AHHH...I feel like screaming!!!

Wrote this blog last week and just didn't publish it, but it's holding true still now, so I thought I'd share. Hopefully I'm not coming off as whiny or complaining because that was not my intention...
So, I'm going to come right out and say it because I don't care anymore who knows... I do NOT like my new job in Nashville! I've never been more bored in my life! I've never worked in a more disorganized place. I've never been treated in such a disrespectful and demeaning manner. And I'm tired of being the pawn in the middle of the power struggle between other people in the office! Somebody get me outta here!
I also found out several weeks ago that my old job in WDM was open (though I'm not sure if it is now). I cannot even begin to tell you how tempting that has sounded. I have so many people that I love that are there. I had the most amazing boss anyone could ever hope for. I actually enjoyed my job. And the weirdest thing- there are actually things about Iowa that I miss. One that has hit me hard lately is thunderstorms. They get them in Nashville, but they are infrequent and mild. I LOVE thunderstorms.
I know God brought me here. I am not doubting that He has a purpose in bringing me here. And I am trying to keep this situation before Him in prayer at all times. But I am tired of the constant, day-by-day battle. He has promised victory, but how do you hang on in the mean time? And with my entire support system approximately 650 miles away, what's a girl to do? Except maybe vent on her blog...

Flashback...

This weekend I went to the theatre to see Pirates 3. My opinions on this movie match relatively closely with critics and friends alike, so I'm not going to get into that. But while I was getting settled in my seat, a preview for Transformers came on. Seeing this flashed me back to my senior year of college...

I had a friend, Dave. We had been friends for almost four years. We had a lot of fun together goofing around, hanging out, talking about cars... That fall, I had a job at the mall and he would come visit me almost once a week. During my breaks, we would walk down the mall talking about just about everything. Many times, we would end up in Gadzooks to view the new shirts that were out. This was about the time that all the 80s stuff we had grown up with was coming back onto the scene: Care Bears, GI Joe, Rainbow Brite, Hee-Man, Transformers, etc. We used to laugh and reminisce about what we watched and played with as kids, we had lots of fun! Well, we discovered we had both loved Transformers as kids. That May, when the time came for me to graduate and move from the area, Dave gave me a very special present. He gave me a Megatron shirt. And not just any shirt- it's one of those silky polyester shirts that look like the comic has been painted right onto the material all over the shirt. I loved it and love it still as it hangs in my closet awaiting for those times I deem special enough to wear it.

Well, a very special opportunity for the shirt is quickly approaching as the new movie opens July 4. Don't know if I'll make it to the midnight showing, but I can guarantee you I will be in the theatre sometime that week! It seems odd that I won't be going to see it with Dave - we talked about the idea of a Transformers movie so many times! Unfortunately, we lost touch after I moved away. Dave, if you're around, let me know. It doesn't seem right to see this movie without you, yet I also know I would be in trouble with you if I didn't see it. Well, when the time comes, you will be on my mind as I view it...

Oh, PS: If you haven't seen Pirates yet, and hadn't heard, be sure to stay until the end of the credits for the final scene.

Love Y'all!

I found IT on...

Uh-Oh! I just might be hooked. I have opened myself an eBay account and have even made my first purchase. Well...I should say purchases, as I actually have acquired 3 prints from an art dealer. I must say, it was all a bit overwhelming and I was a bit trepidatious as I hovered over the "commit" button. But, now that the process is over, I'm very excited about my new pieces. Of course, they are only inexpensive prints. The responsibility of owning a real masterpiece is beyond my abilities.


This is a Robert Doisneau, Calvary on Champs de Mars. I have one other Doisneau, so this should add nicely to my hopefully blossoming collection.



I have quite a few Monet prints that currently grace my bedroom walls. This is one (Houses of Parliament) that has been a little elusive in the acquiring of a decent print, but I think this one looks quite good. Can anyone name the Pierce Brosnan movie that brought this painting superfluous popularity?



This is a Marc Chagall. I found his works while surfing the web and there are some that mesmerize me- including this The Blue Circus. I hope to add several more, but will wait until I can find quality prints at decent prices.

Now, I just need to purchase frames and find wall space for these...

Insanity...an answer to any problem!

Dear Friends and Family,
If you are reading this, please don't worry about me for I have concocted a plan of provision for many years to come. I have decided to allow the insanity to set in and infest my being. I will be placed in a nice, clean home with padded walls. I will be fed three meals a day along with plenty of "happy" pills to help me forget everything I'm missing. If I'm good enough, I should be able to keep this up for many years, maintaining my comfortable status.

Alright, so maybe I am joking...like you couldn't figure it out. But lately I have felt like I am going insane, mainly from boredom at work. I don't understand not working, I don't understand being held back. It's causing me to question my sanity. That's all I can say here...

But tonight, starting at 7 pm (central), I will not be bored! Though I am appx. 650 miles away, I will be connected in spirit to people I love through the art of reality television, known as Survivor! I don't know how I ever got hooked on the show- sometimes I've wondered if Karla or Jennifer slipped me something in the food they made :) Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. Every Thursday I feel surrounded by so much love, even though I am alone, because I know they are doing the same thing I am and offering up prayers for all the members of our Survivor Family. So, tonight will be grand and will definitely (as always) be the hightlight of my week!

To all my friends and family: I very much miss you all and send my love with lots of air hugs!

Finally...!

Well, here it is. I'm finally getting in the long blog with photos that I've been promising for so long. Can you believe I've been in Nashville for over two months now? I can't. I don't have tons of news, so I suppose it will mainly be photos, But, prepare yourself anyway- clear those thoughts and moisten those eyes, it might be a long ride...
First my apartment. It's not bad. It's small but it's clean (well, sort of). It's noisy, especially with all the pets around. Cats serenading anyone willing to listen during the night. Dogs barking to let you know that the wind is stirring the leaves again. Oh, and don't forget the car alarms that seem to go off just as you're falling asleep. I think it all bothers me more than it should mainly because I've been spoiled the last couple of years with the wonderful place that Kalee and I shared in Urbandale. But all in all, it's a good place.

This is the view from my porch door. Or at least it was a few weeks ago when the trees were in bloom. Now there's just leaves that are half brown from the Dogwood Winter we had in March. For those of you who don't know (I didn't until someone told me) a Dogwood Winter is a blast of freezing temperatures that happens after the Dogwood trees are already in bloom.

This is my new couch. It's a soft Charcoal gray microsuede. I love it! It's very cozy and I can lounge on it anyway I want to and I'm always comfortable. I have recently purchased two rich navy blue pillows for it of a similar material. They match some of my pictures. Oh, and the coffee table- I drove to Atlanta, GA, to IKEA and purchased that, carried it into my apartment and put it together all by myself. For not being handy, I thought I did a pretty good job. The dresser was actually harder (see later photo).

This is the rest of my living room- my fireplace and mantel. I've added more picutres, in a sort of collage in front of my fireplace on the floor. I sorta ran out of wall space. Following is a closer view of my mantel.


This is a picutre of a picture. When my parents came to visit over Easter, we were shopping in the Cool Springs Galleria and my parents decided I needed a nice picture for over my sofa. I know it's hard to tell with the glare, but it goes with everything perfectly. They practically forced me to get it. Sorry, Mom and Dad if you're reading this, but you have to admit that- I said no several times and it wasn't until you said you'd pay for it did I agree. :)

This is my dining room and kitchen.

This is my new bed- nice and comfy!

This is my new washer & dryer. I can't describe how weird it feels to purchase something like this. It made me feel older and like I had to be responsible now. But I absolutely love having them. I can do a load of laundry anytime I like and don't have to worry about waiting to pile it all together to take it to a laundry mat.
Well, a couple of weeks ago I went on my first trip for work- I escorted a band that was taking a trip to Chicago. They didn't play anywhere, in fact they didn't even bring their instruments; it was just a trip for fun. And I think they did have fun. We went downtown mostly. I've always liked Chicago. And it felt great to be in the Midwest again. I understand people here- not just how they talk, but how they think. I can't explain it, but Southerners just have a different way of looking at things sometimes. The band I was escorting was from Alabama. Now, in the two months I have been in Nashville, I haven't even begun to pick up a Southern accent- there's enough people around that don't speak with one or with only a gentle hint of an accent that it's been easy to ignore. But the five days I was with the band from Alabama- I was speaking like someone who's lived there for years. Their accents were so strong that I couldn't help but pick it up while I was with them. But now that I haven't heard it for a couple of weeks again, I have resorted to my typical Midwestern accent- which according to my boss is strong, but not a true Midwestern accent. She says I have hints of other speech as well, I guess so...whatever. So, here's the trip:

This is T-Rex Sue from the Field Museum of Natural History. I'm glad I haven't seen Night at the Museum yet, otherwise I might have been scared that Sue would step off her mount and chase me around the museum.

This is one of the elephants on display. I really wanted to take a picture from the other side and come up with something witty to say, but I figured it would end up coming across crass, so I thought better of it.

This is a South American tribal statue. I just liked it. Not that I would want one of my own, but I found it interesting.


This is Wrigley Field. It was freezing cold the day we were there, but completely worth it!


This is my favorite player, but not just because he's good. I like sharing a name with a Cub's player. I really wanted to get his jersey, cause then maybe I could claim some special connection, but it didn't work out. Too bad. (If you didn't realize, it's Derrick Lee.)

I really enjoy baseball. But I will admit, it's much more fun to see the game in person than on TV. Oh, and while there I had a hotdog. How could I not. It would be like going to Hershey, PA and not eating chocolate!



These are views of the city from the Skydeck at the Sears Tower. I've been up there and I must say, I enjoy visiting it. First, the whoosh through your veins as one of the fastest elevators in the world rushes you towards the top. Then the view (on a clear day of course) is incredible. I love seeing the city from a bird's viewpoint. I like to see how many places I can recognize and point out to others.



These are of Hard Rock Cafe' in Chicago. I enjoy fun restaurants like that, even when I've been a patron before. I also added to my and my dad's glass collections. I also purchased a guitar pin to go on my leather bag- I think it was a nice addition.


Big Trains, little trains...lots of trains at the Museum of Science and Industry.

I liked this train set- it's a miniature of Chicago.

This was an incredible set, it had bridges, villges and even mountains. Unfortunately, my picture doesn't do it justice.

My favorite part of the Museum of Science and Industry was Yesterday's Main Street. Thisis a lantern that was burning with real fire.



These are storefronts (they're yellow from a setting on my camera to reduce the glare from the glass). My favorite was the corset shop, though I never would have wanted to wear one myself. They look acutely uncomfortable.


Planes, robots and more...oh my!



These are views of Lake Michigan off of Navy Pier. I like lighthouses. They seem to be shrouded in mystery.


We took the band on an evening dinner cruise. The food was good, the entertainment was fun, but the view of the night skyline of Chicago was breathtaking! I realize the pictures are a little blurry- sorry about that. But I still wanted to share them.
Well, that's all the pictures I have to share right now. I hope you enjoyed them. They took a lot of work putting them all in here. If anyone knows of any shortcuts, please let me know.
I've been sitting in Panera for several hours over two days now. While here, my godparents called. They were driving through Nashville on their way home to Nebraska after spending 6 months in Florida. They stopped and we visited for awhile. It's always great to see a friendly face! Nancy, while sitting here with me, made several calls to track down a lady that she knew from her youth that lives here. She finally got ahold of her and had me talk with her. She seemed very nice and extremely friendly. Especially with getting a call out of the blue from someone you haven't spoken to in years and then to be handed off to someone you didn't even know existed. Nancy wanted me to connect with her because she believed this lady could help me with career connections and other things. She gave me some great ideas and helpful tips. I find it interesting, since being here in Nashville, all the connections I've made have all been with people quite a bit older than me. I think the closest to my age is at least 12 years older than me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this; I would prefer a varied group of acquaintances. But at the same time, I would really like to connect with some people my own age. People I could hang out with. I know it will happen, I'm not worried. Just growing a bit impatient.
I've been planning some day trips to take this summer. A lady I work with has suggested some little places to visit that are no more than a couple hours away. Some places will take money, so those I might wait on. Most, though, were just a place to drive to and walk around. If anyone comes for a visit, I would love to take them on one of these adventures- just a little incentive for anyone who may be toying with the idea.
Well, before I go. I have to ask a favor from my beloved friends and family. I believe more changes are coming my way...not that I haven't had more than my share lately. But I could use some prayer support. Call or email if you want more details- my blog is a little too public.
It's been great hearing from so many of you. I beg you to keep the emails coming. I'm trying to reply to as many as I can as quickly as I can. I love you all and miss you all!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone! I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend filled with family, friends, food- mostly easter candy! Mine was, as my family came to visit for several days. It was quite cozy as we all squeezed into my tiny apartment and tried to cook Easter dinner in my miniscule kitchen. Then a dear friend, Robert-a student at Belmont-joined us for dinner. It was great to see him and share in the holiday.

I'm sorry I haven't updated for awhile, but I haven't had much time to be at Panera lately. I wish I could find another place to go; as much as I like Panera, you can only sit there for so long. Then when I do get here, I've had so much business to take care of that I haven't had time to do the fun stuff, including reply to emails. So, if you are patiently awaiting a reply from me, I promise I will write soon. And I promise a VERY large blog soon with pictures! (I have new ones from my first.) Also, my first trip for work is this week, so I should have pictures from that also.

Love and Miss Y'all VERY MUCH!!!

No News is Good News...?

I don't have much to update you on, life is just going right now. I am almost settled into my apartment. My furniture arrives Saturday- YEAH! I bought a digital camera the end of last week- after my furniture arrives I'll take some pictures and post them so y'all can see where I'm living. I miss all of you more than any words can say!

Notes on Nashville

Well, I have lived here in Nashville for two weeks now and I've started noticing some interesting things (started this last week and am now finishing):

1) They close down and cancel school for ANYTHING. We had a tornado watch today and most of the schools sent the kids home at 12:30 to get them home before the storm hit. This so-called storm hasn't been much except for rain.

2) A lot of stores that you find everywhere else (including elsewhere in Tennessee) they do not have here and most people haven't even heard of them. For example: Ikea and World Market. They only have one Apple store, and Macs aren't that popular, most people use PCs here.

3) I have never seen crazier drivers. I have praised God every day that I arrive at each of my destinations safely and that my brakes continue to work well. I have had more people cut me off, almost taking the nose of my car with them. No one seems to have a turn signal on their car. If they do manage to find their turn signal, they act as though that gives them the complete right to turn or change lanes, even if there's not room or it's not their turn, etc. And if you and the rest of traffic aren't moving fast enough for them, they will find a way to get around you, even if it means charting their own road or pathway.

4) People only seem to be superficially friendly. They will say hi, even open the door for you, but that's the end of it. Then they quickly turn on their heel and run off in their own direction- forget trying to start a conversation with anyone. Though there are a few that still live up to the tradition of southern hospitality.

5) The water here is awful! It smells strongly of chlorine, no matter the temperature. And that smell quickly infuses your clothes, hair, skin, etc. I'm learning the benefits of perfume, scented lotions, scented hair products and other smelly things.

6) The houses here are incredible! I've never seen their equal anywhere in Iowa. There are some literal mansions and even castles. I cannot even begin to imagine what the interiors look like!

7) The weather is almost as ambiant as Iowa's. Instead of changing every five minutes, it changes about every 15, which can still keep you on your toes.

I'm not trying to state these things as negative, they are merely observations. There are some things about Iowa that I certainly miss (mainly the people I love!!!) I've said it before and I'll say it again: God has me here for a reason and in that knowledge I will rest secure (or at least try to). Miss y'all LOTS!!!