The 2nd Job

So I’ve been at Boston Market aka “the Market” for just about a month now.  I can actually and honestly say it is 10 times harder then I expected, however I actually really like the job.  I work with some crazy funny people.  The money is a huge incentive also.  I have already saved up enough money to cover one week of my 2 weeks without pay at my 1st job! 

I’m on my first week of furlough next week and hopefully can pick up some extra hours at the market to help even more.  I’m hoping that I can save enough to get my new laptop, pay someone to build my website, and get caught up on some bills (as well as pay a few off). 

I have made 2 new goals that I am not adding to my 100 Things list and I’m not quite ready to share them with the world, but I will eventually!

I’m meeting someone new tonight for the first time!  Wish me luck!

It’s a privilege

I was watching one of my absolute favorite movies tonight.  One of the characters said something that really hit me tonight…

We don’t realize what a privilege it is to grow old with someone…

Gearing up for Camping!

Well 4th of July camping is FINALLY booked and I can’t wait!

My best friend Lori, her husband Cliff, the guy I’ve been seeing (we’ll call him “G”) and I will be heading to Ludington, MI for the long weekend.  This is especially exciting for me for two reasons:
1.  I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and have never traveled to the West side of my state.
2.  ”G” who I’ve been dating since late February is going with me and this will be our first “trip”/weekend together. 

I’ve been working on my packing list and I’m happy to say I’ve already got most of the stuff on hand.  It helps that we are actually camping in Lori & Cliff’s camper, although “G” and I have agreed that if the weather isn’t too bad in one extreme or the other that we’ll probably sleep in the tent (this I know will bring a good story because I have only slept in a tent one other time in my life, I was probably 10).  “G” is used to real rustic camping and I think he knows he’s got to compromise on this trip with the camper being next to the tent so that there is hope I may one day do a full “rustic” tent camping trip with him.  “G” would like to try a dune hike, which of course I have agreed to even though I’m overweight and completely out of shape, I refuse to say I can’t do something…otherwise I wouldn’t be “Fearlessgal” so if this adventure kills me it was nice to share the last year with everyone, lol.

I so look forward to sharing the events of the weekend.  I’m sure there will be many amusing stories.

UPDATED 5.18.09 ~ My 100 Things List

I’M ABLE TO CROSS ONE THING OFF MY LIST!

Well I’ve been working on this list for awhile…here it is:

My 100 Things List

1. Vacation to New York City

2. Spend a New Years Eve in Times Square

3. Visit all 50 states

4. 2 week vacation to Alaska

5. Snowboard at least once

6. Ski at least once

7. Tent camp for at least 5 nights

8. Bike around Mackinac Island

9. Vacation to Ireland

10. Vacation to Italy

11. Ski Lodge Vacation with Friends in Colorado

12. Audition to be on TV or in a movie… even if you’re just an extra

13. Take sexy photos of yourself (keep them somewhere safe)

14. Visit the North Pole

15. Attend The Tonight Show or The Late Show as an audience member

16. Spend a night pub-hopping in London

17. Go white water rafting

18. Fall in love – even if its not everlasting

19. Write a book… even if it’s short and never gets published

20. Visit the Senate and the House of Representatives to see how Congress really works

21. Take a shower under a waterfall

22. Sleep on the beach under the stars in Key West

23. Hit up Oktoberfest in Munich.

24. Hit up Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

25. Hit up Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

26. Hike the Grand Canyon

27. Attend a Red Sox vs. Yankees game in Fenway Park

28. Visit the Amazon Rainforest

29. Pyramids at sunset

30. Take a road trip across the U.S.

31. See the sun rise on the East coast and sunset on the West coast of the US in the same day

32. Ride a trolley car in San Fran

33. Take a hot air balloon ride

34. Hold a chimp

35. See a shuttle launch

36. See the Northern Lights

37. Make a tasty pot of chili not involving a premade seasoning packet

38. Visit Paris

39. Learn to drive a Manual Transmission

40. Attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

41. Take a trip with my brother & Sister – NO PARENTS

42. Save $5000

43. Send a secret to PostSecret.com ~ Sent in a secret this week…have more that I plan to send.

44. Send flowers to 3 different people for no reason

45. Start to trace my family tree

46. Go paintballing

47. Complete the local wine tour

48. Take a girls only trip with friends

49. Get a passport

50. Walk, run or jog in a 5K

51. Visit Mount Rushmore

52. Sleep on an overnight train

53. Go to a palm reader/psychic

54. Drive the Merrit Parkway (Connecticut) during the Fall Foliage season

55. Plant a lemon tree and use the lemons

56. Give bone marrow, a kidney or a liver lobe

57. Fly in a helicopter

58. Run for some political office

59. Forgive myself for my past

60. Spend Christmas on the beach enjoying drinks

61. Make a hole-in-one

62. Learn to bartend

63. Spend time with someone who is aware of their last moments on Earth

64. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or Soup Kitchen every holiday for a year…my family can live without me once

65. Become a foster parent or court appointed guardian

66. Ice skate in Rockefeller Plaza

67. Go whale watching

68. Don’t talk for a whole day

69. Fast for one whole 24 hour period and not complain about it but learn from it

70. Bring myself to tell my ex thank you for ending our relationship…my life is much better now.

71. Spend a day doing “touristy” things alone

72. Take a vacation alone

73. Move back into my own place!

74. Have the guts to ask for what I want or deserve

75. Live by my blog name ~ FearlessGal ~ be fearless in all I do

76. Find the campground on the beach in Florida (saw it on the travel channel and now can’t remember the name) and stay there for a week

77. Become a name in political circles

78. Become a true activist for what I believe in

79. Tell a stranger they are beautiful and mean it

80. Go one week without using the phone (unless an emergency) or internet

81. Pay off the IRS!

82. Visit the Crater of Diamonds State Park

83. Get arrested

84. Buy a camper

85. Learn proper Chef knife skills

86. Sleep on a beach

87. Buy Season Tickets to the Red Wings

88. Buy Season Tickets to the Tigers

89. Rejoin Big Brother Big Sisters

90. Accept the flaws of those I love

91. Join a golf league

92. Buy a really good set of golf clubs

93. Get my tattoos fixed/reworked

94. Lose weight & be healthy

95. Read the entire bible

96. Attend church on a regular basis

97. Learn to sew & be able to hem my own clothes

98. Always seek to improve

99. Vacation with that special someone

100. CONTINUE TO ENJOY AND EXPERIENCE THINGS NOT ON THE 100 LIST!
     

If anyone has any other suggestions for my list or if you can help me cross some of this stuff off email me!

Wow just about a year…

Well it’s been just about a year since my world turned upside down.  I can’t believe how quickly (and easily) the time passed.

I am still living with my parents, and in all honesty don’t know when I’ll be moving.  The economy is just too iffy and I’m not comfortable making financial obligations right now.

On a positive note, I’ve been dating someone for a few months.  We met online last summer but due to circumstance we did not actually meet in person until February.  We’ve gone out a lot and I really really like this guy.  The most unfortunate part of it is that we live about an hour away from each other so we don’t get to see each other as frequently right now.  Hoping that will change though.  We’ll see how it goes!  I’m planning on inviting him to my cousins wedding, which means he’ll be meeting my family…again we’ll see how it goes!

My friends and I are starting to plan our summer camping trips…first up 4th of July weekend!

Updates

Well its been awhile since I really put anything of substance up here for everyone.  So I’ll start off, well from the beginning, haha.

The last few months at work have been very difficult.  Many of us who have been around for several years could kind of see the writing on the wall, sort of like when you paint on a white wall with Tide detergent in college or high school and you can kind of see it in the regular light (if you use too much) but you can’t really know the message until you turn on a black light…work has been kind of like that.

Well our business is in real estate and we’re in Michigan…like I said we’ve kind of known that we aren’t in a great position.  Anyhow, several weeks ago our company had to let four people go.  This was such a shock as we are already such a small operation to begin with.  Most of us were friends with the people that were let go so that made it that much more difficult.  Just as we were adjusting to that change we were informed that regrettably the entire company had to take a pay cut.  I can’t lie and say I wasn’t devastated by this, however I’d rather have the fraction of the paycheck I’m getting versus being on unemployment right now.  The mood and tone in our office is just starting to recover, but there is still that underlying angst about the what if’s (at least there is for me).  But I’m happy to be employed still and will continue to come to work each day and do the best I can with what I’m dealing with at that moment.

I’ve been looking for a place to move into, a roomate type situation.  I thought I had found the perfect place right near downtown Royal Oak, however the room was a bit smaller then what I need and I’ve decided to keep looking for now.

I met a guy online awhile back and we never really had a great “I have to meet this person” type connection, however around Valentines Day we started talking a ton and ended up meeting.  We’ve been on a few dates, but things seem to be fizzling out.  I don’t know my real feelings on this.  I really liked this guy (I like him more then any other guy I’ve dated so far) but there is a little distance between us so it makes it that much harder.  We’ll see what happens.  In the mean time I’m still out there…if anyone knows of any good single (and at least moderately emotionally) available guys, send them my way!

I’ve changed insurances and now must go get a physical by my doctor to qualify for the lower premium.  I go on the 21st of April.  I’m realizing that I need to quit talking about getting healthy and actually do it.  I’ve tried WeightWatchers and although I love it never had stellar results.  I am going back to the gym and hope to drop about 20lbs by July…my overall weight goal is much more then that, but I’m thinking if I just take it in 20lb increments I’ll have better success.  I’m all about the silver lining in situations, my silver lining in my pay cut is that I can’t afford to do many things right now so the free gym at the Auburn Hills Community Center is going to be my source of entertainment.

“My 100 Things List” aka The Bucket List ~ I’m starting my 100 Things List.  So far I have 50, hoping to fill the other 50 in tonight.  Once I have all 100 down on paper I plan on placing my list on here and tracking what I accomplish.  Wish me luck, I’d love to be able to get the majority of the list done in the next 10 years!

My best friend recently bought a new camper so hopefully I’ll have some camping stories for everyone this summer!  I am going to hopefully try “tent” camping though this year so you know stories will come from that one!

FearlessGal’s #1 Guy – Bentley – A Tribute

This post is dedicated to my wonderful and crazy English Bulldog Bentley.  Many of you may not know that Bentley has been having quite a few behavioral problems these last few months.  It is with a very heavy and sad heart that I have to tell everyone that I had to make the agonizing decision recently to find Bentley a new home.  Over the last couple of month his behavior became more and more erratic and crazy.  I first thought it was him simply adjusting to his new environment at my parents home.  Unfortunately this was not the case.  But no matter what I have loved him. 

He is going to wonderful new parents where he will be an “only dog” again.  I met with Julie and Tim last Wednesday and can’t say enough wonderful things about them.  Bentley seemed instantly comfortable and at home with them, and they just seemed ecstatic to have him there.  They wanted to keep him right away but I had to ask for a couple of more days with him, I just wasn’t ready to part with him yet.  I came home that night and started taking a million pictures of him and making endless lists of stuff to remember to tell them and things I wanted to do with him before Saturday morning when I took him to his new home.

Bentley is and always be more then just a dog to me.  He really does mean the world to me and always will.  He is the one I cuddle up with in bed each night rubbing the cute little nub just above his tail that he loves so much.  How am I going to sleep in silence at night without his louder then a grown human man snoring?  What will I do without him trying to push me out of his way to get more space in the bed?  What am I going to do without the wonderful “bully breath”?

Bentley can never be replaced in my heart and I have no desire to even try.  I can’t imagine loving another dog as I did him.  He has been with me since June 27th, 2004 he was my first dog. 

Saturday morning I loaded up the car with all of Bentley’s belongings (man this dog had a lot of stuff) and we hit the road in the winter weather to drive down to the Livonia/Redford area where he will live.  We finally arrived I unloaded all of his stuff and talked with his new mommy about all his little quirks and oddities.  Of course making the stellar impression only Bentley can make he continued to try and “dominate” her and finally right as I was getting ready to leave vomited on her living room rug…great impression I know.  She was so great about everything.  I hope that he is endlessly happy in his new home!

I have already received an update regarding Bentley that he is extremely happy at his new home as are his new parents.  He’s already gotten to meet a bunch of new people and even played with a child (something he never did well in my care).  I can’t wait to hear more about him!

Another New Hair Do

Well it was about time for a change again…so I went brunette…what do you think?

November 08 Hair

FearlessGals Guy

Alright so this guy that I’m dating and I spent a ton of time together and I couldn’t be happier!  He is so thoughtful, concerned and caring.

Last Thursday my parents left for their annual Florida vacation…well as luck would have it 2 crazy kinds of ants decided to converge upon our garage Saturday afternoon.  I get very stressed out about this kind of stuff because I fear they will end up in the house.  Well “The Boy” happened to call right as I had discovered the ants and said “don’t worry we’ll get it taken care of”.  I met him at the movies later that evening and he had a bag of “presents” with him…2 kinds of Bug/Ant killer and a huge tub of Caramel & Chocolate covered popcorn to make me feel better.  He asked if I had gotten the oil in my car changed yet as I had mentioned that I was WAY over due for one and when I said no he immediately made me go and get it done before we saw a movie.  He didn’t do this to be bossy or controlling, but to make sure that I’m ok with my car and that its going to last me.  He respects the “rules/requests” that my dad made that I not have “New” people at the house while they were gone, and is even willing to go hang out with my friends for an 80’s Themed party on Friday night…80’s Attire and all, no argument, no persuading, just an “of course, I’ll get to be with you right?”…wow it’s so great!  I just really can’t stop smiling every time he enters my thoughts.  Just the idea that I get to see this guy again makes me smile.

Again this is very early on and I am still holding a part of my wall up but boy is he making me wonder why I need the wall…my answer is the answer I live by “Always be prepared”…kind of like the Boy Scouts, and I do believe this can hold true for good and bad in life.

FearlessGal has met someone!

Ok so I am moderately hesitant to write about this just yet, however there is a part of me that just wants to scream it to the world.

I met someone and he is wonderful!  We’ve only been out a few times but I just can’t stop thinking how great those few dates have been and how much he makes me smile.  We have talked daily for the last couple of weeks and I just can’t stop smiling!  Wish me luck!