Eat, Pray, Love

I have recently read the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's not a sappy love story (for the most part), or overly religious.  I liked it mainly because, while I can't relate to a lot of the situations that Ms. Gilbert was in that lead to the writing of this book, I can relate to her need for inner peace, to her need for solidarity whilst also wanting companionship, to her need to find herself.  After reading this book I now REALLY want to travel to Italy.

I've wanted to travel to Italy for years now, and reading this book has reaffirmed my want to go there.  I have lived in the Czech Republic. Visited France, England, Austria, Poland, and Germany, but Italy has this draw to me.  The ruins that are in the middle of the city with modern, western life going on all around it.  The sheer history that is Rome, Piza, Venice, etc.... Last summer when I was in Europe for a month I desperately wanted to visit Italy and Greece, but sadly there wasn't enough time to do so.  Or money, for that matter.

I am also trying to plan a return trip to paris for at least two weeks.  Just Paris.  I was in Paris for a week in 2004. I absolutely loved it.  My best friend and I love cooking and food, and what better place to experience it than in Paris?  The center of French cuisine! 

Back to Italy.  I want to go to Italy, and Greece.  Both are entirely too beautiful to never visit, and visit I will.  I just have to work long and hard to save up enough money for trips like these... These kinds of trips will take wills to save for, not as long to plan, but I want to make sure that I have enough money to enjoy myself.

I guess that's why I like working so much overtime.  I like making money.  I also like spending money.  I'm learning how to tighten the purse strings a bit so that I will not be living paycheck to paycheck, but that I will actually be able to save up money for these trips that I so desperately want to go on.  I'm not going to work so much that I become burnt out, but I am going to work towards this goal. 

In the near future I'm going to start actually planning on where I will want to stay in Paris when I return.  What I will want to do--admission prices, rough food prices, etc--and what I will need to have saved up for extra spending money... play money as I call it.

Anyone have any good ideas on cutting costs? Not only here at home in the US, but also on my travels?

Naive

I would have to say that I'm a naive person.  I have very little experience when it comes to love and relationships.  I should, however, be able to see when someone is lying to me, being fake.  I have been unable to detect that.  I should be hurt by this, but really it just adds weight to what co-workers have been telling me, "Everyone lies to you."  Why would I only let that statement apply at work?  I do not know.  That statement is applicable not just in the workplace with people who call in, but I should start applying it to real life.

I am naive in that I think that for the most part people always strive to be the best that they can be.  That's also not true--she says with a slight derisive laugh.  I am one of those people that are always taken aback when she finds out that someone has done something that is ashamedly wrong, or out of character, or two faced.  But, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure why it surprises me.  People basically really only do the least that they can for others.  It's not a surprise.  Everyone knows this. So, why then, does it surprise me when someone disappoints me?

You think someone is being truthful and honest with you, but then you find out they were just using you for their own devices.  Using you for their own gain.  Using you to make themselves feel good.  I really shouldn't be surprised by this turn of events.  It's only something that's happened to me for oh, MY WHOLE LIFE.  There's always been someone that has kept me around for their uses and then when they're done, or when I realize how detrimental the relationship is, then it's ended.  Now, also "readers," keep in mind that when I say "relationship" I mean friendship...seeing as how I'm 23 years old and have never been on a date.

That's another thing that really bites my ass.  When I tell people that I know that I've never been on a date, that I've never had a boyfriend, I've never really had someone call me beautiful.  I'm not one of the beautiful people.  I admire the beautiful people.  I would like to be one of those beautiful people.  I would like to know what it's like to be looked at by people and those people thinking, "Wow, she's beautiful."  Well, this is a long list of wants that we could get into, but I'm not going to.  It would take too long.

We're just going to leave things here now.  I have so many words that are running around in my head.  So many thoughts that I would like to express so that I could get them out of my head, but they're still too jumbled.  Maybe I should see a psychologist.  There's something wrong with me...has to be for so many people to have this kind of aversion to me.  I don't honestly know if it would be an actual aversion to me, but sure as hell seems that way to me a lot of times.

Thinking about my Grandma...

Telling The Truth And Making Someone Cry

Telling The Truth And Making Someone Cry

What to say to catch up?  Nothing has really happened since my last post.  I am updating now because I know it's time to update.  Hell, I should have updated sooner.  Work is going good, social life is... well it's there, kind of... Life is alright.  I'm starting to struggle a little bit the with still new diet that is a lovely product of my surgery.  I am having problems with not getting enough protein.

Protein deficiency SUCKS!! I am trying to get enough protein, but it's not working as well as I would like.  As soon as I get paid I am going to go get some protein drinks... There are a few that I have found that I know that if I mix half of it with water and just basically halve it and dilute it then I'll be fine with drinking those a day.  What also sucks is that I don't feel hunger, I'm not drinking enough water, I've hit a plateau...

*Sigh*

I am still really liking work.  I am training on one of the smaller law consoles as well as calltake.  So I have been dispatching for them, and also taking calls.  Some of the more urgent 911 calls scare me, being a newbie/probie and all.  I am, however, gaining confidence with every shift that I work.  It's going to be good.

Speaking of working... The last time I was at work I was taking my first NIMS (National Incident Management System) course during the second half of my shift.  BORING!!!! But, also, I realized that an Incident Command Post (or ICP) is what is set up as the main lab and "dispatch" area for troops and machinery in Avatar.  It was quite cool when I made the connection.  Makes it a little more understandable.

LOL

Ok, for right now I am done... If I can think of anything else I will come back and post it...

Catch Up

First I would like to wish my Momma a VERY happy birthday!!!!

Things with work are going good.  I'm training on the floor.  I'm learning how to take calls and process the information into what is accessible for the officers/paramedics/firefighters... It's good. I like it... Apprehensive, but learning.

Life is going good.  Hanging out with friends... Blaire is still in town so that is good.  I have really missed her the last couple of months so it's good to have her in town while I can.

Nothing is really going on... Crushing on someone, but not really going to get into that on here.  Life is good right now.  Apartment is good, job is good, post surgery is still good... it's all good!

SPEAKING OF POST SURGERY!!!!!  I bought a pair of pants the other day that were TWO SIZES smaller than I've been wearing for the past like.... 5 or so years!! It's wonderful!!!!!  I'm looking HOTT!! Yes, hot enough for two "t"s!!  I feel SO good about myself it's crazy! I mean, the insecure me is still there.  I know she's not going to go away that quickly, but I'm on my way.

THINGS ARE GOOD!!!!

Never Commit!!

This past weekend I went out with friends for both Friday and Saturday night.  It was SO much fun!  On Friday night I was taught the rules of a high five.  The main rule that you HAVE TO REMEMBER is ... NEVER COMMIT!!  If you commit to the high five you could be left hanging, and well, we all know how embarrassing that is!

I am still enjoying work.  There's been an update and I will just be getting floor training with my trainer, and I won't actually be going through a class.  I take that as a complete compliment!  They have faith in my abilities with this job so much so that I will just be training with someone!  I felt more welcome at this new job before I even started than I ever did at my previous one.  They really are an amazing group of people, and I'm glad that I can work there... Ok, enough brown-nosing for now.  ;-)

Today I am just hanging out with Blaire!  She's back in town for a few weeks before heading back up to Baltimore to work for Kennedy Krieger!  I'm so proud that she got a job with them! Her internship was there, and I know she really loved it and will continue to love it while she's working there!

Bronchitis seems to be about to plague me.  I am going to the pharmacy later to pick up the z-pack and the inhaler that were prescribed to me this morning.  I hate bronchitis, but it seems to love me.  Oh well, the z-pack will kick it's ass in a few days and hopefully it won't interfere with work.

That's all for now... I might have more to update later. :-)  Have a splendid one everyone!