Oops. . .

I have been so busy with school and work that I forgot to publish my post for last week. Therefore, this is my post that was supposed to be due by Monday, November 16, 2009. I recently wrote about getting a job at Nordstrom. My job has been fun, but it has also been very hectic. I feel like I have no free time. I go to school, I work, and I do homework on my days off. By the time I get off work I am usually tired from running around all day long - getting people clothes, putting clothes away, gift wrapping and making boxes, etc. When I see my boyfriend, after a long day of work, I usually pass out within an hour and a half or so. I feel bad, because I know that he wants to spend time with me and vice versa. I am just so burnt out after a long day of work, or school and work, that when I get to the end of my day I do not want to talk, and I just want to sleep. My boyfriend has been very understanding of this, and has actually really been taking care of me when I do see him. Lately, my boyfriend has been doing small things for me that really show me he loves me. For example, the other night was the Christmas tree lighting in Santana Row. My boyfriend bought me coffee, took me to watch the performances and the tree lighting, and then to dinner at Maggiano's, in Santana Row. I absolutely love eating at Maggiano's. My boyfriend ordered my favorite meal for me, and we had a wonderful dinner. My boyfriend also goes to school, does MMA and kickboxing, and is very into working out. The two of us know that our schedules are both very busy, but we still make some it a point to spend as much quality time with each other as possible.

Vocab Words:

Atrophy (noun): degeneration, decline, or decrease as from disuse.

Kerfuffle (noun): commotion, disorder.

EXCITED : )

I got the job at Nordstroms! Yaay : ) I am excited to be a working woman making some money, once again! I attended an open interview last Monday for Nordstroms and interviewed with two hiring managers. Both managers expressed that they liked me and thought I would be great for the job. One of the managers I interviewed with manages a department I wanted to work in more, but her position was seasonal. The other manager manages in a department which attracts a little bit older women and her position was permanent. I was torn on which position I would want more, because either I would be temporary and work in a department I liked more or I would be permanent and work in a department I liked a little less. Of course, I had decided that I would take either job, because the first manager told me it would be easy to keep my job if I worked hard and made my sales goals. The first manager just called me and offered me the seasonal position in the Point of View department! I gladly accepted, and I start work tomorrow! I will have to get back into the swing of working and going to school at the same time. I was actually planning on starting my 100W paper 5 tomorrow, but I will be training from 9am-5pm, and I'm sure I will be exhausted by the time I get off. My new manager, Brittany, said that I could stop by the department and pick up my schedule tomorrow after training. I am excited and scared to see how much I will be scheduled. I like to believe I am a hard worker and very organized so I know I can balance this job along with the many other things I do. Nordstroms is a commission-based store so I am hoping to sell a lot, hence make a lot of money! I can't wait to see how this journey goes. I hope I like it as much as I'm making myself think I will. . . : )

Vocab Words:

secularism (noun): a system of political or social philosophy that rejects all forms of religious faith and worship.

monarchy (noun): supreme power or sovereignty held by one single person.

Happiness : )

Lately, things have been going wonderfully for me. This past weekend I went on my weekend getaway. I drove to San Luis Obispo on Friday with my boyfriend and a few of our friends and spent the night there, then on Saturday we drove to Santa Barbara. First of all, the downtown shopping is amazing! Although I really didn't buy anything but two beautiful rings, I absolutely loved it. On Halloween night, we went to Isla Vista. I really do not know what all the hype is about that place. I'm glad I went to experience the whole So Cal thing myself, but seriously people get drunk and walk down the street. . . why? I came back home on Sunday and it definitely felt good. As fun as trips and vacations are, I always love coming back home to my own place. Today, I went in for an interview at Nordstroms. I absolutely love that store as a customer, so I figured I would apply for a job (at least seasonal). I do not want to work in retail year round. Unfortunately, I have been looking to be a receptionist or assistant to a receptionist or lawyer or something in a law firm but have not found anything fit for me on Craig's List or by word of mouth. Every post I see either requires a Bachelor's degree, full-time, or specific hours that I could not do because I will be at school. Therefore, I have decided that I will not mind working retail but continuing my search for the job I want at a law firm to at least expose me to that type of environment. I know I did so well on the interview today. One of the two managers I met with told me to expect a call from HR soon because she wanted me to work in her department. This is a little exciting because 1) I will have a source of extra income, and 2) I will get a discount at my favorite store. I just have to be careful to save and not spend everything I make. I can do it though!

Vocab Words:

stymie (noun): a situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any attempt to deal with or resolve it.

accretions (noun): an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition.

TOTALED CAR!! : (

I have always been known to have bad luck. All week long I had been planning to spend my Friday at the King library, working on my second 100W paper. This morning I woke up to a cat's non-stop meowing. I opened my window and saw a little gray and white cat suck on the ledge outside my window. I was able to locate the cat's (Scuddle) home number and gave his mother a call. My dad came home from work to help get the cat down safely and return him home. While it felt good to rescue the little cat, it delayed my study plans. I was eating breakfast when my younger sister called me. I answered my phone but I could not hear anything she was saying and she could not hear anything i was saying. I called her with my home phone and she said she wanted to come with me. I waited about five minutes for her to get home, we took my dog on a walk, then wen to get coffee. At Starbucks, the barista made me the wrong drink, so she re-made the one I had actually ordered but still gave us the extra drink. We decided to take it to my mother, since she works down the street. This delayed my plans once again. After dropping off the coffee, we were finally on our way to school. I drove onto 85S then 87N. I was driving in the middle lane of a three-lane freeway. Just a mile and a half before our exit, I noticed a small, crappy, black car to my right was merging into my lane without using his signal. I honked my horn but he continued to drive towards my car. In an attempt to prevent an accident, I tried turning my wheel to the left but this made my old '98 VW Beetle go haywire! I spun around once, hit the cement center divide, spun around again, hit the center divide once more, spun halfway around and finally stopped horizontal to the traffic coming on the freeway. I was in shock at first, seeing the low-life that caused my accident drive right off. I was also surprised that my airbags did not come out. The coffee my sister and I got before hand spilled EVERYWHERE: my hair, my face, the ceiling of the car, seats, and windows. The whole front end of my car was smashed in, the front headlight was hanging on by one wire, liquid was spilling out from the front end, and smoke was coming out of my hood. I was SO angry! Luckily I did not hit any other car, another car did not hit me, and most importantly my sister and I were okay. Someone stopped behind me and called the police. My phone was not working, and my sister's was dead, so I was so thankful when the man that had stopped let me use his phone to call my dad. My dad arrived at the scene, and we had to get my car towed. Now I am car-less while my little bug is sits in an auto shop. I know it is totaled, which is terrible because I do not know when I'll get a new car. I'm positive the guy that caused this accident looked in his rear-view mirror and saw my car uncontrollably spinning around. I hope he doesn't sleep tonight, knowing he caused such a bad accident. My day has since been filled with contacting the insurance company and soon going to get a rental car. I am in no mood to do homework now, and feel like my day has been completely wasted! : (

VOCAB:

vehement (adj): characterized by anger, strongly emotional

peremtory (adj): positive or assertive in speech, tone, or manner

Halloween

Last year, I did not do much for Halloween. I stayed in with my boyfriend and my sister, handing out candy to the little trick or treaters. For this reason, I want to make this Halloween all the more exciting. Like most other people, I have never been to Santa Barbara, but this may be the special year! I have a friend who just moved down to Santa Barbara for school, and he has invited everyone from San Jose to go down for Halloween. Although the invite is very nice, and I would be with all of my friends there; my first choice would be to stay at a hotel. This is just because I think my friend's house will be a mess with people all over, nowhere to sleep, and waiting for the shower and bathroom to get ready. Currently, my boyfriend, two friends, and I are on the search to find a good, cheap hotel in Santa Barbara to stay at for Halloween night. Usually people going down South for Halloween book their hotel room way in advance. Our plans are a little last minute, so I'm hoping to find something we are looking for. I think it would be a very fun time, and an experience that everyone needs to have at least once during their college career : ) If we go down to Santa Barbara, I think we are planning on going downtown to the bars, since my friends and I are all at least 21 years young. As for a Halloween costume, I think I am pretty set on that. I my boyfriend and I to have matching costumes, and for us to be milk and cookies. Now this is not going to be a full-on milk carton and cookie costume, it will be much more stylish! I'm planning on making our costumes, because I think they always come out better. This will ensure that nobody else will have a costume that looks like mine, seeing as it will come straight from my imagination! I hope our trip works out and that it is a lot of fun. The one thing I'll worry about while away is homework! I will just have to slave away and get as much done as possible, before Halloween weekend. . .

Vocab Words:

explicate (verb): to make plain or clear

concomitant (adj): concurrent, existing or occurring with something else.

Animals

I am such an animal person! I find animals to be such helpless creatures and I think that no animal should ever have to go hungry or homeless. Animals cannot communicate their true feelings, wants, and needs to people. They just have to go with the flow, even if they are in a situation that is unhealthy. The other day I was driving home from school, and while getting off the freeway I saw a homeless man asking for money. With him, was a poor little dog. My heart broke, for this dog is forced to live with a homeless person, standing in the daytime heat waiting for money and sleeping through cold nights on the street. I just wanted to steal the dog and give him a better home! I felt more for the animal than for the guy because animals cannot talk to humans and we would never know if the dog is suffering and wishing he were somewhere else, although I am sure he was!! I have two animals: a dog, and a cat. I know my animals are so lucky to have the home they do. My animals are always fed, always have water, and are constantly loved by everyone in my family. My family sometimes give the animals more privileges and freedoms that we have. My cat pretty much sleeps wherever she wants, and my dog is often treated to good home-cooked food. I am thankful to have the animals that I have because they bring so much happiness to my family. I wish all animals would have the loving home they needed. Whether the home may be with a human family or out in the wilderness to roam freely.

Vocab Words:

marauding (adj): engaged in raiding for plunder.

compendium (noun): a summary, epitome, or abridgment.

Jobless. . .

I have always had a job while going to school. In the past few years, I have worked at the following places: two private schools, running an after-school program; a hair salon, working as a receptionist. I was able to keep a steady job for the past few years, until recently when I was cut from the after-school program I most recently worked at. My parents do not push me to have a job, but I like making my own money to spend on extra things that I want. Of course, after losing my job, my mother told me not to look for another one and just enjoy school and my free time. At first I was okay with this. Slowly, I found that I would sometimes get bored after school, or that I would procrastinate doing things. I feel I work much better when I am on a strict schedule. I like when I have to plan my day and cram everything in, rather than go to school, come home, relax, and do homework when I feel like it. I have also noticed that I tend to get headaches more often. I feel this is partly from the more time I have to sleep in on weekends, and partly from the more time I have to do my online shopping! I am truly a person that needs to have multiple things going on. Knowing this, recently I have been looking for a job. Although I have not been looking too hard, I know that I really need to step up my game. I recently applied for a receptionist position at a massage clinic but did not get a call back. I feel I have a lot of experience in various areas that could be beneficial to any job, which is why I do not know why someone would not want to hire me. I know it is always good to follow-up and give the employer a call, so I am planning on doing that sometime this week. I am also going to fill out an application for Nordstroms. This is my favorite store. I know it will be hard to work at Nordstroms and save my money at the same time, but I love the environment. I think working at Nordstroms will be a very fun place to be at during the holiday season, because I enjoy holiday decorations and helping people shop for gifts. While my savings money will last me a little longer, I hope to find a job soon. I would love to find a job now that I can keep throughout Winter Break!

Vocab Words:

1) obfuscate (verb): to make obscure or unclear

2) idolatry (noun): the religious warship of idols