Two posts in two days...oh my! I know I can't believe it myself.

This is my third session here at Brooks Institute and along with my photo class I am taking a public speaking class. I didn't ask to take this class, I'm just that lucky I guess. If you can't sense my sarcasm here you should know that I am totally being sarcastic. I don't mind speaking in public, but there is just some sort of stigma I have associated with speaking in front of a class in which I'm being graded.

I decided to make myself a list of things that would help me with my speech:

• Don't chew gum
• Dress to impress
• Make sure you don't have lipstick on your teeth
• Wear shoes (preferably closed toed)
• Be prepared
• Speak clearly
• Relax... but not so much that you fart because that's no fun for either party
• Do not picture the professor naked (my friend suggested I do this and you know in theory that might be a good idea, but really? I think that would only be distracting and awkward. Just sayin'.)
  

These are only a few things I'm going to try to keep in mind over the next 6 weeks I have this class.

Note - Last session I was in a group where we had to give a presentation. One of the guys in my group did not wear shoes. He was barefoot. Not cool. The teacher was not impressed and neither was I. I told him if he didn't wear shoes for our next presentation I was going to hurt him. Read More

Last week was my break week between sessions, so I went home to Nevada. It was a good trip. I got to see my parents, D, and some friends and I got a LOT of sleep. It was great.

I just thought I would pop in to give a few friendly bits of etiquette for traveling:

• Do not spray perfume/ cologne on an airplane, train, in a car etc.
• Do not sit on top of me in my window seat to take a picture out the window
• Do not be a creeper and stair in my direction the entire flight even if you're looking out the window (it's creepy and there is a possibility I will punch you in the toothless grin)
• Do not leave your suitcase in the isle so everyone walking by will run into it
• Do not try to sell me your aderol
  

If you were wondering, yes all of these happened to me. No worries, I'm fine. With some therapy and a shower I will be back to "normal" in no time. Read More

Hi! Remember me? Yeah I didn't think so. I can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged. It makes me sad, but I'm also really happy because the reason I haven't posted anything is because I started school almost 4 months ago and I've been busy ever since. I'm not going to give an update just yet, because I just want to talk about the rain right now. mmmkay?

So it has been raining here for more than 24 hours. WTF? I'm from northern Nevada where if you don't like the weather you can wait 5 minutes and it's bound to change. I am now in southern California and it's been raining for SO long. I'm not used to be in rain like this. It's a bitter sweet feeling, it truly is.

Love Rain:

• the smell
• just standing in it
• the puddles
• snuggling under a warm blanket

Hate Rain:

• the puddles
• not having the appropriate clothing/ accessories to go about the day (i.e. rubber boots, umbrella, rain jacket)
• people drive like maniacs
• it's COLD

Ok so I won't continue to bore you with my lists, but you get the point. It has been a long cold day. It has also been a good day though, so that's even better.

I miss you all in the blogosphere. I feel like I've been missing out on so much. I only have a week and a half left in this session and then I have a week off. I'm hoping to take that time to catch up on some much needed blogging and blog reading. I'm sure you have all written me off and don't even remember who I am. That's fine. I still miss you. Read More

Ok so this past weekend? Crazy, exciting, fantastic and full of amazing new beginnings. If you didn't know, I attended the Bloggers Invade Sin City debacle in Las Vegas. There were so many amazing people that attended and if you were not able to make it know that you were missed and this won't be the last meet up of bloggers, so you should totally be there next time.

I'm not going to lie, I did kind of feel like like an outsider at times looking in on so many people enjoying the company of others, but all in all I think it was worth the 8 hour drive one direction to get there.

About an hour before I arrived in Vegas on Friday I got so nervous I contemplated turning around and going home. I thought to myself what if these people don't like me? What am I getting myself into? Who do I think I am driving 8 hours to a meet up of people that probably don't even read my blog and won't want to after this? You know what? I hope that's not the case and I hope you are all as excited to meet up with me as I am too see you again. If that means I will be the weird awkward one in the group, so be it.

Everyone who attended was so different, yet we had so many things in common, and there was never a lack of good wine or conversation. One of my only regrets is not taking more pictures. Luckily there were so many other people with cameras I don't have to worry about being able to look back and remember the craziness that ensued. Let me also say the pictures I've seen do not even come close to doing these ladies justice. They are all so beautiful and unique in their own ways.

Some things that stick out in my mind about the weekend:

• Kerri being the first and last person I saw the entire weekend.
• Being greeted by Rachel and Andrea in the lobby to go up to the room. Andrea was my super cool room mate for the weekend and she was/is awesome.
  
• While sitting by the pool with Amanda on Sunday morning waiting for Kerri, we saw a British man dressed as a ninja turtle.
  
• Having dinner at a buffet with just about all of the bloggers in attendance.
• Getting blisters on my feet the size of toes walking from one end of the strip to the other and back again. (It was worth it.)
• Sharing a cheese plate with Nicole, Andrea, and Doni. Have you ever had a cheese plate? One that includes 7 different kinds of cheeses? One that does not include American or cheddar? OMG, if you have not, you're truly missing out. I felt sophisticated and full at the same time. Nicole - Thank you for not eating my hand when the cheese plate was delivered to the table, I know how much cheese means to you and I am honored that you allowed me to share it with you.
• Wearing shorts with pockets under my dress, so I could keep my phone in my pocket. I was afraid someone was going to steal my purse and I wanted to at least have my phone, so I could call someone and cry. Luckily I came home with everything I left with and some.
  

If you were not mentioned here, it's not because I don't love you. Every single person on this trip touched me in a different way. Some physically, most mentally (wink wink). Read More

Well hello there! I feel like these past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind and I don't even know where to begin. This is going to be a bullet point post, hope you don't mind.

• D's dad passed away Monday, May 18th. He had sleep apnia and passed in his sleep. It has truly been a very sad couple of weeks.
• D's sister's cat died at the vet during a procedure to remove a tooth. We were at the funeral home making arrangements when she found out.
  
• The air conditioning went out.
• The transmission in D's mom's car is going bad, which means the purchase of a new car for her.
  
• I have to replace all four tires on my car. That's $500 I could spend in so many other ways.
• I still haven't heard back about my school loan. I have called every weekday since the 15th and every day they tell me "you should call back in 3-5 business days." Eff the 3-5 business days. I want to know right now if you're going to give me money to further my education. Gah!
• I'm sure there is more that I'm not thinking of right now, but I don't want to continue being such a debbie downer. It's times like this that make me appreciate the life we are given and that it needs to be lived to it's fullest.

We are finally headed back to Nevada from Montana on Saturday and back to Montana again in a couple of weeks.

Oh and another thing... I've been worrying like I do. I've been second guessing myself and whether I want to move to California and be so far away from D. I've been looking into other options and I've gotta tell ya I have myself all flustered. Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with the admissions representative at The Salon Professional Academy to talk about aesthetics. You know like makeup and waxing of the nether regions and good stuff like that. I don't know that I will pursue it, but it's definitely something to look into. Maybe I'm just being too worrisome, but I do have an interest in makeup. For a second I thought it might be a good idea to get my license in aesthetics and work as an aesthetician while going to school. I don't know what will come of it, but I'll be sure to keep you all informed. I know you're sitting on the edge of you're seat waiting to find out. Read More

Right now I am frustrated. I have been so excited about going back to school (which I should be, right?). It's taken some time for me to decide what I want to do with myself and actually get to the point that I want to go back to school and now there is a tiny glitch. And when I say tiny it really isn't as small as I'm making it out to be.

I have received all the financial aid I can with out a private loan. I filled out the FAFSA, I received a scholarship for $2000 from the school, and I applied for and received my stafford loans. The next step is applying for the remainder of the balance as a private loan. I have applied to 3 different lenders and 2 of them have already denied me a loan. The last and final lender says my loan is pending right now and it will take 2 to 3 business days to get an answer. This means I should get an answer Monday or Tuesday. Waiting to find out is practically killing me. If I don't get this loan I won't be able to afford going to Brooks Institute.

I am starting to feel my dream slip away and it's so disheartening. I hope that I can report back early next week that my fears were wrong and I will be packing up soon to go to school. I guess what I'm really doing at this point is hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

I REALLY want this. I hope the bank doesn't shatter my dream. I'm starting to think about other options, but I'm not going to talk about those at this point because I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. Should the time come that I find out I am declined for my loan I'll cry, and I'll move on. Read More

Disclaimer: if you are a male or don't like reading or hearing about non-sexy vagina talk, you probably should not proceed. You have been warned.

So today was the day that I dread all year. I had my yearly exam. Not the kind of exam you have in school, but the exam where the doctor gets to be up close and personal with my vagingo. You can call it whatever you want vagina, vag, va-jay-jay, the hole; I recently heard it referred to as vagingo and I've taken a liking to that.

I know it's not the most horrible thing that can happen to your lady parts, but it's still not the best. The woman I have gone to see for the past 4 years is the sweetest lady and is so gentle. Or as gentle as you can be when poking, prodding, and scraping the inside of your pleasure palace.

After the nurse took my vitals she told me to get naked (with the exception of my socks) and put on the ridiculous butt baring gown and paper blanket. So there I was in my pink, black and white striped socks, pearl earrings, and a piece of paper covering my girly bits. I then heard a knock at the door and a quiet voice says, "are you indecent?" hahahahahahaha I love her! I replied, "yes I sure am!"

She then proceeded to feel on my boobies, and then on to the fun part. And when I say fun I use that term very loosely. Not that I'm loose; wait what? Ok moving on.

She pulled out this thing that's supposed to spread open when placed inside so she can see better. After a few clicks of the spreader she says, "Oh looks like I need to use the other kind of spreader because your cervix isn't turning the right way." I'm sorry what did you just say? My cervix is doing what? Is that something I should be worried about? She then pulled a spreader out of the drawer that looked the exact same as the one she just threw away, but what do I know about vagina spreaders? She then started scooting the new spreader around like she had all the room in the world (which isn't the case, if you were wondering) and she says, "oh I hope I'm not hurting you." I think to myself thanks for the concern and I reply, "well it doesn't feel good that's for sure." At least I have a sense of humor I guess.

Now that my hoohaw is all open and she can see what she's looking for she takes the "spatula" and scrapes until she feels she has the appropriate amount of whatever it is she's looking for. Next is what I like to call the pipe cleaner. The reason I call it that is because the end of it kind of looks like a pipe cleaner and it's meant to poke it's fabulous little head inside your cervix. This tends to cause cramps and is quite uncomfortable which I'm sure you are all aware of; well that is if you're a female or a male gynocologist (which by the way is a little strange if you ask me).

I feel like there should have been a happy ending somewhere in there, I mean with the amount of lube she was using... I'm just sayin'.

In the end she said everything looks good. Umm thanks I guess. I wish I could say the same to her, but I didn't just stare her in the vertical lips.

Anyway...I'm sure this is nothing new to most of you, but I wanted to talk about my vagina and what better place than on my blog? Read More