Updating the blog

I have switched to another blogging site...you can find my blog now at jloubartlett.wordpress.com.  See you there!

A Hairy Day at Mellow Mushroom (10/1/11)

Written by Miss Katie Bray, her very first blog attempt - she nailed it!  (The story was meant for Facebook but is too long...so we will just post the link to the blog there!)

Jennelle and I set out to pick-up some potentially excellent take-out. Mellow Mushroom has some of the best pizza in the country, in my opinion. (It's no Chicago pizza, but Mellow Mushroom is a place that I was thrilled about when it opened up a Tempe, AZ location, as it has been a favorite restaurant of mine in Charleston, SC.) 

We ordered 1 mighty meaty, 1 half cheese/half Hawaiian, and 1 gluten-free garlic and olive oil...sounds like we are off to a good start. 

We arrive at Mellow Mushroom, where Take-Out Girl brings out our order. She starts by opening the first box to let us verify that it is right. Take-Out Girl and I both glance at the pizza and immediately notice a long dark hair weaving its way through the cheese - the hair making the sole topping of this sad-looking pizza. Meanwhile Jennelle is searching in her purse for her wallet, missing the sight of the adulteration to her dinner. Take-Out Girl gasps and slams the box shut. I look up at Take-Out Girl and we make eye contact. She knows I saw what she saw.  

Take-Out Girl runs away with the pizza. I quickly tell Jennelle there was a hair in the pizza. The look on her face tells me we won't be taking this pizza home. (At this point I'm sure Take-Out Girl went to get the manager and to start on a new gluten-free garlic and olive oil and that all will be okay.)

Instead, Take-Out Girl slyly comes back over to the counter and slides the "hair with a pizza around it" underneath the stack of our mighty meaty and Hawaiian boxes. I look at Jennelle with surprise, not knowing what to say (seriously, I still don't know how I would have dealt with this situation). Thankfully, J is calm. Take-Out Girl already looks very guilty. 

Jennelle (to Take-Out Girl): Was there something wrong with that pizza that you just took away?

Take-Out Girl: Yes.  (Take-Out Girl's eyebrows are raising in fear. I can see in her expression that she is anticipating what Jennelle is about to say. Manager appears at the counter.)

Jennelle: Was there a hair on it? 

Take-Out Girl: Yes. (Take-Out Girl's eyebrows seem to be lifting off her head.)

Jennelle: Did you just take the hair off and bring me back the same pizza?

Take-Out Girl: Yes.  (I think I'm witnessing this in slow motion. Take-Out Girly looks like she's ready to sprint out of the store.)

Jennelle: Can you make me a new pizza?

Take-Out Girl: Yes.  

Jennelle: Can you give me some money back now that we are going to have to wait for you to make me a new pizza?

Take-Out Girl: Yes. 

Jennelle: Can you keep these 2 pizzas warm while you do this? 

Take-Out Girl: Yes.  (Take-Out Girl now looks like she's wilting in defeat.)

Manager assures us that it will only take 10 minutes to make a new gluten-free. We stand in the tiny take-out area making occasional awkward eye-contact with Take-Out Girl. She gives Jennelle $3.65 back for the hair and encourages J to fill out a survey for an additional $5 coupon for more. 

Wow. Nice performance Mellow Mushroom. I had higher hopes for my first trip to the Tempe restaurant. The more Jennelle and I went over this scenario on the way home, the funnier it got and the more offended we became by Take-Out Girl's attempt to disguise the hair pizza. 

I kinda want to send this story to Mellow Mushroom of Tempe, AZ, but I know all I will likely get in return will be a survey opportunity for a $5 coupon for more hair, I mean pizza. 

September 11...a day of mixed emotions

Where were you when the world stopped turning?  I remember each minute of that day - the fear, the confusion, the relief, the anger, the love, the pride and the hope.  I remember the trust in our President to get us through that painful time.  I remember the emotion on the faces of those on television and the awkwardness of the commentators on tv in not knowing what was coming and where they were headed.  


Where am I today?  I sit thinking of that day and I sit looking forward.  Time.com has an amazing website that reads, "If the story of the United States has a theme so far in the 21st century, it is surely one of resilience.".  Resilience.  What a word.  Within it lies the hope that this country can come together once again, that we are strong enough to survive whatever is thrown at us.  Rise up, America.  Stay strong, head up and confident.  Your people will stand behind you...we love you.  (http://www.time.com/time/beyond911/)


Resilience - the resilience of love, the resilience of friendship, the resilience of family, the resilience of faith...resilience.  Today not only marks the tenth anniversary of the attacks on our soil, but also the opening Sunday of Football 2011.  The NFL honored those fallen and lost in 9-11 in a beautiful way...with the Chicago Bears having the Blackhawks National Anthem singer to sing.  AMAZING.  His voice is booming and loud and those Chicago fans went crazy - they hooped and hollered through the entire anthem and while the nation watches, maybe wondering why we are so disrespectful, I look on with honor and pride at those celebrating this country and keeping the Chicago tradition alive.  What a great way to incorporate a sad and somber day/moment into one of the happiest of the year for many...the day that signifies Fall...the day Football begins.  


To my friend whose day has become more somber and full of loss, I am sorry and my thoughts are with you.  A loss and as you said, a reminder of how short life can be.  Your heart is in my prayers, Friend.  

The Valley of the Sun...yep - they were right!  


We are almost three months into our Arizona adventure and the most common question I receive?  "Why in the world would you move here in June?!?!"  You know - I didn't think much of it for most of our time here...until last night.  

Sun Devil Football opening game, September 1, 2011. I was so excited to go and so appreciative of the tickets given to me by a co-worker.  Tim and I head in and sit....and sweat, and sweat and sweat.  GROSS.  I've sat through many sporting events where I have just felt super gross, but last night took the prize.  You see, at a daytime NASCAR race I am prepared for the heat (and humidity back home), but here...it is dark and yet the temperature is no less than when the sun was out - I am only missing the sun directly on my skin.  I was prepared to be uncomfortable, to be hot...but I was not prepared for the overall miserable feeling my body had.  I think I lost every ounce of water possible and my sweat found new ways to roll down my body.  Again, gross!  When we took the tickets out of our pockets...they were crinkly and a bit wet.  

So, to everyone that asked me if I was crazy...apparently I was.  To everyone who keeps telling me that it isn't getting better yet and the nights are as hot as the days...you were right.  Where is a good crisp fall day when I need one?  


The best parts of the evening?  
1. Seeing my first large university football game
2. Having the opportunity to begin new friendships
3. Realizing I do not want to attend an outdoor event in the evening until October.

FEAR THE FORK!

Open Mouth...Insert Foot

What a day...what a few weeks, maybe months.  Ever have those days when you can't believe it is you who is allowing the words to come out of your mouth?  Yeah, me too.  I feel like I have been completely overwhelmed lately, stressed out and wanting to become a hermit to escape it all...but I can't.  So what, you may ask, do I do?  Well, apparently I nag...yep, I have turned into a nag in the past few months!  
Who am I?  This is incredibly insane and ridiculously unlike me (or so I think and like to believe).  I need an outlet so that my outlet is no longer Tim...while I feel like sometimes he takes things out on me, I sat back tonight, while sweating, overheated and miserable, realizing that while yes, we both take out stress on one another - I instigate much of it, I continue much of it and I start most of it.  ALARMS ARE NOW GOING OFF IN MY BRAIN!!  I am not this woman - I am not the woman that the man doesn't want to be around, or talk to, or love.  No...I'm the cool woman, the one that other guys say, "hey, I hope I can find one like that someday".  Wow...where did I go.


Well...now that I have seen fireworks tonight (both literally...thank you Sun Devil football...and figuratively), there is work to do.  I have already previously decided to overhaul my diet and exercise because I am not happy with it...well, when I'm not happy with that, I am apparently miserable all around.  I refuse to be a miserable woman and a woman that my husband just gets used to hearing nag and therefore no longer listens.  I have to get this all out somewhere else...here?  I don't want to air out laundry (clean or dirty) with anyone, really...maybe I'll take up knitting...or maybe more yoga, meditation?  Going back to church will be a huge help for me - that spiritual recharge is sometimes exactly what is needed.  Life is falling into place but inside of this fall are many of the most stressful situation ever encountered and I need to combat that stress and not beat my husband with it or shove it his way to deal with.  It is me, I am strong, confident and able...I have God on my side, I have my loving husband who is putting up with my crazy and I have my pity party - who so very quickly needs to be uninvited to this party.  I can do this.  I will do this.  I will remove my awful (yet clean) tasting foot out of my mouth and speak kind words, think kind thoughts and live a kind life.

Fingers Crossed

As I sit here prepping for my (hopefully) final interview, I'm thinking of what the next month has in store.  Sure it is exciting to potentially be offered a job in the next few days; sure it is exciting to say I'm moving to sunny Arizona; sure it is exciting to be beginning this new adventure....but is it really?  Sure!  Seriously, it is exciting but right now it is just SO REAL!

Back to the job interview...I know FERPA, I know ASU policies, I know I can kick the behind of this interview and I cannot wait to actually get it done and over with!  End of the day interviews are truly the worst.....but here's hoping!
ASU is a perfect fit...I love school, I love to learn, I love college campuses and I need a job!  Sounds perfect to me! :)

The mish-mash of life...

Wow - so it has been longer than I realized since I've been here.  To be honest, it is harder to come back than I thought...seeing as how my last post was about Grandpa.  Man would he have loved today - the sun is shining, there is a spring crisp in the air and the fish are ready to be caught!  This is the start of "Grandpa's Season"....and it lasts until the last fish bites.  What a great season it is!!  


So I have no great, profound reason for being here...I just have so much going on it seems that sometimes my head is full to the max!  Student teaching has come and gone with great success.  I miss those kids so much and really loved what I was doing for ten weeks - I've continued coaching and that keeps me connected, but it is not the same as making an impact on the students in the classroom.  This connection is what is interesting me about my potential new job - advising.  I have never even thought about advising as a job but I now ask myself why?  Ideally I will end up in a classroom, but those jobs are so few and far between that I need something else to do - and advising seems to be a great alternative.  I get the connection with students, the lightbulbs and power outages that students go through on a weekly basis but I also get the business end of the spectrum...as well as projects!!  (And really, who doesn't love a good project?!?!).  So here's hoping that this job comes through - it is a great opportunity for both Tim and I.  I get back to the workforce and utilize my talents and he can get his MBA!  SCORE!  

So yeah, moving....crazy, right?  I mean, how do people just pick up and move like it is no big deal?  It is a HUGE deal!  Packing up two lives and moving to a new area is completely overwhelming - I'm trying to stay focused and positive but in the end, I'm terrified.  I have the best partner in the world beside me during this adventure and while I am completely excited and looking forward to the move (whenever it happens), I am feeling like a child on the first day of school - uncertain, unsure and ready to pee my pants.  Good news - we have amazing people in the new location to help us through...both friends and family that are ready and willing to help us in any way possible.  Bad news - we are leaving behind amazing people in our current location that have helped us through to this point...I know my friends and family have helped me through what I hope to be the toughest times in my life for now and have helped me become this strong woman I am today...the one willing and wanting to move across the country with her husband.  To all of those both here and there...thank you! 

There are times I question how much of a nerd I am...and then I look at this moving process and realize I'm a bit ridiculous.  I have boxes and boxes of books that I am trying so hard to sort through, donate, sell, etc...but I can't part with them.  They're books!  I can only hope that the new owner loves them the way that I do....but on another nerd quality - I've been researching moving on the internet.  No Joke - you truly can find and learn anything you want on the internet.  There are entire sites, blogs and articles committed to moving across the country - each with its own to-do list, dos and don'ts, tips and tricks and stories.  Talk about being overwhelmed...I think I need to stick to my heart, trust my husband and lean on those around me to get me through - not a computer screen and a stranger.