Yesterday, I discovered that the 2 mile track around my housing area is a very enjoyable bike ride, especially with an ipod strapped to my arm blaring really awesome music into my ears.  I think this is going to be a new nightly ritual for me.  Walked the dogs too.  Maybe I'll walk them along that track instead of through the neighborhoods.

Not too happy with the school district around here.  None of them seem to know exactly the right information or they know not enough of it.  If you work in the same building as another, shouldn't there be some kind of communication?  Even if you're too lazy to visit another department, can't you just simply email others?  I guess that for some of these people collecting paychecks from the state (4 people doing the job of 1 or 2), it constitutes as too much work.  Whatever.

I'm going to go hang out with a friend tonight at her son's soccer practice.  Should be a good visit.

Got the car sold!  We'll pay a little out of pocket for everything to go through, but that's one thing off of my plate.  Got the initial paperwork sent in to Japan.  Not approved yet, because we don't have a flight number/date because the stupid base here isn't doing their part (don't even get me started on them again), but I got my stuff sent in and have been in contact with a very nice person from Japan who is being really helpful.

I need to count my blessings and the positive things that are happening in my life so that I can overcome the stupid stuff I have to deal with on a daily basis.

Here are the positive things happening right now:
1. Got the car sold.
2. I've had steady sub work.
3. I got to be at Cameo for 5 days and absolutely loved it.
4. I did 2 paintings for Colsie, one she's buying for a friend!
5. I did a really cool zombie painting and it turned out REALLY cool.
6. Got my pet paperwork turned into the Narita airport.
7. Husband has been doing P90X and is looking ever more fly than usual.
8. I'm having a good time with the girls around here lately.
9. I've been getting more motivated to continue to take pictures of our belongings for the movers to pack up.
10. Even though I don't know the exact date I'm leaving, I am still looking forward to going home to MO and seeing all my friends and family!

Wow.

To say that I have been busy would be an understatement.  Between getting really mad at the people on base who have YET AGAIN effed up our paperwork. (They've supposedly sent it out-after not sending it for a month and not telling us they didn't), working, selling our car, figuring out the pet paperwork, taking pictures of our belongings for the move, and constantly having to do housework...I haven't had a lot of spare time.  No wonder I haven't been sleeping well.  I wish I could have a day where I didn't have to worry about anything or anyone.  Ben says, "Don't worry!", but that doesn't help because I will still worry.  I don't want to just brush things off and hope it falls into place.  You have to trust God and work for what you need done.

Friday night marked the last time I will see my good friend, Katie, for who knows how long.  She's in a class for the AF in San Antonio and won't be back until after I leave for Japan.  What better way to celebrate a friendship than have a girls' night with wine, fruits, and cheeses?  (Not to mention gabbing and gossip with a bunch of other girlfriends!)  I may or may not have drank a bottle of my favorite wine (yummy, Nobilo!)

Yeah, that's a lot of wine there on the table...

I'm not up for tackling the kitchen pictures today (since I'm the only one who does the dishes and household shopping and cleaning of the area) because it's filthy.  We haven't had dishsoap in 2 days and instead of doing dishes by hand like I did twice yesterday, the sink just got fuller for me today.  BLAH.

Anyway, I'm off to go take care of things.

Another day in my life...

Ben and I decided to rent 5 movies last night to watch over this Labor Day weekend.  We got movies that we know we should have seen before, but we just never got around to.  They are:
Insomnia (just finished)
Man on the Moon
Stripes
Caddy Shack
and
Animal House

Robin Williams plays such a good villain in the stuff he's done.  He should completely make the switch from comedy to dark stuff.  Jim Carrey is the same way for me.  I much prefer him in his serious roles rather than his comedic roles.  Exceptions to that are: Dumb and Dumber (obviously a classic) and most recently, Yes Man.

Saw Machete last night.  It was brilliant.  Despite the obvious undertones of political immigration opinions, the movie was well written with just the right amount of gore and action.  It wasn't too cheesy like The Expendables (which was super lame), and the violence didn't look like it was CGI from 1995.  The actors were well chosen (yes, even Lindsay Lohan who played a drugged out whore...what a stretch).  Cheech played a BA priest, Don Johnson a vigilante hell bent on shooting the immigrants as they crossed the border, Dinero a Senator and secretly a vigilante who was working with the very people he despised.  Segal played a Mexican (it was a stretch), and he looks so weird, but not as bad as Stallone (who my husband so aptly put, "looks like he's melting).  Great movie, can't wait for the trilogy.

Not sure what we're doing this weekend, but I do know that I want it to be relaxing.  I've got way too much on my mind with Japan, my medical clearance, working at the schools here in town, getting a record of all of our belongings (because the movers are packing it and I don't trust ANYONE and all of my belongings are important).  I'm also worrying about my aunt.  She's living with my mom and dad now with my youngest cousin.
Mike is at their house (trying to turn people against my aunt and doing home repairs that needed to be done 10 years ago. Perhaps he's getting it ready for his whore, maybe he's doing it now that she's gone just to be mean, who knows.)  He also told her he'll be in Florida for the weekend for "work".  Really?  A concrete convention on Labor Day weekend?  In a town that just happens to be right on the coast?  I've got the number to the place that it's supposedly happening at, and I'm going to call it on Tuesday to see if it was true.  I highly doubt it.  He's such a liar, and it makes me so sad that this is happening to her.  My aunt is one of the most wonderful and kind people that I know and it just sucks that something this bad is happening to her.

Some lady in Japan may have me do letters for her new daughter's room, so I did a sample letter for her in the design she wants:

And on that happy note, I'm going to go watch another movie with Ben.

Day 3 of COD in my living room...

...and I'm officially bored of it.

I'd much rather sit back and watch a movie with Ben instead of listening to gunshots and stuff blowing up.  He's enjoying himself though, so I won't say anything...yet.

According to the USPS, my gauges COULD be here as early as Thursday!  Thank you, Hot Topic, for your super fast processing!

I want this dress...like the only designer thing I've ever seen and thought, "Holy shit, I NEED that."

Too bad it's $25000.

Any crafty people out there want to try and make this for me?  I'd totally pay for it!

Subbing again tomorrow and Friday.  I'm actually enjoying it.  The day is broken up into 2 classes, and usually there's about 6 kids (although there could be as many as 10).  It's a class of developmentally delayed 3 year olds.  Lots of linguistic problems, and I suspect MR in one of the kiddos.  Fun though.  We color, play, run around outside, and I even taught a couple how to pedal on a trike on Tuesday!  

I'm not sure what's going on this weekend, other than going to Amarillo (again) and picking up my laptop.  If Best Buy didn't fix it this time, I'm going to have a conniption fit.

I finally finished all the pet paperwork for Japan today, so I'll be making a trip on base tomorrow to get that all faxed over.  All that's left after that is to make sure they can get booked on whatever flight we get offered and get their 10 day health certificate.  It's a lot of stress and a lot of headache making sure my babies were going to be coming with us, but it's completely worth it!

I'm off to bed, super tired today.  Probably because I:

1. Cleaned the kitchen

2. Dusted

3. Swept

4. Vacuumed

5. Mopped

6. Took pets to vet

7. Took dogs on 2 walks (one was a 2 mile one)

8. Made dinner (okokok, it was just biscuits and gravy, but I still did it!)

9. Did pet paperwork

10. Painted a picture (that I already sold!)

Sold for $20 to a girl out here in New Mexico for her daughter's room

I think that's all. 

Day off tomorrow

Well, I guess I shouldn't call it my day off.  Sure, I'm not going into the school, but I'm going to clean the house and take the dogs to get their shots.  Then I will mail or fax off the import paperwork to Japan.

After all that, I'm going to try to get some painting done.  Maybe grab some letters at Hobby Lobby while I'm out, depending on how the day is going.  I'm doing a painting for Colsie and one for Carly, and then "Craft Room" for Rachel.  $20 for Carly's, $45 for Rachel's, and I'm not sure how much for Colsie's yet.

I can't remember if I posted my new gauge size, so I will now!

OMG!  super cute hearts!

Yeah, I totally dig them.  I'm not going up in size anymore (unless I become an even bigger rebel than I already am, haha), and I'll just buy different gauges to fit that size.  It's like buying different earrings, mine are just a little bit bigger.  

I had some guy come and look at the car yesterday, so hopefully, that'll work out.  Had someone email me about it today too, so I sent off some pictures.  Gotta love Craigslist.

Some gauges I want:

$22 from Hot Topic

$18 from Hot Topic

$18 from Hot Topic

Let's play the "what are you..." right now game:

What are you listening to right now?  The Mountain Goats (and cod thanks to my hubby)

What are you doing? Besides editing this blog post, I'm talking to my friend Chris on Gchat and looking at articles on Cracked.

What are you wearing? Ben's AF sweatshirt and track pants.

What are you going to do after this? Probably watch some tv and go to bed.

What are you seeing? My debit card in front of me, wallet, Pepsi Max, and the computer.

Oh, and PS, I just bought those tiger and vampire gauges.

I'm going to try to be done wallowing in self pity for a bit.

After being super homesick Saturday and yesterday (I cried like 4 times yesterday), I've decided to do a "make Danielle happy" post.

First things first.  I got a new lotion from Bath and Body Works (with a coupon, of course!)

OMG, smells SO good!  Kind of reminds me of an orange dreamsicle!

Secondly, I went to the vet today to fill out some more of the pets' paperwork to send in to Japan and I discovered that to get their kennel cough shots, I would not have to pay an office exam fee, and that that shots were just $7.50!  The woman who helped me fill out the rest today was super nice and I know it was a pain, but she was really helpful.  I'm really thankful for that.  I think it's because I'm so nice every time I go in and I also care a lot about my animals.  (I've also sent like 7 new patients their way)

Thirdly, I am officially all booked up subbing for the rest of the time we're here, minus Wednesdays.  I may have that day off, or I may get called in to sub at another school on those days, who knows.  But seriously, having a job lined up until we leave took about THIS MUCH pressure off of me.  

Fourthly, although I'm still stressing about Japan,  things seem to be falling into place.

Fifthly, I have had 2 hits of interest in my Pontiac that I have for sale. *and one guy actually came out tonight to look at it!*

Sixthly, I have a new True Blood to watch.

Seventhly, my aunt and cousin are at my parents' house.  Yes, she finally had enough, and even if it's just for a couple days, I'm glad she gets a break from the douche.  Hopefully, she stays strong.  No one deserves the treatment he is giving her and I'm glad my mom is there to be her backbone.

Eighthly, I got to talk to Mary last night and she made me feel oodles better about being homesick.  I was crying to her and I hate doing that, but she listened and helped me just calm down.

Feeling a lot better today, but I still miss home.

Here's Why I'm Mad At Clovis Right Now

My friends just left from their week long visit here in the desolate area of New Mexico that we live in.  Ever since they walked out the door, I have been feeling really nostalgic about home and my friends back there.  The REAL people that I have known for most of my teenage/adult life.  The people that I choose to hang around with regardless of where I am.  The people I text daily/weekly/whenever.  (When I'm home, I don't text a single person back here in Clovis.)
After my friends visit or we go back home to Missouri, I really see just how most of these people I hang out with out here are out of convenience.  I'm sure that's a military thing and everyone gets used to it and what not, but it's really apparent right now.  I can share pretty much anything with my friends, and out here, if you do that...well, it gets turned around on you or rumors start.

I'm not trying to be a downer, and most of the time I try to stay positive and think about the good parts of the friendships I've made out here...but in all actuality, I wouldn't choose to hang out with a lot of the people out here outside of a military setting.
There, I said it.

I wish there was a way I could go back home like 2 weeks before Ben does before we have to leave for Japan.

My cousin-in-law paid for this for her friend's new baby.

Getting ready for company and moving

Today, Ben and I dropped off my passport info on base.  They said it'd take 7-8 weeks to return it, which will mean I will get it riiiiiiiight as we are supposed to leave.  If it doesn't come back in time, I will have to come to Japan after him...it would be a hassle, but then we'd be able to get all 3 pets out at once.  (Which would be lovely.)

It was kind of a frustrating day, but despite all I tried to do, it didn't help.  I think I'll just throw my nervousness/frustration into getting the garage sale stuff boxed up.

I finally deleted a friend on a social networking site.  We were never super close, but she seemed to think so...the things she would say and the posts she would make were so obviously pretentious and were put up to make others feel as if she were something important.  It wasn't who she truly was, she was following the hype of certain things, and I just hate it when people can't be themselves.  If you want to be truly happy, then you have to love yourself.