Thirteen Thursday

This week's topic: Thirteen Things I've Learned About Myself this Year

With the end of the year coming up soon, here are several things I have learned about myself throughout my first year of marriage.

1. Election season stresses me out.
2. I have no construction abilities past hanging photos on the wall.
3. I'm kind of opinionated, (we already knew that) but it is getting worse as I get older.
   
4. Things that should stress me out don't. (i.e. the national economic crisis)
   
5. Things that shouldn't stress me out do. (not getting laundry and dishes washed)
6. I enjoy cooking only when I'm cooking what I want to be cooking.
7. I need better time management skills. Or maybe I just need to say, "No" more?
8. I really haven't taken a lot of college classes that pertain to my career. I do however, know a bit about water aerobics, psychological disorders, radio/tv rules and regulations, sociological problems, and creating fliers and newsletters. Really helpful stuff for a photographer, huh?
9. It doesn't matter how interesting the subject is, I will fall asleep reading a text book.
   
10. I'm a homebody. I really didn't used to be. That's a new development.
    
11. I'm pretty stingy with my husband and his time. (That's not nice, is it?)
    
12. I am addicted to carbs.
13. I learned that I haven't learned 13 things about myself. :o)

Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions

With Steven being gone this week, I've gotten lots of questions. Actually, I've only gotten a few more than normal. People usually have lots of questions as soon as Steven mentions traveling or working out of state. I'm not sure if people are concerned or just curious as to how our crazy life works. I guess as newlyweds that barely live together, we are a bit of an oddity.

Anyway, here are a few of the most commonly asked questions.

Q. Who does he work for?
A. Razz Electrical Services. They are based in Louisiana. This answer has actually changed a few times in the last few years. He started out at U.U.C.I. from Conway (he was working in the Fayetteville area), and he then went to Pike Electric, which is based in North Carolina (he worked in MO and TX).

Q. What exactly does he do?
A. Steven is a lineman. He builds power lines. He has been in the linework business for almost 2 years now. He loves his work and plans to do it until he retires.

Q. Isn't that dangerous? Don't you worry about him?
A. Yes and yes. I try not to think about it though. I've watched him work, and I know that he takes the proper safety precautions. That's all I can ask of him. I can't control what other people do, so I just pray. In my own little world he is getting up and going to work and it stops with the word "work." I do pray for him everyday, but I don't think much about what he is doing other than that. I just remind myself that technically he is no safer doing that than any other job. When God says it is time to go, it's time to go.

Q. Do they pay good?
A. We aren't starving. :-)

Q. Do they pay for his hotel/food/gas?
A. Hotel-Yes. Food- He gets paid a weekly per diem. Gas- No.

Q. When does he come home?
A. Normally he leaves Sunday evenings, works Monday - Thursday and comes home Thursday nights.

Q. Do you stay at your house, all by yourself all week?
A. Honestly, I get this more than I ever thought I would. The thought of doing anything else never crossed my mind until people started asking. Yes, I stay at our house. Where else would I go? We have 3 dogs and a cat, and I don't think they would travel well. I have always enjoyed being home by myself and am not bothered by it.

Q. How do you do it? You must miss him a lot...
A. We lived over an hour away from one another when we met. In the 4 years we dated, we lived in the same town less than 18 months, and that was broken into two segments. I got most of my crying out the first 3 months we dated, when he lived in Batesville. (He would drive to Jonesboro on Friday night or Saturday afternoon and would go back on Sunday evening. I hated Sundays.) He went to doing linework in the fall of 2006, and we were forced to get used to it pretty quick when he spent a few weeks in Oklahoma that October working his first ice storm. Honestly, you get used to it though and fall into the routine. It isn't always easy, but it isn't the end of the world either.

Q. Will he ever work close to home?
A. I have no idea. There is always the possibility of his crew getting a random assignment close to home, but it isn't very likely. Other than that, the answer is no, unless he gets a job with a local co-op. We're waiting until after I graduate to worry with that though.

Q. What will you do when you have kids?
A. I'll send them on the road with him. :-)

Killing time until my husband is home

A-Z Meme

A. Attached or Single? Married
B. Best Friend? Lauren, my sister, and my husband
C. Cake or pie? Pie, unless it is Courtney Cake or Mrs. Susan Moss' cake!
D. Day of choice? Friday
E. Essential item? my BlackBerry
F. Favorite color? Pink
G. Gummy bears or worms? Bears
H. Home town? Jonesboro
I. Favorite indulgence? a mocha latte and a slice of German Chocolate Cake from Caffe Buono, a mani/pedi, a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, SCHWAN'S CONFETTI CAKE ICE CREAM! um I think I like too many little luxuries to pick just one.
J. January or July? January. However, should someone ask me that question in January I would probably answer "July."
K. Kids? Someday, I am looking forward to being a mom.
L. Life isn’t complete without? a sense of humor
M. Marriage date? December 14, 2007
N. Number of brothers and sisters? 1 sister
O. Oranges or Apples? apples
P. Phobias? large spiders, snakes, wild rats (pet store ones are ok)
Q. Quotes? "Dwell in possibility." - Emily Dickinson
R. Reasons to smile? little kids, sleeping puppies, my husband cooking
S. Season of choice? fall; I love football season and the anticipation of winter
T. Tag 5 people: Anyone who wants to play along, join in!
U. Unknown fact about me? I have scoliosis.
V. Vegetable? corn
W. Worst habit? nagging my husband :-)
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? I've had a few x-rays.
Y. Your favorite food? chicken fajitas
Z. Favorite zoo animal? polar bears