Spring Break Blues...

Spring break is over, and now it's back to the real world.  Sigh...  It was sure nice while it lasted!  I got a lot done in terms of housework and stuff I'd been wanting to do for awhile.  I also went shopping twice and spent waaaaaaay too much money, got my car fixed, had dinner with friends and just generally enjoyed life with the chi's.  I'm going to miss our extended daily cuddle sessions.

*****

Took this from here.

1.  When was the last time you had a dream?  What was it about?

I had a weird one last week about Chico.  He'd gotten into a fight with another animal when the dream began, although I'm not sure if it was with Shiver, another dog, or some other kind of animal.  I noticed that he had a hole in his back, so I peered in and saw that there was something moving around in there.  I grabbed a spatula and pulled out a large, reddish-orange frog and several weird fish-type animals.  Oddly, Chico was really thin to the point of being able to see each individual rib once the animals were taken out.  I told myself that I needed to take Chico and the strange things that had been inside of him to the vet so that he could get treatment.  That's where the dream ended.

2.  Did you have a collection of some kind as a child?  If so, what was it?

I used to collect bottles.  Not sure what made me begin collecting them initially, but I had quite a large collection going.  Then we moved and I had to get rid of most of them.  And that was that!

3.  What was the worst concert you went to (with who and when)?  

I don't remember the year, but it was a Motley Crue concert.  The concert itself was fine, I just chose the wrong person to go with.  

I attended with a high school friend who had gotten pregnant and married while in high school.  She actually had two kids back to back, both while in high school.  Anyway, she and I got to the concert and met up with some other people in the parking lot.  I recognized them from high school, but we weren't friends.  We were sitting in different sections and everything seemed to be going along fine.  But then the guy from the group came over to the section my friend and I were in and they proceeded to make out on and off throughout the concert.  I was shocked because my friend was married and this guy was NOT her husband!  It was just awkward and I didn't know how to react, so I tried to ignore them.  The concert ended, and the guy tried to convince my friend to stay the night with him.  She was my ride home, so I protested loudly.  They made out some more, before finally parting for good.  On the way home, I said something about how I should tell her husband about the guy she was making out with.  She said he already knew.  It was a long, quiet ride home.  I babysat for her a few weeks later, and when the husband came to pick up the baby, I remember wondering whether or not I should say anything.  I decided not to.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Initially, I thought it was maybe like an apothecary or a file cabinet with a bunch of small drawers or something like that.  But then I enlarged the picture, and noticed each square was different.  Upon closer inspection, it made me wonder if they're miniature models of various sewing machines?  A traveling salesperson could carry them around to show what each one looked like to prospective buyers and order one.  I'm probably totally wrong, but that's what I came up with.  What do you think?  

Wordless Wednesday

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SPRING BREAK, BAYBEE!!!

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Yes, spring break is finally here!  This is my fourth of ten glorious days off in a row from work and school.  Sadly, I have no $ for a spring break road trip.  But at least I have a considerably lighter homework load this break than I did for last semester's.  I'm trying to do a bit each day so it doesn't seem so overwhelming.  

I've also got some errands and things to take care of - like getting the oil changed in the car, getting a haircut, laundry, cleaning the carpet, applying for internships etc.  And when I'm not busy with all of that, I'm either catching up on TV or blogs.  I'm loving actually having a little bit of free time and not having to feel guilty for not studying or doing homework.  

Took this from here.  It's an oldie but goodie!

*****

1.  Look around you.  List the first 5 things you see that bring back good memories.

A.  Chihuahuas - My boys are my life!

B.  TV - I remember when I bought it, I ran into someone at the store that I hadn't seen in awhile.  We stood in front of a big display of various televisions, and the salesperson kept coming over to ask if we needed any help.  Finally, my friend left and the salesperson came rushing back over to ask if she could help.  Knowing she was anxious to get me out of her dept., I pointed at a TV at random and told her that was the one I wanted, even though I really hadn't looked at very well.  (I really was there to buy a TV!)

C.  CD's - I have a collection of them and hardly even listen to them anymore.  Don't know why...  But I don't want to part with them because they remind me of my youth - both good and bad memories.

D.  Candle - It reminds me of the Valentine's swap I did this past February.  Although my partner didn't buy me any candles, I bought one for her.  And while I was at it, I bought one for myself!

E.  Laptop - I love it, because it reminds me of all of my online friends.  Plus it holds pictures and music from my iPod.  

2.  Create a super pet by combining any three animals.

A dog about the size of a 5 pound chihuahua with leopard spots and that brays like a donkey.  

3.  How do your respond when someone says something unexpectedly kind to you?

I tend to say thank you, but then brush off the compliment like I'm not worthy.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.  

This reminds me of my father.  I don't recall him ever putting his change in a decorative pattern like this necessarily, but he used to collect his change and save it for a rainy day.  He especially liked pennies for some reason.  I like to leave pennies around the house so that I'll think about him whenever I see one.

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday Meme

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Took this from here.  

1.  What was the best concert you ever went to?

I had a friend in high school who had two tickets for an Aerosmith concert that she left in her locker.  The teachers were in the middle of a strike, so we had to sneak into the school to get the tickets out. We were lucky enough that a janitor let us in just long enough to grab them.  I went to the concert with her and my very best high school friend.  

The concert was excellent, but the adventure beforehand of not knowing if we could get into the school to get the tickets was what really added to it. 

2.  What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Sooooo many to choose from!  I occasionally enjoy stalking people on facebook.  

I also love eating chocolate.  And hanging with the chi's.  And sleeping in in the morning.  And reading a good book for pleasure rather than dull textbooks.  And catching up with good friends I haven't seen in awhile.

What's your guilty pleasure?

3.  What are two words you always seem to spell incorrectly?  Try to spell them now.

For some reason, whenever I try to type the word rainbow, it's comes out as "rainblow."  Every single time!

I also tend to misspell "occasionally."  Thankfully, computers set me straight.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.

I love those pink and black shoes!  They're cute and I bet they're comfy too!  The style kind of reminds me of someone I once knew.

Sojos

My boys love their treats, so we were excited to get another opportunity to review more goodies from Chewy.com.  This time we chose Sojos, which they both seemed to love!  Isn't the packaging cute?

I was surprised at how big each individual treat is.  I really thought they'd be smaller!  

Each one is filled with lots of yumminess and nutrients.  We chose the Grain-Free and Sweet Potato Flavor Dog Treats, but Sojos offers a variety of other flavors as well.  A 10 oz. box is only $6.35, which is a real bargain when you see how many treats it contains.  This will definitely last them for awhile.  

I've really been trying to find healthy treats for the boys, and these fit the bill perfectly!  There are only five ingredients:  garbanzo beans, lamb, sweet potatoes, canola oil and eggs.  

Chico ran off like wildfire with his treat and devoured it before I could catch up to him, so I don't have any pix of him enjoying his treat.  Shiver made his last a little longer, so I was able to capture him savoring one of the dog bones.

This is our second time working with Chewy.com and we most definitely recommend them.  They have excellent customer service, they're reasonably priced, and they ship your order out oh so quickly!  In addition, you get free shipping for orders over $50.00.

We were not compensated financially for this post, but were provided a free box of treats in return for our honest opinion.

What I've Learned This Semester

Each semester, I like to share a bit of the wealth of information I've learned.  It's my little way of giving back, lol.  All pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Criminal Justice 102:  Introduction to Police

• Three Eras of American Policing
• Political Era (1830s-1900)
• Corruption
• Professional Era (1900-1960)
• Influence of Technology
• Community Era (1960-present)
• Efforts to connect with citizenry

Political Science 298:  Introduction to Political Inquiry

Political Science 300:  Introduction to American Politics

What do interest groups do?

• Talk to policy makers and the media
• Mobilize supporters to contact and support/oppose legislators
• Produce research and distribute info for use in policy debates
• Attempt to raise their causes' profile
• Try to influence policy formulation and implementation'
• Help lawmakers write legislation

Psychology 301:  Abnormal Psychology

• Bipolar disorder
• State of both episodic depressed mood and episodic mania
• Mood shifts between two emotional "poles"
• Bipolar I Disorder 
• Full-blown mania that alternates with periods of major depression
• Bipolar II Disorder
• Hypomania that alternates with episodes of major depression

Political Science 448:  Women and the Law
I'm not sure why exactly, but I hated every single second of this class, so I ended up dropping it.

Supreme Court Justices

• Sam Alito
• Stephen Breyer
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Elena Kagan
• Anthony Kennedy
• Antonin Scalia
• Sonia Sotomayor
• Clarence Thomas

I hope you've learned something new this semester too!

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday Meme

I received an email last week about a new website dedicated to dog food coupons.  I haven't really had an opportunity to check it out, but counted a list of 41 different brands listed there.  Who doesn't appreciate saving a little extra money?  They're hosting an Apple iPad Mini for anyone who blogs about their website if you want to help spread the word.  Like I said, I really haven't checked the page out very well, so hopefully it isn't a scam.

*****

Took this from here.

1.  All things being equal, would you prefer to have beer, wine, or coffee at a party?

Beer.  I don't think I've ever had coffee at a party before.  

2.  I still can't believe I once _____?

Almost got to jump out of a plane.  We went up in the plane, and then went back down in the plane.  The pilot decided it was too cloudy to be able to get up high enough to jump.  They gave me my money back, but I haven't been able to go back and try again.

3.  What is your idea of a dull evening?

I recently attended a workshop about the Canadian River Treaty.  Oh.My.Gawd, I was soooo incredibly bored!!!  That's an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back.  I went because it was extra credit for a class, and we weren't allowed to leave early or we'd forfeit that extra credit.  My professor saw me arrive, and would have seen me leave, so I figured it was better to stay.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.

This is an aircraft from World War II.

*****  

Next Monday, I'll be telling you what I've learned this semester.  I don't know why,  but I always enjoy doing those posts!  And next Wednesday, I'll be doing another Chewy review.  

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday Meme

Soooo happy it's a holiday here in the U.S.  I love extra days off from work and school!

Took this from here.

1.  If you were elected mayor of your city, what would be your first improvement and why?

I think I'd have to go with requiring all sidewalks to be fixed within 30 days.  Most of them are just fine, but there are some around town that are soooooo not!  There's one a block or so from my house that's all broken up and uneven that I'm always worried about falling down and breaking an ankle or something whenever I have to walk on it.

2.  What would you do if you suddenly discovered a secret passageway in your office?  Would you tell anyone else?  Where would you like it to lead?

I don't work in an office.  I work in two big rooms with a bunch of tables and computers that other students come in and use to take their exams.  I definitely wouldn't tell anyone else about it, because it would be nice to get away from my extremely lazy coworkers once in awhile.  I think I'd have it be something different each time, so I was always surprised - but it'd always lead to somewhere that I loved.  One day it might be a makeup store giving away free samples, another day it might be a chocolate factory who was also giving out free samples, another day it might be a bookstore, another day it could be a shoe store.  It would be a place where I could spend hours and hours and no one would ever miss me at work.  When I came back to work, my shift would automatically be over, but no one would have noticed that I wasn't there for the whole shift.

Where would your tunnel lead?

3.  Have you ever done any genealogical research on your family?  Any fun skeletons in your closet?  

I haven't done any research, although I've kind of thought about it.  I do remember ages ago, my great aunt called my dad asking for family information.  She was in the process of doing some genealogical research, and had commented that other family members had ignored her requests.  My father sent her the information she had asked for, but I don't believe she ever shared her results with my dad.

I do think it would be interesting to do someday.  My dad used to love to talk about his childhood, but my mom - not so much!  I remember her telling me one day that it was none of my business.  She's talked a little bit about it here and there once in a great while, but not very often.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.  

As a kid, I remember going camping, and this was the only kind of running water available.  I also remember camping at other places where the you had to pump the water out.  My dad told me that's the kind of water he had when he was a kid.  They'd have to take a bucket out to the pump to collect the water for the day.  I can't imagine living like that!  Makes me appreciate all of our modern conveniences so much more.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Valentine's Day Swap

I love swaps!  They can really be a lot of fun.  I decided to join a Valentine Swap because I'm sick of never actually having a Valentine and watching everyone else get stuff, while I get nothing.  It's happened year after year after year, so I usually take Valentine's Day off work just so I can avoid the awkwardness and uncomfortableness.  It's not that I've never had a boyfriend, I've just never seemed to have one on Valentine's Day.  This year, I decided that I either needed to buy my own Valentine present, or join a swap.  Participating in a swap seemed to be the less pathetic choice, so that's what I went with.

I got partnered up with the host, Kristin, after apparently signing up too late, and she was kind enough to take pity on me and allow me to still join in the fun.

Here's what I got:  

A beautiful scarf, which is the backdrop for this picture, Starbs hot cocoa, coffee cup, Carmex lip moisturizer, a bag full of chocolates, and a card.  

Cute cup!  There's actually 2 packets of cocoa, the other one was stuffed in the cup still when I took this picture.  You can kind of see the decorative paper sticking out.  

One can never go wrong with chocolates!  I'm proud to say that I still have most of the bag left.  Normally, I inhale chocolate like there's no tomorrow, but I've vowed to save this and make it last.   

Now if I just had a guy to kiss, this would be perfect!  That's OK, I'm still gonna enjoy it!  And my lips will be nice and soft when the right guy does come around!   

One of the rules for this swap was that you were supposed to make your own card.  So I had to laugh that the host sent me a store-bought one!   

Here's a closer look at the scarf.

If you want to see what I got Kristin, click on her name to take you to her blog.  Everyone is linking up today to show what they received.  Much thanks to Kristin, I love everything!

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday Meme

Last week was actually pretty good!  Tuesday, I got my Valentine Swap in the mail.  Wednesday, I attended my first Student Assembly (student government) meeting.  Thursday, I played hooky and stayed home instead of going to school and work.  Friday, I had two job interviews on campus!  Hopefully this week will be just as good!

Took this from here.

1.  If you could only go to one restaurant for the next five years, which would it be?  

There was a Mexican restaurant in town that closed after being open for over 20 years.  It was really sad, because it was a family business.  They moved locations to save money, only they lost money because it was kind of out of the way and people stopped going there as often.  So maybe that one if it was still open.

But then there's a Greek restaurant that's like two towns away that I love!  Don't get to go very often since it's a bit out of the way, but they have excellent food and service.  I'd never had Greek food before eating there the first time, and I enjoyed it immensely.

2.  Have you ever carried a weapon out of a sense of fear? 

No, because I don't have any to carry.

3.  Do you consider yourself the outgoing performer, or the appreciative bystander?  Why?

I'm definitely the appreciative bystander!  I'm very shy and have a difficult time putting myself out there.  I've gotten better as I've gotten older, but I still don't like to be the center of attention.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one. 

The picture is labeled "ice fishing," so that's apparently what they're doing here.  All I can think of when I look at it is that it must be cold, so I'd probably be miserable there.

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday Meme

Wow, it's the start of week 3 of school and work already.  Time is flying by so quickly already!  There always seems to be at least one class I dislike, and this semester is no exception.  Hopefully it'll get better.  It's not awful, it's just really, really, really boring so far.

On the bright side, I did get around to visiting some of you last week!  Not just once, but twice!!!  

*****

Took this from here.  

1.  When you gaze out your window - real or figurative - do you see the forest first, or the trees?

If I were to look out my window, I'd see the forest first.  But as time went on and I continued to look out the window each day, I'd start to see the individual trees.  I'd begin to notice how they were all the same in structure, yet each one had it's own unique qualities.  Which would you see first?

2.  Do you squeeze the toothpaste from the top, middle, or bottom?  

Growing up, I was always taught to squeeze from the bottom and roll it up as the bottom portion started to become empty.  Now that I'm out on my own though, I just kind of squeeze from wherever.  

3.  Describe your outfit today, the one you wore out in public (to work, or shopping, or the gym, or wherever).  

I'm wearing an old shirt that I got from the See Spot Walk dog walk my boys and I participated in a few years ago.  It's white and long sleeved, with the logo on the front and the list of company supporters on the back.  

I'm also wearing jeans, and my grayish/silverish boots that I've gotten several compliments on.  And of course, there's also undies, a bra, and socks.  Oh, and a watch, gold chain and heart shaped ring.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.  

My first impression was maybe that the lady was flossing her teeth.  It's labeled impro-melesse though, which Google says is the name of a French improvisational troupe.  I've linked to their blog for anyone who might be interested in learning more about them, but be advised that it's in French.  

Wordless Wednesday

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