Night Owl for life. Or at least until I get a new job/have kids.

I'm a bonafide night owl. It's an addiction. I love staying up late for absolutely no reason. I'm just sitting here, typing this blog, thinking about how I have to be at church at 10:00 in the morning. And it's now 1:00 AM. I know I will be tired tomorrow. I know I will sleep in later than I want to. Yet that's not enough to make me actually go upstairs and go to bed. It's a cycle that I can't seem to break. Probably because to I don't want to break it. Not bad enough, anyway.

What's really funny, is that I only really like staying up late when I am in the comfort of my own home. Or occasionally at the residence of close friends or family. When I'm out though, I hit a certain breaking point, usually between midnight and 1:00 am, where all I can think about is how tired I am and I want to go home. And then the second I walk through my door, it's like I'm wide awake and want to stay up! I don't get it.

This behavior frustrates Sam, who is pretty much the opposite of me. He typically does not like to stay up late, particularly when we are doing nothing at home. He is the quintessential early bird; he loves nothing more than to start his day early so he can get things done, and then come home and be in bed around 10:00, at the latest. However, when we're out somewhere, all he wants to do is stay out late, even if what we're doing is incredibly boring.

This has caused a few quarrels between us. Nothing serious, but he thinks I'm a party-pooper (I do tend to rain on his parade on occasion) and complains when I won't go to bed when he does. It's not that I don't like to go to bed early - if I'm tired, I certainly will - it's that I'm usually not tired until late, and I hate tossing and turning in bed when I can't sleep. So I stay up instead. And type blogs. And surf facebook. And read news. And watch TV. And job search. And occasionally do something productive, like write Thank You notes. Which, by the way, I finally finished for our couple's shower in March.

*Yawns*

Well, I'm getting tired now, so I think I'll go to bed! Goodnight, all!

I'm ill. No really, I'm sick!

So I've been sick for the past week with some unknown illness that I can't seem to shake. It started off with extreme exhaustion and a sore throat on Monday, and has since then progressed to excessive sleepiness/overall weakness, to a brief and (pump fake) recovery on Wednesday and Thursday, to a congested head cold/possible upper respiratory infection through the weekend. I woke up from a nap this afternoon and my ears were throbbing they hurt so bad! I'm hoping this is the last final punch before this cold finally leaves me alone.

I've been doping up on 1,000 mg vitamin C pills and Walgreens Severe Cold Medicine to try and fight through this on my own. I really don't believe in going to the doctor unless it's absolutely necessary, in order to prevent my body from becoming resistant to antibiotics. I believe that trying to fight through certain illnesses can help your body grow stronger. Of course, I'm no doctor so I have no proof of this, but I'd like to believe it's true. We live in an over-medicated society, so I try to use medicine only when necessary.

I'm hoping I feel better tomorrow so I can start working out again!

Wildlife Recue and Rehabilitation Center

Today was my first day volunteering at the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Houston. It is located in the Heights area of Houston, right next to the Houston SPCA, who happens to sponsor the Center.

I first learned of the center after my failed attempt at rescuing a duckling from our garage about a month ago. For all of those who may have forgotten about Daffy, I have included a picture to help remember him by.

To recap that dreadful day, Sam and I found this little guy inside of our garage on a Sunday night. Sam wanted to just leave him on his own and "let nature take its course" but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep that night if I didn't at least try to save him.

So we put him in a cardboard box with a washcloth and I put a sock over him to help keep him warm until I could take him to the Wildlife Center the next day. I had read online that it was best not to feed him or give him any water, and that I had to call the Center before dropping him off.

I wake up early on Monday. Before taking a shower, I run down to the garage to make sure he is okay, cautiously opening the garage door and pausing before peeking into his box, fearing the worst had happened. I find him still kicking around, and I breathe a sigh of relief. He's alive! I run back in and call the Wildlife Center to let them know I was on my way. But not before a quick shower.

No joke, not even an hour later, I'm walking out the door about to pick up his box and load him in my car, and the little guy is laying on his back, wings spread out, not moving. What?!?!?!? This can' t be happening! It's been like 45 minutes. I start to panic. I figure, what do I have to lose? I decide to take him down to the WC anyway.

I call Sam in a panic on my way, not sure of what to do. I can't afford veterinary care, I can barely afford it on my cat and dog, so I decide to keep driving down the Heights, about a 30 min drive on a good day.

But alas, he was not meant to make it. He was dead before I arrived. I was so incredibly sad that he had died, and worse, that it was my fault.

One good thing did come of this tragedy though: I was introduced to the Wildlife and Rehab Center! I have always wanted to work with wildlife. As a kid, I was fascinated with wild animals and wanted to know everything about them. I'm laid off, so now is as good a time as any to start volunteering, so I took the reins and decided to jump right in. My orientation was last week, and today was my first day working with the wildlife!

I arrived a little late this morning, thanks to Houston traffic, at about 9:15. My first day and I'm already making mistakes, I thought, but it was no big deal.

My first job of the day was to clean out the Dove cages. I say cage, but they are really glass aquariums that are heated. Baby doves of various life stages are held inside. Most of the animals at the WC were brought there by concerned citizens of Houston who needed a place where they could be taken care of. Now I've never handled birds before, so I wasn't sure how to go about cleaning out these tanks. After a quick lesson from Debbie, the lady in charge, I was set out on my own, ready to fly on my own wings (pun definitely intended). Because we're not allowed to take pictures of the animals, except under special circumstances, I have included a photo of the types of doves I worked with today:


It's kinda funny how ugly baby birds really are. I mean most of them, excluding ducks, really aren't that cute. Is this nature's way of trying to keep predators away from them? Who knows. But Doves definitely get cuter as they get older.

So I successfully cleaned out about 12 tanks, and replaced the birds into their new clean homes. Some of them were grateful - some, not so much. Some copped an attitude and tried to fly off when I tried to pick them up, but they were no match for my quick reflexes. The trick is to keep your hands on top of their wings when you pick them up, without crushing them, of course.

After I was done cleaning, I somehow got assigned the task of picking up the dirty bowls inside the Opossum cages. Have any of you ever been up close and personal with an opossum? Here is what they look like:

Really scary. My first encounter with an opossum. Well, one that's alive anyway. Unlike birds, opossums start off cute and get uglier as they get older. And I was told all I'd be doing on my first day was feeding baby birds:0/ They even gave me a metal pole to "prod" them with in case they get too close to the bowls. And I'm just supposed to stick my hand inside their kennels and pray they don't suddenly reach out and bite me!

I managed to complete this task without getting hurt, and moved onto to the comparatively more mundane task of feeding baby birds, specifically mocking birds, nighthawks, finches and blue jays. That part was actually pretty fun, especially feeding the mockingbirds. They are big eaters! I got to feed them an assortment of moist dog kibble, raspberries, and crickets whose legs had been taken off.

It was a pretty fun experience! I'm excited to go back next Tuesday and learn more:)

So. Incredibly. Bored

Number of hours it took me to get going this morning: Like 5. Generously.

Finally found my thank-you card list for the couple's shower. So that means I can get started knocking those out! Looks like I will have to buy a few more cards, but at least I can start a few tonight.

I made the most delicious carrot cake last night. First time making carrot cake. I made a nicely whipped cream cheese icing to accompany it. My baking skills are improving.

I also went back to the gym today for the first time in a week. It's amazing how quickly your body atrophies after not working out for awhile. Or in my case, for a week:0/ But, I'm back at it, and hoping I stay motivated to keep working out. The key for me is to have a variety of workouts. Without that, I get very bored and lose focus. I really do want to get strong and lose some of this fat that has stored up on me post-wedding. I read once that as a woman, your metabolism slowly starts to slow down after 25. And I'm 26. So I need to be diligent about my workouts! That, and they really do help me feel better and sleep better at night.

I am in desperate need of a new project to work on. Now that the wedding is over, and I am bored all the time. My house is clean and (for the most part) set up. My refrigerator is full. My job search is going nowhere. So I need a project. Now. Preferably one that doesn't cost a lot of money. Ha.

Summer Time

Love this pic with my girls from the wedding! I will post more soon. They came out beautifully! I am so so happy:)

What I love about summer:

1. Spending countless hours relaxing in my pool.
2. The feel of heat on my skin.
3. A nice tan. I know, it's "dangerous". So is pouring chemicals onto your skin.
4. Sitting outside at night with my family and friends.
5. Everything just seems more relaxed. Less traffic, etc.
6. Vacation (when applicable).
7. Grilling.

I feel like I've had just about every summer "off" since birth. I pretty much have, save for two summers when I was gainfully employed full-time. A girl could get used to this.

What I have done for my job search this week:

1. Started a LinkedIn profile.
2. Looked up Workforce workshops to attend next week, including Resume Writing and Cover Letter/Thank You note writing.
3. Looked into starting my own professional web site.

Part of my dilemma in the job searching world is that I'm not entirely sure what it is I want to do. There's just so many things that seem appealing to try. Of course, what you see is not always what you get, especially in the career world, and I am aware of that.

I think as I get older, my priorities are changing. I used to want a career in restaurant management, but now I'm afraid of the toll that career might take on my family life. Long hours. Odd schedules. Odd schedules are good for getting things done. But not so good for spending time with family. Now that I'm married, family time is becoming more of a priority to me. And of course, I totally got burned at my last job. But I know I would like to own my own eating establishment one day, and I definitely want all the experience I can get. Even thought people start restaurants all the time with far less experience than I have. And they're successful at it. I think if there's a will, there's a way. Perhaps management in another field would suit me better.

What I really want to do is get back into marketing. Easier said than done. I'm definitely kicking myself for ever having gotten out. I would ideally love to do marketing and PR for hospitality businesses - hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise lines, etc.

And I hope one day to teach at a university level, like I did in grad school. I really enjoyed that! I would love to become a hospitality/marketing/communications/media professor. Yeah, I like the sound of that.

And at some point this weekend, I will write thank-you notes for our couple's shower. I think about doing it every day, but more pressing matters always seem to take precedence whenever I get ready to start writing them. I will get to them though, I promise.

Joplin

Tonight I am leaving to go on probably one of the most unique journeys of my life.

I am going to Joplin, MO for a week.

On May 22 of this year, one of the most devastating tornadoes in United States History struck this small town of 50,000 people, killing more than 120 people and injuring hundreds more. The F5 tornado left a 6 mile path of destruction through the town, causing mass destruction that more than likely take years to recuperate from.

I remember how this tragedy really struck my heart and just filled me with this unexplainable sadness. My whole day was ruined when I first heard about it. I was coming down the stairs at the house, and a CNN news alert came across my iPhone, stating that 89 people had been killed in a tornado the previous night in Joplin. Maybe it's because I know first-hand what it feels like to lose someone to tragedy, but tears welled up in my eyes and my heart really went out to these people. I just can't imagine tragedy at that level. And I pray that I never find out what it's like. I felt this overwhelming need to somehow help these people.

A week later, my pastor at Cypress Fellowship Church said that he was organizing a group of people to travel to Missouri to assist with the recovery effort. It was like a sign from God!

Now I must admit, at first I was a little hesitant to go. I have no idea what to expect when I get there, and I've never done anything like this before. Even now, just a few hours before we leave, I'm still feeling a bit of anxiety about going. Of course a lot of that could be attributed to the 12 hour van ride it will take to get to Joplin. With people I don't know very well. But that's part of the fun...right?

The logical side of me realizes that this is probably a once-in-a-life time opportunity: I'm currently unemployed (no need to request time off...) and childless (no need to seek out childcare...). When will I ever have better circumstances to do something like this? Probably never. Or at least not for a long time. Unless I stay unemployed for longer than I want to. But that's another blog for another day.

I have always said that in life, it is important to expand my comfort zone and seek out new, meaningful experiences. So if I really want to put my money where my mouth is, and walk the talk, than I need to go. Even if I'm a little scared.

Anyway, I think the overwhelming need for help and support overrules my selfish fears about going on this trip. I know God will be with me, and the rest of the group, the entire time, so I just need to offer up whatever help I can give, and pray that I will be of some use to the town of Joplin while I'm there.

I'll keep everyone updated as to my progress!

K

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

So now that the wedding is finally over, I feel like my life can get back to more of a normal state. This is the first time in my life that I haven't been in school, or planning some other huge occasion, in quite some time. It feels very weird.

I was thinking about that fact a few days ago. Sam and I got engaged about a month after I graduated with my master's. So most of last year was spent looking for a job or planning our wedding. Since getting laid off in mid-April, I now find myself jobless once again, but this time without a wedding to plan! Most people would relish in this unforseen time off, but I am dreading it.

The first few weeks of unemployment were great - I was able to focus on wrapping up the final few details of the wedding, and spend time with my friends and family that flew in for the occasion. But now, in typical Kristen fashion, I'm bored out of my mind! I tend to be a person of extremes: when I have a job, I am always on the go, rarely stopping to relax or take any kind of break. I will work myself into exhaustion and illness. However, when I am unemployed I get really really really lazy. And I hate that about myself. I sleep in everyday, eat too much and watch wayyyy too much TV. It's like when I know I have no reason to get up and be productive - I don't. Grr.

So now I'm sitting here just wishing I had some sort of job to wake up to everyday. I know, I'm weird. Most people would love to be in my place right now, collecting unemployment and sitting at home eating potato chips and job surfing while watching the Today Show. But I can't stand it!!!!

I will admit, it is nice to finally not have to stress out about the wedding anymore. As much fun as it was, and as much as I love to plan events, a 18 months of planning can wear out even the most passionate of event planners.

And I don't think getting laid off happened for no reason - I do believe it was God's intervention that led to it. He knew I was miserable at that job. I was going to quit anyway. Except now I feel an immense amount of pressure to find an even better job! One that I will actually somewhat enjoy. I know I don't want to do what I was doing before, but I don't really know what I want to do, and that is frustrating for someone who always knows what they want. I'm so scared of picking a direction that might be the wrong direction, a direction I won't be able to get out of if I don't like it, that I just feel frozen. I sit in front of the computer screen with all of these tabs open for jobs that look quasi-interesting, but when it comes down to actually applying, I get overwhelmed. It's such a time-consuming process, and one that most often results in rejection. I mean, not even a damn e-mail saying "Thank your for interest". Nothing. How is that supposed to be motivating?

I just pray that I God blesses me with an even better job than I had before, and helps steer me in the path I'm supposed to be on.