Just Thursday [w/ MurdocksMama]

 Outside my window.. kind of chilly/gloomy

Today I feel.. refreshed!  I actually got a good night's sleep...finally

I am thankful.. for good friends & family!

Tomorrow I am going.. to be back home! I get my haircut in the morning & am going to lunch with a co-worker from my previous job!

I am wearing..dress pants / shirt .. I'm at work (shh!)

I wish...for my last test to be over (and passed!)

This weekend..I'm meeting up with a bunch of friends back home!  Out for dinner & a night on the town I would suspect:)

I am reading .. Nothing!  Other than my Series 63 study materials :(

I am working on.. getting bills paid off so I can purchase some larger items [tv, bedroom furniture, etc]!

Yesterday I .. worked, cooked [my first successful] dinner for A&A and watched the Idol finale -- YAY SCOTTY!!! He is just too adorable!

I am hoping.. to lose some weight

I am hearing.. Silence! that's what I love about coming in to work early!

I bet you don't know.. only one more month before I will officially be a 'Registered Representative' of M Company! [along with a nice raise:)]

One of my favorite.. things to do is clean / organize!  I'm a bit OCD :)

 

[moment4life]

New song I have recently been addicted to:)

**The actual song starts at 1:20.  They don't play the intro on the radio!

diet&exercise

It's time to starve diet again!  I wish I could be one of those people who eats whatever they want and does not gain a pound!

Here are a few inspirational quotes for motivation that I found...

~The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of loving and believing in yourself.  Guard this gift with your life.  It is the only thing that will ever truly be yours. -Tiffany Rowe

~Success requires constant desire and true commitment.

~Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I gif myself reasons why I can.

~Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. -Theodore Roosevelt

~Obstacles are those things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. -Hannah Moore

~The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life. - Cyril Connolly

~There are only 2 choices; make progress or make excuses. -Ellen Mikesell

~The big secret in life is that there is no big secret.  Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work. -Oprah Winfrey

~You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. -Margaret Thatcher

~Unless you puke, faint or die - KEEP GOING! -Jillian Michaels
    *This one reminds me of my younger sister..she loves Jillian:)

One problem - Since I've been having some back issues, my chiropractor had me stop running, jumping (jazzercise), etc.  Therefore it makes it a little more difficult :(

I am going to work on
1.] eating better / smaller portions
2.] excercise videos
3.] taking Uga for walks nightly
4.] consume less alcohol

My goal is 15 pounds .. and I want it off before my birthday! 78 days..wish me luck!

sigh.of.relief!

When I agreed to come back and work for 'Company M' I agreed that I would get licensed to sell in the state of Iowa.  The idea sure sounded better before I started studying!  These are the tests I am required to take to be 'licensed':

[Iowa Life, Accident & Health Insurance] - this exam qualifies you to sell life, health and accident insurance within Iowa.  It covers all types of life insurance, laws & regulations, health insurance, disability, etc.

[Series 6] - The FINRA license for individuals who wish to sell Mutual Funds and Variable Annuities.

[Series 63] - is designed to qualify candidates as securities agents. The examination covers the principles of state securities regulation reflected in the Uniform Securities Act (with the amendments adopted by NASAA and rules prohibiting dishonest and unethical business practices).

[Series 65] (Optional, well not according to my boss!) - the license for individuals that act as Investment Advisors.  This basically allows you to charge a fee (outside of commissions, if any) for your investment advice.

As of Monday, I now have one exam done!  I used a online studying program that gave you a 10-day study plan and then you take the test.  I used that, but then also left myself the entire weekend to do nothing but study and take practice questions!  It paid off, because I passed it with an 87% and I only needed a 70%! Should have seen the smile on my face walking out of that building!!

Everyone is telling me that if I don't pass one on the first try, its going to be the Series 6-my next one.  Nothing like more motivation to knock it out the first time:)  I cannot wait to be done with this..I kept saying after I graduated with my MBA I was never studying again!! It will be over soon, right?!


On a side note, I planted a flower/pot for my patio table outside my window -- I'll post pictures another time:)

West Des Moines Resident (again)...

As of Saturday (March 26th) Uga and I are officially residents of [West Des Moines]!! 

Here are a few photo's of the new pad..

*I also have washer/dryer in the unit, forgot that picture! :)*

In addition to the giant closet in my bedroom, there is

-a [COAT] closet

-a [LINEN] closet

-a very large [RANDOM] closet in the hallway

-The [SPARE BEDROOM] closet

Not the most perfect place, but it's what Uga and I will call home for the next year:)

[countDOWN] is ON!!

[20six] -twenty:six- 26 {twenty6} TWENTY SIX DAYS TILL...

Hairstyles 101

Ever thought about how much you change (or don't change for some of you!) your hair?  Here is a trip down memory lane for me.  Just over two years ago I chopped over 11" of my hair off!  Talk about wanting to cry...BUT just for the record, I held strong:)

Looking back at the July '07 photo makes me wish I had my long hair back :(  Not an option though, the growing out stage is the worst!!

So.. Dark or Blonde? Long or Short? Layers or No Layers?

A or B? Both?

I have now been working at my company for four and a half months...and have been dealing with a co-worker that has a very strong Type A personality.

"The theory describes a Type A individual as ambitious, aggressive, business-like, controlling, highly competitive, impatient, preoccupied with his or her status, time-conscious, and tightly-wound. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics" who multi-task, push themselves with deadlines, and hate both delays and ambivalence." 

Well co-worker "L" has the characteristics in bold.  I, however, happen to also be more of a Type A than B.  So, you can see where this is going.

L came back to work today after being on vacation for the past 10 days.  L is the 'Office Manager'  This past Thursday was the end of the YEAR, kind of a big deal in the accounting world.  Once I left the office on Thursday, the accountant was going to close out the year.  Pressure's on new girl!! Yikes!

The last day before she left, I asked if there was anything I needed to be aware of or watch for--"nope, I have everything taken care of."  But, when she comes back all I heard was 'Did you do this?' 'Why was this done?' 'Did you document that?' 'Did you mail this?' all morning.  And my answer--I wasn't aware!

Did I get one single THANK YOU for fixing your invoicing you weren't supposed to do, or the check you wrote to the wrong company for our company's insurance policy for the entire year?  Nope, not once.

Is it normal to not get any credit for going out of your way to fix things others messed up?  I really try to think positive in the office, however everyone is so negative as L rubs off on them.  Nobody wants to stand up to her, and they let her call the shots.  I have never had a job where the employee tells the boss whats going to happen.  Maybe I have the wrong job? :)

Note to self: Type A personalities do not work well with other Type A personalities.

twenty-ten in review...

[january] consisted of skiing at seven oaks, starting a new {second} job at the pharmacy & seeing pilobous at the gallagher bluedorn with my mom and sister

[february] pharmacy martini nights and celebrating valentine's day with a classroom full of preschoolers!

[march] went to a wedding of a family friend {alicia & i before!}

[april] a trip to indianola to see a past vertical's performance, and the start of the job search...

[may] a friend from high school's bachelorette party, preschool graduation and memorial day weekend

[june] brought the end of the school year {which meant the end of my job at the preschool}, my younger sister {alicia} turned 19, the drewes-ackerson wedding, many weekends in iowa city, celebrated my parent's 25th wedding anniversary, & probably the best family pictures we've ever taken!

[july] i turned twenty-two {yikes!}, took my first sake bomb, purchased my grand prix, and ran my first 5k with my sisters

[august] went to the american idol concert in des moines, my older sister {abby} turned 24, discovered i will never drink mike's harder lemonade ever again, finally ended my job search and started my new job at WBC! 

[september] celebrated my parents birthdays, spent labor day in florida with a good friend, took in the iowa-iowa state game in iowa city, brother-in-law turned 30, left the pharmacy 

[october] went on a party bus, celebrated halloween as a lady bug

[november] spent thanksgiving night at the hockey game with my extended family, survived another black friday shopping with my mom and sisters

**Had to use a picture from the year before...no time for pictures this year!:)

[december] shopped {a lot}, loved the 2' of snow we got, went to chuch on christmas eve and celebrated new years!

Twenty-ten has been a great year overall!  Lots of changes, some for the better & some to make me a stronger person!  Twenty-eleven has some great things planned [including a CRUISE in 40 days!!] It also has some big decisions that need to be made, in both my personal and professional career!  Hope this blog can help me document along the way! Happy New Year! :)