Striking close to home...literally

So...I said I was going to keep up with this blog better. I guess I'm not being too successful.

On December 5th, 2007, a 19-year-old decided to enter the Westroads Mall in Omaha and kill eight innocent people just because he was depressed, for whatever reason. Having had lived in Omaha for eight years, that hit close to home. That entrance of the Von Maur they kept showing on television? That's the entrance I tried to use everytime I went to Westroads. (The parking lot nearby is usually fairly empty, and close to the doors) I had been inside the store just 2 1/2 weeks before. The main thing I was worrying about when I was there was that I wanted to get home safely with some iffy weather coming in. Many times at my previous job I would spend my lunch by going to Westroads and just walk around and window shop. What if I had been there that day? I was back at Westroads the day it was first opened after the shootings. I have not been back to Von Maur yet. I do plan on doing that within the next week or so. Probably going to buy a shirt for my niece for her birthday I saw that day I was there in November. I don't know how I'm going to feel...I know it's going to be weird. I know that if I do buy that shirt, I'm going to have to go up to the third floor where the gunman was. We'll see.

Now, another mall shooting. This one took place at a Lane Bryant. When I saw the news on Sunday morning, and they said Chicago, Illinois, I was almost 100% positive that it wasn't Chicago proper. When things happen in the suburbs of major cities, they just name the major city. They showed a clip of the police chief holding a press conference. The patch on his sleeve said Tinley Park Police Department. Tinley Park....the town not two miles east of my hometown. What in the world? It's a terrible thing to think, but it appears that mall shootings are going to be the new "thing". In the late 90's, it was school shootings, basically culminating in the shootings at Columbine in Colorado. Let's hope this type of violence ceases very very soon. And...I am certainly not wanting anything else to happen that somehow I'm connected to it.

Whew....

That's all I can really say right now...whew. So...let us begin at the beguine(sp?)

Last November, Jason had an offer to be the news director at a set of stations up in Columbus, Nebraska...about an hour and twenty minutes west of Omaha. They're owned by the same company as the stations he worked at in Lincoln. After some deliberation, and some of my prodding, Jason decided to take the job. So, that set me off on my search to find a job in the same town. It's difficult to find a job that suits you best when you're going from a town of 400,000 to a town of 20,000. So now, I'm one of the traffic directors at the same place Jason works. No, that doesn't mean I'm up in the helicopter telling people about accidents happening at the intersection of Route 30 and 81. It means that I enter the contracts for commercials into the computer, and then schedule said commercials for each day. (Can't play two fast food joints' commercials back to back, or car dealerships, etc.) We moved into town on April 1st. (insert joke about April's Fool here) We're renting a house now, which we absolutely adore! The only thing I have a slight complaint about is no dishwasher. Yes, I was spoiled for five years with a dishwasher at the apartments.

Unfortunately, this past summer, we weren't able to take our annual trip up to Minnesota. Changing jobs means you also start over with your vacation. :( We did get to go to visit my parents in Chicago, though, which was a treat. Got to go see a Cubs game!.....and that night they lost the one game they lost in the series against the Reds. Tough luck concerning that.

There really isn't any other earth shattering news going on right now. But...there's my update. Here's hoping it isn't another year and two months before I post again. :)

I'M NOT DEAD YET!!!!!!!

Really and truly...I'm not! Still alive and breathing...but a lot has gone on in....a year and two months. I hang my head in total and utter shame. :( I'll have to find some time this weekend to explain all that's going on. And I leave you with two words...GO CUBS!

I am very proud of me.....

Look look look! I've got links now! And...links to friends' blogs! I finally figured out where to put the code to be able to do that! (Really, it's the little things) I don't have as many links as I would like, but I'm sure I'll add more in the next couple of weeks or so.

It is SO Friday today...I'm glad I have the weekend in front of me. :) And, I'm glad it isn't so hot anymore, either. (Sorry to all you East Coasters, but welcome what we had to deal with earlier this week)

Just a short and sweet posting right now...and my obvious pointing out of what I accomplished today.

A vacation from my vacation...

Most of you would agree with this. You need a vacation from your vacation before you have to go back to work. Today was my first day back, and I just felt like I was in a fog the whole day. The alarm that went off at 6:30 was not kind to my mind or body that had a week of rest and relaxation.
It was great to see family up in Minnesota and spend some quality time with them. Living 2...6...10 hours away from family makes it awfully difficult to share time and lives with them as much as you want. When will the transporters from "Star Trek" ever be invented? Just "beam" over to Chicago for dinner and game night with my family. "Beam" up to Minnesota for an evening of fishing with my father-in-law. "Beam" to Ohio to visit with college friends. I guess this is just something I have to understand about how much I should appreciate the time I do spend with people that I deeply care about.
The actual fishing up in Minnesota was fun. I caught five...yes...five walleye for the week. I caught four just on Friday, which is absolutely nuts. But, I also caught my first dreaded bullhead. I heard the absolute disappoitment in my husband's stepbrother's voice when I pulled it closer into the boat. Jason did catch a walleye this week, so he wasn't completely shut out. We also got to meet Jason's youngest brother's new fiancee, who appears to be just the neatest girl. They'll be getting married next year. Crazy how fast they grow up. *sniff!*
I also had the neatest experience. I've always loved just the ride out to the fishing spot on my father-in-law's boat. He's easily taking the boat up to 50 mph, and just to feel the wind in your face is fun. (I must inherit that from my mother) Twice, I got the chance to ride out and back in to shore sitting in the front chair of the boat, right at the bow. The wind is blowing so hard and fast past your ears that it drowns out the rather powerful engine on the back of the boat. The second time was the best, though. The lake was absolutely calm at the time, like glass, with the morning sun reflecting off of it. I guess you can make the comparison to the movie "Titanic" where the character Rose is "flying" while standing at the very bow of the boat. Just a really awesome experience. And to hear the loons the last night we were out...gorgeous sound.
I would love to write more, but I yet have laundry to do from our trip.
Here's hoping I adjust back to the "real" life, at work and back at home. Till then!

Yep...full moon

Ugh. It was sooooo a Monday today. Y'know the Carpenters song "Rainy Days and Mondays (Always Get Me Down)"? Well, it was both today. But we had a nice, soaking rain all day. We desperately needed it. The weathermen around here keep talking about how far behind we are on our annual rainfall average. Not to mention, we're going to be in the triple digits this weekend, supposedly. Softball on Friday will not be fun. Softball! That's a whole 'nother story from this past weekend...that...well...I won't tell till the whole thing clears up.

Why is it the week before vacation, a kabillion things are thrown on your plate at work to get finished before you leave? I feel like running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Not to mention, laundry and packing for the trip. And yes, we are yet again headed to the Great White North! Okay, not that far. But far enough into Northern Minnesota. Sitting out on the boat, line in the water, fishing for walleye, hoping you get walleye and not "bait" (Tiny perch), or "salad". (Seaweed...errr...lakeweed) Or! The dreaded bullhead. Ugh! My father-in-law caught one of those once when I was on the boat. I'd heard stories, and they're all true! It was lying at the bottom of the boat, making this gross, ugly sound. They finally tossed it overboard once they got the hook out. Then! 15 minutes later my brother-in-law caught the same bullhead! It'll be fun to hang around with family and just relax and enjoy. Jason's looking forward to playing with his niece and nephews. And brand new second cousin! Holy smokes, kids all over the place.

That's all for now...one work day down, four more to go till vacation. (yay!) I leave you with a photo of our nephew from last Thanksgiving...who calls us "Unca Jason" and "Aunt Cereal". Hey, I'll be Aunt Cereal! :)

Nothing really exciting going on in my life...just haven't posted in awhile.

I have a confession to make. Many people in this world are obsessed with "American Idol". Ugh. So you can sing...so what? I can sing, too...kinda. At least I was in organized choirs when I was school. But anyway...I think the show I'm hooked on is "So You Think You Can Dance?" Well, I know I can't dance, that's for sure. I claim to be a white girl with rhythm, but no coordination. Closest I've ever come to dancing somewhat is in the musicals in high school. It's fun to see some of the "better" dancers out of their element. Jazz/hip-hop dancers doing ballroom or modern dance, and vice versa. Some of them are pretty darn good...some of them...let's just say you can tell that they're out of their element.

College World Series in Omaha this week. CRAZY!!!!!!! In a good way, though. It brings a lot of money to the city of Omaha, and it puts a spotlight on Omaha for a week. I've chosen to root for North Carolina this year, and just earlier today, they made it to the championship round. U of Miami's out as of yesterday, and that's a good thing if you ask me. ;) Yeesh...it's been a year since Craig visited here, since he was visiting during the CWS. (Hi Craig!)

The other excitement I get to look forward to this weekend is that I'm going with my best friend to get a pedicure. Yeah, I know...girlie. But I haven't had one in years, and I'm using some birthday money to go get it done.

As I said...really boring...nothing inciteful. Glad it isn't as hot here as it was a couple of days ago.

Y'all have a good night, y'hear?