Life Lately

Has it really been almost a month since I last posted?? How did that happen. I still remember sitting in that hot tub...it was so relaxing! I've been back to that hotel numerous times since that night, but my thrifty nature hasn't allowed me to get the suite again. Sigh. I hate my thrifty nature sometimes.

I've been gone a lot lately. Remember back in April when I wrote about how busy May was going to be? June was busier. I was gone 16 of the 30 days in June, and the longest consecutive period I was at home was 5 days. The shortest was 1.

I'm really enjoying being on the road, though. I'm getting used to driving 12+ hours; anything less seems like a blink in time. Books on CD are life-savers. As are sunflower seeds. Oh, and lots of water. Needing to use the facilities has a way of keeping me awake like nothing else.

I like the work I do. I've been testing the Wyoming National Guard a lot and work with the same officers each "event", as they're called. We've learned how to work together well and each time things are more efficient than the last. I *heart* efficiency. I like meeting new people, too. Even when I've been in the same location, working with the same officers, the people I'm testing have been different. I get a thrill when I explain to a young man why he needs to protect his hearing or he'll be deaf before he's 30 and he gets it. That look of enlightenment on his face is like a drug. He'd never considered the danger to his hearing before, but now he has knowledge and with that knowledge he can do better, be better. And, I'm the one who gave him that knowledge. Sigh. Yeah, I like it.

I love exploring new places, eating at local diners, chatting to the locals. I love flopping down on my hotel bed (especially if it's comfy) after a long day's work, knowing that I don't have anything I need to do - no laundry, no cleaning the bathroom, etc. - and allowing myself to just relax for a little bit.

I love Mint Crispy M&M's (a limited Indiana Jones flavor) and can only find them in one truck stop along the drive to Wyoming. I stock up, but not as much as I'd like. I'd like to wipe out the store and have one bag every week 'til the wretched day that they're all gone, but I don't. I buy 2. One for immediate consumption and one for the next day. Or later that day, if I'm weak. I'm usually weak.

It tickles me that the guys and gals who work at the truck stops are getting to know me. I stop at the same ones along the route, because I'm a creature of habit AND because I know I won't run out of gas before the next stop (very important to my sanity). This is a true story: coming home from Wyoming this past Sunday, I stopped at my normal Rawlins Flying J and the girl (who I mentally call Amy because she looks like my brother's ex) smiles and says, "Hi, Julie! Welcome back!" I wonder what my face looked like. I know it must have showed my surprise, I'm an open book. Then I smiled back and made some witty remark I don't quite recall well enough for it to still sound witty in the retelling. We chatted a bit while she authorized the pump, I walked back to pump my gas (imagine having to go into the store, back to the pump, back into the store, back to your truck every time you stop for gas and you stop 5 times going just one way - it's the only exercise I've gotten in months!), and when I returned to pick up my receipt, another guy was there who I've seen a lot of times and he also knew my name without asking! I think it's funny.

I enjoy being busy. I like feeling that I'm contributing to my boss's business in a way I never did before. I'm actually bringing in money instead of just managing it. I like making more money and being able to afford the condo and new furnishings. I still have to be wise with how I spend money, but it's worth it to have a home of my own. Side note: owning a home sometimes interfers with my daydreams of the guy I'm crushing on who lives somewhere else. In my daydreams, he always has to move here, I can never even consider moving where he lives. Oh well. :)

Being gone so much, I haven't been able to hang out with the people I love as much, but the next couple weeks will change that. I think I have plans with practically everyone I care about! I'm even seeing friends and family who live out of town! If you don't have plans with me yet, and you know I love you, please email me/call me and let's figure out something!!!

It'll be nice to be home for a long stretch of time. Like I said, I may go to Wyoming the first weekend of August, but it's not definite yet. The commanding officer wants me to do the event, but there's a bit of a hiccup that would bore you, so I won't expound on it. Anyway, if that job falls through, it looks like I won't have another one 'til the second week of September, the week after I get home from my cruise. Wow! What am I going to do with myself if that's the case? Well, I'd like to go to Bryce Canyon at least once (Cardine???), clean my bathroom (not done once since I moved into my condo; I'd be ashamed to admit it except I use it so rarely it's like brand new), organize my unorganized 3rd bedroom, and maybe start reading Shakespeare (refer to my New Year's goals).

That's pretty much it. I've left out some pretty interesting stuff, but to get that, you'll have to call or email me. Teehee. Aren't I clever? Hahahahaha.


P.S. Will someone please change my background colors for me? They are stuck in Spring and I have absolutely NO motivation to change them. Hmmm. Maybe that's one of the things I'll do if I don't get another 'job' before September. Don't hold your breath, though, I'm really not motivated.