Two Blogs in one night?

Say whaaa???

So, I was piddling and surfing the net, and logged into an old blog looking for a quote..... I came across the following and wanted to copy/paste and share it on this blog.  It makes me laugh out loud and thought you might enjoy!

"All about Women:

Sometimes we think we really understand men. Then we regain consciousness.

Superskinny women really irritate us. We hate when they say, "Sometimes I just forget to eat." Now, I've forgotten my anniversary and where I parked my car. But I've never forgotten to eat.

We do like to have sex, just not at midnight when we have to get up at the crack of dawn to feed two kids, three dogs, and a pair of fat goldfish.

Women really do want to be on time. It's just that everything starts so darned early.

We know high heels are sexy, but we'll take our comfy black Uggs any day of the week.

Women are innately self-conscious. This is not a choice; it's a genderwide condition. On a bad day, I look in the mirror and see my ten-pound-heavier alter ego. Her name is Bertha. On a really bad day, Bertha sees her two-hundred-pound-heavier alter ego.

Women like porn, too. We just hate it when you hide the porn.

Women remember everything . Don't believe me? Ask your girlfriend where you met. She won't tell you it was at a party. She'll say it was a Thursday, she had just come from dinner, where she ate a veggie burger, and she was wearing her friend Cathy's pink top, which was big on her because Cathy is a big girl. You were wearing a blue button-down, drinking a Jack and Coke with two straws, and talking to Bill, that mutual friend. She waved and you gave her the "what's up" nod. This still infuriates her. ("How could you give me the nod?")

An eyelash curler, while mean and ferocious looking, is not a weapon.

No matter how much your woman loves you, there are going to be three to seven days each month when she wants you dead. (She may even quietly fantasize about turning her eyelash curler against you.) You have two options: Tie yourself to a tree and wait out the storm, or stock up at Tiffany's, toss a blue box or two into the wind, and hope for the best. We recommend the latter. (The key chain doesn't count.)

Women hear better than men. That's before you even factor in listening skills and attention spans. Come to think of it, I should have listed this one ?rst because I'm sure I've lost you by now.

You may be surprised to know that women were responsible for inventing all of the following: the circular saw, the signal flare, the space suit, the bulletproof vest, and the windshield wiper. You're welcome.

We need a plan. We don't feel comfortable winging it. We need the specifics of what's going on and who's going to be there. That way we know what to wear.

We like to be kissed, and the kiss doesn't always need to be a prelude to sex. We love the surprise kisses. Gift kisses. An out-of-the-blue kiss while we're watering plants or peeling potatoes.

Confucius say: He who gets teary eyed in a sad movie is sensitive, but he who audibly sobs is a weenie.

We say underwear, just as men do. Women never say panties, and neither should you, except under the rarest of circumstances, and maybe not even then. Likewise, the garment we wear on top is called a bra. When possible, please refrain from making a sound effect like boing! when we remove it.

Not all women are thoroughly sold on the idea of pushing a baby out of a small opening in their bodies. It does not fill all of us with an inexpressible Sense of Purpose on this Earth. It fills us with a slow and steady sense of dread.

Before you accuse a woman of being bitchy, walk a mile in her shoes. Her pointy-toed, high-heeled, impossibly uncomfortable shoes. One more thing about the shoes: Most of them hurt too much to wear for too long. So, yes, we really do need that many pairs. (And, accordingly, you need us to have them.)

Sometimes we love you way more than we love ourselves.

The smell of sweat is sexy within reason. Nuzzling your neck when you come home from the gym: sexy. Getting trapped in your armpit after you've played eighteen holes in 90 degree heat: not sexy.

Our friends are not your enemies, and our enemies better not be your friends.

I know it's 2006, and believe me when I say that a woman can more than stand on her own. Nevertheless, we still love it when, every so often, you take control. Without stepping on our toes.

We do have a sixth sense. Women, like Santa Claus, know when you've been bad or good. So you know what to do . . . for goodness' sake. "

And now, my pillow awaits!

Some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug.

Today, I was the windshield.  I had a meeting with my chief director.. which, I dreaded all weekend.  All last week was a lot of negativity, which probably added to my self doubts about the job.  So when a meeting on Monday was called for, and I was told NOT to bring any statistics/numbers to the meeting (which is why we meet weekly) I became nervous.  Wayne calls it me being a pessimist.  And perhaps that is true.  But I think I'm more of a middle road realist.  Five days straight I had negative interactions, and now suddenly we are meeting and I don't need to bring stats?  I think I have grounds to assume this isn't gonna turn out well.

However, as you can tell by the post title, it did turn out well.  I walked away feeling so much better about the job and my ability.  The meeting was a catch up with some things and then ended by telling me what a good job I was doing and how much better the practice is in my hands and how morale is so much better, and a few other positives.  I also got an awesome email from my dear friend Brandi after my last post.  She too is in a management position so she understood and related with my last post.  Between those things, I'm feeling better about things today.  Now, tomorrow, who knows! lol. 

Wayne is away this week with work.... again.  Bleh.  Seems like he just got home yesterday.  The travels don't bother me anymore, and I don't sit around feeling lonely and such, but sometimes, I just wish they didn't exist to be honest.  But, I know that money doesn't grow on trees.. at least not the ones on our patio - which are more like tall weeds anyways.

We had our engagement party yesterday which was really nice.  Very laid back and casual back yard afternoon tea.  Around 50 people or so I think?  Was exactly what we wanted.. nothing fancy, just friends and family having a good time.  It was 41 degrees C (so around 108F!) and HOT!  Not a breeze to be felt.  At.  All.  I had taken time to straighten my hair (to smooth it) and then curled it.. only to pull it up in a pony tail within an hour.  lol.   Why do I even try!!  haha.  I will get the camera tomorrow and check out the pics and post some.. maybe!! LOL!  

I am on the search for a new laptop I believe.  The speed of this one is getting slower and slower.  The heat gets hotter and hotter.  I have had it looked at and I think the best bet is to increase memory.  The PROBLEM is here in Perth everything is expensive.. so increasing memory is nearly the price of a new laptop.  Part of me would love an iPad, but without having Excel or word, I'm in no hurry to jump on that bandwagon.  I did find an Acer tonight that is also touchscreen that I really liked.  We'll see.  I may have Wayne go with me in the next month or so and have a look with me.  When I am looking at computer stuff it could be written in French and I wouldn't know the difference.  I am useless on those things.  That's why I save lives, not work on computers.  (or I guess, run an office that saves lives now?? haha).

Ok, guess it's time to watch some sappy girlie tv since I have total control of the TV!!   Sweet dreams people... or happy Monday, whichever applies! :) 

Career April.. is bipolar.

And I hate it.  It's awesome!

 

(see what I did there? haha)

 

Soooo.  I am quite conflicted this week on my career.  I've busted by ass for over 13 years to get where I am now.  One on hand I'm at the highest I have ever been career wise.  I am on my highest salary ever.  I have directors, but am "the boss".  I have the enjoyment when I over hear comments of how much my staff love having me as a boss (at times when they didnt' even know I was in the office) and the feedback the doctors in my clinic have given my directors.  The patients all seem so much happier, and because I was the nurse for so long, they all know me.  I have a really good memory so when I see patients come in the office that I know, I always speak "hello Mr. so-and-so!"  Or if I forgot their name, "hello!!  how are you!"  and I will often sit and have a quick chat.  It's that good old American customer service.  You don't get overly good service here in Australia.  And that's not me being partial to America.  Any Australian will tell you that.  But me?  I strive to deliver the best.  I have always had the ability to "click" with my patients, and remember details about most of them.  Part of it is I have a really good memory.  The other part is I take pride in my nursing and truly do care about my patients.

 

All in all, it's all going well.  So what's the problem?   All the behind the scene responsibilities.  The never ending meetings, conference calls, spreadsheets, budgeting and financial planning, business strategy planning and development...... juggling fifteen things at once..... wearing a thousand hats over the course of an hour (and remembering to eat lunch!! lol)  Which as a nurse, I'm use to.  However, this is on a different level.   The feeling that you haven't accomplished a damn thing.  I am not bringing it home as much anymore in terms of I don't feel like I am bringing the stress and frustration home.  There for a while I felt like I stayed stressed and...well.. bitchy at home.  I still do bounce things off of Wayne at home.  That's for a couple reasons.  Number one, we were friends for so long, that I still am able to turn off our relationship and feel like I'm just chatting with a very dear friend and I don't mean that in a bad way!    I mean it in a very complimentary way.  I respect his opinion and value it very much I have friends who don't have that friendship with their partner and cant' talk to them about those type of things, so in that regards, I'm so blessed.  And also because unlike me, Wayne is very level headed... and as a guy, he doesn't have to deal with certain times of the month when you aren't thinking as clearly as you should.. if you catch my drift!! LOL!  

 

Then there's the whole managing an entire office of employees.  It's hard to develop thick skin and not take criticism to heart.  It's hard to come down on employees when you think "ahh.  I should let that go" but then think "but will that start to cause habits".  It's trying not to play favorites, which I think I have been successful at.  Then again, I have an awesome team and love them all so it's not hard to treat them equal when they all are awesome!

 

Basically for the first time since the promotion, all five days of this past week I have had thoughts that I have made a mistake.  Which is sad for me because the two weeks prior I was the most comfortable I had been since the promotion in October.  (October!???!!!!  Damn.  Time flies!)  I felt like I was finally making my way.  Like things were finally making sense.  I refuse to make any rash decisions and step down just because I had a bad week.  I know I just need to give it time and see what develops.

 

In other news, we have our engagement party this weekend.  Looking like 50-60+ people coming.  And the forecast???  42C!!! (108F folks.... and THAT is hot!!).  It's gonna be a scorcher!

 

Wedding stuff is coming along.  Not a lot of new stuff.  Wayne is away next week with work and the following week we meet with 4 DJ companies.  After we decide on the DJ, we are then looking at possibly a photo booth.  My BM, Sasha, and I went to a bridal expo a few weeks ago and there was one there you could use at no charge.  We did, and LOVED it.  Since then I've heard from a lot of people who have been to weddings lately that had them and they have told me how much fun they had with it and how everyone seemed to really enjoy.  So, after the DJ is sorted I am gonna do some data collecting to compare price and such to determine if we want to use this.  After using it at the expo, I'm all for it.  But we'll see.  :)   I am enjoying all the planning and don't feel stressed about it... yet! LOL!  I'm sure that will come soon enough.  There isn't a lot of do it your self stuff that we are doing.  But yeah, it's all coming together quite nicely, and through all the planning stages Wayne has been fantastic.  It's been an enjoyable process.  And will be here before we know it!   Less than 8 months to go now! 

Ending with my beloved Kenny Chesney Lyrics that fit my life at the moment very much!!

"The Woman With You"

She hit the door 6:55 sack full of groceries split down the side.
Can goods scattered all the way to the curb.
Look on her face saying don't say a word.
So, it's me and her and a can of beans sitting there on the front porch swing.
Western sky all turning red.
Head on my shoulder she sighed and said:

Been gopherin, chauffeuring, company chairman.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothing I swear man that I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like i can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman with you

She said the girl I was with the business degree probably wouldn't recognize me.
I was gonna run the bank.
I was gonna run the math.
Now all I want to run is a bubble bath.Back then you know I had this plan.
Before all of this reality set in.
Here comes life boy ready or not.
Hey I wanted it all and that's what I got.
Cause I'm gopherin, chauffeuring, company chairman.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothing I swear man that
I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like I can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman with you.

She said I'm gopherin,chauffeuring, company chairman.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothing I swear man that I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like I can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman the woman with you.
La, la, la, la, la, la

The woman with you

He's home!

Wayne is home from America.  yah!  Glad to have him home.  :)   Within about 2 hrs or so of him being home, I sprung on him my latest "thought"....and it includes a visit to... IKEA..... which he agreed to.  So tomorrow we hit IKEA.. on a Sunday.  Yikes!!!  He must really love me to be tired, jetlagged, AND agree to go to IKEA!?!?! HAHA :)  Miracles happen every day folks.  lol.

People back in Kentucky are getting slammed with a winter storm, we are in the middle of summer.  Still feels really strange to be hot in February.  At the same time, when we are freezing in July, it feels like November  lol.   I remember this past year in July I would think "ahh.. we need to start Christmas shopping soon!" only to realise it only FELT like the holidays.  Of all the things that I do miss from back home, the really cold weather and snow are not one of them.

Now that Wayne is back, we will start back into the wedding planning soon.  Of course, I will wait to bring those things up until tomorrow's Ikea trip is over.  LOL.  Dont' wanna push my luck too hard ya know.  It's really exciting.  I went and had a peak at my wedding dress on Friday and fell in love with it all over again!  I had watched "say yes to the dress" last weekend and saw a couple of dresses and suddenly wondered if my dress was too plain, too simple?  Not pretty enough?   But when I saw it, I had those butterflies again. I love it.  It's not over the top, but it is gorgeous.  And as far as the planning goes, there isn't a whole lot to do at this stage, but at the same time there are a ton of things.  How does that happen?  lol   At the expo my BM and I went to, there was a photo booth and we used it.. and LOVED it.  I really want to have one at the reception and the more people we talk to that have experience with them RAVE about them.  I also was ok with DIY DJ (using ipod or itunes on laptop) but the more and more tips we get (including from our reception venue lady) is that those always turn out to be more of a hassle.  So, the search went on to find a good price on a DJ (who would offer GOOD service) and now I've got it narrowed down to about 4 within the same reasonable range.. so we'll meet with them at some stage.   We have our engagement party next weekend.. and at some stage we need to get the invites ordered to allow them to have time to get here from America..... lots of small little things.  However, I am happy to report that at THIS stage, I'm not stressed.

Ask again in about 8 months.  HeHeHeHe.

Today is the second day in a row where I took a nap during the afternoon, and come midnight I totally regretted that decision!! Hence why I have blogged two nights in a row now late! lol.  But at least tonight, the bed isnt' empty! :)

Tootles!

Another week is done.. Thank GOD!

Nope, not turning this into a work bitching session!  It was a long week in every level imaginable with work.  Instead of rehashing it all on this Friday night... I'm just gonna say thank GAWD it's OVAH!!  lol

 

And how thrilling am I? Blogging while watching "When harry met sally" and sipping on a Dr. Pepper?  I know you must be jealous! haha.

 

Wayne comes home tomorrow from his trip to America.  I'm glad he's coming home.  I always miss him when he's away, but when we are in totally different time zones I miss him even more.  Let me get this straight.  When I say I miss him.. it is not that I am sitting home, "oh whoa is me"  "my life cannot go on"  "I cannot FUNCTION without him".  No.  I am quite use to being apart (umm.. hello?? Long Distance Relationship for 12 months... and he travels a lot with work).  I enjoy the trips to be honest, and use them as time that I get total control of the remote, the dinner menu, can hog the bed, come home and not feel like being overly social?  No problem!! Nobody is home! lol.  I usually meet up with the girls more often without feeling guilty.  I have done a LOT of online wedding related research, and since this has been "that time" of the month, I haven't been paranoid about my EXCESSIVE number of pimples the size of Texas, my cravings for chocolate, and being hormonal. 

 

When I say I miss him, it's more of acknowledging that his presence is missed.  At fireworks on his favorite holiday.  When waking up on a Sunday morning and reaching over to say good morning.  When I've had a really bad dream and wish he were here to console me.  When something really funny happens.  It's just realising in that moment that he isn't here and wishing he were.  It's knowing that I can easily survive my life without him, but even the thought of going through life without him is not something I would even want to think about.  Does any of this make sense?  Probably not.  But hell, if you are still coming to this blog, you are well use to my ramblings and well, I'm sure you are totally use to this by now.  :)

 

Wedding is now in less than 9 months.  Not feeling stressed or worried.  All is coming along fine.  We have our engagement party on Sunday Feb 10 which I am looking forward to.  I invited some people from work (doctors and directors) and so far the response is really good.  It's a very laid back casual back yard afternoon snacks and bbq.  I'm really excited.

 

I am leaving today with a link that I thought was awesome.  I tried to copy/paste so that if the link ever doesn't exist I still have the info..but, that wasn't an option I could find or figure out.  Anyways..... here ya go!

"16 ways I blew my marriage"   and a follow up blog "The other 15 ways I blew my marriage"

"What would you do if I sang out of tune?"

So this weekend I have had a great time surrounded by my closest friends here in Perth.  Yesterday was Australia Day (think July 4) so it's been fun, sun, cookouts, fireworks, movies, etc this weekend.  And to top it off... TOMORROW (monday) is a day off (WITH pay!) because Australia day fell on a weekend.  Gotta love it.

 

Wayne is in America with work/holiday so I've had a lot of time to do some thinking and reflecting over the past week and a half.  I have been spending a lot of time with friends here, and talking to friends back in the States (thanks to lovely modern technology!) and it has really made me think about Friendships.  If I look back and think on my friends from 10 years ago.  The ones that I was BFF's with, I can count a few who I keep in VAGUE contact with via face book, and a couple of life friends that I have been in touch with for >10 years.  But that's about it.  I have my friend, Brandi, who I still keep in touch with (and am just realising I owe her an email.. like, way over due!) and we can go weeks without talking and pick up like not a day has gone by.   Go forward to the past five years.  There are more friends in the last five years I have keep in close contact with.  But just like with seasons changing, friends seem to always change.  Is this for everyone?  Is this just me?  Is it more of a female thing since we tend to rely more on friendship/companionship than men do?  It saddens me that one of the people I considered one of my two "best" friends before moving to Australia and I are now nearly strangers.  It amazes me that the other person I considered one of my "best friends" and I are even closer than we were before... and we use to live in the SAME apartment complex... in the same building... AND, worked together, same shift, on the same hospital unit.  The reason for that is we both put in effort to keep in touch.  Life gets busy, but we never let life get too busy for each other.  And I think that's what it's all about.   

 

A few years ago, one of my dear friends from Australia, is now my fiance and the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with and share our life and home together and raise babies with.  A year ago, I was planning to go to America for my best friends wedding.. and we are now strangers.  This time last year, a Florida gal and her husband were heading to Australia to move and she is now my best friend in Perth.   It just amazes me how people come and go into your life.  People that you can't imagine your life without are one day not there.  People who you don't even know make their way into your life that you can't imagine your life before they were a part.  

 

It's a lot of random thoughts kind of thrown together tonight in this blog.  Guess when you stop drinking you start thinking of deep crap?? lol 

 

I will end with a picture of me and some of my closest friends.  This was taken last night in South Perth over looking the river after the fireworks.   I guess at the end of the day, people come and go into your life sometimes with warning sometimes with no warning, and sometimes with no explanation.  Instead of focusing on who aren't there in our lives, why don't we focus more on the ones who ARE there?   

Happy Australia Day 2013.

Oh, and the wedding is in 9 months from today.  Mark that one down people!! :)

 

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Save the date!

Sunday October 27, 2013 is the day I get to marry my best friend! 

 

It's all set and booked!  Wedding will be held at the UWA Sunken Gardens and the reception to follow at Villa Pourzand.  Really happy to have it all booked and starting to work on the small things.  This weekend is a bridal expo and I am looking forward to going to that to get some ideas and such.  And with some very special friends that I am soooo lucky to have to share in the planning and fun with!

 

It still all seems like a dream.  Yes, we have had our share of ups and downs over the years, and our miles (or kilometers) didn't help.  But in the end, together, we overcame them.  But to actually be in love and plan to marry your best friend is just so amazing.  I'm still on top of the world!

 

Wayne is currently in Sydney on his path to America.  I hope he has a really nice time.  He loves America and has a lot of friends.  I'm really glad that he has been able to squeeze in some vacation time as well.  It would be a shame to travel THAT far to only be able to participate in the work conference and come straight home.  In the meantime, I am enjoying not having to double check the toilet seat to make sure it's down, and if my bladder decides to awake me at 4am (as it tends to do for the past year now...grrr) I won't even have to think twice.  Of course, what this DOES mean is that when he returns, I will no doubt be far too comfortable and...well, you know where this is going!  haha.

 

In addition to the wedding, I've had quite an emotional week.  My older sister and I lost contact when I was 19.  It was her choice.  Long story short she had a massive fallout with our biological father.  Neither of us have anything to do with him and were both lucky enough to have a step dad that we are fortunate enough to consider our "real" dad and have as an awesome father figure.  Well, not father figure, but as our fathers.  In the past when she cut dies with our biological father, she cut ties with anyone related to him... even if we didn't speak.  Almost 9 years ago, she gave birth to a daughter.  When I found out, I went straight to the hospital.  I had hoped that it would lead to us rebuilding our relationship.  (side note, there are more details to this, but it's not appropriate for a blog).  I left hopeful, but once calls, letters, cards, etc were unanswered, after a few years I slowly gave up hope.  Yesterday, I had a friend request on facebook and a message from her.  Needless to say I was in tears.  I called Wayne and he thought something was wrong.  They were tears of overwhelming joy.  I still get a little teary eyed even thinking about it!   We are working on rebuilding our relationship and she mentioned possibly coming to the wedding pending finances.  That would be so awesome.  She also sent me a picture of my GORGEOUS neice, Ashley.  Which also put me in massive tears.  She has changed from the last time I saw and held her, at the ripe age of 2 days old.

 

I have had a negative encounter with a friend, but right now I'm happy and having some really good things going with the above, work is going great, and life is just too good right now to allow someone to interfere with this!  People and things can only negatively impact us if we ALLOW them to.