Gettin Ready!!!

Well, I finally moved into my on-campus apartment yesterday and I love it! I just like being on campus in general...it feels more like home to me. We have a pretty good size apartment, which is really nice, but the bedrooms are a bit small. Since I am done with work, I will spent the next few days just relaxing, hanging out with friends and getting organized for school. Wednesday night my grandparents will be in town and Thursday morning we will head to Texas for my cousin's wedding and then come back Sunday evening. I'm pretty excited for school to get started and to get back to a normal routine (for me, anyway)! During summer, I usually don't know exactly what to do because I don't have a day-by-day schedule that I follow. Do you enjoy back-to-school time or do you dread it???

Decisions, Decisions...

My birthday is coming up in 2 weeks, which is also the first day of school (lucky me, huh?!). My friends have informed that we must do something to celebrate, whether it is the first day of school or not. I absolutely hate making these kinds of decisions! I never know what I want to do or get for my birthday. I'm pretty sure I want to get my tattoo, but I'm still a little scared! I think my friend, Stephanie, and I will go to lunch somewhere on my actual birthday and some of us will to Flatire Burgers that weekend or the Cheesecake Factory (mmmm!) Other than that, I have no other ideas. Anybody have good birthday celebrating ideas for me???

Fearful Weekend

This Friday begins Oklahoma's "tax-free" weekend for back-to-school shoppers. Most people would be very excited about this, but guess what? People who work in retail ARE NOT!!!

Friday and Saturday I work 8 hour shifts, which I am not used to since I only work part time. I have never heard of tax free anything until about a month ago. It's a very nice idea, but since I work in retail, I am not looking forward to it. In fact, I am terrified. It would be easy if everything in the store was tax-free, but no. We will have lists at each of the registers of items that are and are not taxed. I'm so afraid that I am going to tax an item that shouldn't be taxed (which probably means ringing up the order all over again) or vice versa. Luckily, all of our managers will be on staff this weekend, so there will be plenty of help, but still...I just want to "accidently" sleep through the entire weekend and go back to work Monday when the madness is over! If you are planning on shopping this weekend, here are some tips to make the associate's job a lot easier since it is a hectic weekend as it is:

1. If you are buying A TON of clothes, please be considerate and take the hangers off so that I can ring the items up faster. Do not just stare at me as I waste 10 minutes taking the hangers off the clothes.
2. If you pay with a debit or credit card, it makes my life SO much easier, but please have it handy when it is time to pay (I have seen some really scary looking purses and wallets)!
3. Do not hand me a $100 bill if your total is less than $40...it just gets on my nerves.
4. Do not ask me to put your daughter's and son's clothes in separate bags (yes, this actually happened just recently)
5. Do not re-fold your clothes after I ring it up just because you like it folded a certain way. (I'm OCD and I understand, but at least wait until you get into your car)
6. Do not ask me to put a comforter in a huge bag when there is a perfectly good handle on the package itself.
7. Do not stand there debating whether or not you want to buy something when you know there is a mile long line behind you.
8. Do not get mad at me when I tell you I cannot do returns at my station (I don't make the rules).
9. Do not argue with me when I tell you an item is not tax-free...again, not my rules.
10. When returning something, please, please, keep the tags on it and keep the receipt.

These rules do not apply to just this weekend, but everyday! I can tell you some very interesting stories, but that would take too long. All in all, I am praying that this weekend goes smoother than I anticipate. If you could say a prayer for me this weekend, I would really appreciate it!!!

Reality Show Fan

Another confession: I am a reality show junky (and proud of it)! The more dramatic, the better! I actually enjoy watching drama that is not going on in my own life. It helps me escape for a couple hours a week. Right now, the popular show is "The Bachelorette". I have been keeping up with it every week the past few seasons of "Bachelor/Bachelorette" and I love it! Tonight is the season finale, but I'm so bummed because I have to work until it is over...not okay! I may come back after work and just fast forward until the very end so that it won't be spoiled before I can see it myself. This season, the final 2 contestants are Chris from Boston and Roberto from Tampa. I like both guys, so I think I will be happy with whoever Ali picks. I have been hearing some rumors like she doesn't pick either one of them or he dumps her soon after they get engaged. I guess we'll have to find out for ourselves! So, if you are a "Bachelorette" fan, who do you think she'll pick tonight? Chris? Roberto? Neither?

The Nerd Inside Me

I have 2 words for yall: SHARK WEEK!!!!

Confession: I am a nerd. I seriously look forward to this week every year! I've watched so many of these shows that I can see a shark and probably tell you what kind it is (sad, I know!) Luckily, I'm staying at my friend's apartment is week and they have a DVR, so I can record all the shark week shows I want to! In fact, its only day 1 and I already have 3 shows set to record for tomorrow. Just ask my parents, every summer the television usually didn't change channels during this week!

When I first came to OC, my major was actually Biology Education because I love learning about science, especially ocean life. I have always wanted to go scuba diving, and still hope to do that someday. I also wouldn't mind getting into one of those shark cages (with an expert, of course) but I'm afraid I would freak and make the sharks mad! Do you enjoy Shark Week or any other certain documentaries???

Summer Reading

I absolutely LOVE to read!!! But I'm actually pretty disappointed in myself this summer because it is almost August and I am only on my second (and probably last) book of the summer. I've been watching a lot of TV before I go to bed every night when I usually spend it reading. Most summers I can read up to 7 or 8 books. I've read almost all of Nicholas Sparks' books over the last couple of years. He is definitely my favorite author. As you may know, most of his books have been made into movies (i.e., The Notebook & A Walk to Remember). This book, The Last Song, is the latest one to become a movie, so I need to read the book before I watch it! One of my hobbies is reading books and then watching the movie and comparing them. In most cases, the book is way better except of The Notebook. I guess my hobby started in grade school when it was our assignment to read a book as a class and then we watched the movie. The one that I remember the most is reading "Where the Red Fern Grows". It was so good! But I am excited to start another book before it is time to hit the textbooks (not that I thoroughly read them). Since I'm almost done with Nicholas Sparks, do you have any suggestions for good authors or books? I would love to know!!!

Changing Lives One Pair at a Time

I just applied to be a campus rep at OC this coming semester with TOMS Shoes. If you don't know who they are, you're really missing out. It was founded by a guy named Blake Mycoskie a few years ago after he went on a trip to Argentina and noticed that a lot of children were not wearing any shoes. When he got back to the United States, he started designing these shoes. Now, every time someone buys a pair of TOMS Shoes, another pair is given to a child in need. So, even though they may be a bit more expensive than a regular pair of shoes would cost you, think about the fact you are actually buying 2 pairs of shoes! I really cool thing I like about this company is they don't just send the shoes to where they need to go. They actually get a team together and go to different countries and put the shoes on the child's feet. How rewarding would that be?!

Ever since I went to Honduras back in 2005, I have been praying for another opportunity for me to do more mission work in other parts of the world. This could very well be the answer to those prayers (I hope)! This internship includes getting your school involved with TOMS. I would be planning parties, fundraisers, and events and selling shoes (of course!) to help promote and raise money for the organization. I have a few ideas already, which I'm pretty excited about! I've realized that I really do want to go into non-profit work after graduation, so this could really help me get my foot in the door. I do not when I find out if I got the internship, so if you could say a prayer for me I would really appreciate it!