Ramblings & Other Things

My helper in my planner My day job is as a back-office manager in a high-end showroom.  I process a lot of paperwork.  Right now, my favorites are going to have a workday theme as pulling 10 hour days does that to a person.   So here are some things that I always work with as well as peek at my planner, since it seems to be planner season on a bunch of different blogs. Beware, I used my Amazon Associate links to create this post, so if you click on it, I am get some commission.  However, these are all legit things that I use currently but was too lazy to go get pictures of.  I use the Passion Planner currently.   I actually got it back when they were clearing out the 2019 planners, so I didn't spend a lot on it. I am still tweaking how I am using it. I am trying to get in the habit of using it as the one location to keep all the things in.  Not just work, but notes about my works in progress for writing, important information,...

Hi - Long-time.   A very long time, as I thought I had deleted this and was sad.  SO I started a new blog - and then I rediscovered this one was still hidden away in an old email account. Long story short-  I've graduated grad school, then stumbled about trying to figure things out from that point.   Lots of shitshows that I would rather not repeat, and lesson learned.   Long story short, I realized who I am, and what I should be doing.  So I am going to be posting weekly on here, as I rediscover my voice, work on my fanfiction as a warm-up to an original work of fiction. I have been refining what I want this place to be, and what I want to talk about here.   I am still working on a lot of behind the scenes stuff, but in the meantime meet our cats.   They are on Instagram. X- Jen

Right now, I am spending far too much time at home.  Because the more I am here, the more antsy I am getting to make improvements.  I dream of the day I can remodel the kitchen.  I even have a dream board about it. Now I already have the pendant light.  I have that counter top. I have that table already as well.  I love all of them.  What I don't love is that we have no dishwasher.  Our oven is in the wall, and our range is on the counter and our fridge is a white one.   And this: Yes, this is my floor.  In it's faded, goldenrod glory.  Now while our money situation is tight, I can still dream... and do some things myself such as paint.  Today we narrowed down our white to the THE white for the kitchen.  We knew we wanted to go white so on our last trip to the Home Depot, I grabs swatches of white.  My goodness there are a lot of whites in the world.  I had forgotten the amount of whites, but all I know i...

I've been sick, but this... this is sick the likes of which I have not felt in a while. My stomach has been in the midst of something. I am not sure if it was the new diet, the flu, or something that I have yet to figure out... but my word it was bad. At least I have a pretty bathroom full of ducks.  Though the art in the back moved to another wall. I love this bathroom.  The shelves are from Ikea, and are actually picture ledges. Which turned out the be the perfect size for ducks to sit upon and they are narrow enough that I am not constantly bumping into ducks.  Yes, we have duck current, but it's simple classic yellow ducks and yellow duck rings on the rod.  It's cook, it works, and it is so us. Speaking of projects, we re-purposed another Ikea item.  It was a DVD holder.  I cannot find these any more and I cannot figure out what their name was.  However Jim wanted to use it as a book case and I wanted to toss it.  When I suddenly realized...

I have had migraines for years. I have had them for close to 30 years now, but at times it feels more like 300 years.  I have taken a lot of stuff to help with migraines. Unfortunately when you lose your medical benefits, you have to adjust.  And by adjust I mean find things that work that don't need to come from a doctor you can't afford.  So here is stuff that I take when the pounding in my head is starting off.  I nearly had a heart attack when Excedrin Migraine when off the market, and I swear that Advil Migraine for me, works on the ones that are step up from the Excedrin but not enough to warrant using one of the limited supply of prescription medication I have.    Now these are the key, though the bottles may change and thus the amount of pills but I swear that Magnesium and fish oil have made the biggest difference in my brain.  The B-Complex plus additional B6 also work really well.  I can tell if I am messing up taking my...

So for this post, I want to show what I am currently loving besides Jim, dragons, ducks, as well as paranormal and cryptozoology stuff.  Which one these days I will have to talk about that interest, because honestly that is not just a TV show kind of thing.  Not that I go hunting for them for them specifically. However I am not interested in Aliens.  Which a lot of people find odd with my love of Sci-Fi.  However, I digress,  as I am going to focus on physical little things I am over the moon about. For Graduate School: Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder, 1-Inch Capacity, Customizable Cover ~ I love this notebook.  I have the berry color, and recently added a picture and the quote on the cover. I got it on clearance at another location, and honestly think I need to get the larger size. I currently have the 1" but I think that the 1.5" would be a great addition to my stuff for my classes.   I keep everything for the term in then transfers it to t...

Source: http://www.freeimages.com/ I don't watch a lot of TV usually.  Tonight I am watching Ninja Warrior something or other.  Since I am trying to get in shape, I find it expiring. What I usual make it a point is Doctor Who.  When it's on BBC America.   Matt Smith was my first doctor, however I must confess, I have never seen a full season of it till the current season.   SO that's an odd thing. I also watch this show called Gotham.  Thought I am not sure about it. It has moments I enjoy, but I had a Monday Night Class.  Which means I missed most of the season, and honestly that's when I started losing interest in it. On my to watch list is Firefly.  I think I'd enjoy it.   I also like to watch Shark Tank, but I think that's the MBA student in me wanting to listen to the pitches. Edit: I realized I forgot to mention, and I am shocked I forgot to mention that I will watch anything to do with cryptozoology and the paranormal...

This is a picture from freeimages.com. I think that it is the best representation of my thoughts right now. Right now I am at the point where I best make sure that what I am taking in my classes will translate into the career that I want to have. Which is sort of scary to think that NOW I MUST DECIDE. I keep thinking that I enjoy a beginning, middle, and end to a task.  Hence the project management and Marketing concentrations.  I am now looking to take classes that could lead into a career with product development, event management, project management, or quality assurance. Then in class we were looking at web analytic.  Which got my mind going in ways I had never thought about before.  So I am trying to see about having an web analyics course added to my coursework to replace a marketing class.  I mean understanding how web analyic could assist my career because I would understand what's going on with a business website.  Which brought me back...

Since I last post.   So here is a bullet point brief update: I had been through 3 different potions, and am unemployed.  Two I left, most recently I was laid off I completed my first year of grad school, and am just starting my second.  I am now dual concentrating in Marketing/Project Management.   I am eventually going to get either my DBA  (Doctor of Business Administration) or D, Mgt. (Doctor of Management)  I changed gyms and I am using myfitnesspal.com to track my food intake.  I am still madly and crazy in love with Jim.  He is truly my rock.  It's been a while, and I wanted to revisit why I wanted to do this and make sure that with my limited time available that I was realistic with my goals. So that being said, I still want to blog.   I still enjoy writing.  I think their is a lack of blog about adult mid-age married childless grad students. I need to update how I am keeping track of the latest position search,...

So this is Christmas: I found a part time postion, after losing my unemployement then getting it back.  We re-organized the house, yet again.  I submitted the kitchen for input from Emily at  www.gohausgo.com/  and cannot wait to see what she comes up with.  However that will be after the holidays.  Statistics has been a rough class.  It's almost done, and I just have to keep my eyes on the project parts, the reviewing the subject matter we already covered, at home quizzes, discussions, and homework... It's been challenging.  However the final is coming, and the end is in sight.  I applied for another scholarship.  I am hoping to get it.    The holiday shopping and decorating are done.  I have a list of cookies to make after class is done.   I just joined  www.influenster.com  and am seeing what that is about.   The tree above has two layers of additional lights on  pre-...

I got an A in my first MBA class.  I got involved with an intensive sessions (multiple sessions a week) of tutoring someone.   I mean every time she had time, she was here, and that grew into two study session with another student as well.  Plus I was doing all my work. and  the result was all of us passed our class. In between that, my mother ended up having surgery, and other stuff caused me to take an unplanned break from the blog for a while. It was crazy. But that's behind me now.  Time to move onward. I got the syllabus for my next two classes, and after seeing the work load for statistics, I decided my wisest move would be to drop marketing for now.   For statistics, I have 2 chapters of reading, homework that I must have an 80% on, on-line discussions, as well as class on Saturday morning that during weeks 1,2,4,5, 6 and 7 which have quizzes.  On weeks 3, 6, and 7, I have project parts due. Class starts next Saturday.   However ...

I'm almost 40.  I am also the youngest child.   Which means my parents are not exactly youngster beyond their spirit, anymore.  They are very knowledgeable, kind, good people. Last week, my Mom was in the hospital.  I had to rush take her to the ER on Wednesday night.  I sat in the ER with her and my Dad,  only to have leave her to return home at 3 AM.   It was a long stressful night.  I was bouncing back and forth between the hospital and home for about 36 hours, because they kept her for observations, then tests, prior to releasing her Friday morning.  Then it was the mater of keeping things going at home.  Keeping an eye on my Dad. Snuggling with Jim, and keeping calm and carrying on.  I fell behind in my personal class work.  So then I was trying to get that completed.   My laundry to do pile is nearly as tall as me.  The house needs to be dusted and vacuumed.  Not to mention that their is one problem fr...

It's such a pain when I cannot locate the source of such an incredible image, as usually when their is one, I tend to enjoy others.  Please, do not credit me with this beauty.     However, this beauty is the result of weeks worth of work, several hours a day, and the painting is all me. Love this piece, and it might be very hard to let it go, when it sells.  It can be found  here .  Also, in the link are more images of the piece.  Now excuse me, I have to wrestle with some Managerial Math.  Later~ Jen

I was going to do a well researched, thoughtful post about time management.  Cause right now, not even before starting at Grad School, I am always racing against the clock.  I know part of my problem is that I have serious problem with the internet and get sucked in.  So I am working on that.   Yet between family obligations, housework, looking for work, helping with various projects, volunteering at the Squad, Mystical Wonders needs, the desire to exercise, social obligations I would like to do... I feel like I am being pulled in about 10 directions at any given moment. So I spent time reading about different methods of time management,  blocking out time, the value of multitasking, the value of not multitasking, and other things.  You know what?  I didn't gain any wisdom.  It seems like everyone, their brother, and great aunt has their own ideas about a "fail proof" way to get life in order and keep things humming along. From using post it not...

Well.  I didn't do well on the math entrance exam.   (They should have actually called it the Algebra entrance exam.)  I did so bad, that I cannot get into the remedial math program. I am doing review, hoping I have something on my Berkeley College of Business Transcript that shows a college level math on it, so that I can enroll.  In the mean time I can review, get tutoring sessions, and take the test again.   IF I were to fail the test, then I would have to wait a year to try again.  I would need to pass well enough to by-pass the remedial class. Ugh. I am doing a whole lot of math right now.  I had an interview today, which I sent out a thank you note for.   I am not sure how I did, but it was for a part time position here in town.  It could be interesting. Then last night,  I just went to Walmart and ended up getting a few paint chips for the repainting I would like to do in our kitchen.  We have some drywall repair to do...

I think I might just be doing that.  I had a whole bunch of things going on, that I was planning about talking about:  Job Search DYI Projects around our house. Cooking experiments  Improve our finances Improving our small business, Mystical Wonders Trying to change to a more of a Flexitarian  diet for myself  Exercising so I can walk a 3k, and eventually run a 5k   We just came back from our honeymoon broke as broke could be.   It's hard to do home improvement projects when Jim works overnights, as well as my lack of employment limiting funds.  Then my sister suggested I looking at DeVry University cause they had a scholarship program. I called them, and mentioned something about a Masters Degree.  Turns out they have a scholarship program for that as well.  I went there, and Jim found a brochure about Project Management.  Which is something I had always thought would be a good field to get into.  Well apparent...