I've been feeling down the past several days. Maybe it's just crazy emotions and hormones from being pregnant. Regardless, my feelings are still valid, and I'm sad. It's been quite a while since I've had a day like this.
I'm not sure how to pinpoint it or where it came from. I kept Bob up late last night talking and crying. I feel bad about that, but I really needed it. Today I slept until nearly 11am. I woke up to my stomach grumbling. Were I not pregnant, I would have rolled over and gone back to sleep. But for this child's sake, I got up to eat, but then I got right back into bed. Bob came home for lunch, and after taking him back to work, I decided I wanted to have something (no matter how silly) to show for myself when he comes home tonight. So the Costco-sized bag of toilet paper that has been sitting in our hallway next to the bathroom for 4 days finally got put away.
And then I got back into bed with a bag of chips to munch on.
My friend Adam called. He and a few of our friends from Provo are planning to come and visit for a weekend in February.
Lyssa called and wants me to come and take Valentines Day pictures of her and her husband today around 3:00.
As much as I would love to close the blinds and go back to sleep today, maybe it'll be good for me to get out...
*sigh*
Here's what's been weighing heavily on my mind.
I miss my family. I miss my mom. I wish I was still little so I could curl up on my mother's lap and cry as she'd hold me close and sway gently in her old rocking chair.
I've never lived in California, and the weather here is gorgeous 90% of the time. I'm not used to that. I miss rainy days, thunder storms, snow and sleet, playing in the frosty woods, and watching the sunrise over acres of trees and fields of grass. I've always dreamed of living here and how amazing and glamorous it would be. Everyone from a small town secretly (or not so secretly) wants to live in California, right? Well, I did, anyway.
I have these irrational fears that have only surfaced recently. I worry that something will happen to Bob. Every day when he leaves for work, I make sure that I kiss him and hug him tightly for a moment, just in case it's the last time I ever do. I make sure he knows I love him, because I never want him to leave home without being reminded of that, in case it's the last thing he hears from me in this life.
My life has been filled with wonderful people and an amazing family. But it has also been filled with heartache, hardships, pain, and loss. I've needed my parents and siblings and close friends to help me through all of the difficulty I've had, whether they know about it or not. Right now it seems like I'm just coasting and everything is too good, like it's about time for something terrible to happen again. After all, Heavenly Father never lets too many good things happen to me. He just never has. I'm not bitter about that. If I need trials, then I'll take them humbly and try my best to learn what I need to and prove to the Lord that I'm becoming who He wants me to become. I'm just nervous and anticipating the worst right now because it's been too long since some heart wrenching event has occurred in my life.
And I'm going to be a mother in under three months. I've had the faith that this is what God has wants us to do--have children now and not wait any longer. I've been terrified of having kids for most of my life. The responsibility overwhelms me, not to mention my fear of childbirth. I need to be so selfless for this tiny person that Heavenly Father is trusting me to take care of. My own mother was and is incredible, as well as the epitome of selflessness. How can I ever amount to that? How can I set my own comforts and hobbies and passions aside as frequently as this child will need me to, when those things have been the therapy and means of getting me through the trials and pain that I've been faced with in the past? I still have faith that this is what God would have us do--become parents and bring more of His spirit children into the world to have a chance at life. I know that much is true. I'm just so worried that He's overestimating my strength and ability. Of course He isn't--He knows me better than I know myself. But what if I'm overestimating myself? Am I really ready to be responsible for such a helpless infant who will need 100% of my time, energy, and love?
I'm sure all of these thoughts are due to me being pregnant. But how do I keep going with all of them weighing me down? It's a lot for me to try and deal with right now, on top of the current responsibilities I have.
I mostly just needed to let them out so that maybe they won't be such a focus for me anymore. They're written down, not forgotten about. Maybe I can move on from them, or at least they'll be in the background now.
Showing posts with label random rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random rant. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Friday, May 13, 2011
epiphanies & 18 hour days
At work, Mother's Day is probably our busiest holiday of the year. Valentines Day is pretty close behind it, but seriously, Mother's Day was....ridiculous. In a good way. We started getting ready for it a week or two ahead of time, cutting the lengths of ribbon we need, folding boxes for arrangement transportation, putting together the 12 and 6 count boxes for chocolate dipped fruit, prepping loads and loads of containers and vases for arrangements, etc. The only thing we couldn't prep that far ahead of time was the actual fruit itself.
Thursday, May 5th was pretty normal, except that instead of going into work at 4pm I went in at 10am and stayed the entire day. Then Friday I went in at 7:30am and didn't get off until after 2am. Saturday was the same. And Sunday I went in at 7:30am and got off around 5pm. I worked a 10 hour day, nd 18 hour day, another 18 hour day, and then a 10 hour day after that. What made it even longer was standing for nearly that entire time. I'd get home and ask Bob to give me a foot massage at 3am, which he'd kindly do for me, then I'd fall asleep during it, and get up a few hours later to go stand some more.
Saturday morning I awoke and sat up in bed to rub the sleep from my eyes. Then I stood up. The familiar throbbing in my feet and tenderness in my knees came back immediately, my hands were stiff and forearms sore from pinching the fruit skewers and pushing them into arrangement foam for hours on end, and my back hurt from holding and leaning over the chocolate dipping pots. It was hard not to whimper as I walked from the bedroom to the bathroom, knowing the day would consist of all the same work, and that I'd be feeling even worse by the end of the day, and worse by the following morning.
Luckily for me, Bob was working as a temporary delivery driver, so he got up with me, sympathized as much as he could, and helped me hobble around as I got dressed and ready for work. Even though I was working non-stop for hours on end, it was always refreshing to see Bob walk through the prep area as he'd scan and take more deliveries. As he walked past me he'd just brush his hand across my back or shoulders. Even though I didn't react to it usually, it was a momentary and pleasant distraction from how much I hurt and how tired I was. It was so nice to have him there for a few minutes at a time, partially because I love being around him and also because I knew he was helping to earn some money.
Speaking of which, overtime pay is great. So is a generous boss who included a hefty cash bonus with my pay check this week. She also let us make an arrangement to take home on Sunday evening. I wish I'd taken a picture! It was so good! It looked like this, only with chocolate dipped oranges, chocolate cinnamon apples, and some white chocolate strawberries, and I put it all in a cute orange watering-can keepsake container:
I'm glad I made it through last weekend. I'm very ready for my usual weekend off. I'm hoping to get the house cleaned today so that we can play all day tomorrow (well, when I'm not working on Jennifer's bridesmaid dresses).
With all that time to think as I stood at work making arrangements and dipping fruit in chocolate, I realized a couple of things.
I want to open my own store really, really badly. I think I want to open a gourmet dessert shop to start with. I never really got tired of dipping fruit the whole time I did that over Mother's Day or Valentines Day. I just really like to make all of it look pretty with swirls and toppings on everything. I stood there, dreaming and fantasizing about what my shop would look like, what kinds of desserts I'd make how I'd package them for customers, how I'd display them, etc. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to actually get out some paper and write down my ideas and create a business plan, and figure out how to get the right start up capital. I haven't been this motivated about something like this in a while (which is why I'm writing about it).
I love sewing and fashion design, but I also realized I really hate keeping up with current trends, projecting the styles for the upcoming seasons and years, and sometimes I actually get tired of sewing (believe it or not). I hate how long it takes to get one piece of clothing done.
Accessories are different. I could make hair clips and jewelery all day long. In fact, I used to do just that when I worked a Busy Beads & Moore in Clarksville. I never got tired of it. I finally finished Jennifer's hairpiece for her wedding, and got it mailed out to her this week as well. It was a $20 item. If I made and sold just 5 of those a day, that's $100 a day! I know that includes supplies, but I'd still profit a lot on those kinds of things.
I guess I like fast results. I love projects that I can start and finish in matter of hours or within the day... Like accessories... And desserts... I'm not a fan of baking with yeast or dough. All the kneading and waiting, kneading and waiting drives me nuts. So cupcakes, cake bites, cakes, pies, tarts, and chocolates are all things I love to make. Opening a shop up to sell those kinds of things would take lots of work and time, (and boy, am I learning how to put in long hours at work) but once it got off the ground, I'd rarely have to go in before 7 or 8am, whereas a bakery requires getting started at 3 or 4am because of all that dough and yeast and nonsense.
So, I'm going to work on slowly gathering the start up capital I need, saving money for it, as well as finding things like a commercial sized mixer (or two!), double-boilers, chocolate warmers and fountains, a display cooler or two, freezer(s)/refrigerator(s), bun racks/carts, ovens.... You know, stuff like that. I know a lot of small companies go into too much debt too soon when they first open, so I'd like to avoid that. I'm willing to use things 2nd hand--heck, even 3rd hand if it's in good condition. I don't need or even want brand new stuff. Besides, I love vintage, antique, and steampunk styles. I intend for my shop to be along those lines, so the older the better (if it works, anyway).
I'm so excited about it, I want to start it up now.
*sigh*
But I can wait. I want to start it when we move to San Diego anyway, so it'll be a while until then.
I guess I'm learning patience, too.
Thursday, May 5th was pretty normal, except that instead of going into work at 4pm I went in at 10am and stayed the entire day. Then Friday I went in at 7:30am and didn't get off until after 2am. Saturday was the same. And Sunday I went in at 7:30am and got off around 5pm. I worked a 10 hour day, nd 18 hour day, another 18 hour day, and then a 10 hour day after that. What made it even longer was standing for nearly that entire time. I'd get home and ask Bob to give me a foot massage at 3am, which he'd kindly do for me, then I'd fall asleep during it, and get up a few hours later to go stand some more.
Saturday morning I awoke and sat up in bed to rub the sleep from my eyes. Then I stood up. The familiar throbbing in my feet and tenderness in my knees came back immediately, my hands were stiff and forearms sore from pinching the fruit skewers and pushing them into arrangement foam for hours on end, and my back hurt from holding and leaning over the chocolate dipping pots. It was hard not to whimper as I walked from the bedroom to the bathroom, knowing the day would consist of all the same work, and that I'd be feeling even worse by the end of the day, and worse by the following morning.
Luckily for me, Bob was working as a temporary delivery driver, so he got up with me, sympathized as much as he could, and helped me hobble around as I got dressed and ready for work. Even though I was working non-stop for hours on end, it was always refreshing to see Bob walk through the prep area as he'd scan and take more deliveries. As he walked past me he'd just brush his hand across my back or shoulders. Even though I didn't react to it usually, it was a momentary and pleasant distraction from how much I hurt and how tired I was. It was so nice to have him there for a few minutes at a time, partially because I love being around him and also because I knew he was helping to earn some money.
Speaking of which, overtime pay is great. So is a generous boss who included a hefty cash bonus with my pay check this week. She also let us make an arrangement to take home on Sunday evening. I wish I'd taken a picture! It was so good! It looked like this, only with chocolate dipped oranges, chocolate cinnamon apples, and some white chocolate strawberries, and I put it all in a cute orange watering-can keepsake container:
I'm glad I made it through last weekend. I'm very ready for my usual weekend off. I'm hoping to get the house cleaned today so that we can play all day tomorrow (well, when I'm not working on Jennifer's bridesmaid dresses).
With all that time to think as I stood at work making arrangements and dipping fruit in chocolate, I realized a couple of things.
I want to open my own store really, really badly. I think I want to open a gourmet dessert shop to start with. I never really got tired of dipping fruit the whole time I did that over Mother's Day or Valentines Day. I just really like to make all of it look pretty with swirls and toppings on everything. I stood there, dreaming and fantasizing about what my shop would look like, what kinds of desserts I'd make how I'd package them for customers, how I'd display them, etc. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to actually get out some paper and write down my ideas and create a business plan, and figure out how to get the right start up capital. I haven't been this motivated about something like this in a while (which is why I'm writing about it).
I love sewing and fashion design, but I also realized I really hate keeping up with current trends, projecting the styles for the upcoming seasons and years, and sometimes I actually get tired of sewing (believe it or not). I hate how long it takes to get one piece of clothing done.
Accessories are different. I could make hair clips and jewelery all day long. In fact, I used to do just that when I worked a Busy Beads & Moore in Clarksville. I never got tired of it. I finally finished Jennifer's hairpiece for her wedding, and got it mailed out to her this week as well. It was a $20 item. If I made and sold just 5 of those a day, that's $100 a day! I know that includes supplies, but I'd still profit a lot on those kinds of things.
I guess I like fast results. I love projects that I can start and finish in matter of hours or within the day... Like accessories... And desserts... I'm not a fan of baking with yeast or dough. All the kneading and waiting, kneading and waiting drives me nuts. So cupcakes, cake bites, cakes, pies, tarts, and chocolates are all things I love to make. Opening a shop up to sell those kinds of things would take lots of work and time, (and boy, am I learning how to put in long hours at work) but once it got off the ground, I'd rarely have to go in before 7 or 8am, whereas a bakery requires getting started at 3 or 4am because of all that dough and yeast and nonsense.
So, I'm going to work on slowly gathering the start up capital I need, saving money for it, as well as finding things like a commercial sized mixer (or two!), double-boilers, chocolate warmers and fountains, a display cooler or two, freezer(s)/refrigerator(s), bun racks/carts, ovens.... You know, stuff like that. I know a lot of small companies go into too much debt too soon when they first open, so I'd like to avoid that. I'm willing to use things 2nd hand--heck, even 3rd hand if it's in good condition. I don't need or even want brand new stuff. Besides, I love vintage, antique, and steampunk styles. I intend for my shop to be along those lines, so the older the better (if it works, anyway).
I'm so excited about it, I want to start it up now.
*sigh*
But I can wait. I want to start it when we move to San Diego anyway, so it'll be a while until then.
I guess I'm learning patience, too.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
TMI about discounts
I'm a fan of saving money. I'm also a fan of finding ridiculously good deals on things--things I want and things I need.
Yesterday I did just that. Twice.
A little while ago, I got a $10 gift card in the mail for my birthday from Victoria's Secret, as well as a $10 off gift certificate, and another gift card that came with a purchase I'd made from that store a couple of months ago online. I didn't know how much money was on that last one--I had to go into the store to find out. All three of those discounts were going to expire at the end of the month, so I decided to see if it would be worth it to use them.
After work I went over to the mall and into Victoria's Secret to browse around. Soon I'll need a new bra, so I decided to see if I could find one. This may be more than you want to know, but last year I got measured and discovered that I was a really obscure, hard to find bra size. I asked one of the store employees to point me in the right direction to find a bra in that size, and she said, "Oh, we don't carry that size in the store anymore. But you can buy them online still." Great. I'm not about to buy my bras online, because what if I hate the way they fit? I'd have to mail it back, order a different style, get it, try it on, and if I didn't like that one... It would just be ridiculous. Also, I really like how the ones from Victoria's Secret fit. I just prefer them over department store bras. Anyway, since it has been over a year, I decided to get measured again and see if maybe anything's changed just so I'd know... And I'm officially not a random, obscure size anymore! That was such good news.
My other good news: with all of those discounts I mentioned earlier, I bought $45 bra for $16. Ha! That's how much bras at Wal-Mart cost! Oh, it was a beautiful use of my money.
That evening, Bob and I went to congratulate our friend Teresa on graduating from college. Teresa and I ended up going out shopping while Bob and her husband, Zach, stayed back and played video games. I didn't find what I was looking for, but we did find some 99 cent shelves at Roberts with lots of cute stamps, blank cards, and other goodies on them. Seriously--stamps for a dollar! I almost bought every one of them, but then I exercised self control and only got a few. I couldn't decide which ones to put back though. Teresa and I literally dug through those shelves for over half an hour picking things out, putting things back, picking them out again... It was fun, but we decided we probably shouldn't go shopping together again unless we actually have money to splurge with.
Two great deals in one day! I'm one happy girl.
Now I'm ready to go make some cards...
(While wearing a comfortable, new bra.)
Yesterday I did just that. Twice.
A little while ago, I got a $10 gift card in the mail for my birthday from Victoria's Secret, as well as a $10 off gift certificate, and another gift card that came with a purchase I'd made from that store a couple of months ago online. I didn't know how much money was on that last one--I had to go into the store to find out. All three of those discounts were going to expire at the end of the month, so I decided to see if it would be worth it to use them.
After work I went over to the mall and into Victoria's Secret to browse around. Soon I'll need a new bra, so I decided to see if I could find one. This may be more than you want to know, but last year I got measured and discovered that I was a really obscure, hard to find bra size. I asked one of the store employees to point me in the right direction to find a bra in that size, and she said, "Oh, we don't carry that size in the store anymore. But you can buy them online still." Great. I'm not about to buy my bras online, because what if I hate the way they fit? I'd have to mail it back, order a different style, get it, try it on, and if I didn't like that one... It would just be ridiculous. Also, I really like how the ones from Victoria's Secret fit. I just prefer them over department store bras. Anyway, since it has been over a year, I decided to get measured again and see if maybe anything's changed just so I'd know... And I'm officially not a random, obscure size anymore! That was such good news.
My other good news: with all of those discounts I mentioned earlier, I bought $45 bra for $16. Ha! That's how much bras at Wal-Mart cost! Oh, it was a beautiful use of my money.
That evening, Bob and I went to congratulate our friend Teresa on graduating from college. Teresa and I ended up going out shopping while Bob and her husband, Zach, stayed back and played video games. I didn't find what I was looking for, but we did find some 99 cent shelves at Roberts with lots of cute stamps, blank cards, and other goodies on them. Seriously--stamps for a dollar! I almost bought every one of them, but then I exercised self control and only got a few. I couldn't decide which ones to put back though. Teresa and I literally dug through those shelves for over half an hour picking things out, putting things back, picking them out again... It was fun, but we decided we probably shouldn't go shopping together again unless we actually have money to splurge with.
Two great deals in one day! I'm one happy girl.
Now I'm ready to go make some cards...
(While wearing a comfortable, new bra.)
Monday, March 14, 2011
Well that was fast.
About three weeks into working at the brand new store, I felt like I was getting the hang of things pretty well. Most of the other employees would even come to me with questions about various work-related needs and techniques. It made me feel pretty good, because 1) I love helping and teaching others, and 2) it means others can tell that I am skilled and knowledgeable, which just feels great.
On my way out of the store one day after a full morning of work, my boss chatted with me briefly and practically in passing mentioned that she wants to make me assistant manager. Sweeeeeet!! I think some of my co-workers were expecting it. I'll admit I was hopeful, but I wasn't sure if she'd really need one since she and her husband both work at the store pretty frequently. And it's not that I'm aspiring, but I would like to learn various responsibilities of managing the store so that I can use what I learn for opening my own small business in the future. I told that to my boss back in my interview when I turned in my employment application, and I think it's stuck with her and is a big part of why she hired me. She even brings it up from time to time, recognizing that this isn't just some job for me while I'm between other modes of employ. I want to learn how to run a successful small and specialized store so that I can do just that one day. The things I'm learning at work I'm taking to heart and storing away for future reference. I'm not just another girl who wants to work with great people in a fun atmosphere. I don't just want a discount on what we sell. I'm definitely not in it just for the money, because the pay may be decent but I'm definitely not going to get rich off my paychecks. I want to learn everything I can for future purposes.
So being assistant manager is pretty exciting for me to say the least.
At the same time, I'm kind of nervous and worried that I'll start making mistakes or mess up more frequently, because I do that when I'm under pressure. I just hope I can maintain my confidence and excitement about it and not give in to whatever insecurities and self-doubt and low self-esteem issues I might have. I'm strong and independent, not weak and completely reliant on others.... right?
For now, I'm thrilled about it. I just hope it sticks.
On my way out of the store one day after a full morning of work, my boss chatted with me briefly and practically in passing mentioned that she wants to make me assistant manager. Sweeeeeet!! I think some of my co-workers were expecting it. I'll admit I was hopeful, but I wasn't sure if she'd really need one since she and her husband both work at the store pretty frequently. And it's not that I'm aspiring, but I would like to learn various responsibilities of managing the store so that I can use what I learn for opening my own small business in the future. I told that to my boss back in my interview when I turned in my employment application, and I think it's stuck with her and is a big part of why she hired me. She even brings it up from time to time, recognizing that this isn't just some job for me while I'm between other modes of employ. I want to learn how to run a successful small and specialized store so that I can do just that one day. The things I'm learning at work I'm taking to heart and storing away for future reference. I'm not just another girl who wants to work with great people in a fun atmosphere. I don't just want a discount on what we sell. I'm definitely not in it just for the money, because the pay may be decent but I'm definitely not going to get rich off my paychecks. I want to learn everything I can for future purposes.
So being assistant manager is pretty exciting for me to say the least.
At the same time, I'm kind of nervous and worried that I'll start making mistakes or mess up more frequently, because I do that when I'm under pressure. I just hope I can maintain my confidence and excitement about it and not give in to whatever insecurities and self-doubt and low self-esteem issues I might have. I'm strong and independent, not weak and completely reliant on others.... right?
For now, I'm thrilled about it. I just hope it sticks.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I'm great at what I do well.
I'd just like to write about how great I am right now. Not because I'm full of myself. But this is my blog, and my self esteem has a history of being pretty low, so the fact that I feel great about myself today is very important to me.
Yesterday before I left work, my boss handed me the store key and asked if I'd open this morning.
See, the store opened almost two weeks ago, and there are about seven of us customer service reps who also design the fruit arrangements that we sell. Training took three or four days, and we've slowly been getting everything organized and going. By the middle of last week, it was obvious who the efficient, hard workers are. There are only about three of the seven of us who work quickly without jeopardizing product quality. You guessed it, I am one of the three. My boss even acknowledged it to me, asking my opinion on how the others work and what we can possibly do to improve things. The delivery drivers all see it too, and they all secretly tell the three of us that they like us better because they appreciate how we really work for our pay.
The problem is that once business picks up, instead of prepping the fruit until nearly 1pm and the afternoon shift only making five or six arrangements a day, we should be able to have all the fruit prepped by 10:30 and by about noon or so have up to 25 arrangements ready for delivery. Yeah, there's a lot of work for us to do until that point, myself included.
Last week, one of the girls took over two hours to slice up four pineapples. This morning, the guy I was working with took two hours to slice up four oranges. Granted, it's not just peeling and chopping or whacking off what ppl don't eat--things are cut into shapes and in specific ways, but with the machines we use and training we've had, they should be FAR quicker at prepping the fruit! I cut 2 oranges in a matter of minutes the other day, and I sliced two pineapples in about 15 minutes this morning. Really, what is taking them so long? I also came in the other day and found all of the strawberries skewered wrong. When Valentines Day hits, I'm afraid they might be the reason we don't get every order filled on time. It stresses me out. I know it's not my store, but I take pride in where I work and in the work I do there. It seems like they don't.
My boss also comes to me when we have an order for chocolate dipped fruit. Everyone got the same training on it, everyone has practiced it, but everyone agrees that I'm the best at it. (I'll admit, I'm no stranger to gourmet desserts and it's not the first time I've dipped something delicious in chocolate, so I was a step ahead of everyone else when we all got hired.) My boss will generally have me dip whatever needs dipping when I'm there, and when I come on for my afternoon shifts and someone else is dipping fruit she'll have me go back and see how they're doing, and teach them how they can improve if they need it.
I'm also really glad I included so many of my random skills in my resume.
We dip some fruit in peanut butter, and with how crazy peanut allergies are, we have to have to be incredibly careful, and have separate everything for the peanut butter dipping station. Every utensil and dish we use for peanut butter has to have an orange sticker label on it so we know to only use it for peanut butter. My boss wasn't sure how to keep the cloths and apron(s) separate for that station, especially with needing to launder them every day, because stickers + fabric + washing won't exactly work. I offered to sew on some orange tags to the cloths and an orange ribbon across the top of one of the aprons. She happily approved of my idea, and I think she likes my initiative too.
She also asked me to help her with the booth for a bridal fair we're taking part in, mostly because of my experience in weddings and fashion design. It's right up my alley.
So, back to yesterday.
As I was rinsing off several pints of strawberries, in passing and completely out of the blue, my boss says to me, "Don't let me forget to give you the key so you can open the store tomorrow morning."
I thought, 'Has she talked to me about this? Did she forget to talk to me about this? Did I forget that she talked to me about this? ...I guess I'm getting a key to the store.'
I was pretty excited. I'm not sure who else or even if anyone else is getting one, but either way I'm happy she trusts me! I like to think I'm her favorite.
So today I opened the store! It was flawless and I did everything perfectly! We even had four online orders from overnight. It was just me and the slow-orange-slicing guy, and I could hardly get any work done prepping fruit because I kept having to take phone-in orders, walk-in orders, and even another online order. I needed slow-orange-slicer to finish those oranges, so I was taking care of everything else while he took his sweet time peeling the off skin, then the pith, and then slicing two into even wedges and the other two into round slices.
My boss came in around 11:30 and asked how it was going.
I mentioned slow-orange-slicer, and how I wasn't sure what to do about him. Then I told her about all the business we were getting, and she half-jokingly said, "Well you should just open every day!" I just smiled, because really, I would like that. I would love to have enough of her trust to open and run the store without her should she want or need me to. It's important for me to feel needed at work, like I'm an important part of the business. It makes me want to work harder, to contribute more, and to be a part of the business's success. It's just a part of who I am and how I work. Plus, a getting a pay-raise is always nice and is bound to happen at some point, and I'd like to feel deserving of that should I get one.
So I'm feeling happy today. I'm feeling productive, valuable, and skilled.
It's nice.
I'm sure at some point I'll have a bad day at work where everything goes wrong when I'm there.
But for now, I'll just enjoy this day of bliss while I can.
Yesterday before I left work, my boss handed me the store key and asked if I'd open this morning.
See, the store opened almost two weeks ago, and there are about seven of us customer service reps who also design the fruit arrangements that we sell. Training took three or four days, and we've slowly been getting everything organized and going. By the middle of last week, it was obvious who the efficient, hard workers are. There are only about three of the seven of us who work quickly without jeopardizing product quality. You guessed it, I am one of the three. My boss even acknowledged it to me, asking my opinion on how the others work and what we can possibly do to improve things. The delivery drivers all see it too, and they all secretly tell the three of us that they like us better because they appreciate how we really work for our pay.
The problem is that once business picks up, instead of prepping the fruit until nearly 1pm and the afternoon shift only making five or six arrangements a day, we should be able to have all the fruit prepped by 10:30 and by about noon or so have up to 25 arrangements ready for delivery. Yeah, there's a lot of work for us to do until that point, myself included.
Last week, one of the girls took over two hours to slice up four pineapples. This morning, the guy I was working with took two hours to slice up four oranges. Granted, it's not just peeling and chopping or whacking off what ppl don't eat--things are cut into shapes and in specific ways, but with the machines we use and training we've had, they should be FAR quicker at prepping the fruit! I cut 2 oranges in a matter of minutes the other day, and I sliced two pineapples in about 15 minutes this morning. Really, what is taking them so long? I also came in the other day and found all of the strawberries skewered wrong. When Valentines Day hits, I'm afraid they might be the reason we don't get every order filled on time. It stresses me out. I know it's not my store, but I take pride in where I work and in the work I do there. It seems like they don't.
My boss also comes to me when we have an order for chocolate dipped fruit. Everyone got the same training on it, everyone has practiced it, but everyone agrees that I'm the best at it. (I'll admit, I'm no stranger to gourmet desserts and it's not the first time I've dipped something delicious in chocolate, so I was a step ahead of everyone else when we all got hired.) My boss will generally have me dip whatever needs dipping when I'm there, and when I come on for my afternoon shifts and someone else is dipping fruit she'll have me go back and see how they're doing, and teach them how they can improve if they need it.
I'm also really glad I included so many of my random skills in my resume.
We dip some fruit in peanut butter, and with how crazy peanut allergies are, we have to have to be incredibly careful, and have separate everything for the peanut butter dipping station. Every utensil and dish we use for peanut butter has to have an orange sticker label on it so we know to only use it for peanut butter. My boss wasn't sure how to keep the cloths and apron(s) separate for that station, especially with needing to launder them every day, because stickers + fabric + washing won't exactly work. I offered to sew on some orange tags to the cloths and an orange ribbon across the top of one of the aprons. She happily approved of my idea, and I think she likes my initiative too.
She also asked me to help her with the booth for a bridal fair we're taking part in, mostly because of my experience in weddings and fashion design. It's right up my alley.
So, back to yesterday.
As I was rinsing off several pints of strawberries, in passing and completely out of the blue, my boss says to me, "Don't let me forget to give you the key so you can open the store tomorrow morning."
I thought, 'Has she talked to me about this? Did she forget to talk to me about this? Did I forget that she talked to me about this? ...I guess I'm getting a key to the store.'
I was pretty excited. I'm not sure who else or even if anyone else is getting one, but either way I'm happy she trusts me! I like to think I'm her favorite.
So today I opened the store! It was flawless and I did everything perfectly! We even had four online orders from overnight. It was just me and the slow-orange-slicing guy, and I could hardly get any work done prepping fruit because I kept having to take phone-in orders, walk-in orders, and even another online order. I needed slow-orange-slicer to finish those oranges, so I was taking care of everything else while he took his sweet time peeling the off skin, then the pith, and then slicing two into even wedges and the other two into round slices.
My boss came in around 11:30 and asked how it was going.
I mentioned slow-orange-slicer, and how I wasn't sure what to do about him. Then I told her about all the business we were getting, and she half-jokingly said, "Well you should just open every day!" I just smiled, because really, I would like that. I would love to have enough of her trust to open and run the store without her should she want or need me to. It's important for me to feel needed at work, like I'm an important part of the business. It makes me want to work harder, to contribute more, and to be a part of the business's success. It's just a part of who I am and how I work. Plus, a getting a pay-raise is always nice and is bound to happen at some point, and I'd like to feel deserving of that should I get one.
So I'm feeling happy today. I'm feeling productive, valuable, and skilled.
It's nice.
I'm sure at some point I'll have a bad day at work where everything goes wrong when I'm there.
But for now, I'll just enjoy this day of bliss while I can.
Monday, January 10, 2011
confusion
Have you ever laughed and cried at the same time? I don't mean laughing so hard you cry--I'm talking about squeezing out tears while sobbing and between those sobs you're somehow cracking up laughing.
I'm not sure if ironic is the right word, but it's the only one I can think of at the moment.
Bob and I have been discussing our plans for the future, trying to decide what we need to do, where we need to go, and when we need to do various things. Back in November, we both were so sick of living in Provo that we were ready to just forget about all the junk we own and stay in San Diego after Thanksgiving rather than come back up to Utah at all.
Over Christmas break, something changed somehow, because we suddenly realized last week how much we actually love living here right now. We have a wonderful and cute home, we have fantastic friends, we live close to some family, snowboarding and rock climbing are practically right out side our front door, and we love the people we go to church with. Life feels pretty good here, really.
There are still problems we're having, with Bob hating his job and wanting a new one but unable to get hired anywhere else he applies. My job as an industrial designer has turned out to be pretty miserable. My willingness to work extra hard and to please clients has been taken advantage of, to the point where I'm the only one working and making projects really progress. I'm done there and would rather not be run into the ground anymore, so I'm finishing this last project (because I don't want to pawn it off onto anybody else like they did to me) and then I'm quitting. In light of that, I've been looking for a better job, more suited for me.
Speaking of which, I seriously have a passion for industrial design, but what with all the PTSD crap I've been struggling with for so long and finally taking care of for the past year, I've got some major creative blocks that I can't seem to get past when it comes to sketching and designing and learning about the creative process. The weird thing is, even with all of that keeping me from really excelling in that field, I've always been able to sew and make jewelry--even design those things from scratch. For some reason, I can still be creative in that area, but not when it comes to positioning simple shapes and forms, sketching out ideas just to get more ideas flowing, and building 3-D objects out of balsa wood and foam core board. I don't get it.
So for my emotional well being (which I've ignored my whole life until now--this is a new thing for me to actually think about), I changed my major--again, I know. I really don't know if I'm ever going to graduate--not from BYU anyway. I'm an open major for the 4th time. So I've been taking some sewing classes instead of finishing the last of my GEs. Not that I don't know how to sew (obviously, from many of my blog posts), but I've never learned professional techniques and skills related to sewing. I've always just taught myself, so it's been great to learn and improve my skills.
In light of my deep distaste for my job, I decided to job search a bit as well. Bob's job is kind of hit or miss on whether he will or won't have work, so it's been kind of unreliable. In order to try and have a steadier income, I looked for a job on ksl.com the other day at the perfect time to find out that a new Edible Arrangements is opening up here in Provo and that they were taking applications and hiring employees! So on Wednesday of last week, I put together a resume and drove over to apply. I got there and the owner was doing on-the-spot interviews with everyone. Thank goodness I dressed professionally! There were about five people in line waiting to be interviewed, and another person filling out an application at a table. So I joined in, waited, and was interviewed. I tried to not only make a good impression, but to also be memorable. The owner said to expect a phone call on Friday or Monday letting us know if she hired me or not. All weekend I was really banking on getting it, praying at every chance to get hired, because I really think I'd love it and the steady paycheck would be great!
Thursday morning, however, things began to really change again. Bob got an early phone call that woke us both up. His grandma on his mom's side was having heart problems and was in the hospital. Late Friday afternoon he got another phone call, and this time his aunt told him that his grandma had just passed away. Grandma didn't want a funeral either--she just wanted to be cremated, then have her ashes placed next to her husbands at a military cemetery. No family gathering or service--just put where she wanted to be.
With that, it seems like a lot of options are opening up for us suddenly. We might have some opportunities in San Diego to get life going down there. It's even felt like Bob doesn't have much going on up here anymore and he needs to go somewhere so that he can get a real career underway. I kind of make my life progress where ever I live with the various skills I have, so I'm content just about anywhere.
Today I got home from class, and Bob and I talked about what to do now. I started really doubting that I'd get the job at Edible Arrangements, because let's be honest--I'm not the most qualified person and there were tons of applicants. My sewing class professor is willing to let me advance more and also take a pattern-making class due to my experience. I've also looked into transferring to FIDM in San Diego to get a degree in something fashion related. (Honestly, I've always wanted to do that, but I just never thought it was realistic or logical.) Bob is looking at going down to San Diego even within the next month or two to start working on a possible property management career. We feel like that's what he should do, and yet we both feel like I should stay and finish some classes here. We decided that that's just what we'll do. Bob will go on to San Diego relatively soon, I'll take the sewing classes here to get as much experience as I can, and then go down to San Diego this summer, and we'll get settled there.
Once we decided that, Bob went to finally take a shower for the day, and I got online to look at FIDM stuff. Not even five minutes after I sat down at the computer, my phone rang, and I just knew exactly what that phone call was before I even pulled out my phone.
Edible Arrangements wanted to hire me. This is the first time that I've ever applied for a job anywhere and they want to hire me purely out of my skills, personality, and how I look on paper. I've always gotten jobs in the past because I knew someone who knew me. Any time I've applied for a job otherwise, I've never been hired, and I've tried it that way a lot with zero success.
After I accepted and hung up the phone. I just sat on the floor for a moment in shock. Then I felt like crying and laughing at the same time. So I did.
There I was, pathetically laying on the floor confused out of my mind as to what to do, because we'd just made a decision about life, and it needed to change again. Emotional whiplash is what I call it. If I work, I know I won't be able to take that pattern-making class. I'm already doing some other things (bridesmaid dresses and a freelance design job, on top of everything I'm already doing for other people) and there's no way I can handle all of that and a job.
So I cried about it, plus the idea of having Bob be away from me for a few months sounds really lonely and hard for me, and that made me cry more. I laughed because this situation was so typical of what Heavenly Father likes to do to challenge me. There's just too many good options for me to choose from. Funny, right?
Now it looks like I'm only going to take the intermediate sewing class and work at Edible Arrangements. And if I really like it, I know I'm not going to want to leave it and move to San Diego. I'm hoping I can transfer to work at one there or even open up a new one down there. I guess I'll have to wait and see how I like it.
Either way, this was just way too much for me to handle, so I had to write it down and get it out of my head. I know, that was long. But now I don't have to sit there and let it stress me out. It's all written down and if I forget about it for a little while, it's okay because it's not all completely gone.
Thanks for reading, if you did.
I'm not sure if ironic is the right word, but it's the only one I can think of at the moment.
Bob and I have been discussing our plans for the future, trying to decide what we need to do, where we need to go, and when we need to do various things. Back in November, we both were so sick of living in Provo that we were ready to just forget about all the junk we own and stay in San Diego after Thanksgiving rather than come back up to Utah at all.
Over Christmas break, something changed somehow, because we suddenly realized last week how much we actually love living here right now. We have a wonderful and cute home, we have fantastic friends, we live close to some family, snowboarding and rock climbing are practically right out side our front door, and we love the people we go to church with. Life feels pretty good here, really.
There are still problems we're having, with Bob hating his job and wanting a new one but unable to get hired anywhere else he applies. My job as an industrial designer has turned out to be pretty miserable. My willingness to work extra hard and to please clients has been taken advantage of, to the point where I'm the only one working and making projects really progress. I'm done there and would rather not be run into the ground anymore, so I'm finishing this last project (because I don't want to pawn it off onto anybody else like they did to me) and then I'm quitting. In light of that, I've been looking for a better job, more suited for me.
Speaking of which, I seriously have a passion for industrial design, but what with all the PTSD crap I've been struggling with for so long and finally taking care of for the past year, I've got some major creative blocks that I can't seem to get past when it comes to sketching and designing and learning about the creative process. The weird thing is, even with all of that keeping me from really excelling in that field, I've always been able to sew and make jewelry--even design those things from scratch. For some reason, I can still be creative in that area, but not when it comes to positioning simple shapes and forms, sketching out ideas just to get more ideas flowing, and building 3-D objects out of balsa wood and foam core board. I don't get it.
So for my emotional well being (which I've ignored my whole life until now--this is a new thing for me to actually think about), I changed my major--again, I know. I really don't know if I'm ever going to graduate--not from BYU anyway. I'm an open major for the 4th time. So I've been taking some sewing classes instead of finishing the last of my GEs. Not that I don't know how to sew (obviously, from many of my blog posts), but I've never learned professional techniques and skills related to sewing. I've always just taught myself, so it's been great to learn and improve my skills.
In light of my deep distaste for my job, I decided to job search a bit as well. Bob's job is kind of hit or miss on whether he will or won't have work, so it's been kind of unreliable. In order to try and have a steadier income, I looked for a job on ksl.com the other day at the perfect time to find out that a new Edible Arrangements is opening up here in Provo and that they were taking applications and hiring employees! So on Wednesday of last week, I put together a resume and drove over to apply. I got there and the owner was doing on-the-spot interviews with everyone. Thank goodness I dressed professionally! There were about five people in line waiting to be interviewed, and another person filling out an application at a table. So I joined in, waited, and was interviewed. I tried to not only make a good impression, but to also be memorable. The owner said to expect a phone call on Friday or Monday letting us know if she hired me or not. All weekend I was really banking on getting it, praying at every chance to get hired, because I really think I'd love it and the steady paycheck would be great!
Thursday morning, however, things began to really change again. Bob got an early phone call that woke us both up. His grandma on his mom's side was having heart problems and was in the hospital. Late Friday afternoon he got another phone call, and this time his aunt told him that his grandma had just passed away. Grandma didn't want a funeral either--she just wanted to be cremated, then have her ashes placed next to her husbands at a military cemetery. No family gathering or service--just put where she wanted to be.
With that, it seems like a lot of options are opening up for us suddenly. We might have some opportunities in San Diego to get life going down there. It's even felt like Bob doesn't have much going on up here anymore and he needs to go somewhere so that he can get a real career underway. I kind of make my life progress where ever I live with the various skills I have, so I'm content just about anywhere.
Today I got home from class, and Bob and I talked about what to do now. I started really doubting that I'd get the job at Edible Arrangements, because let's be honest--I'm not the most qualified person and there were tons of applicants. My sewing class professor is willing to let me advance more and also take a pattern-making class due to my experience. I've also looked into transferring to FIDM in San Diego to get a degree in something fashion related. (Honestly, I've always wanted to do that, but I just never thought it was realistic or logical.) Bob is looking at going down to San Diego even within the next month or two to start working on a possible property management career. We feel like that's what he should do, and yet we both feel like I should stay and finish some classes here. We decided that that's just what we'll do. Bob will go on to San Diego relatively soon, I'll take the sewing classes here to get as much experience as I can, and then go down to San Diego this summer, and we'll get settled there.
Once we decided that, Bob went to finally take a shower for the day, and I got online to look at FIDM stuff. Not even five minutes after I sat down at the computer, my phone rang, and I just knew exactly what that phone call was before I even pulled out my phone.
Edible Arrangements wanted to hire me. This is the first time that I've ever applied for a job anywhere and they want to hire me purely out of my skills, personality, and how I look on paper. I've always gotten jobs in the past because I knew someone who knew me. Any time I've applied for a job otherwise, I've never been hired, and I've tried it that way a lot with zero success.
After I accepted and hung up the phone. I just sat on the floor for a moment in shock. Then I felt like crying and laughing at the same time. So I did.
There I was, pathetically laying on the floor confused out of my mind as to what to do, because we'd just made a decision about life, and it needed to change again. Emotional whiplash is what I call it. If I work, I know I won't be able to take that pattern-making class. I'm already doing some other things (bridesmaid dresses and a freelance design job, on top of everything I'm already doing for other people) and there's no way I can handle all of that and a job.
So I cried about it, plus the idea of having Bob be away from me for a few months sounds really lonely and hard for me, and that made me cry more. I laughed because this situation was so typical of what Heavenly Father likes to do to challenge me. There's just too many good options for me to choose from. Funny, right?
Now it looks like I'm only going to take the intermediate sewing class and work at Edible Arrangements. And if I really like it, I know I'm not going to want to leave it and move to San Diego. I'm hoping I can transfer to work at one there or even open up a new one down there. I guess I'll have to wait and see how I like it.
Either way, this was just way too much for me to handle, so I had to write it down and get it out of my head. I know, that was long. But now I don't have to sit there and let it stress me out. It's all written down and if I forget about it for a little while, it's okay because it's not all completely gone.
Thanks for reading, if you did.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Always last
I guess that's part of being the youngest child, no matter what my age is.
I'm always last... Last to date. Last to drive. Last to play sports. Last to graduate high school. Last to serve a mission. Last to get married. Last to finish college.
Last to have kids.
That's the one that's on my mind right now. Well, I've been contemplating it for quite some time now, honestly. This is just the first I've really decided to express it publicly. All of my friends and family are pregnant and having children. It's such a happy time and it's all so exciting! I love seeing lives starting and other lives progressing. I love playing with and spoiling my nephews and nieces and close friends' kids. And for a while now I've found myself wishing I had some of my own.
And it seems like over and over I'm told that I'm just baby crazy because everyone around me is having babies.
Is there something wrong with wanting to increase my womanhood to motherhood? Is there something wrong with me for wanting to nurture an infant and teach growing children about life, the gospel, and love? Is there something wrong with me for letting my maternal instinct out? Am I wrong for admitting that I'm no longer terrified of marriage and having a family?
Well I'll stand up for myself since only one other person has when I bring it up. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that.
So don't tell me I'm "just baby crazy" and that I'm being silly. Don't say "it'll pass," it's only a phase, and I'll be glad later when I don't have children burdening me down. Because for the first time in my entire life, I want kids. I've feared that I'd never want them, never wish for them, and then I'd have them just because of obligation and expectation. And I've always feared that I'd be a terrible mother because of it.
Don't persuade me not to have children yet. Do you think that helps? Why can't someone reassure me that having children is fantastic and fun and a wonderful part of life? Why do you only tell me about the grueling parts of it? Well life itself will always be grueling. I'm stuck with that no matter what. How much more 'preparation' do I need? A few more years? Just so I'm 'older' or 'more experienced' or so that I can enjoy time with my husband? Older won't let me have as many kids, and what other experience do I need so that I can have kids? Will I stop enjoying time with my husband all together if we have kids (even though I know there won't be nearly as much of it)?
Doesn't having children add another dimension to life? Sure, it brings it's own challenges with it, but since when has life been free of trials and difficulties anyway?
I guess I'm just frustrated with the lack of support I feel when I express the fact that I want to have kids, while everyone who is having children gets all this love and praise. When I'm pregnant will I ever get that or will I only hear others tell me it was a poor choice and a bad idea?
As excited as I am for Ben and Trina, Marissa and Brandon, Natalie and Brett, and so many others (which, I'm seriously beside myself with excitement for all of them), I'm also hurting in about that same amount. I just can't figure out what to do with it. I'm not jealous--not at all because those families all deserve to have those beautiful children and all the love and happiness life has to offer. With all my heart I hope for lots of laughter and unlimited smiles as those children grow.
I'm just not sure what to do with this.... other feeling. I'm suppose I'm sad, because I want that kind of love and support. Well, whether or not I ever have it, I'm still going to have children when it's time (and I do hope it's soon, to be honest). No one can persuade me differently, regardless of how difficult it might make everything. Just keep those degrading thoughts to yourself and stop adding to my struggles.
Perhaps that was too much information, and maybe it made you feel awkward. But I needed it out of my head. And now that it's out, I can move on and stop letting it bother me.
I'm always last... Last to date. Last to drive. Last to play sports. Last to graduate high school. Last to serve a mission. Last to get married. Last to finish college.
Last to have kids.
That's the one that's on my mind right now. Well, I've been contemplating it for quite some time now, honestly. This is just the first I've really decided to express it publicly. All of my friends and family are pregnant and having children. It's such a happy time and it's all so exciting! I love seeing lives starting and other lives progressing. I love playing with and spoiling my nephews and nieces and close friends' kids. And for a while now I've found myself wishing I had some of my own.
And it seems like over and over I'm told that I'm just baby crazy because everyone around me is having babies.
Is there something wrong with wanting to increase my womanhood to motherhood? Is there something wrong with me for wanting to nurture an infant and teach growing children about life, the gospel, and love? Is there something wrong with me for letting my maternal instinct out? Am I wrong for admitting that I'm no longer terrified of marriage and having a family?
Well I'll stand up for myself since only one other person has when I bring it up. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that.
So don't tell me I'm "just baby crazy" and that I'm being silly. Don't say "it'll pass," it's only a phase, and I'll be glad later when I don't have children burdening me down. Because for the first time in my entire life, I want kids. I've feared that I'd never want them, never wish for them, and then I'd have them just because of obligation and expectation. And I've always feared that I'd be a terrible mother because of it.
Don't persuade me not to have children yet. Do you think that helps? Why can't someone reassure me that having children is fantastic and fun and a wonderful part of life? Why do you only tell me about the grueling parts of it? Well life itself will always be grueling. I'm stuck with that no matter what. How much more 'preparation' do I need? A few more years? Just so I'm 'older' or 'more experienced' or so that I can enjoy time with my husband? Older won't let me have as many kids, and what other experience do I need so that I can have kids? Will I stop enjoying time with my husband all together if we have kids (even though I know there won't be nearly as much of it)?
Doesn't having children add another dimension to life? Sure, it brings it's own challenges with it, but since when has life been free of trials and difficulties anyway?
I guess I'm just frustrated with the lack of support I feel when I express the fact that I want to have kids, while everyone who is having children gets all this love and praise. When I'm pregnant will I ever get that or will I only hear others tell me it was a poor choice and a bad idea?
As excited as I am for Ben and Trina, Marissa and Brandon, Natalie and Brett, and so many others (which, I'm seriously beside myself with excitement for all of them), I'm also hurting in about that same amount. I just can't figure out what to do with it. I'm not jealous--not at all because those families all deserve to have those beautiful children and all the love and happiness life has to offer. With all my heart I hope for lots of laughter and unlimited smiles as those children grow.
I'm just not sure what to do with this.... other feeling. I'm suppose I'm sad, because I want that kind of love and support. Well, whether or not I ever have it, I'm still going to have children when it's time (and I do hope it's soon, to be honest). No one can persuade me differently, regardless of how difficult it might make everything. Just keep those degrading thoughts to yourself and stop adding to my struggles.
... ... ... ... ...
Okay.
Perhaps that was too much information, and maybe it made you feel awkward. But I needed it out of my head. And now that it's out, I can move on and stop letting it bother me.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The newest employee of ETS....
So I've been looking for a job ever since I quit mine back in April. I was so tired of stage managing. It was a great job with great co-workers, but I was stagnant. I was making as high a wage as possible, I wasn't learning anything new, and I was just feeling very stuck. It was even affecting other aspects of my life as well--I was feeling stuck in school as well as in my relationship with my husband.So I quit--I was just done.
Then I went to Singapore for three weeks, which put job searching on hold. I returned at the beginning of June, and from then on I'd been submitting applications, creating resumes, going to the LDS Employment office, started my Etsy business, and I've been thinking for some time now that I should just really get focused and settled in a job of some sort.
Last week I got a response to an application I had submitted for an editorial position for a company that publishes scrapbooking magazines. They wanted me to complete some writing exercises to see if I was cut out for the job. I enjoyed doing them--it was fun and I felt like I was pretty good at it. I submitted them on Monday, and they told me I'd find out either way in the next week or two.
I also started taking a series of self employment classes at the LDS Employment office and decided to get my business plan up and running again for my gift shop/bakery. At the same time as that, I realized that Bob really needed to get a move on in regards to his schooling. In order to do that, I had decided to postpone my schooling for a bit and work full time so that he could focus on school and get done that much sooner so that life could progress a little more (aka having kids). I was totally fine with that, stopping my schooling a bit and then finishing it later. I even decided to move forward with my business because the location I was looking at for the store became available again. So I was pretty excited. It seemed like everything was supposed to go in that direction.
Not even an hour after talking that choice over with Bob and settling on it, I get a phone call to schedule an interview for a position I had applied for weeks ago. It was for a company of student engineers who were looking to hire some industrial designers. I decided to go ahead with the interview, if nothing else just for the experience. I doubted they'd want to hire me--I'm still just a freshman in the program.
I went to the interview yesterday. A fellow classmate, Quinn, from my ID classes last year was interviewing before me, and on his way out we chatted momentarily. Then I turned to walk in for my interview. I introduced myself before even looking at who was interviewing me. It turns out that it was Zack Bomsta, the guy who married a former roommate of mine two weeks earlier, whose reception I'd attended. Small world! He laughed and said he was already aware of who I am, though it didn't register until just then when he saw me. He asked me questions about Quinn, who--I'll be honest--is amazing and extremely talented. I admitted that he was one of the top 10 students in our classes when it comes to quality of work and talent. Then we went on to questions about me and my capabilities. On my resume I included my study abroad course to Singapore and the experience I now have with international relations and collaborating with others to create a product. We discussed that, and he said that it made my application stand out from all the other ones. I had forgotten about that. I suppose that would make me look pretty awesome.
After the interview, I still didn't feel super confident so I basically forgot about it. I continued on in my business things and preparing to not take classes come fall semester. Then today Zack calls me and says he wants to hire me. I asked if I could talk it over with my husband and get back to him about it. I talked to Bob. I prayed. I read my scriptures. I called my Dad. I prayed some more. And then I called Zack back to ask more questions about the job.
I learned that it pays $15 an hour and I'll be working anywhere from 10-20 hours a week on average. He even said some of the current employees have time for full or part time jobs in addition to this one, as well as school. Also, they have two ways of hiring people: either through BYU or through a different agency if any of the BYU students don't have enough credits to be employed by BYU.
Well, that resolved all my problems and concerns. I can go to school while taking as many or few credits as I need, and I can have a second job on the side if necessary (or if I get that editorial job). Not only that, but I realized that when I'm done and finally get that evasive Bachelor of Fine Arts degree I so much want, I'll have experience in the exact same field I'll be going into. What company won't want to hire someone with both a degree AND experience? Seriously! If I can keep this job until I graduate (which I think I want to already) I'll have 3-4 years of design experience in the workplace!
I'll be working on a panel of four industrial designers--including Quinn and two other upperclassmen, one of which I've heard great things about. I go in tomorrow at 11am to get hired with the other three, and then we're getting right to work. It looks like I'll be taking classes this fall after all, and it'll probably be only 6-9 credits worth.
I'll be working on a panel of four industrial designers--including Quinn and two other upperclassmen, one of which I've heard great things about. I go in tomorrow at 11am to get hired with the other three, and then we're getting right to work. It looks like I'll be taking classes this fall after all, and it'll probably be only 6-9 credits worth.
It seems like it's too good to be true. But if it's really as good as it all sounds right now, can I just say jackpot!!
The Lord really knows what He's doing. When I think I have something figured out and it seems right and I go that way, he always stops me if I'm wrong. Thank goodness that he never lets me down and He never leads me in the wrong direction.
The Lord really knows what He's doing. When I think I have something figured out and it seems right and I go that way, he always stops me if I'm wrong. Thank goodness that he never lets me down and He never leads me in the wrong direction.
In other news, Bob auditioned for a short movie today. Neither of us really think he'll get the part, but it was fun anyway! In the Craigslist ad it said to bring a headshot and resume. Well, considering that Bob has no acting experience, a resume seemed a little ridiculous. But we decided a head shot would be good. So I took some photos of Bob this morning, and here's the one we picked.
I think he's dang handsome.
<3
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Here today, Gone tomorrow.
I love how things in life can change so quickly. One day I'm single, the next I'm married. When I go to bed the house is nice and clean, I wake up in the morning and there's an inch of water covering our bedroom floor. My hair is long in the morning, then short and messy in the afternoon. I wake up at home and go to sleep that night on the other side of the world.
On Monday I was registered for summer classes, and on Tuesday I dropped all of them.
As it turns out, I filed my FAFSA too soon. Had I waited a month until after I had gotten married, I would be getting grant money to go to school right now. But because I filled it out when I was still single, I was considered dependent on my parents. It just so happens that the 2009 FAFSA is still being used for summer term, and there's nothing I can do to change it even though my situation is drastically different than it was eight months ago.
So to avoid getting a loan for as long as I possibly can, I'm just pushing my classes back another year. I'll finish my GE's this fall, while I should be getting some nice grant money, and then in January I'll take the classes that I was going to take now. That means I won't get to apply for sophomore year of Industrial Design until August of next year.
As frustrating as it is, I've decided to stop trying to rush it. The fact is, I'm not going to graduate any sooner, and I might as well try to enjoy life instead of trying to rush through it to get to a final end point. I need to enjoy where I am now, wherever that is. Besides, Bob still has at least four years of school left, so it's not like we'll really be going anywhere anytime soon.
Now I need to find a job. I was going to wait until August to find one, when I finished summer term, but since I'm no longer taking classes I need something to do. Plus, Bob isn't really making enough income by himself at the moment, and we've been hurting a bit for cash since I quit mine back in April. I searched on-campus jobs at BYU and only found three that I'm interested in, and then I found a few others on Craigslist. I'm surprisingly motivated about this too-- yesterday I made a resume in half an hour, and I think it's pretty awesome.
(https://acrobat.com/#d=Towitc6GfueosOBk9uCucg)
Then today I made an online portfolio to go along with my resume. Most of the things in the portfolio are likely graphics you've already seen in an earlier blog, but I like the effect of having them all together in a nice and neat slide show display. (After clicking on it you can use your mouse or left and right arrow keys to navigate through.)
(https://acrobat.com/#d=4grH5CmqSpiAfdsc85X9Tg&x=s)
So if anyone knows of anywhere in Provo or Orem or any other nearby place that could use a designer with my abilities, let me know. I would really love to get a job doing something I like that will also help me in my career goals.
Also, the other day a friend of mine sent me a message via Facebook. I met her and her family in San Antonio while I was serving as a missionary there. I love them a lot. So in this message she tells me that she wants to stop at my place on her way back to Texas from Washington state. She'd gone up there with her mom and siblings because they moved there recently, but she needed to get out and find a place to work. So rather than just stop here for a night, I told her she was welcome to stay here for a little while if she needed to. So Chelsie and her cat, Tiger, are staying here for about a month now. She'd like to get a job, but I 'm not sure if she'll be staying long enough to find one. She's planning on leaving in August, so we'll see.
As I was discussing this decision with Bob, I was reminded of my own mother. I remember letting a few people live with us from time to time. My mom was so willing to open up our home to friends and family if they needed a place to stay. I guess some people might think it's a little weird, but I feel like it's my way of serving others when there's not much else I can do. Plus, when I was 19 I remember wishing there was somewhere I could go and get away from life and my problems, a haven of sorts. If I'm able to do that for someone--especially a friend I care about--and help to get their life in order, why shouldn't I? Besides, we have fun together. She does remind me a lot of myself a little bit when I was 19.
And on a random note, I found this cool website the other day. If you like fabric and have some extra money, or if you need something for a specific sewing project and you can't find it, here's a solution:
On Monday I was registered for summer classes, and on Tuesday I dropped all of them.
As it turns out, I filed my FAFSA too soon. Had I waited a month until after I had gotten married, I would be getting grant money to go to school right now. But because I filled it out when I was still single, I was considered dependent on my parents. It just so happens that the 2009 FAFSA is still being used for summer term, and there's nothing I can do to change it even though my situation is drastically different than it was eight months ago.
So to avoid getting a loan for as long as I possibly can, I'm just pushing my classes back another year. I'll finish my GE's this fall, while I should be getting some nice grant money, and then in January I'll take the classes that I was going to take now. That means I won't get to apply for sophomore year of Industrial Design until August of next year.
As frustrating as it is, I've decided to stop trying to rush it. The fact is, I'm not going to graduate any sooner, and I might as well try to enjoy life instead of trying to rush through it to get to a final end point. I need to enjoy where I am now, wherever that is. Besides, Bob still has at least four years of school left, so it's not like we'll really be going anywhere anytime soon.
Now I need to find a job. I was going to wait until August to find one, when I finished summer term, but since I'm no longer taking classes I need something to do. Plus, Bob isn't really making enough income by himself at the moment, and we've been hurting a bit for cash since I quit mine back in April. I searched on-campus jobs at BYU and only found three that I'm interested in, and then I found a few others on Craigslist. I'm surprisingly motivated about this too-- yesterday I made a resume in half an hour, and I think it's pretty awesome.
(https://acrobat.com/#d=Towitc6GfueosOBk9uCucg)
Then today I made an online portfolio to go along with my resume. Most of the things in the portfolio are likely graphics you've already seen in an earlier blog, but I like the effect of having them all together in a nice and neat slide show display. (After clicking on it you can use your mouse or left and right arrow keys to navigate through.)
(https://acrobat.com/#d=4grH5CmqSpiAfdsc85X9Tg&x=s)
So if anyone knows of anywhere in Provo or Orem or any other nearby place that could use a designer with my abilities, let me know. I would really love to get a job doing something I like that will also help me in my career goals.
Also, the other day a friend of mine sent me a message via Facebook. I met her and her family in San Antonio while I was serving as a missionary there. I love them a lot. So in this message she tells me that she wants to stop at my place on her way back to Texas from Washington state. She'd gone up there with her mom and siblings because they moved there recently, but she needed to get out and find a place to work. So rather than just stop here for a night, I told her she was welcome to stay here for a little while if she needed to. So Chelsie and her cat, Tiger, are staying here for about a month now. She'd like to get a job, but I 'm not sure if she'll be staying long enough to find one. She's planning on leaving in August, so we'll see.
As I was discussing this decision with Bob, I was reminded of my own mother. I remember letting a few people live with us from time to time. My mom was so willing to open up our home to friends and family if they needed a place to stay. I guess some people might think it's a little weird, but I feel like it's my way of serving others when there's not much else I can do. Plus, when I was 19 I remember wishing there was somewhere I could go and get away from life and my problems, a haven of sorts. If I'm able to do that for someone--especially a friend I care about--and help to get their life in order, why shouldn't I? Besides, we have fun together. She does remind me a lot of myself a little bit when I was 19.
And on a random note, I found this cool website the other day. If you like fabric and have some extra money, or if you need something for a specific sewing project and you can't find it, here's a solution:
I think it's a great idea. I just wish it wasn't so expensive.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Hosting a baby shower...
So Marissa's baby shower was Thursday last week. I learned a few things from it:
1. I spent way too much money on it. But everything I bought was for her! And baby things are just too cute anyway.
2. Decorating blank onesies with stamps and fabric markers is my favorite baby shower activity.
3. Three boxes worth of cake bites is enough to feed everyone at a BYU football game. But man are they delicious!!
4. Well, this isn't news to me, but doing all of this just reiterated the fact that I'm a total over-achiever, in case you didn't know.
5. I should start a business for party and event planning so I can make a profit on it. Apparently I'm good at it.
1. I spent way too much money on it. But everything I bought was for her! And baby things are just too cute anyway.
2. Decorating blank onesies with stamps and fabric markers is my favorite baby shower activity.
3. Three boxes worth of cake bites is enough to feed everyone at a BYU football game. But man are they delicious!!
4. Well, this isn't news to me, but doing all of this just reiterated the fact that I'm a total over-achiever, in case you didn't know.
5. I should start a business for party and event planning so I can make a profit on it. Apparently I'm good at it.
Monday, March 15, 2010
stitches, Smash Burger, & soccer
On Saturday Bob and I woke up at 9:30am. My parents had been in town and left that morning. I had nothing scheduled except for a soccer game that night. So we grabbed our old-school laptop (that Bob's dad gave us after mine crashed last semester) and got online to watch an episode of Castle. Then we watched another one. And another, and another... and then we finished season one before I knew it.
At 7:00 I went to pick up a surprise visitor for Jennie Ray. Our cousin, Katelyn, came to visit for her spring break. I stopped at her sister's house to get her, and when we got back to our place Bob was doing the dishes. He got all excited or something, because suddenly he made an odd sound and said, "Uhh Janae....? Janae?!" I was standing five feet from him and looked over to see him holding his hand under the stream of water from the faucet and a big kitchen knife in the other hand.
"Did you just cut yourself?" I asked.
"Uh huh," he responded, in a worried voice.
"Bad?"
"I'm not sure."
I walked over to the sink and looked. There was a pretty good amount of blood draining, though I didn't see the cut very well. I got him a paper towel and he wrapped it up, then went to the kitchen table to look at it. I got some super glue, Q-tips and cotton balls so that he could bandage himself up.
"Is it deep?" I asked. "Do you think it's bad enough to go get it checked out?"
Bob got up from the table and as he walked into the living room said, "Maybe I shou... Uh oh... ohhh..." And proceeded to half sit/half lay on the couch as his lips turned white and his face turned greenish.
"Bob?" I turned around to see him pass out. I got him some water and rubbed my cold hands down his face, talking to him until he came to.
I apologized to Katelyn and told her Jennie should be home from work by 7, then left her by herself at our apartment. I drove Bob to the Instacare facility a few miles away. It was cold and snowing, after it had been gorgeous weather all week. We arrived and checked in, and as we were waiting in a room to get Bob evaluated by a nurse he started looking pale again. After getting him a glass of water and he slowly got color back. The nurse decided that he did need stitches, so we went to another room to get it all taken care of.
We sat waiting, and playing with a fun doctor's chair for a few minutes. Then the same nurse came in to get things started. She got out a syringe and some stuff that would numb the cut, and I watched as she poked and injected until the cut and most of his finger was all numb. I hadn't really looked at it until then. It was right on his second knuckle, and was bigger in surface area than it was deep, but it still went in pretty far. I thought it was kind of fascinating and gross at the same time as I watched.
The nurse finished and started to clean up the blood and bandages.
Then it hit me.
A wave of nausea, light headed dizziness, and static started in my ears.
"Oh I gotta sit down..." I mumbled as I stumbled over and collapsed into a chair by the door.
I think Bob said something, but I couldn't hear him.
I remember quietly saying, "This is lame."
And then I blacked out.
I could hear what was going on around me, but it seemed like slow motion and I couldn't move, or didn't want to move. When I finally came to a little more, I felt a cool wet washcloth that the nurse had put across my neck and the doctor was in there already stitching up Bob. I had a glass of water in my hand that I vaguely remember the nurse handing me. It felt like I had been passed out for a while, although it was probably just a few minutes.
So apparently I'm a pansy. This does not bode well for motherhood in my future. I think I'll try to grow and man-up a little more before I start trying to have kids. As I was sitting there thinking that, Bob told me that I was kind of cute, laying in the chair and pale and sick-looking. Then he corrected himself and said I was cute because I'm me.
Oh, how flattering.
Thanks Bob.
We went out and got dinner afterward. Smash Burger. It was delicious.
Then we had a soccer game at 11:25 that night. Late, I know. But it's indoor, so it doesn't really matter. We lost, 8-4.
New team = we don't play together well yet = I got frustrated.
But it was Bob's first time playing soccer, and I think he did really well. Things should get better. Besides, Bob and I can go kick a soccer ball around during the week together and it'll count for something for both of us now.
At 7:00 I went to pick up a surprise visitor for Jennie Ray. Our cousin, Katelyn, came to visit for her spring break. I stopped at her sister's house to get her, and when we got back to our place Bob was doing the dishes. He got all excited or something, because suddenly he made an odd sound and said, "Uhh Janae....? Janae?!" I was standing five feet from him and looked over to see him holding his hand under the stream of water from the faucet and a big kitchen knife in the other hand.
"Did you just cut yourself?" I asked.
"Uh huh," he responded, in a worried voice.
"Bad?"
"I'm not sure."
I walked over to the sink and looked. There was a pretty good amount of blood draining, though I didn't see the cut very well. I got him a paper towel and he wrapped it up, then went to the kitchen table to look at it. I got some super glue, Q-tips and cotton balls so that he could bandage himself up.
"Is it deep?" I asked. "Do you think it's bad enough to go get it checked out?"
Bob got up from the table and as he walked into the living room said, "Maybe I shou... Uh oh... ohhh..." And proceeded to half sit/half lay on the couch as his lips turned white and his face turned greenish.
"Bob?" I turned around to see him pass out. I got him some water and rubbed my cold hands down his face, talking to him until he came to.
I apologized to Katelyn and told her Jennie should be home from work by 7, then left her by herself at our apartment. I drove Bob to the Instacare facility a few miles away. It was cold and snowing, after it had been gorgeous weather all week. We arrived and checked in, and as we were waiting in a room to get Bob evaluated by a nurse he started looking pale again. After getting him a glass of water and he slowly got color back. The nurse decided that he did need stitches, so we went to another room to get it all taken care of.
We sat waiting, and playing with a fun doctor's chair for a few minutes. Then the same nurse came in to get things started. She got out a syringe and some stuff that would numb the cut, and I watched as she poked and injected until the cut and most of his finger was all numb. I hadn't really looked at it until then. It was right on his second knuckle, and was bigger in surface area than it was deep, but it still went in pretty far. I thought it was kind of fascinating and gross at the same time as I watched.
The nurse finished and started to clean up the blood and bandages.
Then it hit me.
A wave of nausea, light headed dizziness, and static started in my ears.
"Oh I gotta sit down..." I mumbled as I stumbled over and collapsed into a chair by the door.
I think Bob said something, but I couldn't hear him.
I remember quietly saying, "This is lame."
And then I blacked out.
I could hear what was going on around me, but it seemed like slow motion and I couldn't move, or didn't want to move. When I finally came to a little more, I felt a cool wet washcloth that the nurse had put across my neck and the doctor was in there already stitching up Bob. I had a glass of water in my hand that I vaguely remember the nurse handing me. It felt like I had been passed out for a while, although it was probably just a few minutes.
So apparently I'm a pansy. This does not bode well for motherhood in my future. I think I'll try to grow and man-up a little more before I start trying to have kids. As I was sitting there thinking that, Bob told me that I was kind of cute, laying in the chair and pale and sick-looking. Then he corrected himself and said I was cute because I'm me.
Oh, how flattering.
Thanks Bob.
We went out and got dinner afterward. Smash Burger. It was delicious.
Then we had a soccer game at 11:25 that night. Late, I know. But it's indoor, so it doesn't really matter. We lost, 8-4.
New team = we don't play together well yet = I got frustrated.
But it was Bob's first time playing soccer, and I think he did really well. Things should get better. Besides, Bob and I can go kick a soccer ball around during the week together and it'll count for something for both of us now.
Monday, January 25, 2010
complaints and pet peeves
.....
Actually, that always really irritates me. I'm not going to go into too much detail, but basically I'm following the rules at work and people get mad at me for it. I'm just doing my job!! And I'm approached in a condescending way about what people want that I'm not supposed to do for them. That does NOT make me want to help any more than I already want to, which, I currently would rather slam my hand in a door than help this one guy. I'm waiting for the day when I snap and tell people like that just what I actually think of them. Until then, I'll keep getting my feelings hurt and doing everything they ask.
.....
So, I'm at work right now. I thought this production would be a fun one to work. It turns out that some, or rather, most of the people in this performing company seem to think they're just better than everybody else, or something. And then I become the victim of their frustrations. I'm just sitting here trying to do what they ask me to, because that is what I get paid for. But I do not get paid to be your verbal punching bag, thank you very much. And according to what I've heard from my co-workers, I'm not the only one who feels this way. I think really they just hate their job and should find something they're better cut out to do. If you're so unhappy and seek to be as unhelpful and difficult as possible, then why are you a part of this?!?!
On another note, school is requiring long hours from me. What's new about that? Oh, well, I stayed on campus for 27 hours straight at one point last week. Class, work, homework, and class again. Around 4am that night I thought to myself, 'This is ridiculous. I didn't know my death was required for a bachelor's degree.' I mean, really? I thought that might be required for a masters or doctorate maybe. But just a 4-year degree from a university? I am dedicated to this. I better be if I'm ever gonna graduate, having changed my major the several times that I have. But holy cow. Is it worth the toll it's taking on me? I've been on campus until 4 or 5 am working on assignments numerous times, and gone to class or work the following day. I've pulled all-nighters at home doing assignments, but never on campus.
I think I'm just getting worn down. I feel like I'm to the point where I just don't want to graduate anymore. Maybe I'm just tired because I haven't gotten a real vacation since before summer. I didn't get much of a Thanksgiving because I got married. I didn't have a relaxing Christmas break because my husband's sister got married, and when we got home we had a mess of an apartment to deal with from a ground water leak and a carpet dispute with the landlord. School started before we could get our house in order. I don't know where my checks are to pay the bills since Bob and I merged our accounts, and I'm waiting to buy more until I get my name officially changed. But I can't do that yet because we had a misunderstanding over who was taking care of getting us our marriage certificate. That's right, we still don't have it even though we got married over two months ago. And I'm not sure when I should take care of my assignments from the incomplete I took in one of my classes last semester.
I woke up this morning and went back to sleep a three times. Then I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed for an hour and a half. I just layed there with my eyes closed going over all the things I should have been doing. I think something needs to change. I need to drop something so I have a little more time to take care of myself. I'm so used to being an overacheiver that I always bite off more than I can handle, choke a few times, but somehow manage to get it all done. The only problem is I feel like I lose myself in the process a little more each time.
I miss having fun and doing my hobbies. I still haven't gone snowboarding a single time since I've been home from my mission. I have all these fun sewing projects I want to take care of but I don't have time to do. I have a bridesmaid dress business I'd like to get going. I have jewelry I want to make and sell, things I'd love to sketch and portraits I'd like to paint. I want to blog more, read fun books and novels more. There are sports I'd like to take part in, games I'd like to play, and outdoorsy things I'd like to do. But when I have time to do anything, I'm so tired that all I want to do is nothing.
I apologize for all the complaining. Sometimes I've just gotta vent and let things out. This way all these thoughts won't be plaguing my mind, I can move on, and they won't be lost.
On a happy note, I am on an indoor soccer team, thanks to Trina's persuasive pleads. I've missed playing soccer, so I'm grateful that I'm at least doing that, even though I'm way out of shape and I'm ridiculously sore from that short 41 minute game. But I did score the first two points in our soccer game on Saturday, with an assist from Ben, of course. It was pretty awesome.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
distractions
It's SO easy for me to get distracted while doing my homework assignments. Like right now, for example. I'm sitting in the computer lab at school working on a project that's due tomorrow. The only problem is that I have to search for images online that I like and then work on them in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. In my searching, of course I find cool pictures that I like. I also find things that just interest me but have no relevance to my project.
But I just had to take a minute and share this one:
But I just had to take a minute and share this one:
A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said.
The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, 2004 before wildlife rangers rescued him.
"It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.
"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.
"The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.
This is a real story t hat shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another. We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God. Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92011777@N00/228573089/
The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, 2004 before wildlife rangers rescued him.
"It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.
"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.
"The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.
This is a real story t hat shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another. We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God. Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92011777@N00/228573089/
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