It's Here! It's Here!

Yesterday I went to the local camera shop, walked to the closest salesman and said, “I’m here to buy a camera and I know exactly what I want.” My co-worker was with and just laughed. I haven’t had a chance to take many photos, but the few I have look spectacular. Now that I have this camera Trey thinks I’m going to neglect my other one, but I know I won’t. Especially since the 30D is for work. Originally, I was looking into buying a Nikon, I’m glad I selected the Canon. It’s nice to already be familiar with the Canon brand and to be able to pick it up and start shooting.

Impromptu Slumber Party

Despite all of Amy’s indecisiveness, she made the trip. She also invited Ray at the last minute, without letting me know and he was unable to make other sleeping arrangements for that night. So, Saturday night was like one big slumber party at the Anderson’s. But we all had a good laugh Sunday morning about it. We laughed about how Trey and I were comfortably sleeping on the oversized bed, while Amy slept on the hot leather sofa, Angelica slept at her feet, and Ray ended up on the floor with no covers. When you live in a shoebox an extra comforter takes up much needed room and Amy failed to tell Ray to bring one. It was okay because he laughed the whole thing off.

Well, Trey was on call most of Saturday, so I was the official Fort Worth tour guide. Some of the main highlights: the zoo and later that night Sundance Square. We did however stray from my tour agenda when Trey mentioned the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. He insisted we drive to Arlington at 10:30 to admire it. Ray is a Cowboys fan as well and he encouraged the drive. Once we got there the stadium was not lit very well, but the guys managed to appreciate the beauty of the shadows. Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and great memories were made.

Here are some stills I snapped at the zoo.

Don’t Be Indecisive, Just Come Over

For the past week, Amy and I have been talking on the phone. She’ll tell me one day, "okay I’m coming this weekend to visit you and I want to go to the water park, the zoo, the mall," etc. She’s bringing my niece with her and a friend. To my understanding her friend is making sleeping arrangements for herself, but Amy and my niece will be crashing on our couch at our apartment. Yes, the shoebox of an apartment. This should be really interesting. So after about four different conversations of “I might come, I’m not coming, well okay maybe,” she finally decided she will make the trip.

Optometrist appointment

Trey went to his appointment yesterday and he was told he didn't do any severe damage to his eyes. The damage that did occur will heal with time. He was given some eye drops and has a follow up appointment soon.

A Contactor Exploded in Trey's Face

HVAC can be a dangerous job.

Sunday Trey had to run a service call and while he was working on the equipment a contactor exploded in his face. The explosion was so bright that he had to sit there for about two minutes waiting for his eyesight to return. Even with his sight back, he said everything had a yellow tint to it. This morning he’s still feeling the effect of the explosion and is trying to make an appointment with an optometrist. To begin with Trey already has sensitive eyes.

Well, while Trey was out of town working, I stayed behind to look at open houses. I drove all over Fort Worth. I even went into houses that were ridiculously high just because I wanted to kill time. I’ve always had that kind of curious nature, where I want to see how other people live. I think it’s fascinating.

As you know, I want an older house. But can I be honest for a second? I’ve been so disappointed with the historic neighborhoods. They are so inconsistent. You’ll see a beautiful house, a good house, a run down house, followed by a vandalized house. Once we buy, we have to consider resale value even though we don’t want to buy and then move soon, it’s just something that has to be seriously considered. Looking for a home is exciting some days and other days it’s frustrating. For the most part it’s been exciting, but when I first realized how bad some of the historic neighborhoods were it was definitely a let down. This is good news for Trey because now I’m seriously considering newer construction.

Lights, Camera, Action

I finally pulled out the light kit. For weeks I’ve been trying to find time to experiment with lighting and well, basically just get familiar with the lighting equipment. I got the camera stuff down, but I really want to polish my lighting skills.

When I was going through the grip equipment, I found about half a dozen C-stands. I love using C-stands for production and I've already managed to put them to great use by using them to hold my backdrop.

Other than playing with lights, I'm looking forward to the weekend. Originally, my mom and sister were coming to visit us, but at the last minute declined due to weather. Trey is on call this weekend, but I'm sure we'll find some free time to do something fun.

The Summer Without My Scooter

Scooter withdrawals don’t even begin to describe how I feel not having my shiny friend. With the move and our current living situation, Trey and I have made the wise decision to keep his motorcycle and my scooter in storage. Trey jokingly said we can bring my scooter to Fort Worth, the only catch is--- I have to drive it from Abilene to here. He’s crazy and he knows it.

Last week, as we were driving I saw a vintage scooter shop. As Trey passed it I yelled, “STOP AND TURN AROUND!” When I was browsing through the aisles of shiny bikes, I began to regret leaving mine behind. There really isn’t anything I can do to make it better except look forward to spring. Maybe by then we’ll have a place to store our bikes. The funny thing about the whole situation is we recently paid the note off on both bikes…so now we really own them and we can’t even drive ‘em. The next note to be paid is the Element. I’m really excited about that one because by end of this year we’ll own it too! Hooray for financial peace!

Downtime Produces An Oppurtunity to Learn

There is never a dull moment at work.

Recently, I’ve had some downtime, so I try to use the time to develop new skills. A new skill I’m working on is shooting video using green screen. I whipped this video together in no time. When shooting this type of video, it’s assumed the better the lighting the better the effect. Well, I didn’t want to lug out my light kit to experiment so I just used the available light on set. Not bad if you ask me. I could see myself using the green screen for future projects.

Green Screen

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Victory Park

I don't know why my picture has this crazy tone to it, but you get the picture.

Arena Football

This weekend Trey and I had a chance to attend the Dallas Desperados football game. This picture was taken right outside the game in Victory Park. After seeing downtown Dallas, I prefer downtown Fort Worth any day. We arrived early before American Airlines opened and we needed to kill some time. We walked around and saw tons of places to eat, but there was really nothing to do. So, we wandered around aimlessly until the gates opened at the game. Oh, it was hot, but once we arrived at the game I had a great time. Everyone should experience a live major sporting event.

New Versus Old

Now that we sold our house we’re in the beginning stages of house hunting. If you know me, you know I love older homes. You know, houses built before 1940. My wonderful husband on the other hand, wants to buy a newer house. Yeah, talk about battle of the sexes. I’m keeping my options open and Trey is making sure of that. I’m telling you, Trey can be extremely persuasive when he wants something. If HVAC doesn’t work out for him he should consider sales.

Dog Whisper Meets South Park

I know two people: Rosie and Pete would both appreciate this video.
South Park Meets Dog Whisperer

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Planetarium Panoramic

Here is UTA's planetarium. Trey and I had a chance to go to a special showing a while back. I've always been fascinated with astronomy and the planetarium is a great showcase for it.

Yes, if you haven’t noticed I’m enjoying creating panoramas. When I get a chance I want to head downtown and take more.

Awesome!

I got my new stiching software last week and I've been playing with it ever since. As you can see not all of DFW is underwater.

Electricity Outage Almost Sabotaged My Potluck

If you haven’t already heard, Dallas Fort Worth has made national news. Top stories are North Texas Under Water. Fortunately, all I’ve dealt with is heavy rain while commuting.

I say that’s all I’ve dealt with, but last night I was excited to make a dish for today’s potluck. Right before I started to make it, the electricity went out. 20 minutes later and right after the 10 o’clock news I finally completed it.

The rain doesn’t really bother me, but when the electricity goes off I do get frustrated. All this week rain is still in the forecast, which makes me assume we will have a wet Fourth of July.

Done Deal

The house sold. It’s a done deal and I’m very happy. From here Trey and I will continue to move forward. Big plans and goals are ahead for the Anderson’s.

Remember My Tomato Plant?

Last week when I made a trip to our old house I plucked some tomatoes. Last time I posted a picture of this plant it was barely stubbing the soil. Looks good huh? Talk about homegrown.

One thing I planned on doing this spring was plant a little garden. I only got to plant tomatoes and by then Trey and I had made up our minds to move to Fort Worth. So, my dream garden will be on hold until we buy a new house. It's all right because I can wait.

Even Though I'm Excited, I'll Still Miss Home

This past weekend I had to make a trip to Abilene to take care of some last minute housekeeping. While I was there, I managed to take the last photo I will ever take of that house. We've done so much to that house and I know the new owners will love it as much as we did/do.

Margaritas and Mexican Food

In a matter of days Trey and I will officially sell our house! Selling this house is huge for us. I’m really excited about our financial future and I know Trey is too.

To celebrate I opted for champagne, but Trey is not a drinker. So, I proposed sparkling cider for us and then later Margaritas and Mexican food. Yes, I like Margaritas. Is that surprising?

Trey Zone

Trey has his own blog now, properly titled Trey Zone.

You should check it out. He hasn't had a chance to put all the bells and whistles on it yet, but he has big plans for it.

No Title Necessary

I Didn't Marry a Football Player

I didn't marry a football player, but for some reason my husband thinks it's totally awesome to have three quaters of his wardrobe dedicated to football jerseys. It's kinda cute, but don't tell him I said that. I don't want to feed the habit.

He's all hyped because he just got a new one in the mail yesterday. I bet he can't wait to wear it. Oh, boy.

Trey reminds me of those husbands you see on tv sitcoms that are really into football, but the thing is he's not acting, he's really like that. Too funny.

Calcium Does The Trick

I've been thinking, I feel more comfortable with long hair. This whole shoulder length bit is fun and fresh especially with the summer, but come on...There's nothing better than nice thick, pretty, long hair on a girl. Right? Well, this brunette is growing her locks out again.

My secret to long hair fast is Calcium with vitamin D. It does the trick every time.

Problem Solved

Okay I figured it out!

My search is over. I found the perfect combination of two different software programs to produce exactly what I need. I love the idea of CleVR, but it just isn't doing the trick for me. I found something else that works better, but I'm still sticking to AutoPano as my stitching software.

Thank God, I figured it out!

Off To A Good Start

I haven't purchased this stitching software, therefore it has the watermark plastered on my VT.

Overall, I'm not too happy with this result, but it's the best thus far. The stitching software is great, it's just this display that sucks. All I see is horizontal lines.

Trinity Trails

Trey and I found this great trail near our apartment. I've been wanting to go for sometime, but we always have something going on.


This Sunday, instead of grabbing the bible's in the morning to head to church we grabbed the bikes and headed for the trail.

Busting My Brain

Creating a Virtual Tour. Yes, I have volunteered to do this. In a few months I will be making a virtual tour for a new nursing building our department has added. I've been busting my brain looking for the right software.

Here I created a simple panoramic. The trick is taking this picture and adding the motion to create the feel of a 360 world.

This project has really taken me out of my comfort zone and I appreciate the challenge. If you've ever done a Virtual tour and know a great software program share the secret.

I found this one program, Stitcher Express out of the 20 plus that I've either downloaded or researched. It’s the best so far, but I'm realizing it has its limitations. I have to first use one software called Auto Stitch that blends all the separate pictures into one and then run it through Stitcher Express to create the moving tour. Doing this is no problem, but the major limitation I find is that I also want to include the ceiling and floor. For example the picture above has a whole set of photos I shot of the ceiling and floor that are not included. Blending all those photos together are extremely challenging. Even manually running them through photoshop makes for a frustrating day.

I will figure it out. It might take a few more days, but I’m determined.

If I have a chance, I’ll load the quicktime virtual tour I’ve created from this panoramic.

Morning Commuter: Part II of II

Since I do commute every weekday morning, I'm constantly looking for things to keep me occupied while driving. Part I of this post inclined I would subscribe to an audio book club, but since then I've changed my mind. I am a woman, so this should be no surprise. Someone mentioned the public library and so I looked into it. I went a few days ago and walked out with two audio books and a few cd's: Jonny Lang, Liz Phair, and Yellowcard. I'm definitely going back to check out more audio books and cd's. They have a pretty good selection of Radiohead, all of which I think I own, but it’s still cool that they even have ‘em.

My primary interest, as far as reading material goes, is in classic literature....Harper Lee, Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, Burroughs, etc. I’ve always wanted to read a Separate Peace so I snatched that one. It’s currently playing in my car. Thus far it’s been slow, but hopefully it’ll pick-up.

As for the cd’s, I’m really into the Jonny Lang album. Good blues and soul music. It just makes me want to dance.

Sundance Square

Friday night I planned date night. I've been wanting to go to downtown Fort Worth specifically, Sundance Square. SS is an area that is alive at night. This picture doesn't really give the area justice. The place where everyone is...is just around the corner and beyond.

There is so much to do in this city and I get excited and I want to do it all and then I have to remind myself, "You live here." I will get around to doing everything I want eventually.

A Friend From Far Away Isn’t So Far and Work On Memorial Weekend

Film School Friend:
Unlike Trey, my highlight this past weekend was not watching the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium take shape. Instead, I had a great time hanging out with my old friend, Cortnee.

Cortnee is a friend I went to film school with and she produced one of the short movies I directed. It was wonderful catching-up over some good food.


Work:
I had my first three-day weekend with UTA and I was surprised when I heard Trey had the weekend off too. Even though he had the weekend off he was on call, which means stand-by. So we didn’t make any plans for Monday. Sure enough that morning he receives word his services are needed out of town.

Sometime, between waking-up and brushing my teeth, he convinced me to go with him. He lured me by saying, “You can browse the downtown shops, while I fix the (whatever it was that wasn't working).” I went and 8 out of 10 shops were closed for the holiday. Even with all of that, I don’t regret forfeiting the holiday to go with him out of town. I think I had more fun acting retarded with him, even more so than if I had stayed home.

Putting the Car in Park

Every other weekend Trey and I park the Element in the Wal-Mart parking lot and we stare across the street. We don't look at a lake view or the sunset or anything romantic like that, instead we stare at the construction of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Yes, I'm convinced he's obsessed and he takes me with him to take pictures.

Morning Commuter: Part I of II

I'm just one of many American's who commutes to work. I wake in the morning and I think, "I hope I can beat the traffic." I must be new to this commuting thing because I actually look forward to driving in the morning. Recently I've been looking into purchasing audio books. I found this one store that works the same way that Netflix works, accept its audio books. I'm seriously thinking about joining.

The reason why I’m interested in audio books is because I don't want to feel like I'm losing time. If I'm going to be in a car for 30 minutes at a time, I want to be doing something productive.

Summer Plans

1. Attend a Wedding-Brian and Susan's Wedding near the coast
2. Go to the Ball Park
3. Go to Six Flags
4. Go to a Water Park -Maybe hurricane harbor
5. Shopping - My favorite
6. Attend a concert - I have to see which bands are coming to this area
7. Go to the Botanical Gardens
8. Go and Visit Uncle Jerry and Aunt Karen in Southlake
9. Go to Central Market to shop, eat and take a culinary class - Honest to God, I love Central Market. Have you been? It makes shopping an event not a chore.
10. Take bikes out to Trinity Trails
11. Continue to work out - I recently got a membership here at the UTA gym. It's amazing! The cardio machines have LCD screens so I can watch the food network while burning off some calories.
12. Find a church and make some new friends in this area.

We Got An Offer On The House and We Accepted

This weekend we agreed to an offer on our house. It's an offer we couldn't refuse. Now it's a waiting game with home inspection and waiting to close. The sale is pending so anything can happen between now and then, but I'm trying to stay optimistic. Keep us in your prayers this week.

Open To Change? Maybe

Since we've moved we've had to make changes and I'm the first to welcome change with open arms. In this case I'm resistant. The whole dog-sitting thing isn't working out and the best alternative is to find new homes for both of our dogs.

Luckily or unfortunately, I can't make up my mind....Daphne has already found a home with a nice lady who is an acquaintance of a friend of ours. As for Bruiser, he’s in the beginning stages of being introduced to a family.

I told Trey that once we get settled in a house, I'm going to ask for Daphne and Bruiser back and he informed me that, "You're not suppose to give a dog to a family and then a year later ask for the dog back." I don't see the problem.

Anyways, I called Linda yesterday and she found a job! She's my jogging buddy from Abilene. Linda and her husband are moving to Oklahoma. I’m so proud of her.

Run-away Beagle

Brandon is fostering Daphne and Bruiser and D-Dog is already in trouble.

She's managed to dig her way out of his yard. I know it's stressing him out with having to chase her all over and therefore it's stressing me out. I feel so helpless. I'm here and Daphne is there. Brandon's doing the best he can, it's not him it's the never ending quest Beagle's have to follow their nose.

This weekend we're making a trip to Abilene to secure Brandon's backyard and try to make it Beagle proof. In the meantime, Johnny and (let me try to spell this right) Jonell are fostering D-Dog at their house. Thanks guys! Poor Daphne is probably traumatized with all this adjusting, but Bruiser couldn't be doing better. Last I heard Bruiser was cuddling with Molly, his sister.

Nikon vs. Canon

I'm currently camera shopping for work. I told my boss we could use my Canon SLR, but she is strongly against workers using personal equipment for work. So, the upside is I get a new toy at the state's expense...too cool!

I know several photographers and they swear by Nikon and so I went into this camera shopping adventure with the intention of buying one.

Today, I made my way to a professional camera shop and after holding the Nikon in hand I was disappointed. Trey was with me and he saw a Canon 30D and asked if we could test that one out. The camera body, the options, and especially the image stabilizer lens are very impressive.

Before I fall too hard for this camera, I have to check the specs to see if this camera passes the test.


Apart from camera shopping, I think I’m annoying Trey because everyday after work I come home and tell him how much I love my job. Most of the time he goes along with it, but now after almost two weeks he’s probably thinking shut-up already. Oh, well at least he doesn’t make it too obvious I’m annoying him. (love you trey)

Trey's Coming Home!

That's it.

From Abilene to Fort Worth and Back

This weekend I finally got to see Trey! We met in Cisco because Brandon graduated from CJC. I also had a chance to see my mom, Trey’s parents, grandparents, Shelly, and some old friends. Trey and I didn’t stay long after the ceremony because we wanted to get back to Fort Worth before midnight.

And now it’s start of a new week and yes, Trey is back in Abilene. We don’t know when he’ll start working in the DFW area, so for now he’s just working in Abilene and coming home on weekends (home now being Fort Worth). At least we had the entire weekend to see each other, but while he was here I put him to work. We went to my office and I had him hang several frames so at least now it doesn’t look so sterile.

We also had a chance to go to the mall and Trey bought a Tony Romo jersey. Regular retail price is around $200 and we found this one on sale for $50. I’m so glad we found it because I know he had his heart set on buying one, no matter how much it cost.

Submitting a Video To Oprah

My first video project here at UTA will be submitted to the Oprah show. Apparently students in one of the nursing classes initiated this video.



So, yesterday I had a two camera set-up and interviewed the class in a panel format. They talked about serious nursing issues that affect both you and I. The main issue discussed was the nursing shortage. Talk about a huge issue! Even if this video doesn’t make it on air, I hope Oprah raises public awareness of the serious nursing shortage in this country.

Okay, back to the video: So, by submitting this video they are hoping to stir up some interest and hopefully appear on the show. I would love it if it aired on national television. When my supervisor told me we’d be producing this video I told her, “I love Oprah, I tivo the show everyday!” No joke.

As you can tell work is great. The people I work with are extremely talented and I have so much to learn from them.

short and sweet

We don't have an ISP yet at the apartment so post may be slow the next few days.

I just wanted to let you know the move went smoothly, the job is even better than I anticipated, and living in DFW is AWESOME! The only downside is Trey is back in Abilene for at least a week working. I'll see him this weekend and hopefull he'll be done working there and he can start working in this area.

That's all I have for now.

10 Inches Later and What Seems Like 5 Pounds Lighter

Finally, my first short haircut!

Besides cutting my hair off, Trey and I have been making our rounds saying goodbye. I'm all ready to move and now I'm just waiting for it. All I have left to pack is the kitchen. One of the hardest things about leaving is not leaving my home behind, but leaving our dogs. Trey's brother is going to dog sit for us, for no telling how long. This morning I dropped Bruiser off to get neutered. I hope he doesn't cry too much.

Mac Account Expired

My mac account expired and I didn't feel like dishing out the money to renew it.

So, for now I no longer have a host to hold my personal website. Just thought I'd let you know. Bye-Bye website.

I've Never Had This--

Short Hair.

A couple of months ago, I told everyone: I'm growing my hair out to donate it to a child who has cancer. Time has passed and here I am with long hair, headaches, and split ends. It's safe to say I'm ready to butcher my hair. I have an appointment this week and we'll see if I don't chicken-out. As much as I want to cut it, I’m also terrified that it will look hideous. If it turns out to be a bad cut, don't plan on seeing any pictures posted online. Either way, I'll at least write to let you know how the hair looks.

By the way, I'm cutting off at least 10 inches! That's the minimum to donate to this particular hair collection center.

Shacking-Up…..In A Small Space

Since I last posted, things have been moving fast. In a matter of days Trey and I will be moving to Fort Worth to start our new jobs. This weekend we made a trip to the area with Johnny and Joneil, friends from church.

Trey and I are in the process of selling our house here in Abilene and we’ve decided we’ll shack-up in an EFFICIENCY APARTMENT for a few months while we’re in FW and eventually buy a house there. I can barely believe it, but this weekend we found an apartment. When we move into our efficiency apartment I know it will be a drastic change, since our current house is over 1,600 sq feet and this apartment is only 400. Yikes! I’ll adjust and I’m looking forward to living below our means. Joneil told me she’s really proud of us because we’re not using this new job as an excuse to splurge and she said Dave Ramsey would be proud. Who cares what Dave Ramsey thinks because I’m secretly excited about living a much simpler life for a while. You wouldn’t believe how affordable our rent is, even if I told you and the surprising thing about it is that we’re in a really cool part of the city. We have access to two malls, tons of restaurants, shopping, churches, and no telling what else.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH: Side Note---Dominique Got THE job!!!!!!

I haven't announced this until now, but I’ve been interviewing for a job at the University of Texas in Arlington. Well, today I drove to the Metroplex for a follow-up interview. The interview was great like all great interviews are, so I left saying to myself whatever comes of this so be it.

After the interview I began the drive home. I hadn’t even made it past Fort Worth and they called my cell to ask me to join the team. And of course I said no….yeah right, I said yes before they had a chance to finish the question.

So what will I be doing? They mentioned mopping and sweeping and ….no just joking. I’ll be working in the school of nursing as the Audio Visual Specialist. Sounds different, but it’s exactly in my field of studies. My position supports the school of nursing through distance education, live broadcasting of classroom lectures via internet, video production (my favorite)--- like promotional and marketing videos and probably a little bit of photography.

I’m really not too surprised I got the job, considering I had an army praying for me. I’m telling you the women at my church are prayer warriors. Bravo first to Christ and second to the women at Buffalo Gap Church.

I Still Love My Mac

My Mac is being stubborn.

The other day I was restarting it and it threw a fit. My three year warranty expired some time ago and the extended-extended warranty expired about a year ago. So, I had no choice, but to troubleshoot the computer myself.

I didn't panic and worry about my computer never working again, like I normally do when this thing occurs. Instead, I stayed calmed and focused on fixing the problem. About 20 minutes later, I resolved the error and continued on with my life as if the computer never stopped working.

I know one day I will have to say goodbye to my little Mac. When it eventually dies I know it will be bitter sweet, until then I'm going to enjoy the longevity of this old computer.

The Month of April Brought Snow To West Texas

On the side of our house we have a huge antique rose brush. It always blooms in spring. I took this picture maybe two days ago.


And this picture was taken today. I can't believe it's snowing in April.

Picnic In The Park

Yesterday, I planned a picnic in the park. Trey dusted off his motorcycle and I rolled out my scooter.

Once we got to the park we found a great spot to eat, but the only downside was the sun was blinding. Luckily. Trey brought his baseball cap and let me borrow it.


We felt like kids on a field trip with our brown bags.


It looks like I'm about to smack this duck. I was just trying to feed it.


Trey is such a show off...look at him with all those ducks.

New Video's Posted on My Website

If you get a chance, check out my website: http://homepage.mac.com/dominiqueia

I just posted two recent projects I completed with the company I work for, Red 3 Productions. The video's were made for the Abilene Philharmonic. Let me know what you think.

A Perfect Day

Yesterday was absolutely beautiful! I know…I know it rained all morning and afternoon, but it was such a delight. Before it started to rain I went for a jog with Linda and hoped we wouldn't get drenched. Later I came home watched several movies and feel asleep on the couch. I need my rest because this weekend I'm going to be super busy with work.

I have great news: my night job will soon come to an end! That's right, I was talking with Trey about how I think it's a good time for me to quit and he said, "yeah, go for it." The night job was great while it lasted and we got the FPU "Debt Snowball" rolling. I think in our culture people don't take on their financial responsibilities like they need to. Sometimes, you just have to take a big bite of humble pie and be a responsible adult to take care of your future. Boy did I eat some humble pie and then some.

Enjoying the Journey

Since the beginning of the year Linda and I have been meeting at least twice a week to exercise and eat breakfast together. The conversations we have usually revolve around how we’re both intelligent women and we’re still unemployed (in the corporate sense). We’ve had our fair share’s of close employment calls, but nothing substantial.

About a month ago, she told me that we can’t get caught up in this rut and it’s not always about the arrival, but even better it’s all about enjoying the journey. Since that conversation I’ve echoed it over and over in my head. It’s about enjoying the journey because one day I’m going to wake-up and be thirty-something, with a job, a kid, a house, a car, a dog named Patch and realize I’ve arrived without enjoying the process. Besides, this part of my life is exciting! I’m young and I have ample opportunities in my future. But for now I’m going to live in the present and stop dwelling on the what if and why's.

I’m enjoying this current process that I’m in: the friendships I’m making, the mentors who are teaching me, and the free-time to be creative and pursue the things I’m passionate about.

Thank God, It's Not About Me

This is the new book we're reading in the Women's ministry. I already read ahead and I'm really looking forward to the discussion Wednesday. It's so easy to think the world in which we live in revolves around "ME."

Sometimes when I stop at a red light I look over at the person in the next lane and I wonder where are they going? Who is waiting for them?...It's a whole other life I'm unaware of, but it's going on. Just becuase I don't see them or know these people, the world is moving and people are alive. Does any of this make sense? So, what I'm getting at is we all exsist and it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Christ. We exist for Him.

Brain Drainage

My co-worker and friend, Pete, starting v-blogging and I thought you'd like to see it. It's very thought provoking.

Robert Louis Stevenson

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."

Last night I went to church and found this quote in the church bulletin. It spoke directly to my heart.

New & Improved

Set Your Tivo

This show reminds me so much of American Beauty. I can't wait to watch the first episode this week.

The Riches

I Promise My Hair Color isn't Blonde

I've been without a cell phone since Saturday.

Apparently, when I went to eat at Montana's Restaurant, in Weatherford, I left my phone there. I thought I just lost it and didn't know where I had left it. I was thinking of buying a new phone, but Linda told me to try calling the restaurant. I did make the call and they found it! Thank God I don't have to buy a new one.

I told Linda I was embarrassed about losing my phone and she told me once she accidentally put her cell in a metal dumpster and her husband had to crawl in after it. Her story made me feel much better.

The Trip

This past weekend we made our way to Weatherford. We checked out apartments, real estate, and just the town in general. We really weren't planning on looking at any houses, but we found this amazing Victorian house for an unbelievable price. I should also mention the house needs some serious remodeling, but structurally it's great. Who knows if our house sells, if we move, if the same house in Weatherford is still on the market...if, if, if, we'll see what happens.

Trey and I have discussed that if our house doesn't sell in a few months we won't move and we'll be at peace with it. Either way we look at it, it's a win-win.

Floral Design

Who likes wallpaper? Not me. Since we're putting the house on the market, we have to scrap this ugly wallpaper. The previous homeowners loved it, but we say its got to go!

Looks like we might be moving

Last time I wrote Trey and I had an important decision to make.Well, the thing is Trey got offered a job, in Weatherford (near Dallas/Fort Worth). He would still be working for the same company, but be working out of the Weatherford branch. This inevitably would mean relocating.

Trey just got back from a business trip there. I guess you could say he was test driving the position. Well, after a week and a half staying in a hotel and working in Weatherford he says it’s great.

At first, I was extremely hesitant to even the idea of selling the house. After all, we’ve only lived here two years, but after time in prayer, I realized this is a wonderful opportunity for Trey to advance in his career and I guess for me to well….start mine. I love our house, but there will always be another house and I hear Weatherford has an amazing historic district.

The decision isn't final, but we are definitely moving forward to pursue the idea.

P.S. thanks for the prayers

Starting A Tradition

Saturday's I usually work from day till dusk. This probably won't change anytime soon and I'm okay with that because I know it's temporary.

Pre-part-time weekend job, Saturday's were spent leisurely doing a lot of nothing with Trey. Now that my weekends are spoken for, we've made a little tradition (really without even knowing). We go to the same restaurant every Saturday at a specific time, order the same thing, and eat in the same booth. We didn't realize we had been doing that until this Saturday when I called it out.

Aside from the working of a new tradition please keep us in your prayers. Trey and I have been given an opportunity and we want to make the right decision. Once everything is determined I'll inform you. Thanks to the few who think this blog is interesting enough to read and thanks for the little prayer.

A Glimpse of Spring

My tomato plant budding the soil

I Heart You

If no one has told you they love you today, let me be the first....you are loved and special in every way.

Well, Wednesday evenings are busy trying to leave work, eat dinner, rush to bible study, and then band practice. So, Trey and I had our Valentine's dinner Tuesday night. We had a romantic home style dinner and Trey actually helped clean up. While he was in the kitchen I couldn't stop laughing. He was asking what was so funny and I told him he seemed out of place. Seeing him in the kitchen was like seeing me tune-up a car.

Today, I didn't expect a gift. I think it's too much pressure placed on a specific day, especially on the male side. My husband has never been a master of the English language, but he found the perfect card that spoke directly to my heart. I in turn wrote out all the qualities I loved about him and what I was thankful for. There was lots of love, but it was really no different from any other day.

Not As Bad As I Thought

So, I got this second job working mainly weekends. I initially thought I'd be working every week night, but the way the schedule works out I've been getting all my hours during weekends. I love bringing in extra cash flow and Trey and I are well on our way to some financial freedom. Hooray for the Anderson's!!!

At first, I thought this job was going to be horrible, but it's really morphed into a great experience. I've learned a lot about myself and I've started managing my time more wisely. To make the most of the weekends Trey and I have been getting up early and getting out of the house several hours before I have to clock into work. This past Saturday we went to Home Depot and decided in the next year or so, depending on how things go, we're going to remodel the den. We decided on the wall color and type of floor. It's gonna look great.

In other news, today was absolutely beautiful. I think I got a glimpse of spring, especially when I went to water my indoor beefsteak tomatoes and saw them starting to break the soil.

You Had Me at Free Make-up

Earlier today, I went to the mall to buy some jewelry and this nice lady approached me. She was asking me about my skin tone, ethnicity and some other really random questions. One of the other questions she asked was if I could be a Mary Kay make-up model for one of her shindigs and portfolio. All the lady had to say was free make-up and I said sign me up.

I have no idea what I'm signing up for...yeah watch me regret this...(Lord help me).

Green Thumb

I've never claimed to be a gardener, but this year I'm reclaiming my backyard and flower bed. Springtime is right around the corner and I'm going to attempt to plant a vegtable garden. It's scary just thinking about it. I was planning on growing tomatoes, squash, peppers, a few herbs (the legal stuff) and maybe some carrots. In order to get a head start, yesterday I purchased a tomato planting kit. It takes a few weeks to grow and then it has to be moved to outdoor soil, just in time for early spring. I hope I don't kill it....wish me luck.

Feng Shui...Anyone?

Linda came over this morning to do yoga. As we were working-out I noticed the arrangement of my furniture and that got me thinking of Feng Shui.




I'm not really into the whole Feng Shui movement, but I do believe the arrangement of furniture can affect someone’s mood. Trey and I have noticed the den sometimes changes our moods. First of all the lighting is horrible. Also the lack of furniture makes it cold and uninviting. Any Feng Shui consultant would condemn our den. Yes, our den needs a serious face-lift, but I can deal with it.

Voted To Talk On Our Behalf

Sunday Trey and I had to stand before our church congregation and give a testimony about taking the Financial Peace University class. If you know Trey at all, you know he's not much of a public speaker. When he has to talk even in a small group he gets nervous and his eyebrows start to twitch. To save him the twitch, I was nominated to speak for both of us. I was a little nervous, but I got through it and managed to crack a few jokes. Trey just stood beside me and when I asked him if he wanted to add anything he said no.
Well, immediately after church I had to work. Trey drove the car as I changed clothes and ate. I hate rushing, but I'm glad my boss doesn't make me work on Sunday mornings.

Hello Again

Hello. I apologize for the gap of blog entries this last week. I have no real excuses so why bother making them up. The last few days I've been vegging out and recovering from working my night job. This weekend I'm working, but I'm only working half of the hours compared to last week.

Aside from that, things are good...not great, but you know good. Today is Trey's 24th birthday. I have to work tonight and I told him he should celebrate without me, but he insisted on celebrating tomorrow just so I can be there.

Well, it's been nice updating you and I hope to get more posts in next week.

White Blanket

Last night it snowed and this morning I rolled out of bed, feed the puppies and grabbed the camera.

Nights & Weekends

So, I got this part-time job, this is of course aside from my day job.

I’ll be working nights and weekends…so, basically when Trey is off, I’ll be working. It’s gonna suck for a few months, but like I always say, “I’m not making a career out of this.”

I’m gonna bust my butt for 6 months or so and do what I have to do in order to be where Trey and I feel financially comfortable (if that’s even possible, not just for us, but for anyone). Since taking the Financial Peace University class we’ve really laid out goals we want to accomplish and if that means getting a second job I don’t have a problem with that.

A Love-Hate Relationship

No, I'm not talking about my husband, mom, or sisters...instead I'm referring to a company...Apple.

Recently, Apple made an announcement and the world stopped to listen. Isn't it a sad world when more people tune in to hear what Steve Jobs has to say and few make an effort to tune in to the President's recent address? I haven't decided if I'm going to support the iPhone considering my history with Apple products. Only time will tell, but how can I resist the sleek technology that will depreciate my quality of life. Oh, the dilemma.

Yogis of the World Unite

Linda and I have ventured to conquer our yoga quest. She came over this morning, at the crack of dawn, with two yoga mats in hand. So, I guess yoga is my latest obsession of the month. I'm getting better everyday with my flexibility.

Besides all that, I've been pretty busy. This week has been bizarre and uncomfortable, but this weekend I'm looking forward to spending more time at home.

Who Said Yoga Was Easy?

I've always thought anyone could do yoga. I thought it was a type of aerobic anyone could do regardless of their athletic state. This week I've been practicing it and have managed to tangle myself with myself.

These positions are ridiculous!

Resolving to Make Changes

2007 will be the year of change. I've made a list of resolutions.

1. To work-out
2. Eat healthy
3. Continue to refrain from sodas
4. Knock out some serious debt (Trey and I want to pay off the house in 5 to 6 years).
5. Challenge myself to continue my education outside of a classroom setting.
6. To be a better wife, neighbor, sister, friend, and worker.

Last year I followed through with most of my resolutions. I joined a gym at the beginning of the year and hit the gym hard until my contract expired. After the membership expired, I continued to find ways to stay active. Previous resolutions included giving up sodas. Okay, I didn’t give them up all together, but “most of the time” I drink water instead. To all of you who are making resolutions I wish you the best.

The Year of The Great Accomplishment, Followed by Disappointments, & Finally Redemption

The Great Accomplishment
After struggling through college math courses, financial aid, and scholarship applications, I completed college in May! My mom cried, I cried, and the proud look in Trey’s eyes made me feel like we had both graduated and earned that degree.

The Disappointments
So, with a degree in one hand and the world of opportunities in the other, I was sure I’d find a job immediately. Five or six rejections later, I learned more about myself than I could’ve imagined.

Redemption
While searching for a job I started working for this production company. Four months later, I still enjoy it and enjoy the company of my co-workers. So with that being mentioned, I’ve set aside looking for another job and feel this employment may have an opportunity to afford itself.

In other highlights:

Trey and I
Trey has been amazing this entire year. Back in April I would lock myself in the guest room and study through the night. Not once, did he make me feel bad for it. He was also extremely understandable when I went a month without working. In general, Trey and I have been blessed this year. We’ve found a church home, we joined the praised and worship band, we took a financial peace class, we’ve been able to make new friends, and we’ve been pretty healthy.

Friends
This year has been somewhat of a repeat of senior year in high school. Linda my best gal pal was with me then and she came to my rescue on several occasions this year. We were both going through the same decisions and opportunities and found great comfort in talking to each other.

Daphne and Bruiser
Since I moved back from LA I’ve been able to walk the dogs at least once a week. Bruiser and Daphne also made friends with Sam, the boxer, from across the street. Trey and I love Daphne and Bruiser and thank God for their health.

Farwell, 2006 and I guess 2007 can only be better.