This is pretty awesome

This little handheld 'computer' never ceases to amaze me. The
technology behind it is just crazy. I couldn't have even imagined
something like this less than 10 years ago when I was carrying around
my huge NOKIA phone thinking I was something special. I mean...I
remember dressing it up in a cow faceplate and flashing antenna.
Ahh...the teenage coolness and crazy advanced technology of today. Can
you imagine what things will be like 10 years from NOW?

Sent from Amanda Ray's iPhone

A good feeling

There's just something about getting EVERYTHING done in a day that's so relieving. I love going home knowing that when I arrive the next day there won't be anything left over from the day before. Unfortunately, this rarely happens in the property management business. But, today....it did and it makes me happy!

Another good feeling: I got my car detailed and waxed and it's back to it's old Sexy6 status. That makes me happy (besides the fact that it immediately rained), but nonetheless it looks SOOO much better! Now if only I can get Jon to stop putting his shoes on my dash and keep Bailey's muddy paw prints off my back seat we'd be good for quite some time!

My final good feeling: paying off my credit card! Not that it was ever a "problem", but it has turned into such a nuisance to me where we get within $100 of paying it off and somehow put $50 on it here, $60 on it there and voile! we're back at $500! Well, no more! It's paid off and is making its way into a frozen container of water. That's right...I'm freezing my credit card! In case of emergency: hot water will melt it.

Thoughts

Lets see....I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post. I need to get better about this. I need to get some energy back. I need to take better care of myself. I need to exercise more. Actually, we took the dogs on a long walk the other night and it felt great. My arm is kinda sore, but only from a tetanus shot, not actually any physical activity. It looks like I'm gonna have quite a few shots over the course of the next year (and forever really). I wish I could elaborate as to why. I can't wait to let the cat out of the bag. I am excited for the future. The future makes me nervous. I am so much of a planner and control freak that this is a big step for me to just go with it. I'm excited about the upcoming month with 'vacations' and friends in town. I wish I didn't have to work weekends and was allowed to take my vacation when I want. I can't wait to see my extended family and my grandma (even though she won't remember...I will). I'm so excited for Jim and Daneel to come visit us in the ATL. I'm gonna convince them to move here. We're gonna buy cute houses in the same neighborhood and start a business together. I can't wait to buy a house and make it "ours." I am obsessed with getting new living furniture (not Big Lots college furniture or furniture Jon picked out pre-us). I love the Pottery Barn look but refuse to spend the money. I hate that money has such control on people's lives and wish there was more to go around for everyone. I wish no one ever had to worry about money or really had any worries. I hope we have a great life. I have a great life now. I wish I wasn't so cranky sometimes. I wish Jon wasn't so cranky sometimes and I wish I had more down time. I can't wait to go home and have dinner with Brittany Brown...she makes me laugh.

The "junk drawer" turned box and basket

You know how everyone has a "junk drawer"? It's the place where everything gathers. We're talking mail, coupons, pens, chapstick, batteries, receipts, ipod cords, pocket change...pretty much anything. I'm sure everyones junk drawer is a little different. Ours basically ends up being the things listed above that were on the table when we had company coming over and not enough time to truly organize or put away. It started out as a box that was added to in a moment of hurry to get the house presentable and somehow has morphed into a completely full box AND a basket in two different closets. I had been talking about cleaning this thing out and truly putting things where they belonged for quite some time and finally, last night I had a moment. I made the decision to just make it happen and boy does it feel good to have everything organized and an empty junk basket (I threw away the box).

I do wish that my moment had come to me at a different time, but it still was a pretty decent time to make it happen. Jon's brother Bill and his kids are in town for the week and we decided to invite them over for a night at our house. Bill came over last night with Aiden. We ordered pizza and Uncle Jon and Aiden played a various number of video games throughout the night. We only had a couple of controllers and the games only allowed so many players so I decided to sit this video gaming session out. The boys seemed to be having so much fun so I started my little project. I finished up, enjoyed a glass (actually two glasses) of wine and we crashed around midnight. All in all a good night...good company, fun family, tasty wine and a productive night at home!

I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit rock and roll

We spent the weekend in Nashville, TN and I have to say....we both really liked it! There's a river running through the city, a decent skyline, cool nightlife scene, culture, and mostly for me...LOTS OF COUNTRY MUSIC! Jon and I always like to play the game of 'could we live here?' and we both actually said 'yes' on this one. Of course, Jon still wants to make it to a big city someday and I wouldn't mind it either. We do differ on NYC. I just don't think I'm a New York kind of girl. I'm not into high fashion, don't wear heels everywhere and generally don't feel a draw to pay thousands in rent for a box of an apartment. Plus, New York's the kind of place that I would always rather visit. Now, Boston is a definite yes and Chicago is a possibility. I'm kinda picky and limited in my opinions of where we could go. I tend to like a little slower paced and Jon likes the bustling city life (at least until there's a little one to worry about). I don't necessarily see us staying in Atlanta forever (sorry, mom) since that really wouldn't do much for his career, but don't want to just move anywhere when we leave it all behind. We've got it pretty nice right now...families closeby, great group of friends, awesome house and a pretty awesome set-up with Atlanta. It'd be difficult to leave, but...I try to always keep an open mind to possibilities. I'm glad we can now add another city to the list of places we'll agree on. Not that there are really insurance opportunities in Nashville, but still...it's nice to have places we both like (even if only to visit). I just like traveling and seeing new places.

I'm gonna make it happen

Okay, so I think since swimsuit season is here and I generally just feel lazy I'm gonna set a goal. My goal is to slowly add back exercise into my routine. I don't really know where exercise escaped my routine, but it definitely did somewhere between becoming an "adult" and getting a big girl job and becoming a lazy, married woman. But, I just don't feel healthy...not to mention the some 30 pounds or so since college. I will say that one pro to being tall is the ability to pull off weight gain. I will ALSO say that one con to being tall is the ability to pull off weight gain. The few pounds here or there have definitely added up and it makes me lazy. It's amazing how lack of exercise and a extra pounds can affect your energy level. It's almost a lose-lose, or a catch 22, or a irony of sort. I don't have the energy to exercise, but the lack of exercise leads to weight gain and weight wain leads to lack of energy...therefore...start the cycle again. It really is bad. Well, my first steps....take the dogs on a walk every night after work and if it's raining...get on the elliptical! I need to whoop this butt into shape (well, I guess I AM a shape....Round!). But, I figure slow and steady wins the race when it comes to adding back activity/ exercise into my life. We'll start slow so that it becomes more routine and enjoyable and then go from there.

On another note, I'm feeling quite productive on the home-front. I managed to come home (mind you an hour and a half late), take the dogs for a walk (see above...we're 3 days in so far), cook dinner, clean the kitchen from counters to dishes, empty the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, feed the dogs, do the rest of the laundry (now everything's clean down to towels, underwear, sheets and all), sweep the entire house (which as a lot of you know is quite a task with two dogs, lots of visitors and ALL hardwoods), dust the house, dust the baseboards, and now update the blog. I'm quite proud of myself if you can't tell. But, really...cleaning is such a task and once I got started I figured I might as well keep going. Tomorrow I'll attempt to clean the other bathroom and actually enjoy myself on my days off! Tomorrow we're Nashville bound! Yeehaw!