Anyone know how to fly this thing?

I've never really traveled for the holidays, and certainly not by myself. So when my folks decided to drive to my sister's house last week, I was pretty nervous about airport conditions. I left for Kansas Sunday morning - 3 days before Christmas.

But I was flying out of Lovefield, the smaller Dallas airport, so I figured I was in for a fairly easy holiday flight. Lovefield mostly flies out Southwest Airlines. I'm flying American - makes it easier to get through check in when you're the only person in line. Sweet!

Once I get through security (maybe 10 minutes later) I begin my trek across the airport, past civilization, past any signs of life, and make my way to the AA terminal...and all 3 of their gates.

After a brisk 1.3 mile walk, I'm at my gate. I have my book, we're scheduled to take off in an hour, I can entertain myself until then.

Wait, our flight is delayed? Yes, the plane was there, but the crew didn't want to take us back to Kansas. Union work must be where it's at. To be able to just toss the keys to the gate attendant and announce, "I'm out!" without getting fired...Nice.

So we were delayed another hour. Ok...no problem. This puts me in to KS around 1pm. I haven't missed much, but the family is gathered waiting on me.

An hour later, the crew who "has agreed to take us" to Kansas arrives and we quickly board. I get settled, I get my book back out, and text my dad - See you soon!

I'm in seat 1A so I'm pretty much in the pilot's lap and can hear everything. Don't ever sit in 1A - you don't want to know.

We were delayed AGAIN once we got on board. Why? Because they can't find the User's Manual. Excuse me...what?

Yes, they've lost the User's Manual and they've sent the maintenance guy to find it or apparently round up a "Flying for Dummies," "So you think you can fly?," or some Cliff Notes version of the manual.

On the various flights I've been on in my life, there's been a few where I've assumed someone was "In Training." But how often to pilots really need to access this manual? Should I be concerned even if they find the manual? What if it's missing a page like Landing 101?

After about an hour of searching, we either gave up or found a suitable solution. Brilliant. I said a few prayers, closed my eyes, and hoped for the best.

Luckily we made it to Kansas, but I'm seriously considering giving up flying for a while.

Saturdays with Stephanie

This past Saturday, Stephanie and I tried a new club/bar. A guy she knew had table service at a swanky club called Clear. (Table Service: He and his friends dropped $300+ just to have a table at the club, add in the requirement to purchase 2-3 overpriced bottles of liquor, and you have a group of idiots with too much money).



We didn't get 5 feet in the door when I was reminded why I don't go to places like that. Girls in "gownless evening straps" as my mom would say, and guys in expensive designers I can't pronounce. Take 2 more steps - some ginormous black guy walks by and grabs me mumbles something and walks off.



Next we find the friend's table. At the table I see a girl we'll call "Tiffany" that I was friends with in high school, who also made my senior year miserable. If you've ever seen the movie Mean Girls, she was the blond ring leader. So unhappy with her life, that she was vicious to every girl especially those she called friends.



Luckily, "Tiffany" and I, without a spoken word, agreed to ignore each other the entire night. Done and done.

"Tiffany" + models + creepy ginormous guy + expensive everything = MB sticks out like a sore thumb

Then the ginormous black guy reappears. Surprise! He's friends with "Tiffany" and the guy who invited us. Wonderful. Not only is he menacing and terrifying, after a 15 minute (forced) conversation he admitted he remembers me from St. Patty's day. Oh God. I met him back in March after the parade on Greenville. He freaked me out then, and he gave me the heebie geebies when it clicked how I knew this guy. I grabbed Stephanie, and we left immediately. *shudders*

Of course I always have a great time when I'm with Stephanie, but I think we need to stick to going out in familiar territory. No more swanky bars, no more creepy guys, no more unwelcomed reunions.

Welcome to my blogspot

I have been posting blogs on MySpace for a while, but not everyone has access. My life is full of adventures everyone should be able to read about, so I've joined blogspot.

If you're new to my blogs - Stay tuned, I promise you'll be entertained!

View my old blogs at myspace.com/mbknight

Bye Bye Bye!

I'm 28. I don't know how that happened, but ok, whatever, I'm 28.



So as I'm letting that set in, I've been reminding myself…I'm an adult, I'm an adult….


It's bad enough being caught singing loud and off key with the windows down. But make sure you have good music on. Not N'Sync: No Strings Attached. Yes. Yes. I dug up the CD circa sophmore year when I "totally LOVED" Justin. I've been singing to that every day to work. Who is judging??!


I still watch the Disney Channel and discovered Hillary Duff back when she was part cartoon, and Shia LaBeouf before he was starring with Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Transformers.


I still buy books based on their cover, buy wine based on how pretty their label/bottle is, and cook or order food that has a picture so I know what it's supposed to look like.


Apparently I still need my mother to remind me to wear a jacket, flip flops are not appropriate footwear in the winter, and "is that what you're wearing?"


I squeal like an idiot when I see a spider. Doesn't matter how big – I cry like a baby.


I still like meeting my girlfriends at the mall if we don't have anything to do ( just for funzies)...or when we get paid to buy stuff we hide from our parents.


I love playing with make up even though I'd rather only wear mascara and chapstick everyday. But show me the cheap make up section at Target, and I'll fill a cart full with colors that are fun but all wrong for me- sparkly and pre-teenish - that will end up in a drawer until I move again.

So I'm embracing my 28 going on 16 stage in my life. I'm smart, I'm successful, I have fantastic friends. Who cares about the quirks that still make me a kid?

Boston or Bust...again

I leave bright stinkin early tomorrow morning for Boston. My sister and her hubby go there every year for Thanksgiving and this year we're joining them.

I'm so excited because you know what that means....more time with Lawson - the cutest nephew on the planet!

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!

I think I've been bamboozled

I think I’ve been bamboozled


I got a letter from this Cambridge Who's Who notifying me that I've been nominated as a successful and ambitious business woman making a difference in the community. How did they know?! ;)



I thought maybe my old boss nominated me – it seemed like something she'd join. So I submitted my application (which was advertised as no cost/fee) and got a phone call today for an interview. I'm thinking it's a really good deal – they're so selective I have to interview to prove my fabulousness!



At the end of the interview, the woman told me I'm fabulous (duh) and what membership package would I like to choose?



Wait, what?



Yup, it's about $800 to join this association. Bwaahhaahhaa, you've got to be kidding me! I just told you I have 4 years of post-college experience…do you really think I have $800 to drop just for funzies? Anyway, apparently she could hear the sticker shock in my voice and continued to bring the price down to finally $99. So now I think it might be a little shady.



I wanted to use it more as a networking tool. Connecting with other professionals to try to find great candidates, brainstorm HR stuff, etc. Maybe Fossil would even pay for it.



What do you think? Has anyone ever done this?



http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/

Dirty Dancing

Pretty much every weekend, Stephanie and I roll out of bed and crawl to the couch for some good trash tv before we start the day. What qualifies as trash tv? Stuff like Cheaters, Ninja Challenge, anything on MTV, bad 80s movies, etc.

Well, flipping channels last night I found quite possible THE BEST trash tv.

But MB, are you sure? There's so much out there. How can you know you have "the best?"

Well, because it's called Pants Off Dance Off. The premise (or so I've gathered) is you have would-be strippers dancing in front of a green screen. Behind them, is their favorite music video. Not that they do the choreography from the video, but I guess it makes it less creepy watching someone strip off their dignity when Usher is in the background.

Some of the girls were pretty ridiculous, but the guys on there?....priceless.

Example: "The Ladies Man" was devoid of all rhythm, he shook his groove thang to the beat...well, some beat not sure which one.

The website doesn't show the music videos like the show did, but you get an idea of the talent level.

http://fuse.tv/tv/pantsoff/index.php

Now don't you feel better about your sweet dance skills?

Best Birthday Ever

This past week I turned 28. *gulp* To help me celebrate, I had some of my closest Dallas friends around me.

On Friday we went to a quiet patio dinner, shared good food, tasty wine, and even better company. It was absolutely perfect!

Saturday we had a long night beginning with Gay Bingo then off to dance. I can't remember the last time I went dancing much less boot scootin'. We did it all. It was so much fun! But I must admit that my feet are pretty unhappy with me today. Dancing and walking around all night in 4 inch heels...terrible idea.

Big thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes in my direction. I was overwhelmed by the cards, e-mails, texts, myspace comments, calls, etc. I am truly thankful that I have been blessed with such a great group of friends.

Meetings

If you're one of my few friends who hasn't had the opportunity to sit through pointless meetings – let me take this moment to tell you I'm jealous.

Let me explain…..

In my new role in HR, my performance is based on how long it takes me to fill a position. I've been in my role for…maybe 2 months? But actually recruiting for about a month. Some of the positions I've been recruiting for have been open since April…which for those of you without a calendar handy – that's more than 2 months ago.

As I've been getting acclimated to the new role, I'm finally starting to make some progress with these tough to fill positions. I've finding good resumes, making good networking connections, using my resources, etc. It's looking good!

But I've joked that my day is often filled with meetings, meetings about meetings, meetings to talk about future meetings, and meetings about meetings from the past. Rarely are they actually productive, relevant, and to the point.

Why?

To make me crazy.

So let me get this straight. I need to fill positions within 3-4 weeks…but at least 15-20 hours of my work week is filled with meetings about recruiting/hiring, conference calls, meetings about meetings, and meetings about stuff that doesn't affect me.

Sadly, meeting will never go away. So I would LOVE to get feedback and tips from anyone who has been a part of or led a successful meeting. What did you do, how did you keep people on topic, how was it successful. Surely someone out there has had a positive experience or has seen it done well.

Welcome Lawson Alexander Wineman

Lawson Alexander Wineman was born this morning! He is 7.4lbs and 21 inches. He has the Knight pug nose and lips, and red hair. My cousin has red hair, my dad had red hair when he was young...but mine was from a bottle. :)

Mom and baby seem to be doing well as of this afternoon.

Boston or Bust

Monday morning I head up to Boston for a fun filled week of recruiting, opening a new store, and eating "wicked good chowda." This is my first trip since I moved back in to HR (no pressure) so I'm planning to hit the ground running.

But the best thing is I get to see my friend Gared. I moved back to Dallas, just in time for him to move to Boston. We so rarely get to see each other so it will be a good reunion.

It's going to be a good week!

I found "the one"

Every year or so I decide I need to get more organized. Time for a new planner/organizer!

I have in my collection 5-10 planners/organizers of varying sizes and colors. I start off using them everyday for a good 2 months or so...then I use it here and there...but then it collects dust on my book shelf.

But not this time. No. This time I have found "the one." The PERFECT planner for me. I shopped at 11 different stores, returned 2 options, but finally find "the one."

It's black, medium sized, closes with a cute buckle, has month view, weekly view, addresses, appointments, etc.

This time, I'm going to stick with it, stay organized, find my own system, and use my new friend.

I am a lucky gal!

Driver’s Ed (circa 1925)

Stephanie and I were heading home after a fun afternoon of Corporate Challenge goodness. We did the Great Walk, showed support for the Special Olympians, and left feeling good about life in general. On our way home, we ran in to some unexpected traffic.

When faced with 2 exit ramps merging to lane, there is a certain expectation. 1 car for 1 car. You go, I go, etc.

So we were merging, listening to music, waiting for the cars in front of us to follow the "merging rules." It came our time. The car in front of us went, so we started to merge behind them.

But then we heard honking. Surely this is a mistake. Doesn't everyone know the rules? Your lane, my lane, your lane, my turn. I looked in my side view mirror to see a grandma and grandpa flipping us off with a shaky boney finger while honking.

Clearly there wasn't Driver's Ed in 1925 - So to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, I decide it is best to signal to him what merging looks like using hand gestures while mouthing "MERGING." Apparently this didn't help cause he flipped me off again.

Normally it probably would piss me off to have someone flip me off in traffic. But it was just too funny!!! Grandparents are supposed to bake you cookies, slip you money, and spoil you - not flip you off and try to run you off the road.

Are you wearing my heels?

I try to stay away from stereotypes, politics, fanatical obsessions. I went to Texas A&M for just about 4 years and for the most part resisted the brain washing that every school sucks but ours. For example, though the University of Texas will forever be t.u. I only recently started wearing orange or rust colors. (Though some people from A&M have threatened to cut me out of their lives for such offenses.)

However, there are a few jokes about the other school I find too funny to ignore. (especially as the proud recipient as the "F@g Hag 2004" tiara) Tonight at dinner, we saw something that absolutely fit the stereotypes.

A husband and wife were sitting on the patio with their toddler son. Mom blended in, probably wouldn't notice her except I thought her husband was either her hair dresser or coming out of the closet any day now. The saddest thing, is that their son was wearing head to toe Longhorn basketball stuff. As he's sucking his pacifier, he decided that he wanted to wear mom's heels. As mom and dad talked (and ignored their wandering son), mom slipped off her shoes and the toddler put them on one by one.

The son walked around the patio in mom's heels, neither parent objecting or paying attention.

Are the parents brainwashing him to be a fit for t.u.? Should I call child protective services so Johnny doesn't walk in the street wearing heels on his way to t.u.?

Or should I keep in touch with them so eventually I can borrow their son's shoes?

Ode to the CHI

You've heard the expression that dogs are man's best friend, and diamonds are the woman's best friend. But there is nothing quite like the bond between a woman and her flat iron.

I still remember the day I bought mine. It was a sunny, but cool summer day in Los Angeles. Jessica and I were shopping at some of the boutiques around town. We stumbled in to a beauty supply store. Little did I know that chance meeting would change my life.

There, on the top shelf, almost out of sight was the CHI. Yes, the CHI. The shop owner let me hold it for a bit, and after a while even offered to let me take it home for a special price.

For two years the CHI has given me flawless, straight, non-frizzy hair. It's seen me through long blond hair, short blond hair, and even the recent various shades of dark.

Over the past 3 months, CHI hasn't been feeling well. I've had to go so far as to rig the cord with duct tape so it turns on, but it still works hard for me.

I'm sad to announce that 6:00pm Saturday night, the CHI blipped its last blip of red "on light." Though I already have a temporary replacement, nothing will burn my hair in to submission quite like the CHI.

CHI, you will be missed.

Corporate Challenge 2007

Ah, yes. The smell of dirty gym socks, sweaty fat men, and out of shape cubicle monkeys attempting pitiful feats of athleticism.

Must be Corporate Challenge time!

We will be competing with other Richardson based companies for the coveted trophy. It benefits Special Olympics and draws a pretty good crowd.

This year I'm once again playing volleyball, and picked up a new "sport" called the Great Walk and a fancy Team Captain title (be jealous).

Tonight was our first volleyball practice. Now, as I've mentioned before, I've been working out a lot lately. Even had a personal trainer to kick me in to shape.

But I was sad to realize that I'm grossly out of volleyball shape. After the first hour, my forearms are swollen and tender. I can't lift my right arm from all the serving. I think I threw my back out trying to spike.

MB will be training from now until our game in October….but I might need friends to visit me in the hospital at this rate.

http://www.cor.net/CC/Homepage.html

It's the little things

When all is said and done, it's the little things in life that make me happy.

a hug from my dad

my mom letting me ramble on for hours

a phone call from an old friend

a progressing career

a friend saving me from airport boredom

a future visit to my sister

a great dinner with girlfriends

a fabulous weekend with Stephanie

a drunk dial from college buddies

a movie in bed (which usually equals a nap)

a stressful but sunny day

and a new haircut.



It's the little things that make me smile. Life is good!

Adventures with MB and Stephanie

This weekend started with a relaxing Friday at home. Finally watched the end of Batman Begins, and then moved to Inside Man. Both good movies – made for a wonderfully lazy night.

Saturday I cleaned, ran some errands, and met up with Stephanie. We started with some culture and went to the DMA. (Dallas Museum of Art) After a solid 45 minutes of all the culture we could handle, we rushed to the nearest mall to satisfy our inner Dallas chick needs. (Pitiful yes)

Our first stop was a store called Windsor. Seemingly innocent store, inexpensive, trendy, and all that.

Stephanie was the first one to be attacked by the lady who claimed to be from L.A with 2 sales girls in tow. We assumed she was the DM? She started gushing about Stephanie, calling her fabulous, what a hot body, etc. she moved to me. Again gushing about how fabulous we are.

Then she begins to throw clothes at the sales girls – "Stephanie will try this, she'll look smoking in this, hot in this, she'll love this…" After her girl had an armload of clothes she started with me. First she started grabbing pants in a size 6 (hahahahahahahahaha – cute.) then she started grabbing clothes that were so far from my taste or colors that look good on me. But I had no opinion apparently and was pushed in to a fitting room with all my hideous options.

I tried on some top that made me look like a Vegas floozy, capris that looked like knickers from a page boy, a baby doll top that made me look preggers, and a brown sweater that made me look ill. They put Stephanie in a sweet lace top (hahaha), skinny jeans, browns, and various items that were NOT her style.

As someone who has worked in retail since high school, this was a perfect example of "what not to do." We were attacked! Why? We were the only ones in the store that had this "personal shopper" experience. We had clothes thrown at us without anyone stopping to ask our taste, what we were looking for, what size we normally wear, etc. We ran out of the store as soon as the coast was clear and won't go back to that store again.

It was such a breath of fresh air to go to all the other stores in the mall and get ignored by the sales people, have to tackle someone to get a fitting room, and watch the cashiers force an awkward smile. Ah yes, it's good to live in Dallas!

Go crazy? Dont mind if I do!

After tonight, I've accepted that I've gone absolutely, positively bonkers.

I've been either out of town or busy every weekend since April/May. Anyone who knows me well, knows that MB needs time by herself for quiet downtime and sleep otherwise evil MB comes out to play (and it ain't pretty) I don't get much sleep during the week, and I haven't had my weekends to catch up on sleep/downtime. So you'd think that I wouldn't volunteer to shave off any more weekday/weeknight free time.

(this is where the retardedness comes in)

I volunteered to help with inventory at our local stores. Inventory is painful, time consuming, and leaves you with a nervous tick from all the scanner gun beeping.

So bright and friggin early this morning I arrived and my buddy Robb's store. We counted inventory until about 12:30.

I took a 15 min lunch (some shopping then the drive thru) and headed back to the office to do 8-10 hours of my real job in only 4 hours. Everything that could go wrong with my work, went wrong and is completely out of my control. (but it doesn't stop the 487 questions from the groups I support...why isn't this working? what happened to ____, did you know that this isn't working?)

I left the office and fought rush hour traffic to meet my girls for dinner and catch up.

I left dinner and rushed to another store for their inventory. I just got home. It's 2:00am.

(You see where I'm retarded?)

I bet my boss still expects me in at 8ish tomorrow. Psshttt. No friggin way.

Oh who am I kidding. I'll suck down 2 pots of coffee and I'll make it to work by 9 at the latest.

This weekend – MB is hanging out with her girls and laying low. Lots of sleep, lots of downtime.

This is why I loved HR

My friends in HR had the same sick humor as me. I probably would have even posted this in my store just to scare my employees. ;)

_________________________________________________

Effective January 2007

Dress Code

1. It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary.
If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a pay raise.

2. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a pay raise.

3. If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a pay raise.

Sick Days

We will no longer accept a doctor's certificate as proof of sickness.

If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.


Holiday Days

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturday & Sunday.


Compassionate Leave

This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend to the arrangements.

In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.


Toilet Use

1. Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the cubicles.

2. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the cubicle door will open, and your picture will be taken.

3. After your second offence, your picture will be posted on the company notice board under the "Chronic Offenders" category.

4. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sanctioned under the company's mental health policy..


Lunch Break

1. Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more so that they can look healthy.

2. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure.

3. Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.


Thank you for your loyalty to our company. Remember we are an employer of choice and we are here to provide a positive employment experience.

Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.


-Management

The weary travelers have returned

I'm back. I'm alive. A little crispy, but not too bad. We had a blast, and now I'm very tired.

I'll post pictures probably tomorrow.

I need to go burn my suitcase - it's so gross it's not worth saving or washing the clothes inside.

Mazatlan, here we come!

Tomorrow morning - Stephanie, Darrah, and I are being picked up by a driver to take us to the airport while we drink mimosas. Then we're off to hop on a plane for the beaches of Mazatlan!

I'm so excited! I haven't had a girls vacation in such a long time.

Have a great weekend! I promise lots of stories when I return.

Love y'all!

Vonage and the Secret

I finally took the time today to cancel my Vonage home phone. I've had it since I lived in KY and it was actually really helpful there….except the few times when my cable went out. Aside from a few hiccups, all around good deal.

I kept it when I moved here just to see how much I'd use it. But I use my cell more than anything and the home cable goes out every other day…just for funzies. (Rant on Time Warner is long overdue)

So I called to cancel Vonage today. No hard feelings, just didn't need it. I made the mistake of choosing the menu option "Billing, Account Services, and Customer Care." After being on hold for about 5 minutes (not bad) I spoke to a very friendly woman who explained she'd have to transfer me to a different account services to cancel an account and was that ok? Um…do I really have a choice?

She transferred me and after about 20 minutes I started picturing what was really going on at their office. Canceling services goes in to a whole different holding queue. I picture it a little as a party I'm not invited to where everyone is having fun at my expense. When I admitted the reason for my call, the woman places me on hold, announces to the floor that we have "another one" and everyone bursts into laughter, pointing at the phone. She puts me on hold for a while, goes to lunch (not before checking that the hold music is the appropriate level of annoying), and comes back to see if I've given up and hung up. Since I'm holding strong and still there, she keeps me on hold while she catches up on all the gossip, who's sleeping with who, can you believe she's wearing that?, and how she should be floor supervisor not her idiot boss. She checks again.

MB is still there. Still wants to cancel the account.

So she finally grabs the janitor to take over from here. I get the guy who has been in the country for all of 5 minutes to help me through this process. Am I sure I want to cancel? What if they reduce my rate to $4.99? (which pissed me off more that it hasn't been an option until now)

After repeatedly telling "Steve" that I'd like to just cancel my service, he finally gives in and starts the warnings. Once we cancel you can't come back to this number. Are you suuuuure you want to do that? I mean, when this is done it's DONE.

Confident that my decision wouldn't cause the end of the world, I thanked "Steve" for canceling my service.

I'm going to check my account tomorrow. Pretty sure lost in the translation somewhere instead of closing my account, I opened 3 more phone lines.

Checking in on my 2007 Goals

Some of y'all might remember that on Jan. 1, I posted my 2007 goals (not resolutions). I hate resolutions because the are cliche and like 98% of the population, I break resolutions but I keep goals. So it's a little late, but here's my mid year check in.


2007 Goals (not resolutions!):


1. Make lifestyle changes, including but not limited to:

-active lifestyle

-move church membership to a church in town


2. Pay off big portion of debt


3. Start savings for a house


Mid Year Check-Up:


1. I have made progress with lifestyle changes, but I'm not where I want to be yet.

I definitely have more of an active lifestyle. I work out, I've lost weight, and I've been making an effort to find more to do in Dallas than just go out for drinks or dinner. But I'd like to play volleyball again. I played in a bar league in Kentucky and I miss it! We haven't been dancing in a while, even though we talk about it every weekend.

I have not found a home church. I've been going with my folks when I'm in town, but it's not a church I want to join. My membership is still officially in Kentucky.

2. I have paid off credit cards and a few other debts. I have started to make a dent in my student loans and the 1 remaining credit card.

Also, I haven't put myself further in to debt. I'm getting smarter with my money, I actually started using Quicken, and I don't shop nearly as much. It helps being out of the mall. Working in a store was just too tempting!

3. I'm not on my way to saving for a house, but I've been able to save money for more important things than a trip to the mall or drinks out with friends. I took a trip to visit my sister, Stephanie and I are going to Mexico in a week, I've had some quick weekend trips to Houston and Austin, and I'm going to Boston for Thanksgiving.

All in all, I'd say I'm doing pretty well this year!

I hate politics

I hate politics. So much so that I avoid TV at all costs during election seasons. But I can't seem to avoid them this year.

From March - June, North Texans were pounded with campaign propaganda for Dallas mayor. Mayor? Since when was that a position that required countless fundraisers, smear campaigns, invading our St. Patty's parade, billboards, and back to back commercials?

I've been trying to avoid coverage of the democratic race on TV. But this morning Good Morning America aired a story that pissed me off to a new level. They were praising Barack Obama for passing Hillary's fundraising totals for this Quarter. See the break out below:

Barack Obama $31 mil

Hillary Clinton $21 mil

John Edwards $9 mil



So let me get this straight - they've raised MILLIONS just so they can run a campaign to try to convince me to vote for them? Yet we have people that don't have a roof over their head, food on their table, and a high school education - and we're excited about the campaign funds reaching an all time high?

It's a good thing it's all about the platform and the people.

True, may have it pretty good compared to other countries. But it still makes me crazy knowing that they're spending millions so I'll be hearing more of this for another year and others go without basic needs.


http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=3336526&page=1

Lawson Alexander Wineman

I can't believe how quickly time has passed. My sister is due in September with her first child. She and Brad have decided on a name for the little guy.

Lawson Alexander Wineman

Lawson is a Knight family name, Alexander is a Wineman family name.

Doesn't it sound distinguished? Such a strong name for such a little guy. Surely with a name like that he'll be some rocket scientist, writer, or doctor.

Road Rage and the Power of the B word

I drive in rush hour traffic every day to and from work. To avoid getting violent with all the ridiculous drivers, I avoid all things angry:

On the way to work I listen to calm music, avoid morning radio shows (which alone often causes me to be violent), and just sip my coffee. On the way home, I usually call my sister to catch up on baby stuff, listen to calm music, and just think about how much closer I am to the weekend.

Tonight I left the office after a long Monday. I called Robyn to make plans for the weekend, and just as we're solidifying plans a woman almost hits me when she halfway cuts me off. One of those things where she tried to cut me off with her tiny Kia and actually decided to look in her mirror and saw my Beast of a car. I slammed on my brakes to avoid her and she (no kidding) yelled at me "Get off the phone you stupid b-tch!"

Ah yes, this is when all the calm music Death Cab for Cutie can provide was no match for my freakishly short temper. Me? Get off the phone? The one driving like a sane person? I should get off the phone? How is it that she drives like an idiot and I'm the b-tch??

Lucky for me I was on the phone with one of the calmest people I know. Thank you Robyn. If I hadn't been talking to you, I probably would have run her tiny little car over, teased her for driving a car that cost as much as my front passenger tire, and called her all sorts of names while giving her the Dallas Highway Salute. (Yes, I'm a lady)

So I managed to get home without clawing her eyes out and just kept thinking – it's the end of Monday. That means the weekend is just a little closer.

Seriously Jar

I think I'm going to replace my "Seriously" jar with this one. With the folks at my office, this jar would be full by the end of the week!

Swear Jar

Just call me Martha Friggin Stewart

My sister is coming to town at the end of the month. We're going to take advantage of the visit to host a baby shower in her honor.

Most sane people who work too many hours during the week and spend most of the weekend in a state of...well..."weekendness" would obviously go to the store and buy invitations.

That is the sane person.

Mary Beth, as you know, is not one of those people. Mary Beth decided to channel her inner Martha Stewart and make each individual invitiation by hand. That's right. Down to the bow, the writing, and the details. I definitely spent at least 5 times what a simple package of invitations would have cost.

But it's my sister's first baby so therefore everything will be overboard and we're excited to do it!

(Let it be known that kid 2 and 3 will get the generic package of invites for $1.99.)

Note to self...

Note to self: Your skin is a lovely shade of pale white. Translucent even.

Spending 5 hours in the sun with 15spf isn't going to protect you from one of the worst sunburns of your life.

I hurt.

I got stood up

I had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend that was full of friends, family, drinks, and lots of food. Since I splurged so much over the weekend, I've been tired and feeling disgusted with myself all week. So I was really looking forward to my session with my personal trainer today.

Today, I was going to be a trooper. I vowed that this time I was not going to whine, beg for mercy, or complain on the 85th set of lunges that my legs are tired. I was even prepared to run.

Anyone who knows me knows I only run if:
1. I'm running from something or,
2. I'm running toward food

I was going to walk in to the torture chamber Cory likes to call "The Gym" and take it like a champ.

But he never showed. Have I really scared him off? I wonder if he finally lost all hope that I'll ever be in shape. He's been working with me for 6 months now and I still won't run a mile without bringing the portable defibrillator "just in case."

(To be fair, last time we went running, we got lost and ended up about 3 miles away from the car.)

But I think my time with Cory may have ended at a good time. I was going to break up with him anyway so I can save more money. But I didn't even get to say goodbye.

So thank you Cory! We had some good times...

....or you had some good times laughing at me while I threatened to cry in the middle of the weight room if you made me do one more set....

...Whatever.

College Station again?

I'm coming back to College Station! Why you ask?

Because I'm a complete moron.

Ah yes, despite my better judgement, I've volunteered to help a new store manager survive inventory.

If you've never been through inventory with a retail store before, it's a little bit like shoving a pencil in your ear while being forced to watch the latest Jamie Kennedy movie.

But the good news is that I might get to see old friends again. I'm coming down Friday, June 22. I'll be working all day Saturday and friggin early & late Sunday, then possibly Monday. I should have a few hours break during the day on Sunday.

Unfortunately for Northgate and the Tap, this visit can't be as wild as Bucky's graduation weekend…but it's a visit nonetheless.

If you'll be in town let me know.

Matthew 6:24 & 34

This Sunday's sermon focused on a few passages about temptation. What distracts us from God, what is meaningless to take your attention away, and what should we continue to put our trust in God.

Matthew 6:24 & 34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?.......Therefore do no worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

This came at an interesting time. My cousin and I were just talking about career choices – with all things mostly equal, when does money tip the decision scales?

We put so much weight into our careers and let that define us. How much money we make, what our title is, what kind of car we can drive, how many toys we have, etc.

It would be so nice to be able to shed the stuff and the desire for stuff. But there have always been temptations that didn't include boob jobs, IPods, and BMWs.

I guess the best we can do is to pursue a life that makes us happy, but does not distract us from what's truly important. Family, friends, and faith.

Ah yes, and then there's the...

Let me begin with stating - I love my mother. I am my mother 30 years behind.

But at what point to women sneak off to a training class, read pamphlets, or listen to books on tape, "How to make your daughter want to slit her wrists while keeping a smile on your face."

My mom and I were just talking about how I've lost weight (actually I believe she used the words "finally lost weight") after all the gym time and pain I've put in. In the same breath as giving me a compliment, asking if boys have noticed, are you dating anyone?, what about that nice boy so-and-so?, ....

Then she hit me with a knowing tone and asked "Is it the dark hair? What is the reaction of boys to the black hair? You used to have boys fall over themselves when you were blond."

That's how it goes with mothers. Compliment. Compliment. Compliment. Aaaaaand below the belt.

Pretend for a moment I'm Madden:
Let's see just what went wrong here. First she came in with the semi-compliment about "FINALLY" losing weight. But MB side stepped that one and kept moving forward. Then attacked from the side, MB is hit from both sides with the "single" comment AND the "hair" comment. Ooooh, that's gotta hurt. You just hate to see that happen.

(A little history - my hair was blond for about 24 years of my life. After a few "interesting" attempts at other colors I've always gone back to blond. But I have no intention of doing that again.)

So, let's just say -

Yes, I've lost weight. And yes, it's taken painful hours with a trainer and a treadmill. But I feel great and I'm healthy. That's all I care about.

Yes, my hair is black/brown. And no, I have no intention of going back to bottle blond like everyone else in Dallas. (no offense to my fabulously bottle blond friends)

I'm comfortable with me and I'm looking forward to the day when I can torment my own daughter.

Road trips, the Apocalypse, and Friendships

If you felt the Earth below your feet rumble at 9:00am on Saturday, you probably felt it was the end of the world. Well, the bad news is it probably is. The good news is it's because Bucky graduated on Saturday from Texas A&M….after 9 heroic years of keg parties, missed finals, and Q drops he has a diploma. True, he almost slept through graduation. But he found a woman who keeps him in line, out of jail (mostly), and puts up with our group. Randa is a special (or crazy) girl for that.

This weekend was a blast. I've never driven the actual speed limit from Dallas to College Station. This time, I decided to take it slow and let the drive really sink in. I took my usual route down (I45 to 14 to Hwy6), stopped off at my favorite antique shops, and the half way point gas station. It really was a great drive. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and it gave me sometime to think out loud with out all the hassle of people giving me funny looks.

This trip got me thinking about temporary friendships and lifelong friends. I met all of these guys in '98 at Fish Camp. I was going off to A&M excited, but a little scared to start new. Then I met Scotty and Vrooman. Even after Fish Camp they kept me under their wing and are still looking out for me.

Now at age 27, I've lost track of a lot of friends. But I have a few close girlfriends that I cherish. They are my "Sex in the City" friends. We're young, successful, fun, and of course fabulous.

But outside of those girls, I've become so accustomed to fickle friends, work friends, seasonal friends, regional friends. It made me really thankful to have a group of great friends with me for one weekend.

So thanks for the weekend guys. I hope to see you again soon!

"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." ~Douglas Pagels

This is why I love John Cleese

A Message from John Cleese to the citizens of the United States of America:

In light of your failure to govern yourselves properly, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately; Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (excepting Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new prime minister, Tony Blair, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded.

A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following Rules are introduced with immediate effect:

(You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary)

1. Then look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -ise. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up 'vocabulary').

3. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of '-ize'. You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen.

4. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

5. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent.

6. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

7. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

8. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metriccation will help you understand the British sense of humour.

9. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) -- roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

11. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as Beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

12. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

13. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).

14. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable.

15. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

16. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

17. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 pm with proper cups, never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; strawberries in season.



John Cleese

Music that makes me laugh

Ok, there are songs that touch your heart and all that mushy crap from my last blog. But there are also songs that just make you laugh out loud. Some are good and some just don't make sense!

Here are some of the ones I could think of. Please add your favorites:



Which came first, The chicken or the egg?
I egged the chicken then I ate its leg.

-Beastie Boys, "Egg Man"



I think we're goin' crazy
Her left eye is lazy
She looks so Israeli
Nicotine and gravy

-Beck, "Nicotine and Gravy"



Your white tee, well, to me looks like a nightgown

Make ya mama proud take that thing two sizes down

Then you look like the man that you are or what you could be

-Andre 3000, "Walk It Out (Remix)"




…watch me make your face beat up my hands

-Dem Franchise Boys, "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It"



When you take a sip you buzz like a hornet

Billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets.
-LFO, "Summer Girls"



Got a Bill in my mouth like I'm Hilary Rodham.
-Ali G, "Grillz"


Open up my mouth and you see mo carrots than a salad
My teeth are mind blowin givin everybody chillz
Call me George Foreman cuz I'm sellin everybody grillz

-Paul Wall, "Grillz"



When I started pushing 30, it started pushin back.

-Gary Allan, "Feelin' Like That"




Get sick,
get well
Hang around a ink well

-Bob Dylan, "Subterranean Homesick Blues"


I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus
GOO GOO GA JOOB

-The Beatles, "I am the Walrus"

Music that makes me smile

Have you ever heard a song that gets under your skin and moves your soul? Everyone should have at least one song or album that is like comfort food. I made a list to share. Please share your favorites with me!

1. The Rocket Summer - Hello, Good Friend

Hanna introduced me to this band and I fell in love. Every song on the album is absolute perfection. Fun, deep, Christian themes, and just good clean fun.

2. Jack's Mannequin - Everything in Transit

Yes, it's the guy from Something Corporate and he's great! Dark Blue holds a special place in my heart and I will always remember the KY crew when I hear it. Into the Airwaves, The Mixed Tape, and Rescued have taken on new meaning over the past few months. Check them out.

3. Bob Schneider - Lonelyland and I'm Good Now

Both are fabulous albums. Not only is he an amazing singer/songwriter, he's from Texas!! Besides, Bob is the kind of guy you'd just want to grab a beer with.

4. Garden State Soundtrack

Robyn can attest to this--I can listen to this over and over and not get tired of it. Each song was carefully selected by Zach Braff and takes you on a powerful journey.

5. The Last Kiss Soundtrack

Basically the follow up to the Garden State Soundtrack. The original is always a little better, but this still can make me cry and smile in the same song.

6. Blue October - Foiled

In to the Ocean is one of those songs I can't help but sing along. Plus, they're from Texas!

7. Paul Oakenfold - Transport

Back in my rave kid stage, this was my favorite album. I still remember watching Daryell, Evan, Chris, and the guys dancing to this.

8. Blink - 182

Always is probably one of my favorite songs ever. I can listen to on repeat and the video is really cool too.

9. Jimmy Eat World - Futures

I really only like 23 & Drugs or Me from this album. Those two songs are incredible depressing, but are so powerful especially if they are played very loud. :)

10. Lifehouse - Any Album

These guys are truly amazing. Every song seeps in to you and touches you.

11. Honeybrowne

More Texas boys! Texas Angel is really the only song people know by them. Probably for a good reason. But Texas Angel is a song that takes me back to my relationship with Varner. As crazy as we were, that song makes me think of him and smile.

12. Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea

Something's Always Wrong is amazing. Back in the day, Blockbuster used to rent out videos from MTV. This was one of the first videos I ever saw and the song is still one of my favorites of all time.

13. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

Disarm is another one of those songs I still love after 14 years. This is the song that made me want to learn how to play the guitar. It's amazing!

14. Teitur - Poetry & Aeroplanes

Zac introduced me to this guy. I listen to it non stop at work. He is so good! Amanda's Dream, Josephine, and Poetry & Aeroplanes and everything else on the album are such beautiful songs.

A week at the Gym

A WEEK AT THE GYM: ONE MAN'S STORY

This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular
workout routine.

Dear Diary:

For my fortieth birthday this year, my wife (the dear) purchased a week
of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am
still in great shape since playing on my High School football team 25
yrs ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a
try.

Called the club and made my reservation with a personal trainer named
Belinda, who identified herself as a 26 yr. old aerobics instructor and
model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My wife seemed pleased with
my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to
chart my progress.

MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but it was well
worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for
me. She was something of a Greek goddess -- with blonde hair, dancing
eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!!!!

Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. She took my pulse
after 5 minutes on the treadmill. She was alarmed that my pulse was so
fast, but I attributed it to standing next to her in her Lycra aerobics
outfit. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her
aerobics class after my workout today.

Very inspiring, Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my
gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around.
This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.
Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air,
and then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the
treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it
all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the
counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a
hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to
steer or stop.
I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient
with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her
voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she
scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.

My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the
stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an
activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help
me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other shit too.

THURSDAY:

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her
thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being
a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes.
Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I
ran and hid in the men's room.
She sent Lars to find me, then, as punishment, put me on the rowing
machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:

I hate that bitch Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any
other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic
little cheerleader. If there were a part of my body I could move without
unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.

Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And
if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the *&%#@^&**!!
barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition
teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach
or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly
voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me
want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the
strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight
hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and
thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year, my
wife (the bitch); will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root
canal or a vasectomy.

Top 10 things that make me crazy

I haven't ranted in a while. Everyone should now and then. So here's....

Top 10 things that make me crazy....this week.

1. The commercial with the female jogger and the guy following her in the car. $40 in gas per jog following your girlfriend is a better idea than a $40 IPod shuffle? I think walk mans are like 25 cents on EBay…

2. Tabloids in general. Therefore, the TV show Dirt makes me want to kick puppies. I've not forced myself to watch it, but the sheer number of ads for the show makes me want to poke my eyes out….slowly.

3. News stories that focus more on Brittany Spears going commando than…well….anything. Surely ANYTHING is more important. Honestly I'd rather hear about Madonna stealing another baby.

4. Rosie O'Donnell. I liked her during her cutie-pa-tutie stage, but now that she's become the unwelcome spokesperson for overweight people, gay people, single mothers, people with bad hair stylists…she makes me despise The View even more.

5. Friends that suck at keeping in touch….but seem to forget that they suck? They are the first ones to point out that you haven't called them back…after they finally return your 4th message. You lose all rights to call people out when you suck at the same thing.

6. Stupid people who breed. Nuf said.

7. Straight men who take longer to get ready than I do. And I have A LOT of hair to wash, dry, then straighten. Seriously.

8. Time Warner Cable. High speed cable? Psshhttt. Whatev.

9. Overused clichés rather than actual conversation. I don't play favorites with these and I don't put off tomorrow what I can do today. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and I'll throw that weakest link out like a baby in bathwater. There's plenty of fish in the sea so why not take the time to use actual conversation.

10. An hour show and 30 minutes of commercials. I've discovered that the only way to watch Grey's Anatomy and really any show out there, is by using Tivo or DVR. Rather than 2 min of show and 5 min of commercials, you can fast forward through all of the uncomfortable Tampax and Nuvaring commercials and watch your show. Good family fun.


Lucky for us all, there are lots of things that make me smile. I'll post an updated list this week. Hold your breath.

Karma

So everyone always says that "Karma is a b---." "Live by the Golden Rule." blah blah.

I've tried to live a good life, I try to be good, try to be nice to others.

But if this Karma thing is true I've really pissed off someone. You may ask, "Why Mary Beth? What's wrong?"

1 word. Cory.

I joined a gym a few weeks after I moved back to Dallas. 2 weeks ago I decided that I needed a personal trainer to show me how to work out to accheive my goals.

Cory is my personal trainer. Oh sure, you meet him and he seems innocent and nice. So nice that I really thought we'd be friends if we met under different circumstances. Well don't be fooled my friends. He's pure evil.

I meet with him 2 times per week at 5am to use weights and cardio on my own 3 times per week. In the 3 times I've seen him so far, I've never known such pain.

session 1: Legs.

My coworkers and family can attest to the fact that I could hardly walk. I rolled down the stairs to avoid actually walking.

session 2: Arms

Not so bad. My triceps were not real excited about the whole thing, but overall not so bad.

session 3: Legs....again.

This session was this morning. I'm already in pain.

So as I sit here and wonder if being sore is a valid excuse for missing work, I warn you--do not get a personal trainer if you

-live on the second floor

-like to walk at all

-need to dress yourself without help from your mom

A New Year...

Ok, so I hate when people ask me what my new year's resolutions will be. We all make them; we all break 99.99% of them. I just cut out the middle man and just don't make resolutions at all.

But this year, I have set some goals. Nothing cliché like lose 10 lbs (though I do have a personal trainer I like to call Satan), but some real goals to follow up on my previous blog about moving back to Dallas.

2007 Goals:

1. Make lifestyle changes, including but not limited to:

-active lifestyle

-move church membership to a church in town

2. Pay off big portion of debt

3. Start savings for a house

How am I going to meet these goals?

Well, I've joined a new fancy gym that is friggin fabulous, and I have a personal trainer that I pay to tell me I'm out of shape. YAY! This gym has 400 machines, rock climbing, basketball/volleyball courts, indoor/outdoor pools, saunas, yoga, Pilates, etc. I love it! http://www.lifetimefitness.com

I'm in search of a new church, but it's a little difficult to decide since I still don't know where I'm going to move. But it will all come together.

Living with my folks has helped me put money toward debts I've accumulated in college, after college, and moving all over the US. My goal is to pay off all debts except the college loans. Who am I kidding? I'll be paying those off until I'm 70.

Once I get my debts paid off, I can put the money I used to set aside for that toward savings. I don't want to rent forever! Owning is a long term goal that won't happen this year or even the next, but I can start preparing now.

So here's to a great new year!