I don't feel like being very structured in my thoughts right now, so here's some more randomness for you.
1. I think it's interesting (in a good way) that whenever I take Charley to the vet, they call the next day to check on him.
2. I am currently waiting for the large amount of coffee I just drank to kick in and give me motivation to clean the house for our small Superbowl party on Sunday.
3. I am currently wearing Casey's t-shirt, sweatpants, and sweatshirt. I'm not entirely sure why, they just looked comfy. And they are.
4. I'm still not sure why spiders scare me so much, but if I see one, no matter what size it is, I automatically freeze up and freak out.
5. Even if someone just starts talking about cough syrup, I feel like I'm going to get sick.
6. That doesn't make a lot of sense. I can watch shows like The First 48 or Trauma: Life in the ER and not get freaked out by it, but something like cough syrup makes me want to gag. Just writing about it is making my stomach turn, so I'm going to stop now.
7. I'm still a little nervous about our party this weekend. I know it will be fun, but I only know 2 people that are coming; the rest are co-workers of Casey's, and their spouses. I hope the chili turns out okay. I hope Charley doesn't try to lick everyone. But then again... it's Charley. ;)
8. I really need to clean the house now, but instead I'm blogging. And still waiting for the coffee to kick in...
9. When Charley's vet called this morning, I hoped it was someone calling about one of my job applications.
10. I am currently keeping a notepad beside my bed just in case Casey talks in his sleep and says something funny... I don't want to forget it!
11. I made Japanese-style curry for dinner on Wednesday, and I ate so much of it last night for dinner, I thought I was going to explode. I love Japanese rice and could probably eat a pound of it a day!!
12. I am going to make sugar cookies and decorate them for the party on Sunday. Part of me wants to do that right now instead of dust, vacuum, mop, etc.
13. Writing about the curry has made me hungry, so I'm going to go heat up lunch.
14. I am eating it now, and it is quite delicious.
15. When Charley begs for food now, he makes this weird whining/singing sound. I shouldn't laugh when he does it, but it's as close to 'talking' as he's come.
16. I hate credit cards, and I can't wait until we get our tax return so we can get rid of most of them!! They are evil!!!
17. I take pictures all the time. Now that I have to do it for an assignment, I'm at a loss of what to photograph.
18. Rod Blagojevich is a freaking moron, and I'm glad they kicked him out of office. He sure put on quite a show this week for the media. Now that he's unemployed, he should start new by getting his hair cut.
19. I recently joined a group on Facebook entitled, "I Picked a Major I Like, and One Day I Will Probably Be Living In A Box" (unless Casey has anything to do with it)...
20. Charley just burped in my face. That was gross.
21. We got something in the mail yesterday from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I respect their cause a lot, and have donated money to them in the past. I don't really understand their newest campaign, though. They say that "Every nickel you send can help save someone's life," yet they include a nickel in their mailing. Why don't they just keep the nickel?? And to top that off, they sent some address labels that had "Mr. Ashley Hetrick" on them... hmmm...
22. I think our postal carrier may have run into our mailbox with her vehicle. I actually saw her bump into it once without doing any damage. More recently, the handle that opens the mailbox door is loose and hanging down.
23. I love chocolate, but I don't like to eat chocolate donuts. It makes me think I'm eating dessert for breakfast.
24. I turned on the TV early this morning, around 7:00, to see a bunch of people from the local news station dancing around to MC Hammer. I didn't see what was going on before that, so I'm not really sure what the heck was going on, but it made me laugh really hard first thing in the morning. That's a nice way to wake up.
25. I have made this list longer than I intended, but 1) I'm procrastinating, and 2) I'm random, so it was pretty easy. I think that's all for now. :)
-Ash
Casey, Ashley, Keaton, Nikolaus, & Rowan take on Chicagoland...
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Chuck's been Chipped!
Charley had an appointment at the vet today (officially his favorite place on Earth at the moment) to get micro chipped. I wish we would have done in earlier in his life (although thankfully he never tried to run away!) but there have been a lot of pet thefts lately, so I'm glad we finally got it taken care of. I guess I'm home with him more often than not, or he's normally with me anyway when I go somewhere, but it creates a little peace of mind to know that he's chipped now just in case.
This dog is hilarious. When we get to the parking lot of PetsMart (where his vet is located), he starts whining and pacing around in the seat because he's so excited to go inside. Then he drags me across the parking lot. I got laughed at today by a lady that was leaving the store when we arrived- I had to look pretty strange with Charley running full speed and me trying to keep up... but all I could do was say, "Can you tell he really likes it here?" to lessen the embarrassment. Charley is constantly wiggling through the store. No one can go past him without some kind of acknowledgement on his part. His tongue and tail are always wagging. All I can do is laugh.
Recently, he's gone to the vet a few times for booster shots. Every single time he goes in, not only is he excited to see everyone, but the feeling is mutual. Each time we go, I meet someone new that heard about him and wanted to come meet him. He does a bunch of tricks (for treats, of course) and usually wows the crowd. We need to learn some new ones. Most people love the wave or High 5. Today, when he was getting chipped, he had to go to the back room and I couldn't go with him. I heard him yelp when they put the chips in, and then I heard a chorous of ladies that were with him going "Ohhh sweetie!! You're okay!! Good boy! Good boy!"... It was pretty funny to observe so many people oohhhing and ahhhhing over him. He absolutely loved it... minus the shot. He came running back in the room where I was, jumped up on the bench with me, and cuddled. Even though he hurt, he still soaked up all of the attention he got from everyone in the store. The vet trips are a love/hate thing for me. I hate how much the leash hurts my hand to try to hold onto him... and my pocketbook after the vet bills. (It's not too bad... we have him on a Wellness Plan now... but still... having a pet is expensive!) On the other hand, I love seeing how happy people get when they see him. He is always so happy and excited to see anyone in the store, and 9 times out of 10, people will make eye contact with him and have to come over to pet him. I'm a proud mom. I just need to go to the gym so I can get a better handle on him when we go in... it seems like that's the only time he really pulls on me or tends on to listen very well. That shouldn't be an excuse, but I sort of just give up when we go in there because there are so many people, pets, smells, etc. that distract him, I feel like I'd need a 25 oz sirloin just to get his attention!
There's one more thing funny thing that he's done recently that I feel is worth mentioning. Whenever he goes outside and is finished doing his business, it seems like he comes hurdling towards the sliding glass door and wants to get in as soon as possible because he's cold... sometimes he doesn't wait long enough for me to open the door all the way and he slams right into it!! I always feel bad for him, but it doesn't seem to phase him at all! His poor shoulders are probably bruised. I try to open the door as fast as possible now, and I normally try to stand in front of the door to hopefully make him back away for a second. The kid is crazy.
Anyway, I think I should probably stop writing about the dog now. Since I figure his 'grandparents' are probably the only ones reading this, and they probably won't mind too much, but there comes a point where I realize I treat him like a little kid and I should probably calm down a little bit. :)
That Charley Brown, he is a clown.
-Charley's Mom
This dog is hilarious. When we get to the parking lot of PetsMart (where his vet is located), he starts whining and pacing around in the seat because he's so excited to go inside. Then he drags me across the parking lot. I got laughed at today by a lady that was leaving the store when we arrived- I had to look pretty strange with Charley running full speed and me trying to keep up... but all I could do was say, "Can you tell he really likes it here?" to lessen the embarrassment. Charley is constantly wiggling through the store. No one can go past him without some kind of acknowledgement on his part. His tongue and tail are always wagging. All I can do is laugh.
Recently, he's gone to the vet a few times for booster shots. Every single time he goes in, not only is he excited to see everyone, but the feeling is mutual. Each time we go, I meet someone new that heard about him and wanted to come meet him. He does a bunch of tricks (for treats, of course) and usually wows the crowd. We need to learn some new ones. Most people love the wave or High 5. Today, when he was getting chipped, he had to go to the back room and I couldn't go with him. I heard him yelp when they put the chips in, and then I heard a chorous of ladies that were with him going "Ohhh sweetie!! You're okay!! Good boy! Good boy!"... It was pretty funny to observe so many people oohhhing and ahhhhing over him. He absolutely loved it... minus the shot. He came running back in the room where I was, jumped up on the bench with me, and cuddled. Even though he hurt, he still soaked up all of the attention he got from everyone in the store. The vet trips are a love/hate thing for me. I hate how much the leash hurts my hand to try to hold onto him... and my pocketbook after the vet bills. (It's not too bad... we have him on a Wellness Plan now... but still... having a pet is expensive!) On the other hand, I love seeing how happy people get when they see him. He is always so happy and excited to see anyone in the store, and 9 times out of 10, people will make eye contact with him and have to come over to pet him. I'm a proud mom. I just need to go to the gym so I can get a better handle on him when we go in... it seems like that's the only time he really pulls on me or tends on to listen very well. That shouldn't be an excuse, but I sort of just give up when we go in there because there are so many people, pets, smells, etc. that distract him, I feel like I'd need a 25 oz sirloin just to get his attention!
There's one more thing funny thing that he's done recently that I feel is worth mentioning. Whenever he goes outside and is finished doing his business, it seems like he comes hurdling towards the sliding glass door and wants to get in as soon as possible because he's cold... sometimes he doesn't wait long enough for me to open the door all the way and he slams right into it!! I always feel bad for him, but it doesn't seem to phase him at all! His poor shoulders are probably bruised. I try to open the door as fast as possible now, and I normally try to stand in front of the door to hopefully make him back away for a second. The kid is crazy.
Anyway, I think I should probably stop writing about the dog now. Since I figure his 'grandparents' are probably the only ones reading this, and they probably won't mind too much, but there comes a point where I realize I treat him like a little kid and I should probably calm down a little bit. :)
That Charley Brown, he is a clown.
-Charley's Mom
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The job hunt continues...
Hello! I have been on the computer for the last... I dunno... 3 hours probably, searching for leads on jobs. I called a few places to inquire about them because I figured I'd have more luck that way. Anyway, I'm about to go cross-eyed and I'm about spent on the hunt for today. I applied to more jobs this morning than I have in the last week or so, so I hope something comes out of it. It's like fishing... and I was never really good at that. ;)
In other news, I had class again yesterday, and it went well. I was able to talk to people in the class, finally, and it really seemed to break the ice. We went on a little 'field trip' as a group and took some pictures in the same building our class is in. Our teacher wanted to be sure that we were all on the same page and we all knew how to use our cameras. It's difficult to go from using the Automatic setting to learning how to control things manually, but that is my main reason for taking this class, and I think it will be very effective. I haven't messed around much with aperture or shutter speed since I took photography in high school, so I'm pretty rusty. Luckily, our teacher repeats a lot of things in class, so it should sink in eventually. After class yesterday, I ran over to the Records office at COD to see if they got the rest of my transcripts, and I'm happy to say they did! I should hear back in the next month about what classes transfer for my degree. I really hope some of them do so I can get a degree sooner than later!! I stopped by the HR department at COD as well, and so far they haven't even gone through all of the applications that have been turned in for the job I applied for most recently. It would be nice to work for a school again, but I'm not holding my breath. (I need to think good, positive thoughts.)
Other than class, not much is going on around here. As the week progresses, I find more and more to do to get ready for our party on Sunday. I was super productive on Monday, though, which has helped a lot with the rest of the week. I need to run to Walmart soon to get things for the party. Casey was really distracted last night so I didn't get as much help with a list as I had wanted, but I figure I won't stress too much about it, and I'll probably just make more than one trip to the store before Sunday. I make a list, but I always tend to think of something else I need when I get back from the store. It never fails!!
Hmmm... what else. It snowed a few inches last night (which is starting to sound pretty insignifant, sadly enough!). I heard Casey scraping the driveway this morning before he left for work. That's another reason I'm dragging my feet to go to Walmart... but I know I need to go, and by this point in the day all of the fresh snow on the streets has probably been worn down by other people. That would be great... I am still a little nervous about driving in that junk.
I guess that's about all for now. Hopefully I'll hear back from someone about the jobs I looked into today!! Ahhhhhh!! If only you could get paid to look for jobs. I'd be a pro at that. ;)
-Ash
In other news, I had class again yesterday, and it went well. I was able to talk to people in the class, finally, and it really seemed to break the ice. We went on a little 'field trip' as a group and took some pictures in the same building our class is in. Our teacher wanted to be sure that we were all on the same page and we all knew how to use our cameras. It's difficult to go from using the Automatic setting to learning how to control things manually, but that is my main reason for taking this class, and I think it will be very effective. I haven't messed around much with aperture or shutter speed since I took photography in high school, so I'm pretty rusty. Luckily, our teacher repeats a lot of things in class, so it should sink in eventually. After class yesterday, I ran over to the Records office at COD to see if they got the rest of my transcripts, and I'm happy to say they did! I should hear back in the next month about what classes transfer for my degree. I really hope some of them do so I can get a degree sooner than later!! I stopped by the HR department at COD as well, and so far they haven't even gone through all of the applications that have been turned in for the job I applied for most recently. It would be nice to work for a school again, but I'm not holding my breath. (I need to think good, positive thoughts.)
Other than class, not much is going on around here. As the week progresses, I find more and more to do to get ready for our party on Sunday. I was super productive on Monday, though, which has helped a lot with the rest of the week. I need to run to Walmart soon to get things for the party. Casey was really distracted last night so I didn't get as much help with a list as I had wanted, but I figure I won't stress too much about it, and I'll probably just make more than one trip to the store before Sunday. I make a list, but I always tend to think of something else I need when I get back from the store. It never fails!!
Hmmm... what else. It snowed a few inches last night (which is starting to sound pretty insignifant, sadly enough!). I heard Casey scraping the driveway this morning before he left for work. That's another reason I'm dragging my feet to go to Walmart... but I know I need to go, and by this point in the day all of the fresh snow on the streets has probably been worn down by other people. That would be great... I am still a little nervous about driving in that junk.
I guess that's about all for now. Hopefully I'll hear back from someone about the jobs I looked into today!! Ahhhhhh!! If only you could get paid to look for jobs. I'd be a pro at that. ;)
-Ash
Monday, January 26, 2009
10 Random Things
Before I can concentrate on homework, I just felt like writing. Forgive me for the very random entry.
1. I have noticed that since I'm not using the computer as much since my time at USC, I am becoming a terrible speller!! I can normally pick out when things are misspelled on TV, in the newspaper, etc., but I find myself hitting backspace more now than I ever have. I really need a job!!!!
2. Job hunting is so frustrating. I get excited about applying somewhere, and then get discouraged when I don't hear back from them at all. A lot of the places I have applied to are online and do not give you a telephone number to call to inquire about the status of your application. I just wish I had some opportunity for an interview so I don't feel slightly guilty for not taking either of the two jobs I could have had before... no matter how terrible they would have been.
3. I haven't been able to sleep well lately. For some reason, I am really affected by other noises (like husbands and dogs snoring....) and I just lay in bed for a long, long time without being able to relax. Sometimes I think it would help if I journal before bed so I can clear my mind... I may try that this evening.
4. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I think of McDonald's. It's not because I'm hungry, it's because my hair looks like the Golden Arches when I get up. I must stand on my head or something at night!
5. We are having a small Super Bowl party at our place this Sunday. People are coming from Casey's job. I'm excited and nervous to meet new people and have them in our house. I hope Charley behaves! I need to use this as motivation for the rest of the week to get a little done each day so the house is in good order.
6. I find my biggest motivation to clean is when I know people are coming over. If someone were to stop by and we didn't know ahead of time, I would be really embarrassed by the state of our house. That should motivate me enough to clean more often!!!
7. I cannot wait until all of this snow goes away!!!!!!!!
8. I really miss my job at USC. I still check my e-mail from work, and almost feel guilty when I have to forward REU inquiries to other people. Part of me feels like I should still answer the e-mails I get, but then I realize that I really don't work there anymore. I hope the next job I have will make me feel as needed as I did there.
9. I have been around Charley so much in the past few months, I really miss him when I have to go run errands. This weekend, Casey and I went out driving for awhile, exploring the towns around Plainfield. I found myself thinking about Charley after a few hours, and feeling guilty that I wasn't home with him, or that he wasn't with us. Being in school, and eventually getting a job, is really going to be good for me.
10. I spend too much time on Facebook. I thrive on communicating with friends, looking at pictures, and whatever else I end up doing on there. It feels like my connection to the outside world right now. I hope to change that in the following weeks and months so I can get a stronger connection to the REAL outside world.
1. I have noticed that since I'm not using the computer as much since my time at USC, I am becoming a terrible speller!! I can normally pick out when things are misspelled on TV, in the newspaper, etc., but I find myself hitting backspace more now than I ever have. I really need a job!!!!
2. Job hunting is so frustrating. I get excited about applying somewhere, and then get discouraged when I don't hear back from them at all. A lot of the places I have applied to are online and do not give you a telephone number to call to inquire about the status of your application. I just wish I had some opportunity for an interview so I don't feel slightly guilty for not taking either of the two jobs I could have had before... no matter how terrible they would have been.
3. I haven't been able to sleep well lately. For some reason, I am really affected by other noises (like husbands and dogs snoring....) and I just lay in bed for a long, long time without being able to relax. Sometimes I think it would help if I journal before bed so I can clear my mind... I may try that this evening.
4. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I think of McDonald's. It's not because I'm hungry, it's because my hair looks like the Golden Arches when I get up. I must stand on my head or something at night!
5. We are having a small Super Bowl party at our place this Sunday. People are coming from Casey's job. I'm excited and nervous to meet new people and have them in our house. I hope Charley behaves! I need to use this as motivation for the rest of the week to get a little done each day so the house is in good order.
6. I find my biggest motivation to clean is when I know people are coming over. If someone were to stop by and we didn't know ahead of time, I would be really embarrassed by the state of our house. That should motivate me enough to clean more often!!!
7. I cannot wait until all of this snow goes away!!!!!!!!
8. I really miss my job at USC. I still check my e-mail from work, and almost feel guilty when I have to forward REU inquiries to other people. Part of me feels like I should still answer the e-mails I get, but then I realize that I really don't work there anymore. I hope the next job I have will make me feel as needed as I did there.
9. I have been around Charley so much in the past few months, I really miss him when I have to go run errands. This weekend, Casey and I went out driving for awhile, exploring the towns around Plainfield. I found myself thinking about Charley after a few hours, and feeling guilty that I wasn't home with him, or that he wasn't with us. Being in school, and eventually getting a job, is really going to be good for me.
10. I spend too much time on Facebook. I thrive on communicating with friends, looking at pictures, and whatever else I end up doing on there. It feels like my connection to the outside world right now. I hope to change that in the following weeks and months so I can get a stronger connection to the REAL outside world.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Yay for Productivity!!
I got a lot done today!! I did homework for about 1.5 hours, rewrote my notes for class, and when I started looking for my owner's manual for my camera, I decided to clean out and organize our closet. (Casey felt my forehead when he came home and saw that...lol...)
I went to Walmart this afternoon, got all of my shopping done in less than 30 minutes, and came home to actually make a full-course meal! We had roasted pork loin glazed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing/honey mixture, and garlic Parmesan potato wedges. We also had this awesome salad that we get from Sam's every now and then that has almonds, feta cheese, cranberries, and white balsamic vinaigrette dressing. In all, it was pretty tasty stuff!
Additionally, I watched some of the TV shows I had recorded previously and made more space on the DVR for my Thursday night shows. Oh, and I also got 3 loads of laundry done today and a load of dishes.
I have to brag about things like this because it is so rare that they all happen in one day. :) I started the day with a cup of coffee, and I think that's what got me through it all. I didn't even take a nap! I need to have more days like this.
Tonight, Casey and I are going to watch a movie. After that, if it's not too late, I will probably do some Wii Fit as I have skipped a few days. I didn't feel well on Monday, had class on Tuesday, and just slacked off yesterday. It's time for some exercise!
Oh yeah- yesterday I decided to spoil Charley by taking him to downtown Naperville. We went to a shop called Two Bostons that I heard about through Mandi & Kyle. It's a really cute shop with a lot of gourmet items. Charley stuck his nose in a basket of 'Bully Sticks' and started chewing on one of them before I could pull his head back. He kept going back to it, and I felt guilty, so of course I bought him one. So far it's taken about 3 hours for him to chew on it, and he's still not done. I also bought him some freeze dried cheddar cheese which sounds and smells weird, but he loves it! I put it in his Kong and he ate it all in about 30 seconds. I think he had a good time there.
We also walked around downtown Naperville just to check out the shops (and so I could wear him down a bit). It was chilly, but warmer than normal, so I walked around with him until my ears hurt from the cold. We both came home and napped until Casey got home from work.
I'm done for now... sorry for the long and probably boring update. I'll write more soon!
-Ash
I went to Walmart this afternoon, got all of my shopping done in less than 30 minutes, and came home to actually make a full-course meal! We had roasted pork loin glazed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing/honey mixture, and garlic Parmesan potato wedges. We also had this awesome salad that we get from Sam's every now and then that has almonds, feta cheese, cranberries, and white balsamic vinaigrette dressing. In all, it was pretty tasty stuff!
Additionally, I watched some of the TV shows I had recorded previously and made more space on the DVR for my Thursday night shows. Oh, and I also got 3 loads of laundry done today and a load of dishes.
I have to brag about things like this because it is so rare that they all happen in one day. :) I started the day with a cup of coffee, and I think that's what got me through it all. I didn't even take a nap! I need to have more days like this.
Tonight, Casey and I are going to watch a movie. After that, if it's not too late, I will probably do some Wii Fit as I have skipped a few days. I didn't feel well on Monday, had class on Tuesday, and just slacked off yesterday. It's time for some exercise!
Oh yeah- yesterday I decided to spoil Charley by taking him to downtown Naperville. We went to a shop called Two Bostons that I heard about through Mandi & Kyle. It's a really cute shop with a lot of gourmet items. Charley stuck his nose in a basket of 'Bully Sticks' and started chewing on one of them before I could pull his head back. He kept going back to it, and I felt guilty, so of course I bought him one. So far it's taken about 3 hours for him to chew on it, and he's still not done. I also bought him some freeze dried cheddar cheese which sounds and smells weird, but he loves it! I put it in his Kong and he ate it all in about 30 seconds. I think he had a good time there.
We also walked around downtown Naperville just to check out the shops (and so I could wear him down a bit). It was chilly, but warmer than normal, so I walked around with him until my ears hurt from the cold. We both came home and napped until Casey got home from work.
I'm done for now... sorry for the long and probably boring update. I'll write more soon!
-Ash
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
January 20th: A Day of Firsts
Today was a day of beginnings. Luckily enough, I got to watch the 44th President of the United States as he took the Oath of Office, and then I hauled ass across town to start my first day as a Digital Photography student at the College of DuPage.
Both experiences were exciting for me. President Obama gave a wonderful speech, and I'm very glad I got to see it live. Part of me wishes I was in DC to see it all happen, but then I realize being short in a crowd that large may not have been ideal. It was fun to watch the news and see it all happen. I do have to say that it would be great if the media didn't focus on things like what people were wearing or the fact that Obama may have tripped up during the swearing in portion. I heard a commentator say, "That is something they will replay for years to come." Who really cares? I can think of two other examples of people tripping up like that, just off the top of my head. One was me, on our wedding day, because I was nervous and had a hard time listening and then repeating what our pastor said because I knew there were a bunch of people starring at me... lol... Secondly, I remember when they said that OJ Simpson was not guilty; the chick reading his name totally messed it up. These are moments where you might realize how important the moment is and get caught up in it, therefore tripping your tongue up as well. People make mistakes... it's really not a big deal!!
Okay, moving on. Class went well. I realize I am probably the 2nd oldest student in the class. It appears as though the rest of the class is just out of high school, and the majority of them look a little Emo. I saw a lot of black hair, funky nail polish, chains, piercings, etc. Maybe I can break the mold of what 'artistic' people tend to look like. Either that, or I'll dye my hair purple and start writing deep, depressing poetry.
I realize that's not fair of me, and I honestly don't really mean it, especially for everyone in the class. It's just my first impression. Oh, and I didn't account for the fact that I had to find a parking space today, so I was about 2 minutes late to the class... oops! I was happy when two others showed up after I did. The teacher seems nice. No one really talked today and I think it made him a little nervous. I would have put my two cents in, but I honestly don't want to be the person that talks all the time (and we all know I could be capable of that!!). It's strange to go back to school after you've worked in a University setting; I really feel for the professors. I can understand how hard it might be for them to try to relate to the class and encourage people to speak up. You're dealing with a group of people from a bunch of different backgrounds, and I think it would be tough to try to get everyone involved in discussions, especially about things like cameras, etc. Some people in my class didn't know what point and shoot cameras are (sorry if you're reading this and don't... it basically means that you can just start the camera up and start taking pictures, and you don't have interchangeable lenses like an SLR has.) But again, it is an intro class, so I guess I need to stop being so snobby and realize that we are taking this to learn the basics. I'm taking this class because I want to refresh myself on the basics so I can really learn about lighting, shutter speed, etc., from the beginning. I want to really learn it, as opposed to memorize it for a test and forget about it later. Maybe that's one good thing about going back to school after all of this time; my perspective has changed. I realize how important it is to learn now. I'm sad that it took me so long to finally figure that out!
Anyway, I realize that this entry is a little more opinionated... I shouldn't be so quick to judge. In the end, just know that I enjoy my class, and I do think I will get a lot out of it. I'm going to get started right now on my homework assignment... as opposed to the old Ashley who would have put it off until next week. :) It's the beginning of a new era!!
Love,
Ash
Both experiences were exciting for me. President Obama gave a wonderful speech, and I'm very glad I got to see it live. Part of me wishes I was in DC to see it all happen, but then I realize being short in a crowd that large may not have been ideal. It was fun to watch the news and see it all happen. I do have to say that it would be great if the media didn't focus on things like what people were wearing or the fact that Obama may have tripped up during the swearing in portion. I heard a commentator say, "That is something they will replay for years to come." Who really cares? I can think of two other examples of people tripping up like that, just off the top of my head. One was me, on our wedding day, because I was nervous and had a hard time listening and then repeating what our pastor said because I knew there were a bunch of people starring at me... lol... Secondly, I remember when they said that OJ Simpson was not guilty; the chick reading his name totally messed it up. These are moments where you might realize how important the moment is and get caught up in it, therefore tripping your tongue up as well. People make mistakes... it's really not a big deal!!
Okay, moving on. Class went well. I realize I am probably the 2nd oldest student in the class. It appears as though the rest of the class is just out of high school, and the majority of them look a little Emo. I saw a lot of black hair, funky nail polish, chains, piercings, etc. Maybe I can break the mold of what 'artistic' people tend to look like. Either that, or I'll dye my hair purple and start writing deep, depressing poetry.
I realize that's not fair of me, and I honestly don't really mean it, especially for everyone in the class. It's just my first impression. Oh, and I didn't account for the fact that I had to find a parking space today, so I was about 2 minutes late to the class... oops! I was happy when two others showed up after I did. The teacher seems nice. No one really talked today and I think it made him a little nervous. I would have put my two cents in, but I honestly don't want to be the person that talks all the time (and we all know I could be capable of that!!). It's strange to go back to school after you've worked in a University setting; I really feel for the professors. I can understand how hard it might be for them to try to relate to the class and encourage people to speak up. You're dealing with a group of people from a bunch of different backgrounds, and I think it would be tough to try to get everyone involved in discussions, especially about things like cameras, etc. Some people in my class didn't know what point and shoot cameras are (sorry if you're reading this and don't... it basically means that you can just start the camera up and start taking pictures, and you don't have interchangeable lenses like an SLR has.) But again, it is an intro class, so I guess I need to stop being so snobby and realize that we are taking this to learn the basics. I'm taking this class because I want to refresh myself on the basics so I can really learn about lighting, shutter speed, etc., from the beginning. I want to really learn it, as opposed to memorize it for a test and forget about it later. Maybe that's one good thing about going back to school after all of this time; my perspective has changed. I realize how important it is to learn now. I'm sad that it took me so long to finally figure that out!
Anyway, I realize that this entry is a little more opinionated... I shouldn't be so quick to judge. In the end, just know that I enjoy my class, and I do think I will get a lot out of it. I'm going to get started right now on my homework assignment... as opposed to the old Ashley who would have put it off until next week. :) It's the beginning of a new era!!
Love,
Ash
Friday, January 16, 2009
Awwww Nuts!
My car battery died for the second time this week. Luckily I was at home and the thing wouldn't start, so it's not like I was stranded somewhere in this ridiculous cold. But I was excited to get out of the house today! Grrrr... at least we have dinner plans with Kyle & Mandi tonight, so with the help of Casey, I'll get to see the outside world! Yay!
I got a call about the job I mentioned in the previous post... yeah, that's not going to happen. Somewhere, there is a job out there waiting for me... I just hope it comes sooner than later! I guess I'm glad I didn't have an interview or anything for today, because I would have had to call a cab! That may have been embarrassing.
It's official... Charley hates the UPS guy. He seems to drive down our street a lot and deliver to the neighbors (and a few times to us lately, woo hoo!)... but Charley has started this weird howling bark anytime he hears the UPS vehicle, so I guess I will always know when a delivery is being made. It's strange, though- Charley has never barked before, except in his sleep! He's becoming more of a watch dog, which is nice.
I think I finally got my transcript stuff figured out with Allen County. They had put a hold on my transcript until I did exit counseling for my student loan. Funny thing is, I left ACCC in 2003, and just found out about this exit interview thing this week. Lame! But they took the hold off of my transcript now, so hopefully COD will get that in the next week or so, and then they can evaluate my previous classes to find out if I need to retake any of them. Whatever they determine will also allow me to find out when I will graduate! This is taking forever!!!!
I think that's all of my randomness for this afternoon. I guess I'll play some more Wii Fit... it scolded me last night for not playing in a week... oops! I'm glad to have something to hold me accountable, though. Even if it is a little electronic trainer whose lips don't even move when it 'talks'. I'll take whatever I can get. ;)
Later,
Ash
PS: Dad, thanks for the info about dog poop in the yard. Good to know! ;)
The picture is from our back yard... special thanks to MeadWestvaco (MWV) for providing the wooden ruler! ;P
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Random thoughts
Charley Brown in the back yard... he dug a 'tunnel' in the snow so he could go to the bathroom. He just kept running back and forth along the same path. Funny kid. :)
So, good news- somehow, the blizzard totally skipped us! My dreams came true!! Until now... it's so freaking cold here!!!!! They said the wind chill makes it feel like -40. I don't even know what else to say about that.
I think yesterday was one of the most productive days I've had in a looooong time! I didn't get much done today, but I got enough done yesterday that I don't feel quite as bad about it. I plan to get out tomorrow and run some errands. They say it's going to get up in the 20s this weekend! Yay for the warm front!!
Kyle & Mandi want to hang out tomorrow night, and although I'm not sure what we'll be doing, I'm glad to go out with them again. Glad I didn't totally scare them away last time! :)
I may have a lead on my resume... I'll update on that as soon as I hear something!
I guess that's about it. I mainly wanted to let everyone know that while we are really freaking cold here, everything is still going fine.
Talk to you soon!
-Ash
Monday, January 12, 2009
Blizzard?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Just when you think Mother Nature hates you, you wake up to see a Blizzard Watch on TV. It's supposed to start after midnight tonight. Why did we move here again?!
Until now, the only blizzard I knew was the one at Dairy Queen.
Needless to say, I am in no way excited about this at all, unless it means that Casey will be home from work tomorrow. I'm pretty unsure how I'm going to get the dog to go to the bathroom outside if there are blizzard conditions... I can barely get him to do that when there's just snow!
Any suggestions?? I'm at a loss. That's all for now. I'll probably write more tomorrow and will attempt to take pictures of the 'blizzard'... with any luck it will skip us altogether! I am not holding my breath. :-P
-Ashley
Until now, the only blizzard I knew was the one at Dairy Queen.
Needless to say, I am in no way excited about this at all, unless it means that Casey will be home from work tomorrow. I'm pretty unsure how I'm going to get the dog to go to the bathroom outside if there are blizzard conditions... I can barely get him to do that when there's just snow!
Any suggestions?? I'm at a loss. That's all for now. I'll probably write more tomorrow and will attempt to take pictures of the 'blizzard'... with any luck it will skip us altogether! I am not holding my breath. :-P
-Ashley
Saturday, January 10, 2009
When life gives you snow...
...stop complaining about it and run around in it like a 5 year old.
It's been snowing since last night, and we probably have almost 6 inches now. Every time I looked outside, it made me depressed, so I decided to go out and get the mail and take Charley with me. We ended up playing in the back yard for awhile; I chased him around and he kept putting his nose in the snow and then sneezing it all off. We may have to do that again later when we both thaw out a bit.
Casey and I are being lazy today. We decided we aren't going anywhere, so he's played a computer game, I watched some TV and took a nap with Charley. That may just be the extent of what we do today. I have not played Wii Fit for two days, and I know it's going to ask me where I've been, but that's okay- I felt the need to take a little break. I may challenge Casey to some Wii Sports later or something so I can say I actually got a little bit of exercise today except for chasing Charley in the snow.
Casey took a few pics of us while we were playing... enjoy!
-Ash
Friday, January 9, 2009
I'm a student again!
Yesterday's orientation at the College of DuPage went well. I realize that I'm a lot more in-tune with college life compared to some of the other non-traditional students, so maybe that could be a chance for me to help them out. I felt bad for one cute little lady who didn't know what a syllabus was. I'm glad I had a job at a university to keep me in the loop of college life!
I found out good news today! Joliet Junior College, the closest community college to Plainfield, has a 'chargeback' agreement with COD where they will pay for any classes I take that directly follow my major because they do not offer the degree I am seeking (thank you Illinois for that wonderful idea!!)... so I have been approved for the chargeback and JJC will pay the difference for my digital photography classes! Now we will only pay the in-district fees. This saves us well over $100/credit hour now, which is wonderful! I could have taken another class this semester!! Oh well... it's probably better for me to start slow and get my foot in the door. I have to reapply each semester, but it should be worth it if all of my credits from previous colleges transfer... that way I should only really have photography classes to take anyway! I look forward to finding out what will transfer so I can get a better idea of how long it will take me to get my Associate of Applied Science.
I also applied for a job at COD yesterday after orientation. It would be great to be able to get a job within the college. I'll keep you all updated on that. Oh yeah, and before I forget, I called the other job and told them a fib about not being able to come in tomorrow for the interview... the lady sounded disappointed, and part of me felt guilty, but I realize that I would not have been satisfied with that job, the pay, the hours, and being outside as much as I would have.
A lot has happened this week, and I have to say that with the exception of the accident, things have been pretty good, or at least they're improving. Last night's dinner with Casey's coworker Kyle and his wife Mandy was a lot of fun! We went to Quigley's, an Irish pub in downtown Naperville. We had a good time getting to know each other and Mandy and I got to listen to the boys talk about work and the people they work with. Kyle is very animated and did some pretty hilarious impressions of some of the people at BP. I have a feeling Mandy and I could definitely relate on being married to Chemical Engineers... maybe we can start our own support group. LOL.... anyway, I hope to go out with them again soon!
Well, that's about it for me for now. I'm waiting to hear back from people at K-State and Allen County to find out why they never sent my transcripts to COD... but other than that I'm staying inside because it freaking snowed again and I refuse to go out in it! It's supposed to snow more this weekend. Craptastic!
Love,
Ash
I found out good news today! Joliet Junior College, the closest community college to Plainfield, has a 'chargeback' agreement with COD where they will pay for any classes I take that directly follow my major because they do not offer the degree I am seeking (thank you Illinois for that wonderful idea!!)... so I have been approved for the chargeback and JJC will pay the difference for my digital photography classes! Now we will only pay the in-district fees. This saves us well over $100/credit hour now, which is wonderful! I could have taken another class this semester!! Oh well... it's probably better for me to start slow and get my foot in the door. I have to reapply each semester, but it should be worth it if all of my credits from previous colleges transfer... that way I should only really have photography classes to take anyway! I look forward to finding out what will transfer so I can get a better idea of how long it will take me to get my Associate of Applied Science.
I also applied for a job at COD yesterday after orientation. It would be great to be able to get a job within the college. I'll keep you all updated on that. Oh yeah, and before I forget, I called the other job and told them a fib about not being able to come in tomorrow for the interview... the lady sounded disappointed, and part of me felt guilty, but I realize that I would not have been satisfied with that job, the pay, the hours, and being outside as much as I would have.
A lot has happened this week, and I have to say that with the exception of the accident, things have been pretty good, or at least they're improving. Last night's dinner with Casey's coworker Kyle and his wife Mandy was a lot of fun! We went to Quigley's, an Irish pub in downtown Naperville. We had a good time getting to know each other and Mandy and I got to listen to the boys talk about work and the people they work with. Kyle is very animated and did some pretty hilarious impressions of some of the people at BP. I have a feeling Mandy and I could definitely relate on being married to Chemical Engineers... maybe we can start our own support group. LOL.... anyway, I hope to go out with them again soon!
Well, that's about it for me for now. I'm waiting to hear back from people at K-State and Allen County to find out why they never sent my transcripts to COD... but other than that I'm staying inside because it freaking snowed again and I refuse to go out in it! It's supposed to snow more this weekend. Craptastic!
Love,
Ash
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wii Therapy
So, I believe I might be going slightly insane. I am at a point right now where I really need a job (to supplement tuition for school, boredom, and random car accidents, among other things) so I almost made a huge mistake today and almost took a job that I would have been embarrassed to tell other people about, let alone write on my resume. I would just like to say, to the handful of people in the world that know what that job is, that you can breathe easier because I am not going to do it. (I can hear my parents' sigh of relief.) (Even though I'm not going to write what it was, I just want to clarify that it was NOT something illegal or anything of that sort... c'mon, you guys know me better than that!!)
Anyway, other than my brief lapse in judgment earlier today, it was a much better day overall compared to yesterday. I got my hair cut, ran some errands, cleaned the house a bit, and got in some much-needed Wii time this evening. That thing is absolutely amazing, and anyone reading this who does not have one should a) go buy it, or b) come to our house and play it. Seriously. I have managed to play Wii Fit just about every day since we brought it home from Topeka, and although my Wii Fit age has been anywhere between 25 and 48, I continue to improve in strength and balance. The Hula Hoop game is probably the funniest one to witness so far... I know I look ridiculous playing it. Charley's still confused by the Wii Fit balance board and loves to get a toy, ball, or Kong and put it right behind the board while I'm playing so I step back on it and almost fall on my ass. Maybe I should thank the Wii Fit for helping me practice my balance, because so far I have managed not to fall, even after tripping over Charley's stuff.
The Yoga exercises on Wii Fit actually helped me out yesterday. I was pretty freaked out from the stupid accident, so last night I did a bit of Yoga and it settled me down a little. I feel like I have some kind of post-traumatic stress over the accident even though it wasn't a bad one. I came home yesterday morning after it happened and decided to try to take a nap, but I couldn't sleep because I kept picturing scenerios that could have happened, like Charley getting hurt, etc. I'm not sure why that happens, but I'm dealing with it. I think that's why one of my nicknames is "Impending Doom"... I get caught up in things that could happen (and sometimes things that would most likely never happen) and freak myself out about it. Again, I realize it's stupid and all, but I guess that's why I have such an active imagination. It's not as bad as it used to be!
I fear that if I write much more, whoever is reading this will think I'm insane, so I'm going to stop now. :-) I'll write more tomorrow.
-Ash
Anyway, other than my brief lapse in judgment earlier today, it was a much better day overall compared to yesterday. I got my hair cut, ran some errands, cleaned the house a bit, and got in some much-needed Wii time this evening. That thing is absolutely amazing, and anyone reading this who does not have one should a) go buy it, or b) come to our house and play it. Seriously. I have managed to play Wii Fit just about every day since we brought it home from Topeka, and although my Wii Fit age has been anywhere between 25 and 48, I continue to improve in strength and balance. The Hula Hoop game is probably the funniest one to witness so far... I know I look ridiculous playing it. Charley's still confused by the Wii Fit balance board and loves to get a toy, ball, or Kong and put it right behind the board while I'm playing so I step back on it and almost fall on my ass. Maybe I should thank the Wii Fit for helping me practice my balance, because so far I have managed not to fall, even after tripping over Charley's stuff.
The Yoga exercises on Wii Fit actually helped me out yesterday. I was pretty freaked out from the stupid accident, so last night I did a bit of Yoga and it settled me down a little. I feel like I have some kind of post-traumatic stress over the accident even though it wasn't a bad one. I came home yesterday morning after it happened and decided to try to take a nap, but I couldn't sleep because I kept picturing scenerios that could have happened, like Charley getting hurt, etc. I'm not sure why that happens, but I'm dealing with it. I think that's why one of my nicknames is "Impending Doom"... I get caught up in things that could happen (and sometimes things that would most likely never happen) and freak myself out about it. Again, I realize it's stupid and all, but I guess that's why I have such an active imagination. It's not as bad as it used to be!
I fear that if I write much more, whoever is reading this will think I'm insane, so I'm going to stop now. :-) I'll write more tomorrow.
-Ash
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
More reasons to hate snow.
We had gone almost 2 weeks without any snow, and of course this morning as I was going home from taking Casey to work (truck's having work done) it started snowing, and I slid and rear-ended someone. The girl was really nice, and her SUV didn't get much damage at all, but the VW sign and part of the plastic grill on the Jetta is crunched.
I am pissed at myself, mainly because I tried to stop, but obviously with snow you want to start that process a little farther back than I did. We weren't going fast at all; Charley was in the car with me, and he barely noticed anything had happened. Thank God none of us were hurt. I'm just so annoyed right now. Insurance will cover it and I'm glad we have the coverage we do... I just hate that because of something I did, we'll have to spend more money. When it rains it pours. Or when it snows... it royally messes things up for me.
I vow not to live any farther north than we do right now. If Casey ever gets a job in Alaska, he'll have to go without me. ;-P
Tonight we're supposed to go out to dinner with one of the new grad students at USC- he's in town visiting his girlfriend. (I will not be driving.)
Tomorrow I have an appointment to get my hair cut. Woo hoo! It's only been a month but it's going a little crazy right now and not really doing what I want it to. Looking forward to having it trimmed up and looking nicer for Thursday. I have Orientation for school that afternoon. I'm now considered a 'non-traditional' student... which should be interesting! I'll update more after I go and check things out. Thursday night we are also supposed to go out withone of Casey's coworker's and his wife. It looks like this week is going to be pretty eventful... I just hope there aren't more events like the one this morning.
That's all for now- I'll update later.
-Ash
I am pissed at myself, mainly because I tried to stop, but obviously with snow you want to start that process a little farther back than I did. We weren't going fast at all; Charley was in the car with me, and he barely noticed anything had happened. Thank God none of us were hurt. I'm just so annoyed right now. Insurance will cover it and I'm glad we have the coverage we do... I just hate that because of something I did, we'll have to spend more money. When it rains it pours. Or when it snows... it royally messes things up for me.
I vow not to live any farther north than we do right now. If Casey ever gets a job in Alaska, he'll have to go without me. ;-P
Tonight we're supposed to go out to dinner with one of the new grad students at USC- he's in town visiting his girlfriend. (I will not be driving.)
Tomorrow I have an appointment to get my hair cut. Woo hoo! It's only been a month but it's going a little crazy right now and not really doing what I want it to. Looking forward to having it trimmed up and looking nicer for Thursday. I have Orientation for school that afternoon. I'm now considered a 'non-traditional' student... which should be interesting! I'll update more after I go and check things out. Thursday night we are also supposed to go out withone of Casey's coworker's and his wife. It looks like this week is going to be pretty eventful... I just hope there aren't more events like the one this morning.
That's all for now- I'll update later.
-Ash
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Holidays in Kansas
I'm sorry I haven't written in awhile! The past few weeks have been pretty crazy. We went home to Kansas for Christmas, and it went too fast, as usual. It was nice to be home and see everyone, though. I posted pictures on www.flickr.com/ashleyhetrick. Now we're back in Illinois... it's cold here, but so far (knock on wood) we haven't had any snow since we got back... that's been great!!! We can actually see the (dead) grass in our back yard. Charley doesn't seem to mind going outside now... especially when there are rabbits to chase. That's become his new favorite activity, which also means he barks at us and stands by the door- something he normally does when he has to go to the bathroom- more often now. He went to the vet today, which is something that was long overdue. Luckily all of his tests went well, and he's up to date on all of his shots now. He loves going to the vet. I think it's because he gets so much attention- he got 4 shots today and didn't even seem to mind. Then they had to squirt one type of vaccine into his mouth, and although you could tell he didn't like the taste of it (he made a hilarious face!) he licked it up anyway, even off the floor at one point. The vet said she thought it seemed like he was just being polite... lol...
Anyway, enough about the dog... for now. I have been on the job hunt again, and applied for a few more last night. There's one I found that I'm not going to hold my breath for, but if I got it I would assist a professional photographer by being a 'Second Shooter". That's an ideal job for me right now, and even though I would be photographing weddings, it would definitely give me great experience. Anyway, again, I'm not holding my breath, but I'll definitely keep you updated.
I think Casey and I are going to play Wii now, so I should cut this short. I'll try to write more when something exciting happens. Hopefully that'll be soon!
-Ashley
Anyway, enough about the dog... for now. I have been on the job hunt again, and applied for a few more last night. There's one I found that I'm not going to hold my breath for, but if I got it I would assist a professional photographer by being a 'Second Shooter". That's an ideal job for me right now, and even though I would be photographing weddings, it would definitely give me great experience. Anyway, again, I'm not holding my breath, but I'll definitely keep you updated.
I think Casey and I are going to play Wii now, so I should cut this short. I'll try to write more when something exciting happens. Hopefully that'll be soon!
-Ashley
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