Job Searches and the Blackhawks

As much as I love working at my current job, I've known for a while that I need to upgrade from the very part time to a full time position.  The searching began back in February-ish, and I've had a few interviews, but nothing has come of it so far.  I did just have an interview today though, and I think it went rather well!  I the two people who I interviewed with were awesome and very, very nice.  They said I'd hear back by the end of the week, so here is hoping....

In other news, I watched my first full (more or less) hockey game the other night (the one where the Hawks won in double over time!) and I am now a hockey fan.  I will admit, my interest was first sparked by the fact that my Knight is a Bruin's fan and my competitive streak came out.  Go Hawks!  I was going to go out with some friends to watch the first game for the Stanley Cup, but weather knocked those plans out of whack.  Sad day, I guess the radio will have to do instead!

And that concludes today's edition of random news in the life of Amanda.  I'm still getting the hang of this talking about random things in my day thing.  Bear with me!

Scrumptious Blog Award

Awarded to me by the lovely Clare from Come Further Up.

Rules 
1) Once you are awarded, post about it on your blog and leave a link back to the person who awarded you 
2) Answer all the questions on the tag 
3) Do not award anyone who has less than 100 followers 
4) Come up with ten new questions 
5) Keep your questions clean and refrain from using vile language 
6) Tag 5 to 10 people

1. What book are you reading right now?
I am actually in between books.  I don't know which of the 9 I checked out from the library I'll pick up next, but I just finished Breakfast at Tiffany's.

2. Which of the four Gospels is your favorite?
Ooh, this is hard!  I think I'd choose Saint Luke though, because of the account of the Annunciation and Visitation... my middle name is Elizabeth so I've always been partial to the latter.

3. Is your home style more sleek and modern, or antique and quirky?
Well, I can't say that our home necessarily has a "style".  I suppose more of the quirky... mismatched furniture that we've picked up over the years, odds and ends and stuff.  Definitely more "home-ish" than "stylish".

4. Do you like poetry?
To read, not so much.   I do enjoy writing it, however.

5. What are a few of your hobbies?
I have a rather shameful lack of hobbies.  I do read a lot, play the piano and enjoy photography when pressed to answer that question.

6. City or country girl?
Country girl all the way!  I love the wide open spaces, no neighbors, the quiet, the peace.  I think I'd go nuts if I had to live in a city.

7. What’s something you’ve accomplished in the past year that you’re proud of?
At first this question left me feeling a little despondent, because there really hasn't been anything big or important that I've accomplished in the last year.  Then I thought about  it, and realized that that's okay.  I'm in a bit of a quiet phase of life right now, where there aren't any grand or important things that I've been doing.  I have however strengthened old friendships and planted new ones and I've continued to do the best I can to be a loving and supporting girlfriend to my wonderful knight, and I am proud of that.

8. Of all the places you’ve actually been to in the world, which is your favorite? Why?
I went back and forth a few times before I realized that there really is no competition for this one at all.  My favorite place that I've been to is The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama.  If you've ever been there, you'll know why.  If you've never been there... all I can say is I'm sorry for you, and I hope you are blessed to go there soon!

9. White or red wine?
White wine.  I suppose I haven't had too much of either to really be a good judge, but I'll go with the white wine.

10. Where would you like to see yourself five years from now?
I would love to see myself married to my Knight with a home of our own and a little prince or princess on the way.

My Questions

for...

Megan at The Mess Desk of Me

Jansina at Thilly LIttle Nothings

Allison at Faint Hue of Grace

Renee at Sweet Unrest

Victoria at Victory Rose for Christ (Because she needs to start blogging again...)

Laura at Homeschooling with Joy

Elenatintil at Elenatintil

1. Which person of the Old Testament do you most admire, and why?

2. Of all the films coming out this summer, which one are you the most excited for?

3. Who was your best friend when you were a little girl, and are you still friends with them now?

4. Baking or cooking?  (Baking implies desserts, cooking just regular old food.)

5. If you could live in any state in the US, which state would you choose?

6. Do you like to follow current fashion trends, or are you your own trendsetter?

7. What do you enjoy most about your current job?

8. Look back at who you were five years ago.  Are you pretty much the same person or do you think you've changed a lot?

9. Do you like to sing?

10. In your opinion, what is the best cool drink for a summer day?

Kindred Spirits

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

The other day, I decided that there are friends and acquaintances, and there are kindred spirits.  You don't have to be kindred spirits to be very close friends, but I think it can be agreed that there are some people that you meet that you have that extra special connection to.  You click together a little better than you do with other people.  Months can go by without saying more than a few words but it doesn't matter because when you finally run into each other again it's as if no time has passed at all.  You fall right back into conversation, and any silences are the silence of comfortable companionship and not awkward "Well, we've caught up and now what?"

Kindred spirits are the people that you want to go to with any funny story, joy or sorrow - no matter how trivial - because you know they'll get it.  Other people might not understand, but you know they will.  Maybe you don't have exactly the same interests and likes or dislikes, but you both get the same joy out of life and you have the ability to truly value and be enthusiastic about what they are interested in.  When you're with a kindred spirit, life feels a little more perfect.

Kindred spirits are a very special type of friend.  Through our lives we are very likely to run into kindred spirits that we may only know for a few hours, or a short period of time.  In that short time however, you still make that connection and walk away the better for having met them.  Other kindred spirits may find us and stay with us for much longer and if we are fortunate, for the rest of our lives.

It's a great blessing to have friendships and people that you love and value.  Finding a kindred spirit does not make your other friendships any less or not as important, by any means!  It does, however, make your friendship with your kindred spirits a little more special.  You never even have to say anything about it, because they'll know.  Kindred spirits get you, in a way other people don't... and isn't it splendid, when we discover like Anne did, that there really are so many of them in the world?

Modesty Monday: Bright Colors of Summer

Just joining the Modest Monday party? Here's the original post (from My Spare Oom): 

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Between the cooler temperatures and days of rain and gloominess we've been having lately, it hasn't felt much like summer but today it was warm enough that I could pretend in a sleeveless dress layered with a denim vest on top. 

It's a fun, flowy outfit and was the perfect thing to wear to brighten up my day.

My flowery brown strapped sandals for when I headed off to noon mass and lunch with a few friends.

And my awesome Mockingjay pin just because!

Dress: thrift shop!

Vest: Christopher and Banks

Earrings and necklace: yard sales

Mockingjay Pin: Christmas gift from my boyfriend =]

Purse: Walmart

Sandals: Payless Shoe Source

And joining in is my sister with her own summery, bright colored outfit!

Earrings: Charming Charlie's

Top: Wal-mart

Skirt: Thrifted

I don't know what to blog and my brother is super creative

I was told recently by some friends that I don't blog enough, and I have had the same thought myself.  I would like to put up posts more often.  The trouble is, I'm not always sure what to blog about.  So I suppose I can ask my readers - what do you want to read?  Movie/book reviews?  Profound thoughts? (If that's the case you aren't going to end up with more frequent blogging... profundity doesn't strike every day y'know!) Thoughts and stories from my personal life?

I've always felt kind of funny blogging about "Oh hey, this is what I did today!"  It seems to work for many of the other bloggers I follow though.  In fact, random stories about what went on in their day are some of my favorites to read.  I can try that.  I think I'll have to work on making them more interesting to read, and like telling a story.  I doubt any of you will want to read posts that go "Okay so today I did this, and then I went here.  Then this funny thing happened... ramble... ramble.  And yeah, so that was my day today."

Branching off on a different note - can I just say I have a really creative little brother?  Brother 1 been on an alien creating spree lately, complete with illustrations and minute details about these creatures daily lives.  After he has a few he'll follow me around the house rattling off the height and digestive systems of his newest creations.

The Walking Taco

The one that I remember the best because, well, I was listening a little more than I was for some of the rest of them, is his "Walking Taco" alien.  These little parasitic creatures originate on a planet without any humans or intelligent aliens.   To feed, they latch on the their pray and the only way to get them off is to amputate the part of the body that they are on.  They can kill you in less than a month, and sometimes they'll hook on to animals that fly through space and end up on planets with people/aliens.  They've become relatively rare because only 1 in 20 Walking Tacos can reproduce, and those ones are easy to target for killing because they are bigger and have eggs that look like cheese on them.

I'm not sure what all of these are, except for the millipede one down in the bottom corner.  Those aliens come from a moon, and are the best pilots in the galaxy.  They have brains that stretch the whole length of their body, and attend school specifically to study flight and maneuvers. There are two different kinds - the hard shell and soft shell millipedes.  The hard shell ones are the ones that most often become planets because it's dangerous for the soft shell ones to leave their moon.  However, in the event that they get drafted into the army they are given iron plated skins to wear for protection.   I think he said something about their being another sort of skin that makes them transparent so they can be spies?  But I could be making that part up.

So yes, I have one very creative brother.