A year there and back

It's now been 1 year since I packed my apartment, my belongings, my cat and my car and left Wisconsin as a distant memory.

I remember a the day before I left Wisconsin I was packing everything up and getting my car ready for my drive the next day. My (at the time) husband asked why I was loading my car. When I told him I was leaving the next day, he was perplexed...his words were "I thought we had more time" I was SO angered by this! What did he mean "more time" for the last week he stayed out all night, partied with friends, knew I was days from leaving. Did he think one more day, one more dinner was going to fix this broken mess of a marriage we had?  I loaded the last bag, gave him a hug goodbye, got in my car and drove away.

370'ish days later, looking back I should have known at that moment things would never change. I wasted a lot of tears, sleepless nights and health to what I now know was for nothing. When someone doesn't come home from a night of drinking with friends, not once, not twice, but 3 times, it's time. When someone doesn't call to check on you on your 16 hour drive from Wisconsin to Florida, it's time. When someone won't even see you, doesn't want to see you on your 7th marriage anniversary, it's time. It's time to swallow your pride, walk into that court house and put the past in the past. What we could have or should have done is in the past, but it's a lesson that you never forget.

So I guess those tears weren't for nothing, they were for today. They helped make me into the person I am today, they shaped me into the me that I wanted to be.

Weekend Update with Amber

This weekend was pretty great! The Brothers of the Sun Tour was so fun, hot too, but super fun! Saturday we headed to Nashville about noon and didn't leave there until close to midnight. The line up started with Jake Owen (total hottie) and he did a great job on stage!

Then Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (who?!) came out and we promptly went for snacks and drinks! She was not great...at all. After her was Tim McGraw (super hottie) and his set was almost 2 hours and it was A-MA-ZING! He was high energy, entertaining and had great interaction with the crowd!

Then he brought out Faith Hill (O.M.G) and they sang "I need you" It was fantastic!

After Tim was "the headliner"-I use that term loosely, Kenny Chesney. He was ok. His entrance was cool. He popped up out of the sound booth and then flew around the stadium on this little seat that normally has cameras on it during football games.

He sang a few fast paced high energy songs and then that's when it all went south! He came on at 9pm mind you and then started singing a ton of slow songs...wtf. I've been out walking in the 95+ degree heat for over 8 hours and you sing slow songs, way to put me to sleep! Luckily at like 11 Tim came back and did some songs with him! Then for the last song they brought everyone back and closed it out right. All in all though, great day! I'd totally do it again.

Thanks Jen, for getting us the tickets!

Now on to a little office humor! I'm not sure if I've talked about this lady in my office that works over in Purchasing who is FUCKING BIPOLAR! She'll yell at you and then 10 minutes later she'll come to your desk and talk to you like nothing happened...skiiiir, what?! No, I don't think so!
Well anyway a few weeks ago for my birthday 3 ladies took me out to lunch, but before we left one of the managers asked if we were taking out my boss for his birthday, but nae, as his favorite place to eat was only open the next day so we were going to take him then, and me today. Well he asked if everyone was going and they told him no that there was just a few of the girls going. So he asked BPB (BiPolarBitch) if she was going and she said no she wasnt invited, and wasn't in our "clique" ... again, if you weren't such a bitch maybe someone would invite you!
Anyway today I get the news that the reason "We don't like" BPB is that we are jealous of how pretty she is ... ... ... Speechless ... ... She then tells the nice lady in purchasing that for an older lady she is still beautiful and people are jealous of her.  Words still escape me.

I made a club for the jealous folk here at the office...

If you're jealous of someone you work with you can totally cut it out also and put it on your desk!

Still...words escape me...I'll just sit here and shake my head.

Sitting at my desk, sitting on the couch...Yep that about sums it up

So for the last week or so there has been ZERO to talk about. When Junior is TDY my life is rather drab and boring. I sit around, watch TV at night, play with Duke and Lola, and not much else. Not to mention that it's about a million degrees, so unless I'm on my way to an air conditioner I'm not going to be hanging about outdoors much.

Oh and next week should be good for posting, as tomorrow I'm headed to the Brothers of the Sun Tour with Tim McGraw/Kenney Chesney, and Junior comes home Wednesday! Woo! Here's to hoping that I don't catch on fire at LP Field tomorrow!

He's the best..No joke!

So Junior came home last night from his TDY trip in Albuquerque (I get him for 6 days, then he leaves again...sad panda) Anyway as I was finishing up dinner he came and handed me a UPS Package, with an apology for not wrapping it, and a card. After I wrastled (yes it's a southern word, shut up) the UPS bag open I found a custom made apron! You can see the original HERE but mine was white with PURPLE GLITTER lettering. I'm totally grilling in it later tonight and posting a picture of our awesomeness later.  Wait though, it gets better! I opened the card and after my rottweiler got done losing his shit at the singing card, I found a gift certificate for a Day at the Spa! OH MY GOD.. An Aveda Essential Facial, One-Hour Elemental Massage, lunch, and choice of an Elemental Hand Treatment or Elemental Foot Treatment. Now just the decision of when to take it!

Ok now on to some more work giggles. So remember last week when I thought I was getting fired, but my boss thinks I'm kinda awesome? Well the other day a manager mentioned that we needed more people in the area that I'm headed to, and the little grumpy lady got super pissed cause no one offered her the option. I turned around and asked her did she mention anything to him? Her response "Whatever I don't care" ... ... Are you effing kidding me?! Here's a couple things she could do to maybe, maybe be considered. 1. Stop bitching when someone asks her to do something out of the norm. 2. Be nicer to people. Not only the people that work with us, but to the 543512346 people that walk in and out of our offices on a daily basis. 3. Stop making 10 doctor appointments per week/ Work 40 hours CONSISTENTLY, not just once a month. 4. When the GM tasks you with something don't bitch out loud about it as his office is within arms reach of your desk. KTHX <3

Weekend Whirlwind

OhmygodI'msofreakingtired! I'm back from Trip #2 to Florida in 3 weeks. Let me tell you how much driving 8 hours alone sucks! I swear I almost committed suicide due to boredom yesterday on my way back home. I can normally take it, no bigs, but driving that many times that close to each other, I'm totally not a fan, and if I can help it, it's not happening for a couple months or without Junior. Duke was with me, but he's not much for keeping me company, and he won't share in the driving! What a jerk, right?

He's real cute though

Anyway... So our weekend started Friday afternoon. We only had one wedding and one prep Friday so it wasn't bad, and I most all the prep work in TN last week so that was awesome! We did chair covers and ties at the Embassy Suites, and we also made fun of peoples shit taste! What the hell are people thinking when they are planning their weddings?!

 It's your wedding, not prom people!

Yeah I tied all those, I love it. Sad, I know.

That tacky purple shell fish bowl concoction wasn't even the worst one of the weekend! Saturday we had apples. Like girl loved apples!!! "OMG I LOVE APPLES"

Back on subject here. So there are my chair covers and ties. After that we had to set up the wedding on the beach. It was so pretty that day! Nice and cool on the water. We delivered some bouquets to the bridal party, dropped some benches off on the water, then had to wait for them to say their I Do's so we could load up and go home. 

 Tables for the reception

We have to entertain ourselves while we wait!

Saturday was a busy, BUSY day! I bet I logged 200 miles on my truck! At 7am we started at the house and then 3 vehicles went 3 ways! I headed to Rosemary Beach (never been? that's sad! It's wonderful) then to pick up vases from the previous nights wedding (btw- the guys are Cafe 30-A are douches) then to Destin for chair ties, then to Eglin AFB for more set up, then back to Destin to unload chairs, then back to Eglin to move chairs around and make sure the room was set to go. I left Eglin at 6:30pm went home for 3 hours for dinner and cake!

Thanks Paul! I love icing up my nose!

Then headed back to Eglin for clean up and chair removal! Our day ended a little after midnight. I know cause Sunday was my birthday and Junior called me at 12:00 exactly to wish me Happy Birthday ( I Love Him) and I was still not home yet!

 How the delivery van started the day!

How it ended the day! 

No flowers + 60 white chairs and misc crap from the day!

 Everyone wants peonies right now...so strange

Room 1 of 2 at Eglin

Room 2 of 2 at Eglin aka My Bloody Valentine wedding

(Don't hate, we can't make Brides make better choices!)

I made some nice money this weekend, got to see the family, celebrated my birthday. Now though, I'm exhausted! I'm taking a nap after work! If I don't, I swear I'll die! Junior is in Albuquerque now for TDY so I get to have another birthday on Sunday! I just hope this one isn't as tiring!

Caution: Curveball ahead!

So my boss is a pretty cool guy, but he's pretty quiet and keeps to himself. I'm normally one that can get people to open up and just in general people seem to like me, well except my ex-mother-in-law (that's another time and story though.) So over the last 6'ish months I've been wracking my brain on why in the hell I can't get him to act more relaxed and down to earth with me. Then one day maybe two weeks ago BAM! Cool Boss comes out. It was awesome! He jokes around and just seems more comfortable. Well yesterday one of the guys I work with comes looking for the managers and I tell him they're in a meeting, he says "They're STILL in that restructure meeting?!" I had no idea, but restructure! That's some bad shit right there! All the managers come out looking all pissed off...great... and Cool Boss (CB) says "Hey Amber, can I see you in my office for a minute?"   F M L   I head in and he's all like oh wait finish what you're working on, and I need to hop on a call, but definitely see me before you leave.   F M L  Ok panic mode! But wait!! I can't be fired! I'm awesome! and if anyone deserves to be fired, it's angry/complainer lady! Anyway I'm working away and he calls me back in to his office and he's all "Oh the call might run until after 4:30, so I'll talk to you now" Then he tells me that's there's going to be some change here, and there's some spots coming open ... F M L... "There's going to be a couple Purchasing spots, and Production Control spots coming open, and while you do a great job at your desk, I think we know your talent is being wasted answering phones and the other things there" O M G! I'M NOT FIRED & YOU WANT TO PROMOTE ME?! YESSSSSSS!!! He essentially told me to apply for one of the spots, no resume needed or anything! Talk about a game changer! Either one of the spots (though I'd like the purchasing spot) will be a $3-4 /hr pay raise! w00t! That's gonna help pay for my new truck!

 I LOVE LOVE LOVE her but she's a Money Sucker

 I'm super excited, and so is Junior! CB wouldn't tell me when all of this is going down, but he did say sooner rather then later. I'm totally hoping for next month! That would be fantastic. Luckily I'm the person that has to turn in ID Cards and Badges so I'll know pretty quick when the other people are let go. Sad for them I know, but yay for me!

Lets talk about Losing Weight and Healthy Eating, Or the lack there of it!

Ok so we all know about that special lady that irritates me on daily basis at work, right? Ok well  she's been on this "I need to lose weight" kick for like, ever. Seriously, since I've been there (started late November 2011) she's lost 10 lbs. A few weeks ago, I noticed that my pants were getting a little tighter than I'd like so I decided to start back at the gym and watching what I eat a little more. Since I've been doing this it's dawned on me that she's never going to lose more weight, and here's why:
   1. She goes to Curves (24mo contract...ouch) and she's done with her "work out" within 30 minutes. I get that you can totally do a 30 minute work out, but when someone complains their knee hurts walking from their desk to the bathroom?? and I've discovered that the most she's ever done on the elliptical is 30 min?? I seriously doubt that's effective.
    2. You should see this woman eat! Today she goes for a "Healthy" lunch to Denny's (??) for a salad. I just finished looking up the calories and fat content. (I hope you're sitting down) 490 Calories...IN A SALAD! Not counting the soda and Skinny Cow candy bar she had with it! Now I'm not a vision of health but WOW. For lunch I had a turkey sandwich, ruffles baked chips, 1/2 of a king size snickers and a bottle of water, all for a whopping 364 calories! Later, I will also have a few Hershey's drops and some soy nuts and maybe a Mt. Dew and I'll be just 20 calories over what she had, just for lunch! Tomorrow my guess (after seeing her trends) is she'll go to Wendy's and get a salad and a baked potato (660 Calories if she get's the 1/2 salad) At that point just get the fried chicken sandwich it's only 40 more calories and I bet it's WAY more filling.
   3. She will be "bad" at work and go over her calories for the day...how is THAT even possible... and then she'll say "Well I guess I cant eat anything else for the day" Yeah it's 2pm I don't see that shit happening.
   I just really don't get people. Everyone says that they want to lose weight and then they do nothing to help themselves, so then obviously complaining about it will help right?!
   As for me, I can't say that I'm really upset about the slight weight gain I'm having. When I was super unhappy in Wisconsin I was dropping weight like no tomorrow. Eff that! I'm happier now then I have been in a really, really long time so I'll take Size 6/8 Happy Amber over Size 4/6 Miserable Amber any day!