Yeah... Sure.. We'll go with that

Energy Saving Mode (ESM) has been in full effect here at North of 10th. The hot weather is a perfect time to go into ESM. This weekend I have been so incredibly hot that it's just gross. It's a constant battle between do I want to be hot and sweaty or spend money on my summer electric bill and just make my humble abode an ice castle. I usually land somewhere in the middle.

My brother ever so eloquently pointed out that I have neglected my blog for at least a whole month. Yeah yeah.... I could say to him, that he hasn't send me any exciting NiBo Hawaiian adventures for me to share with you either, so ha! 

Have any of you just been so incredibly bored that you start thinking of ridiculous things to do? My current ridiculous thought is going back to school, for a for-me-degree. I graduated six years ago with my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. It was one of those, this is what I should do decisions. It makes sense, Bachelor's in Science is nice. Then when you are 2.5 years in and doing imaginary number math up to your eyeballs you have that thought that maybe this isn't what you want to be doing. I've always said I wanted to be a teacher and with my current job at the insurance company as a trainer, I can start to actually see that I'm kind of good at it. On top of that I love learning things, I'm good at researching the crap out of things on even just life purchases like a car, add to that a little bit of fun, like say history and I'm hooked. I casually browsed Arizona State University's online programs, and it just so happens they have both Bachelor's and Master's online degrees for History. Hmmm. My ideal job in life would be a historian, ideally working at some grand Museum sharing the stories of the past with others.

Some of the pros: 
- It's all online so I wouldn't have to quit my job 
- I'd be in no hurry to finish, so I could take one class here and there as my wallet allows

Cons: 
- Is a for-me-degree really worth it in the longrun? 
- what if I never do anything with it, was it a waste? 

What will come of this? Who knows, I have a tendency to work myself up about these things, then just slowly back away. Just ask anyone in my family. I don't know though, we shall see. Would be cool to eventually get more degrees and be Dr. 'North of 10th' and maybe I could add some archeology in there too just like Dr. Jones and go all Raiders of the Lost Ark on life... could be cool right? 

Happy Trails To You

My Dear Page Turner, 

Do you remember that one time where we...

... Painted Christmas Pottery when it was after Christmas?

... or that time we were caterers at a recycled wedding?

... or to add a little sunshine to our day we had a Hawaiian shirt Thursday?

... what about that time 2009 when Michael Jackson died and we gave him a one glove salute?

... remember when the goose was the CP mascot, then it got held for ransom and adopted to the CSA's? 

... or when we had bookclub in your town on that patio at the mansion?

Because I do. I remember all these fun times we've had and all the ones that don't have pictures to caption.

I've tried very hard to remember back to when we first met and became friends. I guess it's kind of cool that I don't remember, that must mean it just came so natural. I'm sure OL took me over to the street one day and I just kept coming back for more. You guys made it look so cool to be a CP (man was I fooled)

I know you won't be far away but I'm sure going to miss you. I'm going to miss the sarcastic IM conversations, who is going to keep my chair warm now during the stand ups?! Who will I go to if there are executor paperwork questions? I'm honestly too young to be going through the retirement of a good pal and I fear your partner in crime won't be far behind, then what will I do? How do you even begin to explain the awesomeness of the two Alice's? How would you even begin to tell that story?

We've shared so many laughs, most of the time at other's expenses, you got me to pick up books again, given solid advice pulled from your wise years, got me started on my blog and you know what? You are irreplaceable. I'm going to miss you. 

I hope you had a great last day, I wish Skinny and I's plans to keep you here would have worked a little better. But you've inspired us all that it's never to late to take a chance on happiness and follow your dreams. Good Luck Page Turner and I hope all your sweet dreams come true! 

This is going to be hard to look at for a while though, every time I walk by I'll make a bird call in your honor. It'll be hard to fill your seat.... no really, they have to talk to like several people and get corporate to agree that there is a business need to replace you, then it will have to go to a committee to be approved, then there will have to be a posting (with lackluster applicants) and then they will have to interview and take their pulse and make sure they have one before they put in a job offer..... I mean literally, it's going to be hard for them to replace you.

As you ride into your last sunset away from the Farm... Happy Trails Page Turner and best of luck! I'll see ya real soon.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It's the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here's a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Go Get Your Mail

I’m at a perplexing crossroads in my life I feel like lately. Which is slightly absurd when I really think about it. I have a steady job that I have no fear of losing, I’m finally getting things paid off, I live with my grandparents so I don’t have much to worry about in the form of housing, but I just completely feel like something is missing and I can’t even to begin to figure it out.

While talking with a friend the other day contemplating applying for a position in the company that on paper sounds just like what I need. A job that would allow me to travel, more money, and work more with people BUT it could possibly involve moving to a random state and picking a random city to live in, inside I FREAK out. There are possibly other positions that could become available in the Dallas area, but a few weeks ago when I started really considering it I broke out in hives… hives?! That has never happened in my life. I’ve come to the realization that I am a complete chicken shizz when it actually comes down to making a big change like moving to a place where I know no one. The idea on paper seems whimsical, a chance to start a new, meet new people, see new places.. but logistically it scares the crap out of me. Where do you pick to live, how will you make friends, bills, is it safe. O. M.G. freak out.  Then I think about being so far from home, missing my family, and who would take care of poor little Oliver if I couldn’t take him with me? So as I’m sharing my internal freak out thoughts with my friend, she tells me in a better way, but basically I need to stop being so scared of life and get out there and make things happen. She feels she has lost out on so much in her life because she was too scared. When she first moved to the area she lived in an upstairs apartment and was too scared to go outside and around to the front to get her mail, she made her husband go and get it.

I know I need to just suck it up and “go get my mail” but how and where do you even begin to start? I’m in desperate need of some sort of change whether that be in my career or in my personal life, like finding a passion or a new hobby or something. I just crave something and I can’t even figure out what that something is. A big part of me is just so scared to take a chance. I’m so careful and I have been my whole life, I just always like to have a safety net there to catch me, or more so I guess, it’s just easier to not try and then you don’t fail, but that won’t move you forward. It’s exhausting these days trying to figure this all out. I’ve mentioned it before, but life events in these economic times are just so skewed from what they used to be. Many people my age still live at home because they can’t find jobs etc etc. Which means the whole “adulthood” has been pushed back a bit. I just don’t know….

How do you get over being such a chicken shizz and make something happen? I’m not saying life has handed me lemons by any means, I know I’ve got it pretty good. I’m just missing that icing on the cake, that extra sweetness to make it just that much better. I’m ready to “go get my mail” I just don’t know where the mailbox is…

Who Knew 60 Seconds Could Be So Humbling

Sometimes you can give yourself way too much credit. I was this close to signing up for a 10k through the countryside in June but after tonight I don't know about that, I have until May 14th to try to kick my butt into high gear.

My dad and I have signed up for our high school's 'Biggest Loser Falcon Style' contest, so I have some extra motivation. I've been trying to watch what I've been eating but to become a contender I had to stop researching and planning and kick into high gear and put my planning into action, to the track I went.

I have the C25K (couch to 5k) and an ease into 10k app for my wonderful iPhone. I was so pumped when I found the countryside race and I'm thinking in my head I know I'm a little out of shape but I think I can handle the first week's training of the 10k no problem.... man was I wrong. Since my dad was joining me we took it slow and went with the 5k training, sounds simple enough right?! A brisk five-minute warmup walk then alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes then a five-minute cool down, this is just week 1, it's only going to increase from here. Holy Moly is 60 seconds a long time, I am not in as near of good shape as my mind thought, lungs definately showed mind who was boss tonight. Towards the end I finally got to where I didn't think I was going to die.

This app is great though, you can listen to your own music and then the nice British lady will tell you when to run and when to walk (I may have walked a little longer on some) Ya gotta start somewhere right?

 My mind saw Prefontaine greatness..

My body said Homer Simpson...

If I Were a Rich Girl na, na, na, na, na, na...

A mentioned awhile back that the local small town florist has closed up shop. I've always had a dream of starting my own business, what it would be I never really knew, it could be a florist. I like the idea of getting to be creative. We were having a discussion at work about our futures. 'Old Lady' was giving Francy pants and I a stern talking to. She sees our potential even though we may not see it as clearly.

We both know we are driven individuals. I myself hear that people say I have great potential and am a good worker blah blah blah, but I honestly never really hear it. 'Old Lady' says we need more self confidence, I agree 120%. I know I do, some of that though comes from others and reassurance that I'm doing a good job. Because honestly if I don't hear something from someone I assume I am average joe just scraping by.

Even as I generic google search for "How to start a floral business" it is overwhelming. I worked at a greenhouse as my first job and got to dabble a little bit with the cut flowers. With a little bit of direction I'm pretty sure I could pick up on it quick, I have an eye for that sort of thing. The stress comes from where to even begin. I know nothing about starting your own business. There are several people from town who have started their own business's, but how? I have no idea how you even begin or where. How do you do the books, how do you have money to buy your inventory and start up costs etc etc etc. I have a building picked out, I'd need someone who knows anything about flowers to be my teacher and work for me, but how do I pay them? I could make a really cute little shop. Nothing big just the basics to start out with then I could get bigger.

There is defiantly a niche to be filled here in GC. Who will do proms and dances, where will people get flowers for funerals, how do you even make funeral flower pieces. What kind of stuff would you need on hand to start out with? I'm overwhelmed just thinking about it. But it's still something that sounds fun. If anyone knows anyone who has their own business and knows where to start even asking questions let me know. Or if anyone with a floral background would want to partner on a small town florist let me know!!!

What would I even call this imaginary maybe could happen down the road florist? Honestly this is something on my radar, so even if it doesn't happen now and here, If I prepare and research maybe in the future it'll happen. It's never to late.

And also my excuse for my life to begin is always money. If If If I had more money I could do the things I want. Oprah if you hear me, I don't want money if you could just use your powerful resources to point a gal in the right direction, and maybe have Nate help set up my shop I'd love some assistance, I'm not asking for money, just a break and a little nudge.

I'd also like to give a shout-out to my pal Francy Pants. You were a great date to the What Women Want Now expo and I look forward to many more fun adventures and motivation to get us through and learn our full potential.

I'm very lucky to have so many people who believe in my potentional (even though I'm not yet living up to the full amount) and encouraging words, stern talking to's, and little nudges. I'll think about it ;)

I blame you all for this..

So since you guys gave nice feedback and encouragement about my pictures that I posted the other day from my college photography class I have been well I wouldn't say obsessive quite but definitely highly encouraged and motivated.

As you might be able to tell it doesn't take a whole whole lot for me to get very excited about something and let's face it I'm in a rut still and anything to break up the monotony of my daily routine is much appreciated.

I have the kind of personality where if I get an idea I usually research it and research it and research it and get excited about it then usually allow the level headed too grown up for her own good HB pop in my head and talk me out of things. I had a conversation the other day with a friend about crazy things we wanted to do, mine was go to Sturgis..well why don't you they asked. My bottom line was money.. sad but unfortch it's just really what everything is about, well here is another dream smashed because of the green, well not completely smashed just highly on hold.

But now I really have an itch to take pictures again. I do have my point and shoot camera but it's capabilities really are limited. The picture above really is the camera I would like to have a Nikon D3000 DSLR. I think I've mentioned before in a post about how I really do just want to learn everything there is to know about whatever I possibly can in my lifetime. Photography could be my true calling maybe. (I'm on a kick where I think it only takes one small step to set into motion my future.) For example, what if I do pursue my love for photography, get the camera (it is entry level but not cheap) take a few pictures, master photoshop, take some more pictures... I could be in the right place at the right time, take an amazing photo travel the world for national geographic or have a TIME cover worthy change the life kind of photo (when I dream I dream big.) It could be the ticket out of the humdrum I'm stuck in and be the thing I need.

Well anyway.. that's my little tangent. So if you'd like to donate funds (I kid, I kid)... Mom it's on the Christmas List fo sho!

Dear Gym..

Words cannot express how sorry I am that we haven't seen each other as much as we should. It's not you... it's me. I just feel that sometimes you can be a cruel mistress, with your elipitical machines and bench press taunting me. I will take part of the blame but I also feel like Dairy Queen should be a little at fault too, she had taunted me with Blizzard treats and has kept me away. This other evil place called "work" has some blame as well. I get some tired once I come from this place that I don't really want to come see you. I promise I will try to do a better job and start coming to see you more often. I do hope you will understand. If it makes you feel any better I have been visiting your friend outdoor activies named Tennis and Softball.. does that help at all?

Hope to see you soon!
Love,
Heather

If I Had a Million Dollars

If you found out you won a million dollars this second what would you do? Would you quit your job, keep working, invest it or spend it all.

If I had a million dollars I obviously won the lottery or pulled a Ann Nicole and married an old geezer, I will not be getting any sort of inheritance from anyone in my family (that I know of at least. Dear family if any of you are sitting on a huge nest egg.. remember me!)

Assuming that I don't fall victim to the lottery winners curse and hit rock bottom after I have tricked my truck and expanded my double wide, I have a few ideas on what I would like to do with that much dough.

First and foremost I would pay off my debt.. student loans, car, motorycle, etc. etc. Then before I do anything else it would probably be a smart idea to speak with a financial planner just to see what I really had to work with. I don't know if would ever quit working, I think would get too bored.. but I would definately quit working for while if I had enough money to do so.

I would also give some money to charity and to some close family and maybe a little bit to some close friends who have truely been there for me (there aren't many at the moment) it would be difficult to choose what charities to give to hmmm.. I might have to think on this a bit more

Then I would travel.. I would travel all over the world. Just be a student of the world meet all kinds of people see all kinds of amazing things, maybe have odd jobs here and there. I wouldn't go out and spend tons and tons of money on silly things, I would probably just buy the simple folk things that I want now but can't afford.

What would you do with a million dollars?

A Long Way From GA?

Moving sucks. I have moved from GC -> my 1 bedroom apt in Champaign -> my two bedroom apartment in Champaign -> back to GC and here I sit. But I want to move so bad, not because I'm unhappy where I am I just want to have the experience of living in another state. I want to meet new people and experience new things. I have narrowed down my state selection to the south. I think that I am a southern girl at heart just born in the Midwest. Georgia is my first choice. It is such a beautiful state and so much to see and such tradition, the same well for really any state on my list here. My other choice are South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and maybe Tennessee. I think there is just something liberating about just up and moving. It won't be easy and I don't pretend to think that it would be. I'm still young and have a lot of years left in me, so why waste them all in one place. I wish I had an infinite amount of money so that I could travel, I mean I've never even flown anywhere.

It sounds corny but I just want to be a life student.. no not school. Just learning from people listening to their stories. I wish I was one of those people who could just walk up to a stranger (not a creepy stalker I have candy stranger) just someone I don't know and strike up a conversation. I have so much admiration for people who just backpack through Europe and rely on the generosity of others, just getting to know people. I have alot of things on my bucket list that I would like to do but I really would like to move to Georgia. Just waiting for a few things to get paid off and some money saved and within the next couple of years hopefully I will coming to to you live from GA!

My favorite blog The Frisky has some other reasons why moving is a good thing:

1. Change is good. Whether you’re stuck in a rut or just think you are, moving to a new city can help push you in new directions. The challenge of relocation and the inevitable excitement of “finding yourself” again in a new place force you to rethink who you are, and what you really want out of life.

2. Diversity rules. If you’ve always lived in the same place, there are a great many benefits. You’ve got close family, a tight circle of friends, and you know your place backwards and forwards. There is something comfortable about fitting in. But encountering new types of people and new ways of living will reshape who you thought you were into who you can become.

3. Eat it up. You’re not merely changing your place on a map. Depending on how far you go, you’re exposing yourself to a whole new culture. Never lived in the South? That’s a whole differently culinary experience. Dying to immerse yourself in the ethnic melting pot that is New York City? Go for it! Your palate and your outlook will never be the same.

4. It’s not that hard. The secret to moving on a quasi-regular basis is simple. Don’t accrue too much stuff. Think about what you really need. Various experiences in my life have taught me that it’s not what you have in the world, it’s what you have inside. Dump the chairs and extra clothes. When you live light, you can gather more experiences, and, in the end, that’s what counts.

5. It’s not permanent. Don’t like where you end up? Don’t worry! You can always move again. Just make sure you give it a chance, before you go back to the place from whence you came. Whether you’re working out at a new yoga studio, meeting new friends that you only knew online previously, or are wading into a whole new dating pool, if you embrace your new city, it may embrace you right back.