I just started my third week on second shift.  That's 3-11pm, Monday through Friday.  Second shift seems to work really well for me so far...It's going to make visits interesting for a while, though.
FYI, I'm a manager trainee at a Nestle Purina plant and part of my training program involves a tour of back shift supervising (you know, to develop leadership skills and gain a greater understanding of what I'll be potentially managing someday).
I actually entered the supervising stage about two months early in one of the most intense roles in the plant right now - Material Handling Supervisor/Production Data Coordinator/Receiving.  It's definitely a challenge and I'm pretty excited about that.  Seriously, I'm absolutely, positively, thrilled to be so busy and learning so much and making positive contributions to the company.  The world is at my feet.

I've been working a whole lot, which I really like right now (that "I'm accomplishing something" thrill mixed with a dash of beaucoup positive feedback).  However, I have an increasing desire for adventure in my off hours.  Girlfriend wants to do something amazing and live it up...as soon as I have weekend free. 
Wanna go adventuring?

I need a good book to read. Something lighter than the holocaust memoirs I'll be sandwiching it between, yet not brain rotting. Nothing that might feature a flowing-haired Fabio on the cover.

"Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary."
~ Viktor E. Frankl

Tags: books/poems/reading, quotes, work
Current Location: Jiggity Jig
The Bottomline: satisfied
Background Noise ♫: The Killers - Romeo and Juliet

In the past two weeks I have laid down my head in:
Independence, MO (Alpha Phi Omega NVC)
Dexter, MO (Jiggity Jig)
St. Louis, MO (Work)
Tampa, FL (Work)
Monett, MO (Boyfriend)
Denver, CO (Work)
Cape Girardeau, MO (Friend)
It's been a bit wild and exhausting, but I've really enjoyed it.  Back to the quiet life now, though.

Life is pretty good.
I've been accumulating good times with good folks, with a few eye-opening, life-altering experiences sprinkled in here and there.  I miss people and I suck at communication.  I'm trying to learn to drink beer.  I've become obsessed with Sephora.  The Killers are my favorite band right now.  My two dogs, Spatula and Daisy, are completely adorable.

Ha, maybe in a couple months I'll work my way up to making a real post.  In the meantime, I wish every last one of you days filled with awesome.

Tags: awesomeness, travel, work
The Bottomline: hungry
Background Noise ♫: The Killers - Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf

I'm moving to Missouri next weekend. My new home will be a bit over six hours away and a tenth of the population of here.
The new job is very much worth this move. 
Chances are that I'll be relocating again in the next 2 years or so, so I decided to rent a house instead of buying one. I got a cute little 2 bedroom place that should be perfect for me.
We also talked them into letting me bring a pet! Originally, I wanted to start my own doggy family and adopt one of the dogs I've been eyeing on petfinder, but the only way we convinced them to go back on their no pet policy was if I brought one of dad's older dogs (i.e., already house trained, done teething, etc). End result is a furry companion on my big adventure, so all is well.

I just got back from the trip to find the place and put down a deposit. Next weekend when I go up I won't be coming back. Weird

Tags: roommate/apartment, work
The Bottomline: so much driving...
Background Noise ♫: The Killers

Put in my two weeks notice at Red Lobster a little over a week and a half ago.
I've worked every single day (sometimes 13+ hours) at one job or the other for around 3-4 weeks now and I won't have another day next nest Saturday. Sure, I can and have in the past work 55-70 hour weeks...but I don't want to right now. So I won't. I guess I'll miss the money. I expect to also miss some weight when delicious, buttery seafood is not dangled in front of my at reasonable prices all the time.
The co-op is going well. I find transportation pretty darn interesting, and to think I thought I was more a manufacturing kind of girl.
I have a space heater at work and I totally abuse it. Apparently, I prefer my feet be completely, unreasonably toasty at all times. In June. Yeah.

How come I never discovered the Lake Fayetteville trail before T? I've been out there three times with either Jenni or Tyler in as many weeks. *ahem* Baby geese.

My phone is dying. Not in the out-of-charge way, but in the buttons-don't-work-anymore way. My phone is darn near impossible to use without the arrow buttons and 9 key. I can use a few shortcut buttons to call my (short and repetitive) recent dialed list and sometimes send some simple text messages. In short, annoying.

The song I am currently listening to is surprisingly lovely and gentle sounding for an anti-love song.

Tags: work
Background Noise ♫: Jenny Owen Youngs - F*** Was I

Well, my birthday was this Monday. Memorial Day. I had to work and that kind of sucked, especially since it was ridiculously mind-numbingly slow and I earned significantly less than any other day I've worked there. After work 8 of us went ou to Shoguns, Shakey's, and Xmen 3 and it was a fantastic time. Everyone who was there or wished me happy birthday, made my day...so huggles!
I'll spare ya'll the mushy details, but Tyler really made the day special for me and I really appreciate him and I'm very happy. He got me THE BEST BIRTHDAY CARD EVER complete with a monkey in a tutu and one of his famous poems (it seriously rocked my socks off). He makes me feel like a very lucky girl. The end.
In the days to follow I also got two fantastic birthday dinners with my immediate family peoples. On Tuesday I went to Ella's with Mom and Steve and gorged myself on delicious foods (including the best escargot I've ever had and a lick-the-plate-good dessert with rich chocolate cake and white chocolate mouse). On Thursday Dad and Natalia took me to Mermaid's with Mom and Steve and I had tasty creme brulle and seafood delights. I don't usually get two dinners with my family, but Steve thought he was going out of town and would miss the one on Thursday, so we went out early on Tuesday. Anyways, I love my family.

Today I got two "pretty girl"s, three "you look very nice today"s, one "you're hot" and one apiece of "you look like Jennifer Love Hewitt" and "you look like Alyson Hannigan" (that's the second time I've gotten that last one in a week...), and at least one foolish (and failed) attempt to sow seeds of doubt in my boyfriend. There's a difference between silly harmless flirting and flirting with a purpose. I could go into my feelings on that, but long story short: sometimes I enjoy those kinds of compliments and sometimes I really don't so much.
Tonight I went shopping with my mommy all night. It was good times and I brought home some fine loot (and spent some of my fine tip $). Yah!

There's a blood drive next Wednesday! I'm totally donating!

Tags: awesomeness, birthdays, consumerism, family, friends, strange, tyler, work
Current Location: 23 year old fogeys
The Bottomline: chipper
Background Noise ♫: 6th floor old Washington Regional during a lightening storm

Well, I have two jobs this summer. The first one will pad my resume but won't pay rent, the second will pad my bank account. So, I'm going to be a waitress at Tony C's off Dickson and I may get bartending training. They don't do pooled tips, so I should make pretty good money...which I desperately need right now. This week, I think I may be able to earn what I need to pay rent next week. My first night I got a 12 top half an hour before I was supposed to leave and I handled them well enough that Tony C himself was bragging on me. Also, mom's engagement ring generally protects me from indecent propositions, but not from flirting. Apparently I'm just as pretty as some of these guy's daughters and I have a very lucky man.
That "lucky man of mine" got back from England Friday with lots of pictures and stories. He brought me back a gorgeous jewelry box and some jewelry to put in it...including some pins for my backpack, he knows me well. He'll probably post pictures on facebook soon, just you wait.


I ran out of the earring hooks, so some of them still have the uncut and shaped wire sticking out of them. I forgot to take a picture with something to scale it, but most of them could fit on a nickle (the earring hooks are normal sized, if that helps).
Daddy let me borrow his acrylic paint set (that he got so I could paint for him...I did two wrens for him this week), so I actually had some diversity of color. Clay crossposted to craftgrrl.

Tags: awesomeness, clay, pictures, tyler, work
Current Location: happyland
The Bottomline: his hair was perfect
Background Noise ♫: Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London

Note to my body: If you wont go to sleep until after 3:30 am when you know full well the alarm is set for 5 am, you really have no right to complain when I wont let you nap in the nice comfy arm chairs while at work.

I love staying up late. Last night was fun, but I woke up with a new bruise or two. Tickle wrestling is not for the weak of heart in this house.
I think going to work before the sun's up is indecent. I just had my last day of work for a while...7am-3:15pm all by myself. It was ridiculously slow so I mostly just watched tv and read. Apparently I was in a good mood though, because customers kept asking me why I was smiling. Possibly sleep-deprived delirium. Heh.

I came home to a cold lonely Peggy Sue-less apartment, but she left me a note on Nemo that was adorable. Operation Alex Home Alone has commenced.
I kind of have a million things to do with APO right now. Sprint.

Seriously, I'm not sure I'm making sense. I might take a nap on my hammock...but my phone is on me. YES!

Tags: roommate/apartment, work
The Bottomline: mellow

You know you haven't got enough sleep when you can still taste your mouthwash when you get up.
...two nights in a row.

I don't regret staying up last night, it was fun and a half. I had quality time with Jenni and Peggy Sue watching Miss Bridget Jones. Then we all traveled to the office where we kidnapped Tyler very much against his will and had hanging outs at Shelle's. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a good movie...I'm going to have to watch it some time when I can pay more attention. Also, ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?!?

I managed to pull off the amazing stunt of hitting my snooze button for 55 minutes without being aware of it. I had 45 minutes to shower, dress, dry my hair and be at work. It was close. I had to work an extra 3.5 hours today to cover the shift of the girl who promised to cover my shift this last Saturday and never showed up.
Next Wednesday I'm going to be running the coffee shop BY MYSELF! That means I have to be there at 7am...and I'm not really sure when I get relieved. Woo!

Alexes shall now run errands to the post office and then...NAP TIMES!

Tags: shenanigans, work
The Bottomline: exhausted

So, feeling nauseous and having stomach cramps this morning, decided it was best not to be serving people coffee and pastries and attempted to call in. First, I could not find the number of my work anywhere. Yes, I should probably have that saved somewhere, but I've never needed it before. When I finally found the number (and this took a looong time)...I couldn't call out. I kept getting this recording in Spanish and it was very disorientating. I got Lee, who happened to be online and very nice, to call in for me (like 45 freaking minutes late!!) and things should be okay.

Turns out, when I got my new debit card in August (which has the exact same card number), my automatic deposits stopped. My cell phone bills go to my mom's house (the phone is in her name, because I didn't have a credit card when I first got the phone) so I was never notified of this. It should be sorted out now, but it's going to cost me. Damn it.

Okay, nap time for Alex. Blah.

Also...Kelsey Grammer (yes, Frasier) is going to be Beast in X-3. Huh.

Tags: work
The Bottomline: cranky

I did it today.
I kind of feel like the worst person ever, but I know I did the right thing.
I am referring to the talk I had with William today wherein I told him that I didn't think we should try to start dating again...and gave him a box of stuff he had left at my place.

He was so happy to see me after the two week nothing. He was smiling and calling me sweetie. He was hugging me and telling me how much he had missed me. He was saying how he just wanted to lay down on the couch and hold me because he loved to hold me so much. You could tell he wanted to start all over again.
And I go and hurt him. He just stared off into space and didn't reply much. He said he didn't think he could hang around me much because it made him sad...he wouldn't go see Rent with me like we had planned (and promised each other for about a year now). He said he understood why I made the decision and said it was the logical one (but that he didn't feel it was right). One of his first questions was if I was dating someone new. I am not.
I refused to lay down with him and cuddle after I told him. I didn't want to lead him on. I know that was right, but it almost feel like I denied an inmate his last meal. I know we'll be happier and things will be better, though. I know I've felt practically single for a quiet a while now.
I don't like making people sad.

I've never really broken up with someone like this before (in a non-mutual manner). I actually think getting dumped is a lot easier on my little old emotions.

I saw Rent with Jenni, Nicole and Peggy Sue. I feel much better now, less like a horrible, heartless person.
It was really good, but different from the play. They cut Goodbye Love and that kind of pissed me off. I'm not a movie crier, but I did water the heck up and shed a single tear. It is a really great story. I will own it.

Tags: breakups, movies/plays/television, william, work
The Bottomline: sad
Background Noise ♫: Rent Soundtrack...