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Showing posts from February, 2012

Does anyone even do stand up comedy anymore?

So, I was trying out my act with a couple of friends tonight. I'm not really sure that stand up comedy is a good choice of a new career path. I mean, unless you are a late night host (or Ellen Degeneres), does anyone do stand up anymore? And, I mean, I really don't want a whole TV show or anything. I really think they may have been laughing because I was laughing. More laughing than I have done in a while. And to think we were out celebrating my unemployment. I know, weird! My brain is now fuzzy weird - probably because I need sleep - so I'm not sure where I was going to take this blog. Maybe tomorrow I will share our Dollar Tree discussion. Now that was funny!

Ugly blanket update

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Today has been a bit of a frustrating day, so I'm going to share updates of the ugly blanket. Day 4 came purple and yellow: Day 5: Day 6: I started with the neon orange that gave me fits because it was a different weight. I didn't get very far. Day 7: Partly because of the orange and partly because Paige and I were doing other things, I didn't get very far. I actually took a day off to do job applications before Day 8

Hit the wall

I have to admit to hitting a bit of a blogging wall. I know you've noticed less book posting, and I know there are some people who are happy about that. (Although, I do plan to catch up on more reviews soon.) And that's not just because of my job transition. I think after taking the time to complain about the application process via blog that I only got two done yesterday. One submitted online and one delivered to a human resources office today. I have other leads I'm working on as well, which are very encouraging. I'm more mellow and relaxed than I've been in some time despite the fact there is an insect of some variety in this room that randomly buzzes. And as it start buzzing more frequently, my irritation grows. Oh, I can tell you about how on Saturday, my parents (the people who act older than their age) convinced Paige and I go to a 50's music show in Grand Prairie. Thank goodness they only wanted to see the opening act because to stay any longer wou

No one does this for the fun of it

Yesterday, I intended on focusing on job applications. I entertained Paige instead. I intended to work on them this afternoon after my nap. I slept more instead. Working on job applications is not fun. While I believe I have talent in promoting other people, promoting myself is something I have always found difficult. Is there anyone out there that actually enjoys this process? On top of it just not being fun, my computer recognizes my printer, sort of, and doesn't want to scan files to the computer. Therefore, it took extra steps to get my transcripts scanned. Then, it wanted to put the last page first when I made a PDF and would not let me rearrange. Then the PDF form that you filled out would not save, you had to print. If you printed as a PDF, it altered some of the date information. And they want everything in one PDF if you email it. No wonder the first choices were to bring it by in person or mail it. I think I will drop it by. Let's see if I can write a baseball r

Paige's Seriously? Debut

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Whoops! All four takes loaded to YouTube!  

What do I say to that?

As frazzled as my brain currently is - just a long day - I'm so glad it's the weekend. I finally got in my last set of Weekly Summary Reports that have been the root of my hatred of Fridays for years. And I do mean hatred of Fridays for years. For those of you who may be just tuning in, due to the economy, cutbacks, and a restructure, my last day at the job I've had one month shy of 10 years is Wednesday. I've not told many people that I work with about this myself unless they caught a comment on Facebook within the last two weeks (such as "Please pray for my job search").  The main reaction is, "what are you going to do?" "Find a job." I've had a few moments this week, even in response to people within the office, where I've just said, "I'm not sure what I am supposed to say to that." The few people that I've said anything to are due to things coming up like, "do you have to know today?" Well

A reality show unreality

Here's my train of thought today. If you've ever watched one show on TLC, you know how they love crossovers. 19 Kids and Counting on Say Yes to the Dress Cake Boss on Say Yes to the Dress What not to Wear on Say Yes to the Dress Jon and Kate Plus 8  (before it was minus Jon)   on  Say Yes to the Dress  (other than me, who hasn't said yes to a dress?) Say Yes to the Dress on What Not to Wear Say Yes to the Dress on Cake Boss Cake Boss on 19 Kids and Counting What Not to Wear on Cake Boss Cake Boss on New York Ink All American Muslim  on New York Ink (How have the Sister Wives not been on anything? They need to make an appearance on What Not to Wear. Have you seen how badly they all dress?) Even non-TLC shows join in... Dancing with the Stars on Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta One of the choreographers of So You Think You Can Dress even was told What Not to Wear.  But, you know what is really missing? 19 Kids and Counting on New York Ink .

Bill Cosby's Ugly Blanket

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So, I've started my crochet project. In an attempt to be funky and unique, my project is being affectionately called "Bill Cosby's Ugly Blanket." It actually might be really awesome when I finish with it. In fact, I may have a contest to give it away. People who read blogs love free stuff from what I have seen. I somehow doubt any of you will want it. Here's after 30 minutes on the first day:  And here's after a few hours on day two: On day three, we have this: And now, I need to get off the computer and get some time in so that I can do something on day four.

Preview Chris Fabry's Not in the Heart

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Thank you to everyone who took part in today's tour! It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Chris Fabry and the book: Not in the Heart Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 1, 2012) ***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: As a child, Chris Fabry wrote stories, songs and poems. The creative process invigorated him. He may not have been a fast reader, but the w

My career planning post overshadowed by billing stupidity

Tonight's blog post was going to leave you with a simple idea to contemplate. I think my next career is stand-up comedy. However, at the moment I need medication to cool my annoyance at AT&T. Do you ever notice that if you ever change any service you are sure to be screwed out of your hard earned money? Last month, I changed from AT&T DSL to UVerse. I have to pay in equipment charges, but was going to get a  good first year deal to make it worth it. I get my bill on Saturday, and have to talk to someone online to fix the rate to what it was supposed to be. The rate on my bill was 2-3 times more what I signed up for. That and they charge you a month in advance vs. the internet service I was on, so the bill was even more than expected. Plus, all my billing was combined. They couldn't combine online. Today, I get home and call to combine. They can't combine because of some technicality, but at least I had the sweetest guy taking care of me who was American. T

Adventures from the church parking lot

I find that some of the most interesting conversations that I have occur in the church parking lot. Maybe it's where the best gossip is told. Maybe it's the people I'm talking to. Maybe it's just coincidence. I'll use the "blog names" of the people involved, not because I'm protecting any identities, but because you'll recognize them from the Timmy the Fly stories. After church, I was talking to Rebekah (which is really hilarious that I call her this - at least in my mind - because she has a sister named this and it kind of annoys her to be called her sister's name in the "call me every child in the family roll call" and her name is Biblical anyway). When we walked out, we were talking to Esther and her mother Leah. I don't remember exactly what we were talking about that got to this, but Leah asks if I ever worked for the Rangers because she thought I had. I only wish. My dream job would be in the PR/media offices of the Texa

More little pieces

I realized after I posted last night, while goofing around on Pinterest, that I am going to sometime in the future melt crayons. I've mentioned before that I never wanted to do that until looking at Pinterest. Also, I'm going start playing Canasta online again. I used to play in online tournaments. I know, really lame. I finally got a couple of games in today after finally getting Java to run right. I sure didn't get much else done today. I didn't do anything job-hunt-related. That's probably not so good. I can do some of that tomorrow. It's the weekend after all. No one is going to be looking at resumes on a Saturday, right? I took a nap after going to the grocery store today. That's how exhausting going to the grocery store is. I just realized that Paige didn't call me back this afternoon. When I talked to her this morning, she was on the way to somewhere (Dallas, I presume) to go shopping. Normally not a shopper, she had some Christmas money,

The little pieces of the puzzle

I really have no idea where life is going to lead me starting March 1, but I'm ready for it. I don't know if I'll end up getting a job in Corsicana or elsewhere. Whether I'll work in the same industry or something completely different, I haven't a clue. What I do know is that I am going to do somethings differently. Unless I end up with a job that has some kind of bizarre schedule, I will take weekends and work will be done during work hours. I'm going to strengthen my backbone in general and work on my boundaries.  I am going to read more for fun. And possibly take advantage of the review programs that are out there like the reviewers who have been asking for books from me.  I'm going to get out the blanket I started crocheting almost two years ago for one baby. I didn't give myself enough time to work on it before he was born and decided I was going to end up giving it to someone else a few months later (and still didn't get much more

Welcome to the neighborhood

Last night, I shared that the man who lived in the building next door had died around Christmas. I don't know my neighbors, and people move in and out of rental property so often, especially in these duplexes I live in. By far, I've lived here the longest. Longer than the other 7 units put together. While I didn't know what happened, I did notice it was empty. Tonight when I came home later than I should have from the office, all things considered, there were 5 cars out front and several in the back. I guess they are having a moving in party tonight. Either the neighbors or a cat had triggered the motion light before I drove up. I noticed a cat. I've noticed cats a lot lately. They show up every few months. During mating season. Last night one was growling like a lion or something unlike any cat noise I have ever heard. I think that's the main reason that I don't like cats... Their sounds. The motion light does not light the back porch. When I stepped onto

Maybe that wasn't what I thought it was

Tonight, I'm just not sure what to blog about, but I'm not breaking my string. I guess I'll share my gross story of the day. I stepped out of the office to take a call from my mom because my reception was not good inside. Once I finished the call, this guy I know was talking up a blue streak. He lived next door to me for a period of time with this older guy, but I never knew what the deal was. It wasn't that kind of thing if you're thinking, "uh, Audra, two guys living together." Anyway. Tim says, "Did you hear about Les that lived next door to you?" "No." "He died in his pajamas in his bed. It was 7 days before anyone found him. Did you smell anything?" So, maybe when I was complaining about my house smelling like sewer it wasn't. I mean, this neighbor was next door. His room was probably 15 feet from my front door. End of gross story of the day. I don't know, maybe even grosser than that was that he was a

Was today Valentine's Day?

Oh yeah, I guess today was Valentine's Day. I didn't notice. My day consisted of no chocolate, no flowers, no adoring man, so therefore no special date. Well, if the three white chocolate pretzels that were left in the package count, I guess I did have chocolate, but I'm not sure they do count. For some reason, who knows why, public school week came early this year and it was my designated day to go have lunch with Peyton and Paige. When I was in school, you might have a parent come one day, on the day that was assigned to your grade. Since Paige is the oldest, she has made it a tradition that someone different comes each day to bring them lunch and take them to the book fair. Spoiled? I do think a number of their friends do have multiple guests though not every day. The teachers and their friends might go into shock if "Baqbaq" did not make an appearance each year though. Paige called last night, "Peyton wants to know what you are bringing her for lu

The great backlog of book reviews

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One thing that I will become better at in the coming days is posting about the books that I have read. I am way, way, way behind on posting on some of my reads. I begged the publisher and got an Advance Reader's Copy of this one, and the publication date was August 2, 2011. Audra's a bad blogger. That's why she doesn't ask for a lot of review copies. She recognizes that she would be getting posting reminders like the ones she sends out on a regular basis. With the changes that I am going to make in the coming weeks, being a better reviewer is going to be one of them.  Water's Edge By Robert Whitlow About the book: Sometimes small towns hold the biggest secrets. Ambitious young attorney Tom Crane is about to become a partner in a high-profile Atlanta law firm. But first he must clear one final matter from his docket—the closing of his deceased father's law practice in his hometown of Bethel, Georgia. Killed in a mysterious boating accident, John Cr

Help Wanted

Tonight, I ask for your help. Here are a few of my questions for you. I've casually, for lack of a better term, searched for jobs over the past few years, but not so aggressively.  I'd like to get your feedback about what's worked best for you. In your latest job searches, what websites were the most useful for you?  Did you pursue your job through Monster?  How about Career Builder?  Any hints for making the most of Linked In?  Have you tried BeKnown through Facebook and Monster? How useful is the BranchOut application in Facebook? Have you used any resume services that send out your resume for you?  If you have used any services, what are dos/don'ts? Which do you recommend? With the current economy, lots of people are looking for jobs, and the jobs are few. I'm sure many of you have searched for a job recently, or someone close to you. I hope the discussion here will be of help to those searching. 

Worst hostess ever

If there were an award for the worst hostess ever, I could possibly be nominated by my friends. For the second time within a week, I have uninvited friends to my house, calling off a party. I know you were anxiously awaiting stories from a group of 7 single women having an anti-Valentine's party, but if you want to read stories about that, I'm sorry to say that you will have to find another blog somewhere. I do have to say that I bet it would not be as funny as mine would have been. This week, I am not feeling up to it in a different way. I found out yesterday that for the first time in ten years that I have to find another job. Not looking for the sake of a change, but will not have a paycheck three weeks from now. The economy hits everyone sooner or later. I couldn't bring myself to the thought of cleaning house, cooking and entertaining right now. While I know all of my friends would be of great support, it may have been more support that I could handle at once. Be

How broken is your life?

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Thank you to everyone who took part in today's tour! It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Carl Kerby and the book: Reasons for Hope Genesis Publishing Group (November 22, 2011) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carl Kerby is president and founder of Reasons for Hope (rforh.com), founded in 2011 as a response to a calling from God to proclaim the authority and authenticity of the Bible. He was previously a founding board member at Answers in Genesis for