Half Full Friday and Blog of the Week

Half Full Friday always rolls around so quickly!  I seriously don't know how that's possible.  I'm not going to complain though.  In the spirit of seeing the glass half full, I'll just say I'm glad that each passing day gets me that much closer to January.  I know it isn't good to wish time away but I just really want to start school already! 

Anyways, why don't you join me?  Just head over to Eyegirl's and link up with Mr. Linky.  There's plenty of room for everyone!

~I'm happy because...

I got a birthday card in the mail from Katie!

I got a Halloween card in the mail from Martine!

I got giveaway prizes in the mail from Katie and April on the same day as I got the cards!

I won TWO prizes from Katie's live giveaway!  Can't wait to get that Chico messenger bag, I want to get a picture of my little Chico with it.

I got a free dinner on Wednesday night! 

I have another interview next week, courtesy of ~KS' UH-MAY-ZING resume and cover letter!  Thanks, ~KS!

♥♥♥♥♥

I have mixed feelings about the interview.  I'm happy I have one but I almost don't want a job anymore, I just want to go to school.  I think that'll use up enough of my free time, especially just before mid-terms and finals.  But at the same time, I could definitely use the extra income.  I've decided not to stress about it one way or the other. 

♥♥♥♥♥

I was playing around with my camera the other day and captured this shot of the angel candle holders in my girly room.  Not exactly award winning photography but I still like it.  I sponge painted the walls pink and blue, that's why it's splotchy like that.

Awhile back, one of the things on my Half Full Friday list was that my friend had given me a pretty bracelet as a souvenir from her trip.  (I'm too lazy to look for the link, sorry!)  P said she wanted to see a picture  of it and I told her I'd try to get a decent one but to be forewarned, the quality of my camera is highly lacking.  This is the best picture I could get.  The first one is a good luck charm bracelet she'd given me from another trip.  The bottom one is from her last vacation, the charm hanging from it is a sparkly flower.  I debated even posting this since it's so awful and shows absolutely no detail but I told her I'd do what I could.

♥♥♥♥♥

This week's Blog of the Week is from someone who found me!  I'm not sure how she came across my blog but she left a comment so I linked to her from that and we've been friends ever since!

Velvet Over Steel

Coreen started this blog January 1st of this year.  She describes her blog as "Life changing true stories told to encourage and inspire." 

The youngest of her three sons has Asperger Syndrome, commonly referred to as High Functioning Autism. Sadly, most people with Asperger tend to "fall through the cracks" in receiving the services and help they need.  Coreen refused to accept this and has fought very hard for her son to ensure he has the same opportunities and experiences available to him as anyone else.

She's discussed the difficulties she overcome in doing so as well as relationships - both good and bad, homelessness, putting her house up for sale and her hopes and dreams for the future.

She updates her blog several times a week.  My favorite posts are always the ones where she joins me in Half Full Friday.  She gives us little glimpses into her life we wouldn't otherwise see.

Her blog fits very nicely with the Half Full Friday theme in that each and every post is very, very positive.  She even includes several inspirational quotes with each and every post.

I don't want to give any more away about the fabulosity of Coreen.  Head on over and discover it for yourself!

Wordless Wednesday

Goodies Galore!!!

I generally only check my mail once a week or so now and when I checked on Friday, I got some good stuff!  Normally, I'm just accustomed to getting bills and junk mail so when I saw my mailbox filled with these goodies, I was excited!

This is what I won from April's giveaway!  I borrowed these pictures from her blog (with her permission, of course!) because my crappy camera didn't show nearly the detail that these do.  I opted to use hers because the ones on the website weren't quite as clear either.

They came in this little pink bag.  Can you guess what's inside?

These cute little cocktail glass charms!  I've decided I only want to drink from cocktail or wine glasses from now on so that I can use them all the time.  They kind of remind me of earrings.  I love how they're so sparkly and shiny.

I also got a coupon for a FREE can of Batter Blaster Organic Pancake and Waffle Batter that I won from Katie's giveaway.

Source:  Google images

It's a pancake mix in a can!  I'm anxious to try it because I love pancakes but I don't love cleaning up the mess afterwards.  I haven't gone to the store yet to pick it up, I'll probably do that tonight or tomorrow.  I also got a coupon for a free bottle of Advil on Friday (not from Katie) so I'll be getting them both together, along with a bottle of syrup.

I also got some lovely cards from Katie and Martine.  Thank, ladies!  I got my rather large credit card bill too but I didn't let that get me down. 

This past Saturday, Katie hosted her second Live Giveaway.  I was lucky enough to win a pre-made blog layout from Zany Dezines which I'm thrilled about and a Messenger Chicobag.  I wanted that bag soooooo bad because on of my little chi's is named Chico!

Keeping my fingers crossed to win that Starbucks gift card from April!  There's a Starbucks on campus and I have a feeling I'm going to be a regular there!  Better hurry if you're entering this one, it's about to close out!

Half Full Friday and Blog of the Week

Several of you have commented that you enjoy my Half Full Friday posts.  If that's the case, then why not join in?  Just head over to Eyegirl's and say hello to Mr. Linky! 

~I'm happy because...

This is Wilf's 12th Day of Grace!

I finally got to spend the entire day at home on Monday after having somewhere to go every single day the previous 8 days!

My allergies didn't bother me as much this week!  Until Thursday, that is!

I had not one, but TWO, interviews this week!

We had beautiful weather several days this week!

Someone gave me a pretty flower hair clip yesterday!

*****

So yes, two interviews!  The first one was for a customer service rep position at a packing company.  They'd package items up and mail them for businesses.  I was interviewed by four men and none of them really had very much to say.  It was a quick interview, lasting maybe 15 minutes, short and sweet.  They told me they were interviewing a number of people all week long and that I probably wouldn't hear back from them until sometime next week.  I guess they really didn't like me because it only took a couple of days for them to let me know I didn't get the job. 

The second interview was with a loan company.  I'm not really sure what the job title was specifically because in the posting, they used three different job titles.  I thought it was going very well and felt good about how things were progeressing (I wasn't even rambling like I usually do!) when the one woman told me I didn't have the skills she was looking for so I wouldn't be moving on to the second round of interviews.  WTH?!  I had all the skills listed in the job posting so I don't know what else they were looking for.  The two women began picking up their papers and things immediately after that so it was pretty clear the interview was over.  I wish I'd asked what I didn't possess that they were looking for though. 

I was feeling depressed about this week's events when it occured to me that I shouldn't be.  I'm not religous but I truly feel like God is showing me that school is the right decision. 

*****

Source:  weheartit

*****

Do you enjoy Starbucks coffee?  Want a chance to win a $20 gift card?  April @ dot ... dot ... dot is hosting this awesome giveaway so head on over for all the details.

Katie @ Life with the Dietriches is holding a LIVE giveaway tomorrow from 12:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST.  The more you comment, the more chances you have to win. 

*****

I found this week's Blog of the Week because the originator, Allie, commented on another blog.  I don't remember which blog or what she said but I rememeber specifically that I liked her comment so I clicked on her profile and found a true gem.

Hyperbole and a Half 

I swear Allie and I had the same childhood, only hers was much funnier!

She started her blog in July 2009 while procrastinating studying for a physics final.  Her first posts were about her current life.  Sometime later, she began to incorporate really bad cartoon drawings and discuss her childhood.  The drawings are meant to be bad as that just makes it even funnier.  The stories are true aside from the odd exaggeration for comic effect.

She generally comes up with new ideas while doing things like showering or running.  She also sometimes uses a random word generation program from time to time.  Posts can take up to 16 hours but most take anywhere from 8 to 10.

If you have some time to kill or need a good laugh, this is the blog for you!

Wordless Wednesday

Blah Blah Blah

So I re-read my post from Friday and realized that since I haven't posted everything that's happened with the landscaper's mom from the time I met her up until now, that her asking me to befriend her son doesn't really seem like that big of a deal.  And normally, I'd agree.  But if you knew the whole back story from beginning to end, you might understand a little more why I have no interest in becoming friends with her son.  I've found her to be an overbearing woman and I really have no need for her drama in my life.  I don't care for her and try to avoid her but I almost feel like she follows me around like a puppy when I go in to volunteer and tries to engage me in coversation about her son.

I'm very negative by nature and I don't like that about myself.  I'm trying to change that and make this a positive place to visit.  That's why I participate in Half Full Friday's, to remind myself that not everything in my life is bad.  I have to write down the good things as they happen, otherwise when Friday rolls around, I struggle to think of a single thing that made me happy during the week.  Anyways, in an effort to keep this a positive place, I've decided I'm just not going to talk about the landscaper or his mom anymore, unless something really major happens.   

Source:  weheartit

Last week was a little depressing anyways just because I lost my job one year ago this past Wednesday.  My birthday's are usually just like any other day so last year I decided I wanted to make it memorable.  I tried to skydive the weekend before as a present to myself because it's something I've always wanted to do.  I got up in the plane but the sky was too cloudy and the plane couldn't get up high enough through the clouds to be able to jump.  Then on my birthday, I didn't feel well and had to attend a mandatory day long meeting for work.  And then the next day, I got fired.  So it was sure memorable alright, just not in the way I would've wanted.  A year has passed and I'm not any closer to finding a job. 

I do feel better about my future than I did a year ago, at least.  I got a really good pell grant that essentially makes my education free for the semester (I'll have to pay for books and things still) and I feel like that's too good to turn down.  I still have people trying to decide for me what I should go to school for but it's my life, my decision.  My father doesn't seem very supportive of my decision to go back to school but again - my life, my decision!  My unemployment ends at the end of November so I still have December to worry about.  I feel like all signs are pointing towards going to school so I'm just going to have faith that God will get me through December somehow and then I'll start school in January.  And hopefully the economy will be better if four years so I'll be able to find a better job.

Source:  weheartit

I attended a day long conference on Saturday for the other volunteer project I work on.  It was going well until near the end when I was told that people didn't connect to the ceremony I put together for the last project.  I felt really bad because I worked long and hard on it.  It also made me wonder why they asked me to come back and do it again next year in the same capacity.

Half Full Friday and Blog of the Week

Guess what day it is?  If you said Half Full Friday, you'd be correct!  Join in the fun by heading over to Eyegirl's and kick it with Mr. Linky.

~I'm happy because...

My friend bought me a cool lamp for my girly room!

I mowed my lawn for the very last time this year!

I was approved for a $2775 pell grant for school!  WOO HOO!

I won TWO of Katie's giveaways this week!  Yay me!!!

I enjoyed a McD's Fruit Smoothie and Coconut M&M's on my birthday earlier this week!

My chi's are both healthy and happy!

*****

I'm not sure if it was brought about because I found out this week that I was approved for a larger pell grant or what but I dreamed a few days ago that I went back to school and attended a few classes on the first day.  I found my way around just fine but both classes seemed to be waaaaaaaay over my head!  I couldn't figure out half of the things the teachers were talking about.  Afterwards, I was walking out to my car when someone asked me how my first day went.  I told him I thought I'd have to fake that I knew what was going on for the next 16 weeks because in reality, I had no clue and was feeling overwhelmed.  Hopefully that won't really be the case.  Or if it is, hopefully I'll get it figured out before the end of the semester.

***** 

Let me just say that I'm completely over the landscaping guy!  Well, not so much him but his mother.  She called me earlier this week and asked me to introduce him to my friends.  She's says he's very lonely and she'd appreciate it if I could maybe have him get together with my friends sometime.  She thought it would be nice if we could all get together with him to play chess some Friday night.  Sorry, my friends and I don't play chess!  She then asked what kinds of things we do then.  She also wanted to know if I mostly had female or male friends and if any of them were single.

I wondered if he knew she was going to call me.  I'd be completely mortified if my mother ever did that for me as an adult!  I also can't help but wonder if she maybe she thinks I "owe" him something because in her mind, he helped me out so I should help him out.

I suggested to her that one way to get to know people is to get out in the community and do something.  He told me that he lives off Social Security so he apparently isn't working.  So why not do some kind of community service?!  In addition to handing out food, I also help raise money for another project.  I suggested he could maybe do something like that and she asked if maybe I could call him and have him come to the next meeting.  

Yesterday she asked me to stop by his house on a regular basis to say hi and check up on him.  Today she asked me to call him and ask him to hand out food as we were short handed.  I responded by telling her I don't have his number.  She didn't offer to give it to me.  I'm pretty sure she knows I didn't really want it.

While I'm not happy her son cut my rosebushes down without my consent when I wasn't home, I'm pretty much over it now.  There's nothing I can do about it.  I don't have any animosity towards him anymore but his mother annoys me to no end!  She just seems so overbearing and I have no interest in becoming friends with her son now just because I think she'd always try to be in the middle of it.  I have no doubt whatsoever that she just wants the best for her son but I don't appreciate her constantly being on me.  I just want her to leave me alone.

Today we stood next to each other to hand out food and she annoyed me again by getting in the middle of what I was doing.  I almost said something rude to her but I stopped myself because I realized that I wasn't so annoyed at she was doing so much (I'm sure she thought she was just trying to help) but more because of my personal issues with her. 

*****

I won't around tomorrow as I have a day long meeting so I won't have the opportunity to read everyone's blog and comment like I usually do.  I anticipate being gone for most of the day so I'll probably be too tired when I get home.  I'll try to catch up with everyone on Sunday.

*****

Just a short review today as I haven't been home much this week to find any new ones and my allergy pill has kicked in, making me ready for a nap.  (Now if it would just kill my headache!) 

Blogville has been very sad in the last several weeks due to so many dogs passing over the rainbow bridge.  This week's Blog of the Week is for Wilf, who will no doubt be passing over very soon. 

Wilf the PON discovers France

I started reading Angus' blog about 5 or 6 months ago, just before Digby died.  I cried when he passed on and then again when I read this post just a couple of days ago.  He's just been diagnosed with a tumor on his spleen and polyps on his lungs and heart with only a few days left on this earth.

This news hit me harder than usual and I've cried several times since hearing the news.  It just seems so unfair!  I'm not ready for him to go.  But then you're never really ready, are you?

If you have a moment, please stop by and leave a message of hope to Wilf's humans, Angus and 'the font' if you haven't already.

Wordless Wednesday

Thesaurus With Pictures

I got this from an email.

Photos that desribe words and their true meaning:

Loyalty

Sorrow

Innocence

Departure

Pain

Respect

Compassion

Friendship

Patience

Rescue

Divine

Half Full Friday and Blog of the Week

It's that time again - Half Full Friday!  Hook up with Mr. Linky at Eyegirl's to join in the fun.  No need to be shy, I'll be there too and I'll even introduce you if you'd like. 

~I'm happy because...

My financial aid appointment went really well!

I won April's giveaway!  This is the second giveaway of hers that I've won.

I picked a friend up at the airport and to thank me, she bought me a McD's Fruit Smoothie!  Can't get enough of those.

This same friend got me a really pretty bracelet as a souvenier from her trip!

We finally got some rain this week!  I don't know why but I've been wanting a real downpour and we finally got it.

The landscaper's mom and I talked and kind of cleared the air a little bit over my rosebushes yesterday!

*****

I had my appointment with financial aid on Wednesday.  Before, I was only going to be offered a $400 pell grant.  After filling out the proper paperwork, providing all the necessary documentation to back it up and a letter to state my case, the woman I spoke with said that she thought she could get me a $2700 pell grant.  She then informed me that if I was approved for the additional grant, my loan amount would go down.  I asked if this meant that I'd still be getting the same amount of money, just in different increments (pell grant, subsidized loan and unsubsidized loan) and she said yes, she thought so.  Twelve or more credits per semester is considered a full-time student there at a cost of $2650 per semester.  If I get that pell grant, my schooling would essentially be free and I'd only truly be financing books and various other fees.  Whatever was left over is what I would live on.  I know finances will be tight but they've already been tight for the past year.  So I left the campus feeling like I was floating on air.

I had also asked about getting work study but was told there isn't much money for that right now and hardly anyone is being awarded it.  The woman said she'd put my name on the list but that there was no guarantee  I'd get it.

And then...  Last night, the school provided an online chat for incoming freshmen to ask any questions.  It was kind of difficult to follow because there didn't seem to be any order to the questions being answered.  Two or three administrators would all answer one question while others weren't answered at all.  Some of the participants seemed to think it was more about chit chat and didn't ask questions that pertained much to the school.  I was lucky enough to have a private chat with two separate administrators.  One said that living off school loans solely was extremely difficult.  The other one didn't say much about living off loans but did explain more about how work study works.  He's also a business and economics major and he loves it.  He says that particular program is one of the university's strengths.  I'm still feeling pretty good but then he goes on to tell me there's math in economics.  WTF?  I just cannot catch a break where math is concerned.  I have to take two math classes, plus there's math in economics and I have to take 2 econ classes.  So essentially I'll be taking four math classes!!!  Not cool!  I may have to rethink this whole major thing!

*****

This week's Blog of the Week is actually two different blogs, both by the same originator.  I found them both just yesterday when Jen was kind enough to leave a comment on my last Wordless Wednesday post.  She has three blogs total but these two are waaaaaaaay cool! (Not that the third one isn't.)

Location Central

The objective of this blog is to locate other bloggers in your area.  It lists all 50 states and several different countries.  Essentially, you just leave comment under the state or country where you're located.  This can be used to create business partners, organize get togethers, make new local friends and just find out who else is blogging in your area.  I haven't added my own blog yet but I did check out the other blogs in my state.

This next one is my new favorite blog of the moment. I absolutely LOVE it! 

Bits of Truth... all quotes

This kind of reminds me a little bit of the Postsecret website.  They're two totally different sites as Postsecret includes secrets on a postcard but this one is similar in that it has positive quotes with cool pictures.  She says she found most of the quotes on weheartit and books.  This blog's objective is:

"To show you we've all been there.  To encourage you to keep going.  To prove love exists.  To get you through the day.  To remind you to be strong.  To celebrate you.  To fight right along with you.  And to remind you to be happy & live life!"

Since she created some of the pictures herself, I didn't want to steal them.  Here are some of my favorite quotes though.

Don't ever place your happiness in someone else's hands because once they're gone, so is your happiness.

Just because today is terrible doesn't mean that tomorrow won't be the best day of your life.  You just gotta get there.

Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself.

Forget what hurt you in the past but never forget what it taught you.

You told me to move on.  But where am I supposed to go?

This is one blog I'll be visiting regularly!

Wordless Wednesday