Gorgeous

So, it's amazing outside now.  I'm loving all the sunshine and the warm weather!  It really is gorgeous...no clouds or anything.  I love seeing that blue sky (but I prefer it on the horizon of the ocean iykwim).  I haven't had too much on my mind to really write about lately.  Just stressing out a little over the job situation still.  I had an interview today for a leasing consultant position that I'd LOVE to get.  The interview didn't last but 20 minutes, but I felt pretty good about it.  They said they would be in contact by Friday if I make it to the next round.
Then there's the cafe.  I think Mom is pretty set on buying it.  So either way this week goes, in the end, things will work out and I won't have to be stuck at home every stinking day bored out of my mind.

I have been thinking lately of making a video just for the heck of it.  I'm in one of those weird moods I suppose. It will most likely be just random things, mostly music based.  I dunno yet. Check back to see the insanity (if it actually occurs).

I'll write more later when I have something interesting on my mind.  For now I'm kind of blank!  I welcome suggestions to write about though.

It might be in our future...

MEET CAFFE STELLA

I went to visit this cafe yesterday with my mom.  It's REALLY cute on the inside...all star themed (hence the name.  They even have strands of lights criss crossed across the open ceiling to simulate stars at night!  For example

Mom had told me all about this place and I HAD to come check it out.  It is just too adorable!  Their main business is just Coffee and Desserts.  We sampled a couple of these desserts yesterday and YUM!  Very good. Why blog about it though?  Well...Mom is VERY interested in buying it.  And I am very interested in helping her run it.  

When David and I found out we were going to be moving up to Atlanta back in November, my first thought was, "Well now Mom doesn't have to always say If only you lived up here we could do this."  Now here I am....4 months back in Atlanta and still jobless (although and I am still clinging to hope for a call back from a job that sent me an application tomorrow or Tues).  I'm readily available to do whatever needs to be done and ever since I started learning how to decorate cakes, I've pretty much wished I had a place where I would have the equipment and room to do it.  WELL, if we had this place I could make and decorate cakes :) And not just that, but all sorts of desserts!  My mom makes the absolute BEST Cheesecake...(and I don't care if anyone else doesn't believe it...until you try it you can't tell me otherwise...NO ONE has ever said they have had better).  AND I love to bake.  My only boss would be my mother and she's been bossing me around for most of my life ;) lol (LOVE YOU MOM!!!)

Personally, I am hoping Dad is agreeable to us pursuing it because it really would be a dream realized.  The only down side is that we live 30 mins away from this place.  AND that they normally open at 630 in the morning! EEK...

My other opportunity that I am curious to hear back from is for a leasing consultant job.  I've applied to several jobs and not heard a thing back from them.  On Thursday I got a call and an email requesting that I fill out the attached application on my email and fax it back to them ASAP.  I know it would be a pretty well paying job...it would REALLY help us get out of some bills and get things taken care of so maybe we can start looking into a house in the near future.  

I've made it pretty clear to my mom (or I hope I did) that I want to do the cafe, but at the same time I can't turn down a job if its offered to me...if she doesn't wind up buying it and I do turn down a job then I'm stuck in a rut again....I'm going mental with no job and with one income.  It makes things VERY hard!

So what do you think?

In case you hadn't noticed

I posted my playlist on here.  It looks stupid but whatever.  I can't live without music and I constantly change plays on it, so....whenever you are reading my blog you will have something to listen to.  TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS PEOPLE! lol

Short update on the working out.  Last week I was really lame...I worked out ONE day.  SO yesterday we went to workout (not without a LOT of whining).  It was hard because we were both so tired, but we did it.  Even after not working out for a week, I jumped back on that treadmill and I actually ran for 2 1/2 minutes without stopping. UM...WOW! Seriously.  My legs were burning so bad, but I just pushed through the pain.  I was determined to prove to myself I could do it!  SO, as soon as my dear husband gets home, we're hitting it again.  Will update with progress when I return! ;)
Bye for now

UPDATE:
Well I pushed myself more today...I ran for 3 full minutes without stopping! YAY!  Now if only the scale would reflect some of the hard work I'd be happy.

Another

Afraid by Nelly Furtado

(only posting the lyrics of the part speaking to me right now...on video starts at about 1:08)

You wanna spread your wings but you're not sure
Don't wanna leave your comforts
Wanna find a cure
We're afraid of who we see in the mirror
We wanna let go but it feels too pure
Who wants to be alone in this world
You look around and all you see is hurt
But the light it always finds us
If we move with a little trust

Always in my head

C ~ ♥

Ecstasy by ATB
(video with song below)

Have you ever noticed,
That I’m not acting as I used to do before?
Have you ever wondered,
Why I always keep on coming back for more?

What have you done to me,
I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure

You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)
You really are my ecstasy
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)

Not that I’m complaining,
A more beautiful vision - I have never seen
If you don’t mind me saying,
A lifelong ambition to fulfill my dream

What have you done to me,
I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure

I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I’ll never be the same I'll tell you for sure

You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah
You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)

You really are my ecstasy
(There can be no other While we still have each other)
My real life fantasy (There can be no other
While we still have each other)

You really are my ecstasy,
(I'll never be the same,
I'll tell you for sure)
(There can be no other
While we still have each other)
My real life fantasy, oh yeah
(I'll never be the same,
I'll tell you for sure)

I Really Did That?

Yesterday I did something I've never done before.  I went to the gym, completely exhausted from running around all day and only getting 3 hours of sleep the night before, and got on the treadmill to workout (seriously I NEVER do that).  My husband has been helping to motivate me and keep me on my plan to workout every day, which I totally adore him for.  The KICKER is that yesterday, on the treadmill, I ran for 3 minutes.  Boys and girls, Brandi is not a skinny girl nor is she a healthy in shape girl either, so that is saying a LOT.  I am NEVER able to run right away.  The normal scenario is that I get on a treadmill and walk for 20 mins at a not so quick pace.  Because of my weight, my back and feet usually start hurting too bad to do anything more than that.  And if by some chance I actually DO try to run...I can barely make it through 1 minute without completely losing my breath and wanting to quit completely.  I have really amazed myself here.  GRANTED, I broke it up into three 1 min jogs (because that what is doable for me right now...it was my third time working out) ,  I did it and that's what counts!

Let's see what the Wii Fit says:
OK so in the past three weeks, we have been changing the way we eat.  Cutting out as much BAD stuff as we could.  I have since climbed 2 separate mountains (Stone Mountain and Kennessaw Mountain) on 3 separate occasions (2x SM, 1x KM) along with small workouts on the Wii Fit.  I started on the treadmill at the gym on Thursday and Friday last week and then yesterday.  Just in the past 2 weeks, (after weighing in on my Fit and checking my graph) I have lost 8 lbs!  It's unbelievable how much better I feel.  That's what is motivating me.  I wore a shirt yesterday that I haven't worn lately because it was too tight on me.  I know an 8lb loss isn't drastic but I was amazed at what a difference it has made already!

Really, I never really wholeheartedly believed it before, but once you REALLY decide to go for it, it's kind of addicting.  I think my husband thought I was going to bail last night because I was so tired (I mean I WAS...I fell asleep on the couch sitting up for goodness sake!), but I'm tired of letting people down all the time by just doing nothing.  I wanted to prove to him that no matter how tired you get, if its something you really want, you WILL find a way to do it.  I made up my mind I was going and made myself go.  And then to be able to run like that and not be in pain and still have to desire to keep doing it, I am just amazed.

Seriously, I can't wait to go again tonight.  I'm still job hunting, and I am still dragging from being tired (I DID get a full nights sleep last night, but still lagging from previous night), so I may need a nap later.  I AM going to go again tonight and I plan to do what I did yesterday if not more.  We shall see!

OH and PS...My internet is back...obviously!  LOL

Later taters

Where is my job?

First of all, I am SO tired.  Remind me to sleep when I get home.  Seriously.

Have spent the better part of 3 hours searching online postings of jobs for things I am interested in doing or I am capable of doing.  I am kind of frustrated at the amount of CRAP that is posted on these job seeker sites.  Seriously, do these sites just post whatever is handed to them?  OBVIOUSLY!  More than half of the postings on there are all scams!  It's annoying.  Everything I have had interest in applying for today with the exception of 3 jobs, I had to google the "posters" biz to see if it came up as a scam.  Yeah, go to Google and just start typing up something like The Job Cooler...it gives you results as you type...first thing I see....SCAM.  And several others came up the same.  What happened to the good old fashioned classifieds?  I mean, even the classifieds are full of crap now.  I don't want to waste my time applying for something that is just going to wind up being a joke!  Where have all the good jobs gone?  I understand the economy isn't great and all, but good grief!  You know its pretty lousy when even dumb part time retail jobs won't call you back!

AND THEN, to add insult to injury.  When you do a job specific search and you get maybe 2 results with actual REAL jobs then the rest is just crap.  Ie. : TEST VIDEO GAMES IN YOUR HOME.  GET PAID TO SHOP. MAIL OUR FLYERS.  GET PAID TO WIPE SOMEONE'S BUTT (j/k).  Really?  What does all that crap have to do with looking for job postings of things I want to do?  I mean, do people actually fall for this crap?  Granted, I have done Mystery shopping before and anyone who has knows that you don't pay to be a mystery shopper.  If you have to pay for job...I'm sorry my friend, you've been had.  Do some sincere searching online and I guarantee you will find the real companies whom with you can apply to become a field agent and do mystery shopping.  AND even then its not a high paying gig, but if you're lucky and apply for as many opportunities, you can make a nice little wad of cash maybe to go buy yourself something fun to do ;)  But all this other crap....WHATEVER.  You have to have no sense at all to think that is real.

SIGH

In other news, I have my Mary Kay Career Conference this weekend.  I'm kinda looking forward to it mostly because I need a super charge to get out and get my butt moving with this.  It will be nice to be around other people who are successful with it, maybe meet some people from my area that I can learn from, etc.  What I'm not looking forward to is trying to find something appropriate to wear.  SIGH.  I'm hoping I can this week at some point but it's not going to be easy.  Some may find it silly and maybe even antiquated, but the company image is for women to wear skirts and panty hose.  I'm most definitely NOT a skirt and panty hose kind of girl.  I'm more of a nice pants and nice blouse kind of dresser, though it is difficult to find things that fit me well (I'm not a skinny mini girl you know).  SO...I need to find a plus size skirt suit....in black...BLAH!!!!  Too bad I'm not more successful with this yet...I could have a red jacket.  At least THEN i could have some color! LOL We'll see what happens with that I guess.  I'll be hitting up the JC Penny or Belk or something.

It's been hard for me to make the MK thing work for me, because in all honesty I don't think I portray the whole MK image/personality.  I don't know.  I've been kind of down on myself about it lately because I want so bad to be successful at it, but every time I talk about it to someone they have no interest.  How is it I manage to find every person who doesn't care about it.  How do these women go out and get all these sales and do so well all the time and I can't find one stinkin person to give a crap about it.  BOO!!
(Seriously, if anyone is reading this and IS interested please let me know! ;)  ).

Well I better be on my merry way for now.  Am at my mom's using her computer/internet.  Hoping to have mine back by Weds.  That would be nice.  I got a 30 minute drive and I don't want to get caught in traffic, so buh bye for now!  Hopefully if I update in a couple days it will be from my house!

l8tr

I Think I Need Rehab for Internet Use

I seriously do.  The first thing I did when I got to my mom's house was to jump on the computer so I could catch up with all the things I have missed out on this week.  It's an addiction. ARG.  I figured while I was here I would do a quit entry for the sake of actually being able to write (since my phone only allows me to write so many characters...).

It's nice being over here today although I left my husband at the apartment working on his car.  My youngest brother is home this week on his spring break and my dad is here this weekend too.  So all in all, it's pretty nice having the WHOLE family here at the same time.

Life has been pretty uneventful this week.  I tried going out this week applying for jobs, but still nothing.  It's starting to catch up money-wise and I DON'T like that.  Anyone want to loan me like $50?  Seriously.  I don't think we have enough money to get gas the next 2 weeks.  UGH.  I am praying that these people David has his old 401K through distribute his money to him ASAP.  We REALLY need it.

That's pretty much the center of my stress.  Lack of job and extreme lack of cash flow.  It's enough to stress anyone out that's for sure.  BUT in lieu of that stress, I am taking my energy out on trying to lose weight in my free time that I have.  It sucks, yes, but I have found that the things I use to adore to eat will now make me feel ill when I eat them.  For example, I went grocery shopping the other day and bought my one thing I get a week that I can enjoy so I don't feel like I'm on a diet really.  So I bought french fries...and not just any french fries, but CHECKER'S fries.  They are amazing and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them.  I was beside myself finding them at Walmart the other day (seriously, it's the little things in life that get me excited).  So after a VERY strenuous hike up Stone Mountain, I decided to pop them in the oven last night and have a little treat.  David and I polished them off in probably 10 minutes!  About an hour later we both felt like crap.  And even seeing things on TV that I once would have no problem eating has actually made me feel gross to look at.  I think this is good.  It means to me that my mentality is changing.  That I am accepting the fact that I can eat good food and lose weight and be happy rather than stressing out over the things I can't have.  It's also helped that we have no money to go out to eat all the time.  We got pretty lazy there for a LONG time and just went out.  Now that we are forced to have to save our money and actually buy groceries (and gasp! I had to experiment with cooking and it's been pretty good so far), we're both losing weight just because we are eating home cooked meals rather than overly fatty foods from going out.  It really makes you open your eyes and reevaluate what exactly you are putting into your body.  Even today, my dad offered me his Coke Zero and I refused it (and anyone who knows me, knows I ADORE Coke).  I haven't had an actual Coke in at LEAST 5 months I'd say.  When I want a soda, I have Sprite or Ginger Ale maybe, but I've sworn off the dark sodas and am trying to ween myself off sodas entirely.  Crystal Light has become my new best friend (as have some other sugar free products).  It's amazing how good things taste when you cut out the bad stuff.  Really they do!

SO....

I haven't been able to get out and see the new Alice in Wonderland movie yet.  I've heard mixed reviews on it.  Sounds like my sister in law approved, so it couldn't have been THAT bad (she's a huge Alice fan).  I am interested in catching it, but not anytime soon.  Have to really focus on the job hunting still.
ALSO...I've been anticipating the new Final Fantasy game coming out and have REALLY high hopes for it.  The last one was really disappointing.  (YES, I just geeked out on you there.  I LOVE to play video games...get over it).

We booked a room today with my bro-in-law & sis-in-law for a cruise in NOV.  We're going to Haiti.  Crazy huh?  My sis in law's aunt is a travel agent for cruises so she's got us hooked up. Yay!  I'm really looking forward to it.  It's a 4 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas.  AND what is the perk I am looking forward to on the ship?  The Pharaoh's Palace...a lounge and dance floor...they do dance lessons and all sorts of crap there.  SOLD.  I'm ready to go NOW.

Other than that, I'm pretty much in a state of limbo...when I actually am able to secure a job of some sort I will let you know.  Hopefully I can get my internet back up and running here soon, so I can finally feel connected to the world again.  I can't tell you how many times I have needed to get some information on something, went to the computer only to be disappointed that I forgot I couldn't get on.  BOO!!  And seriously, while I LOVE having HD channels and cable TV and all that, once I get it paid up I think I'm going to cancel the TV and just have the internet.  It's too expensive.

That's it for now Kiddos....I'd love some comments or suggestions of things to write about.  I hate always talking about the same exact thing all the time.  Give me some inspiration friends

I Feel Like I Lost A Limb

So my internet on my computer isn't working. I am currently typing this on my cracked out phone, so if there's crazy typos I will fix it later. This will also probably look like one long paragraph and most likely won't be very long as i have noticed my phone only lets me type so many characters. I am pretty sure it doesn't work because i haven't paid my bill yet. Money is so tight I won't be able to until the 19th and for me that REALLY blows. I will get some time online this weekend at my parents house thank god. I might even try to seek out some internet time at a local library on thursday if i get too twitchy. I really do feel like i have lost a limb. I am very grateful right now that i can access my email and parts of Facebook on my phone. At least i don't feel completely disconnected. And even though it took me a couple minutes to get logged on here...i am able to write and so far phone is cooperating. I hate this though. BOOOOOO!!!!!! I reached my limit...phone is cutting me off. Laters.

Delirious

IT'S OFFICIALLY MARCH!!

(always loved this pic I took of some clover out on Tybee)

It's almost 5AM.  Yep...I'm awake. BUT I plan to not be soon. Never fear. On a side note...am I so old I'm the only one who started humming the song "Delirious" by Prince after reading/writing my title....80's child right here ;)

I know I haven't written much lately.  Was semi busy hanging with my hubby this weekend.  Other than that nothing too exciting.  Just stressing out over the lack of money and the lack of a job for me.  I put in some more applications tonight online.

One job in particular piqued my interest.  Its a job taking pictures of newborns at the hospital my husband works at (not for). I don't know if there's still a chance of me getting the job or even an interview for that matter because the job posting was put up 10 days ago.  SO.  I never noticed the listing before today though and I swear I've frequented this site every day.  Don't know how I missed it.  Anyhow, I think that would be a lot of fun, getting to take baby's first official picture.  The job pretty much said it entails going to meet the new parents and show the the packages that the company provides for the baby pictures and help the parents decide what they want to do.  It also said you have to be comfortable handling the babies too.  Which kind of made me swoon because I love babies.  And I love to take pictures.  It's kind of perfect.  Unfortunately its only part time.  It sucks, but whatever.  Right now any extra money would help.

I'm currently stressing about my car.  I have to call later on the day (considering its almost 5am) and see I can qualify for their deferment program.  They pretty much take your overdue and tack it to the end of your loan...make you pay half of the current due and then the rest at the end of the month then you pick your reg payments back up.  Sucks though because its just going to make paying off my car that much longer, but... it WILL be paid off this year.  And this makes me very happy.

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I'm going to try to get my Mary Kay back up and running.  I signed up for Career Conference, which is on the 19th and 20th of March.  My sincere hope for this is that it does, in fact, benefit me.  I spent some time with my mom today and told her I was going to be doing that.  She was happy to hear it I think.  Its not that I don't want to do it.  I really want to be successful with it.  I see people who started the same time as me already with MK cars...c'mon!! I could totally be there by now.  I have to get that self esteem back.  Someone got a shot of liquid self esteem?

Well, I'm going to make it short for now.  Tired and ready to crawl into bed.  Funny thing is my husband should be getting up soon.  It's not really funny because he's getting up super early today to take care of some work he didn't get done last week.  He just had a bad week last week, so...I'm guessing he's just trying to get a jump on things and get caught up before his week gets too overwhelming.

Nighty night/Good Morning!