Getting Bored Again...

So I was doing really well at posting new entries for awhile...but...I think I got tired of not being read so I stopped again. Well, I'm back - for right now, I don't know if I'll really keep up with it.

I finally got a job. It's at an entertainment store - music, movies, books - that sort of thing. I love shopping there and I applied there awhile back. Today was my first day of training. I was supposed to do training on the computer, but instead they had me train on the floor. It was okay - fast-paced; it was Saturday so that figures. I hope I end up really liking it there - it'll help when I really get to know everything that needs to be known.

NHL preseason started about a week ago. The Canucks have played two games so far and have another game tonight - starting in a few minutes. Unfortunately they have lost their first two preseason games - but it doesn't matter at all, since it IS preseason. October 9th is their first regular game - I believe I have the right date.

Shane and I went down to my parents' house this evening for supper. My sister is home for the weekend so I wanted to make sure I saw her. I just found out tonight before supper that my Aunt and Uncle that also live in the same town as my parents just got a new dog! They've had her since Monday, I guess. Okay...here's the whole story:

When I was still a baby - just learning to talk - my Aunt took me to get a puppy. We picked out a small jack-russell terrier. She asked me what I wanted to name her and I said "Dog." She asked if there was something else I wanted to name her and this time I said what sounded like "B B Dog." Let me explain - I had two stuffed dolls when I was that age, one was a dog puppet that sort of looked like a jack-russell terrier that I called Dog and the other a pink and white baby doll that I called Baby. I believe the "B B" was meant to be "Baby." Anyway - the name stuck and for 16ish years the dog's name was B.B. Dog. She was one of those dogs that's really hard to find - really nice, sweet, quiet-ish. Well, she died a few years back. My Uncle's daughter bought them a new jack-russell puppy awhile after. She was named Pepper and she was terrible! She was too active, she barked a lot, and she almost never calmed down! They had to get rid of her - it was just too hard to take care of a dog like that. Well anyway...recently they saw in the paper that in the next town over the cops had found a jack-russell dog and needed a home for it. My Uncle has really been itching for a new dog so they went to go look at her on Monday and ended up bringing her home! She's really sweet. It was like seeing B.B. Dog again - I really almost cried. They named her Lady and that's exactly how she acts - just like a lady. :D

Anyway, I'm glad they have a good dog again. And I'm glad that they only live half hour away so I can go see them and Lady quite a bit.

I guess that's all I have to say right now. If I decide to keep posting I'll probably be keeping you up to date on Canucks games and scores and how my job is going - so if that interests you, keep coming back!

To All: Happy Hockey Season!

A Job Comin' Along...

Well, I got a call today from one of the places that interviewed me for a job. They asked me to come in to get my drug test paperwork. So, that's what I did. I made my appointment and tomorrow I'll go in for the test. I guess that means that if I pass the drug test (which I will) I've got the job. That's really good - 'cause, you know, it's been awhile since I've worked - ha.

Once everything is official you'll know about it, but for now I probably shouldn't say anything more about it.

Finally A Sports Season I Get!

It's finally almost hockey season!

To the right is the first part of the preseason schedule for the Canucks - my team. (I know it's a little hard to see - it got blurry when I made it smaller.)

The Canucks' first game is against the Calgary Flames on September 21st.

Back when I was first "introduced" to the Canucks they had their Dream Team. Naslund, Cloutier, the Sedins, Bertuzzi, Morrison, Linden. The Sedin twins - Henrik and Daniel - are the only ones left on the Canucks. Todd Bertuzzi now plays for the Red Wings. Brendan Morrison played for the Capitals last season. All the others are retired.

I used to keep up with the Red Wings before I started watching the Canucks so to have to go back to the Wings for Todd Bertuzzi won't hurt me too much. And of course, the Canucks will always be my team.

It would be amazing if I could get to a Canucks game this season - but I'm sure it's just not going to happen. It would be a dream to get to go to Vancouver for a game! Especially if Bif Naked was also having a show while we were there - ha.

Anyway, all I have to say is: Happy Hockey Season!

A Lion Among Men.

This is the book I'm currently reading. You should go look for it and the trilogy's first two books - Wicked and Son of a Witch.

I mentioned this series in an earlier post. The first book is the story of the Wicked Witch of the West - Elphaba. It explains why she was green, why she's so angry, and where the heck the flying monkeys came from. The author, Gregory Maguire, also incorporates the well-known story of The Wizard of Oz. It all works up to Dorothy showing up in Munchkinland and the death of the Witch.

The second book, Son of a Witch, is all about Liir - the "supposed" son of Elphaba. All through the book we don't actually find out if Liir is Elphaba's son or not, but we're led through his interesting adventures having a "guardian" like the Witch. We follow him as he meets Dorothy and her crew before she returns to Kansas.

A Lion Among Men has had its ups and downs for me. At one point I'm completely enthralled by the story, but the next minute I could completely lose interest. Maybe it's just me, but I've been having a little trouble staying "in" this book. I am still only a little over half through the book and I started it a couple months ago. I don't want this to deter anyone from reading this book.

In this book Maguire tells the story of the Cowardly Lion. We first meet him in the first book, but only briefly. In the third book we read how he came to be found by Dorothy, but not before we learn his background. You also find that he's really not that cowardly, just a little nervous and shy. As I said, I'm not finished with the book so I really can't say much about it.

If you were like me and had so many unanswered questions after watching The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked series is a great read. Maguire has an amazing talent for taking one of the best-known films and getting us more involved with the lives of the characters. I have not read the original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, but I wonder if the movie followed the novel very closely or if the writers took a lot of liberties with the story and characters. I also wonder if Baum wrote more of the characters' histories/backgrounds - and, perhaps, that's where Maguire got his inspiration. Either way, I love the series.

The first book of the series, Wicked, was turned into a Broadway play that became very famous. Of course, it's a musical. I have not seen the play but I have the soundtrack and by following the songs it doesn't seem like the play is exactly like the book. But you can only do so much when making a novel into a play, right? I'm excited to, eventually, see the play.

My sister and I had never seen The Wizard of Oz when were younger. When I was in junior high (I think...) our Mom got the part of Glinda in the play - performed by the Minden Community Players. That was the first time I'd seen it, but the story is a classic one and so nothing really came as a surprise to me. However, reading Wicked changed how I looked at the story. The way you see the main characters almost flip-flops from the way you feel about them in the movie. Obviously, everyone knows The Wicked Witch of the West is the "bad guy." She's ugly, green, and dresses in all black. And what's up with those flying monkeys? Glinda is most definitely the Good Witch - all polite, calm, and beautiful. But after reading the first book in the trilogy, you see that The Wicked Witch was justified in everything she did, she wasn't just "evil." And Glinda, well...what can I say? Glinda was kind of a bratty, spoiled, rich girl. I don't know - she's still Good, but she's a little too static a character to stay interesting. Glinda doesn't have a book all about her, now does she?

So, in closing...read these three books. They probably won't change your life, but they will entertain you - of that I am sure.

Ouch.

Here's a story for you - and you have every right to laugh at me.

The other day I was back at my parents' house. Mom was getting some things ready for a garage sale that they're going to have this month. In my old room there was a shoebox full - and I mean FULL - of my sister's and my earrings. Now, I use to "hoard" earring when I was in high school. Really, I bought lots of earring because I had lots of ear piercings. I found a pack of earrings that I use to love wearing - tiny little studs in bright colors. I thought I might try to see if my piercings were still open. I haven't worn all my earrings for years. Currently I have 13 ear piercings, but I've only been wearing 5 for a really long time. Now, I was super excited to find that I could get earrings in ALL the holes. So I went home like that.

Because I hadn't had so much metal in my ear cartilage that they almost instantly felt pretty stiff, but all piercings are like that. Cartilage is pretty temperamental. That was five days ago. I know have two red, swollen and semi-infected ears. I still have in the regular 5 earrings I wear, but the other 8 HAD to come out.

You know who Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is. Well, I'd like to introduce you to Kaylee the Red-Eared Moron who that she could be cool again and wear all 13 earrings. :( It's a longer name, but it's very fitting.

Chili.

Who doesn't like a nice, warm bowl of chili? A little bit of spice, a little bit of cheese, a couple crackers...yum! And to top it off - cinnamon rolls!

That's what I'm making for tonight's supper. It's just cool enough outside today to make a person want warm soup. I make my chili in the slow-cooker all day. I started it around 9:30 this morning and it's going to be cooking until we eat around 6 this evening. I am so ready for it!

We had homemade chili out at Shane's Grandpa's farm for supper on Saturday. It really got me in the mood for fall and winter-type meals; all-day chili, ham and beans, chicken noodle soup. Oh, yum!

What I Would Do If I Had A Job.

That's a loaded title. I could easily say "Well, I would work." Har har.

I would be happy if I got a job in the near future. I wouldn't be so stressed out when it came to paying the bills every month. I would feel comfortable about Christmas - buying gifts and all that jazz.

I do feel bad that I haven't found a job yet. All the interviews I've had are just making me more and more discouraged. They all seem to go extremely well, "We'll give you a call by such-and-such day. It was really nice to meet you. We're glad you're so flexible with your hours and will take any position we offer."...Do I ever get a call back? I'm pretty sure it's not my cell phone's fault that those are the only calls I'm not getting.

I have an interview this afternoon. I am hoping for the best, but part of me is taking it worth a grain of salt - I've had so many interviews, this is just another one. The interview is a business that I frequent on a regular basis. Shane and I go there all the time, even when we don't need to. It seems like it would be a great place to work - now, just to get the job.

What would I do if I had a job? I would work. And I would enjoy it.

One Side.

This is the latest picture of myself with my husband's side of the family. This was taken outside the barn at Shane's Grandpa's farm. It's beautiful out there! This is the second Labor Day Yetter Photo I've had the chance to be part of. I know a lot of people don't necessarily get along well with their in-laws, but I love my in-laws. They're not even in-laws to me; more like just an extension of the family I already had. Big families are great families.

(From left to right: Josh, Ben, Dad, Mom, Me, Shane.)

Oh, What a Beautiful Day.

...except for the wind...

I had a good weekend. Shane and I went to his Grandpa's farm for a family reunion/labor day get-together. Sunday got really windy, hot, and dusty so I went back to my parents-in-law's house with my mother-in-law. My brother-in-law and his ...friend? (smile)...went back to. We just hung out and watched some TV in the air conditioning and went to bed early. Ben and Elaine went home last night. Today Mom and I just sat around and visiting - it was really nice. After noon Shane, his youngest brother, and his Dad got back to the house and Shane and I headed home. It's nice to be home. I actually unpacked! Shane and I played a little Guitar Hero, too.

Shane goes back to work tomorrow morning. And I'm heading to Wilcox to clean and visit the family. And that's about how things are going. I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week ahead of them. :)

Oh Lovely Issues.

I can't go into detail. Normally I would because I believe that if you do something wrong you should be called out. I just don't feel like opening up something I closed. Sure, I'm still upset about what's going on and what we heard last night only added fuel. But you know, this person is going to realize - one day - that what he's doing is wrong and hopefully he'll learn from his mistakes and become a better person. That's all I can hope for at this moment. If he doesn't learn and change then I pray that everybody that comes into his life doesn't get hurt like we have been.

All I want to say is How dare you talk about us like that. I don't even care what you say about me, but you cannot talk about my husband that way. How can you live with yourself when you do what you do?

There. I have vented my frustration and I'm breathing again. Thank you for listening.