Back in Motion

Welp, life sure has gotten busier this past week!!

Like I said in my last post, I started my REAL JOB last week!!
And, I'm still working about 15-20 hours a week at Mellow Mushroom.

So basically, I'm working all the time.

Which I actually like. It means I don't have time to be bored.
Which I hate.
And it also means that I'm making money.
Which I love!

I've already started planning out how I'm going to budget myself and things like when I can get a new computer and *gasp* a puppy!!

I've been wanting to adopt a dog for like, the last 2 years. And now I will finally be able to!! I cannot tell you how happy I am!!
I've already been looking online at shelter and rescue websites, as well as visiting Petsmart on their adoption days and the Humane Society!

I still have about a month until I'll feel comfortable getting a puppy, but as soon as that day comes, believe me I will be staking out every single rescue group and shelter I can find!!!

I wish I could just adopt all of them!

Moving Upward

I am SO excited to start my full-time job this coming Monday!!!
I'll be doing marketing and design for a realty firm in Charlotte!

This is by no means my dream job, but it's definitely a starting place and I absolutely love the people and the culture of the firm, so I know I will enjoy it!! I CANNOT WAIT!!

I am going to try to stay at Mellow Mushroom, as well, just to make some money on the side. I also love it there, and I would hate to leave all of my fabulous coworkers that I am just starting to get close to.

All I can say is that it is definitely going to be an adventure!!

And, hopefully coming along for this adventure will be a puppy!! (Just so you know, when I say puppy I mean dog. I don't care if it is 10 weeks old or 10 years old. It's a puppy.)

I've applied to adopt a puppy from the Carolina Poodle Rescue and hopefully I will have a phone call today that decides whether or not I can! I'm hoping to bring him home some time in September, if I get the okay from the rescue!! EEEEE! So excited.

Basically, there are a lot of changes going on in my life right now and they are all super exciting and I just cannot wait to see where I go from here!!

Apologies!!

I just wanted to take a minute to apologize for not updating my blog for such a long time!!!

I went on my vacation and since my return I have been working at Mellow Mushroom AND interviewing for a full-time job (which I start August 11th!!) so my blog kind of got put on the back-burner!

I might not be updating as frequently as I used to now that I will be working two jobs, but I still hope to update at least once a week--hopefully twice!

Keep checking in to see what kind of insanity I manage to get myself into now that I'll be working my butt off!

Bonus: Sneak preview of my cruise!

(Now I just need to lose those 12 pounds that I gained....)

Healthy Eating

Is it as hard for you as it is for me?

Because I slowly came to the realization this holiday weekend that I basically just a whole lot of junk. Fried, salty, unhealthy junk.

Fourth of July? Barbecue.
Mom's birthday? Cookout.
Sunday? Pizza.

The only remotely healthy meal I had was Monday, when my dad made teriyaki chicken with rice and I made edamame. Even that is truly healthy but hey, it's better than pizza, right?

I visited my parents from Friday until Tuesday, partly for the Fourth, partly for my mom's birthday, and partly for a dentist appointment. I need to find a new dentist!!

When I got home, I really started thinking about how unhealthy I've been. And then I thought about all of the food that I'm going to eat on my cruise (filet mignon, warm chocolate melting cake, and the bread. Oh god the bread.) So, I made the decision: for the next week, until I get on my cruise, I will be eating healthier. I went to the grocery store and picked up fruit, vegetables, eggs, chicken, and green tea.

Yesterday was the first day of my new healthy eating plan, but I did very well! Hopefully I can keep it up until my cruise and even get back on track afterwards. There is no way I will be able to eat healthy on my cruise. That warm chocolate melting cake is just entirely too delicious.

Free Time Freak Out

Have you ever been so bored that you just don't know what to do with yourself?

That has been me basically this whole, entire summer. 

I'm ashamed to admit that yesterday I honestly just laid in bed for 3 hours playing with my phone.

Three. Hours.

That's when I realized that this has gone absolutely too far. But I don't really know how to remedy!

I wake up, go through my routine, do all of my cleaning, write a little, read a little, manage my email, and THEN...!

And then it's only like 1 in the afternoon and I have absolutely to do. All of my friends are working until later and I'm not one who can just sit down and watch hours upon hours of television. (Unless I'm like sick and dying, like that time I had the flu and watched 2 seasons of Game of Thrones in one day.)

So, what do I do?

I nap.

I never used to nap. But ever since actually developing a sense of time management and getting my stuff done efficiently, I've had entirely too much time on my hands. I want to shop, but I don't really have the means to do that right now.

So, I've decided: anytime I feel the need to nap, I'm going to do something productive instead. 

Nap time? Nope. Time to work out.

Nap time? Nope. Time to organize the bedroom.

Nap time? Nope. Time to do absolutely anything BUT nap.

I start working at Mellow Mushroom today, so hopefully that will help get rid of some of my free time. But, if it doesn't, I have this plan in place. Now it's just time to see if I have the willpower to actually go through with it.

Prepare for Paradise: St. Maarten

17 Days!

image from Carnival website

Our final island on this cruise is St. Maarten!
I haven't been here in a long time (I think I was 11 last time we came) so I'm super excited!!

Here are a few fun things you can do in this tropical paradise!!

1. Snorkel
   Okay, I'm not going to lie: I am absolutely terrified of snorkeling. I tried it once with my dad when I was like 8 and the moment they mentioned jellyfish I was like, uh BYE. But now that I'm older and a little more sensible (just a little) it really seems like fun. I really think if I have time I'm going to give it another shot. Although, I'm still probably going to make my daddy go with me. I'm a wimp.
   
   
2. Stuff your face
   There is SUCH a great variety of food on this island. Want to eat the local fare? Go for it? Got a craving for some barbecue? You're set. Hungry for a hamburger? You'll be okay. In the mood for something a little more gourmet? Yup, they've got that, too. It's basically impossible to go hungry as a tourist on this island. There is just SO. MUCH. FOOD. There's also this fabulous shop that sells DELICIOUS Belgian chocolates. I don't think I have ever tasted anything so wonderful.
   
   
3. Dance
   Ever wanted to go to a calypso bar? Well, here you can! And while you're there, head on over to the dance floor to show off your moves! A word of warning: twerking is not an accepted form of dance here. (Although realistically it shouldn't be an accepted form of dance anywhere. But if you want to twerk, go for it.)
   
   
4. Shop
   Do I really even have to say it at this point? The shops here are right along the waterfront and are absolutely fabulous.

This is the final port on my cruise, so I'm definitely going to be trying to get the most out of it. Hopefully I'll have budgeted well at the other ports so I can actually enjoy myself appropriately! I can't wait!!

Furry Fever

I want a dog.

I mean, I desperately want a dog.

Yes, I have my adorable little Snickerdoodle,

but he's my parents dog and I don't really get to see him as much as I'd like.

Which is why I want need a dog. 

I've been browsing the websites of all of the local shelters (and by local, I mean basically every one in the state) and I have found some ADORABLE dogs!!

There are just two problems here:

1. I need a small dog that doesn't shed.
2. I have no money.

So, those are the dampers on my puppy plans right now. 

I also really want a puppy so I can train him/her how I want, but that's not like a necessity or anything. 

So, I'll just sit here in my apartment looking at all of the adorable dogs that I cannot have a dream of a day when I will be able to bring one home and call him my own!!!