That Time When My Hubcaps Were Stolen...

UGH! People amaze me.

M and I met a friend up at the Winking Lizard to get started on our World Tour of Beers.

As you can see per the picture above, M already had enough drinks.

But I digress.

Anyway, the three of us decided to leave and meet up with another one of our other friends. As we walked to our car, our friend, S, asked why there were only hubcaps on the passenger side of my car.

W.T.F.

Really?!

Two of my hubcaps - both on the drivers side (because the passenger side was up against a snow drift, I assume) were gone. I would have expected this to happen in my driveway over happening in this particular parking lot. Don't worry, I don't live in the ghetto or anything (although, by looking at my vehicle right now, you may think I do) but this is a somewhat wealthy city. Also the city that employs my dad... who happened to be working. He sent someone over to take a police report. Not that it will do much good, but he said you'd be surprised at people who call the police station reporting seeing things like this going on.

So yeah, M had to order two hubcaps for my car today. Whatever.

Current Obsessions

There are several things I am obsessing over right now.

1. My new Kindle. I LOVE it. I held out on this because there's just something about cuddling up in bed with a good book, and the Kindle... well, it isn't exactly a book. But I decided over the weekend that I had to have it. I spent the rest of the weekend downloading books and reading. M even likes it for the games. How did I ever live without it?

2. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. M cannot stand when I watch these reality TV shows, especially this one. What can I say, I got sucked in and find it entertaining. Taylor's marriage makes me so sad. I really like Kyle. If I had that kind of money, she's the one I would probably end up like. But her sister, Kim? WOW. These shows are my guilty pleasure. Along with Hoarders, I Survived, Teen Mom, etc.

3. My open heart key necklace M got me for Christmas. I love the key necklaces because they are just different. M picked up on it and got me one for Christmas. It goes with everything and is my favorite necklace now.

4. Burt's Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil. This stuff is awesome and only costs $2. My lips crack like crazy in the winter and this fixes the problem.

Do you have any current obsessions?

I'm not thrilled with being back to work today. The weekend went by way too quickly. M and I joined the World Tour of Beers at Winking Lizard. We attempted to do this once before when we first started dating, but never finished 100 beers. We will get it done this year though!

We also went to my sister in law's 40th birthday celebration, which was coincidentally at the Winking Lizard and had a wonderful time. She's my sister, my best friend, and just an all around pretty amazing person. Today is her actual birthday... Happy Birthday, sis!

Career Choices

Lately I have been thinking a lot about my career. Currently, I'm frustrated with it and I'm tired of feeling that way. I'm struggling with what my next step needs to be. I can't say that I don't find my job fulfilling at all. It challenges me at times and I like that. I work for a great company. I like that, too.

It's just that, ten years ago, I would never have thought I would find myself settled in a career in Supply Management. I mean, my Bachelors degree is in Criminal Justice/Sociology... which, of course, has nothing to do with Purchasing. But then after going to the police academy, and deciding I didn't want to be a police officer, I think I felt like I was stuck. I've worked for this company since I was 17 and didn't know where else to go. Looking back, that seems ridiculous. And I can't help but think, what if... what if I continued going to school for a Masters degree? What if I pursued my passion? Just because I realized being a police officer wasn't the career choice for me, doesn't mean I shouldn't have pursued something else within the Criminal Justice field.

I know, I should be grateful that I have a job in this economy, right? But I want more. I continually take on extra work because I am bored with my job responisibilities and I want to advance to a higher position. Over the last several years working in this department, that hasn't happened. Within the last 2 years I've been moved to different positions within the department to help me "grow" (I was told by management both times that this was "great career move" for me), yet I've watched two people on the same level as me get promotions over me and when I ask what I'm doing wrong, I'm simply told, "nothing... you're doing a great job and are on the right track." I find my boss giving me extra responsibilities because he knows he can count on me. While I think that's great and welcome those opportunities, I also sometimes feel taken advantage of.

Lately, I find myself constantly questioning whether I should just stay here, continuing to do the best I can for this company and hope an opportunity comes my way... or if I should seriously start considering moving on. I told M that I feel like I'm getting no where. I'm an ambitious person and this isn't working for me.

Meanwhile, my job helps pay the bills and helps M and I afford the things/lifestyle we like. M's suggestion was that we come up with a time frame. When that time frame is up, if I am still unhappy, then I can quit. I don't know how I feel about that. For one, I am stubborn and my pride will not let me quit my job while M supports me, although I know he would never look at it that way. Second, I know I also wouldn't be happy quitting my job without a plan in place. Besides, let's face it, trying to start over in this economy is scary.

What's worth more? Sucking it up, continue doing what I'm doing so we can live our current lifestyle comfortably? Or doing something that would make me happy but having to make some serious sacrifices?

I wish there were easier answers.

Happy New Year

Hi everyone! It's been way too long. I could tell you how busy I've been, which is somewhat true, but to be completely honest, I just haven't really had anything all that interesting to blog about. M & I have been settling into married life (which is pretty fantastic) and really... that's all that's been going on. Nothing very exciting.

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and had a very happy new year. In review, 2010 was a huge year for M and I. We moved in together, got engaged, and then married all in the same year. I am loving married life and I'm really looking forward to everything 2011 has in store for us. I'm also looking forward to no more wedding planning! Ha. I didn't enjoy that at all. My brother is getting married in September of this year (I am a bridesmaid - and have to wear a PINK dress. Not sure how that is going to go), and I don't envy what they are going through with the planning process right now.

I am looking forward to relaxing more, reading more, and spending more time with M, family, and friends... and going to the gym (I guess) :) this year.

On the weight loss front, I've been getting back into gear. I haven't lost any weight since our wedding in September (as a matter of fact, I gained 6 lbs and lost it again), but then again, I haven't been trying very hard. I don't think I went to the gym for the entire month of December... November wasn't even that great for making to the gym. I still want to lose at least another 10 lbs. Now, I am NO fan of working out and it's easy for me to make excuses not to get to the gym. But what I have found is that as much as I don't like it, I was feeling like crap by the end of December. Our offices are closed the last week of December, so it's like an extra week of vacation. I had so many plans for things I wanted to get done and people I wanted to see while off that week. Some of that happened, but I was just SO tired. I felt like all I wanted to do was sleep and lay around. I definitely think this is connected to my lack of working out. I felt similar at the beginning of last year before I started working out on a regular basis. So, while ringing in the new year, I made the commitment to get to the gym no less than 3 times a week... but most weeks, I am really going to try for 4 times. My gym is also starting a 12 week circuit training program this Saturday, so I'm looking forward to getting involved with that. I have stopped running for now. My knees have been bothering me, so I figured I'd switch to something else for a while and maybe pick running back up in March or April. I want to run a few 5K's this year again. But for now, my gym offers a lot of free classes that I'm taking advantage of - I'm loving kickboxing and power pump, a weight lifiting/toning class.

P.S. I am also looking for some new recipes. M is a picky eater and I feel like we eat the same things ALL the time. I'm bored. Sometimes I will make a crockpot full of something M doesn't like (turkey chili, for example), freeze it, and grab containers to take to work for lunch. I need some new ideas... share your recipes with me.

Better late than never, I suppose - Happy New Year everyone!!