Funny Story About My Blog

So...I came home Sunday (I think it was sunday...I don't even know what DAY IT IS TODAY... I'm exhausted yo) to find a bunch of errors on my blog. LAME. Blogger deleted my background template. Really, Blogger? REALLY? So I'm scowering the internets trying to find it again, because I'm just not smart enough to have saved the template on my desktop, and it's like...NOWHERE. I don't know where I found it and I give up. For right now...this is what you'll get. I'm fairly certain I'm going to just pay someone to design a new blog site for me and possibly a professional website so I can start putting together a portfolio.

It still pisses me off that I have to do it NOW though. I'm just not happy with what I have. Who designed your blog? Let me know bloggers!

*Madame K*

Diggin' This Layout

I'm kinda diggin' this....we'll see if it fits the new direction of my blog. What's that you say? You're wondering what the new direction of my blog will be? Oh my lovely friends, you'll just have to wait and see. (Hint: It has to do with something new and fancy I just bought...)

Being all domestic and crap...

So...I am a daddy's girl. I always have been and always will be. My dad is pretty awesome and has taught me a lot of stuff throughout my life. He taught me how to change my oil, change my tires, repair my brakes, fix the leaky kitchen sink and the running toilet and all the things you would think would make me a contributing member of society.

Unfortunately...since I was a daddy's girl, my dad also took care of my every whine and whimper when something broke (that I didn't feel like fixing). The phone call would go something like this:

Me: Um, Dad...
Dad: Yeah?
Me: I broke something....
Dad: Oh lord, what is it now?
Me: Well this thing in my engine is making a funny noise..
Dad: Well get out your Nissan handbook and fix it! I taught this crap to you for a reason!
Me: Yeah but I'll mess it up (read: I don't feel like it)
Dad: Alright...I'll be over in an hour.


This has worked out for nearly 23 years of my life. Life put a little damper in my plans, however, when he sent my husband and I to ALABAMA. Yeah, my dad loves me and all, but he's probably not going to drive 15 hours to come fix my leaky sink.

What about my husband you ask? He is the most amazing man in the world...but his dad wasn't the "fix it" kinda dad so he never really learned that stuff. Lucky for us, I did. I've spent my morning with a drill in hand doing the things my dad used to do for me. At the time, I really didn't want to listen to what it was he wanted to explain, thinking to myself... "I'll hire someone to do this when it needs to be done". But today, I couldn't be more happy and I have never felt so accomplished simply fixing things myself. Thanks, Dad.

<3

Changes

Ok so I suck, I haven't been posting, and I'm totally not on track with my blogging ways. I've been uber busy doing all the things I have been avoiding for months (yay me!) so I haven't been keeping up with this blogging business (booooo). I'm going to work on that.

I'm also going to work on a new layout. I need something thats a little more me. I have this temporary design for right now (thank you kindly, blogger) but I may end up just writing my own html...WHOA taking a stab at that could be oh-so-fun (no, for real..I'm not even being sarcastic)

I'm hoping to be back up and running smoothly over the next week....and my blog will probably take on a new focus so be on the lookout for that! I know, I know, you're trembling with anticipation.

I'll leave you with the creepiest thing I've seen in quite some time:

REALLY!? I mean REALLY? Who thought that would be a good idea? It's not even clever or funny or anything but ENTIRELY CREEPY. Fail blog says this is a WIN....I disagree.

And The Beat Goes On

So.... I'm going to be getting back into the swing of things with my blog. I'm still saddened by the loss of my gramma, but life must go on and she would want me to carry on with my life, with a smile on my face and love in my heart...so that is just what I'll do. 

I'll be posting some random internet crack later as per my usual Wednesday schedule, but first I'm going to blog a little bit about something new I'm going to be attempting. It's not that it's brand new per se, because it's always been a hobby. It's just something I've always been pretty good at and I am going to explore it a little more....photography.

I'm buying a new Nikon DSLR camera (and by I, I mean my husband is graciously buying it me...he spoils me so) and I'm going to try my hand at some natural light photography. If I do well enough I would hope to make it a nice part-time gig. I just think it would be something really fun to do on the side. 

I don't really have any high expectations of fame and glory, but I do think it's something I'll do pretty well. So...if you'd like to donate yourself or your child for an afternoon so I can build my portfolio a bit...I'll be happy to give you a free CD of the images I take. Just write me an Email or leave me a comment below! 

When Life Hands You Lemons...

...you make hard lemonade.


So I've been grieving and soul searching and trying to figure out this thing I call life...and I've come to two conclusions:

1. Life is hard. REALLY hard. There are ups and downs and twists and turns, it's almost never easy and just when you think it's going well...something happens and you start a-twistin' and a-turnin' again.

2. If it weren't hard, we probably wouldn't appreciate the great stuff that happens quite as much.


So many of you know that I moved to Alabama in June of 2009. When I moved here I was so excited to find a teaching job. I spent the last 5 years of my life learning and working in schools and doing what I love so when I got to Alabama I just knew I'd find the perfect job. My husband sure did, so why not I?

Six months later...still no job. I started down the "I-feel-sorry-for-myself" train and it was pretty hard to get off it. I worked my ass off for my degree, I was pationate about my job...WHY WOULDN'T THEY HIRE ME!? I pointed fingers and placed blame and yeah, there is a lot of blame to be had with a certain unnamed school district ... yeah you know the one. But it just wasn't productive (or emotionally healthy) for me to be feeling that way.

So I continued to substitute teach and I told myself, "One more summer. Search one more summer and if you don't figure it out and find a job, decide if it's worth waiting for."

You have to understand that "worth waiting for" means a lot of things. Is it worth waiting to have kids because I need to work for 3 years in a school to garuntee my job? Is it worth waiting for and stalling my student loan payments (that are nearly the same amount as a frackin' mortgage) because substitute teaching just don't pay those bills?(and while my husband is more than capable of paying those loans, I just feel awful having caused that burden on us. I want to be the one to pay those off.ME) Is it worth waiting for and dealing with the craptastic pay and poor treatment of being a substitute teacher for another year?

So I decided. No. It wasn't worth all that. So what am I going to do? I'm going to be a nurse :-). I'm going back to school and I'm going to rawk it, because I'm an awesome student and it's what I do. I can't wait to be a nurse, because like teaching, it's something I know in my heart I'll be good at. I'm able to memorize and retain a lot of detailed information, I can think quick on my feet, I'm great with people, and I love fast-paced work environments.

I'm so freakin' pumped, and for the first time in a long time, it feels like my life is falling into place again.  I feel like sometimes we get to this point where everything just has to burn down to the ground so we can start fresh. That's where I'm at right now. I'm starting fresh, with a new outlook, exciting opportunities ahead, and fire in my heart that I just haven't felt for quite sometime.

This Thing Called Death

I have sort of been staring at this computer screen blankly for the last 10 minutes.

You see, I know that writing can be therapeutic but I have this issue where I never want anyone to actually see what it is that I'm feeling...partially because there are just some things y'all don't need to see, and partially because I'm scared. Scared that people will see who I am...my deepest fears...all my insecurites...see ME. And that? That my friends is scary.

My Mama (my grandmother) was an amazing woman. She was the woman who watched my sister and I when my mother had to go back to work. She was the woman who took us to ballet and paid for our costumes and recitals because my parents could not afford it. She was the woman who encouraged my sister and I to grow into who we are today. She was...

See I can't even put it into words how great she truly was. And that sucks because I feel like I'm doing her an injustice by it. I want so badly for you all to see how truly amazing she was and I'm failing. I know that this is what happens as you grow up...your grandparents die. I get it. I know the whole life process. I know how this works...it just doesn't make it any easier.

You wanna know what really got me tonight though? As my grandmother lay, hooked up to monitors and oxygen, barely any life left inside her...watching my grandfather BROKE MY HEART INTO THOUSANDS OF LITTLE PIECES. My grandfather, who has been dutifully caring for my grandmother in her old age, who has done everything and anything that my grandmother has required, would not leave her side for the past 36 hours. He stayed there, awake, holding her hand even though she was entirely unresponsive. He talked to her as she began to drift to heaven...he stayed with her even though it was clear how very difficult it was on him.

I just don't see how people can deny that there are soulmates...that there is that one person we are truly meant to be with. It makes me appreciate my husband on such a different level. Watching my grandfather tonight changed me, and the way I view my marriage. Those vows I recited? They mean so much more, now that I've seen what it is they really mean.

I just don't know how this will ever stop hurting...

Weekly Line-Up

So I have been thinking more and more about the purpose of my blog and how I'll structure my week. I've decided on this:

Monday - Mischief Monday! Monday's are usually boring and it tends to be a little difficult to get back into the swing of things, so I'm going to begin each Monday with a little mischeif! I'm going to post a funny prank I've done, witnessed, or googled to jump start each week and I encourage you to write me yours! I'll be doing Mischief Monday contests, too, so look out for those!

Tuesday/Thursday - Tuesday's and Thursday's will be my "Get Organized" days.  I'll post tips and tricks on how YOU can get yourself organized in no time at all. (And, if you've got a mess you think no one can tackle...CONTACT ME. I'll get the job done.)

Wednesday - HUMP DAY. Wednesday, like Monday, tends to be a little hard to get through so I'm going to try to post some general funny business that I find on the internet.

Friday - I'll be attempting "Weekend Wonders" ...just general happenings that we all may want to venture out to over the weekend. Obviously this will be mostly focused in the Huntsville, Alabama area (and possibly some happenings in the Philadelphia area) but from time to time it will include general things to do that everyone can enjoy!

Saturday - "Someone Had to Say it Saturday"...I'll be picking random articles, pictures, events, news, etc and talking about it as honesty as I know how. (Those of you that know me, know that I can be...ahem...VERY honest).

Sunday -  I'm going to reserve Sunday as a personal day. I'll blog about whatever it is I want to. It might be about me and my life, or about things I'm excited about.

Anywho, I hope you enjoy my weekly routine and if you have any suggestions, comments, questions or concerns, just head right on over to the Contact Me page! I'd love to hear from you!

Procrastination: What's Your Procrastinating Preference?

Hi, my name is Diana. I'm a Procrastinator.

::HI DIANA::


It's becoming a SERIOUS problem these days. It seems as if I just can't motivate myself to do the things I know I need to do. It's not even like some of these things would take more than a few minutes (ex. I really need to empty the trashcans in my house and put new bags in them. It would LITERALLY take five minutes total, yet have I done it? Nope. Why? No clue. I just don't feel like it.) AND MY LIST ISN'T EVEN LONG! That's when it's the worst, though. It's like something about the length of my lists dictates the amount I procrastinate. I'm pretty sure it's a mathematic forumla...if list < 5 items then procastination = 25 days.

Ok so maybe not 25 days but still. Anywho...my awesome ability to procrastinate made me wonder what YOUR procrastinating preference is? Here is my list in no particular order:

1. Facebook - someone's got to be a stalker
2. Twitter - because my loyal followers would be totally bummed if i didn't post at least 26 times each hour.
3. StumbleUpon - no explanation needed.
4. Bubble Bath's - i NEED to stay clean y'all.
5. Reality TV (and A Few Good Men) - It's like crack! I just can't stop watching it once I see it's on!
6. This blog - writing about it might encourage me to do it? Nah...probably not.

EDIT: I'd like to add one...

7. Chillin' with my homies avoiding our work together!

So what do YOU do when you want to avoid work? Sound off....



Check back tomorrow for a new "Get Organized"  post. Do you have ADD? Do you have trouble staying organized? I'll help you find ways to conquer  even your most difficult organizational tasks in just a few easy steps!

Hello, World!

I'd like to welcome you to my new blog! I figured with all the big changes happening in my life, it was probably time to let go of my old blog and begin a new journey. What changes, you ask? Well...

I recently got married (yay!) bought a house (yay!) and decided to start a new career in nursing (o_O) yeah, I know. I'm crazy. Too much at once! Yet here I am, standing (by the grace of God) and ready to take on this new adventure in my life, head first! I'm sure you're wondering what in the world I'll be blogging about. The answer is simple. I HAVE NO IDEA. I know that when you start blogging everyone tells you that your blog has to have some sort of central focus, or you won't get recognized or have any followers. Well...it's a chance I'm willing to take.

I can tell you that I will definitely try to keep it to the few things I do have a lot of love for...cleaning and organizing, holistic healing, celebrity news (who DOESN'T like celebrity news? I mean, really...) and myself. I mean hey, it IS my blog. AND to make it a little easier on y'all, I'll make sure to label everything so you can skip the boring parts about my life and move straight on to the juicy stuff.


Hope you enjoy!

*Madame K*