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I'm a 32 year old mother of 2 fantastic little boys, ages 5 and 10. I'm a retail lackey who dreams of running away to San Francisco where I'll live on my trust fund and take photographs of the city all day.

Currently Reading

  • Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Movies You Should Check Out

  • Little Miss Sunshine
  • The Good Shepherd

Rocking My iPod This Week

  • Eminem
  • Hinder
  • The Fray

Categorically Speaking...

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Label Whore



Okay, so tattoos and piercings aren't my only addictions. As 50 Cent would say, I have "a thing for that Gucci, that Fendi, that Prada". I LOVE LOVE LOVE designer fashion. When most kids were getting up at 7am on Saturdays to watch cartoons, I was getting up to watch fashion shows and the fashion rundowns on E!. So you can imagine the hog heaven I was in when I discovered Just For Me in Minot, ND. Designer handbags galore!!! Rock bottom prices!!! HOG. HEAVEN. LOL So I splurged on me and bought two handbags and a wallet. Below you can see my fabulous bags:

My Kate Spade

My Prada

Ahhh, I love handbags. Designer handbags rule! When I was in San Francisco this summer I paid a visit to my good friend, Christian. Christian Dior that is. I fell in love with the most fabulous handbag ever - a black leather oversized bag with tie-dyed croc skin trim. TIE-DYED CROC SKIN. So new and exclusive, they hadn't even been imported from Italy yet. I would have to order it directly from the Dior studio in Milan. $15,000. Can you believe Matt said no? The whole Christian Dior, tie-dyed croc skin, exclusive - everything escaped him. Apparently $15,000 is a bit steep for a handbag. Oh, to be filthy rich. It's a good thing he didn't see me in Tiffany's...sitting in the vault...wearing 10 carats of blinding diamonds...colorless, flawless, brilliantly cut...$226,000....

Hello my name is Jen and I am a designeraholic.

Friday, September 23, 2005

Welcome to Your New Addiction...


"Welcome to Your New Addiction" - That's what the sign on the wall says at Tattoo Art in Billings, MT. On my first visit into the shop I didn't really think too much of it at the time. I was busy making sure that my template was coming out okay, filling out consent forms, and reading the health warnings. However, I'm learning that it's not just a catchy slogan! I first went to the great guys at Buz Bailey's Tattoo Art in September of 2004 to get my very first tattoo. This was a big deal for me. The design I was getting was one that I had been drawing out for over 8 years and I would be the first person in my family to set foot within 100 yards of a tattoo parlor without being lost. The guy that greeted me when I walked through the door was Adam. To some, he might be intimidating with his wide assortment of piercings and tattoos, but he is really a gentle giant and a total sweetheart. He made me feel right at home and wasn't a bit put out by the fact that I didn't have my tattoo already drawn out to make the template from. He helped me put it together and make some design changes to make it even better. I got the glyph for the zodiac sign of Cancer with stars at the cardinal points on my lower back. During the procedure, he made plenty of conversation with me and was constantly checking to make sure that I was doing okay. Adam explained everything that he was doing and made sure that all my questions were being answered. It only took us about 40 minutes to get everything taken care of. I loved it! I walked out the door already planning what I wanted to get for my next tattoo. I was tempted to turn around and walk right back into the store and say "I want more!" But I didn't.

The wheels of my mind were turning, though. I knew I wanted to get something that would represent my baby. I thought about incorporating his name into my design, but if I ever had another child then it would be in two different handwritings, and what if that second one turned out to be twins?? I decided on getting the Chinese symbols for "mother's love" on my right shoulder blade. It took me all the way until May 2005 to get back to Billings for the purpose of getting a tattoo. Adam was out of town that day, but another of the incredibly nice artists took care of me. Since this one was a little smaller, it only took about 15 minutes from start to finish. Again, I totally loved it! And, again, I walked out of the shop ready to walk right back in to get another. I just had to decide what I wanted to get.

I have always wanted to get a tribal dragon wrapped around my ankle, but I have yet to find a design that has struck me as "The One". The more I thought about it, though, I realized that I spotted my first tattoo a little high on my lower back. If my shirt rode up, you couldn't even see it. I realized that the pants I wore the day I got the tattoo are higher waisted than every other pair of pants I owned! So, I decided to remedy the situation. I found a photo of an awesome tribal that someone had, and I emailed it over to Adam to see if he would be able to make a template from it. And he could! He said that he would also touch up the original tattoo since it was fading a bit in the center. So, in September of 2005 I trekked to Billings to touch up tattoo number one and embark on tattoo number three. Again, Adam was awesome! I just totally love this guy. It took us just about an hour this time. Adam says he wishes everyone sat as well as me! What can I say, I aim to please! LOL This time, I looked through all the flash books and portfolios when I was done - and picked out tattoo number four! It's a neat tribal with purple flowers over it. I want to get the flowers done with UV ink, which means that it will glow in black lights! My friend Hayley & I will be going back in a couple of weeks to get our tattoos - and possibly even some piercings! I'm contemplating an eyebrow ring. I've wanted on since high school, but they were just too trendy. I didn't want to get one and have people think I was doing it to be trendy. I figure that they aren't as trendy anymore, so now's as good a time as any!

The sign didn't lie - Welcome to Your New Addiction!

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

My Lousy Day - or Why I'm Jumping Out of My Skin

So today has really not been a good day.

It all started last night a little after midnight when a guy called to get a room. Turns out this guy is a complete nutjob. Between midnight and 6am, I logged over 30 calls from this guy. Calls 1-3 were mostly about the room, calls 4-30+ were about things that would be inappropriate to repeat for the Penthouse message board - let alone to repeat them here. We'll suffice it to say I heard more than I needed to, and I was offered money, lingerie, and drugs to be his "friend".
I finally called the police around 5am because I couldn't take it anymore. It wouldn't have been so bad, but I work out here ALL ALONE and he wanted to come out here. There were only a handful of people staying here last night, too. The police sent a sherriff's deputy out to talk to me and "luckily" he called while she was here and she told him to knock it off. The thing that scares me, though, is this guy was on and in possession of drugs and kept telling me that we should keep our conversations (if you could call them that) as "secrets between us".

After the sherriff's deputy talked to him, she left - and I had to sit here ALONE for another hour and a half, during which time I was petrified that he would come looking for me. My lovely boss makes me answer the phone using my name, so this guy knows that and where I am. Who's to stop him from calling or coming here and getting my address or phone number? Most of my co-workers are so brilliant they would give that info to anyone.

Anyway, the deputy is investigating to try and track this guy down. All we know for sure is the first name that he gave me and a cell phone number that may or may not be his. As soon as the Inn gets its phone bill, she is going to try to track him down based on the incoming calls. IF she can locate him, harassment charges are going to be filed.

When I got home from school today, I tried to go to sleep so that I could work tonight. I couldn't sleep. Everytime I closed my eyes I could here this bastard in my head. Plus, it seems everyone that has my phone number wanted to call today, so everytime the phone would ring I would nearly hyperventilate and pass out afraid it was him.

I'm really pissed that I've let this guy get to me like this. I told myself after the crap that happened to me when I was in high school that I would NEVER let myself be a victim again. Now here I am, petrified to be at work alone, terrified of the phone ringing, and feeling completely vulnerable and helpless.

As I type this, Jeremy, the bartender that works here, is sleeping in a room right over the front desk because he didn't want me to be here alone. He's ready to charge down here at a second's notice and kick some ass if need be. On one hand, that makes me feel really good, but on the other it makes me feel bad. I love that he is willing to do that for me, but I feel bad that I "making" him do it, ya know? In the end, I'm just grateful to have someone that is willing and able to have my back, though.

I really want to try and get some sleep, but I won't be home until after 12pm today. Jeremy offered to sit behind the desk here while I take a nap, but if I actually fall asleep, I'll be out for the rest of the night! Here's hoping today goes better than yesterday.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

What is This World Coming To?

Okay, so maybe I am just way too liberal to be living in our country or something, but what is up with the FCC and all these right-wing "parent" and "deceny" groups and their blatant (often successful) attempts at censorship? I mean COME ON. They aren't even consistent in what is censored. While in my car driving out ot pick up my paycheck today, the song "Drop it Like its Hot" was on. Some of the random censored words: "Crip" and "pistol". This song isn't played much here, either. The very next song on the radio, which is played all the freaking time with no censored bits, was "Making it Hard for Me". HELLLL-OOOO! This song is all about getting a freakin' hard-on. Tell me how that is less inciteful than the word pistol, again? Only in America. You know what I have to say about it? If you don't like it, don't listen to it. Don't buy it, don't allow your own kids to listen to/buy it, don't have anything to do with it. But DON'T tell me what I can or can't listen to. I am perfectly capable at 25 to make my own choices about what I want to hear or see. Yes, I am a parent. Do I allow my 2 year-old to watch my R-ratd movies or listen to my rap cds? NO. When I feel he is old enough to handle them (and it won't be for a VERY long time), I will let him check them out to see if they are something he likes or not. Hey, what a novel concept - parenting your own kids. I just find it rather ironic that all these conservatives who are pushing the war in Iraq and talking about spreading democracy and free speech are the very ones who are undermining it in our own country.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

My Minot Adventure

**Some of you may have read most of this over at ScrapHappy101, but I did add some new details in here for you!**

We left Thursday morning, almost on time, thanks to my WONDERFUL boss being his usual 15 mintues late. We got some breakfast in a drive-thru on the road, and Matt being the gem that he is drove the first part of the trip so that I could try and get some sleep. He ended up driving all the way to Williston, ND! I drove the rest ofthe way into Minot. We made pretty good time - about 9 hours of driving, plus the hour time change. Hunter & Gabby were very cooperative, however, to achieve this cooperation, Hunter watched Monsters, Inc. 4 times BACK TO BACK. Ugh. I like that movie, but not that much! LOL

Matt's new niece Sierra is TOO cute! The pics don't do her justice. I knew I missed Hunter being at the stage, but I didn't realize how much until I spent the weekend holding and cooing at this little bundle of cute! LOL Matt was enamored with her, too but kept shooting me looks that said "Don't get any ideas!" LOL

Matt's nephew/godson Wyatt is growing up too fast! He'll be 10 this December, and the little booger is already almost as tall as I am. He is such a sweet boy, too. We made him a gift bag so that he wouldn't feel left out by all the gifts we brought for the baby, and his favorite thing in there was the scarf I crocheted for him. At one point he was wearing it as a belt! As hard as it is to believe that he is almost 10, it is at the same hard to believe that he is ONLY almost 10. We spent most of the nights that we were there playing Texas Hold 'Em Poker, and boy, he is pretty good! It's absolutely adorable to watch him bet - most of the time he was basing it off trying to make his stacks of chips even! LOL

Keith and Brietta (Matt's brother & sister-in-law) were a blast to be with as always. I always have such fun with them! Keith has been like a brother to me since the day I met him, and that hasn't changed a bit. Brietta is just like a sister as well.

Matt's mom totally spoiled Brietta and me this weekend. She treated us to pedicures and manicures, plus bought us some new clothes. She just kept saying that we deserved it because we had given her two beautiful grandchildren. We thought it was more because we had taken two mischievous children off her hands, though! LOL

We went to this fabulous store that could have gotten me in a whole lot of debt, but I was able to use a little restraint! It was called Just For Me, and they sell oodles of designer handbags at super cheap prices. If you are ever in Minot, you HAVE to go! It's on South Main over an optometrist's office. Anyhoo, I got two handbags (a Kate Spade and a Prada) and a Prada wallet. Matt doesn't have a clue! LOL What he doesn't know, right? I just wish we had been able to stay in Minot awhile longer - the owner was on a buying trip in New York while we were there and who knows what fabulous goodies she might have brought back!

We left Monday afternoon. I always hate leaving Matt's family because they are so much fun, and so good to me, but hopefully we'll be able to see them all again soon. I drove the first shift this time. I wanted to switch with Matt in Glendive, MT, but he asked if I would mind driving into Miles City. I said it wasn't a big deal -why do I have to be so nice?? Literally 1 mile outside of Miles City I got pulled over by the Montana Highway Patrol for doing 85mph in a 75 mph zone. Ugh. I was being PASSED for cryin' out loud, yet he pulls ME over. So I had to pay $40 for the speeding ticket, and an additional $285 because I couldn't find my insurance card to show the nice officer. Matt thinks it's too funny because it was my first ticket ever and I was pissed that it was over something so stupid. I think the officer was trying to meet a quota or something because we stopped in Miles City to let Hunter and Gabby stretch their legs and when we got back on the freeway, he had someone else pulled over just past the onramp. Jerk. ;o)

Gotta love those gas prices, though. We ended up spending about$250 in gas to get there and back. The most we paid was $3.25 in Stanley, ND - the cheapest was $2.84 in Billings, MT.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Survery Says....

I can't keep up living at this pace. I'm just not enjoying my life anymore! Going to school almost double time (20 units!), working 25-40 hours a week, and trying to be a good mom and girlfriend is positively killing me. I'm only a week and a half into the semester and I am already sick and exhausted. So I've made a very difficult decision. I've decided to drop one of my classes to bring my total down to 16 units. I'll do the same next semester and the one following that. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it means that I will have to push my student teaching back a full semester, if not a full year. Sigh. I did NOT want to have to do it, but in the long run, I have to take care of myself or I won't be around to enjoy my completed degree.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Somedays I Love My Life!

Given the crazy state of my world as of late, it's been really easy to get down on myself and my life. After watching the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on the television and listening to people talk about how they have lost every material possession they have, they can't find their family, and are barely alive themselves, though, I realize that I should be grateful for what I do have. I have a house to go home to when I have a chance to grab a couple hours of sleep. I have a lot of junk to treasure. I know where my immediate family is at all times, and I can find the rest of them pretty easily. And though it might not feel like it most days, and I am ALIVE.

This past week I got the chance to spend some quality time with Matt's family, and it really hit me how grateful I am to have them in my life. They have taken me in and made me a part of their family - even though Matt & I are not married or anything. For the past 8 and a half years, they have made me feel like one of them. Matt's parents treat me and spoil me like I am their daughter, Matt's brother picks on and protects me like I am his little sister, and Matt's nephew and niece see me as "Aunt Jen". I can't think of a single thing that I ever did to deserve such love from people who don't have to do anything for me, but whatever I did, I'm sure glad that I did!

Thursday, September 01, 2005

My New Hair

Last night I splurged on myself, and I had my hair professionally colored at a salon. Since I have long, thick hair, salons have always quoted me outrageously high prices to do anything to my hair, so I have always just ponied up the $16.99 or less that it takes to purchase a box of hair dye and done it myself. However, the JCPenneys salon in the mall was offering $10 off any new client service and they quoted me $55 for an all over color job. So I decided why the heck not! Shanie was so much fun and she did such a great job on my hair! I'll have to take a picture of it to show everyone. It was hysterical how excited SHE was getting over it - you would have thought that it was HER hair! LOL She was awesome. Then to top it off, today they are having a 10% color sale, so she gave me that discount, too! After tip, I spent $50, and I couldn't be more excited about my hair!

Although, before I went in, I was so excited at what I was doing that I locked my keys in the car! Ugh. Not cool. That's the second time in about 3 weeks. I ended up having to pay $35 to have a tow company come out and let me in. I could have called Matt, but I would have ENVER heard the end of it! LOL So now it's just our little secret, okay? So shhhhhhh!

Speaking of Matt - he has YET to notice the new bright red color of my hair! I just want to shake him and say, "Notice anything different?". LOL I'm trying to refrain so that I can see how long it takes him to notice. I bet his mom will notice first thing when we see her later today. Heck, my bartender at work noticed the minute he saw me last night! Oh well. I love it, and I notice it, so that's all that really matters!

2 and a Half More Hours...

Ugh. Only 2 and a half more hours of the torture that is my job. I am positively exhausted after only getting about 3 hours of sleep over the past 48 hours, and sitting here - alone, in the night, the QUIET night - I'm having a ton of trouble staying awake. If I can just make it to 7am, though, I can go home, crawl into some more comfortable clothes, and sleep in the car. Car?, you say? Yup - CAR. After the fabulous week I've had so far, I get to drive 900 miles to Minot, North Dakota. Sigh. At least Matt has volunteered to drive the majority of it so that I can sleep. Such a sweetheart!