Days Go By, I Can Feel 'Em Flying

Time is passing so quickly. Looking back, the days all seem to run together. It's hard to distinguish one from another - even recalling yesterday takes some work. I guess I should blog more often and that might help, but there's usually nothing of any great interest to write about. Weekdays are much the same; the only thing that really changes is what time I work. My typical schedule each week looks something like this:

• Monday: 12:30-6:15
• Tuesday: 8:15-1:45
• Wednesday: 8:15-6:15
• Thursday: 8:15-6:15
• Friday: 8:15-6:15

I work every third Saturday, but that's just until 12. Those weeks that I do work on Saturday, my schedule during the week is a little different so that I don't end up with any overtime. Overtime = illegal at Union First Market Bank. ;-) I love my job - everyone is so nice and I'm learning so much!

Lately I've been hanging out with a new friend a lot. I met Ashby through a mutual friend and we've really hit it off. It's nice to have a friend again, someone to hang out with and do stuff with. Last night we went to the Byrd Theatre in Richmond to see TRON: Legacy. That theater is very old and very cool! I definitely recommend it if you get the chance to go. At least look at the pictures and stuff on the Web site. (Also the movie is really good; see it on the big screen if you have a chance!)

Tomorrow, RVA On Ice is letting Union First Market Bank employees and their families in for free in the evening! I get off work at 6:15 so at least one of my sisters and I are going to go. It's an outdoor rink and pretty new, so I'm excited to see it. I love skating in general, though I've only been ice skating a couple times and that was several years ago!

My sisters Tonya and Kristin and I went to another ball this past Friday night. It was so much fun! I don't think it was as good as the first one, but still amazing. This time there were just a lot of kids running around and goofing off, and they were having fun but it took away some of the fun for those of us trying to dance when the kids in our set weren't doing it right. But oh well, I don't hold it against them. I do look forward to the next ball that is more for adults, though. I also bought three formal gowns, so I definitely want another ball.

The weather is beginning to get warmer. I don't mind the cold like I used to - in fact, I sometimes like it. But there's something about the coming of spring and the warm weather that I still absolutely love. I can't wait to be able to drive to work with my windows open and the music blasting. I would like to get my A/C fixed before summer comes, though...

Almost time for bed! This morning was the first time I've woken up feeling rested in a couple weeks. I had some form of the flu (maybe swine flu?) a couple weeks ago and it really wiped me out for a while. I'm so glad to be feeling better now! I don't really appreciate being healthy until I get sick for a little while. Maybe that's one of the reasons we get sick. I guess I need to learn to be grateful for how the Lord takes care of me and not take things like my health for granted!

Here's hoping for good dreams tonight - dreaming is one of my favorite things to do.

New Life

How do you start blogging again when it's been so long since the last time you did anything?

I've been staring at my blog off and on for the past week or so, trying to figure out how to get it going again. I failed miserably at keeping it updated last year, and so many things have changed. It's like I'm living a completely new life and I feel like I don't know how to come back to this blog and write and get it up and running again.

But then I decided I just have to do it!

Here's a little rundown of what happened the remainder of 2010:

• Beginning of May - AWESOME managers at NY Grill got fired. I was very upset about this.
• May 22 - Came home from vacation as a graduate of VCU, holding a BS in mass communications with a minor in English
• May 28 - Found three stray kittens at work, a couple of whom had been injured by (probably) another animal. Took them home to try to take care of them. One I kept and named him Westley after the hero in The Princess Bride.
• May 29 - Went to something called The Appleseed Shoot and learned about riflemanship. It was interesting even though I was a horrible shot.
• June 12 - My sister Kristin graduated from high school exactly 6 years after my HS graduation day! We had a blast that weekend hanging out with friends and partying.
• July 23-August 2 - Took a roadtrip down to Florida with my sister Tonya. WE HAD THE TIME OF OUR LIVES. Went to Hollywood Studies (formerly MGM) and Universal, the beach, hung out with friends and family, and general just enjoyed the Florida atmosphere. Also visited briefly with friends in Georgia on the way down and back.
• August 3 - Bought my dad's car - a little red VW Golf stick shift.
• August 14 - Saw Inception. (Just had to put that in there because it was an amazing movie.)
• August 28 - Finally was able to see my musician friend Ben Berumez (look him up on MySpace and Facebook!) play since my busy schedule had calmed down after I graduated.
• August 31 - Had a phone interview with Union First Market Bank after sending in my application and resume 2-3 weeks prior.
• September 1 - Had an in-person interview with Union First Market at their downtown Richmond office. First time driving in the city with my new stick shift car!
• September 3 - Had another in-person interview with the Ashland Union First Market Bank branch manager.
• September 11 - Civil War lantern tour at Meadow Farm - always awesome.
• September 21 - Don't remember exactly what date, but somewhere around this time I got a call from Union First Market Bank saying I GOT THE JOB as bank teller in Ashland.
• September 27 - A friend from PA and her husband came down for the weekend and I met them for lunch. Always nice to see friends, and most of mine live far away.
• Setpember 28 - Last day of work at NY Grill! (My last day at Martin's was Sept. 23)
• September 30 - State Fair! I always enjoy it, but this year was a little disappointing compared to other years.
• October 2 - Protesting Eric Cantor's Republican Round-Up held at a place not allowing guns (Innsbrook Snag-A-Job Pavilion)
• October 3 - Honor Society concert at the State Fair - amazing!
• October 4 - First day at the bank! I had a lot of training - several weeks - so I didn't actually start doing teller work right away.
• October 23-24 - Celtic Festival. LOVE LOVE LOVE
• November 6 - Mom and Dad were away this weekend for their anniversary so my sisters and I had a movie night at our house with friends (Toy Story 3 and Prince of Persia - both great!)
• November 20 - BALL! My sister Kristin and I went to a Fall Ball that some friends held in a church gym. This was an old-fashioned ball, like from Jane Austen times, and we learned dances and had, well, a BALL.
• November 25 - Thanksgiving. First year in as long as I can remember that I didn't watch Macy's Parade because the channel wasn't coming in!
• December 3-5 - Sewing weekend at our friends' aunt's sewing shop, getting our outfits started for the Renaissance Faire.
• December 25 - CHRISTMAS!
• December 29 - Saw TRON. Amazing music.
• December 31 - New Year's Eve! Karaoke party with the family, and a couple of friends came for a little while, too.

So, as you can tell, a lot happened in the remainder of 2010. One of the most exciting of those things was that I got a "real job" (as my grandma called it) as a bank teller for Union First Market Bank! I work 40 hours a week, have benefits and paid time off, and I LOVE IT. The people I work with are great, the customers are so nice, and the company is a good one. It's hard to believe I've been there 4 months already.

Big news in 2011...

My best friend Christina got married! I was a bridesmaid, so my sister Tonya and I drove down January 6-7, were there for the wedding January 8, and drove back January 9. It was the best weekend in a LONG time. I met some great people and got to hang out with friends.

I went with my sisters and some friends to see the latest Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, on January 22. It was better than I was expecting from what I'd heard from other people, but they changed [i]so much[/i] from the book. I still enjoyed it, but I wish they'd stayed truer to the original story, like they did in the first two.

So that pretty much brings you up to date, I guess! I can't believe it's February already; it seems like the year just started yesterday. So far 2011 has been pretty great, and I'm excited to see what else is in store. I might go to Georgia again President's Day weekend to visit, there's another ball February 25, my family is going to the beach again in May - so much exciting stuff is going to be happening!

Bring it on!