MishMash

As I write this, I'm sitting in Rob's living room in my sleeping clothes. Connected with my laptop, drinking coffee, smoking a cigarette, occasionally looking over to see what he's doing on his online game. The conversation only stops long enough for me to type a sentence or for him to kill whatever enemy he's working on at the time.

I can't remember being this comfortable with a member of the opposite sex...EVER. My makeup wore off long ago, my hair is a mess and I haven't yet brushed my teeth. But I'm okay. Secure. And most importantly...happy. Rather than waiting for the bottom to drop out and expecting to find myself miserable in a short period of time, I'm enjoying every day and every experience as it comes. I've stopped being skeptical (for the most part) and settled into my role as the girlfriend of this great guy who adores me. He met Sarah last week, and I am meeting his kids today. I was nervous as hell about meeting them, but Kari gave me explicit written permission (LOL--for real!) and all is well with the world. I just hope things keep going the way they are, because I fall for him a little more each day and can't wait to see what's in store for us.

Everything is good. I'm kicking ass and taking names at work (7 surveys @ 100%)...I am a customer service ninja and at least I'm getting partially recognized for it. I'm already planting the seed in my boss' head that I want to go home and do telecommute...we'll see how that works out. It looks like I'll have to be in this position for at least 3 more months before I can transfer anywhere. I love my coworkers...overall I feel like a very lucky girl.

I finally got to go to my first real LAN party!!! JRX was amazing...even better than I expected! I was able to hang out there last week on Friday and Saturday nights and I had such a great time. I was expecting it to be really crowded and I figured I'd be at least a little uncomfortable (especially if Grommon would have showed up--thank god he didn't...). But it was a TON of fun. Sarah, Erik, Karen and Than are some of the best friends I could ask for, and I get more comfortable around my acquaintances every time I see them. I spent most of my time there knitting with Sarah and Karen or hanging out in "the office". I've been knitting myself a pair of socks and I just started on the heel flap of the first one last night. I've been able to knit at my desk at work, so this sock has been FLYING off the needles! Moar knitz plz! Damn life is dandy.

I realize I didn't know Julie all that well before I started helping her, but I miss her so damn much I can't stand it sometimes. Since she died, her brother Joe and his wife Angel had a baby boy named Jackson. Her sister Amber and her husband Alan had a baby girl named Ava. They're now 2 months and 2 weeks old, respectively. I went to Joy and Ted's a couple of days ago and was lucky enough to be able to hold both of them. Besides my normal "squee!" reaction, there was an underlying sadness knowing that Julie should be here. I have been so lucky to be "adopted" by her family and be accepted and loved by them. I have adopted them right back. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Julie, and I wish I could share my happiness and my day-to-day life with her. She would be so happy for me...I can see that smile of hers and it makes me feel better. "I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend." Truer words were never spoken.

Silly me.

I just realized something really terrible...I forgot to mention that my dad just had open heart surgery! I didn't write about it in the first place because I didn't want to jinx it but he had a quadruple bypass done on the 4th and is now home and doing fantastic. He quit smoking a week before his surgery, after about 40 years of smoking. I hope he continues to take care of himself and stays with us a while. Anyway, I thought it was important and I felt bad about not saying anything in my blog so...

Here's hoping history doesn't repeat itself and I can take better care of myself than my parents have. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this--I definitely see it. I was terrified inside that my dad wouldn't make it through the surgery, and realistically so. He has officially shocked everyone. I need to quit smoking--for good. I don't know when, and I definitely don't know how, but I'm going to do it. I have a not-so-great family history when it comes to things like heart disease...I'm 28 years old and I need to start taking action NOW.

Weird and wonderful week.

Things have been, to say the least, fantastic. Where to begin?

I started my new job with Convergys on March 13th and it's been okay so far. I'm getting a lot of technical knowledge that I didn't have before and meeting some cool people along the way. Training was difficult, transition was touch-and-go, but I'm pretty prepared for my first day on the phones alone tomorrow. While I still have some conflicts about working for an outsourcing company, I know I "gotta do what I gotta do" right now in this crappy economy. I was pretty mad because during our 2nd week of training, we were told that there is going to be a class for the telecommute position. I can't transfer out of my department for 6 months, so I was pretty fired up and ready to leave for good one day. But I got my wits about me and realized that I really need the money. Ever since then, I'm just rolling with the punches as they come, and deflecting whatever might be thrown at me.

Spring is officially here! This makes me incredibly happy. I've spent all winter in a state of perpetual funk, never feeling quite right. Now the sun is out, the birds are singing and happy little squirrels are crossing my path. The warmer weather is helping things a lot. It's been unfortunate that I've been working 12-8:30 and haven't had the opportunity to get out and enjoy it! I wanted to get out and play some disc golf today but it didn't work out. Oh well...there's always next weekend and MAYBE someday I'll get my ass up early enough on a workday to play! Anyway, I just wanted to pay homage to Spring for a minute because things are looking up. ;-) I also celebrated a very important milestone...my 1 year anniversary of living in KY! Looking back a year ago, I wonder how I ever doubted that KY was the place for me. I have changed so much (and for the better!) since I've been back and I'm genuinely happy. I have no regrets, other than the fact that I can't have all of my CA friends here with me. And my dad. BTW, Dad had a quadruple bypass on the 8th and is doing very well. Hopefully he'll change his ways a little and stay on this planet a while. Everything is going so fantastically, I feel like I'm in some kind of alternate reality. Much of this is being caused by the situation in the next paragraph...

I met someone. Someone kinda incredible, who I'm kinda smitten over. And he is kinda smitten over me too. This is odd for me, so please bear with me. His name is Rob, and we were introduced via his ex wife Kari who is my coworker. Kari heard me speak of a date that I didn't want to go on (and the reasons why I didn't want to go) and she suggested that I look up her ex on facebook. They are good friends (as they have kids together) and she said she just wanted him to be happy. Apparently she thought I was the kind of girl that could make him happy, and he was the kind of guy that I'm looking for. I decided to wait a few days to send him a friend request on facebook, but he added me first. We exchanged a bunch of emails and by the end of the day (Easter, the 4th) I was sure I had to give him my number. He called, and we talked for an hour and a half. I went to bed with a smile on my face, and woke up several times through the night saying "there's no way this guy is real...". I then woke up with a smile on my face and we continued the pattern the next day. Except the next night it was 3 hours on the phone, and we made a date. Then 4...then 5...then 6... We met up on Wed the 7th for possibly one of the best dates I've ever had. It wasn't the place (Steak and Shake, and about an hour walking through Meijer LOL) or what we did...it was the company. There's something really great about walking into a first date feeling like you already kinda know the person. Or at least you know them well enough to feel so comfortable. We met up again last night so he could teach me to play Magic (yes, that's right...geek of my dreams LOL) and hang out. I was officially taken off of the market as of yesterday. :-) I'm having a hard time talking about it because honestly...I'm scared of messing it up. I like him a LOT. And the fact that he likes me just as much as I like him scares the shit out of me. We are equally and healthily captivated by each other. I could begin to name all of the things I like about him and all of the similarities that we have that make us SOOOOOOOOOOO freakin compatible, but it's midnight at this point and I have to get to bed soon. Just let me say that I have a whole new feeling inside. :-)

Sarah's wedding is getting closer and closer!!! I am going to need to keep a calendar handy over the next month or so. Every day is jam-packed. I'll try to blog and at least keep things updated...I know I've been slacking lately!