What do I want to be when I grow up? I'm always thinking about it. What is the next step? What will I be doing in 5 years? 10 years? More recently, though, I have been thinking about how my job will affect my future family. I have my Master's in Education, which is concentrated in Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education. This basically only qualifies me to work as a college/university administrator. Which is what I really enjoy doing, but the schedule is the typical 9-5 M-F.
My first idea was to earn 18credits in graduate level english courses to allow me to teach at the college level. Well guess what? It is freaking hard. I don't know that I can do 5 more classes. So that is in limbo for now.
The next idea came last week when I had an epiphany about future children. Who will take them so soccer practice? Not me because I don't get home from work until around 6! So that led me to the FL DOE website. All I need to do is pass a subject test and then I am hirable at any FL public school. An even better idea is that I can work at a private school and get my kids free tuition because we all know that FL public school are no bueno.
And then there is always the PhD that is always looming - which would lead to more dollars, but also more work and long, or longer hours...but it in the field that I desire.
So what to do? I just don't know!

If you did not catch the Country Music Awards on TV last night, you missed out. They were so refreshing! I have more respect for most country music artists than pop music entertainers. Yes, entertainers. Do you see Katy Perry or Ke$ha rocking their own guitars? Didn't think so. I love Miranda Lambert and I thought she deserved all of her awards.

Lady A even thanked her for winning Album of the year last year, so they could win this year. Also, Taylor Swift, who I may be too old to be a fan of, won artist of the year. I saw a special on her about a year ago about how she designs all of her own shows, videos, and obviously writes and signs her own music. Well deserved award, in my opinion.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my pop music just as much as any other girl, but sometimes I just don't want to hear a voice synthesizer.

Tim McGraw is coming here again next month. We saw him last May, but Billy was pretty unruly, so I don't think we'll be going again. Lady A opened for him last year and this year it is going to be the Band Perry, who I also really like! We'll see what happens though. I would really like to see him again with the calm, normal version of my dear husband. :)

This week I had a rare run of good customer service. On Monday, I stopped at CVS to get Billy some Schick Quattro ravor blades bc they were having a sale. When I got home and opened them, one of the packages had nothing in it! So I decided that going back to the baffoons at CVS would probably not help and I decided to call Schick. They were very apologetic and sent me a coupon for new blades. Bravo, Schick. Way to take ownership. Next, I went to Publix and they accept competitor coupons. I had a $5 off your bill coupon from Winn-Dixie and it wouldn't scan. The manager gave it to me anyway. Last weekend, I got a pair of khakis at Marshalls for B and laid them on the bed for him to try on. Next thing I know, Patton had chewed the tags off of them AND Billy tried them on and they didn't fit. I put the tag remnants and the receipt in a baggy and trecked back to Marshalls. The lady laughed when I told her the story and happily exchanged them with the correct size for me. I went to the Wachovia ATM to deposit some of the birthday checks I received and when I put in my bank card, a screen with balloons came up to say Happy Birthday! What a nice gesture! In January, I switched to paperless billing with AT&T bc they lured me in with a $10 visa gift card. I noticed that I hadn't received it yet so I called them up. Turns out they didn't have it in their rewards system, but they are sending one out to me ASAP. Now, this is a case of them just correcting their mistake, but at least I didn't have to pull teeth to make it happen! Lastly, a creepster produce stockerat Wal-Mart goes over and above every Saturday to tell me how pretty I am. Now, I fly through that section with my head down to avoid him...he can keep his customer service to himself!

I was cruising etsy last night and was about to buy 3 of these pictures to frame:

But as I looked closer, it wasn't a drawing like I thought it was. It is a print that was put onto a page of a dictionary. I was close to dropping $30 for 3 of them, which is a good deal, don't get me wrong, but I think if I really want them, I should try to do it myself first. Surely, I can find an old dictionary at Salvation Army or someplace like that. And if I really want to be honest, I have several pieces of framed artwork in our 3rd bedroom that are just sitting on the floor, so I probably don't have much business buying any more.

Today is my day at our northern campus, which I love! Everyone is so nice and friendly. I even had a dream the other night about being surrounded my alligators and chow chow dogs...which I think has to do with me being around mean people the other 4 days of the week. You know, since I'm a dream interpreter and everything.

I also had one about Patton being 107 pounds. But that is a little too close to reality. :(

Mr. Duck wants a ride on the boat!

We have a lot of birds around the canal and Patton, obviously, hates them. At one point, we even had a diving duck in the pool!

I'm Still Here

This week has been so busy! One of my coworkers had to leave the country to care for her ill mother and no one has heard from her or has any idea when she will be back, so my workload has easily doubled. No more time for gchat or FB at work right now. I'm earning my paycheck this week, to be sure! But it was also a great week because it was my birthday! I didn't tell anyone I work with, but when I got home I had flowers from my inlaws and gift from my parents and Billy to open. I was being a brat with Billy because I didn't see any birthday cake, but when we were Skyping with my parents, he brought it out from the back room. He knows I LOVE cake! My parents were generous as usual, and Billy got me a pretty turqouise/pearl earring/bracelet set, my brother got me a Massage Envy gift certificate, which I used this morning, and I got a handful of giftcards, which I also put a dent in today. The best find, by far was a Talbots linen shirt dress at TJMaxx for only $20!

I have had a pounding headache all day because our neighbors got a Heineken mini keg last night and I was up late trying to corral Billy in from the backyard into the wee hours of the morning. Last night was the first night all four of us have hung out and it was pretty fun. Mike is 50 and his live in girlfriend is 26. Yeah. She was asking me how I handle Billy's job situation being so unstable because last year she moved out when Mike lost his job. Mind you, he's an electrical engineer, so it's not like he can't get another job. She said a man without a job is like a man without his manhood. I told her I'm married and I couldn't or wouldn't leave Billy. Duhh. It's called committment. We've almost been married for 3 years now and we haven't had the smoothest road, but we always know it can be so much worse and we're in it to win it! No quitters allowed.

Tomorrow Billy is going shark fishing (why?) and I have got some massive reading and writing to do for class. Just 4 more class meetings! I may be reconsidering this 18 hours of graduae english courses because it is freaking hard! I am much better at reading facts and discussing...not interpreting the meaning of some 17th century dude's thoughts on inspiration.
That is all for now...

save money with me!

I had to work this morning at our Jupiter campus for a Transfer Expo, so on the way home I thought I would stop at a farmer's market that I heard about through our secretary. IT WAS AWESOME. I couldn't believe how fresh the produce was and how much CHEAPER! Usually, I pay between $1.60-$1.90 for a pound of apples and this place had them for $.99/lb! I got fresh green beans for cheaper than canned beans, peppers for under a dollar, potatoes, $2 stawberries, rye bread, hoagie rolls, onion, asparagus and oranges all for $16! I called Billy to report how awesome and frugal his wife is...as if he didn't already know!

Then I got home, gave Patton his heartworm medicine - and realized I had to order more. If you have a dog or cat, here is a coupon code for $10 off http://www.petcarerx.com/ and free shipping: CLIP717 Billy is always amazed that I remeber to give Patton his medications. Makes me wonder how he would succeed on his own...hmm.

Is your birthday coming up? Mine is and I already received a coupon for a free coffee from Dunkin Donuts, a free entree at Moe's Southwestern Grill and a free sandwich from Jersey's Mikes. All you have to do is sign up for their e-newsletter. Last year, I also got one from Coldstone, but so sign of that in the email box yet. This is going to be a great week for food at our house!