Yesterday was my 2nd day being able to work on the house. I was by myself and I can only reach so much not being able to get on a ladder or get down on the floor. I was able to do the final coats of paint on the living room walls and clean out the drawers in the kitchen. They were horrible! One of the drawers looked like they had just thrown a lot of candy canes in and let them melt. It was gross. So those are cleaned out (again the ones I could reach) and have tacky paper on the bottom of them.
Also the Cilco guy had to come back because my electric meter is in the basement.
Today was much more productive. Mom was there to help me. She was doing the trim where I did the walls themselves. She finished the trim in the living rooms while I painted my bedroom. Wait till you guys see the colors I picked out in there! Can't wait to post the BEFORE and AFTER pictures!
My Uncle Neil, Aunt Melissa, Regan and Quinn came to check out the house. When we got into the kitchen after showing them the living room, my room, and telling about what we are doing with Josh's room Regan asked me, "Is every room going to have 2 colors?" And the answer to that is pretty much, yep.
The living room, hallway, and two bedrooms are all hardwood floors. It was not our intention to have them refinished only because of money and time. However, my aunt and uncle offered to have them done as our housewarming gift which is SOOOOO NICE! (If you are reading this THANK YOU AGAIN!) That will start on Thursday and be finished on Saturday. This won't delay us at all because we will be done with the areas that they will be refinishing. So, everything worked out nicely.
Tomorrow Josh gets to start helping as it's the beginning of his weekend. My aunt Melissa and friend Rose (Ruth) are going to come help as well.
Josh wrote me this evening and asked, "Your place or mine?" for tonight. Then added, "Pretty soon we won't have to have this conversation anymore." That is so AWESOME!
I told him that my feet were so sore and that I hoped that he wasn't planning on taking me dancing tonight (HUGE joke). He said no dancing, he figures I'll be asleep by 10:30. I will be getting there at 10:15. He is probably very close. Although he WILL BE giving me a foot rub!
So, I think that's the update for now. Can't wait to be done so that I can enjoy the house!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
New House Day 1, Back
Well, as of 3:00pm yesterday the new house became mine and Josh's. Things went smoothly at the closing. They handed my mom a key ring full of keys and said they didn't know what went with what. You would think they could have set a few aside and said, "This is the front door, and this is the side door." The two do take different keys. I had planned on going and getting Josh a BEARS key made as a surprise, but they were out of the house shape key. So, I'm still going to surprise him, it will just be delayed.
Mom and I got to the house and she realized she had forgotten several things that we needed including the rollers. We had one long one. We called Natasha to come over and bring a few of the things we needed...and her new dog (Harley). By the time she had gotten there we had the first coat on 2 walls in the living room. After Natasha and Harley left we decided that we needed to go get the other rolls to become productive.
So, we didn't REALLY spend a lot of time on the house last night. Although we did get a 2nd coat on the first two walls, a first coat on the other 2 walls in the living room, and then a first coat on the hallway walls.
I did decide that we are changing the color of 2 of the walls in Josh and I's rooms. What I was thinking before just isn't going to work.
I'm getting ready to get over and started. The Cilco man wasn't able to get a final reading yesterday because the meter is in my basement. So, I have to be over there all afternoon (which was the plan anyway).
I took BEFORE pictures...but am not going to post them till I have AFTER pictures.
Unfortunately, I have had a recurring back issue make a comeback at the most inconvenient time. I have had back surgery for a herniated disc both in May 2001 and October 2005. Now, right on time, 4 years later - I am in PAIN. Although it is not as bad as before, it is not helping right now, and could become aggravated by the work I'm doing. So, I have to take it easy and slow.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Made In The USA
Let me start off by saying that I support our troops (and by that I mean I would like the war to end and them to come home safely). One of my proudest days I can remember is when I watched my boyfriend (at the time) graduate from boot camp for the Air Force.
However, I had the strangest interaction with a soldier today on the phone. She was calling to check into her warranty on her vacuum. Because she did not have a receipt stating the date of purchase we would have to go by the serial number which tells when it's made. That's the only other date there is to go by. While most people find this frustrating because rarely do you buy something the same week or so that it was made, they can still understand there's little else to go by.
Unfortunately this woman's serial number was an '06 model and so out of warranty. She began to berate me and the U.S, for their poor customer service. She stated that she just couldn't believe the way that the service in the U.S has really gone down hill and it is just ridiculous.
Now, this really isn't a big deal. This kind of call is easy. What caught my attention though was that it was an AMERICAN SOLDIER talking poorly about the U.S. Regularly I get calls from customer's that ask where I'm located and although I say Illinois, I know that's not what they mean. They are checking to see if I'm in another country because they don't want to deal with me if I am. It always strikes me funny because I certainly don't sound like I'm anywhere else. And on a regular basis I'm chastised because some of our products are not made completely in the U.S.
So, to have an American Soldier on the phone berating the U.S. on their service was just amazing to me. I have to wonder where she gets the motivation to do her job if she is so unhappy with the country that she serves. And again, I love our service men and women. And I know that the majority you speak with do not behave this way. Unfortunately this one just caught my attention.
However, I had the strangest interaction with a soldier today on the phone. She was calling to check into her warranty on her vacuum. Because she did not have a receipt stating the date of purchase we would have to go by the serial number which tells when it's made. That's the only other date there is to go by. While most people find this frustrating because rarely do you buy something the same week or so that it was made, they can still understand there's little else to go by.
Unfortunately this woman's serial number was an '06 model and so out of warranty. She began to berate me and the U.S, for their poor customer service. She stated that she just couldn't believe the way that the service in the U.S has really gone down hill and it is just ridiculous.
Now, this really isn't a big deal. This kind of call is easy. What caught my attention though was that it was an AMERICAN SOLDIER talking poorly about the U.S. Regularly I get calls from customer's that ask where I'm located and although I say Illinois, I know that's not what they mean. They are checking to see if I'm in another country because they don't want to deal with me if I am. It always strikes me funny because I certainly don't sound like I'm anywhere else. And on a regular basis I'm chastised because some of our products are not made completely in the U.S.
So, to have an American Soldier on the phone berating the U.S. on their service was just amazing to me. I have to wonder where she gets the motivation to do her job if she is so unhappy with the country that she serves. And again, I love our service men and women. And I know that the majority you speak with do not behave this way. Unfortunately this one just caught my attention.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Self Portraits, Bad Editing on Movies/TVs
I have an issue with Self Portraits. I'm not speaking of real, artistic Self Portraits (and by real and artistic, I mean by real, professional artists). I'm talking the kind that the everyday person does with their personal cameras. Now, I used to be COMPLETELY against them. This is, until I started cosmetology school and it became a habit to take a picture of my "craft". And I began to understand it somewhat. I have no problem with taking a picture of yourself after a new hair style or after experimenting with your make up. I also have no issue with the self portraits that happen while partying, especially if they include other people.
The issue I have with Self Portraits taken by the average person is when that's all that there is of you. When there are no pictures taken of you by other people. I have found myself asking myself recently (and frequently), "How many self portraits can one person take of themselves?" If you're album consists mostly of pictures of you, with you holding the camera, you have a problem. Especially if every picture of you looks exactly the same, with the exception of your shirt.
Just a thought....
So, Saturday night Josh and I were channel surfing (because that's the only way Josh knows how to watch TV) and he stopped on Little Miss Sunshine. I LOVE this movie. Abigail Broslyn is so cute (not to mention that she will be the main character in My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult coming out on the big screen on June 26th). It was the scene where she is crying in the hotel room and saying that she is a looser and her Grandpa is trying to cheer her up. One shot you see the back of Grandpa's head and Abigail crying. Abigail is not wearing glasses. Then Grandpa's big speech comes up and so the camera is just on him. When the camera goes back to Abigail, she is wearing glasses. This disturbs me. During this scene they later make a point of her taking her glasses off, putting them on the nightstand, and then going to bed. But where was the editor when they were going over this scene after taping.
Then tonight I was watching Keeping Up With Kardashians season finale and there is a scene where Khloe is upset because she texted her boyfriend at 1:00 and it was now 4:00 and she hadn't received a text back. She was asking her sisters and a friend what she should do. Her sister Kim breaks in to Klhoe's boyfriend's voicemail. During this part of the scene I'm really impressed because Kim is bare faced. Absolutely NO make up. While they are listening to a second voice mail of a girl (obviously the OTHER girl) they are showing Khloe's face. When the camera goes back to Kim, full face of make up. Ummm...someone dropped the ball there.
The other thing this does for me in regards to something like this happening on a Reality TV Show is that it makes me noticeably aware that....drum role please....there is is some scripting. This scene was not a conversation in real life that there would have been a break and then it picked back up. There was obviously a more than one taping session to get this scene. Not that that bothers me beyond my before mentioned grievance. I still find the show (and the scene) entertaining, just a little distracting.
On another note....Only 3 more days till I get the keys to my new house!!!! Super Excited! And my work week is not normal. Tomorrow I work from home my usual schedule. Wednesday I have to go into the phone center and I will be in training from 8:30 - 4:30. So, I will only be on the phone 2.5 hours. Then I took my last 2 hours off on Thursday so that I can get started on the house! Yay!!!!
The issue I have with Self Portraits taken by the average person is when that's all that there is of you. When there are no pictures taken of you by other people. I have found myself asking myself recently (and frequently), "How many self portraits can one person take of themselves?" If you're album consists mostly of pictures of you, with you holding the camera, you have a problem. Especially if every picture of you looks exactly the same, with the exception of your shirt.
Just a thought....
So, Saturday night Josh and I were channel surfing (because that's the only way Josh knows how to watch TV) and he stopped on Little Miss Sunshine. I LOVE this movie. Abigail Broslyn is so cute (not to mention that she will be the main character in My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult coming out on the big screen on June 26th). It was the scene where she is crying in the hotel room and saying that she is a looser and her Grandpa is trying to cheer her up. One shot you see the back of Grandpa's head and Abigail crying. Abigail is not wearing glasses. Then Grandpa's big speech comes up and so the camera is just on him. When the camera goes back to Abigail, she is wearing glasses. This disturbs me. During this scene they later make a point of her taking her glasses off, putting them on the nightstand, and then going to bed. But where was the editor when they were going over this scene after taping.
Then tonight I was watching Keeping Up With Kardashians season finale and there is a scene where Khloe is upset because she texted her boyfriend at 1:00 and it was now 4:00 and she hadn't received a text back. She was asking her sisters and a friend what she should do. Her sister Kim breaks in to Klhoe's boyfriend's voicemail. During this part of the scene I'm really impressed because Kim is bare faced. Absolutely NO make up. While they are listening to a second voice mail of a girl (obviously the OTHER girl) they are showing Khloe's face. When the camera goes back to Kim, full face of make up. Ummm...someone dropped the ball there.
The other thing this does for me in regards to something like this happening on a Reality TV Show is that it makes me noticeably aware that....drum role please....there is is some scripting. This scene was not a conversation in real life that there would have been a break and then it picked back up. There was obviously a more than one taping session to get this scene. Not that that bothers me beyond my before mentioned grievance. I still find the show (and the scene) entertaining, just a little distracting.
On another note....Only 3 more days till I get the keys to my new house!!!! Super Excited! And my work week is not normal. Tomorrow I work from home my usual schedule. Wednesday I have to go into the phone center and I will be in training from 8:30 - 4:30. So, I will only be on the phone 2.5 hours. Then I took my last 2 hours off on Thursday so that I can get started on the house! Yay!!!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
My First Blog on Blogger
I've been a big fan of blogging for a couple of years now, however have always done it straight on Myspace. Now that I spend more time on Facebook, I don't really get my blogging done. My friend Rosanna uses this site to do her bogging so I thought I would try it. So far so good.
I find blogging (writing) very theraputic sometimes what I put down here might not be very exciting or intersting to anyone else, but simply meant to get something out myself. However, always willing to share.
This is Memorial Day weekend and it has been a good one. Spent my first day off (Friday) running my regular Friday errands and then just relaxing with a book. I believe I also worked on a baby blanket that I'll be giving away as a gift.
Yesterday just pretty much more of the same. Reading. I did take a nap. I'm watching my aunt and uncles dog this weekend so I went over to let him out a couple times. And then spent the evening with Josh. We watched an older John Travolta movie. I think it was called Civil Action. I have decided that John Travolta is my favorite actor (not because of this movie...just thought this was a good time to mention it).
Today I got motivated to start cleaning and packing for the big move. We get our keys this Thursday (in 4 days). We are super excited. This house is so cute. And is a good size for us. We know there will be some time when we want our privacy and this house is just big enough that we'll be able to get away from each other if we want.
Tomorrow will be just more of the same as today. Which I'm good with. I feel like today was a good day.
Happy Memorial Day Everyone!
I find blogging (writing) very theraputic sometimes what I put down here might not be very exciting or intersting to anyone else, but simply meant to get something out myself. However, always willing to share.
This is Memorial Day weekend and it has been a good one. Spent my first day off (Friday) running my regular Friday errands and then just relaxing with a book. I believe I also worked on a baby blanket that I'll be giving away as a gift.
Yesterday just pretty much more of the same. Reading. I did take a nap. I'm watching my aunt and uncles dog this weekend so I went over to let him out a couple times. And then spent the evening with Josh. We watched an older John Travolta movie. I think it was called Civil Action. I have decided that John Travolta is my favorite actor (not because of this movie...just thought this was a good time to mention it).
Today I got motivated to start cleaning and packing for the big move. We get our keys this Thursday (in 4 days). We are super excited. This house is so cute. And is a good size for us. We know there will be some time when we want our privacy and this house is just big enough that we'll be able to get away from each other if we want.
Tomorrow will be just more of the same as today. Which I'm good with. I feel like today was a good day.
Happy Memorial Day Everyone!
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