Why, hello mac!

I totally wasn't expecting this, but my mom and I decided to go to Partridge Creek today for a few things. While there, we stopped in the Apple store to look at the macbooks, which I planned on getting eventually before moving. Well, it just kinda seemed to do everything today - so, hello macbook! Welcome to my life.

So far, I really like it. I absolutely think I made the right decision. It is very user friendly...it hasn't taken me long to figure out most things. I'm still working on a few things that are just different when going from pc to mac, but I'm sure I'll figure them out eventually.

I must say, I felt like I had to hide my blackberry in the Apple store. EVERYONE had iphones. Sorry Apple, I'm not ready to make that jump yet...I love my berry.

Tonight is my last night here...tomorrow it is back to GR and "real life" for four more weeks. It has been so nice being able to just do whatever I want, whenever I want here. Want to go to the beach all day? Sure, I can do that. Want to swim at 8pm? Why of course, I can do that. Oh well, I have a two-day workweek this week, a four-day work week next week, and then two (most likely) full weeks after that and then I'm DONE!!

Lovely Weekend!

It's been a few days since I last posted, and they've been a fine few days. Well, Thursday and Friday at work were typical...busy, crappy, *insert other denigrating adjective here*. However, I left to come home directly after work on Friday, and after being home for about an hour, went right up to the beach house where the whole family was. It was so nice to see everyone.

Yesterday was pretty relaxing...went for a run, kind of lazed around for a lot of the day. It was a rainy night, so I just hung out with my dad and watched movies. :)

Today we had a cookout up at the beach - it doesn't get much better than good food and the beautiful lake!

Tomorrow is supposed to be about 80 degrees and sunny, so I'm planning on heading up to the beach by myself with a book and my ipod. Nothing sounds more perfect than that right now. The next three days are going to be spent relaxing and renewing so that I can push through these last 3 weeks at work! I guess they hired the girl who is going to replace me, but she won't be starting until mid next week, I believe. My boss wants me to completely train her before I leave so there is no layover in the change...I'll have about a week and a half to go through most things at least once with her.

Gosh, it is a nice feeling to know I don't have to wake up and go in to that place tomorrow...

Hump Day: over.

I've successfully made it through more than half the week. Though, Thursdays can tend to be the worst day of the week in the office. Hopefully it won't be too painful...I'll only be there from 7-2ish, then I have someone to start and I'll get out a little early. I wouldn't be surprised if they asked me to come back and work more, but I gots things to do! I'm sure my bosses' opinions of me are rapidly going down in these last few weeks, hah. That's not to say I'm not a very good employee, I am. But I can see the end in sight, and with some of the conditions there right now, I'm not going to give my all when there is no point. I did that for a long time and didn't get much in return. I'm doing my best, but I'm also expecting a regular schedule and hours. I have a lot of things to accomplish in the next two and a half months and have to be able to anticipate a schedule so I can plan appointments and dates around it. Sorry, but that's part of moving out of the country.

Anyways, rant over. Two more days to get through and then I get five days off.

Monday

Happy Monday, everyone. Mine was not so happy, but at least it's over, right?

I did have a great weekend, however! My brother and I drove home Friday night after work. I was so exhausted from the week that I passed out at nine, ha! It was so needed though.

On Saturday, I went shopping for a bit in the morning. Then we all got ready and went to the Tigers game on a party bus that night. Our group had about fifty people in it...it was so much fun! I probably (ok, definitely) drank a little too much...I forgot to eat dinner, so that was a big mistake. ha. Oh well.

Yesterday, we woke up and made my daddy a big breakfast. :) Then we all relaxed for a while (read: slept off our hangovers) and then went to the beach for a Father's Day BBQ with some other family. Ben, Deannah, and the boys are in town from Arizona - something I look forward to all year! I don't get to see them nearly enough.

After all of that, Kel and I drove back to GR. It  was a beautiful, happy weekend. Now I just need to get through this week and I'll have a few days of vacation next week.

BEST NEWS

ev-ar. My English boy is coming to visit in a little over a month. I am one happy little girl!!! :)

The sun is out

and I have a smile on my face! :)

It was a LONG day at work today, and very, very hectic. We have so many people working for us right now, so check day gets extremely crazy now. Not to say it wasn't crazy before, but when you have nine hundred people coming in for their checks, with about half of them having some sort of issue with it, it gets to be an a problem. I don't know if I've ever been happier to leave that office once the time rolled around!

But now I'm out, and the sunshine is just beating down today. I have a million reasons to be happy, but one in particular just has me beaming. Tomorrow we should be getting some news that could either be extremely exciting or disappointing!

Now to just get through one more work day...then my brother and I are driving home for the weekend. We're all going to the Tigs game on a party bus Saturday night, so that will be soo much fun! The weather is supposed to be beautiful too. I can't wait.

A smiley mess

...is what I am lately! I just can't even help it. :) I'm smiling SO much. Someone at work asked me if something was wrong because its not normal for me!

Nothing can get me down right now.

3 months, exactly.

I leave 3 months to the day!! 3 months!

Now I'm excited for tomorrow to be able to say I leave in less than three months. Ha, I know, I'm a dork.

Laziness

Is there anything better than a Saturday morning? :) It's not too nice out here today...I'm not complaining, because it is aiding in my nonguilt of staying in bed watching the Food Network.

Last night Kellen and I went out to Rockford for the start of summer festival. We met Jeni and her boyfriend Brian out there. It was actually really fun, even though it was so hot and humid out! There were bands, a beer tent, lots of things going on. We ended up staying in the beer tent for a while then migrating to a bar in search of the air conditioning. Rockford is really nice, I hadn't been there in a while.

Ok, so I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I figure I need to start trying considering I am moving to England in 3 months, and they are CRAZY about it there. How fitting then, that the US plays England  today in the start (I think?) of World Cup action! That's on at 1:30, so I'm going to (try to) watch some of it...

Other than that, I have no real plans today. Relaxation at its finest.

FRIDAY!!

I'm so, so happy it is Friday!! Can you tell? I made it through the week without any major stresses, which is a miracle in itself. This week honestly just flew by. 6 more weeks (and that is including a few days of vacation and holiday days). 95 days until I move.

I'm going to stay here this weekend. I think my sister is going home, but we're for sure going home next weekend to go to the Tigers game on a party bus (!!) so I want to stay put for now. I just want to relax, watch movies, take Zoey for walks, sunbathe, etc. I can't wait for these eight hours to go by!

Off to get through my Friday! Have a great day everyone! :)

Lookie what arrived!

Heh, the second one is just cute.

Getting better...

I do have to admit, my work situation has been better this week. I owe it all to a few awesome people who gave me really good advice. I knew that I shouldn't be taking work home with me (in the figurative sense) - I knew I needed to just leave it there and not stress about it afterward. But for some reason, I just couldn't put that into action. I think it just finally hit me that whether I ran around busting my ass all day, hardly taking a breath; or just doing what I can, when I can, and not stressing about the rest - I get treated the same. They don't appreciate it when I'm working 10x harder, so at this point, why do it? I'm still working hard and getting my things done, but not to the point where I'm constantly stressed out about it and trying to do 304986709 things at once. I feel MUCH better.

96 more days until London!

Monday, oh Monday

Well, I do have to say it wasn't as terrible as most are. Work wasn't *as* bad as it has been lately. I went in with a new attitude today, I hope I can keep it up. 31 more official work days until I am done there. ((if you couldn't tell, I'm a big countdown kinda person, hah))

I got my official notice that UCL received my accommodation application, even though I emailed a couple weeks ago and found that out. Still kind of an update from London though.

Now I'm off to get dressed and get to the gym...I'm doing so well with my diet and exercising!

Under 100!

We are now at the 99 day mark...ninety-nine days until I leave for London! :D

99 days to get my loans straightened out.
99 days to get my visa secured.
99 days to finish my suggested reading list.
99 days to spend as much time as possible with friends and family.
99 days to get to my fightin' weight! ha.

99 days.

Everyone is getting married

...while I'm packing up and moving to London. Strange.

It truly blows my mind that so many of my peers are getting married. I can't IMAGINE being married right now. Twenty-two just seems so young! But, it happens when it happens and who knows if any of us really have control over that.

Today should be a great day. I want to get to the farmers market for some yummy veggies and meat. There is also an art & eats fair in downtown GR today. My sister and I checked it out a bit last night and there are a LOT of things I want to try! Skewers, pulled pork, ribs...oh my. The art side of it is a bit lost on me, but food is a passion!  Then it is supposed to rain/storm all afternoon/night, so pjs + the couch + a book + a movie + my sister + my dogs just sounds fantastic. Lazy, lazy Saturday after a very hectic week.

Last night Kel and I went to dinner at the Ottawa Tavern. I actually hadn't been there before; it is right across the street from her work building. I've been trying out so many of GR's restaurants...there are so many little gems. This place has particularly amazing burgers, so a burger I had. Then we walked around the art fair a bit just to scope things out for today.

Off to enjoy my Saturday - get out and do the same!! :) :) :)

Ridiculous

Well, today wasn't as bad as yesterday, so I guess that's a start. I had to go start people on 2nd shift at a company, three total. Two were Elena's (a girl in my office), and one was Jennifer's (my boss). I just got on my computer at work remotely to make sure there were no first shifters starting tomorrow and what do I see? The supervisor at the company sent home Jennifer's guy because he told the sup that he was drunk. Seriously?? Why would you come in and get job details, fill out paperwork (which takes about an hour), and then go get drunk before going to a job? God, I just don't understand some of these types of people. I just don't get it. It's even worse when you consider the number of people on unemployment in this state.

I can feel and hear the bitterness in my voice (typing?) about my job, and I hate that. I don't want to be one of those people who are so miserable with their job. But...I am. 32 more actual days of work. That doesn't seem SO bad. I'm going to work through July 23rd, so I can be at the Robinson with my family the last week in July and also go to the John Mayer concert at DTE on the 28th!

It has only been a four day week, but I am so ready for the weekend!!

HELL on earth

...is what my work life is lately. GAH. I hardly feel like I can take a breath at the end of the day. We are just getting busier and busier and busier, yet my bosses still are not hiring anyone else to help out in the office. We are all drowning, not just me anymore. Drowning. No exaggeration. It is honestly to the point where not even thinking about my beloved London helps anymore...now that's bad. I hate to sound like such a complainer, but I swear people, if you worked at my employer right now, you would be too. I got yelled at today for trying to take (literally) 1.5 minutes to eat a few bites of a turkey dog. Seriously? It was that or pass out. Newsflash: human bodies need food. It is their fuel to run on.

Aside from that things are going fine, I suppose. I just don't have much of a life outside of work really. When I'm not at work, I'm busy stressing about work. I won't be doing third shift starters anymore though (for reasons I do not care to discuss on here) so I guess that is a bonus. I don't know if I have ever longed for a weekend more so than this weekend.

Still no update on my CAS letter; although, at this point it doesn't matter too much since I can't apply for my visa until my loan stuff is sorted out. And THAT won't happen until later in July. Mom and I talked about my staying in London before classes start, so I will be booking my room for that shortly.

Oh, I suppose I did do something productive yesterday - I went to the eye doctor and got a new pair of glasses. I think sitting at a computer for 8+ hours  day for the past 8 months has really taken a toll on me eyes. My right eye is actually a lot worse than my left, which is odd. But yeah, I like my new glasses and they definitely help with the whole umm, seeing thing.

Overall - not too much in the form of London updates. I'm basically a big, negative ball of energy right now. I'm *trying* my hardest to focus on the good and the future, it is just daunting at times. I AM trying though!