Golden Days

Finally, it's the weekend and I don't have to get up at 2 am for three whole days!  I was planning on a lazy weekend catching up on things that I let slip this week, until I got a call from Cathie about a Burlesque show in Milwaukee tomorrow night.  Now I am planning on a fun-filled Saturday night watching awesome ladies sing and dance!

I am also going to get done the things I didn't do this week.  The weather this weekend is looking like it will be nice in the morning tomorrow, wet in the afternoon, and dry and warm on Sunday.  So, my plan is to take care of garden stuff on Saturday morning, do housework Saturday afternoon, and devote Sunday to installing the invisible dog fence around my yard.

I got paid today and after a little math, I figured out that once I switch to full time, with deductions, I should be making about $530 every two weeks, or about $1060 a month.  I am going to open up a savings account on Monday and I will divide each check in half.  Half to my savings and half to my checking.  I will split the check again and spend half the money i put into my checking to pay off bills.  The leftover cash in checking I will use as spending money for the two weeks in between checks and to pay for things like my birthday and trips to platteville and my cats teeth, as well as the Kindle, camera and other items I need for Korea. The money I put in savings I will not touch.

This means that I will be putting aside about $530 a month into savings, be spending about $265 on bills, and have about 265 a month for other expenses.  If I keep up this pay rate, I will have my bills paid off in about four months, just in time for Korea.  I will have about $2,120 in my savings by that time, and I am also saving the $1,000 I will make at summerfest, so I will have a total of around $3,120 saved by the time I leave.  I will have everything I need for my year abroad and have lots of extra money.

I was goofing around online today and I came across a page that has a weeks worth of writing prompts.  Starting Monday I will follow these prompts in order to brush up on my creative writing skills.  I am also doing this because I don't really have much to talk about Work or Korea wise lately and until I do, I need topics for the slow days.  Maybe after I concur this I will try for a months worth of prompts.

Ah Procrastination

As you can see, I got a little sidetracked today while trying to work on my online course.

I changed up my blog last time when I decided I wasn't going to go to South Korea.  So, I decided that, since I am really going to go now, I should change it up again.  I also can't stand this to be stagnant for too long.  I rearrange my living space at least once a month if I have the space.

I spent around an hour trying to think of a different name for the blog and I finally settled on the name above.  I also spent awhile looking for a good background.  I spent a few hours searching and found three that I loved.  I settled on this one because I loved to koi and it also had the best color scene to write against.

I also made the title an actual image I uploaded so that it would stand out against the background.  I played around with about fifteen different combination's of fonts and colors before I settled on this one.

And during all this time, I really should have been doing this assignment so I could get to sleep by six so I can get up at midnight and run before work and still have time for coffee and a shower.  Looks like I have been very successful procrastinating, something I haven't done in quite awhile.  I will have to do the assignment tomorrow.

I should probably eat dinner and get to sleep.  Getting up at midnight is really messing with my head.  When I get home from work, all I seem to want to do is sleep.  I am determined to get at least a few things done this weekend.  I WILL finish my class, plant my lettuce and spinach, finish my laundry, clean out my closet, and cut the rest of the buck-thorn by my fire pit.  I don't care if it is cold and raining all weekend, I need to start working outside or the list I have for outdoor work will never get done.

Days Equal Dollars

Another four am work day, and more money for me.  I spent five hours organizing a display of soap and toothpaste.  not exactly invigorating work but it gives me time to talk to the people I am working with and to think about things I need to get done.

Here is what I have so far:

1. Finish last section of class and do the two extra sections
2. Get cats teeth cleaned
3. Paint mural in office upstairs
4. Plant lettuce and spinach in garden this weekend, rain or shine
5. Go through closet and organize clothing for spring
6. Continue running each day
7. Start to purchase things for Korea
8. Get all my paperwork organized and ready to turn in (also email Platteville twice a day till I get a response)
9. Organize family photo albums and replace broken ones

That is what I have for the next week or so.  My energy levels are a little off because of the strange schedule but I am pushing through it.  Oh, I did find time to finish up the web page I am going to use while I am in South Korea.  I put a link to it on the left.

And speaking of pushing through, I have pushed through my weight loss plateau and I am gaining speed again.  Super excited.  Ten more pounds and I am buying new pants for work.  Ten more pounds and I will fit in the new dresses I bought from Mod Cloth for this summer.  All of this is super exciting and it is pushing me to work even harder at losing weight and getting in shape.  Even more exciting to me is the return of my love of running.  I used to love to run just for the fun of it and for a very long time I couldn't do that.  My stamina and speed is coming back and I am realizing just how much I missed it.  Can't wait for the weather to finally warm up and dry out so I can start running outside with the dogs.

Oh, 4 AM

Waking up at two-thirty in the morning is too early.  I can't get my workout in before work unless I get up at about one-thirty so I was only able to pull off a shower and a really quick cup of coffee before heading out into the dark, pouring rain.  After dodging several frogs on the roadway, I made it to work and then yawned through my shift until I got home and went back to sleep until now.  Good morning.

And I thought I finally got everything from Platteville figured out, until I got an email from a completely different lady telling me she had never heard of the "certificate of Obtainment" and that they could send me something else instead.  I emailed her the requirements of the certificate and we will see what her response is.  My new method of emailing Platteville is going to be two emails a day of the same email until I hear back.  It is the only way to hear back in sooner than a week.

I am going to spend today working on the final two lessons of my TEFL course and I am going to get the rest of the paperwork in order to send it to the apostille office at the end of May.  Once I get that back, I am pretty sure the fun stuff, such as actually applying, begins.  As long as I get the right letter from Platteville, I should start knowing more very quickly starting in the beginning of June.

I am getting to be super nervous already about all the stuff I need to have when I am there and all of the stuff I am going to have to buy before I go. So far my list of stuff to buy isn't too long but it is expensive:

1.  Kindle
2. New Camera
3. Web Cam for Skype
4. Umbrella
5. New Suitcase if my old ones don't hold all my luggage
6. New Cellphone Plan

Every time I think I have the list down, I think of more stuff I am going to need.  I have started carrying a little notebook to write down stuff when I think of it.

I am also getting sad about leaving my friends, family, and pets for a year.  Maybe I will be able to get a gerbil or a ferret while I am over there, but most likely not.

Ahh, That Fresh Weekend Air!

Getting out of town this weekend was really nice.  I got away from work and my family and messes and get to live like I am used to living.  I didn't realize how used to living on my own I was until I moved back in with my family.  I always have to listen to my family tell me what to do and when.  It is awful.  I would get a whole lot more done if I didn't have my mother hounding me about stuff every five minutes.

Enough of complaints though.  This weekend was tons-O-fun with Jess and Ian.  I got to platteville around six on Friday and Jess and I went to get food for the weekend.  Wal-mart is always a good time, and we found everything we needed, got home and passed out.  She and Ian were meeting her mom and sister in Madison the next day to find shoes and jewelry for her other sisters wedding this summer.

After the shopping, unsuccessful shopping, we went to a restaurant in Madison, whose name has slipped my mind, and the start to the unhealthy, good time weekend began.  They had an all you could eat brunch, and I could only eat one very, very good plate of food.  When we got back to Platteville we took naps then started the pot roast dinner.

After about six or seven hours we decided the roast was done and ate and promptly passed out again.





I think the passing out early may have had to do with tht egreat bottle of wine and good beer we had while we waited for dinner to cook.  That, and the mint chocolate fudge brownies we made and snacked on. 

We finished up the weekend with homemade muffins for breakfast and a trek through the woods behind Jess's house where we discovered many interesting plants and molds and a river.



I stopped at Michael Ward's to drop of some brownies and a hat that my mom made him and ended up hanging out talking with him for a couple hours.  Three hours and an long drive later I was home and passed out in bed.

What an amazing weekend!

Oh, and I officially have all my paperwork, except the stuff I need from the idiots at Platteville, and I am emailing James today to update him.  Bed at 6 so I can be up by 2:30 am in order to squeeze in a run before work at four.

Another Week, Another Day

Life is continuing to move on nicely. 

Work is fun and getting a pay check was awesome.  Next week I start at four am so we shall see how I feel about that when it happens.  I'm pretty sure the week after that I start overnights so I need to figure out the best way to flip my schedule.  I would have been fine if I hadn't had the past three weeks of 8 am shifts.

So far I know only guys who are working at night but they all seem nice so it should be okay.  We were joking around yesterday that everyone will know who is working the remodel because we will all be pale like vampires. 

My diet is going great and I have gotten back to the weight I was at the end of summer, It seems to be my plateau weight at the moment so I am just going to add a mile to my runs and keep on with the diet and push through. 

And, in order to keep up motivation, I have decided that when I hit 160 I am going to buy myself new pants for work that show off all my work.

Headed to Platteville tomorrow to visit Jess and Ian for the weekend and to give Michael Ward his new hat, if I can find him.  Should be a good weekend.

I am going to try to update my other blog tomorrow.  I need to rework some things because I have not been following recipes for the last few weeks.  I need to figure out how to tell people how to cook the meals when I never remember to write stuff down.

Basics Of Me

The following is a list of memories and random facts about me.  I didn't really have anything else to talk about but these are pretty interesting.  At least to me ;)

I like V-8 and always have. Kids used to call me a vampire when I drank it in school.

I have owned over 50 pets in my lifetime. Not counting fish, I've owned 37 gerbils, several small lizards, 21 cats, 8 dogs, 3 rabbits, 1 bird, and 1 horse. I am a great owner I just have a thing for the small and weak and old pets.

I am adopted, I have one brother who I grew up with, that I am not related to, but love more than life.  I also have 2 half sisters I am trying to get to know, and four half brothers who, until very recently, didn't know I existed.

I have ADD, which is not a surprise to anyone who knows me.

I have very few great friends, but I prefer it that way.

I have no tolerance for people I consider stupid, petty, or not worth my time and I am not afraid to tell them I feel that way.

I hate math, but I am actually pretty good at it despite what my friends think.

I find females to be annoying and untrustworthy.

I played the piano for 9 years and the cello for 12. I wish I could start up again.

I hope to finish the novel I am writing before I am 30.

I am still friends with the first 4 people I was ever friends with, though we have grown apart a little.

I hate pineapple. It makes me gag.

I come off as a tomboy, and I most definitely am a tomboy, but I own more makeup and dresses then most of my friends.

I secretly want a Mohawk and I have a weak spot for any male that has one.

My friend and I used to eat paper. We even identified the different flavors of paper.

I have a huge extended family and I always feel like the black sheep.

I have major trouble trusting anyone, which has been a problem all my life. If you gain my trust, I will fight to the death for you.  If you break it, I will never trust, nor talk, to you again.

I used to play sports. In my life I have been involved in: (in chronological order) ballet, figure skating, gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, softball, horseback riding, and rugby.

I don't think I have ever really been in love.  I also think that when I do really fall in love, it will happen fast and hard, and cause me all kinds of problems.

Without my glasses, I am almost blind.

I dance around the house like a crazy person to all kinds of music for a half hour at least once a day.

I am actually a neat freak but I can't focus long enough to clean anything.

I want to go to every country in the world once. I want to live in at least five countries for over a year.

I worry about my family all the time.

I am actually a very shy person suffering from a violent case of word vomit.

Some of these are secrets I keep from the world and some are secrets the world tried to keep from me.  Pretty much, these are the things in my life that are solid and never change, the basics of "Me."

GAME OF THRONES!!!!

I am way too excited to think about anything else today.  Finally, Game of Thrones has arrived. Dana will be here at six with Kim and we will watch HBO untill the program starts so we can hype ourselves up for it, then silence will follow during the entire show except for excited squeals each time a new character is pictured.  

Now, I am off to run, then clean and cook, and then run again, then shower, then......

Game of Thrones!

Money Money Money

I now have three jobs for over the summer.  Super excited about this because I will most likely be able to get the things I need for Korea (and a few extra things that would be nice to have there) and be able to pay off my debts by the time I leave.

The jobs are actually pretty cool too.  My full time job at target is okay, we will see how I feel once I start overnights, but for now it's fun and easy to do.  The people are nice and easy to be around for the most part and it seems to be pretty laid back.

Summerfest is Summerfest.  After seven years there I know that I will be super excited about it until I see the people I want to see and then I will be super excited to have it be done with.  According to Pat, I am working the same double shift I worked last year which means I will hopefully make a little more then $1,000 in a little over a week.  All of that money is going to be saved and used as spending money when I get to Korea.

The final job is only a month long but it is a lot of money for a small amount of work.  My mom's friend is having foot surgery and needs someone to walk her dog in the mornings.  Since I will be driving past her house at about seven each morning on my way home from work, I am going to walk her dog for 12 bucks a walk.  $300 extra dollars in my pocket right there.

I'm trying to get a few more of these side jobs, like dog walking or house sitting, for over the summer.  I want to make completely sure that I have everything I need for a good time this summer and for a great time in Korea.

Just When I Thought It Was Over

Platteville is back to its little games and is trying to screw me out of Korea again.  The Certificate of Obtainment I asked if I could get to substitute for my actual diploma until I actually recieve the diploma, one that most schools give out within a week of graduation with the understanding that sometimes you need more than transcripts to get a job and you don't want to have to wait around until the diploma arrives...

Marty Beating up PVille

I will get that a month after recieving my diploma at the earliest.

GAH!!!! 

I don't understand the complete lack of logic behind absolutely everything that school does.  It's crazy, that's what it is.

In other news, I have been running two to three miles each day, even on days I have work, which has made me feel pretty great.  And I have been following the diet, and working outside, and getting my crap done. 

Target is pretty good.  The job is easy and gives me times to goof off and get the nessassary social interaction I need to survive.

I went to Borders yesterday for the last day of their going out of business sale and got 12 books for $3.17.  Most of them were hardcover and I saved a total of $188.  That was pretty much the coolest thing that has happened in awhile.  As you can see, I was so excited I took pictures of it. Tinka was excited too.

Day 1

Well, today I was up at 4 am and showered and out the door by 5, ready for my first day at Target.  I spent the beginning of my day taking down a display of cameras only to find that none of the merchandise I was supposed to replace it with was in stock.  So, I replaced everything I had spent an hour taking down.  Then I set up a Lego display and headed home.

I was dead on when I made guesses about the people I would be working with overnights.  They are either guys that remind me of Zero and send creeper vibes out like a sun going supernova, or they are women with less than average intelligence who all hang out after work at the bars and need to learn to bathe.  The only other group I noticed were the guys who are close to my age or younger and have to many tattoos or really gross dirty dreads and would never be able to work in daylight or customers would complain.

It's great. I can zone out and think about whatever I want.  None of the conversations they have are difficult for me to follow with only part of my brain, and the work is crazy easy.  I am making money doing pretty much nothing.  I can't wait to tell them I am leaving, but I could definitely be doing worse work, like McDonald's.

I realize saying these things makes me sound conceded and cruel.  I want to make it understood that I do like all the people I have met so far at work.  They are all really friendly and nice, so far.  I have too much experience working in places like this to become their friend however.  The drama and crazy rumors that are spread in a work environment like Target are ridiculous and I am going to avoid them at all costs, even if it means remaining aloof.

I am describing the people I work with this way to prove a point.  Target and other corporations like them all say that they love diversity, and that they go out of their way to hire a diverse group.  Then they hide all the most "diverse" people on the night shift where no one can see them.  And the only ethnically diverse people I saw there were working on the cleaning crew, cleaning bathrooms and emptying the trash.  Real diverse.

Overall though, the people are nice, if kept at a distance, and the work is simple and easy to zone out while doing.  I start overnights in the beginning of may, until then I work the early morning shifts.  Just need to get the paychecks so I can pay off my debt, and buy the stuff I need for Korea, and have $1,000 left over at the end of summer.

Ups And Downs

Tomorrow at 5:30 am I start work at Target.  Not thrilled but at least I will finally have a paycheck again.  And the one person I met at training is at least entertaining if not very smart.  And I find his tattoos interesting.  I feel old starting work with a bunch of 18 and 19 year old's, but it will surprise the hell out of everyone when I leave at the end of the summer.

I will be switching to working 10 pm to about 7 am Sunday through Thursday.  I get every Friday and Saturday off which means I'll be able to go camping and visit friends every weekend.  

I lost about five pounds this week... and when I woke up this morning I had gained it all back.  Guess this means I will just have to try for three mile runs.  I think that by next week I will be able to pull those off.  Also, with working full time moving shelves and boxes and organizing, I will be physically active pretty much all day.  With that and the working out and dieting, I should be loosing weight regularly with less fluctuations.

As for the stuff for Korea, it's all moving along.  I have another lesson finished up, and I have most of the lists of what I need to bring or buy.  I still need to hear back from Platteville on some questions (big surprise) and then I think I have everything set until May.

Summerfest and Target and Dog Walking are going to consume most of my summer.  But, I kinda feel like then I am taking a year long vacation.  I know teaching is going to be hard and stressful, but I will be in South Korea, seeing something new everyday.

HMMM

I have started and restarted this entry about four times today.  I have no clue what to write about.  I really feel like writing but I can't seem to nail down any of my thoughts.  Ever have those days when your mind is just racing and you have a ton of things you want to talk about but none of them come out?

Tonight is my orientation at work which is only for a few hours but I will finally find out my schedule and what times I will actually be working.  I need to remember to tel them I need off work on the 17th for the Game of Thrones party, and on May 14th for training and from June 28th to July 11th for Summerfest.


I also need to finish cleaning up my office, do my two mile run, and go grocery shopping.  Oh, and I need to finish the next section of my class.  Overall a pretty laid back day ahead.

What I really want to do is go outside and garden for about three hours, go to the beach with some friends and the have everyone come back here for a bonfire.  Sadly it is not warm or dry enough to do any of those things just yet.  But my plants in the basement are growing, the gardens outside look amazing, and I get to receive a paycheck soon.  I'm ready for a nice, chill summer.

And I found a sweet video of timelapse flowers.  

Enjoy!

I See Light!

Due to some weather issues over the weekend, I wasn't able to get the outdoor work done that I wanted to.  I'm not complaining though because those thunderstorms were beautiful.  And being stuck indoors forced me to finish all the grammar work I have been avoiding the past few weeks.  I even got the next two sections completed beyond the grammar part, which means, if I keep it up, I could be done with the course by Friday!

I also got some of the house work done that I needed to finish up, like making the bed, and finishing my laundry, but the vacuuming was put on hold due to the death of my vacuum.  It was a sad day.  Hopefully it can be repaired.

I also got a chunk done on pulling together all the files and paperwork I need for Korea and I have a binder I can organize them in until I can treat myself to a nicer file system.  I have been compiling all the lesson plans I've been making into a folder so I can use them as Ideas when I head out.  I also copied all the Grammar lessons I did and printed them up so I can have them with me.  I even started work on my travel web page, getting it set for when I leave.

I am super excited for the coming weeks.  I will be starting work, and getting my garden underway, and getting to run outside with my dogs... and A Game Of Thrones is starting on HBO, so Dana and I are having a little party at my house so we can watch it.

Once June rolls around I will be working, sleeping, gardening, and saving money.  Oh, and going to visit Jess of course. I will also be losing my goal weight of 30 lbs and I will be shedding all of my debt and excess belongings.

Tomorrow it will be more organizing, going through stuff, and cleaning up of stuff.  If the sun is shining I will tackle the smoke house and start on the garage.

Oh, and the new diet I started is actually working.  I gave my knee the week off from working out and judged weight loss simply on the diet and I lost about two pounds.  Add that to the two to three pounds I loose when I work out and hopefully we are looking and a three to four pound a week average.

Now it is time to force myself to stay up until at least two, three if I can.  

Here We Go

I have finished the Grammar Advisor component of my course.

Finally.

Unfortunately, I have yet to finish my grammar chapter in the main course so I am only half done with my educational goals for the weekend.

So far this weekend has been pretty productive.  I have gotten about half of my list done and the rest should be finished by tomorrow night.  I need to organize the stuff I got from the Grammar program and I need to find some folders to start storing my lesson plans and information in besides my laptop.  I have yet to start to write out what I am going to need for Korea, but every time I try to think about it I get overwhelmed.  I think it may be too early to start trying to figure that out.

I start overnights at target on Wednesday and I am hoping that the pay will be worth being up all night.  I am also hoping that I don't work with creepy people.  The people who worked night shift at Wal-mart were very strange.  I also have full 14 hour days at summerfest again this year so hopefully I will make enough money.  I am a bit worried however so I am thinking about applying for a second, part-time job at sendix in the deli just to make ends meet.

I am not sure what is going to happen with my loan payments or with taxes or things like that, but I can just ask my dad about it once tax season in over and he is less grumpy.

By Wednesday I will have the lists that I need to get figured out finished and I will have all my papers organized and filed.  Tomorrow I am finishing the next section of my course, cleaning out the smokehouse and dusting the upstairs.  My vacuum broke sadly and is in the repair shop until Tuesday or Wednesday, if they can fix it at all.

And now for the weather:

Mequon, Wisconsin: 39 Degrees F and Clear

Ulsan, South Korea (my first choice): 48 Degrees F and Mostly Cloudy

April Snow Storms Bring May Flowers?

Well, April has begun and it is snowing.  This stinks.

So I took out my rage at the weather by attacking the buck-thorn around the fire pit and getting it set up for all the crazy fun fires I will be having this summer.  There is way more work involved back there than I thought there was going to be.  there are a ton of branches and bark from the dead trees back there and a whole lot more buck-thorn than I was aware of.

I was making a pretty nice dent before it began to snow and rain and the puppies wanted in out of the wet.

I need to get a video of Lucy bounding into the weeds and trees after small animals.  She leaps about eight feet in the air and pounces down into it trying to smother them out of the underbrush.  Fargo just freaks out and runs in circles.

It looks like we may need to install an invisible fence for the dogs so we don't have to spend every five minutes searching the brush for them.  I'm going to have to look around for different prices but I am pretty sure I will be installing it myself.

I am working on finishing up the last few lessons on my grammar certificate, then I need to go through the grammar section in the full course and I will be fifty percent done with the class and done with all the hard stuff I hate to do.  I also am half done with one of the books on South Korea I checked out from the library, and even though it was written in the eighties, I am learning quite a bit about the country.

I am also going to start posting what the weather is here compared with the weather in South Korea.  I want to record the weather differences so that I can keep it in mind when it comes time to start up packing.

So, the weather....

Mequon, Wisconsin: 43 Degrees F and Overcast

Ulsan, South Korea (my first choice): 52 Degrees F and Clear

And now, back to Grammar!