This Month

Here are some things I'm into this month.

+Old Disney Movies
We finally got a VHS player and I'm going to watch all of my favorite Disney classics!
+Snow
I can't wait for it to REALLY snow and sit by the fire and watch it come down.
+Home
I just love the valley and am glad to be home even if it's only for a little while.
+Reading for fun
Now that my thesis paper is done, I actually have time to read books I want!
+Doctor Who
I don't know where this came from, but all of a sudden, I'm obsessed!
+The new Star Trek Movie
Such a good movie! How can you not love the new version! Kirk is hot.
+Red Tail red wine from Davenlore
One of my favorite wineries. This bottle was just amazing.
+Playing the Piano
Being home gives me the chance to go back to playing. I've missed it.
+Farmville
This is awful. I'm addicted to this facebook game and I'm pathetic.



What are you into this month?

Givaway

This would be amazing to win! A little treat for myself or perhaps a great gift for my deserving mom!

http://www.fantabulouslyfrugal.com/2009/11/you-deserve-best-giveaway.html

Helping Friends

Whew! What a morning! I'm back home after a kinda stressful morning. Here's how it all started.

I went to ASL class and got there JUST on time. Almost late, which I'm never late to. Class went well. Leon, my professor, told stories and had us sign a conversation to him and told us all that we were doing such a good job! It made me smile. I also learned the sign for England, Germany and Greece, all of which I will be traveling to in January. I asked him what the sign was for Sweden and can now show up my mom. :)

After class, I went to the Admin coffee cart for some coffee and good gossip with friends. Then Jessica showed up. She got into a car accident on Sunday and was T-boned by some lady. Luckily she could see it coming and was able to step on the gas and the lady hit her in the back seat door. But now Jessica is all sore and her muscles are ceasing up. She was in such pain that she left class early and could hardly carry her bag, let alone think. So I walked her to the Dinning Services office, where we work, so we could get her purse. Once there, Linda, our boss, saw Jessica's pain and immediately told Jessica to "go home!"

That's when we decided that since Jessica had a car here, I would drive her car to her house with her, and Linda would follow and take me back to school. Jessica was in so much pain that she was crying. All the way to her house we talked about anything and everything just trying to get her mind away from the pain. I felt so bad. What are you supposed to do/say? I just wanted her to feel better. We finally get her home and into bed. Her mom was on her way home and Jessica just needed to lay down. So off Linda and I go back to school.

This is where it gets good. Linda was almost out of gas, so we stopped at a gas station. Then we're off again. After about a good eight to ten minutes, we're both like, shouldn't we have been on the freeway by now? We decided we went the wrong way on Meridian. So we turn around and we're off once again! This time, we knew we were going the right way because we started to recognize things.

We finally made it back! It only took about 30 minutes longer than we expected, but whatever. We got to catch up and talk about work plus many other things. Linda has so much on her plate that I hope the car ride was a nice little break for her.

Now I'm back at home, thinking I should do some homework or take a shower, and yet all I really want to do is watch a movie or read. How unproductive of me. I work tonight at six, covering a shift for a friend. Sometimes I wonder why I keep taking shifts! I always end up regretting it because once I'm home, I never want to leave! Oh well. It's only three hours and I'm closing a cart. No big deal. Just think of the money, I keep telling myself. Which reminds me, I am going to have an AMAZING paycheck this month. 91 hours! Whoo hoo! This is really going to help the whole paying for another Europe trip thing.

Well, I'm off to do something. Not sure what yet, but something. I hope everyone's day is fabulous and wonderful! God bless!

As always,
Cait

Another Week

And so ends another week. Thursdays are my Fridays since I don't have any classes on Fridays. I just have to work, and really it's not too bad. Here's a little recap of my last week.

I went to Bellevue to visit my parents and my aunt last weekend. My mom was pretty sick, but she still came over.

On Saturday, dad, Aunt Pat and I all went to see Wicked in Seattle. It.Was.Amazing. I cannot express how much I loved it. It was simply amazing. Plus it was really thought provoking. There were some undertones that were really interesting. Some about treating others as you wish to be treated, blaming someone just to have a common enemy, and the role the government plays. If you haven't seen it, go! It is totally worth it. It's not even that I'm a huge fan of musicals. There was something different about this one. Just go. See it. Listen to the words. Listen to the music. Hear the undertones. It really makes you think.

Sunday mom and dad came to Tacoma to see the apartment. They were the only parents who hadn't seen it yet. And that was only because everyone else live close enough that their parents could help them move in. That is totally fine with me. I understand that mom and dad can't really take a whole bunch of time off to come and move me in. It worked out just fine. They really like the place. Then off they went. Off to the long drive home with mom coughing all the way.

I then had to go to Puyallup to meet my professor. He is my advisor but is on sabbatical this year. My senior year. Tell me how that's supposed to work. I met him at some coffee shop and he helped me with part of my capstone. I was really struggling before, but with his help, I found my direction again. It's good that he lives so close and is willing to meet with me. I don't know what I would have done if he had been in Italy.

I busily went to work on my capstone piece. I had to skip my history class on Monday, but I finished! And it was on time! I don't think it was my best work, but I did it! I don't know how, but I somehow pushed through and got it done. Yay for me.

The rest of this week was just fine. Nothing special. It's over though. And that's what matters. Today James, Tracy's friend, came over for dinner. We had pulled pork and it was super good. Hannah did a good job making the pork. Yummy! Then we played Hand & Foot and Apples to Apples. A good night, all in all. Since then, we've all gone our separate ways and have retreated to our rooms.

There's so much I should be doing right now. I have a to-do list that's a thousand miles long. There's one pressing matter: my history book report. But I have until Monday. So hopefully it'll get done.

Anyway, I'm off to procrastinate some more. Have some fun tonight!

Ciao

HOME

I went home last weekend. It was The Great Prosser Balloon Rally weekend and it was A-MAZING! I love watching the hot air balloons fly across that beautiful town I call home. Nothing gets better than a small town coming together for a festival. I have missed the small town atmosphere living in downtown Parkland. It's just not the same.

Saturday, I got to get up early and watch the balloons take off from the airport. Wonderful. Cold, but wonderful. I then went into town to meet up with Sara. Sara's one of my best friends and has gotten married and moved away to Alabama. But she came back to Washington to visit so I got to see her for a whole day! We wandered around the Harvest Festival and watched the street painters. And of course we had to stop at Sixth Street Coffee Shop for our traditional cup of coffee. Sara and I met up with Alyssa (another best friend that goes to the University of Washington) and Matt (Sara's brother-in-law and my good friend) and chatted about old times and old friends. Later that evening, I worked at our family run winery, Willow Crest Winery, which, by the way, you should come visit and taste our amazing wines. We were crazy busy! There was an event happening because of the balloons and people were coming in and out all day! That tuckered me out. I was ready for bed when the event was over.

Sunday saw me get up at 7 to watch the hot air balloons float past my house. I haven't seen the balloons in three years, so it was a real treat to see them and watch them fly past my house. I didn't even have to go anywhere. I just went and sat on our balcony. I even waved at the people in one of the balloons!

Coming back to school and back to the grind was hard. Luckily, my parents are coming to this side this weekend and we're off to see Wicked in Seattle! Be jealous! I can't wait to see this musical that eveyone's talked about. I'm so lucky to have a father that is interested in theater and willing to share his knowlege and love with his children. I can't imagine my life without plays and musicals in it. They are just so fun!

As always,
Cait

"I favor truth over style."

Short Day

I only had one class today. American Sign Language. I freaking love learning sign language! I've already learned it twice before, but one more time can't hurt! Last time I took classes in ASL, I was a senior in high school so it's only fitting that I'm learning again as a senior in college. It is so fascinating! I love learning about the culture and I love communicating with my mom across crowded rooms. People have the most interesting expressions when you sign in front of them. This summer, while I was home, I went to the Zillah parade with the Miss Prosser committee and court. My mom and I were both walking with the float and kept signing to each other because we couldn't hear over the music. The court and the other walkers kept wanting to know what each of us were saying! They couldn't believe we were signing to each other. It's interesting becuase my mom signs SEE (Signing Exact English) and I sign ASL (American Sign Language). Sometimes we don't always know what the other is talking about because the signs can be different, but we usually figure it out. If not, we can always finger spell everything to each other. My mom and I have been signing to each other for years whenever we're apart in a room or it's too noisy. I love having something that is just about her and I. But now that I'm in an ASL class, I'm going to know so much more than her! :)

So now I should be doing a million other things. I should be looking up articles for my capstone. I should be reading my history book that I have to do a report on. I should be reading/researching for my Econometrics paper. But instead, since I've been home today, I've taken a shower, ate lunch, took out the garbage, styled my hair, watched Bones, did the dishes, played on facebook, and messed around on the internet. The internet is just so addicting! I can't get anything done with it around.

I still have to work tonight. I HATE closing. You get all settled in your house, in your sweats, ready for bed or just watching a movie, and then BAM! It hits you that you have to get dressed again and go to work to close. A whole four hours! That's a long time not to be in your own house. Not to mention it's late at night. If only I could trade someone shifts. But nobody likes the closing shifts. At least it's only once a week instead of more!

Off I go to try and read some of my history book. Wish me luck!

As always,
Cait

"Who knows what turns a spark into a flame?"

Senior Year

Senior Year

I cannot believe that I'm finally in my Senior year at college! It seems like just yesterday that I was getting ready to move to Tacoma. But here I am, trying to focus on my last year of schooling before I head off to the big bad real world.

I'm loving living in an apartment, finally. I can't believe I've spent the last three years sharing a room with another girl. This apartment situation is much better. I have my own room and get to cook my own food. Yummy! Although, at times, it's hard to live with three other girls, I'm really enjoying most of it. After years of living with my two brothers, it was weird to come to school and live only with girls. But I suppose it's okay.

I'm working on writing my capstone this fall. Ick. Sometimes I cannot believe that other at other schools you don't have to write a capstone or really do much at all to graduate. But here at Pacific Lutheran University, every undergraduate has to write a capstone, which is pretty much like a graduate student's thesis. It is insanely stressful. I want to write my paper on wine prices, but we'll see what it is actually about when I finish in December. Most of the time I don't believe that I'm smart enough to write a capstone paper, let alone be graduating from college.

What am I going to do when I leave school and have to get a job/work all the time? Is life ever fun again after school? Where will I live? Will I have to continue to live here on the west side of the state? Or will I be able to find a job in Eastern Washington where my heart really is? I desperately want to move back to the valley but my decision will be based on where I find a job. I still don't really know what kind of job I can get with an Economics major and a Statistic minor. Any help out there?

Work has been INSANE. I don't know how to deal with those people anymore. My friend Amy has run off to Europe and left us all high and dry. Being a senior employee, I feel I know more than most and that means I do more than most. Not such a great thing since I was told I wasn't going to be a student manager anymore this year. I got demoted. What's up with that?! They said they weren't going to hire any more student managers so I figured, whatever. At least I'll be like everybody else again, right? Wrong. They then went and hired eight more student managers while I was home for the summer. Was I one of them? Nope. Was I asked? Nah. Do I get a pay cut? Yup. Do I hate having to listen to people who haven't worked here as long tell me what do do? Oh yes. Not that I really want to be a manager, I just wish people who are managers, weren't.

That's all for tonight. It's a long one. And perhaps not such a happy one. But it's how I feel and that's what really matters, right? I'm off to eat some ice cream and perhaps watch a movie. I need to relax after a long day like today.

As always,
Cait




We learn and change, or we harden into stone.