UPDATE!

I'm so so sorry I've not been keeping up with this blog!!!

Lots to talk about, however, because my life is just super-busy.

Got an appointment for the tumor in my knee, May 1st, so everyone wish me luck with that.

Lost a total of 24 pounds so far since January. See, it can be done after having children! I look great, if I do say so myself. My secret? Exercise and eat less. It works! I am running 3-4 miles a day now, and eating smaller portions. Getting the weight off has really helped my running performance, doesn't seem like such a chore.

And I'm buying smaller clothes!

Job transition still a little weird. My old boss is having separation anxiety. Had a small hissy fit yesterday when I had to leave the office for the day for the new job. I told him he would be fine and left. He was just panicking. We will have someone to fill my spot soon, she has gone in for the drug test, so everyone cross your fingers that she isn't a closet druggie.

Getting new contacts for the new job, went out yesterday with the other sales person on some calls, had lunch on the company, this is the life, I tell you!

Eric is going to Virginia tomorrow for a constitution history class thing, have to drop him at the airport in Portland at 6am. That means we leave at 5, which means I have to get up at 4, because I will be going to work after, so have to do the full-get-ready-thing.

Anyway, I promise when things get back to normal, I'll start posting regularly again!

Account Executive

I found out today that my new title with the company is...


ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE


So cool. I love it. I'm an executive. I'm so damn fancy now, I just don't know what to do.

Had my first sales meeting with the director and other sales executive.

My office situation, however, is not so good. Not really happy with where they will be placing me. But I guess I will live with it. I'm getting a new phone number and my business cards, letter head, notepads, thank you notes, etc. are all getting printed up very soon.

Also got my first account assignment today, really excited about that. Can't wait to start getting the commissions from those people.

WAAAAHOOOO!!!!

Where Have I Been?

You're probably all wondering what I've been up to. I haven't posted anything in almost 2 weeks. Well, I've been super-busy trying to get this new job lined up, getting the old job squared away, shopping for new work clothes and looking for new cars!!

I'm looking at either a Chrysler Pacifica or a Mercury Milan. I think that although I love the Pacifica, I really can only afford a used one, and the Milan I like has all the stuff I want but for the same price, but new. It's midsize and so also doesn't use up as much gas.

Anyway, sorry to disappoint. I was too busy this weekend to see any movies, so there was no Marvelous Movie Monday.

I have my first sales meeting tomorrow, so I will let you all know how that turns out.

Later!
Lisa

I'm The Queen Of The World!!!!

I got the job!

RUMOR HAS IT...

I've been told by an unofficial source that *the job* is mine.

My boss this morning also was giving me some ideas for things that I could do "if I get the job."

They are killing me over here! I wish they would just say it.

I've been wanting this for a long time. If I have to be away from my kids every day (which is just sooo wrong from a mother's standpoint - not to mention a three year old's), I might as well be making some $bank$!

Me

Early Morning Run!

Darby has an appointment with her endocrinologist today, so Eric took the day off, and that meant I could get up early and go running since I didn't have to help him get the kids ready like a normal morning.

It felt really good this morning, not such a drag. Morning runs are always better. I'm starting to feel like I'm back!

Plus, as of today, I've now lost 14 pounds since January.

Wahooo!!! Oh yeah, baby, I'M BACK!!!

Eric and the girls will pick me up at work this morning before Darby's appointment and I should be back at work before lunch.

Lisa

Update - THE JOB

I had the interview.

After everyone had left, my boss told me that he thought I had it (He was one of the interviewers, so I think he would know).

I'm giddy.

I'm already scanning the internet for high-powered business suits (not to mention shoes, purses and jewelry!).

I should know by the end of the week.

Mt. St. Helens

We live only 30 miles as the crow flies from Mt. St. Helens, and we have the most perfect view of both Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier from our road when we leave for work in the morning.

Every day this time of year we see elk in the fields not 1/4 mile down from our driveway. There have to be at least 150 of them out there from time to time.

Really makes you happy to live in Washington, where beauty is just outside your window.

Wish Me Luck!

Today I've got a panel interview with the Marketing Director (Tom M.), Production Director (Jeff A., my current boss) and Print Sales Executive (Jeff M.).

They will ask me a series of questions which they will also ask the other two applicants. I'm pretty sure if I get through this okay I've got the job.

I've already got Jeff A.'s endorsement, as he is my current boss for the last 8 years. Jeff M. also told me that I was his choice, and I had a talk with the Business Development Manager and she has told me that I am her choice as well (she has some pull on this).

Everybody cross your fingers for me that I don't f**k this up. It would mean a world of difference pay-wise as well as some independence and a step up in the company. Lots of travel, business lunches, schmoozing, $$$$, blah blah blah. Goody for me!

I'll let you all know what happens!

Marvelous Movie Monday - Walk The Line

I thought I was in for a typical biography with this movie. Not typical at all.

It's a love story.

This movie chronicles the life of Johnny Cash, and more loosely, June Carter Cash.

While watching the Academy Awards last night, Jon Stewart remarked that "Walk The Line" was like "Ray" with white people. I have to agree, many of the plot lines are similar. The story follows Johnny's childhood loss of his brother (like "Ray"), and his rise to fame and the drug use (also like "Ray"), but that is where the similarities end.

This is about Johnny and June's love story. I found it so poignant. They were just destined to be together. I'm not going to go into it too far except to say that they both made mistakes (some huge!) but realized that they were meant to be life partners.

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon both had fabulous performances, while I knew who was doing the acting, I did get lost in the acting, and actually felt that I was watching Johnny Cash and his wife. It was also nice to see that they both did their own singing througout the whole movie, and they were just great. I'm going to get the soundtrack.

Reese deserved her award, and although Joaquin didn't get his, I wish he would have.

5 microwave popcorns out of 5!

Children should be in bed asleep during this movie, lots of drinking and drugging and catterwallin'.

It's Hard Out There For A Pimp

I'm a loser.
Big Loser.

Eric once again swept the Oscar night competition. Out of 24 categories, he picked 16 winners and I got a measly 9.

However, I am extremely pleased with my pick for best song, "It's Hard Out There For a Pimp" by some rap group. Really, I just go through the list with my eyes closed and just plop my pen down just anywhere, and maybe, just maybe, I will pick a winner.

Eric, on the other hand, has been combing the gossip magazines for information so that he can make a "more educated guess." Right! That's why you got me that subscription to People for Christmas. Closet snark!

I was very disappointed that Joaquin Phoenix didn't win, but pleased that Reese Witherspoon did.

It's getting late and I'm going to bed soon...formulating a plan. Next year, I'll serve macaroni and cheese. Maybe that will change the odds in my favor.

I may be a loser, but I'm still a PIMP!!!

Bottom of the Jar

While making a pb&j sandwich for my little Piper, who absolutely loves the pb&j, I was trying to get the "j" out of the jar and the bottom of the jar just broke off. Okay. It was a glass jar. Weird. And it made a mess.

While showing this oddity to my husband my little sweetie decides she wants to eat the jelly that's flopped out onto the counter. I stop her of course (just in the nick of time! Scary!!), and swoop everything up onto the slice of bread and prepare to throw it all away.

The unfortunate incident was while I was placing it all into the garbage, it swiped my right index finger (my MOUSE finger!) and sliced it wide open just over the last nuckle, below the nail. Oh yeah, I didn't feel any pain, it happened so fast. But it looks like I need stitches. But being practical, I just put some gauze on and Eric tapes it up and I continue to go ahead with life. I just don't want to go and get the stitches, all that money and wasting a perfectly good Sunday in the ER crap. I think it will be okay.

I went ahead and ran 4 miles on the treadmill (I was hoping to get an outside run in this week, but it was raining). And it seems to be okay. I'm not going to take off the bandage for a while, though because it was kind of gross.

Anyway, that's my Sunday so far!!

No ER! Yahooo!!!!

Oscar Night!

Yay! Oscar night!

Every year Eric and I pick our favorites to win. The one with the most picks that actually wins, WINS! The loser has to cook dinner the next year. I have won a couple of times, but I pretty much lose every year because Eric's not really the "cooking" type. If he loses we usually end up eating pizza, and that's just not fair! I may have to change the reward.

This year's entree will be jambalaya. (not sure if I'll match it with cornbread or rice, still thinking) I'm going to try not to spice it up too much, so that the kids can also eat it. I can always add in my cayenne pepper later (Eric's not much of a spicy food eater, so it's just best that way) It should be good.

I don't even have the slightest clue who to pick. We always find a magazine article or something that lists the nominees. But to tell you the truth, I've probably only seen two of the movies on the list. I've seen Munich, which I thought was very good. And I think we rented Crash. That's probably it.

And since I'll probably never see Brokeback Mountain due to my husband's excessive homophobia (he doesn't tolerate the whole "gay cowboy" thing well - winces each time he sees the commercial. But then again, so do I), I'll never know how "epic" those performances were. But in a weird way, I'm kind of intrigued (the kind of intrigued like when you drive by an accident site. It's just too hard to turn away).

Actually, last night we watched "Walk The Line" (we LOVE Netflix), and I really liked it. I will review it on Marvelous Movie Monday, so everyone please stay tuned. I hope that the stars of that one, Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon both are nominated, because they were so good. It was them singing the whole way through! And what a love story. Both made many mistakes, but it ended up they were each other's soul mates, as they were always drawn back to each other. Once they married, it was for the rest of their lives (35 years!), and they died 4 months apart. I cried. But more on that later!

Anyway, better get the jambalaya going, it can be an all-day ordeal, with the beans, the roux, the shrimp and the sausage and all of that.

Busy Day

We had a busy day today. I went to the health club to run this morning, then went to my massage lady (I have to go every now and then, especially when I'm training). She's the best - really knows how to work out the knots.

Then, Eric brought me the girls and we picked up my neice, stopped at the store and we are home fixing up little pizza pockets. I made up some pizza dough, then we just put the sauce, cheese, olives, mushrooms, and pepperoni on and sealed each one up. They are going to be great. I don't know if I will try them, I don't have much of an appetite lately, but the kids are in hog heaven.

Speaking of hog heaven, we got a s'more maker (the crap they come up with these days) from someone for Christmas, so we are going to try it out today as a treat for the kids. I'm sure it will be lots of fun.

On the job front, I am still hopeful about the promotion I might be getting. It is tons more money (I can almost compete with my husband moneywise)and after speaking with the publisher on Friday, I am encouraged. He seemed very interested in what I had to say and pleased to hear my ideas. Now it's just a matter of getting thrown to the dogs and how I hold up!
I know I can handle it, I've worked with these men for 8 years, I can take anything anymore without a scratch!

Later!

Lovin' the Runnin'!

Last night I ran 4 miles. I'm so happy with myself. Except for the fact that as soon as I was done I almost started to hyperventilate and was VERY close to losing what little lunch I had eaten. I really pushed myself for that extra half mile. I also realized this morning that I'd lost 10 pounds since January. So...YAY!!!!!

I'm on my way to running the Bloomsday in May. (7.5 miles) I think my brother is going to do it as well. He's a runner. I'm sure I will not be able to keep up with him, but it will be fun to do.

Anyway, running is the best way to clear my head and help me to think. That's why I say, "running is better than anti-depressants," because it really is nature's cure to whatever ails you.

Just glad to be back on track. Look out world! Now, if I could just cure this insomnia (yeah, usually running helps that as well, but the past few days - no dice. Guess something's been bothering me).