It's Official - I'm Manic

Source - Manic & Mania

***Quick disclaimer.  Mental illness is not something to take lightly.  If you believe you may be suffering from any form of mental illness please contact a doctor ASAP***


I've mentioned before that I've had a whole slew of mental illness diagnoses and never really got a final answer as to what is causing me to feel/act the way I do.  One of those diagnoses was bipolar disorder (AKA manic-depressive disorder).  This was a popular diagnosis because of the obvious periods of mania that I've experienced throughout my adolescence and adult life.  Lucky for me, I don't get to a point where I think I can fly and jump off of buildings (which can happen to bipolar people), instead I get this burning desire to learn, work, make money, etc.

There were many times where I held 3 jobs.  Not because I "needed" the money, just because I wanted extra money and was fully convinced I could handle have multiple jobs.  Then 2 weeks, or 4 weeks, or 6 weeks later I would quit my extra jobs (it was common for me to start working at retail stores that I would appreciate a discount at).

While I was planning my wedding to The Ex I decided I should start wedding planning part time on top of my highly stressful full-time job (and on top of planning my own wedding).  So I started taking a class at a local community college and started selling customized wedding stuff on Etsy.  My Etsy shop was actually pretty successful (I closed it when the mania subsided) and the class was a complete joke.

Well, over the past few weeks I have taken on the following:

1. I decided to be a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant (AKA toy sales rep, lol)
2. I decided to take an online Jewelry Design & Repair Class
3. I decided to improve my photography skills
4. I decided to start couponing
5. I decided to start selling some of my hand-knit creations

Seriously - that's kinda nuts.

So, I became a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant.  This is a Direct Sales position (like Mary Kay or Pampered Chef) where your primary source of income is holding "parties" to sell toys.  The cost of the kit (plus shipping and fees, etc.) was $150.  Whether I become the best DT sales consultant ever or its just a passing fad the $150 was totally worth it because the toys are freaking awesome (and no, I'm not just saying that because I want you to buy toys from me, lol)!  Plus, they spend a lot of time educating their sales reps on childhood development (and in turn which toys will aid in the different stages of development) which is really important to me as a soon-to-be first time mom!  If you're interested in buying any of the toys or becoming an Educational Consultant yourself, you can check it out here!

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And I signed up to take an online Jewelry Design and Repair class.  This has a little more back-story.  I recently found out there's a program for military spouses called "Career Advancement Assistance."  Basically they'll pay up to $4,000 ($2,000 a year for two years) to go towards a military spouse getting a certification, license, or associate's degree.  Your "goals" have to be pre-approved and the point is to help you get started in a career that is mobile since we have to move so often.

Now, I would have waited to start something until after I had the baby and settled into be a Mom, but there's a catch.  Once your husband reaches a certain paygrade, you are no longer eligible for the assistance.  Well, if my husband gets promoted, I'm no longer eligible.  He'll be taking the advancement exam again this spring (it'll be his third time taking it) and if he gets promoted (it's more complicated than just passing the test) he'll officially be the higher pay grade this December.  So I potentially have until December to try and take advantage of this!  So I'm technically starting the class on the 18th and then I have a year to complete it but I can do it at my own pace.  

I'm actually super excited about the class.  I've always been into jewelry making; I had my fourth grade Birthday party at the Beadworks in Boston (best Birthday party ever, btw).  And the course includes a bunch of supplies you'll need to design and repair jewelry, so there's no out of pocket cost for me.  If you'd like some more information on the course, it can be found here!

Next up...I decided to improve my photography skills.  So I bought a book.  This book to be exact:

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This book is great because it isn't overwhelming you with terms and definition, instead it's way more straightforward.  You wanna take a portrait outside?  Turn off the flash, use a medium f-stop number and a low ISO.  Wanna take a picture of your dog playing outside? Again, no flash, but this time use a fast shutter speed.  It does also get into all the scientific mumbo-jumbo, but beyond the basics I just don't have the attention span to read about that, lol, so I really like this book.

Then I decided to start couponing - why the hell not right?  I got a binder, inserts, a Sunday paper...I even clipped the coupons out of the Sunday paper!  Now I just have to put my clipped coupons in my binder and actually start using them.

Personal Photo

As long as I stick with this long enough to cover the cost of my binder/inserts I'll be happy.  If I get really into it and end up on Extreme Couponing I expect you all to lock me in a padded cell, because those people are legit hoarders!  But I doubt I'll get that into it, lol.  It would be nice to save some dough on our grocery shopping bill though!

And finally I decided to start selling my hand-knit creations.  I haven't gotten to the point of creating an Etsy shop or anything yet, instead I'm basically just selling stuff to other people on base.  I already have 3 orders.  I even made a Facebook page!  If you want to go and "like" it, you are more then welcome to.  And if you really wanted to order something from me, I wouldn't say no, but you'll just have to pay for the shipping and the Paypal fee.  And you'll have to wait a while since I still need to finish my first 3 orders.

So yeah, if that isn't full blown mania, I don't know what is.  But like I said, it isn't scary-I-think-I-can-fly mania, it's just I-think-I-can-do-everything-and-won't-stop-until-I-do mania.  With my type of mania, I always end up making some extra cash which is totally not a bad thing with a little Seamonkey on the way!  And this post turned out way longer than I intended it to be, so I'm gonna cut myself off now!

Until next time...

Random Updates

I blame moving for feeling like I've fallen behind. In reality I missed one, maybe two, of my normal posts, but I honestly feel like SO much has happened, so I'm just gonna do an update post...

1 - We moved! Yes, we're in our house on base, and I couldn't be happier. Our house is awesome, but it'll be WAY more awesome once we get more furniture, lol. And once we get a few more pieces I'll be happy to share the whole place with you. For now you'll have to settle for a picture of the outside (below).

2 - I quit my job at Michael's. I know, I'm pathetic. But honestly, its quite a hike from our new place, so the commute isn't really worth 4 hours of minimum wage. And standing in place on a cement floor was giving me back spasms. I asked if I could be switch to working on the sales floor, thinking walking around would hurt less and they said no - I was hired to be a cashier. So, eff them. I'm over it!

3 - I forgot to take an 11 week photo of my belly growth. I'm kinda pissed at myself for it. But in the grand scheme of things, its no big deal.

4 - I think the end of my first-trimester-exhaustion is in site. First of all, I've actually been cooking dinner. And not feeling disgusted by it. And yesterday I brought the dogs on not one, but two walks (a short - 25 minute - one in the morning and a longer - 40 minute - one in the evening) and I went to the gym! I did 3.5 miles on the treadmill, running some and speed walking the rest! It felt great! And this morning I brought the dogs on a short walk and I'm getting ready to head to the gym soon! Go me!

5 - The Sailor may be shipped out as early as next week. Hopefully we'll get more details today.

6 - I'm making all sorts of decorating/DIY plans. But, I'll just share them with you all as I actually start them, I just wanted to give you something to look forward to, lol.

Ummm, I think that's all for now!

Until next time...

10 Weeks Pregnant!

...and I had my first ultrasound today! And my little Sea Monkey is perfect!!!

But first, the usual...

Physically, I think (aka hope) my skin is starting to clear up! And I'm hoping once we get out of the stinky-water apartment it'll get even better! And I'm starting to get kinda gassy. Mainly burping a lot, but just gassy in general

And mentally, I feel so flipping relieved! Cuz like I said, my little Sea Monkey is in tip top shape. But, I should start at the beginning...

I heard if you drink a lot it'll make it easier to see the little sucker during the earlier ultrasounds. So I was sucking down water like no ones business. And, I didn't want the little guy to be sleepy, so I had The Sailor stop at McDonald's so I could get an apple pie to give the Sea Monkey a sugar boost.

When we got there I found out they wanted to do a full annual exam. It was a little awkward to have The Sailor in the room while I had a pap done, but hell, he's gonna watch me push a baby out my hooha, this is a good place to start, lol.

Then it was finally time for my long awaited ultrasound. Since I'm only 10 weeks and some change, they did the hooha probe instead of the belly version. Whatevs, just show me my baby.

The Doc starts poking around and every time she gets a clear view of my little love, (s)he starts doing flips. And karate chops. And funny faces. Ok, I can't say with certainty that (s)he was making, funny faces, but in my mind (s)he was... One of three this was happening...option a) the little Sea Monkey had a sugar high from my pre-appointment snacks. Option b) ultrasound turns on and the Sea Monkey said something like this "mleh...what's that noise. Get away from me...I don't like that noise." And finally, option c (aka the most likely scenario since the little sucker is currently living in my uterus) ultrasound machine turns on and the Sea Monkey says something like this "what's that noise? Is someone watching me in here? Look what I can do :: back flip :: look what I can do :: karate chop :: hehehe...look at me :: funny face ::"

Okay, so the third option isn't that likely, but that's what I started thinking about while (s)he put on a show. And I started cracking up. Straight up laughing like a moron while the Doc is twisting a probe around in my hooha trying to get a good shot of the fetus.

When I finally got all my giggles out, the Sea Monkey calmed down, and we finally got a clear shot to date the pregnancy with.

So, Doc does her measurements and asks how sure I am of how far along I am. I said I'm 99% sure I could pinpoint the hour we conceived. And she asks how far I thought I was - I told her....10 weeks 4 days. She asked when I thought I was due - I told her...April 6th.

And she said I was exactly right. That's right, this baby and I are totally on the same wavelength. I hear/read about women who charted and knew exactly when they conceived, but the baby still measures at having a different due date. That doesn't sit well with me. This baby and I are totally gonna get along if (s)he keeps this up, lol!

So, the baby is healthy as can be (with a heart rate of 174 bpm), there's only one in there, and it looks like (s)he loves staying on schedule as much as I do! I couldn't be a happier Mama!

So, I've got a healthy baby, my first real shift at Michael's tomorrow, and we pick up the keys to our house on base on Thursday! Life is good.

Until next time...

More human interaction, perhaps?

When you get to the point where you're trying to rationalize with your dog, I'm pretty sure that's a red flag that you need more human interaction.

Seriously - I was just sitting on my couch, watching the Today show, eating my breakfast, and Gabby got all up in my face hoping to get a nibble. Instead of just saying "no" or "off" (the logical commands to use in this situation) it went more like this...

"Seriously Gabby? Do I get all up in your business when you're eating breakfast?"

:: Gabby looks at me like I'm nuts and drools a little ::

"No, I don't. So I would appreciate the same consideration."

:: Somehow, some way, she understood me and got off the couch but continued to drool ::

"Now that's much better!"

:: I give her a bite and she starts really drooling ::

That's totally a true story, and it really just happened.

But, luckily I got the job at Michael's and I have orientation this afternoon! (More human interaction - check!) And I'm surprisingly excited. In my mind, you wouldn't even apply to work at a craft store unless that interested you, so I'll be working with a group of people who have similar interests as I do.

Is it a dream job? No - does anyone actually want to work in retail? But, it'll be some extra income and guarantee that I'll have to talk to someone other than the dogs occasionally, lol. Plus, I'll be the first to know about sweet sales and I'll get a discount on craft supplies! And, it'll be good for me to be forced to walk around regularly...its been so hot out, I'm turning into a bump on the log.

So, the dress code is black polo, khaki pants, and black shoes. I had none of these things so The Sailor and I went out last night to get them. And I officially got my first pair of maternity pants - dundunduuuuun! I figured I'll need them eventually, so why not just take the plunge? The black polo I found was actually a men's shirt, lol, but I couldn't find any women's. And the shoes are horrendous. I'm ashamed to have purchased pure black sneakers, but I was forced to do it! (You can see the shameful foot attire in the photo below)

That's really all I've got for now...have you ever worked in retail? Any advice?

Until next time...

PS - I'm including a picture of the puppies, simply because they're flipping adorable...

I've got an interview!

And its at Michael's!
But first, a little backstory on me....I went to college in Pittsburgh. I was studying Information Systems Management and had 2 great internships before I graduated. I wasn't at the top of my class or anything, but the work experience I had was worth more than a killer GPA. And when I graduated in the Spring of 2010 I went straight to working full time for the Investment Company I had been interning at...and things quickly went from "I love my job" to "I fucking hate my job."
I graduated in May and instead of staying with the group I had been interning with I was transferred to another group to start my career as a Business Systems Analyst. 4 months later, one of my three co-workers opted to transfer to another group (cuz our boss sucked). A month after that another coworker quit leaving our group of four with just two (plus our horrible boss). We finally replaced coworker one just before Christmas and he quit two weeks later.
Things sucked. Really bad. My boss was an idiot, I had an obscene amount if responsibility with no hopes of advancement in the near future since I had only been there for like 9 months. I did get a raise but it was so small it was insulting. And overall I just hated my job.
Eventually we hired 2 new people who were decent workers, but they were still new. And then the one other person who had been there longer than me quit (again because my boss sucked) and I knew I couldn't stay there any more and I started looking for a new job.
I found one within weeks and since I felt bad for the two new employees at my current job I gave them a chance to match my other offer. They told me they were "offended" I was even looking elsewhere. Seriously? I was paid as an associate level but had the workload and responsibility of a senior level and your offended I was looking for a new opportunity? I almost laughed, but held it in and gave my two weeks notice.
One week later is when I "ran away."
The Sailor is amazed I'd be willing to work at a job that in his eyes is below me. I have a college degree, work experience, and I'm good at what "I do." But I have no desire in the immediate future to go back to being a business analyst. I actually start panicing at the thought of it. I just had such a bad experience with my first real job. I don't want to go through that again.
The thought of working st Michael's, however, is super exciting to me! In an ideal world I would work around 30 hours during the day during the week. I'm not really picky about what I would do, but I would love to work toward a part-time manager position. Or get to be one of the people who gives demos!
And I may not have any significant retail experience, but I have PLENTY of crafting experience!
-Jewelry making - both beading and friendship type jewelry (knot tying)
-Papercrafting - scrapbooking experience but more card making. I have a Cricut expression, a Gypsy, and a Yourstory laminator and book binder.
- I love making my own bows with wired ribbon. I also know how to make a number of flowers out of ribbon.
- With experience being a camp counselor, I've done every kind of "kid craft" you can name. And I'm a pro at tie-dying and t-shirt decorating (what else do you do at summer camp, lol)
- Although amateur, I have experience sewing and have taken a few lessons so I actually know a decent amount about the supplies and when you should use what.
- And Navy Wife Kim taught me how to knit on Friday! I'm no pro, but I think I'm doing alright for just learning (check out the picture below). And I've planned my first real project already - a kitten blanket for the baby (photo and pattern can be found here: http://www.greasy.com/nittineedles/kitty_kuddles_free_pattern.html )
Basically, if they don't hire me, they're crazy, lol.
So, I may seem crazy for wanting to get a part-time retail position when I have a college degree, but that's what I want!  After the baby is born, I'd love to keep working just super part time. And not for the income, for the discount! Seriously, crafting is expensive! And if I'm ever able to open my own online store of handmade goods that discount would be killer!
Now I just have to figure out what to wear to an interview at Michael's!
Until next time...