Career choices

So I’m contemplating a career change. I haven’t talked to Husband about it yet…it kind of just dawned on me this morning on my way to work. Wanted to see if you guys had any thoughts on the subject. Wondered if it’s something I should seriously consider.

All my life I wanted to be a veterinarian. I LOVE animals. I wanted to be able to help animals. So I entered college intent on majoring in Biology. And from there I would maybe go on to vet school. Well, I think I started to doubt myself. Would I be able to do the whole vet thing? Could I handle surgery and all that medical stuff? Would I be able to get through all the maths and sciences (even though they’re my favorite subjects and I know I’m smart)? Do I want to be in school for that long? So with all these questions over my head, at freshman orientation, I changed majors to Architecture. Freshman year was mainly core classes anyway at Texas State (then Southwest Texas).

Sophomore year I transferred to Texas A&M and entered the Environment Design major. It took a year of that (and my first ‘C’ EVER!) to realize I did not have the creativity to be an architect (not even close). I transferred to the Construction Science major in the same College of Architecture. Construction…much more practical. I’d been around construction my whole life…it seemed to fit. I was good at it. I excelled at it. But knew I was too girly to work out in the field in the construction industry. So I leaned towards the residential aspect of construction and landed an office job as an estimator with a home builder after graduation. Again, something I was good at…I excel at. Within 2 years I had been promoted to Senior Estimator and then to Assistant Manager of Estimating. Then the housing downturn caught up in Houston and they got rid of the Assistant Manager position and I was dumped back down to Senior Estimator (at least I wasn’t laid off, right?). While I’m still really good at my job, I was happy when I got promoted to assistant manager because I’d been doing this work for over 2 years and I felt I needed more of a challenge. I’m good at it, but it’s not challenging anymore. I’ve been back doing my old unchallenging duties now for about 4+ months and it’s really starting to wear on me. I dread coming to work every day because it’s so boring. I can get through an entire day, even be productive in that day, and not have to think at all. Which makes my brain hurt because I don’t have to use it! It’s very frustrating. And things I used to take care of when I was asst. man., my boss now does and he doesn’t do them as well and asks for my help and then messes stuff up that I have to then go fix. I should just do it in the first place!

Anyway (sidetrack venting)…recently Husband and I have been talking about when to have kids and what we want to do when we have kids. We both would love for me to be able to stay home with kids, but Husband needs a big fat raise before that can happen…and we have a lot saving to do before then too! Not that I don’t want to work at all though. I think I would like to do something that would allow me more time at home. Something more flexible…more part time. Could I do that in the same industry? Is there anything else that I could maybe do by going back to school for an associate’s degree maybe? Then it hit me this morning. Like an epiphany. What if I became a vet technician?? I wouldn’t have to worry about the whole like surgery and big time medical stuff, but I could still work with animals. I could maybe even find a job closer to home…same city, maybe? Or work at the zoo…that would be awesome! I would definitely bring in A LOT less money, but I would still be working like I like and I would be doing something I enjoy rather than something I’m starting to dread on a daily basis. What do you think?? Am I just crazy because I’m hating my job? I could still work while going back to school, right? Night classes? Online classes? Should I seriously look into this?? I need some advice!!

John Frieda Root Awakening Giveaway!

**Giveaway closed! Winners have been chosen!**

Geez, I've been meaning to post this for DAYS! So busy, so busy. Okay, so, I joined up with BzzAgent.com like my good friend Mrs. C. You get to test out products and give feedback on them. I was lucky enough to get an invitation to try out the new Root Awakening line of shampoo/conditioner by John Frieda.

They sent me a full size bottle of shampoo and conditioner as well as some sample packs of another shampoo/conditioner AND two sample bottles of a leave in de-tangler spray. Along with a TON of coupons. I wish I would have remembered to take a picture. I guess I still could and post it up here later (if I remember).

So I started using the shampoo/conditioner on Sunday. I must say, I am enjoying it. They sent me the kind for dry hair, thank goodness, since I have dry hair. Probably from all the blow drying and flat ironing I do every day. I think it's working great. I LOVE the scent. It's eucalyptus. It makes my hair feel REALLY clean which I like since I tend to have oily hair. The conditioner wasn't as thick as I'm used to with other products for dry hair, but it does the job. My hair feels very silky and I can run my fingers through it wet with no tangles. I haven't tried the samples of the de-tangler spray...I was actually thinking about doing a GIVEAWAY!!

I haven't been using the products for a whole week yet, but so far I really like them. Since I do have so many samples and coupons, would you guys like to get some?? It's not much, but what can I do with all that? I'd love to share the wealth! I know I don't have many readers, but if you guys want some samples or coupons, let me know! And share with your readers that I have some to giveaway! I might do a couple prizes. 2 Grand Prizes with sample shampoo/conditioner/detangler spray/coupons. And a few Secondary Prizes that will just be coupons. The coupons are for $2 off the Root Awakening product line. I haven't looked in the store to see how much they cost, but John Frieda products usually run in the $5-$8 range so not a bad deal.

Okay, so I'll have at least 4 prizes, and (hopefully) I will post some pictures of what exactly will be in these prizes. All you have to do is leave me a comment to enter! And, since I love trying out new products, in your comment let me know about any new product you've tried out that you now love! Spread the word!! You have until next Friday (the 15th) to enter!! Thanks for playing!!

Wordless Wednesday

Not sure where she gets it, but my good friend Mrs. C does Wordless Wednesday and I needed one today...

Probably TMI...oh well.

Okay, so this post might be TMI, but I figured I should probably explain some.  I’ve been mentioning being “hormonally challenged” and taking progesterone.  “Why on earth would an otherwise healthy 26 year old have to take progesterone?”, you might wonder.  “Isn’t that for old ladies in menopause?”  Well, yes, if you don’t make enough of your own progesterone, you have to take a supplement.  In my case it is to help with my secondary amenorrhea.  Which means I don’t get my “monthly gift” on a monthly basis.  For me, it’s more like every 6 months…or so.  Now this causes a few problems. 

Problem #1:  Apparently, not “shedding the uterine lining” often enough can raise the risk of uterine cancer or endometriosis, according to my doctor.  So that is why every 2 months when I don’t have one on my own, I have to take 10 days worth of progesterone pills to “trick” my body, so to speak, into having a period.  Fun, huh?  Apart from the horrible water retention this causes, it also has another really odd side affect.  I have to take it at night before I go to bed because if I’m awake too long after I take the pill, it makes you feel like you’re drunk.  TOTALLY.  Blurred vision, can’t walk straight.  I didn’t know that the first time I started taking it and was just watching TV for a while after I took the pill.  I get up a couple hours later to go to bed and about fell right over trying to stand up!  Yeah…great.

Problem #2:  Fewer chances to get pregnant.  Women with normal cycles have about 12 chances per year to get pregnant, right?  Me?  I have about 2.  So, with no help, I have about an 83% LESS chance to get pregnant in one year when compared to a normal person.  Wow.  Great odds, huh?  And to top it off, I don’t have any earthy idea when to even EXPECT when my chances are in that year so I’m completely in the dark.  This is why I tell my husband that if he wants kids about the same time as our friends, we better get started early because it’s going to take a while.  I mean, I mentioned to my doctor about trying to start having kids in the next year or so and the very first thing she says is how I’ll have to get started on Clomid.  Not even, “We’ll see how you do on your own first.”  Just straight up, if you want to get pregnant, you won’t be able to do it without drugs to make you ovulate.  Doesn’t that take the fun out of it?  The surprise?  Of course, if I did get pregnant on my own, how would I even know?  I’d be six months pregnant before my first missed period!  Haha!

Problem #3: No expectations.  I can NEVER prepare.  Since I have idea when it’s coming, I can’t take necessary precautions.  It just shows up out of the blue, no warning (except the EXCRUCIATING cramps the night before).  Guess that’s the only good thing about taking the progesterone.  I can kind of plan around that.  Other than that though, no idea…no expectations.  It’s very frustrating since I’m such a “planner”.  I don’t do well with spontaneity.

I do admit, the not having to deal with it on a monthly basis is kind of nice, but the issues that make that the case, I don’t know if it’s worth it.  I hope I don’t have daughters for this reason alone.  I don’t want to have them deal with it.  And since it runs in my family, there’s a good chance they would.  Why me??  I seriously think that life hates me. 

Progress Report Tuesday

Tuesday again. Which means another weigh-in for me this morning. This week’s results? Loss of .4 pounds. Not too bad considering I haven’t kept track of my points since Friday morning!! AND it’s “that time” coming up and the progesterone pills make me retain water like a sponge! So overall, I’m pretty happy with the results. Though the water retention is still making me feel like a COW! Ugh. Why do I have to be so hormonally challenged??

Since I have not kept track of points for the past 4 days, I have no idea what my total ended up at for the week. Probably way over since we went out to dinner a few times and went to a crawfish boil on Saturday all day. I did, however, watch my portion sizes MUCH better. When we went to Texas Roadhouse on Friday, I only ate like 3 bites of my actual meal since I had already had most of a salad and two rolls. So I took the rest home and John and I actually split the rest of the leftovers for dinner on Saturday after we got home from the crawfish boil. Good job, right?? And I’ve been trying to eat slower so that I can register earlier that I’m full. It’s working out quite well.

My exercise has definitely not been up to my own standards lately. I went to class on Tuesday and Thursday, but that was really the extent of exercise last week. John and I did buy rollerblades on Sunday and we rollerbladed to Matt and Bailey’s (about a 15min. roundtrip). And we plan to rollerblade fairly often…hopefully with the dogs once we get used to it again so they don’t knock us down so easily!

Sorry for the lack of posts the past few days. I’ve been completely out of it lately. Can’t even think of anything to write! I did (semi) make a menu for this week, but I didn’t know how well we’d stick to it since John will be schmoozing it up at OTC a few days this week and won’t be home for dinner. So I didn’t post my Menu Plan Monday. But if you are interested, on the menu for the week, we have: taco salad, chicken stir fry (no rice), some kind of chicken casserole (just throwing together chicken, cream of mushroom, broccoli and cheese), and steak with zucchini. Anywho…maybe I’ll get my brain back sometime this week and I can figure out something interesting to write about!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Friday random thoughts

Sorry I don’t have anything else to talk about today.  It’s a blah day.  We had our department appreciation lunch today.  We played Bingo.  It took me 18 out of 25 squares before I got a Bingo.  How is that even possible??  I won some cute Post-it Notes.  :o)  I was glad all the candy had been won already so I wasn’t tempted with it.  Now I’m trying to find a way to waste the rest of a long Friday afternoon because I just don’t feel like working.  Two more hours to go…  And my iPod is about to die so I’ll have to listen to the radio.  I hate commercials.  (Which is why I do subscribe to XM in my car and listen to it almost exclusively) 

Husband and I are supposed to go over our budget tonight.  We’ll see if that actually happens.  Our usual monthly budget meeting consists of me up in the office updating our spreadsheet, paying bills, determining how much cash I need to get out of the bank, seeing how much “extra” money we have leftover, and Husband downstairs watching TV or not even home.  Hmm…thought this was supposed to be a “group” effort.  And he wonders why I get agitated when he doesn’t help out.  At all.

So I had a crazy dream last night and I just suddenly remembered what it was.  It somehow involved a dead body (like weeks old, dead) wrapped in a blanket hidden under a bed (though it didn’t smell bad).  And I was trying to keep hidden the fact that I knew about it…in some condo my grandparents bought or something.  I had to go somewhere, but someone took my car so I had to ride with my grandpa (who isn’t alive in real life) to his condo first and I was mad because it was making me late and I didn’t want my grandma to make me eat dinner with them.  Then there was someone else at the condo that knew about the body and they accidently squished it and it started oozing and my dog tried to eat the ooze coming out.  Very very odd, I know.  And just a little on the creepy side.  Though, oddly enough, the dream wasn’t like a nightmare or anything…was just like a normal day to me.  Almost something you’d see on the show, Bones.  Anybody watch that?  I love it!  Anywho…I don’t know what made me just remember that dream, but I thought it was strange.

Umm…yeah…so I guess I’ll call it day then.  Now that everyone thinks I’m C.R.A.Z.Y.  :o)  Happy Friday!

I promise I'll stop.

Okay, okay, I know that I have been obsessively blogging about Twilight for the past week. Well, I’m almost done, I promise. I’ll try to get back to my more random assortment of blogs here soon. I just wanted to put it out there for any of the Twilight readers, if you didn’t already know. The author started a Book #5 to the series, Midnight Sun, to be Edward’s perspective of the first book, Twilight. Well, about halfway through, her draft got leaked to the internet and she has stopped writing the rest of the book. She has though, for diehard Twilight fans, posted herself, a partial draft of it on her website. There’s a little over 250 pages there, I think. I found it, but haven’t read it yet. I’m sure I’ll finish it this weekend though. (I’ve scanned the first page when I found it) It appears to be a promising new perspective and another captivating book. I’ll be glad when she gets around to finishing the whole thing and publishes it.