EEK

I just applied for a government scholarship with the Department of Defense. It's a shot in the dark for sure, but I'm glad I tried. Basically, it's a full-ride scholarship, with summer internships at the DoD, and a guaranteed job after graduation (there's more to it than that, but that's the gist).

Now that I think about it, I almost feel like I just applied to vet school or something. I had to write an essay, had to get recommendations from professors, had to send in transcripts... The minimum GPA just to apply is 3.0, and I've heard (through people on the internet, so who knows how accurate this is) that they're considering raising the minimum to 3.5. My cumulative GPA is 3.6, but I think what would hurt my application the most is the fact that most of my grades come from community colleges. I have applied to Drexel University, so hopefully if I get in, that will help boost my application's "credibility". I should find out about Drexel in January, and I'll find out about the scholarship in March/April.

I don't know why, but this is a really big deal for me, lol. If I don't get the scholarship, I'll still be happy that I tried!

Vegas, here we come!

Yep, we're getting married in Vegas. I've never been a big wedding kinda girl, and I don't really care to have a "glamorous" wedding, so we're doing it (relatively) cheap and easy! We've decided on March 14th, and Eric found a beautiful outdoor wedding facility where we're having our ceremony.

So, I've managed to pull my biology grade up to a low B... I'm hoping to keep it up, of course, but his grading seems to be influenced by his mood. I mean, really, how can one honestly subjectively grade essays? Sigh.

I still have a high A in both precalculus and organic chemistry, woot!

I'm engaged!!

So, Eric and I went out October 16th and bought rings kind of on a whim. We'd been looking for a while, but we just happened to be at the mall, went looking without really an intent to buy (at least I don't think there was an intent, lol) and found a ring that I really like, so we bought the engagement ring and both wedding bands for a very good deal. We had to get mine resized, and we were told it would take a week to get them back (which would have been October 23rd). So, a few days go by, and on Oct 21st, after I got home from school, I heard our home phone ring, which I never answer, and the message came on the answering machine... "This is Bernie from Littman Jewelers. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but we got a new manager in [at this point, I was starting to panic, thinking this new manager didn't like that we were given such a good deal... yes, I really do live in my own little world], and there was a mix-up with the jeweler. The rings will be delayed about 7-10 days..."

Grrr. You can imagine how disappointed I was--I was expecting to be proposed to that weekend, dammit (little bridezilla that I am, lol). So, in order to make me feel better, Eric suggested we just go out to dinner that weekend anyway, and even get dressed up. I liked the idea, and ran with it.

So, Saturday comes around, we get all dressed up, get in the car, and it starts raining. Well, whatever, we had an umbrella. We go to Wawa for gas, head to the restaurant, and it starts to POUR. The restaurant we were planning on going to required walking a block from the parking lot, so I suggested we just turn around and go to Bacco, the restaurant Eric had kept trying to gently talk me into, lol. At least at Bacco, we wouldn't have to walk in the rain.

We get to Bacco, and I was really quite impressed. It was such a cute little restaurant. We ordered our food, Eric talked me into ordering wine, and we sat back to listen to thunder and the rain pouring on the building. I kept catching Eric trying to hide little smiles, and he was talking about how it would have been the perfect night to propose (I was starting to suspect at this point, but I didn't think in a million years that he'd be able to talk Bernie into leaving that message), and then he suddenly got down on one knee, and pulled out a piece of tissue paper with a ring--I was seriously expecting him to have a sort of "temporary" ring, but nope, he had the real thing! I was shocked! I never thought he'd be able to talk Bernie into leaving that message!!

I immediately called my family (literally two minutes after he proposed), and we were served champagne while the other waitresses came up and congratulated us. :)

Yay, I'm engaged!

Woohoo

95.5% on the organic chemistry exam. Class average was 79.4%. I still didn't get the highest grade, dammit. Lol, that's okay though. I probably rushed through it a bit.

I'm also down almost 18 pounds. I'm at the weight I was when I was 20-21 or so. Yay. :)

As it turns out...

... I have a propensity for organic chemistry. I just find it rather easy. We had an exam yesterday, and I was done in 45 minutes. When I stood up to hand in the test, I think I heard someone say, "Are you serious?" My lab partner called me at 9:30 (I was done with the exam at 6:45) to ask where I went. He thought I had just left without taking the exam! He had just finished taking the test, and almost half the class was still there. I don't know what I got on the test, but I'm pretty sure I got an A.

Precalculus is also going well. We had an exam last week, and I received a 96% on it. The professor was much more pleased about the grades on this one... guess a lot of people are improving.

Sigh, biology. It's a subject that really fascinates me, but the whole memorization thing is just beyond me. I'd really like to major in something biology-related, but if I'm going to continue to just pull a bunch of Cs, there's no point, is there? I found a program at a school close by called Villanova. It's a 5-year BS/MS biology program that concentrates quite a bit on research, which is what really appeals to me. I'd love to do something like that... however, Villanova (like 99% of the schools around here) is expensive--$38k/year.

I sometimes feel like I have no options around here. Penn State has a campus near here... but they only have biology programs; no chemistry (not that I've made my mind up about what to major in anyway...). Plus, what can I really do with a chemistry degree? Teaching is not my thing.

Oh, and the barracuda...

Is actually not a barracuda, hah. He's an arapaima (I know, doesn't look anything like a barracuda, but I've only seen him a couple times--I couldn't even find him in the exhibit on Saturday, which was a little odd). Here's a video of one being fed... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI9RGiibt7M

The sound doesn't do it justice. No, seriously.

Oh, and I've lost 15 pounds. :)

Aquarium Day 3

Before I get into the aquarium...

I'm doing poorly in biology. :( Precalc and organic chemistry are a walk in the park (so far!), but biology is just freaking hard. I don't know if it's the professor, the way he teaches, the fact that I haven't had a biology class in 12 years, or that I still haven't found a good way to study... but it just SUCKS. We had an exam on Wednesday, and I got a 78%. Unfortunately, I can't exactly blame the professor for my poor grade, because my grade ended up being the median. :( The good news is, if that's the lowest exam grade that I get, he'll drop that exam from the final grade. But I still have 10 weeks to go through with this crap, and so far, I'm only .1% away from having a C. GAH.

I'm finding organic chemistry a lot more intuitive for some reason (I have a 97% average in orgo, and a 95% in precalc). Maybe it's the professor, or maybe I just have a pretty good understanding of chemistry--for example, the professor showed us a reaction that I never realized could happen, but before she even explained it, I automatically understood how it happened AND why. Biology, on the other hand... I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on all of the concepts, but then he goes into the tiniest of details, which is where I tend to lose points. What really killed me on the exam was the stupid essay questions, which I've NEVER been good at--I got an 86% on the multiple choice questions, and 60% on the effing essay questions. ARRRRGH. It's really freaking discouraging.

Anyway.

Saturday was a mess. I arrived at the aquarium at 8:00, and searched all over for Tony. I was told he was in the Vern exhibit (where George the octopus resides), so I had to borrow someone's access key card to get in the building, but when I got inside, my own key for the exhibit didn't work. I knocked on the door, but nobody answered... I knew someone was in there, because I could see a pole in one of the exhibits being used to clean the glass, but he obviously didn't hear me.

I had someone else come over to try to open the door, but he couldn't find Tony, so I went back to the main building again. I had a guy named Dan page Tony, and Tony said he already had a volunteer helping him out, so I could find something else to do. Sigh. By this time, it was 8:30. So, I started off by cleaning out one of the exhibits that Tony used to work with (but now Dan is). A bunch of the starfish were getting pretty close to one of the drains in the exhibit, so I had to move them. I'm still getting accustomed to the various species, and having to touch them, etc., so when I tried to move one of the bigger starfish (maybe 5"-6" in diameter), I was surprised to see how strongly it clung to the rock. I called Dan over to help, as I didn't think I had the strength to pry it off, and I was also afraid of doing damage to it. Dan was surprised to see how hard it was to pull him off, and a bunch of the starfish's suckers were pulled off. He said that was normal though.

After that, I moved on to clean the sand of another small exhibit. I had to use a big siphon, and again, I couldn't get the stupid thing started. I must look REALLY helpless sometimes. A biologist (or volunteer, not quite sure) I'd never seen before saw me struggling, and came up to help me get the siphon started. Sigh. At least he didn't get a mouthful of water, though. HA!

For the next couple of hours, I was stuck doing food prep! I was lucky in the past in that I never really had to do much of it, but now I at least know how to do it. And I'm sort of getting accustomed to the grossness of the ordeal. I think cutting up the fish is the worst. The knives sometimes don't make a clean cut, and guts are always spilling out onto the cutting board. The large krill is a close second, mostly because they're thawed out before "serving" (:::shudder:::), so their bodies are all moist and jello-y. They're like the worms of the sea. In a bowl of pinkish krill bodies, the only other color is the black of their eyeballs, and it makes my skin crawl. Yech!

After lunch (well, not really lunch... I had half a protein bar, and couldn't finish the rest, what with krill bodies and fish guts swimming in my vision and ruining my sense of smell), I helped Dan feed a bunch of the fish in the various exhibits. We started with turtles. I think it's amusing--annoying, actually--how a horse could easily bite off my fingers, or turn around and kick me, and yet I'll hold out my hand to a horse without even thinking, but I flinch when a turtle reaches for a piece of fish between my fingers. Heck, even when I had a little feeding pole for these little 4" fish, I jumped a little when the first one took a bite of the food on the pole!

I guess Double Spot was moved out of quarantine and in with the main tank... so I didn't get to visit my favorite tiger shark, haha. I'll apparently be working with Dan from now on, which is fine with me... I like Tony, but he isn't as personable as Dan. All the guys I work with are total clowns, though! ;) As much as I want to leave Philly, I really will miss this aquarium when the time comes to leave.

More and more, I'm feeling really lucky that I was chosen to volunteer. Every other new volunteer that I've spoken to already has a biology degree, and has worked with fish to some extent (not including little 20-gallon tanks like I had, lol). I guess they kind of use this experience as a stepping stone to getting a job.

Yesssss!

My organic chem professor posted grades today... 96%!

Testing, testing...

I remember taking precalc my senior year in high school. I literally put no effort into that class... I probably got a C in the first semester, and I'm pretty sure I failed the second. I hated school, and figured I didn't need it to graduate anyway, so why bother? Lol. Plus, I was busy talking to a guy I had a big crush on, haha. He and I were both failing miserably.

Anyway, I know the teacher was frustrated with us, and at the time, part of me was embarrassed by my lack of effort, but a large part of me didn't care, and the latter won out, lol. I haven't had a lot of this precalculus stuff since that class, and I always wonder what that teacher must have thought of me. I still remember him asking me if I needed to pass the class in order to graduate--even though I didn't need it, I don't think I'll ever forget those words.

So, anyway, I had a precalc test on Monday, and we got them back today. At the top, I saw a big red 88.5% and my heart sank... then I saw the little +6 (from the extra credit), so I actually got a 94.5%. I still can't get past that stupid 88.5, though. I keep making silly mistakes!

The professor is obviously unhappy about the grades on the test. She kept saying, "You need to do the practice problems from the book. If you failed this test, you are going to be struggling." This test actually seemed a bit harder than the review problems, so if students only had a vague idea how to do those, then they were really screwed once the test was given.

I also had my first organic chemistry test yesterday, and I think I did really well.

Day 2 at the aquarium

Tony, the biologist I'm working with/shadowing was covering two other biologists Saturday... so he was a little busy. He mostly had me off doing a lot of stuff on my own, so it was a nerve-racking day. I started off cleaning the glass in one of the smaller exhibits (by small, I mean maybe 100 gallons), and then had to clean the gravel using a siphon.

After that, Tony gave me a tray of food for another one of the exhibits--this one is probably the largest that I work with. It has a bunch of little fish, a few big fish... and a 3-foot barracuda. That has to be hand-fed. With no pole.

Okay, this barracuda isn't exactly "aggressive" like some are, and he doesn't jump out of the water or anything, but if your finger is nearby, or he feels something that "might" be a fish, he'll react... and it's freaking fast and powerful. All he does is open his mouth, move his head toward the prey, and snap his mouth shut, but he does it in the blink of an eye, and the sound echoes. When he sees you coming with the food, he swims to the surface, waiting. At first, I tried to just, you know, drop a fish near his head, but OF COURSE, the guy is blind in one eye, so if it's not right by his mouth, he won't snap. Sigh. On the next one, I got a bit closer, missed again, got a little bit closer, and he got it--but I think it was just luck. Tony came over and gave the last one to him, lol. Tony isn't fearful, but he still respects him. Here's a pic of him that I hijacked from someone's flickr account (as referenced in this post, this actually is not the fish in question--the one at the aquarium is an arapaima).

After that, I worked with the jellies (in a holding area not viewable by the public) that Tony was also covering. The jellies are so cool. There are several large tanks with different jelly species, and some smaller containers with tiny, tiny jellies in the larva stage--literally about 1/8" big. Tony had me siphon the bottom of two of the larger tanks, but this siphon was different. The only way to get it started was to put the siphon end in the tank, and suck on the other end--and hope you don't get a mouthful of water in the process. I got it started with no water in the mouth, but I ended up with saltwater on my lips. BLECH.

He then had me siphon another smaller tank with a ton of smaller jellies in it... bad idea. I accidentally sucked a few jellies up into the siphon. I don't think those particular jelly species were the kind that sting (or if they do, it isn't much), but I'm still leery of sticking my hand into a little 40-gallon tank filled with 200 jellyfish, which made it hard to control the end of the siphon. Poor jellies. :(

After lunch, we went into the quarantine area where Double Spot (the female tiger shark) was being held. She wouldn't eat, though, so Tony left and had me and another volunteer clean her tank with brushes on long poles. At first, we started on opposite sides of the tank, cleaning the bottom, but she seemed to get a bit nervous--she was swimming faster than she usually does--so we started cleaning on the same side, and she pretty much just stayed out of our way.

We moved on to another holding area, and began siphoning more tanks. I couldn't get the thing started, so the other volunteer I was working with offered to help... except I wasn't really paying attention, so when he got the water flowing, I didn't tell him to stop, and he got a mouthful of water. I felt really bad, but at the same time, I was secretly dying of laughter. I know, I'm evil.

Karma's a bitch, though. I decided I wouldn't make him do it again, and when I tried it, I got a mouthful of water--twice. At least it was freshwater, though, lol.

Mark, the biologist who "hired" me, took us around the aquarium to have a little fun since siphoning is kind of a boring, dirty job (I have to admit to a weird kind of satisfaction suctioning up uneaten and digested food, though). We went to the tank that holds the giant octopus, George Jr. Last time, I was with Tony and we fed him. He was much more sociable and playful then--grabbing everything within reach, cups, fingers, shoes, etc. He's a mischievous guy. This past Saturday, though, he didn't really want anything to do with the humans. He'd already been fed, so he wasn't really interested in food, nor did he want to play. He did come up a couple of times, but his mood seems to change quickly. He'd be annoyed and antisocial one minute (his skin changes color from vibrant red to dullish red, and he raises these things on his skin that make him look kind of "flakey"), and happy the next. The suckers on his tentacles were weird. Mark said if George was able to get a few tentacles on you, he'd probably be able to pull you down into his tank--kind of funny he said that, because I had visions of that happening after my last volunteer day, lol.

Mark also took us to feed a few rays in another holding tank. We held 1" pieces of fish in our hands, dunked our hands under water, and waited for a ray to swim by. I remember doing something like this at Sea World, but I don't remember those rays actually grabbing onto your hand and sucking! These rays swim right up to your hand, and "latch on" to find the food. It seems they actually prefer eating from hands than on the bottom of the tank. They're very sociable, and flap right up to the side of the tank to "say hi". Mark showed us one ray in particular that was pretty skinny, so I started trying to target feed him (or her, I can't remember). I'm sure Mark did that on purpose, knowing it would tug at my heart strings, lol.

So, that was my day. I can't wait to go back! The fish guts still make me want to squeal like a little girl. I figure I'll get past that someday.

Am I a teacher's pet?

Precalculus and organic chemistry are going well. Biology, on the other hand... it's just a crapload of memorization, and I'm not that great at memorizing. Organic chemistry is a little like math--it more or less problem-solving, and builds on the concepts you've learned in the past, which is how I learn best. But biology is just reading, re-reading, and re-reading all over again until it's pounded into my brain. I'll be happy if I get a B. :( We had a quiz in organic chemistry last night, and I'm pretty sure I aced it... I was the first one done, but I tend to rush through things and make stupid mistakes, so we'll see.

In my precalc class this morning, the professor was obviously disappointed in the homework she had assigned for us to do (I got an A-). She asked us if anybody did the practice problems from the book (which is not assigned, just recommended basically) and I was the only one that raised her hand! Does this make me a teacher's pet? Lol. I felt like a total dork, but oh well. I'm doing well because I've been doing those problems. I'm sure there are others that can do well without doing the problems, but if her frustration were any clue, for the most part, the class is struggling. Most of the class is young, and I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.

Outside of school, not much is happening. I'm going up to the aquarium to "work" again this Saturday and I'm looking forward to it. :)

First day of school!

Lol. I feel weird saying that... like I'm back in high school or something. Speaking of high school, the majority of my classmates so far look like they just graduated from high school. I feel old.

Precalculus was Wednesday morning. In the first 10 minutes of the class, I considered dropping it and taking it from someone else. The instructor's accent (Indian) is fairly thick, and I had trouble picking up some of her words. Once we got started with the actual learning, though, it became easier to understand her. So far, that class is going well.

Biology was Wednesday night. That class is going to be hard. The instructor is fun, but I gather that he asks difficult essay-type questions on his tests. UGH. Essay questions have never really been a strong point of mine. He also gave us a quiz on the first day to test our knowledge of biology (and chemistry, since chemistry intermingles with biology quite a bit). He said that students that don't get above a 6 on the test are highly recommended to drop, take an easier biology class, then come back to Biology I. I haven't had biology since about 1997! I was totally sweating this quiz.

About half of the questions, I had no doubt about the answer. The others, I knew I had been taught the material... but 12 years ago, if not more. On those, I just went with my best guess. When we were done, he had us exchange our quizzes with the person sitting next to us. Given that I was sure I hadn't done well, I hated that--but as it turned out, I got a 7. ;) The poor girl whose test I was grading only got a 3. At the break, she asked me if I knew how late the library was open (I didn't), left, and never returned. Poor girl.

Organic chemistry was Thursday night. I don't really like this instructor's style of teaching. I can't really put my finger on it. She seems a bit... scatter-brained. On several of the ideas she was teaching, it was pretty much review for me, but a few times, she confused me, and I resorted to consulting the text book. That's okay for now, but when it comes time to learn new material... gah. This class is also going to be tough. Oh, and she said that Organic Chemistry II (I'm taking I) is the class that normally separates the good from the bad. Sigh... great.

Oh well. My life is all about studying right now.

Today was my first day at the aquarium. So, I arrived just before 9:00, thinking I was 1/2 hour early. I met up with Mark, the head biologist, and he asked me if I ran into traffic. There could only be one reason he asked me that--I was late. I asked him what time I was supposed to be there, and he said 8:00. Dangit! I've now been late each time I've been there. Oh well... 8-4 is a better time for me anyway, and the traffic was nonexistent at that time of day! Well, as traffic in Philly goes at least.

So, I'm working with a guy named Tony. He taught me a lot about cleaning, feeding, and general care of the fish he works with. He mainly does fish, with a few turtles, starfish, an octopus (named George, lol), a tiger shark (awesome), and crabs. It was cool to be able to walk through the aquarium with no guests--it opens at 9:30. It's quiet and we can observe, clean and feed in peace. I didn't really do a whole lot today... mostly observed. I helped with food prep (have to admit, that's something I'll need time to get used to... fish guts make me want to squeal like a girl) and feeding a little. One of the tiger sharks is held in a large tank in a metal building outside the aquarium. The water temp is, of course, kept constant, but the air temp and humidity are not... so the building had lots of mosquitoes. We were in there for maybe 30 minutes, and I ended up with 11 bites... probably more. Freaking mosquitoes. If anybody wants to walk into a room infested with mosquitoes and doesn't want to get bitten, just bring me! They love me! Tony didn't get a single bite.

NYC

Eric and I spent a day in NYC, and that was plenty for me. It's such a dirty, depressing, drab city in my opinion. Yeah, there are cool touristy things to do, but I would never, ever want to live there or spend a significant amount of time there (a week for a business trip was almost too much for me).

We arrived Friday night, and met up with a couple of Eric's friends that were in town from Brazil. We walked to a restaurant about a mile away, and had a couple of drinks and dinner, then went back to the hotel. Saturday morning, we walked another mile or so to a diner for breakfast (which was actually really good--eggs with goat cheese and basil, mmmm), then walked again to the Intrepid museum, which is basically an aircraft carrier-turned-museum. That was really cool. We took a tour of the carrier, along with a submarine. It's amazing the small spaces in a submarine. I would be claustrophobic in no time if I had to sleep in one of those. My friend Chris from Connecticut met up with us, and we all went out to lunch (walked to the subway, then walked to the restaurant... another mile). After lunch, we walked to the Brooklyn Bridge, which was another couple of miles. By that time, my knees and feet were seriously starting to hurt as I was wearing sandals that are probably 10 years old, but I managed to walk another half mile up to the bridge before taking refuge on a bench. The rest of the gang, in their comfortable sneakers (I always overestimate my shoes' comfort, lol) continued a little further. When they got back, we walked the half mile back down the bridge to the subway, which was thankfully right at the opening of the bridge.

We all went our separate ways after that, and Eric and I drove home sweet home, and out of the craphole that is NYC (sorry Becky).

I start school tomorrow. Part of me is excited, part of me is stressed. I'm just not sure how I'm going to fit a job into all of this (working out, school, volunteering every other Saturday at the aquarium). I'm still looking for a job, but haven't really found anything.

So.

I've been feeling really crappy lately, and I need a good kick in the butt... so I signed up for a gym membership today and I have 10 personal training sessions. WOOHOO! I'm excited! I'm one of those weird, sadistic types that loves being sore, but after a few weeks of working out, I get accustomed really fast, and it's really hard for me to make myself sore, so I pretty much have to work with a trainer. Plus, they're so motivating!

Eric and I went on a bike ride on Sunday. It was most definitely not the hardest ride I've been on, but I'm apparently really out of shape! It was mildly hilly, and we went 15 miles before I decided I had to turn around (it was supposed to be a 40 mile ride, ended up being 30 after I wussed out). We turned around and finished the ride, and I was absolutely beat. I still can't get over how much fitness I've lost over the last few months. I contacted Dan, one of Eric's friends, and asked if he wanted to go out for a ride, since he'd mentioned it a few weeks ago. We went on an easy 20 mile ride on Tuesday, and hopefully we'll be able to continue riding more. (I won't let Eric "train" me. Just can't do it.) I think I may try to get out for a ride tomorrow.

Aquarium orientation

I had my aquarium orientation today! It was supposed to be at 10:30, but because of the ******* traffic, I wasn't able to arrive until nearly 11:00! I did call ahead of time to let the volunteer manager know that I was running late.

So, I arrived, and was given a short tour with another volunteer. We went to the "backside" of the tank that holds the turtles and rays, along with a few sharks. There were a couple of divers just getting done with a presentation, and we just watched all of the different marine life floating around. I did notice one fish in a school of about 20 that was kind of doing figure 8s around the school... poor guy probably has his wires crossed somewhere. The aquarium has several holding tanks for species that are being rehabilitated or have a bit of growing up that they need to do before being released with the "big guys".

I feel very lucky that I was picked to volunteer. Not only is it such a cool opportunity, but it sounds like there was a bit of competition... and the other volunteer that attended the orientation said he kind of regrets that he didn't sign up for the "fish and invertebrates" department (which is the one I'll be working in). I actually felt a little guilty, since this guy has a Master's degree in biology, and did a ton of research on fish--he obviously has a lot more experience with this kind of thing than I do! But, he also said that with his schedule being so erratic, he didn't think he'd be able to commit to the fish and inverts, which requires two days per month, and 8 hours each day.

I do think it's a bit ironic that I turned down a job working downtown, and yet I'm driving downtown (actually, further than downtown--the aquarium is in Camden, NJ) for an UNPAID volunteer position, lol. Oh, well. I'm pretty thrilled about the stuff I'll be able to learn and do.

After orientation was done, the volunteer manager took us to the "backside" of the shark realm. They had dozens of lights above the tank, which I'm assuming were UV lights. It was really neat to be able to view all the sharks and other species without a bunch of noisy kids distracting me and annoying camera flashes going off (though we did see a bunch of flashes, as the tank had a big tunnel going through it for people to walk through).

Here's a link to the aquarium: http://www.adventureaquarium.com/ (I'm a bit partial to the Omaha Zoo's aquarium, and probably a bit biased, too. ;) While the Adventure Aquarium has a tunnel, it just doesn't seem to be as well done as the tunnel at the Omaha Zoo.)

Turned down the job...

I had to turn down the Penn job. They wanted me to come in four times a week, which would have amounted to 10 hours of commuting per week, and 20 hours of actual working. It just isn't worth it. I feel bad about turning it down--it would have been a really good opportunity, would have looked good on my resume, etc., but I have to be realistic. I promised myself that this time around, I would put school ahead of work, instead of the other way around. Sigh. So, I'm still jobless. But hopefully unemployment kicks in soon... it's been well over a month since I was "officially" laid off, and I still won't see any form of payment (if my claim is even approved) until the end of the month. Stupid Texas.

I also heard back about the volunteer position at the aquarium, and I was offered the position! I'll be going in twice a month for a full day, cleaning tanks, preparing food, and playing with jellyfish. Heh. I told my parents, and the first thing my dad asked was, "Do they have sharks? Are you going to be in with them?" Lol.

Eric and I took a tour of a college about 12 miles north of here called Delaware Valley College. It's ranked about as high Temple University, but it's closer (Temple is a 45 min train ride; DelVal is 20 min), in a very safe part of PA (Temple is surrounded by bad neighborhoods... on all sides), and the biggest class size is 30, with the majority of them being 20 or so. This allows more student-teacher time, in case I don't understand something--big plus. With my GPA, I should be able to get a $9,000 transfer scholarship right off the bat, along with a lot of other scholarships that Temple doesn't seem to offer or give much information about. Also, DelVal has a HUGE riding barn! As in, horseback riding! They offer equine studies as a degree, and they have a lot of riding clubs and organizations that I can hopefully get into (I'm not going into equine studies, but it's cool that they offer it). I'm hoping I won't be the only person over 25 going to this school... they only have about 2,000 students. Yikes. I think for the first time ever, I'm going to feel old.

So, Eric and I spoke last night about the job at Penn. Basically, it would be stupid for me to take it. It's two and a half hours of commuting every day, and on top of that, I would actually have to leave my MWF morning class early just to catch the train--obviously not a good solution.

I called the recruiter this morning, feeling like an idiot, and explained the situation. She asked me if we could just change the hours around so that I went in later, and I said that wouldn't be a good solution--for one thing, I would still have the two and a half hours of commuting every day, and for another, my schedule is bound to change next semester, or even next year. She said they would probably be flexible with my school schedule... okay. I told her, realistically, the only days it would be feasible for me to come in would be Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I could work all day (though I would have to leave at 4:30PM to catch the train back home and get to my 6:00 class). She said she would bring it up with Penn, and see what they say.

Sigh... *fingers crossed*

Job Update

Okay, so I haven't received an official job offer yet, but it sounds like the job is probably mine! I got a call today from the recruiter, and she said Penn still has me as their top choice, but just wanted to know what hours I could work. Unfortunately, the hours didn't quite mesh with my availability--they wanted me to come in at 10:00, but my morning class doesn't get out until 10. I don't think it'll be a big deal, but we'll see. Haven't heard back yet... trying not to get too excited until I do get an offer.

In other news, I finally got the unemployment thing settled. I had to fax in my unemployment application on July 15th (my last day at BHI). They have a phone number on their website to call, which I've done so numerous times, and it's a record that basically says "give us 21 days to process claims" and then hangs up. Real freaking helpful. I searched around a bit, found another number, and called them yesterday--and what a surprise, they never received my application. I was on the verge of blowing up at that point. She did help me, though, and filed my claim, then gave me a pin number to get my unemployment payment. Hopefully it'll be here in the next few days...

I've been studying a lot for organic chemistry. I just want to make sure I'm ahead and will get an A. I'm fairly confident I can get an A in my other classes--precalculus and biology--so I've been focusing on chemistry. I even bought a molecular model set. I'm such a nerd.

Small update

I spoke with the recruiter for the Penn job, and she said Penn is interviewing one person today that applied directly through the website (read: cheaper candidate). Booo. I should know something by Monday. I hate waiting. I did send an e-mail directly to the interviewer (technically, we aren't supposed to speak directly since I went through a contracting company, but he gave me his card, so oh well), just letting him know that I'm still interested. At this point, I know I've done all that I can, so I'm happy with that.

Blah

Sitting here, with a glass of wine, I realize I kind of miss my life in Austin (the part after Michael and I broke up, I mean). I think I'll always have fond memories of that time in my life. I was independent and free to do whatever the hell I wanted. After being there for seven months, I was finally starting to build solid friendships, especially with the girls at the tack shop. I had a road cycling group that I was riding with, along with a mountain bike group, and they were such a fun group of people. I was working at a tack shop making new friends, and riding a horse that I really loved. I miss Riley (the horse I was riding).

I have none of that now. My life feels like it's moving in a more positive, goal-oriented direction, although I'm still somewhat unsure of the path I'm on... and I have no life outside of what my boyfriend and I do (and cycling, of course, which I normally do alone--and I'm okay with that). I haven't heard yet about the volunteer position at the aquarium, but I should know something by Saturday I'm guessing. I haven't heard back yet about the job at Penn.

I recognize that moving out of Omaha was a good thing for me, but just as I did in Austin, I sometimes wonder, "WTF am I doing here?" I know life is what you make of it, and I've been trying. I see the positive aspects of Philly, and I do enjoy living here (though it doesn't help that the cost of living is so high here... cheapest uni is $10k, gas is expensive, groceries are expensive.) There's so much to do. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what to do. If I were single, I'd probably venture out more and try to meet more people, but as it is...

Sigh. I'm entering a darker part of my life right now. That could be the wine speaking, though, lol. ;)

I was just reading back to my posts when I moved to Austin... what a trip. "Whataburger" LOL. Oh, and my measly 40 minute commute to work, which will turn into 60+min if I get this job at Penn. GAH. It'll be worth it, though. I think

I need to go on a bike ride.

No news yet...

I haven't heard anything yet about the Penn job. I'm hoping to hear something this week.

Eric and I went to Saratoga to watch some horse races (his parents are into horse racing). We got a tour of the backstretch, where all the horses, trainers, jockeys and owners hang out. The horses are just beautiful! It almost makes me want to own a racehorse, lol. The races themselves weren't too exciting. Horse racing just doesn't do it for me!

Last week, I went into the city to visit the PSPCA. I was going to volunteer in their feral cat spay/neuter program. The part of the city it's in was a little shady. First of all, it took well over an hour to get there (20 miles away, mostly highway). I got lost and had to call Eric for directions. Stupid windy roads. So, I got there, and the first thing I saw was two people standing outside with two pit bulls with blood and scratches all over their faces. :( Someone was with them, asking questions, and I heard this before I went in: "You do know that this dog has a record, right?" GAH. Stupid people!

So, I went in, and went back to where the cat clinic was. There were a few people there with one vet doing the spays and neuters. I pretty much just jumped in, helping them clean the cats after surgery, and helping them "wake up". One cat looked horrible--she was just sitting in her cage looking like she felt like crap, drooling all over the place. I felt bad for her. The technician called the owner (apparently some of the cats aren't feral), and recommended that she not be spayed, since she was likely sick with something. The owner decided to go ahead with the spay anyway. Idiot. I guess that's what happens when a clinic is in a poor area.

Overall, the experience was a pretty good one, but when I got home, I couldn't stop sneezing! I'm somewhat allergic to cats, and I worked with a lot of them while I worked at the vet clinic, but I've never been around that many of them. I was miserable for the rest of the night, and decided I couldn't handle doing that once a week. I e-mailed the coordinator and told her my situation. Oh well.

I also went to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ on Saturday to interview for a volunteer position in their fish and invertebrates area. It was so cool. I got to see the "back side" of what a big aquarium looks like. The biggest tank was huge, though not as big as the one at the Omaha Zoo. Plus, they don't have a tunnel like the Omaha Zoo does, which is, of course, the best part of the zoo. ;) I got to see a room where all the jellyfish are "grown"--they're basically harvested. It was really cool. I saw pretty much the entire life cycle, including the "babies" that were 1/8" to 1/4"! I should know by next weekend if they're "hiring" me, but since they're short-staffed for Saturdays, I don't see why they wouldn't. The only thing is, it's a long drive. Of course. I swear, everywhere in Philly is a long drive.

I start school in less than a month!

Interview #2

I had another interview today, my second for the Penn job. The interview was at 9:30, so I left at 7:45 so I could go to the bank and get some cash for parking. Plus, I had no idea how long it would take to get down there, and I wanted to leave plenty of time so that I didn't feel rushed.

I was still 20 minutes late! Basically, I was having issues at the bank, and had to drive all the way to Fort Washington (about 8 miles away) so that wonderful Eric could give me some cash, then I had to take the turnpike, pay a toll, and get on the interstate. The turnpike-to-interstate area was a freaking disaster. I called my recruiter at the contract company to have them call Penn and let them know I was running late. The recruiter didn't sound happy that I was running late, which didn't do anything to help calm me down, as I hate being late. I finally arrived at the parking garage, drove up six floors to the closest parking spot, and climbed the stairs back down (the elevator was across the garage, and I didn't want to take the time to walk all the way over there).

I arrived at what I thought was my destination, but was directed to a different building. Oh, and did I mention it was raining? And I didn't have an umbrella because I didn't have time to stop and buy one? All I had was a crappy pullover. So, off I went in the rain again to my new destination. I arrived, told the front desk whom I was looking for, and looked at my phone's time. 9:50AM. Crap. The interviewer came up, and I apologized for being so late. He didn't seem concerned, and was a pretty laid-back guy.

The interview went very well. He said I'm a strong candidate, but that they have to interview a couple more people. I should know in a couple weeks.

In other news... I sold my car! Since I'm laid off and have no income, it made sense to get rid of mine. We're planning on selling Eric's Mazda3, and keeping the Pathfinder that has no payments. When we sell the Mazda, if we run into situations where it seems like we need more than one car (I really think we would, but we'll see), then we'll probably just get a $3k Toyota or Honda or something.

Had an interview...

Smack dab in the middle of downtown Philly. Interviews make me a bit apprehensive as it is, but having to drive in downtown Philly alone was worse, I think. It was pretty uneventful, though I did have to muscle my way around traffic a little, lol. The closest parking to the building my interview was in had a sign that at first I thought said $4.75 per hour, which would have been a decent price, but when I got closer, I realized it said $4.75 per HALF hour. Crap. Good thing I had gone to the ATM for cash, but that also meant I couldn't stay for more than two hours, otherwise I wouldn't have enough.

So, I parked (three floors underground, kinda creepy), got out of the car, and looked around, trying to figure out what direction 15th & JFK was, but not wanting to look like I didn't know where I was going, heh. I saw what looked like might be the building I needed (didn't write down the name, silly me), and started walking towards it. There was a fountain right in the middle of the big intersections that I walked around, avoiding the shady characters, acting like I knew what I was doing.

Anyway, I found the building, went up to the 8th floor, and had my interview. It went really well, and they're going to submit my resume to the client (it's a recruiting agency). Get this--the client is University of Pennsylvania, one of the best schools in the country. I'd love to be able to attend college there, but at $34k/year, tuition is more than three times that of Temple's. Yikes. Regardless, I could probably make some pretty good contacts.

I left the interview feeling pretty good about it, but Penn is quite a ways away--30 miles. I told them the pay would have to be high enough to justify me going all the way downtown several times a week, not to mention the cost of taking the train. I should have just taken the train to the interview--there were steps into the tunnel for the train literally right in front of the building I interviewed in. Parking ended up costing me $15. GAH.

Officially unemployed.

Today was my last day. I sent an e-mail to one of my clients (technically, the only client I had left) that it was my last day, and she said that it was "terrible news" and to please give her my personal contact info. So I did. ;)

Turns out I was wrong about the precalculus/calculus thing. I sent an e-mail to Temple asking if they would accept the "accelerated" version of calculus, and you know what they said? "We don't release information on transfer credits until you've been accepted." What a bunch of crap. So I went into MontCo (where I'm taking the classes) and asked if they have information on transfer courses, and they do--so why can't Temple just tell me? Unfortunately, Temple won't accept the accelerated version, so I have to take the whole series of precalculus/calculus. Sigh. Oh well. Maybe that means I'll be more prepared for Calculus I.

I have a bunch of humanities/social science credits taken at Metro in Omaha that may or may not transfer to Temple (since, of course, they won't tell me what will or will not transfer), so I've decided not to take anymore until I actually enroll at Temple and know what I need to take. I did sign up to take Microeconomics at Metro though, lol. It's weird to be "going back" to that school as an out-of-state student--though I'm taking it online. I hate online classes, but I know for certain that I need this class.

So now, I'm taking organic chemistry, precalculus, biology, and microeconomics. Weeee...

I know, I know... late post again. :)

For some reason, even though lots of things are happening in my life right now, and I used to be able to come up with all kinds of stuff to write about, it's just not coming to me now!

Eric and I went to Dover Saddlery, a chain of tack shops whose closest shop is about 50 miles away in Delaware. It wasn't really anything special, but I've always wanted to go there. I did, however, sit on some reeeeally comfortable saddles called Vega by Amerigo (I'm only writing that out so that I can remember what it was years from now, lol)... that were around $3,000. When I make the big bucks (haha...), I'm getting me one of those! On the way back, upon entering Pennsylvania, south of Philadelphia, we see this sign:



Lol... I found that a bit funny.

So, my last day at work is this Wednesday. The crazy thing is, I'll need to apply for unemployment in Texas, not Pennsylvania. I've considered just applying for simple jobs, like data entry or something, but then I thought, why should I? I have all these skills that will pay me twice what a data entry-type job would, so I might as well hold out as long as I can until an opportunity comes along. I mean, I might as well use my computer degree to my benefit for as long as I can... in order to pay for my new degree(s). ;)

Speaking of school, even though classes don't start until September, I've already begun studying some chemistry and math. I'm taking Organic Chemistry, Biology, and Calculus (along with another history or english class--haven't decided which), but it's been about four years since I've had any math or science, so I'm reviewing the information before the classes start. Good thing, too, as it became apparent from the start that I had forgotten a LOT of information. I ended up buying the text book we used for General Chemistry I & II (I remember it being relatively easy to learn from and study with), and I've been finding it really helpful.

Also, speaking of school, this is one of the many reasons I really dislike advisors, and don't take much faith in their "advice": I have to take two semesters of calculus, but in order to get into calculus, I need to take two semesters precalculus (or so I was told). So, I signed up for Precalculus I, knowing that I would have to take Precalc II in the spring, and only then would I be able to take Calc I. Wrong. I found out on my own that I can take an accelerated version of Precalc I & II and Calc I, which would then enable me to enroll in Calc II. Why wasn't I made aware of this before? GAH.

Once the college released information on the books we need, I about died when I looked at the cost. My chem, bio and calc books all cost nearly $200 each new--eek. I didn't think I'd be able to find any of them cheaper than $100 used, but I was able to find two for $50 and another for $100. Yay. :) I still have two chemistry books (yes, apparently Org Chem requires THREE books!) to buy that will probably cost $150, another for bio, and another for my history/english class. My credit card hurts.

So, I was basically laid off a couple of weeks ago. Our biggest (really, our only) client decided to take their business elsewhere, which leaves me without a whole lot to do. I still have another two weeks, though, as their contract requires 30 days notice.

But, anyway, it isn't a huge deal, because I'm going back to school! I start in September, and I'm really excited. I'm planning on going into environmental science, and once I get my degree, our plan is to get the heck out of here and go somewhere south. I didn't think I'd be able to start school until next year due to residency status, but apparently the community college (which happens to be about two miles away) grants in-state status as long as you live in the same county. Yay! :) I'll probably go to this community college for a year, and then transfer to Temple University.

I know, I'm a slacker.

Guess I got bored updating my blog.

Hm, so, what's been going on... I'm coming back to Omaha tomorrow for a week! Eric and the doggy are staying behind. I'm bringing my laptop so that I can continue to work (boring, but I need cash!), though I'll be done at 1:00 every afternoon. My dad and I are also planning on doing a little bit of maintenance work to my house while I'm there. Saturday, my sister and her husband are coming over to my parents' house for a sleepover, lol. Yes, we're twenty-something pre-teens.

Eric and I went to his friend's birthday party on Friday and got toasted. Well, I did. I'll never learn when it comes to drinking scotch/whiskey. I didn't get sick, though, so that's good at least. Yesterday, we drove to D.C. to see his parents. We all went to a park for a picnic, which was located right at the end of a busy airport runway. It was kinda crazy, actually. Some of those things looked like they were having issues getting their asses off the ground, and flew somewhat close. We took Jaiden, and the first plane that flew overhead made him glance up, but that was it.

I filled out an application to be a foster home for dogs (or rather, a dog). They did a home visit last weekend, but I haven't heard anything since. Eric wants a greyhound, but we first want to make sure Jaiden will be okay with another dog. I'm sure he will, but ever since the stupid dog fight, I get all uptight whenever Jaiden is around another dog off-leash.

Speaking of Jaiden... I had the WEIRDEST experience the other day. Last Sunday morning, Eric woke me up early and said he was going on a bike ride to go watch a bike race. I went back to sleep because I was hungover, deciding that I would catch up with him later. A couple hours later, Jaiden decided it was time to get up, and shook his head really hard (on the occasions when a few whines won't wake me up, he just flaps his ears around). I sat up, completely out of it, and looked at Jaiden. For about three seconds, I was totally confused, and thought Jaiden was Eric. I came very close to asking him, "Why haven't you left for the race yet?"

Work is going okay. It's nice to be able to work at home, but it sucks not having a social life. Plus, the work that I do is pretty monotonous. I haven't been motivated at all in this job for a long time. But, I have plans to fix that... ;) (More on that in my next post!)

I had to have a new deck put on my house in Omaha, which my dad helped out with. The renter said the roof was rotting out, so I just had the whole thing redone, as it wasn't in great shape to begin with. She's been a really good renter so far, so I'm hoping she'll be a long-term tenant. I'm just going to keep my rental rate the same in hopes that she'll continue to stay there for a while. I'm losing a little bit of money each month, but compared to what I'd be losing if it were vacant (or if I had a bad tenant), I'm not complaining.

Rode a little horsie

One of Eric's clients has a couple of horses, and I guess she can't ride them due to an injury. So, Eric asked her if she needed someone to ride her horses *hint hint*, and we went out to the barn yesterday to take a look. I wore my breeches and brought my boots and helmet in case she wanted me to ride. The barn is about 10 minutes from Eric's place, making it very convenient to get to. However, it's right next to a busy road, which is something I'm not too fond of.

We got to the barn at about 3:00. It's an old building--one of those two- or three-story barns. The horses are kept on the lowest level. The ceilings are six feet tall in some areas, and only maybe seven feet tall where the stalls are. It was cramped and that "old barn" smell hits you immediately. The one bad thing about the place is that there's no arena--just pastures. I wasn't sure where the riding took place, or if anybody rode at all here.

We met June, and she led us to where her horses were kept. We were greeted by Max, a stocky Quarter Horse looking thing, with his ears back and a glare in his eyes, haha. He's a dominant, pushy, in-your-face kind of horse, and I loved him immediately--I love those dominant Quarter Horses. They always seem to be the safest ones to ride. Unfortunately, he wasn't the horse I'd be riding. June pointed out a little bay mare to me named Yetta. My initial thought was, "Whoa, she's tiny." She couldn't have been much more than 14.3 (which basically means I can very easily see over her back). She just turned five years old, and she's a cross between a Thoroughbred and a Quarter Horse. Oh, and she hasn't been ridden since June. Last year. And this is the horse she wanted me to ride.

EEK. A five-year-old that was green to begin with, and hasn't been ridden in a year?! I must be crazy. The last time I rode a horse as a "favor" was in 2005. A woman had fallen off her seven-year-old horse, and hadn't ridden him in two months out of fear. I said I could give it a shot, and went out there to take a look. I lunged him for about twenty minutes to get any "kinks" out. He was perfectly fine. Got on and rode him around for twenty minues. He was a total angel. I went out a few days later, lunged him for maybe ten minutes--totally fine. I hopped on, and 15 seconds into the ride, I knew something was up. His back was stiff as a board, which is almost ALWAYS a precursor to a big blowup. About 15 seconds after that, he met my expectations and bucked, reared, threw me side to side, and I came off. I ended up having to go to the emergency room because I was totally knocked out.

So, on that good note, onto my ride yesterday. We brought the mare in and groomed her up. I put the saddle on her, and she grinded her teeth when I tightened her girth up, haha. We walked her out to the little pasture in front of the property, and I walked her around to get a feel for her reaction to everything--the saddle, the people, and especially the traffic, since the road was six feet or so from the pasture. She listened, but she didn't seem worried.

Now to climb on. Climb on a green horse that hadn't been ridden in a year. I need to get my head examined.

Anyway. I got onto the mounting block, put my foot in the stirrup, and gently settled into the saddle. She side stepped a bit and shook her head, but really didn't have much of a reaction. However, she really was not too keen on just standing around, so instead of upsetting her, we walked on. June had a hold of her head just in case she tried anything silly. We walked around once, and as we were passing by the side of the pasture that faced the road, some jackass in a truck stepped on his accelerator, making a lot of noise. I could feel her getting a bit nervous, but no spooking whatsoever. After a few times around, June let her off the lead, and we were on our own. I walked her around a bit, tested her stopping powers, pushed my legs against her sides to see what she knew (not much I don't think). We trotted around a teeny bit, too. I didn't want to do a whole lot with her the first time for several reasons, but mostly because I wanted to end on a good note.

So far, she seems like a pretty level-headed, think-before-I-spook kind of horse. She's very weak behind, doesn't have a lot of "go", and doesn't have much in the way of steering or brakes. ;) But, she seems to have a good mind, and should be fun to work with.

The big five-oh

I did a 50 mile ride yesterday morning with Eric. I haven't done 50 miles since late 2007. I wanted to go several times last year, but things always seemed to get in the way... my longest ride last year was 42 miles, but it was a really hard ride--we did lots of really big hills, and it was HOT out.

We left for a group ride that was supposed to leave at 7:30, but actually left at 7:00--so it was just me and Eric for a few miles. He said it was going to be a 44 mile ride. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it without collapsing, but it had been a while since I had done a long ride, so I figured it was worth a shot. About 10 miles in, we met up with one of Eric's friends, and continued downtown. The weather was perfect. It started out a little chilly, but after a half hour or so, I was able to ride without arm warmers. We rode to the art museum, about 22 miles away from the start of our ride, and had a Clif bar. We started back out the way we came, but there was a walk going on... after about five minutes of fighting our way through walkers, Eric got pissed and turned back around, which was fine with me. I had a feeling it would be a pain in the ass anyway. The only part of the ride I didn't like was fighting our way through traffic. I just don't like holding up cars. They're pretty much used to it in Philly, but it still makes me uneasy.

On the way back, I was feeling great. We were going anywhere between 16-18 MPH. I told Eric that if, by the time we got back to the car, I was feeling up to it, we should continue on to get 50 miles since it had been so long since I had gone that far. Up until the point we got back to the car, we were going about 17. We rested at a picnic table for a few minutes, drank some water, and hopped back on the bikes. I couldn't go any faster than about 13. ;) It felt like it took forever to finish the last six miles--my butt HURT! But I did it. :)

Shooting a gun

Eric bought a 9mm Taurus gun for my birthday. We went shooting on Thursday, and because I'd never shot before, they had me use a .22. They explained "line of sight"--how to line up the gun for a target.

Before I was willing to shoot, I made Eric shoot it first. I was surprised at the amount of "gun powder" coming from it, even as I was standing back. My face was getting pelted with it. Anyway, the gun was a piece of crap. The first time I tried to shoot it, the thing didn't go off, and I had a moment of panic. Eric looked at it, fixed it, and I shot it again. After a couple of rounds, I got a good feel for it, and shot what Eric called a "3 inch group" at 7 yards. Basically, it means that all the bullets hit the target within 3" of each other, which I guess is pretty good. I became comfortable enough that when I had issues (and there were many with that gun), I felt competent enough to fix it. I shot six rounds I think with the .22, and went on to the 9mm. Eric put one round in it (after I made him shoot it himself, lol), and handed the gun to me. I aimed, pulled the trigger... and immediately set it down. I turned to Eric and said, "I don't like it." Heh. The gun is just too powerful, and it intimidates me. I think we've decided to either get a .22 or continue renting the .22 at the range until I become more comfortable with guns.

Eric and I went on a bike ride yesterday, and joined a couple of his friends. Eric rode about 30 miles, and we did another 29 together. It was a pretty easy ride, but my butt was really hurting, so I opted out of riding today. We're going out to dinner with some of his friends tonight, which should be fun! :) Tomorrow morning, we're doing a long group ride.

Hard ride

Eric and I ventured out on Monday for a fun ride. Lol.

We met up at the trail head, and ride on the trail for about two miles, then hopped on a different trail to avoid the nastiness that is The Bugs and took it through an area called Valley Forge. We saw some old cabins, memorials, and graves. It was pretty neat. After riding through Valley Forge, we rode through an area with some ridiculously gorgeous houses, and then up the longest hill I've been up since my trip to California. It definitely wasn't the steepest I've been up, but steep enough to make me hate the world for a few minutes. ;) I hadn't eaten much, and I was incredibly tired. But, I finally made it to the top, and then back down the other side we went, haha.

We rode for a little over an hour and a half, but it felt like three. I was SO tired! Eric was, too, and so was his friend that rode Monday. We're thinking it must have been something in the air, lol.

Anyway. Mom and Dad are coming to Philly tomorrow night! We're celebrating my birthday on Saturday, and I think we're going to the beach on Sunday. It isn't going to be very warm, but hey--it's the beach!

I'm here!

Wow... it's taking a lot longer to unpack than I had anticipated. Eric has a lot of stuff, so trying to figure out where to put all of my stuff has become a bit of a chore. We've been chucking as much stuff as we can. Eric has given me free reign of one of his bedrooms. It's basically a guest bedroom, but it's also my escape hatch whenever I need "me" time. :P

The job situation is up in the air. Currently, I'm working remotely for my employer in Austin until they find a replacement. My boss has been looking for a while, and I gave him some references, but I don't know if they've panned out. So, we'll see. For now, I'm still working 30 hours a week at the old job.

Jaiden is doing great. We drove through D.C., and visited Eric's parents. They have two cats, and Jaiden was a perfect gentleman. He never tried to chase, although I have no doubt he wanted to. The first time Oreo caught sight of Jaiden, she completely froze, gave him that "cat look", and backed up, one step every five seconds, lol. It was hilarious. It was like she was thinking, "Maybe if I move reeeeeally slowly, he won't notice me." I got up to use the bathroom, and came out to see Jaiden lying on the floor in the living room, and the cats four feet away--everybody just staring at each other. I think Jaiden was teasing them just a little bit. "Come out and play, kitty kitty..."

Eric and I went on a bike ride Sunday morning. It was... interesting. Riding with Eric is fun, though I was a bit grumpy because it was cold and WINDY. 10-20 MPH winds. It was awesome on the way out; not so fun on the way home. We rode a trail most of the way to a town (basically a suburb of Philly) called Manayunk. Eric and I had actually celebrated Valentine's Day in Manayunk. :) Anyway, the last two miles or so into the town were hilly. We rode to a coffee shop, had some coffee and a croissant, and headed back. The ride back really kind of sucked. Even drafting off Eric, I felt completely drained of energy. Eric offered his Clif bar, but I knew it wouldn't help--once I get to the point of no energy, no amount of food will help. I just have to keep fighting, and rest once I get home. In the last mile, struggling and grouchy from a rather pitiful ride, I ran into two HUGE swarms of bugs. They got all over my coat, up my sunglasses, UNDER my headband and into my ears, down my shirt, into my helmet, UGH!!! I stopped right then and there and practically flung my helmet, headband, and sunglasses to the ground. Eric was shaking his head at me, telling me to move forward five feet because I was just standing in a swarm. I was so creeped out. I don't mind a few bugs, and even in Omaha, I'd always find gnat bits down my jerseys after a hot day's ride, but I draw the line somewhere around 20 bugs. ;) Yesterday, I had at least 50 on me. ::shudder::

I'm SO out of shape. It's ridiculous. But, Eric and I will be riding together a lot. We have another ride planned for tomorrow (my legs are actually a bit sore today from Sunday's ride, which never happens). Sigh... probably meet up with some more bugs. :(

Road to Philly

I'm blogging from the road! Eric has Bluetooth set up from his phone so that we can get internet on the road.

My last day at my jobs was sad. It was weird knowing I'd never make those commutes to work again. I mostly loved my job at the tack shop, so it was sad to leave. I was just starting to get to know a couple of the girls there (along with another one at my "regular" job), and was having a lot of fun. Sigh... oh well. I'm sad to leave Riley, too. He was a really fun horse to ride--sensitive and opinionated, but fun.

For my solo trip to Philly, I packed as many boxes as I could into the car, and put Jaiden in the back seat. We left at 5 in the morning, and I drove nearly 1,000 miles (14 hours) to somewhere in Tennessee. I love that state--it's so beautiful! Right before I exited to stay at the hotel, I saw one of those blue road signs that tells you what's available for food, and saw they had a Shoney's! I couldn't believe it. I don't think I've seen one of those since they closed down the one in Omaha several years ago. They had the best--seriously, the BEST--breakfast bar ever. Crispy bacon, creamy eggs, fluffy pancakes. YUM. I would have stopped to have some breakfast, but #1 I'm on a diet of sorts (trying to eat healthier), and #2 it would have been a pain in the ass with Jaiden. So, I woke up at 6:00, had a bagel at the hotel (gave half of it to the pup, heh), and was on my way again.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I arrived in Philly at 6:30 PM on Friday night for a total drive time of around 24 hours. Eric and I went out to dinner with his friend Erin and Erin's fiance. We left Philly Saturday morning in Eric's SUV at about 10 AM to head back to Austin. Yep, that means three 1700 mile trips for me EEK. But, we weighed all our options, and for various reasons, we decided this one would be best. We only hoped we wouldn't be ready to kill each other by the end. :P

We drove straight through the night to Austin. Eric had set up a bed of sorts in the back of the SUV. He had bought a bed for Jaiden to sleep on, and put a sleeping bag with a mat in the back. It proved to be pretty useful, and Jaiden never complained about the arrangement--he was pretty happy to have all that room back there, and occasionally a human for company. We took turns sleeping and driving, and we were able to make it from Philly to Austin in about 28 hours. We picked up the trailer a day early, and headed back to the apartment, bouncing and clanging the entire way, with me giving Eric worried looks every time, and Eric reassuring me at every bump that everything was fine, haha. We began loading up the trailer. Poor Jaiden was going out of his mind. He was NOT a happy dog. I'm wondering if these were the motions his previous owners went through before abandoning him during hurricane Katrina. Poor puppy. We packed for about four or five hours and called it a night. We slept on the floor, and neither of us had a good night's rest.

By morning, we still had a lot to do in the way of last-minute packing and cleaning the apartment before handing over my keys. Jaiden was much calmer by then for whatever reason. We finally got everything loaded (with not an inch to spare in the trailer) and we were ready to go. We drove to get breakfast, and I handed in my keys. I had already signed a notice to vacate, so there was nothing else for me to do. Rather painless, and sort of scary at the same time. With Jaiden in the back, we hooked the trailer up to the truck. I decided to ride in the back for a bit, because Jaiden was scared to death of all the sounds coming from the trailer. Dog has issues. I had to hang onto his collar to prevent him from clawing his way to the front with Eric.

As we were taking the access road to get on the interstate, some moron was riding his bicycle going the wrong way with no shoulder to ride on. Eric stepped on the brakes and swerved slightly to avoid him. The trailer started fishtailing, sending the SUV into fits of side-to-side movement. It scared the crap out of both of us, and I was feeling rather vulnerable in the back with no seatbelt, but I wasn't quite ready to leave the dog yet, lest he climb into our laps and cause us to have an accident. After the fishtailing incident, we decided then and there to bypass the mountains of Tennessee and headed for Atlanta, Georgia on some highway in the middle of Texas.

I was a basketcase from that point on. We couldn't go above 55 MPH without the trailer getting squirrely, and I couldn't get images of jackknifing, crashing, and watching the trailer with my beloved belongings tumbling down the road, flinging my grandmother's clock around and smashing it to tiny wooden pieces. The whole contraption felt extremely fragile, and we were seriously considering trading the trailer in for a truck.

After an hour and a half, we decided to try one last thing, on suggestion of Eric's friend--redistributing boxes to put more weight in the front of the trailer to stabilize it. This would mean find a suitable place to stop, unload, and reload. Neither of us was keen on the idea, but we weren't happy with how things were going, so we went for it. It took about a half an hour, and we were getting irritated, as we had just loaded up this damn thing, but we finally got everything in, and even had more room to spare. We got back into the truck (I was still in back with Jaiden, though he seemed to be calming somewhat), and we immediately noticed the difference before even getting onto the highway again. Everything felt much more stable and secure. Eric tested it over 55, and it was perfect. No waggle whatsoever, even at 70. Jaiden seemed to be calming down, so after we stopped again, I joined Eric in the front.

We stopped for the night in Monroe, Louisiana at a Red Roof Inn. The smell outside was horrible. I don't know what it was, but it smelled in Shreveport, too. Eric and I decided to avoid Louisiana in the future if at all possible. The water was disgusting, too. It had a nasty smell, and it was yellowed as though it contained urine. UGH! I didn't drink any of it, and felt I was doing my teeth an injustice just by brushing them with that water. My hair was a matted mess by morning, so I washed it out as well as I could, followed by a rinse with dirty water. Oh well.

We just crossed over into Mississippi, and we're about five hours from Atlanta. I'll write more probably tomorrow or when we get into Philly!

What a busy week...

The trip to Omaha was a blast. We got in late Friday and went almost straight to bed. Saturday, we were lazy all morning and watched T.V., which was actually pretty nice. The trips Eric and I take are always filled with a bunch of running around, so it's nice to have some downtime! We went to dinner Saturday night with Becky, Eric, Tim and Noel, and went out for sake bombs afterwards. I went a little overboard on the drinking, heh. :shrug: Hey, I don't get to see my family very often nowadays! Deuce/Eric and Eric had a lot of fun playing Wii. Once they got to boxing, I left. I guess I don't like fighting even on video games, lol.

Sunday, we spent more time lounging around and had dinner with the family and my great aunt Marilynn, the neatest lady on the planet. Monday came way too soon, and Eric and I left Omaha, and went our separate ways. The weekend went SO fast, in the blink of an eye. We plan on staying longer next time!

So, I put in my notice to my job(s), and I'm moving in two weeks. EEK! I can't believe I'm doing this all over again, less than a year after I moved to Austin. But, as my boss said, life's too short. ;) I don't have a job lined up yet, but there are lots of jobs in Philly from what I can tell, and I have a lot of skills that I can apply to a lot of different jobs. My boss mentioned working remotely for them, but I don't think they have plans of making it a long-term thing. I think it's mostly until they find a replacement, which is fine. I'll also go to the tack shops around my new home (hehe) and see if they need help. I plan on going back to school next summer, so I'm trying to find either a couple of part-time jobs or contract positions.

So, I'm packing it all up again. I'm going to miss the weather in Austin, and the sounds the birds make. I'm going to miss Riley, too. He's been such a cool horse to ride. Eric and I are planning on moving somewhere warm once I graduate from college, though. Mom and Dad already have a trip planned to come to Philly for my birthday. Eric planned a party for my birthday! What a guy. :)

YAY!

Wow, it's been too long since I updated this thing...

During my trip to Philly, Eric and I saw a bumper sticker that said, "What the Deuce?" It's a Stewie saying from Family Guy (a show we both love--Becky and her Eric love it, too). Later that day, I received a text message from Becky saying that her Eric decided we should start calling my Eric "Deuce" to avoid any confusion. LOL. So, if I start calling my Eric "Deuce", you'll all know who I'm talking about.

Eric and I are leaving for Omaha tomorrow (woot!). We're so excited! I'm boarding Jaiden again... I know he loves the place, but it still makes me sad to leave him there. Sigh. I'm hopeless. Anyway, me, Deuce, Becky, Eric, Tim and Noel are all going to Johnny's Italian Steakhouse on Saturday night. We're excited. :) We're also celebrating my dad's birthday on Sunday night.

Riley has been really good lately. Either that or I'm just figuring him out. He's SO opinionated. He acts like he just HATES being brushed--swishes his tail, bobs his head, glares at me (yes, horses can glare!). And then when I have to put his special boots on, he lifts his leg before I even ask him to. And then proceeds to put his ears back whenever I put my saddle on... but then acts like he can't wait to get the bridle on, haha. Everything has to be on his terms... he's funny. Anyway, he's been really good under saddle lately. As far as Riley is concerned, I just have to ask, and not demand.

I've been lazy about riding the bike! We've had such good weather, although I've been busy lately. I have to admit, as much as I love staying busy, working 55 hours/week really sucks sometimes. I mean, I have a dog to take care of, and it isn't like I can just leave him home alone while I go off on a two-hour long bike ride after having left him alone for 11-12 hours during the day. I've been riding the trainer the last few months (though not as much as I should), which helps, but it just isn't the same as riding outside. Sigh... hopefully that'll all change in a few weeks. ;)

My trip to Philly

I had SO much fun. I got to do so much... Eric and I were running nonstop practically since my plane landed. Friday morning, he gave me a beautiful tanzanite bracelet (I'd take a picture, but my camera's batteries died). He also gave me a collage of sorts that chronicled our argument on bikeforums.net which ultimately led to our relationship. ;) Friday afternoon, he gave me a tour of his office, and we went out for a light lunch with a couple of his coworkers. That night, we got all dressed up, and Eric took me out to the nicest dinner I've had. :) He has a few pictures from the trip, so once he sends them, I'll post them up!

On Saturday morning, we packed up an overnight bag and took a three-hour road trip to D.C. I got to meet a lot of Eric's family--his mom and dad (they've been married for... 41 years if my math is right), his older brother, younger sister, and two of his nieces. One of his nieces is insanely talented on the piano, and the other seems artistic as well. I made mud balls, and, because the grocery store didn't have chocolate almond bark, had to use chocolate chips. They don't set very well. I also had to make them in his mom's kitchen, which made everything else even more stressful. I felt so unprepared, lol. They came out ok in the end, though. His parents took us on a tour of the city of D.C. I got to see the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, part of the White House, and a lot more. I really like it there. I told Eric's mom that I like D.C. more than Philly (just kidding, Eric!), and she goes, "Well, we have a spare bedroom downstairs." Haha... I know she was kidding, but at least she seems to like me!

Eric and I always say the same thing at the same time... so when I was looking at an article on Jessica Simpson, and Eric asked what she's been up to, Eric's dad and I both said, "Gaining weight." Lol... I mean, I feel bad for the girl, and it's not like she's fat or anything, but it WAS funny that we said it at the same time. Then his dad went, "Jinx!" Hahaha. I haven't heard "jinx" in years.

Sunday, we drove back to Philly. We drove through downtown, and we passed by Temple University (the college I'll likely end up going to if/when I move). We went out for lunch with a couple of Eric's friends at a Brazilian restaurant. Basically, it's all-you-can-eat meat. I had probably two ounces worth, but I think Eric had at least 12. The "meat guy" would come around with a different kind of meat every 3-5 minutes or so... sirloin, pork, sausages, chicken, you name it... and Eric said yes to all but one I think--out of about 12. It was hilarious... the guy is a bottomless pit!

So I had a lot of fun. It broke my heart to leave. :( But, hey, at least we have another trip planned... Omaha in two and a half weeks! We can't wait! :) And he also has a trip to Austin planned for March 20th... possibly a one-way trip to help me move? :P Also, I got to pick Jaiden up from the kennel. Apparently he enjoyed himself! One woman said he went "non-stop" every day, and another said he was a sweetie. :) They also noticed how obsessed he is with little dogs, lol. I'm so happy to have my puppy back! He's completely exhausted. And I'm on Cloud 9 after the trip! :)

Happy puppy!

Jaiden had a BLAST. When I went to pick him up, he was wagging his tail, and COVERED in mud--of course, the one day I take him in, it decides to rain... we haven't had a steady rain in months! Jaiden was one happy, tired dog. :)

I'm still traumatized about the fight that happened a few months ago. :( The one image that I think is the most disturbing to me (because it keeps popping into my head) is seeing Harley latch onto Jaiden's neck and watching him shake his head as though he were trying to kill his prey. Ugh. I've always been an advocate of Pit Bulls, but no more. What I saw in Harley that day--and what I had seen inklings of before, and stupidly ignored--was too disturbing. The kennel I took Jaiden had stipulations for boarding Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes. Apparently they've seen their share of aggressiveness and fights that involved Pit Bulls.

So anyway, that image keeps popping into my head, and I couldn't help but think it would happen again. Yeah, I know, I'm overprotective. If that fight hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't be worried in the least. But I guess he did pretty well. Apparently he has it out for Brittney Spaniels?? I have no idea what would have caused that, lol. I'm not entirely sure what he did, but I'm assuming he was somewhat aggressive towards them--THREE of them. Every other dog, he was fine with. Weirdo. I told them ahead of time that he plays rough, and I guess they put him with some dogs that won't put up with that, haha. Whenever Jaiden went too far, the dogs would lay into him, and he'd stop--which is exactly what he needs.

We got home, and I gave him a bath immediately. He slept most of the afternoon. ;)

My heart

I received a call back from my physician's office last week, and spoke to a nurse that looked over my file. They have all the information I need to appeal to BCBS. It turns out I don't have palpitations (which is actually just an "awareness" of the heart beating, whether it's a normal or abnormal heartbeat)--I have premature ventricular contractions, which is just a form of irregular heartbeat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_ventricular_contraction Go there and listen to the 2-minute clip. It's rather creepy, but it sounds exactly like how it feels, if that makes sense. Regardless, it isn't a big deal. But at least now I know what's up with my heart. ;)

I've been riding the trainer a bit more. It was nice out on Sunday (though a bit windy--wind gusts up to 40!), but I didn't feel like venturing out, so I stayed in. Eric and I are going out for a nice Valentine's Day dinner on Friday... I can't wait!!! I'm also meeting his parents Saturday, hehe. It's going to be a busy weekend. :)

Because I'm going out of town, I had to find somewhere to board Jaiden. I thought about a pet sitter, but I didn't want him at home for so long without a place to relieve himself. I found a place (one of the customers that came into the tack shop owns it) that's a cross between a boarding facility and a doggy daycare place. So he'll get to run around with dogs all day and hopefully have a lot of fun. I had to drop him off today for an "evaluation" to make sure he's not aggressive, etc., and it was sad. :( I'm such a sap. I'm leaving to pick him up in 20 minutes, and I'm antsy.

I hate health insurance!

I'm totally pissed off. Because I moved to Texas, BCBS cut off my insurance (I have individual insurance). No big deal, I'll just get BCBS insurance through BCBS of TX. I applied, and in the application, it asked questions about heart conditions, including heart attacks, heart disease, palpitations, etc. I've had heart palpitations since middle school, and it's never been an issue. I did have it checked out in 2000, and they found nothing. My application was put on hold, and they called me, and asked questions about the palpitations, such as if they found any cause (er, no, a lot of times, a cause can't be found for palpitations), how often they occur, etc. I wasn't really too worried about it. Then I log in yesterday to check the status, and apparently it's been DECLINED. What. The. Hell. I'm a very healthy person, all things considered. I've had BCBS insurance for three years or so, and I've never had a problem. And now they decline me, for a problem that was checked out, and found to be not a problem?! Bastards. I can appeal it, and I intend to, but I don't think it'll be easy, because my physician referred me to someone, and I can't remember where it was. UGH. I called my physician's office and left a message about it... hopefully they'll find something.

I rode on the trainer last night for another 30 minutes. The weather's been warm, but I'm feeling too out of shape to join the guys on a group ride. Maybe Sunday... I need to continue riding on the trainer tonight and tomorrow if I'm doing the Sunday group ride.

Ponies!

Eric and I were talking last night about horses. We went on a trail ride last weekend, and we had a blast. So, we were talking about the different breeds, where horses originated from (I know all this stuff because I was obsessed as a kid and had to know EVERYTHING, haha), how much it costs to own one, etc. Eric said he'd like me to teach him to ride, and even went so far as to suggest that maybe we can buy a horse sometime in the future. (!!!) How cool a guy is he? :) I would absolutely love to own a horse again. And they are so cheap right now--you can easily get a really nice horse for under $1k because so many people have lost their jobs, etc., and can't keep them anymore. While I don't regret giving Baloo up, I've always regretted that I didn't have the means to keep him, send him to training, etc. So if I (we?) get another horse, I want to make damn sure I can keep him/her for the horse's entire life. But anyway, we're just dreaming... ;)

I've been trying to get on the trainer more often lately. I've ridden for at least 30 minutes Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I'm riding Riley tonight, so I'll probably stay off the trainer for today.

Saturday night, I woke up at around 3:30 in the morning, and couldn't go back to sleep. Around 4:30, still laying in bed, I suddenly heard a weird racket on the roof of the apartment building. It creeped me out... Jaiden heard it, and got up to investigate out the front window (his default investigation point, lol). He didn't bark or anything, and I was too tired/creeped out to get up, so I didn't do anything, but I did stay alert for a while.

So, I was on the phone last night with Eric, my sliding door to the balcony open, and suddenly, Jaiden got up and started growling, sniffing the air at the sliding door. He darted back and forth between smelling the air at the door and looking out the window to see if he could see what the smell was coming from. The hair on his back raised to an extent that I'd never seen it. Even with new people, new dogs, etc., his hair has never been raised like that before. (I swear, this dog has no end to the myriad of ways he can creep me out.) So I opened the door, and we both went out there. I was telling Eric about what was going on, and he said maybe he had smelled a raccoon or something. No sooner did Eric say that when something out of my peripheral vision caught my eye, and I looked up. There it was--a raccoon! On the roof of my apartment! The funny thing is, it didn't care about me; it kept looking over the edge of the roof at Jaiden as if Jaiden were the real threat. Jaiden had no clue that it was up there, but I wonder what his reaction would have been if he'd seen it. I'm thinking that's the sound I heard Saturday night...

Anyway, we're getting excited for our trip to Omaha!! :)

Coming to Omaha again...

Sorry, haven't been keeping up with the blog... I've been busy. I'm thinking about getting a different part-time job. I love working at the tack shop, but there's no need for me to continue working there for peanuts when I can easily make twice as much elsewhere. I've been saying this for a while, though, hehe.

Anyway, I'm coming back March 6th and will be there until the 9th. And I'm bringing the new man! :) His name is Eric, by the way (did I mention that already?). Yeah, that makes it particularly confusing, given that my sister's husband's name is Eric, lol. On Saturday night, Eric, Becky, Eric and I (see what I mean?) are going out to Johnny's Italian Steakhouse I think... yummm. Other than that, I don't think we really have any set plans!

I haven't been on the bike in a while. :( I rode the trainer Monday night, and was supposed to go horseback riding on Tuesday, but we had a big cold front move through, so I skipped it. We actually had a small ice storm last night. Eric and I went horseback riding on Sunday. I booked a trail ride for us, and it was so much fun! It wasn't the typical nose-to-tail trail ride. They actually let us trot and canter, hehe. Eric's horse, William, was missing an eye... they called him One Eyed Willie, lol. I have a soft spot for one-eyed horses, as the first horse I ever rode with Pat was named April and she was missing an eye. ;)

Been a while!

Wow, sorry, it's been a while since I've written a post! I just don't have a whole lot to say... life is good! The jobs are going well, etc. Things are going well with the new man, too. :) I rode Riley tonight, and he was pretty good... he keeps getting excited whenever we canter, though, lol. He was getting a little pissy tonight, too, heh. I really wish I could take lessons... I don't really have a lot of direction when I ride alone, so I just kind of do whatever. Eh, oh well. It's fun.

Gah... bad ride.

I had a relatively bad ride last night, but I pretty much expected that. I hadn't eaten much yesterday or the day before, so my energy level was already low. Plus, I overextended my right hamstring, and it was sore. It was chilly, so I wore a jersey, arm warmers and a wind breaker. A couple people made fun of me for wearing long-fingered gloves, but I knew as soon as the sun started going down, I'd be freezing without them, and I was right. I never understand why people chide others for their clothing preferences. We all get cold/warm at different rates. Oh well.

So, anyway, I got dropped on the very first hill because they all decided to attack. I don't think even if I had the energy that I would have been able to keep up. I mean, this hill is only 1/4 mile after the start of the ride, and it takes me a good 30 minutes to get really warmed up. Geez. So, I stayed back, and went at my own pace into the headwind. About 5-7 miles into the ride, I became really tired, my back was killing me (I really need to see a chiropractor), my neck was becoming sore, my hamstring hurt, and my knees were already hurting--if it's been a while since I've ridden outside, my knees will start complaining. So, I continued on, even though a part of me really just wanted to turn around. However, I knew the group would worry about me if they didn't see me, so I kept going. At about 13.5 miles, exhausted and in more pain, I turned around. I thought I had seen the rest of the group coming at me, so I figured it was safe. Turns out it wasn't them.

There was a slight tailwind, which was helpful, but the big hills are uphill going back home. It was then that my knees reeeeally started hurting, way more than they ever have before. I did everything I could think of (other than resting, haha) to ease the pain--changing my position, stretching out my legs while in the saddle, massaging my knees, slowing down--but nothing really worked. This went on for pretty much the rest of the ride home. I was miserable. BUT, I'm still really glad I went.

Updates...

Geez, I just can't keep a secret about my dating life! People just pick up on stuff. During my trip to Omaha, I was sending text messages while I was out with Tennille, and she immediately wanted to know who it was... I must have had a particular smile on my face or something. Becky sent me an e-mail asking me what I did for New Year's Eve, and I didn't answer right away... she picked up on that and thought I was avoiding her, lol.

Anyway, I'm not giving any details to anybody, but yes, I'm dating someone. I don't want to get into too many details because it's still new--and I'm sick and tired of having to explain about my failed relationships, which is why I try to keep this kind of thing quiet for as long as possible. All I'm going to say is this guy is amazing, and he treats me like a queen. Just trying to keep my feet on the ground, mmkay? ;)

So, now that the holidays are finally over, back to riding the bike and the horse! I did ride the trainer at my parents' house during my visit, but have slacked off the last week or so. I got on the trainer last night for 45 minutes--and damn, it's pretty evident that just the last couple of weeks have really caught up with me. I normally try to do intervals, and get my heart rate up to 180, then rest for a few minutes. It took FOREVER (at least compared to a couple weeks ago) to get my heart rate to that point. Yikes. I'm going to have to climb on the trainer again tomorrow... there's also talk of a night ride this Thursday (it's going to be in the 70s! WOOT!), and I'm really considering going.

I worked at the tack shop tonight, and went horseback riding afterwards. :) Riley is most definitely opinionated, but that actually makes it somewhat easier to ride him--he lets me know what works and what doesn't. If I'm doing something he doesn't like, he'll raise his head and tense his back. He's a very smart, sensitive horse, and I really like him. I had a good ride on him tonight... just did a few shoulder-ins, some figure 8s, and a bit of stretching. He's a cool horse, but he does need some work. I need a trainer, though, if I really want to improve him. Sigh.