Phone Interview Dos and Don'ts

My job is to conduct phone interviews. Day in and day out, I talk to people throughout the United States to conduct phone interviews. It simply amazes me at the things people tell you on the phone, the personal information they throw out there, and the absolutely awful answers they give for the simplest questions. If you have a phone interview coming up, you may want to take a few things into consideration before you prepare.

• The most important thing is to avoid having a bad attitude. Don't be rude, don't be snotty, and don't be negative. If you want a job, how do you expect to get one if you treat the interviewer poorly? Even if you're having a bad day, you're fighting with your significant other, or if you aren't feeling well, do not tell the person interviewing you about any of these things! Be upbeat! Be excited! Be likable! In the words of my co-worker, your personality should be more than that of a wet blanket.
• Do not ramble or give excess information. I understand you only have a set amount of time to get information about yourself out there and set yourself apart from other candidates, but the second you start to ramble and get off-topic, you are going to lose the interest of your interviewer, and you will quickly join the category of candidates we call "the ramblers." You'll be the one to throw off our interview schedule for the rest of the day because you started talking about your work history dating back to 1972 or telling a ridiculously long story that took 10 minutes and should only have taken two. Keep your responses clear, concise, and to the point. Answer the question you were asked, and nothing more.
• Don't talk about your age. In most cases, your age can't be held against you when it comes to a job anyway, so stop bringing it up. I know that I personally never take that into consideration, nor do I make a note of it in my interview notes. Don't make things awkward by revealing your age or making assumptions about the age of your interviewer. (For example: "I've been working in customer service longer than you've been alive").
• When asked why you left a position, do not launch into a story about how you were taking care of a family member with cancer and that person passed away or how you had a disagreement with your employer. Trust me. (My mom passed away from cancer, so I am certainly not being insensitive here). This will make another awkward situation, and everything can actually be summed up in two simple words: "Personal reasons." That's what we will write anyway, so that's what you might as well say.
• If asked about the job description for the position you applied for, a good response is never that you applied for so many jobs that you can't remember. Read the job description. Know what you applied for. Heavens, take notes if you have to.
• Generally, if you can't answer a question, you probably aren't going to pass. So, you should at least make an effort to think of something instead of automatically saying you can't think of anything.
• Questions are good, but you should never ask too many questions. I would say keep it to five questions or less, unless the phone interview happens to be the very last step of the process. Especially if it is early on, asking a lot of specific questions is unnecessary, because you haven't really made it all that far yet, so there may not be a lot of specific information available at that point.

Once the interview is done, it is fine to follow-up. However, do not check excessively. Try calling or e-mailing one time. In many cases, when you don't hear back, that means they aren't going to move forward with you. In other cases, a decision has maybe just taken a little longer to be made. In any case, do not harass the person you are trying to contact. That certainly will not help to speed up the process, and it is most likely out of their hands anyway.

At the end of the day, we don't want you to fail your phone interview. We want you to pass. So, think smart, don't ramble, and be pleasant. If you don't, you are most likely going to remain jobless, because someone else out there will have listened to this blog post when you didn't. =)

Book Review: Sisterhood Everlasting

**Spoiler Alert: There will be spoilers from the book discussed in this review.**

I have always been a fan of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants novels. I had an idea in my head of how I wanted my friendships to turn out in my teenage years, and I always imagined I would have three best friends to last me for life, just like Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget. When I learned a fifth book was coming out very soon, (it was released on June 14th), I hopped on over to the Barnes and Noble website and pre-ordered it right away.

During a weekend up north at my husband's parents' cottage, I thought this would be the perfect time to read my book. I was excited to see where the four girls had ended up in their lives 10 years later. I assumed the book would be happy, and that even though they had drifted apart, they would be reunited and everything would end up just how it used to be and as it should be. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I finished the book within a couple of days, but that didn't stop me from feeling depressed and cranky throughout the two days. The book brought down my mood, and I honestly just kept reading it in the hopes that things would change or somehow get better. Truth be told, by the time the book finally ended, I was relieved. I was slightly satisfied with the endings that came about for Bridget, Lena, and Carmen, but I could not get over the fact that Ann Brashares actually killed Tibby off in the book.

What bothered me the most about this is that enough people have died throughout this series. Even to start this book, Carmen revealed that her father's wife, Lydia, had passed away. In my opinion, there was enough death up to this point in the books. Bridget's mom, Bailey, Lena's grandparents, now Lydia...but to add Tibby to that list? It just seemed ridiculous and completely unnecessary.

I was mad at the characters for just not picking up the phone and talking to one another and for assuming Tibby had killed herself, when (to me, anyway), it was obvious that there was more than likely something wrong with her. I felt frustrated that the four girls never got to say good bye and that they came so close, but it just didn't happen. I was annoyed at the change in Carmen's personality, I was annoyed with Bridget for just running away, I was annoyed with Lena for never doing anything and being so incredibly passive, and I was annoyed with Tibby for not reaching out to her friends sooner and having a complex about telling them everything in person. Most of all, I was annoyed with Ann Brashares for writing this book the way she did.

There were some good moments...oh, maybe in the last 10 pages of the book. I was happy to see Lena and Kostos end up together, to see Carmen break off her engagement, for Bridget to finally come clean and tell Eric the truth, for everyone to finally know the truth and get all the misunderstandings cleared up about Tibby, and for the whole gang to have a place to share together. The one thing that would have made this better is if Tibby could have been there to share it with them.

Overall, I just didn't like this book. It brought down my mood, the characters were frustrating, and this was not the ending I had in mind for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girls. I almost would prefer this book was never even written so they could have remained in my head how I imagined, and not down a member of the Sisterhood. It was an incredibly disappointing book.

What do you think? Do you agree with me, or am I being to harsh? Did you read the book? Did you like it or hate it? Will you read it in the future if you haven't already? Feel free to discuss by leaving a comment below!

Why I Decided to Go Back to Work

If you know me, you know that I was laid off from a job I really enjoyed back at the end of January. We lost the client I was working on, and they could only keep some people around. Unfortunately, that meant splitting up myself and the other three people I had grown close to - two of us were laid off, and the other two stayed and moved over to a different client. I went to work at a different branch of the company for a month on a temporary assignment they needed my help on. When they couldn't afford to keep me around any longer, I was laid off once again.

Since then, I have actually been making a living working from home as a freelance writer and editor. I asked a couple of people for advice, and they were each incredibly helpful. I was happy to stay home and work in my new "home office" and make use of my English degree. I was happy to be in sweatpants. I was happy to do whatever I wanted and go to lunch when invited or have the freedom to attend a Brewers game on my husband's day off with him on a couple Wednesday afternoons.

Things were going pretty well last month. I had steady work, I was busy, and I made solid use of my time. Then, my boss from the first place I was laid off from e-mailed me to ask if I would be interested in coming back. I had a hunch it would be coming, as my old co-workers kept telling me about everyone who left working there or was promoted, and no one new ever came in. So, after careful thought and consideration, I decided I wanted to go back.

A lot of people probably think I'm a little crazy. Why would I give up being able to work from home? Well, for one thing, freelance work isn't always the most reliable. I may have been crazy busy last month, but this month slowed down to the point where we wouldn't be able to afford me working from home unless I started to send out more e-mails for new clients. A consistent paycheck will be helpful.

For another thing, I agreed to come back, but I asked if I could work 32 hours a week instead of 40. My boss and I came to the conclusion that I would work half days on Wednesdays and Fridays, and combining those with some weeknights or weekends, I should be able to juggle my workload between everything. I have heard that sometimes, freelance writing dies down during the summer anyway.

I think one of the biggest reasons I was ready to go back to work was probably because I missed it. I missed having a set schedule. I missed having daily interactions with people, as opposed to sitting home alone everyday and debating on whether or not to put on make-up or straighten my hair that day, since the only person to see me would be my husband, anyway. I also missed the friends I had made while I worked there, and I have felt sad that I couldn't be the one to determine when I left this job - they had decided that for me based on my date of hire.

Finally, I was bored and unmotivated at home. In the beginning, I had more work, so I had to be productive. But, as my workload died down, I started to become lazy, lethargic, and a huge procrastinator. I started waiting until the last minute to get everything done, I would put off writing articles as much as possible, and my main focus became checking Facebook and Twitter and clearing off the DVR instead of getting work done. I am hoping that having set times to focus on my freelance work will force me to get it done when I have the time to, because I can't just save it all for the next day anymore.

This past Tuesday, I officially went back to work. I have a new cubicle and don't sit by my friends anymore, but I also have a new computer with a flat screen monitor that I always hoped I would get the last time I was there. This time, I am working on a client where I schedule all of my own phone interviews and decide how many I can handle in a day. The positions are all different, so I won't necessarily be doing the same exact phone screen 16 times a day, which I like. It didn't take long to get back in the swing of things, and today, I decided I am happy to be back. Something about working there and being in such a positive environment puts me in a good mood. Hopefully this time, with such a small team left, I won't even have to worry about the possibility of a layoff again...but, if I do, at least I have my freelance work to fall back on. For now, this is a good balance for me. This is what I want to be doing.

Something Borrowed: The Book vs. the Movie

Now that I have seen Something Borrowed twice, I feel as though I have to write about the obvious contrasts between the book and the movie. While I liked both, I definitely enjoyed the book more, as I usually do when books are turned into movies. There are just so many details within a book that are important to the story that can't always be used in the movie.

**If you don't want to read spoilers about the book or the movie, you probably should read someone else's blog instead of mine. Just a head's up.**

The overall storyline was basically the same. Dex and Rachel hook up after her birthday party, they continue to do so throughout the summer behind Darcy's back, she hooks up with Marcus, gets pregnant, she and Dex called off the wedding, and she finally catches him with Rachel.

Differences:

• In the movie, Hillary's character was completely absent and basically replaced with John Krasinski's version of Ethan.
• Darcy and Rachel's pregnant childhood friend Annalise was also not in the movie at all.
• Marcus' character was a complete idiot in the movie. He is portrayed as a complete pothead skateboarder...and that's pretty much it. Very hard to see how Darcy would be so interested in him.
• Ethan does not live in London the entire film; rather, he chooses to move there as a part of his career as a novelist. During Rachel's visit to him in London, he revealed he was in love with her, which was completely unnecessary.
• Instead of being ultra-snooty, Claire is ultra-crazy-in-love-with-Ethan. She obviously was a completely different person than in the book to add comic relief to the movie.
• The addition of Dex's parents was lame. In the book, it was his Dad and Step-Mom, who were hardly even mentioned. In the movie, they played a central part in why Dex couldn't call the wedding off. Something about how his mom suffered from depression, and the wedding was making her happy? I didn't understand why that was needed. It should have just been Dex's problem to figure out. No pushing from Dad.
• The characters of Rachel, Dex, and Darcy were perfect. Kate Hudson played the perfect Darcy, and Ginnifer Goodwin was just as perfect as Rachel. Colin Egglesfield was great for Dex - gorgeous and charming. It was hard to be mad at him.
• There was definitely much less sex between Dex and Rachel in the movie, which didn't bother me. I just wish their relationship could have been clearer in the movie. Instead of them finding ways to spend time together, their relationship was mainly based upon the feelings they'd been experiencing for each other since law school.
• The sort-of-relationship between Marcus and Rachel really never happened in the film.

What I Liked:
I was happy to see small details from the book pop up in the movie - Darcy not really getting into Notre Dame and the tear Dex wiped from Rachel's cheek while they were studying together during law school were both in the movie. I enjoyed the humor that was brought into the movie, and I especially enjoyed Darcy and Rachel's dance to Salt 'N Pepa's "Push It." I also liked that they backed up the reason Dex and Rachel were so close and gave enough back-story on their lives back in law school. (Not that I condone cheating).

What I Didn't Like:
I hated the idea of Ethan being in love with Rachel during their adult lives. I liked the idea of him being the best guy friend she could ask for, without any other feelings between the two - not the best friend who had fallen in love with her and further complicated the story. It almost made me want Rachel and Ethan to get together, and that obviously wasn't the point, or even a possibility, in the book. As I mentioned, I didn't like the addition of Dex's parents in the movie. I also would have loved to see Hilary and/or Annalise in the movie. Even if they would have just had small roles, it would have been nice to see them as a part of the cast. Finally, I would have liked to see a hometown visit from Darcy and Rachel, just to see where they got their start.

So, what did you think? Did you read the book, then see the movie? Or, are you the type who likes to see the movie before reading the book? Maybe you just like the see the movie and skip the book? Were you disappointed in the movie or the book? Which did you like better? After a lackluster performance at he box office, do you think they will still make the film Something Blue, which they alluded to with a "to be continued" and short scene of Darcy arriving in London to see Ethan during the credits of the film? (I hope so).

Why I Hate Mother's Day

For those of you who don't know me personally, saying "I hate Mother's Day" may seem like a bold statement. I don't want to get into all of the details, but in order to explain myself, I do need to explain a bit of my past. After all, I don't want any readers thinking I'm rude or insensitive.

Back on December 10th, 2005, I lost my mom to ovarian cancer. She and I were incredibly close. I told her absolutely everything. We fought, we laughed, we cried - I was a teenage girl, and my relationship with my mom was all over the place; but at the end of the day, she was one person I knew I could always count on. I never imagined losing her when I was only 18 years old. As she fought her battle, I made the assumption she would be okay. Losing her simply was not an option, but it certainly became a reality. More than five years may have passed since then, and I have come to terms with what happened, but that still doesn't mean I like Mother's Day.

Part of the problem is that I don't really know what to do with myself. I used to think working made it better when I worked at the movie theatre. But, then I would go to work and see them pass out flowers to mothers or see families come in to see movies, and I realized that didn't help. My mom's side of the family typically gets together every year, so I thought being around family would help. But, then I always felt awkward saying "Happy Mother's Day" to everyone, so I realized that didn't help, either. Staying home alone never works because then I just sit, think, and cry all day.

There is just something about Mother's Day that leaves me completely unsure of what to do, how to act, or where to go. I have a hard time saying "Happy Mother's Day" to anyone. I get cranky and overly sensitive the entire week leading up to Mother's Day. I miss my mom most of all when Mother's Day rolls around. It's hard knowing that she can't be here on the one day solely devoted to mothers.

This year, we have plans with my husband's family, as I now officially have a mother-in-law. I hope that I am able to keep busy enough to not worry about how to act or what to say, but I know it will be in the back of my mind. When dealing with loss, there will always be certain times of the year that a person struggles to deal with, and I am no different. If you're not sure how to cope with the loss of a loved one, online therapy may be an option for you. Please see this link for further information: https://www.betterhelp.com/.

I do hope that those of you who still have mothers to spend the day with are able to do just that - you never realize how lucky you are until someone so precious to you is gone. One of my biggest regrets is perhaps that I took the time I did have with my mom for granted. I never realized I would only have her in my life for such a short time. I didn't ask her the questions I should have. I worry I will forget certain memories, her laugh, or the sound of her voice. She wasn't there to see me graduate college, and she missed out on my wedding. But, before she passed away, she told me that no matter what, she will always be with me. And, in my heart, I know she is - even on Mother's Day.

For Mom. 3.13.62-12.10.05

Teen Moms Visit Dr. Oz

Today, Maci, Kailyn, and Leah from MTV's Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 paid a visit to the Dr. Oz Show. They were there to talk about their stories, and also to defend themselves against those speaking out against the shows. The creator of TM and TM2, Lauren Dolgen, was even on hand to back the girls up. A few things irked me about the show, so I wanted to point them out. After all, we all know how much I like to share my opinions.

Some uptight woman named Melissa was there to voice her opinions on the terrible things the show is doing to teenage girls, as well as a teen mother named Kathleen. Both of them said the show glamorizes teen pregnancy. In fact, Kathleen, who claims to love these girls and watch the show religiously, said the show made her think that if these girls could do it, so could she. Yes, because that makes sense. What a logical train of thought.

If this Kathleen character actually watched the show, she would realize that their lives aren't glamorized at all. Week after week, you see these girls struggle with being single parents and finding ways to balance school, work, and taking care of their kids. I've been married almost a year, I'm almost 24, and this show actually makes me want to wait even longer to have kids because I realize I'm not ready for it. So, you're telling me that teenage girls are watching this show and thinking they are ready to have a baby because of it? I don't buy that. At all. If that's what they're thinking, they have some other sort of issues that are most certainly not a direct result of MTV. (Does watching Jersey Shore make them want to go on a drinking binge or go to the gym, tan, or do their laundry?)

If anything, the part of the show that is "glamorized" is the fact that these girls have become celebrities. But, that's what you get with MTV reality shows. The same thing happened with Laguna Beach, The Hills, Jersey Shore, The Real World, and so on. When characters are relatable and have a lot of drama going on in their lives, people are entertained. That doesn't mean every person watching Teen Mom is going to turn to their significant other and say they want a baby. Only the crazy ones are going to do that!

Maci repeated many times that she hopes the show gets conversations going between teens and their parents. She spoke up much more than the other two, and I was glad. She especially had no idea what the show was going to become, having been on the first seasons of 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. When she signed on, you know her intentions had to have been genuine, because no one had even seen the show at that time. Even so, I don't think Kailyn or Leah signed on because of the fame - they all seem to have good intentions and truly want to show other people that their lives are tough and not glamorous at all.

There will always be crazy people that do anything to get themselves on television - you can't avoid that. But, is picking on a show that plays an advertisement about preventing teen pregnancy during every episode, takes the cameras right into the delivery room to show what really happens, or follows these girls through the drama they experience in their every day lives really worth your time? No. I'll answer the question for you. Teen Mom is meant to educate and entertain - I can guarantee you the creators of the show never had the intentions of urging young girls to have unprotected sex and get pregnant. Maybe these people should actually watch the show and find out what really goes on. There is nothing glamorous about the life of a teen Mom.

The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways...

Around an hour ago, I sent my husband a text message saying I was concerned about my workload for the week. A regular client of mine hadn't sent over any new projects in more than a week, and I was starting to wonder if the overwhelming amount of work I received last week was just a fluke. You see, I am absolutely bound and determined to make writing from home as a freelancer into my career. I have never wanted to write/edit any more than I do now, and I feel like I have finally come to terms with the fact that this is what I want to spend my life doing. I don't want to work a job in a cubicle that I'm unhappy with or have to wake up ridiculously early for or drive in rush hour traffic to get to - I am content with my home office and writing or editing from the comforts of my home. I want nothing more than for others to read what I have to say or be impacted by what I write.

I also love to edit and proofread. Even if I can do some editing work on the side to get myself started, my ultimate goal is to do more editing work than I do writing. (Of course, at some point, I do want to accomplish my goal of having a book published. I just have to figure out how to write one first).

At any rate, not more than 15 minutes after my text message complaint, that very same regular client I mentioned sent me a content request for seven more articles. (They've never sent over more than three at a time).

Then, I heard back from one of the many ebook publishing firms I'd e-mailed about editing work not more than ten minutes ago with how to get started editing for them.

Just when I started to worry, everything worked out.

Lesson to self: Quit worrying all the time. It will all work out just fine in the end! Oh, and prayers do get answered.

So, despite this miserable "spring" day in Wisconsin, where I can hear sleet tapping away at the patio door and sirens raging down the street to aide those who didn't drive quite slow enough on the slippery roads, where the high temperature for today is a whopping 33 degrees, and where I just heard booming thunder outside, I will continue writing AND editing from the comforts of my home with a giant smile on my face. I never thought I could make a living doing what I love...yet, here I am. It doesn't get any better than that.

Goodreads: Where Have You Been All My Life?

Recently, I stumbled upon a delightful website called Goodreads. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up there - maybe a friend posted something on Facebook or Twitter? Regardless, I immediately decided this was my new favorite website. In fact, as someone with an English degree, I can't believe I never knew about it before!

Basically, Goodreads is a website you can use to keep track of every book you have ever read or want to read. Then, once you've completed the book, you are able to rate it and write a review. It has a ton of great features, including an app for my phone, polls you can vote in about books, and a way to set a goal for yourself on how many books you are going to read throughout the year. (I set mine for 20. I didn't join until last month). Then, it will even keep track of how far along you are when it comes to your goal. (You can scroll to the bottom of the page to monitor my progress).

I only have four friends on Goodreads, but you know, that's okay. I'm sure there will be more eventually, and it isn't like Facebook, where I feel like people all have competitions to see how many friends they can get. Goodreads is just a great place to share books you've read and loved (or hated) and get some new recommendations on what to read from your friends and peers.

If you're the type of person that loves to read as much as I do, you simply have to join this site. I am someone who likes to set goals, and I do so much better with achieving them when they are in writing somewhere. What better way to get back into my habit of reading books like crazy than to have an actual graphic that reminds me I'm behind where I should be? (13% at the moment). Just make sure that if you do join, turn that whole connect to Facebook feature off. I missed unchecking one little box, and suddenly, all the books from the Pretty Little Liars series showed up as books I wanted to read on my Facebook wall, among others. (Woops). Talk about embarrassing...

Recovering from Illness

The past week-and-a-half has been pretty rough around our household. My husband came down with a whomping sinus infection, which I swiftly managed to catch as well. While the biggest benefit of working from home is easily that I am able to stay home whenever I am sick, it also means that even while I'm sick, I still have to get work done. So, my home office became the couch pretty much all of last week. I would nap, write an article if I could muster the energy or spare a bit of time in between blowing my endlessly dripping nose, and take another nap. Not exactly ideal working conditions.

Thankfully, this week, I am pretty much back to my old self - for the most part. Now, if I can just teach myself some better time management skills, I will be well on my way to success. You see, working from home comes with a line of distractions. First of all, there are Facebook and Twitter. I have a rotten obsession with checking these websites over and over throughout the day - I always think I'm going to miss something important. Or, I'm procrastinating on my work, and I just feel like poking around to see what's going on. Or, I'm trying to log onto Facebook at just the right time to answer a Georgetown Cupcake trivia question and win a free dozen of cupcakes shipped right to my door. Woops. So, there's that whole problem that obviously needs some attention. The second problem is my overflowing DVR. It just bothers me knowing the amount of recordings I have sitting there, just patiently waiting to be watched. I hate to fall behind, and since I write about TV shows for examiner.com, I do a pretty decent job of keeping up with most shows regularly. It's the shows I don't write about that I struggle with leaving sit there, recorded and un-watched. I try to limit myself - maybe just a couple episodes a day to catch up, but then that turns into more, and before I know it, I've wasted two hours I can't get back because I became obsessed with clearing the DVR. Then, there's the whole keeping the house clean aspect. Due to my clogged head and lack of ambition last week, I am way behind on chores. A mound of dishes, a kitchen floor in need of a good Swiffer, a bedroom that could use a good dusting, a bathroom that could use a cleaning, and piles of unorganized messes lying about from me moving my office around and not taking care of the mail. Needless to say, the place is a mess. I like a clean working environment, and it's hard to ignore the mess and get work done anyway.

Today, I must admit - I did pretty well to start. I didn't set my alarm because I took medicine for my cold last night before bed and hoped a good night of sleep would finally kick this awful thing to to curb. Well, that was a bad idea. I heard them collecting the garbage from the communal bins at our condo around 8:30, when I was going to get up, but fell back to sleep until almost 10:00. Not the best way to start the day off productively. I still managed to crank out a couple projects before lunch, but since then, my attention span has been dwindling. Again, I will be forced to get more work done tonight, probably until I go to bed. But, you know what I continually notice? I am most productive during the evening hours. I guess that's okay, but I sure would feel better if I could just get more accomplished during the daytime instead. Once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator, I suppose.

With my husband being gone pretty much all of today/tonight, home for a short while, then gone all day tomorrow/tomorrow night, I am confident I will get plenty of work completed so that when his day off rolls around on Wednesday, we can take our healthy selves out and do something fun for a change. The only time I've left the house in the last week was to go see the movie Arthur last night - that's sad. But, when you're that sick, what can you do?

I'm setting some new goals for myself. I'm going back to setting an alarm as of tomorrow, I am going to get through all of the work I have on my plate by tomorrow night when I go to bed, and now that I don't get dizzy every time I stand up, I am going to start playing the Wii games I was using to work out regularly again. I was doing so well prior to this massive sinus infection!

What do you do to overcome procrastination habits or find motivation? Leave a comment below!

Baseball Season Has Arrived

Baseball has been my favorite sport for about as long as I can remember. My mom was always a huge fan, and from little on, watching Milwaukee Brewers games at home on television, going to Brewers games at County Stadium or Miller Park, or playing softball at family functions were regular occurrences. I remember sitting in our apartment, eating pretzel rods, and swinging them around like baseball bats while my mom laughed and scolded me for getting crumbs on the carpet.

Once I got a bit older, I quickly chose my two favorite players - Jeff Cirillo and Mark Loretta. I became obsessed. I had their bios memorized, I knew their birthdays, and I even named my Ken dolls after them. I met Jeff when I was in the fourth grade at a car dealership about 20 minutes away from our house. I got his autograph and a quick picture taken with him, and I told my mom I never wanted to wash my shirt again, since he'd put his arm around my waist in the picture. Trade rumors started to circulate, and I swiftly sent a letter in the mail off to Wendy Selig-Prieb, telling her how upset I would be if they traded Jeff. To my surprise, she replied with a short letter telling me they valued Jeff's talents and .324 batting average. He was later traded to the Colorado Rockies. Although I was disappointed, I still had Mark Loretta to get me by.

Since Jeff was gone, I turned into a whole-hearted Mark Loretta fan. I was all over those Milwaukee Brewers message boards, and when one negative comment was mentioned, I jumped on it to defend him. Before I knew it, Mark's cousin, Maria, sent me a message thanking me for standing up for him and that she appreciated it. She mentioned he had a younger brother who looked just like him, only with red hair. I decided if I was too young for the already married Mark, at least one day, I could aspire to marry his brother. Because I was wondering if Maria was for real, I sent Mark a letter. Again, to my surprise, he responded with a short card thanking me for my defense of him on the message boards and confirming he did indeed have a cousin named Maria. I was tickled. I took that card and plopped it in a frame right away. When the opportunity presented itself, I made him a happy birthday sign and took it along to a Brewers game I attended on his birthday with my mom, aunt, and uncle. He waved and tipped his cap to me, and I was told by a fellow fan I had been on TV with my sign. Life was good.

Much to my dismay, one August night, as I perused the Internet, an article came to my attention: Mark Loretta had been traded to the Houston Astros. This one hurt. I burst into tears, ran downstairs, flung open the side door, and sobbed to my parents and grandparents that my beloved Mark Loretta had been traded. (They all actually thought someone had died, the way I carried on and on).

So, with Mark and Jeff having gone to other teams, the time came to choose a new favorite. The player I chose was later traded. Jeff did come back for a short stint with the Brewers, but since his second departure, I have been without an official favorite. Now that Mark and Jeff have each retired, I can't help feeling like something is missing when I watch Brewers games. It just isn't as exciting without someone in particular to root for. I hate to choose a pitcher because they don't play everyday, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are pretty much everyone's favorites - aside from them, the options of someone "good" are limited. This season, it has become my mission to find a new favorite player. I know that Mark and Jeff and all of my good memories can never be replaced, but watching games just isn't the same without a favorite.

My friend, Jeff Cirillo, and I

Last summer, a friend called and asked if I wanted to help her volunteer at the Jeff Cirillo Charity Golf Classic. Of course, I went along, and it brought back all of my old gleeful feelings again. I got my picture taken with the now-divorced Jeff, (now that I'm married, of course he becomes available! haha), and may or may not have have spent a majority of the day driving around in a golf cart in search of him, but it reminded me how much fun it was to have a favorite baseball player I couldn't wait to see. At least if I can't find someone in particular to root for, I can cherish all of my adolescent memories in the meantime.

Spring Fever

Typically, I don't remember getting this feeling of spring fever inside. I actually don't mind the long, cold winters we experience here in Wisconsin. (After all, it makes for great hair-straightening weather). At a certain point, I get sick of the snow, but the cold usually withers away by the end of March, and signs of spring arrive.

Right now, we are experiencing unseasonably cold temperatures, and it feels like winter will never end. It looks sunny and pleasant outside, but I still have to wear my bulky winter coat and mittens when I go outside. I can still see my breath in the cold, I still get frost on my car, and the heat still runs far too often inside our cozy condo.

So, I started thinking - when is spring ever going to get here?

They say that by the end of this week, temperatures should go up and get closer to normal. But for now, I feel like we are experiencing the never-ending winter. I'm probably being over-dramatic.

You know, I don't even like spring all that much. It's full of rain and mud and melting mush. For me to get spring fever, things must be cold. I just want to be able to go outside and read or write. We have a tiny little balcony with a table and two chairs, only I've never used it. Summers get too hot in the afternoon, since our condo faces the west, and the sun beats down in the afternoons. What I need is a relaxing, spring afternoon to enjoy the balcony, as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Thankfully, I do get a break from the cold - for a day this week, the husband, some family, and I are heading up to stay overnight in a four-bedroom villa at an indoor water park about an hour away. Nothing like breaking out the bikini a few months early and enjoying some time indoors in 80+ degree temperatures. Perhaps by the time we come home, spring will have arrived. It sure has been taking its sweet time.

American Idol Conspiracy?

If you haven't watched Thursday night's American Idol results show, you missed out on one crazy night. Take a look at my episode recap here.

With the shock of Casey being the one with the lowest amount of votes this week, something simply doesn't seem right. How does a guy go from the top to the very bottom? Check out the gang's Twitter follower count, as of Thursday night a couple hours after the show:

1. Scotty McCreery: 44,001
2. Casey Abrams: 41,640 
3. Paul McDonald: 35,661
4. Lauren Alaina: 31,149
5. Pia Toscano: 30,378
6. James Durbin: 28,619
7. Thia Megia: 28,609
8. Stefano Langone: 26,949
9. Jacob Lusk: 17,766  
10. Haley Reinhart: 14,230
11. Naima Adedapo: 13,662

Not too much has changed. Scotty moved right up to the top, James moved up above Thia, and overall, everyone's follower numbers increased. So, if the same people are voting every week, why would things change so drastically that Casey would have been voted out if the judges hadn't used their only save...with 11 people left in this competition?

At first, I was skeptical. I've watched this show for years, and there have always been shocking exits...but they typically come once they reach the top six. Never with this many competitors! It was my husband who commented that the show was rigged. I denied it. Why would American Idol rig the votes? How can they do that?

When you think about it, there are a few reasons they might have wanted to do this. For one thing, they lost out on ratings last season to Dancing With the Stars. So, maybe they want to ensure the ratings are better this year. For another thing, ticket sales for the American Idol tour were abysmal last year. In fact, they even ended up cancelling some of their shows altogether. What better way to spice things up than to take 11 contestants out on tour after a controversial episode early on in the season? Finally, the judges save is completely out of the game this early in the season. Now, they can work the angle that America has to vote in order to keep their favorites in the competition - there is no back-up plan. After all, when the show first started out, the judges save never existed. That was a recent addition from just a couple seasons ago.

On the flip side, maybe America just thought Casey was safe and didn't need their votes, so they voted for others instead. Maybe they didn't like his performance. But, I guarantee you the same exact people vote week in and week out. How do you explain that drastic of a drop in votes for a fan favorite and possible Season 10 winner? You can bet all his fans will be voting for him like crazy and this guy won't be in the bottom three anytime soon after what happened Thursday.

What do you think? Was the vote rigged? Did American Idol put poor Casey through hell just to get a ratings boost? Or, do you think he just didn't get enough votes because America didn't like his performance or thought he didn't leave them? I'd like to hear your thoughts. To weigh in, leave a comment!

Has Emily Maynard Been Cheating on Brad Womack?

Women across America fell in love with Emily Maynard during her stint on Brad Womack's most recent season of The Bachelor, and many think she can do no wrong and is the victim in her rocky relationship with Brad. Others think she is a big part of the problem after watching the couple interact on After the Final Rose, which aired immediately following the finale special in which Brad proposed in South Africa. The couple admitted to having their fair share of arguments and having broken up once during their engagement.

If you've read the March 28th copy of In Touch Weekly, you more than likely saw the whopping two-page, (four including pictures), article claiming Emily has actually been seeing another man while engaged to Brad.

As for the other man in Emily's life? A guy by the name of Brett J. Barniske-Bertolami. (And I thought my last name was rough). Apparently, Brett owns a car dealership in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is where Emily is from. He has pictures of Emily on his phone that are "a couple years old." Supposedly, she had scheduled a dinner date with this Brett fellow right before going on After the Final Rose with Brad, but cancelled at the last minute because she was sick.

Do we believe it? Is sweet little Emily really a cheater? In Touch is convinced and wants you to be as well, but I don't buy it. Seems like the guy can easily just be an old friend or ex-boyfriend who conveniently (and creepily) has some old pictures of Emily saved in his phone. I need some solid evidence before I can be convinced.

Emily recently posted a cute picture of her and Brad on her Twitter page and said this:

"Don't believe everything you read! And by everything I mean anything."

I assume this is her way of saying all the rotten things coming out in the tabloids about her and Brad is false. I think these two left a lot of doubt in people's minds of whether or not their relationship will actually work, and the tabloids are going to take advantage of that. Anyone can go to North Carolina and take a look at some ex-boyfriend's cell phone pictures, but until I see some actual proof, I'm not buying it.

This couple obviously has a lot to work on in order to make their relationship work, and I'm sure articles like this one have not made it easy. Not to mention, given The Bachelor's track record - one married couple out of 15 seasons - their future looks pretty bleak. (The Bachelorette has produced one married couple and one currently engaged couple out of its six seasons). They thought once the show finished airing, they wouldn't have as much to argue about, since they wouldn't have to endure Brad making out with 10 other women every Monday night, but articles like this one make it clear the couple has an uphill battle ahead. Whatever happens, I wish the best of luck to Emily and Brad. Or Brett. Whoever makes ya happy, lady.

Guys Are Lucky

Today, I attended a friend's baby shower. Let me tell you - this was one of the best showers I've been to. For one thing, it wasn't for me. I got to sit and talk and catch up with some ladies I haven't seen for quite a while, eat some delicious food (which included wraps and tasty cake), and I even won a $10 Target gift card. I wasn't the center of attention, I didn't have to open presents in front of everyone, and I didn't feel pressured to talk to every person in attendance or wonder if I'd missed someone. For another thing, we didn't play a single game. Not one. Awesome.

Do you have any idea how much I despise wedding and baby shower games? Okay, you probably don't. I don't like them. At all. Some have been pretty painless, I must admit. Wrapping someone up in toilet paper to make them look like they're wearing a wedding dress? No problem. Slightly annoying, but not a big deal. (As long as I'm not the one being wrapped like a mummy, of course). But, the mash-up-a-candy-bar-in-a-diaper-and-then-shove-what-looks-like-a-poopy-diaper-in-everyone's-faces-so-they-can-figure-out-what-candy-bar-it-is game is awful. Definitely not painless. It has quite possibly scarred me and my love of candy bars for life. (Maybe).

The fact that today's baby shower was game-less was a definite plus, but I couldn't help sitting there and thinking how lucky guys are that they don't have to partake in any of these experiences. Maybe when they get married or have a baby, they make an appearance to help unwrap a couple gifts or load up the car. More often than not, they aren't a part of the process. No game-playing, no present-opening in front of a large crowd - no appearance necessary! Why do guys get off the hook so easily? It's the women who go out and buy the gifts, wrap the gifts, go to the shower, and play the ridiculous shower games. Guys can sit home, play video games, watch television, and enjoy an afternoon without the wife or lady friend around.

I am just entering into a life full of wedding and baby showers. Most of my friends aren't even married yet, so I'll have all those, plus when they start popping out kids of their own, I'll have even more. Thankfully, the husband and I plan to wait a few years before we have kids. Until then, I hope to attend many more showers like the one I did today. Short, sweet, and game-less. With cake.

Will Twitter Give Away Season 10 of American Idol?

For "The Remix" season this year, contestants on Season 10's American Idol each have their own Twitter page fans can follow them on throughout the journey. While at first, I hadn't given this much thought, after catching part of The View this morning (I'm sorry. I watch it sometimes. I'm ashamed.), they brought up an interesting point. Can the amount of followers each contestant has on Twitter predict when they will go home?

Last week, Ashthon Jones was sent home, and she had the least amount of followers. Tonight, however, Karen Rodriguez was sent home, and the person with the least amount of followers was actually Naima Adedapo.

If you're weird like me and wonder if something like this could actually work, here are the follower counts as of...about 30 minutes ago:

1. Casey Abrams: 34,215
2. Scotty McCreery: 34,077
3. Paul McDonald: 27,972
4. Lauren Alaina: 24,278
5. Pia Toscano: 23,419
6. Thia Megia: 23,299
7. James Durbin: 22,281
8. Stefano Langone: 20,295
9. Jacob Lusk: 13,892
10. Karen Rodriquez: 12,160
11. Haley Reinhart: 12,143
12. Naima Adedapo: 10,931

This seems relatively accurate, but we just saw Karen go home tonight and go against the "system." I just want a place to monitor this concept throughout the season and see where things go!

To read my recaps of the show, check out my articles on examiner.com!

Angela's Wedding Advice: Know Your Guest Count!

I have started a new blog for all my wedding advice and tips. Please visit this article at its new location: http://angelasweddingadvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/know-your-guest-count.html.

Angela's Wedding Advice: First Things First

I have started a separate blog for all my great wedding advice and tips. Please visit http://angelasweddingadvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-things-first.html to read this article in its new location!

Hoarders: Why is This Show So Addicting?

As my husband finally sat down to clear some of his recordings off the DVR, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander and watch some of A&E's Hoarders. This particular episode had two of the angriest hoarders I've ever seen - one hoarded chickens in her trailer and the other hoarded bunnies in a rental home.

These two people were incredibly defensive. Hanna, the chicken lady, refused to let any of the injured or starving chickens be taken to get cared for. Instead, she constantly screamed and shouted, swearing like a sailor at anyone who crossed her path. The cleaning crews pushed through to try to clean the place up, anyway.

The bunny hoarder, Gary, was apparently angry that the Animal Protection Agency never came to pick the bunnies up the first time. He kept ditching out on the clean up process, making snide comments, and acting like a child. After they removed the hoard of bunnies, they found mice. After they let the mice go in the field and cleaned the house, some bunnies started popping out of the holes in the wall.

This episode wasn't even the worst of the ones I've seen! There was another where the home was over-run with cats. There were dead cats everywhere. Another, (which may have even been the cat house), was so terrible that the occupants of the home were actually going to the bathroom in bags and throwing them in the stairway because they could no longer get to the bathrooms.

The worst part is that neither of us can stop watching. I sit here on the couch with my mouth hanging open and just stare because I can't believe what I'm seeing. I don't know what's worse - the fact that these people have such horrible hoarding problems, or the fact that it makes for such good, fascinating television.

I'd elaborate more, but we just started watching the last episode on the DVR: a man that hoards rats and was forced to move out of his home because the rats took over and started pulling his hair out and licking him when he slept and a woman that lives with about 50 cats. Can't wait to see where this goes...

If you have found yourself hoarding and in need of help, finding a local therapist may be the best first step for you. Please see this article for further information: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/how-do-i-find-a-therapist-near-me/.

May I Offer You a Sample of Our Wine?

Tuesday night, I went out to dinner at the Olive Garden with two of my friends. While I love the Olive Garden, along with their delicious salad, bread sticks and Five Cheese Ziti, I often times start my experience off awkwardly. Tuesday was a rare exception.

The moment you sit down at the table, your waiter or waitress should offer you a sample of the wine. Although I am only 23, I feel there are ways to offer a sample of wine without making things awkward. Our waiter on Tuesday night did just that - he offered the sample, politely asked my friends and I for our IDs, and poured the wine. That is how it should be done.

In the past, my friends and I have had the same waiter twice who has made things entirely uncomfortable. In fact, the last time we went before Tuesday, he said he would like to offer us a sample of their wine...if we were old enough. When I said, "We are old enough," he took away the glasses and whisked away with the bottle of wine, and that was that. Apparently, he thought I'd said "aren't."

Other times, I haven't even been offered any wine at all. They've just assumed I wasn't old enough and moved along. It literally ruins the whole experience, because from that moment on, I never liked any of the waiters and waitresses who assumed I was a young, bad tipping teenager.

Tuesday night at the Olive Garden, not only did I try the sample of wine - I actually liked it and ordered a glass to enjoy with my meal. And, our waiter received a generous 20% tip, despite the sluggishness on bringing my friends and I glasses of water. Thank you, whoever you are. I enjoyed the best Olive Garden experience I've had in a very long time.

My American Idol Top 12

They've been calling this season of American Idol "The Remix" because of the new judges and all the changes that have been made. One of the biggest changes actually relates in large part to this week. For one thing, the top 12 guys' and top 12 girls' performances were not live - they were actually taped in advance over the weekend. In addition, instead of the usual three weeks they spend narrowing the top 30 contestants down to the top 12, they cut the group down to start out with 24 and will eliminate half of those people right away tonight on the live show. It seems drastic, but it has actually helped move the show along and get to the part most of us like best - the top 12!

The top 12 will be made up of the top five vote-getters for the guys and the top five from the girls. The remaining two contestants are wild card choices from the judges.

With the majority of my decision being based off the past two nights of performances, here is the group of contestants I would personally like to see in the top 12, who I think deserve to be there (and some of my thoughts on each):

1. Casey Abrams (So good. Favorite guy in the competition at this point).
2. Naima Adedapo (She's all right, but I sure could use someone in Milwaukee to help localize my articles as the Milwaukee TV Examiner).
3. Lauren Alaina (My absolute favorite. I think this girl could win the whole thing).
4. Jordan Dorsey (Even though I'm still mad at him for being annoying during Hollywood week. Poor song choice during his performance, but he still has a good voice. I'd rather see him stick around than Jacob Lusk, Mr. Screaming Pants).
5. James Durbin (I know. I never liked Adam Lambert, so why do I want another one in the top 12 this year? I just think he deserves to be there).
6. Scotty McCreery (How good is this guy? With or without American Idol, he can easily just go out and record a CD. No problem).
7. Paul McDonald (A little quiet at times, but he has an amazingly original voice. I can't see him winning, but I think he did much better than a lot of the other guys that performed. And, did you see those teeth?!)
8. Thia Megia (Really? She's only 15?!)
9. Robbie Rosen (Also one of my favorites. Does his voice remind anyone else of Anoop?)
10. Pia Toscano (Another one of my favorite girls. She's awesome).
11. Lauren Turner (I don't think I realized who she even was until last night, but the girl has a good voice. All she needs is a little hydrating product in her hair, and she is all set. I doubt she will make it through, but I think she deserves to).
12. Ta-Tynsia Wilson (While I wasn't necessarily a fan of her song choice last night, overall, I think she has proven herself).

Close Calls and Other Comments:

• I previously really liked Julie Zorrilla, but she just did horribly last night, so I took her off my list. I'd still be happy if she made it to the top 12.
• Brett Lowenstern was too concerned with swinging and flipping his hair around to pay attention to the song he was singing and how off-key he sounded.
• Poor Stefano Langone seems like such a happy fella, but his performance was just...not good.
• Haley Reinhart made me feel slightly disturbed during her performance. It was like she was making out with the microphone...or the crowd. Not sure which, but it was uncomfortable.
• I just have not liked Karen Rodriguez the entire competition, and I didn't think her song choice was that amazing, like the judges did.

I also felt like the judges were afraid to give criticism this week. Even when performances sounded pitchy and off-key, they still told them they were amazing, and maybe Randy would tell them they were pitchy, but he loved it. I hope as the season goes on, they are more open to being honest, or they start to realize that sometimes, they may have to give a negative comment or two.

Now, I know that this probably won't even be close to what happens tonight, but I have to hope that most of these people will make it. In recent years, getting to the top 12 seems to be the hardest part - America votes for dumb people. And, this week, being the first week America has even had the opportunity to vote, could shake up this entire competition. I bet we're going to see quite a few surprises.

Cubicle Resistant

At the age of just 23, I have now been laid off from two different jobs within the same company in the last month or so. Neither were performance or attendance-related, and the second one was somewhat expected after helping that branch out for about a month. All Managers and Supervisors involved told me many times I can use them for references, so I am pretty confident in the fact that it was nothing personal - just a matter of being hired at the wrong time and them not having enough work to keep me busy and require my services any longer.

One thing I have learned from this short stint in cubicle life is that I don't like it. Not one bit.

I know. It's what we, as Americans, do. We wake up early, we head off to that 8/9-5:00 job in rush hour traffic (both ways), we come home, have dinner, watch some television, and head to bed at an early hour. Grocery shopping and errands can be taken care of on the weekends, when we spend time with our families and friends and attempt to have social lives. Now, call me crazy, but who actually enjoys that routine? Just because it's what everyone else does, why do we have to do it?

I am not a morning person. I absolutely hate waking up early. Every once in a while, sure, no problem. But, having an obnoxious alarm clock going off at 5:30 every morning, (followed by two other alarms since it is that difficult to drag myself out of bed, and I'm always afraid I will fall back asleep), is no way to live. That feeling of waking up early and dragging myself off to work for eight hours, (with an hour unpaid lunch break in between), is something I think I'd be happy if I never felt again.

After sitting...just sitting there, at a desk, staring at a computer monitor all day, in my own little personal box without a ceiling, once 5:00 rolled around, I could finally drag myself back home. There, I'd cook dinner, try to get some cleaning done, catch up on some DVRed shows, and try to crank out a blog, all without falling asleep on the couch prior to 10:00. I felt like I had no free time because all I did was work during the day and sit on the couch most of the night before going to bed.

The best thing about not having to be at work everyday? I can go out to breakfast with my family at the Cracker Barrel. Do you have any idea how delicious breakfast is at the Cracker Barrel? Something is just even better about it when I don't have to work and can accompany some fine people on their breakfast excursion. I love going out to breakfast. Please, please don't ever take that away from me. It is just too...delightful. Who wants to scarf down a piece of raisin toast and eat 100 calorie pack snacks in the morning to make it through to lunch when you can go out for breakfast instead?

Due to the reasons listed above, I have determined I am cubicle resistant. I don't want to sit in one ever again. In fact, I might be allergic. I am going to make this work-from-home-business a success. Then, who's going to lay me off? Myself? I think not! It's the perfect solution to all my problems. I can wear sweatpants to work, I can decide when I start working, when I stop working, when I eat breakfast, when I eat lunch, when I want a day off, and when I want to take a vacation. It's no wonder working from home is the next big craze - there must be a lot of other cubicle resistant folks like myself out there, too.

Angela's Oscar Predictions

This year probably is the year I have seen the least amount of Oscar-nominated films. But, that sure won't stop me from sharing my opinions on who I think is going to win and who I want to win. We'll see how my predictions shape up later on tonight when the Oscars air on ABC, hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco. That will be interesting to see in itself!

I chose ten of the "main" categories and listed them below. The category and my picks are in bold. Please note, they may not necessarily be who I want to win, but rather, who I think is going to take the trophy home.

Best Picture:

• Black Swan
• The Fighter
• Inception
• The Kids Are All Right
• 127 Hours
• The King's Speech
• Toy Story 3
• The Social Network
• True Grit
• Winter's Bone

Actor in a Leading Role:

• Javier Bardem: "Biutiful"
• Jesse Eisenberg: "The Social Network"
• Jeff Bridges: "True Grit"
• Colin Firth: "The King's Speech"
• James Franco: "127 Hours"

Actress in a Leading Role:

• Annette Benning: "The Kids Are All Right"
• Nicole Kidman: "Rabbit Hole"
• Natalie Portman: "Black Swan"
• Jennifer Lawrence: "Winter's Bone"
• Michelle Williams: "Blue Valentine"

Actor in a Supporting Role:

• Christian Bale: "The Fighter"
• John Hawkes: "Winter's Bone"
• Jeremy Renner: "The Town"
• Mark Ruffalo: "The Kids Are All Right"
• Geoffrey Rush: "The King's Speech

Actress in a Supporting Role:

• Amy Adams: "The Fighter"
• Helena Bonham Carter: "The King's Speech"
• Melissa Leo: "The Fighter"
• Hailee Steinfeld: "True Grit"
• Jacki Weaver: "Animal Kingdom"

Directing:

• Darren Aronofsky: "Black Swan"
• David O. Russell: "The Fighter"
• Tom Hooper: "The King's Speech"
• David Fincher: "The Social Network"
•  Joel and Ethan Coen: "True Grit"

Animated Feature Film:

• How to Train Your Dragon
• Toy Story 3
• The Illusionist

Costume Design:

• Alice in Wonderland
• I Am Love
• The King's Speech
• The Tempest
• True Grit

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):

• 127 Hours
• The Social Network
• Toy Story 3
• True Grit
• Winter's Bone

Writing (Original Screenplay):

• Another Year
• The Fighter
• Inception
• The Kids Are All Right
• The King's Speech

The Things We Do in Our Sleep . . .

Obviously, I had a lot of pent up aggression on Monday night when I went to bed, as I learned in an e-mail I received from my husband the next morning:

Last night I got into bed and you said "are you going to wake me up". I said "what do you mean? Wake you up for what?" you said "for work danny, some of us have to work today!" I said "Angela what are you talking about? Didn't you set your alarm?" you said "just wake me up in 5 minutes, I just need 5 minutes" I said "Angela it's 1150pm you don't have to wake up for another 6 hours!" you then yelled at me and said "Danny you never do anything for me! I ask for 5 minutes more of sleep and you won't even stay up to make sure I get up for work! You are so selfish I don't even know why you married me if you can't even do one little thing!" I responded with "Angela if you really want me to wake you up in 5 minutes I will but you will just get mad at me for waking you up in the middle of the night" your response was then a grunt and you rolled over. That's when I figured u were sleeping. Seemed so coherent tho.

Woopsies. =)

Bachelor Brad Not Really a Changed Man?

I have been an avid Bachelor fan and viewer all the way back to the first season. While I did skip over a few seasons in the middle there, since the wonder of DVR has entered my life, I haven't missed an episode. So, when I learned that Brad Womack was going to be the next Bachelor, I wasn't all that excited. I like to see fresh faces on the show, and I never really liked him much on his first go around - why was he so special that he deserved a second chance? I always found him rather boring, and was actually pleased when he didn't choose DeAnna or Jenni in the final episode - it seemed like it would be good for them to get away from this guy.

However, because I simply can't stop watching this incredibly addictive show, I knew I would indeed watch Brad's second attempt at "finding love." And, I have been. Every Monday night, I sit down to watch it and type up a recap entry to include my slightly sarcastic commentary. I even went against what I'd originally said and caved in and read Reality Steve's spoilers. On the bright side, at least when Us Weekly came out with a cover that blatantly reveals the final two ladies, I wasn't surprised or upset because I already knew who the two ladies are.

In the story Us Weekly published, they did an exclusive interview with Brad's on again/off again ex-girlfriend, Laurel Kagay, who also dated former Bachelorette star and Bachelor Pad contestant Wes Hayden. Now, the tiny tidbit of an article they put on their website was simply not enough to cure my curiosity, so off I went to the nearest grocery store to spend four precious dollars on a magazine I only wanted for one eight-page article.

The article was interesting, but there is always the question of whether or not it is completely true. Laurel claims Brad proposed to her multiple times and has the text messages to prove it, but those were only snippets of the conversation, and we couldn't see anything she was saying back to him. For all we know, she could easily have been egging him on. Plus, who proposes to someone via text messages? Lame. The guy quite possibly could have been drunk for all we know.

Text messages aside, Brad was depicted as somewhat of a psycho. It honestly sounded like he has an anger management problem, since there were multiple times she mentioned when Brad stormed out and wouldn't talk to her for days before coming back completely apologetic and begging for forgiveness. Laurel also said that Brad hates when women cry and is faking when he comforts them on the show.

In case you missed it, Brad also made an appearance on Lopez Tonight on Thursday. He completely denied everything in the article and dismissed it immediately after George brought it up. What makes me think Laurel's stories could very well be true is the fact that Brad sat there and told everyone "he's broke" and "doesn't have any money" multiple times. Now, I can see the guy maybe can't afford to take his new fiance out on dates like what he goes on during the show - complete with helicopters and romantic getaways in other states, or even countries - but, as a successful businessman, I highly doubt he is broke. Besides that, he got paid for doing The Bachelor. One of his text messages to Laurel flat out said they hadn't discussed the pay for him going on the show, but "it would be a lot." So, I find it very hard to believe anything he said after that point, because he repeated his "broke" status a few times. Good one, Brad.

Overall, his interview with George Lopez was pretty casual, and he never really got into anything serious. But, he also dismissed everything about the magazine so quickly and blamed it on Laurel trying to make money at his expense that it honestly made me feel the guy has something to hide. I just don't buy into the southern gentleman he is trying to portray himself as, and Laurel even pointed out in the article that he never went through consistent intensive therapy after his last Bachelor stint, which completely goes against the therapy/Brad is a changed man storyline the show has been repeatedly feeding us this whole season. He seems to have a different side that we don't get to see on television, and I am starting to think there is definitely a reason why he has never found that right woman or gotten married before.

Do you think he is sincere and Laurel really did just sell her story to Us Weekly to make a quick buck? Are you as suspicious of Brad as I am? What do you really think of the whole situation? Comment below to leave your thoughts!

Snow Day!

Once I graduated college, I assumed that was the end of my hopes and dreams of ever having a snow day. Being a part of the working world meant I wouldn't be able to watch those closings scroll at the bottom of the television screen and hope to see something that would affect me - and then, we had the Blizzard of 2011.

Let me tell you. I have never been so excited to hear my cell phone ring at 6:25 am. But, there it was. Not wanting to sound like a complete moron answering the phone out of a dead sleep, (I was supposed to work 11:00 am - 7:00 pm today), I let the call go to voicemail, but I knew exactly what it was for. I listened to the voicemail, and sure enough, our office was closed for the day, and my boss suggested I set up an out of office response for the day.

Today was a fantastic day, and it isn't even over yet. The surprise of the office being closed left me stuck wide awake for an hour-and-a-half before I was finally able to fall back to sleep around 8:30. When I woke up, I lounged in my snowflake pajamas, watched the excessive weather coverage, watched last night's episode of Teen Mom 2, and played my Zumba game on the Wii Fit.

My crazy husband was desperate to get outside, so he walked across the street to pick up snacks for our movie day at Pick N Save and shovelled off our balcony while I showered. Then, it was time for some chips and salsa and The Proposal (my first pick for our movie day).

Tomorrow, this enjoyable day will just be a distant memory as I sit in a cubicle and work my regular eight-hour day, but I wanted to remember it, because this time could actually be one of the last where I can say I had the day off because of a snow day. Thank you, Blizzard of 2011. You were exactly what I needed this week!

My Goals for 2011

1. Read More

      I often times let myself get side-tracked by the plethora of television shows I watch every week. Instead of only making time to watch TV, I need to make time to pick up this old habit that I love - reading! I have so many books I want to read, and I keep asking for books that I want to read, so I need to make time to read them! I also need to keep up with my Entertainment Weekly magazines, instead of letting them build up for five weeks on the coffee table before reading them all at once.

2. Write More

     I love to write. I majored in English. I've dappled in various blogs or online diaries and journals, but I never write like I used to. If you saw me in middle school and high school, a day never went by where I didn't work on writing a story. I was always writing. I got really beaten up during college over my writing, the topics I chose to write about, and the dumb details, like character names. I always felt like because my stories actually related to things that had happened in my own life, I took the harsh criticism from my peers personally. Now that I finished school, I have no excuse. I need to start writing much more frequently, even if it's something no one else ever reads. If I want to ever have a book published one day, I need to write consistently.

3. Use our Nintendo Wii to work out, by playing Michael Jackson: The Experience or Zumba at least 3-4 times a week.

     I have become far too lazy. I spent a summer sitting inside and the fall and winter sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day staring at a computer screen. The time has come to get back into shape. While I am not overweight by any means, there are parts of me that could definitely use some toning. So, since I hate to run and am terrified of exercising in public, why not make use of some great Christmas presents and keep in shape from the comforts of my own home?

4. Stop eating so much fast food and cook more.

      Let's face it. Fast food is convenient. It's addicting. It's delicious. But, it's a new year. (Okay, I know - it's been a new year for almost a month now). I have already taken a step in the right direction. I made lasagna! Obviously, I can't very well make lasagna for dinner every night, but I felt like I conquered something with that first pan of lasagna. Now, I need to make use of more Christmas presents - new cookbooks!

5. Have a more positive attitude.

     I tend to let negativity get the best of me at times. Instead of following my motto of "Everything happens for a reason," I often sit and dwell on the bad things in life instead of moving on and focusing on the positive. Granted, some things, you just can't figure out the reason for right away, but I have to tell myself that eventually, I will figure it out. There's no reason to sit around and feel sad. Tomorrow is always another day.

Back to the World of Unemployment

Last May, I quit my job without having another one in place. (Not smart, I know). I was hurt by a lot of things going on, and it just wasn't a positive work environment for me anymore. So, just two short weeks before my wedding, I left my position as an Assistant Manager at the movie theater I'd worked at for seven-and-a-half years.

I thought I would be able to easily find a job. I'm young, I have a degree, I'm a fast learner - why wouldn't I be able to find a job? Well, the economy sucks, people who have degrees and more experience are settling for entry level jobs and a lower pay rate just to make a living, and any job I could possibly find that was something related to my English major that I thought I'd be interested in required years of experience I didn't have. Needless to say, my hunt was going nowhere until I received a message from an old colleague asking if I was interested in full-time employment. After that, I went through an incredibly long process and ended up with a different position than I'd originally applied for, but it was a job, nonetheless.

While sitting in a cubicle conducting phone interviews and employment reference checks was never something I envisioned myself doing, I quickly found that the people I worked with made the job worthwhile, and I had a great boss who always seemed to be in a good mood and regularly said thank you. It wasn't easy to adjust to an 8-5:00 schedule five days a week, but the time went by quickly, and before I knew it, Jeans Friday rolled around each week, and then I had a whole weekend to sleep in and recover before heading back to work again on Monday morning.

In December, we even got to work overtime! I was so excited! It was the first time I'd been able to earn overtime for working more than 40 hours, and I worked through my lunches and stayed an hour later a few days out of each week. Right before Christmas, my boss sent around an e-mail letting us all know we could take whatever time off we wanted for the holidays because things would be slowing down and picking back up again at the start of the year.

Things didn't pick up for the client I was working on. Before I knew it, seven people had been laid off, and I had no security blanket left. Despite being hired with in weeks of one another, all in a row, the last person to be laid off was the one who started the week after myself and the other person that started the same day as me. It was getting too close for comfort.

Last week Friday, we had a meeting for the second day in a row, but this time, my boss let the remaining six of us left working on that client that they had decided to stop using us for their hiring. He said they would look into trying to find us new positions, but that everything would be wrapping up by February 1st and he'd keep us posted on the details.

I sent a couple of e-mails throughout the week to ask my boss questions in order to find out more information about my impending layoff. When he asked for my resume and the resume of the other person who started the same day as I did, we both thought we were important and that it meant something. Then, that all changed Thursday afternoon. The three of us with the later hire dates were sent e-mails telling us Friday would be our last days, and my boss would give us a call if there was any more work for us to come back and do. For the two of us whose resumes he'd asked for, I quickly realized it wasn't because we were any better than the others - he knew we'd be the ones getting laid off. Meanwhile, the three of them were able to switch over to a different client and continue to work there.

I know that I can't take this personally. Things went strictly according to dates of hire, no matter how close to one another those dates are. It wasn't that I loved my job, but I quickly became attached to the people there. I was just getting comfortable with everyone and not as scared to sit with them to eat lunches in the break room. I got extremely close to three other people - one of which is the one I started with. I was surprised at how easily the friendship came for the four of us, but it was the three of them that made work so much fun. Now that two of them got to stay, it made it harder to leave. Prior to Thursday, I thought we were all in it together. Learning that wasn't the case just made me feel bad about myself.

Surprisingly, not long after I received the dreaded e-mail, I got a voicemail from someone at another branch from the same company I work for. He wanted to talk to me about a position there, so I called him back right away and set up an interview for this Tuesday morning at 10. This office would be farther away from my house and bump my commute to work up to 20 minutes instead of 12, but at this point, I need a job, so I am going to see what this is all about.

It just feels like sometimes, there's nothing you can do about how things end up. Leaving this job was harder because it wasn't my choice to leave, and I was still happy there. I can only hope the job hunt this time around is more successful than last time and that I find something sooner that makes me just as happy and is something I enjoy. Is that too much to ask?

All About Angela

Today, I got to thinking, and I decided I wanted to start fresh and begin writing a brand new blog. I write articles - mainly television show recaps and reviews - for another website, but my topic is restricted to television shows or articles related to television, and I always feel like there's more I'd like to write about. I majored in English in college, I love to write, and I am no stranger to the world of blogging, so I figured, why not try something different?

While I am constantly known as someone who always has shows to clear off her DVR, I am also someone who has a tendency to want to share my opinions on everything. Give me a topic, and I can talk about pretty much anything. I also can write about pretty much anything.

My goals for this blog are going to be to share my opinions on everyday occurrences, including ones in my own life, in addition to posts about television shows, movies, or books where I can give recaps, reviews, or my own opinions about what is going on. I won't restrict myself to just one topic when I have the freedom to write about anything I want.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave those. It may take a couple of weeks to get things going, but I hope to get more out of this blog than I have with others and to make this into something readers enjoy coming back to check in on on a regular basis.