Summer Heat

I exercised today! Instead of doing the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds tape, I actually walked outside. I went to a local park and walked 3 times around the perimeter. It is a very small park, so it was probably just a little over a mile. It took 25 minutes. Being outside was a nice change, but it was hot. We’ve been having gorgeous summer weather. After the walk I had a fruit juice popsicle (no sugar added). which cooled me off right away. Then for dinner I ate a huge portion of a family favorite, Chicken Picante Casserole. My brother-in-law teased my sister over the phone by telling her what we were eating for dinner tonight. I could practically hear her scream over the phone! Our family had this casserole it for the first time about 15 years ago, maybe longer. It’s a layered chicken enchilada sort of thing, except we no longer bother to layer it. We just tear up all the corn tortillas and mix up the chicken and everything else together in a giant bowl and then put it in a 9 X 13 pan to bake. It tastes just as good and is much less fuss than layering everything. It is a full fat recipe. We’ve tried to use low-fat cheese and substitute some other ingredients, but the flavor never stood up. I haven’t been making any effort to eat healthier. That is the next step and I’m not excited about it.

I now have the top I was salivating after yesterday, plus a great pair of grey pin-striped slacks! They didn’t have those at the other store. I promise, or I would have bought them at the first store because that is the store that I worked at over the holiday season last year. Now every time I go into that store I get to catch up with the women that I worked with. There was big news yesterday, one is engaged and another is pregnant. They gave me an application, too, and said that they’ll start hiring some seasonal help soon. Probably for back to school and then keep people on through Christmas. I took the application, but have no intention of turning it in because I really don’t like working retail. My coworkers were great, but it isn’t a job that I could support myself with. The only full time positions are management.

I found a couple of really interesting job listings today, though. One is as a student advisor. I could do that really well and I pray that I can get an interview.

A Day of Fun

I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today and did some sale shopping at my favorite clothing store, Lane Bryant. Tried on almost half the store before I started finding things that I was happy with. For some reason everything was looking better on the hangers. I ended up with one pair of jeans, a light sweater, and pajamas. They have a lovely top that goes underneath the sweater, but they were all out in my size. I liked it so much that I asked them to call other stores to find my size. They found one at another mall about 30-40 minutes away. I will pick it up tomorrow. I wish I could show a picture. It is sort of a camisole top, but the straps are wider, more like a tank top except it is not a knit fabric. The color is sky blue and the sweater matches. The top has satiny fabric overlaid on the bust with some sheer, organza type fabric that crosses over. Didn't I tell you a picture would be better! The words make it seem lame, but I promise it is lovely. I didn't exercise today, but I can still fit in 5 days this week. Why the frivolous outing today? Because a friend had the day off of work and came over to visit. She lives a little over an hour away, so we don't get together often. We both thought that the movie was a lot of fun. Johny Depp was definitely quirky and creepy as Willy Wonka. I bet he was having a great time. I remember Kate Winslett saying in the DVD extra documentary that Johny would constantly goof around and entertain the boys on the set while they were making Finding Neverland. She described him as a great big kid. He is clearly very intelligent, but I can also see that he embraces a childlike sense of wonder and a delightful imagination in some of the roles that he choses and the freedom he has to abandon himself to very silly antics. Take Pirates of the Carribean for example, or Edward Scisorhands, another Tim Burton film. I think Depp and Burton have similar dark, silly and quirky humor. Oh, don't forget the glee with which Depp played the hopelessly inept and endlessly enthusuastic director of B movies, Ed Wood. Tim Burton directed that as well. Corpse Bride, another stop-motion animated feature by Tim Burton, was one of the movies previewed. It looks great and goes directly onto my "Must see..." list. Do you remember Nightmare Before Christmas? Not for every taste, but I loved it.

A Great Start of the Week

Happy at the end of the day. I lit a couple of candles and have a glass of red wine to set the mood while I type this update. I exercised yesterday and today, so I’m on track for my goal of 5 days of exercise this week. I finished my resume and cover letter, making the changes that the Work Source counselor suggested. I updated my online resumes at Careerbuilder and Monster.com. They hadn’t been touched since October 2003. Yesterday I applied for unemployment. It took about 15 minutes on the phone. For some reason I was dreading it, but it wasn’t bad at all. I have also been praying and reading the Bible like I should. I started the book of Ezekiel, which I don’t believe that I’ve ever read through. Only about 7 years ago did I start appreciating the Old Testament. Before that I thought it was old, dusty, violent and unpleasant history. What made me change my mind? I started reading it regularly. (Yes, novel idea, I know.) I had a One Year Bible, which gives you readings each day from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a few verses from Proverbs, and the New Testament. Reading it this way helped me appreciate how common themes are woven so intricately through the whole Bible. The New Testament also quotes and refers directly to the Old Testament fairly regularly. There are reading plans that you can get online and follow. Verse of the Day has several plans outlined, each organized differently. For example chronological or by literary style (poetry, prophecy, history, letters). The cat has gained another 3 ounces. Mom weighed her yesterday.

Sunday Drive

Today was a really beautiful summer day. We've been having a heat wave for the last week, except for Friday when it was very rainy. A heat wave for Washingtonians, that is. The highs have been in the 80's (Fahrenheit) and we all think we are melting. Dad proposed a leisurely afternoon drive, so we went toward Mt. Ranier through some of the little towns in the valley. We stopped in Wilkeson and had delicious ice cream at a cafe/ice cream shop in the town center.

Wilkeson Town Center 

What's Really My First Task?

To do this week:

1. Apply for unemployment (I’ve never done this before and I’ve been putting it off. But I do need the money. Suck it up and do it.)

2. Search for job listings online.

3. Rework my resume in a functional style.

4. Think about creative ideas for job/career directions.

5. Exercise 5 days.

6. Apply for at least 3 jobs.

Most importantly, pray before I do all of these things. None of the things I need to figure out and changes that I need to make (exercise, eating healthy, career, etc.) are going to happen if I don’t pray. Recently, however, I’ve been making excuses not to pray. Chores, activities, writing, surfing the Internet. I am going to make sure I do first things first, and that means not cutting prayer and Bible study short. I can do all things through God, but without him everything I do is worthless.

John 15:4
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me."

Oh, someone directed me to this site regarding the Palm Pictures. Evidently it is a production and distribution company that has been around for a while.