate Blog Challenge last night.  Most of the ideas for the Day 1 blog were already covered in a previous post.  It had to do with resolutions and if you make them or break them or set goals.  It mentioned setting a theme word(s) for the year but I find that kind of pointless because I just blog about what I know...which is me!

I blog about:

• My life
• My experiences
• My dreams
• My obsessions/passions (think Zumba!)
• My pet peeves
• My family

You get the idea.  I blog about myself.  I like to share pictures that I find or videos that I love (now that I have figured out how to actually attach the video instead of just a link).  I also want to thank a specific blogger who I just laugh my ass off at every post...except the few really serious ones (and there really are just a few)...she blogs about herself, her life, her family.  Brittany Gibbons is amazing!  Here is her blog and her Twitter and her Facebook page.  I know she also has a Pinterest account but she does not have the link on her page (not that I looked real hard to find it).

The prompt I chose to write about was this

A year just ended - share what you accomplished or what memories you'll hold on to from 2012

I would have to say that one of my biggest accomplishments was being single.  I have pretty much bounced from relationship to relationship to relationship for the better part of the last decade.  If I ever was single, it only lasted maybe a few weeks or a month but not long.  I am the first to admit that I hate to be alone but using this last year to really try and focus on myself and figuring out who I am and what I want out of my life has led me to figure out what I want in my next relationship.

I would not say that I really dated much this last year but I did go out with a couple of guys.  Nothing serious because I made it very clear that I was NOT looking for a relationship and just wanted to have fun.  Sticking to my word, I hurt some feelings along the way.  Not intentionally because that is not the type of person that I am.  It is not my fault that guys just want to fall in love with me!  I was totally kidding with that last sentence...I could not and will never be that self absorbed!  I do not think that I am God's gift to man...but rest assured that I have met some woman who think that...and a lot of them should not!

As far as memories go for this last year, there are some good and some not so good...do I need to remind you of all the snow that we got last January?

I started hanging out with my co-workers and finally became friends with them and found out that I had been missing out on a TON of fun!

I saw Brad Paisley (and Scotty McCreery and The Band Perry), Lady Antebellum (and Thompson Square and Darius Rucker), and Eric Church (and Kip Moore and Justin Moore) in concert.

I ran in a few 5K runs:  The Color Run, Survivor Mud Run and CMY5K.

I reconnected with some old friends...and an old love...which looks very promising!  I know I have said that I am not looking for a relationship...hell the other night I flat out said several times that I do not feel like I am in a place in my life where I could be in a relationship...I do not feel like I can have a healthy relationship right now.  However not even an hour later I found myself agreeing to try a long distance relationship.  That is a whole other post.

I became one of the first licensed Zumba Sentao instructors in the state of Washington.

I have become more than just acquaintances with some of my local fellow Zumba instructors and become great friends with one instructor that I took a training with almost two years ago!

I have learned how to stand up for myself.  I quit teaching Zumba at a dance studio because the owner of that establishment was refusing to pay me.  I informed the owner that if I did not receive my money by a specific date that I would seek legal action and I have stuck to my word.  I filed with small claims court and because the owner did not pick up the certified mail that contained the papers, I had to get a continuance and because I have not been able to find anyone to serve her with the papers, I have to get another one.  If she did not owe me over $400 I would just drop it but that is a lot of money to someone who is broke!

2012 was filled with a lot of learning experiences and even though it had ups and downs, I am a stronger person for having survived it.  I survived my first full year of being divorced.  I survived severe knee pain.  I survived the passing of my uncle.  I survived the holidays without causing any major blow out fights between my sisters (something I cannot say about 2011...Thanksgiving was bad).

I am working on a new layout for my blog so stick with me hopefully I will have all the kinks out soon enough!

Until next time!

Happy New Year, Welcome 2013

This is going to be very short and sweet!

I did not know if I was actually going to make it to midnight...I know...OLD LADY RIGHT HERE!

I cleaned out my Gmail inbox and spam box.  I deleted messages on Facebook!

(because I figured out how to delete messages)

I sent a few tweets and made a couple status updates.

Got my first email for the Ultimate Blog Challenge...oh yeah because I am doing a blog challenge!

However, the first challenge is a blog I already posted.

I will figure something out though!

31 blog posts in 31 days...

4 times a year!

Now it is time for bed!

Until next time!