Saturday, December 29, 2007

Picture happy jack.

Merry Christmas! It takes effort to add the exclamation point because: a) it was a quiet Christmas, which I enjoyed; and b) I'm so glad the holidays are over at work. But I do hope everyone had a wonderful time of giving, visiting, receiving, and making merriment. Us Cochrans did, in our own special way. Take a look ....

Mom telling a story, and Travis and Aunt Chuckie with gifts:


Mom and Dad never found time to put up the Christmas tree, and Travis was too sick, so we ended up with a tiny tree. As Abbey put it, all the better to emphasis the real meaning of Christmas. And Giada loved her first Christmas, what with all the ribbon and wrapping.


Dad checking out his model '57 Chevy:


Boggle Showdown with Abbey. She beat me every time. :(


But we were pretty even at Kings in the Corner. And really, who cares about winning when there's Mom's rocky road at every turn.


Other:
  • Unresolved issues have been resolved, in unexpected, relieving, saddening, and necessary ways.
  • Snowboarding with Julio tomorrow -- pray I don't break my legs!
  • I cracked my head getting in my car this afternoon. It hurt like a mother, and I have a little goosebump, but at least there's no bruise.
  • The apartment in Cleveland has finally been leased! No more paying for one and a half apartment rents every month, yay. Really, it was only two months, but it was over $600 for set of vacant rooms. Painful. But no more -- thank you, Jesus!
2008 is almost guaranteed to be a better year than 2007, because 2007 was one of the worst years of my life. However, it was a year of learning and growth that I wouldn't trade for the world. It's a year that's made me who I am, and I like who I am. I hope that 2008 brings new friends, "old" friends, success at work, and adventure. (Which means call me, all the time. I'm up for anything :) Thank you for sharing this journey with me thusfar; it's only just begun.

Health, peace, and the pursuit of happiness to each and every one of you in the coming new year!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

I don't need the cheese or the car keys.

According to Alex, a friend I work with, I am a nerd. All because I was wildly entertained by Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs, Ken Jennings book about his lifelong journey to winning seventy-four episodes of Jeopardy! Fine, I embrace the label willingly, because it is a wonderful book. And full of trivia -- I learned a lot!

Work is well, as usual. We're getting busier and busier, thanks to the holidays. All I have to do is great through this weekend; then things will start to mellow out, and we can get down to the business of becoming the best store in Fresno.

It rained all day yesterday, and we even got a bit of almost-Cleveland rain. That bit where the rain was practically bullets? Welcome to Ohio! But like Ohio, it didn't last too long, and unlike Ohio, there was no stomach-rumbling thunder. Today was sunny and clear when I woke up, but it's overcast again. Hopefully, the skies will brighten, and I'll have an amazing view of my mountains on the drive home this afternoon (dinner with the family, hair appointment tomorrow, the last of the Christmas shopping).

Now, a photo-retelling of the weekend's most memorable happenings.

I was supposed to head to Exeter Friday evening to hang out with Jess. Around 330p, I unlocked the car, put my things in, got in the driver's seat, and put my key in the ignition. But it wouldn't turn. Thinking that it might be stuck, I tried to jimmy it then turn it again, but no dice. So I pulled the key out, and my jaw dropped:



My key was broken?! Sinking back in my seat, I had no idea who to call to fix it. It had already been a long, frustrating week, and I couldn't believe this was happening. I called Dad, who suggested calling a tow company. The three tow companies I called suggested I called a locksmith. The locksmith I called couldn't come until Saturday morning unless I wanted to pay half my body weight in gold. There went plans for the night, and I'd been looking forward to them so much. I was none too happy with this little piece of metal holding my car hostage.



Saturday morning, promptly at 10a, a young guy from AA-Armor Locksmith (highly recommended) called for directions around the complex, then spent a half hour trying to extract the inch and a half of broken key. He couldn't get it. So I waited until 1130a, when an older, better equipped locksmith arrived, said a prayer, and pulled it out!



But not before a tiny piece of metal harpooned my weekend.



Can you believe that December, and 2007, are almost over? In the next week and a half, I'll work a crazy weekend, spend Christmas with my family,
write some goals (better than resolutions), go snowboarding with Julio (!), find something to do for New Year's (suggestions?), and greet 2008 bright and early 530a at work, lucky me. (I figured I'd be the "cool" manager who lets all of her partners party it up on New Year's.) And that will be that.

What a year.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Struck down but not destroyed.

To start with, this is my favorite comic of all time:
(If it's too small, click on it and a bigger one will appear.)



Hee!

It's been a long week. Not bad, just long. And not much to report because most people are too busy to hang out (understandably).

So What Had Happened Was ...
  1. My store hit a very big goal at the end of last week, and we're destined for more greatness before Christmas.
  2. Almost all of my Christmas shopping is done.
  3. My sister is engaged.
  4. I had coffee with Kendra.
  5. Running in the cold is still cold.
  6. I don't get to go snowboarding after all. :(
Uneventful. Really, I guess I'm just tired and little blue. There's something on my mind, but I'm not ready to talk about it the way I want to. So, to cheer up, another list.

What Makes Me Happy:
  1. Giada can jump so high. It's amazing. Really, it doesn't make me that happy because it means she gets into more stuff, but it's fun to watch.
  2. Feeling the true meanings of Christmas carols.
    Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
    Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
    Light and life to all He brings,
    Risen with healing in His wings.
  3. Talking. Being friends.
  4. Fog. I know it's dangerous, but it makes me feel like I'm home.
  5. Cinnamon-scented candles.
  6. Mint tea.
  7. Houses decorated with Christmas lights.
What makes you happy?

By the way, I think I want to do something with my hair. Lighter, darker, what do you think?

Thursday, December 6, 2007

So give me coffee and TV.

"The easy states of black and white that I had know before did not apply. I felt, if I were to say any word, churned. Not as a verb but as an adjective. Happy + Frightened = Churned."
--The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold

Some lovely words to begin with.

It was an exciting week -- I started at First and Shaw on Monday. So far, it's been great. All of my partners are ready for a change and am glad I'm there (thank goodness). My ASM, Dustin, is my biggest cheerleader -- ready to support me and learn. There's a lot to work on, both on the floor and in the business, but it's a challenge that, after three days of work, I know I'm ready for. I didn't sleep well Sunday night because I was a bundle of nerves, but those nerves are (mostly) gone. They've been replaced by boxing gloves because I'm ready to fight to make First and Shaw the best store in Fresno! (But not overnight, so if you come visit, be kind. Honest, but kind. :)

Balloons from Mom and Dad (aw, thanks!):


Last Friday, my parents came up to put together the (goshdarn) bookshelves before we went to the Faculty Guitar concert at Fresno State. By the time the shelves were together, I was exhausted (not that I really helped, but I had opened that morning). Mom and Dad offered to go home, but I felt awful that they'd driven an hour in rush hour traffic just to drill shelves so we decided to go to Costco for pizza then watch a movie. Have you seen The Pursuit of Happyness? Do yourself a favor and rent it this weekend. Better yet, buy it. It's a movie you should own and watch when you need a laugh or inspiration.

Saturday was my last day at Peach and McKinley; I opened then planned to go to the Sax Festival in hopes of seeing Pat play. It was not meant to be because I got a flat tire on my way to the bank! Thank goodness I had my spare and a jack and many kudos to Carly for sharing her wrench! After work, we wrenched the heck out of that tire and got it changed all by ourselves. Carly rocks. I took the long way home and planned to get the tire looked at that afternoon but ended up falling asleep on the couch with a kitty on my lap. That takes precedence over a little ol' tire ....

Sunday brought church at University Vineyard, where I saw Meredith from school. The service was nice -- an hour of worship led by their fantastic youth praise band. The sermon was about being a living sacrifice. I found it a little scattered but inspiring. Instead of following Sunday tradition (newspaper at Starbucks), I drove to America's Tire Co. -- they were closed! When I looked online for another tire place, they were all closed! People need tires on Sundays, too, people! Finally had it fixed on Monday morning because ATC is down the street from my store. And because they were able to fix the flat, it was free! America's Tire Co. on Shaw and Fresno -- this is a plug: go there!

Almost all of my Christmas shopping is done, praise be to God. I spent quite a bit of Tuesday online shopping, only a couple of people left. Money is tight, but more importantly, I want to give gifts that I hope my family and friends will enjoy, not something just to wrap and give away. It took a while to get inspired. Hope your holiday season is going well. Remember, be friendly to your neighborhood barista. She might have had a long day.

Good Things:
  1. Sleep.
  2. The internet for shopping and communicating and learning, oh my!
  3. Being appreciated.
  4. Starbucks commercials! (I just saw my first. Have you bought your Christmas Blend yet? Come to my store!)
  5. Wonderful Fresno State jazz concert.
  6. Christmas lights.
  7. An awesome last episode of Heroes.
  8. The possibility of rain. I refuse to let it get me down. Remember, Erica, you've always liked rain.
  9. Sunshine.
  10. "Take heart!"