Five o'clock in the a.m.

So, as you know, I got me a J.O.B.
I was scheduled to help with the stock crew today. They start at six....in the morning! Which means, I had to rise out of bed at five....in the morning!
Anyone that knows me already knows Vicki and morning are not friends. I never say silly things like "Good morning", for example.  Now, I knew there was a five o'clock in the afternoon, I've seen it, I like it. That's when class is over and I go get tacos. Me and five p.m. are tight. But, there is another five o'clock...it's in the morning, waaaaay before 7 a.m, which is when I used to get up when I worked in Amarillo. And I thought that was early, but it's not as early at 5 a.m.
Whoever gets up at that ungodly hour - on purpose - has got to be loose in the head. There is absolutely nothing worth doing or seeing at this hour. Trust me, I witnessed it today.
As I drove to work, I saw a guy jogging. Yes! Jogging at five-thirty in the morning! First of all, I don't understand that time of the morning, second, I don't understand this person jogging, third, I really don't understand this person jogging at this hour! Unless he's training for another Rocky movie or some sort of marathon, I feel sorry for this guy who is obviously insane in the membrane.
Back to me now. There is an R. Kelly song that starts out "my mind's telling me no, but my body is telling me yes...." I was singing this part of the song in my head because I normally think and feel like I'm still 25, but today I was saying "Vicki, you're forty years old, what the hell are you doing up at this hour going to work at a part-time job?" So, today, my mind was telling me "no, you can't be 40, you're 25"  and my body was telling me "yes, yes, you are 40."

Then I had to go to class. My group project this week is designing a decade. My group got the 70's. Thanks, not only am I old enough to be everyone in my group's mother, I was also born in the 70's.

                    Please enjoy this musical selection from Cypress Hill "Insane in the brain"

Am I gonna get a brain cramp?

I am amazed at the incredible amount of information going through my head at all times: night time, day time, drive time, sleep time, class time, work time, all the time.
There is just so much stuff to remember. Then I get mad when I don't remember something and I shouldn't because there is a humongous load of info shoved into an itty bitty living space.
Man, I got:

• school stuff:  how to work my design programs, which methods to use and when, projects in three different classes that I'm working on and ideas for them, when things are due
• home stuff:  since I'm moving to a new house, I gotta remember the address and how to get there and how to get around my new town
• city stuff:  how to navigate through the city and what roads lead to where and where places are
• a new job:  I got a clock number to log in everyday, a locker number and combination lock, how to run the register and all the little tidbits that come with that task, where things are in the store, how and what to charge by the yard, spool or piece and how to run those machines, samples, remnants, scanners, printers (lions and tigers and bears, oh my)
• And I'm reading a book for book club and one on the side

These are just a few things that come to mind right away. Now I can't remember the rest and I'm mad about that.

I need a chocolate.

It's because I'm awesome...

I finally got hired! Hallelujah!

Joanne's Craft and Fabric Store apparently thought I was awesome. I was interviewed Friday morning by a very enthusiastic store manager. I'll start out at cashier and fabric cutting, everyone does. Then, in October, I'll work stock overnight to load up for the holidays.
Even though I'll only get eight bucks an hour, it's something and sets me in at what I figured will be the least amount I can earn and still have money to spend and save and give to my hosts.

I'm just so relieved to have a job. I start Tuesday.

"I knew you could do it! Alright!"

stupid hormones

Today I really felt overwhelmed at school. Not because I'm paying a lot of money to be there (that's the reason I usually feel this way, just thinking about all the money I'll have to pay back one day keeps me from sleeping sometimes).
Today we touched on Photoshop. Today was the first day I have ever seen or attempted to use Photoshop. Today I left school crying.
The two guys sitting on either side of me today already knew how to do all the basics that the instructor went over what seemed to me, at warp speed. I paid attention as I normally do, but some things I just couldn't remember. So when it came to the exercise to create a picture, there was just one thing that kept hanging me up. It's just so frustrating to want to do something and can't figure out how or remember what was just said about it half an hour before. There are just so many things and every single one of them in brand new to me. The class might as well have been taught in Hebrew today. I finally had to ask the teacher and he helped and was patient. He's an older guy. He could tell that I was frustrated. I told him that today was the first time I had ever seen this program and he said I was actually doing pretty good. I might be, but I still feel sort of left behind when all the other kids (I call them kids, because they are kids) are done with the main assignment and have moved on to more technologically advanced things that I couldn't even fathom if I tried.
What worries me most is this: These are the tools I will be using as a graphic designer and I can't see myself doing the things with them that the other kids are doing. I have the imagination, I just don't know how to implement my ideas. Will something like that lead to me not being able to find work after college?

I need to put tape on my map already!

It's true. When I moved to Dallas, I got a map at one of the gas stations and have started to wear holes in it already. I use it for everything: finding my exit, finding alternate routes, to write on when filling out job applications, swishing flies out of the car, et cetera, et cetera. I have notes on it, arrows, my address and circles around favorite places so I can find them again. It's the best $2.99 I ever spent.
Today I used it to find my way to the Galaxy UA theater on the east side of town.
First I went to Half Price Books, one of my favorite places here, and strolled around, browsing and browsing books and books, making a wish list. Then I headed over to the movies. On the way, I wanted tacos so I pulled into a shopping strip where I saw a sign that read "MexiCali Mexican cantina and cafe".  It was situated along side a steak diner called The Lonestar and a Thai/Asian market that I can't pronounce and a laundry mat. At first I couldn't tell if it was even in operation, but I drove closer and noticed the neon sign blinking in the window "open". It's quite a nondescript place, like I said, I couldn't even tell if it was open for business, but I went in anyway. I was greeted openly with a smile and "Hi there! Table for one? Sit anywhere you like, we'll get you a menu."
A girl brought out chips and a brownish-red salsa that was actually pretty good; just spicy enough to want to drink a beer with it. I told the waiter I just wanted a couple of tacos and he suggested the lunchtime special: two tacos with rice and beans for $4.99. I got two chicken, one crispy and one soft.
I gazed around at the decor. Mostly typical for a Mexican cantina: red and green walls with the chile peppers hanging down and blankets draped over stuff. Then I noticed the homemade light fixtures made out of coffee cans and the wear and tear on on the doors and some of the floorboards. It seemed like a local place and I asked the waiter about it. He said "yeah, it can get a little crazy sometimes, but mostly it's pretty calm. Lots of regulars."
While the food wasn't that great, I did enjoy the atmosphere  and the friendly staff.
Next on my faded map, I found White Rock Lake Park. After making one or two turn-arounds, I was driving along the lake where bicyclers and casual strollers were out and about enjoying the 100 degree heat. On the other side of the road were huge houses, miniature mansions really, and beautiful. One street I drove down had tall trees that draped over the road and the houses were set away from the street. For a few minutes I felt like I was back East, then the next corner I was back in Dallas. I could see the tall buildings off in the distance behind one mansion.
The park was nice and I think I would enjoy finding it again when the weather is about twenty degrees cooler.
For now though, I need to tape up my map.

White Rock Lake: fishing, boating and trails for bicycling and strolling- all in the middle of the city!

I just don't know...

I was walking past the elevators at school today and two guys were waiting to catch the next ride. The door dinged and a girl stepped out, she appeared flush from being outside. One guy said "wow. you look hot." She looked at him then kept texting on her phone as she walked away saying "gee, that's super inappropriate." And the guys looked at each other as if to say "what?"
The whole time I was thinking "Bitch, if a dude told ME that I looked hot, I'd say 'hell yeah!'" and keep on strolling.
Maybe that's just me, though.
see how the Pussycat Dolls do it...

I need caffeinated eye drops...

I couldn't sleep last night. For lots of reasons:
1. the air conditioning units outside my window echo off the buildings and, to me, it sounds like a jet engine trying to take off all night. So I wear earplugs sometimes, which are uncomfortable.
2. I had to get up early today to register (already!) for the next quarter.
3. I have a second job interview with a restaurant catering service today.
4. I'm worried about my living arrangements. My friends that I live with are looking to rent a house, and so far have only run into brick walls. What will happen to me if they don't find a place?
5. I'm still waiting for my "retirement" check from my last job so I can pay off my credit card.

And a couple of other personal things. But, while waiting for my advisor to answer me about registration, I was on my scholarship sites and found one for people who blog! Wow! I happen to blog, so I clicked on that for more info. The main requirement is that the blog must contain "unique and interesting information about you and/ or things you are passionate about."

In my opinion, blogging about going to school when you're forty is unique-ish, seeing how I've never been before (high-school doesn't count, I mean, really?).  I know my life isn't interesting, but I'm a writer, I think I can pick out a few things and "expand" on them to make it sound interesting?

While I was looking at past winners for this scholarship, I found this 50 things written by an MIT guy. It's a pretty good list of things to expect in college - not the academic side, the fun side.
All the points are great, and I've already experienced them all since I'm twice the age of an average college student. But, I do especially like a few of them:

#49- time passes quickly.
        I know! Every time a friend of mine would pop out a kid, then their first or second birthday would be spread all over Facebook, I'd think "WTF, man? What have I been doing? Not a damn thing!"

#19- about co-ed bathrooms.
        I've never experienced co-ed bathrooms, but I did grow up with one bathroom in the house. I can only imagine that the first time someone drops a stink bomb in the toilet,  or someone sees that when girls shave, it's really not that sexy after all - the magic is gone.

#47- tattoos are permanent.
        Obviously, I know this. Some ditzies don't though, so there's the cute blonde getting "Spring Break 2012 bitches" tattooed on the small of her back in large scroll letters, and it's there FOREVER.
None of her other cute blonde friends have the brains to step up and say "Uh, Amber (or Tiffany or Brittany or whatever you name cute blonde girls) I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe a cute butterfly instead?"

#36- about how hot you look right now.
         Well, yes, when I was at the "college" age of 20, I was cuter than I am now because my skin didn't sag, I had natural muscle tone, I could tan and not worry about skin cancer, could eat burgers and chips and not worry about being bloated and then drink all night and still get up to go to work the next day and not skip a beat. At 40, not so much.

and #3- songs make you remember moments. This is why I listen to my all 80's and 90's stations on my Sirius radio! Every time Alanis Morissette sing "You otta know" I remember breaking up with my boyfriend. A lost song by Haddaway called "What is love" takes me back to the clubs along the beach in Florida where I was first stationed in the Air Force.  Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" makes me remember the time I spent at house parties in Kissimmee, Florida when I was 18. Any song by Shania Twain reminds me of when my friend April and I snuck into the concert and was escorted out, only to score free tickets by some random guy walking around 2 minutes later.
So many songs!
Do you have any that stand out? What are they?

         

Pinball wizard

While I was in my perspective drawing class today, I mentioned that I had an interview with a restaurant here on Tuesday and they were supposed to call me for a second interview by yesterday. Another classmate, Jade, said she hadn't heard anything from her prospective employer either. As I sat to start my drawing, my phone rang because I forgot to turn it off. I normally wouldn't answer, but I recognized the number so I just took it in the hallway because it was the restaurant calling me back to set up my second interview!
Now, back to the drawing. Our assignment in class today was to draw our one-point perspective grid, then draw a schematic of an uncomfortable chair. I made my box lower than the eye-level line and my box too long, so my chair looked more like a pinball machine. Other students were looking at it and said the same thing. I'm glad they know what a pinball machine is! On my way home I kept thinking of The Who song and kept saying "...sure plays a mean pinball." So, here is The Who, at Woodstock in '69, performing "Pinball Wizard" just for you guys now while you view my lovely chair-turned-pinball machine!

woodstock video here