Category: Life-condensed

… YouTube makeup tutorials.

I know, right??

I’ve never really been a “girly girl,” though I do like to get cleaned up occasionally and look nice. The thing is, I’m almost 47 years old and I STILL really don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to makeup. (Or clothes, for that matter). I mean, I can apply it, but we’re talking basics. I have no skills when it comes to getting creative with makeup. One of my earliest roommates was a pro at hair and makeup. I always admired the way she applied eye shadow and to this day, her hair ALWAYS looks nice (we’re friends on Facebook). The woman NEVER looks bad – how is that possible?!?

But I watched her, a lot. She probably thought it was creepy, the way I would watch her, but I learned a lot from her without her actually “teaching” me.

But still. The basics.

I don’t know why, it doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve been wanting to try false eyelashes. I don’t know, they’re sexy. I have no idea where I would wear them other than work and how weird would that be for me to show up to work one day with false eyelashes on (though don’t put it past me – I might just do that someday).

The problem? I have NO idea how to apply them. And they’re not going to rip out any of my existing lashes, right? Because I don’t have a lot to lose to begin with.

And lipstick? I’ve ALWAYS had a fascination with lipstick but I haven’t played around with them very much because they’re a crap shoot. They’re expensive to begin with and what if you buy the wrong color?

Money wasted.

And there’s another problem I have – I have no color concept at all. I’m not color blind, but when it comes to shades and what looks good with my skin color – I’m a complete newb.

And then there’s the problem of applying it. I always put too much on and it globs and then it smears and it just looks gross. So I’d like to learn some tips on how to apply it and make it STICK.

I’ve been watching this gal’s makeup tutorials. She has a lot of really neat tips and tricks, but the whole time I’m watching these videos, I’m thinking in the back of my head, “Geez, how much money has she spent on all of this makeup?”

When Kevin was in the hospital in Columbia getting his pelvis rebuilt, me and MIL lived in the hospital. And part of the luggage that my MIL brought along was her makeup bag … correction, CASE. That sucker was the size of a small suitcase. And here I was, with my puny little makeup bag. Though I have no desire to reach the point where I have to carry a suitcase around to house my makeup, I’d still like to experiment a bit and break out of my same-ole-same-ole.

I think I’m going to buy some false lashes and maybe a soft, neutral shade of lipstick to practice with. If I have enough courage, I might vlog it or take some pictures.

If nothing else, it might amuse you to see how BAD I am at playing the “girl” card.

JAZZ!!

(The first thing he said when he saw the cookie cake with the train? “You know I AM 17, right??” HA! I know it’s a little childish, but I figured since we just got off a train … ?)

My youngest son is now one year from being a legal adult.

I can’t even stop to fathom that – I mean, doesn’t that mean I’m old??

Don’t answer that.

We went to Chicago for his birthday. (Well, not really for his birthday, per se, but we told him that. However, how many teenagers can say they rode the Amtrak train for five hours on their birthdays…. hmmm??)

When we got back into town, we headed over to my in-laws for cookie cake. My MIL picked up the cookie cake and we told Jazz we were going over there to pick up some tax return stuff.

He didn’t buy it, of course.

“I just think this is an excuse for ma-ma and pa-pa to see me,” he said.

Can’t get anything by this kid!

We didn’t stay long. We had, after all, just been on a train for five hours and a car for an additional three hours so we were all pretty pooped. But it was a fun break and I didn’t feel guilty for NOT getting the kid a cookie cake.

The boy likes his cookie cakes.

Happy 17th birthday, Jazz! We adore you!

It’s 6:47 a.m. and I’ve been busy updating school websites. I usually update them after I get home from work every evening, but last night, I was dead. SO dead, in fact, that I went to bed at 8:30.

TOLD YOU I GO TO BED AT 8:30!!

I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. This job just sucks the mental energy right out of me. And I’m still not complaining, if I have to work, I’d rather work at a job that keeps me on my toes rather than twiddling my thumbs.

You know, I haven’t read a book since starting this job?!? I’ve just been too tired to concentrate on anything other than staring at a TV screen and zoning out. Even the thought of putting out the effort to read makes me tired …

The girls at work assure me that all of this mental energy will even out … eventually. I’m hoping it happens before my 50th birthday.

Seriously.

Hopefully, I can blog a bit this weekend. The bathrooms are nearly finished. “We” will finish them this weekend. I hope. I’m SICK TO DEATH of this project, but still, we are very pleased with the way things have turned out. We’ve had a little contractor trouble, but really not enough to blog about – it’s just been annoying and OH SO VERY SLOW. At any rate, we’re nearly done and we can move on to other things … like enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Fridays are relaxed around here. Everyone gets to sleep in an extra 30, (er, 45) minutes. Jazz doesn’t have to be at school until 8:20 (as opposed to 7:50) and I actually have a few moments to enjoy the morning before taking my shower, running a kid to school, coming back to fine tune my beauty (HAHAHAHA), throwing some sort of lunch into a WalMart bag (I’m fancy like that) and zipping to work. Dude actually followed me to work the other day, he was on his way to class. It feels weird to have your child follow you in a separate car to go do his separate thing without you or your husband. Just wait, it’ll happen to you someday.

I’ve enjoyed my morning. (Well okay. I enjoyed catching some emails up). Now it’s time to make myself beautiful (HAHAHAHA) and head to work.

IT’S FRIDAY, YA’LL!!!!

February is nearly over. Does that freak anyone else out?!?

One guess who likes it better this way …

… and it’s not me.

If we could all ignore the glistening water and thoughts of warmer temperatures and balmy breezes for a moment …

First of all … we got an email this week from the hospital: Our clinic was named in the top 100 in the country for our specialty. (How’s that for vague?)

And it’s ALL because I’m NOW working there. That’s right. They rock because of ME.

And yes. I actually said that to my boss.

Luckily, she has a sense of humor. 😀

Anyway, I’m proud to work where I work – we not only help people – we’re GOOD at helping people and now the whole healthcare industry knows it.

*snap* We. Kick. Ass. Ya’ll.

And this week nearly kicked my ass. We were so busy Thursday that I was literally running through the clinic to get one of our doctors on the line with a doctor at the main hospital all so I could help a patient I felt sorry for because she hadn’t eaten all day due to reasons I can’t go into here. (How’s that for vague? It’s maddening, I know).

They’re sending me to Branson this coming Friday.

By myself.

Well. Not by MYSELF, but I will be working the receptionist/scheduling area by myself.

*GULP*

I’ll be setting up the laptops in the exam rooms for the doctor/staff. Then I will be making sure the patients have everything they need signed, taking their picture for their chart, collecting co-pays and when they have been seen, I will be checking them out of the clinic by making sure they are scheduled for any tests the doctor wants and any follow up visits.

It’s going to be challenging. But I’m up to the task, I think. This will be my first time flying solo though and I’m a bit nervous. The doctor I will be helping is one I haven’t worked with that much, but I ADORE his nurse and I’m so glad she will be there.

I had my 90-day review the other day (I’ve actually been there four months now. FOUR MONTHS. Can you believe it?!?)

No raise, but I can keep my job.

That’s good news.

I’m thinking seriously of utilizing the employee discount and joining the hospital fitness center. I’d go in at 5:00, work out for an hour, go home, get cleaned up and then go to work. It sounds insane, but I actually did that for two years straight back when I was working at Wal-Mart. I need to do something – my job is mentally challenging, not physically challenging, and I sit all day long.

My hips are expanding. This is not acceptable.

I’m DIGGIN’ the tiffany shade.

Ever since I worked at Wendys, way back when (like early/mid-80’s), and around all of those old, funky tiffany lamps that used to hang above the tables in the Wendys’ dining rooms, I’ve had a “thing” for tiffany lamps.

They’re cheesy, but in a pretty, different way.

At least, I think so.

By several patients.

The day did not start out very nice.

And speaking of nice, I was trying to be too nice and a patient took advantage of that. I almost got myself into trouble because of my niceness. I’m just going to have to put my foot down and be more firm – especially when I KNOW I’m right. (I wasn’t sure if I was in the right today – turns out, I was. Lesson learned – have more faith in myself and my abilities).

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Kevin left me a voicemail at work today.

“We’re going to a movie at 7:00 tonight.”

We never go to movies.

I’m way too cheap to pay the admission – I’ll just wait for the DVD to come out, thank you very much.

But it was a documentary about Ayn Rand, the author of “Atlas Shrugged.” Which I still need to read, by the way.

It was very interesting, and uncanny – the woman was definitely way before her time. It’s amazing how much she predicted is coming true now. At the risk of sounding all conspiracy theory on you guys – our government IS too big. And our government IS NOT acting in our best interest. If you think they are, then you’re naive.

That’s right, I said it.

It’s about the individual, NOT society. And it’s OKAY to live for yourself and make your life better. We do not exist to support one another, we exist to support ourselves. We may CHOOSE to help society – and many do, hence the outpouring of charitable contributions in this country, but we should never be MADE to give up something we have worked hard to achieve for ourselves and for our families.

Interesting, interesting stuff. I’m looking forward to reading “Atlas Shrugged.”

I have so many more thoughts on the documentary, but it’s been a long day; I’m tired, I’m fighting a killer headache and I haven’t even eaten dinner yet. (Actually. I think I’ll just skip it – it’s so late now).

Here’s a little something to make you think … God knows, we need more thinkers in this country. We have gotten WAY too complacent, people.