Currently, vol. 19

Well here we are again at the beginning of another week. Not much was different this week besides the Hawks winning the Stanley Cup. I worked like normal except for the weekend. Yesterday I worked a 13 hour shift, and today I worked a 12 hour shift. Am I tired? Absolutely. Was it worth the money? Let's see... Yes. Am I thankful for a comfy bed and warm shower? Heck yes! I am linking up with Lauren. So here is what's going on currently...

My chooch.

Bold rainbow in both WI and IL Friday. 

Gas in WI: 3.29
Gas in IL: 3.79
Driving 20 minutes into WI for gas: Priceless

reading Nowhere but Home. It is a great book, but I read another book this week called Until Tomorrow.
writing blogposts. I am trying to come up with a weekly post about my job at Panera. I think I could right a blog just on that place alone. People are crazy.
thinking that I deserve to sleep in a little tomorrow. I have to make an important phone call tomorrow to Starbucks. They want to interview me and this guy Dan that I work with at Panera ironically.
smelling my shampoo! (Best. Shower. Ever)
wishing for my back to start feeling back to normal. I injured my back on Monday, but that isn't anything new.
hoping to have the opportunity to work at Starbucks. I have wanted to work there ever since I started at Panera. I would kill to make drinks all day.
wearing an old t-shirt and comfy shorts.
loving the weather. It is about 70 degrees right now. I think that 75 is just perfect. I love heat, but hate the humidity here in the Midwest!
wanting to catch up on all my emails, messages on fb, and read the blogs I missed this weekend while working! Also, I am wanting to see MU and DM2 (Monster's University and Despicable Me 2). I am a child at heart!
needing to hop over to youtube, and listen to the fall out boy song stuck in my head.
feeling exhausted from work. (like always)
clicking the new tab button so I can check my emails.

Have a great week everyone! If you could say a little prayer for me tomorrow about Starbucks that would be fantastic!
-b

UPS Interview and the Stanley Cup...

Hey everyone,

Happy Tuesday to you all. I woke up with every intention to have a good day, and surprisingly I did. I threw my back out yesterday carrying a cat litter bucket down to the basement. Yep sounds as bad as it is. I severely injured my back playing basketball in the 7th grade, and it is just one of times where you move funny and you're down for the count. Today I had an interview with UPS (the big brown trucks).

So here's what went down. I got to the address and parked, and it was pouring rain. I go into this little hut, and ask where I am to go. They give me directions around the back, and I venture out into the rain again. Somewhere between the hut and my car I drop an envelope. I didn't notice until I got into the interview because we were to have documentation that we can legally work in the US blah, blah, blah. In the envelope is my birth certificate and my social security card (more on this later). I sit down with the HR person, and we are chit chatting, all the usual stuff, and he says, "Okay, we will let you know if we want you to come back for another interview." Umm, okay? I just hope that it is soon that I hear from them. I leave the interview, and I get back to my car praying the envelope is on my seat. Nope. My heart drops, and I speed all the way over to the parking lot searching for a white envelope. I see it, and I run for it. The envelope is soaked, BUT the documents are completely dry! It was just short of a miracle for having sat in a puddle for thirty minutes. I hope that I hear from them soon because I am desperate for a second job!

In other news, if you aren't from Chicago or aren't a hockey fan... The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup late last night in Boston in Game 6 of the Finals. Their game was fantastic. They scored two goals in 17 seconds to beat the Bruins 3-2 with about a minute left in the game. My facebook newsfeed exploded, as well as my phone, and many fireworks in the neighborhood. I am very happy for them, and I can't wait to (hopefully) go to the parade in Chicago on Friday to celebrate their win!

The parade will look something like this one for their win just 4 years ago!
source

Congrats Chicago! Have a great rest of your week everyone!

-b

Currently, vol. 18

Hey! So here we are again. It's Sunday, right? I get so confused since I work on Sunday's about what day it actually is. It has been a normal week around here. I am starting to get used to my work schedule, but I need adventure. Part of me totally wants to get on the metra and end up somewhere/anywhere. I love adventure and people watching. This week is normal again except I have a job interview with UPS before work on Tuesday. I guess it's a student position with tuition stipend? I just have to crack down on finishing my resume or start it. (I have one, but it was lost on my desktop.) Plus it is time to have a more professional looking one.

Missing these crazy kids plus a few more from college.
This is Kaity, Lori, Abby, and Rachel.

So here is what is going on currently:

reading Nowhere but Home. It is a pretty good book so far, but I've only read forty pages so don't take my word for it.
writing up job apps and my resume.
thinking that I need to go for a run today even if it is sweltering out (at least to me).
smelling nothing?
wishing for yummy steak for dinner. (since that is what we're having).
hoping to see my one-arm farmer's tan to go away.
wearing a tank and running shorts. (same this week too)
loving bi-monthly paychecks. It is a fantastic way to get paid after getting nothing while in school.
wanting to jump in the kiddie pool in the back yard. We bought the dogs a plastic kiddie pool so they can cool their paws off.    
needing to find the charger for my laptop and most definitely find some food.
feeling exhausted from work. (like always)
clicking the new tab button so I can check my emails. 

Have a great week! 

-b

Today is my Saturday...

I just love this one. My dog did a face plant as I was taking this!

So I work at the land of bread (Panera), and they have this wonderful thing called a work week. Our lovely work week is Wed-Tues, and this is like most restaurant or retail stores. I guess it's for paychecks or whatever. I typically work 33 hours a week, and I work Sat, Sun, Tues, and Wed. I really like my schedule because my crew is really awesome, but three out of the four days our customers are always the same. I need some variety in my life. 

So since I have this randomly scheduled week, I have to come up with things to do. This will resort to tanning, sleep, and Starbucks (where I am currently). I get to hear the lovely whirl of their blenders, the bitter smell of brewed coffee, and the sting of the espresso machine. I conveniently left my earbuds at home in order to just people watch and blog! I even applied to be a barista at 5 local Starbucks. I am itching for a phone call in the next two days, and if I don't get one I will definitely call them and inquire.

I am also trying to come up with more ideas about blog posts, and I am writing a letter to my sponsor child in Haiti.

Have a lovely day! What are you guys doing on this beautiful Thursday?
-b

Currently, vol 17.

Happy Sunday and Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I am fortunate to know my father, but I don't have a good relationship with him due to my parents divorce when I was very young. We talk, but I do not have a father daughter relationship with him. In some ways, I envy others relationships with their dads, but then I remember that my Grandpa was my "Dad", and he was taken from me too early. I love and miss him dearly. This week has been quick, and uneventful which is fine by me! I talked to a manager at a local Starbucks, and she encouraged me to apply for a Barista position there. So, I might be able to put my mini-barista skills from Panera to use at a real coffee house!

Here are a couple of pics from my week:

banana chocolate chip muffins :)

tom tom getting ready for a run

So here is what is going on currently:

reading and catching up on blogs! This is the story of my life. I want to have more time to just sit at Starbucks, blog, and read blogs. 
writing in my journal hopefully. I really like to document my thoughts and emotions, and I forget about this a lot while in school and when I'm on break. I want to remember the good, the bad, and the ugly about my life 20 years from now. 
thinking my every growing list of supplies, fees, books, certification, and physical stuff I need to get before going back to school in the fall. This is going to be a very economically draining semester for my checkbook. (I do take personal checks, but the amount must have more than 6 zeros :) Jk) 
smelling the yummy potatoes and steaks grilling outside my window right now! 
wishing for a peaceful nights sleep compared to last night. I fell asleep around 1:30 (I don't know why it took so long), and I had to get up at 5 so I could be to work by 5:45 to open Panera.  
hoping to see a small number on the scale this week and every week
wearing a tank and running shorts. (same this week too)
loving the warmer weather we're having today. (same)
wanting to repaint my toes. They look terrible. It is the outgrown look that is too outgrown for the public eye.    
needing to get up and start working cooking the corn on the cob. 
feeling exhausted from work.
clicking the exit in the top right corner after the publish button. Time to chow!

Have a great week!

-b

Currently, vol. 16

It has been another crazy week here in Northern IL. Yesterday, my mom and I woke up at 4:30 to volunteer at the Urban Warrior Dash. It is a obstacle course 5k to raise money for St. Jude's Children Hospital. We were working the water booth, and some people were really funny, tired, sweaty, or even drunk. It was tons of fun. 

The last obstacle before the finish line.

They had to climb walls!

Bonus photo: This is Great Lakes Naval Hospital.
Myself and my mom both worked here, and they are in the process of tearing it down.
It is sad to see it go. I worked on the 9th floor in the med library.

So, here's what's going on currently...

reading not a whole lot. I am just working and sleeping 
writing this post and hopefully responding to emails and a scholarship this evening 
thinking about going back to sleep. I took a nap, and now I'm still tired. I need to cut the grass though.  
smelling nada. 
wishing for a  good run today. My legs are super tense from yesterday's run. It's like stretching making everything worse. 
hoping to see a small number on the scale this week. 
wearing a tank and running shorts.
loving the warmer weather we're having today. 
wanting to watch Harry Potter and nap at the same time.   
needing to get up and get stuff done. Probably not going to happen though. 
feeling like my muscles hate me
clicking the refresh button on my blogger homepage. Time to catch up on my reading. 

Have a great week!
-b

Best and worst day of the week (on the same day)

Hey, Happy Thursday!

I just wanted to share with you how possible it is to have the best and worst day ever on the same day and within hours of each other. Did that make sense?

I had plans to go to Meineke (a mechanic shop here in IL) to get my brakes checked for free. Um hello, Free is my fave word!! So I went there, they told me that I needed new brakes like yesterday. Great. I'm a college kid remember. No tengo dinero. I have no money.

So, I said okay go ahead. Then there was a problem with the master cylinder. They gave me a rental for a few hours so I didn't have to sit at the shop all day. I went to the mall. SHOPPING! Window shopping to be specific. So I was a gap and found an eight dollar pair of jeans (This is a great steal at Gap). $8! Not to mention that I have dropped an jean size since coming home from college! (This is the best part of my day). I went to pay with my credit card (that I wanted to use at the mechanic), and it was declined. I called the company, and it is apparently not the most recent card. Great.

Now I have no way to pay the mechanic. Somehow, God was with me in that I scraped together enough money to pay with cash, debit and credit. I am now completely broke. Like 60 dollars to my name broke. Pay day is in a week, and then I will be able to breathe again.

So, today I have new brakes and a caramel macchiato. I am sitting at starbucks emailing financial aid, possible employers, and snapchatting people.

I have really come to realize over the past week or so how much I need to lean on God and trust Him. I have heard this from many of my friends. I am thankful for them in this time of craziness. I am currently listening to Avril Lavigne's Keep Holding On. Talk about perfect timing.

Have a great rest of the week/beginning to the weekend.
-b

Go Hawks! We are currently 2-1.
They play at 8 tonight!

Currently, vol. 15

Oh what a week it has been here in Northern IL. I had an awesome week both at work and having fun with friends. I worked only three days surprisingly, and it was awesome to finally start sleeping in past 7am. Friday was my old high school's graduation. I graduated with 4 other people, and this year's graduating class was just the same: Five people! I look back now, and I think that is crazy. I hate saying that I was Salutatorian of my class because that isn't so hard to do. So, my entire class was reunited to go to graduation , and it felt just like old times. Some of us even went to Denny's at 11 pm. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Saturday, one of my best friends, Monic, turned 20! She is the last of my graduating class to leave the teen years. We met her and her family for pizza last night, and after my friends Monic, Aryan, Chris, and I went bowling until midnight! I then stayed up until 2, and got up for work at 5:15am. Wow. That was a lot. So, I am relaxing, staying updated on the Blackhawks game, watching Life of Pi, and after that Safe Haven. Life is Good, and God is Great!

Ms. D (my fav teach), Precious, Aryan, Monic, Me, and Chris.
This is my old class!

Bowling!

Goofing off. 

Chris, me, Ary, and Mo.

reading The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. 
writing up a job application to the movie store down the street, and applying for many jobs. 
thinking about all the things around the house that need to be done tomorrow. I need to mow, sweep, clean my room, pull weeds, and go for a 4 mile run. 
smelling nothing?
wishing for a call from one of the many jobs I applied for! 
hoping to accomplish a lot this week in many areas of my life. 
wearing my new Blackhawks t-shirt!!! It is for #19 Toews! We are currently in the lead in Game 2: 4-1!!
loving not having homework!
wanting to clean. I never want to do that so something must be wrong with me.  
needing to go close my window. It is 44 degrees outside right now. Umm, hello? I thought it was June.
feeling stressed financially.(again same from last week and the week before that)
clicking the post button. 

Have a great week everyone. 
-b
P.S. check back later this week for a post about the infamous quotes from working at Panera Bread!
P.S.S. i've lost three pounds or more this week!