I apologize for the fact that it has been over a month since my last post. However, life has been crazy and super busy these past few weeks. I have officially moved to Clarksville, Tennessee and have been working for Outdoor Rec at Fort Campbell for the past 3 weeks. I promise as soon as I get a chance and get my apartment set up, I will take pictures and post them on here.
Other than that, my job is going well. I have a lot to learn, but I have great people to work with and some exciting things to come! I will also be heading to Charlotte, NC next week for an Outdoor Recreation Programmers Training Course. We will be doing all kinds of fun activities like paintball, mountain biking, rock climbing, high adventure climbing, and white water rafting. (have I mentioned...I LOVE MY JOB?!)
So, everything is going well. I have met some great people, found a church I may be interested in, and am learning what it is like to be completely on my own. It is nice that I still have Charley though...at least until he wakes me up at 2:30am...and then again at 5:30am...my little child, he is. That's all I have for now. I hope you all enjoy your Labor Day, and I am off to bed! I promise I will update more often as things start to slow down a little more for me.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I'm leavin' on a jet plane...don't know when I be settled again!
Well, believe it or not, the time has come. I am leaving Minot in the morning to fly to DC and then travel to Virginia for my first week of work, orientation, and in-processing. I have been continuously packing for the past two days and trying to enjoy this last bit of cool weather I will experience for a while.
The next few weeks will be absolutely crazy, so I apologize now if I do not update the blog much. I will be in Virginia for a week, fly back to Minot, then leave that night for Kentucky. We are going to attempt to drive through the night, but if that doesn't work out, we will make it a two-day tour with a feline in tow...Charley is not excited about being sedated again...
Since this will be my last time in Minot, Alicia and I tried to make the most of it by going to the North Dakota State Fair and taking a trip to the mighty capital city of Bismarck, ND! Here is a picture of the capital building...which they refer to as the skyscrapper of the prairie...sad huh?!
It was nice to go to Kohl's, Sam's Club, and eat at Texas Road House though...so it was worth it!
Finally, here are a few pictures from the fair...we both got a lot of sun that day...and yes, we wore sunscreen. I am still recovering from the burn. But as you will see in the pictures, the best part about the fair was most definately the food! Alicia and I did volunteer to help out with parking for the first part of the day, which got us in to the fair for free! Enjoy the show!
The next few weeks will be absolutely crazy, so I apologize now if I do not update the blog much. I will be in Virginia for a week, fly back to Minot, then leave that night for Kentucky. We are going to attempt to drive through the night, but if that doesn't work out, we will make it a two-day tour with a feline in tow...Charley is not excited about being sedated again...
Since this will be my last time in Minot, Alicia and I tried to make the most of it by going to the North Dakota State Fair and taking a trip to the mighty capital city of Bismarck, ND! Here is a picture of the capital building...which they refer to as the skyscrapper of the prairie...sad huh?!
It was nice to go to Kohl's, Sam's Club, and eat at Texas Road House though...so it was worth it!
Finally, here are a few pictures from the fair...we both got a lot of sun that day...and yes, we wore sunscreen. I am still recovering from the burn. But as you will see in the pictures, the best part about the fair was most definately the food! Alicia and I did volunteer to help out with parking for the first part of the day, which got us in to the fair for free! Enjoy the show!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Northern Neighbors Air Show
A few days ago, I was able to check out the Northern Neighbors Air Show at the Air Force base in Minot. We only got to spend a couple of hours there, but it was worth it. We got to go inside a B-52 Fighter plane (which was scary because it was pretty high off the ground), eat hot dogs and ice cream Snickers, watch planes do crazy stunts, and of course, get a little sun in the process. Here is a video of the pictures I took on the way and while we were there.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Two weeks left in North Dakota
I know it has been a while since my last post, but I have been busy preparing to move to Kentucky, helping Alicia fix up her new apartment, and working. I turned in my two-week notice to Wal-Mart last week and am down to 6 days of work with them.
Alicia and I have been working on fixing her bathroom...basically we changed it from a 70's style, rusty mess, to a modern spa-like look. I think we did a great job! Alicia did the painting and I helped put together the new curtain rod and cabinet.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Aside from getting ready to move, I think reality is finally starting to hit. Two-weeks from tomorrow, I will be in Alexandria, VA, to start my career with the civil services. I will be there for a week for orientation and in-processing. Then I will fly back to Minot, and leave that night for Kentucky. Thankfully, Alicia is going with me, to help sedate Charley and help me get there quickly so I can begin the apartment search. I have been looking online and have a few in mind, but I want to actually see the apartment and the area before making a decision. Then, Tuesday, August 11th, I will report to Fort Campbell for my first day of work at my duty station. I am getting a little nervous, but I am ready to get there and get settled in to my new place and job. So, I will be ready for visitors very soon after the move...any takers?! Well, that's all for now. More to come in two weeks during my time in DC/VA.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
"Home is where the military sends you"
Well, it is official. We are not staying at Motel Vegas anymore. We have moved everything into the Mac Shack Jr. (and when I say Jr., that means number two and smaller at the same time!). The movers came to unload everything last Friday and we have been trying to unpack ever since. As you can see, there is still a lot of work to be done! And Charley is doing his best to help us!
Charley is also pretty excited to have his litter box back again...evidently he missed it! I think he is adjusting pretty well, but little does he know he is about to move again in a few more weeks.
So, other than unpacking, I have been working at Wal-Mart and trying to separate my stuff from all of Alicia's. Then it is all going in a storage unit for the movers to pick up in July. So, I will be going through all of this again in August. It has been a good experience because now I know what to expect when I start my career with the Army. I think a sign that Alicia got for my new apartment when I move in states it perfectly..."Home is where the military sends you!"
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A Day Full of Good News
Well, today was rather eventful. First of all, Happy Birthday Alicia...you have finally caught up to me...the big 2-7!! So, to celebrate, Alicia took off work two hours early so we could go look for apartments.
The first property we went to was not that great. First of all, the lady who was showing the property had no personality, and the apartment was old, smelly, and well...dirty. So, we moved on to the next two rentals from that company, which looked better. Finally, we went to one more apartment that was owned by a different company. That apartment was the winner!! Alicia signed the papers and we will be moving in June 19th! So only one more week in the hotel.
After signing the paperwork, we went to Up the Creek (a fish camp and grill restaurant here in town) for her birthday dinner. She had steak and I had butter fish...it was pretty tasty.
Also, I will be starting a temporary job as a cashier at Wal-Mart until I move to Kentucky/Tennessee. Orientation is all day Saturday, but I am just excited to have some money coming in soon!
Leaving on a funny note, I have had two people ask me what kind of phone I have...hello...Buler?? It's an iPhone!! But most of these people have never seen an iPhone since AT&T does not exist up here. Crazy huh?! Anyways, I promise once we get everything out of storage, I will start posting pictures instead of just writing. PEACE!!
The first property we went to was not that great. First of all, the lady who was showing the property had no personality, and the apartment was old, smelly, and well...dirty. So, we moved on to the next two rentals from that company, which looked better. Finally, we went to one more apartment that was owned by a different company. That apartment was the winner!! Alicia signed the papers and we will be moving in June 19th! So only one more week in the hotel.
After signing the paperwork, we went to Up the Creek (a fish camp and grill restaurant here in town) for her birthday dinner. She had steak and I had butter fish...it was pretty tasty.
Also, I will be starting a temporary job as a cashier at Wal-Mart until I move to Kentucky/Tennessee. Orientation is all day Saturday, but I am just excited to have some money coming in soon!
Leaving on a funny note, I have had two people ask me what kind of phone I have...hello...Buler?? It's an iPhone!! But most of these people have never seen an iPhone since AT&T does not exist up here. Crazy huh?! Anyways, I promise once we get everything out of storage, I will start posting pictures instead of just writing. PEACE!!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Lovin' the Cold!
Well, last weekend I experienced "spring" in North Dakota. It was 39 degrees outside most of the weekend, and a town just south of us got 4 inches of snow....yeah that's right, I said spring time in Minot! I will take the 39 degrees over 90 any day.
I also had an interview with Wal-Mart yesterday. I went through two interviews back-to-back and at the end of each, they said that was the best interview they ever had. So, I think I got the job, just waiting on the reference and background checks to come back. Who knows, if I like it, maybe I will transfer to the Wal-Mart in Clarksville and work there part time for a while.
Alicia is still searching for an apartment at the moment. We were hoping to move in to one this weekend, but the housing market here is NOTHING like Fayetteville. There are very few apartments available and they are flying off the market like hot cakes. So please pray for us to find a place to live soon.
Finally, to end on a funny fact for you...it is against the law for Wal-Mart to have pharmacies in North Dakota....go figure! Good thing I am heading back south soon for normal Wal-Mart's, Chik-Fil-A, and Sonic! : )
I also had an interview with Wal-Mart yesterday. I went through two interviews back-to-back and at the end of each, they said that was the best interview they ever had. So, I think I got the job, just waiting on the reference and background checks to come back. Who knows, if I like it, maybe I will transfer to the Wal-Mart in Clarksville and work there part time for a while.
Alicia is still searching for an apartment at the moment. We were hoping to move in to one this weekend, but the housing market here is NOTHING like Fayetteville. There are very few apartments available and they are flying off the market like hot cakes. So please pray for us to find a place to live soon.
Finally, to end on a funny fact for you...it is against the law for Wal-Mart to have pharmacies in North Dakota....go figure! Good thing I am heading back south soon for normal Wal-Mart's, Chik-Fil-A, and Sonic! : )
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Applying for Jobs = Not Fun
For the past two weeks, I have been applying for jobs. I know, I already have one, but not until the end of July. I need something to get me by in the meantime, but it is so hard applying for a job, knowing that I will pick up and leave in two months. I feel badly that they will take the time to train me and then I will just leave shortly after.
I have applied at the Air Force base, Applebees, and Gate City Bank. I just had an interview today with Gate City Bank, and it looks promising. But we will just have to wait and see. I am ready to get a job though so I can have something to do during the day!
Aside from the job search, I am looking for any kind of furniture, appliances, dinnerware, etc. for my new place when I move. Any suggestions??
I have applied at the Air Force base, Applebees, and Gate City Bank. I just had an interview today with Gate City Bank, and it looks promising. But we will just have to wait and see. I am ready to get a job though so I can have something to do during the day!
Aside from the job search, I am looking for any kind of furniture, appliances, dinnerware, etc. for my new place when I move. Any suggestions??
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Traveling around the world
I was thinking today about the many places I have been over the past month and where I will be going in the next two months. My adventure began May 14th around 15:00 (that's 3:00pm military time). I found out that I would be traveling to Washington DC and then to Alexandria, VA the next day. Little did I know that 30 minutes later, I would discover that my flight leaves from Springfield, MO instead of Fayetteville, AR at 6:00 am. We already had plans for a "going-away" party that some friends had planned, so I couldn't leave Fayetteville until 8:00pm at the earliest.
Alicia and I had a great time at the party, then she offered to drive me to Branson to meet up with some friends who let me spend the night with them and take me to the airport the next day. So, I traveled from Arkansas to Missouri one day...Missouri to Chicago to Washington DC to Alexandria, VA and all the way back to Missouri the next day!! After traveling back to Arkansas again, I had a couple days to recover and begin the next journey.
Next on my agenda was a 17 hour road trip with Charley and Alicia to Minot, ND. Little did I know I would receive a phone call somewhere in South Dakota from the Army offering me the job I applied for a week before relocating to North Dakota. This trip entailed Missouri again, Iowa, South Dakota, and finally North Dakota...can anyone say, "FARMLAND!!"
Now, I am looking forward to a trip to Minneapolis, MN a month from today, and hopefully a trip to Tennessee and Kentucky that same weekend to go apartment hunting. Finally, the last week of August I will return to Alexandria for orientation, come back to North Dakota, pack up the rest of my belongings, and travel by car down to Fort Campbell as my duty station for the next two years! I guess my mom was right when she always told me I was her gypsy. I promise to post pictures as I go along.
Alicia and I had a great time at the party, then she offered to drive me to Branson to meet up with some friends who let me spend the night with them and take me to the airport the next day. So, I traveled from Arkansas to Missouri one day...Missouri to Chicago to Washington DC to Alexandria, VA and all the way back to Missouri the next day!! After traveling back to Arkansas again, I had a couple days to recover and begin the next journey.
Next on my agenda was a 17 hour road trip with Charley and Alicia to Minot, ND. Little did I know I would receive a phone call somewhere in South Dakota from the Army offering me the job I applied for a week before relocating to North Dakota. This trip entailed Missouri again, Iowa, South Dakota, and finally North Dakota...can anyone say, "FARMLAND!!"
Now, I am looking forward to a trip to Minneapolis, MN a month from today, and hopefully a trip to Tennessee and Kentucky that same weekend to go apartment hunting. Finally, the last week of August I will return to Alexandria for orientation, come back to North Dakota, pack up the rest of my belongings, and travel by car down to Fort Campbell as my duty station for the next two years! I guess my mom was right when she always told me I was her gypsy. I promise to post pictures as I go along.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Life Changes
Well, I gave in and finally decided I should start a blogspot. I have never done this before, so hang in there with me! I was just recently offered a job with the Army Civil Services as an Outdoor Recreation Management Trainee! I am so excited to begin this new adventure in my life. I have been trying to get a job with the government for years, and all the hard work finally paid off. So, I am currently living in Minot, ND to help my roommate Alicia get settled in, and then I will be moving to the Fort Campbell, KY area the first part of August. Before I move, I will get to spend a week in Alexandria, VA for orientation and in-processing. I am really looking forward to that trip so I can get a chance to spend some time with the Cooks and check out Washington DC! I will update more while I am on TDY for the week.
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