Well actually I dont feel really fine. I started to feel sick over the weekend but I really dont get sick often and when I do, I try to fight it by keeping doing things. Not rest like most people would. I took down wallpaper. Monday morning is when the worst of it hit. People say its been going around, thanks for whoever gave it to me. Of all the weeks, this was just not the week to get sick. Why? Well let see…

Im in the middle of planning a New Years Eve dance for about 100 high schoolers. Lots and lots to do the week of the dance and I handed a meeting over to my boss that I just simply couldnt attend. The stomach wouldnt allow me, hated that.

My old roommate is getting married this Saturday and she asked me to take the photos. Im happy to do that for her, and really hope to be 100% better by the wonderful day. Really hard for me to think quick when Im sick let alone creative!

Im working on my new room (hence the taking down of wallpaper) and trying to pack up my old one. I have so much packing to do but little energy to do it – or time for that matter! 17th is coming very quickly!

Im house sitting for my friends who I agreed to do so for ages before I knew I had to move. Thankfully their dog is behaving much better this time around than last time. I dont even want to think about having to pick up poop while feeling sick myself.

Oh and my car got a hit and run last week. Yeah. Right before Christmas. I was out caroling – you know, bringing Christmas cheers to others and someone backs up into my driver side door. So Gwen is out getting a new door. Thats costing a pretty penny in deducible. Thankfully, the friends who Im house sitting for are letting me use their car, saving me the rental car expense.

Im now short on hours at Starbucks for giving up my shift and not being able to pick any hours due to said NYE dance and wedding. I know it will work out. Trying not to stress about the fact I just may lose my benefits.

So, there is just a lot to be worrying out about. Im not for some reason. But I would like for things to stop coming all at once, you know? I mean, my gosh dont I have enough going on and being sick on top of that? Im ranting a bit much I know. I just trying to sort through some thoughts of all that is going on my life and trying not to go crazy with it.

Want a great way to end the year isnt it? I am looking forward to this dance, should be fun, even if we lack adult staff. The kids have worked hard to put it together. The wedding is one I have been looking forward to. So there is beauty in the madness, I just like to have more beauty than madness if you know what I mean.

The fall leaves sprinkled over the road after a night of rain looks like confetti. One of the thousands reasons why I love fall in Carolina. And I kick myself for not having my camera with me. I committed part of my afternoon to capturing this year’s celebration of fall that is shared in bright oranges against the perfect fall blue sky.

Im currently watching Dawson’s Creek, thanks to one of my high schoolers who leaning me her seasons. There are so many things wrong that, its not even funny. But since her mother knows about it, I dont feel bad about it. Im on Season 6 right now, the end is near.

Christmas list is made. I bought my Christmas paper already, along with my Christmas cards. I always say I will be ahead of the game every year, I think this might be the year. Also, this is my first Carolina Christmas and Ive lived here little over two years. I have lots of plans.

Ive been taking a lot of photos of a lot of lovely people lately. It was pointed out to me that I have now third job. Never thought about it that way, but yeah I guess I have done that to myself. We’ll see where that goes. Im enjoying the senior photo shots the most. Can I just be Senior portrait photographer?

Im currently reading: “First Two Years in Youth Ministry” by Doug Fields and I love it. I really like Doug Fields, this book only confirms that even more. Im also reading “On a Whim” by Robin Jones Gunn, which brings back lots of high school memories. Fitting two books dont you think?

Thats whats been going on with me lately.

There is a Dunkin’ Donuts being built walking distance from my house. That, ladies and gentleman is very dangerous. Its not as though I am a huge Dunkin’ Donuts fan by any means. I think Ive been to one maybe a handful of times in my whole life, probably less. Im more of a Krispy Kreme girl myself – when that pretty red sign is on, its takes great strength to keep driving by. A lot of times the hot and now just call my name so loudly that I cant help but to listen. My love for Krispy Kreme has dampened a bit when I once was like a moth to a flame when I saw the “Hot Donuts Now” sign on. I ordered “One hot donut now please!” (yes just like that) and when I received my donut it was not hot or now. It was a very, very sad day. But needless to say, I like donuts. My tolerance for sugar doesn’t allow me to have more than say two in one sitting, but even two too often is not good. Cake donuts, like the ones at Dunkin’ Donuts are quite tasty. I can see myself now, convincing myself “Well if I walk to Dunkin’ Donuts and back, when Im totally burning the calories Id eat from a yummy sprinkled donut.” I can make anything healthy, even donuts! Oh yeah, this can not be good.

Isnt that a fun work to say? Spoodle. I got the pleasure again to put away the order on Monday. Do I look like a gal who has a lot of upper body strength to put away big heavy boxes way up above my head?

Well that might of not been the best photo to prove my point. Im not! DO NOT HAVE LOTS OF MUSCLES. I was feeling empowered since I just sorta hiked the Grand Canyon in that photo. Okay never-mind Im already off track. SPOODLE. It was in the order that I put away. In my three in a half years at Starbucks I had never seen a Spoodle. In fact, in all my hours spent inside of kitchen stores I had never seen something labeled as a spoodle. No one knew what the spoodle was for or why it had come in our order. Today though, today my manager showed me the spoodle and said that she found out what it was for. It will be pouring coffee into the filter right before we brew it. As lovely as that sounds, that wont be fun durning the morning rush but whatever. We got a spoodle! I just dont know if I care for the ramifications of the spoodle. So if the line at Starbucks is a bit longer in the morning, just remind yourself that it must be the spoodle.

Dear Whoever is stealing my internet,

Hi. How are you? Enjoy the snow today? Got the day to spend it inside STEALING MY INTERNET. Im sorry, I know we just met and all, but Im frustrated. With you. I know its not your fault that my landlord made the lame decision to have our internet not password protected. But that doesnt mean you have use it. Unless you are one of my roommates, which I do not think you are becasue one is a sleep and one is watching a movie with her boyfriend. Thats right, I waited until the night to see if I could upload my photos of the lovely snow we had today. I thought maybe the internet would be as fast as you know, someone who isnt stealing it is on it, sorta way. But noooooo, still so slow and I still dont have my snow photos up to share with my friends and family. Do you feel ashamed of yourself now? Not only for stealing but for keeping such a thing from perfect strangers? Well you should be. So please kindly get off my internet and buy your own. Its a perfect last minute Valentines gift to yourself.

Sincerely,
alisa

…sad becasue I thought pressing flowers was easy.

…annoyed at the wind.

…glad that I spent $20 dollars on car cleaning items.

…unsure if the newly wrapped present looks manly or not.

…watching season six of Friends.

…drinking Cherry Coke Zero instead of a beer.

…waiting for all my newly printed photos to come to hang on the wall.

…going to reread P.S. I Love You after seeing the movie last night.

…missing my family. Why wont they call back?

…in the process of doing my taxes.

Yesterday was a very long day. Check that, this week has been very long, full of very long days. Yesterday though I over booked myself. But the end of my day was my favorite. My friends asked me if I would watch their 6 month old daughter, who is also my favorite baby, Emma for a couple of hours. I jumped on the chance and loved spending time with her and feeding her. During our time together I, like most any human being had to use the restroom. I look at Emma and ask her “Emma, what do your parents do with you when they have to go the bathroom?” She smiles and squeals at me for an answer. What do I do? I bring her with me into the bathroom. I put her down on the bathroom mat with a toy. She was fine the whole time, but I did confess what I did to Emma’s parents when they returned home. They kinda laughed at me and said I could of left her alone for a couple minutes since she isn’t mobile yet. This is not something you think to ask when the parents are going over the baby-sitter stuff before they leave. But next time Im asking “What do you do with the baby when you have to go to the bathroom?”

I enjoyed some tasty Chiplote tacos today. And tonight I pray for snow and NOT ice for the morning. I can work from home and watch the snow fall. And run outside every once and a while when I need a brake. I mention the tacos becasue I think its funny, let alone not really cold weather food, to be eating. But I love Mexican food as a good southern California girl does, it is my comfort food. So what do you like to eat when its cold outside?

I worked at 7am this morning which for Starbucks isnt terribly early, but its still dark and cold out. Im quickly making my way to my car and slip off my porch steps tripping into the gravel. It hurts, but worse than a fall I caught myself with should. I dusted myself off and realize there is something not coming off my knee. Sitting in my car I turn on a light to discover a nail has gone through my pants and is in my knee. A NAIL! IN MY KNEE! I quickly pull it out and go to work because a) I needed to be on time and b) I didnt want to wake my roommates rushing around trying to clean it up. Work is a 5 minute drive, but it was enough time for me to panic over what my knee may look like. There was blood, but not a whole lot. Enough to qualify for a band-aid which work’s first aid kit was fresh out of. I makeshift a band aid with a swab and tape and off to work I went. After making a few calls reporting my freak accident there became a senesces that I should get a testiness shot. So I went and got myself a testiness shot. My arm is sore and my knee is sore. Happy stinken New Year to me!

What day is it? The days have been long and I had to confirm three different times that it is now in fact Friday. Im still adjusting to the fact that I do have weekends to look forward to as off times. Ive worked lots of hours in preparation for having two weeks in less than a week. Lets hope Im still in one peice when that day does come! I dont have a packing list written up on an index card nor my suitcase out to help me prepack. So unlike me, just goes to show how much I havnt been at my house this week.I have a full weekend planned again, very much looking forward to that. Packing will just have to wait. And for the delight, here is the trailer for the new Narnia movie. You know you are excited. Maybe Prince Caspian would be a good airplane book if I can find myself a copy.

What a wonderful fall week we have been having. People are saying the rain brought in the cold weather. Complainers of cold weather this time of year in this part of the country need to look into moving. Its the end of October. The leaves are officially changing and the crisp weather is here to stay. It got below freezing last night. I loved driving pass the frost over the park I now drive by on my way to my new work. I am loving my new job. It will feel weird going to the ‘Bucks tomorrow instead of the church. Im stilling settling, taking it all in and learning. Thursday I will actually get to met some of the kids I have seen and heard about. The staff has been wonderfully welcoming, though its hard that they all know my name but I have 40 (plus 200 kids) names to learn. Today I had a lady who I met before ask me if I could get my boss to email her someone’s email address. I had to ask her again who she was. I know they are understand and it keeps me humble I guess. Im slowly making my little space in the “party cube” my office area is called my own. I share a room that its in fourths with of course three other women. Really enjoy working with people around me, but also getting used to theres no real privacy like my old officey jobs had. As full as my week has been and is going to be, Im looking forward to the change. I just hope to find a good balance without too trouble along the way.

Ohi again. I have some news to share with you all. Some very exciting news. I got a new job! Long story short, my friend is a high school youth pastor and he created a job for me to come to do at his church. Its basically planning and coordinating the events/retreats and their youth group night. I also get to work with their student leadership team since its a student lead youth group. This means that I will be stepping down at Starbucks to twenty hours a week to keep my benefits. Finally, a full time job, it will just be in two different places. To help ease the pain that is me stepping down, I told my manger I would help train my replacement for two weeks. So, yay!

How is everyone doing? Excited? Yeah? Me too. If you havn’t already, go to: Dunder Mifflin Infinity and apply to be apart of your own Dunder Mifflin branch. Im currently watching Ed Homles (Andy) on the Today Show, which was a pleasant surprise. Im going to try and not watch my favorite Jim and Pam video too many times today. That shouldnt stop you though, you dont have many Office things to do before tonight. So Im off to stick a stapler in jell-o. Hope you a great Office day.

Oh, hi. This past weekend I went on my churches first retreat of any kind with six other women (well 7 if we are counting Baby Emma). It was a nice little get away that gave us time to get to know each other and talk about all sorts of things. There was food, homemade and BBQ. Had delicious pumpkin ice cream and a bite of pumpkin fudge (never mind it was 86 degrees out, I was getting into the fall spirit!).

Last week I spend good part of the day with my pastor’s family. They are in the process of trying to adopt a child from China. This weekend when talking about it, we referred to her as “China Baby” which sounds so un-PC. I took pictures of their family for their application process, along with their home. Since their kids are home school I took their “school” photos. I dont know if I took what they were thinking or not. Guess we’ll find out when I deliver their photos this week. You’d probably know about the photos Im speaking of if you followed my flickr stream. Im not here to guilt you into checking it or anything. I just tend to update that more than my blog these days.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, some news. This is a full week for me, working an actual 40 hour work week along with having plans with friends and the return of The Office on Thursday. Ive been watching this place being built for weeks, maybe a month now. A Chipolte on my side of town! There was on where Jason used to live, but now that he lives over on the good side of town (my side) I barely go over there. So I have missed Chipolte, so think my excitement when I saw them building one! There were men in with Chipolte shirts on at work and I asked where my burrito was. They said that they were fresh out but on Thursday it would be a day of free food all day Thursday. FREE CHIPOLTE?! On my day off and the day The Office returns? Thursday can not come sooner, burritos for breakfast lunch and dinner!

I really do enjoy smelling good. This past winter, from advice from a friend I stopped wearing any kind of lotion with a scent to it. My skin had become so itchy that I was going a little crazy. This still baffles me since I grew up in Southern California which is basically a desert. Dry is what I know. To help fight my battle with dry itchy skin, I went on a lotion hunt all the while finding out that lotions with scents in it could set off the skin to itch. I banded all my scented lotions to the back of my bathroom shelf until now. I was getting out of my first-aid tubberwear and found the forbidden lotions. I thought that since its summer and I haven’t felt real dry, (which by the way makes no scene to me since in California only time I was dry was in the summer) Id see if my skin was up to smelling good. I’ve never been a girl who had a scent so it feels a little weird when I do. But the past two days of smelling good has been so lovely. I will smell this pretty green fresh smell and think “What is that wonderful smell?” only to realize that it is me! Better use all the lotion I can while summer still sticks around.

Anyone else in the mood for some fruit? I sure am. That has turn into my dessert of choice. When I grabbed some dinner last week, I got a couple of plums for dessert. Last night I had some strawberry shortcake and it was fine, but afterwards I wished I had a bowl full of strawberries instead. I don’t know what this change in my taste buds are, but Im glad for it being that fruit is much better for me. Only problem with this craving is currently have is that its hard to instantly give into it. And its good for me! Why is it hard? Becasue when I go to the super market later, Im gonna pick out some yummy looking fruit. I will bring it home and wash it and put in a paper towel to eat and take a good bite to only find out its not ripe yet! I spend a lot of time gently testing fruit to find an already ripe one, but I rarely can find one. I have to wait a day or two before getting the sweet nectar that I long for. Maybe I should just get some juice to hold me over.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I’m working today, but time and half makes it not so bad (and I don’t have to close!). This past weekend I got a new lens. His name is Q and he is a wide angle lens and takes some pretty photos. Cant wait to try it out on some portraits. Whos first?

Its been a full weekend of events between some closing shifts. Jason has been moving and Ive been trying as I can (big heavy boxes and furniture Im not so good with). Unpacking is the main task now, which is slowly coming along, the new lens has sorta been distracting. We did catch up on Feasting on Asphalt too. I love Alton Brown and do enjoy Good Eats, but Feasting on Asphalt is the best. It may have something to do with the cameras and amazing photos they take. I love it for the characters that make you just want to get on a bike and join their crazy adventure becasue they feel like friends. I added the first season (its currently on the second season) to my Christmas Wish list. There is going to be a marathon of this season before the last show soon, so you should catch that. Also, hes going be in the state on the 29th. You know Im going to do everything within my power to go to that.
My love for Alton just sorta took over there for a moment. What else happened this weekend is that friends of mine had twin girls who Ive been waiting and praying for since, well the beginning of it all. So excited that they are here for Jeff and Adriene, I cant wait to met them. Also an old coworker of mine got engaged the same day the girls where born, so it was just pretty exciting Sunday.
The weather was lovely this weekend, I even pulled on my favorite cotton 3/4s tee. September is officially here, time to get chilly! I will even start walking again with the weather cooler, which Im looking forward to. Bring on fall, so all the other great things can follow; pumpkin spice lattes (Starbucks already has these but its too warm still for me to consume one), falling leaves, doc martins, and soups.

“Who put shit on the fridge?!”

My roommates and I do not know who put this word on our fridge. But I find it very funny and clever since I was the one who said “Who put shit on the fridge?” Very, very clever.

(After some research we do believe it was one of Kelly’s guy friends who helped her move in. I like that guy.)

coffee-stained.com/

If you been around me much at all, you know my love for Harvey Seatbelt Bags . They send emails once a month tempting me and I always forward them on to Jason as a hint. Strange how seatbelts folded into a cute bag pull me in. And its the same design really, just different size and colors. Today I got an email from them with huge letters in red that said SALE. That word that many times is deceiving, but I clicked anyways. Ladies, it is truley a sale! My first Harvey bag is $40 cheaper than when Jason bought for me years ago. Ive been eyeing a baquette for a while now, and was going to ask for it for my next birthday (its what Jason gets me, a new bag) but its a steal! So I just ordered it because last time I saw a purse I wanted on Harveys site, I waited to think over it a bit and then when I went to order it was sold out. I wasnt letting that happen again at such a good price! If you have been hearing me singing Harvey Seatbelt Bag praises over the years and been wanting to check them out, do so now. Get on thier great sale they are having and get one for your very own!