In My Bubble but Okay

I am writing this from my phone so if there are typos please forgive me.   You have no doubt heard what has happened in Moore, OK.  We are okay.   We were not in the direct path of the tornado.  But it was too close.   Much much too close.

We are living in a bubble right now.   We have power but no cable or internet so access to news is limited.  I've seen a few pictures and listened to the radio but that is about it.   Right now I feel blessed to even have a bubble I can hide inside.

Pray for everyone.   It will be a long time before our community feels whole again.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I'm sorry I've left you hanging for the last two weeks.  Initially, I wasn't in a position to tell you what was happening.  Then when I could, I still hadn't processed it enough to know what to say.  I'm still not sure, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

About a month ago, my boss told us that there would be a forced headcount reduction across our company.  At the time, we weren't sure if our team would be impacted.  However, the hives that I broke out into that night told a different story.  I really just felt like it was gonna be me.  Then two weeks ago, I got the individual call from my boss.  Effective June 30, I will no longer be working for the company that has employed me for the last 15+ years. 

I've gone through a myriad of emotions.  Sometimes I would rather just sleep...cause when I am sleeping, this isn't really happening.  I go through moments where not a thing has changed and moments where I am so down I'm not sure if it is possible for even more tears to continue to flow.

Things have changed so much since I last looked for a job.  Seriously...the last job I applied for was a hand written application and I actually got to shake some one's hand.  I've probably applied for about 15 or so jobs and been rejected for 1/3 of those already.  I can't start over at an entry level job.  I'm overqualified and need more money than entry level has to offer.  But my degree is in elementary education and I work in the business field.   

Tony and I have discussed where cuts will be made if it comes to that.  I have a month and half to hopefully find something so I can walk out of this job and right into the next one.  Pray that my job search will be swift and I will find something that makes me happy!  Cause if I really want to be honest, I haven't been happy in this job for about the last 4'ish years.  Maybe this is the swift kick in the butt that I need to make a change.  

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I know I've been MIA the past week.  And I have a good excuse....but unfortunately, I can't discuss it on my blog yet.  I'll try to get a book review on here for you later today.  I miss you guys!

What I'm Up to Wednesday

With all of the stress at work, I've found that I need to use the creative side of my brain to relieve some of the "pressure".  So, a few weeks ago, I buckled down and cleaned my craft room.  It was a pit too.  And the biggest problem was just my lack of putting things back when I'm done.

But now that it is clean, I've been able to stretch my creative side some.  I could find no better use of my creativity than making things for Nicole's birthday.  Have you heard of Happy Mail?  If not, click HERE...basically anything less than 13oz can be mailed through the USPS.  You wouldn't believe the stuff that can be mailed.  So, I got busy and sent her several fun packages throughout the week of her birthday.  Of course, I didn't take pics...ugh!  But here are some that inspired me.

I am most excited about her "main" present though.  You know that Nicole and I share a passion for books, so when I came across booksi by Rich Neeley Designs on Etsy, I knew I would eventually have to get one for her.  While I was at her house visiting, I noticed that she charges her cell phone in the kitchen, so the books needed to be yellow.  I worked with the Neeley's and this is what we came up with.....

I like it, but it just didn't have that "wow" factor like some of their other books.  But because of wanting the bright yellow, I was pretty limited.  So I had it shipped to my house and I gussied it up a bit.  I love how it turned out and can't wait to see it in action.

Rich Neeley Designs offered a discount code for you guys...if you use the link below and enter my email address in the notes section of your order than you'll get 15% off your booksi.  You have to use the link and the discount code displayed...and for me to get referral credit you have to put my email in the note.

http://richneeleydesigns.refr.cc/SQ27NHM

Here are some pictures of my other favorites designs that they have.  It's gonna be hard to decide when I finally make my order.

Anyways...back to the reason for the post.  It has been wonderful to be creative and to let myself feel the energy that can flow.  Now I just need to keep it up so I don't get over stressed. 

Book Talk Tuesday

I'm super excited to review this next book.  Nicole was reading it while I was there visiting and she sent it back with me so I could read it and share it with our book club. 

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult is a story, within a story, within a story kind of story.  It's hard to tell you about this book without telling you too much.  The interweaving of the characters lives and stories was beautifully done.  I felt connected to each character and couldn't wait to see where each turn would take me as the narrator switched between them.

This is on my favorite list now and will probably end up in my "keep forever" pile.  I will probably give the book a big hug before it is sent back to Nicole (after EVERYONE in book club reads it first).

from barnesandnoble.com

Sage Singer is a baker. She works through the night, preparing the day’s breads and pastries, trying to escape a reality of loneliness, bad memories, and the shadow of her mother’s death. When Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage’s grief support group, begins stopping by the bakery, they strike up an unlikely friendship despite their differences.

Everything changes on the day that Josef confesses a long-buried and shameful secret—one that nobody else in town would ever suspect—and asks Sage for an extraordinary favor. If she says yes, she faces not only moral repercussions, but potentially legal ones as well. With her own identity suddenly challenged and a special friendship compromised, Sage begins to question the assumptions she’s made about her life and her family. When does a moral choice become a moral imperative? Where does one draw the line between punishment and justice, forgiveness and mercy?

Made Me Smile Monday

I'm gonna be an aunt again!!!

This free digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

What I'm Thinkin' Thursday

When I was visiting Nicole, she went on a job interview.  Of course, we talked about every nuance of what was discussed and one of their questions has stuck with me....What are your pet peeves?

So, I've decided to dedicate What I'm Thinkin' Thursday to a few of my pet peeves....

1.  When people don't drive the speed limit...seriously peeps...GET OUT OF THE WAY

2.  And on the next note of that, get off my butt....I'm already driving 5+ over the speed limit, so BACK OFF!

3.  I'm decently talkative and friendly, so I don't mind the occasional visitor at my desk at work.  But there are social queues that people need to pay attention to that tells them "I'm done with the conversation".  They just overstay their welcome and I need to get back to work.

4.  When breaking news preempts my regularly scheduled program and my DVR doesn't know to record it at 2am when they air it later.

5.  My last pet peeve is when I have an awesome post in my mind and then when I type it up I can't remember anything that I wanted to say.

So what are your pet peeves?  Do you agree with any of mine?