Thursday, July 31, 2008

Sick to My Stomach

No, I'm not literally sick. After walking out of my final exam last semester in Early Learning Literacy, I have had this knot in my stomach that grows as more stress accumulates about the novel that we are all about crack open, entitled Post-College.

People tell me that I'm one of those that seem to have everything together, that I never let anything really get me down. That I take situations when they come and learn from them. That I never let anything really freak me out. News flash. I'm an excellent actress.

This summer, I've been working two jobs, both of which are fields of occupation that I could never see myself doing for the next 30+ years. One job is great pay, little transportation needed (which is golden because gas prices are mind-bogging right now), and has a wonderful incentive. My mom works right across the hall from me. Now, I know most of you would think "what?! you work with your mom? You must be out of your mind." But little do you know, my mom is one of the two people that I admire most in this world (the other one is her hubby). She is strong, smart, driven and has such a wonderful heart. She takes life's challenges head on and doesn't let anything defeat her. I aspire to be like her. She tells me that my zest for life, sense of humor and love for people will carry me far. Hopefully she is accurate.

Capital Title is filled with woman that has all different backgrounds. The majority of them might make you look twice. They have stories that I have never heard. J Crew is my other form of income. On the outside, everyone is all prepped out and classy, but when you get underneath the argyle sweaters and skinny ties, there is world of unstable jobs, drama and low incomes.

I plan on being a teacher Post-College. I would love to teach in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Right now, I have my heart set on teaching in a private school in Dallas. It sounds like a grand adventure, but underneath my shield of confidence, I'm scared out of my mind. I'm scared of the unknown. Not really knowing what to expect when I come across situations that I have never dealt with. Is anyone feeling this too?

The ultimate theme for the novel called Post College is this, whatever I pursue will be something that I absolutely love and have a passion for. Regardless of where I am living, how much I am making, how far I have to drive, etc., none of it will matter. As long as I have loving what I do, then everything else will fall into place.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

See you tomorrow in Dallas...

Today J Crew Galleria opens. In honor of all things preppy, I have on a madras skirt, green loafers, blue woven and a tie. Yes, a tie. Yes, I know I'm a girl and girls don't wear ties, but I don't care. I like to drum to my own beat.

It has been sooo slow today at the title company. Have I told you that I work with 15 other woman? There is so much estrogen in this office that I think we would be the perfect line up for a Tampax commerical. On a weekly basis, they talk about how fat they are and how they need to lose weight, what hot celebrity men they would love to meet (my mom's list is quite electic), how it's okay that they are overweight because they are already married and it doesn't matter anymore, how they wish they would workout more because they have no energy...the list goes on and on. I just sit back and watch em. My sense of humor helps everyone get through the day I've decided. They would be completely bored without me.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Surprises in the ordinary life

I can't wait till next week. I know it's only Monday, but next weekend is going to be glorious. John Mayer + roommates = perfection. A bunch of us are heading out to see one of our favorite rockstars. It's going to be sweet.

J Crew is launching their new store tomorrow. It's going to be preptastic. On Friday, I skinny folded for 5 hours, making sure all of the piles were crisp and ready.

Also, my aunt, cousin and her three boys (all under the age of 5) are coming to Dallas for a long weekend. My dad has gotten way into planning activities for the kids. He was the youngest of three boys so he has this notion that he knows how to entertain boys, rather than girls. He has set up a craft table in our computer/game room for them filled with crayons, markers, play doh and coloring books. He has pulled out all of the children's book from my closet to read to them. It's pretty adorable. He loves kids.

I'm at work right, Capital Title that is. It's kinda slow. Nothing too exciting is happening. Although, I have a least a day's worth of ridiculous stories to tell you (the reader who happens to read this every now and then) about situations in the office. After this summer, I can attest that the office that I'm working at would be more entertaining than Michael Scott's. I know that's an extremely bold statement, but it's true.

Grace is leaving for college soon. It's so weird to think she is about to begin the next big chapter in her life. I still feel like she is a freshman in college studying the little manual in order to pass her permit test. She is going to study Nursing at Mississippi College. She is going to have a blast. I'm so excited to watch her grow and learn about herself in these next four years. I just hope she doesn't forget about her ridiculous sister back in waco. :(

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Attempting to Keep My Sanity

Hello!

I actually have no idea who reads these wonderful entries about my adventures, but they are fun to write so I'm going to continue writing them.

Last weekend, my girls from high school and I headed up to Gilley's to two step our hearts out. McCracken and Matt came along for the ride. McCracken danced with each of us because we had no boys to dance with for the first part. I was told that I dance "too stiff" and I can't lead when I'm dancing with a boy. Rude. Jon came up later and we tore up the dance floor. Jon was almost offended when I asked if he knew how to dance. "Kid, I went to Tech. Of course I know how to two step." It was wonderful, we were definitely the preppiest people out there. Me in a buttondown and jeans and Jon in a burberry polo and topsiders, definitely a sight to see among the men in their wrangler jeans and pearl snap shirts. Jon's my fav. dancer slash above the music you could hear our laughter because it's endless when the two of us are together.

J Crew is opening a new store at the Galleria. Super exciting, it opens July 30th (i think). Last night, me and 40 other employees went to work at the new store. The first shipment of clothes came last night at nine so my crew and I were down in the garage where the truck was, unloading the 600+ boxes that came. One group was then to take the boxes on dolly's up the elevator to the 3rd floor, but to our disadvantage, the elevator was broken so kids were running up the flights of stairs with boxes. The third group of kids were in the store opening up boxes and seeing where to sort everything. When the boxes were up in the store, we started opening them up and jcrew folding the jeans, chinos, polos, buttondowns, etc. It was like Christmas. glorious.

My metro boys at jcrew have decided that I'm going to be their mini project of fashion on what i should be rockin' on baylor campus when I come back in the fall. Better watch out, it's going to be smokin' hot in jcrew gallore.

By Friday, I am going to have banked in 64 hours of work, between Capital Title and J Crew. I know, sounds totally insane. J Crew is so fun. A bunch of people in their 20's hanging out and getting paid to help me prepify themselves? Glorious. And Capital Title. Man, if you have a chance, I can tell you the stories gallore behind the scences of CT. It is scandalous with a capital S.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend the dash.

So think about this long and hard,
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we'd never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

I decided that about 18 years ago when I was onstage at my first recital wearing my hotpink tutu, tap shoes, and hot pink bow to match.

I'm at the title company right now, counting down the second until 5pm when I will be released to go outside and get away from my white walled office. I've been listening to Tristan Prettyman all afternoon. She's pretty rad. I have a crush.

I have been researching schools all over the Dallas.Fort Worth area. I'm looked into PISD, DISD, FISD, RISD and MISD. All of them sound great, everyone seems to be on the search for teachers. I'm getting my ESL Certification and in a few of these school districts, they will give you an additional bonus just to teach in the bilingual classroom! Score! I've also looked into some private schools in Dallas. There are some really neat ones out there. I think it would be neat to teach in both types of environments. The best part of private school teaching is that in some of them, if you teach there for a handful of years, they will help you pay for grad school. I would love to be a elementary school counselor or a principal one day. I also want to write a children's book too. Anyone have any suggestions on what to write about? It has to be Newberry Award Worthy.

What else...O YES! I'm going to audition for After Dark. It's something that I have talked about doing since freshman year and what the heck, I'm going to do it. Dancing of course. I have already mapped out in my head the choregraphy that I'm going to use. Another random and crazy notion, I want to audition for So You Think You Can Dance when they come to August. I mean, seriously, what do you have to lose? They tell you that you suck at dancing and should never consider doing it as a career? Lame, I've been told many a "compliment" back in the day when I was hardcore. You just have to be a tough cookie, take it as it comes and don't let it get to you.

And back to the title, I'm more ridiculous than ever. I've got everyone laughing whenever I say something funny at the office. It's fun. I never thought of myself as a funny person. Apparently I am. One more thing to add to the resume. "What is something unique about yourself?" Answer: I bring laughter out of people when they least expect."

Being completely ridiculous

I decided that about 18 years ago when I was onstage at my first recital wearing my hotpink tutu, tap shoes, and hot pink bow to match.

I'm at the title company right now, counting down the second until 5pm when I will be released to go outside and get away from my white walled office. I've been listening to Tristan Prettyman all afternoon. She's pretty rad. I have a crush.

I have been researching schools all over the Dallas.Fort Worth area. I'm looked into PISD, DISD, FISD, RISD and MISD. All of them sound great, everyone seems to be on the search for teachers. I'm getting my ESL Certification and in a few of these school districts, they will give you an additional bonus just to teach in the bilingual classroom! Score! I've also looked into some private school in Dallas. There are some really neat ones out there. I think it would be neat to teach in both types of environments. The best part of private school teaching is that in some of them, if you teach there for a handful of years, they will help you pay for grad school. I would love to be a elementary school counselor or a principal one day. I also want to write a children's book too. Anyone have any suggestions on what to write about? It has to be Newberry Award Worthy.

What else...O YES! I'm going to audition for After Dark. It's something that I have talked about doing since freshman year and what the heck, I'm going to do it. Dancing of course. I have already mapped out in my head the choregraphy that I'm going to use. Another random and crazy notion, I want to audition for So You Think You Can Dance when they come to August. I mean, seriously, what do you have to lose? They tell you that you suck at dancing and should never consider doing it as a career? Lame, I've been told many a "compliment" back in the day when I was hardcore. You just have to be a tough cookie, take it as it comes and don't let it get to you.

And back to the title, I'm more ridiculous than ever. I've got everyone laughing whenever I saw something funny at the office. It's fun. I never thought of myself as a funny person. Apparently I am. One more thing to add to the resume. "What is something unique about yourself?" Answer: I bring laughter out of people when they least expect."

Thursday, July 10, 2008

3 Meanings of Shag

My mom is telling everyone to "shag" today at work. We tried to explain to her that shag meant sex but she denied it so she has looked it up on google for the definition. This is what she found.

Shag
1. rough, matted hair. (ex. A Shagged Dog)
2. To dance a step a vigorous hopping on each foot (my mom's response. "Claire! You know how to shag!! I've seen you do it before.) not awkward in any shape or form, eh?
3. To chase or follow after (My mom told us that we need to shag for our clients. I personally think she lucked out).
4. To engage in sexual intercourse with.

I then explained to my mom how Shag might be like a homaphone. She had never heard of a homaphone so she looked it up. Her next response was "I'm so glad that you have learned at least one thing while you were at Baylor"

Speaking of Baylor, I finished up with summer school on Tuesday. Try to wrap your mind around this next idea. I have no more class, ever. All I have next year is my internship. I will never have to walk to class on Baylor campus again. I won't be there to have lunch at the SUB. I won't have finals. Or midterms. Won't need Blackboard. Isn't that crazy? I still can't believe it. I only have one more year to go.

O yea, but back to why my mom wants to shag. I'm back in Dallas, working at the title company. Everyone is ridiculous here. They are all chopping on gum so they won't be attempted to eat from the candy dishes around, but my take is: if you want the candy, eat it! haha, nobody is following my advice though. Everyone is on a "diet" at the moment. Lame.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Red. White and can't forget Blue

Hello!

The title for my blog felt appropriate for this weekend. Today at church, all of the men who served in war would stand up when their particular music was played during worship. It brought tears to my eyes to see all of the senior citizens who would stand up proud for what branch that they had fought in. Both of my parents' dads were in the Army. Grandpa Hooley fought but got injured so he was sent home early in World War II. Grandpa Chambers was drafted into the war at 18 years, just after he graduated high school. While at war, he also got severly injuted but then got captured in Europe and was held as a prisoner of war for 19 months, the end of the war finally releasing him. When he came back home to Fort Wayne, he weighed less than a 100 pounds and still severly wounded. Because of his heroic acts, he received the purple heart. how incredible is that? It was one of the neatest moments today to see goosebumps form on my dad's arms when the army music was played and he could see all of the brave men like his father stand proud. What an incredible country that we are so blessed to be living in. Sometimes I feel like I can take it for granite. But think about. We are free to choose what major we wish to pursue in college, free to choose who our friends are, free to drive wherever we please in our cars, free to practice our religion of choice, free to speak our thoughts. Isn't that fantastic? I love America.

Overall, the weekend was enjoyable. A group of us went out to Addison to Kaboom Town for the 4th. It was a lot of fun. A bunch of people that work with me at the CREW came out so it was neat to see them behind the walls of polos and madras shorts. Lots of traffic though, I would recommend hitch-hiking back to Plano if you are adventurous.

I also wakeboarded again this weekend! It was me, Kelz, Mr. Baker and a couple of kelsey's friends from OU. I've learned how to turn the board to skim the water a bit more but still crash on my face. haha, we went tubbing too which was a lot of fun. O yea, and I have a wicked sunburn. It's only on the tops of my legs (via. Wakeboard) and on my back. We stopped the boat in the middle of the afternoon and laid out. I laid on my stomach because my legs were burned but I forgot to put sunscreen on my back. silly me. o yea, and my wet ponytail was perfectly aligned on my back as well. haha, it's pretty rad. the suntan, I mean. haha

That evening Paul, Jeremy, and I headed up to Legacy Town Center and had dinner at Taco Diner. Then we headed out to Jeremy's for cards (actually the game was called Phase 10) and played Wii. I dominated at Phase 10, by a landslide. In case, you didn't know. Girls always land with their two feet planted firmly in the ground, regardless what we are doing. Running, studying, working, cards, dancing, cooking, always come out on top.