February 26th 2013

Well, it has certainly been a very long time since I've blogged. And oh how my life has changed!

I took the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)

I got an 80 on the ASVAB (means I did better than 80 Percent of the people who take it)

I signed my first Contract with the Air Force

I started going to DEP (Delayed Entry Program...what ya do while you wait to go to Basic Military Training, or BMT)

I met Timothy Mertz at a DEP meeting.

I fell in love with Timothy Mertz.

Aaaaand that's pretty  much where the change ends. Haha. Tim is the best thing since sliced bread. I love him to death. He's changed my life completely and I love the way things are with him. A couple weeks after we started dating I got a job at a moving company...so that's been interesting. It was just supposed to be a temporary thing because I was hoping to leave for BMT much sooner than it turns out that I am. My sister worked at Beltmann Relocation Group all summer, so she was able to not only get me a job there but also to get my brother a job there. It's been kinda fun. I like the working dynamic and the people I work with. Sometimes it's hard work, sometimes it's kinda easy. There are definitely ups and downs, just like at any job.

The one down side of working at Beltmann is that it's kinda physically too hard for me (SHUSH Annie, I don't want to hear your comments about that one). I can do it for now, but long term it's bad news. While all of these changes were happening...the Tim changes and the job changes... I was still waiting...and waiting...and waiting to hear anything from the Air Force. I signed my first contract at MEPS in the middle of July. It was very exciting and I thought things would move along quickly...especially because I put myself on the "Quick Ship List" (which means as soon as ANY job I was interested opened up my Sergeant would call me and ask if I wanted to go, even if it was 42 hours from the time of the call). But HA, little did I know just how long I'd have to wait.

Just the other day I was telling Tim that if I got a leave date (for BMT) that was a little farther out I would probably start looking for a different, less physically straining, job. But then I FINALLY got the notification from my Sergeant.

So, for all interested, here it is.

I leave on February 26th (A little over a month after Tim leaves)

I'm going to Lackland AFB, in San Antonio TX for BMT

I didn't technically get assigned my job yet

I'm going to BMT under the heading "General Electronics Aptitude" 

I will find out my actual Air Force Job during Basic.

It's all a lot to wrap my mind around. Now I have to try and find some jobs in electronics that I'm willing to do/might enjoy. Good luck to me, since electronics is not my forte. But hey, as Tim's dad told me yesterday... I just need to go into this with a positive attitude and I need to study hard while I'm Tech School. I can do anything I put my mind to. And obviously I can learn things about electronics, since I studied for the ASVAB and apparently got a pretty good score on the Electronics portion.

And there you have it. Hope you enjoyed the update. I'll PROBABLY blog again before I leave for Basic. Probably.

I'll give you a couple pictures of Tim to enjoy, just in case by any chance someone reads this who is not my facebook stalker. haha.

Here's a picture of me and Tim in Stillwater, MN...just bein us:

And at an October Fest celebration:

 

I love him. He so cute. ok ok, I'm done.

Accomplishments and Adventurezz

My accomplishments for the day:
 I did ONE regular push up and 9 "girly" ones. One is better than none! I have determination and I'm proud of myself. I also finally figured out/tried blogging from my phone. You can officially expect more posts from me now. This is gonna be a short one, since I'm supposed to be asleep right now for my early wake up call. I just wanted to let you know that my adventures this week were that I am finally getting into a good work out routine. I love routine, and I loooove working out. It makes me feel so good about myself. I'm also such a creature of habit, and this habit makes me love my life just that much more. Also:

 This boy stayed with me on  Monday and Tuesday. I LOVE him. He's the best. He's the (second) one that made me fall in love with Boxers because he makes me so HAPPY. His mama is my bestie, and I would honestly take him whenever they needed me to, and for however long. He's such a good boy and I just love him, and it is always an adventure when he comes over.

BY the way, I wrote this yesterday at about 11pm. I couldn't post it because I couldn't upload the picture of Bender from my phone! I'll write more later.

<3's

Running and Riding

Latest "adventure"...last night, after an exhausting afternoon of working out (I literally had to peel the clothes off), my mom came home from being out with her friend: Jake Thorson. He was dropping her off (more like she was jumping off his motorcycle, ya know) and she was telling me how comfortable his motorcycle is...and she mentioned something about bringing me for a ride. I accepted the offer. He brought me on an HOUR AND HALF motorcycle ride! I had planned on going to bed at 10:30 to get up early today and go for a run before my daily walk, but I didn't get home until ELEVEN. whoops!

The ride was amazing. He took me up to arden hills, down to minneapolis (let me tell you how beautiful Minneapolis looked from the 35W bridge and the back of a motorcycle. AMAZING), around to Eagan-ish area, along some slow city overlook rodes, and through downtown st.paul (ALSO more amazing from the back of a bike). It was a new experience for me, seeing as I had never been that far on a motorcycle, I had never been on one at night, and I had never been on Jake's motorcycle. It was very comfortable, even though my helmet was not as comfortable. I guess I didn't realize how much it hurts to wear my glasses while wearing my helmet. Well...an hour and a half in those things, and I definitely realized it. Anyways, it was super cool to see the sites from the back of a bike. I thank him for the opportunity.

On a somewhat totally different note...

I feel satisfied that running, which has always been hard for me, is getting easier every day. I've been running, biking, walking, doing sit-ups and push ups (man do my abs hurt! Arms are doing ok so far), among other things (like horseback riding =] ). I just signed up for a gym membership yesterday (snap fitness!), so I'm looking forward to all the weight training and being able to run inside when it's SUPER hot out (like it's supposed to be this weekend). It should be nice and I'm glad I was able to do it. I'm getting more and more excited for my military adventure. My friends have been giving me good advice, and it looks like the National Guard might not be the way I go. I'm thinking Air Force now. Nothing is official and everything is kind of up in the air. The biggest thing for me right now is that if I get into something like the Air Force, and go active duty, I will not be moving to Florida.

The thought of not moving to Florida makes me very sad. I was pretty dead set on it. But I'm changing my heart to accept this new idea. I want to be able to travel and write and do other fun media stuff, get paid for it, and have awesome benefits. Who knows...maybe I'll be able to get stationed somewhere really cool, like Germany or Italy. Or even Guam? Portugal? It's pretty awesome to think of the opportunities I'll hopefully have some day! Everyone keep me in your prayers...pray that if this is what I'm supposed to do everything will go as smoothly as it can.

In the mean time, I TRAIN! *run run run run run* (I'm also doing a lot of research, but who wants to hear about that?!)

I WILL do a picture post soon. I am picture challenged at the moment because of my stupid ridiculous computer...but, I'll do my best!

Getting Soldier Strong

SO... I have lots of updates!
I am constantly wanting to blog, because I am constantly doing fun things! If I could figure out how to blog from my phone, I would do it! But...it's just so much more convenient to type. I've missed typing! It comes so easily to me. It's like a breeze going through my hair or something, especially compared to texting. Texting is hard. haha.

I really have been having awesome adventures lately. The reason I  never write is because I'm always so dang tired when I finally get home and have time to go on the computer! I literally never come on here, pretty much, unless something doesn't work right on my phone. I miss going on the computer all the time. My phone is just not the same. Part of the reason I never have motivation to go on the computer is because my computer is REALLY RIDICULOUS. I can't wait to get a new one.  Anyways, moving on.

Aside from my fishing, horseback, the beach, and generally being outside more...I have a GREAT new adventure that I'm starting.

Basically...I've decided to join the army. I could make a huge long story out of this, but...most of the people that read this have basically already heard it. I'm joining the National Guard sometime after I move to Florida (if all works out for me), and I'm hoping to be a journalist or photojournalist of some sort. My degree is in English and Writing, so it would make sense that I do some kind of writing for the Army. I have friend connections (Stephanie Way!) that I need to talk to in order to really figure out what I want to do in the Army. Basically, it will be a good way for me to start some sort of career, since I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life at this point.

*big breath*

SO, my new adventure is getting in shape! I'm terrible at running, and push ups, and sit ups for that matter! All things that you do LOTS of in the army. My best friend in the world was in the Army for 6 years...so he's given me lots of tips about what it's like. Anywho...I'm just in bad shape in general. For the past couple weeks I've been counting my calories, trying to eat better, and exercising every day (walks with the dogs in the morning and then some other kind of harder cardio in the evening, along with the sit-up, push-up, and other army exercises that I'm now doing at the advice of my bff). I'm not even trying to loose that much or look that much better (though I do know this will be an awesome bonus...especially for summer)... I just want to be healthy and in shape enough to join the army!

*whew* that was long. I tried to make it short, but it was long.

Today I went fishing for three hours, which (according to my calory counter, myfitnesspal.com... if anyone has one, add me as a friend! I don't know how. haha) burned 459 calories! haha. Then I came home and did pilates. Let me just say that my abs are sore!

I've definitely started taking on a different attitude about my life and my work outs since I decided I want to join the Army. I am starting to think less "I can't"s and more "get some!" hahaha...but really, I am pushing myself harder to not give up and get things done. And I want to push through the beginnings of working out and having a sore body and not give up on working out because "I'm tired." Waa. Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it.

Aaaaanyways...I will be updating more as I do new fun and exciting work out adventures now too! Yay adventures adventures! At least my "limbo" that I feel like I'm stuck in has been and will be exciting!

(If you read all of that...thanks. Much love)

"New" Adventures of a 20-something

I've gone through quite an exciting year, from becoming single to graduating from college to starting a full time job. And my year is just going to get more exciting what with moving to Florida and all. Plus, my summers are always awesome. I'm going to make this summer a summer to remember, and I guess I'm going to blog about it too.

I was feeling like there was a lack of direction in what I was writing on my blog, which is why I never blogged. Other people had specific things that they liked to write about, certain hobbies that they could talk to their audiences about (like crafts, or buying a new house, or their husbands, or their babies). I just didn't feel like I had that. Then today I realized... I just have TOO many things that I do, too many hobbies I'm interested in, and that I'm quite busy with my own little adventures.

So here begins a new chapter in my life. I'm titling it "Adventure." I'm just gonna write about all the cool and awesome things that I do. Or maybe they aren't awesome. Whatever, an adventure is an adventure. I want people to look at me and say "there's that crazy single lady who is always doing something new with someone different, and she always has her dog with her" haha.

TODAY my adventure was riding horses. I don't care when or where I do this one thing, but it is truly an adventure every time. Every time I ride, something new and exciting happens. Or the old and exciting things are just as old an exciting. I usually go up to the farm where I ride with someone else. But today I went by  myself. There was quite a hubub at the farm 'cause they had just gotten an order of hay in, which I was supposed to help with, so there was that.
Annette made all her little worker bees tacos and offered us some Coors light, both of which I gladly excepted, and then we sat and waited for more help. While we were waiting Annette decided that I should just go ride, so I did. I ended up riding the entire time they were putting away hay. So much for helping. I would honestly do anything to help that lady though. She has done so much for me and my family over the years, letting us come and ride whenever we want.

Let me tell you something about my love of horses. There is NOTHING like sitting on the back of a horse, feeling the power of the muscles beneath you, making slow flicking motions with reigns and having the switch directions, and slow kissing noises that make them move faster. There is also nothing as exhilarating as riding a horse who is running beneath you. And the smells! Don't even get me started. I love the smell of horse sweat, and the smell of horse poop, and the smell of leather saddles and cowboy boots. Even the smell of the trees and the fresh cut grass surrounding the arena or on the trails where I ride. I love it all.

My horse that I always ride, her name is Cola (she's a buckskin mare. That means she's female, and that she is tan fur and black mane and tail), and I did a lot of trotting today...for me anyways. Trotting is the form of running that is one step faster than walking. Just feeling my muscles working as I went up and down with her gait was the most amazing thing. I can't wait to go back and do it all again next week. Me and my girl, we could take on the world.

Until next time,
<3's Lil Vee

Random facts of the day

I know this post deserves to be better than just a couple random facts, since it's been SO LONG since I blogged last. But I just don't give a toot about who reads this and who doesn't. And the one person who does read this and looks for updates...well, she knows I have humongous computer problems. Which has honestly been the main reason for not writing.

So anyways...two random facts for the day.

1) If I really love you, trust you, and am completely myself around you...I will smack your butt. Hahaha...I'm just saying. Obviously there are men that I don't do this with because it's completely inappropriate. But because any "very close relationship" with these men would ALSO be inappropriate...I don't love or trust them on the same level as some others. Anyways. This is just something that I realized about myself today. I'm a total butt smacker.

2) I totally had a second thing to put here. But I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS. Grr. So I guess my random fact for you is that I friggin forget things all the time. haha...

I know a serious post is needed. And there is a very serious post in the back of my mind that I need to get out there. But for today, this is just going to have to do.