I have been to a couple oil painting classes lately. They are always three hours long and I walk out with the finished product.
Here are the outcomes of my time there.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Oil
I have been to a couple oil painting classes lately. They are always three hours long and I walk out with the finished product.
Here are the outcomes of my time there.
One Thing at a Time
Are you currently, or have you ever been a New Year's resolution maker? I used to be huge into it. I used to love making resolutions for the new year. I would always get so excited about how I was going to improve my life in the next 12 months and how it would make me soooo awesome! And then I discovered, as many do, they there is an expiration date on those resolutions and your resolve to accomplish them, and its only about a week or two.
I have come to be smarter about these goals. I have learned to reduce the number of them, and make them more realistic. I have also learned that I am not good at working on more than one big goal at a time. I get too stressed out. I don't really know if its that I am not good at compartmentalizing my life, or I just stress too much, or what. But whatever the term for it is, I suck at it.
For instance, a friend the other day asked me why I had not yet completed a certain goal that I have. It is a goal I have had for a while and when I think about it, it just stresses me out. I know I need to work on it, but its not one of those 21 day things where I can just make it a habit and all will be well. It is something that will probably take me about a year or more to accomplish and will include a lot of work and a lot of stress. And also a lot of disappointment if I don't reach my goal. I told him I am still thinking about it. He tells me all the time that I could have accomplished it already if I had just started when I first had wanted to. I know this. And I am disappointed I didn't do it then, although looking back, I don't think it was the right time or situation.
But either way I have other big things going on in my life that I am working on and adding anything else to the mix will cause a lot of negative side effects. Like stress. Like over eating. Like getting depressed about things. Like quitting working out. Like unnecessary crying. Like shutting people out. The list could go on.
But wow, I really sound like a freak! Are we still friends now that you know I do these things??? I know I can be crazy. Bahhhh. But if it makes you feel better I try to hide the crying and over eating and depression and all that. Okay, yeah, that doesn't help. Well, anyways, I am who I am. It's whatever.
All of this does not mean that I can't multi-task or have more than one thing going on. I mean, I go to work everyday. I have friends who I keep up with. I work out 6 days a week. I go to painting classes on occasion. I paint in my spare time. I work on the books I am writing. I craft. I grocery shop and do laundry. I clean and do dishes. So I mean, its not like I am totally useless. I think I am just writing this to make myself feel better about not accomplishing, or working on (for that matter), the goal that my friend asked me about.
The real issue is if i have too many balls in the air, so to speak, at some point I will not only drop one, but I will get tired and drop them all at once. And then I quit everything in life except for things like showering, sleeping, and dragging myself to work.
So in conclusion, I've decided that it is okay to be a one-goal-at-a-time gal. I feel like as long as I am working on at least something in my life, then I am moving in the right direction. Progress is progress, right?
This is what I tell myself anyways.
I have come to be smarter about these goals. I have learned to reduce the number of them, and make them more realistic. I have also learned that I am not good at working on more than one big goal at a time. I get too stressed out. I don't really know if its that I am not good at compartmentalizing my life, or I just stress too much, or what. But whatever the term for it is, I suck at it.
For instance, a friend the other day asked me why I had not yet completed a certain goal that I have. It is a goal I have had for a while and when I think about it, it just stresses me out. I know I need to work on it, but its not one of those 21 day things where I can just make it a habit and all will be well. It is something that will probably take me about a year or more to accomplish and will include a lot of work and a lot of stress. And also a lot of disappointment if I don't reach my goal. I told him I am still thinking about it. He tells me all the time that I could have accomplished it already if I had just started when I first had wanted to. I know this. And I am disappointed I didn't do it then, although looking back, I don't think it was the right time or situation.
But either way I have other big things going on in my life that I am working on and adding anything else to the mix will cause a lot of negative side effects. Like stress. Like over eating. Like getting depressed about things. Like quitting working out. Like unnecessary crying. Like shutting people out. The list could go on.
But wow, I really sound like a freak! Are we still friends now that you know I do these things??? I know I can be crazy. Bahhhh. But if it makes you feel better I try to hide the crying and over eating and depression and all that. Okay, yeah, that doesn't help. Well, anyways, I am who I am. It's whatever.
All of this does not mean that I can't multi-task or have more than one thing going on. I mean, I go to work everyday. I have friends who I keep up with. I work out 6 days a week. I go to painting classes on occasion. I paint in my spare time. I work on the books I am writing. I craft. I grocery shop and do laundry. I clean and do dishes. So I mean, its not like I am totally useless. I think I am just writing this to make myself feel better about not accomplishing, or working on (for that matter), the goal that my friend asked me about.
The real issue is if i have too many balls in the air, so to speak, at some point I will not only drop one, but I will get tired and drop them all at once. And then I quit everything in life except for things like showering, sleeping, and dragging myself to work.
So in conclusion, I've decided that it is okay to be a one-goal-at-a-time gal. I feel like as long as I am working on at least something in my life, then I am moving in the right direction. Progress is progress, right?
This is what I tell myself anyways.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Journal Entry from 08.28.2012
Me: "I keep failing."
God: "Keep trying."
That was the entire entry. I read this back today. I was surprised at the energy with which it hit me so many months later and how much it still applies to my life today even though my struggles are different.
Keep trying.
God: "Keep trying."
That was the entire entry. I read this back today. I was surprised at the energy with which it hit me so many months later and how much it still applies to my life today even though my struggles are different.
Keep trying.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A Cruise
For those of you who knew me in middle school or high school saw first hand my ridiculously crazy, over the top, out of control small crush on the Backstreet Boys. I mean let's just be real for a second...I had an obsession. Like for real. I was reading back through some journals the other day, from that time period, and I was quite delusional about the whole thing. It was pretty pathetic. But that is not what I am here to talk about. What I want to tell you is the most AMAZING news you will ever hear in your whole entire life!!!!
Can you stand the anticipation???...No?...Okay, I'll just tell you...
Did you know that the BSB hold an annual cruise every year (well, this year will marks their 4th)?!?!?
Wait! Did you hear what I said?? They host a CRUISE! Where you get on a boat and go somewhere tropical and you are trapped on said boat WITH THE BSB for days on end in the middle of nothing but ocean!!
Okay, but wait...are you getting what I am saying? Are you picking up what I am putting down? Are you smelling what I am stepping in??????
Like...all 5 Backstreet Boys are TRAPPED on a boat with....well, ME (if I go)!!!! Like...is this a joke??? (They have body guards of course)
I could finally live out my childhood fantasy to meet, in real life, Brian Littrell. Do you have any idea how crazy the 15 year old inside of me is getting?? Like, she is goin' nuuuuuuuuts!! I can't even control her! The 28 year old me, says that it is $1100 that I can't just part with so easily. Yeah, I said $1100 (for 4 days).
But I really want to go!!! Because then I would get to meet Brian, and I could take a picture with him, (and rub it in Amy's face, who said I would never meet him. HA!), and maybe his shoulder would rub up against mine which would mean he was touching me. Uhhhhhhh...I just drooled a little. Sorry about that.
I go back and fourth every. single. day. as to what I should do. Bahhhhhhhh!!!!!
Oh, it would be so fun!
Can you stand the anticipation???...No?...Okay, I'll just tell you...
Did you know that the BSB hold an annual cruise every year (well, this year will marks their 4th)?!?!?
Wait! Did you hear what I said?? They host a CRUISE! Where you get on a boat and go somewhere tropical and you are trapped on said boat WITH THE BSB for days on end in the middle of nothing but ocean!!
Okay, but wait...are you getting what I am saying? Are you picking up what I am putting down? Are you smelling what I am stepping in??????
Like...all 5 Backstreet Boys are TRAPPED on a boat with....well, ME (if I go)!!!! Like...is this a joke??? (They have body guards of course)
I could finally live out my childhood fantasy to meet, in real life, Brian Littrell. Do you have any idea how crazy the 15 year old inside of me is getting?? Like, she is goin' nuuuuuuuuts!! I can't even control her! The 28 year old me, says that it is $1100 that I can't just part with so easily. Yeah, I said $1100 (for 4 days).
But I really want to go!!! Because then I would get to meet Brian, and I could take a picture with him, (and rub it in Amy's face, who said I would never meet him. HA!), and maybe his shoulder would rub up against mine which would mean he was touching me. Uhhhhhhh...I just drooled a little. Sorry about that.
I go back and fourth every. single. day. as to what I should do. Bahhhhhhhh!!!!!
Oh, it would be so fun!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
The Life of a Collector
The other day when I was at work a story popped into my head from my past. As I think you all know, I used to work in collections. Mortgage collections. And the job is crazy. No...it's really crazy most of the time. So much so that getting yelled at over the phone may not be a daily event, but its also not a noteworthy event either. Meaning it happens often enough, and at least half the people you talk to are some form of upset, that getting yelled at it just another job description.
There are stories, however, that are noteworthy. We (my team members and I) would share stories of crazy borrowers, but it was not the majority of what we talked about in our downtime.
But there was this one lady who popped into my head the other day and I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous our conversation was. And actually our conversation was ridiculous enough that I had to mute my phone a few times to keep from laughing while the conversation was happening.
So let me set the scene.
It was probably 2+ years ago and I was just minding my own business, doing my work. Work included making phone calls to borrowers who were behind on their mortgage. At the time I think I worked mostly east coast accounts. I don't remember which state I was calling, but somewhere over there is probably a safe bet. On this particular account the only person on the mortgage was a man, so when I pulled the account up the only name I see is a man's name. I wouldn't know if he were married or not and if he was, what his wife's name was (unless a previous collector had noted it, which no one had). The rules go like this: If he is married, I can speak to his wife as long as she can verify their address and his SSN (even though she isn't on the mortgage), and then I just have to take her word for it that they are married.
So I make the call. The borrower is something over 12 months behind on the mortgage (because those were the only accounts I called at the time).
A woman answers. I don't know that the man is married or who is answering so I just ask for the borrower.
Here is how our conversation went:
Woman: Hello.
Me: Hi, may I please speak to Mr. _________ __________ (I can't remember his name, nor would I put it on here.)
Woman: Who is this!?!?
Me: My name is Alison, and I am calling from Nationstar. Is Mr. _______ ________ there?
Woman: How dare you call this number looking for my husband!!
Me: So you are his wife?
Woman: Yes I am his wife!! Who the hell are you?
Me: Like I said my name is Alison and I am calling with Nationstar about the mortgage.
Woman: I KNOW you are one of my husband's whores! I know you are sleeping with him!!! (she is screaming now)
Me: Ma'am. I am calling with the mortgage company about your mortgage. Can I speak with you about the mortgage? (I am sort of laughing under my breath at this point, because...really?? I just told her who I was)
Woman: What about the mortgage?
Me: Can I have you tell me your mailing address and your husband's SSN to verify who you are?
Woman: I'm not telling you all that. I knew you were one of his whores!! You are having sex with my husband!!! Don't you call this number looking for him. And by the way he's not just sleeping with you. He has lots of whores!!!
Me: Ma'am...I am really calling from the mortgage company. I can talk to you about your mortgage if you can just identify the information and we can more forward.
Woman: Well, my husband deals with the mortgage...I don't. You will have to talk to him.
Me: Okay. Is there a better time to call him back? Or a better number to reach him at? Maybe a cell phone number?
Woman: Well, shouldn't you already have his cell phone number since you are sleeping with him??
Me: (OMG!!! are we back here again?? But really, I am just laughing now, but she is just being ridiculous) I ensure you that I work for your mortgage company and that is all I am calling to speak to him about. May I have his cell phone number?
Woman: No!
Me: Alright...well, I will just have to call back another time for him. I hope you have a better day.
(Call ended)
Sorry for the language. I am pretty sure she used a few other colorful words in there too, but I don't exactly remember.
That is the first and only time I have ever been accused of sleeping with a married man. And really, it shouldn't be funny, but it just was. Like...I told her we could talk about the mortgage and then she just went right back to accusing me of things and calling me a whore. I did feel bad for her though. I mean, it didn't sound like their marriage was very stable, and it sounded like she had already caught him cheating before...sooooooo that sucks.
I don't remember if I ever had to talk to her again. If I did, it was nothing as memorable.
Ahh...the life of a collector.
I do not miss it.
Ever.
There are stories, however, that are noteworthy. We (my team members and I) would share stories of crazy borrowers, but it was not the majority of what we talked about in our downtime.
But there was this one lady who popped into my head the other day and I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous our conversation was. And actually our conversation was ridiculous enough that I had to mute my phone a few times to keep from laughing while the conversation was happening.
So let me set the scene.
It was probably 2+ years ago and I was just minding my own business, doing my work. Work included making phone calls to borrowers who were behind on their mortgage. At the time I think I worked mostly east coast accounts. I don't remember which state I was calling, but somewhere over there is probably a safe bet. On this particular account the only person on the mortgage was a man, so when I pulled the account up the only name I see is a man's name. I wouldn't know if he were married or not and if he was, what his wife's name was (unless a previous collector had noted it, which no one had). The rules go like this: If he is married, I can speak to his wife as long as she can verify their address and his SSN (even though she isn't on the mortgage), and then I just have to take her word for it that they are married.
So I make the call. The borrower is something over 12 months behind on the mortgage (because those were the only accounts I called at the time).
A woman answers. I don't know that the man is married or who is answering so I just ask for the borrower.
Here is how our conversation went:
Woman: Hello.
Me: Hi, may I please speak to Mr. _________ __________ (I can't remember his name, nor would I put it on here.)
Woman: Who is this!?!?
Me: My name is Alison, and I am calling from Nationstar. Is Mr. _______ ________ there?
Woman: How dare you call this number looking for my husband!!
Me: So you are his wife?
Woman: Yes I am his wife!! Who the hell are you?
Me: Like I said my name is Alison and I am calling with Nationstar about the mortgage.
Woman: I KNOW you are one of my husband's whores! I know you are sleeping with him!!! (she is screaming now)
Me: Ma'am. I am calling with the mortgage company about your mortgage. Can I speak with you about the mortgage? (I am sort of laughing under my breath at this point, because...really?? I just told her who I was)
Woman: What about the mortgage?
Me: Can I have you tell me your mailing address and your husband's SSN to verify who you are?
Woman: I'm not telling you all that. I knew you were one of his whores!! You are having sex with my husband!!! Don't you call this number looking for him. And by the way he's not just sleeping with you. He has lots of whores!!!
Me: Ma'am...I am really calling from the mortgage company. I can talk to you about your mortgage if you can just identify the information and we can more forward.
Woman: Well, my husband deals with the mortgage...I don't. You will have to talk to him.
Me: Okay. Is there a better time to call him back? Or a better number to reach him at? Maybe a cell phone number?
Woman: Well, shouldn't you already have his cell phone number since you are sleeping with him??
Me: (OMG!!! are we back here again?? But really, I am just laughing now, but she is just being ridiculous) I ensure you that I work for your mortgage company and that is all I am calling to speak to him about. May I have his cell phone number?
Woman: No!
Me: Alright...well, I will just have to call back another time for him. I hope you have a better day.
(Call ended)
Sorry for the language. I am pretty sure she used a few other colorful words in there too, but I don't exactly remember.
That is the first and only time I have ever been accused of sleeping with a married man. And really, it shouldn't be funny, but it just was. Like...I told her we could talk about the mortgage and then she just went right back to accusing me of things and calling me a whore. I did feel bad for her though. I mean, it didn't sound like their marriage was very stable, and it sounded like she had already caught him cheating before...sooooooo that sucks.
I don't remember if I ever had to talk to her again. If I did, it was nothing as memorable.
Ahh...the life of a collector.
I do not miss it.
Ever.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
I know, I know
Y'all (yes I said ya'll) are sick of seeing me post pics of my paintings. But I paint. And this is the 'Life and Styles of Marty Crocker' so you get what you get. Lol
My rendition of Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace at Night"
My rendition of Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace at Night"
I have discovered that I am not too good at Van Gogh's style. I liked my sky and the hill of buildings and my cobblestone (sort of), but other than that, I don't don't like much else. This is a 16x20 and I am going to hang it up next to the one I bought of his 'Starry Night over the Rhone.' (Printed on canvas) It is on a 30x40 canvas I think. I also plan on trying to paint 'Starry Night' at some point and hanging it on that same wall. Someday when I have time. Ha!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Silly silly
Sometimes you just need to appreciate some silliness.
Here are some classics! haha
We forgot there were multiple pictures being taken. The second frame we were not expecting, and the third frame is our reaction. haha
Volleyball night will Lori!
One of my favorite pics of me and my Rose girls. lol
When my Mama came to visit
Channelling my inner "Nicole squirrel face"
Me and the Dew-ster aka Dewey
This is just so awkward. But it makes me laugh every time without fail.
These next two are by far my absolute favorite morning pictures of myself. Someday when I get serious with a guy and he thinks he wants to marry me, I will show him these. Just so he knows what he is getting himself into. It's really just polite to let him know in advance.
Me and The Debs aka Debby
I love Bre's face here. classic!
Bre and I made a music video to the song "grillz" by Nelly. This is a still frame of the beginning. And, No, you cannot see the actual video. It is sooooo embarrassing!
Goodwill shopping. I wanted to buy this so bad.
Pre 5k. And soooo early. blah!
Pride Parade 2012. It was rainy and gross outside, but we had fun!
Here are some classics! haha
We forgot there were multiple pictures being taken. The second frame we were not expecting, and the third frame is our reaction. haha
Volleyball night will Lori!
One of my favorite pics of me and my Rose girls. lol
Me and the Dew-ster aka Dewey
This is just so awkward. But it makes me laugh every time without fail.
These next two are by far my absolute favorite morning pictures of myself. Someday when I get serious with a guy and he thinks he wants to marry me, I will show him these. Just so he knows what he is getting himself into. It's really just polite to let him know in advance.
I mean...check out those classic peacock-like strands sticking up in the front. haha. clearly I am not a morning person.
I love Bre's face here. classic!
Bre and I made a music video to the song "grillz" by Nelly. This is a still frame of the beginning. And, No, you cannot see the actual video. It is sooooo embarrassing!
Pride Parade 2012. It was rainy and gross outside, but we had fun!
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