Lessons Learned on the road

As my previous post mentioned, I am on a month long (almost) adventure in the month of June. From the midwest to the northwest to the southwest desert, I have been gone from San Diego since June 4th. *sigh* It's soon (thank goodness) coming to a close however.

How does an introvert who craves alone time yet has a very public interaction job handle life on the road you ask? Yeah, I'm still figuring that part out everyday of my adventure.

Things I've learned throughout my trip:

When traveling with groups, go with the flow.
My office is full of pretty strong personalities and the majority of the people I work with are women. Put them all in a mini-van going around a city few have been to and don't know where to go and the best thing to do it just go with the flow. I really enjoy being the laid back one and having only two objectives in Chicago... hot dog and pizza. I got those two things without having to push and so I was a happy little clam.

When in someone else's wedding remember that it's someone else's wedding.
I was in a stunning wedding on June 12th and was constantly reminded that it isn't MY wedding (not to say it wasn't perfect) but it just reminded me that though I was friends with the people in the wedding, we have different takes on things. Again, go with the flow and let it be. Their timeline, events and practices are for them and not you. Good lesson learned.

When your boss tells you you're going to Arizona in the summer, remember it's a desert.
Prescott and Phoenix Arizona are DRY and HOT. Couple that with running around with high school students all day and even the biggest extrovert is bound to be zapped. I wish I would have known how dry it would be out here. My poor nose is screaming at me all day "WHY IS IT SO DRY!?!?" and my poor skin is loving the sun's rays, but hating the lack of San Diego moisture.

When walking around Scottsdale, AZ, make sure you have your best outfit, makeup, hair and brand names at the ready at all times.
I was walking around Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale and have never felt SO out of place in my life. Let me paint a picture for you readers. I have just spent the last week at camp. So my attire consists of jeans, flat, closed toe shoes and a PLNU tshirt with my hair in a curly ponytail and minimal makeup on. Got that? Ok so then I go walking around Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale and am not only slapped in the face by the heat at 8pm but the fact that it seems like EVERYONE just walked off the runway for a high fashion photoshoot or off the magazine pages. Perfect hair, makeup, HIGH heals, name brands slapped across every stitch of fabric, designer bags (the bigger the better) for purses... you get what I mean. I was ignored at EVERY store, even Forever 21!! Awesome. Welcome to Scottsdale. I thought Orange County was shallow and sad.

When you're in high school, you will love you church camp boyfriend FOREVER... or at least until the last day of camp.
When I was at high school camp this past week, I watched relationships bud into full on soap operas within hours. It all starts with a simple high five, to a hug to a "whoops is that YOUR hand?!" to sitting next to each other at evening service to "OH EM GEE YOU WERE STARING AT MY BEST FRIEND!!" to "of course I'll love you always!" to "sniff last day at camp" and then tearful waves as the van drives off leaving the other in the dust. Cracks me up!

A lesson for you male hotel clerks...

Just because a female is checking into a hotel all by herself does NOT mean she's single and welcomes your comments about wanting to take her out to show her the nightlife and that you'd be willing to put her sunscreen on. Please, grow up. Thanks!

It doesn't matter how old you are, when you're away from those you love for a while, it's ok to be homesick.
I really do love my job and have always wanted to travel for work and not be stuck at a desk all day, but I never factored in the fact I really crave my alone time with those I love. Just being in the same room, not talking and watching a movie, or working on things on our respective computers is some of the best time ever. I can't wait to get back to that in a couple of days. Just hearing voices over the phone doesn't do it for me. I need that personal interaction and can't wait to get it again.

All in all it's been a good trip so far and can't wait to get home and get back into my routine of San Diego living.

Until next time...

My month long adventure

For those of you who are my friend on Facebook you've seen my status updates of my travels in the month of June. So far it's been 13 days on the road with six left to go. It's been a great time, but very draining to be honest.

To recap my trip for those who are unfamiliar...

June 4: Chicago with the girls in my office
June 5: Chicago
June 6: Chicago to Mishawaka Indiana to Bethel College
June 6-8: Mishawaka IN
June 9: Breakfast in Mishawaka, Lunch in Chicago and dinner in Portland with my head on a pillow in Salem Oregon
June 10: Salem Oregon
June 11: Portland Oregon to Hood River Oregon
June 12: Hood River Oregon
June 13: Hood River Oregon to San Diego
June 14: San Diego to Phoenix Arizona
June 15: Phoenix Arizona to Prescott Arizona
June 16-June 22: Prescott Arizona
June 22: HOME!!!!

Phew! Long, eventful and fun trip but man I can't wait to be home!!

Reasons for my trips:
Chicago - Fun with the girls in the office before a conference
Indiana - NACCAP conference
Oregon - I was in a wedding for a from from college
Arizona - Arizona Nazarene District summer camp for high schoolers (first week) and junior highers (June 21&22)

All in all it's been a great growing and learning experience for me since most of the places I've been have been new and it's been a great learning time for me to know that while yes, I want to travel for my job, I truly miss the comfort of home and having a routine that is familiar to me.

I can't wait to be home and in my own bed, but I think I will miss my crazy traveling life. Then I remember that fall travel is just around the corner!

Until next time...

I ran into the side of a mountain...

It was supposed to be a nice drive to a farmer's market in the Julian mountains with Ryan to add to the enjoyment of our camping trip before life gets crazy with work for the both of us.

No signs prepared us for the incredibly curvy roads ahead.

All of a sudden I knew I hit that turn all wrong and then I look up and the front

of my car is crunched in.

"OH MY GOSH IS RYAN OK!?" Screams in my brain. "Ok, phew he is... now what the hell just happened? Am I bleeding?" I wasn't.

I get out of my car and look at the damage. "Oh shit, this is going to be expensive. Wait, where are my glasses?" They had flown off in the crash into the passenger side floor.

"How did we end up 180 degrees the other way in the other lane and smashed into a mountain?" I turn around and check for gravel, there really wasn't much but man was that curve TIGHT.

*sigh* I call my dad, "hey dad, I just got into an accident, we're ok, but my car won't start and it's pretty banged up, what do I do?" Answer? Call Progressive.

I do, they take my information and then send a tow truck with a 1-2 hour time frame. Awesome.

So Ryan and I assess the damage, figure out there is no way my car is ok (it's leaking green stuff and there are pieces all over the road) and tell all the curious onlookers we're ok and waiting for the tow truck. One of those onlookers was a park ranger who told me that this is the second car TODAY that crashed... uh might want to put some signs up ya think? Oh well, damage done. Lots of damage.

So the tow truck guy gets there, chuckles when I ask him if he thinks it's totaled and then we ride all the way back to my apartment (1.5 hour drive) to drop my mangled vehicle off. Then Ryan and I pile into his car and drive ALL the way back to Julian to get our camping stuff and then aaalllllllll the way back to my apartment for the night.

The "communication" with the insurance company continues Sunday night and Monday. All the while I've had my car towed to an auto body shop on Monday morning and I went to CarMax to look at cars because everyone with any car knowledge (and even those without any) tell me my car is toast and so I should start shopping.

Not knowing how much my settlement would be, car shopping wasn't that much fun, but I tried to make light of the situation. Despite the fact my neck and lower back were killing me and I was pretty shaky and afraid to drive, I tried to put a smile on my face. I ended up finding a Honda Civic that I loved and put my "circle circle dot dot" on it with the car salesman, Rudy. (PS If you're in San Diego and need a car, Rudy at CarMax is the BEST!!)

The "communication" continues with the insurance company only with my calls to them going "hey when will I know anything?" every couple of hours. I think that paid off because by Wednesday I had my settlement check (almost twice what I was expecting!!) and was off to CarMax to put the downpayment on my 2008 black Honda Civic.

All in all Ryan and I are no longer hurting (minus the intense bruise on my thigh from my car door slamming into my leg) and I have a new (to me) car and the crash itself could have been much worse. We're definitely thankful that if we had to crash, the way we did was best. No one was hurt, we didn't roll the car or slide down the mountain, just slammed into it. Positive thinking is definitely helping.

I'm able to sleep the night now but still have random flash backs about the crash itself and the "what ifs" that could have been. Hoping those will go away soon.

I pick up my car tomorrow mid-morning and can't wait to put this all behind me!!

Until next time...

Phone calls with students are bad for your health

I love my job, I really do. 99% of my job is amazing. What is that 1% that you loathe you ask? Phone calls!!

I have to call 250+ accepted high school seniors, most with entitlement issues who make comments like "uh yeah I got your email and I haven't made a decision yet" or ones that are FULL of awkward pauses until they finally tell me PLNU really wasn't their number one choice like their application said. LIARS! (juuuuust kidding! One less person to chat with who doesn't care)

As much as I hate these phone calls, the BEST ones *insert sarcasm here* are when clueless students call in and have "questions" for you.

Actual dialog with a student today:

Caller: "um yeah hi this is *unintelligible*, can I apply?"

Me: "Great question! What are you looking to apply for?"

Caller: "uh PLNU"

Me: "*chuckle* Well I figured that much, when are you looking to apply I guess I should have asked"

Caller: "uh now" *insert attitude*

Me: *Eye roll* "What term is what I'm looking for"

Caller: "um the next one" *insert more attitude*

This is when I literally put my head on my desk and closed my eyes. I then regurgitated the deadlines and asked if they had any questions, to which they ("uh no") didn't have any.

Don't read what I'm not saying. I do love my job, I just hate clueless students.

Until next awesome phone call...

Cooking tips

Kitchen Wisdom

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of an ice cream cone to prevent ice cream drips

or

Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it anyway!


To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

or

Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix. Keeps in the pantry for up to a year.


When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

or

Go to the bakery! Hell, they'll even decorate it for you!


If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-me-up.'

or

If you over-salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto:
'I made it, you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!'


Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

or

Celery? Never heard of it!


Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

or

The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust, so I don't.


Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

or

Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink! All your pains go away!


If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dish washing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

or

Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you..


Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

or

Leftover Wine?????? HELLO!!!!!!!


Lastly, if you don't forward this to 1 of your friends within the next 5 minutes your belly button will unscrew and your butt will fall off.

Really..... It's true!

Have I ever lied to you?!


Until next time...