On my honor, I will try.

If you have ever had a secret, or known something you couldn't talk about, you know how I feel.  I work for PetSmart and I have for 4 years now.  It's been a whole 4 months since I have transferred to this store and I have called the DM once already.  No, I am no longer stressed out about my store manager.  Yes, everything in that regard has been fixed.  Am I happy?  It takes more then a yes or a no to answer.  Through PetSmart I have gone from $7.50 an hour at 20 hours a week to $9.43 an hour at 38 hours a week plus 20% commission soon to be 25% for each class sold with my name on it.  Every time I am angry or stressed, a puppy walks in the door.  When I am tired I can laze about and pretend to work harder then I am.  I can price, cashier, stock, print, copy, ready a deposit, and do anything to do with live animals.  I am damn proud of the things that I know and I feel privledged to have worked with all the amazing and knowledgeable people I have had the honor to call my co-workers.

Molly and Jessica have taught me so much about dog training, so many amazing techniques that I still use if it's in the curriculum or not.  Miss.Peggy (I MISS YOU!) gave me the best ways to help relieve my stress and to stand up to my managers, ways to make it known that I am capable and I am a confident woman who isn't afraid of anything.  Chantal has given me more information about fish then I ever would or could have thought I might care to know.  Heather, Ashley, Ebony, Sarah, and Megan have shown me so much to do with grooming that I can actually assist customers without stepping foot in the salon.  

To go to this place that feels like a second home, to know that I love being there, that everyone can see how much I love my job and how much I love my customers (Angela, Cat man, Cat man 2, Lawrence the stinky cat guy [RIP], and that little woman who tells me her life story), and knowing that I am trying to leave it behind me is a feeling like I am hiding some big secret.  I love my job, but I love myself more then they love me.  I know I can be better then $9.43.  I know I deserve more then a soda card or a chance to be on the safety team.  I am worth more then a few training classes.

I had my first interview today and all though I am doing my best to not get my hopes up, I am getting the feeling that I got this in the bag.  It would be such an incredible step up for me.  To work in the organization that shaped me to be this woman, to help others see that they too can be strong and be independent is my dream.  To be completely honest, if I get this job with Girl Scouts, I don't know if I will finish my degree.  My goal is to work with people (Adults and children alike) and help them see that there are ways to better themselves.  My title would be Mission Delivery Manager and my job would be recruiting younger and older girls, volunteers, and leaders.  I would rock that job like a hurricane.

Today was one of those days.  I woke up at 8:30 and by 9:00 our neighbor was knocking at the door to start working on the bathroom renovations.  I can't do much when he is around because I like to sing when I am alone and I won't do that with him in the next room.  He said he was going to home depot.  When he is gone I can't shower because I have no idea if I will be showering when he gets back.  So I waited.  When he did come back, he came back with his 4-year-old daughter.  I honestly don't care how wonderful of a father he may be, you don't bring a 4-year-old into a bathroom renovation to sing The Itsy-Bitsy-Spider.  Around 11:00 I finally am able to jump in the shower.  So I'm standing there and just as I test the water temperature, my uncle calls my cell to tell me that the mattress delivery people will be there in 15 minutes.  So I throw my clothes back on and walk back out.  When I arrive I am looking so unkempt.  It's embarrassing.  Finally, my uncle gets home and I can shower.  I jump in, jump out (turn yourself about) and I'm dressed and on my way to work.  I'm starving so I pick up a snackwrap.  I get to work and this is when the fun begins.

There is a new girl who just came in from ML.  Very sweet girl.  I walk into the training ring to find the other trainer inviting her out to drink with herself, and two other co-workers including a manager.  1. That is against company policy.  It's considered fraternizing.  2. I have been there working with that trainer for nearly 4 months and she refuses to have a full out conversation with me.  I understand that I am not a country girl and that I am not tall and thin like the rest of them, but have some fucking class and invite this girl when I'm not around.  I wouldn't go with you regardless but you're treating her like your besties.   At least I have Lexa.  Lexa doesn't hate me.  In fact, Lexa is my only friend down here.  She's cool.  You're not.  I hate you.  XP

ANYWAY.  So later in the day I am finishing a class and I accidentally breathed in some bitter yuck.  Don't do it.  It's disgusting.  I got some water and then asked Karen for $0.65 to buy a can of Fanta.  Mmm.  I love Fanta orange and I love that the soda dude offers it in both a bottle or a can.  I am cheap so I opt for the can.  Well I didn't get a can of Fanta.  It was false advertising and I want my money back and a can of Fanta!

I pulled the tab to open it and the damn thing broke off.  I had to squeeze the soda out of a tiny hole near where the tab was.  An hour or more later I realized I forgot to take a break again.  I've become really really good at doing this.  About 15 minutes before going home I get a text from my Uncle.  They ate checkers for dinner.  Which means that once again, there is no food and I am going to be eating a Totinos pizza.  I love Totinos with a passion, but eating them every other day is not healthy.  SO finally I stop and pick up some shit at Publix and I m set now.  I am set and I am happy.

I have food, I have a second Interview with Rhonda on the 15th at 10:00AM at Starbucks and I am a patient, strong woman!

 Good job Snoopy!

 What job?  I have no idea what you're talking about.  I did nothing.  Can I have something edible? 

A look at the last month

So today, July 31, 2011, Harry Potter turns 31 (the man, not the book itself) and if I had my friends Michelle and Mike, I would party hard with them.  Perhaps one day we'll live closer then Coral Springs and Atlanta.  Who are these people you may ask?  Well let me tell you.  Last year at Dragoncon I attended the Yule ball on Saturday night.  No one would go with me so I was forced to go alone.  Upon my arrival in full Hogwarts uniform, I was approached by a small girl who asked me if I was there to volunteer.  I told her no but she said if I volunteered I could go in early.  SO, I did it and got into the room.  First things first, hang the streamers.  This is when I met Mike.  He and I hung streamers on a few doorways, and across one whole side of the room.  Then came the balloons.  I was quick to jump on it.  That night Michelle and I made uneven but symmetrical balloons for the chairs.  I stayed pretty close to her before finding out that they were engaged and we partied all night.  They even walked me back to my hotel so I wouldn't get kidnapped and killed.  Since then they have been married and we've communicated every week if not every few days and it's torture.  I can't wait for Dragoncon.  It's the only time I get to see them both.

This last month has been a blast and I'm going to sum it up for you with a line of photos and a few stories ranging from the adorable to the utterly disgusting.

The month started off pretty well.  I drove to central FL, and stayed with Reyna for a night and Jessica for the next two.  The day I came in I picked up my brother and we drove to the condo of our Mother's friend.  Mom had no idea I would be in town and it had been two long months since I had seen her.  Ross knocked on the door and I got to waltz in behind him and mom flipped.  I was happy to see her almost in tears. I wasn't happy to see my mother almost cry, but I was happy that I made her happy!  Anyway, the following night was the 4th.  Ross (my brother) and Jeremy (my cousin) blew stuff up in the backyard.

The show was amazing and although it was interrupted by a trail of dog poop in the house, it was fun none the less.  Some fireworks did not go off as planned and hit things they shouldn't have, but isn't that the fun part?

Now my brother is dating a woman named Amanda.  She is the sweetest craziest chick ever and I love her.  This is the only one of his girl friends I have ever liked.  She's just adorable and tall.  I actually enjoy hanging out with her.  Here's the thing.  She lives 4 hours from Ross and so they don't get to see each other too often anymore.  However Skype makes for a great communication device in these cases. 


The following weekend Jessica drove down to Coral Springs for the first time.  She came down for one specific purpose and she made me so happy.  You see that weekend was huge.  July 15, 2011 was the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.  So on the 14th at around 10pm we were sitting in our theater waiting for the show to begin.  Of course the midnight audience are the most devoted fans.  They make it so much better then going when it's not so crowded.  Laughing at the right moments, deafening silence at others, and screams for all the right things.  The show was bitter sweet.  I cried, I laughed, and I saw a huge portion of my life, a huge obsession of mine come to a comfortable end.  Of course we all know Harry Potter is never over.  Fan fiction will always be there.  Pottermore,com will be something new to see.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will allow us to see it again, and the books will always be there.  One day, when my children turn 11 (I plan on having twins) I will have Hogwarts letters sent to the house.  Then we'll get in the car and go to the Wizarding World.  It will be magical and so much better then Disney.

Now work has been a bit of an adventure.  Yes, I am still with PetSmart and I have not heard from Girl Scouts just yet.  So for the first time in a very long time, I was asked to come in at 7am.  I have no qualm with going in so early, but I just hate waking up at 5am for that is all.  Who wants to go to bed early to wake up before the sun has dried the grass?  Not me.  So anyway, when I got there I came in to find a manager and stocker unpacking and I saw the strangest inserts for packing I have ever seen.  So I snapped a pic.

The following days were pretty quiet until we found a spider.  She was black with litte white arrows on her butt.  She reminded me an avatar from The Last Air Bender.  Now before any of you say "OH MAH GAWD!  I LUVD THAT MOOVEE!" I am talking strictly about the cartoon series.  I did enjoy that movie as it's own entity, but as a movie based off a series it can fall off a cliff.  Anyway, I decided it was a female because it was good looking and we named her Kiyoshi.  Unfortunately our petcare manager said no and made us throw her away.  We did make her a litter habitat in that cup and everything.  In less then 10 minutes she has a web going.  It was impressive indeed.

So on July 21 I got to drive down to Coral Gables for a trainers meeting.  Again, that was impressive.  I have never been to Miami before.  Big city, way too much traffic, and way too many people who can not drive.  So much to do though.  Why did you have to drive that far for a meeting, you may ask.  There are two PetSmarts in South Florida that have a PetsHotel.  So even though the other was closer to me, more trainers were in distance to the one South of Miami.  So on I drove.  Miami is impressive.

On return the days passed with very little news.  Then renovations started in the house.  My bathroom is going to be so pretty when it's finished.  I will show you pics of before and after when it's finished.  Also my bedroom has been painted and I've begun to movie things in.  Right now it's a big empty wood floored room.  Perfect for dancing, yoga, Wii, and exercising.  I'm so excited.

In our adoption center at work, there are so many cats going and coming.  However this one hasn't even had an adoption application yet.  His name is Charlie.  Charlie likes to smack people as they walk by.  He has claws though so sometimes he catches you.  I wish someone would adopt him, if for nothing more then to stop him from grabbing people as they walk by.


So just yesterday I was walking the isles when I was alerted to a kind of smell.  A sort of smelly smell one smells when something smells smelly.  For those who don't know this, I find it a personal mission to with the smelly smell game.  When you are walking through a petfood store and you smell something... something foul.  Something that could be classified as a reeking stink, something is open and rotting.  Call me.  I will find it in less then 5 minutes.  I will find it, take a picture, tell everyone, then have someone else clean it.  This last evening was just such an occasion as a smell smelled it's way up the aisle.  What the hell did you smell?  I smelled... THIS.

Ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce you to Alpo.  Alpo is an extremely low quality dog food.  This particular case has cracked open when an employee stacked way too many can on top and one can busted open.  The maggots has eaten the color off the can labels.  That second black spot up from the O in Alpo is a spider.  The little black spots are bullweavles and dead moths. 

In more pleasent news, here are the dogs I met over July.

7-week-old Long haired Chihuahua

10-month-old Vizsla Hound

9-week-old Beagle "Max"

12-week-old Siberian Husky "Sunny"

Starting puppy class!  Growing pictures will be available!

12-week-old Bull Terrior

Starting puppy class!

And finally after a long month of dogs, drama, and driving I am finally moving into August.  So I made a little picture gif of myself doing myself up for a day of sales at work.  Gotta look good if you want to sell classes.

See you all in August!

It's a Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood

So I applied, as you all know, to work at Girl Scouts of South East Florida.  So far I have a woman assisting me to get the job.  She is desperate to have me as her assistant and since she isn't the one who really gets to choose, the best she can do is give me every bit of info she possibly can to further me in the interview process.  So now I am waiting for a phone call and I am kind of studying up on what I plan to say when I get it.  Here's the news on the actual position.  The title is "Mission Deliver Manager" which puts me into membership services and recruiting younger girls.  It's full time and pays 32.5 and 42k /yr.  :D  I would not argue that.  At the moment I am making around 22k per year through PetSmart and that's really not a lot.  :/

So today I went with my aunt to Ikea.  I have never been before and though I have heard about it, no one really had me understanding what it was save for a furniture store of large proportions.  So off we went to Ikea.


In my mind I see a two story building, yes but I just picture it like Ashley or City Furniture.  I have seen the catalog for this place and I see the commercials as well, but that's really all.  Have you seen that commercial?  The one where they are having a sale and this maniacal mother drives an Ike delivery truck onto her lawn and then runs back for another truck?  They don't live in a big house.  Her credit card debt must be intense.

Ah, look at that sky.

Then we finally arrived.  There is a parking garage attached to the building?  Are you serious?  I mean... even the second largest mall in the state has parking spots outside of a garage.

From the garage we saw some birds and then we walked inside.  I have a video or 4 of myself and some of the things I discovered.  However BlogSpot and YouTube both seem to want me to NOT show you.  So I will upload and post them later.

Here.  I will just show you the many photos I took.

Heather said I had to try the meatballs so I did.  To be honest, everything was pretty tasteless and gross, except the meatballs.  Forget everything else.  Those meatballs were awesome in a mini weenie sort of way.  XD

I ended up purchasing a new trash can, 3 rat plushies, 36 green tea candles, and a jar for my paper stars.  $21.22 was my total and I am satisfied.  I will be going back after Dragoncon.